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60 Delicious Pre And Post Workout Snacks

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For most of us fitting in a workout into our busy schedule can be quite a challenge. While you may take the time and effort to do just that, perhaps you are not thinking about the nutrition that your body requires pre and post workout.

pre workout snackTrainers and nutritionists recommend that you enjoy healthy and nutritious pre workout snacks as well as post workout snacks. They have a clear and specific function and should not be neglected at any cost.

Pre workout snacks aim to offer your body the nutrition and energy it requires to facilitate optimal performance during your workout.

On the other hand, snacks eaten after you are done with your exercise routine help repair and heal it. Ideally the snacks should include fruit, carbohydrates with medium to low glycemic value, proteins and essential fatty acids.

It is a great idea to plan ahead for your pre workout snacks as well as the post workout snacks. This way you can ensure that you have just the right snack to enhance the impact of your workout.

30 Pre Workout Snacks

The size of your pre workout snack would depend on several factors and this includes what kind of food you are going to snack on, your metabolic rate and how hungry you are.

Do try to eat at least 30 minutes to an hour before you head to the gym. There a variety of foods for you to choose from. Here is a list of 30 that you may enjoy.

1. Crunchy Fruity Yogurt
Make yourself a delicious dessert snack. Whip up some non-fat yogurt, add a handful of whole grain cereal and top up with chopped fruit.

2. Power Protein Shake
Blend a scoop of vanilla whey protein powder, you could also choose another flavor that you love, with a cup of 100% fruit juice and a handful of ice. A cool, refreshing protein shake will keep you strong and agile through your routine.

3. The Caffeine Pick me Up
If you love your coffee cold, then this is just the pre-workout snack for you. Put a cup of iced coffee in the blender and add a scoop of chocolate or vanilla flavored whey protein powder, and blend up a delicious dose of nutrition. The caffeine improves muscle performance.

4. Shake it Up
Blend a scoop of flavored whey protein powder with a cup of ice and a cup of berries. Get your protein and vitamin boost in a glass.

5. Go Bananas
Put a chopped banana into your blender with a cup of low fat milk and mix well. Go bananas with this shake that is super nutritious and lip-smacking.

banana milk shake pre-workout snack

6. PB and A
No, you have not read it wrong. This is not your classic PB&J, but a serving of a medium sized apple with two teaspoons of peanut butter. It is light and will sustain you through your hour long workout.

7. Hurry Berry
If you do not have time to blend your favorite pre workout shake before you leave home, just enjoy a bowl of seasonal fruits. Do remember to add a banana.

8. Not Just Cut and Dry
For the days when you just do not have time to fix a fresh snack, go dry. Eat a handful of dried fruit and nuts.

9. Energy, Bar None
Here is another one for the days that seem to spin out of control. Make sure your gym bag has an energy bar ready to be eaten prior to the workout. Pick one with natural ingredients, and very little sugar.

10. Egg on Toast
This is as simple as it gets, and full of nutrition. Eggs on toast is a wonderful snack, perfect for days when you feel hungry before a workout. Place slices of boiled eggs on a whole wheat toast, and enjoy.

11. Cottage Straight Up
Spread some soft and delectable cottage cheese on your whole wheat toast. It will see you through your reps and much more.

12. Oat it Up
If you are headed out the door early in the morning, make sure it is after you have eaten half a cup of cooked oats. Add a side dish of boiled eggs; it is just what the trainer ordered.

13. Chicken in a Bun
For the days when you are hungrier than usual, fill a whole wheat bun with some grilled chicken and lettuce.

14. Tuna-thon for You
The Tuna-thon For You is for the days when you are not feeling too hungry but would love to munch on something special. Spread some tuna on whole wheat crackers, and start munching.

15. The Veggie Omelet
Make an omelet with two eggs and a handful of your favorite veggies. You can use onions, mushrooms, bell pepper or any other seasonal vegetables. To this also add half a cup of rolled oats, and you have a healthy and satisfying snack.

The Veggie Omelet

16. The Verdant Munch
If you feel like getting in some greens before you head out to the gym, toss up some salad greens, seasonal veggies with a chopped, hardboiled egg. Add your favorite low fat salad dressing, and it is ready to eat.

17. Snack in a Bottle
If you are in a rush and have no time for a snack, opt for a low sugar sports drink. You could also consider adding a scoop of supplement to the drink.

18. Grilled Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Perfect for a late afternoon workout, the grilled chicken offers the body protein while the sweet potatoes provide it complex carbohydrates.

19. Fruity Cottage
Mix together half a cup of cottage cheese, and half a cup of chopped fruits. You can choose any fruits that you enjoy, but do add a banana to help enhance endurance.

20. Blueberries to Go
Whip up a cup of thick, creamy non-fat Greek yogurt, and add a handful of blueberries to it. The yogurt is rich in protein and the berries add a healthy dose of nutrients and antioxidants to your snack.

21. Almond on a Stick
Nut butters are high on proteins and healthy fats. This makes them a great pre workout snack option. Spread almond butter on celery sticks and treat yourself to a light, tasty snack.

22. Turkey Wrap
If you are looking for a light but wholesome pre workout snack, this is an excellent choice. Roll lettuce leaves with chunks of turkey, finely chopped tomato and bell pepper. Add a touch of mustard.

Turkey Wrap

23. Oats in a Bowl
A bowl of steel cut oats offers your body energy for a long time. To a cup of cooked oats you can add a sprinkle of cinnamon powder, some dried fruit like almonds or walnuts and a scoop of whey protein.

24. Fruit Leather
It is delicious and fun to eat, and not just meant for the kids. Fruit leather is a great pre workout snack and packs in a healthy punch of vitamins and minerals.

25. Choco Coco Shot
Into a scoop of chocolate flavored whey powder stir in two teaspoons of coconut oil, the extra virgin kind. The high protein Choco Coco shot is perfect for the days you lift weights.

26. Sunny Side on Whole Grain
Eat your sunny side up on a whole wheat toast. Do ensure that you eat your snack at least an hour before your workout.

27. PB, B&H
Spread peanut butter on whole-wheat toast and top it with sliced bananas and a drizzle of honey.

28. Chicken and Fries
Serve yourself a portion of grilled chicken with a side dish of baked potato wedges.

29. Energy Balls
Mix together a cup of oatmeal, one fourth cup of powdered flax seed, half a cup of peanut butter and a scoop of protein powder. Create your energy balls and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.

30. Tangy Vanilla Frappe
Blend together a scoop of vanilla whey protein powder, a tall glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a cup of ice.

30 Post Workout Snacks

A long and strenuous hour at the gym tires out the body and leaves it fatigued. A post workout snack can not only replenish your energy reserves but also help muscle tissue rebuild and heal. The snack will make you feel great, and ensure that you gain maximally from your time at the gym.

1. Simply Cereal
This one is easy. Enjoy a bowl of whole grain breakfast cereal with a cup of low fat milk. It is filling and will restore the glycogen lost during the workout.

2. Turkey on Whole Grain
Enjoy a satisfying turkey sandwich. The wholegrain bread keeps you full and the turkey offers protein to your body. Do add some lettuce and tomatoes.

3. Tuna in Your Salad
Salad greens, seasonal vegetables and water packed tuna make a delicious salad.

Tuna Salad

4. Crunchy Yogurt
Whip up some Greek yogurt and add half a cup of granola to it. Sprinkle some chopped nuts and raisins, and you are ready to eat.

5. Nut Butter Cracker
Spread some nut butter of your choice on crackers and enjoy a quick but wholesome post workout snack.

6. Slice it Up
If you are on the move, feast on slices of fruit, cheese and turkey slices.

7. Peppy Pancakes
To your regular pancake mix add a scoop of rolled oats, some cottage cheese, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a half a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

8. Banana Shake
This is as simple and tasty as it gets. A banana blend together with a glass of low fat milk and a cup of ice.

9. Go Green
Blend together four cups of spinach with half a cup of vanilla yogurt and a cup of almond milk. You can also add a banana and some nut butter to make the shake creamier.

10. Protein Bar on the Go
Do choose a protein bar that is low in sugar and high on proteins and fiber.

11. Scrambled Eggs
Scramble two eggs with finely chopped vegetables such as bell pepper, mushroom and spinach.

12. Boiled Eggs and Toast
Boiled eggs are a convenient snack to enjoy after your gym routine. Do enjoy them with whole grain toast.

13. Nuts About Juice
Enjoy a glass of 100% juice in a flavor of your choice with a cup of dried and toasted soya beans.

14. Hummus and Pita Bread
Eat a whole wheat, pita bread with a healthy serving of creamy, delicious hummus.

Hummus and Pita Bread

15. Chocolate Milk
There is nothing quite as comforting as a glass of low fat chocolate milk after a long, strenuous workout.

16. Greek Yogurt and Fruit
Mix together a cup of Greek yogurt with a serving of fruit of your choice.

17. PB and Banana Shake
Blend together a banana, a tablespoon of peanut butter and a cup of fat free milk. You could also add one fourth teaspoon of vanilla extract.

18. Chicken Salad
Mix salad greens, seasonal vegetables and chunks of grilled chicken, to make a wholesome snack.

19. Recovery Drink
In a crunch, a recovery drink bought from the store can offer your body enough nutrition to help it recover from the exercise.

20. Rice Cakes with a Topping
Top your rice cakes with almond or peanut butter.

21. Cottage Cheese with a Crunch
To a cup of cottage cheese add half a cup of cereal, the whole grain kind. Mix together with a drizzle of honey and a pinch of cinnamon.

22. Omelet a la Bean
Make an omelet with three egg whites, a scoop of cottage cheese and canned black beans.

23. Cheese and Apple
Add string cheese to a bowl full of chopped apple.

24. Nuts About Bananas
Mix a handful of nuts and dried fruit into a bowl of sliced banana.

25. Sandwich Wrap and a Soup
A whole grain Turkey sandwich wrap with a bowl of soup is filling and nourishing.

26. Fruit Salad
A bowl of mixed fruits such as kiwi, banana and pineapple is rich in antioxidants and nutrients such as carbohydrates.

Fruit Salad

27. Tuna Sandwich
Use water packed tuna along with finely chopped seasonal vegetables and whole grain bread to make a wholesome sandwich.

28. Fruit Yogurt Blend
Blend a cup of low fat yogurt and fruit of your choice to make a deliciously creamy snack.

29. Cheese and Crackers
You cannot go wrong with this classic snack. Top your crackers with slices of cheese.

30. Chicken Stir Fry
Stir fry chicken with vegetables such as broccoli, bell pepper, tomato and carrot.

It is important that you spend a little time planning your pre and post workout snacks. It is important to keep your body nourished and cared for before and after you make it work hard at the gym. For more healthy snack ideas, check this out.

Any other pre-or post-workout snack you like? Share it in the comment box below!

Original Source: 60 Delicious Pre And Post Workout Snacks
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips


Tips On Sprint Intervals For Fat Loss

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runner doing sprint intervalsOne question I frequently hear from many different people is “what is the best cardiovascular exercise for the fast burning of body fat?” My answer is typically always the same, as my own personal experiences have shown me that sprint intervals for fat loss are some of the best exercises on the list.

However, I have discovered over the years that many men are still mistakenly expecting to lose weight by doing low-impact cardiovascular routines for approximately half an hour, such as cycling, running or jogging. The latter are not what I mean when I say “sprinting.”

Of course, running and cycling are good exercises. Nevertheless, they are not as effective as sprinting for those who want to burn body fat at a rapid pace. Below are some suggestions if your goal is to gain muscle, while quickly losing fat at the same time.

Sprint Intervals for Muscle Gain and Fat Loss

Outdoor sprints are my favorite cardiovascular exercises. These include lowercase Hill sprints and HIIT sprints completed on a treadmill. I also recommend body weight HIIT workouts, such as bicycle crunches, high knees, mountain climbers, box jumps, burpees and pushups.

These exercises are some of the best choices for burning fat more quickly than you have been with traditional cardiovascular workouts. Not only will they help you burn calories and fat in less time, if you stay consistent they will also ensure that you get into the best shape of your life.

sprint interval trainingHowever, when doing such exercises, you must be sure to train with an adequate amount of intensity or you may not enjoy optimum results from your efforts.

When completing any type of high intensity workout where your body is pushed to its limits with infrequent rest periods, you will notice that your breathing becomes heavy.

This is how you can be sure you are pushing your body to the limit, as this is the science behind sprinting: moving at the fastest speed possible for a short amount of time.

In most cases, a good sprinting session can be completed in 8 to 10 minutes, and before long, you will find yourself blasting off body fat and discovering new, well-defined muscles.

If you are like most people, you would probably agree that 8 to 10 minutes of intense exercise certainly beats running on a treadmill or race walking for an hour.

Of course, as you may have suspected, running long-distance is still an enjoyable activity. I even participated in several triathlons in recent years, during which I had a great time, but with regard to getting ripped ABS and blasting away fat, nothing holds a candle to sprint training.

Practice Makes Perfect

Obviously, not all men can suddenly begin sprinting at a high intensity if they have not yet reached a certain fitness level. Similar to any other exercise, effective sprinting takes practice and requires that you be in excellent physical shape before you begin.

If you feel you are not at that level, keep up with your current cardiovascular workouts and weight training and then try a five minute sprint to “test” your level of physical fitness.

If you feel winded, but able to continue, you can try an 8 to 10 minute sprinting session.

If you are like me, and your goal is a six pack, strong muscles and continuous fat burning, consider doing weight lifting most days, and sprinting once or twice a week. You will be amazed at the results you see and how quickly they manifest.

I do sprinting once a week and weight lifting every other day and have been quite pleased with the outcome.

Sprinting Benefits

benefits of sprinting• Improves overall body strength by working out each muscle

• Enhances insulin sensitivity so that you’re able to consume more carbohydrates, while still losing body fat

• Muscle is maintained while you decrease body fat as much as 20 percent

• Boost your metabolism so that maximum calories are burnt in a short time

• Calories are burned long after you finish your sprint

• Helps you develop a sixpack without the need for situps, crunches or other ab exercises

• Builds very strong legs similar to those seen on weightlifters

• Improves cardiovascular function

• Is a complete muscle building workout using multiple muscle groups simultaneously

Consider Your Goals

I know many people who do not even consider doing sprint training or HIIT workouts because they would simply rather stick to standard aerobic exercises that do not require a high amount of energy and physical effort.

Each person must make this choice for himself, but keep your ultimate fitness goals in mind when you are making this decision.

If you are like me and want six pack abs and a bodybuilder’s legs, you may have to consider sprint training and HIIT workouts to reach this goal. However, HIIT is not for everyone, and ultimately you must make your own decision about whether or not to embrace this type of exercise.

Sprinting and Kiss Chasing

If you have never sprinted before, you owe it to yourself to at least give it a try. Sprinting is for essentially anyone who wants to lose weight at a rapid pace. Keep in mind, however, that you do not have to go crazy at the start. Rather, take your time and let your body slowly get used to this type of workout.

I understand that it will be hard in the beginning and I can empathize with your hesitancy, but remember how much you loved running when you were a kid? I certainly did. :)

Furthermore, if you are honest, you can probably agree that running was even more fun when we played kiss chase games with the girls. Remember some of those good-looking girls, who we talked into letting us kiss them if we could catch them? We must face it, some of those girls were extremely fast, but we still considered it worth it to get out of breath if only we could catch them and they would have to kiss us.

Gradual Improvements With Every Sprinting Session

Do not feel that because you are a bit older now that you cannot still run fast. For example, if you are truly committed, you will have no problem gradually working your way up from doing two sprints per week to doing up to ten per week until you achieve your fitness goals.

After this, you can sprint once or twice a week and maintain the level of physical fitness, weight loss and muscle definition you have achieved.

sprintsMy own experience has shown me that it is easy for me to do two or three 50-yard sprints in a row at top speed. However, additional sprints after that become more difficult with each session.

I generally complete my sprints at a football field or on a sprint track. The tracks I choose are 15 minute courses at the most. I would recommend that you do the same and once you master sprinting, you will begin seeing visible results in a short amount of time.

This is because sprinting burns a very high number of calories. In my experience, it burns more fat and calories than if you ran on a treadmill as if you were running for your life.

Therefore, even if you are one of those people who is struggling to lose body fat and excess pounds and cannot do so even with traditional workouts, you owe it to yourself to try sprinting.

For this reason, I do not even count calories when I consume my meals. Of course, this does not mean that I can eat whatever junk food I want any time I feel like doing so and you should not do that either.

However, I am confident that I do not need to worry about weight gain when I am participating in high intensity cardiovascular activity on a regular basis, such as sprinting.

I still have designated “cheat days,” but I try not to spend money on junk food. If somebody hands me a 12 inch personal pan pizza on a cheat day, I will eat it, but I try to avoid going out and spending money on such food. This is because junk food is bad for you in many ways in addition to causing weight gain, so it is best avoided.

Marathon Runner’s Body Versus Sprinter’s BodyMarathon Runner's Body Versus Sprinter's Body

If you would like further proof of why sprinting is the ultimate muscle building and fat burning workout, all you must do is observe the physical differences between long-distance runners and sprinters.

It is true that long-distance runners typically have a very low amount of body fat, especially in their legs.

Nevertheless, when you look at the bodies of sprinters, they are much more ripped and muscular. This is true not only for their lower bodies, but the upper half of their bodies as well.

When I looked closely at these athletes, I definitely prefer the look of a sprinter’s body and have aspired toward the goal of looking the same through this type of exercise.

Speed Training Drills Will Improve Your Technique

Always remember to warm up, as injuries can occur if you attempt an intense workout without a good warm up first. Pay close attention to your hamstrings, as sprinting sessions can strain the joints. If you give your hamstrings a good stretch, you will decrease your chance of joint or muscle injuries.

Here is a good guide on stretching I wrote a few weeks ago.

After you learn to properly stretch, your next goal should be to complete speed training drills.

Do not overlook these drills, as they are something that every sprinter needs, regardless of his individual goals or the events in which he will be participating. However, if you are a beginner, you should stick to a handful of basic training drills.

You can choose three of the following four and complete them once a week:

Straight Leg Kicks:

Straight Leg Kicks

High Knee Raises:

High Knee Raises

Side To Side Squatting:

Side To Side Squatting

Glute Kicks:

Glute Kicks

After you have improved your technique, I suggest doing sprints two or three times every week. This will ensure that you only get better as time goes on.

The Importance of Wearing the Right Footwear

sprinter sneakerYou will be pleased to discover that you do not need to spend a ton of money on footwear and clothes. However, investing in the right athletic shoes is essential, as it will make a tremendous difference in the speed at which you can run.

Fortunately, you can purchase shoes that are specifically designed for sprinters. They have sprint spikes on their soles and are usually very light weight, making them perfect for this type of exercise.

Hopefully, the information and tips outlined above have helped you to reach your muscle building and fat burning goals.

If you want additional tips, check out Tom Venuto’s book called “Burn the Fat and Feed The Muscle.” I have learned a tremendous amount from reading his book, which is one of the best-selling muscle building, fat loss books on the market.

Original Source: Tips On Sprint Intervals For Fat Loss
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

Back And Biceps Workout Program For HUGE Gains (+ Tips)

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bicep trainingAsk any good trainer to recommend a great back and biceps workout that will show instant results and they are probably going to just smile and shake their head.

The first and most important thing that you need to understand about working out your biceps and back is that like any other part of the body it requires desire, discipline and dedication.

The 3Ds are the only way you can expect to attain back muscles and biceps that you will feel good about. The desire to be stronger and better built will fuel you with the energy and focus to keep to your workout program even when you may feel discouraged.

The more you exercise your body, the better you will understand it and the manner in which it is built. Dedicated and consistent effort will pay off in the best way possible.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the man who set a new and unbelievable standard in bodybuilding, says that the link between the body and the mind is crucial. When you do reps of an exercise you should be able to feel the impact it has on your body. Hence, focus and concentration is essential when you choose and follow a biceps and back workout.

Keep Your Eye on Your Goal

bodybuilder with great back

There are some basic things that you need to keep in mind when you select a workout that will facilitate bodybuilding. Here is a brief list for you:

  • Understand your body and go with a workout that is appropriate for it. If you are a beginner, then begin slowly, and stay steady. As you gain strength and muscle, add more sets to your workout.
  • Building muscle is directly linked with your diet. You will need to eat a high protein diet when you follow a back and biceps workout. The nutrition you offer your body will help it recover well and gain maximally from the exercise. Pre and post workout snacks are important and cannot be missed.
  • Do not expect results overnight. As in most things in life you have to work hard and be smart, and not look for shortcuts. Your body will not change overnight. However, as you make it work hard with every workout session, slowly but steadily you will be able to sculpt the form that you desire.
  • Your body needs a 15-20 second break between sets. Short breaks, as compared to longer ones, lead to more release of hormones that facilitate muscle growth after the workout. Also, they improve blood flow to the part of the body that you are exercising and targeting. This increases the proteins that it receives and benefits from.
  • You cannot rush through your reps if you want the optimal impact. There are no shortcuts and no hurried workouts that will help you build your body. Your trainer will tell you this again and again, and it is important that you pay attention to this important piece of advice.
  • The initial few sets will feel easy, kind of like a warm up. As you steadily and effectively move through your workout, the muscles will start to feel fatigued. Do not give up now, it may feel like your body is sending signals for you to stop, but you need to ensure that you complete your workout properly.

The 4X4? Not Quite…

4x8 workout routine

So you have heard of the 4X4 drive. The vehicle is powered by all four wheels and is in full form to move and get you to your destination. For your back and biceps workout, you need the 4X8 workout routine. What this essentially means is that you will be doing 4 sets of 8, and sometimes 10, repetitions of each exercise.

For the start of the biceps and back workout, it is a good idea to begin with the exercise that you find the most difficult. There is nothing quite like facing your troubles and conquering them before you move on to the others.

It is important that you understand your body’s capacity and your level of fitness and bodybuilding expertise. Do not hesitate to ask a trainer for advice if you have doubts or queries about an exercise.

Back Exercises:

Pull Ups, Wide Grip, 4 Sets of 8 Reps

wide grip pull upsInstruction: Make sure your hands face away from you, and are apart shoulder width. If you are a beginner, if your gym has one, you can consider using a pull up assist machine.

Most men like to begin with pull ups, remember to keep your hands wide apart. Pull ups exercise both your back muscles as well as your biceps. Try to get in 4 sets of 8-10 reps with a rest time of 20 seconds between sets.

Do remember you will perform the exercise according to your level of fitness and strength. If you can manage to do only three or four repetitions, do not fret, focus on getting your form correct.

As you continue with the workout over the next few weeks you
will be able to slowly add to the repetitions in every set.

The Lat Pulldown, Wide Grip, 4 Sets of 8 Reps

wide grip lat pulldownInstruction: This one focuses on the shoulders, middle back and the biceps. Make sure you are sitting comfortably and the knee pads are adjusted for your height. Grab the bar and ensure that your hands are spaced at shoulder width, this will give you a wide grip. Only the arm muscles will move and the torso is to remain stationary. 20 second breaks between sets.

When you bring the bar down you will exhale. It should come down to the upper part of your chest. The strain will be experienced by your biceps and shoulder muscles.

Do remember that your forearms are not meant to bear the strain, they are simply used to hold the bar and not to power the movement required for the lat pulldown.

Hold the position for a second or two and feel your muscles
contract at that shoulders. Now you will inhale as you stretch
fully to slowly raise the bar.

The Row, Chest Supported Version, 4 Sets of 8 Reps

chest supported rowInstruction: This one focuses on stretching your biceps and back muscles without putting any strain on the lower back. Ensure that the machine is adjusted for your height. The chest pad ensures that your posture and form is correct. Start with a weight that you are comfortable with, and over the next few weeks you can increase it. 15 second breaks between sets.

