The Various Categories Of Bodybuilding Supplements

The new millenium has seen a dramatic increase in the usage of supplementation by bodybuilders and those wishing to gain weight, helping them to attain the desired physical effects in a more drastic way and at a faster rate. It has almost come to the point now where there are so many different kinds of supplements available that a gym junkies choice lies not in whether to use supplements but which supplements to use and which ones are really required for their own personal needs.

Basically there are a few categories of bodybuilding supplements. Each of these play a certain role in the process of breaking down then building up those muscle tissues for the attainment of that perfect physique. The main categories are as follows:

Weight gaining supplements

Weight gainers are usually comprised of protein and carbs to help you stack on quick mass, both muscle and fat. The more advanced kinds come with amino acids that perform certain functions too but for the most part these supplements are simple powders containing the ingredients we know we need. I mean let's face it, if you aren't taking in huge amounts of protein generally in the form of a protein shake you probably shouldn't be at the gym. For this reason this category of supplements unlike the others are essential assuming you are looking only to lose fat. You have to use a protein based weight gaining supplement unless you are eating like a swedish mountain goat.

Creatine based supplements

Creatine now is on the border of reaching a level of acceptance where it can be said that if you are training for strength and size, you NEED to be taking it. Numerous studies have now proven the benefits to both lean muscle mass and during workout energy levels through creatine supplementation. As a result creatine has become its own market of supplements as it is able to be purchased with your protein and carb formulas, combined with various amino acid chains to enhance effectiveness, in liquid, caplet or powdered form. While not necessary it is becoming a staple of more serious athletes.

Fat burners

The name is basically self explanatory here. These supplements are used by bodybuilders through the cutting down phase to reduce body fat levels while attempting to maintain an optimum level of muscle. These supplements are generally targetted to more hardcore bodybuilders and athletes as let's face it, there are more skinny people wanting to be big than big muscly guys who want to lose some fat and get ripped. These supplements again are not essential but come available in diverse natures with varying benefits.

Supplements X

I call them supplements X because I really have no way to describe what this last category of supplements do. They are very new to the market because they have been being developed over the last 8, years as documentation suggests. Basically they are supplements different from all above as they actually act on biochemical processes within the body to cause muscle gaining, recovery enhancing, fatigue reducing, workout power boosting effect at rapid speeds that are seemingly unavailable through every day supplements. They are generally more expensive and taken only in tablet form but some examples of which being Muscletech's Gakic or Leukic. These are not steroids although are shown to be anabolic compounds and hence very powerful.

Do your research and learn what supplements are correct for your needs but no matter what make sure you take action. With new technological advancements constantly occuring the increases in performance through supplementation is an advantage you can't afford to miss out on.

Gary Stephens is a writer on Bodybuilding Supplements and runs an informational website on the new Muscletech Supplement Leukic.

For more information please see http://www.leukic.org

Avoid Common Bodybuilding|Weightlifting Injuries-Common Mistakes In Gym

Bodybuilding by weightlifting if done wrongly is a sure recipe for injuries. Sometimes even painful and permanent injuries that will derail your bodybuilding program. This article will address the common injury prone mistakes bodybuilders make in their quest to build a fit and muscular body and how to avoid those weightlifting injuries.

Many people who workout in gyms complain about backaches and they blamed it on their desk bound jobs sitting in front of the computer at long stretches of time. Perhaps they are right. Then why is it that more bodybuilders have backaches when compared to their non gym going colleagues?

Aren?t those people who lift weights are supposed to have stronger back muscles to support their musculature and should be less prone to backaches? I think you are getting the drift. Many bodybuilders suffer from common weightlifting injuries that they don?t even know it.

Many people actually think that if they do not suffer any pain when they are lifting weights, they are not injured. I want to debunk this bodybuilding myth right now. You see, many weight lifting injuries are very often sustained over a period of time.

It is because of the wrong weightlifting form being repeated over and over through many training sessions that cause the wear and tear of joints, tendons, cartilages and muscles. Many injuries do not just occur immediately or overnight like the weights dropping on your toes or painful muscle tear during your lifts.

Therefore executing your weightlifting movements in the correct form and techniques not only help your muscles to grow big and fast, it is also crucial to prevent bodybuilding injuries.

