Are Kettlebells Or Dumbbells Superior For Gym Based Strength Gains?

By Russ Howe

It's a war which has raged on for the best part of ten years but, thanks to recent scientific research, today you will get a definite answer to the question: Kettlebells vs dumbbells - which method will give you the best results?

Before we do that, it is important to point out that using both approaches is always going to be far superior to limiting yourself to just one style. You will often hear people swearing by the use of just one protocol, all this does is limit your ability on the gym floor as each style comes with it's own plus points and negatives, therefore a combination of the two styles alongside other forms of training, such as yoga, interval training and body weight movements, would be optimal for achieving the goals set by most individuals.

However, a recent study pitted the kettlebell against free weights in a study to determine which method would return the greatest strength gains overall. The results were quite profound.

In the study, researchers ordered their first group of subjects to perform a six week course of swings, goblet squats and accelerated swings using a 35 pound weight. Improvements of squat ability, vertical leap and power clean strength were documented.

The free weights group performed a six week program of barbell squat, power clean and high pull using around 80% of their one rep max on each exercise.

At the end of the six week study, the results of the two groups were compiled and compared. The overwhelming winner was the second group - the free weight group. These individuals boasted improvements of a 15% higher squat compared to group A's 5% increase. They also noticed a 10% power clean and 4% vertical leap boost.

Their kettlebell counterparts, on the other hand, could only manage a 4% increase to their power clean and added just 1% to their vertical leap. Those results were quite surprising, given the explosive nature of kettlebell training in general.

If you want to base your training program purely on the scientific findings, then free weights clearly return the greatest strength gains.

However, the optimal method for building a better body through effective fat loss and lean muscle building should include a variety of techniques. Although this particular study from California State University, Fullerton returned results heavily in favor of resistance training, this does not mean you should eliminate every other type of exercise from your program.

While free weights have now been shown to trump other equipment in the strength category, that doesn't mean they are the only method you should use. For instance, there are a number of exercises which can be performed using a kettlebell which are simply more functional than using conventional dumbbells and barbells. The swing is a perfect example of that.

The battle between kettlebells vs dumbbells will be one that undoubtedly cuts most gyms down the middle depending upon personal choice. However, the latest scientific research clearly documents one winner.

Original Source: http://weight-loss012.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/are-kettlebells-or-dumbbells-superior.html

What You Should Know To Start Building More Muscle

by Coach Todd

There are many ways that building muscle is good for the body. Doing it can improve your overall look, strength and conditioning for the long term. It can be quite enjoyable, as well. Read on to find some excellent tips to get you building muscle in no time.

Make sure you have enough vegetables in your diet. Avoid concentrating solely on carbs and protein; do not forget your veggies. Veggies have nutrients that other foods high in carbs and proteins do not. In addition, they are excellent sources of fiber. Your body uses fiber to process protein more efficiently.

Creatine should be considered when building muscle. This supplements helps you train longer and harder when taken in combination with a diet rich in proteins and carbs. Talk to your doctor to find out if this type of supplement is an option for you.

In order to maximize your muscle-building progress and reduce the risk of injuring yourself, put together a reasonable workout schedule and stick to it. Newcomers to the world of muscle building must restrict themselves to two intense workouts weekly, whereas experienced fitness buffs can perform three such workouts every week.

Limit your workouts to no more than 60 minutes. The body begins to produce more cortisol, a stress hormone, after sixty minutes of working out. Cortisol blocks testosterone and puts to waste any of your efforts to build muscle. Making sure that workouts are less than an hour helps you to get the best results.

Make a careful and frank appraisal of your body's capabilities and limitations at the start of a muscle-building program. This is a good place to start for establishing your regimen goals. When doing this evaluation, focus on your composition and body weight.

Squats, dead lifts and bench presses are the three essential muscle building exercises. Those are movements that will allow you to achieve fitness more rapidly, and continue to build muscle. Although you can perform other exercises in your routine, these should be the ones you focus on.

This article has given you crucial advice for building muscle and improving your life. Building muscle can make your body look great and help raise your self-esteem. If you can stay on track and keep your dedication strong, you will notice changes in the way that you look, your physical functioning, and an increase in your strength.

