Thursday, December 30, 2010

Free Bodybuilding ebook

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD A FREE BODYBUILDING  GUIDE

DOWNLOAD LINK 1 



Saturday, July 3, 2010

Free Weights v/s Weightlifting Machines

Are free weights such as dumbbells and barbells are more superior to weightlifting machines for building bigger muscles? Well, both free weights and weightlifting machines have its own pros and cons.

•Advantages of weightlifting machines

a) Excellent for beginners because it is not so intimidating and the range of motion is fixed, so a bodybuilding novice need not wonder whether he is lifting correctly to target a muscle group.

b) Easy to use as machines usually have instructions on them.

c) Safer – It won’t drop on you in a middle of a lift.

d) Isolate your muscles so that you can rest your injured body part and yet able to workout other muscle part.

•Disadvantages of Weightlifting Machines

a) Increase injury risks since the range of motion is fixed and repeated workout will place tremendous stress on the same joints, tendons and muscles because you are lifting on a fixed pathway.

b) Because of its isolation of muscles, your workout hit only the targeted muscles with little involvement of supporting or synergistic thus your muscle gains will be slower and less balanced.

c) Since weight lifting machines have fixed configuration, your workout does not factor in your body frame and structure. Whether you have a big or small built, narrow or wide shoulders, you will be using the same pathway range of motion and width of grip. This will raise your chances of being injured as well as poorer muscle development.

•Advantages of free weights

a) More stabilizing muscles synergistic muscles are involved. So you are actually exercising more muscles and therefore will develop more muscle growth and strength.

b) Improve your balance and muscle coordination since you need to balance the weights during your lift and this call on many muscles to do so. So your muscle coordination and sense of balance will naturally improve.

c) Convenient and inexpensive since you need not join a gym and free weights are much less expensive than machines.

•Disadvantages of free weights

a) Increase injury risks if lifting with wrong form and technique.

b) Time consuming because you need to bring the weights from one area to another or physically taking time to adjust, add or decrease weights.

So which is better for building bigger and well balanced muscles? Yup, free weight takes the cake over weight lifting machines for building muscles faster and bigger. However, since both weightlifting machines and free weights have its own advantages and disadvantages, you can then weigh the pros and cons to use machines or free weights for your workouts or even a combination of both to suit your personal requirements.

Ideas to Mix Up Your Workout

Every now and then I catch myself stuck in the same routine and my workout starts to get a little boring.  I know this is starting to happen when it gets easy to miss my regular workout.  Recently, I noticed this had happened when I easily talked myself out of going to the gym for almost 2 weeks straight.  Obviously, something needed to change.  So here are a few ideas that I use from time to time just to spice up my workout.  Give them a try, and I’m sure you’ll find some new excitement to your workout as well.

Change your Grip!

This is a small change compared to most of the others you can do, but one way to spice up your workout from time to time is to change the way you’re gripping the bar when doing barbell or machine exercises.  One of my favorite grips is the palm grip.  In fact, I’ve read several articles from fitness trainers and other professional athletes that suggest that on exercises like the bench press, you should only be using a palm grip.

So what is a palm grip?  Let’s use the bench press as an example for the palm grip.  Many of us have been guilty of using a standard grip on this exercise, myself included.  A standard grip would be where you wrap your hand around bar as if you were holding a baseball bat.  If you want a more effective bench press, try not wrapping your thumb around the bar.  You might think that you’ll lose some stability by doing this, but I’ve never had that problem.  You might have to bend your wrist a little more to compensate, or lower the weight just a little bit.  The main benefit to using a palm grip on this type of exercise is that by putting your thumb in this position, you are reducing the amount of effort that your forearms will put into the exercise.  Therefore, you chest and tricep muscles will have to work even harder to do the lift.  Try this, and I’m sure you’ll notice a difference the next time you perform a bench press.

Try Trisets!

