Back Extension

Back extensions are also known as hyperextensions. It's an exercise that works the lower back and also the buttocks and hamstrings. It's a good complimentary exercise to the abdominal exercises as it works the opposing muscles.

Back Extension Steps:

Step 1: Position yourself face down on the back extension machine.

Step 2: Starting position should be with the hips straight.

Step 3: Bend at the hips and slowly lower the upper body towards the floor.

Step 4: Your back should be neutral with the movement coming from the hips.

Step 5:

Return to the start position by straightening the hips.

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Bent Over Row, Barbell, Overhand

The barbell bent over row is an effective exercise for developing the lats, and is performed by bending at the waist and performing a row, squeezing the shoulders together. It also works the biceps & rear shoulders. Variations of hand grip width place more emphasis on different areas of the back. Below you'll find a video guide and step by step instructions that describes the correct technique for the barbell bent over row exercise.

Bent Over Row, Barbell, Overhand Steps:

Step 1: Stand upright and grip the barbell with with an overhand grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width.

Step 2: Keeping the back straight bend forward to approximately 45 deg. This movement should all come from the hips and not the spine.

Step 3: The back should remain straight throughout the exercise.

Step 4: Bend the knees slightly and pull the bar in towards the stomach by bending the elbows and pulling the shoulders back

Step 5: Pause briefly and lower the bar back to the start.

Top Tip:

• The majority of the movement for this exercise should occur at the elbows and shoulders.
• Their should be little or no movement in the hips or spine, which should be kept straight at all times.

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Bicep Curl, Barbell

The standing barbell bicep curl is an effective exercise for strengthening the biceps and forearms and are performed by contracting the biceps and lifting the barbell upwards with a supine grip. Performing the exercise whilst standing places more emphasis on the core as core strength and stability is vital for developing good technique. Below you'll find a video guide and step by step instructions that describe the correct technique for the standing barbell bicep curl exercise.

Bicep Curl, Barbell Steps:

Step 1: Stand up straight holding a straight barbell

Step 2: Extend your arms to your waist & ensure your palms are facing forwards

Step 3: Keep your back straight, shoulders back & tense your core muscles

Step 4: Curl the barbell up until shoulder height

Step 5: Pause briefly at the top & squeeze the bicep muscle

Step 6: Slowly lower back to the start position

Step 7:

This is one repetition

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Bicep Curl Machine

The bicep curl machine is one of the best exercises to help beginners understand the action of the bicep muscle. Using an arm curl machine ensures that your biceps get an intense workout. There are many different makes and models of bicep machines, but they all do the same job of focusing the exercise intensity on to the bicep muscles. Below you'll find a video guide and step by step instructions that describe the correct technique for the bicep curl machine.

Bicep Curl Machine Steps:

Step 1: Adjust the seat to the correct height and then position yourself in to the machine.

Step 2: Select an appropriate weight and place your feet flat on the floor.

Step 3: Take hold of the curl bar with an underhand grip and rest the backs of your arms on to the sloping padded table.

Step 4: Your chest should be snug against the top edge of the padded table and your arms extended.

Step 5: Inhale and curl the bar upwards by bending at the elbows.

Step 6: At the top of the movement, pause briefly, exhale and return to the start position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Top Tip:

• When extending the arms to return to the start position, don't lock them out fully.
• Always keep a slight bend in the elbows to prevent over stressing the tendons.

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Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch develops strong abdominal muscles along with balance and coordination. A very challenging exercise which requires a reasonable level of core strength and balance.

Bicycle Crunch Steps:

Step 1: Sit on a gym mat.

Step 2: Raise both feet off the floor and find your centre of balance.

Step 3: Straighten out both legs, then place hands by the side of your head.

Step 4: Bend one knee and bring it in towards the chest.

Step 5: At the same time twist the torso, so the opposite elbow meets the opposing knee.

Step 6:

Repeat for the other knee, twisting the torso to the opposite side.

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Ab Crunch Machine

The ab crunch machine is a unique way of exercising the abdominal muscles and is good for beginners because it works the stomach muscles whilst in a seated position. If you are not used to performing ab crunches then using a machine like this will help to strengthen and condition the abdominals ready for progression. It can also be used by experienced exercisers as a way of increasing the intensity of their workout to gain strength and size in the abs by adding extra resistance.

Ab Crunch Machine Steps:

Step 1: Adjust the seat height to suit your size

Step 2: Place your feet underneath the foot roller pad

Step 3: Sit upright and adjust the position of the chest pad so that it sits snuggly against your chest

Step 4: Select an appropriate weight for the exercise

Step 5: Curl the body forwards towards the feet

Step 6: Pause at the bottom of the movement

Step 7: Gradually return to the start position and repeat for the required number of repetitions

Top Tip:

• All gym manufacturers machines' are different. These instructions give a general overview and are not specific to any particular manufacturer or model.
• Please check the instructions for use for the particular equipment you are using before participating in this exercise.

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Bench Press, Barbell

The barbell bench press is probably one of the most well known gym exercises. It's a core exercise used by power lifters and body builders because it works the chest muscles and triceps hard. It's quite a difficult exercise to master if you are a beginner as it requires some balance and coordination to get it right. Always work with a spotter as it can be quite dangerous.

Bench Press, Barbell Steps:

Step 1: Lie on your back on a bench with feet firmly on the floor.

Step 2: Grip the bar firmly with an overhand grasp ensuring the wrists are straight.

