Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Acne Diet Link Exposed: Is There an Acne Cure Diet that Works?



Acne Diet and The Money Factor: You Can't Sell a Healthy Diet

Ask any medical doctor if there is a connection between diet and acne and almost all of them will claim there is none. Quoting from the Journal of the American Medical Association: "Diet plays no role in acne treatment in most patients…even large amounts of certain foods have not clinically exacerbated acne".

With years of medical education and clinical experience behind these claims, how can we the simple folks who suffer from acne challenge these statements and think otherwise? The answer is: doubt. Doubt, if its stays in the borders of reason, can open many doors otherwise will stay forever shut. Believe it or not, doubt can change reality. Doubt can cure your acne and doubt can even save your life.

Fact is, countless of acne sufferers have reported that their acne seemed to get worse when they consumed certain foods and saw dramatic positive change over their acne condition when they eliminated the same foods from their diet and when certain foods with specific nutritional value were incorporated into their diet.

So why do dermatologists so stubbornly insist that diet does not cause acne? The answer: you can't make a profit promoting a healthy diet. At least not as much money as you could make by selling drugs and over the counters. There is a huge pressure upon doctors coming from the drug and pharmaceutical companies to prescribe expensive medications and lotions that create dependency. The truth is, that your doctor is in a way, a hostage by the trillion dollar drug companies. Did you know that the drug companies, who have no interest in producing something that they cannot control financially, sponsor most medical schools?

The right diet, although not a solution by itself, can, in many cases, dramatically reduce inflammation and even completely clear one's acne (if you're one of the lucky ones who's acne is triggered by allergic response to food). Promoting a clear skin diet simply means less profits for the drug and pharmaceutical companies.

The truth is that conventional medications will never cure your acne, simply because they are pre-designed NOT to fix the internal cause of acne. They are pre-designed to deal with the external symptoms of a disease as they create more and more dependency and more dependency means making more money all at our expense and ignorance.

The Theory That Diet Doesn't Cause Acne Is A Myth

The dogmatic theory that diet does not cause acne and that acne is merely an incurable genetic disorder was based upon two dated researches published in 1969 and 1971 that were aimed at studying the connection between diet and acne.

These studies were the foundation of the 'acne symptoms treatment strategy', meaning, because acne is a genetic disease that cannot be prevented, the only way to deal with acne would be to tackle its symptoms (bacteria, inflammation, puss, redness, greasiness), by applying creams, antibiotics, taking prescription drugs and over the counters.

Surprisingly enough, years after the above studies were published, clinical trials and in depth researches experimenting the acne diet link have found that the studies from 1969 and 1971 had came to the wrong conclusions and were in fact seriously flawed.

Recent studies have clearly found a significant connection between diet and acne. It appears that the wrong diet is now thought to be one of the leading acne contributing factors that can negatively affect hormonal regulation and the natural process of toxic elimination, which can seriously aggravate one's existing acne.

Diet Shapes Who You Are (Including Your Acne)

In the same way that crashing waves shape beach cliffs and just like the wind shapes the canyon walls, slowly and methodically over time, so does eating shapes and effects our physic, our internal system, our physical and mental being, from the organ down to the cellular level.

The idea that an object foreign to our body that is inserted by the food that we eat, has no effect on us, or has no impact on chronic conditions such as acne is absurd. Diet is the primary thing that affects and shapes who we are.

Diet has cumulative effect on our bodies, and that includes our skin condition and acne, which is a manifestation of a chronic internal problem slowly shaped and built by the wrong daily dietary choices over the years.

Acne Diet and The Kitavan Islanders

While in the U.S, more than 80% of teenagers between 16 and 18 have acne and more than 17 million Americans suffer from some form of acne, there is an interesting evidence that native people that live and eat in traditional ways, have significantly lower to no occurrences of acne.

In 2002, Dr. Cordain and his colleagues published a landmark study that examined 300 people living in the Kitavan Islands off the coast of Papua New Guinea that showed that none of the islanders had even one blemish on his or her face. Similar to the Kitavans, no case of acne had been observed when the same experiment had been conducted upon the South American Indians called the Ache, living in a remote jungle in eastern Paraguay.

The natives of Kitavan and the South American Indians had no access to the latest over the counters, topical creams or conventional acne medications and they had no dermatologist to consult with. The only vast difference between them and American or European citizens is their diet.

 

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Acne Diet and Sugar: The Sweet Poison

Aside from the fact that sugar is a 100% pure chemical with zero nutritional value, recent studies have clearly shown a connection between the consumption of sugar and the aggravation of acne.

When you consume any form of refined carbohydrates (white sugar, white flour, white rice) here's what happens: right after you insert that 'sweet poison' into your body, it rapidly spikes up your blood sugar levels. Your body needs to bring those levels down so it secrets a surge of insulin, other male hormones and an insulin-like growth factor called IGF-1. The excretion of these hormones overwhelms your liver and your internal system in general. The excess of male hormones encourages the skin to excrete large amounts of sebum oil: The greasy substance that encourages the p.acne bacteria to grow, resulting in the aggravation of your acne.

Acne Diet and Dairy Products: Got Milk? Got Acne

If you thought sugar can aggravate your acne, here's another major nutritional player in the formation of acne: behold the miracles of milk. Milk (all dairy products included) is the most harmful, mucus forming, allergenic and acne aggravating food you can find. Surprised? I thought so. After years of constant brainwashing by the media, who can blame us for thinking milk is good for strong bones and healthy teeth? The truth is: every sip of milk contains 59 different raging hormones, (which trigger the hyper-production of sebum oil resulting in more acne), saturated animal fat, steroid hormones, dead white blood cells, and cow pus in abundance!

Did you know that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows 750 million pus cells in every liter of milk (about two pounds) produced in America? Think about it, the next time you pop a pimple.

Scientific studies already point the finger at milk as one of the worst acne aggravating foods: "As pointed out by Dr. Jerome Fisher, 'About 80 percent of cows that are giving milk are pregnant and are throwing off hormones continuously.' Progesterone breaks down into androgens, which have been implicated as a factor in the development of acne...Dr. Fisher observed that his teenage acne patients improved as soon as the milk drinking stopped."

If there's one element you should remove from your diet in the quest for clear skin make it this one. Not only will you see an immediate improvement over your acne, you'll feel a huge weight has been lifted from your body. If you worry about calcium intake, don't! Milk being acidic forming food creates a leeching effect where calcium is taken from your bones to balance the acidity. Milk actually deprives your body from its calcium resources. Green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds are not only excellent sources of calcium they also have the powers to help you fight your acne symptoms.

Diet Is Only One of The Factors That Cause Acne

Dairy products and sugar are not the only acne aggravating foods. The two above cannot sum up the list of western made acne triggering foods. There are several other foods you should clearly stay away from if you ever wish to clear your acne. The good new is that there are tons of other foods such as essential fatty acids that are not only excellent for your skin, they can actually help you clear your acne, by re-balancing your body and promoting to an acne-free environment.

The right nutrition plays an important part in the complex process of acne formation. When doctors claim there is no link between diet and acne because certain individuals can eat specific foods and get acne while others eat the same foods and don't, these doctors have failed to realize that there are several factors involved in the formation and aggravation of acne and diet is only ONE of them.

The Final Verdict On The Acne Diet Connection: How To Finally Overcome Your Acne Challenge

Acne is a complex condition that is triggered by several underlying factors. The only way to neutralize your acne condition is to tackle all these acne-contributing factors-holistically. Since the wrong diet is only one of these acne-triggering factors, in most cases no special diet can cure acne.

There is a however, a tight connection between diet and acne formation. Dietary factors can trigger and aggravate your existing acne. Avoiding the wrong foods such as milk, sugar and hydrogenated oils, and eating cleansing and hormonal balancing foods such as green leafy vegetables and essential fatty acids, can help your skin heal itself from the inside out and dramatically reduce your acne symptoms.

There are also several important dietary principals that you must understand and follow if you ever want to cure your acne for good.

Taking responsibility over your body and adhering to these dietary principals along with taking the necessary steps to tackle all acne contributing factors, holistically, will not only cure your acne permanently and give you the flawless acne free skin you deserve, following these principals will also significantly improve your overall health, mental well-being, look and feel.

 

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Acne Cures: Is there a Natural Acne Cure that Works?



