Newbie's guide to developing strength and size in bodybuilding.

Most neophytes don't know how to get started in bodybuilding they spend many years doing the wrong things before they learn what exactly the right things are. In this article I will address one of the mistakes the newbie's make and give a simple antidote to the problem of developing strength and size as a bodybuilder.

I think before we go any further its important to understand that strength training for a bodybuilder is not the same as for other athletes. A bodybuilder must develop strength while building muscle size, shape and endurance, and on many occasions these goals are exclusive of each other. So let's start this discussion with how to choose the correct weight.

What does your trainer mean when he says light weight or moderate or heavy? How do you know by the weight what rep count you should use? I try to simplify this all too confusing problem in just a few lines.

Everyone get confused about what is heavy weight, what is moderate weight and what is light weight. I will try clear this up for you right now. Heavy weight is any amount that is so heavy that on your first set you can only complete 6 to 8 reps. I think it goes to reason that on your second and third set you will not be able to complete as many.

Moderate weight is any amount that is so heavy that on your first set you can only complete 8- 12 reps. Of course less on the following sets Light weight is any amount that is so heavy that on your first set you can only complete 15-25 reps

Now there is one more thing that I want to address that is strength. understand this, just because you are getting bigger does not mean you are getting stronger; however, if you are getting stronger you are getting bigger even if you can't see the size increase! Finally, train to get stronger, but not for strength, if you understand the principles of the Progressive Resistance System this will make more sense

The four days per week workout The four days per week is called a split routine, because the body is split into four sections Unlike a lot of trainers I think there is a relationship between growth and total amount of sets completed in a week's time. On the three day routine you had 9 set for chest, back and quads, and six set for shoulders. In this routine the weekly sets will range between 12 and 16 per body part.

In no way do I advocate the High Intensity Training (HIT) methods that you'll find in all over the internet. I don't deny how well it works; I just feel much of the injury throughout my career has come as a result of working out with too much intensity. Age and wisdom has taught me to the never to even advocate the negative or forced reps for any reason I personally call them injury reps! But let move on to what I think will work.

Some important things to understand about this routine

1. Workouts are never longer than 1 hour! Never!

2. Dips are done with no weight, except "bench dips" if you have a partner

3. "Max" represents the most you can do correctly( never do forced reps)

4. Unless I specify dumbbells, use only barbell

5. shoulder press are done to the front of the chest not behind the neck See article my article on shoulder injuries

6. Lat pull downs are done at shoulder width never wider and only to the front of the chest.

7. Seated row are done either on a seated row machine or on seated on a low cable row machine. If doing them on a low cable row machine lean forward only enough to full extend your arms keep lower back arched. Never let the shoulders roll forward for that "extra stretch"

8. Barbell curls are done in smoothly never jerky or fast.

9. Leg press are done with full range of motion your calf should touch your hamstring at the stretched position.

10. Leg curls should be contracted until heel touches you butt.

11. Seated calf raises this exercise is harder than it appears. Calf should get a full stretch at the bottom of the movement, and completely contracted at the top.

12. Warm up and cool down with about 10 t 15 minutes of stationary bike or ski machine ( I only do low or no impact aerobics, never run, never stairs,)

13. Stretch only after you have completed the workout and only for the muscles worked that day.

Workout 1 Monday

Dips 4 set of 8-12 reps Bench press 4 set of 8-12 reps Dumbbell Shoulder Press 4 set of 8-12 reps Shoulder Shrugs 4 set of 8-12 reps

Workout 2 Tuesday

Pull Ups 4sets of 6-8 Reps Lat pull downs 4 sets of 8-12 reps Seated Rows 4 sets of 8-12 reps Seated Calf Raises 4 sets of 15-25 reps

Workout 3 Thursday (after one day rest)

Hack Squats 4 sets of 15-25 reps Leg Press 4sets of 15-25 reps Leg Curls 4 sets of 8-12 reps Standing Calf Raises 4 sets of 15-25 reps