Original Source: http://weightloss4weightloss.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/what-you-should-know-to-start-building.html

Muscle Building Techniques: A Super-Hero Inspired Body Building Routines

by Bernice Eker

Give your muscle building workout some twist and let these superhero-inspired routines take you to enjoyable sessions. Here are muscle building techniques to shun boring exercises away and welcome a hero training in sculpting the body.

You may not have the extra strong faculty to fly, hurdle, jump and leap skyscraping buildings, but you will certainly look and feel as if you can with these muscle building techniques and routines. Now, to the gym!

1. Superman Back Extension - From the name itself, you can easily discern how this type of exercise is employed. But for the benefit of those wondering how this muscle building workout is executed, you simply have to lie facedown at a back-extension position with both feet secured and anchored. The lower hips are supported with a leaning and inclined platform to keep you from falling face down. Next, grab a pair of dumbbells keeping the abs and the midsection tight for optimal outcome as you raise both arms until the body comes to a straight line position making you look like superman flying. Hold to the position for few seconds and finally, lower yourself down. This will help you achieve a well trained and defined core, works the lower back and other targeted muscles. Do 10 reps with this type of superman-enthused routine.

2. Spiderman Pull up - This type of muscle building routine is stirred by the superhero, Spiderman. All you have to do is grab a pull up bar with a handle grip. Raise your arms at a distance a bit apart from the shoulder width. Pull up with the use of your right hand with the right leg and knee bent concurrently. This workout routine gives a perfect picture of Spiderman climbing a wall - but this time one knee is lifted towards the bar. Once done and your chin reaches the top of the bar, you can repeat the same procedure with your left hand and knee in motion. This kind of body building routine helps strengthens the torso, arms and legs.

3. Thor's Hammer - This is considered as an excellent complete workout in building muscles specifically the biceps. This is done in a standing position with a barbell and your palm facing up. Start the routine by curling the weight up the shoulder and lifting the bar overhead. Next, you need to rotate your palm from a face up position to face forward as you try to push the weights as high as you can reach. It is important to note, that in a routine like this, twisting the wrists plays a major role in shaping and sculpting the forearms and the biceps all at the same time. Once done, you can switch arms and repeat the routine for a maximum of 10 reps on each side.

4. Hulk Super Leap - This position does not need any kinds of equipment. All you do is stand on a mat with the hips and knees bent in a halfway squat position and both hands arch on the side. Swing both hands overhead as you blow up upwardly. Upon the blast, immediately go back and land to your original half squat position.

These are some of the muscle building techniques one can perform in making your seemingly ordinary workout an extra-ordinary and hero-like body building training.

Original Source: http://goarticles.com/article/Muscle-Building-Techniques-A-Super-Hero-Inspired-Body-Building-Routines/1487146/

Basics of Body Building

Bodybuilding is a sport of building muscle. Bigger and stronger is the name of the game. One of the great things about bodybuilding is that you can achieve great results with only very basic equipment and a few hours of training three to four times per week.

The key to building bigger and stronger muscles is to keep progressively adding more and more weight over time. Building bigger muscles is about consistent regular training, eating properly, getting plenty of rest, and lots of weight at low repetitions.

As a starting any new exercise program, is important a first check with your physician before starting a bodybuilding program. In the beginning is important that you start slow and learn proper technique. Time and time again professional body builders have said that technique is one of most important aspects of getting a good workout. It might be helpful to schedule a session with a professional trainer in the beginning so you start on the right track. If this is not an option for you there are various instructional books on the subject of bodybuilding. Above all take the time to learn proper technique.

Lifting heavy weight damages muscle fibres. It is only when the muscles repair themselves that they grow larger and stronger. For this reason it is very important that each muscle group is given plenty of rest following each workout. This is why most body builders alternate muscle groups. For example, you might work on your back on Monday, your legs on Tuesday, your chest on Wednesday, and your arms on Friday. Most successful body builders will recommend that you not work a particular muscle group more than twice per week.

The question may come up of whether it is best to use weight machines or free weights. The general consensus is that free weights are your best option for increasing muscle mass. Machines are typically used for isolating muscles and this is something that only professional body builders need to do before contest.

The following are some basic exercises for the major muscle groups.

