Building Muscle Without Going To A Gym: A Helpful Guide

Ways To Build Muscle Without Lifting Weights

Some people don’t have the time or finances to be able to go to the gym. There are still home workouts that you can do to build muscle in the comfort of your own home. Here are some ways to build muscle without lifting weights.

Use Bodyweight Exercises

At home you can use your own bodyweight to get an intense workout that will increase your muscle mass over time. All of these exercises are free to do at home. You can do as many sets as you want.

Squats

To build your lower body muscles like your legs and butt, do squats. Squats are easy. With your back straight bend your legs and lower your butt, and then rise up to your original position. Do 5 sets of twenty squats to start.

To make squats more challenging you can hold a heavy object to add weight to your body. Additionally, you can increase the number of squats and reps that you do.

Planks

Planks are a great core exercise that will build your abdominal muscles. Try to hold each plank that you do for thirty seconds at least. Planks are a very important exercise to do if you want to look and feel your best.

Lunges

Lunges are a great exercise to do at home to build muscle in your legs and calves. Make sure to do the same amount of lunges for each leg. Stretching is a good idea to do before lunges. You don’t want to pull a muscle.

Pushups and Situps

One of the easiest ways to build muscle without lifting weights is doing simple pushups and situps exercises. Pushups are great for building upper body muscles. Situps are fantastic for working your core and abdominal muscles.

For pushups, it’s important to start with a low amount of repetitions per set. Try to do 15 pushups per set if you haven’t done much pushups before. As time goes on, you can do 20 to 50 pushups per set.

Once you have the strength to do more reps you can do more sets as well. Doing 300 to 500 pushups in a day, three times a week, is a great way to build upper body muscle. The results can be even better than lifting weights at the gym.

Putting It All Together

For a home workout if you do a routine of 100 squats, 10 thirty second planks, three sets of lunges, three hundred pushups and two hundred situps you will see good results, burn fat, and improve endurance, just like you can buying andarine s4. This is a workout that will build muscle throughout your whole body. You don’t need to spend hours at the gym, if you put in hard work at home.

Working out at home is a great way to build muscle. Using bodyweight exercises like squats, planks, lunges, pushups and situps will help your muscles grow to new heights. Remember to start with a low number of sets at first to avoid getting hurt. Once you have the correct form, you can do more reps and more sets safely.

Best Natural Testosterone Boosters For Men

testosterone maleAny hardcore lifter looking to build muscle mass and unleash the inner alpha is no stranger to testosterone. Testosterone is the male sex hormone and is responsible for all of your manly attributes such as a deep voice, sex drive, body hair, strength and muscular development.

The higher a man’s testosterone levels, the stronger he will be, and the more lean muscle mass he will be able to pack on. Every guy wants to have high testosterone levels – yet very few realize how to naturally boost testosterone levels. Naturally elevating your testosterone levels is the key to incredible strength and size gains.

This article is going to break down the best workout routine, diet and all natural supplements to soar T levels way above average.

Lets dive in and first take a look at what kind of workouts elicit the maximum hormonal response.

Lift Heavy = High Testosterone Levels

arnold lifting heavyThere is nothing better for boosting test levels than an old school approach to weight lifting. It’s easy to get caught up in all the fancy workout regimens published in bodybuilding magazines and on sites – but nothing works better to elicit maximum T production than the classic compound exercises. The reason is quite simple. These exercises put the maximum overload on your body’s largest and strongest muscle groups.

This isn’t bro science, but rather been proven by muscle building research studies. Pushing heavy weight signals to your body to pump up the testosterone production to compensate for the extra tension on your nervous and muscular systems. Keep it simple and focus on lifting heavy weights on your compound exercise movements such as the bench press, dead lift, squat and barbell row.

You aren’t doing your T-Levels any favors doing 20 sets of bicep curls. You are much better off following a training protocol that emphasizes compound movements for the majority of your workout. It worked for the old school bodybuilders and will work for you!

The Less is More Approach to Testosterone Levels

Now that we know we have to lift heavy weight for maximum hormonal response you need to also factor in the length of your workouts. If you want your T levels to peak you need to stay away from the marathon man workouts.

If you are following the recommended training protocol and lifting big and heavy weight – your T levels will peak around 25-30 minutes of weight training.

It has been shown that if you train for too long (over an hour) your body will start to produce another hormone called cortisol, which is a stress hormone. High levels of cortisol = very low levels of testosterone as this blunts your testosterone production.

So keep your workouts short and intense. Lift those compound exercises at maximum intensity for 45 minutes and get out of the gym so you can maintain sky-high T production.

T Up with the Alpha Grocery List

high testosterone foodHigh Cholesterol Protein:

These foods are essential for high testosterone levels and muscle growth. Your body can’t produce testosterone levels without cholesterol. You see – cholesterol is a pre cursor to testosterone development.

Eating the top 5 high cholesterol proteins on this list will turn you into an alpha male and give your body crucial protein for strength and muscle gains.

Worried about cholesterol harming your heart health? Don’t be! This 415 million dollar research study proved that a diet low in fat and cholesterol did not prevent cardiovascular disease! Check it out here.

Top 5 Testosterone Boosting Foods

Eggs: Eggs are loaded with vitamin D, calcium, protein and cholesterol. This is the perfect blend for maximum T levels.

Grass Fed Beef: Grass fed beef is a delicious way to pack in tons of protein and cholesterol. It is also loaded with omega 3 fatty acids, which are crucial for T production.

Chicken Breast: Chicken breasts are a perfect bodybuilding food because they are a lean protein and are also high in cholesterol.

