Having a Hard Time Building Muscle & Losing Weight - Metabolic Damage And Enzyme Deficiency

In a recent discussion with an elite field of training experts many of the well-known authors, trainers and scientists had noticed a growing trend in the general population about the inability to lose body fat. Most of the experts first witnessed an increase in the number of guys and girls in high performance sport particularly bodybuilding that was not responding to traditional dieting and training protocols.

It seems no matter what these individuals did their bodies refused to drop the extra body fat. I had noticed a similar trend in some of clients who had been exposed to high levels of toxic substances, females who had given birth, and in individuals who consumed high levels of processed food.

To date it does seem that in large part the medical profession is blind to the seriousness and scope of Metabolic Damage, its causes and effects, there are always those few individuals who are able by experience, specialized knowledge, and integrated application of sound nutritional and training practices who can provide solutions.

I too came about the same observations of metabolic damage although from a slightly different route. I would also like to add that this topic is a vast and sometimes technical topic, and by no means can I illustrate everything you need to know about enzymes, metabolic damage, weakness, or deficiency.

For a detailed account of how enzymes work, why we need them, and why it's so hard to obtain them in modern society I strongly advise reading Dr. Howell's book: "Enzyme Nutrition".

Dr. Howell was the leading pioneer in enzymes for almost 70 years before his death around the age of 100. His work lives on through the researchers that work for the company he founded. I will talk more about that in a future post. History often leaves clues I will first explain how I came about the discovery of enzyme therapy.

A Growing Trend

I have been in around the health and fitness community for about 20 years, but in the last few years I have noticed distinct trends in clients who were coming to see me. The first group I observed was high performance athletes who recently completed a major competition or long season of training.

These athletes for the most part had been training for most of their lives and then suddenly experienced a significant drop in performance, motivation, and experienced more injuries, body fat increases, and reduced speed, and endurance.

The second group I have encountered were women who had recently given birth. These women, many who were tremendous athletes prior to becoming pregnant suddenly began showing extreme fatigue, large gains in body fat, coupled with digestive disorders after giving birth.

The third group were individuals both men and women who had followed extreme "nutrient" and calorie deficient diets, particularly followers of the Dr. Bernstein diets, as well as people who had come off the Atkins diet, individuals with a history of eating disorders, and individuals who had experience challenges with brain chemistry.

All of these individuals had gained tremendous amounts of weight in short periods of time and had become to resistant to proven regimens of weight loss. Now most of these clients were not high performance athletes yet they all showed similar symptoms; constipation, low energy, depressed immune function, emotional discord, sluggish metabolisms and digestive disorders.

Many of these individuals had been following exercise and diet programs for years but suddenly there bodies just stopped responding.

The most startling group in my range of investigations was a group of extremely fit women, who after pregnancy experienced a host of metabolic disorders resulting in numerous complications.

Having experienced the rigors of extensive contest dieting myself, and the accompanying symptoms, I have continually sought out ways or solutions to improve my own performance.

Since my own experiences, although not as severe, were similar to what my clients were experiencing I sought to find a way to overcome these challenges and provide a solution to the conditions leading to "metabolic damage".

The Mystery Cause of Fatigue And The Low Calorie Diet

I have never bought into the belief that just because someone is on a low calorie diet they should feel fatigued, tired, listless and all the side effects reported by individuals currently undergoing such regimens. Like many others in my field, I felt there was some other factor involved that was not being accounted for, but this factor remained a mystery to me for over 10 years.

I retired from competing to devote more time to pursue this avenue as it had become so widespread in the individuals that were coming to see me from all different age groups, sexes, and backgrounds. I started investigating digestive functioning, metabolism, as well as patterns of food production throughout history.

After pouring over research, speaking with experts in the nutrition field, and the reviewing the latest medical journals on diet: nutrition, and metabolism, I was lead to one key individual. His name was Dr. Michael O'Brien.

Medical Genius Rebuilds Dying Nutrition Expert In 8 Weeks

Now Dr. O'Brien is more than a remarkable individual. Accolades, testimonials, or descriptions, would not begin to quantify or qualify the man or the wisdom he possesses. First off he was the former director of two medical clinics in California, he is also a master nutrition formulator for over 50 years.

What's more remarkable is that he successfully treated himself of cirrhosis of the liver, as well as "terminal" colon cancer using enzymes, probiotics, and a patented amino acid formulation he designed.

Dr. O'Brien also was the man behind literally thousands of recoveries from terminal diseases including: cancer, heart disease, lupus, AIDS and virtually every other terminal illness in existence. He was also the doctor who was responsible for orchestrating the complete and astounding recovery of legendary health expert Dr. Bernhard Jensen (See Chapter 13 "Come Alive" by Bernhard Jensen).

I had the good fortune of attending two professional lectures held by Dr. O'Brien. It's hard to describe the sheer impact that seeing Dr. O'Brien in person has on someone. First off although he is close to 90 years old he has almost no wrinkles in his skin. His countenance radiates light, his eyes sparkle, his actions are quick and fluid and his mind is extremely sharp.

In fact I have never been in the presence of ANYONE who radiated so much life, wisdom and compassion. In other words he practices what he preaches, which in today's world of false "gurus" is a rare occurrence.

Dr. O'Brien illustrates that his lifetime work, like aforementioned Dr. Howell, has concluded that all diseases are actually "Symptoms of Deficiency". In the course of his lectures, he provides a wealth of support to back up his claim. He also has proven that when an individual treats the deficiency the "symptoms" stop and the "disease" is cured. It is also Dr. O'Brien's belief that there are "No Incurable diseases, just incurable people."

Now I know you might be asking, "What does this have to do with Metabolic Damage?"

Metabolic Damage, Obesity, And Enzyme Deficiency

In fact I asked Dr. O'Brien this very question myself. He quickly stated and presented a wealth of information both research and anecdotal that the primary cause of deficiency is a lack of Enzymes present in our food supply. While this is not the only factor it is most definitely the prime factor and perhaps the easiest to correct.

Dr. O'Brien stated that he had first come to this discovery after reading a book by Dr. Howell on Enzymes when he himself was on his deathbed. He then applied a series of aggressive enzyme treatments to himself over the period of 16 months and cured himself of terminal liver disease. Dr. Howell explains the reasons and causes of Enzyme deficiency in his book Enzyme Nutrition but I will try to summarize.

Enzyme deficiency over time puts tremendous strain in the human digestive system as the body must use "Metabolic Enzymes" to digest Enzyme Deficient food. This drain on metabolic and systemic enzymes over time, leads to most of the symptoms of disease as well as the primary cause of the effects of what we call "Aging".

How Food Supple Became Enzyme Deficient

Since World War II there has been an extensive use of chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers used in the growing of our food supply, coupled by a leaching out of minerals in the soil. In all of these cases, the plants grown give up their enzymes in order to accommodate the compromised growing conditions. The result is that the enzyme content of our food is extremely diminished from that of food production a hundred years ago (For example: In 1900 wheat was 90 percent protein, today its just 9 percent, similar reports are available in nutrient depletion in the Medicine Today Journal, April, 2002).

The use of pharmaceuticals on livestock also contributes to enzyme damage in the animals human consume. Other factors that contribute to enzyme destruction include food cooked at temperatures above 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat destroys any enzymes present in the food you consume.

Irradiation of vegetables and fruits, modern food processing, depleted soil, and the widespread use of chemicals, drugs, and preservatives all contribute to an absence of food enzymes in our diets. These combined factors contribute to considerably higher demands on the metabolic systems of humans. In other words there is a host of factors that are contributing to the problem not "a singular cause" as most of us are conditioned to believe.

Your Body Produces Enzymes... But Is It Enough?

Now every doctor will tell you that the body produces its own enzymes in sufficient amounts to digest your food. What the doctor will not tell you, as he most likely is not aware, is the fact that no species on earth was designed to exist on enzyme deficient diets.

Dr. Howell's research demonstrates clearly that in every single species he tested that was fed an enzyme deficient diet, developed metabolic disorders such as extreme weight gain, Type II diabetes and a host of other conditions including pre-mature death (see studies in Dr. Howell's Food Enzymes and Longevity).

Numerous other researchers in the field duplicated these studies and are cited in Howell's books. What's worse is that these enzyme deficiencies were passed on to subsequent generations.

