Blogging About The Truth To Gain Weight & Build Muscle Mass!

The big problem with anabolic / androgenic steroids is that not only do they help to gain weight and build muscle mass, but they affect in one way or another, positively or negatively just about every organ in the body……and that’s not good. In addition to working on muscular tissue, they also place a strain on organs like your livers and kidneys (dosage, frequency, time on, time off, etc…..of course, all affect to what degree the effects are).

Well, presently, labs are working on SARMs, which stands for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators. The humongous upside to this is that these chemicals are designed to work on “selective” or specific areas of the body, not overall like regular steroids. So, they can literally designed a chemical that will work on increasing your muscle tissue, yet not affect other organs.

Pharmaceutical company Merk & Company signed a $500 million deal with another company GTx to produce, develop, test, and market SARMs. They are the only ones that have the rights to this, so ignore any shady bodybuilding supplement company that begins to claim that they are releasing any kind of “SARMs-like” muscle building / weight gaining supplement!

Getting in fiber, preferably via vegetables, is one of the biggest things you hear about maintaining and / or improving your health and overall muscle building efforts. Well, eating raw vegetables at least three times a month can reduce your risk of contracting cancer in the bladder by 40%, according to a column by Beck Holman.

My take: Again, fiber nor veggies, whether they be raw or cooked, have anything “magical” about them in regards to gaining weight and building muscle mass, however, getting in some fiber here and there does help keep your digestive system in tract, which is directly responsible for having to process all of those calories you’re supposed to be eating to gain weight and build muscle.

Yeah, yeah. More good news about red wine. It has now been shown to be a good thing for your teeth. It has now been discovered that it is great at reducing dental plaque. So what’s that got to do with building muscle mass? Well, you’ll have a prettier smile while you’re posing for your pictures showing off your hard earned muscle!

Yes, when you get your blood drawn at the doctor to get a full panel check-up, some of those liver and kidney function tests can be thrown of if you workout to gain weight and build lean muscle mass.

Find out why:
Gain Weight – Weight Lifting & Liver Tests

According to Becky Holman, fish in your diet may cut Alzheimer’s risk in half. Just three servings a week will do it….salmon, herring, or even mackerel will get the job done.

My Take: Hey, anything that MAY help prevent any type of illness is a good thing to keep in mind, just don’t become obsessed about it.

The very popular bike-building show, American Chopper, which airs on TLC, will be airing an episode that features the supplement company BSN, the same company that endorses ex-Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, on April 24th, 9:00 pm, eastern time zone.

For anyone that’s a big bodybuilding fan, and fan of Ronnie Coleman, this will be an interesting episode to watch, whether you’re chopper fan or not.

That’s right, all of those pro bodybuilders from the 60′s and 70′s may have been right all along, with their massive eating of foods high in saturated fat. Even though for decades this fat has been considered a huge enemy against gaining weight and lean muscle mass, my latest articles states the opposite.

Read my latest gain weight and build muscle article.

Just goes to show how shady and untrustworthy most muscle building / weight gain supplement manufacturers are;

According to mlive.com, federal agents seized more than $1.3 million in illegal dietary supplements from a Brighton business that markets products to bodybuilders, authorities announced Friday.

U.S. Marshals confiscated the items Wednesday at a warehouse of LG Sciences, LLC, located on Whitmore Lake Road, because the products contain unapproved food additives or dietary ingredients that violate the law, according to a statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Products seized were marketed and distributed online and in retail stores under the names Methyl 1-D, Methyl 1-D XL and Formadrol Extreme XL.

The FDA said the seized products previously were tested and found to contain one or more unapproved food additives and/or dietary ingredients that had not been studied to ensure they wouldn’t cause illness or injury.

In March 2006, the FDA warned a company called Legal Gear – the predecessor to LG Sciences – to cease distribution of another product that was marketed as a dietary supplement but was actually an unapproved new drug containing synthetic steroids, the government’s statement said.

……incredible!

Did you know that you can raise your natural growth hormone levels 3 – 5 times higher from an intense weight lifting session than you can from any expensive HGH muscle building / weight gain supplement?

Read my latest article to find out why you shouldn’t burn your cash on any of them:
Growth Hormone Bodybuilding Supplement Article

Growth hormone, aka HGH, is found naturally within the body. Some of its roles are the increase of using fat as fuel, which leads to more muscular definition, as well as increased muscle building and quality weight gain.

