musclebeauty

And yes the handheld is awesome I have a handheld massager as well that I do use on a regular basis and it is absolutely incredible

Creatine? Yes, we’ve heard of it, we’ve seen it, it’s a powder, its white, and guys take it to bulk, right? Thanks, I’ll pass. That’s probably the typical female reaction to this supplement, even for the most dedicated gym rat. Why? Because the way it works is that, as it is explained to us, creatine helps you put on muscle with the help of filling muscles with water. Now, ask any woman putting in hours at the weight racks, on cardio machines or wearing those ridiculous astronaut sweat suits in the sauna, if the idea of muscle bloat is aesthetically appealing. When women think water, we think water retention, we think bloating, we think beached whale, harpoons, netting and Japanese tourists. However, it turns out, the meathead explanation we’ve been hearing as to how creatine works is an oversimplification and we’ve been missing out on the shmexy lean muscle building and training endurance benefits of a zero-calorie, flavorless, non-stimulant, inexpensive and scientifically proven bodybuilding supplement that is just as great for women as it is to men. If you’re training and diet are on point and want a natural and safe way to greater gains without taxing your adrenal glands or central nervous system (people, who take 2-3 scoops of preworkout, HELLO!, I’m talking to you) then it is time to add creatine to your diet. *Note: For all intents and purposes when I refer to creatine, it is creatine monohydrate, the form with the most scientific and case study support. What is Creatine? Is it an amino acid? Is it a protein? Is it a hormone? Is it harvested from baby crustacean fetuses, what the heck is it? Creatine is actually a nitrogenous acid made up of l-arginie, l-methionine and glycine and is produced in the liver that supplies the entire body with energy on a cellular level. It is found in meat and fish but not enough to produce the physical results supplementation would. Fun fact: More than 95% of creatine is found and used by skeletal muscle. Another fun fact: women make have more natural creatine than men. How It Works "Ï don’t care it just makes me look big,” probably, a typical bro answer. But you fitness geeks, like myself, actually like to know how things work. Why? Because, oh, I don’t know, ITS GOING INTO YOUR BODY and you don’t want your insides to fall out 10 years from now because of some gimmicky advertised supplement. But, I digress. Creatine converts adenosine diphoshpate (ADP) into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the cell’s powerhouse known as the mitochondria. ATP is the fuel source for muscle contraction. The more ATP you have the more contractions and (of greater quality) you will have. PUUMMMPS! This energy conversion process helps hydrate the cell for greater energy output.Yes, the “fuller” muscle cells will lead to a fuller appearance of the muscle, overall. Deal with it. It’s not enough to make you look fat or bloated. Think of it this way, dry and stringy beef jerky versus succulent rib eye. Training Benefits OK, enough science. How will this extra water from creatine make you faster, stronger, leaner, and able leap out of yoga pants in a single bound? • Greater anaerobic threshold- fancy talk for it will take longer to feel that crippling lactic acid burn and make those funny faces. • Muscle gains and strength- if it takes longer to get tired, then duh, you can get in more reps which over a short period of time lead to greater gains. Yes, gaaaaiinnnzzz. • Faster recovery and delayed soreness- Live to train another day. • Muscle hydration – our bodies are made up of 75% water and is the main conductor of stimulus and messages between the central nervous and the rest of the body. About 5% of creatine is found in the brain. The thirst is real. • Depression and neurological disorders – Creatine may play a role in managing mood and neurological disorders because of aforementioned bullet point. The Struggle: How Creatine Aids Fat Loss • Can be taken alone or with beta-alanine for greater training intensity and lean muscle mass over time. The more lean muscle you have, the more 24/7 natural fat burner you have. • Does not need to be taken with carbs or sugar for an insulin spike to provide muscles with nutrients to be effective as previously thought. • On strict diets such as the keto diet when energy is low, creatine monohydrate can provide that extra boost to maintain adequate training output. • Will not directly impact stress hormones such as adrenaline or cortisol that promote fat storage. • No significant caloric value. Dosage and Cycling Off You should be fine with 3-5 grams creatine monohydrate before and/or after training and in the mornings on non- training days. Because the cellular hydration will add body volume, you should cycle off at least six weeks, give or take, before competition or photo shoot. It can be mixed with water, juice,BCAAS or your favorite preworkout crack. Something you should know that when you do cycle off it may seem like you have lost muscle but actually it’s just water loss with the actual amount of muscle mass remaining the same. From juicy ribeye back to hard beef jerky. So there you have it. Creatine monohydrate is a scientifically backed, relatively inexpensive, natural, non-stimulant supplement that promotes lean muscle building, greater strength output and overall athletic performance and endurance. If you’ve done all you can do in terms of diet and training, but haven’t tried creatine, this could be what you need to get push past the frustrating plateaus.

