A Simple Guide To Getting A Ripped Chest
However long ago it was that you began working out, you must have had a certain muscle or muscle group that you decided to develop the most attention and dedication to. For a lot of people it was the chest (as well as abs). We would overtrain and work out to the extreme to try and accomplish the best chest possible. Even though all muscles are important, for men, other men see you by your arms and women see you by your chest and abs.
Throughout the duration of this article, you will be informed on the basics of how to accquire the perfect chest that you always dreamed of having.
What puts together your whole work out routine for your chest should be the flat press. Flat presses will help you work out your whole chest and likely will help build the mass the best out of all other exercises. Dumbbells are better then barbells for working out the chest as they offer a better range of motion for your training as well as working out each side of your chest individually if wished. You should use barbells occassionally still though. As well, the incline and decline bench presses are great. The incline bench works the top part of your chest and the decline bench works the lower part of your chest. A lot of people have developed their lower part of their chest already so your main focus should be the incline bench press. A personal suggestion is to do decline instead of incline press once every two weeks (replace incline with decline...).
Another good way for you to get your chests bigger is to do dips. Dips will let you move the weight from one side or the other if you have to make your chest look more even. Dips also work your whole pectoral region as well as help your shoulders and triceps. Dips basically do the same for the upper body as squats do for the lower, in a nutshell. You have to be sure that you go down far enough that you feel the stretch in your chest to assure the full burn is occuring. The lowest point of your rep is where your chest gets its work out from.
As well, there is another exercise referred to as the flies. Flies help you stretch your chest muscles and make them look even wider. Because it is an isolation exercise, it is a great way to end your chest work out on any given training day or to get the chest worked out already for presses.
You should see a personal trainer and create the best work out possible for you to get the perfect chest that you always wanted.
by Terry Bytheway
A Simple Guide To Getting A Ripped Chest
Showing posts with label muscle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label muscle. Show all posts
Friday, 29 June 2007
Thursday, 26 April 2007
Tips on Toning Muscles
Looking for tips on toning muscles? You're not the only one. When you want to get in shape, you need to find out the right exercises and techniques in order to make your body look sleeker and become healthier.But with the overwhelming amount of information that is available, you also need to know how to use the information to your greatest advantage. And this means that you need to learn the secrets that personal trainers and athletes know. You need to know what tips they have – and how you can incorporate them into your workout time.The key is that you need to understand why these tips work as well as how to physically use them. For example, when you are taught that you need to breathe out with each exertion movement; do you really know why you're doing it?Let's take the example of doing a pushup. When you push up from the ground, you should let the air out of your body. This allows your abdominal muscles to close in tight with your core, which supports your body as well as contracts the muscles that are involved in the movement.It doesn't have to be a forceful exhalation of air, but you need to remember to breathe in when you are lowering from a movement and to exhale when you are doing the ‘hard' part of an exercise.Learning the proper movements is another key to your success. By working with a personal trainer or following the instructions of the movement carefully, you will be able to get the most out of the exercise. Try to learn the exercise first without weights and do it slowly to feel what muscles are working. If the exercise indicates that you should be feeling the quad muscles working… be sure you can feel it in your quads!You will also find that keeping your stomach pulled in is the best way to maintain your balance during each exercise. Why is this important? When you're trying to perform a movement, you need to have a stable body. And when you pull your stomach in, you will maintain your balance and thus avoid injuries and accidents.When you're looking for tips on toning muscles to help you with your workout goals, remember that common sense is the best advice. Don't workout too hard; know what you're doing; stop if it hurts.
By Lynn Vandyke
By Lynn Vandyke
Friday, 20 April 2007
Building Muscle: How is it really done?
Most people believe that in order to build noticeable muscle size, they have to devote many hours in the gym, 5 or 6 days a week for many years. This is untrue, yes, hard work is required, but to devote that much time is unnecessary.
Substantial muscle growth can be achieved with 40-minute sessions 3 days a week, sometimes much less if done correctly. Muscles will only grow in size when they have fully recovered from the gym workout, then, and only then will muscle growth happen. If your goal is to achieve maximum muscle growth in the shortest possible time then there needs to be more rest days than actual workout days.
It's difficult for some people to believe that substantial muscle growth can be induced with only 2 or 3 days a week at 40 minutes a session, or less. It can be done and it is being done by many, however, there is a catch:
These "few and far between" gym sessions will have to be short and extremely intensive. More intense than ever, you have to justify your days off. You have to give your body a very good reason to grow bigger muscles. The sessions will be about what you thought you could not do, but somehow managed to do.
