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Breathing…You Could Be Doing It All Wrong and It Could Be Costing You Results!

lewis — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:42:48 +0000

Breathing…You Could Be Doing It All Wrong and
It Could Be Costing You Results!

By Nick Nilsson – For AtoZfitness.com subscribers

Yes, it seems like such a simple thing. Now consider this…HOW you breathe during your training can have a HUGE impact on your strength and muscle activation! Breathe wrong and you could be throwing away results.

Breathing is one THE most often overlooked pieces of the puzzle when it comes to weight training…and it can have a tremendous impact on the results you get from your training!

Here's the thing that a lot of people don't know about breathing…different exercises require different breathing strategies.

Yep, how you breathe in a heavy squat is not even close to how you should breathe while doing a pulldown.

So here's a rundown of how to breathe while doing some of the more popular exercises (I will assume your form is generally good – going in depth into proper form for each exercise would make this a book instead of an article!).

** Please note, if you have high blood pressure or any issues with holding your breath (e.g. you easily get light-headed), you'll need to adjust these breathing recommendations accordingly. These instructions (for a few of the exercises, at least) are intended for those who don't have issues with short periods of breath holding.

1. Squats

As you start the descent, inhale deeply so that you complete the inhalation by the time you're about halfway down. Hold your breath from this point on, all the way to the bottom and then about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way as you come back up. Then exhale until you come all the way to the top. The reason you want to hold your breath like this is to maximize the stability of your abdominal region.

Breathing in or breathing out (especially out as you come up out of the very bottom), will destabilize the core area. To maximize strength and power, your muscles need a stable platform to work from. Keeping that solid core will also save your lower back from strain because more tension will held in the abs rather than being forced onto the lower back.

One of the key things I've found in my own squat is that core strength (in the frontal abdominal wall) is a HUGE part of successfully coming out of the bottom. If I breathe out at the bottom, I'm done. But if I save that exhalation until after I get past that point where I need maximum core stability, I'll hit the lift and power through that sticking point.

2. Bench Press

Improper breathing on the bench press is one of THE biggest reasons people are weak on this lift. If you breath wrong, you lose that stability (just like in the squat) and don't provide your body with a solid platform from which to move the weight.

This technique applies to heavier to moderate-weight benching – it's not as critical on the lighter, higher-rep training to follow it as is because the load is a lot less.

Picture yourself at the top of the movement with the barbell locked out. Now lower the bar, inhaling a deep breath as you come down. Here's the key…you should finish taking in that breath by the time you're halfway down (around your sticking point). This is important for torso stability.

Hold your breath during the bottom phase of the movement, just like in the squat. If you start breathing out right at the bottom, you will not only destabilize your torso, which will change the leverage in your shoulders, it'll also sink down your chest and flatten your shoulder blades out (which should be held in tight behind you during the whole movement to maximize leverage).

Once you hit your sticking point THEN start to exhale forcefully through pursed lips. At this point, it's actually good to change the leverage in your shoulders. When the bar is on your chest, it's not good, but when the bar is halfway up, it can give you a little extra leverage to get past that sticking point.

Keep blowing out all the way to lockout. Then you can go right into your next rep or, if you need it, hold that lockout and take in a breath or two before starting the next rep.

3. All Versions of Rows, Pulldowns and Chin-Ups/Pull-Ups

Breathing during back training is, to be honest, completely misunderstood by most trainers…if you have trouble feeling your back while training your back, it's generally your breathing pattern that is messing you up.

You have to breathe BACKWARDS when training back or your lats will never be in a proper biomechanical position to fully engage. I'll explain…

Generally speaking, you're told to exhale on the exertion and inhale on the lowering phase of an exercise.

But here's the thing and where people get confused…in back training, the exertion LOOKS like the lowering phase of the exercise so THAT is when people tend to exhale! Instead, you actually want to INHALE as you perform the exertion. I'll use the pulldown as an example.

When you perform a pulldown, you want to puff your chest to meet the bar and have an arch in your lower back to fully activate the lats. You don't want a flat chest and a vertical torso position.

So when you pull the bar down, that's the exertion. If you exhale (which you normally would do) this actually caves in the chest and straightens out your lower back. The moment this happens, it reduces lat involvement and puts more stress onto other muscles.

Switch things up and INHALE as you're pulling down.

Now as you pull down, your chest is expanding and rising up to meet the bar, which instantly puts the lats in their best possible position to activate.

The difference is instantaneous and HUGE. If you've always had trouble feeling your back work, this will be a big eye-opener for you.

As you let the bar come back on the negative, THAT is when you exhale. It's a bit of a mind-bender the first time you do it…I can promise you it'll make a big difference in your back training.

You'll now just apply that same principle to the rest of your back exercises (except the deadlift, which is a whole different animal…more akin to the squat in terms of breathing). When you row, inhale as you pull the handles or bar into your abdomen. When you chin, inhale as you pull yourself up.

4. Barbell Curls

Another very popular exercise is the barbell curl…you may have heard of it

One of the main problems people have in the barbell curl is they are entirely too loose. When doing ANY exercise with moderately-heavy to heavy weight, you should basically "solidify" your body, tightening everything up so that you're operating from a strong, stable base.

Even a barbell curl should be done with a rock-solid body.

So at the bottom of the movement, start by taking in a deep breath, puff your chest up high and get your shoulders back. In my experience, I've found it best to keep your breath held until just after you get past the half-way point of the curl. To get past that sticking point, you need the most stability possible for your levers to operate maximally.

Once you get past that mid-way point, THEN exhale forcefully but not completely. You still need to keep some torso stability for holding the weight at the top of the exercise.

Hold at the top for a moment. At this point you have a choice…you can immediately start lowering the bar and inhale on the way down or you can hold at the top and take a quick breath in and out then inhale on the way down after that.

5. Deadlifts

Proper breathing for the deadlift is very similar to breathing for the squat…you want to have the most stable core at the bottom of the movement. In the case of the deadlift, this is the START of the movement.

So get yourself set up in front of the bar and get ready to lift. It's important to note with the deadlift (and I will include a technique point here because I think it's an important one), don't try and pop the bar off the floor, especially when using heavy weight. You want to SQUEEZE the bar off the floor. A heavy bar has to bend and if you pop it off the floor, the weight will bounce up then down and pull you back down. So get the bend into the bar with your initial lift THEN pull the weight off the floor.

When you first start the lift, you'll want to hold your breath during the first part until around the point where the bar has cleared your knees. I say "around" because if you're using really heavy weight, it may take you a bit of time to get to that point and you may need to start to exhale a bit sooner in the range of motion, i.e. below your knees.

This bottom range is the most vulnerable time for your lower back and you want to keep the greatest stability in your core during that time. So do hold your breath a bit at the bottom…don't start the exhale (through pursed lips, like you're blowing up a balloon) until you get that bar at least a few inches off the ground and moving up.

Keep going to the top, then take a quick breath then lower the weight.

Personally, I prefer to hold my breath on the way DOWN as well, simply because lowering the weight is also a vulnerable time for your lower back, especially as you get near the bottom. So inhale at the top then hold as you get down to the halfway point.

—

Conclusion:

Breathing plays a BIG role in proper lifting and in achieving maximum strength. It'll also make your lifting safer and overall, more effective. Give these breathing tips a try in your training and you'll feel the difference immediately!

——————

Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 20 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including "Gluteus to the Maximus – Build a Bigger Butt NOW!", "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge – Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.

Be sure to grab your FREE copy of Nick's 30-day "Dirty Little Secret Program for Building Muscle and Burning Fat FAST

Publisher
www.atozfitness.com

HDT: Hyper-Density Training (More Results in Less Time!)

lewis — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:44:01 +0000

[ Note: This article was written by fitness and nutrition author Jon Benson. I have his permission to share it with you. ]

All this past week I’ve been telling you about this:

7 and 14-Minute Workouts here <—new.page

This is all about how shorter workouts (7-14 minutes) are better for fatloss AND muscle gain than longer workouts.

Naturally this freaks a lot of people out.

When they see me they assume I train for hours a day.

Wrong. I work out about 3 hours a week total in the gym when I'm not preparing for a photoshoot. When I am I increase the cardio… that's it.

However, I spend HALF the year training about 1.5 hours a week in the gym using my 7 Minute Muscle workouts.

I like training longer, so I mix it up… but the results I get from 7 Minute Muscle are equal OR better than longer workouts so this next year I plan to train using 'nothing' but 7MM.

More here:

7 and 14-Minute Workouts here <—new.page

I've been getting swamped with questions about one thing in particular:

WHY are shorter workouts better for fatloss?

The secret behind this is a trademarked term (by me… : )

HDT
“Hyper-Density Training”

HDT is the most unique form of density training there is.

Density training is basically more work in less time.

This creates the demand for more energy.

More energy spent = greater fatloss.

More energy demanded = more lean muscle.

All of this in 7-14 minutes per day.

3-5 days per week.

I made a new website about HDT to explain it.

Go here now…

this comes down in a few days:

7 and 14-Minute Workouts here <—about HDT

P.S. HDT works for everyone, even those who workout in their home without weights.

Just by going to the new page you’ll learn how to use the principles behind HDT (freee) to help you with your workouts…

… and you can also get the “last-call” for my System that covers HDT and brevity training in detail…

… for a massive discount…

… here:

7 and 14-Minute Workouts here <—about HDT

Working Out Only 1 Day Out Of 3?

lewis — Mon, 31 May 2010 06:06:02 +0000

[ Note: This article was written by fitness and nutrition author Jon Benson. I have his permission to share it with you. ]

Can you workout only one day out of three and make gains?

I certainly can… and I bet you can too.

Today I begin my audio series where I address your questions and comments. Today’s question comes from Mike K. in NYC who asks…

“Hi Jon…First, I LOVE your Every Other Day Diet and 7 Minute Muscle books! But I was wondering if you could help me with a problem. I’m having a hard time finding the time to make it to the gym using 7 Minute Muscle. Obviously I’m not referring to the 7 minutes (ha!) but the 5-day-per-week Monday-Friday schedule you recommend for beginners. Is there any alternatives? Thanks!”M

Below you’ll find my response and a workout plan you can put to use today to make faster gains with less overall time in the gym. Just click the “play” button to listen in.

Enjoy!

Related Materials:

3 Unusual Tips to Build Bigger Arms

lewis — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:31:19 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site
- AtoZfitness Article -
3 Unusual Tips to Build Bigger Arms

By Mike Geary
http://truthaboutabs.atozfitness.com

1. Do more heavy squats and deadlifts!

Yes, I know this sounds crazy since squats and deadlifts don’t directly work your arms (except for the grip and forearm strength needed to deadlift heavy weights)… but it’s true that regularly performing heavy squats and deadlifts can indirectly help to make your arms bigger and stronger.

The reason is that heavy squatting and/or deadlifting forces the body to release muscle building hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone depending on the resistance level, rep range, rest period, etc.

Generally, heavy weights, lower reps, and longer rest periods stimulate testosterone release, whereas moderate weights, higher rep ranges, and shorter rest periods help to stimulate Growth Hormone release. Therefore, combining both styles of training into your routines on either different days of the week or different cycles, can help to maximize both of these important muscle building hormones.

2. Try my arm-blasting, hormone-maximizing combo sets!

In theory, I think this style of combo I’m going to show you can work well to stimulate some new growth in your arms if you’ve been stuck at a plateau. In practice, I’ve actually SEEN it produce results!

My technique involves combining a heavy squat or deadlift (in a very heavy weight and low rep range) with a single-joint exercise for the biceps or triceps (in a higher-rep "pump" style fashion).

So here are 2 ways this could work in separate workouts for example:

Alternating sets (exercise 1a, rest 30-60 seconds, exercise 1b, rest 30-60 seconds, repeat for all sets)

1a. Barbell back squats — heavy challenging weight – 5 sets of 3-4 reps/set
1b. Barbell or dumbbell curls (or any bicep single-joint exercise) — 5 sets of 12-15 reps/set; going for "pump"

So you can see how this unusual style of supersetting (or rather, alternating sets), actually combines a testosterone stimulating full body exercise done at a heavy weight with a single joint (isolation) exercise that has the intention of creating more of a bodybuilding "pump".