Yes Alina popa i love her ?

Thankyou hun i thought it was a great read....

David Johnson (not his real name) was one of the premier bodybuilders of the mid-to-late 1960s. Although he did use drugs, such as anabolic steroids, to win many of his titles, later in his career he disavowed the use of most drugs with one notable exception. Johnson had a preworkout ritual that he claimed allowed him to train more intensely and concentrate more effectively throughout his training session. What was his secret? The enigmatic root of his preworkout ritual became evident one day in the back room of a popular Southern California bodybuilding gym. This particular gym had a sauna that was never used, located in the back of the men's locker room. It was the perfect place to engage in surreptitious behavior. What Johnson couldn't conceal, however, was the pungent marijuana fumes. Johnson smoked marijuana in that room. And he didn't just puff on one "joint," or marijuana cigarette, either. No, Johnson regularly engaged in a marijuana trip, losing his thoughts in the wispy smoke that rose slowly toward the ceiling in his secret alcove. He would emerge after an hour or so and head directly to the gym floor, working out with no apparent ill effects. Although marijuana is an illegal drug, many athletes, not just bodybuilders, regularly smoke "weed" as a means of relaxation and mind expansion. A long-held tenet of the drug culture is that marijuana emphasizes the mood you're already in. Thus, if you feel good, you'll feel even better after the intoxicating effects of THC, the active component of pot, does its job on your brain. While marijuana has always had a relatively innocuous reputation compared to other mind drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, few people are aware of its true effects on the body. Entire volumes have been written documenting the physiological effects of marijuana, but many people are still confused. Active Ingredients Known to botanists as Cannabis sativa, more than 100 species of the cannabis plant, also known as marijuana and hemp, grow wild throughout the world in temperate climates. Analysis of the plant yields 460 compounds, of which 60 are cannabinoids, but the only cannabinoid known to have psychoactive effects is delta-9-THC. That's the ingredient that makes you feel high. Not long ago scientists discovered nerve receptors in the brain that are specifically affected by THC, which suggests that the body produces its own natural form of THC. Different parts of the marijuana plant have different THC contents. The bracts, flowers and leaves contain the most, while the stems, seeds and roots contain lesser amounts. The most concentrated form of all, however, is hash oil, which is the distilled liquid resin of the female marijuana plant. Street pot has gradually increased in potency over the years, and current versions are thought to be five to 10 times more potent than the stuff people used to "tune in and turn on" in the '60s. When inhaled, as from a "reefer, or joint, THC is rapidly absorbed. Studies show the systemic bio-availability of THC following smoking is about 18 percent, with heavier users absorbing more than casual smokers. That compares with the oral uptake, from, say, a pill, of only 6 percent. The peak effects of the drug occur within 20 to 30 minutes and last for two to four hours. THC circulates through the body and, being highly fat-soluble, easily enters the brain. About 80 to 90 percent of an intravenous dose of THC is excreted from the body in five days, although metabolites remain detectable in urine for 10 days after a single dose and more than 20 days after chronic use. Due to its proclivity for storage in fatty tissues of the body, in some cases THC may take up to a month to be eliminated. How marijuana affects a person varies from individual to individual. A recent study funded by the United States National Institute on Drug Abuse involving identical twins found that the likelihood that you'll find pot enjoyable has a genetic basis. What's more, the effects can vary in the same person. A 1970 medical review of marijuana described the typical effects: "Typically, the user feels a series of jittery 'rushes' soon after inhaling. A sense of relaxation and well-being follows. There is awareness of being intoxicated not unlike that produced by alcohol. The user becomes acutely conscious of certain stimuli to the extent that his whole attention is focused, immersed and at times lost with the sensory experience. In this state jokes are funnier, misfortunes more poignant and human relations more deeply perceived. "The appreciation of food, sex and, in particular, music is intensified. The user may believe that his thoughts are unusually profound (an impression rarely shared by observers). Paranoid thoughts and feelings of depersonalization have been reported by subjects and observed in the laboratory. Visual imagery is increased, and in larger doses colors may shimmer and visual distortions occur. There are feelings of changed body proportion. Among the most striking perceptual changes is the subjective slowing of time." At least two effects rapidly occur in most people who smoke marijuana: The eyes redden, and the heart beats faster. This increased load on the heart tends to impede athletic performance, as shown in some studies. This occurs because, while pot speeds the heart, the