Your diet is without a doubt one of the most critical aspects of your total fitness bodybuilding routine. You can be consistent with your workouts, but if you don’t fuel your body properly you will NOT get the results you want. Period! Most fitness enthusiasts are meticulous with their training and are ever so careful when scheduling their workouts, doing a precise number of exercises, sets, and reps for each muscle group, etc.

PART 1

But more often then not they get slack when it comes to nutrition. Do you think that you can reach your peak performance by eating only 2-3 meals per day?

The biggest excuse that people have is “I don’t have time to eat right”. But the real reason is simply laziness and lack of planning, because when done properly it doesn’t take anymore time to follow a healthy muscle building / fat burning nutrition plan then it does to eat a “see food” diet (i.e. eating whatever comes in front of your face).

In the first part of this article I’m going to outline the fundamentals of a very sound bodybuilding nutrition program. And then in the second part of this article I’m also going to give you some cooking and meal planning tips that will help you fit the program into your busy schedule.

Protein

Protein is the key component for providing your body with adequate amino acids to aid in building and repairing muscle tissue. Protein is the most important nutrient for bodybuilders. You should be consuming between 1 and 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight each day evenly spaced out over 5-6 meals. So for example, a 200 lb. man should eat between 200-300 grams of protein per day. Eating approx. 40-50 grams of protein per meal. Good protein sources include: lean cuts of beef, lean cuts of pork, chicken breast, turkey breast, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, and protein supplements.

You may be wondering about the range of 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day and which end of the range you should aim for. Well this is the way I look at it, if you are the type of person who is really serious about your training and you want to make progress as fast as possible then stick to the upper end of the range and eat 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. On the other hand, if you are just working out to “keep in shape” and are not overly concerned about gaining as much muscle as fast as possible can then you can stick to the lower end and just eat 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily.

Another thing, if you are concerned that too much protein is “bad for you”, you needn’t be. It is not uncommon for young bodybuilders to be led astray by a well meaning doctor or dietitian saying that too much protein can cause kidney damage. But this is just a myth and outdated information, there has never been any study that shows a high protein intake causes any type of kidney damage in healthy individuals.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide a “protein-sparing” effect. When your carbohydrate intake is too low your body will convert protein into glucose for energy. This process is called “glyconeogenesis”. Eating adequate carbohydrates is important because if your body doesn’t have enough, it has to metabolize more protein and this depletes the muscles.

Eating too few carbohydrates will also leave your muscles looking and feeling flat. Muscle fullness largely depends on the glycogen stores within the muscle cells. Your muscle glycogen stores also greatly impact your strength and energy levels in the gym and whether or not you get a “pump” while working out. If you have ever followed a low carbohydrate diet for any length of time I’m sure you have also noticed a significant loss of strength in the gym during your workouts and your muscles feel flat as a pancake making it almost impossible to get any decent pump while working out.

Your carbohydrate intake will vary depending on your training goals. If your goal is to get bigger and gain muscular size then you’ll need to eat upwards of 3 grams of carbohydrates per pound of bodyweight per day and maybe more depending on your individual metabolism. If your goal is to lose bodyfat and get leaner then you’ll need to eat around 1 – 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of bodyweight daily. Good sources of carbohydrates include: oatmeal, cream of wheat, oat bran, brown rice, potatoes, yams, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, all kinds of fruits and vegetables.

Just like with protein, your carbohydrate intake should be spaced out over the course of 5-6 meals per day. But you can be a little more generous with the portion sizes with your breakfast and with your post workout meals. At these times your glycogen levels are lower and need extra carbohydrates to help re-fill them.

Fat

Fat is a very important part of a healthy bodybuilding nutrition program. Your body needs fat to function properly. Besides being an energy source, fat is a nutrient used in the production of cell membranes, as well as in several hormone-like compounds called eicosanoids. These compounds help regulate blood pressure, heart rate, blood vessel constriction, blood clotting and the nervous system. In addition, dietary fat carries fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins A, D, E and K — from your food into your body. Fat also helps maintain healthy hair and skin, protects vital organs, keeps your body insulated, and provides a sense of fullness after meals.

There are 3 types of fat – saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. You need to eat all 3 in the right balance in order to maximize your muscle growth, fat loss, and overall health.

You will get adequate saturated fat intake from your protein foods. Animal products such as beef, chicken, eggs, etc. all contain saturated fat.

Monounsaturated fat comes from foods such as seeds, nuts, olives, avocados, as well as various types of oils such as peanut oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil, corn oil, canola oil, and olive oil.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in sea food like herring, salmon, mackerel, halibut, and fish oils.

By getting your protein intake requirements with animal products such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, etc. and including nuts, seeds, olives, in your diet, as well as cooking with healthy oils such as olive oil you’ll meet the majority of your dietary fat needs.

It would be a good idea to also supplement your diet with fish oil capsules. Simply take a couple capsules with each meal. Fish oil is high in omega 3 fatty acids and it is also high in EPA and DHA fatty acids. These fatty acids are antioxidants and help with muscle growth and fat loss. They also have health benefits with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. Studies have shown that taking 10 grams of fish oil per day can increase your metabolic rate by as much as 400 calories per day!

Water

A little know fact about water is that the less you drink, the more likely you will become overtrained with your workouts. Muscle is comprised of over 70% water. Sweating from hard workouts causes you to lose body water. Eating a high protein diet increases your body’s need for water. And water is needed as a transport mechanism for various nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. If your water intake is too low, your ability to transport nutrients to your muscles becomes compromised, you’ll lose muscle fullness, and toxins will build up in the body.

To stay adequately hydrated you should drink 0.6 ounces of water per pound of bodyweight daily. To put this in perspective a 200 lb. man should drink 120 ounces of water over the course of the day. That’s about 15 glasses of water daily. While this may seem like a lot, it is not that hard to consume this much water. Simply having a glass or two with each meal would equal about 10 glasses. And then sipping water from a water bottle during the day and during your workouts can easily make up for the other 5 glasses. As I write this article I have a water bottle on my desk that I’ve been sipping from all morning. When I’m at the gym I always keep a water bottle with me at all times so I can take sips in between sets to keep myself hydrated.

(Note: this is an average water intake, if you live in a particularly hot climate or have a physically demanding job where you are working hard for long hours then you may need to drink even more water.)

PART 2

In part 1 of the Basic Bodybuilding Nutrition Program I covered proper nutrient intake of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and water. And the amounts of each that you should be consuming daily based on your individual needs and fitness goals. In part 2 I’m going to outline some practical ways that you can fit a healthy eating plan into your busy lifestyle.

The whole idea of eating 6 well-balanced meals per day is by no means a new concept. Most of you who are reading this already have a good idea of how you should be eating. But for the majority of people the main excuse is they don’t have the time to eat properly.

