Read Mike’s great article on bodyweight squats:

Bodyweight Squats Muscular Endurance Challenge

Hey there, it’s Mike from TruthAboutAbs.com & Busy Man Fitness .com

I told you last week that I’d be sending you out a training challenge this week. Well, here it is. I challenge you to try to beat my results at this little 5-minute routine. You’ll see my results below.

I’m sure if you’ve been reading my info for some time that you know I like to get creative in the training routines that I recommend trying. I think trying different training styles and routines keeps things more interesting and can be motivating if you set specific goals for certain exercises.

Tip! Egos: In many ways most people allow their egos to defeat them and get in the way of the full potential. You might not get this but, bodybuilding is not about you! Lose it, or keep on losing in life.

In fact, if you didn’t already see it, one of my unique training ideas was recently featured in the popular international magazine, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Jul/Aug issue pg. 18.

So my boredom buster this week is something I just thought up recently. I set a challenge with a couple of my training partners at my gym to see who could do the most repetitions of bodyweight squats in 5 minutes. I will qualify that these are meant to be full squats all the way down to thighs parallel with the ground, not the little “half way down” squats that you see so many people doing.

You basically just keep squatting for as many reps as possible in 5-min. You only rest a couple times here and there for a few seconds if you need it to help you keep squatting.

I liked this idea because I thought it would be drastically different from the normal 3 sets of 10, 5 sets of 5, 7 sets of 3, and so on. No matter how you break it down with weighted squats, you’re usually in the range of 20-40 total repetitions in a given workout.

However, with max repetition bodyweight squats in 5-minutes, your numbers easily can get up to well over 100 reps. Let me tell you… even though you’re not squatting heavy weights with this unique training style, the high volume of repetitions really pumps your legs and gets you dripping with sweat. Also, if you’re not used to this high volume, your legs will be in for some deep soreness for about 2-3 days afterwards.

So the results? Well, in my first attempt at 5-minute squats, I pumped out 157 reps. About a week later, I tried it again, and beat my 1st number by repping 163 squats. Then the following week, I once again beat my former scores by blasting through 169 squats.

I’ve set the goal that I’d like to get up to 200 squats within the 5-minute time frame. Considering that you have 300 seconds in 5-minutes, I figured 200 reps might be about at the maximum possible capacity as you really need to be repping quickly to do 200 parallel squats in 300 seconds.

Bodybuilding Done Right. Busy Man Fitness

For example, this muscular endurance goal of 200 squats in 5-minutes is on the totally opposite end of the spectrum when compared to a different goal that I trained for last year when I was training in a pure strength mode working up to a 405-lb deadlift. Changing things up like this and training for wildly different goals at different times can really help keep you interested in your workouts.

Alright, so go ahead and give this little 5-minute squat challenge a try (remember full squats, no halvsies).

Update: several weeks after running this article, I ended up beating my goal of 200 bodyweight squats in 5 minutes by pumping out 214 reps! Oh my, the burn!!

Good luck!

Feel free to forward this link to any friends, training partners, or family that you think might want to try this training challenge.

About the Author:  Mike Geary
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Founder – TruthAboutAbs.com & BusyManFitness.com

Is there a way to get a muscle building effect with cardio? Recent research says “yes” you can build muscle with interval training. This shocking research study goes against the grain of every major bodybuilding concept that you have ever heard but now you can build muscle and lose fat at the same time. Most people always thought that weight lifting builds muscle and cardio workouts burn fat. While that is partially true, why not build muscle and burn fat with the same exercise?

Most people typically fail because they are performing slow and steady cardio. Not only is slow and steady cardio boring but as I explain in The Physique Formula, this type of workout actually shuts off your anabolic natural muscle building hormones that cause you to build muscle and lose stomach fat. This is why most people struggle to lose those last five pounds of fat that are stuck on your lower abs, glutes and hamstrings.

Don’t think that you have get on the treadmill or bike to do muscle building cardio like recent research has shown. Not at all, you can actually get the same effect during your workouts and they don’t even need to be workouts in the gym. Tabatas are a method of training that have been shown to accelerate the fat lose process faster than typical interval training and almost double the fat loss of steady state cardio.

Here’s how to get the muscle building cardio effects by using tabatas in your workout.

-Pick a compound full body exercise like the bench press, squat, deadlift, chin-ups, dumbbell shoulder press, dips or lunges.

-Pick a weight that you can do for 15-20 reps.

-Perform as many reps as you can in 20 seconds.

-Rest for 10 seconds.

-Perform another round of as many reps as possible for 20 seconds.

-Rest for another 10 seconds.

-Repeat another round for the final 20 seconds then rest another 10 seconds.

-Perform this type of tabata set for another 2 sets.

