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MuscleFire now on Bodybuilding.com !
march 10, 2010 09:29am
To ensure that the MuscleFire / clothing co. brand gets out there, we've now teamed up with the number one fitness and bodybuilding website in the world...Bodybuilding.com
We've allowed ONLY BB to sell at the lowest prices possible so you can be a part of the strong team at MuscleFire.com
Now go feel the burn with some MuscleFire apparel and gear at our website or http://www.bodybuilding.com
Ryan Lund
Founder/CEO
MuscleFire / clothing co.
DON'T Shop When You're Hungry!
march 04, 2010 04:19pm
Unless you just worked out and are needing some serious fast acting carbohydrates and whey protein, leave food shopping for a later time.
There's no doubt you'll lean towards cheating at the grocery store more when you're hungry due to the store layout. Let's face it, the bad stuff is always right in front of our faces - the good stuff is always hard to find or in the cold section.
Besides breads, stick to walking around the edges of the store... we're pretty sure you'll stay leaner if you do so!
Another simple tip is to have your list (preferably already engraved into your head) and walk fast through the store so you don't give yourself the time to look at all the non-nutritional foods laughing in your face.
Get your bodybuilding gear on and get ripped!
Jackie Warner's fitness tips ...
march 01, 2010 02:40pm
1. Be a smart consumer and read labels carefully
Fat free products are loaded with sugar. Fat does not make you fat – SUGAR DOES! When grocery shopping, meals should have no more than 400 calories and snacks 150 calories – buy nothing with over 9 grams of sugar.
2. No overcomplicated routines/no overcomplicated diets
They have the highest failure rate because they don’t teach you how to live in the real world. Get back to the basic, common sense principles.
3. Never skip meals
All of my morbidly obese clients have one thing in common – skipping meals. The moment you allow your blood sugar to drop (when you feel hunger pangs) you become a fat storing machine. You must eat small meals or snacks every few hours.
4. Don’t ever juice-blend
Always eat the whole fruit, not just its sugary juices. Juicing takes out the fiber but leaves you with the sugars. However, blending fills you with the whole fruit (fiber) and a lot more nutrients.
5. Sugar is the devil
Sugar throws our body into an immune suppressed, non-working state of chronic fatigue, depression, and hormonal imbalance. It is the leading cause of disease and depression in this country. To break the sugar addiction, get rid of refined sugar (anything that isn’t fruit or veggies) for 5 days in a row, then allow yourself to have one cheat meal on Saturday and one on Sunday. You will have curbed the chemical addiction for sugar and your brain will desire less.
6. Clean House - Remove ALL junk from your kitchen
Stop buying addictive junk foods, then hating yourself for not being able to resist.
7. Deprivation does not work
When starting a diet, for the first two weeks add healthy, nutrient filled foods (low sugar fruit/veggies/lean protein and a multivitamin). Your body will begin to naturally reject sugars and processed foods.
8. Crunches are a waste of time
If you carry weight in your midsection, you will just build muscle under fat – thus making you appear bigger! The only way to get a true 6-pack is to combine a healthy diet with resistance training.
9. Eat the Good, the Bad, then the Ugly
Classify the food on your plate in the following: Good = veggies/fruit/lean meats, Bad = starches/bread, Ugly = dessert/alcohol. Be sure to fill up on the good first.
10. Satisfy oral fixation with herbal teas
Curb late night cravings with your favorite flavored herbal teas. They have anti-oxidants and will satisfy oral fixations.
11. Water helps you lose weight
Three liters per day can burn 50-75 calories and double your energy, as well as clear your skin.
12. Eat natural foods
Research connects food additives that are present in many diet products with increased sugar and carb cravings.
13. Don’t be afraid to lift weights
Cardio is the slowest way to lose weight. It’s all about resistance training. This will burn more calories faster, and also add much needed muscle to speed up metabolism. Concentrate working out on the bigger muscle groups like the chest, back, gluteus, hamstrings, and quadriceps.
14. ONLY do intensity cardio
Forget about the heart rate monitor. Unless you have a heart condition, your cardio should be intense enough to feel your muscles burning. Raise ramp to maximum uphill and slow walk (almost a lunge) for 2 minutes. Then lower the ramp and run for 2 minutes. Take 1 minute to bring your heart rate down and then start over. Repeat 4 more times (equals a 20 minute session). It’s less boring too!
