Important of Posing

The importance of posing

You have spent years constructing your physique and you must know how to show the fruits of your hard labour. Whether you are showing your physique to judges on contest day or simply posing in front of your friends at the gym, you should know how to display your body properly.

A great poser is not only one who can do break dances, robotic moves or a full split while still showing his muscles. A great poser is someone who can use posing to his best advantage, to show his strengths and hide his weaknesses to create an illusion of, for example, greater mass or greater shoulder-to-waist differential.

The Power of Illusion

How many times have you seen a well developed bodybuilder “die away” in a lineup because he cannot pose properly to display his muscle? I bet quite a few times and this is really a pity. I have personally seen massive bodybuilders looking really good when relaxed but look bad and awkward when starting to pose. I have also on many occasions seen competitors looking rather mediocre or blocky when standing relaxed but look startling and much bigger as soon as they start hitting poses.

Gentlemen, FLEX!!

In this series on posing we will show you the mandatory poses, what the judges are looking for in each pose and our personal notes on how to highlight your strengths, hide your weak points and what to avoid doing in each pose.  I will also show you pictures of how bodybuilders slightly “manipulate” each mandatory pose to their advantage. You will be stunned by the number of variations to each pose that bodybuilders use. For instance, Arnold, Kai Greene, Frank Zane and Toney Freeman each hit the front double biceps differently. 

Bottom line is bodybuilding is an exhibitionist sport and bad posing can “wreck” your physique.We suggest you to watch some of the posing by great bodybuilders below 

Posing By Kai Greene


Posing by a Russian Bodybuilder


Posing By Arnold Schwarzenegger

Workout Technics (Superset Series)

Study Parts of your Muscle

FULL VIEW OF BODY MUSCLE CHART

SHOULDER MUSCLE CHART

ARM (BICEP MUCLE CHART)

SIDE VIEW  BODY MUSCLE CHART

Health and Safety

JOINT HEALTH

Friends, Joint health is very crucial for weight training and bodybuilding longevity. We all know of someone who has busted his shoulder, elbow or knee joint through lifting weights. Indeed, our joints take a beating from years of heavy training (and training inappropriately) and injuries will hold you back and reduce your ability to perform certain key exercises 

At times the injury can be so severe that you may say good bye to your competitive plans. We will post some tips based on our own experience and what we have learned from others. You are very welcome to add your own experiences regarding joints and your personal comments.

Happy and safe lifting to everyone.

JOINT TIP: TO LOCK OUT OR NOT TO LOCK OUT?

Read the attached article carefully. Whether locking out is detrimental to joints or not has been subject to debate.

We have seen many people pause between reps or in the middle of a set in and let the joints bear the load. It can be seen especially on bench presses and leg presses whereby trainees allow the joint to “hyperextend”. This is not a wise practice. It can take a toll on the joints. We advise to proceed with caution when locking out. Advanced lifters know how to “lock”out to achieve peak contraction without straining the joints.

BAD ATTITUDE THAT YOU MUST AVOID

supplements is good in helping you to develop your body after hard workout and proper nutrition,but there are some people thinks that by taking supplement only their body and strength can develop.They even wont workout well and depend on supplementations only,that is very wrong and is a lunatic attitude.You need to workout very hard,eat a balance nutrition andthen only your supplements.Do you guys know taking supplement simply without following the proper waycan give "side effects" to your body.You just have to take the essential supplements needed by your body,following the proper way not taking it simply for pleasure

DONT BE A SUPERMAN IN THE GYM

Do you know there are some people who try to be superman in the gym.They cant lift heavy and they act smart by lifting heavy that their body cant take it.At last what happend,they might get injured or sometimes death occured.Dear friends always train safely in the gym,follow the proper and safe technics when you lift the weights.The strength will come to you all dont worry but train patiently.Number of weights its not important actually is the number of reps.if you cant lift that heavy but can do high reps,thats good also.If you wanna increase weight,increase with low weight first,then from step by step the strength will develop.You all must be extra carefull with this workouts

-Benchpress
-Military press
-Leg squats
-Leg press

Those workout mention above is very dangerous but it will be safe if you follow the proper and safe technics.We would like to apologize if this article is insulting.We want everyone to workout safely and no accidents occur.Always use a safety belt when you do any workout depending on your back like deadlift,back workouts,leg squats and so on.Train safe be safe

Nutrition Intake

Dear Members,

Building muscle demands great efforts both in the gym and in the kitchen and meal table as proper nutrition will account for your bodybuilding success or lack thereof.  Always think of the bicycle analogy. The two wheels of a bicycle represent training and nutrition. If one of the wheels is faulty or inadequate, the bicycle will be dysfunctional.  Likewise, training and nutrition are intimately related.

