Build Muscle Mass - 6 Keys to Muscle Building Success

Almost everyone who's ever picked up a weight is looking for that one perfect muscle building routine that is going to instantly transform them from the 98 pound weakling to a walking freak of nature. Well, I'm here to tell you that the magic muscle building routine doesn't exist. Not as a specific set in stone weight training routine, anyway. So how can you build muscle mass as quickly as you'd like?While I believe there are a set of principles that you need to follow, because bodybuilding is a science, it's also those principles that make it impossible to have a perfect muscle building routine. Not because it can't exist but because it's always training. Some of the factors involved in creating a productive weight training routine include:Your muscle fiber typeYour bone structureYour ability to recover from weight training workoutsHow strong you areHow much sleep you getYour nutrition programAnd moreA number of these things are always changing, a big one being your recovery ability. See, the stronger you get, the more stress your body endures, and the move time you need to recover and grow from your previous workout.Let's say you've been performing a full body weight lifting workout three days per week, 12 exercises per workout, 2 working sets per exercise. So you've been blasting your muscles on this routine for about 12 weeks. You've managed to double your strength and put on an amazing 30 pounds of muscle! Guess what? This weight lifting routine is no longer the ideal routine for you because you've gotten so strong.While the typical person has the ability to increase their strength by about 300%, the body has the ability to increase its ability to recover from those workouts by about 50%. So, the stronger you get, the more rest your body needs to recover and grow. This mean, over time, even the most effective muscle building weight training program will need to be changed.
* Make sure you warm upThis sounds pretty simple but most people I see lifting weights in the gym completely ignore proper warm up. And then others warm up way too much, which negatively affects their actual workout. Warm up just enough to be able to allow your muscles to fully contract during your working sets. Studies have shown that a properly warmed up muscle can achieve 20 percent more muscle stimulation.A warm up should do just that - warm the muscle and flush blood into it. Your warm up shouldn't have you exerting yourself or working hard. Here's a good example using the bench press. Let's say you will be bench pressing 250 pounds for 3 sets of 3 reps.
Your warm up could go as follows:
Bar x 20 reps95 pounds x 12 reps135 pounds x 6 reps185 pounds x 3 reps220 pounds x 2 repsWork Sets250 x 3250 x 3250 x 3
* Cycle Your TrainingNow, I'm not talking about some complicated and convoluted periodization plan. I'm talking about keeping things simple by going all out in your workouts for four to six weeks and then having either a very low intensity week or even staying out of the gym completely for a week before getting into another all out phase of four to six weeks. This will help your muscle building efforts by allowing you to recover completely and avoid overtraining.
* Use Variation In Your TrainingThis is more for staying fresh mentally than an absolute requirement for building muscle. But if you get bored from your workout, you won't work out with as much intensity, even if just subconsciously. A good way to use variety is to incorporate it into your phase training. Every time you start up a new four to six week training phase, consider using a slightly different routine so you stay motivated and challenged.

For more muscle building articles please visit http://www.build-your-body.net

Thanks and God Bless!
Lee Harris

The Secret To Lasting Bodybuilding Gains Is Consistency!

