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For many users of anabolic steroids, the ideal age to begin using is in the late twenties, when testosterone production begins to fall. At this point, the body’s natural ability to build muscle begins to decline, and a synthetic source of hormones may be required if one wishes to continue building muscle size and strength at the same rate.

However, there are a group of steroid users in America who start entirely too early. They begin using steroids as early at 14 years old. Some choose to use for sports purposes. They may have an older brother or friend with access to, or experience in, anabolic steroids, and they may wish to be more competitive in high school sports. With the advent of college sports (and many athletes being drafted for professional sports directly out of high school), more and more high school athletes are considering the use of steroids to perform better at sports. Also, there is a group that uses steroids simply for vanity purposes. They wish to be muscular, but don’t devote the required time in the gym or follow simple nutrition requirements. They take the shortcut, but end up short-circuiting their body’s hormone production levels for life so they can reach a bodyweight of 180. It’s a sad phenomenon, and all too common, especially given the ability for many of these children to obtain steroids using the Internet.

For youths who choose to take steroids, the side effects can be many. During puberty, steroid use can cause a great deal of damage. The bones are not done growing – but they stop growing shortly after their first steroid cycle. Additionally, their testosterone levels are already ridiculously high. To add synthetic hormones to the mix causes such normal teenage side effects such as acne to suddenly become unmanageable. Additionally, there are a bevy of side effects including damage to sexual reproduction organs, hair loss, and liver damage. Before age 20, the body is still growing. To introduce steroids into that growth causes many ill side effects. Many side effects – and the extent to which they occur – may still be unknown, as teenage steroid users are very unlikely to self-report on their illegal abuses.

For bodybuilders and powerlifters in their mid-20s, the risks of steroid use are well known. If you choose to use at this age to spurn growth that you are no longer experiencing, that is your choice. You are an adult and free to make your own decisions as to what risks to endure in order to see continued growth. For teenage lifters, there should be no debate whatsoever. Steroid use at that age can have terrible side effects, and can cause a lifetime of heartache for a level of muscle already attainable at that age (thanks to elevated testosterone levels) with correct training and diet.

Are you looking for a cardio workout that you can enjoy? Finding a workout that will keep you entertained is just a matter of knowing yourself. What do you like to do? Dance, swim or kick boxing? If you want a challenging workout that will get your heart pumping here are a few activities to get you started in the right direction:

Swimming: Swimming is just about the best all-around exercise that you can do. Swim about 45 minutes, three times a week and you will see your body becoming toned and fit – and after only a few weeks. Swimming at a fast pace will work your muscles twice as much as running. As with any new exercise, start slow and for shorter periods of time. Then, work your way up to swimming faster and for longer periods.

You might also try water aerobics. Do the same exercises that you do in the gym: leg lifts, squats, lunges. When these exercises are done under water, the water provides a resistance so that your muscles are required to work harder than if you were doing them out of the water. Exercising in water is also better for your joints, especially if you are older. People with arthritis or other joint disorders seem to tolerate water exercises better than gym exercises.

Belly Dancing: Belly dancing is especially good for the waistline, hips and thighs. Once you get going, the cardio benefits are enormous. Belly dancing has become so popular in the United States that most gyms have at least one class.

Yoga: Ashtanga yoga is a form of yoga that takes the most effort. It uses the regular yoga poses but it is also good for aerobic workouts. You should use a certified yoga instructor since he or she is trained to show you the correct poses that will boost your heart rate and burn calories. You can also buy videos online that will show you the poses and how to do them.

Walking. Not just walking, but “power” walking. Power walking requires more effort than plain walking. You swing your arms while walking very quickly. You can power walk outside around your neighborhood or go to the gym and walk on a treadmill. If you are just starting and you are out of shape, start with a plain walking routine until your body adjusts to the exercise. Then, start swinging your arms while walking slowly. When that feels comfortable, go on to a fast walk and match your arm swings to your walking stride.

If you power walk at the gym, have a trained instructor give you the best workout for your strength and stamina. When you are power walking at a fast pace easily on a flat treadmill, start increasing the incline level. That will really give you a workout!

Doing an exercise activity that you enjoy will encourage you to keep with it. And that is what you need to get yourself fit and to lose weight.

If you’re an athlete who is into weight training, then you’ve probably encountered a myriad of bodybuilding supplements being marketed on TV and over the Internet. Because of the many options, choosing the right bodybuilding supplement can be quite overwhelming. Here’s an overview of the different kinds of bodybuilding supplements to help you make the right decision.

