Posts Tagged weight training
A Choice Of Weights: Free Or Machine Weights?
Posted by gabriel monroe in Health on March 1, 2009
For years, those doing strength training have been debating which method works better-working with free weights or machine weights. There are those that say that working with free weigh is better, while there are those that claim that machine weights are more effective. Suffice to say, enough arguments have been raised regarding this issue.
In this case, there are no right or wrong answers. While each method may have it’s pros and cons, both still are just as good in improving your muscle strength. It really all depends on ones personal preferences, and the amount of training one puts in. So let’s look at the positives and negatives of working with both free and machine weights.
Benefits of Working With Machine Weights: Since they are safer and generally easier to use, machine weights are perfect for beginners, allowing to build strength while doing basic movements. Machine weights are also ideal if you only want to work on a specific muscle group.
Not only that, but it also gives you enough support when doing the proper movements, allow you to keep the perfect posture when lifting, even when your muscles start to tire. Something which is hard to do when working with free weights. Adjusting the resistance in most machine weights is also easier, since you have to do is simply key in a code or insert a pin.
The Disadvantages of Using Machine Weights: The disadvantage of machine weights is that it’s good for only one kind of exercise, since it gives you a limited range of movement. So if you’re bigger, or more petite, then it may be harder to recalibrate the machine weights to suit your particular body type.
And since the machine aids you in having perfect balance, your stabilizer muscles may not be able to get the maximum workout due to the added support.
The Benefits of Using Free Weights: Free weights not only offer a wider, more natural wave of movement, but they also make your stablilizer muscles work harder since you still have to balance yourself.
Free weights also allow you to work different muscles groups, since you can do an unlimited number of exercises just by switching positions. They’re also cheaper, and are a lot more compact, so you won’t have a problem with storage.
The Disadvantages of Using Free Weights Using free weights can be difficult, since it’s hard to balance, and offers no support. If not correctly, working with free weights may cause injuries, especially for exercises that call you to lift it over your head. Working out specific muscles can also be a bit of a challenge, as certain motions and techniques need to be applied, movements that a beginner may not quite know.
When trying to build muscles, you need to lift the weights instead of swing them, which is what happens when you’re working out with free weights.
So now that we’ve discussed the pros and cons of machines weights versus free weights, which one do you think fits you? For beginners, machine weights are a lot more intiuitive and safer to use, something which you’ll need during your first three months of training.
Free weights may be better if if you’re already in a more advanced strength training program, since it teaches you how to balance and gives you a wider range of natural movements. Still, there’s nothing wrong with using both machine weights and free weights. Who knows, it may even make your work out sessions a lot more motivating.
The Fastest and Safest Way to Bulk Up
Posted by Ricardo d Argence in Fitness on January 7, 2009
Has become a trend among young individuals,having a well toned and a muscular body. If you are reading my article then you probably want to look like one of those actors with great muscles and tones. But just follow my advice in this article and you will soon look like them. They did not start to look the way they do now over night. It took a while and it was a lot of hard work.
But when I say safest and fastest I don’t mean esay way. There’s no shortcuts when you are talking about healthy muscle building. As they say, there are no shortcuts to success. If you have a goal in mind, you have to put your mind to it and work hard to achieve that goal. It will take hard work and you have to really put your mind to it. But you will get to your goal, if you continue with the routine everyday. There are ways to rapidly build muscles without jepordizing your health.
To give your bodybuilding an adequate boost, it is of great significance that you follow the steps below.
Your first step to start working on your bodybuilding program must be strong determination and will power. It is very important to have strong will power and determination to build a well toned muscular body. Most people are very excited in the beginning of a workout routine, but as the time goes by and they realize that they have to work really hard to achieve the body tone they want, they soon don’t workout everyday. They don’t stay with their routine and before you know it, they have stopped working out all together. And then their goal becomes farther and farther from their reach. Strong will power and a lot of determination is what you need to keep up with this.
Keeping a routine in life is something that you need to keep in mind. If being a successful bodybuilder is your goal, leading a sloppy, careless life is the best way to fail. You need to follow a routine life to get the best results out of your bodybuilding program.
You cannot expect your muscles to grow unless and until you follow a proper workout program. Also remember, practicing the wrong workouts is not going to do you much good, so make sure you join a gym and follow the workout program prescribed to you by your instructor.
In case you think not eating and only working out will help you grow your muscles then let me tell you that you are highly mistaken. A proper and healthy diet is as important as a proper workout program. Consult you dietician, who is the right person to prescribe you the right diet plan that will help you enhance your bodybuilding program.
Water is important for almost everything that we do in life. It also helps in boosting your bodybuilding process. Drinking 8-9 glasses of water per day is very essential. When you are working out, you tend to sweat a lot, which makes your body dehydrated. Drinking water hydrates your body and helps in its proper functioning.
