Bodybuilding Exercises

Top 10 Bodybuilding exercises ? back to basics training for ultimate muscle mass

In this age of $5000 strength machines and $8000 treadmills, it may surprise readers to learn that some of the best bodybuilding exercises can be performed for as little as $100! That?s right, you don?t need chrome and glitz to transform your physique. Long before Universal, Nautilus, and Hammer Strength, came on the scene, bodybuilders had been packing on muscle mass by training with good old-fashioned barbells.

The following (in no particular order) are our choices as the top bodybuilding exercises of all time.

Squats

Most authorities consider squats to be the best leg exercise. Period. One set of all out squats will do more for your lower body than 10 sets of leg extensions. Squats are also one of the most natural and basic of all body movements (let?s face it how often do you mimic the leg extension in the run of a day!) and target virtually the entire lower body.

Barbell Bench Press

The barbell bench press can be considered squats for the upper body. No pretty machine comes close to what this basic bodybuilding exercise will do for your torso. Long before the Pec deck started taking up space in gyms, bodybuilders were putting muscle mass on their chest, triceps, and shoulders, by training with barbell presses.

Deadlifts

Although long considered a powerlifting exercise, deadlifts are one of those exercises that often get neglected by bodybuilders because they take a lot of effort to do properly. But deadlifts will build you a set of python-sized spinal erectors as well as bestow on you that ?no neck? look. They?ll also do wonders for your hamstrings and thighs.

Chin-ups

Long before lat pulldowns transformed the way people trained their backs; chin-ups were tops of back bodybuilding exercises. The great thing about chins is that you can do them just about anywhere from a play ground to a basement. Unlike lat pulldowns, chin-ups require you to lift as well as stabilize your body (i.e. keep your body from swaying). This is what makes them so effective.

Barbell rows

If chin-ups widen your back and produce that much-coveted v-taper, barbell rows will give your inner back that dense, thick, meaty look. Unlike the more often substituted T-bar row, barbell rows have none of the balancing removed. You have to lift and balance the weight. There is no pivoting on the floor or being locked in a given plan of motion that may be unnatural for your body.

Seated Barbell Press

This is another oldie but goodie. Training with seated barbell presses will give your shoulders that cannonball look. Seated barbell presses evolved from the old standing press that was so popular with Olympic lifters and bodybuilders in the 1940?s and 1950?s. They?ve stood the test of time and you should be doing them.

Barbell curls

It?s safe to say that the first exercise performed on barbells when they were invented was a barbell curl. No cable or machine curl will come close to what these babies will do for your biceps muscle mass. They?ll also build up a phenomenal set of forearms. So if you want hams hanging from your shoulder joints you must add barbell curls to your bodybuilding exercises.

Lying triceps extensions

Lying triceps extensions, also called skullcrushers, are the triceps equivalent of barbell curls. They?re simple, basic, and will bring those horseshoes out for all to admire. So you can fluff with kickbacks or cable extensions or put some serious meat on your arms with this great bodybuilding exercise!

Push-ups

Push-ups go back even further than barbell exercises. Push-ups are the best bodyweight exercise for building the chest, shoulders, and triceps. By changing the height of the legs you can target different parts of the chest. They can also be done just about anywhere, whether the gym or in a hotel room while on the road. So drop and give me 20!

Crunches

Crunches will strengthen your abdominal core. They?ll also improve your posture and help protect your lower back. Crunches evolved from sit-ups, but unlike sit-ups they place less stress on your lower back and keep the hip flexors from contributing to the exercise. As with push-ups crunches can be done just about anywhere and should be the primary exercise in your abdominal routine.

Bob Howard expert on bodybuilding and steroids. Are you looking for more of his bodybuilding articles? http://www.bodybuildinginformation.com Article ? Bob Howard 5/5/2006

Powerlifting versus Bodybuilding

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.

Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files download and train in gym while you listen. You can check all bodybuilding tips at Ask-How.info now.

