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Muscle Building Techniques

Bodybuilding and muscle building techniques. Right to the meat!

7 Methods To Get Massive Arms

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Q. I'm doing the standing barbell curl, the seated dumbbell curl and the standing dumbbell curl, three sets of each, but my arms aren't growing. What am I doing wrong?

A. There are at least seven reasons why your arms aren't growing:

l. The three exercises you're using are similar. More varied exercises may be more effective - for example; standing barbell curl, incline supinating dumbbell curl and hammer curl. The two biggest contributors to your front arm mass are your biceps and your brachialis. The brachialis is beneath the biceps.

Brachialis Inside Diagram



Both muscles are called arm flexors. The biceps also supinates the forearm. To supinate your forearm, turn your hand so that your thumb rotates outwardly. You can't do this with a barbell. With dumbbells, start with your elbows straight and hands parallel to each other, or palms down. As you curl, rotate your hands (and thus your wrists and forearms) outwardly as much as possible. On the descent, reverse the movement and pronate your forearms.

2. Your exercise technique isn't correct. Lift the weight, no faster than two seconds up and another two seconds down; and don't cheat. Lift the resistance and lower it. Don't heave it up and drop it. Reduce your weights, if necessary, and use correct technique.

3. You're doing too much arm work. Cut back to a warm-up set and a single work set for the first arm exercise, and then a single work set for each of the other two exercises. Do this no more than two times a week, but make your sets INTENSE, and add a LITTLE weight to each exercise when possible, but without compromising on exercise technique. Three hard sets for your arms is sufficient. Your arms are given additional work in rows, pulldowns, and chin-ups, so it’s easy to overwork them.

4. There's more to arm work than just working your arm flexors. There's the triceps (back of the arm) which provides a greater proportion of arm size than the arm flexors. So be sure that you're not neglecting your triceps, otherwise you’ll never end up with big thick powerful arms.


Triceps Outside Diagram



5. You're not letting your arms recover enough. If you cut corners on your nutrition and have to be woken by an alarm clock on a regular basis (ie: less than 7-8 hours sleep), you are cutting corners on your recuperation, which will harm your bodybuilding progress. Don't forget that if you're looking to pack on extra muscle and that means bigger arms also, you have to increase your protein intake, if you can't eat enough food, you'll need a good whey protein, such as CytoSport Cyto Gainer and nothing beats Creatine for increasing strength and size also.

6. I don't know how long you've trained, or how big your arms are. If they are 17 inches or larger (and you can see your abs), you're likely to have achieved a superb level of arm development. Obviously if you are holding a lot of fat, your arms could be much bigger. Muscles don't grow indefinitely, and very few men have the genetics for a lean body with muscular arms bigger than 17 inches.

7. My best trick however to make your arms look massive is to train forearms. Years ago I saw a guy in the gym that had the most fantastic foreams, he was training them every time he did arms and the top of his forearms were the same size as his biceps, with veins running all over them. It just looked freaky. It is a very neglected bodypart, but one that can dramatically improve the size of your arms. I recommend doing forearms wrist curls and reverse curls when you train arms and then playing with a power ball every other day,

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posted by Frank Mori, 27.2.07 | link

Squats | The King Of Exercises For Muscle Mass

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Going back a generation famous bodybuilding guys like Reg Park, Bill Pearl, Arnold and Franco all built their huge physiques with hard work on basic compound movements. Of those compound movements the squat (click for video) was considered the keystone, the focal point of the routine. Powerlifters too recognised that the squat was the barometer of their power, a gauge by which they could accurately calculate their peaking cycle. Yes, it was no secret that the squat, when worked sensibly but hard, produced phenomenal gains - it was considered the King of Lifts

A generation later and in many gyms, not all, but in many, the full squat is a forgotten movement. Many who do squat do not squat at all, they curtsy with the weight doing quarter squats for the pose. The squat rack is shunned in favour of the 45 degree angle leg press - why - because it's easier to look good with all those 45 pound plates on each side.