Are there natural acne cures that work or is it a new age myth? Is there a permanent cure for acne or are all acne sufferers sentenced to the Sisyphean battle of tackling the 'on the surface' symptoms? Is there an honest, natural and safer alternative to the endless use of over the counters and to the nasty side effects inflicted by conventional drugs, creams and topical acne treatments?

Most dermatologists and other western medicine followers have already answered that controversial question by claiming that acne, among other diseases simply cannot be cured.

There are 2 reasons for that:

1. Most dermatologists don't even know what the real cause of acne is. It's amazing but true. They are highly familiar with the symptoms of acne and they specialize in tackling the 'on the surface' symptoms, but unfortunately they cannot tell you what the internal conditions are that cause your acne to form in the first place. If you don't believe me just ask your dermatologist.

2. Most doctors work in conjunction with the pharmaceutical and drug companies and the latter is not motivated, so to speak, at discovering a cure for Acne or Aids or Cancer - simply because hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on finding treatments for the symptoms of diseases. Why? simply because their global aim is to make more profit by creating consumer dependency. By applying medications and creams that deal merely with the symptoms while ignoring the source or the internal cause of the disease, acne will never be cured. The average acne sufferer will become more and more reliant on drugs that temporarily calm the symptoms and that means steady income for the drug and pharmaceutical companies.

There's a lovely metaphor describing acne among other chronic diseases and the way modern medicine deals with these afflictions: If you manage to kill all the mosquitoes around a stale pond using chemicals, for a little while there will be no mosquitoes.

But since the source of the problem (what causes the mosquitoes to appear) is still there – the stale, disgusting pond where mosquitoes can find food and fertile ground for laying their eggs – mosquitoes will always come back!

The same thing happens with your acne!

Without eliminating the source of your acne condition, you will never get rid of your acne. Without fixing the internal problem that is causing your acne, you may find temporary relief, but your acne will always come back until you do something fundamental to eradicate the cause from within...until you make the pond (your body or internal system) a place where 'mosquitoes' cannot exist.

Ultimately, every disease results from a breakdown within your body. All major diseases and chronic conditions are warning signs of something very fundamentally wrong inside. Deepak Chopra refers to this as "The violation of simple laws of nature that make our body function."

The very surprising truth is that you are lucky for having acne. Let me explain...Acne, like constant headaches, irritable bowel syndrome or dandruffs is only a small message from your body that something is wrong internally and should be addressed and corrected.

 

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Now, there are two choices you can make - you can:

1.Ignore that message - big mistake! The internal imbalance that caused your acne will, in most cases, turn into a chronic condition. Now instead of just having acne you'll start having other hormonal imbalance or toxic overload related symptoms in addition to acne. Because the internal problem is not fixed, the disease symptoms get more and more intense.

2.Listen to your body and start fixing the internal problem that causes your acne to appear in the first place; you will not only get rid of your acne you will also achieve beautiful, healthy, even toned clear skin complexion, re-balance your body and prevent future hormonal or toxic overload related conditions.

The simple truth is...you are out of balance. We now live a 'far-from-natural' lifestyle. There are over 300 synthetic industrial chemicals present in our bodies that did not exist 50 years ago. We are filled with toxins from the food, and medication we ingest and use.

By fixing the internal condition that causes your acne in addition to adopting a healthy lifestyle (healthy diet & mindset, cleanse & detoxify, hormonal balancing etc.) you will put your body back into balance – holistically - your acne will cease to exist and you feel as healthy and attractive as ever!

It doesn't matter what type of acne you have. Whether you suffer from: acne vulgaris, acne Conglobata, acne Rosacea, Acne Fulminans, Blackheads, Whiteheads, Papules, Pustules, Nodules or Cysts: The principles required to cure your acne are basically the same. The "holistic" ways of treating people have been around for thousands of years, and they absolutely work whether you have teen or adult acne; whether you suffer from acne on your back, shoulders or chest or if you suffer from female related acne such as menopause acne or acne due to monthly cycles.

Whatever your acne condition is, when you finally decide to stop making the same acne treatment mistakes that have been holding you back and begin applying the holistic approach to curing acne, you can literally choose to become clear and stay clear. You will have the power to make it happen.

 

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Monday, October 24, 2011

Battlefield 3 review


Battlefield 3 review

The first reviews of EA's Battlefield 3 have gone live ahead of its release in the US tomorrow (October 25th) and in Europe on Friday (October 28th).

EA's long awaited shooter currently has an impressive Metacritic average of 94 per cent.

"Once players step out of that troop carrier and see the sun shining in their eyes like never before – once they see the light – they'll understand what a special game Battlefield 3 is," GameSpy noted in it's 9.5/10 review........ Read Full Article From Here

Contain Reading......





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Urban Meyer not a Dolphins candidate


 In today's Penn State football news, the Lions find themselves ranked behind West Virginia in the Lambert Trophy standings.

 Elsewhere Urban Meyer discusses the coaching speculation with tampabay.com and former Purdue and ex-CD East punter Cody Webster's says he's going into PSU game with a chip on his shoulder....... Read Full Article From Here

Contain Reading......




 

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Weight Training Tips


Weight training properly is known by few. If it was easy then you would see a lot more muscular and lean physiques on the streets. Before you learn how to weight train properly, it is critical that you learn these five weight training tips before you even step foot in the gym.

1. Write down a realistic short term and long term goal.

2. Make a commitment to stick to one program for at least 12 weeks.

3. Educate yourself prior to starting.

4. Hire a trainer to teach you proper technique.

5. Focus on gradual progression.


Weight Training Tip #1: Goal Setting

Inch-by-inch life is a sinch. Yard-by-yard life is hard. Treat your goal setting the same way. Do not expect to be on the cover of Men's Health by next summer. Decide how much muscle weight you wish to achieve in three months. Six months and one year. Decide where you wish to finish and work backwards. If you wish to gain 50 pounds by the end of the year, than create a game plan that allows to gain at least one pound per week.

Weight Training Tip #2: Commitment

The only reason you will fail is if you are not truly committed to your goals. Do your homework and find a weight training program ideal for your specific goals and situation. Study the program fully prior to commencing. Comprehend every detail of the program and if you don't, contact the author of the program to ensure you have no excuse to misunderstand or perform the workout incorrectly. After you chosen a program, take responsibility for your decision and follow it to it's full completion. Do not try it out for three weeks and than say, "It's not working..." and try another program. This will create a failures attitude and begin the deadly bad habit of program hopping

Weight Training Tip #3: Education

How much do you really know about building muscle? Let's put it this way, if you had to teach someone else how to transform their body in the next twelve weeks, could you help them? Never mind, could you transform your body in the next twelve weeks? If not, you probably do not know enough about how your body works from a training, nutrition and recovery stand point. Order a book, visit a reputable website and find out everything you must know, about proper weight training, before you start the guessing game.

Weight Training Tip #4: Proper Technique

You wouldn't try and drill your teeth? You wouldn't try and do your own taxes? You wouldn't try and fix your own car? Assuming you have no expertise in dentistry, accounting or automotive repairs. So why would you try and teach yourself proper weight training technique? It boggles my mind why so many people across North America sign up for a gym membership and jeopardize the health of their tendons, ligaments and joints with the attitude of "I think I'll try it on my own," or "My friend is going to teach me," or "I am self taught from watching others..." Do not be cheap and leave your ego at the door and hire a reputable fitness trainer who can teach you proper weight training technique.

Weight Training Tip #5: Progression

I'll say this again. Inch-by-inch life is a sinch. Yard-by-yard life is hard. Approach each workout with this attitude. Your bench press does not need to go up twenty pounds in the first week. But just imagine your bench press went up consistently 2.5-5 pounds every week for the next year? That would some serious muscular and strength gains! Your goal is to simply out do yourself from workout-to-workout, week-to-week. Whether you do one extra rep, one extra set, a extra 2.5 pounds or a shorter rest period, these are are measurable signs of weight training progress.

Conclusion

Make your weight training life easy by starting with the the above weight training tips and look forward to a rewarding and fruitful adventure in the gym.

 

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Top 49 Things I Learned In 2006


Think putting yourself on a muscle building diet has to be a painful process?  Whether your goal is fat loss or muscle building, getting proper nutrition is at least 80% of the game. If you don't have that figured out, you are going to be a long time away from seeing results.

The good news is that your tastebuds don't have to suffer if you don't want them to. There are plenty of ways to get in your proper nutrition while keeping things interesting. If you think gaining muscle means suffering through can of tuna after can of tuna or pounding back a protein shake as fast as humanly possible, you need to think again.

