Different Workout Routines - Men With Different Objectives

The good thing about workout routines is that there are hundreds to choose from to suit different objectives. There sets of routines that will improve your health condition. Several routines are fit for your weight loss objectives. A number of workouts are designed to build bulging muscles. In addition, these sets of routines are not mutually exclusive with a specific objective. There are several ways you can combine different workout routines. Men who are expert with muscle development have learned to identify what kind of combinations that they can design to address more than one objective.

There is also an element with of flexibility and versatility with different workout routines. Men who have been exposed with muscle development for a longer period of time have learned to create a schedule of combination of routines that will development a specific muscle but prevent peak muscle development. In some ways, our muscles have limitations, when it realizes that it can no longer tolerate expanding it stops to grow. It is no wonder that some workouts or exercises are utilized to allow the muscles to rest and recover paving the way for more muscle development.

Thus, it is important that the individual should be clear about his intentions or objectives as to why he is into muscle development. Of course, the reasons can be multiple and it has to be specified so that the individual will be carefully assisted by an expert to achieve these multiple objectives with muscle development. Although, some of the desired objectives are often results of another objectives it is still relevant to enumerate these objectives to prevent injury and harm.

For example, in the case of shoulder workout routines, men tend to overwork their shoulder muscle by engaging doing two sets of routines; one intended for biceps growth and the other is for shoulder exercises. Why prepare two sets of routines when one can design a single set that will develop both muscles, thus preventing injuries either with the shoulder or with the arm or biceps.

Roadmap to Getting Your Perfect Abs

1. FORGET ABOUT SHORTCUTS - In an era of instant gratification, many are drawn to the idea of getting abs FAST and they want it NOW. Unfortunately, microwave methods to obtaining those abs are never sustainable. While muscle enhancers or protein shakes may speed up the process, intake of such supplements cannot be the end in itself and they can never replace hard and dedicated training.

2. FIGHT THOSE FATS FIRST - A common mistake made by many when they are desperate for those washboard abs is to rush straight into abs workout. As our fat cells are situated nearer to our skin than our muscles, hours of abs workout everyday without fat-burning workout will NEVER produce results. Rid those fats and the abs will show itself.

Good cardio exercises includes running, swimming or cycling. Make sure that you that you are working at at 70-75% of your max HR for at least 30mins a session.

3. DISCIPLINE DIET - Having a discipline diet is an impetus in answering the question of 'how to get abs'. While regular abs and cardio exercises are like a train, a good meal plan serves as the railway to get you to your destination.

No amount of abs exercises will do the job if your daily input of calories remains higher than what you can burn off. A good rule of thumb is to take more but smaller meals.

The rationale is simple: Our body can only ingest and absorb a limit amount of food every few hours. The excess simply gets stored as fats. In addition to breaking up meals, cutting down abs killer like fast food, sugared drinks and snacks are just as important.

Last but not least, abs building takes time, dedication and discipline. Those who already have their perfect abs will not fail to testify how difficult it is to keep those ribbed abs. What you get after weeks and months of training can be lose in just days if you do not have a lifestyle fitness.

Alvin Quek is the creator of EnduringAbs.com. A fitness resource blog dedicated to helping men and women get abs that lasts.

The author aforementioned was a track and field athlete for 8 years and is currently participating in triathlons and Ironman short courses as a hobby.

Lower Abs Workouts - Here's 3 SOLID Ones To Follow Closely

Undoubtedly, a perfectly-sculpted body with 6 pack abs looks fantastic. However, due to the plethora of info it sometimes becomes difficult to choose the workouts that would work for you. People with their busy lifestyles do not always get time to go to the gyms.

Buying various paraphernalia for doing a workout also proves to be cumbersome. In this scenario lower abs workouts can be extremely helpful. Here are 3 really SOLID ones that I have been using that I want you to follow closely:

1) Double-leg lifts

This exercise needs to be performed by:

• Lying on the back with the hands under the buttocks and the palms facing the mat / floor.
• Contract the lower abs muscles and tighten the leg muscles.
• Then those need to be lifted up in a vertical direction and kept in that position for some seconds.

Do this 5 to 8 times and gradually as the abs become stronger the frequency can be increased to 15 to 20 times.

2) Alternating leg-walks

A person should start by:

• Lying backwards with the hands beneath the buttocks.
• A few deep breaths should be taken.
• Then he should contract the muscles of the lower abs and raise the right leg gradually till it is perpendicular to the body.
• Then the legs should be lowered down gradually, till it is just a few inches above the ground.
• Simultaneously, the left leg has to be raised in that posture.

This regime of lifting one's legs should be done8 to 10 times initially and then 15 to 20 times with abs muscles getting stronger.

3) Scissors

The initial steps are same like the previous two exercises of lower abs workout..

• After the lower abs has been contracted and the leg muscles tightened, both legs should be lifted up, approximately 2 feet above the floor.
• Now keeping the knees unbent, the person should get his right leg across the left leg, so that both of them are crossed.
• The legs need to be opened out and closed again.