Researchers at Loughborough University, which is located in England, found that growth hormone levels in sprint-trained athletes reached 25 times their resting levels around 30 minutes after they completed, get this, a 30 second all-out, super-high intensity sprint. Pretty interesting.

I remember reading about this same finding, perhaps by some other university, many years ago in a bodybuilding magazine. Interesting indeed, but I honestly don’t know if an all-out 30 second sprint is actually going to make a significant difference in the amount of weight you gain or muscle you build. Sure, the sprint was found to raise your growth hormone levels 25 times higher than normal……BUT is this still enough to cause a visible change. Is 25 times more than normal enough, or does the body require 100′s of times above normal.

Test and see.

Alli is the latest body fat lowering drug, aka Xenical, that many are placing the hearts and souls on to keep their fat levels at bay while they try to gain weight and build muscle mass. Well, check out my latest article to discover the truth about this over the counter medication:

Alli – Does It Help Keep Your Muscles Visible?

According to GetBig, there have been some new, major signings of two of the most popular competitive bodybuilders joining new muscle building magazines.

First off, Dexter Jackson, who’s on a hot streak of winning the last 3 professional shows, has left Muscular Development, where he was at for several years, and has gone over to Flex magazine. This is somewhat surprising to some, knowing the immense popularity of Muscular Development, but I wonder, just wonder, him leaving MD has anything to do with the rumor going around that Muscle Tech supplements will no longer have an ad relationship with MD. We all know that Dexter is sponsored by Muscle Tech. Could the two have correlation???

Second, Lee Priest will be apparently leaving MuscleMag International and will be going back to Muscular Development. Very interesting, seeing as how that ended pretty ugly the last time around.

Regardless, us muscle building fans are simply happy that they will be somewhere, regardless of what magazine. Keep up the good work, gents!

MH has written in a recent column some very interesting information regarding good old butter. It mentions that most of the fat is composed of palmitic and stearic acids. Research shows these saturated fatty acids either have no effect on your cholesterol or actually improve it.

Well, take a further look at some of these facts and figures:

1 pat of butter contains just 36 calories, and the fat it provides helps you feel full longer

Butter is one of the top sources of CLA, a natural fat that’s been shown to fight cancer

Studies show the fat in butter improves your body’s ability to absorb vitamins A, E, D, and K.

All’s I got to say is “Can ya please pass the butter?!”

Now a days, anything that’s “white” or “refined” is instantly labeled as being bad for muscular definition and quality weight gain, when it comes to bodybuilding / fitness nutrition. For example, white bread, white potatoes, etc. One of the main reasons for this is because they feel that anything white and refined causes huge spikes in your insulin levels, which many feel helps store body fat.

Well, according to a column in Men’s Health, white potatoes and sweet potatoes have complementary nutritional differences; one isn’t necessarily better than the other. For instance, sweet potatoes have more fiber and vitamin A, but white potatoes are higher in essential minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and potassiu.

As for the scam known as the Glycemic Index, sweet potatoes are lower on the scale, but baked white potatoes typically aren’t eaten without cheese, sour cream, or butter. These toppings contain fat, which lowers the glycemic index of a meal.

The form in which you consume a potato, continues to report the column, for instance, a whole baked potato versus a processed potato that’s used to make chips, is more important than if it’s a white potato or sweet potato.

So much for the whole “white / refined” bashing!

One of the biggest selling muscle building supplements known as ZMA is nothing but a good way to burn a deep hole in your wallet. If you are using it thinking it’s helping you build muscle mass and gain weight by raising your natural testosterone levels, you need to read my latest article:

ZMA Won’t Help You Build Muscle!

Dexter Jackson, fresh off of a third Arnold Classic win, has taken the crown once again at this year’s Australian Pro. Dex once again brought his incredible display of sinew, muscular definition, and mass…..all with awesome symmetry. The rest of the results are as follows:

Melvin Anthony finished second, while Moe Elmoussawi (third), Toney Freeman (fourth), Troy Alves (fifth) and Ronnie Rockel (sixth) rounded out the top six.

