An awesome workout on the weekend can shows you how to get the most out of your weekend workouts when you don’t have time to train during the week. Working out two days a week can make losing fat and getting/staying in shape more challenging but you can still get great results if you follow these smart workout strategies to help you maximize your time in the gym during you weekend workouts.



Upper Body/Lower Body Split

Working back, chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders eight day & quads, hamstrings, calves, abs the next day. The advantage is that you can easily incorporate supersets, combination sets, & tri-sets into your workout. The disadvantage is that the full upper body workout can get lengthy.



Split Workouts

It may seem that doing one full body workouts will benefit you the most but you can actually push yourself harder & work your muscles more effectively if you work different body parts each day. The following are splits that you can try & the advantages & disadvantages with each eight.



Non-complimentary Muscles Split

Working back, triceps, shoulders, calves eight day, & chest, biceps, quads, hamstrings, the next day. The advantage is being able to work all muscles, upper body ones, equally hard. there’s no real disadvantage to this split except that it can be confusing for beginners.



Push & Pull Split

Working chest, triceps, shoulders, quads, calves eight day & back, biceps, hamstrings, & abs the next day. The advantage is that you pre-fatigue the smaller upper body muscles when you’re working out the larger upper body muscles so you can do less exercises for the smaller muscles. The disadvantage is that you may get a less effective leg workout when you split up quads & hamstrings.



Cardio Solutions

If you are in lovely shape and/or blessed with a great metabolism you can probably get by with 30 minutes of cardio after each of your weight training sessions. For those who gain weight easily & for those trying to lose weight 40-50 minutes eight time a week is better. You should do your cardio after your workout or you can split it up by doing 20 min. before & 20-30 min. after. The advantage to splitting it up is that you get a lovely warm-up before lifting weights, you prevent injuries, & you avoid boredom. Another advantage to this is that you can combine lower intensity cardio in the beginning with a higher intensity cardio session in the end & increase calorie burning.

Five times you pick a split that appeals to you, plan to include at least one exercises per body part & do at least 4 sets of 10-12 reps each with a moderate weight. If your goal is to build muscle then try 3 exercises per body part & decrease to 3 sets of 6-8 reps each with a heavy weight. Always start by training your larger muscles first. It’s also important to vary your workouts. Train heavy eight month then go lighter the next. This will help you avoid plateaus & injuries.



Don’t Forget To Stretch

Three last but important component of your fitness program that you shouldn’t overlook is stretching. The best time to do it is between sets when you’re working out. This will prevent injuries & keep you from getting sore. You can also do it after your last cardio session when your muscles are most pliable. Be sure to stretch every muscle & hold each stretch for at least 10 seconds without bouncing or straining. eight last option is to supplement your weekend workouts with a yoga or pilates videotape. These usually run about 20 min. & can help relieve stress & strengthen your core making your workouts more productive.

 

Diet Foods 101 – Eating the right foods and eating sufficient of them is the key to weight gain. Foods such as fast food, chocolates and other junk food like chips won”??t do you any good. Any weight gain from such foods would do your health additional harm than good. Cultivate a habit of eating more than your daily power and calorie needs. First, find out what is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) which equate your daily calorie need/count to maintain your weight at its current level. Next, create planning your weekly dietary plans to increase your weekly intake by 3500 calories to achieve a weight gain of one to two pounds inside a week. This translates to an additional 500 calories in your daily calorie intake.

Eat more protein-based food stuff such as beef and chicken. Drink more milk for it is a rich basis of protein. Balance your meals with vegetables and nuts as well. Eat 5 or 6 small meals quite than 3 big meals to equilibrium the calorie intake.

You need to tone up the additional weight you are adding to your bodies so that you don”??t end up obese. Depending on your much loved for physical activities, the 2 kinds of activities suggested here would be constructive in complementing with your weight gain diet.

Engage in moderate behavior such as brisk walking, jogging or playing a sport for at least 30 minutes for 3-4 times per week. Try to inject some fun into your corporeal activity so that you would feel encouraged and aggravated to cultivate this as a habit and finally as part of your lifestyle. Work out in the gym on some confrontation training for at least three times per week. But before you do so, speak to a capable physical training instructor who can advise on what work out routine is suitable for you. If not, go to the library to read up on what are the work-out routine that are ideal for a person of your build and weight.

