Fit For Health Guide

When it comes to developing a bigger and stronger chest, the first exercise that comes to most peoples mind is the bench press. Although this is perhaps the fastest way to build muscle on your chest, there is another lesser known exercise that can really give you a much more powerful and broader looking frame. The manner of this exercise not only strengthens your chest, but it expands your rib cage like no other exercise, giving you that Hercules look.

So what’s the exercise? The fastest way to build muscle on your upper body and chest area is actually two completely different exercises combined together: breathing squats and pullovers. “Squats?” you say, “how the heck are squats going to give me big and powerful chest?” These are not just regular squats.

If you have read any of my other articles or my newsletters then you will know by now how much I favor breathing squats when it comes to gaining weight and building muscle mass, especially in a workout program for hardgainers.

The difference between breathing squats and regular squats is, evidently, the way you breathe. Here’s how you do them:

First: You can either do them with light weight or really heavy weight, depending on whether or not you want to increase your strength as well as your size and weight.

Second: Between each rep right before you go down, take at least three HUGE breaths. This is the most important point in this exercise. You must force yourself to inhale AND exhale as deep as you possibly can. Use your mouth instead of your nose so you can suck in as much air as you can.

Third: On the last breath before you go down, breathe all the way in and hold it as you go down, then when you come back up blow it out with all you got. Repeat for the rest of the set.

Fourth: After you get past the tenth rep, inhale and exhale at least FIVE times before each rep instead of three, the more deep breaths the better.

Immediately after your squats without taking any time to rest, flop down on or across a flat bench with a light dumbbell and do a set of 20 pullovers. As you lower the weight inhale as much air as possible, and as you bring the weight back up exhale. The purpose of the pullover is not to build strength or muscle but to stretch out your rib cage. So really focus on getting a good stretch when you lower the weight.

As you can see, the breathing in these exercises is the main thing. To make sure you are doing the squats correctly, really emphasize on filling your whole diaphragm with air so that your chest really sticks out after your inhale.

These two exercises together combined will really expand your rib cage and after a few weeks you will notice two main differences: your chest will look much larger and more powerful and you’ll be able to suck in a lot more air then you used to.

The best way to do these two exercises is just a couple sets of really high reps. My suggestion would be one set of 20 if you are using really heavy weight on the squats, or two sets of 20 if you are using light weight. Try getting to the point where you can count to at least 5 while inhaling and to at least 3 while exhaling.

Try these for a few weeks and you will notice tremendous size difference in your frame, mainly your chest and back. You will then be well on your way for that Hercules look.

About the Author:

Derek Manuel is the author of the best-selling, “How to Gain Weight and Build Muscle for Hardgainers”. If you want to learn how you too can gain 20 to 30 pounds of solid muscle in as short as 8 weeks, or if you just want more quality information on how to gain weight and build muscle, please visit http://www.hardgainers-weight-tips.com

For many bodybuilding enthusiasts, the intense workouts, focused dieting, and periodic competitions are like a drug themselves. The power that comes from working hard and sculpting your body into something you could have only imagined can be intoxicating. But when exercise and diet carry a bodybuilder only so far, many will often use bodybuilding and steroids together to take their look to the next level – the long term effects of which can be devastating.

The connection between bodybuilding and steroids is one with a long history. Anabolic steroids are supplements that bodybuilders use to enhance their workout and diet – the use of which will quickly and significantly boost muscle mass. Steroids are able to achieve this rapid growth of muscle because they contain testosterone - a hormone naturally present in men and women that is responsible for the building of muscle. When testosterone is enhanced by the addition of steroids, its job function is increased.

Because men naturally contain more testosterone, they are able build more muscle mass than women. But when women bodybuilders add steroids to their diet and exercise regime they are able to build muscle mass on the same level as men. Many women who combine bodybuilding and steroids, therefore, will also begin to take on many male physical characteristics.

Bodybuilding and steroids is actually an illegal combination for many reasons. For one, those bodybuilders who use steroids have an unfair advantage over those bodybuilders who build their muscles naturally. In order to maintain a level playing field for competitors, it is necessary to ban the use of steroids.

But most importantly, the long term effects of bodybuilding and steroids have been shown to be disastrous. Linked to everything from acne and hair loss, to insomnia and depression, steroids can have physical ramifications that are simply not worth their use. Some of the more serious side effects include hallucinations, weak ligaments, high blood pressure, and even cancer. In more than one case, steroids have been linked to fatalities.