Workout 4 Friday

Barbell Curls 3 sets of 8-12 reps Dumbbell Curls 3 sets of 8-12 reps Bench Dips 4 sets of 8-12 Reps Close Grip Bench Press 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Troy Pearsall has over 25 years of bodybuilding experience. 15 years as a competitive bodybuilder 15 years as a personal trainer and 10 years as a trainer of competitive bodybuilders. He has other successes in other areas but his first love is teaching the sport of bodybuilding. for mor information go to http://www.fire-iron-online.com

How To Properly Diet For A Bodybuilding Contest

Although you may NOT ever compete, most will find this helpful and take some information from it and incorporate it into your own diet when you decide to cut down for whatever reason.

This diet isn?t specifically designed for anyone in particular; this isn?t even the diet that I follow, but a variation of it. Its simply a skeletal structure of a bodybuilding diet.

NOTE: This is for the natural competitor

Depending on your body fat percentage and your body type you generally want to give yourself about 10-15 weeks out to start your diet. I have been very blessed and only have to diet roughly 10 weeks out. Its not rare to see some competitors start dieting as far as 22 weeks out from a show, to help reserve muscle. Also a note on the sodium load, its a risky endeavor but I have found it to be a very beneficial tool if used properly, however I would NOT recommend a sodium load on your first couple shows.

For the sake of argument we?ll do a 12 week diet.

Weeks 12-10 You want to start your diet by eliminating all kinds of crappy foods and only take in clean foods, such as beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein shakes, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc. Your water intake should also be increased to a gallon to gallon/half.

Cardio work should be started gradually, roughly about 20 minutes 3 times a week. Targeted heart rate should be between 150-170BPM for 20 minutes. Not jump on the bike for 20 minutes and realize your HR was only in the targeted zone for 11 minutes. Make sure its 20 minutes.

Supplementation: A good assistance in fat loss, as everyone knows is ECA stack or a good weight loss supplement on the market. I benefited nicely from the ephedra or Hydroxycut. I don?t believe in appetite suppressants as you should be eating and anything that is going to curb your appetite is no good. Especially for a critical diet like this. So, a 200mg of caffeine and 25mg of Ephedrine and 300mg of aspirin 3-4 times a day on empty stomach is recommended.

Week 9

Diet is starting to get a little tighter and you?re now starting to play around with your ratio?s c/p/f. A typical day will look something like this:

-Oatmeal (25-35 grams of carbs)
-Zero -low carb protein shake (40 grams)

-5 egg whites or can of tuna (I hate tuna so I have eggs)
-Any veggie, salad, broccoli, carrots, etc.

-2 chicken breasts
-1 plain baked potato

-Protein shake (40 grams) low carb

-Pork, steak, chicken, beef, etc
-Veggies and/or rice (brown)

-Casein whey protein

Cardio: It?s kicked up to 30 minutes 4 times a week and its done before breakfast. Target HR is the same as it was before.

Supplementation: same

Week 8-6: Tightening the diet

Diet: Start eliminating most of the starches. Start taking in more veggies. You are now taking in more lean meats, fish, etc.

Cardio: Is kicked up to 6 times a week for 30 minutes before breakfast or after workout.

Supplementation is same

You should definitely start seeing more definition and can start evaluating your diet based on how you look. If you?re holding too much water, start upping the water and you may even want to start sodium loading at this point. Its still far enough out from a show to play around with sodium in your diet. If the carbs are too high or your body isn?t burning up the carbs as you thought, start cutting the carbs a little more.

Week 5-4 What are some of the better types of carbs for me to eat? What Low GI and High GI? Well, the low GI carbs have nearly zero effect on your blood sugars. Foods like broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, etc will have low GI levels. For the high GI, It is more of an impact on your blood sugars obviously. I am not certain but there is a myth that the low and high GI foods had to do with digestion. I think that is false. Anyways any other foods high in GI are all that I had listed.