Bodybuilding supplements are substances you can add to your diet that can help you lose fat while you build muscle at the same time. Some bodybuilding supplements are also used to improve your performance in your chosen sport. Other supplements can also help you recover faster from sports events, allowing you to train better.

There are several kinds of bodybuilding supplements that are available nowadays. These include protein, creatine, thermogenic products and testosterone boosters. These are available in several forms, including powders, shakes, bars and tablets.

Protein is actually a natural component of the foods we eat. It is necessary in order to build muscle and allows the growth and repair of damaged tissues in the body. Bodybuilding supplements typically contain a powdered type of protein. Whey protein is the most common kind of protein used in these supplements. Whey contains all of the essential amino acids needed by the body. Casein protein, which is found in milk, is another kind of protein in bodybuilding supplements. Casein has very high levels of the amino acid glutamine, which can help in recovery. Similar to whey, soy protein also contains all of the essential amino acids, and is a good alternative for vegetarians. Aside from this, soy also has other health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk for certain diseases, such as cancer. Other proteins used in bodybuilding supplements include egg white and hemp seed.

Creatine is a substance that also naturally occurs in the body, and is used to provide energy to your muscles. Creatine can enhance your energy and strength and increase your muscle mass. At the same time, it can also minimize your recovery time and diminish mental fatigue.

Thermogenic products are supplements that can increase thermogenesis in your body and boost your metabolic rate. This will subsequently result in burning of more fat. These products typically contain caffeine, ephedrine and the newer bitter orange.

Prohormones are prescription medications that have also been used in the past by bodybuilders. These substances are actually precursors to testosterone. Some bodybuilding supplements using plants and chemicals also claim to increase the levels of testosterone. However, it should be noted that changing the levels of hormones can have serious effects on the body, such as acne and hair loss.

It is important to distinguish bodybuilding supplements from anabolic steroids. Unlike steroids, bodybuilding supplements do not aim to increase the levels of testosterone in the body beyond the normal range.

Bodybuilding supplements should not used to replace a good training program. Rather, these supplements should only be used to enhance your training plan. Make sure you maximize your exercise program and eat a healthy, balanced diet while taking bodybuilding supplements, and you’re bound to get the lean body you’ve always wanted in no time!

Interested in losing weight? You’re not alone. There are many people interested in weight loss Ontario. Whether it’s a few pounds or 50 pounds, losing weight can be difficult. For any healthy weight loss, working out is important. It helps to burn calories, which leads to fat loss. However, one thing that people don’t think about is overtraining. Yes, you can actually work out too much. Overtraining can come with a variety of significant problems. So, here is a look at overtraining, the symptoms, dangers, how much you should train, and the importance of rest so you can avoid this problem.

Symptoms of Overtraining

When it comes to overtraining, there are a variety of different symptoms that can come along with this problem. Here are a few of the symptoms that you need to watch out for that can clue you in that you are overtraining.

- constant hunger

- craving sweet things

- overeating on a regular basis

- problems sleeping

- injuries when working out

- constant thirst

- decrease in strength

- joint and muscle pain

- lack of motivation

- constantly feeling fatigued

These are just a few of the symptoms to watch out for. If you are feeling a combination of these symptoms, over training may be your problem. These are signs that you need to cut back.

Dangers of Overtraining

There are definitely some dangers that can come with overtraining. Not only can they cause you to experience uncomfortable symptoms, but you may end up dealing with Overtraining Syndrome, which is a condition that leads to higher levels of cortisol in the body. This actually can break down the muscles and lead to gaining fat – something you don’t want to do when you are trying to lose weight. You’ll definitely find that not only is overtraining dangerous to your health, but it can bring about the opposite effects that you are striving for.

How Much Should You Train?

So, you may be wondering, how much should you train to avoid overtraining? Well, usually it is best to train about 3-5 times a week. You should not be training more than 5 times a week, since this will lead to too much strain on your body. Workouts should never last more than an hour either. After about 50 minutes you can over tax the joints and muscles and your routine will not be effective anymore.

Adding Rest to Your Weight Loss Routine

While working out is important for losing weight, plenty of rest is actually important as well. Not getting the rest that you need can lead to weight gain instead of weight loss. Instead of over training, you need to make sure that you are getting rest. If you are training hard for weight loss, take a day off in between your workouts. Make sure that you are getting plenty of sleep at night. This allows your body can rejuvenate and repair itself, for the best weight loss results.