Step 3: Brace the abdominals to maintain a straight back and lift the bar of the rack by extending the elbows.

Step 4: Position the bar over the chest, breathing in slowly, lower the bar to mid chest level, keeping the hands in line with the elbows.

Step 5: Lower the bar until the elbows are at right angles.

Step 6: Pause briefly, breath out and push the bar back upwards, by extending the arms at the elbows.

Top Tip:

• When using heavy weights, always use a spotter to help lift the weight on and off the rack. Or use dumbbells as an alternative.
• Raising the feet off the ground using a step keeps the knees above the hips which helps to keep the back in contact with the bench.
• When breathing, the correct way to do it is to breath in when lowering and out when pushing up. Best way to remember is 'suck' towards you and 'blow' away from you.

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Body Building Tips

Everyone wants to have a great body. People across the globe execute various efforts to make their body in perfect shape. There are various tips called Body Building Tips that helps an individual to attain aperfect shape.    These body buildind tips can help you to take the results as per your wish. There are some basic tips that one should know in order to get the best results from every workout. The list comprising body building tips is as follows :-
1. Diet -
It is impoetant that one should eat before going to the gym. When someone doesn’t eat, he will not be able to get the energy that our body produces from the food you consume. This will make it more difficult for you to accomplish what you need to in the gym.
2.Nutrition -
Nutrition is everything which one put’s in his/her mouth outside of the gym. In easy words we can say that eating smart, keeping your protein high and your fat intake low. It also means taking all of your supplements on a regular basis and at the appropriate times . For egxample some supplements are designed to be taken before work out, before or with meals. One should do full research before taking a particular supplement.
3.Rest -

This is ostensibly the simplest component as it literally involves doing nothing. However, getting the proper amount of rest is a very important part of any training program and overtraining can be very detrimental to your gains. A general rule of thumb to follow is to allow at least 24 hours of rest in between working the same (or similar) bodyparts but listening to your body is probably the best thing to do in order to determine if you need more rest. Signs of overtraining can include fatigue, delayed muscle soreness, eye twiching, and more.

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Benefits Of Body Building

Body Buildinging is a great art of getting the body in a perfect shapeThere are many advantages of Body Building and weight training. These are derieved as follows.

• Exercises improves body metabolism and reduces fat which in     turn helps to lower cholesterol. This results in gaining of muscle     mass and body abs.

• The persons having a problem of heart attack gets relief as body      building decreases the amount of cholestrol present in the bodyand hence icreases the pumping efficiency of the heart.

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Meaning Of Body Building

Bodybuilding is a form of body modification whichinvolves intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who is engaged in this activity is known as a body builder. Bodybuilding is passion for some and for some it acts as a sport. Bodybuilding is also defined as the act of putting on muscle by working out hard and odering one’s diet to put more mass on muscles.

Bodybuilding is sometimes referred to as hardgaining. Bodybuilding indicates   a regimen tailored for a person without a predisposition towards acquiring muscle mass. Bodybuilding may be done for recreation, for personal betterment or as a competitive sport.

The sport of bodybuilding is judged based on the physical appearance and demonstrations of the participants. Nowdays there is a campaign to have bodybuilding adopted as an Olympic sport. It is commonly said that bodybuilding is not an actual sport, as it contest itself that it is non-athletic.

Bodybuilding is a form of body modification whichinvolves intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who is engaged in this activity is known as a body builder. Bodybuilding is passion for some and for some it acts as a sport. Bodybuilding is also defined as the act of putting on muscle by working out hard and odering one’s diet to put more mass on muscles. Bodybuilding is sometimes referred to as hardgaining. This indicates   a regimen tailored for a person without a predisposition towards acquiring muscle mass. Bodybuilding may be done for recreation, for personal betterment or as a competitive sport. The sport of bodybuilding is judged based on the physical appearance and demonstrations of the participants.  Nowdays there is a campaign to have bodybuilding adopted as an Olympic sport. It is commonly said that bodybuilding is not an actual sport, as it contest itself that it is non-athletic.

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Body Building Food

Body Building mainly depends upon the food we eat. For building big muscles it is therefore important to have a proper healthy and nutritious diet.  A proper diet is the diet which contain all the nutrients such as proteins , carbohydrates , small amount if fats and large amount of vitamins.

Food after workout

Foods consisting of fibres like fruits also constitute the part of healthy diet. These foods helps to keep the system clean and healthy. A healthy diet also helps a person ti achieve his goals of gaining or loosing weight.     The most importan point about diet is that it should high in its nutrient content and low in unsatured fat.

• Eggs- Eggs are the main source of protein. Egg white is one of the best source of natural protein. With a protein to fat ratio of 60:1 egg whites are unquestionably one of the purest forms of protein in the world.

• Water-When it comes to body builders, the first thing to come to mind is meat. But the top most component that should be in your diet is water. The 70 percent of your body is made up of water. All our muscles, tissue cells and ligaments all contains water. Also our life force – blood is made up of water.
For building a massive physique, you need to keep yourself in the most anabolic state and that is mai reason many bodybuilders recommend drinking 10 liters of water a day. BODY WATER CALCULATER

• Fish- Body builders are advised to intake foods that contains low fat, fish is the one exception to this rule. Fish provides fatty acids like omega 3 which is the essential need of our body as it helps to support the process of building muscles.

Cold water fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, and trouts are the best source of healthy fats and proteins. Canned fish packed in water is also very advisable as it provides a quick source of natural protein.