-Select 3 other full body exercises (2 for the upper body and 2 for the lower) and perform the same amount of sets.

Record the weight used and the reps done because next time you train you are going to get a better muscle building cardio effect because you’ll do more reps with the same weight.

Discover the quickest way to build muscle and burn fat with a sample bodyweight workout routine. Jimmy Smith, MS,CSCS is a Men’s Fitness muscle building expert.

Tip! Ashamed to ask for help: The smartest thing I did when I was first started bodybuilding and competing was to ask for help. Knowledge is power when you adapt it to your personality.

Posted on a Bodybuilding Message Board:

Quick And Easy Bodybuilding Guide.

Hi everyone I’m 15 and was wondering what I can take for my muscle to grow? I have heard of muscle boosters or something like that so I was just wondering if there was anything like that that I could take in order for my muscle to get huge.

I might be thinking of steroids.

Answer:

Stop! What the HECK are you thinking? Why are we always looking for the short cut to the biggest gains while still being able to watch T.V.? I guess the word “hard work” isn’t something you really need to do if you know some handy-dandy SECRETS to building muscle.

Clarence Darrow, a famous trial lawyer, once said:

“As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man (or woman) objected and no man (or woman) rebelled, those wrongs would last forever.”

Tip! Teach others what you have learned ? Bodybuilding Champions help others gain knowledge. The best champions are those who share the wealth, teach others and inspire hearts.

Listen closely! The term ‘lifestyle’ means ON-GOING and NEVER ending. A shortcut has no place in bodybuilding and certainly no place in getting into the best shape of your life.

So what?

I can already hear the voices now like waves crashing against a rocky wall “why should I care?” Or the other one “what’s in it for me?”

A Blueprint for your Success:

* The more you know, the more educated you become from a cast of reliable sources and PASS that information on to your friends…

* The better off this industry will become…

* The FASTER you can AVOID mistakes…

* The FASTER you can make better LONG TERM progress!

FACT: According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens(NIDA):

“As part of a 2002 NIDA-funded study, teens were asked if they ever tried steroids?even once. Only 2.5% of 8th graders ever tried steroids; only 3.5% of 10th graders; and 4% of 12th graders.”

Tip! Egos: In many ways most people allow their egos to defeat them and get in the way of the full potential. You might not get this but, bodybuilding is NOT about you! Lose it, or keep on losing in life.

Add to this an article I read in the May 2004 issue of Flex magazine by Tom Prince. He profiled his career in a very thought provoking article called “When the Posing Stops.”

Truly Huge Bodybuilding Book. The Secrets To Gaining Muscle Mass Revealed.

Tom Prince went on to explain his steroid use, his mad as a hatter like rush to the top, and eventually the pain he endures and his eventual kidney failure to reach a peak. The descriptions of his crumbling shoulder socket and the pain he must be in made me as sick as a dog.

At the time of the article, Tom Prince was 34 years old! He said:

“I will probably die younger than normal, 65 or something like that, but 65 is better than 35.”

STOP and ask yourself this key question:

Are the youth of today any different then me 16 years ago when I was looking at bodybuilding magazines and wanting to be ripped and muscular? In my mind, I was willing to take all kinds of supplements and do whatever training program I could to look like those guys in the magazine ads. They were my HEROS and inspiration.

Thankfully I didn’t go down that path.

Just last week, my friend (Yes I really have spoken on the phone with him several times) Tom Venuto sent out a issue asking people to take a look at the natural bodybuilders all over the Internet for inspiration.

Tom Venuto wrote:

Tip! Never forget where you come from! ? Bodybuilding Champions never forget what the sport has taught them, where they have been or who has helped them along the way. Bodybuilding and life share the same principles: what you gain inside is more valuable than anything physical.

“There ARE heroes and role models to look up to today, and you will find them in the drug-free bodybuilding movement.”

He’s RIGHT. In fact I know an older gentleman, Scott Hults, who’s a big fan of natural bodybuilding and has done wonders in this sport to educate himself and others around him that taking shortcuts isn’t the way to go and that hard work can pay-off at any age. If I can be in as good of shape as Scott when I’m older, I’d be lucky.

Think about it.

Toss this idea around, if you want to get better at something, you should do everything in your power to make the exercises HARDER, not easier.

Tip! More is not better! ? Bodybuilding Champions work smarter not harder. Efficiency and knowledge is the key to becoming a true champion.

Clearly you can see by now shortcuts simply don’t come without a price. If you are one of those people who wants to make working out and building muscle or losing fat easy as cutting thru a banana cream pie, you’ll never reach the goals you’ve set.