Often times many people who are looking to start a bodybuilding program want to accomplish things in three weeks that typically take 3 to 4 years of consistent effort. While I think it's great to be ambitious and set big goals, one needs to also be realistic and patient. Too much too soon can lead to mental and physical burnout, which in turn will cause you to drop your bodybuilding program too soon to make any good gains.
Here are some tips and tricks to fit exercise into your life in simple, painless ways.
Start SmallExercise is not an all or none endeavor. It is a continuum. Keep in mind that a little is better than none and you can do something today, so don’t worry about what you will do next month. This perspective is hard for anyone who expects a lot from themselves and sets long-term fitness goals. Don’t expect results overnight. But do expect to take small steps every day.
Start Where You AreYour exercise program doesn’t need to be elaborate. It doesn’t require you to join a gym or sweat for an hour every day. Look at your current routine and you may discover you already walk 15 minutes at a time taking the dog around the block or walking to the store for milk.
That’s exercise. You can use that as a jumpstart and add another 5 minutes or walk at a faster pace -- start from where you are.
Go Low TechTechnology is a wonderful thing, but much of it reduces us to very lazy people. If you want to fit activity into your daily life, just go low-tech and you will probably burn another few hundred calories a day. Walk or ride your bike for errands, take the stairs, mow your lawn with a push mower, give up your television remote and actually get up to change the channel, walk down the hall to your co-workers office rather than calling.
Surround Yourself with Good Role ModelsIf all your friends are couch potatoes, odds are you will have a hard time becoming active while hanging out with them. If you surround yourself with people who are healthy and active, odds are it will be easy for you to stay active as well. Peer pressure is a wonderful thing if you use it in positive ways!
Set Weekly GoalsCheck in with yourself each week by setting attainable, yet realistic goals. Try to set a plan to go faster, farther or longer with your routine. You can even set nutrition goals such as getting 5 servings of fruit and vegetables each day. Your goal can be as simple as taking a daily 15 minute walk or as intense as completing your first marathon. Only you know what is realistic for you.
Try Something NewIf you always try to start a walking program, and always drop out after a few weeks take heart. It may not be the exercise you can’t stick with but the type of exercise. You may need to try a variety of activities before you find one that you really like and want to do long-term. Sign up for a yoga class or snowboarding lesson. Try running or biking instead of walking, go with others or go alone, try exercising at different times of the day. Keep your options open and find exercise you enjoy so you never view exercise as a chore. It should be fun and fulfilling!
Write it DownKeep an exercise log book. Simply writing down what you did, how long and how you felt can be great motivation. Not only can you view your progress and look back at your accomplishments, but you can plan ahead and decide where you want to be in a week, a month or more.
Psychology of ExerciseSome people enjoy being distracted while exercising while others prefer to pay attention to how their body feels while exercising. Try both tactics and see what works best for you. If you're new to exercise, being distracted by music, television, reading material, conversation or a personal trainer may help you stick with it. After you’ve been exercising a while it may be helpful to pay attention to your body sensations. Athletes often focus on their breathing, cadence or body movement to stay focused.
Make Exercise Part of Your Daily RoutineRather than trying to go to the gym, or squeeze in more time for exercise look for ways you can add exercise to what you already do. Walk the dog, bike to the store or to work, do crunches or push-ups during commercials, pedal your exercise bike during your favorite tv show, meet friends for walking dates rather than dinner & drinks. If you are creative, you will realize you don’t need to change your routine much to fit exercise into your life.
Find a BuddyEven if this person doesn’t exercise with you, let someone know of your plans and goals to help support your efforts. Making yourself accountable to another is a great way to keep you honest about your success and challenges with starting a new exercise program.
Make Exercise a PriorityIf your exercise plans and goals are at the bottom of your priority list, you will never reach them. Period. You have to believe that this is important enough to make it happen. Take a serious look at your words, desires and behavior. Do you always talk about wanting to get active, but never actually do anything about it? If so, you are only fooling yourself and continuing the cycle of helplessness. Get honest with yourself about what you really want and how much you are willing to work to make it happen. You’ll be surprised how easy it falls into place once you put your energy into action rather than excuses.

For more muscle building articles and information
please visit http://www.build-your-body.net

Thanks and God Bless!