Eg: if you're lifting a certain weight and you know you can only get 8 reps, you will push yourself further than ever before and squeeze out another 2 reps of that weight, with the help of your training partner or someone else of course. You will need help with the last 2 reps but the idea is to execute a greater effort than you are used to doing, this creates the environment for greater muscle growth (all other things being equal).
Below is an example of an 8 Week "every other day" muscle building routine. It's an example of how short the training sessions should be. It can also be done taking 2 days rest in between training sessions. I am assuming that you have weight training experience behind you, and also that you are familiar with the jargon. If not, then I would not recommend that you push yourself too far until you have built up your strength and fitness level. You should always get the go-ahead from your GP or health professional before starting or changing any physical exercise program. Warm ups are not included in the below.
Day 1: Chest - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Biceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 2: REST.
Day 3: Thighs - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Hamstrings - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Calves - 2 sets 12 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 4: REST.
Day 5: Shoulders - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Triceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 6: REST.
Day 7: Back - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Abdominals - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 8: REST.
Day 9: Start again.
Notes: You will need someone to help you for the last 2 or 3 reps of every set. So if you're doing a set of 10 reps, the weight should be heavy enough to allow only 8 reps on your own, and you will need help to get the other 2 reps to make it 10. If you're doing a set of 8 reps, it's really only 5 or 6 reps that you can get on your own; help will be needed to complete the 8 reps. Increase the weight every week, even if it's only 5lbs in total. Safety takes priority over ego. On the 4th week reduce the rep range by 2 for all sets and continue.
The idea is to put forth a much greater intensive effort than you imagine you can. The reward for these infrequent efforts is, shorter training sessions and more rest days away from it and of course much Greater Muscle Growth. Many people are now achieving greater results through smarter training methods, spending less time in the gym with more free time to enjoy other activities. Excessive hours and days in the gym is, at last! No longer the way to go.
by DARREN O CONNELL
Substantial muscle growth can be achieved with 40-minute sessions 3 days a week, sometimes much less if done correctly. Muscles will only grow in size when they have fully recovered from the gym workout, then, and only then will muscle growth happen. If your goal is to achieve maximum muscle growth in the shortest possible time then there needs to be more rest days than actual workout days.
It's difficult for some people to believe that substantial muscle growth can be induced with only 2 or 3 days a week at 40 minutes a session, or less. It can be done and it is being done by many, however, there is a catch:
These "few and far between" gym sessions will have to be short and extremely intensive. More intense than ever, you have to justify your days off. You have to give your body a very good reason to grow bigger muscles. The sessions will be about what you thought you could not do, but somehow managed to do.
Eg: if you're lifting a certain weight and you know you can only get 8 reps, you will push yourself further than ever before and squeeze out another 2 reps of that weight, with the help of your training partner or someone else of course. You will need help with the last 2 reps but the idea is to execute a greater effort than you are used to doing, this creates the environment for greater muscle growth (all other things being equal).
Below is an example of an 8 Week "every other day" muscle building routine. It's an example of how short the training sessions should be. It can also be done taking 2 days rest in between training sessions. I am assuming that you have weight training experience behind you, and also that you are familiar with the jargon. If not, then I would not recommend that you push yourself too far until you have built up your strength and fitness level. You should always get the go-ahead from your GP or health professional before starting or changing any physical exercise program. Warm ups are not included in the below.
Day 1: Chest - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Biceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 2: REST.
Day 3: Thighs - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Hamstrings - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Calves - 2 sets 12 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 4: REST.
Day 5: Shoulders - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Triceps - 2 sets 8 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 6: REST.
Day 7: Back - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set. Abdominals - 2 sets 10 reps 1 exercise. Use the same weight for your 2nd set.
Day 8: REST.
Day 9: Start again.
Notes: You will need someone to help you for the last 2 or 3 reps of every set. So if you're doing a set of 10 reps, the weight should be heavy enough to allow only 8 reps on your own, and you will need help to get the other 2 reps to make it 10. If you're doing a set of 8 reps, it's really only 5 or 6 reps that you can get on your own; help will be needed to complete the 8 reps. Increase the weight every week, even if it's only 5lbs in total. Safety takes priority over ego. On the 4th week reduce the rep range by 2 for all sets and continue.
The idea is to put forth a much greater intensive effort than you imagine you can. The reward for these infrequent efforts is, shorter training sessions and more rest days away from it and of course much Greater Muscle Growth. Many people are now achieving greater results through smarter training methods, spending less time in the gym with more free time to enjoy other activities. Excessive hours and days in the gym is, at last! No longer the way to go.
by DARREN O CONNELL
Thursday, 19 April 2007
Saturday, 7 April 2007
Gain Muscle Mass Hot Tips
To gain muscle mass is the dream of every hot blooded male. However, if you are going to achieve all that without relying on steroids or any artificial supplements, then you would really need lots of discipline and commitment to your training and diet. It is vital that you reevaluate your schedule, and set aside time to work out in the gym and make necessary changes to your diet. We will look at some hot tips that would help you to gain muscle mass and to shape up.
