Age-Related Muscle Changes

One of the hallmarks of aging is the loss of muscle mass and strength. Much of this loss can be explained by changes in the neuromuscular system such as reducing the number of motor neurons, reduction in the number of muscle fibers, and to decrease the size of the muscle fibers. But it is important to ask whether these changes are a consequence of aging or simply due to an active lifestyle.

Age-related changes in muscle

The age-related reduction in muscle appears to occur in two phases. The first phase or "slow" muscle loss, which loses 10% of muscle mass occurs between the ages of 25 and 50. Most of the loss of muscle mass occurs as a result, which loses an additional 40% of the age of 50 to 85. In general, the body loses 50% of its muscle mass at age 80. This muscular atrophy can be explained by a significant decrease in either the total number of muscle fibers as well as the size of the muscle fiber.

E 'has been demonstrated that aging results in a loss of power output and speed of fast-twitch fibers (IIB in particular) and increased more aerobic slow twitch fibers. This seems to make sense that movements requiring high speed of contraction (eg, jump and run) tend to be less age.

The mechanisms of loss of strength

The problems with decreasing strength can be seen in its contribution to decreased bone density osteoporosis, arthritis, joint pain, and total functional capacity.

With the loss of muscle mass is obviously a decrease in muscle strength. However, as for the loss of muscle the majority of the power loss is not significant until the sixth decade. As mentioned briefly, this loss of strength may be attributed to a decrease in the number of motor units (muscle and nerve fiber complex), reduction in the number of muscle fibers and the reduction in the size of muscle fibers.

It is also known that a decrease in strength of the leg precedes the loss of strength of the upper extremities in the elderly. This is important for the fact that the strength, rather than cardiovascular function, is considered the most limiting factor in the elderly physically. This is evident when you consider the activities-force limiters facing many seniors, such as rising from a sitting position or climbing stairs.

Promotion is the finding that aging does not seem to eccentric strength. This phase of contraction is an important consideration for the elderly because of the possible link between poor eccentric strength and the incidence of falls in the elderly.

The Importance of Active Living

Regular exercise is the most effective way to slow and reverse the effects of muscle loss associated with aging and strength. The comparison between the active and sedentary older adults suggest that most of the loss of strength with aging is due lifestyle. For example, people continue to use certain muscles regularly not show the same age related decrease in strength.

Low overall loss, muscle atrophy, and therefore occurs when the muscles do not have to work against a given load. The result will be a decrease in protein synthesis, accompanied by an increase in protein catabolism. In general, the muscle atrophies and loses much of its strength, characteristics commonly seen in astronauts during spaceflight. The integration of the formation of normal strength is the most effective way to mitigate this effect.


Encouraging Findings

Numerous studies have shown that regular exercise can improve endurance and muscle strength in the elderly in a manner similar to that observed in the young. One of the largest studies in this field was conducted at McMaster University for several years. The researchers examined the effects of two years of strength training twice / week (80-85% 1RM) of 114 subjects aged 60-80 years.

Results indicated an increase in the force constant of each of the muscle groups tested without evidence of stagnation. There was also a significant increase in muscle mass that accompany strength gains and, perhaps most importantly, there was no evidence that these gains strength function resulted in better (in terms of performance and walking up stairs).

Although there are some inevitable changes that occur with aging, you can delay or attenuate the loss of muscle mass and strength normally associated with these changes. Given that many everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs and rising from a chair are so dependent on the strength is essential to minimize the age-related loss of force as much as possible.

The muscles of older people to remain adaptable, therefore regular endurance training (2-3x/week) should be implemented in the lifestyle of these people. On the other hand, a strength training protocol for use in young adults as a means of prevention and staying healthy in the golden years!

8 Proven Strategies For Maximum Muscle Gains

There is conflicting information so much out there when it comes to the topic of building muscle, and sometimes it can be hard to know where to start. If you are a beginner looking for some basic guidelines to follow average in the gym, the following 8 points to start on the right path.

1) weight training and focus on compound movements handlebars.
 If you want to sound dramatic gains in muscle size and strength, you absolutely must train with free weights and focus on basic exercises, compounds. A compound exercise is any lift that stimulates more than one muscle group at a time. Examples of these exercises are the squat, deadlift, bench press, chin up, barbell row, overhead press, dip and lunge. Compound movements can be handled by most of the weight and stimulate muscle fibers as much total.

