Muscle Fiction

If you'v been training, here's a short list of bodybuilding fiction.


1. 12 Rep rule

Most weight training program include this much repetitions for gaining muscle. The truth is this approach places the muscles with not enough tension for effective muscle gain. High tension e.g. heavy weights provides muscle growth in which the muscle grows much larger, leading to the maximum gains in strength. Having longer tension time boosts the muscle size by generating the structures around the muscle fibers, improving endurance.

The standard prescription of eight to 12 repetitions provides a balance but by just using that program all of the time, you do not generate the greater tension levels that is provided by the heavier weights and lesser reps, and the longer tension achieved with lighter weights and more repetitions. Change the number of reps and adjust the weights to stimulate all types of muscle growth.

2. Three Set rule

The truth is there's nothing wrong with three sets but then again there is nothing amazing about it either. The number of sets you perform should be base on your goals and not on a half-century old rule. The more repetitions you do on an exercise, the fewer sets you should do, and vice versa. This keeps the total number of repetitions done of an exercise equal.

3. Three to four exercises per group

The truth is this is a waste of time. Combined with twelve reps of three sets, the total number of reps amount to 144. If your doing this much reps for a muscle group your not doing enough. Instead of doing too many varieties of exercises, try doing 30 to 50 reps. That can be anywhere from 2 sets of 15 reps or 5 sets of 10 reps.

4. My knees, my toes

It is a gym folklore that you “should not let your knees go past your toes." Truth is that leaning forward a little too much is more likely a cause of injury. In 2003, Memphis University researchers confirmed that knee stress was almost thirty percent higher when the knees are allowed to move beyond the toes during a squat.

But hip stress increased nearly 10 times or (1000 percent) when the forward movement of the knee was restricted. Because the squatters needed to lean their body forward and that forces the strain to transfer to the lower back.

Focus on your upper body position and less on the knee. Keep the torso in an upright position as much as possible when doing squats and lunges. These reduces the stress generated on the hips and back. To stay upright, before squatting, squeeze the shoulder blades together and hold them in that position; and then as you squat, keep the forearms 90 degree to the floor.

5. Lift weights, draw abs

The truth is the muscles work in groups to stabilize the spine, and the most important muscle group change depending on the type of exercise. The transverse abdominis is not always the most important muscle group. Actually, for most exercise, the body automatically activates the muscle group that are needed most for support of the spine. So if you focus only on the transverse abdominis, it can recruit wrong muscles and limit the right muscles. This increases the chance of injury, and reduces the weight that can be lifted.

Gentle Ways to Detox the Body

When your mind is drained, your body aches and your energy levels are close to zero, its time for a body detox.
Imagine yourself having clearer skin, sharper mind, energy revitalized, stronger immune system and feeling healthy inside out , these are the things that you can enjoy by undergoing a detoxification program.
Detoxification basically means blood cleansing through eliminating impurities from the blood in the liver, through kidneys, lungs, intestines, lymph and skin.

Taking your first step:

First
          you have to reduce toxins in your body. Try to cut down on the following: cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, eating foods with saturated fats and refined sugars (cola and ketchup contains a lot) - these acts as toxins in your body and as a hindrance to your healing development.
The use of household cleaners that are chemical-based and personal health care products such as shampoos, toothpaste, deodorants and cleansers should be reduced as well. These chemicals are inside us; we never really fully eliminate them unless going to a process of detoxification.

There are many ways to detox the body. It’s up to you to choose which suits your lifestyle and preference.

• Juice fasting Drinking only fresh fruits and vegetables such as carrot, spinach, celery, cabbage, apple, pineapple and cranberry (avoid citrus fruits). An effective way of discharging toxins, it also provides loads of nutrients as well as enzymes to lessen the intensity of the cleansing process to an easy stage.
Fast weight loss is the main benefit from juice fasting. A person may drop 30-40 lbs on a 30-day juice fast. By juice fasting, a person gains self-confidence and feels light and clean.
Duration of juice fasting is usually 1-3 days. Medical administration and careful assessment is required for longer fasting.

• Water fasting Only water is consumed during a water fast. Water lets the digestive tract and organs to rest completely, allowing all of your energy to self-repair and strengthen damaged organs. It also eliminates toxin build-ups.
Water fasting not only eliminates obstruction and aids in self-healing, it is also revitalizing and motivating to make a fresh start.

