1001 Muscle Building Tips

[UkrainianGuy]

1. Reps And Sets
The most bascial term in bodybuilding is the rep. Rep is short for repetition and simply means peforming one complete movement of a given exercise. For esample if you were doing a flat barbell bench press it would mean lifting the bar off the rack, slowly lowering it to mid-chest and them pushing it back up to arms' lenth. Performing a group of continuous reps is called a set. Most bodybuilders perform 8 to 12 reps per set.


2. HOW MANY REPS?
There are three broad categories of rep ranges - one for biudling maximum muscle size, one for maximum strength, and one for general conditioning. There is no one rep range that will maximize all three categories at once. You must decide what your primary goal is. Generally speaking, for maimum strength 3 to 6 reps seems to work best. Bodybuilders trying to gain muscle mass find sets in the 8 to 12 range most effective. For general conditioning, 12 to 20 reps is normal.



3. REP RANGES
Even though most people may respond best to a given rep range, everyone is different. Over time, experiment with different rep ranges to see what works best for you. Don't stick with a given rep range if it doesn't give you the results you desire.


4. BEGINNER REPS
When starting an exercise program, perform higher reps. The higher reps will force you to use lighter weight. This means you can concentrate on mastering your technique. You will achieve better results and there is less chance of injury.

[UkrainianGuy]

5. NEVER TOO YOUNG!
For those younger readers (or those who have young teens), be assured that you are never too young to benefit from a regular weight-training program. Regular exercise improves physcial fitness and strength, promotes a healthy lifestyle, and boosts self-esteem. the old myth of weight traning stunting growth is just that- a myth! There is no evidence to support this old belief.

6. NEVER TOO OLD!
The fastest growing demographic segment of society is the baby boomer generation (anyone born between the years of 1946 and 1964). Unlike their counterparts from 30 or 40 years ago, most baby boomers are not content to grow old. they want to stop the clock. Weight training is one of the best forms of exerciseto combat the decline in physcial health brought about by age. Unlike cardio, which can be tailored to the individual's fitness level. In addition, only weight training can slow down the problems associated with bone loss due to osteoporosis. So, you baby-boomer readers, Get Up Off The Couch And Hit The Gym!

7. DON'T WORRY ABOUT GENETICS
The bad news is that your genetic makeup is the promary limiting factor in your training. That's the bad news. The good news is that no one has ever utilized his or her full genetic potential. Although unfavorable genetics have made thousands of bodybuilders' ultimate achievements difficult, no individual has ever been competely hindered by them. So get to it!

8. WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS
Just as you woudln't haphazardly drive around hoping by accident to reach your destination, so too should you have a "road map" to follow when bodybuilding. Grab a pieve of paper and write down exactly what you want to change about your body. Is it an extra inch or two on your arms? How about a 225-pound bench press? Or perhaps you want to see your abs again! Next, give yourself a timeline to follow and try to stick to it. This will keep you honest and less likely to skip workouts.

9. STRICT VERSUS LOOSE REPS
Bodybuilders perform two types of reps - strict and loose. As the names imply, strict reps are those that are performed in almost flawless fashion. There is no cheating or jerking the weight up. Loose reps are those for which some body momentum is used to assist the target muscles in lifting the weight. there is an argument to be made that reps should always be performed in strict style. this is a especially true at the beginner level, but advanced bodybuilders frequently use a loose training style.

10. CONCENTRATION IS THE KEY
Always concentrate and focus on the muscles you are trying to stimulate when exercising. Try to make a lighter weight feel like a heavier weight. In his prime Arnold Schwarzenegger used 60 to 70 pounds to work his biceps while others were flinging up 80 or 100 pounders. Arnold made those 60's feel like 80's and built two of the greatest biceps in bodybuilding history.

11. THROW THEM OUT
Unless you are hundreds of pounds over weight, throw your scales out the window. Body weight is not always a good measurement of fitness and health. You could gain 10 pounds of muscle and lose 10 pounds of fat. your weight will not have changed, yet you've improved yourself considerably by losing fat and adding muscle.

12. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
Don't expect results in a few weeks. It takes an average of two to four months before you'll see significant changes in strength and muscle size. Even then you might not see them, but they are occuring just the same. Some things are worth waiting for. Stay dedicated and be persistant.

13. THE UPS AND DOWNS
There wil be days when there won't be enough weight in the gym for you. Conversely there will be days when the warm-up will feel heavy. There is no way you will be able to max out on every workout. Let the body be your guide. On the days when it says: "go at 75 percent," listen.

[UkrainianGuy]

14. 10 FOR 1
On average you'll need to gain 10 pounds of bodybweight for every inch of arm size. For most people who train consistently this means that in a fiver-year period they'll increase their bodyweight by 50 pounds and add five inches to their arms.

15. FORCED REPS
After you have a few months of training under your belt you can try a few advanced training techniques. One of the easiest to learn is forced reps. A foreced rep is a rep performed after you can no longer lift the weight on your own. Let's say yo complete 10 reps on the bench press and cannot do number 11. Have a partner placehis hands under the bar and provide just enough lift to help you complete a couple of additional, or "forced" reps. In gym jargon your partner is giving you "a spot."

16. HOW MANY SETS
As with the number of reps in a set, there is no magic number of sets to perform in a workout. In time most bodybuilders discover what works best for them. Perform too many and you run the risk of overtraining and burnout. Perform too few and you won't adequately stimulate the muscles. Our advice is to start off by performing 6 to 9 sets total for bigger muscles like chest, back and legs, and 4 to 6 sets for smaller muscles like biceps and triceps.

17. A GUIDE FOR TOO MANY SETS
One of the best guides for determining when to stop training a particular muscle is to go by "the pump." As soon as a muscle is subjected to exerciseit begins to fill up with blood, giving it a tighter and fuller feeling. Bodybuilders have discovered a point whendoing extra sets not only doesn't increase the pump, the pump can actually drain away. It is at this point that yuou should stop trainig the muscle and move on to the next body part.

18. THE FINAL SET
As you exercise a muscle, waste products such as lactic acid begin to build up. It is these metabolic by-products of exercise that play a major role in fatguing the muscle. One way to help flush these "exercise limiters" out is by performing a lighter/higher-rep set at the end. Highreps flush the area with blood, speeding up waste removal.

19. DON'T BURN THEM OUT OR FADE THEM AWAY
Even though they are the "showy" muscles of the body, the biceps are one of the easiest muscles to overtrain. your biceps receivea good workout just by being used in your back workouts. Don't make the mistake of training them three or four times a week for 15 to 20 sets. Try 6 to 8 sets in total, once or twice a week.

[UkrainianGuy]

20. DEVELOP A BALANCED WORKOUT
Don't overemphasize one part of the body, like the chest or biceps. Get an expert to help you design a smart, comprehensive program that works all muscle groups. Do at least one exercise for each of the major muscle groups or you can end up with a muscluar imbalance. Not only does that look funny, it causes a greater risk of injury.

21. THE STRONGEST MAY SURVIVE BUT THE WEAKEST NEED EXTRA WORK!
Closely related to the previous tip is the fact that many bodybuilders fall victom to the trap of working their largest and strongest muscles more than their weakest. The temptation is strong to give into the quick gratification of working the muscles that respond the quickest. The last thing you want is your gym buddies saying things behind your back like "he's all arms", or "pity he has no legs." Keep a close eye on each muscle's progress and adjust your training accordingly.

22. BRING A FRIEND
Unless you are passionate about training, you'll have days when going to the gym is the last thing on your mind. Studies have shown that over 60 precent of people new to weightlifting will stick with it for at least six months if they have a friend or spouse training with them. So as soon as you decide to take up exercising, try to recruit a training partner.

23. DON"T GO CATABOLIC
One of the biggest deteriments to gaining aize and strength is performing too many sets for a muscle group. Try to stick with 6 to 8 sets for smaller muscles and 10 to 12 for bigger muscle groups.

24. TRAINING TO FAILURE
Training to failure means terminating a set when ou can no longer lift the weight. If you were doing 10 reps in a set, you would pick a weight that does not allow you 11 reps. We don't recommend training to failure at the beginner level. Doing so is very taxing on your recovery system. Instead terminate the set one or two reps from failure (i.e. use a weight that you would fail at 12 reps but only perform 10)

25. ONE-REP MAXIMUMS
If you decide to see how strong you are on a few of the exercises (squats and bench presses usually being the guilty parties), limit the testing to once a month. One-rep maximums place a lot of stress on the soft connective tissues such as ligaments and cartilage. They also tend to stress out the muscles and tendons. Make sure you have a trusted spotter behind you in case you miss the lift attempt.

[UkrainianGuy]

26. CLASSICAL VS HEAVY DUTY
The classical system of sets consists of starting out doing 1 to 3 sets per bodypart and adding a couple of sets and exercises every month or two. It's not uncommon after a couple of years for advanced bodybuilders to be performing 15 to 20 sets per bodypart. The heavy-duty sytle of training was popularized by Dr Arthur Jones and the late Mike Mentzer. Both argued that 1 to 3 all-out sets to failure was more productive and less draining on the recovery system than 15 to 20 sets performed in moderate style. Experiment with both styles and see what works best for you. Virtually all the top bodybuilding champions use the classical system of training.

27. KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR ECTOMORPHS
If you have an extomorph-type body (tall, lean, little muscle mass), keep your training simple and infrquent. Perform basic exercises for low sets and reps. Train only two or three times per week. Keep your protein intake high (at least one gram per pound of bodyweight), and limit your cardio to two to three 20 minute sessions per week.

28. GO AT YOUR OWN PACE
Keeping up with the Joneses may be fine in the suburbs, but it's not a good idea in the gym. Don 't let someone else's workout influence your training. It's fine to feed off others' intensity, but don't try to lift too-heavy weights just to keep up. Train at your own pace and strength level. You'll make better progress and have less chance of suffering a severe injury.

29. TIME BETWEEN SETS
You want to wait long enough between sets to recover your breath but not long enough to cool down before the next set. For most muscles this works out to about a minute. For a larger muscle like legs you may have to wait 90 seconds to two minutes. You may get by on 30 seconds' rest for a small muscle like biceps.

30. STRAIGHT SETS
When you begin weight training, perform all you sets as straight sets. this means peforming a given exercise with a chosen weight for a given number of reps. the straight-sets style of training is the most common training method used by bodybuilders.

31. PYRAMIDING - THE EGYPTIANS HAD IT RIGHT
After a few montyhs of training with straight sets, try pyramiding your reps and weight. Pyramiding involves starting with a light weight for higher reps and then increasing the weight and decreasing the reps with each successive set. the top of the pyramid would be the point at which you are using your maximum weight. You then start decreasing the weight and increasing the reps. Generally speaking the lighter sets are performed for 15 to 20 reps and the heavier sets for 6 to 8 reps.

[UkrainianGuy]

32. HALF-PYRAMIDS
Because a muscle tires with each successive set, many bodybuilders feel they should start their training with their heaviest weight. If they perform too many high-rep, light-weight sets they'll never be able to reach their heaviest weight. To get around this they do one or two very light sets and then put their heaviest weight on the bar or machine. The weight is then decreased and reps are increased with each successive set. In effect they are working down the backside of the pyramid.

33. PERFORM FULL RANGE OF MOTION
With the exception of a few advanced training techniques discussed later, perform all your exercises through a full range of motion. This means fully stretching and contracting the muscle and moving the limb or limbs through their entire possible distance. Half movements will only build strength in the part of the muscle being worked when the movement is taking place.

34. HOW MUCH WEIGHT?
As much as we would like to, there is no way to know specifically how much weight to use on each exercise. Everyone is different. First decide how many reps you want to complete in a given set. Then pick a weight that limits you to that number. There will be days when you'll have to use less weight to achieve the same number of reps. On other days you'll need more weight.

35. KEEP IT BIG
During your first few months of training, focus on exercise for the large muscle groups of the body (i.e. quads, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps). Don't worry about the smaller muscle like the serratus, teres, and rhomboids. These muscles will get a good workout just by trainng the bigger muscles.

[UkrainianGuy]

36. PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD
Although thee will be the odd day when you will mneed ot use les weight, the primary method for increasing muscle size is progressive overload. That is, as soon as a muscle adapts to a given weight, you must increase the weight to keep the muscle growing. With few exceptions, the biggest bodybuilders are also the strongest.

37. GROUND YOURSELF
As soon as you begin working out, take a lesson form your parents and "ground" yourself. Place both feet securely on the ground and keep them there. At the end of your set your feet should not have moved so much as an inch. If they have it probably means you've used your legs to cheat!

38. CONFLICTING GOALS
One of the biggests mistakes you can make when you start training is trying to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Unless you are that one-in-a-million, genetically gifted freaks, you won't be able to do both simultaneously. If you are 20 pounds or more overweight, your first priority is losing the body fat. If you are very lean but lacking in muscle size, focus on gaining some good muscular bodyweight. Don't attempt to stay lean wile trying to get big. You can't have it both ways.

39. EXERCISE SPEED
Exercise speed is another name for tempo. Our advice is to use a 2-2 exercise tempo when starting out. this means take two seconds to raise the wight and two seconds to lower it again. With time you can experiment with ultra-fast reps (explosive training) and ultra-slow reps (10 seconds or more).

40. BREATHING
When exercising intensely, the body needs enormus amounts of oxygen. If you hold your breath while training you run the risk of passing out. Try breathing on each rep of the exercise. Most bodybuilders inhale on the lowering part of th rep and exhale on the upward part. In effect you are "blowing" the weight up.

[UkrainianGuy]

41. TIME BETWEEN WORKOUTS
You don't grow in the gym. Training only stimulates muscle growth. You must restlong enough between workouts to recover. For most bodybuilders a minimum of 48 to 72 hours is needed between muscle groups. Hitting the same muscle two days in a row will only leave you in a constant state of overtraining. If in doubt take an extra day off.

42. SLEEP
Get a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night. One late night out partying probably won't set your training back too much, but making a habit of surviving on three or four hours sleep a night will prevent you from achieving the success you desire. It'd that simple.

43. WARM MILK - MOM WAS RIGHT!
If you have trouble sleeping, try drinking a small glass of warm milk just before bed. Warming the milk activates the amino acid tryptophan, which has been shown to be a natural sleeping aid.

44. POWER NAPPING
If circumstances prevent you from getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night, try napping once or twice during the day. A 30 to 60 minute nap in the middle of the day produces wonders in terms of mental and physical acuity. Even a couple of 15 minute mnaps spread over the day can boost your energy reserves and recovery abilites.

45. DISPELLING AN URBAN MYTH
Don't worry about training before bed. The old belief was that exercise interfered with sleep patterns by increasing adrenaline levels. Recent studies have shown that those who exercise shortly before bed sleep just as well as those who exercise ealier in the day.

46. TRAINING AT HOME
Training at home has numerous advantages. You don't have to fight for a parking space and you don't have to wait for equipment. You can also train at your convenience. The disadvantages are limited equipment, distractions, and no one around for motivation.

47. BUYING HOME EQUIPMENT
You can spend more than $1000 on the latest TV home-gym setup, or $50 at a flea market for a few weights. Millions of home-gym setups are bought, but few are used. Before blowing hundreds or thousands of dollars, check around with friends and relatives. Basement flea markets are also a good bet for buying exercise equipment for your home. Anyone who has had teenage male in the house porbably has an old York or Weider barbell set kicking around.

48. DON'T FALL FOR THE LATE-NIGHT TV ADS
You've seen the ads: "Just five minutes a day will develop a six-pack!" Save your money and invest it in either a gym membership or a piece of legitimate training equipment. Most of those crazy TV gizmos are useless and designed to cash in on people's quick-fix mentality. In most cases you are wasting your money. Not to mention that many of those contraptions are potentially dangerous.

49. COMMERCIAL GYMS
The primary disadvantages to training at home are the advantages to working out at a gym. You'll have access to the latest training gear, There will be lots of advanced bodybuilders around for inspiration. Finally, such distractions as the phone, TV, and fridge are nonexistent.

50. SELECTING A GYM
When selecting a gym, make sure to take into consideration wuch isses as cost, location (are you and your car safe?), equipment selection, quality of staff, hours of operation, change-room facilities, crowds during peak times, and atmosphere. Most gyms offer day passes to try out their facilities. Before plunking down a year's membership try out a few gyms to get a feel for the place. It is well worth the $5 or $10 day-pass fee.

[UkrainianGuy]

51. TYPES OF GYMS
Gyms can be divided into three type; hardcore, middle of the road, and spas. Our advice is to aviod spas. The equipment tends to be more glitz than practical, and the owners don't really want people who train seriously there anyway. Stick with either a good middle-of-the-road gym or a hardcore bodybuilding gym.

52. NOW MUCH?
Most middle-of-the-road gyms will cost $35 to $50 a month to work out at. If $600 a year sounds expensive, keep in mind that this works out to just $1.65 a day! That's a trivial amount of money to be investing in improving your energy, health and physique. If taking the money out of your wallet each month is difficult, arrange for a direct bank amount withdrawal. Many gyms will also do a payroll deduction. Either way you may never miss the money.

53. BUYER BEWARE
When joining a gym, beware of fly-by-night operations. Numerous gym chains have reputations for hitting town with much flash and fanfare. After a couple of hundred people take out a "liftetime" membership, the gym is gone! Our advice is to only join for a month or so. If you do decide to commit to a year, pay by post-dated checks or some other means that sllows you to stop payment if the shady characters leave town. Never a free to have your credit card charged each month.

54. AT WORK!
One of the more popular trends is for employers to set up fitness rooms for their employees. Although a few are doing it as a generous fringe benefits for staff, the primary reason is that insurance companies better rates if their employees are healthy and working out. If your company doesn't have a gym yet, talk to the owner (or appropriate person in the chain of command) and see if they'll explore the option of setting one up. You may be the one voted to do the job.

55. THE GREAT OUTDOORS
For a change of pace try training outdoors. The fresh air will do you wonders and the openness is a welcome change from the sometimes stuff confines of a gym. Venice Beach in California is famous the world over for its outdoor training pit. A word of caution for those who live in larger cities. Pay attention to smog alerts. Gulping in huge amounts of toxic air will not do your body health any good. In fact doing so may only shorten it. On those days stick to an air-conditioned facility.

[UkrainianGuy]

56. PROTECTION
If you decide to train outdoors, always use a good sunblock. Two or three hours training in the sun can play havoc with your skin. Time passes very quickly while you're training and before you know it you have second or third-degree burns. You may also want to avoid training outside in the 11am to 3pm time slot, as thisis when the sun is most dangerous.

57. WATER
The human body is about 70 percent water. While we have water conversation systems, at times our hydration levels fall dangerously low. Always consume copious amounts of water when training. You can use the gym's fountain, but then so will almost everyone else. That's a lot of potential germs. Buy a water bottle and keep it filled. Rather than gulping large amounts, try sipping it throughout your workout.

58. DIZZINESS
If at any time during your workout you feel dizzy, immediately stop what you are doing and sit down. Tilt your head forward to increase blood flow to the brain. Dizziness is one of the first signs of lack of oxygen to the brain. It is also the body's way of saying you will faint if you don't do something about the situation. If you find yourself getting dizzy on a regular basis, consult your physician.

59. TRAINING MORNING, NOON & NIGHT
Although the most popular time to train is between 4 and 8 pm (that's when most people get off work and school), there is no best time to train. For some, 6 am works best. For others trainig at that time would be nauseating. Likewise, many like to finish work and head straight to the gym to unwind. The best time to train is whatever time works best for you.

60. TRAINING FREQUENCY
Even if your primary goals are maximum size and strength, it's not recommended you start out with an advanced four or six-day splilt routine. You'll get great results by training the full body every second day for a total of 3 or 4 days per week.

61. WORKOUT DURATION
How long you spend in the gym ultimately depends on the type of program you are following. There is no need to be dragging your training session out for two or three hours. In fact if you are still training after 3 hours your intensity level is probably too low to be effective. Try putting everything you've got into a 60 miinute workout.

62. MISSING WORKOUTS
No matter how dedicate you are to your training, sooner orlater uou'll miss the occasional workout. As long as you are fairly consistent, don't worry about it. One ot two extra days off a month will not set you back. In fact it may help you, as many people are in a chronic state of overtraining. Yo'll find that after an extra day off your energy and strength levels are often much higher.

[UkrainianGuy]

63. TRAINING DURING THE FLU
Although some oeople swear that exercising will somehow "sweat out" the flu virus, our advice is to give training a pass when you're under the weather. the common cold, while not life threatening, is weakening your overall recovery system. One of the warning aigns of overtraining is an increased frequency of colds. Let the body deal witht he virus before subjecting it to another grueling workout.

64. VISUALIZATION
The great Arnold Schwarzenegger used to imagine this biceps were mountains when he trained them. Numerous studies have shown that those poeple who visualize where theyw ant to be down the road get there more quickly then those who don't visualize. Set small strength and size goals and then visualize obtaining these goals.

65. PHOTO INSPIRATION
Flip though a copy of Muscular Development and find a large picture of your favorite bodybuilder. Cut it out and paste it on the fridge, bathroom wall, or someother place you see every day. Use the photo for motivation and inspiration. Every time you look at the photo imagine what it would be like to look like that bodybuilder. The go into the gym and train your butt off.

[UkrainianGuy]

66. GLOVES
Uunless you are used to manual labor, you'll notice after your first few training sessions that your hands will develope blisters. The way to prevent this is to wear gloves. You can use gloves specifically made for weightlifting or you can substitute gold gloves. Keep in mind that once you start wearing gloves you are committed to them. Your hands will never get a change to toughen up and calious over. Forget your gloves just once and it's back to the blisters. Unless you need soft hands for your job or hobby (i.e. musician or surgeon), our advice is to give the gloves a pass.

67. SPONGES
Sponges are a cheaper way to protect the hands during a workout. Go to the kitchen section of any store and for a buck or two pick up a package of sponges. They come in different shapes and sizes but the 4 X 6 X 1/2-inch variety will probably work best. Place a sponge in each hand and grab the bar, dumbbell, or machine handle. The sponge will protect the skin on your hands from blistering.

68. WRAPS
No matter how diligent you are with proper technique, your joints will be subjected to a tremendous amount of stress. The soft tissues at the joints will occasionally start letting you know that maybe you should take some sort of preventive measure. Many bodybuilders find that by wrapping the common trouble areas such as the knees, wrists, and elbows, they can reduce the chances of injury to the joint. Wraps come in many shapes and sizes. Some are elastic in nature and have a preset tension. Others are nothing more than simple first-aid elastic bandages that allow you to adjust the tension. While we don't recommend wrapping yourself up like an Egyptian mummy, you may want to experiment with wraps on such exercises as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.

69. BELTS
The most popular piece of weightlifting equipment is the lifting belt. However, wearing a belt at all times never allows the lower back muscles to strengthen. We suggest that you use one only if you really need it. Our advice is to only wear a belt for lower back protection on such exercises as squats, deadlifts, barbell rows and overhead standing presses, and only when using heavy weight.

70. BENCH PRESS SHIRTS
If you decide to test you ego on the bench press, you might want to invest in a bench press shirt. These specially made shirts are usually made of polyester and about two or three sizes too small! By compressing the arms, shoulders, and chest muscles, the upper body is put into a better leverage situation, enabling you to lift more. Some powerlifters will add 50 to 100 pounds to their bench press with the aid of a bench shirt.

[UkrainianGuy]

71. STRAPS
Straps are short (one and a half to two feet) pieces of woven cloth that you wrap around a barbell, handle on a machine, or horizontal bar to give you a better grip. You'll quickly discover that on such exercises as deadlifts, shrugs, rows, chins, and pulldowns, you forearm grip will be the weakest link. Straps allow you to handle more weight in these exercises. As with weight belts, don't get too dependant on straps, it's better to allow the forearms to strengthen than assisting them all the time with straps.

72. WRIST PROTECTION
If you decide to use straps, a word of caution. Many bodybuilders place the straps directly over the bony extrusion located between the lower forearm and hand. This bump is really the meeting place for the ends of the radius and ulna (two bones that make up the forearm). These small bones were not designed to have hundreds of pounds placed on them, and this is the weight you'll be using down the road on exercises such as shrugs. The solution is to place the wrist straps above this area. If the straps cover any part of the wrist or hand, they are too low.

73. HI-TECH VS LOW-TECH STRAPS
You can purchase a set of fancy wrist straps for $15 or $20, or you can make your own for mere pennies. If you decide to make your own, use a strong piece of material. Martial arts belts, car seat belts and woven nylon are three dependable choices for making wrist straps. There are two styles of wrist straps. Some are straight at both ends. Others have a loop at one end that you feed the other end through. Neither style is better than the other. It comes down to personal preference.

74. HEAD STRAPS
This is nothing more than a special harness that fits over the head, allowing you to attach a weight to the other end. By moving the head in various directions (forward and back, side to side) you can strengthen the neck muscles. Be careful, as the neck muscles are very easy to strain. You'll probably get enough indirect neck stimualtion form the other exercises you'll be performing, such as upright rows, shrugs, etc.. but if you participate in sports where a strong neck is vital (judo, wrestling, football), you may want to consider direct neck training.

75. HEADBANDS
Also called sweatbands, headbands are another simple piece of equipment that will make a big difference to your workouts. Nothing is as irritating as getting sweat in your eyes. The problem is compounded if you are wearing contacts. Even those who train in an air-conditioned gym are not immune to having beads of sweat rolling dwon their forehead. For a few dollars (or mere pennies if you want to make your won) invest in a headband to soak up the mositure before it starts giving you a severe case of redeye.

[UkrainianGuy]

76. CHALK
The body's primary cooling mechanism is to release water to the skin surface in the form of sweat. While sweat does wonders for for fooling the body, it plays havoc with gripping sports. The nect time you watch a gymnastics competition take a close look at the hands of he athletes. They are virtually white with chalk. Weightlifting is like gymnastics in that a firm grip is an absolute must on all the exercises. Chalk is cheap ($2 to $3 for a six-inch block) and makes an excellent training aid for drying sweat and giving you a better grip. Just check with you gym's policy on chalk before buying. Some gyms don't allow chalk as it messes the floor.

77. BARBELLS
It's probably safe to say that no weightlifting machine will ever replace the good old-fashioned barbell. Barbells come in an assortment of sizes and shapes. Olympic bars are the largest at seven feet long and 45 pounds. You'll use these on such exercises as bench presses, squats, deadlifts, and barbell rows. Shorter bars are more convenient for various biceps and triceps exercises. Finally, EZ-curl bars have a series of s-shaped curves that allow a more naural drip. Many people find straight bars hard on the wrist and elbow joints and opt for the curved EZ-curl bar. You should try to use all types of barbells in your training program.

78. DUMBELLS
Dumbells are the baby brothers of barbells. Instead of holding one long bar in tow hands, you hold a shorter one in each hand. Dumbells range in size from one pound up to over 150 pounds. You will use dumbells on such exercises as biceps curls, flyes, presses, and side raises.

79. BENCHES
To provide support and taget different areas of the body try using different bench angles in your workout. If you are training chest you can shift the stress from the lower chest to the upper by using a tilted or inclined bench. Likewise the lower and outer chest can be stressed by using a declined bench.

80. ARM BLASTERS FOR STRICTNESS
No matter how hard you try to prevent it, the body will always attempt to cheat when exercising. We are inherently lazy creatures. With standing barbell curls the lazy way out is to start rocking the body and lifting the elbows forward from the torso as the bar is lifted upwards. One way to reduce this is to use an Arm Blaster. This two-foot long, six-inch wide piece of curved metal fits around the waist and allows ou to place your elbows firmly against it. Locking the arms in this position makes it much more difficult to cheat. The cover photos of Arnold Schwarzenegger using the Arm Blaster back in the 1970s are nothing short of inspirational.

