Sunday 24 April 2011

10. Bodybuilding Terminology / Glossary

Please note that these terminologies are only in relation to how they are used for bodybuilding. There may be other more detailed explanations of these terminologies as they are often medical terms as well as bodybuilding terms.

Finally I did only the term that I could think of so this is in no way an exhaustive list of bodybuilding terms.
 
A
Adenosine Triphosphate: A substance found in all cells, but particularly in muscle cells. When split by enzyme action, energy is produced. The substance which stores the energy of the muscle

Amino Acids: Amino acids are the basic structural building units of proteins. They form short polymer chains called peptides or polypeptides which in turn form structures called proteins.

Anabolic: the processes of metabolism that result in growth of muscle cells

Androgenic: the activity of anything that stimulates or controls the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics in vertebrates.

Androgen: androgens are steroid derivatives of androstane They are also the precursor of all oestrogens, the female sex hormones. The primary, and most well-known, androgen is testosterone.

Antioxidants: Antioxidants are molecules that stop the stealing of electrons by giving one of its own electrons to the free radicals

B
Bulking Up: Gaining bodyweight by adding both fat & muscle

Burn: The sensation in a muscle that comes from the lactic acid and pH buildup resulting from exercising the muscle to failure (see pump also)

Biosynthesis: is a phenomenon where chemical compounds are produced from simpler reagents. Biosynthesis, unlike chemical synthesis, takes place within living organisms and is generally catalyzed by enzymes. The process is vital part of metabolism:

C
Carb: an abbreviation for carbohydrate

Carbohydrate: an energy source that is consumed as food which is not either fat or protein. Carbohydrates do not come from animal sources

Catabolic: the destructive process in the body involving the release of energy and the breakdown of muscle tissues. BCAA are believed to slow this process when caused from exercise.

Collagen: The connective tissue that holds the muscle to the bones, as you get stronger and lift heavier the stress you put on your structure becomes tremendous. If your connective tissue is not as healthy and strong as it should be (a problem often seen in steroid users), risk of injury dramatically increases.

Cutting Up: stripping the body of excess body fat while retaining maximum muscularity
 
D
Definition: Extremely low body fat coupled with superior muscle separation and  vascularity

E
 
Estrogens: are a group of steroid compounds that function as the primary female sex hormone

F
 
Failure: Doing a set until you can't do any more reps on your own I think its important to note that if your workout partner has to do more than about 5 % of the work you have gone past failure and are on the road to injury ( was that my opinion)

Fat: an energy source that is consumed as food which is can come from either fruit, vegetable of animal sources

Free Radicals: unstable molecules that are missing a paired electron. They attack normal healthy molecules by stealing the electron from it causing that molecule to become a free radical. Free radicals are formed by the immune system to fight of viruses and bacteria, but the outside environment like cigarette smoke, pollution, herbicides and exercise can also cause the body to produce free radicals.

Fenugreek: is an herb (spice) shown to be effective in diabetics in stabilizing blood sugar levels. It also stimulate the Adrenal cortex initiating body's own production of androgens, thus making you stronger, bigger, and enhancing your sex drive

G
 
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) commonly called the body’s natural tranquilizer, GABA is an amino acid produced in the brain. It acts as a neurotransmitter and helps to keep stress-related nerve impulses at bay.

Glucagons: a protein hormone and that promotes an increase in the sugar content of the blood by increasing the rate of glycogen breakdown in the liver

Glycogen: a tasteless polysaccharide (complex Sugar) that is the main form in which carbohydrate is stored in muscle and liver tissue

H
 
Hormone: a chemical messenger form one cell that produces a specific effect on other cells remote form the cell of it’s origin

Humerus: a long bone in the arm that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. On a skeleton, it fits between the scapula and the radius and ulna.

I
 
Insulin: a pancreatic hormone that is essential especially for the metabolism of carbohydrates and is used in the treatment and control of diabetes

Isoflavone: is a phytoestrogen that is supposed to be useful in treating cancer
 
J
K
 
L
 
Lats: A term which is short for the latissimus dorsi. This Latin term translates roughly into 'lateral muscles of the back'.

Latissimus Dorsi: This Latin term translates roughly into 'lateral muscles of the back'.

Lutenizing hormone: (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) are called gonadotropins because stimulate the gonads ( the testes in males, and ovaries in females) They are not necessary for life, but are essential for reproduction.