The leg positions should be swapped and the entire regime should be performed 8 to 10 times initially. Later the frequency can be increased to 15-20.

If a person is diligent and sincere with these basic lower abs workouts, desirable results would definitely be got. Apart from these, the importance of proper diet, sleep and mental relaxation in building an immaculate-looking body cannot be underestimated.

Getting Toned and Trimmed Inner Thighs

Hip adductors are a group of muscles of the thighs, sometimes also referred as the muscles of inner thighs. Inner thighs have tendency to deposit fat within them especially in women. The bulky and fat thighs make women look out of shape and they take their beauty away. Therefore, it is important for women to maintain slim and toned inner thighs if they have to look beautiful, attractive and smart. When a regular exercise routine is combined with a balanced diet program, one can easily shed his or her fat around thighs and feel more leg power when he or she does any routine activity.

First of all, it is important to keep in your mind that every fat loss program starts with cutting off your calories to the level so that your daily calories intake is less than amount of calories you burn. In other words, you need to avoid consuming foods that are high in sugar and fat contents. Moreover, make sure that you eat raw vegetables and fresh fruits on the daily basis to provide your body with the necessary vitamins especially Vitamin B complex, minerals and fiber. It is important that you take meal three times a day.

Aerobic exercises such as walking, running, swimming and cycling are good at toning and strengthening your legs. However, it is important to realize that although these cardio exercises can tone your legs, it is not necessary that they will specifically target your inner thighs as well. Therefore, it makes a good idea to incorporate weight exercises and resistance training along with cardio exercises in your daily training session. The good thing about resistance or weight training is that it will take about 25-30 minutes of exercise, four to five times a week to tone, strengthen and shape your inner thighs.

If you are a beginner or have not been training for a while, it is a good idea to look for the services of a qualified fitness trainer in your area to help you get started. Make sure that you don't over-train your inner thigh muscles; otherwise you can end up with injuries. Furthermore, it is important that you perform some warm-up exercises or stretches before starting your regular workouts.

There are different gym exercises that can help you out in getting your dream of toned and slim inner thighs. Exercises like Press lift, Lunges, Inner thigh firmer, Inner thigh firmer using a Pillow or Stability ball and Outer thigh lift make some wonderful gym exercises to incorporate in your daily training session along with cardio exercise. Not only will these exercises tone your inner thighs, but they will also shed fat around your legs especially thigh area. It is important that you follow the instructions of your gym trainer as he or she is the only person who can suggest a right combination of inner thigh exercises keeping in view your fitness level, age and physique. Moreover, he will also show you the right techniques to perform those exercises safely.

Guy Long runs Gyms in St Kilda and is a Personal Trainer in Caulfield where he specializes in resistance training, body transformation, weight control, and overall muscular strength for local residents.

The Quickest Way to Flat Six Pack Abs

You probably already realize that the quickest way to flat six pack abs is to ensure you avoid as many mistakes as possible.

But, what do you do if you don't know what mistakes you're making in the first place?

If you keep reading the rest of this article, I'll let you in on a couple of the common mistakes I see people making when they are trying to get a six pack fast.

The first thing likely stopping you from getting that trophy six pack is too much reliance on supplements.

This isn't necessarily your fault. It seems every time you pick up a fitness magazine, you're bombarded with advertisements. Each and every one of these ads portraying some supplement as the "magic fix."

The truth is, supplementation can play a role in your six pack quest. Yet, relying on it too much is a recipe for failure. Instead, you need a solid foundation of a good diet, strength training, and high intensity cardio.

The next thing likely holding you back is "too much cardio." That probably sounds a bit confusing as I just told you cardio is necessary.

Allow me to explain.

When it comes to losing stomach fat, there's a big difference between the types of cardio you should be doing. There is basically "effective" cardio, and "ineffective" cardio.

"Effective" cardio consists of doing very intense, focused cardio. Preferably in intervals. An example might be sprinting up a hill and walking back down - then repeating.

Most people make the mistake of doing SLOW cardio. You know, the guys you see at the gym chugging along on the stationary bike or running 2 miles per hour on the treadmill.

Heck, maybe you're even that guy. If so, I apologize if I've offended you.

But, I think just about anyone can agree that this type of cardio is very ineffective in getting you that six pack you wanted.

You're probably beginning to realize, the quickest way to flat six pack abs is about taking effective actions while minimizing mistakes along the way.

What Mindset is Required to Gain Muscle?

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You may already be deeply involved in trying to gain muscle and get a healthier and more attractive body, but are you really taking your workout to its fullest potential?

Sometimes it is not all about the workout you are undergoing, but the state of mind that you maintain to attain the highest goal that you set for yourself. Here are some factors that will affect your body building activities and how you approach them with, not just your body, but with your soul.