[UkrainianGuy]

81. CABLES AND PULLEYS
For added variety in your training nothing beats pulleys. As the name suggests, pulley exercises are those where the weight is attached to the handles by a long cable running through one or more pulleys. Although biceps curls (cable curls) cable crossovers (for the chest) and triceps pushdowns are the most popular pulley exercise, you can use pulleys to train just about every muscle.

82. MACHINES
It started with Universal back in the 1960s. Now there are dozens of strength-machine manufacturers. Strength machines are easier to learn than barbell or dumbells exercises, espeically when you begin resistance training.


83. WARM UP
Always warm up before training. Most injuries are the result of jumping to heavy poundages too quickly. A warm muscle is much more flexible and pliable than a cold one. A warm up takes only a few minutes but it can save you a lifetime of pain.

84. THE STRONGER YOU ARE THE LONGER THE WARM-UP
As you progress in your bodybuilding you'll find that you'l be hoisting some serious poundages in your workouts. What this means is that your muscles, tendons, and ligaments will be subjected to much more stress than when you started training. It's a fact that the stronger you get the more likely you are to incur an injury. To reduce the chances of this happening, increase your warm-up time proportionally. One or two light sets may be fine for a 100-pound bench press, but when you get up to 300+ pounds you'll need to do three or four light and medium warm-up sets to adequately prepare the muscles.

85. USE A SPOTTER
Whenever possible have someone stand behind you (called a spotter) to lend assistance on potentially dangerous exercises like squats and bench oresses. Besides safety, a spotter can help you complete a few extra forced reps.

86. NEVER PERFORM POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS EXERCISES ALONE IN YOUR HOUSE OR APARTMENT
A small number of bodybuilders have been found dead in their basements. In most cases they had tried that extra rep on a setof bench presses and failed. The results was a heavy barbell crashing down on their neck.

87. USE A POWER CAGE
If you must train at home, consider buying a power cage. A power cage allows you to set catch-bars at any height. By setting them an inch or two below you maximum depth, you have a backup if something goes wrong. Even on the bench press you could manage to wiggle out from under the bar if you can't return it to the supports.

88. USE COLLARS ON ALL BARBELLS
Even with the best of techniques the odds of lifting a barbell perfectly even are remote. If the plates are not locked on with a collar it's possible that they could slip off the lower side. This in turn causes the side with the plates left on to drop suddenly. This violent wrenching motion can tear muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Always use collars.

89. WHEN NEVER TO USE COLLARS
This is going to contradict a previous tip, but there is one occasion when you shouldn't lock the plates on with collars. Even though you should never perform barbell bench presses alone, some readers will still go ahead and do so. If you do ths and don't have access to a powercage or Smith machine, leave the collars off. this way if you get the bar stuck across your chest you have an out. Simply forceone side of the bar upwards to cause the plates to slip off the other side. Now the side with the plates still on is heavier and will drop, thus spillng those plates on the floor. You've not got an empty bar on your chest. Place it nack on the rack and promise yourself you'll never do it again! Needless to say, dropping heavy weights could ruin your floor.

90. USE A WEIGHT-LIFTING BELT ON HEAVY EXERCISES SUCH AS SQUATS, DEADLIFTS & BARBELL ROWS
The human spine is a marvel of engineering but it was not meant to have hundreds of pounds suddenly placed on it. Wearing a thick leather belt provides support by securing the ligaments and muscles of the lower back.

91. PUT YOUR WEIGHTS AWAY WHEN FINISHED
Although gym staff will enforce this rule, please take the initiative yourself. Weights left all over the floor are a saftety hazard. Sooner or later someone will trip and fall. Return your weights to the proper location when finished. this prevents injuries and makes it easier for the next person to find the weight they want.

92. IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF EXERCISE TECHNIQUE - ASK!
Most gym instructors are knowledgeable and only too willing to help out. Weightlifting exercises are probably not the nest activities for experimenting with when leaving.

[UkrainianGuy]

93. ROTATIONS FOR PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE
If you were to rank the body's joints interms of how prone they are to injury, the shoulders would probably place third behind the lower back abnd knees. In fact the shoulders may move up to the number one position in those who regularly lift weights. Years of heavy pressing movements (both for chest and shoulder training) can play havoc with the shoulder joints. In many cases the problem is not the large, outer deltoid mucle, but the smaller, underlying rotator muscles. These small muscles located on the scapula (shoulder blade) are prone to injury form repeated heavy pressing movements. Two way to reduce the risk of damaging the rotators is to train them from day one, and to warm them up before doing any heavy pressing exercises.

94. TRY TO PERFORM ALL EXERCISES IN GOOD STYLE
Unless you are employing the cheating principle, try to execute all exercise with good biomechanical technique. This means no bouncing, jerking, or heaving the weight up. Proper technique not only prevents injuries but also ensures that the muscles are getting maximum stimulation.

95. 90 DEGREES IS BEST
The goal on set of leg presses is to bend you knees low enough to stimulate your quads without going too low and damaging the knees. For most people this means having a 90-degree angle between your upper and lower legs when the knees are bent. If you have no knee problems and have good flexibility, then lowering to 75 or 80 degrees is fine, but don't make the mistake that some individuals do and try bouncing your knees off your chest.

96. KEEP THEM TO THE FRONT
Even though many bodybuilders swear by them, behind-the-neck pulldowns and should presses can destroy your small rotator muscles (the smal muscles and tendons located on the shoulder blades collectively called the rotator cuff). Unless you've been doing them for years and have experienced no problems, we sugeest that you not include them in your workouts. Front presss and pulldowns will work the same muscles without placing the same degree of stress on the rotators.

97. NEVER LOCK OUT
Although they are marvels of engineers, human joints can only take so much abuse. You should never lock out completely on any exercise (with the possiblity of triceps exercises). Locking out places tremendous stress on the joints, particualry the soft tissue that surround the joints. If locking out can de compared to making a 180 degree angel between two lines, then stop at about 170 to 175 degees.

98. NEVER BOUNCE
It's mazing that some people ever walk out of a gym. One of the most abused machines in any fitness facility is the leg extension. People load the thing up with more wieght than they can lift in a good style, and then bounce it up and down using body momentum. The amount of stress this places on the knees at the top of the exercise is enormus. It's bad enough if you stop just short of locking out, but many people actually hyperextend at the knee joint when they do leg extensions. Next to the lower back, the knee is the easiest joint to damage. Always trest knees with kindness.

99. NEVER HYPEREXTEND
They are commonly called hyperextensions but in reality you should never hyperextend. One of the best exercises for the lower back muscles is to lie face down on a ball or back extension machine and then gently raise the torso upwards. You should only rise up until your upper body is in line with your lower, or just slightly beyond. Do not try to arch as high as you can. This places tremendous stress on the ower back ligaments. You can still call the exercise hyperextensions, but please don't hyperextend.

[UkrainianGuy]

100. WHEN STIFF SHOULD NEVER BE STIFF
Although they are called stiff-leg deadlifts, you should not do them with the legs completely locked out straight. Always keep the knees slightly bent. The same holds true for every other exercise that calls for a "straight" leg (leg raises for example). Always keep the knees slightly bent to reduce the pressure on the lower back.

101. PUTTING THE HOOK ON INJURIES WITH S-HOOKS
As you've probably discovered by now, most cable machine attachemnts are hooked on to the end of the pulley with an S-shaped metal hook. While providing security and ease of use, S-hooks do have one big disadvantage; they don't lock the attachment in place. At least once a day at some gym, an attachment will pop off after being accidentally stuck or pulled on. For example on some cable machines as soon as you pull on the low pulley the top attachment is automatically pulled backwards (its the same cable). When this happens it's quite easy for an attachment to be bounced off. Always beware of overhead pulley attachments when working out. You may even want to suggest to the gym's owner to invest in climbing hooks, or carabiners. They are the same size and strength as S-hooks, but they lock the attachment in place so it can't pop off. And they are ultra strong.

102. CORRECT HEIGHT ON THE STATIONARY BICYCLE
If you decide to use the stationary bike, adjust the seat so you can't completely lock out you legs. If the chair is too high you run the risk of hyperextending the knee joint, when your legs are in the outstretched position.

103. WHERE APPLICABLE, USE WEIGHT RACKS
It will only be a matter of time before you ar eusing hundreds of pounds on your squat and pressing movements. Even a strong spotter will be hard pressed to prevent that amount of weight from landing on you. To stop the barbell before it crashes down on you, use a weight rack. Many squat racks have a set of pins that you can set just below you maximum squatting depth. If you fall on one of hte reps, simply let the weight drop of the safety pins and walk away.

104. DRESS APPROPRIATELY
If it's mid-summer, don't strut around in three layers of sweatshirts just so you'l look bigger. This will only lead to severe dehydration. Conversely, a T-shirt and shorts will probably not cut it in mid-winter; especially if you're the type who like to wear his gym-clothes to and from the gym.

105. FOOTWEAR FOR SUPPORT
With the possible exception of during calf raises and some yoga or stretching exercises on a mat, wear some sort of footwear at all times. Many leg exercises place tremendous stress on the supporting soft tissues of the foot region. A good sturdy sneaker (crosstrainers will offer more support than runners) wil offer a great deal of support to this region. Even on exercises such as bench presses you'll be using your feet for stability. The last thing you want is for your foot to slip along the floor during a set of flat barbell presses.

[UkrainianGuy]

106. FOOTWEAR FOR PROTECTION
A less obvious but equally important function of footwear is protection from wayward plates and dumbells. You'll be handling dozens if not hundreds of weight plates during a typical workout. Sooner or later you'll drop one. A 45-pound plate can do wonders to an unprotected foot. A sneaker will at least cushion the blow somewhat.

107. HAVE A MEDICAL CHECK-UP BEFORE BEGINNING ANY INTENSE WEIGHT-LIFTING PROGRAM (OR ANY FORM OF INTENSE EXERCISE)
Granted, if you are a healthy, athletic 18 year old, a medical check-up is probably no necessary. But for anyone who hasn't lifted anything heavier than a cold beer over the last 10 or 20 years, we strongly urge you to consult your physician before trying to relive your high-school days. Ask your doctor for a physical stress test to ascertain your ability to recover from strenuous exercise.

108. KEEP LONG HAIR SECURE
A modern gym is filled with hundreds of moving parts. The last thing you want is to become intimately acquainted with one of these moving structures. Although it's possible to get your hands or clothing stuck, more times than not, it's long hair that causs problems. If you sport long hair keep it in a ponytail or secure it in some other fashion. Even tucked up under a baseball hat will lessen the chance of its getting caughty by a pulley or cable.

109. WATCH YOUR TIME
The days of three and four hour workouts are over. Most bodybuilders nowadays try to get in and out of the gym in 60 to 90 minutes. After about 90 minutes the body's energy reserves are all but depleted. Not only are you coasting (and possibly overtraining) after this point, your thought processess are probably muddled from the high levels of endorphins circulating in you system. It's at this point that you are very susceptible to an injury. Try to split up your workouts so that they take no longer than 90 minutes.

110. USE THE MIRROR
While some people use them strictly for variity, and the owners use them to make the place look larger than it really is, mirrors do serve a useful purpose. On many exercises, particulary dumbells exercises, you'll discover that trying to coordinate both arms is difficult. Things will get easier with time, but duringthe learning phase you should use the mirrors as much as possible to ensure your technique is sound. In addition, during some exercises such as rows a mirror can be a helpful ally in keeping your back straight and not hunched over.

[UkrainianGuy]

111. LET YOUR SHOULDERS BE YOUR GUIDE
When in doubt, position your feet shoulder width apart, or lower the bar (dumbells or machine handles) to shoulder height. The natural and most stable stance for most people is with the feet about shoulder width apart. this tends to place the least amount of stress on the joints (ankles, knees, lower back). Likewise the finished position of many exercises is shoulder height. For example on dumbell presses for shoulders or incline presses for chest, the dumbells will be approximately in line with your shoulders at the bottem of the exercise. Although it doesn't apply to all exercises, there are numerous examples for which the shoulders are a useful guide.

112. GOOD PAIN, BAD PAIN
As you progress in your bodybuilding career, always pay close attention to your body's signals. You have to learn to differentiate between pain that is signaling an impending injury and pain that is nothing more than the normal soreness associated with an exercised muscle. If the pain seems to be localized to the muscle and disappears after a few days, odds are it's normal post-exercise muscle sorness. On the other hand if the pain is more severe, includes the joints, or lasts longer than a couple of days (or gets worse with each successive day). Then we urge you to stop training that area and seek medical advice from a knowledgeable sports doctor.

113. REDUCING NECK PAIN
Most of those home-exercise gizmos you see on TV are a waste of time and money. Surprisingly, some have their advantages. One example is the abdominal machine. They go by different names, and claim to take inches off you waist in "as little as five minutes per day." While these claims are outlandish, you may want to try one if you have neck problems. Many individuals find abdominal exercises stressful on the neck. Most of the ab machines have a headset to support the mistake pushing with the arms. this only reduces the amount of abdominal stimulation.

114. WHAT YOU LIE ON
Make sure that the mattress on your bed is firm enough to support your body weight. If not, it won't keep your body in proper alignment. One of the primary causes of sore or "bad" backs is a mattress that is too soft. Treat your bed mattress like your footwear-update is regulary.

115. EXPERIMENT WITH GRIPS
Although most exercises should be performed with a shoulder-width grip, this is not etched in stone. Many people find a shoulder-width grip places too much stress on the triceps and shoulders when doing barbell presses for the chest. Likewise a shoulder-width grip may bring too much of the biceps into play on chins and pulldowns. When performing the various exercises, start out getting joint problems or you don't seem to be hitting the targeted msucle, try widening or narrowing the grip. A few inches either way could be all it takes to reach success.

116. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Learn everything you can about bodybuilding. Buying magazines and reading threads is a good start. Bodybuilding is (or shoud be) a lifelong pursuit. The more you learn and apply, the less chance of serous injury and the more success you'll get out of your training.

[UkrainianGuy]

117. WHOLE-BODY WARM-UP
Even though it may be chest day or leg day, keep in mind that your heart and lungs are going to play an integral part. Always perform five to ten minutes of general cardio to bring the heart and lungs up to speed. This ensures full circulation and oxygen delivery to the muscles when you hit the weights. Popular cardio macines for warm-ups include the treadmill, rowers, stationary cycle, and, in recent years, the elliptical or crosstrainer.

118. TRAINING JOURNAL
One of the best ways to know where you are going is to know where you've been! For just a few dollars, pick up a sprial-bound notebook to record all your training information to see if there are patterns. For example are there days when your eating or sleeping habits impacted your workouts? Write down any information relevant to your training and recovery. A perfect download for record keeping is Training log...Free download...

119. WORKOUT INFORMATION
The most basic information to include in your journal is which exercise you perfromed. Also write down the number of sets, reps and the weight you used on each exercise. Include the day, month and year - looking back at a journal after a peroid of years can be fun.

120. TIME
Write down the length of time it took to do your workout. You can use this information later to determine if there is a correlation between your workout intensity and workout duration.

121. WHAT YOU ATE
Keep a detailed log of everything you eat on a daily basis. For example, don't just write down cereal, write the kind of cereal. Also include what you put on it, i.e. milk (and what type), type of sweetner, fruit, etc. Also record when you had your meals. Every couple of weeks, check to see if there is a pattern between meal timing and workout intensity. Record you weight reguarly.

122. WHICH SUPPLEMENTS
As with food, keep detailed notes of your supplement consumption. What protein supplement did you use? How much? When? Any fat burners? Again, when and how much? Are you on the loading or maintenance phase of your creatine supplementation?

123. SLEEP
Sleep is one of the simplest things to record, but also one of the most important. Check to see if there is a correlation between your workouts and sleep patterns. Compare the data from both angles. Do your workouts influence your sleeping duration, and does the amount of sleep you receive each night impact your workouts?

[UkrainianGuy]

124. CARDIO TYPE AND DURATION
You may be a bodybuilder at heart but you still need to do cardio. This is especially true during the precontest season. Write down the type of cardio you performed (machine or aerobics class), duration, and intensity level. This information will be invaluable the next time you compete or need to get ready for a photo session.

125. HOW DO YOU FEEL?
Even though it's very subjective, don't be afraid to jot down how you feel each day. Are you in a positive or negative mood? Do you have enough energy for all your daily activities and your workout? Are you still motivated to hit the gym, or would you just as soon do something else? The answers to these questions are often a good way to determine of there is a problem with out training or eating.

126. STRETCHING TO PERFECTION
It's ironic how many people spend thousands of hours contracting (shortening) their muscle by weight lifting, and yet devotelittle or no time to lengthening the muscles. Stretching is nothing more than the opposite movement to weightlifting. Stretching lengthens the muscles, plays a major role in warming the muscles, and research shows that stretching can also indirectly stimulate muscle growth. For maximum effect, spend 10 to 15 minutes each day stretching, and hold each stretch for 15 to 25 seconds.

127. STATIC STRETCHING
Static stretching involves moving into a designated position slowly and holding for 15 to 25 seconds. Holding for less time than this will not affect the muscle enough to cause a physiological change in length Holding for more time than this can actually cause muscle tearing and injury. Static stretching is best performed at the end of your workout.

128. DYNAMIC STRETCHING
Dynamic stretching involves actively stretching muscles through movements that will mimic the training activity to follow. Forward lunges and leg swings are good examples. You are better served performing dynamic stretches during your pre-cardio routine in order to increase body coordination and circulation in joints and muscles.

129. EASE INTO IT
To fully stretch a muscle or joint you must slowly ease into it. Take 30 to 40 seconds to move slowly into a strech. The maximum point to stretch to is the point at which you just begin to feel pain in the stretched muscle. Many experts call this the "pain edge." With time your "pain edge" will move further and further along as you gain flexibility.

130. BE CONSCIOUS OF FOOT POSITION
One of the first things you'll notice when you begin stretching is that the position of your feet can make a big difference to the stretch. For most leg stretches try to keep your feet dorsi-flexed (the foot and lower leg make a 90-degree angle) rather than pointed. This is especially true for hamstring streches.

[UkrainianGuy]

131. HEEL DROPS (CALVES)
Stand on a step riser, your feet shoulder width apart and your heels hanging off the back so that only your tows are on the edge. Slowly drop one heel down until you feel the stretch in your calf. Don't force the stretch. If your heels touch the floor you will need a higher step. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds and return to the starting position. Switch legs and repeat many times.

132. SEATED STRADDLE (MANSTRINGS)
Sit up straight on a mat with your legs open as wide as possible. Gently lean forward over one leg as far as you can until you feel the hamstrings become tight. Push your shoulder to your knee as you lean forward. Hold for a few seconds and then lean more into the stretch. Hold again, and then return to the starting postion. Switch legs.

133. FLYAWAY (CHEST)
Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Lift your arms out to the side of your body at shoulder height, plams facing down. Reach behind as far as comfortably possible and hold.

134. BACK STRETCH (BACK)
This is excellent exercise both for stretching the lower back muscles and reducing the stress on the lower back ligaments and discs. Lie on your back. With the knees bent, draw your legs towards your chest. Hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds and then relax.

135. REACH BEHIND AND PULL (BICEPS AND TRAPEZIUS)
Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Bring one arm straight out behind you, palm facing down. Reach your other hand behind your back and with an underhand grip, gently tug on the wrist of the extended arm. Hold and then repeat on the other arm.

136. STRAIGHT ARM ACROSS (REAR DELTOID)
Stand straight with your feet together. Grab your right elbow with your left hand and pull it across your chest toward the opposite side. Hold, and then swtich arms to stretch the other shoulder.

137. UPPER SCOOP (BACK)
Sit on a mat with your legs extended straight in front of you. Collapse the upper body intil you can reach the back of your calves. Exhale and hold while trying to reach as far as possible, stretching the back.

[UkrainianGuy]

138. ELBOW BEND AND PUSH (TRICEPS)
Stand straight with your feet together. Bend one arm behind you head, reaching down until your palm hits the middle of your shoulder blades. Use your free hand to grasp your elevated elbow and pull it toward the back of your head. Hold, and then switch arms.

139. ROLL ON THE BALL (ABDOMINALS)
Lie on an exercise ball so that it's situated in the middle of yor back. Drop your glutes down and bend your legs. Place your hands behind your head, which should be lying back over the ball. For a bigger stretch, you can extend your arms as far down as possible until you are touching or nearly touching the floor. Hold, then release.

140. LYING GLUTE AND HIP STRETCH (GLUTES, HIPS)
Lie on a mat with your back flat on the floor. Cross your left leg over your right so your left heel is touching your right knee. Lift your upper body so you can hug your right knee and gently pull it toward you. Exhale and hold, then switch and repeat on the other side.

141. LYING QUAD STRETCH (QUADS)
Lay facedown on a mat, and then raise you upper body to support yourself on your forearms. reach behind you with your left hand to grab your left foot and pull until your heel touches your glutes. Hold the position and switch legs.

142. THE TOUCH (HAMSTRINGS, LOWER BACK)
Sooner or later someone will say to you "can you touch your toes?" Besides being a test of flexibility, touching your toes is a great way to stretch your hamstrings and lower back - even calves. Make sure you don't overstretch when first doing this exercise, as it can be stressful on the lower back. For the same reason don't bounce at the bottom.

143. OVERHEAD STRETCH (BACK, CHEST)
This is a very simple movement that can be performed every day. Stand up and raise your hands above your head. Clasp your hands together and push as high as you can, trying to touch the ceiling.

[UkrainianGuy]

144. SPECIFIC MUSCLE WARM-UP
Don't walk into a gym and immediately throw your top weight on the barbell. Many a pec-delt tie-in has been torn that way (the area where the chest and front shoulder muscles join together). Always perform a couple of light-to-medium, high-rep sets before putting your maximum weight on the bar.

145. INCREASE YOUR WARM-UP IN PROPORTION TO YOUR STRENGTH
As the muscles get stronger the need for a warm-up becomes greater. A beginner may get by on a quick five-minute warm-up but once you start using hundreds of pounds on your exercises you'll need to adequately prepare the muscles. You may save time by skipping your warm-up, but at what cost? A torn pec or biceps msucle will set you back many months of training. A lower back injury coul dbe a lifelong menace.

146. CONSTANT EVALUATION
If you are training hard, eating well and getting sufficient rest, yet you are not making gains, then something is amiss. You have to find out where you're going wrong. Don't continue training in the exact same manner hoping the problem may solve itself. You have to sit downand re-evaluate your whole approach. The best way to do this is to refer to your training logs and records.

147. PHOTOGRAPHS
Taking a set of photos when you begin training is a good way to evaluate your physique. We should warm you that the first set of photos you take will probably depress you, as you will no doubt compare them to the bodybuilding superstars in Muscular Developement Magazines. But over time as you make progress your physique (and photographs) will start looking like more and more the ones you see in the bodybuilding magazines.

148. TAKING MEASUREMENTS
Opinion is split on taking measurements. Unless you are one of those genetically gifted types, you probably won't see a rapid change. For example, it takes on average about 10 pounds of muscular bodyweight to add a sngle inch to the arm. Coincidently, this is about the amount of weight the average person can expect to gain in the first year of training. On the bright side, in four or five years you'll be sporting 20-inch arms.

[UkrainianGuy]

149. WHEN TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE
Few people achieve success without help from others. Even something as individualistic as weight training has room for doubling up. A training partner provides numerous advantages. For starters you won't have to keep bothering other people for a spot. Another benefit is motivation. On days when you don't feel like training (or training with enough intensity), your training partner can encourage you. You can then reciprocate on his or her lazy days.

150. FRIENDLY COMPETITION
Another benefit of a training partner is that you and your training partner can engage in little competitions. If he gets 10 reps, you try to do 11. This back and forth will do wonders for your progress.

151. BRUTALLY HONEST
A good training partner can be honest. You may think your physique is flawless, but your partner can quickly bring you back to reality. This brutal honesty wil help you immensely if you decide to compete in a bodybuilding contest down the road.

152. THE RIGHT TIME
The most basic thing to keep in mind when choosing a training partner is what time you both like to work out. If you're a morning person and he or she prefers late evening, odds are you two will never mesh. Try to pick someone who works out around the same time of day as you do.

153. THE RIGHT ATTITUDE
Nothing derails a good workout like negativity if you're training with someone who is always complaining and constantly seeing the downside to everything - get rid of them! You want someone who will motivate you to train harder, not get you thinking about chainging sports. It doesn't matter if your training partner can bench press as much as you can. What's more important is his or her mental approach to training.

154. THE RIGHT CONSISTENCY
One of the main benefits of a good training partner is that they can motivate you to strive for higher goals. They will not be able to motivate you if they only making every second or third workout. This inconsistency is telling you that working out is very low on their priority scale. Drop them and look for someone else.

155. IS STRENGTH IMPORTANT?
Although not as important as attitude and consistency, it does make sense to train with someone who is in the same strangth range as you. It won't make any difference on most machine and dumbell exercises, but a huge difference in your bench press weights will mean a lot of loading and unloading the bar. Of course a slight difference in strength might be a benefit. You can push yourself to catch up on you partner's stronger exercises, and he can try to match you on exercises in which you are stronger.

156. THE STRONGER SEX?
Does your training partner have to be of the same sex? Absolutely not. Some of the best training partnerships consist of a couple. Knowing that there is a female watching you will bring out the best in you, and most women who train with weights want to show the guys that they belong in the weightroom. Unless there are major differences between the two of you with regards to some of the other more important traits already discussed (you can find a way around the strength differences), try training with someone of the opposite sex.

157. DOUBLE THE KNOWLEDGE
The best scenario is if your training parner has an equal but different range of knowledge and experience than you do. You can alternate back and forth, drawing on one another's suggestions.

[UkrainianGuy]

158. WHAT DO I WANT?
One of the most fundamental questions you should ask yourself before you pick up that first dumbell is "what do I want to achieve from bodybuilding?" For some, losing a few pounds and perhaps some general conditioning is all they are after. Building a 50-inch chest is the furthest thing from their minds. For others, nothing short of elbowing the current Mr. Olympia off the stage will suffice. Keep in mind that even if your goal is dethroning the current Mr. Olympia, you don't start training at the Mr. Olympia level. Start out slowly and gradually progress to the next level.

159. KEEP IT SIMPLE
The primary goal at the beginning level is to learn how to train - nothing fancy, just basic sets and reps. For the first few months follow a full-body three-times-a-week training routine. Pay strict attention to form and increase the weight only when the muscles are capable of handling it.

160. COMPOUND EXERCISES
When beginning bodybuilding, virtually all your exercises should be compound. Compound exercises are those in which more than one joint is involved and more than one muscle group is utilized. Compound exercises are the ones that allow you to use the most weight, and hence they are the best for gaining mass. Examples of compound exercises are bench presses, squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, barbell curls, chin-ups, and shoulder presses.

161. TO BULK OR NOT TO BULK
Bulking up was a popular term back in the '60's and '70s. It basically means eating as much as possible and training as heavy as possible to gain as much bodyweight as possible. The reason bulking up has fallen out of favor is that much of the weight gained is fat, which has to be lost if you want to compete (or even just look good). Today many bodybuilders try to keep their off-season weight to within 20 pounds of their competitive weight (as opposed to the 40 to 50 pounds years ago). Unless you are very skinny and have a hard time gaining muscular body weight, we don't recommend bulking up.

162. RIBCAGE EXPANSION
Although the chest muscles receive all the glory, it is the underlying ribcage that makes up most of the chest measurement. While you can't enlarge the ribs, it is possible to slightly lengthen the cartilage and ligaments connecting the ribs to the sternum (center rib bone). We should add that by your early 20s these soft connective tissues have hardened, so the techniques for expanding the rib cage won't have much effect. Ribcage expannsion works best in the teenage years. The two best exercises for expanding the ribcage are breathing squats and cross-bench pullovers.

163. BEWARE OF THE BOXY LOOK
Although ribcage expansion may be desirable for some, for others is should be avoided. Those with narrow should structure should probably avoid trying to expand the ribcage, as it will only leave you looking like a "box". By this we mean you'll be nearly as thick as wide. Those with boxy physiques tend to look fat in clothes.