Lee Harris
Build-Your-Body.net

How To Use Rest To Gain More Muscle

Are you frustrated with not gaining any weight while you keep putting in the hard yards in the gym day after day week after week. It might be because you are not getting enough quality rest and sleep and this could be what’s holding back those big gains you are looking for.
While you are on any weight gain program you have to be careful, you have to stop any intense cardio work, as it will mar your strength training progress by taking a big bite into the energy needed for your recovery.
Remember that your body adapts best to a stimulus when it only has to adapt to a single stimulus, and the main priority here is strength training so please keep all incidental activity low. In a sense you have to become “Lazy” By this I mean:
Instead of running “walk”.
Instead of walking “sit”.
Instead of sitting “lay down”… Get my point?
Another point is that if you want to gain more muscle, you will have to try to get more sleep. Go to bed early whenever possible and sleep late whenever you can.
Here are some other reasons why you should sleep more:  Insufficient sleep has been linked with increases in fat tissue in the body and a loss of muscle strength and muscle mass.
 Lack of sleep causes a decrease in bone density, particularly in women because it can lead to osteoporosis.
Good sleep is as important as a service is for your car. It recharges your batteries, changes your oil and tops up your fluids so you can operate at peak function.
Sleep also repairs the body after strength training workouts and strengthens the immune system.
If you're having trouble sleeping, it might just be that you are lacking certain vital nutrients in your diet, leaving you feeling depressed or anxious and causing you to wake during the night unable to return to sleep.



Try and include the following foods in your diet for a better nights sleep:
Cereals
Unprocessed cereals contain starch and complex carbohydrate to fuel energy reserves and give a comfortably full feeling.
Starch is known to greatly increase production of the endorphin serotonin, which is the body's natural feel good drug. It acts to control moods, reduce anxiety and promote normal sleeping patterns.
Try a bowl of cereal just before bedtime; bread is also a good choice.
Oats
The oat flakes from which porridge is made are an excellent source of vitamin B6, which is needed to promote serotonin levels in the brain. Alkaloids in the grains can also have a relaxing effect.
Tuna
Tuna and other oily fish are an excellent source of calcium, a lack of which is said to cause anxiety.
So increasing the intake of these in the diet may well relieve stress-induced insomnia. Oily fish is also an excellent source of Omega 3 oils, which are essential for general health.
Pasta
A good source of protein for those who are lacking this nutrient and its endorphin-stimulating amino acids.
Pasta has a very low salt content, and is low in fat. It’s rich source of complex carbohydrates to fill you up and because it releases energy slowly, helps you feel pleasantly calm.
A perfect food choice for relaxation before bedtime.

Bananas
Bananas are a rich source of potassium, a vital mineral for nerve function and a lack of which can cause you to feel depressed and in turn lead to insomnia.
Bananas also have plenty of serotonin stimulating starchy carbohydrate to relax you and are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, also needed for the production of serotonin.
Nuts
Nuts are rich in B vitamins, proteins and selenium. Brazil nuts are the richest source of selenium.
Nuts are also high in protein, a lack of which can cause anxiety and depression. They contain both amino acids tryptophan and L-phenylalanine, which helps the body to produce those relaxing endorphins.
Strawberries
A source of vitamin C, which helps to produce endorphins and a good source of potassium, a lack of which can cause stress.
The red colour is due to a flavonoid, which seem to function as a biological response modifier or in other words they can change your mood for the better and help you relax.
In conclusion, to have a fully rested body every day is a giant step towards making big progress in the Gym. High intensity workouts can then be maintained for longer periods and you’ll have much more energy available during a workout to push out that extra rep. “Increase your SLEEP and increase your GAINS”

For more muscle building articles please visit http://www.build-your-body.net

Thanks and God Bless!
Lee Harris
Build-Your-Body.net

Strength Training: 10 Things You Must Know

Lets face it everybody knows that strength training builds muscle but did you know that it does more much more for you in the health stakes. Lets have a look at these strength training tips one by one and you will see what a difference this valuable tool will make to your general health:

