How To Build Muscle: 4 Basic Principles

By Mitch Graves

People generally have a lot of misinformation when they come to the gym.

Building muscle isn't hard if you do it right, but there are many wrong ways as well.

In this article, I'm going to give you the principles that will allow you to build muscle properly and consistently.


1. Progressive Overload

Your muscles will adapt to whatever conditions you put it under.

So you must overload your muscles to build them. They will adapt by getting stronger and bigger.

So in your weight training regimen, if you plan to build muscle and get stronger, week after week, you should be increasing the load you put on your muscles. And no, this doesn't just mean adding more and more weight. There are plenty of ways to increase the load on your muscles.

You can do this by adding more reps, decreasing rest, increasing weights, etc.

2. Progressive Variation

This isn't "muscle confusion". Your body builds neural pathways to your muscles to do the same motion efficiently. The more you do it, the better you get at it.

That being said, if you continue to do the same exercises week in and week out for the same muscle, you'll see that your ability to do more weight will increase, but you won't see growth.

Your body found an efficient way of doing the same motion so it didn't need to get bigger anymore.

3. Rest

Yes, you need more sleep. Many people overtrain because they don't get enough rest. When it comes to building muscle, often, less work is better.

Muscle isn't built in the gym. It's built when you sleep and the next day when your body repairs itself through the release of hormones.

To build muscle properly, you must get 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night. This is for your muscles, nervous system, and hormonal system to recover.

4. Nutrition

This means getting the right amount of carbs, the right kinds of fats, and proteins.

Your individual calorie requirements depend on your weight, body fat, level of activity, and age.

First, find out the calorie surplus you need to build muscle, then make sure you get that amount each day in the right proportions of foods.

Implement these strategies for consistent muscle growth in your routine. - 31525

About the Author:

Want to find out more about how to build muscle, then visit Mitch Graves 's site on how to choose the best muscle building program for your needs.

Tone Your Body With Pilates

By Faith Hershman

It is important to follow a few simple guidelines when searching for the right pilates class.

The tranquility, attention, location and benefits of the class are a few things that you will need to look at before settling on a class.

You need an instructor that takes his or her time with each student in order to ensure that you get the proper attention you require. This can also be directly related to the size of the class. Generally speaking you do not get enough attention in a larger pilates class. It is highly recommend to look at classes with approximately ten students. This will guarantee you will get the right kind of personal attention you deserve.

The tranquiltiy of the class is also very important because you want to be in a relaxed environment. You want a very relaxed atmosphere. This enables you to concentrate so that by the end of your workout you feel calm. It is important to have a clam instructor in this instance. You want a calm speaking instructor that is not overbearing.

The location of your workout should be equipped with all of the pilates machines and accessories you need. You also need your equipment to be newer and of high quality. You also want your preferred studio to be centrally located to you. There is more chances you will workout regularly if your studio is close to you. There are lots more of a chance you will workout if the studio is convenient to you. Whereas if it is further away there is less of a chance you will attend regular workouts.

The benefits of working out vary. You will want to inquire as to what kind of benefits you get from working out at a particular studio. For example you might need personal attention and lots of it, or you might want a locker room and shower available at the studio. - 31525

About the Author:

According to Faith Hershman, it is so important to recognize the long beach health community and how pilates long beach can help you improve your health so that you feel and look better.

How To Get A Ripped Chest

By Leon Davies

Many people want to know how to get a set of rippling, muscular chest muscles. It is unsurprising as they look sexy when you take your shirt off down at the beach or by the pool. Ripped pec muscles also provide a fit, healthy muscular look underneath a shirt or T shirt.

The muscles that comprise the chest are made up from two main muscles - the large pectoralis major muscle and the smaller pectoralis minor muscle which sits under the larger muscle. It is the larger muscle that gives rise to the chest's shape.

Exercises that focus on these two muscles are what need to be performed in order to build them up. You may be surprised to learn that exercising other large muscle groups in the body such as the quadriceps, the large muscle at the front of the thigh can help build the chest. That is because exercising these big groups stimulate growth hormone production which stimulates overall muscle growth.

