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Day 3: Cardio Cardio Cardio Only Day 4: Back/Triceps/Calves Exercise 1 Dumbbell Pullover 2 warm up sets of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight (increase weight between sets) Exercise 2 Close-Grip Pulldown 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets) Exercise 3 One-Arm Dumbbell Row 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets) Exercise 4 Wide Grip Cable Row 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets) Exercise 5 Barbell Deadlifts 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets) Exercise 6 Triceps Pushdown 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets) Exercise 7 Lying Triceps Extensions 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets) Exercise 8 Seated Triceps Press 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets) Exercise 9 Calf Press on Leg Press 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 3 rest-pause sets to failure Desired weight (10-15 sec rest between sets) Exercise 10 Seated Calf Raise 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 6-8 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets

Day 5: Delts/Traps/Abs Exercise 1 Dumbbell Shoulder Press 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 warm up set of 8-10 reps, 1 working set of 6-8 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets) Exercise 2 Side Lateral Raise 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight (1 min rest between sets) Exercise 3 Low Pulley Delt Raise 1 set of 6-8 reps to failure Each arm Exercise 4 Reverse Dumbbell Flyes 1 warm up set of 10-12 reps, 1 working set of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight Exercise 5 Barbell Shrugs 1 warm up set of 12-15 reps, 2 working sets of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight Exercise 6 Upright Row 1 warm up set of 12 reps, 2 working sets of 8-10 reps to failure Desired weight Superset 1 Knee Ups 3 working sets to failure Crunches 3 working sets to failure Superset 2 Cable Crunch 3 sets to failure Decline Reverse Crunch 3 sets to failure .mainheader h1 { position: relative; color: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; vertical-align:bottom}.mainheader h1 span { background: url(http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/images/2009/maingrade.png); background-repeat: repeat-x; position: absolute; display: block; width: 480px; height: 31px; } .subheader h2 span { background: none; filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.AlphaImageLoader(src='http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/images/2009/maingrade.png', sizingMethod='scale');}.subheader h2 { position: relative; color: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; vertical-align:bottom}.subheader h2 span { background: url(http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/images/2009/maingrade.png); background-repeat: repeat-x; position: absolute; display: block; width: 445px; height: 31px; }Get A Printable Log Of Day 5. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/printlog2.php?firstname=Steve+Cook&name=Day+5%3A+Delts%2FTraps%2FAbs&num_exercises=18&Exercise[]=Exercise+1&Sets[]=0&Exercise[]=Dumbbell+Shoulder+Press%2C+1+warm+up+set+of+10-12+reps%2C+1+warm+up+set+of+8-10+reps%2C+1+working+set+of+6-8+reps+to+failure+&Sets[]=3&Exercise[]=Exercise+2&Sets[]=0&Exercise[]=Side+Lateral+Raise%2C+1+warm+up+set+of+10-12+reps%2C+1+working+set+of+8-10+reps+to+failure+&Sets[]=2&Exercise[]=Exercise+3&Sets[]=0&Exercise[]=Low+Pulley+Delt+Raise%2C+6-8+reps+to+failure+&Sets[]=1&Exercise[]=Exercise+4&Sets[]=0&Exercise[]=Reverse+Dumbbell+Flyes%2C+1+warm+up+set+of+10-12+reps%2C+1+working+set+of+8-10+reps+to+failure+&Sets[]=2&Exercise[]=Exercise+5&Sets[]=0&Exercise[]=Barbell+Shrugs%2C+1+warm+up+set+of+12-15+reps%2C+2+working+sets+of+8-10+reps+to+failure+&

Motivation is key! My Motivation comes from a deep love for weights and to see how far I can push myself everyday in the weight room. I want to be the best I can genetically be. As healthy and as strong and lean as possible. I sometimes have to remind myself not to overdo it. As I've gotten older I realized how important recovery is. Ultimately I want to be the next Steve Reeves... I want a body that is appealing to the masses. My goal is to have the perfect balance of size, shape and symmetry.

