If you want to improve your physique, dumbbells are an essential piece of equipment. As well as being portable and easy to store, I find that they work my muscles in ways that exercise machines are unable to. They also offer a greater range of motion than barbells, which means I can achieve better muscle definition.

I can train most of my body with dumbbells alone, while keeping the workout sessions reasonably short. Just a twenty to thirty minute session, three times per week, is enough to keep me looking good and feeling fit.

Here are some of the exercises I use, which you can try:

Lateral Raises

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms down by your sides. Keep your arms straight, while raising them up to the sides, until they are at a ninety degree angle to your body. Hold that position for a second, then steadily bring your arms back down.

Shoulder Press

Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, with your arms bent. Push your arms straight upwards, until they are fully extended, then lower them back down to shoulder level. Sometimes, I find it easier to do this exercise whilst sitting down.

Bicep Curls

Sit in a chair or stand up straight and grip a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing outwards. Curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders, while twisting your hands round so your palms face your shoulders at the top of the movement. I find that this helps to isolate my muscles and improve my definition.

Lower the dumbbells back down to your sides, while twisting your hands round so your palms face outwards again.

Bench Press

Lie down on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, positioned in line with your shoulders. Push the dumbbells straight upwards vertically, until your arms are fully extended. Carefully lower your hands back down to their starting position.

I like doing bench presses with dumbbells, because I can get a fuller range of movement than I can get when using a barbell. I find that this really works my chest, shoulders and tricep muscles effectively.

Flyes

Lie down on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Your arms should be almost fully extended to the sides, horizontally. Keeping your arms as straight as possible, bring your hands together in an arching motion, so they meet above your chest.

Hold this position momentarily, then carefully lower your arms back down to their horizontal position.

I find this exercise is excellent for getting a real pump in my pectoral muscles. The key is to use dumbbells of the right weight, so you can perform the movement correctly, while working your muscles to the maximum extent possible.

Squats

Hold a dumbbell in each hand up at shoulder level. Your feet should be a shoulder width apart. Keeping your back straight, squat down until your thighs are slightly lower than parallel with the ground. Then, stand up straight again.

Obviously, when squatting with dumbbells, you use less weight than you would use in a gym with a barbell. However, I find this helps me to get a fuller range of movement, so it’s still a great exercise for the legs. I just go for a higher number of repetitions than I would attempt with a barbell.

Bent Over Rows

Rest your right knee and right hand on a bench, while looking down at the ground with a dumbbell in your left hand. Your left arm should be fully extended and close to the ground. Pull your left hand up to your chest, getting a full range of movement, then lower it back down again.

Repeat the same exercise with your right arm. I enjoy this exercise, because I can feel the muscles in my back getting bigger and stronger.

Tricep Extensions

While sitting down, hold a dumbbell in your right hand bent behind your head. Your right elbow should be pointing towards the ceiling. Your left hand should be positioned on the right side of your torso. Straighten your right arm to exercise the tricep muscle, then bring it back to its’ original position.

Repeat this with your left hand. Triceps get incidental training with bench presses and shoulder presses, however I find this exercise is good for bringing out the definition in the muscle.

Deadlifts

Stand up straight with your feet a shoulder width apart. Place the dumbbells on the floor, just to the outer side of each foot. Keep looking straight ahead, as you bend your knees, grasp a dumbbell in each hand, then stand up straight while keeping your arms by your sides.

Carefully bend your knees to place the dumbbells back on the floor, then repeat the movement.

This exercise works the legs and lower back effectively, and is good for increasing your general strength. I tend to use heavier dumbbells for this exercise, because the back and thigh muscles are the strongest muscles in the body.

In addition to training, you must eat enough protein to help your muscles grow. Also, you should get at least seven hours of sleep each night, otherwise you will stunt your progress.

Using the above exercises, here’s one of the best dumbbell workout routines you can do at home:

Monday:

Wednesday:

Friday:

I normally finish my workouts with two sets of twenty crunches or leg raises, to tone my abdominal muscles. This is a good way to wind down your exercise session, because it gives your other muscles a chance to cool off before you hit the shower.

I usually do some cardio work to warm up for my workouts. Most of the time, I will go for a short jog or jump rope for a few minutes. I would recommend you do the same, to prevent any unnecessary injuries. For more info, read my post on how to properly warm up before working out.

Original Source: The Best Dumbbell Workout Routine You Can Do At Home
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

If you are working hard, eating a healthy diet and still find that your abs are not showing, your body is probably holding water.

Water retention in the body is caused when subcutaneous fluid is stored in our cells. As a result, the muscle definition that we have earned gets covered by the puffy, inflated look of the skin.

Water retention can be caused due to various factors, namely dehydration, excess sodium or supplements.

There are various natural methods that can help drop water weight. However, it is important to note that flushing excess water from your body to reveal muscle definition only works if your body fat percentage is low.

To learn how to cut your water weight to showcase your six pack abs, take a look at some of these simple tips listed below.

Tips to Lose Water Weight:

#1:  Drink more Water

It may be contradictory, but increasing water intake can play a crucial role in preventing water retention. Water is required by the body to flush out cells. When we consume less water, mild dehydration causes the body to store remaining water in the body as a precautionary measure.

To allow our body perform optimally, it is essential that we drink about 8- 10 glasses of water (64oz) daily. Additionally, staying hydrated also will relieve constipation and helps prevent the feeling of puffiness often caused due to infrequent bowel movements.

A great tip for drinking water is to try sipping it instead of chugging.  While sipping water helps in proper digestion, chugging water can cause our belly to bloat.

#2:  Reduce Sodium Intake

A diet high in sodium can affect the way our kidneys control the water balance in the body. Eating too much of salt can cause our body to retain water leading to swelling or bloating.

To prevent water retention, you should avoid high sodium foods such as canned foods, frozen meals, soups, seasoning, baked goods, cheese and condiments.

Use spices and table salt sparingly while preparing food to cut back on sodium. Since our body requires only 200- 2500mg per day, eating fresh, whole food items will help keep our metabolism function properly preventing water retention.

#3: Sweat it out

Sweating out the water stored in the body is the quickest way to lose water weight. Working out hard or spending about 30 minutes in a steam or sauna room will help cause the toxins and fluids to sweat out from our body naturally.

Another great advantage of sweating it off is that it also helps get rid of the excess sodium in the body, reducing the risk of water retention.

However, remember the weight will return once we re-hydrate ourselves. Sweating it out is a good option to shed water weight temporarily for an upcoming event or important occasion.

#4:  Watch your Supplements

Creatine is a highly popular supplement among body builders planning to add size to their frame. However, taking creatine boosts protein synthesis by pulling water into the muscles. Body builders taking creatine often experience two to four pounds of water weight gain.

To look shredded, it is advisable not to take the supplement for about a week earlier.

#5: Avoid Alcohol

Drinking alcohol can lead to dehydration causing the body to retain fluid to compensate for fluid loss. Drinking wine, hard liquor or any form of beer can cause water retention in hands and feet.

To stay hydrated and drop water weight, avoid alcoholic beverages before and after workout. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at night to avoid carrying any water weight. To have well defined muscles, it’s highly recommended that you avoid drinking alcohol totally.

#6: Eat Asparagus

A green veggie super food, asparagus is low in sodium and contains no cholesterol and fat. Including asparagus in your diet helps facilitate removal of water, helping reduce discomfort and bloat.

In addition, asparagus is also a natural probiotic and helps boost probiotics in our digestive system, alleviating gas and bloating and encouraging better food absorption. When preparing these, avoid using salted butter or salt, instead grill or chop them in a salad.

#7: Drink Cranberry Juice

Drinking Cranberry juice is one of the best home remedy to lose water weight. A mild diuretic, cranberry juice works effectively in getting rid of excess water and toxins from the body. For best results, consume about 6-8 oz (about one cup) of cranberry juice every day.

Choose to drink cranberry juice concentrate instead of cranberry juice cocktail to avoid consuming unnecessary added sugar. Taking cranberry supplements can also be a great option.

#8: Consume Vitamins Daily

Vitamins deficiency can often lead to water retention in the body. Vitamins can either be consumed by eating vitamin rich food or taking vitamin capsules. Certain micronutrients namely Vitamin B1, B5, B6 and vitamin D are essential to help our body function properly.

Foods such as tuna, red meat, salmon, brown rice and bananas contain B5 that help reduce the effect of fluid retention. Similarly including low fat dairy products and fresh fruits in your diet helps provide the body with Vitamin B5, Vitamin B1 and vitamin that help reduce water retention.

#9: Try Dandelion Root

Dandelion root is an effective natural remedy to treat water retention or edema. A natural diuretic, this herb contains properties that increase urine production and helps get rid of the excess salt that has been accumulated in your body. When urine production is stimulated, dandelion affects the water balance in our body, getting rid of the excess fluid from the body tissues.

Unlike regular diuretic, dandelion root is a powerful diuretic that not only helps you lose water weight within a few hours, but is also completely safe and does not cause heart palpitations or jitters.

Water retention levels can vary depending upon the diet of a person. However, apart from including the above -mentioned tips on how to cut water weight, exercising regularly and following a healthy lifestyle can help lose water weight from your body in an effective way and help showcase our abs.

Original Source: 9 Tips On How To Cut Water Weight
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

Bodybuilding requires a certain level of commitment and dedication. It’s not something you can achieve by maintaining a casual interest. Whether you work out at home or drop in routinely at a gym, where you train should be somewhere you look forward to being.

To stay focused and committed to your fitness goals, create that zone of zen where you look forward to being day in and day out. Here’s some of the things you should consider when you are deciding between a home gym or gym membership.

Costs – Which Is More Affordable?

The cost of a home gym or gym membership is the factor which is most likely to vary between people depending on their lifestyle and preferences. It’s the factor people are most concerned about but it’s not the same for everyone.

If you prefer a highly professional gym that really knows what they’re doing, you could end up easily spending several thousand dollars a year. If you splash out for a state of the art home gym, you can spend a fortune – there’s no cap on how much money can go into this.

On the other hand, you can also build a very basic yet highly efficient home gym by looking up classifieds, going to flea markets and finding used equipment. You’ll need a platform to protect the floor, a bench press, a power rack, barbells and weights.

Even if you build a home gym by being as frugal as possible, the first year of expenses will be higher than a year’s membership at a budget public gym. If you’re willing to let your wallet take the hit initially, you’ll save money in the years to come even as you add more equipment.

The Convenience of Having Your Own Gym

Even when you’re able to pull it off and create a gym-like environment for yourself at home, it really depends on what kind of person you are when it comes to how rewarding it will be. A lot of people with excellent home gyms forget to use them. Others who are more dedicated to getting or staying fit use the limited equipment they have to see very successful results.

If you remain appreciative of what you have and continue using it, having a home gym can be tremendously convenient. You can work out as often as you want, whenever you want. You can use your personal gym before work without having to plan according to when it opens. You’ll also save a ton of time driving from home and to work and you won’t have to use gym showers or gym lockers.

These little things that can make you avoid going to the gym will no longer be issues that keep you away.

The Cons of Having A Home Gym

The greatest con of having a home gym is growing to take it for granted. Once it’s there, it’s all too easy to make the mistake of congratulating yourself for taking the initiative to put it together. It’s like students who put their books out to study, end up wasting all their time yet feel like they did something academic because it’s the thought that counts.

It’s not the thought that counts. Muscles don’t grow themselves.

The Perks of Having a Gym Membership

The greatest perk of having a gym membership is the fact that it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to gather equipment of that much variety at home. You can try new things, change up your routine more often than you could at home and you won’t have to worry about equipment maintenance.

The psychology of having a gym membership is also something to factor in. Once you’re paying a monthly fee for something, it stings when it goes to waste. You feel obligated to use it and to show up.

