1 Remedies for Lagging Upper Pecs 6

The pec deck - and similar flye machines - allow you to really bombard your inner chest and get a great stretch on your entire pectoral complex. But, Gunter says, keeping your elbows high and parallel to the floor will allow you to bring the upper pecs into play as well.
                                                                                                 

                                                                                        

This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com

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2 Remedies for Lagging Upper Pecs 6

Incline dumbbell flyes are a great way to not only add mass to your upper chest but to etch in freaky detail. Gunter does a variation where his palms remain pronated throughout the movement. This version involves the front delts a bit more but, according to Gunter, "facing the palm forward, it gives you even better tension in your upper chest and it stretches the upper pecs."
                                                                                                       

                                                                                           

This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com

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3 Remedies for Lagging Upper Pecs

"Using dumbbells will give you a completely different kind of tension and range of motion than a barbell," says Gunter. "Make sure that you don't get locked into using the barbell on inclines all the time, or any of your angles for that matter."
                                                                                       

                                                                                    

This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com

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5 Remedies for Lagging Upper Pecs

Build a chest that's thick and rock solid with these 6 bodybuilder-approved tips.

"If your upper pecs are really lagging, the best way to bring them out is to always start with incline moves," he says. You can do this with a barbell, dumbbells or a smith machine. Starting with incline moves will ensure that these underused fibers are fresh, allowing you move the most weight possible to trigger growth. From there you can move on to flat and decline moves, where you're likely naturally stronger.
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This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com

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10 EXERCISES THAT WILL MAKE YOU BURN BELLY FAT WITHOUT HAVING TO JOG OR RUN !!

6. Spider crawl

Excellent exercise for getting more mobility in your legs and hips!!! It also strengthens your abdominal muscles.

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7. The get up

This is a great exercise for getting those six packs! You will get a great arm workout too and not to forget to mention – this is a challenging exercise!

8. Burpee

This is an excellent cardio workout! It makes your heart race and this melts calories! It may be difficult at the beginning, that’s why you can adjust it by your level.

9. Skater exercise

This is a great exercise for maximum calories burn with minimum effort. It is also a cardio exercise, so your heart will beat faster and you will move from one leg to another in a second. Enjoy it!

10. Rope jumping

Want to tone the arms and legs? Why don’t you try the rope? Great exercise for burning fat and also can be done anywhere!

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This article originally appeared on : healthyuniverses.com

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10 EXERCISES THAT WILL MAKE YOU BURN BELLY FAT WITHOUT HAVING TO JOG OR RUN !!!

Did we mention that summer bodies are made in winter? Today in this article we will give you excellent 10 exercises that will prepare your body for the beach. You will lose weight fast and you will look great without having to jog or run!

1. Squats

Butt muscles are toned by the squat! Today, with the grown up popularity of the exercising era, this is a very popular exercise among women. It works your butt and your legs at the same time; It is very simple and very effective exercise. If you want bigger effects, just do them with dumbbells!

2. Lunges

They are great in toning the butt and the hamstrings. If they are not comfortable for you and you feel slight pain, try doing a glute bridge instead!

3. Push-ups

This exercise targets the upper body. It helps toning the chest, the triceps and your back muscles. If you are doing it right and squeezing your abs, you are toning your torso as well! This is a great exercise that is included in almost every workout plan.

4. The Pull up

This exercise targets your back muscles. It may be difficult and challenging at the beginning, but it surely gives great results!

5. Planks

Excellent exercise for a complete body workout. It only takes few seconds at the beginning and building up the time as you get stronger. It is a very popular exercise. By strengthening your transverse abdominals, you save yourself some back pain in the future!

This article originally appeared on : healthyuniverses.com

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Here’s Why Training Every Muscle Group Twice Per Week Can Result In Faster Muscle Growth

The three pillars of bodybuilding: training, nutrition, and recovery are meant for one ultimate goal only – muscle growth. The scientific word for it is ‘hypertrophy’. If you want to trigger the process of hypertrophy in our muscle tissue, we need to incorporate mechanical stress to those muscles, i.e. training. If training is a must, that leaves us with an important question. And that question is how often do we need to train each muscle group? If we are to give an exact answer to this question, we need to delve into the mechanism behind muscle growth.