1. Sodium Intake
Sodium is an essential mineral you would need to take as it encourages the growth of muscles through increasing our muscle cell fluid volume. Though it is a good water retainer which is not good for us if we want to bulk up, it benefits you by enhancing carbohydrate storage and absorption of amino acids into our bodies. Since it can increase our cellular fluid, our joint leverage is improved and hence we gain more strength, suffer lesser muscle strains, and soft tissue injuries from weight training. On top of that, sodium improves the responsiveness of our muscles to insulin.
2. Fish and Foods with Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Eating fish and foods with omega-3 fatty acids would help us to gain muscle mass indirectly. Go for fish with tons of omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel, lake trout, sardines, tuna and herring. Flaxseeds, walnuts, oregano, cauliflower, mustard seeds, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, tofu, spinach, kale, soybeans are all rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These foods make our muscles more sensitive to insulin which aids fueling our glycogen storage and entry of amino acid into our muscles. All these is done while preserving our storage of glutamine, a key nutrient for protein metabolism and preventing muscle deterioration.
3. Free Weights Training
If you are serious about wanting to gain muscle mass, keeping the right diet is not enough. You need to work on some resistance training such as using free weights like dumbbells. They would work out your ancillary muscles and build compound mass on them. Dumbbells are exceptionally useful and versatile in muscle building because of the range of motions you can carry out when using them. This also means that you can work on more sets of muscles with the same piece of equipment, and the result is of course more muscle mass gain.
4. Experimenting with Different Exercise Regimes
No one is born with inert understanding of how their bodies respond to different exercises. What works for others may not work for you and vice versa. But if you have been training for a while, you would know what exercises work best for your muscles. Experiment different exercises and techniques with your dumbbells and free weights to see which helps you to gain muscle mass best.
There are a hundred and one ways to train up your muscles to gain muscle mass. But if you are keen and want to learn more, there are plenty of sites including my blog where you can pick up some great advice on muscle mass gain especially if you have tried but failed in other exercise regimes.
by DAVION WONG
1. Sodium Intake
Sodium is an essential mineral you would need to take as it encourages the growth of muscles through increasing our muscle cell fluid volume. Though it is a good water retainer which is not good for us if we want to bulk up, it benefits you by enhancing carbohydrate storage and absorption of amino acids into our bodies. Since it can increase our cellular fluid, our joint leverage is improved and hence we gain more strength, suffer lesser muscle strains, and soft tissue injuries from weight training. On top of that, sodium improves the responsiveness of our muscles to insulin.
2. Fish and Foods with Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Eating fish and foods with omega-3 fatty acids would help us to gain muscle mass indirectly. Go for fish with tons of omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel, lake trout, sardines, tuna and herring. Flaxseeds, walnuts, oregano, cauliflower, mustard seeds, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, tofu, spinach, kale, soybeans are all rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These foods make our muscles more sensitive to insulin which aids fueling our glycogen storage and entry of amino acid into our muscles. All these is done while preserving our storage of glutamine, a key nutrient for protein metabolism and preventing muscle deterioration.
3. Free Weights Training
If you are serious about wanting to gain muscle mass, keeping the right diet is not enough. You need to work on some resistance training such as using free weights like dumbbells. They would work out your ancillary muscles and build compound mass on them. Dumbbells are exceptionally useful and versatile in muscle building because of the range of motions you can carry out when using them. This also means that you can work on more sets of muscles with the same piece of equipment, and the result is of course more muscle mass gain.
4. Experimenting with Different Exercise Regimes
No one is born with inert understanding of how their bodies respond to different exercises. What works for others may not work for you and vice versa. But if you have been training for a while, you would know what exercises work best for your muscles. Experiment different exercises and techniques with your dumbbells and free weights to see which helps you to gain muscle mass best.
There are a hundred and one ways to train up your muscles to gain muscle mass. But if you are keen and want to learn more, there are plenty of sites including my blog where you can pick up some great advice on muscle mass gain especially if you have tried but failed in other exercise regimes.
by DAVION WONG
Wednesday, 4 April 2007
To Gain Muscle, All Pros Do Only 1 Set
Every pro bodybuilder does only 1 set per exercise to failure to gain muscle mass.....whether they say so or not.
I'm going to answer one of the most asked, most contradicted questions about how to train to gain weight around:
"How many sets does it take to gain muscular size and development?"
Now, I'm referring to sets per exercise.
When you perform a set in a "certain" manner, with the correct amount of weight and for a very "specific" rep range, you will have induced the maximum growth in that muscle.