Common causes of injuries can also be attributed to lifting weights that are too heavy or that the bodybuilder who may be sick, and yet headed for the gym when his condition is not optimum for handling the weight he usually lift as he is in a physically weakened state.

So when the weights are too heavy or you are too weak to lift the weights you usually do, you are forced to cheat by swinging the weights up using momentum and lowering the weights by using gravity.

These movements not only waste your time in the gym as they are definitely not helpful in helping you build muscles. They will cause injuries.

An example of a common exercise done in the wrong form and a recipe for injuries is the common bar bell curl.

? Barbell Biceps Curl ? This exercise is perhaps the most commonly executed in the wrong form and causing injuries that people don?t even know why they are injured. In every gym, you will see people swinging their barbells with their body rocking thru and fro in the movements.

The rocking movement places tremendous stress on the shoulder joint which is the most unstable joint in the human body and the lower back. Over time, the shoulder joints and lower back will pay a heavy price for the wrong form and technique used during the lift.

Other common bodybuilding exercises which are often wrongly executed are the lat pull down, bench press, leg extension, military press and list goes on.

So the next time when you have backache or joint pain, don?t blame it on other causes if you are a bodybuilder and that you lift weights often. Just reflect on the weightlifting exercises you are doing and examined them as to whether they are the cause of your injuries.

Better yet, hire a personal trainer or a bodybuilding book with picture illustration and description to learn how to lift weights in the correct form and technique to prevent common and serious weight lifting injuries.

Chris Chew is a fitness personal trainer of actors, pageant winners, fashion models and other celebrities. More articles on his websites Lose body fat build lean muscles fast and Choose your fitness trainer

7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding (Part 1 of 2)

When I was 16, I asked myself this very same question that I received from a frustrated 16 year old. It went something like this...

"A Little Help Please! I am 16 and I am VERY skinny! I don't have much fat on me so... you could almost see my bones if I am not wearing anything baggy. I only weight 105 lbs and I know I am tooth pick mainly because I don't eat too much." - Frustrated and Skinny

You have NO IDEA of how close that cry for help sounds like me. When I was 16, I took a picture of myself in front of the family Christmas tree. Somehow I convinced my sister to take the picture and I flexed with all my might.

For those who are curious to see what I really did look like, the picture is at:

http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Scroll down. You'll see it. It's 100% un-edited. I didn't even remove the glow in the dark plastic eagle necklace I found somewhere.

Anyway, your question was the same thing I wondered myself. I was 16 and tired of being skinny. I thought I did everything I could to gain weight but I was wrong. And I'm going to give you 7 simple steps you can do today to get on the right track to healthy weight gain and make that cry for help, a shout for joy!

If I could get into a time machine I would go back and hand myself a small brochure called:

7 Simple Steps To Beginning Bodybuilding

This would be written by me for me. But I'm positive the next few steps will apply to you as well and any other 16 year olds out there who are frustrated but are in a position to waste a lot of time if they start down the wrong path.

Please don't be confused... these simple steps are for anybody, no matter what age, male or female, who might be looking to start off on the right foot and not waste a lot of time.

Okay, so what can you do? Let's go step by step and figure this out.

Pre-Requisite - Body building isn't just about getting massive. It's not just for men. The word should actually be two words all the time so there's no confusion. You are building your body. That can mean anything to anybody. So the first step is...

1. Pick A Goal

No matter what, if you don't have a short term and long term goal in mind, you'll just wander around, like a zombie with your arms out, going to anything in sight. And 5 years later, you'll wonder what the heck happened!

Having a clear goal is the ONLY way to start. If you want to gain, maintain or lose, that is a goal. Know what you want before you start.

You'd be floored to find out just how many people are frustrated with their results but when asked exactly what they are trying to do, they have no idea.

2. Figure Out How Many Calories A Day You Need

In your case, you say you are skinny and tooth-pick like. But in the next sentence you state you know you don't eat.

[Snap Rubber Band On Wrist Here For Behavior Modification]

When I was 16, I didn't eat either, I skipped many meals (especially on weekends) and I tried all kinds of protein powders and supplements when I was clearly failing at nutrition.

My mom would cook big meals and I'd barely finish my plate before running off to do something. All the while wishing I was bigger and not so skinny.

There's so many simple ways to calculate your calories. That should be your very next step. Once you know what you want to do, you need to know your nutritional intakes in order to obtain that goal. It's not going to be hard at all but if you don't know, you cannot possibly get anywhere.

