mass building with weights

there are some types of exersises that i have found with weights that are for producing mass they are

Biceps:standing ez barl curl

sets1-2 15 reps verry light weight

set3 verry heavy weight 6 reps

set4 verry heavy weight 8 reps

set5 light 10 reps

 standing dumbellcurl med-heavy

set1-2 16 reps

set 3 is a light set of 20 reps

preacher curl machine

set1 heavy 8 reps

se2 heavy 8 reps

set 3 light 10 reps

hammer curl

set1 med-heavy 24 reps

set 2 same 24 reps

back:(lat machine)

behind kneck pull down reps 3-4

pull down to front 2-4 reps

leg exrension med weight

set1 12 reps

set2 same

set3 same

leg press:feet wide heavy 2-4 reps

feet together heavy 2-4 reps

triceps light-med

close grip bench press 3-4 reps

press down(with cable machine)2 sets of 15

chest:bench press med-heavy

rep 2-4

shoulders:heavy(machine press)

set1 heavy 8 reps

set2 heavy 10 reps

set3 light 10 reps

cable curl med-heavy

set1 rep 10-12]se2 same

set3 same

dumbell or barbell shrugs

set1-3 heavy 8 reps

se4 light 12 reps

row close grip med-heavy 2-4 reps

wide grip med-heavy 3-4 reps

back extension med-heavy 3 sets of 21 reps

seated crunch machine med-heavy do a s many reps to failer

another leg press work out is

set1 10 reps verry heavy

set2 same

set3 light 12 reps

Weight-Training and Weight-Lifting Safety

Weight-Training and Weight-Lifting Safety

Be safe.

Lifting weights, whether you do it for fun, training for sports or competition, can cause serious injury or even death. You can lift weights more safely by following these basic guidelines.

Find a teacher.

Find a teacher who can help you learn how to do the exercises correctly. Good technique is one of the most important ways to avoid injury. Some high school coaches or athletic trainers can help you. If a college is located in your town, the weight coach for the varsity athletic teams may be able to give you advice or recommend another teacher. The National Strength and Conditioning Association may also be able to recommend a qualified coach in your area. Advice from people who have never learned good technique themselves, such as parents, friends, coaches or other weight lifters, may not be correct. Books can help, but nothing beats personal coaching.

Set goals.

With your teacher’s help, decide on the goals of your weight-training program. The goals of your training program will depend on your age, physical maturity and the reason you are lifting weights. You need to consider which exercises you will use, how often you will do each exercise, what weight you will start with and when you will increase this weight.

Wait until you’re ready.

Most people should wait until they are at least 15 years old before trying the major lifts. At 15, most people’s bodies are mature enough for these exercises. The major lifts, performed with barbells, include the clean and jerk, power clean, snatch, squat, dead lift and the bench (incline and overhead presses). These exercises are likely to cause injury if you lift heavy weights without proper technique and the help of spotters.

Warm up and cool down.

Warm up and cool down for each session. Your warm-up session before lifting weights should include stretching exercises, calisthenics and jogging. When you begin each lifting exercise, use small amounts of weight at first and then progress to heavier weights. Stretching is also important during your cooldown.

	DOs Do use spotters when you try the major lifts. Do keep your back straight when lifting. Do use proper lifting technique when moving weights around the room. Do wear shoes with good traction. Do make sure the equipment you use is in good condition. DON’Ts Don’t hyperventilate (breathe in and out fast) or hold your breath when you lift heavy weights. You may faint and lose control of the weights. Breathe out when you lift. Don’t continue lifting if you feel pain. Stop the painful exercise for a few days, or try it with less weight. Don’t exercise any set of muscles more than 3 times a week. Don’t “cheat” on your technique to lift heavier weights than you can handle. Don’t lift heavy weights without spotters. Don’t lift more than you know you can lift safely.

Other Organizations

National Strength and Conditioning Association
http://www.nsca-lift.org
719-632-6722

Organizations and Resources Directly Related to the Sport of Weightlifting

Organizations and Resources Directly Related to the Sport of Weightlifting:

ATP’s Pro Wrist Straps. This organization makes a wide variety of straps that are used to secure the grip on a barbell. I really like the nylon versions, which are reportedly strong enough to support several thousand pounds. The standard length strap offered by the company is 24″, which is too long for the weightlifter who is doing lifts like snatches with them. But they will shorten the strap to any length you desire. A shorter strap, say 16-18″, should be more than enough to wrap around the lifter’s wrist and take one turn around the barbell (you should never take more than one turn as doing so will not permit you to release the bar quickly by opening the hand – essential when one is trying to get out from under a missed lift). You can contact APT at. www.prowriststraps.com  

Bruce Klemens. 139 Longwood Lake Road, Oak Ridge, NJ 07438, USA.. Bruce was a dedicated weightlifter whose interest in photography developed into a lifelong avocation. Bruce has probably photographed more weightlifters over al longer period of time than anyone in recent weightlifting history. His library of photos includes most of good and the great on the national (US) and international scenes for the past quarter century. If you are looking for a weightlifting photos contact Bruce.

Bulgarian Coach Available for Work in the US. A number of coaches from the weightlifting powers of Eastern Europe have emigrated to the US in recent years. Emilian Iankov is an accomplished weightlifter and coach. He was a three time National Weightlifting Champion in Bulgaria (where winning the Nationals was often nearly as difficult as winning the World Championships because of the caliber of the Bulgarian athletes). Emilian received a Masters degree in Physical Education is Bulgaria, where he was coach at the year round training center for the Bulgarian National Junior Teams. Since coming to the US, he has coached many weightlifters, including Two Time Olympian Mark Henry and many athletes from other sports (to improve their strength and power). Emilian is seeking a position as a weightlifting or a strength coach. He can be reached at: 11704 Oak Trail, Austin, TX 78753 or via e-mail at: E1Iankov@aol.com.

Denis Reno’s Weightlifter’s Newsletter. 30 Cambria Road, West Newton, MA 02165, USA. Denis has been an athlete, coach, official, administrator, meet director and all around promoter of weightlifting for many years. He began publishing his newsletter in the 1970s and it has become a leader in its field in terms of furnishing the quickest printed meet results. Denis includes a lot of his own opinions and publishes many letters to the editor. His publication includes national and international results in serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas in weightlifting. Denis says what he thinks and this has made him unpopular in certain circles, but his devoted readership knows that most of the time he is right on the money. The sport needs independent voices such as Denis’s. $24 US, Canada $26, Europe $32 and the rest of the world $37 for the year.

