As someone who has played around with many bodybuilding tactics over the last two decades, I can tell you that the strategy of eating like a pig in order to gain muscle will leave you, unfortunately, looking like one. With the exception of hardgainers who have a super fast metabolism, most of us need to focus on consuming quality calories in order to gain muscle. Furthermore, we cannot consume calories indiscriminately as again, doing so will invariable result in too much fat gain.

Because I have gotten a lot of emails lately on this subject, here is an article that I put together that will clear up the confusion: Bodybuilding Tips for Bulking Up Without Gaining Fat

Bodybuilding Tips for Bulking Up Without the Fat originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 16:44:10.

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A lot of people who are just getting started in bodybuilding are always in their search for the most anabolic substance in the planet in order to skyrocket their bodybuilding results.  If you fall in this category, don't feel bad; I was in your shoes once also.

Here is the deal.  In the constant quest for the most anabolic substance a lot of beginners, as well as intermediate and sometimes even advanced bodybuilders make the mistake to forget about the basics.  If you want great bodybuilding results you need to:

• Follow the right bodybuilding training program.

• Follow the right bodybuilding diet (either one that focuses on fat loss while building muscle or one that focuses on exclusive muscle building) and using some very basic bodybuilding supplements.

• Getting the proper amount of rest.

With that said, while you may be training hard and following the right diet, a lot of people still forget to consume the most anabolic susbtance in the planet which believe it or not, is just plain water.

While the muscle cell is made up of protein, and its size is influenced by the amount of glycogen (stored carbohydrate) and some intramuscular fat also (fat inside the muscle cell) that it contains, the main element that influenced muscle cell size and anabolism is water since that is what makes up most of the muscle cell.  Fail to consume enough water and not only your muscle building and fat burning processes will be affected negatively but you will also lack the muscle volume that you are looking for.

While this is a seemingly obvious fact, there are so many bodybuilders that fail to drink the water that I felt compelled to write a full article about it.

Check out my latest article on the importance of water for bodybuilding:

Water: The Most Anabolic and Most Neglected Nutrient for Bodybuilding

What Is The Most Anabolic Substance In The Planet for Bodybuilding? originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, January 23rd, 2012 at 11:11:57.

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As we start this year I want you to know that the road to achieving your bodybuilding goals (or any other goals for that matter) will most likely not be an easy one.However, you need to stay focused on what you want and fight for it! The potential to achieve anything you want lies inside of you.

With that in mind, I put together this article on the Ten Things You Can Do To Achieve Your Bodybuilding Goals (Or Any Other Goals) so that you can start the year on the right track!

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Ten Things You Can Do To Achieve Your Bodybuilding Goals (Or Any Other Goals)! originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, January 9th, 2012 at 07:33:16.

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Multi-Vitamins and Minerals for Bodybuilders? This is definitely not the centerfold to your favorite bodybuilding or muscle building magazine. With som much attention given to bodybuiling supplements such as protein, creatine, l-glutamine etc, there is hardly any room for those important vitamins and minerals.

Animal Pak by Universal Nutrition is a great way to take your multi-vitamins and minerals for those who are bodybuilding. The great features of this product are that they not only contain multi-vitamins and minerals, but also contain l-glutamine and BCAA's for optimal recovery. The best part about this bodybuilding supplement is that you can take them with you on the go in your pockets as they come in little mini packs. These are just a few of the many benefits of Animal Pak that can lead to massive bodybuilding gains! To find out more, read my article discusses the many benefits of this bodybuilding supplement!

Animal Pak: Multi-Vitamin & Minerals for Bodybuilders originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Friday, December 30th, 2011 at 22:05:07.

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Ranking as one of the most popular bodybuilding supplements for years, NO-Xplode has drastically changed the supplement industry forever! Before NO-xplode, there was not any pre-workout supplements that contained creatine, arginine and caffeine to help bodybuilders achieve their bodybuilding gains! However, thanks to No xplode by BSN, that has all changed!