Jackie Warner / personal trainer
Levrone Report ...
february 26, 2010 06:07pm
SHOCK WEEK • Chest
February 25th, 2010
This week we’re shocking the muscles so hang on tight. I need to shake things up if I’m going to reach my goal by April, so it’s time for some shock treatment to get my muscles to respond differently after doing the same workouts for months.
In life, just like in training, change and growth can come from sudden, bold ACTION in a new direction. Something to upset the balance of those same old moves and get us on the path to new growth.
Do it right and you’ll feel your body on high alert, your heart rate will be higher than usual. You’ll reach new levels of focus and intensity as you battle to control the foreign moves, and the novelty of the new challenges will add exhilaration to your routine.
That’s what’s needed right now. More effort, more challenge, more exhilaration and drive. Because come April, the shirt comes off. That’s our target month to see what’s up with me AND with you.
Shock treatment is always part of the process in the life of a champion on an endless transformation. Change it up with me this week, and let me know how it’s going for you. We’re a team, so let’s keep communicating and sharing the wisdom.
Thanks to Kevin Levrone for sport'n a "Dominate the Weight" muscle shirt from MuscleFire / clothing co.
LevroneReport.com
Spark Growth In Your Chest Muscles
february 19, 2010 09:44am
A few months back, I was over in a forum discussing what everyone’s pain points were. I have my own pain points too (Building leg muscles, Maintaining muscle mass in my arms), but there were a few people that I got talking too that just couldn’t manage to increase the size of there chest muscles. Every solution i threw at them they seemed to have tried, and i couldn’t figure out what to recommend without getting to know there past a little better (Or meeting them in person).
I always have been known for one to try and find new ways of doing things, and that’s probably one reason I’m always enthusiastic to share the new things I learn with YOU. The Stayfitbuggers – Innovative and new ways to build muscle.
Anyhow, since then I have played around with a few chest exercises which I know everyone who builds muscles with weights will be performing. All this testing, playing around and analyzing has lead me to find ways that can help you spark muscle growth in your chest muscles.
How do I know these work?
Because they have been working for me!
But Shaun, you said to never follow the leader!
Correct! What you need to do is try these small tweaks to these already popular exercises and if what i have instructed doesn’t work for you, just give them a further tweak.
It could be anything from:
- The number of reps you perform
- Adding more resistance to a dipping belt
- More explosive exercise technique
Or other things:
All of us have to find our own ‘map’ and way of doing things when it comes to building muscle, busting through plateaus and living a happy bodybuilding life. But hopefully guidance from individuals like myself will help give you a good kick start and great get-up-and-go motivation in those times of need.
Enough of my blabber. Check the tweaks...
Dumbbell Bench Press:
The Tweak >>>
Start with your palms facing each other in the bottom position and your elbows tucked to your sides.
As you push the weights up, rotate your wrists so that your palms face forward in the top position.
The Result >>>
The twisting motion activates the fibers in all of the areas of your chest.
Dips:
The Tweak >>>
Move your hands out wider so you get a deeper stretch in your pecs when you lower your body.
Look for V shaped Dip bars rather than parallel ones. Doing so will give you much better results.
The Result >>>
A wider grip position makes for a more challenging exercise and helps you recruit even more muscle fibers in your chest.
Dumbbell Fly:
The Tweak >>>
1. Try doing these by placing a towel on the floor.
2. Fold the towel in half and place one palm on each end of it and get into push-up position with your knees on the floor.
3. Move your arms apart as in a normal fly and lower your chest toward the floor.
The Result >>>
A much more challenging exercise that will work your pecs, back, and core.
Source: Shaun from Stay-Fit Bug
Stacking Your Supplements With Food !
february 10, 2010 12:13pm
Q:
What can I do to my pre-workout RTD that’ll boost its thermogenic effect for enhanced cutting?
A:
As much as you enjoy your pre and post workout supplements, there’s always a way to tweak their benefits for closer alignment with your specific diet and training goals. To that end, we recommend experimenting with food and supplement stacking. All you have to do is mix something into one of your performance beverages, or eat something along with it. Stacking’s a complementary technique that builds on the value of two or more elements designed to work synergistically so that each is enhanced by the other.