While good quality supplements can make a difference (especially when dieting) they aren't an excuse to have poor nutrition and sleep habits. By taking the right supplements for your goals and in the right amount, one can achieve results faster than without supplementing. It's important to know exactly what you are putting into your body. Follow the instructions...just because some is good doesn't mean more is better!

A:  First, let me emphasize that our bodies already produce creatine naturally.  Did you ever watch the transformers when you were a kid?  Well if not, there were groups of robots called " combiners. "  They would join together and form an even larger and more massive robot, crushing everything in their paths!  Our liver does the same thing with the three amino acids, Arginine, Glycine and Methionine.  It combines them to form creatine, much like the constructicons combined to form devastator!  Ok so that was a lame example, but it explains the process quite nicely.  

Q: What exactly does creatine do?

1. Creatine works mainly to increase our Creatine Phosphate System

2. Increases The Pump!

3. Increases The Reparation Process of Bodybuilding.

Q: How exactly does Creatine Apply to An Athlete?

A:  Simple, it does so by enhancing your creatine phosphate energy system.  This does a number of things: 1.  Increases explosion - Most athletes notice more explosiveness after utilizing this supplement 2.  Allows yourself to push yourself harder and longer. 

Q: What are the side effects of Creatine, and in General how safe is it? A:  As stated above, creatine is not, and I repeat not a hormone.  Therefore it does not have the side effects associated with any Prohormone or illegal steroid. There have been hundreds of studies done on creatine that all show that it is a safe supplement. To further prove its safety two an a half million kilograms of creatine were consumed in the United States alone in 1999!  That statistic alone speaks volumes about the safety and efficiency of this supplement!  Not only that, but creatine has been the number one supplement on the market for almost a decade and no one has reported any adverse side effects from it. ( aside from the ones I listed above. )

: I don't workout, but do you think that creatine will build muscles and help me to lose fat?

No!  If you don't workout I cannot imagine what supplement would help you.  Creatine provides your muscles with more short term energy - but that is wasted if you do not exercise them. If you take creatine you should push yourself even harder in the gym. The idea is with more energy you should be able to workout harder. A harder workout leads to increased muscle mass.

Q: Since Creatine makes you gain weight should I not take it on a cut?

Yes, creatine causes your body to hold water, but that is a good thing!  The fact that your muscles are super hydrated even on a cut is fantastic.  I see absolutely no correlation between taking creatine and our body storing fat.  If anything, creatine will assist us in maintaining more lean mass while dieting.  In my mind there is no point to discontinuing the use of creatine while trying to burn fat.

Can I take Creatine and Protein at the same time?

Firstly, protein is a food product.  If you couldn't take creatine and protein at the same time, then you would have to be a strict vegetarian and still you would end out consuming around 40 grams a day just from normal foods.  To top this off, creatine is not much use without a significant protein intake.  What is the point of pushing your muscles further than they are used to, if you are not going to provide the amino acids necessary for their repair?  

Which supplement is Better Creatine or Protein?

:  ( I probably get asked this question at least once a day through email.)  Amino acids are the building blocks of our muscles.  If you do not get enough than there is no point to working out.  Creatine is an outstanding supplement, but if you have to choose from getting at least 1 gram a day of protein or getting your creatine then opt for the protein.  However I do want to stress that creatine is an excellent supplement.  In fact for assistance in muscular gains I would rate it second only to whey.

Do you feel that creatine is cheating?  I want to earn my muscles the hard way and don't want to cheat to get them.

( I can't stand these types of questions!!! )  Yes, you would be cheating.  You would be cheating yourself out of great gains by not supplementing with it!

s there anything I can take to make creatine a more effective supplement?

The first thing I would like to emphasize is that creatine will not work if you are not properly hydrated!  It relies heavily on this, so you must drink tons of water, if you want optimal results from it.  Super hydrating your body will also improve your weight room pumps tremendously!

