How To Build Bigger Muscles FAST with "Compound Exercises" (Big Brandon Carter)

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How To Get Big Biceps Fast - Great Workout

Why Women Will Not Build Large Muscles From Weight Training

Many women confess that they have stayed away from weights and resistance training because of their fear of building a large amount of muscle, resulting in body definition like that of a body builder. However, there are a few aspects that play a role in how your body will react to this type of exercise, which, normally, do not allow women to "bulk up".
In comparison to men, women are generally weaker because their bodies carry a lesser amount of muscle, but the muscles themselves are just as strong and are comprised of the same physiological qualities. Even though the muscle composition is the same, hormone levels and genetic makeup differ between men and women. Men have much higher testosterone levels which allow men to develop larger muscles. Because women have about 1/10 of the amount of testosterone found in men, their muscles tend to grow on a much smaller scale.
Women that do develop significantly larger muscles usually participate in a very intense strength training program, which is not necessary or required for the average woman to become stronger and improve health. The genetic makeup of these women influences muscle growth as well. Typically, those with shorter limbs are able to lift heavier weight because of the smaller distance between the weight and the joint being used. Also, longer muscles have a greater potential for larger development, and individuals with a higher number of fast twitch muscle fibers are more likely to be increase strength and muscle size.
Each individual is different and some women do have the genetic and biomechanical factors to build large muscles. However, without a vigorous resistance training program or abnormally high levels of testosterone, this is not likely to happen.
Along with becoming physically stronger, there are many health benefits from performing strength training exercises, including body fat loss, increased metabolism, and the prevention of osteoporosis, which are extremely important to women as they age. A resistance training program is essential and should be established as a part of a healthy lifestyle.


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Build Bigger Muscle - 3 Top Secrets to Build Bigger Muscle

I have a confession to make... I am still looking to build bigger muscle size.
I guess that's all of us, but I have discovered the top 5 secrets that the natural bodybuilders use to get more mass. To build big muscles you must shock your body into growth. What follows are some proven strategies that will work for you as they have for me and others.
1-- To build large muscles you must train heavy:
Forget the machines. You must concentrate on free weights and stick to the mass building exercises. Flat bench press, standing overhead presses, bicep curls, bent over rows, dead lifts and squats.
Those exercises are critical to build a strong foundation for big muscle size.
After a while your muscles will become used to these exercises and will no longer respond by growing more muscle mass. This is called "Plateauing."
To prevent plateau's you must change up your exercise program every 4 weeks.
All you need to do is to change your workout. Try different exercises. It will shock your body and cause it to respond by developing more muscle mass.
This will be a shock to the body, causing these new exercises to be more effective.
Thus helping you build big muscle more effectively.
If you are a beginner, you must work on your these exercises before moving onto an advanced training program. Your body must first become used to this workout.
Here's what you MUST do before starting any workout!
2 - Proper Warm up:
This one is critical. I can't emphasize it enough. Lack of a proper workout can and will lead to injury, muscle fatigue and lack of muscle growth.
Spend about 5 minutes warming up. I usually do some walking on the treadmill to get a sweat going.

3 -- Build Bigger Muscle Mass:
In order to get more muscle mass you must use heavy weights and or a lot of resistance. The resistance MUST challenge you on every workout.
The rep range should be between 8 to 10. As soon as you can do 10 reps... add more weight. You must push your self in every set.
You will be going to failure on every set. If you can get a training partner or have someone "spot" you... your results will come even faster.

Final Thoughts:
To Build Bigger Muscle you must train right, get proper amount of rest and most important of all ... have a well balanced nutrition program. Get any of these 3 things wrong and you will sabotage your muscle building efforts.
It's hard to get all three right and to find a result producing workout program. Fortunately there is a great resource you can use. Click to http://www.Build-Muscle-Guide.com for complete information, reviews, tips and more. Do this and I guarantee your success.

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My Transformation & How YOU Can Get Abs

My Transformation & How YOU Can Get Abs

Body Muscle Building - Muscle Body Building Program

Body Muscle Building - Muscle Body Building ProgramBody Muscle Building - Muscle Body Building Program

How to Build Lean Muscle - A 3 Step Approach to Building Muscle

Building muscle is not about going to the gym and pumping iron. How to build lean muscle requires a 3 pronged approach, with actually building muscle through weight training as only one part. In this article, we will cover the three legged stool to building muscle, plus methods to build muscle without weights, which is an excellent way of build lean muscle without ever having to getting a health club membership.

The three step approach on how to build lean muscle involves diet, aerobic training, and strength training. One without the other two will not build lean muscle that is our goal. Let us look at all three in more detail.

1. Diet. First, eating smaller meals more often is a better approach to building muscle than eating two or three large meals a day. Eating more frequently keeps the digestive system humming along at a steady pace, rather than having it shut down when you are hungry, then get bombarded with a huge meal. If you eat before you hit starvation mode, you will be more likely to eat something nutritious (if you have planned for the snack) rather than grab the first junk food you find in order to relieve the hunger pangs. Just remember to eat smaller portions so your overall caloric intake does not increase. What you eat, and don't eat, will also be a vital part in how to build lean muscle mass. Each mini meal should contain sufficient protein, which are about 15 grams for a female and 20 grams for a male. Yes, that is quite a lot, which means that you won't have much room for excessive amounts of carbohydrates and sugars. Avoiding refined and processed carbohydrates and drinking as much water as you possibly can is the diet that will lead to building muscle.

2. Aerobic exercise. We cover many varieties of cardio exercises on our website, but pick one and stick with it for six days a week. A good one would be brisk walking (minimum four miles per hour) for two miles per day. It may seem like a lot, but should be accomplished in about a half hour if done at the right pace. Yes, it's true that muscles are broken down during aerobic exercise, but part of process of how to build lean muscle is breaking down that muscle and rebuilding it stronger. Massive amounts of cardio exercises, such as what marathon runner's experience, can decrease building muscle, but we are not talking about that amount of cardio exercise. But again, it must be supported by proper diet. Also, it promotes blood flow and oxygen transport to the muscles.

3. Strength training. This is what everyone thinks of when they bring up how to build lean muscle. One of the keys to this is not to concentrate too much on your favorite areas to building muscle. Work all of the areas of the body, and allow sufficient recovery time (24 to 48 hours), and combine them with stretching exercises.

As mentioned above, there are many excellent ways to build muscle without weights that can be performed without any outside equipment. Pushups, pull-ups, situps, and squats are just a few exercises that can be accomplished anywhere, anytime. Granted, free weights and weight machines can be regulated better for your workout, but build lean muscle through weight training does not require a health club membership. Our website or the internet will provide many interesting methods of training for building muscle.

Our goal is to inform those people who are trying to lose weight on comprehensive, realistic programs for weight loss. We are definitely not into quick-fixes, but programs that involve proper diet, cardio work, and muscle tone. Rich Carroll is a writer and health advocate now living in London.

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How to Build Arm Muscle That Gets Noticed

Why is it so difficult to learn how to build arm muscles? You would think that your arms, being exercised normally throughout the day, would be the least likely areas to store excess body fat, yet fat seems to hide there nonetheless. This characteristic of the human body makes it more difficult to build up arm muscles. Building muscles requires time and persistence.

