Building Muscles

Welcome to www.buildingmuscles.org.uk

I realised at the beginning of 2008 (when I was 56 years old) that I had let my body get into a terrible state. This site was started to track the changes as I used bodybuilding/weighlifting to get back into shape. I gave myself 120 days, and I succeeded ! Since then I have maintained and built my body, and continue to do so.

Chest Training DVD, step-by-step full chest workout - Read about it here

View progress photos here.

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Keep up to date with my blog - below this post.

Bodybuilding Muscles| How to Train and Build Massive Muscles

How Should I Train Part 5

One of the things I stress with training is that you really need to rest the muscles that you train. It is the rest that causes the growth. That might seem strange, but it is the way it works. Think about a building that suffers from an earthquake. There will be cracks in the walls; some of the building might have collapsed and is in need of repairs. You send in the repairers, and if they are given enough time, they can do a really good job and reinforce the building. In fact, in a lot of cases, it will be a lot stronger than the original. Now - if you have another earthquake before they are finished, the already weakened structure will end up not being able to cope with the quake, and you will end up with a pile of rubble. That is the same with our muscles. They need time to rest and repair so they can come back a lot stronger than before. I have found through experience and doing a fair amount of research that a good rest period should be between 48 - 72 hours. Before 48 hours the muscles have not had enough time. After 72 hours the effects of the training gradually start to wear off. Your muscles then start to very slowly return to their original state before you trained. Obviously that will take a few weeks to happen but we are looking at getting the best results with the least amount of time and effort.

The following is the kind of training I like to do which gives me the rest and enough of a workout for each muscle every week.  You will see that I manage to train each muscle 2x a week. There are a lot of people who swear by training each muscle only once a week. That is up to you. I have found, through trial and error, twice a week is better for me. Whether you decide to train them 2x a week or once a week both would be quite acceptable.

I try to work muscles that are near to each other so the blood is not sent from the top of the body to the bottom in a training session.

Mon & Thurs - Chest, Triceps and Biceps
Tue & Fri - Back,  Shoulders and Abs
Wed & Sat - Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Calves)

I hope that gives you a good idea of what and when to train.

Bodybuilding Muscles| How to Train and Build Massive Muscles

How Should I Train Part 4

Here is the training plan that I stick to most of the time. It produces some really great results and is not really time consuming. What I really like about it is there is never an end until you decide you have got what you want.

I train almost every muscle the same.

12 - 16 reps very light warm - up. 1 min rest
12 reps heavier. 1 min rest
10 reps heavier. 1 min rest
8 reps heavier. 1 min rest
6 reps heavier. 1 min rest (You must be really struggling to lift the weight from 3 rep)
12 reps reduce weight to around the weight of the 8 reps. (you must really battle from 7-8 reps) Go straight on to a superset of 12 reps (no rest) with another exercise for the same muscle. e.g. Chest - main exercise; bench press – superset; incline fly's. Biceps – main exercise; standing curls – superset; hammer curls.  The same for all the muscles you train.

I then have a 2 minute rest and go on to another muscle and do the same again.

You will see this is not a lot different to the way I do aerobics. Because I vary the repetitions and weight, I can never reach a maximum. The other day a chap asked me when he will reach his maximum. If he strives to increase every time he trains, then there has to be a maximum.  The answer is - when you get to the size you want or the size your body will allow you to go to, then you can maintain what you have. I personally do not want to make much of a change to how I currently look. I want to lose a little here and build a little there but am no longer on a quest to get any bigger overall.

Bodybuilding Muscles| How to Train and Build Massive Muscles

How Should I Train Part 3
Looking at the different ways to train, you will find that it can be quite confusing. A lot of people think that you can only do one thing at a time with the body. For example, if they are fat and would like to lose the body fat and build some muscle, they think they will first have to lose the fat then start the training to build muscle. This is not the case at all - you can gain weight and build muscle. You can also lose fat and build muscle at the same time.

It all starts off with the food you eat, and then what kind of body you want. That way you can work out what type of training you need.  The fault most people make is that they do a load of cardio or aerobic training to get fit and to lose fat. They also want to build a toned body. It will not happen this way. If you only do cardio training you will get fit and you will lose fat - but if you are a big pear shape you will end up a little pear shape.