Diet: As strict as its going to get from here on out. Carbs are extremely low. I usually target about 20 per meal with about 6 meals in a day. Protein is still kept high about 1.5 for 1lb of BW. Fats are now at an all time low of 20-30 a day. How does one get only 20-30 grams of fats in a day. Well, if you?re monitoring your meats, fish, etc and making sure they are nearly fat free you can control your fat intake by eating nuts (polyunsaturated); almonds are a fan favorite?about 5 or 6 almonds a meal should do the trick.

Different types of fats FYI:

Saturated fats: found primarily in foods coming from animals and some veggies as well, those are saturated veggie fats that are in bakery goods and nondairy milk or cream products. When you?re doing your shopping you can see the saturated fats that are solid in room temp. This is the most harmful fat to any diet

Polyunsaturated Fats - these are the fats you want to take in for a contest. They are found in almonds, fish, and various oils.

Monounsaturated - pretty much the same as the poly as they both reduce cholesterol levels but they aren?t as effective as the poly?s. This fat is found in olives, cashews, avocado and other various oils that stem from plants.

Trans Fats - This is the veggie want be butter shit they use to extend the life of a shelved food, these increase cholesterol levels.

Fats are important in a diet, during a critical diet such as this they help to lube the joints during resistance training. You?re going to find a lot of achy bones and ligaments and soreness you?re not used to because of this diet. I know I did. So the fats help with the joints

Cardio: is now everyday for 30 minutes before breakfast or after workout.

Posing is also 3-4 times a week but you guys don?t need to do that.

Supplementation: You want to start taking in potassium to prevent the cramping. Also along with your multi you should have more C and B6 as well. Glutamine is upped from 10 grams a day to 15-20.

Week 3-2

Diet: Increased sodium, put it on everything?Even drop a little in your protein shake. Load load load. Water should be 1.5-2 gallons. Carbs are now under 100 a day, mostly taken in the morning and protein is still 1.5 to a pound. Fats are kept at 20-30.

Cardio is now 40 minutes 7 days a week.

Workout: should be light and reps should be high (10-15)

Posing: 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes

Supplementation: same

Day 14-7

Diet: Carbs are now between 50-80. Protein is the same and water is 2 gallons a day. Sodium is still loading. Fats 20-30 grams

Cardio: same

Supplementation: potassium, calcium, multi, C, B6, ECA, milk thistle.

Day 7-4

Carbs are extremely low, preparing for the carb load the last 72 hours. Sodium is now cut out completely and water is increased to 2.5 gallons.

Cardio is the same:

Workout: very light, minimal. Your energy should be so low that you?re doing 2 sets per isolated movement. No compound movements concentrate on pulling out muscles. Start to control the muscle?your primary workout should be posing anyways and controlling each muscle.

Supplementation: POTASSIUM! POTASSIUM! POTASSIUM! It?s high because the cramping is a SOB!

Day 3-1

Diet: 400-500 grams of Carbs, Clean clean clean. Rice, potato, rice cakes, etc. I eat baby food because of the vit. and potassium in them and I can eat them all day long. Water is cut completely. Fats are same, protein is same..maybe drop it depending on how you?re feeling.

Stay away from the gym

pose pose pose pose.

Supplementation: Diuretics, anything and everything. Get that water out of you!!!

Day of Show:

Moderate carbs, go on feeling. If you need energy for the pre-judge then eat some chocolate or rice cakes?sip some pedialyte to prevent complete dehydration and cramping.

For a first time competitor; the entire battle is against yourself. We all want to win the show or place decently, first overcome the battle of getting to know what your body is all about and how it can respond positively to a diet such as this first.

Again, most of you don?t have the intentions of competing, however maybe some have thought about it but never knew how to properly prepare. I hope that this will not only encourage you but at least help you diet for anything else. Keep in mind that this is a strict bodybuilding diet (although some are A LOT stricter) and you can take little info from here to construct a diet suitable for your own goals.