What is the best method, dose wise, of taking creatine?

For creatine to produce optimal results, muscle stores must be topped off or saturated with it.  To accomplish this you need to load the creatine for 5 days at 20-25 grams, spread out throughout the day into 4-5 servings.  This is the quickest and in my opinion the " best " way to saturate your muscles with creatine.  Following this phase, all you need is to take 5-10 grams a day to maintain your saturation levels.  After this, any creatine you take will be excreted as creatinine.

Do I need to Cycle Creatine?

My recommendation is to load for 5 days, followed by a 5-10 gram maintenance dosage for 4-6 weeks.  Following this, there are two particular strategies: 1.  You can take one to two weeks off and then start the cycle over.  Many athletes attest to receiving a better results this way.  2.  However, several athletes will never come off of it.  They will load it for 5 days, maintain for a few weeks and then reload again.  This is increasingly becoming the more popular method of usage.

The ectomorph has a fairly easy time losing fat so they will will generally not need to do as much cardio for fat loss. Two or three times per week should be plenty. An ectomorph trying to gain muscle may need to lay off cardio training completely in order to have enough recovery energy available for their body to even build muscle. Once or twice a week should be the maximum cardio frequency. Even weight training may need to be less frequent (two or three times per week) in order to see results

Moderate-intensity cardio training, such as jogging or swimming, will need to be done a little less frequently. This type of training requires more energy both to perfom and for your body to recover from. A person trying to lose fat can generally perform four to six moderate-intensity sessions per week at around 20 to 30 minutes each. A person trying to gain muscle should reduce this amount to two to three sessions per week.

This type of hard training should be done less frequently than the more moderate forms of cardio as it is much harder for your body to recover from. If you are training for fat loss, you should do at least two but no more than three high-intensity cardio sessions per week. If you are training for muscle gain, once or, at the most, twice per week should be the limit.

High-intensity training is extremely effective for fat loss as it not only causes you to burn a lot of calories during the activity, it also raises your metabolism for a long time after the activity is done.

This would mean an ectomorphic person looking for muscle gain and doing low-intensity cardio training could do cardio two days a week at a minimum to maintain cardio capacity while trying to gain muscle.

. Increased Workout Intensity Translates To More Muscle Mass

One of the first reasons why you need to start taking creatine is because it will help to increase your overall workout intensity, which means you will achieve a higher level of muscle mass.

The creatine will allow you to keep pushing hard in the gym at a time when you would have previously had to decrease the load or stop entirely, so this helps in terms of building muscle faster.

Better Muscular Contraction Means Enhanced Sports Performance:

The second reason to take creatine is for athletic performance. If you're involved in sports that require stop and go type of activity, creatine is going to come in very helpful for you.

To put this into perspective, a player in a game of hockey taking creatine would not only be able to go harder with each shift he's on the ice, but he'll be able to last through more shifts total throughout the game.

Quicker Atp Re-Synthesis Equates To Frequent Training Sessions:

Third, creatine is going to allow you to train at a higher frequency, which also means quicker and more significant muscular gains.

The more frequent you are able to stimulate a muscle, the faster it will grow bigger, provided that it has had the opportunity to fully grow back after the first stress load that was placed upon it.

Since creatine helps increase the recovery rate of the muscle cells, this means you may not require as much total rest time in between each workout you perform.

So if you're someone who commonly takes a few days off between each full body workout, using creatine may allow you to cut this down to just a single day between workouts. Over time this will translate to more workouts and will make a difference on your results from month to month.

Higher Glycogen Levels Generates Huge Muscle Pumps:

Fourth on our list of reasons why you need to use creatine is because of the muscle pumps you'll get. While muscle pumps don't necessarily help you out physiologically in terms of building muscle mass, they will help with motivational levels.

There's nothing like seeing a muscle grow at the end of a workout to motivate you to get back into the gym and do it again a day or two later, and since creatine causes a higher level of water retention in the body, the muscle pumps you'll experience will go up.