-Having the mRNA as a blueprint, the ribosome begins to take the amino acids within the intracellular pool and start connecting them together with peptide bonds to form new contractile proteins. Those proteins will then be incorporated into the existing cells and micro-damaged muscle fibers. This process actually recuperates them and makes them bigger. This whole process is also known as ‘muscle protein synthesis’.

The duration of hypertrophy

Protein synthesis is limited in time as any bodily process. It’s been measured actually. Its increase is practically eliminated in a 36-hour time windows. Those using steroids have an enhanced synthesis mechanism which makes them grow huge in a short amount of time. That’s why for natural trainees, training every muscle group within 48 hours is not just beneficial, it is also crucial. To make sure that you exercise each muscle group two times a week, we suggest you try these three training splits:

Upper/Lower Split Routine For Strength and Mass 

This article originally appeared on : fitnessandpower.com

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Upper/Lower Split Routine For Strength and Mass

The Upper-Lower split is by far one of the most effective splits for gaining strength and muscle mass.It was very popular in the old days,but today it’s losing its popularity thanks to the muscle magazines that preach about 5 or 6 day splits, “pumping”, and “scientific” approach to weightlifting – that usually work only for the drug enhanced weightlifters.

The upper/lower split is a type of weight training schedule that revolves around splitting the body up into two groups – upper body and lower body. Each group is then trained separately on its own workout day.A great thing about the upper/lower split is that legs get a day all to their own, so you have a very balanced workout since you train your legs,the largest muscles in your body,as much as the upper body.

You can work 3 or 4 days a week using the upper/lower split.Training 4 days a week allows you to perform more volume per body part
in each training session. For some athletes and bodybuilders, this is ideal. Bodybuilders need plenty of volume,and high intensity for maximal muscle growth.Training 3 days a week,on the other hand leaves you with more recovery time.

So depending on your conditioning and recovery capacity you can workout 4 days a week:

Week1
Monday – upper body
Tuesday – lower body
Wednesday – rest or light cardio
Thursday – upper body
Friday – lower body
Saturday – rest or cardio
Sunday – rest or cardio
Monday – repeat

or 3 days a week:
Week 1
Monday – upper body
Tuesday – rest or light cardio
Wednesday – lower body
Thursday – rest or light cardio
Friday – upper body
Saturday – rest or cardio
Sunday – rest or cardio
Week 2
Monday –lower body
Tuesday – rest or light cardio
Wednesday – upper body
Thursday – rest or light cardio
Friday – lower body
Saturday – rest or cardio
Sunday – rest or cardio
The idea is to use compound and neurally-demanding exercises like bench press, shoulder press,
squats ,deadlifts and rows instead of isolation exercises for different body parts.
Here is how an example workout would look like:
Lower Body
Squat: 3-4 sets X 6-8 reps
Lying leg curl: 3-4 sets X 6-8 reps
Leg press: 2-3 sets X 10-12 reps
Calf raise: 3-4 sets X 10-12 reps
Upper Body
Flat bench: 3-4 sets X 6-8 reps
Row: 3-4 sets X 6-8 reps
Incline bench or shoulder press: 2-3 sets X 10-12 reps
Pulldown/chin up: 2-3 sets X 10-12 reps
Close grip bench press: 1-2 sets X 12-15 reps ( light )
Biceps curls: 1-2 sets X 12-15 reps ( light )



This article originally appeared on : fitnessandpower.com

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Build Boulder Shoulders With These 3 Supersets

Most fitness-oriented people simply don’t understand how their shoulders function. What they do know, however, is that the shoulder complex is incredibly vulnerable and prone to injury if trained without extra caution, so they stick to exercises that ‘feel’ the safest or are generally approved and advocated by internet bodybuilding gurus. Unfortunately, that fearful approach also prevents them from adding mass to their shoulders and improving their functional strength!