But this is just not the case. Eating a “junk-food” diet probably takes just as much or more time then it does to eat a healthy diet. At lunch time getting in your car and heading on over to the fast food joint, waiting in line at the drive through, and then heading back to work takes a lot more time then if you had your food prepared in advance and ready to eat.

The key to successfully following a healthy bodybuilding nutrition program is planning ahead. When you cook your food always prepare for several meals. It doesn’t take any more time to cook larger quantities of food then it does to cook smaller amounts of food for just one meal. Purposely plan to have left overs that you can re-heat in the microwave, this saves time and makes it easier to have quick nutritious meals on hand. I’ll often grill several steaks at a time, cook several chicken breasts at a time, bake several potatoes at a time, cook up a large pot of rice, etc.

A Well Stocked Kitchen

In order to prepare and eat healthy nutritious meals you need to have the necessary kitchen supplies. Get yourself a good set of pots, non-stick frying pans, measuring cups and spoons, food scale, a good set of kitchen knives, blender, kitchen grill (such as the George Foreman grill), electric kettle, good spatulas and other cooking utensils like tongs, ladel spoons, etc. These are the basic tools that you’ll need to prepare your meals.

For packing and storing your food you will also need to get some plastic food storage containers. Get a half dozen smaller sized containers for packing individual meals. And also get a few bigger containers that you can use for storing left overs in the refrigerator. Make sure to get good containers with tight fitting lids so they will not pop open easily.

Get a couple shaker bottles for mixing up protein drinks and also get an insulated lunch bag or small hand held cooler for taking your food with you to work. You will be able to get all of these kitchen supplies at places like Wal-Mart for a fair price.

A Typical Days Eating

I’m going to outline a typical days eating that I follow pretty consistently on a daily basis. You can take the tips and suggestions that are outlined here and modify them to fit your schedule so you can quickly and easily prepare your meals for the day.

A quick and tasty high protein breakfast favorite of mine is oatmeal and egg whites. To start I’ll spray a non-stick frying pan with PAM spray and then pour in a cup of liquid egg whites and let them cook on the stove. (You can get liquid egg whites online at: http://www.leehayward.com/eggwhites/index.htm)

I’ll boil water in the electric kettle for my oatmeal. Then in a large bowl I’ll add a cup of dry oats, when the water is boiled I’ll add it to the oatmeal and place a lid on the bowl to let the oatmeal steam and cook.

When the egg whites are cooked I’ll then mix them in with my oatmeal, add a scoop of vanilla flavored protein powder, and I’ll also add some cinnamon and low calorie sweetener such as splenda. This is very tasty and satisfying meal and it takes less then 10 minutes to prepare. Before I sit down to eat my oatmeal and egg whites I’ll quickly toss 5-6 frozen chicken breasts on the Foreman Grill, add some spices and seasonings, set the timer, close the lid and just let them cook.

I’ll also bake 5-6 sweet potatoes in the microwave. Just wash them off with water, poke them a few times with a fork to let the steam out, and put them on for about 10 minutes.

By the time I’m finished eating breakfast, the chicken and sweet potatoes are cooked.

Then I’ll get 3 small plastic food containers and put a chicken breast and sweet potato in each one. I’ll also add some veggies such as pre-washed salad, baby carrots, or what ever I have on hand. Now I have 3 of my daily meals prepared. I’ll put these in my lunch bag along with a big bottle of water.

For my morning break I’ll eat a meal, have another one for lunch, and then another one for my afternoon break.

Note: I don’t always eat chicken and sweet potatoes. The foods will vary. I may have beef, pork, different kinds of fish, etc. for protein. And I may have rice, pasta, pita wraps, bread, etc. as my carbs. And I’ll vary the veggies and fruit that I eat. But the key is to prepare and pack the individual meals in advance so they are ready to eat when you need them. I always make sure to have a serving or protein, starchy carbohydrates, and veggies or fruit with each meal.

I go to the gym after work. So on my workout days I’ll mix up a post workout drink and take this with me in a shaker cup. I’ll mix up a couple scoops of protein powder and a couple scoops of carbohydrate powder (usually Gatorade) in 16 oz. of water and drink this right after my workouts.

When I get home from the gym I’ll have my supper. Depending on what I’m in the mood for I may just re-heat left overs that I have in the refrigerator, or I’ll cook up something like steak on the BBQ, or make a nice stir-fry meat and veggies dish.

Most people do not have much of a problem eating well for supper, as this is typically the biggest meal of the day for the average person. The main thing is to make sure to have generous portions of protein foods like beef, chicken, turkey, fish, etc. Wholesome complex carbohydrates such as potatoes, yams, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, etc. And also include some green veggies like a garden salad, steamed, or stir fried veggies.

Before bed I’ll usually have a cup of cottage cheese mixed with some fresh berries or a tablespoonful of fruit spread. Cottage cheese contains casein protein which is slow digesting and good to have before bed to help provide a steady release of protein throughout the night.

By eating frequently during the day I tend to not have a lot of hunger pains or food cravings, but if I am hungry and want to snack on something I’ll have things such as raw almonds, olives, low fat beef jerky, or a protein bar.

I try not to eat out all that often as it is hard to control what you eat in a restaurant. But if I do have to eat on the run I’ll try to go some place healthy such as Subway and have a meat and veggie sandwich on whole wheat bread. Or if I go to a restaurant I’ll try and order things like grilled steak or chicken, baked potato, and garden salad. The main thing is to avoid deep fried foods and foods that are cooked in thick sauces, creams, etc. as they are just loaded with excess fat and sugar.

Well there you have it, a typical days eating right from breakfast to bed. As you can see it is not that time consuming. The main thing is to plan ahead and prepare and pack your meals for the day. Don’t be like most people and wait until you are hungry before you think about what you are going to eat. This is what leads people to the vending machines and drive through windows where they load up on junk foods.

Avoid the temptations by being prepared. The rewards of feeling better, looking better, and making better progress in the gym are well worth the bit of discipline that it takes to plan your meals in advance.

Not gaining muscle? Use this quick troubleshooting guide to fix what’s wrong and get yourself back on the right track to building maximum mass FAST. So you’re stuck…haven’t gained any muscle in months…the scale hasn’t gone up and neither have the weights you’re using…

What do you do? How do you step back and assess what you’re doing and where you’re going wrong? Just randomly changing things with your program and your eating isn’t going to cut it…

That’s where the Muscle-Building Troubleshooter comes in.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through what you need to do to analyze what’s stopping you from achieving the results you want and help to get you back on the right track to muscle growth.

And, don’t be shocked when I don’t start throwing out info about your NO2 deficiency and the need for some expenseive crap supplement with ingredients you can’t pronounce…this is the real deal.