This powerful pre-workout bodybuilding supplement is exactly what you need in order to achieve your bodybuilding goals! From the moment you take this product until the end of your workout you will feel ignited and ready for launch off like a NASA space shuttle. To find out more on how this bodybuilding supplement can help you increase muscle mass and have better results in the gym, read my latest article on NO-Xplode.

NO Xplode: Acclerated Massive Muscle Mass Generator originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Friday, December 30th, 2011 at 22:04:07.

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Like I have mentioned countless times before, bodybuilding is the best weapon for women to lose weight and get toned. Remember that while cardiovascular exercise burns calories, and I recommend it at least 3 times a week for 20 minutes, it does little to re-shape your body and it cannot permanently increase your metabolism the way that weight training does.  Thus, women who enslave doing countless of hours of cardio in hopes that they will achieve a lean and toned physique are unfortunately wasting their time.

One question I get often from women is how to fix the issue of flabby triceps.  Just like with any other trouble spot, the remedy comes in the form of the right amount of bodybuilding training, with some cardiovascular exercise and the right fat burning diet.

What's a good training routine for the arms?  I will let champion natural bodybuilder and Registered Nurse Cecile Bayeul show you the right way to getting toned arms.

Check out Cecile Bayeul's Bodybuilding Arm Workout Routines

By the way guys, this is a great workout that can be used to gain muscle as well in your arms! Don't be afraid to try it out!

Girls: Re-Shape Your Arms Using Cecile Bayeul's Bodybuilding Workouts for Arms originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Wednesday, December 28th, 2011 at 01:16:19.

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A lot of people make tons of excuses as to why they can't embark on a bodybuilding program.  In my experience, if you want something badly enough, you will find a way to achieve your goals no matter what the odds may be.  That is the reason why every time I come across an inspirational story of someone who has beaten the odds, I love to immediately share it in order to inspire others to do the same and get what they want out of life.

With that said, here is the inspirational story of IFBB Pro Shawn Rhoden and how he went from skinny to fulfilling his dream of becoming one of the best in the world against all obstacles.  While you may have no aspirations of even competing one day, the thing to take away from this story is that if you are determined, you have the right mindset, you believe in yourself and are willing to make the necessary sacrifices you will accomplish anything.

Learn About The Inspirational Bodybuilding Journey of IFBB Pro Shawn Rhoden originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Saturday, December 24th, 2011 at 00:01:28.

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If you want to enjoy the Holidays without affecting your ability to reach your bodybuilding goals, there is a right and a wrong way of doing things.  If you do things the wrong way then by the time the Holidays are over you may find yourself with over 10-lbs of body fat.  However, as I have mentioned before, if you do things the correct way you may be able to have your cake and eat it too (literally!) as you still make progress with your bodybuilding endeavors.

Thus, without further ado, here are Six Bodybuilding Tricks to Getting Your Abs and Staying Lean Over the Holidays!

More Bodybuilding Tips for Staying Fit While Enjoying the Holidays! originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Friday, December 23rd, 2011 at 20:22:23.

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A lot of bodybuilders simply do not get good bodybuilding results due to the fact that they don't focus when they perform their bodybuilding exercises. I have said this many times, and I will continue to say it: bodybuilding is not just about lifting a weight from point A to point B. It's about using a weight as a tool in order to stimulate your muscles to grow. In order to do this, you need to concentrate during your lifts and make sure that you are executing the movement throughout its full range of motion as you maximally stretch and then contracting the muscles.

Along these lines, here are some bodybuilding resources that will help you to get the most out of your bodybuilding workouts:

7 Tips to Making Exercises More Effective

Mind Over Muscle and the Zone Tone Method

Tricks to Super Charging Your Bodybuilding Exercises originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, December 19th, 2011 at 10:54:04.

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If you are having problems staying motivated throughout the holidays here is some great advice on how to keep your bodybuilding workouts great throughout the season: Bodybuilding Tips for Staying Motivated With Your Workouts Through the Holidays!

Staying Motivated Throughout the Holidays originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Monday, December 19th, 2011 at 09:58:35.