Maintain Positive Thinking

Many people who are working towards succeeding in their goal to gain muscle often underestimate the power of positive thinking. Positive thinking is highly effective in setting the mood of the body to achieving greater things. Not only will your mind be rested from all worry about negative things happening in your life, with positive thinking and knowing that you will succeed, you will have a healthier outlook on the things that surround you. In turn, this will make you a much better person to deal with as well as make you feel good about the small achievements that you will make towards your larger success objective.

Develop The Mind Muscle Connections

Little do you know, but when trying to gain muscle, there is a mind-muscle connection that you should achieve and maintain to help you continue to reach success in all small endeavors that you do to get to your greater, final goal. Not being able to realize the full potential of your body is such a waste when it comes to body development.

Make that mind and muscle connection by taking the time to meditate and reflect on what you really want to do and how you want your body to respond. In other words, listen to your body and what it tells you so that you can respond to its needs quickly and effectively.

Apply Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is a concept that was developed in World War II to help soldiers rehabilitate and recuperate after sustaining injuries. This concept simply lays out a plan of development to gain muscle and mass through a program of exercise and therapy that increases stress at different levels, slowly as the body is able to handle.

This means a gradual change and increase in stress in an exercise regimen to get to the ultimate hard muscles that you expect to have at the end of the program. Progressive overload also teaches patience and discipline in a person to follow an effective bodybuilding program.

Have a Fierce Will Power

Will power has more to do with what is inside of you than what your body can do. Will power can overcome barriers. As they say if there is a will there is a way, and nothing is ever started unless there is a will to initiate it.

The secret to good bodybuilding is being able to maintain that will to get to your final goal. Always revisit your original objectives so you never lose track of what you are aiming for. Many times, bodybuilding is best achieved in positive, motivated, and well-rounded individuals who can balance the importance of body and mind in achieving goals. This is why it is important to nurture your soul alongside your body, and build that connection, to be able to achieve your goals to gain muscle.

For more information on how to Gain Muscle be sure to visit my Gain Muscle blog.

This resource will provide you with great information on what it takes to Gain Muscle Fast

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The Three Main Components of Muscle Building

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OK, you've made the excellent decision to get in shape by taking up recreational bodybuilding, so what happens next? You need to plan out what you're going to do, to get the absolute best results from your efforts, which means planning out an intelligent routine.

Essentially, bodybuilding can be broken down into three main areas;

1. Programme design - the exercises you do and when you do them
2. Nutrition - you want to eat the right foods in the right quantities to make muscle gains
3. Recovery - you need to have enough rest so the body can recover and build muscle

These three areas are all of vital importance - if one of these pieces of the puzzle is missing, then you won't achieve the results your hard work deserves.

Let me quickly qualify the last remark. Bodybuilding can be hard work, especially when you're lifting heavy weights - but it doesn't have to be a lot of hard work. The really good news here is that muscles grow when they're at rest.

This means that you don't want to be working out more than three times a week - absolute maximum. The plan is that you work hard enough on the right exercises, then get out of the gym and rest.

This is just one reason why bodybuilding is a terrific hobby - unless you're competition standard, which 95% plus of us won't be, you shouldn't become a slave in the gym - it will not help you gain more muscle - in fact it will hinder your progress!

Let bodybuilding become a part of your life - it comes with all sorts of rewards and health benefits - but it should only be a part of your life.

Doing the right movements only three or even better two times a week can really transform your body in a few months, or even faster. That means that you have four or five days when you're not training. If you have normal genetics, ie you're in the 97% majority of us, then you won't be able to make muscle gains if you workout more than three times a week, If you're working hard when you do train.

The reason I'm putting so much emphasis on training frequency is because I believe it to be one of the main reasons why so few people make decent muscle building gains - in gyms all over the world people are training too often on the wrong exercises, and not working hard enough at the same time.

Too many workouts on the wrong movements equals zero results apart from frustration. Don't fall into this trap!

For more information, Ged McCabe has complied a complimentary 75 minute video report, "Bodybuilding Basics" and a 23 page report, "A proven, step by step guide to successful bodybuilding."

To download the video and the report instantly, visit; http://www.bodybuildingalert.com

Would you like to know how to design your own training programs? For a complimentary 2 hour video presentation, "The 15 things you need to know about designing your own bodybuilding routines", visit; http://www.bodybuildingthatworks.com

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7 Reasons to Use Bodybuilding to Get in Shape

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If you're out of shape right now, regardless of your age, bodybuilding could really help you to turn your entire life around, and fast.

I should say right up front that if you're in any doubt, get clearance from your doctor before you start any new type of vigorous exercise.

Let's assume that you're been give the go ahead from your doctor;

Here is a list of some of the many huge benefits of using muscle building to get in shape;

1/ Speed of results - if you train hard twice a week, for not much more than an hour each workout, you can make improvements in your body so fast that it will astonish you. This applies even more if you're totally new to weight training. In a few short months you could see a new reflection in the mirror looking back at you.

Bodybuilding allows you to make these changes much faster than most other forms of exercise.

2/ Increased Confidence - once that you start to see and feel the effects of building and strengthening your body, you will definitely feel a spring in your step. This is perhaps one of the biggest benefits of weight training. Best of all, you'll start to get noticed more by the opposite sex!

This applies whether your male or female, and it applies regardless of age too. This is simply down to nature - we're naturally more drawn towards healthier looking people.

3/ Greatly improved health and well being - I know this for a fact myself - before I trained with weights I used to catch every germ going - now I rarely catch anything worse than a cold every other year. Weight training makes your body more resistant to illness.

4/ Muscle Building makes it easier to lose fat - as you add muscle to your body, your metabolism will speed up, and this in turn will help you to lose fat. Carrying more muscle around will burn more calories. Two benefits for the price of one!

The other up side to this is that as you get into heavier training, your appetite will increase as well. As long as you eat quality foods and not junk, you'll be able to enjoy your food and not worry about getting fatter!

I'd advise that you'd track your body mass index from time to time (your fat percentage), and allow that to guide you.

5/ Great improvements in strength - this comes in really handy for day to day stuff, right down to undoing jars that you couldn't undo before. It's also comforting to know that you've built your strength up, which adds to the feeling of well-being that you will get from bodybuilding.

6/ Improvements in cardio fitness - the old clich

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Why You Shouldn't Take Bodybuilding Magazines Too Seriously

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A lot of people get subscriptions to bodybuilding magazines in hopes that it would help them reach their fitness or muscle building goals. While some of the fitness magazines out there are admittedly very good, a subscription doesn't necessarily make it easier to get the body you want. Here are a few reasons why.

#1 - Bodybuilding magazines need sponsors to survive.

Remember that most magazines won't survive on sales alone -- they depend on sponsorships and ad revenue. As a result, their articles may be tweaked to reflect the views of their bigger sponsors, which may not necessarily be right.

#2 - The tips you get in these magazines may not be one-size-fits-all.

Also keep in mind that there's no such thing as a fitness regimen that'll work for every single person out there. What works for you may not work for someone else. It's important to develop a fitness routine that's tailor-made for your body type and lifestyle, and that's something a magazine -- with potentially thousands of readers -- just can't do for you.

#3 - The hype about supplements is just that -- hype.

Most of the ads you'll find in a bodybuilding magazine are about bodybuilding supplements, and they all promise the same things -- fast fat burn and muscle growth. Supplements are great to have, but they're not all that necessary to a successful routine. So don't get tempted into buying something that might not work for you at all.

The best muscle building regimen covers a combination of good eating habits, regular and intense exercise, and enough rest. In other words, it's an entire lifestyle change. You can't read a bodybuilding magazine and expect it to whip you into shape on its own.

Only when you're ready to tweak your entire lifestyle will a bodybuilding magazine be of great help to your routine.

If you would like to learn more about muscle building programs just Click HERE.

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The Five Best Exercises to Add Upper Body Muscle

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The first thing to say about adding upper body muscle is that it's a lot easier to do if you don't neglect lower body training.

I know this sounds weird, but remember that most of the some of the largest muscles in your legs and butt are among the largest muscles in your entire body, and the secret to getting bigger is to build the largest muscles in the body first.

For that reason, unless you have a genuine physical condition that stops you from either dead lifting or squatting, make sure you pay your dues with one of these exercises.

I'd also add the leg press to that - so rule number one is don't neglect lower body training.

This produces the anabolic effect that you need to build muscle. It also makes it much easier to add muscle to other parts of your body - a bit like throwing a stone into a pond - the larger the stone the more ripples it creates.

Similarly, the larger the muscle you train, the easier it becomes to get the smaller muscles to grow as well - they come along for the ride.

This is called "indirect effect."

Now to upper body mass builders;

Again, focus on compound exercises where possible. This is a more efficient way to train because you want to exercise the major muscle groups with as few movements as possible, giving you more time for recovery, and just as important, to get on with the other things in your life!

Take a look at this group of exercises. Bench press, overhead press, dip, chin, shrug.

These are the only mass builders you will ever need for training the upper body. You don't even need all of them! The first three are pushing movements and the last two are pulling movements.

I'd suggest that you pick a pushing exercise, and then follow with a pulling exercise. You'll probably find it easier to train them both hard if you follow this plan instead of following a pushing exercise with another pushing exercise, or a pulling exercise followed by another pulling exercise.

If you're just starting out with the weights then you may not be able to do the chin up - in which case you could do the pull down exercise if you have access to that equipment, or you could do negative chins until you have the strength to do a normal chin up.

All the other exercises you should be able to do.

It's vital to add small amounts of weight to the bar whenever possible. Don't be in too much of a hurry adding weight though, or your body won't have a chance to adapt to the extra stress you place on it.

Make sure that you learn the right way to do the exercises, so that:
1/ You get the maximum muscle building effect and
2/ You greatly reduce the chance of injury.