STEP 1 – NUTRITION

There’s an old saying that you can’t out-train a bad diet. Totally true. You don’t have to eat perfectly but if you’re not eating ENOUGH or if you’re eating the wrong foods or at the wrong times, you just won’t gain muscle. Simple as that.

So step back and have a look at what you’re eating. Write down EXACTLY what you’re eating over the course of a few days, covering both training and non-training days.

Be sure to log EVERYTHING, including what TIME you ate. Go through these steps one-by-one…

1. Are you eating protein foods with every meal?

-> If NO, make sure you eat some with EVERY meal. Your body needs a continuous supply of protein to build muscle tissue.

-> If YES, go to #2…

2. How much total protein are you eating over the course of the day?

-> If less than 1 gram per pound bodyweight, you need to eat more. Without sufficient protein, muscle-growth stops. Better to err on the side of too much than not enough. A little extra protein will NOT hurt your kidneys, contrary to the myth.

-> If equal to or more than 1 gram per pound bodyweight, go to #3

3. How much time do you have between meals?

-> If greater than 3 hours, you need to eat more frequently. Your body needs a steady supply of calories to keep the muscle-building process fueled.

-> If every 3 hours or less, go to #4

4. How many overall calories are you eating in a day?

-> If less than your bodyweight (in pounds) multiplied by 15, you need more calories (e.g. 200 lbs x 15 = 3000 calories)

-> If equal to or more than your bodyweight x 15, you STILL may need more calories but you’re on the right track

-> If more than your bodyweight x 20 and you’re still not gaining, go to #5

5. What quality of food are you eating?

-> If you eat more than 50% junk food, focus on bringing that down to 25%

-> If you eat less than 25% junk food, you’re on the right track – some is ok, especially if you need more calories in your diet, but you don’t want to get too many calories from poor food sources – go to #6

6. How much fat are you eating?

-> If you eat less than 30 grams of fat per day, that’s NOT enough for muscle-building and optimal hormone production – increase that to at least 50 to 60 grams a day.

-> If you eat more than 50 grams a day, look at what TYPE of fat it is…your body does need some saturated fat for hormone production. Stay away from processed fats but unprocessed animal fats can be useful. Go to #7

7. Are you eating IMMEDIATELY after training?

-> If not, i.e. you’re waiting a few hours or so, this will KILL your progress. Take in something as soon as possible after training (e.g. protein shake) to start the anabolic processes going. About an hour after training, eat a big meal.

-> If yes, go to STEP 2 to look at your training…

STEP 2 – TRAINING

So now that you’ve got your nutrition in good order, THAT shouldn’t be what’s holding you back. It’s time to look at your training…

1. How long are your training sessions?

-> If greater than 1 hour, cut back NOW. Training longer than an hour decreases your testosterone below useful levels. Training for 45 minutes or less is better.

-> If already less than an hour, go to #2

2. How many days a week are you training?

-> If 5 or more times week and you’re not gaining, reduce to 4 sessions per week. You may not be giving your body enough recovery time.

-> If 1 or 2 times per week and you’re not gaining, increase to 3 or 4 sessions per week. The body often needs a more frequent training stimulus in order to build muscle. -> If you’re at 3 or 4 times per week, and you’re not gaining, go to #3

3. What types of exercises are you using?

-> Curls, bench presses, and crunches…mirror-muscle syndrome. These exercises will not build significant muscle on their own…you need to focus on basic exercises like deadlifts, squats, and rows.

-> Lots of machines…get off ‘em. Free-weight exercises are MUCH more effective for building muscle. Anything that uses barbells, dumbells or kettlebells is going to be far better.

-> Free-weight exercises like squats, deadlifts, presses and rows. If you’re already using these exercises and still not gaining, go to #4

4. How hard are you pushing yourself on your sets?

-> Using lighter weight for higher reps (12+) and not getting close to failure…time to buckle down and get some weight on the bar. Use weights that push you to get 5 to 7 reps per set.

-> Using VERY heavy weight for low reps (1 to 3). Time to back off a bit on the weight. Low reps are great for strength but aren’t the best for building muscle mass. Use less weight and aim for 5 to 7 reps per set.

-> Pushing to failure (and beyond using intensity techniques) on more than 1 or 2 sets per workout. Stop doing that NOW. Pushing to the limits like this may feel good in the short-term but isn’t the most effective way to train for muscle mass. It compromises recovery by bringing down the nervous system and slows growth by inducing excessive muscle damage. Some is necessary but too much can be counterproductive.

-> Pushing to near failure (when doing lower-volume routines) or staying away from failure (when doing higher-volume routines) and still not gaining, go to #5

5. What type of program are you using?

-> Using a low-volume, high-intensity style of program like Mike Mentzer’s “High Intensity Training” and not gaining, your body may need a break. Switch to higher-volume, lower-intensity training for 3 to 4 weeks.

-> Using a volume-based program like Charles Staley’s “Escalating Density Training” and not gaining, your body may respond better to lower volume but a more intense training stimulus.

-> Using a program for more than 3 weeks without noticeable results…time to get a new program. If something doesn’t get you results within 2 to 3 weeks, it’s not EVER going to work for you. An effective program will start working within that timeframe. Go to #6

6. What bodyparts are you focusing on?

-> Training a lot of arms and chest…back to the mirror muscle problem. The arms and chest don’t contain that much muscle mass and working them doesn’t stimulate much testosterone production. Time for a more balanced program – work your legs or suffer the consequences of looking like you’re riding a chicken.

-> Nothing in particular but covering all bodyparts. This is better but if you’re still not gaining, it’s time to eliminate the training for the smaller bodyparts such as arms and calves that can affect recovery but not contribute much to overall muscle growth. This will allow you to put all your energy into the big exercises like squats, deadlifts and heavy presses and rows.

-> Just legs…I only work my legs. You’re just a figment of my imagination…you don’t exist…

STEP 3 – SUPPLEMENTATION

Now we come to the section that most trainers seem to want to START with…supplements. Contrary to what the ads in the magazines will tell you, training and nutrition actually ARE more important than supplements. Just look at the standout physiques of the “Golden Age” of bodybuilding, before fancy supplements and steroids came into the picture…Chuck Sipes, John Grimek, Bill Bearl, Steve Reeves, Reg Park, and MANY more.

I can promise you these guys knew their stuff when it came to training and eating.

1. Are you taking a protein supplement?

-> If no – this is the best place to start. A good protein supplement will help you get enough protein to support muscle growth throughout the day and in the important post-workout period.