Wild Caught Salmon: Salmon is high in healthy fats, omega 3 and protein. This is the perfect combination for high T levels.

Turkey: Turkey is another lean protein that is high in cholesterol. Perfect for maximum T production.

Testosterone Boosting Supplements

shilajit for testosteroneOk – so we’ve covered the workout regimen and eating strategy for maximum T production. We are now going to dive into the best testosterone boosting supplements. This is an area that gets a lot of attention – as the market for testosterone boosting pills is flooded with ineffective products that are successful due to great marketing.

If you want to boost your T levels with a pill it is important that you pick out products that have scientific research backing up the data.

We have done the hard work for you and have a list of the best all natural T boosting supplements. Keep in mind that these supplements should not be taken if you are not following an effective workout and diet strategy for T production. These are the “extra juice” to max out your T levels if you are already following the proper diet and training regimen.

Forskolin:

Forskolin has been shown to boost T levels while increasing fat burning and lean body mass. Forskolin is an all-natural herb that has been shown to boost T levels up to 18 percent vs. the placebo group.

Tongkat Ali:

This is an old school “bedroom performance pill” but recent research has shown that it can also boost natural T levels. This supplement was also shown to decrease cortisol levels by 16 percent while simultaneously raising testosterone levels. Talk about a win-win for your T!

Ashwaganda:

Weird name and high testosterone seems to be a common theme here. This simple looking plant has been proven to boost T levels in men by up to 17 percent over a 90-day period. Not bad for a plant that could be growing in your backyard!

Mucuna Pruriens:

Mucuuna Pruriens is a powerful all natural test booster which has been proven effective in humans. Researchers in India had 75 healthy men between 25 and 40 take 5 grams of mucuna pruriens daily for 90 days. After the 90 days passed they examined their T levels and found that serum testosterone levels increased by 27 percent in the group of healthy men!

Shilajit:

Although this is nothing more than a mineral loaded alkaloid, it can raise your T levels naturally by up to 23.5 percent! Research at a medical college in India gave 28 men 200 Mg of Shilajit powder everyday for 90 days and tested them regularly. The results showed that Shilajit boosted T levels by an average of 23.5 percent!

Cellucor C4 Extreme Pre Workout Review

Cellucor C4 has quickly become one of the most popular pre workouts available on the market. Cellucor prides itself on having high quality supplements that can help you reach your body composition goals very quickly.

When shopping for a pre workout you want to buy something that will help you increase your energy levels, muscular strength and endurance, lean muscle gains and of course you want it to taste good.

Cellucor C4 Extreme Pre Workout Review

Cellucor C4 has been shown to help you:

  • Amplify Pre Workout Energy
  • Intense Focus during weight training workouts
  • Great Muscle Pumps
  • Delicious Flavors
  • Award Winning Pre Workout Formula

So how does Cellucor C4 rank in the major pre workout categories? Lets dive in and take a closer look.

Energy Profile:

The first thing you have to understand about Cellucor C4 is that it is not one of the strongest energy inducing pre workouts on the market. Cellucor C4 is a great pre workout powder for someone who is sensitive to stimulant based pre workouts or who is a beginner in the weight room.

The explosive energy blend in Cellucor C4 comes in a proprietary blend and contains 135 Mgs of Caffeine and contains high doses of Vitamin B12. While many other pre workout powders contain a lot more caffeine and/or stimulants you will get a nice clean jittery free experience with Cellucor C4.

Energy Rating: 4.0/5.0

Muscular Strength and Endurance:

Cellucor C4 contains Beta Alanine and Creatine Nitrate to boost muscular strength and endurance. Creatine and beta alanine are a great duo as one boosts strength (creatine) and one boosts muscular endurance (beta alanine).

C4 also has 1,000 Mgs of arginine AKG to further boost blood flow and nutrient absorption.

With 1500 mgs of beta alanine and 1,000 mgs of creatine nitrate you get a nice dosage of both ingredients, however not quite as high as we would like to see.

Strength and Endurance Rating: 4/5.00

Taste and Overall Ingredient Profile:

Cellucor C4 contains a proprietary blend for its energy blend and a precise amount of muscular strength and endurance boosting ingredients with 1,500 mgs of Beta Alanine, 1,000 mg of creatine and 1,000 mg of arginine.

The taste of Cellucor C4 is top notch as it comes in many delicious flavors such as Fruit punch, green apple and icy blue razz. Big downside: it contains artificial flavors and suralose (an artificial sweetener). Great taste, but it’s not natural.

Muscle Pharm Assault Pre Workout Review

musclepharm assault

Muscle Pharm assault has quickly become one of the most popular pre workout powders on the market and is known as the “athletes pre workout” since it contains no banned stimulants or ingredients. Many popular pre workout powders actually contain banned substances by the NBA, NFL, and NCAA and are loaded with potentially dangerous stimulants.

With Muscle Pharm assault you are getting a high quality pre workout powder that has nothing but clean and effective ingredients.

So how does Muscle Pharm Assault stack up overall as a pre workout powder? Lets take a closer look and break it down by category.

Energy Profile:

Muscle Pharm Assault contains an effective energy profile that will surge you past any bit of mental or physical fatigue. Muscle Pharm Assault gives you a rapid amount of quick energy in the form of an “Energy and Neuro Igniter.”

This blend contains 1,750 mgs of choline bitartrate, an advanced form of caffeine, and Huperzine A. You also get 90 mcg’s of Vitamin B12 that combines with caffeine for a pre workout surge.

