Supplements Are Important in Body Building

by Jeremy Page

Body Building is the process of developing muscle through the combination of weight training, increased caloric intake, and rest. Body building champions are not cut from the same cloth as the majority of people. Body building nutritional supplements are easily available in every health food store and most gyms. Body building is the process of developing your muscle fibers by doing resistance training mostly with free weights and machines, increasing your daily caloric intake and having adequate rest for growth.

Supplements

Supplements not only help to offset nutritional deficiencies, but are also an indispensable aid to all bodybuilders and athletes who wish to achieve their optimum performance in terms of strength, stamina and muscle growth in their chosen field. Supplements can be added into your bodybuilding program to assist you. A site listing a number of recipes for bodybuilding shakes etc that include the use of protein supplements as well as cheaper options. Enhance workout routines with nutritional muscle growth and body building supplements. Nowadays, if you don't take body building supplements, you almost might as well not be working out at all in some circles. Standards have change, and now men need body building supplements to get to the massive sizes they desire, or to obtain the gargantuan muscle strength and speed demanded by professional sports. Many fitness enthusiasts, including athletes, bodybuilders and weight lifters are turning to muscle-enhancing supplements to power up their athletic performance, build a stronger physique and give them the winning edge. That is why nutritional supplements are a big part of weight training and body building activities.

Gym

Worn in and out of gyms everywhere, Gorilla Wear is the ultimate choice for gym wear and casual fitness clothing. It takes the discipline of consistent hard work and time in the gym. Ifyoure just getting started, its quite easy to become totally confused byall of the terms and gym jargon. These days, more and more people are turning awayfrom memberships to gyms and instead choosing to invest money in a home gym. You can put a homegym in a spare corner of your home, or even in thebasement if you wish. Don't expect to hit the gym a few times and see some significant results. 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.

Body building is actually a sport whereby competitive body builders display their muscular bodies in front of a panel of judges who assign points to determine the rankings and prize awards. Body building not only helps you physically but mentally as well because it builds self-confidence, makes you more disciplined and helps you achieve your goals in life. Body building supplement is a supplement that is designed to help people who use it to achieve several things that include but are not limited to weight gain, muscle building, and strength training. Body building is no different than gymnastics, tennis, etc.

Original Source: http://goarticles.com/article/Supplements-Are-Important-in-Body-Building/619743/

How Much Protein is Needed to Build Muscle?

by Mark McManus

Having enough protein in your diet is essential for building muscle. Knowing just how much is enough can be a little tricky for some people, so I’ve decided to set the record straight in this article.

Listening to the average Joe or your doctor about how much protein you need in your diet is simply not going to cut it for the bodybuilder. We need more than the average person simply because our muscle tissue is constantly being ripped up and repaired.

How Much Protein For Maximum Muscle Growth?

There are 2 ways to figure out just how much protein you need. First the easy way:

• Consume 1g of Protein per Pound of Body Weight

So if you weigh 200lbs, consume 200g of protein per day.

Simple, but this formula doesn’t work well for those with a little extra body fat. Such people would be consuming too much protein.

The most precise method of calculating just how much protein you need to gain muscle is with the following formula:

Lean Mass Weight (Kg) x 2.75 = Daily Protein Requirement

(By the way, you simply divide pounds by 2.2 to get the equivalent in kilograms. So 170 pounds is 77.27 Kg)

OK, you first need to know your total body weight and your body fat percentage. If you don’t know your body fat percentage.

Multiply your answer by your total body weight to determine the amount of fat you are carrying. Now simply subtract this from your total body weight to ascertain your lean mass weight.

Take this figure and multiply it by 2.75 to get your ideal protein intake per day in grams.

Example

A man weighs 170 pounds with 15% body fat.

170 / 2.2 = 77.27 kg

15% x 77.27 = 11.59 kg

77.27 – 11.59 = 65.68 kg Lean Body Mass

65.68 x 2.75 = 180.62

So, therefore our 170 lb, 15% body fat man should be shooting for ~180 grams of protein per day.