Sun exposure increases levels of hormones called melanocortins, which cause the skin to darken, otherwise known as tanning. These hormones work with leptin to control appetite while helping to increase the signals that stimulate fat burning in your cells. There is plenty of evidence from animal studies and laboratory work that supports these effects.

Now, just because building muscle mass or gaining weight is your primary goal, that doesn’t mean that you are going to throw muscle definition, aka “cuts”, to the wind. Although right now you may be focusing on getting physically bigger in mass / size, you don’t want to turn into a “chubykins” either. So, building muscle while maintaining low levels of body fat are a must.

According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, the key to which exercise, between the bench press or the pushups, is better for isolating the chest, lies in your hand position. A recent study revealed that for both exercises the triceps are more active with a narrow hand position. The pectoralis major, on the other hand, is more active with a narrow hand position for pushups only. During a bench press the pectoralis major is more active with a wide grip. By changing your grip on the bench press you’ll change the emphasis from one muscle to the other.

I feel that the more you isolate a particular muscle that you’re trying to build, the more likely you are to develop it. So if muscle building and weight gain is what you’re after, isolate, isolate, isolate!

According to Allergy and Asthma Solution by Dr. Dean Mitchell if you leave your gym sneezing, wheezing, or feeling congested, the facility could be making you sick….literally. A lot of weight lifting gyms are humid, enclosed environments that aggrevate allergies because of subpar ventilation systems (HVAC). If you symptoms aren’t the result of a cold, consider checking it out with your doctor for an allergy test to determine the cause of your symptoms. Gyms full of dust and / or mold may force you to change the gym you currently workout at.

I remember when I used to be a member of a certain weight lifting gym. The place was fairly old, so their ventilation system was down right horrible. I used to always end up feeling sick to my stomach, and almost light headed when working out. I used to have to go outside once or twice just to get some fresh air. And that was by far the only location that I would get that way when training to building muscle and gain weight. So the physical environment does have an impact on your muscular performance.

As reported in a column in MuscleMag International, the average cutting board has 370 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. When you purchase a cutting board, go with pine, which has been proven to harbor 20% fewer E. coli colonies than plastic and beech wood. Cut down your risk of food poisoning by ditching that old cutting board and starting fresh with a new pine board. You should also use different cutting boards for vegetables and meat to avoid cross contamination. Soak boards after use in hot soapy water to kill bacteria.

As I’ve always written, calories from regular food is what will really make a difference with your weight gain / muscle building goals…..so you’ve got to make sure that you aren’t pushing contaminated food into your stomach.

According to a column in Men’s Health, narrowing your grip while performing presses for chest reduces your risk of injury, states a new study in Strength and Conditioning Journal. The reason is that you can’t over-rotate your shoulders, which is a mistake that plays a role in almost 20% of weight lifting injuries.

The narrow grip won’t reduce your strength or muscle building gains. Place your hands no farther than shoulder width apart. Also, be sure to keep your elbows tucked in at your sides at a approximately a 45 degree angle to your torso. This also reduces stress on your shoulder joints and rotator cuffs.

My take: As many of you already know, I’m not a fan at all of the barbell for almost any upper body exercise. Cables, dumbbells, and machines are much safer and effective (…..yes, I said even “machines”). You are going to get any weight gaining or muscle building done if your rotator cuffs are shot, trust me!

Read my latest article on another waste-of-good-money supplement, namely creatine – amino acid supplements. In this article I cite a brand new study that has revealed its ineffectiveness.

Check it out:
Don’t Waste Your Money On Creatine – Amino Acid Supplements!

According to a report released by Reuters, researchers have concluded that energy drinks may give you not only a but of energy but also an elevated heart rate (pulse) and high blood pressure. If you suffer from high blood pressure or heart disease, you should avoid energy drinks because they could interfere with your prescriptions meds.

I’d also like to add that you shouldn’t be wasting any of your hard earned cash on energy drinks to begin with. They are one of the biggest scams going around. Take a look at what the main ingredient is in all of them and you’ll be surprised to find out that it is caffeine. So basically you’re over-paying for sugar flavored coffee when you buy these things. I understand that in order for muscle building to take effect and to set the weight gain wheels in motion intense weight training is a must, and getting psyched up for these training sessions are important. I agree, caffeine is excellent and cheap………..just don’t get it in the form of an “energy drink”.

