Showing posts with label Articles By Sean Nalewanyj. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Articles By Sean Nalewanyj. Show all posts

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Articles By Sean Nalewanyj: Wimp Out In The Gym And Your Gains Will Be Gone In 60 Seconds

The margin of time that determines muscle building success or failure in the gym is a heck of a lot shorter than you might think. Just as fraction-of-a-second moments during a 100 metre dash will make or break a sprinter's race, fraction-of-a-second moments will also make or break your body's muscle growth response in the gym.

In fact, your entire margin of success in the gym can ultimately be reduced to just a short time span of 60 seconds. That's correct, how you choose to handle a short 60 second time period during your workouts will translate to either poor, mediocre or significant muscle building results.

Although each entire workout will last for about an hour, only 60 seconds of that actual time will determine what kind of gains you achieve.

You may be scratching your head right now and wondering what the heck I'm talking about, but allow me to explain…

You see, every individual set that you perform in the gym is ultimately being performed for the benefits that will be achieved on the last 1-2 reps. Muscles respond to stress, and the only truly stressful reps that actually trigger your body's muscle building mechanisms are those at the end of each set when the body is on the brink of muscular failure.

If a given set consists of 6 reps, then reps 1-4 are only performed in order to get to reps 5 and 6. Reps 1-4 will do very little in terms of stimulating muscular growth, but are necessary to perform in order to overload the muscles on reps 5 and 6.

In other words, it is only the very last 1-2 reps that will ultimately yield a muscle building response from the body. The longer you can push yourself to battle the weights during this small time frame at the end of each set, the greater results you will achieve.

Any of you who have read my articles know that I'm a big advocate of training to muscular failure. There is simply no better way to trigger your body's adaptive responses than to train until your muscles cannot move the weight another inch.

The closer and closer that you can come to muscular failure, the more dramatically your body will respond. This time frame is literally measured in single seconds. If you drop the weights 5-6 seconds earlier than the next guy (the margin is probably even smaller than this), you'll be significantly sacrificing your muscle growth.

So, where did the 60-second time frame come from?

Well, if we assume that you perform 10 total all out sets per workout and have a margin of 6 seconds between success/failure per set, this gives you 60 seconds of total time per workout to either battle through with full effort or to surrender and settle for mediocre results.

It really is true; your bodybuilding success is literally measured by the short, precise moments at the very end of each set and the amount of effort you are willing to exert during this time.

If you can force yourself to train to all out muscular failure, you'll achieve the best results possible. If you drop the weight 3 seconds before muscular failure, your growth will be compromised. If you drop the weight 8 seconds before muscular failure, your growth will be compromised even further.

If we multiply our 60-second figure by my recommended number of 3 workouts per week, this means that your bodybuilding success in the gym will literally be measured by how you choose to handle one short 3 minute long period per week.

I bet you never thought of it this way before!

You must train hard and with full effort at all times. When the weight feels heavy and your muscles ache and burn with discomfort, you must push through and continue until true muscular failure is reached.

If you stop short, even a second short, your gains will be compromised.

Keep this in mind at all times in the gym and you'll experience better results than ever before.

If you want to learn some awesome psychological techniques for breaking through the pain barrier and “mentally numbing” the discomfort associated with hard training, make sure to visit Sean Nalewanyj's website using the link below for details...


www.musclegaintruth.com - Sean Nalewanyj's Official Website.

This article has been contributed by Sean Nalewanyj.

Monday, January 7, 2008

The Only Personality Type That Can Achieve Muscle-Building Success

THIS IS A MUST READ ARTICLE FROM SEAN NALEWANYJ - THIS ARTICLE IS A CLEAR VERDICT ON WETHER YOU ARE GOING TO BUILD MUSCLE OR NOT.


There are 3 types of people in this world…

1) The ones who say they're going to accomplish something yet they never even attempt it.

They talk the talk and never walk the walk. They spend their lives making excuses for their problems and never actually getting off of their asses to do something about it.

They will waste their years wishing but never having. They will resent and criticize those who succeed because they know that they will never succeed themselves.

They lack willpower and discipline. They are doomed to a life of mediocrity but will never accept responsibility for this.

2) The ones who say they're going to accomplish something, attempt it, and quit soon thereafter.

They talk the talk, begin to walk the walk, but fall down in exhaustion, never reaching their goals or enjoying the fruits of their labour on any kind of long term basis.

They lack patience. They lack perseverance. They too will never stand among the elite and will struggle time and time again but continually fall short.

They deserve some credit for their attempts at success, but simply do not possess the tools needed to follow through.

3) The ones who say they're going to accomplish something, form a blueprint for how they will get there, and then, quite simply, they get there.

They make firm decisions that contain no hints of “maybe” or “try”. They understand that there are 2 possible outcomes in any decision: success or failure. They crave success, and they will do anything they have to do to achieve it.

When they make a decision to accomplish something, they already know that they will succeed. They don't question their ability to achieve a goal, they only question the time that it will take to get there.

They understand that within their minds lies all of the tools necessary to accomplish anything in the external world. They have faith in their talents and beliefs and truly feel that they can accomplish anything they want.

They make no excuses. They understand that they are in complete and total control of their destiny, and that every man and woman is responsible for their own lives.

They are ready and willing to battle through setbacks, physical and mental pain, discomfort and exhaustion. They know that anything worth having does not come easy, and that no man or woman ever achieved anything great without a struggle.

They are willing to struggle to be great.

They never fail in the long run. They only experience momentary setbacks and bumps in the road. When a setback or bump in the road presents itself, they form a plan for how they will get past it.

They don't stop, stare and question whether to quit or keep going. Quitting is not an option in their minds, and they thrive on the battle and understand that setbacks and mistakes serve no other purpose than to make their inevitable victory that much sweeter.

They see the big picture.

And when the smoke clears and dust settles, they stand among the elite. They soak up the satisfaction of their victories and look back on their accomplishments with a feeling of pride and fulfillment. They gain the respect and envy of others and know that they deserve it.

Which category do you fall under?

True bodybuilding success is only reserved for category 3.

It is an ongoing battle that does not lend itself to those who seek instant gratification. It will not be had by those who are unwilling to dedicate themselves to a goal and work hard to achieve it.

If you have any doubts about your ability to succeed, eliminate them.

Dissolve your questioning, your fears and your wondering.

Make firm decisions for what you want to achieve, create a map for how to get there, and then… quite simply, get there.

Only when your decisions contain questions of “when can I reach this goal” rather than “will I reach this goal” will you ever truly succeed both in bodybuilding and in life.

