Muscle Building

BODYBUILDING – WHY IS IT SO POPULAR

There seems to be a craze with bodybuilding right now, everyone men and women included are trying to shape and sculpt their bodies into different forms. Just why is bodybuilding so popular?

People have different reasons for getting into bodybuilding. One of these is for competition reasons. The competitive bodybuilding world is huge and there are some great rewards to be had. Competing on this circuit takes dedication and effort. A bodybuilder must work every day to maintain their muscle mass and shape. Plus of course, it takes time to acquire a huge muscle filled body, so if you choose to do this method of bodybuilding start preparing well in advance.

Other people have identity issues, they are too thin and scrawny and hate the way they look. They turn to bodybuilding to develop a new self-image and gain confidence. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these reasons for wanting to build muscle, just be certain not to get carried away with it.

Many women turn to bodybuilding as a way to build strength. They just cannot lift heavy objects or work at a more intense job. To rectify this they start bodybuilding. Women tend to build muscle more slowly than men and they also do not bulk up the way men do. A lot of women shy away from bodybuilding as they think they will develop huge muscles and start to look masculine. This is absolutely not true and in fact, many slight women who body build can lift extreme amounts of weight.

Numerous male teenagers get into bodybuilding to impress the girls, they want to have big ripped muscles and look fabulous. This desire to look great for the opposite sex can sometimes lead to problems.

One of these problems includes the use of steroids and other muscle enhancers to build muscles at a faster rate. Issues can occur because suddenly the body is forced to grow at an alarming rate and it is easy to suffer from adverse effects of steroid use. Teens tend to forget that their bodies are still growing, so using steroids or growth hormones can really produce bad side effects. Side effects can include hair loss and developing man boobs.

Bodybuilding was created as a sport and when treated correctly is a great way of staying fit and healthy. Entering competitions is a great way to socialize and travel the country, plus there are tons of opportunities for working in the sports industry too. There is even the chance to compete in bodybuilding events at the Olympics.

 

BUILDING MUSCLE WITHOUT WEIGHTS

Going to a gym to build muscle can be really expensive and is not something that everyone can afford. But did you know that you can start building muscle without weights? There are some very effective exercises which you can do at home and still achieve great results.

Some of the easiest exercises to do at home are pushups, pull-ups, and squats. Some of these exercises can be tricky to perform correctly but you need to make a start somewhere.

This is especially true with performing pushups. If you can’t manage a single push up then try to do them on your knees. If this is still too difficult then do a push up off the wall or on your stairs. As you get to the point where you can do a set of 10 then move your hands down to the next lowest step. Continue until you are at floor level.

For pull-ups, you can purchase a bar that goes in between the doorway. You might even need to get your spouse to help you until you have the strength to pull yourself up. If a pull-up bar is not feasible to go down to your local playground. Use the bars there as a pull-up bar.

When performing squat exercises, position your hands behind your head and squat down. Ensure that your knees are not going over your toes. Concentrate on pushing your butt out instead. If this is very difficult or you become sore too quickly, then do leg stretches at least three times a week. Squat down as far as you can and then stand up. In time you will get further down and have the ability to do more reps.

For building muscle without weights you must remember that as you improve you will need to make your workout more challenging. Adding more reps at the same weight builds endurance and not muscle mass. You will want to up your intensity level of the above exercises.

When it comes to doing pushups you will want to try and do one arm pushups, start in a more upright position as described above. Eventually, you will be doing these from ground level. The same applies to pull-ups and squats, go for one arm and one leg squats.

You can also use resistance for building muscle without weights. You can fill water bottles and put them into a backpack while you are exercising. You could wear a weighted vest or a weight belt. All of these methods will help you build muscle.

As you can see it is possible to build muscle without the use of dumbbells or going to an expensive gym. You just need to get a little creative but your results will be well worth the effort.

 

CHOOSING YOUR WORKOUT SCHEDULE FOR BUILDING MUSCLE

One thing to remember when choosing your workout schedule for building muscle is that no two people build muscle mass at the same rate. Also, men and woman are going to build muscle differently. This applies in the same way as couples losing weight, who is the one who always seems to lose weight the fastest?

There are many types of workout schedules that you can find on the internet. Many are free and others require a membership fee or come in the form of an ebook.

When working out your muscles, you must allow them to recover from the intense workout which you just put them through. A good way to do this is to target a different muscle group each day.

