Building Muscles

Bodybuilding Muscles – How to Build and Train Abs and Chest- Hints and Tips - Day 103

ABS Building

Everybody has Abdominal Muscles, but most people let them relax. That is why they look like they have a beer belly. Even if you are overweight, if you decided to hold in your tummy, your abs would take over and hold it in. You would still have the extra layer around your middle, but you would look a lot better.

At first, making your abs contract and holding in your tummy will be uncomfortable, but they will get used to it if you persist. A few sit-ups go a very long way to helping. I have found a great way to get you going is to suck your navel (bellybutton) in, and try to make it touch your backbone. You need to hold this for the count of ten, and repeat as many times a day as you can remember. Do this while you are driving, while you are working at your desk, while you are watching TV or just doing something in the kitchen, you will be amazed at how you will be holding in your tummy.

Chest building

Contracting your chest muscles every now and again really gives a good feeling and helps get them looking good all day. Grab your left wrist with your right hand, hold your arms out in front of you, and then squeeze the chest muscles as hard as you. Hold for the count of ten. Try to make the muscle stand out as big as possible. A bit like a bodybuilding pose. You will enjoy the feeling.

Just doing these simple exercises is a real feel-good thing you can do, even if you are not heavily into training - and even better if you are.

Bodybuilding Muscles – Chest – How to Train and Build a Rounded Chest - A Question

I have been asked the question on my You Tube by dorikin4age.

"If I want to get a round chest, do I do a close grip, shoulder width grip, or a wide grip ?"

The answer is very simple.

I think there are many different ideas and ways of training and building the chest muscle. It is hard to argue with some massive guy who looks like he can knock out a tractor with one punch. I have read and seen lots of different training methods that are recommended, but unfortunately the people who are starting out on building a great body do not have the 10 or so year’s bodybuilding experience, and are certainly not on an advanced level.

I am a very strong believer to keep it simple. You will get amazing results if you eat correctly and do the basic exercises. I am living proof of this.

Doing a bench press Trains and Builds the chest (Pecs) & the shoulders (Deltoids) among other muscles. It is better to do wide grip Bench Press. As you bring your grip in, you use the triceps more.

For a round full chest it is better to do an inclined bench press. I have found that Inclined Flys are a really good exercise for building a wonderful big rounded and full chest. It is important to remember that the more inclined you go, the higher on the chest you will be training and building, until finally, you will be working the shoulders. This is when you are almost upright and doing shoulders presses. You can do different types and variations of training when you have at least 4 to 6 months experience under your belt, and when you have made up your mind how far you want to take bodybuilding. Get the basic foundation first. This is where I can really help you.

Bodybuilding Muscles - General - Day 103

We are travelling all over Wales and so I have decided not to do any training today. I have used some of the things I have written about in the tips and hints on Abs and Chest to get me through for the day. They work wonders and you can do them any time. It cannot replace training, but certainly makes you feel like you have done something - especially if you do them 15 to 20 time during the day. Have a read of the Tips and Hints for Abs and Chest.

Wales is a beautiful country with some stunning little towns. Well worth the visit.

Back to normal after the weekend. I have a special training planned for Saturday night when I get back home.

Bodybuilding Muscles - How to Build and Train Muscles with your mind.

Bodybuilding Muscles – How to Build and Train, Chest, Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps (Arms) - Day 102

 

We are away for the weekend, and are currently in a hotel in Wales. But...the training must go on. There are no excuses for not training. There is no equipment in my room but as you can see I still trained. I have used what I have around me. The feeling after training is so awesome. You feel like you have conquered the world.

How I Build and Train Chest (Pecs) with no weights.
Well, as you can see, I trained with plain and simple push-ups using a simple little tool I bought at Argos.

I put my feet as high as I could on a couch so there was more resistance and harder than if they were on the floor. Try it ! Do your push-ups deliberately - slowly thinking about each one. You will find it also works and trains the shoulders (deltoids) and the triceps. Even without weights you will still get a good work out overall. I do lots of reps and about 4 sets.

How I Build and Train Shoulders (Deltoids) with no weights.
As you can see from the picture, I used the chair in the room. It was not very heavy so I did deliberate slow reps and lots of them. I still got a great burn and felt like I had trained very hard.

How I Build and Train Biceps with no weights.
As you see, I used the chair again. As with the shoulders, I was slow and deliberate. I did curls like hammer curls and found that if I really tensed the bicep muscle at the top of the movement I got a great burn and worked them quite hard.

How I Build and Train Triceps with no weights.
I used dips. Slowly. Up and down many, many times. Try it. I can assure you they will burn and feel like you have someone else’s arms. I tried to put my feet up as high as I could to make it a little more difficult.

A great workout .

I must have done well as I was still sweating an hour after I finished and I had bathed.