Is the King of Lifts - the Squat - losing it's crown?
To answer that for oneself, simply look at the top bodybuilders and powerlifters. One will note that the top men in either drug-free associations or others exhibit a thickness that can only be achieved from years of work on the heavy compound movements, the key of those movements being the squat. Yes, the top men in either bodybuilding or powerlifting recognised the squat for the truly great growth builder it is. Why, then, is the squat not a popular movement in many gyms?

Two main reasons are the answers:
  1. Laziness.
  2. Incorrect technique.
Let's address the first reason - laziness. Squatting is hard work - it can be uncomfortable, it requires full concentration on the job in hand. Squatting works nearly the whole body - calves, quads, hamstrings, lower back, glutes, abdominals, heart and lungs etc. Because you, the lifter have to balance the weight, the body's stabilising muscles are also brought into play

Compare that with the leg press machine. No stabilising muscles are brought into play because the lifter is pushing the weight stack in a groove dictated by the machine. The lower bark muscles are not worked as the back is fully braced by the leg press seat. A lifter/bodybuilder who exclusively works the leg press and shuns the squat will not have built the power to squat with serious weight. Conversely, the lifter who squats regularly can cross over to the leg press effectively and use plenty of weight.

Judge yourself by the weight you are shifting in the compound movements. It is true that the top bodybuilders use exercises such as the leg press, leg extensions, lunges, etc but they have built their size and these exercises are movements for finishing and striating. A beginner or intermediate would do far better to shun these finishing exercises in favour of the squat. By the way, don't judge yourself as an advanced bodybuilder/powerlifter by the number of years you've been in the game, judge yourself honestly by the weight you are shifting in the compound movements.

Regardless of how many years you have been in the game if you have never squatted 500lbs you are still an intermediate. Yes that statement will anger some and hurt their pride but if it gets them in the squat rack it's worth it.

Lets move on to the 2nd point; Incorrect technique. If you've been in the game a while I'm sure you will have seen the lifter I am now going to describe. He will pack 45 pound plates on the squat rack, make lots of noise so that he has everyone's attention and then proceed to do quarter squats and thinks he's doing well.

Funny though, because he'll keep his legs covered up all the time with tracksuit bottoms. Why? because from his quarter squats, he still has little or no development of the legs. Get the picture? When you squat, squat at least to parallel. Full range movements are the movements that will give you the best results. Remember though, that when you do squat, concentrate fully on the DESCENT. In-depth research has proved that the beginner / intermediate often has a descent speed 3 times that of a world class lifter. In short, the world class lifter has learned to control the descent speed and thus can lift more. When you squat, focus fully on the descent and the ascent will be a lot easier.

There is so much that can be said about this great movement, but, in summary if you don't squat then make a decision to incorporate this exercise into your daily routine. Train the squat sensibly and supplement your diet wisely. Plan your squat routine over a 4 to 6 month period setting achievable short term goals along the way. After working hard for 4 to 6 months, assess your gains and then you will agree, that yes, the squat, is still the King of the Lifts.

When you've got the squat mastered, the next best thing is to add in a powerfull high calorie weight gainer, like CytoSport Cyto Gainer. This contains high quality whey protein, complex carbs and special fats such as MCT's and EFA's, that promote health and provide calorie dense energy. With the added calories or extra protein you'll find your legs grow like never before and your body takes on a thicker more mature kind of muscle. For some extra edge I recommend Novex Biotech Endothil-CR. During a double-blind, six-week body-building study, the active compound in Endothil-CR increased upper body strength by 100% and lower body strength by 249% after concentrated exercise (as measured by the amount of weight participants could bench press and leg press). And biceps circumference increased dramatically over placebo... more than a four-fold increase in circumference versus almost no increase with the placebo group (who were on the same body-building program).

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posted by Frank Mori, 20.2.07 | link

The Creatine Report

Sunday, February 18, 2007

A Free and Indepth Report On Creatine's Usage in Sports , Health and Anti Aging.