A sample of this would be to do the following groups together:

• Chest and Triceps
• Shoulders and Abs
• Back and Biceps
• Legs

Using this type of approach for your workout schedule for building muscle is very effective for beginners. Each routine will not take that long to do but you will start to see results very quickly. It also allows for more than enough rest time.

It is important to rest your muscles so they can build. During your workout you have stretched your muscles to their max, they need time to relax, and this is also the time when your muscles will start to build.

There has been much discussion over the best time of day to do your workout schedule for building muscle quickly. Many experts recommend training first thing in the morning if possible. This allows plenty of time during the day for your muscle to rest. Remember your muscles grow while your body is resting. This is great if you have a sedentary job during the day.

If you do not have the time to work out in the morning then train when it suits your schedule the best. The main thing is to train on a regular and consistent basis. Many people like to train every other day and get in three workouts a week and then have two days of rest. This schedule will rotate throughout the week and weekends. So some weeks you will have two days off mid-week, and this might be preferable to you.

If you are brand new to weight training then start with a beginner’s workout schedule for building muscle. Lift very light weights until they become too easy and then increase them accordingly. This way you will be building your muscle mass without injury and will derive the full benefit from each workout session.

 

EFFECTIVE WAYS FOR BUILDING MUSCLE MASS

If you are looking for ways of building muscle mass then you have probably read that you must start eating more protein. This is perfectly true but it is also possible to increase your protein levels with other foods. The myth of building muscle mass through animal protein is completely false.

Many vegetarians manage to build muscle mass without ever consuming animal protein. They achieve this by using nuts and protein supplements containing whey and soy. The advantage of using these products is that they contain much less fat. So you are less likely to gain body fat and start suffering from high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Even for those people who do not like to consume large amounts of meat or eggs, supplements for building muscle mass are a good alternative. They can be mixed with water or milk and are easily digested by your body.

It takes your body more effort and calories to digest meat protein. Eating a vegetarian diet has the opposite effect and actually speeds up your metabolism. So it is possible for a vegetarian to start building muscle mass faster than someone consuming animal protein.
Nutrition is a key factor for building muscle mass, but weight training done correctly is vital too.

One reason why many people fail to build muscle mass is that they over train. They simply think that the more they train the better. This is untrue and when you understand that your muscle grows while resting you can see why.

If you never allow your muscles to rest, the tissues cannot repair themselves and grow. By weight training on alternate days and allowing yourself one or two rest days a week, you will achieve results faster.

One of the best exercises you can perform to get you building muscle mass quickly is to perform squats. Start off doing them with no weights. Simply place your hands behind your head. Squat exercises work your entire core and will also help you burn off body fat.

So the biggest thing to remember about weight training for building muscle mass is to do it on a consistent basis. If you are just starting out, try to work out one large muscle group at a time. This way you can create a good bodybuilding schedule for yourself. If you attempt to do too much too quickly you will get disappointed, or worse you could injure yourself. Resulting in you not being able to weight train for weeks, any muscle mass you may have built up will disappear.

To recap the best method for building muscle mass is to eat low-fat protein foods or shakes. Weight train three to four times a week and allow your body to rest in between workouts. For a fast start solution to building muscle mass perform squats for a complete whole body workout.

 

No Nonsense Muscle Building Review

The No Nonsense Muscle Building book is written by Vince Delmonte from his own experiences. It is specifically targeted at the skinny guy wanting to build muscle. But it also works for anyone who wants to lose weight and gain muscle, including men and woman of all different ages.

What makes this ebook so popular is that it outlines the exact system that Vince used to turn his 190-pound shabby body into a body that made him well known as a bodybuilder and fitness expert. Vince purposely titled his book with the word nonsense to separate all the myths and ideas that were circulating at the time. These myths were actually doing more harm than good.

The No Nonsense Muscle Building book consists of nine chapters which are easy to read. More than likely you will read the book in one sitting as it is so compelling. The first chapter alone will explain to you why your previous attempts to lose fat and gain muscle have not worked. He will also enlighten you on other common mistakes which you have probably made.

You will also learn the importance of proper nutrition and how foods react in your body. You will learn about your hormone levels and what effect this can have on your bodybuilding efforts. Vince will explain in detail how to perform a good bodybuilding routine and why it is so crucial to allow your body time to cool down properly.