M
 
Mass: Size - lots of it. If you train hard and eat right, you can add muscle metabolism

Metabolism: the chemical process in the body where energy is utilized for vital processes and activities and new material is assimilated

Monosaccharide: a simple sugar.

Micronutrient: an organic compound (as a vitamin) essential in small amounts to the healthy growth of an animal (bodybuilder)

Myocardial infarction: is a heart attack which occures when part of the heart is either injured or part of the heart dies because of sudden and total interuption of blood flow to that area.

Myocardial stimulatant: any substance or action that would stimulate the muscles in the heart to contract faster or continue to contract.

Mycardium: is the muscular tissue of the heart which is responsible for contraction of the heart. The muscles of the heart contracts likeother tissue but also conduct electriticy like nerves. The mycardium get it blood from cornary arteries, if these arteries are blocked by atherosclerosis (deposits forming on the inner walls) or by thrombosis (blood clot) it can lead to angina pectoris (chest pain) or myocardial infraction (heart attack)

N

Neurotransmitter: are chemicals that are used to relay, nerve impulses across a synapses.

Nitrogen balance: is the difference between the amount of nitrogen taken in and the amount excreted or lost. If you excrete more nitrogen than you consume your body will break down muscle tissue to get the nitrogen it needs, this is called a negative nitrogen balance or state and muscle loss will occur. If you consume more nitrogen than you excrete you will be in an anabolic or muscle building state hence positive nitrogen balance or state.

O
 
Oxidative Damage: damage caused to cellular constituents such as DNA, proteins and lipids by reactive oxygen species ROS (antioxidants like iron and Zinc) and free radicals. Accumulation of such damage can result in progressive destruction of cells and tissues. Oxidative damage is believed to be the root cause of many diseases including cancer, heart disease and aging.

P
 
Pancreatic: any hormone being secreted from the pancreas ( insulin and glycogen)

Precursor: A substance from which another substance is formed, especially by a metabolic reaction.
Phytoestrogens are plant compounds which have effects similar to that of estrogen, but somewhat weaker

Plates: The weights that you put on an Olympic dumbbell, specifically a 45 pound weight. Smaller weights are called quarters (25 pounds), dimes (10pounds), and nickels (5 pounds).

Polysaccharides: a carbohydrate that is made up of two or more monosaccharides often referred to as complex carbohydrates such as cellulose, starch, or glycogen

Protein: an energy source that is consumed as food which is made up of amino acids joined by peptide bonds. Proteins are essential to the structure of all living cells and viruses. For bodybuilding purposed we say the proteins are energy source which feeds and develops muscle tissue.

Pump: that feeling of you muscle becoming full with blood as a result of completing a set of and exercise.
 
Q

R

Radius: The large bone on the thumb side of the forearm.

Rep: One complete execution of an exercise movement (e.g. 1 arm curl)

S

Scapula: also called the shoulder blade, is the bone that connects the humerus with the clavicle .The scapula forms the posterior part of the shoulder girdle.

Set: A set is a series of reps organized into groups. These groups are commonly organized in counts of 10 to 12 repetitions. For intermediate and advance bodybuilders there are set of 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20 and 25.).

Six pack: abdominal muscles so well developed that you can see the separate muscle under the skin

Spot: To stand guard while someone performs a set with heavy weights. A 'spotters' main duty is to prevent injury in case that someone cannot finish his set.

Stacking: Usually mixing one or more supplements together with the hopes of exponential results.

Steroid: any of numerous compounds containing a 17-carbon 4-ring system Anabolic steroids are a class of natural and synthetic hormones that promote cell growth and division, resulting in growth of muscle tissue and
sometimes bone size and strength.

Supraspinatus: A muscle that is responsible for elevating the arm and moving it away from the body. It has an origin at the top of the scalpula and an insertion at the top of the hurmeus

Synapses: the point in which nerve impulses pass form one neuron to another.

Synthesis: the production of a substance or compound by combining of simpler compounds or by the breaking down of a complex compound.

T

Tendon The fibrous band of tissue that connects a muscle to bone. It is composed mainly of collagen.

U

Ulna: the bone on the little-finger side of the human forearm that extends from the wrist to the elbow

V
Vascular: The visibility of veins on a bodybuilder as a result of exercise and low body fat (and perhaps higher blood volume).