In this report you will learn: what creatine is and how it works, and what it may do for you. This excellent free report exposes the facts and fiction of creatine, and details it's effects on the brain, heart, the body's production of growth hormone, anti-aging effects, fatigue, muscle atrophy, Parkinson's disease, and much more!

You'll also learn how to use creatine properly, as well as topics such as purity, safety, and loading are fully explained... And of course, as with all Will Brink's writing, it's based on the actual studies with creatine and backed up with scientific references, not conjecture and pseudo science many self proclaimed "experts" rely on.

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posted by Frank Mori, 18.2.07 | link

Will Brink's Bodybuilding Revealed Review

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Brink's Bodybuilding Revealed [BBR], consists of the BBR 630 page e-book, a number of high quality bonuses and 12 months access to the private members area that accompanies the e-book.


The BRR E-book.

At the heart of the BBR system is the BBR e-book. Some 630 pages of quality information that forms a unique and powerful bodybuilding system. The e-book is split up into 5 components which are each covered in depth and allow the user to follow a clear blue print to achieve the lean mass results they are looking for.

The 5 components of the e-book are:
  • Nutrition and Muscle Building Diet.

  • Supplement Reviews & Advice (Over 50 reviews are included).

  • Training - From beginner to Advanced.

  • Cardio / HIIT

  • Motivation and the Mental Edge.



The BBR Bonus Material

With the BBR system customers receive 5 additional reports.

The 5 Reports are:

  • Individualization Of Mass Gaining Principles by Charles Poliquin B.Sc M. Sc.

  • DOMS : Misconceptions of Muscle Soreness by Evan Peck MD

  • Periodization: Overcoming Training Plateaus by Evan Peck MD

  • Weight Training Injuries : How to Avoid & Treat Them by Evan Peck MD

  • Hybrid Training Solutions by Will Brink.

Click Here For Further Information


The BRR Private Members Area

In addition to the quality bonus material BBR customers receive, a large part of the value a customer receives when purchasing BBR is the 12 months access to the BBR private members area.

In the BBR members area, customers have access to a vast number of high quality tools:

Some of these tools include:

  • 1 on 1 on access to Will Brink and paid, trained coaches.
  • A highly organized and moderated private forum.
  • An online Diet Planner which amongst other functionality, allows users to store their diets, create recipes, view their progress, tally macro nutrients, create meals, provide a visual graph of LBM gained and fat lost, and log every single piece of food the eat with real time analysis. In general keep a tight grip on their muscle building diet.
  • Exercise Videos: Customers can watch all the exercises from the training section with online videos.
  • Nutrition Database, allows customers to find out the protein, fat, carb and other values of over 20,000 foods, these can then be implemented as custom foods into the Diet Planner.
  • Gallery, users can upload photos and get feedback from others.
  • Pre Made Diets and Workout Charts, customers can download dozens of pre made diets in Excel/PDF format, as well as printable workout charts for all the workouts in the e-book (including charts for Charles Poliquin's section)
  • Daily motivation quotes and a weekly bodybuilding video are shown.
  • Users can chat in real time with the popular chat box.
  • Resources, such as body fat % calculators, 1 rep max calculator are all included.
  • Guru Articles, a section with exclusive content from authors such as Will Brink, Tom Venuto, Charles Staley, Milos, John Berardi and others.

"Bodybuilding Revealed" Rating

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posted by Frank Mori, 14.2.07 | link

2 Crucial Components To Build Muscle Faster

Sunday, February 04, 2007

"I want to build muscle faster"

This is the main goal of my readers for sure. Probably your training experience is bigger than the usual 2-3 months (My intention is adding an online poll to take a clear picture about my readers profile) Anyway, you already know that muscle growth can be a painfully slow process. High intensity weight training 3-4 times per week, properly eat high quality foods and rest adequately, and still you look the same in the mirror. 99% of my readers are in the same situation.