Overtraining can be a serious problem. If you are interested in weight loss Ontario, this is a huge pitfall that you need to avoid. Make sure that you are sensible in your workouts when you are trying to lose weight. Overdoing it will only cause negative results and you won’t lose the weight that you want to. So, don’t think that working out more can make you lose more weight. In the end overtraining will only end up hurting your health and will dampen your results.

by Hamilton of bodybuilding4everyone.com

*A lot of people wants to “get ripped” or just “tone up” and they don’t want to get “REALLY BIG” or some would like to put on more “MUSCLE MASS”; but how do you expect to reach any of this goals if you don’t have a foundation to build up from. For starters in able to “get ripped” or “tone up” you will need to build MUSCLE!!! You can’t have the “ripped” or “toned” look if you don’t have any muscles to show when you burn off excess fat; at the most you’ll just look skinny or flat with some shape. Also don’t worry about getting “Really Big” if you’re afraid of that because realistically if you can’t even build the right amount of muscle to look “ripped’ or “toned” how do you expect to get “Really Big”. And the same rules apply if you’re goal is to put on “Muscle Mass” except you’ll have to eat alot more and don’t expect to look “Ripped” while putting on “Muscle Mass” because you will put on some extra body fat with all the food you’re ingesting.

 

* Another issue on working out is the misconception on the types of workout or exercise to do. Actually its quite simple you lift WEIGHTS and you’ll grow muscles. Notice the word “WEIGHTS” which is commonly used for WEIGHT-LIFTING, somehow the meaning of “WEIGHTS” in WEIGHT LIFTING evolved and became more on Cable Pulling (with the exception of Lat Pull-Downs and Seated Cable Rows ) and a variety of “Weightlifting” movements along with an EXERCISE BALL!!!??? What the …. is that!!?? Lifting weights can be dangerous if your just getting accustomed to it, but lifting weights and balancing on top of an exercise ball??!!! Now how in the hell can you lift maximum weight to stimulate muscle growth and balance your self on top of a freaking ball – you can’t!!! Furthermore you need to know what your primary goal when your working out – Is it your balance? Or is it to build muscle & burn fat? Ok, I guess that takes care of my rant about exercise balls.

Now lets review cables – cable workouts are great, but it seems that a lot of people do more cable exercises than lifting weights. It may work well, but don’t you think your bicep will respond more if you are to do Barbell Curls instead? Let’s face it – Its obvious that alot of people rather do cable exercises because its alot easier than working with actual barbells & dumbbells plus majority of Muscle & Fitness Magazines endorse cable exercises more than Barbells & Dumbbells. I guess its easier to stick with the cables than weights, but are you happy with your gains? Don’t you think you’ll get more results from lifting heavy dumbbells & barbells? How do you think the best athletes, bodybuilders, and actors built their physique? Not primarily from using Cable Exercises and Exercise Balls…

 

*Exercise Selection – Why is it that 80-90% of gym members are always working on their arms? And they even come up with their own versions of arm workouts!!! Don’t get me wrong – these people have awesome arms, but what happens to the rest of their body part? Or did they forget that they also have to work on their Chest, Back, Lower Back, Abs, Thighs, Calves, Hamstrings, Shoulders…etc? I know its easy to get carried away and just work on your arms or just upper body, but don’t forget that you’ll look much symmetrical or balanced if you work on all your muscles from upper body to lower body. Plus you’ll developed over all strength and also burn more body fat because you have more muscles on your body. Now that I got that out of my system, lets get started on selecting the right exercise to put on muscle and lose fat.

 

* Compound Movements: Compound movements are exercises that involves several muscles working together to lift the weight. These exercises are the best ones to concentrate on because it will build your muscles evenly. Also saves you more time in the gym since you’re only doing one exercise to work a group of muscles.

 

The following exercises are great primary workouts you’ll ever need whetter you’re trying to lose weight, tone-up, or build muscle:

 

Dead-Lifts – This exercise mainly works the lower back, but also puts alot of stress on your Traps, Delts, Arms, Forearms, Abs, Upper Back, Thighs, Hamstrings, and calves.

 

Barbell Squats – This is the best exercise to build your Quads(thighs), Gluttes(Buttocks) and to a certain extent Hams (Hamstrings); this workout also works your abs and upper body since you have to balance barbell behind your neck across your shoulder.

 

Incline/Flat Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press – Incline will work upper chest area and Flat obviously hits the lower area of your chest. I don’t see the point of doing Decline Bench since Flat Bench already takes care of that. This is the best work out to build your chest and also works your Triceps, Shoulders, Forearms, and back (supporting muscle).