Vasodilator: is any substance used to cause the blood vessel in the body to become wider by relaxing the smooth muscle tissues of the vessel wall. This will result in lower blood pressure but can also increase blood flow to a worked muscle give a greater feeling of fullness in the muscle

W
Water

X
Y
Z

 
References
Pearsall, T (1993) Weight Lost the Pearsall’s Way A diet and Workout Strategy New York: Independent Publishing Co

9. Bodybuilding - Anatomy Chart (Interior and Posterior)


8. Bodybuilding - Routines and Workouts

8.1.1 Four Days per Week beginners Workout

The above is a four day split do workout 1 on Monday, workout two on Tuesday, rest Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday repeat workout 1and workout 2 again then rest Saturday and Sunday. For people wanting to lose weight I suggest a 15 min stationary bike before the workout and 30 min after the workout. Another suggestion is to do your aerobics on the non-workout days (Sunday Wednesday and Saturday) Diet is 90% of the work this is really hard to get through to novices you can’t force development with exercise; you must use diet to see results. So, let’s talk about diet. Those not want to lose weight I suggest that you do a 10 minute warm up before each workout and a 10 minute cool down after each workout. Here are my five rules to good eating. No matter what type of diet you are following you still have to follow these rules to see real results.

1. Eat Breakfast; breakfast is about 30 minutes after you wake no matter when you awake not after you have taken a shower and got the kids off to school had your first cup of coffee and then set down to eat, 30 minutes after you open your eyes the first time.

2. Eat complete meals; a protein, a starch and a green vegetable, you should also have about 3 grams of fiber and 16 ounces of water at each meal 

3. Prepare your meal ahead two even three days ahead if possible. I find that people that cheat the most prepare the least take you meals with you and reach your goals.

4. Never snack; you are eating 6 meal a day4 (no matter if you goal is weight loss or gain) you should have no room for snacking.

5. Eat when hungry, you are hungry if; 
                                  a. Its been at last 3 ½ hours since your last meal
                                  b.You have real hunger pains, not your stomach growling this is just a sign of your 
                                      intestine shrinking and by eating you sabotage your results.
                                  c. You have eaten to reduce hunger throughout the day, not to get full.

8.1.2 The Three days per Week beginners Workout

Again 30 minutes of aerobics after each workout if you are trying to loose fat. Or you may do aerobic on non-workout days. Do workouts 1, 2, and 3 on non-consecutive days. Keep your workout short and intense
less than 45 minutes per workout. And follow the diet that corresponds to you goals.


8.1.3 Beginners Fat loss diet



OK before I can give you a diet there are a few things I want to clear up. The first is I don’t have a fat lost diet. My plans include a mass diet and the other diet. The reason I don’t have a fat lost diet is because we should always monitor our food intake. This diet will help to regulate your body the way it should be. What this means is, if you are fat it will help you to loose fat. If you are too thin it will put weight on you. If you are average with average body fat it may do nothing for you but that's a good thing.

Quite simply put if you eat less calories than you burn off you loose weight. It makes no difference if the calories come from protein, carbohydrates of fat. If you cut you total calorie count by 500 calories per day in seven days, all things being equal you should loose about 1⅛lbs ( approx) that doesn't sound like much but if you consider that for one whole year that about 70lbs that year. Every thing you eat has a calorie count. A calorie is a measure of energy provide by the food we eat. A calorie is also the amount of energy that it would
take to raise one gram of water one temperature degree centigrade.
 


Proteins provide 4 calories for every gram of protein you eat. Carbohydrates provide four calories for every gram of carbohydrate you eat. And fat provides nine calories for every gram of fat you eat. Let’s look at the nutrition label of the meal replacement on page 25. From the label we can see that we have a total fat of 2.5 grams or 22.5 calories from fat. Protein equals 41 grams or 164 calories from protein, and total carbohydrates of 11 grams or 44 calories from carbohydrates. When we add 22.5 + 164 + 44 we get 230.5 calories. Something is wrong the label has 222 calories not 230.5 maybe my calculations are wrong or maybe
they are playing with your head. Well since dietary fiber (2 grams) can not be digested in our bodies, many companies list them as negative calories. ( as if you will loose weight by eating them) Therefore 2 grams of dietary fiber equal 8 calories, which when taken form the 230 gives you 222.5 calories. Yes you guessed it companies also drop anything which is not a complete calories.

This will explain so many candies saying that they have a net carbohydrate of zero. If they add five grams of sugar to the chocolate and five grams of dietary fiber the net carbohydrate is zero. Guess what your body see this as 10 grams of carbohydrates not zero grams.