Chapman Power Systems – manufactures Olympic bars and other equipment. I have no personal experience with the equipment, but some athletes and coaches have reported that they like it. www.chapmanpower.com 

Dynamic Fitness. PO Box 510505 Livonia, MI 48151 (313) 425-2862. The exclusive distributors for Eleiko Sport equipment and Adidas weightlifting apparel in the US, this company has been serving the serious weightlifting and weight training community (individuals and institutions) for more than a decade. If you are in the market for weightlifting shoes, need a weightlifting suit or want to purchase Eleiko equipment anywhere in the Americas, Dynamic Fitness is your answer. Owner Bud Charniga has run the company (as well as Sportivny Press, which publishes many of the books that were listed in the bibliography) from day one. A supplier to professional and college weight rooms, as well as the individual consumer, Bud’s knowledge of the sport, reputation for honesty and dedication to service is as outstanding as the companies he represents. And when you deal with Dynamic Fitness you are dealing with the owner, a former national-level lifter who personally trains on and tests everything he sells. Behind the scenes, Bud has promoted the sport of weightlifting for many years as an athlete, coach, translator, athlete’s representative to the USWF, meet director (he has personally run two fine national championships) and lecturer. He has donated equipment to the USWF’s/USAW’s training center and Colorado Springs, advertised in USA Weightlifting at times when no one else has, and loaned equipment to countless meet directors of national and local competitions. He does a great deal more behind the scenes to support weightlifting that he would be angry at me for revealing – so I will not. I will simply say that he is one of weightlifting’s’ true friends. The Dynamic Fitness Web site is at: www.dynamic-eleiko.com. More information on Eleiko equipment appears in Chapter 4 of “The Weightlifting Encyclopedia.” and at the Eleiko Web site: www.eleiko.se.

Eurosport. Eurosport is the sports TV network in Europe. Because of weightlifting’s popularity in Europe, this web site often has news of interest to weightlifters. The link to the weightlifting page is    

http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/V3/L0/S64/sport_Lng0_Spo64.shtml

Gayle Hatch Weightlifting/Strength Training. Gayle Hatch is one of the most knowledgeable and successful weightlifting and strength coaches in US history. During the more than 25 years that Gayle has been active as a weightlifting and strength coach his weightlifting teams have won more than 40 national titles. He has had athletes on 3 of the last 4 US Olympic Teams. His strength training methods, which rely heavily on the Olympic lifts, have produced some of the finest athletes in the US. If you live anywhere near Baton Rouge, LA, and you want to be a weightlifter or a stronger and more explosive athlete, Gayle is the man to see: www.net-2000.net/gaylehatch.  

GoHeavy.com GoHeavy is a series of Internet forums for weight sports. One forum is dedicated to Olympic-style weightlifting. As an essentially unmoderated forum (there are a few rules), there are many personal and emotional exchanges not of particular interest to those wanting to learn about weightlifting. But many of those who post are dedicated to keeping up with the latest news in the sport and to exchanging training ideas and the like. Consequently, there is some very useful information on the forum. As is the case with any such forum, the knowledge levels of those giving and receiving advice varies significantly so caveat emptor. The forum can be found at: http://www.goheavy.com/forums/olympic/  

Hawaii Kono Company (Tommy Kono) – Offers a wonderful book by the legendary Tommy Kono called “Weightlifting, Olympic Style“. This book is truly unique. Part autobiography, part sport psychology, part training guide and part technical advice, this book offers wisdom accumulated by Tommy across his more than half a century in the sport of weightlifting. While Tommy is considered one of the greatest lifters who ever lived, he also coached Olympic teams from 3 different countries (the US included), made many stunning photographs and invented a number of pieces of equipment. You’ll find his writings fascinating. The book can be ordered from: Hawaii Kono Company, P.O. Box 2192, Aiea, HI 96701. It costs $34.50 including S&H in the US, for Canada and Mexico add $3.50 and for all other countries $5.50. Make checks payable to Tommy Kono. 

Herman’s Olympic Rankings – This site apparently ranks Olympic participants in terms of a point system developed by the author of the site. The link provided here takes you to the rankings of weightlifters http://gallery.uunet.be/hermandw/olymp/topswe.htm

International Weightlifting Database. This Web site offers a wealth information on weightlifting results. You can find World, Olympic and European Championship results. Sub-categories include men and women and juniors and seniors. From what I can tell results go back as far as 1989. You can also look up a specific lifter and see his or her results in major competitions over the years. You can reach the site at:www.iat.uni-leipzig.de/weight.htm.

International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and World Weightlifting: The IWF is the governing body for the sport of Weightlifting worldwide. World Weightlifting is the “Official Magazine of the IWF and AIPS Weightlifting Commission“. An annual subscription is $35 US. The magazine and other information regarding weightlifting can be obtained from: IWF Secretariat, 1374 Budapest Pf. 614 Hungary. World Weightlifting covers the world scene in a way that nothing else does. Includes meet results, biographies of the champions, messages from Messrs. Ajan and Schodl (the General Secretary and President of the IWF, respectively) and a lot of other information. It also offers some of the best pictures in the sport (especially the poster that is inserted in each issue). No weightlifter, coach or fan of the sport should be without a subscription to this magazine. The IWF web site is: www.iwf.net. .

Lost Battalion Hall. This is the premier gym for Olympic style Weightlifting in the NYC area. Lost Battalion was started in 1961 by Morris Weissbrot. It has produced many champions over the years and several Weightlifting competitions are scheduled there annually (see the “Events” page on this Web-site for up-to-date information).. The author of The Weightlifting Encyclopedia, Arthur Drechsler, coaches there at least 3 times per week. Lost Battalion is run by the Parks & Recreation department of NYC. It costs $50.00 per year for a general membership at “the Hall” and and additional $50.00 per year (general membership is waived for those under 18, so the total annual cost for them is only $50) to use the Olympic lifting facility, which features 6 weightlifting platforms and tons of bumper plates. The Lost Battalion program accepts members of all ages and aspirations, but is particularly interested in young athletes in their teens who are interested in achieving outstanding performance in Olympic style Weightlifting competitions. The current hours are from 6 PM to 10PM Monday through Thursday and 1 PM to 5PM on Saturdays. The telephone number of the office (which is open from 9AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday) is (718) 263-1163. Lost Battalion Hall is located at 93-29 Queens Blvd. in Rego Park NY. It is very accessible via public transportation (e.g, the R subway train) and is close to the LIE and Grand Central Parkways. If your are interested in Olympic lifting pay us a visit! 

Mike Burgener’s Gym – Mike, a former National level lifter and now an International level coach with the USAW,  has developed a large Weightlifting club (in Bonsall CA) and a network of coaches in Southern CA. Mike’s son Casey has emerged as one of the country’s most promising young lifters and there are many other up and coming young (and older) athletes training at his gym. His enthusiasm for the game is terrific – you can’t help but be inspired by a workout with Mike. His club’s regular hours are 4PM to 8PM Monday through Thursday and Saturdays from 10AM to 1 PM. For more information, you can visit his Web site at: http://sites.netscape.net/mikeburgener/index2.html. 

Mavrik Barbell Company (formerly known as Mav-Rik). (818) 266-0680, Fax (818) 895-9750, PO Box 7964, Van Nuys, CA 91409-9712, e-mail: mavrik@socal.rr.com, or visit their Web site at www.mavrikbarbell.com  Bob Hise Sr., referred to in the listing of IOL above, started this company (under the name Mav-Rik), and a magazine called International Olympic Lifter (IOL), as an alternative to York Barbell. Athlete, coach, administrator and tireless promoter of the sport, Bob always supplied a helping hand to a weightlifters in need and gave far more help than he was ever given credit for. I can recall asking Bob for permission to use his gym after a long day of work during a business trip to California. He not only gave me permission, but he came out to his gym at midnight to watch every lift I did. Mav-Rik has recently been purchased (and the name has been changed to “Mavrik Barbell Company”) by two lifters who knew Mr. Hise very well – Tim Chin and Diana Fuhrman. They have vowed to uphold the Mav-Rik tradition and have just put into production a limited supply of bars (men’s and women’s) and bumper plates.  Chapter 4 of “The Weightlifting Encyclopedia” describes some of the equipment that had been produced by Mav-Rik in the past. We wish good luck to Tim and Diana in their new venture.