I can't make the decision for you, I can only teach you how to get there. Your choice comes from within, and not a single person in this world can make those choices but you.

Take the leap of faith.

If you've got the will, I've got the way.

Visit my webpage below for step-by-step details on how you can put your energy and willpower to work and finally develop that head-turning dream body you deserve…

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/ No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months:

I am sure this article would have clearly told you wether you are going to build muscle or not. If you have skipped this article then read it now!VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Simple Keys To Developing A Wide, Muscular Back: Sean Nalewanyj

I am not sure how much has Sean Nalewanyj impressed you till now or wether you really think he is worth what he claims for or not. But this is one article that you will admire as a beginner. Check it out!

 

It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly misguided the vast majority of the population is in the gym. Everyone is desperate for that wide, powerful and muscular physique, yet very few understand how to properly channel their efforts to get there.

For most aspiring lifters, it's all about building a huge chest and arms. Week after week they slave away on endless sets of bench presses and barbell curls in search of the rippling muscle gains they want so badly.

Not surprisingly, those gains never appear in any significant form.

While a well developed chest and arms is clearly an important part of any complete physique, the truth is that these muscles only play a small role when compared to a much larger, much more intricate muscle group that most people severely neglect in their training programs.

I am, of course, talking about the major muscles of the back: the lats, traps, spinal erectors, rhomboids and lower back.

It's obvious why most lifters neglect these all-too-important muscles…

1) The back is not a “showy” muscle and you can't see it in the mirror.
2) Back training is far more stressful and taxing to the body than chest or arm training.
3) Most lifters are simply unaware of how important the development of these muscles really is.

Allow me to let you in on a little secret…

If you want to appear as wide, thick and powerful as you possibly can, nothing will allow you to achieve this goal faster than a well developed back.

In fact, 70% of your upper body muscle mass resides in this area!

Nothing can replace the upper body thickening effect of big, bulging lats and a set of wide, tall trapezius muscles.

Please, get up off that bench press and put down that EZ-curl bar for just a moment and let me share a simple, step-by-step workout that you can use to build the muscular back you so desperately need.

There are 4 major movements that you must perform to properly develop your back…

1) Deadlifts – I cannot possibly stress the importance of this lift enough. There is not a single exercise out there that can even come close to matching the effectiveness of a basic, bent-legged barbell deadlift.

The deadlift will work you from finger to neck to toe and is irreplaceable in developing strong, thick back muscles. The deadlift will stimulate growth throughout the entire back complex and should be the cornerstone of your routine.

2) A vertical pulling movement – These exercises mainly target the lat muscles and will help you to attain that wide, v-tapered look from behind. Examples of vertical pulling movements are chin-ups (overhand or underhand), lat pulldowns and v-bar pulldowns.

To get the most bang for your buck I recommend a basic overhand chin-up. This is the bread and butter of vertical pulling movements and will stimulate growth in the lats like no other exercise.

3) A horizontal pulling movement – Otherwise referred to as “rows”, horizontal pulling movements place their emphasis on the upper/middle portion of the back and also stimulate the lats. There are a ton of different rowing movements to choose from: bent over barbell rows, dumbbell rows, seated machine rows and cable rows just to name a few.

For maximum results, stick to a basic freeweight rowing movement. I usually recommend bent over barbell rows, but bent over dumbbell rows are an acceptable choice as well.

4) A shrugging movement – While not quite as important as the above mentioned lifts, a shrugging movement should still be performed at the end of the workout to target the upper traps and develop that mountainous, diamond-shaped look from behind. A basic barbell or dumbbell shrug will do the trick.

Okay, let's put it all together…

Deadlifts – 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Overhand Chin-Ups – 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Bent Over Barbell Rows – 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Barbell Shrugs – 2 Sets of 10 to 12 reps

For optimal gains in back size and strength, the above routine is ideal.

It may not seem like a lot, but as long as you take every set to muscular failure and focus on quality rather than quantity, this routine provides more than enough stimulation for maximum back growth. I've used this same routine for many years and continue to see steady progress in both back size and strength.

Make sure to keep a written record of every workout that you perform, and focus each week on increasing either the weight that you lift or the number of reps that you perform within the given rep range.

Perform this workout once per week with full effort and I guarantee that your upper body will appear thicker, wider and more muscular than ever before.

What about specific routines for the chest? What about the biceps, triceps and shoulders? How about the thighs, calves and abs?

For specific training information on each of these body parts make sure to visit my webpage below and find out how you can finally get the rock-solid muscle gains you deserve without spending endless hours in the gym...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/ No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months:

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Friday, January 4, 2008

From Skinny To Muscular: My Bodybuilding Journey - Sean Nalewanyj


If there was ever one thing that I wanted to change about myself, it was my body. At a mere 125 pounds I felt insecure, weak, and would do just about anything to pack some muscle onto my skinny frame. I would look at other guys and think, "why can't I just feel average?" Forget being strong and muscular, I just wanted to feel like I wasn't a toothpick compared to everyone else.

I probably took things too far, and maybe I wasn't as thin as I imagined, but it didn't matter. In my eyes I was nothing. Afraid to show my arms, or take my shirt off, my confidence was down in the dumps.

...But then it happened. One day when I was looking in the mirror, I realized just how unhappy I was with the way I looked. I realized that I could never be truly happy on the inside until I was happy with myself on the outside. Something inside of head just sort of "snapped".

It was as if my mind had taken a 180 degree turn.

It was on that very day that I decided it was time to change. This time I meant business. No more sitting around whining to myself and complaining about my small frame; it was time to put all the talk aside and get to work.

Talking builds no muscles.

No matter how difficult it was, how long it took, or how many obstacles came my way, I was going to change. I was going to get huge, and there was nothing that would stop me. It was there that my journey from point A to point B began.

After filling my head with every possible piece of bodybuilding literature I could get my hands on, I started putting the techniques to use. After several months of trial and error experimention, I was finally able to narrow it down and figure out what worked and what didn't.

It was really hard at first, but I stuck with it. There were many times when working out would be the last thing I felt like doing, but it didn't matter; I dragged my ass to the gym and lifted. I remembered the promise that I had made to myself, and that was all I needed to keep going.

I started gaining weight. After the first few months I'd put on a solid, muscular 15 pounds. My hard work and persistence was already paying off.

So I pressed on.