As with any muscle building effort, a proper balance of exercise and diet is the key to success. Eating a proper diet is crucial. Good nutrition requires that you eat a balanced diet that includes both whole grains and lean protein from fish and chicken. It also requires that you drink lots of water. You cannot build up arm muscle, or any muscle for that matter, without being adequately hydrated.

Some people, once they set their mind to something, want to get it done right away. While this attitude is a good one in terms of enthusiasm and urgency, it is not the best method for building muscles. Building arm muscle takes time. If you attempt to do too much at one workout, you can tire your arm to the point where it could cause injury. That's not really what you want, so take your time and do it correctly.

Your arms have three major muscle group areas: forearms, biceps, and triceps. Each muscle group requires special exercises. Those exercises that are known historically to be the most effective are described below.

Triceps

Your triceps are located under the back half of each arm. It's a large arm muscle, taking up almost one-half of your arm's entire size. It's formidable size makes it easy to see how important it is to build up this muscle. An excellent exercise for building up muscles is the Tricep Dip. Other beneficial exercises include lying barbell extensions, close-grip bench presses, triceps dumbbell extensions, triceps push down, and triceps dumbbells.

Biceps

Sometimes referred to as the arm's "vanity muscle" because it is a noticeable attention getter when it is enlarged, the bicep is the muscle that every man wants to develop straightaway. Great exercises for accomplishing this goal are: dumbbell concentration curls, preacher curls, incline dumbbell curls, dumbbell hammer curls, and standing dumbbell curls.

Forearm

The forearms will automatically benefit from all of your other exercises for the biceps and triceps. Despite this automatic benefit of non-directed exercise, there are exercises that can be performed to treat the forearms specifically such as dumbbell reverse wrist curls, barbell reverse wrists curls, dumbbell wrist curls, barbell wrist curls, and reverse curls.

In general, pushups and push downs are beneficial to all arm muscles. They are especially good exercises for building arm muscle because they can be done almost anywhere with no equipment, not that you cannot also perform them in a gym. You can't say now that you don't know how to build arm muscle. By performing these exercises, and the ones described above, you can build up your muscles to increase both your strength and attractiveness.

If you want to find more information about building arm muscle, Please click the muscle building programs named muscle gaining secrets. It is a proven program of step-by-step guide to help you gain more muscle mass. Read the muscle gaining secrets review for more...

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How to Build Leg Muscles - Proven Exercises For Mass and Strength

The legs are a very often overlooked body part for a lot of weight lifters. The reason is that they are not glamorous like the upper body. If people actually understood the importance of working your legs then they would immediately. You see there are muscle building hormones in your legs and the only way to unlock them are to work them out. This affects all the other muscles in your body. So in essence if you work the legs you will be working all the rest of your muscles. So we will go over how to build leg muscles using certain exercises proven to gain size and strength.

The following list is the best exercises to do when learning how to build leg muscles. We will explain why here in the list.

Squats- This is by far the best exercise for working out your legs. If you only had to do one leg exercise it would be this one. The reason is that you can do large amounts of weight and it works out your quadriceps, buttocks, and hamstrings.

Leg Press- This is where you can do maximum weight because you are in a sled like machine. This also builds your quadriceps.

Leg extensions- This is a more focused exercise that pinpoints the quadriceps.

Leg Curls- This is the opposite of leg extensions and focuses on the hamstrings

Calf Raises- Do not forget about the calves. This exercise is the main one for creating large calves.

Now that you have this list you have all the know how to build leg muscles. You can start adding mass to your legs and unlocking those hormones that will help you to build all the muscles in your body. One word of caution is to make sure that you are using a weight belt when doing squats so you can protect your back. Safety needs to always be a priority when you are exercising.

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Muscle Building Advice - 3 Tried and True Tactics to Build Lean Muscle Mass

When starting an exercise regimen, everyone envisions themselves gaining significant muscle mass and improving their overall tone and shape. But, building muscle is often harder than we think it will be and you may find that even with regular workouts, the gain is just not what you expected. Some eventually turn to supplements, but quickly find that they too do not boost the muscle mass they promise.

So, what do you do when you pump up the exercise, but are deflated by the results? Here are 3 tried and true tips that you can use to begin building lean muscle mass:

Tip #1

When designing your workout, be certain that the vast majority (at least 95%) of the exercises you choose are large multi-joint compound exercises. Whether you hope to decrease fat, or increase muscle, large multi-joint exercises will work to successfully achieve either.

Exercises that create major movement patterns such as the following are your best choice:

Upper Body 

• Horizontal presses such as bench, pushups and dips
• Horizontal rows such as one-armed dumbbell rows, seated cable rows and bent over barbell rows
• Vertical presses such as overhead dumbbell and barbell, kettlebell clean and presses
• Vertical pulls such as lateral pull downs, pull-ups and chin-ups

Lower Body 

• Squatting movements such as front, back, overhead and bodyweight squats
• Dead lifting movements such as regular, sumo and Romanian

The remaining 5% of your workout should consist of isolation exercises such as bicep curls, calf presses, pec flyers, shoulder shrugs, shoulder lateral raises and tricep presses. Your abdominals and core should also be worked out, but only as an additional option after the multi-joint drills.

Tip #2

To ensure the best results, you should schedule an intense 45-60 minute weight training workout 3-4 times per week. Make sure that you do not exceed the 60 minute limit in order to avoid catabolism. While the goal of any workout is to increase the buildup of muscle (or anabolism) catabolism actually breaks down your results. If your catabolism exceeds anabolism, you will achieve a negative result. While you want to stay anabolic, you still need to push your body hard enough to promote muscle growth.

Design a workout plan that maximizes the intensity of your routine. One option is opposing upper and lower body patterns such as squats and pull-ups or bench presses and deadlifts that serve as supersets to maximize your workout without interfering with one another.

These upper and lower body supersets, done with heavy weights, can be very effective if done at a high intensity. And while these are great options for any successful workout regime, to reach your goal of fat burning or gaining muscle mass you will also need to adjust your caloric intake.Tip #3

Tip #3

Finally, as with all healthy lifestyle changes, making quality choices in your foods can have a significant impact on your success.

Choosing whole food options rather than overly processed foods or even expensive supplements, can make a huge difference in your outcome. Proteins are best processed through the body when they are obtained from whole foods such as eggs, meats, nuts, seeds and raw dairy. Supplement bars and replacement meals offer protein as well, but are not as easily assimilated.

Making healthy nutritional choices will increase your chances of success. Keep your eye on the prize and your workout within these 3 rules in order to see the results you hope for: the meaner, leaner, chiseled physique you've always dreamed of.

Men, if you want to get the best in muscle building advice, click either of these links now and check out these tips to get ripped abs the right way.

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3 Ways to Get Large Muscles

So you are skinny and want to get some large muscles? I bet all you thought you had to do is join a gym, do some stuff with free weights, drink some protein shakes and eat like a pig.

And after you do all these things... you will automatically become big enough to enter a body building contest.

Right?

Wrong!