Motor City Barbell. News and information regarding Weightlifting in the Michigan area. The site can be accessed at: www.motorcitybarbell.com.

OlympicLifter – A site created by former National Champion and American Recordholder, Lea Foreman. This site has sequences of the snatch and C&J, training information and tons of links to others sites of interest to Olympic-style weightlifters. A very complete and cleanly designed site at www.fdzine.com/olympiclifter

Olympic Lifting (Weightlifting). This site, recently started by John M. Cissik and Tony Cardella, includes articles, meet results, a calendar of coming events, a forum for sharing ideas and links to other sites. Some of the areas of the site are under construction at present. The site can be accessed at: www.goheavy.com/olympic.

Olympic Weightlifting on the Web. A web page created by Butch Curry that provides links to many of the web sites around the world that pertain to Weightlifting or related subjects. You can access the site at: www.lifttilyadie.com.

Power Firm Weightlifting Shoes. These shoes are made in Poland (I believe) and sold from Canada. A number of lifters I know have them and seem to like them. Their web-site is: www.weightliftingshoes.ca.

Queensland Weightlifting Association. While the focus of this site is Weightlifting in Australia, there is much there for Weightlifters all over the world. You’ll find training information, gym locations, contact opportunities with other lifters worldwide and a variety of other subjects. The site location is: www.qwa.org.

Slovakian Weightlifting Website - This interesting web site provides sequence photos and biomechanical analysis performed by a number of champion weightlifters. It can be found at:  www.fsport.uniba.sk/vzpier

Sportivny Press. See Dynamic Fitness listing above.

USA Weightlifting (USAW) and Weightlifting USA. One Olympic Plaza, Colorado Springs, CO 80909 (719) 866-4508, www. USAWeightlifting.org. USA Weightlifting is the governing body for the sport of weightlifting in the US. You need to be a member of the USAW if you want to participate in competitions sanctioned by the USAW. Weightlifting USA is the quarterly publication, of the USAW. The magazine provides information of vital interest to all competitive weightlifters in the US. Includes the latest rules, policies and procedures of the USAW, some articles on training and biographical material, extensive meet results and other items of interest to pure weightlifters. The magazine comes as part of membership in the USAW. Membership in the USAW is a must for the serious weightlifter or coach and it is a terrific value as well. Your membership dollars support the sport in this country while keeping you informed at the same time.

Weightlifting Exchange – A series of discussion groups who post articles and opinions on weightlifting. A number of video clips are available here as well. www.weightliftingexchange.com .

WeightliftingOnlineMagazine – A collaborative effort driven by Marty Schnorf and Joe Prusacki, this web site has articles on weightlifting, a message board, interviews with coaches and athletes, links to pictures, video clips, information on clubs and more. It can be found at: www.olmagazine.citymax.com.  

World Class Coaching LLC. This Company sells 2 videos created by Steve Miller, the coach who started USA Weightlifting’s Superheavyweight Olympian and American Recordholder, Shane Hamman, National Champion and World Team member, Loreen Briner-Miller, and numerous martial arts champions. One video is dedicated to teaching the snatch and the other the clean. Both go into great detail about the steps involved in Miller’s own unique coaching approach and his views regarding optimal technique. www.worldclasscoachingllc.com.

World Records by Chidlovski – The author is a former weightlifter who has prepared a list of the World Records through the history of weightlifting and placed them online. The records appear to be very similar to a list that the IWF published during the 70′s (updated) but they may vary in a number of areas from the latest IWF official record history. Nevertheless, assembling the records took a great deal of work and they will be of great interest to weightlifting fans http://www22.brinkster.com/chidlovski/l_links.asp

York Barbell Company. PO Box 1707, York, PA, 17405-1707. Tel: (717) 767-6481. York Barbell was started and managed by Bob Hoffman for half a century. At one time it was probably the leading barbell and health food company in the world. Through his flagship magazine, Strength & Health (as well as numerous other publications), Hoffman popularized weightlifting and weight training for sport and created millions of believers in weight training around the world. He did more than any other person to make the US a power in world weightlifting from the 1930s through the 1960s and the importance of his influence can be appreciated only by studying what happened to weightlifting in the US in the years following Bob’s loss of vigor and ultimate death. York Barbell has changed management several times since Bob’s death. Its current owner, Vic Standish, has recently revamped York’s product line. A discussion of York’s bars and bumper plates appears in Chapter 4 of “The Weightlifting Encyclopedia.” York’s “Hall of Fame” (located in York, PA) is unique, with its many pictures and exhibits from the history of the Iron Game, and its special focus on weightlifting history in the US. It’s worth a visit if you are ever near York. York has also sponsored the activities of the USWF/USAW for many years, establishing the company as loyal friend of weightlifting.

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Organizations and Resources of a More General Interest to the Weightlifter:

Adam’s Natural Bodybuilding Site This relatively new site includes a message board, training advice and recipes.   www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Dugout/4143.

American Drug Free Powerlifting Association. This organization sponsors drug free powerlifting competitions (bench press, squat and deadlift as compared with the Olympic Lifts – snatch and C&J, the latter of which are the focus of this site) throughout the US. The site provides information on powerlifting rules, results from competitions, training and a number of other subjects. The site address is: www.adfpa.com or www.usapowerlifting.com.

American Strength Legends. This site features biographies of strongmen, powerlifters and a few weightlifters. You will enjoy a visit there.  The site is at: acad.fandm.edu/~JJ_MCSHANE/ASL.html.

The Association of Oldetime Barbell and Strongmen.  Founded by Vic Boff, weightlifter, bodybuilder, strongman, Iceberg Club President, health food store owner, writer, and more, Vic did it all in the iron game and was one of the true “keepers of the flame” for strongpersons worldwide.  Vic’s organization brings the factions in the game together while at the same time acting as the voice of reason and a focus on health  and drug free performance in an era that has often supported performance at any cost. A friend of many of the game’s greats (like Bob Hoffman, Sigmund Klein, John Grimek and Milo Steinborn), he started his association in 1982 and shortly thereafter hosted an 81st birthday celebration for Sig Klein in a restaurant in Queens. This celebration became an annual affair, but by 1986, the organization had grown so much in its purposes and membership that the annual dinner was relocated to the Downtown Athletic Club in NYC. There, a tradition of honoring the luminaries and the Iron Game annually became solidfied. With the change in the structure of the Dowtown AC during the late 1990′s, it became necessary to move the reunion to another site, and the wonderful Marriott Hotel in Saddle Brook NJ has been the home of the AOBS dinners since 2000. The organization also publishes a newsletter which supports Iron Game history and drug free training. For more information, see the organization’s web page.

A to Z Fitness This site has articles on training and nutrition and many ads by companies that offer products of interest to fitness buffs, but its major strength is the more than 1000 links it offers to fitness related sites. Check it out at: www.atozfitness.com.

Bill Pearl. Bill Pearl Enterprises, Inc., P.O. Box 1080, Phoenix, Oregon 97535. Bill Pearl is one of bodybuilding’s all time great champions and trainers of champions. He has also published some of most extensive information available in the bodybuilding field, including his “Keys To The Inner Universe”, the most comprehensive description of bodybuilding exercises ever created.   If you want information on bodybuilding, Bill’s web site is a great place to look. You can find it at: www.billpearl.com.

