For most new bodybuilders in the gym, the goal is simple – to get big! New lifters train for mass the vast majority of the time, eating, training, and sleeping big in that ever-vigilant journey to greater size and new dimensions. Over time, they do see these mass gains, and with the new muscle often arrives the desire to show off the physique a bit. However, at this time, things change for the new bodybuilder. When you haven’t yet completed, you’re undefeated in the symmetry department. It doesn’t matter all that much if your calves are sub-par when your only shirtless appearance is on the beach. However, under the experienced eye of professional judges, flaws in symmetry can become apparent, and can keep you from winning the trophy that you certainly ...

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If you have ever known any high level bodybuilders of the steroid-assisted variety, then you know that most of them aren’t exactly perfectionists when it comes to their diets. Sure, they’re usually pretty consistent about their protein intake. They must have their shakes each day, and a few meals of chicken or beef are always in their daily game plan. However, when their buddies go out for a few beers or somebody passes them a piece of birthday cake, they’re not exactly going to be the ones to decline it. Rather, they indulge in the many calorie-rich offerings of life, and allow their body’s internal furnace to burn off the excess calories. Along the same lines, if you have a natural bodybuilder – one who has truly never even known the effects of even pro-hormones or ...

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Are you ramping up preparation for your first bodybuilding show? You’re probably been reading up on diet, cardiovascular movements, and pre-contest supplements and drugs, preparing for what will no doubt be twelve weeks of misery as you work to reach the greatest shape of your life. Here are a few factors which may also contribute to your success, which you may not have considered. Cardio Time Usually Doesn’t Matter Yes, those at the very top of the sport achieving a 3 percent body fat level for a bodybuilding show will always tell you that completing your cardiovascular exercise at 6 A.M. upon waking is the only way to go. However, in terms of the bigger picture, there isn’t going to be that much of a difference in overall results if you complete your cardio at the start ...

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Training with a buddy can help you to advance further than ever before, or it can hold you back from achieving your goals and fulfilling your potential. It all depends on the person you choose, and the path the two of you take together. Here are some factors to consider when training with somebody else in the gym. Creative Ideas Challenge one another to think of ways to make every movement more productive. Often, a training partner will notice what sections of a particular lift are easier, or more difficult, for you to complete. Find ways to change the movement to overcome these weaknesses. Goals If your goal is to crack 600 pounds on the deadlift, and your training partner’s goal is to win a state-level show as a light-heavyweight, then your training is going to be ...

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Achieving bodybuilding muscle mass is the goal of everything we do in the gym. When we sit down at dinner to throw down our 50 grams of protein and 100 grams of carbohydrates every 180 minutes during the day, bodybuilding muscle mass is at the forefront of our mind. It is a process that can take months and years to complete. But in the end, you will look like a new person. You just have to start slow, follow a good game plan, and show a lot of patience if you want to develop the level of muscle mass that makes you stand out from your peers, even in the gym. In the beginning, as you start your bodybuilding journey, mass is the name of the game. You work to achieve it at ...

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By the time most bodybuilders reach professional status, they have already achieved most of the muscle mass they are going to have in their lifetimes. Sure, they’ll refine their muscle mass over the coming years, but the majority of guys don’t change all that much over the next few years. The ones that do manage to add new muscle mass after reaching the pinnacle of their amateur sport are the ones who end up with the most bodybuilding success at the top levels of the sport. Are you seeking some advanced mass building techniques? You’ve come to the right place. Read on for a list of ideas you can employ in the gym and beyond to keep the gains coming, even after you’ve already achieved some bodybuilding success. We’ll assume for the sake ...

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In a perfect world, we could all work the ideal job. It would allow us a 90-minute morning break for a workout, in a state-of-the-art training facility. We’d never have to wait in line for a squat rack or a spot at the dumbbell rack. We would have plenty of access to the weights and machines we desire. In real life, however, things don’t work that way. There are often times when we can’t train as we wish to – or even make it to the gym at all. When life throws you a curveball and makes it tough for you to make it to the gym, don’t just skip your entire week of training and squander valuable training time. Instead, opt for a ...

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If you’re wondering how to build muscle fast, don’t search the web for answers. If you’ve spent any amount of time learning about how to gain muscle, then you probably already know everything you need to know. You lift, you eat, you sleep, and you grow. No rocket science or brain surgery here. Just follow this axiom and you’ll grow, right? But how can you build muscle at a faster rate? First, let’s examine the basics. You need to lift weights in order to tear your muscle fibers. They grow back stronger and thicker with the assistance of amino acids in your bloodstream from the protein in the foods we eat. This growth occurs while we sleep. These factors are constant whether we build muscle ...

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For bodybuilders, dieting is one of the most unpredictable aspects of the iron game.  When you first start cutting, you drop a lot of water and fat quickly.  Then, you stabilize and move along at a consistent pace.  As you close in a contest, it becomes very difficult to shed body far during those last few weeks of dieting.  This leads to situations where bodybuilders run behind on their preparation, and come into those closing weeks before a show with poor conditioning, behind in their preparation.  Drastic changes need to take place at this point! If you want to get shredded fast, you need to examine your current cutting phase and take things up a notch across the board.  Let’s examine the four most important areas of cutting – cardio, training, diet, and supplementation – and see what ...

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In bodybuilding, there are three ‘states of being’. The first is the one you see among most trainers in most gyms. They aren’t training for any specific purpose. They are trying to get bigger, and leaner, at the same time. For a bodybuilder using steroids, this is possible. The use of anabolic compounds results in muscle cell growth while fat is burned. However, for natural bodybuilders, it just doesn’t work this way. It takes a surplus of calories to gain muscle – which means some fat will be gained also. On the opposite side, it takes a caloric deficit to result in fat loss. This means no new muscle can be gained during this time period. The bodybuilder who chases both goals will achieve neither. The wise bodybuilder chooses ...

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