1. Pull ups are better than pull downs. Duh.

2. You don't need a training partner to get huge (but it helps). You should be able to pack on your first 20 plus pounds of muscle alone.

3. Bicep curls do not produce bigger biceps. Focusing on increasing your body's overall size is what makes your biceps bigger.

4. John Berardi's G-Flux theory. Also know as energy flux (or energy turnover) is the relationship between energy intake and expenditure. Basically, it's better to train more and eat more than train less and eat less.

5. Alwyn Cosgrove's said this, "A good program performed poorly is worthless. A shitty program done with a ton of effort is worth a lot. But when you get a good program and a tone of effort, the results can be amazing."

6. The Sopranos and 24 are the best damn shows on television. I will proudly admit that I have overdosed on Tony Soprano and Jack Bauer for over 12 hours at a time, on multiple occasions. And I don't regret a single episode!

7. Learn by 'doing' - not by talking about it. I am sick and tired of people who post on forums and ask, "What do you think of this diet or workout etc.?" How the heck do I know? Go try it for yourself and come to your own conclusions.

8. The two man bench press is becoming more popular each year. You know what I'm talking about. Where one guy lowers the bar and the other deadlifts it up yelling, "It's all you, man!"

9. I hate people with no gym etiquette. The guy who does bicep curls in the squat rack. The guy who does a side lateral raise 1 inch away from the dumbell rack, blocking the entire rack of weights. The guy who loads the leg press with 1000 pounds and leaves the plates on. The guy who drips sweat all over the bench without wiping it down. I could go on and on...

10. I really can't stand skinny guys who wear tank tops. Seriously, if your arms aren't bigger than 15 inches, I don't want to see your puny arms. Keep them hidden until you earn the right to show them off.

11. People will pay more money to make exercise easier and easier. Just take a look at late night infomercials and the popularity of group exercise and dance classes...

12. Since I am Canadian-Italian, watching George St-Pierre kick Matt Hughes' butt was the best UFC fight all year and watching Italy win the World Cup was the happiest day of my life!

13. The Smith Machine is useless. Aside from not allowing your body from working through a natural range of motion, it is a perfect disguise for being stronger than you really are.

14. Only results matter. It doesn't matter what you, another person, text book, or research article claims or thinks should happen as far as the training outcome - all that matters is what actually happens, the final outcome.

15. It's possible to train for an entire year and look the exact same! The majority of these people will look the exact same next year too.

16. Stand for something or fall for everything. My father taught me to apply this to my physical, intellectual and spiritual journeys.

17. Only take training advice from those who have trained themselves at a high level or make their living training others at a high level.

18. A complete program involves enforcing movement patterns, cardiovascular work, strength work, flexibility work, injury prevention training, core training and recovery enhancement. Most programs, cover 1 or 2 at best.

19. I heard someone say, "Full body workouts are best for 90% of the population, 80-90% of the time. And body part routines are best for 10% of the population, 10-20% of the time." I would have to agree.

20. Speak less and listen more. If you are a true student, you will want to hear the teacher's voice more than your own. You are not learning while you are talking.

21. Over 70% of the supplements on the market have less than 30% absorption rate. This means you are only absorbing about 30% of what is in the bottle. Supplements are about making money. They put just enough in the product for you to feel a slight difference so you buy them again.

22. Hiring a personal trainer is one of the best investments you can make. Yes, I know, not all trainers are created equal. I'm talking about the kick ass ones who have a binder full of before and after pictures and guarantee results.

23. Money is a jealous and deadly god. Money can create freedom but it will not set you truly free.

24. Stretch as least half as much as you lift. If you are lifting weights for at least 4 hours a week than you better be stretching at least 2 hours a week. If not, your body is screaming for an injury.

25. Active Release Therapy (A.R.T.) therapy has been proven, to me personally, the most effective form of therapy available. Find a reputable A.R.T. therapist if you are on the injured list.

26. Competing in my first fitness model show was the only decision that truly motivated me to get the best body of my life.

27. I love short emails written in short, concise sentences. Learn how to be time-efficient with your communication.

28. Dead lifts are the best overall exercise of all time. No other exercise produces the same potential of results as dead lifts.

29. Body weight exercises should be mastered before external load is introduced. It amazes me at how many guys attempt a sloppy 200 pound lat pull down but can't pull up their weight once.

30. Impression without expression leads to depression. This means that people get impressed with certain ideas but don't do anything about it so they end up getting depressed.

31. No guts, no glory. If you're not bleeding, sweating and crying at the end of your workouts than I must question your workout intensity.

32. Buy a foam roller and use it daily. Stop fixating on the strength, size and flexibility of a tissue until you increase the quality of the tissue.

33. Write everything down. This will help clarify your goals and use the past to replicate the future.

34. Find a mentor. They will accelerate your learning and take you closer to your goal.

35. Skinny guys will never become bigger until they start spending more money on groceries, spend more time in the kitchen and spend more time cleaning in the kitchen.

36. Stop training with your girlfriend. I attempted this for a few weeks, and as much as I love my girlfriend, this is an impossible recipe to make any gains!

37. Machines are not always better. They are merely alternatives and used for commercial profit to the manufacturer and sales companies which have influenced the masses to believe that the latest, superior machine is worthy of our attention. I don't agree.

38. I never got dumber reading a book (with the possible exception of the Britney Spears' book Heart to Heart). It drives me crazy when someone asks, 'Is this book worth it?' Even if you learned one new thing, would it not be worth it? How can you put a price on knowledge?

39. The majority of people still think cardiovascular is the best way to lose fat. Thanks to programs from Craig Ballantyne, Tom Venuto, and Alwyn Cosgrove, we are now discovering the value of high intensity circuit training for maximizing the 24-hour metabolism.

40. If you are doing three quad dominant exercises such as a leg press, lunge and leg extension, than you better be doing three hip dominant exercises to counteract an imbalance in the pelvis, such as stiff leg dead lifts, good mornings and leg curls.

41. If you are doing three horizontal pushing exercises for your chest like bench press, incline bench press, and decline bench press, you better be doing three horizontal pulling exercises to counteract an imbalance in the shoulders such as seated row, bent over row and overhand row.

42. Unilateral exercises are underestimated compared to bilateral exercises. Don't believe me? Try a one leg squat down to your butt instead of a double leg squat and let me know how it goes...

43. You are the average of the top five people you hang around most. Hang around with pimps and players and most likely you will become a pimp and player. Hang out with millionaires and most likely you will become a millionaire. Hang out with guys bigger and more ripped than you, and you will eventually become the same.

44. In training for pure muscle size, there are two sides to the debate. Higher volume training with sub-maximal load and higher repetitions. And lower volume training with maximal load and lower repetitions. Both will work.

45. Almost every training program will work if the stimulus is sufficient and a quality caloric support is in a surplus.

46. I am still waiting to see the massive amounts of muscle people fear to lose when dieting.

47. You don't know what you don't know.

48. If a supplement has not been around for at least three years to beat the test of time, I give it zero attention and dedicate my time to my training program and nutrition planning.

49. You will get the exact same thing this year if you keep doing the same thing you did last year.

 

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Top 10 Tips To Successful Teen Bodybuilding Part 2


As discussed in part one, teen bodybuilding can start at a very young age allowing young fitness enthusiasts a whole new world to pursue. Teen bodybuilding is an excellent way to promote a healthy lifestyle since it requires regular weight training, cardiovascular training, balanced nutrition and even stimulation of the mind since the topic of teen bodybuilding involves constant education. Teen bodybuilding can also help you erase nicknames like "Skinny Mini," "Scrawny," "Tooth Pick," "Twiggy," and in my own personal case, "Skinny Vinny!"

Unfortunately teen bodybuilding is not as easy as it looks and can result in injury, bad habits and frustration if stated with out structure and progression. Here are the next five tips to successful teen bodybuilding:


6. Learn Proper Technique First

How well do you think you would golf without supervision? How well do you think you will skate without coaching? How well do you think you will play piano without lessons? How much muscle do you think you will build without proper lifting technique? Not much!

I hope you are humble enough to swallow your pride and accept the fact that your first step should be getting professional coaching from a reputable fitness trainer. I know many of your friends will not even consider this and you will be told, 'just learn it yourself,' or 'watch others.' Can you imagine a medical surgeon or dentist who took this approach? Yikes!

Think about it. You are going to be lifting weights the rest of your life. Is spending a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars, on a professional fitness trainer, not going to pay you back over and over (for the rest of your life) if you do things correctly right from the start? Definitely! If you start lifting weights incorrectly, get ready to spend the money you saved on a coach for a rehab therapists next vacation! If you don't get injured now, most likely it will be in the next few years.

