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Archive for April, 2009

Effective Muscle Building Routines

April 28th 2009

The most effective muscle building routines emphasize a balanced approach that focuses on effective muscle building techniques using free weights and resistance machines in combination with a program incorporating a variety of muscle building diets.  Yes, variety in your diet is key.

Before even attempting to start a muscle building program, recognize that building lean muscle mass requires dedication to a healthy lifestyle and the discipline to get into the gym at least 3-4 times a week. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, you can build muscle fast.

There are three primary components to any effective muscle building routine.

Exercise

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Building lean muscle mass requires you to engage in a resistance training program using weights and machines.  And while there are multiple machines and free weight exercises available in most gyms for each body part, there are four exercises that are key.

These four exercises involve “compound” movements that require you to utilize multiple muscles in the body to accomplish.  This is in contrast to “isolation” movement exercises which focus on one muscle at a time.  Any effective muscle building routine, especially in the early stages, will focus on exercises using compound movements to maximize muscle growth.

The four key exercise that should form the core of your muscle building routine are:

  • Squats
  • Bench Press
  • Military Press
  • Deadlifts

These four exercises, when performed correctly, will work virtually every muscle in your body.

Diet

The second key component of effective muscle buidling routines is your diet.  There are many muscle building diets out there, but many just focus on eating more protein.  A good muscle building diet will not only focus on what you should eat, but also on what you should avoid.  A good diet will have you eating lean cuts of meat, whole grains such as brown rice and yams, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.  A good muscle building diet will also have you avoid simple sugars such as soda and pastries and trans and saturated fats such as fried food and potato chips.

You want to get big.  You don’t want to get fat.  You also want to stay away from foods that contain empty calories such as candy, cake, and alcohol.

Planning

The third key of effective muscle building routines is providing the educational resources to teach you how to design an effective workout schedule that includes muscle groupings and training frequency.  You must learn how to be able to put together a regular and balanced workout plan that will ensure that you avoid over training while still making progress in building lean muscle mass.

There is one other intangible when it comes to evaluating muscle building routines.  That intangible is you.  You and your motivation to start, and more importantly, stick with a program that will help you to build lean muscle. Do your homework and find a weight training routine that fits your schedule and your goals. The Adam Waters RTP Transformation System is an excellent place to start.

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Weight Training Workouts

April 24th 2009

Incorporating well designed weight training workouts into your overall fitness routine is an excellent way to achieve significant gains in the areas of muscle strength, muscle endurance, and core stability.  The key is to adopt the best workout routine that will fit with both your body type and your goals.

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First step?  What are your goals?  Are you strictly looking to build muscle - i.e. bulk up?  Will you be mixing your weight training routine in with a cardio program?  Typically a balanced approach that incorporates cardio and weight training workouts will achieve the best overall health and fitness results.  Even bodybuilders swear by their cardio.

If you do intend to put together a plan that mixes in cardio and weight training, it is typically best to structure any given workout session so that you do your weight training routine first, then finish up with cardio.  This will enable you to put maximum effort into the resistance training where full muscle strength is needed in order to make progress.

Next you need to determine how many days during the week you intend to workout.  Will you do your weight training routine and cardio on the same day, or split them up?  Depending on the flexibilty of your schedule, you may want to structure a routine that has you in gym 5 days a week, working a single body part each day.  Or, if you can only get in 3 time a week, you’ll train 2 body parts each workout.  Obviously the more energy you have to focus on each body part, the faster you will make progress.

The following is the weight training routine I currently follow:

Monday - chest, triceps
Tuesday - cardio
Wednesday - back, legs
Thursday - cardio
Friday - shoulders, biceps

This is just one of many combinations you could adopt when planning your weight training workouts.  The key is to hit regularly hit each muscle group.  Another important thing to remember is to give your muscles time to rest between workouts.  Pushing yourself too hard by doing intensive weight training on the same muscle groups day after day is counterproductive and will lead to overtraining.  You will actually lose muscle and potentially damage your body.

Weight training workouts should be a part of any good exercise routine.  But do your homework and find a weight training routine that fits your schedule and your goals.  The Adam Waters RTP Transformation System is an excellent place to start.

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Best Personal Training Program

April 20th 2009

First, there is no such thing as the best personal training program.  Everyone has their own sets of fitness needs and goals, so one program does not fit all.

When evaluating workout programs, you must have a clear idea of your current fitness level and the objectives you are trying to accomplish.

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Are you trying to lose weight? Well, diet is going to be as big a factor as any workout program you embark upon.  In addition, depending on your current fitness level, you’re going to want to find a personal training program that will ease you into the world of weights and resistance training exercises.

Are you looking to add muscle? If so, you’re going to be looking for programs that emphasize the use of heavier weights and lower repetitions.  You’re also going to want to focus on the use of dumbbells and barbells as opposed to machines.

Are you looking to tone your body and increase your cardio and muscle endurance? Then the use of lighter weights and higher repetitions mixing the strict movements that machines provide with selected free weight exercises are your best bet.

The key to finding the best personal training program is to first assess your goals and find a program that is tailored to meet those goals. It is also important that you ascertain the viability of the program you are looking at. In other words, does it work?

The easiest way to ascertain whether a program is effective is by asking for testimonials or references. Find out what others are saying about the program. And look for the usual before and after photos that are used to advertise the progress that is possible.

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The best personal training program is a program that will encourage you to meet your fitness goals. It will serve to guide you through the steps that you will need to take to meet those goals. It should help you in making healthy diet decisions as well as providing appropriate exercise routines covering aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. As always, see a doctor before beginning any new workout regimen. And click here for a new workout program that is catching on across the world. It’s suitable for beginners and seasoned fitness buffs alike.

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