You’ve been benched! And no...I DON’T mean bench-PRESSED!

“Benched” as in out of the game…as in injured…as in kaput.

Body building injuries lurk just around the corner, waiting to knock you out of your training regimen if you give them the chance.

But hey…what can happen, right? I mean, you can lift a gazillion pounds of steel over your head. Body building’s harmless; what could go wrong, right?

Well, the bad news is you could lose all your hard-earned gains and return to being Pretzel Boy or the Flabinator if you get hurt.

But the good news is you can avoid most body building dangers if you’re smart. Here are some important body building cautions. Follow them, and you’ll stay buff, tough, and never turn to fluff because you got hurt.

Overtraining

This is a biggie when you’re into body building. You're not some weekend warrior or New Year’s resolution-keeping hobbyist. You're into the sport for real…you’re serious about bulking up…and so you work hard. Every day or every three days…the same muscles, over and over. You’ve gotten addicted to the “pump” even though it doesn’t mean you’re actually adding muscle.

Train smart! Body building follows the laws of biology. Biology says your muscles only grow in response to exertion AFTER the fact. They knit together bigger and stronger when they have a chance to rest. If you don’t let them rest, they can’t do their job. If they can't do their job, they rip, tear, and shred; and then it’s bye-bye body building dreams.

Eating Like An Idiot

This body building no-no can go either way. You can’t expect good results when you eat like a Sasquatch in a food court.

Here’s a good body building diet hint: if your server asks if you want fries with that, you’re eating all wrong. On the other hand, you're into body building; you’re not a jockey trying to make weight. Follow a sensible and healthy diet, getting the right amount of protein, and your body will be healthy enough on the inside for it to show on the outside.

Ignoring Form

Flop, flop, grunt, smash. You've seen the body building wannabe’s at the gym. They’re the guys who don’t realize the human body was designed to move in certain ways – and not in others. Aside from the danger you pose to everyone near you with your out-of-control weights, lack of good form is an injury waiting to happen. Learn what good form looks like and then watch yourself execute your reps in the mirrors strategically placed throughout the gym. When you start to tire, either do it right, or stop. Squeezing one more rep is foolish if you’re one rep away from injury.

Train smart, and you'll still be body building when you’re ninety.

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Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_124318_23.html

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There are many ways to burn fat:

Increase exercise and decrease food and alcohol consumption is the most obvious and safest answer.

Another idea is a “thermic diet”: a diet that increases your metabolic rate, such as consuming whey protein which requires more energy to digest than other foods

A third alternative is taking “fat burning” supplements.

With all the choices of “fat burning” supplements out there, it’s very confusing for the average consumer what the differences are. “Fat burning” supplements can be broken down into 7 categories, where the first 4 are stimulants:

1. Ephedrine and Ephedra. Ephedrine and its herbal forms Ephedra and Ma Huang are often included in supplements designed to promote fat burning and/or energy. About 5 years ago, Ephedra was in the news over the controversial death of a baseball player Steve Bechler and football player Korey Stringer during spring training. Many believe it was a combination of heat stroke, dehydration, and lack of conditioning. The results were inconclusive.

2. Caffeine and Guarana. Caffeine and its herbal form Guarana are often included in supplements designed to promote energy and/or fat burning. Caffeine is also known to suppress the appetite. Side effects include the jitters or nervousness and frequent trips to the restroom.

3. Ephedrine & Caffeine Combos. The combination of Ephedrine and Caffeine makes up the core of some popular supplements that has been proven to burn fat and while retaining lean muscle mass. The supplements below represent many variations of this popular combo or their herbal equivalents (Ephedra / Ma Huang and Guarana). Xenadrine is a popular brand in this category.

4. Synephrine Combos. The herbal form is Citrus Aurantium or Bitter Orange. These are thought to be easier on the Central Nervous System than supplements that contain ephedrine or its herbal equivalents. Synephrine is still a stimulant but is a milder alternative to ephedrine.