Another big advantage is that when you do show up, it’s like going to a library and seeing people studying during exams versus sitting at home in your pajamas and getting relaxed and complacent.

When you see other people working hard on a regular basis, it’s a constant reminder that results take work and like everyone else, you have to be willing to put in the work to get them.

Why a Gym Membership Doesn’t Work For Everyone

While going to the gym can be a source of motivation for some people, it can have the total opposite effect on others. Gym anxiety is a real thing, especially for those who are starting out on their fitness journey and don’t feel comfortable working out in the midst of those who seem to already be there.

That’s why a lot of people who want to lose weight, to train and to increase their strength end up never doing much about it – because they don’t want to be judged.

Even people who are already fit sometimes prefer home gyms to gym membership because let’s face it – there can be annoying people working out. Grunting, leaving equipment stained with sweat, music you don’t enjoy.

You need to be comfortable among other people and other people’s preferences to get the most out of your gym. If you like things a certain way and according to your own preferences, a gym membership is never going to be preferable over your personal gym.

The Pros And Cons of Having a Trainer

Let’s not forget one aspect of having a gym membership that you can’t create at home – the personal trainers. If you know what you’re doing, you don’t need to worry about not having a trainer. Even if you do know what you’re doing, it can sometimes help to have one, especially if you are an athlete, want to be an athlete or are training for something specific in mind.

On the other hand, you may not want to pay all the extra fees that come with having a trainer at a gym.

Making a Decision

In an ideal world, you would have a gym membership at the best possible gym and you’d have your own state of the art gym in your penthouse. In the real world, you may have to stick to one.

Think about whether it is economically feasible to build your own gym and whether the money and effort is worth the advantages you’ll get. Remember that if you have a home gym, you can always pop in at a public gym and just pay a fee for the day.

So which option do you prefer?

Original Source: Home Gym or Gym Membership – What’s Your Best Option?
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

If you are trying to improve your overall physique, building your trap muscles is the best way to start. When people see a person with large traps, they get a “don’t mess with me”, message from that person. This is because it takes a great deal of strength and dedication to develop a physique like that.

When you look at people with well developed traps, they are often Olympic lifters, powerlifters, and strongmen who train to lift cement blocks and cars. When you walk into a bar or club with well developed traps, it will show everyone around that you mean business.

This is one of the benefits of having a no nonsense physique.

Many people walk into the gym and are clueless when it comes to trap development. At the end of their shoulder workout, they may do a few sets of dumbbell shrugs and call it a day. They will do the bare minimum and wonder why their traps aren’t growing the way that they want them to.

The reason is that this is not enough exercise and stimulation to properly build muscles. To see results, you should know how to build trap muscles.

The Anatomy of the Traps

Most people think of traps, and only think about the upper part, as it is what you can see when you look in the mirror. What many people do not know, is that the trapezius is one of the largest muscles in the back.

It starts from the back of the skull at the occipital bone, and goes all the way down to the thoracic vertebrae, located in the middle of the back.

Because it is such a large muscle, it needs a big stimulus to grow. This takes a great deal of exercise, focus on your diet, and determination.

Diet

If you are wondering how to get bigger traps, diet is important. What you eat is as important as the exercises that you do and how often you do them. There are certain foods that you should eat before and after your workout to give you energy and help repair your muscles.

Whole Eggs: Eggs are rich in protein. Protein is an excellent source of energy. The yolks contain most of the nutrients. They contain protein, vitamins A, D, and E, and they contain cholesterol.

Eggs are an excellent way to naturally increase your testosterone levels. Many people avoid eating eggs due to the cholesterol. This is a mistake. Eggs contain dietary cholesterol, this is not bound to blood cholesterol, which is the bad one.

Fish Oil: Fix oil is excellent as it lowers your body fat and naturally increases your testosterone levels. It is also excellent to reduce inflammation in your joints, which is great after a vigorous workout. You can find fish oil in fatty fish or in a fish oil supplement.

Wild Salmon: Wild salmon is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids that you can find. In one serving, you can get 20 grams of protein.

Red Meat: Red meat is loaded with protein, vitamin B12, zinc, iron, creatine, and omega-3. It is best to eat grass fed beef, such as steaks and hamburgers from sirloin or top round.

Quinoa: This is a grain that is packed with protein and all 9 of the essential amino acids. Because it is gluten-free, it is easy to digest and high in fiber. It is also a source of magnesium and iron.

Almonds: If you are looking for a snack before or after a workout, almonds are an excellent choice. Just ¼ cup of almonds contains 8 grams of protein. This is 2 grams more protein that what an egg contains.

It is also a source of heart healthy fat and magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that is used in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.

Exercise

Knowing the proper exercises to build traps is very important. You can eat all of the best foods, however, without exercise you will not get anywhere.

Deadlifts

Begin by putting weights on your bar. You should go by your own strength and fitness level. Do not try to start too heavy. You will only injure yourself, hindering future workouts.

Set your stance by standing so that your legs are shoulder length apart, the balls of your feet under the bar, and your toes pointing slightly outward.

Next, bend your knees but keep your back straight. You should bend at the hips rather than at the waist. This will prevent injury.

Grasp the bar with one palm facing away from you. This will help to stabilize the bar better balance.

Put the barbell over the middle of your feet. Bend until your shins touch the bar.
Raise your hips and shoulders at the same time and stand up. Keep your abs tight while you are lifting.

When you are in a standing position, allow the bar to hang in front of you. Keeping your back straight, put the bar down on the floor, keeping it in control.

Rack Pull Shrug

This exercise will allow you to worth your traps isometrically when you are doing the rack pull and concentrically when you are doing the shrug.

You want to use a great deal of weight for this exercise. Ideally, you should load the bar with 100% of your deadlift.

When getting in position, you want to use the same position as you did with the deadlift. Pull the bar up to the lockout position, and shrug the weight. This should be done all in one motion.

Barbell Shrug

This exercise will build your upper trapezius, which is the part of the muscle that you see when you look in the mirror.

This is a heavy lifting exercise. You should put 75 to 80 percent of the weight that you use for a deadlift on the bar.

Using the same motion as you did with the deadlift, lift the bar. Next, shrug your shoulders. Be sure not to roll them.

You just want to lift them so that they are moving up toward your ears.

If you are looking for a way to improve your overall physique quickly, trap exercises are the way to go. If you are motivated, and combine the proper workouts with a good diet, you should start seeing results in no time. As long as you know how to build bigger traps, you will be well on your way.

Original Source: How To Build Bigger Trap Muscles
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

The Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training or PHAT workout program is notable, in that it combines bodybuilding and powerlifting training techniques.

For those who are unfamiliar with weight training workouts, powerlifters normally lift heavier weights with a lower number of repetitions, to increase their strength. In contrast, bodybuilders use comparatively lighter weights with a higher number of repetitions, to increase their muscle mass.

Introducing the Fitness Guru Layne Norton

If the name Layne Norton doesn’t ring a bell, allow me to elaborate further. Norton is a renown writer, powerlifter and natural bodybuilder. He even has a PhD to boot.

He has been a respected figure on the fitness scene for a long time, and is highly sought after for his opinions and articles. This means that Layne Norton is well qualified to offer this new training method: PHAT training.

What is the PHAT Philosophy?

It doesn’t take a genius to imagine the potential results of adopting both bodybuilding and powerlifting training techniques simultaneously!

Usually, when you are doing strength training, you will have to increase your muscle mass after you reach a certain point, to make further progress. This is unavoidable. Eventually, you will hit a plateau, where you can not increase your strength any more without building additional muscle tissue, to facilitate your exercise movements. The reverse is also true: At some stage, bodybuilders will require extra strength to boost their muscle mass.

PHAT aims to help with this. Therefore, to summarize: Muscle mass and strength are interconnected (to a certain extent).

So, we can reasonably conclude that combining these two kinds of training will produce impressive results. Is PHAT really effective though? Can you actually build mass and strength during a predetermined time period, to improve your results and progress to heights you never believed possible?

Well, the only way of knowing is to try it yourself.

Please be Aware of the Following:

This is a volume heavy, intense regimen that is intended to test your physical limits. No one has ever been able to accomplish more than they thought they could, without pushing themselves hard and leaving their comfort zone.

Notwithstanding, PHAT workouts can be extremely demanding, so you should know the difference between ‘workout pain’ and real pain.

If you start to feel physically unwell, take a break for a couple of days. Injuries can hamper your progress for months, or even years, whereas knowing your limitations will only delay your progress for a matter of days.

Train with intensity, but train sensibly.

The PHAT Workout Explained:

Day One: Strength Exercises for the Upper Body
Day Two: Strength Exercises for the Lower Body
Day Three: Recuperate
Day Four: Mass Building Exercises for the Shoulders and Back
Day Five: Mass Building Exercises for the Lower Body
Day Six: Mass Building Exercises for the Arms and Chest
Day Seven: Recuperate

Day One: Strength Training Workout for the Upper Body

• Assistance Pulling Motion: Weighted Pull ups
2 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

• Pulling Strength Motion: Pendlay or Bent Over Rows
3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions

• Auxiliary Pulling Motion: Rack Chins
2 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

• Assistance Pressing Motion: Dumbbell Shoulder Presses From a Seated Position
3 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

• Assistance Pressing Motion: Weighted Tricep Dips
2 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

• Pressing Strength Motion: Flat Dumbbell Presses
3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions

• Auxiliary Extension Motion: Skull Crushers
3 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

• Auxiliary Curling Motion: Cambered bar Curls
3 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

Day Two: Strength Training Workout for the Lower Body

• Assistance Pressing Motion: Hack Squats
2 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

• Pressing Strength Motion: Squats
3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions

• Assistance Pulling Motion: Deadlifts With Stiff Legs
3 sets of 5 to 8 repetitions

• Assistance Extension Motion: Leg Extensions
2 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

• Auxiliary Calf Motion: Calf Raises From a Seated Position
2 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

• Auxiliary Calf Motion: Standing Calf Raises
3 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

• Assistance Curling/Pulling Motion: Lying leg Curls or Glute ham Raises
2 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions

Day Three: Recuperate

Day Four: Mass Building Workout for the Shoulders and Back

• Pulling Strength Exercise for Speed: Pendlay or Bent Over Rows
6 sets of 3 repetitions, with sixty-five to seventy percent of the weight used on day one.

• Pulling Motion for Mass: Cable Rows From a Seated Position
3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

• Pulling Motion for Mass: Rack Chins
3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

• Pulling Motion for Mass: Pulldowns With a Close Grip
2 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions

• Pulling Motion for Mass: Dumbbell Shrugs, With the Upper Body Braced Against an Inclined Bench, or Dumbbell Rows
2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions

• Shoulder Motion for Mass: Lateral Raises to the Side, Using Cables or Dumbbells
3 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions

• Shoulder Motion for Mass: Upright Rows
2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions

• Shoulder Motion for Mass: Dumbbell Presses From a Seated Position
3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

Day Five: Mass Building Workout for the Lower Body

• Lower Body Strength Exercise for Speed: Squats
6 sets of 3 repetitions, with sixty-five to seventy percent of the weight used on day two

• Pressing Motion for Mass: Leg Presses
2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions

• Pressing Motion for Mass: Hack Squats
3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

• Pulling Motion for Mass: Romanian Style Deadlifts
3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

• Extension Motion for Mass: Leg Extensions
3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions

• Curling Motion for Mass: Leg Curls From a Seated Position
2 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions

• Curling Motion for Mass: Lying leg Curls
2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions

• Calf Motion for Mass: Calf Raises From a Seated Position
3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions

• Calf Motion for Mass: Donkey Calf Raises
4 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions

Day Six: Mass Building Workout for the Arms and Chest

• Pressing Strength Exercise for Speed: Flat Dumbbell Presses
6 sets of 3 repetitions, with sixty-five to seventy percent of the weight used on day one

• Pressing Motion for Mass: Hammer Power Chest Press
3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions

• Pressing Motion for Mass: Incline Dumbbell Presses
3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

• Curling Exercise for Mass: Spider Curls, With the Upper Body Braced Against an Inclined Bench
2 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions

• Curling Exercise for Mass: Dumbbell Concentration Curls
2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions

• Curling Exercise for Mass: Preacher Cambered bar Curls
3 sets of 8 to twelve repetitions

• Fly Motion for Mass: Incline Cable Flyes
2 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions

• Extension Exercise for Mass: Cable Kickbacks
2 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions

• Extension Exercise for Mass: Cable Pressdowns Using a Cord Attachment
2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions

• Extension Exercise for Mass: Cambered bar Tricep Extensions From a Seated Position
3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions

Day Seven: Recuperate

If you have the discipline to follow through with the P.H.A.T Workout Program, you will be amazed by how much bigger and stronger you become.