Only with resistance training can you change the shape of your body. It is here that you decide if you want to build massive muscles or you want to build a great looking lean body. I have found that, with any weight training, the best thing to do is to get a foundation first. Once you have that then you can decide what route you want to take. It is in this area I am going to focus most of the training ideas and tips. I will be showing you the method I have used to get some really meaningful results in a relatively short space of time.

Bodybuilding Muscles|How to Train & Build Massive Muscles

How Should I Train Part 2
In order to have a toned lean muscular body of a good size and proportion, bodybuilders spend a great deal of time on how to remove excess fat. This is done in various ways. Some will spend hours and hours running on the road or doing various exercises on stationary equipment. Others will join spinning classes or dance routines all in the hope of losing excess fat. These all work, and I would never suggest that they do not work. But each of us has to find what the best method is for us. I have always had the idea that you need to do the least amount for the most reward. That is a pleasing result.

Let's look at people who want to earn money. They could work in a warehouse, packing goods, for around the minimum wage.  That means that they could earn a limited amount  per week. I know I have done that at one time in my life and you have to work very hard for limited income.  They could also sell a product or service. Let’s say insurance. A policy for could be worth a lot in commission to the salesman. (I know - I sold insurance many years ago). Today I believe you can earn even more for a few hours work.  Not every one is suited to selling insurance, but then you do not know until you try.

It is the same with training. If you believe only one way will work for you then that will be the one that you will use to get results. If you have an open mind and you are prepared to try different things without doing the ridiculous, then you could quite easily get a great result with limited effort.

So what is the best way to burn fat? What is the right kind of exercise to do? A study at Laval University, Canada found that a group following a program of high-intensity intermittent-training lost nine times more fat than those following a normal endurance training program.   The kind of training is like the following.
AEROBICS
1 minute slow then
1 minute faster
1 minute faster
1 minute faster
1 minutes as fast as you can go

Increase with each minute - so you can imagine the first minute is like walking speed with little stress. By the 3rd minute you are running at a reasonable speed. By the 5th minute you are sprinting as fast as you can possibly go. You are giving it everything and then some. If you use a stationary bike, or other stationary equipment, you can increase the resistance or the speed to get the same effect. I use a stationary cycle. I cycle at about 100/110 RPM and play with the resistance. Instead of going faster I increase the resistance. On the last minute of the set I really give it my all as I have it on a high resistance and it is a real strain to finish the minute.

This is very similar to what we used to do when I played rugby many, many years ago. lol We called them “wind jammers". If you repeat the above 3 more times you will have done a very intense 20 minutes of aerobics. You will only need to do this a few times a week and you will be amazed at how much body fat you will burn off.

Bodybuilding Muscles| How to Train and Build Massive Muscles

How Should I Train

With the information you have about nutrition and how the muscles work, and why they build, now we can get into the idea of what will be the best type of training to get the quickest results. This is one of the important decisions you need to make before you start to train.

It really does not help to go to a gym and announce that you want to train. You need to decide what you want from the training and how it is going to help you.  You then put together a plan of what you are going to do. Most places will offer a beginners plan and it will be quite different to someone who is a lot more experienced. I am not really in favour of this. I think you can do exactly the same type of training that an experienced bodybuilder does even though you are new to it. You see, the difference will be in the amount of weight you will use. That is the only difference in your training.  The muscles of an experienced bodybuilder work the same as beginners. It is a bit like saying I will teach you to walk but because you are new to it you will have to walk differently to some one who has been walking for years. You need to get it fixed in your mind that you are there to train as well as the biggest person in the gym. Just because they have been doing it a lot longer then you certainly will not mean that you should feel inferior to them. Remember they too had to start somewhere.

What is going to be the best for you? Well after many years of messing around with different ways to train I have realised that the first thing you need to do is to build a foundation. Before you can have a huge body, or a 6 pack, or anything else, you will need that foundation to work from. I will be spending a lot of time explaining to you (in future posts) how to get that amazing foundation so you can have the body of your dreams.

