Building Muscles

Welcome to www.buildingmuscles.org.uk

I realised at the beginning of 2008 (when I was 56 years old) that I had let my body get into a terrible state. This site was started to track the changes as I used bodybuilding/weighlifting to get back into shape. I gave myself 120 days, and I succeeded ! Since then I have maintained and built my body, and continue to do so.

View progress photos here.

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Bodybuilding Muscle| How to train and build large Muscle| Training when sick

There are a lot of ideas on training when sick. I read this on the Mayo Clinic web site.

Mild to moderate physical activity is usually OK if you have a garden-variety cold and no fever. Exercise may even help you feel better by opening your nasal passages and temporarily relieving nasal congestion.
As a general guide for exercise and illness, consider this:

• Exercise is usually OK if your signs and symptoms are all "above the neck" — symptoms you may have with a common cold, such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing or minor sore throat. Consider reducing the intensity and length of your workout, though, or you may feel worse. Instead of going for a run, take a walk, for example.
• Don't exercise if your signs and symptoms are "below the neck" — such as chest congestion, hacking cough or upset stomach.
• Don't exercise if you have a fever, fatigue or widespread muscle aches.

The greatest area of concern is people who do not know their bodies too well. Especially beginners, who are enthusiastic about the new training. They might think it is ok to train as they don't feel too bad and don't want to miss any training. I think you can do a lot of damage to your body and strain internal organs that are already under stress coping with the illness.

I have had a bad cold given to me by my loving granddaughter and I took no chances. I got into bed and stayed there. I would never train if I felt ill. I am not a doctor even though I know my own body very well. Be wise in this. You will have many many healthy days to train. Don't force a training session when you are unwell. Respect your body - it is telling you it is not right.

Good luck with your training. Baz

Body building Muscle| How to train and build huge traps| Shrugs

More information about training and building sizeable trapezius muscles

Shrugs are a very simple basic exercise used to increase the size of the traps (Trapezius) The trapezius muscle is the muscle that goes from the back of your head down your neck to your shoulders and then down to around the middle of the back following the spine. Many people who have never trained their traps will either have no slope from their neck to their shoulders or will actually have a bit of a dip. It makes you look like you have very weak shoulders. Developed traps stand out when relaxed and give you a very powerful looking set of shoulders. Traps enhance the appearance of the upper body.

The trapezius muscle has three functional regions - the superior region (descending part), which supports the weight of the arm; the intermediate region (transverse part), which retracts the scapulae; and the inferior region (ascending part), which medially rotates and depresses the scapulae.

It is very advisable to strengthen them. Its really important to know how to do an effective shrug. Once thing you should never do is rotate your shoulders either forward or backward when you are doing your shrugs. This is often done by beginners who think they will get a much better workout because the exercise is so simple.

Shrugs can be done with a straight bar or dumbbells. The choice is yours - both work. They should be done slowly. I find that if I rush them I can go very heavy but really do not get much of a workout. Go slowly and raise your shoulders up to try and touch your ears. At the top of the shrug I hold for the count of 2 or 3 while contracting/flexing the traps. This adds a different dimension to your trap workout. You can train them on their own or you can do them as a superset. I personally prefer to do them as a superset and normally when I am doing my shoulder presses. I find doing this gives my shoulder workout a massive lift. Whether I do them solo or as a superset I always do 5 sets of 12 reps. Traps are quite a hard muscle to develop so be patient and do not give up.

Good luck with building a powerful looking set of shoulders. Baz 

Body building Muscles| How to train and build a massive overall body| Legs|Squats

Why Squats are So Important to your Training

Many people train and build their bodies, but ignore any leg training. They have the feeling that, because legs are used so much in walking, climbing stairs, sitting and running etc, there is no need for any actual training plan. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Legs are one of the most important sets of muscles that need to be trained. The most effective exercise for legs is the normal squat. 

It is important not to overdo any exercise even if legs are really important for your overall look. I train each muscle group 2x a week. I also ensure that I'm getting at least 48 hours rest in between each session. For a muscle to grow it needs time to rest and repair. I train my legs on a Wednesday and Saturday.