[UkrainianGuy]

164. CRUNCHES-TORSO AND LEG POSITION
When performing crunches always keep your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Performing any exercise with the legs locked out straight, particularly adominal exercises, adds excessive pressure on the lower back. Also, raise the shoulders only 8 to 10 inches off the floor. Raising all the way up to your knows doesn't work your abs harder, it just brings the hip flexor muscles into play.

165. CRUNCHES-ARM POSITION
When you start performing crunches, keep your arms across the middle of the chest. This makes the exercise easier by "reducing" the weight of the arms. As you get stronger you can move the arms farther away from your abdominals - first to behind your head, and finally to a fully stretched-out position above your head.

166. CRUNCHES-WATCH THE NECK
One of the big mistakes people make when performing crunches with the hands behind the head is to push the back of the head with the arms. This not only takes some of the pressure off the abdominals, it also puts stress on the neck. Try to keep your elbows pointed outwards at all times and keep your head stationary by locking your eyes on a point on the ceiling.

167. CRUNCHES- DON'T LOCK THE FEET
Another mistake many bodybuilders make when performing crunches is to lock their feet. The primary culprits for this are abdominal boards with rollers. Locking the feet will place excessive stress on the lower back as you crunch forward, in addition to working the hip flexors excessively.

168. SUCK IT IN
Well the military was right: regularly sucking in your gut and puffing out your chest does work. Before you hit the sack every night (and/or first thing in the morning) practice pulling in your abdominal muscles. Count to 10 and then release. Doing 3 or 4 "sets" of this simple exercise will make your waist appear smaller.

[UkrainianGuy]

169. VACUUM
Vacuums are a variation of the suck-it-in tip discussed earlier. Suck in your stomach, puff out your chest, and then blow all the air out of your lungs. Hold for 10 seconds. Three-time Mr. Olympia Frank Zane was a master of this technique.

170. BACK EXTENSIONS
Most muscules work in pairs and the abdominals are no exception. In this case the opposing muscles are the spinal erector (lower back) muscles, and you should train them regularly. One of the simplest exercises to work the lower back is to lie face down on the floor and gently raise the toso upwards. Don't excessively arch (hyperextend) the lower back. You must strike a balance between working the lower back muscles and plaing too much stress on the lower back ligaments.

171. LEAVE THEM TILL LAST
As the abdominals and lower back muscles are used for stabilizing on most of the exercises for the legs and torso muscles, you should train them after these larger muscle groups. Fatiguing them early will interfere with the execution of these exercises and could lead to an inury of the lower back.

172. LYING LEG RAISES
As with crunches, never perform the exercise with totally straight legs. Always keep a sllight bend at the knees. Start with the incline board at the lowest level and gradually increase the angle over the weeks and months to make the exercise more difficult.

173. LEG RAISES - LEAVE YOUR BUTT ALONE!
Some people rest their hands under their butt when doing lying leg raises. This adds extra stress to the lower back and tends to shift the stress from the lower to the upper abs.

[UkrainianGuy]

174. BARBELL SQUATS
Squats are considered the best quad exercise. They'll also stimulate muscle growth over your entire body. With the barbell resting across the shoulders, slowly squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position. Do not bounce at the bottom of the movement. Try to keep the torso perpendicular to the floor. Don't let the body start leaning forward - doing so could lead to a lower back injury.

175. SMITH-MACHINE SQUATS
Even though barbell squats are king when it comes to building the legs, there are a few occasions when you may want to use the Smith machine. Those with poor flexibility in their Achilles' tendon may find it difficult to keep their balance when doing regular babell squats (the old "up on the toes" syndrome). The Smith machine will allow you to keep your feet slightly forward or back in your stance, enabling you to keep your feet flat on the ground. Also, those with injured lower backs or knees may find the Smith machine less stressful on these areas.

176. LEG PRESSES
Leg presses are a close second to squats in terms of effectiveness and have the advantage of letting you use hundreds of pounds of weight in relative safety. As you lower the platform by bending your knees, don't bounce at the bottom of the movement. You run the risk of damaging your knees or ribs. Likewise don't lock the leggs completely straight at the top as you could hyperextend and tear the knee ligaments or cartilage.

177. HORIZONTAL OR 45 DEGREES?
If you gym has both the 45-degree and horizontal leg press, try both to see which one feels more comfortable or gives you the best leg workout. If you find both equally effective, try alternating them on different leg days.

178. LYING LEG CURLS
This exercise is one of the best for developing the hamstring muscles. As you raise the lower legs toward your butt, don't let yoru butt lift off the bench in an attempt to move the weight. There should be no jerking or bouncing as you lift the weight up.

[UkrainianGuy]

179. LEG CURLS - DON'T HYPEREXTEND
Many of the older leg extension machines allow you to extend th legs past the lock-out position. In other words you can hyperextend at the knee joint. While you may be giving the hamstring muscles a better stretch, you are also forcing the knee joint through a greater range of motion than it was designed for. Try to keep your legs from locking out completely on leg-curl exercises.

180. FLAT BARBELL PRESSES
Like squats, barbell presses are considered on of the best for stimulating muscles, in this case your chest, shoulders, and triceps. With a slightly widerthan shoulder-width grip, lift the bar off the rack and slowly lower it to your mid-chest. Push it back up to arms' length. Don't bounce the bar off your chest. Likewise don't arch your lower back excessively when lifting. For a few extra pounds of weight you run the risk of lower back injury.

181. INCLINE BARBELL PRESSES
Incline presses are performed the same way as flat presses except you are lying back on a tilted or inclined bench. This shifts the stress from the lower and outer chest to the upper chest. Instead of lowering the bar to yourmid-chest, try lowering it to your collarbone. Keep your elbows back throughout the movement.

182. IT'S ALL IN THE ANGLE
As you perform incline barbell presses, experiment with different angles on the bench to see which angle hits the uppper chest most effectively. Too high and it's more a should exercise. Too low and you are virtually doing a flat bench press.

183. SUPINE DUMBELL PRESSES
This exercise is very similar to supine barbell presses except that you use two dumbells instead of one barbell. Try to keep your upper arm at 90 degrees to your torso as you lower the dumbells to just below chest level. Push them back up until they just touch at the top. Dumbells allow you to get a greater stretch at the bottem of the exercise than a barbell.

[UkrainianGuy]

184. DUMBELL PRESSES - 90 DEGREES IS SAFEST
Ironically one of the primary advantages of dumbell presses is also one of the disadvantages. Dumbells allow you to lower the arm past the shoulders' natural range of movement. The barbell will come in contact with your chest before this happens. For safety considerations lower the dumbells only until your upper arms are parallel to the floor or just slightly below.

185. INCLINE DUMBELL PRESSES
Most everything we said about incline barbell and supine dumbell presses also applies here. Experiment with different angles and don't let the upper arm go far below shoulder height.

186. THE WEAKEST LINK
The primary disadvanteage of incline dumbell presses is that you will reach a point at which your chest and shoulders are capable of lifting more weight than you can hoist off the floor and into position. When this happens have two spotters pass the dumbells to you at arms' length. Lowering the dumbells to the floor at the conclusion of the exercise is not usually a problem.

187. YOU KNEES - A HELPING HAND
As we just stated in the previous tip, it don't be long before your chest is capable of lifting heavier dumbells than your arms are capable of hoisting into position on an incline press. When this happens and no one is around to help, try using your knees to position the dumbells. Hoist the dumbells from the floor and lay them on your knees in a vertical position. As you lean back towards the bench force one and then the other dumbell upwards by rapidly pushing upwards with you knees.

188. DIPS
Dips are another great exercise for packing muscle mass on the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The late Vince Gironda was the most vocal spokes person for dips, an excellent exercise for developing the clean line that separates the chest from the ribcage. Grab the bars with both hands and with the torso leaning forward and chin tucked down on your chest, slowly lower your body between the bars to a comfortable stretch (for most this will mean your shoulders are in line with or just slightly above the bars). Return to the starting point by straightening the arms. As with dumbell pressess, avoid bouncing at the bottom of the movement.

189. PARALLEL OR V?
Diping bars come in many shapes and sizes. In some, the bars are parallel to one another. Others start wide and join together at one end, forming a "V." If you're lucky enough to work out at a gym that has a couple of different styles of dipping bars, experiment. The advantage of the V-shaped bars is that they allow you to take a different grip widths. Generally you'll find the wider the grip the more the outer chest is worked, while narrow grips bring in more th triceps and shoulders.

190. DIPS: THICK OR THIN?
Besides shape, dipping bars may be thick or thin. Again, if your gym has an assortment of dipping bars to choose from, experiment to see which feels most comfortable and effective for your chest and shoulders. Most trainers prefer thicker bars for dips and thinner bars for chins.

191. ASSISTED DIPS
For those who have trouble lifting their bodyweight on regular dips, try the assisted macine. The macines works by providing an upward force as you perfrom the exercise. In simple terms the machine is making you ligther. Your goal on assisted dips is to use less and less weight (not more weight as with most exercises). With tiime you should be able to lift your full bodyweight and you'll be able to use the parallel bars. Eventually you may be strong enough to add weight with the use of a diping belt.

[UkrainianGuy]

192. CHIN-UPS
Chin-ups are one of the best exercises for adding width to the back. They'll give you that much sought-after V-shaped look. You will need access to your gym's overhead bar to perform this exercise. With a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip, pull yourself up until your eyes are in line with the bar. Slowly lower your body back down until your arms are just short of lockout.

193. HANGING AROUND FOR WIDTH
If you are still in your teens you have another method for increasing your back and shoulder width. Simply hanging from a shin-up a bar can spread the scapulae (shoulder blades). After you complete your regular chin-up sets, hang from the bar for as long as possible and let your shoulder blades stretch out as far as possible.

194. ASSISTED CHINS
Chins are great but unfortunately not everyone can do them. From day one you'll have to lift your entire bodyweight. If you can't lift your bodyweight, try an assisted chin-up machine. This apparatus is usually part of the same machine that allows assisted dips. You kneel or stand on a platform that provides upward pressure as you lift yourself up. Just as with the assisted dips, you use less and less weight (assistance) as you get stronger.

195. LAT PULLDOWNS
Can't do chin-ups and don't have access to an assisted chin-up machine? Lat pulldowns are a close second. Instead of having to pull your entire bodyweight up to a stationary bar, you pull the bar down toward you. We strongly urge you to pull the bar toward your collarbone or chin. Some people pull the bar down behind the head to their neck. Pulling behind the head puts extra pressure on the rotator cuff (the collection of small muscles and tendons that attach to the shoulder blade). Everytime you move the bar up and down there is repeated chafing of the rotator cuff. With time it could become inflamed or worse, torn. There is virtually no difference in terms of effectiveness. Pull the bar to the front.

196. THINK OF THEM AS HOOKS
When performing lat pulldowns, try to think of the hands as merely hooks. The more you squeze and grip with your hands the more biceps and forearm involvement you brng in. Since these smaller muscles fatigue before your larger back muscles, your back will not get enough work.

[UkrainianGuy]

197. BENT-OVER BARBELL ROWS
Another basic back exercise, barbell rows add strength and mass to the central back region. Bend forward and grab a barbell with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. The torso should be held at approximately 30 degrees to the floor. Pull the bar toward the lower rib cage. Lower the bar to just short of arm lockout.

198. KEEP THE NATURAL ARCH
Even though you'll routinely hear instructors say, "keep your back straight," the human spine is in fact not straight, but slightly curved. Try to keep the natural arch in the lower back when you perform barbell rows. If you let the back round (i.e. if you reduce the natural curve), the lower back muscles relax, placing most of yhe stress on the ligaments.

199. BENCH BARBELL ROWS
If you find standard rows stressful on the lower back, try performing the exercise on a flat bench. Simply lie face down on a high bench and have the bar placed directly underneath. If you have long arms you may need to bridge the bench up on blocks of wood or milk crates to get a good stretch.

200. REVERSE-GRIP BARBELL ROWS
To target the lower and central lats more, try reverse-grip barbell rows. The main differences from a regular row are that you use a narrower grip (about shoulder width) and you hold that bar with a revere grip (palms facing forward instead of backward). Because reverse-grip barbell rows bring more of the biceps into play, you'll find that you can use more weight. Former Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, would use over 400 pounds on this exercise!

201. T-BAR ROWS
A close variation of the barbell tow, the T-bar row is another great back-thickening exercise. Most gyms have a special T-shaped apparatus for this exercise, but a regular barbell (and the V-shaped attachment used on the seated row exercise) will suffice as long as you find a way to keep on end anchored to the floor (either have a training partner hold it down with his foot or stick the bar in a corner and place a few heavy dumbells or plates on top). Grab the handles or V-shaped apparatus and pull the bar towards the torso. As with barbell rows, try to keep the torso at about a 30-degree angle to the floor and the lower back slighltly arched. Return the bar to just short of a locked out position.

[UkrainianGuy]

202. T-BAR MACHINE ROWS
Even with perfect technique many people find T-bar rows stressful on the lower back. Equipment manufacturers have responded to this by offering a version of the T-bar that has an angled pad to rest the torso on. If you find regular T-bar rows stressful on the lower back and your gym has such a T-bar, try incorporating it into your workouts.

203. SEATED ROWS
Seated rows are like barbell and T-bar rows in that they are great for hitting the muscles in the center of the back. You will need a cable machine to perform this exercise. Grab the V-shaped pulley attachment and sit down on the floor or on the machine's seating pad. With your legs slightly bent, pull the handle into the lower ribcage. Slowly stretch forward until your arms are fully stretched. As you pull the handle towards the torso, try to squeeze the shoulder blades together. That will fully stretch the chest muscles and contract the back muscles. Don't let the torso go past 90 degrees as you pull the handles in.

204. ONE-ARM DUMBELL ROW
If your gym doesn't have a T-bar or seated row and you find barbell rows stressful on the lower back, one-arm dumbell rows are a good substitute. Place one knee and hand on a flat bench. Lean you weight onto your arm and keep your back arched. With the free hand, grab a dumbell and pull it upwards in a sawing motion. At the top of the exercise your upper arm should be parallel with the floor. One-arm rows place less stress on the lower back because you are braced on the bench. Be sure to reach right down to the floor each rep - stretch those lats.

205. USE THE MIRROR
If you find your coordination lacking while doing dumbell rows, try placing the bench parallel to the mirror. This allows you to adjust your torso and arm position as you excute the exercise. At the conclusion of a set, allow the arm to stretch down, stressing the lats. Hold this straight-arm position for 9 seconds and feel the burn.

206. ROTATIONS
One of the few disadvantages of repeated pressing movements is stress on the small rotator muscles located at the shoulder on the scapula. Most people start doing rotations only after they've incurred a rotator cuff problem. Try to strengthen the rotators from day one, and be sure to warm them up before doing any chest or shoulder pressing movements. Grab a light dumbell or weight plate. Hold your upper arm tight to the body and, with your elbows at a 90-degree angle, slowly rotate your lower arms in toward each other and out from the body.

[UkrainianGuy]

207. FRONT BARBELL PRESS
This exercise is one of the best for adding size to the shoulder muscles, particularly the front and side shoulders (anterior and medial deltoids). Sit down in the shoulder press rack (preferably one with a vertical back support). Reach back and grab the barbell with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Lift the bar up and out so that it's positioned above your head. Slowly lower the bar to your upper chest or collarbone and then press back up to arms' length. Don't bounce the bar off your collarbone at the bottom of the exercise.

208. TO THE FRONT ONLY
Although some bodybuilders prefer to lower the bar behind the head when doing barbell presses, we advise against dong this. As with behind-the-head pulldowns, there is considerable stress placed on the small rotator muscles when doing this.

209. DUMBELL PRESSES
As with flat barbell and dumbell presses for chest, you can substitute dumbells for a barbell when working shoulders. Sit down in a chair with some sort of back support and raise a pair of dumbells to shoulder height so that the palms are facing forward. Press the dumbells upwards and inwards so that they touch above the forehead. For variety you can alternate pressing the dumbells. As with front barbell presses, dumbell presses primarily target the front and side shoulders.

210. A SLIGHT TILT
To reduce the pressure on the rotator cuff when doing barbell presses, set the angle of the adjustable bench at about 80 degrees. If you don't have access to an adjustable bench, keep your butt slightly forward on the vertical bench and lean slightly backwards.

211. LATERAL RAISES (ALSO CALLED SIDE RAISES)
Side raises are probably the best exercise for widening the shoulders because they add size to the medial (side) shoulder. With both the elbows and knees slightly bent, raise a set of dumbells outwards and upwards, until the arms are parallel with the floor. Slowly lower the dumbells down so that they meet in front of the body. The palms should be facing together at the bottom of the exercise. Resist the urge to swing the body as you lift the dumbells. This adds stress to the lower back and lessens the effectiveness of the excercise.

[UkrainianGuy]

212. TRICEPS PUSHDOWN
Pushdowns are one of the best exercises for targeting the triceps muscles. You will need to use your gym's cable pushdown for this exercise. Grab the attachment with the palms facing downwards, hands about shoulder width apart. With the elbows held firmly against the torso, push downwards until the arms are locked out. Slowly raise the attachment back up to about chest level. For variety you can use different attachments. They probably won't make much difference to your triceps but they may make a big difference to your wrists.

213. FRENCH PRESSES
One of the best exercises for adding mass to the triceps, French presses have been performed successfully by bodybuilders for years. Although you can use just about my type of bar, most bodybuilders find the EZ-bar less stressful on the wrists and elbows . The key to this exercise is to keep the upper arms locked in position and elbows pointing at the ceiling. The only thing that should be moving is your forearms.

214. LYING EZ-BAR EXTENSION
This is another great one for adding mass to the triceps muscles. With an EZ-curl bar placed on the edge of a bench, lie back and grab the bar with a narrow (10 to 12 inches) grip. Raise the bar above your forehead, and with the upper arm locked vertical with the floor, lower the bar to the forehead by bending at the elbows. There should be little or no upper-arm movement. The popular nickname for this exercise is skullcrushers, but we strongly urge you to avoid actually crushing your skull.

215. INCLINE OR DECLINE EZ-BAR EXTENSIONS
For variety try doing your EZ-bar extensions on a decline or incline bench. You'll find that decline extensions target more of the upper triceps, while inclines bring in more of the lower triceps.

216. DUMBELL EXTENSIONS
While sitting on a flat bench (or better still, one that has some sort of vertical back support), grab a dumbell and lower it behind the head, trying to keep the elbow pointed at the ceiling. You may need to reach across the front of the body with the free hand for balance and supprt. Some bodybuilders prefer to do this exercise with both hands at once. In this case grab the dumbell as if you were about to volley a volleyball (i.e. the fingers pointing backwards and the palms facing the ceiling). The advantages of using two hands at once are that it saves time and it keeps you balanced (as oppsed to one-arm extensions, for which you hold a weight on one side).

217. BENCH DIPS
While dips are usually performed as a chest exercise, with modification they can be an excellent triceps exercise. Instead of performing the movement on dipping bars, arrange two benches so that they are about four feet apart and parallel to one another. Position yourself between the benches so that your heels are barely resting on one bench and your hands are resting on the other (fingers facing forward). With the knees slightly bent, slowly lower your body between the benches until your butt is about a foot off the floor (your upper arms will be approximately parallel with the floor at this point). Return to the starting position by straightening the arms. Resist the urge to bounce at the bottom of the exercise, as this places tremedous stress on the elbow, wrist, and shoulder joints. Need more weight? You can rest a plate or two on your lap, or hold a dumbells between you legs.

[UkrainianGuy]

218. DIP, NOT ROCK!
When performing bench dips, make sure the benches you are resting your feet and hands on are stable. Either use benches with a wide base, or place some weight plates or dumbells on the base ends. Even though it rarely happens, there is the risk of one of the benches tipping over in the middle of your set. You can probably guess the damage this will cause if you are dipping with two or three plates resting on your lap.

219. NARROW PRESSES
Narrow presses are another staple exercise for packing mass and strength onto the triceps. The exercise is performed much like standard barbell presses for the chest, with the exception that the grip is much narrower - only about 10 to 12 inches apart. As you press the bar upwards, concentrate on pushing with the triceps and not the chest and shoulders.

220. STRAIGHT OR EZ-BAR?
For variety, try experimenting with straigth and EZ-curl bars when doing narrow presses. Many bodybuilders find straight bars stressful on the wrists. On the other hand others hand discovered that straight bars seem to target triceps more effectively. See which one is least stressful and most effective for you.

221. STANDING BARBELL CURL
Considered one of, if not the best biceps exercises, barbell curls are also one of the easiest to perform. Grab a short straight bar with a shoulder-width or slightly wider grip. Slowly curl the bar up until the forearms are at about a 45-degree angle with the horizontal (about 8-10 inches from the shoulders). Lower the bar back down to within a couple of inches of your thighs. Don't swing the body in an attempt to lift a few extra pounds. The only thing moving should be your forearms. Experiment with the EZ-curl bar as well. You probably won't find much difference to your biceps but there may be a big difference in your wrists.

222. DO THE TWIST
The biceps perform three function. In addition to the familar raising of the forearm and as a secondary muscle in raising the arm from the shoulder, biceps also rotate the forearms. You can make alternate dumbells curls more effective by twisting the dumbells from an inward to outward position as you raise them. Twisting the dumbells as you lift and lower (called supination) stimulates the biceps over their full range of motion.

[HardWood]

Great stuff. Some really good advive in here. "Specialy about learning about what works for YOU personaly.

[UkrainianGuy]

223. STANDING DUMBELL CURLS
This exercise is virtually identical to #221 except you use two dumbells. Using dumbells gives you the option of raising them in alternate fashion (as one dumbell is rising the other is lowering). Curling with dumbells also assures that each arm is subjected to the same degree of resistance.

224. PREACHER CURLS
Preacher curls (also called Scott curls after bodybuilding's first Mr. Olympia, Larry Scott) are another basic biceps builder. They are especially effective at working the lower biceps and filling in the gap between the upper forearms and lower biceps. Start by sitting on the stool or bench attached to the preacher board (a padded board angled at approximately 45 degrees). Raise or lower the seat so the preacher board fits snug under your armpits. Reach forward and lift the barbell off the rack (most preacher benches have an attached barbell rack) or have a training partner pass you the barbell. Curl the bar up until your forearms are parallel with the floor. Slowly lower back down until your arms are just short of locked out. Do not bounce at the bottom of the exercise. Many bodybuilders have torn their biceps tendon doing just that. Once you tear a biceps tendon you only option is surgery, and 100 percent correction is unlikely.

225. INCLINE CURLS
As far as the biceps are concerned, incline curls are the opposite of preacher curls. Instead of working the lower biceps to a greater degree, they target the upper biceps. As the name suggests, you perform this exercise on an incline bench. Grab two dumbells and sit down on the bench (between 45 and 60 degrees will work best). Curl the dumbells upward until your forearms are almost vertical with the floor. Slowly lower back down until your arms are just short of a lockout.

226. THUMBLESS?
As you try out the various biceps exercises, experiment with keeping the thumbs on the same side of the bar (or dumbell) as the fingers - this is called a thumbless grip or a false grip - or on the opposite side to the fingers. You may discover that one grip feels more comfortable than the other and may give you better biceps stimulation.

227. STANDING CALF RAISES
You will need access to a standing calf machine to do this exercise. Step up onto the machine's foot support and rest the pads atop the shoulders. With your legs locked, lift yourself up on your tiptoes as far as possible. Lower back down, trying to drop you heels as low as possible at the bottom. We have to warn you that out of all the muscles you will train, the calves hurt the most! A couple of sets will leave them burning with pain.

228. CALF-INDUCED SHOULDER RASH?
Don't be alarmed if you discover a slight rash on each shoulder the day after you do standing calf raises. In simple terms, the combination of pressure and thinness of the skin in the shoulder region causes the breakage of tiny blood vessels called capillaries. It will clear up within a day or two. Adding two sponge rubber pads under the pad may help you avoid this problem.

[UkrainianGuy]

229. TOE PRESSES ON LEG PRESS
This exercise is an example of using a machine for an exercise other than the one it was designed for. Sit down in the leg press machine and place your toes on the bottom edge of the pressing platform. Instead of moving the platform by bending at the knees and using your thighs, you flex at the ankle and use your calves. As with standing calf raises, go for the maximum stretch at the top and bottom of the exercise. The primary advantage of this exercise is that you don't have hundreds of pounds placed across your shoulders as you do with the standing calf raise.

230. EXPERIMENT WITH FOOT STANCE AND WIDTH
As you perform toe presses, try experimenting with different stances. Try both wider and narrower than shoulder width. Try toes turned in, forward, and out. Each different angle hits a different part of the calf. When the toes are pointing out at "ten to two" the inside of the calf is worked. The outside is stressed when the toes are pointing in.

231. CALF STRETCHING
Calf training is as much about stretching as it is about lifting weights. Perhaps no other muscle group relies as much on extending its range of motion as the calf. As you are resting between sets, stand on a high block of wood (or the calf machine's foot block) and practice stretching your heels as far down as possible. The more flexible your calf and associated Achilles' tendon, the greater your range of motion when you perform calf raises. The end result is greater calf development.

232. FOR ALL TO SEE
If your calves are weak and you need incentive to train them, try a tip from seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger. Early in his career Arnold had weak calves and a lazy attitude about training them. To kick himself in the ass, he cut the lower legs off his sweat pants so his calves were always on display. Because of negative comments from others and his own dissatisfaction with how they looked, Arnold made calf training a priority.

[UkrainianGuy]

233. PLANT YOU FEET FIRMLY ON THE FLOOR
Even though the bench press is primarily targeting the upper body, the legs play a major role in stabilizing. If you don't believe this, try benching with your legs up in the air. Both your coordination and strength suffer considerably. When benching try to keep your feet pressed into the floor. Try not to let them move, slip, or rise.

234. LOCK YOUR BODY TIGHTLY TO THE BENCH
What the floor is for your feet, the bench is for your torso - a platform for stability. When you lie on the bench, try to become part of it. Try to lock your back, glutes, and shoulders as tightly tot he bench as possible.

235. USE A SECURE GRIP
Perhaps unnecessary to say, but you'd be surprised the number of bodybuilders who haphazardly grab the bar when benching. As soon as you grab the bar, lock both fingers and thumb tightly around it. Never use a false (thumbless) grip when bench pressing.

236. KEEP YOUR WRISTS LOCKED AND STRAIGHT
To reduce the amount of stress on your wrist ligaments, keep your hands and forearms lined up while benching. Don't make the mistake of allowing your hand to flip back towards the back of the forearm.

237. KEEP THE FOREARMS VERTICAL
Although there are exceptions, the correect grip width on the bench press is the one that keeps your forearms vertical throughtout the full range of motion. This will allow you to generate the most power as you push upward. Any wider or narrower is wasting energy, as your body will be trying to keep your forearms from sliding inwards or outwards.

238. PAUSE AT THE BOTTOM
If you plan on entering powerlifting competitions you will need to practice pausing the bar at the bottom of the exercise. The pause doesn't have to be a long one - about a second - but it will be required in competition to get a pass from the judges. Another reason for pausing is that it eliminates any bouncing. Bouncing the bar off the chest is a great way to break the sternum, a rib or tear a rotator - any of which can set yor training back months if not years.

[UkrainianGuy]

239. PAUSE AT THE BOTTOM
If you plan on entering powerlifting competitions you will need to practice pausing the bar at the bottom of the exercise. The pause doesn't have to be a long one - about a second - but it will be required in competition to get a pass from the judges. Another reason for pausing is that it eliminates any bouncing. Bouncing the bar off the chest is a great way to break the sternum, a rib or tear a rotator - any of which can set your training back months if not years.

240. MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE BAR
When benching you should be controlling the bar, not the other way around. Don't let the bar wander sideways or backwards towards the neck. This is not only dangerous but shifts more of the stress to the triceps. Find your groove and stay there.