7. Stretch Just As Much As You Lift

Stretching is the most under rated physical quality which is unfortunate because shortened muscles perform weaker and slower and have a higher incidence of injury. Stretching is the only physical quality which more is better. Stretching is one of the only habits that can not be over trained.

 

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If you are serious about getting into the world of teen bodybuilding, I encourage you to start this habit early. Most text books teach stretching methods that include 20-30 seconds per stretch. Don't even waste your time if this is your idea of stretching. From real world, in the trenches, experience, I would suggest stretching at least the same amount of time that you lift. That means, for every 1 hour of weight training you perform, you must balance the effect of weight training with one hour of stretching. Therefore, if you weight train 4 hours in the week, you better be stretching for at least 4 hours in the week. If you are really lazy, start stretching for at least half the amount of time that you lift. After you see the benefits of increased strength, quicker recovery and less injuries I am sure you will have no problem bumping up your stretching sessions to the recommend 1:1 ratio.

Fail to stretch at least the same amount that you lift is almost a sure fire way of shortening a teen bodybuilding career or lifestyle. Remember, weight training shortens and tightens the connective tissue you train. Stretching counters the effect and ensures your muscles have room to grow!



8. Focus On Bodyweight Strength First

It amazes me at how many teen bodybuilders can barely do a set of 40 push ups, 20 chin ups and 30 dips. In my opinion, these are some standard upper body fitness tests that should be accomplished with ease before loading is introduced (it might take your 3 or 4 months to achieve this if you can't do them right now). I once heard a famous fitness coach say, "You have no freaking business using a load if you can't stabilize, control, and move efficiently using your own bodyweight." I would have to fully agree.

What's the point of a sloppy 150 pound lat pulldown if you can't do 10 bodyweight pull ups? What's the point of a 185 pound bench press with microscopic range reps, if you can push up your body a couple dozen times? What's the point of a 500 pound leg press if you can do a set of one legged squats down to the floor? Believe me, after a few months of conditioning your body to body weight training, you will be blown away by how quickly your weights climb when you introduce loading.

9. Keep Your Workouts Under 1 Hour

Unless you are in a teen bodybuilding competition for the longest workout possible, it bewilders my mind what you could possibly be doing for longer than a hour! Unless you go to the gym for mirror workouts (that's when you spend more time looking in the mirror than actually lifting)I suggest getting some help with your workout program. If it takes longer than 20-30 minutes of even moderate intensity lifting to fully exhaust a muscle, I have to question your workout intensity. Shorter more intense workouts will always trump longer less intense workouts.

Your goal should be in fact to complete your workout faster and faster. This will force your muscles to condition and adapt to a greater work load. The more work you expose your muscles too, in a shorter amount of time will improve your muscle density. Your bodies ability to tolerate greater workloads.

10. Develop Full Range Of Motion

Initially, teen bodybuilding should involve building strong muscular attachments, tendons, ligaments and bones – text books refer this as anatomical adaptation. Look at building your muscles as the finishing touches on a solid house. You would not want to start framing the house until the foundation has been built. Strengthening your tendons, ligaments and bones would be considered building a strong foundation to build from.

What is the best way to begin a strong foundation for a house to stand on? Build from the bottom up or in our case, from the inside out. This means developing a full range of motion with each weight training exercise to ensure all the muscle fiber gets activated and all the supporting tissues are fully involved.

Think about it. Partial movements will only develop partial muscle. Full movements will develop full muscle. What would get you better results? Squatting 135 pounds with your butt to the floor or squatting 225 pounds for about ¼ of the way? That's correct, involving the entire range of motion with a lighter weight will involve more musculature, improve your mind-muscle connection quicker and strengthen all the supporting tissues more rapidly. Initially, as a teen bodybuilder, you should never sacrifice range for load.

Conclusion

If you are serious about doing teen bodybuilding safely and effectively than take all of the tips very seriously. Do not pick and choose the ones you wish to follow. They will all result in a long and fruitful bodybuilding lifestyle. To your teen bodybuilding success!

 

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Top 10 Tips To Successful Teen Bodybuilding Part 1


Teen bodybuilding is growing at an alarming rate, as enthusiastic teens hit the gym every night of the week. I don't blame them. Teen bodybuilding is one of the most effective ways to boost a skinny guys self-confidence and self-image. Did I also mention lots of attention and admiration from the ladies and respect from the guys. Teen bodybuilding does not just help out with vanity but promotes a nutritious diet, disciplined lifestyle, and strong work ethic.

So the question is, how is teen bodybuilding done right? Should teen bodybuilders read the latest bodybuilding magazines? Learn from their friends or a professional? Train every day or every other day? Rely on supplements? Start when they are done growing or earlier? Focus on endurance training heavy lifting? Teen bodybuilding has dozens of questions and many different opinions on each. Here is my top 10 tips to successful teen bodybuilding in no particular order:


1. Avoid Steroids

Duh! This might sound obvious and if you have not been offered steroids yet, make your stand now and be prepared to say 'no' when you get backed into a corner. Your body is flowing with more natural hormones than any steroid could replace. Don't screw up your natural hormonal levels at such a young age. Even though all your friends might laugh at you for not conforming to the pressure of using illegal drugs, be a real man and train drug free. In the end your friends will respect you more for staying away from the dark side.

2. Focus On Clean Eating

Old habits die hard. Believe it or not, the nutrition habits you are creating today will affect you all the way into your adult years. As a young teen bodybuilder, you have an opportunity to create good habits at an early age. Focus on eating clean carbohyrdates like whole wheat breads, oatmeal, brown rice, potatoes, fruits and veggies. Focusing on eating a variety of clean proteins like tuna, chicken, fish, cottage cheese and protein shakes. Balance out your meals with clean fats like olive oil, fish oil, natural peanut butter and nuts. Take pride in the fact that you even know what clean eating is. Look at this as an opportunity to be an example to your friends to be walking statue of health! I promise you that you will have a few friends who admire your physique and ask you for advice!

3. Avoid One Body Part Workouts And Focus On A Full Body Workout

A full body workout? But all my friends are training chest tonight. And tomorrow they are training back. And on Wednesday they are training arms. But if you have the courage, you are not going to follow the herd and trust me. You are too young to be splitting up your muscles groups into only one body part a day. Unless you are pursuing a career in competitive bodybuilding, one-body part splits are an excellent way to over train at a young age. Look at it this way. Do you only eat once per week? Do you only take supplements once per week? Do you only sleep once per week? Do you only study once per week? Than why would you train your muscle groups only once per week? It does not make sense. Full body workouts will allow you to hit all your major muscle groups three times in the week, without overtraining, instead of only one time.

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4. Emphasize Your Conditioning

Teen bodybuilding can actually become something that appear to be a lazy man's sport. Next time you walk into the weight room, count how many people are actually doing something. Seriously, I guarantee you will see more people standing around and talking, adjusting weights and staring in the mirror. Not many people are actually hustling from one exercise to another or even sweating. That's another reason to avoid one body-part bodybuilding style workouts. They don't emphasize your fitness or cardiovascular system. Your weight training program should be incorporating more than just weights. Balance out your sessions with some skipping, stair climbing, hard running, supersets, and really short rest periods. If you don't feel like you are going to throw up at the end of your weight training sessions, I have to question your workout intensity.

5. Stick to Basic Supplements

Your a teenager and should be saving your money for college and your first car. Don't get scammed by over hyped supplement ads that promise the world. Follow the saying, 'If it looks too good to be true, than most likely it is!" All you need to budget for now is a high quality multi-vitamin which you should take for life as well as a high quality protein powder in your arsenal and a regular omega-3 fish oil cap. Between these three supplements you are more than covered. Don't worry about creatine, glutamine, fat burners, testosterone boosters or even NO2 products. The first three to four years of your lifting should be done with just the basic supplements.

Conclusion.

Stay tuned for part two when I reveal the next top five tips to successful teen bodybuilding.

 

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Tired of Starting from Scratch with a New Class?

This is probably my biggest issue with World of Warcraft – it is not a problem with the game itself. No, I love the game; I've been playing it since 2004 and haven't been lured away by any other game since. I've leveled up five characters to Level 85 for Alliance and two for Horde and no one looks forward more to the new content myself, but that doesn't mean I necessarily like having to go through low level content time and again whenever I level a new character. After 7 times through (in reality this is more like 20 times through if you include the times I've started and stopped) with different characters, I'm dead tired of starting over and it's even worse with new classes.