If your goal is stepping on the scales a few short weeks from now with a lot more muscle than you have today, there are two powerful nutrients proven to deliver the results you're looking for. Their properties to build muscle have been revealed in an exciting study published in the scientific journal Nutrition (volume 17, pages 558-566). Before I show you the results, here's some vital background info you should know...

Creatine has been a great hit in the gyms. It is probably one of the most effective and most used nutrients available, there are literally hundreds of studies to show that creatine will help you build muscle quicker; get stronger and give your muscles a fuller, more "pumped" look. When you combine it with HMB, a compound found naturally in meat (though you'll need to eat around six pounds of meat every day to get enough) the results are really more impressive.

HMB is a very powerful anti-catabolic ingredient. What does this mean? Your muscles grow by a circular process of synthesising and breaking down proteins. If you want bigger, stronger muscles, you need to alter this cycle. That means either speeding up synthesis (anabolism) and/or slowing the rate of breakdown (catabolism). Muscle growth is the balance between the amount of protein your body makes and the amount it breaks down. Creatine is highly anabolic, while HMB is a powerful anti-catabolic. That's why HMB and creatine are the perfect combination for anyone who wants to pack on muscle without gaining fat.

The theory sounds great, doesn't it? But does it work in practice? The answer is a resounding "yes!" Researchers from Poland's Institute of Sport and Physical Education have put the creatine/HMB combo to the test. Their exciting results show that creatine and HMB work better together than either nutrient taken alone.

Subjects using HMB, for example, were able to lift a total of 86 pounds more weight (above the placebo group) at the end of the three-week study than they could at the start. Gains were similar (83 pounds) in the group using creatine. However, participants using both creatine and HMB were able to lift a whopping 114 pounds more (above the placebo group) than they could at the start of the study. In other words, the combination of creatine and HMB is over 30% more powerful than HMB alone at increasing strength.

What's more, not only did test subjects using HMB and creatine get stronger faster, they also found it easier to gain muscle. Participants in the creatine group, for example, gained 2 pounds of lean muscle. However, those using creatine and HMB gained an impressive 3.4 pounds of lean muscle. In fact, the group using creatine and HMB gained three times more muscle than those using HMB alone.

If you want to expand your knowledge about these 2 amazing compounds just lead you to the journal Nutrition (volume 17, pages 558-566 – available from the British Library). But, if you want start right now to immediately pack on muscle, and you want to try the combination of creatine and HMB for yourself, one of the best ways is Nutrabolics Gach with an all-in-one formula, such as, in the precise amounts needed for rapid results.

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posted by Frank Mori, 4.2.07 | link

How To Avoid Post Workout Muscle Pain & Soreness

Friday, February 02, 2007

Back when I was in college, caffeine was by far the most-used performance-enhancing drug. The locker room buzz claimed that it not only made exertion feel easier but also helped ease the aches and pains athletes get after competition. All these years later, a new study indicates that the guys were on to something not yet known by doctors.

Researchers from the University of Georgia recently discovered that caffeine in a dose equivalent to two cups of coffee can cut post-gym muscle pain. Their findings - published in The Journal of Pain - showed that caffeine lowered pain by as much as 48 percent. Caffeine actually proved more effective than the common pain relievers naproxen (Aleve), aspirin, and ibuprofen (Advil).

I'm not telling you to down cup after cup of coffee after a workout. Always use caffeine in moderation. Too much can produce side effects like jitteriness or even heart palpitations. And keep in mind that the University of Georgia study also found that those who drank coffee regularly didn't get as much pain relief as those who rarely had caffeinated drinks.

If you don't tolerate caffeine well, here's an alternative for you - without side effects or the risk of addiction: ribose. Taken before working out, this simple sugar reduces or prevents exercise-induced muscle cramping and soreness.

I recommend a dose of two to five grams of Ribose Powder. Just dissolve the pleasant-tasting powder in water. It has worked wonders for both my training partners and me. You can find it at your local nutrition store.

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posted by Frank Mori, 2.2.07 | link