This week on Pro Bodybuilding Weekly they speak to Phil Heath, the newly crowned IronMan Pro champion, and the hosts go into a detailed observation of the contest overall.

Over at MD Radio, in addition to speaking about the contest, they also talk to Flex Wheeler and Shawn Ray. Also, they speak to IFBB professional Kenny Jones. In addition, they also touch briefly the very sad death of Shellie Beatty.

Yet another dietary supplement aimed at helping you building muscle, or burn fat, has allegedly been found to be laced with an illegal prescription drug…..Clenbuterol.

Read about it in my latest weight gaining / truth-exposing article:
Latest muscle building / gain weight article

During the process of growing and shipping fruits and vegetables, pesticide residue and pathogens can be picked up, including trace amounts of salmonella and E. coli. If you can, purchase locally grown produce from a farmers market. The fewer people produce has been in contact with, the better. Wash all produce in water for at least 20 seconds just before eating. Don’t wash everything at once because washing speeds up spoilage; wash only what you’re about to prepare. Rinse prepackaged salads, even when they are labeled prewashed, to be on the safe side.

SOURCE: MuscleMag column

My take: being that a high calorie diet is crucial when trying to build muscle mass and gain weight naturally, you must be careful with the safety of what you put in your mouth. Trust me, knowing from personal experience, food poisoning is no fun activity!

Former American Gladiator Shelly Beatie, aka “Siren”, died on February 13th, according to Dave Palumbo. The actual cause of death has not been made public yet. She was married to in the past to Muscular Development’s John Romano.

She was an accomplished competitor in bodybuilding and fitness. She will be sorely missed not only in the muscle building world, but all over.

Recently, researchers conducted a study in which they had several individuals drink half a quart of cold water, to which then afterwards they measured how many extra calories were burned off. (Just so you’ll know, when you drink cold water, as opposed to warm or hot water, it takes energy to “heat up” a little that water when it enters the body. This “energy” that it takes to heat the water up is technically calories being used to heat the water, since calories are a form of energy).

The study was done on 7 men and 7 women. They found that their metabolism increased by 30% within 10 minutes of drinking the cold water. This metabolism increase lasted for about an hour or so.

How many extra calories were burned off?

The equivalent of 100 extra calories.

Now, my take: I don’t really feel like an extra 100 calories being burned off is a big deal in the grand scheme of things. However, if you are drinking a lot more than a quart of cold water per day, then instead of burning an extra 100 calories just from drinking that, you may be burning an extra 200 or 300 calories, which then, in my opinion, will definitely help you get into the oh-so-important calorie deficit that’s needed to burn off body fat and show off your muscle building efforts by enhanced muscular definition.

Hey, it’s free, so give it a try!

Becky Holman reports in her column that oil taken with meals, whether as fish oil capsules or salad dressing, has been shown to boost absorption of some antioxidants and phytochemicals in vegetables by as much as 10%. She recommends to take a few capsules with every meal.

My take: I’m all about increasing the absorption of the foods you are already eating, especially when you are trying to gain weight fast. I, personally, recommend going the olive oil route, since it is cheaper and a great way to get an extra amount of calories into your daily total.

That’s right, according to Becky Holman in a recent column she penned, seaweed can make junk food healthier by increasing the fiber content of whatever it is you’re eating to gain muscle weight and build muscle fast.

In a study done at the University of Newcastle in the United Kingdom, continues to write Holman, scientists added seaweed to white bread for the health-boosting effect. Hey, whatever it takes, right.

Now, I do want to add that yes, fiber is good to a certain extent, but if you are person that does not have the biggest of appetites, which is more than likely one of the main reasons why you can’t seem to build muscle and gain quality weight because it’s very difficult for you to eat enough calories, then you really don’t want to be eating too much fiber.

The thing to consider about fiber is the fact that it takes a long time for your body to digest it, thus making you feel slightly bloated in the stomach, and, as a result, can kill your appetite…..wonderful if you are trying to cut calories to burn fat and lose weight…..but bad if you are skinny and are trying to gain muscle mass naturally.

In a column written by Becky Holman, she mentions how onions have lots of quercetin, a bioflavonoid that reduces inflammation in the same manner as aspirin. That means onions can do good things for healing joint pain, that could be brought on by intense workout routines, as well as cardiovascular health, which will help in increasing the pump so important for muscle building and weight gaining purposes.

