Here is a question I get all the time. ?What?s more important for fat loss; what you eat, or how many calories you eat?? The answer is, you can?t have one without the other to truly succeed. That said, I firmly believe that the ratio of, proteins to carbs to fats, you consume each day is as important, if not more so than calories. But to get a grip on these ratio?s you need a starting point, or a baseline, or nothing will ever make sense.
Much less get you leaner.
The terms that describe what you eat, namely; proteins, carbohydrates and fats mean nothing unless you can put some context around them. A nutrition plan that?s 50% protein, ?carb reduced?, or ?higher fat? can?t exist in a vacuum. These percentages are based on the total amount of energy you consume each day. Not surprisingly, to get an idea of what the ratios of protein, carbs and fats are in your diet, you need a basic understanding of what?s in the foods you eat.
Ironically, the best way to begin this process is by calorie counting (at first).
For men, I recommend beginning by calculating your energy intake at, 15 Calories (or ?kcalories? per pound of body weight (12 is a good number for women).
Keep in mind, the ?per pound of body weight? description would imply you are feeding metabolically ?inactive? tissue such as your fat. Nevertheless, in my opinion calculating your lean, or ?non-fat? body mass and a calorie level for it is much more work, and really not worth the hassle. In order to acclimated with the breakdown of the food you eat, I suggest going online or getting a calorie-counting guide (e.g., the Nutrition Almanac) that tells you how much energy (calories), protein, fat and carbohydrate are in a serving of as broad a variety of foods as possible.
Don?t make it rocket science, as it doesn?t have to be.
Simply watch your mirror closely for the next 2 weeks and adjust your 15 Calories/lb (or 12 for women) value up or down accordingly. If you are relatively inactive, this may be too much food; for the highly active, it may be too little.
So what about those ratio?s?
Once you get the total energy number estimated, you can easily develop a plan that focuses on what you eat for aggressive fat loss and muscle building gains that last.
Simply do this.
Divide your Calories over 5-6 Smaller Meals
So if your daily energy intake is 2,500 calories, you should divide that into say five, 500-calorie meals. The goal here is to provide a steady supply of muscle-building materials and to keep blood sugar levels from going up or down wildly--which sends off false triggers to eat more than necessary.
Get 40% of Your Calories From Protein
Physique athletes can benefit from .75 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day (Lemon et al., 1997). However, my protein recommendations are even higher, because eating a diet that contains up to 1.35 g per pound/bodyweight/day) yet lower in carbohydrate can allow you to burn more fat both during exercise and at rest (Forslund et al., 1999).
Get 40% of your Calories From ?Intact?, Slow-Digesting Carbohydrate
Planning to get 40% of your calories from carbohydrate, allows you to keep up with the energy demands of your training and keep your your muscles from looking flat.
The simplest method for choosing the right carbs is to opt for ?whole? (unrefined, unprocessed) carbs --the foods that are generally found in the perimeter of the grocery store. This means a lot of vegetables and some fruit, but also includes starches like; steel cut oats, yams and brown rice.
Note: Our metabolic equipment likely has the capacity to use biologically ?intact? (unprocessed) carbohydrate-containing foods much better when it comes to achieving the physique benefits we want. In fact, studies performed in the 1930s (Cuthbertson and Munro, 1939), showed that sustained nutrient delivery, such as would be expected to occur by eating smaller, more frequent meals consisting of unprocessed nutrients is superior for enhancing lean tissue and minimizing body fat.
Get 20% of your Calories From Fat ---Mostly Unsaturated Fat
While the debate over which fats are more or less ?healthy?, seems to never end, the jury is out on trans fats. That is, they are not recommended. Note, I am not a nutritional biochemist, but my personal experience suggests that you certainly cannot eat all the fat you want, and expect to look your best. This is true even eating a zero carb diet. You may lose scale weight, but you will not maximize your body composition.
Generally speaking, animal fats are richer in saturated fats. The harder a fat is at room temperature (e.g., cooled bacon drippings vs. vegetable oil), the more saturated it tends to be. Plant fats tend to be richer in unsaturated fats, though cold-water fish are also good sources. Processed fats (e.g., vegetable oils, lard) should be avoided as much as possible.

In the early years of my training, I kept great records in journals. My notes included nutrition, cardio, supplements and of course every weight training detail. What I learned was that each muscle group had a decent range of energy substrates they could store, which was dependent on my current nutrient intake and training schedule.

A key learning is that when glycogen levels are fit to full, I could perform around 16-sets per muscle group before my pump faded. This meant the stored energy in muscles trained had gone to very low levels, and that the necessary waste products had congested the crime scene so that getting more of a pump was impossible. This is time to move on to another muscle group or simply exit the front door. I also noticed if my carb intake was reduced that about 12-sets brought me to a max pump, and I headed out.

Nothing scientific but it?s easy to see that when energy substrates fall off, so will performance and your ability to get just a bit tighter pump. Now you know when to move on, or move out in the gym.

Here is a question from my section at; http://www.muscleandfitnesstrainer.com/home/trainers/vince-andrich/questions

Q: According to effect. What is the difference between dumbbell press and dumbell flyes? Also please tell me what would b better after incline press;incline dumbell or incline fly? same question for flat bench press.

A: The main differences between dumbbell presses and flyes are as follows. Firstly, presses are considered a multi-joint movement, meaning both the shoulder and elbow joints must both engage their attached muscles to lift the weight and therefore will stimulate more motor neurons. This is due to an ability to use heavier loads or weights. In general, you can put higher loads on the chest muscles with presses. However, because your triceps are involved at the elbow flexion, the chest muscles may not get fully loaded before your triceps give out, thus diminishing the load. With flyes, your triceps are locked so that you are arching the bells (all 4) toward each other as if you were hugging a tree. The amount of weight may be lower with flyes, but the triceps should not be the limiting factor. Because of this, it is best to alternate doing presses before flyes for a few workouts, then switching to flyes then presses for a few workouts, to fully stimulate the chest area.

That said, you should not do incline press and then dumbbell presses as these are essentially the same movement. Do flyes instead.

On another note, decline presses with a barbell or dumbbell have been shown to recruit more motor neurons that stimulate both upper and overall pectoral development. This is due to leverage, whereas you should be able to lift more weight in the decline than presses on a regular flat bench or on an incline (45-degrees is best). The decline movement feels odd at first, but after a bit of practice you?ll find that it can be a valuable addition to your overall chest program.

Disclaimer

Information provided on this blog is solely for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not use this information for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing of any medications or supplements.

Please consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, diet or exercise program, before taking any medications or receiving treatment, particularly if you are currently under medical care. Make sure you carefully read all product labeling and packaging prior to use. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, do not take any supplements without first consulting and obtaining the approval of your healthcare provider.

© 2011 Vince Andrich Real BodyBuilding, Vince Andrich Uncensored, & www.vandrich.com. All Rights Reserved.

It makes perfect sense. Most men, going to the gym to lift, pick an exercise and keep adding weight until they can't even do a few reps. While most women, if they do go to the gym to lift weights, pick an exercise and keep removing weight until they can't make it any lighter. The men believe; they must push beyond their capability to get strong so they can build a perfect body, and the women believe they must do as many reps as possible, to "burn" their body into a smaller dress size.  Well not so fast. Besides major differences in hormones, sporting a muscular male "rig" or a "toned and tight" female body, starts with muscle. And, one of the best shortcuts to more muscle, which means improved body composition, is understanding how to focus and gauge the work you do in the gym.

Sets x Reps x Weight = The ?Work?

Research has consistently proven that for building muscle, and increasing your bodies ability to store energy from food you eat in muscle, not fat (yes, ladies and gentlemen), performing a higher-volume of work through multiple-set programs, performed in the moderate 6-12 rep range are best.

Scientists believe this is due to greater amounts of work being performed by the target muscles, which really does make more sense than what's commonly believed.

The amount of work you do for each bodypart, in a single workout, is calculated by multiplying; sets x reps x weight. So 5 sets of 8 with 100-lbs = 4000?lbs total weight lifted. Exercise scientists call this number volume, but we'll call it "work?.  By tracking total weight, not max weight, or reps in a given exercise you?ll have a much better gauge for progression. Here?s an example using a typical ?get to my max weight? pyramid plan, men often use in the standard bench press:

Set 1??135-lbs for 15 reps = 2025 (warm up)

Set 2?? 225 for 8 reps = 1800

Set 3??275 for  6 reps = 1650

Set 4??295 for 2 reps = 590

Set 5??315 for 1 (maybe) = 315

Total= 6380-lbs lifted

To a lifter this looks great since they hit the magic 315-lb bench. To someone looking to build a better body it?s a disaster, because if you stay within 6-12 reps it would look something like this.

Set 1??135-lbs for 15 reps = 2025 (warm up)

Set 2?? 185 for 12 reps = 2280

Set 3??  200 for 10 reps = 2000

Set 4??  200 for 8 reps = 1600

Set 5?? 215 for  6 reps = 1290

Total= 9195-lbs lifted or 44% more WORK than the example above.

Here's an example for women in the leg extension:

Set 1??30-lbs for 15 reps = 450 (warm up)

Set 2?? 40 for 15 reps = 600

Set 3??  30 for 15 reps = 450

Set 4??  25 for 15 reps = 375

Set 5?? 20 for 15 reps = 300

Total= 2175-lbs lifted

But if she stays within 6-12 reps it would look something like this:

Set 1??30-lbs for 15 reps = 450 (warm up)

Set 2?? 50 for 12 reps = 600

Set 3?? 60 for 10 reps = 600

Set 4??  70 for 8 reps = 560

Set 5?? 75 for  6 reps = 450

Total= 2660-lbs lifted or 22% more WORK than the example above.

