How Many Reps And Sets To Build Muscle?

How Many Reps And Sets To Build Muscle?
By: Shawn LeBrun

One of the most asked questions I get while training others is how many reps and sets of an exercise are needed to achieve lean muscle growth, strength increase, and an overall improvement in body composition.

Reps
The desired repetition range for both men and women for just about all exercises is four to six repetitions for your last, heavy sets. That doesn't include warm-ups or acclimation sets, just your last sets. There is one and only one reason a muscle has for gaining lean muscle tissue and getting stronger....Progressively increased overload. You need to progressively "force" the muscle into growing and getting stronger or it will not. In order to increase overload, you need to increase resistance. In order to increase resistance, you need to increase the amount of weight, or work, you are doing. Lower repetitions of an exercise will allow you to increase the overload to that muscle instantaneously. This forces the stimulation of new muscle fibers that will be recruited to handle the additional stresses that will be placed upon the muscle. The repetition range for optimal muscle fiber stimulation will be between four and six repetitions for just about every heavy set of an exercise you do. Low reps will not cause women to "bulk" up. Low reps will strengthen and "tone" your muscles quicker than higher reps. Lighter weights and higher reps will basically keep you from making optimal gains. If you can do ten repetitions of an exercise, the weight is too light to achieve overload.

How do you know what weight to use? If you can do more than six repetitions on your heavy sets for an exercise, the weight is too light. If you cannot do at least four, the weight is too heavy. So the low down on reps is 4 to 6 for all heavy sets. Warm up sets and intermediate can be 8 to 10 reps, but to get the muscle stimulating benefit of weight training, you must use lower reps to create enough of an overload.

Sets

The amount of heavy, intense sets per exercise will be between one and three sets, depending on the order of the exercise. When you are warmed up, the number of all-out, intense sets will be three at the most, and on some exercises, just one or two sets. It is the overload that causes the muscle to grow, not the amount of sets you do. There is no "universal law" which states that if you double the amount of sets you perform, you also double the results.

The key is to stimulate, not annihilate, the muscle into responding and growing. You do this with two, very intense sets of four to six repetitions. This will efficiently stimulate the muscles more than doing more sets with more reps at a lighter weight. If we were doing bicep curls, we would do our warm-ups and then two heavy, intense sets of four to six repetitions. This exercise is now done. You have effectively overloaded the bicep muscles and will then proceed to the next exercise, if there is one. As you can see, it is all about quality over quantity when it comes to producing results. It is so much better to do one or two heavy sets at maximum intensity than 3 or more at an easier level.

More is not better....better is better.


About the Author:
Fitness Consultant Shawn Lebrun has helped over 13,000 individuals lose fat and build muscle in less time. To read more about what he can do for you, please check out his site at Shawn Lebrun Fitness.com

Fat Burning Foods

Fat Burning Foods
by: Chris Chenoweth


In your quest to lose weight, there are a variety of foods that are not only healthy and nutritious, but help your body lose weight naturally and increase your body’s rate of fat loss. Incorporating some or all of these foods into your daily diet will speed up weight loss, burn fat, and help in your search for a better, healthier body.

Apples and berries contain pectin. Pectin restricts the amount of fat the cells can absorb and forces the cells to discharge fatty deposits.

Citrus fruits contain high concentrations of Vitamin C. Vitamin C burns fat by diluting or liquefying it. This makes it less effective and easier for the body to flush fat from the system. Vitamin C also helps burn out the cholesterol making it difficult for cholesterol deposits to form in blood vessels.

Calcium in dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt plays an important role in weight loss by accelerating the fat breakdown in fat cells.

Broccoli and Cabbage both contain very high quantities of calcium and Vitamin C and are full of fiber!

Eggs are high in protein and essential in burning fat. If you are concerned about cholesterol, you can eat the white part as that is the most nutritious part of the egg.

Garlic or garlic oil helps reduce fatty deposits in your body’s cells.

*reen Tea boosts metabolism and may aid in weight loss. It also contains anti-cancer properties and helps prevent heart disease.

Hot Peppers can speed up your metabolism. This causes you to burn more calories.

Lean Turkey fires up the body’s fat-burning abilities by boosting metabolism and building lean muscle tissue that, in turn, burns more calories.

