Archive for December, 2007

The Only Way To Build Muscle

December 19, 2007 at 6:03 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

The only way to build muscle is to keep lifting heavy.

Muscle growth occurs from progressively heavier weight. Lifting heavier weight for lower reps over time will add more muscle and strength than anything else you do.

The only “If” I’m going to throw in there is “if” you eat supportively and healthy.

But let me assure you, the changes you make here will blow you away if you give them your all and stick to them long enough to work.

Now, I’m going to simplify this for you because, well, its pretty simple stuff.

Don’t make things harder than they have to be.

Here it goes…

To get big, you must lift big.

In order to cause muscle growth and strength increase to occur, you must force your body to adapt to heavier demands (more weight).

If you continued to lift the same old weight over time and time again, your body has no need to create new muscle growth and strength.

It can already handle what it’s doing.

So, to get bigger, you must force your body to do so.

It doesn’t happen by itself.

For example, when you stop lifting for a month or more (like I’m sure we all have done for one reason or another) what happens?

You get smaller and less muscular. It’s because you haven’t been “forcing” your body to adapt and get bigger/stronger.

When you go through a “layoff” where you stop lifting weights, your muscles do not have to handle any additional workload and stress caused by lifting.

So your muscles get smaller as a result.

To keep muscle size going up and to keep strength increasing, you absolutely must keep stressing and overloading those muscles.

You MUST lift progressively heavier weights over time in order to keep building muscle.

But what is an instant way you can lift more weight, without having to wait weeks or months.

Well, let me give you a hint.

If you can lift 100 pounds 10 times, shouldn’t you be able to lift more weight, say 150 pounds, if you only have to do it 5 times.

By cutting the reps in half, you immediately raise the amount of weight you lift.

Sounds simple, but this is one of the most effective steps you can ever take in your muscle building and strength routine.

The days of lifting 3 sets of 10 reps are over–at least they should be.

When you begin to lower your reps and begin to lift more weight, good things happen (more muscle and strength).

On all of your heavy sets, you should do between 4 and 6 reps.

If you cannot handle and get 4 reps, the weight is too heavy and you need to drop down a little.

If you can handle more than 6 reps, the weight is too light and you need to increase the weight you are lifting in order to force muscle growth and strength increase to occur.

This rep range will never, ever change if you want to keep gaining size and strength.

And it should be done for every single exercise (maybe the exception being abs, dips, and chin-ups, you can use 10-15 reps for abs)

Squats:  4-6 reps

Bicep curls 4-6 reps

Shoulder presses 4-6 reps

1 arm dumbbell rows 4-6 reps

How many reps for bench press?

Yup, you guessed it, 4 to 6 reps.

Here’s what you do, for all exercises.

You should not warm up with a light set of 10 reps again, you’re already warmed up and you are wasting precious energy needlessly.

Rest 2 minutes and it’s time for the next set.

Put a little more weight on and do a set of 8 reps.

Wait 2 minutes.

Put a little more weight on and do 6 reps.

Do not go to failure on any of these warm ups sets, they are just that, to warm up.

***You should only go to failure on your heavy sets, never on warm-ups.***

You should be pretty well warmed up by now.

Now it’s time for your 2 (3 tops) heavy sets.

These 2 (or 3) heavy sets should be done with enough weight where you hit failure between 4 and 6 reps.

Again, if you cannot get 4 reps, go down in weight and work your way up.

If you can get 6 or more easily, go up in weight a bit for the next set if there is one of make a note to go up the next workout.

This is just a sample of what you’ll learn in Shawn Lebrun’s proven muscle building program Simple Steps To Get Huge And Shredded

http://www.shawnlebrunfitness.com/getshredded.html

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Simple Steps To Build More Muscle

December 18, 2007 at 3:19 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

I’m going to give you some simple steps you can take to build muscle mass.

But before I do, I want to ask a question:

Are you tired of training every day, with little or no results to show for it?

If so, then you need to make a conscious decision that you’re going to change.

This is the first step you have to take to achieve a muscular body. You have to realize that a change needs to occur and that you’re not happy with where you are.

So step one in building more muscle is realizing that a change has to occur. The rest is easy, it’s just doing things in a certain way that will guarantee muscle growth will occur.

It’s true. When you’ve made that decision that you really want to build muscle, all you have to do is the right things to make it happen.

To build muscle, you have to understand the process. In order to build muscle mass, you’ll need to:

1) Organize a training plan that leads to building muscle.

You’ll need to organize a training program that focuses on building muscle and strength.
This includes certain equipment that uses resistance needed to stimulate muscle growth.

You can use free weights like barbells and dumbbells, machines, or body weight exercises like push ups.

With lifts like the bench press, shoulder press, rows, squats, and deadlifts, you’ll incorporate supporting muscles as well as the targeted muscle.

When you use compound movements like these, you’ll get more muscle growth in the supporting muscles.