The bench press is one of the most popular exercises for the chest. It has to be performed correctly and slowly to reap its full benefits. Lying on a bench, on your back, hold a barbell above you at arms length. Then slowly lower the barbell down until it just touches the chest at which point start to push it back up until your arms are straight again. Do this slowly, with no jerky movements or arched back.

The next area to look at is how to see those finely sculpted chest muscles you have built up. It is no good going on a crash diet to lose weight as you will go into a catabolic state and start burning up that preciously earned muscle. You need to reduce calorie intake but also burn extra calories with aerobic exercise.

The best way to do this is to keep up a good level of protein intake and to start doing some cardio routines as part of your workout program. Failure to do this will end up in you gaining not only muscle but also fat which will make you look big, bloated and ill defined.

A lot of people are impatient and want to know how long it will take to get a ripped chest. It all depends on how much work you put in and how consistent you are with keeping up with the program and sticking to a diet. If you maintain consistency you may reach your goal in as little as eleven weeks. Making small gains regularly is the best way to approach this. - 31525

About the Author:

Leon writes a lot articles about getting ripped ab muscles fast and writes Fat Loss 4 Idiots review articles.

Saving Your Sanity By Using Exercise DVDs Instead Of Splurging At The Gym

By Beth Prager

I understand that you are wondering about a type of workout program that fits in the palm of your hand. Yes, I know how you feel about your finances and about your physique. You must have tried going to the cheapest gym in town, or running and jogging so you could stay close to your house. You must have tried riding a bicycle but that got stolen. Or, worse yet, you already feel robbed after paying for that gym membership where you got nowhere a creaky sweat-laden bicycle, used that elliptical machine where your legs flailed around for an hour, and that stairclimber that had you finding yourself in the same exact step you were an hour ago. You tell yourself that you will never reach for your checkbook to enter a gym ever again. You want to step into the world of workout DVD programs.

In my ignorant days, I had a gym membership. I actually used a gym. As I completed my last set of weight-lifting at a machine with a look of unhappiness on my face, a bulky-looking trainer walked by and cracked jokes at me. I was not in a happy mood, but he asked me a very important question that knocked my socks off me. He asked, "Did you know that 85% of these machines here do nothing? They don't do anything for your body toning, and the machine you just finished with was one of them. You could do so many strength-building movements using NO weights. You could even just use those DVDs and follow that at home and you'd do more for yourself."

Yeah, he showed me, alright. He showed me a world of pain. I never felt so much pain in the gluteal muscles before. In all of my years of sitting in the gym, none of that sitting did anything for me. As I broke into a rain of sweat, the trainer continued to make his teasing and comments about the world. He was helping me see the light outside of the gym tunnel, but he was annoying me. Everything in the gym was annoying me. The stench, the sweat from other people, everything.

I was truly enlightened by the bizarre trainer who set me free from the gym world. I finished my gym membership and instead of renewing I purchased a workout DVD package to try at home. What a nice new world to explore--the world of pausing and fast-forwarding. I mean--not fast-forwarding! You should know that I am not serious about that part. If you are all about obtaining your fitness potential, then you will pretend that that function does not exist on your DVD player. You too can enjoy financially and exponentially the benefits of working out at home with a DVD you can use time and time again.

There are plenty of different brands that offer a variety of cardio DVDs, for cardio, for weight-lifting, for toning, for yoga, and many more. You will hopefully find, like me, that within 60-90 days you will achieve so much more than you ever have in one year. With measurable results that you can see (in pictures, measurement tapes, clothes size), you will be moved further to consistently do these programs and see an continuation of results. - 31525

About the Author:

Want to know what workout DVD programs Beth Prager has tried out? Find out the best workout programs for you.

Golf Tips For Teeing Off in Top Shape

By Meryl Wheeler

Staying physically and mentally fit while waiting for golf season can be tough, especially if the off season is a long, cold snowy one! However, waiting for the sun to shine and the snow to melt before you think about pulling the clubs out of the closet can put you at risk for injury early on in the season. So why not use the winter months to commit to a golf specific conditioning program and make that transition to Spring easier on the body.

Implementing a golf specific fitness program in the off season that includes strength training, flexibility & mobility training and cardiovascular conditioning at least three times a week can decrease injury or re-injury risk and improve golf performance. This is important as the golf swing requires a lot of effort and power that creates a large amount of stress on your body. If you begin the season with weak, inflexible, and unconditioned muscles you are setting yourself up for injury - especially to the structures in your low back where you rely on complex movements such as flexion, rotation and extension during your swing.