It took my body a while to adjust to the intensity of the training, but I’m certainly glad that I stuck with it. Now, my physique looks better, and I can lift more weight than ever before!

More information about Layne Norton can be found here.

Original Source: My Experience With Layne Norton’s PHAT Workout Program
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

If your goal is packing on muscle, carbohydrates and anabolic nutrients can assist you in your endeavors. However, carbohydrates can also result in additional body fat, depending on how much you eat and when. Below is some valuable information on this topic, regardless of whether you are a carboholic or carbophobic.

Essential Macronutrient for Maximum Physique Gains

Carbohydrates are an anabolic nutrient, but if you asked 10 bodybuilders about their value, you are almost certain to get 10 different answers. However, if you asked the same group about the importance of proteins with regard to muscle building, all 10 will likely speak only of its virtues.

Among all macronutrients, carbohydrates face the most scrutiny. Indeed, throughout time, diet specialist and nutritionists have offered highly conflicting information about carbohydrates, stating that they are everything from an evil substance that will only make you fat to a highly beneficial and essential part of your diet.

These contrasting opinions have probably left us all confused at one point or another about where carbs fit into the diet of a bodybuilder.

Numerous reasons exist for the contradictory advice and confusion surrounding carbohydrates. For example, there is a vast difference among carbohydrate sources and depending on which carb you eat, you can expect a different reaction in your body.

Additionally, studies on the benefits and pitfalls associated with carbohydrates have really only begun.

If you are a serious bodybuilder, you know that it is vital to achieve the appropriate balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein in your diet. Therefore, it is important to resolve the questions surrounding carbs with comprehensive and fact-based answers.

Your goal is obviously to lose body fat and build muscle, and for this reason it is important for you to know when and how to include carbs in your diet.

The Science of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates take their name from a combination of oxygen atoms, hydrogen and carbon, as it is these compounds that make up all carbohydrates. It is important to understand why these components are vital if your goal is to build muscle and eliminate fat.

One of the biggest benefits of carbohydrates is that they are a fast acting energy source that trump both protein and fat, as they are readily metabolized and it is easier for the body to break down carbohydrates than it is for it to process fat or protein.

The type, amount and rate of digestion of various carbohydrate sources determine the amount of insulin your pancreas releases, and subsequently your blood sugar–levels. Insulin is the hormone that allows excess sugar to be stored in the liver and muscle cells in the form of glycogen.

When glycogen levels are high, meaning there is more sugar in your blood than you are using, the remainder is converted to fat and stored in your cells. Insulin plays a crucial role in transporting nutrients to your skeletal muscles, thus making it a potent anabolic agent and the subject of numerous scientific studies.

You may have heard of the term “insulin sensitivity,” which refers to how well your body uses insulin. This sensitivity increases considerably in bodybuilders immediately after strength training, and then sharply declines throughout the evening.

When everything boils down, the main thing you need to remember is that–depending on the timing of intake and the state of nutrition–high insulin levels and high blood sugar can create outcomes that are either desirable or undesirable.

Your optimum goal is to spike insulin levels and blood sugar at opportune times, and therefore take advantage of the anabolic effects and energy storage associated with these substances, while at the same time avoiding your body’s fat storage mechanism.

Monosaccharides

Monosaccharides are carbohydrates in their simplest form, as they cannot be hydrolyzed any further. Monosaccharide carbohydrates have a very sweet taste and include fructose and glucose.

Glucose is absorbed almost immediately and for this reason it elevates insulin and blood sugar levels at a faster pace than any other type of carbohydrate.

Fructose, on the other hand, has a relatively minor impact on blood sugar and is regarded as a slow carbohydrate because it is not immediately digested.

Disaccharides

Disaccharides are essentially a chemical combination of two different monosaccharides. They also have a relatively quick absorption rate and feature a sweet taste.

Among common disaccharides are milk sugar, for which the technical name is glucose-galactose, and glucose (fructose) which is often simply referred to as sucrose.

The third is maltose, a form of double glucose. The latter rapidly elevates blood sugar levels, while sucrose increases them only moderately. Lactose, in comparison, barely impacts blood sugar levels at all.

Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides are created through the bonding of monosaccharide chains or disaccharide chains. Both are referred to as “complex carbohydrates” and include glycogen, cellulose and starch. Starches are comprised of plant sugars, which are simply multiple glucose units attached to each other.

All green plants are a source of energy, and so are plant sugars. Common starch sources are rice, corn, wheat and potatoes.

Fiber is a form of cellulose, the latter being the primary structural component in plants. Fiber is relatively indigestible in humans, but complex carbohydrates do digest, although at a slower pace than simple sugars.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. For example, waxy maize absorbs very quickly, thus causing it to be categorized as a modified, high molecular weight cornstarch. It bypasses the upper G.I. tract and is absorbed in the small intestines. It typically causes a rapid spike in blood glucose levels.

Understanding the Glycemic Index

There are many common misconceptions surrounding simple carbohydrates. You have probably heard people say that there are “slow sugars” and “fast sugars,” but this is not altogether true. In reality, certain complex carbohydrates, although some individuals would call them “slow sugars,” actually raise insulin and blood sugar levels rapidly, such as maltodextrin.

Similarly, carbohydrates that are often eferred to as “fast sugars,” may actually have a minimal impact on glucose levels. A good example of this is fructose.

These discrepancies are precisely why the glycemic index was designed: to help you sort out various types of carbohydrates and their subsequent impact on blood sugar levels. If you utilize this unique tool, will find that it is very easy to determine the likely impact of various carbohydrates.

On the glycemic index, all carbs are ranked on a scale with glucose as a base. Glucose is given a rating of 100, and anything lower than 100 impacts blood sugar levels at a lower rate than simple glucose. Anything higher than 100 has a more significant impact.

To locate reliable glycemic index data or to look for a specific carbohydrate and calculate its impact, go to www.glycemicindex.com. However, an essential fact to remember is that protein, fiber and fat may considerably slow the speed at which high glycemic carbohydrates raise blood sugar.

It is important to keep this fact in mind when creating a carbohydrate strategy based on the following information:

Carbohydrate Based Muscle Building Strategy

You may be surprised to know that a significant amount of scientific research is available that supports supplementing with carbohydrates when you are trying to build muscle. Following a strength training workout, muscle glycogen stores are significantly decreased and this leads to the increase of insulin sensitivity.

This provides the ideal opportunity for your body to spike insulin by ingesting simple carbohydrates such as waxy maize, maltodextrin or dextrose. Not only does this insulin boost enhance glycogen replenishment, it also carries nutrients and amino acids into damaged muscle cells.

Certain research projects have discovered that post training protein carbohydrate supplements also enhance the anabolic response, promote increased lean muscle mass and augment recovery. For this reason, the importance of anabolic nutrients cannot be understated.

To enjoy the full range of benefits associated with the aforementioned nutrients, you should consider drinking a post-training shake consisting of fast carbohydrates and fast absorbing proteins at a ratio of two to one, respectively.

The most advantageous combination is maltodextrin or dextrose along with isolate or whey protein hydrolysate. If you are sensitive to maltodextrin or dextrose can opt instead for waxy maize as an alternative to other fast-carb sources.

However, if you choose waxy maize, is important to take it approximately 20 minutes prior to your chosen protein powder, as its influence on blood sugar levels may be slowed if taken at the exact same time as protein.

As a general rule, you should aim to take about 60–100 grams of fast-absorbing carbohydrates and up to 50 grams of quick-absorbing protein immediately following your workout.

As a guideline, try to consume about 1–1.5 protein grams for each pound of body weight on a daily basis. These should be divided into six doses during the day, and one should be taken about half an hour before you train, and one immediately following your training session.

Carbohydrate Loading

Carbohydrate loading in the world of bodybuilding is generally used as a strategy to make skin appear tighter and muscles look fuller while on stage, during a photograph session or whenever you want your body to look its absolute best.

Many work out strategies and diets call for the use of carbohydrates when your goal is to build muscle. However, the objective of all the various approaches is to create an environment in the skeletal muscles called “glycogen super compensation.” To achieve this state, glycogen stores must be depleted by high repetition and workouts of long duration, while you consume a restricted number of carbohydrates.

After carbohydrate depletion is achieved, you must switch to high carbohydrate intake on a short-term basis, during which your body will restore glycogen in your muscles to a level that exceeds where it was prior to the targeted depletion.

This super compensation increases muscle cell volume–also referred to as volumizing–because each molecule of glycogen requires four molecules of water, resulting in less volume directly under the skin, and ultimately fuller looking muscles. This leaner appearance is the goal of virtually all bodybuilders.

One way to do this is to decrease your carbohydrate intake by 50 percent for approximately 3–5 days in order to deplete your muscle glycogen stores. The carbohydrate calories you eliminate can be replaced with fat calories. During this time you must do full body, high repetition workouts and after your glycogen has been depleted, you must double your original carbohydrate intake for the last 72 hours before your competition.

Because time frames vary a bit from one individual to the next, experiment with the 3 to 5 day time frame in advance so that you know how to plan your strategy for your competition.

Carbohydrate Cycling

The goal of carbohydrate cycling is to maintain or build lean muscle mass while losing body fat at the same time. For this reason, it combines the use of anabolic nutrients to boost the benefits of carbohydrate ingestion. It also utilizes the fat burning benefits associated with low-carb diets.

If your goal is to get lean, you should consider the fact that low carbohydrate strategies force your body to use fat for fuel.

However, leptin levels may be reduced if you stay on a low-carb diet for an extended length of time. Leptin is a hormone that suppresses hunger, while elevating your metabolic rate at the same time. The best way to ensure your metabolism works at an optimal level and that your hunger is controlled is to alternate periods of high-carb and low-carb dieting.

Carbohydrate cycling also gives you a psychological advantage over strict low carbohydrate diets. Knowing that you can eat carbohydrates again after a few days makes it much easier to shun carbs during the low carbohydrate phase. In addition, you will not be depleted of the phytonutrients and antioxidants that are found in whole grains and fresh fruit, the latter of which are shunned on low-carb diets.

It is easy to see that anabolic nutrients and carbohydrates play major roles in bodybuilding, from initial muscle building to a lean appearance during your competition. Having this basic understanding of how the body is affected by various carbohydrates and ingestion timing will ensure that you reach your goals and stay fit and lean.

Original Source: The Role Of Carbs And Anabolic Nutrients In Bodybuilding
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

If you’d like a thick, wide and strong rear, then seriously look into the chances of doing these workouts and exercises.

When I first started, my gym sessions were similar to most other guys on the floor, who wanted to get all ripped but didn’t know exactly where and how to start.

A lot of focus was put on the biceps and chest with the shoulders, back and legs often getting the snub.