Chest

1. Flat Bench Press

2. Dips

3. Incline Bench Press

Legs

1. Squats

2. Straight Leg Dead Lifts

3. Leg Press

Back

1. Pull ups

2. Barbell Rows

3. Deadlifts

Biceps

1. Curls

2. Incline curls

Triceps

1. Lying Tricep Extensions

2. Close Grip Bench Press

Shoulders

1. Military Press.

Remember to increase muscle size you will need to progressively increase poundage. Be patient. Overworking your muscles can actually have adverse effects. If you maintain a consistent regular workout routine coupled with proper nutrition and rest you will begin to see results in no time. Keep in mind it is common to see more obvious results initially and in overtime your gains will seem less apparent. This is because your body becomes used to your work out routine and in a sense knows what to expect. It is helpful to keep your body guessing by changing your workout routine on a regular basis.

Original Source: http://goarticles.com/article/Basics-Of-Bodybuilding/7633397/

The Definitive Guide to Weight Lifting

What is Weight Lifting? Lifting barbells or dumbbells with the goal of increasing your strength and/or muscle size. Weight lifting can take several forms:

• Weightlifting Sport. The sport of Weightlifting is part of the Olympic Games. It consists of 2 lifts: the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk. The goal is to lift more weight than competitors in the same weight class.
• Strength Training. Lifting weights to increase your physical strength. More muscle & a lower body fat are byproducts of strength training.
• Bodybuilding. Weight lifting with the goal of increasing your muscle mass. Strength increases too, but isn't the primary goal.

Benefits of Weight Lifting. Lifting weights has several advantages over machines & body-weight exercises.

• Accessible. Pull-ups & Dips force you to lift your own body-weight. Weight lifting is easier: start with an empty bar, increase the weight by 2.5kg/5lbs each workout. You'll get stronger as the weight increases.
• Versatile. You can do plenty of exercises with only one barbell. No need for expensive machines.
• Builds Strength. You get stronger as the weight on the bar increases. Weight lifting also teaches you to balance the weight.
• Builds Muscle. The stronger you become, the more muscles you’ll have. Your muscle mass increases as the weight on the bar gets heavier.
• Burns Fat. Muscle burn calories. The more muscles you build, the more calories you’ll burn. Your body fat will decrease.
• Increases Health. Increased testosterone levels, increased flexibility, increased cardiovascular fitness, stronger joints, etc.
• Safe. Weight lifting is the safest sports. Machines are not safe: they force you into a fixed, unnatural movement pattern. Couple that with heavy weights & you risk injuries.

Weight Lifting Safety. Weight Lifting is the safest sport. Unlike soccer, rugby or football, no one will get you injured. You'll injure yourself. Statistics from Sports Injury Rates (Hamill 1994)

Injuries in weight lifting happen for 3 reasons:

• Bad Technique. Learn how to do the exercises correctly before adding weight. Start with an empty barbell & add weight gradually.
• Pre-existent Problems. Lack of flexibility & bad posture can prevent proper technique. Past injuries can rise up if not treaten correctly.
• Ego. Correct technique is hard to maintain with heavier weights. Learn correct exercise technique first, then add weight.

Weight Lifting. Image credit: Dehwang

Weight Lifting Exercises. Barbells are versatile: plenty of exercises you can do with 1 barbell. Most exercises can be done with dumbbells too. Here's a non definite list of weight lifting exercises:

• Squat. Should be part of any routine. Squats work your legs, but also the rest of your body. They are key to building strength & muscle.
• Front Squats. Variation of the Squat. Front Squats start with the bar on the front shoulders instead of on the back.
• Bench Press. The most popular exercise in the gym. The Bench Pressworks your chest & triceps muscles.
• Overhead Press. Push weight overhead while standing. The Overhead Press works your shoulders, triceps, back & abs.
• Deadlift. Besides working the legs, the Deadlift builds a strong back by teaching you to keep your spine rigid against a load.
• Barbell Row. Pulling weight from the floor against your lower chest. The Barbell Row works your back & biceps.
• Pendlay Row. Variation of the Barbell Row. Pendlay Row involve arching of the upper-back on the way up.
• Power Clean. Olympic Lift. The Power Clean is done by cleaning the barbell from the floor & putting it on your front shoulders.
• Jerk. Olympic Lift. The Jerk is done by lifting the weight from the front shoulders overhead while dipping under the weight.