In all cases, species fed enzyme deficient diets for a period of three generations developed extensive genetic disorders, such as inability to reproduce, extensive and unusual behavioral disorders, development and acceleration of various diseases, as well as severe metabolic dysfunction (see the classical study done by F.M. Pottenger's over 10 years on 900 cats).

Again I am summarizing a considerable amount of information and I strongly advise reading Howell's books to get the Full Picture.

Enzyme Deficiency And The Diabetes Connection

Research has also shown that the Pancreas of humans has shown to be three times the "normal" size in bodyweight comparisons between species. Interestingly this exact pathology was demonstrated in Dr. Howell's experiments on animals fed enzyme deficient diets.

In all cases, Type II diabetes, excessive weight gain, as well as other metabolic and genetic disorders became prominent in the "Enzyme deficient" populations compared to the control group, even when the animals were fed exactly the same amount of calories. What's interesting is the result coincides with observations I, and my colleagues have made in relation to our clients.

It became apparent to me that the Enzyme deficiency in the food supply had become so common and widespread for so long it isn't even considered a factor by the medical community. Keep in mind that FDA testing and grading of food does not include testing for the presence of enzymes. So there is no pressure for farmers to produce high nutrient content food.

The classification of food is primarily determined by the "look" of the food, and the weight of food. Another factor contributing to the Enzyme oversight is the fact most doctors have only a few credit hours of basic nutrition and are not really qualified to make nutritional assessments of their patients. The medical field is primarily concerned with the treatment of disease not disease prevention. "Big Difference" so pointing fingers does little good.

Don't Blame The Doctors!

Doctors have a tough enough job as it is and discovering the cause of Metabolic Damage in general is not high on their priority list considering the current challenges facing most medical practitioners today.

While there seems to be a correlation in food enzyme deficiency and metabolic damage or the conditions leading to the onset of disease, I needed more information to support the case. This is where Dr. O'Brien's experience and expertise completely obliterated any rational objections one might have against the Food Enzyme Concept as presented by Dr. Howell.

Dr. O'Brien developed a regimen, which included enzyme therapy to control, reverse and eliminate virtually every major disease known to mankind. The regimen was relatively static and only varied in the dosage the individual could take based on the current state of his patient, the economics of the individual, and the speed at which the person desired their conditions to cease.

Deeper Down The Enzyme Rabbit Hole

I personally subjected myself, and a group of 12 individuals of different ages, backgrounds, sexes and conditions to Dr. O'Brien's regimen. All 12 of the subjects experienced radical improvements in metabolism, body fat reduction, improved muscle building, recovery, digestive, and eliminative functioning. We all experienced positive changes in dietary selection, emotional well being as well as improved cognitive function.

O'Brien states that in most cases 4-6 months of aggressive enzyme therapy was enough to eliminate the "symptoms of deficiency" and "cure" almost any symptoms of metabolic dysfunction. In some patients he stated 1 year to 18 months was required to completely eradicate serious states of metabolic dysfunction, such as those conditions present in advanced conditions of AIDS, Lupus etc.

Now Dr. O'Brien's interest was primarily in the treatment and prevention of disease as well as the field of longevity but I knew that his discoveries could be applied to the area of athletic performance including more mainstream goals such as weight loss.

I speculated that if athletes and ordinary people began supplementing their diets with digestive enzymes it would improve performance by reducing the drain of metabolic enzymes to digest food thereby correcting "metabolic damage" in the population at large.

Treatment dosages were the primary limiting factor in how fast one recovered from any condition or how fast their performance improved in a given athletic endeavor. Unlike traditional therapy with drugs, enzyme dosages were not limited as side effects such as the breaking of the GI barrier did not occur in patients on dosages as high as 1000 capsules a day (this is Extreme to say the least).

Finding The Right Formula

Since Dr. O'Brien's company was not able to provide me with his Enzyme formulation as he could not provide enough enzymes to meet his current demand I immediately set about formulating an Enzyme Product geared particularly for athletes. In other words, people who followed dietary and training practices such as bodybuilders, fitness competitors, and every one else involved in "cosmetic training".

What I learned will come as no surprise to anyone else on the inside of the supplement industry is that most products sold commercially on the market were of little to no value. The extreme costs of developing and stabilizing enzymes that would work in the broad PH range experienced throughout the gastro-intestinal tract is considerable.

The sheer economics of the situation had reduced most supplement companies to produce cheap enzymes that do not work in order to make viable profit margins. These enzymes are often animal based, or come enterically coated, and can be bought for a fraction of the cost of effective enzymes. This is one reason why enzyme therapy has traditionally been reserved for pharmaceutical companies or for individuals with extensive resources to afford private treatment.

Undaunted by the costs of development I engaged the expert formulators at Dr. Howell's company to produce an enzyme product designed for the dietary and training demands of myself, my personal clients, and athletes in general.

After several months we came up with a new product that included a proprietary blend of Enzymes, precursors and stabilizers specifically designed and formulated for athletes interested in increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat.

Tried, Tested And True

We then spent 6 months testing it out on a small group of bodybuilders' age ranges of 15 to 72. The results have been encouraging to say the least.

Recently, I met with other industry professionals and discussed my findings and positive experiences with Enzyme Therapy as well as the potential solution to individuals suffering from metabolic damage. To say the least many of my peers are overjoyed and excited about what could be the greatest nutritional breakthrough of the last century.

I will also be making a small amount of my product available to individuals on my website who wish to undergo a regimen of Enzyme Therapy. This protocol is rather intense and expensive but its results are quite impressive. Our team is confident that the protocol we have developed can improve and alleviate the symptoms of "metabolic damage" and/or to improve individual athletic performance and health.

I look forward to sharing my experiences and information with you as well as answering your questions on this fascinating and exciting field.


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

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The Best Way to Gain Muscle Now

The Beginning

When beginning a workout routine we often all have the same question: "Do I workout to gain muscle or to lose fat?" Although both goals require some form of working out, gaining muscle generally takes work in the gym. The best way to gain muscle basically involves exercises that involve a low number of repetitions with a heavier weight which will build more muscle than a higher number of reps with lighter weight.

Getting Started Tips

For those who are serious about gaining muscle mass, here is a short list of tips to remember while working out.

Limit Cardio Workouts

Exercising is important obviously but you want to limit your cardio workouts. At most, you want to do no more than two sessions per week at 30 minutes per session. For beginners you may want to lay off cardio entirely for at least 8-12 weeks. During that time you will want to work on your training and diet routine to pack on some muscles.

Your goal during this time is to gain 15 to 20 pounds of muscle. After that, you can start your cardio program as mentioned above. The bottom line is that everyone should be doing some kind of cardio while gaining muscle but beginners should wait until they have their muscle-building program established.

Stretching

Any type of stretching is very important along with getting occasional massages. Stretching the muscles will keep you flexible and help to prevent injury and is also effective in helping improve recovery between workouts.

You should never stretch cold muscles. Before stretching you will want to do some low intense activity for five to ten minutes. This will warm up your muscles before you stretch them.

You should also stretch with no pain. While stretching you can get to the point where you feel a slight pull but don't go any further to induce pain. To get the full benefit of stretching, hold the stretch for up to sixty seconds.

Other important aspects of stretching include remembering to exhale as you stretch and inhale while you are holding a stretch. And always stretch the targeted muscle groups. Finally, remember to stretch after your workout as well.

Eat More Regularly

Eating is very important for your overall goal to find the best way to gain muscle. Depending on how much you eat, you will either lose weight, gain weight or maintain your current weight. To gain weight, you need to eat more than you burn so your body can use that excess energy to build muscle.

When beginning a muscle gaining program, you will want to increase your caloric intake. However, the question is, how much more should you eat? If you are working for a substantial gain in muscle, you may want to add an extra 750 - 1000 calories to your daily diet. Over the course of a week, this amount of calories will really build up.

However, the common calorie increase for most is 500 calories per day. There are ways to scientifically calculate how much you need to increase your caloric intake to help gain muscle but here is a good rule of thumb: To gain one pound of muscle per week, you need an extra 500 calories per day. Want to gain two pounds? Then eat an extra 1000 calories per day.

Drink Shakes

Before your workout you want to mix up a protein shake that has a ratio of roughly two grams of carbs for every one gram of protein. You want to sip this shake during your workout.