• Gentler way to detox the body: Here are gentler and safer ways to detox your body that you can try out or incorporate different methods as part your routine.

1.Change in diet.

Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables instead of packaged and fast foods that are high on fats and sugar can become part of your daily lifestyle in maintaining good health.

2.Sauna.

The sauna is widely used by many cultures as a regular part of detox. It is a great method of removing chemicals buildups in fat cells. Saunas are usually combined with diet, exercise and nutritional supplements.

3.Skin brushing.

Again, with the combination of diet, exercise and nutritional supplements, skin brushing is also a gentle way of detoxing. It removes old skin cells, stimulates the lymph system and draws out toxins through the skin. A dry skin brush made of soft vegetable bristles should be used.
Before taking a shower, lightly brush your feet in circular motion towards the chest area for a minute or two.

4.Yoga.

Through breathing exercise, the bloodstream thoroughly oxygenates thus giving energy and improves the body’s physical process. Different positions lightly massage the internal organs and stimulate them to slowly discharge toxins.

These cleansing methods are just a guide to what it can do to improve your health. It is necessary to know why detox is important and understand the different ways on how to detox the body before you begin with the different programs.

Weight Training Routines For Building Muscle

Exercising Properly

There are two main types of exercise that you can do :

Aerobic and Anaerobic

 The first one, Aerobic, means with oxygen. Aerobic type exercise has an important distinction, it burns fat as the main fuel.

Anaerobic on the other hand, burns sugar as the main source of fuel. Despite common myths, exercise doesn't have to be drastic in any way to provide massive benefits. Even if you choose light exercise, you will still burn fat.

Light exercise will clear out lactic acid, which is a waste of the body, and stimulate your cells to regenerate. To be sure that you are burning fat rather than sugar, it's very important to make sure that you are doing several things as you exercise.

The most important thing you can do as you exercise is breathe deep. You should always breathe in deep
into your stomach through your nose, hold it for a few seconds and then exhale hard through your mouth.

Second, you should make sure that you exercise at a comfortable level. You should exercise at a level of 7 out of 10, and still be able to carry on a normal conversation while you exercise. You should do this for 45 minutes or so each day, then you'll begin to notice just how much your energy will explode.

Even if you don't think you have the time to  exercise, rest assured that there is always time. If you have to, use the time that you would  normally spend sleeping. With exercising, you'll actually need less sleep than before. You can also use the time of your lunch break to exercise as well. The increase in productivity
will have you more on the ball, and you can save your time through the dramatic increase in your overall productivity.

Cellularise, or rebounding, is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise there is. If you have access to a rebounder, you shouldn't hesitate to use it. Use any break you have at work to engage in some type of movement and deep breathing.

Any type of exercise you do will strongly benefit your heart. It will make it a stronger and larger organ. Deep breathing will help your lungs become stronger and larger as well. There is research now that links exercise to helping benefit and almost prevent each and every type of disease or ailment.

Movement of the joints will promote proper blood flow and create energy, as sitting down all day will rob your body of much needed energy. If you sit down all day, it's very important that you promote blood flow, circulation, energy, brain flow, and the strength of your heart. With just a little bit of your time devoted to exercise, you'll find yourself healthier than you have ever been in the past.

3 Superior Muscle Building Foods

Getting jacked and packing on lean muscle mass in a big hurry means that you are going to have to do more then just train heavy and hard. You are going to need to know the right foods to eat and the right amount of these foods to eat. After all, you grow when you are at rest not when you are in the gym. When your body is recovering, you need to make sure that you are giving it the right fuel.


If your goal is to gain 5 to 10 pounds of muscle mass in 4 to 10 weeks then you are going to have to make sure that you are getting the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, and yes, even fats. But you cannot think that you can just go around eating anything and everything. You are right if you are thinking that you can go to a fast food joint and pack on mass in a short period of time, but it will be the wrong kind of mass. You will need to come up with a well planned program in order to time your food right and eat the right portions also.

For those looking to gain lean muscle mass the best time to get your protein is right around your workout. This is when you can put down a lot of protein, carbohydrates, and fats and you wont have to worry about it turning to fat. These nutrients will be used to build muscle like at no other time of the day. This is also the best time of day to use supplements also because it will be absorbed quickly and help to rebuild muscle. It is also a good idea to drink a protein shake during your workout, the more protein the better.

