Pec-Poking Pain From This Chest Training Technique!

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Shawn Horwood

[Written by Jeff Anderson]

When was the last time you really had that “chest poke pain”?

You know…like when 24 hours after your chest workout, you can’t stop poking your pecs with your finger to marvel at how much it hurts?

Yeah, it’s a secret pleasure of mine too! (ha ha!)

If it’s been a while, then here’s a “Quick Chest Training Technique” I did last week that will have YOU pokin’ away by tomorrow evening:

(Warning to “skimmers”: This will LOOK like a simple, giant “tri-set”, but there are a few twists…so READ EACH STEP!)

1. First, you’re going to be using the bench press for this exercise (your favorite, right? ;-)

2. Choose a weight that you can do for about 12 reps before hitting failure BUT (and this is IMPORTANT!) load up the bar with either 10lb or 25lb plates so that you can quickly take off 50% of what you have loaded on each side.

(Sure, you’ll look like a whuss! But ARE you? Hell no…so “grab ‘em” like you got a pair and don’t give a damn what the other guys think! ;-)

3. Now, do a traditional set (8-12 reps) on the bench press until you reach full muscular failure.

4. As soon as you rack the weight, jump up and strip 50% off each side.

5. Now…with no rest, grab the bar with a WIDE, WIDE grip (up to 12 inches past your shoulders) and knock out your reps to failure.

Side Note: This works by really taking your burned out triceps out of the picture as much as possible and give you a WICKED PUMP in your chest!

Read on…

6. LASTLY…as soon as you hit failure on this second set and rack the weight, with no rest, grab a dumbbell (just about 30-50 lbs will do nicely) and do a set of Dumbbell Pullovers, keeping your arms VERY, VERY STRAIGHT (to take your triceps out of the movement even more) and feel a good stretch in your chest at the bottom.

This will allow you to really burn out your Type 1 muscle fibers for a serious Growth Hormone (GH) response and a massive pump!

Once you hit failure, give yourself a good 2-3 minute rest to recover and run through this giant set just one more time.

That will give you 6 total “chest sets” and the next day all your co-workers will be wondering why you keep poking your chest and wincing! ;-)

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Bodybuilding Training Tip For More Growth Hormone Release

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Shawn Horwood

[Written by Jeff Anderson]

More growth hormone (GH) = more MUSCLE, right?

It’s a known fact that anyone looking to build more muscle mass must address your body’s natural “hormone factory” to see some real gains in size.

But different hormones are stimulated in different ways.

Here’s a cool (and SIMPLE!) “Quick Tip” to add to your next workout to raise GH naturally and kick start some KILLER MASS…

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“Quick Tip” For Skyrocketing GH..
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On your very LAST SET of each exercise, when you know that you have 2 REPS left in you…

…DON’T take them!

Instead, bring the weight to the PEAK CONTRACTION POINT or “flexed” position (e.g.- for bicep curls, it would be the “up” position) and hold the weight while flexing your targeted muscle.

Your goal is to hold this flexing for 20 SECONDS (called “static contraction) before slowly letting the weight down.

This is going to burn like HELL…

…and that’s EXACTLY what you’re looking for!

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Why This Works…
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That “burn” you feel is your body’s natural “lactic acid response”.

When lactic acid is triggered in the body, it sends a signal to your endocrine system to release growth hormone as a “recovery aid”.

And that GH release is a powerful mass-building chemical in your body and your gains will SOAR!

Note: Do this for no more than 1 EXERCISE per body part in your workouts for 1 WEEK.  Skip a week before doing it again.

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Special Consideration For…
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…if you’re using my Advanced Mass Building program (http://www.AdvancedMassBuildingSecrets.com), then give this method a try in WEEK 3 of your mass-building cycle.

In other words, instead of the insane “DSP” technique I teach you, give this method a try instead to change this up a bit.

Go for it…and feel the burn! ;-)

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How To Unleash An EARTHQUAKE In Your Muscle Fibers!

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Shawn Horwood

[Written by Jeff Anderson]

When an earthquake unleashes its fury, there’s also a series of “aftershocks” that roar through an affected area and can hit within a few hours…or even DAYS later!

When it comes to building muscle, you can use a similar “aftershock” technique that will not only increase muscle fiber activation…

…but GREATLY increase your mass-building capacity!