Protein is essential for muscle gain. As mentioned above, carbs (and fat) are also required but protein is what actually builds the muscle tissue. The problem is, protein is not stored effectively in the body so it not used and is eliminated as waste relatively quickly. This explains why constant protein intake is necessary.

The most popular protein shake is whey protein powder which is made from cow's milk. The reason for it's popularity is because of the quick manner in which it leads to muscle growth and strength gains. You will want to drink a shake 30 minutes before the workout, during the workout (sipping) and 30 minutes after the workout.

Train the Entire Body

Training the entire body is very important for your overall goal to find the best way to gain muscle. You will get greater hormone release by training more of the muscles in your body. In turn, this hormone release will stimulate muscle growth all day long. You will want to work on each muscle group equally to ensure balanced training which will allow you to grow safely and quickly. This will help you to avoid injuries and to preserve your flexibility.

The best full-body workout routine will use mostly compound exercises because they work many muscles at the same time. A sample full-body workout session could consist of squats, bench press, pull-ups, military press, barbell curls and the ab-roller.

The next full body workout could consist of dead lifts, bent over rows, dumbbell incline bench press, lateral raises, dumbbell triceps extensions and hammer curls. The point is, what you are doing is mixing up your sessions yet working out all of your muscles at the same time.

Warnings

If you are a true beginner to working out to gain muscle, you will want to begin your workouts in the gym or health club to take advantage of trainers and other staff to help and teach you setup your training routine.

Another important warning is to rest a day between workouts. As a beginner, it may make sense to us to work out everyday to achieve the maximum effect. This thought could not be further from the truth. By resting a day in-between, your muscles will be allowed to repair themselves from your previous workout.


The Somanabolic Muscle Maximizer makes use of cutting-edge nutritional software that when combined with proper weight training, will help individuals build pure shredded muscle in record time without any fat. If you are looking for the best way to gain muscle and are interested in learning about the best muscle building course on the market, you can find that solution by visiting my website at: Best Way to Gain Muscle [http://bestwaytogainmusclenow.info]

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How to Maximise Your Anabolic Potential! 5 Tips For Building Muscle Around the Clock

In this article, I'm going to give you some basic, yet very important and effective tips for building muscle. I'm going to assume that you already work out! In the near future, I also intend to write an article on how to exercise correctly to maximise muscle growth. With no further ado, here goes...

Anabolic Tip no.1: Eat Plenty!
When you work out, you tear muscle fibres within the cells of the muscle. Your body is a wonderful machine, and will automatically adapt to your training by attempting to build new muscle fibres. To do this, it needs food. Food is fuel for the body and we measure this using calories. If you don't consume enough calories, your body won't have the necessary energy to perform the action of building new muscle tissue. Make sure you get enough food!

Anabolic Tip no.2: Eat Often!
Imagine the body after your workout. It is waiting for the fuel it needs to rebuild your tissue. Most people eat 3 meals a day, a long time apart. So, you eat a meal, and the body kicks into action: harvesting useful amino acids from the food you have consumed and turning them into new muscle. But your body can only do this at a certain rate, and after your food has digested completely, whatever food wasn't used will be stored - as unwanted fat! On top of this, the body will be starved of muscle building blocks until your next meal, 6 or 7 hours away. The solution? Simple. Eat smaller meals, 6 - 8 times a day. This way, your body gets a constant influx of nutrients, and is able to more fully utilise the food you eat. The result is more muscle and less fat!

Anabolic Tip no.3: Eat Well!
Your body needs the appropriate nutrients to remain in an anabolic state. The most obvious component of a good bodybuilding diet is protein. Protein is broken down into amino acids in the body - and amino acids are what muscles are made of! Try to get at least 1g of protein for every lb of bodyweight. Good sources of protein include red and white meat, fish, eggs and dairy. You also need ample carbohydrates. Carbs are what actually fuel the body, giving it energy to perform the task at hand. Good carb sources include potatoes, brown rice, wholewheat pasta and wholewheat bread. You also need plenty of good fats, which benefit the body is many ways. The one we're most interested in is dealt with in the next tip...

Anabolic Tip no.4: Optimise Your Muscle-Building Hormone Levels!
Testosterone, the male sex hormone, is the hormone responsible for promoting a lean, muscular physique. In order to make this important chemical, the body needs good fats as mentioned in the previous tip. This is why a low-fat diet is bad for bodybuilders! Contrary to popular belief, if you eat more dietary fat, you can actually lose fat from the body. Good sources of fat include olive oil, peanut butter and oily fish. Another way to be sure your body is releasing the optimal amount of testosterone is by getting 8 hours of sleep! When you are asleep, your body produces large amounts of testosterone and growth hormone. If you aren't getting enough sleep, you are cheating yourself out of extra muscle!

Anabolic Tip no.5: Control Your Muscle-Wasting Hormone Levels!
The main hormone that promotes catabolism (or, the breakdown of muscle) is cortisol. Cortisol is produced when the body is under stress. Simply put, the more relaxed you are, the easier it is to build muscle! Cortisol can also be controlled with certain supplements. Another anti-muscle hormone is estrogen, the female sex hormone. In order to control this, you need to avoid eating certain foods and using certain products. For example, never use any shampoo that contains tea tree oil. Tea tree oil contains phytoestrogens which are absorbed into the body and act as estrogens do - discouraging muscle growth and promoting fat storage! As far as foods go, avoid eating soy products and liquorice, as these also contain phytoestrogens.

I hope these tips help you out! Follow them to turn your body into a muscle-building machine, 24 hours a day!


This article was written by Thomas Jones

Please check out my new blog: The life of a young bodybuilder in the UK! Anabolic Blog.

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The Best Way to Build Muscle - Add Inches to Your Skinny Arms!

Have you been cursed by being born with naturally skinny and weak looking arms? If you have and you're looking to add some inches to your feeble arms, there are three things that you must keep in mind if you want to see optimal growth. They are: compound exercises, minimizing overtraining and adding variety. In this article, I will discuss these principles in detail as well as looking at how you can implement them and ultimately learn the best way to build muscle onto your under-nourished arms.

Most people believe that to add mass to your arms you have to do countless isolation exercises such as bicep curls and tricep push-downs. Unfortunately for the majority of the population, this is completely incorrect and will only end up being a waste of your precious time. Compound exercises are ones that force you to use numerous muscles throughout your body to complete the lift and have been proven to not only increase the mass of the muscle they're actually targeting, but also the various other muscles that aid in the lift. You will see more growth in your triceps by doing a few sets of a compound exercise that doesn't even directly target the muscle such as the bench press over doing 10 sets of an isolation exercise such as tricep push-downs. Compound exercises are fantastic mass builders for the arms and also help to prevent overtraining.

The biggest reason for seeing slow progress and growth in the muscles of the arm is by training them too much (also known as overtraining). Surveys have proven that over 80% of men and women who regularly attend a gymnasium have never even heard of the concept of overtraining, so it's no wonder that it's such a widespread problem. It's very important that you give each muscle at least 48 hours of rest before targeting it again. If you're still not seeing regular progress after implementing this advice, you should try adding more variety to your workouts.

Many fitness enthusiasts are unknowingly preventing themselves from seeing great results by using the exact same exercises week in, week out. Keep both your biceps and triceps guessing by changing your arm workouts on a regular basis.

Along with a protein-rich diet and good consistency: using compound exercises, preventing overtraining and adding a little variety to your workouts simply is the best way to build muscle to your biceps and triceps. Follow this advice and you'll add inches to your skinny arms in no time at all.


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Muscle Building Tips To Combat Stubborn Arm Growth

Many bodybuilders have found that despite their best efforts, their arms simply won't grow. They might be overtraining, undertraining, or just plain doing it wrong. Here are a few tips for getting those stubborn arms to grow.

High Volume

Muscles grow when blood is forced into them. If you have all the other aspects of your diet and nutrition down, then the focus becomes "What can I do to move more nitrogen-rich blood into these arm muscles?" At this point, high volume training should be considered. More sets and more reps mean more blood flows into the area. Just watch for overtraining.