cardiac stroke volume, or amount of blood pumped by the heart, decreases. One study showed that in men cycling against increasing workloads, pot decreased exercise performance. Another study showed that when 161 men and women took THC, they experienced a general drop in standing steadiness, simple and complex reaction times, and other athletic skills. Contrary to the experience of the bodybuilder described above, if anything, pot decreases training concentration and focus, an effect so potent that it can't even be overcome with concomitant amphetamine usage. A crucial question from a bodybuilding perspective is, How does smoking pot affect anabolic hormones, such as testosterone? Marijuana and Testosterone A brief report concerning the appearance in gynecomastia in three male pot smokers published in 1972 sparked a number of subsequent studies that examined the relationship between marijuana use and testosterone levels. Gynecomastia, or "male breasts," however, is not a common side effect encountered with marijuana use. Instead, the condition is usually the result of an imbalance between testosterone and estrogen in men, with something causing an increase in the latter. Since marijuana has no estrogenic activity, it isn't likely to cause this condition. Even so, animal studies clearly point to an inhibitory effect of marijuana on both testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) production. LH is the pituitary hormone that governs endogenous testosterone synthesis in men. When it comes to humans, though, things are far less clear. Most studies that have examined human marijuana use haven't shown any significant effect on testosterone levels in normal men. A 1983 study, however, did find depressed testosterone levels after subjects smoked just one joint, with the effect lasting 24 hours. A 1984 study found that pot not only inhibited testosterone but also lowered prolactin, thyroid and growth hormone. It did that by altering the expression of brain substances that govern hormone release. Nevertheless, a 1989 study gave 17 male volunteers both high and low doses of THC and then tested their hormonal responses. The results showed no hormonal or immune parameters affected by either a high or low dose of THC. Notably, both testosterone and cortisol were examined, indicating that pot doesn't produce catabolic effects in muscle through increased cortisol release. Based on the majority of studies that have looked at the effects of pot on testosterone levels, it appears that the drug has little or no effect on this hormone in humans. One study that examined Jamaican pot smokers, however, did find a significant decrease in active thyroid hormone in the blood, although the men showed no apparent thyroid dysfunction. Significantly, the men also showed normal testosterone levels despite smoking an average of seven to eight joints a day. Other Health Effects of Marijuana The recent passage of Proposition 215 in California and Proposition 200 in Arizona, both of which allow use of marijuana under medical supervision, has brought public attention to the health benefits (or lack thereof) of marijuana. This prompted the National Institutes of Health to convene a committee to study the medical benefits of pot. The committee looked at marijuana's effects on at least three medical conditions: glaucoma; wasting diseases, such as those occurring with HIV infection; and the nausea common with cancer chemotherapy. It concluded that more study is needed to determine the effectiveness of using pot to treat those and other disease states. What's interesting here is that legally, marijuana is classified as a schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act. That means it has no medical value and may be addictive. Yet in 1985 the Food and Drug Administration approved a synthetic version of THC called dronabinol (trade name Marinol) as a schedule 2 drug used to treat the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. In 1992 the FDA also approved Marinol for use in treating the wasting syndrome associated with AIDS. Marijuana, or more specifically THC, does affect many body systems. Here's a brief review of its effects: Immune system - Several test-tube studies of both animal and human tissue samples suggest that marijuana may inhibit cell-mediated immune functions. That has to do with the response of specialized immune cells called T cells that protect against viruses and cancers. Other studies on this aspect, however, suggest that any immune dysfunction induced by marijuana is transitory. In addition, the immune problem caused by marijuana isn't sufficient to overcome other immune systems of the body. This is still a debatable issue, though, as evidenced by a 1990 study published in the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Weekly. That study found THC suppresses the normal growth of white blood cells and thus may impair immunity in some people. Chromosome damage - Some studies show that THC may cause chromosome damage, leading to things like birth defects. Other studies dispute this, however, with the result that most scientists studying this issue feel that any chromosome damage caused by marijuana use is insignificant. Nevertheless, pregnant women are advised to avoid using any form of the drug to prevent any possibility of birth defects. Mental reaction - As noted earlier, taken in excess, marijuana can induce such symptoms as panic reactions, paranoia and mania. When studies are produced to prove the concept of "reefer madness," however, it turns out that in most cases people experiencing adverse mental problems after using marijuana had preexisting mental problems. Other studies show that marijuana does not predispose people to violence. A controversial topic related to marijuana use among younger people is its effects on memory and learning. This is also related to the increased potency of marijuana in recent years. For example, in a study that looked at short- and long-term memory functions in both pot-using and abstaining teenagers, the pot users showed defects in short-term memory that would have a negative effect on learning. A 1996 study looked at the mental effects of marijuana in college students. The subjects included 65 heavy and 64 light pot users who had smoked it for at least two years. The results showed that heavy users had trouble paying attention and performing mental tasks even after a day of not smoking. In an editorial that accompanied the study, however, another researcher noted, "The few reports of cognitive effects of marijuana lingering on the day after smoking have not proven reliably reproducible even by the original researchers." More problematic are so-called additives that may be found in pot. Sources of contamination can include insects, fungi and in Mexican pot a herbicide called paraquat that can cause lung damage. A 1989 report in the journal Bioscience found that pot grown in Hawaii (called "pakalolo") was high in the toxic metal mercury. Ingestion of mercury can lead to such brain defects as forgetfulness, anxiety and paranoia. Oral absorption of mercury from food sources, such as fish, is only 7 to 10 percent as efficient as that absorbed from the lungs, and the body retains only 7 percent of ingested mercury. That's in contrast to the 85 percent absorption of mercury vapors from smoking. It takes about three months for mercury to clear body tissues once absorbed, although the nutrients vitamin C and selenium block mercury absorption and detoxify it. A so-called amotivational syndrome is closely associated with pot use. In simple terms, that means regular pot users get so lazy, they don't want to do anything except smoke. Once again, in many cases a preexisting mental depression causes some people to turn to pot for relief. Studies conducted among workers in Costa Rica and Jamaica failed to find any apathy or laziness even among heavy cannabis users. Marijuana, contrary to earlier reports, does not appear to cause brain damage. Although it's been accused of causing brain atrophy, or shrinking of the brain, newer studies on the effects of pot in even heavy users failed to find this effect. Lung function - Studies that looked at the effects of marijuana show paradoxical effects. Thus, some studies show that the drug dilates breathing passages in the lungs, while others point to a significant degree of airway obstruction. Smoking pot yields more tar than cigarettes, and a 1988 University of California at Los Angeles study found that smoking pot releases five times as much carbon monoxide into the blood, which ties up oxygen, and three times more tar than cigarettes. Another study showed that three to four joints a day can produce as much lung damage as 20 tobacco cigarettes. According to Kasi Sridhar, M.D., a professor of medicine at the University of Miami, smoking marijuana is 100 to 200 times more likely to cause lung cancer than cigarettes. Sridhar believes the increasing incidence of lung cancer in younger people may be due to increased pot use. Other studies show that pot promotes bronchitis and impaired pulmonary defenses against infection. The tar produced from marijuana smoke contains 50 percent more carcinogens than unfiltered Kentucky tobacco. The fact that pot smokers inhale the smoke 40 percent deeper than cigarette smokers (except, of course, President Clinton) adds to the problem. One study found that smoking just one joint diminished vital capacity in a manner comparable to that produced by smoking 16 tobacco cigarettes. If all this still doesn't convince you that its use isn't so innocuous, how about marijuana as a fat stimulator? Pot has long been known to cause a peculiar sensation known as "the munchies," in which you have an insatiable desire for junk food after smoking, and it turns out the effect isn't just folklore. A study done at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine looked at the appetite effects of marijuana on six men for 13 days. On some days the men smoked two joints in the morning and another two in the afternoon. On other days they smoked placebo joints, which didn't contain THC. The men ate three meals a day, but also had unlimited access to candy bars, potato chips, soda and other junk foods. On the days the men smoked the genuine pot, they ate no additional food at meals but ate enough snacks to consume 40 percent more calories than they ate on placebo days. That led to a six-pound weight gain after 13 days, which was quickly lost when they ceased getting high. The men were also less active on pot days and thus also burned fewer calories. When you add it all up, even overlooking the fact that marijuana is an illegal drug, this weed has little or nothing to offer bodybuilders or anyone else seeking maximum health and fitness.