You say you’re interested in burning more fat. I can only assume you’re spending all that time in the gym to put on some muscle too. Stirring a teaspoon of ground cinnamon into a protein shake can do more than add a spicy zip to the taste. Cinnamon is a well known thermogenic agent that can also help control blood sugar spikes. Of course, the protein shake primes your muscles for growth with essential amino acids from whey and milk.
Now let’s consider the possibilities for someone hoping to develop a huge arm pump in today’s arm training session. Try munching a couple ounces of dark chocolate (not milk or white chocolate) while sipping your pre-workout energy drink. Here’s another approach. Combining your energy drink with a cup of watermelon juice can provide additional N.O. support. Just make sure the flavors are complimentary.
How about some post-workout protein with carbs for glycogen replenishment and a bushel of antioxidant support? Pour vanilla flavored protein shake over whole grain breakfast cereal, sprinkling a handful of fresh blueberries over the top. That’s a powerful package of ready to rock nutrients right there. Just remember to wash the fruit off before applying it to this dynamite recovery meal.
Source: American Hardline
Amino Ammo >>>
february 06, 2010 02:29pm
Try these amino acids to help you work out with insane intensity, all in the name of muscle growth.
As an avid bodybuilder, you likely know that your body uses amino acids to build protein. You may even be familiar with the difference between essential amino acids and nonessential amino acids. But did you know that amino's do more than build muscle protein? But which amino acids are most important? We have a suggestion for a few you’ll want to take before every workout to boost your energy levels to new heights. That’s right, carbs aren’t the only nutrient that provides energy. Besides being critical for muscle growth, certain amino acids can energize you better than carbs before a workout. Try these amino acids to help you work out with insane intensity, all in the name of muscle growth.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
There are three amino acids that comprise the BCAAs — leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are critical for muscle growth and energy. The BCAA's, unlike most other amino acids, are used directly by the muscles for fuel during exercise. Yet, after the workout’s over, the muscles rely mostly on fat for energy so the BCAA's can be used for muscle growth. This means that taking BCAA's before workouts will provide you with more energy during the workout, spare your muscle levels of BCAA's (which normally get burned for fuel during workouts), and boost muscle growth even after the workout is over. Take 5-10 grams immediately before your workout. Your best bet is to look for products that provide a 2:1 ratio of leucine to its companions, isoleucine and valine. This means a 5-gram dose should contain about 2.5 grams of leucine, 1.25 grams of isoleucine and 1.25 grams of valine.
Muscle and Fitness
CLA FOR MORE STRENGTH
february 04, 2010 01:44pm
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a healthy fat that's a derivative of the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid, which occurs naturally in the meat of cows and in dairy products. It is full of benefits, including anti-inflammatory actions, cancer-fighting functions and protection from heart disease, but the one FLEX readers will likely be most interested in is the ability of CLA to enhance muscle growth and strength while reducing the storage of bodyfat.
Good thing that as a growing bodybuilder you eat a lot of beef and guzzle gallons of milk, right? Actually, ample meat and dairy intake no longer necessarily equates to ample CLA intake, for two reasons. First, low-fat dairy products are low in CLA because CLA is among the fat removed from whole milk.
Second, current farming practices interfere with the way CLA is produced. CLA is metabolized by bacteria in cows' stomachs from the grass they eat. Because cows today are generally fed grain instead of grass, and even grass-fed ones are not allowed to graze outside for as long as they used to, CLA production has dropped dramatically. Many experts estimate a 75% reduction in CLA levels in meats and dairy products. So, the main way to ensure you're getting sufficient CLA is to supplement with it.
Many bodybuilders don't seem to supplement with CLA, perhaps because the majority of research on CLA has shown just modest reductions in body fat and small gains in muscle mass. Two recent studies
should change that.
The first, performed at the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), looked at the effects of CLA on muscle gain and fat loss during a weight-lifting program. Seventy-six subjects completed a seven-week program that consisted of lifting three times per week. Half of the subjects took five grams (g) of CLA per day; the other half received a placebo. The researchers reported in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise that the group supplementing with CLA increased their muscle mass
by more than three pounds compared to less than half a pound for the placebo group. The CLA group also had greater strength gains in the bench press and lost about two pounds of body fat - without dieting. The placebo group, on the other hand, actually gained about one pound of fat.