The other reason this style of alternating sets works is that the single-joint exercise is almost like an "active rest" while your entire body and CNS recovers from the demands of doing heavy, heavy squats.

The same style can work with deadlifts combined with a triceps exercise… for example:

1a. Barbell deadlifts — heavy challenging weight – 5 sets of 3-4 reps/set
1b. Triceps single-joint exercise (lying dumbbell extensions, cable pressdowns, etc) – 5 sets of 12-15 reps/set; going for "pump"

Again, this seems like an unusual combo for alternating sets, but actually works out quite well, because after deadlifting very heavy weights, performing a high rep "pump" exercise for the triceps is a welcome relief for your body and your mind to help recover and get ready for the next set of heavy deads.

3. Food, food, food!

Remember that the title of this article meant that your goal was to add more muscle SIZE to your arms, and in order to add muscle to your body, you need to be in a slight caloric surplus.

Ok… so the first 2 tips might have been a little unusual, but this one should be obvious.

Although it IS possible for some people (especially beginners) to add muscle mass while reducing calories below their maintenance levels, it is extremely hard for any type of hardgainer to build any muscle at all if your calories aren’t high enough. Remember, we weren’t talking about a fat loss routine here… we were talking about gaining muscle and getting bigger arms… so that is going to require some extra calories above your maintenance.

Don’t go crazy and think this means eating tons of junk food… you should still stick to clean healthy foods.

I wouldn’t obsess over exact ratios of carbs, protein, or fats either… your body needs all 3 for different reasons… protein as the building blocks of muscle; carbs for muscle glycogen, energy during the workouts, and insulin response post-workout; and healthy fats to help maximize your muscle building hormones.

This is more than just about arms and pecs though… if you’re dedicated to building a ripped, strong, powerful body from head to toe, I HIGHLY recommend my good friend and colleague Vince delmonte’s program.

Check it out here : http://vincedelmontefitness.atozfitness.com

Hope you enjoyed the article and have fun with the training!

=============================================
Lewis, Publisher
Sarah, CPT

www.articles.atozfitness.com
The best fitness articles by the webs greatest writers.

AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com

Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog….
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

f you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

Free Sample of Nick Nilsson’s Best Arm Exercises you Never Heard of !

lewis — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:08:08 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site
- AtoZfitness Special Announcement -

Nick Nilsson’s Best Arm Exercises
you Never Heard of !

Yesterday I emailed my subscribers about my buddy Nick’s new book, which goes into some crazy exercises for getting massive arms.

I’ve persuaded him to let me give you 34 pages of this new book.

You can download it here: (Note it has also been uploaded to the Atozfitness downloads members area )

Direct download link :

Check it out, I’ve seen a lot of exercises in my time, but just about all of these were brand new to me.

And remember if you want a copy of Nick’s book, you can get a massive discount for the next couple of days:

http://bestarmexercises.atozfitness.com

Guys…Want Big, Ripped Arms Stretching Your Shirt Sleeves?

CLICK HERE

Ladies…Want Tight, Sculpted Arms That Look GREAT With NO Sleeves at All?

CLICK HERE

Sample Video Demonstrations

1. On Barbell Tricep Extension-Presses This one is a mash-up of two bodyweight tricep exercises that, when combined, will pump your tri’s up like CRAZY. Very little equipment required, which is nice for home-gym trainers like myself.

2. Barbell Leverage Curls Do this exercise once and you’ll NEVER look at an EZ curl bar the same way again. It uses a unique leverage method that will have your arms screaming by the time you’re done.

3. Incline Face-Away Pushdowns and Presses

This unique pushdown variation will set your triceps on fire! The angle of your body combined with the continuous tension of the cable will light ‘em up from top to bottom.

4. Nilsson Curls

I named it after myself because this exercise is just so freaking cool . It’s a bodyweight exercise for biceps that LOOKS like a chin-up but forces almost ALL the resistance directly onto your biceps. It’s insane.

Right now, Nick’s just released this book and is only charging $29.95 for the full 68-exercise book. This is just DIRT CHEAP for the sheer volume of innovative exercises you’ll find in it. Exercise descriptions, pictures, even an entire VIDEO LIBARY that you’ll have full access to so you know exactly how to perform every exercise.

If you’ve got access to free weight and bodyweight and a few basic pieces of equipment, you’ll be able to use the VAST majority of these exercises.

But here’s the thing…he’s only keeping it at this price until Friday, Sept. 25th at midnight. Then he’s kicking it up to the regular price of $49.95. So if you want to get these exercises for cheap, you’ve gotta act fast.

Sincerely,
Lewis

P.S. When you get to the site and poke around the sample exercises, you’ll notice he’s got a sign-up box where you can actually get three ADDITIONAL exercises. Definitely sign up for this – he told me he’s also going to be sending out even MORE sample exercises to the people who do.

http://bestarmexercises.atozfitness.com

7 Minutes To Better Arms

lewis — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:35:12 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site
- AtoZfitness Article -
7 Minutes To Better Arms

By Jon Benson
http://your7minutemuscle.com
http://myeveryotherdaydiet.com

———————————————————————-|

     Want better arms?

     I have just the solution for you. It works
     if you train in the gym.

     However there’s a way to do it in-home…
     but you will need dumbbells.

     I discovered this technique recently and my
     arms have really been improving.

     Usually my biceps do not get that sore. My
     forearms and shoulders get most of the work.

     And this is true for the vast majority of
     people doing traditional bicep curl work.

     Obviously this is ‘not’ what you want. You
     want to target the biceps.

     We’ll cover triceps, or the back of the
     arms, in my next newsletter. For today,
     it’s all biceps.

     Here’s what I’ve been doing:

     First, I use a machine by Life Fitness. It
     is just their curl machine. Almost any curl
     machine will work as long as you are
     sitting upright. But the Life Fitness
     machine is the best.

     Using a weight that is about 70% of my
     normal curling weight, I lean slightly
     forward while curling up.

     What this does is mimic an old bodybuilding
     movement called "body drag curls." This
     deactivates your shoulders from the
     movement as well as your forearms, at least
     as much as is possible.

     Curl up explosively. Hold the contraction
     at the top for about one-two seconds.

     Then comes the fun part…

     … you lean back, with your back against
     the back-rest of the machine (the normal
     curl position) and lower the weight at
     about a 3-4 second pace.

     But you extend your arms out as far as they
     will go. The Life Fitness machine allows
     you to do this.

     This puts a lot of negative stress (that is
     a good thing in this case) on the biceps.
     Negatives are actually more beneficial to
     adding lean muscle-mass. You just cannot
     over-do the negatives, otherwise you will
     get too sore and over-train.

     Shoot for 10 repetitions. You’ll find that
     if you rest briefly, as I recommend in "7
     Minute Muscle", you will be done with your
     bicep workout in under 7 minutes… and
     that includes a second movement!

     Work for 5 minutes on the curl machine as
     described. Then pick up a pair of dumbbells
     that are about 50% under your normal 10-rep
     curl weight.

          Do hammer-style curls.

     Hold the dumbbells to your side, standing,
     and alternative between your left and right
     arm. Curl up with your right arm, keeping
     your palms facing your body at all times.

     At the top of the movement, the dumbbell is
     at your chest, almost touching, and your
     palms are still facing inward.

     This will work the forearms, but also the
     biceps and the brachialis, the muscle the
     runs between the bicep and inner tricep
     head.

     Here’s the trick: HOLD the right arm at
     the top, flexing the bicep hard. Then curl
     the left arm up. Keep the contraction in
     your left bicep as you lower the right back
     to the starting position.

     The moment your left arm reaches the chest,
     lower the right, and vice-versa.

     The ache in your biceps after just 2
     minutes of this (which is about 2 sets max)
     will be incredible.

          That’s it. You’re done in 7 minutes.

     Enjoy your new arms!

     P.S. I cover how to train your entire body
     in this 5 minute/2 minute style of intense,
     muscle-focused training in my book "7
     Minute Muscle."

     I am starting a newsletter series ‘only’
     for those who have this book next week on
     advanced tips and tricks for faster muscle
     growth in less than a quarter of the time
     usually spent in the gym.

          Does this work?

     Well, my arms are pretty massive. You do
     not have to go as far as I have gone… you
     can stop when your arms have that toned,
     lean-muscle look you want.

     Or you can grow them as large as you want.
     It’s up to you.

     I train this way…. only 3-4 days per week
     in the gym and 7-14 minutes per body
     part… and trust me: There is NO better
     way to train if you value your time and you
     want serious results.

     Pick up the book today so you can get
     started. You’ll see the Member’s Only
     newsletter form on the download page for
     the books and videos.

     That is… if you’re serious about getting
     a solid bod in far less time.

     Read more here:

     7 Minute Workouts <– click…train less; gain more


     Oh… it works no matter if you’re a guy or
     a girl. In fact women make FAR better
     progress because they are finally training
     their bodies in a way that doesn’t drain
     their recovery system.

     Guys… you’ll have to leave your egos at
     the door. The weights are lower than you
     might think.

          But guess what?

     Your muscles have no idea how much weight
     is on the bar.

     And I don’t know about you, but I only care
     about what I see in the mirror, not how
     much weight I’m lifting.

     At 45, I train harder (just a lot shorter)
     than guys half my age… and I progress 2x
     faster. That’s what is so cool about this
     style of training. It’s ideal for anyone,
     but it really rocks for people over 30.

     7 Minute Workouts <– click…train less; gain more

=============================================
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
The best fitness articles by the webs greatest writers.

AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.comm

Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog….
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

All new fitness geared f.ree dating site
http://www.fitmatches.com

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

Interview with Nick Nilsson – Muscle Explosion – 28 Days to Maximum Mass

lewis — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:30:51 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site
- AtoZfitness Announcement -
Interview with Nick Nilsson – Muscle Explosion – 28 Days to Maximum Mass

Interview with Nick Nilsson – Muscle Explosion - 28 Days to Maximum Mass
By Vince Delmonte

So today, we’ve got an interview with Nick Nilsson, creator of the training program “Muscle Explosion – 28 Days to Maximum Mass”.

have to say, Nick’s taken a really unique approach to muscle building with this program. Normally, the recommended way to build muscle is a long-term, steady approach. Nick has taken the opposite track…instead of looking at building muscle as a marathon, this program looks at it like a series of short sprints.

I mean, you can see it in the name of the program – 28 Days to Maximum Mass. Now, just to be clear, you won’t go from 120 lb of skin and bones to a 220 lb meat slab in 28 days…but you CAN potentially see gains of 5 to 10 lbs of reasonably lean mass within those 28 days, which is excellent for a mass-building program. Then you repeat the 28 day cycle…

Anyways, I’ll let Nick explain more about it…be sure to check out the special deal we’ve put together just for readers of this blog, too (nobody else is getting this bonus deal!).

Click here for Nick’s special deal for you:

http://www.Muscle-Explosion.com <- click here

Vince: Nick, thanks agreeing to do the interview and thanks for the blog post about Stretch-Pause training…that’s powerful stuff.

Nick: No problem, Vince. Glad I could take the opportunity to make a lot of people really sore…oh, and get results, of course, too

Vince: Good deal…so let’s get right into it. Your Muscle Explosion program is extremely short. I mentioned it in the introduction that’s it’s really only a 4 week cycle. This doesn’t really sound like a lot of time to make meaningful gains in strength and mass.

Nick: Yep, that’s exactly what most people think when they first consider this program! But here’s the thing…when faced with an extraordinary stimulus, your body WILL react strongly. This program is all about creating that extraordinary stimulus and setting the stage nutritionally to maximize the impact of that stimulus.

Let me be clear up front…this is NOT a beginner program…it’s for intermediate to advanced trainers. What it WILL help you do is grow as FAST as a beginner, though.