You can achieve anything if you really want to. Napoleon Hill said “whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve” I am proof of this.

Tomorrow we head up and over the mountains as we make our way north.

Bodybuilding Muscles - General and Nutrition - Day 101

I would never train legs in the morning even if I had the time. The reason is because they are such big muscles that I find, after training them, I am really tired and could quite easily go to sleep. I certainly would not see a whole day through if I did them in the morning. You might find it different. I need to be at my best when I go to see clients so I really do not want to feel fatigued from training my legs. I also find, when I am focused and training them properly I get completely out of breath. Training and building legs really hammers me.

I attended another networking meeting this morning and so my meal was eggs, mushrooms, bacon and some tomato. I skip the fried bread and potato cakes. 2 x protein drinks. 2 x chicken and rice. 1 x  tuna salad.

Water 2lts.

Bodybuilding Muscles – Legs - How to Train and Build Quadriceps (Thighs)

On the front of the thigh are the quadricep muscles. They are very big muscles that can take a lot of resistance training (big weights). Whenever you want to train and build your quads with very heavy weights, make sure you have someone who can help you. Never train on your own with heavy weights.

There are loads of different exercises you can use to build your thighs (quads). Gyms normally have a number of machines that will do a fine job for you. Training and building muscles at home has its own challenges. You normally have limited space and limited equipment.

I have found a very simple system to train and build my legs and that is with Dumbbells. They, too, have a drawback if you want to try to squat as normal, with the dumbbell weights by your sides. The big problem you will have is being able to hold the amount of weight required to get a good workout. This is the reason I do single leg squats. I still hold two dumbbells, but I can hold more than the single leg can handle so I get maximum training. Of course. if you put the leg that is not being trained on the bench you can reduce the weight even more. This has become my favourite.

I also use single leg extensions to train and build my tear drops. I have been lead to believe a leg extension is the best for this. I am sure there are lots of theories. I think whatever you really believe is the best for you, will probably work the best for you. Using your mind in training is extremely important.

I teach people how to use the mind and how to visualise what they want in life for my day job. I know what sort of difference it makes to your results.   

Bodybuilding Muscles – Legs – How to Train and Build Hamstrings - Day 101

The Hamstring is the muscle that runs down the back of the leg and is often called the Leg Bicep. You train and build them by doing leg curls. There are other exercises you can use namely dead lifts and lunges. All of these exercises do a great job of building big hamstrings.

I think it is better for the individual to decide which is going to be the best for them. I prefer to do legs curls as my basic exercise and a few lunges for super setting. If you do not have the attachment, and you want to train and build your hamstrings, you can choose between dead lifts or lunges. Those are quite common basic exercises. What is very important however, is that you do train your hamstrings and that you build very strong hamstrings. All the active sports that require running need well developed strong hamstrings. The photo shows the basic exercise - a lunge.

Body building Muscles – Legs – How to Train and Build Calves - Day 101

Calves are the muscles below the back of the knee. They are very strong and can handle a lot of weight. You need to train and build them however if you want your legs to be in proportion to the rest of the body. I have seen a lot of very well build people in the upper body and thigh region, only to be let down with little calves. You need to give them attention to develop and build them. Do not get lazy and skip training them. I have found that a lot of people do not enjoy training calves. Learn to love training them so you never make them your weak point.

I would and do use a lot of visualisation before I train calves. I see in my mind big well-developed calves. As I train and build them I really try to focus on them. I do my calf raises slowly so I can give them all the attention possible. It is a bit of a problem if you train from home and do not have any calf training equipment. I use dumbbells and I do them one leg at a time. I also find it difficult to hold the right amount of weight required to give them a good workout. I use hand straps to help hold heavier weights. I go for quite a few reps because I cannot lift the right amount of weight and I want to get a burn.

Bodybuilding Muscles - General – How to Overcome Negative Days – Nutrition Day 100

No matter how positive you are about training and building big muscles, we all have negative days from time to time. Why ? Because we are human. Some days you will ask yourself, is this all worth it ? It is at this time that you have to have a heart to heart with yourself. This is most important. This is what I do.

I take a bit of time off to focus on the problem. I try to think why am I feeling like I do. If I am actually sick - that is a different matter. I have found that most of the time it is just laziness. I then think about when I started my training and the exact reason I started. This is why it is so important to have a really good reason to start training. I visualise the end result I want. I especially visualise people coming up to me and telling me how good I look. I try to feel exactly what it is like to be complimented and often admired because of how good I look. This is normally more than enough to get me into the gym, training my heart out, and building and training my muscles to the best of my ability.

I had a very simple good day with the food. 3 x protein drinks. 2 x chicken brown rice and salad. I had a networking meeting this morning so had  1 x egg, bacon, baked beans and tomato.

I was a bit short on water but lots of liquid mostly tea.