 

Dips(weighted or bodyweight) – great exercise for lower chest area and also works triceps, and upper back (supporting muscle)

 

Barbell/Dumbbell Shoulder Press (aka Military Press) – This exercise works all three heads of shoulder muscle from the front, side, and back – but with more emphasis on front & side area of shoulders. T this exercise also works your triceps, forearms, and upper back (supporting muscle)

 

Upright Rows – Also works all three heads of shoulder with emphasis on traps, side & rear delts.

 

Barbell Rows – Great workout to build upper back area; this exercise works your lats, rear-delts, traps, forearms, biceps, and lower back.

 

Seated/Standing Calf Raises – Point your toes straight and these workout will work your calves really good!!!

 

Barbell Curls – Great workout to put on muscle on your bicep; also works your forearms, grip, and shoulders

 

Reverse Grip Barbell Curls – Great workout to separate outside head of bicep muscle. Also puts alot of stress on forearms, grip, and shoulders.

 

Close Grip Flat Bench press – This is a chest workout, but when you move your arms closer in the middel it shift’s gear and puts more stress on all three heads of tricep.

 

* Isolation Movements: Isolation movements are exercises that works no more than 2 muscle groups.

 

The following are great isolation movements to compliment compound workouts:

 

Dumble Laters – great workout to define shoulders or to work on lagging muscle.

 

Cable Exercises – Yes Cable, their mostly isolation because that’s what their built for – to isolate certain muscle groups such as tricep, biceps…etc

 

* How Many Sets?

 

Big body parts such as Chest, Back, Thighs should be around 12-15 sets – ONCE A WEEK. Once a week?!! YES – Once A Week; remember that muscles grow outside the gym not inside the gym. That means your muscle need to recuperate and in able for it to recuperate it will need to rest…

 

Smaller body pars such as Arms, Delts, Calves should be around 8-10 sets or less and should be incorporated after working on a bigger bodypart. For instance Day 1- Squats, Day 2- Chest & Arms, Day 3 – Deadlifts & calves, Day 4 – Back & Shoulders…etc

 

NOTE: Be aware of your weak body parts such as calves & abs so you may want to work this in as a third workout with the rest untill its up to par with the rest of your bodyparts. i.e. Day 1 – Squats, Calves, & Abs, Day 30Deadlifts, Calves, & Abs, Day 4 – Back, Shoulders, Calves..etc

 

* How many reps?

 

Reps can be a touchy subject, but in general to put on muscle mass lift between 6-8 Reps and 10-15 reps for toning. Now this is not written on stone and we’re all individual and our body reacts to different stimuli, so I highly suggest to cycle your rep schemes and experiment untill you find the right rep range your body type.

 

* Rest in between sets?

 

If you’re lifting heavy between 6-8 reps, rest between 3-5 minutes

 

if you’re trying lose weight and lifting less weights and more reps, rest between 60-90 Sec.

Again this is not written on stone so feel free to experiment…

www.bodybuilding4everyone.com

Harrison Fords Indiana Jones workout is about as tough of a movie star workout as it gets. For Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford is performing an intense workout and nutrition regime since the movie requires him to be in top physical shape since he needs to sprint, jump, role, crawl and just about anything else that someone combing through long lost ruins would need to do. His girlfriend recently took a moment to talk about the nutrition that is fueling his tough workout.

He is on a strict high protein diet. He is eating lots of fish and vegetables said girlfriend Calista Flockhart.

I think it is pretty simple. I mean we can look at him and tell he is not using drugs, which is often the reason that most people give for celebs getting in great shape. Plus we over complicate fat loss, it is alot easier than we think.

Now I am not working with Harrison but I imagine his workout looks something like this.

3 to 4 days of full body workouts with multi joint movements

3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps per set

Short rest, around 30 to 45 seconds between sets

Aerobic training 3 to 4 days per week for 30 to 45 minutes

What is so interesting about his workout is that it is not your typical bodybuilding one set then rest workout. Harrison Ford knows that he can not be filming a scene then all of a sudden have to rest because he is out of shape. That is not what you would want to see out of a global trotting, treasure finding archaeologist.

Instead, he is training with multiple exercises that increase his ability to burn fat. Aside from the advantage of working out while he is still trying to recover from the previous exercise he is also helping his body burn fat for 24-48 hours after he is done working out. This is known as EPOC or Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption, which basically means that your body is trying to replace the oxygen that you lost during your workout so it is burning fat to do so.