Articles such as this about health, nutrition and weightloss can all be found at http://www.crazyfilesandthings.com Other great articles can be found like this at the website. If you have any great articles to submit, please don't hesitate to either email them to webmaster@crazyfilesandthings.com or visit our site and submit them there.

4 Bodybuilding Exercise Tips To Really Pump You Up

You only need two types of bodybuilding exercises to craft a really effective routine. Efficiency is a thing of beauty, unless you actually prefer to spend half your life at the gym, breathing sweaty air, and getting frustrated when you don't get results. Use your brain before your brawn, and you'll work smarter and see success sooner.

Bodybuilding Exercise Tip #1:

Know your muscles. This doesn't mean giving them cute little nicknames, this means knowing the size and function of each muscle. What kind of bodybuilding exercise will work each muscle? You want to create a physique of evenly developed muscles, and still be able to put your arms down by your sides.

Bodybuilding Exercise Tip #2:

OK - pop quiz. What will give out first, your triceps or your chest?

When you're doing bench presses, what starts to hurt first? Your poor little triceps! By the time you can bench enough to exhaust your chest, your triceps are shot.

The solution? Use isolation bodybuilding exercises first. These, by definition, isolate individual muscles and work them hard. If you isolate a larger muscle and work it thoroughly, it evens the playing field when you move on to a bodybuilding exercise that uses a group of muscles.

Bodybuilding Exercise Tip #3:

After you've put your larger muscles through the paces, it's time to let the smaller fellas join in. Bring in the compound bodybuilding exercises, the ones that use groups of muscles. Take the simple push-up for example: Wrist, forearm, biceps, shoulders, core, and chest all working together. Since some of the muscles involved are smaller than others, they normally fatigue more quickly. If you've isolated the larger muscles first, the push-up becomes a much more efficient bodybuilding exercise, because your whole body gets exhausted at about the same time.

Bodybuilding Exercise Tip #4:

Let it rest! The two sides of the coin are smart exercises and rest. They're both necessary to getting the results you want.

Using efficient isolation and compound bodybuilding exercises, you've got the work side covered. You'll get a more valuable workout in less time. But, it's all in vain if you don't allow for sufficient rest for your muscles afterward. Since muscle growth takes place during the recovery period, as your body knits itself back together, you can't interrupt that process by working those muscles again too soon. Give your muscle groups a full week to recover.

Half the battle in bodybuilding is having good information. Good info lets you create a good plan for your diet, bodybuilding exercises, and rest periods. Follow a good plan, and you'll get the results you want.

The "Muscle Nerd", Jeff Anderson, is a world-renowned fitness consultant and author, most noted for his cutting edge research in natural bodybuilding and fat loss. Discover the secrets to transforming YOUR body today at: http://www.musclenerdfitness.com

Body Full Workout and The Secrets To Bodybuilding And The Ab Best Workout For Both Men and Women!

In these increasingly modern times where men's sports almost always have its female counterpart, female bodybuilding is experiencing a crisis when it comes to a body full workout. Where before female bodybuilding was bodybuilding in its purest form, now it is gradually giving way to the sports' old adversary which is femininity.

A body full workout and ab best workout in bodybuilding is a sport that combines weigh lifting, good diet, and rest to be effective. Primarily designed as a male-only pursuit, bodybuilding in women soon gained momentum in the 1980s when female bodybuilding competitions began occurring in various regions of the world.

Female bodybuilding began with Lisa Lyon who was a UCLA graduate and a student of the Japanese martial arts called 'Kendo.' She had a typical dancer's physique, slender and graceful, which by today's female bodybuilding standards would have been deemed laughable. At the encouragement of Arnold Schwarzenegger who was the world's most famous bodybuilding icon, Lisa Lyon entered and won the first World Women's Bodybuilding Championship. Bev Francis was bigger, bulkier, and more muscular than any other female bodybuilding athlete of her time. Her appearance set the trend in female bodybuilding as other athletes strived hard to achieve the level of physique Ms. Francis acquired.