I’m currently in a “mass building” cycle and this technique comes straight out of my “Advanced Mass Building” program (though you’ve probably never heard it explained this way before).

Here’s how it works:

First, you’re going to be supersetting two exercises (performed back-to-back), both targeting the SAME muscle group. For this example, we’re going to use everyone’s favorite…the CHEST!

Your first exercise is going to be an isolation exercise that uses a “super stretch” movement.  An example of this would be incline dumbbell flyes where, at the bottom position, your arms are below the body and you can feel a “stretch” in the targeted area.

Your second exercise is going to be a compound “power mover” where you can push a lot of weight.  For this example, we’re going to work the incline barbell bench press.

By first performing your isolation exercise and getting a deep stretch at the bottom of the movement, your muscle fibers get extremely elongated.  Your body, as it’s programmed to do, senses this extreme stretch position as a potential “crisis” and triggers what’s known as a “myotatic reflex” – a hyperstimulation of the central nervous system to ward off injury by calling in more muscle fibers around the targeted area to help out.

(Note: I’m not talking about “ultra-stretching” the muscle to the point of injury.  Just lower the dumbbells in a controlled fashion until you feel a deep – but safe – stretch in your pecs, then raise the weight to the top position)

This initial hyper-stimulation of your muscle fibers is the perfect setup for your next exercise that uses the “aftershock” of the myotatic reflex to activate even more muscle fibers.  Compound exercises like the incline bench press are ideal for this type of training because your first set isolated your targeted muscle group first and now you can get help from your other supporting muscles (like your shoulders and triceps) to push more weight and hit your Type II muscle fibers even HARDER!

Not to be confused with simple “pre-exhaust” training, this myotatic reflex training looks deceptively similar and simple…but the effects are felt deep in the epicenter of your muscles where real growth begins!

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Building Muscle: The T.U.T Factor Of Mass Building Techniques

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Shawn Horwood

[Written by Jeff Anderson]

If you want to build muscle fast, should you train with higher reps with lower weights or lower reps with heavier weights?

Knuckle-dragging guru’s from every corner of the bodybuilding planet most often chant in unison the “Lift heavy or go home!” mantra.

But is this really the best way to build more muscle mass?

Building muscle is a result of several different training elements including muscle contraction, anabolic hormones, amino acid availability, calories, recovery, and a factor called “time under tension”.

Time under tension basically refers to the amount of time during your working sets that your muscle is actually exerting force against the weight and according to one study, is greatly impacted by the amount of weight your lifting…and HOW you’re lifting it.

A group of untrained young men were divided into groups with one using LOW WEIGHTS (only 50% of their 1 Rep Max) but using a slow lifting tempo to increase the amount of time it took to raise and lower the weight.  All sets were performed to the point of muscular exhaustion.

Another group went “heavy” with 80% of their 1 Rep Max but used a faster repetition tempo to exhaustion.

The Results Of The Study?

Both groups experienced significant muscle gains but the surprising revelation was that Group 1, using lighter weights with higher reps and slower tempo, had the greatest degree of impact from “time under tension” factor in the trained muscles.

This resulted in a higher degree of hormone-signaling factors (largely from build up of lactic acid) that triggered a greater release of growth hormone and insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

Also, because there was a greater constriction of the trained muscles’ blood vessels and “pump” from the increased time under tension, the body responded by increasing the production of nitric oxide in order to expand blood pathways and increase oxygen to the muscle.

But one of nitric oxide’s other roles is to generate satellite muscle cells, already primed for adding to your overall muscle mass through proper training.

How To Apply This To Your Training…

Does this mean that you should abandon all other training methods and switch over to lower weights?

Absolutely not!

Any type of training performed the same way for too long only creates adaptation by the body and leads to frustrating “no growth” plateaus.  There’s incredible value in mixing up “heavy” training into your bodybuilding routine.  You may want to train one day with lighter weights and then a few days later with heavier weights to mix things up but one of the important factors from this study shows that when lifting lighter weights for mass-building, you should use a slower tempo, around a combined 5-7 seconds between concentric and eccentric movements.

But There’s An Even Better Way!

I actually use what I humbly consider a much more effective variation of this technique in my “Advanced Mass Building” program (www.AdvancedMassBuildingSecrets.com).  My technique doesn’t just increase the “time under tension” factor…it sends it through the roof!