Original Source: http://www.musclehack.com/how-much-protein-is-needed-to-build-muscle/

How to Get Bigger Triceps

The triceps are the muscle on the back of the upper arm. It is formally known as the triceps brachii. The muscle is composed of three heads: long, medial, and lateral. The triceps makes up roughly 2/3 of the upper arm circumference, and therefore should be a focus of those who want bigger arms.

Steps

1. Use compound exercises.

Compound exercises are those which use 2 or more joints. This translates into heavier weights, which means more muscle mass for your. In order to stimulate all 3 heads of the triceps it is essential that you use heavy loads. This means exercises like dips and close-grip bench presses.

2. Don't neglect the long head.

The long head of the triceps is more difficult to target in pressing exercises than the other two heads. For this reason you should include some specific work for this head, such as overhead dumbbell extensions.

3. Use a rep range of 4-12 reps.

This is optimal rep range for muscle growth. You can occasionally do more or less than this, but the majority of your work should be in this range.

4. Eat big!

If you expect significant muscle growth then you need to take in a large amount of calories to fuel your workouts and recovery. Only by eating and resting optimally will you maximize the muscle building benefits of your workouts.

Original Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Bigger-Triceps
Feel free to comment at bottom.

What Are the Essential Supplement for Muscle Growth?

Muscle Growth needs lots of precise exercise and workouts in order to have correct shape of the muscles to be built. Occasionally an individual go for body building supplements in order to get a short cut for a quicker growth of muscles. 

Food is the essential part of muscle growth. Eating of natural food loaded with protein and calcium is the best essential supplement for muscle growth. Without food your muscles do not have a sufficient amount of energy to grow, that why consumption of natural foods is the best supplement for muscle growth. 

Eating of egg in your diet is an effective supplement for muscle growth. One egg has about 7 grams of protein and 78 calories. Eggs are an important supplement of muscle growth because it is fully loaded with iron, calcium, and zinc. Eggs are also a great source of vitamin A and D. 

Using of dairy product is an essential supplement of muscle growth. The main dairy product includes yogurt, milk and cheese. One of the best diary products that you must take is yogurt. The healthy bacteria exist in yogurt helps to improve your digestive system that facilitate to muscle growth. 

A kidney bean is one more natural foods for muscle growth because it contains a well balanced and unique source of fibre and protein. Kidney beans are one of the most unseen muscle growth supplements. 

Creatine is great natural supplement that constantly creates positive health and muscle-growth benefits. It helps to fill the muscles with juice that makes you stronger and able to raise heavier and get well quicker. Protein powder is the best quick acting to help in repair and muscle growth tissue. Casein Protein is a sluggish digesting protein helps to grow muscle. Take it before bed because it supplies amino acids to your body that helps to growth of muscle. 

Intake of vitamin C foods is an essential supplement for muscle growth. Vitamin C is a huge immunity booster and free radical destroyer that helps to grow your muscle. Vitamin E is great for cell energy and reliability. It is an essential supplement of muscle growth. Red meat is also an essential supplement for muscle growth because it is a good source of iron, copper and zinc. 

These are the best effective supplement for muscle growth. Along with these you should also take FitOFat capsule because it is purely made by natural supplements. FitOFat capsule is an innovative herbal formulation prepared by powerful herbs and natural nutrients that works as the best supplement for muscle gain and facilitates men and women to attain weight gain goals. FitOFat capsules are the generally wanted and broadly used herbal fast muscle growth supplements for men and women who wish to change their physical personality and increase weight and grow your muscle 

Apart from develops your physical health, eating of FitOFat capsule made by Ayurved Research Foundation also encourages psychological health of person. It is the best natural product for muscle growth. 

Original Source: http://www.melodika.net/index.php?Itemid=50&id=733732&option=com_content&task=view

The Basics of Building Lean Muscle

by Chris Kolb

Lean muscle mass is essential when it comes to getting a healthy, fit body. It makes you look leaner, stronger, and, up to a point, more attractive. It can even help you burn fat and lose weight!

But how do you build this lean muscle tissue everyone is looking for? Simple: Building muscle is the act of using resistance training to stimulate muscle growth.

