Features:

– Adjustable CrossRamp targets key muscle groups. The ramp angle is fully adjustable from 15 to 25 degrees and moves up and down at the push of a button, allowing you to individually target and work all major lower body muscle groups. Different ramp positions engage different lower body muscle groups. When moving the ramp from the bottom to the top, you’ll feel various muscles engage and disengage–the lower positions activate all muscle groups, while the higher positions isolate glutes, quads, and calves. A variable stride length, from 18.5 to 20 inches, offers even greater diversity to your workout.
– Track your target heart rate. SmartRate offers instant display of your heart rate to help you stay in your target zone for a more efficient cardio and weight-loss workout. The 5.25 features touch heart rate with ergonomically positioned, touch sensitive grips.
– Ergonomic moving handlebars help provide a total body workout, enabling you to tone and condition your entire body while maintaining comfortable posture and proper technique. You can also use the stationary handrails for more workout options.
– Designed with your home in mind. With its smooth lines and subtle color palette, the EFX complements your home decor and suits your lifestyle.
– Intuitive console is easy to read and adjust. Access Quickstart and programs at the touch of a button. The backlit LCD display shows your heart rate, calories burned and time/duration of exercise–to help you get the most from your workout.
– Locking Pin: A locking pin secures the foot pedals, preventing movement, when not in use.
– 16 consistent levels of electromagnetic resistance to customize your workout.
– Two User IDs allow two people to enter and store personal preference information, then quickly retrieve it for future workouts.
– Integrated storage shelf for water bottle, portable music player, etc.
– QuickStart lets you begin workout with the push of a single button.
– Optimized biomechanics combining low impact with smooth natural motion.
– Direction of rotation is completely reversible from forward to backward to allow even greater use of different muscle groups.

Dimensions: 76 x 29 x 62 inches (L x W x H). Weight: 176 pounds.

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Diet tips for building muscle.  One thing you should remember that in focusing your diet for building muscle, you have to focused, persistent and discipline so you can success on your body building. One of the best way to build your muscle is to increase your calorie intake, i will give you tips on good healthy calories that you should take. Healthy diet plan have essential part in gaining weight and building new muscle tissue.

So often when people expect quick result, they often go to the gym and expect their body will look like Arnold. Do not expect that this will happen fast. You need proper weight training and the having a good diet plan to build your muscle. By eating the right type of calories means healthy muscle building diet.

Healthy diet for muscle building is the best combination of more protein rich diet, carbohydrates, fats, salt, minerals, vitamins .

You will see great improvement in your body building in a couple of months if you do the right diets for body building and the right weight training programs. It is all about how well your diet plan and how hard have you train your body to gain muscle. If you are a person who like fast food so much, you better change your eating fast food habit. Get started by having a proper body building diet plan.
Here some quick diet tips for building muscle for you to get started :

-Take a lot rich quality protein food for your diet menu. I suggest you to take 1-2 gram of protein per pound of your body weight. Protein is very important for muscle repairing and building new muscle tissues. Consume protein rich food such as meats, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, tuna, chicken, skim milk.
-Go for complex carbohydrates before and after exercises (weight training). These carbohydrates should be from high quality sources such as multigrain bread, brown rice, oatmeal, Potatoes, sweet potatoes.

-Eat little but frequently. Instead of eating heavy meal 3 times a day, try to eat your meal frequently means 5 – 6 times a day. Remember; never skip your meal and breakfast.

-Drink lot of water daily to boost your metabolism and muscle building.

Prefer water than sugary drinks like soft drinks and alcohol.
-Change your workout routine frequently every 6-8 weeks. Do not over load your muscles try to increase your reps or weight every time you next train a particular muscle group.
-Add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet menu.

Hope this diet tips for building muscle will help you in your body building programs.

THIS BUILDING MUSCLE GUIDE HAVE HELPED THOUSAND OF PEOPLE IN BUILDING THEIR MUSCLE

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INTRODUCING NO2… the first of an exciting new category of muscle-enhancers known as a hemodilators. NO2 has the unique ability to perpetually sustain the flow of muscle-building agents to skeletal muscle.

Now get faster, more dramatic increases in muscle size, strength and endurance plus full-body muscle recovery and the stunning new phenomenon known as the perpetual pump… all from the man who brought you creatine!

What is NO2 ?

NO2 has created a revolutionary new category of muscle-builders and muscle-enhancers known as “cell-signaling hemodilators”.

Through mediation of the “signaling-molecule” nitric oxide (NO), NO2 induces powerful hemodilation and creates dramatic increases in muscle size, strength, endurance, power output, and load capacity.

With its advanced sustained-release technology pHyser3, NO2 generates a virtual permanent muscle pump, now known as the “perpetual pump.”

NO2 was created by the same man who introduced Creatine to the market in 1993 – Ed Byrd, co-founder of EAS™ and now president of MRI™ (Medical Research Institute).

How NO2 works ?

NO2 creates – and sustains – levels of nitric oxide in the skeletal muscles.

Nitric oxide is the muscle’s “cell-signaling” molecule responsible for blood flow (hemodilation), oxygen delivery, glucose uptake, muscle velocity, power output, and muscle growth.

By creating and then sustaining levels of nitric oxide in the skeletal muscles NO2 delivers continuous muscle-enhancing benefits around the clock. Like amplifying muscle-growth signals for faster gains in lean mass, accelerating both fast and slow twitch muscle fiber for greater strength, providing complete “full-body muscle recovery”, and increasing endurance index (EI).

In addition, NO2′s sustained hemodilation (continuous and amplified blood-surge to the skeletal muscles) generates a “perpetual pump”.

Before the introduction of NO2, hemodilation occurred only during intense exercise, and lasted for a relatively brief time. Now, with NO2′s extended-release delivery system pHyser3, it is possible for hemodilation to last all day long! That means greater results and faster gains for you. And, of course, a “perpetual pump.”

The NO2 difference

The NO2 difference is this:

• No other supplement can sustain levels of nitric oxide AND generate a continual and amplified blood-surge (hemodilation) in skeletal muscles.

Until the creation of NO2′s extended-release delivery system (pHyser3), generating and maintaining nitric oxide levels was impossible. The human body’s pH factor literally dissolved any agent or substance that could help generate nitric oxide inside the body. Now, with NO2′s pH-corrected, body-compatible delivery system, pHyser3, the human body is
able to not only accept the nitric oxide delivery agent, but also sustain levels of nitric oxide in the muscles throughout
the entire day.

Now athletes and bodybuilders can finally get all the powerful benefits of hemodilation – all day long! Including faster gains in muscle mass, increased strength and endurance, and the creation of the “perpetual pump”.

Hemodilation

Hemodilation means a widening of the blood channels leading to skeletal muscles through the mechanism of amplified blood flow.

The word “Hemodilation” comes from combining ‘Hemo’ [from the Greek word 'haima' meaning blood] and ‘Dilator’ [from the Latin word 'dilatare' meaning to widen]. The measure of the widening of the blood canals is calculated by the “dilation differential™” – known as d-delta™.

Hemodilation is initiated by nitric oxide synthesis. Nitric oxide is the cell-signaling molecule responsible for blood flow, oxygen delivery, glucose uptake, muscle velocity, power output, and gene-expression, or muscle growth. By sustaining nitric oxide levels in the skeletal muscles, NO2 generates its sustained hemodilation. The channels that deliver muscle building agents to the muscle cells become forced open and remain that way throughout the day.
The results are faster gains in lean mass, greater strength, increased endurance, complete full-body muscle recovery, and a “perpetual pump.”

NOTE: Hemodilation is a new term that came into existence with the discovery of nitric oxide (NO). Under ordinary circumstances, hemodilation lasts only briefly. With the introduction of NO2, however, and the sustained NO levels it generates in the skeletal muscle, sustained hemodilation became a reality. The word hemodilation, as applied to NO2, means sustained hemodilation.

Hemodilation vs cell volumization

“What I started with Creatine, I perfected with NO2.” -Ed Byrd

How does NO2′s “hemodilation” compare to Creatine’s “cell-volumization”?

Because Ed Byrd introduced both Creatine and NO2, he says it best…

“As you probably know, Creatine causes ‘cell-volumizing’ by pulling water into the small space inside the muscle cell.
It does increase size, but you may look a little “puffy”. NO2′s hemodilation, on the other hand, creates genuine size by forcing blood into the vast and voluminous spaces between the muscle cells – not inside the cells.
This super-engorging creates massive pumps. What’s more, because the blood is between the cells not inside them, the pump is rock-hard – not at all puffy.

And with the extended-release delivery system pHyser3, the pump does not go away. You get what is known as a “perpetual pump”.

“Frankly, my recommendation to bodybuilders would be to take both Creatine and NO2. I look at it this way, what I started with Creatine, I perfected with NO2.”

What results should I see with NO2 ?

The first result most bodybuilders see (in 5-7 days) is the “perpetual pump.”

The perpetual pump is a massive rock-hard muscle pump that literally does not go away. Unlike the exercise-induced pump that quickly fades with time, the perpetual pump is virtually permanent.

Then, 2-3 days after the appearance of the perpetual pump, you’ll start noticing increases in strength and endurance.
At the same time, you’ll see increases in size in all your skeletal muscles.

Is NO2 right for me ?

Ask yourself these simple questions:

• Am I happy with my current muscle gains?
• Would I like to get the great-looking pump I get after an intense workout, and keep it all day long?
• Would I like to add more reps and more sets to every workout?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, NO2 is the perfect answer for you.

That’s because NO2 gives you:

• Continuous gains in lean mass by triggering forced-growth muscle-signaling action;
• A perpetual pump through its powerful hemodilating effects;
• Greater strength by accelerating your fast-twitch muscle strength; complete full-body muscle recovery; and
• Far better workouts by increasing your Endurance Index (EI).

Is NO2 safe ?

Yes. NO2 generates, and maintains, levels of nitric oxide – a substance that is totally natural to your body.

NOTE: There are now 3 categories of substances that help enhance performance: Drugs; Dietary Supplements; and now with the introduction of NO2 – Nutraceutical Expressors.

Drugs, like androgenic anabolic steroids, are foreign to your body. They work powerfully, but because they’re a foreign agent, they have many negative side effects. We do not recommend using drugs unless under a doctor’s supervision.

Dietary Supplements are naturally occurring substances in your body. They have a moderate range of effectiveness and usually have no side effects.

NO2 – the Nutraceutical Expressor™ – gives you the best of both worlds: powerful results and safety.

