Archive for the ‘Bodybuilding’ Category
Monday, August 12th, 2013
Here is the long awaited follow up to the Top 10 Best Ab Exercises Part 1 and the precursor to the Top 10 Best Abs Exercises Part 3.
I would like to introduce 5 of my favorite 10 ab exercises, that you can use to get a 6-pack abs look. Do these exercises regularly, mix it up, use different speeds, tempos, angles, and positions to get a full workout. Always try to progress from workout to workout.
Here are 3 ways you can gauge progress with abdominal exercises:
- Try to complete more reps in a given time period. For example, do as many fold ups as possible in 60 seconds. Try to break your personal record (PR) each workout.
- Try to complete more total reps each time you perform the exercise. For example, week one do 3 sets of 10, week 2 do 3 sets of 12, week 3 do 4 sets of 10, week 4 do 3 sets of 15, etc…
- If it applies, try to add weight to the exercise by holding a plate or dumbbell on your chest or behind your head, or use a weighted vest. You can also add weight to your legs with ankle weights. Try to use more weight, or complete more reps with the same weight, each time.
Part 1 of this series was long and tedious, so I won’t put you through any babble-writing. On to the exercises…
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Tags: abdominals, abs, core, top 10
Posted in Best Exercises, Bodybuilding, Conditioning, Weight Training | 40 Comments »
Wednesday, July 24th, 2013
Every serious lifter would love to have massive forearms. It just adds to an already good physique, and would seemingly increase all of your other pressing lifts as well. The problem that most people have is that they aren’t sure how to attack their forearms. Either that, or they are not as consistent with their forearm training.
Forearms should be trained just as often as any other muscle. It shouldn’t just be something you work every couple of months whenever you are bored. Take your forearm training seriously, and you will be on the right path to adding some size on them.
How to Get Big Forearms
Many people think they have to do only direct forearm exercises such as wrist curls, and those will work to an extent, but with forearm training, you have to think outside the box and dumb things down. What is the one major exercise that requires you to have some strong ass forearms? Did I hear someone say deadlifts? That is correct.
Deadlifts, just like they work every other muscle in your body, they also work your forearms. Many people don’t get this much work because they decide to use straps whenever they go heavy. If you can deadlift a ton of weight without straps, then you are sure to have a great grip and huge forearms.
Aside from deadlifts, which you will read about more in a minute, I want to introduce you to 5 other exercises and a variety of techniques that you can use to build great size and strength in your forearms.
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Tags: bicep training, biceps, exercise technique, forearm training, forearms, Weight Training, weightlifting
Posted in Best Exercises, Bodybuilding, Weight Training | 16 Comments »
Monday, July 15th, 2013
How to Construct a Muscle Building Diet
Aside from opting for the right weight lifting strategies, what you consume before and after a workout is the most important piece of the muscle growth puzzle.
Get this: you can lift as hard you can, sweat as much as you can and spending endless hours in the gym, but as long as you don’t provide your body with the right stuff—diet-wise—your hard work will be futile.
Therefore, if you don’t want to compromise your hard effort and really seek to pile on the muscles faster and more efficiently, here are the diet guidelines you need to live by.
It starts with protein
Yes you know it. Every gym-rat out there is well aware of the importance of protein in muscle growth and proper recovery. If you’re protein-deficient, you won’t achieve any muscle growth no matter how committed you’re or how hard you push yourself in the gym.
Most studies and experts recommend shooting for at least 2g per kilo of bodyweight of protein. This amount may vary from one gym-rat to the next. But the harder you lift and push yourself in the gym, the more protein you’re going to need.
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Tags: build muscle, Diet, eating, food, muscle, muscle building, nutrition
Posted in Bodybuilding, Diet, Nutrition Tip | 1 Comment »
Sunday, July 14th, 2013
Nothing is more impressive than being able to bang out 30 pull ups in a row or finishing a set of 10 with 90 lbs hanging from a belt. Nothing LOOKS more impressive than being able to hit an impressive front or rear lat spread with confidence. Furthermore, how many women do you know who can finish a set of 10 pull ups? Trust me, there aren’t many.
The reality is that we can accomplish all of these things with intense free weight back training.
Your back muscles comprise the second largest set of muscles, after the legs. Therefore, putting some serious effort into training your back will pay off huge dividends whether you are looking to burn a large number of calories, better fill out your shirts, condition your body for functional strength, or even to fix your posture from focusing too long on chest training.
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Tags: back, back training, lats, traps, weight lifting, Weight Training, weightlifting
Posted in Best Exercises, Bodybuilding, Weight Training | 160 Comments »
Thursday, June 27th, 2013
Bodybuilders have some really inspirational and also some really funny quotes. Here are 3 of my favorites from Jacked Pack’s recent list of 25.