You’ve probably heard of super sets, where you do two exercise consecutively without resting in between.  Have you ever tried doing three different exercises?  This works extremely well with bicep exercises.  The benefit to doing a triset with a bicep workout, is it allows you to hit the bicep really hard in three different ways.  Here’s an example of a bicep triset: standing barbell curls, hammer curls, reverse barbell curls.  You’ll also notice in this sequence that you have to change your grip with each set of the triset.  This is the best way to utilize a triset.  Here’s an example of a triset with triceps: straight bar cable push downs, rope cable push downs, reverse cable pushdowns.  Again, the key here is to change the grip on each exercise.  Give these a try, and I’m sure you’ll feel a new pump in whatever body part you utilize them with!

Change you Split!

Have you been following the same split routine for two long?  Has your split routine consisted of chest and triceps, back and biceps, or something similar for several months?  Try reversing your split or doing a 5 day split instead of a 3 day split.  Do chest and biceps, back and triceps just to mix it up a little.

These are just a few basic ideas, but its always a good idea to mix up your routine on a continual basis.  That way you can keep your body guessing and growing to adapt to the changes in stress that you place on your muscles.

Gain More Muscle By Training Less

The more work you put into something, the better results you will achieve. This has always been a widely accepted truth that applies to many areas of life. The harder you study, the better grades you will achieve. The more time you spend fine-tuning your athletic skills, the better athlete you will become. The longer you spend learning to play an instrument, the better musician you will become. Therefore, it only makes sense that the more time you spend in the gym, the stronger and more muscular your physique will become, correct? Contrary to what you might think, the answer to this question is a gigantic, definite, absolute no! It is in this area of bodybuilding that conventional wisdom goes straight out the window, down the street and around the corner.

I know what you might be asking yourself…

“What? Spending less time in the gym will actually make me bigger and stronger?”

Yes! It really will, and when we examine the muscle-growth process from its most basic roots, it becomes quite clear why this is the case.

Every single process that occurs within the human body is centered around keeping you alive and healthy. Through thousands of years of evolution the human body has become quite a fine-tuned organism that can adapt well to the specific conditions that are placed upon it. We become uncomfortable when we are hungry or thirsty, we acquire a suntan when high amounts of UV rays are present, we build calluses to protect our skin, etc. So what happens when we break down muscle tissue in the gym? If you answered something to the effect of "the muscles get bigger and stronger", then congratulations! You are absolutely correct. By battling against resistance beyond the muscle's present capacity we have posed a threat to the musculature. The body recognizes this as potentially harmful and as a natural adaptive response the muscles will hypertrophy (increase in size) to protect the body against this threat. As we consistently increase the resistance from week to week the body will continue to adapt and grow.

Sound simple? Ultimately it is, but the most important thing to realize in relation to all of this is that the muscles can only grow bigger and stronger if they are provided with sufficient recovery time. Without the proper recovery time, the muscle growth process simply cannot take place.

Your goal in the gym should be to train with the minimum amount of volume needed to yield an adaptive response. Once you have pushed your muscles beyond their present capacity and have triggered your thousand-year-old evolutionary alarm system, you have done your job. Any further stress to the body will simply increase your recovery time, weaken the immune system and send your body into catabolic overdrive.

Most people train way too often and with far more sets than they really need to. High intensity weight training is much more stressful to the body than most people think. The majority of people structure their workout programs in a manner that actually hinders their gains and prevents them from making the progress that they deserve. Here are 3 basic guidelines that you should follow if you want to achieve maximum gains:

1) Train no more than 3 days per week.
2) Do not let your workouts last for longer then 1 hour.
3) Perform 5-8 sets for large muscle groups (chest, back, thighs) and 2-4 sets for smaller muscle groups (shoulders, biceps, triceps, calves, abs).

Take all sets to the point of muscular failure and focus on progressing in either weight or reps each week. If you truly train hard and are consistent, training more often or any longer than this will be counterproductive to your gains!

Building Muscles With BodyBuilding Exercise

A well-planned exercise routine will not only help you replace fat with muscle, it will help you gain strength and flexibility.

A bodybuilding exercise plan also improves bone strength, and lowers blood pressure. Whether you are a professional bodybuilder or you just enjoy hitting the weights hard at the gym, setting a goal for your bodybuilding exercise plan will help you achieve maximum results. Remember to make your goal challenging but be realistic.