We know too many people who train really hard but fail to progress. In 99.9% of the time it is simply because their nutrition is inadequate.

We have been asked many nutrition questions by group membes, friends and customers alike, which has prompted me to write this article to enlighten readers on some of what we believe to be the golden rules of bodybuilding nutrition.  There can, of course, be many other important nutrition tips but the ones that I will elaborate on are those I feel are among the most important.

THE PERCENTAGE RULE

Very often we have heard or read about the contribution of nutrition to bodybuilding and sporting progress.  You will hear that nutrition is 60 or 80% of bodybuilding and the rest is divided into training and resting. We do not know how this percentage has been determined but it is grossly inaccurate. Its purpose is, however, to highlight the great importance that nutrition plays in determining progress.

We would rather say that bodybuilding is giving 100% in your training and giving 100% in your nutrition.

In other words, “train like a horse, eat like a horse and sleep like a baby”

v  S Solid food first, then Supplements

As a rule, most of your calories should come from solid meals. The rest can come from nutritional supplements.  Too many novice bodybuilders get carried away by nutritional supplements. Afterall, all magazines nowadays are filled with dozens of advertisement from nutrition companies featuring Mr. Olympia and IFBB Pros. The unaware bodybuilder gets easily misled by these colourful ads and hardcore sounding products.

Nitrotech Hardcore, Gold Standard Whey, Syntha-6, Myofusion all represent innovations in sports nutrition, true. Some time back, Whey was not even on the market. As a side note, Arnold Schwarzenegger did not have access to Whey protein, Glutamine, Creatine, Pre-workout or BCAAS. So think of how lucky modern bodybuilders are. Arnold and old time greats obtained most of their protein from solid food and some milkshakes prepared from milk and eggs.

Do not think that supplements can make up for poor eating. Your body can process protein from food better than supplements. Even if you use the best supplements but you don’t eat, you will never make progress, period. That is why food is called food and supplements are called supplements.

“You cannot get away by skipping a good solid balanced meal even if you drink Nitrotech, Mass Tech or Serious Mass.”

Part Two

v       Combine solid food and supplements

       Use supplements in combination with solid meals to ensure that you are getting your daily macronutrient (protein, carbohydrates, fat) quota. In general this represents 5-6 small meals and 2-3 shakes. Put small amounts of food in your body every 3 hours.  Protein should be consumed at an amount representing 2-3grams per kilogram of bodyweight. If you weigh 80kgs, you should aim to get 160-240grams of protein per day. Around 70% should come from solid food and the rest can come from supplements.h 80kgs, you should aim to get 160-240grams of protein per day. Around 70% 

should come from solid food and the rest can come from supplements.

Protein is king

As you all know protein is a very essential macronutrient for bodybuilding.  Ingested proteins are digested into amino acids which are then used up by the body to make body proteins (enzymes, hormones, muscle tissue etc).  As mentioned above, for hard training athletes, the minimum amount of protein is 2-3g/kg of bodyweight per day. This daily protein amount should be spread into 6-7 small intakes. Dot not make the mistake of consuming too much protein at one go as the body has a limit to how much protein it can absorb and assimilate in a meal. Aim roughly for 30-40grams of protein per meal.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Most amino acids can be synthesized by the body and are thus called “non-essential” amino acids. Some amino acids cannot be made by the body and thus should be obtained from the diet. They are called “Essential” amino acids.

Vegetable proteins (low Biological Value) have been considered “inferior” to animal proteins (High Biological Value) because they do not supply the full spectrum of amino acids. Some essential amino acids are lacking in vegetable proteins. For example, soy protein lacks the essential amino acid methionine. Vegetarian bodybuilders therefore do not rely on only one protein source and rather combine different (complementary) protein sources. This ensures that they are getting the full spectrum of essential amino acids. Lacto-vegetarians can use milk and dairy products to obtain their protein. Lacto-Vegetarian bodybuilders also have a very strong ally by their side in the form of Whey and Casein protein which are dairy proteins of very high biological value.  Notable vegetarian bodybuilders include Mr. Universe Bill Pearl, former IFBB Pros Steve Brisbois, Andreas Cahling, India’s new IFBB Pro Varinder Ghuman and also numerous impressive natural bodybuilders recently showcased on our page, representing the Sunwarrior brand. Our friends who have more experience with vegeterian bodybuilding are most welcome to enlighten us more on this topic.