Let's look at the benefits that improving your fitness in the winter season can have on your golf game. First we'll look at increasing the strength of your golf specific muscles. Your leg muscles provide the power for the beginning of your swing. Your abdominal and back muscles move that power to your torso to increase the speed of your swing and produce a strong rotation from the core. Last but not least your shoulder and arm muscles will help with accuracy and control of the club head.

Flexibility & Mobility training is a very important component to improving your golf swing and decreasing the risk of injury. A flexibility program should focus on overall body mobility and stretching. Specific areas to target include the hips, hamstrings, upper and lower back, and shoulders. Core stabilization exercises incorporating fit-balls, yoga, or pilates should also be included. Stretching exercises should follow a warm up, and be included in the cool down phase of your conditioning program.

Walking an 18 hole golf course can take a lot of energy. Improving your cardiovascular fitness in the off season can help you maintain focus and avoid burn out on the back nine. There are a variety of cardiovascular exercises to choose from - biking, rowing, playing squash, treadmill, etc - the key is to choose something you enjoy

The combination of all three of these training principles (strength, cardio, flexibility) implemented into your off season fitness program will not only help you mentally while you wait for the season to begin, but will more importantly help reduce your risk of injury, enhance your motivation, and best of all improve your golf game!

Tips for Winter Conditioning:

* Before you start a conditioning program, assess your current level of fitness. Consult with your family Doctor, or seek advice from a qualified health professional.
* Book a golf performance assessment to find out your physical limitations.
* Make a commitment to begin or maintain a golf specific conditioning program to correct your physical limitations. Write down your goals.
* Take advantage of indoor golf facilities to practice your skills.
* Use the winter months to refine your swing. Seek training from a golf Professional.
* Include practice swings into your weekly conditioning program
* Drive for show, putt for dough. Use the off-season to become a great putter indoors. Work on your stroke, accuracy, and speed.
* Improve your mental game. Visualize your swing.
* Don't let minor injuries become major injuries. Pain is a warning system to alert you to developing problems. Get help from your local health professional
(Doctor, Athletic Therapist, Physiotherapist) - 31525

About the Author:

Looking to find the best deal on golf fitness, then visit www.popfitness.ca to find the best advice on golf specific fitness for you.

The Best Arm Exercises

By Cliff Pape

Is there anything more impressive than well developed arms? For many people, there is nothing more wanted than having well developed arms in a muscular fashion. As a result, this raises many questions regarding the best exercises for developing arms. When a good approach for arm development is taken, desired results will follow.

The core arm exercise to perform is a barbell curl. This exercise does not even need to be performed with a lot of weight stacked on it. Moderate weight can yield excellent results provided one performs the exercises with the right form. The grip of the barbell curl can be standard for biceps and inverted for the forearms. Both are worth performing in order to enhance symmetry in the arms.

Dumbbell curls can be performed in the same way as barbell curls with the difference being an extended range of motion in the dumbbell curls. This will lead to a more defined look resulting from the biceps being stressed from the extended range of the workout.

Other bicep exercises are the preacher curls, cable curls, wrist curls, and a concentration curls, all of which work the forearms and the biceps very effectively. Tricep-wise, extensions and cable pull down can all enhance the development of them dramatically.

There is also the notion of secondary stress. What is this you say? This is when a certain exercise is intended for a certain muscle group and also provides an extra workout to other muscle groups. The bench press is a perfect example of this. The bench's primary purpose is to work the chest, however the arms are engaged in the process since they are also aiding in the lifting. In result, you are developing the biceps, triceps, and forearms to a certain extent. Also, a closed grip bench press can increase tricep development greatly.

For those that are wondering if the class push-up can deliver good development of the arms will be pleased to hear that a push-up can definitely improve the arms. Changing up your position when doing push-ups can lead to the toning of the muscles in the arms.

Upper body exercises will give a great impact on the development of your arms. Pretty much, you cannot have an upper body exercise without the use of your arms. Meaning your arms will be developed to some degree as a result.