Don’t forget: you are supposed to train your shoulders with plenty of volume and intensity, as long as you mind your form and technique. One of the most underused yet highly effective ways to overload your shoulders and encourage their development is the inclusion of shoulder supersets – sets which include two exercises performed one after the other without any rest in between.

Step out of the box and blow your shoulders up with these 3 shoulder supersets.

Warm-Up Routine

Never skip the warm-up; it will greatly reduce your chance of hurting yourself. These exercises will increase circulation and warm up your muscles, as well as improve their flexibility, coordination and reaction time.

Cardio: 5-10 minutes

Any type of LISS (Low Intensity Steady State Cardio) activity, such as walking, jogging or running is ideal for waking up the entire body and getting you into the right mindset.

Windmills: 30-60 seconds
Warm up your shoulders by performing windmills – stand with arms out straight and parallel to the ground and start rotating them in an arc-like motion. Start from small rotations and gradually increase the size. Perform in both directions
Shoulder dislocations: 10 reps
Don’t worry about the name of this one – it’s actually an amazing exercise that promotes shoulder flexibility. To perform it, stand with a long stick in front of you and position your hands wide at either end, then raise the stick over your head without bending your elbows.

SUPERSET #1

DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE: 4 sets x 8-12 reps

                                                        Dumbbell Lateral Raise

As you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, take a dumbbell in each hand and slightly bend the elbows as the weights hang by your sides, palms facing one another. Bend your upper body forward and allow your hips and knees to bend slightly as well. Raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground, maintaining the torso straight and stabile. Lower the weights down and repeat.

UPRIGHT BARBELL ROW : 4 sets x 8-12 reps 

                                                                  Upright Barbell Row

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Pick up a barbell with a narrow grip and row it vertically up until it reaches the top of your chest. Stop when it reaches just below your chin and your forearms and upper arms are squeezed into each other, parallel to the ground. Lower the weight down and repeat.

SUPERSET #2

DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS : 4 sets x 8-12 reps

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a bench that has back support and place the dumbbells on the top of your thighs. Raise the weights to shoulder height, then rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward and push the dumbbells upward, straightening your elbows. Instead of locking out as you reach the top, keep a slight bend at the elbows all through the movement. Pause for a moment at the top contracted position, then lower the weights down and repeat.

                                                  Dumbbell Shoulder Press

FRONT DUMBBELL RAISE : 4 sets x 8-12 reps

                                                         Front Dumbbell Raise

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palms of the hands facing towards your body. Keeping your torso stationary and maintaining a slight bend at the elbows, raise the weights in front of you until they are parallel to the floor. Pause for a second at the top, then slowly lower the weights down and repeat. Perform the movement in a maximally controlled manner to avoid using momentum.

SUPERSET #3

FACE PULL: 4 sets x 8-12 reps

                                                                     Face Pull

Set up a cable with a rope attachment so that it is in line with your head and grab each end of the rope. Take a couple of steps back from the machine and pull the weight directly towards your face, separating the hands as you do so. As you bring the rope all the way to your face, flare your elbows out but keep your upper arms parallel to the floor. Pause, return to the starting position and repeat.

FRONT BARBELL SHRUG: 4 sets x 8-12 reps

                                                          Front Barbell Shrug
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart as you hold a barbell with both hands in front of you, using a neutral grip. Without rolling your shoulders, shrug them while bringing your arms up and keeping them straight. Avoid lifting the barbell using your biceps and try to touch your shoulders with your ears. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Take Home Message

Don’t be too easy on your shoulders – they are not delicate flowers, they are muscles designed to work 24/7 and you need to overload them to produce growth. This workout will allow you to reach optimal shoulder hypertrophy without increasing the risk of injury, so don’t hesitate to challenge your shoulders with supersets at the next gym session.

Don’t forget that even the best exercise can be a waste of time if you don’t use it right, so focus on utilizing proper form and achieving hypertrophy. Try the prescribed sets and reps and see how it feels. If your shoulders don’t burn as much as you’d like them to – increase either the weight or the volume. Good luck!