Nutraceutical Expressors work by amplifying both volume and action-time of muscle-building agents that are natural to your body. For example:

• Keeping nitric oxide in skeletal muscles for extended periods of time to effectively increase muscle-building protein synthesis
• Inducing sustained hemodilation; and
• Providing complete full-body muscle recovery

  are all examples of the benefits of Nutraceutical Expressors.

When should I take NO2 ?

For maximum results, refer to the chart below. You should start noticing results in about 5-7 days.

IMPORTANT: Remember to drink at least 64 ounces (that’s 8 glasses) of water daily while taking NO2.

Men

Women

Hemodilation

Hemodilation means a widening of the blood channels leading to skeletal muscles through the mechanism of amplified blood flow.

The word “Hemodilation” comes from combining ‘Hemo’ [from the Greek word 'haima' meaning blood] and ‘Dilator’ [from the Latin word 'dilatare' meaning to widen]. The measure of the widening of the blood canals is calculated by the “dilation differential™” – known as d-delta™.

Hemodilation is initiated by nitric oxide synthesis. Nitric oxide is the “cell-signaling” molecule responsible for blood flow, oxygen delivery, glucose uptake, muscle velocity, power output, and gene-expression, or muscle growth. By sustaining nitric oxide levels in the skeletal muscles, NO2 generates its sustained hemodilation. The channels that deliver muscle building agents to the muscle cells become “forced open” and remain that way throughout the day. The results are faster gains in lean mass, greater strength, increased endurance, complete full-body muscle recovery, and a “perpetual pump.”

NOTE: Hemodilation is a new term that came into existence with the discovery of nitric oxide (NO). Under ordinary circumstances, hemodilation lasts only briefly. With the introduction of NO2, however, and the sustained NO levels it generates in the skeletal muscle, sustained hemodilation became a reality. The word hemodilation, as applied to NO2, means sustained hemodilation.

Perpetual pump

A “perpetual pump” is a muscle pump that remains in its post-exercise, blood-engorged, rock-hard condition virtually all the time! The increased muscle size and muscle density achieved through exercise do not fade with time.

The “perpetual pump” is a brand new phenomenon. It’s one of the stunning effects of the sustained hemodilation you get from NO2.

Increased blood flow is responsible for your pump. Your body responds to exercise by releasing nitric oxide, the muscle’s “signaling molecule” responsible for increased blood flow.

When you exercise hard, Nitric oxide opens the blood floodgates, allowing blood to surge in. That’s hemodilation, and that’s how you get a “pump”. But the exercise-induced pump is only temporary. It disappears soon after the body realizes exercise has ended.

Now, with NO2, pumps do not go away. Even massive, vein-popping pumps show no sign of diminishing.
That’s because NO2 generates a continuous surge of blood that courses through the skeletal muscle throughout the day. So muscles remain engorged and steel-like all day long. The secret of the continuous surge of blood lies in NO2′s exclusive nitric oxide extended-release delivery system pHyser3.

Muscle Fiber Twitch Accelerators

These accelerators are any agent or substance capable of increasing the contractile velocity of both fast and slow twitch muscle fibers.

By increasing nitric oxide production, NO2 increases your maximum contractile velocity – in all muscle types.
Fast-twitch fibers get faster. Slow-twitch fibers start acting more like fast-twitch.

The results are immediate and consequential, and include increasing your load capacity, boosting your power output, and quickening your muscle contraction.

Endurance index (EI)

The Endurance Index (EI) is the new measure of the rate of increased endurance during work output.

Current research indicates that the keto-acids, like the ones you find in NO2, can help significantly delay fatigue and dramatically improve your Endurance Index (EI).

In fact, many athletes are now reporting that taking NO2 gives them the kind of endurance they get when they train at high altitude and then race at sea level.

Providing Full-Body Muscle Recovery

Muscle recovery refers to the difference in blood channel diameter between normal conditions and hemodilated conditions. The greater the dilation (d), the greater the blood-surge to the skeletal muscle. The difference between any two sizes of dilation is called the differential (dD).

NO2′s increase in the dilation differential is what generates the new condition known as the “perpetual pump.”

The new full-body muscle recovery is one that provides all skeletal muscles with a complete recovery.
That includes both the smaller and larger muscle groups.

Full-body muscle recovery allows all the muscles on your body grow in the correct proportion to each other – providing a better and more proportional physique.

NOTE: The continual surge of blood that NO2 supplies muscles gives them the time they need to recover completely. Compare that to the normal recovery time of about 30-45 minutes. NO2′s “amplified” surge of blood and the greater dilation it creates (known as “dD” – dilation differential), “forces” blood to all the muscles not just the larger ones.
That gives all skeletal muscles a complete recovery.

Dilation Differential (dD)

Dilation Differential is the difference in blood channel diameter between normal conditions and hemodilated conditions. The greater the dilation (d), the greater the blood-surge to the skeletal muscle.
The difference between any two sizes of dilation is called the differential (dD).

NO2′s increase in the dilation differential is what generates the new condition known as the “perpetual pump.”

Nutraceutical Expressors

Nutraceutical Expressors dramatically amplify both the volume and action-time of natural muscle-building agents.
For example, NO2 helps keep nitric oxide in skeletal muscle for extended periods of time to effectively increase time of muscle-building protein synthesis, induce sustained hemodilation, provide full-body muscle recovery, accelerate muscle fiber twitch, and increase endurance index.

NOTE: There are now 3 categories of substances that help enhance performance: Drugs; Dietary Supplements; and now with the introduction of NO2 – Nutraceutical Expressors.

Drugs, like androgenic anabolic steroids, are foreign to your body. They work powerfully, but because they’re a foreign agent, they have many negative side effects. We do not recommend using drugs unless under a doctor’s supervision.

Dietary Supplements are naturally occurring substances in your body. They have a moderate range of effectiveness and usually have no side effects.

NO2 – the Nutraceutical Expressor™ – gives you the best of both worlds: powerful results and safety.

Dillation Differential

Dilation Differential is the difference in blood channel diameter between normal conditions and hemodilated conditions. The greater the dilation (d), the greater the blood-surge to the skeletal muscle. The difference between any two sizes of dilation is called the differential (dD).

NO2′s increase in the dilation differential is what generates the new condition known as the “perpetual pump.”

Gene Expression (re-defined)

“Gene expression” is not a new term. But it now has new meaning thanks to NO2.

In fact, it is the standard term used to describe the activation of any gene responsible for a specific function – like constructing new muscle.

Gene expression, when used in the context of NO2, however, takes on a new meaning. It refers to sustained gene expression, and therefore, the sustained muscle growth it provides.

pHyser³™ (delivering the undeliverable)

pHyser³ represents a major breakthrough in the effective delivery muscle-building agents. pHyser³ allows the delivery of agents previously thought to be undeliverable.

MRI’s new pHyser³ is a pH-corrected, body-compatible delivery system that allows the human body to fully accept the nitric oxide delivery agent, unlocking the full potential of nitric oxide’s powerful effect on skeletal muscle.

In addition, its extended-release delivery mechanism ensures that nitric oxide levels are maintained and sustained for the entire day. That’s how NO2 creates a steady and continuous blood-surge to the skeletal muscles. Creating greater size, strength, endurance, and the “perpetual pump.”

pHyser³ was created by the Medical Research Institute (MRI) in Northern California. MRI’s president and CEO is Ed Byrd, co-founder of EAS™ and the man whose company introduced the last significant breakthrough in sports supplements in 1993 – creatine monohydrate.

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By: Topic Of The Week

TOPIC: Why Are We Trying To Enhance GH, And… Is It Working?

The Question:

Being exposed to the bodybuilding community and all of the current news regarding steroids in sports, many of us have heard all about the use of growth hormones. However, how many of us know how they work, or why they work?

Why are we trying to enhance GH?

How effective is GH?

What are the differences between GH and steroids?

Show off your knowledge to the world!

1st Place – Opiewags99
View This Author’s BodySpace Here.

Being exposed to the bodybuilding community and all of the current news regarding steroids in sports, many of us have heard all about the use of growth hormones. However, how many of us know how they work, or why they work?

Enhancing GH
Why Are We Trying To Enhance GH?

Human growth hormone has recently become a topic of controversy in the bodybuilding community. Although many people talk about it as one of the factors that will lead to the decline of professional bodybuilding, many people simply do not know what it is. So let’s take a second to look at what GH actually is.

Growth Hormone, or GH, is a hormone that is secreted by the pituitary gland in the human body. The simplest way to describe the effects of growth hormone is to say that it causes cell growth and cell reproduction. ¹

But, what does growth hormone actually do? There are a couple of things that growth hormone does.

1. Calcium:

First of all, growth hormone raises the body’s ability to insert calcium from foods that are consumed into bone tissue. This strengthens the skeletal system, allowing the body to be very much more resistant to trauma. This essentially means that you’re less likely to break bones if you’ve got high levels of growth hormone.

2. Protein Synthesis:

The second thing that the growth hormone does in the body is that it increases protein synthesis. Protein synthesis is the creation of new proteins in the body, which leads to new muscle mass, as muscle is primarily made out of protein. What a lot of people don’t realize about protein is that the protein you eat doesn’t directly get put into your muscles in the same form that you eat it in.

When you consume protein, your digestive system then releases acids in addition to an enzyme called pepsin, the acid helps denature (unwind) the protein while the pepsin breaks the protein into small peptides, which then get broken down into smaller monomers called amino acids.

These are then built back together by the body, into new proteins, which is the actual synthesizing of the protein. Now, this is a real limiting factor in bodybuilding, and the simple fact that growth hormone increases the rate at which proteins are synthesized, directly means more muscle mass with the same amount of training.

3. Adipose Cells:

The third effect growth hormone has on the body is that it increases the body’s ability to release fat from adipose cells into the body’s bloodstream. This directly allows the body to use stored fat as energy rather than glycogen, which would keep your body fat at the same percentage. This release of extra fat molecules into the bloodstream adds up to be one of the strongest natural ways to lose body fat.

4. Central Nervous System:

Another thing that growth hormone does to the body, and the last we’ll be looking at in this article is it’s ability to stimulate the central nervous system, allowing the individual to be much healthier and much more resistant to falling ill to the common cold and even other serious illnesses.




	1 of 3: The Central Nervous System (CNS): The human central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. These lie in the midline of the body and are protected by the skull and vertebrae respectively. This collection of billions of neurons is arguably the most complex object known. The central nervous system along with the peripheral nervous system comprise a primary division of controls that command all physical activities of a human. Neurons of the central nervous system affect consciousness and mental activity while spinal extensions of central nervous system neuron pathways affect skeletal muscles and organs in the body.
	Learn More… Back Next

As you can see by the effects that growth hormone has on the body, these are some very desirable properties. Who wouldn’t want stronger bones, more muscle, less fat, and have a much stronger immune system? Certainly every reader here. So this leads us to ways that we can increase the amount of growth hormone flowing through our veins.

