The Top 5 Bicep Training Mistakes & How To Correct Them

Biceps are like burgers. Everyone loves them. Ask a child to make a muscle and he or she will strike a biceps shot. Bi’s are not only synonymous with posing, but also with exercise–and after your first year in the gym, you’ve probably read, heard or absorbed so much about curling that you’re tempted to skip ahead. Don’t. This article is for you, because it’s likely you’re making at least some of the following errors. This month, we’ll examine the most frequent biceps training blunders and lay out a plan for correcting each so that your curling course earns you an A in gun gains. Class is in session.

Mistake #1 – Cheating too early

Explanation

Biceps curls are probably the easiest exercises to cheat. Whenever your arms are not resting on a bench (as during a preacher or machine curl), all it takes is a little swing to shift some tension from your arms to your front delts and make a hard rep easier. Cheating is a valuable tool for pushing sets beyond strict, full-rep failure, but if you do so before then, it’s unlikely you will ever thoroughly stress your bi’s. In an effort to hump up heavier weights than they could otherwise use, many bodybuilders start cheating on curls from rep number one and increase their swinging as the set wears on.

Solutions

• Do strict reps until you reach failure. If necessary, stand with your back against a wall during barbell or EZ-bar curls and/or press your elbows against your sides.
• To remove your legs and hips from the movement, do dumbbell curls while seated.
• To push sets beyond strict, full-rep failure, do two or three extra reps with a slight arm swing.

Mistake # 2 – Doing too much

Explanation

The popularity of biceps doesn’t make them any larger in relation to their peers. Compared with your lats and quadriceps, your bi’s are puny, so if you’re pumping out as many sets in your biceps workout as your back workout, you’re likely piling on the “little guys.” More than any other muscles, biceps are frequent victims of overtraining, which halts or even reverses their gains.

Solutions

• Beginners should do only six sets for biceps. After four months of training, you can gradually add sets.
• Advanced bodybuilders should typically do nine to 12 sets for biceps.
• At maximum, push only the final set of an exercise beyond failure via techniques like cheating, forced reps, negatives and drop sets.

Mistake #3 – Missing the target

Explanation

More pabulum has been published about arm training than any other bodypart. For example, not long ago it was preached as gospel that to accentuate your lower biceps, “thou shalt do preacher curls” and to accentuate your biceps peaks, “thou shalt do concentration curls.” Neither “tenet” is true, so it’s no wonder that so many bodybuilders fire off curls but miss their intended targets. In fact, you can’t put any greater emphasis on your lower biceps than the rest of the muscle, and merely focusing on peak contractions won’t raise your peaks.

Solutions

• Focus on the two heads of your biceps, which rest side by side.
• Perform biceps curls with a grip that keeps the pinkies even with or higher than the other fingers to better recruit the biceps brachii short head (inner side). You also use the short head more when you take a wide grip on the bar.
• Perform curls with the thumbs higher than the pinkies–as when taking an angled grip on an EZ-bar or when using a parallel grip for hammer curls–to better target the biceps brachii long head (outer side). You also engage the long head more when you take a narrow grip on a bar. Growing the long head can boost the slope of your biceps, thus accentuating the peak in poses such as the front double biceps.
• Don’t expect to go from flat to barbed if it’s not preordained in your DNA, because the shape of your biceps is largely genetic. You should focus instead on maximizing bi size.

Mistake # 4 – Not incorporating sufficient variety

Explanation

Although the biceps are simple, two-headed muscles targeted almost exclusively via curls, you still need to perform various types of curls to properly tax the manifold fibers. Too many bodybuilders get in a lazy pattern of doing, for example, all standing, bilateral, free-weight curls.

Solutions

• Do one EZ-bar or barbell curl exercise, one dumbbell curl exercise, and one machine or cable curl exercise each workout.
• Do one of the exercises standing, one seated and one with the working arm(s) restricted against your body or a bench.
• Do at least one unilateral exercise each biceps workout.
• On occasion, do a unique exercise–such as drag curls, underhand chin-ups and rope hammer curls–to hit your bi’s from different angles.

Mistake # 5 – Skimping on contractions

Explanation

The contraction is the crucial component of a curl, so it’s unfortunate that so many bodybuilders never truly flex their bi’s against resistance. Generally, this is because they use too much weight and perform their reps quickly and with excessive momentum.

Solutions

• Use a weight you can manage for eight to 12 strict, full reps.
• Curl slowly. Take approximately two seconds to raise the weight, hold the contraction for one second, then take approximately two seconds to lower the weight.
• During dumbbell curls, supinate your wrists so that your palms are facing your sides at the bottom of the movement and facing up at the contraction.
• Make every curl a “concentration curl” by flexing your biceps at each contraction.

Lessons Learned

• Perform strict, full reps. Cheat only to extend a set.
• Use low to moderate volume.
• Target your outer head to accentuate your bi peaks.
• Do dissimilar types of curls in the same workout.
• Control the weight and emphasize contractions.

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The Top 5 Best Triceps Exercises

Two common questions you will hear from male weightlifters are:

1. How can I get bigger arms?
2. How can I bench press more weight?

Normally I would scoff at such questions, except that the answer is a lesson that most young weightlifters need to learn.
Because your triceps comprise two-thirds of your arm, the answer to the first question is: train your triceps.
Because your triceps are often the weakest link in the chain of muscles that facilitates bench press, the answer to the second question is: train your triceps.
This brings me to the point of this whole post, which is how best to train your triceps.

Anatomy of the Triceps

The triceps brachii has three heads that connect the humerus and scapula to the forearm bone called the ulna.
These heads are known as the Lateral, Medial, and Long heads.
The lateral head is located on the outward facing side of the humerus.
This head is most responsible for the horseshoe shape of the triceps.
The medial head is located towards the midline of the body.
The long head runs along the bottom side of the humerus and is the largest of the three heads.
Again I will mention that your triceps make up about 70% of the total muscle mass of your upper arm.