Yes, there are many different exercises that can be employed to develop the arms to a significant degree. The key is to put in the proper effort and be consistent with the workouts. This will yield excellent results and a completely new look to the arms. - 31525

About the Author:

Hey there! I'm Cliff Pape, and I am a Houston Personal Trainer. I can help you achieve all of your fitness needs whether they are to lose weight, or to tone up a bit! So just follow the link to my site, and you will be getting the body you have always wanted in no time! Fitness Trainer Houston

Get Improved Weight Loss Results!

By Jill Edmonds

Those of you that have trained with me before will know that I am always reminding you to work with intensity! One of my fab on-line clients recently ask me to explain exactly what I meant by that. So, I figure that there will be more of you out there that might be wondering about this as well. It's a really good question. Personal Trainers will often use a rating scale called PRE which stands for "Perceived Rate of Exertion", and this is something that you should use yourself when training, so that you can judge for yourself if you are working hard enough or with intensity.

PRE is simple. You are using a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the hardest you could possibly be training. For example if you were running, 10 would be the fastest you could run. You can use this in any training type, for example, weight training, running or cycling. There is no point in maintaining a no. 10 intensity for the whole duration as it will not give you the results you are looking for. Rather, try cycling the PRE so that you are doing interval training. For example, do 1 minute level 10 followed by 1 minute level 7 and repeat. This is great for fat loss.

So start to be aware of your level of intensity when training. How hard, according to your levels are you training? Could you work a little harder? Have a look around you, you will be amazed at how people at the gym are not putting in the effort, they are not working with intensity, so they simply wont get great results.

The important thing to do is to plan your workouts ahead of time. This way you will more likely work to the correct intensity. For example if you write down the exercises, reps and sets along with the weight you should be lifting then you have set yourself the challenge ahead of time and you will be more likely to follow the plan rather than just 'winging it' on the day.

Exercise prescription can be very confusing if you are not trained in this area. It is important to do the exercises that are suited to your goals. This is where it is important for you to hire an expert to guide you in the right techniques and exercises. After all your time is precious, you dont want to waste it!

So get in there and work with intensity! You will achieve your goals a whole lot faster! - 31525

About the Author:

How would you like to finally lose weight and get into the best shape of your life? Then make sure you checkout Jill Edmonds' fantastic personal training online, and free newsletter full of great tips on losing weight the right way!

The Optimal Football Strength Training System--What It Needs To Have To Become Productive

By Rob Maraby

Foot ball is just one of most challenging sports to choose from .This is simply because football players have to be everything in terms of fitness. For example player needs to be explosive together with having muscle endurance. Muscle mass is also essential to him. A football player needs all of this all without losing speed on the field. His workouts need to be powerfully swift and also dynamic. Now different positions in football call for different training methods. As an example .a running back won't use the same training routine or training program as the line backer .In short, football players have to be explosive and powerful. But precisely what is power? How is it defined?

Power is strength plus speed and that is what football is it's the strength of the player blended with his speed to master and play the fantastic game of football.

Now ordinary body building workouts is not really satisfactory for football players as they need to have specific explosive training designed for them that includes a mix of Nero muscular strength training and owner. Neuromuscular training is the ability to speed up the brain signals you send in your body to carry out sudden explosive activities. The faster you signal the signals the faster you'll be able to gather muscles to accomplish the movements. You need the following in any football weight training program

1. Weight building which is increasing overall strength in the footballers body

2. Endurance training that happen to be exercises that improves the functionality of oxygen use of your physique .the better the body will use oxygen the better endurance you have get

3. Dynamic training that is the mixture off plyometric and strength training. Performed together this develops maximum power around the body that is needed in the game of football

All these types of work outs are incorporated in a football player's workout regime .every single one of these components are needed by the football player in order for him to perform at a maximum effectiveness.

Now it is normally acknowledged by coaches that football players should conduct body building exercises but that is wrong it because it isn't enough. Lets say a football player lifts a particular weight as he increases in weight his reps might go down so lets say he is lifting a heavy weight for one rep he can lift that weight slowly for a minute just for one rep. Now that will give a person massive strength but that's not all what a footballer would like .He also needs explosiveness, speed and agility These types of features are gone any time you perform a standard strength training exercise program.