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Good info:: Commonly known as "gyno" or even "bitch-tits", gynecomastia is a condition that affects children, teens and adults alike. As the name implies, it is the the abnormal enlargement of the male breast or breasts. The condition is often extremely uncomfortable and can cause tenderness and pain of the breast and nipple. While there are several known causes of gynecomastia, it's effects are usually temporary. More often than not, gynecomastia is the side effect of a more serious problem. It is actually estimated that at least 19%-60% of the male population will actually experience some form of gynecomastia at one point or another in their life. Gynecomastia in teens is a common side effect of puberty and no cause for alarm. In adult males, gynecomastia may be caused by disease or drug use. It is important that anyone experiencing what they think may be gynecomastia is seen by a physician as soon as possible. For bodybuilders, the most common cause of gynecomastia is the use of anabolic steroids. The use of anabolic steroids increases testosterone which thereby creates a increase in estrogen. The more testosterone, the more estrogen. It is this irregular increase in estrogen that causes gynecomastia in weight lifters and bodybuilders. In most cases, if you're not currently taking an anti-estrogen, gynecomastia will eventually be the result. Suddenly stopping the use of anabolic steroids will almost certainly result in gynecomastia. Gynecomastia can usually be avoided by taking an anti-estrogen such as Nolvadex or by using steroids that cannot peripherally be converted to estrogen. For additional information on these types of steroids, you may want to check out the The Steroid Bible. Gynecomastia may be caused by several other factors: Liver or Lung Cancer Cirrhosis of the Liver Overactive Thyroid Pituitary Cancer Adrenal Gland Cancer Testicular Cancer Alcohol, Marijuana, Methamphetamine and/or Heroin use Klinefelter's syndrome Use of certain medications such as Steroids (Prednisone, Hexadrol), Ulcer medications (Cimetidine), Epilepsy medications (Phenytoin (Dilantin), Digitalis and other heart medications, Chemotherapy drugs, Antiandrogen drugs and anti anxiety or antidepressant medication ( Diazepam, Valium, Tricyclic antidepressants). Treatment options for Gynecomastia Before any treatment is started for gynecomastia, a full pathology workup should be completed. If there is no underlying disease that is causing the effects of gynecomastia and simply stopping any medication that may be causing it doesn't reduce the breast, there are several options you may want to consider. In order of severity, they are listed below: Herb Treatment: Many people have used turmeric root as a cure for gynecomastia. Varying degrees of success have been reported. Some users have seen the effects diminish completely while others have simply reported a reduction in pain and soreness. There are no scientific studies available to document the effects of turmeric root on gynecomastia, however, it is probably the least evasive and least expensive treatment option. The recommended dosage is at least 20 grams of grated turmeric root per day for at least 30 days. Chemical Treatment: Some physicians are currently prescribing chemical treatment with clomiphen (estrogen antagonist), danazol (antigonadoprophic), tamoxifen (antestrogen) and dihydrotestosterone to cure gynecomastia, however, again – there are no studies that actually prove this is an effective treatment. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT):This is considered a short-term treatment and involves using a topical gel (Andractim) that is rubbed into the skin. According AllSaintsClinic.com, the response of gynecomastia to this treatment will usually take place within 10 days. Daily recommended dosage is 5 grams rubbed directly into the chest for approximately 3 months or less. Recommended usage is limited to three tubes and additional purchases have to be okayed by a physician. The cost of an initial treatment includes 2 tubes of gel and a testing kit for approximately $150.00. For more information on HRT, click here. Liposuction has just recently been introduced as a treatment for gynecomastia. In this procedure, very small incisions are made through which the excess fat is drawn from the chest with liposuction. This method is less expensive that breast reduction, requires no actual surgery and therefore leaves a very natural appearance to the chest. Low Dose Radiation is also a suggested treatment, however, is known to only be effective in the early stages of the disease. Cosmetic Surgery or Breast Reduction is also being used as a last ditch treatment for severe gynecomastia. Although this is a fairly painless, out-patient procedure with few, if any risks, the cost at almost $2000.00 per breast is often prohibitive. For more information on breast reductions and photographs of actual surgical procedures, click here. Pseudogynecomastica Being excessively overweight can also cause symptoms that may be similar to gynecomastia. However pseudogynecomastica, as it is called, will not respond to any of the treatments listed above. The only way to reduce the effects of pseudogynecomastica are through dieting, weight loss and physical fitness. It is extremely important that before attempting any of the treatment options listed above, you should contact a physician and have a complete physical. As we mentioned early in this article, gynecomastia is usually a side effect of something far more serious. In many cases of gynecomastia, no treatment is necessary, as it will eventually disappear on its own. Physicians will often defer treatment unless the patient is in extreme pain or the embarrassment of the size of the breast is making life uncomfortable.