2) be willing to train hard.
 One of the most important factors that separates those who make modest gains from those important gain is their level of training intensity. In order to stimulate the muscle fibers to their full potential, you must be willing to take every set is done in the gym to the point of muscle failure.Muscular Failure: The point at which no further repetitions can be completed with proper form.Sub-maximal training intensity will leave you with sub-maximal results, plain and simple.

3) Tracking your progress in the gym from week to week.
 Our bodies build muscle because of an adaptive response to the environment. When you go to the gym, you break down your muscle fibers by training with weights. The body senses a potential threat to the survival and reacts accordingly replace damaged fibers larger and stronger in order to protect against any possible future threat. 

 Therefore, in order to continue making gains in muscle size and strength, you must always focus on the progress in the gym from week to week. This could mean performing 1 or 2 more reps for each exercise or adding more weight to the bar. Keep detailed records of training to track your progress as your strength increases over time.

4) Avoid overtraining.
 Overtraining is your number one enemy when it comes to building size and muscle strength. When most people start an exercise program, you are stuck with the misconception that more is better. It can be considered, of course, they spend more time in the gym, the better results you will get.  

When it comes to building muscle, nothing could be further from the truth! If you spend much time in the gym, you will actually further away from your goals rather than closer to them. Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym, they grow out of the gym while you are resting and eating. Recovery is absolutely vital to the muscle growth process. If you do not provide your body with the proper recovery time between workouts, your muscles will never have a chance to grow.

5) Eat more frequent.
 The main area where most people fail miserably on their muscle-building mission is the task of all-too important for proper nutrition. Weight training is only half of the equation! They break the muscle fibers in the gym, but if you do not provide your body with the right nutrients at the right time, the muscle growth process will be almost impossible.  

You should be eating anywhere from 5-7 meals a day, spaced every 2-3 hours to keep your body in an anabolic, muscle building state at all times. Each meal should consist of high quality protein and complex carbohydrates.

6) Increase your intake of protein.
 Of the three main nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) protein is without doubt the most important for those who are trying to gain muscle size and strength. Proteins are literally in each of the 30 trillion cells that your body is constituted and its main function is to build and repair body tissues. 

 Without sufficient protein intake, it will be physically impossible for your body to synthesize a significant amount of lean muscle mass. If your body were a house, think of protein as the bricks. A general guideline is to consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilo of body weight each day from high quality sources such as fish, chicken, eggs, meat, milk, peanut butter and cottage cheese .

7) Increase water intake.
 If you want a simple, easy and very effective to maximize your muscle gains, drinking more water. Water plays a key role in many of the body and its importance can not be overstated. In fact, muscles are only 70% water! Not only will drinking more water cause your muscles to appear fuller and more vascular, but also increase your strength. Research has shown that only a 3-4% loss of body water levels can affect muscle contraction by 10-20%! Try to consume 0.6 ounces for every pound of body weight per day for optimum benefits.

8) be consistent!
 Consistency is everything. Those who make the greatest gains in muscle mass and strength are those that are able to apply appropriate techniques very consistent. I just know that's not enough, you must apply!

Building muscle is a result of the cumulative effect of small steps. Sure, carrying out extra repetition your bank will not make a big difference in the overall results, and even eat a single meal. However, in the long term, all those extra reps and do all those small meals you consume to determine their overall success.  

If you work hard and complete all activities in a manner consistent muscle building, all these individual transactions is equivalent to huge gains in size and strength.

5 Reasons Why Alcohol Will Destroy Your Muscle Gains

I get emails every day from aspiring muscle-builders all over the world, and one of the most common questions I asked myself "not drinking really affect the muscle growth process?" Sorry to say, but yes, too much alcohol is almost certain that there will be a significant negative impact on the muscle-building results.  

Alcohol is far more harmful than most people think, and is very important to understand how this drug (yes, alcohol is a drug) is affecting your progress. This is not an anti-drug speech, but if you are serious about getting an impressive physique, you should definitely be aware of the 5 main ways that alcohol is slowing down your gains ...

1) It negatively affects the synthesis of proteins.
 Protein synthesis is the process in which the amino acids are joined to form complete proteins. Excessive alcohol consumption slows this process down to 20%, and since your muscles are made of protein, you can see how this is a problem.

2) Reduce the levels of testosterone and estrogen increases.
 Testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body. One of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can have is their level of free-flowing testosterone.