Triceps Anatomy

Functions of the Triceps

The primary function of the triceps is to extend the elbow, which results in straightening the arm.
The secondary function of the triceps is fulfilled only by the long head of the muscle, which is to adduct the arm (or to bring the arm down towards the body). The triceps shares this function with the latissimus dorsi (back muscles).

Top 5 Best Triceps Exercises

A number of criteria went in to selecting the best triceps exercises. I focused on compound exercises over isolation. We also want to be able to go as heavy as possible in order to build the size and strength we are seeking. Work a couple of these exercises into your weekly training, and you will see a huge improvement in your triceps within 2 months.
Until I get my video camera set up, you can enjoy the following videos from YouTube.

1. Close grip bench pressClose grip bench is probably the best triceps exercise on the planet. This exercise allows you to go heavy and put maximum stress on the one muscle besides the pecs that can help increase your bench.You want to set up like a regular bench press, but position your hands no wider than shoulder width. On the descent, you want to keep your elbows in; do not let your elbows drift away from your body like you would with a regular bench press. At the bottom of the movement, you want the bar to come to the lower portion of your chest; at the top of the movement, the bar should be over your upper chest.
   Ideally, your forearms should be perpendicular to the floor at all times. Your hands and wrists should be directly over your elbows throughout the movement.
   
   
2. Dips (weighted)A classic triceps builder. Keep your body as upright as possible to put the stress on your triceps rather than your chest.Use a belt with a chain to add weight to your body if you can do more than 5 reps at bodyweight. Be careful to always respect the flexibility and stability of your shoulders. Be sure not to lower your body so far that your shoulders become compromised, and always use strict form and a bounce-free concentric movement.
   
   
3. Rack lockouts or board pressTrue powerlifting exercises, these two can be used interchangeably but only choose to use one of these exercises in any given workout. For the most part they train the same muscles.The goal here is to train the top portion of the bench press, where triceps rain supreme. I prefer rack lockouts because if I do use too much weight I can just rack the bar, and I don’t have to worry about carrying around a bunch of boards nailed together as if I didn’t already carry enough equipment around in my gym bag.

   Rack Lockouts

   Board Press

   However, most powerlifters that I have ever known prefer the board press to rack lockouts. I believe this is because the board press is identical to a regular bench press, except that the range of motion is much shorter (and there’s a big board on your chest). You can also vary the thickness of the boards from 1 inch to 10 inches or whatever you need for your workout.
   
   
4. Lying French press (aka skullcrushers, nosebreakers)This is as close as I’ll get to recommending a triceps extension type exercise. The reason I like this exercise so much is that you really can work up to a decent weight, and it works your triceps from a different angle than any of the pressing movements.I suggest using an EZ curl bar and positioning your hands shoulder width apart. Lower the bar under control down to your nose, your hairline, or behind your head. If you feel any pain in your triceps, opt to lower the bar behind your head. In the following video we split the difference… this guy lower the bar to his hairline. I typically prefer behind the head.
   
   
5. Close grip (diamond) push ups (with a clap)What? How did this get in here? No seriously, if you can bang out a set of 10 diamond push ups that’s great, but can you clap after each rep. This is an exercise that will really condition your triceps to contract with maximum force.You want to position your hands underneath your chest with index fingers and thumb tips touching. The space between should form a diamond. As soon as you can do 10 of these without the clap, add the clap. In order to clap properly you will need to push yourself up high enough to execute the clap and return your hands to their proper diamond position for the next rep. If this is too hard you can work up to it by placing plates or books beside your hands, and ‘jump’ up onto them. This is initially a shorter range of motion than a clap.
   In the following video this guy is just doing regular diamond push ups without a clap. We do these in thai kickboxing class.
   
   

If you use a 3-day full body training split, you can probably choose 3 of these exercises, using 1 each day. If you have an ‘arm day’ (which is a totally bogus topic for another day), you can probably choose 2 of these exercise for your triceps routine.

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Sylvester Stallone gym workout video

Sylvester Stallone workout plan

Even at 60 , Stallone has maintained a fit muscular body . For his new movies expendables and rocky 4, Stallone had to be in good shape. Sylvester Stallone daily workout routine is pretty hardcore. He once dieted down to 155lbs by eating less than 200 calories per day. Then he rapidly added 20lbs of pure muscle mass. He’s one of the hardest workers in Hollywood and it shows.

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Kim Kardashian workout video

Kim Kardashian’s workout

Kim Kardashian workouts 4-5 times a week ,she start off with running on the treadmill for about 20 minutes then  weight training for about another 30 minutes. She mainly focus on lower  her body  to keep her thighs and butt in shape and toned. She alternate switch between arms and legs workout then continue with the abs and stomach exercise and then stretch.According to Kim, her favorite exercises are squats and lunges – ideal for the lower part of the body .

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John Cena workout video

John Cena Workout PLAN
John Cena’s workout plan is divided into three parts upper body, lower body, and cardio workout. It’s a 6 day routine with one day  rest. He generally performs 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.
Day 1: Upper body
Day 2: Lower body
Day 3: Cardio
Day 4: Upper body
Day 5: Lower body
Day 6: Cardio
Day 7: Rest
Upper Body workout
Chest
Bench Press:400lbs
Closed Grip Bench Press: 350lbs+
Incline Dumbbell Press:  140lbs
Triceps
Seated One-Arm Dumbell Overhead Extension
BenchDips
Biceps

Barbell Curl

concentration curls
Dumbbell Curls
Back
Pull ups
Close-Grip Chin Ups
Bent Over Row
Lower Body Exercise
Squats:  over 500lbs
Deadlifts:  600lbs.
Power Snatch: try to snatch your bodyweight.
Power Clean: great for building explosive power
Glute/Ham Raise: great exercise if your gym has such an apparatus
John Cena Diet
Cena diet is the most important part of staying in great shape. His  dialy diet  is as follows:
Breakfast: 8 eggs, 8 whites, two yellows and 100g of oatmeal with applesauce or raisins
Midmorning snack: protein bar
Lunch: 2 chicken breasts, 100g brown rice and veggies
Mid-afternoon snack: tuna on whole wheat pita bread
Pre-Post Workout: whey protein shake and a Banana
Dinner: grilled fish or chicken, brown rice or pasta, vegetables, and salad.
Evening Snack: casein protein shake or low fat cottage cheese

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50 cents workout video

50 Cent Workout

50 Cent workout centers around high intensity training.  His workout includes recovery, nutrition, and supplementation.  He does a short but intense 40 minute workout to simulate his onstage performance.  He changes his workout often to surprise his muscles as well as accommodate his schedule.  His training generally involves 5-6 days of exercising with some days including multiple workouts.

