Muscle Building Exercises Myths

A great many myths exist as to the amount of weight that can be safely carried on a human frame. Most people don’t realize that  muscle weighs more than fat, so it is possible to be heavier, but still wear a smaller size. That is to say, a scale reading may be higher, even though the measurement around the waistline is actually smaller. This doesn’t make sense to a great deal of individuals who think that weight is the most important measure of a diet program’s success. It is not, since the actual goal should be to become smaller or leaner, not necessarily lighter.

The best thing about muscle building exercises  is that they tend to accentuate the eating program. Such activities as the bench press, bicep curls, and the leg press help to build lean muscle on the body. Because muscle burns more calories than fat, it stands to reason that the more muscle one builds,  then the human metabolism requires a greater caloric intake to keep up with this daily need. So, if the amount of food consumed doesn’t vary, but the amount of resistance training is increased, then  burning off fat, with resulting weight loss,  is guaranteed. It will also be supercharged as the fat “falls off”, and is replaced by lean muscle tissue. This is a perpetual cycle that will not stop until something outside of this loop is changed.

Weight training is the very best method to get started on a plan of diet and exercise. Small weights, with many repetitions can help to build the type of lean silhouette that is featured In many of the magazines today. These can be as small as 5 pounds apiece, but a routine has to be done on a regular basis. It can be varied however, and when combined with some supplements, will help to produce the kind of body that is coveted everywhere. After a light stretching warm up, a 20 to 30 minute period of lifting should be done 3x per week. This can be altered if necessary to build up sufficient strength in the body.

Muscle Building Exercises & Nutrition

It doesn’t matter what plan of activity is followed, as long as it combines diet and exercise together in the right combination. Weight lifting, resistance training, or even calisthenics can be used for the active part of the plan. Building lean muscle will not only create that “long torso effect”, but it can also help to burn off those excess calories.

Tying in closely with their arms and shoulders, the pecs are actually pushing muscles, and when you work on your chest muscles, your triceps and deltoids also benefit. How well you develop your pecs is correlated closely to the weight you use in your muscle building routine.

Muscle Building Routine Pec development exercises.

When you are first considering working on your chest, exercises utilizing a bench press are generally the first choice, primarily because these apparatuses lend themselves to all types of groups and roles and weights. About the only similar things on a bench press are the Olympic Bar and the plates.

The basic exercise on a flat bench is the bench press, utilizing a wide grip on the bar, and this movement will put a great exertion on your outer pecs. You can work both the upper and middle pecs simply by changing where the bar is lowered to, the neck or the chest. To get your triceps more involved in moving the weight, you need to keep your elbows at your sides, while lowering the bar to the mid-section of your chest.

Conversely, if you lower the to your neck but with your elbows splayed widely open, then the frontal deltoids are affected along with your pecs. To get the best workout on the upper pecs try using the bench press on an incline board and lower the bar to your neck. If you switch to a decline board then the lower pecs get the workout.

You should also try Parallel Bar Dips as part of your muscle building routine as when your hands are at shoulder width this becomes an excellent work out on your upper and inner pecs.

Another great chest workout exercise utilizes a dumbbell.
Closely resembling the Olympic bar lifts, these can be used in quite a number of bench exercises, and if you use either a flat, inclined, or declined bench they are great for performing flies. A super way to stretch the pecs and rip them up!

Cable and pulley machines best known for just finishing exercises such as the two-handed crunch. This exercise starts with the arms widespread and then you bring the handles together directly in front of the chest with your arms ever so slightly bent at the elbows.
Another good exercise to incorporate in your muscle building routine Is the Bent Arm Pullover. Performed with the weight on the floor and on a flat bench, you assume a supine position and reach way back over your head for the bar bell, then keeping your arms bent and bring the weight back to the chest in a circular motion.

And finally, a compound exercise is performed when you do a close grip bench press from the chest, with the return going back to the chest and then lowered slowly to the floor in a slightly circular motion.

The Perfect Muscle Building Routine

The best muscle building routine will include a chest workout that starts with the heavier weight exercises such as the bench press, then you move progressively down the ladder, to the barbell exercises , then the dumbbells , and then finally to just body weight resistance exercises. The muscle building routine that’s perfect for finishing off the pecs!

Getting a body that’s fit for showing requires an incredible level of perseverance, again whether for men or women, the goal is similar, but how this is achieved is as different as is the anatomy and metabolism of each sex.
It’s a fact that the female body simply can not be developed on such a massive scale as men’s simply by relying on basic women’s workouts, but massive muscle can be achieved in women if some chemical assistance is introduced, and just relying on women’s workouts may not be enough. In fact the natural diet and exercises of males actually produce different results with the ladies.

Complementary to Great Womens Workouts

Lifting weights, consuming high protein diets, taking all natural supplements are all parts of the musclewomen’s routine, and their bodies will respond with super conditioning, defined muscles and even the proverbial six pack, but they’ll never achieve the muscle size of the guys doing equal workouts.

Over the course of time bodybuilding for women has certainly evolved. It used to be some basic womens workouts would produce the goal of a slim, smooth and shapely body, but with the use of anabolic steroids and male growth hormones, massive muscular development has become commonplace. In fact some of the lady bodybuilders actually look like men, they’re so huge and musclebound! Thankfully the current trend is back to a more natural and feminine look for female bodybuilders. Definition and muscularity are obtained by routine womens workouts such as resistance exercises and the like, resulting in definite femininity. Just think of Demi Moore for example. I bet she has her routine of womens workouts perfected!