-> If yes, go to #2

2. Are you taking a good multivitamin/multimineral supplement?

-> If no, this is a critical mistake. Your body requires vitamins and minerals to function properly. Without optimum levels, you are compromising results. Sure, doctors say you can get the RDA without supplements but who wants to have just enough to avoid deficiency? When building muscle, you need EXCESS, not “just enough.”

-> If yes, go to #3

3. Are you taking creatine?

-> If no, you may be missing out on some serious results. Creatine is one of the very few PROVEN supplements that can help you build muscle and strength. It is well-researched and very safe. It is highly recommended.

-> If yes, go to #4

4. That’s it for supplements…there really isn’t anything else proven to really help with muscle-building that I would recommend as a “missing link” in your results.

And honestly, if you’re not doing the training and nutrition right, even the protein, vitamins and creatine aren’t going to help you build muscle. Which brings us to…

THE MAIN LESSON

When you’re stuck in a muscle-building plateau, look first at your nutrition, then at your training then, and ONLY then, your supplementation. By systematically going through the Troubleshooter above, you’ll be able to pinpoint what you need to change to get your mass moving in the upwards direction again.

The best bodybuilding supplements you should be using as part of your program and why.

Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most effective supplements on the market today. Clinical studies show that it increases strength and endurance and speeds up recovery time from your workout, which means more muscle growth. To get the most out of creatine, take it with glucose, honey, or grape juice one hour before your workout and again right afterwards. 6-10 grams per day every day is the average dose. Drink a lot of water: 4 + litres a day. Don’t take it with ‘hot’ liquids or citrus juices (the acidity turns creatine into waste) and avoid caffeine completely. No coffee, tea, coke etc. Creatine makes your muscles retain water, caffeine makes you lose it (diuretic). After 3 months, stop for a few months so your body doesn’t lessen its ability to create its own creatine. Stick with the pure (99%) creatine monohydrate powders and be wary of ‘cheap’ deals.

Whey protein

If you want to build or maintain muscle mass, you need quality protein. Whey protein, in hydrolized and ion-exchanged form, is without a doubt the best. It contains the highest Biological Value (BV) out of all protein sources, which means your body will absorb and utilize it more than other proteins. Egg white protein has a BV of 88, and a good brand of whey protein should have a BV of at least 150. As a bodybuilder, you need a minimum of 0.9 grams of protein per pound of lean bodyweight daily.
Whey protein supplements allow you to get your daily requirement of protein without the fat and calories of an average diet. This will ensure you build muscle mass without fat, recover more quickly between workouts and maintain a fit and healthy body.

Multivitamins

If you are eating a good variety of foods, ie. meats, carbs, dairy products, fruit and vegs, you will probably be getting your daily requirement of vitamins and minerals. As a bodybuilder though, your need is much greater and you can not afford to fall short if you want to recover and grow whilst training. Your body must have an adequate supply of essential elements so your immune system can cope with the intense training and your caloric intake is metabolized properly. Compare the quantities contained in different brands before choosing one that will give you a good amount of vitamins and minerals and take it regularly. Because liver contains just about every mineral known, dessicated liver tablets can also be beneficial, especially if they contain plenty of iron.

L-glutamine

Of all the free amino acids found in our muscles and blood, L-glutamine is the most common – over 60%. It is the main transporter of nitrogen and protein into muscle tissue where it is synthesized for growth. The levels of L-glutamine drop significantly if the body is heavily trained, and this causes our immune system to weaken, making recovery even slower. Supplementing with this amino acid restores and enhances the immune system, increases growth hormone secretion and promotes nitrogen retention resulting in faster muscle growth and recovery. Take 8 grams per day, once in the morning, one hour before you workout, 30-45 minutes after and once before bed. Taking doses higher than 2 grams at a time will result in the glutamine being used up by the liver and intestines and little actually getting to the muscles.

Vanadyl sulphate

Vanadyl sulphate helps increase the amount of carbohydrates and protein that are transported into the muscle to aid muscle growth and development. It mimics the effects of insulin – modifies tissue responsiveness to insulin. You have to realize that this is a heavy metal and should be cycled. Take 50-70 mg a day with meals for no longer than 4 weeks. After this, wait 9-10 weeks and start the vanadyl sulphate again. You should experience a tremendous pump on this stuff and feel great after your workouts.

Chromium picolinate

Chromium plays an important role by making muscle more sensitive to insulin, which stimulates protein synthesis and reduces protein breakdown. By doing this it helps to preserve muscle in dieters so that they burn more fat and less muscle. If you are trying to lose fat and maintain muscle, you need chromium picolinate. It also reduces your hunger, especially for sugars, and boosts your metabolism on a low fat diet. Having said that, there’s no reason why you can’t take it all year round – it’s effects are not immediate, but will lead to more efficient insulin function and lean tissue gains over the long term. Take 400-600 mcgs a day with food.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that strengthens connective tissues, including blood vessels, and protects other vitamins from oxidation. It inhibits the formation of free radicals, the destructive particles that damage cells and lead to disease. Higher doses of Vitamin C have been tied to improved athletic performance, cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, increased longevity, and enhanced brain function.
This water-soluble nutrient is not stored by the body and so we need a constant daily supply. As a bodybuilder you need this vitamin in substantial amounts. At least 1500 mg a day – not all at once though. Try to take Vitamin C tablets containing bioflavonoids which make it more easily absorbed by the body.

Monday
Chest/Tri’s

Incline Barbell Presses: 3 sets 15/10/8 rep scheme. If you end the last set before failure by mistake, do another set, this is the main mass builder of the day.

Hammer Strength Machine Presses: 3 sets, strive for continuous tension on this exercise.

Incline Dumbell Flyes: 3 sets, really emphesise the stretch.

Cable Crossovers: To tie up any loose ends.

Stretch for 5 minutes.

Skull Crushers: Main mass builder for the triceps. I use a 20/15/10 rep scheme on these. They respond better to high reps.

Dips: great for the lower triceps, make them hard as rocks

Tricep Pushdowns: Just a finisher, go high reps, get a burn and a pump(as if you don’t already have one)

Eat and sleep.
Tuesday
LEG DAY/quads only

Now it’s time to separate the men from the boys. I do what many consider to be a low volume leg workout, but my legs are bigger than theirs so who you gonna listen to? Do your working sets hard, make yourself want to cry, even puke, and you will spur growth. I also take some ECA before leg day.

Leg press: 4 sets. That’s right, 3 warmup sets, use them to get a pump, then it’s time to get psyched up and push some iron. On my working set I currently do 1080 lbs. I’m not super-strong, most people grossly underestimate how much they can leg press.

Hack Squat: 2 sets, use the first to get a feel for it, then blast em with one hard one, this will really bring in the lower quads and the tear-drop on the inner thigh.

Leg Extensions: 2 sets, your work has already been done if you went hard enough, just mess around and make sure you get a good burn.