So the key to gaining more muscle from your weight training program is using more resistance.

When you increase the amount of weight you lift, your muscles adapt to these greater demands by gaining strength and size.

This is how muscle mass is built.

2) Organize a proper meal that contains the necessary calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat needed to build muscle mass.

To gain muscle, you need to eat more calories on a daily basis than your body burns.

Proper nutrition doesn’t have to be hard. Just remember to eat 5 to 6 small, well balanced meals a day. Each meal should consist of protein, carbs, and fats. I usually try to make each meal contain 50% protein, 40% carbs, and 10% fats.

There you have the basic formula for building muscle: intense, heavy training followed by rest and consuming quality calories in the form of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
If you train hard and use heavy well, coupled with the right amounts of protein, carbs, and fat, you’ll build muscle.

That is, if you rest enough too.

3) Rest

Rest is one of the most important factors for building muscle. You have to rest in order to allow your muscles to grow.

Your body and muscles need to recuperate from the physical demands of your workouts. By putting constant stress on your body with no rest, you will not be able to build more muscle.

Most people need anywhere from two to three days rest. Depending on your intensity levels, you may need more. If you’re training very intense, you may need four or more days rest.

If you feel any soreness in your body on your training day, you should take another day off. You shouldn’t feel any soreness whatsoever on your training days.

You should feel strong, rested and energized for each workout. If you feel tired, sore and drained of energy, you’re either overtraining or not rested enough. Take the necessary time off, to fully recuperate from your workouts.

Building muscle takes work, but if you follow these simple steps, you’ll gain the muscle mass you want.

If you’d like a more indepth, proven plan for building more muscle in less time, check out Shawn Lebrun’s Simple Steps To Get Huge And Shredded…

http://www.shawnlebrunfitness.com/getshredded.html 

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The Best Exercises For Building Muscle

December 14, 2007 at 5:49 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

Who doesn’t want a lean, muscular body that turns heads and attracts attention?

Well, the truth is, you have to work hard in order to achieve this.  And that starts with using the best exercises for building muscle.

To get the most muscle growth possible, you’re going to have to lift heavy weight and use the most effective exercises.

That includes simple compound movements. Compound movements are weight training exercises that use more than one muscle to complete a lift. Examples include the bench press, because it works the chest, shoulders, triceps, and more.

I’ll give you a list, right below, of all the best exercises for building muscle.

By using these muscle building exercises, you force your body to work harder. And by forcing your body to work harder, you’ll add more stress to the targeted muscles.

Remember to use proper form when lifting heavy weight. Lifting heavy weight for the sake of lifting heavy will result in poor form and could result in injuries.

If you’re a beginner, it’s best if you use a combo of free weights and machines. Again, in order to lift heavy, you need the correct form and balance.

This takes time, practice and patience.

Once you’ve established the correct form and balance, add more weight over time.

If you’re having trouble or not sure about certain weight lifting exercises, always ask for advice. Never attempt an exercise you’re not sure about. Ask a gym member or worker for advice.

If you can’t find a gym employee, ask one of the regulars. The regulars are usually more than happy to provide some guidance and help when it comes to spotting or showing you how to do an exercise.

Before going into a heavy workout, make sure you’re properly warmed up. Never attempt to lift heavy weights when you’re cold. Lifting heavy weight when you’re cold may result in injuries.

Always remember to include a warm up using an aerobic activity.

Here is a series of muscle building exercises that you could use for the chest:

Flat Bench press
Flat bench press with dumbbells
Incline bench press
Incline dumbbell press
Parallel bar dips
Decline dumbbell bench press

Muscle building exercises for the back:

Bent over rowing
Wide grip chins
Lat machine pull downs
Low cable pulley rows
One arm dumbbell rows
Dead lifts
Shrugs
Good mornings
Hyperextensions

Exercises for hamstrings:

Lying leg curls
Stiff legged dead lifts

Exercises for shoulders:

Press behind the neck
Seated dumbbell press
Side lateral raises

Muscle building exercises for calves:

Standing calf raises
Seated calf raises
Leg press calf extensions

Exercises for biceps:

Standing barbell curls
Seated alternate dumbbell curls
Standing dumbbell curls

Exercises for quads:

Squats
Leg press
Leg extensions
Hack squats

Muscle building exercises for triceps:

Close grip bench press
Lying triceps extensions
Standing cable press downs
Seated over head barbell extensions
Triceps bench dips

Exercises for abs:
Crunches
Knee ups
Hanging leg raise
Incline knee raises
Incline sit-ups

That was a list of the best muscle building exercises you should use in the gym. Always remember to use proper form on each exercise.

 

Shawn Lebrun is a fitness expert and natural bodybuilder.

His “Simple Steps To Get Huge And Shredded” program shows you how to build the most muscle possible in the least amount of time

 Simple Steps To Get Huge And Shredded”

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