Knowing these easy tips on how to gain weight rapidly should give you better in sequence than most people in the basic building blocks of gaining weight healthily. For more details on the subject of the ideal natural weight gain diet foods and more tips on how to gain weight and muscle mass at the same time, visit my blog for further reading.

The post-workout period is without a doubt the most critical time to take advantage of proper muscle-building nutrition. We’ll define the post workout period as the 3 hours that immediately follow an intense workout. It is during this time when the body is most primed for nutrient absorption and the muscles will literally act like a sponge, soaking up everything you present them with. By feeding your body with the proper nutrients from both whole foods and supplements during this all-too important time frame you will greatly increase your muscle gains and improve your recovery time.

Let’s take a quick look at what needs to be accomplished after an intense workout:

1) Muscle breakdown must be minimized and the body must be put back into an anabolic, muscle-building state.

2) Blood sugar and glycogen levels must be restored.

3) Free radicals must be neutralized.

4) The muscles must be fed with proper nutrients to facilitate recovery and growth.

This can be accomplished by consuming 2 special “post-workout meals”.

The first meal should be consumed entirely in liquid form. Your body is in a high state of stress, literally starving for nutrients, and you need to replenish this imbalance in the fastest way possible. A liquid meal will be digested quicker than any other and will allow your body to start rebuilding itself immediately.

This post-workout shake should ideally contain the following:

1) 30-40 grams of whey protein. 2) 70-80 grams of simple sugar. (Dextrose is a great sugar to use) 3) 5 grams of creatine. 4) 5 grams of glutamine.

All of these ingredients should be mixed in water and consumed within half an hour of completing your workout. I would also suggest taking a high-potency multivitamin along with the shake. This simple liquid meal will go a long way in accelerating the muscle growth process and helping you to recover.

About 45 minutes to an hour after your post-workout shake, you should consume your second post-workout meal, which should come from whole foods. This meal should be rich in protein and high glycemic carbohydrates. High glycemic carbohydrates are those that are broken down rapidly into the bloodstream. Some examples include, potatoes, white rice or rice cakes. Here are a couple of examples of what your second post-workout meal might look like:

1) 6oz steak, 1 potato, 1 glass of orange juice 2) 1 can of tuna, 100g rice cakes, 1 glass of grapefruit juice

This meal will continue to provide your starving muscles with the nutrients they require in order to synthesize new muscle tissue and restore glycogen levels. After this second meal there is still about 2 hours or so to take advantage of as best you can. Your goal in this 3-hour window is to consume as much high quality protein and high glycemic carbohydrates as you can. You should be consuming a large portion of your daily calories during this time period.

Most lifters highly underestimate the value of the post-workout period and hinder their gains as a result. One of the biggest mistakes you could possibly make would be to ignore the value of this 3-hour period and to slack off on your protein and carb intake.

Treat the post-workout period with respect and prepare for a noticeable boost in your muscle size and strength gains!

Bodybuilding exercises can be undertaken for fun, pleasure and the experience of feeling good. The opportunities range from the day to day participant to the out and out connoisseur of the sport, taking it very seriously indeed.

It’s not an incredibly athletic experience, that will leave you terribly out of breath, nor should bodybuilding exercises be confused with the kinds of activities that used to go on at fairgrounds, where shows of ‘the strongest man’ showed off their gleaming, muscle-rippling bodies. Yet bodybuilding has much going for it.

It’s a fun, exercise sport that anyone can do, from young to old and boy to girl. In fact there are bodybuilding exercises that will suit almost anyone.

So, Who Are Typical Bodybuilders

Whilst some would say that bodybuilding is a complex sport and should not be started without some good instruction, that should not put anyone off. Some take their bodybuilding exercises very seriously indeed and good luck to them – it’s a great sport when that’s what they want.

Whilst it’s the sort of exercise regime that benefits slow and consistent action, that sort of routine suits many people who can devote an hour or two every other evening maybe. Office workers; mums on a break; kids at college and even seniors can all find something that works just right for them.