The Basics of Womens Workouts

Building a musclewoman commences with weight and resistance training, just as with men. Each week a muscle group gets worked to exhaustion, however as women’s bodies are different to men’s, different women’s workouts are used to enhance the upper and lower body shapeliness. Women place more emphasis on hip flexors, adductor and abductor muscles in the inner and outer thighs, while traditional squats and thigh-biceps curls work on the quadriceps and hamstrings. Calf raises finish off the lower body workout.

Upper body workouts for women include working their chest muscles with barbell or machine presses, dumbbell or machine flies, with shoulder presses and arm work completing the routine. Serious female bodybuilder’s will lift an impressive amount of weight in every workout and develop the arms with barbell and dumbbell curls, French Bench presses and triceps press-downs.

Complementing the muscle building techniques of women’s workouts is the effect of good muscle building nutrition. As the muscle tissue becomes damaged with intense workouts, proper nutrition is essential for the rebuilding process. Conventional wisdom says the diet should have about 1/4 of the calories stemming from protein, about 1/2 from complex carbohydrates, and the balance from good fats and fiber.

Dietary supplements can also be taken: Whey Protein powder mixed with raw milk is good, with amino acids to assist with speeding up burning of fat and protein metabolizing. The best source of useable protein are eggs, a lot of them if you’re doing serious workouts. Soluble oil such as wheat germ oil needs to be be consumed for energy boosts and lasting endurance, and kelp and desiccated liver tablets give a concentrated protein boost.

In summary, building a musclewoman is a lot like building a muscleman, but the approach, and the workouts needed, are quite different to take into account women’s form and metabolism. Done properly though, using sound womens workouts, the results can be as impressive as any mans!

Eating properly for the best muscle building nutrition

First, it is recommended that you eat frequently, about six small meals per day. This will help you keep your energy up the entire day and prevent you from getting sluggish, and will increase your capacity for more workout routines. All of the diets that exist to lose weight indicate that you should only eat when you are hungry. Well, it is no different when you are trying to gain muscle. You need to make sure that you are never hungry if you are trying to build muscle.

You should also combine protein with carbohydrates together. Choose healthful, whole-grain carbs instead of carbs made from white flour. Protein sources include eggs, fish, meat, poultry, nuts, and beans.

Certain supplements will help you achieve more muscle building nutrition. Whey supplements, for instance, are often recommended. This supplement contains all of the amino acids that your body needs for improved performance and increased strength and endurance.

Don’t eat excessive amounts of sugar, fats, or carbohydrates that break down easily. This might seem like common sense advice, but it bears repeating. If you have too much sugar in your system, your body will lose important minerals, like potassium and magnesium. Similarly, carbohydrates that break down easily, like white bread, are metabolized in your system too quickly for you to maintain your energy. Foods like those are simply sugar to send you crashing. Similarly, bad fat like margarine is inferior to what is now known as good fat, found in foods like nuts, avocados, and olive oil.

Water – an essential muscle building routine component

If you’re working out a lot, which you should be, you need to be sure you are consuming the right amount of water. It’s helpful to drink water constantly all day. Drinking lots of water will keep your tissues hydrated and in good working condition. Never, ever let yourself become dehydrated when trying to build muscle.

A protein shake will help you with muscle building nutrition.

It is important that you consume these after your workout. Follow these steps, and you will benefit from all of the excellent muscle building nutrition you are putting into your body.

That’s because fitness is about more than raw strength. It’s also about endurance, stamina and overall health. For example, it’s not uncommon for a muscular, strong-looking power lifter to have a blood lipid profile that is absolutely deplorable. Bigger muscles on the outside may attract more attention, but it’s the ones on the inside, the cardiac and other involuntary muscles, that really matter. Workout routines build muscle here too, even if no one will ever see them.

Workout Routines Build Muscle Sensibly

Cardio training routines are best to build endurance. Running, active sports and swimming won’t make you gain a lot of mass, but they’ll definitely bring better muscle tone and a slimmer profile. They may not be the greatest for bulking up, but cardio workout routines do build muscle nonetheless. Swimming is an especially good part of any exercise program: it uses more muscle groups than most other cardio routines, and it works them with movements that human muscles don’t use much on land. Swimming is also low impact – no aching feet, no blisters and no sprained ankles. Compare that to some activities, like running, only work the legs!

Weights are often used to increase muscle size, but that’s not all they’re good for. Generally speaking, less repetitions with heavier weight builds size, while more repetitions of an easier movement will do more to increase tone and definition. A comprehensive training regimen will combine both of these tactics.

Either way, a good diet is an important for anyone looking to turn fat into muscle. Workout routines build muscle by breaking it down first; that’s why a lifter’s arm aches after a strenuous session. Then, the amazing human body rebuilds that muscle a little bit stronger than before. In order to do that, however, it needs the right materials.