Richie Smith, a personal trainer with more horsepower in the gym then a Bugatti Veron, said “When you are child, your parents tell you to keep your hands off the stove?they tell you not to put your hand into the flame, because if you do, you’ll get burned. If you’re serious about bodybuilding, you have to un-learn what you were taught as a child. When I train people, basically I’m telling them to put their hand right into the fire and keep it there. I have them train into and beyond the pain zone. That’s what makes you grow.”

Tip! Leave your ego at the door! ? Bodybuilding Champions focus on the process and not on themselves. Your life should not center on you and you alone.

Are you beginning to see how building muscle and changing your body is work but it’s fun? Building your body isn’t like FedEx … it simply, positively DOESN’T happen overnight. But one could also say … it’s human nature to avoid hard work.

Tom Venuto wrote in his natural bodybuilding blog, “Most people are on a constant search for the path of least resistance. A drug, a supplement, a ‘breakthrough technique’ a new machine, a shortcut in exercise form?anything and everything they think will help them reach their goals with less effort and in less time. This is typical human nature. Unfortunately, this is also faulty thinking and you will NEVER become a champion with this type of attitude.

Tip! Get a mentor- Bodybuilding Champions are never afraid to ask for help. Champs know that knowledge is power.

You can clearly see what I’m saying is certainly true…

If I could give you a training strategy that is GUARANTEED to increase your muscle and burn more fat, would you be interested?

Copyright 2006 Marc David

Stop spending time searching for answers and learn the REAL truth about natural bodybuilding and how to train right, eat right and supplement right with proven step by step methods in the Beginner’s Guide to Fitness & Bodybuilding. http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Only ultra-endurance athletes come close in terms of low body fat levels, but endurance athletes like triathaletes and marathoners often get lean at the expense of chewing up much of their lean muscle.”

There seems to be a contradiction unless I’m missing something. Why do bodybuilders and fitness competitors have to go through a 12 week ‘transformation’ prior to every event instead of staying ‘lean and mean’ all the time? If they practice the secrets exposed in your book, shouldn’t be staying in great shape all the time instead of having to work at losing fat prior to every competitive event?”

ANSWER: Thanks for your question. There’s a logical explanation for why bodybuilders and other physique athletes (fitness and figure competitors), don’t remain completely ripped all year round, and it’s the very reason they are able to get so ripped on the day of a contest…

You can’t hold a peak forever or it’s not a “peak”, right? What is the definition of a peak? It’s a high point surrounded by two lower points isn’t it? Therefore, any shape you can stay in all year round is NOT your “peak” condition.

The intelligent approach to nutrition and training (which almost all bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors use), is to train and diet in a seasonal or cyclical fashion and build up to a peak, then ease off to a maintenance or growth phase.

I am NOT talking about bulking up and getting fat and out of shape every year, then dieting it all off every year. What I’m talking about is going from good shape to great shape, then easing back off to good shape…. but never getting “out of shape.”

Makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?

Here’s an example: I have no intentions whatsoever of walking around 365 days a year at 4% body fat like I appear in the photo on my website. Truth be told, that is day of contest condition.

Off-season (when I’m not competing), my body fat is usually between 8 – 10%. Mind you, that’s very lean and still single digit body fat.I don’t stray too far from competition shape, but I don’t maintain contest shape all the time. It takes me about 10-12 weeks or so to gradually drop from 9% to 3.5%-4.0% body fat to “peak” for competition with NO loss of lean body mass, using the same techniques I reveal in my e-book.

It would be almost impossible to maintain 4% body fat, and even if I could, why would I want to? For the few weeks prior to competition I’m so depleted, ripped, and even “drawn” in the face, that complete strangers walk up and offer to feed me.

Okay, so I’m just kidding about that, but let’s just say being “being ripped to shreds” isn’t a desirable condition to maintain because it takes such a monumental effort to stay there.

It’s probably not even healthy to try forcing yourself to hold extreme low body fat. Unless you’re a natural “ectomorph” (skinny, fast metabolism body type), your body will fight you and you’ll always be hungry.

Not only that, anabolic hormones may drop and sometimes your immune system is affected as well (and I hate to say this, but sometimes – for some people – even the, uh… “reproductive functions”… decline a bit when you’re that lean).

Hey, I’m just being honest. It’s just not “normal” to walk around all the time with literally NO subcutaneous body fat.

Instead of attempting to hold the peak, I cycle back into a less demanding off-season program and avoid creeping beyond 9.9% body fat. Some years I’ve stayed leaner – like 6-7%, (which takes effort), especially when I knew I would be photographed, but I don’t let my body fat go over 10%. Thats “the line” I draw – it’s like a personal “rule” for me.

This practice isn’t just restricted to bodybuilders. Athletes in all sports use periodization to build themselves up to their best shape for competition.