Whoever you are, you can put the amount of time and effort in that you feel like – bearing in mind that the better the frequency, the more likely you are to see the results you want.

If you want front cover style physique, then sure, you’re going to need to put more work in and there are a lot less intense programs than that, but still just as good for you.

Understanding How Strength Fits Into Bodybuilding Exercise

There has long been a debate about whether ’strength training’ is the same as ‘bodybuilding’. It’s an argument that has been going for some time and seems to be more and more muddled.

Whilst one definition would be that strength training is a way to generally increase health and fitness levels, the way bodybuilding is described might sound similar, but different! Bodybuilding exercises have been defined as gradually improving bodily health and physique.

If there is a way to split the hairs on those two definitions, feel free to have a go – it’s been bothering aficionados of the sports for years!

Truth is, whatever sport you are in will increase the strength of something, bodybuilding being a sport just like any other. You get stronger whatever you do to exercise, bodybuilding exercises or otherwise.

Whatever you want from bodybuilding exercises, if you are prepared to work at it consistently, and without putting too much strain on your body, especially at the start, you will look good and without doubt, feel great in yourself.

There are many ways that a fitness regimen can be formed and it may be formed according to your fitness goals. For example, a bodybuilder will have different routines than a sport athlete competing in swimming, basketball, football etc.

Here are a few different weekly exercise routines that will help you according to you fitness goals.

For the beginner or someone that wants to stay in good shape but does not want to workout more than 3 times a week. (overall good health and fitness) Day 1- chest, shoulders, and triceps.  3×15 abs work Day 2- back, biceps, traps, obliques. 3×15 abs work Day 3- Legs, including hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. 3×15 abs work The best way to perform this plan would be to have day 1 on Monday, day 2 on Wednesday, and Day 3 on Friday. This way you have a rest period between workouts and you also do not have to workout consecutive days. For the advanced lifter or someone that wants speed, endurance and definition, this plan will work great. (athlete and definition) Day 1- chest, shoulders, and triceps.  3×15 abs work Day 2- back, biceps, traps, obliques. Day 3- legs, including hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. 3×15 abs work Day 4-repeat day 1-no abs work though Day 5-repeat day 2-3×15 abs work Day 6-repeat day 3- no abs work though Day 7-rest This weekly exercise routine will get you in shape very quickly but takes hard work and dedication. You will burn fat and replace it with muscle fast!!! I have done this before for 8 weeks and it really works. Keep in mind that it does require 6 workout days a week which is tough. The third weekly exercise routine is also for an advanced lifter that is trying to gain mass, size, and strength. This will only require 4 days a week and each muscle will be trained one time. (size and strength) Day 1(Monday)-chest, abs Day 2(Tuesday)- back, biceps, traps, obliques Day 3(Wednesday)-legs-abs Day 4(Thursday)- rest, or if you prefer, 30 min cardio Day 5(Friday)- shoulders and triceps Day 6 & 7 (Sat and Sun)- Rest, with a little cardio if desired The key to this style is to perform very explosive repetitions using heavy weigh and low reps. Example, 3×8,6,and 4 (pyramid)

There are many different ways to set up your weekly workout routine, I personally have tried all of these and they work very well for what I was trying to accomplish. These are all set up with primary and secondary muscles working together and also having time to rest before using them again. For example, chest is a primary muscle and triceps is a secondary muscle used in chest exercises. This is why I allow 2 days in-between to rest before exercising the triceps again.

Choose one of these routines depending on your level and stick with it for at lease 8 weeks.

ght (c) 2009 Steve Hochman

As an Orange County Instructor, I know that “bodybuilding” is an individual effort that requires each person their own dedication, discipline, and determination to train by themselves at any time and ways needed. Each person is responsible for their own actions, such as the choice of what foods to eat or not, what supplements to take and what degree of consistency a person will dedicate to training.

I have been doing training and coaching for many years and in the process have created guidelines that are suitable for anyone no matter what stage of training they are in. Although each of us differs in physiological system, there is some commonality that will assist anyone in attaining his or her physique goals. These are my hypertrophy tips.

Tip # 1: Compound movements – include military, leg, or bench presses, squats, dead lifts, dips, upright rows, stiff dead lifts, and many more physical movements as the bases for your physique exercises. Isolation and machine training can also help if done with these movements.