• Proteins- Protein is the most important component of body builder’s diet. It is so because it helps in building muscles. Protein is one most important supplement that is more than worthy of being included on the list. For packing on pounds of muscle, it is generally recommended that one should intake approximately 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.   

BODY PROTEIN CALCULATER

Protein Calculator
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Protein Calculator

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Top 5 Best Legs Exercise

Male weightlifters want to be bigger and stronger. Female weightlifters want to sculpt and tone their thighs and buttocks. The number one way to make that happen? Train your legs with complex free weight exercises.

Your legs are the largest group of muscle in your body. They are the foundation of your strength and power. Never will you be able to bench press 315 if you can’t squat 315 first. By training your legs hard, you will be setting yourself up to gain the most progress compared to every other muscle group.
By training your legs, you will:
Lift the most weight of all muscle groups.
Burn the most calories of all muscle groups.
Form the foundation of your body’s strength chain.
Stimulate the highest growth hormone release through training.
Anatomy of the Thigh
The quadriceps, or quads, are a group of four main muscles that sit on the anterior, or front, of the thigh. These are the prominent muscles that you can see clearly in people with lean physiques. As you can see by the image below, there are hundreds of other smaller muscles that are used in conjunction with the big boys.
The 4 main quad muscles are made up of the Vastus Medialis, Vastus Intermedius, Vastus Lateralis and Rectus Femoris.
The quads attach to the front of the tibia and originate at the top of the femur, with the exception of the Rectus Femoris, which actually crosses the hip joint and originates on the pelvis.
Of related interest are the adductors and abductors, which sit on the inside and outside of the thigh respectably.



Functions of the Thigh The function of the quadriceps as a whole is to extend, or straighten, the knee.
The Rectus Femoris functions to extend the knee but also acts as a hip flexor because it crosses the hip joint.
Adductors function to pull the leg towards the body, while abductors pull the leg away from the body. I find this confusing, so the secret I use to remember this, is that the ABductors pull the legs AWAY from the ABs.
Top 5 Best Quad Specific Leg Exercises

(1)—>Barbell Back Squats
Barbell back squats are the primary, fundamental exercise for all serious weight training programs. Squats work 100% of your legs and they require functional stability from 95% of the rest of the muscles on your body. Using proper form, barbell back squats will help you get stronger, gain more muscle, and burn more calories than any other single exercise.
To set up: the barbell rests on your upper back (traps) and shoulders (deltoids). It should not be sitting on your neck or spine. Bodybuilders tend to place the bar higher, while powerlifters usually hold the bar lower. The powerlifting style is my preference, and I recommend it because it allows you to keep your head and chest higher throughout the exercise, placing less stress on the lower back and neck. To squat: you are not just bending down to pick up a pencil. Rather, you are pushing your butt back as if to sit in a chair. This is the #1 most common mistake of people that have never been taught to squat. Always keep your abs tight, head up, and chest puffed out. Keep your knees behind your toes. At the bottom of the squat, your thighs should be parallel to the floor or lower, otherwise you are not executing a full squat. Check your ego at the door, use less weight, and employ a full range of motion.
To come up out of the hole, your primary objective is to push your head back, chest up, and drive with your hips. A proper squat will almost feel like you are humping the air in front of you, doggy-style. Pardon my French, but if you are driving properly with your hips, you will be humping. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no need to exaggerate the thrust and make yourself look like a fool, but the general principle of the hip drive, is a thrust.

(2)—>Barbell Front Squats
Front squats are the same as back squats except the bar is placed across the front of your shoulders (anterior deltoids).While this does require strong shoulders, there are two positions you can choose to make this exercise easiest for your body type. Front Squat Position #1:
The first position is to place the bar on your shoulders from within a squat rack, extend your arms out straight with palms down, now bend at the elbows and grasp the bar with each hand at the opposite shoulder. At this point your elbows will be pointing straight out in front of you, slightly elevated so as to keep the bar in position against your upper chest/neck/deltoid area.
This position requires strong shoulders.
Front Squat Position #2:
The second position (olympic style) is basically the finished position of a clean, sometimes called a ‘high hang’. While the bar should still be sitting on your upper chest and delts, your fingers will now be underneath the bar acting sort of as a hook. Your hands will not be on the opposite shoulder for this position. Elbows should be pointing up and away from you.
This position requires strong fingers and hands, and very flexible wrists. You should stretch your wrists a bit before trying it. Most people who are unfamiliar with olympic style front squats will complain about wrist pain for a couple workouts before adaptations in strength and flexibility really set in.

(3)—>Barbell Lunges
Lunges are definitely the third most effective exercise for your legs behind squats and deadlifts. Most women will do lunges with dumbbells or just with bodyweight, in an attempt to ‘tone’. Serious weightlifters should consider at least throwing in some sets of barbell lunges, although heavy dumbbell lunges are great for both your legs and your grip.There are many variations of lunges, too many for me to post here. I will have to post a separate article just to cover lunges. The two we will cover here are stepping lunges and stationary lunges. To set up: get in the same position as a squat with the barbell resting on your upper back, or hold dumbbells.
To lunge: the primary objective of a lunge is to have one foot forward and one foot back, both knees should be bent with the forward thigh parallel to the floor, and the rear knee pointing down or nearly touching the floor.
For stepping lunges you can either step forward with one foot, drop down into the lunge, then step back; or you can step forward with one foot, drop down into the lunge, then step forward again with the other foot. This then becomes a walking lunge if you continue to step forward.
You can also step backward from the standing position, drop down into the lunge, then step forward again; or you can step backward, drop down into the lunge, then step backward again with the other foot.
For stationary lunges there is no stepping. You start the exercise with a split stance and lunge away. If you have your rear foot elevated on a bench or box, the movement becomes a Bulgarian split squat; if your front foot is elevated it becomes a split squat. Split squats are great because it becomes more of a unilateral squat than a lunge, and allows you to focus more on the quads and leg stability.
Always keep your body upright like a squat. Head up, chest puffed out, no lateral (side-to-side) movement.