Is a pro football player in the same condition in March-April as he is in August-September? Probably not. Many show up fat and out of shape (relatively speaking) for training camp, others just need fine tuning, but none are in peak form… that’s why they have training camp!!!

There’s another reason you wouldn’t want to maintain a “ripped to shreds” physique all year round – you’d have to be dieting (calorie restricted) all the time. And this is one of the reasons that 95% of people can’t lose weight and keep it off – they are CHRONIC dieters… always on some type of diet. Know anyone like that?

You can’t stay on restricted low calories indefinitely. Sooner or later your metabolism slows down and you plateau as your body adapts to the chronically lowered food intake and reduced body weight.

But if you diet for fat loss and push incredibly hard for 3 months, then ease off for a while and eat a little more (healthy food, not “pigging out”), your metabolic rate is re-stimulated.

In a few weeks or months, you can return to another fat loss phase and reach an even lower body fat level, until you finally reach the point that’s your happy maintenance level for life – a level that is healthy and realistic – as well as visually appealing.

That’s how we physique athletes do it…

Bodybuilders have discovered a methodology for losing fat that’s so effective, it puts them in complete control of their body composition. They’ve mastered this area of their lives and will never have to worry about it again.

If they ever “slip” and fall off the wagon like all humans do at times … no problem! They know how to get back into shape fast.

Bodybuilders have the tools and knowledge to hold a low body fat all year round(such as 9% for men, or about 15% for women), and then at a whim, to reach a temporary “peak” of extremely low body fat for the purpose of competition.

Maybe most important of all, they have the power and control to slowly ease back from peak shape into maintenance, and not balloon up and yo-yo like most conventional dieters.

What if you had the power to stay lean all year round, and then get super lean when summer rolled around, or when you took your vacation to the Caribbean, or when your wedding date was coming up?

Wouldn’t you like to be in control of your body like that? Isn’t that the same thing that bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors do, only on a more practical, real-world level?

So even if you have no intention of ever being a bodybuilder, don’t you agree that there’s something of value everyone could learn from physique athletes?

Don’t model yourself after the huge crowd of “losers” who gobble diet pills, buy exercise gimmicks and suffer through starvation diets like automatons, only to gain back everything they lost! Instead, learn from the leanest athletes on Earth – natural bodybuilders and fitness competitors…

These physique athletes get as ripped as they want to be, exactly when they want to, simply by manipulating their diets in a cyclical fashion between pre-contest “cutting” programs and off season “maintenance” or “muscle growth” programs.

Even if you have no desire to ever compete, try this seasonal “peaking” approach yourself and you’ll see that it can work as well for you as it does for elite bodybuilders.

For more information about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, the “longevity lifestyle with more muscle,” click here.
About The Author
Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world’s best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting www.burnthefat.com

Tip! Egos: In many ways most people allow their egos to defeat them and get in the way of the full potential. You might not get this but, bodybuilding is NOT about you! Lose it, or keep on losing in life.

Bodybuilding is the sport of developing muscle fibers through the combination of weight training, increased caloric intake, and rest. Competitive bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points.

The sport is not to be confused with strongman competition or powerlifting, where emphasis is on actual physical strength, or with Olympic weightlifting, where emphasis is equally split between strength and technique.

Though superficially similar to the casual observer, the fields entail a different regimen of training, diet, and basic motivation. Bodybuilders aspire to develop and maintain an aesthetically pleasing (by bodybuilding standards) body and balanced physique. A bodybuilder’s size and shape are far more important than how much he or she can lift.

The growth and repair, however, cannot occur without the necessary building blocks. These are supplied by high quality nutrition. Bodybuilders require a very specialised diet. Generally speaking, bodybuilders require anything between 500-1000 calories (2000 to 4000 kilojoules) above their maintenance level of food energy while attempting to increase lean body mass.

Tip! Ashamed to ask for help: The smartest thing I did when I was first started bodybuilding and competing was to ask for help. Knowledge is power when you adapt it to your personality.

A sub-maintenance level of food energy is combined with cardiovascular exercise to lose body fat in preparation for a contest. The ratios of food energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats vary depending on the goals of the bodybuilder.

Bodybuilding Done Right. Insiders Audio Guide To Muscle Building Secrets.

Supplements can help muscle gain, although some are unproven and many are ineffective. Two supplements which have been proven to help bodybuilders gain and maintain size (without unhealthy side effects) are Creatine and L-Glutamine. Like all supplements, these only help if used in conjunction with a solid nutritional base and weight training program.

Some bodybuilders may use drugs to gain an advantage over results due to natural hypertrophy, especially in professional competitions. Although many of these substances are illegal in many countries, in professional bodybuilding the use of anabolic steroids and precursor substances such as prohormones are sometimes essential to competing in world-class competitions.