Same exercises, same sets, very different results.

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Disclaimer

Information provided on this blog is solely for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not use this information for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing of any medications or supplements.

Please consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, diet or exercise program, before taking any medications or receiving treatment, particularly if you are currently under medical care. Make sure you carefully read all product labeling and packaging prior to use. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, do not take any supplements without first consulting and obtaining the approval of your healthcare provider.

© 2011 Vince Andrich Real BodyBuilding, Vince Andrich Uncensored, & http://www.vandrich.com. All Rights Reserved.

It makes perfect sense. Most men, going to the gym to lift, pick an exercise and keep adding weight until they can't even do a few reps. While most women, if they do go to the gym to lift weights, pick an exercise and keep removing weight until they can't make it any lighter. The men believe; they must push beyond their capability to get strong so they can build a perfect body, and the women believe they must do as many reps as possible, to "burn" their body into a smaller dress size.  Well not so fast. Besides major differences in hormones, sporting a muscular male "rig" or a "toned and tight" female body, starts with muscle. And, one of the best shortcuts to more muscle, which means improved body composition, is understanding how to focus and gauge the work you do in the gym.

Sets x Reps x Weight = The ?Work?

Research has consistently proven that for building muscle, and increasing your bodies ability to store energy from food you eat in muscle, not fat (yes, ladies and gentlemen), performing a higher-volume of work through multiple-set programs, performed in the moderate 6-12 rep range are best.

Scientists believe this is due to greater amounts of work being performed by the target muscles, which really does make more sense than what's commonly believed.

The amount of work you do for each bodypart, in a single workout, is calculated by multiplying; sets x reps x weight. So 5 sets of 8 with 100-lbs = 4000?lbs total weight lifted. Exercise scientists call this number volume, but we'll call it "work?.  By tracking total weight, not max weight, or reps in a given exercise you?ll have a much better gauge for progression. Here?s an example using a typical ?get to my max weight? pyramid plan, men often use in the standard bench press:

Set 1??135-lbs for 15 reps = 2025 (warm up)

Set 2?? 225 for 8 reps = 1800

Set 3??275 for  6 reps = 1650

Set 4??295 for 2 reps = 590

Set 5??315 for 1 (maybe) = 315

Total= 6380-lbs lifted

To a lifter this looks great since they hit the magic 315-lb bench. To someone looking to build a better body it?s a disaster, because if you stay within 6-12 reps it would look something like this.

Set 1??135-lbs for 15 reps = 2025 (warm up)

Set 2?? 185 for 12 reps = 2280

Set 3??  200 for 10 reps = 2000

Set 4??  200 for 8 reps = 1600

Set 5?? 215 for  6 reps = 1290

Total= 9195-lbs lifted or 44% more WORK than the example above.

Here's an example for women in the leg extension:

Set 1??30-lbs for 15 reps = 450 (warm up)

Set 2?? 40 for 15 reps = 600

Set 3??  30 for 15 reps = 450

Set 4??  25 for 15 reps = 375

Set 5?? 20 for 15 reps = 300

Total= 2175-lbs lifted

But if she stays within 6-12 reps it would look something like this:

Set 1??30-lbs for 15 reps = 450 (warm up)

Set 2?? 50 for 12 reps = 600

Set 3?? 60 for 10 reps = 600

Set 4??  70 for 8 reps = 560

Set 5?? 75 for  6 reps = 450

Total= 2660-lbs lifted or 22% more WORK than the example above.

Same exercises, same sets, very different results.

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Disclaimer

Information provided on this blog is solely for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not use this information for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing of any medications or supplements.

Please consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, diet or exercise program, before taking any medications or receiving treatment, particularly if you are currently under medical care. Make sure you carefully read all product labeling and packaging prior to use. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, do not take any supplements without first consulting and obtaining the approval of your healthcare provider.

© 2011 Vince Andrich Real BodyBuilding, Vince Andrich Uncensored, & www.vandrich.com. All Rights Reserved.

 

If you?re looking to build your body these days, you?d have to be under a rock not to have seen the dizzying stream of marketing for pre-workout products that supposedly increase Nitric Oxide (a.k.a., NO). On a molecular level, NO is a very short acting gas that your body produces to relax the walls of your arteries to enhance blood flow. So, marketers of NO products made the leap that (if) their product could increase NO while you were training, the dilated blood vessels would allow more ?nutrient rich? blood to flow to your working muscles. Not surprisingly, these products were and are sold on the merits of a better pump and infer muscle growth will be greatly improved. To date, no studies have proven this theory out. But, the idea of the PUMP, or specifically ?well hydrated? muscle cells is a rock solid sign that you have the ?right? nutrition and training factors in play.

 

Exercise scientists now know that ?cellular hydration? (i.e., cell swelling) serves as a physiological regulator of cell function. It is known to simulate anabolic processes, both through increases in protein synthesis and decreases in protein breakdown. While the mechanisms are not fully understood, the scientific community (and me) believe that increased pressure against muscle cell membrane is perceived as a threat to cellular integrity, which in turn causes the cell to initiate a signaling response that ultimately leads to reinforcement of its ultrastructure. Why might this be true? For 1)?resistance exercise, especially when higher volume is part of the plan, has been shown to alter intra- and extracellular water balance, and 2) when you train like a bodybuilder you increase the need to store carbohydrates (glycogen), and other energy producing molecules like creatine, in your muscle cells. The greatly increases your PUMP potential, because every gram of carbohydrate stored in muscle pulls in 3-grams of water. Of course creatine does the same thing, which is why you get bigger and stronger. So, if you?re getting your swell on, and not getting fat, it?s a good bet your nutrition and training are working pretty darn good. And that?s more than I can say about NO products.

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Disclaimer

Information provided on this blog is solely for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not use this information for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing of any medications or supplements.

Please consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, diet or exercise program, before taking any medications or receiving treatment, particularly if you are currently under medical care. Make sure you carefully read all product labeling and packaging prior to use. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, do not take any supplements without first consulting and obtaining the approval of your healthcare provider.

© 2011 Vince Andrich Real BodyBuilding, Vince Andrich Uncensored, & www.vandrich.com. All Rights Reserved.

A common misconception among physique athletes is that for wide lats, you need to focus on rowing/pulling movements with a wide grip, and your back arched. Sounds logical, but in fact a close grip with your chest concave, chin towards chest, like diving in a pool, works best to pull out the teres major (anatomy image in bright red), or the high portion of the lat. This "strand" of the lat complex is under under the armpit, and by focusing on "pulling" this portion of the muscle out, you not only get a wider looking back, but also an elongated look to your abdominal wall.

Try this; Do low pulley rows, with a close grip v-handle, chin down, pull straight into your abs, leading with your hands. Hold in the contracted position for a count of 2, and release slowly on the negative allowing your body to flow in the position you'd use to dive into a pool of water. You can also hit this area with pulldowns to the front. In this movement, use a very close under-grip, chin down, and pull by leading with your elbows. You should feel a strong connection and stretch under your armpit, which is a sign that you're connected with the lower subscapular nerve that contracts the teres major.

It your body, build it right, it just looks better.

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Disclaimer

Information provided on this blog is solely for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not use this information for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing of any medications or supplements.

Please consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, diet or exercise program, before taking any medications or receiving treatment, particularly if you are currently under medical care. Make sure you carefully read all product labeling and packaging prior to use. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, do not take any supplements without first consulting and obtaining the approval of your healthcare provider.

© 2011 Vince Andrich Real BodyBuilding, Vince Andrich Uncensored, & http://www.vandrich.com. All Rights Reserved.

Here is a recent question that came to me over at my blog at the MF Trainer site (http://www.muscleandfitnesstrainer.com/home/trainers/vince-andrich/questions).  Since I get this question quite a bit, I thought readers of vandrich.com would appreciate it if I actually answered it here as well.

Q: Vince, what is your personal supplement intake & regiment?

A: My personal supplement regimen has two areas; 1) my standard issue list for muscle maintenance, focus and general health and 2) things I may be taking to evaluate, or for specific periods of time--like a fat  a burning compound.

My Standard List

• My goal is to get 250+grams of highly quality protein per day, and to do so, I rely on protein powders and in particular Meal Replacement Powders (MRP?s) to get 50% of that number. Typically the MRP?s I use have a combination of whey and casein, the two principle milk proteins for a fast and slow delivery of amino acids. The MRP?s I use also contain some carbs as I really believe a moderate intake of carbs with protein works better than simply relying on pure protein powders all the time.  I like the brands ISS, Oh Yeah, Phillips Full Strength and CNP for proteins.
  
• Caffeine?I take 200-300mgs of straight caffeine anhydrous upon awakening and mid-afternoon for its mental, physical and metabolic stimulatory effects.
  
• Green Tea Extract: 125 mg of EGCG per cap to support my metabolism. I take 3 caps twice daily (six caps per day)
  
• BCAA?s-- I take 2-4 grams with whole food protein meals to increase the BCAA and primarily the Leucine content of each meal. I do not take with my MRP?s since they are already high in BCAA?s. I currently use two products from companies I have done writing for: I use AMS Sugar Free Body Mortar, and also MPR Amino from ISS Research.
  