Rowing is an excellent exercise for the upper body. The chest supported row is an excellent way to stretch and strengthen those back muscles and biceps. An excellent option for folks who have lower back pain and need to avoid other exercises.

Barbell, Dead Lifts, 4 Sets of 8 Reps

barbell deadliftsInstruction: Keep your feet apart, shoulder width. Bend with your knees to hold the bar. You will push with your hips and your knees too. As you rise up, the shoulder blades must pull together until the bar is at hip height.

Lower the bar as you bend at the knees and look forward. Take 10-15 second breaks between sets. If you are a beginner and have no experience with the barbell, begin with no weights on.

On the flip side, if you are going to pick over 110 pounds of weight, do wear a belt to avoid any risk of injury.

Barbell, Bent Over Rows, 4 Sets of 8 Reps

Barbell Bent Over RowsInstruction: Place your feet at shoulder width and bend from the knees to pick up the bar. If this is the first time you are doing this exercise, do it without any weights on the bar.

Form and posture is more important than the weight you are picking, that is until you have perfected the required movement. If you are using weights of more than 110 pounds, do wear a belt as a protection against injuries.

 

Bicep Exercises:

Dumbbell Hammer Curls, Standing, 4 Sets of 8 RepsStanding Dumbbell Hammer Curls

Instruction: Stand with your feet apart, shoulder width. Do not bend your knees or flex your back as you raise the dumbbell to angle of 90 degrees.

Your elbows should be angled towards your hips. Pay attention to ensure that it is the biceps that are stretched and strained during this exercise. Stop between sets for a short break.

Dumbbell Isolation Curls, Seated, 4 Sets of 8 Reps

Seated Dumbbell Isolation CurlsInstruction: Make sure you are seated comfortably for this one and your feet are steadily placed on the ground. If you are exercising your right bicep then place your left hand on your left knee to keep you steady. The right elbow should be balanced on the right inner thigh.

Now curl your arm so as to raise the weight. Your bicep will be squeezed tight. Do be careful not to follow a swing like movement and do the repetitions slowly and with conscious movement. Begin with a weight you are comfortable with, and after a few weeks you can increase it.

Barbell Curls, Standing, 4 Sets of 8 Reps

Standing Barbell CurlsInstruction: Keep your feet apart, flat and steady on the ground. Bend from the knees to pick the bar. Get a narrow grip on the bar as you raise it up. Take care to avoid straining your back and make sure your feet are flat during the repetitions.

Take a short pause between sets. If you are a beginner to this kind of strength training, you may like to use a straight bar with a wide grip.

Preacher Curls, Seated, 4 Sets of 8 Reps

Seated Preacher CurlsInstruction: For this exercise you can opt to use a straight bar or an ez bar. Seat yourself comfortably on a preacher bench. Make sure your back is straight and you place your arms over the pad.

You will hold the bar with an underhand grip and slowly raise it towards your chin. The movement must be deliberate and should not be prone to bounce with the weight.

A bicep workout requires focus and concentration. Ensure that you are not distracted while you exercise. Take 10-15 second breaks between sets to gain maximally from your workout.

Biceps Cable Curl, Standing, 4 Sets of 8 Reps

Standing Biceps Cable CurlInstruction: This is a tough one, and sure to leave your muscles fatigued. So, get ready! Stand straight with your feet comfortably apart. They should be pointed slightly inwards.

Position your elbows close to your body and keep them pinned. Hold the bar with an underhand grip and raise it to begin your biceps cable curl. Breathe in as you do so, and breathe out as you uncurl the muscles.

Be conscious of the exercise you are performing and do not allow your body to move or swing. Your forearms will remain stationary and are not to facilitate the movement that this exercise requires. This one can be exhausting, so if you feel fatigued before you even begin, you may want to skip it.

However, if you want to include it in your workout routine, make certain you do not get lazy with your posture or form.

It is vital that you customize the biceps and back workout to suit your level of fitness and expertise with bodybuilding exercise. Slow and steady, this should be your motto when it comes to strengthening this part of your body. Any callousness on your part could strain your muscles and hurt them.

It is a good idea to work with a trainer until you are confident of each exercise and are able to do them effectively. Do pay heed to the signs that your body offers you and do not overdo the exercises. Remember to take breaks between sets and to enjoy your workout routine.

Take care to eat or drink pre and post workout snacks that are rich in proteins. Finally, the 3 Ds, desire, discipline and dedication are the foundation for a great workout and towards achieving your bodybuilding goal. It will also help you become more attuned to your body and its capabilities.

Original Source: Back And Biceps Workout Program For HUGE Gains (+ Tips)
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

How Much Protein Do You Need To Build Muscle Mass

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Although exercises generally have an effect on muscle growth, you will need to supplement your workout regime with a lot of protein in your diet if you wish to bulk up and build bigger muscles.

Still, there is no consensus on the exact grams of protein a person requires to build muscle. So, how much protein to build muscle mass? Here is some information to help you answer that question:

Exercise-Induced Muscle Growth

muscle growth

Muscles are the most adaptable tissues in the body and can increase in size when subjected to intense physical stresses. During exercise, muscle tissues typically undergo trauma or injury/damage due to cyclical contraction and stretching.

When this happens, the body initiates biological processes to repair damaged muscle fibers. As a result, the cross-sectional area of these fibers increases over time thanks to cell repair and replication.

Besides cell repair and replication, human growth factors (hormones) also play a key role in muscle growth. Some of the hormones that enhance muscle growth include hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), FGF and insulin-type growth factor I and II (IGFs).

According to an article published by the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, resistance-type exercises stimulate the anterior pituitary gland to release growth hormones. In turn, these hormones ramp up fat metabolism to keep the body’s energy at optimum levels.

It is worth noting that testosterone also plays a part in muscle growth. In fact, medical experts call testosterone a steroid hormone because it activates tissue growth and stimulates protein synthesis.

The Role of Protein in Muscle Growth

scoop of protein powder

In simple words, muscle fibers grow when the rate of protein synthesis in muscle fibers exceeds the rate of protein breakdown.

According to an article published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, muscle growth will only occur if the body registers positive muscle protein balance (anabolic state).

On the other hand, when the body has negative muscle protein balance (in a catabolic state), muscle cell hypertrophy is usually slow, meaning muscles take longer to form irrespective of how hard you workout.

In comparison, exercising when the muscle protein balance is positive typically stimulates protein synthesis within two to four hours. The good news is a single bout of resistance exercise can make muscle protein metabolism to last anywhere from 24¬ to 48 hours.

Protein Composition

amino acids

Protein consists of building blocks known as amino acids, which in turn consist of various chemical compounds including hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen.

In addition, there are as many as 50,000 different types of proteins in the human body, which account for up to 50% of one’s dry weight.

These amino acids are the main building blocks of the human muscular system. As such, they are the key ingredients required for muscle tissue repair and growth to take place.

Essential and Non-Essential Amino Acids

9 Essential and 11 Non-Essential Amino Acids

Muscle tissues are made up of two main elements: actin and myosin. Both of these elements are amino acids. At this point, take note there are two categories of amino acids: essential and non-essential.

The body does not make essential amino acids meaning you must include foods that contain these compounds in your diet.

Good sources of essential amino acids include eggs, meat, and seafood. These foods are broken down in the digestive system into amino acids required for functions such as muscle building.

Additionally, the body can make non-essential amino acids from other types of amino acids.

How Many Grams of Protein to Build Muscle

how many grams of protein should i eat arnold

The average adult who leads a sedentary lifestyle requires about 0.8 grams of protein per kg of body weight each day. This is according to diet guidelines published by the US Food and Nutrition Board.

For children and infants, the rule of thumb is to ensure their protein intake is double or triple that of an adult per kg of body each day. This ensures their bodies have the nutrients required to sustain rapid growth.

For people interested in increasing body mass and building muscles, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

In spite of this, many people in the bodybuilding community exceed this and other protein intake recommendations given by authoritative bodies or organizations. They do so because they believe consuming more protein translates to faster muscle growth and ultimately bigger muscles.

Moreover, they purchase and consume amino acid supplements in a bid to increase muscle mass. Sports medicine experts differ on the merits and demerits of exceeding accepted RDA limits.

The Case for Exceeding the Recommended Protein Intake Limits

While the protein intake range quoted above may have the backing of eminent and reputable researchers, it does not mean that you should take it as gospel truth.

Treat it as a guide because it could be the outcome of an erroneous scientific research process. In fact, results from ongoing and recent research efforts focused on protein intake differ from the US Food and Nutrition Board’s RDA guidelines.

An eminent researcher called Dr. Peter Lemon has ruffled feathers by stating in a review paper that adults involved in strength training require 1.7-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Dr. Lemon based his review paper arguments on several past studies.

One such study took place at San Francisco’s Letterman Army Institute of Research and involved subjects on a protein intake limit of 2.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day. The same study participants underwent intense weight training.

At the end of this study, researchers involved found that participants had gained 3.28 kg of lean muscle mass.

In another study, researchers put weightlifters through a three-month observation period while on a protein intake that ranged incrementally from 2.2-3.5 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day.

By the end of this period, the weightlifters under observation registered muscle mass and strength improvements of 6% and 5% respectively.

The results from yet another group of subjects observed by Kent University researchers found that consuming more than 1.4 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight per day does not necessarily result in better protein synthesis.

A group of participants in this study who consumed 0.9 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight per day did not benefit from protein synthesis.

These statistics show that exceeding the RDA limit may be beneficial for people involved in intense weight training. However, consuming insane amounts of proteins as some bodybuilders do is a waste of food and money.

Protein Supplements

Protein Supplements

Another issue that has generated heated debates in the bodybuilding community is the use of protein supplements. On this front, the ACSM recommends using protein supplements before and after weight training.

Pre-exercise protein supplementation boosts the body’s resting energy expenditure for up to 48 hours. This is beneficial because it helps ramp up lean muscle mass as well as reducing fat mass, according to the ACSM.

On the other hand, post-exercise protein supplementation stimulates protein synthesis for up to three hours.

The ACSM also states that results from recent studies suggest that protein intake within an hour of exercise has the greatest influence on protein synthesis.

Debunking Excess Protein Intake Myths

protein myths debunked

There is a common myth that consuming excess protein translates to faster muscle growth, bigger muscles, and improved strength. This is nothing but a false belief that does not have scientific basis.

A publication from the University of California, Los Angeles’s Student Development Health Education department states that increasing protein intake over and above the recommended daily intake may not be a good idea for two main reasons.

Firstly, the body does not store excess protein for use later meaning they are simply excreted. Secondly, excessive protein intake can be harmful to your health because it leads to increased calcium secretion.

For people with high risk of developing osteoporosis, this is not good news. These facts from reputable sources show that excess protein intake is not the key to building bigger muscles.

Another myth you will come across is that excessive protein intake can cause kidney disease. This is a misrepresentation of a well-known kidney disease problem: excess protein consumption complicates the excretion of nitrogenous waste.

The people who peddle this myth base their argument on a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. However, they fail to state that the study that supposedly confirmed their fears involved subjects with pre-existing kidney disease problems.

The opposite is true for bodybuilders, weightlifters, or people who want to bulk up meaning they are unlikely to develop kidney complications by consuming excess protein.

Yet another common myth is that too much protein can cause heart disease. Once again, this is a misrepresentation of medical facts.

It is true that you could develop heart disease by consuming protein-rich foods. However, you would also require a supporting cast of factors such as physical inactivity, love of non-lean meats, and hereditary pre-disposition to heart disease.

Since bodybuilders spend a considerable amount of time exercising in gyms, the basis of is shaky. Moreover, a bodybuilder can further reduce his/her heart disease risk profile by adopting a healthy diet that includes lean meats, vegetables, fruits, and plenty of water.

When to Consume Proteins

bodybuilder drinking protein shake

Although differing views exist on the right time to consume proteins, it is wise to stagger your protein intake throughout an entire day.

Spreading protein intake has one major benefit, optimizing your blood’s amino acid levels. Another benefit is promoting better muscle repair and growth according to the ACSM.

The results of a recent study published by the Australian Sports Commission recommends including a serving of protein rich food or snack in every meal. Doing so generally increases the likelihood of experiencing faster muscle mass gains.

What You Need To Build Muscles

building muscle

For the impatient, sadly there are no muscle-building shortcuts. Nevertheless, it is possible to build bigger muscles by following a well thought out training plan. Such a plan should have the following key anchors:

• Increased calorie intake

Ramping up your calorie intake is necessary to ensure you have enough energy to perform exercises such as lifting weights in the gym. To achieve this goal, aim to increase the frequency of meals/snacks you eat every day.

A meal plan that satisfies this requirement would include three main meals and 2 to 3 snacks per day. This is better than increasing the size of your main meals.

• Heavy resistance training

Data from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) shows that the average person will gain about one pound of weight per week by consuming an extra 500 calories per day.

For those who go to the gym to lift weights and exercise, there is no need to worry about weight gain because it will translate to about three pounds of muscle per month.

Expect this muscle gain hold for the first three months of weight training after which gains will be much smaller. Figures from UCLA show that it is possible to gain as much as 20 pounds in muscle weight in one year if you stick to a high intensity weight-training program as well as high calorie diet.

However, your muscles cannot continue growing indefinitely. At some point, you will hit a level that sports medicine and musculoskeletal experts call “genetic size potential”. This is the upper limit of an individual’s musculoskeletal growth. The only way to breach this level is by adding fat mass.

• Adequate protein consumption

As discussed earlier, excess protein consumption can be dangerous to your health. Consume no more than 1.7 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day. You can get all the protein you need for muscle building by including foods such as yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, seafood, lean meat, beans, tofu, nuts, egg whites, and poultry meat into your diet.

• Realistic goals

Set realistic muscle building goals and avoid myths that you may hear from people who frequent gyms. Remember muscle growth varies from one person to another depending on factors like genetic makeup, steroid use/non-use and weight training schedule.

Conclusion

The right amount of protein that you should consume depends on factors like your genetic makeup, intensity of weight training, and body mass.

Recommended Protein Intake

With this in mind, it is wise to keep protein intake within a range of 1.4-1.8 grams per kg of bodyweight per day. You can also use protein supplements pre and post supplementation.

Original Source: How Much Protein Do You Need To Build Muscle Mass
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Chest And Triceps Workout Routine For HUGE Gains (+ Tips)

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If you are serious about your bodybuilding regimen, then you cannot afford to underestimate the importance of having a well-sculpted chest and sharply-defined triceps. I am sure you have faced instances where you felt your chest and tricep workout was just not providing the results you wish to experience.

Read ahead for chest workout exercises combined with a triceps workout regimen that has worked really well for me.

My chest and tricep workout is designed around my preference to simultaneously train two muscle groups in a single session. I focus on a large and a small muscle group and train for around 90 minutes during a single gym session.

Routine Overview

chest training

My chest workout consists of the following routines:

• Barbell Bench Press
• Inclined Barbell Bench Press
• Declining Weighted Push Up
• Dumbbell Pull Over
• Cable Flys – Standing

The triceps workout includes the following exercises:

• Flat Bench Extension
• Double Arm Rope Push Downs
• Bent-over Cable Extension
• Triceps Dips
• Dumbbell Extensions – Overhead

Never Begin without Warm Up!!

man jogging

Never begin your exercise routine without warming up. I cannot overemphasize this point. Irrespective of the actual routine you prefer—walking or jogging, jumping, or stretching on an exercise ball, or light weight lifting— make sure you are all warmed up before beginning your chest and tricep workout.

A warmed up body faces lower risk of injuries. Hitting top gear from the word go will significantly increase injury risk, especially when performing a strenuous routine like the chest and tricep workout. The warm up exercises will boost blood flow to your muscles, which will ensure the wear and tear resulting from your workout does not result in significant damage or injuries.

Secondly, reduced injury risk apart, warming up will also help boost your endurance during your routine. I have observed that those who start working out without warming up end up struggling to maintain intensity throughout the routine. They end up burning out quickly, which obviously will affect the overall development of your physique.

Thirdly, warm up is particularly important for the regimen that I have described below. My routine involves intense exercising for as long as possible with short breaks not exceeding 30 seconds after each set. This helps keep the muscles warm till the very end of the routine.

Importance of the Right Form and Fitness Technique

Doing a weighted exercise involves something more than lifting a weight and moving your hand or leg. The right form and technique involves contracting your muscles, regulating your movement, and moving your body in precise steps.

Ignoring form and technique when you are lifting heavy weights can easily lead to badly-shaped muscles and painful injuries. So, take your time, understand the logic behind the exercise, and identify the muscles that you should focus on before beginning the exercise routine.

Add the Power of Drop Sets to your Fitness Regimen

drop sets

Experienced bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts will agree when I say that exercising, especially weightlifting is all about building muscles and improving your fitness in the most efficient manner possible. This is where adopting the drop set approach can make a huge difference.

To do a drop set is to choose a weight and do as many reps as possible and immediately shifting to a smaller weight and continuing the reps, and continuing to do so until you just cannot exercise any further.

Instead of the conventional approach of choosing a weight, doing reps, resting, and doing some more reps, you will keep on dropping the weight and continuing the reps until you just cannot proceed any further.

The Chest Workout

First Exercise: Barbell Bench Press

The first routine involves performing four sets of 10-12 reps each with the final set being a drop set. Try to avoid long breaks in between; rest between sets should not exceed a minute.

Barbell Bench PressYou should have a target weight that should be higher than your existing lifting ability. The idea is to add weights after every 5-10 reps to test your limits in a steady and progressive manner.

Start with 50 kg, do 5 reps, add 5kgs to the bar, do 5 more reps, and try adding another 5kgs, and so on.

Remember, you cannot move from 50kgs to 80kgs in a single day. Once you reach a point where you just cannot lift a heavier weight, focus on building strength and improving stamina before adding weights after a few days.

I have noticed that such an approach can easily improve your overall strength and lifting capacity over a span of a month. The idea is to try and push the limits of your capacities with small additions of weights to the barbell.

So, choose a weight that you are comfortable lifting, keep adding 5-10 kgs after every rep, and keep pushing ahead. It is not mandatory to rest for a minute after each set. A 30-second break is always better than resting for a full minute.

Final Set — Drop Set

If you are planning to do four sets, then remove all weights from the bar after the third set. After three sets of heavy exertion, lifting just the bar will seem like a very easy affair. The catch is that you won’t have any pre-determined target for the reps. Keep lifting until your muscles give up. 20-40-60 reps— keep going until you face failure.

Note for Beginners

Start with a light weight and add weights to the bar as you become fitter and your muscles gain more strength. This can take anywhere between one to one and a half months. Be patient. Simply sticking to the routine will lead to eventual muscles development.

Play It Safe — Have a Spotter

The bench press is the most dangerous exercise where choosing a weight beyond your lifting capacity can lead to serious accidents. Have a buddy acting as a spotter. When you reach a weight where your muscles struggle, have your buddy lend a hand. The idea is to make sure there is help nearby if your muscles give way and the weight comes crashing down on your chest.

Second Exercise: Inclined Barbell Bench Press

Inclined Barbell Bench PressPerform four sets consisting of 10-12 reps each with a drop set on the last set. You can rest around 30 seconds to a minute between sets.

Choose a weight that challenges your muscles; no point choosing a weight that you can easily lift.

The drop set for the last set can really get your muscles tingling and blood flow going. This can give you a pumped feeling, which, in my opinion, can result in a huge psychological boost.

Form and Technique Alert

It is important to arch your lower back when performing this exercise. This will cause your chest to stick out. Not only will this boost lifting power, it will also ensure you don’t end up working out your shoulders instead of your chest muscles.

Buddy Benefit

My experience has been that exercising with a buddy can help you push yourself harder. I tend to quit easily when working out alone. With a buddy to razz me for being lazy, pushing my limits becomes a lot easier. It may vary from person to person but this is something you ought to consider.

Third Exercise: Declining Weighted Push Up

Just as armed forces differentiate between tactical and strategic missiles, some exercises offer visible results immediately while others, with no visible results, offer great long-term benefits.

Declining Weighted Push UpPerforming three sets of declining weighted push ups consisting of 10-12 reps each with a minute’s rest between sets is a ‘tactical’ weapon that will help you improve the shape and cut of your muscles in a very short period of time.

You can choose amongst multiple variations. Wear a weighted vest, place a plate on your back, my preferred option, or opt for any other way to push your body to the limit.

If you are just beginning to perform a chest workout, then I will suggest you begin with light weights to minimize injury risks.

Find the idea of using a weight to be uncomfortable? Just skip it and opt for normal pushups. This is the golden rule of chest and tricep workout—just skip if not comfortable.

So, you have normal pushups, weighted pushups, and, if you to further increase the challenge, then declining pushups where you put your feet on a bench and perform weighted pushups.

Be prepared for the energy rush when your body responds to this routine after you have performed the first two chest exercises.

Dumbbell Pull OverFourth Exercise: Dumbbell Pull Over

Three sets of 10-12 reps with a minute’s rest in between is the easiest way to widen your chest muscles. I suggest you opt for a heavy dumbbell around the 20-30kgs range.

Happily, this routine will help sharpen your lats as well.

Fifth Exercise: Cable Flys – Standing

Many weightlifters err into following a fixed lifting routine. Slowly, the body will get used to the exercises and will stop responding to the workout. You will get de-motivated and quit. Minimize this risk by adding a bit of variety into your routine.

Standing Cable FlysThree sets of 10-12 reps of standing cable flys with rest duration of 30 seconds to 1 minute in between will help you avoid monotony. Cable flys help because you have multiple options— the fly machine, cables, dumbbells flys, and so on.

Strain and stretch your chest, improve bulk, and improve muscle definition with this exercise.

By the time you finish your chest workout, you should feel drained out and should be simply unable to do any further reps, which is an easy way to assess the efficacy of your workout.

Now that the large muscle group is taken care of, it is time to move to the smaller muscle group with the triceps workout.

The Triceps Workout

The triceps workout includes the following exercises:

Triceps Flat Bench ExtensionFirst Exercise: Flat Bench Extension

Begin your routine with triceps extensions on a flat bench with barbells. Three sets of 10-12 reps each with not more than a minute’s rest in between should be adequate.

This skullcrushers routine is the best way to add bulk to your triceps in a short duration.

Second Exercise: Double Arm Rope Push Downs

Double Arm Rope PushdownsWant well-defined triceps? Then, you need to opt for three sets of 10-12 reps with the standard rest period for the overhead rope extensions exercise.

I make sure the wrist is extended all the way and the palms are facing down at the bottom of the pull. Make sure you squeeze your triceps with every rep.

To isolate your triceps and work on it, make sure the elbows are locked to your sides. All movement must take place at the elbow joint only.

Third Exercise: Bent-over Cable Extension

Bent-over Cable ExtensionWhile the second exercise involves pulling the rope in front of your face, this routine involves pulling the cable above your head when you are facing away from the cable machine.

Again, three sets with 10-12 reps and standard rest should help you pump your triceps and enjoy the strain on these muscles.

The extensions can be done with a barbell, a dumbbell, or using ropes. Play around depending on your mood.

Fourth Exercise: Triceps Dips

Triceps DipsThis rather old-fashioned exercise can be done normally or with weights, if you wish to make things a bit tougher. Start small. Even doing five at a time is not bad, especially in the beginning.

I remember the time when I used to collapse after doing just one. So, it’s not a big deal.

Three sets of 10-12 reps as you lower your body in a smooth and unhurried motion between the bar. Don’t move your shoulders, bend your back, or lean forward.

Make sure you give your triceps a good squeezing workout as you move. If you want to make things tougher, try balancing a dumbbell between your legs for that extra strain.