My method focuses on targeting two complimentary actions of a specific muscle group to work together in ramping up tension. For example, incline flyes followed by cable crossovers to target different areas of the chest.  Sets are performed back-to-back in rapid succession with no rest until the prescribed number of sets are reached. You may do even this for 10 sets or more, depending upon your own abilities.

The result is an extreme time under tenstion factor that triggers massive release of growth hormone and IGF-1 hormones as well as the biggest pumps of your life.  In turn, this naturally stimulates the production of nitric oxide and an increase in muscle satellite cells.

This method is then supported by follow up weekly cycles specifically building upon this mass-building momentum with the goal of targeting all seven muscle fiber variants and greatly enhanced muscle mass.

For more information on this unique training method, please see my website at www.AdvancedMassBuildingSecrets.com.

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Politically Incorrect (But EFFECTIVE) Tactics For Working Out In A Busy Gym!

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Shawn Horwood

[Written by Jeff Anderson]

I’ll admit that I’m NOT the most “politically correct” member at my local gym.

No, I don’t spit in the water fountain or hang out in the doorway of the ladies’ yoga class drooling.  I don’t sweat all over the bench and leave behind a puddle of toxic waste for the next member to swim in.  I bathe regularly, use deodorant, brush my teeth before heading to the gym and don’t reek of stale beer while I’m on the treadmill.

But when it comes to waiting in line for a piece of equipment…I’m a barracuda!

In fact, I HATE to wait for people to get off of “MY” equipment.

So when you’re on a “schedule” you don’t want to have to be held up by the other knuckleheads who probably don’t have ANY plan, right?

Well, you wanna know how do I claim ownership of my workout zone without urinating around the equipment to “mark” my territory?

Here are 5 ways (with a few “not-so-politically-correct” strategies) that I manage my time and space on the gym floor…

Ok, this first one is a simple one…

Workout When The Gym ISN’T So Busy!

I  know, I know….DUUUUUUHH, right?

Hey, you know I had to throw that in there, right?

Obvious yes, but if you’re especially challenged at your gym, then perhaps you should re-examine your schedule and see if you’re able to go at lunch when things are a little quieter.

Throw On Your Headphones And Crank Up The Music!

This works great for managing your time in the gym since you won’t get lured into those long “between set” discourses on the meaning of life with “that guy” who seems to flap his gums with everyone in earshot of him.

But the other advantage of wearing your headphones is that people are less likely to interrupt you and ask if they can “work in” with you.

(If someone DOES ask…let them!  I’m teaching you how to do the best you can to “own” the equipment, but don’t be a COMPLETE jerk!).

Which brings us to…

If someone is using a piece of equipment you also want to use…

Ask If You Can “Work In”!

Most guys aren’t “Alpha’s” in the gym so when you simply ask “Do you mind if I work in with you?”, saying “No” makes THEM the jerk.

And let’s face it, not many people care to be thought of as the “jerk of the gym”.

You’ll get compliance 99.9% of the time and they’ll likely even cut their own sets short and move on to another exercise.

“Mark” Your Territory!

Although my Golden Retriever, Wrigley, has the right idea when I walk him around the block…I’m NOT talking about whipping it out and urinating around the gym equipment you want to use.

But there IS a way you can claim some real estate…

This is especially helpful if you’re using supersets in your training like I emphasize in my “Advanced Mass Building” program (www.AdvancedMassBuildingSecrets.com) where you need to flip back and forth between 2 pieces of equipment.

Simply grab two of the gym’s floor towels (the ones you use to wipe down the equipment) and throw one over each machine or station you want to use just prior to your sets.

So for example, if I’m supersetting chest and back, I may go and throw a towel over the straight bar on the flat bench and then go and wrap another towel around the pulldown bar at a different location.

And I’m talking, I make it OBVIOUS!

I literally put the towel where someone would know that that equipment is being used…not just toss it on the ground next to the equipment.

Then at the end of each set on each piece of equipment, I put the towel back where it can be seen that I’m still using it.

Same thing goes for your other floor “equipment”.  If you’re carrying a water bottle and a training notebook, keep one at one station and the other at another one to send a clear signal that the equipment is taken.

Loiter

Know why you see “no loitering” signs around businesses such as convenient stores?

Because it annoys people.