“Friends come and go, but 200 lbs is always 200lbs”
– Henry Rollins
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Tags: body builder, bodybuilder, bodybuilding, funny, humor, inspiration, powerlifter, powerlifting, quotes
Posted in Bodybuilding | No Comments »
Monday, June 17th, 2013
Here’s a pretty cool infographic about building a bigger chest. I really enjoy infographics and I’m hoping you do too.
How to Get a Bigger Chest
It’s a dream for every men to have a good looking chest and there are wide range of exercises that can performed in order to grow your chest. The infographic shares data about different exercises for bigger chest along with few workout tips.
For an additional list of best chest exercises, also check out my post about the top 5 best chest exercises.
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Tags: chest, exericse, fitness, muscles, pecs, pectorals, Weight Training, weightlifting
Posted in Bodybuilding, Fitness Tips, Weight Training | No Comments »
Thursday, April 11th, 2013
We all have someone that we envy. You know what I mean — the lifter with the toned abs and softball-sized biceps you can’t help but covet.
If you’re a beginner, getting from point A to point Bodybuilding Pro is just as hard as learning to ride a bike blindfolded. Fortunately, there are many successful weightlifters willing to share the tricks of the trade.
Here are a few tips from the pros to get you started on creating your own envy-worthy body.
If You Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail
“Lack of planning” is among the top 10 reasons beginner bodybuilders fail to achieve their goals. Planning daily workouts takes time, dedication, and some exercise research. It’s definitely not the most exciting part of training. But you won’t build bulging biceps and washboard abs by sporadically visiting the gym and dinking around on random equipment.
A good plan — like those experienced builders follow — doesn’t have to be elaborate.
Here are 4 basic elements to get you started:
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Tags: balance, beginner, Conditioning, exercise, experience, fitness, Fitness Tips, strength, tips, workout
Posted in Bodybuilding, Diet, Fitness Tips, Weight Training | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 12th, 2013
When most women picture their ideal physique, there are a few body parts that are always the main focus in many ladies mind. A tight and toned mid-section, arms, legs and last but not least; their derriere. Female Fitness competitors such as Larissa Reis and pop stars such as Shakira have a back side that is desired by many women. Many a women also have the desire to have beautiful built glutes to show off in their bikinis, dresses, underwear or just about anything to show off their physique.
If you have a million and one questions and just simply feel lost amongst all the information or simply don’t know where to start, then hopefully this article will be perfect for you. With good research combined with personal experience this article shall be the saving grace you have needed.
Anatomy of The Glues:
To achieve a well-shaped and curved butt it is important to know basic information on the anatomy of the glutes. The glutes are made up of three muscles, which all need to be targeted.
- Gluteus Minimum: The gluteus minimus is the smallest and deeper of all the muscles.
- Glueteus Medius: This covers the outer surface of the pelvis.
- Gluteus Maximus: The biggest muscle of the gluteus muscle group, which contributes to the main muscle mass of the glutes.
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Tags: bum, buns, butt, exericse, female, fitness, glutes, women, workout
Posted in Best Exercises, Bodybuilding, Fitness Tips | No Comments »
Friday, February 8th, 2013
The Fall of a Legend
It was a witch hunt with no perceived end in sight. Late last year, exhausted from the protracted fight, Lance Armstrong declared he would no longer fight doping allegations. He was promptly stripped of his Tour de France titles and banned from cycling.
That was the end of that right? All that remained was speculation and conjecture. Then the Oprah interview happened. Not only did Armstrong confess to doping, his PED cocktails contained two of the most abused substances in sports.
Steroids and HGH are the best known and least understood performance enhancers in popular culture. Are the rewards so great they outweigh potential side effects and consequences?
Often used interchangeably, steroids and HGH are completely different compounds that have distinct effects on the body, each one carrying an array of advantages and disadvantages.
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Tags: build muscle, drugs, gain muscle, health, hgh, muscle gain, PED, steroids, Supplements
Posted in Bodybuilding, Medical, Supplements | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 16th, 2013
Check out this display of inspirational physiques in black and white true artistic form.
Everyone is nekkid, and both males and females represent, so matter your sexual preference, you’re gonna see it all. While theses photos are technically safe for work, I advise you to view them at your own discretion.
Inside you will find professional body builders, figure athletes, and Crossfitters. You will find army rangers, bikini competitors, personal trainers, and even a TV host.
These athletes are the best of the best, so don’t be envious, but do be inspired.