Not so bad. He also has to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time. I have been on movie sets and know that the days are long and tiring, even for the lead actors. So I highly doubt that he wants to go to the gym around 9 or 10 at night when they are done shooting and do a hour or so workout followed by long and boring cardio. Instead he gets all of the benefits of a cardio session during his workout.

I do not think he is taking a lot of supplements either. He is probably not even taking protein powder but just getting his nutrients from whole food.

Here is what I would have him do to build muscle and lose fat for the new Indiana Jones workout.

Everything would be timed rounds. So he would have to complete four exercises then rest for 60 seconds then he would go back to the first exercise again. After three sets of each he would then move to second round of exercises. We would do 3 sets of 3 different rounds, everything 12 reps.

1st round

Pull-ups

Push-ups

Bodyweight Squats

Bodyweight Lunges

2nd round

Dips

Close Grip Push-ups

Flat Dumbbell Chest Press

Box Jumps

3rd round

Jump Push-ups

Dumbbell Step-ups

Hi Cable Chops

Front Medicine Ball Squats

How To prevent Running wounds

Once you’ve been running for a bit, you’ll eventually have to deal with the discomfort and inconvenience of an injury. Commonest running wounds are due to overuse, overtraining, wrong shoes, or a biomechanical failing in body structure and motion. The good news is that many running wounds can be stopped. Follow these steps to keep yourself on the road.

here is how :

Avoid the’terrible too’s’. Many running injuries are a result of overtraining : too much intensity, too many miles, too soon. It’s necessary to go easy when adding mileage or intensity to your coaching. You can still push your limits, but you could have to take a steady and patient approach. By building up slowly, you are able to save yourself agony and frustration, and still reach your goals. Let common sense and a smart training schedule figure out how much you must be running.

Find the right surface. Once you have the right shoes, you wish to confirm you’re using them on the best surface. Ideally, you would like the ground to take in shock, instead of passing it along to your legs. Avoid concrete as much as possible : It’s about ten times as hard as asphalt, and is a terrible surface for running. Try to find grass or mud trails to run on, especially for your higher mileage runs. Consistency is important, too, because a sudden change to a new running surface can cause injuries. You may also need to avoid tight turns, so look for slow curves and straight paths.

Be sure that your shoes aren’t worn out and that you have the right model for your feet and running style. The wrong shoe can essentially aggravate existing issues, causing agony in your feet, legs, knees or hips. Wearing shoes that have lost their cushioning may also lead to injury. Go to a specialty running shop where you can be properly fitted for shoes, and replace them every 350-500 miles. If you have got a biomechanical problem with your feet, you may also investigate getting fitted for heel lifts or orthotics.

Keep your balance. Injuries often pop up when you’re paying too much attention to your running muscles and forgetting about the others. For example, knee injuries infrequently happen because running strengthens the back of your legs more than the front of your legs. Your comparatively puny quads aren’t strong enough to keep your kneecap moving in its proper groove, which causes discomfort. However [*COMMA] after you fortify your quads, the discomfort will often depart.

Ensure you are ready to return. To prevent re-injury, ease back into training with water running, cycling, or using an elliptical trainer. Overtraining is the no 1 cause of wounds, so try to remember that progress needs time.

Stay loose. A regular stretching program can go a great distance toward injury prevention. Be diligent about stretching after your runs — your body will make you pay if you get lazy about it.

More medically fitness and jogging shoes advice at New Balance Outlet or visit ArticlesBase

A big and often unsightly problem for many men and women are flabby arms. That’s right, guys; men can get flabby arms too! And if you don’t believe me, just check out any episode of the “Biggest Loser” tv show and you’ll see what I’m talking about. In fact, soft, spongy-looking arms have become quite common on men in today’s fast-food and “no-time-for-exercise” culture. And if you think only the obese have saggy biceps and triceps, think again. Anybody’s arms can have the weak, droopy or “skinny fat” appearance that comes from poor diet and lack of muscle tone.

Whether you’re a man or woman, if you’re tired of hiding your “flabby” or feeling too embarrassed to wear a sleeveless shirt, consider this: wouldn’t you love to lose the flab from your arms so you never had to feel this way again? And if you’re not overweight but still have arms that look like they’re made of marshmallows, wouldn’t it be great to have tightly chiseled biceps and triceps instead? If you said “yes” to either of these questions, keep reading because I’ve got a simple but effective workout plan for you to burn flab and build muscle in your upper arms.

To build shape and “muscle tone” into your biceps and triceps, you need a few basic arm building exercises. To get started, the following exercises provide a good foundation for shaping these muscles and transforming them from a source of embarrassment to a point of pride.