Another key time to make sure that you will continue to gain is right after you wake up. When I say right after you wake up I mean right after you wake up. Before you do anything in the morning, you should drink a protein shake to break the fast of the night. 30 to 40 minutes later you should have your regular protein packed breakfast.

I know that you have heard certain foods emphasized over and over again, but these foods are the ones that you need to pack on the mass. I want to go over a short list of these foods, just as a reminder. The first one on the list is eggs. I am talking about whole eggs not just the whites. Tests have shown that people gain more muscle with whole eggs rather then just the whites. The next food on the list is of course is canned tuna. Not only is it inexpensive but each can is loaded with protein. Chicken breast is great also. It is easy to prepare and it is also inexpensive and loaded with protein.

Keep these simple ideas in mind if you are going to get serious about gaining any kind of real muscle mass. Do not over think it and you will be gaining in no time.

Check out the following site to learn 7 weird foods that burn stomach fat, unusual tips to lose belly fat, and even a cool "trick" that can prevent junk food cravings: http://www.AbdominalFat101.com

Here's to wishing you a leaner, healthier, stronger body!

Sports Fitness: Fun Way to be Healthy

When you talk about sports fitness, what comes first in your mind? It is, basically, the different sports activities, right? This is because sports fitness has always been referred to as the sports itself.


Generally, sports entail physical activities that are usually carried out for some “recreational” functions such as self-satisfaction, entertainment, competition, etc. It uses physical activity that is why most fitness experts regard sports as one way of staying fit and healthy. It can also be considered as one way of physical fitness; the only difference is that sports fitness is more inclined to the development of skill or ability.

However, like physical fitness, sports fitness is also capable of toning down the body fats of a person. Because of its rigid and strict health program, a sports enthusiast is able to maintain a well-balanced lifestyle in order to cope up with the strenuous demands of sports.

In sports, people should learn how to value their health. Otherwise, they can never endure the kind of energy that is required when playing sports activities.

Therefore, for people whoa re into sports fitness, here are some tips that you could use in order to stay healthy and be active on whatever sports you want to pursue:

1. Drinks lots of water

Humans can survive days, or even months without food, but they can never last a day without water.

Water is, indeed, the most important element needed by the body. Excessive perspiration, without any means of replenishing the lost fluids will result to serious health problems, and even death.

Therefore, for people who are into strenuous exercises and trainings, it is best to always drink lots of water.

However, for sports enthusiasts, water may not be enough to replace the kind of fluid lost. Hence, it would be better if they would have sports drinks instead. Aside from the fluid, sports drinks have tow additional important ingredients needed by a person who is into sports fitness: carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Electrolytes are usually lost during strenuous physical activity, and this can only be replaced through sports drinks. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, are also needed by the body during rigid workouts to provide more energy so that the body can cope up to the demands of the activity.

2. More veggies!

People who are into sports fitness require more intakes of vegetables and fruits. This is because the body is craving for more vitamins and mineral supplements. It makes the body stronger and healthier enabling it to cope up with demands of the activity.

3. Calcium intake

People who are into sports fitness should have calcium present on their diet. This is to provide stronger bones to the body.

Since the body is more exposed to greater physical activities, it is important to have stronger bones in order to avoid fractures or certain bone diseases like “osteoporosis.”

Calcium can be found in different vitamin and mineral supplements. They are also abundant in foods like sardines, tofu, dairy products, etc.

4. Warm exercises are always important before any kind of strenuous activities.

This kind of activity is needed in order not to strain the body. Hence, before playing the sports that you have always love, it is best to do some warm-up exercises first.

Indeed, engaging into sports activities is one great way of being physically fit. The best thing about it is that in sports, you get to enjoy the best of both worlds.

A Look on Diet Fitness

Many people nowadays are very much conscious about their own health and fitness. In addition to that, these people, and many others as well, are now having that desire to sculpt their bodies to ahieve that magazine-cover look. As a result, gyms, health spas and other fitness centers have proliferated all over to cater to the needs of the fitness buffs and afficionados.