Plan a routine that will help you reach the goals you have set. You may choose to plan on paper or on computer; whichever method you chose in planning your bodybuilding exercise goal, state your goal in a positive, precise way. It is best to choose performance-oriented goals instead of outcome-oriented goals. You can only control your own bodybuilding exercise goals, you have no control over other peoples routines, so don’t make you goal winning a competition. You might make your goal to gain a certain amount of muscles mass, or lose a specific amount of body fat. This type of goal works whether you compete or not.

Planning before you begin helps you get organized and stay focused. Putting it in writing makes it more formal, and more likely that you will stick to the plan. You should include short-term goals that help lead to your main long-term goal. Breaking down your main goal into smaller goals makes it easier to stay on your bodybuilding exercise routine.

Set a deadline for achieving your main goal. Without a deadline it can be easy to put off your bodybuilding exercise routine. Keep track of each workout you complete successfully. Plan on rewarding yourself once your long-term goal is met.

The most important step in planning is to include a proper warm-up period. Warming up reduces the change of injury and improves your performance. Warm up exercises of your bodybuilding exercise could include an aerobic activity such as treadmill walking, stepping, rowing or stationary cycling, or it could be arm circles, knee bends and shoulder circles. A third alternative is to lift light weights with a high number of reps.

The next step of your program will be tailored to the specific goal that you have set or area that you want to improve. If your goal involves your legs plan a bodybuilding exercise that works your legs, such as barbell squats or leg presses. Choose specific exercises that will increase your chest, like the barbell press, if that is your goal.

Perform each exercise carefully to avoid injury. To build mass, do fewer reps but include more sets and heavier weights, Rest at least 1 minute between sets. Another important part of your bodybuilding exercise plan is to eat properly and drink plenty of fluids.

Body Building Basics

There are as many varied opinions on what “plan” one should follow to build muscle, as there are people who have those opinions.   On one thing they do agree, however.  You must have a regimen.

· You can begin by defining your objective.
· Why are you interested in body building?  
· What do you hope to accomplish?
· What is your ultimate goal?

It’s all about commitment and belief. There is an abundance of information about how to begin and conduct your journey, but without a burning desire to achieve, you are doomed to inevitable failure.

The following tips are not intended to be a “one size fits all.”  Take from it what you will.  In that light, consider the following list:

1.Before beginning any serious weight lifting or body building regimen, consult your physician.

2.Set your goals.  Define what you expect to achieve with your new bodybuilding campaign within a realistic time frame.  If you create goals that are unattainable you are setting yourself up for failure.  You can become bored, disappointed and disillusioned to the point where you may give up.  This is a very sad outcome to what might have been the best decision of your life.  Don’t sell yourself short.  Set your long-term goals, of course, but also set short-term goals that are achievable.  And, don’t forget to reward yourself when you do achieve them.

3.Consider the costs.   If you don’t already have a budget, create one.  Then, determine what amount of discretionary funds you have available for your bodybuilding program.  This will determine whether you can afford to have a home gym or if your needs would better be served by joining a club.  Joining a club is still a good short-term introduction before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on equipment that might not be appropriate for your needs.

4.Don’t forget some of the low cost alternatives to purchasing your bodybuilding equipment.  If used equipment is still functional why spend the extra dollars just for a little glitz!  Good, brand name used equipment is every bit as functional as something right off a showroom floor.

5.Consider combining a home gym along with a membership in a public facility.  Purchase less expensive free weight equipment for use at home and join a gym to have access to the more expensive equipment.  You can design your entire workout routines around a combination such as this.

6.Eat healthy!  This can’t be stressed enough.  The only true bodybuilding aids are good nutrition.  Consult a licensed dietician.  Watch your local community calendar for free seminars on diet and nutrition.  Learn all you can about what nature freely provides that can help you to develop a healthy diet.

7.If you choose to use dietary supplements, make certain that you know what you are putting in your body.  Follow the packaging guidelines we outlined above.  Ask your physician for his/her recommendations based on the regimen you have selected.  No friend, coach or acquaintance can take the place of your physician.  In fact, you may even investigate finding a physician who specializes in sports wellness.