Before we go any further here is my take on dietary foods, I advocate only diet soda or pop and diet salad dressings (they must be both low fat and low carbohydrates not one or the other) no other diet foods are worth your time. Diet foods give us a sense of security that we should not have. When we go out at night to the club or bars and we drink light beers do we drink the same as if we had regular beers? Of course not we drink twice as much it takes that much to get us drunk.

Which leads me to alcohol; all alcohol is made from grain of some sort, so they have a carbohydrate count of what? You guessed it, zero! But in truth alcohol is sugar in its purest form and should be treated as such. Just as kids act out when given too much sugar adults act out when we take in alcohol it’s not by accident. More importantly alcohol lowers our will to diet and will cause even the best dieter to cheat.

Did I miss anything? Let talk diet.


8.1.3.1 Regular Diet

Meal 1: One serving of oatmeal, a whey protein drink (zero carb), multi-vitamin and 8oz of water.

Meal 2: 3oz of chicken or turkey (or 4 oz of baked fish) broccoli and 16 oz of water

Meal 3: 3oz of chicken or turkey (one or twice a week replace with lean steak) spinach and ½ medium yam, 16 oz of water

Meal 4: see midmorning unless this is pre workout which should be a whey protein low carbohydrate drink. I sometimes use a zero carb whey and 4oz of grape juice. Still take in 16 oz of water before and at least 16 oz during your workout.

Meal 5: a recovery drink, (or whey protein drink and 4oz of grape drink)

Meal 6: You should have 16oz of water (get ready to go to the bathroom throughout the night) and a caseinate protein 20 to 40 grams.

9.1.3.2 The mass Diet

Meal 1: 5 egg whites, 3 whole eggs 1 pack of instant oatmeal, 1 large banana, multivitamin, whey protein drink /8oz water

Meal 2: Protein shake/ large baked potato or 1.5 cups of rice /5 grams glutamine/16oz water

Meal 3: 6 oz of meat/ 1 cups of Pasta/ An apple/ small cup of yogurt /16oz water

Meal 4: Pre-workout: 1 can of tuna, 1 sweet potato/ 1 or 2 cups of broccoli or cauliflower/16oz water

Meal 5: Post workout: 1 whey protein drink 40 grams / 5 grams glutamine/16oz water

Meal 6: 6-8 oz Meat, 1 cup of rice/ 1 cup mixed veggies/16oz water

Meal 7: Caseinate protein drink/ I baked yam/ 5 grams Glutamine/16oz water






7. Bodybuilding - Eating to grow


7.1 Vitamins

In order for your body to perform at its maximum potential it can not be deficient in any area, vitamins and minerals included. Being deficient in any area can cause a break down in the body’s ability to perform, which can lead to other issues. Many years ago, in the time of Christopher Columbus the sailors knew when they went on long trips they would feel tired and listless, their fingertips would bleed for no reason,  they would bruise easily, have swollen gums and bone would break with little or no pressure on them. Somehow they learned that by packing sufficient supply of vegetables and fruit these symptoms would not develop. These symptoms of Scurvy and the anecdotal solution was the first proof that vitamins and mineral helped the body perform correctly.

I will not go into what each vitamin does that for another time. But I will say, that just because it is called a vitamin for bodybuilders does not mean it is a good vitamin. In my 25 years of training there are only three vitamins that I have found seem to not only support my performance but also to boost performance and they are; GNC’s Ultra-Mega for men, the multivitamin calcium pack by an online company called Melaluca, and a
vitamin that I was so thrilled with that I sell it my self it called “Vemma” these three are head and shoulders above the rest. If you can’t get one of these I suggest that you get something, as there is no explaining the value that a good vitamin will have in your life. Please do not try to save money by going to the pharmacy and getting “One a Day” or Centrum they are almost useless. As a matter of fact I will say this do not let cost be an issue on the quality of vitamin you get buy the absolute best quality you can find.

7.2 Bodybuilder's Essential Supplements

There are a lot of theories as to what are the essential supplements of bodybuilders. I think there will be no argument if I said a multi-vitamin/multi-mineral combination. I have my opinion of what else in included in that list but the next few are generally accepted as essential.
7.2.1 Protein;  Whey Protein; First on my list are whey proteins, many years ago during the Golden Area of Bodybuilding muscle heads took 10’s even hundreds of liver tablets daily to get the essential protein needed for their bodies. Today whey protein has almost completely replaced ever other type of protein. Whey proteins are quick to the blood stream. It is quickly available for muscle recovery (remember the difference between recovery and sleep?) and it is loaded with all the essential amino acids. Even rated over red meats (but under eggs) Whey Protein was considered the perfect bodybuilders protein. For the novice bodybuilder whey protein is a must have. 