3) causes dehydration.
 The kidneys to filter large quantities of water to remove the alcohol, and this can cause severe dehydration in the body. Water plays a crucial role in the muscle building process, and be a bit 'dehydrated is a recipe for disaster. Muscles are only comprised of 70% water.

4) the body is depleted of vitamins and minerals.
 Alcohol consumption causes vitamins A, C, B, calcium, zinc and phosphorus to all be drained at rapid speeds. Vitamins and minerals keep every little process in your body functioning properly, and many of these processes involve muscle growth and maintenance.

5) is increased fat storage.
 With 7 calories per gram, alcohol can actually be quite fattening. Alcohol also disrupts the Krebs cycle, which plays an important role in fat burning.

It is important to have fun in life, but too much fun can lead to problems. If you are serious about achieving significant muscle-building results, you definitely need to control alcohol intake and make sure you are eating in moderation. A few drinks here and there should not be a problem, but if you are taking every weekend you can almost certainly kiss your muscle gains goodbye.

If you choose to party, be sure to drink plenty of water and eat properly with vitamins / minerals and a protein-rich meal.

We recommend against running for life around your muscle building program, so do not be afraid to go out and have some fun from time to time. Just be sure to keep drinking nights infrequent (no more than once a month) and eat properly to reduce its effects. While you monitor what you are doing you can get a physical and have a social life at the same time.

2 Simple Steps To Ripped Summertime Muscles

Summer is on the horizon, and it's time to relax in the sun. It 's time for beach days, barbecues and pool parties, and for any serious weightlifter these activities also mean one thing: it's time for the shirts to come out and show that a solid body worked over the 'year.

Nobody wants to walk with a soft body, smooth and soft, and for the next month or two, all these serious athletes will move to "get ripped".

As usually go about this?They lighten the weight and do more repetitions.

This has always been a widely accepted method of "cutting" and if you ask most trainers in the gym will tell you that "heavy weights of muscle and lighter weights define the muscle".

Want to know the reality behind the "light weight and high reps" method of obtaining a ripped and defined body?It is completely, totally and utterly wrong.

It could not be further from the truth. In fact, there is no logical basis for this way of training whatsoever, and it sounded so ridiculous to think that has caused the majority of lifters to waste their time and impede their progress in the gym.

Let me clarify the situation once and for all: you can not locate reduced. In other words, it is physically impossible to treat the loss of fat from a specific body area. Performing bench presses with light resistance and high repetitions will not magically going to burn fat from your chest or make it appear harder and more defined.

Every time you put your hands around one arm dumbbell or cable, your goal is to stimulate muscle growth, as far as possible. No special exercises, weight lifting secrets "define" your muscles or cause them to become more "ripped".

Weight training increases muscle mass, end of story.

So how exactly do you "define" a muscle?

The only way to "define" a muscle is to lower the level of body fat to make muscles more visible. Reduction of body fat can be done in two ways:

1) Change your diet.
 One should limit total caloric intake to about 15 times their body weight and focus on consuming smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. This will keep your metabolism naturally raised at all times and keep your body in a constant state of fat burning.  

Limit intake of saturated fats and simple sugars, and focus on eating lean sources of protein and carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. Also "very important to keep your water intake high at a level of around 0.6 ounces per pound of body weight.

2) Run the right cardio workout.
 Release the traditional method of moderate intensity cardio in 30-45 minute durations. If you want to maximize your ability to burn fat in the body and also minimize the muscle loss that inevitably accompanies a fat burning cycle, focus on shorter cardio workouts performed at a high intensity level.  

This type of training shoot your resting metabolism through the roof and will let you burn maximum amounts of fat even when you are resting. I recommend 3-5 sessions of high-intensity cardio per week, spaced at least 8 hours away from your weight workouts.

That's all there is, folks. Take the concept of "light weight and higher reps" and throw it out the window to the right, down the street and around the corner. Following this method wrong only causes loss of muscle mass and strength, and will not help you burn fat or defining your physique.

All you need to do to shape solid muscles for the summer is as follows:

1) Train with heavy weights and low reps to build muscle up.

2) Modify your diet and implement cardio workouts to eliminate body fat and create visibly harder and more defined muscles.

End of story.

See you at the beach!

Want To Build Muscle? Focus On The Right Muscle Building Diet

By Robert Harvard

When most people begin muscle building, they typically focus
on the exercises necessary to build muscle and reduce
body fat. However, the bodybuilding diet is the most
important aspect of the entire process. Without a proper
diet, those muscles you've worked so hard to build will be
covered over with a layer of fat, which goes against
everything a bodybuilder tries to do.