But is it really that simple? If you exercise, will you start packing on muscle? I hate to be the barer of bad news, but no, it is not that simple. There are three things that come into play when it comes to building muscle: exercise, nutrition, and rest. Each of these three are equally important, and if you slack on any one of them your results will drastically decrease.

Exercise.

Resistance training, or anaerobic exercise, involves using some form of resistance. The most common form is with weights, but you can also use your body weight or elastics for resistance training. Resistance training is essential for you to gain muscle.

For the average weight-trainer, you should only work out each muscle group once a week, or else you will over-train your body and completely stop your progress.

The most effective way to break your workout up is to break it into 3 to 5 different sessions. where you work out 2-3 muscle groups a session. You benefit from this for two reasons: It cuts down your exercise time, and allows you to focus on each individual muscle group; both allow for greater muscle gain.

Here is an example workout for one week:

Day 1: Biceps, Triceps

Day 2: Chest, Back

Day 3: Rest

Day 4: Shoulders, Abs

Day 5: Legs, Butt

Day 6: Rest

Day 7: Rest

Nutrition.

There is one key nutrient your body needs to gain lean muscle: Protein. Protein is used to build and repair damaged muscle, and that is exactly what you do when you train with weights. Without enough protein, your body is not able to completely rebuild muscle - Your body will stop gaining muscle (and start losing it).

Rest.

Although most people over-look this fact, rest is equally as important as exercise and nutrition; and if you want proof just head down to your local gym. You will see a lot of people with very little muscle mass - These are the people who go to the gym day after day and overwork their muscles.

Without rest in your routine, you will head straight into over-training and will never see muscle gain. Your muscles need rest! Each muscle group you work out needs 5 to 7 days of rest to repair and build itself before it will be ready for you to work it out again.

Original Source:http://goarticles.com/article/The-Basics-of-Building-Lean-Muscle/679307

Sleep is essential. How many hours do you sleep per night?

Beginners Guide to Protein

When it comes to supporting lean muscle, protein is a nutrient that will make or break your results. If you're confused about how much protein you need, which type of protein is best, or when you should eat it, our protein Q&A will help you separate protein fact from protein fiction.

How much protein do I need?

The UK Food Standards Agency recommends that adults take in around 55 grams of protein per day or 0.8g per kg of body weight. Guidelines for active individuals, however, such as that supplied by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or English Institute of Sport (EIS) recommend between 1 and 2 grams per kilogram a person weighs and are a more accurate reference for anyone that’s active. Protein is constantly turned over in the body and ideally losses should equal intake. Activity increases your need for protein, as it also accelerates these losses. To work out how much protein meets your needs, multiply your body weight in kilograms by 1 to 2 grams.

When's the best time to drink a protein shake?

A protein shake is ideal for immediately after training where it can help with muscle recovery, but protein shakes can be handy at any time of the day where you might be struggling to find a good quality convenient source of protein.

Can protein help me lose fat?

Protein won’t directly help you lose fat, but the long term effects of meeting your protein needs means you are more likely to maintain or grow (depending on your calorie intake) your muscle mass. As muscle is metabolically active it makes sense to maintain this calorie burning engine. Studies have suggested that increasing protein intake up to 2g.kg.bw also reduces muscle loss whilst following a calorie controlled diet designed for weight loss.

What happens if I don't eat enough protein?

An occasional low-protein day will not affect muscle maintenance or growth. But if you don't get enough protein in your diet on a regular basis, then you will find it harder to maintain or build muscle mass. Protein is essential for survival and supports the structural tissues in your body such as muscle, bone, hair, skin, nails so it makes sense to ensure you are meeting your needs on a daily basis.

What are the best sources of protein?

As far as your body is concerned, there are two different types of amino acids: essential and non-essential. Non-essential amino acids are amino acids that your body can create by itself. Essential amino acids cannot be created, and therefore the only way to get them is through food.

Many foods, including nuts and beans, can provide a good dose of protein but these are incomplete proteins which need to be carefully combined to achieve a full complement of essential amino acids. Complete proteins such as eggs, lean meats, poultry, fish, milk, casein and whey contain a complete profile.