Probiotics are good bacteria that balance out the naturally occurring bad bacteria in your digestive tract, according to a column in MuscleMag. The majority of your immune system is located in your digestive tract, so if you keep it healthy, your entire body can stay healthy.

According to Dr. Alan Logan, continues the same column, several studies have shown that the use of probiotic supplements improves nasal congestion, sinus infections, and other allergies. One of the easiest and cheapest way to obtain probiotics in your every day eating is through yogurt, which contains a lot of these little guys.

Remember, the healthier you are the more likely you are to be able to engage in intense workout routines that will help you gain weight and build muscle mass fast!

The message boards have been lighting up in the last couple of days due to the fact that in one of the latest muscle building magazines IFBB rookie Ben White, who has long been challenging Johnny Jackson to a powerlifting contest, is said to now be claiming that he won’t do the competition because JOJ wants it to be a “3 lift” contest, meaning that they would be competing in the bench press, the squat, and deadlift.

Well, Ben White has long been stating that what he wants to go head to head with JOJ is in benching, since he feels that the deadlift and the squat are dangerous (which I completely agree with. I have always felt that those 2 movements have got to be 2 of the most over-rated exercises for muscle building ever!).

An official list of the prize money breakdown for the 2008 Arnold Classic has been released. It is as follows:

1st Place $130,000 plus Audemars Piquet Watch
2nd Place $70,000
3rd Place $50,000
4th Place $30,000
5th Place $15,000
6th Place $10,000
7th Place $1,000
8th Place $1,000
9th Place $1,000
10th Place $1,000
11th Place $1,000
12th Place $1,000
13th Place $1,000
14th Place $1,000
15th Place $1,000
*Best Poser $10,000

Fitness International
1st Place $25,000
2nd Place $12,500
3rd Place $8,000
4th Place $5,000
5th Place $3,000
6th Place $2,000

Figure International
1st Place $15,000
2nd Place $10,000
3rd Place $8,000
4th Place $5,000
5th Place $3,500
6th Place $2,000

Ms. International
1st Place $25,000
2nd Place $12,500
3rd Place $8,000
4th Place $5,000
5th Place $3,000
6th Place $2,000

According to “Ask The Dietitian”, at www.dietitian.com, amino acids in the real world don’t offer any significant advantages to muscle building than does regular foods that contain protein.

According to the site, “There is no research to support any benefit to taking amino acid supplements for persons who exercise…Weightlifting will increase muscle size and the average U.S. diet and the RDA contains enough protein (females 50 grams and males 63 grams per day) to promote an increase in muscle mass.”.

Interesting quote. However, we always have to be cautious whenever we read any scientific or medical study, being that what may happen in a lab doesn’t always come out the same in the real world.

Saying that, however, I personally agree that amino acid supplements are a waste of money and don’t offer any visible benefits in gaining weight and building muscle mass naturally than does simply ensuring that you are eating enough calories for your particular body. There are plenty of real world proofs of this. Look at IFBB legend Danny Padilla, who back in the day, when preparing for a competition, practically ate only 60 grams of protein per day, according to what he himself has said. Also, take a look at prisoners, who get big and strong, yet they don’t get anywhere near the amount of protein suggested in the bodybuilding magazines or internet sites, yet they manage to build more muscle and gain more weight than your average gym rat / supplement user

According to the February issue of Flex, milk can in fact be better at replenishing your muscles after a hard and intense workout routine than drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade.

The column cites new research being conducted at Loughborough University, located in the United Kingdom, that suggests that skim milk may be better for rehydration.

Subjects exercised in the heat until they lost about 2% of their bodyweight from sweating. Then they drank 150% of their fluid loss either as water, Powerade, or skim milk. As reported in the British Journal of Nutrition, when the subjects drank water or Powerade, they urinated double the amount of fluid that they did when they drank skim milk. This resulted in the subjects staying adequately hydrated after drinking milk, but still dehydrated after downing water or Powerade. The study suggested that sodium and potassium in milk accounted for its effectiveness at rehydration.

Anything that helps maintain proper hydration within muscle mass is always going to help you with your muscle building / weight gaining goals!!!

The official list of the bodybuilders that will be competing in the 2008 Arnold Classic being held in Columbus, Ohio on February 29th – March 2nd is out.