I kept on training and I kept on eating. I refused to be defeated; to give up and go back to the way I was. Workout after workout, week after week, month after month, and I was still training. Sure, I experienced bumps in the road. Inevitably there were obstacles, but I rose above them. When I felt like it was time to pack it in, I dug down deep and kept going. I wasn't going to quit no matter how tough it was.

I did the things that I hated doing the most in order to reach my goals. Training when I wanted to sleep, eating when I wanted to rest, going to bed when I wanted to stay awake. I watched as months went by, and my size continued to improve. I was finally walking around with my head up high. I kept on training and I kept on improving.

There was no letting up.

Even to this day, I'm still training, and I'm still improving. I can truly say that bodybuilding has been the greatest choice I've ever made in my entire life. It has changed me from the inside out.

I am now confident with the way I look. I don't hide behind baggy clothes anymore, nor am I reluctant to take my shirt off. I feel strong, powerful and healthy. My life has completely changed for the better. Words cannot describe the feeling of being in great shape. I now know that I am able to set a goal and reach it.

If you're thinking about getting into bodybuilding or if you're just starting out, one piece of advice I can give you is do not quit. No matter what happens, do NOT quit. Bodybuilding will do so much for you, and you will be eternally grateful if you continue.

There is nothing like it.

It teaches self-discipline, builds character and pushes you to your utmost limits. There is just so much you will get in return, I can't even tell you.

If you're ready to take a stand and finally achieve the powerful, muscular body you desire, visit my website by clicking the link below. I'll show you exactly how I did it, and how you can follow the same path...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/ No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months:

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Muscle Building From Home?

Sean Nalewanyj gives his opinion on wether you can do muscle building from home? If Yes, then how and what all things do you need to take care off! A must for those looking to setup their home gym.

 

Muscle-Building Success From Home: Can It Be Done?

“Do I have to join a gym in order to build a strong, muscular body?”

The answer, my friend, is no. With the right equipment and planning you can follow an equally effective bodybuilding program from the comfort of your home without ever having to set foot in a gym.

In fact, my first 2 years of bodybuilding were spent working out with basic equipment in my basement, and I saw incredible results doing this.

Maybe you can't afford a gym membership due to your financial situation.

Maybe you lead a busy lifestyle and would prefer to save time by training at home.

Maybe you're simply too embarrassed or uncomfortable to train in a regular gym setting at the moment.

Whatever your reason, don't worry!

I currently workout at a gym with my training partner but have to say that my years spent lifting at home were fantastic.

I didn't have to worry about the travel time to and from the gym. I could simply slip downstairs whenever I felt like it and all of my equipment was there waiting for me.

I could listen to whatever music I wanted to, as loud as I wanted to without having to worry about those around me.

I could grunt, yelp and scream through my sets if I was in the mood without disturbing anyone (hey, squatting to failure isn't easy okay?) or train shirtless if I felt like it.

When the workout was over, I could sprawl out on the floor in exhaustion and know that my post workout shakes were just a few steps away, and that I wouldn't have to hobble to my car and spend anymore time driving home.

It was great.

The only real disadvantage is that your exercise selection will decrease because you won't have access to certain pieces of machinery such as a leg press or calf machine. You can purchase certain machines if you have the money to spend and plan on training at home over the long term, but for the majority of people this simply won't be possible.

The good news is that planning out a proper bodybuilding routine does not require the use of any fancy equipment, and all of the machine exercises that you would regularly perform can be swapped for freeweight substitutions.

Here is the basic equipment that your home gym should contain:

1) An adjustable barbell with freeweight plates – A cast iron set is probably a good idea, and you must also make sure that you purchase enough weight so that you can continually progress from week to week.

2) Adjustable dumbbells – This is much more efficient and cost-effective than purchasing an entire set of dumbbells. You should be able to buy the barbell and dumbbells together in a single set.

3) A bench with incline adjustments – A good sturdy bench is a must-have for performing bench presses and other seated movements. If possible you should purchase a bench that can be set on an incline and that also contains safety catches if you plan on training alone.

4) A chin-up bar – These can usually be purchased for 15-20 dollars and can be placed inside of a door frame.

5) A squat rack – This is usually the trickiest piece of equipment to purchase, as a full squat rack can be pricey. Squats are an irreplaceable movement and should always be a part of your workout routine, especially if you don't have a leg press machine handy.

If you can't afford a squat rack then you'll have to be creative. The bottom line is that you must have some sort of apparatus that will allow you to safely unrack a loaded bar and drop the bar onto a safety catch (or the floor) if your strength gives out during the lift.

Don't ever squat without a safe place to drop the bar! Most full squat racks will also provide a chin-up bar on top, so you can kill 2 birds with one stone if you decide to purchase one.

So there you have it; the 5 pieces of basic equipment that are needed to set up a home gym. As long as you have these basic tools in your arsenal you can perform an equally effective workout without ever having to join a traditional gym.

If you're all set to go and need a highly effective, step-by-step workout routine to follow, visit my webpage below. I can teach you exactly which exercises to perform and the ideal number of workout days, sets and reps you should use to get maximum results from your efforts. I can even customize a specific workout plan for you based on the equipment that is available in your home gym...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/ No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months:

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Tips On Staying Injury Free From Sean Nalewanyj

 

Sean Nalewanyj's Five Golden Rules On Staying Injury Free In Gym

 

The 5 Golden Rules Of Staying Injury-Free In The Gym


Listen, if you want to get big, you have to train big.

Entering the gym and simply going through the motions without a sweat just isn’t going to get the job done. You have to overload those muscles with heavy weight and high intensity if you want to see real results. This is without a doubt the most effective means of stimulating muscular growth.

Muscles grow due to a natural adaptive survival response, and if you don’t give them a damn good reason to grow, well, they won’t.

While training hard and heavy may be awesome for your muscles, it can be trouble for the health of your joints and connective tissue. This is simply the reality of intense weight training, and while there are no guarantees that you will be able to completely avoid getting injured, you can certainly take specific steps to lessen the chance.

An injury is the absolute last thing you could ever hope for, as it will stop you dead in your muscle-building tracks.

Down below I’m going to outline my “5 golden rules” when it comes to minimizing the risk of injury. If you can honestly say that you implement all 5 of these into your training program, then your risk of getting hurt will be much lower than someone who does not.

1) Always perform a thorough warmup.

A proper warmup is the single best thing you can do to minimize your risk of injury. This simple 15-20 minute process will prepare your mind and body for the hard work to come by increasing blood flow into the surrounding connective tissue and by lubricating your joints. I would recommend that you perform 5 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise before each workout followed by 4-5 warmup sets for your first major exercise of the routine.

