Fitness – is a medicine, it heals our body and spirit. But like any medicine, in excessive doses, it becomes a poison. “Bust physical activity has a destructive force. First workout longer to yield results, then you need more and more time to recover, then deteriorated general condition, and finally begin serious health problems. I do not think that overtraining – is a lot of professional athletes. They have something just to correct dosing loads everything is fine, because they are engaged under the supervision of professional trainers. And here you are. In his fervent desire to immediately deal with extra ten pounds, may stand a few steps away from disaster.

Symptoms Of Overtraining

Initial symptoms of overtraining barely distinguishable. Sometimes it takes months before you begin to realize that you definitely something wrong. The fall of the effectiveness of training, not very good physical and emotional state, sleep disturbance – all this is usually attributed to family and other stresses. Perhaps it’s true. Another question how much discomfort lasts. If an acute situation was resolved, but a month later you still do not sleep well, so there is still about overtraining. Here’s a list of the major symptoms of overtraining:

Sleep Disturbance.

You just can not wake up in the morning, soundly sleeping 12-14 hours a day, you are irresistibly drawn to sleep during the day or, conversely, Nakata severe insomnia. You wake up unusually early, before dawn, tossing and turning, trying to sleep again, but all to no. After waking up you feel tired and exhausted. And this despite the fact that time and went to sleep plenty

Psychoemotional Disorder.

You can not cope with the enduring nervousness, irritability, temper tantrums. Periodically attacks in a bad mood, his eyes wet.

No Impact Of Training.

You are no longer able to overpower the usual training program. Dumbbells, it seems, weight by half. After a long workout, you can not recover. Joints ached, muscles – pain.

Reduced Immunity.

You always precipitated colds and viral diseases such as acute respiratory infections and herpes, but you are recovering from longer than usual.
If you realize that all this – about you, immediately take action. Because then everything will be even worse. Immoderate exercise, especially when they are accompanied by a restrictive diet can disrupt hormones. And that – failure of the menstrual cycle, skin problems and thinning of bone tissue. In order to bring prevention to normal caloric intake, eat more fruit and vegetables, take complex vitamins and minerals.

Causes Of Overtraining

Which brings us to a state of overtraining? In summary, the violence of her own body Physical activity – it is stressful to our body. In fact, in this particular stress there is nothing wrong: not “shake” your muscles or cardiovascular system, you can not change yourself for the better.But, as any excess stress and it destroys our psyche and our physics. If you constantly pace yourself workouts and will not give your body enough time to properly relax, stress is accumulated.

This is the first cause of overtraining. Second – poor nutrition. Calorie deficit – the most important factor determining the syndrome of overtraining. After all, to recover from stress, your muscles need amino acids, sugars, vitamins and so on. In the name of weight loss you deprive yourself of the rules of the lion’s share of calories, and along with it and lose valuable nutrients. Well, insufficient intake of nutrients reduces the body’s ability to recover from workouts. Double blow for our body!

It turns out that you are spoiling their own health. This is especially vulnerable to those who possess the character of “Excellent” – the type of person who does not live in peace because of the desire to be better than others, to do everything even to “five” and the “five-plus” and as soon as possible to ensure that in normal people spend almost years. Finally, overtraining can not avoid those who do not know that fitness – is a science, and that the neglect of simple rules not only helps to fool nature, but also put a cross on your efforts.

Treatment Of Overtraining

Fortunately, overtraining is treated simply. You do not have forever renounce fitness. First of all, give your body a chance to come to the following: cancel a week or two of their usual workout, replace them with walking, yoga, stretching muscles. Revise your concept nutrition: bring back to normal caloric intake, eat more fruit and vegetables (about 5.8 servings a day), take complex vitamins and minerals. Particularly useful for foods high in vitamin C. As soon as you make your diet balanced, you immediately go on the amendment.

Diagnosis Of Overtraining

Accurately diagnose overtraining syndrome is not so easy. To date, the medical method does not exist, so understand what you are, you can only by circumstantial evidence. Always consult your physician to rule out the possibility of serious diseases.

You can make your own to make a first diagnosis by measuring your pulse at rest. This should be done in the morning, after a natural awakening, yet you have not stood up and did not drink their morning coffee. The normal rate reductions for women – from 68 to 72 beats per minute. If your pulse or learning, by contrast, slowed down, – you have to worry about.

Prevention Of Overtraining

Needless to say, to a state of overtraining it is better not to bring. Remember the cardinal rule fitness training: Less is more.