What are the benefits of whey protein?

Whey is one of the two major proteins found in milk, the other being casein. It's one of the most popular sources of protein with athletes and gym users wanting to burn fat and build muscle.

• A typical serving of whey contains the same amount of protein found in a chicken breast, but can also be low in both fat and carbohydrate.
• A naturally complete protein, whey is often referred to as a "fast" protein.
• Whey has a higher biological value than many foods, including fish, beef and soya.
• Whey contains high levels of essential amino acids and BCAAs.
• Whey is also naturally high in the amino acids glutamine and leucine.

What should I look for in a protein shake?

When you're selecting a protein shake to support your hard training, ideally check it has at least 20g protein to support muscle maintenance, growth and recovery. Check it for the ‘informed sport’ logo to give reassurance that your product has been screened against the banned list of substances and that it comes from a reputable company with stringent quality control. Check it has the protein in that it claims to have and is not giving you a value for protein that includes you adding milk. A good quality product should be mixed with water. Maximuscle’s most popular products such as Cyclone, Promax, Progain and Promax Lean contain a high quality proprietary protein blend, Biomax, to support your training goals and are simply mixed with water in a shaker. Look for a company that offers a variety of flavours as taste will likely effect your commitment to use these shakes regularly. Select added support ingredients dependant on your goal.

Original Source: https://www.lafitness.co.uk/fitness-hq/protein-beginners/

Gain Muscle Mass Naturally

Muscle is hot...Drugs or not! thus if you're fascinated by adding some real muscle to your body, you are most likely conjointly fascinated by learning the simplest thanks to gain muscle mass naturally. The solution to the current question is targeted on a pair of basic parts...with some of further factors to help within the method. Here is what you wish to grasp to realize that goal.

First as you're most likely aware, so as to achieve muscle mass naturally you wish to perform some sort of resistance coaching. Here ar of few of the necessary things to stay in mind associated with your coaching are:

• Intensity of exercise - Work to muscle failure/fatigue
• Duration of exercise - one to one ½ hours soap
• Type of exercise - resistance AND cardio
• Frequency of exercise - four to six days every week
• Using correct kind and technique once exertion - "follow the golden rules" 

To gain muscle mass naturally you wish to perform your workouts employing a high level of intensity doing the proper sort of exercise in conjunction with the correct length. (Several hours within the athletic facility is harmful to muscle growth.) The frequency, at that you perform your exercising, likewise as applying correct kind and technique, includes a direct impact to the success of achieving your goal. (Something to remember: you cannot train sort of a body builder and expect to appear sort of a body builder. There ar too several belongings you do not see that facilitate that person reach his physique...one of biggest ones being medication.)

The second element of your plan to gain muscle mass naturally depends heavily on your consumption habits. the problems associated with consumption that impact your efforts are:

• Amount of food - range of calories
• Type of food - (20% - twenty fifth supermolecule, sixty fifth sensible carbs, 100 percent - V-day healthy fats)
• Time frames at that you eat - half dozen tiny meals each a pair of ½ to three hours
• Drink Water - one gallon or a lot of every day

A certain range of calories are required to not solely maintain the energy needs of your body however conjointly keep feeding the body with the proper sort of food to permit the muscles to create. additionally, there are specific time frames at that you wish to fuel the system likewise. (A fast note here is that though supermolecule is very necessary within the method to achieve muscle mass naturally, contrary to well-liked belief, supermolecule doesn't build muscle...one of it's most significant functions is to assist repair the muscle when it gets bust down throughout Associate in Nursing intense resistance coaching exercising.

Combine these fundamentals with enough quantity of sleep, (a minimum of seven hours recommended), and a commitment to reaching your goal (NEVER provide UP). try this and you'll realize the fastest success in achieving your need to achieve muscle mass naturally. Plus, can be} cool with the new muscle mass you currently wear your body and every one the ladies will suppose you are hot!