241. FOCUS ON LIFTING WITH THE CHEST
Of the three primary muscles involved in bench pressing (chest, shoulders, triceps), the chest muscles are by far the most powerful. Many people place too much effort on pressing with the shoulders and arms when benching. Try to squeeze the chest on every single rep.

242. DRIVE THE BAR UP EXPLOSIVELY
When it comes to benching, speed is king (on the way up). For saftey and official regulations you have to lower the bar down slowly and pause at the bottom. But if you want to move some meaningful poundages on the bench press, you must force the weight back up as explosively as possible. Forget the slow and controlled approach. Give it everything you've got as you push upward.

243. HAVE A SPOTTER
Having a spotter behind you is like having an insurance agent - he or she is there if something goes wrong. You have enough on you mind without having to worry about what you'll do if you can't lift the weight. This worry will prevent you from testing you limits. Knowing that someone is there watching you will allow you to put all your focus on pressing the weight.

244. CHECK THE BAR FOR WARPS
They may be called straight bars but sometimes they're not. Like other metal objects, bars can bend with repeated usage. This is especially true if your gym has a number of powerlifters and strong bodybuilders regularly working out with 500+ pounds on the bars. Place the bar on a rack and revolve it in your hands while looking at the ends. If there appears to be any warp, replace it and grab another bar. If the warp is severe, notify management. A bent bar can flop during you lift, breaking your wrists or worse, your neck.

245. RETRACT YOUR SHOULDER BLADES
As soon as you lie back on the bench, pull your shoulder blades together. This not only provides a more stable surface from which to push the bar, but also expands your chest and shortens the distance you have to press the bar. The shorter the distance, the better your chances of lifting the weight.

[UkrainianGuy]

246. STARTING POSITION
The starting position for the deadlift is much the same as Olympic lifters use for the clean and jerk. Your shoulders, bars, and ankles should form a vetical, straight line. This set-up will generate the most power in the safest means possible, your back should be flat. throughout.

247. STANCE
The stance for deadlifts is similar to squats, that is, your feet are just slightly wider than shoulder width apart.

248. GLUED TO YOUR SKINS
When you start the deadlift try to keep the bar as tight to your shins as possible. As you start pulling up the bar can move out a wee bit, but it should be tight at the bottom of the lift.

249. LEGS FIRST
The first muscles to engage on the deadlift should be your legs. But don't straighten them out too early. This will limit the amount of weight you can lift and place undue stress on the lower back.

250. DON'T JERK LIKE A JERK
As coimmon sense should tell you, don't make a sudden yank at the begining of the excersie. This is how most poeple injure their back on this exercise. Start the lift slowly.

251. NEVER ROUNDED
Always keep a slight curve , or arch, in the lower back when lifting. As soon as the back rounds, the lower back muscles relax, placing tremendous stress on their ligaments.

252. NECK ALIGNMENT
When you deadlift, the neck has an important controlling functin. It should stay in line with the trunk throughout trhe movement. If your neck is held too far back excessive stress will be plsvrf on the nack extensors. Too far forward and that back will round out.

253. HIP THRUST
Once the bar reaches the mid-thigh position, concentrate on thrusting the hips forward and rolling your shoulders back while sticking your chest out as you lock the legs.

254. JUST HOOKS
Again, try to visualize your arms as nothing but hooks attached to the bar. They should remain straight at all times. Don't try lifting the weight with your biceps. The biceps' assistance will be minimal and you will run the risk of tearing a biceps tendon.

255. LOWER UNDER CONTROL
Once you lock out the bar, don't simply let it drop to the floor. Deadlifts are like every other exercise in that the lowering ois at least as important as the raising.

256. GET A GRIP
There are three grips you can use for deadlifting are: pronated (palms facing you), supinated (palms facing forward), and mixed (one hand pronated and the other supinated). Most competitive powerlifters use the mixed grip as they find it gives them better control. Keep in mind that a supinated hand position will place tremendous stress on the biceps and associated tendons. For long-term safety and progress we suggest you use the provated grip or the mixed girp.

[UkrainianGuy]

TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR SQUAT


257. EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR STANCE
In general terms, the wider your foot stance, the more glute and inner thigh stimulation. Conversely, narrower stances tend to hit more of the center and outer thigh. When you begin squatting, try both to feel where each stance hits.

258. RACK IT OR CAGE IT
Unless your will for survival is sadly lacking, always perform your squats in a squat rack or powercage. No matter how well executed your technique is, sooner or later you will run into problems while squatting. The last thing you want is to crash to the floor with a few hundred pounds on your shoulders. Squat racks and powercages are designed to catch the bar before it could drive you into the floor. Put the ego aside and always use a rack.

259. BREAK FROM THE HIPS FIRST
The two main joints being used in the squat are the hips and knees. Try to begin the movement by breaking (bending) at the hips first and not the knees. The joint that comes into play first will be subjected to the full weight of the bar for a split second. The hips being larger and stronger can tolerate this while the knees probably can't.

260. NOT TOO HIGH
Try to rest the bar across your shoulder and upper traps and not your neck. It won't be long before you'll be using hundreds of pounds in this exercise. You don't want that kind of pressure resting on your neck vertebrae. Resting the bar high also forces your torso forward, which places additional stress on your lower back.

261. HOLD YOUR BREATH
Unlike most exercises for which you try to inhale and exhale on each rep, you should hold your breath during your squat reps. Because of the weight invovled you want as much intrathoracic pressure as possible when doing squats. Exhaling relaxes the small muscles surrounding the ribcage, thus descreasing the strength of your upper body. You want the upper body to be a strong and stable supporting platform.

[UkrainianGuy]

262. HEAD UP
The body generally follows the position of the head. If you are walking along and turn your head to the right, you body will follow. The same is true for squats. Always keep your head up and in good alignment with the rest of your body. If you start looking down, your body will tend to lean forward. This will change your center of gravity and place excessive stress on the lower back.

263. INCREASE YOUR FLEXIBILITY
If you have been giving stretching exercises the short-shift lately, now is the time to change your habits. Safe and effective squatting requires good flexibility in the hip, knee, and ankle joints. For example if you find that you come up on your toes as you squat down, you need to increase the flexibility of you Achillies' tendon.

264. THE 2 X 4 - A TEMPORARY FIX
While you are working on imnproving your Achilles' flexibility, you can maintain your balance by placing your heels on a 2 X 4. Keep in mind that elevating your heels will shift more of the stress to the front of your thighs, and perhaps more important, to the knee region. The sooner you can squat flat-footed the better.

265. DON'T BOUNCE
If you want to keep squatting for years to come, don't use your knees as elastic bands. Bouncing out of the lower position may give you a few extra reps or enable you to lift more weight, but at what cost? The supporting tissues of the knee region (ligaments, tendons, and cartilage) were not designed to be suddenly subjected to hundreds of pounds of weight. Always perform the exercise in a slow and controlled manner.

[UkrainianGuy]

266. ELBOWS UNDER HANDS
Even though there are exceptions, most people will find holding the bar with a medium grip width will work best. This means your elbows are situated directly below your hands. If you hold too wide you'll rotate your shoulders inward and hunch forward. Too close together and you'll feel cramped.

267. STICK YOUR BUTT OUT!
As mentioned in tip 251 the human spine is not perfectly straight, but has a slight S-shaped to it. To reduce the stress on your lower back ligaments, try to keep the natural concave curve in your lower back. The easiest way to do this is to keep your butt stuck out as you descend into the full squat position. When you let the back round the lower back muscles relax, forcing the lower back ligaments to pick up the extra stress.

268. TO THE FLOOR - IF YOU CAN
Unless flexibility or injury issues dictate otherwise, squat down until your quads go below parallel with the floor. You don't need to touch your butt on the floor, but to exercise the quads through their full range of motion the angle between the upper and lower leg should be 90 degrees or less. Keep in midn that safety comes first. If you start losing your alignment before you reach the full squat position, stop the exercise at this point. Don't squat lower than your unique bone structure comfortably allows.

269. DON'T LOCK OUT
One of the biggest mistakes many bodybuilders make when squatting is to forcibly lock the legs out at the top of the exercise. This practice is not recommended. Not only are you giving the quads a rest after each knee joint. Terminate the rep just short of locking the legs out straight.

270. RACKING THE BAR
When placing the bar back on the rack, make sure it is secure on both sides of the rack before stepping out from under it. A good rule of thumb is to follow military procedure and "Visually acquire the target." Place the bar on one side of the rack and then look at the other side while you do the same. You now know that the bar is safely secure on both sides of the rack.

271. RECRUIT A SPOTTER
Even though a squat rack or powercage will enable you to perform squats in safety, for that extra security have a spotter standing behind you. A spotter can not only check your form, but also give you assistance if you have trouble completing a rep. Finally, you'll discover that simply knowing someone is watching you will result in a couple of extra reps! A good spotter can also verbally encourage you through a difficult set.

272. PROPER SPOTTING
Unlike most exercises where you or your spotter can provide assistance by lifting with your hands, the weight and positioning of the barbell on squats makes this all but impossible. The human body is not that strong when trying to push upwards from the waist to shoulder height. To safely spot on squats, you have to squat down with the person while keeping your arms loosely around the person's waist. If they get in trouble you can lock your entire arms around the torso and use your legs to help lift upwards. Don't worry about how "things" look. Safety takes precedence over appearance.

273. THE BELT ISSUE
Because of the weight you will be using, you may want to consider wearing a weightlifting belt while squatting. We say, "may," as it's a personal choice. There are ot hard rules. Squatting does place some stress on the lower back but not as much as the anti-squat people would have us believe. Many people squat for years and never use a weightlifting belt. Conversely others need a belt for the extra security. Our suggestion is to first try squatting without a belt. As you increase the amount of weight you are using pay close attention to any signals your lower back may be giving off. If there seems to be extra lower back stress, try wearing a belt. Tighten the belt before you set. Loosen or remove it immediately afterwards.

[UkrainianGuy]

Tips For Improving Your Barbell Curl



274. DIFFERENT GRIPS FOR DIFFERENT HEADS
If you go "by the book" the recommended width grip on barbell curls is shoulder-width. Don't, however, be afraid to experiment. Going slightly wider will target the inner head of the biceps while a narrower grip will stimulate more of the outer head. Trainers with elbow injuries often prefer a wider grip.

275. BEND THE KNEES
Always keep a slight bend at the knees when performing standing barbell cirls. Locking the legs out straight will only add extra stress tot he lower back.

276. DON'T SWING EXCESSIVELY
The biggest mistake bodybuilders make when curling is to rock back and forth with their upper body. Not only does this reduce the effectiveness of the exercise, it also stresses the lower-back ligaments.

277. LOWER SLOWLY
Fifthy percent of a barbell curl's effectiveness is the negative, or lowering, phase. Always lower the bar in a slow and controlled manner. This not only provides better stimulation for the biceps, it places less stress on the biceps tendons.

[UkrainianGuy]

278. TRY AN EZ-CURL BAR
If you find straight barbell curls stressful on the wrists, try switching to an EZ-curl bar. the bend on the EZ-curl bar will allow you to rotate the palms slightly inward, thus placing less stress on the small wrist ligaments.

279. TRY "CHEATING"
Cheat curls have probably built more biceps than any other exercise. We don't mean cheating from the first rep, however. Try to get 6 to 8 reps on your own, and then add just enough body momentum to keep the bar moving for a couple of extra reps. Arnold Schwarzenegger used cheat curls to make his arms grow from 13 to 20 inches.

280. TO 45 DEGREES ONLY
You'll notice as you curl the bar up that a point will be reached where the exercise starts feeling easier. For most this point is where that forearmis at abouta 45-degree angle with the torso. Try not to let the forearms go above this point (i.e. don't curl all the way to your shoulders).

281. ALL THE WAY DOWN
If swinging the body is the number one mistake bodybuilders make on barbell curls, lowering halfway down is number two. Unless you are performing 21s (described in the Advanced Training Technique section), always lower the bar to just short of your highs. If you lower only halfway, you'll be targeting only the upper part of your biceps. You must lower the bar to your quads to stimulate the lower sections.

282. DON'T DO A WRIST CURL
Many bodybuilders make the mistake of starting their barbell curls with a slight wrist curl - bending the wrist toward their forearm before engaging the biceps. All this does is take the stress away from the biceps. Try to keep yoru wrists neutral at all tiimes (i.e. in line with your forearms)

[UkrainianGuy]

283. WASH YOUR GYM CLOTHES - REGULARLY!
We've all heard the phrase. "It smells like a gym." The thing is it shouldn't. Nothing is as disgusting as working out next to someone wearing month-old gym clothes. While you may be able to get by washing your gym clothes every second day, we strongly recommend doing it daily. If this is impractical, buy a second or third set of gym clothes. Having three sets of workout clothes means having to wash them only ones or twice per week. Not only will your gym buddies thank you, you may even get a little bit of social life with the ladies.

284. SHOWER AFTER EVERY WORKOUT
It's not only your gym clothes that weat and stink after a workout - you will as well! It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who do their last set and go straight to schoool or work. All that sweat is a great breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria. Give the person next to you a break and take a shower as soon as you finish working out. If not at the gym then do it at the earilest possible time.

285. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHARE YOUR RAZOR BLADE
This is another of those "you should know better" tips. In this day of AIDS and hepatitis, you 'd think sharing a razor blade would be unheard of, but that's not the case. All it takes is one drop of blood from someone else's disease-infected body and your life may be tragically cut short. With razors costing mere pennies, save yourself a heap of potential trouble and but your own.

286. DO NOT SHARE YOUR COMB OR WATER BOTTLE WITH ANYONE
As with sharing razors, you don't know the background of the person you are trying to help out. Head lice ae still common and any number of infections can be spread by sharing a water bottle. In short, buy your own and use your own. Wash your hands after you workout and after using the restroom.

287. DON'T USE THE SQUAT RACK FOR BARBELL CURLS
This is one of those unwritten rules that you should try and follow. Nothing is as frustrating as not being able to do squats because the squat racks are all taken up by guys doing barbell curls. Barbell curls can be performed just about anywhere. If laying the baron the floor is inconvenient, lay it on the end of a bench. Don't hinder someone's leg workout because you are too lazy to pick the bar up off the floor.

288. CHECK BEFORE YOU STRIP
Another of those unwritten rules. Don't start stripping down a bar assuming that just because there is no one close by, the bar is not being used. As most gyms enforce the "replace you weights" rule, odds are fairly good that person using the bar stepped away for a second. tis couldbe to use the washroom, give someone a spot, or visit th4 water fountain. Before taking the plates off the bar, check around to see if it is definitely free.

[UkrainianGuy]

289. DON'T STARE
Althought you are not going into a jungle, gyms do occasionally get frequented by animals! Even if some bodybuilder does have a great physique, try not to stare. As primates, most humans do not like to be stared at. Staring is a sign of aggression and provocation. It would be better to go over and compliment the person's physique and ask him how he built it, rather than staring continuously from across the gym. Another reason not to stare is that homophobia is rampant in bodybuilding gyms. That seemingly innocent stare on you part could be taken as a sign of sexual interest. you don't want some 250-pound bodybuilder getting the wrong idea!

In addition, most females go to the gyn to train, not to be stared at. Staring men is the reason for the proliferation of "women only" gyms. Gym clothes are often tight or provocative, but don't take that as a come-on. you don't want to be charged with stalking or harassment, and you don't want the gym to ask you not to come back.

290. BE WARY
Anthing emphasizing the human body will attract the unsavory element. Occasionally photographers or agents will bait the unsuspecting, with promises of stardom. If you develop a great physique it's possible one of these characters will approach you. Before signing any form or doing any photo shoot, check the individual's credentials. The better gyms won't allow these types through the door, but occasionally they'll find a way to slip in. Ask questions, check ID, and talk with other gym patrons. At the first sign of shadiness, drop the person. If they keep bothering you, tell the owner. If they start stalking you outside the gym, contact the police immediately. If an individual tells you they works for a magazine, call the magazine's head office and check. Ask for a physical description.

291. OFFERING ADVICE VS BEING A KNOW-IT-ALL
It won't be long before you'll be seen as one of the "regulars" at your gym. Remember how you sought out more experienced bodybuilders for advice? Now you're the one of those more experienced bodybuilders. With this new status comes responsibility. If someone asks for advice, then by all means offer it. Likewise if some new guy looks like he's about to hang himself from a cable machine, intervene. Don't, however, rush around the gym like some world-famous consultant after memorizing a passage from the latest issue of Muscular Development. The regulars will think you're an idiot; the owner may or may not ask you to leave; and you run the risk of a lawsuit if someone takes your advice to heart and injures him or herself. There is a fine line between being helpful and being a nuisance. The truth is, many people resent being told how to exercise.

292. DON'T HOG THE EQUIPMENT
Remember how intimidating it was for you the first time you went into a gym? There are new people feeling the exact same way watching you work out. Nobody likes an equipment hog. As you rest between sets, keep an eye out for people who seem like they want to jump in but are too timid to ask. Make the offer. You are not expected to go around the gym recruiting people tow ork in with you; but be conscious of other members wanting to use the equipment you are using.

[UkrainianGuy]

293. WIPE UP AFTER YOURSELF
Do you like the thought of working out in someone else's sweat? they feel the same way about your sweat. Not only is sweat a great way to pass along germs, it's downright disguisting to have to use a piece of equipment dripping with someone else's sweat. Your gym should have towels and a disinfectant. If your gym doesn't supply workout towels (for strategically placed paper towel dispensers) bring your own. Use it to wipe up your sweat and anything left behind by someone else.

294. LEAVE SCREAMING FOR THE ROLLER COASTER
Nothing looks as stupid as some guy grunting and groaning while doing 75-pound bench presses or 100-pound squats. He may think he is impressing people but mostly he will be viewing as an idiot. Don't be that idiot. If it's the last rep on a heavy set of squats and a minor grunt or groan escapes, fine. But there is not need to be yelling and screaming like you're doing battle with the Vikings. If being branded an idiot doesn't faze you, keep in mind that most gyms have policies on excessive grunting and groaning.

295. DON'T SPIT OR LEAVE GUM IN THE WATER FOUNTAIN OR URINAL
As disgusting as this sounds, people do it. If you have to spit out your gum, use the garbage. In fact people have choked while chewing gum during a workout, so you may want to re-evaluate the whole gum-chewing thing. One awkward gulp on a seet of heavy squats and your gum could be doing the tango with your epiglottis.

296. NO INTERRUPTING
One of the worst things you can do while working out is to interrupt someone during his orher training. All it takes is a split-second loss of concentration and you could cause the individual a grievous injury. If you need to make a comment or ask a question, wait until the person completes his or her set.

297. TURN OFF THE CELL PHONE OR PAGER
Unless you are on call for your job, turn off your cell phone or pager. Better yet, leave them in the car. Nothing is as distracting as being in the middle of a set of bench presses or squats and hearing someone's cell phone go off. Likewise you don't want your electronic device screwing up someone else's workout.

[UkrainianGuy]

298. BE ON TIME FOR YOUR CARDIO MACHINE
Most gyms have a sign-up procedure for using the cardio eqiupment. Nothing as frustrating as seeing two or three empty machines at prime time even though they are booked out on the sign-up board. If your time starts at 5:30, be ready to use it at 5:30. Don't wander over at 5:40 and them make up the 10 minutes on the back end. Why should the person booked after you have to lose 10 minutes of his orher time simply because you were late?

299. CARRY YOURSELF WITH DIGNITY
Just because you've developed a great-looking physique doesn't mean you are better than everyone else. Don't start prancing around as if you are the reincarnate of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Ronnie Coleman. Walking through the shopping mall in the dead of winter wearing a t-shirt and shorts and a weightlifting belt will only get you branded an idiot. This type of behavior does the sport of bodybuilding a great disservice. Pushing people out of the way in the gym will only get you suspended, expelled, or punched out (no matter how big you get there is always someone around the corner quite capable of dropping you). Walk with pride, not arrogance. Treat others with respect.

300. STAY AWAY FROM THE DRUG SCENE
While we probably shouldn't preach, nevertheless a few words of caution about this topic are needed. It's a fact that in their quest for ultimate size and strength, many bodybuilders turn to anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. If after many years of training you discover you have the genetics for competitive bodybuilding, then maybe (and it's a very guarded maybe) you can think about experimenting with such drugs, but this should only be done in countries where those drugs are legal. For now stay as far from the drugs and their dealers as possible. Not only is the market flooded with bogus drugs, but also many of them are illegal. The person you are buying from may be an undercover cop. Finally, even if he is a genuine drug dealer, he may quickly try to talk you into using other drugs like heroine and crack cocaine because of the bigger profit margins. Remember you are trying to improve your health and lifestayle, not destroy it. Illegal drugs are a certain way to an early death.

301. AVOID GROWTH HORMONE
If steroids can be classified as a drug you should probably avoid, then growth hormone is one you should definitely avoid. Unlike steroids, which stimulate muscle growth, growth hormone causes just about everything to grow. Those extra-large guts you see on some pro bodybuilders are the result of enlarged internal organs. There have been cases of healthy bodybiulders suddenly developing tumors. While results are not conclusive, the tumors' growth is believed to have been stimulated by the use of growth hormone. Our advice is to avoid growth hormone at all costs.

[UkrainianGuy]

302. DON'T FALL FOR FAD DIETS
Eat healthy. The human body evolved to use nutrients in balance. Don't fall for the latest fad diet, as most are unhealthy. Most diets are designed to be different from the normal way of eating. The princple aim of the diet creator is to make money, not to help you look (or feel) good.

303. SLOW AND CONTROLLED
If you have a few pounds of fat to lose don't try to lose it too quickly. Healthy weight loss is one to one and a half pounds per week. Starving yourself with an ultra-strict, low-calorie diet will destroy your metabolism, resulting in the lost weight being regained at a later date. In fact you'll probably gain back more weight than you lost.


304. EXPERIMENT
Although it will take a little extra time to experiment with what and how much you eat, the lifelong results will be well worth it. Some experts reduce eating to numbers and promote mathematics as the key to fat loss, but they don't take into account the fact that everyone is different. While the forumla may say your daily caloric intake should be 3200, you won't really know until you actually consume this amount. You may lose fat on this diet, or you may pack it on. It will take you a few months of fine-tuning your caloric intake to discover how many total calories your body can handle.

305. FAT TO MUSCLE AND MUSCLE TO FAT
Since fat and muscle are two different tissues, you can't convert one to the other. Building muscle will help you lose fat because the more muscle you have the higher your metabloic rate and the more calories you will burn even at rest. But you haven't converted your fat deposits into muscle.

306. LOW DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN LOW
Beware of food products being advertised as low-fat or low-sugar. In most cases as soon as manufacturers lower fat they increase sugar levels. Likewise man low-sugar products have high fat contents. Read the label carefully.

307. HOW MUCH PROTEIN?
Protein can be considered the building material of the human body and is used to manufacture such things as red blood cells, antibodies, muscle tissue, and hormones. Hard-training athletes need more protein than sedentary (non-active) people. Try to eat 0.75 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. If you weigh 180 pounds you should eat 135 to 180 grams of protein per day.

[UkrainianGuy]

308. DOES MY PROTEIN SOURCE MATTER?
Protein is made up of smaller subunits called amino acids. There are around 20 amino acids; the arrangement of which determines what the protein structure is (i.e. muscle, hormone, antibody). If the body gets low in one amino acid it can usually manufacture it from other amino acids. However, there are some essential amino acids that the body cannot make. Most plant sources are missing one or more of the mino acids. Vegetarians need to combine specific different plant soures to get the full compliment of amino acids. (The exception is soy, which contains complete protein.) However, the simple addition of milk to the equation will assure the full allotment of amino acids are present.

309. SPACED OUT
If you follow our recommendations of eating a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, you'll quickly realize that's alot of protein. Don't try to consume it all in one sitting. Besides the rish of nausea, the body can realy only utilize about 25 to 30 grams of protein at one time. Any excess could be stored as fat. Try eating smaller amounts of protein thoughout the day. Not only is this easier on your digestive system, it will ensure that there is always building material available for tissue repair.


310. PROTEIN BY THE CLOCK?
Despite the many advantages of sleep, there is one slight disadvantage. As you hibernate your body will start drawing on its nutrient stores. It will also relesae catabolic hormones such as adrenalin, which can break down muscle tissue. If you are what is commonly referred to as a "hard gainer," this is, an ectomorph with a very high metabolism, you may want to expereiment with consuming protein at some point through the night. Set your alarm clock to wake you three or four hours before you'd normally get up, and drink a protein shake. The body now has extra protein to use for bulding muscle.

[waderow]

300, 301 can blow me

[UkrainianGuy]

MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME!!!

WELL IF YOUR A BEGINNER WHY WOULD U JUMP INTO DRUGS.. WHEN U DONT EVEN HAVE ANY SORT OF BASE?? NEXT YOUR GONNA SAY A 18YR OLD SHOULD TAKE ROIDS.. LOL

[waderow]

oh, this thread is for 18 yo only. never mind then

[UkrainianGuy]

311. BEWARE OF PROTEIN BARS
They are quick and convenient, but unfortunately often loaded with calories. Generally speaking, the more it tastes like a candy bar, the less healthy it is. Despite the advances made by supplement manufacturers, most of the healthier protein bars (i.e. low fat and low carb) don't taste all that great (chalk and cardboard being the most popular descriptions). Conversely, the better-tasting bars are usually loaded with fat and/or carbohydrates. Unless you are on a strict pre-contest diet, your best bet is probably a middle-of-the-road bar (tastes OK and is not too loaded with fat and carbs).

312. DO I NEED FAT?
With all the negative press fat receives it may surprise you to learn that fat is essential to life. Not only does fat supply energy and serve as an insulator, but many vitamins and hormones are fat-soluble-in other words, you cannot metabolize them without fat. The key to fat consumption is eating the irght type. Fat falls into tow categories, saturated and unsaturated. Saturated and trans fats are solid at room temperature and are the big killers in our society. Those fat deposits that block arteries and cause strokes and heat attacks are primarily from saturated and trans fats. Uunsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature and can be considered the good fats. Try to keep your intake of saturated fats as low as possible, and try to avoid trans fats altogether.

313. FAT AS A HEART DISEASE AND CANCER FIGHTER!
Include a moderate amount of fat with your uncooked or steamed vegetables. The latest research has shown that human body needs a certain amount of fat to absorb such cancer and heart disease-fighting compounds as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lycopene. For example, if you're eating a salad, add some olive oil to keep your diet balanced.

314. HOW MUCH SATURATED FAT?
As saturated fat has few redeeming qualities we suggest limiting your intake to less than 10 percent of your total daily caloric intake. Saturated fat is found almost everywhere, so you'll have to make a conscious decision to keep it as low as possible.

315. SOMETHING'S FISHY
Try to eat such fish as salmon, sardines, and herring on a regular basis. these species of fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These "healthy" or "good" oils have been shown to reduce the rish of heart disease, stroke, and prostate cancer. They are also known to help your body release fat deposits as an energy source.

316. BUTTER SUBSTITUTES
If you're like most people you like to put butter on your bread or baked potatoe. One way to eliminate most of the calories and fat is by using a butter substitute. Real butter contains over 100 calories per tablespoon w3hile butter substitutes average only 10 to 15. Real butter also contains about 10 to 12 grams of saturated fat, as compared to zero for most butter substitutes. However, if you are preparing for a contest or even a photo shoot, butter substitutes must be avoided.

[UkrainianGuy]

oh, this thread is for 18 yo only. never mind then

no its not just for 18 yrs olds, this is a thread in the beginner section. These are only tips from a book. Nothing more nothing less. It is was it is.