• Grape Seed Extract?-I take 2-caps twice daily of Grape Seed Extract providing a minimum of 95% Polyphenols (each cap =100 mg).
  
• Turmeric Curcumin a Powerful Ayurvedic Antioxidant, I take 500mg per dose 2-3 x per day, standardized for 95% Curcuminoids. I personally take curcumin for its ability to improve mental function and as a neuroprotector.
  
• Huperzia serrata or Hup -A -- I take 50 mcg upon awakening and midday for mental acuity and specifically memory recall
  
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine--- I take 1 gram twice daily for mental acuity and to increase androgen receptor sensitivity.
  
• DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol)-- I take 500 mgs twice daily---DMAE has been found to increase choline levels. Choline serves as a precursor of acetylcholine, which is one of the neurotransmitters responsible for memory function.
  

Trial Supps:

• Rhodiola Rosavins: I take 2 caps/twice daily (each capsule contains 340 mg Rhodiola rosea Root Extract standardized to provide a minimum of 3% Rosavins or 10.2 mg). I am experimenting with this herb to see if it gives me a boost mentally, and to improve recovery from long work days or training via increased cell energy replenishment.
  
• Pump by MRP (A brand marketed by ISS)  -- This is a pre-workout product that I like for it?s creatine and beta-alanine content. I can say it gives you a nice buzz, not too harsh, but I can definitely feel the beta-alanine which gives you a flush feeling when you take it. This item is definitely designed for muscle performance versus getting you high on stims, which I like since for the most part, I prefer straight caffeine for CNS stimulation
  

by Vince Andrich

I have a true love for ?classic bodybuilding,? a term that for me, describes the practice of consciously developing a body with the ?correct? combination of size, shape and proportions. That said, the goals I have for my own body are usually shunned by the ?bigger is better? fans of bodybuilding, and many devoted trainees. Of course, it?s not my place to pass judgment on what your bodybuilding goals should, or shouldn?t be, as this is most definitely a personal choice.

Constant Body Improvement: Building a Balanced, Proportionate Physique

All arguments aside, in the early days of physical culture, the original premise that drove men (and women) to build their body, was ?constant physique improvement,? and the hallmark of this concept is the development of each muscle so it is pleasing to the eye and in proportion to the other muscles. This concept differs from bodybuilding to increase each muscle to its maximum, and certainly not the same as lifting weights solely for increasing strength. I?ve always believed that it is a much more creative process to develop an inspiring, beautiful and shapely physique than it is to build your body for pure mass and size. For me, it?s also more rewarding, because we all get a sense of satisfaction when our physiques attract positive attention. It?s my guess that for you, like many readers of this blog, that concept aligns with your primary physique goal: to look athletic and with a nice blend of size, shape and definition.

Bodybuilding and Genetics

After accounting for the role of genetics, a body assessment helps you identify specific muscles that need more (or less) development. In addition, the concept of ?spot building? is essential to creating a bodybuilding program that focuses on exercises that meet YOUR needs. The result is a body that goes beyond ?built,? and exemplifies the art of bodybuilding.

Most people blame the overall look of their physique on genetics, which is undoubtedly a factor? but not the only one. I have seen athletes ruin an otherwise ?great? body by not paying attention to how much muscle they?re adding in the wrong places. Year after year, these athletes perform exercises that do nothing to correct imperfections in their bone structure or musculature, and, in some cases, wind up with a bigger version of a body that is not appealing. Conversely, I?ve seen athletes with seemingly ?bad? genetics create a balanced, well-shaped body that looks better than 95% of the population.

I won?t lie to you ?? structural weaknesses cannot be radically altered or totally hidden. But they can be minimized. To prove my point, the next time you?re in the gym, take a look around. Do you notice any people who seem to be working on their weaknesses? Probably not. On the other hand, we?ve all seen guys with BIG arms and ?less than adequate? thigh development. If you study them, you?ll notice they are almost always obsessed with training their arms, yet seem to put much less effort into developing their thighs. This is a somewhat natural occurrence because people generally tend to pay attention to what is already getting them attention. The trouble is, many people over do it.

And what are the women with big thighs usually obsessed with? Yep, you guessed it ?? their thighs! The reality is women often fall for the myth that says: to get smaller thighs, you need to work them more often. Meanwhile, men usually beat their best body parts into oblivion and neglect the ?total package,? in effect, ruining the shape their parents granted them. But, there?s more to creating a stunning physique than simply understanding how to prioritize your body-part training.

To accomplish this, you?ll need to look at your body in a completely different way. There are several books and articles that contain reference charts that score the ?ideal? physique in inches. I personally prefer to use the mirror, since people don?t ?see measurements?, they see your body as the sum total of its parts, as you would see a painting or piece of art.

Training Your Pivot Points

The concept of training to enhance your ?pivot points? is not mine, but rather from the mind of bodybuilding genius Vince Gironda. I was lucky enough to have trained with Vince at his gym (Vince?s Gym) many times, and all I can say is that I learned more from him than any other trainer, period! I have added a few extra body sections to his original Pivot Point philosophy over the years. I believe once you understand how it works, you?ll have a training perspective that will save you several years of trial and error. Simply put, your ?pivot points? consist of those ?stunning? sections of individual body parts strategically located where they ?pivot? the eye. Normally, ?pivot points? are far out from the center or belly of the muscle and, when developed, impart a beauty to the physique that simple mass alone cannot bring about.

Supposedly, years of ?biological? programming has left an imprint in our DNA that automatically sends signals in response to certain body shapes. We gaze in admiration when our eyes behold a physique that, with respect to today?s most massive bodybuilders, is actually small, yet boasts these well-developed muscle groups: upper pectorals (near the clavicles), the high portion of the lats, lower biceps and brachioradialis, lower calves and the long (outer) head of the triceps. Even bodybuilders twice the size may not necessarily have the ?visual impact? of one who precisely develops his ?pivot points.?

What Is Ideal?

Generally speaking, an ideal male build would encompass wide shoulders square pectorals, a small waist, and a lower body that flows into sweeping thighs and prominent calves. The level of muscularity is ?pleasing,? not extreme, which is the widely accepted look of a conditioned athlete. This build is similar to the warrior archetype Achilles, played by Brad Pitt in Troy, and the Spartans led by King Leonidas (actor Gerard Butler) in the epic movie ?300.? When people look at a properly trained physique, most of what they see is an illusion. What I mean is that human sight and the limbic system work in concert to ?play back? the images they receive. For example, a man might not have a 30-inch waist; yet, if the lateral head of his deltoids (side delts) are fully developed, the illusion is that his waist is much smaller. In essence, with wide shoulders, the waist is visually reduced. Another man?s full arm measurement may not be more the 17 inches; yet, if the outer strand of his triceps and brachioradialis muscle under the biceps are well developed, his arms will appear much bigger.

The reality is that no one has perfect genetics; so, the goal is to create the illusion that your physique has fewer flaws and more striking attributes. This is achieved with carefully thought-out training strategies, based upon the following ?pivot points.? Remember, these are in no particular order. It is up to you to assess your body, locate the areas on your physique that need the most work, and focus your efforts there.

Side and Rear Deltoids ? Wide shoulders require well-developed side and rear deltoids. Attention to these two body parts not only contributes to making your waist and hips look smaller, but makes your upper back distinctly more prominent, as well.

Upper Pecs ? A ?big chest? without well-developed upper pecs, leaves the eyes of viewers with a disappointing ?droopy? image. The more developed your chest is near the clavicles, the better your entire chest appears.

High and Mid Lats ? Well developed lats, right under the pits of your arms, that flow into a heart shape not only make you look wider, but also make your entire waist area pleasing to the eye. Be careful training this area. Too much lat development near your waist makes your trunk look shorter, resulting in a ?bunched-up look.?

Lower Biceps ? A small arm only looks smaller with a big space (or gap) between your elbow and where the biceps mass begins. Lower biceps are a must have for good-looking arms that just hang impressively without flexing.

Long Head of the Triceps ? Also known as the ?outer head,? the long head of the triceps, when well developed, appears to run all the way down to your el-bow. Another ?must? for arms that hang remarkably.

Forearms ? Since forearms are often in full display, they are obvious eye-catchers when they are well developed.

Vastus Internus ? Commonly referred to as the ?tear drop,? the vastus internus is the muscle of the lower, inner thigh. When flexed, the shape itself is beautiful. When well developed, it makes an otherwise stringy thigh appear balanced when viewed from the front.

Vastus Lateralis ? The muscles of the outer thighs are often called ?thigh rods? and, when well developed, the vastus lateralis create a visually dramatic sweep on the outer quads.

Lower Calves ? This body part requires extreme concentration for simple development. To build a set of ideal, ?diamond-shaped? calves, peak contractions with moderate resistance is essential.

Hamstrings ? The ?rear leg biceps? complete your physique from the back-side. Leave your ego at the door when training the hamstrings; peak contractions bring this area to life.

If you?re still with me, then the realization that bodybuilding is not about trying to get as big as you can, but about trying to build a visually striking body, you?re on the right track. Constant evaluation of how your physique appears helps you to avoid building muscle mindlessly. The process takes thought regarding which exercises you do, why you do them, and where you?re building muscle.

To take full control of your development, the following ?general rules? must also be in play.

? Always emphasize your slowest-growing and/or least-developed muscles in your training more than your fastest-growing and/or best-developed muscles.

? Give your weak points priority in your workouts, training them first when your energy, strength and enthusiasm are highest.

? Do more total sets and train your weak points more frequently.