Most steroids allows the human body to be in a more anabolic state. Significant negative side-effects accompany steroid abuse, such as liver damage and negative feedback leading to a decline in the body’s own testosterone production, which can cause testicular atrophy and possible infertility.

Bodybuilding – Providing Bodybuilding information. Learn about Bodybuilding supplements, diet, nutrition & much
more.

Bodybuilding Done Right. Insiders Audio Guide To Muscle Building Secrets.

Okay here’s a subject that really gets my blood boiling. Bodybuilding is intended to be the creation of the perfect physique…right? That means that the chest, shoulders, legs, arms and back are suppose to be developed to their full potential while keeping the waist muscular but small. Some bodybuilders may have one genetically gifted part that has a tendency to be superior to another part.

The normal goal is to emphasize the training of the weaker body part while curtailing training to the more responsive body part. This is done to obtain proportional muscle size. In achieving the perfect physique, the waist is meant to be small compared to upper body parts and the legs. The smaller the waist the more dramatic the surrounding muscles appear. The Back will look like a flared cobra’s head when attached to a tiny waist.

I remember the physiques of the past, Arnold, Bob Birdsong, Franco Columbo, Bob Paris and Frank Zane achieved this dynamic look. Darin Lannaghan, Bill Davey and Stan McQuay have produced this look in modern day bodybuilding though they may never be seen at the Arnold Classic Competition.

So What’s Changed?

In mid 80’s, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Insulin became popular drugs with professional bodybuilders. The net result, with these top level competitors, is the “Roid Gut”. Now days, we have bodybuilders sporting a 40-46″ waists. I am guessing, of course, since no competitor would dare share the mammoth size of their waistlines. If they did, I would bet they would shave the number down an inch or two.

Unfortunately, the Roid Gut has a repulsive appearance contrary to the original intent of the sport. When Jay Cutler in his early years hit national prominence, his youthful physique still had the small waist. Today, Jay’s waist is absolutely gross. Sure he may weighs 270+ lbs, but also he sports a waist line of a sumo wrestler. Most of the top bodybuilders, Ronnie Coleman, Dorian Yates and Craig Titus, all exhibit this similar phenomenon. These competitors are simply meeting the expectation of what the judges are condoning and encouraging by accepting this look at as the “champion” physique.

Tip! Never forget where you come from! ? Bodybuilding Champions never forget what the sport has taught them, where they have been or who has helped them along the way. Bodybuilding and life share the same principles: what you gain inside is more valuable than anything physical.

I am writing this article to discourage the use of these drugs. They are sucking the lifeblood out of the Sport, destroying the potential aesthetics of the physique, and taking the bodybuilding back to the freak show era of the past. THIS SHOULD NOT BE!

HGH, “Huge Gut Hormone?”

Okay so what does HGH do to the body? In a normal person, HGH is produced by the body and causes the normal body growth process. The HGH drug was originally developed for children that exhibited stunted growth and were found to have a low production of this hormone. Doctors would administer HGH in small amounts to stimulate a normal growth pattern.

In a few people, HGH production is overactive (from birth) it can also create person of gigantic proportions. Andre the Giant had this condition. Robert Wadlow was another and he grew to be 7′11″. He had many health problems and died at a very early age.

Tip! Teach others what you have learned ? Bodybuilding Champions help others gain knowledge. The best champions are those who share the wealth, teach others and inspire hearts.

If HGH is administered to an adult, muscle growth restarts. HGH is very different than steroids. HGH causes production of new cells. Steroids cause only the enlargement of existing cells. The new cell growth seems to target only with the soft tissues and rarely skeletal system. Unfortunately, not only are the muscles cells multiplying but so are the internal muscles like the intestines and heart.

Furthermore, organs, like the liver, kidneys and pancreas are growing too. When the growth of these internal muscles and organs occur in a fixed chest cavity, there is only one direction for this extra mass to go and that is out the abdominal area. Starting to get the picture?

Insulin’s Additive Affect

Now what is insulin’s affect on the body? Insulin is a super steroid that funnels the nutrients and sugar into muscle. When combined with hard workouts, recovery is very quick. Properly taken, it drives cell growth better than any other steroid. However if you screw up in taking insulin at the wrong time or dosage, you can throw yourself into insulin shock and die. Also long term use can make you a diabetic, a condition that shortens life. When Insulin is combined with HGH, the muscles are set to make significant gains.

The downside of insulin is that it is also active in creating the storage of fat in the body in the event of starvation. These fat deposits are stored internally to body and not on the exterior muscles. This is wonderful for the bodybuilder’s appearance but not for this health. These fat deposits called visceral fat are found around the internal organs of the liver, pancreas, heart and kidneys. Couple this additional weight with growth of the internal muscles and organs and you have enough extra mass to create a really protruding Roid Gut.