[UkrainianGuy]

317. BAKED - WHEN YOU MUST HAVE YOUR CHIPS
It's unfortunate that such a healthy food as the simple potato has received such a bad rap over the years. The problem of course is not so much the vegetable but what we tend to put on top of it or cook it in. Creams, butters, and cooking oils will add to the calorie content of a potato by many hundreds. For those who like potato chip, try baked; either homemade or store-bought. We'll be honest, they don't taste quite as good as the oil-soaked variety, but with time they'll grow on you. And your waistline will thank you for it downthe road.

318. SIMPLE VS COMPLEX
Besides fat and protein the other primary nutrient category is carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are either simple or complex. Simple carbohydrates (along with saturated fat the predominat nutrient in junk food) are absorbed rapidly and served as a quick source of energy. Complex carbohydrates take longer to be absorbed (because of their larger - more complex - molecular arrangement) and supply energy over longer peroids of time. Simple carbs are readily stored as fat and should be kept to a minimum.

319. THE DIRTY DOZEN
If at all possible avoid regualr soft drinks. Each can contains from 8 to 12 teaspoons of sugar. At 15 calories per teaspoon that's 180 totally empty calories. You dont need to comsume many soft drinks per day to add hundreds of extra calories to your diet (and waistline!). Substitute water for soft drinks.

320. BEWARE OF "FLAVORED" OATMEAL
Oatmeal is one of the most nutritious of cereals but unfortunately food manufacturers have managed to screw it up. Recognizing that most people have a sweet tooth, manufacturers have added all kinds of "flavorings" to regular oatmeal to make it more appealing. Unfortunately the word "flavored" is just another term for "loaded with sugar and calories". Avoid "flavored" oatmeal or any other similarly advertised cereal. If you want flavor, add some chopped fruit, cinnamon or berries.

[UkrainianGuy]

321. SUGAR SUBSTITUTES
Another easy way to reduce your sugar and caloric intake is by using sugar substitutes. Even though some of them, like Aspartame, have received a lot of negative press, they are among the most tested food compounds in the world and are for the most part are considered safe. One teaspooon of sugar contains about 15 calories while artificial contains virtually no calories. The ideal situation would be to avoid both table sugar and artificial sweetners.

322. THE GREAT PUMPKIN - NOT JUST FOR HALLOWEEN
One of the easiest ways to fortify your diet with minerals, including zinc, is by consuming pumpkin seeds, otherwise known as pepitas. Pumpkin seeds also contain essential fatty acids that help kill parasites. For maximum nutritional benefits, seeds should be eaten raw since roasting can convert the fat into arterial-clogging plaque.

323. TAKE IT AWAY!
If you eat out and the server brings a basket of "free" bread, have them take it away. If it's not in front of you, you won't be tempted to eat it. Bread is not "free". Your waistline will "pay" for it later!

[UkrainianGuy]

324. BROILED OR BAKED
Try to order your food broiled, steamed or baked. Broiling and baking removes fat as the cooking takes place, whereas frying and deep-frying add extra fat calories.

325. SEPARATE SAUCE
If you are ordering a meal that needs sauce, have the server bring the sauce on the side. Odds are you will add less to your meal than the kitchen staff will. Saying "no sauce" is the best route to go.

326. LIMIT YOUR ALCOHOL
Don't turn your eating out session into a drinking session. A glass of wine or a light beer may be acceptable, but excessive alcohol not only adds extra calories, it interferes with proper digestion and it impairs your judgement - making you more likely to order deep-fried foods and desserts. Besides, your workout the next day will suffer.

327. TAKE YOUR TIME
Gulping down food only results in larger pieces of food enterng your stomach. This is not only bad from a digestion and absorption viewpoint, it can leave you with cramps and/or unpleasant gas problems.

[UkrainianGuy]

328. EARLY OR LATE, DOES IT MATTER?
An enduring myth is that you must not eat carbs after 6pm. The theory is that since you probably be doing less exercise later in the evening there is a greater chance that any excess carbohydrate will be stored as fat. Keep in mind that the most important variable in gaining fat is your total daily caloric intake. If you intake was low earlier in the day, and provided you don't completely pig out on carbs, there is nothing wrong with having a small meal with carbs in the evening.


329. KEEP YOUR HOUSE OR APARTMENT JUNK-FOOD-FREE
Most readers have probably heard the line: "If you build it they will come," from Kevin Costner's film, "Field of Dreams". The same holds true for junk food." "If you buy it you will eat it." If you get a craving for junk food late at night and you know it's there in the cupboard above the fridge you'll probably break down and eat it. It takes a great deal of willpower to say no to chocolate or chips late at night. On the other hand, if you have to get dressed and drive to the all-night store, chances are you'll pass


330. HEALTHY ON HAND
To combat the late-night junk cravings try to have such healthy snacks as raisins, grapes, assorted nuts, and low-fat low-sugar cookies available. These healthy substitutes will kill your cravings without piling a load of extra empty calories into your system

331. DON'T GET CARRIED AWAY WITH FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Vitamins are inorganic substances that are used by the body to start, maintain, or finish the various chemical reactions necessary for life. Vitamins can be divided into fat and water-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins (The B vitamins, C, and H) cannot be stored by the body and must be consumed in the diet on a regular basis. Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) can be stored and can reach toxic levels if amounts become too excessive.

[UkrainianGuy]

332. VITAMIN C - HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
While some experts stop just short of saying it will cure cancer, most sources hold a more moderate view. Vitamin C is essential for growth and repair as well as for keeping the immune system in good health. But most current research does not support the notion that mega-dosing on vitamin C offers any benefits over traditional amounts. Keep your intake in the 500 to 2000 milligram range.

333. FIBER FOR REGULARITY
Fiber is a catch all phrase that refers to a variety of plant materials that can't be digested by the body. A diet high in fiber has been shown to reduce heart disease and cancer, prevent diabetes by controlling glucose levels, and improve digestive and excretory reguarity. Try to consume a diet high in whole grains, flax seed, peas, nuts, and fruits.

334. KEEP SALT INTAKE TO A MINIMUM
Although a certain amount of salt is needed for such chemical processes as nerve impulse conduction and muscle contraction, you'll get more than you need in your diet without consciously trying. For example, two slices of bread supply more than the daily requirement. Excessive salt has been linked to heart and kidney disease. Don't add table salt to your food.

335. WATER - THE MOST IMPORTANT NUTRIENT
Water makes up over two-thirds the mass of the human body. Just about every chemical reaction in the body takes place inor involves water. Humans can live for weeks without food but only a few days without water. Try to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water a day - more if you train outdoors.

[UkrainianGuy]

336. REMOVE AS MUCH AIR AS POSSIBLE FROM AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS SUCH AS FREEZER BAGS
The moisture in the trapped air absorbs odor from food and will form a frost. If the bag loses its airtight quality that frost will give off odors that will be picked up by other foods in the freezer.

337. LIMIT YOUR CONTACT WITH PLASTIC
One of the perils these days for meals is exposure to what are called environmental estrogens. In simple terms, many of the synthetic plastics that we use for storing food are laced with chemicals that increase the level fo the female hormone estrogen. Ironically much of the food we eat is stored in such containers. To reduce your exposure to such estrogen-raising compounds, try to eat only fresh food and limit your reliance on stored food. In addition, most herbicides and pesticides mimic estrogen. Avoid using these products around your home and try to eat as much organic food as possible.

338. COOL IMMEDIATELY
If you prepare large amounts of food in advance, release as much air as possible and then put it in the fridge or freezer immediately. Do not let it cool at room temperatures.

339. NUTRITIOUS BUT QUICK
One way to guarantee healthy but quick suppers is by pre-cooking and freezing. Set aside one day a week for cooking. Prepare large amounts of stews, soups, and casseroles. Divide them into meal-sized portions and place them in airtight containers or freezer bags. You can either take them out before you go to work or school in the morning so that they are thawed out when you come home, or pop them into the miscrowave at dinner time. Pre-cooking nutritious food ensures that you won't succumb to grabbing something fast and junky.

340. DO NOT OVERLOAD YOUR FREEZER
Placing too much food in the freezer not only prevents proper freezing but often leads to food being left there for long periods of time. Freezing food should be for short-term, not long term storage.

341. ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER HANDLING FOOD
Germs are everywhere and they just love to multiply in the presence of food sources. That doorknob you just touched could harbor any number of little nasties.

[UkrainianGuy]

342. AND YOUR COOKWARE
You probably wash the pots and pans, but how about the cutting board? Likewise, the knives and forks you use to eat with will be placed in the dishwasher but how about the large knife you used to slice the tomatoes? Any cooking utensil, no matter how large or small, needs to be throughly washed - and not just wiped - when you are finished with it.


343. POWER SETTINGS
For most frozen, pre-cooked foods such as soup and stew, a microwave power settings of eight for about three minutes should suffice. Even though this time will vary, at least you will know that the food was cooked beforehand and you will only have to heat the meal until it suits your needs.


344. BEWARE OF "GOOD FATS" FOR COOKING
Until recent researchers condemned all saturated fats as bad and said to cook with only polyunsaturated fats. New evidence suggests that the "good fats" are not all that good. When polyunsaturated oils are heated they undergo oxidation. This produces various new compounds that may be harmful. It has also been proven that vegetable oils can accelerate the aging process. Other studies have shown that while people who switched from saturated to polyunsaturated fats for cooking had lower levels of heart disease, mortality rates remained the same. So our advice is to only use the minimum amount of oil to cook with and drain all excess oil from food afterwards.

[UkrainianGuy]

345. EGGS - STILL ONE OF THE BEST
Eggs have received a bad rap over the years. All the talk about the dangers of cholesterol has turned people away from eggs in droves. While eggs do contain cholesterol, they also contain choline and lecithin; two substances that keep the cholesterol in eggs emulsified and "moving" when it enters the bloodstream. Eggs are ones of the healthiest foods available and should be part of the diet of all hard training bodybuilders.


346. EGG WHITES
If you are still worried about cholesterol , or if you just want to cut down on your fat consumption, try egg whites. Throwing away the egg yolk gets rid of all the fat and only half the protein. Many bodybuilders will make an omlet containing one egg yolk for texture and color and four or five eggs whites. Vegetables can be cooked in to improve taste and nutritional value.


347. MEATS FROM BAD TO GOOD
In the hierarchy of fatty meats, pork is more fatty than beef, beef is more fatty than poultry with skin on it, poultry with skin is more fatty than skinned poultry, and skinned poultry is more fatty than fish. Within the categories of poultry, dark meat has more fat than white.

[UkrainianGuy]

348. COMPLETE PROTEIN FOR VEGETARIANS
Vegetarians need to be very creative to ensure they are eating a balanced diet. One of the richest sources of plant protein is legumes. When combined with seeds, nuts, or grains, all the amino acids are obtained. Likewise, rice with beans or brown bread and peanut butter provide complete protein.

349. BUYING VEGETABLES
To ensure maximum nutrient content, try to buy only fresh vegetables. Don't buy unripe vegetables. Unlike fruits, most vegatables will not ripen in storage. Likewise, only buy vegetables that are in good condition. Bruised or damaged vegetables tend to be reduced in nutrient content.


350. STEAMED OR RAW
Try to eat your vegetables uncooked when ever possible. Cooking destroys much of the nutritional content. If you must eat your vegetables warm, try steaming rather than boiling. Boiling will leach out 50 to 75 percent of the nutritional content. You'll end up pouring the best part fo your vegetable meal down the drain!

[UkrainianGuy]

351. GREEN AND SPROUTED
When buying root vegetables like onions or potatoes, don't buy the ones that have sprouted. Never buy green potatoes either. The green and sprouted parts contain a poisonous chemical called solanine. If this has happened after storage cut away all green or sprouted parts before cooking.

352. IN THE WASH
As soon as you bring vegetables home from the store, wash them. This is not only helps get rid of pesticides, dirt and germs, but also the nasty creepy crawlies that sometimes hang out in plants. Insects such as spiders and centipedes have been known to pop out of grapes and cabbages when least expected.

353. MORE IS NOT BETTER
Unlike meat, which should always be cooked for health reasons, vegetables and fruits should be consumed with the least amount of preparation as possible. Heating plant material not only destorys much of the nutrient content but also removes much of the taste. Carrots, for example, become tasteless after boiling.

354. STORING MEAT
For both health and taste reasons, meat shouldn't be kept for more than two to three days. For maximum freshness keep it in the coolest part of your freezer or refigerator. As with vegtables it's a good idea to rinse the meat with water as soon as you bring it home. It's also a good idea to discard the store wrapping and rewrap the meat in foil. Under no circumstances should you put cooked meat back in the origional wrapping. That's a great way to get food poisoning.

355. A BIGGER BIRDIE?
When buying poultry such as turkey or chicken, it is more economical to buy large birds, as you get a higher percentage of lean meat as opposed to fat and bone.

[UkrainianGuy]

356. BEWARE OF BOTTOM-FEEDERS!
Despite their reputation as aphrodisiacs, oysters and other shellfish should never be eaten raw. Shellfish are examples of what are called bottom, feeders. They take in surrounding water and force it back out through special filters. In this manner they capture tiny particles of food. The problem with this is that shellfish become a dumping ground for toxins and over time such compounds as mercury can rise to dangerous levels.

357. CAN IT
Although fresh is better there are times when you'll have to get your fish from a can. The two best examples of this are tuna and salmon. Tuna has been a staple of bodybuilding diets for decades. When buying canned fish, always look for fish that is packed in water alone. Avoid oils or sauces as they tend to be high in fat and salt. Once you open the tin, transfer leftovers to a sealed container and refrigerate. Don't store it in the origional tin - this not only increases the risk of food poisoning but may also give the meat a "tinny" taste. While many call light tuna "catfood grade," it carries 1/3 the amount of mercury as does albacore.


358. GETTING FRESH WITH FRUIT
Fruit are no different from vegetables and meat, the fresher the better. Unless you plan on using it for baking, give the old, on-sale fruit a pass. The nutrient content may have deteriorated by 50 percent or more.


359. KIWIS - THE WONDERS FROM DOWN UNDER
If you're tired of apples and oranges, try kiwis. Gram for gram, kiwis provide more vitamin C and minerals than oranges, apples or pears.


360. EAT DRIED FRUIT SPARINGLY
Dried fruits have become popular in recent years and if prepared properly retain most of the nutrient content of the hydrated version. The only drawback is that the natural sugars have become concentrated (this is why raisins tend to taste sweeter than grapes). As expected, this increases the calorie content significantly. If you're trying to lose fat, keep your dried fruit intake to a minimum.

[UkrainianGuy]

361. CUTTING-BOARD HYGIENE
It's amazing the number of people who will cut both their raw meat and bread on the same cutting board. While the meatwill be cooked, rendering bacteria an germs harmless, the bread will be eaten raw. Any bacteria contained in the meat can be easily transferred to anything cut on the board afterwards. Always wash your cutting board after cutting meat products on it. Better still, have separate boards for meats, breads, and vegetables.


362. PRIORITIZE YOUR MEALS
Most people eat backwards. They have little or nothing for breakfast, a small lunch, and then a large cooked supper. In reality it makes more sense to eat the other way around. Assuming you had your last meal a couple of hours before bed, and you get six to eight hours of sleep, your body may have gone ten hours without food. The first thing you should do when you get up in the morning is get some good quality nutrients in there.

363. GRAZING FOR GROWTH
The biggest animals on the planet are constantly eating and so must you if you want to gain any significant amount of muscle mass. We don't mean literally eating every waking minute, but you should be feeding your body nutrients every couple of hours. Instead of two or three large meals, try five or six smaller meals. This not only ensures that the body is getting nutrients on a continuous basis, but smaller meals place less stress on the digestive system.

[UkrainianGuy]

364. THE BLENDER - A BODYBUILDER'S BEST FRIEND
It's much esier to drink nutrients than eat them. In the fast world we live in, extra time is usually in short supply. Unless you take our advice and prepare meals ahead of time, you may not be able to cook five or six meals a day. One way to get round this is by blending. A blender allows you to combine a large number of nutrients into a liquid meal. It's also very fast and convenient, and when you're finished a quick rinse with hot watter lets you be on your way.


365. YOGURT - AN ALTERNATIVE TO MILK
For those who are lactose intolerant, or have an allergy to milk, yogurt might be a healthy alternative. The reason many of the people who can't tolerate milk can digest yogurt is that the bacteria contained in the yogurt break down some of the problem causing lactose. Yogurt has been linked to reduced cholesterol levels and increased longevity. If you've been avoiding protein shakes because ou can't drink milk, give yogurt a try.


366. ANOTHER REASON NOT TO DRINK HEAVILY
Each gram of alcohol has seven calories. If your aim is to have a flat stomach or lose weight, either cut back your alcohol consumption or be prepared to carry a higher-then-average body-fat level.


367. WHEN ARTIFICIAL IS BETTER
One of the easiest ways to cut calories from your diet is by usig artificial sweeteners. Despite the bad press some of them occasionally receive, most are apparently safe and from a nutritional point of view contain few if any calories. Try using them in your coffee, on your cereal, or even in your baking. In no time you'll have cut hundreds of calories from your daily intake

[UkrainianGuy]

368. DROWSY
If you start to feel drowsy after eating it usually means one of two things, either your portions are too large, or you ae consuming too much simple sugar. If cutting down the portion size and/or simple sugar content doesn't alleviate the problem, consult a physician. You may be developing diabetes-related problems.

369. THE ALL-IMPORTANT BREAD-MAKER
Store-bought white bread was not created for bodybuilders. Not only have most of the good nutrients been leaced out, but also it's loaded with salt. Just two slices of store-bought white bread contain the recomended daily intake of salt. Bread-makers are not that expensive and give you complete control over the ingredients. Instead of white flour you can use whole wheat, and salt and sugar can be kept to a minimum. Set it in the morning and come home to a nice fresh loaf.

370. LOW-CARB BREAD
It's not surprising with the big emphasis on low-carb diets these days that manufacturers have made low-carb breads available. As with most low-carb and low-fat alternatives, the taste is rather bland, but you are saving a heap of calories.

371. CARBS FOR BODYBUILDERS
With all this talk of carbs and calories, you'd think they were bad for bodybuilders. But it depends on your present goal. When it depends on your present goal. When you are bulking up you need plenty of complex carbohydrates.

[UkrainianGuy]

372. BREADS NEVER BEST
While you need plenty of carbs, breads are never your best bet. Even whole-grain breads are a more refined product than potatoe, sweet potato, corn or oatmeal.

373. FRUIT VS. JUICE
Although fruit is generally made up of simple sugars, the actual fruit has loads of fiber to slow down its digestion. This is not the case for juice. Pick pieces of fruit over juice, even at breakfast.

374. POST-WORKOUT JUICE
The one time it's okay to drink fruit juice is immediately after your workout, when an insulin surge helps bring nutrients to muscles. Make sure to include some protein. Studies show that consuming carbs and protein in a 3:1 ratio post workout brings the most muscle gains.

375. PREWORKOUT
You want to reach muscular failure during your sets, not fail because you didn't give you body enough energy. Eat everywhere from 1 hour to 2 1/2 hours before training. Experiment with times to see which works best for you.

[Brando]

I'm two weeks out from my first show and looking flat can anyone HELP ME PLEASE.

[UkrainianGuy]

376. TIMES MAY BE DEPENDENT
You may find that you have to eat 2 hours before training legs but only 1 hour before training arms, because of the different stressess on your system.

377. WHAT TO EAT?
Your preworkout meal should also contain carbs and protein, but make sure the carbs are complex raher than simple. Simple carbs would be gone from your system by the time you need them.


378. MEAL PLANNING
The best results come when you plan your meals a week in advance. Then when you go shopping you know exactly what to buy and in what quanitites, making day-to-day like much easier.

379. SHOP THE OUTER AISLES
Most supermarkets keep the fresh produce, meats and dairy products in the outer aisles and the prepackaged food youshould be avoiding throughout the middle of the store. Shop the outer aisles first - a cart full of healthy food will give you more willpower to avoid the cookie aisle.

[UkrainianGuy]

380. DON'T SHOP WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY
Going into a supermarket when you're hungry is like sending kids to a chocolate factory - you want it all. Unless you have great willpower, one of the worst nutrition mistakes you can make is buying you groceries just after leaving the gym. By then your blood sugar is low and you'll find it craving the high-calorie, sugar-loaded items. Your shopping basket will be loaded with items you'd normally avoid. And let's face it. Once they're in your house, you will break down and eat them. If you must shop when hungry, bring a list iwth you and only buy what's on the list. No sweets. No junk.

381. PLATE SIZE - WHEN ILLUSION IS REALITY
Are you the type that piles your food on the largest plate in
the cupboard? One fo the easiest ways to reduce you calorie intake is to use a smaller plate. Even if you cover most of its surface with food, you're still eating fewer calories than the super-sized version. Many studies have confirmed this. Those who use smaller plates for their food report the same feelings of fullness as when they sued larger plates, yet consumed far fewer calories.


382. PORTION SIZE
Going cold turkey on foods you've been eating for years can have disastrous results. Feelings of deprivation can set in, and then over-consumption usually occurs. Instead of going cold turkey, try reducing your portion sizes. Here's a guide: A serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards; grilled fish should be the size of a checkbook; a pancake the size of a CD; steamed rice, enough to fill a large cup; a bagel the size of a hockey puck; pasta, enough to fill an ice-cream scoop; cooked vegetables, the size of you fist.

[UkrainianGuy]

383. KEEP 'EM CLEAN
Although this tip has nothing to do wth nutrition and calories, it does have serious implications for your long-term eating habits. The next time you are eating; try chewing your food with just your lips and gums. As comical as that sounds, this where you will be headed if you don't keep your teeth clean. Your mouth is the first stop in your digestive system, and the teeth are its machinery. All that leftover food from those four to six meals a day you are eating is a perfect breeding ground for enamel-destroying bacteria. Unless you want to be toothless or wearing false teeth, take a few minutes after each meal and brush and floss your teeth.

384. BREAKFAST - VALUABLE PLANNING TIME
One of the best times for mapping out your daily schedule is breakfast time. As you are eating your eggs or oatmeal, decide what clothes you'll wear, what physical activities you'll engage in, and what social contacts you'll make. One of the keys to success is great planning.

385. KEEP PRE-WORKOUT MEALS SMALL
While you probably shouldn't be eating a large meal at any time of the day, this is especially true before a workout. As soon as food is ingested, the body sends extra blood to the stomach region to aid in digestion and absorption. The larger the meal the more blood. If you go to the gym immediately after a large meal, the body will start shifting some of this blood to the muscles. As expected this will interfere with proper digestion. Your workouts will suffer, as well. If you do eat a large meal, wait at least two to three hours before working out.

386. READ THE LABELS
If you intend to get serious about your eating, start learning how to read the labels on your food products. For example "light" and "low fat" are often decoys for foods loaded with sugar. Likewise some manufacturers make it seem that a food is low in calories by recommending small serving sizes.

[UkrainianGuy]

387. ADJUST YOUR FOOD INTAKE
If you have to stop training for any reason (vacation, injury, etc), reduce your calorie intake. Regular cardio and strength training burns enormous amounts of calories. Unfortunately, your appetite may not diminish even when your energy expenditure has been greatly reduced. If you keep eating the same amount oas while you were training the excess will go right around your midsection.

388. HAVE A JUNK MEAL
Unless you reach the point where you have no desire to eat junk food (yes, it happens), pick one day a week and let loose for one meal. Have that piece of chocolate or cheesecake. Grab a candy bar or bag of potatoe chips. The few extra calories won't have any effect on your waistline. Notice we said junk meal, not junk day. A couple of hundred extra calories won't make any difference but a couple of thousand will!

389. TABLE MANNERS
Weight control can be summed up in the following three statments: Leave the table hungry and you will lose weight. Leave the table satisfied and you will maintain weight. Leave the table full and you will gain weight.

390. TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN
As they cost less than $10 for a three-month supply, and are perfectly safe, we strongly suggest taking a multivitamin. While they won't make any dramatic changes to your physique, they are a good way to ensure that you are receiving all the major vitamins and minerals your body needs. Take the multivitamin with your meals as vitamins and minerals have no benefits on their own. They are used by the body to catalyze biochemical reactions involving the other main nutrient groups (carbs, fats, protein, etc).

391. BUY A GOOD COOKBOOK!
it's one thing to eat someone else's great cooking, but another thing entirely to prepare your own. A good cookbook will give you creative freedom over what you eat. It will also give you hundreds of choices to spice up your eating.

[UkrainianGuy]

392. BUYER BEWARE!
Despite being worth billions of dollars aanually, the supplement industry is poorly regulated. Just about anyone can market a product as a health food supplement. To ensure you are getting exactly what you paid for, only buy supplements from reputable companies such as Twin Lab.

393. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Before taking any substance, learn everything you can about it. Even some common supplements like vitamins and minerals can be toxic in high dosages. Don't let Johnny Biceps at the local gym talk you into taking something when you don't have a clue what it is. At the very least you may be out your hard-earned cash. But you may also end up taking something that is illegal and/or dangerous to your health.

394. CHECK OUT THE "STUDIES"
Just because a supplement company claims they have studies that prove their product is effective doesn't mean everything is cut and dried and above board. Check out the studies for yourself. If the studies are legitimate they will be published in the trade scientific journals. Even then, hold a degree of skepticism. Find out who funded the study. In many cases the manufacturer is the one funding the money for the lab. The researchers often feel obligated to creatively select the data to show the product in the most positive light.

395. FOOD COMES FIRST
Never take a supplement in place of food. Food contains far more nutrients than any supplement ever could. As the name suggests, supplements should "supplement" food, not replace it. For example, if you find you are not getting adequate amounts of protien through your diet, then a protein supplement makes sense. Don't, however, give a chicken breast a pass for a protein supplement.

396. CYCLING FOR MAXIMUM
The late Vince Gironda said the best way to maximize the benefits of supplements was to cycle the product in question. The body adapts to taking the same substances for long periods of time, resulting in reduced effects. Try taking your supplements for six to eight weeks and then taking two to three weeks off.

397. THE NUTRIENT WINDOW
One of the most common questions is: "When should I take my supplements?" Generally speaking the body is begging for nutrients during the hour immediately following your workout more than any other time. have your creatine or whey protein shake already pre-mixed. This makes it very convenient to get your nutrients on the drive home or in the gym's lounge area.

[UkrainianGuy]

398. WHEY IS WAY BETTER
There are three primary types of protein supplements, soy, milk and egg, and whey. Soy is derived from plant sources and is an incomplete protein. This means it doens't contain the full compliment of amino acids. Milk and egg protein is complete but you'll need a blender to miss it. Whey is derived from milk and is the purist form of protein. You can mix it with a spoon and it doen't cause the digestive problems that often accompany milk and egg proteins. Besides being the best source of protein for building muscle, whey protein helps boost the immunity system.

399. BEWARE OF SOY PROTEIN
Soy protein has made a comeback in recent years because of some studies that suggest it can lower the rish if certain cancers. Unfortunately soy can also elevate estrogen levels. This is not a problem for females, but for a hard-training male bodybuilder, elevated levels of a female hormone is not a desirable quality. Given that soy protein mixes poorly and has been known to cause gas, we suggest you avoid soy protein.

400. USE AMIND ACID SUPPLEMENTS WITH CAUTION
As refinement techniques improved, it wasn't long before the individual amino asicds that make up protein became available. Such amino acids as arginine, lysine, glutamine, and histidine are touted to do everything from increasing growth hormone levels to speeding up protein synthesis. A few words of caution are needed. First, scientists don't know the full effects of taking high concentrations of one or more amino acids. Second, no one knows in what proportions amino acids should be consumed. Finally, amino acid supplements are much more expensive than protein supplements.

401. FRUIT FLAVOR
Despite the advances in supplement production, many people still find them rather bland in taste. One way to flavor things up is to add fruit. Place your powder and mixing mediium (milk, juice, yogurt or water) in a blender and then throw in a banana or handful of strawberries. A few seconds later you have a great-tasting protein drink fortified with extra vitamins and minerals.