This article originally appeared on : fitnessandpower.com

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Stop Eating Carbs Before Bed to Increase HGH

You can increase your muscle mass and lose fat by doing one simple thing. Stop eating two or three hours before you go to sleep. Going to bed slightly hungry is actually not a bad thing for gaining muscle, losing fat and general health.

Every time you eat a meal your metabolism increases a bit. But this effect is kind of opposite at night. At night your body naturally decreases its metabolic rate. A few hours after dinner the body prepares itself for sleep. The only calories you are going to burn during sleep are the the calories that fuel main body functions such as heart beating, breathing and your eyes movement during the REM phase of sleep.

Eating before you go to sleep, especially starchy carbs will increase sugar levels in your blood.Insulin gets released also in your blood to normalize this spike in blood sugar levels. This is bad because about 80-90% of HGH (the Human Growth Hormone that controls aging, controls metabolism, cell growth and repair, and regulates your lean body mass to fat ratio )  is released while you sleep. High levels of insulin in your blood restrict the quantity of HGH released in your bloodstream.
So what can you do to maximize HGH production?
– Eat about 3 hours before you go to bed. Eat all your calories from carbs during the day.

– Your last meal should be some sort of lean protein and non starchy carbs like vegetables. Avoid starchy carbs  like pastas, breads, white rice, cereals, and potatoes. Good sources of lean protein include chicken breast, low fat cottage chease, fish, turkey, and casein if you are trying to build muscle.

This article originally appeared on : fitnessandpower.com

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5 Best Shoulder Exercises

Nothing stands out on a physique like a great pair of full, well-rounded shoulders. Even if your shoulders aren’t as wide as you’d like them to be, you can create the illusion of a V-taper look by developing a pair of supersized cannonball deltoids and losing a few inches off the waist.

Shoulder training can often be neglected in favor of training chest and arms, and you’d be surprised how many guys feel like their shoulders already get enough work as secondary muscles on chest/arm day and therefore don’t require any specialized work. This, of course, is far from reality in most cases. Sure, there are a few genetic beasts in every gym who seem to grow no matter what they do or don’t do, but for the rest of us, proper high-intensity shoulder training is required to ensure great development in this area.

Read the rest of this article to learn how to target your shoulders better and reap quality strength and mass gains on every gym visit!

Free Weights First

First of all, make sure to replace most of your machine-based overhead presses with free-weight overhead presses performed with dumbbells or a barbell. This will allow you to engage more muscles and strengthen your stabilizing muscles which although small or hidden, are extremely important for an injury-free and highly effective performance and ultimately for building a strong and well-balanced body.
Free weights enable your body to move in all three planes of movement, which is how your body normally moves in daily life, and this will help you increase your range of motion, target your muscles from all angles possible and build real, functional strength. Also, since you have to work to stabilize the weight while lifting it, instead of having a machine do that for you, your overall stability will dramatically increase. And stability is perhaps nowhere as important as it is for the shoulder area, which is notorious for its vulnerability.
On the other hand, machines allow you to focus more on the effort and less on the mechanics of the movement, and this can be useful for the end of your workout, when accumulated fatigue makes balancing weights over your head very difficult.
So it would be best to do the harder, free-weight variant of the exercise early in the workout, before fatigue sets in, and save the machine version for later, when you can use it to cause maximal hypertrophy and drain your muscles of any remaining strength by focusing on solely pushing the weight. Machines will also allow you to lift heavier weights and isolate specific muscle groups better, so it’s good to have a fair share of machine-based movements in your routine as well, as long as you make sure that free-weight exercises are at the center of your workouts