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The Rock(Dwanyne Johnson) Workout video

Dwayne Johnson’s Workout Routine

He does 30 minutes of cardio after every weight training workout.However, to transform himself into a Hollywood star, Johnson had to change his workout schedule . He hired a new personal trainer who had him work his muscles multiple times per week. He even reduced cardio. This helped him reduce his body fat.
Dwayne Johnson diet plan
Meal one: 10  egg whites, 1 cup oatmeal, 3 rice cakes, 24oz water
Meal two: 6oz grilled chicken breast, 1 cup grits, 6oz yams, 1 cup of steamed asparagus, 24oz water
Third meal: 6oz tuna, 1 cup brown rice, 1 sliced cucumber, 24oz water
Fourth meal: 6oz perch fillet, 1 cup barley, 6oz baked potato, 1 cup steamed green beans, 24oz water
Fifth meal: 6oz pork tenderloin, 1 cup brown rice, 6oz sweet potato, 1 cup peas, 24oz water
Sixth meal: 10  egg whites,  1 cup oatmeal, 24oz water

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Vin Diesel workout video

Vin Diesel Workout plan
Vin Diesel has a perfect body. It’s difficult to tell the exact Vin Diesel workout routine, he usually uses strength and mass building program. His weight training workout includes bench press, shoulder press, lat pulldowns, curls, and other heavy exercises. He also do bodyweight exercises such as pullups, pushups, and dips andcardio workout would like running, biking, or swimming.Vin Diesel even pratice yoga and aerobics to increase flexibility and body strength.

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Kobe Bryant Workout Video

American ace basketballer and LA lakers star Kobe Braynt focuses a lot on weight training, building his strength level as the season progresses. In the off-season,he focuses on getting stronger as well more agile. His workout mainly includes clean-pulls, deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, back squats.

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Britney Spears workout video

Check out how did Britney Spears lose  the baby weight and get back in shape for.She’s been doing a lot of cardio and weights exercise and working out 5 days a week with weekends off.
Britney Spears talks about her Diet plan
“I have no sugar. I don’t eat fruit of even fruit juice because of the sugar. I eat chicken and salmon and rice. I eat avocados. I’ll have egg whites for breakfast and sometimes turkey burgers for launch. I try to do just 1,200 caloires a day…. It may sound like it’s not much, but it’s actually a lot of food if you eat the right things.”

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Randy Orton Workout Video

Randay Orton is one of WWE’s popular and hottest superstars. A muscular 6’4″, 245lbs, Randy maintains his flexibilty while still having muscular body. Randy was the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history. Randy Orton workout focuses on building muscle mass.

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How Much Protein Should I Eat in a Day?

Hardcore bodybuilders, powerlifters, and other weightlifters eat a ton of protein in a day. OK, they don’t eat a “ton”, but they do eat more than the average person.
Just now much protein do they eat?
How much protein do you eat?
How much protein is appropriate?
Can we eat too much protein?
If so, what are the side effects?
The ultimate question is: how much protein should I eat in a day?
As with how much fat to eat in a day and how many carbs to eat in a day, it all depends on a couple factors:

• age
• body size
• diet
• activity level
• lifestyle

The recommended amount of protein for a healthy adult is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. Since a kilogram is roughly equal to 2.2 pounds, that translates into .36 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
An exception to this rule is the recommended levels for pregnant women, which say that pregnant women should eat 10 grams more each day than the recommended amount. Lactating women require an additional 15 grams of protein during the first six months of nursing, and an additional 12 grams after that.
I firmly believe that this recommendation is grossly inadequate. In fact I wouldn’t recommend any less than .8 grams of protein per pound (rather than per kilogram) of body weight, for people looking to maintain a healthy body composition, and I wouldn’t recommend any less than 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight for people looking to gain muscle.
Males who participate in regular vigorous exercise typically will eat from 1 to 1.5 gram of protein per pound of body weight. This can be both positive and negative for the body. The additional protein will assist in muscle recovery and fat loss, but the effects of digesting the protein will place additional stress on the body.

Why Should I Limit My Protein Intake?

While protein is as vital to cellular metabolism as oxygen, there certainly lies a threshold for healthy and unhealthy consumption levels especially for those in poorer health. Processing protein requires a lot from kidneys and liver which is why those with problems with either of those organs are often ordered by their physicians to eat a lower protein diet.
An indirect drawback from excessive animal protein consumption is its effect on the cardiovascular system. Since many meats contain a fair amount of saturated fat, this can lead to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, as well as obesity.
For example, only 25% of a T-bone steak’s calories come from protein while the rest comes from saturated fat. Even a leaner cut of beef like a flank steak is still roughly 50% fat. The same holds true for eggs. Only 31% of eggs’ calories come from protein. Fish and chicken are certainly better sources of protein.
Remember when eating a diet higher in protein to drink plenty of water in order to replenish the considerable amount lost during protein metabolism. Try and stay on the safe side by avoiding extreme high-protein diets full of saturated fats like the ketogenic diets (Atkins) and you will be in much better physical standing.