Weights Improve Immunity - Immune strength depends on the availability of the amino acid glutamine and your muscles have to supply the glutamine to your immune system in order for it to work. The more muscle you have the more abundant the glutamine supply, and other things being equal, the better your immune system works.
Weights Grow Bone - A study at Stanford University showed clearly that about 20% of bone mineral density is dependent on maintaining muscle. A new study reported in February 2000 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that even in elderly women, a one-year weight-training program increased their strength by 20-30%, with a significant increase in bone density.
Weights Combat Diabetes - New studies published between 1995 and 2000 show that weight training has an unexpected benefit - it improves glucose tolerance in patients with Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. In one of these studies, post-menopausal women with diabetes followed a weight-training program for four months. Their glucose sensitivity to a challenge improved by an average of 29%.
Weights Wack Arthritis - At Tufts University in the USA, researches gave patients with rheumatoid arthritis 10 weeks of high-intensity weight training. Results showed
significant reductions in joint pain and fatigue and a big gain in strength. Results
showed that the weight work caused a significant decline in arthritis activity.
Weights Raise Testosterone - Did you know that strength training is one of the best exercises to raise testosterone levels in men and women! With strength training the levels of both testosterone and growth hormone rise dramatically.
Since loss of strength and muscle mass are the prime causes of most age-related diseases a lifelong strength training program is one of the best insurance polices for a better quality of life for both men and women.
Avoid Muscle Loss - although endurance exercise improves our cardiovascular fitness, it does not prevent the loss of muscle tissue. Only strength training maintains our muscle mass and strength throughout our mid-life years. After the age of 20 up to 1/2 pound of muscle tissue is lost per year in both males and females owing to the normal ageing process.
By Strength Training once a week using all the major muscle groups until you are unable to push each exercise for another repetition, 3-4 exercises, and 15 -20 minutes max training time. Keep getting stronger, Smile, be positive and live life.
Avoid Metabolic Rate Reduction - because muscle is very active tissue, muscle loss is
accompanied by a reduction in our resting metabolism. Research indicates that an average adult experiences a 5% reduction in metabolic rate every decade of life. Only high intensity strength training performed once or twice a week with prescribed rest periods can avoid this.
Increase Muscle Mass - because most adults do not perform strength exercise, they need to first replace the tissue that has been lost through inactivity. Fortunately research shows that a standard strength training program can increase muscle mass by about 4 kg or 10 lbs over a ten-week period.
Increase Metabolic Rate - Research reveals that adding 10 lbs of muscle increases our resting metabolism by 7% and our daily calorie requirements by 15%. At rest, 2 lbs of muscle requires 77 calories per day for tissue maintenance and during exercise, muscle energy utilization increases dramatically.
Adults who replace muscle through sensible strength exercise use more calories all day long thereby reducing the likelihood of fat accumulation.
Reduce Body Fat - In a 1994 study, strength exercise produced 10 lbs of fat loss after two months of training, even though the subjects were eating 155 more calories per day. That is, a basic strength-training program resulted in 8 lbs more muscle, 10 lbs less fat and more calories per day food intake.
Increase Bone Mineral Density - The effects of progressive resistance exercise are similar for muscle tissue and bone tissue. The same training stimulus that increases muscle strength also increases bone density and mineral content. A 1993 study demonstrated significant increases in the bone mineral density of the upper femur after four months of strength training.
So, now you can go ahead with your strength training endeavours knowing that you will be experiencing all these benefits found in the above tips.

For more muscle building articles please visit http://www.build-your-body.net

Thanks and God Bless!

Lee Harris
Build-Your-Body.net

Are You Frequenting the Gym Too Much?