Tip # 2: Intense but brief training – Intense weight training is the right way to build muscle but it should be done briefly so that the muscle will not be over trained. The training should be completed within an hour or less than an hour to give muscle enough time to recover.

Tip # 3: Train and rest – When you do the training for two consecutive days, take the whole third day to rest so the muscle will have the best results you wanted. You can also try every other day workout muscle training. The muscle grows at the gym but it grows more when you rest.

Tip # 4: Protein for the muscle – Muscles need protein in building and repairing muscle tissues. It is essential to eat foods rich in protein. Weight gain may be blocked when daily protein intake is not enough. 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight is usually enough for trainees but for professional body builders, they consume daily 1.5 to 2 grams per pound of body weight for faster gains.

The protein intake should be proportioned to 5 to 7 daily meals so the body will have available amino acids throughout the day’s workout. Among the sources of protein are fish, chicken, turkey, red meat, cottage cheese, eggs, buffalo, venison, ostrich, milk, and whey.

Tip # 5: Post work out nutrition – After a hard and intense workout, the body, especially the muscle, would crave for protein and carbohydrates. To help the muscle grow stronger and larger, grab this perfect time to give what it wants. For protein rich, post work out nutrition, prepare a shake that contains 30 to 50 grams of protein and 60 to 100 grams of carbohydrates.

The primary option for protein source for the post work out is the whey; it is not only high in protein, it is also the kind of protein that is easy to absorb. The carbohydrates should also be easy to absorb so that it could penetrate the insulin level of the body.

Insulin is the key factor in bringing carbohydrates and amino acid to the cells of the muscles. For fast-acting carbohydrates with high insulin level, the best source is the dextrose or the maltodextrin powder. You can mix it with whey for a good tasting shake and best work out nutrition. The body would still ask for more proteins, so after an hour or two prepare a meal with protein and carbohydrates. This post workout nutrition will help the muscle to gain more.

Tip # 6: Right supplements – To make progress in your workout, supplements may help you in one way or another. You have to know first which supplements are right for your muscle. There are 3 supplements that can be useful and must be included in the list of trainees. The first one is the protein powder. Whey is the best source of protein; it is not only good as post workout nutrition but also as supplements for the muscle building. Casein, whey, and egg albumin when blended together can be a best source of protein. Take it before bedtime or at any time in between regular meals.

The second supplement is creatine. Its benefits and efficiency has been scientifically proven. Use of it can increase strength, nitrogen retention, cell development, and lactic acid buffering.

The third supplement is the glutamine. More glutamine can enhance immunity and resistance, add storage of glycogen, produce more glutathione for antioxidants of the body, improves gut health, cell development, and release of natural growth hormone.

Muscle groups in the body are comprised of two types of fibers: Slow-twitch and Fast-twitch. Understanding the difference between the two, as well as the training methodologies which lead to successful training of each area, will lead to the recruitment of the highest possible number of fibers, and should be very important to bodybuilders!

Slow-twitch

The first kind is Type I fibers, or slow-twitch muscle fibers. These fibers have very strong aerobic ability for oxidation, they contract very slowly, and they are very useful in endurance activities. These muscle fibers are “hit”, or engorged with nitrogen-rich blood, during higher rep training, specifically in sets of 12 to 20 reps. This type of training is often neglected by bodybuilders.

Fast-twitch

This group of muscle fibers is called Type II, and is considered to be of the fast-twitch variety. These fibers assist with short, heavy lift requiring short bursts of power. They are not effective in longer-term training, but are very useful in brief, high-intensity training like we see in bodybuilding or powerlifting. This is the training methodology that most trainers use in the gym.

If you currently train your body using only low- or high-rep schemes, it is very possible that you are neglecting a large number of muscle fibers in each muscle group. Powerlifters who always use rep schemes of 2 to 5 reps are completely ignoring slow-twitch fibers. Likewise, trainers who favor machines and higher rep schemes are neglecting their fast-twitch fibers, which are significantly more important in bodybuilding than slow-twitch fibers.