To Gain Muscle:

I recommend 1 gram of protein per lb of lean body mass for males and females who exercise at least 3 times per week and are trying to gain muscle mass.
A 200 lb man with 10% bodyfat would aim to consume about 180 grams of protein in a day. That’s 6 meals with an average of 30 grams of protein per meal, and THAT, my friends, is quite doable.

et Some!

If you have trouble consuming that much protein with food alone, I highly suggest you pick up some Optimum Nutrition Protein Powders, a source of inexpensive, high quality protein. One extra protein shake a day could make all the difference in the world.

To Lose Fat:

I recommend .8 grams of protein per lb of lean body mass for males and females who exercise at least 3 times per week and are trying to lose body fat.
A 150 lb woman with 25% bodyfat would aim to consume about 90 grams of protein in a day. That’s 3 meals with 20 grams of protein per meal and 3 snacks with 10 grams of protein, and THAT, my friends, is also very doable.
More importantly, keeping your unhealthy fat consumption and processed carbohydrate consumption low, will go a long way to preserve your health for the long haul.

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20 Foods you can Mix With your Protein Powder for better taste

Athletes always need more protein. If you aren’t sure how much you need, read about how much protein you should eat. Or maybe you would rather skip straight to protein shake recipes. If not, read on…

Optimum Nutrition

The problem with most protein powders is that they taste like cardboard. I found a company called Optimum Nutrition that puts out some great inexpensive protein powder. I haven’t really bought anything else in several years now. Optimum Nutrition protein powder tastes pretty good, but we can still realize a ton of benefits by learning to mix it with some of the other healthiest foods.

My Top 21 Favorite Foods to Mix with Protein Powder

1. Milk - Just use milk instead of water for more flavor, more thickness, and more calories. Try goat’s milk for an extra health kick.
2. Cream - Use instead of milk or water for way more flavor and calories.
3. Fruit - Blend it up and it’s called a fruit smoothie. Try strawberries and bananas. Add fruit to just about all of these other recipes. Fruit adds vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants so don’t hesitate to add it to anything.
4. Nuts - Mix or blend with walnuts, almonds, pecans, and sunflower seeds. Adds healthy fats and a nutty aftertaste to everything. You could probably use peanuts too, but honestly peanuts aren’t that great for you.
5. All Natural Peanut Butter – Use peanut butter to make Peanut Butter Protein Balls using this recipe. These are so good.
6. Oatmeal - Make strawberry or chocolate protein oatmeal for a high fiber breakfast. I have also added 1/4 cup of raw oatmeal to a plain chocolate protein shake.
7. Cereal - Cereal is generally not too good for you unless you’re eating something like Total or Special K, Grapenuts, or Kashi; and that’s exactly what I’m recommending here. Add a scoop or two of protein powder to your healthy cereal… it’s perfect because it already has milk!
8. Cottage Cheese – Just use 1/4 cup of protein powder at the most and add a few drops of water if it gets too thick. Read a post all about cottage cheese recipes. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
9. Pancakes - Everyone that’s been reading this blog for a while knows about protein pancakes. Just add 1/2 a scoop to the mix and a little water to thin it out. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
10. Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt – Blend together for a weight gainer treat. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
11. Dessert Mix – For more junk food, mix the protein powder with brownie mix, cookie mix, or any sort of dessert bread or loaf.
12. Pudding Mix – You can make protein pudding with just about any flavor of pudding or protein. You can choose low fat pudding or regular. Check out The Hulk Protein Shake for a swell pistachio flavored snack.
13. Apple Juice and Caramel Flavoring – Mix it with vanilla protein for a caramel apple dessert. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
14. Other Juices – You can also use pretty much any other juice or even Gatorade. Try orange juice, cranberry juice, and someone one recommended green Gatorade but I don’t know anything about it.
15. Yogurt - Particularly low-fat or non-fat yogurt mixed with fruit or vanilla flavored protein powder. Blend it with fruit for an even thicker fruit smoothie. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
16. Pasta Sauce – Or any other thick heavily flavored sauce. The catch is that it has to be unflavored protein powder.
17. Eggs and Egg Whites – Mix unflavored protein powder into any recipe that is primarily made with eggs. From what I understand, cooking the protein powder somewhat denatures the protein, making it less useful to your body, but it’s better than no protein at all. Fact: nearly all macronutrient enzymes are in some way compromised at heats in excess of 160 degrees C.
18. Mashed Potatoes – Once again you’ll need to use unflavored protein powder, but it will make you feel so much better about eating your mashed potatoes. Add a splash of milk or cream if the potatoes become too thick.
19. Sweeteners - Add any type of syrup if you don’t care about carbs, and add any type of artificial sweetener (I prefer Splenda) if you want to avoid sweetening your protein with sugar.
20. Coffee – The secret is to mix up a scoop of protein with milk, then add the milk concoction to your coffee

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10 Best diet rules for gaining muscles or burning fat

Rule #1: Consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily

Protein provides amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle protein. Although mainstream nutritional guidelines recommend less than half a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight for the average guy, research shows that athletes – especially those concerned with adding muscle mass and strength – need to roughly double that amount. Beginners should try to get in about 1.5 grams per pound per day for the first six months of training, since this is when your muscles will respond most rapidly. For the 180-pounder, this means 270 grams per day at the outset and a bare minimum of 180 grams daily thereafter.
Your protein choices should be mainly animal proteins such as beef, chicken, dairy, eggs, fish and turkey. These are the most complete protein sources, meaning they provide your body with the essential amino acids it can’t manufacture on its own.

Rule #2: Get 20%-30% of daily calories from fat

Get this in your head: Fat is not your enemy, especially if you train seriously Research shows that diets higher in fat (particularly monounsaturated and saturated) appear to maintain testosterone levels better than low-fat diets. Maintaining optimal test levels is paramount for building muscle mass and strength, and avoiding fat gain. And unlike the sedentary general population who are advised to reduce their saturated fat intake, 5%-10% of your fat calories should be from sat fat.
Choose red meats such as ground beef and steak for saturated fat (these also provide quality protein); avocados, flaxseed oil, mixed nuts, olives, olive oil and peanut butter for monounsaturated fats; and fatty fish (catfish, salmon, trout) and walnuts as good sources of essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fats.