Faster Sprint Performance Increases Metabolic Rates And Fat Loss:

Finally, the last reason why you should consider investing in creatine as one of the muscle-building supplements you use is because it'll help you increase your metabolic rate.

If you're currently looking for fat loss, how many calories you burn on a daily basis will have a significant impact on how quickly you see progress.

Since sprint cardio training is one of the best ways to boost your metabolic rate and sprinting relies strictly on ATP as a fuel source, supplementing with creatine allows you to have a better sprint performance during your weight loss phase.

If you do make the decision to utilize creatine with your training program also remember to perform the loading phase first as this will be critical to getting the muscle cells fully saturated right from the start and allowing you to see the biggest benefits from taking the supplement.

Just Because You're Skinny Does Not Mean You Will Have A Six-Pack

Abdominals Are A Muscle, Too! You want your arms to be bigger, your shoulders to be broader and your chest to be fuller, correct? And what is the solution to making these muscle groups increase in size? High intensity weight training, overload, consistency and a healthy surplus of calories. Starting to sound familiar? The same goes for your abdominals. Your abdominals are a muscle group that requires the same formula and attention and are not any different from other muscle groups. For some reason many consider abdominals to be a 'special' body part that requires a different set of rules and a completely different formula for training.

To get thick, dense abs - the ones that 'pop' out - you must train them with intensity and overload. Here are some practical tips you can apply to your program so that you can be the 'man' or 'gal' at your gym with a ripped and muscular six-pack. Then I will provide a sample

If your abs are your worse body part, then why do you keep training them last, at the end of your workout? Which muscles group will receive the highest priority when you train? The ones done at the start of your workout or the ones done at the end of the workout? Of course, the exercises done at the start of the workout while you have the most energy and focus.

he typical response is "Nobody does abdominals first..." That is pure BS. This just supports the notion that many people who work out don't ever question what they hear or do. They want to be spoon-fed answers and follow the trends of others without thinking for themselves. I ALWAYS train abdominals first in a workout if they need the highest attention.

What's going to receive better results? A muscle group that is trained one time a week or two times a week (assuming you recovered prior to the second workout commencing)? Of course, the muscle that is trained 2x a week. The more stimulus on a muscle, the more growth. That is why professional athletes are professional athletes. They have conditioned their bodies to such a high amount of stress that they are able to train more frequently.

Right now some of you can see a perfectly set of staggered abs that are wide and thick and separated by a line down the middle. Some of you have the classic four-pack which is four big abs with a smooth lower section. Some of you have tiny cubicle boxes sitting high on your abdominal wall. Some of you have the picture perfect eight-pack that makes people's jaws drop.

If building a sexy six-pack is on your 'to do' list for 2007, then start training abdominals 2-4x a week. I will teach you in a moment how to split your abdominals up into two different days based on movement.

To train your abdominals safely and effectively you must know the basic movement patterns of your abs and train them within all sub-categories: Truck Flexion (upper abs) Hip Flexion (lower abs) Rotation (obliques) Lateral Flexion (obliques)

Perform this workout at least two times a week separated by at least 48 hours rest. You should experience a deep muscle soreness after each one of these workouts. Focus on using a load that causes failure within 8-12 reps and then move to the next exercise. This is a non-stop circuit. Rest 1-2 minutes and repeat until you reach 4 sets total. Exercise Sets Reps Tempo Rest Hanging Leg Raises 1-4 8-12 311 - Rope Crunch 1-4 8-12 311 - Reverse Crunch 1-4 8-12 311 - Weighted Ball Crunch 1-4 8-12 311 1-2 minutes

As said earlier, buiding razor sharp abs is not the easiest task in the work but nor is it the hardest. The above abdominal exercises will help you build a deeply separated and evenly placed set of abs in little time. The truth is that if you can't see your abs, then the best exercise for your abs will be better diet.