My mistakes helped me learn quite a few things, and I started focusing on my proportions (which needed some work on the back):

My lats especially needed a bit of extra work.

Therefore, in this write-up about best back exercises, I would like to share what are the best back building exercises (according to me), along with some crucial elements needed to carve an impressive back.

Similar to the majority of muscle groups, considerable work is essential for making the back stand out. It’s not just about the dumbbell rows and pull-ups, which I used to do before.

Fortunately enough, things aren’t complicated, especially if you know what you’re up to. And I would like to break all the things down for your knowledge – the ideal back exercises, the way I program workouts, etc.

I am confident that if you religiously follow my instructions and adopt a healthy lifestyle, your back will eventually become stronger and bigger.

More About Back Muscles

The primary four muscles accounting for the major portion of the back, and which you should be focusing on are the:

• Rhomboids
• Trapezius
• Erector spinae
• Latissimus dorsi

Along with these muscles, there are some other smaller muscle bundles too: the teres minor and major, and infraspinatus.

Now, this is what your goal should be with regard to holistic back development:

• Huge, but not overly developed, traps which set up the higher back.
• Broad lats that stretch low below the torso, creating the much allured V-taper.
• Huge rhomboids that develop “valleys” upon flexing.
• Clear infraspinatus and teres muscles development and isolation.
• A profuse, Christmas tree-like shape in the lower region.

Let’s begin with a few fundamental principles of back exercising, and later we shall focus on back workout samples and recommendations.

The Basic Back-Training Science

The two major errors the majority of people commit during their back training sessions are:

1) Working with incorrect back exercises.

Several people lay emphasis on excessive machines and separation exercises, which don’t play a major role in erecting a thick, deep and powerful looking rear.

2) Focus on high-rep exercising.

Making this mistake would limit the growth and development of all the primary body muscle groups and is especially instrumental in a multifaceted and major muscle groups such as the back.

I can understand if the aforementioned points contradict most of what you’ve assumed and learned about back training, or general weightlifting till date.

I had this habit of working with every back machine that I came across and thought the machine responded well to higher reps and lower weights.

Well, among the major lessons I have learned about natural muscle-building and lifting is the higher the emphasis on heavy lifting and compound movements, the better are the results.

And in the case of back training, it means tremendous heavy rows and deadlifts with additional exercises such as chin-ups and pull-ups.

However, you could probably be thinking how international models and fitness enthusiasts manage to do an insane number of reps with shoulder workouts, resulting in cannonball shoulders.

But that needs the same level of dedication too.

Yes, this may sound discouraging to newbies, but it’s a fact that needs confrontation.

When proper steroids take center stage, it becomes astonishingly simple to attain huge muscle growth within a short time span. Just spend time in the gym for some hours every day performing back-to-back repetitions, multiple exercises, and the muscles will become bigger with time.

In fact, with steroids, it is usually recommended that major focus is put on high-rep training.

Steroids help with rapid muscle buildup, but do not help the ligaments and tendons keep up. As a result, weights that are usually manageable may be overwhelming for the connective tissues.

This is usually how steroid consumers damage their joints.

Anyway, let’s get back to our main point of discussion.

Due to the back training errors, you only end up with a V-taper and nothing else. Basically, that is only a set of lats sans any separation and thickness in the lower or middle portions.

A proper back exercise conditions the lats but does not simply isolates them and ignores the remaining. In fact, the focus is on the prime movers.

The strategy is quite simple:

1) When working out the back, focus on heavy weightlifting.

If you’d like your back to be strong and big, you must emphasize on the 5 to 7 or 4 to 6 rep range.

2) Adopt exercises that permit a safe and progressive workload.

If you are a natural weightlifter, you can be sure of the truthfulness of the following statement: if you are not getting any stronger, you won’t be getting any bigger.

The first rule for naturally building muscles is a gradual workload, meaning the intensity of the training sessions should be upped incrementally.

There are some exercises that cannot be categorized as either progressive workload or heavy weightlifting. For instance, standing lat pushdowns aren’t deadlifts. Compared to usual front pulldowns, pulldowns behind the neck are inferior.

Another element of back training you should be getting correct is volume, or the number of reps you perform every week.

This is particularly crucial when you are performing extensive heavy weightlifting, due to this general rule:

If the reps go heavier, the lower will be the count every week.

Heavier weights require more time for recovery, which means excessive training without self-inflicting an injury is not possible, compared to lighter weights.

I have tried several different frequency schemes and splits. When the training is primarily heavy weights-focused, the optimal volume tends to be close to 60-70 reps performed during a week.

Besides the back, this applies to other primary muscle groups of the body too.

Now that we’ve undergone some fundamental literature on training, let us consider a few of the ideal back workouts for building strength and muscle.

The Best Back Exercises

Similar to other muscle groups, the back also has multiple exercise options or alternatives. But only a handful are truly impactful or necessary.

The following exercises are the ones that have helped me dramatically improve my back. These exercises should help you attain similar results too if done properly.

1. Deadlift

In any professional weightlifting program, deadlifting is the core.

My back had issues with both size and strength before I started my deadlift routine. Since then, there has been no looking back.

Most people are scared of deadlifting because they believe the exercise can potentially hurt their lower back.

Initially, this fear may look sensible: lifting several hundred pounds off the floor – levying all the pressure on the back, especially on the erector spinae and low-back muscles – would result in a lumbar and thoracic disaster.

However, medical research unfolds a different story.

In fact, when done with proper form, the lift is a great way to prevent lower back injury and build strength.

But, if you’ve had a lower back issue before or have a dysfunction or disease troubling the spot, a deadlift isn’t recommended. I would like you to meet a sports doctor and check if a deadlift will work for you or not.

Okay, once you’ve determined your eligibility for the exercise, know more about proper form.

The Deadlift Setup

1. Your feet must be positioned slightly narrower so that it’s not as wide as the shoulders.

2. Ensure the bar is placed somewhere between your foot’s middle portion and your shins.

The key here being the shoulders should be in proper alignment to the bar, or marginally behind it. This lets maximum leverage when setting the bar into motion. For skinnier or taller lifters, the bar will most likely be against their shins. For thicker or shorter lifters, the placement would be somewhere near the feet’s middle portion.

If the lift bar is very close to the body and the shoulders way over the bar, you should be moving the bar forward when lifting up to get it above your knees. If the placement is too away from the body, you would most likely end up falling in front or would not be able to move upward via your heels.

3. Stand tall projecting your chest and breathe deeply into the diaphragm (not the lungs), like preparing your abs for an impending punch to the stomach.

4. Head under closer to the bar by pushing back your hips; it’s not squatting down straight. Arch your body’s lower part and keep the shoulders down.

Like most newbies, don’t end up bringing the hips extremely low, trying to squat the weight up. The more the hips below optimum positioning, the higher they must elevate before you can carry up the weight away from the floor while pulling, which is only wasted activity.

Rather, you must experience tightness in your hips and hamstrings as you move your body to almost a “half-squat” position. And when your hips start rising, you would like the shoulders to follow suit and the weight beginning to come off the floor.

5. Hold the bar, with either an over-underhand or double-overhead grip, on your shins’ exterior and compress it as much as you can. Ensure your shoulders go down and back and put your lats to work.

6. Don’t face the ceiling or look below at the floor – ensure your head is neutrally positioned.

7. Move your body slightly upward and then revert back as fast you could by exerting pressure via your heels. Keep the elbows hasped in place and slightly arch your lower back.

Make sure your hips and shoulders are moving up simultaneously – do not shoot up your hips without elevating your shoulders at the same time.

8. As you inch closer to the top, compress your glutes so that the hips are pushed via the final movement phase.

Ensure the top core tightness is maintained. Do not release the abs tension.

9. Several people use their knees for breaking the lockout, which is not right. Rather, you must use your hips, reverting to the original position. The bar must be sliding down your thighs.

10. Ensure a stiff lower back arch, keeping the shoulders back and down.

Also note that you must isolate each rep. Do not use the floor to bounce your bar back, which would result in sloppier reps.

The name deadlift exists for a purpose – the weight must be picked when it’s dead, in no motion; using the bounce’s momentum is not right.

Therefore, once the bar gets grounded again, alter your setup stance if needed (breathe in the air, exert pressure on your abs, maintain a good spinal position, puff out your chest, position the shoulder in a downward position, etc.) and take up the next rep intensely.

Putting Them All Together

The Sumo Deadlift

A sumo deadlift incorporates a broad stance (almost 2 times your shoulders’ width) to cut down the shearing force and motion range on the nether back.

Compared to a regular deadlift, the sumo lift may seem much more comforting around the hips, based on your biomechanics (the sumo deadlift will be ideal for you if your toes point out while walking).

The sumo deadlift’s drawback is its decreased motion range, which means lesser work performed.

However, it assists with heavier loading. Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain the kind of approach that’s ideal for holistic muscle development.

I prefer the standard deadlift and recommend it to others too, provided the workout is comfortable or doesn’t place excessive pressure on the nether back. If so, the sumo deadlift would be ideal.

The Hex Bar Deadlift

Also called the trap bar deadlift, the hex bar deadlift is the ideal technique to learn deadlifting, since there isn’t much ankle and hip mobility needed to reach the bar.

Also, the spine undergoes little shearing stress.

Similar to the sumo deadlift, this deadlift technique also lets you lift higher weight loads than a conventional deadlift, making it almost the perfect exercise to develop complete lower body strength.

2. Barbell Row

A barbell row is my staple back workout since it works on everything – right from the traps to the erector spinae.

Personally, I prefer a unique version of the exercise, called Pendlay row (see video below).

It’s my personal favorite because it lets you work on your back via a complete motion range than an erect position.

And if you are slightly concerned about your back, don’t worry. You won’t have any issue while rowing weights, provided the form is kept in and the deadlift is done every week.

However, opt for the traditional row if you think the Pendlay row is not comfortable.

3. Dumbbell Row

The dumbbell row lets you safely overload the upper back with a complete motion range.

4. T-Bar Row

Another worthwhile row variant, the t-bar row is what I prefer doing. I am usually not an admirer of machines, but I don’t have any qualms with the t-bar hammer strength machine.

5. Wide-Grip Pullup

A wide-grip pullup is among the best exercises for building your lats and the middle back portion (particularly once you start gaining strength and can use a dip belt for adding weight).

6. Chin-Up

There are several people who believe a chin-up is sufficient enough. According to me, the exercise is extremely effective, but it must be done together with a wide-grip pull-up since that leads to more emphasis on the biceps.

7. Lat Pulldown (Close- and Wide-Grip)

Lat pulldowns are basically a pullup’s machine variant that lets you exercise in a given range of rep more easily (since you could accurately manage the total weight you should be pulling).

A V-bar attachment is used for performing a close-grip variation.

8. Seated Cable Row (Close- and Wide-Grip)

The seated row is another variant in the series of rows great for building the upper back.

We’re done with the exercises now.

To gain maximum benefits from the aforementioned exercising techniques, doing them is not good enough. You must also keep track of your progress and take your exercise regime to another level with each development. In other words, you must increase the weight whenever you find the existing weight set is not too challenging.

The Ultimate Back Workout

An ideal back training exercise regime would focus on all the important muscles of the area, which includes the lower back portion, with special focus on heavy lifting.

Similar to other muscle groups in the body, your back is likely to benefit from increased rep work, but you should lay emphasis on heavy weightlifting if you’d like to have the best results possible.

Therefore, this is what I would like you to follow for the next two months, at least one time every week.

• Deadlift – Warm ups and 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps (close to 85 percent of 1RM)
• Barbell Row – 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps
• Wide-Grip Pullups (if not possible, try doing chin-ups) – 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps
• Optional: One-Arm Dumbbell Rows – 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps

That’s about it. This may look easy, but it’s really not so.

Some miscellaneous remnants:

• You have the choice to take up optional sets.