Oatmeal and Whole Grains are great sources of fat-absorbing fiber that keeps the body full by providing it with energy. They also rev up the metabolism, necessary for burning fat and calories.

Soup is a terrific appetite suppressant. Burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. Make your own with lots of fresh veggies.

Soybeans contain lecithin, a chemical that protects your cells from accumulating fat. Lecithin prevents fat from forming on your cells and breaks down fatty deposits in your body.

Eat the right type of fats:

Monounsaturated fats lower the risk of heart disease, burn fat, and reduce the “bad”(LDL) cholesterol, without affecting the “good” (HDL) cholesterol. These healthy fats can be found in olive oil, avocados and nuts (pecans, peanuts, almonds, and cashews). Omega 3 fatty acids have the same function as the monounsaturated fats and can be found in salmon, sardines, herring, and canola oils.

Don’t forget. The first rule of a healthy and nutritious diet is to drink water, lots of water! Water flushes out the system and eliminates harmful toxins. It enables the body to run more efficiently, speeds up metabolism, and makes it easier to lose weight and burn fat. Your body is made up of 70% water and needs a lot of water each day to perform its necessary functions.

About The Author
Chris Chenoweth, author of the DO-IT-YOURSELF HOME, HEALTH & MONEY GUIDE (http://mysiteinc.com/djtrevayne/guide.html), writes articles pertaining to nutrition, health issues, and household budgeting. One of the most effective and healthy weight loss programs available, BURN THE FAT (http://www.ezniche.com/data/article.php?l=18), shows you how to convert your body into a fat burning machine.

Build Muscle Mass- 3 Key Ingredients To Building Lean Muscle Mass Quickly

Build Muscle Mass- 3 Key Ingredients To Building Lean Muscle Mass Quickly
by: Richard Knight


If you’re anything like I was a short while ago, “a skinny guy trying to build muscle mass”, then I have some important tips that could help you start seeing results instantly.

There are 3 key ingredients that you MUST HAVE in order to build muscle mass and quickly at that. And here they are:

Muscle Mass Ingredient #1 – More Protein

If you want to build muscle mass quickly then this is a “must”. Just remember, the only thing that can build muscle in your body is Protein. So if you’re not consuming enough protein it’s IMPOSSIBLE to build lean muscle mass and stack on the pounds.

In order to maintain your weight, you should be consuming 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight. So if you’re a 150 lb. guy then in order to maintain your muscle mass at that weight you need to consume 150 grams of protein each day. And if you want to build muscle mass, you’re going to have to consume “more” protein, to not only maintain the muscles you have now but to build more.

So if you want to build muscle mass quickly and safely a general rule of thumb is to consume 1 – 2 grams of protein for each pound of body weight. So if you’re a 150lb. guy you’d want to consume at least 150 grams of protein upward to 300 grams of protein a day.

Muscle Mass Ingredient #2 – More Carbs

Despite what Dr. Atkins said, for all us skinny guys “Carbs are GOOD”. We need carbs as a source of energy. But you don’t want to consume just any ‘ol carbs. You want to consume a lot of complex carbs rather than simple carbs.

In other words, you still want to stay away from the sweets and simple sugars that are found in a lot of our junk food, and you want to consume more complex carbs like those found in whole wheat bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole grain cereals, yams, spinach etc.

Why complex carbs? Because unlike simple carbs (sugars) it’s virtually impossible to turn complex carbs into fat – which means more energy to burn (work out with) and less fat to deal with in the end.

If you want to build muscle mass fast, ideally you’d want to consume 2 – 3 grams of carbs for each pound of bodyweight a day.

Muscle Mass Ingredient #3 – Heavy Weight Training

You cannot build muscle mass without “Heavy weight training”. Let’s just put it this way “the more stress (heavy weight) you put on your muscles, the more it will grow”. And it’s simply because when you put extreme stress on your muscle by lifting heavy weights, your body responds (builds more muscle) so that next time it won’t be as hard or strenuous on your body to lift the same weight.

Ideally, if you want to build muscle mass - lean muscle mass to be more specific, you’d want to lift weights that allow you to do 6-8 reps and no more.

Of course there’s a whole lot more to building muscle mass, but if you follow these 3 key ingredients you’ll be on the road to building lean muscle mass quickly and a whole lot easier than you ever thought possible. Good luck and grow “Massive”.