GO HOME AND SLEEP

Wednesday: go tan or something, but it’s an off day.

Thursday
Back Day/ oh and bi’s too

Deadlifts: 3 sets. This is the mack daddy of back exercises, these make you GROW, a lot. Your last set should drain you completely, but that’s fine, these are effective enough it’s all you’ll need.

Bent-over rows: 3 sets. Go heavy, but concentrate on the contraction more than the weight.

Something with a cable: 3 sets, I change this every workout, just something that’ll give continuous tension.

Standing Barbell Curls: 4 sets. I do two working sets of these.

Preacher Curls: 2 sets, 1 working

Alternating Dumbell Curls: 2 sets, 1 working

Some of you may require more biceps training, I don’t. You could add another exercise if you wish.
Friday
Hams and shoulders

Stiff Leg Deadlifts: 2 sets, these will be tough after yesterday, work through it, for your hamstrings sake.

Leg curls: 3 sets, high reps in the 15-20 range

Power Cleans: 3 sets, these dramatically improve shoulder strength, use explosiveness here.

Side Lateral Raises: 3 sets, really go for feel on these, concentrate on those middle delts, shoot for isolation

Side Cable raises: 3 sets, high reps, same concept as above.

Shrugs: 3 sets, don’t forget your traps.
Rest all weekend.

Do calves, forearms, and abs when convnient. I try to hit abs and calves twice per week. Forearms once every other week(mine grow easily). Make sure your nutrition is top notch to ensure high-intensity in your workouts, that is the key to this whole program. On any particular day, if I’m tired after my main bodypart, I’ll sometimes go home and make it up on Saturday. I only do with with arms, hams or delts. Never with back, chest, or quads. I only do early morning cardio during the week. I like to go on really long bike rides on the weekends, for fun and for fitness, it really helps keep the fat off. Good luck.

This is a Strict Diet for 8 weeks. No CHEAT days, None. 56 days Straight. If you can’t deal with it, then this isn’t for you. If you can hang, The results will be Phenomenal.

This is a Diet for someone who is in Shape, but just needs to lose those LAST few pounds of Stubborn fat.

This diet will work ESPECIALLY for those with excess Fat in the lower abs, thighs, lower back area.

Diet Guidelines:

Avoid All starches, You don’t need them if your goal is to get down to 4-7 Percent BodyFat.

(1) Eat Tons of Green Veggies (Fiber)

(2) Eat Lots of Healthy fats ex. Steak, Flax Oil, E.V. Olive Oil, Salmon, Fish Oils, etc. (Energy)

(3) Eat TONS of Protein (Preserve Muscles).

(4) DRINK 1-1.5 gallons of H20 a day AT LEAST.

Avoid ALL fruit drinks, Juices, rice, breads.

Eat carbos ONLY after a grueling Glycogen depleting workout.

You will have tons of energy from the healthy fats, good digestion from the fiber, and great muscle hardness and protection from the protein.

Healthy Fats = Energy Protein = Muscle Hardness, Muscle Protection Fiber = Digestion, and various other health benefits.

Healthy Fats, Lots of Fiber, And TONS of Protein. That’s the key.

Not only will you DROP bodyfat while maintaing Muscle, but you will ALSO have an abundance of energy and your skin (complexion) will be looking great as well.

Example of a Day

(1) 3 servings of Whey/ 1 tablespoon of Flax Oil
(2) 8-10 OZ London Broil Steak (Extra Lean)/ 1-2 cups Green Veggies.
(3) Grilled Salmon/ 1-2 cups Green Veggies.
(4) 3 servings of Whey/ 1 tablespoon of Flax Oil
(5) 2 Cans of Tuna/ Chopped Onions/Celery/ 1 tablespoon of Safflower Mayonnaise.
(6) (Post Workout) MRP or 2 servings of Whey/10 OZ Orange Juice.
(7) 8-10oz Extra Lean Steak/ 2 cups Veggies.

Breaks Down to About:

Protein 1.5 – 2 grams per lb of Bodyweight Fat .5 -.75grams per pound of bodyweight Carbs (only post workout) 30-50 grams fiber in the form of green veggies – As much as possible.

Supplements:

Do NOT take ANY FAT BURNERS…Why? They will Suppress your appetite TOO much, You need to eat every 2 hours. If you take a fat burner you won’t be up to it.

1 Multivitamin Extra Zinc 30 – 50mgs Fish Oil Caps Flax Oil Liquid 200mcg Selenium 800mgs Folic Acid 800iu Vitamin E 2 grams Vitamin C.

WORKOUTS:

Staying ACTIVE!! is the KEY. ALWAYSSSS stay Active.

Lift four times a Week. Alternate Between Heavy Low Rep workouts, and high repetition moderate weight workouts.

Cardio, 4-7 days a week, Alernate Between 20 min High Intensity (Jump Ropes, Sprints) and Low intensity for 45min – 1hour (Such as walking, light jogging)

This DIET is NOT easy by any means. It takes proper planning a day ahead of time (you have to have the steaks / veggies / chicken / salmon, etc, thawed out before cooking them, put stuff in tupper ware containers…you just have to be prepared). Be prepared to Go through at LEAST one pound of lean steak a day, and 10 servings of whey protein powder a day and TONS of green veggies a day. Be prepared to be going grocery shopping at least twice a week.

Like I said this diet is not easy, But oh well, No one said this game is easy.

But remember if you can stick through it for 8 grueling weeks, you’ll be satified at the end with your amazing results.
Good Luck.
P.S. NEVER mix fats and carbs at the same meal.

What’s worse is that selling supplements, most of which are not needed, has become such huge business in the commercial weight training and bodybuilding ‘industry’ that it is almost impossible to know if you are getting an objective evaluation of bodybuilding diet and nutrition.

Here’s what you need to know about diet and nutrition for weight training and bodybuilding. In fact it’s not all that different from a normal healthy athlete’s diet, except for some emphasis on quantity and meal timing in various training phases. This however, is where the detail becomes very important.
Start with a Healthy Diet

Although various diets like Atkins and South Beach and Ornish have become popular, the general consensus among dietitians and nutritionists is that a healthy diet is somewhat different — less stringent in requirements and more balanced across the major nutrients. You can see the key recommendations for the general population in Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Guidelines from other western countries like the UK and Australia are similar.

In summary the recommendations are:

* Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds; some lean meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products; and mono and polyunsaturated oils
* Limit intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, salt, alcohol and an excess of added sugars and sugary foods
* Drink plenty of water
* Maintain a normal weight
* Exercise regularly.

Recommended dietary intakes or allowances (RDI or RDA) are set by authorities for all essential nutrients – protein, fat, carbohydrate and vitamins and minerals.