? In order to create a better shape and improve proportions, sometimes it might be necessary to hold back gains in some faster-growing or overdeveloped muscles to allow the slower-growing or less developed muscles to ?catch up.?

? Emphasize the origins and insertions of the muscles when you train, not just the central belly of the muscle. Basic exercises tend to develop just the belly of a muscle. This is important for building mass, but too much mass in the belly gives a muscle a shortened, ?bunched-up look.?

? For enhanced shape, use isolation exercises to develop the origins and insertions.

Conclusion

Paying attention to every detail of your physique and training accordingly allows you to create an illusion through the art of bodybuilding. Your instinctual eye (the one we all possess) will alert you as to when aspects of your physique appear to be getting out of proportion or moving beyond the realm of the ?naturally beautiful? into the realm of the artificial and ?unappealing?. First, identify your personal body ?flaws.? Then we can work together to disguise or minimize them, while improving on your muscular shape and over-coming structural weaknesses to attain the body you really want. Look for specialization techniques for training your pivot points in upcoming blog posts.

© 2011 Vince Andrich Real BodyBuilding www.vandrich.com All Rights Reserved.

by Vince Andrich

I have a true love for ?classic bodybuilding,? a term that for me, describes the practice of consciously developing a body with the ?correct? combination of size, shape and proportions. That said, the goals I have for my own body are usually shunned by the ?bigger is better? fans of bodybuilding, and many devoted trainees. Of course, it?s not my place to pass judgment on what your bodybuilding goals should, or shouldn?t be, as this is most definitely a personal choice.

Constant Body Improvement: Building a Balanced, Proportionate Physique

All arguments aside, in the early days of physical culture, the original premise that drove men (and women) to build their body, was ?constant physique improvement,? and the hallmark of this concept is the development of each muscle so it is pleasing to the eye and in proportion to the other muscles. This concept differs from bodybuilding to increase each muscle to its maximum, and certainly not the same as lifting weights solely for increasing strength. I?ve always believed that it is a much more creative process to develop an inspiring, beautiful and shapely physique than it is to build your body for pure mass and size. For me, it?s also more rewarding, because we all get a sense of satisfaction when our physiques attract positive attention. It?s my guess that for you, like many readers of this blog, that concept aligns with your primary physique goal: to look athletic and with a nice blend of size, shape and definition.

Bodybuilding and Genetics

After accounting for the role of genetics, a body assessment helps you identify specific muscles that need more (or less) development. In addition, the concept of ?spot building? is essential to creating a bodybuilding program that focuses on exercises that meet YOUR needs. The result is a body that goes beyond ?built,? and exemplifies the art of bodybuilding.

Most people blame the overall look of their physique on genetics, which is undoubtedly a factor? but not the only one. I have seen athletes ruin an otherwise ?great? body by not paying attention to how much muscle they?re adding in the wrong places. Year after year, these athletes perform exercises that do nothing to correct imperfections in their bone structure or musculature, and, in some cases, wind up with a bigger version of a body that is not appealing. Conversely, I?ve seen athletes with seemingly ?bad? genetics create a balanced, well-shaped body that looks better than 95% of the population.

I won?t lie to you ?? structural weaknesses cannot be radically altered or totally hidden. But they can be minimized. To prove my point, the next time you?re in the gym, take a look around. Do you notice any people who seem to be working on their weaknesses? Probably not. On the other hand, we?ve all seen guys with BIG arms and ?less than adequate? thigh development. If you study them, you?ll notice they are almost always obsessed with training their arms, yet seem to put much less effort into developing their thighs. This is a somewhat natural occurrence because people generally tend to pay attention to what is already getting them attention. The trouble is, many people over do it.

And what are the women with big thighs usually obsessed with? Yep, you guessed it ?? their thighs! The reality is women often fall for the myth that says: to get smaller thighs, you need to work them more often. Meanwhile, men usually beat their best body parts into oblivion and neglect the ?total package,? in effect, ruining the shape their parents granted them. But, there?s more to creating a stunning physique than simply understanding how to prioritize your body-part training.

To accomplish this, you?ll need to look at your body in a completely different way. There are several books and articles that contain reference charts that score the ?ideal? physique in inches. I personally prefer to use the mirror, since people don?t ?see measurements?, they see your body as the sum total of its parts, as you would see a painting or piece of art.

Training Your Pivot Points

The concept of training to enhance your ?pivot points? is not mine, but rather from the mind of bodybuilding genius Vince Gironda. I was lucky enough to have trained with Vince at his gym (Vince?s Gym) many times, and all I can say is that I learned more from him than any other trainer, period! I have added a few extra body sections to his original Pivot Point philosophy over the years. I believe once you understand how it works, you?ll have a training perspective that will save you several years of trial and error. Simply put, your ?pivot points? consist of those ?stunning? sections of individual body parts strategically located where they ?pivot? the eye. Normally, ?pivot points? are far out from the center or belly of the muscle and, when developed, impart a beauty to the physique that simple mass alone cannot bring about.

Supposedly, years of ?biological? programming has left an imprint in our DNA that automatically sends signals in response to certain body shapes. We gaze in admiration when our eyes behold a physique that, with respect to today?s most massive bodybuilders, is actually small, yet boasts these well-developed muscle groups: upper pectorals (near the clavicles), the high portion of the lats, lower biceps and brachioradialis, lower calves and the long (outer) head of the triceps. Even bodybuilders twice the size may not necessarily have the ?visual impact? of one who precisely develops his ?pivot points.?

What Is Ideal?

Generally speaking, an ideal male build would encompass wide shoulders square pectorals, a small waist, and a lower body that flows into sweeping thighs and prominent calves. The level of muscularity is ?pleasing,? not extreme, which is the widely accepted look of a conditioned athlete. This build is similar to the warrior archetype Achilles, played by Brad Pitt in Troy, and the Spartans led by King Leonidas (actor Gerard Butler) in the epic movie ?300.? When people look at a properly trained physique, most of what they see is an illusion. What I mean is that human sight and the limbic system work in concert to ?play back? the images they receive. For example, a man might not have a 30-inch waist; yet, if the lateral head of his deltoids (side delts) are fully developed, the illusion is that his waist is much smaller. In essence, with wide shoulders, the waist is visually reduced. Another man?s full arm measurement may not be more the 17 inches; yet, if the outer strand of his triceps and brachioradialis muscle under the biceps are well developed, his arms will appear much bigger.

The reality is that no one has perfect genetics; so, the goal is to create the illusion that your physique has fewer flaws and more striking attributes. This is achieved with carefully thought-out training strategies, based upon the following ?pivot points.? Remember, these are in no particular order. It is up to you to assess your body, locate the areas on your physique that need the most work, and focus your efforts there.

Side and Rear Deltoids ? Wide shoulders require well-developed side and rear deltoids. Attention to these two body parts not only contributes to making your waist and hips look smaller, but makes your upper back distinctly more prominent, as well.

Upper Pecs ? A ?big chest? without well-developed upper pecs, leaves the eyes of viewers with a disappointing ?droopy? image. The more developed your chest is near the clavicles, the better your entire chest appears.

High and Mid Lats ? Well developed lats, right under the pits of your arms, that flow into a heart shape not only make you look wider, but also make your entire waist area pleasing to the eye. Be careful training this area. Too much lat development near your waist makes your trunk look shorter, resulting in a ?bunched-up look.?

Lower Biceps ? A small arm only looks smaller with a big space (or gap) between your elbow and where the biceps mass begins. Lower biceps are a must have for good-looking arms that just hang impressively without flexing.

Long Head of the Triceps ? Also known as the ?outer head,? the long head of the triceps, when well developed, appears to run all the way down to your el-bow. Another ?must? for arms that hang remarkably.

Forearms ? Since forearms are often in full display, they are obvious eye-catchers when they are well developed.

Vastus Internus ? Commonly referred to as the ?tear drop,? the vastus internus is the muscle of the lower, inner thigh. When flexed, the shape itself is beautiful. When well developed, it makes an otherwise stringy thigh appear balanced when viewed from the front.

Vastus Lateralis ? The muscles of the outer thighs are often called ?thigh rods? and, when well developed, the vastus lateralis create a visually dramatic sweep on the outer quads.

Lower Calves ? This body part requires extreme concentration for simple development. To build a set of ideal, ?diamond-shaped? calves, peak contractions with moderate resistance is essential.

Hamstrings ? The ?rear leg biceps? complete your physique from the back-side. Leave your ego at the door when training the hamstrings; peak contractions bring this area to life.

If you?re still with me, then the realization that bodybuilding is not about trying to get as big as you can, but about trying to build a visually striking body, you?re on the right track. Constant evaluation of how your physique appears helps you to avoid building muscle mindlessly. The process takes thought regarding which exercises you do, why you do them, and where you?re building muscle.

To take full control of your development, the following ?general rules? must also be in play.

? Always emphasize your slowest-growing and/or least-developed muscles in your training more than your fastest-growing and/or best-developed muscles.

? Give your weak points priority in your workouts, training them first when your energy, strength and enthusiasm are highest.

? Do more total sets and train your weak points more frequently.

? In order to create a better shape and improve proportions, sometimes it might be necessary to hold back gains in some faster-growing or overdeveloped muscles to allow the slower-growing or less developed muscles to ?catch up.?

? Emphasize the origins and insertions of the muscles when you train, not just the central belly of the muscle. Basic exercises tend to develop just the belly of a muscle. This is important for building mass, but too much mass in the belly gives a muscle a shortened, ?bunched-up look.?