Naturally, there are a few things you can do to increase your HGH levels. A few of them include getting good amounts of sleep, resistance training, and cardiovascular activity. Another way to increase amounts of growth hormone is through the proper use of supplements.

According to a variety of studies, it is suggested that arginine supplementation, such as the Arginine-Alphaketoglutarate found in many common NO2 supplements, can significantly raise GH levels. Not only that, it can also provide massive pumps during your workouts which will in turn increase productivity in the gym, also raising GH levels naturally through the stress placed on the body. Another method of raising your GH levels through supplementation is through taking a more direct GH stimulator.

Effectiveness
How Effective Is GH?

Growth Hormone, being a naturally occurring hormone in the body is very simply one of the most effective hormones in the body. Since it is a naturally occurring hormone, rather than a chemical that is normally never seen in the body, it is safer, and more effective than chemical supplementation.

To essentially reiterate the some of the information above, growth hormone is remarkably effective at not only increasing the size of muscle fibers, it can also increase the number of muscle fibers, which is called hyperplasia. In addition to this, it increases protein synthesis in the body in addition to increasing the rate at which lypolysis occurs in a person’s body.

Simply stated, growth hormone, or increasing the amount of growth hormone your body can be a very valuable tool that a bodybuilder, or even a person just looking to lose a few pounds of fat while putting a bit of muscle on, should certainly look into for easier gains.

GH vs. Steroids
What Are The Differences Between GH And Steroids?

Steroids are essentially drugs that mimic or lead to increasing the amounts of testosterone in the body for the sake of much faster muscle recovery. Typically steroids are prescribed to people who have been succumb to an injury and need help in the recovery process.

This leads us to why some athletes such as bodybuilders take them. They also want much faster muscular recovery, which allows them to work out and recover much more quickly, allowing them to train two or three times as frequently as us natural athletes. The problem with this is that it is illegal.

The real difference between steroids and growth hormone is in the side effects. Although more research is needed, growth hormone has little to no side effects on the body. Steroids have side effects such as severe acne, shrunken testicles, roid rage, and gyno.

Now, I know that some people will argue with me that growth hormone does have a huge side effect, forgive the pun, called agromegaly. Acromegaly is basically referred to as gigantism, and is an unnatural growth of bone mass or thickening of the person’s skin which is caused by a very large amount of growth hormone for an extended period of time. ²

Acromegaly.

Now this seems silly to think that you’ll turn into a giant from supplementing with GH raising supplements, but if you’re worried about it, cycling is the way to go. Keep in mind, that people who suffer from gigantism have uncontrolled amounts of GH due to tumors or improperly working pituitary glands, so remember you have control of how much you want secreted, and can stop supplementing if you wish to.

Steroids, or more specifically testosterone; is like growth hormone in the sense that they’re both hormones that the body naturally produce. Since these two substances require prescriptions, this shifts the focus of what we are talking about to supplements that aim to raise the amount of either of the two hormones in the body by stimulating the body to create them, rather than doing something like “injecting” them.

There are both GH promoting supplements in addition to Testosterone boosting supplements that can legally and safely be taken by the general public. These supplements will aid in your bodybuilding gains in addition to reducing the amount of work needed to maintain the gains you have made.

Thanks for reading!
-K (Opiewags99)

References:

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone
2. www.rajeun.net/sideeffects.html

2nd Place – Belloc
View This Author’s BodySpace Here.

Despite the perception given by the latest articles in the media, the use of growth hormone is nothing new.

In fact many top level athletes and bodybuilders have been using it since the early 80′s. At that time there was no synthetic growth hormone available so they had to use growth hormone extracted from human pituitary glands… yes, that’s exactly what you’re thinking, they extracted growth hormone from cadavers, creepy stuff.

Besides being a morbid practice it turned out to be dangerous too, since a large percentage of people who used it ended up with mad cow disease… fortunately, this practice came to a halt in 1985.

Some bodybuilders and athletes had to resort to using growth hormone extracted from Rhesus monkeys; physicians never used that form of growth hormone. By the early 90′s synthetic growth hormone was widely available and throughout the decade the popularity of GH soared… so as you can see GH use has been around for quite awhile and it’s not the ‘newest Hollywood fad’ or the ‘latest pharmaceutical edge for top level athletes’ like the headlines in the media make it seem.

Some Had To Resort To Using
Growth Hormone Extracted From Rhesus Monkeys.

So what exactly is growth hormone? Well… It’s a hormone that directly stimulates growth and cell reproduction in the organism (hence its name), it’s produced, stored and secreted by the pituitary gland. Unlike most hormones used for bodybuilding purposes, GH is not a steroid hormone, it’s a protein hormone made up of a chain of 191 amino acids.

Enhancing GH
Why Are We Trying To Enhance GH? And What Are The Differences Between GH And Steroids?

When we think about bodybuilding and athletic performance we immediately think about the testosterone hormone, it has been proven time and time again that those athletes and bodybuilders that have the highest levels of testosterone are the ones that perform better.

I believe that the importance of GH is up to par with that of testosterone for bodybuilding and athletic purposes, and consider this: For many professional athletes using anabolic steroids to enhance their testosterone levels is not an option, no way would they risk a million dollar career by getting tested with above normal testosterone levels. Unlike testosterone there’s no way to tell if an athlete is using a synthetic form of GH so that’s why many top-level athletes use it.

Related Steroids Articles:

• An Insider’s View On The Effects Of Testing! - By David Robson
• Steroid Temptations. - By Myron Mielke
• Steroids In Sports? - By Athletes Topic Of The Week

Let’s focus on why recreational bodybuilders (you and me) are trying to enhance their GH levels; let’s analyze what elevated GH levels can do:

• Increase muscle mass by creating new muscle cells (hyperplasia)
• Promote protein synthesis
• Burn stored body fat for energy (lipolysis)
• Strengthen and increase the mineralization of bone

We lift weights so we can hypertrophy the muscles (make the cells in the muscle swell up), now consider that GH can actually create new muscle cells, and you begin to understand just how important it is to keep our GH levels high, not to mention that elevated GH levels can help us burn fat for energy and promote protein synthesis and literally make us bigger by making our bones more dense.

GH Effectiveness
How Effective Is GH?

It’s a moot point to discuss the effectiveness of GH. Why would athletes and bodybuilders spend thousands of dollars a month if they saw little or no benefit in GH therapy?

GH therapy is much more expensive than other hormone therapies (it ranges from 1k to 30k a month). I believe that a large percentage of elite level bodybuilders use GH; you see one of the side effects of GH is the so-called ‘GH gut.’ GH increases the size of everything (muscle, bones, organs and intestine). This explains why, from the early 90′s onwards, the gut size of the top-level bodybuilders has been increasing.

One Of The Side Effects Of GH Is the So-Called “GH Gut.”

This led some people to say that GH ruined the sport of bodybuilding and that they much preferred the physiques displayed by bodybuilders in the 70′s, but consider this: without GH you wouldn’t have the mass monsters of today.

I knew this 15-year-old girl that underwent GH therapy, she was kind of short for her age and skinny. I saw her a year later when she turned 16 and I didn’t recognize her. She was not only taller but she looked much older than 16.

She told me GH therapy was h-ll because she had to take injections two times a day and she would have to keep taking those injections for quite some time to come. So if you’re not an elite level bodybuilder or a short 15-year-old girl GH therapy is probably not something you would consider.

But there are ways to stimulate the production of GH in our own bodies. Here are some:

• Sleep at least 7 hours. You need rest to ensure proper hormonal production and it is when you sleep that the body is more active repairing itself and producing the hormones you need to grow.
• Make sure you ingest enough dietary protein and fat, both these nutrients play a vital role when it come to hormonal production.
• Lifting weights has been shown to increase GH, especially intensive compound movements like deadlifts and squats.
• Low levels of blood sugar stimulate GH production; you can achieve this by eating low carb or by fasting for a few hours.
• Arginine has been shown to increase GH levels; try taking a supplement containing arginine before going to sleep.

You can also try one of the several supplements that claim to elevate GH levels to see if they work or not, I can’t comment since I’ve never taken one, but hey maybe if I win this!

References:

1. Growth Hormone Therapy PMID 18048950
2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone
3. Actions of Anterior Pituitary Hormones: Growth Hormone (GH). Medical College of Georgia. 2007
4. www.nih.gov/news/pr/apr2004/nichd-07.htm

3rd Place – mrkdrt
View This Author’s BodySpace Here.

Bigger and better. This is the way of the world, and the mantra of countless bodybuilders and fitness fanatics. With this said, Growth Hormone is becoming increasingly popular for use in the field of athletics. But, the illegality of HGH demands further enhancement of GH (produced in one’s own body) with “boosters” or “releasers” available at many supplement stores.

Enhancing GH
Why Are We Trying To Enhance GH?

The name says it all, growth hormone. This peptide is responsible for signaling growth in the human body ??” predominantly in stages of life that requires full-body growth (puberty for example). This growth, for the most part, is throughout the entire body ??” so not only muscles are targeted, but also expect your organs and bones to grow as allowed.

For people with GH deficient disorders and the elderly, GH treatment is able to support and promote continued health of muscles and bones. The results are incredible! It has even been labeled as the “Fountain of Youth.”

GH has given many people in need the ability to grow as youth do. The downside ??” this form of GH is widely unavailable or VERY expensive for the average bodybuilder. For the most part, pure GH for injection is hard to come by ??” and in many countries, is illegal for use other than prescribed.

However, many products are selling that boost or promote the production and/or release of GH (somatotropin). These are of course, at the discretion of the user to decide whether they work or not.

The benefit of these is that side-effects of excess GH are minimal as the GH is produced by the body itself ??” in response to the stimulators. That said ??” there are downsides to injectable GH.

Some of the most famous side-effects include Acromegaly, gigantism, blindness and tumor growth. So, enhancing GH production is a great way to increase GH effects ??” without the negatives. I suggest to using the GH boosters, as opposed to raw Growth Hormone ??” to limit the side-effects ??” and get an overall safer GH experience for mass gains.

GH Effectiveness
How Effective Is GH?

The creation of synthetic GH is meant as a supplement for those with a deficiency or dire need of the hormone. For an average person, GH is produced and secreted in response to certain stimulus ??” sleep, exercise and nutrition (the top stimuli) ??” all things the average bodybuilder will regulate. So, the average bodybuilder will have GH being produced and secreted, unless they are deficient.