If you are an expert or professional-level lifter, or you think your existing workout plan isn’t testing your limits, you may perform the last three sets. Though, 9 heavy sets are more than enough.

• Once you’ve reached the height of a particular set’s rep range, you go higher in weight.

For example, if you hit 6 reps on your initial deadlift set, you add in five pounds to every bar parts for the subsequent set and exercise with that heft until you manage to pull up the weight for 6 reps, and thereon.

• Take a rest of 3 minutes between every set of 4 to 6 reps, a couple of minutes of rest between sets comprising 6 to 8 repetitions, and a minute gap between sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

Getting sufficient rest between the sets is crucial because the breathing gap gives your muscles time to recover or gain its complete strength, which eventually helps you give your maximum effort to every set.

• Ensure you are on a healthy diet.

A majority of regular people and fitness enthusiasts are aware of the fact that protein majorly contributes to our body’s muscle growth and overall frame. But very few know that calorie consumption plays an important role as well.

Conclusion

By now, you probably realize the way you train and eat determine how seemingly impossible or incredibly simple losing fat and building muscle will be. My journey to enlightenment wasn’t easy.

I had to go through a lot of hardships, and in the process, I ended up making several mistakes. I am sharing my training secrets with you so that you can cut to the chase and not waste time on things that don’t work.

Original Source: What Are The Best Back Building Exercises?
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

It’s human to err. You, myself and everyone around has made mistakes. And mistakes tend to surface while squatting too. Squatting is among the most rigorous and effective workouts for the lower body, if done right.

In addition to involving glutes and all the rear and front thigh musculature (and also the calves), squatting helps you propel a good amount of weight.

Squats may look simple, but mastering them could be trickier. Poor squatting implementation and techniques has translated to a heavy inflow of clientele for orthopedic surgeons and chiropractors. You would sure not want to be on that list!

Correcting the following common squat mistakes should help derive more from your squats, and also mitigate the dangerous effects.

Don’t Go Too Forward with your Knees

For a healthy knee-joint, your knees mustn’t pass above an imaginary line coming up straight from the toes. If so, try to sit back more during the squat and focus on your flexibility.

In addition, do not squat on heel boards or plates, as they propel your knees forward.

If you are working with a hack-squat or leg-press equipment, an identical approach applies; however, the line would be heading up. Position your feet higher above the foot plate, since that would lighten some of the concentration on the knees and quads.

Do Not Shallow Squat

For optimal thigh development, the squatting should be as low as possible – at least to the point where the floor and thighs are parallel to each other. The higher the depth, the more your hamstrings and glutes would have to toil.

Extremely shallow squatting means the motion range is getting shortchanged, which is similar to doing partial reps. As a result, maximal leg development won’t be possible.

Several trainees overburden themselves with weights, which makes it difficult for them to squat down for even a few inches. This thumb rule is applicable to different types of squatting motion, which includes leg presses and hack squats.

Don’t Round Your Back

In the beginning of the exercise, it can be difficult to ensure and sustain a flat back, especially if there is a weighted bar resting on your spine. Rounding the back can seriously hurt the intervertebral discs. These discs have the shock absorbing capability, and are highly prone to injury if put through excessive pressure.

The solution is to lock the spine in a marginally arched state and maintain the position. Things become easier if you pull your elbows and ensure a wide chest while completing the movement.

Don’t Look Up Too High

A few experts recommend looking up, which means ensuring your head is up. The up-head position is supposed to protect your spine. However, in reality, the position ends up curving the spine’s cervical portion – a major instigator for disc injury.

It’s, therefore, important to keep up a neutral cervical spine arch. This means looking forward directly. If while squatting you can see your face in the mirror, it means the head positioning is perfect. Your head must stay in the particular position for the entire set’s duration.

Do Not Exhale Early

Breathing out is often recommended as a weight is lifted. But with squatting, you must hold breath until you hit the apex of the movement, marginally beyond the sticking point.

The reason is holding on to your breath would increase pressure within the abdomen, strengthening the region with every push up and assisting with lower back injury prevention. When at the top of the movement, exhale forcefully.

Do Not Collapse Your Knees In

When squatting, never allow your knees to collapse inward. That would stress the knees and hurt the ligaments. Rather, make sure the knees are always pointed in the direction the toes are facing.

If your knees don’t budge and are still drifting together, have a mini-band placed around the knees to ensure your legs fight the resistance and energize the right muscles to keep the knees properly aligned.

Don’t Lift Your Heels

Often, most amateurs would lift their heels while descending. This results in the weight shifting forward, which heightens the difficulty involved and puts undue stress on the knees. Rather, keep your knees flat and drive through them.

For an easy fix, curl the toes upward while squatting, thereby forcing the heels to get involved. In addition, add a lot more ankle mobility workouts to warm-up routines as rising heels could be indicative of tight ankles.

Do Not Stick to the Same Squat Technique

It’s always better to mix up things when exercising. In other words, rather than sticking to a particular type of squat, go through the multiple variations to focus on various muscles and not hit a roadblock.

For instance, you may switch goblet squats with back squats for some weeks to enhance your core energy, add strength to your quads, and decrease lower back stress. To better squat poundage, resort to Anderson Squats as the technique helps develop pure strength and builds the drive from scratch.

Not Using Safety Bars

Safety bars are highly recommended if you’re squatting in power racks. Set the bars to a height slightly below the level the barbell will be at when squatting to the bottom. If the height is not low enough, you would end up slamming the bars with each repetition.

Hence, when you are too tired, the bars could be set on the stand and an exit made from underneath.

Not Putting the Glutes to Action

Your lower body’s strongest muscles are glutes. Therefore, take them into stride when squatting.

While driving from the bottom, picture stretching the floor using your feet to invigorate your glutes and improve your strength. When finished, constrict your glutes for a complete extension of your hips.

Do Not Raise Your Hips in Haste

When at the bottom of the squat, most would elevate their waist portion much faster than the shoulders. This move isn’t recommended because it could stress the lumbar spine as the extension goes through with the lower back. Rather, raise your shoulders and hips in tandem.

Related:
• How To Squat: Learn the Proper Squat Form With These Tips
• 7 Benefits Of Doing Squats

Original Source: Are You Making These Common Squat Mistakes?
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

For years, split training had been the most popular workout approach even among bodybuilders. However, this training style has one major shortcoming: development of muscles that are not functional in real world situations.

For this reason, there is a growing shift towards functional training, which advocates developing a physique and muscles that are useful everywhere, not just inside the gym.

For instance, developing strong arms, back, legs and shoulders that you can use to lift, heave, pull, throw and push heavy objects. To achieve this goal, functional training focuses on developing body strength without necessarily pummeling muscle groups into submission.

Below is some more information about the benefits of focusing on functionality rather than aesthetics while in the gym.

Tactical Physique Sculpting

The term “functional” refers to practical or performance-based outcomes while “physique” is associated with the overall physical aesthetics. However, the aim of bridging these two concepts is to help enthusiasts sculpt well-toned bodies with muscles that are beneficial in real world situations. As such, expect your gym workouts to be different and enjoyable instead of feeling like torture.

Changing Your Mindset

To start with, forget all you know about bodybuilding and start with a clean slate. In particular, forget the single school of thought that champions training a single muscle group with every ounce of body strength.

Instead, start thinking about gym workouts that target the entire body.

This approach helps one develop a functional physique instead of good looks alone. To understand why this is important, consider individuals in elite police, firefighting, or Special Forces units. They must be physically fit and able to perform to the best of their abilities in different theaters of operation.

Inability to perform tasks such as carrying/lifting/lugging heavy loads can cause serious injuries or lead to loss of lives. For this reason, it is necessary to rethink training variables that determine optimal muscle growth and improving performance.

This means adopting an entire body rather than compartmentalized workout view.

Traditional Training Weaknesses

This section addresses traditional workout shortcomings. While not exhaustive, the list below covers strength related training aspects:

• Overhead press

Although overhead presses are highly beneficial, very few bodybuilders perform them. This is sad considering properly performed overhead presses target shoulder muscles as well as improve strength and stability required to execute other upper body exercises such as pullups and bench presses.

• Bodyweight strength

Another problem area is the inability to control and manipulate bodyweight. This problem stems from overuse of gym equipment such as plate-loaded machines. Unfortunately, overreliance on gym equipment has a negative impact on core body strength.

• Posterior chain

The term “posterior chain” refers to the muscles found in the posterior part of the body including glutes, hamstring, lumbar, and every back musculature category. Sadly, most gym goers focus on anterior muscles such as pecs, lats, and biceps while neglecting the posterior chain.

Such an approach causes problems such as concaving chest, overworked anterior muscles, and development of asymmetrical of shoulder muscles. Moreover, neglecting the hamstrings and glutes hinders proper development of quads and performance when executing lower body exercises such as squats.

• Unilateral training imbalance

Over utilization of gym equipment and bilateral weight movements generally cause muscle and strength development imbalances, which may result in muscle asymmetry.

• Lower body motion range

Lower body exercises such as half and quarter squats are popular in the bodybuilding community. However, packing more weight or completing more reps while only covering a limited lower body motion range is not beneficial in the real world. For the best results, you should focus on completing full range motions.

• Stabilization and core

Overreliance on seated and machine-based exercises has fueled the spread of a weak core epidemic. Remember, a strong core stabilizes the body and is the foundation of a steady truck and lower back strength.

Rectifying Traditional Training Problem Areas with New Variables

Fortunately, you can rectify the problem areas discussed above with a new set of training variables. To achieve the best results, you should focus on one variable while using the others to buttress the main one. The new variables include:

• Power

Focus on developing power such that you can handle and manipulate your bodyweight with ease.

• Strength

Unlike split training, functional training advocates a low rep approach to develop and improve raw strength. In addition, aspects such as multi-joint movements are regulated carefully to suit specific workout volume goals.

• Prehab

Perform warm-up routines such as stretching before starting a workout session. This increases blood flow as well as primes and preps the body before you plunge into workouts. Some of the benefits of warming-up include injury prevention and performance improvements.

• Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy refers to performing exercises that increase muscle size in the traditional sense. By increasing muscle size, you will aid other training aspects such as developing an impressive physique.

• Cardiovascular endurance

Unlike traditional training programs that focus on low intensity steady state (LISS) cardio workouts, functional training is based on high intensity interval training (HIIT). Exercise intensity is the most efficient way of developing a well-rounded physique.

• Stretching and motion range

This component covers stretching pre and post workout as well as completing the full range of exercise motions. Remember, the more you stretch muscles, the more they contract and grow.

• Muscle endurance

Functional training does not overlook the importance of muscle endurance because it is a key cog in the fat loss chain.

• Speed and agility

To improve speed, your training program should include interval sprinting sessions, which is an efficient way of burning excess. At the same time, sprinting will improve your reaction times and ability to manipulate bodyweight fast and accurately. Finally, sprinting is a great cardio workout.

Sculpting A New Physique

This section covers several issues related to developing a functional physique. Firstly, do not expect reprogramming your mind and adopting new beliefs that conform to functional training to be easy. In fact, shifting from a traditional training mindset requires discipline, holistic approach, consistency and fully committing to change.

After adopting a new training approach, turn your attention to improving the intensity of workouts. In particular, focus on increasing the number of reps you can complete before taking a break. The more reps you can complete, the more strength, muscle, and power you will develop.

This is in addition to burning fat to reveal sculpted muscles. To achieve this goal, create a tactile physique-training program with the following components:

• Training program that runs for about 4 to 6 weeks. Expect a few challenges during this period as your body and mind adjusts to non-traditional workouts. Avoid diverting your attention to quick fixes and solutions. Slips are normal and affect most people during this transitional period.

• Warming-up at the beginning of each training session.