? For enhanced shape, use isolation exercises to develop the origins and insertions.

Conclusion

Paying attention to every detail of your physique and training accordingly allows you to create an illusion through the art of bodybuilding. Your instinctual eye (the one we all possess) will alert you as to when aspects of your physique appear to be getting out of proportion or moving beyond the realm of the ?naturally beautiful? into the realm of the artificial and ?unappealing?. First, identify your personal body ?flaws.? Then we can work together to disguise or minimize them, while improving on your muscular shape and over-coming structural weaknesses to attain the body you really want. Look for specialization techniques for training your pivot points in upcoming blog posts.

© 2011 Vince Andrich Real BodyBuilding www.vandrich.com All Rights Reserved.

by Vince Andrich

I have a true love for ?classic bodybuilding,? a term that for me, describes the practice of consciously developing a body with the ?correct? combination of size, shape and proportions. That said, the goals I have for my own body are usually shunned by the ?bigger is better? fans of bodybuilding, and many devoted trainees. Of course, it?s not my place to pass judgment on what your bodybuilding goals should, or shouldn?t be, as this is most definitely a personal choice.

Constant Body Improvement: Building a Balanced, Proportionate Physique

All arguments aside, in the early days of physical culture, the original premise that drove men (and women) to build their body, was ?constant physique improvement,? and the hallmark of this concept is the development of each muscle so it is pleasing to the eye and in proportion to the other muscles. This concept differs from bodybuilding to increase each muscle to its maximum, and certainly not the same as lifting weights solely for increasing strength. I?ve always believed that it is a much more creative process to develop an inspiring, beautiful and shapely physique than it is to build your body for pure mass and size. For me, it?s also more rewarding, because we all get a sense of satisfaction when our physiques attract positive attention. It?s my guess that for you, like many readers of this blog, that concept aligns with your primary physique goal: to look athletic and with a nice blend of size, shape and definition.

Bodybuilding and Genetics

After accounting for the role of genetics, a body assessment helps you identify specific muscles that need more (or less) development. In addition, the concept of ?spot building? is essential to creating a bodybuilding program that focuses on exercises that meet YOUR needs. The result is a body that goes beyond ?built,? and exemplifies the art of bodybuilding.

Most people blame the overall look of their physique on genetics, which is undoubtedly a factor? but not the only one. I have seen athletes ruin an otherwise ?great? body by not paying attention to how much muscle they?re adding in the wrong places. Year after year, these athletes perform exercises that do nothing to correct imperfections in their bone structure or musculature, and, in some cases, wind up with a bigger version of a body that is not appealing. Conversely, I?ve seen athletes with seemingly ?bad? genetics create a balanced, well-shaped body that looks better than 95% of the population.

I won?t lie to you ?? structural weaknesses cannot be radically altered or totally hidden. But they can be minimized. To prove my point, the next time you?re in the gym, take a look around. Do you notice any people who seem to be working on their weaknesses? Probably not. On the other hand, we?ve all seen guys with BIG arms and ?less than adequate? thigh development. If you study them, you?ll notice they are almost always obsessed with training their arms, yet seem to put much less effort into developing their thighs. This is a somewhat natural occurrence because people generally tend to pay attention to what is already getting them attention. The trouble is, many people over do it.

And what are the women with big thighs usually obsessed with? Yep, you guessed it ?? their thighs! The reality is women often fall for the myth that says: to get smaller thighs, you need to work them more often. Meanwhile, men usually beat their best body parts into oblivion and neglect the ?total package,? in effect, ruining the shape their parents granted them. But, there?s more to creating a stunning physique than simply understanding how to prioritize your body-part training.

To accomplish this, you?ll need to look at your body in a completely different way. There are several books and articles that contain reference charts that score the ?ideal? physique in inches. I personally prefer to use the mirror, since people don?t ?see measurements?, they see your body as the sum total of its parts, as you would see a painting or piece of art.

Training Your Pivot Points

The concept of training to enhance your ?pivot points? is not mine, but rather from the mind of bodybuilding genius Vince Gironda. I was lucky enough to have trained with Vince at his gym (Vince?s Gym) many times, and all I can say is that I learned more from him than any other trainer, period! I have added a few extra body sections to his original Pivot Point philosophy over the years. I believe once you understand how it works, you?ll have a training perspective that will save you several years of trial and error. Simply put, your ?pivot points? consist of those ?stunning? sections of individual body parts strategically located where they ?pivot? the eye. Normally, ?pivot points? are far out from the center or belly of the muscle and, when developed, impart a beauty to the physique that simple mass alone cannot bring about.

Supposedly, years of ?biological? programming has left an imprint in our DNA that automatically sends signals in response to certain body shapes. We gaze in admiration when our eyes behold a physique that, with respect to today?s most massive bodybuilders, is actually small, yet boasts these well-developed muscle groups: upper pectorals (near the clavicles), the high portion of the lats, lower biceps and brachioradialis, lower calves and the long (outer) head of the triceps. Even bodybuilders twice the size may not necessarily have the ?visual impact? of one who precisely develops his ?pivot points.?

What Is Ideal?

Generally speaking, an ideal male build would encompass wide shoulders square pectorals, a small waist, and a lower body that flows into sweeping thighs and prominent calves. The level of muscularity is ?pleasing,? not extreme, which is the widely accepted look of a conditioned athlete. This build is similar to the warrior archetype Achilles, played by Brad Pitt in Troy, and the Spartans led by King Leonidas (actor Gerard Butler) in the epic movie ?300.? When people look at a properly trained physique, most of what they see is an illusion. What I mean is that human sight and the limbic system work in concert to ?play back? the images they receive. For example, a man might not have a 30-inch waist; yet, if the lateral head of his deltoids (side delts) are fully developed, the illusion is that his waist is much smaller. In essence, with wide shoulders, the waist is visually reduced. Another man?s full arm measurement may not be more the 17 inches; yet, if the outer strand of his triceps and brachioradialis muscle under the biceps are well developed, his arms will appear much bigger.

The reality is that no one has perfect genetics; so, the goal is to create the illusion that your physique has fewer flaws and more striking attributes. This is achieved with carefully thought-out training strategies, based upon the following ?pivot points.? Remember, these are in no particular order. It is up to you to assess your body, locate the areas on your physique that need the most work, and focus your efforts there.

Side and Rear Deltoids ? Wide shoulders require well-developed side and rear deltoids. Attention to these two body parts not only contributes to making your waist and hips look smaller, but makes your upper back distinctly more prominent, as well.

Upper Pecs ? A ?big chest? without well-developed upper pecs, leaves the eyes of viewers with a disappointing ?droopy? image. The more developed your chest is near the clavicles, the better your entire chest appears.

High and Mid Lats ? Well developed lats, right under the pits of your arms, that flow into a heart shape not only make you look wider, but also make your entire waist area pleasing to the eye. Be careful training this area. Too much lat development near your waist makes your trunk look shorter, resulting in a ?bunched-up look.?

Lower Biceps ? A small arm only looks smaller with a big space (or gap) between your elbow and where the biceps mass begins. Lower biceps are a must have for good-looking arms that just hang impressively without flexing.

Long Head of the Triceps ? Also known as the ?outer head,? the long head of the triceps, when well developed, appears to run all the way down to your el-bow. Another ?must? for arms that hang remarkably.

Forearms ? Since forearms are often in full display, they are obvious eye-catchers when they are well developed.

Vastus Internus ? Commonly referred to as the ?tear drop,? the vastus internus is the muscle of the lower, inner thigh. When flexed, the shape itself is beautiful. When well developed, it makes an otherwise stringy thigh appear balanced when viewed from the front.

Vastus Lateralis ? The muscles of the outer thighs are often called ?thigh rods? and, when well developed, the vastus lateralis create a visually dramatic sweep on the outer quads.

Lower Calves ? This body part requires extreme concentration for simple development. To build a set of ideal, ?diamond-shaped? calves, peak contractions with moderate resistance is essential.

Hamstrings ? The ?rear leg biceps? complete your physique from the back-side. Leave your ego at the door when training the hamstrings; peak contractions bring this area to life.

If you?re still with me, then the realization that bodybuilding is not about trying to get as big as you can, but about trying to build a visually striking body, you?re on the right track. Constant evaluation of how your physique appears helps you to avoid building muscle mindlessly. The process takes thought regarding which exercises you do, why you do them, and where you?re building muscle.

To take full control of your development, the following ?general rules? must also be in play.

? Always emphasize your slowest-growing and/or least-developed muscles in your training more than your fastest-growing and/or best-developed muscles.

? Give your weak points priority in your workouts, training them first when your energy, strength and enthusiasm are highest.

? Do more total sets and train your weak points more frequently.

? In order to create a better shape and improve proportions, sometimes it might be necessary to hold back gains in some faster-growing or overdeveloped muscles to allow the slower-growing or less developed muscles to ?catch up.?

? Emphasize the origins and insertions of the muscles when you train, not just the central belly of the muscle. Basic exercises tend to develop just the belly of a muscle. This is important for building mass, but too much mass in the belly gives a muscle a shortened, ?bunched-up look.?

? For enhanced shape, use isolation exercises to develop the origins and insertions.