1. EZ Bar Preacher Curls

The EZ bar preacher curl is one of my all time favorite biceps exercises. The preacher bench is a terrific training tool as it forces the biceps to work in relative isolation from the back and shoulders. The EZ curl bar offers both narrow-grip and wide-grip hand positions. When you use the narrow grip, your hands are in a semi-neutral position and put primary resistance on the long head or outer portion of your biceps. If you have no experience with preacher curls, you should probably begin with the narrow-grip position.

As you become more experienced with this exercise, and for balanced biceps development, you should also use the wide grip hand position which increases development of the short head or inner section of your biceps.

2. Standing EZ Bar Curls

As an alternative to the EZ bar preacher curl, standing EZ bar curls with back support are a great biceps builder. When performed while standing with your back leaning slightly against a wall, standing EZ bar curls force your biceps to lift the weight without the wasteful torso swing that will cheat your biceps of the benefits of this exercise. As mentioned previously, the EZ curl bar has narrow and wide hand-grip positions. If you have no experience with EZ bar curls, you should probably begin with the narrow-grip position. With increased experience in this exercise you should use the wide-grip position to supinate your hands and increase the workload on the inner portion of your biceps.

3. Concentration Curls

As the name suggests, this exercise places concentrated resistance on the biceps when performed properly. Besides building your biceps, this exercise also stresses and develops the brachialis. The brachialis is a true forearm flexor. It originates on the lower anterior surface of the humerus, ends on the anterior surface of the coronoid process of the ulna (the large bone on the inside of the forearm) and is visible on the outside of the upper arm between the biceps and the lateral head of the triceps. Development of the brachialis and biceps is crucial for balanced strength and appearance in your upper arms.

4. EZ Bar Triceps Extensions

This exercise, also known as “Skull crushers” is a terrific mass-builder for your triceps. For maximum growth, EZ bar triceps extensions require that you keep your upper arms in a position perpendicular (90 degrees) to the exercise bench throughout each repetition. If this position causes you any elbow strain or discomfort, you can lower the angle by moving your arms slightly forward to reduce the stress on your elbows. Don’t worry – making this minor adjustment won’t impede your ability to get the benefits of this exercise.

You should also place your hands in the narrow-grip position on the EZ bar which, when combined with proper arm position, ensures that each triceps head receives maximum resistance throughout the exercise motion. Lower and extend the weight in a smooth, continuous motion without jerking or swinging the bar with your back or shoulders. When done correctly, you can’t beat EZ bar triceps extensions for building rock-solid triceps.

5. Triceps Pushups

While standard pushups involve the triceps, chest and shoulders in the “pushing” motion, triceps pushups are designed to minimize chest and shoulder involvement so as to maximize training resistance on the triceps. Your training technique is extremely important with proper hand positioning essential to ensuring that these pushups firm up your triceps. For proper performance, take a standard pushup position with your hands and arms extended and shoulder-width apart. Then slide your hands closer together until your thumbs nearly touch each other. This is the starting position.

With your hands in this position, slowly lower your arms underneath you and then push yourself back up to the starting position as you would with regular pushups. Make sure that you keep your back straight and your head up for maximum resistance on your triceps. For added resistance or pyramid cycles, have a training buddy gently place a 5-10 pound barbell plate on your back to force your triceps to work harder if you want to build more muscle mass.

6. Seated Triceps Dips

Seated triceps dips are another terrific triceps builder, yet I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen anyone doing them in the gym. To do this exercise, sit on a workout bench with your legs together and extended on the floor in front of you. Your arms should be fully extended and shoulder-width apart behind you. Slide your body slightly forward to suspend yourself so that your arms are bearing your bodyweight between the bench and the floor. With your arms extended and your hands nearly touching behind you, slowly lower yourself as though to sit on the floor and then push yourself back up by extending your arms and returning to the starting position. This exercise, when performed properly, will add tremendous power, shape and definition to your triceps – guaranteed!

Now that you know which exercises you need, here’s how to use them. To burn fat and build muscularity in your upper arms, high repetition training (12-15 reps) will help you burn the calories necessary to get the fat off of your biceps and triceps. The primary source of energy for your weight training workouts is stored carbohydrates or glycogen. Once your glycogen stores have been depleted, your body will begin to metabolize fat as its primary energy source. High repetition training will deplete your glycogen stores so that your body can then start burning fat to power you through the cardiovascular component of your workouts.

Keep in mind that you cannot “spot reduce” and make only the fat from your arms disappear with high rep training. But this approach will help you reduce your overall body fat content with resulting improvement in the shape and tone of your upper arms.