• Adopt a quick training pace with rest periods in between sets. Furthermore, your training sessions should run for about one hour. It is not advisable to exceed 60 minutes because you will be simply wasting time.

• Set increasingly harder workout goals and focus on accomplishing them. This includes lifting heavier weights and completing more reps per set.

• Follow proper workout technique and form. If you find it hard to maintain proper form, use lighter weights to avoid developing a sloppy physique.

• If you cannot complete a workout session because you are too tired, it is advisable to lower the number of sets to a more realistic figure. Do not force yourself to complete reps even when it is clear your energy stores are empty. Moreover, do not lower workout intensity.

• Focus on one of the training variables discussed earlier at each workout session. You should also cover the other training variables to some degree.

• When you hit the 4 to 6 week mark, evaluate how you feel about functional training. If you do not fancy keeping up with the new way of training, it is okay to revert to training the traditional way.

• Keep up with the new training program if you are up to the challenge.

Perform each training session once per week. A weekly training program may consist of the following workout sessions:

• Monday: Day 1 – Strength
• Tuesday: Day 2 – Hypertrophy and muscular endurance
• Wednesday: Off
• Thursday: Day 3 – Power
• Friday: Day 4 – Speed and agility
• Saturday: Day 5 – Optional full body strength and conditioning workout
• Sunday: Off

Tactical Physique Training Plan

Foam rolling/massage

Spend a few minutes performing a few foam rolling exercises or massage targeting the quads, shoulders, hips, hams and lats.

Warm up/stretching

At the start of each workout session, perform any of the following warm-up/stretching exercises:

• Inverted rows: 10 reps
• Push-ups: 20 reps
• Side lunges: 10 reps per body side
• Lying ab windshield wipers: 10 reps per body side
• Burpees: 10 reps
• Jump squats: 10 reps
• Long stride walking lunges: 20 paces

Post training
After completing your gym session, perform thorough stretching with special focus on body parts and muscle groups affected during training.

A Detailed Look at the Exercises You Can Perform Each Day

Day 1: Strength

To warm up, complete:
3 sets × 8-12 reps Barbell back squats (120-second breaks)
1 × 12 Barbell Romanian deadlifts (120-second rests)
2 × 12 Incline bench dumbbell press superset (60-second rest after each superset)
2 × 12 wide-grip pull-up.

After warming up, perform:
4 × 5 Barbell back squats (120-second rests)
4 × 5 Barbell Romanian deadlift (120-second breaks)
4 × 5-8 Incline bench dumbbell press supersets (60-second rest after each superset)
4 × 5-8 Wide-grip pull-up supersets.

You should also perform:
3 × 10-15 TRX row and plyo push-up supersets (60-second rest after each superset)
3 × 15-20 Hanging leg raise with planks (no rest).

Day 2: Hypertrophy and muscular endurance

During warm-up, perform:
2 × 12 Standing barbell shoulder presses without resting
2 × 12 Rear delt rope pulls without resting
2 × 12 Bulgarian split squats with 30-second rests
1 × 12 TRX curls with parallel bar triceps dips (no rest) superset.

For the main workout, complete:
4 × 10-15 Standing barbell shoulder presses (no rest)
4 × 10-15 Rear delt rope pulls
4 × 10 Bulgarian split squats on each leg (30-second rests)
1 × 12 TRX curls with parallel bar triceps dips.

This is in addition to:
3 × 10-15 Dumbbell deadlift with single leg calf raise (no rest)
3 × 10-15 Incline 3-way sit-up with lying leg raise (no rest)
3 Lengths of sled pull or drag or farmer’s walk (60-second rest).

Day 3: Power

Warm up routine includes:
2 × 12-15 clean and press (60-second rest)
1 × 10 jump squat/box jump (30-second rest)
1 × 10 plyo (hand clap) push-up (30-second rest)
1 × 12 bent-over barbell or dumbbell row (60-second rest)

Main workout would include:
3 × 5-8 clean and press (60-second rest)
4 × 10 jump squat/box jump (30-second rest)
3 lengths walking lunge (60-second rest)
3 × 5-8 plyo (hand-clap) push-up (30-second rest)

Furthermore, perform:
3 × 5-8 single arm dumbbell or kettlebell flat bench press (60-second rest)
3 × 5-8 bent-over barbell or dumbbell row (60-second rest)
3-way plank (1 alternating set every 10-seconds/1-2 minutes).

Finish with 8 sprint intervals with one-minute rests.

Day 4: Speed and agility

Warm-up with:
A 3-minute jog
1 × 12 reverse-grip chin-ups with flat bench barbell press

After this, perform:
5 rounds of full-speed running (at least 10 yards) with 60-120-second rests
3 × 5 (each direction) front, side, side and reverse weighted goblet grip (120-second rests)
3 × 12 seated calf raise (30-second rest)

You should also perform:
3 × 8-12 reverse-grip chin-up with flat bench barbell press superset (60-second rest)
3 × 8-12 dumbbell shrug with hyperextension superset (60-second rest)
3 × 15-20 floor crunch with bent-knee hanging leg raise (no rest).

Day 5: Optional full body strength and conditioning workout

Perform:
Push-ups (20 reps)
Prisoner squats (20 reps)
Pull-ups (10 reps)
Walking or stationary lunge (10 each leg)
Triceps bench or parallel bar dip (10 reps)
Short sprint
Ab crunches (20 reps)

Conclusion

If you want to develop a well-sculpted physique and pack muscles that are useful in the real world, consider adopting and following a workout program based on functional training.

This new training approach emphasizes performing exercises that target all body parts rather than singling out specific muscle groups. Furthermore, this training approach advocates warming up pre and post-workout to prevent injuries and improve performance across board.

Original Source: The Ultimate Strength And Conditioning Workout
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

Millions of people around the world have invested heavily in their fitness. Most of them have gym memberships while others have militaristic discipline in their workout routine. The vast majority of fitness enthusiasts get nutrition and workout tips online. They watch videos of demonstrations to get new concepts as well as learn how to do different types of exercises properly and safely.

There are also health and fitness articles on the internet which give fitness enthusiasts tips on how to get fit fast. Most of these “advisers” have one thing in common – they put a lot of emphasis on the perils of over-training. They tell their audience or readers not to over train or exercise excessively to avoid injuries and poor results.

Fitness enthusiasts who have attained results which the average person dreams of, however, offer a different advice – no pain no gain.

So, is overtraining a myth? The answer is it depends on who you ask.

The Origin of the Myth

Overtraining is normally characterized by a decrease in energy levels as well as reduced mental and physical performance accompanied by mild depression. Fitness enthusiasts normally blame these signs and symptoms on over-training.

The truth, however, is that reduced physical and mental performance is mostly due to poor nutrition, poor sleeping habits, stress at work and a poor workout routine. These factors can add up and lead to symptoms which people associate with overtraining.

Obviously, you can expect to feel completely worn out after running a few miles every morning, going to your demanding job and going to the gym after work for an intense weight training session. If the same routine is repeated three or four times a week, you are bound to get worn out and start experiencing symptoms of overtraining.

Overtraining is a myth or misconception developed by individuals who after following a strict workout routine do not get the desired results. Since they think they did everything right, the only logical explanation for their mediocre results, according to them, is that they over-trained.

The truth, however, is that their weight-training program and nutrition is to blame.

The Human Body

There is nothing on Earth that’s as amazing as the human body. A six pack, bulging chest and shoulders, monster thighs and biceps the size of a football are simply muscles which have adapted to their function. Muscles are made up of cells which have mitochondria, the cell organelles responsible for producing energy, as well as many other types of cell organelles.

When you exercise on a regular basis, you will be increasing the body’s energy demand. Therefore, more cells will be produced and their size increased. The efficiency of mitochondria when it comes to producing energy will also increase. As the cells adapt, the size of muscle tissues will also increase, giving rise to the amazing physique of a bodybuilder.

In other words, the body and all its organs, and tissues, can adapt to increase strength and endurance. That said, the only way to get that amazing physique you’ve been dreaming of is to work hard and eat right.

Overtraining is just a myth, but this does not mean that you cannot wear yourself out, get injured or become mildly depressed due to lack of results. In fact, while overtraining may be a myth, you can easily sustain injuries if you do not exercise properly.

How to Train Properly

It is important to note that you can only get positive results if you have a great workout program. In that regard, the following tips might help you:

i) Get the Right Training Program

You can easily design a training program which can give you positive results. If you are looking for amazing results, you should consider downloading a professionally-designed training program.

There are many wonderful programs you may want to try. Some are free while others are available at a small price, which is usually negligible considering the wonderful results you can expect. You can find a list of our recommended training programs here.

Before you begin any type of exercise, it is always important to warm up and do some stretches to prepare the body for what is to come. When you start exercising, make sure you do the workouts properly. You should always have a training partner when you’re weight-training for safety reasons. Remember to also lift weights which you can manage comfortably.

Ideally, you should start weight-training with lighter weights and increase the load with subsequent training sessions until the body is well-adapted to handle heavier weights. Lastly, always end your workout sessions with a warm down and stretches to bring the body back to normal operating conditions.

ii) Nutrition

Most exercise programs also come with a nutritional program. During the muscle building/fitness program, the body will be adapting by growing muscles in different parts of the body. This means, the body will require a lot of nutrients to replenish the cells, tissues and organs.

For instance, more proteins, carbohydrates, fats, salts and water will be needed to build new cells and grow existing muscle tissues.

Ideally, you should follow a nutritional program recommended by successful bodybuilders, professional trainers and nutritionists to ensure you get the best results possible.

Your diet should also include a variety of fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, you should drink at least two liters of water per day. This is to replace water lost through sweating and urination and provide body cells with the essential ingredients for cell replication and growth.

iii) Get Enough Sleep

Having enough restful sleep is good for both your physical and mental health. If you did not know, the body grows when you’re sleeping, so you need to sleep as much as possible for optimal muscle growth. Ideally, you should get at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.

After beating up your body during the day, getting enough sleep will allow the body to relax and muscles to grow.

While overtraining is a myth, fitness enthusiasts should also know that it will take time to get the desired results. If they follow these simple tips, they can expect positive results as early as the second week.

Original Source: Is Overtraining A Myth?
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

Low carb meals are often sought out, for those who want to lose weight. But, finding suitable recipes can be a challenge. Some dishes may be more complicated, for those with minimum cooking skills. Others require costly ingredients and can put a strain on the food budget.

The trick to losing weight by reducing carbs, is to find pleasant tasking, easy to prepare dishes, that don’t cost an arm and a leg to put together.

Below are some recipes for low carb meals that are delicious, take little time to prepare, and cost little to make. Most will cost around $5 and don’t require searching for unusual ingredients.

Cleanout Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 1-2 onions (optional)
• several raw vegetables on hand, chopped or diced
• 1 small pork or beef roast (Substitute stew meat, chops, or steak)
• seasoning: salt, black or white pepper, and 203 bay leaves or 203 sprigs of rosemary
• worcestershire sauce (if available)
• 1/2 cup walnuts or almonds (if you have on hand)

This dish requires little preparation and can be made with foods in the refrigerator and freezer. Start by choosing the meat. If there is no remaining beef or pork, choose small cuts from the local grocer. You can use small cuts of steak or chops, if you don’t have a roast sitting around in the freezer. Often small roasts can be purchased for around $4. Start by tenderizing the meat and placing it in a stock pot or crock pot. Add vegetables lying around in the veggie bin.

If onions are available, slice a few of them and add right away.

Carrots, celery, peas, green beans, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower are some vegetables that work with a roast and add nutrient-dense protein. Left over walnuts or almonds in a bag can be added, for extra flavor and protein. There is no need to add potatoes, as they will only add unwanted carbs to the meal. All squashes and zucchini are also suitable for this type of dish.