Sleeping is another factor that you just can’t afford to neglect come what may. Your tissues undergo wear and tear while you are working out, therefore, when you are sleeping your body gets the amount of rest that is required for repairing your tissues.
So, to conclude, follow the abovementioned points religiously and you will be surprised to see your muscles grow faster than you had ever expected.
Weight Training for Beginners, Pump Is Not Equal To Muscle Gain
Posted by Ricardo d Argence in Fitness on December 28, 2008
Picture this scenario: you’ve been working in the gym for half an hour and after a really hard set of your routine on the bench your chest feels tight and engorged with blood. It feels great, healthy, powerful. “Pump”, is how they call that feeling. If you have ever had the feeling, then you know great it feels. Arnold said it’s like having sex (i’m not really sure if it’s good in THAT level, but yes, it’s an amazing feeling).
So, what’s exactly a pump? It’s nothing but the tight, blood-congested feeling in a muscle after it has been intensely trained. Is the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped inside your muscle. And it’s a great, great feeling. But you don’t go to the gym and perform all that effort for hours just for that feeling. And that feeling does not guarantee you’ll achieve your gain muscle goal.
Don’t worry if you achieve a pump during your workout, it’s not a bad thing. It’s nothing but the natural result of intense weight training. Its blood running trough your veins, that’s all. But, if you go to the gym to get that feeling instead of focus on gain muscle, well, if you think that’s the right way to get the look you desire, let me tell you one thing: you are wasting your time (and money), and you are completely wrong…
On countless occasions I’ve heard lifters raving about the massive pumps they get in the gym as they share methods for achieving the best pump possible. “Dude, this will give you a crazy pump!” If you have already been working out for a decent amount of time then you know exactly what I’m talking about. While a pump does feel extremely satisfying, just remember that it means very little in terms of muscle stimulation and growth.
A pump is just the blood flowing to the area. You can get a good pump without working all that hard. Giving your body no reason to grow. But you can get the greatest pump, and it does’nt mean your muscles will grow the most. If muscle pumps meant muscle growth, then super light weight, ultra high rep programs would be the most effective way to grow. And i think you’ll agree with me when i say that will never work. So, how can i know if i’m in the right way? It’s nothing complex.
Take your workout records (in terms of weight and reps) from the previous week and compare it to the current week. Did you improve? Were you able to either increase the resistance slightly on each exercise, or perform an extra rep or two? If so, you had a successful workout, regardless of how much blood you were able to pump into your muscle tissue.
Building muscle mass and strength is all about training with 100% intensity on every given set and then striving to improve from week to week. If you are able to consistently achieve this, your muscle size and strength will increase faster than you ever thought possible, with or without a pump.
How to Increase your Muscle Gain With Bodybuilding Supplements
Posted by Ricardo d Argence in Fitness on December 8, 2008
There is more involved in bodybuilding than just lifting weights. A bodybuilder needs to be aware of nuteitional needs also,as to achieve the best results. You will need plenty of protein and complex carbs,that you should have a well-rounded diet.
Your body must have protein to build muscle tissue. When you lift weights, you tear the muscle then as is is repaired, it grows larger,since proteins are directly responsibility for repairing muscle damage, and as because that is what you are doing to a muscle.
Complex carbohydrates are essential for stamina, they are slow burning and provide lasting energy. They also keep blood sugar levels stable while you are working out.
Surprisingly, fats are a much-needed nutrient as well, it might seem counterproductive to add fat to your diet when you are trying to build muscle and lose fat, and however the right fats are crucial. Essential fats are monounsaturated fats, these aid in energy levels and boost the immune system.
Getting as much nutrition from your food as possible is recommended. One way to do this without gorging yourself is to eat six small meals a day instead of three large ones.
Supplements are helpful for bodybuilders because the extra strain of your workouts makes it difficult to extract all the vitamins and nutrients you need simply from eating alone.
Natural fatty acids like omega three can lower resistance to insulin and result in natural development and healthy growth.
Creatine, it has been shown to dramatically increase mass in body builders.
Some people struggle to get enough protein for their bodies, so it is necessary for them to take protein supplements. Some forms move more slowly, and they work while you are sleeping.
You may need to take high caloric supplements in order to put on weight,if you are considered underweight. Your muscles need extra calories to grow; while your body uses them for energy to last through your workouts.
Proper diet and exercise with the right supplements and adequate rest will maximize your routine and help you build muscle,many things go into making your body all that it can be. Good health is a requirement for any workout, whether you’re trying to make yourself stronger or shed some pounds. Make sure that your diet includes the right calories, exercise, and supplements, and you’ll have no problem making your routine a great one!
A Review Of Vince Delmonte’s No Nonsense Muscle Building
When you are looking for a muscle building program, you will find that the one that is offered by Vince Delmonte will include a cardio portion of the program. It is not meant for those who are very thin in the first four weeks. Of course, the program can be implemented in the final parts of the program for those who are looking for mass building workouts. The cardio that is included in this program is not just about fat reduction, but also for building the kind of body that you want.