2) Always train with proper form.

This should go without saying. Every exercise that you perform in the gym should be done with proper form and technique in order to keep the stress off of your joints. If you start squatting or deadlifting with a rounded back, jerking the weights around in a ballistic manner or performing dangerous exercises you are almost guaranteed to hurt yourself at some point.

3) Always train within your own personal limits.

Weightlifting is a personal battle, and letting your ego take over is almost always a recipe for disaster. It doesn’t matter what the guy next to you is benching and it is completely irrelevant to your training program. You must always use weights that you can handle and control with proper form, and if you start piling on the plates to impress the people around you, you’ll be stretching your limits and putting yourself in a very vulnerable position.

4) Always know when to quit.

If you cannot complete another rep of an exercise using proper form, the set is over, plain and simple. Put the weight down and rest up for your next set. If you start using huge amounts of momentum and jerky body motions to crank out a couple of extra reps, you’ll be on the sidelines before you know it.

5) Never ignore your aches and pains.

When you’re motoring along through a training program and are making progress from week to week, the idea of quitting just seems impossible. This can sometimes lead us to ignore those obvious injuries and pretend as if they aren’t really there as we often “work through” the pain and hope that it magically disappears.

More often than not, it will only get worse. If you feel that something definitely isn’t right and can sense that you probably shouldn’t be training, gGet the problem checked out by a professional and then take the proper measures to heal. While it may hurt your progress in the short term, the overall long-term effect will be a positive one.

You can learn even more details about keeping your joints and connective tissues healthy for years to come by visiting my website using the link below. I'll teach you the specific way to perform a proper weightlifting warmup, which will not only greatly decrease your chances of injury but will also result in virtually instant strength increases for your major exercises...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/ No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months:

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Sean Nalewanyj - How To Boost Your Testosterone Production

 

10 Simple Steps To Skyrocket Your Natural Testosterone Production

- Sean Nalewanyj


If there is one substance that could be considered the "holy grail" of muscle growth, testosterone would be it.

Quite simply, testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body and is one of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle you can ultimately build. Here is just a small handful of the many amazing benefits that increased testosterone levels will provide you with...

- Increased muscle size and strength.
- Decreased body fat levels.
- Increased sex drive and sexual endurance.
- Improved mood.
- Decreased levels of "bad" cholesterol.

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Well it is, and in this article I'm going to outline 10 simple steps to naturally raise your testosterone levels and achieve all of these incredible benefits. While these steps will not result in "steroid-like" muscle gains, they will definitely contribute to your overall bottomline results.

1) Use compound exercises as the cornerstone of your workouts. I’m talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. These exercises will place your muscles under the greatest amount of stress in the gym and will force your body to increase testosterone production.

2) Always train with 100% effort and intensity. If you want to see real muscle gains, you must be willing to push yourself to the limit in the gym. Again, greater muscular stress in the gym translates to higher testosterone output.

3) Train your legs equally as hard as your upper body. As you may already be aware, intense leg training can actually stimulate growth in your chest, back and arms. This is due in part to the increase in testosterone that leg training induces.

4) Increase your EFA consumption. Essential Fatty Acids from sources such as peanuts, avocadoes, fish and healthy oils like flax seed, olive and canola are a great way to naturally boost testosterone levels.

5) Reduce your intake of soy. Soy protein raises the body’s levels of estrogen (the main female hormone) and this has a direct negative effect on testosterone levels.

6) Limit your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to have quite a dramatic effect on testosterone levels, so try to limit your "binge drinking" nights and keep your alcohol consumption in moderation.

7) Increase your dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts have all been shown to dramatically reduce estrogen levels, thereby raising testosterone.

8) Lower your daily stress levels. Being overly stressed stimulates the release of “cortisol”, a highly catabolic hormone that will cause your testosterone levels to plummet.

9) Increase your sexual activity. Sexual stimulation causes the body to increase the production of oxytocin which increases endorphin production (the "feel-good" chemical), and this also raises testosterone.

10) Make sure to get adequate sleep every night. A lack of sleep contributes to cortisol production, and this will lower your testosterone levels.

Start implementing these techniques on a consistent basis and you should experience a noticeable increase in your muscle size and strength gains.

To learn more insider techniques for building a powerful, muscular body, I strongly suggest paying a visit to my website by clicking the link below. You can sign up for my free muscle-building email course to learn even more great tips...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Friday, December 21, 2007

Sean Nalewanyj On How To Train More Effectively

 

Gain More Muscle By Training Less Often

- Sean Nalewanyj


The more work you put into something, the better results you will achieve. This has always been a widely accepted truth that applies to most areas in life.

The harder you study, the better grades you will achieve. The more time you spend fine-tuning your athletic skills, the better athlete you will become. The longer you spend learning to play an instrument, the better musician you will become.

Therefore, it only makes sense that the more time you spend in the gym, the stronger and more muscular your physique will become, correct?

Contrary to what you might think, the answer to this question is a gigantic, definite, absolute no! It is in this area of bodybuilding that conventional wisdom goes straight out the window, down the street and around the corner.

I know what you might be asking yourself…

“What? Spending less time in the gym will actually make me bigger and stronger?”

The answer is yes! It really will, and when we examine the muscle-growth process from its most basic roots, it becomes quite clear why this is the case.

Every single process that occurs within the human body is centered around keeping you alive and healthy. Through thousands of years of evolution the human body has become quite a fine-tuned organism that can adapt well to the specific conditions that are placed upon it.

We become uncomfortable when we are hungry or thirsty, we acquire a suntan when high amounts of UV rays are present, we build calluses to protect our skin, etc.

So what happens when we break down muscle tissue in the gym?

If you answered something to the effect of "the muscles get bigger and stronger", then congratulations! You are absolutely correct. By battling against resistance beyond the muscle's present capacity we have posed a threat to the musculature. The body recognizes this as potentially harmful and as a natural adaptive response the muscles will hypertrophy (increase in size) to protect the body against this threat. As we consistently increase the workload from week to week the body will continue to adapt and grow.

Sound simple?

Ultimately it is, but the most important thing to realize in relation to all of this is that the muscles can only grow bigger and stronger if they are provided with sufficient recovery time. Without the proper recovery time, the muscle growth process simply cannot take place.

Your goal in the gym should be to train with the minimum amount of volume needed to yield an adaptive response. Once you have pushed your muscles beyond their present capacity and have triggered your thousand-year-old evolutionary alarm system, you have done your job. Any further stress to the body will simply increase your recovery time.