Good animal sources of protein for the bodybuilder include chicken, meat, fish and eggs. The sports supplement market is loaded with protein supplements of all types and brands, each claiming to be superior to the other. The amazing variety of protein supplements can be confusing to the unaware bodybuilder but to help matters I have prepared a guide that lists the various protein supplement types.

BODYBUILDING WITH VEGETERIAN DIET

The word vegetarian is one that has become somewhat vague among the general population because too many people have inappropriately adopted it as a label for their lifestyle. For instance, I have personally known 3 types of "vegetarians" in my life: those who don't eat chicken, beef or pork (but will eat fish), those who don't eat meat of any kind, and people who won't eat anything that contains or is derived from animal sources.

Of these three definitions, the only one describing a true and sincere vegetarian is the last. This article is written for these people, so I am operating under the assumption that you are extremely sincere about not ingesting any and all animal products.

Adhering to a strict vegetarian diet takes work and conscious attention and building muscles takes work and conscious attention, so putting them together certainly doesn't make either one easier.

The first challenge goes back to the way muscles build in our bodies. To increase the amount of muscle mass and improve the tone of muscles, the body needs protein. Our body uses protein for repairing and building new muscles. The challenge is because the most common source of protein is meat and other animal products.

According to one system for measuring the protein in food, the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score, soy is equal to whey and superior to beef in protein content. Realistically, soy provides all 8 essential amino acids required for growing and repairing muscles. For the strict vegetarian, soy is an excellent option for getting the protein so desperately needed for building muscles.

In addition to protein, soy is also a fantastic source of glutamine which many bodybuilders already take in supplemental form, so soy is sort of a double-whammy for the bodybuilder.

Soy is available in many different forms and types, so you have many options. Low-fat tofu, tempeh, seitan, miso, textured soy protein, soy powder and soy milk. The soy milk is especially helpful because it can be utilized as a replacement for cow's milk in any recipe you come across.

Aside from protein, the vegetarian bodybuilder needs to work at ensuring they get enough quality fat. Almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and pistachio nuts are all excellent sources of both protein and fat. You can also add a tablespoon or so of flaxseed oil, as flax seed is one of the very best sources for the essential fatty acid alpha linolenic acid.

With the protein and fat questions taken care of, we need to find suitable sources of vitamins. The meal-replacement shakes which are incredibly popular with bodybuilders tend to be bursting at the seams with many vitamins and minerals. You may have to hunt specifically for one containing B12, or find an additional B12 supplement, because vitamin B12 is only found in animal products.With these three areas covered, you will have enough of the natural building blocks for creating and improving muscle mass and tone. Being a vegetarian bodybuilder isn't nearly as unlikely as it may sound at first.

There are many vegeterian bodybuilders in the world and they can build good solid muscles.If you are a vegeterian and want to build your body no problem at all,go for it

Break-FAST, Don't Skip It!

 Growing up we're told almost everyday that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The sad fact is that 35-40 percent of all Americans still skip breakfast. The first meal of the day is called breakfast because it breaks the fast that has lasted ten to twelve hours, since the last meal eaten the... day before, usually dinner. By eating breakfast in the morning, you essentially give your body's metabolism a kick start so you can start burning calories. Your body stores Excess glucose by the liver as glycogen which is released when it is needed. Usually by late-morning, glycogen stores are almost completely depleted. So, if you were to skip breakfast, your body will in return have almost no quick energy available. My recommended breakfast is always Oatmeal and Eggs, but if that takes up too much time, try a simple Protein Shake to get your body started. Be sure to check out our huge selection of Protein Powders. My personal favorite is"Muscle Provider" it 

Move More, Lose Weight!

A lot of people who are over weight or out of shape tend to dread the words DIET and Exercise. I remember when one of my customers told me they didn't like the word Diet, so of course I asked them why. His reply was, it's a four-letter word with DIE in it, and after laughing pretty hard I thought to myself, people really don’t like to diet. What most don't realize is you don't necessarily have to do those two things to lose weight right away. People who lead a pretty sedentary lifestyle should try one thing to start out, MOVE! That's right; make it a daily challenge to find ways to get your body moving. I'm not talking about finding an extra hour for the gym, or and extra 45 minutes for a spinning or aerobics class. I'm talking anything you normally don't do on a daily basis, such as.