An excess of GH in the human body can lead to gigantism (a serious disorder), vision loss, aggression and the promotion of cancers and tumors in the body ??” to name a few. This said, GH might not be recommended for use unless needed, or approved by a physician. However, boosting GH with a supplement may give the gains bodybuilders want, but at a slower, safer pace.

For most bodybuilders, the goal is muscular hypertrophy ??” to increase mass and size of muscle cells. What GH promotes is not hypertrophy, but hyperplasia ??” increasing the number of muscle cells. While this may appear superficially as an increase in mass ??” it is actually growth related to more cells being present.

One study compared bodybuilders without GH ??” the same amount of lean muscle mass was gained for those taking GH on a short-term basis. One benefit observed though was that fat loss was greater for those taking GH (Yarasheski et. al.) Thus, GH may be effective for fat loss during training for mass gain.

GH vs. Steroids
What Are The Differences Between GH And Steroids?

GH and Anabolic steroids are both hormones, but without getting too heavy into the science, growth hormone is a peptide (which are made up of amino acids) and steroids are based on the sterol molecule.

Anabolic steroids mimic the hormone testosterone. It’s impossible to notice the differences between the 2 substances in liquid form ??” but your body knows the difference!

While both may appear to do the same thing, they do not. Anabolic steroids promote hypertrophy ??” which is increasing SIZE of cells, while GH promotes hyperplasia ??” which increases the AMOUNT of cells. Both can have negative side-effects, but as far as most studies show, anabolic steroids are far more dangerous and can lead to more disorders in the future.

Literature Cited:

1. Yarasheski, K. E., J. A. Campbell, K. Smith, M. J. Rennie, J. O. Holloszy and D. M. Bier. 1992. Effect of growth hormone and resistance exercise on muscle growth in young men. American Journal of Physiology. 262:E261-E267, E268-E276.

3rd Place – blackirish

Being exposed to the bodybuilding community and all of the current news regarding steroids in sports, many of us have heard all about the use of growth hormones. However, how many of us know how they work, or why they work?

Growth hormone, known alternately as HGH or simply GH, is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland at the base of the brain in response to a variety of stimuli. Sleep, if long enough in duration for REM sleep to be achieved, produces a burst of GH secretion, as does body temperature elevation, and the consumption of certain amino acids.

	What Is REM Sleep? Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is normal stage of sleep characterized by rapid movements of the eyes. REM sleep is classified into two categories: tonic and phasic.[1] It was discovered by Nathaniel Kleitman and Eugene Aserinsky in the early 1950s. Their seminal article was published September 4, 1953.[2] Criteria for REM sleep include not only rapid eye movements, but also low muscle tone and a rapid, low voltage EEG — these features are easily discernible in a polysomnogram, the sleep study typically done for patients with suspected sleep disorders. [ wikipedia.org ]

Growth hormone utilizes several mechanisms to promote the growth of body tissues; working to directly boost anabolic actions in the body by stimulating an increase in the rate of cellular reproduction, enhancing cellular repair, and promoting the synthesis and secretion of insulin-like growth factors, notably IGF-1. These pathways cause growth throughout the human body. GH also promotes testosterone production, which is something we are all interested in.

Once the long bones have reached their full potential and the body’s organs have attained their optimal size for function, our bodies tend to use our endogenous GH exclusively to repair damaged tissues, to promote the preservation of glycogen reserves by triggering a metabolic switch to facilitate the preferential use of body fat for fuel, and to maintain a healthy metabolism.

However, if exogenous sources of GH are introduced to the body in large doses, it can stimulate the continued growth of bones, organs, and muscle tissue.

In adults, the long bones have fused, and the additional bone growth will typically cause a thickening of the facial bones and skull, and continued growth of short bones (hands: carpals/metacarpals/phalanges – feet: tarsals/metatarsals/phalanges), causing a condition known as acromegaly. The extra growth of the organs can cause the distended abdomens we have sadly become accustomed to seeing in professional bodybuilders.

Enhancing GH
Why Are We Trying To Enhance GH?

The bodybuilder seeks to increase or enhance the amount, and thus effects, of GH in their system based on two specific actions.

First, muscle tissue is effected in the same way as any other tissue, and muscle growth is the primary goal of all serious bodybuilders. The enhanced healing ability, coupled with the increased ability of muscle cells to reproduce via satellite cells creates a powerful environment for increased muscle size and strength.

Add increased levels of IGF-1 and testosterone, which work in synergy with GH, and a bodybuilder may create a hormonal dynamo of muscle growth.

The second desired effect is the preferential burning of adipose tissue for fuel. The preservation of glycogen is critical not only for cellular energy (think increased intensity), but also for optimal cellular repair and volume (recovery and muscle size/hardness). Not to mention that burning more body fat creates a leaner body.

I said that bodybuilders use GH for these two beneficial effects, but GH offers much more. Including:

• Elevated libido
• Greater skin elasticity
• Mood enhancement
• Improved neurological function

GH Effectineness
How Effective Is GH?

GH can be very effective. Witness the incredible muscular development of today’s professional bodybuilders when compared to the physiques of the champions of yesteryear, before GH was in vogue.

While I, like many of my peers, long for the days of Arnold and Haney, there is no denying that since GH has arrived on the scene, the top tier competitors have become much more massive. While the results seen onstage may be a result of synergism between GH and the rest of the pharmacological agents the pros are using, GH is definitely playing a big role in today’s bodybuilding world.

But results are not limited to large dose injection of GH. Anecdotal evidence suggests that even the relatively tiny dosages of GH found in homeopathic preparations are helping bodybuilders decrease their recovery time. I have also read accounts of L-Dopa rich macuna pruriens supplements helping athletes to get lean. These GH enhancing strategies may not deliver incredible results, but for most of us, every little bit helps.

GH vs. Steroids
What Are The Differences Between GH And Steroids?

First and foremost, GH is natural. While modern GH is synthesized, rather than being taken from cadavers as in the past, the synthesized GH molecule is identical to that produced by our bodies. Steroids are also synthesized, but they are not exact copies of testosterone, the hormone they are meant to approximate.

Additionally, steroids are androgenic as well as anabolic. GH has no androgenic actions, thus, it will not lead to the masculinization of the female body or the feminization of certain parts of the male physique as steroids have been known to.

Conversely, steroids can be carefully selected, due to their modified molecular structure, to maximize certain aspects (anabolic) while minimizing others (androgenic). Large dose GH will effect all tissues of the body, with no reliable way to minimize its effects on bone and organ growth.

Finally, steroids are, as we all know, illegal. Steroids cannot be legally possessed by any person in any amount unless prescribed by a medical doctor. GH is also controlled to a large extent, requiring a script for all but minute doses, such as those used in homeopathic medicine, but it can be obtained legally in such preparations.

FORUM THREAD
[ Are Growth Hormone Boosters Safe? What are their side effects?	Started By: markfromaurora

Conclusion

GH is getting some bad press due to its use by professional athletes. But this substance offers a plethora of benefits to those who use it judiciously. As with anything, moderation is key. One can use GH to cut fat and boost muscle mass while easily avoiding negative side-effects such as acromegaly and enlarged organs.

My preference is to give the body every opportunity to maximize its endogenous production of growth hormone through nutrition, supplementation, and regularly producing a hyperthermic body environment through hard training or the use of a far-infrared sauna.

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By: Eyad H. Yehyawi

Rocky Workout

I don’t know about you but the last Rocky movie was one of the best movies of the year. In my opinion, it was in fact the best of the series. What’s not to love about a guy who keeps coming back from setback after setback, only to always come out on top?

Sylvester Stallone is no stranger to staying in shape. Mr. Stallone has one of the most impressive workout regimens in Hollywood and don’t think for a second his abs and definition didn’t play a large part in the success of Rambo and Rocky.

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So, how did he do it? How did he look like a rock at an age much further down the road than Rocky I? Well, hypothetically speaking, let’s look at how anybody, including Mr. Stallone, could achieve a world-class physique later in life or after years of lifting when “changing” is difficult to do.

The key is to shock the body into changing, presenting stimuli to initiate change and the proper nutrients and supplements to make sure we have the tools needed to do so. If you interested in trying a gut wrenching workout that would make Rocky tired, here’s your chance.

Here’s A Gut Wrenching Workout
That Would Even Make Rocky Tired.
© 2006 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

Goals

• Achieve my personal best physique… no excuses in 5 weeks
• Eat perfectly 6 days per week… no excuses.
• One cheat meal per week is allowed IF I stayed disciplined.
• Use compound lifts and hit each body part directly and indirectly once per week.
• Consume what I call my “Big 5″ supplements at specific times to initiate repair and keep us healthy.
• Perform cardio 6 days per week with improvements each week. Sorry, just “doing cardio” this time isn’t good enough.

Perform Cardio 6 Days Per
Week With Improvements Each Week.
© 2006 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

The Supplements

• Whey/Casein Protein: To Initiate repair quickly after working out and before bed.
• BCAAs: To protect the muscle from being stripped of BCAAs and Glutamine while training. The body does this to yield produce more energy and to supply food for the intestinal immunity cells. So give it what it wants and it won’t rob your muscle bank.
• Glutamine: To make sure the muscle has what it needs to create more muscle. Remember, it is the CHIEF PROTEIN REGULATOR. Think of it as the gate keeper who checks your ticket to muscle gains. If not present in sufficient amounts, the body will strip it from muscles, along with BCAA to make more glutamine.

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• Creatine: To yield more ATP for workouts and allow more water to enter our muscles. Having fully hydrated muscles is a key ingredient few know about to make sure the muscle is in an environment conducive to muscle growth.
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids: To support already healthy joints, essential fat levels up, promote body fat loss, and the cardiovascular system healthy.

How Much

• Whey/Casein: 50 g whey post workout/50 g casein before bed with 1 tbsp peanut butter to slow digestion and keep the body with a trickle of amino acids throughout the night.
• BCAA: 10 g pre/during/post workout for a total of 30 g.
• Glutamine: Same as the BCAA.
• Creatine: 5 g pre workout ad 10 g post workout.
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids: 2 g at breakfast, lunch, dinner.