5. Thyroid Boosters. These are designed to preserve or increase thyroid output and increase the metabolic rate to promote fat loss stimulant free. This is an excellent alternative to supplements containing stimulants.

6. Insulin Mimickers are said to aid or act similar to insulin in order to help avoid large amounts of natural insulin from being secreted in the body - which would result in excess carbohydrates being stored as fat!
Chromium is the second best-selling mineral supplement in the United States, behind calcium. It is found in whole grains, wheat germ and nuts, and is poorly absorbed in our intestinal tract.
By combining Chromium with Picolinic Acid to create Chromium Picolinate reportedly improved absorption into the bloodstream. Evidence is currently inconclusive, and more research is required.

7. Carnitine and Actetyl-L-Carnitine. This is probably the lowest risk of the 7 types of supplements. Over 50 percent of our daily needs for Carnitine is normally supplied by the diet by meat, poultry and fish. Unless you are a vegetarian or a strict vegan, current research shows no evidence that it will reduce body fat.

Pick & choose your supplements carefully!

Disclaimer: Consult your physician before altering your diet or taking supplements. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, opinion or advice contained in the above article.

Article Source: http://www.articleset.com

About the Author

F. Jimson Lee is a Coach and founder of Speedendurance.com with expertise in Track and Field, Leadership and Supplements. He holds a Bachelor degree in Physiology and a minor in Biochemistry.

Jimson also contributes to several websites including Best Travel Vacation Tips and Youth Sports and Parenting Advice. » Read more articles by F. Jimson Lee

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Author: Dane Fletcher

How do people discover the limit of their natural abilities?

This is an inquiry about deciding to use any kind of anabolic steroid. It is a question that is seldom brought up, but it should be far more often. First of all, it needs to be stated that I think you should push your body to the highest possible point naturally before even considering taking any anabolic steroid. Please don’t think that makes me not approve of anabolic steroids. It’s just that the human body is a greater machine than any anabolic steroid, so people should exhaust their given resources before executing the decision to take any kind of anabolic steroid.

It’s impossible to tell you exactly when you have achieved the highest point or the plateau of your natural bodybuilding abilities. I also can’t say when you would desire to think about taking an anabolic steroid, but what I can say is the things you should check off the list before making the decision.

You first need to be totally honest and ask some important questions:

1) Do you possess the capability and build to win a local competition without the help of a single anabolic steroid? If you don’t, then you will not improve too much by using an anabolic steroid, at most you’ll be a larger version of a body that still has a lot of imperfections.

2) Have you exhausted all that’s within your abilities to get the most out of your natural potential prior to thinking about using steroids? In other words, have you gone by a routine diet without flaw, and supplemented your dieting where you could to increase gains before introducing the element of an anabolic steroid?

3) Have you trained to your full potential and found techniques that will assist you in reaching your highest potential before using an anabolic steroid?

4) Have you given your body enough time to recover as much as is needed in order to grow, and slept enough to let that growth take place without using anabolic steroids?

If the answer was yes to all the previous questions, and if you’re going through a plateau that you just can't get over, then your potential has probably been achieved and it might be beneficial for you to look into taking an anabolic steroid. But before this decision is made, it’s good to consider that over the years of training, it is possible to continue natural gains, but they might take a while and therefore be very hard to notice in the short term. So if you have exhausted all of your natural resources, you might be ready to try an anabolic steroid. Remember to begin really slowly, this way you get the best results from the least amount used. If you increase the amount used over time, then you'll have somewhere to go and more gains to get.

About the Author:

Dane Fletcher is the world-wide authority on bodybuilding and steroids. He has coached countless athletes all over the world. To read more of his work, please visit either http://www.BodybuildingToday.com or http://www.SteroidsToday.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/muscle-building-articles/the-attraction-of-anabolic-steroids-587645.html

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One of the biggest mistakes most trainees make is in their diet. They think that as long as they go to gym, trained hard and never worry about their nutrition, they will surely get big and build muscles.