Weight Lifting Equipment. Gyms like Fitness First don’t have the equipment you need for weight lifting. Build a home gym if you don't have access to:

• Barbells. Olympic barbells are 2m20 long, weigh 20kg, have knurling & 50mm sleeves. Barbells of 15kg exist for women with smaller hands.
• Dumbbells. Dumbbells with steel handles & knurling work best. Stay away from dumbbells with plastic handles.
• Plates. Plates have 50mm holes to fit the bar. Metric plates are 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 & even 45kg. Smaller plates of 0.5kg exist.
• Squat Rack. Power Cage or Squat Rack or Squat Stands. Facilitate getting the barbell into proper position for the Squat & Front Squat.
• Bench. Necessary for the Bench Press. Standard upright support bench or one you can use in the Power Cage.

Weight Lifting Apparel. You don't need fancy stuff for weight lifting. Only a good pair of shoes, cotton t-shirt, stretchy pants & a notebook.

• No Gloves. Let grow calluses. Once you have calluses your hands won't hurt anymore. If grip is a problem use chalk.
• No Belts. Only useful for maximal attempts with heavy weights. Belts add abdominal support but are unnecessary for sub-maximal weights.
• Shoes. Running shoes with air/gel filling impair stability & cause power loss. Wear shoes with an incompressible sole, like Chuck Taylor's.
• Clothes. Cotton t-shirts & stretchy pants like gray sweats work best. Clothes can not restrict movement & mess with your technique.
• Training Journal. Necessary to track progress. Get a A4 notebook & start a training journal. Take it with you to the gym.

Getting Started into Weight Lifting. StrongLifts 5x5 is a strength training program that uses barbell exercises. It will help you build strength & muscle while decreasing your body fat.

 

Reference: http://stronglifts.com/weight-lifting-101-the-definitive-guide-to-weight-lifting/

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/

10 Tips to Build Muscle Fast

Some people spend years trying to put on muscle or get more toned, but just can’t seem to make it happen. Others see themselves in the mirror wearing a swimsuit, and realize that they want to get more toned or fill out some muscle, but just don’t know where to start. Whether you want to bulk up, get more curvaceous calves, enhance your chest, or achieve any other muscle building goal, you’re about to get 10 tips to build muscle fast.

Muscle Building Tip #1: Lift

In “How To Build Muscle,” you learn that the only way to significantly increase muscle is to cause muscle fibers to tear, and the only way to do that is to subject your muscles to external forces to which they’re not accustomed. So unless you have a heavy manual labor job like moving or construction, you must get your hands on barbells, dumbbells, and weight lifting machines to see significant muscle building progress.

Muscle Building Tip #2: Go Multi-Joint

Unless you’re already very muscular, single joint movements like biceps curls or triceps extensions do not build muscle quickly. Instead, you should use multi-joint exercises like cleans, deadlifts, squats, and bench pressing. Not only do these exercises work more muscles in less time, but they also allow you to use much heavier weight than you can lift with single-joint exercises.

Muscle Building Tip #3: Go Heavy

Most people who are trying to build muscle do not use an adequately heavy weight. You should be lifting in the range of 8-12 repetitions per set, performing 3-8 sets per exercise, and using a weight that leads to muscle failure by the end of each set. One of the reasons that bodybuilders exercise with a partner is so that someone is there to help them when the weight gets too heavy to lift with good form. If you don’t have a workout partner, you can simply stop when you get too tired to lift with good form, rest a few seconds, then keep lifting to complete the set. This is a better way to build muscle than using a weight that allows you to comfortably complete a set without reaching muscle failure.

Muscle Building Tip #4: Avoid Cardio

Your body requires calories to build muscle, and if you are doing a significant amount of cardio exercise like running or bicycling, you are burning calories that your body could otherwise be using to build muscle. So if you want to build muscle as quickly as possible, only use cardio for a brief 2-5 minute warm-up, and then focus on weight training only.

Muscle Building Tip #5: Eat

To put on one pound of muscle, you need to consume at least 3,500 extra calories. Since an achievable rate of muscle gain is 1-2 pounds per week, you will need to be eating 500-1,000 extra calories per day to get 3,500-7,000 extra calories each week. But rather than indiscriminately shoving food down the hatch, try to consume calories from healthy protein sources like grass-fed beef, healthy fat sources like avocadoes and coconut milk, and healthy carbohydrate sources like sweet potatoes and yams.