Hire a personal trainer. It is designed to have individual training programs, taking into account the possibility of your body

Not get hung up on one program. The same exercise – a monotonous effect on the same muscle. Well, any monotonous – is stress. More time to practice outdoors, play tennis or badminton, Get into any kind of extreme passion for rock climbing.

Keep a diary of training. There will have to make everything about your efforts – the scheme sets and repetitions, order of exercises, operating weight, the reaction of the body to a new style of training. This will help you identify the time slip results and prevent overtraining syndrome

Do not hurry. Governed by the rules “Never increase pressures greater than 10% in the week.” For example, if you’re used to run five miles, in the interests of progress add to her 500 meters, not more.

Drink water. Fall in the level of hydration in the body, however slight, had a noticeable effect on your condition. If you are more than an hour, you can quench sports drinks. If you decide you do not so long-lasting, easy-drinking non-carbonated water Or diluted fruit juice.

Not morite hunger strike! Hungry healthy body does not happen. In addition, food should be balanced, that is kept in the proper proportions of carbohydrates, proteins and fats (50%, 35% and 15% respectively – of the total calories).

Do Not Run Ahead Of The Train

Learn to listen to your body and the signals which it gives you. It is likely that the reluctance to run an extra mile or doing extra leg press is not talking about your laziness, but of your limit fatigue. There is no dispute as to improve the shape, it is necessary to increase the intensity of training. But work on the wear – means to harm themselves. The key to a beautiful body – this time. The first visible changes are coming in a couple months of training. But the really perfect body sooner than 2,5-3 years you, alas, did not get. You do not hurry up “burning” of fat or muscle growth. The fitness as a woman’s home is valued anywhere virtue – patience.

You know how important cardio workouts are for your health and wellbeing, but it’s hard to get a good cardio workout in when you can’t leave to house to go to the gym or for a run. Here are some great cardio workouts you can do right at home.

Workout DVDs

One of the easiest ways to get your heart pumping with a workout at home is to purchase one (or a few) of the workout DVDs available today. You can find cardio workouts on just about anything from kickboxing to dance. Pick one that looks like fun and start working out. If you just add a new DVD every 3 months, you’ll have a great little library of cardio workout DVDs in no time. Rotate through the different workouts and you’ll never get bored of working out at home again.

Treadmill

A treadmill is a great way to get a good cardio workout at home. You can walk on it briskly or go for a jog or run. Some models will even let you adjust the angle of the walking surface, to simulate going uphill. Keep your workout from getting boring by listening to some music or audio books while you walk.

Stationary Bike

A stationary bike is another great piece of equipment that allows you to get in a great cardio workout just about anywhere in your house. All you have to do is jump on the bike and peddle away. Keep some water close by to stay hydrated. I like to watch TV or a movie while I’m riding my bike. You can also read books or magazines if you are just peddling at a slower yet persistent pace.

Jump Rope

A jump rope is one of the least expensive pieces of workout equipment you’ll ever buy. You can pick one up for a few bucks, or borrow one from your kids. To get a great workout, simply jump rope for 20 to 30 minutes. For a great interval training, jump 100 jumps as fast as you can, then slow down to a more comfortable jump, barely lifting your feet enough to let the rope go through.

Step Workout

You’ve probably seen those fancy step workouts at the gym, or the TV infomercial. Guess what? You can get a great step workout at home without any specialized equipment. Utilize the bottom step of your stairs, or any large, sturdy box you can step on and off. I use an old milk crate at my house. Step up using your right leg first 12 times, then switch to leading with your left leg. Repeat. For some variety try stepping side to side.

The weights, the gym, the training, I can do that part in my sleep; it’s fun and relatively easy. It’s the other stuff, the dieting and supplementing, that demands the discipline.” Those words, spoken by Pro Bodybuilder Shawn Ray, underscore the number one reason why so many guys are sweating blood in the gym for a relatively small pay off in muscle gain. Does that sound like you? Then it’s likely that the problem lies, not with your workouts, but with your nutritional intake. When first Mr. Olympia Larry Scott stated, in 1965, that bodybuilding was 90% about what you eat, most people thought he overstated the case. It’s taken nearly 40 years for us to realize just how right he was. Simply put, if you want to succeed in this game, you’ve got to be on top of your nutrition. And that means that you have to avoid the nine major nutritional mistakes that could leave you spinning your wheels forever. Check them out:

(1) Not Eating Enough Protein – In the gym you pound, tear and generally tyrannize your muscle cells. At the kitchen table you rebuild and grow them with – protein. How much? Recent studies with strength trainers suggest that one gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight is about ideal. That’s roughly double the Food and Drug Administration’s RDA. But there’s more to it than that. All proteins, you see, are not created equal. For muscle growth to be activated you need “complete” proteins – those that contain all of the essential and non-essential amino acids in the exact amounts required by the body for growth. Not only must your protein be complete, it must also be lean (fat free). Chicken breast, fish, egg whites, lean red meats and whey protein powder should be your staples.