Bodybuilding.com The developers of this site expect it to be one of the biggest bodybuilding sites on line. As of  April 17, 1999, they had many links to bodybuilding and fitness sites. Their plan is to ultimately have such items as substantial training and nutritional information, chat and a large on-line store. www.bodybuilding.com.

Clarence Bass’ Ripped Enterprises. This is the web site from Clarence Bass, author of the “Ripped” series of books and a number of other books and articles regarding the minimization of body fat while maximizing muscle mass (both important subjects for most weightlifters). You can get a sense of the ripped experience by visiting: www.cbass.com.

Crain’s Muscle World. 3803 North Bryan Road, Shawnee, OK, 74801-2314. Tel: (405) 275-3689. Ricky Crain, a many-time world and national powerlifting champion who continues to break master’s powerlifting records today, runs this company. He offers a wide range of equipment, books and videos that are often hard to obtain elsewhere. My experience with Ricky’s services has been very positive.

Dave Draper Dave was one of the original Calfornia giants who helped publicize bodybuilding, so has been around the Iron Game for years. Now he is sharing his insights on training and diet on his own web site: www.davedraper.com.

Explosiveathlete.com This site was developed by the strength coach and offers good information on sports science, basic training and nutrition principles and a periodic “What’s New” column. The site also sells training programs for athletes. You can find it at www.explosiveathlete.com. 

Fitness Link Provides many links to weightlifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding and other fitness sites at: www.fitnesslinkpros.com   

Fitness Partner Connection Jumpsite!. This site is oriented toward general fitness. It has articles on a broad range of fitness topics and a bulletin board and forum. It can be found at: primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/.

Fundamentals of Strength Training for Sport. This site, created by Charles Staley, features articles on strength training, bodybuilding, martial arts training, nutrition and a number of other topics. There is also a message board on which FAQ’s are answered and a selected group of links to other Web sites. The address is: www.myodynamics.com.

Gigantic Bodybuilding. This relatively new site includes training advice, nutrition advice and supplement reviews, a bookstore, and many links to other sites: www.megsinet/~frank416/.

Heavysports.com This relatively new site is mostly made up of links to powerlifting, weightlifting, bodybuilding and arm wrestling sites. It also sells arm wrestling videos. It is located at: www.heavysports.com.

The Internet’s Fitness Resource. This is as huge site that covers a wide variety of fitness and wellness subjects and has an astonishing number of links to other sites. The June 1997 issue of The Web Magazine reportedly said “IFR is the grandmother of all fitness link sites, which is pretty impressive when you consider that many general fitness sites are just links.” http://rampages.onramp.net/~chaz/.

Iron Man Magazine. 1701 Ives Avenue, Oxnard CA, 93033. $29.97 per year. This magazine was started by Peary and Mabel Rader in Nebraska in 1936. Peary offered a truly independent voice in the iron game for more than 50 years. During the 60s he published another magazine called Lifting News which was devoted completely to weightlifting and powerlifting. Mabel Rader was the first female national-level referee in the US and was the first chairperson of the AAU’s women’s weightlifting committee. She ably presided over women’s weightlifting as the first national championships were organized in 1981 and continued to work toward the growth of women’s lifting until she handed leadership of the committee over to Judy Glenney’s able hands. Iron Man is currently published by John Balik. It contains a wide range of articles on training, nutrition and other subjects of interest to bodybuilders and weight trainers. John presents the views of many qualified authors with widely varying opinions in a way that will stimulate you to think. The magazine occasionally carries articles on weightlifting.

IronMind Enterprises, Inc. See “Milo” listing below.

International Sports Sciences Association. 3920-B State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105; 1-800-892-ISSA. The ISSA was founded in 1988 by Dr. Fred Hatfield and Dr. Sal Arria. The institute’s mission is “… to provide new and better methods and services to the sports and fitness industries as the sciences and technologies in the respective areas advance…” and, with respect to sports and fitness training, to “…meet the crying need for STANDARDIZATION in the club industry.” The ISSA offers home study courses and exams leading to certifications by the organization in fitness training and sports conditioning. Their materials for each course are well prepared by people who typically have a great deal of practical experience in their fields as well as academic credentials. The ISSA courses focus much more on resistance training than the majority of certification organizations presently preparing fitness specialists. The web site of the ISSA is: www.issa-usa.com or www.fitnesseducation.com. Dr. Fred Hatfield has his own Web sites that are full of training and other information. Fred is known as “Dr. Squat” because of the enormous superiority that he demonstrated in that lift on the powerlifting platform. He squatted an unbelievable world record 1014 pounds at age 45 and at a bodyweight of 255 (a literal handful of powerlifters have ever squatted more, and they were much heavier and younger than Fred). So when Fred talks about building strength, it would foolish not to listen.  His sites are:  www.sportstrength.com and www.drsquat.com.

Link Factory One of the largest set of links to bodybuilding/powerlifting sites on the Internet. A lot of other categories of links as well. www.geocities.com/hotsprings/falls/6457/ 

MaxMuscleLinks Provides links to bodybuilding, fitness and related sites, organized by the kind of site. You can  find this site at: http://links.maxmuscle.com.

Milo: A Journal For Serious Strength Athletes. Iron Mind Enterprises, Inc. PO Box 1228, Nevada City, CA, USA 95959. Tel. (916) 265-6725, Fax: (916) 265-4876. $29.95 per year in the US. There is no magazine today that covers as broad a spectrum of the strength sports as Milo. From weightlifting to stone lifting, Milo addresses it all. There are fine meet reports, excellent biographies, training and technique guidance and a host of other information of interest to lovers of strength worldwide. Iron Mind Enterprises, Inc. also offers an unusual catalogue of unique items designed for weightlifters and others who admire strength and its history (books, videos, equipment, etc.). Iron Mind’s web site, which includes late breaking news on the strength front, a partial catalogue and a schedule of some upcoming strength events, is: www.ironmind.com.

Muscle & Fitness. The flagship publication of the Weider organization, this magazine presents the bodybuilding scene along with many articles of general interest to weight trainers and others interested in fitness. Joe Weider and his brother Ben are to bodybuilding what Bob Hoffman was to weightlifting. They have tirelessly promoted bodybuilding for decades and have contributed immensely to its becoming a worldwide phenomenon. The popularity of weight training has been greatly enhanced by the efforts of the Weiders. Few remember that Joe began his career as a weightlifter and he maintains a keen interest in the sport to the current day.

MuscleMemory.Com. This unique site has has images of the covers of most major Iron Game publications going back to the 1st half of the 20th Century (e.g., Strength & Health and Iron Man). There are competition results from most of the major bodybuilding competitions going back for many decades and a number of interesting articles on the history of bodybuilding. You’ll enjoy your visit. See www.musclememory.com  

Muscle Net – The Virtual Gym. This is a huge web site with scores of links to other sites that are of interest to bodybuilders and others who train with weights. There are links to sites that sell supplements, equipment, clothing, books and videos. There are links to gyms, personal trainers, news from a wide variety of periodicals and training advice. The Muscle Net site is: www.musclenet.com.

Muscular Development. The very well-known health food company “Twin Labs,” purchased this publication for the York organization some years ago. They offer a diverse magazine with some very knowledgeable contributors. This magazine ranks among the best for general information regarding resistance exercise and nutrition.