Blitzkrieg

For stalled smaller body parts such as calves or arms, some trainers recommend an initial "blitz" in which the muscle group is hit with a brief yet intense training session every day for 5 to 6 straight days. The belief is that the muscle has become accustomed to a once-weekly workload and will no longer grow from it. However, daily ambushes upon the muscle group force it to face a new, nearly insane challenge, and it will grow as a result.

Calorie Boost

You can't get big arms without excess calories to be used for growth. If you're dieting, your arms are shrinking, not growing. Many trainers forget this simple, obvious fact. If the goal is to grow your arms 1+ inch, you should be eating 500 calories per day in excess of what your body burns.

Focus on forearms.

Many bodybuilders often ignore forearms, as biceps/triceps are the showpiece arm groups. However, if the forearms lack functional strength, they might be the failing point in biceps or tricep exercises. Strengthen them, and see if your biceps and triceps suddenly carry a bigger workload. Additionally, well-developed forearms make the upper arms look better in most poses.

Lose the cardio

Many bodybuilders who are near-ripped year-round often suffer from small-arm syndrome. They never allow their bodies the calories, or their Central Nervous Systems the resources, to grow. As a result, their arms do not grow. If this describes you, cut cardio by 75% for a month and see if the arms start to grow.


Dane Fletcher is the world's most prolific bodybuilding and fitness expert and is currently the executive editor for BodybuildingToday.com. If you are looking for more bodybuilding tips or information on weight training, or supplementation, please visit www.BodybuildingToday.com, the bodybuilding and fitness authority site with hundreds of articles available FREE to help you meet your goals.

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How to Get Big Arms and Biceps - Gain Muscle Mass Fast With This Routine

The first exercise most guys ever try in their life is the barbell biceps curl. Big arms that can be shown off in a t-shirt are impressive and make you look strong. The only problem is the misconception that doing lots of curls will make your arms and biceps get huge. The bicep is only 1/3 of the arm muscle and the triceps makes up a whole 2/3 of the arm. So to get really big arms you really need to focus on the triceps rather than neglect them by doing endless curls.

A good way to work the biceps and triceps is to do supersets. This is when you take a pair of muscle building exercises like barbell curls for biceps and lying extensions for triceps and do them one right after another. Pick up a barbell and do a set of strict curls for about 8 to 10 reps and then rest for 1 minute. Then take the barbell and lying on the floor or a bench and do a set of lying triceps extensions for 8 to 10 reps. This is 1 superset. All you need is 3 to 4 sets and you'll be ready to move onto another muscle building exercise to assist you in your quest for big arms.

If you want to get an entire upper body workout while building your arms you can superset dips with pull ups. This is a great way to get big arms and biceps while also building your back, chest, and shoulders. You can do 5 supersets of pullups with dips and then follow it up with the bicep and tricep superset of curls and extensions. The direct work your arms will get from these heavy exercises will pre exhaust your arms and you won't need to use as heavy weights on your exercises.


The best way to gain muscle mass fast is to follow these tried and proven routines. Get Big Arms and Biceps with these top rated programs for developing massive muscles and getting ripped fast! Save yourself the trouble of wasted efforts.

Gain Muscle Mass by reading more articles on the latest and greatest muscle building supplements, muscle building workouts, and strength development techniques. Get in shape for your sport or just look great on the beach.

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The 5 Best Bodyweight Exercises For Building Big, Muscular Arms

I've recently read several articles in which some self-proclaimed fitness "guru" insists that you must choose between bodyweight and weight lifting exercises in setting up your strength or muscle building program. The usual argument claims that bodyweight exercises are absolutely better than weight lifting techniques without any consideration of your specific training objective.

In reality, it's a false debate because if your goal is to build big, muscular arms you should use both bodyweight exercises and weight lifting movements to do so.

Specifically, if your goal is to maximize the size and strength of your biceps and triceps, you need a program based primarily on isolation bodybuilding techniques that are supplemented with compound exercises. These compound exercises should include both weight lifting movements (which I've discussed in other articles) and bodyweight exercises. While the isolation training will stimulate maximum growth in your biceps and triceps, there's no question that the following bodyweight exercises can enhance the amount and rate of that growth and ensure balanced development of your entire upper body.

1. Triceps Pushups

Triceps pushups are the only isolation exercise in this group and designed to minimize chest and shoulder involvement with targeted resistance on your triceps. For proper performance, simply take a standard pushup position with your hands and arms extended and shoulder-width apart. Then slide your hands closer together until your thumbs nearly touch each other. This is the starting position. Slowly lower your arms underneath you and then push yourself back up to the starting position as you would with regular pushups. Make sure that you keep your back straight and your head up for maximum resistance on your triceps.

If your bodyweight doesn't provide sufficient resistance, have a training partner gently place barbell plates on your back as needed to keep your rep range within 6-10 reps per set. A sample pyramid sequence could consist of 3 sets of 10, 8 and 6 reps with gradually increased poundage in each set.

2. Seated Triceps Dips

Seated triceps dips are another terrific triceps builder. To do this exercise, sit on a workout bench or chair with your legs together and extended on the floor in front of you. Your arms should be fully extended and shoulder-width apart behind you. Slide your body slightly forward to suspend yourself so that your arms are bearing your bodyweight between the bench and the floor. With your arms extended and your hands nearly touching behind you, slowly lower yourself as though to sit on the floor and then push yourself back up by extending your arms and returning to the starting position. This exercise, when performed properly, will add tremendous power, shape and definition to your triceps.

Again, if your bodyweight doesn't provide enough resistance, keep your legs together and extend them to another chair or workout bench in front of you so that they're parallel to the floor. Then have a training partner gently place barbell plates on your thighs as needed to keep your rep range within 6-10 reps per set. A sample pyramid sequence could consist of 3 sets of 10, 8 and 6 reps with gradually increased weight in each set.

3. Parallel Bar Dips

Parallel Bar Dips are great for shaping and building mass in the long and medial heads of the triceps. Grasp the handles of a parallel dip apparatus and hold your body suspended between them. For substantial training emphasis on your triceps, hold your torso as erect as possible (leaning forward puts primary resistance on your chest). Inhale as you lower yourself as far down as you can comfortably descend and then exhale as you push yourself back up to the starting position. This exercise is a great bodyweight triceps builder as long as you watch your technique and keep your torso straight throughout the movement.

For an overload effect or to pyramid your work sets, use a harness to hang a barbell plate or dumbbell from your waist for added resistance. Most commercial gyms and some health clubs have these harnesses, so if you need one, ask for it. Make sure to keep your rep range within 6-10 reps per set. A sample overload sequence could include 3 sets of 10, 8 and 6 reps with gradually increased weight in each set.

4. Chin Ups

Chin Ups are excellent for building strength and muscle mass in your biceps. This exercise also thickens the latissimus dorsi ("lats") and rhomboid muscles on the sides and upper-middle portion of your back. Simply grasp the Chin Up bar with an underhand grip and your arms shoulder-width apart. Inhale as you pull your body upward until your chin nearly touches the bar. Exhale as you lower your body to return to the starting position.

For variation and balanced biceps development, you can alternately do this exercise with your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width to place more emphasis on the short head or inner portion of your biceps.

Use a weighted harness if you need to increase your resistance beyond your bodyweight. Make sure to stay within the 6-10 rep range with gradually increased weight in each set.

5. Pull Ups

Pull Ups are another excellent bodyweight exercise for adding power and muscle density to your biceps. Like Chin Ups, this exercise also works your lats and and rhomboids. Pull Ups also put significant resistance on the trapezius muscles in your shoulders when you squeeze your scapulae together at the top of the movement. Simply grasp the Pull Up bar with an overhand grip and your arms spread comfortably but wide apart. Inhale as you pull your body upward until your eyes are slightly higher than the bar. Exhale as you lower your body to return to the starting position.

For variation you can pull your body upward with your chin facing the bar or with your head facing downward as you pull yourself up with the bar behind your neck. When performing this movement with your chin facing the bar, primary training emphasis in on your biceps and lower lats. But when you pull yourself up with the bar behind your neck, focused resistance is placed on your biceps and upper lats. Either approach will add strength and muscle tone to your upper arms.

As with your Chin Ups, use a weighted harness when doing Pull Ups if you need to increase the training resistance beyond your bodyweight. And always make sure you stay within 6-10 reps per set with gradually increased weight in each set.