This book is suitable for beginners as well as anyone who has tried and failed with bodybuilding before. Once you understand the basic concept of how your body builds a muscle then you can easily see what you have to do to increase your muscle mass.

The training portion of the ebook includes a 52-week in-depth training program, the actual program which Vince used himself. So all you have to do is simply follow each day one at a time. By doing the appropriate strength training as recommended along with following his nutritional plan there is no reason why you would not pack on a decent amount of muscle mass over the coming year.

As with any fat loss and muscle building program, it takes hard work and consistent effort to achieve your desired results. One of the free bonuses which you will receive with your purchase is a calculator which will help you determine exactly how many calories you need to eat in order to build muscle. No guesswork involved.

If you are truly serious about losing body fat and gaining muscle then you should pick up a copy of No Nonsense Muscle Building today. It even comes with a money back guarantee if you are not totally satisfied. By simply applying the techniques which Vince teaches you can join the thousands of other happy customers and get the body you have always dreamed about.

 

NUTRITION PLAN FOR BUILDING MUSCLE

There is an actual science in learning how to build muscle mass correctly. This is why you need a good nutrition plan for building muscle. Experts say that the process of building muscle involves your diet 80% of the time and 20% is dedicated to lifting weights. This shows you just how important nutrition and diet is to building muscle.

This is not to say that you should start eating huge amounts of food. Yes, you will need to eat protein and healthy carbs, but you don’t want to overload your system with any one food group. Doing this will only lead to health problems in the future, just look what happened to Arnold Schwarzenegger after eating huge amounts of protein for years!

When adding protein to your diet meals you want to give yourself a 6oz portion, add to this whole wheat pasta, potatoes, and brown rice. Then fill up on fresh vegetables, broccoli and carrots are great choices here. Also be sure to drink milk as this helps in building muscle fast. Chocolate milk works really well here and tastes good to boot.

You will want to be eating at least 3,000 calories for muscle growth to work efficiently. Some weightlifters will eat up to 5,000 calories depending upon your starting weight and body size.

You should aim to eat 3 good meals per day along with 2-3 snacks. Try to plan your meals so that you are eating roughly every three hours. One great tip here to keep your nutrition plan for building muscle on track is to stock your cupboards with food. Along with this, you can actually create a menu plan for the entire week. This way you know exactly what you are going to eat at each meal and it will be easy to just grab the ingredients and prepare them.

When it comes to snacking eating a handful of nuts is a good choice. Almonds are great and full of nutritional value. Other snack ideas for building muscle include having a banana along with a glass of milk. Fruit always makes a good option and berries, melons, oranges and apples are all good picks for building muscle. If you happen to be a vegetarian, use tofu instead of meat and use nuts more in your nutrition plan.

To build muscle correctly you have to take care of your body in all areas. This means getting enough sleep, 8 hours is recommended. When building muscle it is crucial to take days off. This allows your muscles to recover properly and is a great stress reliever too.

There is a definite method to gain muscle mass correctly. Having a good nutrition plan for building muscle is a great start. Fueling your body correctly will allow you to have the energy to do an intense workout session and achieve the results you so desire.

 

REVIEW OF XTREME NO SUPPLEMENTS

Building muscle mass is an obsession for many people, they are constantly looking for products to help build muscles faster and more effectively. For this reason, I decided to take a closer look at the Xtreme No supplements which are now available.

I started off by visiting their website and saw that they pride themselves on doing detailed research on all of their products. Their mission is to offer customers the absolute best in natural, nutritional supplements today. The company makes use of all available worldwide technology when developing and researching any new product.

The actual product Xtreme No is distributed by Muscle Advance which operates out of California. Muscle Advance is associated with the Natural Products Association. To be part of this association a company must produce products which have been proven to be safe and effective.

For any serious bodybuilder attempting to gain muscle mass, Xtreme No is proving to be very effective. The product itself has a perpetual release system, which basically means that the supplement is being released continually throughout your body. You can read more about the ingredients and the way in which they work on their website Xtreme dot com.

Xtreme No stands for extreme nitric oxide and it is this ingredient which produces fast results. Your body already manufactures nitric oxide. It is made in our tissues and helps our blood flow around our bodies. By increasing the amount of nitric oxide in someone’s body, muscle mass and strength can be developed.