Bodybuilding on the Go: Tips for Travelers

Face it-not everyone has the opportunity to devote 100% of his or her life to bodybuilding. Most people also have a career and family in their lives, which leads to lots of travel between business trips and family vacations. Even if you are in that small percentage of people who can be a full-time bodybuilder, you may want to travel for competition reasons. It's hard to stick to your diet and train during travel, but with a little extra work, you can continue to stay toned even if you travel of a regular basis.

Before you leave, hit the gym. Chances are that wherever you are staying, they do not have a weight room, or they will have limited equipment and irregular operating hours. Cardiovascular exercise is easy to do in most travel situations, but make sure you do an intense weight training session the day before or day that you leave. That way, some of your vacation time will be over your normal resting days anyway. When you get to your destination, check out the gym availability at your hotel.

Eating right during travel is probably going to be your biggest concern. If you're on vacation, its OK to splurge a little, but try to avoid eating excessive junk food and stick to your diet plan as much as possible. When going on long flights, remember that the little package of pretzels or peanuts they give you on the airplane is probably not going to be enough to hold you over until you land, especially since you should be used to eating small meals every few hours. Eat a slightly larger meal than normal right before you leave, and take some snacks with you. Good carry-ons include granola bars, dried fruit, and protein bars or shakes. Also bring your own water-you're likely to get one small glass of juice or water on the plane, but after that, you'll have to pay for whatever you need. Once you arrive, plan enough time to eat another slightly larger meal if necessary.

While on vacation, be smart. Scope out the nearest grocery market and stock up on healthy food options, especially if your hotel room has a microwave and refrigerator. When you go out to eat, remember to do everything in moderation. Cheating a little is fine, but try to stick to baked foods instead of fried foods. You're a bodybuilder, so you know what foods are good for you-stick to the plan and counteract any poor eating habits with extra cardiovascular workouts, such as running in the mornings before you begin your day's activities. By doing this, you can travel without sacrificing the months of hard work you've put in at the gym.

Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files download and train in gym while you listen. You can check all bodybuilding tips at Ask-How.info now.

Becoming #1: Beginning Competitive Bodybuilding

If you are going to put a lot of time, effort, and money into training, you might wish to show off the end results in a bodybuilding fitness competition. These contests are held throughout the country and world and showcase some of the most physically fit bodies known to humankind. There are many levels of competition, so don't worry if you aren't Mr. Universe just yet-you can find a competition that is right for you. Any sort of contest does, however, require a dedication to training, including a healthy diet and lots of exercise.

The first thing you should do when you decide to begin competitive bodybuilding is to find a coach. It will be much easier to break into the competition world if you have someone with a little experience under his or her belt guiding you. With your coach, decide on a training schedule and diet, and choose whether or not you want to take supplements. Natural training is, of course, always best, but you may wish to take vitamins or other supplements to make sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs even if you cut some foods out of your diet.

Next, research some of the events held near you. Local events are a good place to start if you live in a big city. If not, you may have to travel some distance to find events, so plan accordingly. Some competitions have an entry fee, and all have different rules of conduct. In most cases, you will have an orientation session the day or morning before the event, but you need to be well prepared before this to avoid looking like a novice in front of the judges. Before the competition, you should not only train, but also learn to flex while you pose and still look relaxed. You may also want to tan, remove hair, and take other measures to help your body look as lean and sculpted as possible. Your coach, if he or she has participated in competitive bodybuilding, should be able to give you advice in these areas.

After the competition, evaluate your performance, good or bad. Nobody is perfect, but by learning from past mistakes, you can do better at future competitions. Keep your eyes peeled in the staging area-what are other competitors doing to help their performance? As soon as the winners are announced and the applause has died, head to the judges' table. They are the experts and can give you a quick verbal assessment of your body and give you advice for your next competition. Be humble and listen to everything they have to say, both positive and negative. In no time, it will be you in the winner's circle, and you can give advice to the new competitive bodybuilders in your area.

Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files download and train in gym while you listen. You can check all bodybuilding tips at Ask-How.info now

Bodybuilding overtraining

Read the original article

When you train to much you simply won't grow from it period!

This simply means you can not resolve overtraining by increasing your sleep.