Original Source: http://goarticles.com/article/The-Best-and-Quickest-Thanks-to-Gain-Muscle-Mass-Naturally/7626938/

5 Muscle Building Mistakes (And How to Make Gains)

1) You Always Train in the Same Rep Range

The claim that muscle growth is maximized in a moderate rep range (6-12 reps per set) continues to be a source of debate in the fitness field. Although this theory is backed by some research, evidence on the topic remains far from conclusive. But for arguments sake let’s say that moderate reps are in fact best for gaining size. Does that mean that you should train exclusively in this narrow rep range? The answer is an unqualified, “No!”

Training in a lower rep range (1-5 per set) maximizes strength increases, thereby facilitating your ability to use heavier weights during moderate rep training. In this way, you create greater tension in the muscles, spurring better growth. High reps (15-20 per set), on the other hand, help to increase your lactate threshold. By delaying the buildup of lactic acid, you stave off fatigue when training in the “hypertrophy range,” (the muscle building range) thus increasing time under tension—another important aspect of the growth process. Bottom line is that optimum muscle development is best achieved by using the full spectrum of rep ranges.

Your fix: Periodize your program so that it is built around a moderate repetition protocol, but you make sure to include training in both the lower and higher rep ranges. Although a number of different periodization models work, I recommend a modified linear approach beginning with a strength phase (lower reps), followed by a fairly short metabolic phase (high reps) and then culminating with a hypertrophy phase (the typical 6 to 12 range). When properly implemented, this produces a “supercompensation effect” so that you maximize muscular gains and see a peak at the end of the training cycle.

2) You Use the Same Exercises Every Day

Most people have a limited number of favorite exercises that are staples in their routine. That’s human nature. While it’s okay to have your old stand-bys, they shouldn’t be performed at the exclusion of other movements. Changing up your exercise selection has a couple of important benefits from a mass-building standpoint. For one, it helps to prevent the so-called “repeated-bout effect” whereby muscles become accustomed to the continual use of the same movements, making them increasingly resistant to trauma. Staving off such accommodation allows for greater structural perturbations to muscle fibers. That might sound like a bunch of confusing science to some of you, but what it all means is that changing exercises can facilitate increased growth.

What’s more, muscle fibers don’t necessarily span the entire length of a fiber and are often innervated by different nerve branches. Thus, exercise variety alters recruitment patterns in the musculature, ensuring optimal stimulation of all fibers. Think of it this way: Some people like blonds, other prefers brunettes, and you have those that love redheads. Your muscles are greedy and like them all. So in order to keep them happy, you must give them what they want. That’s why exercise variety provides your muscles with the variety it literally needs for optimal growth. Even slight variations in the exercises you employ will work the muscles somewhat differently, enhancing results.

Your fix: Employ a diverse selection of exercises over the course of your training cycle. This can be accomplished by switching around modalities, training angles, planes of movement, and even your hand and foot spacing. (For instance, on dumbbell curls, think about holding the handle with your pinky against one end of the bell, and on the next set perform with your thumb against the bell. That slight shift will work your biceps in different ways.) The possibilities are almost endless if you think outside the box. There is no hard rule as to how frequently exercises should be changed, but a general guideline is to do so at least on a monthly basis.

3) You Over- or Under-Isolate Your Muscles

When it comes to exercise selection, there are two basic camps. On one end of the spectrum are those who preach that the only way to get big is by performing the “big lifts” such as squats, presses, and rows. On the other end of the spectrum are those who claim that key to muscle-building is “isolating” muscles with flys, curls, extensions, and the like. Who’s right?

Both camps!

Realize that this isn’t an either-or debate; the two types of movements are in fact complementary. Multi-joint exercises involve large amounts of muscle and therefore are highly efficient for packing on mass. Alternatively, single-joint exercises allow for greater targeting of individual muscles (or even portions of muscles), enhancing overall growth and symmetry. Integrating a mix of both types of movements into your routine can have a synergistic effect that improves both muscle size and symmetry.

Your fix: Structure your routine so that it is comprised of a combination of multi- and single-joint exercises. As a general rule, every workout should contain at least one or two “big lifts” and a single-joint move. Oh, and realize that for all practical purposes you can’t “isolate” muscles. The body is designed so that multiple muscles will always be active during exercise performance. Thus, you can only target a given muscle so that it is more active in a given movement.

