8 Proven Strategies For Maximum Muscle Gains

There is so much conflicting information out there when it comes to the topic of building muscle, and sometimes it can be very difficult to know where to start. If you're an average beginner looking for some basic guidelines to follow in the gym, the following 8 points will start you off on the right track.

1) Train With Weights and Focus On Compound, Free Weight Movements.

If you want to make solid, noteworthy gains in muscle size and strength, you absolutely must train with free weights and focus on basic, compound exercises. A compound exercise is any lift that stimulates more than one muscle group at a time. Examples of these lifts are the squat, deadlift, bench press, chin up, barbell row, overhead press, dip, and lunge. Compound movements allow you to handle the most weight and will stimulate the greatest amount of total muscle fibers.

2) Be Prepared To Train Hard.

One of the biggest factors that separate those who make modest gains from those who make serious gains is their level of training intensity. In order to stimulate your muscle fibers to their utmost potential, you must be willing to take every set you perform in the gym to the point of muscular failure.

Muscular Failure: The point at which no further repetitions can be completed using proper form.

Sub-maximal training intensity will leave you with sub-maximal results, plain and simple.

3) Track Your Progress In The Gym From Week To Week.

Our bodies build muscle because of an adaptive response to the environment. When you go to the gym, you break down your muscle fibers by training with weights. Your body senses this as a potential threat to its survival and will react accordingly by rebuilding the damaged fibers larger and stronger in order to protect against any possible future threat. Therefore, in order to make continual gains in muscle size and strength, you must always focus on progressing in the gym from week to week. This could mean performing 1 or 2 more reps for each exercise or adding more weight to the bar. Keep a detailed training log to track your progress as your strength increases over time.

4) Avoid Overtraining.

Overtraining is your number one enemy when it comes to building muscle size and strength. When most people begin a workout program, they are stuck with the misguided notion that more is better. They naturally assume that the more time they spend in the gym, the better results they will achieve. When it comes to building muscle, nothing could be farther from the truth! If you spend too much time in the gym, you will actually take yourself farther away from your goals rather than closer to them. Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym; they grow out of the gym, while you are resting and eating. Recovery is absolutely vital to the muscle growth process. If you don’t provide your body with the proper recovery time in between workouts, your muscles will never have a chance to grow.

5) Eat More Frequently.

The main area where most people fail miserably on their muscle-building mission is the all-too-important task of proper nutrition. Training with weights is only half of the equation! You break down your muscle fibers in the gym, but if you don’t provide your body with the proper nutrients at the proper times, the muscle growth process will be next to impossible. You should be eating anywhere from 5-to 7 meals per day, spaced every 2-3 hours in order to keep your body in an anabolic, muscle-building state at all times. Each meal should consist of high-quality protein and complex carbohydrates.

6) Increase Your Protein Intake.

Of the 3 major nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) protein is without a doubt the most important for those who are looking to gain muscle size and strength. Protein is found in literally every single one of the 30 trillion cells that your body is made up of and its main role is to build and repair body tissues. Without sufficient protein intake, it will be physically impossible for your body to synthesize a significant amount of lean muscle mass. If your body were a house, think of protein as the bricks. A general guideline is to consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day from high-quality sources such as fish, poultry, eggs, beef, milk, peanut butter, and cottage cheese.

7) Increase Your Water Intake.

If you want a simple, easy, and highly effective way to maximize your muscle gains, drinking more water is it. Water plays so many vital roles in the body and its importance cannot be overstated. In fact, your muscles alone are made up of 70% water! Not only will drinking more water cause your muscles to appear fuller and more vascular, but it will also increase your strength as well. Research has shown that merely a 3-4% drop in your body’s water levels can impact muscle contractions by 10-20%! Aim to consume 0.6 ounces for every pound of body weight each day for optimal gains.

8) Be Consistent!

Consistency is everything. Those who make the greatest gains in muscular size and strength are the ones who are able to implement the proper techniques on a highly consistent basis. Simply knowing is not enough, you must apply!