8.Be kind to yourself.  Yes, it’s important to push to achieve your goals, but it’s very easy to tip the scales in the other direction and create a nightmare for yourself.  Obsessive, compulsive behaviors are not conducive to a healthy bodybuilding lifestyle.

How To Gain Muscle

Muscle is an amazing tissue of the body. It is the very part of our body that gives us the control that we want and need in life. The mind is a useless thing often if it doesn’t have muscle to put thought into action. It is also a major part of our body’s defense mechanism. It protects things structurally (joints, bones, etc.) and metabolically, and physically whether by means of escape or defense from the dangers both human and non that we encounter. I want to talk more specifically about these things that I have mentioned in order to help you to understand that it is good to gain muscle.

Protection is the first area to mention when discussing why you should gain muscle and is true in so many different ways. Muscles are major protectors of the joints and bones in our body. Strong muscles that span joints serve as braces for the forces that would otherwise separate and render these joints useless. The same goes for muscles that support long bones. If we didn’t have muscles that were able to absorb the impact of forces that we experience every day than we would always be dealing with fractures and immobility. In fact the activities that promote muscle building are the very same activities that increase bone mineral density, which is especially important for women later in life after menopause. Muscles also help us to maintain our balance protecting us from falls. Muscle tissue is also huge regulator when it comes to blood pressure, and thus has indirect protection of many different major organs including the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.

Metabolically muscle is very important in maintaining a healthy weight and absorbing the harmful effect of the typical American diet. This is not to say that if you work out and gain muscle that you are automatically at a healthy weight and can eat whatever you want. But it does mean that those people who spend good amounts of time every week doing weight bearing exercises are less prone to things like diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart disease, and atherosclerosis—all things that come with obesity—because muscle is a very good metabolizer of the extra fuel (glucose and fat) that we have every day in the typical “unhealthy diet.”

Lastly for this article I want to talk to you about the importance of doing things that only having strong muscle will allow you to do. I am talking especially about your mental health here. Basically if you aren’t strong than you likely aren’t active (they go hand in hand) and if you aren’t active than you are so much more prone to things like inactivity and depression its not funny. So take my advice and start lifting weights to gain muscle which is one of the most precious commodities that you have on your body.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Free Bodybuilding ebook

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD A FREE BODYBUILDING  GUIDE

DOWNLOAD LINK 1 



Saturday, July 3, 2010

Free Weights v/s Weightlifting Machines

Are free weights such as dumbbells and barbells are more superior to weightlifting machines for building bigger muscles? Well, both free weights and weightlifting machines have its own pros and cons.

•Advantages of weightlifting machines

a) Excellent for beginners because it is not so intimidating and the range of motion is fixed, so a bodybuilding novice need not wonder whether he is lifting correctly to target a muscle group.

b) Easy to use as machines usually have instructions on them.

c) Safer – It won’t drop on you in a middle of a lift.

d) Isolate your muscles so that you can rest your injured body part and yet able to workout other muscle part.

•Disadvantages of Weightlifting Machines

a) Increase injury risks since the range of motion is fixed and repeated workout will place tremendous stress on the same joints, tendons and muscles because you are lifting on a fixed pathway.

b) Because of its isolation of muscles, your workout hit only the targeted muscles with little involvement of supporting or synergistic thus your muscle gains will be slower and less balanced.

c) Since weight lifting machines have fixed configuration, your workout does not factor in your body frame and structure. Whether you have a big or small built, narrow or wide shoulders, you will be using the same pathway range of motion and width of grip. This will raise your chances of being injured as well as poorer muscle development.

•Advantages of free weights

a) More stabilizing muscles synergistic muscles are involved. So you are actually exercising more muscles and therefore will develop more muscle growth and strength.

b) Improve your balance and muscle coordination since you need to balance the weights during your lift and this call on many muscles to do so. So your muscle coordination and sense of balance will naturally improve.

c) Convenient and inexpensive since you need not join a gym and free weights are much less expensive than machines.

•Disadvantages of free weights

a) Increase injury risks if lifting with wrong form and technique.

b) Time consuming because you need to bring the weights from one area to another or physically taking time to adjust, add or decrease weights.