The key to a good tasking pot roast is to add the vegetables and seasoning, then let them simmer with the meat for several hours. Worcestershire sauce or a small amount of beef broth can add flavor, if they are available at home. Otherwise, simple seasoning such as rosemary or bay leaves can be added before the concoction begins to simmer.

Plum Chicken with Cabbage

Ingredients:

• 1 small package of drumsticks, 1 whole chicken, or larger pack of drumsticks
• 1 cup of plums for small pack chicken, two cups for larger. Can substitute apples, pears, or lemon/lime if a zestier dish is desired
• 1/2 shredded cabbage
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 onion (if available)
• 3-4 carrots (if available)
• 1 stalk celery (if available)
• 1 can green beans, peas
• 1/2 chopped broccoli or cauliflower (if you happen to have)

Begin with a couple ripe plums from the local farmers market or grocery. Canned plums will also work for this dish. Next, a small pack of chicken drumsticks or a whole chicken for around $3 is needed. Finally, a small cabbage will complete the main ingredients of this dish.  Some onions, scallions, carrots, or celery hanging around in the fridge can be added to this dish. The only additional requirements are spices.

Begin by slicing onions and placing them in the bottom of a stock pot, if they are being used. This is a good time to add carrots, if you plan on using them also. Then, place the chicken or chicken drumsticks on top of the onions and carrots.  Next, blend plumbs, soy sauce, ginger, and five spice powder (if available) in the blender. Pour the blended plum mixture over the chicken. Simmer for 5-6 hours.

When the mixture is nearly cooked completely, add shredded cabbage and celery, to cook for another half hour. If larger packs of chicken are used, You can actually make several batches or meals of this mixture at once, bringing down the total cost to around $3 per meal. If plums are not available or out of season, pears or pear sauce, lemon/lime, or apples may be used.

Each fruit will give the dish a slightly different taste, but will enhance the taste of the chicken. Adding some hot sauce, chili pepper, or tabasco, will give the dish a bit of a kick.

Spaghetti with squash

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 pound of ground meat
• 1 jar of favorite pasta sauce
• 1-2 bell or hungarian peppers (optional)
• Italian spices
• Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup grated cheese (for lasagna)

If you like pasta but don’t need the carbs, consider making spaghetti with squash. You can use ground beef or ground turkey in the sauce, if desired. Ground turkey is often much less expensive than ground beef. When browned and cooked in sauce, many people won’t taste the difference. Otherwise, a meat flavored sauce will work. Be sure to brown the meat, prior to adding to the sauce. This ensures it will be cooked thoroughly and helps bring out the taste in the sauce.

Begin by shredding or grating the spaghetti squash. Usually it shreds into very thin, long pieces, that resemble pasta. The squash can then be cooked separately in a sauce pan or added to the sauce. If adding to the sauce, make sure to simmer for a couple hours. Squash will add a mild, sweet flavor to the dish.

To make a heartier version, chop some bell or other peppers and add them to the sauce as well. Add browned onions and a couple cloves of garlic to the sauce, before you begin to simmer. Top the dish with parmesan cheese, just as you would a typical spaghetti dish.

If you want to use the spaghetti squash more like spaghetti noodles, the sauce can be prepared in advance. Simply cook the noodles by boiling or baking them in the oven. Squash can burn easily, so make sure to keep an eye out and keep baking temperatures at or below 350 degrees fahrenheit.

This dish can be altered to make other pasta dishes. For lasagna, replace the noodles with thinly slice squash of your choosing. Spaghetti squash also works nicely for this, but other squashes will work. Layer the dish like you would a typical lasagna dish, with the squash on the bottom, followed by tomato sauce (with or without meat), then grated cheese.

Mini Meatball Soup

This recipe is low carb, even when the oats are added to the meatballs. Oats are high in fiber as well. For a no carb option, make meatballs without the oats.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 shredded carrots
• 1 pound lean ground meat (beef, turkey, pork sausage, or combination)
• 2 tablespoons whole oats
• Beef, chicken, or vegetable broth (1 quart)
• 2 teaspoons ginger (for Swedish meatballs)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• sea salt

Shred carrots to the size and thickness of soup noodles.  Pour broth into stockpot and begin to simmer on low. Add carrots. Prepare meatballs by adding the oats (sea salt, and pepper). To make them more like Swedish meatballs, add a tablespoon or two of cream and add the ginger. shape into balls. Brown the meatballs on all sides until thoroughly cooked. Add to the broth and carrots in the stock pot.

This meal is hearty, healthy, and costs little to make. It is likely to make more than one meal for a single person or a whole meal for a small family. To reduce costs even more, consider using ground turkey instead of beef.

Cajun Gumbo

This recipe can be served with or without rice. Obviously, for those following a low carb diet, the rice will be eliminated. This particular recipe eliminates the beans as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound cajun or spicy sausage
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 package frozen stir fry onions and peppers
• 2 pounds okra
• 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
• fresh chive or basil (for garnish if desired)

Combine all ingredients in a 4 quart pot or slow cooker. If sausage is pre-cooked, it doesn’t need any prior preparation. Otherwise, if ground sausage in the roll is used, it should be slightly browned before placing in the pot. Simmer on low heat for 6-8 hours. Serve hot and garnish with chives or basil, if desired.

Many of the low carb meals take a while to simmer or cook. However, they require a minimum of preparation and can be cooked in advance or overnight, then placed in the refrigerator. Low carb meals like these cost little to make. Most of them are loaded with nutrients, especially vitamin C, antioxidants, and B vitamins.

Each of these dishes can have substitutions, especially with certain vegetables.

The meals outlined above are low carb or have low carb versions, through elimination of the source of starch, like rice or potatoes. Most of them will make more than one meal, for a single adult. This makes them extremely budget friendly. When the cost per meal is figured, many of them fall well below the $5 meal limit.

With a little creativity and some advanced planning, a low carb diet can be fun and inspiring.

Original Source: 5 Inexpensive And Quick Low Carb Meals
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

Whether for health or a competition or both, anyone interested in bodybuilding must absolutely read “Bodybuilding Revealed” by Will Brink. Here’s my five-star Bodybuilding Revealed review…

The Basics of Why I Highly Recommend It

I wish this book had been around when I started bodybuilding. When I started back in 1983, three decades passed before I learned the valuable information contained in this book. This book would’ve saved me a lot of pain and money because it streamlines the essential components of bodybuilding gains in one format.

To gain muscle, bodybuilders need proper nutrition. It’s as important as the workout. This book explains how to get the proper nutrition that enhances bodybuilding efforts. In addition to nutrition, it covers:

• Cardio,
• Supplements, and
• Weight training.

It reveals so much valuable info that if you only have enough money to buy one book, make it Bodybuilding Revealed for $47. Don’t spend an extra $30 for the deluxe edition. It’s just not necessary. Everything you need is in the original. Sure, you can look up this info online, but why spend hours trying to decide what is really a good source for serious training when it’s already compiled in this book? What you find in Bodybuilding Revealed is worth way more than $47.

Training Levels Covered in the Book

This book works for bodybuilders at the

• Beginning
• Intermediate, and
• More advanced levels.

Anyone at the IFBB pro level really doesn’t need this book because the people at this level already use this advice. Therefore, to be an IFBB pro or just to kick up your training to the next level, this book shows you how.

Claims Are Backed by Reputable Sources

Each section provides citations. I know of few bodybuilding books that do that. It’s great to see claims backed up by science and professionals in the industry. That alone shows that the book surpasses a lot of so-called bodybuilding expert advice.

A Positive and Engaging Tone Makes for an Enjoyable Read

Photo of Will Brink

Will Brink (photo) really has a great sense of humor. That helps make what could be otherwise dry material easy to read. For example, he makes fun of how other nutritionists and bodybuilders come up with ideas supposedly derived in top secret or fantastical ways via aliens or government endeavors.

He also uses an honest approach which makes for a refreshing read, too, as he lays it bare when it comes to hard work and his plan being the best resources to make bodybuilding gains.

It’s More Than a Book

In addition to being a guide for successful muscle building, “Bodybuilding Revealed” operates as an organization that provides a members area along with other benefits. Just to see what kind of customer care the organization provides, I made up two stupid questions that I emailed, one about a password and one about document use.

Their customer service team responded within ninety minutes both times. That sort of speed is almost unheard of in these days. They maintained a professional attitude that was pleasant, with no snark about my stupid questions. I give them an A+!

A Supplement Section That Actually Supplements

Will Brink provides the best, most comprehensive section on supplements I’ve ever read. He avoids mentioning brands and focuses on ingredients. He covers what each ingredient provides and enhances from a real world perspective, and also backs up his perspective with scientific evidence. I really found this section to be a major boost to the book. The reason I feel this way is because I am not such a big proponent of supplements.

Will Brink makes see the benefits of using certain ingredients in a healthy way. I wouldn’t trust many other books when it comes to supplements. This one doesn’t have a hidden promotional agenda. Focusing on the ingredients rather than the brands really won me over to Brink’s way of thinking.

The Exercises That Are Covered

Bodybuilding Revealed covers HIIT workouts, but not in great detail. The book doesn’t offer much for people into running or doing other such types of cardio work or competitions, though what it does offer is solid advice that is scientifically proven to help bodybuilders. It also only covers the basics on weight lifting exercises. Again, the information is solid and helpful, albeit not extensive.

If you want to be a bodybuilder, the exercises you find here are staples and they are proven. They definitely should be a part of any beginner or intermediate bodybuilding routine. Brink also provides an excellent user interface to view exercise videos. All it requires is that you click on the anatomy diagram which provides a demo video plus a text description of the exercise being performed. This is great because chances are, you don’t need such an extensive exercise guide at this point.

Even beginners won’t be buying this book to view how to workout. They want to know what to eat and how to supplement their diet. This book covers that extensively.

Just a Few Complaints

One thing I don’t agree with is Brink believes that gaining some body fat helps in the overall long term goal for building muscle. I disagree with this because I think it gives people too much leeway to get fat or stay fat.

Most people have a hard time controlling fat intake, but I could be wrong. This approach has obviously worked for Will Brink and worked for his success stories.

That brings me to another complaint: Brink pays $1000 for those success stories! That seems a bit over the top to me. I don’t think he uses the money as bribes because his research and reputation remains solid. Still, it’s just a bad practice in my opinion. I think he should reconsider his payment methods to gain even more followers.

Overall, This is a Five Star Effort!

For more info on Will Brink’s Bodybuilding Revealed, click here to visit the official website.
Below are a few testimonials of renowned and respected experts:

Original Source: Will Brink’s Bodybuilding Revealed Review
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

For most fitness enthusiasts, nothing damages motivation more than having a bad training session. This could come as a result of going into a session with high expectations, only to fall short in a certain area, like lifting for instance. Or it could be the inability to better a set personal record.

You may be left wondering whether the effort is even worth it. So, is a bad workout better than no workout?

In reality, dealing with bad workouts is part and parcel of fitness. If you learn to handle them properly, it could put you back on track towards achieving your goals. Otherwise, one could get demoralized and end up losing interest in bodybuilding altogether.

Dealing with Bad Workout Sessions

First, you need to critically analyze your expectations. Was the session really that bad? Practically, it wouldn’t be possible for anyone to hit their optimal peak in each session. This can be attributed to various factors, among them being lifestyle, recovery and sleep. As such, you can’t expect to hit and break your own personal records (PRs) every few days.

For most people, this happens to be the case when starting out, and they ideally expect future workouts to be similar. Once the honeymoon is done, continuously breaking PRs would be practically impossible. Though every session won’t be perfect, it doesn’t necessarily mean that average workouts are bad.

What Defines a Good Workout Session?