As you work out the nitric levels begin to rise along with your oxygen levels. This combination allows you to build muscle mass more quickly. The high quality of the ingredients also has an impact on this. The biggest advantage which users have reported is that their muscles have that ripped look to them all day long following a workout.

Presently there is no other product on the market that can come close to competing with Xtreme No.

You must use nitric oxide with caution as very high doses can cause some serious side effects. It is imperative to follow the manufacturer’s instructions explicitly.

As results can be seen so quickly it is possible to get a free trial for Xtreme No. The sample will last for a month which is more than enough time to see results. The company is confident that once you start seeing results you will want to order more. To get your free trial you simply fill out the form on their website and pay a small shipping fee. For most places in the U.S., this will be under $10.

The best way to take your product is just before you begin your workout, about half an hour to an hour beforehand. The product label recommends taking it on an empty stomach.

To conclude this review I would say that the Xtreme No supplement has delivered what it has promised to many satisfied customers. If you are looking to build muscle mass fast then it is something to definitely try. With a cost of around $10 for the first month, you have nothing to lose and only muscle to gain.

 

THE BEST SUPPLEMENTS FOR BUILDING MUSCLE

Many weightlifters like to use shakes and supplements for building muscle. One of the main reasons for this is that drinking protein is an easy way to consume large amounts of protein. Plus many of these supplements are low in fat, this, in turn, helps to alleviate developing health problems due to eating large amounts of protein.

When looking for the best supplements for building muscle you want to consider the type of ingredients. Many supplements feature different ingredients and they all work effectively to help build muscle.

Some of the most popular ones include:

• Protein
• Creatine
• Glutamine
• Nitric Oxide (NO)
• Growth Hormone

Within these categories, there are subcategories and we will take a look at the ones for protein supplements, as this is normally a body builder’s first choice.

Protein is absolutely essential to build muscle and it comes in different forms. Whey, Soy, Egg, and Casein. Each of these works in slightly different ways.

A whey supplement works very well to help your muscle after your workout is over. Whey can be digested in 30 minutes by your body.

Supplements containing Casein work very slowly anywhere from 2 – 7 hours, it is recommended to take this supplement before going to bed.

Egg protein is easy to digest and starts working in 1 – 3 hours. This is why it is known as the eat anytime, anywhere type of protein supplement.

Soy supplements contain ingredients from plants and are known as the perfect choice for vegetarians. Soy has many qualities that are advantageous to women and is one of the best supplements for building muscle for this group.

Many manufacturers are creating supplements which contain all of the above ingredients. This way a person using them will have protein being released into their body throughout the day. As your body absorbs each protein at a different rate you can be effectively growing your muscle mass at all times.

Some of the best supplements for building muscle come in huge containers. So you want to always check the expiry date before purchasing. If you cannot reasonably use up the product by that date you may be better off purchasing a smaller container. However, if you are a serious bodybuilder you should be consuming extra protein every day.

If you aren’t fond of eating large servings of protein then using one of the best supplements for building muscle can be a good alternative. Always remember to use according to the manufacturer’s directions for best results.

 

WHAT IS A GOOD DIET FOR BUILDING MUSCLE?

A good diet for building muscle is a diet plan that includes not just more calories but incorporates foods that are proven to build muscle. These types of diets are also known as weight gain or high protein diets too.

The whole purpose of your diet for building muscle is to provide your muscles with adequate nutrition. This nutrition will allow your muscles to repair and build effectively. You also do not want to be gaining fat, so following a low fat but healthy diet plan is crucial.

Performing a rigorous weight training schedule is taxing on your body. By ensuring that you are fueling your body correctly you will have enough energy to maintain and finish your workout.

But how do you know what a good diet for building muscle is? Well, that’s a really good question and to get to the answer you want to understand how your body builds muscle.

Your body uses the protein from foods to build your muscles. So you need to eat adequate amounts of lean protein such as salmon, eggs, lean chicken and cuts of beef and pork. Eating lean will prevent you from gaining body fat.

Any person wanting to put on weight must eat 500 calories more each day, this equates to a one pound gain each week. By keeping this simple rule in mind you can easily increase your calories consumed into your diet.

Remember that you want to eat the extra calories as protein in order to build muscle. If you are finding this difficult you can opt to use protein weight gain shakes and supplements. They are easily mixed with milk and are very easy to digest. Two shakes per day will more than cover the extra 500 calories you are trying to eat.