Think about your house or any other building. You can construct a house from cheap particleboard, but you’ll get a much sturdier building if you use hardwood or bricks. Your body should get the same treatment, so don’t start working out with a belly full of Hostess cakes and Mc Donald’s 1/4 pounders! Lean protein is key, because that’s the most efficient fuel for building new muscle tissue. Any meat is high in protein, but fish, especially tuna, and poultry are not only protein powerhouses, but have less cholesterol than most red meats. If you’re trying to bulk up, as opposed to simply trimming up and slimming down, supplements can provide that extra bit of protein when it’s really needed. Eating well really helps workout routines build muscle.

Workout Routines Build Muscle – But Eat Healthy

Before heading to the weightlifting equipment, be sure to eat a healthy meal for energy. Unless you’re planning a long workout, go easy on the fats until after-wards. Complex carbohydrates, like whole grain bread or pasta, work well for this: they’re easily digested and are the body’s best source for fast energy. You do need more than protein, however, to make your workout routines build muscle.

Gain muscle without weights with the lowly push up.

You’ve probably been doing push-ups since PE in middle school, but this push-up is a bit different.
How different? Well, regular push-ups are great, don’t get me wrong, but if you want to really gain muscle without weights then try doing your regular push-up but this time with someone actually sitting on your back! This adds such much needed resistance and dramatically increases the effectiveness of the push-up. You could also use a bag of sand or salt if no one is willing or able to help you in your toning up.

However, if you are new to exercising or just getting started building muscle, just doing regular push-ups will be enough to build some muscle and burn some fat.

The next exercise, the pull up is just as well known as the first and is just as effective.
The pull up has been used for years to help you build muscle in your biceps and forearms.
In this exercise, the weight you’re using for the resistance is actually your own. You can either have your palms facing in (a chin up) or palms facing out (a pull up). Doing 3 sets of 10 whenever you have time will help build muscles quickly, and you will be amazed at how effective this simple routine is.

Another  popular way to gain muscle without weights is a method called isometrics.

The theory behind isometrics is also to use your body weight as the resistance.  As well as the other two exercises mentioned above,  you can use isometrics by doing pushups on the stairs, or perhaps arm dips on chairs. Both of these methods are highly effective and very simple to perform virtually anywhere.

A key component of building muscle is your diet.

You will want to make sure that you are getting enough calories a day to promote safe and healthy results while doing any sort of strength training program. What you are eating is actually  more important than the amount you are eating,  and in this case you will want to use a low fat, but high protein diet.

As with any diet or exercise program you will want to consult your doctor before you start.

Building muscle involves tearing of muscle. In order to give your body time to heal and create more muscle you should always take a day off in between any strength training sessions. Using these exercises and tips you can safely gain muscle without weights, save on costly gym fees, and effectively trim up & slim down your body.

Pretty well everyone knows that to build muscle, you must strenuously exercise to the point of tearing it down, then use a diet high in protein to rebuild it. A well balanced bodybuilding diet will be 40% unrefined and natural carbohydrates, then 25% protein, with the remainder a blend of fats and fiber.

One of the better ways to build pectoral muscles fast is to focus your bodybuilding routine on the chest once per week, with focus on other muscle groups on the remaining days. Perform these exercises in “descending strength” order, or start with the exercise that you need the heaviest wights & work down to the lightest. Most bodybuilding trainers will say to exercise three sets of 8 to 10 reps each, but as you become more advanced, 5 sets of 10 becomes common.

Specific Methods To Build Pectoral Muscles

Wide Press Barbell, Bench Press
Feet flat and square to the floor, lie prone on the bench, with the bar gripped about the width of your shoulders. Slowly lower the barbell to around your upper chest and neck area, pause for a 2 count, then a slow return to overhead.

Warm up with one set of a more moderate weight, then increase the weight to the max you can handle for the next eight to ten repetitions.
Slow and smooth and pausing at the full contraction position is ideal. Never bounce the weights onto your chest, and refrain from allowing your back to arch, or from lifting your butt from the bench. Not only will this not be doing justice to your exercise, there’s an injury potential as well.

Front Barbell Raise, Incline
Barbell gripped with palms facing down, arms straight down, on an incline bench and with a lighter weight, raising the weight smoothly to the overhead position, then continuing to extension behind the head is another exercise that will build pectoral muscles fast.

Dumbbell Flies, Flat Bench
Lying supine, you’ll need two dumbbells of moderate weight, holding them straight up, lowers them slowly and smoothly with your elbow with a very slight bend. Don’t over extend the shoulders, and finish with the arms and the floor in parallel.

Incline Press with Barbell, Wide-Grip
Using an incline bench, begin with the barbell straight overhead. Lower the weight to your upper chest-lower neck area. Use a weight that exhausts your muscles at eight to ten reps.

Decline Press with Barbell, Wide-Grip
This time you’ll be using a decline bench, and you’ll begin with your arms perpendicular to the floor. Perform eight to ten reps of slowly lowering to the floor.

Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
This move starts with the dumbbells straight overhead, then you lower them, keeping the upper body almost parallel with the shoulders, and with the elbows high. Again eight to ten repetitions.

Dumbbell Pullover Press Lateral on a Flat Bench
Using medium weight dumbbells and you’ll begin the move with the weights right at your chest, then rotate the dumbbells beyond your head towards the floor. In a singular movement, return them to your chest and press them slowly overhead .

Push-Ups Hands Together
Last but not least. No weights, no equipment and no explanation needed. Do these until you’re about to drop will round off our method to build pectoral muscles. That’s it, let the ripped chest muscles building process begin!