[UkrainianGuy]

402. FAT FOR FAT LOSS
It may seem contradictory but one of the best supplements for losing body fat is medium chain triglycerides or MCTs. MCTs work by speeding up the metabolism, causing bodyfat to be consumed faster. Many biochemists say MCTs are oils that act like carbohydrates. It seems one of the byproducts of MCTs are ketones, which the body can use as an energy source. Start off by taking half a tablespoon per meal for the first week and then slowly increase the dosage to 1 to 2 tablespoons.

403. CREATINE - BODYBUILDING'S NUMBER ONE SUPPLEMENT
Creatine first broke onto the bodybuilding scene in the early '90s and has quickly leaped to the top of the supplement charts. Creatine increases muscle power by serving as a short-term energy source. When adenosine triphosphate, ATP, breaks down into adenosine diphosphate, ADP, and a single phosphate group, creatine can regenerate ATP by donating a high-energy phosphate group. The result is more energy available for contracting muscles. Start by taking 15 to 20 grams of creatine per day for 5 to 7 days, and then cut back to 3 to 5 grams per day.

404. INSULIN RELEASE FOR MAXIMIZING CREATINE ADSORPTION
Besides transporting glucose (sugar) out of the bloodstream, insulin also shuttles other substances, one of which is creatine. To maximize absorption, take your creatine supplement with a high-carbohydrate drink like grape juice. The sugar in the juice will cause the body to release insulin, which will speed the transport of creatine out of the bloodstream and into the muscle.

[UkrainianGuy]

405. POWDER VERSUS LIQUID
As the first-generation creatine supplements came in powdered form and had to be mixed, a few enterprising supplement manufacturers jumped the gun and started marketing creatine in liquid form. There are a few problems with this. For starters creatine is not stable in liquid form. Also, despite claims to the contrary, no one is sure how effective these liquid creatine supplements are. Another factor is price. It costs more money to manufacture liquid creatine and this extra production cost gets passed on to you, the customer. Our advice is to stick with tried-and-true powdered creatine.

406. TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT
Creatine is one of those supplements that seems to be dependent on the temperature of the mixing medium. If the liquid is too hot you may destory some of the creatine. Conversely, cold liquid prevents proper mixing. For best dissolving results, try using lukewarm liquid. Granted warm juice is not that appealing, but you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you've maximized your creatine absorption.

407. CREATINE AND CAFFEINE - KEEP THEM SEPARATE?
A number of recent studies suggest that high doses of caffeine may interfere with creatine absorption. Taking creatine with one cup of coffee is probably no big deal but if you like to pop a couple of caffeine tablets (or a couple of cups of coffee) before a workout, it probably makes sense to take your creatine a few hours later.

408. DON'T MEGADOSE ON SUPPLEMENTS
Because they are relatively cheap and promoted to cure just about every disease outthere, many people take mega doses of supplements. This is not advised. Some vitamins and minerals are toxic in high doses. Likewise large amounts of creatine and protein may cause diarrhea and other digestive problems.

[AcegMan]

16. HOW MANY SETS
As with the number of reps in a set, there is no magic number of sets to perform in a workout. In time most bodybuilders discover what works best for them. Perform too many and you run the risk of overtraining and burnout. Perform too few and you won't adequately stimulate the muscles. Our advice is to start off by performing 6 to 9 sets total for bigger muscles like chest, back and legs, and 4 to 6 sets for smaller muscles like biceps and triceps.


is this talking about 6-9 sets for a single workout session? Im only doing 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps... is that too little?

[UkrainianGuy]

its not too little, but you should play with that number and see how your body responds. In theory after your workout - which ever day it is - you should be completely empty! If you have enough energy to clean your apartment, bang the woman and other crap - perhaps add a set or two

:)

[UkrainianGuy]

409. GLUTAMINE - THE MUSCLE-BUILDING IMMUNITY BOOSTER
Glutamine is an amino acid that falls into the "conditionally essential" category. This means the body can manufacture it from other amino acids, but at certain times demand exceeds the body's rate of synthesis. Glutamine is taken by bodybuilders because it keeps the body in positive nitrogen balance - the necesssary environment needed to turn protein into muscle tissue. In times of stress glutamine levels may drop to the point that negative nitrogen balance occurs. The end result is a bodybuilder's worst nightmare - muscle wasting. Besides promoting muscle growth, glutamine increases production of glutathione, one of the precursors of antibodies and lymphocytes - the immune system's two primary germ-fighting cells. Although the scientific literature is lacking with regards to dosage, the anecdotal evidence suggests 5 to 10 grams per day works best.

410. MEAL REPLACEMENT POWDERS
Meal replacement powders (MRPs) are an excellent way to obtain heealthy nutrients quickly and easily. While they won't replace a regular meal of food, they have the advantages of being lower in calories and easy to prepare. If you're stuck for time or trying to cut back on calories, try to make one of your meals an MRP.

411. EPHEDRINE FOR FAT LOSS AND STIMULATION
Ephedrine is one of the few over-the-counter supplements that does exactly what it claims - it promotes fat loss and increases short-term energy. Ephedrine is an example of what's called a thermogenic drug. This means it promotes fat loss by elevating body temperature. Ephedrine also provides energy because it is a sympathetic nervous system stimulant. Despite the bad press it has garnered over recent years, ephedrine is relatively safe provided you don't have a history of heart problems and you don't take megadoses. Make sure you follow the directions on the bottle. Needless to say, use it only where it is legal to do so. Never exceed recommended doses.

[UkrainianGuy]

412. THE ECA STACK
The name ECA is derived from the first initials of the words ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin. Bodybuilders discovered that ephedrine's stimulant and fat-burning effects are magnified if combined with caffeine and aspirin. If you decide to experiment, the proportions are 25 mg ephedrine, 200 mg caffeine (about one cup of coffee) and one aspirin. Caffeine is also a stimulant, so those with a history of heart problems should avoid both ephedrine and high doses of caffeine. Always follow the directions on the bottle when taking supplements.

413. AN ASPIRIN A DAY?
If you have a history of eart disease in your family, check with your doctor about the possibility of taking an aspirin a day. Aspirin is commonly called a "blood thinner." It has reportedly been scientifically shown to reduce the build up of plaque on arterial walls.

414. FORGET THE APPLE - TRY ZINC!
An apple a day may keep the doctor away but zinc may cure your cold. Studies have shown that those people who take lozenges containing zinc had a significant reduction in their cold symptoms. For best results try dissolving one zinc-containing lozenge every two hours.

[UkrainianGuy]

415. HYDROXYCITRIC ACID - HCA - A SAFE ALTERNATIVE FOR FAT LOSS
For those who don't like the stimulant properties of ephedrine, HCA may be the answer. HCA is a substance obtained from the rinds of the Garcinia fruit of Asia. HCA's primary role in athletics is to promote fat loss by decreasing fat storage. It does this by interfering with the enzyme (citate lyase) that converts excess carbohydrate into fat. The less new fat stored, the more old stored fat will be burned during exercise.

416. MORE FAT LOSS WITH CLA - CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID
Like MCT oils, CLA promtoes the loss of stored body fat. The exact mechanism is unknown but it is believed that CLA tricks the body into "thinking" it has more fat than it needs and so is less likely to hold onto fat stores. In addition, many biochemists believe that CLA may indirectly promote fat burning by increasing lean muscle mass. The more lean muscle mass carried by the body the higher the person's metabolism (one of the primary reasons women are encouraged to train with weights). To get the 2 to 4 grams of CLA recommended by biochemists, supplement your diet with flax and fish oils.

417. TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS - THE SAFE WAY TO BOOST TESTOSTERONE?
Sooner or later many readers will toss around the idea of taking anabolic steroids or other testosterone derivates. We recommend against this. Not only are there health risks, but steroids are now illegal in most states. Before jumping on the pharmacological bandwagon, give tribulus terrestris a try. Tribulus is an herb that is believed to increase testosterone levels bystimulating the pituitary gland to release leutinizing hormone (LH), LH is turn stimulates the testes to produce testosterone. The recommended daily dose of tribulus is 500 to 750 mg.

[UkrainianGuy]

418. ANDROSTENEDIONE - NOT ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE
Androstenedione, or "andro," was introduced to the masses by baseball slugger Mark McGwire. When a snooping reporter spotted it in McGwire's locker, the genie was out of the bottle so to speak. Soon supplement stores couldn't keep andro in stock. This was ironic, as andro was on its way out in bodybuilding circles. Biochemically andro is a precursor to the male hormone testosterone, so in theory it should help build muscle. Unfortunately only a small smount of andro (5 to 10 percent) actually gets converted to testosterone. Another consideration is that testosterone is only one of the end products of andro. It also converts to the female hormone estrogen. Finally, most anecdotal evidence suggests andro does little to improve muscular strength or size. It may be an idea to give andro a pass.

419. PROHORMONES - ARE THEY WORTH IT?
For those of you engaged in drug-tested sports, we caution against using prohormones. As the name suggests, prohormones are compounds that serve as precursors for the manufacture of hormones. Bodybuilders and other athletes take them in the hope they can boost their natural levels of testosterone and other muscle-building compounds. In some cases prohormones will provide a boost. However, as most anabolic compounds are banned by sports' federations, you run the risk of testing positive even though you never took the substance directly. This is especially true for the prohormones that convert to nanrolone. Before experimenting with prohormones, check to see what your sport's governing body has to say.

420. INSULIN MIMICKERS - NOT JUST FOR DIABETICS
As soon as medical science makes a discovery that has performance-boosting implications, athletes immediately update their shopping lists. Insulin mimickers are substances that either increase the sensitivity of insulin or act like the hormone. Insulin not only transports sugar through the bloodstream but also such subtances as creatine and amino acids. In this respect insulin can be considered an anabolic hormone. The most popular insulin mimickers are vanadyl sulfate, chromium picolinate, alpha-lipoic acid, and Momordica charantia (also known as bitter melon). As all fairly cheap, relatively safe, and anecdotally reported to have some merits, we sugest taking one or more iwth your protein or creatine supplements.

421. THE JAVA BOOST
The next time you hit the gym, take a close look at people as they come through the door. Odds are at least 25 pecent of them will have a cup of coffee in hand. Coffee is one of the cheapest and most effective performance-enhancing drugs. Being a mild stimulant, coffee (actually the caffeine it contains) will give you that extra boost needed to get you through another grueling workout.

422. POST-WORKOUT DRINK
To help rebuild muscle, boos tyour immunity system, and recharge your engery reserves, try blending 25 to 30 grams of whey protein, 5 grams of creatine, 5 grams of glutamine, and a handful of fresh strawberries into a super post-workout drink.

423. GLUCOSAMINE FOR JOINT HEALTH
One of the few disadvantages to regular weight trainng is that it may play havoc on the joints over time. Veterinarians regulary prescribe glucosame to animals to help treat and ward off arthritis and other joint problems. If you plan on lifting some serous iron for decades to come, try taking a glucosamine supplement.

[UkrainianGuy]

424. A CHANGE OF HEART
Although once frowned upon, it's now generally accepted that cardio training is beneficial for bodybuilders. Not only does cardio speed up fat loss, it does a better job stimulating the heart and lungs than weight training does. A cardiovascular system that's in great shape will not only contribute to your long-term health, it will give you more stamina while weight training. Finally, a healthy cardiovascular system is more efficient at removing the wast products of exercise, including lastic acid, than a slow and sluggish system.

425. FAINT OR DIZZY - LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
If at any time you feel faint or dizzy, immediately stop what you are doing and sit down. Don't try to "work through" the dizziness, hoping it will go away. Lightheadedness is one of the body's first warning signs that there is not enough blood circulation to your head and you are about to faint. As soon as you sit down, tilt your dead slightly forward to increase the bloodflow to the brain. If you really don't feel well, immediately notify the closest staff member.

426. CARDIO VARIETY
Although it's probably not as important with cardio as it is with weight training, it's a good idea to change around your cardio exercises every now and then. If you normally use a treadmill, try switching to a crosstrainer. Likewise if the cycle is your cardio mainstay, see what a rowing workout feels like. The body adapts fairly quickly and you'll be surprised how challenging your cardio workout will be after switching to an unfamilar machine.

427. TARGET HEART RATE
To get the most out of your cardio workouts, strive to elevate your heart rate to what's called the "target heart rate zone." To calculate your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220. The lower end of the zone for your target heart rate will be 60 percent of this number, while 80 percent will give you your upper level. For a 20 year old the math would be 220-20= 200. Lower zone is .6 x 200= 120. Upper zone is .8 x 200 = 160. For this person the target heart rate zone would be 120 to 160 beats per minute.

[marcman77]

lots of good info in that man

[UkrainianGuy]

428. WHERE TO FIND YOUR PULSE
Although you can find your pulse at numerous locations around the body, the best is probably the neck. The pulse in the carotid artery, located next to the windpipe, is very pronounced. You can either hold for 60 seconds or take it for 10 seconds and then multiply by 6. For example 20 beatts in 10 seconds gives a pulse of 20 x 6 or 120 beats per minute.

429. HOW TO TAKE YOUR PULSE
When taking your pulse, use one of your fingers. Don't use your thumb, as the thumb has its own pulse. This could give you an inaccurate reading as there will be a slight difference in pulses between your thumb and areas closer to the heart. In effect you may count one beat of the heart twice.

430. FREQUENCY
Start by doing 15 to 20 minutes of cardio two to three times per week. Over a period of about four or five weeks, gradually increases it to 30 to 45 minutes, four to five times per week. You should approach cardio training like weight training - you don't start off by doing 300 - pound bench presses, so don't start cardio trying to run a marathon. Start out slow and gradually increase the duration and frequency.

431. THE BEST?
In simple terms there is no "best" piece of cardio equipment. All the machines will stimulate your heart and lungs to about the same degree, and they'll all burn about the same number of calories per unit time. Having said that, you may want to experiement with different machines to see which ones feel the most comfortable. Some machines may place more stress on your joints (i.e. ankles and knees) than others.

432. INTERNAL TRAINING
To make your cardio workout more fun and exciting, try carying your intensity level. After a low-intensity warm-up of about five minutes, try alternating 30 to 60 seconds of high-intensity training with two to three minutes of moderate-intensity training.

[UkrainianGuy]

433. CARDIO PYRAMID
Just like with weight training, you shouldn't start your cardio training at your maximum intensity level. In a typical 30-minute cardio workout, perform 5 minutes of the activity at low intensity, and the gradually increase to your maximum level for about 15 to 20 minutes. Finish off your cardio workout with 5 minutes of low-intensity training. Try not to stop cold tukey.

434. GOOD POSTURE - NOT JUST FOR WEIGHT TRAINING
Hopefully from day one you've learnd that proper posture is important on all your strength-training exercises. The same holds true for cardio exercises. Never slouch or lean backwards when using any of the cardio machines, particularly the steppers, cross trainers, and ellipticals. Doing so changes your center of gravity and places extra stress on the knees, ankles, and lower back. Always maintain an upright posture.

435. ARE TWO ZONES BETTER THAN ONE?
Even though many fitnes professionals only talk of a single target heart zone, others divide the zone into two subzones. They call the lower, 60 to 75 prcent zone, the fat-burning zone, and the 75 to 90 percent the cardio zone. In theory exercising at the lower target heart rate burns more fat calories. But keep in mind you'll burn more calories overall in the higher cardio zone. In addition, the higher zone will do a better job of stimulating your cardovascular system. Our advice is to start out exercising in the lower zone but raise it to the higher zone as soon as your fitness level allows.

436. THE GREAT OUTDOORS
If you find your indoor treadmill workouts becoming boring, give the great outdoors a try. There's nothing like a challenging run in the fresh air on a crisp autumn morning. Running outdoors also gives you the option of running over different terrains. Even though most newer treadmills allow you to vary the incline, you are usually limited to 10 to 15 degrees. Running outdoors offers so many more different grade options. Another benefit of outdoor running is the constant changing of the scenery. Even cardio theatre (TV and sound) or other members to observe, there is no comparison to the visual stimulation you'll experience outdoors.

[UkrainianGuy]

437. SPRINTING
If long-distance running is not your cup of tea, try sprinting. The next time a major track-and-field event is on TV, take a close look at the leg development of the sprinters (100 and 200 meters). Many of them have legs that rival professional bodybuilders. Sprinting is an excellent way to boost the cardiovascular system as well as build and dice up the quads.

438. AND FOR OUR NORTHERN READERS
For those Canadian and northern US readers, winters brings a great option for cardiovascular training - skating. Lace on a pair of ice skates for a great way to stimulate the heart and lungs when the weather gets cold outside. And if Mother Nature doesn't cooperate, most Canadian and US cities and large towns have indoor skating rinks. Try alternating distance skating with sprints and speed skating.

439. LEAVE THE CAR KEYS AT HOME!
One of easiest ways to burn extra calories and stimulate your cardiovascular system is to hang your car keys on the wall and walk. Any time you are going somewhere within reasonable walking distance, do so. A good, brisk powerwalk is nearly as effective as running and it's a lot easier on the joints. And let's face it, there's not comparison between the calories you'll burn walking and those you'll burn sitting behind the wheel of a car.

440. GOING UP
If you're lucky enough to work in a high-rise office building, you have another great "cardio machine" at your disposal - the stairs! Instead of huddling with the masses in an elevator, head to the stairwell and start climbing. Climbing stairs is an outstanding way to burn calories, stimualtes the heart and lungs, and work the legs.

[UkrainianGuy]

441. EXTERNAL MOTIVATION - A GROUP EFFORT
There will be days when the last thing you want to do is hop on a crosstrainer or treadmill. One way to jazz it up your cardio training is to check out a group fitness class. Aerobic classes come in many formats; and guys, they are not just for women! A couple of minutes of the latest "boot camp" or "millitary jam" cardio class and you'll realize just where your cardio system stands. Besides the motivation you'll receive from other participants, most cardio classes include abdominal training and stretching - two things you won't get on the treadmill or crosstrainer.

442. TREADMILLS
An alternative to pounding the pavement, treadmills are by far the most popular piece of home cardio equipment. Millions are bought at Christmas time, although few are ever used. Treadmills are also one of the hardest machines to access in gyms at prime time. Running on a treadmill has numerous advantages over running outdoors. For starters the weather is a non-issue. Rain, sleet, or snow, it's always dry indoors. Another benefit is safety. Any time you have to run on the road itself, whether because the sidewalks are covered by snow or because you have to cross the road, you run the risk of being targeted by a motorist. Many drivers take it as a violation of their civil rights if they have to slow down or stop for a runner.

443. CUSHIONED FOR COMFORT
Perhaps the biggest advantage to running on a treadmill is comfort. Most of the better treadmills have some sort of cushioning mechanism. Just like the shock absorber system on a car, cushioning places less stress on the joints than running on concrete or pavement. So if you are in avid outdoor runner who is starting to find hitting the pavement hard on the joints, give a treadmill a try.

444. RUNNING IN TANDEM
Besides safety and comfort, another benfit of using a treadmill is that two people who like to run at differnt speeds can work out together. Outdoors the faster runner will quicky outpace the slower. But on a treadmill the two of you will be side by side no matter what your individual speeds.

445. TREADMILL SHOCK
Try alternating running with walking at a fairly fast pace uphill, inclined between 10 and 14 (depending on fitness level). This shocks the body tremendously as you simulate walking and running up a huge hill, forcing the bigger muscles to do all the work and thus spiking your heart rate.

446. BLISTERS
Blisters are caused by rubbing and irritation of the skin. Your shoes are almost certainly the culprits - they either don't fit properly or you have run too far in them without first breaking them in adequately.

[UkrainianGuy]

447. BLISTER REMEDY
If the blister isn't causing any pain, leave it alone. But if it's interfering with your running you should feel free to "operate" as long as you're careful to avoid infection. Sterilize a razor blade (boil it for 10 minutes), wash the area of the blister (preferably using an antiseptic like alcohol or Betadine), and make a small slit in the blister. Don't be squeamish - because the skin of the blister "bubble" is dead, you won't feel any pain. Press the fluid out. Carefully clean the area, again using an antiseptic. Let the blister dry without putting on any ointment, and cover with gauze or a Band-Aid. Problem solved.

448. BLISTER PREVENTION #1
To avoid blisters in the future, make sure that your shoes fit. They should be snug so that your foot does not rattle around inside, rubbing against the shoe and causing blisters. Make sure that you have laced your shoes tightly enough that they form to your foot. They should not, however, be too tight, and particularly not too narrow or too short.

449. BLISTER PREVENTION #2
Some manufacturers such as Thorlo, sell "blister - proof" socks. Give these socks a try. In general keep in mind that nylon socks tend to be more abrasive than cotton.

450. BLISTER PREVENTION #3
Feel free to lubricate your feet to cut down on the friction that causes blisters. Rubbing some Vaseline on your feet before runs can do the trick, but if you find that too goopy, talcum powder is a good substitute.

451. BLISTER PREVENTION #4
If you are aware of specific blister problem areas, try protecting those ahead of time. Moleskin may work, but often doesn't stick very well to sweaty feet. Duct tape, believe it or not, is often more reliable. Put it on before your foot becomes moist, and it won't come off until you want it to.

452. START FIRST THEN STEP ON
Practically every gym instructor cantell stories of having to pick new clients up off the floor behind the treadmill. in most cases the person started the machine while standing on the belt. Even though most treadmills always start at a slow speed (usually 1 mph), if you are not used to a treadmill, this is still too fast a speed to start with. For safety purposes, place both feet to the sides of the belt, start the treadmill, and then step on once the belt is moving.

[UkrainianGuy]

453. START SLOW!
In addition to starting the treadmill before stepping on, make sure you star at a slow speed. Don't make the mistake of bringing the belt up to 10 or 15 mph and then stepping on. You'll never get your legs up to speed fast enough to keep up. There is a odd chance the staff will have to scrape you off the wall

454. RECUMBENT CYCLE
Upright cycles force you to sit down on a chair with the legs below you, and then lean forward to grab the handlebars. This "slouched" posture is very uncomfortable for many individuals. Eqipment manufacturers have addressed this by designing the recumbent cycle, which keeps the torso upright and legs out in front. This position is much less stressful on the lower back and knees. If you have avoided using the upright cycle because of lower back problems, give the recumbent cycle a try.

455. CYCLE VARIETY
Those of you who have "outgrown" standard cycling, whereby you remain seated at all times, try adding some outdoor movies. Alternate slow, medium, and high speed. Alternate seated peddling with standup prints. This simulates the position you'd be in if you were climbing a hill outdoors. Not only are you stimulating your cardiovascular system to the max, but a couple of weeks of this will do your thighs wonders for your quads.

456. WATCH YOUR STEP
Although they are fast being replaced by crosstrainers and arc trainers, many gyms still have an inventory of step machines (the version by Stairmaster being the most well-known). Even though they'll give you a good cardio work out, steppers have fallen out of favor in recent years. The reason is that the relatively straight up and down motion places tremendous stress on the ankles and knees. Conversely, crosstrainers and ellipticals evenly distribute the weight across the joints. You don't suddenly have your entire bodyweight pivoting on you ankle joints. As steppers offer no cardiovascular benefits over crosstrainers and eelipticals, it is suggested you give them a pass.

457. DON'T COAST
Although there is very little difference beween the various machines with regards to effectiveness - provided you maintain a brisk pace - some allow you to coast along at a less-then-productive level. The arc trainers, crosstrainers and cardio cycles are good examples. It's very difficult, however, to coast on a treadmill, as the machine is setting the pace.

458. THE FULL 30 MINUTES
Most cardio machines allow you to input various programs. This saves you the trouble of having to change the speed, resistance, or angle on the pedals or belt. The disadvantage is that most of the program modes will reset to the lowest intensity level when there is five minutes left in your program. This serves as a cool-down zone. If you want to do 30 minutes of intense cardio, either set the machine to manual mode or program it for 35 minutes.

[UkrainianGuy]

459. STITCHES
You may find during your first few cardio sessions you develop a stitch. A stitch is caused by a spasm of the disphragm, the muscle that controls your breathing. There are a number of possible reasons for this. If your breathing isn't controlled and disciplined, the disphragm may be complaining. If you are running too soon after eating, your heavy stomach may literally be tugging at the ligaments connected to the diaphragm. Or you may simply be running too fast for your body's breathing machinery to keep up. A stitch will usually go away quickly after just slowing down or stopping. If you're in a race or you just don't want to stop, however, you can often make it go away by bringing your breathing into careful control. Concentrate on belly breathing, pushing your belly out when you breathe in and relaxing it as you breathe out. Take deep breaths on the intake and exhale suddenly, even noisily. Another suggestion is to raise your hands above you head. This helps stretch out the disphragm.

460. SKIPPING INTO FITNESS
When you were in elementary school you probably teased your female classmates for skipping rope at recess. While at one time considered a "sissy activity," skipping has gained much respect over the past couple of decades. Thanks to such celebrities as boxing great Muhammad Ali and actor Sylvestor Stallone, jumping rope is now a mainstay of athletic conditioning. If you're still a holdout and think skipping rope is for sissies, give it a try the nexttime you're at the gym. Start off with simple skipping exercises and progress from there. You'll quickly discover that skipping rope is not just for sissies and schoolgirls.

461. CYCLING CLASSES - PUTTING A NEW SPIN ON CARDIO
They go by different names ("Spinning" by reebok being the most common), but essentially they are all the same. Biking classes became all the rage in the most popular forms of group cardio. A standard indoor cycling class consists of a lead bike with an instructor and 10 to 12 "followers." For the next 45 to 60 minutes the insructors will take his or her charges through a simulated bike ride. By varying the pace and tension you can come close to mimicking an outdoor bike ride. If you're looking for a means to increase your cardio intensity, give a cycling spin class a try.

[UkrainianGuy]

462. INDOOR ROWING - FOR THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE GETTING WET!
Once indoor group cycling classes became popular it wasn't long before the rowing enthusiasts jumped on the bandwagon. As with cycling, a lead instructor takes a group of people out on a simulated rowing course. While you won't get the nice cool breeze blowing off the water, you don't have to worry about getting wet, either. If the ergometer (rower) is one of your favorite pieces of cardio equipment, check out a rowing class.

463. CARDIO KICKBOXING
For the male readers who think aerobic classes are "just for girls," check out a cardio kickboxing class. These classes combine intense aerobic moves with various martial arts kicking and punching techniques. You'll not only be pushing your cardiovascular system to the max, your self-defense skills will be greatly improved.

464. STROKING TO CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS
One of the most relaxing yet efficient forms of cardio exercise is swimming. Swimming will burn the same number of calories as most indoor activities, while at the same time being one of the best exercises for reducing the stress on the joints. As you can probably guess, floating in water is much less stressful on the joints than pounding on the pavement or even working on a stepper machine.

465. RUN THE STAIRS
You don't need expensive cardio equipment to give your heart and lungs a great workout. Unless your gym is on one level, there will be at least one flight of stairs available. Run up them. See how many "up and downs" you can make before you're fatigued. Try to do one extra flight per workout. It won't be long before you can run 20 or 30 flights no problem.

[UkrainianGuy]

466. YOUR TIME IS THE BEST TIME
Don't let anyone tell you that there is a "best" time to do cardio. One fo the popular beliefs these days is that doing cardio first thing in the morning is far superior to later in the day. The theory is that because your brain uses cabonhydrate as a fuel source while you are asleep, you'll immediately burn stored fat if you do cardo first thing in the morning. While there is some truth to this, the difference between early morning and late evening training is not large enough to recommend one over the other. Unless you are an early riser or actually prefer doing cardio early in the morning, do your cardio workouts whenever it feels most comfortable.

467. YOU ARE NOT AN OLYMPIC ATHLETE!
Every four years doctors see a spike in exercise-related injuries. The culprit is usualy over-ethusiasm brought on by couch potatoes watching the Olympics. Even if you do have the talent to be a world-class athlete, it takes years of training and dedication. Don't march into the gym with a copy of the latest gold metal winner's training program in you hand and try to follow it. Pat yourself on the back for getting off the couch, but ease into exercise at an intensity suited to your fitness level.