Most people train way too often and with far more sets than they really need to. High intensity weight training is much more stressful to the body than most people think. The majority of people structure their workout programs in a manner that actually hinders their gains and prevents them from making the progress that they deserve.

Here are 3 basic guidelines that you should follow if you want to achieve maximum gains:

1) Train no more than 3 days per week.
2) Do not let your workouts last for longer then 1 hour.
3) Perform 5-7 sets for large muscle groups (chest, back, thighs) and 2-4 sets for smaller muscle groups (shoulders, biceps, triceps, calves, abs).

Take all sets to the point of muscular failure and focus on progressing in either weight or reps each week. If you truly train hard and are consistent, training more often or any longer than this will be counterproductive to your gains.

To learn how to combine all of these principles into an effective step-by-step routine, click the link below and visit my website for details. You can gain instant access to my renowned "26-Week Workout Plan" as well as a full printable logbook that you can take to the gym with you...

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Sean Nalewanyj: Advice On Multivitamins

 

Multivitamins: A Necessary Muscle-Building Supplement Or A Waste Of Cash?

- Sean Nalewanyj


One of the most currently debated issues in the supplement industry is in relation to the consumption of multivitamins and the role that they play in enhancing overall health both in and out of the gym.

Can bodybuilders benefit by supplementing with extra vitamins and minerals? Let's review some basic biology as well as the function of each specific vitamin in order to find the answer...

In the grand scheme of things, your body is basically one giant mass of chemical reactions. Each of these individual reactions is fueled by small proteins called enzymes, which work by lowering the amount of energy that is needed for a specific reaction to occur. Enzymes require the use of a "co-enzyme" which alters its shape and allows it to perform its job properly. Co-enzymes are also referred to as vitamins.

So when it all comes down it, vitamins are needed to fuel the thousands of chemical reactions going on within your body at all times. Not only does this play an important role in overall metabolism and body health, but it also plays a vital part in the muscle-building process.

Here is a list of the major vitamins and the ways in which they will aid you both in and out of the gym...

Vitamin A - Is crucial to the process of protein synthesis where individual amino acids are combined to form new muscle tissue. It also helps the body to produce glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrates within the body.

Vitamin B1 - Also known as "thiamine" and is heavily involved in protein metabolism as well as the production of hemoglobin which helps to carry oxygen around the body.

Vitamin B2 - Also known as "riboflavin" and aids in the fat burning process as well as helping the body to produce energy from carbohydrates.

Vitamin B3 - Also known as "niacin" and increases vasodilation within the muscle tissue, helping you to appear fuller and more vascular.

Vitamin B6 - Also known as "pyridoxine" and is very important because of its effect on protein digestion. Muscle-building diets require larger than normal amounts of protein, and this means that your body needs a higher amount of vitamin B6 than the average Joe.

Vitamin B12 - Also known as "cobalamin", vitamin b12 ensures that the brain and muscle tissue are communicating efficiently and this has a direct effect on muscle growth and coordination.

Biotin - Helps the body metabolize amino acids and produce energy during workouts.

Vitamin C - Heavily involved in amino acid metabolism and the formation of collagen. Collagen is found in your connective tissue and keeps your joints strong and healthy. Vitamin C also plays a role in the production of steroid hormones in the body and also enhances the absorption of iron. On top of all of this, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which flushes out free radicals and prevents damage to your body cells.

Vitamin D - Helps the body to absorb calcium and phosphorus more efficiently. Calcium is very important during muscle contractions and also helps to maintain strong bones and joints. Phosphorus is involved in the synthesis of ATP, the usable form of energy within the body.

Vitamin E - A very powerful antioxidant which helps to hunt out and neutralize free radicals. This will help to flush out many of the natural metabolic waste products your body produces and maintain the health of your cell membranes.

As you can clearly see above, vitamins play a very important role when it comes to building muscle and gaining strength. Hard training bodybuilders certainly require higher amounts of these vitamins than the average sedentary Joe, as these vitamins are depleted during intense sessions in the gym.

In addition, a calorie-dense diet requires a higher intake of vitamins to aid in the digestion process. In fact, being deficient in just one vitamin can literally affect thousands of small process within the body.

So, are multivitamins necessary for bodybuilders?

Absolutely!

From protein synthesis to energy metabolism to digestion to vasodilation, multivitamins should be an important part of any effective supplementation plan.

For an honest, unbiased review of over 20 of the most popular muscle-building supplements on the market today, visit my website by clicking the link below. You'll learn which supplements are worth your money and which are no more than pure marketing hype...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Monday, December 17, 2007

Sean Nalewanyj Advice On Fiber Intake

 

3 Reasons Why Bodybuilders Need More Fiber

- Sean Nalewanyj


Most people understand that fiber plays an important role in the overall health and wellness of the body, but this form of carbohydrate is actually quite beneficial to bodybuilders as well.

Fiber is found in the cell walls of plants and can be obtained from food sources such as fruits, vegetables, oat bran, beans, grains and psyllium. Because of its chemical structure, fiber is indigestible to humans and remains completely intact as it travels through the body. It is actually a carbohydrate, but acts differently since it cannot be broken down into its basic glucose building blocks.

If fiber can't even be digested, what could possibly make it so important to bodybuilders? Well, even though fiber is considered a "nonessential" nutrient, it still plays an important role in building muscle, gaining strength and maintaining your overall health.

Fiber is most well known for its ability to induce regular bowel movements.

Why is this so important to bodybuilders?

Well, since you are trying to build as much muscle as possible, you will probably be consuming at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. One of the main sources of this protein will come from animal meat such as chicken and beef. The problem with this is that if meat stays in the digestive tract for too long it can produce toxins that pose long-term negative health consequences. An adequate amount of fiber each day will ensure that foods are moving along smoothly through your digestive system.

Fiber is also beneficial in its effect on slowing down the rate of gastric emptying. Gastric emptying is the process where foods are moved from the stomach to the small intestine. When you consume foods containing fiber, they become "gelled" in your stomach and slow down this process. The small intestine is where most nutrients are absorbed and pumped into the bloodstream. By slowing down the transfer of food to the small intestine your body will be able to extract the nutrients much more efficiently. This "timed-release" effect will also keep your body in an anabolic state for longer and decrease the chances of muscle catabolism setting in.

Along with its digestive benefits, fiber has also been known to regulate blood sugar levels. This will result in a more gradual release of sugars into the bloodstream and will decrease the chances of unnecessary insulin spikes and unwanted fat storage. This will also allow your body to increase its natural production of this powerful anabolic hormone without having to increase the consumption of simple carbohydrates.