So which is better for building bigger and well balanced muscles? Yup, free weight takes the cake over weight lifting machines for building muscles faster and bigger. However, since both weightlifting machines and free weights have its own advantages and disadvantages, you can then weigh the pros and cons to use machines or free weights for your workouts or even a combination of both to suit your personal requirements.

Ideas to Mix Up Your Workout

Every now and then I catch myself stuck in the same routine and my workout starts to get a little boring.  I know this is starting to happen when it gets easy to miss my regular workout.  Recently, I noticed this had happened when I easily talked myself out of going to the gym for almost 2 weeks straight.  Obviously, something needed to change.  So here are a few ideas that I use from time to time just to spice up my workout.  Give them a try, and I’m sure you’ll find some new excitement to your workout as well.

Change your Grip!

This is a small change compared to most of the others you can do, but one way to spice up your workout from time to time is to change the way you’re gripping the bar when doing barbell or machine exercises.  One of my favorite grips is the palm grip.  In fact, I’ve read several articles from fitness trainers and other professional athletes that suggest that on exercises like the bench press, you should only be using a palm grip.

So what is a palm grip?  Let’s use the bench press as an example for the palm grip.  Many of us have been guilty of using a standard grip on this exercise, myself included.  A standard grip would be where you wrap your hand around bar as if you were holding a baseball bat.  If you want a more effective bench press, try not wrapping your thumb around the bar.  You might think that you’ll lose some stability by doing this, but I’ve never had that problem.  You might have to bend your wrist a little more to compensate, or lower the weight just a little bit.  The main benefit to using a palm grip on this type of exercise is that by putting your thumb in this position, you are reducing the amount of effort that your forearms will put into the exercise.  Therefore, you chest and tricep muscles will have to work even harder to do the lift.  Try this, and I’m sure you’ll notice a difference the next time you perform a bench press.

Try Trisets!

You’ve probably heard of super sets, where you do two exercise consecutively without resting in between.  Have you ever tried doing three different exercises?  This works extremely well with bicep exercises.  The benefit to doing a triset with a bicep workout, is it allows you to hit the bicep really hard in three different ways.  Here’s an example of a bicep triset: standing barbell curls, hammer curls, reverse barbell curls.  You’ll also notice in this sequence that you have to change your grip with each set of the triset.  This is the best way to utilize a triset.  Here’s an example of a triset with triceps: straight bar cable push downs, rope cable push downs, reverse cable pushdowns.  Again, the key here is to change the grip on each exercise.  Give these a try, and I’m sure you’ll feel a new pump in whatever body part you utilize them with!

Change you Split!

Have you been following the same split routine for two long?  Has your split routine consisted of chest and triceps, back and biceps, or something similar for several months?  Try reversing your split or doing a 5 day split instead of a 3 day split.  Do chest and biceps, back and triceps just to mix it up a little.

These are just a few basic ideas, but its always a good idea to mix up your routine on a continual basis.  That way you can keep your body guessing and growing to adapt to the changes in stress that you place on your muscles.

Gain More Muscle By Training Less

The more work you put into something, the better results you will achieve. This has always been a widely accepted truth that applies to many areas of life. The harder you study, the better grades you will achieve. The more time you spend fine-tuning your athletic skills, the better athlete you will become. The longer you spend learning to play an instrument, the better musician you will become. Therefore, it only makes sense that the more time you spend in the gym, the stronger and more muscular your physique will become, correct? Contrary to what you might think, the answer to this question is a gigantic, definite, absolute no! It is in this area of bodybuilding that conventional wisdom goes straight out the window, down the street and around the corner.

I know what you might be asking yourself…

“What? Spending less time in the gym will actually make me bigger and stronger?”

Yes! It really will, and when we examine the muscle-growth process from its most basic roots, it becomes quite clear why this is the case.

Every single process that occurs within the human body is centered around keeping you alive and healthy. Through thousands of years of evolution the human body has become quite a fine-tuned organism that can adapt well to the specific conditions that are placed upon it. We become uncomfortable when we are hungry or thirsty, we acquire a suntan when high amounts of UV rays are present, we build calluses to protect our skin, etc. So what happens when we break down muscle tissue in the gym? If you answered something to the effect of "the muscles get bigger and stronger", then congratulations! You are absolutely correct. By battling against resistance beyond the muscle's present capacity we have posed a threat to the musculature. The body recognizes this as potentially harmful and as a natural adaptive response the muscles will hypertrophy (increase in size) to protect the body against this threat. As we consistently increase the resistance from week to week the body will continue to adapt and grow.