• Climb the stairs if you have a choice between that or an Escalator or Elevator. 
  
• Walk the dog. (He’ll like it too) 
  
• Toss Frisbee with a friend. 
  
• Mow the lawn. 
  
• Park farther when out and about. 
  
• While shopping, walk around the whole mall. 
  
• Chase your kids around more.

As you can see, almost anything you can think of to get your body moving is a great stress reducer and fitness asset to have in your daily routine. Once you get moving, then you can attempt to tackle that scary four-letter word, D-I-E-T.

The World of Whey

Whey protein powdersare some of the most common fitness supplements on the market today. However there are many differences to consider when it comes to choosing which whey protein supplement is best for you. First, let’s take a look at why so many people supplement their diet with whey protein.

Whey Benefits

Studies have indicated that whey protein can provide the following benefits:

• Improved athletic performance
• Enhanced Immune system function
• Decreased blood pressure
• Better function of the digestive system
• Reduced risk of gastric mucosal injury

Possibly one of the most popular supplements for athletes, whey protein is believed to accelerate muscle development and assist in muscular repair.

What is Whey

Whey protein is basically an assortment of globular proteins that are isolated from milk plasma. Milk plasma, or “whey,” is essentially a liquid by-product produced during the manufacturing of cheese. The biological value (BV) of whey protein is exceptionally high and, for this reason, very desirable among bodybuilders and athletes alike. Basically, a biological value indicates how much protein is contained within 100 consumable grams of a given substance. The only foods with a higher BV than whey protein are eggs which contain high levels of fats. For this reason many athletes opt for whey protein or a combination of both.

Types of Whey

Whey protein is usually sold in three popular forms which are concentrate, hydrolysate and isolate. Concentrate proteins contain low levels of fat and cholesterol, but on average contain greater levels of bioactive compounds and carbohydrates such lactose. Hydrolysate proteins are partially hydrolyzed and predigested making them more easily absorbed. However, due to these processes they’re typically more expensive too. There have also been reports that hydrolysates have a very distinct taste as well. Isolate proteins contain even less fat than hydrolysate or concentrate proteins, but also contain fewer bioactive compounds as well. Isolate proteins are also known to have a faint milky taste.

Fat Thats Good For You?

If you are a weight trainer or high energy athlete, you probable eat more oily fish than other people do, fish like trout, mackerel, salmon, sardines, and tuna because you are more aware of the benefits of fish protein and essential fatty acids than other people who don’t participate in physically stressful exercise. In addition, these kinds of fish are rich in EPA/DHA, essential fatty acids which have the scientific names of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. EPA/DHA is considered an omega-3 polyunsaturated fat found in cold water fish that enhances brain functioning by facilitating neurotransmitters, along with contributing proper nutrients to the retina and to overall eye health.

Since bodybuilding is meant to optimize hypertrophy of muscles and maximize stamina, a weight trainer will adhere to a stringent diet plan supplemented with recovery drinks, protein tablets and fish oil. Fish oil is an essential fatty acid which is especially important to bodybuilders because fish oil assists in delivering the right quantity of EFA’s which complement the vitamins and minerals in protein and whole grain foods. The World Health Organization has reported that adults should include .3 to .5 grams of DHA/EPA to their diet each day to maintain healthy amounts in the body. However, a bodybuilder should incorporate one to two grams of fish oil (DHA/EPA) each day into their food intake, depending on their weight and body mass proportions. A healthy body builder who weight approximately two hundred pounds should swallow eight fish oil supplements with each supplement containing 1, 3000 milligrams of fish oil.

After each workout session, your body will experience an immense amount of cell damage and muscle tissue inflammation. Fish oil contains the polyunsaturated fats that are required in order to rejuvenate those injured cells along with relieving joint and muscle inflammation. Fish oil is also correlated with benefitting your immune and cardiovascular system, and may be implicated in a faster and stronger recovery during a workout session, facilitate blood flow, and increase career longevity, if you happen to be or want to be a professional body builder. In research studies, individuals who began taking fish oil supplements report that previously sore or inflamed joints began feeling better after a few days of DHA/EPA supplements.