Many studies at universities, conducted around the world have shown clearly that recuperation from strength training requires far more rest time than previously thought.
The latest studies have indicated that high intensity strength trained muscles need more time than previously thought to recover and become stronger some studies show that muscles are still overcompensating and getting stronger for up to 21 days after the previous workout.
Researchers have found that fitness enthusiasts can reduce the time they spend working out by two-thirds and still achieve the same results. A study involving male weightlifters has suggested it is counter-productive to spend hours exercising.
Those who exercised less saw significant decrease in body fat. The study focused on 16 students aged 19 to 23, who already worked out regularly. They were split into two groups. Both carried out upper-body training three times a week for eight weeks. One group did one set of eight repetition: the other did three sets of the same exercise.
At the end of the study both groups had improved "significantly" in terms of muscular strength, said researchers from the health and exercise science unit at the University of Glamorgan in Pontypridd, Wales. Report author Dr Julien Baker said "This study indicates that it is counter-productive to spend hours at the gym, and that a shorter work-out can achieve exactly the same results.
Muscles take between 4-7 days to fully recover from a workout and another 2-3 days for over-compensation to take place. It can also take up to 7-14 days for the neuro - muscular system to fully recover from a high intensity strength training session.
I’ve observed in 20 years working in gyms, the same people continuing to train week in and week out, three to four and even more times a week even though they haven’t made progress in months or even years of training.
I have found through experience that any strength training program that has you in the gym three or more times a week will have you plateau within four to five weeks and nothing you do will shift you from this plateau short of cutting back on training which will re-start the gaining processes again.
The only exception to this rule is the beginner whose strength will increase through neurological adaptations for up to three months after starting strength training. Also perfect technique must be maintained and followed to maximize the training stimulus on the muscle and to minimize the risk of injury during this period.
Studies have also concluded that split strength training programs have been shown to be no more beneficial than full body training programs.
The training frequency that you, and everybody else, should use is variable, not fixed. I repeat not fixed, when you strength train, as a way to develop more muscle the intensity of your workouts has to progress upward.
If they remain at the same intensity there is no reason for new muscle to grow. If you want to train effectively you have to understand the relationship between the increasing intensity of your workouts and the decreasing frequency of those workouts.
The two main components of strength training are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional muscle size.
Your rest days are just as important as your training days. By giving your muscles more time to recover between strength training sessions you will be on the road to major gains in strength, muscle size and fat loss.
So there you have it, it's not the training volume but the intensity and recuperation that's important when it comes to Gains in Strength and Muscle.”


For more muscle building articles please visit http://www.build-your-body.net

Thanks and God Bless!

Lee Harris
Build-Your-Body.net

Is It Better to Skip a Meal Than to Eat Unhealthy Food?

Imagine your in a situation (work, plane, train, automobile) where you just didn't prepare any healthy foods. Maybe you are in a situation where the only choice to eat something is junk food.I'm sure this doesn't happen to you that often right?But when it does, should you eat junk foods to keep your metabolism up or would it be more beneficial to not eat at all?Let me tell you a little story about a guy who got into a few situations where the food choices were not ideal. His goal was to build muscle and burn off fat. This guy worked out pretty hard, was trying to eat right but occasionally life got in the way and he made poor nutrition choices. Not all the time mind you just when there was nothing else to eat and he was between a rock and a hard place.He choose to eat the junk food.Guess what happened to him?He's fine!That guy was me (duh) and I've been in plenty of situations where I didn't plan or the food around me at the time wasn't ideal.Key Concept ... if you can follow your nutrition plan 90% of the time you will be perfectly fine.That means you can get away with eating junk every so often and not make a dent in your progress.By now, you're probably wondering if there's any difference if a person is trying to lose fat or bulk up and if that makes any difference in the answer.If you are trying to lose fat, then having a protein is ideal as you won't store as much of the "junk" food as fat. Let's say you have no choices for whatever reason, then get your hands on the best protein you can and stick with that. I would suggest eating the least un-healthy parts of any available food.The most important part of any meal is keeping your body's nitrogen balance in the positive. That means protein!If you are trying to bulk and gain weight, you can give yourself a little more room to make mistakes. While it's still true that you wouldn't want to put on any excess fat, bulking does require a surplus of calories so the rules loosen up a bit.In either case, don't eat more calories than you normally would for that meal.If you find yourself at a fast food restaurant, check out any available nutritional facts and make the best choices possible (salads, grilled chicken, etc.).If you find only vending machines in your location, look for the lowest fat and sugar snacks.If all you have is a choice of a candy bar, then hold your breath until the next meal. ;-)Here's what else..."There's no ideal preparation place at work."Many people fall into that category and there's a wonderful and cheap solution to the preparation conundrum.It's called Tupperware and a small lunchbox cooler.Guess what you can put into something like that?* cottage cheese * sandwiches * vegetables * fruits. All it takes it a little prep time at home for the work environment where there's no ideal preparation situation.So it all adds up to this...If you occasionally find yourself hungry and in a situation where the food choices are not ideal, then go ahead and eat that burger or pizza. You can still toss off any of the items on it that are just sugary or horrible to eat and still make the best of a bad situation.If you find yourself daily in these situations then you need to plan more at home before getting into them as eating junk will be part of your routine and that will affect your goals.I've never known anybody who made some junk food choices ever so often to lose their abs or put on 15 lbs of fat overnight.While you want to be strict most of the time (90% rule) you do have room to play when life throws you a curve ball.