(2) Not Eating Every Three Hours – There are two critical reasons why you should eat small, nutritionally balanced meals every three waking hours. Firstly, eating every three hours will supercharge your metabolism, turning it into a fat burning furnace. Secondly, supplying lean, complete protein to your muscle cells every three hours is the only effective way to build muscle. Protein you see, cannot be stored in the body and lasts about three hours in the blood stream. So, to create and maintain the ideal muscle building environment, you have to keep supplying it every three hours.

(3) Not Taking in Enough Calories – If you want to gain muscular body weight, you need to eat – a lot. If you don’t you will never put on muscle – regardless of what you do in the gym. To put on mass plan to eat 18 to 20 times more calories than your bodyweight in pounds. Of course, those calories must be clean – they must prioritize lean, complete proteins and follow the one, two, three rule of macronutrient intake, which says that at every meal you should have one part fat, two parts protein and three parts carbohydrate. Use whey based protein powders to help get your calorie intake up.

(4) Not Drinking Enough Water – The body is 67% water. Heavy weight training can easily lead to dehydration – unless you keep replacing the water you lose. Once your muscles are dehydrated, they’ll take a lot longer to repair themselves – halting the muscle building process. Without sufficient amounts of water the kidneys will struggle to remove the metabolic waste products generated by the increased amount of protein you’re eating. It also appears that drinking ice cold water will help speed up the metabolism.

(5) Drinking Too Much Alcohol – If you are serious about bodybuilding, you cannot afford to drink your potential away. Alcohol consumption needs to be minimal or non-existent. Here’s why: at 7 calories per gram, alcohol is the second most calorie dense nutrient behind fat, alcohol will sabotage your body’s fat burning ability, alcohol dehydrates the body and alcohol suppresses testosterone production. Bottom line; Getting drunk may be what it takes to make a man, but he’ll be a fat and pathetically muscle free one – and you deserve better than that!

(6) Not Planning Meals – It doesn’t matter how good the intentions are, the crushing pace of modern living is bound to threaten your nutritional plans. It is absolutely vital, then, that you plan your daily eating in advance. Here’s how: Each night plan your coming day’s activity and figure out how you’re going to get the food you need every three hours, prepare the coming day’s food the night before, cook in bulk, plan ahead for when you’re traveling and prepare foods that help you avoid buying junk.

(7) Not Keeping A Nutritional Journal – Keeping a log of what you eat is cumbersome but it is the only way that you’ll be able to identify what is causing your body to shed fat and grow muscle. Without it you’re never learning, never benefiting from your nutritional past. A good nutritional journal will include the date, time, food type, carbohydrate, fat, protein and caloric breakdown. A short note about your energy levels will also be helpful for future reference. Every week record your waist measurement with muscle girth and body-fat analysis every month.

(8) Not Taking A Multi-Vitamin – If you are deficient in any vitamin, mineral or trace element, your muscle building endeavors will be compromised. Today we can’t just assume we’ll get those essentials from the mythical ‘balanced diet’ – over-processing and pesticides have killed that idea. A good multi-vitamin, then, is essential. Look for one that contains the recommended daily allowances of the following: A Complex, B Complex, C, D, E, K vitamins and the minerals calcium, magnesium, zinc, iodine and selenium.

(9) Eating Too Much Sugar – Arnold called sugar ‘white death,’ and for good reason. Now, just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. This is especially true of soda. In fact your average 2 liter bottle of soft drink contains over 100 table spoons of sugar – that’s a lot of white death! So stop fooling yourself and cut out those muscle depleting hidden sugars.

Source: http://www.bodybuildingtoday.com/index.php/nutrition/9-biggest-nutritional-mistakes.html

When times are tough, the tough get going! In these tough economic times, more people are finding release from the pressures of life by a controlled diet, bodybuilding and weight training regimens. Why? One reason is to relieve stress; the other is because healthcare has become one of America’s highest priorities. With skyrocketing health costs, the need to keep fit has become a major preoccupation in an effort to avoid the burgeoning expenses of medical care.