So consider getting fat, in the form of CLA, to get lean and add quality muscle mass.
flexonline.com
ARE YOU DRINKING DIRTY WATER?
february 02, 2010 10:24am
If you're training hard, you should be drinking plenty of water. On average, a person should consume at least 128 ounces of water per day.
So, we felt it was fitting to let you know the results of the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) three-year investigation into the municipal water supply across the United States.
To view all 100 cities on the list and to see how the list was complied, check out EWG's website.
Cities with the best water:
1. Arlington, TX
2. Providence, RI
3. Fort Worth, TX
4. Charleston, SC
5. Boston, MA
6. Honolulu, HI
7. Austin, TX
8. Fairfax County, VA
9. St. Louis, MO
10. Minneapolis, MN
Cities with the worst water:
1. Pensacola, FL
2. Riverside, CA
3. Las Vegas, NV
4. Riverside County, CA
5. Reno, NV
6. Houston, TX
7. Omaha, NE
8. North Las Vegas, NV
9. San Diego, CA
10. Jacksonville, FL
flexonline.com
Importance of supplements in bodybuildin
february 01, 2010 01:50pm
WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
Each one who trains wants good results, better said best possible results. Having a training schedule which works for you and a good established nutrition plan are first two steps in success in your bodybuilding journey. However there is more for those who have higher goals. If you want to get closer to your goal and achieve this as soon as possible you will want to take bodybuilding supplements. Please understand me correct, supplements are not some magic pills which you just take and get bigger or leaner. However for some they might seem as something magic and let me tell you that supplements are magic in the matter of importance.
After training session muscle fibers are damaged and needs to be repaired, that is the moment where nutrition matters, as if we eat good food this process will occur normally and in timely manner. If we do not eat enough we will stop our progress.
MORE PROTEIN
Another important moment is the amount of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins we need to have our body function properly. Let’s take as an example protein; in order to grow we need 2,5 grams per 1Kg of body weight. If you weigh 100kg you will need 250grams of protein per day. Now imagine how many eggs and meat you will need to eat and this is daily! It will be hard to support same food daily in large quantities plus it is hard for stomach and here comes supplements with different forms of protein (Whey protein,Casein,Egg protein) or BCAA supplements (branched chain amino acids) amino acids which are ready to be “absorbed” by your muscles.
By the way, regarding amino acids, did you know that there are Essential and Non-Essential Amino Acids? Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body and must get them from foods or supplements. There are 9 essential amino acids: histidine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine. Your body can make non-essential amino acids by itself from vitamins and other amino acids. The 13 non-essential amino acids are alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cysteine, cystine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, hydroxyproline, proline, serine and tyrosine.
Now you understand the importance of BCAA.
GROWING BIGGER:
Did you ever missed your lunch or dinner? Me too and many times this happens because we are in hurry to job or other important things. So what to do? Buy a supplement and take it in shaker with yourself. Sometimes in the morning you dont have any food ready so you just take milk and a few cups of your gainer mix it and here you have a decent amount of carbs to make your body work and in the same time keep it from taking energy from your hard grown muscles. Here I will mention such important supplement as Glutamine. We will talk more about it in other article but for now I will say that it will keep anabolic processes in your body and in the same time will block cortisol which reduces protein synthesis.
A couple other important supplements at this point are Creatine and Tribulus. Both will help you gain more muscles, have more energy on training sessions plus Tribulus will increase your sex-drive and testosterone levels. But this is subject of another article.
CONCLUSION
As a conclusion I can say that you need supplements, whether these are vitamins, BCAA’s casein protein or Glutamine. Each one of us has different goals and supplements will help us achieving them thus making our lives happier.
musclesprod.com
POMEGRANATE FOR A PUMP !
january 29, 2010 03:54pm
* Drink eight ounces of pomegranate juice with 20 g of whey protein before workouts for a better pump.
Every hardcore bodybuilder knows to take nitric oxide boosters like arginine, not just for the pump they deliver, but for muscle growth and strength gains as well. Few may realize, though, that to help protect their increased NO level, they should consider reaching for a cold refreshing glass of pomegranate juice.
Researchers at UCLA have recently reported — in the aptly named journal Nitric Oxide — that pomegranate juice was effective at protecting NO against oxidative destruction. In laboratory tests, the scientists compared the effects of the juice on NO destruction and NO action to other antioxidant-rich sources, such as Concord grape juice, blueberry juice, red wine and vitamins C and E.