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If you are worried that the Holidays will derail you from achieving your bodybuilding goals, there is no need to fear.  There are some things that you can do in order to take advantage of the increased food availability.  If you play your cards right you may get away with having your cake and eating it too so to speak.  In other words, if you train and diet intelligently throughout this period you will gain muscle while at the worst case, maintaining your same body fat levels.  Sounds interesting?  If so, then take a look at my 10 Bodybuilding Strategies for Staying Fit Throughout the Holidays and watch the muscle pile up as you still get to enjoy the Holiday season.  Try these strategies out and let me know how they work for you.

Holiday Bodybuilding Survival Guide originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Thursday, November 24th, 2011 at 03:45:40.

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We all want to achieve the fastest bodybuilding gains.  Sometimes bodybuilders focus their attention on the latest and greatest supplements on the market in hopes to accelerate gains.  However, do you want a tip that will really maximize your gains?  Check your exercise form and lift the weights properly.

As obvious as this may sound, in practice what you see over and over again in gyms all across the world is a lot of heavy lifting with very poor exercise form.  Keep in mind that bodybuilding is not just about lifting a weight from point A to point B.  The goal is to use the weights as a tool to make the muscles contract and stimulate them to grow.  So what is the proper way for bodybuilders to lift the weight?

You need to feel the muscle contract as you execute the movement and then you need to feel it elongate during the stretch position.  If you are just getting started, I suggest that you take 2 seconds to lift the weight (the positive portion of the exercise) and 3-4 seconds to lower it (the negative portion of the exercise).  Make sure that you go through the full range of motion and avoid swinging motions or using momentum to get the weight lifted.  Become an expert at creating a mind to muscle connection that will activate as many muscle fibers as possible when you lift the weight.

Think of bodybuilding exercise as posing but with weights.  So for example, if you do a biceps curl, focus on the squeeze of the biceps and then on the stretch as you take the weight back to the starting position.  The upper arms should remain stationary and only the forearms should move as you focus on making the biceps stretch and then contract as hard as possible.  The better you become at creating a mind to muscle connection by concentrating on lifting properly the better your bodybuilding gains will be.  You may need to back off a bit on the weight lifted at first but I guarantee you that the results will be well worth it!

Exercise Form and Lifting The Weights Properly Are The Keys for the Fastest Bodybuilding Gains originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Saturday, November 19th, 2011 at 21:39:03.

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No big success, whether in bodybuilding or any other part of life, happens overnight. It is a step by step process that starts with goal setting.

To achieve success you need to set little goals, write them down, make yourself accountable to them, believe in your ability to achieve them and make them happen. Most people don't honor self promises and goals. This is why they never move forward.

Set your goals and commit to them as if your life depended on them! At the end of the day, the quality of your life will be determined by your ability to reach goals.

With fitness, it can be something like simply making it to the gym 3 times a week. Once you achieve that goal, then you can set the goal of losing a couple of pounds each week by cutting the bad fats out of your diet. After you accomplish that, then you can set another goal. Slowly but surely you keep building up until you have the art of goal setting down. Then you can start making bigger goals and plans. Suddenly you will see that what appeared out of reach and impossible, is at an arm's length!

Achieve Bodybuilding Success Step by Step originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 at 10:04:23.

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All dietary fats are not created equal. Unlike some uninformed nutritionists think, not all fats cause heart disease and clogged arteries.  For example, salmon is super rich in omega 3's which have been shown to improve protein synthesis, help with fat loss, brain function, joint issues and many other functions. Avocados may help to lower cholesterol, while extra virgin olive oil is rich in anti-oxidants and may offer liver protection. Nuts help to satiate the appetite while improving thermogenesis and the fat from a whole egg may help with hormonal levels (as some saturated fat is needed in order to produce testosterone).

The reality of the situation is that in order to live and function properly, it is essential to get good fats.  Thus, the key is to get a variety of them and keep the caloric intake from fats around 20% of your total calories.

