Category Fitness

There are lots of myths and misconceptions about running and muscle building, and doing research online to find the answers you’re looking for can be very frustrating.

Does Running Build Muscle?

Well, the answer can be difficult because too many self-declared experts have conflicting information. What may be true for one person may not be true for the next.

So let’s tackle the more common questions and give definitive answers for each one, so we can settle the matter once and for all.

Does running build muscle? The answer is: it depends on what you mean by “build muscle”. When you run, you use muscles, and those muscles in turn, grow or develop.

Now this development doesn’t mean that your leg muscles will bulk up. What it does mean is that your leg muscles will become stronger, they will look toned, and they will have more endurance.

What muscles are developed by running? When you run, you “push off” from the ground. This extends your ankle and works the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of your calf. These are the muscles connected to your heel bone through the Achilles tendon.

When your foot returns to the ground, you pull up your toes. This works the tibialis anterior, the muscles on the front of your shin.

Does running reduce muscle mass? Running can help you slim down, but it does not reduce muscle mass. It doesn’t burn muscle or use it as fuel.

The only way this is possible is if you’re foolish enough to enter a diet that virtually doesn’t give you any protein at all, while at the same time you perform high intensity workouts for prolonged periods. Now that will really reduce your muscle mass.

But running does tend to prevent any extra muscle gains. This is why a lot of bodybuilding experts counsel against frequent jogging.

How do we explain all those photos of super-skinny runners? The stereotype for long distance runners is rather unfortunate, because we often see stick-thin elite runners in movies, magazines and websites. This has led some “experts” to conclude that running can really make you skinny and reduce all your muscles.

But running did not turn these elite runners into skinny beings. They’re just naturally that way, and genetics is the main reason for it. Crediting running for their slim physique is like thinking that basketball training can make you taller.

And if you see sprinters, you will notice that most of the best ones are truly fit, with muscles that are quite impressive. Check out the female sprinters, and their muscles are truly works of art.

So what does it all mean? Does running build muscle? Well, let’s put it this way: you’re better off lifting weights if you want to build muscle.

Basically, what you need to do is to define your fitness goals. If your first priority is to build muscles, then you have to cut back on your running. The more you run, the more difficult it will be for you to build muscle mass. And you also have to admit that genetics and diet can play a very significant role here. For some people who run, bulking up is possible. For others, it’s not.

If building muscle is your goal, see “Building Muscle for Men and Women” for some great tips to get you going in the right direction.

If you take a peek into some of the advertising copy of “miracle” supplements, you may actually begin to believe that diet and exercise are no longer necessary if you want to become healthy and ripped. You just need to pop a pill, and your fat will magically turn into muscle.

But regardless of whether you believe the hype or not, you have to ask, does fat turn into muscle?

This is a good question, because turning fat into muscle has always been a standard claim in the fitness industry.

But if that’s the case…

Exactly how does fat turn into muscle?

The answer: it depends.

Fat vs. Muscle

If you mean literally turning fat into muscle, then the answer to the question is no. Fat does not turn into muscle, because they’re made from different types of cells. It is physiologically impossible to turn fat into muscle because fat doesn’t have nitrogen which is needed so it can turn into muscle and there’s no way to turn fatty tissue into amino acids.

It’s sort of like trying to turn straw into gold. It can only happen in fairy tales.

Less Fat, More Muscle

Now if we are talking about turning fat into muscle in a less literal sense, then it’s possible. It’s a figure of speech, just like when some advertising copy promises to turn you into Hercules. You don’t actually become the demigod son of Zeus—you just turn into a muscular dude.

But why do some chubby people turn into impressively muscled men in some pictures? You’ve probably seen them too. And then again, some people don’t seem to lose weight at all. They just become more fit and muscular while their flab disappears.

That’s because when you stick to eating right, supplementing with whole food nutrients (Zeal for Life recommended) and a good weightlifting routine, two things can happen:

You will lose weight. When you don’t consume enough calories for your weightlifting activities, your body is then forced to lose burn the fat stored in your body for energy. Exercise burns calories, and combined with a diet your calorie intake can become less than the number of calories you use up.