The lesson here is simple. You must vary your rep ranges in order to recruit the largest possible number of muscle fibers of both types when training. Any bodybuilder or powerlifter who doesn’t vary rep ranges is significantly limiting his or her bodybuilding success by leaving millions of muscle fibers untrained during each workout. As stated, bodybuilding training typically involved more fast-twitch fibers. However, as you move closer and closer to your finite potential for muscle building, it suddenly becomes clear that training a large group of untrained fibers might just be a great idea!

Substance: oxandrolone

Trade Names:

Anavar (o.c.) 2.5 mg tab.; Searle U.S.

Anatrophill (o.c.) 2.5 mg tab.; Searle FR

Lipidex 2.5 mg tab.; Searle Brazil

Lonavar (o.c.) 2.5 mg tab.; Searle Argentina

Lonavar 2 mg tab.; Dainippon Japan

Oxandrolone SPA 2.5 mg tab.; SPA I

Vasorome 0.5 mg tab.; Kowa Japan

Oxandrolone 5 mg tab; Ttokkyo Labs

Vasorome 2 mg tab.; Kowa Japan

Searle Company introduced the substance oxandrolone to the U.S. market in 1964 under the name Anavar and it enjoyed great popu-larity for over two decades until, on July 1, 1989, the produc-tion of Anavar was phased out. Today Anavar is manufactured under its various generic names in only a few countries (see above). The compound with the generic name Oxandrolone SPA by S.p.A. Milano Company (Societ‡ Prodotti Antibiotica) from Italy is the only original anabolic steroid available in Europe which contains the substance oxandrolone. There are 30 tablets in one box with two push-through strips of 15 tablets each.

Oxandrolone is a weak steroid with only a slight androgenic component. It has been shown that Oxandrolone, when taken in reasonable dosages, rarely has any side effects. This is appreciated since Oxandrolone was developed mostly for women and children. Oxandrolone is one of the few steroids which does not cause an early stunting of growth in children since it does not prematurely close the epiphysial growth plates. For this reason Oxandrolone is mostly used in children to stimulate growth and in women to prevent osteoporosis.

Oxandrolone causes very light virilization symptoms, if at all. This characteristic makes Oxandrolone a favored remedy for female athletes since, at a daily dose of 10-15 mg, masculinizing symptoms are observed only rarely.

Bodybuilders and powerlifters, in particular, like Oxandrolone for three reasons. First, Oxandrolone causes a strong strength gain by stimulating the phosphocreatine synthesis in the muscle cell without depositing liquid (water) in the joints and the muscles. Powerlifters and weightlifters who do not want to end up in a higher weight class take advantage of this since it allows them to get stronger without gaining body weight at the same time. The combination of Oxandrolone and 20 – 30 mg Holotestin daily has proven to be very effective since the muscles also look harder. Similarly good results can be achieved by a simultaneous intake of Oxandrolone and 120-140 mcg Clenbuterol per day. Although Oxandrolone itself does not cause a noticeable muscle growth it can clearly improve the muscle-developing effect of many ste-roids.

Deca-Durabolin, Dianabol, and the various testosterone compounds, in particular, combine well with Oxandrolone to achieve a “mass buildup” because the strength gain caused by the intake of these highly tissue-developing and liquidretaining substances results in an additional muscle mass. A stack of 200 mg Deca-Durabolin/week, 500 mg Testosterone enanthate (e.g. Testoviron Depot 250)/week, and 25 mg Oxandrolone/day leads to a good gain in strength and mass in most athletes. Deca-Durabolin has a distinct anabolic effect and stimulates the synthesis of protein; Oxandrolone improves the strength by a higher phosphocreatine synthesis; and Testosterone enanthate increases the aggressiveness for the workout and accelerates regeneration.

The second reason why Oxandrolone is so popular is that this compound does not aromatize in any dosage. As already men-tioned, a certain part of the testosterone present in the body is converted into estrogen. This aromatization process, depending on the predisposition, can vary distinctly from one athlete to another. Oxandrolone is one of the few steroids which cannot aromatize to estrogen. This characteristic has various advantages for the athlete. With Oxandrolone the muscle system does not get the typical watery appearance as with many steroids, thus making it very interesting during the preparation for a competition. In this phase it is especially important to keep the estrogen level as low as possible since estrogen programs the body to store water even if the diet is calorie-reduced. In combination with a diet, Oxandrolone helps to make the muscles har~ and ripped. Although Oxandrolone itself does not break downfat, it plays an indirect role in this process because the substancr-often suppresses the athlete’s appetite.