(4)—>Barbell Step-Ups
Similar to the lunge, step-ups are one of the best leg exercises because they are a functional exercise. We say this because the step-up mimic activities that you might encounter in daily life, involving the stabilization of your entire body in multiple plains of motion.To set up: once again start like a squat with the bar on your upper back. You will want to step up onto a box or a bench. Two items to consider are the height of the box and the strength of the box. Try to start with a shorter box until you get use to the exercise, as you can increase step height over time. Always make sure the box or bench can support your weight.

You can also use dumbbells, which will work your grip. Usually less weight must be used in a dumbbell step up versus a barbell step up. To step up: step forward like a lunge, but also step up so that your heel rests on the box. Use this leg to propel your body up, bringing the back foot up and forward onto the box. Now step down with the second leg, keeping most of the tension on the leg that you stepped up with initially.
I also recommend driving the second leg through the range of motion and, instead of stepping on the box, bring that thigh and knee as high as you can in front of you almost as if you were about to step on the next stair in a staircase. This is also known as a high knee kick, or could be known as just ‘high knees’ in sprinting circles.
Women can add additional exercises to a step-up, sometimes in the form of dumbbell curls, shoulder press, or shoulder raises

(5)—>Sprints
I almost chose the leg press for the #5 exercise, simply because you can load up the weight and use various foot positions to target each muscle group. However, the reality is that leg presses are not functional. I don’t see how leg presses should be used by anyone other than bodybuilders who are trying to etch out each individual quad muscle by using a slow press with a close stance.Instead, I choose sprints because they are both aerobic and anaerobic. Sprints are even more functional than any other exercise on this list, and they will condition your cardiovascular system in addition to building some serious quad size. I would even recommend sprints as part of a strict powerlifting routine, as the speed training will help build the force production within the legs, and the neurological pathways will be trained due to the explosive contractions and coordination requirements of perfecting a maximal effort sprint.
To set up: I prefer to sprint in the grass, in the woods, on a track, anywhere but on a hard surface. You can also choose stair sprints or even bicycle sprints for a change of pace.
To sprint: use your arms and legs to drive your performance. Pump your arms from front to back to gain momentum. The knees should be lifted up high on each step, bringing the quads parallel to the ground similar to squats and lunges. Please wear safe, stable sneakers when sprinting. Tie your laces you lazy bum!
When interval sprinting, try repeating a cycle of sprinting for 30 seconds and walking for a minute.

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A Diet Made For You Will Make All The Difference

For the best diet results, you need a personalized diet that you can stick to.
People diet for lots of reasons, and with lots of aims in mind. No matter what your aims are, the most effective diet to achieve them is a personalized one. A personalized diet which suits you is what you need, whether you want to improve your health, or just lose weight.
Once you’ve decided to make a change for the better in your diet the next step is to seek advice from an expert. There are a myriad of fitness and diet plans to suit you available from your local gym or fitness center. There will usually be someone there you can talk to and discover what the best diet for you is. Alternatively you can take join up to one of the many fitness programs offered by the major fitness companies, there is one to suit every taste!
Everyones body is different and so different diets and fitness programs effect you diffently to the way they will effect others. Some people will lose weight and tone up more quickly on certain diets so its important to ensure the diet that you are on is just right for your body.
Most diet programs are designed for people with no specific health problems. If you find you are changing your prescribed diet to suit a health problem you have it is essential to contact your doctor first for advice. They can advise you on what is best to eat or avoid eating with your illness.
Of course your doctor knows as much as anyone about your health. They are in an excellent position to help you decide on the diet that will be most effective for you. They will also be able to spot any potential problems with a diet you are on, or are considering. For example if you are on medication to prevent blood clots then you shouldn’t eat green vegetables (spinach in particular). Your doctor will spot issues like this and point them out to you.
The major problem with standard diets (including the fad diets we all here about) is that they are just that – standard. They are designed to suit everyone to some degree but they will probably have an average effect on you. These diets are not designed for you – for your body, build, fitness level, health, or potential health problems. A good diet is one you can make your own – a diet you can tailor and personalize to suit yourself.
Another problem is that depending on where you live, some diets might call for you to eat a particular food that is difficult or even impossible to find. They might also require you to eat foods that are out of season or more expensive to buy in your location than others. If this is the case, you should change your diet to include foods that are easier to come by, but that also work in your diet.
Of course there is little point in beginning your diet with great determination only to find a week later you dont have the ability to stick with it. It is important that you ease yourself into your diet when possible. Phase out your old diet while gradually adopting your new personalised diet.
That way you’ll be able to stick with it and get the most out of your new diet.
Avoid a diet that requires you to abruptly change your eating habits, forcing you to stop eating your favourite foods for example. Changes like that will cause temptation and make you cheta on your diet. A diet like this will rarely last long enough to have any meaningful effect on your health or weight.
If your diet has an aim – like losing weight or lowering your blood pressure then you should consider making a progress chart. that way you can look at the chart and see how far you’ve come and how much closer to your goal you are. that kind of encouragement will give you a much needed boost in your confidence, and your resolve to work along the path of your new diet and achieve your goals.