A little about this Vince. Painfully thin, like many other skinny people, he had a real desire to turn it around and be successful in building a body he’d be proud of. While working on his body he happened on a secret that seemed to work for him and he went on to develop that into a system to help others. Don’t get me wrong, Vince isn’t doing this purely out of the goodness of his heart, he’s selling this after all, but this program has been evaluated by many experts, and the consensus is always that he is under pricing it!

Who’ll Benefit From The Non Nonsense Muscle Building Review

He doesn’t actually say it in his advertising but the No Nonsense Muscle Building Review has determined his methods work equally well for the fatter folk as well as for the skinniest. In fact all body shapes, both genders, and any activity level will enjoy Vince’s material.
His promotional material doesn’t suggest that “muscle heads”, or gym-rats  will benefit much from his teachings. Those people are addicted to the gym and to them bodybuilding is a way of life. Rather, this program is for the ordinary Joe, the guy (or gal) who just needs some help getting started on improving their body.

The No Nonsense Muscle Building Review Time Frame

This No Nonsense Muscle Building program is designed for busy people who have no desire to spend much more that about 3 hours a week at the gym, as Vince asserts that is all that is necessary to transform yourself.  Actually, Vince reasons, a big problem preventing muscle buildup is actually over-training, and he suggests excess iron pumping and unreasonable levels of cardio are actually counter productive. A good number of experts, coaches and trainer support this theory. There is numerous scientific publications that support Delmonte’s findings on the value of training techniques that are focused, concentrated & disciplined. Many of his students have provided documented evidence of their successful progress with his program. He’s not a fan of using any chemical performance enhancers, such as HGH’s testosterone booster, and anabolic steroids, as he found that people who do respond to these substances find their success temporary at best, and most people actually don’t respond much at all.

Our No Nonsense Muscle Building Review found this to be an entirely drug and supplement free program, rather it’s all about sensible exercise and a natural food diet. You won’t find any Muscle Magazine products here! Did you know that many of these magazines are actually owned by those manufacturing supplements and a merely a means of pushing their products?

Also consider the glowing reviews of supplements by known bodybuilding figures should be a bit suspect. Don’t think these guys are not being paid handsomely! I’d rather listen to impartial, unbiased reviews of product performance and quality. In summary, Vince Delmonte’s  No Nonsense Muscle Building is a superb program for just about everyone, ordinary folk, people who desire a healthier body without a huge  outlay for gym-time, expensive  protein shakes and chemical supplements, vitamins and related health-food products.

Click Here – The No Nonsense Muscle Building Review Program

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Copyright Trim Up Slim Down 2011 – No Nonsense Muscle Building Review

Understand that the legs are pretty much solid muscle. Compared to the torso, which is really just a cavity with your organs and lots of air space, your legs can be 66% of your body weight. Knowing  they contain such large muscles, it makes sense that developing leg muscles will take a lot of exercise.

Do a little research in the renowned encyclopedia of muscle building secrets; “The Keys to the Inner Universe” by Bill Perl, (who won the Mr. Universe contest 4 times!) and you’ll see many pages of exercises all devoted to thigh defining and development. In fact over 150 unique exercises are detailed and illustrated.

Muscle Building Secrets – The Elements

The Squat

If you’re after building bigger thighs you better study up on the exercise called “The Squat”.  However be prepared for considerable exertion,  likely the reason this exercise gets shunned by beginning bodybuilders.

One of the muscle building secrets any good trainer will share, is that it is better performing these with barbells, or even better the weight loaded Smith machine.

There are three ways to perform these squats:
1. With weight on the shoulders
2. Holding the weight at chest level
3. With heels elevated about 2 inches
No matter which method you choose, you must never allow the legs to become “locked out” when in the straightened position as that releases the desired tension from the muscles.

Using a bench for these squats will enable you to gauge the best distance to go down however a simple way is to just lower until your butt contacts your heels. You can work the inner, outer & upper thigh muscles differently simply by changing your foot spread and how you point the knees.

One of the most basic of muscle building secrets  is repetition  in your routines and building bigger thighs is no exception;  3 sets of ten repetitions!

• Barbell Squat – With an Olympic bar, weights and a squat rack, raise the heels and  lower in a squat until your thighs are parallel with the ground.  You need to struggle to get to the ten rep, so use sufficient weight.

• Barbell Squat  With Wide Stance – elevating the heels, and with widely spread legs, point your knees out, then squat. A great inner thigh workout.

• The Hack Squat – Put the barbell behind your butt, elevate your heels then squat until the weights almost connect with the floor.

More Muscle Building Secrets – Leg Presses

• Leg Press Machine – when seated in the machine, how you place your feet on the footpads determines which part of the thigh is worked, inner, outer or upper.

• The Dreaded Decline Leg Press Machine – again, when seated in the machine, your foot positioning  will determine which part of the thigh gets the burn. The gluteus maximus (buttocks, butt)  can get a good workout to, but you have to go deep.

Leg Extension Machine

• Leg extensions  will all parts of the thigh right down to the knee level.

Thigh Curls

• Thigh biceps muscles as well as the hamstrings  respond to working with either a thigh curl machine, or a pulley and cable type machine used with ankle straps.

Dumbbell Lunges

• This exercise will build the rear thigh muscles, including the gluteus. With a bonus of improving the flexibility of hips and the lower body.