Conclusion

Paying attention to every detail of your physique and training accordingly allows you to create an illusion through the art of bodybuilding. Your instinctual eye (the one we all possess) will alert you as to when aspects of your physique appear to be getting out of proportion or moving beyond the realm of the ?naturally beautiful? into the realm of the artificial and ?unappealing?. First, identify your personal body ?flaws.? Then we can work together to disguise or minimize them, while improving on your muscular shape and over-coming structural weaknesses to attain the body you really want. Look for specialization techniques for training your pivot points in upcoming blog posts.

© 2011 Vince Andrich Real BodyBuilding www.vandrich.com All Rights Reserved.

Vince Andrich

Editors note: This article was written by me about a year ago for the company Advanced Muscle Science (AMS) (http://advancedmusclescience.com), and I was paid to do so. I believe the information is still relevant and useful, no matter who it was written for, and asked the owner of AMS if I could repost. So, in the spirit of full disclosure, here it is again. And, if you?re looking for a good sleep formula please do visit AMS and check out Nocturnabol; (http://www.advancedmusclescience.com/products/mental-acuity-supplements/nocturnabol/),

I really like this formula (another buddy of mine who really studies this stuff developed it for AMS), and I definitely think it's a cost effective way to make big improvements in an often overlooked area that seriously impacts any smart bodybuilding and overall health program.

It doesn?t matter if you?re an experienced bodybuilder, or new to the muscle-building scene, this article contains information that is invaluable to anyone serious about getting bigger and stronger with single digit levels of bodyfat. This article is about sleep, and in case you didn?t know, science has now shown that two of the key determinants for body composition are, 1) getting enough total sleep each night, and 2) getting adequate deep, slow wave sleep?? and more is definitely better . However these days, due to various sleep related problems, over 40% of all Americans don?t know what it?s like to wake up feeling refreshed. This is undoubtedly one of the reasons why as a nation we struggle to lose weight??especially fat.

Don?t misunderstand, I know that as bodybuilders we do just about everything different than average Americans, but we aren?t immune to waking up feeling tired, and totally burned out. Truth is bodybuilders love to push the envelope, and that just might be the reason we rationalize sleeping less. Sadly, most of the time we don?t even realize how bad our sleep habits are because we can always turn to pre-workout cocktails to get through our training, and grab a grip of stimulants to fry the fat off our bodies and keep us amped all day. I?m guilty of this myself, and more than I like to admit. The fact is if you don?t put some effort towards ?crushing? it when you sleep, you?ll never make it up training harder in the gym. So if you find yourself pushing more and more stimulants to be productive, or don?t feel like you?re rested enough when you get out of the rack, read on and find out how to master one of bodybuilding undisputed commandments??SLEEP.

Your Circadian Rhythm??Yep, You?re Getting Sleepy We?re all hardwired from birth with ?software?, so to speak, that regulates our physiological, behavioral and biochemical processes in 24-hour cycles. This software is called your circadian rhythm, which some researchers call your ?internal? or ?humanclock?. Interpreting the lengths of each day and night as well as other signs allows your internal clock to create your individual sleep/wake cycle.

When it?s time to sleep your internal clock sends a signal to your pineal gland to secrete the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is the biochemical signal that drives the system that regulates the sleep-wake cycle by chemically causing drowsiness. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that regulates sleepiness. It is made in the brain, where tryptophan is converted into serotonin and then into melatonin, which is released at night by the pineal gland to induce and maintain sleep.

The problem with this elegantly designed system is that stress, stimulants and age can all reduce the production and release of melatonin, and the production of serotonin. The age-related decline in melatonin is well established and by the time you turn 30, your production is approximately two-thirds less than its peak (see chart below).

Priming Your Internal Clock Since we know that your internal clock uses melatonin and serotonin to keep your sleep cycle on track, there really isn?t any excuse for letting this part of your program fall victim to age related decline or a self-indulgent highly ?amped? lifestyle. The first nutrient you should consider adding to your program is Melatonin. This compound has been widely used and studied and sold as a nutritional supplement/sleep aid since around 1994. The most important thing for bodybuilders to know is that recent data suggest that melatonin taken in fairly low dosages is best for shortening the time needed to fall asleep and improving sleep effectiveness. In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study conducted in the UK, found that single evening doses of melatonin (0.3 mg and 1.0 mg orally) significantly increased Actual Sleep Time, Sleep Efficiency, non-REM Sleep and REM Sleep Latency . In effect, the low dose melatonin seemed to work in concert with the subjects? own melatonin output for maximum effect.

Stages of Sleep The two main types of sleep are, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and Non-REM (NREM) sleep. REM sleep is when you do most active dreaming. In fact, your eyes actually move back and forth during this stage, thus the name, REM sleep. Non-REM (NREM) sleep is a group of four stages of deeper and deeper sleep.

As you can see in the chart above, your body cycles back and forth from NREM to REM all night. While every sleep stage is important, for bodybuilders deep sleep is most critical, followed by REM sleep. Here?s how the stages of sleep progress through the night. Non-REM Sleep ? Stage 1 - Light Sleep: This is the period where you are feeling drowsy, but are actually alternating between wakefulness and sleep. During this time you show some slow eye movement and you wake up easily. In healthy males your testosterone levels increase and peak at about the time of first REM, and remain at the same levels until awakening . ? Stage 2 - Diminished Awareness: Your awareness of sensory stimuli is reduced as the brain disengages from your external surroundings. In stage 2 the brain produces slower waves, briefly interrupted by rapid waves. ? Stage 3 & 4 - Slow Wave Sleep: These are the final stages of non-REM sleep, also known as Slow Wave or Deep sleep. This is a critical phase for bodybuilders because your body is now focusing its resources on regenerating tissues i.e., building muscle, revitalizing energy stores and bolstering your immune system. This is all possible because during slow wave sleep your body releases the largest amount of growth hormone (GH), of any time during the entire day .

REM Sleep During REM sleep you experience periods of rapid eye movement and intense dreaming. As adults we spend roughly 50 percent of our sleep time in stage 2, about 20 percent in REM, and the remaining 30 percent in the other stages. On the other hand, infants spend about half of their sleep time deep in REM sleep. Many researchers believe that infants require longer periods of REM sleep because it helps their developing brains. That?s because learning is thought to occur during REM since it is the more active stage of sleep. For bodybuilders it would seem plausible that REM sleep fosters a stronger mind/muscle connection, allowing you to lift heavier loads, and improving balance and coordination essential for heavy compound exercises.

Max Out GH Release By Promoting Slow Wave Sleep You now know, Growth hormone (GH) is normally released during your most restful phase of slow wave sleep (SWS). What?s much more important though, is that research has shown that for healthy men 70% of your entire daily GH output occurs during sleep throughout adulthood . Think about it, nearly three-fourths of your naturally occurring GH release happens while you?re asleep. Keep in mind GH plays a vital role in not only your bodybuilding program, but also promotes overall health. Just a partial list benefits GH offers include boosting immune function, amino acid uptake, and protein synthesis, while also increasing release of fat from your fat stores.

As we age the time we spend in slow wave sleep declines, likely due to melatonin and serotonin availability during sleep. We already discussed supplementing with low dose melatonin as a means to prime your internal clock. What we?ll look at now are nutritional co-factors that increase serotonin in the brain, which not only helps you take the edge off before bed, but also boosts slow wave sleep and more restful REM sessions as well. The combination of the amino acids L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) have been shown to increase serotonin production, and in turn melatonin . An increase in the availability of serotonin as a direct factor for promoting slow wave deep sleep was pioneered by French sleep researcher Michel Jouvet's from his work in the 1950?s. Jouvet?s wrote the seminal book, The Paradox of Sleep The Story of Dreaming and his research has been cited many times over the years . The take home message is pretty simple, for a good nights rest reduce the excitatory compounds, i.e., stimulants in your system, and increase the inhibitory/relaxing compounds i.e., L-Tryptophan and 5HTP that increase serotonin.

The Modern Bodybuilders Sleep Enhancement Protocol Your first goal is to try your best to limit stimulants about 4-hours before bedtime. Next, try and arrange any late night training so that once you?re finished you can eat, and then start your nutrient regimen that will ultimately feed your sleep cycle. Here?s the nutrients and dose ranges:

Melatonin?300mcg up to 1.5mg, L-Tryptophan?250-500mg, 5-HTP-12.5 to 25 mg

Conclusion: Don?t Let Your Physique Get Jacked By Losing Sleep If learning about the benefits of getting great sleep each night doesn?t motivate you then consider this. Running on just 4-hours of sleep per night for only six days has a markedly negative impact on key hormones that regulate feeding, leptin, muscle protein breakdown, cortisol, and fat burning, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) . This means you?ll get double damage. In effect, you?ll inhibit GH release, possibly testosterone release, and the restorative power of sleep in general, and load up on muscle wasting and fat promoting hormones. Try and train and diet out of that!

Copyright: Vince Andrich 2010

References: Rao MN; Blackwell T; Redline S; Stefanick ML; Ancoli-Israel S; Stone KL. Association between sleep architecture and measures of body composition. SLEEP 2009;32(4):483-490.

M. E. J. Attenburrow1, P. J. Cowen1 and A. L. Sharpley1 Psychopharmacology Research Unit, University Department of Psychiatry, Littlemore Hospital, OX4 4XN Oxford, UK Psychopharmacology , Volume 126, Number 2 / July, 1996 179-181 Lubo****zky R, Herer P, Levi M, Shen-Orr Z, Lavie P. Relationship between rapid eye movement sleep and testosterone secretion in normal men. J Androl. 1999 Nov-Dec;20(6):731-7.

Van Cauter E, Copinschi G. Interrelationships between growth hormone and sleep. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2000 Apr;10 Suppl B:S57-62.