The Nutrition Plan

Meal 1:
• 50 g protein (whey or egg whites)
• 10 g healthy fats
• 50 g complex carbohydrates

Meal 2:

• 50 g protein (Whole food)
• 1 piece of fruit

Meal 3:

• 30 g complex carbohydrates
• 50 g Protein (Whole food)
• 10 g healthy fats

Meal 4: Pre-Lift

• 1-2 scoops whey
• 1 piece of fruit

Meal 5: Post-Lift

• 25 g whey/25 g casein
• 60 g Simple Carbohydrates

Meal 6:

• 50 g lean protein or fatty protein such as salmon or lean steak
• All the green veggies you want

Bed Time:

• 2 scoops Casein
• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter

The Workout

Monday: Chest
• Incline Dumbbell Press 3 x 8-10
• Incline Flyes 3 x 8-10
• Dips 3 x BW to failure
• Pullovers 2 x 12

Tuesday: Legs
• Clean and Jerk 5 x 5
• Squats 3 x 10
• Partial Deadlift 5 x 5

Use a safety bar in a squat rack and begin the lift from upper shin level. This reduces injury risk and is nearly as effective as full deadlifts.

• Stiff Legged Deadlifts 2 x 10
• Calf Raises 2 x 50
• Jump Rope for 3 minutes and if you stumble just keep going until the three minute mark. Each week add 1 minute to the session.

Wednesday: Biceps & Shoulders
• Barbell/Dumbbell Curls 4 x 10
• Incline Hammer Curls 3 x 8-10
• Military Press 4 x 10
• Lateral Raises 4 x 10
• Reverse Flyes 2 x 15

Thursday: Triceps
• Close Grip Bench Press 4 x 10
• Skull Crushers 3 x 10
• Dips 2 x BW to failure

Friday: Back
• Lat Pulldowns 2 x 10 + x reps after each set
• Pullups 2 x BW to failure
• T Bar rows (drop set) 1 x 10/drop 30% then continue to failure
• Seated Cable Rows 4 x 12
• Bent Over Barbell Rows (drop set) 1 x 10/drop 30% then continue to failure

Rocky Trains To Get Back Into Fighting Shape.
© 2006 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

Cardio:

On Monday/Wed/Friday pick something you love for 20 minutes and go 1 minute as hard as you can and then 50% less effort for 1 minute. Do this for 20 minutes. EVERY WEEK you must beat your previous best… no excuses… so write it down! If you run 2 miles in 20 minutes, make sure to run at least 2.1 miles in 20 next time.

On Tuesday no cardio. You’re lucky – it’s leg day.

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Thursday and Saturday is long duration cardio day. Walk on an incline treadmill for 45 minutes at 3.0 mph and incline 10. Each week go up by 0.1 mph and 0.5 on the incline. At the end of 5 weeks you will be doing 3.5 mph at incline 12.5. Don’t hold on!

Conclusion

Do this for 5 weeks, eat plenty and rest. After this, take it easy for 1 week and then resume a new program that calls for lifting every other day and cardio 4-5 days per week.

This workout is INTENSE and will FORCE your body to change. It isn’t hard… just remember to get what you’ve never had you must do what you’ve never done!

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Muscle Building Supplements Made Easy!

“Ahhhhhhh! I need to build muscle quick, but there’s 50 million freakin’ different products out there and I don’t know where to start!” If this sounds vaguely familiar to something you’ve heard yourself mutter, you’re not alone! We get e-mails and phone calls from customers all the time asking for our advice in choosing the right products to help them gain muscle quickly and effectively.

First of all, you don’t necessarily need supplements to gain muscle. However, they will definately help you build muscle a lot quicker. Supplements are simply tools to increase your muscle building potential. Read Big Cat’s articles on nutrition and supplementation for more in-depth information. Most people start out with a multi-vitamin, protein, and creatine.

First off, there are several types of supplements that make muscle grow, recover, and rebuild faster. Here’s a list of the top supplement types people use to produce the best results:

Protein Creatine Glutamine Multi-Vitamin Natural Test Booster HMB Growth Hormone NO (Nitric Oxide) Anti-Estrogens Protein Bars Amino Acids Methoxy, Ecdy ZMA

With all these different types to choose from, what should you take to most effectively aid in the muscle building process? Let’s start by explaining each one of these types so you have a better understanding of what to expect from each of them.

NOTE: To sort product by price, servings and more, simply click the VIEW ALL links in each category.

Featured Muscle Building Product

CMI Anabolic Signal Powerful anabolic, testosterone booster and anti-estrogenic formula! This is by far the most severe legal Anabolic and Testosterone Analog that science has

Protein Products

Protein is made of amino acids. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of muscle. Therefore, protein is an essential ingredient for muscle building. You can’t build muscle without it! You will want to take in about 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight throughout the day. So an average person who weighs 150 lbs would want to consume between 150 and 300 grams of protein in a day. Protein shakes and bars are convenient and provide high quality protein.

There are several forms of protein including: Whey, Soy, Egg, and Casein. So which kind is best? Well that depends on how and when you want to use them. View our in-depth articles on this subject

Whey – Basically, whey protein is awesome for post-workout supplementation because that’s the time when your body needs protein the most, and whey is digested very quickly (about 30 minutes). View all Whey products.

Casein – Casein, on the other hand, is digested very slowly (over 2 – 7 hours). This means it’s great to use a protein supplement with casein before bed because the longest time your body goes without protein is during the night while you are sleeping. View all Micellar Casein products.

Egg – Egg protein (albumen) digests at a medium pace (1.5-3 hours) so it’s a good anytime protein to provide a good sustained release of aminos to the body. View all Egg Protein products.

Soy – Soy protein is the vegetarian’s friend because it’s one of the only complete protein sources derived from plants. Soy is a good overall protein, although it’s not as effective in terms of absorbtion as whey or egg albumen. Additionally, soy has many recognized health benefits for women. View all Soy products.

Blends – Either protein supplements are straight whey, soy, egg, or casein; or they are a combination of any or all of these kinds of proteins. What can a blend of proteins offer that a straight protein cannot? Basically, different rates of digestion. This means you can take a blended protein any time to get quick, medium, and prolonged absorption of protein. ProM3 is one of the best in the blended proteins category.

Low Carb – Of the many protein supplements, the two other main categories are weight gainers and low carb protein shakes and bars. These two are on opposite spectrums of each other. Yep, you guessed it low carb protein shakes are good for those dieting or trying to lose or maintain weight. View all Low Carb products.

Weight Gainer – Weight gainers are high calorie protein products that are great for people who are looking to bulk up. If you are having trouble gaining weight, taking in extra high quality calories will usually do the trick. View all Gainer products.

Top 5 Sellers

Optimum 100% Whey Protein

CytoSport Muscle Milk

BSN Syntha-6

Optimum 100% Casein Protein

CytoSport Cyto Gainer

View All In This Category – Go

Creatine

Creatine works very well for increasing muscle mass. It is naturally occurring in the body. It’s safe and very effective for anybody, especially if you’ve never used it before. We have tons of great articles on creatine, so you can become an overnight expert on it! The basics behind it are this: it increases ATP (the main energy source muscles use for explosive power) availability so that you can perform more reps and sets and lift more weight, consequently growing more muscle tissue. Creatine should be cycled. Many have found great results taking it for four weeks, followed by one to two weeks off. There are quite a few different types of creatine which you can view by top sellers. For example, there is pure creatine monohydrate, liquid creatine, micronized creatine and many more.

Okay, so now your head’s spinning with different creatine products and types. What’s best? The creatine supplements with built in dextrose, aminos and other goodies are probably the best, but cost-effectively a good micronized creatine taken with grape juice wouldn’t be a bad choice. Take creatine post-workout.

Top 5 Sellers

BSN NO-Xplode

Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump250

MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Hardcore

Higher Power Micronized Creatine

MuscleTech Cell-Tech Hardcore

View All In This Category – Go

Glutamine

L-Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in muscle tissue. It helps prevent muscle wasting and improves recovery. The better and quicker you recovery, the sooner and harder you can hit it in the gym! Glutamine is safe to take year-round. Some of our favorites are listed below.

Glutamine should not be taken at the same time as creatine because they compete for receptors to be absorbed. Take glutamine pre-workout and creatine post-workout.

Top 5 Sellers

Higher Power Micronized Glutamine 1000

MHP Glutamine-SR

Higher Power Micronized Glutamine 500

Optimum Glutamine Powder

Optimum Glutamine 1000 Caps

View All In This Category – Go

Multi-Vitamins

You can’t forget about this! It seems so basic and simple, but it’s very important! If you are deficient in even one vitamin or mineral, your gains can really be hampered. A good multi-vitamin is a must for the best gains in muscle mass, not to mention good health.

People who are working out need more vitamins than the average couch potato, so your supermarket brands won’t cut it.

Some of the best ones for bodybuilders and athletes are below.

Top 3 Sellers

Universal Animal Pak

Optimum Opti-Men

AST Multi Pro 32X

View All In This Category – Go

Natural Testosterone Boosters

Raising your testosterone helps you to gain muscle, enhance your mood, maintain a healthy libido, and more! Steroids do a great job of raising test levels, but they are not legal for use. These all-natural products would be perfect for you!

You can also use these natural products when you are off of your prohormone cycle.

This category includes popular products with ZMA, Tribulus, and much more.

Top 3 Sellers

Universal Animal Stak

Gaspari Nutrition Novedex XT

Optimum ZMA

View All In This Category – Go

Anabolic Flavones (Methoxy, Ecdy)

Methoxyisoflavone and Ecdysterone are the latest advancements in supplementation for anabolic gains. They are non hormonal flavones that naturally increase protein synthesis, nitrogen retention, and muscle growth. They work very well taken in conjunction with protein because they increase the absorption of protein. Some companies even combine the Methoxy into the protein for you.

The most popular supplements with these ingredients are below.

Top 3 Sellers

Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump250

Universal Animal M-Stak

SciFit EcdySterone 300

View All In This Category – Ecdy Or Methoxy

Amino Acids And BCAAs

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Bodybuilders can especially benefit from supplementing amino acids because they aid in repair, growth, and development of muscle tissue. Among the most beneficial and effective supplements in any sports nutrition program are branched chain amino acids. These are the essential aminos leucine, isoleucine, and valine. If you are looking for better results, make sure you are taking your amino acids! You’ll be surprised at how well they work.

The most popular amino supplements are below.

Top 3 Sellers

Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump250

SciVation Xtend

Optimum BCAA 1000 Caps

View All In This Category – Amino Acids Or BCAA

NO (Nitric Oxide)

Nitric Oxide is a free form gas that is produced in the body and is used by the body to communicate with other cells in the body. The fact that nitric oxide increases blood flow should make it of interest to bodybuilders, as increased blood flow will serve to deliver more nutrients to muscles, thus helping muscles become larger when subject to stress. People are noticing huge increases in muscle pumps while using this product!