One of the better muscle building secrets actually shouldn’t be a secret at all. Any bodybuilding expert will tell you the real secret is dedication to your workouts.  Having the fanciest equipment, free weights etc will achieve nothing if you don’t  use theme regularly.

The Quickest Way To Build Muscle The Old Way

Back in yesteryear, the accepted method of body building was pretty brutal, and was not a way to build muscle fast. It required hitting the gym every day, and usually for 3 to 4 hours at a time, and worked every part of your body every day. Your rest time was at night, and you only missed the gym once a week. Nowadays we have a new “secret”, that is, you don’t have to work each muscle for countless hours every day. So what’s the quickest way to build muscle these days?

In the past athletes in other sports were told to forget weight training as they’d just get all “muscle-bound”, resulting in slowing down and reduced flexibility. However, over time more and more athletes from alternate sports chose to ignore that advice, and found that their strength and flexibility actually increased with strength training.

Sports trainers sure noticed this and they began evaluating weight training and muscle building. Pretty soon the majority had come to the consensus that adding weight training to their existing fitness routines was advantageous, and soon athletes from all sports were pumping iron, and athletes from football players to track and field athletes were all looking for the quickest way to build muscle.

The science of Sports Physiology was enhanced as an even more scientific approach  was applied to all athletes seeking muscle building training. Bodybuilders all over began to do their workouts with more thought and sought the quickest way to build muscle. Though they still almost lived in the gym, in actuality it was about 50% of the time they used to in the past. Why were they able to do so?

Routines For The Quickest Way To Build Muscle

Routines and exercises were examined for the best method of muscle building in a faster way. Along the way it was found that if muscles were rested after strenuous workouts it was advantageous, as without rest they became exhausted and failed to develop further.

 Nowadays trainers know to work their proteges muscles to total exhaustion one group at a time, and each group only one day a week. Admittedly other muscles get some exercise when working on the focus muscle, but it’s minor and unavoidable. Total exhaustion happens only on that muscles focus day. Such a strategy fast tracks your progress, and has been proven to be the quickest way to build muscle, and at the same time making your body stronger overall.

One nice feature of this plan is that you’re not suffering from “all over” soreness, just the focus group. The discovery that working the muscle to total exhaustion with each exercise actually tore it down. Protein consumed by the bodybuilder then went immediately to rebuild the tissue rather than further development.

They say that good nutrition is part of the quickest way to build muscle, and in fact counts for 80% of the bodybuilders success. That maybe a bit of an embellishment but it’s certainly a big part. To rapidly build muscle a bodybuilders diet needs to have animal and vegetable protein accounting for 25% of the diet. Stick with complex carbohydrates , and try and stay with vegetables as they will contain some protein as well. 25% of your intake will be fats and fibers. No refined sugars (natural, such as from fruit, are O.K.), no starches, alcohol or coffee. Supplement your food with protein powders, mixed with milk or water, maybe some protein boosters like desiccated liver, eggs and kelp. Taking a soluble oil such as wheat germ oil will help the body increase its endurance, as well as be a boost to its ability to metabolize protein.

Realize rest is pivotal to success with strength training, and eating correctly is of paramount importance and the quickest way to build muscle is about working out smarter, not harder.

Common sentiment from the Medical Profession says that perhaps the most significant health hazard facing men and women of today is the abundance of belly fat we seem to have accumulated. Abdominal fat, especially around the organs will most likely lead to health issues in men for sure, and it’s important to treat the problem in a healthy and natural manner. An excess of belly fat is directly related to several ailments, primarily some cancer forms, high blood pressure, insulin resistance / diabetes, even strokes. Good reasons to embark on a losing fat gaining muscle program I’d say.

Until recent years the need to be losing fat gaining muscle was not of high importance for many men. Their lack of regular physical activity and undesirable eating habits had led to belly fat accumulations however.

As we age, and this goes for both sexes, our metabolism slows and this is a significant cause  of the fat buildup. (Woman’s menopause is a  frequent cause as well). So, both sexes thicken up in the mid section as they age, yet to lose belly fat is not an unreachable  task.

What’s the magic words to losing fat gaining muscle you ask?

You’ve heard them many times I’ll wager. Yes, Diet and Exercise! Sounds easy right? It actually really is, but it does require a personal commitment. Do some research on the symptoms of the diseases listed at the beginning of this page and you’ll have found the reason to make that commitment!

Ever heard the words “spot reducing”? Sure you have, as they were the buzz word in health clubs years ago. Well, strike them from your vocabulary, as we have since learned there is no such thing. You see your body will store fat evenly wherever it can find to store it. So if you embark on a losing fat gaining muscle diet, fat will be lost in those other places also.

A Good Losing Fat Gaining Muscle Diet

Pretty simple really! If you cut your calorie intake below what your body needs on a daily basis, then the body will actually store more of your food intake as fat, as it thinks the low calorie level of your intake is actually the onset of starvation. A person that’s starving will lose muscle first, then their body fat last.

So it’s important that you calculate your caloric intake to match your age, size and gender, had eat sufficiently to maintain your organ and tissue functions.

A fifty year old man, average in height, but a bit overweight and does moderate exercise just three times weekly will need about 2,600 calories just for weight maintenance.  (However that same man at 70 will only need 95% of those calories)

• To lose weight he’ll need to drop down to 2,300 calories

• To DRAMATICALLY lose weight, he needs to drop to 1,750 a day!