Copyright 2006 Richard Knight

About The Author
This article has been written by Richard Knight, a “former skinny guy” and weight gain consultant. Richard teaches other “Average Joes” step by step how to build lean muscle mass in 28 days FLAT with his own weight gain system. Get his FREE tips today. . . http://www.skinny2massive.com

Cholesterol Cutback Choices

Cholesterol Cutback Choices
by: Mary Smith


You know the drill: cut this, that, and the other really delicious thing out of your diet--all in the name of cutting cholesterol. Frustrating, isn't it? Especially if you work full time, and are on the go constantly with family or volunteer obligations.

If you pack your own lunch, you may find that you often pick the wrong types of foods for your meals on the go. Late night or early morning lunch preparations are often conducted between yawns, and whatever is at hand that can be thrown in a brown bag will do!

However, if you want to start cutting the cholesterol in your diet, you will find many types of foods are on your side, and many of them are great tasting at the same time.

If you are going to cut cholesterol in your diet, you should begin by removing white breads and rolls. Whole wheat, rye and other whole grain breads are going to be key to your cutting cholesterol and lowering the cholesterol stores in your body. You should also stop buying all that red meat and the other meats that are high in fat. Fat hides cholesterol. Instead, buy meats that have the fat trimmed, and that have the skin removed. You can still have a praiseworthy dinner plate, but it is going to leave you with a lower cholesterol level in your body. Always using whole grain breads, and leftovers will give you a great lunch or dinner in a hurry, any day of the week.

Working late and eating in the office, or just being on the go, can sometimes leave you with a feeling of wanting some treat, or just something more. Train yourself to reach for foods that are lower in fat, high in fiber, and low in cholesterol for the best cholesterol lowering results for your health overall.

Great choices
Some great foods you can reach for include fruit bars, frozen yogurt bars, cereal bars, dry cereals, juice bars, and skim milk ice cream. Look for popcorn that is unbuttered or light, and rice cakes are great after you get used to them, and so are low fat pretzels, which you can eat anywhere and on the march.

Fresh fruits and veggies are great cholesterol busters, and you can take many of them with you for a good meal on the go. Some of the goodies you can stock up on include oranges, strawberries, grapes, raisins, pineapples, and apples. Why not try dried fruits or sliced fruits while sitting at your desk and munching while working? You can also use fresh cauliflower or broccoli chunks for a great addition to any snack or meal on the go.

Keep in mind that you can cut cholesterol in spite of the convenience and junk food that assaults your senses everywhere you turn. Make the first choice the first day, and things will get easier each time you do that. After a few weeks, you will wonder what the thrill was in all that high cholesterol junk food anyway.

About The Author
Mary Smith writes for several web sites, including http://pathbreaking.com and http://easy-healthy.com

American Sports Nutrition And Performance

American Sports Nutrition And Performance
by: Charles Hawkins

American sportsmen and women often end up winning many international competitions. They appear to be slightly bigger, more powerful and are extremely durable. The common perception is that their secret is lots of exercise and conditioning. Just as important howeveris their diet that gives them that extra edge.

What else is commonly found in this american version of sports nutrition? I will elaborate a bit on their diet and nutritional approach so that you can have further strength and energy subject yourself to physical exertion.

Would you like to greatly improve your performance and build up your muscle strength? Try the creatine that is an important ingredient in American sports nutrition.

This will give you better energy to work longer and harder and help you achieve as high a level as possible. Creatine can also help you recover quickly. This supplement will do the trick for any sportsman who trains weight lifting or any other activity requiring quick bursts of energy, like sprinting for example. You may be able to do more before you become fatigued.

Your body makes use of this fascinating nitrogenous organic acid into adenosine triphosphate (or atp), which is the energy of our cells, and stores it into the mitichondria of each muscle cell giving it reserved energy. All muscle contraction is powered by atp, so we are able to do more because of the accumulated atp. This can forward your physical power and lean muscle gain.

The supplement you are looking for for is 100% pure pharmaceutical grade creatinh monohydrate. A dosage of about 1000 grams is sufficient in most cases. Creatine does not contain any additive and filters, and this chemical is found naturally in many foods so it is basically safe. it has no influence on hormonal levels either.

Whether your final cause is for championship athletic performance, increased lean muscle or lenghtened endurance, creatine will be right for you. As an added bonus it has cardio protective qualities. Creatine from American sports nutrition is the best way to supplement a sound diet and active lifestyle.

Getting your protein

Very important as well is the American sports nutrition whey protein. It is a high quality, lactose free and predigested protein. This nutritional supplement is a potentnatural source of high potency essential amino acids.

If you are looking for improved muscle strength, look no further than american whey. The ion-exchanged whey protein in this supplement is what your body prefers naturally.

American whey protein also low on calories, tastes great, and is easy to mix with rice, milk and water. It also comes in many interesting delicious flavors.

There are many contemporary diets on the market similar to American sports nutrition that offers protein as the corner stone of their nutritional diet. Some of these are the American whey wild berry, American whey creamy vanilla extreme and the American whey double dutch chocolate .

The only difference is in the dosage when using them but the results are very similar. Certain types of thes require a lot ofquantities for the supplement to do it's job. And it also needs to be taken in frequently, when possible you would follow the diet everyday.

As you may have noticed, in the American sports nutrition established way, the main nutrient focused upon are proteins.

So is found in proteins that make them so vital in the nutrition of Americans? Proteins are the main body builder nutrient. Protein is responsible for the assembly of muscle cells. Protein also contributes to the muscle contraction or in controlling the muscles.

As a frame of reference on protein content, the average American consumed 75 grams of protein every day from eating fats and oils. This is the equivalent of 0.1 percent of the days total protein intake.

If you want to have larger, leaner and more functional muscles, you should really bunker up on proteins in front and after your practise session. This is the reason protein is so influential not only to athletes but to everyday people as well.

As a curiosity, protein also contributes to the height of a person. If you desire to be as tall as some americans are, you must include much protein in your diet or at least use the supplements that Are discussed in this article.

Ultimately, we must keep in mind that it is not only a question about the nutrition we get but it is the manner we get it and when we get it. There are optimal times when the nutrients we get will amplify our performance and boost our energy. American sports nutrition takes into consideration these optimum times in order for our body can make good of it and help us be healthy and build our muscles.

About The Author
Charles Hawkins is an editor at http://Knowmoreabout.net, where you can find more information about sports nutrition at: http://www.knowmoreabout.net/sports/nutrition/

Aerobic Fitness: Keeping Yourself In Top Condition

Aerobic Fitness: Keeping Yourself In Top Condition
by: Andrew Green

So what does mean “fitness” and what stands for “aerobic” after all? Under the word fitness we should understand the state of wellbeing of a person. Your physical fitness is formed by a set of many different body capabilities like endurance, strength, flexibility, and coordination. Fitness is not only the physical health, but also mental health of a person along with self awareness and emotional satisfaction. So now we see that in general fitness is a state when mind, body and soul are in touch one with each other and what is more - souls do fit the bodies and live in harmony.

The term aerobic along with the exercise was invented by K. Copper from the U.S. Air Force in 1969. All his thoughts were documented in his book called “Aerobics”. All the data from the book became the baseline for all aerobic fitness programs that are based on oxygen consumption equivalency.

Talking about the term “aerobic” I can say that it is the most important factor of physical fitness. The origin of this word is Latin and the meaning is following: “aero” means oxygen (air), and “bic” is for bio (life). So any physical activity that requires the intake of oxygen could be called aerobic exercise. All aerobic fitness exercises must maintain increased heart rate and that is why such activity is almost the same as cardio exercises. There are also obvious reasons for this: exercises strengthen lungs and heart, increase cardiac capacity and use body fat and carbohydrates and the fuel (energy source).

Of course there are a lot of types of aerobic fitness exercise. All of them build up your endurance and stamina. Forms of exercise include the following: running, swimming, cycling, long distance skiing, power walking, rowing, use of different exercise machines (bikes, treadmills, and others). Actually all aerobic fitness exercises must be performed at high level of intensity and for a long time period. That is why running is considered as aerobic fitness exercise, but sprinting is not. Regular aerobic fitness exercise gives you a lot of health benefits. They are united in a group called “aerobic training effect” and give your body the following: strengthen muscles that are involved in respiration, strengthen heart muscle (that improves blood pumping efficiency), increase the number of red blood cells in the organism. In addition jogging or rope jumping may stimulate bone growth and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The digestive system is fed more regularly and is cleaned more effectively.

Because of the very close connection between the mind and the body, mental fitness may now be seen to be in many ways equivalent to physical aerobic fitness. People that are in good aerobic condition tend to be more optimistic, more self-confident; more determined and, generally, have a higher energy level and of course a greater lust for life.

The group of aerobic fitness exercise may be divided into two major sub-groups – pre-choreographed aerobics and freestyle aerobics (exercise is linked to dance and choreography).

About The Author
Andrew Green is a successful webmaster and publisher of http://free-fitness-exercise-tips.com Free Fitness and Exercise Tips - lots of information to keep you fit, healthy, gain aerboic fitness and help you to get regular exercise at his website http://free-fitness-exercise-tips.com

Fitness Is Only A Short Walk Away

Fitness Is Only A Short Walk Away
by: Tony Dunne


The scientific experts all seem to be saying the same thing when it comes to health and fitness:

1 Obesity, overweight and physical inactivity are at record levels and soaring

2 These problems lead to increased risks from heart disease, strokes, diabetes and many other chronic illnesses

3 Most of us can reduce the risks of these illnesses by taking up a balanced diet and moderate exercise.

Advice on diet is beyond the scope of this article but, when it comes to exercise, one of the easiest ways to do more is to adopt an activity we all do instinctively but never think about seriously ... walking.

Walking is something you've been able to do since you were just a few months old, but have you ever considered taking it up as a serious fitness activity?

Well if you haven't you should!

The health benefits of walking are more compelling than for any other physical activity, simply because walking is so easy to do and you don't have to work up a sweat!

In the UK, The Chief Medical Officer recommends 30 minutes of 'moderately intensive' physical activity on five or more days a week.

So if you're out of shape but the thought of exercising fills you with horror, why not just start walking more often on a regular basis? You don't need any special equipment, you can do it anywhere and at anytime. And it's FREE!

Here are just some of the health reasons for taking up a walking routine:

* reduce your risks of heart disease, strokes and diabetes
* reduce your risks of high blood pressure
* reduce your risks of minor illnesses
* start to bring your weight under control
* get the stress in your life under control
* improve your sleep
* improve your posture

And for maximum health benefits, start your walking activities by getting out into the open air.

Walk in your local park, your local garden center, down by your local river or canal. Get out into the countryside and breathe a little of that rarefied air only to be found in the great outdoors!

You'll find it'll help you get life's problems into a more manageable perspective.

You don't have to go hill walking for miles. After all, you're only walking for 30 minutes, so short walks are all that's required.

And once you've done it, you'll want to do it again. This is guaranteed!

Not only that, once you've walked in the countryside for even a little while, you'll want to walk further. And the best rewards are usually to be found at the top of the hill. Of course, this will mean you'll have to work a bit harder, but the greatest benefit of all is getting to the top of a hill to see the view.

This on its own is enough to challenge the most stressful lifestyle and enable you to breathe far more easily.

For example, after reaching the top of Mam Tor in the Peak District (the UK's most popular National Park) and surveying the amazing views of Hope Valley and the Vale of Edale, your troubles will vanish into the ether and your heart will start pounding, not because you're about to have a heart attack, but out of awe and inspiration!

All this can be achieved with just one short walk!

Don't believe me? Well, try it and see for yourself.

About The Author
Tony Dunne is a regular walker in The Peak District, the United Kingdom's most popular National Park. He is also web master of short-walks.com, a web site dedicated to short walks in The Peak District and the Cheshire Plain, areas of outstanding natural beauty, with countless opportunities for short walks. Click Here Now --> http://www.short-walks.com

3 Steps To Beautiful Sress Free Feet

3 Steps To Beautiful Stress Free Feet
by: Maya Matthews

Are you walking on stress free feet? Make sure you take a little stress out of your busy life by taking care of your feet with these 3 simple, yet essential steps.

Everyone is living a fast paced life these days. With all the stress and things to handle, do we always take the time out to care about our feet? More often than not, the answer to that questions is no. We are always on our feet, and yet we neglect to give them the care they need, which if given would reduce a little bit of their stress from our every day lives. This article lists 3 simple and fast ways for us to care for our feet, making them look better and feel better.

1. Exfoliate the stress our of those toes

Hard skin accumulates naturally on different parts on the body, especially at the base of our feet. When too much hard skin accumulates, it sometimes also becomes quite painful to wear certain shoes and make certain moves. To prevent too much hard skin for accumulating it is important that we exfoliate the feet with a gentle scrub. Different kinds and brand of scrubs are available to use, made especially for the feet and which come in different scents. Choose your favourite scent to relax yourself whilst you massage your feet with the scrub. If you’re lucky, get your partner to do this for you! For better scrubbing try using a pumice, as this will help get rid of that hard skin more effectively. You will be amazed how relaxing scrubbing your feet will feel, and moreover how soft and smooth your feet will feel afterwards. Scrubbing will also make your feet and legs feel lighter, reducing the stress your feet feel. I recommend this scrubbing exercise at least twice a week to make the stress free feeling last long.

2. Moisturise for a silky smooth finish

After the scrubbing exercise is complete, continue showing your feet some tender loving care by applying a nice moisturising lotion to them. Again, if your partner is around, or perhaps even a friend, get them to help you our. You can even give each other these mini pedicures so that you make sure both of you are running on stress free feet. Massage the moisturising lotion well to both your feet, do not rush too much as you need to savour the moment and relax while you can.

3. Color your beautiful toes

Now although this last step applies only for the ladies (and also those adventurous men), all the guys should listen up and take notes so that they will be able to give their partner a complete mini pedicure. The final step of our quickly and stress relieving pedicure is the application of nail polish to the toe-nails. I always stress that nail polish should be applied to the toe-nails, at least a clear colored one, as this final step make a world of a difference. It makes your feet look very well groomed and well taken care of, which also show that you take the time to take care of yourself. This final step comes especially handy in the summer-time when a lot of open-toe shoes are worn. Therefore go for your favourite color and apply nail polish to your toe-nails! For long lasting nail polish I always recommend first applying a base coat, as this both protects your nail and ensure the nail polish lasts longer. After applying the base coat, apply one or two coats of your favourite nail polish. Finally, once the nail polish has dried off a little bit, apply a clear top coat. Besides giving your toe-nails that shiny look, the top coast also helps the nail polish last much longer.

These 3 simple yet essential steps take very little time to put into practice, and the after-effect you will enjoy will last a long time. Take a little stress out of your daily life, by taking a little extra care of your feet. Ensure that you are walking on stress free feet!

About The Author
Maya Matthews specialises in foot care topics at http://www.widewidthshoesonline.com/, the only shopping directory dedicated exclusively to people with wide width feet. Visit the http://www.widewidthshoesonline.com/ today to read more articles and find the top wide width shoe stores.

Body Building Diet Secret: How to Bulk and Cut at the Same Time

Body Building Diet Secret: How to Bulk and Cut at The Same Time
by Dave Elger

I don't know about you, but we've all heard that you can either bulk or cut, but you can't do both at the same time.

So we go about everyday believing that this is true, so we don't even try to understand how it's possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. That is to get ripped pretty quickly. And it's great for summer when we've got to show off our bodies.

So in this article, we're going to talk about how to do it.

We need to understand that it's going to be a combination of a good workout, with a very precise diet plan.

It takes a bit of adjustment to our diet, but when you get it, you'll find that you're able to show off your muscles, as you'll have less fat covering them all up!

But you have to do it in a specific way. Here's the scoop.

The first step is a great workout. If you're not doing this, the rest of the plan won't work.

You'd want to workout a muscle group, with good intensity every 5 to 7 days.

Some do supersets, or some list to failure over 6-15 reps, the optimal partly depends on your body type. This will stimulate your muscles to grow, yet allowing enough time for the muscle to grow between gym sessions, so you actually gain muscle bulk..

There's more that we can go on about to get bigger quicker, but we won't delve into the details here.

Now, what about the diet? Listen up as this is where you can make it or break it.

You need to have a diet that:

1. Provide enough protein to gain muscle,

2. Stimulate testosterone production,

3. Stimualtes a high metabolism, and,

4. Avoiding the wrong type of calories that cause the opposite effects to the above

But how's this done?

Here are the 5 steps in your diet to start this process today:

1. Eat lean sources of protein. Think about foods such as egg, fish, lean chicken, and whey protein. Have a good portion of this straight after your workout.

2. Thinks about the monounsaturated fats. Why? These stimulate testosterone production. They're found in avocado, and extra virgin olive oil. Don't go overboard as they contain dense calories. Just try 2 teaspoons a day of olive oil for example.

3. Straight after your workout, have a high GI carbohydrate, such foods as honey or jam. This will satisfy your sugar fix, yes. But also it will help you absorb the protein and creatine (if you're taking this).

4. Have no high GI carbs in the evenings before bed. If you're doing this, this may be the only thing you have to do to get your body going in the right direction. Your metabolism is slowing, so no high GI carbs at this time please! It's the worse time to have it, and some guys get fat just with this one action.

5. Eat 6 meals a day, as it increases your metabolism. Many Hollywood celebrities do this, as it works. But keep the meals reasonable. Eat til you're 80% full, not excessively, and you'll feel more even during the day - no hunger pangs and no binging.

Got it?

If you want to get ripped in no time, and be healthy at the same time, have a look through these rules carefully.

There are more tips available on my website to refine your diet further, for example, if you're finding that you're not gaining muscle despite a good diet, or, you're putting on fat at the same time as muscle.

So get to it, and eat and train well.

About The Author Lucas Ryan helps you to gain muscle and lose fat so that you can show off your bodybuilding efforts and look ripped in no time. For more valuable tips on how to do this easily, visit: http://www.bodybuildingdiets.info/htmlsitemap.php

Add Power To Your Sport Using Your Hips

Add Power To Your Sport Using Your Hips
by Lisa J. Allen

Did you know that 90 percent of all body movents and efforts originate not form arm or shoulder muscles, but from the hips down?

This is the secret of ancient masters who were able to perform athletic feats even in old age. People noted that veteran players who have mastered their sport performed gracefully and with apparent ease, though mostly average in body size. This is especially observed among martial arts experts in the East who bested opponents often bigger and taller than they were.

It will help even non-athletic people in their daily chores to know that so much physical effort and muscle strain could be avoided if they only realize that true physical power starts from the hips down. Activities like pushing, pulling, lifting, walking, and running can all be made easier if we use our hips correctly-and even avoid body aches that oftenaccompany wrong body maneouvers.

Swinging a baseball bat or golf club, pitching a ball, spiking a volley ball, shooting a basketball, delivering a hook or throwing a jab in boxing, doing a dead lift-all these depend on the use of the hip.

Without the correct use of the hip, the move becomes powerless and quite frequently awkward. Besides, it may end up straining your back or tearing a muscle.

A body motion, especially one made to exert excessive effort, should be timed to cause a smooth body flow and coordination. That's why we often count 1 to 3 before we give a heavy task all we have. This timing need not always be consciously numbered; it often goes on automatically in us when we set out to do a skill.

Now here's the secret: the timing and the smooth body flow should always coincide with a good sway of the hip. The force applied must always be supplemented with a hip sway. Without this, thetiming and smooth flow will all be outward show, lack any real power, and even worse, may cause injury.

But with a good mix of timing, flow, and enough hip movement, the performance becomes dynamite! Hence, masters often say you should put yourselfinto the punch, or go with the force.

But make sure the hip sway is just enough to send a bolt of power, and not throw you off balance. A power "surge" (or a full sway of the hips) can also help at times, but be sure that it does not compromise your stance and balance.

Try throwing a ball with a stiff body posture, with only an arm moving to throw the ball. Then, try throwing it again with your arm swinging as your hip sways (in the same direction) and your legs giving way to your hip sways. You'd see the obvious difference. Power is mostly in the hip.

The next time you grab, lift, or do anything, remember that the hip bridges the body to the legs. Without the hip, neither body nor legs are hooked up to real power.

About the Author:
Lisa J. Allen
Owner of YellowGekko.com; librarian; baseball Mom; Lisa Allen has a wide and varied experience gained from world travels and child-rearing. Formal education and degrees in computer science, education, and information science have provided her with the expertise to research, evaluate, and write about many subjects with authority and credibility. http://www.YellowGekko.com is a family sports and toys page, providing games, toys, and activities for families to enjoy together, both indoors and out.