February 2007 Muscle Building & Fitness Tips

Each month Mark Smith (aka Suarus) puts together a list muscle building and fitness tips to help you pack on more muscle, strip fat and make the most of your time in the gym. Most of the tips you see here have been contributed by our forum members. February's tips are listed below:

February Training & Workout Tips

1. Strive to include total body workouts. These include: cardiovascular exercises, strength training (both upper and lower body), core training and stretching/flexibility.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
2. Stretching and flexibility are very important aspects of good physical fitness, so don't overlook them. Ideally, you should stretch before each workout (both cardio and resistance exercises) and after each workout. If you can't do both, then make the after stretching a priority.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
3. Include some type of strength training in your weekly exercise regimen no matter what your fitness goals are. Resistance training provides many health benefits. Read articles that discuss the benefits further.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
4. Focus on correct form. If you are unable to use proper, safe form when performing an exercise then you probably are using weights that are too heavy. Choose a weight that allows you to train with correct form.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
5. How long you rest between sets is important. For building muscles and getting bulkier the rest time should be longer. For more muscle endurance and leaner, sculpted muscles the rest time should be shorter.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
6. Try the periodization technique which progress you every week over a 4-week timeframe. Try a plan of starting with lighter weights and more reps, and each week increasing the weight size appropriately and decreasing the number of reps.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson

February Fitness & Weight Loss Tips

1. Stair climbing is a low-impact alternative to running.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
2. Make a list of all the benefits regular exercise provides you. Everything from feeling healthier, sleeping better, preventing depression, feeling stronger, etc. Post this list somewhere that you will easily see it everyday so that it can serve as a reminder why you should workout.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
3. Whenever possible, take the stairs instead of an elevator.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
4. Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast consume fewer total calories during the day then those that don't.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
5. Exercise is not enough. You must also include healthy eating habits.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
6. Don't waste your calories on drinks. Drink low-calorie or no calorie drinks instead (preferably water).
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson

February Supplements Tips

1. When buying supplements always do your own research before going to the shop or making an online purchase. Read users reviews (not the ones conducted by the company itself in magazines etc!), check out forums, ask around at the gym. It could save you a lot of money and help you get the right combination to help you reach your goals.
   Tip by: Damien
2. Use a glutamine peptide supplement right after a hard exercise session since glutamine stores in muscle can be depleted up to 40 percent after exhaustive exercise.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
3. Try not to consume too much sodium with your glutamine as sodium entering the muscle cell actually causes glutamine to be released into the blood stream (out of the muscle cell).
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
4. Take Arginine an hour before you workout. The arginine will boost nitric oxide concentrations so if you take before you workout, it should assist you with your workout.
   Tip by: BMAN

February Diet & Nutrition Tips

1. Never buy vanilla flavour shakes! Most people agree that they taste disgusting. If you really like vanilla flavour, buy a small container first to see if you like the taste. Don’t spend your money on a big tub unless you know you can stomach it.
   Tip by: Mark Smith (Saurus)
2. If you like bacon and you're trying to keep calories down, get the 97% fat free bacon in the supermarket. You basically only get the meat (no fat) and there's hardly any calories in it and it still tastes good!
   Tip by: Damien
3. Try to take at least 20 minutes to complete a meal. This is how long it takes for your brain to recognize that your stomach is full.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
4. Consume at least 64 ounces of water per day, plus an additional 16 ounces for every hour of moderate-intensity exercise.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson

February Women's Fitness Tips

1. When doing cardio, don’t neglect the rowing machine. Rowing uses more muscles than any other machine at the gym, and while it burns slightly less calories, it will certainly help to shape and tone your arms, shoulders, lower back, waist, quads and calves, and quickly give you that well defined body you’ve been looking for.
   Tip by: Mark Smith (Saurus)
2. If you're a woman, don't be afraid of strength training. You won't bulk up (unless you are really trying to). And, resistance training is easy to start. With professional guidance and direction, you can quickly learn how to train properly.
   Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
3. To improve your strength more quickly, lift weights more slowly. This allows your muscles to rely more on strength than momentum.
   Tip by: Forum Member
4. Once you have strengthened your abdominal, add ankle weights to your legs during your routine to increase resistance and build definition.
   Tip by: Forum Member

These tips are put together every month by Mark Smith (aka Saurus). If you want to chat to Mark you can catch him over at our muscle building forum. Come an join the webs fastest growing community of muscle building and fitness enthusiasts!

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