Van Cauter E, Plat L, Copinschi G. Interrelations between sleep and the somatotropic axis. Sleep. 1998 Sep 15;21(6):553-66.

Birdsall TC.5-Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically-effective serotonin precursor. Altern Med Rev. 1998 Aug;3(4):271-80

John D. Fernstrom 1 and R. J. Wurtman Brain Serotonin Content: Physiological Dependence on Plasma Tryptophan Levels Science 9 July 1971: Vol. 173. no. 3992, pp. 149 - 152

Steriade M. Slow-wave sleep: serotonin, neuronal plasticity, and seizures. Arch Ital Biol. 2004 Jul;142(4):359-67.

Van Cauter E, PhD; Kristen Knutson, PhD; Rachel Leproult, PhD; Karine Spiegel, PhD. The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Hormones and Metabolism, Essay 2005

 

On Your Arms in 15 Workouts!

By Vince Andrich

Quick, what pose would you most likely see if you ask a bodybuilder to flex? Yes, you guessed it, an arm pose. It could be a front double bicep, side tricep or just throwing up one GUN. The fact is, arm development is critical to a great physique, and to your psyche. So how do you train for great arm development?

Gold Standard for Symmetry...Bob Paris

Balance through Specialization
In my opinion, highly developed arms are NOT impressive if the rest of your body is under-developed. Conversely, decent arm development on a balanced physique is very impressive. This is especially true when it comes to sporting a set of arms that get attention, or in a word: attractive.

The Total Package...Rachel McLish
This may seem confusing to comprehend at first, but if you've ever studied the various body types that may be on a competition stage, you'll easily see that your eyes seem to zero in on the athletes ??flaws' first. Sure, you will spot impressive body parts, but in the final analysis, he or she who has the least flaws will look the best. This is even truer in real life, and it is simply because the mind likes symmetry. Your mind processes images, but will repeatedly look for the most complete package. A good example is a car with a killer set of dubs (rims). At first you notice the shiny bright chrome, but quickly begin to assess if the car holds up to your initial impression. If the car doesn't meet your expectation, many times the great looking rims take away from the cars entire look, thus defeating the purpose.

The Mind Loves to Find Flaws...Train Accordingly!

This is why, I have always felt that the goal of any bodybuilder is to eliminate or diminish their flaws...and everyone has them. So if you believe your arms need more development to ??match' the rest of your body, here is a 21-day specialization program that will get your GUNS growing again.

The 21-Day Arm Blitz

1. Focus nearly all of your recuperative power, and energy towards breaking down, and rebuilding your arms
   
2. Work arms 3 times per week, and limit all other body-parts to 1 workout per week
   
3. Do six 'work' sets of six reps for arm exercises (plus one warm-up set per exercise that is not counted as work set)
   
4. Perform only one exercise for biceps, and one for triceps each arm workout
   
5. You are doing low reps for maximum tension, but this does not mean use poor form!
   
6. A good split is to do arms on M-W-F, but do no upper body work on weekends
   
7. The best arm exercises are described below. Remember, do only one movement for triceps and one for triceps each arm session
   
8. You must alternate the exercises below each arm workout for variety
   

Triceps (specialized exercises to beef up the high/meaty portion of the triceps)

Exercise 1. Triceps Barbell Pullover

This movement looks a bit weird, but it packs slabs of beef on the largest areas of the upper arm. To do the movement properly, lie on a flat bench with the top of your shoulders hanging slightly off the top end (you could look down and see the floor). Now, place a barbell held at arms length over your chest. This is not a pullover position, but a modified lying press position. The reason your shoulders are slightly off the top edge of the bench is to take the power away from them, and fully target the triceps. Your grip should be 12 wide. Keep your elbows in and lower the bar behind and just below your head. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise 2. Barbell Rollover and Press

Lie on the same bench with your body in the same position as described in the previous exercise. From this position pull the bar over, close to your face and rest it on your chest. Now rotate your elbows out to the sides and press the bar to arms length over your chest. Try to press downward toward your feet to get a better contraction. Now lower the bar to the starting position and repeat the movement.

Biceps (specialized exercises to beef up the bottom and the peak portion of the biceps)

Exercise 1. Barbell Preacher Curl
I suggest you perform your preacher curls with the left foot forward under the bench and the right foot back. You can look up the preacher bench on bodybuilding.com for a review of this apparatus. Keep your stomach pressed against the elbow rest and your head and shoulders inclined forward. Your grip should be shoulder width apart and "thumb under fashion. Start the movement by bending your wrists up and curl to the shoulders. Use smooth pumping reps and do not lean back at the top of the movement.

Exercise 2. Alternate Incline Curls

Lie back on an incline bench; keep your chin on your chest and knees slightly bent. Curl your left dumbbell first, keeping your elbows back. As the dumbbell comes up, lean to that side, look at the weight and forcibly contract the bicep when the weight touches the front deltoid. When lowering the left dumbbell, curl the right one using the same techniques.

Conclusion

Stick with this program for three weeks, and then assess your body for other areas that need specialization.

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Nutrition and Supplement Strategies that Go BEYOND the ??Perpetual PUMP' for

True Muscle Growth and Cellular Recovery
PART II

By Vince Andrich

The Mirror-Key to Monitoring Low-Carb Diet Success

Using changes in the appearance of your muscles to gauge your nutritional status and/or needs is extremely useful on a carbohydrate-controlled diet, because they are very time sensitive. What I mean is, once you understand what nutrients alter the volume of your muscles, you can make adjustments literally day-by-day. These visible signs are more significant than ever when you understand that as a rule High Protein-Low Carb (HP-LC) Diets cause an overall loss of cell volume making the scale an unreliable measuring tool. Your visual goal will be to keep your muscles looking FIT not flat, which we will cover in detail later. If you desire muscles that are super pumped, fuller, rounder and gorging with vascularity then forget using a HP-LC Diet exclusively. To attain fat loss, and still be able to muster up a pump in the gym, takes some insight. In short, the goal is to "threaten your glycogen stores to a point where your muscles begin to lose fullness, making it difficult to get a great pump, however we must avoid allowing our muscle to go entirely "flat. The ??trick of the trade' is to utilize a cyclical carbohydrate cycling approach, where you eat about 100 grams of carbohydrates per day for up to three days, and then jump to about 5 times that number for day four. This would mean you would consume 100 grams of carbs for three days, and then on day four, consume 500 grams to replenish depleted energy stores. Beyond this "carbohydrate-balancing act, there are several recent discoveries that have revealed numerous non-carbohydrate substrates that induce cell swelling so that you can attain maximum muscularity and avoid looking flat and stringy. Since most athletes don't have much experience assessing their nutritional status as it relates to muscle cell energy, here is a quick guide.

Assessment Tools

Monitoring the "appearance of your muscles is an art form that has been practiced for years by trial and error. Hey, it's no accident that when you look around any commercial gym all you see is a wall of mirrors. However, beauty is more than skin deep. Today science has uncovered tons of the reasons why gauging muscularity by the mirror is essential to success.
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So What Do I Look For?
The main storage compound in skeletal muscle is glycogen, which is measured in millimoles per kilogram of muscle (mmol/kg). Luckily, several researchers have found some relevant data regarding glycogen stores to help athletes gauge their cell volume. Here is what we know:

An individual following a normal mixed diet will maintain glycogen levels around 80-100 mmol/kg. Athletes following a mixed diet have higher levels, around 110-130 mmol/kg, which would represent a fuller looking muscle. As a rule weight trainers and active individuals classify a normal mixed diet as 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% fat. So then an active individual on a HP-LC Diet should aim for "fit looking muscles which is represented by glycogen levels around 70 mmol/kg. If you are using other cell swelling techniques in this article, your muscles should look a much fuller than non-exercising individuals on a normal mixed diet or about 85 mmol/kg. At these levels of glycogen, fat oxidation increases both at rest and during exercise . Monitoring the "appearance of your muscles is a very non-scientific measuring tool so it is necessary to use visualization. Picture "fit muscles on a HP-LC Diet to look about 35 % smaller in overall cell volume than when you are not dieting (see fig.1).

If you're still unclear remember how you looked when you were eating more carbs and compare that to these warning signs that tell you're spiraling out of control:

• A flat or stringy looking muscle would represent about a 70% decrease in your overall cell volume (glycogen at 40 mmol/kg). At this level, workout performance is largely impaired and protein can become an important fuel source during exercise.
  
• Total exhaustion during exercise occurs when your muscles are about 85% under volumized (glycogen at 15-25 mmol/kg), which is not an environment conducive to favorable changes in body composition.
  

The Chemical Soup that Determines Muscle Cell Volume
It should come as no surprise that getting nutrients in and out of your muscles is under close scrutiny. The ??gatekeeper' that guards working muscles is called a cell membrane, or more specifically the sarcolemma. Covering the entire muscle fiber, the sarcolemma (muscle membrane) is an extremely thin, flexible and elastic substance. The first and most important job of the membrane is to maintain the integrity of the cell and keep the vital contents inside. If this protective cover gets damaged severely then the contents will escape and the cell will die. Further, the sarcolemma acts as a gateway through which substances (i.e. amino acids) can enter and leave, making it selectively permeable. Briefly, here are the main functions of the cell membrane:

• To hold vital energy components inside the muscle cell, such as glycogen and Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the key energy ??currency' of your cells
  
• To transport the waste build up from muscle fiber contraction out of the cell
  
• To accept nutrients that are critical to the health, maintenance, repair and building of muscle cells. These nutrients are amino acids, carbohydrate molecules (glycogen stores), hormones, oxygen etc
  

One surefire way to manipulate the permeability of a cell membrane is to workout. Training damages the sarcolemma in a positive way and appears to "unlock the door making it more permeable. This effect has likely been programmed into our genes for survival. The likely scenario is this: after a brutal workout, your body senses that the nutrients and fibers inside the muscle cell have been "torched and damaged, then it allows what is effectively your muscle cell recovery team inside to "reconstruct the crime scene. It appears that feedback provided by a number of mechanisms including amino acid monitoring and Osmotic Anabolic Signaling work in concert to maintain proper cell volume as a consequence of exercise.

