October 2006 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. October's tips are listed below:
October Training & Workout Tips
- While training, stay focused on what you are doing. If you are not focused on what you are doing you will not be able to push your body enough in order to make positive gains. A lack of concentration or becoming distracted can result in serious injury as well.
Tip by: Doug Lawrenson - Have a full week off from training every two months or so. The break will give your body a full recovery and a chance to heal any of those nagging little injuries and pains that are really taking their time to go away.
Tip by: Forum Member - Make sure you warm-up before training, and cool-down after training, Including some stretches/flexability before and after training
Tip by: Doug Lawrenson - The concentric (upward) part of a lift is the most demanding on the nervous system, because the most number of motor units must be activated. Therefore, lift concentrically fast, so that you force your nervous system to learn to lift a load.The eccentric (downward) part of a lift is the most demanding on the muscle tissue itself, as fewer motor units are activated by the nervous system, exposing them to damage. It is this damage that causes growth. Hence, perform your eccentrics slowly to see the best growth. Conversely, a slow concentric and a fast eccentric is a waste of time!
Tip by: Forum Member - Symmetry tip: Always exercise the weaker side first. Then complete only as many repetitions on the stronger side as performed on the weaker side.
Tip by: Forum Member - When doing lateral pull-downs, push your chest out to meet the bar. This is a little trick which helps to remind you to squeeze your shoulder-blades together at the end of the movement.
Tip by: Forum - Mirrors in gyms are not there for vanity. They're there to help you with your form. Keeping an eye on technique and the position of your body during an exercise can reduce your risk of injury and help make an exercise more efficient.
Tip by: Forum Member
October Fitness & Weight Loss Tips
- To improve your fitness in a speedy manner and lose weight, try interval training. This means that you vary the intensity of your training during the workout. This is beneficial to your workout and also fights workout boredom.
Tip by: Forum Member
October Supplements Tips
- Take your creatine monohydrate supplement with a high GI, non-acidic fruit juice such as grape juice. This will increase the effect of the creatine monohydrate due to insulin release, which assists in transporting the creatine to the muscle cells.
Tip by: Forum Member
October Diet & Nutrition Tips
- Don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink water. By the time you feel the thirst you're already dehydrated.
Tip by: Damien
October Women's Fitness Tips
- Training with weights will not make women bulk up. Women’s testosterone levels are much lower than men’s, so in most cases, they are not capable of building large muscles. In fact, since muscle takes up less room than fat, women tend to lose inches when they strength train. So in addition to the physical benefits (increased metabolism, decreased risk of osteoporosis, increased strength), strength training will help you slim down too! Women, in fact, are more likely to tone up from strength training rather than bulk up. Research shows that women can add up to 30% lean muscle and end up looking thinner, feeling stronger and being firmer.
Tip by: Doug Lawrenson
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!