Even on television exercise machines, weight loss products, and other paraphernalia to improve fitness have more or less gained control over the airwaves and made their way into the households. But exerise is not the only way to build that body beautiful. It also entails certain amount of responsibility on the foods one chooses to eat. Being healthy and fit requires one to observe diet fitness.

Diet fitness is as essential as exercise itself. Diet for fitness provides the essential nutrition one needs to restore worn-out muscles and for healthy growth. Diet fitness should never be taken for granted. With the popularity of keeping fit, many different views, methods, programs and dieting strategies have been formulated by many professionals. Among these are high carb diets and high fat diets. Which one is more effective and which one should one choose to follow?

First thing to know would be the fundamental differences between these two diet approaches. As the name implies, high carb diets concentrates on taking in carbohydrate-rich foods while high fat diets endorses fat-rich foods. High carb diets are utilized to glycogen stored in the liver and muscles. Glycogen is a glucose complex that provides large amounts of energy ready for use in anaerobic exercises.

Fats, on the other hand, is well-nown for being the richest source of calories. It actually contains 2.5 times more calories than carbohydrates and proteins alike. Studies also show that it takes the body 24 calories to metabolize carbohydrates while it only takes 3 to burn down fat. So which one to follow? A person can follow a high carb and low fat fitness diet or the other way around. It is absolutely not recommended to follow both at the same time; unless of course if you want to gain body fat.

But then diet fitness is not all about losing fat, one must also consider his diet in order to keep fat away. Research shows that sustainable loss of weight can only be achieved on a diet which suits the individual food preferences, lifestyle, medical profile and satiety signals.

Diet programs all over can help you shed off excess pounds, but only one diet can help you stay sexy, and it is the one that satisfies you most. Other important aspects of having a fit diet are moderation, balance and variation. One must be careful not to leave out important nutrients and other substances necessary for healthy body functioning. health organizations are clear about the amounts of nutrients an individual should have in the body.

Low fat high carbs, high carbs low fat; the question is not which diet program will work out but which is it that will work for you. Striving for a sexy and healthy body does not have to burden an individual, diet fitness does not have to mean sticking to the same kind of food for life. One may even try to be adventurous and try out new foods out there. Who knows? one may even discover spinach interesting.

Water And Exercise

The human body is made up of over 75% of water, and as we all know, we cannot live without water. The
fact is, we can only survive for a total of 3 days without water. Water has however, been replaced in most diets by soft drinks and other sugar sweetened refreshments. Keep in mind that water is a healthier and necessary for leading yourself towards a better health and longevity.

Your own personal need for water can vary greatly due to exercise, weight, and temperature. Research has proven that over 2/3 of adults don't get the  water they need on a daily basis. By drinking water on a regular basis you can replenish your body and keep it well hydrated and functioning as it should be.

The majority of us wait until we are thirsty before we drink water. Keep in mind, this way isn't a reliable gauge of the water needs for the body. By the time you are thirsty you have already lost two of more cups of the body's water supply. Therefore, drinking water regularly is much better than simply waiting until you are thirsty.

It is very important that you don't substitute beverages with alcohol and caffeine for water. The reason behind this is that those types of beverages act as a diuretic and can cause you to lose more weight through increased urination. You may think and feel as if you are getting more water through these beverages, although the fact is that you are letting it go almost as fast as you consume it.

Anytime you exercise, you need more water. Due to perspiration, your body will lose quite a bit of water. For each pound lost due to exercise, you need to drink 2 cups of water. Even when you lay down to sleep, your body loses water. By drinking a glass or more of water before you go to sleep, you can wake up with your body functioning as it should be.

It should become more obvious that when you are sick you'll need more water than any other tine. When
you get a cold or the flu, your body can become dehydrated quite quickly. You can help to prevent this by drinking more water at times when you become sick.

There are several mixed opinions as to whether purified water will actually provide benefit. This is a subject you should explore yourself as you determine the best type of water for yourself.
Always make it a habit to drink water on a daily basis. You should keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink it throughout the day. You should also teach yourself to drink water instead of other beverages that don't replenish the nutrients your body needs.

Cardio Exercise

Everyone has wondered at some point in time which Cardio Exercise is better. To put it in simple terms, both Low and High Intensity exercises will help you to burn off body fat. The question here is which is the most effective to burn off more Body Fat.