Rule #3: Consume 20 calories per pound of bodyweight daily

To gain quality mass, you must stay in a positive calorie balance (taking in more calories than you burn). If you burn more calories than you consume, your body will go into conservation mode and won’t support new muscle growth. Consuming 20 calories per pound means roughly 3,600 calories daily for a 180-pounder. At least 20% and up to 30% of these calories should come from protein, 40%-60% from carbohydrates and the rest from fat.

Rule #4: Consume the right amount of carbs for your goals

While protein is the most critical macronutrient for hypertrophy, carbs are a close second. They’re stored in your muscles as glycogen, keep them full and large, and fuel them during workouts. If you’re trying to seriously bulk up, consume 2-3 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight, or 360-540 grams per day for the 180-pound man. To maintain your size but fuel intense workouts and improve conditioning, take in 1-2 grams per pound. For fat loss, eat 0.5-1 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight.
For most meals, stick with slow-digesting carbs such as beans, fruit, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, vegetables and whole grains. (For other times of day, see Rule # 5.)

Rule #5: Eat the right carbs around workouts

As stated in Rule # 4, most meals should contain slower-burning carbs. This rule also pertains to your preworkout meal. Research shows that when athletes eat slower-digesting carbs, they not only have more energy and less fatigue during exercise but also burn more fat during training and experience less hunger throughout the day. In the 30-minute preworkout window, eat slow carbs in the form of fruit, oatmeal or whole-grain bread along with your protein shake.
The meal you have immediately postworkout, however, should consist mainly of fast-digesting carbs such as a plain bagel, baked potato, sports drink (Gatorade, Powerade, etc.) or white bread along with some protein. This will spike levels of the anabolic hormone insulin, which drives carbs into muscle cells to be stored as glycogen and used during your next workout. Insulin also helps amino acids get to muscles to build muscle protein. Normally, you want to keep insulin levels in check for a variety of health reasons, but immediately following a hard training session is one time when an insulin spike is desirable.

Rule #6: Drink a shake pre-and postworkout

Protein shakes are often considered supplements, but we like to think of them as important meals to be consumed at critical times of day. While your diet should consist mostly of unprocessed, whole foods, a protein shake can sometimes be a better option. One such time is 30 minutes before your workout. To prepare your muscles for the ensuing training session as well as get a head start on the muscle-recovery process, drink a shake with 20 grams of protein (either whey or a mix of whey and casein) along with about 40 grams of a slower-digesting carbohydrate (see Rule # 5). Then, in the 30-minute postworkout window, drink another 20-40 grams of liquid protein (mix in water for convenience) and 60-100 grams of faster-digesting carbs.

Rule #7: Eat every 2-3 hours

Eating throughout the day helps you both gain mass and stay lean by ensuring there’s a steady supply of energy and amino acids fueling your muscles. The key is to keep every meal about the same size. If you pig out with a 1,200-calorie lunch, you’ll be less likely to eat 2-3 hours later and could gain the wrong kind of weight, since excess calories are often stored as bodyfat. Aim for at least six meals per day and up to eight, which for the 180-pounder would mean roughly 500-600 calories per meal.

Rule #8: Eat before bedtime

When you sleep, you essentially fast for 7-9 hours. With no food available, the body turns to your muscle fibers for amino acids, which isn’t a good thing for the guy looking to get bigger and leaner. The answer isn’t to sleep less but rather eat the proper foods right before bed.
Slow-digesting proteins and healthy fats are your best bet because they help slow digestion and provide a steady supply of amino acids, thereby minimizing the body’s tendency to break down muscle. Casein, the major protein in milk, is a good option – either from a protein shake or cottage cheese. Before bed every night, consume 30-40 grams of casein protein in a shake (look for micellar casein) or 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese plus 2-3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil or peanut butter, or 2 ounces of mixed nuts.

Rule #9: Add 5-10 grams of BCAAs to your protein shakes

Branched-chain amino acids include isoleucine, leucine and valine. While leucine is the MVP for instigating muscle growth, all three work as a team to provide more energy, strength and muscle size, and even curtail fat gain. BCAAs boost energy levels during workouts because they’re used directly by muscles for energy and they prevent the brain from recognizing fatigue.

Rule # 10: Add 2-5 grams of creatine to your pre-and postworkout shakes

One of the most effective supplements you can purchase is creatine. Many scientists, doctors and nutritionists agree that creatine works very well for most athletes, regardless of age, gender or race. Hundreds of studies show that creatine is not only highly effective but also completely safe. Taking it can help you gain up to 10 pounds of lean muscle and boost your strength in the gym by 10% in just a few weeks with zero side effects.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger gym workout video

Arnold workout plan

Arnold Workout Routine: MONDAY ALTERNATE

Chest workout
Bench press – 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Flat bench flies – 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Cable crossovers – 6 sets, 10-12 reps
Dips – 5 sets, to failure
Dumbbell pullovers – 5 sets, 10-12 reps
Incline bench press – 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Back workout
Front wide-grip chin-ups – 6 sets, to failure
T-bar rows – 5 sets, 6-10 reps
One-arm dumbbell rows – 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Straight-leg deadlifts – 6 sets, 15 reps
Seated pulley rows – 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Legs workout
Squats – 6 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg presses – 6 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg curls – 6 sets, 10-12 reps
Barbell lunges – 5 sets, 15 reps
Leg extensions – 6 sets, 12-15 reps
Calves workout
Standing calf raises -10 sets, 10 reps
One-legged calf raises (holding dumbbells) – 6 sets,12 reps
Seated calf raises – 8 sets, 15 reps
Forearms workout
Wright roller machine – to failure
Wrist curls (forearms on knees) – 4 sets, 10 reps
Abs workout
Nonstop training for 30 minutes