4) You Always Follow the Straight and Narrow (Sets)

Typical resistance training routines involve performing “straight” sets where you do a set, rest, perform another set of the same exercise, rest, and then continue in this fashion throughout each exercise in your workout. There’s nothing “wrong” with the basic approach; straight sets can and perhaps even should form the foundation of your routine. But it’s also good to mix things up a bit with some specialized techniques. Supersets (performing one exercise followed immediate by another exercise without rest), drop sets (performing a set to muscular failure with a given load and then immediately reducing the load and continuing to train until subsequent failure) and heavy negatives (performing eccentric actions—the lowering of a weight—at a weight greater than concentric 1-repetition maximum) can be excellent additions to a mass-building routine. They help to induce greater metabolic stress and structural perturbations that can take your muscle growth to new heights. These strategies are particularly effective for advanced lifters who need to “shock” their body to spur greater growth.

Your fix: Selectively add specialized techniques such as supersets, drop sets, and heavy negatives into your routine. A word of caution: these techniques should be considered advanced training strategies. Their fatiguing nature increases the risk for overtraining, and it is therefore wise to limit their use to no more than a few microcycles over the course of a periodized program.

5) You Do Too Much Cardio

A goal of many lifters is to increase muscle development while simultaneously reducing body fat levels. In an attempt to accelerate fat loss, cardio is frequently ramped up while performing intense resistance training. Adding some aerobic training a muscle-building routine isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Overdoing it, however, certainly is. You see, the signaling pathways for resistance training and aerobic training are contradictory. Some researchers have coined the term “AMPK-PKB switch” whereby aerobic training promotes catabolic processes (AMPK is involved in pathways associated with protein breakdown, which for your sake can be considered “muscle wasting”) and resistance training promotes anabolic processes (PKB is involved in pathways associated with protein synthesis, or for you, “muscle gaining”). While the concept of a “switch” is a bit overly simplistic (most of the evidence points to anabolism and catabolism taking place along a continuum), there is little doubt that concurrent training has the potential to interfere with anabolism and thereby undermine your ability to build muscle. What’s more, adding extensive cardio to an already demanding resistance-training program can hasten the onset of overtraining, which brings muscle growth to crashing halt.

Your fix: If your goal is to maximize muscle, keep cardio at moderate levels. How much is too much? It ultimately depends on the individual, as some can tolerate more than others. A general guideline is to limit steady state cardio to no more than about 3 or 4 weekly bouts lasting 30 to 40 minutes. Alternatively, 2 to 3 high-intensity interval training workouts a week should be fine for most lifters. Just make sure that you stay in tune with your body and be aware of any signs of overtraining. You also should be aware that unless you’re a newbie to lifting with a fair amount of weight to lose, it becomes increasingly difficult trying to simultaneously gain lean mass while losing body fat. Once you’ve been training for a number of years, it’s best to focus on one goal or the other.

Reference: http://www.bornfitness.com/muscle-building-mistakes/

Avoid these weightlifting mistakes

Looking out for these warning signs in your weights workout will lead to impressive results.

Lack of concentration
It's easy to let your mind wander when you are resting after a hard set. But relaxing for too long will see you lose your mental focus and let your muscles go off the boil, compromising your efforts to achieve muscle exhaustion.

Get it right: 'It's very important to time your rest periods with a stopwatch,' says Tom Crudgington, director of the Body Development Strength And Performance Centre. 'Aim to rest for 60-90 seconds, depending on the type of exercise.' Single-joint moves such as biceps curls require less time for recovery, while big whole-body moves such as deadlifts take longer.

Always doing the same
Grabbing the same set of dumb-bells each workout means that your programme is standing still. Eventually you'll lose ground and become less strong because you're always inside your comfort zone.

Get it right: 'Master the movement first to avoid muscle and ligament damage - for instance, do squats with an unloaded bar to learn the exercise and increase flexibility,' says James Wild of fitness company Premier Training. 'Then work up to lifting a bigger weight with an increased range of movement.' For muscle growth, you should work your way up to lifting 70 per cent of your one-rep maximum in a set.