The Cytosol ?? Key to Muscle Cell Volume
Once past the muscle cell gateway, what exactly do you find inside? You find the cell's cytoplasm, which in regards to a muscle cell is called the sarcoplasm. This is literally everything inside of the plasma membrane. The muscle fibers are surrounded by a thick fluid or gel, which is called the Cytosol. This is center of the universe when it comes to bodybuilding. I say this because the nutrients that go in and out of the cytosol determine how the muscle cell is remodeled, or basically, rebuilt.
The cytosol is the intracellular fluid inside of the muscle fiber. The outer structure is a virtual superhighway, which takes raw materials from the outside of the cell (passed through the cell membrane), then stores or converts those materials into useable energy. In other words this transparent gel contains such foods as amino acids for maintenance and repair and glycogen (carbohydrates stored in muscle) for energy. You see a muscle fiber must have a fuel source in order to contract. This is why the cytosol also has tiny specialized structures called organelles, or microscopic organs. Perhaps the most significant of these ?? at least in terms of energy production ?? are mitochondria, because they convert carbohydrates (see chart above) and fats into ATP, which is our muscle cell's main energy currency or fuel.

Blood Volume ?? The Red River That Feeds Cell Volume
The topic of blood volume is somewhat related to the subject we just discussed. That??s because extracellular fluid levels that make up your blood volume also make a huge impact on the water content inside your muscle cells. Most bodybuilders don't realize that even their performance is directly related to the level of hydration (or dehydration) when they step into the gym. Dehydration is defined as a >1% loss of body weight as a result of fluid loss. This is not usually a problem for a weight trainee during exercise, but if you start your training low on fluids it will become a factor. Consider this, if you are normally a 200-lb athlete and your lack of hydration brings your weight down to 196-lbs (2% of your body weight) there is a measurable decrease in muscle cell contraction times, and when fluid losses reach 4% of body weight, there is a 5 to 10% drop in overall performance which can persist for up to 4 hours even after rehydration takes place. When hydration levels plummet it slows recovery. Reparatory processes are so reliant on fluid for transporting anabolic substrates like amino acids and glucose to muscle cells as well as removing waste products from those cells.

So unless you are depleting water for a photo shoot or contest (which require arguably less performance), it is essential to anticipate and regularly replace fluid losses. For the record, thirst is not a reliable indicator of dehydration as it takes a fluid loss of 0.8 - 2% of body weight to trigger thirst. Now you know why many serious athletes carry water around with them in the gym!

There is no doubt that maintaining blood plasma volume is an important strategy to optimize your physical performance, and reaching a mind blowing pump IS a performance feat in it of itself.

Osmotic Anabolic Signaling In Action
I didn't want to turn this into a piece on water and hydration, but now that we've covered the basic determinants of cell volume, though hydration and carbohydrate intake, here is a quick summary of OAS in action.

• For the athlete, nutritional status and training frequency cause extracellular (blood plasma) and intracellular (cytosol) conditions to vary considerably with respect to each other.
  
• Proteins and other substrates lie at the interface between these two compartments and relay signals relating extracellular conditions to the cell interior
  
• Nutrient sensors act to regulate cellular contents, and therefore nutrient sensing may culminate in the altered activity of a multitude of cellular intermediates such as hormones, glucose, amino acids and other nutrients.
  
• Osmotic Anabolic Signaling is triggered by specific nutrients (or their metabolites), or the detection of physiological signals generated as a result of changes in cell volume or cell membrane potential
  

STAY TUNED FOR PART III

By Vince Andrich

If I hadn't made me
I would've been made somehow
if I hadn't assembled myself
I'd have fallen apart by now

Incubus, Title Song to the CD Make Yourself

I have no doubt that regular readers of inspiring articles and blogs on bodybuilding.com seek to break out of the norm and become something special. Nevertheless, no matter how many victories you have had in the game of life, or kudos for a job well done, there is a deep secret that lies inside each of us. The secret is this; we are all prone to harbor self-doubt or low self-esteem to varying degrees.

In fact, just two days ago I watched an Oscar winning actress state that although she has many successes; the failures or misses are her most memorable. When I heard this, I immediately wanted to write about the topic, because I knew that when we're too hard on ourselves, our willingness to try new things, learn and live life to the fullest comes to a grinding halt.

The Seeds of Self-Doubt

According to many researchers, low-self esteem is a common barrier that once recognized as a learned pattern of behavior, is much easier to minimize. Now, just stop and think about it, we spend most of our young impressionable years learning not to think or speak too highly of our selves or we are labeled a braggart. Then as we enter peer influenced social environments. such as throughout school, we must seek approval to make sure we are good enough. You know the deal, be popular, cool and hip, because the alternative is a painful lack of self-worth or esteem.

Over time, people with chronic low self-esteem often sabotage their own success and happiness because they do not think they are worthy of anything good. In essence, they've become conditioned to doubt themselves.

Where Does Self-Esteem Come From?

Our self-esteem develops and evolves throughout our lives, as we build an image of ourselves through our experiences with different people and activities. Experiences during our childhood play a significant role in the shaping of our basic self-esteem. For example, as we progress from toddlers to young adults our successes (and failures), and how others treated us, begin to shape our inner self. The most influential people shaping our basic self-esteem are the members of our immediate family, by teachers, coaches, and our friends (peer group).

Distorted Faces of Low Self-Esteem

According to researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, most of us have an image of what low self-esteem looks like, but it is not always so easy to recognize. Here are three common faces that low self-esteem may wear:

• The Impostor: acts happy and successful, but is really terrified of failure. This person lives with the constant fear that she or he will be "found out." Not surprising is the fact that this person needs continuous successes to maintain the mask of positive self-esteem, which may lead to problems with perfectionism, procrastination, competition, and burn out.
  
• The Rebel: acts like the opinions or good will of others - especially people who are important or powerful - don't matter. The rebel lives with constant anger about not feeling ??good enough'. This same person continuously needs to prove that others' judgments and criticisms don't hurt, which may lead to problems like blaming others excessively, breaking rules or laws, or fighting authority.
  
• The Loser: acts helpless and unable to cope with the world and waits for someone to come to the rescue. This same person may use self-pity or indifference as a shield against fear of taking responsibility for changing his or her life. The loser also looks constantly to others for guidance, which can lead to such problems as lacking assertivenes, under-achievement, and excessive reliance on others in relationships.
  

Do you get the message?

Your self-esteem is your judgment. It is NOT the people around you, not your Parents or your Employers, but ONE HUNDRED PERCENT YOURS.

So all the excuses about what has happened in the past, and all the actions of other people, have nothing to do with your self worth.

Therefore, the simple route to raising your self-valuation is to make a new decision. That decision is to find new information on which to base your self-esteem.

Better still, base your self-valuation on a new understanding within yourself. The understanding that you do not have to do what others think is cool or hip in order to be worthy. You are the ultimate judge of your worth, and the key that unlocks the door to happiness is to pursue the avenues that make you feel good about yourself. By focusing on these areas, no matter how perfect you are, or well you do, the journey has enough meaning to propel your self worth to new heights.

To Make Yourself, You Must Think for Yourself

As the lyrics from the song above reveal, if you don't assemble yourself, you'll fall apart. And if you want to Make Yourself you will need to begin thinking for yourself, which is likely one of the hardest things to do, but the ONLY way to gain back any lost self-esteem. Read on and you easily see the benefits of thinking for yourself.

The great artist Rembrandt did not paint the same world as Picasso, and, in general, no world-class artist became a "classic" by doing what somebody else had already done, or even what everybody else in his/her own era did. The great businessman Henry Ford did not get rich copying Fulton's steamboat; he made a car so cheap that anybody could afford. Finally, Howard Hughes produced movies that nobody else would have dared to attempt, but he was not deterred by his peers, and then went on to revolutionize the airline industry.

We all need to conscious of what breaks down our self-esteem, and how we can breakthrough barriers by focusing on what WE truly want, and only judge ourselves against our best individual effort.

We live in a world where a multitude of very powerful forces have worked upon us, from birth, through school, to work, many times attempting to suppress our individuality, our creativity and, above all, our curiosity. In short, these forces can destroy everything that encourages us to think for ourselves.

Summary
The beauty of searching for new ways to exercise, and maintain a healthy high performance diet, is that no matter how perfect your body becomes, the journey to attain better health, lose body fat and gain lean muscle has enough meaning to propel your self-worth to a higher level.

I know you care enough about yourself to build a better, healthier body, or you wouldn't be reading this. So, take this to the bank; you already have more self-worth than 99.9999 percent of the population.

Train Hard,

Vince

Suggested reading;

http://www.amazon.com/Pathways-Bliss-Mythology-Personal-Transformation/dp/1577314719/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/103-4375356-9194203?ie=UTF8