Which is why a product like the one over at ElitistGuide.com had me all sorts of excited. If you've read any other class guides before, you know they usually don't offer much – I've seen guides that provide a decent amount of information about the talents and others that spend twenty pages on race selection, but none of them really touch on everything you need to know for the class and still leave me wondering what I should be leveling up at 20 and where to look for gear at 30.

But, over at ElitistGuide, I found a new product that actually touches on pretty much everything I need to know. Some guides are for beginners and others for veterans, but these class guides hit on every aspect of the class from start to end-game and that immediately makes them stand out. When you play a game like World of Warcraft as much as I have and there are still parts that you have not yet experienced, having to dig through boring introductory information can be mind numbing. These class guides skip right past those details while not acting like you know everything. So, you learn that a Mage's best leveling spec is Frost and that the gear you want is going to be from drops until you hit level 50, but you aren't beat over the head with it – it's a nice change of pace.

Basically, if you're still looking at your account dreading starting yet another new character because the Shaman or Paladin is just a bit too complex and you just don't feel like being pwned outright in world PvP, you need to visit ElitistGuide.com today and take a look at these guides. The best part too is that if you are a beginner and know you will need more than one guide, they're offering a hefty discount for buying all 10.

 

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This is a Class Guide Done Right

How many class guides have you seen online already for World of Warcraft? There are quite a few of them out there to be sure. I can attest to that. But, the fact of the matter is that most of these so called class guides are little more than regurgitated stats and info from official strategy guides and the official WoW forums. I can find that information on my own in about ten minutes and sure as heck wouldn't spend $30 for it. There are a couple of exceptions out there, but then you end up spending entirely too much and still get a bunch of fluff just to make guides look larger than they are.

So, why then would I come to you with what I think is the best class guide I've yet seen and recommend that you check it out? It's a simple matter really. I have never seen a class guide or set of class guides that so thoroughly outlines every little aspect of the class and presents it in an easy to read, professional matter. For that matter, how many professionally written guides can you think of out there for WoW at all? They pretty much all read the same – as though one of us, the avid gamers of the world, spent a few hours typing out instructions between raids. They're solid, but ridiculously hard to read and can give you a splitting headache.

Fast forward through my second guide completed from ElitistGuide and not only do I not have a headache from reading this little puppies, but I have leveled up two new classes and used them to great effect. The talent spec recommendations are top notch, the gear suggestions (while not as long as I would like – who can afford all purple gear right off the bat?) are dead on, and the PvP section is probably the most detailed and useful I've ever read, actually walking you through how to fight each of your foes in PvP, by class…for every class. That's 81 different strategies laid out for you in all 10 guides and they are for the most part dead on.

Pretty much, with ElitistGuide, you get a guide that was written by one of the game's true great writers. He has not only captured all the detail I've always looked for in a class guide, he's done so in a way that is easy to read and reference, pleasant to come back to, and not filled with an interminable volume of useless fluff that makes my head hurt. I don't often recommend these kinds of things (who really wants to spend more money when they pay a monthly fee already), but for the shear amount of time you save, opponents you will pwn, and the understanding of your class you will gain, you cannot pass up the opportunity over...

 

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Skinny Guy's Guide To Creatine


What is creatine? How do I take creatine? What are the side effects of creatine? What is the best creatine? Unless you just arrived from another planet, you should know that when it comes to muscle building supplements, creatine is the king!

To date, creatine has proven to be the most research-proven sport supplement on the market to day. Creatine has collected hundreds of clinical studies that show increased lean muscle mass, improved energy levels, increased muscle strength and size and improved exercise performance. There is even a new batch of research showing creatine supplementation having a significant effect on memory and intelligence, as well as immune function. Bigger, smarter and healthier, not that's a solid combo!


What is creatine?

Creatine acts by supporting the reproduction of ATP (fancy term for energy) in muscle tissue resulting in cell volumization which can create a more optimistic cellular environment for muscle growth. By having more energy reserves in the muscle tissue, you now have the ability to train harder at higher intensities. This means more reps, more sets, heavier loads, more explosive power and quicker recovery. Each of these stimulus are key requirements for continual muscle growth. Creatine is simply a mechanism that allows you to work harder and out do your previous workouts.

How do I take creatine?

To load or not to load, that is the question! You have three research-proven options to choose from. Each method will appeal depending on a variety of reasons:

· Method 1: Six day load at 20 grams a day plus a maintenance of 2-3 grams a day afterward.

· Method 2: 3-5 grams a day for the long term.

It was once thought, that a loading phase was required to maximize the effects of creatine but there is countless research that shows you don't have to go through all the hassle of loading. This will appeal to the individual who experiences gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea and other problems with higher dosages.

Personally, I have found the best time to take creatine is 15 minutes BEFORE a workout and AFTER a workout with a liquid protein and carbohydrate drink. As well as first thing in the morning on non-training days.

What kind of creatine should I buy?

With all the fancy bell and whistle creatine supplements out there, a lot of people of forgotten about simple, powdered creatine. All you need to know that the best creatine manufactured is sold to companies in the form of Creapure. So as long as you see the that the creatine bottle you have bought, as Creapure as their source of creatine, that's the good stuff.

There has much debate about creatine purity and it is not accepted that not all creatine is created equal.

Creatine ethyl ester is a new form of creatine. It is made up of a creatine, alcohol and acid meaning the absorption rate into the tissue is better. Manufacturers claim it does not cause bloating, cramping or stomach discomfort and gets into the muscle faster resulting in better results. Due to it's chemical structure, it might result in greater stress on the liver. Although it does seem to have potential, wait for more research and rely on the time-tested powdered creatine.

 

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Should I take creatine with sugar?

Stimulating insulin release by consuming high amounts of sugar has been shown to enhance the transport and uptake of of creatine into the muscle tissue. However, insulin is also responsible for fat storage. Therefore my recommendation would be to only consume your creatine with simple carbohydrates if it is before or after your workout. On non-training days, creatine would be be better shuttled using insulin mimicking compounds like alpha lipoic acid and D-pintol which can help improve creatine transport and retention without the excess sugars.

Conclusion

Creatine, is by far the king of the jungle when it comes to muscle building supplements. I have only included the information I believe to be the most critical and useful. Your take home message is to use powdered creatine, year round before and after your training workout and in the morning on your non-training days. Make sure your creatine says Creapure and don't get caught up wasting any more time or sleep on the academic debate associated with creatine use. Just do it!

 

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The Skinny Guy's Guide To Glutamine


When was the last time you read an article discrediting the effects of glutamine? Maybe this will be your first one? Unfortunately, the majority of bodybuilding and muscle magazines still have this supplement on their "Top 5 Lists." I am not here to convince you to never buy another tub of glutamine again, but if stay with me, I will do my best to debunk some of the common myths that have led you to believe that this expensive supplement is necessary.


But I Thought Glutamine Was A "No Brainer" Supplement?

Creatine is a 'no brainer' supplement, protein powder is a 'no brainer' supplement, multi vitamins and fish oils are 'no brainer' supplements. Sorry, Glutamine, you did not make the team - despite the fact it gets its own message boards, chat rooms, magazine articles and its own section in the supplement store. I don't need to remind you that the supplement industry is a billion-dollar industry. Since I used to be a skinny guy myself, I know how badly you want to build the perfect body - or at least one that gets you more dates and more respect at the gym!

Since I have already wasted thousands of dollars on certain, not all, supplements myself, I feel an obligation to tell you the other side of the story. To reveal the glutamine research that NOBODY wants you to read. But this is obvious - nobody makes money disproving the credibility of a hot selling supplement!

So here is where I will make my stand. Glutamine has no muscle-building effects whatsoever. Now before we get too deep, remember that I am not a PH.D student or a research geek. I will pass along the information and let you decide for yourself, and, in the process, do my best to make this fun and interesting.

Glutamine 101

Here is a quick introduction for you skinny guys who have never heard of glutamine. Glutamine makes up 2/3's of the amino acids in our body, which could make a strong case for it being the most important. Understand that glutamine is also a non-essential amino acid which means your body produces it by itself. This does not mean you do not need it - only that external consumption is not mandatory. The most interesting fact about glutamine is that during times of stress (which is not clearly defined), our amino acid pool is depleted which can prevent muscle growth since glutamine makes up the greatest percentage of amino acids. Hence, the theory for supplementing with glutamine if you weight train.