Pomegranate was found to be more effective at protecting and augmenting NO than all the others. In some cases, it was more than 300 times as powerful. The researchers
determined that the potent antioxidant activity is responsible for the juice's benefits on NO.
Drink eight ounces of pomegranate juice with 20 g of whey protein right before workouts. It will provide NO protection for a better pump, as well as supply 40 g of long-lasting carbs to help fuel the workout. Most fruit juices, like pomegranate, are part glucose (for quick energy) and part fructose (a longer-lasting fuel source).
Since pure pomegranate juice can taste tart, dilute it with 16-20 ounces of water or mix it into whey protein. Vanilla- and strawberry-flavored whey powders work well in this NO-boosting muscle-growth concoction.
Reference: L.J. Ignarro et al., "Pomegranate juice protects nitric oxide against oxidative destruction and enhances the biological actions of nitric oxide," Nitric Oxide, September 2006, 15(2):93-102.
flexonline.com
FOREARMS with Victor Martinez !
january 26, 2010 03:08pm
The "Dominican Dominator" catapulted to prominence in 2000 when he followed up his overall victory at the Jr. USA with one at the Nationals, thus turning pro on his first attempt. Since his 2003 victory at the Night of Champions, Martinez has resided near the top of the pro rankings, highlighted by his 2007 Arnold Classic win and subsequent runnerup finish (when many thought he should’ve won) at that year’s Olympia. The New Yorker’s strength has always been his proportionate thickness, and that includes an area many bodybuilders neglect: forearms. Martinez talks with us about the importance of working this area and shares a favorite forearm routine.
MARTINEZ ON FOREARM TRAINING:
“Forearms were the first thing I ever worked out. I used my Joe Weider dumbbells. I did wrist curls, reverse curls and hammers, and then a kid noticed my arms and said, ‘;You look like Popeye. You better start training biceps.’ Eventually when I learned about bodybuilding, I learned that it was more than just a favorite bodypart deal; it was an overall deal. Today, I train forearms about once every two weeks, after either biceps or back.”
EXERCISE - SETS - REPS
Wrist curls - 4 Sets = 15 - 20 Reps
Reverse wrist curls - 4 Sets = 15 - 20 Reps
Hammer curls - 3 Sets = 10 - 12 Reps
One-arm cable wrist curls - 2 = 12 - 15 Reps
flexonline.com
THE POWER OF PYRAMIDS !
january 22, 2010 11:14am
Ronny “The Rock” Rockel has been cracking the top three in smaller pro shows since 2004, including a win at the 2006 Australian Grand Prix. His real breakthrough, though, was a seventh at last year's Mr. Olympia, missing the posedown by one slot even though he had never before made a Mr. O top 10. Next up, the German “Rock” guns for the Arnold Classic posedown on March 6. He’s a big advocate of pyramiding his sets, as he explains here and demonstrates with his all-pyramid shoulder routine.
ROCKEL ON PYRAMIDS
“I pyramid my sets up and then pyramid them down. So, I’ll start with a set of 15 reps, then do a heavier set of 12 reps, then a heavier set of 8 reps and a heavier set of 6 reps. After that I lighten the weight and do a set of 12 reps and then lighten the weight again and get 15 reps.”
Behind-the-neck presses - 5 sets = 15, 12, 8, 6, 12, 15
Cable side laterals - 5 sets = 15, 12, 8, 6, 12, 15
Lying dumbbell rear laterals - 5 sets = 15, 12, 8, 6, 12, 15
Upright rows - 5 sets = 15, 12, 8, 6, 12, 15
flexonline.com
JACKSON'S FIVE: BACK TIPS
january 19, 2010 12:06pm
Veteran competitor Richard “Tricky” Jackson won his first pro contest in August when he was the 202 winner at the Europa Super Show. Tricky, who was seventh at the Olympia 202 Showdown, shares with us his top five back training tips and his typical back routine.
THE JACKSON FIVE: BACK TRAINING TIPS
* “I do chins as a warmup.”
* “I sometimes do pulldowns with an underhand grip to work my lower lats more.”
* “I like to make the final set of each back exercise a drop set.”
* “Sometimes I’ll also superset the final set of one exercise with the first set of another to up the intensity.”