Tip! Pay your dues and do not cheat by taking steroids ? Bodybuilding Champions SHOULD do it the right way, without drugs! You can never replace hard work, and hard work always pays off. Others may not know you are cheating, but at the end of the day you do.

“Side Bar” Story

Let me tell you one story that comes to mind back in the very early 80’s. Tim Belknap, then a great in the world of bodybuilding, announced that he was diabetic. I have no reason to doubt he was, but I am now convinced that Tim found the secret to using insulin to maximize his bodybuilding potential. During that era, Tim was by far the most vascular bodybuilder on the scene. I also notice, he had a semi-protruding waistline.

At the time I felt sorry for Tim being handicapped with diabetes but admired that he had accomplish a world class physique under this condition. Now looking back, I am sure Tim was able to apply his insulin to his bodybuilding benefit.

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You be the Judge

I am convinced that these “super heavy weight” competitors at 270+ lbs might really weigh 240 or so if you stripped the mass out of their guts. But then again they might only weigh 220 if they lost the additional muscularity as a result of these two drugs. Let’s return to the aesthetic builds of a few years past. I hope that even if judges don’t award the small waist competitor the winning trophy, you will agree, that creating a Roid Gut is neither attractive nor healthy!

Tip! Get a mentor- Bodybuilding Champions are never afraid to ask for help. Champs know that knowledge is power.

Scott Jameson is a bodybuilder and trainer for over 30 years. He has a passion for bodybuilding and helping other achieve this success. He regularly applies the techniques in this article. See more of his articles at http://www.bodybuildingprogramzone.com

If you want to more information on a Bodybuilding Program – Check out the Zone, the site with a passion for you to succeed.

Tip! Leave your ego at the door! ? Bodybuilding Champions focus on the process and not on themselves. Your life should not center on you and you alone.

Although the entire body needs to be properly positioned during bodybuilding workout, the axial skeleton and its immediate attachments are of greatest concern and require particular attention. Correctly positioning and stabilizing the spine, neck and pelvis during resistance-training exercises are especially important.

To see better how these areas should be positioned during exercise, you should first be aware of how they are positioned when held or stabilized at rest. Not everyone has the same degree of spinal curvature, and some may have spinal abnormalities. If you or someone you are training has any of these abnormalities or any type of back problems, be sure a doctor is consulted before beginning any exercises program.

Different schools of thought exist regarding the spine and exercise. Some people advocate flattening the back during most any exercise in which a bench, pad, or some sort of outside support is present. The theory behind this concept is to reduce the stress on the spine, intervertebral disks, and lower-back area by bracing them against a support. Flattening the back actually requires most people to tilt the pelvis posteriorly. The spine is in its strongest position and the disks are under the least amount of compression when the spine, neck and pelvis are all in a neutral position with the normal arches and curvatures intact.

With this in mind, we prefer to do most every exercise while keeping the lumbar spine and the cervical spine in a neutral position. The only change is a slight degree of extension or straightening through the thoracic religion. To do this, we simply pull the shoulder blades together and lift the chest slightly up and out while maintaining the ntural arch in the lumbar and cervical regions of the spine. An example of this would be soldiers standing at attention with their shoulders back and their chest out. This spinal positioning is called a ready position.

Tip! Teach others what you have learned ? Bodybuilding Champions help others gain knowledge. The best champions are those who share the wealth, teach others and inspire hearts.

Positioning the spine in this manner supports weight more efficiently and still allows for the least amount of intervertebral disk compression in the cervical and lumbar regions. Instead of bracing the lower back by flattening it, you should maintain the natural arch in the lumbar spine. Maintaining this position will require stabilization from the muscles throughout the back, particularly those of the lower region. This is an added benefit. These muscles will be working to stabilize what is a natural and desirable spinal position while the targeted muscles are working against the resistance.

Muscles of the trunk and lower back are typically weak links in most individuals. Using this positioning will help to strengthen and stabilize these weak links rather than pacifying them. Isn’t strengthening weak muscles one of the reasons we do resistance training in the first place ?

Bodybuilding Done Right. Insiders Audio Guide To Muscle Building Secrets.

For more resources:

http://www.101bodybuilding.com

http://www.101cookingrecipes.com
http://www.desserts-recipes.com

Truly Huge Bodybuilding Book. The Secrets To Gaining Muscle Mass Revealed.

Since the early days of physical culture, modern man has been searching for the elusive ”Fountain of Youth”. The promise of radiant health, enduring strength and a Herculean physique has drawn millions on this quest for physical perfection.