Caseinate; Today Whey Proteins are taking a back seat to another type of protein called “Casein or Caseinate Protein” Just like whey, casein is found in milk but unlike whey casein had until recently been considered a waste product of milk. The process that makes milk a cheese causes a curdling effect that separates casein from milk. Unlike whey which is quick to digest in the stomach, casein forms a gel allowing for slow digestion. When used just before bed casein regulates a slow steady flow of protein into the bloodstream, allowing you to actually build muscle while you are asleep. Casein is also very high in the amino acid glutamine, a “conditionally essential2” amino acid necessary for repair of muscle tissue after exercise, arguments with spouse or any other form of stress. For the novice bodybuilder casein protein is a must have.

7.2.2 Amino Acids the building blocks of Protein


I was once told as a brick is to a house, so is an amino acid is to protein. This little statement has worked wonders in teaching me to understand what amino acids are and their function. Remember, “As a brick is to a house, so is an amino acid is to protein” sounds mystical doesn’t it? Of the 20 amino acids needed for the human body3, nine are considered essential ( some argue that 13 are essential) and 11 are non-essential. Essential amino acids are those that the body can not produce itself and must be gotten from diet. Nonessential amino acids the body can produce when needed. When we eat the protein from our foods are broken down into amino acids in our digestive system. By reattaching the amino acids into different combinations the body synthesizes (makes) the amino acids that it needs.

Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA); There are two basic thought on the value of BCAA (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) for bodybuilders. The first is that BCAA decrease exercise-induced protein degradation and/or muscle enzyme release (stop damage to the muscle). The second is that it is believe that during aerobic stress, BCAA are assimilated by the muscle rather then the liver thus stopping catabolism (the eating away of muscle
tissue). That was a moth full of jibber-jabber; basically they stop damage to the muscles, allowing for faster recovery after exercise. For the novice bodybuilder I would say take enough protein and you should be OK. Branch chain amino acids may be an unnecessary expense until you have at least 12 months of training under your belt.
Glutamine; When everyone else was promoting Creatine, I was pushing l-Glutamine. I have always felt this was the most important of all amino acids for bodybuilders, but I just did not have any proof. I knew this conditionally essential amino acid was a work horse for the body I had anecdotal evidence and I wanted the world to know. At one time creatine cost so much more than glutamine now the reverse is true. People are seeing this amino acid is the real deal.

Glutamine is considered conditionally essential because under certain conditions we are unable to make adequate amounts in the body and thereby need to get it from food sources.. Studies have shown that our body's level of glutamine is drops during times of extreme physical stress, like major surgery, when burned, during starvation, when we have serious infections and even prolonged exercise. Sine this amino acid make up
almost half of all amino acids in the body large daily doses of 25 to 30 grams of glutamine daily will get the body into optimal performance. Just like a vitamins deficiency, an amino acid deficiency can cause all kinds of problems to the body. For the novice I would say this amino acid should be on your must have list.

7.2.3 Do you want a drink of water?


Water; Who would of thunk-it, water would be an essential supplement? You should have! When we get into the next supplement you will see how important water is. I bet you think you know the rule 8 glasses of water
daily right? Wrong! I will say this just once “You need at least one once of water for every pound of bodyweight daily” OK I lied I’ll say it again, “You need at least one once of water for every pound of bodyweight daily” a 200lb man should take in at least 200 oz of water that much more than the 64 oz you were taught.

The average bodybuilder takes in large amount of supplements daily, water helps your supplements work better, especially those vitamins that are water soluble like vitamin C, and b complexes. Water flushes out the toxins that build daily in the body. When the body is in short supply of water it will retain water giving you that puffy smooth look, by drinking water you body will stop retaining water and start showing that strong and vascular body that you worked for.

If there is not enough water in the body the kidneys can’t function which means the duties of the kidneys is done by the liver. If the liver is doing the kidney’s work it can’t burn fat which is one of its own functions. I can go on and own with why you need water but the bottom line is you must drink lots of it. Please note that the rage today is spring or filtered water they have their benefits but do not go a day without drinking at least 16 oz of faucet water it has some positive properties.