A bodybuilding diet isn't difficult to keep up, it just
takes a little discipline and know how. With a few tips and
a lot of self control, you could be well on your way to the
physique you've only dreamed about.

Split Up Your Meals

As we grew up, our parents usually taught us to eat three
meals a day. Those meals were to contain the four food
groups and they were generally large enough to keep us
satiated until the next meal came around. However, the more
you eat in one sitting, the more your body has to work to
digest it. Health experts now tell us to split up our meals
into four to six smaller meals, eaten throughout the day.
This, too, is what the bodybuilding diet entails. By
splitting up your meals into four to six smaller, more
manageable, meals each day, our metabolisms speed up,
enabling us to burn more fat than ever before.

Stay Away From Processed Food

When you begin your bodybuilding diet, you want to refrain
from anything that uses processed flour. Experienced
bodybuilders will tell you to stay to the outside perimeter
of the supermarket, where the dairy, meat, fruit, veggies
and bread are located. They will tell you to stay away from
the inside aisles of the supermarket, where all the chips,
and other processed foods are located. The simplest way to
keep to your bodybuilding diet is to tell yourself to keep
it natural. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and stay
away from anything laden with sugar; as this will turn into
fat in the long run.

Water, Water, Water

It can't be said enough. When beginning any bodybuilding
diet, you can't refrain from drinking lots of water. Water
flushes the fat and toxins from our body and also helps us
in fighting disease and illness. After all, we are seventy
percent water so we need to drink plenty of water if we hope
to stay healthy. A good rule is to drink a glass of water
before each meal, during each meal and once between meals.
This will keep you plenty hydrated and that's important,
especially when it comes to your bodybuilding diet.

If you stick to the above tips and work hard, you could
become a bodybuilder in no time. Remember, being a
bodybuilder doesn't just mean having big muscles, it also
means having low body fat. While working out will give you
the muscles you want, it's the bodybuilding diet that will
strip you of that fat so that those muscles, and all your
hard work, will finally be revealed.

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A Muscle Building Diet - The Top 3 Components

By Stephen "the Body" Jones

There are 3 major things that go into a diet for those
wishing to build muscles: protein, carbohydrates and water.
Here are a few ideas on how to arrange your diet to include
the most necessary building blocks for muscles.

As we all know, water is required for life and some do not
take into consideration the effects on the muscles it has. A
doctor would recommend for a healthy adult to drink at least
64 ounces of water a day. If a person were to exercise more
than a half hour daily, it would be suggested that a minimum
of another 16 ounces be taken in to replace the lost fluids
from exercise.

Carbohydrates are off limits in many diets. But if you are
trying to build up muscles, they are have an essential
function. For someone who has a 2,000 calorie a day diet,
half of this should be from carbohydrates. If your diet is
more than 2,000 calories a day, the carbohydrate intake has
to be elevated as well so the energy required for exercise
is available and the muscles can be built up.

Your carbohydrate intake should be from foods like fruit,
potatoes and vegetables, and avoid sources that include
added sugars like fruit juices and sports drinks. The added
sugars will offer short bursts of energy and also normally
add fat that the body does not need. Your healthy
carbohydrates should come from bread, green vegetables,
colorful fruits and almost any type of noodle or pasta.

Your last half of daily caloric intake should come from
proteins. Some foods that are considered the healthiest
means of getting your intake includes baked chicken or
turkey as well as salmon or tuna in water. Do not take in
any fried foods, since they offer additional fats that you
do not need and this could cause fatigue of the muscles.

Since muscles have to break down and then rebuild, each of
these 3 components are needed in a diet. They can be changed
as needed due to special diet requirements or medical
conditions. However, if you do have a medical condition it
is best to consult your doctor before starting any diet.



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Some Important Tips For Quick, Correct & Safe Muscle Building

By Chris Tan

Building muscle mass and doing quickly requires extreme
commitment and dedication. Anyone can choose to follow a
path to building muscle, however there are many who jump in
full throttle without doing the research first. This mistake
leads to a plateau which in turn leaves the person
frustrated, and eventually they quit. Below, I will show
some important tips to build muscle mass quickly, correctly
and most importantly; safely.

A good foundation for muscle growth.