Muscle Building Tip #6: Supplement

In “Do Muscle Building Supplements Work?” I review several popular muscle building supplements. The top two most effective supplements you should be consuming to gain muscle quickly are 1) a high quality protein powder and 2) a creatine supplement. Other popular muscle-building supplements, such as nitric oxide or beta-alanine, will achieve small results, but will not be as effective as the highly proven protein and creatine supplements.

Muscle Building Tip #7: Rest

If you work a muscle too hard, too many days in a row, the muscle fibers will become too damaged to properly repair and grow. To build muscle quickly, you must completely fatigue a muscle group, but then give it time to rest. Typically, a muscle needs at least 72 hours to properly repair from a muscle-building, weight training session. A good rule to follow is to allow for complete absence of soreness in a muscle before working that muscle again. For example, do a shoulders and chest workout on Monday and Thursday, a leg workout on Tuesday and Friday, and a back, arms and abs workout on Wednesday and Saturday.

Muscle Building Tip #8: Recover

While you are resting, be sure to give your body what it needs to properly recover and put the muscles into a state of optimal growth. Activities that can enhance recovery include ice baths or cold showers, compression clothing, massage therapy or foam rolling, stretching, breathing exercises, and adequate sleep.

Muscle Building Tip #9: De-Stress

High levels of stress can quickly drain testosterone, an anabolic, muscle-building hormone, and increase levels of cortisol, a catabolic, muscle-damaging hormone. If you find yourself at work or school with a constantly high heart rate, moody personality, shallow breaths or high body temperature, it’s likely that you’re too stressed for optimal muscle growth. Teach yourself to relax, breathe deeply and plan out your day to give yourself more time and less stress.

Muscle Building Tip #10: Address Hormones

If you are above the age of 30, hormonal deficiencies can slow your rate of muscle gain. If you feel your muscle gain is too slow, or have any of these symptoms, consider going to a doctor to test your hormone levels and address any imbalances or deficiencies.

 

Reference: http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com/10-tips-to-build-muscle-fast.aspx

How To Build Muscle: The Definitive Guide to Building Muscle

Go to any gym and you’ll find most guys doing body-part split routines. They’ll train five to six times a week… one muscle a day… going to failure on every set in order to get pumped… and using at least ten isolation exercises per workout to hit each muscle from every angle. I’m sure this sounds familiar to you.

Many guys think they’ll build muscle with these body-part split routines because that’s what they read in some muscle magazine. Or because that’s how they saw some ripped dude in their gym train, and so they hope to get the same results if they train the exact same way – monkey see, monkey do.

In reality, most guys will never build muscle with body-part split routines. Worse, they’ll look EXACTLY the same five years later. The few who do gain muscle with split routines almost always belong to one of these groups:

• Genetic Freaks – Some guys will build muscle DESPITE doing body-part split routines, NOT because of them. They’re genetically blessed. I’ve seen guys who were ripped and muscular before they even touched a weight. Not to sound rascist, but this is quite common with black people. Yet unless you were also born lucky with superman genetics, forget about building muscle with body-part split routines.
• Steroid Users – Drugs are extremely common among lifters, yet few guys are honest about it. Before I got my home gym, I trained five years in a commercial gym and more than half the guys there were on drugs. That’s why they managed to build muscle REGARDLESS of doing bullshit split routines – it’s because they relied on the muscle building hormones they injected in their body to gain muscle NOT on their training. Drug-free lifters like us won’t get away with that, we play by different rules.
• Advanced Lifters – Most top bodybuilders belong in this group. They used split routines to chisel their physique… AFTER first spending yearsbuilding muscle mass by getting strong. Unfortunately most guys put the cart before the horse… and that’s like a sculptor trying to carve out a masterpiece from a tiny piece of clay – you just don’t have enough mass to work with. Similarly, split routines won’t work unless you’ve spent years building muscle mass. And that requires getting strong first..

Here’s what this all means: if you’re a drug-free lifter with average, or worse, lousy genetics like me, then building muscle boils down to this…

If You Are Not Lifting More Weight Today
Than You Did One Year Ago, Or Even One Month
Ago… Then You Are NOT Building Muscle!

And I don’t care how pumped or sore you get. You can dumbbell bench on a bosu ball with 30lb in each hand until you’re blue in the face… but the guy who benches 250lb will always have a bigger chest than you. And that’s because he’s lifting heavier weights. More strength is more muscle.