In answer to the fan's reactions, IFBB set the standards of female bodybuilding back to the time of Ms. McLish. This new branch in female bodybuilding became known as fitness competition.

As opposed to female bodybuilding which was more hardcore, fitness competition with a body full workout and an ab best workout is now female bodybuilding like where bodybuilders were fit and toned without the muscle bulk. Now there is much focus on the abs. But this controversial new development in female bodybuilding has set many tongues wagging, especially in feminist organizations and women in power lifting, bodybuilding, and strength training circles.

Male Bodybuilding Secrets

If anything, male bodybuilding is a more refined form of weightlifting for it takes into heart the ideology of aesthetic body shape, abs, tone, and mass.

For some, male bodybuilding is a sport. In male bodybuilding, there are only four parameters to keep in mind and that is:

1. Nutrition

2. Recuperation

3. Supplementation

4. Exercise

For the best results in male bodybuilding, abs and a body full workout, one must adapt the best training regimen. Good nutrition and supplementation are the keys to male bodybuilding. A common thought that any male bodybuilding fan knows is that if you're not growing, then you're not eating enough.

Male bodybuilding also focuses much not only in nutrition and exercise but in recuperation as well. This is very important to remember.

The HIT Male Bodybuilding System!

HIT stands for Highly Intensive Training and this is the prime system adapted by most male bodybuilding aficionados. It is incidentally the most taxing but the most effective male bodybuilding program out there.

The HIT male bodybuilding system centers around highly intense and infrequent workouts with emphasis on compound movements and progression. Muscle hypertrophy. The HIT system of male bodybuilding takes advantage of this tendency of the muscles to rebuild itself once broken down. Intensive male bodybuilding training increases the extent of the break down of the muscle and thus increase muscle gains from a body full workout.

Safety Issues for Using Bodybuilding Supplements

Many bodybuilders turn to bodybuilding supplements in order to get the maximum return on their investment of time. Supplements can help increase muscle mass, give you extra energy, and reduce recovery time after a workout. But are they safe?

The answer, in most cases, is yes. Supplements sometimes get a bad name because people associate them with steroids, but in reality most supplements contain substances that naturally occur in your body. Taking a supplement is very similar to taking a multivitamin. You should be aware that supplements are not subject to FDA guidelines. There are no real requirements that manufacturers must meet in order to sell supplements. They do not have to prove that they are safe or effective. You also can not be sure that the supplements contain the ingredients they are reported to contain.

For the most part though, manufacturers of supplements stick to their own strict guidelines. They want their product to have a good reputation and they want people to keep buying it. For this reason, taking a supplement is usually exceptionally safe.

Before beginning any kind of supplement, you probably will want to talk to your doctor and make sure that the supplement does not interact with any medication you are currently on. Your doctor can also advise you as to the safety of the particular supplement you wish to take.

You should also make yourself aware of any side effects that the supplements might have. The most common side effect associated with supplements is an upset stomach. Some people might experience diarrhea, gas or bloating but they usually go away after you take the supplement for awhile. You also need to be careful to drink enough water while you take supplements as many of them can cause your body to become dehydrated if you are not careful. You also need to be careful when taking andro supplements. They can cause breast growth in men and can cause a decrease in your desire for sexual activity. Some doctors believe that andro supplements can also lead to heart disease.

In general, supplements are very safe. They are taken by many bodybuilders around the world because they are effective. You can often find discount bodybuilding supplements by going online. Discount supplements are sometimes offered to members of a gym as well as one of the perks of membership. As long as you are educated about the supplements you take, then the safety issues related to supplement use should be minimal.