Fifth Exercise: Dumbbell Extensions – OverheadOverhead Dumbbell Extensions

Stand or have a comfortable seat on a bench as you finish your triceps workout with 3 sets of overhead dumbbell extensions. Have a heart-shaped grip on the dumbbell, tuck your elbows in, and let the triceps to the work.

The combination of chest and tricep workout, if done in a disciplined and sustained manner, should help you improve bulk, shape, and definition of these two important muscle groups of your body.

Original Source: Chest And Triceps Workout Routine For HUGE Gains (+ Tips)
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Biceps And Triceps Workout Routine For HUGE Gains (+ Tips)

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We live in a democratic society where everybody is equal. Yet, there are some, like the President, who is more equal than others. You can call them the first amongst equals.

Any fitness expert will tell you that a fit and good-looking physique requires proper development of all muscle groups. Yet, there are some muscles, like the biceps and triceps, which invariably get more attention inside and outside the gym.

bodybuilder in t shirtWhat is the first thing you notice when you see a well-built and fit person? Obviously, the first things that you and everybody else notice are the person’s chest and arms. Big arms are visible even if you are wearing loose-fitting clothes.

Of course, encasing your biceps in a tight and body hugging T-shirt is the easiest way to turn heads wherever you go.

However, it is very important to have a well-planned biceps workout and triceps workout if you want to build bulk in your arms in a quick and sustained manner.

I have seen numerous individuals give up on their fitness regimen simply because they were unable to build strong and powerful biceps and triceps, which, for all practical purposes, is considered as real proof of an effective weightlifting routine.

So, why aren’t you gaining bigger and stronger biceps? Why is it that some people have sharply-cut biceps and powerful arms without even seeming to work on it? Is there a secret routine that works better than others?

Lifting weights is just one aspect of building muscle. There are some things that you should do and some things that you should completely avoid if you want to build bulk in your biceps.

Some common reasons why your biceps workout and triceps workout may not be working may include:

1. Inadequate proteins in your diet. Your body will require lots of proteins to build the muscles. How can you ever get high output unless you provide your body with adequate raw materials?

2. Doing your exercises improperly. The body is a delicate mechanism. You need to have the right posture, a concentrated approach, and the right body movement when exercising. Otherwise, you may end up building back and shoulder muscles when working on your biceps.

3. Too much emphasis on cardio exercise. Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against cardio exercises. However, that is not the best thing for your body if you are trying to bulk up your biceps and muscles. No point burning muscles by overdoing cardio and then complaining about weak biceps.

training with a buddy4. Exercising alone. This may sound strange but having a training partner or gym buddy can have a huge impact on the results of your biceps workout or triceps workout. Why? Your body and mind love comfort and hate exercising. Having somebody to egg you along can ensure you don’t give into that voice in your head that is constantly demanding rest.

5. You don’t vary your biceps workout. The body is a very cunning thing. Do the same routine repeatedly and you will settle into a comfort zone where results dry up. You need to change your routine to shake the body out of its complacency. A bit of variety can go a long way in making you feel fit again.

6. Too much resting during your sets. The gym is not the place to chat with friends, philosophize, or day dream. You need to be on your toes in the gym. A five-minute break after each set is unlikely to prove effective. Stop resting and start pushing your muscles with shorter breaks.

7. Fitness needs intensity, especially if you want to bulk up your muscles. A relaxed affair in the gym is never going to yield good results. Build up some intensity. Push yourself. Fight your mind, challenge your body, and you will see your muscles grow.

8. Light weight equals weak muscles. The weights you lift must be heavy. Of course, what is heavy may differ from person to person. However, lifting something that you are comfortable with is never going to result in powerful arms and muscled biceps.

Building your biceps and triceps is not rocket science or related to genetics or other factors beyond your control. If you work hard and work smart, then you are definitely going to get great arms.

If you are beginning to work out, then please remember that you need to wait for your body to get into the groove. Don’t wait too long but don’t be too hasty either. Start light and keep increasing your weights on a weekly basis. Before long, you can hit top gear without risking injuries.

Beginning Your SOLID Biceps Workout

biceps workout

Beginning your workout routine without warming up is a cardinal sin. Want to injure yourself? Not serious about your fitness? Don’t respect your body? If yes, then please begin your biceps or triceps workout without warming up.

Walk, job, run, jump, stretch, or lift light weights—warm up any way you like but make sure your blood flow is up and running and your muscles are stretched and flexible before beginning your routine.

Further, try to push yourself to the limits when working out. Only rest for 60-90 seconds between each set. Watch your body go beyond its imagined limits. Shock your muscles to speed up growth. And, further, pay full attention to your limb’s movement. Don’t think about work or anything else. The exercise should dominate your body as well as your mind.

Ready? It’s time to start your biceps workout with the following exercises:

1. EZ Barbell Curl

EZ Barbell Curl

The good thing about working out your biceps is that the exercises are pretty simple. However, this can also cause your mind to wander. So, stay focused. The EZ Barbell curl involves holding the barbell where the bar angles and lifting it at the elbow without moving your upper arms.

Let your biceps do the work when you do about 10-12 reps per set and do around 4 sets to begin with. Start without weights and then add weights as your biceps become more powerful.

2. Dumbbell hammer curlsDumbbell hammer curls

Hold the dumbbells with your wrist and fingers parallel to your body. This is called the hammer curls because the motion of your hand resembles the motion of using a hammer.

Again, don’t move your back, shoulders, or elbows when lifting the weight. Two sets of 10-12 reps should be enough to make your biceps feel taut.

3. Alternate dumbbell curlsAlternate dumbbell curls

Hold the dumbbell with the palms facing outward and alternatively pivot your forearm at the elbow joint. Focus on the hand lifting the weight even as you lift the weight in a smooth motion.

2 sets of 10-12 reps should help you workout parts of the biceps that were not involved in the first two exercises.

4. EZ Preacher curls

EZ Preacher curlsNext, place your upper arms on a cushioned board with the lower arm hanging free from the elbow. Hold the EZ barbell with your palms facing outward and use your biceps to lift the barbell in a smooth motion.

The preacher curls will prevent you from using your shoulders or triceps, which will ensure the biceps get a good workout. Cut down on the reps and increase the sets by opting for a 4-set routine with 8-10 reps in each set.

5. Standing cable curls

Standing cable curlsRound off your biceps workout with standing cable curls, which is similar to dumbbell curls with the only difference that you will be pitting the strength of your biceps against the resistance of the weighted cable.

Three sets with 10-12 reps with complete focus should have you really straining your biceps.

As a matter of rule, try to rest as little as possible between sets. It won’t hurt to skip a rest and do a quick run on the treadmill between sets.
The idea is to push your body hard to force it to build muscle quickly.

Beginning Your SOLID Triceps Workout

Triceps Workout

Focusing on the biceps and ignoring the triceps can make your arm look odd and misshapen. This is why you should follow this triceps workout routine religiously to ensure your arms look strong, powerful, and in sync with the overall physique of your body.

1. EZ Bar Skull CrushersEZ Bar Skull Crushers

Lie down on an inclined bench with your head sloping to the ground. Hold the EZ bar over your chest, keep your elbows steady, and work your triceps by moving the bar over your head.

Don’t let your chest take the strain. Instead, let your triceps do the work of lifting the weight. Begin with 4 sets of 10-12 reps with the weight increasing as your triceps gain bulk and power.

2. Cable Overhead Triceps ExtensionCable Overhead Triceps Extension

This is a really effective triceps workout routine involving holding the cable bar over your head and pulling the weight by keeping your shoulders and upper arms very steady.

The overhead motion combined with the fact that you are slightly tiling forward will give a good workout to your triceps over 3 sets with 10-12 reps each.

3. Cable Triceps Pushdown

Cable Triceps PushdownInstead of looking away from the cable, the cable triceps pushdown involves standing close to the cable machine, holding the bar with your elbows tucked into your sides, and pulling the cable without moving your arms by simply bending the elbow joint.

Avoid unnecessary body movement and focus on the motion in a concentrated manner for all the 10-12 reps. Repeat the reps for 3 sets with rest not exceeding 30-60 seconds between each set.

4. Dipstricep Dips

The old-fashioned dips can put a lot of strain on your triceps, which is a good thing if you want to build bulk quickly. Hoist yourself on the bar and push your body forward and downward. Next, use your arms to pull yourself up with minimal push from your chest or shoulders.

3 sets should be more than enough to give your triceps a good workout. Try to do 10-12 reps in each set. Don’t rest too much. Keep straining. You can always take rest after the workout is done.

5. Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension

Standing Dumbbell Triceps ExtensionStand erect, lift the dumbbell over your head and bend your arms backward at the elbows. Don’t move your shoulders unnecessarily. This will cause the strain to shift to your shoulders and back.

Use your triceps to lift the weight over your head. Squeeze your muscles when letting the hand fall lower. 3 sets of 10-12 reps should be a good way to round off your triceps workout.

Concluding your Workout

You may not opt for the biceps and triceps workout on a daily basis. As you will agree, such a repetitive approach is not advisable either. Work on different muscle groups, one large and one small, on a daily basis.

Working on your triceps after a chest workout will make you feel fit and muscular. This feeling is important as it makes you feel motivated to workout harder.

A few important points that you can’t afford to ignore:

  • Eat well. Consume lots of proteins by including protein-rich food in your diet. Avoid blindly relying on protein supplements. Chicken, steak, soaked pulses, fish, and eggs will make your dish a protein-rich one.
  • Never skip breakfast if you want to build muscles. Load up on all the carbs, fats, and proteins that your body needs early in the day.
  • Muscle building involves stressing the body and then giving it adequate rest. You need to sleep for 6-8 hours to ensure the damaged tissues can be repaired. Ignore this and you will end up facing increased risk of injuries.

You need to follow a smartly-planned routine. However, this does not mean you should not try to add some variety. Listen to your body carefully. You will get signs that some exercises are working better than others. Yet, don’t trust your body blindly either.

Building muscles is all about hitting your endurance limits, straining your muscles, and going beyond these limits. With this routine, you should soon be attracting envious or appreciative glances, depending on the gender of the observer.

Original Source: Biceps And Triceps Workout Routine For HUGE Gains (+ Tips)
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How Long Should You Rest Between Weight Lifting Sets?

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Sometimes it’s hard for us to workout like we should, because life gets in the way and we get bored or tired of what we’re doing. However, when you take the step to go to the gym or buy some dumbbells for your home use, you are doing the right thing.

If you’re new to weight-lifting or you just aren’t sure what you’re doing, you may want to find out some information first, because otherwise you could hurt yourself.

When doing strength training, you should be resting between sets, but most guys don’t know how long that should be. If you’re in a nice gym, you probably have sports television to watch and may watch it until you feel you’re rested enough. However, that could be hurting your results because you’re not resting the same amount of time between each set.

How Long Should You Rest Between Sets?

bodybuilder resting between sets

The simple answer is that there is no simple answer. Each person is different and has different goals and needs, but there are some helpful guidelines to ensure that you’re resting enough, but not too much.

I understand the difficulty of working out with all the hassles of life, but I also understand the benefits that strength training and cardio can provide. You should consider having a balanced workout routine that includes both cardio and strength, as well as rest days, stretching and possibly flexibility routines of some kind.

Everyone knows you should take a day to rest in between weight training routines, because it allows the muscles enough time to recuperate and rejuvenate, but most men aren’t sure if they should rest between sets of weight training or not.

The easy answer is that yes, you should be resting between sets.

Heavier Weights, Lower Reps

bodybuilder resting

It is important to realize that not all muscles are equal. Some can handle the added weight relatively easily, but some need more of a break between each set. In order to have a fully worked muscle, you need to compensate for both the smaller and larger muscle groups, which could mean that you lift heavier weights, but have few repetitions in each set.

This type of workout allows the type II muscle fibers to be used more frequently, which can help make you stronger faster. You should be using over 25 percent of your max weight lifting ability, but you should also realize that those muscle fibers will fatigue quicker.

Rushing through sets to get to the next muscle group (or shower off and go home) will cause those muscles not to get the training they need and could cause injury.

However, if you would like to do weight lifting as cardio, you could choose to have fewer rest breaks while lifting heavy weights, which will bring up the heart rate and be more of a cardio session, though you won’t be able to keep it up for long periods of time.

Lighter Weights, More Reps

Your endurance muscles should also be worked and are considered Type I muscle fibers. They are used mainly when you’re lifting lighter wights and during aerobics, such as running. Type I fibers won’t require so much energy, so you want to rest less.

Higher repetitions will rev up your metabolism, which can help your body fight fat and give you more energy. If you rest too long, you’ll sort of undo that effect.

Figuring Time

workout time

When weight training, you’ll want to wear a stopwatch and there are many available on the market. Almost any version will do, as long as it allows you to time in minutes.

If you are only going to do one to three repetitions, you should rest at least five minutes before going again. If you’re doing four to seven reps, that rest time can decrease to two or three minutes.

Those who want to use lighter weights and eight to 12 reps will want to rest for about one to two minutes while those who are going to do 13 or more reps will only be resting one minute.

It’s best to use extremely heavy weights from 25 to 100 pounds when doing the one to three rep option, because lifting that much weight will be difficult to do more than a few times. The more repetitions you do, the lighter your weights will be.

If you prefer to use five to 10 pound weights, you’ll want to do at least 13 reps.

Your Body

It’s necessary to pay attention to your body and its needs. If you haven’t been working out, you should start with a smaller weight and do what you can. Try for eight to 10 reps and if you can’t get through them, you may need to drop down to a lower weight size.

If you can do over 14 repetitions with the smaller weights, you’ll want to increase the amount of weight.

In The Meantime

woman doing squats

For most men, it is difficult or impossible to sit and wait for five minutes before going again, so you may not want to try large weights and small reps. However, you can always work a different muscle group while waiting to go back to the first.

For example, if you want to use a 50-pound barbell for your arms, you can then do squats or other leg exercises for five minutes until you can go back to the arm workout.

Circuit routines are very popular because they train one area, move to another area, and then go back to the first. Pick out at least three exercises that work similar areas. You can try alternating rows, deadlifts and bicep curls. They all work the top half, but slightly different muscles. Then, you can go back and do them again.

Another option is to do alternating sets, where you pair up exercises that work opposite muscles. Most people prefer to work the upper half and then the lower half, going back and forth to ensure they aren’t working the same set of muscles each time.

Another Way Of Thinking

If the above option doesn’t work for you, or you just aren’t sure, you can always determine which goal you want and work from there. There are four primary goal options you can have while weight training, and each one has various reps and rest times.

For example, if you want to work on your muscular endurance (how long you can do the exercise before your muscles get tired), you’ll want to do at least 12 reps and up to 20. Resting between sets shouldn’t be more than 30 to 45 seconds and then you can do the same exercise again.

resting between sets memeIf you want to increase your muscle mass, also known as muscular hypertrophy, you should do between six and 12 reps with a rest time of one to one and a half minutes.

If you want to improve your overall muscle strength, you’ll want to do three to five reps with a rest of two to four minutes, and for those who want muscular power, they’ll do one to three reps and rest up to five minutes.

It is fairly similar to the other option, but helps you determine what you should be doing for whatever you want to accomplish.

Just remember that your muscle should hit fatigue when you are finished with the repetitions. If you feel you could still do more after the set with good form, you need to use heavier weights. If your muscles hit fatigue before you are finished with those repetitions, you should use lighter weights.

Resting between sets is just as important as the amount of weight you choose. It may take a few times before you find the right weight and you shouldn’t feel bad or embarrassed that you have to switch to a lighter set.

You want to do the right thing for your body, not what someone else of similar build can do. If you are still uncertain, you may want to consult with a personal trainer, as they can help you determine what goal is best for your body and how much weight you need.

Why Work Other Groups?

If you are like many weight lifters, you may sit around and wait for your next time-frame to continue working out, but it could be more beneficial to work a different group of muscles or take that time to figure out what you did wrong and how to improve.

While you can do a complete rest between sets, you could ultimately help train your body better by using those resting minutes to foam roll and work other muscles. Three to five minutes is plenty of time to do some lunges or squats for the legs and glutes.

Focus On You

arnold with workout partner

Your body is different than every other man’s body at the gym. While you likely know better than to compare yourself with others, you probably don’t realize that the amount of time you have to wait between sets won’t be the same as someone else.

If you regularly go to the gym with buddies, you both need to realize how much resting between sets is necessary.

It doesn’t mean that you have to ignore your buddy while you’re working out. You can both be in the same area and work various muscle groups, but you may need longer than your friend. If they don’t know, you can help them figure out how long they should rest between sets, so you can both get the most out of the workout.

Don’t Focus On Numbers

Even though most trainers and gym-lovers will tell you that you have to focus on the numbers, and most of everything you read online will also say to focus on the numbers, you may not need to. If you feel rested and ready to tackle another set, go for it. If you feel that you need more time (or want to finish off another muscle group first), do so.

Numbers are just a guideline, but they can help.

Instead of going around and chatting up the babe on the treadmill, focus on what your body just did and how it made you feel. Rest the recommended amount of time and do it again. Ask yourself if you still feel the same or if you’re getting tired. Could you do another whole set right now or does your body need rest.

It will take some time to be able to read your body’s signals, especially if you haven’t been doing so for awhile, but after some time, you will be able to tell. You can always go back and flirt with the treadmill babe when you’re finished taking care of your body. 😉

Studies

branch warren resting between set

Now that we’ve tackled some guidelines and numbers, and you’ve been told not to focus on the numbers, it’s time to listen to what various studies have shown. Most studies have concluded that between one and one and a half minutes are the perfect amount of rest between sets because you will recover approximately 90 percent of your muscle capacity.

This means that when you do the next set, you will feel just about as good as you did before. Over time, of course, your muscle will tire, even if you wait the full 90 seconds each time, because your body can’t continue doing the same thing for hours.

I’ve known some people who thought it’d be a good idea to rest only 30 seconds, but they stop going to the gym or do some real damage to themselves. It’s not worth it, guys! If you feel like dying and stopping the routine early, then you’re not resting enough.

The question: how long should you rest between sets can only fully be answered by you and no one else.

Don’t listen to your friends brag that they only need 20 seconds rest when lifting 100 pound barbells. Instead, find out how much resting between sets you need and do what works for you and your body, so that you see the results you want to see.

Original Source: How Long Should You Rest Between Weight Lifting Sets?
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How Often Should I Go To The Gym To See Results?

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Whether you are joining a gym to lose weight or to build muscle mass, it is important to get yourself on a proper workout routine. If you are beginner, you may be asking yourself, “how many times a week should I go to the gym to see results“.

The answer to that question depends on the reason that you are going to the gym in the first place.

If you are going to the gym to lose weight or get toned, your exercise frequency and your workouts are different than they would be if you were going to the gym to build muscle mass and bulk up.

Exercise Frequency for Weight Loss

If you are going to the gym to lose weight, you should try to workout at least 5 times a week. Some people will push themselves, and workout 7 days a week. This is a bad idea. Your body needs a couple days to rest and a chance for your muscles to repair themselves.

The best workout that you can do is cardio exercises, which will get your heart pumping, allowing you to burn calories. Some of the most common forms of cardio exercise that can be done outside of the gym are running, jogging, power walking, and bike riding.

If you are going to the gym, you can use the treadmill, elliptical, cross trainer, or take a spinning class. You can also find a gym who offers an aerobics.

bodybuilder jumping ropeIf you are looking for an exercise that is more outside the box, jumping rope is an excellent form of cardio. Whatever form of cardio you choose, it is best to work out for at least an hour.

Before working out, it is a good idea to stretch. You do not want to pull or strain a muscle while working out. This will only set you back in your workouts.

The best way to burn the most calories during your cardio sessions is high intensity interval training. High intensity exercise burns more calories and keeps your metabolism elevated for a longer period of time after the workout than lower intensity exercise does.

After you have warmed up for at least 5 minutes, you should speed up your workout for 30 seconds, followed by 60 seconds of lower paced exercise. Repeat this process 10 times before cooling down.

While cardio is important, you also need to add strength training into your workout regimen. The cardio will help burn calories so that you can lose weight, and the strength training will tone your muscles.

When you are strength training, you should not work all areas on the body in one day. It is best to work out specific zones. When you work your lower body one day and your upper body the next, the area that you are not working will have a day of rest to repair itself.

If you are trying to lose weight quickly, you should do a full body workout during each strength training session.

Exercise Schedule for 6 Week Fat Blast

Week 1

workout schedule week 1Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Barbell front squats, 5 reps for 6 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 6 minutes
Tuesday:
60 minute cardio workout
Wednesday: 15 minute cardio warm up, Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 6 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press 5 reps each arm for 6 minutes.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 6 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 6 minutes
Saturday: 60 minute cardio workout

Week 2

workout schedule week 2Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 8 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 8 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 8 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps, each arm, 8 minutes
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps 8 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps, both arms, for 8 minutes.
Saturday: 60 minutes of cardio

Week 3

workout schedule week 3Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 10 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 10 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 10 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps, both arms for 10 minutes
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 10 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 12 minutes.
Saturday: 60 minutes of cardio

Week 4

workout schedule week 4Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squats, 5 reps for 12 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 14 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio workout
Wednesday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 12 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps each arm, for 12 minutes
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 12 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 12 minutes.

Week 5

workout schedule week 5Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 15 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 12 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Roman deadlift, 5 reps for 14 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps each arm for 14 minutes.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 14 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 14 minutes.
Saturday: 60 minutes of cardio

Week 6

workout schedule week 6Sunday: Rest
Monday: 15 minute cardio warm up. Romanian deadlift, 5 reps for 15 minutes. Single arm dumbbell bench press, 5 reps for 15 minutes.
Tuesday: 60 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 15 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 15 minutes.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 minutes of cardio warm up. Barbell front squat, 5 reps for 15 minutes. Pull ups, 5 reps for 15 minutes.
Saturday: 60 minutes of cardio

Exercise Frequency for Building Muscle

building muscle

If you are working out to build muscle your workout schedule would be much different than if you were working out to lose weight. It also takes a lot more dedication and the schedule is more complex.

Most people who start out in the gym to build muscle believe that they should spend the whole time working every muscle in their body. This is not the best way to build muscle. You would also need to add cardio to your gym sessions. If you want to see results quickly, it is a good idea to get to the gym twice a day.

There are 5 phases to the muscle building schedule. If you can get through all 5, you can be sure to see very positive results.

Phase 1 Exercise Schedule

Day 1: Afternoon session, chest. Evening session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 2: Afternoon session, arms. Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 3: Afternoon session, back. Evening session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Afternoon session, shoulders. Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 6: Anytime, chest
Day 7: Anytime, arms
Day 8: Afternoon session, legs. Evening session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 9: Rest
Day 10: Afternoon session, back. Evening session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 11: Afternoon session, shoulders. Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio and abs
Day 12: Afternoon session, legs. Evening session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 13: Afternoon session, chest. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 14: Afternoon session, arms. Evening session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 15: Rest
Day 16: Anytime, back
Day 17: Anytime, shoulders

Phase 2 Exercise Schedule

Day 18: Anytime, legs
Day 19: Afternoon session, chest. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 20: Anytime, arms
Day 21: Rest
Day 22: Afternoon session, back. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 23: Anytime, shoulders
Day 24: Afternoon session, legs. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 25: Anytime, chest
Day 26: Anytime, arms
Day 27: Afternoon session, back. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 28: Rest
Day 29: Anytime, shoulders
Day 30: Afternoon session, legs. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 31: Anytime, chest
Day 32: Afternoon session, arms. Morning session, cardio for 20 minutes and abs
Day 33: Anytime, back
Day 34: Rest

Phase 3 Exercise Schedule

This is a low intensity phase. During this phase, there is not as much focus on cardio. You do need to add cardio a few times in this phase, however, it can be a fun cardio activity. You are also able to cut your gym sessions down to once a day, at any time that is convenient for you.