Bodybuilding Muscles| How to Train and Build Massive Muscles

The basics to weight training|How Muscles Grow Part 1

Weight training causes micro tears to the muscles that are being trained. The correct term for this is known as micro trauma. The micro tears that happen in the muscle cause the soreness felt after exercise. It has been called DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). It is the repair of the micro-trauma that results in muscle growth. This soreness becomes most apparent a day or two after a workout. It is really important to realise that as muscles become adapted to the exercises, soreness will decrease which is often very frustrating for bodybuilders. The really technical explanation I found on the internet is as follows.

Weight training aims to build muscle by prompting two different types of hypertrophy, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and myofibrillar hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy leads to larger muscles so is favoured by bodybuilders more than myofibrillar hypertrophy which builds athletic strength. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is triggered by increasing repetitions, whereas myofibrillar hypertrophy is triggered by lifting heavier weights.

In simple terms if you want to tone you need to do light weight with lots of repetitions. If you want to build go much heavier and then do lower reps; if you want to combine the 2 then you will have a very balanced overall workout. It is absolutely possible to both lose fat and build a great body at the same time. My photos bear testimony to that in a very limited space of time.

Nutrition the key
The high levels of muscle growth and repair achieved by bodybuilders require a specialised diet. That is why I have spent so much time putting in this information on nutrition. Generally speaking, bodybuilders require more calories than the average person of the same weight to provide the protein and energy requirements needed to support their training and increase muscle mass. The ratios of food energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats  will vary from person to person. The amount I eat to get results could be different to the amount you need to eat to get the same result. You have to use a guide but then work it out for yourself.

The following information on carbs and protein I have found in Wikipedia.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates play an important role for bodybuilders. Carbohydrates give the body energy to deal with the rigours of training and recovery. Bodybuilders seek out low-glycemic polysaccharides and other slowly-digesting carbohydrates, which release energy in a more stable fashion than high-glycemic sugars and starches. This is important as high-glycemic carbohydrates cause a sharp insulin response, which places the body in a state where it is likely to store additional food energy as fat rather than muscle, and which can waste energy that should be directed towards muscle growth. However, bodybuilders frequently do ingest some quickly-digesting sugars (often in form of pure dextrose or maltodextrin) after a workout. This may help to replenish glycogen stores within the muscle, and to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

Protein
Protein milkshakes, made from protein powder and milk, are a common bodybuilding supplement.
Protein is probably one of the most important parts of the diet for the bodybuilder to consider. The motor proteins actin and myosin generate the forces exerted by contracting muscles. Current advice says that bodybuilders should consume 25-30% of protein per total calorie intake to further their goal of maintaining and improving their body composition. This is a widely debated topic, with many arguing that 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight is ideal, some suggesting that less is sufficient, while others recommending 1.5, 2, or more. It is believed that protein needs to be consumed frequently throughout the day, especially during/after a workout, and before sleep. There is also some debate concerning the best type of protein to take. Chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish, eggs and dairy foods are high in protein, as are some nuts, seeds, beans and lentils. Casein or whey is often used to supplement the diet with additional protein. Whey protein is the type of protein contained in many popular brands of protein supplements, and is preferred by many bodybuilders because of its high Biological Value (BV) and quick absorption rates. Bodybuilders are usually thought to require protein with a higher BV than that of soy, which is additionally avoided due to its claimed estrogenic properties. Still, some nutrition experts believe that soy, flax seeds and many other plants that contain the weak estrogen-like compounds or phytoestrogens can be used beneficially, as phytoestrogens compete with estrogens for receptor sites in the male body and can block its actions. This can also include some inhibition of pituitary functions while stimulating the P450 system (the system that eliminates chemicals, hormones, drugs and metabolic waste product from the body) in the liver to more actively process and excrete excess estrogen. Cortisol decreases amino acid uptake by muscle, and inhibits protein synthesis.

Meals
Bodybuilders usually split their food intake for the day into 5 to 7 meals of roughly equal nutritional content and attempt to eat at regular intervals (normally between 2 and 3 hours). This method purports to serve 2 purposes: to limit overindulging as well as increasing basal metabolic rate when compared to the traditional 3 meals a day.