The Importance of TUT

Besides calves, shoulders can be one of the most reluctant body parts to grow. The reason for this is that these muscles are primarily geared for endurance rather than power and are used to working hard throughout the entire day to power all arm movements. This is why the most important thing to remember when training your shoulders (as well as calves!) is that they need a lot intensity in order to be forced into new growth.
One way to do that is by using heavy weights, but that’s not always recommendable because shoulder joints are very vulnerable to injury and your first priority should be keeping them healthy while improving the strength of the muscle surrounding them. The other way to do it by enabling optimal time under tension (TUT). Make sure to always perform the lowering part of your shoulder exercises in a slow and controlled manner so that you can maintain a good level of tension on the targeted muscle. Also, try to make rest periods as short as possible and never go above 2 minutes. Keeping the intensity high will make your muscles work harder and prompt greater growth.
To completely exhaust the muscles and enable maximum hypertrophy, start your shoulder workouts with heavy presses and end them with lighter-weight isolation work.

5 Shoulder-Building Exercises

The road to building the powerful shoulders you want starts with the introduction of these 5 cornerstone exercises in your shoulder routine:

#1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

This is a basic shoulder mass-builder that allows you to target any existing muscle imbalances between your left and right side of the body when pressing. It’s very likely that your dominant side is stronger and compensates for the weaker one during barbell movements. When using a barbell this is be hardly noticeable, but with dumbbells you’ll be able to tell the difference right away and address it properly. If you can, perform the exercise in front of a mirror so that you can keep your form in check.

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Press the weight up in an explosive manner and push your head forward at the top of every rep to make sure that you’re moving the load through your shoulders and not your chest muscles. Return the weight to the starting position with a slow and controlled movement.

This article originally appeared on : fitnessandpower.com

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Meet the 2017 Arnold Classic Competitors

Just a few days away from Columbus, Ohio, hosting one of the largest gatherings of strength sports athletes on the planet. The event will have a huge attraction of heavyweight lifters and athletes who add to the spectacle of the Arnold Sports Festivals.

This year, 2017, it is even bigger and more amazing than ever.
The Arnold Strongman Classic, which was introduced in 2002, is now considered a jewel in Strongman competitions around the globe. Moreover, this is an invitation-only event that is considered to be the heaviest contest on the planet and is happening on Friday, March 3, at 3:30 pm.

Last year, Zydrunas Savickas won the championship but has withdrawn from the competition this year due to a shoulder injury. This makes things a little easier for the top contenders this year, who will be Brian Shaw from the USA, Hafthor Bjornsson from Iceland, Krzystof Radzikowski from Poland.

Most people consider the champion of this event as the world’s strongest man and not to mention that it is one of the most live viewed contests of the year.
However, the main attraction of the Arnold Classic is the open bodybuilding show, where muscular gargantuan’s battle it out for the second most prestigious award in the sport of bodybuilding.

Below is a preview of the athletes who will be competing at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH.

Charles is a pro bodybuilder and has previously secured many titles. In the 2011 NPC Figure & Fitness Championships, 2015 IFBB Wings of Strength PBW Tampa Pro, the 2008 NPC Easter USA Bodybuilding and 2013 NPC USA Championships he came out on top. Definitely a contender to keep your eye on.

2. Vitaly Fateev

Fateev is an experienced bodybuilder. He secured 9th place at the Arnold in 2015, 4th at the Arnold Classic Brasil 2016, and 5th place at the Phoenix Pro in 2015.

He is one of the most shredded physiques among the top bodybuilders around the world.

3. Will Harris

Will Harris is from Los Angeles, California, USA. He’s an IFBB Pro with a few wins under his belt and a certified personal trainer who works at Gold’s Gym. He’s never placed first in any major events like the Arnold.

Continued on the next page…

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This article originally appeared on :  spotmebro.com

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How Much Protein Can The Body Absorb In One Meal

🍌🍋🐡🍅🍉😃🍤   There is a philosophy in bodybuilding society which says that the body can use just a small amount of protein per meal, while the excess gets flushed out of the body – unused. Many trainees believe that eating 5 to 7 small (20 to 30 grams) protein meals will help them build muscle, keep them in an anabolic state throughout the day and increase metabolism.