Day 35: Shoulders
Day 36: Legs
Day 37: Chest
Day 38: Arms
Day 40: Back
Day 41: Fun cardio and abs
Day 42: Rest
Day 43: Fun cardio and abs
Day 44: Shoulders
Day 45: Legs
Day 46: Chest
Day 47: Arms
Day 48: Back
Day 49: Fun cardio and abs
Day 50: Rest

Phase 4 Exercise Schedule

This is a push phase. You need to be really serious when it comes to your cardio.

Day 51: Anytime, legs
Day 52: Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio. Afternoon session, high intensity interval cardio
Day 53: Anytime, chest
Day 54: Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio. Afternoon session, high intensity interval cardio
Day 55: Anytime, back
Day 56: Rest
Day 57: Morning session, 20 minutes of cardio. Afternoon session, shoulders and high intensity interval cardio
Day 58: Anytime, arms

Phase 5 Exercise Schedule

The 5th phase of your workout schedule includes full body workouts. This can take a great deal of energy and time in the gym. Because of this, rest is very important.

Day 59: Full body workout
Day 60: Active rest
Day 61: Full body workout
Day 62: Active rest
Day 63: Full body workout
Day 64: Active rest
Day 65: Active rest
Day 66: Admire your results

Nutrition

bodybuilding nutrition

While your exercise schedule is very important, what you eat before you workout is equally as important. For a standard hour long workout, you need a healthy combination of carbohydrates and proteins. If you are unsure which foods are best, below are a few foods that you can combine to create the perfect pre workout meal or snack.

Egg whites: Egg whites are full of protein. You can either remove the yolk from an egg or use egg whites in a carton. Egg whites make for an excellent breakfast before your morning workout.

Trail mix: Trial mix is loaded with granola, dried berries, apricots, and pineapples. Each of these foods are loaded with carbs, which will give you the energy that you need for your workout.

Fruit smoothies: Fruit smoothies are loaded with protein and carbohydrates. It takes just a few minutes to prepare a fruit smoothie, and you can drink it on your way to the gym.

Bananas: Bananas are an excellent source of fast acting carbs, which will give you the energy that you need to workout immediately. They are also full of potassium, which improves muscle and nerve function.

Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt contains twice as much protein as regular yogurt. It is delicious and can be eaten quickly right before your workout.

Whole grain toast: Whole grain toast is loaded with fiber, which provides a slow release of energy. This will give your body the energy that it needs to keep you going through your whole workout. It is also very quick and easy to eat in the car on the way to the gym.

Chicken and brown rice: If you are looking for a meal to eat before your afternoon or evening workout, this is a perfect meal. Brown rice is full of complex carbohydrates and chicken is loaded with protein.

Click here for more pre and post workout snack ideas.

If you are serious about changing your body for the better, it takes dedication. As long as you can stick to your exercise regimen and eat healthy, you can transform your body within a matter of weeks.

Original Source: How Often Should I Go To The Gym To See Results?
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All About The Zac Efron Workout Program

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zac efron in men's health magazine

Zac Efron has been in the media quite a lot lately. Aside from talk about his new movie “Bad Neighbors” and his shirtless performance at the MTV Movie Awards, people have been talking about the Zac Efron Workout.

It is no secret that the actor has been in great shape lately. He was featured in the 2012 Men’s Health Magazine and has one of the best bodies seen on a human being, according to Seth Rogen.

The Challenge

Zac EfronAlthough he is not completely ripped and doesn’t have big muscles, Zac Efron has one of the best male bodies in Hollywood.

Efron is one of those guys that have a high metabolism, which is why he can consume a lot of calories and still not gain any weight.

However, this presents a challenge for the 26 year old movie star who weighs only 68 kilos. The high metabolism makes it hard if you want to gain weight and even harder if you want to build lean muscle mass.

It is also important to give your body at least 2 days rest from the gym. This allows you muscles to recover. You must also alternate the parts of your body that you are training on different days.

So if you focus on your upper body on Monday, you should train your lower body on Tuesday and alternate like this throughout the week.

You should take Wednesday off and then concentrate on your legs and triceps on Thursday.

This time off is vital as your muscles can only grow, when you give them a rest. The best exercises to do to build lean muscle mass are bench presses, dead lifts and squats. These exercises use more muscle groups, while helping you to lift heavier weights.

How Does Zac Efron Workout?

Zac Efron working out

Zac believes in doing exercises that build strength and get rid of fat. This is why he prioritizes cardiovascular exercises. He is also one of those people who doesn’t like going to the gym very often, but rather prefers to work out in the great outdoors, doing hiking, cycling and running activities.

Zac enjoys playing sport such as soccer and basketball and engaging in other adrenaline rushing activities such as rock climbing and surfing.

Zac Efron is an early bird who believes in working out at the crack of dawn. He says that this helps him to stay ahead of his schedule and gets the toxins out of his body as efficiently as possible.

Zac has had to engage in some hardcore workout routines to develop his military style body.

He regularly performed exercises such as bench presses, squats, pull and push ups, bicep and tricep curls as well as weight crunches and side bends for the abs. To develop his shoulders, biceps and triceps, he has also done dips on parallel bars.

One of Zacs secrets to developing muscle is to take it slow. Even though you might its better to workout faster or use your body’s momentum, the secret is to do your weight training slowly so that you engage each and every one of your muscles.

The Zen Way

the Zen Diet

Efrom has mentioned that he also uses the Zen Diet meal plan. This company provides pre-packed nutrition meals that contain adequate nutrition and calories for those who want to build body mass and take care of their bodies, but live a very busy lifestyle.

This is what Zac says has helped him in his goal to eat right.

Workout Breakdown

The Zac Efron workout is designed to build muscle in your entire physique. The biceps will be the muscle that grows the most as it will be getting hit hard twice per week with heavy exercise for a few sets and light exercise for high reps and short rest periods.

These routines will maximize muscle growth.

The shoulders will be getting hit heavy on Mondays with shoulder presses and light on Wednesday with isolation movements. The triceps are also getting a good workout with the pushing movements, skull crushers and rope push downs.

The chest and back receive a good workout once a week. This is to add some muscle to the back and chest without putting too much strain on these areas. The legs get their workout once a week.

The legs are perhaps the easiest part of your body to work out. Your legs can be strong and athletic, but don’t need to be huge.

The key to getting a balanced workout is to focus on lower body movements just 2 to 3 times per week. If you focus too much attention on your lower body, you will end up with chaffing thighs and sloppy fitting pants.

How to Warm Up for a Zac Efron Workout?

warming up before lifting weights

Everybody knows how important it is to warm up before a high intensity work out such as weight lifting. If you fail to do proper warm up exercises, you stand the risk of injury.

Once you get injured, your goals of gaining muscle will go out the window.

If you want to get warmed up for lifting weights, then your warm up should consist of lifting weights. Running is not going to prepare you for lifting weights, but lifting weights will prepare you for this.

What to Do for Abs

Side to side knee ups

Before you think about getting those sexy V abs, you must lose all your excess body fat. This is purely because the leaner you are the more visible your V abs will be. Once you achieve a slimmer waist line, you will start to notice the V shape in your abs.

However, theses exercises can help you achieve more pronounced V abs. Side to side knee ups are a great way to achieve these abs and so are leg raise from dip bar and spread leg.

Renegade rows are the ultimate workout to achieve V abs.

4 to 6 Workouts are Not Necessarily Better than 3

Most people think that the more workouts you do, the better it is for building muscle, however, this is not true. Once you have had 3 full sessions, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. By lifting 3 days per week, you allow your body enough time to recover and gain strength.

The Zac Efron Workout

scheduleMonday – Upper Body Workout

Start your Monday morning workout with a low grade 2 minute jog or 6 minute run.

Strength 1

Continue your routine with 20 reps each on the dumbbell bench presses and dumbbell flys, doing a separate 30 reps on the bar dip. Repeat the strength-training circuit one, two more times. Now for the cardio 2 exercises, start with a 30 seconds HIIT workout and then do a 30 seconds jog and repeat this for 10 minutes.

Strength 2

Continue your workout with 20 reps each on dumbbell bench presses, dumbbell incline bench presses and tricep extensions. Repeat the strength-training circuit two, two more times. For the 3rd part of the routine do a high grade 2 minute jog, 6 minute run or a 2 minute jump rope. End your routine with 20 reps each on ups, bicycle crunches and twisting plank.

schedule

Tuesday – Lower Body Workout

Start off your Tuesday morning with a 2 minute jog or 6 minute step ups.

Strength 1

Do 20 reps each on forward lunge with the dumbbell bicep-curl, squat trust and push press. Repeat the strength-training circuit a further two times. For your next routine do a 30 second sprint and then a 30 second jog and repeat for 10 minutes.

Strength 2

Start off with a walking-lunge with the dumbbell bicep-curl, then continue with the squat thrust and squat press, doing 20 reps on each of these exercises. Repeat the strength-training circuit two, two more times. For your 3rd cardio routine, start off with a 2 minute jog or jump rope or alternatively go for a 6 minute run. For your last routine for the day, start off doing 20 reps each on ab crunches and Bosu Ball knee tucks, then end the workout off with forearm planks, holding for 30 second and repeating 3 times.

schedule

Wednesday – Bach Workout

A slow 2 minute stair climbing exercise or a fast 6 minute one will help your start your Wednesday morning off.

Strength 1

Doing 20 reps each on the dumbbell rows, bent over dumbbell flys and dumbbell lateral raises will keep you busy for a while. Repeat the strength-training circuit one, two more times. Continue with a slow 2 minute stair climbing or fast 6 minute stair climbing routine.

Strength 2

Repeat the dumbbell rows, bent over dumbbell flys and dumbbell lateral raises, doing the same 20 reps on each one of them. Repeat the strength-training circuit two, two more times. Include the stair climbing exercise once again, doing it fast for 6 minutes or slow for 2 minutes. End the day doing 20 reps each on v ups, bicycle crunches and twisting plank.

schedule

Thursday – Upper Body Workout

Start the day off doing a 2 minute jog or a 6 minute run on a steep grade.

Strength 1

Continue with 20 reps each on the dumbbell bench presses, dumbbell incline bench presses and bar dips. Repeat strength-training circuit 1, 2 more times. Next continue with the 2nd cardio HIIT exercise alternating between a 30 second sprint and a 30 second jog and repeating this routine for 10 minutes.

Strength 2

Start this part of your routine off doing dumbbell bench presses, dumbbell incline bench presses and triceps extensions. Do 20 reps on each of these exercises. Repeat the strength -training circuit two, two more times. Continue with a 2 minute jog or 6 minute run on a steep grade. Then proceed doing 20 reps each on the ab crunches and Bosu ball knee tucks. End the day doing the forearm plank, holding for 30 second and repeating it 3 times.

schedule

Friday – Lower Body Workout

Finally, start your Friday morning off with a 10 minute jump rope exercise.

Strength 1

Do 20 reps on the forward lunge with dumbbell bicep-curl, then continue with 20 reps each on the squat thrust and squat press. Repeat the strength-training circuit two, two more times. For your second cardio workout, alternate between a 30 second sprint and a 30 second jog, repeating this for 10 minutes.

Strength 2

Continue doing 20 reps each on the walking-lunge with dumbbell bicep-curl, and then another 20 reps each on the squat thrust and squat press exercise. Repeat the strength-training circuit two, two more times. A 2 minute jog or a 5 minute run, will help you continue with the next part of this routine. End your Friday off doing 20 reps each on the ups, bicycle crunches and the twisting plank exercise.

As you can see, there is a strict schedule and routine that you must abide by, in order to see the desired results. If you discipline yourself and take your routine seriously, you will see the results you are after.

Zac Efron is a hard gainer, which basically means he can skip a workout or two an not worry too much about getting out of shape. However, the reason behind him training is simply – his love for it. It also makes him feel good.

This is also linked to our conscious minds. When we look good, we feel good. When you decide to workout, don’t simply do it to be healthy and fit, but rather find a way to enjoy what you doing.

Stir things up a bit by adding your own unique twist and making things fun. You will find that it is so much more enjoyable this way and you will be so much more successful at what you do.

Like Zac Efron says, working out at the start of the day is very important. You have more energy and you have more motivation in the mornings as well. By sticking to this early bird schedule, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have already been productive for the day, no matter how the day progresses.

Original Source: All About The Zac Efron Workout Program
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The Effect Of Protein Timing On Muscle Growth

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Almost every bodybuilder understands the vital role protein plays in building muscles. However, there are diverging views on the right time to ingest protein and related supplements.

For instance, some bodybuilders swear doing so pre-workout and post-workout is beneficial while others stagger protein intake throughout the day. With that in mind, here is some more information on protein timing and its effect of muscle growth:

The Science behind Protein Timing

protein timing

Protein timing is based on the premise that a person can optimize muscle growth and size by timing the ingestion of protein. According to the results of a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, this dietary approach works.

Furthermore, researchers involved in this study found that the leucine content in a protein source has a huge impact on protein synthesis. In general, protein intake enhances muscle hypertrophy, recovery during training, strength, and optimal physical performance.

Another study published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism found that the amount of protein consumed and more importantly, when it is consumed, has an appreciable impact on protein synthesis and muscle growth.

Surprisingly, researchers involved in this study found that excess protein intake does not necessarily translate to bigger muscles.

After waking up

bodybuilder drinking protein shake

In essence, your protein-timing schedule should start immediately after waking up. This is particularly important because your body will have been in fasting mode for the 6-9 hours you were asleep. As such, your first meal should contain more than carbohydrates. It should include protein as well.

Remember, protein is the ideal source of amino acids, which the body requires for proper muscle maintenance and rebuilding. Furthermore, protein provide the body with sustained energy throughout the day.

At this point, it is worth pointing out that although traditional protein sources such as eggs or chicken are good, they are not the ideal sources of easily digestible protein. They take too long to digest and are unlikely to halt the body’s tendency to turn to muscles for fuel.

To avoid degradation of the muscles you are working hard to build, the rule of thumb is to prepare and ingest a faster-acting protein such as whey. This will provide the body and muscles with the amino acids they desperately need in less than 20 minutes.

Make sure you drink a whey protein shake at least one hour before hitting the gym for a workout. Doing so primes your body with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) that are necessary for protein synthesis. If you can, take a fruit while drinking your whey protein shake.

Pre-workout

Just before you go to the gym or while in the gym waiting to start workouts, take another whey protein shake. Do so at least 15-30 minutes before beginning exercises. Avoid a common practice among bodybuilders of relying on carbohydrates alone as a source of pre-exercise muscle fuel.

The problem with carbohydrates is they are not as easily digested as whey protein. This means your muscles may not get the amino acids they need as fuel during workouts. Whey is the right source of amino acids in this case, especially since the body experiences a net loss of muscle protein during workouts because protein synthesis tends to remain unchanged or decrease slightly.

By ingesting a faster-acting protein, you will counter loss of muscle protein. To enhance amino acid availability further, take a carbohydrate supplement as well to stimulate insulin release pre-workout.

In fact, taking a carbohydrate-protein supplement combination pre-workout hampers myoglobin and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) release into the bloodstream during exercise.

In general, aim to ingest free-form amino acids such as BCAAs or EAAs. If you stick to this regimen, you will experience improvements in lean muscle mass growth, strength, and recovery. In addition, you will elevate amino acid levels by up to 300% one-hour after ingestion.

If you hit the gym 30 minutes after drinking your whey protein shake, amino acid levels will reach peak point 30 minutes later when you will be well warmed up and exercising. Beyond this point, amino acid levels drop to about 90% two hours after ingesting fast acting protein and finally level back to baseline four hours later.

Post-workout

post workoutEven if you do not fancy ingesting protein pre-workout, you should definitely take the same after exercising. Remember your will have torn and put muscle tissue under extreme stress while working out. As such, your body practically goes into recovery mode after your stop lifting weights or performing intense exercises.

To aid and enhance recovery, you need to take a fast acting protein anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes after training.

Once again, whey protein comes in handy to help your body replenish glycogen stores. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends taking a whey protein product that contains at least three grams of leucine per serving.

Remember, leucine plays a vital role in the protein synthesis process. In addition, it is wise to combine whey supplement with a fast-acting carbohydrate such as glucose or maltodextrin, according to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Such a combination of supplement compounds work well for bodybuilders who perform weight-training exercises. Moreover, according to a study published by the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), drinking fat-free milk post-workout enhances lean body mass, decreases body fat, and improves muscle hypertrophy.

Between meals and workouts

Unlike pre- and post-workout, you do not need a fast-acting protein source between meals and workouts. Nevertheless, you need another category of protein called “slow-acting/slow-digesting protein.”

In simple words, this type of protein takes hours to digest. A good example is casein protein. Such a protein is beneficial in several ways. Firstly, slow digesting protein such as whey, milk, and casein make one feel fuller for longer.

This is good news if you want to bulk up and cut excess weight at the same time.

When combined with dietary fiber, they dampen hunger pangs as well as enhance satiety and fullness. Since there are many whey protein and casein products in the market, it may be difficult to determine the absorption rate of each product. To avoid confusion, use the following as a fastest-to-slowest acting protein guide:

• Hydrolyzed caseinHydrolyzed whey
• Hydrolyzed whey
• Whey isolate
• Whey concentrate
• Other protein sources
• Casein

Hydrolyzed casein and whey are considered the fastest-acting products because they contain di and tri-peptides that the body absorbs much faster than even free-form amino acids. Additionally, they induce faster and greater insulin response. Besides casein, eggs are another great source of protein between meals/training.

For the weight-conscious, it is advisable to limit carbohydrate intake after training. By doing so, you do not have to worry about carbohydrates being converted into fat. However, this may not be a problem if you undertake intense workouts. Your body will metabolize a large percentage of carbs as you exercise.

The amount and frequency of protein consumption between meals/workouts varies depending on factors like weight training goals. Nevertheless, a study published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism provides a good guide on this subject.

Researchers observing participants found that those who consumed 80 grams of a protein supplement in doses of 10 grams staggered throughout the day registered the best protein synthesis results. Larger or smaller doses will not lead to improvements in muscle growth, protein synthesis, or strength.

Before going to bed

Before going to bed, feed your body with protein that will satisfy its nutritional and energy needs at night. Unsurprisingly, slow-digesting protein fits this definition well. The best choice in this case is casein protein because it is digested slowly releasing amino acids over a span of several hours.

To understand why this phase is essential to muscle growth and recovery, it is worth investigating what happens to food digestion and absorption at night.

After eating the last meal of the day, the body’s digestion process kick in and works hard to synthesize additional nutrients. This allows the body to replenish glycogen stores, especially in the liver and muscles. During this two-hour or so phase, the body does not actively engage in energy expenditure. Instead, it focuses on energy storage.

After this, the body enters into a post-meal absorption phase. This means it starts actively using the available nutrients and energy. During this long post-absorption period at night, the body at some point may access amino acids stored in the muscles for re-distribution via the bloodstream. As a result, muscle tissue breakdown occurs. By the time you wake up, protein breakdown will have exceeded protein synthesis.

It is worth noting that this process does not exclusively occur at night. This means that it can take place anytime the body enters into a prolonged post-absorption state such as when fasting to accomplish specific health or religious goals. With this in mind, casein protein, which usually takes about 7-8 hours to digest and breakdown, is the ideal protein choice.

Casein is also highly recommended because of its anti-catabolic properties (it prevents muscle breakdown).

sea food

If you love seafood, include fish in your last meal of the day. Fish oils such as omega-3 slow down the body’s digestion rate preventing breakdown of amino acids stored in muscle fibers.

Some people are likely to frown at this suggestion because of excess weight issues. This is because of the popular myth that eating just before going to bed will lead to addition of extra pounds of body weight.

This myth is not only erroneous but wrong in every sense as well. In fact, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that there is no direct correlation to late night-eating patterns and excess weight gain. The only way you would gain weight in such a scenario is if you were making poor dietary choices or overeating. Protein intake at this point will only aid muscle repair and growth.

Aim to consume about 1.4-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.

Types of Amino acids

L-Glutamine

Before wrapping up this post, it is necessary to cover the types of amino acids you will likely come across in the market in the form of supplements.

In general, the most common amino acids are L-Glutamine, HMB and leucic acid, as well as BCAAs (Leucine, isoleucine, and valine). Although they are all great and essential to bodybuilders, you do not need all of them at once.

If your diet includes plenty of BCAA sources, do not worry about missing the good stuff by shunning supplements.

However, you should consider supplements that contain taurine and l-carnitine amino acids because they are rare in traditional protein sources like meat and milk.

The same is true for HMB, whose anti-catabolism properties are up to 20 times more potent compared to leucine.

Overall, the amino acid supplements sold commercially are extractions of traditional protein sources. As such, consider claims of superiority as nothing more than marketing attempts aimed at squeezing money from the pockets of consumers.

Conclusion

Protein timing is a popular dietary strategy that bodybuilders use to optimize protein synthesis and muscle growth. This strategy revolves around consuming protein pre- and post workout as well as throughout the day.

Scientific studies have shown that doing so improves muscle hypertrophy and nutrient uptake/breakdown processes. If you would like to adopt a similar strategy, you have to start protein timing immediately after waking up to provide your body with the amino acids it requires. Doing so also prevents breakdown of the same compounds stored in the muscles. This is in addition to taking a fast-acting protein about 30 minutes prior to going to the gym or beginning a workout session.

After exercising, ingest another dose of a fast-digesting protein such as whey protein shake to maximize protein synthesis. You can combine such protein with fast-acting carbohydrate to maximize amino acid availability and insulin response.

In between meals and workouts, the norm is to consume slow-digesting protein such as casein to provide muscles with a steady supply of amino acids over extended periods. Regardless of your daily protein intake, consider purchasing and using supplements that contain l-carnitine and taurine amino acids. They are beneficial because their anti-catabolism properties are more powerful than leucine.

Original Source: The Effect Of Protein Timing On Muscle Growth
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Which Rep Range Is Best For Building Muscle?

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When it comes to building strength and creating muscle mass, there are facts and rules you need to take seriously and there are myths you need to ignore.

Probably one of the most common “rules” you’ve heard of is that heavier weights work best with low reps for building muscles and lighter weights work better with high reps to get shredded.

This may be true, but there are certain steps you need to take to push your training further without wasting unnecessary time and effort on exercises that may be useless.

If you are committed to knowing the right way to build muscle, it’s best to start with the right information. If you want to know which rep range is best for building muscle, I would like to share with you what I have learned through many years of training and hard work in the gym.

What’s in a Rep?

rep range

The rep ranges you need to follow will depend largely on what your goals are because certain ranges work best for certain results. The number of reps you need to perform to increase power, for example, will be different from the reps you need to do if you want to build strength. If your goal is muscle growth or hypertrophy, you will be performing a different set from what you would do if you wanted muscular endurance.

Muscles thrive on repetitions. When specific groups of muscles are targeted again and again, they grow better, get harder and bigger. Of course, if you do your research, you will find that suggested rep ranges for certain exercise goals vary, depending on the source of information.

Years of training have taught me that higher rep ranges are the best choices for a specific goal. To give you an idea about what works for me, here are the rep ranges I recommend based on the type of goal you might have for muscle building:

  • Power – 1 to 5
  • Strength – 5 to 10
  • Hypertrophy – 10 to 15
  • Endurance – 15 or more

As you can see, the rep ranges I presented are a bit different than those suggested by other trainers. For building strength, for example, I suggested 5 to 10 reps while other trainers suggest 6 to 8. For hypertrophy, I suggested 10 to 15 reps instead of the more popular range 8 to 12 reps. For endurance, I suggested 15 or more, instead of the 12 or more popularly suggested.

Getting in the Right Zone

Now that I have introduced the proper training zones you will need to improve your training, let me explain the differences so you know what to look out for. Improved power, for example, means that your explosiveness has increased, thereby improving your ability to carry heavier weights with increased speed.