The dreaded plateau is commonly reached within two to three
months of the day the workout or muscle mass training
begins. The reason for this plateau is that the proper
foundation has not been laid out. In order to achieve the
ability to increase the weights used in a workout, the
bodybuilder must first incorporate a series of ten strength
training workouts. These workouts allow the body to become
prepared for more intense workouts by gradually increasing
the weights as well as more rapid repetition, which will
then create muscle mass.

Focusing solely on the upper body.

Next, one of the most commonly found mistakes that lead to a
plateau are that most bodybuilders only focus on training
their upper body. The upper body consists of our arms,
chests and abs. These are the favorite training parts of
bodybuilders as they are more noticeable. However, you need
to train up your lower body as well in order to consistently
increase the weights you use throughout your muscle building
routines. Lower body muscle groups like our thighs are huge
muscles that should not be left out.

Focusing only on isolated exercises.

Exercises that train only a certain muscle group are called
isolated exercise. This is another common mistake beginners
make. Bicep curls and tricep extensions are a couple of
examples of these exercises. In order to achieve muscle
mass, the entire body must be included in the exercise
regimen. Therefore, compound exercises must be implemented.
These exercises allow the muscles to achieve higher weight
which in turn forces them to adapt to the increase and grow.

Are you guilty of these common mistakes? Have you reached
the dreaded plateau? These tips are very important in
achieving your quest for muscle mass. Having the proper
workout, technique and doing the research needed in order to
do it correctly is the only way to acquire your goal. In
addition, don't hesitate to ask an experienced bodybuilder
for tips; they will be more than happy to share the
knowledge.

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How Body Type Can Affect Your Body Building Success

By Kyle Peters

Bodybuilding can be a difficult sport at the best of times
but one way to improve your chances of success is to know
your body type. Knowing this will tell you how you are going
to respond to the weight training and exercise program and
allow any modifications necessary to increase your success.
Often it can be just a simple process of looking in a mirror
and studying your features to determine your type.

If you are tall and skinny then this would often mean you
would be classified in the group known as endomorphs. These
are classically hard gainers and if you fall into this group
and have already started a training program you will know
that no matter what you do, it is difficult to put on any
weight or muscle.

The major advantage of being in this group is that although
you may find it difficult to put on muscle it will also be
difficult to put on fat. What this means to you is that when
you do put on muscle mass it will be without a gain in fat
tissue which will leave you looking very ripped. In fact you
would not have to put on as much muscle to look bigger and
toned as you will have superb definition.

The next group are typically shorter, squat, heavier and are
naturally more muscular. These are commonly known as the
mesomorphs. Often they will claim to be able to put on
muscle just by looking at a set of weights!

For those with a mesomorphic physique then usually a less
intense workout program is required. The biggest hurdle to
face though is the issue of fat gain. As well as muscle,
these types can also easily put on fat. It is vital to
increase the proportion of protein intake in the daily
calories to try and overcome this.

The ideal amount of daily intake of protein for endomorphs
is around 2g per kilogram of body weight. It is also
important to increase general calorie intake to stimulate an
anabolic state.

Excellent gains can be achieved by both body types but those
with ectomorphic bodies will have to work harder in the gym
to stimulate muscle growth and will also have to increase
calorie intake. With mesomorphs it is important to be
careful about increasing fat levels and often, many will
find they end up cycling between bulking up and losing fat.

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How To Develop A Superhero Chest

By Emmanuel Palmer

Every generation grows up with the same idea of what super
heroes look like; and unless it's saving the world one book
at a time, I'm betting you haven't found a pale and skinny
hero yet. We've stopped watching cartoons a long time ago,
but the physical standards of what heroes look like don't
really ever leave us. If you want to look like one, you have
to learn the best ways on how to build chest muscle fast.

Alright, maybe the mission is a little less pressing than
world peace but everybody has to start somewhere right?
Concentrate on building your knowledge on how to build
muscle the right way, other super qualities you can learn as
you go on.

To effectively build chest muscle fast you need to
understand the workouts that will work in the specific areas
in your chest. The incline barbell bench for instance will
target the upper chest muscles. Use slow and purposeful
movements and feel the burn when you do. Don't let the bar
touch your chest because this will remove the stress you want
to put on the chest while also putting strain on your
shoulder joints as well.

For the lower chest muscle, use the decline dumbbell fly and
decline barbell bench press. If you are a beginner, make
sure there is an instructor or spotter on when you
perform this particular workout as the angle makes it a
little more complicated than average.