You will gain muscle. When you lift weights, what you really do is to stress and tear your muscles. Your body then responds to this by rebuilding the muscles, and because you have lots of protein in your diet you have the necessary raw material to build more massive muscle.

You can’t turn straw into gold, but in the real world you can sell straw and then use the money to buy gold. And when we put it this way, we did turn straw into gold.

It’s the same thing for turning fat into muscle. You have two separate results—muscle gain and fat loss—but both are the results of your diet and weightlifting regimen. And they happen generally at the same time.

So does fat turn into muscle? In a way it does, from a certain POV.

It’s natural to want to have bigger muscles and if that’s you, this is the perfect time to start bodybuilding and begin taking those first steps. Not only does it look good especially for guys, but it also makes us stronger, more confident and more powerful.

Through body building, overweight men can turn fat into muscle, while skinny guys can bulk up. Either way, you improve your physique when you start bodybuilding.

Learning How to Start Bodybuilding

Making the decision to learn how to start bodybuilding is a good first step, but what comes next? Here are the things you need to know about how to start bodybuilding:

1. Find a good gym. The gym should be near enough to your home or office/school so that you won’t have another convenient excuse not to go regularly. It should also be affordable, and the gym should have complete bodybuilding machines and equipment.
2. Find experts you can trust. Your gym should have professional trainers ready to help you achieve your goals because you won’t be able to learn what you need to know quickly. With a fitness trainer, you can get sound advice instead of having to wade through the massive amount of bodybuilding information online. You will need the help of a nutritionist to assist in planning your diet, while a trainer can help you with your workouts. The advantage of getting a pro to help you is that the diet and workout plans can be customized to suit your needs. You don’t have to follow a generic plan.
3. Stop eating junk. You don’t need a nutritionist to tell you to stop eating fast food, processed food, and junk food. Avoid desserts and greasy burgers, and start making more sensible food choices like supplementing with high quality whole food products like the ones provided by Zurvita.
4. Monitor your actions and results. You need to have a record of everything you do and every food you take. With today’s smartphones, you can easily find an app for that. You can also take full body pictures of yourself so that you can track your progress. By jotting down your activities in a journal, you can make accurate tweaks that can bring you better results. This is important especially if your progress has stalled.
5. Get enough rest. While some people exert too little effort and easily lose patience, others also try too hard and over-train. You need to rest in between workouts. The muscles you stress during a workout should get about 72 hours of rest so that they can have the opportunity to recover and grow. You also need to get enough sleep very night. That means getting 7 hours of sleep minimum.

Once you know how to start bodybuilding, you don’t really stop. It takes quite a bit of time to get the muscles you want, so you need to think long term. Every few months or so, you can re-evaluate your program and make changes so that you can improve your results.

Bodybuilding is about developing good habits so that you can become healthier and stronger. Once you start bodybuilding and developing muscles, you’ll still need to workout so you can keep them; it’s not a one-time deal.

When you go online, you’ll probably realize right away that there are millions of websites dedicated to diets. Most diets are about losing weight, others focus on health, and there are even diets for ethical or religious reasons. But if you want to build muscle, you also need the right muscle building diet.

Of course, the “right” diet is open for debate, because many experts have different opinions. What is obvious is that a specific diet needs to be customized to your requirements and circumstances. While a nutritionist can probably help you out, there are some things which you can do yourself when you are looking for the right muscle building diet for you.

A Good Muscle Building Diet Requires Monitoring Your Calories

The first thing you’ll need to do is to figure out how many calories you need per day. For that, you can go online and use a calorie calculator. This calculator estimates the minimum number of calories you need to consume.

If your aim is to lose weight, then you’ll need to eat less than what your body uses up. But if your goal is to pack on more muscle mass, then you may have to consume more calories than what you burn.

You can start by consuming about 20 calories for each pound of body weight if you want to gain weight. After a month or so, you can change this if you’re not gaining weight or if the weight gain is too much.

Now, this means you need to do some research on how many calories each meal will have. Canned and packaged foods have this info on the label and there are also many guides online for calorie content of common food items. Just track the number of calories you consume each day, so you can tweak your muscle building diet accordingly.