Through the early decades of bodybuilding, the forefathers of physical culture established basic guidelines for the muscle enthusiast to follow. Natural foods, resistance training, plenty of rest, and a positive outlook in life were the primary ingredients for achieving ones goals.

The demand for knowledge on ‘how to’ reach the stars would result in millions of booklets being sold by mail order, while magazine stands and bookshelves were continually restocked with the latest ‘muscle building secrets’. Tons of steel and exercise equipment would find its way into the homes of thousands of Americans all across our nation. Health clubs and iron gyms would sprout up in local neighborhoods and towns, while physique competitions were held to determine whom the best in the land was. The strong roots of physical culture were taking grip in our society, and the mighty oak of bodybuilding would soon branch out through every city in America.

Tip! Feed the Spirit! Bodybuilding Champions understand the mind is their biggest competitor and the heart is their biggest asset. If you kill your spirit or passion for the sport, you have lost the main purpose for your efforts.

A new ‘way of life’ became a reality for many as the ‘body beautiful’ movement swung into high gear. For decades the much traveled road to muscledom kept its promise, then by the mid-60’s what seemed pure and natural took a wrong turn setting the course of modern bodybuilding down a dead end. The introduction of anabolic steroids into the sport of bodybuilding would usher in a new era of super sized and equally strong muscular physiques that would attract millions of young men with a desire to achieve the same naturally unattainable goals.

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Along with the growth of the sport, the physiques continued to become bigger and more vascular as bodybuilders experimented with ’stacking’ the latest in designer muscle enhancing pharmaceuticals. Magazine and ticket sales were at a peak and bodybuilding competitions were seen regularly on network TV. The popularity of the sport was soaring high. Then, what could have been mostly prevented by not promoting and rewarding individuals whose physiques were chemically altered became a reality as the widespread use of drugs in the sport became relevant.

Words such as steroids, cycling, and growth hormones became common place in our gyms, and juicing no longer meant enjoying your favorite health drink. Reports of bodybuilders on dialysis and with heart ailments became a frequent occurrence while the eventual death of several competitive pros hit home hard. What had been a dark cloud in a sport with such great potential turned into a storm that spread its vast shadow on a culture that once shined.

Tip! Ashamed to ask for help: The smartest thing I did when I was first started bodybuilding and competing was to ask for help. Knowledge is power when you adapt it to your personality.

Organizations dedicated to natural bodybuilding and a healthy lifestyle would soon respond to the call for a return to the ideals set forth by the forefathers of physical culture. Physique promoters throughout the land created natural bodybuilding competitions so athletes could compete on a level playing field without running the risk of ruining their health. Publications featuring natural bodybuilders began to spread the gospel of healthy living through proper nutrition and exercise.

The televised media developed new bodybuilding and fitness programs to inspire future generations of natural iron pumpers. And as the age of cyber space came upon us, the Internet became a resource of concepts and opinions for bodybuilders to learn and express their views with other physique artist throughout the World. The new millennium is here and those dedicated to physical culture have begun to prevail as the radiant beacon of light from the torch of natural living begins to shine through the storm.

Tip! More is not better! ? Bodybuilding Champions work smarter not harder. Efficiency and knowledge is the key to becoming a true champion.

Mario Strong is a published author, trainer, national judge, competitor, gym owner, and recognized bodybuilding authority with over 40 years as a proponent for natural bodybuilding.

To learn more about natural muscle building and bodybuilding’s golden era go to http://www.mariostrong.com.

Bodybuilding Done Right. Insiders Audio Guide To Muscle Building Secrets.

Improving your performance, conditioning or developing a champion physique in my opinion has just as much or more to do with eating as it does with physical training. You can not get good gas mileage on mediocre fuel. Sooner of later your car will pay the price in the body shop.

I became a champion bodybuilding mainly because of one mindset when it came to food, and that was balance. No matter what my calorie count had to be, at the end of the day I needed to have all the food groups in my body working together. I also needed vitamins and supplements to stay protected from injuries and colds.

Bodybuilding is an odd sport in itself and certain rules for competitive bodybuilding may seem extreme to the normal fitness buff. However, the under lying principles apply no matter where your goals fall. For the champion fitness buff eating is not only a science but an art form. You can exercise harder than anyone, you can have the best genetics, but if you do not eat appropriately and smartly, sooner rather than later your body will pay a price.

Tip! Teach others what you have learned ? Bodybuilding Champions help others gain knowledge. The best champions are those who share the wealth, teach others and inspire hearts.

When it comes to food, the thing you want is for your foods to work in a synergistic fashion. In other words, you what them the work together and build momentum with each other. Here are some do’s and don’ts with food on the road to becoming a champion.

Don’ts

Banking calories:

If you are on a calorie restriction eating plan, saving your calories will end up storing fat and slowing down your metabolism. People who bank calories suffer more from a mind game than a physical need.