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BATISTA WORKOUT

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Brad Pitt Troy Workout

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Brad Pitt Workout Program - Do This Workout Routine and Get Shredded

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Top Muscle Building Supplements - Casein Protein

While whey protein is undoubtedly the most popular protein powder and one of the top muscle building supplements, we shouldn’t forget about whey’s sister protein, casein. You see, the protein in milk is comes from two basic types of protein, whey and casein. Whey makes up about 80% of the protein in milk, while casein makes up the other 20%.
Whey is popular for its easy mixability and clean taste, but casein has some great benefits that whey doesn’t have.
1. Digestion Rate
While whey typically digests very quickly, casein has a much slower digestion rate. This makes casein the perfect choice when you need a slower release of amino acids into the bloodstream (e.g. just before bed). This is the primary benefit of casein protein over whey.
2. Glutamine Levels
In a previous article I discussed the benefits of glutamine for muscle building and recovery. The good news is that casein has very high levels of glutamine, much higher than whey.
These two benefits make casein one of the top muscle building supplements. You should be incorporating casein protein into your muscle building supplement plan in some way. Combined with a proper training and nutrition program it can help to advance your muscle gains.

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Fast Muscle Building Supplements - Whey Protein

Whey protein is the number one selling type of protein powder. Compared to other types of protein it mixes easily and has a clean taste. Its ease of use is matched by its functionality.
Whey protein is a complete protein, meaning that it contains ample amounts of all the essential amino acids. It is especially high in glutamine and the branched-chain amino acids. These amino acids have been shown to be especially important for muscle growth and recovery from intense training, which make whey one of the best fast muscle building supplements.
Whey protein is available in two basic forms, concentrate or isolate. Both forms of whey are derived from milk.
Whey protein concentrate (WPC) is the cheaper form of whey. It undergoes a filtering process to remove most of the fat, carbohydrates and other materials. What remains is a powder that is anywhere between 50-80% protein, depending on the quality of the source.
Whey protein isolate (WPI) is the more expensive form of whey. This is because it undergoes an extensive filtration process. It is the next step in filtration after WPC. The result is a powder that is virtually fat and carbohydrate free. WPI is typically at least 90% protein.
Each type of whey protein has distinct advantages.
WPC is cheaper, and can also contain some beneficial aspects beyond the protein, since some of the fat, carbs, and other substances remain due to a low level of filtration. However, if you are lactose-intolerant or just carefully watching your calories, it is not a good choice.
WPI is more expensive, but you also get more protein per gram of powder. It is also cleaner tasting and mixes more easily than WPC.
Make sure to take a look at the ingredients on your jar of protein powder. Not all whey is created equal. Many products will have a blend of WPC and WPI. One type is not better than the other, as both can be used successfully as fast muscle building supplements. But you should be aware of the positives and negatives of both types and know what you are consuming.
For the best results whey protein should be used in conjunction with a well-designed training and nutrition program.

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Best Muscle Building Supplements Caffeine

Caffeine is one of the best muscle building supplements available. Caffeine and creatine are the two most proven supplements in the scientific literature. Both show consistently positive benefits for those who combine them with strength training exercise. Caffeine has been shown to increase strength, endurance, and speed, while decreasing reaction time.
To get the most benefit from caffeine it is recommended that you consume it 30-60 minutes prior to exercise. It is often combined with a variety of other substances such as amino acids and nootropics, but caffeine also works very well on its own.
The most important factor to getting the most from caffeine is making sure that it’s not overused. This means kicking your coffee, soda, or energy drink habit. There are many good reasons to do this, but we won’t get into those reasons here. If you’ve built up a resistance to caffeine over the years then it won’t benefit you during your workouts, and you have basically lost a powerful tool in your quest for more muscle.
While caffeine is one of the best muscle building supplements, it is also important not to overuse caffeine as a workout enhancer. If you use caffeine before every workout you will eventually build-up a tolerance to it. For this reason I recommend that you limit caffeine consumption to one workout per week.
I know that some of you may be thinking that this is crazy. You may think there is no way you will get through a workout without your caffeine. Well, if this is the case then you need to focus more on proper rest and recovery methods. Replacing sleep with caffeine is not a good long-term solution if your goal is to gain muscle.
Besides, there are plenty of other supplements you can use as a pre-workout pick-me-up that don’t contain caffeine. These include nootropics and specialized amino acids. Check out the No BS Supplement Guide for more information.

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Best Supplements for Muscle Building - Egg White Protein Powder

Egg white protein powder is a complete protein source derived from chicken egg whites and is one of the best supplements for muscle building. The yolks are removed which eliminates most of the fat and cholesterol, while keeping the protein. The result is a powder with a bland, slightly salty taste. It is a relatively quickly digested protein, similar to whey. It mixes easily and is often used in combination protein powders along with whey and casein.
Egg white protein has some benefits above and beyond whey and casein though. Specifically, it contains a high level of sulfur-based amino acids which may contribute to various hormonal pathways. This may lead to higher levels of anabolic hormones.
Indeed, one study has demonstrated that those who consumed whole eggs regularly gained more strength than those who did not consume eggs. Whether or not this effect translates to egg white protein powder has not been determined.
Egg white protein powder will certainly not be challenging whey for protein powder market domination, but it can be a valuable addition to your protein blend and is one of the best supplements for muscle building available.