A football player must have a combination of strength training, neuromuscular activation and education, endurance training and dynamic training all in their exercise program to become in the in the best shape a football player should be to compete in a football match - 31525

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Discover The Most Effective Football Strength Training System Designed To Give You The Advantage Over Your Competitors. Gives You Crazy Power And Strength. Take a Look Here

Beginner Weight Training - Some Basic Dumbbell Exercises

By Sasha Alova

Dumbbells are weight training equipment that are light, easy and safe to use. There are different dumbbell weights that you can choose from to perform different exercises which is specific for certain groups of muscles. Dumbbells are mostly preferred by amateur and even professional weight lifters. This weight training equipment are effective in the stabilization of muscles and are not prone to injuries. Overall posture can also be helped by using a dumbbell. The flexibility of dumbbells allow you to perform different exercises.

Exercises for the Chest Using a Dumbbell

The flat dumbbell press can be done by flatly lying down on a bench and by holding the dumbbells above your chest. Make sure that your arms are extended and that your palms face towards your feet. Once you are in this figure in a slow movement put the weights to your chest then back to your original position. You can do this exercise in different reps.

Incline dumbbell press. The procedure is similar to the flat dumbbell press except that you must adjust the incline of the weight lifting bench to an angle of between 30 degrees and 45 degrees.

This third exercise will require you to stand in an upright position and put your shoulders apart then bend your knees slightly. Your arms should be positioned in a parallel manner to the floor. Once this is done return the dumbbells slowly to your original position and repeat the entire exercise.

Exercises Using Dumbbells for the Biceps

Hammer curls. Stand straight holding a dumbbell on either side. Make sure your palms are turned inwards. Curl the weights up without moving your shoulder and your elbows locked. The exercise can be done with one or two arms at a time.

Preacher curls. Set the weight lifting bench at around 45 degrees. Standing behind the bench, hold a dumbbell and rest the back of your upper arm on the back rest. Your arm should be extended at its full length. Curl the weight up towards your face while keeping the back of your upper arm firmly positioned against the back rest.

Dumbbell Exercises for the Back

Dead lifts. Do the starting position for the lateral raises. With your lower back, bend slowly so that the weights are headed down your legs. Keep your back flat and the lower back slightly arched inwardly, not rounded. Keep your head up. Go only as low as you can and then use the lower back again to stand upright.

Triceps, calves and leg exercises using dumbbells can also be done. Do not forget to perform exercises that will condition your muscles for these weight lifting activities. Do not force yourself to lift heavier weights if you are not yet comfortable with the number of repetitions and the weight that you lift. The presence of a spotter is suggested to assist you in performing the steps correctly. Make sure to carefully set the dumbbells down after use. - 31525

About the Author:

Durable weight exercise equipment is another secret to a successful weight lifting training. Carefully follow the tips to the right weight equipment that best suits you.

Tips On Getting Ripped Abs

By Ryan Dent

When you take off your shirt, the thing most people notice is a set of ripped abs. This situation can come up anytime, whether it is at the beach, around the pool ore even if you are out mowing the lawn. In these situations, others are going to notice your physique.

The less sensitive people around you may chuckle at you or make insensitive remarks in the hope of a cheap laugh if you are flabby or overweight.

If you are thin then often you will escape most peoples notice. If you have a six pack though, a set of washboard abs you could bounce a quarter off, the situation is much different. You will attract the kind of attention that everyone craves. They are considered a sign of vitality and health. Getting a six pack is hard work and you will need a plan to follow. This plan outlines the methods for achieving your goal.

The most important factor

You may spend hours down the gym performing every conceivable abdominal exercise, but nobody will notice your abs if your body fat percentage is too high.

You may think this is not a consideration for you because you are slim and never been called fat in your life. However, there is a great deal of difference between being slim and having a low enough body fat percentage to reveal a great set of abs.

The goal is for between an eight to ten percent body fat level. Anything above this and you are not going to see your abs. There are a number of online tools for measuring your body fat percentage but they are inaccurate. The best way is to invest in a pair of digital calipers to get the most accurate reading. These can easily be bought online and are not particularly expensive.

Only after you start to measure your body fat percentage will you begin to appreciate where you are in your quest to getting a six pack. - 31525

About the Author:

Ryan writes many articles about how to get ripped fast and often does a Truth About Abs review, one of the popular fitness programs.