The question on many bodybuilders lips are: do I use supplements or not, and are they worth investing in.

Let’s break this down and have a look shall we.
There are numerous reasons why athletes as well as bodybuilders look into/take supplements, they are:-

• Concerned that their food supply does not contain the right amount of nutrition
• Not trusting pharmaceuticals
• Understanding that diet alone will not achieve optimal levels of nutrition.

Supplements will include

• Vitamins and minerals
• Amino Acids
• Herbs

The worrying thing about supplements is that anything that is classified as a dietary supplement is not required to meet FDA standards, let alone any other standards. It worries me to think we take them and they are not regulated or any safeguards are put in place to make sure that the purity of something that is sold to help benefit us isn’t 100% regulated by anyone, so anything can be added without our best interest at heart..


It turns out that they are not made to meet the same or similar safety requirements as prescription medication or any other manufacturing standards, seems that they are not required.
There are no requirements to meet product potency or purity ratings so they do not need to show what they claim on the side of the tin, and that they have any real effect on your health and what they claim to do.

Some groups have tested and are suggesting that a number of supplements can and may deliver on only advertising claims, so these claims are making young bodybuilders starting out to go spend their hard earned cash on things that may not help them on a big scale, but only on a short scale.

My personal option is that supplements are overrated, I found in my own training, that when losing weight food supplements helped, but other supplements weren’t working the way I wanted them to, but I have heard testimonials from other who have used certain products that they have helped then gain a certain level, but like most, it’s all up to you and your training and how far you push yourself.

It’s only recently that more and more bodybuilders become users of supplements and steroids because of the volume strength training, this started to challenge the trainers to the best of their potential and they wanted to go past their point of known return also known as “the wall” they had hit. The younger bodybuilder’s spent up to 7 days a week in the gym (this is normal for most hard core bodybuilders) but when you’re in a gym with al big blokes and girls, it does make you want what they got and give you the hunger, so they went out and found things to help them push even further, and some worked hard with little to show for all their hard work.

This to me is a waste of time and your energy, if you start off using infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required cool down and recovery period, you will see a difference in next to no time and with no help from supplements or steroids.

But this is my opinion, so when looking at supplements please look more closely, ask other bodybuilders for their advice and so as much research as possible, nothing worse than spending the cash and getting no results.

In my years of training, I have heard allot of people asking this question, or similar so I have decided to try and answer this one. The concerns are gaining while on a high calorie diet and if they should do aerobics to offset the weight gain. NO… this isn’t the way forward.

Why I hear you shout at your screens, well this will detrimental (good word I think) to gaining muscle.  For the desired results you want you have two options, train and diet to gain muscle or lose weight, you can not to both. If you are a true what we call a hardgainer (A Hardgainer is a genetically-typical person (if there is such a thing). Now you want to gain weight, we can cross the weight loss bridge when we come to it.

Maintaining a healthy life style required a balanced diet and good exercise, good nutrition is crucial for that goal. Creating your own healthy eating habit helps maintain yourself for many years it’s not just a short term goal this us a life goal.  In today’s society it is hard to do that as busy lifestyles and poor eating habits many of us have developed several vitamin deficiencies that can lead to poor health conditions, but wait not all is lost, there is a solution to correct this, there are different supplements that can help reverse and prevent these deficiencies.

One of the vitamins that is an essential is of course vitamin C, but not everyone knows it by “Ascorbic acid”. Vitamin C as every one knows helps reduce oxidative stress which is caused by rigorous training during bodybuilding sessions, work puts and routines, this becomes very apparent when you first start out and knowing this before u start training will help you recover better as you will prepare your body better before  you begin any training.

Us humans do not have the ability like so many animals to produce our own vitamin c so we have to supplement  them ourselves by taking vitamins and also having foods rich in vitamin c.  Not allot of people realise that vitamin c has many benefits for instance it helps us humans to absorb iron from food as well as protect our cells. As everyone is well aware vitamin c helps the body fight infections like colds, it is also known to help build collagen, which I didn’t know myself till I started bodybuilding collagen is in nearly everything, i.e muscles, veins, teeth, bones, capillaries and in your cartilage.