For more muscle building articles please visit http://www.build-your-body.net/

Thanks and God Bless,
Lee Harris
build-your-body.net

Instant Weight Loss Strategies That Anyone Can Use

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times before but I will say it again, incidental activity is very important in the process of losing weight as you can burn more calories than relying on dietary means alone.
Fat is burned from the body when cells oxidize to release energy in the form of exercise or movement. When the exercise is done slowly to moderately then the majority of energy is taken from the fat stores.
The loss of fat comes from fat cells all over the body, not from one or more specific area’s so spot reduction of a certain area is not possible. The main priority of this article is to show you the quickest and safest way to lose fat from the body.
The key to effective aerobic training that burns off the maximum amount of fat is long-term consistency not intensity. It doesn’t matter if you run a mile, jog a mile or walk a mile you will burn exactly the same amount of calories.
The best exercise by far for the purpose of fat-loss is fast walking either indoors on the treadmill or outdoors. What many don't know is that walking produces a greater percentage of fat loss as opposed to jogging or running. Other aerobic activities are the treadmill, bike, climber or any other training gear found in or out of the gym.
Walk or exercise until you are mildly puffing and hold that rate until the allotted time. If your aerobic activities leave you panting or breathless, your going too hard, your energy is coming from your carbohydrate reserves and not from your fat stores. Try fast walking for one hour a day every day of the week if you are able.
Here are some of the benefits of Fast Walking.
1. Easy to Perform
2. Most Conventional
3. All Natural Body Movement
4. Doesn't Cause Injuries
5. Can Be Done Anywhere
5. The Best Minimal Effort Exercise for Fat Loss
Research shows that regular, brisk walking is one of the best exercises we can do for overall fitness. It suits people of all ages and fitness levels, it’s easy to get started and there's no complicated technique to learn or equipment to buy.
Walking is an excellent way to get fit because it uses nearly all the muscles and, as you have to carry your body weight, you can get a good workout from it.
It’s also safer on the joints and the back than most other forms of exercise because you're not jumping up and down, so the impact is low.
Studies have shown that taking a daily 20-minute walk can reduce the risk of heart attack as much as 50%, it also reduces high blood pressure and helps to burn fat to keep weight under control.
Walking and other weight bearing exercises (Strength training) helps to increase bone mass, which protects against osteoporosis and bone fractures.
In the first two weeks, go for a 20-minute walk every other day and then increase this to 40 minutes. At first try to do five 20-minute walks per week totalling 100 minutes a week. Once you get used to the regular exercise, increase this to 40 minutes for five times a week.
You can then gradually increase this as you see fit, if you want to walk every day for 40 minutes or even an hour so be it. Remember the more you walk the more fat that will be burned off. The best pace for fitness training will make you slightly breathless, but you should still be comfortable and be able to carry on a conversation.
As you get fitter, you'll want to stretch a little harder to keep your heart rate up. Try lengthening your strides, increasing your pace. Keep your shoulders back, your chest lifted and your tummy pulled in when you walk, hold your head up for open, easy breathing.
Practical Tips…
1. If your feeling stressed, try counting your steps repeatedly from one to ten as you walk, this helps some people achieve a meditative effect and can be a great tension reliever when practiced over a full 40 minutes.
2. Time yourself, measure the distance or increase the gradient to make the workout more challenging. Drink plenty of fluids during and after your walk.
3. Make safety your first consideration. Don't walk after dark except in well-lit, busy places. Start the walk slowly, and then gradually increase the pace.
So, go ahead in all other activities try to move, move, move. Try parking the car further away from your destination so you can walk the extra distance, hide all your remote controls so you have to get up and change the channels manually. These all help burn those extra calories and body fat from your frame.

For more muscle building articles please visit http://www.build-your-body.net/

Thanks and God Bless!