As you can see, bodyweight exercises and bodybuilding techniques go hand-in-hand when it comes to building big, muscular arms. If anybody tries to tell you something different, tell them to go do some weighted Chin Ups and Dumbbell Preacher Curls.


Mark G. Winston, "The Master Gunslinger," is author of the ground-breaking training manual, "GO For Your GUNS - 7 Simple Secrets to AWESOME ARMS." He has also created GOforyourGUNS.com, a bodybuilding and fitness website dedicated entirely to helping you build big, muscular arms. Mark's forthcoming book will be jammed with workouts and training techniques to help you build the big, muscular arms that you deserve! To learn about the GO For Your GUNS bodybuilding system and get free arm training tips that really work, visit [http://www.GOforyourGUNS.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_G._Winston

Tabata Workout Moves That Target The Arm And Leg Muscles

Tabata workouts are high intensity interval training workouts that take you to a whole new level in fitness. Tabata workouts for the arms and legs will fire up the muscles in your limbs and send them crystal-clear messages that the status quo is not enough. These workouts, done regularly, will set your arms and legs squarely on the fast road to strong new muscles and wonderful endurance.

The Tabata Protocol

Before we get into the actual workout, you should know how the Tabata protocol works. What you're going to be doing is twenty seconds of extremely high intensity exercise-working the hardest you can possibly do, as if your life depended on it. Then, when the timer goes off, you stop dead, and have ten seconds-no more, no less- ten seconds of rest and to catch your breath. Then twenty seconds of that uber-fast, uber-intense, uber-everything activity. Ten seconds of rest again. And on it goes, till you've done eight sets, and are feeling, more or less, dead.

Working The Arms And Legs

One Tabata workout that works both your arm and leg muscle utilizes the mountain climbing exercise move and is called the Mountain Climber. Before you start doing it Tabata style, you'll have to learn how to do the mountain climbing exercise slowly.

Steps For Mountain Climbers

1. You start out in plank; straight arms, palms down flat on the floor, directly underneath your shoulders.

2. Your legs stick straight out behind you, and your feet should be hip-width apart.

3. Keep your toes curled under.

4. Contract your core, and tuck your tailbone under you. There should be a straight line from the top of your head to your heals, and your chin should be tucked in a little.

5. Now take your right knee and draw it to your chest, pulling it in with your abdominal muscles. Don't let your foot touch the floor, don't let your shoulders move. While keeping your straight line from head to heels-no swaying hips-- return that foot to the plank position.

6. Do the same thing on the left side.

So that's your basic mountain climber. Practice it a little; actually, practice it a lot, till you could do it in your sleep.

Now, when you do Tabata Mountain Climbers, you need to do this exercise really really fast; as fast as humanly possible, and you need to do that without losing your form.

Are you ready?

Get the stopwatch somewhere where you can see it easily from your plank position, or turn on your Tabata app on your smartphone. Then-ready, steady, go!

Twenty seconds of all-fire mountain climbers, legs moving as fast as they can go, arms smarting under the strain.

Stop! Ten seconds of rest, letting those muscles relax.

Now we're on again!

Quick intensity, as if your life depended on it. Keep those legs moving. One and one and one and one-faster, faster, till it is a blur. No slacking off. Keep it going as fast as you were for that first twenty seconds.

When your second period is done, you get another ten second rest. But not a second more, and then you go straight into ultra-high intensity mountain climber set three. You're not done until you've done eight rounds-eight rounds of intensity as high as you can rake up.

Then you can collapse. You deserve it. But tomorrow, remember, you're on again.

Jump Rope

Another great workout for the arms and legs is using a jump rope. No, this is not your kid's favorite toy, today, there are many great fitness models available for adults in various sizes to accommodate all heights.

Using the jump rope in a Tabata protocol means that you will be jumping fast and constantly for the entire 20 seconds of the intense intervals, then catch your breath for 10 seconds. Repeat 8 times.

Suicide Runs

Suicide runs are also great for both arms and legs, though they work the legs more. For this routine you need to place two markers about 5 feet apart. This can be a rock, a book, a cone or anything that will sit still.

You will be running back and forth between the two markers very fast and touching each marker each time you reach it.

For Tabata, you will again do 8 sets of 20 seconds runs as fast as possible followed by intervals of 10 seconds of rest. By the way, this is a great exercise to do outside of the Tabata protocol as it really gets the heart racing, and the blood pumping for ultimate weight loss.

More Moves For The Legs

Box Jumps

Lunge Jumps

Squat Jumps

High Knees

Squats

Dumbbells Squat Jumps

More Moves For The Arms

Push Ups

Push Rows

Medicine Ball Slams

Chin Ups

Pull Ups


John Rivers, an Independent Team Beachbody Coach, and his wife Beth enjoy helping individuals reach their health and fitness goals. Their unique support style through social media is a very integral part of their accountability model. Find more info at HomeWorkoutsWork.com or sign up to Join their "private" Facebook group. "Friend" John today to start reaching "YOUR" goals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Rivers

The 5 Best Ways To Beef Up Skinny Legs

Skinny legs are shared by both men and women, fitness buffs and slouchers, weight lifters and runners. And regardless of what many people do to try and improve their chicken-like leg appearance, it can still be hard to build attractive leg muscle. Now, through modern research, several old and new fitness approaches have been shown to help grow skinny gams into muscular masterpieces. It really comes down to both diet and exercise.

Weightlifting is a great way to improve overall appearance; and when it comes to improving leg size, some bodybuilders get it right. Unfortunately some don't. And all the squats in the world won't make a difference if there isn't a targeted diet to go along with exercise. That's why many bodybuilders fail to build their skinny legs into powerhouses to match their mammoth bodies. The diet part of their exercise equation is missing.

As for runners, they often see worse gains than their bodybuilder buddies. In fact, runners are often notorious for having skinny legs -- even men and women who once had impressive drumsticks end up with skinny runner legs.

It's important for runners to include some resistance-based exercises (like weightlifting) into their routine, especially with their legs. Not only can this shave a few seconds off their overall time, but it can help runners maintain or even build full, attractive legs.

For anybody with skinny legs, the following tips should build some muscle when followed for 6 months to a year. As for muscle tone, most people see gains within a couple weeks.

FUEL YOUR MUSCLE GROWTH

To make a long story short, protein builds muscle -- even leg muscle. But not all protein is equal. Some foods are better than others at providing adequate protein to fuel muscle growth. To build leg muscle, start with the foods listed below:

* eggs

* liver

* kidneys

* beef

* fish

* chicken and turkey

* milk, yogurt, and cheese

* nuts

* beans

* peas

* some grains (especially barley)

Don't overcook meats. Overcooking your food can actually breakdown and damage protein and other nutrients your body needs to build muscle. Try baking meats instead of frying, it's easier to control the temperature. Steaming vegetables instead of boiling also keeps more nutrients in your foods.

Most nutritionist advise 1 1/2 grams of protein for every pound of body weight each day, for maximum muscle growth. With this type of diet, it's easy to fuel the muscles in your legs for proper growth.

DRINK, DRINK, DRINK

You've probably read it before, but it's got to be said again. Drink plenty of water. I personally try to make 8 glasses of 12 ounce water per day part of my diet. And all that water doesn't need to be from the tap. Include fruits and vegetables as part of your daily amount. Melon (like watermelon and honeydew) are a huge source of water. They're really flavorful too.

LEG PRESSES

Exercise is the most important thing you can do to build leg muscles. By focusing on just your legs and making most of your workouts push those muscles to their limits, you'll definitely build more attractive legs.

Perform the leg press at the gym using a machine by the same name.

* Sit on machine with back on padded support. Place your feet on platform and grasp handles to sides.

* Push the platform away by extending your knees and hips. Return and repeat.

LUNGES

This is one of the best overall exercises for your legs and butt muscles:

* Stand with feet 3 to 4 inches apart, with hands on hips. Starting with your right leg, take a giant step forward. Your toes and knee are pointed directly in front of your body.

* Bend your right knee slightly, with your whole foot on the floor. Your left heel lifts up.

* Lower your body straight down from this position. Your front knee must lower down over your ankle, or behind your shoelaces.

* Raise your body and bring your left leg in to return to the standing position.

* Repeat with your left leg. Alternate right and left each time.

CALF RAISES

* Grasp a dumbbell in one hand to side.