It isn't that easy, otherwise everyone would look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. But there is hope for you yet... I have 3 EXACT things you can do to get huge muscles fast.

one) Do the squats and dead lifts because these 2 exercises works out about seventy five percent of your muscle mass. That would include your trapezoids, shoulders, arms, back, legs, and butt.

And doing these two exercises will force your body to release more natural growth hormones which will facilitate large muscles.

two) Do the compound workouts only... don't waste your time and energy with the isolation exercises. I would stay with the basic exercises that you have to use groups of muscles to perform. That would be the squats, leg presses, dead lifts, bench presses, pull ups, chin ups, dumbbell rows, military presses and dips.

three) When you rest -- really rest! I'm serious here. When you allow your body enough time to recover and repair itself... you actually make your muscles stronger which reallys in heavier weights in the next workouts. And the more you lift, the more you force your muscles to to respond by getting bigger.

Good luck future hard gainer!

You will discover how a former skinny guy who through trial and error learned how to build muscle mass fast. He trained many younger guys just like himself and he sure will show you how to gain muscle too...

Click here how to => Build Muscles Fast or even learn how to sculpt your body muscles like a fitness model!

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Build Your Muscle Fast - 4 Powerful Tips to Gain Muscle Faster

Guidelines To Build Your Muscle Faster

When learning how to build your muscle fast, you should not let yourself be lead astray by unsubstantiated claims, fad workouts and diets. In order to succeed in developing maximum muscular growth you must learn to merge the basic scientific principles in several key areas, training, nutrition and motivation.

Whether you need to learn the best strategies on how to gain muscle faster, research a new fat burning cardio routine to lose weight, apply proven techniques to build muscle faster then you thought possible, develop six pack abs, lose weight by eating the right foods, find a new workout routine, or grab some useful tips to reignite your fitness motivation, here are 4 powerful useful tips for you to implement.

Eat Right in order to Gain Muscle Fast

Having a quality nutrition plan in place is undoubtedly one of the fastest ways to build your muscle. You need to be taking in the right nutrients, and the right number of calories before you can expect your bodybuilding work to succeed.

The necessary component in your diet that adds muscle is protein. Protein is absolutely essential for the growth of your body. You need to get adequate protein in your diet before you can gain a substantial amount of muscle mass.

Workout: In order to Build Your Muscles Faster, don't do more than 12-15 sets per workout.

A small muscle group like biceps is much more easily over trained. 12-15 sets is just complete overkill for smaller muscles.

Large muscle groups like the back can handle 12 sets. If you think about it, "Back" isn't just one muscle like the bicep. The back is a group of muscles including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, teres minor and major, trapezius and spinal erectors. Because of the mass of muscles involved, you can do more sets without over training.

Workout:To Gain Muscle Faster, don't train for longer than an hour.

You don't need to spend hours in the gym to build muscle fast. With your weight training, too much lifting will prevent your muscles from recovering and they will not get bigger. Too little and they will not grow either. Again, you have to find that balance that works for you. You can use the "3 hour a week" time limit as a guideline, but learn to "listen" to your body.

Build Muscle Faster by Allowing Sufficient Rest Before And After Your Workouts

Allowing your muscles to have sufficient recovery time is one of the fastest ways to build muscle. This allows your body to focus on protein synthesis, using all of the nutrients and supplements you consume throughout the day to repair the muscle.If you get sufficient rest, you will not only build muscle, but also get progressively stronger. This increase in strength allows you to lift increasingly heavier weights, which also allows you to build muscle fast.

To conclude you can be assured that your muscles won't grow quickly if you train incorrectly, basic scientific training is the first key to muscle growth. Increasing muscle mass quickly requires the use of correct mass building exercises, the ones that allow you to generate enough intensity to cause an adaptive response. To build muscle fast your nutritional intake should meet your body's ever changing requirements.To build a lean body faster you should allow your muscles sufficient recovery time because muscles only grow after the recovery phase.

Gabriel COLOMBANI is a 40-year-old dad and husband who has always been concerned with keeping body as healthy and well-shaped as possible with appropriate dieting and bodybuilding workouts. To say goodbye to your tiny frame and all the frustration that goes with and pack on pounds of real muscle weight, visit http://www.FastMuscleGain.com

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Get Ripped Workout - How To Build Muscle And Burn Fat Fast

The get ripped workout involves doing two kinds of exercises to build muscle and burn fat. The two types of exercises are cardio and lifting weights.

Lifting weights mainly leads to muscle growth and strength gains. Cardio will also help you build muscle, but it will mainly help you burn fat.

There are two kinds of exercises you can do when weight lifting, compound and isolation.

Compound exercises s work multiple large muscle groups and this promotes more HGH (human growth hormone) and testosterone production. HGH helps build muscle and burn fat and testosterone helps build muscle. Some compound exercises include squats, deadlifts, pull ups, and bench presses

Isolation exercises target the individual muscles, giving that muscle group a better workout. These include bicep curls, tricep extensions, shoulder fly, and etc..

You need to do both forms of exercises to get that "Ripped" look. If you only focus on compound exercises, you will probably end up bulky with a big ass and big legs. On the other hand, if you only focus on isolation exercises, you'll be growing at a much slower rate.

For the second part of the get ripped workout is aerobic exercise or 'cardio', which includes swimming, running, biking, etc... This will help you burn fat, but the type that we will be doing will also promote your body's HGH production and this helps you build muscle and burn fat. The type of cardio that will help you achieve this is 'High Intensity Interval Training'.

Your muscles are made up of three types of muscle fibres. These fibres are the:

1. Slow twitch fibres
2. Fast twitch fibres
3. Super fast twitch fibres

Engaging all of these muscle fibres in your exercise will promote higher HGH production. This is exactly what High Intensity Interval Training accomplishes. It is a combination of different intensities such as power walking, jogging, and sprinting.

Here is an example of how you can do it:

1. Warm up with a power walk on the treadmill. Remember your speed setting because this is the speed you will be returning to after each interval. Warm up for 5-10 mins.
2. Raise the speed to a jog for the next 30 seconds.
3. Raise the speed to a sprint (as fast as you can) for the next 15 seconds.
4. Return to the power walk speed for 60 seconds.
5. Steps 2-4 make up an interval. Repeat the interval 8 times.

Whenever you're starting out a new workout, take it easy and build up on the intensity over time. The last thing you want is to sustain an injury and have that stop your workouts.

If you would like to learn about a workout routine that incorporates all these principle, you can check out my article Get Ripped Workout. For more articles on how to get ripped, building muscle and fat loss, visit my blog, at Get Ripped.

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Get Ripped Workout Plan

Throughout my years of working out and studying the human body I have tested and succeeded in creating a great full body workout program that will get you looking ripped in no time. I have formulated a 3 day split program that will push your body to the extreme and I am confident that if you put the time and effort into it, you will see great results.