The most popular NO (Nitric Oxide) supplements are below.

Top 3 Sellers

BSN NO-Xplode

Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump250

BSN Nitrix

View All In This Category – Go

ZMA

ZMA is a scientifically designed anabolic mineral formula. It contains Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate plus Magnesium Aspartate and vitamin B-6, and is an all-natural product that has been clinically proven to significantly increase anabolic hormone levels and muscle strength in trained athletes. It is all natural! Studies have shown that supplementing with 30mg of Zinc and 450mg of Magnesium per day can elevate testosterone levels up to 30%! In a recent study, the strength of a group using ZMA increased by 11.6% compared to only a 4.6% increase in the placebo group.

This is a great choice for people wanting to avoid prohormones. The most popular ZMA supplements are below.

Top 3 Sellers

Optimum ZMA

PrimaForce ZMA

NOW ZMA

View All In This Category – Go

HGH – Growth Hormone

Growth Hormone, a polypeptide hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland, is the latest advance in bodybuilding supplementation! Human Growth Hormone levels decline rapidly after age 30.

The most popular HGH supplements are below.

Top 3 Sellers

Fountain Of Youth HGH Complete

ASN Humagro

Ultra Lab Human Growth Complex

View All In This Category – Go

HMB

It is a new and exciting supplement that is one of the most popular body building supplements today. HMB is a metabolite of leucine, one of the body’s essential amino acids. Many of the world’s champions and athletes are using HMB and receiving dramatic results. Specifically, HMB plays a role in the synthesis of muscle tissue. It has the ability to burn fat and build muscle consistently in response to exercise. A seven week long study showed a much greater gain in muscle when a group of 28 participated in a regular weight-training program.

The most popular HMB supplements are below.

Top 3 Sellers

MHP A-Bomb Optimum HMB 1000 Caps MHP A-Bomb

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By: Author Rea

In our society a reality has at last become accepted: Age and sexual gender do not dictate athletic potential. With the main stream acceptance of high quality sports supplementation came stronger fitter bodies of all ages and entire thirty, forty and fifty-something generations pouring into the once undisputed young man’s domain…the gym.

The term “sports chemistry” once meant anabolic/androgenic steroids (AAS) and seedy images of team doctors closing their office doors to inject some illicit substance into an already enhanced athlete. Oh how things have changed!

I often marvel at the way that mere perception alters the responses one will receive to any given statement of fact… so let’s open with a good one:

Action/Reaction Factors

Before anyone gets their panties in a bunch and dials up all of the three letter organizations that investigate illegal activities, let me explain that statement of fact. All organic and inorganic matter is made up of chemicals and chemical substrates. Any living organism (uh, like you and me) not only has the ability to, but an absolute need for interaction with the environment around it through Action/Reaction Factors.

As an example, think of the saturated fat in red meat and eggs (don’t get me started on synthetic trans fats). The liver utilizes saturated fats to manufacture or synthesize a steroid called 5-Cholesten-3b-ol. (Most people know this chemical by the name of cholesterol) Through Action/Reaction Factors controlled and induced by natural endogenous (manufactured inside the body) enzymes the body (begins its illegal activities) utilizes a series of chemical biosynthesis pathways that include the following:

Officer, arrest that body! It just manufactured an illegal AAS and administered it without a doctor’s prescription.

If this body had not been provided with saturated fats (chemical substrates) it simply would have utilized unsaturated fats as the initial testosterone precursor. If the intake of all fats had been excluded, the eventual outcome would be predominant loss of lean muscle mass, energy, and libido with dramatic increase of female pattern fat deposits.

The term “sports chemistry” now refers to everything from diet and supplementation to hormone therapy with testosterone, growth hormone (GH), IGF-1, HCG, and progesterone. Thanks to the major advances made by the sports supplement industry the main differences between each of these is the issue of prescription -vs.- OTC since each is merely a chemical/chemical substrate.

This fact has leveled the playing field for athletes of all ages, level and gender by blurring the fine line between chemical muscle enhancement and nature. Interestingly enough, training and the results that come from it are nothing more than chemistry as well. What few people realize is that there are specific training protocols that result in specific responses. This again is controlled by a series of Action/Reaction Factors and, to a great degree, are readily altered to induce a specific response of choice.

Hormones & Horomone-like Substances

Testosterone, GH, IGF-1, insulin, and many other hormones and hormone-like substances are manufactured endogenously by the body in response to different training stimulus if the proper chemical substrates are provided. Since each of these has multiple and significant different effects upon an individuals physiology, and more specifically upon muscle and fat tissue, it is therefore possible to significantly effect the outcome of a chosen training and supplemental protocol. I realize that many have unnecessarily accepted the level of mediocrity that is often justified by the catch-all words “genetic potential” and touted by way to many magazine articles.

This of course means that I am about to make some bold and crazy statement to the contrary. (Definition of crazy: Not accepted by the main stream publications as their current point of view) Anyone can significantly effect their own genetic potential in a favorable way and by specific choice. (Yeah, I said and have proven that many times.) I am not saying that everyone can be an Arnold, Dorian, or Ronnie, but I am factually stating that through specific-intent protocols and phases an individual can significantly effect specific results far greater than ever imagined by the average athlete regardless of age or sexual gender. (Ya, I said that too)

Okay, I hate the quoting research sites game simply because any idiot can alter a quote or statistic of most research results. But just to momentarily quiet those who erroneously depend upon them for sole validity (instead of actually training and being living examples themselves etc.) I would like to point out a few actual findings. (Geez, you would think a few pictures would do the job, huh?)

8-Week Study On Heaving Weight Training

Sometimes good information comes from unexpected places. In a study done to evaluate what effects 8 weeks of heavy weight training has upon serum lipid and lipo protein concentrations scientist made an interesting series of discoveries.

As the scientist analyzed the data from 32 college males and females after concluding an 8 week heavy weight training protocol they realized that the test subjects muscle fibers showed evidence of converting from type-I (slow twist) to type-II (fast twist) muscle fibers. First realize that this occurred in only 8 weeks. Second, the fact that the aerobic muscle fibers changed into size/strength oriented (therefore high growth potential) muscle fibers in itself validates the potential for specific training stimulus for specific results issue. By the way, it is good that the researchers were able to extract this finding from their research project. (Research projects are not cheap to fund) In fact an 8 week period is not enough time to produce any type of result concerning lipid profiles.

Each of us possesses type-I (slow twist) and type-II (fast twist) muscle fibers in different ratios in different muscle groups. The so-called “average” individual initially possesses about a 50/50 body ratio. Type-I fibers are considered low growth potential aerobic oriented muscle fibers and type-II fibers are considered high growth potential anaerobic/strength muscle fibers. Obviously the greater an athlete’s muscle fiber ratio favors type-II fibers, the greater the potential for muscular growth and strength increase.

Type-II Muscle Fiber

The ability to alter the ratio through specific training protocols means also the ability to effectively alter genetic make-up. A study done in Oslo, Norway examined long term and short term (acute) hormone responses of 9 experienced test subjects to two different training intensities. The high intensity work-out required the test subjects to perform free bar back squats (front and back) using 100% of their 3 rep max for sets. The moderate intensity work-out required the athletes to do the same exercises utilizing 70% of their 3 rep max for sets. Rest periods were 4-6 minutes.

Results Of The Study

The test subjects blood samples were taken before, after 30 minutes into, and every 15 minutes for the first hour after each work-out. Next, blood samples were taken at 3, 7, 11, 22, and 23 hours post work-out.The analysis of the blood samples was for:

(1) Hormones positively affecting anabolism (tissue synthesis): LH (leutenizing hormone), FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), testosterone (free), insulin, growth hormone (GH), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

(2) Hormones that affect catabolism (tissue wasting): ATCH (adrenocortotropic hormone) and cortisol.

• Other substrates analyzed include creatine kinase and lactate. (As indicators of actual training intensity)

The test results verified that high intensity training induced a significantly higher level of testosterone and cortisol secretion (and moderate intensity did not) as a short term hormonal response. Though both testing protocols showed a decreasing testosterone level in the post-training hours, the high intensity training results were consistently higher than those of the moderate intensity. LH and FSH levels were not significantly altered as a result of either training intensity. This is a huge finding that exceeds the evidence of higher intensity training protocols being the better method for triggering a significant increase in testosterone.

The majority of endogenous (naturally produced inside the body) testosterone synthesis in males is handled and regulated by the hypothalamus-pituitary-testes-axis (HPTA). It all begins when the hypothalamus receives neuro-net impulses that signal the release of leutenizing-hormone-releasing-hormone (LHRH) which in turn tells the pituitary gland to release leutenizing hormone (LH). LH then makes contact with the testes Leydig’s cells that produce testosterone and release it into the vascular system. However, there is a secondary testosterone synthesis pathway that may be hyper-activated as a result of high intensity training protocols.

The adrenal glands produce several different hormones. The hormone of interest for this issue is called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA is an androgen that is responsive to enzymic alterations called conversions. Two of the enzymic conversion products of DHEA are 4-androstenedione and 4-androstenediol which in turn are converted into testosterone by the 17-BHSD and 3-BHSD enzymes respectively. Of course under normal metabolic conditions there are several other potential conversion products possible including estrogens. But high intensity training appears to foster a pro- 17 & 3- BHSD environment that results in a favorable conversion rate of these two DHEA conversion products to testosterone.

So specific training does have specific hormonal responses. What does that have to do with altering genetic potential?

Other Professional Opinions

Histochem Cell. Biol. 113(1): 25-29, 2001

It is well documented that consistent heavy resistance training actually increases the concentration (number) of androgen/anabolic receptor-sites on trained muscle tissue. All AAS, whether produced endogenously or provided exogenously (form outside the body), exert their serious anabolic effect by binding or merging with androgenic/anabolic receptor-sites on muscle cells. If muscle cells and fibers possess a greater number of these receptor-sites they also possess a greater genetic growth potential. Guess what. Yup, testosterone is an AAS.

J. Streng Cond. Res. 14(1): 102-113, 2000

So you have been told that you can not alter the peak of your bicep or build a wider chest and back? To a great degree…B.S. Muscle is not merely a bunch of fibers that attach to bones contracting and relaxing to provide potential movement. Muscle is composed of multiple fiber sizes and types. Each fiber is made up of different size cells with different individual metabolisms, and different contractile potential and amino acid profiles. This means that during different exercises and different angles of execution there is a different recruitment pattern of different regions of the muscle (confirmed by EMG). Therefore it is possible to trigger the growth process on a more site-specific basis. So is it obvious yet that you can utilize specific protocols to induce growth in specific areas resulting in an alteration in shape?