Good luck!

For more information, Ged McCabe has complied a complimentary 75 minute video report, "Bodybuilding Basics" and a 23 page report, "A proven, step by step guide to successful bodybuilding."

To download the video and the report instantly, visit: http://www.bodybuildingalert.com

Would you like to know how to design your own training programs? For a complimentary 2 hour video presentation, "The 15 things you need to know about designing your own bodybuilding routines", visit http://www.bodybuildingthatworks.com

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How to Plan Out Your Muscle Building Routines

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Some people will tell you that diet is the most important part of bodybuilding - this is nonsense. The most important part by far is program design, or in other words the exercises that you do, and when you do them.

Here's why;

You can have the worlds best diet, and you can be getting tons of rest, but if you're not stimulating muscle gains it all means nothing. Yes, diet and rest are important, but the bottom line is that if you're not stimulating muscle gains nothing will happen.

That said, the most important thing is to choose the exercises that stimulate the largest amount of muscle. This is the most efficient way to train, because you can train your major muscle groups faster, and therefore your entire body faster.

This is another area where so many people in gyms all over the world go wrong. They spend four or more days a week in the gym doing things like bicep curls, and tricep kickbacks.

Did you know that over two thirds of your muscle mass is contained in your legs and back?

In theory then, this means that if you gained 10lbs muscle, 6.6lb at least would go onto your legs and back. Therefore the most important exercises to do are the ones that affect your legs and back.

Golden rule of bodybuilding number one is to build the largest muscles in the body first - I wish someone had carved this on my forehead thirty years ago when I started hitting the weights - I reckon I'd be a lot bigger now!

A welcome side effect of doing this is that it makes it easier to build the smaller muscle groups - a bit like dropping a stone into a pond - the larger the stone, the more ripples it causes.

This is also known as "indirect effect" - but please note it doesn't work the other way around - if you build the smaller muscles first, it doesn't make it easier to build the larger muscles.

This is why you often hear that "Compound exercises are king".

For that, read dead lift, squat, chin, dip, bench press, overhead press - in that order.

Now it could well be that if you're starting out, you're not strong enough to squat with any weight on the bar, or to dead lift with any weight on the bar.

This doesn't matter - if you have to, start doing those movements with the bar only. Then very gradually add small amounts of weight to the bar each workout you do.

If you're just starting out (regardless of age - and I assume you've got doctor's clearance if it was needed.), you could do three workouts a week, with just one set of ten reps for each exercise.

The most important thing is to get started, and once you've started, to stick with it!

As you get more experience, you'll also get stronger, so you can add more weight to the bar. Then, you could look at doing say two work sets per movement, and cutting your workouts back to two a week.

The idea is to give work to the large leg muscles in the thighs, plus the back muscles - and the squat and dead lift are the absolute two best exercises to do this.

So when you plan your routines, make sure that you have plenty of compound movements in them - this is proven to be the fastest way to build your body up, regardless of your age and level of fitness now.

For more information, Ged McCabe has complied a complimentary 75 minute video report, "Bodybuilding Basics" and a 23 page report, "A proven, step by step guide to successful bodybuilding."

To download the video and the report instantly, visit; http://www.bodybuildingalert.com

Would you like to know how to design your own training programs? For a complimentary 2 hour video presentation, "The 15 things you need to know about designing your own bodybuilding routines", visit; http://www.bodybuildingthatworks.com

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How Can I Do More Chin-Ups?

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When performing a chin-up all you will need is your own bodyweight and a bar. If it's your very first time doing chin-ups it can be almost impossible to execute them correctly. If you are in the situation where your bodyweight is too heavy for you to pull yourself up, then I suggest that you start by jumping up and slowly lower your body, repeat that as many times as possible. When you've done that a few days or how ever long time it takes for you to feel comfortable and strong enough to perform proper chin-ups. Just simply start doing them. In the beginning you probably won't be able to do more than 2-3, but that's okay it's a process every one goes through.

The important thing is that you are consistent and don't just do them once every now and then. You don't even have to go to the gym to do chin-ups, you can get your very own chin-up bar that you can put in a door post. If you got one at home it makes it much easier. This is a thing that I do myself: Every time a pass through the door where I got my chin bar I do 1 set of as many reps as possible. It might sound silly but it really works. When I started I could only do about 3 reps, and now few months later I can easily do 12-15.

If you want a wider back then the wide grip chin-up is a great exercise to do. It's a lot harder then the close grip chin-ups, but you can start in the exact same way as you did with the close grip ones. Jump up and slowly lower your body.

This is what should go on in your head when doing chin-ups: When you are too tired to do one more DO two more. Because when you feel like you can't do another one, most of the time your body can actually do a few more but your mind don't. If you can overcome that then you will see results very fast.

If you want complete muscle building workout routines visit my website.
Or if you want more exercise articles visit my blog.