Arnold Workout Routine: Tuesday alternate

Biceps workout
Seated dumbbell curls – 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Dumbbell concentration curls – 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Barbell curls – 6 sets, 6-10 reps

Triceps workout
Close-grip bench presses (for the all three heads) – 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Barbell French presses (interior head) – 6 sets, 6-10 reps
One-arm dumbbell triceps extensions (exterior head) – 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Pushdowns (exterior head) – 6 sets, 6-10 reps

Shoulders workout
Seated barbell presses – 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Rear-delt lateral raises – 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Cable lateral raises – 5 sets, 10-12 reps
Lateral raises (standing) – 6 sets, 6-10 reps

Calves , Forearms workout
Same as Monday, Wednesday and Friday

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Yoga for Men

Yoga for Men

When it comes to yoga, most men who spend their time weight-lifting at the gym shake their head and brush this five-thousand year-old tradition off as a woman’s or elderly form of physical activity. They equate yoga with soft-flowing movements, dimly-lit rooms, burning incense and maybe a few chanted “Oms.”
In reality, yoga can be a great resource for strength training, flexibility, and injury prevention, for both men and women.

Yoga Man

And they may be right to some extent, but for anyone who sweat through an Ashtanga or power yoga class knows, yoga is not for the meek and weak. In fact, many weight-lifters are humbly surprised to find out after taking their first yoga class that while they can easily bench press one-hundred pounds, they can barely hold a strength-bearing yoga posture for five breaths.
For male gym-goers, who clock hours preparing for their next body-building competition, yoga can be a tremendous compliment to their usual workout. Here are a few things to think about before you give the thumb’s down to your downward-dog-loving friend’s invitation to a yoga class.

Increases Muscle Strength

In yoga, you rely on the strength of your own body to lift and move you through a series of standing and seating postures. Postures like upward dog, downward dog and plank pose build upper body strength, particularly as you hold these postures for a number of deep breaths. Postures like Warrior I and Warrior II build lower and upper body strength as they focus on the quadriceps, calves and hamstrings.
In addition, all yoga postures, when they are practiced correctly, build core strength.
By using your own body strength, you request the use of all the muscles in your body, even muscles you didn’t know you have in order to build strength, stamina and balance.

Yoga Girl

Prevents Injuries

Yoga stretches the fascia, which is the protective connective tissue that covers all the muscles in your body. The more this fascia is stretched, as it is with yoga postures, the more opportunity there is for the muscle to grow and the more mobile it becomes.
At the gym, you lift an external object which over time tends to shorten the muscle rather than elongate it. Tight muscles, no matter how strong they are, make you at more risk for injuries like lower back pain and pulled muscles.
The dual-action of strength and flexion that is inherent in all yoga postures builds muscle while also lengthening the muscle fibers which make your body more flexible and pliable and consequently less prone to injury.

Choose the Right Style

Your best bet for being challenged in a yoga class is to try the Ashtanga, power or Vinyassa styles. Power yoga classes have their roots in the Ashtanga system which is one of the oldest systems of yoga. Its reliance of strength, flexibility, balance and deep breathing often gives it the name of being the athlete’s yoga. Bikram or hot yoga will also give you a workout with the rooms heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

Flexible Woman

Use Caution

If the thought of entering into a yoga class intimidates you, remind yourself that you will most likely meet a yoga friend on a nearby mat who also shares your inability to touch their toes: We all stiffen as we age.
Men come into yoga with much greater strength than women. While this is a benefit it can also be a hindrance. Strength without flexibility lends its way to pushing yourself too far, too quickly and ending up injured. To prevent this, move slowly and back off at the first signs of muscle resistance.

Find a Qualified Instructor

Also, seek out a highly qualified teacher who has been teaching for a few years and is well-respected in your local community for their anatomical knowledge of the body, their experience in working with a range of abilities and their integrity to the practice of yoga.
Lastly, while you may regard your usual gym routine with the utmost discipline and seriousness, remember to laugh at yourself if you fall over in a standing posture. Yoga is meant to lighten you, not weigh you down.

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Cristiano Ronaldo Workout Video

Ronaldo has 4-5 hours of fitness training five days a week which includes strength and weight training, cardio exercises and game practice sessions. And playing an action packed, fast-paced and exhilarating game like football where every muscle in the body is worked, gives the sexy star a fabulous V-shaped body and chiseled 6 pac abs.

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6 easy steps to make muscles video

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Reverse Crunch

How to start

• Lie flat on your back on the floor with your knees bent .
• Place your arms on the floor alongside your body, palms flat on the floor.
• Keep your lower pressed to the floor.

The Movement

• Slowly move your knees towards your chest.
• Hold for 2 secs.
• Slowly lower your hips towards the starting position.

Tips on Reverse Crunch

• This should be a controlled and slow movement. Do not jerk, swing or bounce your hips off the floor.
• Do not allow your abs to relax during the movement.
• Exhale as you contract your abs.

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Hanging Leg Raise

How to start

• First Hang on the bar with shoulder-width apart.
• Your arms should be fully straight and your back slightly arched.

Movement of the exercise

• First move your legs slightly behind your body.
• Keeping your legs  straight, exhale and raise them upwards as high as pos­sible.
• Hold for 2 secs; then slowly return your legs to the starting position.

Tips on Hanging Leg Raise

• Use the strength of your abdominals to move  legs upwards.
• To make the exercise easier, bend your knees to reduce the resistance.

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Crunches

How to start

• Lie flat on your back  on the floor  with your knees bent as shown in picture above.
• Place your hands y by the sides of your head or across your chest.

Movement of the exercise

• Use your abs strength to raise your head and shoulders from the floor
• Hold  for  2 secs .
• Slowly move back to the starting position.