I defeated my skinny genetics just after college and I am about to show you four tips that helped me climb from a 149 pound weakling to a rock hard 190 pounds in six months.

f you are underweight, then your first step to gaining weight is to understand that you must play by a different set up rules. I have said this before and will say it again,

You must think outside the box and give up the excuse of being a "hard gainer." It is time to stop listening to all the naysayers who have told you that is impossible to gain weight because of your genetics. Regardless of what you have been led to believe, you do have the potential to build an impressive physique that turns heads and even intimidates!

Double It Up: One of the most practical steps you can take is to double whatever you are currently eating in the kitchen right now. If you are eating one chicken breast per meal, then cook up two.

Live Your Life Around Food: Sure, you know that you must eat every 2-3 hours, but how well do you execute? Set your clock on a countdown timer to go off every 2 and 1/2 hours so that you reinforce the habit of eating literally not a second late for each meal! Don't turn off the damn beeper until you start chowing down.

se BIG Eating Equipment: If you want to bulk, then you have to eat like Hulk. Do you think Hulk eats out of a small plate, or a small bowel, or a small cup? If you are aiming to get big and huge, you are going to require large amounts of food, most likely close to double of what you are currently eating.

Never Train Hungry: How many times have you woken up, whipped up a protein shake and than headed off to the gym? Or maybe you had a long afternoon and missed a few meals and then attempted a weight training workout after work? I thought this was common sense to avoid, until a few of my skinny clients confessed that they were showing up for their workouts having only eaten a piece of fruit and some crackers within the entire day!

. Eat Nutrient Dense Foods: Focus on caloric-rich foods that are loaded with nutrients. Avoid foods with empty calories, which means there is little or no nutrient value in the calories you are eating. Why would you consume a 500-calorie plus meal that is loaded with fat and sugar which does nothing but make you feel sluggish and soft? Instead, eat a high caloric meal loaded with slow releasing carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Carbohydrates: Oatmeal Rice Breads Yams Beans Potatoes Fruits Veggies

Proteins: Steak Chicken Lean beef Cottage cheese Whole milk Eggs Salmon

Fats: Olive oil Flax oil Avocados Nuts Peanut butter

Extras (high calorie cheat food): Ice cream Raisins Dried fruit Trail mix

Drink A Carb & Protein Drink While You Workout: How hard is to sip on a calorie-rich drink during your weight training sessions? Simply mix up a 2:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein with one liter of water and you instantly have a few extra hundred calories per day. Now have an extra workout drink before your workout and extra workout drink after your workout and that's easily an extra one pound per week. Only use this technique if you are weight training at a very high intensity.

Live The Motto, "Never Stop Eating" Did I hear you say, "But I'll throw up if I eat all day?" Maybe... Is it necessary? Of course not. But this is a part of pushing your body's threshold.

Set an alarm to go off every hour to remind you to stand up and move around.

Use the restroom on another floor and take the stairs

Use a pedometer and keep track of how many steps you take. Aim for 6,000 to 10,000 steps a day.

Leave something important in your car (your lunch, your briefcase, etc.) so you have to run out to get it (and take the stairs)

Deliver documents or messages to co-workers in person rather than by email Go to the mall for lunch and park on the opposite end of the food court.

Get a headset for your phone so you can move around while you talk

If you have your own office, consider keeping a resistance band, ankle weights and even a couple of sets of dumbbells in your desk drawer. You can squeeze in some quick upper body exercises while you're on the phone.

Your boss may not have considered how much more productive his or her employees would be with a little exercise. If you can, encourage your boss to: Work with local gyms to provide membership discounts for employees Work with local personal trainers to provide monthly seminars or free body fat testing for employees. Some trainers will even do this for free Set up daily or weekly walks during lunch or after work Give you extra breaks during the day to take quick walks Be active. If the boss exercise, employees will take their own health more seriously

If you are willing to spend a substantial amount of time and energy each week on gaining muscle, then "how long does it take to build muscle", will be a process that takes much less time.