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Number of Reps and Sets

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One of the most important aspects of building muscle is to know the adequate amount of exercise to do. If you do too much, your muscles will atrophy rather than grow. If you do too little nothing will happen at all. So how can you tell the correct to perform?

The general rule of thumb for building muscle is to use progressive weight and lift as heavy as you can for between 5-8 reps while keeping perfect form. This means that each time you do an exercise you must either do more reps up to 8 or lift more than the previous time. Most people over train without knowing it. If you are doing 3 sets of 12 reps you are probably overtraining assuming you are lifting heavy enough. Some people judge their progress by how much of a pump they get in their muscles when working out. This really is no measure of progress however.

The best set/rep combination for building muscle is 2 sets of between 5 and 8 reps for most core exercises. This assumes that you perform about two sets of warm ups with lighter weight first. That does not seem like much, but any more and you risk overtraining. Remember muscle growth takes place outside the gym while you are at rest. The only purpose of lifting in the gym is to break down muscle tissue by challenging your muscles with heavier weight each time. This progression is what causes muscle to be added later when at rest.

There are certain exceptions to this rule. Certain exercises, particularly for the abdominal muscles, tend to require higher set/rep combinations. Crunches for example will only be effective when you get into the higher ranges of 3-5 sets of 20 or more. This is mostly because this exercise is primarily to tone the abs and not build them bigger. Weighted crunches on the other hand would follow the same 2 sets of 5-8 rule if done properly with the most amount of weight possible.

Remember that proper form and working to failure are the two keys to building muscle. You want to structure your workouts around core exercises and perform 2 sets of between 5-8 reps lifting heavy enough to take you to failure. By continually adding reps up to 8 or weight each workout, you will find your muscles getting bigger and bigger very quickly.

Want instant access to free Bodybuilding Workouts, meal plans and other tools you can download and use immediately visit: http://www.jumbomuscle.com

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How to Manage Your Bodybuilding Expectations

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Let's assume that you've decided to get your body into shape by taking up bodybuilding. You've had clearance from your doctor - so what happens next?

The first thing to decide is exactly what do you hope to gain from bodybuilding? Do you want to get to competition level? Or are you going to be a recreational bodybuilder, where you want to add some muscle to your frame, but you don't want it to take over your whole life.

Maybe you want to get to a certain bodyweight, or lose a target number of pounds of fat.

It's important to decide what you hope to gain from lifting the weights before you start, because this will help you to design your routines for the future.

Unless you're in your early twenties, you're probably not going to want to try and build a competition level body. A reality check is needed here. To be a success at competition level, you're probably going to have to be right at the top end as regards genetics - probably in the top 5% in the population.

I'd say that if you're outside the top 5% genetically (and it may be a smaller percentage than that), you should give up any idea of being a professional bodybuilder.

Please don't misinterpret this - I'm not saying give up altogether - but if you start with goals that are unrealistic, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment.

If you turn this around, it's actually very liberating. As very few of us are ever likely to get to elite competition level, the rest of this article assumes that you'll be somewhere in the recreational level of bodybuilding.

You need to understand that if you plan a sensible routine, with realistic expectations, it will be so much easier to stick to it. Most people who start and then give up bodybuilding do so because they had unrealistic expectations when they began, and when it became clear that they had no chance of achieving those expectations they gave up in frustration.

However, if they'd set more realistic targets that were achievable, maybe they would still be training now. I hope you understand this point.

I'd suggest that if you don't give up training, and it becomes a part of your life (just a part of your life, not the same as taking over your life.) then it will become one of the best decisions you ever make.

If you plan sensible routines and stick to them, you may not win any bodybuilding competitions, but you will be far, far in advance of other people your own age (and most people a few years younger too) in terms of strength, muscle and overall health.

Set realistic goals and get yourself on track to become the best that you can be!

For more information, Ged McCabe has complied a complimentary 75 minute video report, "Bodybuilding Basics" and a 23 page report, "A proven, step by step guide to successful bodybuilding."

To download the video and the report instantly, visit; http://www.bodybuildingalert.com.

Would you like to know how to design your own training programs?

For a complimentary 2 hour video presentation, "The 15 things you need to know about designing your own bodybuilding routines", visit; http://www.bodybuildingthatworks.com.

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A Huge Mistake You Need to Avoid If You're Trying to Build Muscle and Lose Weight

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If you're trying to get in shape by building muscle and you're overweight right now, then you really do need to know about this.

If you're really out of shape when you begin training, you'll make some progress almost immediately if you've gone from doing almost no exercise to doing some exercise.

After a while the law of diminishing returns sets in - and the closer you get to your target, the more difficult it becomes.

Have you ever seen someone who used to be really fat, and then you see them and they've lost a huge amount of weight? They look thinner yes, but they also look drawn, or gaunt, or just ill!

And this is the crucial mistake that you need to understand and avoid - because they've concentrated on losing weight, as opposed to losing fat.