Healthy eating is a big part of the program and you will receive access to a calorie calculator that will help you no matter which phase of the program you are in. If you are looking to cut calories, maintain, or gain weight, the calorie calculator will work for you.
Vince has made things quite simple for you, with an online calculator you can put in the details in this format- Maintenance- Cutting- Progressive Weight Gain-Advanced weight gain, and you will get the result. Vince agrees that it is not easy to diet and gain weight, but he has proper workout methods to facilitate your body. Vince’s 10 No Non-Sense Nutritional Rules for Muscle Gain will keep you posted on the required amount of nutrition for the body and how to gain it. This makes things even easier.
Vince contends that supplements are the worst thing that you can do for your efforts. He believes that using the drugs that are on the market will not give you the benefits that are claimed in the advertising. He has given some great information on the use of these supplements and their effect on the body. There is information on the benefits of nutritionally dense shakes that will give you some tremendous benefits to your muscle building routine.
These are add-ons and you will love it. Vince enables a 3 months personal training through email. This is very beneficial. The 52-week Intensive Workout plan, as mentioned above is a great help. The Empowered Nutrition 84 Day Meal plans helps you maintain you diet. This includes a 12 weeks diet plan of 5 calorie each, with levels of 2 to 6K.
The muscle stimulator part of the program will give you all of the exercises that will work for your body in great detail. You will have illustrations that will show you exactly how to perform the exercises to get the best results. Learning the unforgivable sins that Vince claims many bodybuilders fall victim to in their efforts.
The program offers many upgrades that will add to your muscle building program. The bonuses that you will get with the upgraded program are as follows.
1. You will find a program to help you to rid the fat in your diet.
2. Meal plans for vegetarians among all of the different caloric levels.
3. The program comes in an audio format for those who prefer this method over reading the guides and books.
4. The best of the program includes an email consultation with Vince. You will receive real answers to your questions about the program from the person who created it.
Any complaints?
The book is a bit disorganized, but this is mostly due to the uniqueness of the program. The exercises that are in the program can be a little complicated for beginners. You will have a program that works to explain everything in great detail, however. There is an opportunity to ask about these difficulties and get some real answers to your problems. Even though it may be difficult for a beginner the program is an effective way to get some results.
The program gives you information on everything from your weight training exercises and diet. There is plenty of information about the No Nonsense Muscle Building program that you can find to help you make your decision about purchasing this program.
Building Muscle Supplements – Steroid Like Results FAST!
Posted by Dave Vower in Health on November 25, 2008
When you look at this program, you will discover that Jeff will show you seven anabolic factors and shows you the use of hyper adaptive process and seven factors that make and maintain an anabolic environment. If you are already familiar with this process, you will understand what Jeff is trying to show you.
Dieting section: It is detailed and helps you designed to achieve your primary goals be it gain muscle weight, burn fat or improve on all areas. Exercise section: There is a lot to choose from. If you get bored of doing the same thing repeatedly, you find a lot of variety to help you keep at your workout.
Once you’ve finished the book, plateaus will be only a memory. In the “The Workout” book Jeff takes you through a 24 week Optimum Anabolics program. It also has a workout log for each day which you can print. One of the other features is a year’s membership to the Muscle Nerd University which is an online forum, featuring stuff like training videos, exercise videos and other stuff. Also included is a monthly training session that’s shown live to members only. The uniqueness of it is that it talks on a particular subject and then fields questions from members.
These live sessions are a welcome break from the reading that is required with the program.
There is a great feature that will allow you to search the database for any question that you might have for the program. If you still can’t find the answers to your question, you can ask in the training sessions.
There is some tracking software included in the program that will help you to see the progress that you are making. You will also learn how to determine your body fat using only a tape measure. There is more information on the use of calipers for determining your body fat.
There are some programs that are designed to focus on specific parts of the body. This will help you to target some of the areas that you are having problems with. In the past you only had one month of access to the member’s area. This has been increased to a full year. There should be a forum for members only to help with the intensive concepts and the unique training methods that are used.
Even though this is a very complex program, you will find it relatively simple to understand with this program. The well organized book certainly helps in this regard. There are some very complex ideas that are put forth and you need a book that treats the subject with organization and detail. There is a lot of research that has gone into the creation of this program and you will be able to understand everything contained very well.
The main ingredient of it is cycling which manipulates the body’s defence mechanisms to discover muscle growth. Jeff shows you how to use this program’s interesting approach to cycling to help bring you constant growth.
You will have to be very committed to the program for the results to take effect. You should be prepared for hard work and dedication to the principles that are contained in the program material. It is designed to be used by those who are looking for an intermediate or advanced program for their workout. It will give you results that go beyond your wildest expectations if you use the program wisely. It is complex, but the program will give you some great results and a step to the next phase of your bodybuilding routine.