As you read this I’m thinking your understanding how important vitamin c is in our daily lives, let alone when your bodybuilding/ exercising. It helps maintains your full body, and keeps it in working order.  As a bodybuilder you will also realise vitamin c plays a very important part of a natural supplement to you and your training by maintaining your muscles, and to help keep your body strong and your bones healthy.

Vitamin c can be sourced from various fruits and vegetables, most commonly known is the grapefruit and oranges. Less known vegetables are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peppers, kiwi fruit and sweet potatoes are also a very good source of vitamin c, try to include these foods in your diet, there are so many recipes you can use to help incorporate them into your food routine, a lil change can go a long way.

It is also know that vitamin c can improve your exercise routine, having the right dosage can help to strengthen your immune system and will also help you recover quicker from your work out/ routine. A lil fact I never knew till I started training, vitamin c helps suppress a particular hormone called “cortisol”, which prevents muscle growth in your body while it encourages fat buildup. As vitamin c is a water-soluble it does not build up in your body so you can take a dosage that is safe for you and on a regular basis.

For best results it’s advised to take 1000 mg an he before you start your work out, this will also help reduce muscle soreness especially if you start to rip your muscles, it won’t take the full pain away just soreness. Vitamin c to me is a supper vitamin as no other vitamin has such benefits on your body. There are many versions of vitamin c but they are all efficient forms of vitamin c.

So the burning question on every bodybuilders lips is, is Nitric Oxide the best supplement to use when building up muscle.. That is one of those yes no answers.  We will pick through this question to get the right answer for u, as I want you to make an informed decision. It is your body after all.

To get to your answer we must start from the begining.
What is the best muscle building supplement, there are many bodybuilders who may tell you something else, but for now lets begin with Whey protein..as you might be starting off this is the best choice, then as ur training intensifies this may change for you. But for now this is the best, why I ask you cry, well for me it’s because it’s 100% natural, and like me, I like to do things as nature intended me to do.It also can help without any side effects, it is also scientifically proven to be more healthier for you and your body. This is my recommendation, you can get whey protein shakes which I find easy to digest and u can get different flavours.

I also think protein is also a good choice for no 1 as without protein your body can not build the muscle you desire.

My other no 1 spot is shared with….correct…Nitric Oxide. I found this supplement help maximise the results in a shorter space of time. I’ve seen bodybuilders use these two to gain, the results were amazing.

Nitric Acid has  an amino acid called l-arginine in it.. I know I was shocked when I first heard & read this. As it hits the body it turns into nitric oxide through your body’s complicated process..(I won’t go into detail now as I don’t want to throw you).

So how does it work I hear you shout, well what it does is expand the blood vessels, helps the proteins, nutrients and oxygen get through to the muscles, so start to tear your muscles (don’t stress only micro tears) while doing your set, this incredible supplement helps heal faster and helps make them stronger. This is great if your a hard core bodybuilder but also for the novice.

There are many supplements out of the market that claim to do this, but I have seen the results and I believe this is by far the best. I think when looking at supplements like this and for what you need, trial and error is the key, as your body will tell you if it world or not. For me and many of my bodybuilder friends they all agree this is best. Some will swear by it and won’t train without it.
Your choice, you decide.

Please always remember that all our articles are for advice purposes and should not be taken as medical information, for that you should seek professional advice from your general practioner or from a sports therapist. Please remember that I am doing this as a hobby and it is my own personal point of view.

Lie on a flat bench and plant your feet squarely on the floor. The bar should be gripped at roughlydouble shoulder width. Begin by lowering the barbell to your lower neck/upper chest region, pause, and then return overhead. 

It is recommended to start with one set as a warm up, using only light weight. This loosens up the muscles and prevents unwanted injuries. The next sets should be performed with the maximum weight possible, for eight to ten repetitions.

Each movement should be slow and smooth, with a pause at full contraction. While lifting, never arch your back or lift with your buttocks off the bench. This can cause strain on your lower neck and eventually lead to injury. Also, bouncing the bar on your chest is never a good idea.

Front Barbell Raise, Incline

Using a lighter weight barbell and an incline bench, begin with your palms and arms facing straight down. Extend your arms upward behind your head in a smooth continuous motion.

Dumbbell Flies, Flat Bench

While laying in the supine position, grab two moderately heavy weights. Hold the dumbbells straight up, and lower them in a smooth fashion. Your arms should bend slightly at the elbow, and should finish parallel with the floor. Avoid overextending your shoulder joints.