This blend forms a synergistic effect and will help you achieve a nice amount of energy for your hardcore and intense workouts.

Rating: B+

Muscular Strength and Endurance Profile:

Since this is the Athletes pre workout – Assault has a very precise amount of ingredients that are designed to help you drastically boost strength and endurance.

Muscle Pharm Assault contains Beta alanine, Creanitrate, L tyrosine, L glutamine, and Taurine which will all help boost your muscular strength and endurance.

On top of these ingredients you are also getting a potent dose of BCAA’s – which have been shown to initiate muscle protein synthesis.

Rating: B+

Body Composition:

Muscle Pharm Assault will help you cut body fat levels and increase your lean muscle mass. Muscle Pharm assault has one of the most effective muscle building ingredient profiles since it contains ingredients designed to boost your workout intensity and proven muscle builders and recovery agents such as Bcaa’s, and L-glutamine.

The one X factor that sets Muscle Pharm Assault apart from its competition is the fact that it contains dextrose and Beet extract, which help aid in absorption. This means that your body will be able to absorb more of the muscle building and pre workout boosting ingredients. The end result is a all of the active ingredients are loaded into your muscles and you are fully loaded for a good workout experience.

Rating: A-

Taste:

Muscle Pharm Assault comes in many delicious flavors that mix perfect with water. You will have over 10 different flavors to choose from such as raspberry lemonade, pineapple mango, blue raz, fruit punch and candy apple. The variety of flavors you get with Muscle Pharm Assault is head and shoulders above most other pre workouts. The only downside is that it contains sucralose, an artificial sweetener.

What is The Best Form of Creatine?

With so many creatine options available, many people are left with paralysis by analysis. How in the world are you suppose to know which one is the best for building lean muscle mass and increasing strength? This article is going to break down the best form of creatine for the hardcore lifter who is seeking tremendous strength and lean muscle gains.

Get Your Full Daily Dosage of The Proven Best Form of Creatine for Building Muscle & Enhancing Performance + 5 Other Clinically Effective Ingredients Proven to Boost Strength, Enhance Endurance, Build Muscle, Boost Nitric Oxide, and Provide a Euphoric Energy & Focus: Check out ALTIUS – The #1 Rated Pre-Workout Supplement on Amazon.com for 2015.

Why Creatine Works

creatineCreatine is one of the most powerful all natural strength and muscle boosting supplements. The science behind creatine has been around for over 20 years and it has been used since the days of old school bodybuilding. If you want to maximize your performance in the gym you should be taking a creatine supplement – plain and simple!

Regardless of your end game goal with your training (fat loss, muscle building or both) – Creatine can help get you their quicker.

Creatine has been linked to increases in strength and lean muscle gains – which makes it the perfect supplement for any power lifters or fitness goers looking to pack on lean muscle mass.

The science behind the gains is that creatine increases the energy output of your type 2 muscle fibers that are used in explosive activities like strength training and sprinting.

This is why even if your goal is to lose body fat quickly, supplementing creatine before and after a high intensity interval training session works very well.

Creatine has also been linked to reducing muscle damage and soreness from exercise. This means that you can train at maximum intensity and get back in the gym sooner for more gains in less time!

Creatine had a bad reputation in the past and was linked to a lot of side effects. Luckily saner research has prevailed. Creatine has been used for over 30 years and has been deemed safe when consumed properly.

Creatine is nothing more than a naturally occurring amino acid found in red meat and fish. Therefore creatine consumption is 100 percent natural.

Many fitness goers have the false perception that creatine is a muscle building supplement that does the work for you. Creatine without maximum intensity workouts will not give you any kind of results. Creatine prepares your body and fuels it for increases in strength which allow you to push more weight in the gym which allows you to put more overload on your body’s muscles which allows you to gain more muscle mass.

The formula is quite simple:

creatine resultsCreatine Consumption > Increased Strength > Increased Overload > More Healthy Micro Tears > More Lean Muscle Gains

Take for example an exercise like the bench press or squat. These are obviously essential muscle building compound exercises. Creatine will allow you to exert more force and overload on these exercises and increase your maximum lifts. Even if it only increases your lifts by 5 percent, this adds up to tremendous lean muscle gains over time.

Imagine all of the lean muscle gains you could make if all of your compound muscle building workouts were at peak efficiency and you were lifting a few lbs heavier each and every workout. The compound effect of intense training and creatine consumption can give you tremendous gains over time.

So what is the best kind of creatine to unleash these gains? Lets take a look

Kre Alkalyn

Kre alkalyn is also known as buffered creatine and has its own unique patent. Buffered creatine has a PH level of 12, which means that your body can absorb it easier and faster. This translates to less per serving than typical creatine monohydrate.

The truth is that these claims have been proven false and research has shown that no performance advantages were found with Kre-Alkalyn creatine. Kre alkalyn is also much more expensive than regular creatine monohydrate – so save your money!

Creatine HCL

Creatine HCL is the latest overpriced creatine supplement to hit the market hard. Creatine HCL is creatine bound to hydrochloric acid and is supposedly the most advanced form of creatine available.

The marketing pitch behind this product is that instead of taking 5-10 grams per day, you only need to consume 1-2 grams of creatine hcl.

One hugely important factor you have to realize is that creatine hcl is turned into regular creatine by your stomach acid – so you are overpaying for a fancy variation of creatine.

Bodybuilders and athletes have reported no additional strength or lean muscle gains with this creatine compared to regular monohydrate. They did report some financial losses however – as creatine HCL is up to 10 times as expensive as regular creatine!