Strength training exercises are prescribed by doctors to those who suffer from joint pains. They are also beneficial for people who want to lose weight in a healthy manner. Along with diet and exercise programs, nutritional supplements are being popularly used for maintaining good health and physical fitness. Bodybuilding supplements, in particular, help to build muscle, increase stamina and endurance, reduce recovery time between exercises or after a sports event.

One of the most popular segments of bodybuilding products is the diet and weight loss category. High demand for these products has driven bodybuilding supplement manufacturers to produce products that have scientific support, safety, and are innovative. Credible research is what a serious bodybuilding supplement company relies on for formulation of products that are both safe and effective. This combined with a GMP certified facility, has helped to build the credibility of the bodybuilding supplement manufacturing industry and driven sales.

Which bodybuilding supplements are considered most safe to use? Which offer the best output from workouts? Here are a few popular ones:

Creatine (muscle volumizer) is a safe, inexpensive natural compound which is most popularly used for muscle growth. Supportive research for the use of creatine is overwhelming and indicates its efficacy. Creatine causes the muscles to retain water and swell. It is also believed to promote energy levels for greater stamina and endurance.

Amino Acids Proteins form the building blocks of tissues. Those who engage in bodybuilding and weight training, either for sports or general fitness, work out their muscles intensively. They need a protein-enriched diet. Protein digestion involves the burning of more calories. Proteins also stimulate a hormone, known to suppress the appetite.

Whey Protein is known to have fat-loss, muscle building benefits.Whey protein is water-soluble and hence the body can easily digest it. It is used as a pre-workout and post-workout supplement because it can quickly replenish nutrients. It is tasteless and therefore it can be manufactured in various flavors.

Whey protein contains all the essential amino acids making it a complete form of protein. It also promotes lean muscle growth thereby limiting bone loss due to aging. Since whey is a protein, it has no side effects, making it a healthy supplement for any age group. Soy Protein is an excellent protein containing a higher concentration of protein per weight than whey protein. Many consumers do not like the taste of soy so it is usually manufactured in combination with fruit flavors to mask the taste. Cassein is a protein derived from milk. Unlike whey protein which the body digests in thirty minutes, the body takes a longer time to digest cassein. Maximum muscle growth takes place during sleep. Cassein, therefore, makes a great bedtime protein shake.

Caffeine and stimulants are known to increase energy levels and curb the appetite. They help to enhance endurance and stamina. These can be in the form of Energy drinks containing guarana, cola and various types of teas. Sports drinks can be formulated using innumerable combinations which include vitamins, taurine, bee pollen, ginkgo biloba, various herbs and nutrients to enhance nutrition.

DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) is a pro-hormone secreted by the adrenals. Studies show that it can increase muscle mass, stamina and strength.

Ginseng is a botanical herb. Studies show that it helps to enhance athletic performance.

HMB (Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate) is a natural nutrient found in the body. It helps to decrease body fat and increase muscle mass. Taurine is an organic acid and a major component of bile. Studies show it helps reduce oxidative stress related to intense workouts. It is thus used to reduce recovery time after a sports event or between exercises. Vitamins and Minerals. Intensive workouts increase the body’s demand for nutrients. A broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals supplementation is required when undergoing a bodybuilding or weight training fitness program.

In addition to the above, other popular nutrients include glutamine for immune support, L-carnitine for muscle fatigue, EFAs, fiber and digestive enzymes, and fat burners such as green tea extracts.

Bodybuilding and weight training require rigorous discipline and tenacity. Fitness enthusiasts usually make loyal patrons of bodybuilding products. So, contrary to the economic climate, people have not stopped buying bodybuilding supplements but rather, are making smarter choices by carefully choosing their supplements to get more value for their money.

Statistics show that more people today are turning to more affordable but equally comparable private label nutritional supplements to meet their health needs, against expensive brand names. This has created a unique opportunity for private label manufacturers as bodybuilding supplement manufacturers! Contact a GMP certified bodybuilding supplement company today and explore profitable options!

You see, we should be very thankful that we are born in this modern generation because of the existence of the Internet. With the Internet, every information (whether about home gym equipment or any other such as gym membership prices, bodybuilding training, home fitness gyms or even techrod home gym) can be found with ease on the Internet, with great articles like this.