National Bodybuilding and Fitness Magazine (online). This online magazine publishes monthly or bimonthly. A recent issue included articles on the anatomy and mechanics of various bench press styles, a survey of nutrients and their application to weight training, specific exercises to work the mid-back and abdominals. There is an area of the site that focuses on such topics as training for beginners and advanced athletes. There are also occasional profiles, a book list, moderated and unmoderated forums, an anatomy guide and a video rental library club (mostly bodybuilding videos but some powerlifting). Overall, some really good content www.nbaf.com/nbaf/home.hmtl.

New Power Step – Mr. JJ Johnson has developed a device that he suggests can be used for step-ups and box squats. His site has an excellent list of links to weightlifting, powerlifting and bodybuilding sites. It can be found at: www.apexcorp.com/~jsjohnso/index.html

Patrick’s Books. This site features information from the author of  “Quantum Strength and Power Training” (a terrific book), Dr. Pat O’Shea. Pat was one of the nation’s top weightlifters in the late 1950′s and early 1960′s. In more recent years has become very involved in cycling, while maintaining much of his tremendous strength, so he understands training from the standpoints of the strength & power and endurance athlete. He is Professor Emeritus in Exercise & Sports Science at Oregon State University and Director for the Oregon Center for Theoretical & Applied Athletic Strength Training and was one of the pioneers in scientific strength training and coaching. Pat’s unique combination of practical and theoretical training and experience makes his perspective on strength and power training especially valuable. His Web site is at: www.proaxis.com/~oshea.

Powerlifting USA. PO Box 467 Camarillo, CA 93011. One year subscription $31.95 in the US. Powerlifting USA has for more than two decades been ‘”the” powerlifting magazine in the world. Editor Mike Lambert does an admirable job of maintaining neutrality among the many (sometimes warring) powerlifting federations in the US and worldwide. He covers meets very promptly and accurately with some great lift by lift descriptions of what went on. There are also numerous articles on how to train and eat, as well as biographies of the greats of powerlifting, along with those who are up and coming. In addition, there is some nice historical material from time to time. Mike has also published some very nice articles on Olympic lifting. I wish that we had a counterpart to this magazine for weightlifting – no doubt it would help to increase the popularity of the sport (as Mike’s magazine has surely done for powerlifting).

Raw Power. This site has a very large number of links to sites that are of interest to those in the Iron Game – from bodybuilding, to powerlifting, to strongman competitions to Olympic style Weightlifting. It can be found at: www.mv.com/ipusers/starz/RAWPOWER.

RealSportsNetwork.com – This site has links to sites in a wide variety of sports. It can be found at: www.realsportsnetwork.com    

Search on Excite for Weightlifting Related Sites. One of the Web’s most powerful search engines helps you find weightlifting related information at: web.idirect.com/~klg/weight.html.

The-Sports-Arena.com – This emerging site pulls together information on a very wide variety of sports throughout the world. It has a section on “strength sports” that includes Olympic-style weightlifting.  http://www.the-sports-arena.com/Strength-Sports/

Total Fitness Bodybuilding Lots of links to bodybuilding sites, substantial Q&A section and a few articles as well.www.totalfitness.hypemart.net

Tom’s Gym – A new bodybuilding site that has an advanced design. Content is still developing. Can be found at: www.golden.net/~tomb.

Truly Huge – Bodybuilding, Health and Fitness. This Web site features information for bodybuilders and others who lift weights for fitness and competition. It has many links to other sites and a visit there will prove worthwhile for anyone interested in the Iron Game. The site is located at: www.trulyhuge.com

Washington State University’s Strength and Conditioning Site – A very worthwhile site that combines articles, FAQ’s, interesting links, research findings and news on athletes at the University. The site is located at: www.wsu.edu/~strength.

WeightsNet. This is a very large site that includes the text of an online magazine that it publishes, TV schedules of shows of interest to those in the Iron Game, links to a wide range of other related sites, addresses of some famous people in the field and a number of other interesting items. The address is: www.weightsnet.com.

ZAP’s GYM, the home of the heavy HITters This site focuses on bodybuilding and specifically high intensity training. Includes training and nutrition information and links to other sites. The address is: www.geocities.com/HotSprings/6026/zapsgym.html.

‘Tri’ To Get Bigger Arms

‘Tri’ To Get Bigger Arms

Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACE
eDiets Chief Fitness Pro

 When someone wants to get bigger, more muscular arms, they always seem to ask me what the best biceps exercises are. Ironically, the largest part of the upper arm is the triceps. If you’re seeking muscular triceps, allocate a few more sets for triceps than biceps. Triceps are a beautifully-shaped muscle when well developed. However, exercise selection and elbow positioning is vital for maximum development.The bicep is made up of only two areas (also referred to as heads), while the triceps are composed of three heads. Obviously, one should strive for balance of all muscle groups. However, if your biceps are a weaker muscle group, but the triceps are well developed, the arm still looks spectacular.The same can’t be said for the reverse. From an anatomy standpoint, the three heads of the triceps are known as the lateral, medial and long. The lateral head is located on the outer side of the arm; the medial is located toward the midline of the body and the long head, which is the largest of the three heads, along the bottom portion of the triceps.

The primary function of the triceps is to extend the elbow (straightening the arm). Its secondary function is to bring the arm down towards the body (adduction).

I’m going to focus on a seldom-used, but extremely effective, triceps movement called the Barbell Close Grip Triceps Press. It’s a difficult movement and must be executed with precision and excellent form.

Properly performed and with sufficient overload, it helps develop the entire triceps, particularly the lateral head. The lateral head will help your triceps appear popped out on the outer side of the arm, creating an appealing and dramatic visual effect.

Many trainers don’t teach this movement. Instead, they focus on pushdowns, dumbbell kick backs and extensions. If you want to make great progress with your triceps then the Close Grip Triceps Press is for you. One of the benefits is that it will help increase the weight you are able to use on your bench press and shoulder press. I figured you’d like that!

Below is a description of the technique. Please pay close attention to my recommended hand grip and elbow positioning.

BARBELL CLOSE GRIP TRICEPS PRESS

Lie on a flat bench with your spine in a neutral position.

Grab the barbell with your hands gripped approximately 10-12 inches apart. Many times, I see trainees with their hands much too close together when performing this movement.

Lower the bar, stopping just short of the barbell touching the chest. The bar should descend to the lower part of the chest. The elbows should be slightly flared away from the body. This elbow positioning will help place overload on the lateral head.

Contracting the triceps muscles, press the barbell upward above the chest until the arms are fully extended with a slight bend in the elbows. You will get some indirect chest and shoulder work with this movement, but you must focus all your attention on contracting the triceps.

Exhale while lifting the weight.

Inhale while returning to the starting position. Never underestimate the importance of proper breathing. It will help you push out a few additional reps.