If you're overweight now, then you must think in terms of losing fat. Because if you think just in terms of losing bodyweight, you'll end up stripping off more muscle than fat. Your body is very quick at working out situations - if you start to cut right back on your food intake, your body goes into survival mode.

This means it will store fat. So when you lose weight, you lose muscle. You also need to bear in mind that having huge muscles on your body is not a natural state. This means that especially if your body is in survival mode, it becomes all too easy to strip off your precious muscle, whilst retaining the fat that you really wanted to get rid of!

So always, always think in terms of losing fat.

That said, how do you do this?

The most important thing it to find a way of tracking your body mass index (or your fat levels if you prefer.)

Your bodyweight consists of your lean body mass plus how much fat you carry.

Nowadays, you can buy scales that calculate your fat levels - this is shown as a percentage of your bodyweight. It's important to track this as you go - because if your weight is going down but your fat percentage stays the same, then you're stripping muscle off and not fat.

Probably the most accurate way to measure your body mass index is using skin fold callipers. You use these to take measurements on four or five sites on your body, and then these measurements form the basis to calculate your fat levels.

If you use this you need to make sure that you're consistent as to where you measure, and also be consistent about the time of day that you check, as results can fluctuate during the day.

Don't go mad with this - check every couple of weeks or so.

By tracking your fat percentage you can go a long way to avoid falling into the trap of losing weight as opposed to losing fat.

Good luck!

For more information, Ged McCabe has complied a complimentary 75 minute video report, "Bodybuilding Basics" and a 23 page report, "A proven, step by step guide to successful bodybuilding."

To download the video and the report instantly, visit; http://www.bodybuildingalert.com.

Would you like to know how to design your own training programs? For a complimentary 2 hour video presentation, "The 15 things you need to know about designing your own bodybuilding routines", visit; http://www.bodybuildingthatworks.com.

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Stomach Toning Exercise - How to Get the Washboard Abs You Have Always Wanted

Amy Newman
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Hi, my name is Amy, and I am just a normal girl from South Carolina. In the last 18 months I have found my true ... Article Word Count: 265

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How to Keep Your Shoulders Healthy in Less Than Five Minutes a Week

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The shoulder joint is the most flexible joint in the body, allowing you a very wide range of movement. However, this flexibility comes at a cost, as the shoulder joint is very unstable, precisely because it is so flexible.

Shoulder health is essential in everyday life, and even more so if you're into bodybuilding. I can't think of any upper body exercise that doesn't employ the shoulder joint in some way, except for abs exercises.

Apart from the instability of the shoulder joint, there are two reasons why so many folks have unhealthy shoulders;

First, they do their upper body pressing movements with terrible technique, which puts strain on the shoulder joint. This could take the form of bench pressing too high up on the body, or allowing the elbows to flare out in the bench press or overhead press.

So if this is you, clean up your technique!

Second, all of us have an imbalance between internal and external shoulder rotation strength.

Let me explain;

Imagine you're shaking hands with someone. Better still, actually do this so you can prove it to yourself.

Try and move the hand you're shaking with to the opposite side of your body - so if you're right handed, try and rotate your hand to the left side of the body.

That's internal rotation of the shoulder joint.

Now try and move your hand the other side - that is external rotation.

All of us are much stronger at internal rotation than external rotation - the trick then is to build up external rotation strength.

This can be done using the l-fly exercise - it only takes five minutes a week - probably less than that! I myself had a shoulder injury from bad bench pressing technique, and I was able to cure it entirely using this exercise, so I know how valuable it is.

Here's how to do the l-fly.

Take a very light dumbbell in one hand. Now lay on your side on your exercise bench. If you're doing the right shoulder you lay on your left side, and vice versa.

Keep your upper arm tight against your side, with your forearm at 90 degrees to your upper arm. Now try and lift the dumbbell up by keeping your upper arm against your side while rotating the hand holding the 'bell away from you - you should feel this in the shoulder joint.

Absolutely do not force this, and be very careful about adding weight to the dumbbell. When you've lifted the 'bell as high as you can without forcing, then lower it to the start position - that is one rep.

Two sets of say eight reps a side should be all you need, once a week. Do this exercise at the end of your workout, after your big pressing exercises. (This will mean that you haven't tired the shoulders out before your bench press or overhead press.)

It's important not to rush the reps. Keep the tempo slow and deliberate.

That's it - doing this one exercise for five minutes a week will go a very long way towards keeping your shoulders in tip top health!

For more information, Ged McCabe has created a complimentary 75 minute video report, "Bodybuilding Basics" and a 23 page report, "A proven, step by step guide to successful bodybuilding."

To download the video and the report instantly, visit; http://www.bodybuildingalert.com

Would you like to know how to design your own training programs?
For a complimentary 2 hour video presentation, "The 15 things you need to know about designing your own bodybuilding routines", visit; http://www.bodybuildingthatworks.com

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Gain Muscle Mass Fast - 5 Killer Exercises

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If you are fed up with having very little muscle mass then you have probably considered joining a gym or purchasing some weight training equipment. But what do you do once you have made the financial commitment to reaching your goals of a better body? Unfortunately many beginners have very little understanding of how to work out properly and therefore make insignificant progress and eventually give up on their vision of a better body.