In other words, if you don't know how many calories a day you need for a certain goal, then don't expect anything different.

3. Figure Out How Much Protein You Need A Day

It's the building blocks of muscle and it's also the only way you are going to build more muscle or keep the muscle you already have today.

Even for burning fat, it's proven that getting enough protein will actually make you leaner.

Again, there's very simple formulas for this that do not require a degree from MIT to perform. And once you know how much protein you need every day, it's really easy in Step 4 to find out if you are getting what you need.

These steps will be continued in part 2

Marc David is giving away free memberships to his Teach Me Bodybuilding 'private list'. To get your own subscription, visit http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com while charter subscriptions last

Choosing the Best Home Gym Fitness Equipment

If fitness is not included in your New Year's resolution list, then write it down now, no matter the time of the year. Whatever age or fitness level you are, living a healthier life should be a top priority and what better way to do that than to start a fitness routine right in your own gym at home?

The choice for the best home fitness gym routine is highly subjective. That means, out of the hundreds of fitness routines available for you to use, you'll need to sift through the different offerings and decide which is best for your own particular fitness requirement, interest and physical ability. To find out what the best home fitness gym routine is for you, here are some tips:

Basic home gym equipment
If you already have a set of home gym equipment, you probably chose it based on your fitness goals. But if you don't have any, then it's time to shop. If you're looking for the best home gym equipment with which to start your fitness routine in the simplest, most basic way, start with some of the most popular ? the treadmill, the stationary bike, the stair climber and the rowing machine.

The treadmill has been a top favorite for many years now because it simulates three of the best exercises in the world: running, jogging and walking. If you're buying a treadmill, look for an excellent system for shock absorption that's easy on the knees and ankles. This will assure you of safe exercise even while you burn calories.

When it comes to affordability, exercise bikes are the best and you can choose either the upright or the recumbent model. It mimics the motions involved during an outdoor bicycle ride without the distractions of traffic, dirt or mud. An exercise bike doesn't take up a lot of space and can be programmed to provide sufficient resistance for a great workout.

The stair climber is another excellent choice for cardio. By simulating stepping motions, it provides an aerobic workout that is best for increasing heart rate and for toning the lower body. The basic stair climber targets the glutes, thighs, calves and hip muscles. For a total workout, you can also try a stair climber that comes with tools for upper arm exercise. This system lets you exercise both the upper and lower parts of the body.

The rowing machine may not be the most popular, but many people do miss out on its benefits. For one, it provides the best total body workout that targets both the upper and lower body. By providing resistance for the arms, it works out the muscles in that area including the chest and back. The legs and thighs are also involved in the motions and for burning calories, the rowing machine is tops.

Building muscles
Cardiovascular workouts are great for increasing stamina, trimming body fat and toning muscles, but if you want definition, you probably need the help of the bigger, meaner gym equipment. These systems are specially designed for strength training and muscle building.

A complete home gym system will usually include a range of features from the basic to the fully customizable. Aside from the basic resistance station, you will have the advantage of having a free weight system to use anytime of the day. A home gym system's weights can be customized to meet a user's specific needs.

It will include a bench which can either be flat or inclined and several stations where the weights and barbells are located. If you're a beginner, you might need some assistance because this home gym system will require a lot of loading and changing weight plates. It will require a lot of work, but for the best home gym fitness, a home gym system has a lot of advantages that basic gym equipment don't have.

Buying the best home gym fitness system
If you're out shopping for a home gym system, look for one that has a 200-lb. weight stack. It may seem a lot, but remember it's fully customizable. Besides, you probably won't start a fitness routine with the 200 pounds weight stack immediately. You can also opt to add more weights as you progress later on.

If you're looking for the best home gym fitness system, don't be afraid to try it to see if every station, every moving part functions as it's supposed to. Look for steadiness and smoothness in the moving parts. Check if the system is made with heavy steel, look for a sturdy frame and steel cables. The padding on the seat and head rests should provide adequate support and pulleys should be made with nylon-coated fiberglass pulleys.

What to expect
The best home gym fitness system should offer quality that is directly proportional to its price tag. You should essentially be getting what you paid for, so you need to know what features to check. With regular use and maintenance, the best home gym fitness system should last you many years, so make sure your choice is the best.

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