I've managed to put together some information showing exactly which muscles are used when doing squats, and what the overall benefits will be. According to The American Council on Exercise the following primary muscles are used when performing a normal squat - back (erector spinae), backside or butt (gluteus maximus) and the many muscles in the legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors) muscles. There are a load of secondary muscles that also come into play when you do squats. Most of these help in stabilizing the body as you perform the exercise. The abs (rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus), abductors (gluteus medius, gluteus minimus) and calves (soleus, gastrocnemius). Now you might get a better idea of how good a normal squat actually is. There are very few other exercises that will work as many muscles as a squat.

Now that you know what muscles are involved I want to share with you some of the numerous benefits you will get from doing normal squats. You can start with some internal organs - the strengthening of lungs and heart. All the major muscles groups are stimulated when you perform squats. From this you will understand why squats are one of the most effective exercises to strengthen and condition the overall body. The other major benefit of so many muscles being used is the burning of unwanted calories which aids weight and fat loss.  It will improve the shape and appearance of your lower body and especially your thighs which are the primary muscles being worked.

I hope that you will seriously consider adding squats to your training plan so you can take your training to a new level.

Good luck with your training and remember, even though they are a tough exercise to do, squats are really important for your overall size and look.

Baz

Body building Muscle| How to train and build huge muscle| Feeding muscles when training

There is an incredible amount of information on the internet about what you should eat before, after or during your training session. It's amazing how they make it sound so convincing that even seasoned bodybuilders will believe what they are doing is wrong and need to change. One of the things I have learned in life is you can justify anything you personally want to believe. I want to share with you some common sense information and then you can decide what you feel is the right way for you.

I think it is important to clear up why we eat protein and carbohydrates.

Protein is the building blocks and food required for muscle. Carbohydrates are for the energy we all need. Eaten in the right quantities both are essential for us to have a healthy life. Having carbs, proteins or both around your training session will very much depend on what your personal goal is. For some people it is the perfect thing to do and for others it is totally wrong. 

A lot of competitive bodybuilders will have proteins/carbs before, after or during training sessions because they are growing and are not concerned with their body fat. They often have a very low body fat content. It is exactly the same for people who participate in athletic activities.  They are normally very lean people and need the food for the energy. They really do not want to lose fat. Studies have shown that  if you eat carbohydrates during training your body will use the carbs you eat for energy.  You can see how this would affect weight loss if you eat around your training. If your goal is to lose fat then the perfect time to train is on an empty stomach. There is a good reason for this; your blood sugar is low and your body will immediately convert body fat for the energy you need. You will also continue to burn calories after you have finished training for an hour or more. If you eat too soon after your training you stop the process. Remember that both are correct depending on what you want to achieve.

You need to decide what you want. It is different for all of us. Do not fall into the trap of following some great idea when the goals and circumstances are not the same for you.  I hope this makes now makes sense.

Good luck with your training. Baz

Body building Muscle| How to train and build a big Chest| Push ups

Doing a proper Push-up

For me, free weights are the main ingredient to train and build a big body. I used to think that exercises like push-ups were for wimps who couldn't lift weights. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. If you think about it, doing a bench press is quite easy because you just adjust the weight to what you are able to lift. Doing a push-up means you have to raise you own body and the weight is the weight.

You will see in the video below that I show how I do them. You can do table push-ups which are a lot easier than the normal proper push-up. As you gain strength you can move on to normal proper push-ups, and you will be surprised at how well they work the pecs (chest muscles).

 

I will always continue to do my normal flat bench press as I believe they are the ultimate chest exercise but I have incorporated some push-ups into my training plan.  What I have been doing is a full set of bench press and then a superset of push-ups. I do the push-ups with a lot of focus. I do them slowly and pause at the top and bottom of each rep. This method adds a new dimension to your training. It gives the chest a tremendous burn and I have to admit it has been a long time since I have experienced such a pump in my pecs.

Give them a go and see how they work for you. If you find that you are working harder in the shoulders and triceps, then your mind focus is not in the right place. Go back to doing table push-ups making sure only the pecs work and progress to knee push ups. Once you know you are mainly working the chest, move on to doing proper push-ups. The rewards are well worth it.

