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As you may know, there are many techniques to getting ripped and building muscle. To look really good you may want to use a gym to help you on your journey. However, you could be wasting your time doing the wrong exercises the wrong way time and money. You should do these top mass building workouts to get closer to your goals quickly.

Read on to find out the right exercises you need to be doing immediately to build a nice mass and look great.

Squats

Squats are great in developing stronger legs. When doing this type of exercise, it's important that you follow the right technique and form. Much like with other exercises, form and technique plays a huge role in the effectiveness of your routine.

Make sure your back is arched when using a barbell when doing squats. Your chest should be out; your head tilted back (or looking up during the set); and feet a little wider than shoulder width.

Doing it the right way will make executing the exercise a whole lot easier.

Bench press

Bench presses are considered as the bread and butter of people who want to develop really strong and big chests. If you walk in a gym, you'll notice that most guys are doing this. However, you'll also notice that not everyone has the proper form.

Without proper form, not only will these people not develop chest muscles, you can also hurt yourself. Also, don't be like the other guys who only wish to brag about how much weight they can take so they pack their bars with so much weight and start lifting.

This would not help that much because these folks are more than likely got to throw the weights. Doing it this way will not use the muscles in your chest.

What needs to be done instead is to lower the bar to your chest real slow and then easily push it up towards your head. Ask any trainer and they will tell you that the negatives, or the force you feel when you slowly lower the weights, help a lot in developing and strengthening the muscles. You'll get more results by gently lowering the bar.

Deadlifts

Doing deadlifts can improve your mid to lower back. These are a few workouts that you need to do later on in your exercise program. You'll build thickness and strengthen the muscles in your back with this exercise.

Again, doing it the right way is very important. You should keep your feet apart and your back arched.

Straight Leg Deadlifts

Doing leg deadlifts will target your hamstrings. This is one of those that are really simple to do with the right form. Remember to stick your butt out, arch your back, have your chest up, and head tilted back. When you lower the weight down, always remember to stick your butt out and bend at the hips.

Military Presses

Military presses are great for developing the shoulders. You can choose between pressing the weight behind or in front of your neck. Do whatever pleases you. You just have to remember that your forearms need to be completely perpendicular to the bar and your back and butt should be pressed against the seat.

Some people think that building bigger muscles would require doing so many complicated exercise routines. It doesn't work that way. You can still get great with not much exercise as long as you do the right techniques with the right form. These top mass building workouts should help you go from being scrawny to bulky.

Posted in Build Muscle, Workout Routines, Workouts

As the largest muscle group, at least in the upper body, the chest muscles require specific targeted exercises. Known as pectoralis, or "pecs", the chest muscles are fan shaped and rather thick. Since these muscles are so big, the only real way to effectively build them is by using heavy weight and dedicating a day in the gym to their development.

An important note: the pecs are considered pushing muscles. This means that they tie in very closely with your arms and shoulders - specifically your deltoids and triceps. After completing your chest workout routine, it is natural to feel that these other muscle groups have been worked a bit as well. Also, you should know that the amount of weight used in your workout directly effects the spread, depth, and size of your pecs.

A quick overview of exercises that target the pecs:

Bench Press - this is definitely the "go-to" chest exercise. As there are many different ways to do this, lets review the basics. While laying on a flat bench, use a wide grip on the bar. Lower the bar to your upper chest/lower neck area. Repeat.

This exercise is diverse. Changing the grip and where the bar is lowered to changes the area of the muscle that is impacted (inner, outer, upper, lower). Also, using a decline or incline bench will effect different areas of the muscle.

Dumbbell Exercises - free weights can be used to imitate a number of machine and bar exercises. For example, I like to use dumbbells to do incline bench press. They work well for flies, which are a great exercise for stretching the muscle.

Parallel Bar Dips - this one is tough if you have never done it before. With hands placed at shoulders width apart, lower your and raise your body between a set of parallel bars. Widening the hands places more stress on the outer pecs and deltoids.

Pushups - this is another classic yet super effective chest exercise. When you think about it, these simply imitate the bench press but use your bodyweight instead of a bar.

It is agreed upon in the exercise community that a good chest workout routine begins with the heavier weight exercises such as the bench press, works on through dumbbell exercises, and finishes with bodyweight exercises.