Vince: Yep, I’ve seen the program and it’s definitely not a starter program. You should have at least 6 months to a year minimum of training under your belt before trying this one. So let’s talk more about the extraordinary stimulus…

Nick: Absolutely…I’ll give you a sneak peek…it involves working the same muscle group with the same exercise FIVE days in a row. And honestly, that’s not even the hard part…I’ll tell you more about that later but basically the goal is to set up an emergency situation in the body where it HAS to respond to survive.

Vince: Sounds just brutal! If you don’t mind, could you give us a quick outline of how the program combines nutrition and training to really set that stage for that emergency-response training? I’ve read through that part of the program and it’s really an eye-opener. You actually start a mass-building program with an extremely STRICT low-calorie diet…not something you see every day. What’s the basis for that?

Nick: Yep, this is pretty much the only mass program I’ve seen that actually makes you go on a strict, low-calorie diet to start with. Once you see WHY, it’ll make total sense.

You see, when you go on a low-calorie (and in the case of this program low-carb, diet, your body reacts by pulling back…it adapts itself to functioning on lower calorie intake, burning bodyfat for energy and eventually slowing the metabolism to conserve fuel. This is what we WANT to happen…we’re actually TRYING to put the body into starvation mode.

Vince: I think I see where this is going…when you come out of that starvation mode, your body gains weight back extremely quickly.

Nick: Exactly! This starvation rebound is EXTREMELY anabolic. Your body is literally clawing to hang on to every scrap of food you put into it. Now, we’re not trying to go too far into starvation mode…we don’t want to slow the metabolism too much or cause any substantial muscle loss, so the diet phase is limited to one week.

I’ve got a few other dietary tricks in the program itself but that’s the basic idea behind starting with a strict diet. We’re nutritionally and metabolically setting up the muscle-building phase of the program.

Vince: Very cool. So when you come off the low-carb, low-calorie diet, what’s the next step?

Nick: THIS is where the emergency-response training is going to come in full-force. You’re coming off the low-calorie phase and your body is ready to pull in the food. So you FEED it big time. And you pump in the creatine and protein to force as much water into your body as possible as well.

And let me tell you, when you’re coming off low-calorie, low-carb eating and you suddenly eat a ton of carbs, load creatine and drink a ton of water, you’re setting for a massive anabolic response.

Now it’s about the training…

Vince: Right and I’ve seen this part…you call it the 5 Day Structural Attack. That just sounds insane, I have to say. Tell us how that works.

Nick: Insane is definitely a good word for it. Over the course of the 5 days, I figure you’ll be doing about 300 sets of the exercise you choose for it. And that’s important…you will be doing only ONE exercise for every set over the next 5 days.

I always recommend people start with either deadlifts or squats (I prefer deadlifts myself) to maximize the anabolic effect of this phase. These big exercises are the ones that’ll have the biggest impact on the body. I routinely see increases of 5 to 10 lbs of bodyweight in this week alone.

Vince: Wow, I’m sure a lot of that is water but from what I’ve seen of the training, I’m sure a lot of that is lean mass as well.

Nick: Quite right – you’ll see a massive influx of water and nutrients during this week. It’s not all lean muscle but a good portion is. And I have to say, the strength gains you’ll get from this week are downright stupid.

In myself, I did a 5 day deadlift cycle and added 60 lbs to weights I was using at the time. Managed to bump my lifetime personal best up by 30 lbs with just that week of training (up to 550 lbs). Just crazy.

Vince: That is a huge increase, man. Has anybody else seen gains like this?

Nick: Actually, it’s pretty much the norm. A few have even gone beyond. I had one guy tell me he bumped his max deadlift up 80 lbs with that one week of training.

Vince: So explain a little more what that week of training is like.

Nick: Basically, the first day is going to seem kind of easy. You’re going take a weight you can do for 6 reps and do a set of 3 reps. Then rest 30 seconds. Then do another set of 3 reps. Then rest 30 seconds. You’ll continue like this until you can’t get 3 reps (don’t push to failure – it’s important to stay away from failure here). Drop the weight 20 lbs then continue in this fashion, doing 3 rep sets.

You’ll do this for 20 minutes on the first day.

Vince: 20 minutes sounds pretty easy.

Nick: Yep, SOUNDS easy…just wait til you try it. Because day 2, you’re going to bump your starting weight up by 10 lbs and do that same routine for 25 minutes. Day 3 is 30 minutes. Day 4 is 35 minutes and Day 5 is 40 minutes.

ALL workouts are done using the same exercise. Your body develops such an incredibly efficient neuromuscular groove on the exercise that you can usually keep increasing the start weight for the first 3 or 4 days! On Day 5, you go back to the same weight you started with on Day 1. You’ll be amazed at how light it feels, even after 5 days of this kind of training.

Not only are working the muscle fibers but you’re going a LOT of practice on the chosen lift. It just becomes totally automatic, which is something missing from low-volume training programs. This neural priming is a big reason for the incredible strength gains – even better than beginners get!

Vince: That definitely sounds like emergency-response training. I can see how the dieting and massive eating really fits with the training. You really have to eat a LOT during that emergency week, too, I’m sure.

Nick: Extremely critical to do so AND to minimize outside activities. This isn’t the week to pick up distance running as a hobby.

Vince: So where does the Stretch-Pause Training come in? You explained that in great detail in the blog post. How do you use it in Muscle Explosion?

Nick: Stretch-Pause Training is what you’ll be doing for the next 2 weeks after the 5 Day Structural Attack. Click here to read that blog post about Stretch-Pause Training – I won’t go into great detail on it here.

Basically, the next 2 weeks are all about recovering from the 5 day attack and stretching the fascia to give your muscles room to grow.

You’ve pretty much overtrained yourself in that 5 day span – now it’s time let your body recovery and pile on the muscle.

Vince: So it’s pretty much a case of bring yourself down using a diet, snap yourself forward by massively feeding yourself and using ridiculous training volume for a week, then “coasting”.

Nick: Yep, if you can call Stretch-Pause coasting…

Vince: Good stuff. I can definitely see how 4 weeks of this could allow you to make a huge leap in progress. This sounds like a great way to bust through a plateau.

Nick: Definitely. The nice thing about it is that it doesn’t require a huge time commitment. If you’ve got 4 weeks, you can do a quick mass-up cycle. I use this program all the time when I want to make a big jump in poundage for a given exercise. I’ve added 40 lbs to my bench press max in a week with this one before.

Vince: Very nice. I want to close this interview out by letting you know that Nick and I have put together a special bonus package to go with his Muscle Explosion program. I have to say, this program is already dirt-cheap ($27) especially considering you also get a full video library of all the exercise techniques in action.

Nick is throwing in a copy of his Hybrid Training book – that one is all about how combine different forms of resistance like free weights, bands and cables to maximize the strength curves of different exercises. It’s really cool stuff…I can promise there’s stuff in this book you’ve NEVER seen before

I’ll be throwing in “2-Inches In 30-Days: The No-Nonsense Workout To Massive Arms”. This arm workout reveals my never before seen workout routine to getting big guns. I won’t guarantee 24-inch pythons but by adding this 20-minute workout only 2 times a week you will get your pipes bursting out of your t-shirts before you know it.

Nick, thank you very much for taking the time for this interview.

Nick: My pleasure!

Vince: I highly recommend going and grabbing a copy of this program right now. This is classic Nick Nilsson stuff here…unique, effective and completely insane!

Here’s the link for the special bonus page – it’s only going to be active for the next 48 hours so be sure to go grab a copy of it right now, even if you don’t plan on using the program right away. Totally worth it.

Muscle Explosion – 28 Days to Maximum Mass

Vince

=========================================
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog….
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

Foods That are Promoted as Healthy, But are not in Reality

lewis — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:14:55 +0000

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Foods That are Promoted as Healthy, But are not in Reality
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By Mike Geary
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/truthaboutabs.html

Just yesterday, I was at the grocery store (supermarket) and had to shake my head at all of the clever deceptive labels with everything claiming all sorts of things that are supposedly "healthy", but aren't really. This is food marketing deception at it's worst.

One of the things I noticed over and over that really disturbed me was that I saw several examples of healthy foods in their natural state, but I saw counterfeit overly processed versions of these original foods claiming that they were healthier than the natural version...

However, in reality, all of these counterfeit versions were actually MUCH worse for you than the original... and they still have the balls to claim that their overly processed "junkified" versions are better.

I wonder if these companies are really clueless enough about nutrition that they legitimately think their products are healthier than the natural version? Hmm.

Example #1: Product claiming to be "Better than peanut butter"

This product is ridiculous! I can't believe anyone would ever believe that this processed junk is better for them than natural minimally processed peanut butter.

First of all, if you buy a good natural organic peanut butter, it is usually nothing but two ingredients... peanuts and salt. And they don't add much salt so it's not a high sodium product.

However, this fake peanut butter which claimed it was "better than peanut butter" (trying to seem healthier than natural peanut butter based on its label claims) had a list of processed junk in it you wouldn't believe. First of all, they strip all of the natural healthy fats out of the peanuts so that it is a "low fat" product. Alright, now you have just taken away one of the healthiest parts of the peanut butter... the appetite satisfying healthy fats that you need to control cravings and manage more stable blood sugar levels
in your body.

To make things worse, the healthy fats were replaced with 2 different types of sugar-based syrups as well as additional dehydrated cane juice (aka SUGAR), in addition to added refined starches (in case you didn't get enough blood-sugar spiking refined carbs yet).

This product has taken something as simple and natural as peanut butter, and turned it into what should really be called some sort of processed junk candy. Yet, they claim that it is healthier for you than peanut butter. And somehow they get away with deceiving the masses like this on their label. Do not be their fool!

Example #2: Product claiming to be "better than eggs".

I won't get as detailed on this one because I recently went into good detail on this entire topic in another newsletter.

Basically, this product was just egg whites with a bunch of added chemical colorings, flavorings, and other nonsense, including artificially added vitamins.

Again, this product has essentially ruined a good thing by removing the healthiest part... the YOLKS! And yes, the yolks ARE the healthiest part of the egg. Anybody that tells you different does not understand much about real nutrition. The important thing to look for in quality whole eggs are cage-free and organic.

Most people don't realize that almost all of the quality nutrition of an egg is found in the yolks. The majority of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and trace nutrients are found in the yolks, not the whites. Even the protein in the whites isn't as high quality in terms of bioavailability without the amino acid profile of the yolk that complements the amino acid profile of the whites.

And no, the cholesterol in eggs is not bad for you... it actually raises your good cholesterol more than bad cholesterol improving overall profile. And the fats in whole eggs are balanced and healthy for you as well.

Bottom line... whole eggs are healthier than egg whites. The label claims are just another example of food marketing deception.

Example #3: A product claiming to be "better than butter".

This was essentially crappy margarine loaded with highly processed and deadly trans fats, yet it had the nerve to claim it was "better than butter".

Heck NO!

Even low quality butter is better for you than any margarine. One problem with butter are the pesticides and hormones frequently found within from improperly raised cows.

For this reason, it's always a good choice to go with organic butter, and if you can find grass-fed butter, then I would even say it can be healthy for you. Grass-fed butter is higher in beneficial conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). In fact, adding a little butter to your steamed vegetables helps your body to absorb more of the vitamins and minerals in the veggies.

Also, due to the content of stable saturated fats in butter, this makes butter one of the best oils to cook with. Oils high in polyunsaturated oils such as soy, corn, safflower (and even flax) are the worst to cook with due to the highly unstable nature of their chemistry. I have a fully comprehensive article on which oils are healthiest for cooking and which are not based on their chemistry.

Another point... the saturated fat in butter is NOT bad for you. We've already beaten a dead horse with that topic in previous articles, but again, more detailed articles about that topic are found at my site.

You can find dozens more articles about all of these controversial topics at my website below. Enjoy!