When scientists first discovered that during intensive exercises, your body burns glycogen, which is a form of stored carbohydrates that are stored in your liver and muscles for energy. During low intensity exercises, your body will burn a lot of fat.

If your wondering whether or not it works, the answer is no because there are so many obese people still around. Even though they are working out with low intensity routines, it still makes you wonder how it can be.

The scientists were right when they said the human body burns more body fat during low intensity exercises like walking or swimming. During a high intensity exercise such as running, the body will burn a lot more calories. Even if some of the calories burnt are from glycogen, there are still many fat calories burned as well.

To put the icing on the cake, when your store of glycogen gets low, the carbohydrates from your food you eat will later get converted into glycogen to fill up the store and won't be converted to body fat when they are left unused for energy.

High intensity Cardio exercise will juice up your metabolism even after you have completed your workout. What this means, is that your body will continue to burn body fat hours after you have left the gym. This effect is nearly non existent in low intensity cardio or aerobic workout.

Accumulatively, your body will burn up more and more calories during and after you have finished a high intensity cardio exercise that it will with low intensity. You can inject high intensity exercises into your cardio workout by introducing some interval training. You can walk for 5 minutes or so, then break into some jogging for another 5 minutes or so. Then, walk briskly again until you have caught your breath and then sprint for a minute before you walk again. From this point, simply alternate your running and walking for the
next 15 minutes until you are finished.

One of the best things about cardio is the more you do it, the more energy you'll have. Cardio will help you to burn calories, although its more useful for keeping your energy levels high.
If you've never tried cardio before, you should give it a shot. If you like to exercise, you'll find cardio the best way to boost your energy and keep in top shape. If you are just starting out, you'll want to go slow and keep your cardio exercise in track - as it is very easy to over exert yourself.

The Benefits of Being Fit

The Benefits of Being Fit

This article was written to answer many of the most frequently asked questions on this topic. I hope you find all of this information helpful.

Being able to cope with and handle the everyday stresses of life is a advantage afforded to the fit individual. Making sure we take the time to accommodate our needs for stress relief, such as downtime, treatment time, massage time, or merely take the time for a pleasant, hot bath. The body tends to hold stress in the muscles of the shoulder and back. Taking the time to let go, do relaxation exercises, and unite this with physical exercise for the whole body benefits the fit and unfit.

The added action of physical exercise is frequently the catalyst our bodies needed to raise weight loss into high gear. For the person trying to loose weight, the benefits of being fit far surpass an infringement on personal time, or detraction from TV time that occurs. Not only is it good for your body, when you?re trying to cut back, it gives you something useful to do with your time. Exercise also decreases our appetite pangs, increases our fluid intake, and assists our blood to circulate much better.


The tranquillity of mind that comes from knowing your body is in top form, ready to cope whatever comes along, is a priceless ownership. To be able to ascertain that you?ve spent your day wisely, and invested in yourself is a real feat. The gain seen from adding just 20 minutes of exercise to your daily routine are incredible. I can swear to the tremendous increase in vitality, as a participant in walking for exercise. I lost a total of 74 lbs. in one year, by simply adding walking to may schedule. I had been dieting for almost two months, with very little in the way of results. Walking was suggested by my doctor, and I?ve never been so impressed. My vitality levels were three times what they were prior to start the exercise program. Increased energy levels are one of the greatest benefits of a fit body.


Raised self-esteem and confidence in your appearance are also benefits to keeping a fit body. A fit and healthy individual shines in how they look, how they treat others, and the enjoyment they take in going about their daily activities.

How about the benefits of a fit mind? The onset of many age-related cognitive disorders occurs because we haven?t taken the time to keep our mind young, and implicated in new learning. Learning new things forces our brains to form new neural pathways. We need those neural pathways for the transfer of information from the body to the mind, or with our aptitude to shape new memories. If we don?t exercise the mind, we lose the fitness. There?s also the added benefit of being able to participate as a productive citizen, well into our retirement years. For many older persons, keeping their bodies and minds fit means that they are also able to carry on to interact in their chosen work profession, keeping them continually active, and serving as a continued source of pleasure.

The information you just read was pulled from many different resources. You should continue searching for information until you believe you have a firm grasp of the subject. I do want to thank you for visiting and good luck.