Guidelines and RDIs usually include slightly modified recommendations for men and women, including pregnant women, and adolescents and children. Older adults may also have special requirements and recommended intakes.
Weight Training Nutrition

People who exercise have different requirements to sedentary people because the greater expenditure of energy usually requires a greater intake of food. The more you exercise the more you have to eat to sustain that level of activity to the point where some elite athletes such as Tour de France cyclists need to eat huge quantities of food to sustain their activity. Simple enough, and this also applies to casual exercisers, but it may not apply to you if fat loss is one of the reasons you took up weight training.

Nutrition for weight loss. In this case you need to create an energy deficit; which means that the energy you consume in food is less than the energy you expend in exercise and daily living. Creating a 15 to 20 percent deficit in energy balance should ensure weight loss occurs over time. Your weight training in this case is to assist with fat loss while attempting to maintain muscle.

Yet weight losers need to do the very tricky thing of holding onto muscle and bone while shedding fat. It’s tricky because the body is not used to breaking down tissue like fat and building up muscle at the same time. Breaking down is called catabolism and building up is called anabolism, as in anabolic steroids. This is a contradictory process. See my article How to Burn More Fat for an in-depth look at losing fat.

That’s why weight training is so important in any weight loss regimen: it helps to maintain muscle while you lose fat.

Nutrition for bodybuilding. If you weight train for sports, weight lifting competition, bodybuilding or even as a way to maintain fitness or appearance now that you’ve reached ideal weight, you will probably be more interested in gaining muscle and maintaining low body fat.

The dietary specifics will be different in each case. In this article we’re emphasizing bodybuilding diet and nutrition so let’s take a look at what’s required.
Muscle Building, Bodybuilding Diet

To build extra muscle you need to eat in excess of what you currently eat and to work out with weights on a regular basis. How much muscle you can gain, how quickly and with what definition is largely determined by your genetics and age. But everyone at almost any age should be able to gain some muscle and strength with weight training. Proper nutrition is a crucial element in the muscle building process.

That overeating is not a good idea if you are already overweight is surely something you already know. Get fit first.

When you overeat for the purposes of gaining muscle you also gain some fat. Let’s say you are a slender guy of six feet (180 centimeters) and 154 pounds (70 kilograms) and you want to bulk up with extra muscle and eventually stabilize at a low percentage of body fat.

Here is how you would do it:

1. Overeat. Increase your daily intake of energy (calories) by about 15 percent. You could do this with guesswork or you could work out your normal requirements using various formulae on the net and then increase food intake accordingly. Try Joanne Larsen’s terrific Healthy Body Calculator. It should not be all protein but the extra protein you consume, either in supplements or protein foods, should be low in fat. More on this later in the article, but you should stay close to the current guidelines for protein requirements for weight trainers. Hiring a sports dietitian with some experience in weight training is also an option.
2. Train with weights. Commence a solid weight training program targeting all the main large muscle groups such as the arms, legs, shoulders, chest, back and abdominals. The extra energy you consume will fuel muscle growth as the exercise stimulates growth.
3. Cut, lose, and shed. This mean that you are now bulked up with extra muscle and fat, and you need to lose much of that fat while maintaining the muscle. Gaining fat is somewhat inevitable during this process but you should be especially careful to eat healthy food at this time. Fast foods should be kept to a minimum. Eat healthy but big.

Energy deficit revisited
Remember what I said about catabolism and anabolism previously in relation to weight loss? You are now going to attempt to do just that: shed fat and hold onto the lovely muscle you gained. Your energy intake should now be cut back by the 15 percent you added with the objective of losing fat and maintaining that muscle. Because you’re now not the lean guy you once were, you may have to eventually eat slightly more to maintain that extra muscle, but not right now.

This is a slightly different scenario to someone who is obese, unfit and trying to lose weight and hold muscle. Our young and fit male weight trainer has a more normal hormonal metabolism but he still has to do this correctly. In fact, bodybuilders do this sort of thing regularly to prepare themselves for competition: they put on muscle and some fat by eating up, then they strip off the fat leaving the muscle to show through. It’s called ‘cutting’.

Fat and sugar down, protein up.
In this cutting phase, the diet should be low in fat, around 20 percent, and protein intake should be maintained, which can help protect muscle. For example, if your protein intake was 1 gram/pound of your body weight per day (2.2 grams/kilogram) when you were bulking up and overeating, you would now keep that protein intake constant while cutting excess fat and carbohydrates, particularly added sugar and sweets and white flour products, all the while keeping up the supply of those antioxidants in fruit, veges and whole grains.

Such a nutrition plan could look like this for the macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrate):

Bulking phase
Protein: 15-20%
Fat: 20-30%
Carbohydrate: 50-60%

Cutting phase
Protein: 20-25%
Fat 15-20%
Carbohydrate 55-60%

In either phase, you really don’t want to exceed 1 gram per pound of body weight of protein (2.2 grams/kilogram). A little more probably won’t hurt a healthy person but chances are, based on the science of protein requirements for athletes, it won’t help either – only cost you in expensive supplements or food. Any hint of kidney disease and you would need to be cautious about excessive protein intake. Consult your doctor for advice if this applies.

I emphasize protein intake because the tendency of some male weight trainers is to shovel in the protein in the form of shakes and supplements and the occasional whole turkey without figuring out how much is useful or even how much they are ingesting. The numbers above are actually at the top of the range of possible requirements. The American College of Sports Medicine estimates the requirements for strength trainers at 1.6 to 1.7 grams per kilogram body weight per day (about 0.8 grams per pound). If you don’t do high intensity or long sessions, and only a few days a week, this is likely to be in excess of requirements as well.
Meal Timing for Bodybuilding Diets

Now that you’ve muscled up and got ripped to low body fat levels you’ll want to know the best way to eat and train to stay that way. Eating for elite athletes is taken very seriously by sports nutritionists and coaches – or it should be — because a few fractions of a second in a sprint or a few seconds in longer races can mean the difference between a gold medal and a “thank you for coming”. Even in the amateur ranks it’s just nice to know that you are maximizing your workout by eating in a way that makes the most of your hard work. Meal timing and constitution before and after exercise is an important part of this.
The Pre-exercise Meal

Weight trainers don’t usually expend the amount of energy that a an endurance athlete does in training, so one doesn’t have to be as acutely aware of the intake of carbohydrate required to fuel such effort. For example, a heavy-training marathoner or triathlete may require 7-10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram body weight per day (3-5 grams/pound/bw/day). Take it from me that this is a lot of carbohydrate – more than 32 slices of bread equivalent for a 150 pound (70 kilos) athlete minimum.

Even so, here are some principles for meals prior to exercise as generally supported by sports nutritionists and modified for the strength athlete. Remember, this is for eating before you train or compete.