Monday: Chest and Triceps

Dumbbell Press - 4Sets
Dips - 4Sets
Dumbbell Fly's - 4Sets (Machine or Dumbbells)
Triceps Pull downs - 4Sets

Tuesday: Back and Biceps

Wide Grip Pull up - 2Sets
Close Grip Pull up - 2Sets
Chin ups - 2Sets
Lawnmowers - 2Sets
In and out curls - 2Sets
Preacher Curl - 4Sets
Hammer Curl - 2Sets

Wednesday: Legs and Shoulders

Leg Press - 3Sets
Squats - 3Sets
Calf Raises - 2Sets
Military Press - 3Sets
Shrugs - 3Sets
Straight Arm Raises - 3Sets

Thursday: Repeat Chest and Triceps

Friday: Repeat Back and Biceps

Saturday: Repeat Legs and Shoulders

Sunday: Rest

Make sure before every workout you do a bit of cardio to get warmed up and also to lose fat. Find a flight of stairs in your local gym or wherever you workout. I run down and up 4 long flights of stairs as fast as I can 2 times, and do this for 4 sets. Running up stairs is great for the legs and will get rid of the fat that is hiding your 6 pack. This insane workout program also consists of doing 100 reps or more of abs each day Monday - Saturday.

If you want to get ripped even faster you can also incorporate a morning workout that can be done at home. This workout should be done every morning Monday - Saturday and all exercises should be done till failure.

2 Sets of Push - ups till failure
100 reps of Crunches or other abs exercises
1 Set of Wall Sits till failure
2 Sets of Chin - ups to failure
1 Set of Shrugs to failure
Calf Raises till failure

2 Workouts a day may seem challenging but with effort and the right nutrition and proper rest, this get ripped workout plan will get you shredded in no time.

If you are looking for additional information on building muscle for skinny guys (hardgainers) please feel free to check out the link below for an informative article.

[http://www.thebestabworkout.info]

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This Get Ripped Workout Plan Will Have Them Ogling Your Sexy Body

It's good to be ripped and sexy hot for the summer, but it is good to stay fit all year long. You will really impress others when they see your ripped body at Thanksgiving as much or more as when they see you at the beach. No one wants to be walking around with a soft, smooth and flabby body, and for the next month or two, all of those serious lifters will be shifting into "get ripped" mode. I will show you the key things you need to know to stay ripped and sexy everyday. No need to panic before the summer, because you'll be ready long before the weather starts to get warmer. You need to follow the right get ripped workout plan to get the results you deserve.

You have probably heard over and over, that to get ripped you need to lighten up on the weights on do more reps. In reality, though, using lighter weights and more reps to get more defined muscles is really misguided, and it can lead to frustration. Let me clear this up once and for all: you CANNOT spot reduce. Let me say it again, so it sinks in real well. It is impossible to lose fat from just one specific area of your body. Performing bench presses with light resistance and high repetitions will not magically burn fat off of your chest or cause it to appear harder and more defined.

When you lift, do it to build muscle, so use enough weight to stimulate muscle growth. You won't find any secret weight lifting exercises that make your muscles more defined. OK, so what DO you do to get your muscles from just big and bulky to shredded and well defined? You cannot spot reduce effectively, but you can cut your overall body fat level. And you can do that in basically 2 ways.

1) Eat Differently

You should lower your overall caloric intake to around 15x your bodyweight and focus on consuming smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Eating smaller meals is the way to eat for anyone, as it keeps your metabolism higher, and is less likely to store calories as fat on your body. Lastly on diet, be sure to get plenty of water, or unsweetened beverage. A minimum of 0.6 ounces for every pound of bodyweight will keep you hydrated and keep you from feeling hungry.

2) Do Some Cardio Workouts

Traditionally, people think of a cardio workout as being 30 minutes of medium intensity. Well, that won't do. Try this instead. Crank up the intensity, but do it in shorter bursts. This will increase your fat burning while minimizing the muscle loss. These types of workouts will shoot your resting metabolism through the roof and will allow you to burn maximum amounts of fat even when you are at rest. For best fat burning results, get in 3 to 5 of these workouts every week, and try to space them out so you have at least 8 hours until you do your lifting workout.

That was simple, right? Keep up your regular weight lifting workouts, and use enough weight to keep your muscles growing. Thank me when you are taking in all the admiring glances at your ripped and sexy body. Do more intense but shorter cardio workouts, and eat a low fat, low sugar, lean protein diet. Trust me, you will be amazed at the little glances and blatant admiring stares you will get when you show off the ripples in your muscular physique.

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Get Ripped Workout - Simple Tricks To Get Jacked

Almost every one dreams of having a better body, one that is stronger, bigger, and faster. Well, to achieve that dream, you need a get ripped workout plan in place.

A get ripped workout routine entails different components that can be grouped into three parts. These are nutrition, weight training, and adequate rest. Let's further discuss all three parts of the program.

The first part of your workout routines is to start lifting weights and going to the gym. No one can ever try a get ripped workout without lifting weights. Lifting weights kick start a process called muscle hypertrophy, in which the muscles in our body is forced to grow as a result of unexpected stress coming from the act of lifting weights. A man's body is not used to such a beat-down, and it induces repairing of muscle tissues that are severed when one lifts weights. The muscles grow when the repair cycle finishes, giving one bigger and stronger muscles. One must be able to constantly work the weights at least three or four times per week.

The next part of your get ripped workout is proper nutrition. For one to be able to grow huge muscles, you need to constantly watch your diet. You must take 1.25 grams of protein for each gram of body weight that you have. You must also consume five to six meals per day to kick start your metabolism. Metabolism entails the conversion of food into energy and nutrients that you need on a day-to-day basis. Usually, it is important to take more protein than normal and you can utilize protein shakes, extra whey protein powder, or protein bars if you need to.

The last part is normally not seen as an integral component of a get ripped workout. Rest is actually important because it is when we sleep that the muscle repairing process happens. Our muscle tissues that were broken down during weight training are repaired by the protein that we take. The get ripped workout program entails a person to have at least seven to eight hours of sleep per day.

A get ripped workout requires commitment, patience, and dedication. Keep at it and you'll start seeing results. To really supercharge your results, check out this free report with some simple techniques so you can get ripped in no time.

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Getting The Body You Want With The Right Get Ripped Workout Plan

Without the right get ripped workout plan, working out regularly will be of no use for you. You can exercise as much as you want to lose fat and gain muscle but it could be a waste of time and still make you look as if you swallowed a watermelon.

There's a difference between having big muscles and having ripped muscles. You can be muscular and yet look bloated because your muscles are not defined. You have merely created more muscle without actually toning them.

To get ripped, you have to do more than just build muscle. It's like getting a chisel and sculpting your physique. The right workout plan will help you achieve your fitness goals as quickly as possible.

There are many different factors when you are trying to get a leaner body, but the main keys to the get ripped workout plan are below: right diet, regular exercise, and the right supplements.

Exercise

Exercise will help burn fat efficiently. Everybody understands that getting rid of excess body fat has a lot to do with looking ripped. Once you have been successful in removing the extra layers of fat in your body, the muscles you've developed by lifting weights and doing other workout routines will start to become visible.

Using a variety of exercises will help define those muscles more and burn fat. During training, it would be helpful to gradually adjust the weights you are using. It is important to maintain the intensity level to help your body adjust to the varying repetitions.

As you progress through your workout routine, you will need to gradually decrease the time you rest. This will help make your heart rate stay elevated to boost the fat burning process.