Because people’s food choices are so different, it is virtually impossible to recommend the one best diet for building muscle which is suitable for everyone. The best way for you to find a suitable muscle building diet is to try a few different ones out and see what you feel comfortable with. Try a new diet for at least two weeks and see how it makes you feel.

Plus is it easy to follow, you don’t want to make drastic changes to your eating habits. If you remember to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables along with carbohydrates and increased protein amounts you should be able to see your muscle mass increase. If not try adding a protein shake or bar to your diet.

By following these simple tips you can create your own personal diet for building muscle. You will always have the ability to change it whenever necessary. And achieve your desired results.

 

WHY PROTEIN INTAKE FOR BUILDING MUSCLE IS IMPORTANT

It is a well-known fact that protein is required to build muscle, what is key though is that your protein intake amount is adequate. An easy way to know how much more protein to eat is to first figure out how many more calories you need to be eating.

Building muscle is like gaining weight it takes between 300 – 500 calories to put on extra muscle mass or weight. Remember eating 500 calories extra per day will have you gaining one pound per week.

Now if you use these extra calories for muscle building then you will want to convert the 300 – 500 calories into protein. Be careful here as you do not want to increase your fat intake. So eating lean cuts of protein or using nuts is advisable.

You can compare this to an infant growing. Breast milk contains only 10% of protein in calories, but this is more than enough for the infant to double their weight in their first six months of life.

An easy way to understand the concept of the correct protein intake for building muscle is to realize that protein is the building foundation for gaining muscle. When you train your muscles you are stimulating your muscle growth cycle. So it makes sense to train really hard and eat good amounts of protein.

If you don’t increase your caloric intake your muscles will not grow, regardless of how much you weight train. On the other hand, you don’t have to go overboard and eat thousands and thousands of calories each day.

Some weight training professional advocate not eating extra on your rest days. Instead, they physically rest more on that day. What this does is create an energy surplus in your body. So when you return to performing an intense work out your body will draw this surplus into reducing your body fat. The less body fat you have the more your muscle mass shows.

Anyone attempting to build muscle will have individual protein requirements so it is best to add extra protein in small amounts and see what your results are. Try adding 300 calories worth of additional protein each day for 3 months and track your results. If you are not gaining muscle mass at the rate you would like to, increase the amount to 500 calories.

Many proteins contain high amounts of fat and research has shown that low-fat protein choices work just as effectively in building muscle. This way you can easily use low-fat milk and dairy choices to your nutrition plan along with lean chicken, pork and fish. You are less likely to end up with other health-related issues such as high cholesterol this way.

So if you keep in mind that protein is your building block for muscle gain and that you should increase your protein intake for building muscle. You will start to see great results over the next few months.

How Does Fat Burn In The Body

The stored fat gets released into the bloodstream as FFA’s and they are shuttled off to the muscles where the energy is needed. As blood flow increases to the active muscles, more FFA’s are delivered to the muscles that need them. FFA’s get inside the mitochondria by LPL and this is where the FFA’s go to be burned. How Does Fat Burn In The Body

CONCLUSION

As you can see once you have the basics in place it is not that difficult to start building muscle. Just remember to pay attention to your diet and allow lots of rest in between your workouts.

Bear in mind that you can eat vegetable sources of protein as long as meat sources. You don’t want to overeat on your portion sizes. For women aim for 4oz of protein per meal and men can have around 6 -8oz.

If you can’t stomach this much protein then consider using a good quality protein supplement instead.

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About the Author:

Meet Eva-Nancy, your go-to friend for everything wellness and physical fitness! For over ten years, she's been absolutely hooked on exploring the ins and outs of fitness, supplements, and just feeling great overall. Not just a fitness fanatic, Eva-Nancy Jones is the proud creator of the Health And Good Shape website, a buzzing hub for health and fitness lovers. She's got a knack for personal training and knows her way around a nutritious meal plan like nobody's business. For the last few years, Eva-Nancy has been the cheerleader and coach rolled into one as a personal trainer. She's poured her heart into helping folks hit their fitness goals and switch up their lifestyles for a healthier, happier them. With a passion that's contagious and a wealth of knowledge to share, Eva-Nancy is all about lifting others up. Through her writing, she spreads the word on wellness, always aimed at inspiring and guiding people to take care of themselves. Let Eva-Nancy lead the way to a fitter, more fabulous you!