Incline Press with Barbell, Wide Grip

This is a variation of the standard flat bench press. While laying on an incline bench, lower the weight from straight overhead to your lower neck/upper chest area. The right amount of weight should exhaust your muscles after eight to ten reps.

Different Exercises Targeting the Pecs

The Squat

Leg Presses

Other Leg Muscle Building Exercises

This is a common question most people new to bodybuilding will ask. Often, they will reach for one of the many excellent books on the subject of bodybuilding for an answer.

Unfortunately, most bodybuilding books will lump in scores upon scores of bodybuilding exercises in their pages as a means of making the book as comprehensive as possible.

There is nothing wrong with this because the ability to look up a great deal of information of a number of bodybuilding exercises is most definitely valuable. However, the important basics of a bodybuilding workout can be overlooked. So, for those that are seriously concerned over what exactly are the best bodybuilding exercises, here is a comprehensive look at those exercises that are the most important:

The Squat: Here is an undeniable fact that most people looking to develop lean muscle mass must become aware of as quickly as humanly possible: the squat is the most important of all bodybuilding exercises for building muscle mass. Why is this? There are several reasons and the most important is that heavy squat work will release an enormous number of natural steroids in the body. Essentially, the body's growth hormones are naturally mass produced which has an enormously positive effect on the rest of the muscles in the body.

Additionally, the legs are the foundation of the body. They are needed to support the weight and mass that rests upon. As such, any serious mass building of the upper body must be followed by serious leg mass bodybuilding exercises since these properly developed legs are needed to support the weight of the elevated mass.

The Bench Press: Speaking of the upper body, performing the bench press regular helps develop the upper chest and torso to its best and most massive appearance. Really, what bodybuilder could even remotely be taken seriously if he did not perform bench presses?

The Military Press: The military press creates the massively powerful shoulders needed for a symmetrical upper body. In addition to the amazing physique benefit one will gain from properly developed shoulders, the enhancement of a person's physical strength derived from these exercises will be significant as well. That is why the barbell and dumbbell military presses should always be linchpin exercises in one's workout program.

The Biceps Curl: Honestly, you can develop significant mass in the biceps through bench presses and military presses alone. However, if you want to be sure your biceps have decent symmetry, working out the biceps with biceps curls (barbell and dumbbell exercises) remains strongly recommended.

Abdominal Crunches: The abdominal muscles make the core of the body. This is the part of the body most people's eyes are drawn to since it is at the center of the body mass. As such, it is best to always develop your abs to their finest since many physiques will be judged on their abs.

The Dead Lift: The dead lift certainly helps boost muscle mass but it is suggested to perform this exercise with light weights to prevent injuries. Actually, it may be advised to hold off on this exercise until one gains some strength and experience.

Stomach exercises will always be components of bodybuilding that will always be somewhat misunderstood. Mainly, this is because people assume stomach exercises are a means of spot reduction to lose abdominal fat. This is really not the case as the main way to lose fat in the abdominal region is through proper diet and cardio exercise.

However, it is most definitely important to build up the abdominal muscles through performing the proper exercises that are conducive to developing the ripped six pack of abs that most people find so attractive on a person. So, what are the common exercises one should perform to build up the ab region? Let's take a look at the top ones:

The Basic Situp: The situp draws much of its positives from the ability to properly condition and tighten the ab muscles. It is not the greatest of the ab exercises but it is among the simplest to perform. That is why it could be consider the best of the starting stomach exercises.

The Crunch: Now, this could be considered the proverbial king of the stomach exercises since it develops the abs to the most significant degree. The way a crunch works is that you ‘crunch' your body like an accordion by bringing your knees and shoulders together. This will place stress on the entire ab region greatly defining the muscles.

The Upward Leg Press: Basically, the way this exercise works is that you lie on your back and roll on your shoulders with shoulders and then press your legs upwards in the air. This stresses the muscles slightly differently than other stomach exercises and it is well worth performing.

Leg Scissors: These stomach exercises are performed by simply making scissor motions with the leg to develop the interior muscles of the abs. When done quickly, these exercises will burn a lot of calories and help you lose abdominal fat.