As I just mentioned, cardiovascular training is also crucial to burning fat and building muscle in your biceps and triceps. For your cardio work I suggest high intensity interval training, also known as “HIIT” in bodybuilding circles, to get rid of your excess body fat. This training consists of relatively short bursts of cardiovascular activity that: (a) prevent your body from adjusting to a static and routine level of aerobic exertion; and (b) metabolize stored fat at a higher rate through dynamic and varied levels of cardio training. Unlike conventional aerobics which usually involves a single activity (e.g., cycling, walking or distance running) in a given workout session, high intensity interval training consists of multiple cardio exercises during a single 20-30 minute workout. For example, you might combine stationary cycling, treadmill walking and running, and rope jumping in 5-minute intervals of a single 20-minute cardio session.

Finally, you must combine your arm training with a healthy diet that avoids sugary and fatty foods. For many people, this is the hardest part of any workout plan. But if you combine healthy eating with the arm training tips I’ve given you, you’ll be well on your way to getting the chiseled arms that you deserve!

I wanted to share a little about female bodybuilding nutrition. This is fundamentally the most important place to focus your energy. If you’re not eating the proper foods at the proper times than you’re not going to put on muscle. Bodybuilding is hard enough for women; therefore we need to focus more on our diets. I’ve provided 3 nutritional tips for that can be very valuable tips for any female bodybuilder.

1. Eating Often

Most people don’t eat often enough to get as lean and trim as they would like. Let’s think of your metabolism as a burning fire. Ok, what is your metabolism? The term: resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories your body burns at rest to carry out typical body functions like breathing and pumping blood. RMR makes up most of your metabolism – the total number of calories you burn in a day. Back to your fire, or metabolism; women that feed their bodies with 300 calories every three hours will be naturally boosting their metabolism and may improve their memory and cognitive skills later in the day.

On the other hand, skipping meals can leave you feeling drained, unable to concentrate and want to forfeit your evening workout. Long stretches between eating signal the body to slow the metabolism and store fat – it’s the survival mechanism left over from our heritage as hunter-gatherers. When we skip meals earlier in the day we may want to overeat at night. When night time falls you’ll be more likely to choose foods that are high in fat, sugar and calories; leading to feelings of guilt.

Snacks

Best to eat around five times a day–that’s three meals and two snacks. Always plan ahead if you have a busy schedule. Store some snacks that you know are healthy in your workbag. Some suggestions include:

Almonds

Apples

Dried fruit

Energy bars

Protein bars

Meal replacement or protein shake (with your shaker cup)

Canned vegetable juice

Small boxes of ready-to-eat breakfast cereal

These are all good choices that are high in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Get yourself a cooler and enjoy cottage cheese or yogurt as your mini meal.

2. Go Green

Folate, another gem in the B vitamin family, is waiting for you in green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale and certain dark-green lettuces. Most women don’t get enough of this vitamin, and the deficiency is linked to severe neural-tube defects in newborns. This connection is so strong that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now recommend that women take in 400 micrograms of folate daily, which is more than twice the current RDA.

Recently there has been talk by the FDA of fortifying grains with folate (as is already done with the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin and niacin). Adding folate to breads and pastas would boost your folate intake by an estimated 30 to 70 percent. As we wait for this to take place, try to eat good sources of folate daily. Sources of folate include: leafy greens, citrus fruits. A 6-ounce glass of orange juice contains 120 micrograms of folate. Folate can be lost from foods during preparation, cooking, or storage.

To Retain Folate:

Serve fruits and vegetables raw whenever possible.

Steam, boil, or simmer vegetables in a minimal amount of water.

Store vegetables in the refrigerator.

3. Add Soybeans To Your Routine

People who eat regular servings of soybean products (such as tofu and miso) are at a lower risk of heart disease. One of every two women will die of cardiovascular disease. And although we women are, on average, a decade older than men when the disease first strikes, it kills as many women as it does men (ten times more women die of heart disease than die of breast cancer each year). Native to East Asia, soybeans have been a major source of protein for people in Asia for more than 5,000 years. Soybeans are high in protein (more than any other legume) and fiber, low in carbohydrates and are nutrient-dense. Soybeans contain substances called phytoestrogens, which can significantly lower your “bad” LDL cholesterol and raise your “good” HDL cholesterol.

Add soybeans to soups and casseroles as you would other dried beans. Tofu works well in salads, pasta dishes, sandwiches and even shakes. And though soybeans are somewhat higher in fat than other beans, that fat is primarily the cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types.