Rest
I cannot stress enough the importance of rest. This is the time the muscle grows. Most people do loads and loads of training in the gym trying to get max growth when in fact the growth takes place when you rest. Muscle stimulation occurs in the gym, lifting weights, but the actual muscle growth occurs afterwards during rest. Without adequate rest and sleep, muscles do not have an opportunity to recover and build. About eight hours of sleep a night is great for the bodybuilder to be rested, although this varies from person to person. Many people training  find a daytime nap helps them to increases their body's ability to build muscle. Some bodybuilders take several naps per day, during peak anabolic phases and during catabolic phases.

New Youtube Video

I've uploaded a new short video on youtube. This one features the triceps. I'll add it in here, but come on over to my Youtube site. We have built up quite a community there - great comments and great chat. See you there.

 

Bodybuilding Muscles| How to Train and Build Massive Muscles

The Importance of Food and Training. Part 5

Why are carbohydrates important?
 
Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of fuel. The energy can be released quickly and easily to fulfil immediate requirement within cells. Carbohydrates do not require oxygen to burn therefore they fuel most muscular contractions, meaning our carbohydrate intake is very important for regular exercise sessions. If carbohydrate stores are low, exercise will seem like a real effort!

Good Carbs
Complex carbohydrates are simply sugars bonded together to form a chain. Digestive enzymes have to work much harder to access the bonds to break the chain into individual sugars for absorption through the intestines.
 
For this reason digestion of complex carbohydrates takes longer. The slow absorption of sugars provides us with a steady supply of energy and limits the amount of sugar converted into fat and stored! They also keep you feeling full for a lot longer.

Bad Carbs
Their rapid absorption increases the chances of sugar converting to fat.  Foods like cake, pastry, biscuits, chocolate and table sugar in excess contain lots of "empty" calories. Because our cells usually do not require that amount of energy at that time, the sugar must either be converted to glycogen (sugar storage within cells) or converted to fat. The cell can only store a limited amount of glycogen so in many cases simple carbohydrate loaded foods may contribute to body fat stores.
They are digested quickly because the individual sugars are ready to be absorbed immediately plus digestive enzymes have easy access to the bonds in the paired molecules. You could say most of the work has been done!

The Importance of Protein
People that are looking to get the most from their overall fitness level with strength training should know and understand the importance of protein when lifting weights. If you engage in sports, stronger weight training, or even weight training that is minimal, it is absolutely imperative that you get enough protein.

How much protein do athletes need? The current dietary reference intake (DRI) for protein for persons over 18 years of age, irrespective of physical activity status, is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day. Many sports nutrition experts have concluded that protein requirements are higher for athletes (American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, and Dieticians of Canada (2000). Joint Position Statement: Nutrition and athletic performance. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 32:2130-2145).

The additional protein works in the following ways;
Aids in the repair of exercise-induced damage to muscle fibres.
Promoting training-induced adaptations in muscle fibres (e.g., synthesis of new proteins that are involved in energy production and/or force generation).
Helps to replace used energy stores.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), American Dietetic Association (ADA) and Dieticians of Canada (DC) make the following protein recommendations for endurance athletes. 1.2 to 1.4 g per kilogram of body weight per day. They recommend as much as 1.6 to 1.7 g per kilogram of body weight per day for bodybuilders and other high intensity strength training.

I still think that for safety around 1.5 g of protein is more than enough to get great gains for most bodybuilders. Majority of this will come from your normal daily food intake. Protein drinks are just a convenient way to get the required amount of protein in your system for great training. They are super as a meal replacement for really busy people and those that have a problem getting in the 6 meals a day. They are also a great way for thin people to gain good weight if they have a weight gainer. A weight gainer is just a good protein shake with extra carbs in it.

Bodybuilding Muscles| How to Train and Build Massive Muscles

The Importance of Food and Training. Part 4

I have put together a list of some of the better protein food you can eat daily. The list can be huge. I have used the more common ones to keep the list short.

• whey and other protein powders (supplements found in health food stores)
• chicken breast
• turkey breast
• salmon
• tuna
• cottage cheese
• swordfish
• haddock
• lean ground turkey
• round steak
• sirloin steak
• lean ground beef
• eggs
• pork
• crab
• lobster
• shrimp

Here's a list of complex carbohydrates foods.