Take it to the next level!

Posted in Chest Workouts, Workout Routines, Workouts

If you are trying to build muscle, you need to know all about workout routines. Different workout exercises stimulate certain muscle growth. To build certain muscles, you need to know what exercises target that area for growth. Here is a list of common workout routines and the areas and muscles they target.

Bench press

The bench press is one of the most common workout routines. You lay on a flat bench and lift a barbel weight. The bench-press works the pectorals, deltoids, triceps, and biceps. Your feet should be flat on the ground and your shoulder blades need to be close together.

Bicep curls

Bicep curls are usually done with a dumbbell, but some people use EZ bars and barbells for this exercise. Curls target your biceps and some parts of your triceps for elbow support. There are literally hundreds of variations to the curl exercise that you can use in your workout routine.

Leg raises

Leg raises are a great workout for your abdominal region. You lay flat on your back, raise your legs straight in the air, and lower them slowly without touching the ground. The exercise is easier--and less effective--if you bend your legs a little.

Running

Running not only builds abdominal muscles, it also burns fat. Millions of people choose running as their exercise of choice. However, there are proper and improper ways to run. Make sure that the shoes your wear to run supports your posture. Also, learn to control your breathing, so you won't tire so easily.

Push-ups

If you do not have gym equipment available, push-ups are a great alternative. Push-ups work your biceps, triceps, pectorals, and abdominal muscles. They also work your back's muscles to some degree. Because they can be done almost anywhere, push-ups are very convenient.

Chin-ups

Chin-ups work your triceps and back. Many gyms and parks will have bars in place for chin-up workouts. If you do not want to go to a gym, there are at home products you can use to do chin-ups.

Squats

Squats will work your calves and thighs. Just like push-ups, you can do squats almost anywhere.

These are few exercises that should be a part of your workout routine. These exercises will build muscle, burn fat and build strength. However, it is important to change your routine or vary the exercise styles to maintain muscle growth. A lot of the exercises listed are easy to do, but very effective.

Posted in Bodybuilding training, Workout Routines, Workouts

As a newcomer to muscle building, seeing all the various machines and stations in a well equipped gym can be daunting. To further confuse the would be bodybuilder is to see people performing all kinds of different movements in their quest to build the perfect body. Where to begin?

The first step is to determine what your goals are. If you're in the weight room I can assume that you are at least looking to build muscle. I will also assume that you want to improve your size, strength and appearance, which would mean you are interested in bodybuilding and not strength training or power lifting. With this in mind the second step is to determine where you are as a bodybuilder. Bodybuilding is a continuum, and beginners can fall along that continuum in a few different spots. This article is for true beginners, defined as someone that has no base built yet (meaning you have less than 3-6 months, depending on age, of continuous lifting). With that in mind here are the absolute MUST DO exercises for you:

Military Press. This exercise works the shoulders and triceps.

Bench Press. This exercise works the chest, triceps and some shoulder.

Seated Row. This exercise works all the back muscles, biceps and some trapezius.

Lat Pull Down. This exercise works the large muscles of the back and biceps.

Squat. This works every muscle you have below the waist.

Notice that each of these exercises is a compound move, meaning it works more than one muscle at a time. Beginners should never spend time on isolation exercises, including bicep curls. By definition isolation moves are an advanced exercise and until you have a foundation built you are wasting valuable energy as well as time doing them. Beginners need to get bang for the lift.

When do you stop being a beginner? Obviously it varies according to age but the rule of thumb I use for people is when you can do all 5 of these exercises in a single workout, 3 times a week and not experience the "beginner's soreness" anymore. If you are a seasoned lifter you get muscle soreness differently than beginning lifters. Until you have a foundation the soreness you feel is one that is actually restrictive of your range of motion and you don't "feel" stronger workout to workout. Veteran lifters get sore but it's a "good "sore. You'll know the difference. Only then should you start adding to these 5 foundation building moves.

Posted in Workout Routines, Workouts

The best exercises for all nine of the major muscle groups is really up for debate. Some trainers will not agree with my list which is okay. These are the staple exercises of most people's routines. In alphabetical order we have:

1. Best Exercises for Abs

Most will argue you have to do crunches, decline sit-ups and that is it. I would add any move that takes your knees towards your head like hanging knee raises and leg raises. Twisting moves will work the obliques as well so add in twisting crunches.