As you can see, fiber is a fairly important carbohydrate form to incorporate into your diet. I would highly recommend that you focus on consuming around 25-35 grams of fiber each day for maximum benefits.

To learn the complete inside scoop on proper muscle-building nutrition, go ahead and visit my website by clicking the link below. You'll learn everything you need to know to structure the most effective nutrition plan possible in order to maximize your muscle and strength gains. You can also download my "Empowered Nutrition Mass-Building Meal Plans" to take all of the guesswork out of your diet...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Sean Nalewanyj's Writes About His Own Journey !

 

From Skinny To Muscular: My Bodybuilding Journey

- Sean Nalewanyj


If there was ever one thing that I wanted to change about myself, it was my body. At a mere 125 pounds I felt insecure, weak, and would do just about anything to pack some muscle onto my skinny frame. I would look at other guys and think, "why can't I just feel average?" Forget being strong and muscular, I just wanted to feel like I wasn't a toothpick compared to everyone else.

I probably took things too far, and maybe I wasn't as thin as I imagined, but it didn't matter. In my eyes I was nothing. Afraid to show my arms, or take my shirt off, my confidence was down in the dumps.

...But then it happened. One day when I was looking in the mirror, I realized just how unhappy I was with the way I looked. I realized that I could never be truly happy on the inside until I was happy with myself on the outside. Something inside of head just sort of "snapped".

It was as if my mind had taken a 180 degree turn.

It was on that very day that I decided it was time to change. This time I meant business. No more sitting around whining to myself and complaining about my small frame; it was time to put all the talk aside and get to work.

Talking builds no muscles.

No matter how difficult it was, how long it took, or how many obstacles came my way, I was going to change. I was going to get huge, and there was nothing that would stop me. It was there that my journey from point A to point B began.

After filling my head with every possible piece of bodybuilding literature I could get my hands on, I started putting the techniques to use. After several months of trial and error experimention, I was finally able to narrow it down and figure out what worked and what didn't.

It was really hard at first, but I stuck with it. There were many times when working out would be the last thing I felt like doing, but it didn't matter; I dragged my ass to the gym and lifted. I remembered the promise that I had made to myself, and that was all I needed to keep going.

I started gaining weight. After the first few months I'd put on a solid, muscular 15 pounds. My hard work and persistence was already paying off.

So I pressed on.

I kept on training and I kept on eating. I refused to be defeated; to give up and go back to the way I was. Workout after workout, week after week, month after month, and I was still training. Sure, I experienced bumps in the road. Inevitably there were obstacles, but I rose above them. When I felt like it was time to pack it in, I dug down deep and kept going. I wasn't going to quit no matter how tough it was.

I did the things that I hated doing the most in order to reach my goals. Training when I wanted to sleep, eating when I wanted to rest, going to bed when I wanted to stay awake. I watched as months went by, and my size continued to improve. I was finally walking around with my head up high. I kept on training and I kept on improving.

There was no letting up.

Even to this day, I'm still training, and I'm still improving. I can truly say that bodybuilding has been the greatest choice I've ever made in my entire life. It has changed me from the inside out.

I am now confident with the way I look. I don't hide behind baggy clothes anymore, nor am I reluctant to take my shirt off. I feel strong, powerful and healthy. My life has completely changed for the better. Words cannot describe the feeling of being in great shape. I now know that I am able to set a goal and reach it.

If you're thinking about getting into bodybuilding or if you're just starting out, one piece of advice I can give you is do not quit. No matter what happens, do NOT quit. Bodybuilding will do so much for you, and you will be eternally grateful if you continue.

There is nothing like it.

It teaches self-discipline, builds character and pushes you to your utmost limits. There is just so much you will get in return, I can't even tell you.

If you're ready to take a stand and finally achieve the powerful, muscular body you desire, visit my website by clicking the link below. I'll show you exactly how I did it, and how you can follow the same path...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Monday, December 10, 2007

Sean Nalewanyj Writes About Lifelong Bodybuilding

A Critical Bodybuilding Truth: No Journey Is Perfect - Sean Nalewanyj


I'm a perfectionist.

When I want something done, I want it done right. I want to pour all of my focused effort into it until it's perfect and without flaws.

When something goes wrong, I get frustrated. I'll still be willing to work hard at it, but when things don't go exactly as planned it can drive me crazy.

After years and years of serious and consistent training in the gym, I've realized that this way of thinking can be disastrous for a natural bodybuilder.

If you're serious about achieving a strong, muscular physique, leave your perfectionist attitude at the door. Perfectionism does not exist in bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is not a project that you work hard on for a set amount of time, finish, and then sit back and admire.

Bodybuilding is an ongoing, lifelong process filled with ups and downs, triumphs and setbacks, peaks and recessions. You're never finished working. There is no point B. It takes hard, focused effort to build muscle, and it takes hard, focused effort to maintain it.

Hard work in the gym and dedication to your eating plan is a continual price you must pay in exchange for the dream body you want to build or maintain.

So if you're getting ready to begin a bodybuilding program or have been training for some time now, you must sit back and make some realizations about your awaiting/continuing journey.

You must realize that no journey is perfect.

If you're expecting to eat and train consistently without any problems or setbacks, you're in for a huge disappointment. Those who expect perfection from their programs are doomed for frustration, because a perfect program does not exist.

This is one of the fine lines that separates the champions from the wannabes; the line that separates those who experience long term success from those who die and fall off along the way. You must treat your setbacks as an inevitable part of the entire muscle-building process.

Sometimes you'll be at your peak and will be marching your way to new grounds of success, and other times your progress will be receding and moving backwards because of various factors, many of which will be beyond your control.

All kinds of bumps in the road will present themselves along the way…

There will be times when you catch a cold or flu and lose 10 pounds.

There will be times when you go on vacation and have limited access to a gym or to proper bodybuilding foods.

There will be times where you are struck down with an injury and will have to take time away from the gym.

There will be times where you skip meals.

There will be times where you skip workouts.

There will be times when you give in to temptations that will harm your bodybuilding progress.

There will be times when your motivation dips down and you'll question your entire purpose and whether or not the whole bodybuilding thing is even worth it.

This is the reality of it all, and as a serious natural bodybuilder for many years I can say with certainty that all of the above scenarios have presented themselves to me on many, many occasions.

The difference between a successful bodybuilder and an unsuccessful one is in the way that they handle adversity.