• Spinach
• Whole Barley
• Grapefruit
• Turnip Greens
• Apples
• Lettuce
• Buckwheat bread
• Prunes
• Oat bran bread
• Dried apricots
• Zucchini
• Oatmeal
• Pears
• Asparagus
• Oat bran cereal
• Plums
• Muesli
• Strawberries
• Oranges
• Cabbage
• Brown rice
• Yams
• Celery
• Multi-grain bread
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Pinto beans
• Potatoes
• Low fat yogurt
• Soybeans
• Skim milk
• Lentils
• Broccoli
• Navy beans
• Garbanzo beans
• Brussels
• Sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Kidney beans
• Soy milk
• Lentils
• Onions
• Whole meal bread
• Split peas

How much should you be eating in each meal?

We have covered the idea of eating around 6 meals a day, and the benefit s of eating often. Obviously if you are eating huge plates of food for each of these meals you are going to end up massive. Many people like to count calories. I find this very time consuming and it means having to learn what foods have what calories in them. I prefer to use a very simple system of using portions. A rule of thumb is using your fist size as one portion.

I would use one portion (fist size) of protein and one portion of carbs per meal.

We are all different and so each of us will respond differently to the same amount of food. The key is to learn about how your body works.

Protein feeds muscle and carbs gives us fuel. The protein should remain constant with your meals. The one you play around with is the carbs. If you are overweight then have around ½ a fist size. If you are thin then have around 2 fist sizes of carbs. If you are average then one of each.  You will need to experiment with this and you will, in quite a short time, learn how much you should be having to get the desired results you want.

With all eating plans it is trail and error. If you stick exactly to what the author of one diet says, then you have to have the same genes as they have to get the same results. Use common sense. You are you and so you will be slightly different.  I will cover this more as it is such an important part of your lives as to how we will look and feel. It all revolves around the food we eat.

Bodybuilding Muscles| How to Train and Build Massive Muscles

The Importance of Food and Training. Part 3

I have spoken about the importance of eating often and small. I know this from personal experience. I can remember, for many years, I would have only one main meal a day, in the evening. I would have the odd sandwich during the day but was never consistent. I really did not think I was eating that much and yet I carried quite a bit of body fat. I also had the excuse that I could never eat early in the morning - that was just not me. I realised that it was just a mindset and not reality. It was what I chose to believe.

Many people I speak to will indicate they have a medical problem - they claim that they eat very little and yet they are overweight. The truth of the matter is that they are consuming more calories than they are burning.

We are designed to survive. That means that the body will, at all costs, hang on to fat for a rainy day.  That is why, when people go on a diet and cut back on food, they often find that they do not get very good results.  Often they will use various methods of counting calories ( and other quite tedious things) to lose weight. The body might lose for a while, however the first opportunity the body has, it will put the fat back on with interest. I really believe that you can, and should, eat yourself into the size you want to be. The body is easily fooled into believing it is getting more than enough if, every few hours, you are eating. It has no problem letting go of excess fat. That fat is what is used for fuel. The main reason this happens is because it perceives no shortage.

Obviously, the mind, and how you see yourself, has a lot to do with the weight you will lose. It is a fact that if you really visualise eating a lemon your mouth will salivate. That means that your thought causes your body to react. The way you think about your self and your size has a lot to do with how your body will work. I am a strong believer that you can stimulate your metabolism to speed up and help you to reduce weight. I also believe you can gain weight in a similar way if that is your desire.

The important thing is to fix in your mind what size you want to be. Once you have decided this, then you eat yourself into the size and shape of your choice. It is really important to gain knowledge on what are the best things to eat. Eating must be fun and not a punishment. It is also should not be considered as a comfort. You must see food as FUEL. That is all it is.It is used to give you growth and energy.  So many people (and particularly parents) misuse food. They will try to console a child that gets hurt with a sweet or biscuit. Even dentists have used this practice. It is being reinforced in our minds that food is there to console us in hard or bad times. England has gone through some tough times recently. It is little wonder that the latest reports are that obesity is on the rise. If you think of food as fuel, and you eat often and the right quantities, you will be on the road to a fantastic body. Next we will cover some healthy types of food to eat.