Bodybuilding is a sport of extreme discipline and sacrifice. For those who take it seriously, the power is in their hands – and only their hands. Bodybuilding and steroids, while attractive to those who are looking for fast results, can have disastrous long term effects impacting physical health and longevity.

About The Author:

For easy to understand, in depth information about bodybuilding and steroids visit our ezGuide 2 http://www.bodybuilding.ezguide2.com

In a woman’s world, strength training with weights has more misconceptions and myths than any other area of women’s fitness.

Basic Rules of Strength Training

Whoever is lifting the weight, be it male or female, the old rule will apply. So let’s get the facts straight right now and move on:

- Heavier weights performed with less repetitions will build muscle mass

- Lighter weights performed with more repetitions will build endurance, tone the muscle group worked without building mass

The average woman will experience a 20 - 40 percent increase in strength when lifting weights after several consecutive months of resistance training.

The same can be said for women that indulge in aerobic workout activities such as step classes, elliptical machines and stationary bicycle or outdoor cycling. With aerobic exercise, increasing the height of the step or overload due to resistance will also encourage muscle mass to occur rather than tone the legs, resulting in a toned, lean look. True aerobic training in the form of running, race walking and cardio classes at the gym will build your heart muscle which is something we should all be concerned with at any age.

So How Do Women Build Muscle?

The true answer lies in our DNA. Our genetics have a large determining factor as to how we distribute our body fat and what ratio of estrogen to testosterone is in our body make-up. So, in a way we are already predisposed as to how our body responds to weight training and aerobic exercise in a certain way.

What Body Type Are You?

There are three classifications of body type for women:

Mesomorphs: Tend to be more muscular, this body type responds quickly to weight training and is more apt to gain muscle mass.

Ectomorphs: This body type tends to stay lean. Even with strength training, they are less likely to build any muscle mass, but will become stronger through lifting weights. Weight loss occurs more easily and they tend to NOT store body fat.

Endomorphs: This body type is more soft and round, often referred to as voluptuous. There must be a loss of body fat before this body type can see a difference in muscle tone due to strength training.

Research continues to prove that weight training is great for women. It builds body strength and helps to slow bone loss and osteoprosis in some cases. However, most women continue to avoid resistance training out of fear of developing large muscles and losing their femininity.

No two bodies are alike it is important to remember that every woman will respond differently to the exact training routine. Never compare yourself to others you see at the gym. Focus on your individual results based on your age and body type. It’s not what you look like, but rather how exercise makes you feel and the quality of life it brings to you.

About the Author:

Dori Schwaiger is an accomplished author on health & beauty as well as diet and nutrition, she is also the owner of Tophealthspot.com which has become a destination on the web with health minded people.Read informative articles and get in depth product reviews as well as shop for name brand nutritional, beauty, diet and active lifestyle products from around the globe http://www.tophealthspot.com offers money saving online health coupons

Contrary to many of the health magazines we read, carbohydrates are vitally important when it comes to gaining muscle naturally. They are not evil, and they don’t automatically add fat to our bodies. Carbs can be confusing because people say contradicting things about them, even if they don’t mean to. But basically, here’s the deal: Good carbs are good. Bad carbs are bad. And too many good carbs can be bad, too.

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for all body functions, cellular processes, thinking, breathing, and muscular exertion. In fact, the brain is an energy-demanding organ and has an absolute dependence on glucose as a fuel. While the brain makes up only two percent of the body’s weight, it consumes more than 20 percent of the body’s energy.

When you eat too many refined carbs, it causes your blood sugar levels to increase. As a result, your body sends out more insulin, and when there is excess insulin in the blood stream, it causes your body to respond by turning the sugar into fat.

But that doesn’t mean that you should avoid carbohydrates all together. Again, you need them in order in order to gain muscle naturally. You just need to avoid refined carbohydrates….those pastas, breads, chips, and rice that undergo the “refining” process, which strips the foods of necessary nutrients and depletes its reserves. Digestion of refined carbohydrates call on the body’s own store of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes for proper metabolization.

So what carbohydrates do you eat? Well, let’s start with the starchy carbs. These are complex carbs that are slow to digest, are high in nutrients, and add glucose stores for your energy-demanding bicep curls. These include oatmeal, sprouted whole-grain breads, pastas, potatoes, yams, brown rice, carrots, corn, beans, peas, and lentils.

Then there are the simple-sugar carbs. These break down easier, and are great for quick bursts of energy or to quickly bring your blood sugar back up after a workout. Fruit, honey, and agave are what I count on in my hemp shakes after a workout.

And finally, there are the high-fiber carbs, which are also complex but higher in fibre than the starchy ones and which provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals. These include all kinds of colored vegetables like spinach, broccoli, eggplant, tomatoes, cabbage, spaghetti squash, and many others.

Now, how much of each category do you eat to gain muscle naturally? Well, first of all, many body-building plans tend to neglect the vegetables, but that is a huge mistake. I suggest having at least 3 cups a day of the high-fiber vegetables…and to eat as much as possible after those 3 cups.

As for the starchy carbs, I can’t state a general number for everyone, but if it helps you, I was 170 pounds and eating 6 meals a day. Three of those meals were hemp protein shakes, and 3 were regular-sized meals. I’d have a serving of starchy carbs at those 3 regular-sized meals, and I would put fruit or honey in the hemp shakes. I totaled around 150-200 grams of carbs a day.

Well, that is the scoop on carbohydrates. So think twice before you run off to Burger King and get the lettuce wrapped cheese-burger after a workout. If you want to gain muscle naturally, you need to get some organic beef and stick it on a sprouted-grain bun instead.

About the Author:

Chris Francis is a serious bodybuilder who has amazing success using the revolutionary new mass-building system, Freaky Big Naturally. Discover “Natural Body Building Secrets for FR-EE at http://how-to-gain-muscle.freakygrowth.com You’ll get tons of info about gain muscle, how-to-gain-muscle and much more.

In the last two articles I wrote, I broke down the importance of proteins and carbohydrates and which of them should be eaten and which to stay away from. So now I will give you the scoop on the third and final macronutrient: fats….which many body-builders tend to try to avoid as much as possible…..and which body-builders also need in order to gain muscle naturally.

Believe it or not, fats are not evil, either. Just like with carbs, good fats are good; bad fats are bad. And too much of them - too much of anything, really - can put weight on your tummy, give you headaches, make you tired, and slow down your muscle growth. Here are just some of the functions of fat:

1. Fats are the building blocks for cell membranes, hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters (messages from your brain to your body that make you think, feel and move).

2. Fats slow down food absorption so you can go longer without feeling hungry.

3. They are needed to absorb and use the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

4. They also help to keep us warm and cushion organs.

5. The brain is 60% fat, and needs fat for connecting brain cells and making sure signals get through.

6. Fats are also the most concentrated form of energy.

7. Fat spares the B vitamin thiamine–required when using carbohydrate for energy.

8. Fat spares protein; when fat is present, the body does not have to burn protein for fuel.

9. Fats slow the rate at which foods leave the stomach. This means that the carbohydrate also present is not released all at once, keeping insulin and blood sugar levels even.

Now that we know fats are important, I’d like to stress the importance of saturated fats for gaining solid muscle naturally. We hear all the time that there are good fats, and there are bad fats, and that saturated fats are in the bad fat category. This is wrong, too. These puppies are vital to your health. Don’t ignore foods with saturated fats. AGAIN, DO NOT AVOID FOOD WITH SATURATED FATS.

1. Saturated fats constitute at least 50% of all cell membranes.

2. They play a vital role in bone health; without them, calcium cannot be effectively incorporated into the skeletal system.

3. They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins.

4. They enhance the immune system.

5. Without them, we cannot properly utilize essential fatty acids, such as the famous omega-3 that we hear about all the time.

6. Saturated fat is the perfect food for the heart, as the fat around the heart is highly saturated.

7. The short and medium-chain saturated fatty acids found in butter, coconut and palm oil have important anti-microbial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

Then there are the cholesterol-containing foods that that tend to get a bad rap. But they, too, are necessary for muscle growth. Yeah, eat those egg yolks; do not avoid them. Cholesterol is a hard waxy substance critical to many body functions. It is made by the liver, and is involved in the production of hormones — including estrogen, testosterone, and cortisone — which help regulate metabolism.

Cholesterol is also essential for brain function and mood stability. Your muscle-building diet should include cholesterol from organic butter, avocados, high omega-3/DHA eggs (again, with the yolks), grass-fed red meat, the dark meat of free-range chicken, wild fish, nuts and seeds.

It is the hydrogenated, partially-hydrogentated, and trans-fatty acid fats that should be avoided at ALL costs, because they are the artificially processed fats and oils. The processing they undergo makes them more stable - so they can sit on the shelf for weeks or even years at a time, but this artificial processing also makes them a foreign and indigestible substance in our bodies. Just like they sit on a shelf for a long time, they sit in your body for a long time as well. You might as well eat gasoline. Refined carbs and grains, cookies, cakes, pastries, crackers, chips, chocolate, deep fried foods, margarine, and vegetable shortening all contain hydrogenated or trans fats and should be avoided for as long as you care about your body.

I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion on fats and their role in building a bigger, stronger, more natural body. The Bible says, “the truth will set you free,” and now that you know more truths about fats, I hope you feel free to enjoy more of the foods that God intended for us to eat….and to use to gain weight naturally.

About the Author:

Chris Francis has achieved great results with the Freaky Big Naturally Training System. There’s tons of secrets about gain muscle, bodybuilding programs, mass building routines, how-to- gain-muscle and much more. Take action and go grab a copy of the FREE powerful bodybuilding package at http://how-to-gain-muscle.freakygrowth.com

Below are a few of the training goals for which the Super Six can be adapted:

- Strength
- Fat Loss
- Hypertrophy (muscle gain)
- Athletic Performance
- Stability and Endurance

Another adaptive property of the Super Six is that they can be performed virtually any place, any time, and with any type of or even no equipment. Below is a list of just a few of the training environments in which the Super Six can be used:

- Barbells training
- Dumbbells training
- Stability training
- Bodyweight training
- Cables/Tubing training As you can see from just these few examples, there are a multitude of goals and methods which can utilize the Super Six exercises. So many, in fact, that you should never experience any training boredom.

What is so Super about the Super Six

- Once you have learned the technique for each of the six exercises, you will have established a great foundation with which you can develop and apply any program to meet your specific goals.

- Ask anyone who has been successful at increasing athletic performance, improving overall fitness, or has lost significant amounts of body fat what exercises he/she used and I would bet money that he/she will name at least a couple of the exercises from the Super Six.

- You get the most “bang for your training buck” with Super Six exercises. As a result of being multi-joint movements that require the use of numerous different muscles, they are also very time-efficient exercises. Therefore, if you are in a pinch for time, always perform your Super Six exercise(s)first and then move on to the other movements you have scheduled.

- They apply directly to daily activities. Whether it is carrying boxes of files, lifting carry-on bags into overhead bins, walking your pet, or playing with your children/grandchildren, these six exercises will prepare you for the moment when you need to perform.

A Simple Super Six Plan:

Here’s a very simple way to start applying the Super Six exercises immediately. This plan is based on three workouts per week. All you need to do is select and perform one #1 exercise, one #2 exercise, and one #3 exercise.

Give yourself at least a day’s rest in between training days. If you are training on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, your program would look like the example below.

Exercise Selection:

1. Deadlift or Squat
2. Bench Press or Overhead Press
3. Rowing or Pull-up

Exercise Program Example:

Monday - Deadlift

Wednesday - Bench Press

Friday - Rowing

If this is all that you have time for, that is fine. You will still be able to achieve some pretty amazing results; however, if you want to fill in with some auxiliary exercises that is also fine.

Each cycle of three Super Six exercises should be performed for 3-6 weeks and then you should switch to the other three exercises. As far as sets and reps are concerned, I am going to leave that up to you. However, if you are just learning the movements, I would recommend that you keep the resistance pretty light and the repetitions pretty high to allow yourself some time to learn the technique.

Once you have become proficient with your technique, you can advance accordingly. If you are already more advanced, you may want to play around with some different protocols. It is totally up to you and what your goals may be. The variations are endless. My number one goal for developing the Super Six concept was to have a set of movements that were foundational to many other movements and for those movements to be applicable not only to athletic performance but also to everyday life.

Hopefully, it is now evident that not only can the Super Six exercises be adapted to any goal, training protocol, and training environment, but they can also be incorporated into the busiest lives and produce astonishing results with very little training time.

About the Author:

Troy M. Anderson is the owner of Anderson Training Systems, LLC, a fitness coaching business based in Tempe, Arizona. Troy is often referred to as “the MacGyver of coaching” for his unique ability to build effective fitness programs using only the most basic equipment. For more articles and instructional video, visit http://www.andersontrainingsystems.com