Many top experts consider nutrition to be even more important than what you accomplish in the gym. The fact is when you train hard and break down muscle fibers, your body requires proper nutrition to facilitate recovery and muscle growth.

When you trained hard you must provide your body with high quality of protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and water throughout the day.

When it comes to building muscle, the most important thing to realize is you must consume more calories than your burn.

This does not mean you can consume any calories like, chips, ice creams or French fries because not all calories are created equally.

You must consume proper calories for gaining lean muscle weight.

There are 3 food groups that you should be consuming for proper lean muscle gain.

Protein

This is the most important nutrient for building muscle because it is responsible for muscle growth and repairing damaged muscle tissue.

You should be consuming 1-2 grams of protein for every pound of body weight daily. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be consuming 150-300 grams of protein every single day. Some of the high quality proteins are

Poultry

Lean Red Meat

Fish

Eggs

Skim Milk

Nuts/All Natural Peanut Butter

Cottage Cheese

Whey

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are also important because it provides energy for your body and brain. Carbohydrates aid in the absorption of protein and eventually broken down into simple form like glucose. Choose carbohydrates that are on the lower end of glycemic index (such as oatmeal, brown rice or apples) as they provide your body with a steady stream of energy and prevent large fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

Fats

If you want to achieve maximum gain in muscle, do not be afraid of fats. Not all fats are created equally. Consuming a right amount of unsaturated fat daily will accelerate your lean muscle gains while also minimizing the rate at which you store body fat. Some good sources of unsaturated fat are flaxseed oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, walnuts, all-natural peanut butter and avocados. A bit of saturated fat is okay, just don’t go overboard.

http://muscle-gain-truth.blogspot.com/2007/04/why-proper-muscle-building-nutrition.html

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Vitamins can be divided into two broad categories: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K) are so named because they are stored in the body's fatty tissue and do not have to be replenished daily. But be careful: Because they are stored, overdoses of these vitamins can lead to toxicity.

The water-soluble vitamins (with the exception of vitamin C) are composed entirely of the B and B-complex vitamins, including Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pyridoxine (B6), Folate, Cobalamin (B12), Biotin and Pantothenic Acid. Because these vitamins are water soluble and thus have difficulty entering fatty tissues, they aren't stored in the body and excessive amounts are excreted. And while this means toxicity is generally not a problem, these vitamins must be continually included in a bodybuilder's diet.

Vitamins:
Cobalamin (vitamin B12)

Although the functions of vitamin B12 are numerous, those important to bodybuilders include carbohydrate metabolism and maintenance of nervous system tissue (the spinal cord and nerves that carry signals from the brain to muscle tissues). Stimulation of muscles via nerves is a critical step in the contraction, coordination and growth of muscles.

Vitamin B12 is available only from foods of animal origin; therefore,it is very important for athletes following a strict vegetarian diet to consult a physician about vitamin B12 supplementation. In fact, B12 shots are popular with countless athletes, vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike, many of who swear it helps them perform better.

Biotin

Although there's a limited amount of sports nutrition research on Biotin, it makes our top 10 list because it has critical functions in amino acid metabolism and the production of energy from many sources. It also may be one vitamin that some bodybuilders have trouble when attempting to maintain an adequate supply.

The reason bodybuilders may have difficulty with Biotin is because it can be blocked by a substance called Avidin. Avidin is found in raw egg whites, a staple for many athletes. In fact, bodybuilders who eat raw egg whites or who don;t cook egg white well enough may experience growth problems with Biotin deficiency if their egg white consumption approaches 20 per day. Eating raw eggs can also lead to a bacterial infection called Salmonella, which can have severe health consequences.

Riboflavin (vitamin B2)

Riboflavin is involved in energy production in three areas:

-Glucose metabolism
-Oxidation of fatty acids
-The shuttling of hydrogen ions through the Krebs cycle. Of particular interest to bodybuilders, Riboflavin is somewhat related to protein metabolism. In fact, there is a strong relationship between lean body mass and dietary riboflavin.

One study by Belko and colleagues found that females needed higher than RDA levels of Riboflavin to return blood levels of Riboflavin to normal after exercise. Another study by Haralambie showed that Riboflavin supplementation improved muscular hyperexcitability (seen in trained athletes). This vitamin may prove to be especially important for athletes.

Vitamin A

Most of us know that vitamin A helps with vision, but bodybuilders need to become familiar with its other benefits. First of all, vitamin A is important in the synthesis of protein, the chief process of muscle growth. Second, vitamin A is involved in the production of Glycogen, the body's storage form of energy for high intensity performance.

The problem with vitamin A status in bodybuilders is twofold. First, American diets are consistently measured to be low in vitamin A. Second, both strenuous physical activity (which disrupts the absorption of vitamin A) and a low fat diet (which renders vitamin A loss in feces) jeopardize the level of vitamin A in the body. So be especially careful of your vitamin A intake during contest preparation.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, meaning it protects the cell's membranes. This is important because many of the metabolic processes that take place in the body, including the recuperation and growth of muscle cells, are dependent upon health cell membranes.

You've probably heard a lot about antioxidants in the news lately, and research continues to validate their importance. Specifically, antioxidants help to reduce the number of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are natural byproducts of cellular respiration, but accumulation of free radicals can lead to cellular changes and destruction (even cancer), rendering cells unable to adapt normally. This means a reduction in exercise induced processes in the cell such as repair and growth.

Niacin (vitamin B3)

This vitamin is involved in nearly 60 metabolic processes related to energy production and ranks high for bodybuilders by virtue of its critical importance in providing training fuel (no train, no gain)! The bad news is that high levels of Niacin have been found in the blood of athletes after exercise, suggesting that athletes may need more niacin than nonathletes. On the other hand, the good news is that even if a diet is low in Niacin, the body can make it from the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in abundance in turkey meat.

Bodybuilders are familiar with the form of Niacin known as nicotine acid, which causes vasodilation and may help a competitor look more vascular before going onstage. But this form of Niacin shouldn't be used during training; large doses of nicotinic acid (50 - 100 mg) significantly impairs the body's ability to mobilize and burn fat.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the absorption of Calcium and Phosphorus. Calcium is necessary for muscular contraction. If adequate stores of Calcium are not available in the muscle, full, hard muscular contractions cannot be sustained. Of course, Calcium is also needed for the integrity of bones, which must support increased muscle tissue and provide an anchor during muscular contraction.

And don't forget about Phosphorus. Phosphorus helps provide quick, powerful muscular contractions, which comprise the majority of movements during weight training. Phosphorus is also required for the synthesis of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the high energy molecule used by your muscle cells during contraction.

This nutrient is high in the list since bodybuilders typically avoid the fat content, e.g., dairy foods. Look for vitamin D fortified foods and get in the habit of drinking at least one glass of low-fat or nonfat milk per day.

Thiamine (vitamin B1)

This B vitamin packs muscle! Thiamine is one of the vitamins required for protein metabolism and growth. It's also involved in the formation of hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body (especially working muscles). The transport of oxygen is critical to athletic performance and becomes even more important as intensity and duration of exercise increase.

Making matters more interesting, Thiamine, according to research, is one of the few vitamins that enhances performance when supplemented and is increasingly needed by athletes. Not only that, but Thiamine requirements appear to be directly related to caloric expenditure. The more exercise frequency, intensity and duration increase, the more Thiamine is needed.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Protein metabolism, growth and carbohydrate utilization are all made possible in part by the presence of vitamin B6. Like Thiamine, studies on Pyridoxine in athletic performance show a definite increased need for athletes and possible performance enhancement from supplementation.

The vitamin makes the number two spot for a very good reason: It's the only vitamin directly tied to protein intake. The more protein you eat, the more Pyridoxine you need. Of course, this, coupled with Pyridoxine's role in growth, had profound implications for bodybuilders, though it is generally not known or discussed in sports nutrition circles.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Surprised? Most athletes don't realize how important vitamin C status is to success. As the most widely studied vitamin in sports nutrition, Ascorbic acid has proven itself to be valuable to bodybuilders in many ways.

First, vitamin C is an antioxidant, protecting muscle cells from free radical damage, thus enhancing recovery and growth.

Second, Ascorbic acid is also involved with amino acid metabolism, especially the formation of Collagen. Collagen is the primary constituent of connective tissue, the stuff that holds your bones and muscles together. This may not seem important, but as you lift heavier weights, the stress you put on your structure becomes tremendous. If your connective tissue is not as healthy and strong as it should be (a problem often seen in steroid users), risk of injury dramatically increases.

Third, vitamin C helps in the absorption of Iron. Iron is necessary to help Oxygen bind to hemoglobin in blood. Without adequate oxygen transportation in blood, muscles are robbed of precious oxygen and performance is greatly reduced.

Fourth, Ascorbic acid also assists in the formation and release of steroid hormones, including the anabolic hormone testosterone.

Finally, vitamin C is perhaps the most water soluble vitamin there is. In other words, it diffuses very rapidly in water. Since a muscle cell is mostly water, the more muscular an athlete becomes, the more vitamin C disperses and the lower the concentration of this critical substance becomes in body tissues. So vitamin C requirements are greatly increased for bodybuilders.

Bodybuilders are notorious for overlooking these key components of growth and performance. Do yourself a favor and analyze your diet to ensure you're taking in enough of the vitamins outlined above. Remember: You could have the best diet in the world in terms of calories, fat, etc, but if you're lacking adequate levels of these metabolic spark plugs, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

Article Source: http://www.articleset.com

About the Author

Walter Zinsmeister III runs a Body Building website that provides http://www.xtreme-bb.com … ml’>body building workout plans, recipes and articles to keep the body in shape and healthy. » Read more articles by Walter Zinsmeister III

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When it comes to bodybuilding, generally masculine features come to one’s mind. Earlier women were considered as an object of beauty only and they were not supposed to do any bodybuilding. Actually they were supposed to have beauty gifted by God and muscle building was no way required for that. But it was just a misconception and today even women are no less than men as far as looking good with slim, trim and muscular body is concerned.

The male and female bodies have some basic differences. Because of this difference in body, the bodybuilding supplements which women need are different from those required by a male body. Therefore, both are given different physical training to suit their body construction and their physiological needs.

The major difference between them is that they have different metabolism. Actually women in comparison with man cannot metabolize fat easily and quickly. If it is the matter of the growth of muscle in the body, it is higher and faster in man. Now this is obvious that women have the accumulation of fat in the body which becomes the matter of great concern. Keeping these things in the mind, the bodybuilding supplements for women are made so that fat could be burnt and the level of cholesterol be reduced.

There is no reason to be worried because there are varieties of bodybuilding supplements which are chiefly meant for women. Calcium and folate are the most important of all the nutrients women need. Some by mistake start taking anabolic steroid supplements which deepen their voice and bring some facial hair. So such things should be avoided. They should take only those things which have the property of toning and sculpting the skin and muscles.

Body building supplements made for women also have their effect on their nerves and psychological state, as a result their confidence level boom and inner worth cones out. Study says that creatine which many body supplements contain is always good for women body builders. Apart from them, multi-vitamins, protein, glutamine, amino acids, growth hormone, and protein bars are the common supplements which are used in woman’s bodybuilding supplements. They don’t only build up muscles but also fuels up energy.

There is chitosan which is known as stimulate free fat burner and fat blocker, and used in this particular supplement. In case of woman thyroid is the matter of great concern. So, thyroid supplements have been made to sort the problem caused by a hypo thyroid condition or a hyper thyroid condition.
Bodybuildingfactory is one of the United States leading Body building Supplements website. First established in August 2005, its mission is to become the number one site for Legal Anabolics and prohormone searches.

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_674317_23.html

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Author: Shawn Lebrun

Building muscle has several important health benefits other than looking good at the beach.

Muscular fitness can be defined as the strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility that are needed to carry out daily tasks and avoid injury.

How you attain a certain degree of muscular development is dependent upon a number of factors. One thing is clear, however: a program that incorporates weight lifting along with weight-bearing aerobic activity is essential.

Creatine and all the supplements in the world will make very little difference in terms of building muscle if resistance training is not included.

Even if you decide you don’t need muscle building for injury prevention, performance, or even bodybuilding, you should still consider a minimum program throughout your life. A minimum program of muscle maintenance will go a long way in the prevention of lower back and posture-related problems.

In addition, research shows that a muscle-building program can help avoid the progressive decrease in the density of bones commonly known as osteoporosis.

Aging and muscle loss

Muscle loss can result from the combined effects of many age-related changes. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a growth hormone responsible for cell growth, maintenance, and repair in a variety of different tissues including muscle, GI (gastrointestinal) tract, and skin.

Reduced IGF-1 signaling is implicated in muscle atrophy resulting from reduced growth hormone and treatment with drugs such as corticosteroids, dexamethasone, and cyclosporin.

Under-nutrition resulting in a lack of vitamin D and physical inactivity are also factors in age-related muscle loss. In addition, elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha and IL-6 can cause muscle wasting (cachexia), although this is usually associated with disease. TNF-alpha may also act (at least in part) by inhibiting IGF-I signaling.

In aging males, muscle loss can also be the result of the down-regulation of the hypothalamic-anterior pituitary-testicular axis.

As aging progresses, there are relative increases in body fat and decreases in muscle mass. The increase in adipose tissue is connected to an increase in the enzyme aromatize which converts testosterone to estradiol and leads to diminished testosterone levels and the deposition of visceral fat.

As the total body fat mass increases, hormone resistance for insulin ultimately develops. For women, it is now well established that the decline in testosterone and the adrenal preandrogens also plays a significant role in affecting perimenopausal and menopausal symptomatology and quality of life. Loss of circulating levels of androgens affects libido, vasomotor symptoms, mood and well being, bone structure, and muscle mass.

Losing fat while building muscle

Excess body fat accumulates via two distinct mechanisms. People either form more adipocytes (fat cells) and/or existing adipocytes absorb too much fat-glucose and become larger. The effect of too many adipocytes and/or bloated adipocytes is the unsightly and unhealthy amassing of body fat.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been shown to decrease the volume of adipocytes and thus reduce body fat. However, many overweight people have too many adipocytes. These people need more than CLA to achieve effective weight control.

In weight-loss studies, CLA consistently shows an ability to reduce body fat while maintaining lean muscle mass.
A study in the August 2001 issue of the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders concluded that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces abdominal fat among men classified as abdominally obese.

The study participants taking CLA lost an average of 1.4 cm in waist circumference after only 4 weeks.
This double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial observed 25 men with significant abdominal fat for 4 weeks.

Some participants (14) received 4.2 grams of CLA per day, while the others received placebo. At the conclusion of the study, there was a significant decrease of abdominal diameter among the CLA group. None of the study participants changed their eating or exercise habits during the trial period.

Results of this study support data in the December 2000 issue of the Journal of Nutrition. That study concluded that CLA reduced body fat and preserved muscle mass among the 60-person study group. Participants lost an average of 6 lbs while taking CLA.

The key to successful muscle building is to combine resistance training with proper nutrition and effective supplements so that an optimal anabolic environment is created.

So, as it is shown, not only does building muscle make us look better and also feel better, but also and most important building muscle can help and make us live healthier and longer. Everybody should use some form of weight training so they can enjoy some of the benefits of building muscle.

About the Author:
Start building muscle and losing fat in less time. Fitness trainer and natural bodybuilder Shawn LeBrun's “Simple Steps” training program is being used by over 15,000 people in 70 countries!
Start building muscle in less time

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/benefits-of-building-muscle-8864.html

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