2. Back Exercises

Wide grip and reverse grip pull downs are good choices. As are both types of rowing movements: barbell and one-arm dumbbell rows. A combination move to work more than just your back can be effective so use dumbbell pullovers.

3. Best Exercises for Biceps

I love working arms as do most guys. Using a variety of moves to hit them at different angles is important so use seated and incline dumbbell curls, standing barbell curls and hammer curls.

4. Calves

Work this muscle group to failure using seated and standing calf raises, one-leg calf raise. Like biceps, change the angle and point your toes in or out to work the muscle differently.

5. Best Exercises for Chest

You can't go wrong here with the four most popular best exercises - barbell and dumbbell bench press, dumbbell incline bench press and of course dumbbell flyes.

6. Hamstring

Legs are tough on you psychologically because it can hurt working big muscles. In this case, use dumbbell lunges, leg curls (standing and laying) and the best one of all, straight leg deadlifts. Deadlifts will work more than just legs - your core, back and shoulders will all be involved.

7. Best Exercises for Quads

Using machines is not always a bad thing so try leg press and leg extensions for starters. The best one is still squats so try variations like barbell squats (on shoulders in front) as well as dumbbell squats.

8. Shoulders

You will normally try to hit all three areas: front, middle and back deltoids. Overall moves include seated dumbbell press and standing barbell press then isolate areas with dumbbell raises - side, bent-over and front variations.

9. Best Exercises for Triceps

Great biceps need solid triceps with definition to show them off. I really like standing and lying dumbbell extensions, bench dips and close-grip pushdowns.

You will notice links in each section above. I have previously done a complete exercise description for these separate articles. Each link will take you to them. Enjoy your workouts!

Posted in Build Muscle, Workout Routines, Workouts

Here's an easy to follow 3 day a week routine. You can definitely learn how to build muscle quickly with this routine. Matter of fact, it's much more effective for muscle gaining compared to the typical 5 day a week routines.

Learning how to build muscle quickly is dependent on rest and recovery. A 3 day routine allows for proper rest and recover to take place, which will maximize gains. Let's get started:

MONDAY - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps. 

• Bench Press (barbell or dumbells) 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Pec Dec Machine - 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Shoulder Press (barbell or dumbells) - 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Shoulder Laterals - 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Tricep Pushdowns - 2 sets for 10-12 reps

WEDNESDAY - Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves) 

• Squats or Leg Press - 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Leg Extensions - 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Leg Curls - 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Calf raises - 2 sets for 10-12 reps

FRIDAY - Back, Biceps, Forearms 

• barbell row - 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Lat Pulldowns - 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Bicep Barbell or Dumbbell Curls - 2 sets for 10-12 reps
• Reverse Curls - 2 sets for 10-12 reps

This is the basis for the 3 day workout. Exercises may be added, or excluded depending on one's own preference and recovery ability. The days do not have to be set up in a Monday, Wednesday, Friday manner. Basically any three days, with one day separating each workout, and two full days of rest. This is an excellent and straight forward way to learn how to build muscle quickly. Give it a try!

Posted in Muscle Mass, Workout Routines, Workouts

The overtraining myth is something that almost everyone starting out in fitness hits at one point of their journey. It is only natural that when someone enters into a gym for the first time, or takes their first time admission in an aerobics class that he or she becomes enthusiastic about different kinds of training. In an eager effort he or she starts doing strenuous exercises or doing long sessions, 7 days a week right from the beginning and this is a perfect example of the overtraining myth. Resultantly, the body could not bear this sudden and extreme change and starts suffering in the form of muscular tension or sore muscles. In such a case the recovery can take more than usual time. Overtraining myth takes place when either the work load is too much or the rest time or recovery time is too low.

Due to this reason the person starts deviating from the physical activity without realizing that no exercise or physical activity is to be blamed for all this, rather it is overtraining myth that has left him or her with stress on the body and strain on the brain. The tension thus created can lead to depression and longer durations of bad mood, which impart negative effects on overall health.

It's never advisable to do too much too early. The philosophy of slow and steady wins the race has realistic and practical implications. We can observe that constant ticking of the clock, second by second, converts into minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and ultimately years. The sun rises from the east, moves moment by moment throughout the day and reaches to the west at the end of the day. These facts are being presented just for the purpose of exemplifying the case. You need to move with an appropriate and gradual pace. Learn the lesson of being constant and steady from these universal processes.

• Intensity of Training

Regarding the intensity of the training you should always remember that a good workout gives you the feeling of hard work and it raises your heat rate to a certain level, you start feeling exertion and your body signals you of something that is out of routine. A slightly higher intensity workout causes tiny tears in your muscle fibers. After the training session these tears get repaired and grow back a little larger only when your body fully recovers from the training.

• Low Intensity Training

The disadvantage with low intensity exercise is that it doesn't cause any tears in muscle fibers and as a result no growth occurs in the muscles. By low intensity we mean that you are not using the right weights, doing fewer reps or taking long rests between the sets. Naturally, if the muscles can handle a weight conveniently in their original state, there will not be any need for them to grow bigger and stronger to carry on with the same weights.

• High Intensity Training

If the intensity of training is too high, it directly means that the muscles are not getting sufficient time to grow back and recover and that can cause the overtraining myth to set in. In terms of bodybuilding the overtraining myth can be a cause from training a muscle group before it has had time to get fully recovered from the last session. This can happen if you are training each body part 2-3 times a week. As a natural rule a muscle takes 24 to 48 hours to recover after the training. The real growth, in muscles, starts after this period. For the same reason an expert trainer never recommends you to repeat the exercise of same muscle groups before a lapse of 3 days no matter how inclined you feel to repeat the exercise. They understand, if the muscles are put to work again after a little margin, no growth or development will take place, thus the purpose of exercise will be without any fruit rather it will cause fatigue, tiredness or soreness.

Posted in Build Muscle, Workout Routines, Workouts

Many people workout without really knowing what exercises really add muscle size. All workouts will help you add some muscle, but certain ones add considerable amount of muscle mass. I like to call these the basic exercises for getting big.

Most beginners should start out with these first before moving on to another. Please use strict form and start off with light weight. Take your time while lifting and use full range of motion through out the exercise.

Squat

The squat is by far one of the best exercise you can do for developing muscle. It increases size in the legs and overall body size. This one movement can pack on loads of muscle when done right. I know many people who do just squats for building the lower part of the body.

Bench Press

I love the bench press. It's my favorite exercise to build the chest. Not only does it work the chest, but also develops the shoulders, triceps and abdominal. I recommend adding this to your workout routine to add size to your chest. People can also use dumbbells or barbells to do this exercise.

Dead Lifts

The deadlift is also a great exercise to add to your routine. It works the whole body, especially the back, legs and abdominal. Please be careful with this exercise. You must use strict form and take your time with this one.

Military Press

This is definitely a shoulder builder. If you want big size shoulders this is a must to add to the workout plan. Please start off light then add more weight as you get stronger. This exercise also works the triceps and some of the back.

Wide Grip Pull Downs

Mainly a back exercise this will give you that V-Shaped look. If the person is looking for a defined back muscles, add this to your workout schedule. You will be happy with the results. Also by changing hand position from wide to narrow the individual will be targeting different back muscles.

Barbell Or Dumbbell Curls

Looking for larger arms, bulging biceps. This one exercise can add muscle mass to the arms. Arms are fairly east to grow and curls will do the job. When doing standing curls do not swing back and forth. Lower the amount of weight and stay straight up when doing curls.

Triceps Press

Another arm building exercise. This one will make the back of the arm huge. The back of the arm called the triceps makes up two- thirds of the arm. Most people think the bicep is the biggest part of the arm. That's incorrect the triceps are. Build that part and you will have very large arms.

If you add the exercises I explained to your workout routines you should see an increase in muscle size and definition to your body.

I'm writing this article to help you realize how important exercise and nutrition is to your overall health and physical appearance. Exercise and nutrition helps with arthritis, diabetes, depression, motivation, weight loss, lowering cholesterol, flexibility and muscle definition.

Posted in Muscle Mass, Workout Routines, Workouts

The six pack abs achievement is something that everyone wants, but very few people actually ever attain. Why is that? Well, it's really hard! It takes great discipline and effort to get them. Most people just get frustrated and give up on them after a few months of trying. But, if you know what you're doing, you'll be much more likely to actually get great abs. Getting six pack abs pretty much boils down to two main points. Stick to these two guidelines, and I guarantee you'll have great abs soon!

The first thing to remember is that diet is absolutely essential for your abs. I'd say that what you eat is almost more important then doing regular ab exercises. It is so often underestimated when really the kind of food you're eating makes all the difference in having abs or not. So, what kind of diet do you need to follow to get good abs? It's not rocket science, I'll say that. It's pretty much common sense. Eat healthy, and stay away from lots of carbs and fat.

When I say eat healthy I mean you need to have at least 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies everyday. Stick with leafy green vegetabls high in fiber and other nutrients. For your protein in your meals, you want to have lean meats, like turkey, chicken and fish. Do not eat a lot of red meat, as that has a higher fat content. Eggs are also good to eat for a source of protein. Protein supplements can also be a good thing; take a supplement of protein once or twice and day and that will keep your muscles fueled with the protein they need to build themselves up.

If you keep your diet low in fat, you are going to lose fat from your midsection (when you're exercising regularly) and that is what gets you the six pack. Everyone has the muscles there, it's just that most people have too much fat covering them up.

The second guideline for six pack abs is to stick to ab exercises and cardio exercise at least 3 times a week. This way, you are getting your heart rate up and burning calories. You don't need to do a ton of abs exercises; really, like 2-3 different exercises with a a few sets of each will be enough. Consistency is the important thing, as they must be performed on a regular basis to stay strong and lean.

Follow these two guidelines and you will be well on your way to a great stomach that turns heads!

Posted in Abdominal Exercises, Abs Workouts, Workout Routines, Workouts

Lots of people are health conscious now and strive to maximize their health via correct diet and exercise. One of the most used tools in the goal to become as healthy as possible are protein shakes, especially with bodybuilders and athletes. However many people wonder exactly what they are doing to their body by drinking many grams of highly processed protein every day.

Fortunately most people will not experience any side effects when consuming a typical amount of protein on a daily basis. By usual I mean around 1 or 2 shakes. This will result in around 50 to 70 grams of protein consumed from protein powder which your body can easily handle. Although there are athletes out there that ingest hundreds of grams of protein powder in protein shakes on a daily basis. Will these people experience any side effects?

Well to start we have to realize the possible side effects of protein. Most protein is made from egg, milk or soy sources with milk being the main ingredient found in whey protein. It just so happens that these three foods are some of the most allergenic. So you could probably have side effects from drinking protein powder on that basis alone.

Also for those that are eating large quantities of protein there is a definite risk of kidney stones. Many people that have experienced kidney stones describe it as being one of the most horrible things that they have ever been through so you really want to avoid getting them if possible. So if you eat excessive amounts of protein you will also want to ingest a lot of water as well. This will help flush out your kidneys to avoid the stones from forming.

Another possible protein powder side effect is an increase of the acidity of your blood. This happens because of the over consumption of protein and your body will have to reduce the acidity of your blood by increasing calcium levels. Where does this calcium come from? Why your bones of course. So this will increase your chances of breaking a bone and also forming kidney stones. Ouch.

So in summary protein powder is basically safe but as with anything else done in excess it can have side effects. To avoid any side effects just consume the manufacturers recommended serving size and you will lower your probability. Your body can only ingest 40 grams of protein at a time anyway so you will prevent wasting your protein as well.

Posted in Supplements, Whey Protein, Workout Routines

It seems that if we want to improve ourselves today, we want everything to happen right now, on the fast track. We want change, but we wanted it yesterday. Everything is bigger, faster and stronger. We don't stop at normal anymore but instead we push on to the extreme. Our pain relief pill comes in extra strength, our workday requires an energy drink, weight-loss supplements promise faster results and our car's oil changes ought to be instantaneous. Our culture requires immediate and quick change, and we now have come to expect it.

Our technique to bodybuilding is the same, we wish to see results and we need to see them now. Fitness enthusiasts in addition to body builders are all united by a common goal of improving their bodies however, for most of us muscle gain is really a slow and tough process. This frustrates many of us, so we look for methods to obtain the exact same outcomes faster. We look toward increasing the frequency of our workouts, taking additional supplements, ordering the latest wave of energy drink, training harder or lifting more. But do any of these actually hold the key to success? They actually don't and I'll explain why.

Many up-and-coming bodybuilders discover this same frustration. They fall into the thought that a lot more training will increase their muscle mass quickly. This overenthusiastic method often leads new bodybuilders to start spending far more time at the gym. They move to a daily workout and brag about how often they go exercise. Their workouts continue to get longer and longer and the weights heavier and heavier.

More training is not always better.

Your entire body requires time to not merely recover from a exercising but also to grow. Unfortunately over-training is often a common result for people not allowing their muscles to fully recover prior to beginning to train them again. Normally each body part should only be trained twice a week to allow sufficient time to recover and grow in between workouts. Some short, specialized routines may well serve as exceptions, but most men and women have to allow their entire body time to grow and recover. Bodybuilders ought to only work each body part twice per week as well as limit their total workouts to five times per week. This will allow you to reach your very best results in gaining muscle.

It is essential to remember that even with the most optimal training schedule, building actual muscle mass and overall strength takes time, patience and consistency. Just before beginning, always check with your doctor. Start slowly having a manageable training schedule and increase gradually over time to more intense workouts. Also remember to have a spotter or trainer with you especially from the beginning. Enjoy the little improvements and gradual growth and know you will be giving yourself the best tools for overall success. You will get the benefits you want without having negative setbacks. Discover the appropriate exercise balance for you.

I hope this article was helpful for you to set-up your exercise schedule. I wish you good health and success!

Posted in Bodybuilding training, Workout Routines, Workouts

To build broad, defined pectorals get off the flat bench once and awhile and perform some exercises that target your inner pecs. Popular chest exercises like push-ups and chest presses develop the middle of your chest. Do not stop doing these exercises because they build the biggest part of your chest muscles; simply mix in one to two inner pec exercises per workout.

Cable Crossovers

Cable crossovers are a unique chest exercise that targets the pecs using a cable crossover machine. This particular machine has two weight stacks each with a high, middle and low pulley. To perform a cable crossover, stand in the center of the machine with your arms outstretched to the sides and holding a handle of a cable at head height. Turn your palms to face forward. Take one small step forward so that your hands are slightly behind you. Then pull your arms forward and down, crossing them in front of your abdomen. Reverse the motion.

Cable crossovers are one of the best exercises for developing your inner pecs because your arms cross. Due to the wide range of motion during this exercise you also develop your lower and outer pecs. Another benefit of this exercise is that the cables are attached to separate weight stacks so neither side of your pecs can perform more work than the other. Sometimes, your stronger side overpowers your weak side and lifts more of the weight when both arms work against the same resistance. Simulate this exercise at home using two resistance bands.

Pec Deck Machine

The pec deck machine allows you to isolate your pecs and lift heavier weights because of the support offered by the machine. To really hit your inner pecs, squeeze your chest extra hard when you bring your arms together. Begin by sitting on the pec deck machine with your back pressed against the seat and your feet on the floor. Place your arms against the pec deck's padded arms with your elbows bent and palms facing away from you. Press your arms forward and then inward until they touch. Reverse the motion.

A tip for performing this exercise correctly is to keep your back flush against the back pad throughout the entire exercise. Do not let it arch. Also, do not elevate your shoulders or bring your head forward.

Pullover to Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press is a classic inner pec targeting exercise, but there is a variation that may work even better: combining a pullover with a close-grip bench press. Begin lying on a bench and hold a barbell with a narrow grip approximately 12 to 15 inches apart. Bend your arms to 90-degree angles and bring the bar overhead. Next, pull the barbell in an arch toward your abdomen. Bring the barbell back above your chest and then press the barbell upward.

Selecting Your Weights

Choosing the correct amount of weight for each exercise ensures that you develop your pecs fully. The right amount of weight for you is whatever amount allows you to complete a set with correct form, but prohibits you from doing additional reps. To develop the inner pecs, use a weight that fatigues your chest within six to 12 reps. Choose one or two inner pec exercises per workout and hit the chest three days a week.

Adding these exercises into your usual chest routine bulks up your inner pecs so that your middle pecs do not stick out unnaturally. Also include in your routine some incline and decline exercises to target your upper and lower pecs. Varying your exercises helps creates a chest worthy of bodybuilding competitions.

Posted in Build Muscle, Workout Routines, Workouts

Before I even discuss whether chin ups or pull ups is better, let us first distinguish the important difference between the two. With chin ups, your palms are facing toward you and your hands are in general closer together. Pull ups are done with your palms facing away from you and typically your hands are spread further apart.

Chin Ups Vs Pull Ups- And The Winner is...

To be honest there is no winner as it depends on what your goal is. Both are great compound exercises which target many muscles of the upper back, biceps and also other muscles such as the chest and shoulders which you may of not even thought it did. To make the most out of a compound movement, you will want to work the largest muscles groups and also have a wide range of motion. Pull ups win hands down when it comes down to working the larger muscle groups such as the lats. Chin ups are better than pull ups when it comes to range of motion and also works your bicep muscles more. As you can see they both have their benefits and in my opinion if you want to really get a bigger and stronger back and biceps you should really be doing both.

Some Tips For Getting Better At Chin Ups And Pull Ups

When it comes to getting better at an exercise, your first course of action is to make sure you are using proper form. For both of them you want to make sure you are gripping the bar tight, and also "packing" your shoulders into your body. Make sure that you use your lat muscles when pulling yourself up. A lot of people make the mistake of using their arms, your arms should just be hooks with your armpit muscles pulling you up clearing your chin of the bar. You can also cross your legs and squeeze your butt to use an irradiation technique which borrows strength from neighbouring muscles.

The next tip I am going to offer you to get better at chin ups and pull ups is to practice often. You should aim to practice chin ups and pull ups at least 3 times a week, but I would suggest even more. You should mix it up between a high volume of training from 20-25 reps for endurance and some low volume training to increase your strength. For strength training, do not go to failure and use a weight you can do about 5 reps on and do 3.

Posted in Muscle Mass, Workout Routines, Workouts

Higher reps for building muscle? No way. All conventional wisdom and general census is that lower reps with higher weights will result in muscle gain, strength and size increases, while higher reps lean and tone muscle. But to what extent is this true?While you might not build any weight doing 30 easy reps of 5 lbs weights for your bench press, higher reps can be very useful when it comes to increasing size.

The truth is that people aren't all created equal. Some people find it easier to put on muscle mass while others don't. Ever heard the term hard-gainer? Biology of the matter is that there are 2 main differences in the genetic make up of individuals that dictate their ability to gain muscle. So yes, your genes do have a role to play in your size. But you already knew that. What you didn't know was that even if your genes shout out "You're a skinny guy", with the right type of training, diet and rest, you can overcome your body's resistance to building muscle and actually gain muscle quite well.

What does this mean for the higher reps myth? Well Research has concluded that "hard-gainers" or that genetic group that does not stack on muscle easily responds very well to higher reps training than to the lower rep ranges. I, for one found that my body put on more muscle mass when I did 15 rep full body circuits than when I did the 5 rep circuits with much heavier weights.

Higher reps are not the enemy of a hard-gainer trying to gain muscle mass. In fact higher reps might be exactly what your routine needs and what it is lacking. In addition to this, you probably know that muscles react by growing to new challenging stimuli. Whether it maybe a need for greater endurance, greater speed, or greater strength. The muscle fibers will be stimulated to grow when pushed to their limits within any of these parameters.

In essence, for optimal results, it is best to get a range of all different work outs. High weights with low reps, or lower weights with higher reps. That way you can consistently stimulate all different types of muscle fibers to grow. Keep changing your work out routines every 4-6 weeks by changing the resistance, set or rep range, or even by switching between full body and split training. This will keep your muscles challenged and force them into constant adaptation and growth.

Do not simply focus on one weight training routine that one big guy in the gym told you works for him. Switch things around ensure that your muscles are challenged in all possible ways. Do not ignore the higher reps because you are afraid you will get leaner but instead incorporate higher reps into your work outs and observe the effect they too can have on your training.

As a side note however, do keep in mind that when using high rep ranges, continue to use weights that challenge you at that rep range. Though the dumbbells may be a lot lighter on a 15 rep work out than an 8 rep work out, make sure your muscles still find it difficult to complete the 15 reps. Increase the intensity and switch things up and you will surely gain muscle.

Posted in Build Muscle, Workout Routines, Workouts