468. SIP, SIP, SIP
It's easy to forget the simple things when you're struggling through an intense cardio workout. Even something as seemlingly unimportant as sipping water may get overlooked. You may not feel thirst so you don't bother to drink water. Unfortunately the thirst mechanism doesn't kick in until after you're become dehydrated. It's normal to lose four or five liters of water during an intense cardio workout. Make sure you regularly consume plenty of water during your workout. One rule is to weigh yourself before and after your workout. The difference at the end of your workout is water loss. Try to make it up by drinking water.

469. CLEANING UP - NOT JUST FOR STRENGTH TRAINING
Nothing is as revolting as getting set to hop on your favorite cardio machine and noticing a bead of someone else's sweat trockling down the console or handles. There is no need for you to join the ranks of the disgusting and inconsiderate. Always wipe down your cardio machine after your cardio workout.

[UkrainianGuy]

470. SAME DAYS OPPOSITE DAYS?
One of the most common questions gym instructors answer on a daily basis is, "Should I do my cardio on the same day or opposite days as my weights?" There is no correct answer to this question. Performing them both on the same day will leave you a couple of days off from training each week. Of course doubling up means a longer workout. Conversely, alternating cardio means shorter workouts but more days spent in the gym. Our advice is to experiement and try both, and then decide which one feels more comfortable (or is more practical depending on your daily and weekly time schedules).

471. TUNE IN AND DROP OUT
For some, the sights and sounds of a busy gym are all it takes to get motivated. Listening to people talk or work out is all it takes to keep you pumped and committed to your training. For others, however, a workout is a time to turn inwards. If you find the normal background noise of your gym distracting as you plod through your cardio workout, try wearing a set of headphones and crank up the volume on your Walkman or iPod. or perhaps your gym has a cardio theatre so members can watch various TV channels. Either way, tune in drop out, and build muscle!

472. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY
Most modern cardio machines are easy to use. Nevertheless there may be versions that have tricky programming mode or operating technique. Don't risk damage to yourself or the machine by trying to figure things out on your own. If you have any doubt ask a qualified staff member.

473. THE TALK TEST
One way to determine if you're overdoing it is to use what is called the "talk test." In simple terms, you should be able to carry on a conversation with someone as you exercise. If you are gasping for breath to the point that talking is difficult, ease it back a few notches.

[UkrainianGuy]

474. ISOLATION EXERCISE
Once you reach the intermediate stage of bodybuilding (on average four to six months of regular training), you should start doing more isolation exercises. Unlike compound movements. where more than one muscle and joint are utilized, isolation exercises usually restrict the range of motion to one muscle and one joint. Don't abandon compound movements altogether, as you'll still be trying to add muscle size and strength. Instead start adding isolation exercises to develope quality in the muscle mass you have already built

475. ADD WEIGHT TO BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES
One way to increase the intensity of your workouts without changing exercises is to add weight to some of your bodyweight exercises. You'll eventually reach the point where your bodyweight is not heavy enough on such exercises as bench dips and parallel bar dips. You may even reach a point on an eexercise as difficult as chin-ups where 15 to 20 reps with just your bodyweight becomes fairly easy. If you're at this stage, try wearing a weight belt or holding a dumbell between your feet or knees when you perform parallel bar dips or chin-ups. For bench dips, have a partner place one or more flat plates across your thighs. You've now turned a warm-up or finishing exercise (which is what these exercises eventually become because of the high reps you can perform) into basic mass movement.

476. ONE FOR THICKNESS ONE FOR WIDTH
When designing your back workouts, select at least one exercise for width (pulldowns and chin-ups) and at least one exercise for thickness (rowing movements).

477. AT LEAST ONE UPPER AND ONE LOWER
To balence out your chest development, perform at least one lower chest exercise (flat or decline presses) and at least one for the upper chest (incline presses and incline flyes)

[UkrainianGuy]

478. SWISS-BALL CRUNCHES
They go by differnt names (Swiss ball, therapeutic balls, resistaballs, etc), but are all essentially the same; a large rubber ball that allows you to target the abs from a multitude of different angles. The simplest exercise is to sit on the ball so that your butt is at the front. With the legs bent, lie back until your torso is parallel with the floor. Place you hands behind your head slowly raise your torso upward as if doing a regular floor crunch. Slowly lower back down until your torso is just below parallel with the floor. Swiss ball crunches have been scientifically proven one of the most effective abdominal exercises. And because of the balance factor, they bring in many of the smaller stabilizing muscles of the midsection.

479. CHOOSING A SWISS BALL
Unless you are using one for injury rehab and have been told otherwise by a physiotherapist, use a Swiss ball that forms a 90-degree angle between your upper and lower legs when you sit on it. This will allow for a good range of motion without putting too much stress on the lower back.

480. AT WORK TOO!
You don't need to limit your Swiss ball usage to the gym. Many physiotherapists recommend that people use them for sitting at work. Unlike a solid chair, which gives the lower back and abdominal muscles a rest, a Swiss ball forces you to use your stabilizer muscles wven when sitting down, If you want to give your ab and lower back muscles an extra workout as well as improve your posture, get rid of your chair and get on the ball! Now, contrary to what you may read in some exercise magazines, do not perform heavy exercises like supine, curls or shoulder presses on a Swiss ball. Doing so invites injury.

481. ROMAN-CHAIR SIT-UPS
Roman chair sit-ups are one of the best exercises for isolating the lower abs. The goal, however, is to perform them like a crunch and not as the name implies, a sit-up. Position yourself on the bench with your feet locked in under the leg rollers. With your hands held to your chest or behind your head, lower backwards until your shoulders are 10 to 12 inches from the bench. Pause for a split second and then rise back up until your torso is just short of vertical with the floor. In effect you are dong the middle third of the exercise. Going all the way down places stress on the lower back, while coming all the way up brings more of the hip flexors into play.

482. ROPE CRUNCHES
This exercise is one of the best for targeting just about all the muscles that make up the midsection. Make the midsection do the work - don't rely on the weight of your torso. Experiment with different body positions, both close to the floor and higher up. Don't rock back on your heels, as this will only create unwanted body momentum.

483. BARBELLS ROLLS
Although unorthodox, barbell rolls are a great way to target virtually all the muscles that make up the midsection (abdominals, serratus, intercostals). Postion a barbell on the floor with a 25- or 35- pound plate on each side. Lie down and grab the bar as if you were going to do push-ups (except that you wil place most of your weight on the knees and not your toes). Instead of pushing away from the bar you roll it forward and backwards.

[UkrainianGuy]

484. SWISS-BALL BACK EXTENSIONS
Swiss ball back extensions are the next logical step up from back extensions on the floor. The Swiss ball allows for a greater range of motion, and it forces the small stabilizer, muscles of the lower torso to contribute. As you progress with both your technique and comfort, try narrowing your foot stance. This will make it more difficult to balence, providing a better overall workout.

485. HACK SQUATS FOR THAT GREAT OUTER THIGH SWEEP
Many people find that after a couple of months of regular barbell squats their upper outer thighs begin to overshadow their lower outer thighs. One way to correct this is by including hack squats in your leg training. Hack squats will add a nice sweep to the outer thighs. Lie back on the hack squat machine and position your shoulders under the pads. With your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart, feet pointed slightly outwards, lower down to a full squat (thighs parallel to the floor or slightly lower) position. Return to the starting position so that your legs are just short of being locked out.

486. FRONT SQUATS
If you find regular back squats stressful on the lower back, or if you want to target more of your lower quads and less of your glutes, try front squats. Position the bar as you would for a normal set of squats but instead of resting it on your traps and back shoulders, rest it across your upper chest, arms, and front shoulders. From here the exercise is identical to back squats. Because your glute involvement is greatly reduced, you'll need to use less weight.

487. LEG EXTENSIONS
Unlike squats and leg presses, which stimulate virtually the entire leg region, leg extensions isolate the central thigh. As with most exercises, the key is to not bounce at the bottom or lock out at the top. Also, try pointing your toes in different positions (inwards, central, outwards) to isolate different sections of the quads.

488. LYING LEG EXTENSIONS
You'll need a leg extension machine with no vertical back support attached. Sit down in the machine and lie backwards until your lower legs are hanging vertically under the leg rollers and the rest of the body is horizontal. Perform the exercise as you would seated leg extensions. By removing the bend at the hips, much of the stress is shifted from the lower to the upper thighs. This exercise is great during the pre-contest phase of training when you are trying to bring out the separation in your upper thighs

[UkrainianGuy]

489. SISSY SQUATS - DON'T LET THE NAME FOOL YOU!
After adapting to regular squats and leg presses, many bodybuilders are reluctant to try any leg exercise that doesn't require the use of hundreds of pounds of weight. This is too bad, since some of the most effective leg exercise require little or no weight. Despite the name, sissy squats are one of the best, and toughest, exercises for the quads. With your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart and feet pointed slightly outwards, grab a stationary upright with one hand for support. With your torso leaning back slightly, squat down to a full squat position. Return to the starting position so that your legs are just short of locked out. If you need extra resistance, try holding a weight plate to your chest with your free hand.

490. REVERSE HYPEREXTENSIONS
Stiff-leg deadlifts and leg curls may be the most popular hamstring exercises, but there are others. One of the best is the reverse hyperextension. As the name suggests, these are just the opposite of regular hyperextensions (more properly called back extensions). Instead of locking the legs and raising and lowering the upper body, you lock the upper body and lift your legs. The easiest way to perform this exercise is to lie face down on a high flat bench. Hold on tight with your arms and slowly lift and lower your legs.

491. CABLE PULL-THROUGHS
Cable pull-throughs are another great but seldom seen hamstring exercise. Attach a rope to a low pulley and face away from the machine. With your legs straight, bend the torso forward and grab the rope. Slowly stand up, pulling the rope between your legs. For obvious reasons, position yourself so that the rope is still a few inches from your crotch area at the top of the exercise!

492. MACHINE ABDUCTIONS
Abductions are great for those who want to specialize on the outer-thigh-and-hip region. They are especially effective for those who play sports with a lot of lateral movement. For the machine version, adjust the leg supports so that they are in the inward position. With your knees resting against the pads, slowly push your legs out till you feel a comfortable stretch. Return to the starting position. With time you'll be able to open the legs wider.

493. CABLE ABDUCTIONS
If your gym doesn't have an abductor machine, try attaching an ankle strap to your lower leg and connect it to a low pulley. With one hand on your hips and the other hloding the machine, sweep, or raise, your leg outwards and upwards to wherever your flexibility allows.

494. ADDUCTIONS
The opposite of abductions, adductions are great for working the inner thighs and small adductor muscles. When you hear of a pulled groin it's usually the adductors that we are talking about. Using the same machine, adjust the leg supports so they are in the outwards postion (you'll have to experiment to see how wide is comfortable). With you legs resting against the pads, slowly squeeze your legs together. Return to the outward position.

[UkrainianGuy]

495. DONKEY CALF RAISES
Flip through copies of old Muscular Development magazine's and you'll see photos of Arnold Swarzenegger, Franco Columbo, Robby Robinson, and other great bodybuilders from the '70's performing this exercise. Despite the intimidating position involved, donkey calf raises are on of the most effective exercise for the calves. Lean across a waist-high support and, with your toes on the edge of a block of wood, have a willing training partner sit across your hips. From here perform the exercise like a regular set of standing calf raises. Be sure your partner sits across your hips and not your middle back. That would place unwanted stress on your spine.

496. STANDING ONE-LEG CALF RAISES
If your gym lacks a decent calf machine or you just want some variety in your training, try one-leg calf raises. All you need is a dumbell and a thick block of wood. Hold the dumbell in one hand and stand on the edge of the wood with the leg of the same side. With the other leg bent behind you, flex up and down. You may need to hold on to something sturdy with your free hand for support.

497. HACK SQUAT CALF FRAISES
For those who find vertical standing calf raises hard on the lower back, try the hack squat machine. Instead of facing outwards as if you were going to do squats, face inwards so that your chin is resting on the back support pad. With your toes positioned on a 2x4 or other block of wood, flex up and down on your toes. Make sure you maximize the stretch effect.

498. SEATED CALF RAISES
Once you develop a good foundation on your calves with standing calf raises, it's time to start specializing on the lower cavles (the soleus muscle). Sit down on the machine's chair or bench and place the pads across your knees. From here, flex upwards and downwards as if doing standing calf raises. Go for the maximum stretch at both the top and bottom of the exercise. Try pointing the toes inwards and outwards to target different parts of your lower calves

499. BENT-KNEE CALF EXERCISES
While the seated calf machine is the best exercise for working the lower calf muscles, you can modify most upper calf movements to target the lower calves. All you have to do is put a bend in your knees when you perform such exercises as standing calf raises, toe presses, and donkey calf raises. Bending the knees shifts more of the stress to the lower soleus mucles. Keep in mind that you'll need to use less weight, as your lower calves are not capable of lifting as much weight as your large upper calves.

500. STANDING OR SEATED FIRST?
When you start including both standing and seated calf raises in your workouts, the question invariable asked is what order to do them in. Physiology has one answer. The lower calf (soleus) is primarily made up of slow-twitch muscle fibers, which respond best to high reps. The upper calf (gastrocnemius) is mainly fast-twitch muscles, best stimulated by lower reps. Most experts recommend doing your upper calf training first, followed by the exercise for the lower calf.

[UkrainianGuy]

501. FLAT FLYES
While barbell and dumbell presses are great for adding strength and size to the chest, front shoulders, and triceps, flyes are among the best exercises for isloating and shaping the chest. Flyes also make a great exercise for warming up or finishing off the chest. Grab a set of dumbells and leanback on a flat bench. With a moderate bend at the elbows and palsm facing inward, lower the dumbells down and outward, until your upper arm is just sligtly below parallel with the floor. Bring the dumbells back up in a hugging-type motion. Be careful you don't go too low at the bottom of the exercise.. This could overstress the pec-delt tie-in (the area where your chest and front shoulders meet).



502. INCLINE FLYES
As with flat and incline dumbell presses, you can perform flat dumbell flyes on an incline bench and isolate the upper chest. Most of the tips for flat flyes apply to incline flyes; don't lower too far, keep a slight bend at the elbow, and raise them using a hugging motion.


503. DECLINE BARBELL PRESSES
If you want to target the lower and outer chest, look no further than decline barbell presses. Declines also seen to invovle less front-shoulder stimulation than regular flat barbell presses. For this reason they make an excellent substitute for flat presses if you have shoulder problems. Instead of lowering the bar to the middle of the chest, lower it to the lower ribcage (nipple region). Experiment with different angles on the bench as well. For most people an angle of 20 to 30 degrees seems to work best.



504. NECK PRESSES
Even though the late Vince Gironda had an intense dislike of regular bench presses (he believed that wide-grip dips did more for chest development). occasionally he would let his students perform a variation of the bench press called neck preses. You may want to experiment to see how it feels. Set yourself up as if doing regular bench presses, but instead of bringing the bar to the lower rib cage, lower the bar to where the upper chest meets the neck. Be careful not to bounce the bar off your collarbone. You may want to have a spotter standing behind you the first time you attempt this exercise, and don't try using your normal weight resistance until you get used to this variation.

[UkrainianGuy]

505. CABLE CROSSOVERS
Cable crossovers are one of the best exercises for keeping tension on the chest muscles throughout the full range of motion. Even the famous barbell bench press suffers from the momentary loss of tension at parts of the exercise. For stability try standing with a runner's stance (one leg forward, on leg back) between the cable pulleys. With the torso bent slightly forward, bring the handles downward so that your arms are at about 45 degrees with the torso. Slowly return to the starting position (your elbows will likely be just behind the shoulders, hands in line with the torso)

506. TO CROSS OVER OR NOT?
Even though the name cable crossover suggests "crossing over" the hands in front of the body, be careful if you do so. For an extra few degrees of movement you run the risk of gashing the knuckles of your hands. You'll get virtually the same degree of chest stimulation by bringing your hands together at the front of your body, stopping just short of having the knuckles touch.

507. FLAT OR INCLINE CABLE FLY
For a change of pace, try doing your flyes on the cable crossover machine. You can do them on a flat or incline bench. Position the bench between the two pulleys and either grab the handles yourself or have a partner pass them to you. The advantage of cable flyes over dumbell flyes is that there will be tension on your chest throughout the full range of motion of the exercise. With dumbells you'll start losing tension as the arms approach the vertical.

508. STRAIGHT-ARM PUSHDOWNS
One of the problems with most back exercise is that the biceps end up doing much of the work. And because the biceps are much smaller than the larger back muscles, they often fail before the back muscles get the full benefit. A great way to get around this is by doing straight-arm pushdowns. Stands in front of a cable machine or lat machine that has a medium to long bar attached. Grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip, palms facing downwards. With your arms kept locked out at all times, press down until the bar is one to two inches from your thighs. Raise the bar back up as high as possible without the weight plates touching. Because there is no flexion at the elbows the biceps are virtually eliminated from the exercise.

509. SINGLE-ARM CABLE PULLDOWNS
If you want to bring out extra detail in your back muscles, especially your lats, try this exercise. Stand at the pulldown machine and replace the long bar with a single handle. Grab the handle with a reverse (palms facing up) grip. Pull the handle towards your torso, keeping it as close to your body as possible. At the bottom of the movement your elbow will be behind you and the handle will be in line with your lower ribcage.

510. TWO-ARM DUMBELL ROWS
If you find that barbell rows hit only one side of the body or are too stressful on the wirst, try dumbell rows. Most of the safety considerations of the barbell version apply to dumbell rows (i.e. slight bend at the knee, slight arch in the lower back, etc). The tow primary advantages of dumbell tows is that they allow you to rotate your hands from forward to inward, as well as forcing both sides of the body to work evenly.

511. ALL THREE HEADS
Once you have a good foundation under your belt you should star specializing on the separate heads that make up the shoulder muscles. Try to includes at least one exercise for the front side, and rear deltoids in your workout. Also, if need be, include an exercise that directly works the trapezius, such as shrugs.

512. BARBELL SHRUGS
Nothing looks as impressive as a powerful set of traps (trapezius). They give the owner that strong appearance. Although most shoulder exercises indirectly stimulate the traps, the best exercise for targeting them directly is the barbell shrug. Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and shrug the shoulders upwards and slightly backwards, trying to touch the ears.

513. DUMBELL SHRUGS
If you find barbell shrugs awkward, especially if they change your front thighs, switch over to two dumbells. Experiment with holding the dumbells with your palms facing in or back. Perform the exercise like you would the barbell version, trying to touch your ears with your shoulders then lowering.

514. MACHINE SHRUGS
Many bodybuilders find they get a good trap workout by using a flat bench-press machine. Most serious bodybuilders use the Universal bench press more for traps than chest training! For variety try facing both away from and toward the machine. if you are tall or have long arms you may need to stand on a block of wood to get the required stretch at the bottom.

[UkrainianGuy]

515. SHRUG, NOT BOUNCE
When doing my type of shrugging exercise, be careful not to flex at the knees and bouce the bar up with body momentum. If you can't lift it by just shrugging your shoulders, it's too heavy.

516. SHRUG, NOT ROLL
As the primary function of the traps is to elevate the shoulder girdle, it doesn't make sense to roll the shoulder blades as you are shrugging. Rollling the shoulder blades doesn't add anything extra to the movement. In fact it only increases the risk of developing a serious shoulder injury.

517. KNOW WHEN TO BUILD THE TRAPS
As the ribcage expansion, those with narrow shoulders should probably avoid building the traps. For wide-shoulders individuals, building the traps will add to the appearance of the physique, but for narrow-shouldered bodybuilders bigger traps will only make the shoulders look that much narrower. Likewise, those with short necks should probably avoid direct traps work, because heavy trap development will give you that unsightly "no neck" appearance.

518. FEET ON THE FLOOR
To ensure that you are performing your shrugs (barbell or dumbell) properly, try "forcing" the heels of your feet into the floor. This will prevent you from bouncing and flexing at the knee joint. If you find yourself using more weight on the shrug than you are squatting, re-evaluate your form! There is no way a small muscle like the trapezius can lift as much as your thighs and glutes can.

[UkrainianGuy]

519. UPRIGHT ROWS
For those of you who want to perform extra work for both your traps and side delts all in one motion, try upright rows. Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and lift it straight up the center of the body, drawing the elbows behind the shoulders exercise. A shoulder-width grip will work more of the delts, while a narrow ( 6 to 8 inches) grip will being the traps more into play.

520. DUMBELL OR ROPE UPRIGHT ROWS
Those who find barbell upright rows stressful onthe wrists might try performing the exercise with tow dumbells. You could also use the low pulley on a cable crossover machine and attach the triceps extension rope.

521. LATERAL RAISES
With your front shoulders receiving a good workout from various chest presses and your rear shoulders coming into play on most back exercises, it's the side shoulders that need the extra work. Bodybuilders have been doing lateral raises for decades to add width to their shoulders. With your knees and elbows bent, grab a set of dumbells so that your palms face inwards. Slowly raise the dumbells out and upwards until your arms are shoulder height. Lower the dumbells until they meet in front of your quads. Resist the urge to swing the dumbells up using your torso. Concentrate on using your deltoids.

522. LEAN INTO IT
To really ensure that your side shoulders are doing most of the work on lateral raises, lean slightly forward. If you find this puts pressure on the lower back, set an adjustable incline bench at about 60 to 70 degrees and lean against it (facing the bench).

523. BENT-OVER LATERAL RAISES
Though your rear delts will probably receive adequate stimulation from your back training, a point may come when they start lagging behind your front and side delts. When this happens you'll need to target then with specific exercises. Bent-over laterals are one of the best. This exercise is very similar to the side version except you are leaning quite far forward. By holding your torso at a 30-degree angle to the horizontal, most of the stress is shifted from the side to the rear shoulders. If you find this position stressful on the lower back, try lying face down on an incline bench set at about 30 degrees.

524. IT'S A RAISE, NOT A ROW
When performing your bent-over lateral raises, make sure you keep the arms relatively straight and lift them outwards. Many bodybuilders turn the exercise into a rowing movement by bending the elbows and pulling the arms up close to the sides. This is the body's way of cheating. It's easier to use the larger and stronger lat muscles than the smaller, weaker, rear deltoid muscles.

525. LYING FRONT RAISES-MAKING LIKE SUPERMAN!
This exercise is one of th enst for targeting both the front deltoids and rotator cuff. Lie facedown on a 30-degree bench and hold a pair of dumbells down at arm's length. Slowly raise then until they are in line with your torso (think superman flying with his arms stretched out in front of him). Slowly lower back down. For variety, try raising the dumbells in an alternating fashion.

526. ARNOLD PRESSES
Named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arnold presses are a variation of the standard dumbell press. Hoist the dumbells to shoulder height so your palms are facing your head. As you push upwards, rotate the palms to a forward-facing position. The advantage of Arnold presses is that they force you to do the exercise more strictly (it's harder to use body momentum to force the dumbells up) plus more of the action is directed into the side deltoids.

[UkrainianGuy]

527. BETWEEN-LETGS CABLE RAISES
For those fo you not afraid to live dangerously, try between-the-legs cable raises. Attach a shoulder-width straight bar to a low pulley and grab it so that you are facingaway from the machine with the cable running between you legs. Slowly bring the bar forward and up until your arms are parallel with the floor. Return to the starting positioned the right distance from the pulley so the cable doesn't interfere with your family planning on the way up!

528. POWER CLEANS
One of the best exercises for building upper-back and trapezius thickness is power cleans. Hold a barbell in front of the thighs with a shoulder-width grip. Now in one quick motion flick the bar away from the thighs and clean it up to your shoulders. Your palms will go from facing the thighs to facing the ceiling at the top of the exercise. Lower the weight slowly to the starting position, keeping your back flat as you do so.

529. REVERSE PEC-DECK
As the name suggests, you'll need a pec-deck machine to perform this exercise. Sit down facing the machine with your chest resting against the back support. Grab the handles (or rest your arms on the insdie of the pads) and slowly pull backwards to a comfortable stretch. Reverse pec-decks are great for working the muscles of the upper back, in particular the smaller rhomboids and rear deltoids. They are also easier on the lower back then their free-weight dumbel equivalent, bent-over lateral raises.

530. BENT-OVER CABLE RAISES
To really blast the rear deltoids, poistion yourself in the middle of a cable-crossover machine. Bend forward and grab the right lower pulley with your left hand and vice versa. With a slight bend at the elbows, raise the handles to shoulder height. Lower the handles back down to just short of having the plates touch.

531. KICKBACKS
Dumbell kickbacks are one of the best exercises for bringing out the horseshoe shape in the triceps. Grabs a dumbell, place one hand and knee on a bench for support, and lock the upper arm tight to your side and parallel to the floor. Extend, or "kick" the forearm back until your arm is locked out. Return to the starting position so that your forearm is perpendicular to the floor (there will be a 90-degree angle between your upper and lower arm).

532. REVERSE-GRIP BENCH PRESSES
An exellent way to put mass on your triceps is by doing reverse-grip bench presses. Instead of the standard plams-towards-your-feet grip, grab the bar so that your palms are facing your head. Keep your grip just slightly narrower than shoulder-width. This grip forces the elbows in closer to the body, putting more stress on the triceps and less onthe pectoral muscles.

533. ROPE EXTENTIONS
Rope extensions are one of the best exercises for targeting the long rear head of the triceps. Attach a rope to a high pulley and turn around so you are facing away fromt he machine. With the elbows heldclose to your head, lean forward and adopt a runner's stance (one leg forward and one back). Extend your forearms away from you until your arms are locked out straight. Slowly return to the starting position. The key with this exercise is to keep the upper arms and body stationary. Only your forearms move.

534. ONE-ARM CABLE PUSHDOWNS
One-arm pushdowns can be considered the cable equivalent of dumbell kickbacks. They are great for allwing you to concentrate on one arm at a time, and are one fo the best exercises for bringing out the horseshow shape of the trcieps. Attach a small handle (most people use the cable crossover handle) to a pulley machine and position yourself so that your working arm is directly in line with the cable. Grab the handle with one hand, and with your elbow and upper arm tucked close to your sides, extend the forearm down until your arm is completely locked out at the bottom. Slowly allow is back to chest height and repeat.

535. PALMS UP OR PALMS DOWN?
When you perform one-arm cable pushdowns try experimenting with both a palms-up and palms-down grip. In theory it shouldn't make any difference but most bodybuilders find that a palms down grip shifts most of the stress to the lateral triceps while a palms up (reverse) grip seems to hit the long rear head.

536. SEATED PULLEY CONCENTRATION PUSHDOWN
This exercise can be considered the triceps equivalent of the biceps concentration curl. Sit down next to a cable machine and rest one arm on your thigh exactly as if doing a dumbell concentration curl. With your palm facing upward, extend your arm down between your legs to a lock-out-position.

537. CONCENTRATION CURLS
Sit down on the front or side of a flat bench. With your elbow braces against your inner thigh, lower a dumbell to just short of lockout. Curl the dumbell up until your forearm is above parallel with the floor. Squeeze the biceps at the top of this exercise.

538. ARNOLD'S WAY
For variety try concentration curls the way Arnold Scharzenegger performed them. Arnold would stand up, and with one elbow resting on this thighs let his other arm curl straight up and down. Arnold found that he could get a better biceps concentration by having his arm free of his body rather than braces against his thigh.

[UkrainianGuy]

539. BARBELL CONCENTRATION CURLS
For variety try performing concentration curls with a barbell. Grab a barbell with a shoulder width grip and bend forward until your torso is parallel with the floor. Curl the bar up and down, trying to keep your upper arm vertical with the floor

540. ONE-ARM PREACHER CURLS
One-arm preacher curls are another of those exercises that allow you to devote full concentration to the muscle being worked. Grab a dumbell and go to the preacher bench. Place your upper arm on the pad and lower the dumbell down to a locked out position. Curl back up until your foream is just short of vertical. As with the two-arm version, don't bounce at the bottom of the exercise. This place tremendous stress on the biceps tendon, and numerous bodybuilders have required surgery after rupturing their biceps tendon.