* Position toes and balls of feet on calf block with arches and heels extending off.

* Place hand on support for balance. Lift other leg to rear by bending knee.

* Raise heels by extending ankles as high as possible. Lower heels by bending ankles until calves are stretched. Repeat. Continue with opposite leg.

Fuel your workouts, drink plenty of water, and perform exercises that really hit those leg muscles. Before you know it, you'll turn your skinny poles into shapely legs you'll be excited to show off in shorts.


Daryl Bennett is always researching the best ways to lose weight, stay fit, and build muscle. For one of the most proven and time-tested solid workout regimens visit The Law Enforcement Workout website at >> [http://bestbody.50webs.com] Cops know fitness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daryl_Bennett

What Is The Best Way To Build Muscle Fast?

It is not a question that is easily answered because the muscle building process is not something that happens overnight. If you read something or buy something that says it will make you huge virtually overnight then it is completely untrue and you have wasted your time and money.

There are a number of factors that go towards building muscle and exploding your growth. When trying to answer the question, what is the best way to build muscle fast here are some of the most important factors to consider:

How to build muscle fast factor 1: Diet Before you will see any real results in the gym you first need to ensure you feed your body the right fuels to get the job done. Take any analogy you like, your body is like a car, it runs very poorly if you put in the wrong fuel and it may not run at all.

Most people know that protein is the primary fuel when it comes to building muscle but how much to eat and what is often the problem.

You may have heard the theory of "you have to eat big to get big". Do not believe it, it is completely wrong, it's a very unhealthy approach and may end up doing you more damage than good. Yes you may get the required levels of protein to build muscle if you adopt this method, but you also over-consume the amount of fats, carbohydrates and sugars which will lead to rapid weight gain (fat not muscle) and an incredible strain placed on your digestive system.

Instead, the correct and healthy way to feed your body for maximum muscle growth is to eat less more often and to eat foods that are high in protein and low in saturated fats and sugars. Carbohydrates are OK as long as they are consumed in moderation and you burn them up with exercise.

Eating less more often means instead of eating 3 big meals a day, you eat 6 smaller meals at closer intervals and drink plenty of water.

By doing this you will keep your metabolism higher which will give you more energy and you will provide constant nutrition to your body and importantly, your muscles.

How to build muscle fast factor 2: Rest and Overtraining Most muscle growth occurs outside the gym and that is why rest is so important. When you train with weights you cause microscopic tears to the muscle tissue. If you do not allow time between workouts for your muscles to repair the damage and grow, then you overtrain and can completely tear or rupture the muscle.

Performing a targeted arms workout (for example) three times a week will not make you grow muscle. Instead you will overtrain the muscle, become weaker because the muscle is not repairing and if you continue, you will risk permanent muscle damage.

You should structure your workout routine to ensure you give each muscle group adequate rest between sessions.

How to build muscle fast factor 3: Dedication and Attitude The danger with people who ask "what is the best way to build muscle fast" is that they are looking for a quick fix or immediate results and don't realise that building real, long-lasting muscle takes more than just a few weeks of effort. It requires dedication and the right attitude to keep pushing yourself.

If you don't have the dedication, commitment or desire to follow the program as it is laid out for you, then I guarantee you will quit inside 3 months. If you want to build muscle fast and develop a body you are proud of then make sure you have the right attitude and you are dedicated to achieving this goal!

So where to from here? Well if you feel that you can address these three factors then I suggest you visit SimpleMuscle.com for more free information.


Paul James is the author of 4 eBooks including the latest: Simple Muscle: Insider Secrets To Fast Muscle Gains and has been weight training and body building for over 10 years. He is a respected source when it comes to drug free muscle development. His Simple Muscle Workout System provides you with the advanced techniques required to maximise your muscle growth and double your gains regardless of your age, gender or genetics. All without the use of drugs or supplements. Visit SimpleMuscle.com [http://www.simplemuscle.com/articles.html] for more free articles and information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_James

How to Get Big Arms Fast - Why Most Skinny Guys Get it Wrong

Let me tell you, from someone who spent his adolescence as a skinny guy, that being rake-thin is no fun. Yeah ok, i could eat a horse and still have room for apple pie and ice cream, and not even put on a pound of weight, but what good is that when you look like a bean pole?

If you pack on even just a few pounds of muscle, it can make a huge difference, and of course, one of the most impressive places to gain muscle is on your arms.

Big, muscular arms turn heads...period.

But how can you get big arms quickly? Well, here I'd like to show you the most common reasons most skinny guys struggle in their quest of how to get big arms fast.

Big Arms Have 3 Major Muscle Groups

The big mistake that most skinny guys make when looking at how to get big arms fast, is that they tend to focus solely on the biceps and more or less ignore the triceps. That can cost you many wasted hours in the gym.

Look at any bodybuilder or fitness model and you'll notice that in many cases the shape of their muscular triceps is what really gives them their big arms.

FACT: Triceps are naturally bigger and stronger muscles than biceps. So if you're overtraining your biceps you'll only end up with disproportionate upper arms, then don't look or perform nearly as impressively as a good balanced well-trained arm.

How To Get Big Arms By NOT Focusing On Them

Now, I'm a great believer in compound exercises for skinny guys to pack on muscle - in other words I tend to advise people to avoid using isolation exercises (particularly for beginnners) as they will tend to tire out certain muscles before others and so you end up fatigued too early and with poor results.

If you're looking at how to get big arms fast then you'd do well to remember that by simply completing good solid all-body workouts, your biceps, triceps and overall arm size will increase substantially. In fact, if you watch some of the biggest guys in the gym you'll notice that they hardly train their arms specifically. They focus on increasing the size and strength of their chest, shoulder and back muscles and know that big arms are simply a result of that.

If you focus solely on your arms and fatigue them, then by the time you get to exercise your back and shoulders you won't have enough gas left to perform properly, thereby sabotaging your overall fitness and muscle mass gains.

Apply Constant Tension To See Massive Growth

Another mistake skinny guys make when thinking how to get big arms fast is the failure to keep the arm muscles under constant tension in order to see the most gains. The visits to the gym become more about lifting as heavy a weight as possible or doing as many reps as possible to get big arms, whereas in reality it should be about performing the exercises under control with good technique and focusing on working whichever muscles should be worked.


You know what I mean, when you see guys throwing weights around with sloppy technique or "cheating" by using other parts of their body to help them during the exercise. This will not only cause you to suffer injury more often, but also fails to work the correct muscle groups consistently.

For instance, the biceps respond to constant pressure, so think about "squeezing" at the top of your barbell curls to get the maximum benefit to your muscles.

A trick I like to use when performing hammer dumbbell curls is to start with the dumbbell already lifted. So let's say I start by lowering the dumbbell in my right hand and then lifting it back up...well, while I'm doing that the dumbbell in my left hand is in the contracted position, meaning I have constant tension on BOTH biceps throughout the whole exercise.

Discover how a self-confessed "skinny twerp" called Vince Delmonte overcame his "skinny genes" and packed on 41 pounds of lean muscle mass to become a National Fitness Model champion ==> How To Get Big Arms Fast.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Wheeler

Get Big Arms Fast - Build Your Guns

If you ask almost every guy at the gym what muscles they are trying to get the most improvements on, 95% of them will tell you that they are trying to add size to their arms. However, many of these people will never get big biceps because they don't know what they are doing. Many people will lift improperly and will not isolate their bicep muscles. Resulting in minimal growth. When doing bicep exercises be sure to keep a steady constant movement. Don't swing your arms because all this does is strain your back.

It is important to implement both compound and isolation bicep exercises. This way your biceps gain definition and size rapidly. Preacher curls, bicep curls, and barbell curls are the basic bicep exercises you will need to perform to see fast results. Always try to increase the amount of weight you lift and your rep count as well.

Don't forget that it is also very important to build your triceps as they are half the muscle in your arm. Tricep exercises are fun and easy to perform. Dips, skull crushers, and tricep extensions are the best exercises you can perform to maximize muscle growth in your arms.

Stretching is a very important and often overlooked part of your workout. It loosens up your arms and helps your muscles get utilized as much as possible. Without a proper warm up you can injure your arms very easily and this will put you out of the gym for weeks.