Learn more about the truth about nutrition & training, and grab a free metabolism boosting report at Workouts for abdominal fat loss & six pack abs

Mike Geary is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, and author of the internationally best-selling book, The Truth about Six Pack Abs, with tens of thousands of readers in over 150 countries.

Free e-book download :

Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body
By Mike Geary

Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google's #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog....
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

FAQ: No-Nonsense DVD Series

lewis — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:29:15 +0000

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FAQ: No-Nonsense DVD Series
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By Vince DelMonte - Author of No-Nonsense Muscle Building

Your Questions Answered

I’ve been getting swamped with questions about the release of my No-Nonsense DVD Series for the past 2-weeks, but especially in the past 24-hours.

First off, it’s great to hear you and I don’t mind the questions.

In fact, you should write me more often.

Anyway - I know you want answers, and you’ll get them.

I put together a FAQ for you below.

If I didn’t answer your question, please post it below BEFORE FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT and I will answer it in another FAQ before I fly out Saturday morning.

1. Why Do You Only Have 480 Copies?

The minimum requirement from my fulfillment house was 500. I gave 20 copies away to some of the world’s top fitness guru’s to review in exchange for their help to get the word out about my system. If you hear from anyone other than myself next week it means they liked it and it got the thumbs up.

2. What Happens If you Sell Out?

You’ll be put on a waiting list until my fulfillment house replicates another 500 sets. The price will go up on the second batch when they become available. I will be paying shipping and handling for the first 480 action-takers as well so take advantage, especially if live outside the US.

3. How Many People Are Being Notified About This?

As of a few days ago, we had over 17,000 people on the Early-Bird VIP list.

I’m pretty sure this is going to result in a sell out.

An no, I’m not trying to hype you up here.

It’s either right for you or it isn’t.

But if you’re thinking, “Yeah, I have a good feeling this is exactly my next step to ramping up my physique,” then please be ready when the site goes live on Tuesday April 7th at 12pm EST.

4. Will Your Books Be Available In Hardcopy Too?

No. But between you and me, I’m seeking out a book agent to get it published and into local book stores. I’m aiming for early 2010. Next week, you’ll be able to own the exact system responsible for the photos of me on my website as well as the exact system responsible for the dramatic before and afters of my success stories.

5. How Long Will It Take To See Results?

The answer to that:

IT DEPENDS.

It depends on you, your efforts and so forth.

For me, my stuff took effect on my body immediately. It took me 6-months to gain 41-pounds of muscle using one program. It took me 10-weeks to lose 23-lbs of fat on another program.

But that was me.

According to the dramatic before and after pictures you’ll see on Tuesday, it worked just as fast for some, a tad slower for others and even faster for the majority.

7. What If It Doesn’t Work For Me?

You are more than welcome to return the DVD’s 5-minutes after you order or 55-days after you order. I give you a rock-solid 100% money back guarantee. If for some reason you don’t like my stuff or feel you made a mistake, you’ll be provided my personal email so I can reverse the charges immediately. We’ll give your copy to someone on the waiting list.

8. 12-Hours Of Workouts? Do I Really Need All That?

No. In reality, you’ll probably achieve your goals with just one of the ten programs you get. Each plan ranges anywhere from 4-weeks to 6-months and is laid out in explicit detail and has me charging through the workout with real weights and real effort.

You might fall in love with one of the programs and stick to it forever. You might start with the cutting program and then use the bulking plan. You might start with a 3-day plan then progress to the 5-day. You might want to specialize on your arms or abs for a bit. You might travel and need to train in your hotel room for a stint.

Long story short, I got you covered no matter who you are, where you’re starting, where you’re going and what you want to look like. You just need to decide where to start first.

9. Do I Have To Be In The US To Sign Up?

NO! Currently there are No-Nonsense members all over the world. And the best news is that I’m covering the shipping and handling until Friday April 10th at Midnight EST, to reward the first 480 people who transform their body. It’s something like $30-40 to ship internationally so take advantage.

10. You Still Haven’t Addressed The Price Issue…

I know that has been a popular topic in my Inbox and I can understand why. Thousands of people are ready to sign up but they’re unsure of the investment.

I can say, you’re not going to need $5,000 like you’d pay a trainer to train a few times a week for 6-months.

You’re not going to need $2,500 like you’d pay on a “super high tech” home gym that collects dust…

You’re not going to need $1,000 that you could end up paying for a years worth of garbage supplements…

So PLEASE STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE PRICE!

This will be seriously affordable, if you act fast. I am awarding the first 480 people with a TON of extra value so make sure you’re ready when the doors open Tuesday at noon so that you can also be on the receiving end of some seriously cool things…

They’re called FAST ACTION BONUSES and each one is so valuable that they could be their own fitness product in itself.

Remember, everything next week is VERY LIMITED so if you want a shot at anything, you’re going to need to be ready at 12pm EST on Tuesday April 7th. That’s my only advice to you.

Vince

P.S. As you know, Vince DelMonte sold out of his No-Nonsense DVD Series last Friday night and he just dropped me a line that he has another batch of 500 DVD sets available and has something like 564 people on the waiting list.

I don't know the exact number but the bottom line is that more people want them than he has available.

If you want a shot at this life-changing system, you better make a move today because I wouldn't be surprised if he sells out again this week:

Head on over to this site if you're ready for the most beneficial workouts you've ever done and to build a jaw dropping physique this summer:

--> http://www.vincedelmontedvd.com

Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

How To Build Muscle Fast: 41 Ways to Gain 41 Pounds Of Rock-Solid Lean Muscle Mass in 6 Months

lewis — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:54:22 +0000

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How To Build Muscle Fast: 41 Ways to Gain 41 Pounds Of Rock-Solid Lean Muscle Mass in 6 Months
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By Vince DelMonte - Author of No-Nonsense Muscle Building

This article will give you at least 41 tips and ideas for gaining more muscle and getting more ripped than you can imagine.

Muscle building expert Vince DelMonte has helped over 20,000 skinny guys and consults with fitness experts all around the world on the most critical and supporting elements to build muscle mass and to experience consistent muscle growth.

In this article, Vince unmasks his own secrets that he used for building 41 pounds of steel-solid muscle in only six months – without any drugs or steroids, without bogus supplements, and while training less total hours than before.

In just weeks, you can make the same life-changing transformation. Find out his advanced muscle building strategies on how to build muscle, fast!

Whether you approach your physique as a hobby or a job, you should not leave any element to chance and hope it works. In order to defeat plateaus and forge a ripped and muscular body you need all the tips and tricks you can get. None of these techniques will work alone but by combining as many together as possible you’ll see a huge difference in your muscle growth – faster than before.

1. Begin with 3 full body weight training workouts every 48-hours.

2. Take your body weight in pounds and multiply it by 15 to determine your daily caloric intake if you want to gain weight.

3. Perform only 1 exercise per body part each full-body workout but perform a different exercise for each body part every workout. By the end of the week you’ll have hit each muscle group three times from three different angles.

4. Consume carbohydrates in a 2:1 ratio to protein after your workout in liquid form.

5. Perform each set to muscular failure.

6. Use a training journal and track your progress.

7. Drink at least 4-6 liters of water each day.

8. Vary your rep and set schemes more frequently than any other training variable.

9. Focus on exploding up on the concentric portion of your movement and taking 3-4 seconds for the eccentric portion of your program.

10. Aim to build at least 5-6 pounds of lean muscle mass each month. Anything more will be fat gain.

11. Eat at least 10-15 serving of fruits and vegetables each day.

12. Focus on compound movements for 80% of your workouts.

13. Alternate between dumbbells and barbells every 2 weeks.

14. Only change an exercise when you plateau on two workouts in a row.

15. Enter a fitness model or bodybuilding show or transformation contest to keep you motivated.

16. Follow a program for at least 12-16 weeks before trying your next one.

17. Pyramiding your sets to consistently increase your strength 5% each week.

18. Consume a variety of whole eggs, chicken, lean beef, fish and whole-milk throughout the day for high quality (bioavailable) muscle building protein.

19. Use a training partner for motivation and an extra push to experience faster muscular growth.

20. Never train hungry if you want to build muscle fast.

21. Concentrate your carbohydrates when your body needs them most – breakfast, pre workout and post workout.

22. Ensure you do the squat and the deadlift each week to increase the release of growth hormone and testosterone.

23. Hire a personal trainer if you have never received professional coaching on technique and form.

24. Stretch at least half the amount of time that you lift. If you lift 3 hours a week, schedule at least 1.5 hours of yoga or static stretching.

25. Train a muscle group through it’s entire range of motion to stimulate muscle size.

26. Use a 3-day a week 20-minute interval cardio plan, post-workout, to maximize the muscle to fat ratio while bulking.

27. Train your most underdeveloped muscle group first in each workout.

28. Avoid processed food, packaged food and fast food.

29. Avoid protein bars and any muscle building supplement that has sucrulose, aspartame, or other artificial or natural sweeteners.

30. Get at least 8-hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

31. Don’t be afraid to overload your muscles with maximal resistance and miss your goal reps.

32. Consume a combination of olive oil, fish oil, coconut oil, mixed nuts and natural peanut butter each day to make sure you get ample healthy fats for testosterone and other muscle building hormone production.

33. Take a complete week off after 12-16 weeks of training.

34. Get a spotter to help you with your heaviest set.

35. Have a training program. Never go to the gym without a plan.

36. Perform 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching before each weight training workout.

37. Schedule regular ART-therapy or massage therapy to avoid injuries.

38. Cold shower after every intense weight training workout. It sucks, but it works.

39. Eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass.

40. The core of your workout should revolve around squats, deadlifts, rows, presses, pull ups, dips and weighted core work.

41. Train with someone bigger and stronger than you. You'll be challenged and motivated to work out harder.

To read more about how Vince DelMonte’s natural solution on how to build muscle fast without drugs, supplements and training less hours than before...

Click here to start building lean ripped muscle mass the right way

Click here to learn the secrets of getting ripped chiseled six pack abs

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

5 Reasons Why Elliptical Machines and Treadmills are Useless Exercises

lewis — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:15:38 +0000

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5 Reasons Why Elliptical Machines and Treadmills
are Useless Exercises
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By Mike Geary
Author: Truth About Six Pack Abs

I know that all of the elliptical and treadmill worshipers are probably fuming at me now after that article headline, but the fact is, ellipticals and treadmills are one of the least effective methods of working out in existence. With this article, I'll show you how to get a much more effective fat-burning workout without wasting time mindlessly exercising on a boring elliptical machine or treadmill.

Now first let me state that if you really honestly enjoy your elliptical machine workouts and treadmill exercise routines, then I give you my blessing to keep doing what you love. The reason is that even though ellipticals and treadmills are relatively ineffective compared to other types of exercises, whatever you actually enjoy doing the most is going to benefit you most in the long run because you will be more likely to stick with it more consistently.

However, don't say that I didn't warn you that you might be wasting your time with all these boring mindless cardio machine workouts.

I've talked about this previously with my ezine subscribers... I actually do not believe in cardio machines as a good form of working out at all. This might surprise you coming from a fitness nut such as myself, but I don't think I've personally used an exercise bike, treadmill, elliptical, or any other cardio machine for at least 8 years or more.

In fact, I don't even use cardio machines anymore for warm-ups before my workouts. I actually think it's a much more effective warm-up to do dumbbell and/or kettlebell swings, snatches, clean & presses, etc, mixed with bodyweight exercises as a great full-body warm-up before working out.

Why do I think cardio machines are so awful? Well, here's 5 reasons:

1) Treadmills and ellipticals are just a very ineffective way to workout compared to other options. Why should you do treadmill or elliptical workouts when you can get better results by doing more interesting forms of training that actually stimulate a fat-burning hormonal response and stimulate your metabolism to a greater extent.

2) Elliptical machines and treadmills are insanely expensive and a waste of money for people that work out at home... there are so many better things for home workouts you could have spent your money on rather than wasting it on an elliptical machine, treadmill, or exercise bike.

You'll see plenty of ideas below for better home workouts if you don't like going to a gym to work out.