Oxandrolone can also cause some bloating which in several athletes results in nausea and vomiting when the tablets are taken with meals. The package insert of the Italian Oxandrolone notes its effect on the activity of the gas-trointestinal tract. Some athletes thus report continued diarrhea. Although these symptoms are not very pleasant they still help the athlete break down fat and become harder. Those who work out for a competition or are interested in gaining quality muscles should combine Oxandrolone with steroids such as Winstrol, Parabolan, Masteron, Primobolan, and Testosterone propionate. A stack of 50 mg Winstrol every two days, 50 mg Testosterone propionate every two days, and 25 mg Oxandrolone every day has proven effective.

Another advantage of Oxandrolone’s non-aromatization is that athletes who suffer from high blood pressure or develop gynecomastia of the thymus glands when taking stronger androgenic steroids will not have these side effects with this compound. The. Oxandrolone/Deca-Durabolin stack is a wel-come alternative for this group of athletes or for athletes show-ing signs of poor health during mass buildup with testosterone, Dianabol, or Anadrol 50. Athletes over forty should predomi-nantly use Oxandrolone.

The third reason which speaks well for an intake of Oxandrolone is that even in a very high dosage this compound does not influence the body’s own testosterone production. To make this clear: Oxandrolone does not suppress the body’s own hormone production. The reason is that it does not have a negative feedback mechanism on the hypothalamohypophysial testicular axis, meaning that during the intake of Oxandrolone, unlike during the intake of most anabolic steroids, the testes signal the hypothalamus not to reduce or to stop the release of GnRH (gonadot-ropin releasing hormone) and LHRH Luteinizing hormon releas-ing hormone). This special feature of Oxandrolone can be explained by the fact that the substance is not converted into estrogen Oxandrolone (Anavar), when given to normal men in high doses does not reduce the seminal volume or count, nor can it be converted (aromatized) into estrogen.

Oxandrolone combines very well with Andriol, since Andriol does not aromatize in a dosage of up to 240 mg daily and has only slight influence on the hormone production. The daily intake of 280 mg Andriol and 25 mg Oxandrolone results in a good gain in strength and, in steroid novices, also in muscle mass without excessive water retention and without a significant influence on testosterone production. As for the dos-age of Oxandrolone, 8-12 tablets in men and 5-6 tablets in women seem to bring the best results.

The rule of thumb to take 0.125 mg/pound of body weight daily has proven successful in clinical tests. The tablets are normally taken two to three times daily after meals thus assuring an optimal absorption of the substance. Those who get the already discussed gastrointestinal pain when taking Oxandrolone are better off taking the tablets one to two hours after a meal or switching to another compound.

Since Oxandrolone is only slightly toxic and usually shows few side effects it is used by several athletes over a prolonged period of time. However Oxandrolone should not be taken for several consecutive months, since, as with almost all oral steroids it is 1 7-alpha alky-lated and thus liver toxic. Oxandrolone is an all-purpose remedy which, depending on the athlete’s goal, is very versatile. Women who react sensitively to the intake of anabolic steroids achieve good results when combining Oxandrolone/Primobolan Tabs and/or Clenbuterol, without suffering from the usual virilization symp-toms. Women, however, should not take more than 6 tablets daily. otherwise, androgenic-caused side effects such as acne, deep voice, clitorial hypertrophy or increased growth of body hair can occur.

Probably the largest disadvantages that come along with Oxandrolone are its high price and poor availability on the black market. Original Oxandrolone costs about $1 – 2 per tablet on the black market and is rarely available, if at all.

How and where to buy Anavar Steroid Online? ortpharmacy.com – is the fastest way to buy Anavar (Oxandrolone) and other anabolic steroids online. Steroid products profiles, steroids experience and many other useful information for bodybuilders.