6 Inch Leg Raise: This involves raises your legs off the ground about six inches while lying on your back. Yes, this exercise is TOUGH but it really enhances the ab region significantly. Just try not to strain yourself when performing it.

Side Bends: These are probably the easiest of the stomach exercises since all they involve is standing up and alternating bending on the right side and the left side. They do, however, help develop the oblique ab muscles quite nicely and are well worth performing.

Once again, you will need to mix these exercises in an overall weight loss and exercise program designed to lose abdominal fat to get the best benefit. However, the results will be well worth it in the end!

There are a number of causes of “man-boobs”, but being overweight or a hormone imbalance are two of the most common. In order to figure out how to lose man boobs, you first have to know the cause of your problem.

If you are not morbidly obese, then your man boobs are probably caused by low testosterone. If this is the case, you should consult with your medical practitioner about hormone supplements or dietary changes. Also, heavy exercise will increase testosterone production naturally.

Fat collects on our bodies in different ways. Women’s bodies tend to store fat on their lower Extremities: hips, thighs and buttocks. Men on the other hand, tend to store fat on their upper bodies: stomach, chest and back.

The obvious answer to how to lose man boobs is exercise and diet . . . just like any other weight loss and bodybuilding program! Exercise will help condition the muscles, and more muscle tissue will help burn more fat, both stored and ingested.

Diet will help your body burn stored fat and you won’t be overeating of all the things that probably caused the problem in the first place. Your diet and exercise can be very specific to address the problem of man boobs, as well as the fat stored elsewhere on your body.

Spot reducing is a myth from the early days of health and fitness clubs. These clubs perpetuated the myth because of the vast amount of money it generated. They were filled with vibrating belt machines, hip-rollers and other contraptions that mechanically agitated specific body parts.
If these clinics had any successes, it was because of a diet regimen, not their flash vibrating belt machines.

Today we know that fat is stored pretty equally in those key areas subject to that storage. Any good nutrition program will reduce that fat about as evenly as it is stored. So, if you want to diet away those man boobs, you will lose fat in other areas as well. This isn’t a bad thing.

Exercising your chest muscles will make them grow underneath your man boobs. You will be firmer, but until you lose the fat, you will still have the problem.

Here is how to lose those man boobs. This is a good program of nutrition and exercise that will strengthen your body and reduce your overall body fat.
The Exercise Program Strength training will increase your strength and muscle size. Your program should include exercises for all body parts.

Unlike a serious bodybuilding program where massive size is the goal, your program will divide the upper and lower body workouts into alternate days.

The upper body will be worked on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The lower body will be exercised on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Sunday you rest. You will perform three sets of each exercise, most of them for 10 repetitions.

Chest

o Wide-Grip Bench Press o Wide-Grip Incline Barbell Press
o Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Press
o Dumbbell Flies on Flat Bench

Shoulders

o Standing Barbell Press
o Upright Rowing with a Barbell
o Front Dumbbell Raises
o Lateral Dumbbell Raises

Back

o Lat Machine Pull-Downs
o Seated Rowing with Cable-And-Pulley Machine
o Bent Over Rowing with a Barbell
o Pull-Ups on the Chinning Bar

Arms

o Biceps Curls with Easy-Curl-Bar
o Triceps Press Downs on Cable-And-Pulley Machine
o Preacher Bench Curls with Easy-Curl-Bar
o Triceps Presses on Flat Bench
o Concentration Curls with a Dumbbell, alternating arms
o Bent Over Triceps Extensions

The Nutrition Program

Caloric intake for an active person is determined by age and gender. Consult with your physician about your daily calorie limits.

Calories should come from protein (25%), carbohydrates (40%), fats and fibers (35%). No refined carbohydrates are allowed: No sugar, starches, refined grains or artificial sweeteners. Carbs should come from natural, unprocessed vegetables and fruits.

Protein should come from eggs, milk, organ meats (liver, heart, kidneys, sweetbreads), beef, pork, poultry and fish.

Fats should come from protein rich foods and soluble oils such as olive oil, wheat germ oil and walnut oil.

Fiber will come from the fruits and vegetables.
Supplements you might wish to take: Protein powder, amino acid are the building blocks of proteins (Lipo3 Compound is a good one as lipotropic amino acids help the body metabolize fat), desiccated liver and kelp tablets.