Diet

Diet constitutes a big part of the process of getting lean. As experts put it, getting a leaner physique is 70% dependent on eating right. To keep your body fat levels low, you will need to eat the proper types of foods. You must take in less calories to avoid adding on more pounds.

Also the right types of foods will help the body develop and define the muscles at the most efficient way possible. To get ripped, it is essential that your body has enough fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

To achieve maximum results, certain get ripped workout plans will use variations in the ratios of protein, carbs, and fats. This is done to get the body use to using many different sources of energy needed for burning belly fat without losing the mass of your muscles.

Supplements

Taking supplements is good in developing your body. Bodybuilders take a lot of different supplements to help them gain bigger muscles so they can lift bigger weights accurately. Not only that, these supplements will boost these peoples' stamina and endurance to withstand the whole workout routines.

Taking supplements will give the body the help it needs to keep from feeling wasted, keeping your body in top shape, maintain the muscles, and burn fat efficiently.. It will boost the immune system, provide strength, increased stamina, and boost metabolism.

These three components are essential and powerful to sculpt and tone your muscles. These techniques will make for a great and effective get ripped workout plan.

The journey is tough when you are looking for get ripped workout plan. There are many products out there that claim to be the best way to get ripped. I am here to tell you that over at http://www.getrippedfastsite.com they have narrowed down the best products that will help you get the job done right.

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Smart Bodybuilding Nutrition Tips That Work

It never ceases to amaze me how eager bodybuilders are to get meaningful results quickly. They are so eager that they end up listening to whoever they can. This usually leads to what I call "bodybuilding confusion." I am convinced there is a most effective, researched way to train, and a non-productive way to train. Bodybuilders, seek the productive, proven methods.
Every bodybuilder is looking for that secret bodybuilding nutrition tip that catapults muscle building results. Yes, no matter what, it will take consistent, determined effort. However, there is one researched weightlifting nutrition tip that will surely make a difference in adding more muscle to your physique. Bodybuilding nutrition is not just a matter of what you ingest, but more importantly, the time fame of when you ingest these precious nutrients.
By taking in specific nutrients at a highly optimal time in the anabolic muscle building process, you can gain an inside advantage in the bodybuilding growth process.
Most bodybuilding enthusiasts don't even think about this. Some eat to get big. This theory is incorrect. Train to get big, and supplement food, the correct way, to provide a positive muscle growth environment.
However, such things are taking in the proper nutrients within one hour of training can give a bodybuilder just enough of an inside advantage that they begin growing like crazy.
Over the past ten years, there has been ample research on the effects of carbohydrates, and protein on the anabolic, or muscle building, response to muscle building. One researcher, Dr. Paul Cribb has drawn some rather beneficial conclusions resulting from his current research studies regarding this hot bodybuilding nutrition topic.
The big question is what should be consumed either prior to, or after a weightlifting workout. Other questions are what kind of timing; and is there an advantage paying attention to bodybuilding nutrition? These big questions have changed the way we think of anabolic nutrition today. Dr. Cribb and others have aggressively answered these questions, and more from diligent research studies.
In a recent study, Dr. Cribb looked at different combinations of nutrients along with their ingestion timing, and compared them to the effects on bodybuilding. This particular study was very important in identifying the what's, when's, and how's of anabolic nutrition. His conclusions will not only yield valuable fat burning muscle, but also add functional strength.
As a result of the research studies, his main bodybuilding nutrition tip is to combine whey protein, carbs, and creatine all together into a drink which aids in muscle and strength development. According to the research, there was a very positive correlation between these three bodybuilding nutrition nutrients, and muscle building.
Now the next crucial point that needed clarification is the best time to take this muscle building cocktail. His study confirmed that ingesting this weightlifting nutrition cocktail prior to and immediately following each intense bodybuilding workout showed a positive connection between the timing of taking this drink and significant muscle development. His study had other sample groups take the drink at different time periods throughout the day. Interesting enough, the group taking the anabolic nutrition cocktail immediately before, and after an intense workout showed the greatest strength and muscle mass gain. Thus, is it safe to conclude it doesn't matter what you take, but when you take it. The timing of taking the nutrients are crucial to bodybuilding success.
In bodybuilding nutrition there is a period of time immediately following training known as the "window" to ingest these three nutrients. If you miss this limited time, generally within one hour after a hard workout, the muscle building results will not be as good.. During this "window of opportunity" your body will take the good hi-glycemic index carbohydrates and protein, and transport them into the liver, and muscles to begin the lean tissue building, or bodybuilding process. Thus, these nutrients will be used for the purpose of recovery, and getting ready for the next exercise bout, and not intended to be stored as adipose tissue.
There have been several studies concluded throughout the years on pre and post workout nutrition, and the effects of protein synthesis. Another study suggested a spike in protein synthesis when a carbohydrate, and protein bodybuilding nutrition supplement drink is ingested immediately before a high intensity bodybuilding workout. In this particular study, there was an increase in protein synthesis when the bodybuilding nutrition supplement drink was ingested prior to working out as opposed to after.
In summary, experts recommend using 30-50 g of whey protein, with 75-100 g of hi-glycemic index carbohydrates, and 3-5 g of creatine monohydrate, combined in drink form, immediately before, and after each bodybuilding workout. A good bodybuilding nutrition strategy is to drink one half of the drink before, and one half after each bodybuilding training session.
These two bodybuilding tips will make a tremendous difference in your bodybuilding training program. As you now know, timing is everything. Make sure you are drinking the exact cocktail of nutrients prior to, and following hi-intensity workouts in order to maximize the nutrient uptake, and aid in the protein synthesis process.

This article is written by the creators of Bodybuilding Supplement Secrets.com. Visit Bodybuilding Supplement Secrets for more cutting edge weightlifting supplement, and bodybuilding information.

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Training For Your First Bodybuilding Competition at Any Age