A woman of the same age and similar activity level though only needs 2,300 calories per day for maintenance , then down to 1,870 calories to lose weight and way down to 1,760 calories to dramatically lose weight .

One thing you need for successful belly fat loss is a calorie counter. Pretty simple little tool, and readily obtainable by downloading from the Internet. Find your level, using your age and gender, then embark on a losing weight gain muscle diet that is at that maintenance level, then deduct 5%. (It’s that 5% that will be the trigger for your weight loss.)

You’ll be exercising as well, as you’ll find this will really accelerate the weight loss, and as your muscles strengthen  and become denser from the exercise, they’ll be burning triple the calories that an equal amount of fat does.

A Losing Fat Gaining Muscle Exercise Program of strength and resistance training is vital for building muscles. Beginners will find it sufficient just performing body weight resistance exercises, (chin ups, push ups) but as they advance free weights and resistance machines will be required.

Walking – Starting out walk at a moderate level for about 30 minutes daily. Pick up the pace a little as your body conditions.

Free Standing Squats – Feet slightly apart, stand erect, extend your  arms in front of you, then squat until the thighs are parallel with the floor. Do it up to 100 times. Ouch!

Free Standing Twists – Hands on hips, twist your midriff up to 100 times.

Calf Raises – Using a piece of 2 x4, place your toes there, then rise up as far as you possible, then hold for a two second count. Again, 100 times!

Push-Ups – Lying prone, hands at shoulder width, straighten your arms completely to elevate your body. Start on the knees if you’re a beginner, then to your toes. This time just 25 push ups though.
Bare in mind these are beginner exercises tough, and for a full losing fat gaining muscle diet and exercise regime, you will eventually be progressing to need the services of a qualified trainer at the fitness center.

What requires the real dedication, perseverance and absolute self discipline is losing fat. There’s no disputing that the amount of fat you burn is directly related to amount of muscle you build. Just to function, muscle mass consumes three times more energy (calories) than fat will burn, so of course a big part of the losing weight game is to actually build muscle.

Diet is a huge part of shedding weight. This can be perhaps the most difficult part of a bodybuilders regime as it requires pretty much total dedication. You will be totally abstaining from all alcoholic drinks, pretty well anything made with flour, desserts, candies and the like. A bodybuilders diet has no place for grains or refined sugars. Zero tolerance, but think of how cheap this diet will be!

The accepted resistance training and weight control program for bodybuilders will have an exercise routine for every muscle group, legs, shoulders, arms, chest, back and the core. Plan on hitting the gym for an hour of iron pumping and lifting weights everyday for five days a week.

Novices wanting to burn fat build muscle need to consult with the fitness center trainer to seek expert advice. You’ll need a program that works every muscle to total exhaustion at least once per week for the best results, and this can be a daunting task without some experienced advice.

Though this can be varied a little, i.e. you don’t have to stay to this exact sequence, but do make sure each set of exercises are performed once per week.

• Monday’s Burn Fat Build Muscle Plan – Workout focus is on chest
o Bench Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Dumbbell flies or Pec-Deck – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Incline Bench Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Decline Bench Press – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Push-Ups – 3 sets of 25+ reps
o Core Exercises
? Sit-ups
? Crunches
? Leg Raises
? Dumbbell Side-bends
These can vary in quantity, consult with your trainer.

• Tuesday’s Burn Fat Build Muscle Plan – Today we focus on the legs
o Squats – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Hack Squats – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Sissy Squats – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Leg Extensions – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Thigh Biceps Curls – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Calf Raises – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Donkey Calf Raises – 3 sets of 10 reps
o Lunges with Dumbbells – 3 sets of 25 reps
Again your trainer will assist you in describing the method of performing each of these exercises.

• Wednesday’s Burn Fat Build Muscle Plan – Shoulders Day
o Standing Barbell Press – 10 reps, x 3 sets
o Seated Dumbbell Press – 10 reps, x 3 sets
o Front Dumbbell Raises – 10 reps, x 3 sets
o Lateral Dumbbell Raises – 10 reps, x 3 sets
o Upright Barbell Rowing – 10 reps, x 3 sets
o Bent-Over Dumbbell Extension – 10 reps, x 3 sets
o Barbell Shrugs –10 reps, x 3 sets
o Core Exercises – 10 reps, x 3 sets
Finish with an agreed number of the following:
? Flat bench crunches
? Decline bench crunches
? Compound crunches on mat

• Thursday’s Burn Fat Build Muscle Plan – Workout focus is on Back. 3 sets of 10 reps on each for this session
o Chinning bar Pull-Ups
o Front Levers on chinning bar
o Pull-Downs on Lat Machine
o Seated Rowing with cable-and-pulley
o Bent Over Rowing with barbell
o Bent Over Rowing with dumbbell, using one arm at a time
o Core Exercises – 3 of 25
? Flat bench leg raises
? Compound sit-ups on mat
? Dip bar leg raises
? Upright twists

• Friday’s Burn Fat Build Muscle Plan – Workout focus is on Arms. Three sets of 10 reps
(By now you should be into a routine and beginning to really enjoy your gym time.)
o Biceps Barbell Curls
o Triceps Press Down, cable-and-pulley (lat) machine
o Biceps Dumbbell Curls on incline bench
o French Presses on flat bench
o Preacher Bench curls with easy-curl-bar
o Bent Over Dumbbell Extensions
o Concentration Curls with single dumbbell
o Dumbbell Presses from behind the neck
o Core Exercises
? Decline Sit-Ups
? Compound Decline Sit-Ups
? Compound Leg Raises

Diet – The really difficult part for most people!