Natalie Aranda writes about fitness. Many bodybuilders turn to bodybuilding supplements in order to get the maximum return on their investment of time. You can often find discount bodybuilding supplements by going online. In general, supplements are very safe. They are taken by many bodybuilders around the world because they are effective. Discount supplements are sometimes offered to members of a gym as well as one of the perks of membership. As long as you are educated about the supplements you take, then the safety issues related to supplement use should be minimal.

It's The End Of The Line For Natural Bodybuilding And Building Muscle

I want to share with you why I will never ever create another natural bodybuilding course and why you will never ever need to purchase another natural bodybuilding course again.

First I want to say Thanks for the kudos' I received from all the guys around the world? I really appreciate them and I feel honored to be a part of such a great group of individuals and I am humbled to be able be part of your lives.

Thank you so much, and more importantly I want to honor you for taking action in your lives to seek out the best information you can for training and nutrition the all-natural way. Heck, I know how easy it is to get caught in the rationalizations too take drugs.

The fact is thousands of bodybuilders around the world have sold themselves out to drugs with dire consequences. We all know how the drug game has caught up with itself and now bodybuilders are getting sick, ending their careers in their 20?s and now dying left, right and center just to have a 20 inch arm.

Bodybuilding in it?s current state has gotten completely out of hand and has stayed away from it?s roots of building a healthy body, full of strength and vigor. Bodybuilding is about not just looking good, but feeling good, and most of all experiencing the joy of super conditioned, healthy, athletic physique that makes all of life?s experiences more enjoyable for as long as your are on the planet.

You see I can only take people so far down the road because at the highest levels of training, eating, and supplementation the individual needs to develop the ability to listen to their own body. Only then can you really become a master.

This takes time, it takes information, and it requires a proven system of techniques built on all of the innovations of the greatest minds in bodybuilding over the last century. The Muscle Mastery course is way beyond a training system; it?s a system that teaches you how to build a truly complete physique and finally how to be your own coach.

Once you have completed the Muscle Mastery System you will have the tools you need to become completely self directed without having to rely on any outside authority to develop your body.

It's really a big leap of faith and it's not always an easy jump. I made the final leap and never looked back 3 years ago and it was the best move I ever made.

Let me explain.

My Journey Into the Wild, Whacky, and Contradictory

Realm Of Natural Bodybuilding

My first ten years of bodybuilding I read all of the books, I listened to the tapes, I went to the shows, I talked to every ?big guy? in the gym. I devoured every book, tape, and course I could find.

I read and tried almost everything. Here?s a small list!

Arnold Schwarzenegger?s Bodybuilding Encyclopedia

Bill Pearl?s Keys? to the Inner Universe

Joe Weider?s Mr. Olympia Encyclopedia, the Weider Principles, and about 250 magazines or so of his.

Vince Gironda?s the Wild Physique

Larry Scott?s collected works

Lou Ferrigno?s works

Frank Zane?s works

Bob Kennedy?s entire works

Mike Mentzer?s Heavy Duty

Arthur Jones Nautilus Principles

Ellington Darden?s entire collection

POF training advertised in Ironman

Power Factor Training by Cisco and Little

Dorian Yates Blood and Guts

Serious Growth and the Bulgarian Systems by Leo Costa

Dr. Mauro Dipasquale?s work

Dr. Fred Hatfield?s work

And at least a dozen more guys that I have forgotten? plus every article, periodical, textbook etc I could get my hands on until I finally learned enough to realize that I didn?t know that much.

Believe me that is the biggest realization a person can make as it sets the stage for the master to come!!!

They say when the student is ready the teacher presents himself. That?s exactly what

Happened to me, after I won my first provincial championships.

Wade McNutt is a Natural National Bodybuilding Champion and an IFBB Mr. Universe World Champion. He combined the secrets of Eastern Yoga Masters with, scientific, muscle building to produce a revolutionary new health system, called Freaky Big Naturally, find out more at http://www.freakybignatural.com