* “I train back with traps once per week.”
EXERCISE | SETS | REPS
Chins | 4 | 10-15
Seated rows | 4 | 8-12
Front pulldowns | 4 | 8-12
T-bar rows | 4 | 8-12
Dumbbell pullovers | 4 | 8-12
flexonline.com
BUILD CALVES THAT POP ...
january 16, 2010 02:14pm
At 51, Maryland's Lisa Aukland won the 2009 Atlantic City Pro and finished fourth in the Ms. Olympia. She's as bright as she is buff, as she has a doctorate in pharmacy, specializing in poison information and treatment. Here the doctor tells us how she grew two of the best calves in bodybuilding.
DR. AUKLANDS RX FOR CALVES
* Something I find most effective is cycling my exercises. I never do the same routine twice. I change the exercises, the order of exercises, the rep range, and/or the rest period lengths at each session.
* Calves are a strong point for me, so I train them only once per week and with more reps than previously. If they're a weakness for you, hit them every other day with most reps in the 10-15 range.
* Slow down. Each repetition for calves should be smooth and perfectly executed, getting full use of the negative portion of the rep and a full range of motion.
Standing calf raises - 6 sets / 30 reps
(or)
Calf presses - 6 sets / 30 reps
flexonline.com
MyoFusion Protein - wow!
january 15, 2010 04:07pm
When it comes to the REAL nutritional needs of bodybuilders and athletes alike, there is little doubt what “legitimate” science has to say about the different protein sources available in the supplement marketplace. Unfortunately, this has little to do with the marketing message spread by most sellers of protein supplements today. The competition between companies is fierce and the drive to sell more protein by differentiating a product by any means necessary (whether it's legitimate science or not) is prevalent to say the least. Supplements with numerous “multi-time-released” proteins are everywhere, boasting absorption so slow that amino acid levels remain peak in the bloodstream for anywhere from 5 to 13 hours. Some true–most… well, not. But let's say it's all true–every bit of it. Good news–if you are a couch potato, don't eat frequently enough, and only go to the gym occasionally, you may be in luck! One of these products might just sustain amino the acid levels in your blood long enough for you to get up off your butt every 5 to 13 hours and eat. I wish we could play that game, but we can't. Last we checked the typical hardcore, educated athlete using Gaspari Nutrition products is on a 2.5 to 3 hour interval meal schedule, and for this reason MyoFusion™ delivers only the highest and most legitimately bioavailable proteins in existence -hard and fast! Remember that by ingesting quality whey proteins alone, amino acid levels remain in the bloodstream for 4 hours–the first 2.5 to 3 hours of that at potent anti-catabolic, muscle-building levels. Add in egg albumin (the only rival to whey as the greatest bodybuilding protein in the minds of the sport's elite) and milk protein isolate (80% casien/20% whey) for its “longer tail” ensuring blood amino acid levels remain high before the next anabolic blast of MyoFusion™–and you've got the optimal condition for growing muscle the way the pros do. Although there is certainly a plausible argument for ingesting very slow moving proteins before bed in order to maintain blood amino acid levels longer during sleeping hours, for the educated athlete, a hard hitting ultra-bioavailable utility protein for use from morning to night, day in and day out, nothing will grow you like MyoFusion™.
gasparinutrition.com
MusclesProd.com ...
january 14, 2010 11:00am
Check out www.musclesprod.com for the latest bodybuilding
news, useful articles and by visiting or subscribing to latest MP
articles you will keep in touch with bodybuilding world.
A daily blog as well with Heavy Duty Fitness Training Secrets, that can help you reach your overall fitness goals!
MusclesProd.com
GET RIPPED AND PUMPED ...
january 13, 2010 09:53am
Stack these two supplements to get ripped and pumped.
1) CITRUS AURANTIUM
Commonly referred to as bitter orange, this plant contains the active ingredient synephrine. Synephrine is similar chemically to ephedrine, yet it does not raise heart rate and blood pressure as ephedrine can. Synephrine mimics the actions of norepinephrine. This neurohormone works to increase metabolic rates. Synephrine also stimulates receptors on fat cells that increase lipolysis - the release of fat from the fat cells to be burned for fuel. In addition, synephrine has even been found to decrease appetite.