Building muscle is a result of the cumulative effect of small steps. Sure, performing 1 extra rep on your bench press will not make a huge difference to your overall results, and neither will consuming a single meal. However, over the long haul, all of those extra reps you perform and all of those small meals you consume will decide your overall success. If you work hard and complete all of your muscle-building tasks in a consistent fashion, all of those individual steps will equate to massive gains in overall size and strength.

How-To Give A Fantastic Full Body Massage

Heres some tips on how to give a great, full body massage.

Turn off the computer, take the phone off the hook and dim the lights. Spark up some scented candles and turn on a little soft music. Grab a couple of sheets or soft towels one for your work space and one to cover your client. This is important because as skin is massaged, it causes blood flow into that area and that blow flow in turn, warms the skin. So in order to avoid a chill, cover up the areas that youre finished massaging. Also, because working on muscles causes all sorts of chemicals to be released into the body, many people feel thirsty after a massage so have some water on hand.

* Make sure to only massage muscle no stretching of the skin or digging into bone and organs. Remember that massages are for muscles below the skin – not for the skin itself.

* Massage the large muscle groups of the body which are basically the neck, back, shoulders and legs. This way, aside from massaging correctly, youre getting at the areas that store tension in the body.

* Use firm, even pressure, not too hard or forceful. Pressure that is too light or inconsistent, can be as uncomfortable as too much pressure so be sure to use an even degree.

* Always use a lubricant because they help to prepare and protect the skin.

• Begin the full body massage at the shoulders by kneading the muscles and gently pulling them towards you.
• Work across the shoulders to the neck using your thumbs and the tips of your fingers to work from the muscles, across and down the upper back. Watch your nails!
• Work down each arm separately finding the muscle groups in the front and back and kneading them gently. When you get to the hands, use your thumbs to work the palms. Don’t forget the other arm!
• Return to the upper back and work downwards to the middle of the back using your thumbs and fingertips to work from the center out and pushing upward.
• Continue working down the back to the hips.
• Massage the muscles of the upper thighs and down the back of the legs to the calves spending time kneading each one separately with both hands.
• Move to the foot, start with the heel and hold it firmly while pushing up toward the leg, then down and side-to-side. Work your thumbs on the under side of the foot with deep, slow pressure and also the balls of the feet and in between the toes.

If youre subjects asleep you did a great job!

Innovative Makeup Prevents Eye Irritation

Most women have experienced itchy, watery eyes, often attributing irritation and allergic reactions to their cosmetics. But contrary to that belief, mascaras and eyeliners flaking and running into the eyes – not allergies – cause most eye problems.

With this in mind, cosmetics companies such as Blinc Inc. uncovered new developments in eye makeup technology that have resolved these problems. Unlike most eyeliners and mascaras, Blinc’s Kiss Me Mascara and Kiss Me Eyeliner are acrylic-based, which means they cannot flake, smudge, clump or run. Blinc’s mascara and eyeliner are also free of damaging and irritating ingredients.

“The type of acrylic used in this eyeliner is also perfectly safe even in terms of allergy,” Dr. Frances J. Storrs, a professor emerita of dermatology at Oregon Health & Science University, said in a Prevention magazine article featuring Blinc’s eyeliner.

Some ophthalmologists are even recommending Kiss Me Mascara and Eyeliner to their patients who have sensitive eyes, wear contact lenses or recently had laser eye surgery.

Kiss Me Mascara forms tiny, water-resistant tubes around the lashes that can be removed with a combination of warm water and gentle friction. The similarly formulated Kiss Me Eyeliner creates a water-resistant layer of color on the lid that peels off with the mascara. No makeup removers are needed for these products.

Also important for maintaining healthy eyes is replacing your mascara and eyeliner regularly; the beauty industry recommends replacing eye makeup every 90 days to avoid bacteria build-up.