Strength, on the other hand, is not about how fast you can move a certain weight. Instead, it means being able to sustain yourself through a resistance exercise, regardless of how long it would take for you to complete the challenge.

arnold trainingYou should know by now that strength and power depend on your ability to move heavy weight. However, hypertrophy is a different animal. Hypertrophy means an increase in the size of the muscle.

True, you will experience muscle growth by performing the rep ranges suggested for the strength and power zones, but you will get better, more impressive results if you focus on the suggested rep range for hypertrophy.

Of course, do not forget endurance. Endurance is the ability of your muscle to keep doing what it does for a sustained period of time. You might be asking what the role of endurance is for building muscles.

Endurance plays a critical role for helping you gain your desired results. The better endurance you have, the more effort you can put in and the better your performance.

Theoretically, this means that you can produce a better outcome when you work out to achieve the goals you have for the other training zones. After all, it is endurance that allows you to go the distance, to push yourself further, to work harder and to perform one more extra rep.

Harnessing the Crossover Benefits of Reps

Now that you have learned the crossover advantages of rep ranges, you are probably wondering how you can use it to improve your workout.

Here is what I want you to remember:

Avoid a single rep range. Focusing all your energies in just one range is good as a short-term goal but do not forget that there is an interrelation between training zones. Try periodization instead to improve continuously.

Periodization is when you choose a certain rep range for a specified period of time, say 3 to 4 weeks, then continue to another rep range, this time for a different training zone. Once this is done, you either move to a different training zone/rep range or return to the rep range you started in.

This is a popular approach and it is effective, but there really is no reason not to use the time you have to build your body by using everything that all the training zones can offer. I also use periodization to create strength and bulk but I also go through all training zones in one workout. That way I use the time I have to maximize the benefits of the workout.

cable pull

To give you an idea about what works for me, I use sets of rep ranges regularly that allows me to use all training zones. I call these sets the Power 5 and the Big 5.

The Power 5 consists of 5 x 25-5-10-15-20 rep ranges while the Big 5 consists of 5×25-20-15-10-5 rep ranges.

To start, use the initial 25 reps as your warm-up to prime your muscles, then use the next four sets each for a training zone. If you want to focus on strength or power, try the Power 5 set. If endurance or hypertrophy is your desired result, use the Big 5.

The great thing about these sets is that these are flexible enough to be used in a number of ways. Use the set that has the rep range you want for a specific training zone. The benefits of these sets are two-fold: you get to see immediate benefits by training in the right zone and long-term benefits by training across several rep ranges.

Original Source: Which Rep Range Is Best For Building Muscle?
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The Ben Pakulski Diet Plan: What It Is And How It Can Work For You

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I always say that successful bodybuilding is the product of proper fitness and a balanced diet. This is an equation that has worked time and again, and it is a tried-and-tested formula.

To show you how well a carefully planned diet and fitness regimen can work, let me introduce the other Pak-Man, Benjamin Pakulski. Later, I will also share the Ben Pakulski diet plan that you can use as a reference to help you jumpstart your bodybuilding regimen.

Who is Ben Pakulski?

ben pakulskiBen Pakulski is one of the rising stars of international bodybuilding. Now in his early 30s, he has risen from the ranks to become one of the most recognizable muscle and fitness personalities of recent years. If Pakulski is a familiar face, it’s because he won Mr. Canada in 2008 and finished in 2nd place in the IFBB in the same year.

As a bodybuilder, Pakulski started young, lifting weights at the Toronto Macks Gym at 15 years old. He later trained under Tom Hall, who was instrumental in helping him get a Muscletech contract 3 years later. Hall became his mentor and professional inspiration and Pakulski credits him partly for his recent success.

Pakulski prepared for the Mr. Olympia 2012 competition by following a structured diet plan that allowed him to consume high quality proteins throughout the day. He did this by eating 6 good meals daily. In case you’re wondering how and why Pakulski used this formula, let me give you some background information on how protein works for your body and how you can use it to build strong muscle mass.

Why Protein?

protein

Proteins belong to a class of nitrogen-based compounds. These are made of large molecules, which in turn are made of one or several amino acid chains. Proteins are considered the building block of our bodies because all our organs, hair, nails, bones, skin and of course, muscles are made from proteins.

To say that our bodies cannot survive without protein would be an understatement. In fact, our blood, digestive system, immune system and many of the hormones we have require protein to function properly. Twenty percent of our body weight is actually protein.

To give you an idea about what protein can do, try to imagine every cell in your body (there are about 100 trillion of them). Then imagine that every cell consists of several different proteins, all of which perform a job specific to that cell’s function.

Within each protein molecule are different combinations of amino acids, of which there are 20. These 20 amino acids can be combined and arranged in many ways to create different forms of proteins.

The potential is such that different amino acids can form millions of different protein types, each of which forms a building block of the human body. Think about that the next time you eat or drink your protein shake and try to process what food can do for you.

When you have a constant or regular source of protein, you are priming your body’s muscles for optimum growth, repair and maintenance. It’s like giving the body full access to a source of good nutrition but with a catch: you get to control the speed, rate and quality of the delivery.

With a good diet plan, you can even take it a step further.

The Ben Pakulski Diet Plan

Ben Pakulski’s diet plan is simple but features carefully chosen meal options and schedules to optimize his ability to build muscles. He also followed a careful bodybuilding and exercise regimen that is designed to complement his diet.

During the offseason, for example, he tried to avoid cardio as much as possible. Since he wasn’t increasing his ability to burn off calories, he focused on eating good quality calories instead. This allowed him to feed his muscles without overloading himself with unnecessary calories that he would have to put in extra effort just to burn off.

Just 5 weeks prior to the Mr. Olympia competition, Pakulski begins implementing the diet plan he swears by, and I am sharing it with you:

diet plan5:30 a.m.
– 12 ounces lean beef
– 6 ounces broccoli
– 2 tbsps. coconut oil

8:30 a.m.
– 12 ounces tilapia
– 6 ounces broccoli
– 2 cups fennel, spinach or kale salad

9:30 a.m. (Pre-Workout Drink)
– 2 scoops Allmax Muscleprime
– 2 scoops Aminocore

10 a.m. – Training Starts

11:30 a.m. (Post-Workout Drink)
– 3 scoops Aminocore
– 5 grams creatine
– 10 grams EAA
– 2 grams Vitamin C
– 2 grams CLA
– 50 grams carbs (Dextrose powder or Allmax Krush)

12 p.m.
– 1 scoop ISOFLEX Chocolate Peanut Butter

12:30 p.m.
– 12 ounces tilapia
– 75 grams carbs (rice or quinoa flakes)

3 p.m.
– 12 ounces chicken
– 75 grams carbs (rice or quinoa flakes, depending on what he ate earlier)

5:30 p.m.
– 12 ounces beef
– 6 ounces broccoli
– 4 ounces avocado

**More training after the meal, depending on whether he trains more than once a day.

8 p.m.
– 10 ounces tilapia
– 75 grams carbs (sweet potato)

9 p.m. – 40-minute Cardio (no training in the evening)

10:30 p.m.
– 6 ounces beef
– 16 egg whites
– 1 bag spinach
– 2 ounces macadamia nuts

If you notice, Pakulski’s diet plan is not big on carbs. This may seem unusual if you yourself are used to consuming healthy portions of carbs yourself, or if you know bodybuilding enthusiasts who do. However, Pakulski notes that he did not have the best dietary habits when he was young and genetics also dictate that he go easy on anything that would cause his insulin levels to go awry.

To manage his insulin sensitivity and make sure that his body receives the nutrients he needs, he chooses his meals carefully.

He also modifies his diet when needed. On certain days when he trains twice, he consumes more protein to increase his caloric intake. He also eats more protein the day following his twice-a-day training. On days when he does not train, he goes easy on the amount of calories he ingests.

As you can see, you can work around a dietary limitation like Pakulski has. If you can’t manage a lot of carbs or have a particular sensitivity to certain types of food or have an allergy, simply modify your diet.

Your diet forms an integral part of your bodybuilding regimen and there is no way you can achieve your goals if you do not manage this part of the equation. Find out what works and eliminate anything that will either fail to contribute to your goals or stop you from achieving them.

A Different Approach to Exercise

ben pakulski working outPakulski’s idea was to change his body without pushing himself drastically. He credits this approach to his years of experience as a bodybuilder.

During his early years, he observed competitive bodybuilders push themselves to the proverbial corner where they had nowhere else to go. This approach was common among female and non-professional bodybuilders, many of whom start undergoing a rigorous diet that contains no carbohydrates and performing two hours of cardio exercises just 4 months prior to the competition.

Pakulski questions this approach because he thinks there is very little room for a body to grow and progress. Although the human body will respond to stimuli, it can only do so much within a certain span of time, after which it will plateau. Once that happens, nothing you do will make it work harder or grow bigger.

To perform better, Pakulski recommends a steady but focused approach. He says that it is far better to start a bodybuilding regimen that gradually builds up. As an example, it would be far better to start with a 20-minute cardio set about 4 times a week than to immediately jump into a 60-minute workout. From there, you can increase the time by 10-minute increments – so from a 20-minute workout, you can progress to a 30-minute, then a 40-minute workout.

According to Pakulski, a workout that gradually builds up makes more sense because it continuously offers a new stimulus to the body, forcing it to adapt to a new challenge. As a result, you never hit the dreaded plateau. Of course, this can only work if your diet stays consistent. This is the approach that Pakulski credits for drastic changes that happen to his body in the month prior to a competition.

Although he hasn’t changed anything drastically in his diet or workout, he still experiences immediate results.

Staying in Homeostasis

Pakulski also talks about keeping his body at its ideal – its homeostasis – a state and condition in which all his health parameters are within normal range. However, he ups the challenge to keep things interesting and to ensure that his body works harder. He does this by shifting his homeostasis at a slightly higher level every year, a trick that allows him to work harder so he is able to maintain his ideal size and shape for the competition.

His goal is to go a little bigger and a little leaner each year. He recommends training the body to improve its efficiency in utilizing nutrients gradually year after year – just a little bit today and a little bit more tomorrow, and so on. In a year’s time, you would have built a body that is not only impressive but also healthy.

Using Information for Building the Perfect Body

Like Ben Pakulski, I am for doing research and using the right information to get to where you want to go. When you know what you are doing and why, you have a better understanding of how proper nutrition works for your body and how. Proper information will also help you use supplementation safely and effectively, without worrying about side effects that could impact your health in a negative way.

Don’t be pushed into taking drastic steps to get bigger. Building the perfect body effectively and efficiently takes time but think about the whole process as an investment. You will reap the rewards tomorrow if you invest wisely today.

I hope you’ve found this post useful. Ben Pakulski also created a great workout program called Mi40 – you can learn more about it here.

Original Source: The Ben Pakulski Diet Plan: What It Is And How It Can Work For You
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How You Can Become A Certified Fitness Trainer

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Personal fitness training is a highly popular career option among various workers in the fitness field. The United States Department of Labor estimates that the demand for fitness trainers will increase at a rapid pace throughout 2018. A growth rate of 29 percent is anticipated, which is much higher than
average.

There are many reasons why this is the case, including the increase in public awareness about health and disease prevention that has occurred over the past decade.

Those wondering how to become a certified fitness trainer will be pleased to discover that it is an occupation to which essentially any health-conscious individual can aspire.

Job Description

fitness trainer

The scope of personal training and the numerous opportunities found in the field make it challenging to create a particular job description for a fitness trainer. Nevertheless, at the heart of the job and at its most basic level, a personal fitness instructor assists clients with a vast array of activities, all of which are focused on increasing the person’s fitness level and helping that person to achieve and maintain optimum physical shape.

Personal trainers monitor and record the progress of their clients, and usually create customized diet and exercise programs that are tailored to their specific needs.

Virtually anyone who is passionate about health and fitness can learn to be a personal trainer. Therefore, if this is your dream, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose by following the steps outlined below to prepare yourself to enter the industry.

How To Get Started

In addition to its large potential for growth, you will quickly discover that being a certified fitness trainer is both a fulfilling and lucrative occupation. For example, you can anticipate flexible hours, personal fulfillment and a great starting salary.

Helping others reach their fitness goals and watching their self-esteem skyrocket is a rewarding way to earn a good living.

However, it is important to make sure you are not blinded by the idea of making $60 an hour to work out. You must also understand that becoming a personal fitness trainer requires diligence, education and the right personality.

If you are not comfortable working with people or you prefer a job with traditional hours, it is probably not for you.

However, if you can work a flexible schedule and are a good communicator who can develop a positive relationship with clients, you will likely enjoy such work immensely. After you have made the decision to pursue this line of work, you must remember that a fair amount of money and time must be invested into your decision. Otherwise, you cannot expect to enjoy success.

This is because your client base wants to work with a trainer who is experienced and knowledgeable, and therefore it is essential to take the required steps to become certified before you begin seeking customers.

Certification

certified fitness associations

Before you get started, you should review the following certifying bodies and the different advantages each one has to offer:

The selection process will largely depend on your personal opinion of each one and what appeals to you most when you review the various programs. An important aspect of which you should be aware is that not all gyms and fitness centers accept certification from all of the aforementioned programs.

For this reason, if you already have a particular establishment in mind from which you plan to seek employment, ask in advance about the certification programs they require and if there are any organizations they do not recognize.

Investing in Your Future

Certification programs can be quite costly, and you must be prepared for this when embarking upon your training. The cost of most courses is between $400-$1,000, but this will vary greatly from one program to the next, depending on the type of package in which you invest.

For example, if you choose a package that has a broad range of materials, such as an online portal, flashcards, practice tests, and textbooks, it will be more expensive than a course that you primarily complete online without any bells and whistles.

Regardless of which package you select, you must think of it as an investment and as such, an essential step in learning how to safely and legally train clients.

Additionally, you must remember that if you stick to your plan and complete the course, you will eventually be rewarded with a lucrative income that will far exceed the initial expense of your course.

Benefits of an Internship

gym

If you are working with a limited budget, but do not want to wait to pursue your dreams, seeking a sponsorship–more commonly referred to as an internship–at a fitness center or gym is probably one of your best options. If you are lucky, you may even find an establishment that will offer you a job as you work out your internship, thus eliminating the cost of your certification.

Additionally, because all professions in the health and fitness field require some type of formal internship, you will be killing two birds with one stone. Along with obtaining certification, you will be networking to develop professional relationships with other personal trainers and shadowing trainers who have been at their jobs for lengthy amount of time.

These are the best individuals from whom to learn your craft.

Fortunately, there is a variety of internships available to individuals just like you who are planning to embark upon a new career. However, each one is different because they are all tailored toward the specific needs of the facility by which they are offered. Therefore, you must weigh all your options carefully if selecting an internship.

Studying is Vital to Your Success

As you may have suspected, one of your biggest challenges when becoming a personal fitness trainer is passing the certification exam. Virtually all programs provide study materials and textbooks to assist you to learn the information required to receive a passing grade.

As previously mentioned, you can choose from courses that are offered entirely online or those that provide additional hard copy study materials.

Regardless of which option you select, your grade on the final exam will be a direct reflection of the amount of time and effort you devote to your studies. Do not short change yourself by failing to designate a specific amount of time each day for your coursework.

Finding Employment

certified fitness trainer

After you have enrolled in a program, invested time and money, studied hard and passed the final exam, you will have your certification. Obviously, the next step is to find a place of employment.

If you plan to open your own gym, you will need start-up money.

On the other hand, if you plan to gain experience at a facility that is already established in the marketplace, you will likely have more than one fitness center from which to choose. If you have not enrolled in an internship or selected a facility in advance, it is wise to reach out to as many gyms and fitness centers as you can in order to increase your chances of finding employment.

Your two options are to work for a corporation or to work as an independent contractor in the field of personal training. If you choose the latter, in many cases you can still work in an established facility, but you have no guaranteed pay. Your salary will come from clients that you obtain on your own.

There are advantages and disadvantages associated with both options. If you become an employee of a gym or fitness center, there will be a specific client accumulation process mapped out for you in advance. However, if you choose to work for yourself at an establishment, you are basically using their space, but must find your own clients, and the fees you charge must be shared by the facility.

Should you decide to move out on your own, you will be responsible for acquiring clients and paying your own rent. Always carefully read any contract you enter into with any facility or individual.

Other considerations to which thought must be given when you are determining whether to work as an employee or independent contractor, are benefits and income taxes.

If you choose to work at a facility that offers covered employment, you will likely have the option of enrolling in health care coverage, a 401(k) plan, life insurance and other benefits or perks. In addition, taxes will be deducted from your salary. If you work as an independent contractor, you will be responsible for your own taxes and health care coverage.

The Option of Specializing

Virtually all experts agree that specializing in a particular niche is something necessary to your long-term success. Of course, you will need to gain some experience before you specialize, but if you give your new career 100 percent, this should not be a problem.

Once you have discovered which demographic group you are most successful with, you should continue your education to enhance your knowledge with this particular type of client.

Numerous certifying organizations provide advanced training targeted at various demographic groups, from athletes to senior citizens. Once you have gained enough experience, you can promote yourself as a specialist in that particular niche and attract the exact type of client with whom you feel most comfortable.

Liability Insurance

Liability Insurance

You cannot begin training new clients until you are covered under a reputable malpractice insurance. The latter shields you from liability and provides coverage against any claims that may be filed by an irate customer, whether or not he or she actually sustained damages.

If you are working as an employee of a gym or fitness center, this type of insurance may be provided. However, if you plan to rent your own space and work independently, it is vital for you to invest in insurance before beginning your new career.

Staying Active and Continuing Your Education

When seeking a career in the fitness industry, it is essential to practice what you preach. Although you can transfer knowledge to your clients that will apply to their situation whether or not you are physically fit yourself, most clients do not trust trainers who do not look as if they are taking their own medicine.

Therefore, your reputation and your clients’ confidence in you essentially depend on your own physical fitness level and your ability to demonstrate what you are teaching.

It is also important to be committed to ongoing education. Do not allow yourself to get stuck in ruts and be the trainer who shuns the newest approaches and equipment. In other words, make every effort to become well-rounded with each new addition to the industry, whether a philosophy or new equipment.

path to success

One of the best advantages of working as a personal fitness trainer is that the industry offers such a broad range of options for success. Not only is such a career emotionally fulfilling and financially lucrative, the fitness field is one in which exceptional growth is predicted by various organizations.

Most people do not plan to fail, but many fail to plan. For this reason, taking the appropriate steps right from the beginning, such as familiarizing yourself with exactly how to become a personal fitness trainer, is vital to your long-term success.

Organizing your goals and objectives on paper when you have made the decision to pursue this line of work is a wise course of action. Additionally, it is wise to only share your intentions with people you know will be supportive. For various reasons, many people play devil’s advocate when a person is launching a new career or stepping out into the unknown.

If you are like most people, negative words may be intimidating and make it more difficult for you to resolve to pursue your goals. This is why it is a good idea to tell only those who you know will support your endeavors.

Anyone planning to become a personal fitness trainer can ultimately anticipate a fun and rewarding future as they follow their new career path.

Original Source: How You Can Become A Certified Fitness Trainer
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Core Workout Routine You Can Do Without Equipment

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You may be surprised by what makes the best core exercises. It may not just be sufficient to carry out sit ups and abs crunches if you lack special equipment. To really build a strong and solid core, you require exercising a good number of muscles starting from your hips all the way to your shoulders.

body coreThe majority of people tend to view the core as a toned abdomen or a lovely 6-pack. However, the fact is that your abdominal muscles only form a portion of your core muscles.

What the experts refer to as your “core” will in reality consists of lots of diverse muscles which all go towards stabilizing your pelvis and the spine, running the entire torso length.

It is when these muscles are contracting that they bring the needed stability to your shoulder girdle, the spine and the pelvis to create a solid support base. When this has occurred, you will then be in a position of generating powerful and extreme movements.

Your core muscles also make it possible for you to remain upright and move while on two feet. It is these muscles which assist in movement control, energy transfer, and weight shifting into any direction you wish.

A solid core protects your body by distributing the weight bearing stresses.

How Does a Good Core Strength Benefit You?

benefits of a core workout

The awesome thing is that you can carry out your core workout routine without equipment exercises and still remain in top shape and condition. It doesn’t have to be expensive. You don’t need all those costly exercise equipment such as dumbbells and kettlebells or necessitate you joining your local gym.

1. Reduces the Back Pain

Abdominals typically receive all the credit in terms of giving protection to your back and being the pillar of your strength, although they only form a small portion of what constitutes the core. As a matter of fact, it is the unbalanced and weak core muscles that are associated with your low back pain episodes.

Balanced and stronger core muscles assist towards reducing spine strain and maintaining appropriate body posture.

2. Improves your Athletic Performance

Due to the fact that the trunk muscles and torso will accord stability to your spine all the way from your pelvis to the shoulder and neck, they facilitate the transferring of power and energy to your legs and arms. All those body powerful movements typically originate and start from the center of your body outwards and never originate from your limbs alone.

Prior to any kind of rapid and powerful muscle contractions in the body extremities, your spine has to be stable and solid. A good exercise routine strengthens your core muscles.

3. Improves your Postural Imbalances

Training your core muscles helps towards correcting postural imbalances which are potential sources of injuries. Perhaps the biggest benefit you will receive from core training is developing your functional fitness. This is the fitness type which becomes essential to your regular activities and daily living. You will not be seen to be struggling and dragging that body around. You will look alive!

Best Exercises that Build your Core Strength

nice core

There are lots of core workout routines without equipment exercises which can greatly assist you. Quite a huge number of such core strengthening exercises could be easily performed while you are at home without the need of having any specialist or expensive equipment.

Core exercises bring the best and most effective outcomes when they are engaging lots of muscles across your entire torso. These are those muscles which cross a number of joints and which are working together towards bringing and coordinating your body stability.

Core muscles must operate as a unit to stabilize your spine. Among the best core workout routine exercises are simple without equipment bodyweight exercises.

The Wonderful 7 Core Routine

Because the easiest and best core workout routine without equipment involve the abdomen, let us now turn our attention to what would benefit you the most. This is a comfortable routine that is comprised of 7 abdominal exercises which have been carefully selected to hit both your lower and the upper abs.

Follow the guidelines I have prepared for you below to get a totally ripped core.

Nothing is for sure more impressive than when you present a physique that is well built with a six pack of some well defined abs leading the way. However, keep in mind that about 50 per cent of the results you get will be largely determined by what you put into your diet.

The routine below is guaranteed to give you rapid results and is made up of some basic 7 abdominal exercises that have been carefully selected. You are going to note that I am not proposing any direct oblique work. The reasoning behind this is that I’m convinced that direct oblique work will only lead you having a waistline that is wider.

Besides that, it is known that obliques typically receive ample indirect stimulation when you carry out exercises such as sit-ups, deadlifts and squats.

Now, I have given you the basics, let’s get to these Magnificent or Wonderful Seven core abs exercises:

First Exercise: Sit-Ups

sit ups

The primary target is your Upper Abs, while the secondary targets are the Lower Abs and the Obliques:

1. On your back, lie flat on the floor with bent knees and the legs secured below some solid heavy furniture.

2. Have your hands by the chest.

3. As you flex your abdominals, try raising the torso until you are almost in a sitting position.

4. Still retaining the abs tension, lower yourself to the original position without rocking back and forth.

Second Exercise: Leg Raises

leg raises

The primary target here is your Lower Abs and the secondary targets are your Upper Abs and Obliques.