It is for that reason essential that you know what exercises to do in order to achieve the best possible results. Don't worry about doing what the person next to you does; if you perform these killer compound exercises then you will be packing on lean muscle mass in no time.

1. Barbell Squat - The Barbell Squat is considered by many bodybuilders, weightlifters and athletes to be the king of all lifts. The exercise is performed by resting the bar across the back of the shoulders and stabilizing it into position with your hands, you then "squat" down deep, keeping the back straight, chest out and knees behind the toes. Squats when performed correctly with strict form work the Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower Back and Glutes. For safety purposes it is always best to perform this exercise in a Squat or Power Rack.

2. Bench Press - Possibly the most famous weightlifting exercise, the Bench Press is the ideal core lift for hitting the chest and triceps. The Bench Press can be performed in variety of different ways including flat, incline, decline and close grip. For the beginner it is always best to start with flat bench press and this can be performed using either a Barbell or Dumbbells.

3. Deadlift - One of the best exercises for building up the lower back, it is performed by "pulling" a barbell from the floor by pushing with your legs and keeping your back straight. The Deadlift also works the muscles in the legs, middle back, traps and forearms making it an incredible full body exercise.

4. Military Press - The Military Press is performed by holding a barbell at shoulder level slightly in front of your head and then slowly raising it above your head. The Military Press is the ideal core exercise for hitting the shoulders and triceps. This exercise can also be performed behind the neck.

5. Barbell Rows - This rowing exercise is ideal for developing the middle back as well as the lats and biceps. The barbell row is performed by bending at the waist and keeping the back straight, the barbell is then pulled up towards the chest. This exercise can also be performed using dumbbells.

By performing an exercise routing based around these compound lifts you will be able to build a strong muscular physique when combined with a well balanced, protein rich diet.

For further information on reaching a leaner more muscular physique visit http://wheyforward.com

http://wheyforward.com

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Could This Be the Best Chest Exercise Workout For Perfect Pecs?

Howard Standring
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I am a certified Personal Trainer who has worked with hundreds of clients of all ages specifically helping them to transform their bodies and improve ... Article Word Count: 661

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3 Lifts to Blast Your Entire Body

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Total body workouts are not just for beginners, they are great for anyone that wants to get stronger. The total body workout will build muscle and it will build strength. If you are looking to pack on muscle and you want to do it without the use of drugs you should be incorporating total body workouts in your workout program.

Using a total body barbell workout is perfect for getting your strength levels up fast. It is a tough workout but it is worth it in the end. In order for you to gain muscle mass by lifting weights, you need to use the law of progressive overload, and strength is the corner stone of this law. Compound barbell movements are the best way to get strong quickly. The stronger you are, the more weight you can lift, and the more mass you will build.

The first thing that you want to do is take a week off from training and let your body recover completely. This program revolves around low volume, high intensity workouts that will force muscle stimulation. This means that these workouts are going to be taxing, and they are going to be difficult. The good news is that you only need to do them 3 days a week and you will only be lifting for 45 minutes tops.

You will only be performing 2 exercises for your upper body, and 1 exercise for your lower body. Flat bench presses and deadlifts are the lifts that you will be doing for the upper body. Start with flat bench press. Perform 2 warm up sets of 10 to 12 reps. You will be performing only 3 working sets of both lifts. Use a spotter if at all possible. This is important on the bench press. Choose a weight that you can lift for only 3 to 5 reps on your own and force 1 or 2 extra reps with a spotter.

Make sure to get enough rest between sets, usually about 5 minutes. You are doing so few sets that you want each of them to count. When you are performing deadlifts be sure to use good form. Keep the reps in the 6 to 8 rep range. Make sure to let your legs do the work in the first part of the movement. At the end of the movement be sure to lock out fully and hold it there for 3 seconds. At the end of each rep, take a small 1 or 2 second break.

The lower body exercise is full range standard squats. Again 3 sets is all that is needed to stimulate muscle growth if you are using the proper amount of weight. A spotter comes in handy for this exercise too. Keep your reps right around 6 reps, and use the full range of motion. You want to go all the way down and power yourself all the way back up. By the time you are done with squats you will have nothing left if you did everything right.

It may not look like a lot on paper but after you are done with this workout you see why you are only to do it 3 times a week. You will need time to recover from these intense workouts. At the end of a month you will be much stronger than you were at the start of this program. When you get back to your regular workout split you will be able to lift more weight, and build more muscle.

To discover over 27 specific secrets for losing body fat and getting a lean flat stomach, see the unique workouts and nutrition tips at: http://www.AbdominalFat101.com

Here's to wishing you a leaner, healthier, stronger body!

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