Sound simple? Ultimately it is, but the most important thing to realize in relation to all of this is that the muscles can only grow bigger and stronger if they are provided with sufficient recovery time. Without the proper recovery time, the muscle growth process simply cannot take place.

Your goal in the gym should be to train with the minimum amount of volume needed to yield an adaptive response. Once you have pushed your muscles beyond their present capacity and have triggered your thousand-year-old evolutionary alarm system, you have done your job. Any further stress to the body will simply increase your recovery time, weaken the immune system and send your body into catabolic overdrive.

Most people train way too often and with far more sets than they really need to. High intensity weight training is much more stressful to the body than most people think. The majority of people structure their workout programs in a manner that actually hinders their gains and prevents them from making the progress that they deserve. Here are 3 basic guidelines that you should follow if you want to achieve maximum gains:

1) Train no more than 3 days per week.
2) Do not let your workouts last for longer then 1 hour.
3) Perform 5-8 sets for large muscle groups (chest, back, thighs) and 2-4 sets for smaller muscle groups (shoulders, biceps, triceps, calves, abs).

Take all sets to the point of muscular failure and focus on progressing in either weight or reps each week. If you truly train hard and are consistent, training more often or any longer than this will be counterproductive to your gains!

Building Muscles With BodyBuilding Exercise

A well-planned exercise routine will not only help you replace fat with muscle, it will help you gain strength and flexibility.

A bodybuilding exercise plan also improves bone strength, and lowers blood pressure. Whether you are a professional bodybuilder or you just enjoy hitting the weights hard at the gym, setting a goal for your bodybuilding exercise plan will help you achieve maximum results. Remember to make your goal challenging but be realistic.

Plan a routine that will help you reach the goals you have set. You may choose to plan on paper or on computer; whichever method you chose in planning your bodybuilding exercise goal, state your goal in a positive, precise way. It is best to choose performance-oriented goals instead of outcome-oriented goals. You can only control your own bodybuilding exercise goals, you have no control over other peoples routines, so don’t make you goal winning a competition. You might make your goal to gain a certain amount of muscles mass, or lose a specific amount of body fat. This type of goal works whether you compete or not.

Planning before you begin helps you get organized and stay focused. Putting it in writing makes it more formal, and more likely that you will stick to the plan. You should include short-term goals that help lead to your main long-term goal. Breaking down your main goal into smaller goals makes it easier to stay on your bodybuilding exercise routine.

Set a deadline for achieving your main goal. Without a deadline it can be easy to put off your bodybuilding exercise routine. Keep track of each workout you complete successfully. Plan on rewarding yourself once your long-term goal is met.

The most important step in planning is to include a proper warm-up period. Warming up reduces the change of injury and improves your performance. Warm up exercises of your bodybuilding exercise could include an aerobic activity such as treadmill walking, stepping, rowing or stationary cycling, or it could be arm circles, knee bends and shoulder circles. A third alternative is to lift light weights with a high number of reps.

The next step of your program will be tailored to the specific goal that you have set or area that you want to improve. If your goal involves your legs plan a bodybuilding exercise that works your legs, such as barbell squats or leg presses. Choose specific exercises that will increase your chest, like the barbell press, if that is your goal.

Perform each exercise carefully to avoid injury. To build mass, do fewer reps but include more sets and heavier weights, Rest at least 1 minute between sets. Another important part of your bodybuilding exercise plan is to eat properly and drink plenty of fluids.

Body Building Basics

There are as many varied opinions on what “plan” one should follow to build muscle, as there are people who have those opinions.   On one thing they do agree, however.  You must have a regimen.

· You can begin by defining your objective.
· Why are you interested in body building?  
· What do you hope to accomplish?
· What is your ultimate goal?

It’s all about commitment and belief. There is an abundance of information about how to begin and conduct your journey, but without a burning desire to achieve, you are doomed to inevitable failure.