Competing in a bodybuilding competition is an exciting, exhilarating and fulfilling experience. It takes determination, dedication and just plain hard work. And, unless you plan on becoming a professional, all you can hope for from all of your effort is a trophy.
Ah, but what a trophy!
When you stand on stage, holding a rigid "relaxed" pose and hear the announcer call your name as Champion in your Class or Winner of the Overall Competition, it's mighty sweet. You savor the moment and forget all about what it took to get there.
Deciding to Compete
If you are in reasonably good shape and work out regularly, at least four-times-per-week, you can be prepared to enter your first contest within a year. I trained five-days-a-week for 10 months to get ready for my first contest.
You need that much time in order to gain the lean mass your body needs to sustain itself as you enter the fat-burning/cutting phase of your diet, about 13 weeks before your contest. If you want to compete as a Middle Weight, (165 - 185 lbs.), for instance, you might need to be around 195-200 lbs before you begin your cutting phase. The reason is simple. When you go into the cutting phase, your body loses about one pound of muscle for every three pounds of fat. For my first contest, I weighed 154 lbs on January 1st. When I stepped onto the stage on March 19th, I weighed a ripped 136. I was the lightest Bantam Weight. In fact, I was too light. The Bantam Weight limit is 143 lbs. Off season, I will bulk up with lean mass to about 165 lbs and try to come in at around 142.5, near the top of the weight class for next year's competitions.
So, the first thing you need to do, after deciding to enter a contest, is to pick a contest 10 - 12 months in the future and decide in which weight class you want to compete. Then, see where you are now and where you need to be on contest day. At that point, you can plan your diet.
To make sure this is something you really want to do though, you should attend a bodybuilding competition in your area. It's the best place to learn about the sport. You can pick out who is really ready to compete and who needs to do more work. Depending on whether you go to a drug-tested show or non-tested show, you will also see how huge some of the men, and even some of the women, who use steroids and other illegal muscle enhancers look. You can decide if that's the direction you want to go or not.
Competition Diet
Once you decide you want to compete, you must make a complete change in your life style. Bodybuilding is a life-style sport, much like ice skating, marathon running, competitive snowboarding, etc. Bodybuilding takes a lot of time in the gym and a lot of time in the kitchen. Competitive bodybuilders build their lives around their workouts and their meals, which during daylight hours average once every two-and-one-half-hours. It's also expensive, calling for large amounts of protein each day, at least one gram for each pound of body weight. Here is a typical diet for a bodybuilder who is trying to put on lean mass several months before a competition:
Breakfast: Three egg whites (protein) and one whole egg + one cup of oatmeal
Mid-morning: Protein shake (two scoops) in 8-12 oz of water
Lunch: 8 oz of steak, or chicken, or fish + 8 oz of sweet potato + cup of vegetables
Mid-Afternoon: Protein shake (two scoops) in 8-12 oz of water
Dinner: 8 oz of steak, or chicken, or fish + two cups of vegetables
Throughout the day, you need to drink between 1/2 and one gallon of spring water.
This diet is designed to put on about a pound of lean mass a week. Lots of protein, lots of carbs and little fat.
I'll talk about how the diet changes as you get closer to your competition later.
Supplements
I said earlier, bodybuilding is an expensive sport. It's not as expensive as a Bass Boat with all the accessories, but it's close.
In order to help your body use the fuel you put in (food and drink) and to take advantage of your workouts to build muscle, you need a good supply of supplements. I won't go into brand names or lead you to any supplier, but, here are some of the supplements you should consider:
Protein Powder: Check the labels. Some are designed as meal replacements, some for lean muscle mass gain, others for general growth, some for fat loss and some for heavy-duty muscle building. One caution, check the labels for additives.
Glutamine: Increases muscular growth, offers a muscle pump while training, helps retain lean muscle tissue, reduces muscle soreness, helps increase fat loss.
Creatine: Allows you to train harder with greater intensity and recover faster. It aids in increasing your weights and number of reps and reduces your rest between sets. Great energy boost.
Flaxseed/Fish Oil: Fat is necessary in your daily diet for the manufacture of hormones, proper brain function and joint lubrication. Eliminate fats completely and your muscles shrink dramatically, and your energy and strength levels go with them. Enter Flaxseed and Fish Oil. Usually in capsule form. They act as solvents to remove hardened fat, support muscle growth and fat metabolism.
Multi-vitamins: Everyone's vitamin needs are different. Hard-training athletes need more vitamins and minerals. Getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals is equal in importance to protein and carbohydrates.
There are lots of other supplements on the market today. But, if you use these five, along with good workouts and proper diet, you are going to achieve the growth you desire.
Training
Your competition training regimen will have three phases. The first, while you are adding lean mass for muscle building, you will workout with heavier weights and lower reps. During the second or gradual (13 weeks) fat burning/cutting phase, you will work out with lighter weights and higher reps. And, during your final two weeks of training before a show, you will use light weights and only "pump up" your muscles during your workouts. During your bulking up stage, you do moderate cardio. During your cutting for competition phase, you do max cardio and during the last two weeks, moderate to no cardio. I'll talk more about the last two weeks later.
During my ten months of training for my first two competitions, I used the following workout plan:
Monday (45 Minutes) - Back & Biceps + 20 Minutes of Cardio
Tuesday (45 Minutes) - Legs & Calves + 20 Minutes of Posing
Wednesday (45 Minutes) - Chest & Triceps + 20 Minutes of Cardio
Thursday (45 Minutes) - Legs & Calves + 20 Minutes of Posing
Friday (45 Minutes) - Shoulders & Biceps + 20 Minutes of Cardio
Saturday (45 Minutes) - Posing (Video Session)
Each week I tried to mix up my workout routine so my muscle groups stayed "surprised" and didn't let my muscles get used to a fixed routine. I mixed machines with dumbbells and never did the same thing twice in a row.
I had great results with this training regimen. When I started, I weighed about 158 lbs. with about 14% body fat. Ten months later, when I stepped onto the stage at my first competition, I was 136 lbs. with 4.5% body fat. At my second competition, two weeks later, I was about 136 with 4% body fat. One ripped, competitive, dude!
Posing
Posing is one of the more important elements of bodybuilding and one that in many cases is neglected. A competitor with a well-muscled and cut body can lose to a competitor with less muscle who is better able to show the judges what he or she has.
I'm not going to get into individual poses in this article. There are many sources available on the web, in books, magazines and videos that demonstrate the various poses. Rather, I will talk about the "psychology" of posing and the importance of posing practice.
While you will hear the head judge repeatedly call out, "Relax!" between poses, there is no such thing as being "Relaxed" during a competition. From the moment you step onto the stage you are being judged, and every muscle in your body must remain flexed. Every pose is built from the legs up. If you are doing a side chest and your legs are not flexed, your upper body will look great while your legs and calves will look flat. You will lose points. In bodybuilding, the judges are looking for your flaws. As a bodybuilder, you are looking to hide those flaws. It's a cat-and-mouse game. As a 67 year-old competitor, I have a little extra skin around my midsection. I can't get rid of it no matter how much I diet or how many hundreds of crunches I do. So, to hide my "extra skin", I lean back a little during my poses to tighten up the area. And, when doing the last pose of the round, the Most Muscular, I place my hands together, in front of my abs, which shows my upper body cuts while "hiding" part of my midsection.
If you think about it, all the training you do to get ready for a competition is laid out on the table during the 10 minutes you are on stage for your Class. It would be a shame to see all that hard work go to waste because you didn't pose well. Posing practice must become part of your workout schedule during the entire time you are training. I work out 45 minutes-a-day, five-days a week. I do cardio for at least 20 minutes, three or four-days a week. I pose at least ½ hour a night, two evenings a week, and pose for 45 minutes with a video recorder on Saturday morning. The last week before a contest, I practice posing every evening.
Posing is hard work. If you aren't exhausted after being on stage for six - 10 minutes going through your "relaxed" round and mandatory round, you haven't posed hard enough. One helpful hint: some competitors begin taking potassium tablets about a week before your competition. By doing that, you will prevent cramping, which if it occurs on stage, can be a killer.