Other research involving fish oil and other omega-3 acids has shown that these essential fatty acids may assist in destroying cancer cells by preventing them from “eating” linoleic acid, besides turning on the DNA which is required for eliminating cancer cells and also for preventing cancer cells from clinging to non-cancerous cells, which is why cancer is so proliferous in the first place. In addition, animal research has correlated fish oil and DHA/EPA with eradicating different types of tumors. Human studies have also revealed the supplementation of essential fatty acids effectively reduces triglyceride amounts, which is the type of fat that clogs heart arteries. And, if you happen to be feeling a little down emotionally for one reason or another, adding omega-3 may lessen your anxiety and reduce insomnia. Some bodybuilders will suffer from certain conditions due to a deficiency of EFA’s, such as dry skin, decreased energy levels, aching joints, and loss of hair. The all-important growth hormone testosterone also requires the assistance of essential fatty acids in order to facilitate muscle growth and bulk.

Bodybuilders and high-intensity athletes are also rapidly beginning to discover the anabolic advantages of prostaglandin. Originating and created from components of essential fatty acids, prostaglandin has been discovered to be very important to your physiological response to physical stress by assisting your body in building muscle bulk, burning fat and reducing salt and water retention which causes puffiness. Prostaglandin also manages the relaxation and contraction cycle of smooth muscle tissue. Sometimes erroneously referred to as a hormone, prostaglandin is actually an autocrine which plays the role of messenger molecule, and is not manufactured in just one area of the body but at several, which technically classifies it as something other than a real hormone.

Every muscle cell contains prostaglandin receptors and each muscle cell constantly manufactures prostaglandin. If a muscle cell cannot make enough prostaglandin for one reason or another, it will die off. Elevated levels of cortisol are the major cause of reducing prostaglandin synthesis and eventual loss of muscle energy which also decreases the amount of protein synthesis This makes it one of the most important regulators of muscle mass development due to the fact that those cells that require more quantities of prostaglandin produce it in order to feed themselves and neighboring muscle cells. Unlike testosterone which has to travel throughout the body, prostaglandin is considered an endocrine “autocrine” and actually is eradicated once it hits the bloodstream, which signifies that it is incapable of being utilized like an anabolic steroid.

Essential fatty acids such as omega-3 seem to be extracted and absorbed from food better than a supplement. A study done in Norway found that out of 70 volunteers who ate salmon, cod, and cod liver oil, the individuals who consumed the salmon instead of cod liver oil showed a more elevated amount of omega-3’s in their blood. After two months of these daily servings of salmon and cod, the group ‘s essential fatty acids levels had increased 130% and their DHA had risen 45%, as compared to those who had taken cod liver oil, which resulted in their EFA only rising to 106% and their DHA peaking at 25%.

Once again, EFA’s are one of the most important dietary components of any bodybuilder or athlete. They are powerful inhibitors of obesity and will enhance your body’s response to insulin by fostering leptin secretion, a hormone which tells your brain to stop eating when it “feels” satiated. Sometimes bodybuilders become so involved in their weight training that they may fail to recognize symptoms of being deficient in omega-3, symptoms which may include inability to concentrate, joint pain, tiredness, and itchy, dry skin which may exhibit eczema-like conditions. If this happens, start keeping track of what you are eating each day and pay particular attention to foods containing essential fatty acids. A good dose of flax seeds and salmon may be all you need to alleviate any of these symptoms. So make sure you include servings of foods containing EFA’s if you want to continue to perform and look like a pro!

AGS‐10 (All Growth Stimuli) Training Program

One all‐out‐set per exercise! That is the basic principle of Dorian Yates’ HIT training system. Now, what does “one all‐out‐set” mean? It means taking a set to the point where you cannot physically complete another rep. To achieve complete failure it may be necessary to throw in some drop‐sets, rest‐pause sets, forced reps, or partial reps. Dorian believed that after you have maximally stimulated the targeted muscle with one‐all‐out‐set, doing additional sets is not necessary because you have already created the stimulus for muscle growth. When you look at this concept from a scientific approach, it makes perfect sense. A heavy, all‐out‐set to muscular failure is going to recruit a large number of motor units, thereby overloading a ton of muscle fibers.

Overload is the primary stimulus for muscle growth. Doing another set after you just took the previous set to complete failure is not going to recruit additional muscle fibers and will most likely just fatigue you. In addition, your performance during that next set will most likely suck since you gave it your all for the previous set! After seeing some videos of Dorian explaining his training principles and seeing them in action, I was instantly drawn to his method of training. Even before learning about Dorian’s training I had often wondered if doing additional sets after taking the first set to failure was necessary.