541. WHEN AN INCLINE BENCH IS A PREACHER BENCH
One of the nice things about one-arm preacher curls is that you don't need a preacher bench to perform the exercise. Simply stand behind an incline bench set to 45- 60 degrees and rest your upper arm on the bench. From there perform the exercise exactly the same as the seated version.

542. SPIDER CURLS
This exercise is great for peaking the middle belly of the biceps. If the pad on your gym's preacher bench is removable, turn it around so that the vertical end is facing outwards. If not, you'll have to stand in front of the pad facing the seating bench. The exercise is performed the same as regular preacher curls but the upper arm is curling vertically rather than on an angle. Because spider curls do a better job of isolating the biceps, you'll need to use less weight.

543. STANDING CABLE CURL
One of the few disadvantages of standing barbell curls is that a point will be reached when curling the bar any higher will not produce any extra benifit. For most poeple this point is where the forearm is at about a 45 degree angle to the horizontal. The reason is that gravity will always be pulling straight downwards. Once the forearm starts approaching the vertical, the tension on the biceps decreases. Standing cable curls have a slight advantage since the cable will keep tension on the biceps even when your forearms are nearly vertical with the floor. So while standing barbell curls are probably the best overall biceps exercise, cable curls are a viable alternative.

[UkrainianGuy]

544. BODY-DRAG CURLS
This exercise is great for working the biceps while minimizing forearm involvement. Instead of curling the bar upwards in an arc (starting close to the thighs, going outwards as you curl up, and coming inwards at the top), you drag the bar straight up the middle of the body. Your elbows will move behind your body as you complete the rep. Try to keep the bar no more than one to two inches from the torso at all times.

545. OVERHEAD CABLE CURLS
This exercise is great for those of you who love flexing in the mirror. Stand inside the cable crossover machine and grab the single-hand attachments. Adopt a double-biceps pose and slowly curl the handles towards the ears. For that extra contraction, hold the position for a second or two.

546. LYING DUMBELL CURLS
If you're looking for the maximum stretch in your biceps when working out, try lying dumbell curls. Lie back on a flat bench and let your arms hang down. Slowly curl the dumbells until they are in line with the bench. You will need a higher-than-normal flat bench for this exercise.

547. WRIST CURLS
If your torso and upper arm exercises don't adequately stimulate your forearms, start including direct forearm training. The simplest is the barbell or dumbell wrist curl. Sit down on a flat bench and rest your forearms, palms up, on the end of the bench. Slowly curl the barbell toward your forearm by flexing at the wrist. Keep your forearm flat on the bench at all times. For variety you can perform the exercise one arm at a time with a dumbell. Forearm curls primarily work the flexors of the forearm.

548. REVERSE WRIST CURLS
This exericse is great for working the extensors of the forearm. The movement is almost identical to wrist curls except that your palms are facing the floor. As the extensors are not as strong as the flexors, you'll need to use less weight.

549. REVERSE CURLS
This exercise is identical to standing barbell curls except you curl the bar upwards with your palms facing the floor. This movement is one of the best for working the brachialis (the muscle that lies underneath the biceps) and the brachioradialis (the muscle that links the upper and lower arms).

550. HAMMER CURLS
To really give the brachialis a good workout try hammer curls. Grab a pair of dumbells and, with the palms facing inward, curl them up as you would for a regular set of dumbell curls. For variety try doing the exercise on a cable pulley machine using the rope attachment. (Note: Your palms must face inward throughout the movement.)

[Jazzy]

Thx..A very interesting threads!^^
:hu

[UkrainianGuy]

551. ALL ABOUT PROPORTION
You may think that bodybuilding is nothing more than building the biggest set of arms, but this is simply not the case. When it comes to success in competitive bodybuilding, proportion is the name of the game. Contrary to popular belief, the biggest set of arms won't guarantee that you'll win. A great set of abs will place you as high if not higher on the winner's podium. Every couple of months, take a good look at your physique, paying close attention to proportion. Reduce the training volume on those muscles that seem to be growing fast, and increase your workload on those areas that are lagging behind.

552. UPPERS AND LOWERS
Besides the whole muscles themselves, parts of muscle may respond more quickly than other parts. For example, the upper thighs usually grow faster than the lower thighs. The upper abs tend to "come out" much more easily than the lower abs. Likewise, building the lower chest usually comes easy while filling in the upper chest takes extra work. As with over body proportions, keep an eye on the sections of the individual muscles. Pick and choose your exercises to target both the upper and lower insertions of the muscles.

553. WIDE, WIDE, WIDE
Not everyone is born with naturally wide shoulders. In fact shoulder width has as much to do with bone structure as muscle mass. Some of the widest guys around never lifted a weight in their life. If you were not blessed with a wide shoulder structure, don't dispair. Tailor your shoulder training routine focusing heavily on side dumbell raises, cable side raises and upright rows will put inches on your shoulders and give you that yard-wide look.


554. THE ILLUSION OF A SMALL WAIST
Although most large midsections are the result of too many extra calories, there are a few unfortunates whose less-than-stellar midsections are the result of their genes. Even though these people will never have a 26-inch waist, they can create the illusion of a smaller midsection. As size is a relative term, the focus will be on trying to make the waist smaller by making the upper back wider. By adding extra size to the upper and outer lats, the waistline will start looking smaller in comparison. If you fall into the large-midsection category, start uncluding extra sets of wide pulldowns, chin-ups, and one-arm dumbell rows to your trianing.


555. LIMIT YOUR OBLIQUE TRAINING
Unless you are blessed with an ultra small waist, don't go overboard on your oblique training. Granted the obliques don't have the same growth potential as most of the other muscles, but they are muscles just the same. Doing sides bends with heavy dumbells could cause them to grow, thus giving your waist a fat appearance. Limit your oblique training to bodyweight-only exercises, using higher-than-normal reps.

556. THE LOWER CALVES
They are called bodybuilding's diamonds and for good reason; they are just as valuable and just as elusive. They say great calves rely as much on inheritance as on hard training. There is an element of truth to this, as some of the biggest calves around belong to guys who never did a calf raise in their lives. One of the problems many people run into with calf training is that the upper calves quickly dominate the lowers. In many cases it's simply a case of not training the lower calves. But there are those who fall short in the genetic department and have what are called "high calves." This means that their calf muscles are attached high on the lower leg bones. While there is no way to legthen the calf muscles, you can create the illusion of length by targeting the lower part of the calf (soleus). If you suffer from a high calf, or have been neglecting your lower calf training, begin your calf workouts with seated calf raises. This is the single best movement for developing the soleus.

557. CLOSING THE GAP
As most biceps exercises target the center and upper parts of the biceps, you may reach a point where there is a noticeable gap between the lower biceps and upper forearms. To fill in this gap, you need to do two things: work the lower biceps and develop the brachialis. This best exercise for targeting the lower biceps is the preacher curl, while hammer curls will do a wonderful job on the brachialis.

[UkrainianGuy]

558. CONCENTRATE, CONCENTRATE, CONCENTRATE
One of the primary causes of injuries is a lack of concentration while performing your exercises. A set of squats or bench presses is not the appropiate time to be discussing or even thinking about your plans for Saturday night. One misplaced rep and you could end up in traction for six months. Always keep your mind on the task. When you bench press, for example, you develop a groove for some reason, you risk serious injury.

559. MORE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER
Sometimes we are our own worst enemies when it comes to training. The old philosophy of more is better may apply to many things in life, but it is not always the best approach when training. When your exercise volume exceeds your recovery abilities, a state of overtraining can occur. When this happens improvement not only ceases, but you may even lose muscle strength and size. If you suddenly start experiencing such side effects as weight loss, decreased strength, elevated resting heart rate, and a lack of motivation to train, take a week or two off and then reduce your training volume when you resume exercising.

560. STYLE VS WEIGHT
There's an old saying in bodybuilding that "strict style is king." This is especially true when it comes to injury prevention. Never sacrifice form just to place a few extra plates on the bar. If the muscle is ready for it, fine, increase the weight. But don't get caught up in a numbers game. Sloppy training style can cause long-lasting injury.

561. A WARM MUSCLE IS A SAFE MUSCLE
Few things contribute to injuries like subjecting a cold muscle to a sudden jolt of intense exercise. The human muscle to add a sudden jolt of intense exercise. The human body is like a car in that it works more efficiently when it's warmed up. Before doing any heavy weight lifting, take five or ten minutes and do some light cardio to get the cardiovascular system primed. Then do a couple of light warm-up sets of each specific weight training exercise. Those ten minutes can save you a lifetime of suffering, and prevent a severe blow to your training progress.

562. AVOID ABS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING
When you sleep, the intervertebral discs in your spine fill up with fluid. If you do any exercise that flexes the spine early in the morning, the vertebrae end up squeezing the discs, placing excess stress on them. As the day goes on the fluid drains away, allowing for greater flexibility of the spine. The bottom line is to leave your ab training until midday or evening.

[UkrainianGuy]

563. STRIPPING FOR INJJURY PREVENTION
One of easiest ways to warm up the muscles and prepare them for heavier lifting is by starting your workout wearing a heavy sweatshirt. Within the first couple of minutes of exercise you'll be sweating. After 5 or 10 minutes, strip the sweatshirt off and finish your workout in a T-shirt or tank top.

564. HOMEMADE IS NOT ALWAYS BEST
While mom's homemade bread may put the supermarket brands to shame, the same is not always true for gym equipment. Unless the designer of the equipment is familiar with both human kinesiology and exercise techique, that homemade leg press may be a death trap. The average person has no idea of the stresses placed on machines and muscles during a typical workout. You can't just weld a few pieces of metal together and call it a leg press or Smith machine. Even if the equipment is solidly built, does it mimic the natural biomechanics of the human body? There is a good reason why equipment manufacturers spend millions of dollars designing their products. Very rarely can Johnny Bench Press duplicate this in his garage with a welding torch

565. CHECK THE MACHINE
One of the reasons that the aviation industry is so safe is because pilots always do a walk-around before taking off. You should do the same before using any piece of gym equipment. Visually inspect the cables for fraying. Check all attachments for cracks. Make sure any adjustable seats, pads and benches lock properly.

566. CHANGE YOUR FOOTWEAR
Although the frequency may be different, you should treat your sneakers like socks - change them regularly. The lifespan for a sneaker (or cross trainer) that is used daily for weight training and cardio is about four or five months. After that they won't be giving you the support you need. Chuck them out and buy a new pair.

567. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
A house or building is only as good as its foundation. The human body is in many respects similar. Despite the rantings of some so-called experts, most accept that intense exercise increases nutrient demands. All that muscle tissue you have broken down must be rebuilt. Likewise your immune system needs to be boosted to maintain your health during strenuous exercise. Nutrient intake must keep pace with your training or you'll never make gains. In addition, continuously subjecting your body to intense exercise without supplying the nutrients necessary for fuel and repair is only setting you up for an injury.

568. THE RIGHT EXERCISES FOR YOU
No matter how carefully you warm-up and how well you perform the exercises, there will be exercises that just don't feel right. For example squats, wihle probably being the best overall leg exercise, may place stress on the knees or lower back. If you find these areas starting to take the brunt of your squat workouts, either decrease the weight or eliminate the exercise completely. Don't keep enduring the pain just because "you are supposed to do squats." Another exercise that you may want to eliminate is barbell presses for the shoulders. In this case, the small rotator muscles of the shoulders may be damaged by repeated heavy presses. You have to weigh the benefits of a particular exercise with its potential for injury.

569. MODIFY WHEN NECESSARY
If you develop a slight injury and plan on working around it (check with your doctor first), try modifying your exercises. For example, if your rotator muscles are sore, try bending the elbows at 90 degrees when doing side raises. Likewise try doing a flye/press when training chest. Standard dumbell presses or flyes can be difficult to perform when the shoulder joint is acting up. Many people find that if they do presses with the hands rotated inwards to the flye position, the amount of stress on the shoulder joint is greatly reduced.

570. WATCH THE SHOULDER JOINT
Next to the lower back, the shoulder region is probably the most abused region of the body. This is especially true for weightlifters. All those heavy presses, both for the chest and shoulders, can play havoc with the shoulder joint. Always pay attention to any warning signals your body may give with regards to your shoulder's health. As soon as there is any degree of inflammation, ease off they heavy pressing.

[UkrainianGuy]

571. DON'T NEGLECT THE REAR DELTS
The rear delts are one of the most neglected muscle groups. This is because they are located behind the shoulder girdle and are not easily visible. Unfortunately, weak rear shoulders lead to a sloping forward of the shoulder. This changes the body's center of gravity, placing extra stress on the lower back. Even though the rear delts will receive indirect stimulation from most upper back exercises, you should include some direct rear shoulder exercises in your workouts - two of the best being reverse pecdeck flyes and bent-over lateral raises with dumbells.

572. KEEP YOURSELF CHARGED
Although cramping rarely leads to injuries, the possibility still exists. Most of the body's metabolic reactions are under the control of charged particles called electrolytes (biochemists call them ions). When water levels rise, and hence electrolyte levels drop, the various chemical reactions that influence muscle contraction may be impeded. One of the end results of this is cramping, but it can get much more serious. One way to combat this is to sip on a good electrolyte drink as you work out (the most popular is Gatorade).

573. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Very rarely will an injury pop up out of the blue. The body usually gives you warning signals. That slight lower back twinge on a set of squats is a warning not to put any more weight on the bar that day. Likewise if your shoulder is aching after you do bench presses, you may be developing bursitis. Always pay attention to any warning signals the body gives off. Failure to do so could set you back months, if not years.

574. RICE - MORE THAT JUST GOOD EATING
If you do develop a minor injury, follow the old First Aid standby of RICE. The acronym stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Hopefully the words speak for themselves. First Rest the injured body part. Then apply ice to keep swelling down. Compress the area to keep blood and fluids from accumulating. Finally, Elevate the limb to reduce pressure and fluid build-up.

[UkrainianGuy]

575. BATHROOM FIRST?
Laugh if you may, but going to the washroom before workout out could prevent injuries. Performing heavy squats or deadlifts on a full bladder will be both uncomfortable and potentially danerous. Likewise, the less solid waste in your GI tract the less chance for cramping

576. ACCLIMATE TO THE ENVIRONMENT
If you start training in a hotter environment, or your area experiences a sudden heat wave, modify your outdoor training accordingly. If takes the average person 10 to 14 days to acclimate (adapt to) to a hot environment. If necessary, reduce your workout volume by 25 to 50 percent.

577. BURSITIS - COLD IS BEST
A bursa is a small sack-like cavity that contains fluids to protect the joints from rubbing together. Regular exercise occasionally leads to inflammation of the bursa (called bursitis), particularly the bursa in the shoulder joint. Most experts suggest avoiding heat to treat bursitis as this could make the condition worse. Instead ice the area on a regular basis.

578. TENDONITIS - HOT AND COLD
Tendonitis is the inflammation of a tendon, which usually results from overuse of an area. One of the best treatments is to alternate ice for one minute with heat for five to seven minutes, twice a day. You should also eliminate or greatly reduce the exercises that involve that particular area.

[UkrainianGuy]

579. AM I ADVANCED?
As much as we'd like to advise you when to proceed tot he advanced level of training, realistically we can't Everyone progresses at his or her own rate. Most people are ready for more advanced training after about a year of exercise. By this point you'll find that even by changing the exercises and splitting your workouts, your gains have slowed down. To address this situation you'll need to start applying various advanced training rechniques to shock your muscles into new growth.

580. CHEAT REPS
Despite their name, cheat reps are one of the simplest ways to shock muscles into new growth. Even though most sports regard cheating as nothing but negative, controlled cheating does have a place in bodybuilding. At its simplest level cheating means using additional muscles to assist the primary muscles complete a set. For example when doing barbells, if you fail at the 8th rep but want to complete 10 reps, you'll add just a little bit of body momentum to "swing" the weight up. However, it is important that you only start "cheating" after you have completed 7 or 8 reps. In so doing you will involve more cells and pave the way for bigger muscles.


581. CHEAT TO MAKE HARDER, NOT EASIER
If you perform your cheat reps in proper style, the muscle will ache more, not less. The purpose of cheating is to stimulate the muscle fibres with greater intensity, not less. If you are cheating just to lift more weight, or get the set over more rapidly, you are defeating the purpose.

[UkrainianGuy]

582. WHEN NOT TO CHEAT
Some exercises by their very nature are not good candidates for cheating. Bouncing the barbell off the chest while doing bench presses is a great way to damage your rib cage. Barbell and T-bar rows are also poor candidates for cheating, given the vulnerability of the lower back to injury. Bouncing on preacher curls is a definite no-no. Numerous bodybuilders have ripped biceps tendons this way. As for squats, the amount of weight you'll be using makes the exercise an extremely dangerous one for cheating. Avoid bouncing out of the low squat position. Other exercises that you should avoid cheating on are stiff-leg deadlifts, seated rows, and seated barbell presses.

583. GOOD CANDIDATES FOR CHEATING
Despite the dangers of cheating on some exercises, others lend themselves perfectly to cheating. With the exception of preacher curls, virtually all biceps exercises are great candidates for cheating. All it takes is a little body momentum to get those couple of extra reps. You'll need to be a bit more creative with triceps exercises, but you can use your back muscles on most triceps exercises to do a few cheat reps. You can easily use your arms to push on your thighs when doing leg presses. Likewise you can use your thighs to help you cheat out a few extra standing calf raises. You've probably "learned" to cheat on most abdominal exercises by now. Most people cheat on ab exercises from day one by swinging the arms forward or rocking the pelvis. Try to leave such cheating for the last couple of reps.

584. HOW MANY CHEAT REPS?
This is the most frequently asked questions about cheat reps. Some bodybuilders chest from rep one, others have never done a cheat rep in their lives. Our suggestion is to pick a weight that enables you to complete 8 to 10 strict reps, and then cheat for a couple of extra reps. We should add that your cheating should be limited to a slight assistance from other muscles. When you reach the point at which you have to sway, bounce, and swing your whole body just to keep the weight moving, it's time to stop!

585. PARTIAL REPS, OR BURNS
This advanced technique was popularized by California bodybuilding guru, Vince Gironda. Burns are nothing more than a couple of partial reps performed at the end of a regular set. Let's say you manage to complete 10 reps on the barbell curl. While you may not be able to complete a full 11th rep, you can probably lower the bar halfway and return it to the top. The name burn comes from how the muscle will start feeling after you complete a few partial reps. Burns can be performed for just about every exercise. Be wary, however, of doing them on exercises where collapsing could place you at risk of serious injury (squats, bench presses, etc).

[UkrainianGuy]

586. DOUBLE-SPLIT ROUTINES
Once you reach a certain size and strength, you'll discover that you can place tremendous demands on your engery reserves. Ten reps with 300 pounds on the bench press will take a lot more out of you than those 100-pound sets a few years ago. By the time you get to the second muscle group in your workout it will be difficult to do it justice. One way around this is with a split routine. Train one muscle earlier in the day, and then come back later and hit a different muscle group. Instead of one long (60 to 90 minutes) workout, you perform two shorter (30 to 45 minute) routines.


587. PHA TRAINING
PHA, or Peripheral Heart Action, training was invented by 1966's Mr. America Bob Gajda. It is a great precontest advanced training technique, as it helps keep the blood circulating throughout the entire body. This burns more calories per unit of time as well as speeding up the removal of the waste byproducts of exercise. For maximum effectiveness, alternate a lower body exercise with an upper-body movement.


588. DUMBELLS ONLY
One of the nice things about dumbells is that they force both sides of the body to do an equal amount of work. Machines (and even barbells to some extend) often let the stronger side dominate. Dumbells are also easy to get at the gym during crowded times of the day. Try the following dumbells curls, seated shoulder presses, concentration curls, across-bench pullovers, triceps extensions.


589. BARBELLS ONLY
Most of the biggest and strongest guys in the world got their start working with nothing but barbells. When it comes to building maximum strength and size, barbells are as good as it gets. Spend a couple of months doing nothing but squats, bench presses, deadlifts, curls, shoulder presses, lying triceps extensions and barbell rows, and see what happens.


590. MACHINES ONLY
We'll be the first to admit that dumbells and barbells will do more for your size and strength than other pieces of training equipment. But machines have their pace. They are especially effective when you hav e a slight injury you need to train around. Machines are also a great way to give the joints a rest from the regular pounding of free wieghts.


591. BODYWEIGHT ONLY
Sometimes the simplest eay to improve your aize and strength is by getting back to basics - way back to basics! Before barbells and dumbells made their appearance, people got in shape by using their bodyweight. Take a look at the physiques from the old Muscle Beach days (1930s, 1940s, and 1950s). Take a couple of weeks and do nothing but chin-ups, dips, push-ups, and crunches. Not only will you be giving the joints a rest, your workouts will be quicker because there will be no waiting around for equipment.

[UkrainianGuy]

592. FREESTYLE
As the name implies, freestyle training involves training whichever muscle you feel need sit on any given day. You may be scheduled to do legs, but perhaps the legs are still not recovered from the previous leg workout. Conversely your chest or back may be fully charged and ready to go. Keep in mind you have to be intune with your body to train freestyle. It's easy to skip the muscles you hate training (which are usually your weaker muscles) and hit your favorite muscle groups. Don't use freestyle training to satisfy your laziness.

593. ULTRASLOW REPS
Although the time varies, most bodybuilders take four to six seconds to perform one rep. Using an ultraslow training pace, however, has a number of advantages. For starters, it all but eliminates the body momentum that often accompanies faster rep paces. Another advantage is safety. Most injuries are the result of sudden stops or starts, either of which can rip ligaments or tendons. It is for this reason that slow tempos are great for training around injuries or resuming training after an injury. A slower pace also forces you to concentrate. try lowering a light weight over 10 seconds or more. It's virtually impossible to let your mind drift.

594. ULTRASLOW - HOW LONG?
There is no dividing line between normal-speed and ultraslow training. Most experts recommend taking at least 20 seconds to complete each rep. This works out to 10 seconds wach for both raising and lowering. Experiment with differnt rep schemes. Also keep in mind that you won't be able to use near the weight that you can on your regular speed sets. Start with about 50 percent and don't be surprised if you have to drop it back to 25 to 30 percent.

595. ULTRA-FAST REPS
Ultra-fast reps received their biggest boost from '60s bodybuilding superstar Leroy Colbert, the first man to develop 20-inch arms. In their simplest form ultra-fast reps are done using the heaviest weight and fastest speed possible. Now this doesn't mean bouncing the weight around in a haphazard manner. It means using good technique to perform the reps as quickly as possible. Some people call it racing the clock. Ultra-fast reps have two primary advantages: they allow you to perform more reps in a given period of time, thus completing your workout quickly, and they allow you to handle more weight than you could if using a conventional rep speed (four to six seconds per rep).

596. STRIPPING
Stripping is an advanced training technique that is both easy to learn and very effective. Let's say you are using 200 pounds on the bench press for a maximum of 10 reps. You may not be able to complete an 11th rep with the 200 pounds, but in all probability you could perform a couple of more reps with 150 or even 175 pounds. As soon as you complete you last possible rep with 200 pounds, have a training partner strip (remove) 20 or 30 pounds from the bar and then continue on for a couple of additional reps. Obviously the same weight has to be taken from either side.

597. DOWN THE RACK
Stripping is not limited to barbells. You can do the same thing with dumbells. If you are using, say, 30-pound dumbells for side raises. complete the given number of reps and then place them back on the rack and grab a set of 25s. Squeeze out as mant as you can manage (probably in the 3 to 5 range) and then grab the 15s or 20s. Again see how many reps you can complete. You can probably see where the name comes from. You are literally working your way "down the rack" towards the lighters dumbells.

598. RACE THE CLOCK
To really bring focus back to your wokrouts, try doing the same number of sets in a shorter period of time. Or try doing more sets in the same time period. Either way you will be forced to cut down on gym-chatter and other workout-wasting distractions. This is a great way of increasing intensity. Adding more weight to the bar is another form of increasing intensity.


599. TRIPLE-DROP SETS
They are excellent for hitting the different muscle fiber types. Start with a weight that will allow you to just squeeze out 12 to 15 reps. Without stopping, grab a heavier weight that allows you to perform only 4 or 5 hard reps. Finally finish of with a set of 15 to 20 reps. For convenience triple-drop sets work best with machines or dumbells, but they can be employed with a barbell or if you have a couple of willing workout partners.

600. YOU GO, I GO
Nothing fancy here. One of you does a set of an exercise and then passes the bar or dumbells the other other. There is not rest in between. You go, I go works great with simple exercises like barbell curls where both of you are using the same weight. The technique is also great for friendly competitions as both of you can try to outdo the other in the number of reps you complete.

[UkrainianGuy]

601. TWENTY-ONES
This technique is most suited for curling movements. The name comes from the number of reps performed during the set. To do a set of 21s, select a weight about half what you would normally use for a set of barbell curls. Start by curling the bar from the thighs to about the midpoint (forearms parallel to floor). Complete 7 reps. Then, without stopping, curl the bar all the way up and lower only to midpoint. When 7 additional reps have been performed, try to force out 7 full reps. It will take a bit of experimenting to figure out a weight that will enable you to just complete 21 reps. We should add that 21 is a somewhat arbitrary number. You could do 18s (3 X 6) or 24s (3 X 8).

602. STAGGERED SETS
When you find that some of yoursmaller muscles (side shoulders, calves, forearms) start lagging behind, you may want to begin performing extra sets for them. One way to do this is to do the extra sets while you are resting between sets when traing the bigger muscles. For example, while taking you break between bench presses, throw in a set of calf raises. Likewise, you could do a set of forearm curls between sets of squats. When performing staggered sets keep in mind that there are combinations that won't work well together. Doing forearms between sets of back or chest will interfere with your gripping strength. Staggered sets for calves may throw your leg workouts off. Make sure the muscles for which you are performing extra work don't interfere with the primary muscles being trained.

603. NEGATIVES FOR POSITIVE RESULTS
Numerous bodies of research have demonstrated that the lowering, or negative, part of the reps is just as effective as, if not more effective than, the raising (positive) part of the rep. A workout with a high percentage of negative reps will leave your muscles aching more than a workout consisting soley of positive reps will. On may exercises you will need a training partner to assist you in performing negative reps. Load the bar with slightly more weight than you can lift. Have your training partner help you lift it. Then lower it without assistance in a slow and controlled manner. You can even try stopping the bar's downward motion. Once you reach the bottom, have your training partner assist you in hoisting the bar back up. On an exercise like barbell curls you can be your own spotter. Just use body momentum to help you raise the bar back to the top position. Note: warm up well before attempting negative reps.

604. REST-PAUSE
The rest-pause teechnique is based onthe physiological fact that a muscle will usually regain about 90 percent of its strength in 10 to 20 seconds. Select a barbell (machine, or dumbells) that will allow you to perform only one rep in positive style. After completing one rep, place the weight back on the rack. Slowly count to 10, then do another rep. Alternate these then-second, one-rep sequences until you have completed one set of 8 to 10 reps. As with most advanced training techniques you will probably need to reduce your weight from what you would normally use for straight sets.


605. PRE-EXHAUST SETS
I invented the pre-exhaust system in the late 1960s. Pre-exhaust is one way to get around the "weak linkin the chain" that brings premature failure to many exercises. For example, on bench presses the smaller triceps often give out before the larger chest muscles. To get around this, first perform an isolation exercise like dumbell flyes, which places little stress on the triceps. This will "pre-exhaust" the chest. Because the chest has already been worked, by the time you do bench presses the triceps are no longer the weaker muscle and can push the chest muscles to failure.

[omega]

would like to say hello to everyone