Every competitor, as part of the competition, must choreograph a 60 or 90 second routine set to you own music. While most of the time, the individual posing routine is not counted in your overall score, it sometimes is used as a tie-breaker or to place a person second or third, if it's close. Nevertheless, your posing routine should be entertaining, lively and should show off your best body parts to their fullest. Try to pick music that is familiar. Make a CD and have two copies with you at your competition. Never do anything gross or that shows bad taste. Bodybuilding is a family-oriented spectator sport. A vulgar performance can get you disqualified from a competition. During the 60 or 90 seconds, you don't have to show every pose in the book. Do between eight and 10, with graceful movements between poses. It's OK to move about the stage while you perform your routine. In some cases, it's permitted to use props. Check with you organizer.
Posing in a competition is a lot of work and a lot of fun. If you have practiced enough, you will pose well and you will look confident. You might still shake a little and you might get a case of dry-mouth, but if you know your poses and are confident, you can deal with it. The individual posing routine is your chance to have the judges and audiences see you at your best, without any other competitors to distract them from you.
One final tip. SMILE while you pose. Don't make faces or show strain. You are in control. Have fun.
Tanning
There is an old bodybuilding saying, "If you think your tan is dark enough, put on two more coats."
Great advice. Tanning for a bodybuilding competition is different than tanning for the prom or before you go to the beach or to a modeling job. While posing on stage during a bodybuilding competition, your cuts and muscularity must show up well against the very bright stage lights. You look your best if you are very, very dark. You look washed out and flat if your tan is not dark enough.
There are lots of ways to tan. Some are inexpensive and some are very expensive. Lets talk first about the least expensive way. The sun. It's free and easy to use. But there are drawbacks. First, you can't always depend on the sun being "out" when you need it. Second, it takes longer to tan in the sun than it does to tan using other means. Third, you can burn in the sun and cause peeling, which, on stage would be a disaster. And, finally, unless you know of a nude beach or have access to a private deck, you will develop tan lines that may show up on stage when you wear your posing suit.
The most reliable tan is achieved over time by visiting a good tanning salon. By good, I mean one that changes their bulbs frequently and is clean and well organized. I wouldn't go to a tanning salon located in the rear of a coin-operated laundry (they do exist). If you want to keep a good healthy tan throughout the year, you should purchase a tanning package of minutes or unlimited sessions and try to go twice a week. By doing that, you won't have as much "white" to cover up as you make your final preparations for your competition. And, in order to keep you skin healthy and smooth, you should apply a good tanning bed oil before each session and a good moisturizer after tanning. Both of those products are available for sale at the salons.
Once you have a decent base tan, one where people ask you in the middle of the winter, "Where have you been?", maintain that color until it's time for your contest.
During the final week, while your body is carb robbed and your brain is a lump of mush, you must think about applying enough tanning color to be "right-on" for the stage.
Again, there are a couple of ways to achieve this impossible task while the rest of your world is in a pre-contest daze. One way to apply self-tanning products and the other is to be professionally sprayed.
The bodybuilding industry has several products that guarantee a competition-quality tan, applied in coats, two to three days before your show. And, they offer several products to enhance the "look," including competition bronzers, contest finishers, hair removal products (we'll talk about that later), instant tanners, etc. All of them work, some better than others. One company is ProTan ( http://www.protanusa.com ), another is Dream Tan, featured on many bodybuilding websites. Since they are oil-based, most of the self-application products never really dry on your skin and you wind up leaving a trail whenever you touch or rub up against something.
The most expensive, but most effective way to tan for a contest is to be sprayed professionally two or three times the week of your contest. Most larger tanning salons have a spraying room where you strip down to your posing suit, pulling it up to how you will wear it on stage and let the attendant apply a generous spray-coat of dark color. You will notice instantly that you are darker than you were when you walked in with your base tan. If you are really dark to begin with, you can get away with two coats over two days. Three coats over three days will guarantee you will be dark enough. The sprays dry on your skin and last up to four days before beginning to fade, and they can be washed off in the shower on Saturday night after your competition. But, during the competition, you will not have to worry about being dark enough.
No matter if you decide to do it yourself or have it done professionally, just be aware that your tan will help determine your standing in your competition. Give it the attention it deserves.
Grooming
During a bodybuilding competition, the audience and judges are looking at you while you are standing on stage wearing nothing more than a skimpy posing suit. You are trying to show off your physique and grooming is a very important part of your appearance. If you are not well-groomed, it will take away from your overall look. In the last section, I covered tanning. Here I will cover hair. In short, other than the hair on your head, you have to get rid of it. A male bodybuilder cannot have chest hair, underarm hair or leg hair. Women need to rid themselves of all underarm and leg hair. Unless your hair is very fine, you will also need to get rid of arm hair, toe hair, and hand and finger hair. And, where there is hair under your posing suit, it has to not show, period.
Start you final week of contest preparation by getting a good haircut or styling. You should do this before you begin your final tanning prep, since you will want to tan any area that was covered by hair before it was cut. For a Saturday contest, I recommend you cut your hair by Tuesday.
Removing the rest of your body hair can be tedious. There are several ways to remove hair. The most expensive and most permanent is laser hair removal. It can take several sessions and cost hundreds of dollars but it very effective if you want your hair removed permanently. More temporary and far less expensive is using hair removal products. Usually found in the women's products section of drug stores, the most popular are Nair and Sally Hansen. A bottle of lotion costs around $4.50 and is usually enough to take care of your contest needs. It takes about five minutes to apply, four minutes of waiting and then a shower to remove the lotion and hair. After drying, you should apply a light coating of moisturizing cream over the area where you removed the hair. Hair removal products usually keep the hair away for a week, plenty of time for your contest.
If you don't want to use a hair removal product, another way to remove hair is to shave it off. Use a fresh razor and plenty of soap or cream and go slowly to prevent nicks and cuts. Sometimes, shaving will leave a rash or stubs of hair that could show up under the bright lights on stage. If I am going to shave, I do it on Wednesday morning before my Saturday contest and on the other days, while I'm tanning, I go over the areas with an electric shaver to prevent cuts. I also use an electric shaver the morning of the contest, never a razor.
One of the best ways to remove hair is to apply tape-like strips to the desired area and then quickly rip off the strips, removing the hair with the tape. I have never tried this method and I don't think I will. It does work though and seems to last longer than lotions or shaving. But, man, it really hurts!
You always want to look your best on Saturday morning at the prejudging. If you take care of the little things early on in your preparation, you will be confident, look confident and show well.
The Final Two Weeks Of Contest Prep
The plan during the final two weeks is to lose any remaining fat and water and to bring out the cuts and definition in your muscles.
First, you will act a little goofy. Expect it. This is due to a blend of a high protein and low carb diet. The body needs carbs. When you take them away or cut them back, you tend to lose a little of your thought processes. Not enough to be dangerous to yourself or others. It's OK to drive, etc., but you might become a little forgetful.
