For Faster Muscle Gains - Return to the Basics
Building muscle is complicated by the fact that everybody has a different theory or practice to follow.
The muscle magazines and bodybuilding Internet sites constantly bombard us with new routines and exercise variations.
All of this is further compounded by the advertising hype surrounding the myriad of bodybuilding supplements that you can take.
Of course, this is nothing new.
The bodybuilding world has been doing this for decades.
However, if you review the history of bodybuilding, you'll find that there are many older bodybuilding practices and principles have "stood the test of time" and are still relevant today.
Most of these older practices and principles are simple, basic and very effective.
They are devoid of frills and hype.
But, most important of all, they work and work very well.
Let's review some of these practices and principles: Use Free Weights Instead of Machines - Bodybuilding, as we know it, is over 100 years old.
Bodybuilders, strongmen and competitive lifters have been using free weights for most of that period.
Machines have only been in existence as a viable training option for the last 40 years.
Contemporary fitness experts and exercise physiologists recognize that training with free weights is superior to machines for adding overall strength and muscle mass.
The use of barbells, dumbbells, and body weight for resistance provides a more effective and intense workout.
Bodybuilding notables such as Steve Reeves, John Grimek, Reg Park, Bill Pearl, Larry Scott, Sergio Oliva, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Lou Ferrigno all trained in a gym environment where free weights were the "tools of the trade" to build their impressive physiques.
Learn from these masters and you'll make greater gains in less time.
Emphasize Compound Exercises Instead Of Isolation Exercises - Again the old-time bodybuilders and strongmen relied entirely upon compound exercises to build the bulk of their muscle mass.
Exercises such as barbell squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, pull-ups, barbells rows, bench press, shoulder presses, parallel dips, power cleans, and hang cleans were the staples of a typical strength or muscle building routine.
Many of today's suggested routines are filled with too many isolation exercises that use dumbbells, bands and cables.
While some isolation exercises such as calf raises, ab crunches, triceps extensions, lateral raises and barbell curls have their place in building muscle, today's emphasis on isolation exercises dilutes the emphasis on the basic compound exercises that have been proven to build mass and strength.
Design your routines to include at least one or two compound exercise for each muscle group.
Squat, Squat and Squat - The barbell squat is considered the "King of Exercises" and has been used by every successful strongman, competitive lifter champion and top professional bodybuilder to build full-body strength and muscle mass.
The barbell squat is an "anabolic" exercise and stimulates total body muscle growth.
Barbell squats should be added to every workout routine.
You'll have a difficult time reaching your full muscular potential unless you perform barbell squats regularly.
Stick With The "Old Standards" - Protein Powder and Creatine - The supplement ads in the muscle mags read like a chemistry textbook.
Supplements have ingredient names like methyl synephrine, xenadrine, citrulline, glycerol, carnosine, methyl 1-D, 11-hydroxy yohimbine.
Most people have no idea what these chemicals are or how they will react in your body in the long-term.
These supplements have not been around long enough to determine if they are dangerous or harmful to your body.
In addition, most of these supplements do not have any credible scientific studies that prove that these supplements will benefit the bodybuilder as claimed in their advertisements.
However, bodybuilders have touted the benefits of protein powders for at least four decades.
Creatine (creatine monohydrate) also has a good track record that is substantiated by numerous well-controlled scientific studies to verify the claims of this supplement.
Stick with protein powders and Creatine.
Keep things simple and stay with the basics.
Don't get caught up in the latest fads and trends, which are largely unproven and mostly marketing hype.
Stay with "time" tested basics and principles in your bodybuilding training and you'll make faster gains.
For additional information of more effective, basic bodybuilding techniques and a FREE REPORT on the basics of muscle building, visit this site.
The muscle magazines and bodybuilding Internet sites constantly bombard us with new routines and exercise variations.
All of this is further compounded by the advertising hype surrounding the myriad of bodybuilding supplements that you can take.
Of course, this is nothing new.
The bodybuilding world has been doing this for decades.
However, if you review the history of bodybuilding, you'll find that there are many older bodybuilding practices and principles have "stood the test of time" and are still relevant today.
Most of these older practices and principles are simple, basic and very effective.
They are devoid of frills and hype.
But, most important of all, they work and work very well.
Let's review some of these practices and principles: Use Free Weights Instead of Machines - Bodybuilding, as we know it, is over 100 years old.
Bodybuilders, strongmen and competitive lifters have been using free weights for most of that period.
Machines have only been in existence as a viable training option for the last 40 years.
Contemporary fitness experts and exercise physiologists recognize that training with free weights is superior to machines for adding overall strength and muscle mass.
The use of barbells, dumbbells, and body weight for resistance provides a more effective and intense workout.
Bodybuilding notables such as Steve Reeves, John Grimek, Reg Park, Bill Pearl, Larry Scott, Sergio Oliva, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Lou Ferrigno all trained in a gym environment where free weights were the "tools of the trade" to build their impressive physiques.
Learn from these masters and you'll make greater gains in less time.
Emphasize Compound Exercises Instead Of Isolation Exercises - Again the old-time bodybuilders and strongmen relied entirely upon compound exercises to build the bulk of their muscle mass.
Exercises such as barbell squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, pull-ups, barbells rows, bench press, shoulder presses, parallel dips, power cleans, and hang cleans were the staples of a typical strength or muscle building routine.
Many of today's suggested routines are filled with too many isolation exercises that use dumbbells, bands and cables.
While some isolation exercises such as calf raises, ab crunches, triceps extensions, lateral raises and barbell curls have their place in building muscle, today's emphasis on isolation exercises dilutes the emphasis on the basic compound exercises that have been proven to build mass and strength.
Design your routines to include at least one or two compound exercise for each muscle group.
Squat, Squat and Squat - The barbell squat is considered the "King of Exercises" and has been used by every successful strongman, competitive lifter champion and top professional bodybuilder to build full-body strength and muscle mass.
The barbell squat is an "anabolic" exercise and stimulates total body muscle growth.
Barbell squats should be added to every workout routine.
You'll have a difficult time reaching your full muscular potential unless you perform barbell squats regularly.
Stick With The "Old Standards" - Protein Powder and Creatine - The supplement ads in the muscle mags read like a chemistry textbook.
Supplements have ingredient names like methyl synephrine, xenadrine, citrulline, glycerol, carnosine, methyl 1-D, 11-hydroxy yohimbine.
Most people have no idea what these chemicals are or how they will react in your body in the long-term.
These supplements have not been around long enough to determine if they are dangerous or harmful to your body.
In addition, most of these supplements do not have any credible scientific studies that prove that these supplements will benefit the bodybuilder as claimed in their advertisements.
However, bodybuilders have touted the benefits of protein powders for at least four decades.
Creatine (creatine monohydrate) also has a good track record that is substantiated by numerous well-controlled scientific studies to verify the claims of this supplement.
Stick with protein powders and Creatine.
Keep things simple and stay with the basics.
Don't get caught up in the latest fads and trends, which are largely unproven and mostly marketing hype.
Stay with "time" tested basics and principles in your bodybuilding training and you'll make faster gains.
For additional information of more effective, basic bodybuilding techniques and a FREE REPORT on the basics of muscle building, visit this site.