For all bodybuilders I would say water should be at the top of your must have list.

7.2.4 Creatine N02, AKG and AAKG


Creatine; Am I the only person in the world that does not advocate the use of Creatine?
High school gym lockers around the country are full of bottles of creatine monohydrate. Young boys in an effort to get bigger and stronger for football are using this supplement with amazing success. If everyone is so successful using creatine Troy why don’t you advocate it use? Simple the result reverse when the supplement stops, and since you can’t continually supplement with creatine you will lose your results. As I said earlier I choose glutamine over creatine many years ago and today I would suggest other supplement over creatine now. Some of the choices are 
N02; This supplement claims to give supper pumps that last for days, and though I have not felt and day long pumps I seem to bigger and stronger when using it. Just like creatin monohydrate when you stop you loose all results. I think this is better than creatine but would not add it to my must have list.

Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG); is a salt formed by combining two molecules of the amino acid Arginine and one molecule of alpha-ketoglutarate. Many athletes use AKG with the goal of increases muscle size and strength. Like glutamine AKG has been medically used to treat burns and in recovery form surgery. AKG has a god awful taste and for that reason many bodybuilder don’t take it. Because there is need for such high doses, taking it in capsule form can become difficult. For the novice I would say this supplement should be on your must have list after about a year of training. 

L Arginine Alpha Ketoglutarate (AAKG) this conditionally essential supplement has it going on it pretty expensive but it you want real size and full muscle bellies this one is for you. I would say the very soon people will compare this to glutamine for bodybuilding success. There is only one company that I know that has pure AAKG in power form it NOW For the novice I would say this supplement should be on your must have list after about a year of training.

_______________________________________________________________________
2 A conditionally essential amino acid is an amino acid that is normally nonessential but may become essential and must be supplied by food under certain physiologic conditions where the body needs more of the amino acid than it can produce.


3 The 20 amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine.
  _______________________________________________________________________

6. Bodybuilding - Selecting a Gym

Ok you now know how to do the movements and what general body part the movements are for. The next thing you must do is decide where to do the movements. I personally workout at home, I have a very diversified selection of weight lifting machines in my basement, and I replace the older machine with new ones every two or three years. 

With that said I would suggest that no newbie buy any exercise equipment until he has at least a year of dedicated lifting under his belt. I have seen the ®Bow Flex machines in living rooms use as clothes hanger more than exercise equipment. And even though the Bow Flex people don’t mind it is a waste of money. There is a possibility (god forbid) that you may find the bodybuilding is not for you what do you do with this $2000 equipment if you are never going to use it again? 


Also I have regular workout partners that arrive at my house the same time ever scheduled day to workout. In many cases they become my motivation when I don’t want to lift. Or I can become their motivation as well. This is one of the advantages of a lifting partner; the two of you can motivate each other. When you lift at home alone there is no one to say to you get off you fat lazy behind and stop watching Oprah and lift weights.
One again don’t but exercise equipment until you have at lest a year of lifting under yourbelt.

So what that means is that you will have to find a gym to workout in. Here are some of the things that you should look for when selecting a gym. Proximity, where is the gym where is home, they should be as close as possible. I lifted for years at a gym not far from my job so right after I got off work I went to the gym. If you make a habit of meeting someone at the gym a nearby gym makes it more difficult to talk yourself out of going.

Value added services (that’s a technical term) should not be consider when selecting a gym unless you plan to use the value added equipment, classes, or facilities. I don’t swim; if a gym has swimming as a value added service I overlook that service completely. Swimming pools, Sauna, badminton, basketball and the likes all add to the over all membership cost shared by everyone. Remember it’s your money when selecting a gym as with anything else spend it wisely.  Fully understand the contract that you sign. And if possible find a gym that requires only short term contracts or work on month to month basics. Many hardcore gyms are for those that just want to workout. In most cases these gym are well equipped, but still cater to a small section of physical fitness buffs. These gyms though are not as pretty as other offer monthly and even weekly or daily memberships. If you are not one impressed with glamour this may be an option for you. Also these gyms can provide a fountain of information for the novice lifter.

One thing that many people overlook when selecting a gym is the cliental, find a gym that you will be compatible with your personal beliefs and selection. In Philadelphia there are gyms located in parts of town where the cliental practice alternative lifestyles. I have found that all of these gym are excellent places to workout if you are confident about yourself and don’t have any religious of homophobic issues. I any event understand the type of members that will be using the gym and make sure that you are comfortable with
others there.