Week one of the two weeks is loaded with ground turkey and fish! After a breakfast of three egg whites and 4 ounces of 98% lean ground turkey, the rest of your solid meals consist of fish. Fish and salad for lunch, fish and green vegetables for dinner. The other two meals are protein shakes. On Monday and Thursday, add a sixth meal, a carb load, consisting of a cup of oatmeal, a banana, a cup of broccoli and ½ of a sweet potato. This meal is designed to fill you out a little so you don't wind up looking flat on stage. You want to look like Bluto, not Popeye. Or if you are a girl, Betty Boop, not Olive Oyl. The other part of this week's diet is water. Lots of water. One to two gallons a day. It seems like a lot, but if you keep a jug nearby, drinking from it and filling it when it's empty, you can easily take in the water you need. Try drinking filtered water or spring water. Don't be surprised if you visit the bathroom a lot. You are flushing out your system and removing subcutaneous fluids while drinking this much liquid. Stay away from too much coffee (one cup a day is OK) and stay away from alcohol during this training period. Don't snack. You will have cravings. Just focus on your contest. Wouldn't you hate to blame a loss in your contest on a slice of chocolate cake?
Your workouts this week should be moderate. Use lighter weights with 8-10 reps per set. Don't go heavy. You are weak due to the diet and doing heavy lifting could cause injuries. Be careful in the gym. Go slowly. Watch what you are doing. Stay focused. Don't get angry or impatient with others. Do no more than 20 minutes of easy cardio per day.
Week two is loaded with ground turkey, fish, lean ground beef and grapefruit. On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, after a breakfast of three egg whites and 4 ounces of 98% lean ground turkey, like week one, the rest of your solid meals consist of fish. Fish and salad for lunch and fish and green vegetables for dinner. Again, the other two meals are protein shakes. On Wednesday, eliminate the salad and vegetables and substitute grapefruit. Fish and ½ a grapefruit works well. Also on Wednesday add a sixth carb meal. Same schedule on Thursday. On Friday, the final cutting day, all five meals consist of 6 - 8 ounces of lean ground beef and ½ a grapefruit.
Your workouts this week should consist of pumping up in the weight room and then practice posing. No heavy lifting. You should have done your last leg workout no later than last Saturday. Last Friday is even better. Don't do any cardio after Tuesday.
On Saturday morning, before pre-judging, have a steak and two whole eggs. Eat the toast and hash browns. Have a cup of coffee. Just sip water as needed. About 45 minutes before your contest, have a Snickers bar. It will fill you out a bit and give you the boost of energy you need for pre-judging. Be sure to spend about 20 minutes back stage pumping up everything except legs. Then, have fun on stage.
Choosing A Contest And Submitting Your Application
Once you decide to train for a competition, before you begin, you should give a lot of thought to the type, size, location, and sanctioning authority of your event. The largest amateur bodybuilding and fitness organization in the world is the National Physique Committee (NPC). They run contests throughout the U.S. and abroad and offer opportunities to compete in the Pro ranks (IFBB). The only drawback to the NPC is their reputation for tolerating steroid use among their contestants. All of their contests are non-tested events and you can expect many of the competitors to be "juiced" and massive as a result, giving them an unfair advantage.
Given the climate of negative publicity surrounding steroid use today, many bodybuilders are turning to tested events, where competitors are screened for illegal muscle enhancing drugs, such as andros, steroids, prescription diuretics, testosterone boost and growth hormones. These types of events give the athlete a level playing field in which to train and compete. There are several national and regional organizations that offer drug-free programs. One of the largest is the National Gym Association (NGA). Another is International Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness (INBF) and Supernatural Bodybuilding and Fitness (SNBF). The former requires seven years of drug free training and competition, the latter requires five years. A large international organization of drug-free competition is the World Natural Sports Organization (WNSO) which includes regional competitions that lead to the annual FAME World Championships in Toronto, Canada in June. All of the natural federations offer opportunities for natural bodybuilders and fitness competitors to turn Pro. All of these organizations have web sites that list contest locations and requirements. Most allow you to download contest information and applications.
If you have competed using steroids or other illegal drugs but haven't for at least five years, there is a place for you in the natural arena. You will have to pass a polygraph examination before your competition and be tested upon demand at any contest you enter.
If you are just beginning and are looking to enter a contest, the first thing you should do is to attend one of these events in your area to see what they are all about. It's important for you to attend both the early morning pre-judging and the evening entertainment and awards event to get the entire flavor.
You should then check the websites for contests in your area that are listed well in advance, choose one, look for your age, weight, height and experience categories, see if there is a fit for you and download an application. Read it carefully, make sure you have enough time to prepare (from six to 12 months, depending upon your conditioning and physical development). If you are under 18 years-of-age, a parent must co-sign your application.
One final consideration is cost. Since these are amateur competitions there are no cash prizes, only trophies and medals. A contest can be expensive. You must pay an entrance fee and the required drug test, transportation, hotel, food and miscellaneous expenses, such as ordering contest photos or DVDs. You can expect to spend around $200 for a local contest and double that if you have to travel and stay in a hotel and rent a car. If you can find a training partner to enter a contest with you, you can half your expenses.
After all is said and done, you can enter a contest and, win or lose, have the time of your life. There is nothing like standing on stage, knowing you are as prepared as you can be, and pitting yourself against other like minded athletes. It's really cool.
Family Considerations
I saved this section for last because if your family is not behind you and supportive of your efforts, you may as well forget about competitive bodybuilding.
"Scott was so dedicated to his exercise, and I said, 'Gee, you've put so much time into this, maybe you ought to compete. His eyes lit up, like Mama had just said, 'OK' and now he could do what he really wanted.'" Vivian Hults
This exact quote, which appeared in a story about me recently in The Birmingham News, our local paper, was what my wife told the reporter who interviewed her about my competitive bodybuilding. Without her "interest" in my sport, "we" could have never managed it.
As I said near the beginning of this article, bodybuilding is a lifestyle, plain and simple. Preparing for a contest is time-consuming and all-inclusive in your daily life. You have to consider diet, which means shopping for and preparing special food required to reach your contest diet goals. Sometimes it's lean mass gain. Other times it's fat burning/cutting. You spend a lot of time in the kitchen in front of the stove and oven. Your family usually doesn't eat what you eat, so while your family enjoys pasta and meat sauce, you may be "enjoying" fish and vegetables. That's the way it is. You have to eat five or six times a day while your family usually has three-squares. Your food and supplements take up room in the kitchen and refrigerator. And, above all, bodybuilding food and supplements are expensive.
A competitive bodybuilder spends at least an hour-and-a-half, five or six days-a-week, in the gym. He or she will also spend 20 or 30 minutes each evening in front of a mirror, posing. This, maybe while drinking a shake. And, during the final two-weeks of carb depletion, sometimes a bodybuilder will become moody and irritable. It's part of the "game" and the bodybuilder's family needs to be "understanding." Sometimes, being a family member of a bodybuilder is not fun. And, your children might be embarrassed that their father or mother participates in this sport.
Bodybuilding is a vanity sport. It's one of the few sports where the human body is the star of the show. It's all about the body. Hair removal, tanning, grooming, posing suits, and muscles, muscles, muscles. That's all there is. Pretty simple, while very complex.
Now, go out and win your Trophy!
By Scott "Old Navy" Hults

Scott "Old Navy" Hults is a world class master professional bodybuilder. This 67 year-old natural athlete has competited in more than 30 competitions, winning more than 50 trophies and holds Pro Cards in four different natural bodybuilding organizations. He has competed in five Pro Bodybuilding Contests and has never placed lower than Third Place.
Scott is a retired U.S. Navy Captain and is the full-time Fitness Director at the Greystone Family Branch of the Birmingham, Alabama YMCA.
He is the contest promoter of the NGA Alabama Natural Open Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness Model Championship held annually in Birmingham.
He has been married for more than 30 years and has two daughters and two grand children.

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