Both your progress and motivation will rise and fall along the way, but will you make a stand and accept these swings for what they are, and continue training hard despite them? Or will you piss and pout and toss in the towel when things don't go your way?

You must accept that no journey is perfect. You are a human being, and you will make blunders along the way.

Whether or not you choose to accept and implement this way of thinking will make the difference between long term success and failure.

Successful lifters get thrown into holes and dig themselves out. Unsuccessful lifters get discouraged and remain buried.

After years and years of training, I've seen more people come and go in the gym than I could possibly begin to count. But despite this, I'm still here.

Will you be?

If you've got what it takes to make a stand and take control of your body, visit my website below for details on how you can accomplish this as quickly and efficiently as possible using a simple, step-by-step system I've devised over many years of successful training in the gym…

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Friday, December 7, 2007

Sean Nalewanyj - Alcohol & Bodybuilding

 

5 Reasons Why Alcohol Will Destroy Your Muscle Gains

- Sean Nalewanyj


I receive emails every single day from aspiring muscle-builders all over the world, and one of the most common questions I’m asked is...

“Does drinking really affect the muscle growth process?”

I’m sorry to say it, but yes, too much alcohol will almost definitely have a significant negative impact on your muscle-building results. Alcohol is far more harmful than most people think, and it’s very important that you understand how this drug (yes, alcohol is a drug) is affecting your progress.

This is not an anti-drug speech, but if you’re serious about achieving a truly impressive physique, you should definitely be aware of the 5 main ways that alcohol is slowing down your gains…

1) It negatively affects protein synthesis.

Protein synthesis is the process where amino acids are joined together to form complete proteins. Excessive alcohol consumption slows this process down by up to 20%, and since your muscles are made up of protein, you can see how this is a problem.

2) It lowers testosterone levels and increases estrogen.

Testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body. One of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can gain is their level of free-flowing testosterone.

3) It causes dehydration.

The kidneys must filter very large amounts of water in order to break down the alcohol, and this can result in severe dehydration within the body. Water plays an absolutely crucial role in the muscle-building process, and being even slightly dehydrated is a recipe for disaster. The muscles alone are comprised of 70% water.

4) It depletes the body of vitamins and minerals.

Alcohol consumption causes vitamins A, C, the B's, calcium, zinc and phosphorus to all be drained at rapid rates. Vitamins and minerals keep every little process in your body functioning properly, and many of these processes involve muscle growth and maintenance.

5) It increases fat storage.

With 7 empty calories per gram, alcohol can actually be quite fattening. Alcohol also disrupts the Kreb’s Cycle, which plays an important role in fat burning.

It’s important to have fun in life, but too much fun can lead to problems. If you’re serious about achieving significant muscle-building results, you definitely need to monitor your intake of alcohol and make sure that you are consuming it in moderation.

A few drinks here and there shouldn’t be a problem, but if you find yourself drinking every weekend you can almost certainly kiss your muscle gains goodbye.

If you do decide to go out and party, make sure to drink plenty of water and to properly nourish yourself with vitamins/minerals and a protein rich meal.

I don’t recommend revolving your entire life around your muscle-building program, so don’t be afraid to go out and have a good time once in a while. Just make sure to keep your drinking nights infrequent (no more than once a month) and properly nourish yourself to lessen its effects. As long as you monitor what you’re doing you can achieve an impressive physique and have a social life at the same time.

Learn how to avoid other common, counterproductive mistakes both in and out of the gym by clicking the link below and visiting my website...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

VISIT

http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Online Weight Training Program is the Practical Choice

You may be surprised to find that things like free online weight training program webpages are in existence. Why would anyone want to offer this sort of information for free? A lot of people want to lose weight. There are some people who want to gain weight, but they, too, would gladly pay for a good personal trainer who could help them get to their weight objectives. A good weight training program in book, audio CD or DVD format would sell quickly!

On the other hand, there's more to gaining weight than simply eating more. Some people have overactive metabolisms, or even physical ailments, which ensure that they do not gain weight despite their best efforts. They may be unhappy with their bodies and wish to look fuller, healthier. In such cases, weight training for bulking up certain muscles would be called for.

 

There are a few things that you can do to try to gain more muscle and I believe that if you have a plan even the toughest of hardgainers can still gain a few pounds in a couple of months. As you know most bodybuilders not on roids can only gain about two pounds a month but if you make radical changes then you can gain weight rather quickly for a short amount of time.

 

1. The key to gaining muscle is to conserve your energy in an almost slothlike style. When as a hardgainer you are doing your workout try to get the most muscle fibers working in the least number of sets and reps.

2. Skip the cardio. Even though you know that you are trying to get yourself in better shape you still want to keep the cardio out of your workout. As you do cardio workouts your hard earned muscle is going to disappear as you lose your fat…but you do not have any fat to speak of do you?

 

 

The Nerve of those Muscle Cells

Perhaps the most likely explanation of muscle memory involves the neurons (nerve cells) that stimulate your muscles. These neurons tell all the muscle fibers (muscle cells) they innervate to contract. But, depending on the amount of weight being lifted, only a small percentage of neurons innervating a particular muscle may be recruited to stimulate their fibers. More weight on the bar – more neurons involved and more fibers stimulated. Simple enough, right?

Here’s something really interesting. Even during maximal voluntary contraction (attempting your max on any lift), you’re still not recruiting all the muscle fibers in your working muscles. In fact, it is this discrepancy between the percentage of fibers we normally recruit and what we theoretically can recruit (100%) that may account for those rare, but documented feats of superhuman strength.

What has that got to do with muscle memory? Well, one way your muscles may adapt to the stresses of consistent training is to increase over the long run the total percentage of fibers recruited during maximal and near-maximal lifts. Here’s the possible scenario:

 

Another possible explanation of muscle memory concerns certain changes in your muscles that regular training may produce. Your muscles may adapt in two ways that could translate into faster gains during retraining. First, you may be able to increase the capillary bed surrounding muscle cells, creating a greater blood supply to the working muscle. If this happens, and many scientists believe it does, you would then be able to enhance the nutrient (glucose, branch-chain amino acids, etc.) availability to the muscle cell. Also, you might remove the waste products of repeated muscular work and energy production (lactic acid, heat hydrogen ions, etc.) at a faster rate. Since these waste products can limit performance, with the increased capillary bed, you would be in a position to train harder and longer.