If my workout called for three sets of bench press, I found myself holding back on the first two sets then taking the third set to failure. But would I have been better off just doing one set to failure? What leads to more growth; doing a set of 6 reps, resting and then doing a set of 5 reps, resting and then doing a set of 4 reps or doing one all‐out‐set of 8 reps to complete failure? It is my current opinion that doing one all‐out‐set will lead to more growth. The first option of doing three sets leads to more total reps being completed (greater volume), but the second option of doing one all‐out‐set to failure allows you to push yourself harder, leading to a higher level of overload with less volume.

I decided to give Dorian’s HIT program a go and fell in love with it. Knowing that I only had one set for each exercise allowed me to train harder and more intense than I had in a long time. I did the Dorian HIT routine exclusively for a long time. After a while, even though I was seeing results, I decided to try out some different routines. It is human nature to always think there are better options out there. After three months of trying various programs and setups I went back to what was working for me, the Dorian HIT program. After a few months of doing the Dorian HIT routine again human nature got the best of me and I began thinking of ways to make the Dorian HIT routine more effective. Unlike before where I tried completely different programs, this time my goal was to build upon my current program and now I am confident that I have found a technique that will enhance your results!

Before I continue, I want to point out that some people may do better on a volume‐style routine than a HIT‐style routine and vice versa. There is no “best” program for everyone, so I encourage everyone to try different routines and find what works best for them. One should note you need to give routine enough time to produce results before dismissing it or praising it. It takes more than a week to get results, so don’t label a routine as ineffective after just one week. I am by no means saying the below program is the BEST way to train, simply one effective strategy to stimulate muscle hypertrophy. In addition, the below program is for advanced trainees with at least 3‐5 years of consistent weight training experience. If you haven’t done so yet I HIGHLY recommend that you first complete at least two run‐throughs of my Tri‐Phase program before trying the AGS‐10 program. There are two reasons I make these recommendations:

1. It takes time to develop the mindmuscle‐connection and learn how to properly execute each and every exercise.

2. It takes time and experience for your body to be able to recruit additional motor units and muscle fibers and you therefore may not be able to train intense enough for one set to be sufficient to stimulate muscle hypertrophy.

As I stated in my Tri‐Phase program, “In my opinion, consistently adding weight to the bar—lifting heavier weights and/or completing more reps—is the most effective way to add muscle and grow and should be your primary concern. The number of exercises, sets, rep ranges, etc. you use is should be secondary to progressing with the loads you lift.” If you want to grow, you are going to have to progressively lift heavier weights.

The focus for any program should be beating your performance from your previous workout. Progressively increasing the tension/overload placed on muscle is the primary stimulus for muscle growth. In addition to tension, fatigue also plays a role in muscle growth (note: a much smaller role than tension) and because of this you will complete a “Volume Blast” or “Rep Blast” for the final exercise for each muscle group worked. All other exercises besides the final exercise for a muscle group are one all‐out‐set‐to‐failure (along with intensity techniques) within the 4‐10 rep range. Volume Blast 5‐10 sets of 10 reps. Stop once you cannot complete 10 reps with the weight you choose. For example, if you completed 5 sets of 10 reps but on the 6th set you only got 8 reps, then your volume blast is done. Rep Blast 1 set of 20‐30 reps. Choose an exercise that allows you to keep constant tension on the targeted muscle.

Training Periodization

• 3 Weeks completing one‐all‐out‐set + intensity
techniques per exercise and volume/rep blasts.

• 1 Week completing just one‐all‐out‐set per exercise
with no intensity techniques and rep blasts only.

• Repeat

Training Schedule

Monday = Chest + Calves
Tuesday = Delts + Traps + Deadlift
Wednesday = Rest Day
Thursday = Back
Friday = Arms
Saturday = Quads + Hams
Sunday = Rest Day

Monday = Chest + Calves

Incline Bench Press
Flat DB Press or Machine Press
Incline DB Flies
Cable Crossovers (Volume or Rep Blast)
Standing Calf Raise
Seated Calf Raise (Volume or Rep Blast)

Tuesday = Delts + Traps + Deadlift
Deadlift
Shoulder Press (BB or DB or Machine)
DB Side Lateral
1‐Arm Cable Lateral (Volume or Rep Blast)
BB Shrug
DB Shrug (Volume or Rep Blast)