Everybody wants to get bigger and leaner at the same time. This can be a challenging task as usually one must sacrifice either definition or gains in muscle.

To gain muscle a person has to consume more protein, carbs, fats, nutrients, and vitamins than they need to get bigger. Less overall calories if they wish to get leaner.

This of course is the main reason bodybuilders tend to “Bulk Up” in the off season. This means the individual will eat loads of calories in the hopes of gaining more muscle mass. The extra muscle gain is achievable but the individual also will experience a significant gain in of fat in the process, often times more than the muscle gains.

After the “Bulking Up” period the individual will usually want to “rip up” for summer or for a contest. Then they usually have to subject themselves to a rigorous training and restrictive diet for 3-6 months to get there body fat levels where their muscles are clearly defined.

The continual up and down Yo-Yo in weight gain plays havoc with the physical body not too mention the psyche of the individual. This generally accepted practice in bodybuilding has also led to the widespread use of drugs used by many athletes to bulk up or to get ripped.

This abuse of drugs has led to the overall malfunction of the bodybuilding community both mentally, physically and psychologically. Certainly not the ideals for which bodybuilding has been founded upon which are good healthy food, rigorous training of the mind and body, and an overall expression of health and vitality.

Fortunately, there is a better way to gain muscle and to lose body fat at the same time. It’s called the “Cycle Diet” and it is fast becoming the most popular way to stay lean year round while continually gaining muscle. Let’s examine first how the cycle diet works and then how you can incorporate it into your training routine.

Every bodybuilder who maintains there body fat levels below 7 percent knows as soon as they start eating the first few days of high calories their body explodes with new growth before any body fat gains occur.

The reason for this is the body is in a super-compensation state and initially stores the extra calories as glycogen in organs such as the liver as well as intramuscularly. Fats are also stored intramuscularly as well as protein is utilized for the growth and repair of muscles.

This super compensatory state only lasts for maybe 24 hours before the body starts to shuttle the extra calories into fat cells. But before that occurs there is a window of explosive growth available waiting to be tapped into and here is how you can do it.

The entire process was initially developed and coined the Cycle Diet by legendary trainer Scott Abel.

This protocol allows you to build muscle while losing body fat as well as keeping your body free of toxic buildup. Here is how it works.

First, you need to get your body fat levels below 7 percent for the maximum benefit of the protocol. The cool thing is once you get down to this level you can maintain this body fat level year round.

Second you need to get training a minimum of 5 days per week. In other words you need to be an intermediate or advanced trainee capable of handling significant volume and intensity in your training.

Third you need to keep your calorie intake about 500-1000 calories below expenditure daily.

Now for the first 3 days of your training you will keep your caloric intake in the calculated range on all training days. On your first rest day which usually will occur on the 4th day you will perform one of the juice fasts for the whole day.

Consume as much juice as you like on the fast day and be sure to take some fiber to help remove accumulated mucoid plaque in the digestive tract. There are many herbs that can aid in the process as well.

Keep in mind that only natural juices, preferably organic are used on the juice fast day free of sugars, additives, preservatives, sweeteners or anything else.

On the 5th and 6th days of the week you will resume your training and diet schedule, with the concurrent calorie deficit. On the 7th day which should be an off day from training as well, “EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT”.

That’s right all the things that you would like load up on them. It’s a good idea to schedule social occasions or interactions on that day, so you can eat Grandma’s apple pie, or have some pizza and ice cream with the guys during the big game. However you want to schedule the day be sure to consume as many calories as you can.

Keep in mind that you start in the morning of your rest day and you stop in the evening. So you keep the time frame down to about 18 hours to ensure no fat will be gained.

It is a good idea to start with fats in the morning first so that you don’t experience to much digestive discomfort. It’s also a good idea to double or triple your enzyme intake for the high calorie day as well as on the juice fast day for maximum absorption of nutrients.

Because of the short time frame of high calorie consumption as well as the caloric deficient state, combined with the rigorous training schedule it’s pretty much impossible for your body to add body fat. The cascade of anabolic hormones during the brief high calorie intake will be used to fill up energy stores and build more muscle. This is the ideal condition for growth of muscle tissues to occur.

You will need to fine tune the process over time but it’s pretty simple once you get the routine down. Best of all you don’t have to restrict calories for long periods of time. Once every week you get a break and the juice fast day helps clear out any plaque built up form the high calorie day.

Most athletes find the cycle diet much easier and more a more fun way to stay in shape all year. Not only that you can building mass while staying lean year round.