Think about it, why are the best-built guys that ever existed strong as hell?This isn’t a coincidence. They know that more strength is more muscle. They know that the stronger you get, the more muscular you’ll be.

As an example, consider Arnold Schwarzenegger, the 7x Mr Olympia winner. Few guys know this but Arnold did strength-based workouts for years. Heck, he even competed in powerlifting BEFORE becoming a bodybuilder. And in his latest auto-biography “Total Recall“ the Governator reveals why:

“The truth is that not all bodybuilders are strong, especially those who have done most of their training with weight machines. Butyears of power lifting and working with free weights had given me massive biceps and shoulders and back muscles and thighs. I simply looked bigger and stronger than the rest”
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall

Arnold Deadlifting 700lb – He’s proof that more strength is more muscle

The above picture shows Arnold Deadlifting 616lb and 710lb in powerlifting competitions… several years before winning his first Mr Olympia title. His other best lifts include a 473lb Squat and 440lb Bench Press. Strong, period. And he’s not the only guy who knew that more strength is more muscle. Here are more examples of champion bodybuilders who were frigging strong…

• Franco Columbo – Arnold’s trainingpartner was even stronger. Franco was a champion powerlifter from Italy who could Deadlift 755lb, Bench Press 525lb and Squat 655lb. He was so strong he could even pop a hot water bottle by inflating it orally. Arnold eventually convinced Franco to compete in bodybuilding, and he won the Mr Olympia twice. He too built muscle by getting strong first because more strength is more muscle.
• Reg Park – Arnold got the idea to build muscle mass by getting strong, and then later chiseling it down with split routines, from his mentor. Reg Park could Deadlift 700lb, Bench 500lb, Squat 600lb and created the5×5 workout. Park won the Mr Universe 3x and, unlike Arnold, he did this BEFORE steroids existed. This proves that building muscle by getting stronger also works for natural drug-free lifters like us.
• Dr Layne Norton Phd – this pro-bodybuilder and lifetime natural drug-free lifter also happens to be an elite powerlifter… with a 617lb Squat, 386lb Bench and 700lb Deadlift. I interviewed Layne for my StrongLifts Inner Circle once, and he revealed that nothing ever worked to get rid of his chicken legs until he increased his Squat to 500lb. That took his thighs from 21″ to 28″. More proof that more strength is more muscle.
• And many, many more… including Ronnie Coleman, 8x Mr Olympia, who could Deadlift 800lb and once said “Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder but nobody wants to lift heavy weights.” Or Sergio Oliva, the olympic lifter who could lift 300lb overhead and won the Mr Olympia 3x. Or Stan Efferding, the strongest pro-bodybuilder, owner of the world record in the Squat (854lb). The list of strong bodybuilders goes on and on.

Look, these bodybuilding champions wouldn’t have spent years increasing their strength unless they were convinced this was critical for building muscle. Why do you think they all continued to lift heavy weights even after they switched to split routines? It’s because they know that more strength is more muscle.

And You Don’t NEED To Be A
Frigging Bodybuilder!

That’s right. Most guys find this method of building muscle by getting stronger not only revolutionary, but also liberating. Because few of us are interested in getting oiled up on stage wearing thongs. Few of us desire to be bodybuilders. Very few of us want to be part of this emasculated narcissistic circus.

Instead, most guys are perfectly happy with building an athletic physique that not only looks strong but actually IS. Especially once you realize that you can achieve this by simply training three times a week for about an hour… without taking drugs or supplements, and without being anal about your diet.

Most guys simply don’t know that there is an alternative to bodybuilding. They don’t know you can build muscle without doing time-consuming, ineffective and boring body-part split routines. Yet you can. It’s called strength training.

Here’s how it works: each workout you try to lift more weight. Then, as you get stronger, as the weight on the bar increases, your body builds more muscle. It’s simple, easy, fun, most of all, it’s the fastest way to gain muscle without drugs.

More good news: you don’t need to Deadlift 700lb like Arnold did either. Heck I can’t do that. And yet, although I wasn’t born to be big and strong (and lack any athletic background) I still gained 43lb of muscle without using drugs. How? Simple: train for strength instead of pump. And if I can do it, if my thousands ofStronglifts Inner Circle Members can do it, so can you.