Glutamine Claims

I cut and pasted these right out of random chat room just to show you I am more in tune with the word on the street:

"...glutamine helps with weight training and prevents muscle soreness..."

"...you need glutamine to repair your muscles."

"...supplemental glutamine can help prevent your body from losing muscle."

"...glutamine is not worthless. I train with bodybuilders every day and they recommend it."

"Glutamine is the most important supplement for bodybuilders..."

"It boosts immune function which helps you recover from colds much quicker.."

"Taking large amounts of glutamine before a workout contributes to huge pumps..."

"Glutamine assists in situations of trauma which contributes to faster recovery..."

What Glutamine Sales Reps Are Afraid Of You Discovering

 

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Although the majority of glutamine supplementation hoopla praises its contribution to increased muscle size and strength, decreased chance of overtraining and the other claims above, current research today gives no evident benefits for the skinny guy who wants to build muscle - never mind for any weight trainer in general.

Recently I received an article from a fellow colleague, David Barr MSc., who collected a large batch of research with an exhaustive reference list supporting the notion that glutamine is useful for only very specific conditions (which we will discuss shortly).

Here is a list of some of the most interesting data that David Barr found in his research with my extra commentary:

  •  Just because glutamine has been proven to work in clinical stress testting does not mean it equates to exercise stress that you experience after a killer workout. Clinical stress such as severe burns, AIDS and extensive surgery are good reasons to warrant its, use but you simply don't cause enough muscular damage during your workouts to justify its use.
  • A 2001 study by Candow et al determined that 0.9g of supplemental glutamine/kg/day during weight training resulted in no considerable effect on muscle performance, body composition or muscle breakdown on healthy adults. Since I am just over 200 lbs that is 80 grams of glutamine a day or over $1000 US in glutamine a year! If 80 grams was shown to have no anti-catabolic effects, why would you waste your money on taking the recommended 5-10 grams per day?
  • The majority of the research on endurance athletes has revealed minimal contribution in regards to enhancement of the immune system. More significantly, a number of studies disclosed information that glutamine supplementation does not alter exercise-induced suppression of the immune system. Contrary to popular belief, whether your glutamine levels drop or not after training, they have no impact on immunity. - Hiscock N, Pedersen BK. Exercise-induced immunodepression- plasma glutamine is not the link. J Appl Physiol 2002 Sep;93(3):813-22
  • Many claim that glutamine helps increase your 'pump' by improving cell volumization. Dr. John Berardi, Ph.D, did some preliminary testing and discovered nothing to support this. Glutamine supplementation has no response on total body water, intra-cellular fluid levels, or extra-cellular fluid levels. - Dr. John M Berardi, Ph.D., Appetite For Construction, JohnBerardi.com 2002 Nov 8
  • It is still a question whether or not glutamine improves glycogen stores post-weight training. But why should you care? If you are already consuming a post-workout drink with sugary carbs to replenish glycogen (this is mandatory for any skinny guy who wants to build muscle), then further supplementation with glutamine is unnecessary.
  • In conclusion, studies that tested athletes who consumed an amino acid drink post-workout showed an increase in protein synthesis by 48%. However, when glutamine was added to the drink, no additional benefits occurred. That blows the muscle-building theory out the window!

So Is Glutamine A Worthless Supplement?

Well, if you stopped reading right now you would think so! And you are probably confused as heck right now because everything you have heard on glutamine before today praised its holiness. Remember, the supplement industry is a billion-dollar industry and nobody makes money by disproving the effectiveness of supplements. In the end, you must decide for yourself what you wish to believe.

When Glutamine Is Worth Using

David Barr fingers a few situations when glutamine supplement will prove useful for the bodybuilder, so here is a chance to see if your glutamine should still be in your budget:

  • Glutamine supplementation could prove useful for bodybuilders who decrease their testosterone levels after coming off a cycle improperly. Muscle breakdown is at its highest in these circumstances despite a quality nutrition plan, so glutamine might help.
  • During a pre-contest training regiment that consists of very low calories and high volumes of exercise, protein breakdown is much more likely. Basically, any extreme dieting or fat loss program with the hopes of getting extremely lean can result in increased stress, therefore increased catabolism. Competitive bodybuilders and fitness models are perfect examples of those who might benefit from glutamine supplementation in this above-normal fat loss situation.
  • During incidences of extreme weather conditions and/or multi day training, there are situations where extreme stress can be counteract with glutamine supplementation. Triathletes and endurance athletes come to mind.
  • " Glutamine supplementation would be beneficial for conditions where catabolic waste is at its peak. Severe burns, severe colds or flu's, severe allergies, alcoholism, chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS, irritable bowel syndrome are a few examples.

In Conclusion

At the start I stated that, "Glutamine has no muscle building effects whatsoever." After reviewing this article, you will notice that is not as black and white as that. However, the take home message, especially to you skinny guys, is that if you are on a proper muscle-building meal plan and using solid post-workout nutrition strategies, glutamine is not a worthwhile supplement for you. Save your money and put it towards food if you are motivated to gain muscle weight.

Save your money and put it towards food if you are motivated to gain muscle weight.

I hope this supplement was a good example of looking at the evidence rather then the hyped-up muscle rags and advice from the 'expert' at your gym. In the end, you are free to believe what you wish, but remember that the current research today does not support the spectacular muscle-building effects supplement companies claim.

 

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The Skinny Guy's/Gal's Guide To Getting A Six-Pack



The title of this article is a little ironic, isn't it? Since when did skinny guys have a hard time getting a six-pack? Are not all skinny guys like 2.1% body fat and less than 150 pounds soaking wet? Why in the world would a skinny guy need an article on how to get a six-pack? Isn't that why skinny guys are afraid to bulk up – because they are paranoid about losing their treasured abdominals? I asked the same thing until this question almost earned it's own email account!

The volume of interest I receive from skinny guys who wish to build their mid-sections is more than enough evidence to disprove the false reality of, "I should be able to 'see' my abs if I have low body fat." I'm sure you know of a friend who is completely scrawny, yet, without a shirt, on he has zero abdominal definition! To me, that would be salt on an open wound.

Abdominals Are A Muscle, Too!

You want your arms to be bigger, your shoulders to be broader and your chest to be fuller, correct? And what is the solution to making these muscle groups increase in size? High intensity weight training, overload, consistency and a healthy surplus of calories. Starting to sound familiar?

The same goes for your abdominals. Your abdominals are a muscle group that requires the same formula and attention and are not any different. For some reason many consider abdominals to be a 'special' body part that requires a different set of rules and a completely different formula for training. Abdominals were not given a 'secret code' to crack. To get thick, dense abs – those ones that 'pop' out - you must train them with intensity and overload. Here are some practical tips you can apply to your program so that you can be the 'man' or 'gal' at your gym with a ripped and muscular six-pack!

Prioritize By Sequence

If your abs are your worse body part, then why do you keep training them last, at the end of your workout? Which muscles groups will receive the highest priority when you train? The ones done at the start of your workout or the ones done at the end of the workout? Of course, the ones done at the start of the workout while you have the most energy and focus. If abdominals are the muscle group you wish to prioritize, then don't be afraid to disagree with the 'experts' who say "Never train your abdominals first because you'll weaken your core muscles for the rest of your workout...". I completely disagree with this and often reply, "Show me the evidence." The typical response is "Nobody does abdominals first...". That is pure BS. This just supports the notion that many people who work out don't ever question what they hear or do. They want to be spoon fed answers and follow the trends of others without thinking for themselves. I ALWAYS train abdominals first in a workout if they need the highest attention.

Prioritize By Frequency

What's going to receive better results? A muscle group that is trained one time a week or two times a week (assuming you are recovered prior to the second workout commencing)? Of course, the muscle that is trained 2x a week. The more stimulus on a muscle, the more growth. That is why professional athletes are professional athletes. They have conditioned their bodies to such a high amount of stress that they are able to train more frequently.

How often you train your abdominals is based on the inverse relationship of intensity and volume. The harder you train your abs, the more rest they need. The less intense you train your abs, the more frequently you can train them! If your goal is rehab or injury prevention, then you will be able to train them often with more frequent and lower loads. If your goal is to make your abs more muscular and dense, then a higher load and less frequency would be ideal. If your goal is maintenance, then a medium load and frequency would be ideal. Refer to this table:

 

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Purpose Frequency Intensity Volume Reps
Injury Prevention 5-7x a week Low 1-4 sets 20-30
Hypertrophy 4x a week High 6-12 sets 8-12
Maintenance 2-3x a week Medium 3-6 sets 10-20


If building a sexy six-pack is on your 'to do' list for 2008, then start training abdominals 2-4x a week. I will teach you in a moment how to split your abdominals up into two different days based on movement.