Tips on Crunches

• Focus on moving your ribs towards your hips.
• Do not pull your head with your hands ­ keep your elbows relaxed.
• Exhale as you contract your abs

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Side Effects Of Fake Bodybuilding Supplements

Almost all  bodybuilders depends on bodybuilding supplements in order to achieve  better results in a short time, without realizing that the side effects of cheap and fake bodybuilding supplements which are available in market.  It is very surprising to know how unhealthy these  fake bodybuilding food supplements actually are. If you want to use supplements for bodybuilding, to be on the safe side avoid using these cheap and fake bodybuilding supplements.Side effects occur due to supplements is because of the synthetic chemicals present in them and this  vary from person to person . Since our bodies are so much dependent on organic chemicals, such as those in food, which result in chemical imbalances that can cause side effects. In case of side effects due to these supplements, one should immediately take the doctors advice  to avoid harmful effects of these steroids . There are a huge number of supplements available in market, that is why bodybuilders become confused about what they should use and what they shouldn’t. Many supplements manufacturers  claims on their product’s  to increase muscles in short spam of time, but one should be careful and aware about the guaranteed safety and purity of bodybuilding supplements they are selling. That’s doesn’t mean none of the bodybuilding supplements work. There are a few studies that say that many quality supplements do what they claim . While many supplements do not have any side effects,so you should   think twice before purchasing them. All it takes is a slight research and one can enjoy taking supplements without any worries about any unwanted results.

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Bodybuilding Supplements -Make the right choice

Fitness  has concerned man since the earliest known civilizations. Human beings have tried different methods for achieving complete body fitness to have a healthy and long life.  Having a good health has many benefits, not everyone is lucky enough to be blessed with the right health genes, which can help develop an excellent physique in him or her.
To achieve complete body fitness and health, there is no substitute for hard workout plan. Beside from that, it  requires consuming a proper healthy  diet, proper body rest and taking good diet supplements. Though natural diet is the best, but most people’s daily diet does not include enough required nutrients. Bodybuilding food supplements, therefore,provide essential ingredient for a bodybuilder’s daily diet intake.

Bodybuilding Supplements History

Few years back, the intake of  supplements products was considered taboo for the athletes. However,in  the past few decades  there is a remarkable growth in the manufacturing and use of these bodybuilding supplements, mainly due to scientific research in this area and the improved quality of these products.

Classification of Bodybuilding Supplements

There are various types of bodybuilding supplements available in the market such as  protein shakes, creatine,, whey protein,  fat burner and mass gainers, which helps a person in gaining  muscle mass and provide more energy.
The bodybuilding supplements are also classified on the basis of those taken before a workout session and those taken after workout. While the body needs loads of energy before workout, then u also  need to consume nutrients after a hard workout session to   recover of your muscles stretched and damaged during the workout exercise.

Benefits of protein supplements

Protein helps in  repairing damaged muscles after a hard  workout session. Therefore, a good protein shake is extremely important in order to fasten the recovery of your muscles .  A perfect combination of workout sessions, proper body rest, healthy diet and good protein supplements will help you to achieve your desired target successfully. Just make sure that your diet includes enough carbohydrates to provide you the required body energy and sufficient proteins to repair the damage muscles during hard workout session.

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Best Bodybuilding Supplements

Most important part of bodybuilding is to take a healthy and nutritious diet in order to build muscles fast. An effective and alternative way  to cover these deficiencies in our daily diet is to take bodybuilding supplements. Supplements  helps you to get extra nutrition in right quantity  that is not available in our daily diet. Therefore the need to take supplements, becomes  very important; especially for people who workout daily with heavy weights.
There are many bodybuilding supplements available in the market to choose. But not all bodybuilding supplements out there are of good quality which can provide desired result. So how to choose the best bodybuilding supplements?
Most of the bodybuilding supplements available in the market are costly,which a common man cant buy.

Tips to choose best bodybuilding supplements

Bodybuilding supplements  comes in various quantities, therefore it is always better to buy a supplement in low quantity  first,try it out to make sure that it works for you. If it does, you can buy  large quantity of it and if it doesn’t, you can switch  to another bodybuilding supplement.
Another important point  is that you should read the instructions written on the product carefully  to obtain maximum benefit out of it. Also, an overdose of the food supplement can  harm your health.

A  guide to bodybuilding food supplements

Supplements are a simple way to build muscle but there are a thousands of  products out there in market  choose the best, out of all those seems like a nightmare.
But you are not the only one facing this problem. Plenty of  people who wants advice on what product they should consume to get the best results desired.
While one products may suit a particular body type, it may not effect the other body. Supplements are not the only means to building great muscle, they will definitely help fasten the process by covering up for whatever deficiencies there are in your every day diet.
There are a number of bodybuilding food supplements available in the market but most people begin with protein, creatine or carb products.
Given below is a list of several products, each of which is designed to serve the purpose of growing and rebuilding muscles.

Protein

Multi-Vitamin

Protein Bars

Glutamine

Growth Hormone

Creatine

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How Often Should I Eat

People usually eat three major meals in a day i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner with  couple of snacks in between. But, those who want to gain weight, will have to change their eating plans. The best way to  gain weight is to eat 5-6 small meals in a day with 2 hours break in between each meal.
Eat maximum  fruits and vegetables because they contain vitamins , minerals and fibers and will help in the proper body functioning and  metabolism.
Consuming more calories does not mean that you should start eating junk food. There are plenty of foods that are rich in calories and nutrition which you can eat and stay away from junk foods.

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Bodybuilding Diet Foods

Most important of  bodybuilding is proper diet. It is very important to eat a healthy and nutritious diet to build muscle and to achieve your goal of gaining or losing weight. Bodybuilding diet should contain all the essential ingredients such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins as well as some amount of fats.
Foods rich in fibers like fruits etc should also be included in your diet to keep the system clean .
The  most important thing that you should keep in mind is that the food that you consume should be high in its nutrition content while being low in unsatured fat. 