Creatine Malate

Creatine malate is another fancy version of creatine. This type of creatine is formulated by combining a creatine molecule with a malic acid molecule. Malic acid alone has been linked to performance in competitive athletes so this would initially make sense.

Further research has shown that there is no conclusive evidence showing creatine malate is superior to old-fashioned monohydrate.

Liquid Creatine

Liquid creatine is simply creatine monohydrate that is suspended in liquid form. Liquid creatine has actually been shown to be less effective than regular creatine monohydrate. After being in the liquid solution for several days, the creatine is broken down into its inactive form known as “creatinine.”.

Creatine Ethyl Ester

Creatine ethyl ester is another popular form of creatine that has been marketed as having “better absorption” than monohydrate. This is actually not true after further research evaluated this claim.

Creatine ethyl ester has been proven less effective than regular monohydrate by a popular research study. Once ethyl ester enters your body it is quickly converted into the inactive substance creatinine.

Creatine Nitrate

Creatine nitrate is water solulable and possibly easier on your stomach than regular creatine monohydrate. You are however paying extra for a fancy variation of monohydrate that yields no strength or lean muscle gains advantages over regular monohydrate.

Creatine Monohydrate

Not only is creatine monohydrate the most cost effective creatine product on the market – it is also the most effective creatine supplement. There has yet to be a fancy and over hyped creatine supplement that has been proven to be more effective for strength and lean muscle gains.

The research is very straightforward. Don’t overpay for other types of creatine. Creatine monohydrate is by far the best choice and is still the gold standard when it comes to strength and lean muscle gains.

Micronized creatine is a popular variation of creatine monohydrate and is simply creatine monohydrate broken down into smaller particles for easier absorption. If you don’t mind shelling out a few extra dollars per month – this is also a fantastic choice.

Get Your Full Daily Dosage of The Proven Best Form of Creatine for Building Muscle & Enhancing Performance + 5 Other Clinically Effective Ingredients Proven to Boost Strength, Enhance Endurance, Build Muscle, Boost Nitric Oxide, and Provide a Euphoric Energy & Focus: Check out ALTIUS – The #1 Rated Pre-Workout Supplement on Amazon.com for 2015.

Weight Loss Pills that Actually Work

Check out SHREDDED+, The Best Fat Burner Supplement Available on Amazon. The Only Fat Loss Supplement on The Market with a Synergistic Ingredient Stack Shown in Real Clinical Studies to Burn 183 More Calories Per Day. Burning Calories is The Absolute Key to Losing Weight Fast. Not To Mention, SHREDDED+ is packed with other ingredients to further drive weight loss, increase energy, suppress appetite, and get you fast results. All without the jitters, crashes, and side effects. Read the reviews & check out the crazy results here!

diet pillsDid you know that the US weight loss market alone is worth nearly 61 billion dollars? That number was from a 2011 study – and has grown even bigger the last few years.

Since we are a quick fix society always looking for a pill to cover up our problems its no secret that weight loss pills are a 1.5 billion dollar piece of the overall weight loss pie.

This is the reason that there are so many weight loss pills on the market. Shady businessman and savvy marketers are fighting over a 1.5 billion dollar piece of the pie – and its prey is desperate people looking for a quick and easy solution for weight loss.

Selling someone hard work isn’t’ as sexy as selling a pill that instantly sheds pounds and boosts your metabolism. The problem is that most of these pills are complete garbage and do nothing more than burn a hole in your wallet.

Every pill promises to be new and cutting edge. These pills are nothing but great marketing and hype. Lets first state something obvious. There is no magic pill that will help you instantly reverse years of damage.

If you want to lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit. This means that you are burning more calories than you are consuming. This article is going to highlight some healthy weight loss pills that will aid you in losing weight and creating this calorie deficit – but shouldn’t be looked at as a “magic pill.”

You still need to eat the right things and workout regularly if you want to have powerful results. These weight loss pills are merely just the icing on the cake to give you a slight boost and a mental edge.

This is the go to list of weight loss pill ingredients that can speed up your weight loss results in conjunction with the proper lifestyle changes. Don’t buy an over hyped weight loss pill before you check out this list.

Make sure that whatever product you are buying contains most if not all of these ingredients. Make sure to stay away from the stimulant based fat burners that will play havoc with your nervous system and do not offer long-term results.

Weight Loss pills That Actually Work

top weight loss pills

Caffeine

Caffeine is in fact the world’s most popular drug and for very good reason. If you are looking to lose weight regular caffeine intake has been shown to have numerous benefits.

Caffeine has been shown to improve muscular strength and endurance when taken before a strength-training workout. The extra intensity in the gym results in additional fat loss and lean muscle gains. The more intense you are able to train the quicker you will have body composition results – especially with weight loss.

Several studies have also proven that caffeine intake can have a thermogenic effect and helps your body burn more calories throughout the day. This is the perfect storm for anyone looking to lose weight quickly.

Caffeine speeds up your metabolic rate by increasing the amount of catecholamines in your blood. Catecholamines are chemicals that mobilize fat stores to be burned as an energy source. That morning cup of coffee can do a lot more than you think!

If you don’t like coffee, caffeine pills are one of the cheapest and most effective fat burners you can purchase.

Synephrine

Synephrine is another all natural weight loss ingredient that will speed up your results. Research has indicated that synephrine increases your metabolism and fat lipolysis.

This means that it helps your body burn more calories throughout the day and creates that crucial calorie deficit that is needed for weight loss.

Synephrine has also been shown to inhibit activity of fat cell receptors that prevent your body from burning and metabolizing fat cells.