Find a gym with hours that suite your schedule; I only workout at gym that are open 24hours. I may get the urge to workout at 6am or at 2 am depending on my schedule. When I am away from home I always select a gym where I can workout when there is not much of a crowd. Many people enjoy the meat market atmosphere of some gyms which double as pickup places. I prefer to go to the red-light district to find one-night-stands. (Just joking) Even these meat markets are empty at 2 am that’s when I can have a quick un-interrupted workout.
Lastly, if you have children consider a gym with babysitting services a lot of gyms have them now so ask around you will be amazed how this service can make your day. You will pay through the nose for this service, but you will be able to see your child or at least reach him or her within seconds if needed. I’ve have always had someone at home to watch my children but for many single parents this is an value added service that makes a lot of difference in which gym to select. 

5. Bodybuilding - Compound movement


In bodybuilding there are three movements that everyone wants to know how well you can do. They are bench press squat and dead lift these three movements are the foundation to every thing you can do in the sport. Even people that know nothing about lifting weight will always ask you “What your bench press” these three movements are compound movements and as I said earlier they employ more muscle and so generate more results.

I prefer for beginners to do only compound movement since they will result in the greatest changes the quickest. Let’s talk about what they are; 

Chest                 Bench press   
Shoulders          Shoulder press; (I prefer dumbbell as this employs the fear factor) 
Back thickness Seated rows; (bent over rows are better but harder to teach without injury.)
Back width        Lat pull downs medium grip to the front of body at the neck
Abdominals       Hanging leg raises with bent leg; there is no advantage to straight leg
Front of thigh    Squats, but I teach the leg press machine, unless you have knowledge already of the squat.
Rear thigh         Bent leg dead lifts or lunges;
Calves               Donkey calf raises; this is old school but some gyms have a machine that you can use for them.
Triceps               bench dips; or close grip bench press to save the elbows
Biceps                There really is no compound movement for the bicep I suggest the ez- curl bar or straight bar 
                          (some people create forearm injuries form the ez-curl bar) your bicep will get a lot of work 
                          from any pulling motion like back work
Forearm             hammer curls; to this day this is my favorite exercise.



Ok now that we know the exercise lets find out how to do them. Let’s start with the king of upper body movements the bench press. This movement is done by taking the weight off the rack with arms fully extended (see photo to left). Take a deep breath as you lower the weight to the position at your chest.

As you push the weight back to starting position you exhale. Remember breath out when resisting gravity in when you allow gravity to move the weight. To return to starting position is one single rep.

The shoulder press is done starting with the weight eye level and pushing the weight up until your arms are extended. I think it’s important to know that in no exercise do you full extend any joint elbow shoulder or knee. To go from the start position to extended and back to start is one repetition. This exercise is shown with dumbbell but is most often done with a barbell. Most bodybuilder use a lifting belt with exercise that compresses the back like shoulder press and squat. Some bodybuilders use a lifting belt for all exercise. I would suggest always using a lifting belt even though I may not.

Seated rows are sometimes said to be back width exercise I think this is true but if used correctly it will definitely work the back thickness. This is done from a cable machine, bent over rows are the only free weight comparison to seated cable rows, but they are difficult to teach over the internet. The start position is with the arms fully extended and the contraction is with the cable pulled all the way to your chest. When doing this movement make sure that you don’t lend back or forward and that you lower back stays arched. If this exercise is done with a straight bar it is a back thickness exercise which is my goal here. Even though the picture shows the exercise being done with a V-bar you should do this exercise with a straight bar.

The next back exercise is the Lat pull down. I think it important to know that “Lat” is short for latissmuss dorsi the largest single muscles in your body. This exercise is don from a lat machine if  you don’t have one some people use simple pull-up with the palms facing out as a replacement. Pull ups are much more difficult to do. By now I think you can follow the star and finish of the exercise just by looking at the diagram, there is just on caution. DON”T DO LAT PULL DOWNS BEHIND THE NECK it’s just not safe, if you have a trainer and he tells you otherwise drop him, find another trainer quickly.

For the abdominal you must do the hanging leg raise; the diagram shows this movement be done from a pull-up bar but most gyms have a machine which allows you to do this with a lot more comfort. This exercise works just the lower stomach which is where most people have their problem. When doing the seated rows I said keep your lower back arched, with exercise I want you to keep your lower back rounded only let your legs down as far as you can and maintain a rounded lower back.