Unless you are adept at this movement already, I recommend beginning with a very light weight to become comfortable with the mechanics of the movement. When you start to increase to heavier weight, I also highly recommend a spotter for safety.Combine the Close Grip Triceps Press with a few sets of intense pushdowns, and your triceps will be ripping out of your sleeves! Remember, when people ask how you got your arms to look so awesome, send them over to eFitness.com.

abs

Your Best Abs Yet: Awesome 8-Point Plan

By Raphael Calzadilla, eDiets.com Chief Fitness Pro

 

I’ve never seen anyone not give a double take to a man or woman who has the ever-elusive washboard abs. Awe-inspiring rippled abs signify an extreme level of conditioning — plus a pretty good-looking bod.Everyone always talks about getting six-pack abs, but in reality, it’s an eight-pack. Internationally acclaimed research scientist Michael Colgan provides the following description of the eight-pack from his book, The New Power Program: “The eight-pack is a long, thin muscle whose fibers run vertically down the body from the breastbone and fifth, sixth and seventh ribs to the top of the pubic bone. The eight sought-after bumps poke out through a grid of flat tendons that run down the center and across the muscle at intervals.” You don’t really care, do you? C’mon, be honest. You just want to know how to get them, don’t you? You’ve come to the right place, but you might not love the answer. If you think 100 or 1,000 abdominal crunches per day will give you an eight-pack, then you really need to read this. Here’s how it’s done: 1. NUTRITION: This is the most important component to achieving great abs. Nothing is more important than food. First, you’ll need to control blood sugar levels in order to lose body fat. This is best accomplished by consuming five to six meals per day. Don’t mistake the definition of a meal for a six-course extravaganza. A meal might be an egg white omelet (with vegetables) and oatmeal with some blueberries in it, chicken with one-half cup of rice and a large salad with some oil and vinegar, an apple with a scoop of protein powder or cottage cheese with some fruit. Get the picture? I’m referring to them as meals, but they’re actually feedings. Each of the meals is comprised of protein, a little carbohydrate and a little fat. In some cases, the fat is built into the protein. In other cases, it’s added to the meal. For eDiets members, this is already accomplished in your meal plan. 2. RATIOS: It’s unlikely that you’ll get tight abs and a flat stomach by consuming 80 percent of your calories from carbohydrates. Ratios can vary quite a bit, but consuming more than 55 percent of your calories from carbohydrates is not optimal for fat loss. Many people do quite well on extremely low-carbohydrate plans, while others succeed on more moderate plans. As long as you follow the no more than 55 percent of calories from carbohydrate rule, you’ll be at a good starting point. 3. TIMING: I realize four to six meals sounds like a lot, but you must keep in mind that the body always seeks to store body fat. It (the body) doesn’t care if you want to lose fat. In fact, your body would prefer to keep fat in order to accomplish its number-one goal of keeping you alive in case of future famine or drought. 4. CALORIES: I’ve received e-mails from people telling me that they‘re perfect with their nutrition, ratios and timing, but they still can’t lose body fat. In every case, they’re still consuming too many calories. It doesn’t matter how healthful your nutrition program is if you’re eating too much. It’s important that you determine maintenance calories first. Maintenance represents the amount of food you consume without any change in your weight. This will take some experimentation and some effort. You’ll also need to document your foods — total calories as well as grams of protein, carbohydrates and fats. 5. SLIGHT CALORIC DEFICIT: After you’ve determined maintenance, simply reduce your calories by 200. Our goal is to have you eating as much as possible and still losing fat and retaining muscle. I don’t want you eating as little as possible (thereby slowing the metabolism and losing valuable muscle tissue). The first week, you may lose four to six pounds of water. After the first week, you should only lose about one and a half pounds per week. The goal is to preserve muscle and make your body a metabolic inferno. If you’re not losing up to one and a half pounds per week (it will fluctuate week to week), then reduce calories by another 100. Then, monitor your progress after one week. You’ll probably be right on track. 6. CONSISTENCY: You’ll need to be on this nutrition program six days a week with one day being somewhat of a time to cheat. Unlike many, I’m not a big fan of the “cheat” day. I find that people tend to use it as an excuse to gorge themselves. So on Sunday for example, you’re allowed to have some pizza and a bit of ice cream, but nothing extreme! When you pig out, blood sugar levels can be elevated for seven hours or more. This will absolutely halt your body fat loss. 7. WEIGHT TRAINING: At this point, you should be aware of the importance of resistance training. Just three to four workout sessions that last no more than 35 minutes to an hour will do the trick. For every pound of muscle on your body, you’ll burn 30 to 50 additional calories per day. Part of your program should include abdominal exercises to strengthen and build the upper and lower abdominal region. This way, when you achieve your low body fat level, your abs will be tight and visible. 8. CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE: Perform moderate cardio exercise three to five days per week for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. During two of the days, you can exercise at a higher intensity level to accelerate fat loss, but only if you reach a sticking point. If you’re a beginner, then remember to increase exercise gradually. Do this consistently; keep adjusting calories slightly; and change your routine every three to four weeks. Want to bypass this formula and start losing fat sooner rather than later? Join eDiets and let us do all the work for you. We’ll structure a comprehensive diet and fitness solution that has you on your way to eight-pack abs. As always, check with your doctor prior to beginning any exersise program

working with out weights

Freehand Your Way to Fitness
By: Randy Herring

Freehand exercises have a tonic effect on the muscles and internal organs. They tone up the circulatory system and are beneficial in safeguarding the general health of the body. Advanced freehand exercises shape and muscularize the body. While living overseas, particularly in Japan, I used freehand exercises so I could maintain my health and strength when a gym and resistance free-weight or machine exercises were inaccessible.

Freehand exercises consist of push-ups, dips between chairs, dips on a bench, rowing between chairs, rope climbs (if there is a gymnasium accessible!), pull-ups, knee bends, one-leg squats or stationary lunges, sprinting, race-walking, lying leg curls, one-leg and two-leg calf raises, and perhaps the most challenging: handstand push-ups. Most of these exercises can be done in your home or hotel room when you are out of town. There is never an excuse not to exercise or “tone up!”

Push-Ups – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

This exercise is excellent for the chest, delts, and triceps. Place hands shoulder width apart. Keep the body perfectly aligned. Lower your body to the floor, allowing your chest (stomach for some of you!) to touch. Come back up but do not lock your elbows to maintain tension. Push steadily, like a piston. Do a total of 50-100 reps with as many sets as it takes you to do those total reps.

To emphasize the upper chest, elevate your feet on some furniture. You can do push-ups between chairs (three chairs) so long as you DO NOT go down too far to dangerously hyper extending the shoulder joint and suffer an injury as a consequence of moving beyond the proper and safe range-of-motion. To emphasize your triceps, place your hands narrower than shoulder width (with toes on floor, not elevated) keeping your elbows in tight against the body.

Dips Between Chairs Or On A Bench – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Take two chairs that are strong enough to hold your body weight and place them approximately shoulder width apart, back-to-back, and backs parallel. Take hold of the chairs, bend your legs at the knees, stabilize yourself, dip down to where the upper arms are parallel to the floor and then back up between the chairs. Like push-ups do not lockout your elbows. Leaning forward stresses both the deltoid and chest and remaining as straight as possible stress the triceps. Beginners and Intermediates do a total of 20-30. Advanced bodybuilders do 50 reps.

If dips between chairs is difficult, dips on a bench, chair, table or some piece of furniture would be suitable. Place both hands (palms) on the furniture with your fingers facing away and hanging over the edge. Place the feet of your heels on another piece of furniture so the whole body is elevated and legs parallel to floor.

Keep the upper body upright (vertical to the floor) and legs straight or slightly bent. Now dip down so your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Press up to start position but do not lockout. If this is too challenging, you can perform these with your heels on the floor and legs straight. If this is far too challenging, you can move your feet closer and place them flat on the floor while keeping your legs vertical and thighs parallel to the floor.