2) ARGININE
This amino acid is readily converted in the body to nitric oxide. NO is responsible for countless processes in the body, including the dilation of blood vessels - the most critical to bodybuilders. This widening of the blood vessels allows more blood to flow through and reach tissues such as muscle fibers, which enables more oxygen, nutrients, anabolic hormones and supplements to reach them. NO also appears to have its own ability to encourage fat burning. French scientists have discovered that NO enhances lipolysis, making more body fat available to be burned as fuel.
*** STACK IT LIKE THIS ***
Taking fat burners such as Citrus aurantium with arginine can help deliver more of their ingredients to your fat cells, muscles and other critical tissues for a much greater effect. Take a Citrus aurantium extract that is standardized to provide 10-20 milligrams of synephrine three times per day, along with 3-5 grams of arginine in the form of either L-arginine, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, arginine ketoisocaproate, arginine malate or arginine ethyl ester. The best times to take these are in the morning, afternoon and 30-60 minutes before workouts.
flexonline.com
PROTEIN Timing ...
january 12, 2010 08:52am
The following are some great guidelines as far as when to eat certain proteins and what kinds at certain times during that day.
First thing in the Morning >>>
The period between when you go to bed and wake up in the morning is the longest that your body goes without the food. "Break the fast" with protein. In addition to providing much needed amino acids for muscle maintenance and rebuilding, proteins provide more stable, sustained energy than that donut or bagel that you're currently chowing on. Opt for a faster-acting protein like whey first thing in the morning.
Pre-Workout >>>
By drinking a whey protein shake about an hour before your workout, you'll "prime" your bloodstream with BCAA's (branched chain amino acids) and other essential amino acids for growth. Once again, whey protein is a good choice, because it's easy to drink and quickly digested.
Post-Workout >>>
The 30-60 minute time frame following exercise is the single most important time of the day to get protein. The enzymes and hormones in your muscles are actively repairing and rebuilding exercise-induced damage as well as replenishing glycogen stores, so they are especially receptive to nutrients. By supplying a post-workout recovery protein containing whey and casein during this "window" of opportunity, you'll help ensure that you're recharged and ready for your next training session.
Between Meals >>>
Drinking a protein shake in between meals not only helps keep muscle synthesis maximized, it also helps keep body fat and body weight in check. Proteins help stimulate the release of gut hormones that trigger a feeling of fullness or satiety. Dairy proteins (whey, casein, and milk) are considered to be better appetite blunters than other protein sources – especially when combined with dietary fiber – so choose a product with one or more of these proteins if weight control is part of your goals.
Before Bed >>>
Prepare your body for the long fast ahead with a casein protein shake a half an hour before bed. Unlike whey which is rapidly broken down in the gut, casein is digested at a much slower rate releasing its amino acid constituents over several hours throughout the night while you sleep. For this reason, casein is commonly referred to as a time-released protein. Casein is also considered anti-catabolic because it's rich in glutamine and other amino acids that help protect against muscle breakdown.
proteinreport.com
HULK UP YOUR CHEST
january 11, 2010 03:09pm
Best known for his role as the titular character on TV’s The Incredible Hulk from 1977 to 1982, before and after that Lou Ferrigno was a professional bodybuilder. He placed second to someone named Schwarzenegger at the 1974 Mr. Olympia and, 20 years later, was runnerup again at the 1994 Masters Mr. Olympia. In his 20s as well as his 40s, Ferrigno, now 58, had two of the world’s best pecs. He shares his thoughts on the press-centric chest routine he used in the ‘70s.
FERRIGNO ON CHEST TRAINING
The basics built my chest: benches, inclines, declines and fly's.
I like barbells better than dumbbells for presses, and I avoid a full-lockout on each rep to keep the tension on my chest and not my triceps.
Dumbbell pullovers super-setted with cable crossovers is a great combination. The first one stretches out your chest and the second one focuses on chest contractions, so you get two different things one after the other.
I pyramid all of my presses down to six reps. Lower than that builds more strength and less muscle.
Bench presses
5 / 10-6 reps
Incline presses
5 / 10-6 reps
Decline presses
4 / 10-12 reps
Dumbbell flyes
4 / 10-12 reps
Dumbbell pullovers (super-set with cable crossovers)
4 / 10-12 reps
Cable crossovers
3 / 10-15 reps
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