Plan on Eating Smaller Meals More Often

Now figure how many calories you need per meal. You should plan on eating 6 small meals a day, instead of three large ones. It’s easy; just take your normal meal and divide it in two, and then eat the other half three hours later. Eating six small meals means you won’t get hungry often because your food intake is spaced out.

Tracking Your “Muscle Building” Protein Intake

Next, track your protein intake. This is just as important as your calorie intake, because protein and amino acids are the building blocks for muscle growth. If your protein intake is insufficient, you won’t be able to grow as much muscle you want.

While some top-level bodybuilding athletes do is gobble up massive amounts of protein, for you it will be different. You can start by taking about a gram of protein for each pound of body weight, although you can go up to 1.5 grams per pound.

Carbs are a Necessary Part of Your Muscle Building Diet

Get enough carbs. Some people forget about carbs and concentrate on protein when building muscle, and then later on they complain why they’re not getting bigger and stronger. What they don’t realize is that carbs should be where most of your calories are coming from.

You can start by consuming about 2 grams per pound of body weight. Some may suggest as much as 3 grams per pound, but it’s a better idea to start low. You can always just increase the carb consumption if when you don’t gain muscle mass after a month.

Generally, you should opt for slow-burning carbs to raise your glycogen levels, which boosts your stored energy. Examples of these include oatmeal and quinoa.

For breakfast and for your post-workout meals, you should switch to starchy simple carbs. These raise your insulin levels, which helps you absorb nutrients more efficiently. You can also choose quick-burning carbs to replace your oatmeal or quinoa if you find it difficult to gain mass.

Fats are an Important Part of Your Muscle Building Diet

Don’t forget fat in your diet. This is also important if you want to build muscle. In fact, the rest of your diet should be fat after protein and carbs.

Fat has 9 calories per gram while protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram. If you weigh 200 pounds, then you may be aiming for 300 grams of protein and 400 grams of carbs, which gives you 2,800 calories. If you are aiming for 4,000 calories a day in your muscle building diet, then the rest of the 1,200 calories comes from about 133 grams of fat.

As you may have noticed, these are not hard and fast rules. Just make sure you track your food intake and monitor your gains. Then tweak your muscle building diet routine when you want to make improvements or if you’re not making any improvement. It’s as simple as that.

One of the things you need to understand is that trying to build more muscle can take time. We’re not talking about looking like The Rock here. We’re talking about maybe adding 5 to 10 pounds of muscle mass. But the good news is, you can actually learn how to build muscle fast.

What may be slowing down your progress is that perhaps you don’t fully grasp what you need to do to build muscle. Learn to understand the basic principles of bodybuilding and you should be able to learn how to build muscle fast as well.

What to Eat to Build Muscle Fast

Nutrition plays a crucial role in building muscle. Essentially, they provide you with the “raw material” so you can have bigger muscles. So you’ll need to pay attention to what you eat. You have to keep a record, and you have to note down your caloric consumption plus your carb and protein intake.

If you really want to speed up the muscle building process, then you can’t take too much time trying to understand everything you read. It can get very confusing for you, since a lot of online “facts” on the topic are untrue or contradictory. With the help of a nutritionist, you can get a definitive diet plan which you can just follow to the letter.

You’ll also need to look into some supplements. That’s because your diet may not be able to provide you with all the nutrients you need on a consistent basis. If you can’t get enough protein from your food, then you can compensate by drinking protein shakes.

However, supplements can also boost hormone profiles or increase the amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which you need for energy. Some supplements contain ZMA or creatine for this purpose. Other supplements can also have caffeine, which will give you the energy you need for your workout.

Correct Bodybuilding Exercises to Build Muscle

This is also a very confusing topic, as there are as many philosophies as there are professional trainers out there. What seems to be a unanimous belief is that you must lift weights if you want to learn how to build muscles.

Again, professional advice can really accelerate your progress, so you may want to look into hiring a personal trainer. For the most part, trainers are of the opinion that the basic exercises can give you the fastest results.

These include bench pressing, deadlifts, and squats. You can also add pull-ups and military presses. These exercises work more muscles in far less time than other exercises.