Related Bodybuilding Article

The Importance of Fats and Basic Bodybuilding Diet Rules

Not All Fats Are Created Equal originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 at 00:26:01.

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There are many reasons why your bodybuilding workouts may not be delivering the results that you are looking for.  Typically, when this is the case, the first thing I do is analyze the diet to make sure that the person is feeding themselves correctly.  You could have the best workout program in the world but without the raw materials necessary for growth (protein, carbs and fats) there is no way that you can gain even a gram of muscle.

Once I am done with the diet analysis, the next part that I take a look at is the workout design itself.  How often I come across bodybuilders that have not changed their workout programs in years!  Assuming that the nutrition component is in order, what causes lack of gains from your workouts is the fact that your body has already gotten used to the one that you are doing.  I have emphasized this point over and over again.  The need for periodization in your workout program is of utmost importance.  A workout is only as good as the time it takes your body to get used to it.  After that, it is time to come up with something new.

I recommend you take a look at a great article that covers this topic, written by one of my good friends and industry expert Will Brink, called Why Your Bodybuilding Workouts Suck.  As you can see, Will has a tendency to be pretty blunt; something I love about him.  At any rate, see what this top expert has to say on the subject of why you may not be making gains from your workouts.

Feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts.

Why You Are Not Making Gains From Your Bodybuilding Workouts originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Friday, October 21st, 2011 at 13:54:15.

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It does not matter how many bodybuilding articles I seem to write, there are always lingering weight loss questions.  To be honest, I completely understand because there is so much misinformation out there that it is very hard for someone who is just starting out to know what to do or who to believe.

At any rate, the bodybuilding question that I want to deal with today is a very common one: Which Foods You Need to Avoid In Order to Lose Weight.  In my answer, I will not only cover which foods need to be avoided, but I will tell you the 3 bodybuilding guidelines that you need to follow in order to lose weight in the form of fat.  Follow these guidelines and I guarantee you weight loss success.

Bodybuilding FAQ - Which Foods You Need to Avoid In Order to Lose Weight originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Friday, October 21st, 2011 at 00:22:26.

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Often women do not realize that the best weapon they have in their arsenal to lose weight and get toned is bodybuilding.  There are still some that do countless hours of cardio and do not go near the weights afraid that they will bulk up and turn into the Incredible Hulk.  However, this is not the case as females do not produce the amount of testosterone required for that to happen by mere accident.

Back to my point, one of the trouble spots for women is their legs as this is where women tend to store most of the body fat (particularly in the hips, thighs and butt).  However, with the proper training and diet, the fat can be burned and the legs and glutes can be completely re-shaped and toned.  So what needs to be done in order to get the legs in shape?  I will let champion natural bodybuilder and Registered Nurse Cecile Bayeul show you the way as in one year she completely re-shaped her lower body earning her an overall victory in a bodybuilding competition.

Check out Cecile Bayeul's Leg Workout Routines and Diet Tips.

By the way guys, this is a great workout that can be used to gain muscle as well!  Don't be afraid to try it out!

Girls: Re-Shape Your Legs Using Cecile Bayeul's Bodybuilding Leg Workouts! originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Thursday, October 20th, 2011 at 00:02:18.

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Alot of questions have come my way lately in regards to the effects of caffeine and whether or not  it affects your bodybuilding endeavors in a good or bad way.  From personal experience I can share that caffeine is something that in moderation serves as a great tool to get incredible bodybuilding workouts as it increases energy, focus, and pain tolerance.

Now, there are a few things that you need to know about caffeine.  Not all caffeine is created equal, believe it or not.  While coffee and caffeine are viewed as one and the same, do you know that you get different effects from both?  It was not until I read a great article from my good friend, and all around brainiac, Will Brink that I learned this fact.  Here is a two part article that Will Brink put together which covers The Facts on Caffeine and how this compound can be used as a great tool to help you in your bodybuilding endeavors.

Caffeine and Bodybuilding originally appeared on About.com Bodybuilding on Wednesday, October 19th, 2011 at 13:59:43.

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