How To Build Muscle Fast:
The 9 Most Powerful Muscle Building Tips For
Drug-Free Lifters with Average Genetics

Let’s cut the bullshit. I have the worst genetics ever to gain muscle. In fact a lot of guys consider me a hardgainer because my thumb overlaps my middle finger when I grab my wrist. They call that skinny-ectomorph genetics…

Yet I still managed to gain 43lb of muscle drug-free. And after helping tens of thousands of guys from all over the planet gain as much muscle (or more…) here are the 9 most powerful tips to build muscle fast that I’ve found…

1. To Build Muscle, Get Stronger
In Ancient Greece, the wrestler Milo trained for the Olympics by carrying a new-born calf on his back every day. As the calf grew bigger and heavier, he had to carry more weight. This forced Milo’s body to get stronger and build muscle, and that’s how he became the strongest guy of his time, winning the Olympics 6x.

Milo carryied a new-born calf on his back daily. The heavier the calf got, the more strength and muscle Milo gained.

I’m sure this story is more legend than fact, but the moral is that to gain muscle you must get stronger by adding weight. This is the simplest, most powerful way to build muscle… and it means you can forget about all those painful and complicated methods from muscle magazines. I’m talking about…

• Stop “Confusing” Your Muscles. You don’t need to change exercises every week to build muscle. Heck, that’s the worst way to know if you’re making progress because strength varies on each lift. Plus you’ll never master proper form. If you want to confuse your muscles, simply lift five pounds more than you did last workout. Now they’re confused.
• Stop “Tearing” Your Muscles. You don’t need to hit failure on each set for your muscles to grow. That crap will only inflame and overtrain your muscles. That’s why the only thing failure training achieves is getting you sore and injured instead of strong and muscular. Plus it’s so painful it will drain you mentally. You’ll lose motivation and quit.
• Stop “Pumping” Your Muscles. You need to build muscles BEFORE you can get them pumped. Even then, pumping your muscles merely bloats them with water, as soon as you’re out of the gym the pump is gone. All pump training does is build fake, puffy bogus muscles without any real strength. It’s bullshit stacked high and stinking strong.

Some guys claim it’s possible to get strong without gaining a single pound of muscle. That strength is all neurological. They know someone who Squats 500lb but has chicken legs… Well I’m sure there’s a freak like that somewhere, but I’ve never met one. Why? Because these are urban legends! The stronger guy will always be more muscular because more strength is more muscle.

If you only take one thing away from this article, make it this – more strength is more muscle. Like Milo, you must try to increase the weight each workout. Don’t worry about pump. Simply add weight on the bar. As you get stronger, as you’re lifting more weight, you’ll automatically build muscle. It’s that simple.

2. To Build Muscle, Do Compound ExercisesI spent four years doing five variations of curls each Sunday for 45mins until my arms were sore. So when I found Reg Park’s 5×5 workout, which had no curls, I thought I’d lose muscle. It’s only when I tried 5×5 one year later and saw my arms grow bigger without doing isolation exercises that I finally understood.

You don’t need to train a muscle directly for it to grow. When you do a heavy compound exercise like a Bench Press, your arms are holding the bar. It’s not just your chest working, your triceps have to push the weight as well… and a much heavier weight than on isolation exercises like triceps kickbacks.

That’s why you’ll never meet a guy who can Deadlift 500lb but has skinny arms.Trees with strong, large trunks have big branches. Compound exercises work the muscles close to your trunk but ALSO your limbs. And that’s how thousands of StrongLifts Members built bigger arms without doing a single curl.

Bottom line: if you want to build muscle, stop doing isolation exercises and start doing heavy compound exercises. This means:

• If you want bigger biceps, stop doing curls. Do Barbell Rows
• If you want bigger chest, stop doing dumbbell flies. Bench Press
• If you want bigger shoulders, stop doing front fraises. Overhead Press
• if you want bigger back, stop doing lat pulldowns. Deadlift
• If you want bigger legs, stop doing leg extensions. Squat

With compound exercises you’ll also achieve a much more balanced physiquebecause you’re not favoring body-parts. And since they work several muscles at the same time, you’ll burn more calories and get a full body workout with three exercises. You’ll build more muscle and burn more fat while saving time.

Reference: http://stronglifts.com/how-to-build-muscle-mass-guide/