The following tips are not intended to be a “one size fits all.”  Take from it what you will.  In that light, consider the following list:

1.Before beginning any serious weight lifting or body building regimen, consult your physician.

2.Set your goals.  Define what you expect to achieve with your new bodybuilding campaign within a realistic time frame.  If you create goals that are unattainable you are setting yourself up for failure.  You can become bored, disappointed and disillusioned to the point where you may give up.  This is a very sad outcome to what might have been the best decision of your life.  Don’t sell yourself short.  Set your long-term goals, of course, but also set short-term goals that are achievable.  And, don’t forget to reward yourself when you do achieve them.

3.Consider the costs.   If you don’t already have a budget, create one.  Then, determine what amount of discretionary funds you have available for your bodybuilding program.  This will determine whether you can afford to have a home gym or if your needs would better be served by joining a club.  Joining a club is still a good short-term introduction before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on equipment that might not be appropriate for your needs.

4.Don’t forget some of the low cost alternatives to purchasing your bodybuilding equipment.  If used equipment is still functional why spend the extra dollars just for a little glitz!  Good, brand name used equipment is every bit as functional as something right off a showroom floor.

5.Consider combining a home gym along with a membership in a public facility.  Purchase less expensive free weight equipment for use at home and join a gym to have access to the more expensive equipment.  You can design your entire workout routines around a combination such as this.

6.Eat healthy!  This can’t be stressed enough.  The only true bodybuilding aids are good nutrition.  Consult a licensed dietician.  Watch your local community calendar for free seminars on diet and nutrition.  Learn all you can about what nature freely provides that can help you to develop a healthy diet.

7.If you choose to use dietary supplements, make certain that you know what you are putting in your body.  Follow the packaging guidelines we outlined above.  Ask your physician for his/her recommendations based on the regimen you have selected.  No friend, coach or acquaintance can take the place of your physician.  In fact, you may even investigate finding a physician who specializes in sports wellness.

8.Be kind to yourself.  Yes, it’s important to push to achieve your goals, but it’s very easy to tip the scales in the other direction and create a nightmare for yourself.  Obsessive, compulsive behaviors are not conducive to a healthy bodybuilding lifestyle.

How To Gain Muscle

Muscle is an amazing tissue of the body. It is the very part of our body that gives us the control that we want and need in life. The mind is a useless thing often if it doesn’t have muscle to put thought into action. It is also a major part of our body’s defense mechanism. It protects things structurally (joints, bones, etc.) and metabolically, and physically whether by means of escape or defense from the dangers both human and non that we encounter. I want to talk more specifically about these things that I have mentioned in order to help you to understand that it is good to gain muscle.

Protection is the first area to mention when discussing why you should gain muscle and is true in so many different ways. Muscles are major protectors of the joints and bones in our body. Strong muscles that span joints serve as braces for the forces that would otherwise separate and render these joints useless. The same goes for muscles that support long bones. If we didn’t have muscles that were able to absorb the impact of forces that we experience every day than we would always be dealing with fractures and immobility. In fact the activities that promote muscle building are the very same activities that increase bone mineral density, which is especially important for women later in life after menopause. Muscles also help us to maintain our balance protecting us from falls. Muscle tissue is also huge regulator when it comes to blood pressure, and thus has indirect protection of many different major organs including the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.

Metabolically muscle is very important in maintaining a healthy weight and absorbing the harmful effect of the typical American diet. This is not to say that if you work out and gain muscle that you are automatically at a healthy weight and can eat whatever you want. But it does mean that those people who spend good amounts of time every week doing weight bearing exercises are less prone to things like diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart disease, and atherosclerosis—all things that come with obesity—because muscle is a very good metabolizer of the extra fuel (glucose and fat) that we have every day in the typical “unhealthy diet.”

Lastly for this article I want to talk to you about the importance of doing things that only having strong muscle will allow you to do. I am talking especially about your mental health here. Basically if you aren’t strong than you likely aren’t active (they go hand in hand) and if you aren’t active than you are so much more prone to things like inactivity and depression its not funny. So take my advice and start lifting weights to gain muscle which is one of the most precious commodities that you have on your body.