3) I have seen several studies that indicated results that treadmill running may be less effective than outdoor running for various reasons such as stride abnormalities on treadmills vs natural running, slightly less caloric burn compared to outdoor running, and so on.

(although I never recommend just "jogging" anyway... variable intensity walking/running or sprinting are much more effective, training your heart rate in a much wider range instead of the same heart rate range the whole time).

4) Steady state exercise (that doesn't require concentration on what you're doing) while watching tv or reading a newspaper or magazine creates a mind/body disconnect resulting in extremely poor results compared to exercise that requires focused attention.

5) Elliptical and treadmill workouts are just mind-numbingly boring!

So what are some good alternatives to elliptical machine and treadmill workouts? Some of my favorites are:

Outdoor wind sprint workouts - This is the ultimate workout for a rock hard lean body... just look at the powerful yet super-lean and ripped bodies of world class sprinters, and compare that to the withering weakling physiques of typical marathoners... what would you rather look like?
Jumping rope - incredible mind/body connection and actually fun (you can try speed jumping, crossover jumps, and double jumps once you get good at it)
Kettlebell workouts - nothing will get your heart pounding and sweat pouring like high rep kettlebell swings and/or snatches (or clean & presses)! These can be done with dumbbells too, but I prefer kettlebells as they have a better "feel" to them and the unbalanced nature of KBs makes you work harder)
Bodyweight exercises - mountain climbers, bodyweight squats, push-ups, jumping drills, lunges, bear crawls, plank holds, and so on.
The good old fashioned rowing machine - I don't really lump this in as a "cardio" machine per se like elliptical machines and treadmills... Rather, I think the rowing machine is actually a great full body workout that actually uses real resistance)
Hill sprinting - running as hard up a hill as possible, followed by walking down and repeating as many times as you can for a full workout (yet another classic drill for a rock hard lean body)
Shadow boxing... a killer workout, but if you are shy, this is best done at home since you will get some crazy looks doing this at a typical gym!
Swimming sprints - a more muscle toning workout compared with steady pace distance swimming... I actually love the upper body pump I get from sprint swimming (instead of swimming slow and steady, with sprint swimming, you swim as fast as you can exerting as much force as you can for 1 lap. Then rest for 15-20 seconds before doing another swim sprint).
Heavy bag punching/kicking workouts, speed bag, rebounding bag... all are tremendous workouts and much more fun than boring cardio machines (requires an very intense mind/body connection which increases results).

I hope this article gives you lots of ideas you can use to go out right away and bring some more variety into your workouts instead of relying on the same old dull elliptical machine and treadmill workout routines. Have fun!

Click-here to visit Mike's website here and as his thanks for visiting his site , he would like to offer you 4 FREE BONUSES that you can receive immediately:

1. The e-Book, Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean-Body (a $17.95 value), by Mike Geary -- loaded with tons of lean-body training and nutrition strategies you can start to use right away...He guarantees you will find some new ideas you never thought of before!

2. Your own personalized metabolic rate calculator -- takes your own body characteristics and activity level into account.

3. Five of his secret hard-body workout routines. He guarantees these are WAY different than anything you've ever tried before.

4. A free subscription to his Lean Body Fitness Secrets E-zine (a $47 value) , with loads of weekly non-traditional exercise tips and creative dietary ideas to take your body to a whole new level!

SSSincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Vince Delmonte Muscle Building Abs Shredding System now on DVD

lewis — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:17:01 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site

- AtoZfitness Special Announcement -
Vince Delmonte Muscle Building Abs Shredding System now on DVD

It’s a secret that took me over 6 years to wrap my mind around, not to mention execute. It’s a long-lost secret that many people in the supplement, diet and bodybuilding world don’t want you to know.

It’s the same secret that is scamming you out of 90% of your dream physique and 100% of your time and money…

If everyone knew this secret then you would see jaw-dropping physiques at your school or office, on the beach and in the streets and in your gym. If you knew this secret then you would recognize something different in the mirror.

Here is the secret:

The ONLY WAY I know how to build a head-turning, near-perfect physique is through a structured and progressive plan with consistent and focused all-out effort – that FORCES your body to change.

You must give your body a REASON to change.

In all my years as a fitness coach, I have never seen a dramatic body transformation from someone who "works out regularly" or "hopes they will change."

People who approach their goals with "half-hearted" efforts and "wouldn’t mind changing" attitudes will never have the body of their dreams. It’s sad but true.

They are the same people who blames their age and genetics, places their hope in the latest marketing pills and complain about all the contradicting information so don’t do anything.

It’s that guy or gal you see in the gym everyday that looks the exact same as last year… and the year before that. Hopefully it’s not the same person gazing back at you in the mirror…

Make no mistake, when you work out, your body is sleeping and often LAUGHS back at you and says, "That’s your attempt to change me? Nice try. We did this workout last week. I’m going back to sleep…"

Get this:

Your body would prefer to stay weak, soft and average. Our bodies were not meant to be fit, lean and muscular. They were designed for survival. Looking sexy and feeling confident is YOUR goal.

I was talking to no-nonsense fitness author Vince DelMonte about this and he said, "It boggles my mind how people expect to get results with the slow, simple and silly methods they use…." I asked him what me meant and his response seemed pretty hardcore but I have to admit he makes some valid points – especially since it’s regular folk who follow his advice:

"Heck, when was the last time you saw someone treat their first set like it’s their last? When was the last time someone told you they were nervous before a workout? How often do you see people training with a stop watch to keep their workouts honest or treating each rep like their life depends on it? It seems like every person I know who works out looks the exact same as last month… or even last year…"

As you, Vince and I know, rapidly cutting your belly fat, gaining rock-hard muscle and breaking bad habits require a DIFFERENT plan of attack and attitude towards achieving your goals.

That’s the reason I’m emailing you today.

Vince DelMonte just released 480 copies of his No-Nonsense Muscle Building and Six-Pack DVD Series today at 12pm EST. It’s his complete muscle-shredding, belly-busting and ab-sharpening solution to a world class body.

According to over a dozen success stories on his page, his clients only wish they had started sooner and say that the more they follow his blue-print, the more it works.

The DVD’s include the EXACT same system Vince used to gain 41-pounds of muscle in six months and defeat his skinny genetics. He also includes the EXACT program he used to cut 23 pounds of fat in 10-weeks and become a National Fitness Model Champion.

But let me say, after I reviewed Vince’s DVD series, his system is not for everyone. It’s not for wimps, over-analyzers, tire-kickers, know-it-all’s or people expecting an over night miracle.

I know Vince has positioned himself, selfishly, to work with serious and committed people and if you don’t fit the bill, then I would recommend you let someone else have your copy.

The truth is that Vince’s stuff will work extremely effective if you fall into the following categories:

1. You’re angry about your current level of progress.

2. You’re sick and tired of spinning your wheels and looking the way you do in the mirror.

3. You’re fed up with this ridiculous plateau you’ve hit and you know you deserve more for how hard you work.

Sound like you? Click here for your next step:
–> http://www.vincedelmontedvd.com

P.S. I don’t mean to pressure you but Vince only has 480 copies of the DVD’s and he’s giving away free shipping and handling until Friday night at midnight.

Practically every top-notch fitness author, including myself, is announcing his pre-sale this week so I don’t know 100%, but I’m pretty sure the system is going to go fast..

P.P.S. He’s also giving away 5 brand new bonuses for the first 200 people PLUS his entire digital No-Nonsense Muscle Building and Six Pack Programs valued at $735 as a FREE bonus gift for trying out his No-Nonsense DVD Series.

Hurry! This offer might be sold out by now…
–> http://www.vincedelmontedvd.com

Yours in fitness,
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog….
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

Free fatloss course and book!

lewis — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:48:36 +0000

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site

- AtoZfitness Special Announcement -
Freee fatloss course and book!"

Wow.

This is one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time.

Fitness pro Jon Benson released a bombshell last week on the fat-burning world.

He is giving away a book’s worth of material in his freee 7-Day Personal Fat Loss Certification Course.

Freee… and get this: Anyone who completes the course gets his book "The Radical Fatloss Blueprint" freee as well.

So there’s nothing to buy at all… in fact you get tons of freee stuff AND you can even earn bucks in the program.

It’s just too cool for words.

So go see it for yourself:

http://sn.im/fit365 <— freee fatloss Course and book

Here is a short review:

The Course is for anyone who wants to become their own "personal" fatloss expert. It is complete with a quiz each day and more material than most people sell in a book… and it’s totally freee.

After the course, you get his "Radical Fatloss Blueprint" freee too. This is all about how he and a group of "guinea pigs" experimented with natural techniques and got up to 21 lbs of unwanted bodyfat off in just 21 days.

The average was 17.5, but some people got as much as 30 lbs off.

All with little to no muscle lost.

It then outlines the ‘exact’ workout and supplement "feeding" schedule Jon still uses to get into top shape in 21 days.

This is down to the ‘hour’… and it includes home workouts or gym workouts. Your choice.

This is his gift to my readers, and I am thrilled to share it with you.

Here you go:

http://sn.im/fit365 <— freee fatloss Course and book

Enjoy the course!

Yours in fitness,
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google’s #1 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com
Follow me on Twitter for updates from my blog….
http://www.twitter.com/atozfitness

If you have any questions, you can contact me sending an
e-mail to me at atozsupport@atozfitness.com .

A Shocking Protein Supplement Discovery!

lewis — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:12:17 +0000

A Shocking Protein Supplement Discovery!
By The Muscle Nerd, Jeff Anderson
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Which protein works best at building muscle? The answer will SHOCK YOU!

If you follow popular bodybuilding advice you've probably heard that different types of protein powders are consumed at different times for different reasons.

For example, "Casein Protein" (a very slow digesting protein) isn't as bio-available to your muscle.

But because casein forms a solid "clot" in your stomach, it's digested and absorbed very slowly, reportedly helping to prevent muscle breakdown over a longer period of time.

This is said to be especially effective for "hard gainers" whose metabolism may shoot right through more powerful proteins.

On the flip side, powders like "Whey Protein Isolate" are easily soaked up by your muscles but are said to best be used for times immediately after your workout.

The advantage is that you fast track the aminos to your muscles...downside has always been that it doesn't "last" as long in your body and leaves your muscles "high and dry" unless you constantly refill your body's amino acid reserves.

Well, it may be time to forget EVERYTHING you've been told!

The absolute highest bio-available protein is "Whey protein hydrolysate" and it's like crack cocaine to your muscles because it's digested and absorbed faster than any other protein source.

For 99.9% of the "experts" out there, that would mean you should ONLY use it IMMEDIATELY after your workout.

But a study out of the Copenhagen (Denmark) Muscle Research Center may reveal a shocking insight...

Researchers discovered that out of all of the proteins, whey protein hydrolysate not only had the highest availability of amino acids (meaning your body uses more of what you ingest)...

...but it ALSO had the highest availability of amino acids during the entire 3 HOURS after consumption!

That would make whey hydrolysate the KING of all proteins when it comes to muscle building!

Now, I've recently been experimenting with this new discovery.

Specifically, I've been working on my own "homemade" formula for an upcoming update to my popular program "Homemade Supplement Secrets" (www.HomemadeSupplements.com)

Here's what I've found from my current experiments:

1. My muscle growth has increased by about 20% while only using hydrolysate 3 times a day when compared with the same 6-week mass-gaining cycle using casein protein.

(Note: I was using my Optimum Anabolics program for this test (www.OptimumAnabolics.com) and based it upon a 3-week "Progressive Load Cycle" followed by a 3-week "Hyper-Adaptive" cycle)

2. The whey hydrolysate powder is a bit more expensive than casein and WAY more expensive than concentrate or isolate.

(I bought 25 lbs for $239 at allthewhey.com compared with $151 for whey concentrate)

3. The powder "cakes up" much more in protein drinks and tastes almost like "plastic"..."2 Stars" on the flavor rating.

The Muscle Nerd Analysis?

