Can you answer JonnyBoy’s question about Bodybuilding?:

Yeah its me im 14 and want to build muscle I play sports regularly and i strech before and after workouts what is safe to take I take protein shakes already what else can i take without harming myself too much

Interval Training Weight Loss

Everybody’s got them. Sometimes you notice them, sometimes you don’t. But there is nothing strange about having one side smaller or less developed than the other! It can happen for a variety of reasons, including genetics, reduced circulation or innervation (which is basically the amount of nerves going to the muscle) to the smaller muscle, previous injuries, or even small anatomical differences.

If you’ve got a significant size or strength difference between sides, this information is for you. The following techniques will help you to even out those lagging bodyparts once and for all!

These techniques can be incorporated into your regular workouts very easily, allowing you to quickly bring up those smaller, less-developed bodyparts. Several of the techniques work by increasing training volume, some work by increasing resistance, while others work by targeting the specific physiological causes of the difference (circulation and innervation).

1. “One and Two and One” Reps

This is a dumbell technique that increases the training volume for the smaller muscle. For this technique, you’ll use the same dumbells in both hands.

Start with one rep with the one arm of the smaller part. For example, if you’re doing curls, do one dumbell curl with your left arm. Now do a single rep with BOTH arms (right and left) at the same time. Immediately do another rep with the smaller arm again.

Your smaller bodypart will end up getting 50% more work than the larger side.

2. “One and Two and One” Sets

This approach is very similar to the rep technique explained above. This time, however, you will do one set of an exercise for just that single side, rest, then do a set that works both sides. Then you’ll go back and do a set with just the smaller side again. This will also increase the “smaller-side” workload by about 50%.

This approach also utilizes dumbells rather than barbells in order to allow for single-limb movements.

This “staggered set” approach is more effective for leg exercises than the “staggered rep” technique explained above simply because it’s tough to find an exercise that you can do the “rep” technique effectively with. For legs, you will follow the exact same routine, doing a single-leg set, then a double-leg set, then a single leg set.

3. Uneven Weights

To do this technique, hold a dumbell that is somewhat heavier in the hand of your weaker side. This can be a 5 to 10 pound or more difference, depending on the exercise. Do your set as you normally would but stop completely when your weak side can’t continue.

This technique increases the resistance on the weaker side, helping to bring it up to the level of the stronger side. Stopping the exercise when the weak side is fatigued ensures that the strong side does not get stimulated as much. This allows the weaker side to more easily catch up.

4. Use Dumbells For All Your Exercises

Dumbells force each side of the body to take full responsibility for their part in the movement. When using machines or barbells, the strong side can have a tendency to take over the movement and assist the weak side, limiting its development.

Simply switching to completely dumbell-based training for a period of time can help bring up the lagging part quickly without even having to use these special techniques.

5. Targeted Negatives

Finish each bodypart workout with a single set of negative training for the weak side limb. For example, if your left bicep is weaker, when you’ve finished your regular bicep workout, do one set of negative-only training for the left bicep.

One of my favorite ways to do negative training for biceps is using the Preacher Bench. The bench allows you to stabilize your upper arm more effectively than if you are standing.

Sit in the bench and hold a heavy dumbell in one hand (the weight should just a little higher than your 1 rep max). Now use your other arm to help with the “up” phase of the movement.

Once you’re at the top, start to lower the weight down. Fight gravity all the way down - don’t just try and slow the weight down…actively try and lift it up while gravity is forcing it down. This is the most effective way to execute negative training.

Have your free hand ready to slow the dumbell to keep it from slamming your arm down if you lose strength.

This technique will help to build strength in the target muscle, helping to address the innervation issues that may be causing the lagging development.

6. Targeted High-Rep Training

Start each bodypart workout with one light, high-rep set for the weak side muscle. For example, for a smaller or weaker right tricep, start each tricep workout with one set of high-rep single-arm pushdowns. High-rep in this case means 50+ reps.

This very high rep set will help to increase circulation to the target muscle, improving its ability to gain mass. This increase in circulation means more available blood, which means more nutrients get to the muscle, which means more muscle growth!

If you’ve got a lesser-developed muscle on one side of your body, give these training techniques a try. They can help you rapidly even out differences between your two sides.



Thanks to Nick Nilsson for contributing this article to our Bodybuilding blog:

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“Lee, I’m new to working out and I’d like to build muscle and get in shape as fast as possible. But everyone that I talk to keeps telling me different ways to go about it. Please help me, I need advice on what I should do.”

This is one of the most common questions that floods my e-mail inbox on a daily basis. For people who are just getting started with a bodybuilding workout program the whole process can be a mind boggling experience. There is so much conflicting advice out there about weight training and exercise that you really don’t know who or what to believe anymore.

I understand what you are going through because I went through the same thing when I began bodybuilding over 17 years ago. People always have a tendency to make things more complicated then they really are. But when you put aside all of the hype and get down to the basics you can see that building muscle and getting in shape is not very complex.

Don’t get hung up on having the perfect training routine, with the precise number of sets and reps, or following the perfect eating plan, etc. Just get started and do it. You can figure out the details and find ways to improve as you go.

I am going to outline a good beginners bodybuilding weight training program that you can follow. You do not need to have any fancy exercise equipment. In fact you could follow this routine with a basic home gym set up. But if you have the option, I would recommend that you join a commercial gym. In addition to having higher quality exercise equipment to choose from, there is a lot more energy in a commercial gym. And this will help motivate you to stick to your workouts and make improvements.

