About

Can You Get A Competitive Bodybuilding Looking Physique By Training At Home?

2012-04-30T08:50:11Z

I am often asked if it is possible to get a competitive looking bodybuilding physique from training at home. The answer may surprise you!

The fact is, that as long as you have the right equipment and perform the right routines, one can get an incredible physique from training at home. In this week's post I want to share some resources that will set you straight on the topic of home training for bodybuilding:

How To Start Your Bodybuilding Program By Training at Home

This article from Registered Nurse and natural female bodybuilder Cecile Bayeul covers the subject of how to get started training at home. While this article was written for women, the information on it applies to guys as well!

Best Equipment for Home Gyms

What equipment is necessary for a good home gym? Listed in the article below, with #1 being the most important, are the pieces that you will need in order to be a successful home gym bodybuilder

Home Gym Bodybuilding Training Routines

Finally, in this article, I will discuss how you can set up different bodybuilding training routines at home by using just a weight bench with a good leg extension/leg curl attachment and a pair of adjustable dumbbells.

More Dumbbell Based Bodybuilding Workouts

With a safe pair of adjustable dumbbells, there is a variety of exercises that you can do in order to keep your bodybuilding workouts going.

Can You Get A Competitive Bodybuilding Looking Physique By Training At Home? originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, April 30th, 2012 at 08:50:11.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The Two Ways Muscle Growth Occurs Via Bodybuilding

2012-04-09T09:47:37Z

Muscle growth through bodybuilding occurs via two main mechanisms:

1-Muscle volumization caused by increased water and glycogen levels inside the muscle fiber cell. This type of muscle growth happens rather quickly.

2-Muscle fiber increase via increased protein content. This type of muscle growth happens much slower than the first one. It stands to reason that we need to stimulate both.

The loading phase of a periodized bodybuilding routine helps to stimulate the first one while at the same time prepping the body for maximum strength gains on the growth phase, which in turn will maximally stimulate muscle fiber increases. Alternating back and forth between them will give you the absolute best bodybuilding gains since the loading phase will always take you to the brink of overtraining so that when you cut back you will simply allow your body to catch up, gain strength and set you up for muscle gains in the form of fiber increase.

The Two Ways Muscle Growth Occurs Via Bodybuilding originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, April 9th, 2012 at 09:47:37.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Keep a Food Journal For Fast Bodybuilding Results!

2012-04-02T10:00:03Z

One of the most powerful tips that I can share with you for fast bodybuilding results is to keep a food journal. You can either use pen and paper or a program like Microsoft Excel (which is what I use). But being able to know what foods you eat and in what quantities is what differentiates the people that make the quickest bodybuilding results from those that do not. By having a food journal you can keep track of how many protein, fats and carbs you take in on a daily basis and thus, you can start adjusting your nutrition in order to make gains in muscle without gains in body fat, or in order to lose body fat while gaining muscle. You can also make notes as to which foods your body responds better.

At first, it takes work to set the journal up and you may not be used to measuring your food and then writing down the proteins, carbs and fats of every item but I promise you that the work is well worth it (as any competitive athlete can tell you) and it gets easier with time. So even if you don't do bodybuilding competitions but want to get in the best shape possible, implement this tip that us competitors use and you will see the difference that it makes!

Keep a Food Journal For Fast Bodybuilding Results! originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, April 2nd, 2012 at 10:00:03.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

What's The Optimal Bodybuilding Workout Time for Best Results?

2012-03-26T06:56:23Z

For optimal bodybuilding results, you cannot stay in the gym longer than an hour as otherwise your cortisol levels will go through the roof and your testosterone levels will drop! Do yourself a favor and focus during your workouts so that you can get the work done before the hour expires.

Most of my workouts these days are done in 45 minutes tops!

Again, I think I will need to clarify (as I get this question all of the time) that this short workout rule is not only for "advanced bodybuilders who have good mass already". This rule applies to everyone across the board. Studies on hormonal activity during training show time and time again that bad things begin to happen in the blood chemistry when workouts are too long (testosterone and GH levels drop while cortisol increases). Thus, no time to talk in the gym nor socialize. Get in, stimulate the muscle, and get out!

What's The Optimal Bodybuilding Workout Time for Best Results? originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, March 26th, 2012 at 06:56:23.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Use This Spring Break to Start Your Bodybuilding Program That Gets You Ready for Summer

2012-03-13T20:34:44Z

If you did not achieve the bodybuilding goals that you wanted to achieve for your spring break, there is no need to despair. Instead, use this spring break to get started on the bodybuilding program that will get you ready for summer. By starting now, you will be in top shape by the time summer comes around.

Remember to use all of the tracking methods available to you and make sure that you are not losing more than 2-lbs of body fat per week. In this manner, you can preserve and even grow muscle as you lose the fat.

Here is a full program that you can start using now in order to get that lean body that you want for the summer:

Summer Bodybuilding Workouts To Get A Lean Summer Body

Use This Spring Break to Start Your Bodybuilding Program That Gets You Ready for Summer originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Tuesday, March 13th, 2012 at 20:34:44.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Tips for Tracking Your Bodybuilding Progress

2012-03-06T19:19:58Z

One of the mistakes that a lot of bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts make is that they start a bodybuilding diet and training program without measuring their progress properly. A lot of bodybuilders just rely on the scale and if they gain a pound they assume that the gain is muscle. If a pound is lost, often times the assumption is that what has been lost is fat. But is this really the case?

