Muscle Weight Gain

That’s right, even though everyone seems to make isolation exercises the “red-headed stepchild” in the muscle building / weight gain process, they build just as much muscle mass as any compound bodybuilding movement.

Don’t take my word for it: Here’s a quote from Markus Ruhl, one of the biggest IFBB professional bodybuilders ever, from a Flex interview: “The biggest mistake I see people make in chest training is assuming that flyes and cable crossovers are for definition and not mass building. Definition comes from diet and cardio; weight training is to gain mass. I never do an exercise that does not build mass, and that includes flyes and crossovers. I do them with full power….”

Markus, you have just made one of the most intelligent observations I’ve read a bodybuilder make. How refreshing!

Fiber is one of those substances that, although it doesn’t provide weight gaining or muscle building calories, does have an impact on your digestive, which, as I’m sure you know, has to process any food you eat to build your body. Well, two cups of beans 26 grams of fiber, which is exactly what most people recommend everyone should be consuming daily.

Knee wraps are one of the things that many weight lifters include in their gym when off to a weight gaining / muscle building workout. However, wraps can actually increase the chances of you causing some problems, as you can find out in the latest article:

Gain Weight – Problem With Knee Wraps

Especially in freezing environments, hot cocoa is a very popular drink. Well, not only does it tastes great (if you don’t burn off your taste buds, tongue, or roof of your mouth from the lava-like temperatures), but it also is good for gaining weight and building lean muscle. Hot cocoa is full of anti-oxidants, over 500 mgs worth.

Just so you can appreciate how many mgs that actually is, green tea, which now-a-days everyone seems to be praising the skies out of, only has about 50 mgs. Red wine only has about 160 mgs (unless, of course, you’re one of those that can’t seem to stop drinking after the first glass…..lol).

CLA is one the more popular supplements out on the scene that claims to keep body fat levels low while you gain weight and build muscle. Well, read my latest article, Gain Weight Supplement – CLA May Not Be Worth It to read about a study conducted in Norway that shows other wise.

According to PAUL ELIAS and the Associated Press;

homas, the first figure connected to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative case to go to trial, shouted at the jury after being found guilty of three counts of perjury and a count of obstruction of justice. She was acquitted of two counts of perjury.

“I already had one career taken away from me,” she yelled, referencing her lifetime ban from cycling. “Look me in the eye. You can’t do it.”

Her father, who has sat in the front row of court during the two week trial, also raised his voice and said, “They can’t do it.”

Thomas then shouted and gestured at prosecutors: “Look me in the eye …. You like to destroy people’s lives.”

Thomas, prosecutors and jurors all had no comment.

Outside the courthouse, Thomas’ lawyer Ethan Balogh said he was disappointed.

“It is difficult for all of us who went through this trial,” Balogh said.

Legal experts said Thomas faces a prison sentence of between six months and several years. She is scheduled to be sentenced July 18.

The federal government steroids probe has ensnared a number of elite athletes, including home run king Barry Bonds, track star Marion Jones and former San Francisco 49ers player Dana Stubblefield. Investigators are also looking into whether pitcher Roger Clemens lied when he told Congress he never used performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds is charged with perjury for allegedly lying to the same grand jury about never knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs.

Legal experts said Thomas’ trial offered Bonds’ lawyers a preview of what kind of evidence the slugger will face if his case goes to trial as expected. Two of Bonds’ attorneys, for instance, watched the government’s lead steroids investigator testify.

The investigator, IRS agent Jeff Novitzky, is expected to play a starring role for the government during Bonds’ trial, which isn’t expected to begin until next year.

Novitzky testified that Thomas’ lies hindered the federal investigation of drug maker Patrick Arnold, who prosecutors wanted to indict in 2003 but had to wait another three years to amass more evidence because of the cyclist’s perjured testimony.

The jury found Thomas guilty of falsely telling the grand jury that she had never taken steroids and had never received any performance-enhancing drugs from Arnold, who pleaded guilty in 2006 to making two undetectable steroids.

Thomas made her denials even though she was banned from cycling for life in August 2002 after the performance-enhancing drug Norbolethone was detected in her urine.

The drug, once an obscure steroid used in human tests in the 1960s, was rediscovered by Arnold, who supplied the Burlingame-based BALCO with undetectable performance-enhancing drugs.

Prosecutors also showed jurors Thomas medical records that showed she grew a full beard and underwent dramatic voice changes that a doctor diagnosed as side effects of heavy steroid use. Arnold also testified that he sent Thomas the steroids THG he invented at least once.

Thomas is the ninth BALCO figure to suffer convictions. Eight others, including Jones and BALCO founder Victor Conte, have pleaded guilty to various charges of perjury, drug and money laundering charges.

In addition, track coach Trevor Graham has pleaded not guilty to lying to federal agents about giving steroids to athletes. Graham’s trial in San Francisco federal court is scheduled to begin May 19. Graham helped spur the original BALCO investigation when he mailed a vial of Arnold’s designer drug also called “the clear” to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

MY TAKE: Once again we have another big time athlete being accused of taking steroids that are usually taken for muscle building / endurance purposes. As always, innocent until proven guilty.