Start off by working out every second day. This will give your body plenty of time for recuperation and muscle growth. Lifting weights will cause minor damage to the muscles and then the body reacts by building the muscles bigger and stronger in order to handle the demands that are being placed upon them. Muscles do not grow while you are working out; they grow while you are resting. Once you workout you have to give your body time to repair and build the muscles. Then you repeat the process of working out and rest.

A common mistake that a lot of novice bodybuilders make is thinking that the more they workout, the better results they will get. This is not true because what happens is the muscles get broken down, but they never get a chance to build back up. This is what is referred to in bodybuilding as “over training”. When you over train your body can’t build new muscle and you may even lose some of the muscle mass that you have now.

Here is a good solid workout routine that you can follow. With this routine you split up your workouts by exercising your upper body during the first workout, and then exercising your lower body during the second workout.

WORKOUT 1: (upper body)

Bench Press 3 sets of 10 reps (for the chest)

Lat Pull Downs 3 sets of 10 reps (for the back)

Seated Shoulder Press 3 sets of 10 reps (for the shoulders)

Bicep Barbell Curls 3 sets of 10 reps (for the biceps)

Triceps Push Downs 3 sets of 10 reps (for the triceps)

WORKOUT 2: (lower body)

Leg Press 3 sets of 10 reps (for the quadriceps)

Leg Curls 3 sets of 10 reps (for the hamstrings)

Leg Extensions 3 sets of 10 reps (for the quadriceps)

Standing Calve Raises 3 sets of 15 reps (for the calves)

Abdominal Crunches 3 sets of 25-50 reps (for the abdominals)

With this routine you workout every-other-day and alternate the two workout routines. So for example: Perform Workout 1, Take a day of rest, Perform Workout 2, Take a day of rest, and then repeat the cycle with Workout 1.

Prior to each exercise do 1 or 2 light warm up sets using about half of the weight that you would normally use for your working sets. The weight that you lift for the first couple of weeks should be light enough so you can complete the repetitions with ease. Then gradually, over time increase the amount of weight that you are lifting.

A good goal would be to add 5 lbs. to each exercise each week. For bigger exercises like bench presses, pull downs, leg presses, etc. this will be fairly easy to do, but for smaller exercises like bicep curls and tricep push downs you may not always be able to make those 5 lb. jumps in weight. There is a big difference between adding 5 lbs. to a 250 lb. leg press compared to adding 5 lbs. to a 25 lb. bicep curl. So just keep that in mind and do your best to increase your strength whenever possible.

At the beginning stages of your bodybuilding training it is best not to complicate things. Keep your workout routine simple and just focus on being consistent. The biggest factor with success in bodybuilding is to just stick with it and focus on making small frequent improvements overtime.

“inch by inch life is a synch… yard by yard life is hard”



Thanks to Lee Hayward for contributing this article to our Bodybuilding blog:

Dumbbell Weight Set

Can you answer Redstar47P’s question about Bodybuilding?:

okay so i’m a beginner and all i want is to bulk up , but not in my legs i need to be seen in the upper body, then when i’m big enough i can start focusing on the legs. so what kind of advantages does leg workout give, is it good to lower metabolism or raise testosterone level?

Weight Lifting Equipment

Powerlifting is a sport that evolved from bodybuilding, and many of the goals are somewhat the same. You can benefit from the practices of powerlifting if you are involved in bodybuilding and vice versa. The main difference comes from competition-in powerlifting your goal is to move as much weight as possible, while in bodybuilding your goal is to look as big and defined as possible.

Powerlifting competitions have three parts: the squat, the bench press, and the dead weight. You win a competition not based on how big your muscles appear to be, but rather, how much total weight you lifted. Competitors are placed into classes determined by factors such as experience and age, and are asked to lift in each of the three competitions. There’s no need to tan, remove hair, or learn poses to be a successful powerlifter; instead, you should focus all your training time on building strength and stamina.

Powerlifters should stick to a healthy diet, just like bodybuilders. It is important to eat enough calories in a day to optimize muscle building, but you should eat the right foods. Stay away from bad carbohydrates, such as potatoes, and bad fats, such as fried foods. Instead, eat lots of pasta, green vegetables, and sources of protein. Depending on your body type, you may to cut back on certain foods to lose weight. Remember that powerlifting, however, is not a measure of body fat or definition, so packing on a few extra pounds won’t effect how the judges view you. Losing body fat, though, will promote a healthier lifestyle altogether, and you will be able to feel better in the gym when you are weight training if you cut the junk food out of your diet.

Stick to a regular routine in the gym as well, just as you would when bodybuilding. You still need time off to rest so that your muscles recover and build between workouts. Also consider taking an entire week off every eight to twelve weeks. This method is used by many trainers and is found to be beneficial in most people because it reduces stress, allows your body to breathe, and helps you stay dedicated to your sport.

Overall, power lifting can be both beneficial to your health and rewarding in the competitive sector. Set goals for yourself with each competition and focus on winning against your own goals instead of simply beating the other lifters. By being dedicated to your diet and training and by keeping a positive attitude, you can succeed in the powerlifting world.



Thanks to Tom Ambrozewicz for contributing this article to our Bodybuilding blog:

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