Simple changes in weight can be deceiving. Remember that if a fat loss diet is not designed correctly you risk losing muscle mass along with the fat. Conversely, if your muscle gaining diet is too high in calories, you may risk gaining a lot of fat with the muscle. Thus, in addition to scale changes, you also need a way to measure your body fat in order to clearly see what is happening to your body. For me, the easiest way to do this is by using calipers (personally I have found the Accu-Measure calipers to give me some very accurate and reliable measurements). By using caliper measurements along with the scale I know exactly how much muscle I am gaining and how much fat I am losing.

On top of that, I also like to take digital pictures as in this manner, as the weeks go by, I can have a visual diary of how I look at a specific weight and body fat percentage.

Try these tips out and you will be glad that you did!

For more tips on ways to track your bodybuilding progress, please take a look at the article below:

The Importance of Tracking Your Bodybuilding Progress and the Many Ways To Do It

Tips for Tracking Your Bodybuilding Progress originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Tuesday, March 6th, 2012 at 19:19:58.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Bodybuilding Tips for Avoiding Overtraining

2012-02-27T19:08:57Z

Overtraining occurs when the body can no longer recover from the bodybuilding workouts. In order for the body to grow, you need to train hard pushing your body to the limits. However, if you constantly train hard without following a periodized bodybuilding workout, more than likely you will cross the line and overtrain.

If you are over-training, the solution is to simply take a couple of days off to allow the body to completely rejuvenate itself and then ease back into training. This works amazingly well. Also, by using a periodized bodybuilding workout as well as following the right bodybuilding diet you minimize your chances of ever getting over-trained again. Always remember the need to periodize your training because if you choose to do high volume workouts all of the time, eventualy your body will reach the point that it can no longer recover. That is why periodization varies the training by alternating weeks of high volume workouts with weeks of higher intensity/heavier work.

For more information on overtraining and its symptoms, please take a look at the resources below:

Bodybuilding Training and Overtraining, Part 1

Bodybuilding Training and Overtraining, Part 2

Bodybuilding Tips for Avoiding Overtraining originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, February 27th, 2012 at 19:08:57.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

What is The Best Bodybuilding Training Split for You?

2012-02-20T10:11:26Z

One bodybuilding topic that brings about a lot of confusion is the one regarding training splits. To be honest, there are countless of ways that you can split your body parts. However, here are some guidelines:

1) Beginners: For those just getting started into bodybuilding I recommend a full body routine 2-3 times a week. This routine will allow you to break into the weight training routine slowly as you build up your recovery ability.

2) Intermediates: After 3 months you can graduate to an Intermediate bodybuilding program where you split your body parts over two days. While there are various ways to do this, one of the ways that I like to do this is the following: chest, back and arms on day 1, and shoulders, legs and abs on day 2.

3) Advanced Bodybuilders: After 12-16 weeks on an Intermediate program you have the choice of increasing your training frequency and further splitting your your body parts. There are countless options when it comes to body part splits at this level. However, here is my favorite way of doing it:

Day 1 -Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps

Day 2 -Thighs, Hamstrings, and Calves

Day 3 -Chest, Back, Abs

You may do Day 1 on Mon/Thur, Day 2 on Tue/Fri and Day 3 on Wed/Sat for maximum results with 20-30 minutes of cardio either first thing in the morning or right after the workout on Mon/Wed/Fri. Otherwise, you can also benefit from doing Day 1 on Mon, Day 2 on Wed and Day 3 on Fri with cardio on the days off. Choose 2 exercises for each muscle and perform 5 sets/exercise. Keep reps between 10-15 for 3 weeks and 6-8 for the next 3 using different exercises. Rest 1 min between sets.

Check out this advanced bodybuilding routine: Periodized Bodybuilding Workout

For more options on how to split your body please take a look at the bodybuilding resources below:

What training split are you following these days?

What is The Best Bodybuilding Training Split for You? originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, February 20th, 2012 at 10:11:26.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The Two Biggest Bodybuilding Workout Time Wasters

2012-02-13T09:40:20Z

The 2 biggest bodybuilding workout time wasters in the gym are:

1-Going through the motions: It is important to remember that you need to focus on the exercise and squeeze the muscles in order to get the best bodybuilding results. Make sure that as you perform the movement you have a good mind to muscle connection. Lifting a weight from A to B without focusing on the movement will give you very little bodybuilding results.

2-Talking to others and socializing in the middle of your workout. You only have 45-60 minutes before your hormone levels begin to go down. Thus, keep the talking to before and after the workouts. When you are at the gym, that is the time to go to business and work for your results. Don't rest more than 90 seconds in between sets. You will be amazed at the amount of work you can do in a small amount of time if you move quickly in between sets (check out these 25-30 minute bodybuilding workouts). Time is the most precious resource we have so don't waste it!

What other time wasters do you see at the gym?

The Two Biggest Bodybuilding Workout Time Wasters originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, February 13th, 2012 at 09:40:20.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Bodybuilding Tips for Bulking Up Without the Fat

2012-01-30T16:44:10Z

As someone who has played around with many bodybuilding tactics over the last two decades, I can tell you that the strategy of eating like a pig in order to gain muscle will leave you, unfortunately, looking like one. With the exception of hardgainers who have a super fast metabolism, most of us need to focus on consuming quality calories in order to gain muscle. Furthermore, we cannot consume calories indiscriminately as again, doing so will invariable result in too much fat gain.

Because I have gotten a lot of emails lately on this subject, here is an article that I put together that will clear up the confusion: Bodybuilding Tips for Bulking Up Without Gaining Fat

Bodybuilding Tips for Bulking Up Without the Fat originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 16:44:10.

Permalink | Comment | Email this