When you’re in a time crunch and someone looks as if they’ve set up temporary residence at a piece of equipment, “hang out” close by them – where it’s obvious that you are waiting for THEIR equipment – and occasionally look at your watch.

Now the secret to this is NOT to glare at them as if you expect them to just pick up and go.

No…what you want to do is kind of look around the gym as if it’s no big deal, but when they look at you, just flash a friendly smile at them.

They’ll usually respond with “Oh, are you waiting for this equipment?”

This is where you can come back with “Yeah, are you almost done?”  (Again…keep the friendly tone!).

The typical reaction I see?

They will shortcut their rest period and quickly knock out one more set and leave or let you work in with them during their rest periods.

Well, like I said, I never claimed to be the “nice guy” at the gym, but hey…it’s an (iron) jungle out there and you’re either a lamb or a lion.

If you’ve ever watched “Wild Kingdom”, you know that the lions are the ones who are licking their chops as they gnaw on their leg of lamb.

Have a great workout!

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The Bodybuilding Diet: An Aisle By Aisle Guide

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Shawn Horwood

In This Bodybuilding Nutrition Article:

  • Your local grocery store is laid out to actually SIDE TRACK you from choosing the right foods to build muscle! Here’s how to maneuver the obstacle course to avoid the mistakes most people make!
  • BONUS:  Your Bodybuilding Diet Shopping Guide (Download!)

 

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is the perfect body.

The weightlifting’s going great. You have a challenging, but not completely sadistic trainer.

You’ve carved time out of your schedule hit the gym. (You even remember to run your workout clothes through the wash…hopefully!)

You’ll grow huge, buff, and polished in no time… unless you eat junk.

Everyone’s got to eat. And if your goal is to build lean muscle without the fat, YOU have to eat wiser than the rest.

Get sloppy and you’ll be fighting on both sides in the battle of the bulge.

Restrict your diet too much and yeah, you’ll lose fat; but, you’ll also probably lose interest and head right for some greasy fries and a chocolate shake.

Let’s look at what you can get at your friendly neighborhood supermarket.

Frankly, there are a few aisles no self-respecting bodybuilder will be seen in. (And I don’t mean the adult diaper aisle.)

The bad news? Cross off your list the following aisles: sodas, chips, cookies, candy, pasta, and kiddie cereals.

The good news? Well, you can also cross off the catfood and dogfood aisle. Protein is great, but you don’t have to get crazy.

What’s left? Lean proteins, including fish, turkey, and chicken. Eggs are a great source of whole protein, as is skim milk and low-fat cottage cheese.

Tofu – the mystery “meat” of champions is another great option, especially for vegetarian bodybuilders.

These are all found around the perimeter of the store, which is great because you’ll get some walking in, too.

Now, head down the organic or health food aisle.

If you have a great store, you’ll find some products here that are mainstays of the ultimate bodybuilding diet: whey protein and soy protein products, nuts, whole grain cereals, and soy beans.

And here’s a little bonus for you…a great “shopping guide” to help you hit your grocery with a plan in hand:

http://www.musclenerdfitness.com/pdf/mealplanninggrocerylist.pdf

Stock up, eat up, and bulk up!

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How Stretching Helps Mass Building to Build More Muscle

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Shawn Horwood

[Written by Jeff Anderson]

Ok, at first, this bodybuilding technique isn’t going to sound all that sexy to you.

But what if I told you that it will, without a doubt, magnify your mass-building results exponentially and…

…there’s a 95% chance you’re NOT doing it?

And what if I told you that you won’t even break one tiny little bead of sweat when you add it to your bodybuilding routine?

Interested?

I thought so!

You see, most guys at the gym have no problem grunting their way through endless sets of muscle-pumping exercises.

Intensity is high…the skin on your arms is about to burst open…and your chest is screaming for relief.

But did you know that STRETCHING is actually a powerful mass-building workout technique?

Here’s why…

When you stretch your muscle fibers, you increase the natural release of “Insulin Like Growth Factor 1″ (IGF-1), the primary anabolic trigger for the follow up release of muscle-building, fat-burning growth hormone.  In fact, IGF-1 is absolutely critical for muscle growth and in supporting your body’s natural recovery process following your training.

But Wait, It Gets Even BETTER…
 
Stretching also activates your muscle fibers to create “satellite cells” that branch off as part of your body’s natural recovery response to the elongation of the fibers.