1. On your back, lie flat on the back with the legs straight before you.

2. Have your hands on the floor at your sides for support.

3. As you flex your lower abdominals, try and raise the legs until they are in a perpendicular position with the floor.

4. While holding the abs tension, lower the legs to the position you began with.

Third Exercise: Lying Down with Raised Legs plus Crunch

crunches with legs raised

The targets are the Lower and Upper Abs while the secondary targets are the Obliques.

1. While on your back, lie flat on your floor with both legs ahead of you.

2. You can place both your hands on the floor for better support.

3. Try and flex your lower abs, raising the legs until they appear in a perpendicular position to the floor.

4. At this juncture, raise both your torso and shoulders as far as you can from the ground in a motion that is somewhat curling without having to raise your back off the floor.

5. While maintaining the abs tension, lower both the legs to the starting position and then bring the torso to the original position where you began.

Forth Exercise: Knee-Ins

knee ins

The primary targets are your Lower Abs and secondary are the Obliques and Upper Abs.

1. Sit on your floor or even on an exercise bench or chair edge with both the legs extended ahead of you with the hands on the floor for the needed support.

2. Maintaining your knees close together, pull them in towards the chest until they can go no more.

3. Retaining the lower abs tension, revert to the position where you began and repeat this motions until the set is completed.

Fifth Exercise: Toe Touches

toe touches

The primary target areas are your Lower and Upper Abs, while the secondary targets are the
Obliques.

1. Sit on your floor or even on an exercise bench or chair edge and your legs fully extended ahead of you and the hands holding on your sides for needed support.

2. Bring your legs up simultaneously as far as you can whilst bringing your torso towards them at the same time.

3. Revert to your original position and repeat until the set is done.

Sixth Exercise: Crunches

crunches

The primary target area is your Upper Abs and the secondary are both upper and lower Obliques:

1. Lie flat on your back while on the floor with both legs ahead of you but bending them at the knees.

2. Have can place both hands by your chest or behind your head.

3. Now raise the torso and shoulders as far as they can go in a curling motion from the ground without having to raise your back off the floor.

4. Still retaining abs tension, bring the torso to the original starting position and try to avoid rocking back and forth.

Seventh Exercise: Reverse Crunch

Reverse Crunch

The primary target areas are the Lower and Upper Abs, while also targeting the Obliques as the secondary area.

While on your back on the floor, lie flat with the legs straight ahead of you.

1. Have both your hands at the floor for needed support.

2. Gradually bend the legs at your knees to bring them towards the chest.

3. When your knees are next to the chest, try and raise the torso and your shoulders as far as you can get from the ground without having to raise your back from the floor in a curling motion.

4. Now return both the legs to the position where you started and also bring the torso back to the level of the floor.

The required Number of Sets, Repeats and Rest Times between the Sets

Each of the exercises is to be performed for three (3) sets each, in as many reps as you could possibly do. However there are lots of ways performing this core workout routine without equipment exercises.

Really, it’s up to you depending on your personal goal!

It is however worth noting that the higher intensity routine sets may be viewed as an advanced abdominal core workout routine undertaking and would not be strongly recommended for absolute beginners.

A newbie would gain better by just carrying out 3 out of the total of seven (7) for only two (2) sets each with a one minute of rest observed between the sets. It is from there that you can begin to build up levels of endurance and then begin to add up more sets and exercises over time.

Best Routine Times

early morning workout

I would recommend doing these exercises, plus any aerobics as the first thing each morning. If you are somebody who wishes to add on some simple or even advanced weight training, then do this during the afternoon. This way, you will be spiking up your metabolism twice each day.

However, if you prefer carrying out all the routines in a single session, then I would recommend the following order:

1. An abdominal routine, as this is a great warm-up prior to starting your weight training session

2. Weight training

3. Conclude with your aerobics/cardio

The Frequency

It is recommended that you carry out this core workout routine at least 3 days weekly. However, remember that you are not going to start seeing your abs shaping up unless you are also consuming slightly less calories compared to what is burnt by your body.

Note: this does not mean you start denying your body food and going on starvation rations!

What I am alluding to are 5-6 small meals daily for men and between 4 and 5 small meals for the women, which are made up about 40% Protein, 40% carbs and 20 percent fats each. Additionally, make sure that at least you are doing 3 days of routine cardiovascular work.

Exercise Alterations

In case you are not in a position of carrying out a specific activity for instance owing to injuries to your lower back, then you are free to substitute that particular for another one which does not cause stress to the back.

Quickest Results Instructions

If you are a bodybuilder who has made good advances, the quickest outcomes will be achieved by performing this core routine daily together with some aerobic or cardio exercise each morning before your start your other activities.

Final Verdict

Always keep in mind that the above routine core exercises will not really matter or bring desired results if your diet is not properly dialed in. So remember to stick to your healthy diet, train consistently and hard. You will be amazed at how you can easily bomb away using the above core workout routine. You will be in awesome shape in no time!

Original Source: Core Workout Routine You Can Do Without Equipment
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How Do Actors Bulk Up So Fast?

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If you have watched Iron Man 3, chances are, like the rest of the world, you are wondering, what Robert Downey Jr. did to get into shape. The actor was almost skinny in Ally McBeal. So drastic is the change that one wonders if anyone still associates the actor with his role in that sitcom.

How do actors bulk up so fast?

This is a question that seems to be repeated over and again. The answers are usually critical, and often merely speculative. Some suggests the use of steroids, while others talk of crash diets and still others speak of the privileges of the rich and famous.

However, the fact of the matter is that it all boils down to an actor’s total focus, and the complete dedication with which he approaches his target.

If you are still wondering how actors bulk up so fast, here are some answers. Most actors who have beefed up for a role have achieved spectacular results simply because they worked hard and they worked smart. They followed exercise regimes that pushed their bodies and minds to achieve more than they could have ever imagined.

While they worked out with personal trainers, they also had nutritionists who told them what they should eat and when they should eat. A combination of diet and exercise is the only way for an actor, or for any person for that matter, to bulk up fast.

Go the Iron Man Way

robert downey jr body transformation

Now let us take a closer look at some of the physical transformations in Hollywood that has everyone talking. Robert Downey Jr.’s trainer says that while he may have been on the skinnier side before Iron Man, he was in great shape because of Wing Chun. The Chinese martial art focuses on close range combat and requires the artist’s total focus and concentration.

When Downey began to prepare for the role of Tony Stark, his trainer started him on a periodization program that required him to alternate between a combination of heavy weights with low reps, and lighter weights with more reps.

He worked out five times a week for anywhere between 40 to 90 minutes. The time period of the workout was only known to the trainer so Downey had to work hard all the time, and there was no opportunity for him to take it easy.

His workout consisted of bench presses, dips and military presses, or in other words his coach focused on classic old school weight training. This helped increase his muscle mass and made him stronger and tougher than anyone would have ever expected.

He also focused on only one specific part of the body during each workout.

By the time he was ready to get in front of the camera for Iron Man, the actor had achieved 25% increase in lean muscle, 20 pounds. He was able to triple his shoulder press and double his bench press. In other words, Robert Downey Jr.’s leaner, meaner avatar was achieved with good old fashioned hard work and sweat.

When it came to his diet, his trainer and nutritionist came to the decision that he would eat frequently, every three hours. His diet was a strict one and calorie dense. Unlike a lot of other actors, Downey’s nutritional regimen was divided into a 30:30:40 proportion.

This essentially meant that his meals composed of 30% proteins, 30% fats and 40% carbohydrates. For over a period of nine months the actor’s daily nutritional intake was over 5,000 calories. The explanation for this decision is simple, if you want to bulk up fast, you have to eat accordingly.

The 300 Rep Spartan Workout

300 movie poster

It only took the audiences one look at the 300 poster to realize that this was a movie about strength, grit and glory. Gerard Butler’s ripped body was a result of what later came to be known as the ‘300 rep Spartan workout’.

It included a vigorous exercise regime with no breaks in between. This is what the basic routine included:

• Pull-ups: 25 reps
• Deadlifts: 50 reps with 135 pounds
• Push-ups: 50 reps
• Box jumps, 24″: 50 reps
• Floor wipers: 50 reps
• Clean and press, single arm: 50 reps, 36 pound kettlebell
• Pull-ups: 25 reps
• Gymnastics style training

 
Quite clearly this is an advanced workout, one meant for someone who is already in excellent shape. Butler did not add as much bulk as one would imagine. Instead he lost fat weight. It took him four months to achieve the look that suited his character, King Leonidas. He worked out twice a day, for five to six times a week. Instead of using machines, the exercise regime focused on more traditional exercise tools such as the kettlebell.

gerard butler before and after body transformation

If you look at Butler’s before and after 300 pictures, the loss of fat weight offers an excellent contrast in the structure of his body. Also, before every scene Butler pumped up. This basically meant that he did weights or push ups to increase the blood flow to the muscles, thus making them look bigger.

The 300 workout is not for the feeble spirited. It aims to increase physical fitness as well as mental endurance. It is indeed a workout worthy of a Spartan warrior.

When it came to the diet followed by Gerard Butler and the rest of the 300 crew, they went the Spartan way. The trainers chose calorie restriction over a calorie overload approach. This helped created bodies and looks that made the audiences think that the men indeed lived off the land.

The film crew exercised, conditioned and ate together. Since they never really knew what kind of physical challenges would come their way each day, they learned to depend on each other. If you are considering bulking up, it is a good idea to have a workout buddy to share the experience with, and to encourage you on.

Blade: Trinity

ryan reynolds before and after body transformation

Ryan Reynolds has come a long way from his Two Guys and a Girl and Van Wilder days. In the initial part of his acting career neither did he focus on a regular exercise regime nor did he have a particularly healthy diet. However, when he agreed to do Blade: Trinity, the actor decide to test his limits of endurance and discipline.

Even before he began the scheduled fitness regime that would help him prepare for his role, he began to do 500 to 1000 sit-ups daily.

With a sense of what his body and mind could achieve, he then followed a strict exercise routine six days a week, for three months. Every day his exercise schedule would focus on one part of his body. His trainer had designed a workout that included heavy weights and less reps.

He would change the workout daily so Reynolds would be left guessing and his body and mind would have to accommodate. The basic idea was to help him bulk up, quickly.

The Miraculous Physical Journey from Machinist to Batman

Christian Bale's body transformation before and after

Google an image for the film Machinist and then for Batman Begins, and you will find yourself asking the ever popular question. How do actors bulk up so fast? Christian Bale’s transformation seems nothing short of miraculous. He had lost a tremendous amount of weight in a short span of time, with a starvation diet.

For Batman Begins he had to put back the weight and also get into a shape befitting a superhero.

The human body is incredible in the ways in which it recovers from drastic physical changes. It has a muscle memory that allows it to regain the muscle fiber as it was before the drastic weight loss. Before the Machinist, Christian Bale was in excellent fitness condition, and this was crucial for his training for Batman.

While Bale did cardio every day of the week, he trained for five days. His workout was usually cardio intensive and also included a healthy dose of weight and resistance training. His trainer opted for more reps over heavy weights. Compound exercises were a highlight of Bale’s workout, and included several exercises, the most common being the squat, military press, bench and deadlift.

Bale says that he gorged on junk food to help him regain his weight, and the workout helped him burn calories. He would eat a meal every two to three hours. And the nutrient content would be in a ratio of 1:2:3. This meant that for a portion of fats, it included two parts of proteins and three parts of carbohydrates.

Dedication and Discipline

Actors who bulk up for their roles are dedicated and disciplined when it comes to their workout and lifestyle. They choose to work with the best trainers and nutritionists who can help them sculpt their body to match the role that they will play in a film.

It is possible for any man to bulk up or get ripped, if they are committed to the purpose. Clearly bulking up has a lot more to do with an actor’s mental strength and determination than one would have imagined when looking at a picture on the internet or a movie poster.

Original Source: How Do Actors Bulk Up So Fast?
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How To Make Your Own Weight Loss Meal Plan

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Whether you want to call it dieting, losing weight, fat loss or anything else, the end result is the same: you want to build more muscle, lose more fat and have a better body definition. We all want to look leaner, be healthier and do the right things, but it’s not easy, especially if you don’t know how to make your own weight loss meal plan.

People always ask what the best meal plan is, but I can’t answer that and neither can anyone else, other than registered dietitians.

healthy meal

However, even if I could tell you what exactly to eat, it won’t do you any good, because it won’t teach you about your body and its needs. Your weight loss journey will be difficult and sometimes painful, but it will help you build character, push through and find out how much you’ve got and how far you’re willing to go.

I can’t tell you that, and if I give you a specific plan of attack, you’ll follow it without ever considering what your body needs.

However, I can tell you what options could work for you, help you figure out what you need to be doing and more. A meal plan isn’t the only thing you need to lose fat and get lean though it can help you on your journey and help keep you at your goal weight once you’ve succeeded.

The plan establishes healthy eating habits and helps eliminate the wrong foods. The goal is primarily to create a calorie deficient, which over time will produce fat losses. It doesn’t matter to me if you choose to do intermittent fasting, eat six small meals a day or eat three large meals a day.

What it boils down to is that your diet should use the types of foods you enjoy eating, in moderation. It will also need to meet your schedule and work with your body’s needs.

Criteria Necessary

Remember, I’m not a dietitian, and my advice shouldn’t be construed as set in stone. You’ll want to talk with your doctor and make sure you get the right nutrients. However, the basics are usually best when it comes to eating, and everyone needs some of every food group.

I’m not here to hurt your feelings or cause you to go on a rant/rave on Facebook or other social media. I’m just telling you what works for most people.

The criteria are as follows:colon

• Well-rounded
• Uniform
• 90/10 Principle
• Variance
• Necessary Supplements

What Does Well-rounded Mean?

When I say that you need a diet that is well-rounded, I mean that you should have a balance of carbs, fat, and protein. Protein is necessary to help rebuild and maintain muscle mass. Men should have about one gram of protein per body-weight pound. If you don’t have enough protein in your diet, the damage inflicted at the gym won’t heal quickly and correctly.

Sugar and fat are necessary for bodily functions. Without both, you can’t recover from hard workouts and perform daily bodily functions. Paleo zealots will squawk and whine that sugar is the worst thing for the body, but it can help you when doing intense cardio or weight training.

It’s an energy source that is necessary, and if you don’t have it, your body will try to convert proteins into sugar, which will cost you more energy and make you feel tired and crappy.

If you don’t have enough dietary protein and sugar in the body, it could turn on you, using the muscle tissues for energy. This is very bad because you want to lose fat, not muscle.

Uniform Diets

A uniform diet means you eat the same or similar foods consistently each day, month, and year. Of course, there’s going to be times when you want a cheeseburger or a piece of pizza. There’s going to be multiple holidays where you’ll eat different foods. However, on most days, you should be eating the same thing, such as lean protein, fruit, vegetables and a mixture of all.

90/10 Principle

90-10 principle

Ah, this is where most people start to hate me, and I’m not sure why. The short version of the 90/10 principle is that most (90 percent) of your diet is from whole foods, and the other 10 percent is anything else you want to eat. Whole foods mean it came from an animal or the earth.

Most non-Paleos scream at me, telling me that I’m trying to turn them Paleo, but that’s not the goal here. It’s not about clean eating, Mediterranean or South Beach; it’s about eating stuff that’s good for you and not processed. This can include chicken, beef, veggies and fruits. What I like to do is think about my grandparents. If they would have eaten it, I can eat it.

The other 10 percent is whatever you want, so go crazy (in moderation of course). That can include funnel cakes, donuts, potato chips, and all the other unhealthy options out there.

Variety

Brazil nutsMost weight loss plans don’t give you the most micro-nutrients, which your body needs. Because you’re eating less, you’re getting fewer nutrients. Therefore, you may want to consider loading up on different foods every so often.

For example, eat two or three Brazil nuts a day, which can give you all the selenium you need. Consider eating raw oysters to get more zinc and beef liver can give more Vitamin A.

My idea is that you should rotate foods out of and into your diet to make sure you’re getting the vitamins and minerals you need. I personally hate the taste of raw oysters and liver, but I do try to eat them at least once a week though sometimes I can only get them down once every two weeks.

Supplements

I generally don’t recommend using supplements, because they can do more harm than good unless you cannot get enough of those nutrients on your own. I’m also against those supplements geared toward pre-workouts and fat loss, which are marketed by the big-name companies. Mainly, it’s because they’re usually unnecessary, expensive, and we can’t be sure what’s in them.

My personal recommendation for pre-workout mixes is not to use them because you’ll save your money and protect your health. I consider supplements to be those that promise all the great things we want to hear, such as reduce hunger and cravings, weight-loss advocate, help burn more fat, etc. They are all schemes, in my opinion, meant to make money, not to keep you healthy and safe.

Multivitamins

multivitamins

Multivitamins aren’t the same, at least in my opinion, as supplements and pre-workout powders. Most people don’t receive the necessary and recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals, which are needed to have good health. Talk with your doctor to find out if a supplement could help you. Otherwise, you could overload your body with nutrients it doesn’t need, which can cause problems and can be a waste of money. I don’t know about you, but I like saving money whenever I can.

It can be as simple as getting a few blood tests, which can show what you get enough of and what you don’t. Then, you can use that as a base to include more foods with what you need, or use a supplement to get the recommended amounts.

This is another reason to consider the 90/10 diet, because you’ll get more nutrients you need and not so much of the fat and junk you don’t. This can be even more important when you’re consuming fewer calories, because when your amount of calories go down, so does the vitamin and mineral amounts.

Tracking

Do you know how easy it is to “forget” what you ate throughout the day? I certainly understand forgetfulness because I do it all the time. Therefore, it’s important to track the calories you consume and the exercise you do. This will help ensure that you aren’t eating more calories than you think, which can thwart your weight loss efforts.

If you want to know how to make your own weight loss meal plan, you’ll need to learn how to track. If you just can’t stand writing everything down and adding it up, there are many calorie/fitness trackers online to help you.

Visit a few of them, play around with them, and learn to like one. Most people have high-speed Internet, so you shouldn’t have a problem getting online. Every time you eat, make sure to note it. I personally like to put in the food and amount first before eating, so I don’t conveniently forget later (which I have done before).

There are also smartphone apps that can help track and those that will track your energy, water intake, fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins.

If you are concerned that you are eating more than one portion, consider buying an inexpensive food scale. Digital scales are only around $10, but can help you keep portion sizes down.

My Typical Meal Plan

meal plan

I usually get up about 6 AM and immediately have some caffeine, usually in coffee form with a little bit of milk and a teaspoon or so of sugar. This provides my dairy and sugar for part of the day.

Around 9 AM, I get hungry, so I start with a breakfast shake. I do buy the premade ones sometimes and use them, but usually I make my own (honey or fruit, protein powder, ice cream, and milk).

Lunch is usually around noon or 1 PM, depending on what I’m doing that day. I typically have eggs of some sort, such as scrambled or hard boiled eggs, along with some yogurt or cottage cheese, fruit or juice. Sometimes I throw in a salad, to get in some extra veggies, and I’ll cut up my hard-boiled eggs and put them in the salad to mix things up.

I have my training session around 2 PM, which can include cardio, strength, flexibility or a mixture. After that, I have a post-workout meal, which usually includes my version of a creamsicle (equal parts of milk and orange juice). Sometimes, I go a little crazy and add grape or apple juice instead to mix things up a bit.

Dinner for me is between 6 and 7 PM and includes about 250 grams of lean meat, rice or potatoes for starch. I typically like to hit the rest of calories during this time, so this is a large meal for me. If you enjoy snacking, you may want to cut it down a little so you can have an evening snack. Make it healthy or a fave, if you have the calories.

I always rotate my dinners, so I have a variety. Sometimes I have chicken and rice because I love that combination. Other times, I’ll have beef and potatoes or sometimes I’ll mix it up with some grilled salmon and fried rice. It all depends on the mood and what I’m craving.

Setting Up Your Plan

scheduleIf you are interested in setting up your meal plan for weight loss, you’ll need to do a few things. The first step is to figure out your total caloric intake and the amount you need to lose weight.

There are many calculators online that can help you do this. You’ll input your height, weight, male/female, activity level and how much you want to lose. You’ll be provided a number and can go from there.

If you don’t want to use a calculator, you can start by taking your body weight and multiplying that number by 10 to 13. The number you see should be the amount of deficit you have.

For example, if you weigh 300 pounds, you’d need a deficit of 3,000 calories each day. If you typically eat 5,000 calories, you’d need to reduce that by 3,000 to create a deficit large enough to help you lose weight.

Next, you’ll need to figure out your optimal meal frequency (how many times and when you eat). This step will be different for everyone, but it is an important part of the process. If you typically snack throughout the day and try to go to a three-square meal plan, you’ll fail.

I’m sorry to be so blunt, but it’s important to know your eating habits. I know I can’t handle three meals a day because I’ll go crazy wanting to eat the rest of the time. If you hate in-between snacking, you won’t do well with a five-six meal a day plan.

That’s not to say that you have to eat every day at noon, whether you’re hungry or not. That’s not the point and could cause failure. If I’m a little hungry at 10 AM, I’ll go ahead and eat a little something because otherwise, I’ll drive myself crazy and be unproductive trying to wait until noon.

Remember, as long as you consider the 90/10 principles mentioned above, it doesn’t matter whether you have eight or two meals a day. Just make sure you’re getting your recommended allotment of nutrients, protein and sugar.

The third step: Planning what you’re going to eat for the day (or week) can be extremely helpful. Most people don’t think so, believing that they’ll want to eat more. However, if you plan what you’re going to have first, you won’t have to think about it when hunger strikes.

You’ll be able to go to the fridge and make whatever you’ve chosen.

processed frozen meals

If you like the convenience of frozen meals, consider taking a weekend and making everything, then freezing it properly. I never, ever recommend using processed frozen meals, but if that’s something you can’t live without, add it for your 10 percent part of the day.

Because you want to practice uniformity, try to eat at the same time each day. My dinners are where I get in my food variance, and the rest stays pretty much the same though I will change it up a little when I get bored.

If you aren’t sure what you need to be eating, some websites can help you plan the right meals for your body. You can choose from various ideologies and input your calorie and macro-nutrient needs. You can even select from various food options in case you are allergic to something or don’t like it.

You can also go it alone, but it can take some math, and most people don’t want to figure out how much they can have or what they should have.

The fourth step includes discipline. You need to stick to your plan, no matter what. Clearly, this is the most difficult part of the plan and may cause some complaints. Most people ask me how I do it or why I do it. The truth is I slip up sometimes and go over on my calories. I’m human, and it’s okay.

I’m not saying you have to be perfect, but just because you couldn’t stay away from that donut doesn’t mean you have to eat the whole box. Take a step back, assess why you ate the poor-choice item and try to do better next time.

If it gets to be too much of a problem, you may need to eliminate those food choices from your pantry altogether.

The point is that you don’t have to do everything all at once. Start by adding a little more movement to your day and then decide to take a “healthy” day, where you forego all your cravings. It can seem drastic at first, but when the day is done, you’ll probably feel better.

The next week, add in two healthy days or near-healthy days. You can still stick to the 90/10 philosophy so that you can have a treat or two.

If that doesn’t work for you, choose which action will mean the most to your success. That could mean counting calories, getting more protein or anything else. Once you’ve determined that one factor, work towards sticking to that for about three to four weeks.

Once you’re consistent with that factor, add in another one and another, until you’re working on them all simultaneously.

My Sample Plan

meal

Remember, I am not a dietitian, and I don’t claim to have all the answers. However, this is what I’d do if I didn’t already have a plan. If you need to stick to 2,000 calories a day and need about 20 percent of your total intake to be from fat, you’ll need 45 grams of fat, 220 grams of carbs and about 180 grams of protein.

Your breakfast should be about 600 calories, and can include 80 grams of dried oats, two boiled eggs, 10 grams of brown sugar (on the oats, and one cup of milk for cooking the oats. You could also drink the milk and cook the oats with water.