Click the link: Bodies of Work
Tags: art, artistic, bodies, bodybuilding, figure, fitness, physiques, Progress Images
Posted in Bodybuilding | No Comments »
Thursday, August 2nd, 2012
Here’s a sweet graphic of Christian Bale’s tranformations throughout the years. Think of him what you may, he has total control of his body when it comes to gaining and losing body weight. He’s never been super jacked, but I’m willing to bet 80% of the US population would like to have his Batman Begins body.
Christian weighed as little as 55kg (121 lbs) for the Machinist, and as much as 90kg (198 lbs) for The Dark Knight Rises. He can be both ripped and bulky, depending on the role. I personally think it’s somewhat inspirational. Tom Hardy is pretty muscular too, check out his Bane character in The Dark Knight Rises.
After you check out the graphic, in the spirit of The Dark Knight Rises, which was a totally fricken awesome flick, vote for the best Batman movie ever.
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Click the image to make it bigger. |
[poll id=”35″]
And finally, because you love Batman and The Dark Knight Rises so much, go buy some Batman t-shirts:
The Dark Knight Rises tees
Bane tees
Tags: batman, Christian Bale, muscles
Posted in Bodybuilding, Celebrity, Question of the Week | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 24th, 2012
Leg’s Day: A Workout Guide
Here is a brilliant leg training article from the team at JackedPack. If you don’t know, JackedPack is a membership subscription service that sends you a monthly box of the samples of the best in sports nutrition supplements.
You can subscribe for 50% off your first month by using the coupon code SWOLE at checkout.
One of the best feelings in the world is when someone says to you, “Oh my gosh, are those Giant Sequoias or are those your legs?” We hope that all JackedPack members and non-members alike are able to experience the satisfaction and benefits of leg strength and size, and that’s why we’ve dedicated this post to giving our lower extremities the attention they deserve. We want everybody to be squatting school buses and deadlifting beached wales back into the ocean. We have included a stellar legs day workout that incorporates some awesome exercises that are sure to have people singing Sir Mix-A-Lot every time you walk in a room.
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Tags: bodybuilding, build muscle, gain muscle, leg training, leg workout, legs, muscle gain, weight lifting, Weight Training, weightlifting
Posted in Bodybuilding, Weight Training, Workout Routines | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
Do you want to gain mass super fast while staying lean enough to show off your 6-pack abs?
If so, then this Three Step Muscle Gain Plan is for you!
How to Gain More Muscle Fast!
More often than not we see supplements focused on helping people, usually, women, lose weight. But men desire to be healthy and fit just like women, and some men also strive to become big, strong, fast, and powerful.
To that end I want to introduce a potent combination of supplements designed to maximize muscle building and maintain a low level of body fat.
Now I would like to introduce you to N.O. Xplode, Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass and Optimum Nutrition Whey Protein.
The combination of N.O. and whey protein will help you get the strong, powerful, lean, healthy body that you dream of. Hardgainers can choose the whey protein weight gainer Serious Mass, while mesomorphs and ectomorphs can opt for straight whey protein powder, which has fewer overall calories and carbs.
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Tags: build muscle, gain muscle, muscle gain, N.O., nitric oxide, no xplode, optimum nutrition, protein powder
Posted in Bodybuilding, Product Reviews, Supplements | 15 Comments »
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
Nowadays, it seems everyone is after a toned midsection. Some people won’t even stop until they achieve shredded washboard abs. A six pack has come to be an important quest for many persons, however, many are misled as to the method to obtain it.
One common misconception is that cardiovascular exercise is the most important aspect of dialing in a six pack. Another misconception is that doing 1000 crunches a day is most important. Wrong on both accounts! Diet possibly plays the greatest role in obtaining a six pack. Let’s see why.
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Tags: 6 pack, ab training, abdominals, abs, bodybuilding, Diet, myth, myths, nutrition, six pack, swole 101
Posted in Bodybuilding, Conditioning, Diet, Fitness Tips, HIIT Routines | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
Transitioning from bulking to cutting can be complicated. Most often, the transition is done improperly and we end up either losing precious muscle mass during a cut or gaining too much fat during a bulk. I’ve been there and so have you, don’t kid yourself.
When switching from cut to bulk, we might overestimate the rate at which we can gain muscle, which results from a lack of knowledge about the human physiological response to dieting. Some inexperienced bodybuilders might make an immediate switch from a strict diet to free eating, which results in the immediate reversal of any recent diet progress.
Of course strategies will differ dependent on the individual, but the basic concept should remain the same. You will have to accept that your first couple attempts at bulking will result in either very little muscle gain or unnecessary fat gain. It is all a matter of trial and error.
Let’s examine a couple different diet transition strategies.