What you need to avoid is over-training. More is not always better. With over-training, you’ve dealt too much stress on your muscles and this can result in injury, a lack of progress, or the decrease in enthusiasm.

You should also try to spice things up every month or so by changing your workout routine. Simple changing the sequence of the workouts can work.

Finally, you have to improve. The weight you can lift should be more after a month. By improving, you maintain a consistent level of stress on your system.

Rest and Recreation Help Build Muscle Fast

While you toil away on your workout routine, ironically most of your muscle growth happens while you’re taking a rest. It’s during your off-training days when your muscles are recovering when you actually build muscles. This is why you mustn’t exercises the same muscles every day.
Basically, the exercises are “tearing” your muscle fibers. When you rest, your body rebuilds your muscles, and that means they can get bigger and stronger. If you are feeling some pain, you should stop and rest.

You need your rest for your muscles to recover. It’s estimated that muscles need as much as 72 hours of rest after a workout session.

So getting enough sleep is a must. You need to learn to relax, so that your body doesn’t produce too much cortisol which encourages your body to burn muscle and store fat.

If you still don’t get some improvement after following these tips, then a visit to the doctor may also help. You may have an underlying health condition that keeps you from building muscle.

You just have to keep in mind that even with these tips, it will still take some time to get the physique you want. You can’t expect super quick results. You just need to go at it and persevere. At least with these tips on how to build muscle fast you will be able to achieve the results you want in the shortest time possible.

Many people seem to think that it’s easy to learn how to gain muscle mass. The problem is that most of them don’t do enough research. So what happens is that they make a lot of mistakes, and then they become frustrated when all their efforts don’t pay off.

There’s a Right Way and Wrong Way to Gain Muscle Mass

To avoid such problems, here are some clear-cut rules you need to follow so that you will gain muscle mass more effectively:

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• Define your focus. Some people think that bodybuilding and weight loss are synonymous, but for workouts, these are two completely different objectives. That’s why high intensity training is good for people who want to lose weight, but it’s actually counterproductive if you’re a pipsqueak who wants to be bigger, stronger, and more muscular. For that, you need heavy weights and lots of calories.
• Eat more. We’ll presume for the moment that you’re on a sensible diet and you’ve actually done your research on what and what not to eat. But when you start learning how to gain muscle mass, you’ll need calories. About 500 more calories than your usual intake should suffice. Do not take too much calories though, because you’ll just turn the extra calories into fat instead of muscle.
• Space out your meals. Instead of three big meals a day, try eating 6 small meals. This keeps you from getting hungry, and the meals also provide you with the protein and carbs you need.
• Drink protein and carb shakes. Whole foods are great, but then protein shakes are good too. With shakes (Recommendation: Zeal for Life Protein Shakes), you make sure you get adequate carbs and protein that your diet may not provide. For the most part, they’re also much easier to digest.
• Don’t forget to stretch. Quite a few people keep forgetting the very important step when they work out. Stretching is not just for yoga fanatics. Stretching before and after a workout makes you more flexible, improves your recovery, and also prevents you from getting injured.If you keep on having pains after working out, that may mean you didn’t stretch properly.
• Limit your cardio workouts. About twice or three times a week of jogging should suffice. And don’t jog for a couple of hours at a time. Instead, keep it to 30 minutes. Your best bet is to sprint for a full minute then alternate with a couple of minutes of jogging.
• Don’t spend too much time on your lifting exercises. Your proper weightlifting workout for the day should last for just 45 minutes. You should make sure you warm up before your workout, and you need a cool-down routine as well. About a dozen sets for each muscle group is okay, but more than 20 sets is overkill. Your reps for each set should range anywhere from 6 to 12, so that you only spend 40 to 70 seconds each set. When you lift weights, after an hour your body will start producing cortisol in response to the physical stress, and this will impede on your progress. Cortisol signals your body to store fat and burn muscle.
• Perform exercises that focus on several muscle groups at once. These exercises include pull-ups, rows, deadlifts, and squats. You can train your entire body or concentrate on either your upper your lower parts, but this is more efficient than working on just a single muscle group per session. By doing this, you reduce the risk of injury when you work out. You become stronger and your muscle development gets better. Besides, it helps you look so much more attractive.
• Change your workouts regularly. The body has a strange way of adapting to various strenuous events. So after a month or so, you may want to vary your workout a bit. Your 45 minutes per workout is enough for about 6 to 8 different exercises, and each one should have alternatives. Or, you can just vary the sequence of the exercises instead.
  You should note down your workout details in your journal, so that you have an accurate record of what you’ve been doing.
• Get enough rest. Make sure that you give your muscles enough time to heal, grow and develop by resting them after a workout. Get enough sleep as well.

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Learning how to gain muscle mass also means appreciating the time needed to attain noticeable results. Shortcuts aren’t recommended because they may eventually become harmful for you. Just make a habit of lifting weights and following your muscle building program. Give it time and dedication and you’ll begin to gain the muscle mass you want.

In fitness circles, you often hear about toned abs and 6-packs for guys that sometimes you might forget that the best ab workouts for women can be very beneficial as well.

Toned abs can go a long way in making women look attractive and feel strong and fit; it helps build confidence during “bikini season.”

In addition, abs workouts can help improve core muscles that can make daily challenges much less troublesome.

Doing ab exercises should be included in a complete body workout and not just working the ab muscles only.

Top Three Best Ab Workouts for Women:

• Standing Side Crunch. Start by standing with your hands on your hips and your feet about 3½ feet apart, with your toes slightly turned outward. Now bend your knees over your toes, while you lower your hips directly under your shoulders. Then when you straighten yourself back up, lift your right knee slowly towards your right shoulder. When you start lowering your knees again, slowly return your right foot back to the floor. You should make sure that your movements are controlled and deliberate. This will work your obliques as you go up and down. You don’t need a lot of reps for this. Just do ten reps on one side and another ten for the other side.
• Stability-Ball Plank Leg Lift. As the name of the exercise suggests, you’ll need a stability ball to get started. Get into a pushup position, except that your hands are on the stability ball directly under your shoulders. You may want your feet planted wider for more stability. Now contract your abs to bring your body into a straight line. You can keep this position stable, lift one leg off the ground, and keep it there for ten seconds. Now do this for the other leg. Do three sets when you hold for ten seconds, then level up to 30 seconds. Keeping your body in this position stresses all of your core muscles, and forces your abs to stay contracted the whole time. If you want a flatter tummy, this is really an excellent exercise technique to use.
• Reverse Press Up. This workout will focus on the lower part of your abs without having to use any sort of equipment. Start by lying flat on your back with your palms pressed to the floor. Now lift your legs straight up in the air over your hips, with your knees bent and your feet flexed. Then push upward using both feet at the same time, with your hips off the floor, while you press your heels toward the ceiling. One set consists of 15 reps, and you should do three sets.

Now the thing you need to remember is that not even the best ab workouts for women can give you a flat tummy if you live an unhealthy lifestyle and fail to take in the right nutrients. Not moving around enough will also hinder you from seeing any results because sitting in one position tightens your muscles and this can make it more difficult for you to contract your abs when you exercise.

You can also see http://myfitnessnut.com/5-tips-to-get-six-pack-ab-results for some good tips on the best ab workouts for women and men alike.

According to some estimates, the typical American guy spends about 56 hours every week sitting down. This can contribute to a lot of medical conditions, including decreased agility, inflexibility, and back pain.

Add in the love of potato chips and beer, and you’re going to have some problems with your abs. With the best ab workouts for men below, you can really work your core; which in turn strengthens you and gives you sexier abs.

Getting into the Best Ab Workouts for Men

So what are the best ab workouts for men anyway?

They may differ for each guy, but experts agree that the following exercises are good for your abdomen:

• Swiss Ball Rollout. Kneel on a mat, while you place your hands on a Swiss stability ball in front of you. Roll the ball forward as far as you can, while you keep your abs engaged and with your back straight. Then slowly return to your original position. Do two sets of ten rollouts each. This exercise is quite safe and easy on your lower back, compared to other similar exercises. By staying on one plane, you focus on the rectus abdominis. If you want, you can also work your obliques by rolling out to the left and then to the right.
• Cross Crunch. Obviously, any effective ab program at some point will have to involve crunches. In this version, you lie back with your arms and legs diagonally stretched. They should form a big X. Keep them straight and lift your head, neck and shoulders as you bring the right hand and left foot together, then do that for the other hand and foot. That’s one rep. Now do 10 to complete one set. The nice thing about this workout is that it’s simple, and you don’t need any fancy equipment. It’s also quite safe. By coming at an angle, you’re working your rectus abdominis and your obliques. You also work on your lower abs when you lift your legs off the floor.
• Bicycle crunch. This exercise combines the regular crunch, the reverse crunch that works on the lower abs, and the side to side movement that works on the obliques. Start by lying on your back with your hands behind your head, but don’t interlace your fingers. Your legs should be raised and bent. Now move your right elbow and left knee toward each other while you straighten your leg without letting it touch the ground. Your lower back should be pressed into the mat, and your abs should tighten as you raise your head, neck and shoulders for this move. Hold the crunch for a couple of counts, then do the other elbow and knee. Move continuously as if you’re riding a bike.

It’s important that you get quality nutrition and don’t stick to just one type of ab exercise. If you insist on doing just crunches or sit ups for your workout, your body will just quickly adapt to the stresses, which will then reduce the exercise’s effect on your muscles. If you want the best ab workouts for men, put in some variety. This will stimulate your muscles continuously and will result in muscle growth.

Almost everyone knows the benefits of bodybuilding and by using these 15 bodybuilding tips, you’ll be on your way to sculpting your body to be the best it can be.

Bodybuilding does wonders for your social and professional life, and it also gives you considerable health benefits as well. But you only get these benefits if you do your workouts properly and exercise a little patience as well. It takes much time and energy for your body to develop into a lean, toned, muscular work of art.

These tips are a fit for both men and women; even though women do not normally put on as bulky of muscles as men do, the strength and appearance benefits both in the same way.

Crucial Bodybuilding Tips to Keep in Mind:

1. Create a bodybuilding plan. You can ask a personal trainer about this or you can do some research online. But you can’t just buy bodybuilding equipment or go to the gym and do any random exercise. You need a good plan that outlines the specific exercises needed, the exact number of reps and sets, and a time frame.
2. Start a healthy diet. No list of bodybuilding tips is complete without mentioning the need for a proper diet, because workouts are just one aspect of your bodybuilding plan. Make sure your body gets enough nutrients, especially protein. Take some supplements as well, since your diet probably can’t give you all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs.
3. Get enough protein. As a rule for highly physically active people, you need at least a gram (or even up to a gram and a half) of protein for every pound of body weight. So that means if you weigh 200 pounds, you should consume 200 to 300 grams of protein per day.
4. Don’t forget about BCAAs. These Brain Chain Amino Acids are necessary for bodybuilding, and they’re available in supplement form.
5. You must have a rest day. You can’t workout every day. This is a very common mistake, and even some bodybuilders who have been at it for quite a while still make this mistake. They train too hard, and too often, so as a result, they become prone to injury and they’re not getting the results they want. Keep your workouts to just three times a week. At the very least, you need two days off each week.
6. Get enough sleep. It’s when you’re resting that your muscles repair and grow, and they can’t do that properly when you’re not getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep can affect hormones crucial to bodybuilding, and it also makes you too tired to want to exercise.
7. Make sure you target every muscle group each week. You can’t neglect a specific muscle group. When people commit this mistake, the results can be rather off-putting. You could end up with a huge torso and stick-thin legs.
8. Start with the basic equipment. If you’re a beginner, you should stick to the basics. Don’t waste your time trying to learn all the fancy new bodybuilding equipment in your gym. Just focus on free weights such as dumbbells and barbells.
9. Stick to fundamental exercises. There are numerous types of exercises out there, but the basics never go out of fashion. These exercises include the squat and the deadlift, as well as bench press and the military shoulder press.
10. Forget the written descriptions of exercises. Watch the videos on YouTube instead of reading manuals and guides. Take note of the proper form, and watch how the hands and legs are positioned.
11. Gradually increase your weights. Track your weights, and then every two weeks you should increase the weight slightly. Your muscles will need to be challenged continuously. What this means is that if you find a certain weight “easy”, then you’re not lifting enough. Lift heavier weights that really challenge you.
12. Vary your workouts every two weeks. Maybe you can change the exercises you’re doing, or this can be a simple matter of changing the order of the workouts. But you need variety so that your body doesn’t adapt and reach a plateau when you don’t progress.
13. Track your 1-rep weight. Every few weeks or so, find out how much weight you can handle with just one rep of a particular exercise. This weight should increase every time. Doing this tells you how much progress you’ve made in your strength training and it also helps motivate you into continuing your efforts.
14. Make your safety a priority. That means taking care of your weights properly, using a safety belt for heavy weights, and having a spotter near you. The point of all these workouts is to make you healthier. You’re not supposed to get injured while you build your muscles.
15. Be patient. Regardless of what you may have heard or read online, your muscles won’t grow overnight. You can change this with steroids, but this isn’t only illegal, it’s also unhealthy as well. So just be patient, keep doing what you’re doing and pretty soon you will have the body you’ve always wanted.

Of course, you have to think and act like a true competitor during this period in your life. Eat right, avoid bad habits, and commit to a healthy lifestyle. None of these bodybuilding tips will matter unless you do all these.

When you’re trying to build muscle, you need to understand that the process involves two stages. First there is the catabolic stage. You want to encourage muscle protein breakdown with your workout, during which your exercises are used to break down muscle protein.

When you do a workout you basically tear your muscle fibers; the workout increases the rate of the muscle protein breakdown. The catabolic stage is when the rate of the protein breakdown is greater than the protein synthesis, which is when amino acids are used to make proteins to maintain or build muscle.

This is followed by the anabolic stage, which occurs when you rest and the muscle building begins. Your body uses the protein and amino acids to rebuild the muscle fibers that were torn.

It’s not enough that you have a nice balanced diet throughout the day and that you take the best pre workout supplement before you work out. For the best results, you’ll also need to use the best post workout supplement that you can find during the anabolic stage, in order to assist in maintaining or building bigger muscles.

What to Look For in the Best Post Workout Supplement

Identifying the best post workout supplement may be quite challenging, but here are some pointers you’ll want to keep in mind:

• Most post workout supplements contain protein, because you need it to build muscle. This just begs the question of how much protein is ideal. According to the latest research, the answer depends on your age. If you are relatively young, you need 20 grams of protein. Your needs increase as you grow older, and by age 70 you will need 40 grams.
• Amino acids will also be helpful in building muscles. It’s best that you consume amino acids all at once rather than spread out over an extended period of time. Research shows that more muscle protein synthesis results from drinking 20-40 grams in one go, compared to the result of taking small sips in a span of several hours.
• Many workout supplements also contain carbohydrates. This may or may not be a good thing, though. Carbs are also used as a fuel for protein synthesis. Supplements with carbs can also prevent proteolysis, which is the deterioration of protein. At the same time, you may want to hold off consuming carbs immediately right after a workout, especially if your workout goal is to burn fat and lose weight. Your body is still burning off fat, and you should encourage this process by tapering off your carbohydrate consumption. Once you take carbs, the free fatty acids being burned for energy are returned to your fat cells.
• Take note of the calories a supplement contains, as well as the flavor. Obviously, the ability to mix easily with liquid is important as well as the quality and the absence of chemicals and artificial sweeteners. Stevia is a good choice for a sugar-free sweetener.

Timing is important when taking post workout supplements. Obviously it should be taken after a workout and not before. But most research shows that protein and amino acids should be taken right after, instead of hours later or the next day – which is technically still “after” the workout.

According to some studies, the nutrient uptake is much greater when you take the supplements within a half of an hour after you work out, rather than after even a few hours have passed. So, when you finish your workout, reach for your favorite post workout supplement and reload the important nutrients that your muscles need right away. By taking it at this “window of opportunity”, you ensure that you obtain the maximum benefits from your post workout supplement.