Almost everyone loves having a good time and what do these good times usually revolve around? You guessed it, alcohol. Even the serious bodybuilders get tempted to drink and have a good time, but should he or she drink or not? The answer will vary on the person and how educated he or she is on recovery from drinking alcohol and knowing what alcohol does to the body. Nutrient wise, alcohol contains seven calories per gram, which is three calories higher than carb and protein sources. The calories that come from alchol are mostly sugars and very little protein. Even low carb beers contain around 100 calories even thought they only have about two and a half grams of carbs and half a gram of protein. A twelve ounce wine cooler contains 180 calories, a two ounce strawberry daiquiri contains 110 calories, so alcohol is very calorie dense. Although alcohol is absorbed rapidly, it is metabolized very slowly and can have a negative effect on athletic performance. If an athlete consumes as little as two or three drinks fourty-eight hours prior to his or her performance, the athlete will suffer from impaired reaction time, decreased strength, and impaired hand/eye coordination. Alcohol will also increase fatigue, interfere with body temperature, cause dehydration, impact cellular repair, deplete aerobic capacity, disrupt sleep, and cause vitamin and mineral depletion. Most adults who drink alcohol consume reasonable amounts but there always those who drink irresponsibly. These irresponsible people increase their risk of illness, injury, and are more likely to have drinking problems than the responsible drinkers. Alcohol abuse can cause significant harm to a person`s health and completely destroy a person`s life. If you decide to drink, it`s very important that you know if your drinking patterns are risky, safe, or even harmful. We are only human and need to have a good time every now and then. Some people could not live with the thought of never being able to touch alcohol while others would find it very easy. Drinking is okay if you keep it in moderation. However, don`t let it control you and let it become who you are. Alcoholism is not fun. I`ve been through it and seen many of my friends fade away because of it. Just be careful.

Sex is doubtless one of the commonest, and definitely most gratifying, activities we humans experience. A study on aging from Duke in the 1970s found that for men the incidence of sexual intercourse was linked to lower death rates. A Swedish study found increased probability of death in men who gave up sexual intercourse. A study published in 1976 found that sexual discontent was a risk factor for heart attacks in women. A British study questioned 1000 men on the frequency of their sexual encounters, and divided them into three groups: those who had sex twice or more weekly, an intermediate group, and those who reported having sex less than monthly. A decade later, researchers found that the death rate from all causes for the least sexually active men was twice as high as that of the most active. Erectile Dysfunction, or impotence, as it was branded prior to 1998, was a predicament most men knew existed, but happened to other guys, especially other old guys. In that year Pfizer Pharmaceuticals introduced America to Viagra, and unexpectedly we found out that millions of robust American men were only getting their flags to half-mast. Once it was out in the open, the subject of male sexual well being in due course turned from dysfunction to performance. Together with his living situation, a man's genes set the wide limits of his sexual biological clock. In spite of your age or whether you have any existing problems, following these strategies will absolutely make a difference: Do a suitable quantity of workouts, eat the correct foods Quit smoking Avoid anabolic steroids Avoid hot tubs Avoid drugs Check your medications A man's libido totally depends on the state of his health. Problems that contribute to a man's sexual dysfunction are: Stress – All central nervous system processes are weakened by stress, including those of the brain and endocrine glands – the very same glands involved in Stages I and II of a man's sexual process. Poor Nutrition – High fat meals curb testosterone, slow down libido, and make erection and ejaculation more difficult. Environmental Estrogens – Environmental estrogens go into the body through pesticides and hormonally enhanced meats and dairy foods. Smoking – Smoking just two cigarettes a day narrows blood vessels, impairing blood flow and the capacity to achieve erection. Too much alcohol – Alcohol use can considerably increase prolactin, which leads to prostate and breast enlargement in men. Obesity – Excess fat blocks your arteries and ruins your ability to become erect. Potions, lotions and pills to improve male sexual performance abound. This is only half of the equation, though. The whole idea of female sexual enhancement is regrettably still in its early years. In a lot