Wrong warm-up
Jumping on the treadmill for a ten-minute blast before you hit the weights room might sound like an easy one-stop warm-up, but at best it's an inefficient way to heat up your core and at worst it leaves key muscles unprepared for action.

Get it right: 'Spending four to five minutes on a treadmill or rower to bring up your core temperature is OK, as long as you then warm up specific muscles by lifting a light load for warm-up sets of the exercises that you're actually about to do,' says Crudgington. 'This will help you to avoid injury and achieve the full range of motion.'

Machine obsession
Machines are useful for those new to lifting or returning from injury because their control lets you exercise safely. But spending too long on them will hold you back.

Get it right: 'There's a point on the machine's pulley where it takes over from you, so that you're not working 100 per cent of the muscle 100 per cent of the time,' says Lee Archer, director of Pro Fitness gym. 'Using free weights such as dumb-bells will keep both sides of your body under constant tension to develop your joint stabilisers and bigger muscles evenly.'

Doing too much
Extra workouts or 30 minutes longer in the gym 'just to make sure' won't make you stronger, fitter or leaner. Exercise breaks you down then builds you back up, so overdoing it puts your health and your fitness at risk.

Get it right: 'You get stronger while you're resting rather than when you're working out, so you need to allow time for repair,' says Wild. 'These days, we suggest that 45 minutes per workout is optimal for resistance training and the maximum is one hour.' Leave 48 hours between heavy workouts and every four to six weeks, have a "reduced training week" in which you cut the volume of your workouts by 50 per cent.'

Overdoing the crunches
Squeezing out hundreds of abs crunches won't get you a six-pack, and is more likely to give you neck or back problems than chiselled abs. Apart from that, crunches work the abs from only one angle and they won't burn fat.

Get it right: 'The abs are mostly made up of fast-twitch muscle fibres, so they need to be trained with added weight to make them grow,' says Wild. 'Doing exercises such as deadlifts, squats and multi-directional exercises on two feet activates your abdominals and core as much as a crunch.'

Too much standing around
We know queuing is the quintessential British pastime, but joining the line for the most popular weight station in the gym does more than rob you of time. It allows your muscles to cool, as well as eroding your focus, therefore making the exercise you're about to do an injury minefield.

Get it right: 'Always have alternative exercises in mind so that you can choose a different bit of equipment to achieve the same effect,' says Wild. For instance, a gym ball makes a good replacement bench while dumb-bells can safely stand in for a barbell.

Incorrect form
Pushing your head forwards, wobbling unsteadily from side to side, and lifting your feet off the floor to finish a rep all increase your risk of tearing something or you suffering long-term posture problems.

Get it right: 'You may not have the postural strength to hold a good position in bent-over rows and other exercises, especially if you're sitting behind a desk all day,' says Wild. 'Don't try to lift too much too early. If you work on getting your form right, you'll be able to lift more in the long run and avoid injury.'

Not getting off your arse
Sitting down to do a single-joint isolation exercise sometimes helps you to maximise the weight you're lifting. But if you do it all the time you're actually missing out on a chance to train your core and lower body to stabilise your torso, which is vital for bigger whole-body moves such as the clean and press.

Get it right: 'When you stand up to do exercises such as lateral raises or biceps curls, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent,' says Archer. 'If your feet are too far apart you can't bend your knees and when the exercise gets hard you'll lean back and sway your hips, which will increase the risk of straining your lower back.'

Rushing your workout
Flying through your sets in double-quick time may make you feel like Superman, but if you're lifting for muscle growth you're not saving time - you're wasting it.

Get it right: 'Sets need to last between 40 and 70 seconds for muscle growth,' says Crudgington. 'Using a repetition tempo of lifting for one second, lowering for three seconds, pausing for one second at the bottom and doing at least eight reps will easily help you achieve this.'

Reference: http://www.mensfitness.co.uk/exercise/exercise_tips/2142/perfect_your_weights_workout_to_build_muscle.html