And the last section-the inner and outer chest muscles.
Strengthen this area by using the flat bench dumbbell fly
correctly. Keep the correct form throughout the drill. Don't
let your shoulders move as you slowly extend the weights to
the starting position. Doing so will strain the shoulders.
More important than completing the reps and sets is doing
the said exercises properly.

If you are only beginning this high intensity workout to
build up your chest, expect loud protestations from your
body in the form of aches and soreness. Keep at it because
you are developing strength even in your sleep. After a few
weeks, execute the same exercises but give it all you've
got-train to your body's maximum tolerance level. When you
push the targeted muscles to the limits, muscle growth is
accelerated. Have a trained instructor nearby to assist you
in these endeavors.

Include more exercises into your workout program. Change it
up every four to six weeks because your body needs to be
challenged every so often; switching up the weight loads and
drills will keep your body guessing. Target the serratus
anterior (muscle between the chest and back) with pullovers.
Build up your chest even more with dumbbell flyes.

Take these tips and run with it; they will help you build
chest muscle fast. Maybe you're not a super hero yet - but
with your new physique, everybody will think you are one
anyway.

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Ab Machines - Do They Actually Work?

By Tom Leverson

One of the frequent questions I often get asked is, do the
ab cruncher exercise machines you often see on television
actually work? Yes and no is the answer to that question. I
know this is not particularly useful but let me explain.

These machines exercise the different layers of ab muscles.
The idea is that these machines will stimulate the abs muscles
to enlarge. However, they will not necessarily give you a set
of rippling, muscular, lean abs. The reason being is that to
get a set of ripped abs you will need to get rid of that layer
of fat tissue that overlays the abs.

Ab crunchers will not normally remove the fat focally over
the abs. Performing hundreds or thousands of sit ups will
not get rid of this layer of fat tissue for the exact same
reason. The only way to do this is by lowering calorie
intake and burning excess calories, therefore reducing fat
content all over the body.

Adding an aerobic exercise regime to your exercise program
is the most effective way to burn off these calories. Also,
exercises that use the big muscles of the body such as the
quadriceps are great at burning calories.

The quadriceps are the big thigh muscles located at the
upper part of the legs. A good exercise to stimulate the
quads is squats. Due to the fact that they produce so much
heat and burn a large amount of calories means they are
great to help weight loss. They also stimulate the body's
natural growth hormone production therefore encouraging
muscle growth which is good for building those abdominal
muscles.

The most common aerobic exercises are rowing, running,
swimming and cycling. For burning fat it is best to do these
exercises over a long period of time.

Used on their own these machines won't get you a set of
visible rippling abs. You have to do fat busting exercises
as well. Great ab development can be had in as soon as
twelve weeks if you apply this advice consistently.

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5 Essential Bodybuilding Nutrition Rules

By Chad J. Beck

Every successful bodybuilder understands that nutrition is a
key component of any training program. Following correct
nutritional practices will provide you with a stable amount
of energy needed for daily activities and for each training
session. Having an excellent nutrition base and enough rest
are vital for ongoing bodybuilding success. Not following a
sound nutritional plan will just limit your potential muscle
gains and may put to waste all your effort and time invested
on training.

According to Catherine Ratzin Jackson, author of the book
"Nutrition for the Recreational Athlete", the eating habits
of bodybuilders aren't always based on sound nutritional
advice. She explains that many bodybuilders base their diet
strategies on tips they've read in bodybuilding magazines or
from -experts' at nutrition stores. Unfortunately, much of
this advice is usually one-sided and does not provide the
complete picture of the essentials of calorie intake,
protein requirements and specific types of food to eat for
weight loss. If you're just getting started with
bodybuilding, here are some essential rules of nutrition
used by professional bodybuilders:

1. Avoid rapid weight loss. Rapid weight loss can result in
the loss of lean body tissue and make it very difficult to
increase muscle size and strength. Extreme weight loss often
results from starvation or low-calorie diets, and may result
in electrolyte imbalances, water and important lean body
mass. High protein, low-fat diets can be harmful to your
health and may prevent you from achieving your ideal body
weight.

2. Always calculate your protein requirements. Muscles need
protein to build up strength and mass. Just make sure that
you are getting the right amount of it. Too much or too
little of this nutrient will not produce your desired
results. Different people need to take different amounts of
protein as measured by their Recommended Dietary Allowance
(RDA). The RDA of protein for sedentary individuals is
0.8g/kg per day. While for athletes, the RDA is set at
1.0-1.5 g/kg. Make it a habit now to check the nutritional
labels of each food you eat to keep track of your protein
consumption.