Bottom line…more muscle cells = more muscle mass potential!

I started incorporating this in my “Advanced Mass Building” workout program (http://www.AdvancedMassBuildingSecrets.com) some time ago and it’s incredible how much more you can FEEL the buzz in your muscle cells if you really concentrate on them after your workouts!

How To Use This Mass Building Technique Correctly…

Ok, this is important because how you apply stretching to your mass building routine can make or break your success.

In fact, I had been doing it completely WRONG for years and I want to make sure you don’t screw it up like I did.  Follow these tips:

1. Do NOT stretch your muscles BEFORE or DURING your workouts!

It used to be thought that stretching before exercise helped to avoid injury to the muscles. Actually, a good 5 minute warmup of your target muscles is all you need.
Pre-training stretching has actually been shown to REDUCE your muscle strength by as much as 28 PERCENT for your follow up workout because it reduces the level of muscle tension you need to push iron.

Who the hell wants a 30% decrease in workout intensity?  Not me!

Therefore, save your stretching until the END of your workout, when you’ve completed all of your sets.

2. Make sure you’re “warm” enough for stretching

You don’t want to stretch a cold muscle or you’ll risk injury.  This is why you should perform your stretches IMMEDIATELY following your workout.

You’ll get a better, safer stretch…and better results!

3. Hold the stretch for 30-60 seconds.

The muscle fibers need time to elongate slowly.  No bouncing and don’t push yourself too far too fast.

4. Choose “Functional Stretching” techniques over static.

“Functional stretching” includes muscle tension with the actual stretching movement.  This helps to activate the muscle fibers better and can actually give you a better stretch in the muscle while also tapping into stabilizer muscles.

Here are a few examples:

  • Single Leg Deep Lunges for Quads & Hip Flexors (You’re actually stretching your BACK LEG in this movement.)
  • Dumbbell Flye Hold For Chest (Just hold the dumbbells in the bottom position and feel the stretch.)
  • Preacher Curl Hold For Biceps (Hold a barbell at the bottom position of the preacher curl machine.)
  • Cable Row Hold For Back (On a seated rowing station, let the weight forward until you feel that stretch in your lats. Careful not to extend your lower back.)

Think of some other exercises you do that involve a “stretch” at the bottom position and look at your POST-WORKOUT as just another anabolic extension of your mass building workout!

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“ADVANCED” MASS BUILDING TIPS To GROW Muscle Like Crazy!

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Shawn Horwood

Remember when you FIRST started “lifting” and you could practically watch the muscle grow as you stared into your bathroom mirror?

Ahhhhhh…those were the days, eh?

But like most people, those gains slowed down after a while and probably came to a CRASHING HALT at some point, right?

And of course, the bodybuilding magazines told you to “work harder” as they gave you a “plateau buster” workout that only REALLY works for “steroid-juiced” pro’s!

It may have worked a tiny bit, but then you were right back where you started again!

Well, I have the solutions for you and I’m going to reveal them right NOW in these…

“5 Mass Building Mistakes…And How To INSTANTLY Correct Them For Thick New Growth”

http://www.advancedmassbuildingsecrets.com

Here’s what you’ll find in this F.R.E.E. Special Report:

1.) How to EAT to build mass…based upon your SPECIFIC “BODY TYPE”!

(One-size-fits-all nutrition plans are for “newbies”! Do you know the exact changes YOU need to make if you’re either a skinny Ectomorph, or “chubby” Endo?

2.) Which training frequency has been scientifically PROVEN to work better for building muscle: 3-, 4-, 5-, or 6-DAY training routines?

(Hint: No matter how you answer, you’ll only be HALF RIGHT! I’ll fill you in on the OTHER HALF and why it’s one of the KEY GROWTH FACTORS if your goal is to really pack on some serious size.)

3.) The PROPER way to “cycle” your training to ELIMINATE no-growth “plateaus” once and for all!

4.) How the TIME OF DAY affects your ability to grow muscle (and the 2 EXACT TIMES you should target to pack on some insane mass!)

5.) The secret to awakening “dormant” muscle fibers that have never grown before…and kick them into “super-growth” mode for the gains of your life!

PLUS…there are a bunch of other KILLER “mass building” tips waiting for you!

Just go to…

http://www.advancedmassbuildingsecrets.com

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