The home gym is becoming extremely powerful solution for the gym related problems. You might be looking for it, but you never thought for it. Your gym is in private place. You never have to wait to use a piece of equipment. A home gym is open 24 hours a day. Moreover, the home gym is more convenient.

Mix up your home gym workout for more muscle. Keep your body guessing as to what you will do in your home gym, and you’ll progress faster.  Make sure to vary the type of home gym exercise that you do, the length of rest periods, sequence of exercises, number of repetitions, training loads, distances, etc.

Before you purchase any kind of equipment for gym, you have to be certain that you’ve done all your study on the subject of gym equipment generally, so that you will be informed and aware, and so you will know what you’re taking about whenever it gets to this subject.

As detailed as this article is, don’t forget that you can find more information about home gym equipment or any such information from any of the search engines out there. Commit yourself to finding specific information therein about home gym equipment and you will.

You don’t need to travel to the gym to and fro. It’s a time waste, especially if the gym is very far from your home. You don’t need to walk or run in cold weathers, and you can work out anytime you want. You can work out comfortably watching your favorite TV Show.

If you do not want to deal with getting a membership at a gym, if you live somewhere that does not have one nearby, or if you cannot go running or exercise outside because of the weather, a home gym is a great option for you. There are several benefits of having one, they can help you save money, they can help make to exercise an easier part of your daily routine, and they can help you stay in shape. Also, if you want to a body build and are very serious about fitness then they can be very convenient.

Brutus 755 Dual Stack Home Gym: This gym has a space saving, v shaped design that provides seven different workout stations including: bench press, military press, squats, low pulley, high pulley, leg workout and butterfly.

Many people looking for information about home gym equipment also looked online for home gym sales, image treadmills, and even weslo home gym.

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Number 5 – Not Monitoring Your Progress:

So many people just go through the motions with their workouts. They get into the habit of showing up at the gym day after day and mindlessly go through their routine. How many people do you see at the gym with no written plan and no way to keep score to tell if they are making progress?

For a lot of these people going to the gym just becomes a part of their social life. Now I agree that this habit is a lot healthier then hanging out at the local pub. But the time you spend in the gym could be a lot more productive and result in building a lot more muscle.

What gets measured gets improved. All it takes is little bit of time planning out where you want to go and then create a plan of action on how you are going to get there. Or get an experienced coach to help you create an action plan. The old saying “failing to plan, is planning to fail” is often overused, but it is 100% accurate, especially when it comes to bodybuilding.

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Number 4 – Performing Too Much Exercise: Overtraining

Working out too much is just as detrimental to building muscle as doing nothing at all. Once you workout you have to give your body time to repair and grow through rest. A common mistake that people make is thinking that they will get better results if they workout for several hours everyday. This is not true because what happens is the body get stressed and damaged but doesn’t get a chance to recover and build up. This is what is called “over training”. When you over train your body can’t build muscle.

Common signs of over-training include pain and joint injuries, insomnia, prolonged fatigue, lack of motivation to workout, and just feeling burnt out and exhausted. Taking time to rest and recover are vital for achieving long term consistent muscle and strength gains.

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Number 3 – Performing Too Little Exercise: Undertraining

This one is the opposite of the previous one, people tend to take things to one extreme or the other, no one wants to take a moderate approach. Just like some people will think that if some exercise is good, then more must be better. And end up “overtraining”. Others, who have learned about the negatives of overtraining, have taken it to the other extreme thinking that “if some rest is good, then more rest is better”.

The fitness media will always play on people’s laziness and therefore try to promote “easy workouts” as the answer to getting in shape. But the reality is that working out and getting in shape takes effort. There is just no way around it. Anyone who try’s to tell you otherwise is just full of BS…

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Number 2 – Thinking You Need Supplements To Build Muscle:

The magazines are the ones to blame for this. In a typical muscle magazine over 50% of the pages are ads (in some cases it’s a lot more). And a lot of the articles are just fancy sales letters recommending muscle building and fat burning supplements.

The truth is supplements are NOT necessary to build a lean muscular physique. Exercise and nutrition are the only things you REALLY need. There are some supplements can help a little, but not nearly as much as you may have been lead to believe. About 95% of your results will come from proper training and nutrition.

A lot of people have their priorities backwards and spend their time worrying about what supplements to take, rather then focusing on improving their training and eating, which is responsible for 95% of their progress.

It is very common for the typical novice bodybuilder, who has just started working out, to immediately go looking for a ’short cut’ by getting a bottle of “Super Duper Anabolic Muscle Dust 2000″.