3. Eat Fresh Foods. Eating fresh foods is an important
component of any bodybuilding program. Stay away from
artificial and processed food as much as possible. Natural
foods from animal and plant sources give out the most
nutrients to our bodies. Our bodies assimilate more
nutrients from natural foods as compared with artificial
foods.

4. Exercise caution in taking supplements. It is now widely
acceptable to use supplements for performance enhancement.
Supplements are a great help to any athlete but they do
cause some negative side effects, especially if abused.
Supplements are designed to be added, or supplement, our
nutrition program. Supplements are by no means created to
replace proper diet and exercise.

5. Watch what you eat before and after a workout. Muscle
builds up significantly before and after you exercise. What
you eat at this time will surely influence this process
either positively or negatively. Always monitor what you eat
at this time by keeping a written record.

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Well Being and Improve Your Performance.
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Use These 5 Criteria When Choosing A Muscle Building Program To Fit You

By Mark Dale

Why is it that so many people who have followed various
muscle building programs have failed to make the muscle mass
gains they desire? Well put simply, it's usually because
they've followed a muscle program that is completely
unsuitable for building muscle. If this sounds like you and
you're not seeing regular muscle growth and improvements in
the mirror then you are doing something wrong.

However, many muscle building programs can be completely
inappropriate to an individual's needs. The result of this
can be anything from little or no muscle gains or even
injury through over training.

If you are looking for a muscle building program that can be
customized for your goals, body type, and size then I
suggest you think about the following 5 main points when
choosing your next program:

1. Workout Time

Muscle building programs aimed at gaining lean muscle mass
will not have you training for hours in the gym. Your
workout routines should last no more than 45 mins, but
should be intense and push your strength to the limit.

2. Varying Your Workout Program

Keep your workout program varied and this will help to keep
your muscles growing by stimulating them in different ways.
Therefore re-structure your gym workouts every 8 - 12 weeks.
If you don't change routines your body will become used to
the same exercises and muscle growth will slow or even stop.

3. Rest is Part of Your Muscle Program

You need plenty of rest to help your muscles grow and to
help your body recover from your workouts. Every good muscle
building program must include rest days and you should
always take a week off at the end of your 8-12 weeks
program.

4. Perform Exercise with Correct Form

When doing any sort of physical activity you must make sure
that you do them safely, using the correct form and speed.
Look out for muscle building programs that provide you with
exercise databases that are either video or illustration
based. If you are unsure of how to do an exercise correctly
then don't do it -watch the video or study the illustrations
and practice with a light weight.

5. Diet - The Most Essential Part!

Diet is the key to every bodybuilder's success. However any
muscle building diet must be personalized to your body type
and goals. The best muscle building programs will provide
diet plans for every individual. This means diet plans will
cover all calorie levels and include meals from 2000 - 6000
calories a day. The best meal plans I've come across even
cater for vegetarians or those who need to avoid specific
foods.

So that's 5 very simple but very important tips to get you
on the right track to muscle building success. Make sure you
find answer to all these points when you are looking at
muscle building programs.

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Why Protein Is Crucial For a Healthy Body

When learning about healthy eating, one of the most important nutrients is protein. Of course, all nutrients are crucial for our bodies to be as healthy as possible, but without protein in our diets every single day, our bodies will not be as strong as they should be. Protein can be found in a number of food sources, so if you’re interested in eating a healthier diet, you should consider learning more about protein.

We need to eat foods rich in protein every day because, unlike some other nutrients, it cannot be stored in the body. That means that if you eat more protein than necessary, your body will simply cause it to pass through your system. Therefore, you really can’t eat too much protein! However, because protein cannot be stored in the body problems may arise surrounding this nutrient as well. If you don’t get enough protein on any given day, your body has no back-up plan for producing protein on its own or using reserved protein from previous days. Therefore, protein is very important to consider when you are planning your meals.

Essentially, protein builds muscles, which is why you will see bodybuilders especially concerned with protein. When you lift weights to work out, you body makes tiny tears in the muscles. Proteins are then used to repair these healthy tears in the body, building the muscle slightly bigger with every workout. Even if you do not work out, your body’s muscle deteriorates, as you body needs the energy. Muscle provides energy, just like fat. Having protein in the body helps you to rebuild any muscle lost.