Synephrine is another science-backed ingredient that you should look for in your weight loss pills.

Naringin

Naringin may be a strange name but is a highly effective weight loss ingredient that will speed up your results. Naringin stimulates the production of a crucial fat loss hormone called adiponectin.

Adiponectin is used in the breakdown of fat cells and regulates your fat mobilization. Another double win is that research has shown naringin works synergistically with synephrine and hesperidin to further boost your metabolism. These ingredients combined will result in more calories burned per hour, which helps you create a calorie deficit much easier.

Green Tea Extract

Not only is green tea one of the healthiest things in the world and contains powerful antioxidants – it can help you lose weight! You can get all of the amazing health and metabolism benefits of green tea from green tea extract.

Green tea extract contains the antioxidant EGCG. This is where all of the weight loss and health benefits come from.

Numerous research studies have proven that regular consumption of green tea speeds up your weight loss, boosts energy and increases your metabolism.

L-Carnitine

L carnitine has become a popular supplement in the fitness and bodybuilding community. L carnitine is an excellent weight loss option that will utilize your fat cells as an energy source. L carnitine has also been shown to increase performance in the gym!

Research has indicated that L carnitine plays an important role in fatty acid oxidation and this is the primary reason it is included in this list.

Hesperidin

Hesperidin is another ingredient that has been shown to elevate the production of adiponectin – which we discussed is a crucial fat loss hormone.

Hesperidin also combines with synephrine and naringin to form a synergistic weight loss combination.

Salicin

Salicin is a unique weight loss ingredient that inhibits the build up of molecules that can reduce the effects of synephrine. If you are taking a weight loss pill that contains synephrine – it is recommended that you should combine it with salcin.

Check out SHREDDED+, The Best Fat Burner Supplement Available on Amazon. The Only Fat Loss Supplement on The Market with a Synergistic Ingredient Stack Shown in Real Clinical Studies to Burn 183 More Calories Per Day. Burning Calories is The Absolute Key to Losing Weight Fast. Not To Mention, SHREDDED+ is packed with other ingredients to further drive weight loss, increase energy, suppress appetite, and get you fast results. All without the jitters, crashes, and side effects. Read the reviews & check out the crazy results here!

The Ultimate Shoulder Workout Guide

Best Exercises For Huge Shoulders

big shouldersDeveloping big and impressive shoulders is vital for creating a powerful looking masculine physique. Your shoulder muscles are crucial for an aesthetic appearance because the wider your shoulder muscles are the smaller your waist will look. This creates an illusion and gives you flawless aesthetics.

Having a solid V taper, thick deltoids and a small waist is the male equivalent to having curves and a small waist.

Developing big and round deltoids that pop should be one of the most important aspects of your training regimen. Most gym goers lack shoulder development because they don’t realize that the deltoid muscle has 3 separate heads you need to develop.

The common shoulder routine consists of db shoulder press, lat raises and the occasional military press. While these exercises are important for overall shoulder development – they only target the medial deltoid – which is the center portion of the shoulders.

When you are training your chest you are indirectly hitting the front head of the shoulder (anterior deltoid) – but to take your shoulder development to the next level you need a more concentrated approach.

Incorporating exercises that target the anterior deltoid muscle will develop this head much quicker.

The last head that is often most neglected is the posterior deltoid – which is the back of the shoulder muscle. This is a hard muscle to train and you really need to perform exercises that target it directly.

A well-developed posterior deltoid will make you look more impressive from the side and back. When you see someone with big posterior delts it really stands out because it is so rare.

It is vital that your shoulder routine targets all three heads. If one of your deltoid muscles is lagging – it will be painfully obvious. Develop all three heads with this Ultimate Shoulder workout and you will soon resemble a Greek God!

Let’s first dive into 3 major principles that you need to follow to get the most from your shoulder regimen.

Heavy Weight and Progressive Overload for Thick Deltoids

arnold overhead shoulder pressMany guys overcomplicate developing a muscle group. The best time tested and proven strategy is to lift HEAVY on the most important exercises and focus on making small incremental improvements each workout. This is what progressive overload is all about!

This means that you need to track each shoulder workout and focus on increasing the weight and/or repetitions. Tracking your shoulder workouts will push you to the next level, increase your focus, and speed up your results.

Your shoulders are a stubborn muscle group and it is vital for quick development that you emphasize the progressive overload principles.

Take for instance the Db shoulder press – one of the best mass building shoulder exercises we are going to discuss in the next section. You should be tracking your weight and repetitions with each workout.

If you performed the Db shoulder press with 65 lbs at 8 reps the previous workout, you need to be pushing yourself to do 9 reps with the same weight the following workout, or move up to 70 lbs and do 7 reps. This FORCES your muscle to respond and get bigger and stronger. This is the key to fast results and developing those boulder shoulders!

Your MUST emphasize all 3 heads of the Shoulder

We chatted about this in the intro, and it is ital that you focus on developing all 3 sections of your deltoid muscles to build those aesthetically looking delts that “pop.”

Most lifters put all of their focus on the medial section of the shoulders with exercises like the db shoulder press and seated military press. While this builds one section – you are neglecting your anterior and posterior deltoids.

Developing your anterior and posterior deltoid muscles is the missing link to most lifters having impressive boulder shoulders.

If you want your shoulders to look thick and aesthetically pleasing developing all 3 sections is the blueprint. You should be putting equal emphasis on each section.

Muscle Confusion = Fast Results

big broad shouldersNo, this isn’t the marketing gimmick for the next beach body workout routine! Just like working any other muscle group, you need to constantly vary your regimen to unleash powerful gains. Your body eventually gets use to whatever type of overload you are placing on it.