Let’s imagine two athletes, both weighting about 180 pounds. They both take 180 grams of protein a day, but the first person eats 6 meals of 30g of protein a day and the second one takes all the protein in one big meal. If the above philosophy is true, than the second athlete would fall in a protein deficiency because he can only digest 30 grams of protein of the given 180 grams. If this is the way a human body works, we would be wiped out by now.

Doesn’t this tell you that the human body is way smarter than many people think and what’s the difference between the two athletes in the above case ? The first one will obviously have shorter digestion periods (it’s easier to digest 30 grams of protein than 180, right? ), while the other will have longer period of digestion, but his body will use all of the given protein.

Doesn’t this tell you that the human body is way smarter than many people think and what’s the difference between the two athletes in the above case ? The first one will obviously have shorter digestion periods (it’s easier to digest 30 grams of protein than 180, right? ), while the other will have longer period of digestion, but his body will use all of the given protein.

In case you believe the philosophy that only 20-30 g of protein can be absorbed and trigger a maximal anabolic impact, and all excess protein is wasted, there is a study on pulse protein feeding conducted by a French researcher by the name of Marie-Agnès Arnal on protein loss and improvement of protein anabolism. In a 14-day trial, Arnal and colleagues found no difference in fat-free mass or nitrogen retention between consuming 79% of the day’s protein needs (roughly 54 g) in one meal, versus the same amount spread across 4 meals a day.

In fact, the single-dose treatment actually caused better muscle protein retention than the “4 meals a day treatment”. This increases the chances that as we grow older, bigger protein feedings might be needed to obtain the same impact on protein preservation and storage as opposed to smaller amounts when we are young.
Another study on protein retention is the conducted by Maarten R. Soeters, who saw no difference in glucose, lipid, or protein metabolism between an intermittent fasting treatment (involving 20-hour fasting cycles) and a standard diet.
In other words, the amount of protein that can be used by your body in one meal is far greater than 30g and it’s actually closer to the amount that is effective in an entire day. Some studies say that the amount of protein that can be used in an entire day is close to 1g/lb for natural athletes (and of course more for the chemically assisted). So feel free to eat more than the traditional 30 grams of protein a meal and eat less than 5-6 meals a day.

This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com

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Ways to Maintain Your Mental Toughness for More Muscle Gain

Training experts share their top tips for keeping you motivated to succeed in the gym.

 

"Tough workouts are not only about completing a hard workout full of heavy weight and lots of sets and reps," says strength and conditioning coach, Justin Grinnell. "Sometimes the tough part is even getting into the mindset of completing a solid workout. Some days you are on and feel like moving a ton of weight and some days seem to be more complicated. Work, school, stress or whatever may be getting in the way. But I am a firm believer that we all can make time to commit to your workout. So I constantly remind myself about all of the reasons why I even need to start this workout. It simply will make me a better person for my family, others and myself." Justin Grinnell is the owner of one of the leading training facilities in the Midwest, State of Fitness Gym in Okemos, MI.  He also runs a Corporate Wellness Training Center in East Lansing, MI. Justin is a featured writer in various fitness themed magazines and websites, including Muscle & Fitness.
This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com 

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THE ROCK TO PRESENT AT 2017 OSCARS

Dwayne Johnson will be bringing his larger than life personality to the stage at this year's biggest award show.

In the world of entertainment, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is omnipresent. From hilarious web videos to starring roles in blockbuster movies, the big man has established himself as a media darling and dominant force in show business. So it only makes sense that Johnson has been chosen to present at this year’s Oscars.

SEE ALSO: The Rock Shares Songs That Defined History

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Will the highly charismatic and fun loving guy play it close to the vest and just read off the nominees with a beautiful starlet by his side, or will he do what only The Rock can, and cook something up that will give viewers and social media something to talk about? Because as any fan of The Rock knows, he doesn’t disappoint, especially on the big stage. 

Be sure to tune in and smell what The Rock is cooking. The grandaddy of award shows will be broadcast live on ABC, Sunday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. ET. Late night talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel will host the ceremony, and top Hollywood stars including Amy Adams, Javier Bardem, Felicity Jones, Emma Stone, Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, and Scarlett Johansson will be presenting awards throughout the show.

