Many things in life fall into the category of arts, and others fall into science. Physics is a science. We can drop a 45-pound plate off a 100-story building, and – given all factors such as air resistance and humidity – scientists can calculate when that weight will reach the ground, and at what speed. Likewise, there are things in life that can only be classified as art. Paintings, sculptures and the like are only worth their value because of their perception of rareness, unique design, and aesthetic pleasantry.

If you like this article, click here to share:

The chest is the showpiece muscle group in any physique on the bodybuilding stage. Sure, people like to see big arms. And we all know that big backs seem to win the big pro shows. But in every frontal pose, the chest is a make-or-break point for success. Arnold Schwarzenegger had a set of pectorals worthy of a Greek statue, and always took home the trophy over men who were better conditioned. Phil Heath has the best arms of any bodybuilder in history not named Ronnie Coleman, but his lack of clavicle width has led to a chest which cost him an Arnold Classic title against Dexter Jackson in 2008.

If you like this article, click here to share:

We all get old. It’s the goal, isn’t it? And it sure beats the alternative. As long as we’re on the right side of the grass, we’re going to age. Part of aging is increased pain in our joints and muscles, resulting in reduced flexibility. Over time, these can lead to deterioration of performance, which can eventually keep us out of the gym. This phenomenon is something that none of us look forward to, but for which we all must prepare.

If you like this article, click here to share:

Every back day needs to be an “either/or” proposition. You’re either going to start by targeting the upper back, or the lower back. There is nothing in between. Spreading your back movements our in an arbitrary fashion is a waste of your time and effort. You’ll become a jack of all trades, master of none, as you randomly spread movements around with no rhyme or reason. Some bodybuilders try to alternate the angles of approach, hoping to just “get a great pump all over”. In doing this, they waste a lot of potential. Suppose you start back day with deadlifts and achieve a great lower back pump. What should your next exercise be? Many bodybuilders will move on to wide-grip lat pulldowns, and this is a mistake. Their lower backs just received a terrific pump. Why squander it by moving away from the lower back, to an upper back movement? Smart bodybuilders choose to focus upon one area of the back first, them move on to the other sections.

If you like this article, click here to share:

In bodybuilding, we achieve as much as the resources around us will allow. If we all had personal chefs, we’d probably all be 15 pounds larger with more muscle and greater vascularity. After all, we’d have steak and omelets delivered every three hours on command. Our protein consumption would be through the roof, and our waistlines would shrink. If nutrition came easier, we’d all look and feel much better. Since there’s a good chance you won’t be getting a personal chef, you should try these very convenient meal ideas for getting the nutrients you need – particularly protein – during each day.

If you like this article, click here to share:

It’s calf day. You may have done this a million times, in which case this article will be nothing more than a convenient review tool for you. Maybe you’re still in your first two years of training, in which case it’s just been a few hundred times you’ve entered the gym intent on pushing your calf muscles to their absolute breaking point. Whichever the case, this article should help you to develop a better sense of how to piece together the many components of a good calf day into one complete workout

If you like this article, click here to share:

When you lift heavy weights or spend 30 or more minutes on cardiovascular training, you’re going to become thirsty. Here are some beverages to consume – or avoid – the next time you’re in the gym!

If you like this article, click here to share:

The front thighs, or quadriceps, are often a very tough muscle group to fully stimulate. You want to hit them with everything you’ve got, and you give it your best. But it’s just so easy to reach the failure point with them. Here is a workout designed to help you reach maximum stimulation for the quadriceps, with minimal pain!

If you like this article, click here to share:

Walk into any gym and look for the bodybuilders training shoulders. An interesting tidbit right off the bat is that you probably won’t see all that many bodybuilders even bothering with hitting their shoulders. It turns out most bodybuilders place more emphasis upon the chest, arm, back, and even leg muscles. The shoulders enjoy their secondary stimulation from hitting the chest and back. Occasionally, you’ll run into a dedicated bodybuilder who manages to fit in that 5th and final day for shoulders each week. This is admirable, albeit rare.

If you like this article, click here to share:

Today’s gyms are equipped with a multitude of machines which allow the trainer to hit the various areas of the pectorals (chest muscles) with relatively no pain or balance. You can hop on any device in the gym and pump, pump, pump to your heart’s content. The problem is that you’re probably not going to build that much muscle as a result. You’re going to fill it with blood, and you’re going to feel like the strongest man in the gym inserting that pin and moving the stack. But the bodybuilder across the gym repping out with 225 on the bench press is going to be making better gains.

If you like this article, click here to share: