The Best Arms in the Gym: 3 Steps to Get Big Arms

Show me a guy who is satisfied with his arms and I’ll show you a big fat liar! Also, don’t believe the myth that spending hours in the gym fatiguing those biceps and triceps are a clear way to get big arms. Don’t waste time on exercises that are unarguable “good” for the body, but are simply just not “good enough.” Take the time to learn the following three steps on how to get bigger arms and proudly point the way next time someone asks “which way to the beach?”

Step 1: Take It Easy

That is correct. If training one day is good, then two must be better: not so. Over training is a serious problem, and don’t skim past that last part. Most weight lifting enthusiasts recognize the concept of taking days off; however, just taking a rest day or two is not enough. There are many arm workouts that will produce results, but you must make sure your arms are properly recovering.

• If one trains hard, they must rest hard.

The act of weight lifting in and of itself “tells” the muscles that in order to keep up with the heavy lifting, they must develop. The actual growing of the muscles occurs during rest. If there is not enough down time between training sessions, time is wasted and one becomes frustrated.

What is the Perfect Amount of Rest Between Training Sessions?

In order to make the correct assessment, one must know their body.

• Rest periods are based on body type

Believe it or not, naturally skinny types that find gaining weight at Thanksgiving a challenge need more rest time. Here is a good rule of thumb:

1. For a hard gainer – one arm routine each week.
2. For everyone else, go ahead and exercise the same muscles twice a week with two to three days of rest in between sessions.

Step 2: Eat

Most have noticed by now that a single arm exercise has yet to be introduced. This is not an accident. Picture this: You determined and focused. Training sessions strictly planned and executed, rest days taken, and yet results are minimal weeks into the program, why?

• Don’t bother trying for big arms if following a bodybuilding diet plan is not a substantial part of your training.

Simply, without proper nutrition muscles won’t grow. There are many places where you can find thebest supplements online. More than likely, this is not news. It is common sense to believe that without proper energy, food, muscles refuse to grow. What exactly is “proper nutrition?”

1. For the hard gainer: 50% carbohydrates (half complex and half simple), 25% proteins and 25% fats.
2. For everyone else: 40% carbs, 40% proteins and 20% fats

Important! “When” is Just as Important as “what.”

• The best way to sabotage your efforts is to skip breakfast.

Here are key points explaining “when” to eat:

1. Eat within one hour of waking to “rev” metabolism.
2. Eat every four hours to maintain blood sugar.
3. Eat a meal every four hours, not just a snack.
4. Include some proteins, carbohydrates and fats in each meal to ensure blood sugar does not spike or plummet.

Now that the foundation is laid, we can move on to the fun part: the exercises!

Soon you can do this

Step 3: Get to Work!

Your confidence should be through the roof now that you have a proven system to help germinate those soon-to-be guns.

• Frequently change your routine to train different angles of each muscle which will continually surprise the muscles.

Think of it this way: muscles do not like surprises. When introducing a new exercise, the muscles think “whoa, this is hard; we better build ourselves in order to make sure we can handle this load!” Little do your muscles know, but the load will never get easier since the routine continually changes. The muscles have no choice, but to grow bigger and badder.

This is an example of an arm exercise that is to be performed as stated above with one caveat: do the arm exercises one after another, like a circuit. The body gets fitter faster with this method and burns more fat. Take one minute rest after performing one set in the circuit.

1. Incline Biceps Curls: 3 sets of 8 reps
2. Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 8 reps
3. Overhead Triceps Extensions: 3 sets of 8 reps

1. Triceps Dips: 3 sets of 8 reps
2. Triceps Pushdowns : 3 sets of 8 reps
3. Close Grip Bench Press: 3 sets of 8 reps

That’s all there is to it! Of course, working additional muscles such as shoulders, back and the chest will only enhance your overall appearance. Go ahead and splurge and find additional arm exercises that keep your muscles guessing. Your muscles won’t know what hit them, but they’ll look fantastic.

Learn 21,000 more arm exercises you can do using your dumbbell with this book:

How Bodybuilding Can Help Decrease Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a silent health menace for many individuals. This condition is characterized by high blood sugar levels leading to many health issues such as cardiovascular disease, renal and kidney problems, blindness and other complications.

Diabetes is a metabolic condition where the body is unable to process blood sugar for the use by the body’s cells. This is due to the low levels or absence of the hormone insulin. The pancreas produces this hormone, which helps the cells utilize blood sugar for cellular functions and other processes. When the body is unable to metabolize blood sugar, cells wither and die due to lack of fuel, leading to the many illnesses associated with diabetes.

One way to prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes is through exercise. When one exercises, excess blood sugar is utilized by the body’s cells, thus lowering the amount of blood sugar in the blood stream. This enables the body to have thinner blood, allowing for oxygen and other nutrients to attach to the blood cells, instead of being overwhelmed by blood sugar.

When one engages in bodybuilding, a whole host of positive effects occur for the individual. Here are some of the following practices in bodybuilding that can help prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes in the individual.

• Eating Healthy. Bodybuilding requires the individual to eat healthy food, such as those that are low in fat and calories. The focus for the bodybuilder, to build mass and muscle, is to eat fruits and vegetables, especially whole grains as this helps one achieve the Mr. Universe body being sought.
• Being Active. With bodybuilding, the body is stretched and exercised allowing for the needed physical activity to lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The warm up and the actual lifting of weights helps the body fortify itself against diseases such as diabetes.
• Losing Weight. With the increased exercise and activity, coupled with the great diet, the individual would lose weight. Weight loss is key in the prevention of the development of diabetes. Many studies indicate that losing ten pounds is enough to prevent the development of diabetes.
• Regular Check Ups. Even with all these, nothing would beat a full blood work up and a check up to determine the predisposition or risk in the developing diabetes. Having a check up every six months would be a good way to foresee any issues regarding the development of type 2 diabetes.

As can be seen, bodybuilding, when undertaken as a lifestyle, is one way of preventing the development of Type 2 diabetes for an individual. The healthier diet, the increased activity and exercise and the increased observation of bodily changes are ways to prevent the pernicious effects of this dreaded condition. This preventive measure is not just for the immediate future but also for the long-term health and well being of the individual.

Bodybuiding Motivation for Beginners

Do you want to have a body like this? 

Or perhaps this?

Whether you want to build huge muscles or just get fit and ripped, you have to undergo intense bodybuilding for weeks coupled with the proper bodybuilding diet. It does sound like an ordeal, but you know you have to keep pushing yourself to reach your goal.

Bodybuilding is not a joke. You can’t lift heavy weights and expect to get the body you want just like that. Bodybuilding requires hard work and determination, discipline and perseverance. But in order to exercise these qualities within yourself, you have to be motivated. Yes, motivation is essential in bodybuilding especially for beginners. Not seeing results right away sometimes discourages new bodybuilders.

Bodybuilding will take a lot from you and you need to be ready for this. Expect every workout to be tiring. It will stretch your limits. Most often, bodybuilding beginners give up because they can’t handle the heat but this is what separates the real bodybuilders from the posing ones. Motivation is what will help you survive your everyday ordeal.

Different people have their own way of motivating themselves. Some people do bodybuilding because they want to enter competitions while some just want to have a bigger physique. The purpose of doing bodybuilding can also be a motivation for a beginner.

Not only will motivation get you through a rough bodybuilding workout but it will also help you control your diet. Proper diet  is one of the most important things in bodybuilding because you need to stack up on the right type of food. You need to be in control and stay away from bad calories and fatty food. If you are not motivated, you will easily fall into food temptation. You should be motivated enough to discipline yourself and refrain from indulging in unhealthy and harmful food.

One way of improving your motivation is by setting a goal for yourself. Perhaps you are bodybuilding because you want to lose weight, make it a goal to lose at least 2-3 pounds in a week. Everyday, look into the mirror and see the changes in your body.  Track your weight daily. You will see that each day brings you a bit closer to achieving your goal and this will be a very good motivation for you.

Another great way to motivate yourself is by giving yourself treats. Tell yourself that you will have an occasional treat once you reach your goal for the week. This treat can be your favorite meal, desert or a relaxing treatment to help soothe tired muscles. As much as possible, don’t consider unhealthy foods and practices as a treat because they can take you back a notch or two from your bodybuilding goal.

Receiving compliments is a great motivation for most people especially for beginners. Once people compliment you on your new physique, you will feel more motivated to improve your appearance. This just shows that your hard work is paying off and the results are already showing. Don’t be ashamed of showing off once in a while. Post  or submit your best picture/s on the Internet and let others admire your progress. Who knows, you might even become a motivation or inspiration for someone who sees your photo.

It is important that to be constantly motivated, you need to surround yourself with supportive people. It is best that you avoid people who always complain about how they look but do not do anything about it. And while you’re at it, you can try infecting people with your high spirits and positivity. After several weeks, you would not need to imagine your face on this body.

Because this is already you.

Great Bodybuilding Workout Music

Bodybuilding workouts can be quite intense and hard work. Many beginners quit because they find the ordeal too boring and painstaking. The workout routine is hardly the problem, it is how you pump and motivate yourself to get through the workout. There is a reason why gyms always play lively music all throughout the day. This is because the lively workout music keeps the positive and upbeat vibe going. Even people who work out at home also play their favorite workout music to get them going.

For one, music helps with the person’s intensity in working out. If you play the workout music you want, your intensity will go up a notch and you will feel that you want to work out more. If you have been in a rock concert, you should be familiar with the feeling of feeling so energetic while the band is playing. However, for every individual, there is a set of workout songs that he/she wants to be playing. There are people who do bodybuilding workout that really gets pumped when they crank up a rock song while some gets really in the mood with rap songs. For the ladies, they prefer playing dance and RnB songs. Well, the preferences don’t really matter as long as the workout music you are playing will have a good effect on you.

Men really like playing rock and rap music from popular artists like Metallica, Linkin Park, Audioslave, Slipknot, Eminem, LL Cool J, Nelly and 2Pac, just to name a few. You can make a mix CD of all your favorite rock and rap songs from the past and include the new ones as well.

Here is a sample playlist of workout songs that you might want to play while you work out to build muscle.

Kanye West/Daft Punk – Stronger
Jay Z – 99 Problems
2Pac – Hit Em Up
50 Cent – Gotta Make It to Heaven
System of a Down – D.A.R.T.
Survivor – Eye of the Tiger
Audioslave – Gasoline
30 Seconds to Mars – Edge of the Earth
Disturbed – Down with the Sickness
Linkin Park – Numb
Ozzy Osbourne – No More Tears

Boxing Workouts: How to Train Like an IFBB Pro

Guys like to have big muscles. We like to have big arms, little waistlines, and superior athletic ability because, even in the modern world, it puts us back in touch with our inner Conan, Hercules, and Samson. We feel epic. Like the statue of the guy hurling the over-sized discus. Plus, we want to look good. We all know that some guys get all the luck and get paid and sponsored to lift and eat right, but what about the rest of us? What about the lawyer, bank teller, salesman, barista, teacher, police officer, or businessman who has other commitments 8-10 hours a day? There is hope:  Box.

Fighters have proven to be some of the most holistically fit people in the world.

Listen up: If you want to be fit and rugged, but have little time and resources to put toward building your body, I encourage you to consider doing boxing exercises. These boxing workouts may be the most efficient at achieving results like cutting fat and building muscle in less time, and with less equipment than conventional exercise regimens. Let me demonstrate:

Bodybuilding is all about a three key things: overwork your muscles, feed your muscles well, and burn excess calories. Boxing exercises (plus a diverse and moderate diet) do all of these things in the most simple way possible while still achieving results (would you complain if you looked like Mike Tyson? At least from the neck down?). The way this works is that instead of having separate sessions for weight lifting and cardio, you perform both at the same time. This is actually a more effective type ofbodybuilding training for real life scenarios, which explains why the military and martial artists train this way. For the initiated, you’ll know I’m talking about circuit training. The boxing workout is divided up like a boxing match: into rounds of 5-10 minutes. The first round involves some fast-paced cardio to warm up (jump rope or fast jogging), the next round is conditioning involving circuits, or supersets, of explosive exercises such as pushups, sit-ups, lunges, plyo-box jumps, sprints. Then you move to the punching bag and, while keeping your feet moving at all times, you assault the bag with a barrage of punches focusing on form and speed. Do several rounds of this with about a minute in between and then close with another round of fast-paced cardio and some abs. Although it sounds too simple to work, the evidence has shown otherwise.

Fighters have proven to be some of the most holistically fit people in the world. They also happen to be the oldest class of athletes, dating back to ancient times when physical fitness was the key to military victory. The actual 300 Spartans at Thermopylae probably did stuff more like this. Plus, as I mentioned before, you don’t need a personal trainer (unless that would help you), you don’t need a gym membership, and you don’t even need an extensive home gym. A jump rope, a medicine ball, some gloves or straps, and something to punch will suffice. Check out some boxing sites online for more detailed workouts and regimen ideas. Stay hungry, my busy friends!

Making a Good Weight Training Plan

A good weight training plan covers exercises that will work out the entire body to achieve a uniformly strong, lean and toned overall physique. It is therefore necessary to discuss the specific exercises for each area of the body in detail. Generally, your weight training plan should cover both upper body and lower body weight training exercises. For these two types of exercises there are still particular exercises for the areas which comprise them.

Weight Training

For starters, there are exercises specifically designed to train the arms, shoulders and the chest. The following are three basic exercises for the arms, shoulders and chest which could be incorporated into your weight training plan:

Weight Training

1. Push up – Begin by positioning yourself face-down onto the floor with the arms at a shoulder width distance and extended. Gradually lower your body until the chest is touching the floor. Afterwards, slowly push yourself back to your beginning position. Technically, this does not require the use of weights but pushups are a basic component to any weight training plan.
2. Flat Bench Press – This is one of the simplest and most effective ways of building muscles in the chest area. Start by lying on a flat bench while facing upward with the feet flat on the floor. Grip the dumbbell or barbell and slowly remove it from the rack. Lower it in a controlled motion until it reaches the chest. Slowly push the barbell/dumbbells upward above the chest. Repeat the same motion.
3. Bicep Curls – As the name suggests, this part of your weight training plan will work your biceps. To perform this exercise, start by standing feet apart while holding the dumbbells on each hand with the palm faced forward. Slowly bend the arms, raising the weights upward to the front of the shoulder. Lower the weights in a controlled motion to the starting position and repeat.

Weight Training

These are just a few examples of exercises for the arms, shoulders and chest for your weight training plan. For beginners, it is best to perform these exercises in 8 to 12 repetitions with a weight that is heavy enough for you. Remember to always keep a good form throughout the exercises.

Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding Competition

Mr. Olympia has nothing to do with the Olympics. It is a professional bodybuilding contest that began in 1965 until present time. At first, the name of the competition wasn’t really Mr. Olympia; it was just the title of the award that was given to the winner of the Joe Weider’s Olympia Weekend. The Joe Weider’s Olympia Weekend was the primary name of the competition and it was organized by the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness or the IFBB. Mr. Olympia is the highest title every bodybuilder wishes to have.

Joe Weider created Mr. Olympia because he wanted to help bodybuilders make money. In September 1965, the first Mr. Olympia was held and Larry Scott won for two consecutive years. The famous Arnold Schwarzenegger won Mr. Olympia for 7 times which made him an icon in the sport of bodybuilding. The record for most wins come from Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman with 8 titles to their name.

Qualifications to Join Mr. Olympia

Here are the criteria to be able to compete in this prestigious bodybuilding contest:

1. He should be a previous Mr. Olympia winner (up to 5 years only, otherwise IFBB approval is needed)
2. Part of the Top 6 in the last year’s Mr. Olympia
3. Part of the Top 6 of the Arnold’s Classic in the same year ( Arnold’s Classic is a bodybuilding competition made by Arnold Schwarzenegger)
4. Part of the Top 5 of the Night of the Champions/New York Men’s Professional in the same year.
5. Winner of Masters Professional World Championships

Mr. Olympia Winners

Here is the complete list of winners for Mr. Olympia since 1965 to 2011:

1965 Larry Scott New York, United States
1966 Larry Scott New York, United States
1967 Sergio Oliva New York, United States
1968 Sergio Oliva New York, United States
1969 Sergio Oliva New York, United States
1970 Arnold Schwarzenegger New York, United States
1971 Arnold Schwarzenegger Paris, France
1972 Arnold Schwarzenegger Copenhagen, Denmark
1973 Arnold Schwarzenegger New York, United States
1974 Arnold Schwarzenegger New York, United States
1975 Arnold Schwarzenegger Gauteng, South Africa
1976 Franco Columbu Ohio, United States
1977 Frank Zane Ohio, United States
1978 Frank Zane Ohio, United States
1979 Frank Zane Ohio, United States
1980 Arnold Schwarzenegger New South Wales, Australia
1981 Franco Columbu Ohio, United States
1982 Chris Dickerson England, United Kingdom
1983 Samir Bannout Bavaria, Germany
1984 Lee Haney New York, United States
1985 Lee Haney Brussels, Belgium
1986 Lee Haney Ohio, United States
1987 Lee Haney Gothenburg, Sweden
1988 Lee Haney California, United States
1989 Lee Haney Emilia-Romagna, Italy
1990 Lee Haney Illinois, United States
1991 Lee Haney Florida, United States
1992 Dorian Yates Helsinki, Finland
1993 Dorian Yates Georgia, United States
1994 Dorian Yates Georgia, United States
1995 Dorian Yates Georgia, United States
1996 Dorian Yates Illinois, United States
1997 Dorian Yates California, United States
1998 Ronnie Coleman New York, United States
1999 Ronnie Coleman Nevada, United States
2000 Ronnie Coleman Nevada, United States
2001 Ronnie Coleman Nevada, United States
2002 Ronnie Coleman Nevada, United States
2003 Ronnie Coleman Nevada, United States
2004 Ronnie Coleman Nevada, United States
2005 Ronnie Coleman Nevada, United States
2006 Jay Cutler Nevada, United States
2007 Jay Cutler Nevada, United States
2008 Dexter Jackson Nevada, United States
2009 Jay Cutler Nevada, United States
2010 Jay Cutler Nevada, United States