Restricting Good Fats:
Be careful in thinking that the less fat you eat the better. Good fats are good fuel resources. Insufficient amounts of fats in your diet may cause cannibalism of the hard earned muscle.

Tip! More is not better! ? Bodybuilding Champions work smarter not harder. Efficiency and knowledge is the key to becoming a true champion.

Over Eating:

Monitor your portions of meals. Better to eat often than too much at a sitting.

Quick And Easy Bodybuilding Guide.

Late Night Eating:

Keep late night eating to a minimum. Your only exception are foods in the protein category.

Do’s

Food Synergy:

Food balancing is very important. Make sure you have a good amount of all the food types in your diet. They work better together rather than alone.

Eat Often: Bodybuilding requires a lot of fueling the muscles. When blood sugar dips calories are not burned and muscle cells are hindered in their growth process. Supplying the body with consistent streams of nutrients is a must.

Food Windows:

Within two hours after a workout there is a golden opportunity to replenish your body with food. Your body has been rung out similar to a sponge and it needs nutrients. During this time period your body will continue to burn fat at the level of your workouts if you supply it with good food in moderate portions.

Small Pre Workout Meals:

Use some form of quick energy drink or food for pre workouts.

Vitamins:

Minerals and vitamins need to be replenished as much as energy does. Stick with the basic list of vitamins and add a supplement here and there.

Calorie Cycling:

Continue to keep your body off guard by eating different number of calories per day. This keeps your body pushing it’s envelop.

These are just a few helpful hints in helping you become a champion bodybuilder. Each of you are different and require different eating plans. However, do not get too hung up on the details.

Tip! Pay your dues and do not cheat by taking steroids ? Bodybuilding Champions SHOULD do it the right way, without drugs! You can never replace hard work, and hard work always pays off. Others may not know you are cheating, but at the end of the day you do.

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Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith,
and high profile fitness expert.

Tip! Egos: In many ways most people allow their egos to defeat them and get in the way of the full potential. You might not get this but, bodybuilding is NOT about you! Lose it, or keep on losing in life.

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Welcome to article number 4 in our series “Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts”. In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them.

If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below.

Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

1. Article:1 – Choosing The WRONG Exercises
2. Article:2 – Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
3. Article:3 – Targeted Stretching
4. Article:4 – Targeted Exercises
5. Article:5 – Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article:4 – Targeted Exercises

What is a Targeted Exercise and Why You Need To Be Doing Them?
While performing three different exercises for each area of the chest may sound “targeted” and it may work great for targeting the chest itself? this is NOT what we mean by targeted?

What we are talking about is choosing exercises with more than just size increases in mind? remember, there is far more to muscle than just how it looks? You can be really big, but also weak, slow and inflexible.

To drive this point home some more, remember the “Turtle Back Syndrome” we covered in article #1? So many body builders are plagued with this gruesome condition and they don’t even know it! Are you?

The Turtle Back condition is a direct result of too much focus on building up the pecs and lats and not enough focus on the upper back. Also, the lack of focus on flexibility in the chest and shoulders makes it even worse?

Not only does this look stupid, but it sets you up for back, neck and shoulder problems like rotator cuff tears and the like? and I know you don’t want any of those!

So by targeted, we mean exercises that will not just develop muscle strength and size, but more importantly work towards correcting muscle imbalances which will mean less pain and missed workouts, better performance and function, and most of all better and balanced total body development!

So How Do You Find Out Which Ones You NEED To be Doing?

As we discussed in the previous article on “Targeted Stretching”, it’s very important to know before hand what stretches you actually NEED to be doing? the same applies to exercises?

and the ONLY way to find out what specific areas you need to target is to perform physical evaluations so you can pin point the weak muscles that need strengthening and the tight muscles that need stretching.

We have developed a series of simple assessments you can do yourself to identify the muscles imbalances you have?

and while they are intended for people suffering from back pain or sciatica, as a bodybuilder you stand to benefit greatly because you train so hard, you are far more likely to experience injuries like bulging and herniated discs, rotator cuff tears, knee pain, etc?

Plus, even if you don’t have any pain or injuries now, it would be very wise to learn how to assess yourself so you can target your training now before you create an injury, which not only will slow down your training and progress, but it can also become a life-long struggle with pain and a serious loss of your strength, size and fitness.

So be sure to check out our website to learn more about how you can quickly and easily identify and eliminate any muscle imbalances you have.

Tip! Get a mentor- Bodybuilding Champions are never afraid to ask for help. Champs know that knowledge is power.

Article by Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS, CSPN and Steve Hefferon, CMT, CPRS of Lose The Back Pain, If you’ve got back pain or sciatic pain, you’ve gotta check out their website.