Building Muscles

Bodybuilding Muscles - General and Nutrition - Day 115

When you have a body that is packed with muscle, it needs more energy to run efficiently - even when it is resting. A well-muscled body burns more calories than a body that is coated with fat. Because you have been working out, your metabolism starts to work a little more efficiently. Fat sits there, doing nothing, and seems to be like a magnet inviting a load of it friends to join it.

The more you train the more you can do. It is an amazing experience. It's a bit like reaching a critical mass. You often hear this in business. When you reach a critical mass of clients, your business becomes self-perpetuating. Clients get more clients for you. When you get to an ideal fat level, the body seems to burn up the excess fat without really trying. I found, with my journey, I lost a fair amount right in the beginning then it almost came to a stop. I was getting quite concerned but I persisted. When the fat eventually started to disappear, it just continued. The most amazing thing was, one day I saw a huge difference - yet a few days before I felt I was fighting a losing battle.

As long as you are honest with your intake of food and your training, you will win. You know when you have cheated. I certainly did, even though I would try to justify it. Accept it - resolve to better the next day, and move on.

Today’s food was fairly simple. I attended a breakfast meeting again, but this place gave me a limited choice, so I was rather starved even after the breakfast. Scrambled egg, one small bit of tomato and I had to leave a good deal of the bacon because of fat. There were sausages but they are so full of fat it is not worth eating them. You would have to do 2 solid days of aerobics to work that off. I couldn’t eat the other fried junk on the plate.

4 x protein drinks. 1 x chicken, baked potato and vegetables.

Loads of water.

Bodybuilding Muscles – Legs – How to Build and Train Thighs (Quads) - Day 115

Getting an all round training of the thighs is important. Squat racks are great if you are in a gym. At home, its a different proposition - especially if you are training on your own. You normally cannot lift the weights required to the shoulders - you must stay balanced, and ensure you do not do yourself an injury.

I have found that doing single leg squats with a leg up on the bench is a wonderful all round training - they also hammer my hamstrings.

With regard to teardrops, there are all sorts of theories from feet pointing in, to feet pointing out, using hack squats - and the same for leg extensions. I am sure everyone who has an opinion believes they are right, so I will not argue with any of them. One important thing I do know, I find leg extensions do seem to help but much more when you really put your mind to work in the training. I try to do the extension with my eyes closed - seeing the blood go into the teardrop and developing it to a massive size. As you can guess, I am quite weak in this area. As I find something that really works, I will be happy to share it. I am noticing a difference doing this for the time being.

Bodybuilding Muscles – Legs – How to Build and Train Leg Biceps (Hamstrings) - Day 115

I find the single-leg squats definitely work my hamstrings when I put the free leg on the bench. I also find that leg curls work the best for my hamstrings. I don't get much from lunges. I know there are many people who will swear by lunges. Horses for courses. Do what exercise does the best for you. Never discredit someone else’s ideas until you have tried it for some time to prove whether or not it works for you.

I think, sometimes, we are a little too impatient and want instant results. Our bodies are good and generally respond very quickly, but not always as quickly as we want.

Bodybuilding Muscles – Legs – How to Build and Train Leg Calves - Day 115

There are again so many different ideas to train calves. I have come up with what I consider to be a very good way.

I use a dumbbell loaded to the max - as much as I can hold. I then proceed to do my calf-raises. When I get to the top of each raise, I go for an extra lift. Give the extra stretch like your life depended on it - and you will go higher. This puts a lot of extra tension on the calf which will give a tremendous workout.

Remember to warm-up the calf with very light weights. The last thing you want is a torn calf muscle. I understand that is big pain.  I have never had this happen, but if it is anything like being very stiff, I can vouch for that pain.

Bodybuilding Muscles – Legs - How to Train & Build Massive Quads (Thighs), Hamstrings and Calves - Day 115

Day 115	Goal			Actual
Legs Quads	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Single Leg Ext	20	25		20	25
	12	30		12	30
	10	35		10	35
	12	30		12	32.5
Single Leg Squat	15	10		15	10
Hamstrings	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Lying Leg Curl	20	12.5		20	10
	12	15		12	15
	10	20		10	20
	12	17.5		12	17.5
D/B Lunges	15	12.5		15	12.5
Calves	Reps	Kg's		Reps	Kg's
Single Leg Calf Raise	30	30		30	30
	20	45		20	45
	15	50		15	50
	15	50		15