Similarly, cosmetics – especially eye makeup – should never be shared with others, as this can increase the spread of germs.

Many physicians also recommend that you preserve the health of your eyes through antioxidant- and lutein-rich supplements. One such product is Super Antioxidant with Macular Protection by Clinician’s Choice.

Is Bleaching the Best Method of Home Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is more than a fad, it’s a multi-billion-dollar industry that will see more than 10 millions Americans spend over (an estimated) $2 billion this year. Teeth whitening is by far the most common cosmetic service provided by dentists right across America, and the sales growth in mail-order and over-the-counter products has surged on a massive scale.

But are brilliant white teeth really achievable? Is teeth whitening safe? Does it hurt? What is the best method? Can you do it at home? These are all very common questions, and in general you will find the answers to be: Yes, Yes, Not normally, (arguably) Bleaching, Yes.

Whiter teeth can be achieved via a number of different methods, both at your dentist (or professional teeth whitening office) and at home. In fact, many dentists actually perform the first one or two treatments, then get you all kitted-up so you can do the rest at home. but that’s for the ‘bleaching’ methods, there are other avenues you can travel down in your quest for whiter teeth that involve structural changes to your teeth, like ‘bonding’ and ‘porcelain veneers’.

Bleach-based teeth whitening products all basically have the same goal – to penetrate deep into your tooth enamel to rid it of stains. Tooth enamel is porous, so brushing and scouring products don’t work, and this is where bleach-based tooth whitening products come into play. You see the most effective methods actually use bleaching chemicals to penetrate deep into the tooth enamel. They set off an oxidising process that breaks down the staining compounds in the enamel leaving you with bright white teeth. Sounds simple, but there are many products on the market that fall short of promises. Most over-the-counter products only ever manage to whiten teeth marginally, while the more professional products can provide you with extreme changes to the whiteness of your teeth.

The entry-level teeth whitening product would be a whitening toothpaste. Some people have demonstrated a slight improvement in brightness, but because a toothpaste isn’t exposed to your teeth for very long (you only brush for a few minutes), they typically are not able to penetrate deep enough to have much effect. Some toothpastes actually contain very strong chemicals that are aimed at working quickly (based on the short timeframe they are exposed to your teeth) and instead of working to penetrate the enamel and oxidise/clean the stains, they can actually work as an abrasive that will etch away the enamel.

Next in line we have whitening strips. Whitening Strips are thin, flexible pieces of plastic that have been coated on one side with a thin film of hydrogen-peroxide bleach (normally 6-10% strength). They are pressed against the top and lower teeth and normally need to be worn for 30 mins (twice daily) for 7-14 days. They do work, but because they cannot get into all the nooks and crannies and gaps between teeth, the results can sometimes be blotchy and less desirable than anticipated.

Getting more serious, we have bleach-based tooth whitening products which will involve a tray being placed in your mouth that has been injected with a ‘bleaching’ solution (hydrogen peroxide). This procedure can be done at home or by your dentist, or by a combination of dentist / at home. You can buy cheap over-the-counter ‘boil and bite’ trays that are virtually ready to use out of the packet. You boil the tray to get it hot and mouldable, place it in your mouth and bite into it. The end-result is a ‘partially’ moulded tray that is ready for use. The disadvantage of this type of tray is that it will not fit snugly which results in inconsistent results and leakage of the bleaching gel into your mouth and gums. Leakage of the bleach into the mouth is undesirable for obvious reasons, and smears on/around the gums can result in temporary (and even long terms) bleaching of the gums.

Professional systems see you being fitted out with a custom-fitting tray which is essential to assure proper bleaching and consistent results. Using a custom tray will almost definitely result in less leakage into you mouth and gums. Custom fitting trays can be acquired directly from your dentist or from various online specialists who have a DIY custom tray kit. With this type of system you actually get shipped all the necessary items to make an impression of your teeth so your own custom-fitting stray can be made. You basically make your impression with the items provided, place it in the preaddressed packing envelope and mail it off. They will make your customized bleaching trays in a certified laboratory and send them back to you within 2-7 business days… than all you need to do is apply the gel into the tray and put it in your mouth for the recommended periods.