 
I will give you a diagram of both the squats and the leg press but will only describe the leg press. The reason for this is the difficult in getting the form correct over the internet. I would suggest the squat only be done if you have an experience trainer there to teach you. Some things just can’t be done over the web. Teaching form for an exercise is one. The fist diagram shows the squat (on the left)


The exercise that I would like you to do is the leg press it is shown in the diagram on the right. This is the movement I want you to do unless you have an experience trainer telling you other wise.

Lunges work the rear of the leg. There is an exercises that may work the leg better (stiff leg dead lifts) but It can cause injury. Some people believe that leg curls are a better exercise for the rear leg. Leg curls are isolation movements and therefore don’t do what they need to in the way of anaerobic development. My observation of the bodybuilders with the best rear legs development is that all of them do lunges. This is what is known as anecdotal observation or training.

Anecdotal training the foundation to my way of lifting, I don’t pay as much attention to what I learn as I do what I see. Caution should be made when training anecdotally, often what you think you see you don’t When doing lunges it is most common to do this exercise with dumbbells at your side rather than a barbell on your shoulder as shown in the diagram. Many bodybuilders do this exercise outside in the gym’s parking lot for set of about a hundred yards ( one football field) I would suggest that if you can not do this in a parking lot, if you are restricted by space that you do this exercise in an alternating manner. You would step out with your left leg and push back with the same leg so that your feet return together at the starting point. Then do the same thing with your right leg. When you have done both legs you count that as a single rep.


Donkey Calf Raises are possibly the best mass producer for your lower leg this is an old school exercise that has gone away for the most part but if you want results it should be added into your workout. Unless your gym has the best equipment you will have to have a partner to do this exercise. The problem with this is that your development is dependent on the weight of your partner. The photo above shows both with a partner and without one .

I took me almost 10 years to understand how important this exercise was. I never got anything form this exercise so I never did it. The result was I always had lagging triceps this is among the simplest exercise to do and if you should reach the point where you no longer get a pump from the exercise have a partner put a 45lb plate in your lap for added resistance. In the last year I added this to my workout and now for the first time in my life my arms are over 18” what was I thinking?

I guessing if you know nothing about bodybuilding you know the basic movement the barbell curl. When your daughter or in my case grand daughter say “Pop Pop make a muscle” she doesn't what to see me flex my chest or legs she wants to see my bicep. More than any other muscle on your body this is the show muscle. People want to see that full muscle and towering peak they want biceps. And the way to developing that full bicep is the standing barbell curl. Even though its an isolation movement its included here because there is no compound movement for the bicep. Learn this movement it makes you look great in a tight fitting t-shirt and the women love the result as well.

Last but not least is the hammer curl; sometime called the zotttman curl by the old school lifter this movement when use following barbell curls will help you develop tremendous arms it is a must for anyone wanting to develop the grip strength. When done correctly you hold the dumbbell at the bottom and squeeze so that the bar does not slip in your hands. Some people do these curls across the body I don't like that because it causes you to swing the weight but either way is correct. When looking at this exercise please note the position of the dumbbell. The thumb stays pointing up throughout the movement.  

4. Bodybuilding - Training Frequency and Duration

This is where I get into trouble! Every trainer that you will meet will tell you that beginners should train three times per week on nonconsecutive days. And for the most part that is true. But three times per week assumes some things that is not true for everyone. Just as I said you should lift the heaviest weight possible and still complete the firs set. I will say that you should lift as often as possible and not over train. So how do I know if I’m over training? If you are tired most of the time and you got 8 hours sleep correct amount of protein you are over-training, if your muscle are still sore form w one workout to the next you are at risk of over-training. If you spend more than 1 hour in the gym you are at risk of over-training. If your workout has more than 24 set for small body parts and 12 to 15 for larger one you are at risk of over-training. ( did you get that duration thin in there?) 

Since your workout should be about beating your last workout you are continually increasing your intensity, the higher the intensity of your workout the greater chance of over-training. Muscles grow when you rest not when you workout. This is what is know as the recovery of muscles therefore get enough rest. Rest means sleep and it also means time away form the gym.

I often compete with my workout partners to see who can go the longest without missing a workout, but this competition includes the assumption that we have adequate rest, and are able to workout at full speed. When we bet we are saying that we will get enough sleep enough nutrition enough recovery. This competition is not about frequency of workout as much as it is about doing the things that are necessary for muscle growth.

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