Your pre-workout or lunch meal would consist of four servings of cottage cheese, one cup of orange juice and 20 grams of honey or berries. These will be put on the cottage cheese for flavor. You can also mix it all together, including the juice, to create a smoothie.

Your post-workout snack/meal can include one serving of milk protein in the vanilla flavor and a cup of orange juice. Mixing them together will provide a creamsicle taste. You can also use the powder with water. Click here for several examples of healthy post-workout snacks.

Dinner can include 300 grams of potatoes, typically baked or mashed, 250 grams of lean chicken strips or breast, half a tablespoon of coconut oil for cooking (or extra-virgin olive oil if you have a coconut allergy), two cups of a beef broth or chicken broth.

You may want to consider lower-sodium broths as they can be high in sodium. You can turn the meal into a soup-like option or can use the broth to cook the meat.

That sample plan listed above will provide you with about 2,013 calories, giving you 47 grams of fat, 218 grams of carbs and 176 grams of protein. While the macros weren’t perfect, they’re close, which is good enough for me.

It is necessary to remember that my meal plan (the ones I mentioned above) is for me and something I would create based on my body and needs. This is not a meal plan that is meant for you or anyone you know.

You should not follow this plan and expect to see results because I don’t know anything about you.

No To Counting Calories

no counting calories

If you just can’t bring yourself to count calories or use any number of online tools to help you, there is still hope. While counting calories is the best way to go about losing weight, it’s not the only way. Consider Paleo diets, South Beach, and all the other fads.

They work for some people, and that’s good enough for me; I just know they wouldn’t work for me.

Focus more on creating balanced meals that include healthy portions of protein, fibrous vegetables and moderate amounts of starch, fruit, and fat. Try to learn your body’s call of being full but not overly full and try not to skew your ratios, such as eating all the carbs at once.

It’s also important to note that all foods, even protein, will have some neutral aspects, such as fat and carbohydrates. However, chicken has more protein than fat, so it is dominant in the protein aspect. Therefore, consider macro-nutrient foods that are dominant in the ratio you need, whether it be carbs, protein or fat.

That way, you can quickly create a balanced meal by picking food from the category you need and adding vegetables.

For example, if you want some ground turkey as your protein, bread buns as the carb and mayo as your fat, you could make turkey burgers and add a dark-green salad. It is best to use these macros in moderation and count a neutral food towards the macro you need.

For example, a glass of low-fat milk can count towards your protein for the meal.

Servings

This is where most people falter because they are used to fast food and overly portioned meals. It’s best to have about one or two servings of protein at each meal though that will depend on how often you eat, your overall goals and your weight. In this instance, it is usually best to overestimate your fat and underestimate your protein, because a little extra protein won’t hurt, but the fat could.

meal servings for weight lossIf you don’t have a food scale, determining portions can be tricky. However, 100 or 120 grams of turkey, chicken, lean beef and lamb is roughly the size of a deck of playing cards.

One can of tuna would be one serving of protein, while 100 to 120 grams of mackerel, sardines and salmon is roughly the size of a checkbook. One scoop of casein or whey protein powder is considered a serving and about four whole eggs could be two servings of protein.

However, with the egg option, you’ll also have to count that as two servings of fat. Eight to ten egg whites could be two servings of all protein, and about 250 grams of quark or cottage cheese would also suffice.

Carbs

One serving of carbs (about 30 to 40 grams) would include 1.5 cups of watermelon or berries, a cup of grapes or mangos, one large apple or any large fruit, one small banana or a small glass of fruit juice (your choice.)

Carbs can also be considered a half-cup of oats (weigh before cooking), 1/4 cup of rice or quinoa (weigh before cooking) or a medium to large sweet or white potato.

Fat

One serving of fat (about 10 grams) can be equal to one tablespoon of oil (your choice, though sunflower, olive, and coconut oil are preferred), two tablespoons heavy whipping cream or butter, four tablespoons coconut milk or half a medium avocado.

Food Density

cup of blueberries

Most people don’t realize that heavier foods pack more calories into the same amount of food. One cup of blueberries have fewer calories than a cup of rice, but in most cases, the rice will fill you up more because it’s starchy.

If you want to eat more calories (you are hungrier), you should consider focusing less on protein and eating more carbs and fat. For example, you can replace your grilled chicken with glazed, oven-roasted thighs. You could also substitute your green vegetable with roasted butternut squash or use potatoes instead of white rice.

If your focus is to eat fewer calories, you’ll want to focus more on protein and less on fat and carbs. Choose leaner meats and eat more veggies. For example, if you want a breakfast omelet, consider swapping out half the whole eggs with egg whites and adding onions, spinach and peppers to the mix instead of meat.

On those days where you’re going to train hard, you may decide to eat oatmeal after a workout. Those days where you’re resting or not doing such strenuous workouts, you could consider fruit as your carb of choice.

Sticking to a Plan When You’re Busy

Whether you’re spending time in an airport or just on the go all day, you’ll need to think ahead to stay on track. Consider beef jerky, protein bars and having some juice with you. Keeping a small cooler in the trunk can help keep cold beverages and foods cold until you’re ready to eat them.

Just make sure the options you bring are lower in fat and higher in protein. This will mean checking the nutritional label.

If you have to eat out, try to stay away from fast food joints if at all possible. Most sit-down or casual restaurants offer a light menu, which can include turkey and chicken. Ask them to hold the mayo (save your fat) and ask for mustard, instead.

There are no calories in mustard and it can taste pretty good. You can also consider non-fatty fish or grilled breast, with a side of rice or greens.

I tend to travel a lot, so I’m always on the go. It can be extremely easy for me to say I’ll just go off the track until I get back home, but I’ve decided that’s dumb and really hurts my progress. Instead, I don’t ever let myself off the hook to have a free-for-all and instead, always try to stick with my plans.

Don’t Compensate

compensate eating

Ah, the age-old question: Can I eat more one day and eat less the next. Whether you’re going to a birthday party or hanging out with friends at the local bar, there are high-calorie options everywhere. The question I hear most is can I eat more one day and then eat less to compensate the next.

Eh, it can work, I’ll admit because I have done it in the past, but I do NOT recommend it. While eating too much can be good for your metabolism if you do it once a month, most people can’t keep it to that minimum. One day of overeating can easily lead to a whole week or month of overeating without realizing it, so it’s best to stick with your plan.

As a human being, you are always trying to push the limits of everything. Have you ever injured yourself while working out, even slightly? If so, you pushed yourself too hard. Most people do that when they first start out, and then learn to listen to their body and know what’s too much.

The same applies to food.

We look at food as a comfort instead of a way to nourish and provide for our bodies. This means that with one day of overeating, you may “forget” to clock in all the extra calories. The next day, you’ll forget about all those extra cals and do it again. In some cases, you may be able to hold off a few days and then claim you couldn’t help yourself from having that extra slice of birthday cake (why do so many people have birthdays at work!?)

The cycle could become never-ending, meaning you’ll be putting on the weight instead of taking it off.

However, this could be a determining factor as to why you’re diet goes all wonky because it could help you determine why. If you’re depriving yourself of certain foods or refusing to allow yourself to have them, you’ll likely binge on your off-diet day. You may also be using food to keep away the boredom or to help you feel better during stress.

Neither of those options will work for you for long periods, so it’s best to figure out why you’re overeating and how to stop.

If you’re bored, try a new activity, or clean the house. The wife won’t mind though she may look at you like you’re an alien. If you’re stressed out, try to relieve that stress. It could be as simple as lying down for half an hour or you may need to work out a budget, so you’re not worried about paying the bills.

The other problem with compensating is that the next day, you are likely to feel ravenous. I know when I go a little overboard, the next day I want to do so again. If I don’t, my body feels neglected, and I feel like crap. The day after, I want to overeat again to take away the edge.

See what I mean…vicious cycle!

Loose or Close Tracking

Again, many people wonder about low-calorie foods and whether or not they should track them. I think that you should keep track of them loosely, to help you understand how much you’re eating. However, I’m not super careful when tracking them because they barely have anything anyway. One serving of mixed lettuce contains about 15 calories. That’s not going to hurt anyone and will provide you the other nutrients you need.

However, it could be helpful to track carrots, onions and peppers, because they can have more calories per serving.

You’ll also want to consider whether or not to track condiments, such as ketchup and mustard. Unless there are few or zero calories, you should track them. For example hot sauce, mustard and vinegar have few calories. Most sauces and condiments are fatty, such as salad dressings and ranch, or include a lot of sugar, such as relishes and BBQ sauce.

Party Time?

party time

I love parties, and I love indulging in whatever is offered. This usually includes high-calorie, high-fat foods, and alcohol. If I know a week or more in advance, I’ll make sure I stick to my preferred diet completely, without any mistakes. That way, I know I’ll be able to enjoy and nibble my way through the night.

I may also choose to create some space in my meal plan for that day if it’s an impromptu invite. Creating space means that if I know dinner (or evening snacking) is going to be full of booze and fatty foods, I’ll eat lighter, such as having little to no fat and carbohydrates, and only eating one to two meals.

More About Alcohol

Whether you enjoy it socially or want it all the time, alcohol packs a lot of empty calories. Even the light ones can still have almost 100 calories and are full of carbs. I tend to abstain over 99 percent of the time because I don’t necessarily care for it one way or the other. I’m not the type to enjoy a glass of Merlot at dinner, but when I do drink, I go heavy. This is usually only at special events, like parties and weddings.

If I know I’m going to have it, I’ll eat less. I typically like whiskey or vodka, which can pack up to 100 calories in a shot. Therefore, if I know I’ll have three to four shots during the night, I’ll need to cut back 300 to 400 calories, from fat and carbs, not protein.

However, you’ll also have to factor in the other options, such as burgers, fries and wings. If you want those too, you’ll have to cut back up to two meals throughout the rest of the day to indulge.

I hope you’ve found this post useful. If you follow my advice and tips you’ll be well on your way to making your own weight loss meal plan. Remember to combine your meal plan with a solid exercise regimen for faster weight loss.

Good luck!

Original Source: How To Make Your Own Weight Loss Meal Plan
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How Long Does It Take To Build Muscle Mass?

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Your muscle tissue will not just appear magically. You simply cannot just show up at your local gym, do a few bench press sets and expect to grow new powerful muscles. That is just not how it works. There simply has to be an extremely good and valid reason for your muscles to grow bigger. Without a sufficient reason to become bigger, they just won’t grow.

Now, among the reasons for those muscles to grow is by getting stronger.

muscle building

The logic is that each time you place additional stress on your muscles, they respond by evolving to accommodate the new levels of stress placed on them. Therefore, an excellent method of adjusting your muscles to new stress levels is by actually getting stronger. Once your muscles begin getting stronger, they eventually will adapt to the new levels of strength by becoming bigger.

The muscle building process is a very gradual one that does take some time. Once the muscles begin getting stronger, you ought to also begin witnessing some initial muscle growth in around 2 to 4 weeks after you saw the initial increase.

This of course is not exactly the same for everyone because we are all different and it could take much longer or shorter for some. It all depends on several factors such as your diet, age, genetics, and rest levels among others.

But How Long After Working Out Do You See Results?

Many times, when most of us begin working out, we really expect to witness rapid positive outcomes. To a degree, the exercise will immediately make you feel somewhat better in the form of the so called feel-good endorphins.

However, the majority of those doing the exercises are really after something much more than that. I am sure you want something more visible, long term and typically a silhouette that is leaner, faster fat loss, and more muscle gain.

5 Factors that Impact How Fast your Muscles Build:

1. Your Training Age

Your training age refers to the duration or period that you’ve been doing the exercises. If for example, you’re a newbie, it is possible for you to gain additional muscle faster than if you had been doing it for a couple of years.

2. The Hormonal Profile

The testosterone amounts plus other hormones that build muscles in your body change as your regimen doesn’t assist in eliciting an appropriate testosterone response or the body just fails to generate as much testosterone as required.

3. Genetics Buildup

Some men have a natural inclination to build lot of muscle as a result of factors like hormonal balance, or the frame thickness of their bodies whereas some others have challenges in muscle building no matter the effort they put in. See the 3 body types explained for more info.

4. Your Muscle Memory

If for example you weigh some 180lb and then you opt to undertake training for an event like the marathon, you might shed off a solid 20 pounds of muscle. So what is the duration it would take you to regain those 20lb of lost muscle? The odd answer is that it will not take you long at all. Perhaps just 1 to 2 months. This is due to the fact that your body has an internal mechanism that restores the previous homeostasis or “muscle memory”.

5. Any Additional Supplements Taken

Heavy duty supplements such as steroids or several other performance enhancing substances which may be potentially harmful could aid your muscle building efforts, but I want to believe you are too smart for that kind of thing. Other less harmful, though still potentially harmful materials such as Creatine could also assist your muscle growth.

What is Under Your Control?

rest

Two things over which you have complete control during the process of body growth are:

1. Diet

2. Rest and Recovery

Optimize on these two components along with a good routine for training and you could look forward to some rather fast growth of your muscles, irrespective of where or who you are.

The main thing that you ought to bear in mind is that the higher the levels of intensity, the more stress your muscles face. Making use of weights that are heavier is one of the best methods of adding more intensity. As such, as you are gradually adding more intensity into your training program, you are also adding extra stress to those muscles which over the passage of time will grow.

The question still remains, how long after working out do you see results such as muscle gain?

On a general note, men can add anything between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds of solid muscle each month if you diligently adhere to a program that is well structured. The average gain for men is around half of a pound weekly.

Women on the other hand add on muscle mass at a rate that is slower compared to their male counterparts largely as a result of their own testosterone levels. This comes to about ½ pound each week or a single pound per month.

How Long Before I look Well Toned After Working-Out?

well toned body

If you are carrying out regular and consistent workouts aimed at muscle toning, you could expect to experience, in perhaps just 2 weeks, a difference in terms of more muscle definition. These are the exercise types which could be quite challenging, but typically, they really don’t leave you with any sore muscles the following day.

Does the intensity count towards how long after working out do you see results? The main aspect to keep in mind is that the levels of intensity must be continuous, increasing with each period of training so that your muscle may continuously be adapting to the new levels of stress.

This intensity levels progression do take time and should be slow or progressive.

However, so long as with each passing workout session your muscles are getting better, you will go on adding or building. To improve with each session of working out, either you can make use of additional weight, perform more of the same weight repetitions, or perform your workout sessions in faster time.

These elements will all increase the intensity, keeping the muscles growing. If you stop improving, then you got a problem. Consistency is the secret.

Remember that Rest is a Vital Component

You also have to remember that growth of your muscles will not occur while you are physically at the gym; it takes place as you rest. The process works by placing stress on the muscles, giving them adequate rest time and feeding them well, and then hitting them in the gym once again when they are well rested. Always keep in mind that muscles that are well will always become stronger.

How Long After Working out Do You See Results?

How Long After Working out Do You See Results

Well, to say the least, this will again all be dependent on how well you are progressing. If you are a beginner, you can expect to witness an immediate improvement in muscle tone and strength so long as you remain consistent in your training.

However, be aware that you may not immediately start seeing slabs of a powerful muscle mass; but for sure, there will be marked improvement generally. In terms of the time frames, this will in all probability be after about one month of training consistently.

If you are consistently improving on a 3 week training cycle involving weights, you may expect some good gains in your muscles in around 15 weeks or thereabouts. To be very realistic, a 2 pound per month of muscle gain is possible for beginners during the initial six to 12 months. And that is quite a lot.

Trainers who are in the intermediate or advanced levels can after about one year’s consistent training expect between 5 and 15 pound of muscle gains every year. Nevertheless, the longer you keep on training and improving, the harder you will notice it becomes to build extra muscle.

The fact is that after four and above years of training, count yourself very lucky if you gain an additional 10 pounds of pure muscle mass each year thereafter.

Never Forget the Role of Diet

Now, always remember that your diet as well as your rest levels have a huge part to play in this muscle building process. To be very sincere, if you really desire to add those extra muscles faster, you simply must manage the diet you are eating very well. This is simply not debatable.

If you consume a healthy diet that is calorie dense which is way above your daily expenditure of calorie, you are bound to see positive outcomes much faster.

Finally, Remember…

It’s relatively easy and fast to gain solid muscle tone. However, it’s also very quick in fading in case you stop doing the exercises on a regular and consistent basis. When it comes to fitness of any nature, consistency is vital. The real secret to see results depends on the way you are improving from each workout to the next.

Remember, muscle building is basically a gradual process during which you will experience sporadic growth spurts now and then. Keep in mind too that growth of your muscles can never be uniform. The growth does not progress on a consistent and uniform basis, so be prepared for spurts and lulls.

The key is not to stop building those muscles.

Original Source: How Long Does It Take To Build Muscle Mass?
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Customized Fat Loss For Men: 2-Week Workout Program

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The best and most effective way for men to lose weight is by working out in the gym. This approach is not only safe (no ingestion of harmful chemicals), but also efficient in maintaining optimal bodyweight over the long term.

Nevertheless, you have to follow a well-structured and more importantly, a customized workout program to enjoy these benefits. With that in mind, here is some more information on customized fat loss for men:

An Overview of Workouts

customized fat loss for men

The exercises in this guide target both the upper and lower body. They are broken into a combination of both lower-body-pull and lower-body-push or upper-body-push and lower-body-pull exercises. As such, you should focus on a single workout combination instead of performing both when in the gym.

After exercising, perform “finisher exercises” such as face pulls to reduce the likelihood of developing injuries, improve recovery, and enhance flexibility.

Workout Outline

1. Workout frequency

Visit the gym at least three times per week. Slot a day of rest in between workout sessions.

2. Workout session length

You can perform the workouts detailed below in 30 minutes.

3. How to perform workouts

Lift weights that total about 25% of your maximum lifting capability. Aim to complete as many reps as you can in 12 minutes and rest for 3 to 5 minutes in between sets. Finally, pair the exercises labelled “a” and “b” below.

4. Workout sample:

A. Starter workouts
• 1a Upper-body-push. Complete 10 reps.
• 1b Lower-body-pull. Complete 10 reps.

B. Exercise Options
• 2a Upper-body-push. Complete 12 reps.
• 2b Lower-body-pull. Complete 12 reps.

C. Finisher exercise 1
• Upper-body-pull. Complete two sets of 12 reps.

D. Finisher exercise 2
• Finish workouts with a five-minute rope jumping session.

Fat Loss Exercises:

1. Upper-body-push

upper body push

• Bench press

Lie on a flat bench face-up and assume wide grip on a weighted bar. Lift bar until arms straighten, lower it close to chest level, and repeat lift/lower motion until you complete desired reps.

• Incline dumbbell press

Lie on an incline bench while holding dumbbells with arms bent at the elbows to form 90° angle. Push the weights up while twisting your palms to face each other as your hands straighten. Then, assume the starting position and repeat the exercise.

• Pushup

Assume the pushup position and lower chest until your elbows are parallel with your upper body. Hold this position for about two seconds and resume starting position to complete one rep.

• Alternating dumbbell lift

Hold dumbbells in both hands with your palms facing inwards. Lift one weight while twisting your wrist until your palm faces upwards. Next, lower the weight and repeat motion with the other hand.

• Push press

Grasp weighted bar with your hands shoulder length apart. Jut chest outwards, lift bar until your arms straighten, and lower it to the shoulder level to complete one rep.

• Floor press

Lie face-up on the floor and ask a training partner to place a weighted bar on your hands. Lift/lower it in the same manner as if performing bench presses.

• Shoulder press

To perform this workout, follow the same motions as if performing incline dumbbell press.

2. Lower-body-pull lower body pull

• Face pull

Hold a rope/bar attached to an overhead pulley. Pull rope/bar towards your face while jutting your elbows outwards and stop when your upper arms are parallel with the shoulders. Release weighted pulley and repeat pulling motion.

• Cheat curl

Grasp a weighted bar with your hands shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees, push chest forwards, and use hip thrust to lift the bar all the way to the chin level. Lower the bar to thigh level and repeat the lifting motion.

• Chin up

Grip a pull up bar with your palms facing forwards or backwards. Hang on the bar with your arms fully extended and legs bent backwards at the knees. Pull up your body until your chin is level with the pull up bar, lower body, and repeat the pull up motion.

• Reverse curl

Hold a suitably weighted barbell with your hands shoulder width apart, palms facing downwards, and elbows close to your body. With your upper arms held stationary, curl weights upwards until bar reaches shoulder level. Lower the bar slowly to the starting position and repeat curling motion.

• Lat pulldown

Grip the ends of bar attached to weighted pulley machine while seated. Pulldown bar until it is level with your chin and release it to assume the starting position and repeat the same motion as many times as you desire.

• One-arm dumbbell row

Bend one leg at the knee and place it on top of a flat bench. Then, bend your torso forward until it is parallel to floor surface and use your hand on the same side as your bent leg to support your upper body. Pick a dumbbell with the free hand and lift it towards the outer side of your chest until your upper arm is parallel to your upper body. Lower the dumbbell to the floor surface and then repeat this movement.

• Inverted row

Lie face up under a fixed horizontal bar. Stretch out your hands to grasp a bar with wide overhand grip and pull up your body until your chest brushes the surface of the horizontal bar. Then, lower your body to the starting position and repeat this motion.

3. Lower-body-push

Lower body push

• Box squat

Assume the same position you would when performing leg squats. With a weighted bar supported behind your back at the shoulder level, lower your body while leaning forwards slightly to sit on a bench such that your thighs are parallel to floor surface. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds before resuming starting position and repeating movement.

• Lunge squat

Extend one leg forward and bend it at your knee such that your thigh is parallel with the floor surface. Next, lower your body and drop your knee of the trailing leg to the floor surface such that your thigh forms a 90° angle with the thigh of your extended leg. Then, raise your body and repeat the lunging motion.

• Bulgarian split squat

Assume a standing split stance. Bend one leg at the knee and place it on an elevated platform about 3-6 inches high. Lower your body until the knee of bent leg touches floor surface. Resume the starting stance and repeat the body lowering movement.

• Step up

Stand behind a raised platform/surface and step onto it with one leg. Pause for a few seconds and then step back. Repeat this motion with the other leg.

• Front squat

Grasp and support a weighted bar below chin level. Lower and raise your body as if performing leg squats about 12 times.

4. Lower-body-pull

kettlebell swing

• Romanian deadlift

Hold a barbell with your hands shoulder width apart and raised to the hip level. Bend your knees, swing your hips back, and lower bar to below knee level. Reverse motion to the starting position to complete one rep.

• Power clean

Assume the deadlift stance and follow the bar lifting routine. With the bar at thigh level, explosively lift it in a “jump and shrug” motion as high as you can. Lower body, rotate your elbows forward under the bar, bring the bar to rest on the front of your shoulders, and straighten up. Lower the bar and repeat this motion.

• Kettlebell or dumbbell swing

Stand behind a kettlebell with your feet shoulder width apart. Then, bend your knees while keeping your back straight and grip kettlebell with both hands. Swing the kettlebell up to the shoulder level in a fluid swinging motion with your hands fully extended and then return to the starting position.

• Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Assume the single-leg stance with dumbbell in the hand opposite supporting leg. Bend and lower your upper body as well as your hand with dumbbell while keeping your back straight. Swing free leg backwards until it is parallel to the floor and then swing back to the starting position.

• Deadlift

Assume the deadlift stance and grasp a weighted bar with the overhand grip with your hands shoulder width apart. Swing your hips inwards as you straighten and pull the bar upwards while keeping your arms straight. Reverse motion to complete one rep.

• Good morning

Assume the leg squat stance with barbell supported at the shoulder level. Extend your hips backwards while keeping your back straight until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Swing your hips forward to return to starting position and complete one rep.

Two-week Workout Schedule:schedule

• Workout I (days 1, 5, 10)
Upper-body-push/lower-body-pull.