Good luck with your training. Baz

Body building Muscle| How to train and build massive shoulders| Training deltoids with shoulder presses

I have always believed that training shoulders is important for your overall look.

There are many different ways to train shoulders. What you believe is best for you normally is. I personally think and believe that shoulder presses are by far the best for me. They are a compound exercise - that means that more than one muscle is trained while focusing on your deltoids.

With shoulder presses you can train in front of the head or behind the head. There are arguments about training behind the head. Some say you will damage your rotor cuffs if you do anything behind your head.  The shoulder joint is the only joint that rotates 360 degrees. I think you can damage any joint if you train it wrong. Reg Park used to do ridiculous amounts of weight behind the head with shoulder presses and never with any injuries. I have an old shoulder injury caused in rugby and have found that behind the head presses are much kinder to my shoulder joint.

There are ways to do shoulder presses where you can be very safe either behind or in front of the head. I will explain both to you.

In Front of the head
When I do shoulder presses in front of my head, I try to lower only to about the chin level. I hold the bar about shoulder width. I bring the weight down as close to my face as possible. Each rep is done slowly and with total focus. At the top of the movement I try to flex as much as possible so I get the best possible burn from the deltoids.

Behind The Head
As I said before, I find behind the head more comfortable for me.  I hold the bar about shoulder width and when I lower the bar I make sure I come as close to my head as possible. I will only lower the weight down to my ear level. I do not go lower as I think that could put extra pressure on the rotor cuffs. I also make sure that I do each rep slowly and with total focus. Here too I will flex when the weight is at the top so I try to get the greatest burn possible in my deltoids.

The amount of weight is important but not to the point of where you are just trying to show others how much you can lift. I often train with medium weights but because of the way I train I get a fantastic workout. When you throw the weight up and down you can often go quite heavy. It makes a massive difference when you are slow with each rep.

Try for yourself and see how different your training will be. Good luck with your next shoulder workout.  Baz

Body building Muscle| How to train and build killer abs| Crunches

I have been asked many times how often you should train your abs. I know there is a ton of information about how to get killer abs on the internet. I think a lot of the ways to train work, but often the results are exaggerated. I have heard of 10 minute abs, get abs in 10 days, and a pile of other absolute rubbish. Abs muscles are similar to calves. They take time to develop and show. If you cannot get calves in 10 days you will not get abs in 10 days.

The biggest problem with abs is the amount of body fat a person has. You can see many people who have big muscular arms, but because they carry loads of weight, you will not see their abs. Majority of the strongmen are perfect examples of this. You have to lose body fat to see your abs. Once you have your body fat under control you are 90% there to having a killer 6 pack. Genetics also plays a massive part in the kind of killer abs you will have.  Arnold only ever had a 4 pack yet he was the best for many years. Some people will have an 8 pack while others might have an uneven 6 pack or 4 pack. Not everyone will have symmetrical abs.

I personally have always had a problem with excess body fat and that is because I like to eat too much. It is not that I eat too much rubbish, but I eat too much of the good stuff. If you put in more than you use you will gain weight. I am now actively working on that problem - eating less. Doing abs exercises are necessary, but the key is to get your body fat down.

It really does not matter if you do weighted leg raises, sit ups crunches or any other abs exercise. They all work.  I prefer crunches and weighted leg raises. I think they are kind to your lower back and you can get a tremendous burn doing them. When I do crunches like I did today I like to put my feet up on the bench. It adds that little extra and is what works best for me.

The big question now is “How often should you train them?” There are people who believe you can train them every day and others who feel that is way too often. I try to take a common sense approach to my training. Abs are just a set of muscles and are similar to calves. I would not train my calves every day so I do not train abs every day. I train abs 2x a week. I train them really hard and I  feel that is more than enough. I know they are there because my stomach is rock hard and I can feel them when I flex. I know if I had less body fat I would look amazing. That is good enough for me and I know my training is right.

You must do what you believe to be right for you. If you think training your abs more than 2 times a week will be better for you then that will be correct for you. The body responds better to things you believe rather than the way others claim to be right for you.