Protein also helps a person’s body in other ways, mainly with the maintenance of hormones. Hormones in the body do a number of things, such as regulate organ function, account for stimulation, create metabolism, and affect mood. Proteins are used in the making of some of these different hormones, so if you go more than a day or two without eating foods rich in proteins, your entire body will suffer.

How can you make sure that you re getting enough proteins? Simply put, look for foods with protein as a key component on the label. Some great foods to consider include chicken, beef, eggs, and fish, although vegetarians can also get proteins in their diets by eating nuts, beans, soy products, and a variety of other foods. You should have some of these foods in your diet every single day to ensure that you are providing your body with the proteins it needs to stay healthy.

What Does It Really Take To Reach Your Muscle Building Goals?

The goal setting is one thing that I've often been excited
about, but I haven't always kept up with it the way I should
have. I've recently decided that I need to become more
consistent, and I've been reviewing my goals carefully. I
started to think about what it would take to achieve these
goals, and they got me thinking about what it really takes
to reach your fitness destination.

After reading quite a bit about the subject, I've realized
that desire and passion are essential components of reaching
your goals. In addition, you have to ask yourself if you are
really ready to work hard. Ask yourself what level of
sacrifice you're prepared to make in order to reach your
destination.

What does this have to do with building muscle? Well, I hope
you realize that building muscle is not a new one day or one
week thing. It takes a long commitment and diligence to
reach your goals, including building a muscular frame. So if
you really want to build a more muscular body, you're going
to have to give some things up in exchange for this.

You may think that you've heard all this before, and maybe
that's true. But hearing something a number of times and
actually putting it into practice are two completely
different things. Without action, that knowledge is
worthless.

Whether we're talking about a strength training program or
anything else in your life, achieving a big goal is going to
require a long commitment. It isn't going to happen
overnight, and you're probably going to have to give up some
other activities in order to achieve that.

So are you willing to do what it takes to reach your fitness
goals? Which do you prefer, watching that favorite TV show or
working on a solid strength training program? Can you give
up the incredibly tempting ice cream sundaes you eat every
day in exchange for a healthier and better looking body?

As much as we may try to deny it, you won't reach your goals
overnight with one single action. It's going to be a series
of small choices, probably hundreds or thousands of choices,
that decide whether or not you will be successful..

Remember that a little bit at a time is far better than a
big change all at once. Stick with your plan step by step
and you'll soon reach your muscle building goals.

Why Resting Between Workouts Is Crucial For Bodybuilding

If you've spent any time in the bookstore browsing through
magazine articles on bodybuilding, you've no doubt come
across some pretty strong claims about how the latest
supplement fad can provide you with unbelievable results.
You may have also seen some recommendations on improving
your workout technique and other such advice.

What was probably missing from the discussion is the
importance of a solid recovery phase when embarking on a new
strength training or bodybuilding program. If you seem to
spend all your time in the gym without making any progress,
or if your initial muscle gains have reached a plateau, take
a moment to think about your recovery plans (or lack
thereof).

First of all, what exactly is the recovery phase? Well,
let's review how muscle is built in the first place. In
order for your body to build muscle, you first have to give
your body a reason to build it. You see, on a basic
biological level muscle is an expensive asset to have, and
the body would rather not have to maintain it. The only way
to stimulate new muscle growth is to give the body a reason
to build it, and the way to do this is to take advantage of
our basic biological need to survive.

When we lift a heavy weight that the body is not used to,
the muscle is damaged on a microscopic level. Because the
body does not want to be put under this same stress ever
again, the muscle will be rebuilt bigger and stronger
(provided there is enough material for growth in the form of
protein and other nutrients).

So how does this tie in to the importance of resting during
the recovery phase? Simply put, the muscles must be given
time to rebuild before they are put under heavy stress
again.

This means that we must limit the frequency of our workouts
in order to maximize their effect, and this is why many
bodybuilding experts recommend only a few hours of training
per week. You may have heard them refer to this concept
with the motto Less is More.

In addition to carefully planning your workouts to avoid
over training, you must make sure that you're getting plenty
of sleep in order to experience the best possible muscle
gains.

Sleep is, after all, when the body tends to repair. As we
discussed above, the body does have to repair itself and
build your muscles bigger and stronger than they were
before. That's why resting, and yes sleep, are crucial to
your success if you're serious about maximum muscle gain.