20% could mean a lot more muscle for you, especially if you're a more advanced lifter and have to fight to push your genetics further and further.

If that's YOU, then you may want to test your own results with hydrolysate.

But for value, or if you're not as serious a lifter, I'd say stick with whey protein isolate as it has excellent bioavailability and works well for 95% of the "Average Joe's" out there.

Check out Jeff Anderson's
Homemade Supplements Secrets Here

Yours in fitness,
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google's #3 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Idiotic Mistakes Using Superset Training To Build Muscle!

lewis — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:26:33 +0000

Idiotic Mistakes Using Superset Training To Build Muscle!

----------------------------------------------------------------------
By Jeff Anderson "The Muscle Nerd"
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/advancedmassbuilding.html

By now you should know that "superset" training is the best training method for any fitness goal, whether you want to build muscle or burn fat.

Unfortunately, I see WAAAAAY too many people using this technique incorrectly...and it's time to set the record straight!

By now you should know that "superset" training (where you perform one exercise back-to-back with another exercise) is NOT just an "advanced" training technique for the gym.

It's actually the best training method for any fitness goal, whether you want to build muscle or burn fat.

Unfortunately, I see WAAAAAY too many people using this technique incorrectly...and it's time to set the record straight!

Here's the deal...

Your muscles have 7 "types" of fibers which can be broken down into 2 "main" types (fast-twitch and slow-twitch)

And each set of fibers has it's own purpose...AND it's own preference for how it likes to be trained.

Depending upon your goal, you'll want to train a bit differently.

You see, slow-twitch muscles are used mostly for endurance activities and prefer to be trained with lower weights and higher repetitions.

On the other hand, your fast-twitch muscles are the ones you use for strength and power and like heavy weights with lower reps.

But since both types have the ability to grow, you'll want to attack BOTH in your workouts.

That means higher reps and lower weights for your slow-twitch muscles and lower reps and higher weight for your fast-twitch muscles.

Here's an example of how to train your chest for size...

(And then I have a little "suprise" that blows any method you've EVER seen out of the water!

But first...

Superset For Bigger Muscles

Exercises Used:

Superset Incline Dumbbell Press with Pushups

Execution:

With an incline bench at about 30 degrees, knock out a HEAVY set of about 4-6 reps.

Then IMMEDIATELY after you're done, get on the floor and do as many pushups as you can do before crashing to the ground in a pile of your own drool!

Here's why it works...

By hitting your muscles with that heavy compound exercise set first, you blast away at your fast-twitch fibers.

But then you come in and really destroy your "slow-twitchers" by extending your set with a massive "pump" that fills your chest up with blood and muscle-building hormones and nutrients!

Jeff Anderson

Jeff Anderson's Related eBook

Advanced Mass Building Program

Scientific secrets For Fast Muscle Gains!

You're Not A "Beginner" Anymore...So Stop TRAINING Like One! Why 95% Of Guys Are DEAD WRONG In How They Train To Gain Muscle Mass...

...And How To INSTANTLY Correct The 5 Biggest Mass Building Mistakes For Thick New Growth NOW!

Get Advanced Mass Building Program now!

Yours in fitness,
Sarah, CPT
Lewis, Publisher
www.articles.atozfitness.com
AtoZfitness.com Google's #3 fitness site.
www.atozfitness.com

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Six Little-Known Muscle Building Tips Part 2

lewis — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:29:35 +0000

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Six “Little-Known” Muscle Building Tips Part 2
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By Vince DelMonte
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/vincedelmonte.html

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

4. Never Train More Than 2 Days Consecqutively

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

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

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

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

Multiple choice question:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. Find a mentor

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Six Little-Known Muscle Building Tips Part 1 + FREE gifts till Friday.

lewis — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:30:45 +0000

---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Six “Little-Known” Muscle Building Tips Part 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
By Vince DelMonte
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/vincedelmonte.html

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

1. Body Weight Training

This was once a popular muscle building technique but is very commonly ignored. Why? Perhaps because most body weight training is simply hard and can put a dent in your precious ego! As far as I am concerned, if you can not work with your own body weight than you have no freaken business using external loading such as barbells and dumbbells.

It’s incredible how many attempt to use heavy weights with a microscopic range of motion but can’t do a set of push ups, a squat to the floor or even one chin up. Don’t get me wrong, there is definitely a place for external loading with heavy weights but not until you have the ability to master the following bench marks:

Males should aim for 1 set of 80 push ups, 1 set of 20 chin ups, 1 set of 20 1-leg squats, 1 set of 40 dips and 1 set of 20 pull ups.

Females should aim for 1 set of 40 push ups, 1 set of 5-10 chin ups, 1 set of 10 1-leg squats, 1 set of 10-15 dips and 1 set of 3-5 pull ups.

These standards will ensure a solid foundation of general fitness and muscular endurance and lead to building muscle mass more easily in the following stages of your weight training program.

2. Flip Your Program Upside Down Every 3 Weeks

This is an extremely powerful tip to building muscle mass, not to mention one of the easiest tricks to ensure your body side-steps plateaus forever. Consider that you have been training your chest shoulders and triceps every Monday. In you next phase, three weeks later, you should do the complete opposite. You will train your triceps, shoulders than chest on Friday. This will prevent plateaus because each muscle group will have an opportunity to train completely fresh.

Let's say you are training your back, biceps, forearms and abs on Friday. Than you will train your abs, forearms, biceps, and back on Monday (in the opposite sequence). You will literally switch everything upside down. Again, this will ensure that these muscles receive an opportunity to train first in the week when your body is the most fresh.

You will curse my name when you blow the heck out of the smaller muscles first and than train the larger muscle groups last. Yes, I know this months issue of Bodybuilders Digest said to never train the smaller muscle groups before your larger muscle groups. I have heard it before so stop analyzing, trust me and give it a try. You be the judge and don't be surprised if you see new levels of muscle mass and strength after this one technique.

3. Spend More Time At The Grocery Store

If you are serious about building muscle, accept the fact that you will need to spend more time than you do right now in the grocery store. Have you ever opened the fridge for something to eat and all you found was Aunt Wilma's Thanksgiving turkey leftovers with mold on it? Ever gone into the cub boards and discover only a few leftover bags of potato chips from last weeks Super Bowl party?

To ensure a optimal environment for building muscle and fat loss you must ensure your cub boards and fridge are constantly stocked. This will mean more frequent trips to the grocery store. Chuck the crap that is in your kitchen right now and replace it with good stuff and keep on replacing it. Don't ever let that supply of good food run low.

PS. Don't forget my good friend and fellow fitness author Vince DelMonte is GIVING AWAY two of the most supporting resources that will lead to muscle growth and carving out a ripped six-pack. It's a F.REE opportunity to get better results in the next 2.5 weeks than most people experience in 2.5 months.

This is perhaps one of the most valuable giveaways EVER.

Yes, 100% F.REE stuff!

But there is a catch... it's only available until Friday March 20th at midnight

Each gift you'll find at the below address are retailed at $57 US, but today you can grab them for the best price ever - zero.

Click here for your F.REE gifts:

-->http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/vince_dvd_series.html

Why is Vince doing this??

On Tuesday April 7th at 12pm EST Vince is releasing his highly-anticipated, high quality No-Nonsense Muscle Building & Six-Pack DVD Series which is the most complete muscle-shredding, belly-busting and ab-sharpening solution and DVD resource to make a huge difference in your physique.

And he wants to mail you a copy to your front door when it comes available.

The problem is that he only replicated 480 kits.

I am not a psychic but a sell out is expected in just hours considering over 800,000 people are being notified about this as you read this.

DATE- Tuesday April 7th at 12pm EST

...there's more.

Vince wanted me to reassure you that there is ZERO pressure to try out his No-Nonsense DVD's when they are ready to be mailed out launch date and you are more than welcome to get INSTANT ACCESS to his two F.REE gifts right now.

... FOLLOW THIS ADVICE ...

#1 - Check out the link below.

-->http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/vince_dvd_series.html

#2 - Watch the entire Video (It's a tad long but Vince explains everything)

#3 - Enter your name and email to get on the Early Bird VIP list to be notified before the public which means you will be able to buy before the site goes live. You'll also be given INSTANT ACCESS to Upside Down Training and Razor-Sharp Abdominal Cardio Workouts.

So make sure to follow ALL 3 STEPS to ensure you're one of the lucky people to get access to your F.REE gifts plus first shot to try out Vince's No-Nonsense Muscle Building & Six-Pack DVD Series on Tuesday April 7th 12pm EST.

Check it out here:

-->http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/vince_dvd_series.html

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

P.P.S. This page really is coming down Friday March 20th at Midnight EST. If you don't grab your gifts today, you WILL miss out (not a marketing ploy, just the honest truth). There is NO CATCH at all. Nothing for you to buy so take advantage and start building some head turning muscle and carving your six-pack, compliments of my good friend Vince.

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Do You Know How To Gain Muscle Fast?

lewis — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:27:55 +0000

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Do You Know How To Gain Muscle Fast?
---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
By Vince DelMonte
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/nononsense.html

Could you teach me how to gain muscle fast? Could you teach me how to pack on an extra ten to fifteen pounds of muscle mass before my next vacation? Could you help me get ready for my first bodybuilding or fitness model competition? Could you help you look like someone who actually lifts weights? Could you help me build a body that turns heads and demands respect?

As a skinny guy muscle building expert, I get approached these questions daily in my office. Every single hard gainer I consult with wants to know how to gain muscle fast and how to do safely and effectively.

Hard gainers, please listen up! There is hope for you. I am happy to say that learning how to gain muscle fast is not as hard as some would make you believe but it also not as easy as you might think. But you must be prepared to train smarter and not harder. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about wimping out during your workouts. I am referring to the big picture of training more intelligently.

Here is some of the most popular advice I give to the hard gainer when he wishes to gain muscle fast.

1. Never Perform More Than 10 Reps.

If you are lifting weights beyond 10 reps than you are emphasizing your slow-twitch muscle fibers which have the smallest opportunity for muscle growth. You are a hard gainer and you need recruit the maximal amount of muscle fibers in every set. Always choose your weights knowing that a 11th rep is forbidden and trespassing into 'skinny land.'

If you really want to gain muscle fast than get your mind into heavy lifting mode. Every single set and every single exercise. Keep the weights heavy and never more than 10 reps. Approach every workout knowing that you are going to be venturing into new territory and waging war on your skinny genetics. I recommend these workouts with a workout partner so you can eliminate any safetey issues, not slack off and push your limits every inch of the way.

2. Reduce Your Workout Time

Perform more work in less time and you have increased your work capacity. Work refers to the number of sets, reps and poundage within your workout. Who is fitter? The guy who can do 4 sets of 185 pounds bench press with 30 second rest or the guy who can do 4 sets of 185 pound bench press with 90 second rest? The one who can do the same amout of work in less time. Guess who is more muscular? The one who has a higher work capacity.

Next time you enter the gym, try to complete your current workout in less time. Take shorter rests. Move from one exercise to the next much quicker. Don't be surprised if you feel out of shape! This is one of the easiest tips you can take away to increase your muscle density and take your fitness to a new level. Be prepared to humble yourself and get out of your comfort zone.

3. Do Only One Exercise Per Muscle Group

Only one? Yes, only one, unless you want to buy into the notion that you must mutilate a muscle for over an hour to get any growth out of it. Consider this typical day in the gym. Today is your chest day. Your first exercise is bench press. You perform your first set with 185 lbs, second set with 205 lbs, third set with 225 lbs and fourth set with 245 lbs.

Assuming this is your max weight for the desired number of reps, is it not safe to say that you have used the maximal number of muscle fibers? Your goal is to simple spark your muscles into growth. Not exhaust them to death. Once they experience a unknown assalut (stimulus), your body will be forced to adapt and create new muscle to prevent future assaults! Therefore, your take home lesson is this: Once you have out performed your last workout, it is time to move onto the next exercise.