 

So which workout is best for size? Close-Grip Bench Press, Dips, and Lying Tricep Extensions. They all let you move heavy weights. My #1 pick is the close-grip bench press because I can feel it the most on my triceps. The Close-Grip is also excellent in building strength. For close-grip bench press, put your hands 6-7 inches apart on the barbell so it focuses on your triceps. For lying tricep extension, use an EZ bar, and hold the bar using the closer grip. Pick 2 out of the 3 workouts to do for bulking up your triceps. Doing all 3 will most likely lead to overtraining, which is very bad for muscle development.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Articles By Sean Nalewanyj: Why Inadequate Rest Between Sets

Bobby finishes a hard, focused set of barbell squats and re-racks the weight. His legs are wobbly, his heart is racing and he feels light headed as he takes a big swig from his water bottle. He looks down at his watch and presses the “start” button to begin counting down backwards from 2 minutes.

Bobby read that 2 minutes is the ideal rest time between sets in the gym, and he wants to get it exact. Once that watch beeps at the 2 minute mark, he'll be back in the squat rack to perform another set.

He stands up tall and paces around trying to catch his breath in preparation for his next battle with the weights.

*Beep*

2 minutes is up. His legs still feel weak, his heart still beats frantically and he doesn't quite feel 100%, but that watch beeped and that means his time is up. He must perform his next set regardless of how he feels.

He unracks the weight and squats down. His legs still burn and he wishes that he could have had more time to prepare for this set. He puts forth a mediocre effort, re-racks the bar, and sets his watch for another 2 minutes.

Bobby, just like a ton of other aspiring lifters in the gym, is making a deadly, critical mistake.

By having a set rest interval between sets, he is forcing his body to train at an effort level that is far less than his maximum potential and is severely sacrificing the amount of muscle growth he can ultimately stimulate because of this.

Muscles grow because of an adaptive response to stress. You lift X amount of weight for Y number of reps, and your body adapts to this level of stress. In order to see continual gains in muscle size, you must continually force X and Y to higher and higher levels.

In other words, building muscle is all about progression in both weight and reps. It is about lifting as much weight as you possibly can for the greatest number of reps that you possibly can (within a given rep range of course) and then continually striving to improve.

Because of this, you must always go into every single set of every single workout at your maximum strength potential. By sacrificing the amount of weight you can lift, you sacrifice the amount of muscle you can build. And there is no worse way to make this sacrifice than by not providing your body with enough rest between sets.

Throw out your stopwatch and forget about looking at the clock.

You should only begin your next set when you feel that you can perform it with 100% of your strength potential. A stopwatch cannot tell you when that time has arrived; only you can by listening to your body and relying on your own instincts.

The set rest period theory is also highly flawed because it does not take into account the fact that certain exercises tax the body much more heavily than others and therefore require more rest between them.

A deadlift and a tricep pressdown aren't exactly in the same boat here. After a heavy set of deadlifts to failure I'll usually be resting for at least 5 minutes, often even more. A set of tricep pressdowns is obviously not as taxing and may only require a rest period of 2.5 minutes for me to feel fully recovered.

Go on your instincts and only perform your next set when you feel that you can do so with 100% of your strength. Implementing just this one training technique can have a drastic effect on your muscle size and strength gains.

What about proper rep ranges? Workout length? Exercise selection and layout? For more details on proper workout structure make sure to visit my website below for exclusive details. Most people are dead-wrong in the way that they perform their workouts, and I can help you to clear up the confusion once and for all...



www.musclegaintruth.com - Official Website of Sean Nalewanyj

The above article has been contributed by Sean Nalewanyj

Friday, January 12, 2007

Sean Nalewanyj 's Article On Mental Technique

 

8 Sure-Fire Mental Techniques For Blocking Out Training Discomfort

- Sean Nalewanyj


Let’s face it; intense weight training is no easy task. It’s no secret that if you want to see dramatic results in both muscle size and strength, you must be willing to push yourself to the limit every time you enter the gym.

This is one of the biggest reasons why most people don’t see the muscle-building results they desire; they just plain don’t train hard enough. And why don’t they? Here’s why…

It’s painful. It’s uncomfortable. It’s downright gut wrenching.

Too bad, so sad, my friend, because if you want real muscle gains then you’ll have to rise above and conquer the natural feeling of pain that is associated with intense sessions in the gym.

Luckily there are a few special techniques you can use to “mentally numb” these feelings and to blast through the pain barriers that separate you from the gains you deserve. Give some of the following methods a try and I think you’ll be pleased with the results:

1) Life-Threatening Situations - In the middle of your set, transport yourself to a life-or-death situation where your life or someone else's life depends on your ability to move the weight. For example, when performing chin-ups you could pretend that you are hanging from a cliff, or while deadlifting you could imagine that you are rescuing someone who is trapped underneath a car.

2) Magnetic Force - Pretend that the weights you are using are powerful magnets that are being attracted in the opposite direction. If you're performing a bench press, imagine that the bar is a magnet being attracted to the ceiling.

3) Envision Your Muscles - Remember that your purpose in the gym is to break down your muscle fibers in order to trigger an adaptive response from your body. While performing your sets, visualize what is happening inside of your muscle tissue. Imagine the fibers tearing and being engorged with blood and nutrients and realize that these processes will equate to muscular growth.

4) Have Someone Watch You - I'm not talking about using a spotter here, I'm simply talking about having a friend or training partner watch you perform your set. We usually tend to push ourselves harder when we know that someone is watching.

5) Positive/Negative Force - For pushing exercises, imagine that you are moving something negative away from yourself. You can associate anything with this: someone you don't like, a negative emotion or something material. For pulling exercises, imagine that you are bringing something positive towards yourself. It could be money, someone you love or a positive feeling.

6) Set Ridiculous Goals - If you need to perform 7 reps on a given set, imagine that your goal is to perform 100. Don't just tell yourself this; believe it. As you begin to perform your set, truly convince yourself that you will perform 100 reps.

7) Close Your Eyes - This should only be applied on certain exercises that are very simple to perform. You definitely wouldn't want to employ this technique when squatting or deadlifting. On other, simpler exercises, try closing your eyes. This will block out all of your visual stimuli and will allow you to focus 100% on performing the exercise.

8) Pretend It's Someone Else's Pain - Training to failure is physically discomforting. While you are approaching muscular failure, pretend that the pain you are experiencing is also being felt by someone that you dislike. The harder you push, the more pain you will transfer to them. It may seem like a cold-blooded technique, but it works.

If you're ready to put these techniques to use in the gym, click the link below and visit my website. I'll teach you several more of these psychological strategies and will provide you with a step-by-step workout plan that you can follow...

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System".

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief... ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

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