Thursday = Back
Bent Over Row
Reverse Grip Lat‐Pulldown (Cable or Hammer Strength)
T‐Bar Row or Hammer Strength Row or 1‐Arm DB Row
Wide Grip Seated Cable Row (Pull to bottom of chest)
Straight‐Arm Pulldown or Pullover (Volume or Rep Blast)
Bent Over Rear DB Lateral or Reverse Pec Dec

Friday = Arms
Tricep Pressdown
Close Grip Bench Press or Skull Crusher
Overhead Tricep Extension (Volume or Rep Blast)
1‐Arm Bicep Curl (DB Preacher, HS Preacher, or
Machine)
Barbell Curl
DB or Cable Curl (Volume or Rep Blast)
BB Wrist Curls (Flexion and Extension)

Saturday = Quads + Hams
Leg Extension
Leg Press
BB Squats
Hack Squat (Volume or Rep Blast)
Lying Leg Curl
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Single Leg Curl (Volume or Rep Blast)

The key to the AGS‐10 program is finding what works best for you. By this I mean finding what intensity techniques for the exercises that give you the best results. For example, on my “Arm Training Day” I do the following:

1‐Arm Hammer Strength Preacher Curls = 1 set of 4‐8 reps + 2‐4 forced reps
Barbell Curl = 1 set of 4‐8 reps decrease the weight by 50 lbs (drop‐set) then complete as many reps as I can
DB Curl = Volume Blast

There may be exercises where you do not want to use an intensity technique because one all‐out‐set is intense enough on its own (this is especially true for squats and deadlifts). You do not have to use intensity techniques on every single exercise. With some experience and experimenting you will find what works best for you.

Creatine - Dissected

Creatine is one of the most popular supplements taken by athletes and body builders today who want to develop muscle mass and stamina. It is available as a caplet, capsule, or as a powder which you can either mix in a drink or sprinkle on food. It works in your skeletal muscles and highly contributes to those complex muscle contractions important in the repetitive exercises you do when working out. ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is the essential fuel driving proper muscle contraction and this is where creatine lends a very important helping hand by generating additional ATP which gives you more muscle energy and leads to more productive sessions. While normal amounts of ATP will let you experience a few seconds of high-intensity energy, creatine and the boost it gives to ATP will enable you to sustain a much higher energy level and a much longer period of that energy.

The reason why creatine supplements are so popular is because even though a variety of meats such as tuna, pork, beef, and salmon contain rich amounts of creatine, this is potentially lost in the preparation of the meat since creatine is extremely sensitive to heat and it is necessary to properly cook meat in order to destroy harmful bacteria. However, milk and cranberries contain a modest amount of creatine, with milk having .05 grams of creatine per pound of milk; and cranberries containing .001 grams of creatine per pound. But taking a creatine supplement is simply a much more convenient and efficient way for the athlete in training to supplement his body with the much-needed boost creatine gives to energy and muscle.

Creatine comes in food such as meats and fish but the best kind of creatine is creatine monohydrate because it has more creatine per specified quantity than any other source. You can experience great results from consuming creatine monohydrate by utilizing two different methods. One is called “loading”, where you literally flood your muscles with creatine by taking twenty to thirty grams of creatine a day for the first month, either in capsule form or by mixing powder with grape juice or water. When the “loading” period is over, you can begin taking the usual amount of five to fifteen grams each day in order to maintain a sufficient level of creatine in your muscles that will benefit your workout sessions.Another way to integrate creatine into your diet is to use a more gradual approach by foregoing the loading phase and simply supplement with the regular five to fifteen grams per day. Weight trainers have reported receiving the optimum results from mixing creatine with a high carbohydrate base and taking this supplement combination about thirty minutes before exercising.

Creatine is an amino acid produced by your liver and kidneys. However, your liver does most of the work because it uses three important amino acids—arginine, glycine and methionine—and synthesizes them in order to make creatine. The main purpose of creatine is to energize our muscles, which allows them to successfully adjust to whatever kind of physical stress we choose to force on them. Besides galvanizing the muscles, creatine also super-hydrates muscles, meaning that creatine increases the volume of cells by inflating them with water. This is what “pumps” up your muscles and gives them that bulk you work hard to maintain during a workout session. However, you will need to drink a lot of water in order for creatine to work its magic so if you are not sufficiently hydrated, you won’t receive the optimal effect that creatine is able to give. And you may end up feeling the effects of dehydration.