Which ultimately means you have to cut back on your workout, or even take time out fromworking out for about two weeks.

You have to realize when your not working for two weeks your body will still grow for a period up to a week.

But now your still asking yourself how is this possible.

Well think of it as this you've been working out for 8 to 12 weeks straight with maybe one or two days off of a week.

That still is not enough time for the whole body to grow.

So for that first week your body is still healing itself and catching up to the intense workout you have done, and will actually see yourself getting bigger.

Now I'm not saying to go cheat on your diet but you can also cut back on your protein and carbs because your not going to be using the excess carbs for energy.

Into your second gradually add push ups, pull ups, and body squats to your workout.

This way when you start working out again your body will be primed.

Here is a little workout for this.

Do these workout routines three time a week:

Two sets of push ups 25 reps each

Two sets of pull ups 15 reps each

Two sets of body squats 20 reps each

And do a lot of stretching which will reduce the risk of overtraining.

Bodybuilding overtraining

Read the original article

When you train to much you simply won't grow from it period!

This simply means you can not resolve overtraining by increasing your sleep.

Which ultimately means you have to cut back on your workout, or even take time out fromworking out for about two weeks.

You have to realize when your not working for two weeks your body will still grow for a period up to a week.

But now your still asking yourself how is this possible.

Well think of it as this you've been working out for 8 to 12 weeks straight with maybe one or two days off of a week.

That still is not enough time for the whole body to grow.

So for that first week your body is still healing itself and catching up to the intense workout you have done, and will actually see yourself getting bigger.

Now I'm not saying to go cheat on your diet but you can also cut back on your protein and carbs because your not going to be using the excess carbs for energy.

Into your second gradually add push ups, pull ups, and body squats to your workout.

This way when you start working out again your body will be primed.

Here is a little workout for this.

Do these workout routines three time a week:

Two sets of push ups 25 reps each

Two sets of pull ups 15 reps each

Two sets of body squats 20 reps each

And do a lot of stretching which will reduce the risk of overtraining.

Webmaster of Boeafitness.com
Boeafitness.com

 

How to Find the Best Home Gym Equipment

Using home gym equipment for strength training has become a very popular component of many people's home fitness workouts. The benefits of strength training are many and well-documented, and they can be very useful for overall body conditioning. But there are so many choices to be made when looking at home gym equipment, so which will make the best choice for you? Here are a few points to consider:

Actually, the very least expensive strength training equipment is a good set of free weights and dumbbells, but they can also be unsafe if you don't know how to use them. Proper form and balance are essential to getting the results you want without hurting yourself along the way. So if you decide to go this route, it's a good idea to invest in a training program that will show you how to use your equipment properly and avoid injury.

Because of the safety factor, strength training machines have become much more popular, even penetrating the home fitness market. One of the advantages of strength training machines, or home gyms, is that they allow you to perform your exercises in a more safe manner, keeping your body positioned to maintain proper form as you exercise.

Home gyms are generally divided into two major categories, and again these categories often pertain to price. The lower cost home gyms are often featured on television and in magazines, being recommended by well-known celebrities and public personalities. You can even find them being advertised on infomercials as well. The two most common home gyms in this field are the Bowlex and the Crossbar.

Both of these kind of strength training machines use rods or bars to provide resistance for your muscles as you train, and many people feel that they do their job very well. The big advantage of using this kind of equipment is the lower cost involved.

The higher end of the home gym equipment field are machines that use a more traditional weight stack or plates. They more resemble the kind of machines that you would find in a typical fitness gym. But they are also much more expensive, and they can tend to take up a lot of room. So before buying this kind of equipment you need to make sure that you have the room to be able to accommodate it in advance.

Any of the equipment mentioned above can be used successfully by the average person at home to help them reach their fitness goals. But as with all fitness equipment, you need to try them out before you buy and make sure that you feel comfortable with the way the equipment works. And never began a strength training regimen without doing so under the supervision of a qualified physician to prevent injuries as you train.

You can find the best home gym equipment and home gym reviews by visiting our Home Fitness website.