Handstand Push-Ups – Shoulders and Triceps

This is an advanced freehand exercise for those who have strong delts and triceps because you will be using the resistance of your own body weight and 100 percent gravity! I experimented with this one while overseas starting with half reps to three quarter reps, and finally full reps when I got stronger.

Place your hands about 3-5 inches from the wall and wider than shoulder width. You might experiment with hand placement, such as hands flat and fingers facing the wall, rotating the elbows out so the thumbs are facing the wall (fingers away from body), a clenched fist with knuckles on floor, etc. when positioning yourself to do a handstand against the wall to stabilize the wrist.

Balance and stabilize your body while upside down (head down and feet up) against the wall by keeping your back arched. Slowly lower yourself as far as you can and back up again. Do a maximum of 20 reps for a start by doing quarter reps, then half reps, then three quarter reps and finally full reps. And you thought pull-ups were tough!

Rowing Between Chairs – Back, Rear Shoulders, Biceps

This was my first foundation exercise I did for my back when I didn’t have any weight equipment. Place two chairs about 5 feet apart and put a broomstick across the backs of the chairs. Lie on the floor in a prone position between the chairs and grip the broomstick with an underhand grip. Keep your heels on the floor and body straight like a stick. Pull yourself up and let yourself slowly down again. Hold your body absolutely straight when doing these, as with push-ups. Do 20-50 total reps.

If you don’t have two chairs and a broomstick do some pull-ups on a bar elevated above the ground using either an overhand or underhand grip. If this is not accessible you can do these with an overhand grip on a concrete or stone wall underpass. This is what I used while in Israel for a few months in 1994! Now pull your body weight up! Rope climbs are excellent! If a gymnasium is near you and has a rope hanging from the ceiling (kids use them for physical education class or just to play around with) you can use it – without the help of your legs!

Squats – Thighs

Place your feet flat on the floor 12-15 inches apart. Place a chair in front of you. Take hold of the chair to maintain balance. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then raise yourself slowly up again pushing up off the heels, not your toes. Keep your body upright and back as straight as possible. Do at least 50 total reps.

You can also do stationary lunges. Place one leg forward and the other leg back using your toes for balance and stability. Place your hands on your hips. While keeping your body upright and back straight lunge forward until your forward leg is parallel to the floor. Push up off the heel (the one forward) keeping your body upright to start position.

Sprinting, Racewalking, Lying Leg Curls – Hamstrings

Sprinting is high-intensity short bursts of energy and stresses the hamstrings. When I lived in Japan a track and field was nearby so I did some sprinting for the hams at night after work. Simply run as fast as you can for a short distance! Get into the habit of timing yourself to make this exercise is challenging and progressive. The best alternative to sprinting but less intense is race-walking.

If both of these hamstring exercises are inaccessible for the outdoors then try weighted lying leg curls. Take a plastic bag, backpack or something and weight it down with books or other stuff. Lie face down on a table or bed and place the bag over your feet and press them together to hold the sack in place. Or you can hook the strap around your feet with the bag or backpack dangling. This is your resistance performing standard lying leg curls.

One Leg Calf Raises – Calves

You can do this exercise on stairs, a book, a coffee table or anything that elevates the foot off the floor. Use a chair, a wall or whatever to balance yourself while standing on one leg. Place one leg of your toes on the edge of the stairs, book or table. Keep this leg slightly bent. Lower the your heel by bending the toes to the floor slightly below parallel and then pop back up on your toes. This develops the whole calf muscle. Do at least 50 reps. Add resistance by placing a book or a weighty object in your other hand if you need to. Perform two-leg calf raises after your pre-exhausting reps with one-leg.

If you want to intensify this exercise with one leg do it very slowly. Push up, hold/squeeze for 20-30 seconds, lower slowly and then doing it again. You may get fewer reps but it does work the muscle intensely. Do at least 25 reps this way.

Strength Training Strategies That Work

Strength Training Strategies That Work

by Gary Matthews
Over the years, there has been a surge of different strength-training techniques to come onto the market only to fade away. Here, we discuss the training strategies that have stood the test of time and that will allow you to gain the maximum amount of muscle in the shortest time possible.Most of these strength-training strategies have been around for years but are not followed by many training systems these days. Let’s look at a few below that actually work.

1. Training Frequency

The two main components of strength training are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. Infrequent, short, high-intensity weight-training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional muscle size in the shortest period of time.

The latest research has repeatedly shown that muscles over-compensate (become stronger) up to a week after the previous workout, provided muscles are trained to failure.

Remember, it’s not the training volume but the intensity and recuperation that are important when it comes to gains in strength and muscle.

2. Exercises Per Session

Tests under strict gym conditions have revealed you’ve only got a limited amount of (readily available) energy to use for a weight-training session. Blood tests on individuals have also revealed that blood-sugar levels (available energy) drop dramatically after 20 to 30 minutes of high-intensity training.

As you only have a short period of time to train before our blood-sugar level drops, exercise selection is crucial. You have to use multijoint or compound movements, as these offer the most training stimulus for the available amount of time. In other words, we can train many muscles simultaneously, and thus use our energy more efficiently.

Most people are capable of performing 3 to 4 exercises with high intensity during a session. All the main structures of the body are worked hard during this time. Working on these big compound movements has an impact on the whole body; there is no need for specialization techniques or isolation movements.

The whole body is worked hard, rest and recuperation is allowed to take place. At the next exercise session we push out a few more reps than before with the same weight. That shows we have gotten stronger, i.e. more muscle.

3. Number Of Sets Per Exercise

After performing one complete set of a compound exercise to total failure, it should be just about impossible to generate the same force and intensity for another complete set of the same exercise.

If you’re able to generate the same force and intensity for this second set, then it’ll be pretty obvious that not enough effort has been put into the first set. Thus you’ll have to raise the intensity level you put out for the first set.

If you give the first set 100-percent effort and work the exercise hard to total failure (eg. you cannot move the bar after the last rep) then no further muscle stimulation on that specific exercise will be required.

If you think volume training (multiple sets)is more effective, you’re wrong! The latest research shows single-set training is as beneficial as multiple-set training. Training one set will decrease the chances of over-training. It will also allow you to save more energy for other exercises required during the workout.

4. Number Of Repetitions Per Set

The development of muscle and strength is interrelated; it always has been. Strength-training sessions produce increases in strength equal to increases in functional muscle (You’ll become stronger and grow muscle).

Cycling intensity through changes in repetitions and weight throughout a 10-week program is an effective way to maintain progression and avoid training plateaus (slumps in strength).

Repetitions can be cycled. Higher repetition ranges will stimulate slow-twitch muscle fibers and promote endurance. Moving further down the scale, lower repetition ranges will activate the fast-twitch muscle fibers and increase strength and muscle size.

Gary is the author of several ebooks, including “Maximum Weight Loss in Ten Weeks,” and “Maximum Weight Gain in 10 Weeks.” Visit Gary’s website at www.maximumfitness.com

Scientific Principles For Muscle Gain

Scientific Principles For Muscle Gain

By Gary Matthews
It’s an unfortunate reality that throughout the years there has been a growth of strength-training techniques that have no scientific proof to back them up. Have a look at the facts presented in this outline of muscle-gain principles and make up your own mind.Below you will find scientific guidelines for strength training that have always been around, but are not followed by many training systems these days.