* Experiment and find your tolerance for various foods before and during exercise. This is important because many of us react differently to fiber, foods like beans, milk, various fruits and so on.
* Eat meals low in fat and fiber with some protein and carbohydrate. Fiber can and should be part of a healthy diet in other meals.
* A main meal should be eaten 3-4 hours before exercise.
* A smaller meal can be taken 1-2 hours before exercise.
* Within an hour of activity, liquids such as sports drinks and gels, or protein shakes or foods that are not too heavy may be best.
* A very small percentage of people get a reactive blood glucose drop if they eat a high carbohydrate meal, so this may not be suitable for some people near to exercise. The number of athletes that suffer from this condition, called hypoglycemia, is much lower than once thought. Adding protein to the meal can prevent this.
* Running type sports seem to churn the gut up and produce discomfort more than stationary or supported sports like weight training, swimming or cycling; so the pre-meal variety can be greater if you’re not a runner. (I still wouldn’t have the goose liver pate followed by the fried chicken and rice though.)
* Consume around 10-20 grams of quality protein within 30-60 minutes of the weights session. Research has shown that an intake of 6-12 grams of essential amino acids, which is equivalent to 10-20 grams of a complete protein, promotes enhanced muscle protein recovery and rebuilding after the workout. One gram per kilogram body weight (about 0.5 grams/pound) of carbohydrate taken with the protein may assist this anabolic boost. Some trainers call this a protein ‘shooter’.

Here are some foods and combinations that provide at least 10 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrate.

* Flavored low-fat milk, 17 fl. ounces (500 ml)
* 1 cup fruit salad with 7 ounces or 200 grams flavored yoghurt
* A large glass of skim milk and two slices of bread and honey or jam (no butter)
* Various protein bars and protein shakes and powders – check the labels for percentages and quantities.

Refueling During a Weights Session

Unless you do extreme sessions for considerably longer than an hour, include intense cardio or strength-endurance weights programs, or ate poorly in the hours leading up to the session, you probably don’t need anything other than water to get you through in good shape. And good shape means not letting your blood and muscle glucose get too low at which point cortisol and other hormones will be looking to break down your muscle.

It’s a fine point but one that’s worth considering. You don’t need expensive and probably useless supplements to protect you from catabolic cortisol surges, all you need is some carbohydrate from a sports drink, gel or bar.
The Post-Exercise Meal

How you eat to recover from exercise is one of the most important principles in exercise nutrition. If you don’t refuel sufficiently after each session, your glucose (glycogen) stores in muscle can get depleted leading to tiredness, poor performance and even immune system suppression and infection. Glucose is the athlete’s and exerciser’s main fuel. You get it from carbohydrate foods and drinks. What’s more, inadequate refueling after your session won’t take advantage of that hard muscle work by giving those muscles an anabolic boost that repairs and builds.

Weight trainers do not use as much glucose fuel as the higher intensity or higher duration aerobic sports like track and endurance running and cycling, but even so, it pays to keep those glycogen stores topped up if you want to be at your best in training. You will notice glucose depletion more after muscle-endurance and hypertrophy programs where higher repetitions, perhaps to failure, are slated rather than the low-rep strength sets where direct ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is likely the main fuel. Low numbers of repetitions with heavy weights are used to develop strength, whereas lighter weights and more repetitions are used to build muscle size and muscle endurance. The latter is likely to expend more energy.

Here is how to recover after your workout.

* Commence recovery nutrition within 30 minutes of completion of the weights session.
* Consume protein as soon as possible: 10-20 grams of quality protein, the same as recommended for the pre-exercise meal.
* Consume carbohydrate as soon as possible: one gram per kilogram body weight (0.5 grams per pound body weight) is a useful starting point. Consume carbohydrate according to the intensity and duration of the workout, including whether you did any aerobic exercise in the session.

Getting the Carbs Right

Move the carbohydrate quantity up or down as you assess your weight and energy levels as you train or compete. Modify carbohydrate intake according to how often or intensely you work out. A one-hour session of combined weights and cardio at moderate to high intensity may require at least 5 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram body weight per day (2.5 grams/pound).

Here are estimates of carbohydrate requirements with weight training the focus. Intensity of exercise over time increases quantities required. If light exercise, choose the lower numbers; only applies to days of exercise; choose higher rates if you mix solid cardio sessions with weights. Estimates only.

– Casual activity – 3-4 grams/kilogram/bodyweight/day (divide by 2.2 for pounds)
– 30-60 mins exercise/day – 4-6 gm/kg/bw/day
– 60-90 minutes exercise/day – 5-7 gm/kg/bw/day
– 120 minutes or more/day — 6-9 gm/kg/bw/day

If you do more than one session each day, the post-exercise snack should be continued for each hour until regular meals resume. This is important to get you up for the later session. Few weight trainers choose to do two weights sessions a day, but some do an early session of cardio and a later session of weights or vice versa.

If you’re serious about this and want to take a precise approach, it’s worth buying one of those little calorie counter books or jumping onto calorieking.com or a similar site to check out how much protein or carbohydrate is in any food.
Getting the Protein Right

You definitely don’t need to consume excessive quantities of protein in any form to build muscle and support your weight training or bodybuilding activity. Try not to exceed 1 gram per pound of body weight of protein daily. That may be a little more than what you will need but you don’t need more than that.
Getting the Balance Right

You do need to eat sufficient food and carbohydrate to sustain your activities. Too little carbohydrate and your body will break down your muscle for glucose and reverse all those hard-gotten gains. Don’t believe advice that says carbohydrates are fattening. Everything is fattening. Don’t eat everything. Still, you can modify your carbohydrate intake for the better by avoiding refined flours, sugars, sweets and other quickly absorbed or processed carbohydrates when you are not exercising intensely.
The Least You Need to Know

Don’t worry too much about the finer detail of calculating quantities if you don’t wish to. The detail is there for those who can use this precision, but most people don’t. Experience and getting to know how your body works is probably more important, as well as trial and error within the information provided here. Check out these main points.

* Eat some protein and carbohydrate about thirty minutes before a session.
* For sessions that proceed considerably longer than an hour at moderate to high intensity, and include cardio, take a sports drink during the session.
* Eat some protein and carbohydrate immediately or within 30 minutes of the end of the session.
* Don’t use protein supplements excessively. You can get the required amount of quality protein from lean chicken, fish, soy, skim milk and some red meat.
* Some weight trainers do better with six smaller meals a day rather than three larger meals. Don’t fret about this; it doesn’t suit everyone. However, always eat breakfast.
* Eat a healthy diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains and quality monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in nuts, seeds and oils.
* Drink plenty of fluids to replace water lost. Beverages like tea and coffee contribute to this. The diuretic effect of these drinks has been overstated.