of essential aspects, the female physiological response to sexual stimulus is not altogether unlike that of the male. Therefore it would seem logical that some of the same substances that enhance the male erection might also prove helpful for women. Muscle growth does not take place in the absence of testosterone. Many nutritional supplements are available to boost testosterone production, but they lose their effectiveness over time as the body down-regulates its natural production of substances in response to exogenous influence. Elevating testosterone levels naturally is accomplished by properly applying sound exercise, diet and sexual practice. Less Fat, More Sex Less fat means more sex and now there's research to prove it. While younger women are more likely to report difficulty in reaching orgasm, women over 50 name other problems, such as a partner who can't perform or who doesn't make love in a satisfying way, painful intercourse, or the feeling that they are no longer physically attractive. It only makes sense that endurance and strength are important elements in achieving great sex. According to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, shedding pounds can work like a natural Viagra. A two-year study of 110 obese men with erectile dysfunction found that, of those who took part in a rigorous weight-loss program, 31% recovered normal sexual function. The men also showed improvements in quite a few key health indicators, including blood pressure and cholesterol levels. A U.S. study released on October 3, 2005 stated that obese women who start to lose weight would also see an improvement in the quality of their sex lives. According to the study presented at the annual conference of The North American Association for the Study of Obesity in Vancouver, even modest weight loss reduced complaints of feeling sexually unappealing and led to improved desire. Studies have also found a direct connection between physical inactivity and a lack of potency. Here's what you'll need to get the best out of your sex life: Cardio endurance – three to four days per week. Try activities such as running, hiking and swimming. Muscular endurance – lift lighter weights for more reps. Muscular strength – lift heavier weights for fewer reps. Yoga – for improved flexibility. The way you see your body may have a remarkable impact on your intimate life, if you are like most Americans. If you're silently criticizing your body and thinking your partner is doing the same, it may be impossible for you to become stimulated into sexual passion. The key to finding relief for this problem may well be enrolling in a fitness center to lose excess fat and build a toned, muscular body.

Great article I always go for regular deep tissue it really helps a lot with training and preventing injuries. Few things feel better than a whole-body massage. Its proponents claim that it can relax anti invigorate you, remove metabolic waste and toxins, stimulate recovery and promote better athletic performance. And that's the short list! But to make things more complicated, different massage techniques have various effects. Three common massage techniques include effleurage, a stroking technique in which the heels and palms of the hands glide over the part to he massaged; petrissage, or holding the affected tissue between the thumb and forefinger while you roll, lift and twist it; and tapotement, which involves cupping or percussive-type action. Deep transverse friction massage involves massaging the site of a lesion (where scar tissue may be forming, for example) anti facilitates normal collagen alignment in tendons and ligaments. Certainly, massage makes you feel good, but what are some of its physiological effects? Proponents of massage are challenged to provide specific mechanisms for the purported benefits, but does science support the multitude of claims made by massage therapists LACTIC-ACID REMOVAL Lactic acid is one of the most misunderstood chemicals in our bodies. It's accused of being a metabolic poison that needs to he eliminated, and is blamed for the soreness we feel the day or two after intense exercise. (Actually, the soreness is caused by tearing of myofibrils) Proponents of massage often claim that it helps rid the muscles of lactic acid. In a study conducted at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, 22 men ran to exhaustion, then either 1) recovered passively in a supine position, 2) rode a bike at a very low intensity or 3) had their legs massaged by a certified massage therapist. Researchers drew blood from the test subjects and determined their lactate (lactic acid) levels at three, five, nine, 15 and 20 minutes postexercise. Low-intensity cycling was found to be best for lowering blood lactate levels, and no difference existed between blood levels of subjects who recovered passively and had massage. This study doesn't suggest that massage is useless for athletes, but does show that its effects may have little to do with