4. Do No More Than 3-5 Sets Per Muscle Group

I question a hard gainers workout intensity if they must do more than 3-5 sets per muscle group. Now if you are using anabolic steroids or have muscle friendly genes than you can safely dismiss this advice. Remember, learning how to gain muscle fast for the hard gainer requires following a new set of rules.

Consider the first 1-2 sets at 85% maximal effort. The third set at 95% maximal effort and the fourth (and sometimes fifth) set at 100% maximal effort. It is only this last all out set that contributes to the greatest muscle growth. Anything over and above this last go till you blow set simply exhausts the muscle beyond reason and delays your recovery ability to hit the muscle again. It is this last set that you should perform at least 1-2 extra reps or 5-10 extra pounds than last workout. Mission accomplished. You have sparked your muscles into growth. Time to move on.

5. Increase Your Strength 5% Every Two Weeks

One of the biggest mistakes I see hard gainers make in the gym is not track there progress. They return week-after-week to simply reherse the same workouts with the absense of progress. How do you expect to gain muscle fast if you continue to lift the same weights each workout? Your body is designed to tolerate stress. Assault it and let it get bigger. Assault it and let it get bigger. It's a simple concept.

So your take home message is to aim for a minimum of 5% strength increase every two weeks. You might progress a little quicker with larger muscle groups like back and legs versus smaller muscles like biceps and triceps. Just think, in six months from now, you will be over twice as strong as you are now! I would actually recommend writing down your strength goals for six months from now and than work backwords. If you are currently dead lifting 135 lbs, aim to be deadlifting 270 lbs over the next few months!

Conclusion

I know these five tips were not your typical Muscle and Fitness 101 advice and not your typical generic bodybuilding advice. I learned a long time ago to question everything you read and hear. Learn for yourself by doing and not by talking about it. As a skinny guy once myself, 149 lbs to be exact, I defeated my skinny genetics and learned how to gain muscle fast by not following the herd and training smarter and not harder Will you?

About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com

He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.

© 2006-2008, Vince DelMonte Fitness. All rights in all media reserved. You may reprint this article so long as the article and author bio are reprinted intake and all links are made live. This article may never be sold individually or as part of a package.

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

The Creatine Grave Yard

lewis — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 13:22:05 +0000

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The Creatine Grave Yard
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Looks like another “high tech” form of creatine has got one foot planted firmly in the creatine grave yard. What is the creatine graveyard? It’s where forms of creatine - other then monohydrate - go when either science has shown them inferior to monohydrate, and or it’s life cycle of hype has come to and end.

I refer specifically to creatine ethyl ester (CEE). As with the many “high tech” forms of creatine before it, all manner of claims were/are made about how superior it is to creatine monohydrate (CM). It always starts the same. First the company will invent a long list of negatives about CM such as “poorly absorbed” or “causes bloat” or “is not stable” and then goes onto claim their form of creatine has solved all those invented negatives. The problem is, the data already shows CM does not suffer from virtually any of the negatives they invent, nor do they show their form “cures” those negatives. Sellers of CCE for example claimed CEE was better absorbed and utilized vs. CM, and that has been shown to be nonsense. There have been several in vitro (test tube) studies pointing to the fact CEE is inferior to CM, but a recent study done in humans puts a final nail in the coffin as far as I am concerned. This study is titled “The effects of creatine ethyl ester supplementation combined with heavy resistance training on body composition, muscle performance, and serum and muscle creatine levels” The full study is public access and can be read here:

CEE Study

Warning, the abstract is confusing and not well written. If you read the full paper, it’s clearer. If you don’t have the time or interest to read it, the take home is: although all subjects in this study (CEE vs. CM vs. Placebo) experienced approximately the same effects; they all had improvements in bodycomp and got stronger. Why? Because they used untrained subjects in the study. Thus, a drawback of this study was due to using untrained people, they couldn’t differentiate between PL, CEE, and CM in terms of effects on bodycomp and strength within that time period as newbies always make fast progress in the beginning. No news there.

However, the study did achieve the essential point, which is it clearly showed the claims of CEE false: CEE had much higher creatinine levels and lower muscle creatine levels compared to CM in this study, thus, yet again, the claims by sellers of CEE that it’s superior to CM and that CM is “poorly absorbed” or “causes bloat,” or my favorite “CM is not stable,” etc are false. They also looked at changes in water compartments (CEE actually had a trend toward greater extra cellular water then CM BTW, so there goes that stupid “no bloat” claim for CEE…) and other issues claimed to make CEE superior, and it failed.

CEE is less stable then CM, increases creatinine to a much greater extent then CM, and is inferior for increasing muscle creatine levels to CM. This study is not perfect by any means, but when combined with what else exists, and the counter studies sellers of CEE offer (which is to say zero), well you don’t have to be a scientist to see the writing on the wall there…

CEE will be added to the creatine graveyard with a ton of others all claiming to be superior to CM which all started with big claims and now sit in the grave yard.

Two essential points about the grave yard before we get to that:

(1) Because they are in the grave yard does not mean they are worthless. Some forms, such as magnesium creatine chelate for example looked promising, but a head to head study with CM found it no better. Remember, another form does not have to show it’s the equal of CM, it has to show it’s superior to CM per its claims. Forms such as creatine pyruvate and many others on the list may be just as effective as CM, but not superior, so it comes down to cost. Others on the list have in fact been proven inferior to CM in studies, such as serum creatine, various liquid creatine versions, and now CEE. Serum creatine was all the rage a few years ago, and studies found not only was it inferior to CM in every respect, it contained virtually no creatine! Of course, there were still those on the various forums using ‘bro logic’ with “bro, I don’t care what the studies say, it works like da bomb for me!” posts, but I digress….Finally, other forms on the list simply lack any data at all to compare to CM. The companies selling these forms will routinely make claims of superiority with nadda for hard data to support them. Therefore, it’s impossible to really separate fact from fiction (i.e., marketing hype) to recommend them.

Me, I will use what has literally hundreds of studies to support its efficacy and safety over a form with zero data to support it’s claims of superiority over CM. Thus, they get put into the grave yard. Future studies may get them out of the graveyard, but I aint holding my breath…

(2) CM is not perfect. It’s not very soluble, and in about 30% of users, does not appear to work at all. At higher doses, generally above 3g-5g or so in a single dose, can cause stomach upset for some, among other small, but significant drawbacks for some users. Therefore, I am in favor of continued research into improved delivery technologies, improved forms of creatine, and so on. I’m all for it, but as they say, don’t piss on me and tell me it’s raining. In God we trust, everyone else must show data. Hard data talks, BS walks.

I could randomly take two forms from the list below, say dicreatine malate and creatine ethyl carbonate ester and make dicreatine malate creatine ethyl carbonate*, but would it be superior to CM? Unknown as there would be no data. I could just invent a bunch of unproven claims like others do and sell the stuff… Do companies just invent a form of creatine for no other reason then it sound “high tech”? Hell, one company (BSN) is currently in court over one form they sell, called CEM3 or “Creatine Ethyl Ester Malate” which according to the charges “does not exist and is impossible to manufacture”! As I said, CM is not perfect and I am all for continued research into improved (vs. just different!) forms of creatine and or improved delivery technologies, but companies should do their due diligence on these products and stop with all the hype and CM bashing to sell unproven products.

So, without further delay, here is my current list for the creatine graveyard:

The Creatine Graveyard List:

Creatine ethyl ester (CEE)
creatine pyruvate
creatine taurinate
creatine ethyl ester malate
creatine ethyl carbonate ester
creatine gluconate
creatine malate
dicreatine malate
tricreatine malate
creatine citrate
tricreatine citrate
Kre-Alkalyn
creatine phosphate
creatine alpha-ketoglutarate
creatine-6,8-thioctic Acid-ketoisocaproic Acid Calcium (CREAKIC)
creatine pyroglutamate
“conjugated creatine” (Con-Cret)
magnesium creatine chelate
creatine anhydrous
dicreatine orotate
tricreatine orotate
creatine alpha-amino butyrate
creatine HMB
“titrated creatine”
“creatine serum”
“liquid creatine”

Also:
glycocyamine (precursor)
creatinol-o-phosphate (analog)

* = for the sake of an example. I have no idea if such a form is chemically possible, nor do I care.

Will Brink's biography:

Will Brink is the owner of the Brinkzone Blog. Will has over 15 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published. Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies. His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body International, Power, Oxygen, Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter For Doctors. Will is the author of the popular e-books, both acommpanied by private members forum access , Bodybuilding Revealeded & Fat Loss Revealed.

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

4 Ways To Break A Weight Loss Plateau

lewis — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:11:51 +0000

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4 Ways To Break A Weight Loss Plateau
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by Mike Roussell PhD(c)
http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/warpspeedfatloss.html
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Weight loss plateaus are the bain of every dieter existence. There is nothing more frustrating than doing everything that you are 'supposed' to do but for whatever reason the weight loss just stops. Before we get into how you can smash through your weight loss plateau it is important to determine if you have plateaued OR perhaps you haven't actually been following your diet and/or training program.

The first step is to do a gut check and make sure your compliance to your diet program is where it needs to be. If you haven't been 90% compliant then stop reading this article and get back to focusing on doing what you actually said you were going to do. If you have been sticking to your program but have stopped losing weight then we have a problem.

Homeostasis.

The human body is all about achieving homeostasis, so what we need to do is shake things up and get our systems un-homeostatic (not sure if that is a real word). Here are 4 ways that you can disrupt homeostasis and blast through your weight loss plateau. You aren't meant to do all of them instead just pick one at time.

1. Increase Calories for 7-10 Days This doesn't mean go off your diet. Instead, increase your calories (no more than 500 calories per day), mainly from carbohydrates to give your system a 'break' from calorie restriction. After the 7-10 day period cut your calories back down and your weight loss will start back up. This strategy works well if you have been dieting for a long time.

2. Crank Up the Intensity Often times we find ourselves perpetually dieting and can just never seem to get those last 10 pounds off. In these situations cranking up the intensity on all fronts (diet and training) for a set amount of time is a great way to blast through a weight loss plateau. With this method we are basically shocking your system out of homeostasis.

3. Change Your Training Program Sticking to the same training program for too long used to be a very common problem. Now with all the training resources on the Internet, being on a program for too long isn't an issue for many people (but it may be for you). You need to be switching up your program (set, reps, exercises, how many days a week you train, etc) every 4-6 weeks.

4. Reduce Your Carbs This tip is the opposite of the first one, but works just as well. Dropping your carbs down to a ketogenic level will strong-arm your system into using fat as its primary fuel source. This metabolic fuel switch works best if your carbs aren't too low already (>100g/d). To further enhance the effect of this technique use the induction protocol where you eat 20g/d of carbs or less for 2 weeks.

Weight loss plateaus are frustrating but don't let them discourage you or stop you from reaching your goal. If you have truly reached a plateau pick one of the techniques above and put it into action. When you hit another plateau, pick another one. Continue doing this until you have reached your goal. Remember that for the most part weight loss is not a linear process. Plateaus are a normal physiological occurrence but using the strategies in this article you can beat temporary weight loss homeostasis and achieve the body you want.

About the Author/More Info:
Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit http://www.atozfitness.com/recommends/warpspeedfatloss.html.

Mike Roussell is a nutrition doctoral student at Pennsylvania State University. Mike's writings can be found in magazines such as Men's Health, Men's Fitness, and Testosterone Nation. Mike specializes in fat loss nutrition and diets for busy men and women who need to lose weight fast without it interfering with their lives. Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat to lose weight in record time.

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Free e-book from Nick Nilsson – The Best Exercises You’ve Never Heard Of

lewis — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:35:52 +0000

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Free e-book from Nick Nilsson - The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of
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Just a quick note this morning.

Just got my hands on a great free e-book from my buddy Nick Nilsson "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of" .

Nick gives you picture details of the following 5 great exercises.....

Nilsson Curls
Bench End Dumbell Presses
Full Range Pulldowns
Standing Rope Pullbacks
Bodyweight Tricep Extensions

direct download link.