Here’s the list for the Mens competition:
Melvin Anthony
Gustavo Badell
Adorthus Cherry
Toney Freeman
Kai Greene
Deshaun Grimez
Phil Heath
David Henry
Dexter Jackson
Johnnie Jackson
Victor Martinez
Desmond Miller
Ronny Rockel
Silvio Samuel
Branch Warren

The list for Ms. International is as follows:
Lisa Aukland
Tracy Beckham
Dayana Cadeau
Tazzie Colomb
Iris Floyd Kyle
Kristy Hawkins
Rosemary Jennings
Debi Laszewski
Cathy LeFrancois
Mah-Ann Mendoza
Colette Nelson
Yaxeni Oriquen
Betty Pariso
Brenda Raganot
Annie Rivieccio
Antoinette Thompson
Betty Viana-Adkins

The women competing in the Fitness International are:
Regiane Da Silva
Tina Durkin
Bethany Gainey
Tracey Greenwood
Oksana Grishina
Jen Hendershott
Kimberly Klein
Julie Lohre
Tanya Merryman
Mindi O’brien
Julie Palmer
Stacy Simons

And the Figure International competitors are:
Sonia Adcock
Gina Aliotti
Paola Almerico
Catherine Andersen
Natalie Benson
Monica Brant-Peckham
Amy Fry
Bernadette Galvan
Jennifer Gates
Deborah Leung
Juliana Malacarne
Kristal Richardson
Chastity Slone
Brenda Marie Smith
Briana Tindall
Valerie Waugaman
Latisha Wilder
Nicole Wilkins

As always, this display of sheer muscle building mass, athleticism, beauty, and classic physiques will sure be an exciting highlight of the upcoming 2008 professional bodybuilding schedule!

The Weider / AMI company has been signing up new bodybuilders to endorse their muscle building supplments. Some of the new arrivals are Melvin Anthony and Tony Freeman. No longer with them are Darrem Charles and Troy Alves.

So it’s safe to assume that you’ll no longer see Tony and Melvin writing articles for Muscular Development magazine, or Darrem and Troy writing for Flex magazine and Muscle & Fitness magazine.

Regardless, all four of these gentlemen are some of the best bodybuilders in the entire world, so whichever magazine has their services is fortunate….and talk about all of four being class acts.

Are Continuous Sets Better For Muscle Building?

That’s the name of my latest article which is continuous the previous article discussing the hotly debated in the weight gym topic. Take a look at it to find out my personal thoughts on what is more effective for pure muscle building purposes and gaining weight naturally.

In Medicine Science Sports Exercise, 2007, it is stated that dehydration, or lack of enough water within the muscle tissues, lowers muscular endurance and raises the risk of injuries caused by overheating, such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

The problems lies in that the lower the amount of fluids flowing within the body the more difficult it becomes to regulate the body’s core temperature….all of which affect negatively the amount of force the muscle can generate. Also, it is less likely you’ll be able to create a nice, tight, muscle building pump, all of which will help you gain weight naturally.

Ever noticed how there are basically two completely different angles to approach how sets, amount of weight used, and rest in between sets is performed?

Some will keep the same weight throughout all sets, while resting as long as it takes to accomplish that, and others, regardless how much they have to drop in weight after each set is completed, will only rest for a very specific amount of time.

Well, which of the two methods are better if muscle building is what you seek?

Read the latest article I’ve just posted on this:
Are Continuous Sets Better For Muscle Building?

According to the February issue of MuscleMag International, a study conducted by the Depression and Clinical Research Program at Massachussetts General Hospital it was concluded that weight gain is a common side effect of antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil.

Some other medications and bodybuilding supplements, such as steroids and antihistamines, can trigger hunger, causing some to overeat.

Again, even if you’re someone that your main goal is muscle building, it is of great importance that you keep body fat gains to a minimum if you don’t want to end up looking like a dough boy!

When it comes to muscle building and gaining quality weight, one of the most important hormones within the body that is directly responsible for this type of growth is none other than testosterone. This is one of the many reasons why it is one of the preferred substances used in bodybuilding and in anti-aging.

Well, researchers at the University of Cincinnati found that the higher your own stress and tension levels are, the lower your natural testosterone levels drop…which obviously isn’t a good thing. The found that there is a direct relationship between the two.