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Home ab workout: crunch exercise for 6-pack abs

Don't let the TV ads convince you to buy some bulky contraption that will gather dust in your closet, crunches are safe and effective! This video clip shows how to do crunches with varying degrees of difficulty based on your ability. Remember that ab exercises alone will not give you abs! If you have the best abs in the world they will be completely invisible if you are overweight. Aerobic exercise and proper diet are even more important than ab exercises in getting that sought after 6-pack.

Form is very important in crunches, many people do them incorrectly and end up working out their neck or hips more than their abs. Use slow movements and only use the abs. Concentrate on trying to raise your shoulders straight up towards the ceiling. Don't worry about how many reps you do but focus on using perfect form. No whipping the head around or flapping your arms! This is not a sit-up either, the hips are stationary. Also important is to minimize any tension in the neck, I do this by very lightly supporting my head with my hands or the weight plate

The main reason to workout abs is because strong abs stabilize your lower back and shield you from injury but as a side benefit a 6-pack looks great! 

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Home ab workout: crunch exercise for 6-pack abs

Don't let the TV ads convince you to buy some bulky contraption that will gather dust in your closet, crunches are safe and effective! This video clip shows how to do crunches with varying degrees of difficulty based on your ability. Remember that ab exercises alone will not give you abs! If you have the best abs in the world they will be completely invisible if you are overweight. Aerobic exercise and proper diet are even more important than ab exercises in getting that sought after 6-pack.

Form is very important in crunches, many people do them incorrectly and end up working out their neck or hips more than their abs. Use slow movements and only use the abs. Concentrate on trying to raise your shoulders straight up towards the ceiling. Don't worry about how many reps you do but focus on using perfect form. No whipping the head around or flapping your arms! This is not a sit-up either, the hips are stationary. Also important is to minimize any tension in the neck, I do this by very lightly supporting my head with my hands or the weight plate

The main reason to workout abs is because strong abs stabilize your lower back and shield you from injury but as a side benefit a 6-pack looks great! 

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Chest Muscle Building Program

One of the most neglected areas for recreational weight lifters is the upper pec region. I believe that this is due to an overuse of the flat and decline bench press. Lifters tends to gravitate towards these variations because they allow the trainee to lift the most weight. Unfortunately, the flat and decline bench press also shift most of the stress to your triceps and lower pecs.
To correct this, and to prevent droopy-looking pecs, it is important to include some exercises for the upper pecs in your chest muscle building program. Below are my top three picks for upper chest exercises:
1. Smith Machine Low-Incline BB Paused Bench
Set-up an adjustable bench at a 15-30 degree angle. Take a wide grip on the bar and lower it until it touches your upper chest. Pause just above your chest for three seconds and then drive the weight up. The pause kills your stretch reflex and forces your pecs to do more work.
2. Incline BB Bench Press
This classic is still one of my favorites for a chest muscle building program. The angle of the bench should be 30-45 degrees. Use a wide grip and lower to the upper chest and press back over the face.
3. High Incline DB Overhead Press
Set-up an adjustable bench at 70-80 degrees. Make sure to keep your head against the bench throughout the movement. Lower the dumbbells as far as possible on every rep to get a good stretch and activate the upper pecs.
Summary
If you find yourself suffering from droopy-pecs, use one or more of these exercises to add mass to your upper chest. In fact, I suggest dropping flat and decline presses in favor of these variations for an entire training cycle.
Remember that building muscle and strength is a coordinated effort of an all-around training, nutrition, and supplementation program.

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How to Build Muscles - 5 Steps

It doesn’t get any simpler than this. Of course, some things are easier said than done.
1. Compound exercises
Compound exercises are those movements which use more than one joint of the body at the same time. Some examples are bench presses, pull-ups, squats, overhead presses, and cleans. These exercises stimulate a large number of muscle fibers and help you to build muscle quickly and efficiently.
2. Progressive overload
You must improve from workout to workout if you want to build muscles. Even adding 1 rep or 5 pounds to a lift makes a huge difference over time. There are hundreds of ways to progress, but you must be following a quality training program if you are going to consistently progress.
3. Adequate calories
It’s been said that muscle building is 90% nutrition and 10% training. Regardless of what the actual percentages are, the point is that building muscles is next to impossible without a good nutrition plan. First and foremost this means consuming plenty of calories throughout the day.
4. Protein
In addition to the total number of calories you consume everyday you also need to pay attention to your protein intake. A good source of protein should be eaten at every meal, since proteins are the building blocks of muscle.
5. Sleep
The final piece of the puzzle is rest and recovery, most importantly sleep. As you have probably heard you need at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night. If you are really serious about building muscles then 8-9 hours would be even better. In addition to the total amount of sleep, you need to pay attention the quality of your sleep. One of the best things you can do to improve your sleep quality is to stick to a sleep schedule. This means you should wake up and go to sleep at about the same time every night (even weekends). This makes a huge difference in your ability to recover from your training sessions.