SEE ALSO: Exclusive Interview with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

For the nominees for lead actor and actress, check out the video below. Unfortunately, The Rock did not crack the "best actor" list this year, but it's just a matter of time before he gets the nod for one of the coveted statues.

This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com 

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The 5 Worst Lifts for Beginners

Just getting started with the iron? You'll want to avoid these lifts early on.

 

Anyone who’s spent some time in the gym knows that it’s not a smart move to use the “cookie cutter” approach to training. If you want strength and size, there needs to be a method to the madness. A beginner will get the most bang for his buck by choosing the right movements to get him big and strong, with a logical grain of salt. We’re here to help keep you on the right path. As great and effective as these lifts are, it’s probably a smart idea for beginners to sandbag them until they’ve built some skill.

This has added gravity because of the fact that Rio just happened, and the “bandwagon effect” is in full force. The Olympic lifts simultaneously require the most power, muscular co-ordination, mobility, and timing of basically any lift in the weight room. It’s what makes them so great. The problem is, it’s something a beginner simply needs more time under the bar developing through more controlled movements. Even if he’s naturally athletic enough to give the Oly lifts a try, there’s a good chance doing so prematurely will throw off his firing and recruitment patterns.

Alternatively, break the complexity of those lifts down to segments and make sets and reps of those segments for your training. Lifts like front squats, high pulls, and deadlifts are great substitutes to apply volume to for strength and size development.

This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com 

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Skinny Guys Who Transformed Into Beasts

From skinny to fit, these athletes earned fame, fortune and impressive physiques in the gym.

Some men came into this world with a full, natural build conducive to putting on muscle almost effortlessly.  Others were not so lucky.  Guys looking to build mass and get stronger come in all different shapes and sizes, but some in particular--the naturally skinny guys--are all bound by the same cause.  Looking to make large changes and silence their critics, these guys hit the iron and barreled through their own obstacles like a freight train.  

Brandon Lilly is one of the biggest, baddest pro powerlifters out there.  Known for developing the Cube Method for strength training, Lilly owns a raw 3 lift total (squat, bench, deadlift) in excess of 2,000 pounds.  The PR crushing beast has come a long way---the 20's version of Brandon (pictured left) is almost too hard to comprehend.   Along the way, Lilly began to train at the famed Westside Barbell Gym under the watch of legendary powerlifter Louie Simmons.  During heavy training cycles, Lilly will eat in the neighborhood of 7,000-8,000 calories per day.   Brandon Lilly's numbers, diet, and transformation are just hard to wrap your head around.  

This article originally appeared on : muscleandfitness.com 

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It's Time to Get Into Rock Hard Shape

Enter the 2017 Rock Hard Challenge: February 15- March 15.

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The premise of the Rock Hard Challenge is simple — we provide training and nutritional roadmaps that allow you to transform your body in eight weeks. What happens next is up to you.

But, to give you an extra push in the right direction, Muscle & Fitness teamed up with Hi-Tech to bring back the Rock Hard Challenge transformation contest for 2017.

The winner with the most dramatic transformation will win a Hi-Tech prize package valued over $500, a pair of Beats By Dre® Powerbeats2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones AND be featured on MuscleandFitness.com. Sign up before March 1st for a special reward for entering—a coupon code from SameDaySupplements for 15% off Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals product and a free Hi-Tech t-shirt with purchase for the first 100 orders.* HERE’S HOW TO ENTER: 1. Create a profile and complete our entry form in its entirety. 2. Upload your two “before” images. Include one full-body photo from the front and one full-body photo from the back. Males should wear shorts or posing trunks; Women should wear shorts and a sports bra, or two-piece swimsuit. Images should show entrant holding the March 2017 issue of Muscle & Fitness or a newspaper dated between February 15 and March 15, 2017. 3. Submit your profile. Entries must be completed by 11:59pm, March 15, 2017. FOR OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES, CLICK HERE.

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