The most important part of a teeth whitening system is the gel that is used. You can have an expensive custom-fitted tray (mouthpiece), but if you don’t have the right teeth whitening gel, you will spend far too much time with the tray in your mouth and or your results will not be as expected. To understand the differences between whitening gels and why they are considered as the best tooth whitener, it is preferable to understand exactly what they are made of, and what they actually do.

Most gels contain either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide, and some contain fillers and flavors. Carbamide peroxide actually breaks down into hydrogen peroxide in the mouth. Hydrogen peroxide is the active whitener (it’s the same chemical that will bleach your hair). The difference between most gels is the strength of the peroxide. Most gels these days are around 15% and up, with some of the most popular being around 22%. The strength of the peroxide obviously will play a determining factor in how long you need to leave the tray in your mouth, and tooth sensitivity can be a major part of deciding on what strength to use. But, in saying that, it is not actually the strength of the peroxide that usually causes sensitivity, but rather the length of time that the teeth are exposed to the chemical. That is why some people prefer to go for a higher strength (such as 22%) but use it for a shorter period of time. You can also get higher strengths like 35%, but these are only recommended for short ‘bursts’ of maintenance, perhaps monthly for periods of 15-30mins.

Other types of professional teeth whitening include bonding and porcelain veneers. These both involve actual structural change to your teeth. Bonding involves a composite resin that is moulded onto the teeth to change their color and to reshape them. The resin material can stain and chip over time. Bonding can usually be done in one office visit for $300-$700 per tooth. Porcelain veneers are shell-like facings that can be bonded onto stained teeth. They are used to reshape and/or lengthen teeth as well as to whiten. Veneers require at least two office visits and cost $700 to $1,200 per tooth.

You Need More Than Aerobic Exercise 

Getting in shape takes more than aerobic exercise. While aerobics are an important component of overall fitness, you also need to incorporate muscle building workouts several times a week to achieve a well-balanced exercise program.

The benefits of aerobics are well known. When you exercise aerobically you strengthen your heart muscle as well as your entire cardiovascular system. Muscle-building workouts fine-tune the body and make it better able to function and burn away fat.

There are two types of muscle-building workouts that will either allow you to gain muscle mass or tone your existing muscle. The goal of a low rep, high weight muscle-building workout is to increase muscle mass or plump up the muscle to its greatest volume. Lifting heavy weight causes the muscle fibers to swell and you will notice a significant increase in the mass of muscle under your skin. The goal of high rep, low weight muscle building workouts is to tone the muscle and make it stronger without a significant noticeable change in mass. Women often perform toning workouts in order to sculpt their muscles and make them appear more defined and bodybuilders select programs that allow them to increase mass.

When people begin new muscle-building workouts they expect results quickly. This is fine if your body is lean, to begin with. But if you have a high ratio of body fat to lean muscle, you will have to do aerobic cardiovascular exercises to burn off fat in combination with muscle-building workouts to build muscle in order to see the desired results. Eating a low-fat diet composed of lean proteins and low carbohydrates is also helpful in building muscle and reducing fat.

One of the benefits of muscle-building workouts, aside from larger and more toned muscles, is an increase in your body's ability to burn fat. Even when you are not exercising, your muscles continue to burn fat more effectively when you perform a regular fitness program that includes muscle-building workouts. Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and improves the function of the cardiovascular system which is important in delivering blood to your muscles. But to continuously burn fat you need a combination of both aerobic training and muscle building.

It is a misconception that by working out you are actually building additional muscle tissue. We are born with the highest number of muscle fibers we will ever have and that will never change. What you are trying to change through muscle building workouts is the appearance of the muscle tissue, bulking it up and making the fibers larger and more defined.