It’s a shame that so many people are looking for instant gratification, instead of making the effort to learn how to eat and train better. Get your nutrition and training in order first. Then you can experiment with supplements, if you want to, and see if they make any difference to your overall progress.

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Number 1 – Not Following A Sound Nutrition Plan:

Your diet is one of the most critical aspects of your muscle building routine. You can be spot on with your workouts, but if you don’t fuel your body properly you will NOT get the results you want. Most bodybuilders that I work with day to day don’t have any problems going to the gym and working out. But more often then not they get slack when it comes to nutrition.

The whole idea of eating 6 well-balanced meals per day for bodybuilding is by no means a new concept. You probably already have a good idea of how you should be eating. But the main excuse is usually not having time to eat properly. However, eating a “junk-food” diet takes just as much or more time then it does to eat a healthy diet. At lunch heading over to the fast food joint, waiting in line at the drive through, and then heading back to work takes a lot more time then if you had your food prepared in advance and ready to eat.

The key to following a healthy bodybuilding nutrition program is planning ahead. When you cook your food always prepare for several meals. It doesn’t take any more time to cook larger quantities of food then it does to cook smaller amounts of food for just one meal. Purposely plan to have left overs that you can re-heat in the microwave, this saves time and makes it easier to have quick nutritious meals on hand.

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If you are a hard gainer, you know how tough it can be to add a single pound of muscle to your frame. You shovel down the protein bars and shakes, and you stay skinny. You eat fast food, slow food, and any kind of food in between, and you still stay skinny. The problem could be any number of things. You might not be training hard enough of getting enough sleep each night. You may not be consuming enough protein, or you might not be eating consistently. Here is a classic hard gainer’s diet designed to help you add some mass to your frame.

Meal One

Four eggs scrambled. Six ounces meat (sausage, turkey bacon, or steak) Four slices toast with butter Two cups skim milk Sip 3 cups water (24 ounces) in the hour following this meal to aid with digestion.

Meal Two

Gainer Shake: 2 cups milk, 2 cup ice, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, two scoops whey, and some frozen berries. Sip 3 cups water (24 ounces) in the hour following this meal to aid with digestion.

Meal Three

Twelve ounces steak or chicken. Two cups rice One-half cup gravy One large garden salad. Sip 3 cups water (24 ounces) in the hour following this meal to aid with digestion.

Meal Four

Gainer Shake: 2 cups milk, 2 cup ice, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, two scoops whey, and some frozen berries.

Meal Five

Twelve ounces steak or chicken. Two cups pasta One-half cup spaghetti sauce One large garden salad. Sip 3 cups water (24 ounces) in the hour following this meal to aid with digestion.

Meal Six

Gainer Shake: 2 cups milk, 2 cup ice, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, two scoops whey, and some frozen berries.

Meal Seven (Optional)

Set your alarm clock for the middle of the night. Wake up and drink 50 grams of whey protein (2 to 3 scoops of powder) with water, and enjoy a small snack with it to aid in digestion. A few cookies are fine – your goal is to gain weight.

Try this diet for a week. If you discover you still are not making any gains, add more calories to each meal in the form of dark chocolate kisses (Hershey’s works best). For most bodybuilders, candy is certainly off the menu. However, if you are able to consume the diet listed above, for three weeks with no weight gain, you should be able to get away with it.

Remember that since your goal is to create a caloric surplus in which your body intakes more calories than it needs, you may need to reduce your overall level of activity. Your five weekly hikes or three hours of basketball each Saturday could just be the reason you are unable to make any meaningful gains. It may cut back on the amount of fun you can have, so you will have to decide whether these activities are more important to you than having twenty more pounds of muscle on your frame. Good luck, and happy eating!

This outline for a workout routine to build muscle has been devised for people just starting out in weight-training. It is simplistic in it’s approach, which is also why it is very effective for building muscle mass.

The key to proper weight training is to establish a good foundation in which to build upon, much like building a solid foundation for a house. If you cut corners and build a weak foundation for a house, as time goes on, the house will become weaker and less sturdy. Same thing with weight training.

Keep it simple. It is so much easier to focus effectively on a few tasks (exercises) than to spread yourself thin on many different ones.

This has been devised to follow for approximately 4-6 months, which at that time you can revise and edit the program to include other exercises and other approaches that a more intermediate weight lifter can use. But remember this, the more you know does not necessarily mean better results when it comes to trying to build muscle.