Divide Your Abdominals Into Two Separate Workouts

To train your abdominals safely and effectively you must know the basic movement patterns of your abs and train them within all sub-categories:

• Truck Flexion (upper abs)
• Hip Flexion (lower abs)
• Rotation (obliques)
• Lateral Flexion (obliques)

The majority of books and articles you have read revolve the bulk of the ab exercises around trunk flexion that is better known as 'upper ab' exercises. A full sit up is a perfect example of this.

Bill Starr in his 1976 classic 'The Strongest Shall Survive' wrote that the abdominals "...can be strengthened in a wide variety of ways. Sit-ups of all types, leg raises, truck rotation movements all involve the abdominal muscles to a different degree..."

I wouldn't be surprised if the abdominal program you are following right now is based on one movement - trunk flexion. I am guessing that your primary goal is actually to have a well-defined and sculpted six-pack, so I have provided a sample abdominal program to break it up into a four day program:

A B C D
Trunk Flexion Rotation Trunk Flexion Rotation
Hip Flexion Lateral Flexion Hip Flexion Lateral Flexion

Even though you are training each movement twice per week, you will perform different exercises for each workout.

Use A Variety Of Functional Exercises

The Top 3 Hip Flexion Exercises:

  1. Lying Hip Raise
  2. Incline Hip Raise
  3. Hanging Hip Raise


The Top 3 Trunk Flexion Exercises:

  1. Swiss Ball Crunch
  2. Weighted Swiss Ball CruncH
  3. Weighted Cable Crunches


The Top 3 Rotation Exercises:

  1. Russian Twist
  2. Weighted Russian Twist
  3. Weighted Cable Crossover


The Top 3 Lateral Flexion Exercises:

  1. Lateral Flexion on back extension machine
  2. Lateral Flexion with medicine ball over head
  3. Lateral Flexion with medicine ball and twist

Each of these exercises progresses from basic to intermediate to advanced. I suggest you master the first exercise of each before commencing to the next.

Conclusion

You now have all the tools and resources you require to start building a set of eye-popping abdominals. Customize your own abdominal workout and post it in the Article Comments Forum for others to compare and learn from.

 

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Six “Little-Known” Muscle Building Tips Part 2


So you think you have heard everything there is to know about muscle building? If you have read everything, tried everything and heard everything about muscle building but still resemble the silouette of a Calvin Klien model instead of a buff fitness model than I promise these next three 'little-known' muscle building tips will accelerate your muscle gains immediately!


4. Never Train More Than 2 Days Consecqutively

But the bodybuilding magazines say to split up my program into 5 seperate days... Yes, I am more than familiar. I call these 5 day splits 'drug programs.' They treat your body simply as a 'muscular system' and neglect the other systems such as your central nervous system, hormonal system and immune system. Each of these systems have a unique part in muscle growth. Not to mention that these 'drug programs' only work if coupled with a few thousand dollars a month on drugs.

Just because you trained your chest on Monday does not mean your immune system, or hormonal system or central nervous system has FULLY recovered. What happens when you return to the gyn NOT FULLY recovered? Will you be able to lift more weight?

If you are not able to lift more weight than guess what happens to your level of fitness? It certainly will not go up because you will be depleting your energy reserves further into a deep, dark hole called 'over-training.' If you can not lift more weight or 'out-do' yourself from your previous workout than how do you expect to create any NEW muscle? It is literally impossible. Taking a full rest day every two days will minimize the chance of overtraining and ensure your energy reserves are replenished.

5. Go Home If You Are Not Stronger Than Last Workout

Multiple choice question:

Q. You train your chest on Monday and you averaged 4 sets of 8 with 225 pounds on bench press. This workout would be considered a personal best. Your following chest workout, let's say five days later, you come to the gym with great anticipation to out-do your last workout. To your disappointment you discover that you can barely do 4 sets of 8 with 185 pounds this week. What happened?

A. Your body had not fully compensated from the previous workout and required a longer recovery period.

B. Who cares! You toughed it out and made the most of the workout.

C . Complain to the gym owner that his weight plates are messed up and you want a refund on your gym membership.

If you picked A than say hurray and pat yourself on the back. The rational decision would be to admit the recovery error, assess the factors that could of resulted from not fully recovering (did you take all your supplements, did you sleep enought, did you follow your nutrition plan etc) and plan for success next time. This is the 'trial and error' process.

The emotional and irrational trainee would take option B and slug it out. Consider what is actually happening when you take this approach to your workouts:

1. You will be using weights within your threshold so your muscles will simply laugh back at you because there is no new unaccumstomed stress on your muscles. Remember, your muscles only grow if you give them a reason to.

2. You will be training in the hole and prolong the period of time that it takes to come out of the hole and supercompensate.

3. You will have no new muscle to work with because you have not fully recovered or grown bigger so it will be literally impossible to lift more weight or more reps.

4. You will be using your precious energy reserves, that could be going towards building muscle, instead to fueling an useless workout.

5. You will lose motivation and grow frusturated and confused because of your lack of progress.

This is a very tough and mature training decision one must face. After commencing a workout, if you discover after a few sets that you are on tract for a crappy worout than I would suggest to drop the workout and go home. Plan to come back the next day. If your goals are to simply train to train, than you will probably not follow this rule. However, if your goal is to get huge muscles and pack inches of new muscle onto your frame than this is a critical training decision.

To ensure your trip to the gym does not go in complete vain – have a flexibility session to make use of the time and than try and pick up the cute receptionist phone number on your way out!

6. Find a mentor

What does this have to do with muscle building? Everything – finding a mentor can make all the difference in how much muscle you build! If you plan on becoming successful in the gym than surround yourself with someone who has already walked the path. Would you agree that the quickets way to achieve success is to find somone who has gone before you and done what you want to do – and model them.

So why do millions of fitness enthusiasts wander aimlessly following generic advice in text books, magazines or websites? Although these methods of learning can provide a theoretical perspective, they are absent in accountablity, a formal system, time and financial comittment and assessment of performance.

A wise mentor will guide you step-by-step of the way with a formal system that includes a higher level of comittment and accountablity on your part. You will be required to fulfill tasks, change habits, meet deadlines and perform at a higher level than you would without a mentor.

The premise of having a mentor is that he has been there and done that. He has walked in your shoes and will give you the appropriate advice in a timely fashion. If you do not perform and follow the advice than you are wasting the mentor's time and he will 'fire' you! If you do perform and follow his advice than you will be successful and build the muscle you deserve in less time!

Serioulsly consider hiring a fitness coach, a personal trainer or anybody who has done what you wish to do and be prepared to elate the same results!

 

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The Real Cause of Infertility



Infertility can be defined in two ways: as inability to conceive after a year of regular sexual intercourse without contraception, or as repeated ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages or perinatal loss. Male and female specific factors account for about 30% of the infertility causes (individually);the combination of male and female causation leads to an additional 20% and the remaining 20% are caused by uncertain origins.

When one is dealing with infertility, as much as it is important to strictly follow the rules of the treatment, it is equally important to make sure that you have the correct diagnosis of the root cause of your condition. In this article you will find a broad outline, enumerating the various probable causes of infertility.

Why it is important to determine the causes.

Infertility may be caused due to a multitude of factors at a time, or it may be the result of perhaps the deviation of a certain single factor from its premeditated path. Since misdiagnosis can often lead to further fertility complications, the very first step of treating and curing infertility depends largely on indentifying the root cause right in the beginning of treatment.

The broad causes of infertility in females may be listed as follows:

. Anovulation: In females, ovulatory problems are the most common causes of infertility. The failure to ovulate may be due to a number of factors:

o Hormonal imbalance is the most frequent cause of anovulation; when the ovaries produce immature eggs, pregnancy becomes impossible.

o Women with polycystic ovaries suffer from a decreased secretion of FSH and increased secretion of LH and testosterone; therefore polycystic ovarian syndrome may lead to anovulation in women.

o Approximately 20% of the cases of infertility occur due to the malfunctioning of the hypothalamus, the gland which controls hormonal stimuli, resulting in immature eggs. The pituitary gland is responsible for the regulation of LH and FSH, and its malfunctioning produces immature eggs.

o Damage to the ovaries caused by previous surgeries, ovarian cysts, tumors and infections may lead to production of immature eggs as well.

o Premature menopause and follicular problems are also responsible for anovulation.