In one of the researches conducted, they noticed that animals that were removed from a stressful environment were able to build more muscle and lose weight faster than when in the tension-filled environment.

This is easier said than done in the real life, with so many pressures that are thrown at us daily, whether it be economic pressure, trying to keep up with the bills, health issues, problems within the family, school, college, etc…..all to which could have a negative impact on our own testosterone levels.

So if muscle building is your primary goal when it comes to your physique, keep you stress levels in check.

Ironman Magazine has some good information on getting some of your fiber from apples. Yes, I realize that fiber is an excellent nutrient to help you lose body fat because, to put it simply, it suppresses the appetite because of its long digestion time. But, even though your main objective may be muscle building, you still need to maintain the definition of your physique, which requires low body fat levels.

However, as the magazine states, apples are higher in fiber than many other fruits. One average-sized apple has 5 grams of fiber, and we need about 25 grams per day. So one apple gives you about 20% of your daily quota.

Again, muscle building or fat burning, you still need your fiber!

Flex magazine has given a very good explanation as to the difference between these two muscle building exercises. Basically, the overhand grip will allow you to use more weight and targets the outer head of the triceps muscle. The underhand grip forces you to use less weight, but better isolates the triceps because it takes the shoulders out of the equation. In addition, it targets slightly more the inner head of the triceps.

Now, my personal take is that neither is better or worse than the other. In my opinion, being that you need to train both the inner and outer head of the muscle, you should somehow incorporate both exercises in your muscle building workout routine.

Chinese Number 10 (NT), a hyped up dietary supplement aimed at burning body fat and suppressing our appetite, in research done at Louisiana State University, has been found to be nothing but garbage!

Yes, keeping low body fat levels during your muscle building phases is very important, but this substance isn’t going to get you there.

Check out the article here: Another Muscle Building / Weight Loss Supplement Bites The Dust

Resveratrol is an antioxidant that may prevent heart disease, stroke, cancer, and premature death. This is the main ingredient found in red wine, to which most are attributing it’s incredible benefits to.

Resveratrol works like insulin to help regulate blood sugar. As a matter of fact, Chinese researchers did a study on mice. In that study that discovered that it protected against diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, which are important factors in not only burning body fat, but also in muscle building.

This substance may improve blood sugar metabolism, lower the severity of Metabolic Syndrome, and increase endurance capacity. Again, all which are a must to gain and build well defined muscle mass.

Legendary bodybuilder Reg Park has passed away at the age of 79 in his native South Africa. He apparently lost his battle with skin cancer.

Reg Park, as many fans know, was the individual that most influenced Arnold Schwarzenegger to pursue bodybuilding, as he has officially stated many times.

Reg was considered one of the strongest bodybuilders of his time, and he competed from 1949 to 1970. Reg Park was a legend in our sport, and we are saddened by his passing. Our thoughts and wishes go to his family, friends and fans.

Recently, many have been saying that you should consume more calcium if you are either trying to lose weight or maintain body fat levels low while building muscle. Well, it has been found that in all reality, there isn’t any evidence that calcium supplements or eating / drinking a large amount of dairy products promotes low body fat levels.

As a result, the Federal Trade Commission asked the National Dairy Council to cancel it’s ad campaign that promoted this. Don’t get me wrong, you need a minimum amount of calcium for healthy reasons, but don’t go thinking it’s some type of “magical pill” that’s going to get you ripped to shreds or help you build more muscle.

Especially since the popularity of High Intensity Training and all of its similar versions, going to failure on every set of an exercise (continuing to perform reps to the point of not being able to do anymore) has become a crucial factor.

However, a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that you’re able to increase total reps for that muscle if you don’t go to failure on the sets. For example, let’s say you’re lifting 200 pounds, and if you were to take the set to the point of failure, you’d probably be able to complete 15 reps. Instead, however, of going to failure, stop 2 or 3 reps short of failure, in other words, stop the set at 12 or 13 reps (even though you could complete 15 reps). This will allow you to be able to do more and more reps in the next sets of that workout. This is because by avoiding failure you’re not draining the muscle, its energy systems, or the nervous system’s capacities.

And, the more reps you can complete overall with the same weight will most definitely lead to more muscle building!