Learn more about Anavar (Oxandrolone)

I’ve learned that when seeking bodybuilding advice, I always gain the most from someone who’s actually accomplished whatever it is that I’m trying to do. Any armchair “guru” can read a book and “talk the talk,” but experience counts and I always get the best advice from a teacher who’s “walked the walk.” When it comes to building massive arms naturally, I’ve done it – and that means that I’m sharing knowledge with you based on years of personal experience that produced my 20-inch GUNS.

How I Did It

When I first started training my arms, I used 4-week periodization mesocycles in which I changed my arm training workouts about once per month. At the end of each cycle, I would take about 7-10 days off from specifically training my arms with weights so that they could rest during a period which is commonly referred to as “active recovery.”

During this active recovery phase, I’d do bodyweight training like triceps pushups, chin ups and other calisthenics that kept my arms active but didn’t require them to work as hard as they do during weight training. After the active recovery period, I’d return to the weights with a completely different arm workout for another 4-week mesocycle followed by an active recovery period.

Here’s a short list of the foundational exercises I used in the early stages of my arm building efforts.

1. EZ Bar Preacher Curls

The preacher bench is a terrific training tool as it forces the biceps to work in relative isolation from the back and shoulders. Preacher curls require strict technique that forces your biceps to provide the leverage needed to lift the weight. The EZ Bar offers both narrow-grip and wide-grip hand positions. Using the narrow-grip position puts primary stress on the outer portion or long head of the biceps. Curling the EZ Bar with a wide grip emphasizes power needed from the inner portion or short head of the biceps. To build balanced muscularity in my biceps, I’ve been careful to use both the narrow and wide grip when doing this exercise.

2. Dumbbell Preacher Curls

Many competitive bodybuilders use this exercise exclusively as a “shaper” during pre-contest training. For me, the dumbbell preacher curl worked as a tremendous mass builder when used in a pyramid cycle. In fact, I used this exercise as a high intensity training movement to simultaneously add size and shape to my biceps. This exercise really helped me to make the mind-body connection so essential to arm-building success.

3. Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls

This exercise is one of the best biceps builders ever as long as you sit on a bench that has a back rest to prevent torso movement. Too many people do this exercise either standing or sitting on a bench without back support. In order to make sure that your biceps get the most work from this movement you must stabilize your torso so as to prevent any jerking motion. Also, remember to supinate your hands throughout each repetition to stimulate maximum growth for your biceps.

4. EZ Bar Triceps Extensions

This exercise, also known as “Skull crushers” is great for building thick, dense triceps. For maximum growth, I kept my upper arms in a position perpendicular (90 degrees) to the exercise bench throughout each repetition. This position can sometimes cause elbow strain or discomfort that I avoided by moving my arms slightly forward to lower the resistance angle and reduce stress on my elbows. Making this minor adjustment as needed didn’t impede the effectiveness of this exercise, and I still use it as a triceps builder.

5. 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. Maybe people ignore them because, like triceps pushups, they look too simple to do any good. Well, the proof, as they say, is in the pudding, and seated triceps dips certainly added power and density to my triceps. When I was a beginner, this exercise was very effective with my bodyweight alone. But as my training and strength progressed, I added weight by doing these dips with 1 or 2 barbell plates on my lap. The result? T-shirt bustin’ GUNS, baby!

6. Single-Arm Triceps Extensions

Though it’s possible to build mass with this exercise, the over-head arm position prevented me from using sufficient weight to generate the type of power and mass-building potential available from Skull crushers and seated dips. So I used this exercise primarily as a shaping movement. You should experiment with it in a manner that gives you the best results. Again, I don’t recommend using heavy weight with this movement because of the risk of shoulder injury. Consistent use of light-to-moderate weight provided great results for me from this triceps shaper.

For workout variety, I initially changed my workouts by simply doing different exercises for my arms in each successive mesocycle. Simply changing my workouts every 4 weeks with these exercises worked well for the first few months. But I soon learned that my mind and body adapted very quickly to any arm training workout and I needed more variety in order to see gains in my arm development.

I then shortened my training periods to 1-2 week microcycles and made other periodic changes to my arm workouts that included creating my own exercise movements and training system [e.g., my signature Piston Curls, Winston Hammer Curls and Machine Gun Curls]. I also developed hundreds of workouts specifically designed to continuously shock and stimulate my arms for constant growth. With this approach, I ultimately built the CANNONS that now burst from my shirtsleeves!