Isometric training, where you hold your muscle in the fully contracted, “flexed”, position, was found in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research to be just as effective on muscle performance as plyometric training, yet without the risk of injury from impact that’s often associated with plyometrics.

In my opinion, isometric holds are very effective at not only muscular performance, but also at stimulating muscle building and gains in body weight (with the addition of proper caloric intake).

The speed at which to perform and complete your repetitions during an intense weight lifting set is an area of much confusion….the big fast vs slow reps debate. Well, take a look at my latest article and find out what two very important studies have revealed:

Fast or Slow Reps To Build Muscle & Gain Weight?

NBC is reporting that the second season of the hard hitting, muscle-bashing extraveganza known as American Gladiators is not only increasing in muscle-vibe, but also in venue as well. Taping are going to be at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, has about 13,000 seats around the arena.

The official list as to who the Gladiators will be has not been released, but as soon as it is made public you’ll be able to check it out here.

You’ve heard it a million times, you shouldn’t eat salt because it will raise your blood pressure. Well, large scale scientific reviews have shown that there’s no reason for people with normal blood pressure to restrict their sodium (salt) usage.

It’s been known for 20 years now that people with high blood pressure who don’t want to lower their salt intake can simply more potassium-containing foods, since they keep each other balanced out. Dutch researchers determined that a low potassium intake has the same impact on your blood pressure as high salt consumption.

Good sources of potassium are fruits, vegetables, and legumes….such as bananas, white potatoes, spinach, and broccoli.

According to a column in Men’s Health, both high fructose corn syrup and table sugar contain similar amounts of fructose. For instance, the two most commonly used types of HFCS are HFCS-42 and HFCS-55, which are 42% and 55% fructose, respectively. Table sugar is almost chemically identical, containing 50% fructose.

This is why the University of California at Davis, continues to report the column, scientists determined fructose intakes from both HFCS and table sugar. The truth is, there’s no evidence to show any differences in these two types of sugar. Both will cause you to blur your muscular definition and will result in weight gain when consumed in excess, but of the bad kind.

Just watch what you drink, such as soft drinks, sweetened fruit juices, and prepackaged desserts (unless, of course, it’s your higher calorie days….yum).

Read the latest article I’ve written on how water can possibly give you a small help in keeping your body fat low while you go after muscle building and weight gaining:

Water Can Enhance Muscle Definition

Yes, NBC’s highest rated new show is coming back for a second season, starting on May 12th. There will be some replacements of the professional Gladiators and some of the actual physical events (which I’m happy about getting rid some of those obstacles). As to which pro Gladiators will be cut is yet to be made public. I do know for sure that Militia will remain, since I was able to personally meet and speak to him at this year’s Arnold Classic Fitness Expo, in which he mentioned that to me. I also had the pleasure of meeting Wolf, Justice, Titan, Sirene, and the women’s runner up Shanay.

…use the stairs to get rid of fat. The stair stepper causes minimal injury risk. One way to burn fat or keep fat at a minimum while you focus on gaining muscle weight is to stay out of the elevator and off the escalator. Walking up stairs burns more calories than playing tennis or jogging. Just adding two flights of stairs to your normal physical activity each day could lead to a fat burning effect and weight loss of 12 pounds in one year.

Again, even though muscle building is your main goal, you still have to keep body fat in check…..this is one way how you can accomplish this.

Later…………

According to MuscleMag, a new study published in the Journal of Food Science revealed that boiling or steaming broccoli could deplete its Vitamin C stores by 34% and 22%, respectively. When boiling or steaming, the nutrients end up in water ,which people usually pour down the drain. To boost broccoli’s benefits, switch to microwave instead.

Microwaving preserves more than 90% of the vegetable’s Vitamin C, an important cancer fighting nutrient, continues to report MuscleMag. Microwave your veggies without adding water so that they cook in their own juices. To ensure they cook evenly, stir halfway through.

The more vitamins you’re body can utilize, the more muscle building and weight gain you’ll grab a hold of.

According to the American Council on Exercise, stretching is an important aspect of your weight lifting routine aimed at building muscle and gaining weight. Instead of heading straight to the showers after your intense workout routine, take a few minutes to work on your flexibility. Stretching moves are very important in increasing your range of motion, releasing muscle tension and soreness, reducing your risk of injury and increasing physical and mental relaxation. Stretch slowly with no bouncing whatsoever. Remember to breath throughout the movements.

The more agile your muscles are the easier it will be to create a good pump and burn needed to build muscle mass naturally and gain weight fast.

I know, I know. You’ve heard it over a billion times that you must drink water and to all of its benefits. Well, hey, here’s one more for you.

According to a column in Mens Health, water is a powerful lifting aid. University of Connecticut researchers discovered that men who hydrated with water before lifting completed 17% more reps per set during a lower body workout than thirsty exercisers.

Turns out, your nervous system slows your muscle activation when you’re not adequately hydrated, continues to report the column.

My take: I completely agree with the fact that the majority of us do not drink enough water. The advantages that water provides are way too many not to drink it. I mean, c’mon, it’s free (unless you’re foolish enough to shell out $2.00 for tap water just because it comes in some fancy looking water with a beautiful water fall on the label). Water is one of the few substances that can actually make a difference in your muscle building / weight gain goals.