• Protein- Protein is probably the most important ingredient of a bodybuilder’s diet as it is the building muscles.  Protein shakes help cover up the deficiency of protein in our daily diet.
• Eggs-The white part of the egg is the one of the best natural sources of protein. The yellow part, known as the yolk contains cholesterol and thus should be avoided.
• Carbohydrates- Carbohydrates provide the body with energy and therefore increase its capacity to workout. Oatmeal is a good source of carbohydrates.
• Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables as they provide the body essential nutrients as well as fibers that  keeps the system clean and increase metabolism.

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Diet and Nutrition

Diet and Nutrition  the most important part bodybuilding. You have to eat good to look good and if you want extra then eat great. You need protein, and you don’t need fat. Stay away from JUNK foods. Cookies,pizzas, chips, candy, chocolate, cake, fast food, fried food etc.  There is a healthy fat. This fat can be found in meat, nuts,fish and some oils such as flax seed oil.
People looking to build muscles often face problem of gaining weigt  and reducing weight, believe me, gaining weight is equally or even more difficult than loosing weight.

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Bodybuilding tips

Who doesn’t want to have a great body? People  across the globe have always dreamed of having that perfectly body. While most of the people are too lazy to work out , all of the others who have enough courage and take out enough time to work out regularly, are not so lucky to attain that physique of their dreams.
These bodybuilding training tips can help you to get the results that you wish to achieve without the stress and strain that working out can cause. The ability to achieve results quickly will allow you to feel more comfortable will provide the encouragement that you need to return. There are some very basic tips that you need to know in order to get the best results from every workout.
It is important that you eat before going to the gym, there are a lot of people that make the mistake of going without food. When you are not eating, you will not be able to get the energy that your body is producing from the food you consume. This will make it more difficult for you to accomplish what you need to in the gym.
There is no need to starve your body before heading to the gym, make sure that you consume a meal that is low in calories and you will be able to achieve the best workout results. More energy means that you will be able to work out for a longer period of time and this will help you to transform your body. If you are are fat and would like to lose weight, you need to focus on a small amount of reps for every exercise that you do.
If you were to do a larger amount of reps, you would transform the fat into muscle and this would add bulk. Losing weight is possible, you simply need to burn off more calories than you consume. You can do this by consuming foods that are lower in calories and fat. You will also need to exercise more in order to burn off any calories that you take in.

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Right Way Of Bodybuilding

Getting the  right equipment : There are lot of different bodybuilding stuff  available in market but you should choose the one according to your need of the body.The grip of equipment should be firm and you should not get any kind of problems while training with them.Consult your trainer to get some tips on choosing your equipment.
Drink lots of water: Water is an essential intake for all bodybuilder’s . It is important to have atleast 10-15 glasses of water every day.
Warm-up before workout: Proper warming up before beginning your workout is extremely important to avoid injuries as well as do the exercises in the right way. Begin your warm-up with 10 minutes of cardio and follow it up with light weight training.
Concentrate on your goal: While working out, remember to keep your focus on your goal to achieve and gain maximum muscle mass and perform to right exercise
Take a balanced diet: Increase your protein intake while and avoid oily foods and foods containing high amount of fat.  Supplements can also be consumed but only under the advice of a trained coach.

Rest is best the medicine: Taking proper rest will not only help the exhausted muscles relax but will also rejuvenate your body to carry out the next workout with extra vigor. A couple of days off will do more good than harm.
Plan your workout: Before beginning to take to bodybuilding, you must consult a traniner and workout a proper plan to go about things. A bodybuilding program without a proper plan is extremely likely to end up without achieving any concrete results.

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Frequently Asked Questions on Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding can often turn out to be more harmful than useful because of lack of proper knowledge. People usually  hesitate to ask questions which can arise in their minds. Some of the most commonly asked bodybuilding questions and their answers have been listed below.

How much quantity of protein should i consume everyday?

The amount of protein a person requires depends on various factors like his or her age, sex, weight, amount of physical activity etc. According to a rough estimate, non-active people should consume .8 grams of protein every day for every pound of their body weight while active people should take 1.5 grams.
Food supplements are necessary for bodybuilding?

Food supplements are thus required to provide the body with all the essential nutrients required for overall growth of the body. Most of the people think that they are taking a balanced diet it is not always possible to maintain that kind of a diet schedule over a long period of time, especially with such hectic daily schedule. Moreover, the daily diet besides having the essential nutrients also has fats.
Are bodybuilding  supplements are harmful for health?

Most bodybuilding supplements provide  all the essential nutrients required for the body to build muscles  and are therefore not at all dangerous. However, you should always buy these supplements from a trusted source and consume these under the guidance of a gym trainer as there are quite a few fake and cheap quality duplicates available in the market which can be harmful.
Can I build strength and huge muscle mass by just taking supplements and not doing any workout?

Bodybuilding supplements only shows their results when you workout according to the intake of supplements,workouts helps in burning the supplement intake and converting it into to muscles mass.If u will not sweat out the supplements can show harmful effects as the amount of heat produced in body by the supplements remains inside the body and is not sweat out.
Do bodybuilding supplements have any any side effects ?
Most supplements do not have side effects as these contain natural ingredients which are also consumed by people in the form of daily diet. A few people may experience upset stomach liver problems as the body sometimes needs some time to adjust to the new diet intake. You should however take these supplements under the guidance of an expert to avoid any complications.
What is the difference between bodybuilding supplements and steroids
While bodybuilding supplements contain naturally  ingredients which our body requires in are daily diet intake, steroids are produced using chemicals to provide the body with extraordinary energy and make your body grow in short spam of time but have a number of side effects later .Steroids are also banned by bodybuilding federations all over the world.

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Benefits of Bodybuilding

There are various advantages  of Bodybuilding and weight training in a right way
Exercising improves the body’s metabolism and helps to loos extra body fat leading to gain  muscle mass. It strengthens the muscles.
It increases the body’s flexibility.
It increases resistance to injury.
It increases  muscle mass and strenght.
It helps reduce the risk of heart disease and lowers the   cholesterol levels  .
It helps keep the body in good shape and improves stamina to do work.

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