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Tags: bodybuilding, bulking, cutting, Diet, dieting, eating, fat loss, lean mass, lose fat, lose weight, nutrition, weight loss
Posted in Bodybuilding, Diet, Nutrition Tip | 1 Comment »
Thursday, October 6th, 2011
For those who still don’t believe Werewolf Muscle Training works, here is more support of my theory that increased frequency combined with stopping short of fatigue, produces equal if not better results that training a muscle once a week for an hour, with a ton of volume, going to failure on most sets.
The central nervous system is extremely important for performance, and should be stimulated aggressively and frequently, but should not often be fatigued. This also helps explain why you can train muscles when they’re sore… it works just as long as the CNS has recovered.
In this video you will find Christian Thibaudeau from T-Nation. He is way stronger than you or I, and he is just about as ripped as I could ever hope to be. A true inspiration.
“Never Chase Fatigue, Chase Performance”
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Tags: build muscle, build strength, fatigue, gain muscle, gain strength, muscle, performance, strength, Weight Training, weightlifting
Posted in Bodybuilding, Fitness Tips, Quote of the Day, Videos, Weight Training | 3 Comments »
Monday, September 19th, 2011
While navigating a fitness website or browsing through a fitness supplement store, you may notice various muscle building supplements. You may wonder whether any of these 10,000 products really work to build quality muscles and enhance strength, or will they merely flush into the toilet? The answer is both yes and no.
The answer is ‘No’ for people who do not have patience and want fast results while they opt for an unhealthy approach. However, the answer is ‘Yes’ for people who go for the right kind of supplement, use proper exercises and diet, and wait for weeks or sometimes months to see the result.
Fortunately, you have a couple of good supplements which guarantee good results. These supplements for fast muscle growth can deliver the desired result within a short span of time. These include Whey Protein, Nitric Oxide and Creatine. Which happens to be the right choice for you?
Have a look in detail about the three supplements given below:
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Tags: bodybuilding, build muscle, build strength, gain muscle, gain strength, muscle gains, strength gains, Supplements, weight lifting, Weight Training, weightlifting
Posted in Bodybuilding, Supplements | 8 Comments »
Thursday, September 8th, 2011
The Many Unexpected Benefits of Body Building
There are many reasons to build a stronger body that most people wouldn’t think of when they picture bodybuilding. Bodybuilding can be a very healthy hobby for both your mind and your body.
Despite the misconceptions of the general public, bodybuilding is not necessarily all about eating whey protein, lifting heavy weights, and oiled-up posing in a thong on a stage. There are a ton of great health benefits as well.
These are just some of the many unexpected benefits of bodybuilding:
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Tags: benefits, body building, bodybuilding, Diet, exercise, fitness, health, healthy, nutrition
Posted in Bodybuilding, Healthy Lifestyle, Motivation | 14 Comments »
Monday, August 15th, 2011
Eat Right, Train Right and You Can Have it All
A couple days ago I posted the first 5 reasons you are not gaining weight. Here are 5 more reasons you are not gaining weight. Check out the first article if you missed it: 10 Reasons You Are Not Gaining Weight Part 1
Peep these second 5 five items in my list of 10 possible ways you could be sabotaging your muscle building plan.
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Too Much Cardio
To lose fat while maintaining muscle, you’ll want to stick to 2, thirty minute HIIT sessions; and 1, forty five minute endurance session in a week. Adding HIIT like that will help you to elevate your metabolism, which increases fat loss, and will keep cortisol levels in check to preserve existing muscle mass. The HIIT should be a max sprint for an interval of 30-60 seconds, followed by a light jog interval for twice the length of your sprint interval (60-120 seconds).
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Tags: bodybuilding, exercise, fitness, gain mass, gain muscle, mistakes, muscle, muscle building, muscles, strength, tips
Posted in Bodybuilding, Fitness Tips, Weight Training | 6 Comments »
Friday, August 12th, 2011
Attention Hard Gainers and Dudes Who Want to Gain 10 lbs of Solid Muscle!
You use protein shakes. You eat lots of food. You workout like a maniac. Yet you still weigh 50 pounds less than your goal weight. Sick of skinny wrists and stick figure calves? Stop making the mistakes that compromise your weight gain strategies.
There are several components that go into a proper weight gain cycle. Nutrition is most important, exercise is next, and lifestyle can make or break you. Today we will cover some nutrition mistakes you might be making. Fix them today so you can gain muscle tomorrow!
Here are the first 5 points in my list of 10 mistakes you could be making to sabotage your weight gain.
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Tags: bodybuilding, exercise, fitness, gain mass, gain muscle, mistakes, muscle, muscle building, muscles, strength, tips
Posted in Bodybuilding, Diet, Fitness Tips, Nutrition Tip | 6 Comments »
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