Supplements in Bodybuilding Diets

Dietary supplements are big business. Some work, some don’t, some affect performance negatively, some are hazardous and some are illegal and will get you banned in international sport. In fact, many are a waste of money and a con.

Protein powder supplements, particularly whey-based supplements, do have a place in supplementation for busy weight trainers, it’s just that they’re not used with precision and knowledge by many, and cheaper solutions may be available. More on that later.

The effectiveness and use of legal supplements in weight training is an extensive subject, which I will address in a series of articles at About Weight Training.
Summing Up Bodybuilding Diets

Precision nutrition for exercise can be complex and that’s why exercise physiologists and sports nutritionists are of great value to sporting teams these days. Even though we keen amateurs and weekend warriors don’t have to worry too much about the split second in a race or the inch of bicep in a bodybuilding competition like the pros do, we can still eat well for our sport and activity. It helps no doubt.

Put these ideas into practice, see if it works for you and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.

A superset is basically the performance of two exercises, carried out one right after the other, for exercises which work certain muscle areas. The possible variations of this method are endless, however. There are several advantages to supersets such as increased workout intensity, elevated cardiovascular efficiency, reduced workout times and less chance of boredom whilst training. Unfortunately there is the factor of overtraining and possible injury if muscles are not warmed up.

Trisets

Trisets are – you guessed it – three exercises done one after the other without stopping. Take a minute’s rest and start again for three sets. Most muscle groups can be worked from at least three angles, so this is a very workable technique. Trisets can be used in two ways; working three angles of a muscle area or working the same angle three ways. For example you could work the overall back with a set of wide-grip chins, followed by seated cable rows and prone hyperextensions. Or specifically target the back thickness with T-bar rows followed by seated cable rows and medium-grip chins for three complete sets. Working the same angle is more intense and depleting. Keep the time spent changing exercises to a minimum and choose your exercises wisely.

Giant Sets

This involves performing four or more exercises for a muscle group without stopping. The exercises are completed consecutively, followed by a 2-minute break, and so on for three complete rounds. This technique is very intense and can quickly lead to overtraining so use it wisely.

Triple-drop sets

This is a well-known and popular technique, and takes your training to the limit. Let’s make an example with the overhead press. Take a barbell loaded with three plates on each side and perform 4-5 reps. Without racking the weight, have a pair of spotters quickly remove a plate from each side (about 25%) and carry on until you can’t do any more reps. Immediately have two more plates removed (another 25%) and keep going until you fail in this last set. This is a very concentrated method so don’t attempt to do too much. Using resistance machines for triple-drop sets is practical because you only need to move the pin to adjust the weight.

Pre-exhaust sets

One of the most exciting and effective techniques for singling out an area, this technique offers complete isolation of a muscle. Let’s imagine you are having trouble hitting the triceps. First work them with an exercise that isolates the triceps, like the triceps pulley pressdown, and then immediately perform the close grip bench press. The triceps will be fatigued from the pulley pressdowns – putting them through the close-grip bench presses will really hit them because the chest (pecs) will be stronger and force them to continue. This method really works.

Rest pause sets

If you are not an experienced and advanced bodybuilder, don’t try this technique just yet. It is extremely intense and results are dramatic. Using your one-rep limit weight, perform one rep and then pause for 15 seconds, racking the weight. After the pause, do another rep and pause 15 seconds. If the weight is too much, reduce it a little. Continue for 6-8 reps. You can use this method for most exercises, but it is more efficient in compound exercises.

You may not be satisfied with the answer, because the truth appears to be profoundly complicated. But here is a brief synopsis about the question ‘is HGH legal?’
Is HGH Legal When Prescribed by a Doctor?

Human growth hormone has been used for decades to promote growth in underdeveloped children and adults as well as for those whose bodies did not create the mandatory minimum of the hormone. But to get human growth hormone in your diet, you needed to get a prescription. As long as you had a prescription for HGH, then yes, HGH was legal for you.
Is HGH somagena Legal for Anti-aging?

Even after its anti-aging properties came out, pure HGH somagena was not legalized for its weight loss properties. This is because there was a significant risk of injuring your pituitary gland if you took too much synthetic hormone. For the people that got it prescribed to them, their pituitary glands were already malfunctioning, so in general it made very little difference. But for those with completely functioning glands, adding a foreign hormone that your body did not create into your bloodstream was simply too high of a risk, and HGH somagena asia pharma has not been legalized for that purpose.
Is HGH Legal bodybuilding or weight loss?

Similar to that of anti-aging, pure synthetic HGH somagena asia pharma has not been made legal for its weight loss and muscle sculpting properties because doctors and scientists are afraid it will damage a functioning gland.
When is HGH Legal?

There are two interesting points to take away from this, however. The first is that HGH somagena asia pharma does indeed have many positive qualities. But the second is that these qualities are never going to see the light of day as long as there is still a danger to damaging your pituitary gland.

However, if you are wondering when HGH somagena is legal, it is in fact completely legal to take HGH boosters – natural supplements that cause you to increase your own HGH production rather than take it from an injection. These supplements are designed to give your body the same amount of human growth hormone but without risk so you can take it and get the same results without risking any chance of injuring your gland.

So if you want to use human growth hormone to improve your health or your workouts, but the answer to ‘is HGH-somagena legal’ to your question is no, you should use a safe and effective HGH booster like Sytropin.

With the 2010 Mr. Olympia, the biggest bodybuilding spectacular on the planet, speeding toward us at warped speed, “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” has taken notice.

On Wednesday at 4 p.m. EST, ESPN2’s SportsNation will showcase the IFBB Pro League’s elite — Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson, Kai Greene, Hidetada Yamagishi and Dennis Wolf — as they discuss NFL football and, of course, the 2010 Mr. Olympia on September 24-25. It’s an incredible opportunity for the sport of bodybuilding to reach a broader audience while offering a handful of the finest pros in the game a well-deserved spotlight on national TV.

Said Heath, “I have a chance to be recognized as a top bodybuilder by ESPN, and it’s definitely a moment I’ll never forget. I’m very excited to represent the IFBB Pro League and its fans in something that hasn’t been done in more than a decade. I’d like to thank FLEX, Muscle & Fitness and ESPN for making this Big Kid’s dream come true!”

Added Jackson, “It’s awesome, man. I can’t even tell you how cool this feels. I’m a sports fanatic, so anything we talk about, I’m down. I’m ready to rock!”

WHAT: 2010 Mr. Olympia’s elite on ESPN2’s SportsNation
WHEN: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 4 p.m. EST
WHO: Dexter Jackson, Kai Greene, Phil Heath, Hidetada Yamagishi and Dennis Wolf