Protein – 25% of calories must come from eggs, organ meats, red meat, poultry and fish only. For  carbohydrates – 40% of calories and all fro, from fresh fruits and vegetables. Absolutely no potatoes or rice, in fact nothing starchy at all. Fats and Fibers – 35% of calories from natural fats, soluble oils and fibrous fruits and vegetables are best.

Supplements are acceptable, but stay with the following:
– Protein powder
- amino acids 
- vitamins.
Look for known brands. Muscletech is a good one.

To burn fat build muscle it requires not only a plan, but also dedication and perseverance. The resulting body you will build makes it all worthwhile however.

Virtually everyone that tunes into a sporting event on TV these days has been bombarded with reports of athletes taking different performance enhancing drugs, and will be aware of the uproar this causes.

Nowadays there are labs capable of formulating a muscle building product that is virtually undetectable with the current discovery testing model, whereas in years past drugs like a human growth hormone (HGH) or anabolic steroids were the drug of choice and were more easily detected.

The body building arena is no stranger to these performance drugs, and has evolved into two distinct categories of competition, either open to all competitors, or events where all entrants are tested and certified drug free before being accepted to compete.

What about the average Joe.  Not a body builder necessarily, but simply someone who wants to improve their health by getting in the best condition possible.  Can he or she speed up their workout program to give themselves superior results in the fastest possible time?

There are natural ways to supplement your diet (and your workouts) that don’t need a doctors visit, nor do they need a visit to your pharmacist.

A famous body building figure, the late Vince Gironda disdained steroid and HGH use personally, and was always coaching his students to stay clear of them. Though some undoubtedly fell to the lure of fast and simple muscle growth, this gentleman always maintained boosts to testosterone levels and metabolism were possible naturally.

It ís a fact that to effectively accelerate muscle growth, sufficient protein must be ingested to enable tissue to be rebuilt after performing extreme workouts and the best natural protein source is always within the food that you eat, however at times that isn’t sufficient, so a muscle building product is suggested. The better ready to use, canned protein options are actually made with natural ingredients, and are usually sans additives or fillers.

Creatine Monohydrate

A hormone called Creatine Monohydrate is naturally produced in our bodies, and enhancing the protein assimilation of protein, and the resulting muscle tissue rebuilding. It also gives an incredible boost to your workouts, and is widely used by thousands of bodybuilders, with few negative side affects.

L- Glutamine

L- Glutamine, also a naturally occurring supplement, helps bodybuilders by assisting in muscle recovery after extreme exertion. People take L-Glut after an intense workout, not only for its muscle soothing effects, but its ability to get them back into the gym quickly.

Amino Acids

The building blocks of protein are Amino Acids and these are primarily responsible for growing muscle tissue. Most of these can be safely taken as supplements. Examples are Inositol, Leucine, valine, Isoleucine and Choline.

Itís becoming common knowledge that with aging, our bodies deteriorate as a result of diminishing production of HGH (Human Growth Hormone), particularly after about age 30, and many advocate taking a HGH to help ward off the bodies deterioration.

When medically supervised, HGH supplementation often shows incredible results, such as fat reduction, solid muscle growth and even noticeable signs of actually reversing the effects of aging.You may not live longer, but youíll be looking good at the viewing!

The Nobel Prize Winner, Louise Ignarro researched the attributes of NO (Nitrous Oxide) and has deemed it a heart healthy product. Dr. Ignarro, who has written extensively on this subject, (the gas formed as a result of breaking down amino acids) maintains that taking NO as a supplement will improve the health of the cardiovascular system. For a body builder this results in superior blood circulation and a marked increase in energy levels.

To summarize….

A muscle building product such as natural supplements will elevate your metabolism and assist in muscle building, while at the same time, decrease the amount of body fat you have. These are all very worthwhile benefits, but bear in mind that overdoing supplementation can have the opposite effect. Remarkably though our bodies will simply shed the excess.

Known as the iron guru, famous for bodybuilding himself, he became well known for assisting others aspiring for the perfect body. His list of followers from the period of 1950’s though to 1997 is a virtual who’s who of the bodybuilding world. Gironda firmly believed that adhering to specific muscle building diets was the key to bodybuilding success, and spent all his time espousing this principle to his devotees for the many years that he was the most well known champion trainer.

Though the basic muscle building diets all focus on the most usable source of naturally occurring carbohydrates and protein, they all utilize fresh fruits, leafy vegetables, a variety of fats and select oils, as well as nuts, some supplements are needed to really grow muscle tissue, and reduce the bodies subcutaneous fat levels.

Bernard Beverly, a well known biologist, made the statement, “human tissue is 100% biological”. What does this really mean? Many bodybuilders confuse eating foods high in biological content with foods high in protein, but that is not necessarily true. Biological content means that food contains protein that is structured to be quite similar to the protein contained in human tissue, therefore eating foods with a high biological content is key to successful building of muscle tissue.