Good luck with getting your killer six pack. Lose the body fat and you will be pleasantly surprised with your final result. Baz

Body building Muscle| How to train and build a huge upper body| Full upper body work out

I thought I would share with you my full upper-body workout. The reason I did a full upper body workout is because I was too busy on Monday. Normally, if I miss a session, I just move on and not worry too much about it - but I felt so guilty that I had to do a proper workout. My normal workout is chest and arms on a Monday. Tuesday I do shoulders, back and abs. All I did was combine them without the abs and put the abs in with the legs for Wednesday.

I did the same reps and sets for each muscle. 12 reps fairly heavy with 5 sets. I have a full minutes rest between each set and 2 minutes rest between each exercise. That is more than enough if you do them right. I did each rep quite slow and made sure I could flex the muscle I was working for a count of 2. This makes a massive difference to the outcome of the workout that you do. You will get a wonderful burn and know that you have trained hard.

I started with chest. Always work the biggest muscle first. I say this over and over. I always stick to basic exercises; normal flat bench press. They are brilliant. Too much is made of all the variations of this exercise. The basics always work best.

I then wanted to keep the blood in close proximity so I moved on to shoulders. Here I did seated shoulder press. I did 3 sets behind the head and 2 sets in front. When you go behind make sure you do not go lower then ear level. You do not want to hurt your shoulder joints. In front I go down to chin level.

I then did back. Normal good old lat pull downs. Again each rep was slow and sure. I did however superset each set with shrugs. I find this workout amazing. It really gets the whole back working and the burn is second to none.

I moved on to my favourite muscle and that is triceps. I did triceps pushdowns. The key here is to stand almost straight up and make sure the triceps do the push down. Often you will see people lifting too heavy and using body weight. I did superset the last set (5Th set) with over head extensions as I wanted that little extra.

My last muscle was biceps. Here I did standing bicep curls. I like to flex as hard as possible at the top so the biceps really burn. It works every time for me. I did superset the last set with hammer curls. I like to do that as it does help with forearms.

That was my full upper body workout. It was fantastic. It took around 48 minutes.

Good luck with it. Baz

Bodybuilding Muscles| How to train and build Huge Triceps| Triceps pushdowns

Triceps make up 2/3rds of the arm. Many people spend most of their time training biceps to make their arms look big. Wrong ! Biceps only make up 1/3rd of the arm size.

Training triceps will enhance your biceps. I like doing pushdowns. They are one of the best basic triceps exercises. It's really important that you stand straight up and that you do not lean forward when you do them. Most people who lean forward do so because they try to train too heavy. By leaning forward they are able to put their body weight behind the push down. If you want to get the most from your training you need to allow the triceps to do all the work. I think it is more important to train lighter than to cheat with each rep by going too heavy. When you get the muscle to do all the work it actually works harder and you get much better results. 

There is too much emphasis placed on the amount of weight you train with and not enough on how good your form should be. When you push the weights down do so slowly and then flex as hard as you can for the count of 2. Training this way causes a massive burn. Slowly and under your full control allow the weight to return to the start position. That is the perfect rep. You will see the difference in a very short space of time.

Good luck with your training, Baz

Body building Muscles| How to train and build massive muscle| Traps (Trapezius Muscle)

How to Train and Build Traps (trapezius muscle) with Deadlifts and Shrugs

I have worked really hard on my traps. This muscle does not develop quickly but it is easier to build than others e.g. calves.

For me, the most effective exercises for the trapsd are shrugs and deadlifts. With a dead lift there is nothing you need to do to work the traps. The weight seems to transfer from your hands through your forearms and then on up to the traps. Even though deadlifts are mainly for hamstrings they works loads of other muscles with great results.

The main exercise of course is shrugs. I never rotate my shoulders when doing shrugs as you can cause some serious rotor cuff injuries. I go quite heavy, but the secret is holding and flexing the traps when you have raised your shoulders as high as possible. I hold the weight for at least 2-3 seconds for each rep. I raise and lower quite slowly. Doing this causes a tremendous burn and you will really feel it. If you go too heavy you can get a headache after your training as it pulls the muscles going up into the back of the head. I go heavy but not too heavy. I prefer to allow the focus and slow reps do all the work for me. You will see what I mean if you give it a go. The results will come but be patient.

Good luck with them. Baz