This is fine if you're an actor, but if you lead a normal life, this type of regimen isn't very practical. Although the objective of gaining muscle is reasonable, you should not allow it to become an obsession that rules all aspects of your existence.

Take for example the seemingly overnight transformations that can be observed in some actors that are preparing for specific film roles. These types of dramatic results will only be possible when training is a very big part of your weekly routine. The actors that we mentioned commonly train 7 days per week, twice each day, when getting ready for a film.

n the first 2 years that a novice is training, 15-20 pounds is a reasonable goal for muscle gain. This standard applies to individuals 17 years of age and older. Subsequently, 2-3 pounds of muscle growth each year is typical, for the next several years. These numbers are general guidelines, and your genetics will play a role in your specific results. Therefore, the question of "how long does it take to build muscle?", doesn't have one simple answer. We can only look at what is typical.

It is common to want to increase your weight lifting weight. Stepping up to the next level depends on several factors, primarily your routine and your capability. Below are some suggestions on how to enhance your workout. Keep in mind that if you intend to increase your weight lifting weight you will be susceptible to gaining bulk and strength as opposed to sculpted toning and increased flexibility.

3. Add Some Extra Fuel There is a reason why so many weightlifters consume formulated shakes, bars and supplements. Whether it is protein, amino acids or a multivitamin, these products can enhance power and strength. The only way to find out what is best for you is by trial and error. Start with a good protein shake and take note of any improved capability when increasing your weightlifting weight. If it works, then continue using it. If it does not work then try another formula. Speak to your doctor before attempting any muscle building program. Certain formulas can affect people in different ways.

4. Balance Your Routine If your routine favors specific muscle groups over others, increasing weightlifting weight will always be a challenge. For example, when the biceps are at their peak and the triceps are trying to catch up, not only will your balance be compromised but you will also risk potential injury. Understanding your muscles and how they work will do wonders for your workout. Look up images and descriptions of the musculoskeletal anatomy and take note of the intricate levels of muscle tissue. Becoming familiar with muscle actions will create a picture in your head during your workout that will remind you of a properly balanced routine. When the muscles are within the same power capability, then you should be able to increase your weightlifting weight accordingly.

Record your activities throughout the day as well and use this information to compare how many calories you are consuming to how many you are burning.

While it is technically possible to train for a marathon and weightlifting competition at the same time, it is doubtful you will do well at either one, and run the risk of injury secondary to over-training. If your goal is general strength and conditioning, a few weightlifting training sessions a week and cardiovascular exercise on your off days will improve strength, power and health. If you wish to do well at one activity, you need to specialize. If you go for a limit run the day before a weightlifting meet, you are going to be too tired and sore to lift very much. If you snatch and clean heavy the night before a race, you are going to be stiff, sore and slow, so only you can determine how much of each.

carry with him throughout his life.

Step 2

write down her plan for meals and snacks

plan a day's worth of food that fits within a healthy diet by helping her write down what she will eat and when she will eat it.

eat often enough to keep her energy up

Step 3

Discuss eating fast food

how to make healthier choices at fast food places by showing him how to look up the nutrition information for the items he usually chooses.

Step 4

Pack your lunch together.

to show her what makes up a healthy lunch that fits into a diet plan

Variety is important

Emphasize the importance of including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean sources of protein.

Step 5

Enjoy family meals together. This can be dinner or breakfast

will begin to understand what goes into cooking a healthy meal.

Feed him high portions of low-fat, healthy foods. Muscle mass cannot be gained without the fuel provided by food. To gain weight, he will need to consume more calories than he burns. To gain half a pound of muscle per week, he will need to eat 250 more calories more per day than he has been eating, according to exercise physiologist Joseph A. Chromiak.

Add protein to his diet. Select protein sources that are relatively non-fatty, such as baked fish and poultry, advises the Harvard School of Public Health.