First you will need to vary the exercises that you are performing for each section of your shoulders. Even if the specific exercises don’t change for a month or two you need to at least change up the order in which you perform them. This creates a different overload and will force your muscles into growth.

The next aspect of creating muscle confusion is varying your repetition ranges. This means that some days you are performing heavy sets putting the maximum amount of overload on your delts and other days you are performing more repetitions. One workout you can try going heavy and staying in the 4-6-repetition range and the next workout try going moderate reps in the 8-12 range.

The next element to maximizing your shoulder development is that you want to make sure you are varying your rest times. One of the best ways to shock the muscle into growth is the combination of heavy sets with short rest times.

So what does an insane shoulder workout routine look like that develops all 3 heads of the deltoids and unleashes powerful gains? Let’s check one out!

Ultimate Shoulder Training Program

Db Shoulder Press

Sets: 4

Reps: 8-12

Rest Time: 60 Seconds

Pace: 2:2

Target: Medial Deltoid, Anterior Deltoid

  1. Standing Barbell Military Press

Sets: 4

Reps: 6

Rest Time: 75 Seconds

Pace: 2:2

Target: Medial Deltoid, Anterior Deltoid

  1. Db Lateral Raises

Sets: 4

Reps: 10

Rest Time: 75 Seconds

Pace: 1:2

Target: Medial deltoid

  1. Db Arnold Press

Sets: 5

Reps: 12

Rest Time: 60 Seconds

Target: Anterior Deltoid

Pace: 2:2

  1. Db Shrugs

Sets: 4

Reps: 8

Rest Time: 75 Seconds

Pace: 1:2

Target: Medial Deltoid, Posterior Deltoid

  1. Seated Db Rear Deltoid Raise

Sets: 4

Reps: 8

Rest Time: 75 Seconds

Pace: 2:2

Target: Posterior Deltoid

  1. Reverse Rear Delt Fly

Sets: 4

Reps: 10

Rest Time: 60 Seconds

Pace: 2:2

Target: Posterior Deltoid

  1. Dumbbell Front Raise

Sets: 3

Reps: 12

Rest: 60 Seconds

Pace: 1:2

Target: Anterior Deltoid

Rauwolfia Canescens (Rauwolscine): Fat Burner

Rauwolfia Canescens (Rauwolscine) is one of the strongest agents to control the weight of the human body.

It belongs to the Apocyanaceae family and is an evergreen shrub found on the South African Quinine Tree. It has become very popular among bodybuilders and athletes.

Reported Effects

  1. Helps with weight loss.
  2. Develops lean muscle.
  3. Lowers blood pressure.

Reported effects include:

Reduces weight – The most important effect of Rauwolfia Canescens extracts is for its water retention ability in the human body. This, as a result, leads to loss of body weight and allows proper functioning of body metabolism activities. Bodybuilders and individuals who perform heavy physical workouts usually take supplements of this shrub for avoiding accumulation of water within the body.

Fat Burner

Develops lean muscle – Because of its ability to remove water content from the body, its supplements are also recommended for developing a muscular appearance. It not only eliminates the water from the muscle tissue, but also contributes to strengthening the muscular fibers.

Reduces hypertension – Rauwolfia Canescens contains respirine alkaloid that is known to be very effective for reducing the symptoms of hypertension. In medical perspective, drugs including this plant extract are known to exhibit anti-hypertensive properties.

Lowers blood pressure levels – One of the key uses of this plant extract is for lowering the levels of blood pressure in the human body. The alkaloid components of this plant are known to be highly effective for individuals with high blood pressure.

Contributes to fat breakdown in the body – Another major role of Rauwolfia Canescens is its ability to block the alpha-2 receptors in the human body. These receptors are a barrier to lipolysis or fat metabolism, and therefore, the extract of this shrub is administered for blocking the receptors from performing their activities.

Exhibits diuretic properties – As mentioned, Rauwolfia Canescens supplements are used as a diuretic to release extra water from the body cells. Experts recommend this plant supplement for various weight management programs.

Possible Dangers

Although Rauwolfia Canescens is known to be safe and non-toxic in the human body; individuals taking the supplements of this plant extract are advised to drink sufficient amounts of water. Excessive intake of Rauwolscine supplements causes dehydration and therefore one must balance out the loss of water to avoid any possible symptoms.

FDA Approved?

Rauwolfia Canescens (Rauwolscine) has not been evaluated yet by the Food and Drug Administration.

Studies

Many earlier studies have reported that Rauwolscine extracts are quite effective for weight loss. These studies reported that this plant exhibits properties that help with water retention – a process where additional water is released from the body. Therefore, supplements of this plant species are commonly recommended for bodybuilders and weightlifters.

Some recent studies administered drugs made from the extracts of this plant into people suffering from high levels of blood pressure. As per the results found through the examination in these studies, the supplements of Rauwolscine were found to significantly reduce the blood pressure levels and therefore can be prescribed with careful diagnosis of patients.

Some studies have reported that Rauwolscine contains alkaloids, which imparts therapeutic properties to reduce hypertension. Based on the results of these studies, many health experts suggest this to be an anti-hypertensive agent.

Supplements using this ingredient:

1. Rauwolfia canescens, ext.

Conclusion

In recent times, Rauwolfia Canescens (Rauwolscine) has gained much popularity due to its health benefits, especially for people who perform rigorous exercise and heavy physical workouts. While many people use this supplement for weight loss and development of lean muscle cells, experts from the medical field recommend its supplements for reducing hypertension and blood pressure levels.