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Fast Muscle Building Tips - Rest Periods

When you ask someone to describe their training program you’ll typically get a response that includes exercises, sets, and reps. Very few people will ever mention the amount of rest they take between sets. If you don't understand the importance of rest periods then you are missing one of the best fast muscle building tips out there.
I am guessing that most people don't ever talk about rest periods because they pay absolutely no attention to how long they rest between sets. They simply rest for as long as it takes their training partner to do a set or until they decide to stop talking to the girl in spandex.
But without at least a vague idea of the optimal rest period for your goal, you can do everything else correctly yet still see no results. This is one of the most important fast muscle building tips.
Let’s say two guys are training for strength and both decide to do the tried and true 5x5 program with the exact same exercises. One guy rests 1 minute between sets and the other guy rests 4 minutes. Who will have the better strength improvement over the course of the program?
If you’re not sure of the answer, take a look at this chart:

Goal	Rest Period (seconds)
Maximal Strength	180-600+
Myofibrillar Hypertrophy	120-240
Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy	30-90
Fat Loss	0-45

As you can tell, a longer rest period will be more conducive to increasing maximal strength.
Make sure that when you are planning your training that you account for the often forgotten variable of rest periods!

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How to Gain Weight Fast - 5 Tips

here are a lot of factors that need to be taken into account if you want to gain weight fast. But the most important factor is to consume ample calories every single day. This is where most naturally skinny guys run into trouble. They simply have trouble out-eating their naturally high metabolisms. If this sounds like you then listen up to these tips on how to gain weight fast:
1. Calorie dense foods
The basic problem for most skinny guys is that they get full easily. To counteract this it is important to consume foods that pack a lot of calories into every bite. You may still get full quickly, but you’ll have gotten in your calories.
2. Liquid calories
This is another solution to get around feeling full too quickly. Liquid calories aren’t easily recognizable by your body as food, so you can often consume a lot of them before your body realizes it’s full. Try adding things like protein shakes, milk, or fresh fruit juices to your regular meals.
3. Distracted eating
It’s well-known that when people eat in distracting situations, such as while watching TV or while eating-out with friends, they typically consume more calories. Take advantage of this phenomenon by doing something else while you’re eating. This will take your mind off of eating, which is especially important if you dread regularly consuming large amounts of food.
4. Consume carbs
Carbohydrates, particularly simple carbohydrates, are digested rapidly and don’t give you the same feeling of fullness that foods high in fat will. Use this to your advantage by consuming some easily digested carbs, especially at breakfast.
5. It’s a race
Your mother may have lectured you to slow-down and chew your food, but if you’re looking to gain weight fast then it’s time to stop listening to mommy. The slower you eat the more time you give your body to realize it’s full. In contrast, if you consume your food as fast as possible then you can pack in a ton of calories before your body even realizes you took your first bite.
You’ll notice that many of these tips run counter to the typical diet advice. This is because typical diet advice is given for those who want to lose weight, not gain it. For those looking to gain weight fast the protocols are often the exact opposite of those for weight loss.
However, it is important not to get carried away. The goal should be to gain muscle and minimize fat. Keep a close eye on your body fat percentage to prevent your weight gain goal from turning into an excuse to become fat. Monitoring your progress and making adjustments is the key individualizing any program to your specific needs.

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Muscle Building Diet - Cheap Sources of Protein

Food is undoubtedly your biggest expense as someone looking to build muscle and strength (if you’re spending more on supplements than on food then you need to re-evaluate the path you are on). It’s simply not something you can sacrifice unless you also want to sacrifice your gains.
This is particularly true of protein. Unfortunately, high-quality sources of protein are some of the most expensive items you can find at the grocery store. But don’t worry, there are some cheaper sources out there. It may mean that you have to give up your filet mignons and lobster for a while, but these protein sources will get the job done just as well.
1. Canned Tuna
Make sure to select the tuna packed in water not oil, unless you really need those extra grams of fat. The water-packed tuna is pretty much pure protein and tastes great when combine with a little mustard and light mayo. If you need some extra carbs then put it on some toasted whole wheat bread for a well-rounded meal of complex carbs and high-quality protein. The only thing you need to watch out for with tuna is the potentially high mercury levels. To avoid any negatives of effects you should limit your consumption one can per day, or a couple of cans every other day.
2. Eggs
While the omega-3 and cage-free eggs are nice, they are also considerably more expensive than the traditional variety. However, regular eggs are packed with just as much protein as the more expensive variants. The difference is in the fat, vitamin, and mineral content. These compounds are found primarily in the yolk though, so if you’re just eating the whites then there is really is no difference.
3. Protein powders
Protein powders are often one of the cheaper sources of protein, but with dairy prices continually rising the traditional forms of protein powder (whey and casein) are not longer that cheap. Fortunately there are some types of protein not derived from milk. I generally suggest avoiding soy, but there are two new types of protein on the market that I do recommend. They are rice and pea protein powder. I would strongly suggest combining these two as they are complementary protein which will create a complete protein (high levels of all essential aminos). You can find these two powders at TrueProtein.com and in order to save you more money you can get a 5% discount by using the coupon code “TYS726” at checkout.
4. Non-animal Proteins
Just as combining pea and rice protein powder creates a complete protein, you can also combine some whole food vegetarian sources to create complete protein. One great combination is rice and beans. This will not only provide you with great protein, but also ample amounts of complex carbs and fiber. If you use black beans you will also get a significant antioxidant boost as well. To save even more money I highly recommend that you purchase your beans dry instead of in the can.
5. Whole chicken
Bodybuilders are used to always eating chicken breasts and no other part of the chicken. But if you are in the habit of buying your chicken breasts pre-skinned and de-boned, then you are certainly paying for this convenience. The cheaper option is to buy a whole chicken. This will give the chicken breasts, which are very low in fat, but also the fatter parts of the chicken which can also be useful, especially if you are trying to gain mass.
Keep in mind that even if you are being hit hard by the recent economic events you can still achieve your physique goals. Simply re-evaluate your spending, eliminating the unnecessary. If you re-focus your efforts and money on quality food and training programs then you will not only save money, but you will also gain a lot more muscle.