Provide a dark and quiet sleep environment for him, and make sure he gets eight hours of sleep every night. It is during sleep that the body repairs damaged muscle tissue and builds muscle mass.

The American Council on Exercise suggests male athletes maintain a body fat percentage between 6 and 13 percent whereas female athletes should aim for between 14 and 20 percent. With this body composition, you can expect to see visible muscle gain more quickly.

Building muscle size requires fatiguing the muscle within eight to 12 repetitions of a given exercise in each set. Performing greater repetitions--20 to 25 per set, for example--yields muscle endurance, but this may not translate into visible muscle definition.

To maintain muscle size and strength, engage in at least two resistance workouts weekly. To increase your fitness level, however, perform strength-training workouts every other day. Contrary to popular belief, you do not build muscle while lifting weights; you build it during the recovery time. In the gym, you're actually breaking down the muscle and producing microscopic tears. The muscle repairs itself during the down time, yielding size and strength gains over time. Consequently, eliminating rest days to see muscle gains sooner will only backfire.

Because muscles are made of bundles of fibers, achieving muscle size and strength gains quickly requires targeting all of a muscle's various fibers. A single exercise, such as biceps curls, targets only one segment of the biceps muscle fibers.

To target the remaining fibers, work the muscle from different angles by performing other biceps exercises, such as chin-ups, hammer curls and seated angle curls. The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends varying exercises with every workout, versus waiting until weekly or monthly intervals to make program changes.

Performing exercises that target multiple muscle groups simultaneously--such as a one-leg squat with reverse wood chop--burns more calories, maximizes strength gains and saves time.

Whatever you decide to eat, keep the 5:1.6 g carb-to-protein ratio in mind.

Obviously, the closer you get to your workout time, the smaller the meal should be

Many protein shakes and sports bars are designed specifically as pre-workout nutrition and have the precise nutrient ratio you need. They also have the added advantage of being portable, which can be convenient for those who hit the gym on the way home from work.

If you are stuck without your favorite supplement at hand, fat-free chocolate milk will suffice -- according to Mohr, it provides the exact carb-to-protein ratio as a pre-workout shake. The fat-free part is important though -- fat digests slowly and can weigh you down when you least need it.

Supplements are simply convenience products, and are not necessary to good nutrition. You can get the same benefit from whole foods, but this requires more planning and label reading. Fat-free yogurt with fruit and granola works, as does a whole-grain bagel with peanut butter.

Timing is important -- even the perfect meal can leave you flat if you eat it too early or weigh you down if you eat it too late

The actual amount of carbs and protein you eat depends upon how much time will elapse before your workout.

f your only pre-workout nutrition is a regular meal, eat it about three or four hours before you exercise so the food has time to digest. Otherwise, your full stomach will be susceptible to upset, and the nutrients won't be available in your bloodstream when your body needs them. Smaller meals can be eaten two or three hours prior, but stick to a small snack if you only have an hour to go.

Supplements are by far the easiest way to ensure you get the proper ratio in an appropriately-sized food source.

For a larger meal, a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with lettuce and tomato is a nearly perfect pre-workout meal, and bananas or fruit juice can be a last-minute snack for quick energy.

Although online bloggers often suggest that lifting multiple sets is necessary, your body gains the same benefit from one set of each exercise. An appropriate weight is one that fatigues your muscles after between 12 and 15 repetitions

Although a disciplined routine typically produces higher strength levels in about a month, you'll hinder your progress if you test your muscles two days in a row. Resistance exercise promotes strength through a cycle of exhaustion and regrowth.

An effective workout tires your muscles and triggers an alarm response --- or an adaptation process that allows the muscles to adapt to the challenge and strengthen for increased activity. Any muscle tested to a healthy level of fatigue often causes soreness and needs a minimum of 48 hours of rest. Your best chance to continue strength development and avoid muscle deterioration comes with a schedule that lets you work the muscle in your upper body on day and your lower-body muscles in the following workout.