Building big biceps fast is very easy when you have a great workout routine. Check out this article that covers a workout program that will blast your biceps from all angles and give you the best results possible. Click Here [http://thebestabworkout.info]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_J_Darinoal

Best Way To Build Muscle For Women - Tone Up Your Arms, Belly, And Thighs With Simple Moves!

The best way to build muscle for women is a question that gets asked in my weight loss classes quite often. And not because students want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but because they want to get firm toned bodies that movie stars like Jessica Biel, Demi Moore, Jessica Alba, and Jennifer Anniston show off every holiday season.

Today we're going to look at how Asian women slim down, get lean, and tone up their bodies using simple methods that you can use to get the body you're after.

Best Way To Build Muscle For Women - The Skinny Asian Way

You're not going to learn ALL of the fat-burning and belly-shrinking secrets that Asian women have from just a single short article or webpage. But you definitely CAN pick up some of the basics that will get you started on the right path to a better body:

Powerful Movement = Powerful Firming

The best way to build muscle for women doesn't focus around a set of heavy barbells or the traditional weights like the kind men use to pump up.

Instead the beautifully fit bodies that most people women aspire to can be found by using our core (diaphragm) muscles, our legs, and even a chair from the kitchen table.

1. Make peace with the dreaded lunge. Asian women have used versions of the popular lunge to tighten and tone their legs, rear-ends, and backs, for centuries...but did you know that it actually is a great way to THIN your thighs as well?

That's right, contrary to popular belief, lunges will NOT give you thick muscular thighs that won't fit into your skinny-jeans. Quite the opposite.

By doing the movement correctly you actually will THIN your thighs while giving them a rounded athletic look. We don't have the space to go through the exact movement, but a proper lunge is one of your best weapons to tone up and thin-down your trouble areas below the waist...this is why is easily makes our list of a best way to build muscle.

2. The balance ball isn't just for Pilates. Odds are that you've probably got a large exercise or balance ball that you bought last year and has been sitting in the corner collecting dust after just a few uses. It's ok, we've all been there and there's nothing to be ashamed of when exercise equipment doesn't get used...as long as you take action now and start working!

There are a number of great balance ball exercise routines that are easy to do yet stress your core muscles heavily, which is one of the primary ways that female celebrities get their ultra-thin waistlines and create appealing visual curves.

Get your balance ball out of the closet, inflate it, and start on a standard routine and you'll quickly find that the best way to build muscle for women has been under your nose the whole time!

3. Want Michelle Obama's arms? Pull out a chair. Getting toned athletic arms is so important for us ladies to look great in sleeveless tops, evening dresses, and of course swim suits, that it's the #1 request I get from new students.

The best way to build muscle for women in the arm area while still keeping the arm itself lean and thin, is the chair-based dip. Just by grabbing a dinner-table chair, sitting your butt on the edge of the chair with your feet on the floor and your palms supporting yourself on each side of your thighs, you can lower yourself to the ground using nothing but your triceps muscle...which is the leading loose or flabby area on most women's arms.

You'll need to work up some strength, don't push yourself too far, but shoot for 5 dips (repetitions) per set and 2 total sets every other day.

4. What If You're Still Not Toning Up And Getting Lean? If you're not able to get the body you want from the above, you'll want to learn a more powerful secret free method that Asian women use to force fat off of their belly and thighs in less than a month...without starving or doing crazy workouts.


This method works fast and is very simple, the full details on how to do it are in the free report here: Best Way to Build Muscle. I actually do it myself while relaxing on the couch watching TV, and it works amazingly well.

Click on the link and learn the trick yourself before it's gone: http://www.skinnyasiandiet.com/free-book.htm

Love and good health always,

Catherine Cheng - Founder, The Skinny Asian Diet

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Catherine_Cheng

How to Get Big Arms Fast - Why Most Skinny Guys Get it Wrong

Let me tell you, from someone who spent his adolescence as a skinny guy, that being rake-thin is no fun. Yeah ok, i could eat a horse and still have room for apple pie and ice cream, and not even put on a pound of weight, but what good is that when you look like a bean pole?

If you pack on even just a few pounds of muscle, it can make a huge difference, and of course, one of the most impressive places to gain muscle is on your arms.

Big, muscular arms turn heads...period.

But how can you get big arms quickly? Well, here I'd like to show you the most common reasons most skinny guys struggle in their quest of how to get big arms fast.

Big Arms Have 3 Major Muscle Groups

The big mistake that most skinny guys make when looking at how to get big arms fast, is that they tend to focus solely on the biceps and more or less ignore the triceps. That can cost you many wasted hours in the gym.

Look at any bodybuilder or fitness model and you'll notice that in many cases the shape of their muscular triceps is what really gives them their big arms.

FACT: Triceps are naturally bigger and stronger muscles than biceps. So if you're overtraining your biceps you'll only end up with disproportionate upper arms, then don't look or perform nearly as impressively as a good balanced well-trained arm.

How To Get Big Arms By NOT Focusing On Them

Now, I'm a great believer in compound exercises for skinny guys to pack on muscle - in other words I tend to advise people to avoid using isolation exercises (particularly for beginnners) as they will tend to tire out certain muscles before others and so you end up fatigued too early and with poor results.

If you're looking at how to get big arms fast then you'd do well to remember that by simply completing good solid all-body workouts, your biceps, triceps and overall arm size will increase substantially. In fact, if you watch some of the biggest guys in the gym you'll notice that they hardly train their arms specifically. They focus on increasing the size and strength of their chest, shoulder and back muscles and know that big arms are simply a result of that.

If you focus solely on your arms and fatigue them, then by the time you get to exercise your back and shoulders you won't have enough gas left to perform properly, thereby sabotaging your overall fitness and muscle mass gains.

Apply Constant Tension To See Massive Growth

Another mistake skinny guys make when thinking how to get big arms fast is the failure to keep the arm muscles under constant tension in order to see the most gains. The visits to the gym become more about lifting as heavy a weight as possible or doing as many reps as possible to get big arms, whereas in reality it should be about performing the exercises under control with good technique and focusing on working whichever muscles should be worked.


You know what I mean, when you see guys throwing weights around with sloppy technique or "cheating" by using other parts of their body to help them during the exercise. This will not only cause you to suffer injury more often, but also fails to work the correct muscle groups consistently.

For instance, the biceps respond to constant pressure, so think about "squeezing" at the top of your barbell curls to get the maximum benefit to your muscles.

A trick I like to use when performing hammer dumbbell curls is to start with the dumbbell already lifted. So let's say I start by lowering the dumbbell in my right hand and then lifting it back up...well, while I'm doing that the dumbbell in my left hand is in the contracted position, meaning I have constant tension on BOTH biceps throughout the whole exercise.

Discover how a self-confessed "skinny twerp" called Vince Delmonte overcame his "skinny genes" and packed on 41 pounds of lean muscle mass to become a National Fitness Model champion ==> How To Get Big Arms Fast.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Wheeler

Best Arm Workouts to Build Muscle Fast - Hardgainer Tips

Best Arm Workouts to Build Muscle Fast - Hardgainer Tips

How long have you been trying to get 'guns' with no success?

If you try to follow the latest arm workouts in your standard 'muscle mag', it's pretty hard to get the results you want.

You see, most of those pro bodybuilders you see in there are on 'the juice!' (steroids)

But don't stress - here are the simple, tried-and-true muscle building techniques that have allowed MANY ordinary guys to pack on some serious mass to their upper arms, WITHOUT drugs or supplements. Follow along and you can too!

First, we will look at the best upper arm exercises for gaining muscle.

Next, we will put these exercises together into a couple sample muscle building workouts.

Finally, we will touch on proper nutrition and rest, which are ESSENTIAL to gaining muscle.

So, let's get started...

Step #1 - Best Arm Workouts - Best Arm Exercises

So, if you want to get 'big guns,' you have to do hundreds of curls, right?

WRONG!

Isolation exercises are great once you have already established a base level of muscle mass, but until then, we want to stimulate the growth of our arm muscles by hitting them with HEAVY compound movements.

Heavy Weights Stimulate Muscle Growth

Your muscles will not be fully activated by an exercise unless the weight you are moving is heavy enough to require MAXIMAL EFFORT.

In one study, researchers found that most moderate intensity exercises only caused the medial head of the triceps to activate. It was only when the weight was dramatically increased that the lateral and long heads of the triceps were activated.