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

How Long To Rest Between Sets

lewis — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:21:15 +0000

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How Long To Rest Between Sets
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By Jon Benson
http://your7minutemuscle.com
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[ Editor's Note: Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

A lot of my readers ask me how long to rest between sets while exercising.

The answer is: It depends on your goals.

If you are training to increase strength, I recommend resting a bit longer - up to two minutes for exercises like squats and heavy dumbbell work. But if you want to burn the most amount of bodyfat and gain lean muscle, I recommend resting for very short periods of time.

"The Iron Guru" Vince Gironda used to recommend leaving your hands on the bar between sets -- now THAT is short rest intervals! He would frequently rest only 15-20 seconds between sets.

This is similar to the strategy I use in 7 Minute Muscle -- very short rest intervals and very intense training. Smart, short, efficient. That's the way to go.

A good place to start is simply reducing your rest intervals by 10 seconds. No matter what workout you're using, decrease your rest by 10 seconds between sets. You may not be as strong on the last few sets (if you are training traditionally... if you use 7 Minute Muscle your rest is "built-in" and not an issue.) Over time you will work your way back up to the same amount of sets and reps but done in far less time.

This means more work output, which means more muscle if your nutrition is good.

This is the best way to train most of the time: Limited rest, intense sets, and short workouts.

They are the ones that produce results.

Go here for more information --

http://your7minutemuscle.com <--- Short, effective workouts

SSincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

A first time ever 36 hour special from Jason Ferruggia

lewis — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:23:06 +0000

Just got this message from Jason Ferruggia from Muscle Gaining Secrets and wanted to share it with my subscribers as I have never before seen him discount his product so for those of you that were on the wire check this out.

Lewis

If you have been following me for any amount of time you know that I rarely ever hold sales. However, once a year, I do have a sale in honor of one of my all time heroes and role models, Dr. Martin Luther King. Dr. King has been a huge influence in my life and has affected me in a great number of ways. I still remember when I was going to school in Arizona, marching in protest of the state refusing to acknowledge Martin Luther King day as a holiday; all the while cranking “By the Time I Get to Arizona” by Public Enemy. For as long as I can remember, injustice of any kind has caused my blood to boil and I have always looked up to Dr. King and admired what he did for this country.

In his honor, from now until Midnight tomorrow (Tuesday 1/20/09) Muscle Gaining Secretss

This will be the only time you will ever be able to get this incredible muscle building, life changing system at such an incredibly low rate.

Don’t miss this opportunity. Once the clock strikes midnight tomorrow, the price goes back to normal and won’t be coming down any time soon.

Make 2009 the best year of your life and start changing your physique and your life today by clicking here:

http://www.MuscleGainingSecrets.com

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarahh
Publisher – AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

Tom Venuto on how to challenge limiting beliefs

lewis — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:24:04 +0000

hey there,

For today’s fat loss tip my buddy Tom Venuto was kind enough to let me to share this motivation/mindset question and answer that he recently answered on the Burn The Fat Inner Circle member forums because he thinks that self limiting beliefs are an issue that many people deal with and it’s one of the reasons people start to falter as early as late January or early February in their 2009 goal pursuits.

QUESTION:

"Tom, I’ve followed your guidelines by writing down all my goals, and I’ve also identified all my self-limiting beliefs (and believe me there were a lot, including a belief that I didn’t deserve it).

Ok, but what do I do now? Do I visualize my goals or work on repeating my new beliefs? I also took the list of limiting beliefs and made a new list called ‘self enhancing beliefs’. This is the list of beliefs that I am wondering if I should affirm everyday until they sink in.
Should I do this BEFORE affirming my goals?

I Very much appreciate your advice.

TOM VENUTO ANSWERS:

We could break this down into 2 major steps, 2 quick questions and
4 ways to challenge a limiting belief.

STEP 1: IDENTIFY LIMITING BELIEFS

We’re well aware of some of our beliefs because beliefs about spirituality or politics or animal rights any other topic are the types of beliefs that are usually conscious.

But the beliefs that affect us the most in our physical development are NOT conscious. They are unconscious.

So the first step, which you’ve already done, is to make sure you’ve flushed them all out. For our readers who haven’t done this yet, here’s how:

————————————————
2 Quick Questions Will Draw Out Your Beliefs
————————————————

It pays to do this as a formal "exercise" with serious quiet time and pen and paper.

Question #1. What causes me to be overweight (or unhealthy, not having body I want, etc)?

Question #2. What’s preventing me from getting leaner?

Spend some time with it.

Consider the answers; what you may come up with may be legitimate issues that you can deal with or which you have no control over, but either way, you will also see limiting beliefs flushed out through this questioning process.

Example: "I can’t because I have no time, I’m too old, I can’t stop eating, I hate exercise, You just can’t do it when you have 4 kids, after a hip replacement, it’s impossible…
And so on….

Thing is, those are not accurate facts. Those are beliefs (negative thought patterns) that hold you back.

STEP 2: CHALLENGE THOSE BELIEFS

How do you challenge a belief? 4 ways:

(A) Challenge it directly: is it even valid at all? See if you
can find a counter example. For example; you think that when
you’ve had 3 or 4 kids you cant get a nice flat stomach, meet
Maxine or Bonnie , or any one of our other super fit moms who have been profiled within the Inner Circle.

Now… if they did it, then how could this belief be valid?
Answer: It WASN’T valid! Your belief wasn’t true. You were
believing in something false and inaccurate and it was holding
you back!

Out of all the psychological techniques that we can apply to
create belief change, I have never found a way easier or better
than finding role models that are counter-examples, therefore
dis-proving a limiting belief.

(B) Challenge the source: is it your belief, or have you been
living what someone else handed down to you? Just the realization
that a belief wasn’t yours to begin with is enough to shatter it.

(C) Challenge the usefulness of the belief. Ok so you believed
something before, does still believing it has any usefulness today?
Does it help you move closer to what you want in your life?

(D) Challenging the belief by weighing the consequences. If
you keep this belief what is it going to cost you? what will
the pain be like? What will you miss? And what will these
consequences be if you don’t change it NOW?

Last but not least, You’re RIGHT about "deservability." So start
with an affirmation every day that "I deserve it."

keep in mind that affirmations alone won’t do it in the case
of having feelings of unworthiness. You MUST take massive action.
The more action you take, the more you will feel "worthy" of
receiving.

That’s why it’s harmful to seek something for nothing; you
can’t get something for nothing in the long run anyway, but
even if you could, you would not feel worthy.

There would be an incongruous feeling inside you and you’d
sabotage yourself… kind of like those lottery winners who
win a million dollars overnight, but they never became millionaires (in their mind/self image), so they blow the money faster than they got it…

You can create affirmations about all kinds of things and work on
them at the same time – things you want to change, get, improve, attract. Goals get turned into affirmations. Beliefs can be written as affirmations.

Affirmations are simply stating your goals or your desired empowering belief in a way that your subconscious mind is receptive to.

The difference between a belief affirmation and a goal affirmation
is that goals all have end points. Beliefs don’t. Most of your
empowering beliefs you will want to keep. But when a goal is achieved, you have to set new ones.

So when you’ve found that belief that you know is limiting you,
write an affirmation for what belief you would want / need to
hold instead. Read it right along with your goals every day. Keep
it up until you start to see your behavior change and your results
fall in line with what you want.

If you’re diligent, you will see changes in attitude and
behavior with 21-30 days. It may take longer if you’ve carried
deep, lifelong, life-impacting limiting beliefs, but the roots
of the new pattern will be formed.

Then you can move on to another goal or belief you want
to work on… and the effect of changing a few beliefs one after another can be nothing short of life-transforming.

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto
Author of "Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle"
Burn the Fat inner circle

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher – AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

How To Build Muscle Fast by Spending Less Time In The Gym

lewis — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:35:52 +0000

How To Build Muscle Fast by Spending Less Time In The Gym

By Jason Ferruggia

I’ll never forget my first encounter with “Big Joe.” I had just gotten my driver’s license about a week before, so I was 17 at the time. Up until my 17th birthday, I had been training at our crappy high-school weight room and was counting the days until I could drive myself to the real gym about 15 minutes down the road. I had been training for a few years at that point and was really starting to get obsessed and read everything I could about how to build muscle fast. Of course, I had been doing everything wrong up until that point, but I didn’t know any better. I was convinced that when I was finally able to join Main Street Gym, I would start to grow like a weed.

During my second week there, I saw Big Joe for the first time. I was about halfway through my workout when he walked in. He was massive from neck to calves with a thick goatee, long sideburns, and a mop of curly brown hair. Big Joe stood about 6’4” and had to have weighed close to 300 pounds. At the time, he was in his late 30’s or early 40’s and walked with a slight hitch—I would later find out that it was from an old football injury—but he continued to squat and deadlift on a regular basis.

He was doing standing military presses that day and throwing around 275 like the bar was empty. I couldn’t help but stare as he hoisted the weights up with ease. After every set I did, I would walk to the water fountain just to get a closer look at one of the most jacked guys I had ever seen in person.

Eventually, we crossed paths and he nodded. That was it.

All the gym vets seemed to know him and every few minutes I heard one of them acknowledging his presence.

“What’s up, Big Joe?”

“Big Joe, what’s happening, my man?”

I had to move to another section of the gym to complete the rest of my workout, but I figured I would see Big Joe again when I was done. I was wrong. When I finished my workout, I looked around the gym and Big Joe was gone.

It was about two weeks before I saw Big Joe again. He came in the door right behind me one night and thanked me when I held the door for him. We both went about our business and started our workouts. He was doing bent-over barbell rows that night and had worked up to 405 for a few sets of six.

About halfway through my workout, I had to run to the locker room to get my straps out of my gym bag. When I returned Big Joe, was gone again.

Over time, I started to see Big Joe more and more and began to notice a trend- he was in and out of the gym before most guys were even halfway done with their workouts. He was so much bigger and stronger than everyone else that I figured there had to be something to what he was doing.

Finally, I worked up the courage one day to go up to Big Joe and ask him about his short workouts. I wanted to learn more about how to build muscle fast and I just knew Big Joe was the one to help me.

“Uh, excuse me,” I said.

“What’s up, big man?” Big Joe replied.

“I just wanted to ask you a few questions about training. I notice that your workouts are way shorter than anyone else’s in this entire gym, yet you are bigger and stronger than everyone,” I said.

“Finally caught on there, huh, diesel? That’s the secret right there. If you keep your workouts short, you never overtrain, you recover faster, and you constantly make progress,” Big Joe explained. “Your testosterone output peaks about a half hour into your workout and is completely shot within 45 minutes. So get in and get out in 45 minutes or less and you will get huge. That right there is one of the most important things I can ever teach you about how to build muscle fast.”

From that day on I have kept all my workouts short and have always done so with all of my clients. The results have been nothing short of spectacular. There is no reason to spend your life in the gym. Hit it hard and get out. And get ready for guys to start stepping aside when they see you coming.

Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert who is renowned for his ability to help people build muscle as fast as humanly possible. He is the head training adviser for Men’s Fitness Magazine where he also has his own monthly column dedicated to muscle building. For more How to Build Muscle Fast tips, check out http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com/

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher – AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

AtoZfitness Article Blog » bodybuilding

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- AtoZfitness Special Announcement - Vince Delmonte Muscle Building Abs Shredding System now on DVD

Free fatloss course and book!

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Free e-book from Nick Nilsson – The Best Exercises You’ve Never Heard Of

How Long To Rest Between Sets

A first time ever 36 hour special from Jason Ferruggia

Tom Venuto on how to challenge limiting beliefs

How To Build Muscle Fast by Spending Less Time In The Gym

How To Build Muscle Fast by Spending Less Time In The Gym

Breathing…You Could Be Doing It All Wrong and
It Could Be Costing You Results!

- AtoZfitness Special Announcement -
Vince Delmonte Muscle Building Abs Shredding System now on DVD

- AtoZfitness Special Announcement -
Freee fatloss course and book!"