Many of the machines in your gym probably get a bad rap. Compared to the free weight compound movements like squat, bench press, and deadlift, the Hammer Strength and Nautilus machines in your gym often look a little soft. Bodybuilders will sometimes see them as inferior, designed for women, children, and the elderly, never to be touched by a strong man seeking to add muscle to his frame. However, this is not true. It is very possible – and often advantageous – to use the machines in your gym to keep the muscle and strength gains coming. Let’s examine some of these advantages! Joint wear & tear As we age, the cartilage in our muscle groups tends to wear away over time. No matter how much we stretch, how well we eat, or how healthy we ...

If you like this article, click here to share:

Should bodybuilders employ the Ketogenic, or Atkins diet? Is it useful for naturals as well as those using steroids? What about for the off-season? Can people really make gains in muscle in a carb-deprived state? Let’s tackle some of the more commonly discussed concepts regarding low-carbohydrate dieting for bodybuilders. If you are a tad overweight, the low-carb diet can be very fun. Maybe you have experienced a bit of difficulty controlling the bulge. You deprive yourself of the greasy breakfasts that you love so much in order to keep your waistline tight. The moment you jump to a low-carbohydrate diet, you will immediately drop 5 to 7 pounds of water, and look leaner than you have in years! As a bodybuilder, this will be a very good, and very bad thing. That ...

If you like this article, click here to share:

For bodybuilders, the bench press is often not the movement by which one measures how strong he is. Rather, it is the movement by which other bodybuilders realize how weak you are. While bodybuilders sport those bulging pectorals, rounded shoulders and sharp triceps, their pectoral mass is often much more impressive than their benching ability itself. After all, they train for increases in muscle mass, not strength. Powerlifters are an entirely different breed. They train for performance. Their goal is not to look like they can bench 1000 pounds. Rather, many of them look like regular guys, and some of them could be perceived as “fat slobs” by the public in general. However, they are very strong human beings because they train for strength. When training for strength, it is common sense that lifters ...

If you like this article, click here to share:

Even with the spotlight placed squarely on the benefits of bodybuilding exercises the media exposes, to the detrimental hazards of lack of an physical fitness and the all too clear increase in obesity and overweight cases, people have not fully embraced bodybuilding exercising as a routine. Physical fitness is not a priority activity especially among the youths today. Majority of children and teenagers spend their days sit on a desk at school, playing computer games at home, enjoying video games with friends and watching TV and movies the rest of the time. Their lives are so dormant and so indoor that it is not a wonder that 80% percent of them are overweight. This is further compounded by the modern fast food lifestyles. The consequences are obese children with diabetes and other complex health conditions. Children need aerobic exercises to build ...

If you like this article, click here to share:

There are a number of body building techniques that will result in faster muscle growth. These are techniques that have over the years proven to be of great benefit. 1.Split training This in simple terms is dividing the various exercises or workouts into the various muscle groups which they work. Then you can divide your different workout sessions based on these categories. E.g. the upper body and the lower body. The advantage of split training is that you don’t have to work out the whole body in one session. Doing so may end up as over training which in itself has adverse effect like excessive soreness and even injury. This reduces the pressure on the body builder. He can efficiently work out his entire body in a number of sessions which yields better results than rushing through the sets. 2. Circuit training This is rapid ...

If you like this article, click here to share:

A story hit the headlines recently in the US of a man who proved the better in the face of a potential tragedy. The man was a brick layer was said to have suffered serious burns soon after an underground power supply cable struck him. The incident happened while he was erecting a wall where it was reported that he was literally thrown fifteen feet backwards and immediately set ablaze by the traumatizing shock. He was rushed to the nearest hospital soon after and treated. Body builders had a lot of pride in their faces that evening, when the doctors who operated on the man confirmed that the man had survived the first degree burns covering a massive forty per cent of his entire body. According to the doctor’s confirmation to his family, it was the huge hard toned muscles that ...

If you like this article, click here to share:

Very many questions arise when it comes to matters relating to sex and body building. It always leaves people wondering as to whether they all are facts or fiction. These claims wrongly regard sex among body builders as an inconsequential subject. Ejaculation is a process that involves all the body muscles to a great extent. It affects the muscle strength, relaxation, involvement, coordination and exhaustion levels at the end of each day. Ejaculation therefore remains a great basis of controversial argument and a concern to people working out on body building programs. Some people believe that feeding well is the only option that will help them multitask in the different activities. Yes. Diet is a very important constituent to body building success but not the exclusive concern in muscle development. Debates have thus run year after year as to ...

If you like this article, click here to share:

Most people beyond the age of forty are rather skeptical when they receive training advice from younger trainers who are about fifteen years younger. The bone of contention is that a young trainer will offer advice that will suit equally young athletes. The truth of the matter is that there isn't much difference between the training required by both age groups more so if the focus is on strength and muscle mass gain. However, there are three factors that you need to consider when you are training above the age of forty. The first of these considerations has to do with the bodily hormones. In the age span of 35-40 the body begins to experience drops in the level of testosterone. The right term for this period is 'andropause'. This has a huge impact on the building of muscles since the ...

If you like this article, click here to share:

Every since you began lifting weights, you’ve probably heard the same thing over and over. You should always start leg day with squats. It’s the compound movement most responsible for thigh (and overall physique) growth, and you should always complete this movement when you’re at your freshest. This is true most of the time, but it does seem to neglect the fact that our bodies respond best to new and unique challenges that we have not seen before. The muscles in your body are highly adaptable. They only grow enough to meet the demands you place upon them. In addition, they adapt to similar workloads very easily. If you’ve been starting your leg day with squats for the last 4 years, there’s a good chance they’re not growing much as a result anymore. It ...

If you like this article, click here to share:

Q: I heard that Plyometrics is a way to gain more strength. What is it and can bodybuilders benefit from incorporating it into traditional weight workouts? A: Plyometrics is a great complement to a weight training program, because it can truly increase strength, speed, agility and explosivity. As you probably know, all of these factors are interconnected and can greatly benefit a bodybuilder in their workouts. It can also build the body in a way that traditional resistance exercise can’t. Plyometric work varies and encompasses anything from explosive squat jumps, cone agility runs, box jumps, hops and many more movements. The way that these often seemingly innocuous movements can help a bodybuilder depends on the movement and how you use it. However, in general, becoming more explosive aids in movements like squats, deadlifts and bench press. Agility helps shape the ...

If you like this article, click here to share: