Complete Chest And Triceps Workout

Most chest and bench press workouts are boring. Random sets by random reps, blah, blah, blah. You’ve tried them, made OK progress and moved on.

But you want more than “OK progress.” You’re hungry for gains. Bench press gains. Chest gains. Tricep gains.

Let’s be real here. Having a weak bench press sucks. There’s nothing worse than hitting the gym and struggling to push up 200 pounds. This type of weakness is embarrassing. And when your arm size sucks too… double whammy.

I’ve always preferred training two muscle groups in one session. With every gym session, I usually train a large muscle group and a small muscle group and spend about 90 minutes in the gym altogether.

Chest Workout

Bench Press (Barbell) – 4 Sets/8-12 Reps
Incline Bench Press (Barbell) – 4 Sets/8-12 Reps
Weighted Push-ups – 3 Sets / 8-12 Reps
Dumbbell Pullovers – 3 Sets /8-12 Reps
Standing Cable Flyes – 3 Sets / 10-12 Reps

Triceps Workout

Flat Bench Triceps Extension – 3 Sets / 10-12 Reps
Overhead Rope Extensions – 3 Sets / 10-12 Reps
Dips (Weighted Dips) – 3 Sets / 10-12 Reps
Triceps Cable Pushdown – 3 Sets / 10-12 Reps
Overhead Dumbbell Extensions – 3 Sets / 10-12 Reps

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Big Back & Biceps Muscle Building Workout

Despite the growth of exercise styles like CrossFit, circuit training, and group training, split routines will never go out of style. Why? Because they get results.

Most back exercises require you to pull the weight you're lifting towards your body. Doing so incorporates your biceps. This makes it very common for weightlifters to exercise their back and biceps on the same day. If you want to begin a back and biceps workout, plan to perform this workout once per week. This allows time for your back and bicep muscles recuperate properly and grow back bigger and stronger.

The Back and Biceps workout :

Biceps

Barbell Biceps Curl – 4 x 8-12

Incline Dumbbell Biceps Curl – 4 x 8-12

Cross-Body Hammer Curls – 4 x 12

Back

Underhand-Grip Barbell Rows – 4 x 8-12

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns – 4 x 8-12

Pull-Ups – 4 x 8-10

Back Extension – 4 x 12

Some notes:

Before starting the biceps curls do a couple of warm-up sets, without going to failure. When doing the pull-ups perform the eccentric(negative) part of the movement slowly, going for 4 to 5 seconds on each rep until you reach full extension at the bottom. You can even use and assisted pull-up machine if you are having trouble finishing all the reps.

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7 Biggest Back Training Mistakes

It’s complicated. Combining ball-and-socket joints that allow maximum arm mobility, a ribbon of snaking bones and nerves that divide the region down the middle, and a phalanx of big and small muscles spread from your butt to your neck, your back is your most complex bodypart. So it’s little wonder that many bodybuilders earn failing grades for training it. A lot of things can go wrong, but we’ve simpli- fied the list to a top seven. 

#1 Leaning Back As You Pull

Whether you’re doing pulldowns or rows, it’s not uncommon to see bodybuilders see-sawing their body in an effort to move weights that are simply too heavy. That motion turns a lat exercise into a lower-back move, and guess which muscle group is doing less work because of the added momentum? That completely defeats the purpose. Swallow your pride and lessen the weight a few plates. It’s okay to bend forward or backward about 10 degrees, but anything more reduces the emphasis on the target muscle and increases your risk of injury.


#2 Neglecting Elbow Position

Exercises such as one-arm dumbbell rows, close-grip seated cable rows and close-grip pulldowns are all back training favorites, but there’s a big problem doing them all in the same workout: They miss the upper lats (the meaty area that accentuates your V-taper). When doing those moves, the elbows stay in tight to the body so that the lower lats are more heavily engaged. Always consider elbow position: With your elbows out wide and away from your sides, the upper lats are more effectively recruited. Wide-grip pull-ups and pulldowns and wide-grip rows more effectively target this region. Make sure to include moves in which your elbows are both tight to your sides and away from your torso in your back workout to hit all areas.


#3 Not enough compound movements

Over reliance on machines is probably the biggest error. Using a machine takes all the stablilsing muscles out of the equation. Machines may be more comfortable and lock you into a safe position, but a freer range of motion is generally superior for muscle stimulation.

Fix it:
Deadlifts
Rows
T bars
Cables
Chin ups

#4 Not Feeling the Muscles

Quite often people perform lat exercises either in one of two ways. They’re either training without regards to feeling their lats actually performing most of the work and squeezing well, or they’re performing exercises in search of wider lats without it actually being a good lat-targeting exercise.
It is important to find which exercises stimulate your lats well, and stick to those. Continual progression over time should lead to some good lats. If you look like a cobra at any point during a back exercise, it’s a safe bet that it’s a pretty effective exercise.

#5 Neglecting the lower back

One area not mentioned in our preceding rundown is spinal erectors. That’s because the most common problem here is not in missing the target, it’s in failing to even try. It is true that your lower back is stimulated during virtually any standing exercise, but to maximize the size and strength of your lower erector set, you need some isolation time, too.

 #6 Not Pulling Your Elbows Far Enough Back

You’d never dream of loading up the squat bar and going down just a few inches (well, with the exception of dedicated partial reps), but that’s effectively what’s happening when you try and row weights that are too heavy. In the rowing motion, for a full contraction you need to pull your elbows as far behind the plane of your back as possible, retracting your shoulder blades as you squeeze the target muscle. Going too heavy limits the range of motion. While you may not be able to fulfill the full range of motion toward the end of a heavy set, make sure you’re using a weight that at least enables you to get 5–6 complete reps on your own.

#7 MISSING THE TARGET

Because your back is such a vast and complicated muscle group, there is much confusion about how to best train various areas. Many believe you simply need to pull your hands to the area you want to stimulate — low for lower lats, high for upper lats, etc. — but it’s not that easy to hit the target.

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The 5 Best Exercises to Build Monster Traps

Monster traps command respect from those around you. They can transform an ordinary physique into an exceptional one. They’re associated with power because most of the movements that grow our traps are big, powerful exercises. Look at history’s great deadlifters or Olympic lifters, what do they have in common? Massive, powerful traps.

But a lot of lifters are clueless about how to build those gargantuan traps. They add in a few sets of dumbbell shrugs at the end of shoulder day and wonder why their traps just won’t grow.

1. Deadlift

Deadlifts should be the staple of EVERYONE’S workout. Try all different variations: conventional barbell deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, dumbbell deadlifts, wide-grip deadlifts, deficit deadlifts, rack pulls. The list goes on and on. The deadlift is the best exercise for the whole posterior chain, and it is a fantastic way to pack on mass to your traps.

2. Shrugs

Shrugs are the go-to exercise to isolate the traps. Make sure you keep your arms straight and pull only using your traps. DON’T roll your shoulders. Let the weight pull your arms down and stretch the traps, followed by a hard squeeze at the top. Try with a barbell or dumbbells. Also try while lying face down on an incline bench. Get creative and force your traps to grow.

3.The Clean

One needs only to look at an accomplished Olympic lifter to see the effect the clean has on the traps. This lift works the traps in a couple different ways; during the first pull you want a tight upper back, which is accomplished by squeezing your scapulae together. Scapular retraction is a great lower/mid trapezius exercise. During the second pull of the clean, a shrug motion is performed completing your full extension, working the upper part of the trapezius muscle. If cleans are not something you want to take the time to learn, just do clean high pulls.

4. Barbell Shrugs

The barbell shrug is the king of all trap-building exercises, says Tyler English, author of the Men’s Health Natural Bodybuilding Bible.

It targets the upper portion of your traps, which are responsible for lifting your shoulder blades.

5. Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Your middle deltoid may be the hardest working muscle during this movement, but your upper traps are working, too. They assist in raising the weight and act as stabilizers.

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How to Get Bigger Calves in 5 Easy Steps?

Calves are one of the toughest areas of the body to target when it comes to growing bigger muscles. Along with a number of smaller muscles, the calf is comprised of two large muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. These muscles, along with the tibialis anterior, work together to carry us everywhere we go, so it takes time, effort and some pain to shock them into getting bigger. You'll get satisfying results if you use the right workout strategy combined with a healthy diet.

1. For a period of 2-4 weeks train your calves on a daily basis before returning to your normal program. Use about 4-6 sets per workout, using a different exercise each day.

2. Every night before you go to bed do a set of 100 slow, hard-squeezing standing calf raises with just your bodyweight, on top of your normal program. Go for maximum burn.

 3. Every time you encounter a staircase do a calf raise up each step. On the way down, step onto the ball of your foot, as this will act almost like a plyometric movement for your calves.

4. Do like Arnold did and train calves in your bare feet (if your feet can handle it). This will increase the range of motion for any calf movement, and will force a very intense contraction.

5. Eat healthy foods that are part of a balanced diet. Building bigger muscles, no matter what part of the body you're targeting, requires fueling yourself with a balanced diet. Make sure you are getting your daily recommended amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and providing your body with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Avoid eating calories in the form of saturated fats and sugars. Don't eat a lot of fried foods, snack foods, fast foods, and desserts. Avoid white flour and sugar. Foods containing these will make you feel run down instead of energized.

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Schedule to Build Muscles in a Simple Way

The age-old desire to build a strong, well-proportioned physique is still alive and well. Yes, the average gym-goer no longer yearns to build a monstrous, freaky, eye-popping body complete with gnarly veins, huge, stumpy legs and the inability to fit into a dress shirt. But everybody in the gym still wants to build an appreciable amount of muscle and strength. And they want to actually see the results of their hard work without it being hidden under a layer of unwanted body fat. 

Building an impressive physique not only grants external benefits such as strength, power, and an aesthetically pleasing structure. It also provides many internal benefits: confidence, increased self-esteem, and self-discipline, just to name a few.

Workout Plan

A workout arrange in your bodybuilding calendar is an arrangement showing you which days you prepare on and what you prepare on those particular days. What works for me and what has worked for various others is to have an assortment in your muscle building calendar, to keep keeping it fun and spicy.

A muscle building plan workout plan can resemble the accompanying:

Monday: Chest and triceps + (cardio)

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: Back and biceps + (cardio)

Thursday: Legs

Friday: Shoulder and neck + (cardio)

Saturday and Sunday: Rest

The above building muscle plan workout plan is only a case, yet it works. You can do it another way and I would urge you to do as such and make one that feels bravo. You can either make a muscle building plan workout arrange through the assistance of a muscle building program, which is the thing that I have done, or you can assemble data through various sources.

As should be obvious on the workout arrange above I have likewise included cardio on some days which is discretionary. I jump at the chance to have cardio on some days in my muscle building plan as I get a kick out of the chance to keep my heart rate up.

Diet Plan

A diet plan is the other fundamental device in your building muscle plan. Without diet, you will experience considerable difficulties muscle or lose fat if that is the thing that you need. Your diet ought to comprise of 5-6 dinners a day and relying upon whether you need to assemble muscle or lose fat, it ought to have a part of protein, sound fat and some carbohydrate to it.

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6 Facts You Should Know About Abs Training

Everything you ever wanted to know (and some stuff you didn’t) about your six-pack, beer gut, muffin top, or whatever form your belly is taking these days

No surprise here--the six-pack is a hot topic. It's a phrase searched for more than 1.2 million times a month on Google alone. But there's more to your midsection than its six sexy segments. In fact, that washboard is actually made of one muscle, the rectus abdominis, which gets its "separations" from dense connective tissue called fascia. The muscles on the sides of your torso are also considered part of the abdominals: Your external and internal obliques help you bend your torso from side to side and rotate your upper body left and right. If all of this is news to you, read on for 6 more essential facts about your abs that you probably don't know.

You Don't Need to Train Them Every Day

If you perform ab exercises daily in the pursuit of a perfect belly, you could be overtaxing your muscles. "A lot of people go overboard," says Jim White, RD, ACSM, owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios in Virginia Beach, VA. "They'll do abs 7 days a week and won't allow for any rest. That just damages the muscles." He recommends focusing on abs three or four times a week.

Stop with the plank worshiping

Planks are an isometric exercise – they don’t involve any movement. Granted, doing planks activates a hell of a lot of muscle fibers, but they aren’t going to give you a washboard stomach or cause any further etching of your abs. You need the abs to hypertrophy for that to happen, and isometric movements like planks aren’t going to do that.

Expecting to build your core musculature with planks is like holding a heavy canned ham at a 45-degree arm angle for an extended period of time and expecting it to grow your biceps muscle. Nope, you need to do isotonic movements – where a muscle shortens to overcome resistance.

Sure, planks will allow you to maybe withstand a punch from someone who’s sick of your silly planks and they’ll probably facilitate athletic ability, but they won’t build eye-popping abs. Do them as part of your core training, but don’t have any illusions about them.

Focus On Food

No matter how dedicated you are in the gym, if you don’t eat well, you won’t be able to build abs. It’s as simple as this. Therefore, maintain proper calorie intake and enrichen your diet with lots of proteins in the guise of casein, soy protein, legumes, meat, milk, etc.

Proteins need more energy to break down into amino acids. Therefore, body burns more calories to produce energy and hence, promotes weight loss!

Keep Yourself Hydrated


When you are working out, you have to keep your body hydrated. It helps in muscle building and fat burning processes. It also gives the feeling of being full. If you are feeling a little hungry, drink some water. That’s safer than indulging in oily food.

Even if you don’t feel thirsty, gulp a glass of water. By this way, you can also avoid consuming more calories whenever there is confusion for thirst or hunger. Simple!

Cardio won’t give you abs

Most of you do weight workouts that probably burn around 250 calories an hour. If you try to row, row, row your fat away, you’ll probably burn close to 400 calories in an hour. Row for an hour for seven days straight and you’ll burn around 2800 to 3000 total calories.

The trouble is, a pound of fat contains roughly 3500 calories. See what I’m getting at? It’s difficult to burn fat through mere exercise. It might be different if you got on a treadmill, set the incline at 15%, kept it there, and ran uphill at a pace of 4 miles an hour for 60 minutes. That might burn some serious blubber over the course of a few weeks, but it’s certainly not easy to do. Besides, it would likely fatigue you and kill your weight workouts.

Sorry, but to make the abs surface, you’re going to need to diet. Get your body fat to 10% and the shy little things will likely start to surface. Get it down to 7% and they’ll be totally naked and exposed for all the world to admire.

Some Ab Moves Aren't Worth Doing

The same ACE-sponsored study determined the least effective ab-targeted exercises. The exercise tubing pull and the Ab Rocker machine were at the bottom of the list, requiring 8 and 79% less muscle activity, respectively, than the traditional crunch.

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Muscle Growth Diet

THIS MEAL PLAN IS TAILORED FOR MEN WHO WANT TO BUILD MUSCLE. CHECK OUT THE SKINNY GUY WORKOUT for the workout that goes with this meal plan.

Target: 3,000 Calories, 300g Carbs, 225g Protein, 100g Fat

Forging new muscle requires a menu high in carbs, therefore, calories. But going on a muscle-building diet is no excuse to gorge on junk food.

Take Miles Teller. To prepare for Bleed for This, in which he plays fearsome Vinny "The Pazmanian Devil" Paz, the actor feasted on chicken, avocado, spinach, and tomatoes, and kept his morning meals consistent: “Breakfast was protein powder, ice, water, a splash of almond milk, and some frozen fruit—like, maybe, 10 blueberries," he told Men's Fitness.

Muscle Growth Diet – Foods

 Chicken

Chicken is a great source of protein, almost 25 gram per 100 grams of chicken. Plus it is very low in calories, which makes it a fan favorite for a lot of people on cutting.

Peanut Butter Sandwich

We are not talking about peanut butter with jam and white bread. You can make a simple sandwich with peanut butter in whole grain bread and even mix it up with chicken. Peanut Butter is a great source of protein and healthy fat.

Add in Omega 3’s

Add some Omega 3’s by including fish oil to give you a total of 1.8-3.0g of combined EPA and DHA per day. Though technically a supplement, these still have calories and you have to count them. Currently we are recommending the OmegAvail by Designs for Health as the EPA and DHA are in triglyceride form.

Eggs

Each egg contains protein content of 6 to 8 grams per egg. Eggs are alos rich in vitamins, zinc, iron and calcium making them one of the most complete muscle building foods out there.

Chicken breast

You get 30 grams of protein from every 100 grams of chicken breast. They are freely available and can be cooked into delicious delicacies.

Wild Salmon

Wild salmon has a powerful punch of omega-3 fatty acids. This makes them a superb option in making lean-muscle. Salmon also boosts metabolism.

Broccoli

Add broccoli to your post workout salad along with spinach, baby tomatoes, sweet corn and peppers. This is a great source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Remember: minimal cooking!

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7 Etapes Muscle Building Diet Made Easy

There is all sorts of information on the internet about how to put on muscle, from mass gainers to gym routines, it can seem a bit daunting. However, it’s really quite simple.

There’s no trick and no supplement that is going to do it for you. If you want to gain any significant amount of muscle you’ll need to be in a caloric surplus. In other words, you need to be consuming more calories than you’re burning. Done properly this can allow you to slowly gain muscle mass over time while minimizing fat gain. Any small amount of fat that is gained can be shed later when you move into a fat-loss phase. That said, you do have to be prepared to be in a surplus for a long time as muscle gain is a very slow progress.

While this is not meant to be a substitute for one-on-one coaching, my hope is that this can serve as a quick-and-dirty framework for anyone who wants to start creating their own nutrition program to help them build muscle.

It is presumed that you’ll be weight training during this program, as lifting is required to maintain muscle while losing fat. In fact, your training is going to be the primary driver of progress here. Your increased intake will be providing your body with the nutrients it needs to recover and grow. We do not recommend the addition of any cardio while in a building phase.

Onto how to set up the diet…

Step 1 – Set Calories

Assuming that 33 x bodyweight (in kg) is a reasonable estimate for the number of calories required to maintain body weight, this is often a good place to start. If you’ve been in a calorie deficit (i.e., fat-loss phase) for an extended period prior to deciding to build, you may first want to bring your calories up to about 29.7 x bodyweight for at least a couple of weeks and then proceed to 33 x bodyweight.

Step 2 – Set Protein Intake

Generally speaking, relative protein intake goes down as caloric intake goes up. A number to start with would be around 2.2 gram per kg of body weight If you’ve set your caloric intake using the formula above, you’ll probably find that fitting in this much protein is pretty easy as you’ll be able to fit in relatively large protein servings.

Step 3 – Add in Omega 3’s

Add some Omega 3’s by including fish oil to give you a total of 1.8-3.0g of combined EPA and DHA per day. Though technically a supplement, these still have calories and you have to count them. Currently we are recommending the OmegAvail by Designs for Health as the EPA and DHA are in triglyceride form.

Step 4 – Fill in the Rest

Once you’ve accounted for your protein and fish oils, you can essentially fill in the rest of your calorie requirements with carbohydrates and fats depending on your needs/preferences. Despite what you may have read, there are no magical macronutrient ratios for muscle gain. As long as you’re in a caloric surplus and meeting your protein and healthy fat needs, you can fill in the rest according to your preferences.

Step 5 – Create Your Meals

Break down your calories and macros over the desired number of meals per day using a site like CalorieKing.com to determine the amounts.

As part of this breakdown, make sure that you’ve included some form of protein in the post-workout meal. It doesn’t necessarily have to be protein powder, but many find this to be convenient.

Your post-workout meal should also contain some low-fat carbs numbering from about 50 to 70 grams (sometimes more) depending on goals, body size, etc. These carbs can either come from things like rice and potatoes or delicious candy, based on your preference.

Once completed, this should give you a general framework for your initial nutrition program.

Step 6 – Execute

Start your plan with a weigh in, some measurements you can do reliably, and some photos. Then simply, follow your plan relentlessly for two weeks to get a caloric baseline.

Step 7 – Assess and Adjust

The calorie estimates you used to create your initial program are just that; estimates. They are needed to get you started, but you’ll often require adjustments to fine tune your plan and find the appropriate number for you.

After two weeks, repeat your starting measurements and make an assessment of progress. If you’ve been sticking to your plan and are not making progress then you can adjust your diet by adding a little food and implement the plan for another two weeks. You repeat this until you’re able to start making progress.

If your nutritional compliance and/or training has not been good, you may not see any progress at this point. Under no circumstances should you be changing a program that you haven’t been following as it isn’t the program that is failing…it is your compliance. You’ll need to sort that out first.

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Plank Exercise – 10 Minute Plank Workout

Why planks? Each move shifts your center of gravity and forces your abdominals, arms, back, and glutes to stabilize your body. Denver-based trainer Stacey Lei Krauss, the creator of a plank-infused cardio fitness program called the Willpower Method, designed this sequence, which includes several variations on the standard plank position. To get started, simply clear a space on the floor. Complete the entire cycle three times a week, taking 30 seconds between each move to roll your wrists and shoulders, and you'll achieve stronger muscles and a toned look without even touching a set of weights or (if you’re like Krauss, who prefers to go barefoot) donning a pair of sneakers.

Variation #1

Forearm plank with up-and-down hip raises (tuck your seat and engage your core – belly button to spine).

Variation #2

Forearm plank side lifts. Making sure your grounded elbow is directly under your shoulder, lift your hips in up-and-down pulses for 30 seconds, then flip to the other side and complete another 30 seconds.

Variation #3 Standard Plank

(A) Begin on all fours, with hands directly under shoulders, knees and feet hip-distance apart and fingers spread out. If you’re a beginner, rest on your forearms instead. (This also applies to all subsequent exercises.)

(B) Tuck toes underneath feet so that all 10 toes lie flat. Extend legs and push up hips so that your body is in a straight line from shoulders to heels. Draw in your abs, squeeze your glutes, and keep your head in a neutral position that’s in line with your spine. Hold for 30 seconds.

Variation #4 Flutter Feet

(A) Start  in the standard plank position.

(B) Raise your right leg about three inches off the ground, point your toes out and keep your leg straight. Make sure to keep your torso still and carefully and quickly move your leg up and down 5 times, firm your glutes, hamstrings and quads. Go back to the starting position. This is one repetition. Repeat this 9 more times and switch to your other foot and do it 10 times

Variation #5 falling leaf

(A) Begin in standard plank position.

(B) With your abs engaged, rotate your right shoulder and hip up toward the ceiling in one fluid movement, twisting your feet so that the inside of your right foot and the outside of your left foot rest on the floor. Extend your arm so that it’s pointing toward the ceiling. Return to the starting position. Repeat four times, then switch sides and do five more.

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How To Squat : Steps To Great Squat

The squat, as with all the competitive lifts, requires great strength throughout all the prime movers and great technique. Great squatters have tremendous strength from head to toe; the quads, hamstrings, glutes, hips, abs and entire back must be well developed for success. Total body strength and technique is best developed in concert with each other, so that your technique doesn’t hold back your strength development, nor your strength not being enough to hold proper technical positions.

How to do a proper barbell squat:

1.    You should stand with your feet firmly grounded on the floor, about shoulder-width apart.

2.    Place the barbell on your back, just above your shoulders. (It should be directly on your trapezius muscles.)

3.    Barbell in place, it is time to slowly bend into a squat. When do you stop? When your knees pass the 90 degree mark. That’s right, full squats when your hams almost touch the calves are the way to go.

4.    You should then contract your legs and buttocks while stabilizing your body.

5.    At this point, you should stand back up. Slowly.

6.    Continue until you have done enough repetitions to complete the set as you’ve planned. Remember, at no time should you feel like you are not in control of the weight that rests on your back: if you feel unsteady, cut your set short.

7.    Also remember to keep your knees in line with your toes; this will help you to achieve the proper posture for this exercise.

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Top 6 Foods and Benefits Muscle Building

If you’ve made the commitment to start working on adding more size and muscle mass to your body, one of the must-do things on your agenda is to get a good muscle building diet in place. You can train as hard as you like in the gym, but if you’re not eating the right muscle building foods, you won’t be making any progress.

The foods you eat on a daily basis will be responsible for helping you recover from your workout sessions, as well as provide the body with the raw materials it needs to build slabs of rock-hard muscle mass on your body.

Let’s have a look at some of the best muscle building foods that you should consider so you can do a quick check-up on your diet and make sure they’re included in your muscle building diet plan.

Foods in a healthy muscle building diet

The foods we are going to talk about will consist of a good amount of proteins, carbohydrates and omega-3 and omega-6 fats.

Food #1 – Fish

Fish is a great source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. It also has a lot of essential vitamins and minerals that makes it essential to include in your healthy muscle building diet. All varieties of fish can be chosen, but salmon is preferred by a lot of experts.

Food #2 – Quinoa

Quinoa is a great source of natural protein with all the essential amino acids. It originates from South America and was once seen as a holy food by the Incas. It is furthermore a great source of magnesium, calcium and is low in cholesterol and saturated fats.

Food #3 –Almonds

Almonds are one of the top muscle building foods that contain healthy fats to include in your diet. Almonds make for a great snack any time and since a handful will contain around 200 calories, they make it easy to get your total daily calorie intake up higher.

Almonds work excellent topped over salads, added into a bowl of oatmeal, or combined with some dried fruit and pretzel sticks for trail mix to eat between meals.

Food #4 –Eggs

Moving on, next we come to eggs. This muscle building food is ideal to eat first thing in the morning or any time you need a quick snack because they’re cheap to purchase, easy to prepare, and will supply you with high quality protein.

Don’t be so fast to toss the yolk either – there still is a high amount of protein found in the yolk along with a host of other nutrients such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamine, vitamin B6, and folate.

If you throw that away, you’re missing out. While you may not want to consume 5 or more whole eggs each day and in that case adding some egg whites is a smart move, having two to three whole eggs shouldn’t be a problem if you’re currently in a healthy state with normal cholesterol levels.

Food #5 –Beans

The simple bean is actually an advanced fat-burning, muscle-building machine. “Beans are a great source of protein that includes fiber,” says Leah Kaufman, a New York City-based registered dietitian. “That’s going to ensure your blood sugar doesn’t spike and will give you energy to build the muscle you want.” One cup of black beans has 12 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber; they’re also rich in folate, a B vitamin that stokes muscle growth, and copper, which strengthens tendons. On top of that, a Spanish study showed that consuming four weekly servings of beans or legumes accelerates weight loss.

Food #6–Cottage Cheese

The last great source of protein that you’ll want to make sure you’re taking in regularly and that belongs on our list of the top muscle building foods is cottage cheese.

Cottage cheese is an excellent source of calcium in the diet and will also provide a form of protein known as casein protein, which digests more slowly in the body than regular protein does.

This makes it ideal for right before you turn in for the evening as it ensures your muscles get a steady stream of amino acids through the night.

Putting These Muscle Building Foods To Good Use

So now that you see what some of the best muscle building foods are, it’s time for you to get them into your diet. Make sure to take into account how many calories each contains so you can easily achieve the right calorie intake to promote lean mass gains without unnecessary fat gains.
Most people will do best eating at least one gram of protein per pound of body weight each day and then a fairly even balance of carbohydrates and healthy fats to round out their calorie intake. Although skinny guys who want to bulk up should aim to get at least 40% of their daily calories from carbohydrates. This will help you gain weight faster.

Of these calories, you should aim to eat a lean source of protein with each meal you consume choosing from some of the top sources on this list of muscle building foods and then pair that with some slower digesting carbohydrates and healthy fats.

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6 Exercises to Develop Perfect Obliques

While we love a good ab workout, a killer core isn't just about a flat stomach. Whittling your middle also means paying attention to your sides, or, more specifically, your obliques. Strong obliques will make your waist appear slimmer, improve your posture, support your lower back, and make your clothes fit even better. And crunches won't do you any favors here! So we tapped trainers with sick abs from across the country to share their secret moves for toning up the oblique muscles. Plus, cut-outs and crop tops are still holding strong in the fashion world—and they're perfect for showing off chiseled obliques. Get ready to sweat!

1. Bird Dog Crunches


How to: Start on all fours, placing your hands flat on the ground directly beneath your shoulders, and your knees beneath your hips with a flat back position (a). Engage your core and drive your right arm straight out from your shoulder, while your left leg drives straight back from your hip, keeping both parallel to the floor throughout the “reach” portion of this movement (b). Squeeze your right arm and left leg back to the original starting position and hold for split second before starting the second rep (c). Repeat this movement for 10 reps without setting your right arm or left back on the ground, then switch to the left arm/right leg combo. Complete 3-4 sets of 10 reps on each side with 30 seconds rest between each set.
Beginner modification: Reach with only your arm at first. Then as you become more comfortable, reach with just your leg before you graduate to the full movement.

 2. Hanging Knee Raise Oblique Crunches

Performing regular hanging knee raises might be annoying as it may irritate the shoulders and it’s quite difficult to stop the swinging while you do it. However, hanging knee raise oblique crunches at least allow avoiding that annoying swinging.
Start it by using the same position as when doing regular hanging knee raises. But instead of moving your knees straight up, make a small twist and move them closer to your ribcage. It’ll allow giving plenty of work to your obliques even if you only do 10 reps per set for both sides of your body.

3. Offset Dumbbell Squat

Grab a medium-weight dumbbell with one hand and hold it in the racked position, so one end rests by your shoulder with your elbow bent. Lower your hips toward until your quads are at least parallel to the floor. Pause, and then reverse the movement to the standing position.

Keep your back in the upright position. Perform all prescribed reps on one side, switch hands and repeat.

4. Side Blank

Lie on one side with your legs straight and prop up your upper body on your forearm. Raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels.

If you want to make it harder elevate your feet or add a torso rotation.

5. Single-Leg Toe Touches

How to: Lie down on your back with your legs flat against the floor and arms extended above your head (a). Lift your left leg up with your foot directly over your hip and a slight knee bend. Try to keep your left leg engaged in this position for the entire movement (b). Tuck your chin towards your chest, reach your right arm towards your left foot by contracting your core and hold for a split second (c). Return to the original starting position while keeping your foot and hand elevated off the ground and repeat for 4 additional reps before switching to your right leg and left arm (d). Complete 3-4 sets of 5 reps per side with 30 seconds rest between sets.
Beginner Alternative: Work from the same position on your back, but bend your knee at a 90-degree angle halfway towards your chest. Touch your elbow to the opposite knee. As you become more familiar with this movement, try to progress to the full range of motion by straightening your leg a little more each workout until your foot is directly over your hip.

6. Lying Leg Oblique Leg Throwdowns

If you have a workout buddy, then try doing this exercise together. Lie down on the floor and move your arms so that you could hold his ankles. It provides the needed stability for the exercise.

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How to Build Bigger Chest Muscles? & Mistakes You Must Avoid

If you train in a big commercial gym, you’ve probably noticed Monday is National Bench Day. Everyone seems to be training their chest. Tuesday is often National Bench Day part 2 with more of the same.

But how do you train your chest efficiently for maximum growth? In this post I’ll explain you which mistakes you must avoid to build a bigger chest and the right method to increase your chest size.

Top 3 Chest Building Mistakes. Training your chest muscles 4x/week using pro bodybuilders routines is wasting your time. Especially if you’re skinny.

Isolation Exercises. You can’t stress your chest with heavy weights using exercises like dumbbell flies. So you won’t trigger the release of Testosterone & Growth Hormone as much as with compounds.

Eating Like a Pigeon. You’ll never get a big chest if you’re 120lbs at 6′. Training your chest 3x/week won’t get it bigger unless you eat more.

Isolating Your Chest. Although your chest has to 2 main heads, it’s 1 muscle and contracts as a whole. You can’t isolate your upper or lower chest. You can only emphasize it.


CHEST WOKROUT OF PERFECTION ROUTINE

Barbell Bench Press

Sets: 4

Reps: 5

Rest Time: 90-180 Seconds

Dumbbell Incline Press

Sets: 4

Reps: 8-12

Rest Time: 90 Seconds

Barbell Incline Bench Press

Sets: 4

Reps: 6-8

Rest Time: 90 Seconds

Weighted Dips (Chest Version)

Sets: 4

Reps: 8

Rest Time: 2 Minutes

Flat Dumbbell Press

Sets: 4

Reps: 10

Rest Time: 1 Minute

That’s it! No drop-sets, super-sets, tri-sets, pre-exhaustion sets, or anything like that. Just proven exercises that actually build muscle. Don’t go to failure every set, leave 2-3 reps in the tank, save your max effort set for the last set of each exercise. So for example if you can bench press 225 for 5 reps, do 205-210 for 4 sets of 5, then 225 for your last set of 5.

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Ways to Increase Arm Muscles by 100%

The way to increase muscle mass in your arms and chest is the same for building any other muscle in your body: high-tensity resistance training -- that is, weights -- supported by proper nutrition and recovery intervals.

How to rev up the process? "You'll get there faster if you pace yourself and work at a sustainable level of intensity and not sidelining yourself with excessive effort," says Los Angeles-based personal trainer David Knox, author of Body School: A New Guide for Improved Movement in Daily Life. "That said, you can see significant results within six to eight weeks if you're diligent," Knox adds.

How do you maximize it? Here are 3 keys:

#1) Workout the WHOLE body

I don’t care if your goal is just bigger arms-for the above reasons you MUST enact your entire body. But there is a specific way this must be done.

#2) NEVER waste time on “single joint” exercises

Doing 2-3 activities is all you need to enact your entire body. How do you do this?
COMPOUNDING exercises MUST be the focus
They accomplish the same thing as 7-10 “single joint” activities, and therefore they don’t drain your body of precious energy on meaningless things.
If you waste time on “single joint” activities you don’t give your body enough time to recover during the workout–and your results are severely limited.

#3) Lift HEAVY weights

This will make or break your success-even if you get the other 2 things right. Light weights do virtually NOTHING in terms of getting ripped-they merely improve your endurance.
in other words–if you want the scraggly body of a marathon runner than lift light weights. The only way to get big arm muscles is to do compounding “whole body” exercises with heavy weights.

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Most tips to Enhance Your Muscle Building Results

What's the best muscle builder workout out there is? It's not the exercises found in fitness magazines--do those and you won't get any results at all.

When training one specific muscle group, most think that only exercising just that group at the expense of the others is the way to get results. This makes sense-right?

"Conventional wisdom" is ALWAYS wrong

Here are 3 keys to getting ripped NOW:

#1) Keep your workouts SHORT

In addition to the mental benefits of this, your testosterone output is actually the highest at the 30-45 minute mark. After 45 minutes it's totally exhausted.

So make SURE your workouts never go past 45 minutes--otherwise you are killing your progress. This is probably the BIGGEST thing you will ever hear about getting ripped.

"Go all out... and get the heck out"

When you cut out the 95% of exercises that make no difference your gym time will be cut down dramatically.

#2) Do NOT worry about tempo

Just about everyone is worried about this "hot button term".

The truth?

This is that it is basically WORTHLESS for any muscle builder workout.

Why?

Tempo is basically how fast you can do a repetition. It measures the first 3 stages of power development: starting acceleration, progressive acceleration, and power output.

So when you hear the temp terms such as 232, it means you lowered the weight in 2 seconds, held it at the bottom for 3, and raised it in 2.

It measures the SPEED of the workout

It's not that the speed isn't important-obviously the faster you can lift a weight the stronger you become. But it just gives you too much to think about when exercising.

#3) Lift a HEAVY amount of weight as FAST as possible

These are the ONLY 2 things you need to focus on when workout out --anything else is just over-complicating matters. The best muscle builder workout will incorporate those 2 principles.

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How to Build Muscle and Get Ripped Fast - 6 Muscle Gaining Secrets That Work?

As you probably know by now with health and fitness, there are thousands of contradictions, thousands of ideas, and thousands of perspectives. However, let us help you by sticking to the basic, and the best, ways to achieve your fitness goals. Now, there’s no immediate way to get washboard abs and arms that could crush a bear, but there are ways you can boost the effectiveness of your gym session, and this will help speed up how long it takes to get ripped.

#1) Spend LESS time in the gym

You heard correctly. Your muscles need time to recover, because during the workout they actually get torn down.

Therefore they need to build themselves back up afterward…which is where rest comes in. Most people don’t give themselves anywhere near the time necessary to do so.

2-3 days of vigorous exercising per week is plenty, and any more might actually put you at a greater risk of injury.

#2) Diet to Get Ripped

It’s an age old saying, but ‘you are what you eat’ has an annoying ring of truth to it, especially when it comes to your fitness. Maintaining a balanced diet is vital if you want to bulk up in the right way. Although it’s not always easy to plan meals when you’re trying to slim down and on top of that gain muscle, there are a few key foods that you should keep in mind when you’re training.

Fish: There’s a whole list of benefits to eating fish, but the main things to focus on when you’re trying to bulk up is that it helps increase testosterone, lowers body fat, and enables easier joint movement. It’s also a strong source of protein and if you go with something fresh like wild salmon, you’ll gain a good helping on omega-3 fatty acids.

Eggs: Again we’re dealing with protein here, and eggs are a great provider. They’re also high in vitamins E, D and A, and are easy to incorporate into your meals.
Greek yogurt: High in calcium and protein, and helps keep muscles on the go by providing them with a stream of amino acids.

Greens: We’re talking spinach, kale, chard and all those other food that get called ‘rabbit food’ 80% of the time. These are a great source of iron, fibre, vitamins and yes, again, protein.

Flaxseeds: These will probably end up stuck in your teeth at least once a week, but with the benefits that come with them, it’ll be worth it. Flaxseeds are great for your heart, they aid in fat burning, keep your mood up, which is vital for that rainy walk to the gym, and are an easy source or omega-3 fatty acids.

Water: Seems like a no brainer, but something as simple as replacing your morning coffee with a glass of water (I know, not easy to do) is going to drastically help replace that caffeine with clean hydration, ensuring that you stay alert without that crash mid afternoon. Drinking between 2 to 3 litres of water a day is ideal, and will help keep you full, meaning you’ll be less likely to snack on unhealthy alternatives.
As you can see, there’s a lot of protein heavy foods there. Protein is rich in amino acids, which are vital in building, repairing and maintaining muscles. If you didn’t have amino acids you essentially wouldn’t be able to build up muscle, which explains why protein shakes are so popular with gym goers.

#3) Do the RIGHT workouts

What are they? They are exercises that target many different areas of the body…because this will give you maximum results for minimal effort. Examples would be squats…deadlifts…and bench presses.

Whether you are doing six pack abs bodybuilding…big bicep exercises…or just want to know how to gain strength fast…these workouts will help you with your goals.

#4) Short and intense workouts are best

This is one of the most important muscle gaining secrets…and if you remember nothing else, remember this.

If your exercises drag on and on than you are actually training your body for endurance…not muscle gaining. This is ideal if you want to do a triathlon…but it’s not how to get ripped quick.

#5) Get Ripped Workout

It can be hard to motivate yourself or know what exact exercises to do when you’re just starting out, so if you don’t have the luxury of a personal trainer, it’s a good idea to take a look at some videos for clear workout instructions.

#6) Ripped Guys for Inspiration

There’s no reason not to have a little inspiration to get you started on your fitness journey, or help along the way if you’ve already started. These guys have bulked up for movie roles, photo shoots, or just because they wanted to, and the results have been impressive to say the least. Here’s five of the best, and most inspirational.

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10 High Protein Snacks You Can Eat Instead Of Junk Food

The difference between a snack that has staying power and one that leaves you hungry an hour later? Protein. This nutrient is a hunger-busting powerhouse because it slows digestion and keeps blood sugar steady, and research shows protein helps keep cravings at bay. "Protein can help you lose weight because it increases satisfaction, and when you feel satisfied from your eating plan, you're better able to stick with it.

Here are some healthy snacks that are easy to make, that will fit in your gym bag or purse, and of course are high in protein content:

Cottage cheese

At the top of the high protein snacks list is the cottage cheese. This healthy snack has long been considered a dieter’s staple. A cup of cottage cheese has about 20-30 g of protein and about 5-10 grams of fat. Add some fresh fruit to the cheese and you already have a high protein – high fiber healthy snack. If you need to gain weight you can substitute the cottage cheese with some hard cheese that has higher content of fat.

Mixed Nuts And Fruit

Make a homemade trail mix minus the sugary additives like milk chocolate and sweetened dried fruit. Instead just simply combine your choice of raw almonds, cashews, walnuts and pistachios with unsweetened coconut flakes and chopped pitted dates or raisins. This is a hearty dose of protein, healthy fats and natural sugar. To get a toasted flavor out of the nuts, roast them at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Hardboiled egg
Protein: 6 grams per egg

Eggs used to be considered a nutritional no-no due to their high cholesterol content. Today, though, most nutritionists agree that they're a powerhouse breakfast or snack when enjoyed in moderation. In addition to protein, the humble egg gives you a hearty dose of vitamin D and vitamin B-12 for just 77 calories apiece. Best part: they're easy to take on the run—just remember to peel them before you go to make eating them on your commute a snap. Even better: some convenience and grocery stores sell hardboiled eggs in packages of two, so they're a snap to snatch up when traveling.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Banana

Two ingredients and two easy steps, what more could we ask for in a delicious snack. Just slice one small banana in half lengthwise and sandwich about 2 tablespoons of your favorite peanut butter between. If you're feeling really fancy, drizzle on honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon. This high-protein banana sandwich is the perfect cure to midday cravings.

Tuna

With about 20g of protein per can and high content of essential fatty acids, tuna makes ? great low fat high protein snack. You can spread it on a toasted slice of bread , or have a tuna sandwich. For quick appetizer style snacks, top small slices of bread with tuna, diced tomatoes and cheese and bake until cheese is melted.

Oatmeal

Oats contain about 12g of protein per 100g serving. Adding a cup of yogurt to your bowl of oatmeal will add another 8-10 grams of protein to your snack.  Serve warm oatmeal with a bit of maple syrup or cinnamon on top.

 Frozen Yogurt Bark

Mix 1 cup of plain, full fat Greek yogurt and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup together until well combined. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and pour the mixture on top, spreading thin and evenly. Top with a handful of berries, nuts, seeds, cacao nibs or shredded coconut, and place in the freezer overnight. Once completely frozen, break the bark into piece and store frozen. It's better to always go for the unflavored brands of yogurt and add your own sweeteners so you know just what's going into it. Go ahead and grab a piece when you feel your blood sugar dropping or before a workout, the healthy fat and protein will give you a boost of energy you're looking for.

Whole-grain protein bars
Protein: 10 to 15 grams

Nutrition bars are a no-brainer—they're a filling snack in a no-fuss, easy-to-carry package. But before you chow down, read the label carefully. Some are loaded with sugar and fat, and more protein isn't necessarily better, says McKittrick, because super-high protein bars—like those that have 30 grams—are also usually high in calories (up to 400!). A good measure: aim for a bar with about 10 to 15 grams of protein with at least 5 grams of fiber and less than 15 grams of sugar. Luna Bars are one good choice.

Fruit Dipu

sing a ½ cup of Greek or Icelandic yogurt and 1 tablespoon of nut butter you can make an easy dip to dunk your favorite fruits into. This creamy, rich dip will up your protein—and whether it be bananas, apples or strawberries you're dipping, you're guaranteed to enjoy!

Cottage Cheese, Peaches And Honey

Cottage cheese is relatively low in calories and sugar, and very high in protein—enough that only 4 ounces of cottage cheese will provide around 20-25 percent of daily protein requirements! Pair it with a chopped peach and a touch honey for a sweet hint. Peaches have been found to ward off obesity and heart disease with its ample dose of beta carotene.

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6 Most Effective Exercises For Building Massive Shoulders

Nope. This isn’t going to be another one of those run-of-the-mill “boulder shoulder” articles repeating the already nauseatingly understood exercises it takes to build big, wide shoulders. You know the ones, they go something like this: A standard press, a side lateral raise and then something for rear delts.

This also isn’t a list of some crazy-looking bosu ball balancing movements better suited for ballerinas with little to show for your efforts. I am about to list the undisputed 6 best shoulder builders.

Free Weights First

First of all, make sure to replace most of your machine-based overhead presses with free-weight overhead presses performed with dumbbells or a barbell. This will allow you to engage more muscles and strengthen your stabilizing muscles which although small or hidden, are extremely important for an injury-free and highly effective performance and ultimately for building a strong and well-balanced body.

Free weights enable your body to move in all three planes of movement, which is how your body normally moves in daily life, and this will help you increase your range of motion, target your muscles from all angles possible and build real, functional strength. Also, since you have to work to stabilize the weight while lifting it, instead of having a machine do that for you, your overall stability will dramatically increase. And stability is perhaps nowhere as important as it is for the shoulder area, which is notorious for its vulnerability.

On the other hand, machines allow you to focus more on the effort and less on the mechanics of the movement, and this can be useful for the end of your workout, when accumulated fatigue makes balancing weights over your head very difficult.

So it would be best to do the harder, free-weight variant of the exercise early in the workout, before fatigue sets in, and save the machine version for later, when you can use it to cause maximal hypertrophy and drain your muscles of any remaining strength by focusing on solely pushing the weight. Machines will also allow you to lift heavier weights and isolate specific muscle groups better, so it’s good to have a fair share of machine-based movements in your routine as well, as long as you make sure that free-weight exercises are at the center of your workouts.

1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

This is a basic shoulder mass-builder that allows you to target any existing muscle imbalances between your left and right side of the body when pressing. It’s very likely that your dominant side is stronger and compensates for the weaker one during barbell movements. When using a barbell this is be hardly noticeable, but with dumbbells you’ll be able to tell the difference right away and address it properly. If you can, perform the exercise in front of a mirror so that you can keep your form in check.

Press the weight up in an explosive manner and push your head forward at the top of every rep to make sure that you’re moving the load through your shoulders and not your chest muscles. Return the weight to the starting position with a slow and controlled movement.

Perform 5 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest in between.

 2. Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise

Sure, the side lateral raise doesn’t hold as big a punch as the overhead press, but the benefits they provide are too good to not include in your arsenal. What other exercise isolated the side deltoid head so well? Besides, the medial head is what gives you that wide look and can make your waist line instantly look smaller as well. Side laterals allow you to push those fibers a little further and create that all-encompassing illusion of that sought-after V-taper.

Perform 5 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest in between.

3. Dumbbell Bear Lateral Raise

For every action there is usually a reaction. Building a quality, balanced physique is no different. Performing the big, compound lifts such as presses and upright rows are great for adding on mass but you will eventually need a few other tools to balance things out and provide proportion and better function. Rear delt training is essential when it comes to establishing true shoulder balance not only for looks but for proper shoulder health as well.

Perform 5 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest in between.

4. Arnold press

The Arnold press is a twisting variation of the standard shoulder press that targets the front and side delts as well as the rotator cuff muscle group, named after the bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In addition, many other muscles are involved in this exercise as secondary movers, which is why it works great for strengthening and stabilizing the entire shoulder complex. For example, as you move the dumbbells higher overhead and begin to rotate the forearms, the upper arms shift out to the sides, engaging shoulder abduction which incorporates the lateral delts, while the triceps assist elbow extension. The stabilization of the scapula is achieved by activating the lower and middle portion of the traps to support the movement.

To perform the Arnold press, hold the dumbbells at chest height with your palms facing towards you and your elbows bent. Keep your arms close to your torso. As you move the weights up into the standard shoulder press position (weights at shoulder level), rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward and drive the weight up without pausing until your arms are fully extended above you. Hold the peak contraction for a second, then slowly lower the weights back to the starting position, rotating the hands so that your palms are once again facing towards your body.

Perform 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest in between.

5. Face Pull

It sounds like an item on the to-do list of an aging Hollywood starlet, but the face pull in this case is actually for a different type of sculpting — creating pronounced, striated rear delts. Uniquely, it’s a multi-joint rear-delt exercise, setting it apart from other rear-delt-specific moves.

Main Areas Targeted: rear deltoids, middle trapezius Strengths: The benefit of the face pull (and what makes it superior to traditional bent-over dumbbell and cable raises) is the fact that it calls the middle traps into play and incorporates some leverage, allowing you to handle more weight overall. This additional muscle overload leads directly to growth.

How-To: Put a rope attachment on a pulldown station, and make sure you select a heavy enough weight to counterbalance your weight. Stand in front of the pulley and grasp each end of the rope with an overhand grip so your palms are facing each other, then lift your elbows up to shoulder level and to the sides. Now place one foot on the kneepad, which in this case helps anchor you better than keeping both feet on the floor. To start, lean back so your body forms a 45-degree angle to the floor and, keeping your elbows elevated, pull the rope back toward your face until your hands are alongside your ears. Squeeze, then reverse to the start, not letting the weight stack touch down between reps.

Perform 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest in between.

6. Upright Barbell Row

The upright row is a very effective way to target your side delts and traps as prime movers and your front delts, rhombs and teres minor as secondary muscles. It’s a compound exercise that has to be performed with proper form in order to avoid injury – many exercise experts have claimed that more than 80% of gym-goers perform it incorrectly, which is why this exercise has the reputation of a shoulder killer.

One 2011 study published in the “Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research” found that lifting the barbell too high on upright rows causes the shoulder blade to rub against the rotator cuff and create irritation and diminished range of motion, also known as shoulder impingement. However, this means that the exercise itself doesn’t destroy shoulders, but a lack of focus on maintaining proper form certainly does, and the same can be said for a long list of great mass builders. To prevent injury, all you have to do is keep the weight close to your trunk and lift it only to the collar bones or top of the shoulders.

To perform it, take a barbell or an EZ-bar and grip it with an overhand grip slightly narrower than shoulder width. Keep your back straight and maintain a slight bend in the elbows as the bar rests on the top of your thighs. Engage the sides of your shoulders to lift the bar, raising your elbows up and to the side. Keep the bar close to your body all throughout the movement and make sure that your elbows are always higher than your forearms. Continue to lift the weight until it’s slightly below your chin, then lower it down in a controlled movement.

Perform 5 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest in between.

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Instructions : Dumbbell Pullover

Instructions

Preparation

Lie on upper back perpendicular to bench. Flex hips slightly. Grasp one dumbbell from behind or from side with both hands under inner plate of dumbbell. Position dumbbell over chest with elbows slightly bent.

Execution

Keeping elbows slightly bent throughout movement, lower dumbbell over and beyond head until upper arms are in-line with torso. Pull dumbbell up and over chest. Repeat.

Comments

Lower body extending off of bench acts as counter balance to resistance and keeps upper back fixed on bench. Avoid hips from raising up significantly. Actual range of motion is dependent upon individual shoulder flexibility. Keep elbows fixed at small bend throughout exercise.

Breathing

Breathe in lowering the dumbbell and breathe out bringing it back to the starting position.

Tips

The performance of the dumbbell pullover is not easy. The instability of the position on the bench needs the use of abs and quadriceps in order to stabilize the motion.

Mistakes

- Do not overload to avoid damages to the shoulder-joint.
- Keep the back parallel to the floor and don’t arch it.
- The range of motion should be around 90°.

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Benefits Squats Vs Benefits Leg Press – Difference Between Free Weights and Machines

For several years the fight over which exercise is better for legs has been doing the rounds and unfortunately none of them has managed to found a clear winner.

Even though both the exercises are know for their many benefits in improving leg strength, there has always been a debate over which is the best exercise for legs. The ongoing Squats Vs Leg Press battle often make people overlook the overall benefits of both the exercises.

 If you're after optimal leg mass and development, you must use a variety of leg exercises, including the squat and leg press. Although both exercises work essentially the same muscles, the emphasis of each is slightly different, which means muscle development is different as well.

Benefits of Squats

Because resistance machines such as the leg press only allow movement in a fixed pattern, they’re great for beginners or people coming back from an injury, who need to master a correct and safe movement pattern before advancing to the more challenging barbell and dumbbell leg lifts.

They are also useful for people who want to isolate a specific muscle, in this case the quads, hamstrings and glutes. That’s because the fixed movement of the machine doesn’t require the stabilising muscles – nearly always the weak link that limits the amount of weight that can be moved – so you can lift heavy in the safest possible way to maximise muscle growth. You can also adjust the weight you are lifting very quickly.

Benefits The Leg Press

These resistance machines can come in many shapes and sizes. Typically you’ll either be seated so you push in a horizontal plane or diagonally, with the weight stack seemingly positioned precariously above you. You can change the load with a pin in a stack of brick-like weights or by putting regular weight plates on the device.

Either way, you sit, bend your legs and press a plate away from you until your legs are extended. Because the weight is on rigid tracks you can only push in one plane of motion. This might seem limiting but it means all you need to focus on is strength, power and speed. You can press with both feet together or one leg at a time, and with your feet in whatever position you desire to target different areas of your calf, thigh and butt muscles.

Which is better- Squats or Leg Press

Difference between Squats & Leg Press is quite apparent and there is no reason for anyone to hate one or love another completely. Even though squat is looking superior to leg press because of its complete body functionality and ability to improve your overall sports performance, leg press still remains a considerable option for people suffering from back problems.

Free weights are any given day superior over machine exercises, still they allow your body to do things which you cannot do with free weights. Thus, it will be good to incorporate both in your training schedule, though avoid using them both at the same time as it will lead to overtraining of your muscles.
Instead of championing over any one Leg building workout, find a way to perform both for your leg strength as well as full body training.

A little variety in your training will definitely not do any harm to your schedule and body.

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