In addition, it is very widely used to promote fat metabolism. Various commercial products include Rauwolfia Canescens (Rauwolscine) as the primary ingredient along with another important compound known as Coleus Forskohlii.

Pyridoxine Α-Ketoglutarate

Pyridoxine Α-Ketoglutarate combines Pyridoxine, which is another term for Vitamin B6, and Alpha-Ketoglutarate, which is a krebs or citric acid cycle. Taken as a supplement, this compound provides extra energy and helps promote a healthier body.

Reported Effects

  1. Provides additional energy levels.
  2. Helps muscle mass increase.
  3. Benefits and speeds up metabolism.

Effects of Pyridoxine A-Ketoglutarate include: 

Boosts Energy – provides additional energy levels that you can use to improve work out and athletic performance.

Metabolism – it benefits one’s metabolism because it helps manufacture 11 of 20 amino acids that we need in our body which produces metabolic reactions. It aids in the metabolism of proteins and carb intake.

Muscle increase – it will help the muscles during intense exercise because muscles need glutamine and a-ketoglutarate.

Supports the immune system – it produces insulin and enzymes and improves the immune system and protects against common illnesses. It also aids in the production and proliferation of white blood cells.

Infants – insufficient vitamin b6 in infants may affect the ability to create certain neurotransmitters and may lead to convulsions

Pyridoxine Α-Ketoglutarate

It also prevents issues in terms of blood supply during surgery. After surgery, it will help prevent muscle breakdown. It is needed by the liver to make glycogen, which is essential in glucose production. It is needed for hemoglobin synthesis and helps the red blood cells regulate oxygen.

Maintains a functioning nervous system.

Possible Dangers

There are no reported side effects for small doses of Pyridoxine Α-Ketoglutarate. In the rare instance that side effects occur, the symptoms are typically allergic in nature. There may be rashes, itching and difficulty in breathing. Also, there is a possibility of a decreased sensation when touching, loss of coordination, and numbing. A physician needs to be seen when these side effects appear, in order to avoid further complications.

FDA Approved?

There has been no rating for Pyridoxine Α-Ketoglutarate, but Pyridoxine HCl has been rated as Generally Recognized as Safe by the Food and Drug Administration.

Studies

Studies reveal that Pyridoxine or Vitamin B6 may be used as a preventive measure and a potential cure for several physical and psychological illnesses. Combined with folate, pyridoxine may serve as a regulator of mood. It also produces serotonin which is known to help increase the probability of preventing depression.

Usually, depressed people (about 16-40%) have low folate levels. If combined with Vitamins B9 and B12, it may also cure clinical depression and several other psychological disorders. Studies even mention that it may aid in the stressors associated with AIDS. Other studies also show that pyridoxine reduces heart diseases, and lowers the homocysteine in the blood.

In a study, pyridoxine alpha-ketoglutarate was shown to have an ability to control the levels of blood sugar. This is particular to those with diabetes. Those that are supplemented with Pyridoxine Α-Ketoglutarate have shown a significant improvement compared to those who were given placebo.

Studies have also proven that women with eating disorders and PMS have potentially low levels of pyridoxine in the body. Supplements have proven to improve the depression or disorder. In both men and women, a lower level of pyridoxine is also tied up with rheumatoid arthritis and even osteoporosis.

Supplements using this Ingredient:

  1. NOW B-6, 100mg
  2. Everlast E-Drenaline Energy Shot, 6/2 Fl. Oz. Bottles
  3. Met-Rx ZMA
  4. NOW Superfruit Liquid Multi, 16 Fl. Oz.
  5. FRS FRS Healthy Energy
  6. Nutricology – Pyridoxine P5P B-6
  7. DouglasLaboratories Pyridoxine AlphaKetoglutarate 90 CT
  8. Beelith Tablets Magnesium Supplement with and Pyridoxine HCL
  9. Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine) 100 MG 100 Caps – Swanson Premium

Conclusion

Pyridoxine Α-Ketoglutarate’s energy boosting properties have made it an essential ingredient in some health supplements sold in the market. It is often mixed with riboflavin and other health ingredients. Again, it’s a vitamin that is important for overall health, but as a supplement, should be combined with other active ingredients to notice any effects.

Lazar Angelov Diet and Training

Lazar Angelov is one of the most famous fitness models in the world due to his incredible aesthetic physique. Lazar’s build is a testament to his dedication in and out of the gym. This article is going to break down his diet and training regimen throughout the year.

It is no secret that in order to possess a world-class physique you need to be disciplined throughout the year with your diet and training. This means a precise blend of muscle building workouts in conjunction with a perfect diet that minimizes fat storage. From the looks of it, Lazar has this down to perfection!

Consider this information the Aesthetic perfection Blueprint. Let’s dive in and take a look at his regimen!

Lazar Angelov’s Diet

clean eatingLazar follows a strategic bulk and cut diet year round. During the winter months Lazar focuses on building the maximum amount of lean muscle mass while keeping his body fat between 10 and 12 percent.

His bulking diet consists of a lot of lean proteins and healthy fats. The lean proteins will help him pack on pure muscle mass and the healthy fats will help raise his natural testosterone levels so he can increase strength in the gym.

Lazar will consume higher amounts of saturated fats during his bulking months so he can raise his testosterone levels for peak performance. Your body needs cholesterol to produce testosterone, so he loads up on things like whole eggs, steak, and chicken.