I have met very learned weight trainers who have been doing this for years but physically appear as though they don’t put into action what they have “learned.” It’s not so much “what you know” as it is how you “put into action” what you do know.

Keep your routine simple, follow the suggested exercises (most have descriptive sheets that show you how to do a specific exercise) for approximately 6 months, and i guarantee you will start to build more muscle as a result.

Step 1. From the following muscle groups, pick two that you will be working out on day 1 of weight training.

Chest Back Shoulders Legs Biceps Triceps

Day 1 _________ and __________

Then for day 2, pick two different muscle groups.

Day 2 _________ and __________

Finally, day 3 will include the last two muscle groups.

Day 3 _________ and ___________

Here is your three day weight training routine. Monday, Wednesday, Friday is good or maybe Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The key is to give yourself a day in between weight training sessions so that you may include a cardiovascular session on your non-weight training days. Your week may look like this:

Monday: back & chest Tueday: cardio Wednesday: legs & shoulders Thursday : cardio Friday: biceps & triceps Saturday & sunday ff

Step 2. Depending on which muscle groups you are training, pick 2-3 exercises for each muscle group from among the following list.

Chest

Flat bench press with bar Flat bench press with dumbbells Incline bench press with bar Incline bench press with dumbbells Dips

Back

Dumbbell one arm lat row Cable lat pulldown to front Seated back row on machine Deadlifts Bent over back rows Lower back extension Chin-ups (Pull-ups) Shrugs for Traps (Dumbbells or barbell)

Shoulders

Seated military press with bar Seated dumbbell shoulder presses dumbbell side lateral raises Bent-over dumbbell raises Front dumbbell raises

Legs

Squats Leg press Leg curls Leg extension Stiff-leg deadlifts Lunges Calf-raises/presses

Biceps

Alternate dumbbell curls Straight bar curls Cable curls Hammer curls (forearms and biceps) Ez curl bar curls

Triceps

Triceps extension (lying down) (Skullcrushers) Close-grip bench press Cable triceps pushdowns Dumbbell kickbacks

Abdominals

Lying crunches Leg raises Cable crunches Stability ball crunches Crunches on incline bench

Now plug each exercise into the appropriate spot on the next page to give you the whole week’s routine. As a beginner, you only need to do 2-3 exercises per muscle group, but do them well, with intensity.

Doing two exercises with intensity and focus is better than doing 3-4 with little or no intensity. Feel free to change the grouping of exercises every 2nd or 3rd week or you can stay with the same routine for the entire 4-6 months. It’s up to you.

Monday: muscle groups ______________ & _____________

1st muscle group___ 1st exercise____________ x 3 sets 2nd exercise____________x 3 sets 3rd exercise (if applicable)____________x 3 sets

2nd muscle group______ 1st exercise____________x 3 sets 2nd exercise____________x 3 sets 3rd exercise (if applicable)____________x 3 sets

*include 2 sets of 2 abdominal exercises

Wednesday: muscle groups ____________ & _____________

1st muscle group ________

1st exercise ________________x 3 sets 2nd exercise_______________x 3 sets 3rd exercise (if applicable)____________x 3 sets

2nd muscle group _________

1st exercise ______________ x 3 sets 2nd exercise _______________ x 3 sets 3rd exercise (if applicable)____________x 3 sets

Friday: muscle groups ________________ & _________________ 1st muscle group __________ 1st exercise ______________ x 3 sets 2nd exercise ______________ x 3 sets 3rd exercise (if applicable)____________x 3 sets

2nd muscle group __________ 1st exercise _______________ x 3 sets 2nd exercise _______________ x 3 sets 3rd exercise (if applicable)____________x 3 sets

Include 2 sets of 2 abdominal exercises You will be doing 3 weight training workouts per week.

You will be doing two muscle groups per workout (ex. Biceps & triceps). You will be doing two to three exercises per muscle group. (ex. Flat bench w/ bar, incline bench w/ dumbbells)

You will be doing 3 sets per exercise.

1st set-10 reps (warm-up) 2nd set-8 reps (weight acclimation) 3rd set-6 reps (heavy set)

On each set, try to progressively add a little more weight each time.

Keep records of your weight lifts so you can try to outdo (progress) each and every workout! You can do abdominals twice a week, spaced apart a few days.

This beginner’s workout routine to build muscle will soon have you blasting past others in the gym.