If you keep thinking that your average sessions are bad, it could lead you to skip workouts whenever you feel a little down or don’t expect it to be great. To succeed in bodybuilding, you need to be consistent and persistent, which translates to working out every day. Shifting your perspective to valuing progress over beating your own records could be of great help. If the latter happens in the form of a weight gain, it can be translated to mean an increase in intensity.

However, you don’t have to go into robot mode either. Going for some time without moving to higher reps or weights could stall progress. But still, increasing the intensity forms a minute part of the bigger picture; there are other ways of ensuring progress in your training.

I always recommend following the mantra of mechanics, consistency and intensity. When starting out a new movement, fundamental mechanics form the foundation on which everything else will depend on. Improving this from session to session is what really matters at this stage. Don’t worry too much about increasing the intensity; observing progress in mechanics is relatively easier.

The next step involves consistently applying these mechanics in order to dial them in. Here, you should focus more on applying the basics you learnt as this also helps increase intensity. Also vital is the frequency of mechanical progress. Being able to consistently do this helps you become more proficient.

Improving intensity by adding weight is perhaps the most evident form of progress when one adopts a fitness routine. This will usually follow improvements in mechanics and consistency; if it happens in reverse order, then the foundation wasn’t properly laid. You should also keep in mind that a weight gain is not the only way of increasing intensity. But if the three vital aspects of progress are noted, then advancing in any of them is what really matters as far as fitness goes.

Dealing with A Bad Fitness Session

Having gained an insight into what a progress looks like, you should take a step back and relax next time you think you’re having a bad workout session. Here, see if you’ve actually realized any progress in any of the three aspects. If it’s the case, then you’re on the right track.

But you could also be in a scenario where none of these is true, and you’re really having a bad workout session. This could be anything, such as missing lifts that you’d normally make with great consistency. If this happens too many times during a single session, look whether it rolls over into other workouts as well. At times, repeating the same mistake too many times could lead to this.

To get past such a hurdle, you could seek the help of a coach or fitness expert to see where you’re going wrong. Once the cause has been isolated, come up with a way of rectifying it. This doesn’t need resolving in a single session or day for that matter. You could take some time to research on improvement techniques so that if it happens again in future, you’d be in a better position to deal with it.

This is what it takes to turn a bad training session into a great one. Why? Because you’ve not only discovered what’s been going wrong, but also learnt how to identify and correct it along with any future mistakes. It also toughens you up to face more challenging sessions as you move on.

In extreme cases, one could find themselves unable to make amends within the workout or point out their errors, even with additional help. If this happens to you, take some time to review factors like rest, diet, stress levels and any other relevant lifestyle aspects. In most cases, a simple review of such things will help in identifying what impacts training negatively.

Still at a loss? Well, try maintaining a log that accounts for such things so that you can review it in future.

The turning point for most people is when they understand that progress only forms part of the reality. The latter entails learning to get the most out of any workout, whether good or bad. With this notion, you’ll soon find out that what you’d previously call a bad workout session is in reality more helpful.

Also, don’t take this to mean that you should continually work out in an average manner or fail to hit past your PRs. It’s only another perspective to help you view training better. You’ll find it to be of great help in pursuing progress whenever things get tough.

Original Source: Is A Bad Workout Better Than No Workout?
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips

Who needs a gym when you have a perfectly simple and intense workout you can do right at home? With a variety of workout gear in your arsenal, no tool is quite as versatile or convenient as dumbbells. It does not take very long to set up a home gym complete with a comfortable bench and a handful of dumbbells that can be adjusted to suit your needs as you bulk up.

Best of all, you never even have to hit the gym and be subjected to that one guy who grunts with every lift just to get attention – you know the one – the guy who is always insisting on taking off his shirt.

Another perk? You save money. No expensive gym memberships. No forking over hundreds and you can work out while you watch Game of Thrones…. Win/win.

Dumbbells are not as basic as you might think. They offer a versatility that no other equipment can give you, with traits you cannot find in more expensive work out tools. It is also one of the few instruments that provided both beginners and hardcore heavy lifters with an effective workout that really works.

With that in mind, I have complied a list of the best complete upper body workouts that you can do without a gym or a trainer — just a bench and dumbbells.

Remember that it is imperative that you use moves that target multi-joints and compound movements to achieve results in larger muscle groups. These groups include the back, shoulders and chest. Doing so works multiple joints at once and this translates to more muscle tissue growth.

These groups can also stand to carry more weight, which means that they require more weight to really grow in a way that is extremely noticeable. If you are lifting to gain large muscles… keep this in mind.

Why Dumbbells?

1. They Work Multiple Muscles with Minimal Effort.

When you use dumbbells as part of your workout, you are automatically engaging every target muscle as well as multiple assisting muscles that are needed to engage the target area. Every time you lift, you are working much harder than you may even realize and while this means you may need to lift lighter weights than you thought you would require, the amount of movement that is happening in your muscle’s inner workings are making up the difference.

Because so much is happening behind the scenes, you really have to be sure to warm up completely prior to working your sets. This will help to protect you from injury… and remember an injury can set you back significantly. It is always best to make time for warming up, even if it shortens your workout.

2. They Train Weaknesses.

When starting an upper body dumbbell workout for beginners, most people feel a little intimidated when they realize that working both arms symmetrically reveals their weaknesses. For example, one arm may want to come up slower than the other and you might feel more resistance in certain areas.

If this is the case, it is actually a good thing and it allows you to know immediately what areas you need the most work in so that you can train according to your own needs.

3. They Offer a Wider Range of Motion.

Barbells offer a very limited range of motion. Dumbbells allow you to move in multiple planes and target several ranges of motion in one workout. This longer motion range allows for a larger bulk out and muscle development.

Upper Body Dumbbell Workout For Beginners

Work one arm rows with each arm to work the lower lats.
4 sets x 6 to 10 reps

Complete flat bench dumbbells presses to work the pecs.
4 sets x 6 to 10 reps

Do seated overhead presses to isolate the three delt heads.
4 sets x 8 to 12 reps

Target the upper traps with the dumbbell shrug.
3 sets x 8 to 10 reps

Complete overhead extended dumbbell extensions while sitting to work upper traps.
3 sets x 8 reps

Work triceps with one arm seated overhead extensions.
2 sets x 10 reps

Alternate dumbbell curls to work biceps.
2 sets x 12 reps

Complete wrist curls to target the brachioradialis.
2 sets x 12 reps

*Note: This list does not contain a warm up routine. Be sure to incorporate one before beginning.

Training Tips: Getting it Right for Perfect Form and Better Results

About One Arm Dumbbell Rows:

When working an arm at a time, this move is unmatched when it comes to growth potential. In this move, you can feel out what works for you and in doing so find ways to work even more muscles while you lift, inviting in more muscle fibers and force than you might be able to achieve while using both arms simultaneously.

Perfecting the Move: You are going to want to lean forward from your waist while placing one of your knees along with the same coordinating hand on your bench. While doing this, you will need to keep the opposite foot on the floor by the bench, holding the dumbbell in this same hand.

Fully extend your arm, letting the weight hang down towards the floor below. While pulling your elbow back as high as you are able, squeeze the shoulders together. Now, lower the weight along the same trial that you lifted upwards with. Then repeat sets and switch to the other side.

Hardcore Hints: The natural thought here is going to be to pull the dumbbell straight back to the shoulder… but there is a better, more efficient way to achieve a better range of motion. Simply pull in a line that goes up and backwards to meet your hip.

Because lower lats can be one of the hardest areas to train, every extra amount of tension counts to reach the results you desire.

About the Flat Bench Dumbbell Press:

This exercise works multiple joints and is a favorite among bodybuilders because it builds mass in multiple areas at once. You will also know straightaway which side of your pecs is strongest. You will love this move for its ability to let you press up and in… as opposed to the barbell form of this workout which only allows you to push straight up.

Perfecting the Move: Start out by lying down on your bench and placing your feet on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each of your hands beside your shoulders. Isolate and press weights upward until they are close to touching. Lower to the starting position.

Hardcore Hints: Never let the dumbbells meet. This means that you will let go of the tension you have just built up in the pec area and grow accustomed to a short break over time. This may not seem like it would make a difference but it can lead to slower, lackluster growth if you consistently make this mistake.

Instead, stop when the weights are only a few inches apart. This way, your pecs do not get a break, leading to larger growth and more definition.

About the Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press:

This exercise is freeing if you are accustomed to barbells. Without the limiting bar inside your hand, you are able to pull elbows out beside your head. This will create resistance in the middle delts. This is an area that will make your body look wider and more bulked out. Lifting with a barbell also emphasizes the use of upper delts in a more intense way.

Perfecting the Move: Bring the bench upward to support your back. Holding a dumbbell in each hand over the shoulder with your palms facing forward, lift the dumbbells overhead into an arced position… Remember not to let the weights touch. Lower and repeat.

Hardcore Hints: You are going to want to stop at the 90-degree angle because this range of motion feels most natural. Instead, keep going and pull until your elbows are pointing at the floor. This will leave the weights around your shoulder range. It is a safe move for all muscle groups, providing two workouts in one move.

About the Dumbbell Shrug:

There is not much of a range of motion in this workout so you are going to need to be very fluid with your movements. Keep control and avoid pronounced movement. Using the palms inward grip will keep your muscle groups safe during this routine so be sure to use it.

Perfecting the Move: Stand up with a dumbbell in each hand. Grasp them at your sides. Chest up with clenched abdominals, do a shoulder shrug straight upwards reaching for the ceiling.

Squeeze your traps when you reach the top. Bring the weight down slowly and lower your shoulders as much as you can without injury.

Hardcore Hints: Never roll your shoulders with this move. It will not target the upper traps as accurately. It can also cause injury to the rotator cuff and if you blow your rotator cuff… you are out of commission.

About the Seated One Arm Overhead Extension:

This move is a great go-to because with your arm up over your head, you are able to target the largest muscle in the back of your arms.

Perfecting the Move: Sit upright on your bench with your feet on the floor. Hold a dumbbell over your head with a fully extended arm. Isolate by bending only at the elbow and lowering the dumbbell back behind your head to form a 90-degree angle.

Once you feel your triceps come into a stretch, pull back upward into an extended arm and squeeze the triceps at the top of your set. Switch to the other side.

Hardcore Hints: There is a two arm workout in this move if you are interested. If you use it, keep your elbow tight to avoid injury.

About the Alternating Dumbbell Curl:

This move is entirely different than a barbell curl because it will allow you to achieve supination when you bring your arms to the top. Remember to keep your palms turned inward and then turn your wrists when you get towards the top of a set, slowly and controlled to avoid injury and maximize tension.

Perfecting the Move: Stand up while holding a dumbbell in each of your hands by your side. Chest upward, tight elbows — curl towards the shoulder on the same side of each dumbbell and turn the wrist as you move upward. Lower and repeat.

Hardcore Hints: This exercise is very easy to get very wrong. What you do not want to do more than anything else is bring the weight up too high. Sure it looks like an impressive party trick…

…but what it really does is remove your elbow from your side and prevent you from working in an isolation on the biceps. So remember keep those elbows to the back.

About the Dumbbell Wrist Curl:

You will always want to work this set last. This is because if you were to do this too early in the game your muscles would fatigue and shorten your grip (and your stamina for your workout.) This can spell disaster for your workout and your body if you were to lose your grip in a bad space.

The moves that come before this one also require your forearms to be as fresh as possible… so never move this set up.

Perfecting the Move: Sitting at the end of your bench, forearms lying on it flatly, hold a dumbbell in each of your hands — palms upward. Let the dumbbells roll to your fingers and isolate your wrists with a curl that brings the weights right back to the starting point.

Hardcore Hints: To achieve a better range, hold your thumbs on the same side as the handle. This gives you the perfect isolation and target for your lower forearm.

Original Source: The Ultimate Upper Body Dumbbell Workout
Find more posts like this on: Muscle & Fitness Tips