You'll have the greatest chance to meet your strength-building timeline by warming your muscles prior to a resistance workout with up to 10 minutes of mild aerobic exercise, including a brisk walk. Stretching your muscles at end of a workout is also beneficial in order to reduce discomfort and stiffness. Begin a resistance regimen only with your physician's consent.

Exercise 4 - Back and Shoulders Stand with feet shoulder width apart and arms by your sides, gripping the weights with palms facing outwards. Making sure your movements are slow and concentrated, tense your shoulder and upper back muscles, then slowly "shrug" them up and down.

Exercise 5 - Shoulders and Upper Arms Stand with feet shoulder width apart and arms raised straight up above your head, grip your weights with your palms facing behind you. Slowly bring your arms forward and down, without bending at the elbow, until level with your shoulders. Lift back to starting position and repeat.

Exercise 6 - Upper Arms, Shoulders and Back Standing with feet slightly apart, grasp your weights and bend at the waist until your torso is parallel to the floor. Extend your arms towards the floor with palms facing outwards. Lift your arms out to the side, keeping them straight, until parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise 7 - Upper Arms, Shoulders and Back Standing with feet slightly apart, position your arms straight down in front of you almost against your body - with your weights almost touching. Bend your elbows and lift your weights towards your chin, bringing your elbows out to the side, in line with your shoulders. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise 8 - Arms and Chest The classic push up. With your hands shoulder width apart place your palms on the floor. Stretch out your body with either your knees on the floor, or if you're feeling ambitious, your toes - so you are supporting your body weight. Keeping your back straight and using your arms lower yourself gently toward the floor until you are hovering just over it. Push yourself slowly back to your starting position and repeat. Remember - don't lower yourself to the point where you come into contact with the floor, it'll be much harder to push back up.

Exercise 9 - Arms In a sitting position with your back straight, relax your arms in line with your body. Grip your weights with your palms facing upwards and curl them up towards your shoulders, then back down again. Repeat. Keep your torso still and back straight, let your arms do the work.

Exercise 10 - Forearms Holding your weight with your arm outstretched in front of you, tilt your wrist up and down repeatedly. Try doing this with both an overhand and underhand grip on your weight. Do one arm at a time.

Perform double-leg toe reachers. These exercises are beneficial in toning and strengthening the upper rectus abdominis and the transverse abdominis, which is the muscle that runs around your waistline. Holding a medicine ball or kettlebell in front of your chest makes the exercise more challenging. Lie on your back and bring your legs straight into the air. Hold the medicine ball in front of your chest and straighten your arms so the ball is in the air. Engage your abs and lift your chest straight toward the sky. Keep looking straight up and lower your chest. Repeat the move, keeping your arms and legs engaged and as straight as possible.

Combining a healthy diet with exercises that work the three abdominal muscles will help you get muscle definition in the abs. As with any exercise program, consult your medical professional before beginning these workouts.

ncomplete proteins come from "plant products", beans, rice, etc. They must be combined in order to supply the body with the 9 essential amino acids it needs. Ladies and gentlemen, now that you see how important consuming protein is let's look at how much should be consume and what types.

The world health organization and many national health agencies have independently conducted studies, which (even though they differ slightly) all conclude our daily protein requirement should be between 10% to 15% of our daily caloric intake. If you eat 2000 calories a day that equates to 50 to 75 grams of protein.

Protein needs of individuals vary in nature. To estimate your personal protein needs you will need to take your current weight in pounds, divide it in half and then subtract 10. The result is a rough estimate of how much protein you should consume.

If you do not already do so, read food lables, then buy your food uncooked and cook it healthfully. If you do not take anything else from this article that last sentence is paramount.

your schedule is hectic and you are just too busy and do not have time to eat high protein foods then bars and powders can be substituted. A lot of bars on the market are loaded with other "not so good" man made additives, trans fats, aspartame, saturated fat content (over 3.5g), etc.