For most bodybuilders and athletes, creatine works as a great supplement that benefits energy and muscle bulk. However, there have been incidences of certain individuals called “non-responders” who have taken creatine and not experienced any changes in their body or energy levels. An explanation for this occurrence is that these people happen to produce an above average amount of creatine in their body which literally cancels out the excess of creatine caused by the ingestion of a supplement. Another reason for this “non-response” to creatine is that they may also be heavy red meat eaters, which is a natural source of food-bound creatine. The lack of creatine stimulation may be due to both conditions in certain individuals.

Are creatine supplements safe? Yes, they are very safe for the healthy adult who has nopre-existing kidney or liver disease. Creatine has been available to purchase since the mid 1990’s and also has been involved in many research studies, with the results indicating no bad side effects were experienced by those taking creatine supplements. However, occasional mild side effects have been reported due to creatine’s water-retention ability, such as muscle cramps and nausea. The two main reasons for these problems can easily be avoided by drinking plenty of water (1/2 gallon up to one gallon is recommended) before taking creatine and watching how much creatine you take. Too many supplement capsules can also result in these same two physical ailments. The typical body builder, however, will ingest five grams of creatine each day, unless they are “loading” up with creatine, which means they are taking twenty grams each day during the first week, and five to ten grams per day following the first week.

Creatine supplements have been shown to significantly contribute to lean muscle mass is as little as two weeks. Its capacity to stimulate energy reserves in muscles comes from being able to synthesize muscle proteins and boost them into a high energy state conducive to workout sessions and faster recovery rates. Many studies involving creatine have been clinically executed, with results indicating that creatine does in fact biochemically benefit energy reserves, while also influencing fat loss amounts. Since the 1900’s creatine’s beneficial influence on muscle strength and endurance has been studied and reported but this information did not become well-known until the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. A New York Times article stated that Linford Christie, the gold medal winner of the 100 meter dash, had supplemented with creatine prior to participating in the Olympic. In addition, Sally Gunnell, the gold medal winner of the 400-meter hurdles, made it public that she was also a creatine user, along with several British rowers who had won medals in the Olympic games. Shortly after, a pharmaceutical manufacturer called Experimental and Applied Sciences produced a creatine compound and sold it as a muscle and energy enhancement supplement. Tests were done on this new product which revealed that high glycemic carbohydrate use in conjunction with creatine accelerated the production of creatine in the muscles and boosted athletic performance significantly. A few years later in 1998, Cell-Tech became the first company to manufacture the first creatine-carbohydrate alpha lipoic acid supplement. Alpha lipoic acid stimulates the levels of muscle phosphocreatine levels and total amounts of muscle creatine.

Studies have indicated that besides enhancing muscle strength, creatine can elevate levels of growth hormone in your blood. Growth hormone is a protein-based peptide hormone which is vitally important in generating cell reproduction and regeneration. Subjects in research studies involving creatine showed a significant increase in growth hormone after consuming creatine and did not participate in any type of physical activity or ingest anything that might naturally elevate growth hormone. GH is also implicated in accumulation of body fat, maintenance of the immune system, promotion of muscle and bone mass and many other important functions. In addition, our production of growth hormone tends to slow down as we age, which results in easily breakable bones, less muscle mass, and loss of energy. For body builders who are entering their forties, creatine can inhibit the onset of age-related reduction in growth hormone by maintaining the appropriate level necessary to sustain energy levels and bone and immune system health. Since GH is expensive and extremely regulated (prescription only), you can stimulate its production by creatine supplements, but also with anaerobic exercise like weightlifting, or concentrated and sustained exercise like long-distance running. Be aware, however, that creatine is considered to be a dietary supplement and not a drug, which means it is not regulated by the FDA of the United States. As a consequence, some creatine supplements may vary in quality and ability to produced desired results. Always do some background research on a company outside of the US before purchasing and using the creatine they advertise.

There is also something called “creatine cycling”, which is a method that has you taking creatine all the time but “reloading” once every six weeks for one week, then maintaining the regular amount of creatine for six weeks. Once this cycle is complete, you then are supposed to discontinue using creatine for two weeks. Then you just start the entire cycle over again. Although not a requirement while using creatine, there have been several studies that have indicated that the loading phase facilitates attaining that maximum muscle/creatine amount faster than if you began by taking a regular dose of creatine supplement (five to fifteen grams). However, you could reach this same point by consuming one serving of creatine for one month as you would by “loading” for five straight days, but most body builders do not want to wait that long before seeing a significant increase in muscle bulk, especially when they could have it in just under a week!