As a general rule, the more weight you are moving with an exercise, the more that weight will stimulate your muscles to grow.

So, for now, skip those triceps pushdowns and bicep concentration curls, and instead focus on close grip bench press, weighted dips, weighted body rows, weighted pullups, and heavy dumbbell rows (skip heavy barbell rows since they can place excessive strain on your lower back).

Step #2 - Sample Arm Workouts

Believe it or not, you should DEFINITELY include a heavy, total body lift such as the deadlift or squat in your workouts for the upper arm.

These lifts cause the body's anabolic (muscle-building) hormones to be released, priming your body to respond to the workout by packing on muscle mass.

Be sure to get some instruction in proper form (check YouTube for some excellent tutorials).

Workout #1

After taking 10 minutes or so to warm up (do some bodyweight squats, easy sets of pushups and pullups)

1. Deadlift - 2 sets 6-8 reps

2.a.Weighted Body Rows - 3 sets 6-8 reps (superset this with the following exercise)

2.b.Weighted Decline (feet up) pushups - 3 sets 6-8 reps (use blast straps, a suspension trainer, or rings for greater difficulty)

3. Close Grip Bench Press - 3 sets 6-8 reps

This workout is more geared towards the pushing movements, focusing more on triceps and shoulders.

Rest a couple days, and then...

Workout #2

Warm up, then...

1. Squat - 2 sets 6-8 reps

2.a. Weighted Pull ups - 3 sets 6-8 reps (superset this with the following movement)

2.b. Handstand pushups or Military Press (dumbbell or barbell) - 3 sets 6-8 reps

3. Hammer Curls - 2 sets 6-8 reps

As you can see, this workout is more geared towards pulling motions, and as a result, develops the biceps.

Ideally, you want to periodize intensity of your workouts as the weeks and months go by (and even during a week of working out). Do a Google search for "micro-periodization" for more details on how to plan this.

Step #3 - Rest and Diet for Maximum Muscle Gain

Proper rest and recovery is ESSENTIAL to gaining muscle with your arm workouts. Remember, you grow while you are recovering, not while you are working out!

One problem that many hardgainers have is NOT RESTING ENOUGH between workouts. So train hard in brief, intense sessions, then rest and let your body bounce back.

Sleep

Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Sleeping less than this reduces testosterone levels and thus harms your muscle growth.

Diet

Eat around 20 times your bodyweight in calories - if you are 150 lbs, eat 3000 calories per day.

1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is a good rule of thumb, as is getting 20-30% of your calories from fat and 2-4 grams of carbohydrate per pound of bodyweight.

Keep track of what and how much you are eating so you can adjust your nutrition as you go along.

Summing it all up...

So, now you have a good idea of what are the best arm exercises for maximum muscle gain. You also have a couple workouts to try out, and know how to take advantage of diet and rest to optimize your lean muscle mass building.

All that's left for you to do is get out there and do it!


See how you can build lean muscle mass in less than 3 hours per week.

Download my latest ebook, No BS Muscle Building Secrets, FREE for a limited time.

Take care and good luck!

-Ian

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ian_Nagy

Muscle Gain - Build Arm Muscles the Best Way

Exercises and a well balanced diet with lot of protein is required for muscle growth. Selection of the right food is required to build muscles. Proteins play a vital part in muscle building process and food should be selected accordingly. Consumption of right kind of food is required to generate adequate amount of calories for workout which gradually build muscle mass.

The market is filled with muscle building supplements which are only hype. If you decide on taking supplements then the best way to choose it is to find out whether they have scientific support and have had enough positive feedback from people who have used these. It is always safe and healthy to choose a supplement which combines and works with the natural hormones of your body to help you reach your goal. Sometimes we do need to take up dietary supplements as food that we eat alone cannot provide all the nutrition and vitamins required for workouts. But do be very careful while selecting supplements as many a time they are not effective and some might also have some side effects. It is also a good option to consult an expert before buying a supplement. You also need to know how to optimize the muscle building nutrition to get the most lean muscle mass gains or maximize the anabolic response and minimize gaining body fat.

Diet supplements, if selected, should have high protein content and some amount of good fat. They should prepare the body providing the power and stamina for workouts for building muscle mass. The supplements should also help the body to recover from post workout damages. You need to find out the effective body building supplements that will help you to achieve your goals and are not just hype.

Diets are an essential part of muscle gain process. Be careful to select the food that is high on protein and low on fat, otherwise you will just accumulate fat than building muscles. Lean meat and fish contains high protein and low fat. Chicken, tuna, salmon, vegetables and fruits, etc, are examples of food rich with protein and low with fat. Beef is a very good source of protein but has good amount of fat too and so should not be consumed. Eggs contain amino acids which are essential for muscle growth. One should keep in mind that protein is very essential for muscle growth and thus should be consumed in adequate proportions. Some amount of good fat is also required as they speed up the muscle mass gain process. Carbohydrate also needs to be a part of your diet. Consume lot of fiber, cereals and grains. Remember to drink adequate amount of water throughout the day.

Exercises are undoubtedly the most important part in arm muscle building. There are various workout sets which are effective to build arm muscles. Combine various exercise sets to get the result. Weight lifting is a good option. Following a technique to exhaust your muscles to the level of their shutdown is another technique. But one has to rest the body properly to allow muscle mass to grow. Take help of professional fitness trainer if required to get results fast and effectively.


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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Johan_Knutsson

How To Build The Side Of The Arm Muscle - 5 Tips

Building a well-sculpted body requires more than knowing just a few types of exercises. Rather, you need to target specific muscles in each part of your body with specific exercises designed to work those parts.

Take the arms, for example. Most people who work out focus mainly on the biceps (front, inside of arm) and triceps (back of arm). But, what about those muscles on the sides of the arm? By targeting those muscle groups, as well, you stand to gain muscles in place you never knew you had them.

Here are 5 tips for how to build the side of the arm muscle:

1. The upper part of the side of your arm is called the medial (side) deltoid:

First, let's get our terminology straight. When we talk about the side of the arm muscle, we really need to distinguish between two types of muscles: the medial deltoid and the brachialis.

The deltoid muscle - which extends directly down from the shoulder blades and into the top of the arms - actually has three parts: front, side, and back. The medial (side) deltoid is the one that looks like it is on the side of your arm.

2. The lower part of the side of your arm is called the brachialis:

Moving down your arm a bit, you have a separate muscle called the brachialis. This is situated between the biceps and triceps muscles.

Together, a set of well-developed medial deltoid and brachialis muscles will give the sides of your arms the look you want.

3. For your deltoids, do side lateral raises:

There are a number of exercises that can work out your medial deltoid muscles. We focus here on side lateral raises. Here's how:

a. Pick up two light dumbbells (5-15 lbs.).

b. Stand with your feet apart, about shoulder-width.

c. Hold the dumbbells just in front of your body with the palms of your hands facing each other while slightly bending your elbows.

d. Raise the weights out to the sides and upwards in a semicircular arc until they are just above shoulder level. Hold this position for a moment, then lower them back to the starting position.

e. Repeat.

4. For your brachialis, do the dumbbell bent-over row:

A great exercise for your brachialis muscles is the dumbbell bent-over row. Here is what to do:

a. Stand with your knees bent and your upper body at about a 60-degree angle.

b. Now with the weights fully extended downward in your arms, bring them straight up to your chest by contracting your shoulder blades fully.

c. Inhale and then slowly return the weights to the starting position.

d. Repeat.

5. Also for your brachialis, try reverse curls:

Here is another good one that is designed to increase the size and definition of your brachialis:

a. Stand up straight, with your back and head straight forward and upward.

b. Grab a barbell with palms out and down (rather than up and toward you). Grip the bar at shoulder width, slowly raising the weight with your elbows tight up against your body.

c. Once the weight has reached the top, lower it slowly back down to the starting position.

Bonus tip: by focusing mentally on the muscles you want to really build up while you do these exercises, you can actually improve the intensity of the workout that these muscles get. By focusing on them, your body will naturally send more energy in those areas.

Try these tips on how to build the muscles on the sides of your arms.


Check out this body-training guide that requires no weights or equipment, designed by the go-to-guy trainer of elite warriors, special ops, and Navy Seals: Commando Body Training Guide.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jed_C._Jones_Ph.D.