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The Best Ab Exercises That You have Never Even Heard of

Sometimes the best ab exercises for getting six pack abs are the ones that you wouldnt even think are ab exercises. Believe it or not you can get a great set of abs from not even doing a single abdominal crunch.

Ripped abs make a good physique and is the center piece of the body, as soon as your shirt comes off eyes are automatically focused on your stomach, so build abs to be proud of.

Weight and non weight exercises which involve the core of your body will indirectly work your abs. If you train with weights regulary and have a low percentage of body fat your abs will show without doing a single ab exercise.

The following video shows you some of the best ab exercises for really engaging your core without doing a single crunch or sit up.

The Over Head Barbell Squat as demonstarted as the first exercise in this video you are basically preforming a squat whilst holding a light weight barbell above your head. This exercise really engages the core and fully stretches your abdominal muscles.

The next abs exercises which is one of the best ab exercises for the obliques (Love handles) is the wood chopper. In the video this is demonstated with a band however you could use a pulley or a dumbbell or you could simpley hold on to anything which is a light / medium weight.

The kettlebell get ups is another great exercise for your abdominal muscles and if you do not have access to kettlebells then anything which you can hold in your hands and perform this exercise will work fine.

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2000 Calorie Meal Plan For Building Muscle And Burning Fat

This meal plan is ideal for anyone who is aiming to eat around 2000 calories a day. this can either be part of a muscle building program or a fat loss program.

Another way of doing this is to take your bodyweight in lbs and multiply this by 15. This should give you the amount of calories you need to eat per day in order to gain weight.

For example

130lbs x 15 = 1950

So a person weighing 130lbs would need to consume approx 1950 calories per day to gain weight.

Here is an example of one of the meals from the 2000 calorie meal plan

There are 6 meals to the day consisting of main meals and snacks. There are in the following order:

6:00 am Breakfast
9:00 am Snack
11:30 am Snack
1:00 pm Mid Meal
4:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Snack

6:00 am Breakfast Meal
1/2 cup Egg substitute
21 grams Protein powder
1 cup Skim Milk
2/3 cup Oatmeal
2 tsp Olive, Flax or Salmon Oils

Total Calories: 438

Each meal comes with instructions on how to prepare them as well as highlighting how many calories, carbs, proteins and fats each one contains. 

Download Your Free Meal Plan

2000 Calorie Diet Plan (Right click 'save as' to download)

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Weight Lifting Diet And Nutrition Tips For Building Muscle Size & Strength

A good diet is essential for building muscle, fat loss and generally making the most out of your weight training program.

Always eat regularly throughout the day.
Eating smaller meals every 3 hours or so will speed up your metabolism reducing body fat increasing muscle and improve your overall mood.

Consume some slow release protein before bed
Keep your body in constant supply of protein during the night, consume some protein such as a glass of milk or a protein shake before bed. Foods That Build Muscle.

Cut out sugars and sweets
Stop eating sweets, biscuits, crisps and fizzy drinks they contain empty calories that will just add layers of fat and give you inconsistent supply of energy throughout the day.

Keep a meal diary
Log what you eat and plan your meals in advance so you never look in the cupboard scratching your head, you will automatically know what you are eating next and stick to it.

Increase your intake of essential fatty acids
Take an EFA or omega 3,6,9 or flax seed oil product, this will help regulate your hormone levels. I used an inexpensive product from my local health shop in capsule form.

Avoid lots of caffeine
Caffeine can stop your body from absorbing vital nutrients such as zinc and iron. Limit it your self to a few cups of coffee a day if any.

Consume a high protein breakfast
Your body will have been fasting for 8 hours so it is important to fuel it with protein in the mornings.

Take a good multivitamin product.

Consume a high protein and carbohydrate shake post workout.

Consume 6 meals a day
By saying 6 meals I do not mean 6 full 3 course meals as you will probably not be able to manage that much food without being sick. By meal I mean sufficient calories from proteins, fats and carbs in 1 portion. This could range from a good weight gain drink to tuna and pasta meal. The meals should be split evenly throughout the day and your body should be fed at least every three hours. If you feel hungry at all you are not eating enough in each meal.

Meal 1 Breakfast

Meal 2 Snack

Meal 3 Lunch

Meal 4 Snack

Meal 5 Dinner

Meal 6 Snack

A good snack could be a weight gainer shake or protein drink and some fruit or a sandwich. Your body needs food every couple of hours so try not go more then 3-4 hours between meals. When eating for muscle gain a good protein or weight gainer shake is vital it fill the gaps between actual meals.

If you get peckish between your meals do not be tempted to snack on chocolate or crisps instead have some fresh fruit. I like raw carrots and keep a small tub of some fresh pealed carrots to snack on.

Some good sources of proteins are as follows.

Eggs
Milk
Protein powders
Chicken
Fish
Cottage cheese
Beef
Turkey
Other meats
Nuts

Some good sources of carbohydrates are as follows:

Potatoes
Pasta
Rice
Whole wheat bread
Beans
Bananas
Grapefruit

The above foods are truly foods for muscle building and by following a strict weight lifting diet you can add some serious lean gains in muscle size.

By eating clean and healthy you will also notice that you start to feel a lot more healthier and have more energy which is vital for intense gym sessions

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