• Workout II (days 3, 8, 12)
Upper-body-pull/lower-body-push.

Structure of Workout I

1a. Upper-body push, 5 sets of 5 reps. Rest for 30 seconds, then go to 1b.
1b. Lower-body pull, 5 sets of 8 reps. Rest 90 seconds, then repeat 1a.

2a. Upper-body push, 5 sets of 5 reps. Rest 60 seconds, then go to 2b.
2b. Lower-body pull, 5 sets of 8 reps. Rest 120 seconds, then repeat 2a.

3a. Upper-body push, 3 sets of 6 reps. Rest 60 seconds, then go to 3b.
3b. Lower-body pull, 3 sets of 6 reps. Rest 120 seconds, then repeat 3a.

Finisher 1: Upper-body pull, 2 sets of 15 reps.
Finisher 2: Russian twist, 3 sets of 12 reps

Structure of Workout II

1. Upper-body-pull. Complete 8 sets of 2 reps.
2. Upper-body-pull. Complete 2 sets of 10 reps.
3. Lower-body-push. Complete 8 sets of 2 reps.
4. Lower-body-push. Complete 2 sets of 8 reps.
Finisher 1: Upper-body-push. Complete 2 sets of 15 reps.
Finisher 2: Perform 2 sets of farmer’s walk over 100-yard distance.

Sample Strength Workout

1. Cheat curl. Complete 8 sets of 2 reps.
2. Lat pulldown. Complete 2 sets of 10 reps.
3. Box squat. Complete 8 sets of 2 reps.
4. Bulgarian split squat. Complete 2 sets of 10 reps.
Finisher 1: Pushups. Complete 2 sets of 15 reps.
Finisher 2: Farmer’s walk. Complete 2 sets of 100-yard walk.

Conclusion

The customized fat loss training routines described in this post will help you reduce likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancer. In addition, you will develop a sculpted body and keep excess fat at bay.

I hope you’ve found this fat loss workout useful. There’s a great product that goes more in-depth about customized fat loss for men. You can learn more about it here.

Original Source: Customized Fat Loss For Men: 2-Week Workout Program
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A Good Fitness Plan For Someone Who Is Extremely Busy

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I stay so busy that I never seem to find enough time for normal physical activities and even less for fitness training or fun social pursuits like casual sports competitions, group hiking, camping and water-based pursuits. Sitting behind a desk and connecting almost 24/7 with friends, business associates and customers were taking a toll on my health, weight and appearance.

Just three years ago, I was the most valuable player in my local AAU baseball team. I received a promotion at work to management that involves sitting at a desk and taking on more responsibilities. I began putting on weight until I was forty pounds heavier than my MVP weight.

weight gain

Weight gain and loss of muscle are hard to notice when they gradually creep up on you, but I really noticed when I was picked last in a pick-up game during a holiday gathering of office staff. I was humiliated and became even more alarmed after getting a routine exam from my family doctor.

My blood pressure and cholesterol were at dangerous levels, and I wanted to feel the way I did three years ago.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to train as hard as you did in high school or college to get in shape. You don’t have to qualify for the Olympics or beat anyone’s strength and endurance to get in better shape, even if you only spend 20 minutes a day for exercise.

Making Health and Fitness Mandatory

i can do this quote

Only you can make concerns about health and fitness essential parts of your lifestyle, but you can get in shape if you choose to do so, regardless of how busy your life is. At first, I wondered whether I could find the time, but I found that making exercise an integral and scheduled part of my routine ensured that I followed through on my obligations.

I’m a bit OCD, by the way, and always complete my to-do lists religiously. By scheduling my fitness sessions a week in advance, I was forced to keep or reschedule each session.

So what is a good fitness plan for someone who is extremely busy? First, you should realize that everybody is different and that no single plan will work for everyone without making adjustments. I found the time by making time in my schedule, and now I’m so close to my original goal that I’ve probably already reached my MVP weight target by the time you read this post.

If your goal seems overwhelming, break it down into manageable levels to keep from getting discouraged. Your goals can be revised, based on how fast you’re getting in shape. I’ve long since revised my ideal-weight goal lower to promote good health while working in a sedentary job.

Food and Nutrition

Before we begin discussing exercises for busy men, I need to mention nutrition. Unfortunately, sugars, fats, starches and calorie-laden foods tend to make people lazy and cause them to gain weight. Changing your diet is the first step to motivate you to exercise regularly.

healthy food dishGood nutrition supports physical activity, and exercise helps you to cut down on eating fatty, unhealthy foods. You can even get some exercise in the kitchen by chopping fresh vegetables and preparing healthier meals.

A progressive approach to nutrition involves gradually incorporating healthy foods into your diet. As you become more fit, you’ll find it easier to cut back on the salty snacks, fatty foods and sugary treats.

Exercise and good nutrition support each other to help you break the cycle of sticking to sedentary habits, eating fattening foods and snacking too often.

Creative Scheduling and Multitasking Tips for Finding the Time to Exercise

workout quote

Don’t make the amateur mistake of trying to cram all your workouts into Sundays or other days when you have time off from work. Rest is just as important as exercise to ensuring good health and keeping you motivated to earn your reward of relaxation.

You can, however, exercise while doing other things or use short breaks in your schedule to work in five minutes of physical activity.

Example of creative scheduling and multitasking with exercise include:

• Using short breaks for resistance training, using a treadmill or running on in a nearby park
• Walking outdoors with a friend to combine spending quality time with people and getting exercise
• Exercising while catching up on the news or favorite television broadcasts
• Planning your exercise and exercising your plan
• Limiting time spent surfing the Internet or flipping through cable TV channels
• Delegating tasks that don’t require you to perform them
• Socializing while commuting to clear more time for exercising
• Ditching your car and riding a bike, walking or jogging to accomplish routine errands
• Relying less on automatic devices and remote controls so that you stay more active
• Cutting back on media, such as spending time on Facebook, playing video games and watching tv
• Getting up earlier to help you sleep better at night while providing a little extra time for staying fit
• Combining your recreational and work reading with exercise
• Walking or jogging while waiting for kids or attending their games
• Climbing stairs instead of using the elevator
• Taking care of household chores like mowing the lawn and shoveling snow
• Finding a coach, cheerleader or workout buddy to keep you motivated
• Staying active while supervising children by taking part in their games, pushing a wagon or jogging while they ride their tricycles or bikes

Simple methods of multitasking and creative scheduling can easily provide enough time to exercise for 20–30 minutes each day. You’ll feel better, look better and become healthier by incorporating exercise into your daily schedule. You’ll also reduce the stress that high-powered work and social obligations generate.

Best Exercises for Busy Men

busy man

Exercising in microsessions usually won’t make you sweaty or unpresentable when you work in an air-conditioned office. You can incorporate hard sets of 12 or fewer repetitions while on a coffee break or between appointments. If you need to return phone calls, walk around the block while chatting with family, friends and business associates.

These sessions won’t wear you out, but they will keep you fit.

Include as many full-body-movement exercises as possible to decrease the time you need to stay in shape. Bodyweight training is an ideal solution because you can train anywhere in real-world situations by moving in sagittal, frontal and transverse directions.

As you become more fit and further at ease, you can add weights to your routines. Remember that your real goal when exercising is to fail by pushing yourself to the limit.

Effective exercises and fitness habits for busy men include:

• Using available resources for exercising, such as books and your own body’s weight in place of weights and chairs, stairs, nearby greenways and parking lots in place of gyms and equipment
• Trying high-intensity interval workouts to get fit in less time
• Starting small and gradually increasing repetitions
• Performing push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups
• Doing plank exercises utilizing a chair
• Completing tricep extensions from a wall
• Simulating rowing motions by using brooms, poles or baseball parts
• Executing lunges and squats with or without weights, no matter where you are

Sample Fitness Plan for One Week

scheduleI recommend sticking to a 20-minute exercise routine on Mondays through Saturdays and resting on Sundays. However, you can still take walks, play sports and indulge your favorite forms of recreation on your idle day.

You can also change your resting day to match your work schedule, and the sample plan I’m providing below can easily be adjusted to match your goals, lifestyle and fitness level.

Monday: Work Your Upper Body

Three of the best workouts for the upper body are the classic sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups. All you need for pull-ups is a bar, and sit-ups and push-ups can be done anywhere. You can also work the upper body with impromptu weights or easy-to-carry resistance bands.

• Diamond Push-Ups

Diamond Push-Ups

Doing push-ups correctly is more difficult than you’d expect. Form is everything, and regular push-ups involve keeping your arms shoulder-length apart and your back straight.

Diamond push-ups involve keeping your hands close to the body with your fingers spread on the floor. Your index fingers and thumbs should touch their counterparts and form a diamond shape on the floor. These push-ups are more difficult than regular push-ups.

• Plank Exercises

Plank Exercises

Good for upper body and core workouts, plank exercises are variations of push-ups where you hold your position to imitate an angled plank. The exercise provides a powerful isometric workout that strengthens the core.

Start by kneeling on the floor with your hand extended in push-up position. Lift your knees, and extend your feet until your body becomes straight while resting on your hands and toes. Hold the position for a few seconds or up to two minutes. Be careful to keep your stomach from sagging and your back from arching.

Tuesday: Exercise Your Core

Core exercises include crunches, lunges, plank exercises, reverse crunches, flutter kicks, segmental rotations, knee-ins, torso twists, aerobics and bodyweight exercises that include movements in all directions to strengthen your core and improve balance.

Plyometric push-ups involve doing a standard push-up and then exploding off the floor and hanging for up to 10 seconds. You can always use your body’s weight for effective exercises that stabilize and strengthen your torso. Some basic descriptions of simple core exercises are:

• Lunges

lunges

Quick series of movements in various directions lengthen muscles, increase blood flow and warm you up for other exercises. You can do forward lunges, backward lunges and lateral lunges. Do between 8 and 12 reps for each set.

• Crunches

crunches

These exercises come in many varieties and work like sit-ups, but you only raise your back partially off the floor and hold the position for a few seconds. This process exercises abdominal muscles without getting help from the hip muscles.

You can keep your legs flat on the floor or raise your knees to a 90-degree angle. Cross your arms over the chest to prevent using your arms to help you raise your upper body. You can also intensify the routine by bringing each bent leg toward your torso.

• Chair Dips

Chair Dips

These exercises work the triceps, legs and arms and provide exceptional workouts for the core. You begin by standing in front of a chair as though you were preparing to sit down in an imaginary chair that’s directly in front of the real chair.

Sit on the real chair’s edge with your hands on the chair behind your hips. Lift your torso off the chair while walking your feet forward. You can vary this exercise by lowering your buttocks to the floor and alternately extending one leg while you dip.

Wednesday: Workouts for the Lower Body

Squats, leg deadlifts while holding weights, leg extensions, dumbbell lunges, standing leg curls, seated leg lifts and Bulgarian split squats are good exercises for strengthening the legs. Walking, jogging, running and cycling are also effective exercises.

You can run around the neighborhood, use a treadmill if one’s available or run-in-place to get ensure you’re getting enough exercise. Climbing stairs is a great way to exercise your legs, and most men have access to stairs at work. Some simple lower body exercises that don’t require equipment include:

• Squats and Squat Jumps

Squat Jumps

Regular squats provide powerful exercise for your legs, feet and hips, and you can perform these routines in countless ways by holding weights, using one leg and varying the distance between your legs.

Squat jumps begin as a regular squat, but instead of rising slowly, you explode off the floor in a jump while reaching as high as possible with your arms. The secret to getting potent results from the exercise is keeping your feet flat when jumping.

• Scissors Box Jumps

Alternating box jump

Place one foot on a bench, platform or sturdy piece of furniture and the other leg on the floor with your knee slightly bent. Jump up suddenly, and switch leg positions in the air like a pair of scissors. Hold the reversed starting position for one second before repeating the exercise with the other leg.

• Leg Raises

alternate leg raise

Lie on the floor on your back with your arms out to the side. Keep one leg bent with the sole of your foot on the floor and the other leg straight. Lift the straight leg until it’s as high as your knee, and pause before lowering it. Alternate legs after several repetitions.

• Squat Thrusts and Burpees

Squat Thrusts

You probably remember squat thrusts from school. You start the exercise in the standing position, squat and put your hands on the floor and then jump backwards into the push-up position. You can jump back once or several times before returning to the standing position to complete one exercise.

Repeat as often as desired to complete one set.

Burpees are similar to squat thrusts but more challenging because you lower your chest to the floor from the extended position as if you were doing a push-up. However, you can let your knees fall to the floor, so it’s not a true push-up. You immediately jump to standing position, and most people clap to punctuate completing the exercise.

Thursday: More Upper Body Work

You can return to your Monday routine or try something different. You can vary exercises by increasing repetitions, speeding completion times and changing your grips to include overhand, underhand and neutral grips. Variations on lifting weights and exercising the upper body include:

Spiderman push-ups• Spiderman push-ups
• Chair dips
• Declined chair push-ups
• Diamond push-ups
• Feet-elevated push-ups
• Exercises while wearing a weighted vest

Friday: Work the Core Again

Using a fitness app is a good way to get coaching anywhere and anytime. Your core exercises can be varied by increasing repetitions or adding weights to Tuesday’s exercises. You can vary the standard crunches with bird-dog crunches, standing bicycle crunches and modified bicycle crunches.

Plank exercises include endless variations by resting on your forearms, doing them sideways and raising one leg while holding your position.

Saturday: Work Your Lower Body

Lower body variations include increasing your reps or speed, holding weights while exercising and trying different routines, such as Bulgarian split squats and wall sits or just riding a bike. You can use your Wednesday workout, change your set order and vary doing exercises with and without weights.

Sunday: Rest, Relax and Give Your Body Time to Build Muscles

It doesn’t matter how busy you are—you can stay healthy and get in the best shape ever by using your time wisely. Drop the fat, strengthen your core and even body-sculpt your physique by staying more active and exercising on a planned schedule.

So what is a good fitness plan for someone who is extremely busy? It’s any plan that gets you some much-needed exercise and physical activity to mitigate the effects of hectic lifestyles that don’t provide much time for working out at the gym.

Original Source: A Good Fitness Plan For Someone Who Is Extremely Busy
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How You Can Build A Strong Chest (2 Workouts Included!)

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One of the most poorly trained parts of the man’s body is the chest. Many men put more focus on their shoulders, abs, and arms. When they do try to build their chest muscles, they often go about it all wrong.

If not done properly, you can end up seeing no results at all, or you can over develop your chest, giving you a Hulk-like appearance.

Unless you are a football player, you may think that building strong muscles is for vanity purposes only. While the vanity factor is a perk of working your chest muscles, it will also help you be an excellent athlete in any game that you play, while making your well sculpted body more proportionate.

strong chest

If you plan to start building your pec muscles, it is important to know how to do so. If you are thinking that a Monday through Thursday gym session dedicated to chest is a good idea, you couldn’t be more wrong.

If you are asking yourself, ‘how do I build a strong chest’?, there are three necessary components. In order to build these muscles properly, you need to know what you should eat, what supplements you should take, what exercises you should do, and when you should do them.

All of these things work together to give you the perfectly sculpted pecs that you have always dreamed of.

Nutrition and Diet

bodybuilding nutrition

Making proper nutritional choices is very important when it comes to trying to build your chest muscles. Even if you have the best supplements and the best workout plan possible, your progress will be hindered if you don’t focus on nutrition.

Here are some good examples of foods that you should include in your diet:

1. Salmon: Salmon is a superfood when it comes to building chest muscles. For starters, it is a calorie dense food. A four ounce filet contains 233 calories. Calories are very important when you are trying to gain muscle mass. Salmon is also high in protein.

A 4 ounce salmon filet contains 25 grams of protein, which is necessary for muscle repair and growth. Finally, salmon is high in fat. A 4 ounce filet contains 14 grams of fat, with less than 3 grams of saturated fat. Fat is necessary to create a beneficial hormonal environment, necessary for building chest muscles.

2. Eggs: Eggs are a great food for building chest muscles. Eggs are rich in protein and fat. A large egg contains 75 calories, 6.3 grams of protein, and 4.8 grams of fat. Another excellent benefit of eggs is that they are rich in vitamin D. A high intake of vitamin D promotes testosterone production, which promotes muscle growth.

3. Quinoa: Quiona is a whole grain, which is rich in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are necessary for the energy necessary to get through and have a productive workout. Also, carbohydrates are necessary for muscle recovery after your workout. Quiona contains 31 grams of carbohydrate per ¼ cup.

4. Chocolate Milk: If you are looking for the perfect drink to go with your workout meals, chocolate milk is the best. It is an excellent source of carbohydrates and protein. It is effective in providing energy before your workout, and for muscle recovery after your workout.

5. Water: Water is extremely important when you are trying to build chest muscle. Your muscles are made up of 70 to 80 percent water. If your muscles are dehydrated, it can take much longer for them to repair themselves.

When the muscles take too long to repair, it can put your workout schedule on hold. You should drink at least 1 liter of water each day. It is a good idea to drink water while you work out. It will give you more intensity during your workouts.

To download a complete nutrition guide for bodybuilding and fitness, check this out.

Supplements

bodybuilding supplements

Adding supplements to your diet is a great way to jump start the development of your chest muscles. Knowing which supplements to use is very important.

1. Weight Gainers: Weight gainers are a high calorie supplement, they can be useful for skinny Ectomorphs. Most of the weight gainers on the market range in calories from 500 to 1,300 per serving. They also contain between 40 and 50 grams of protein, and 100 to 200 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

Another very important ingredient in weight gainer is CLA. CLA is helpful in reducing body fat while it increases muscle mass.

2. Creatine: Creatine is an excellent supplement to increase lean muscle mass and strength. You can purchase caffeinated, pre-workout drinks, which contain creatine. You can also purchase it on its own. Having a creatine shake or pre-workout drink is an excellent way to jump start your workout.

3. Protein Powder: Protein powder is great for building chest muscle, as it contains amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle. Protein powder can also provide much needed calories and can increase the levels of the insulin IGF-1. This is a hormone related to muscle growth.

4. Testosterone Booster: Testosterone is important to increase lean muscle and reduce body fat. Testosterone undergoes the natural process of converting into estrogen. When you use a testosterone booster such as Testofuel, you will keep your testosterone levels high.

Exercise Tips

working out chest muscles

When it comes to exercise, there are several principles that you need to follow. If you do, you will see better results from your workouts.

Be Sure to Push and Pull

In order to reduce the risk of injury and have a more balanced look, you need to do just as many pulling exercises are you do pushing exercises. When you increase your pulling strength, it will lead to more muscle mass. Also, it will help your pressing strength. It is important to do equal amounts of reps for both pushing exercises and pulling.

Build a Strong Rotator Cuff

Your rotator cuff helps to stabilize your shoulder joint, therefore you need to have a strong rotator cuff in order to be effective when doing pressing motion exercises. You need these motions to build a strong chest. It is a good idea to add rotator cuff exercises to your workout, even though they have nothing to do with your chest.

Use all Types of Bells

Most people believe that barbells are all that you need to build your chest muscles. This is not true. You should also incorporate dumbbells and kettlebells to your workout. When you use a variety of equipment, your muscles will be forced to adapt to the constant change. This will help to build your muscles quicker.

Use a Variety of Grips

Using a wide grip can completely change an exercise if you typically use a close grip. This is because a wide grip will work different muscles than a close grip does. If you are using dumbbells, you can either turn your hands in or out to change the press angle. This will stimulate your chest muscles differently.

Workout Without Equipment

push up

While barbells, kettlebells, and dumbbells are great tools when you are trying to build chest muscles, however, there are effective exercises that you can do without equipment. Pushups, for example, is an excellent exercise.

You may think that pumping iron is more effective, but try to do 40 pushups. If you can’t it is a good starting off point. Over time, you will have great chest muscles and you will be way past just 40 pushups.

Pay Attention to the Speed of Your Reps

Everyone counts their reps, however, they pay little attention to the speed of their reps. It is a good idea to take two full seconds during the lowering phase, hold for one second at the bottom, and take a full two seconds when going up.

The Best Workouts

There are 2 different workout routines that you can use, alternating each one.

Workout 1

This workout can be done on two separate days each week.

Bench Press With a Closed Grip

1. Bench Press With a Closed Grip: On a weight bench, lie down flat with your feet planted on the floor. With your hands 14 inches apart, grip the bar. Take the weight down, and lower it to your chest. Be sure to keep it under control by holding your elbows close to your body. Push the bar from your chest back to full elbow extension. You should do 5 sets of 6 reps of this exercise.

Dumbell Floor Press

2. Dumbbell Floor Press: Lie on the floor with your knees bent. Hold the dumbbells over your head, using a shoulder-wide grip. Keeping them under control, lower the weights so that your elbows are near the side of your body until you rest them on the ground. Take a pause, and press the weights back to their original position with great force. You should do 3 sets of 8 reps.

Front Plate Raise

3. Front Plate Raise: Stand straight up and hold a plate at waist height, keeping your palms facing each other. Lift the plate in front of your body, then up over your head. While keeping control of the plate, lower it to the original position. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.

Pushup

4. Pushup: Most people know how to do a pushup, however, some people don’t do them properly. Start out in the proper push up position, with your elbows extended and your hands shoulder width apart. Keeping your elbows close to your body, lower your chest to the floor, but don’t touch it. Press down and go back to the starting position. Do 2 sets of 20 pushups.

Single Leg Mountain Climber

5. Single Leg Mountain Climber: Start out in the top pushup position, with only one foot on the ground. Hop that foot up in between your hands. Return the foot back to its original position, and repeat. Do 2 sets of 10 hops for each leg.

Workout 2

Before you perform this workout, make sure that your chest is no longer sore from doing workout 1.

Decline Bench Press

1. Decline Bench Press: Lie flat on a decline bench, with your feet higher than your head. Grip the bar with your hands shoulder length apart. Keeping your elbows by your body, lower the bar down slowly to your chest. This will help you maximize control. Press the bar from your chest back up to full extension. You can do 5 sets of 5 reps.

Weighted Dips

2. Weighted Dips: Using a dip bar, hold your body in the air and keep your elbows extended. Lower your body until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle. Take a second, and press your body back to its original position, with great force. Do 3 sets of 10 reps. This is also a great exercise for your triceps.

Dumbbell Bench Press

3. Dumbbell Bench Press: Lie down on the bench with your feel planted firmly on the floor. Hold the dumbbells over your chest, using a shoulder-width grip. Lower the weights, keeping them under control by keeping your elbows near the sides of your body. Pause, and press the weight back to the original position with great force. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.

Dumbbell flyes

4. Dumbbell flyes: Lie down on a bench. Grasp two dumbbells and support them above your chest with your arms in a slightly bent position. Lower the dumbbells to your side until you feel your chest muscles are being stretched. Hold for two seconds while keeping your elbows fixed in a slightly bent position. Bring the dumbbells back together in wide hugging motion until the dumbbells are almost together. You should do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Judo Pushup

5. Judo Pushup: Begin this exercise in a pushup position. Your hips should be held high with your feet apart and your head facing down. Bend your elbows, and lower your head and chest down to the ground. Bring your head up and keep your hips close to the ground. Finally, press your hips back up to the original position while dropping your head. You should do 3 sets of 10 reps.

In order to start seeing results quickly, it is important that you remain dedicated to your exercise and nutrition plan. It is best to work out 5 times a week, taking two days off to rest.

If you don’t, you can do damage to your muscles, which will take several days to repair. This can set your workout schedule way back. If you stick to your program and use the proper supplements, you should be able to start seeing your first results in 4 to 6 weeks.

Related post: Chest And Triceps Workout Routine For HUGE Gains (+ Tips)

Original Source: How You Can Build A Strong Chest (2 Workouts Included!)
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

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