But can you do this? Well, if you’ve read my other articles on building big, muscular arms, you already know my answer to this question – of course you can! And don’t use “bad genetics” as an easy excuse to give up before you even get started. Experiment with different workouts, find a system that works for your body type, and just keep pumping those GUNS. Make sure that you use proper training technique and stay mentally focused on success. You must also commit yourself to constantly learning and looking for new workouts that challenge your arms to grow. If I could do it – you can too!

Jesus likened God’s kingdom to a farmer who plants seed in the ground and trusts that the seed will grow even though he doesn’t understand why or how the seed grows. Christ also likens God’s kingdom to a mustard seed, which is small, yet it grows into a large plant, big enough for birds to perch in.

So also, although Ron Paul is unimpressive by measurable standards, he represents ideas and philosophies that are greater than himself or any other man. By his concern for the greater good he is tapping into an unexpected power similar to that which Christ tried to illustrate on several occasions. The strength of God’s kingdom as well as that of Ron Paul’s presidential campaign must exist outside of any single man or mustard seed because it is greater than any single man or mustard seed.

Congressman Paul does not fall back on his personal knowledge or charisma, because he believes in the inherent value of liberty. Most politicians win elections by lifting themselves higher than the rest, while Ron Paul is trying to win by lifting liberty higher than the rest.

Ron Paul’s campaign, like God’s kingdom, is built on servant-leadership. He is tapping into the unexpected power of lifting others above himself. Typical leaders say, “Stay under me so you can lift me up.” Servant leadership says, “I will lift you up, so you can lift others up (and on and on, multiplying exponentially).” In this way, Congressman Paul’s success depends on other people being successful. This is related to his general policy for government which is “Let the government decrease so the people can increase,” which will have the effect of strengthening the government and the people simultaneously. A victory by Ron Paul will be the most genuine kind of victory, because he depends on common people to win the victory for him.

Such is the insecurity of worldly men that they muscle and connive their way into places of authority. Most presidential candidates, for example, don’t win the people over so much as they buy the people over. However, the best kind of leader will fill a leadership role because there is a need for someone to fill that role. David stepped out to face Goliath not because he was the most qualified but because there was a need for someone to step out. There was no guarantee that David would live through that confrontation, but that is exactly what proved his worthiness as a leader of the people. He cared more about sticking his neck out for the greater good than he cared about living. So also there is no guarantee that Ron Paul will win the presidency, but he has already proven his worthiness as a leader by sticking his neck out for the people.

If Ron Paul is David, then Goliath is decades of selfish agendas and dirty schemes, rolled up into the mechanical behemoth which is our present political system. Like the conflict between David and Goliath, Ron Paul’s battle is not against flesh and bone: he is battling to remember and restore a government for the people, by the people despite all the efforts of zealously crooked politicians to the contrary.

An average politician obtains his position as if this were an end in itself. For this reason average politicians cannot think clearly. Their minds are clouded by conflicting interests: Special interests (the rich minority who financed their extravagant campaign), their own selfish interest, and the people’s interests. The ideal leader would be single-minded, thinking only of the people’s best interests. This is not complicated but it is morally and psychologically difficult.

Why are men allowed to fill positions of authority in this democratic society of ours? To serve the people. Therefore, as soon as a politician’s motives become selfish, he has ceased to function in the most fundamental capacity for which he was elected.

So what kind of leader do you want? Do you want someone who is worthy of following, or do you want someone who demands to be followed?

Christ said, “you will know them by their fruits,” a principle which Ron Paul dares to apply to a variety of our government’s policies. The governing powers that be would like to convince people that they can do no wrong, but Congressman Paul challenges this. He points out that what we do and have done is bringing about all the repercussions we are trying to avoid. This is simple truth. There is no need to hide any longer. Reconciliation is better than denial. Policy-makers cringe at this but, again, Ron Paul is more concerned with the greater good than saving face or looking the part. This is the unexpected, freeing power of acknowledging and dealing with the truth.

by Patrick Roberts. Find his book and additional resources at www.BooksByPatrick.com