J. of the Amer. Med. Asso. 286(10)

It is too often accepted that age is the final deciding factor for muscular growth potential. Without a doubt this is the silliest reason of all for anyone to endure mediocrity.

When we are discussing the issues of muscular accruement we are actually discussing which side of the protein-turn-over-rate (PTOR) an individuals body favors. The PTOR is the rate at which an individuals body builds new proteins (anabolism) and destroys old ones (catabolism). This means that for actual muscular accruement to occur an athlete’s body must build more new proteins than it destroys each day.

At the University of Texas in Galveston researchers utilized amino acid tracing techniques to study 48 healthy men. The protocol was intended to track the rate at which test subjects bodies created muscle proteins and destroyed muscle proteins. What the researchers found was that the PTOR (protein turn over rate) for both younger and older men is nearly the same. This means that an individuals potential for lean muscle mass gain is potentially the same regardless of age.

It seems that the reason for lean muscle tissue loss and weakening is not necessarily age related. A sedentary life style is a sure way to cause a dramatic decline in endogenous anabolic hormones such as testosterone, GH and IGF-1. Poor dietary habits not only increase insulin insensitivity but also alter an individuals body biochemistry to a point that disallows the ability to properly utilize protein from food.

Bottom line here is that training protocols, diet, hormone profiles, and life style are the main deciding factors for alterations in “genetic potential” regardless of age and sexual gender. Building the perfect beast is a matter of choice and letting go of the eternal dogma that holds each of us in mediocrity. Oh ya, and…

This may appear an over simplification of a normally complicated topic, but in truth it is the tip of the ice burg and only the introduction to what is possible for anyone who chooses, and what has been embraced by those have experienced the reality.

My Book – Chemical Muscle Enhancement

“Chemical Muscle Enhancement” (CME) is the equivalent of a bodybuilders “Physician’s Desk Reference”. Not only does CME profile hundreds of bodybuilding pharmaceuticals, many of which have never been discussed before, it does so in a fashion that has application to the greenest neophyte to the hardcore seasoned bodybuilding veteran.

This is not a steroid picture pop-up book, but an in depth study in bodybuilding biochemistry. After reading CME, one walks away with the knowledge of not only how and why various bodybuilding drugs work in the body, but how to use them in the safest manner possible. From beginner to advanced, adult man or woman, this is the must have book for the chemically enhanced athlete.

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Note that this is a generic program designed to provide a template for building strength. You should always consider utilizing the services of a personal trainer or strength coach to individualize a program based on your goals, existing fitness level, access to resources, and time available for training.

What Does Basic Strength Achieve?

Basic Strength is a weight training program designed to prioritize strength, rather than muscle size and definition (bodybuilding) or muscle endurance. Even so, a program such as this will build some muscle size and endurance because of the amount of work done.

Who Can Benefit from the Basic Strength Program?

This weight training program is for anyone who wants to get strong for functional purposes, personal development, weightlifting, sports, or for activities in which strength is a priority. I emphasize that an individualized program written specifically for you by a competent gym instructor or strength coach in the discipline of your choice is the best way to move to the next level, which may include serious competition.

Feel free to customize this workout plan to suit your goals while adhering to the basic principles of strength development–heavier weights, fewer repetitions, and more rest between sets. For example, a workout could look somewhat different for a 50 year-old woman wanting to build strength for track sprinting compared to a 20 year-old football player getting ready for the season ahead. Nevertheless, the basic principles would be the same–just the details of the training program would differ. The woman trainer may feel more functional doing squats with dumbbells rather than a bar and plates, for example.

Basic Principles

Strength is developed by lifting relatively heavier weights with a longer rest period in between sets. This differs from bodybuilding and strength endurance programs, which tend to utilize lighter weights with less rest in between sets. It’s all relative, of course, and many bodybuilders do indeed lift heavy weights compared to those who train less. Lifting heavy weights rather than light weights enhances the response of the nervous system and its stimulation of nerve fibers.

The Program Outline

The strength program I’ve developed is deliberately simple in design, as it should be to accommodate the widest range of possible users. Be aware that strength training is hard work because of the higher-intensity workload. If you are used to doing strength endurance training or “toning” with light weights and higher repetitions, then strength training can come as a shock. That’s why I recommend you work up to this with the Basic Strength and Muscle program of three sets of 12 repetitions maximum (RM) repetitions.

Number of exercise sessions: 20; two or three each week, to suit.

Exercises included: Squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, lat pulldown, seated cable row, triceps kickback, biceps arm curl. The first six exercises are basic strength-building compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups. The last two are isolation exercises included to target arm muscle groups important in the performance of the compound exercises and for all-around, balanced development. The legs need no extra work other than the squats and deadlifts included in the program, provided that good form is practiced.

Sets and repetitions: In contrast to the basic strength and muscle program of three sets of 12RM repetitions, this strength program uses five sets of 5RM repetitions followed by three sets of 5RM repetitions in any consecutive session. This applies if you do two or three sessions each week. Just alternate how much you lift in each session to give your body a break. On the lighter day, you can add an extra 20 minutes of cardio to round-out the session, if you wish.

Repetitions maximum: You need to calculate, by trial and error, a weight for each exercise that will allow you to do five repetitions maximum. This is the stage at which you can’t do another repetition without resting. You need to be able to continue for five sets. Exercises such as squats and deadlifts are very taxing with heavy weights, so don’t expect too much too early. Try to pick a weight that allows you to complete all five sets and repetitions.

Recovery: You need adequate recovery to get the most from a strength program. After eight sessions, do only one session in the next week and the same after the next eight sessions to allow your body to recover. Depending on how you adjust to the burden of heavy squatting and deadlifting, it is an option to adjust the number of sets down to less than five to assist with recovery at any time.

Rest period: Rest for at least two minutes between sets, if possible.

Eight exercises are included in this program. All major muscle groups are worked with compound and isolation exercises.

Squat: Mainly works the quads (thigh) and gluteal (butt) muscles; the hamstrings and inner thigh muscles are involved, depending on form and feet position. Feel free to use fixed barbells, plates, or dumbbells. Dumbbells can be positioned hanging at your sides or held at your shoulders. Barbells can rest on your shoulders behind your head (back squat) or in front, though the back squat is the standard. The basic squat form is similar for all methods used, with minor adjustments for position of the bar or dumbbells. The most important form reminders are:

• Don’t lean forward or get too far onto the front of your foot; keep your knees beyond the line of your toes.
• Keep the spine straight, not curved over, as you go down and up.

Bench Press: Works the triceps (back of arm) and chest pectoral muscles. A dumbbell press on an adjustable bench can be substituted for the more formal bench press with rack, although you will need to go to the rack for lifting heavier weights. Use a spotter, if necessary. As you move an adjustable bench more to the upright position, the deltoid shoulder muscles become more involved.

Deadlift: Works the hamstrings, quads, back, neck, gluteals, arms, and abdominal muscles with varied intensity. Deadlifts are a great all-round bulking-up exercise, but they require very hard work. You can do complete lifts from the floor and then back down again under control, resting for a few seconds and repeating. Or, you can lower the weights to shin level without release, then repeat. A straight back is key to the safety of this lift, and you must work up to the 5X5 using light weights. An adequate warm-up is mandatory for each session. This is usually done with very light weighs or even a bar without weights.

Overhead Press: Works the shoulder and triceps muscles. Done properly, it also involves the abdominal muscles as you brace for the lift. This exercise can be done with a barbell or dumbbells, sitting on a bench or standing, or with a shoulder press machine.

Lat Pulldown Machine: Works the mid to lower back muscles, biceps, and lower-arm muscles.

Seated Cable Row Machine: Works the mid to upper back muscles, as well as the rear shoulder muscle. Varying the width of grip can emphasize different individual muscles for this exercise and the lat pulldown.

Triceps Kickback: Works the triceps muscles at the rear of the upper arm.

Arm curl: Works the biceps and lower front arm muscles.

Summary of Weight Training Programs

This 20-session program is designed to fit into a larger cycle of weight training and should not be done prior to the preparatory Basic Strength and Muscle program, or something similar. These preparatory programs get the body used to the stresses, strains, and processes of weight training. Once you have completed a preparatory program, you may need to decide what suits your goals best.

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By: Danijela Crevar

Understand Hormones And Then Plan Your Overall Mind-Body Transformation

We all know that healthy eating and exercise are important for the way we feel and look. But, did you know that our hormones also play an absolutely fundamental role in about every aspect of our life.

Hormones affect our body, metabolism, how much fat we have, and our weight. They control our appetite, they affect our energy level, and they influence our mood and emotions.

If your hormones are in balance, your metabolism will improve and your energy level will improve. Hormones regulate metabolism. That’s why there are people with fast metabolisms who burn off calories quickly. And there are people who have a slow metabolism which applies calories directly to the stomach or hips. A slow metabolism makes you feel tired all the time. When you have fast metabolism, you burn calories faster and your energy level raises.

What Are Hormones?

What are hormones? Hormones are chemicals released by cells that affect cells in other parts of the body.

All our organs make hormones. Hormones go through the blood and other fluids in our body. Food affects our hormones.

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There are dozens of hormones that influence our appetite, metabolism, weight gain, our mind and body and overall health. For this article, I choose to talk about these hormones: insulin, testosterone, growth hormone, estrogen, progesterone, thyroid and cortisol hormone.

Insulin

One hormone responsible for blood sugar – insulin stands out above all the other hormones which are affected with the food we eat.

Insulin is critical for hormonal balance. Insulin hormone is made by the pancreas. Medical problems such as diabetes, hypertension, and strokes could be caused by insulin. Insulin has a big effect on weight regulation.

Insulin is one of the most important hormones in our body. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats affect insulin. Carbohydrates such as sugar, wheat, rice, fruits, vegetables and grains are primary source of energy in our diet and are necessary for hormonal balance.

The best carbohydrates that you can eat are vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits are extremely low in calories and high in fiber. If you eat these healthy foods, you won’t be hungry for bad or junk foods. To achieve hormonal balance and healthy level of insulin, eat fruits, vegetables and healthy carbohydrates.

The Best Carbohydrates That You Can
Eat Are Fruits And Vegetables.

Eating 5-6 small meals throughout the day is a great way to balance your blood sugar and insulin levels. Eating frequently throughout the day, you will provide a constant source of energy to your body. That way your metabolism will increase.