. Improper functioning of fallopian tubes: Viral and bacterial infections of the fallopian tubes are the primary cause of their malfunction.

Appendicitis and colitis are abdominal problems which lead to blockage of the fallopian tubes. Tubal damages may also be caused by previous surgeries, which render the tubes incapable of passing eggs. Ectopic pregnancy, which occurs within the tube, is a potential threat to life that also causes tubal damage. Congenital tubal defects are rare, but not impossible to come across as causes of infertility.

. Use of drugs: Smoking, drinking and using other drugs have been known to decrease the chances of getting pregnant.

. Problems in the Immune system: This problem includes autoimmune reactions in the body and the creation of antisperm antibodies which exterminate sperms. Natural killer cells, which when present in excess, can damage the embryo in the uterus. The antinuclear antibodies cause inflammation of the uterus when present in excess. The presence of antisperm antibodies in the female's body kills off the sperms before they can fertilize the egg.

Although the causes of infertility are many, they are fairly easy to overcome, especially when diagnosed in the early stages. Using a holistic approach, comprising of the prescribed medicines, following a healthy diet, regular exercise, abstinence from alcohol, nicotine and other drugs, stress management, acupuncture etc. guarantees positive results. Due to the complex and multifactoral nature of infertility, the problem can be solved permanently only by dealing with it in the holistic way, which tackles all the root causes of this condition rather than focusing on specific triggering elements.

 

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Pregnancy and Yeast Infection



Prior to discussing the complexity linking the chances of contracting Candida infections with pregnancy, we'll take a brief glance at the initial physiological reasons for the yeast infection ailment. However the question still needs to be answered, does pregnancy make a woman's body even more at risk concerning yeast infections? Many women about to give birth are worried about this. The truth is that Candida infection is twice as probable during pregnancy compared to situations outside of pregnancy.

Yeast infection in the vagina is characterized by thick, white vaginal discharge with the appearance of cottage cheese and discomfort while having sex. Almost three-quarters of women in western nations will be afflicted by this kind of infection once in their lifetime and many of them will have to continue enduring
chronic Candida infections. As a matter of fact, Candidiasis, or yeast infection, is a fungal infection appearing locally or systemically with particular impact on women in western countries. The most frequent kind of yeast infection is vaginal infection of which the typical symptoms include a burning feeling and itching
especially around the vaginal area.

Candida exists to a greater or lesser degree in the intestinal and genital tracts of most people, but fungal overgrowth can bring on painful and debilitating consequences and also significant health complications. Yeast in this medical context means single-celled fungi. The common name, Candida, applies to the strain of fungi often seen in the human body under normal conditions as well.
Different elements which may be internal, external, lifestyle-related or psychological then directly or indirectly form the context in which Candida multiplication comes about. As with many other medical problems, Candida overgrowth comes about because of group of factors and related interactions.

In addition, emotional stress affecting many women when pregnant and while expecting a child may as a consequence degrade the immune system and increase the chance of yeast overgrowth.

 

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Pregnant women also often develop fixations on sugar-rich or white flour containing foods. As traditionally, pregnant women are allowed, even pushed to obey such cravings, these sugars and refined carbohydrates increase even more the threat of yeast infection powered by these sugary environments.

In pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes changes at several levels including hormonal, physiological and psychological. These changes conspire to engender excessive Candida overgrowth and the accompanying symptoms. Pregnancy-induced hormonal changes modify the vaginal context and make fungi more likely to grow beyond acceptable limits.

Ignoring Candidiasis can lead to systemic yeast infection, with significant negative effects both in terms of quality of life and overall well being. Since pregnant women may not use many of the antifungal medications or antibiotic treatments available to others, it is even more important to find another solution for candidiasis during this moment of childbearing. Finding a remedy for candidiasis in expecting women is crucial, because otherwise infection can be communicated from the mother to her baby through the birth canal during pregnancy or during
childbirth, or afterwards via breast-feeding.

The holistic approach using modifications in dietary and lifestyle changes and eliminating toxins, can stop all types of yeast infection and also prevent their recurrence safely and effectively for pregnant women and the babies that they are carrying. Did you hear the news about the 100% natural holistic methods that
can be used to remedy yeast infections permanently and safely?

Pregnant womenwho want a complete and lasting answer to candidiasis can use holistic methods to rid themselves of this condition by taking a set of specific home remedies to relieve the symptoms and by using holistic all natural guidelines that address the fundamental issues to tackle the real problem. 

 

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Learning The Muscle Fiber Types


Choosing the best type of workout program that will stimulate the muscle fiber type that will get you the results you're looking for is extremely important.

Unfortunately, all body building programs are not created equally when speaking in terms of muscle fiber types.

While you can't differentiate between muscle fibers from your outside appearance, on the inside of the muscle tissue body, there are three main different fibers present.

Type A Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers

The first type of muscle fibers are known as Type A Fast Twitch and are responsible for the most forceful contractions generated, however, will fatigue the fastest.

For example, if you were to perform an all out set of 3 reps for bench press, you would predominately be using these type A muscle fibers.

They tend to have very large motor neurons and very low mitochondrial density. They also have a low oxidative capacity, meaning they will not be able to utilize oxygen very well. It is for this reason that they are not suited to endurance type of activities, because during these exercise variations, oxygen must be present in order to sustain the muscular contractions.

The major type of fuel that these muscle fibers are going to rely on is creatine phosphate and stored muscle glycogen (glucose). They will not utilize stored body fat at all due to the fact that they are only able to continually contract for between one and about 20 seconds.

Type B Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers

The next muscle fiber is also classified as a fast twitch muscle fiber but not to the extent that type A are.

This muscle fiber type is mostly utilized in activities that are relatively short in duration, but are not at an all out pace.

For example, if you were to sprint 100 meters, you'll be using mostly type A. If on the other hand, you are to do a running interval at about 80-90% of your max capacity for 30 seconds, this would utilize the type 2A more.

Some of the characteristics of the type B muscle fibers are that they still have a large motor neuron (not as large as Type A though), they are on the intermediate scale as far as being resistant to fatigue, and they have a high degree of mitochondrial density.

 

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These muscle fiber types are also able to use oxygen to a great extent, as demonstrated by their higher resistance to fatigue and longer duration of contraction abilities.

Slow Twitch

Finally, the third type of muscle fiber that you have in your body is classified as slow-twitch.

This is the muscle fiber type you would use if you were to run a marathon or any other extended duration, medium-to-low intensity activity.

These muscle fibers have a very high ability to resist fatigue and have a large oxidative capacity.

They are also relatively slow to contract, therefore you cannot expect a great deal of force generation from these muscles, and thus, will not be intended for exercises requiring a high degree of power.

They are very high in terms of mitochondrial density and have a large number of capillaries running throughout their bodies. This is to enable sufficient oxygen to get to the muscle tissues so that they can carry on the extended duration of muscular work they are intended to do.

These are also the muscle fibers that will also rely more on fat as fuel, as opposed to strictly using carbohydrates or creatine phosphate.

Training The Muscle Fiber Types

So, now that you're familiar with the three major classes of muscle fiber types, it's time to recognize how you would train each effectively.

Since type A are your primary force generators, if you wish to get a higher performance from them you'll need to train using exercises that require you to max out your effort for a short period of time.

Think sprinting at full speed, 1-5 rep sets for lifting, and any type of plyometric activities.

Next, to train your type B muscles fibers you'll want to slightly decrease the force with which you are to contract while simultaneously increasing the time over which you contract ever so slightly.

For example, perform 30-45 intervals repeated ten times with about a minute or a minute and a half at a low to moderate pace. For your weight training activities, aim to target the 6-10 rep range to utilize the fact these muscle fibers have a higher oxidation ability.

Finally, to improve your slow twitch muscle fibers, think endurance. This type of fiber will usually require the greatest amount of time to train for improvement because you'll want to focus on simply going 'longer'.

If you're a runner, try and run longer. If you're a biker, bike longer. If you're a swimmer, swim longer – you get the point.

This type of muscle has the ability to go for extended periods of time so this is exactly what you want to train it to do.

So, next time you are trying to sort out your training plan make sure to take the various muscle fiber types into consideration.

Doing so will allow you to make the most out of your training program so you get the exact results you're looking for.

 

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