A body building workout should be a well-rounded program that provides an adequate amount of resistance to all areas of the body and all muscle groups. It should contain a variety of exercises including weight training and a cardiovascular rotation as well. If you are wondering about different types of body building workouts, there is no one magic formula for everyone.

When you are trying to devise a good body building workout, you need to consider the current state of your health. Your health can factor in your recoverability, susceptibility to injury, and your physical limitations. If you are beginning a body building workout to get fit, you will probably have to start slow and work your way up.

Another factor in a body building workout is to consider what your personal goals are in this endeavor. Do you want to increase body mass, lose weight, or just become stronger? Whatever goal you have will dictate what type of workout will work best to succeed.

You must have a basic knowledge of human anatomy and what muscles are located where on your body. When you know where your muscles are, you’ll be better equipped to work them to their maximum capacity. You can concentrate on the specific muscle groups and use the weights to tone and sculpt those muscles.

An effective body building workout will be four days long to begin with. A good idea is to workout on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday with your rest day on Wednesday and the weekend. Here is a good, basic body building workout that will focus on each part of the body, but not all at the same time:

* Day 1: Deltoids, Triceps

* Day 2: Back, Traps

* Day 3: OFF

* Day 4: Legs, Forearms

* Day 5: Chest, Biceps

* Day 6: OFF

* Day 7: OFF

Working out in this way will work each body group on one day only which will allow for maximum recovery time as well as maximum growth potential. You need recovery time due to the intensity of a strong body building workout to allow your muscles to heal in between workout sessions. This is very important in any body building program.

Keep a log of the exercises you are performing and note your progress regularly. By doing this, you’ll know where you stand as far as your strength potential, and you can make changes as needed to realize your personal goal.

Body building workouts vary from person to person, but they all contain basic components that can help all body builders grow their muscles and tone their bodies. When putting together your body building workout, keep your personal goals in mind and then go for it!

Looking for something to take with you on the road, or a snack to munch at your desk? Forget about those awful Powerbars and other various soy bars. Granola bars are OK, but they do not have much protein. High quality protein bars are available at the store, but for $5 a pop! We are looking for something cheap and easy, and here it is. Do-it-yourself, homemade protein bars.

Homemade Protein Bars: The Recipe

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups dried milk

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup lite syrup

2 scoops protein powder

2 large egg whites or 1 egg

1 1/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup raisins or dried fruit

Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper, or spray on some non-stick butter flavored Pam spray. In a large metal bowl, mix all the ingredients until the oats are well coated. Spread the mix onto the cookie sheet and press down to make 10 cutting lines so you can separate them into 10 protein bars later. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. While still warm, cut them apart and allow to cool before wrapping. The bars can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Optional Upgrades

Nutty Bars – use 1 cup chopped nuts instead of dried fruit or raisins.

Fruity Bars – experiment with various extracts other than vanilla to change up the flavor.

The Protein Bar Diet – make a whole bunch of these bars with various fruits and nuts, and various flavors of protein powder. Eat the bars for 3 out of 5 meals each day and make the other two meals small. Do this for a month and see if you don’t drop a couple pounds.

Who likes peanut butter?

Who likes brownies?

If you are anything like me or the rest of the bodybuilding / powerlifting / weightlifting world, you answered ‘ME ME ME!’ to both questions. If so, this recipe is for you. I could not post an easier recipe and prepping a meal can’t be quicker unless you are unwrapping a protein bar. That said, on with the recipe!

Peanut Butter Protein Brownies : The Recipe

1 scoop of protein powder; chocolate, vanilla, or peanut butter

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

milk or water

Mix all ingredients together in a small glass bowl; do not use plastic. If the resulting mixture is too thick add a couple drops of milk or water to loosen it up until it reaches your desired consistency. Since it is already in a glass bowl, microwave on high for 30-45 seconds. Mixture should come out to a cake/brownie like consistency.

Many friends of mine have doubted this recipe, thinking the peanut butter protein brownies would be mediocre at best. Instead what they find is a protein party in their mouths. Give this one a try for a quick high protein, high ‘healthy-fats’ snack.

Today’s Lesson About Plastics

The reason I make a big deal about the use of a glass bowl, is because you do not want to be cooking anything in microwave safe plastic containers. Plastic containers contain trace amounts of phytoestrogens, which seep into food when it is stored or cooked inside such containers. A lifetime of these estrogens can have a negative impact on testosterone levels and they tend to promote cancer in laboratory animals. It might not kill you, but your best bet in today’s toxic society is to avoid anything that could possibly be related to cancer. Every little bit helps.