Since his training regimen consists of compound exercises, the key to his success is high testosterone levels. Lazar is naturally skinny and has an ectomorph body type. This means that it is harder for him to build lean muscle mass but he is also able to stay much leaner. His incredible physique shows you that any body type can be sculpted to perfection with the right approach to diet and training.

Lazar follows a very clean diet overall in his bulking months. He makes sure that he does not exceed a 500-calorie surplus so he keeps his fat gains at a minimum while giving his body everything it needs to grow quickly.

Lazar won’t count calories during his bulking months but has his nutrition down to a point where he knows about how many calories he is consuming per day. Lazar will make sure that he is consuming about 1.25 grams of protein per lb of bodyweight so he can build muscle and recover rapidly from his workouts. His protein sources come from chicken, eggs, fish, grass fed beef, turkey and cottage cheese.

Fats make up a very important part of his diet – so he will make sure he is getting about 0.5 grams of healthy fats per lb of bodyweight. His fat content will come from all natural sources such as whole milk, whole eggs, coconut oil, olive oil, nut butters, raw almonds, flax seeds, chia seeds and a by product from eating wild caught salmon.

A key component for bulking season is that you need to increase your carbohydrate consumption so you have maximum energy in the gym and a positive insulin response post workout. Lazar will consume about 2 grams of carbohydrates per lb of bodyweight during his bulking season.

Lazar will consume a variety of carbohydrates each day. His rule of thumb is to consume most of his carbohydrates 2 hours before and right after his workout so he can increase his energy levels and spike his insulin post workout for anabolic growth.

Lazar tries to consume the best muscle building carbohydrates and will eat the following: oatmeal, yams, white potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, lentils, black beans, whole grains, fruits and veggies.

During the spring and summer months when Lazar is in a cutting phase he actually follows a similar diet plan except he lowers his fat and carbohydrate intake. Lazar will maintain a high protein diet year round so his body gets enough amino acid fuel to initiate protein synthesis and help him recover from intense workouts.

When cutting Lazar will drop his Fat content to about .25 grams per lb of bodyweight and reduce his carbohydrates to about 1.5 grams per lb of bodyweight. This creates the perfect calorie deficit where Lazar can maintain all of his lean body mass and slowly reduces his body fat levels.

Lazar Angelov Training

lazar angelov workoutLazar Angelov will follow a compound exercise based workout routine year round. Since Lazar is a self-proclaimed “naturally skinny guy” he has to lift heavy weight to create that dense and muscular look.

Compound movements form the base of all his workouts. One of his biggest training secrets is that he performs many variations of compound exercises to focus on shaping and sculpting smaller surrounding muscle groups.

For example, for triceps Lazar will perform heavy sets of close grip bench press and weighted dips. For his legs he will perform advanced compound movements such as the Bulgarian split squat and front squat.

To sculpt and build his arm muscles Lazar will emphasize underhand barbell rows, weighted pull-ups and DB 1 arm rows. These are all powerful muscle building compound exercises that target major muscle groups as well as smaller surrounding muscles.

Lazar will focus on 1-2 muscle groups per day throughout the year and follows a pretty typical split. For someone like Lazar who has been training for a fairly long time – it is important to hit each muscle group from multiple angles and focus on increasing the overload each workout.

Lets take a look at his hardcore training regimen. Below is a typical week of workouts during his bulking period.

Monday: Chest and Triceps

  • Barbell Bench Press: 4 sets x 10 Reps
  • Incline Db Bench press: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Seated Pec Fly: 4 Sets x 12 reps
  • Db Pullover: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Weighted Dips: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Close Grip Bench Press: 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Decline Barbell Bench: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Ez Bar Skull Crusher: 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Diamond Pushups: 4 sets x Failure

Tuesday: Back, Trap and Forearms

  • Weighted wide grip pull-ups: 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Barbell Row: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Seated Row: 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Barbell Shrug: 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Db Shrug: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Upright Row: 4 sets x 8 reps
  • Dead lift: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Reverse Grip Ez Bar Curl: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Behind the back wrist curls: 4 sets x 12 reps

Wednesday: Delts and Abs

  • Military press behind the neck: 3 sets x 10 reps
  • Reverse Pec Fly: 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Front Raise: 4 Sets x 10 reps
  • Db Arnold press: 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Lateral Raises: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Db shoulder press: 4 sets x 8 reps
  • Hanging leg raise: 4 sets x failure
  • Side crunches: 4 sets x failure
  • Weighted Sit Ups: 4 sets x failure

Thursday: Biceps, Triceps and Forearms

  • Close Grip Bench Press: 4 Sets x 8 Reps
  • Db Overhead Triceps: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Ez Bar skull crush: 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Db Triceps Kickbacks: 4 sets x 15 reps
  • Wide Grip Barbell Curls: 4 Sets x 12 reps
  • Db Hammer Curls: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Concentration Curls: 4 sets x 8 reps
  • Standing wrist curl behind back: 4 sets x 10 reps

Friday: Legs and Abs

  • Bulgarian Split Squat: 4 Sets x 12 reps
  • Front Squat: 4 Sets x 8 reps
  • Barbell Squat: 4 sets x 10 Reps
  • Leg Curl Machine: 4 Sets x 12 reps
  • Leg Extension Machine: 4 sets x 10 reps
  • Calf Raises: 4 Sets x 15 reps
  • Donkey Calf Raises: 4 sets x 12 reps
  • Weighted Ab Crunches: 4 Sets until Failure
  • Air Bike: 4 sets x 15 reps
  • Side Bends: 4 sets x 12 reps

Saturday and Sunday:

Rest Days

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