Quite surprisingly to many, the highest biological content food, is the lowly egg! Other high biological content foods include organ meats (sweetbreads, kidneys, heart, liver)  and other meats such as your staple beef, mutton, poultry and of course, fish. Legumes, (particularly beans) and dark green colored vegetables are also great protein sources and it makes sense to include lots of these in your muscle building diets.

However, though notoriously high in protein, the soybean  actually only has a 23% biological content, so in order to equal the amino acid contained in the previously listed foods, one would have to eat huge quantities of soy.

In order to equal the effects of anabolic steroids, the “Iron Guru” suggested eating up to 30 eggs a day when preparing for competitions.The rationale behind this suggestion is that this quantity will give your muscle a massive influx of biological protein, from which they can draw strength, then repair any damage rapidly. As you achieve your goal, (usually within six or eight weeks), the daily quantity should be reduced to one or two however.

On the other hand, there are muscle building diets that are focused on red meats and fresh vegetables. These serve a similar goal, that is to loading massive amounts of protein into the system, in order to repair and replace muscle tissue that has been torn down by strenuous workouts. However, these shouldn’t be regarded as long term.

Supplements recommended by Gironda for basic bodybuilding included desiccated liver (yuk), kelp tablets, and the lipotropic amino acids such as choline,betain, methionine, and inositol. All these aid the body to assimilate and metabolize protein. Wheat germ oil is another supplement he suggested, and he always had his students embark on specialized muscle building diets prior to a contest, specifically to rid themselves of any subcutaneous fat.

This plan was zero carbohydrates for four full days, then eat as normal on day five. Then for the next four days, zero carbs again, then normal eating on the tenth day. Practicing this for three to eight weeks would result in every vein literally popping to the surface, along with great muscle separation.

In summary…

All great muscle building diets will focus on the right amounts of good carbs, fiber, fats, and of course protein. The split should be 40% natural carbohydrates, 24% protein, with the balance in fiber and fat. Absolutely no sugars or refined starches! Remember to cycle the zero carbs method on the 4 day plan. followed by a day off. Take the correct supplements and follow this for eight weeks, maximum.

Let’s get one thing straight. Getting to grow arm muscles like that doesn’t come easy. You sure as heck can’t sit on your behind and do some lackadaisical squeezing on some rubber balls, and forget those spring operated hand grips. If you want results, you better plan on lot’s of time in the gym, and you better be prepared to work hard.

Our arms actually have two major muscle groups: the triceps, that’s the three part muscle that’s on the back of the arm which contracts fully when you straighten out your arm completely, and the biceps, this time on the front of the arm. This two part muscle contracts fully when your arm is curled. Triceps are used when you push away, biceps function when you’re pulling towards you.

The biceps have a two folded function and get the most stress when used with a positive exercise motion (curling a weight), then an equal workout when resisting returning the weight to the initial point (negative exercise).

The triceps get their best workout while pushing (pressing) the bar away (positive) and then receive a similar working on the return of the bar (negative). Both biceps and triceps need to be exerted on each side of the motion,.

Your focus on how to build bigger biceps workout should happen on just one day each week. Your arms will receive some additional work on your other muscle group days, but they should never be exerted to total exhaustion on any other day but your focus day, so remember, just one day per week.

Exercises to build bigger biceps.

• Barbell and Dumbbell Curls – The exercises below should be performed in 10 reps per set, for three sets,The key is to focus intently on your biceps, control the movement, maintain a slow and steady space. Perform them either seated or standing, whatever is the most comfortable for you.

o Standing, perform the close-grip cheat curl.

o Seated, the c lose-grip barbell curl.

o Standing again, close-grip cheat curl.

o Incline, the face-forward barbell curl.

o Lying face-forward on elevated bench, perform the barbell curl.

o Standing , the basic dumbbell curl.

o Incline with the same dumbbell curl.

o Reverse-grip curl but with the easy-curl-bar.

o Concentration curls on the Scott Bench using easy-curl-bar.

o Flat Preacher Bench close-grip curls with easy-curl-bar.

Triceps Exercises

• Triceps Presses, Curls and Press-Downs

o Standing close-grip triceps curls.

o Seated close-grip triceps curls.

o French Press supine on flat bench.

o Supine triceps curl and press.

o Reverse-wide-grip bench press.

o Standing dumbbell triceps press.

o Triceps machine press downs.

o Reverse grip triceps press downs.

o Standing triceps press using wall pulley and rope or towel.

o Bent over triceps extension with wall pulley.

Super Sets

Always alternate a triceps exercise with your biceps exercise. By doing so, (and without any sacrifice to your workouts integrity) you’ll find you’ll be able to shorten your workout time required. Always have one minutes rest between sets, but move between each exercise with no resting.

You will have actually torn the muscle down with this intense of a workout, so it’s essential you rebuild that tissue by providing the muscle with the proper resting. Ingesting dietary fats helps the body metabolize protein, of which should be at least 25% of the content of your diet.

Consider using products such as Lipotropic 3, a protein supplement that consists of three essential amino acids, and is specifically designed to burn fat. Cold pressed wheat germ is a great endurance builder, as well as an energy booster, while desiccated liver or kelp tablets, though pretty nasty tasting are of value in your quest to build bigger biceps.