1. Limited Energy Level

A strength-training program should be short and simple as you only have a limited amount of energy per training session.

Scientific studies reveal that blood-sugar levels (energy) start to deplete after 30 minutes, so exercise selection and the time taken to perform them is crucial.

What you should be aiming for is stimulating as many muscle fibres in the shortest period of time available.

The trick is to give yourself a high-intensity workout before your blood-sugar level depletes, and then you will have given your body the exercise it requires to gain the maximum amount of muscle possible.

2. Progressive Overload

Progressive Overload is the main exercise principle you need to be aware of to get the results you’re after with strength training.

The two most important points are:

Complete your exercise with perfect technique.

Push to total failure when doing a set and overload the weight on the bar progressively. Overload your targeted muscles to beyond what they’re used to.Basically this means that when the body is stressed by high-intensity training beyond its normal demands, the body will adapt to these new demands of improved strength.When I say “normal demands,” I mean what level of stress/strength your body is used to now.

An example: The set that you performed last week using the same technique and weight, your body will now have adapted to. If you stay at this level your muscles will not become stronger or bigger, so this is where the Progressive Overload plays a major part.

Once your muscles have adapted to a particular weight then it’ll be time to overload them further (add more weight, speed, repetitions). You’ll need to keep on repeating this process of overload if you want to become stronger.

Remember to always use good technique. Technique must never be sacrificed for extra load.

3. Training Frequency

The sad reality is that the popular high-volume type of training you find in bodybuilding books and magazines (and used by the stars) is irrelevant to the majority of the population and has a shocking failure rate.

What is good for Joe Star is probably not good for you. Everybody has different genetics; most of us have poor genetics and are not taking steroids like the stars.

The only way the majority of us can make any gains at all is to perform short intense workouts followed by long periods of rest so that we don’t overtrain.

4. Over-Compensation

Many studies conducted around the world have shown clearly that recuperation from strength training requires far more rest time than previously thought.

Infrequent, short, high-intensity weight-training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is necessary for you to increase your functional muscle.

Here’s what you need to do: Allow your body enough recuperation time for overcompensation to take place, so the muscles can adjust to their new strength and growth.

5. Exercise Selection For Intensity

I can’t stress enough how exercise selection is absolutely crucial. There are only a few exercises that you really need to perform. These exercises consist of multi-joint movements.

These particular exercises are far superior to that of isolation exercises (working 1 muscle group at a time), because you are required to use more muscles from every muscle group.

By using these exercises your whole body will be worked hard.

6. Visualization

Over my 20 years in the industry, I’ve noticed this area is by far the most neglected by mainstream health-and-fitness professionals. Most books or courses concentrate on the physical side of muscle gain or fat loss and completely neglect the mental side.

By training your mental state as well as your physical body, you can even further progress in muscle growth.

Gary is the author of several ebooks, including “Maximum Weight Loss in 10 Weeks” — the complete ebook and time-saving solution for burning away unwanted fat, and “Maximum Weight Gain in 10 Weeks” — easy-to-use and follow techniques that serve as a guide to muscle growth without having to “live in the gym.” Visit Gary’s website at www.maximumfitness.com

Muscle Myths vs. Facts

Muscle Myths vs. Facts

By Eston Dunn, MS, ACSM
Muscle turns to fat when you stop lifting weights, right? You’ve heard that conversion formula before, now find out why it doesn’t add up physiologically. We sought to debunk this and other weight-training myths with the help of certified strength-and-conditioning specialist Everett Aaberg, director of education and personal training for International Athletic Club Management in Dallas and author of Muscle Mechanics. What we discovered will ensure you don’t end up feeling like a dumbbell.

Myth: One week in the gym and I’ll look like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

Fact: Hypertrophy — the ability of a muscle to grow in size and strength — takes time. It also takes the right combination of stress on the muscle, recovery, nutrition, hormones and genetics. Simply put, unless you’re taking steroids, you won’t see rapid changes in size, although you might notice some quick improvement in strength in the beginning.

While this holds true for both men and women, most female weight trainers won’t notice appreciable differences in bulk even after several weeks (unless they make a dedicated effort to build muscle). In general, if you’re lifting weights three times a week, you can expect to see results in an average of 10 weeks, faster if you’re eating a low-fat diet or have low body fat.

Myth: Lift weights, gain weight.

Fact: This is true, but it can be misleading. If you add muscle, you will add weight — but it will take up less space than the same amount of fat, so you’ll look better. Plus, muscle speeds up your metabolism so you burn more calories day and night trying to maintain that muscle mass. No weight-loss plan is complete without strength training.

Myth: Lighter loads equal long, lean muscles.

Fact: If you can lift a weight 40 times without feeling fatigued, you’re not challenging the muscle enough to develop good tone or get significantly stronger. And doing 40 reps doesn’t get your heart rate up either, so you’re certainly not burning fat.

Instead, choose a weight that will cause muscle fatigue after no more than 15 repetitions. For the best results in endurance, muscle tone and strength, mix up your workout by using a variety of weights (from 50 to 90 percent of maximum capacity) and repetitions (between 5 to 20 per set). Doing higher reps with lower loads helps build endurance; lower reps with higher loads helps build strength.

Myth: If I hit the gym, I’ll ruin my speed.

Fact: Weight training, especially at a high intensity or with explosive movements, can actually help runners, cyclists and other speedsters get faster by building strong, powerful muscles that can rapidly react when called upon to accelerate.

Bonus: A well-rounded weight-training plan also reduces injuries by balancing key muscle groups and reinforcing vulnerable joints.

Myth: The only way to get stronger is to load on the iron.

Fact: Heavier weights are optimal to build strength but they aren’t the only means toward a powerful physique. Slowing down the tempo while lifting and lowering weights — heavy or light — stresses the muscle and forces it to build more and stronger fibers.

Myth: If I quit lifting weights, my muscles will turn to fat.

Fact: Muscle and fat are two distinct types of tissue, so it’s physiologically impossible for one to turn into the other. Muscle will lose tone, however, if it’s not used, which may result in a flabby appearance where you used to be solid. And if you don’t adjust your diet and workout after you quit training, some of that food you’re eating will turn to fat.

Eston R. Dunn recently received his Master’s in Health Science from Stafford University. Eston has been in exercise videos and is certified in exercise leadership/weight-room training through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), personal training through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), and health-fitness instruction from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

sleep your way to fitness

Sleep Your Way To Fitness

By Scot Dawson
Special For eFitness

Getting a good night’s sleep is a must for two reasons. No. 1 is that your body repairs itself from exercise while you sleep. No. 2 is the hours that you are asleep is when your body releases the majority of human growth hormones (HGH).

When you do resistance training you are actually tearing muscle fibers and your body must repair the damage stronger than it was in the first place. This repair takes proper amounts of protein and sleep. One of these by itsself will not do the job. You need sleep to put on lean muscle mass and thereby increasing your metabolism every day.

A higher level of human growth hormones in the body has been proven to help increase lean muscle mass and to reduce body fat. How do you increase human growth hormone? There are no weird supplements, no unusual yoga breathing techniques, just a good eight hours of sleep each night will do the trick.

Scot Dawson is director and head trainer for Apollo Fitness. He has been working in the fitness industry since 1998. To learn more, go to www.apollofitness.ca