If you skip meals and then you have huge meals once or twice a day your body will do everything to store the food. Metabolism slows down, you get sleepy and insulin allows the food to be stored as fat instead of burning the food as energy. If you want to lower your insulin levels eat food reach in fiber. Fiber makes you feel full.

The best way to get fiber from food is to eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits. High fiber foods can help you lose weight. Proteins are essential for a balanced diet and hormones. Make sure you eat enough protein throughout the day. Eat protein such as egg whites, lean meat, chicken, turkey, and fish.

Eat foods low in fat and eat healthy fats. Good sources of healthy fat include olive oil, avocados and nuts. If we do not have right and healthy eating habits, we can have problems with insulin hormone.

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Insulin problems can cause fatigue, weight gain and diabetes. Physically inactive people are more at risk of developing hormonal problems. Stress, depression and anxiety cause insulin resistance. By treating these mental conditions, you will lessen insulin resistance.

To prevent problems with insulin and to achieve hormonal balance you need to change poor dietary choices and sedentary lifestyle into healthy diet and fitness lifestyle. Physical activity and exercise is one of the best and natural ways to improve your hormonal balance. Weight training reduces insulin resistance, because it builds muscle and burns fat.

Testosterone

Now, let’s talk about testosterone. The hormone testosterone has a great effect on building muscle mass and decreasing fat. It also has a great effect on energy levels, desire to exercise and it effects mood.

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Testosterone is essential for hormonal balance and people with low testosterone can feel anxious and tired. Low testosterone levels are associated with decreased muscle size and strength, increased body fat, thinning of the bones, cholesterol problems and increased risk for heart disease. Low testosterone can result in the growth of male breast tissue known as gynecomastia.

	What Is Gynecomastia? Gynecomastia, or gynaecomastia, is the development of abnormally large mammary glands in males resulting in breast enlargement, which can sometimes cause secretion of milk.

Testosterone deficiency can result in loss of body hair. Alcohol, drugs and smoke have negative effect on normal production and functions of testosterone.

To boost testosterone levels, we come again to the importance of physical activity. Exercise makes muscles physically stronger. To improve your muscle mass you should do weight training. The more muscle you have, the better your metabolism. For a healthy level of testosterone get the right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat.

Human Growth Hormone

Growth hormone has similar effects on our body as testosterone. Growth hormone has effect on increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat. Growth hormone is made in our body, and if you eat healthy and exercise your growth hormone level will naturally improve.

Growth hormone helps you gain muscle and lose fat, improve mood and gives you more energy. Growth hormone is produced while you sleep. Get healthy sleep and your growth hormone level will rise. Growth hormone slowly declines after 30′s. Stress is one of the many other factors which can disrupt hormonal balance.

Growth Hormone Is Produced While You Sleep.

Since growth hormone is produced while you sleep, sleeping less because of stress can cause less growth hormone production. Your growth hormone level will be lower if you are overweight. Build muscle mass and your growth hormone will rise. Drink plenty of water. Water is so important for your muscle and body. Eat the right amount of protein. Protein builds muscle. The best physical activity for your growth hormone would be weight training.

Estrogen

Estrogen hormone for women – Estrogen hormone helps development of breast, thighs, hips and buttocks. Estrogen is also responsible for bone health.

Another important female hormone is progesterone which effects fluid retention and weight gain. When the progesterone level is high – usually occurs before menstrual cycle – many women suffer from fluid retention and bloating. The hormone progesterone is responsible for preparing a woman’s body for pregnancy.

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To decrease fluid retention and bloating, try to:
• Avoid salt because salt makes you retain water.
• Eat small frequent meals.
• Exercise – physical activity is important for reducing fluid retention.

Progesterone can increase your hunger and appetite; it can make you feel sleepy, tired, and depressed. And this all happens before the menstrual cycle.

Estrogen deficiency in women can cause bone problems. To prevent deficiency of estrogen and bone loss take vitamin D and calcium supplements. Weight training exercises are great for women especially as they age because they prevent bone loss and help you build lean body and lose fat. Fruits and vegetables can help regulate hormones and your weight. Less stress and more rest = better health.

Thyroid Hormone

Next important hormone in our body is the thyroid hormone. This hormone helps regulation of body temperature and it controls metabolism. It helps maintain our energy level, appetite and mood. If your thyroid hormone is under active, your energy level will be lowered, metabolism will slow down and you will feel tired.

The Thyroid Is One Of The Largest
Endocrine Glands In The Body.

Stress can disrupt the normal performance of thyroid hormone, especially if it lasts a long time – the immune system becomes dysfunctional and the body is helpless against viruses. The lack of thyroid hormone can cause the body to slow its metabolism and then the body stores extra calories as fat. Reduced metabolism leads to low energy levels.

People with low thyroid levels are tired all the time. Sometimes thyroid hormone problems can cause your joints and muscles to feel stiff and sore. With low thyroid hormone, skin becomes dry and itchy, hair grows slower of falls out. Low thyroid hormone causes fluid retention resulting in puffiness in the face or around the eyes, swelling of the hands, feet and legs. The lower the thyroid levels, the higher the cholesterol. Abnormal thyroid levels, either high or low, can cause high blood pressure.

To improve or maintain a healthy level of the thyroid hormone do some exercise. Physical activity will help you get more energetic and less tired. If you want healthy thyroid hormone, eat healthy nutritious food.

Cortisol

One more hormone which can influence the way we feel and look is cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol has many roles in the body and is produced during times of stress. This leads to health problems, slower metabolism and weight gain. Cortisol influences the amount of muscle, strength and fat.

The stress that we experience most of the time is psychological stress. Any type of stress can raise cortisol levels. High cortisol levels can cause muscle breakdown, accumulation of fat and metabolism slow down. Cortisol can influence your appetite and increase your hunger for food. This hormone also influences our mood and can be linked to depression and anxiety.

Some stress is normal and we can deal with it. But the stress that never goes away is the one which causes cortisol level to climb.

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The balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat, as well as the use of small frequent meals are ideal for lowering cortisol levels, controlling cravings and reducing hunger. Drinking more then two or three cups of coffee per day can raise cortisol levels. Also if you drink alcohol, cut it down. Reduce stress as much as you can.

Many people use food as a way of coping with stress. Food is comforting, but it may not make the stress go away. Here is what happens a most of the time – you get stressed, you eat and then you gain weight. Use the food because of its nutritional value, not for its ability to make you feel good.

Reduce stress by exercising and give your body enough rest. When you relieve stress, you are much closer to balancing your hormones. Here are some steps that you can take to reduce stress:
• Exercise – Physical activity helps your body to better handle stress. Exercises make your body stronger and healthier. That way your body will be able to withstand the physical drain of stress. Incorporate physical activity and exercise into your daily routine by making it priority.
• Control Your Appetite – Do not overeat while you are dealing with stress. Do not use food to comfort you and relieve stress. Comfort foods are usually high in fat, carbohydrates and calories and can make you gain weight.
• Meditate – Meditation relaxes your mind.
• Massage – Massage decreases tension in your muscle and body.
• Sleep And Rest – Giving your body optimal rest is the best way to get new fresh flow of energy.

Conclusion

Establish new healthy eating habits and make exercise your regular habit. Move toward a healthier lifestyle. Changing your lifestyle for the better requires commitment and persistence. The key to success is that the lifestyle change becomes a habit. The key to healthy lifestyle is hormonal balance, healthy mind, body and spirit.

• danijela crevar

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What’s worse is that selling supplements, most of which are not needed, has become such huge business in the commercial weight training and bodybuilding ‘industry’ that it is almost impossible to know if you are getting an objective evaluation of bodybuilding diet and nutrition.

Here’s what you need to know about diet and nutrition for weight training and bodybuilding. In fact it’s not all that different from a normal healthy athlete’s diet, except for some emphasis on quantity and meal timing in various training phases. This however, is where the detail becomes very important.

Start with a Healthy Diet

Although various diets like Atkins and South Beach and Ornish have become popular, the general consensus among dietitians and nutritionists is that a healthy diet is somewhat different — less stringent in requirements and more balanced across the major nutrients. You can see the key recommendations for the general population in Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Guidelines from other western countries like the UK and Australia are similar.

In summary the recommendations are:

• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds; some lean meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products; and mono and polyunsaturated oils
• Limit intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, salt, alcohol and an excess of added sugars and sugary foods
• Drink plenty of water
• Maintain a normal weight
• Exercise regularly.

Recommended dietary intakes or allowances (RDI or RDA) are set by authorities for all essential nutrients – protein, fat, carbohydrate and vitamins and minerals.

Guidelines and RDIs usually include slightly modified recommendations for men and women, including pregnant women, and adolescents and children. Older adults may also have special requirements and recommended intakes.

Weight Training Nutrition

People who exercise have different requirements to sedentary people because the greater expenditure of energy usually requires a greater intake of food. The more you exercise the more you have to eat to sustain that level of activity to the point where some elite athletes such as Tour de France cyclists need to eat huge quantities of food to sustain their activity. Simple enough, and this also applies to casual exercisers, but it may not apply to you if weight loss is one of the reasons you took up weight training.

Nutrition for weight loss. In this case you need to create an energy deficit; which means that the energy you consume in food is less than the energy you expend in exercise and daily living. Creating a 15 to 20 percent deficit in energy balance should ensure weight loss occurs over time. Your weight training in this case is to assist with fat loss while attempting to maintain muscle.

Yet weight losers need to do the very tricky thing of holding onto muscle and bone while shedding fat. It’s tricky because the body is not used to breaking down tissue like fat and building up muscle at the same time. Breaking down is called catabolism and building up is called anabolism, as in anabolic steroids. This is a contradictory process. See my article How to Burn More Fat for an in-depth look at losing fat.

That’s why weight training is so important in any weight loss regimen: it helps to maintain muscle while you lose fat.

Nutrition for bodybuilding. If you weight train for sports, weight lifting competition, bodybuilding or even as a way to maintain fitness or appearance now that you’ve reached ideal weight, you will probably be more interested in gaining muscle and maintaining low body fat.

The dietary specifics will be different in each case. In this article we’re emphasizing bodybuilding diet and nutrition so let’s take a look at what’s required.

Muscle Building, Bodybuilding Diet

To build extra muscle you need to eat in excess of what you currently eat and to work out with weights on a regular basis. How much muscle you can gain, how quickly and with what definition is largely determined by your genetics and age. But everyone at almost any age should be able to gain some muscle and strength with weight training. Proper nutrition is a crucial element in the muscle building process.

That overeating is not a good idea if you are already overweight is surely something you already know. Get fit first.

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