Anything above and beyond that is just a waste.
The problem today is that when you pick up any bodybuilding or weight gain magazine / book, they all recommend several sets per exercise.
Not only is this very misleading to us average, skinny "hardgainers", but when you see every top pro doing set after set after set, it's no wonder that 99.9% of the average weight training population feels that it takes many sets to get the job done.
Well, to get straight to my point, look very closely at how the pros train, not what they say.
An excellent example is Jay Cutler.
If you ever read his articles, Muscle-Tech ads, or watch his training dvds, you see he follows a very high volume, high set training routine.
He does anywhere from 15-25 sets per muscle!
So, anyone looking at that might say, "Jay's a beast. If he does a ton of sets, then so will I!".
Well, I want you to go and read for yourself an ad that's running in some of the mags, the one titled "A Legacy In The Making".
In there he discusses his training routine.
In there he says, quote, ".....Obviously, you can't train to failure on every set.
I try to put in 100% effort on the last set of each exercise.
For example, if I'm doing chest, I usually do a weight I can handle for 8 to 10 repetitions for 3 sets and maybe a forth set where I go all out........the fourth set is the only set where I go to failure."
So, if he is doing 4 sets for an exercise, the first 3 are pretty much a bunch of warm-ups.
Only the fourth and last set is the one where he goes all-out, 100%, to failure.
As a matter of fact, I remember reading in Muscular Development that he calls these first sets "feeler" sets.
Well, "feeler" sets have got nothing to do with gaining muscle mass, it just serves as a warm-up.
This is the same case with every other pro.
They may say they do 3, 4, 5 sets per exercise, but they only go all-out, to failure on the last set.
In other words...............1 set per exercise to failure.......the one and only set that puts the muscle weight gain wheels into motion.
Observe, my friend, real closely what people do, not what they say, because it can be very misleading.
You may read in an article in a mag and see an individual's training routine, usually inside of a box, containing the name of the exercise, the number of sets and reps.
Well, if you didn't know any better, you would assume that these guys are going all-out, to the max on each and every one of these sets.
That only leads to over-exhaustion, over-fatigue, and overtraining for you and I.
By Jonathan Perez
I'm going to answer one of the most asked, most contradicted questions about how to train to gain weight around:
"How many sets does it take to gain muscular size and development?"
Now, I'm referring to sets per exercise.
When you perform a set in a "certain" manner, with the correct amount of weight and for a very "specific" rep range, you will have induced the maximum growth in that muscle.
Anything above and beyond that is just a waste.
The problem today is that when you pick up any bodybuilding or weight gain magazine / book, they all recommend several sets per exercise.
Not only is this very misleading to us average, skinny "hardgainers", but when you see every top pro doing set after set after set, it's no wonder that 99.9% of the average weight training population feels that it takes many sets to get the job done.
Well, to get straight to my point, look very closely at how the pros train, not what they say.
An excellent example is Jay Cutler.
If you ever read his articles, Muscle-Tech ads, or watch his training dvds, you see he follows a very high volume, high set training routine.
He does anywhere from 15-25 sets per muscle!
So, anyone looking at that might say, "Jay's a beast. If he does a ton of sets, then so will I!".
Well, I want you to go and read for yourself an ad that's running in some of the mags, the one titled "A Legacy In The Making".
In there he discusses his training routine.
In there he says, quote, ".....Obviously, you can't train to failure on every set.
I try to put in 100% effort on the last set of each exercise.
For example, if I'm doing chest, I usually do a weight I can handle for 8 to 10 repetitions for 3 sets and maybe a forth set where I go all out........the fourth set is the only set where I go to failure."
So, if he is doing 4 sets for an exercise, the first 3 are pretty much a bunch of warm-ups.
Only the fourth and last set is the one where he goes all-out, 100%, to failure.
As a matter of fact, I remember reading in Muscular Development that he calls these first sets "feeler" sets.
Well, "feeler" sets have got nothing to do with gaining muscle mass, it just serves as a warm-up.
This is the same case with every other pro.
They may say they do 3, 4, 5 sets per exercise, but they only go all-out, to failure on the last set.
In other words...............1 set per exercise to failure.......the one and only set that puts the muscle weight gain wheels into motion.
Observe, my friend, real closely what people do, not what they say, because it can be very misleading.
You may read in an article in a mag and see an individual's training routine, usually inside of a box, containing the name of the exercise, the number of sets and reps.
Well, if you didn't know any better, you would assume that these guys are going all-out, to the max on each and every one of these sets.
That only leads to over-exhaustion, over-fatigue, and overtraining for you and I.
By Jonathan Perez
Thursday, 7 December 2006
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