the removal of lactic acid. This makes sense if lactic acid doesn't cause muscle soreness. DECREASING MUSCLE SORENESS We all get sort painful muscles, and a deep, thorough massage may be your therapy of choice. But does it really diminish pain, or is it all in our heads? In a study from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, 40 untrained female subjects performed negatives on biceps curls until they fatigued. In untrained subjects, this will definitely cause delayed-onset muscle soreness! Then they were treated" in one of three ways: upper-body exercise (arm cycling), massage or electrical stimulation immediately after exercise and 24 hours later. A control group wasn't treated. Researchers found that each of the four groups rated their soreness the same! Neither massage nor exercise decreased muscle soreness felt one day later. In another study, a combination of warm-up, stretching and massage was found to decrease the soreness after eccentric exercise. Yet the effects are hard to predict and often inconsistent. So does massage help or not? Well, with regard to a "measurable" difference in soreness, seemingly no. IMPROVING BLOOD FLOW The data are equivocal on this one. A recently published study from Laurier University in Canada found that massage had no effect on limb blood flow. According to Peter M. Tiidus, PhD, "Light quadriceps contractions were far more effective in improving blood flow than manual massage itself." WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN? A dearth of science is often used to support a multitude of claims through-out the fitness and health-related fields. Massage is no different. Little scientific evidence shows that massage significantly enhances the recovery process. On the other hand, massage may promote the proliferation of fibroblasts (cells involved in laying down collagen an important component of connective tissue). Massage might enhance the healing process by recruiting these cells, but the evidence is inconclusive at this point. Nonetheless, massage could be an important component of any athlete's total training package. You're thinking, there is no science to back it up. Well, it doesn't seem to have much physiological effect, but hey, if massage makes you feel better, that may be reason enough to use it as a therapeutic modality. As far as its effect on muscle goes, wait a decade or so science may have yindicated it by then.

Knees, like shoulders, are very complex joints. The two parts of the limb, the upper and lower, are linked in the middle by a common joint, the knee. Although that enables the knee to be stabilized by the tendons of both the thigh muscles and the lower-leg muscles, the double protection also increases the potential for problems. Add to that the ligament and cartilage structures, and you can begin to appreciate the many variables inherent in movements that involve the knees. What's more, quite often an injury that emanates from an exercise that strongly involves knee action causes pain elsewhere. There's a long muscle that runs the length of the lower leg along the lateral, or outside, of the tibia. It's called the peroneus longus, and it comes together at the knee with the other muscles of the front of the lower leg. Their job is to turn out the foot, stabilize the ankle and to some extent stabilize the knee. Bouncing at the bottom of full squats very often strains the peroneus longus. When that occurs, the muscle draws in fluid and swells along its entire length. It's one of the most persistently painful conditions I've seen in my many years of training. In addition, it takes a very long time to recover from the problem, often six to eight months. Most of the people who experience it aren't aware of the cause until the injury is well advanced. So, if you don't use proper form on exercises that involve the knees, it can cause injury anywhere in your lower body. Along with the idea of using proper form goes the principle of starting with a proper warmup. More than half of your muscle mass lies between your waist and your knees. For that and other reasons I prefer a longer warmup for my legs than what l do for my upper body. I ride a Lifecycle for 12 minutes at level 9. Not only does that provide a good warmup, but the resistance is such that I also get an optimal aerobic workout, 12 minutes being an ideal time for high-level aerobics. If you don't get off the bike sweating profusely and with a thigh pump, you need to work harder. The only other warmup I do for lower body is to march in place, holding onto something stable while I lift my knees one at a time as high as possible. You must forcefully lift your knees all the way up to your chest, if possible. That way you completely flex not only your knees but your abdominal area as well. Do 25 slow, forceful reps with each leg so you feel it through the entire movement. I only do two stretch movements for the legs. The first is simply to bend forward with your knees locked or, if that's uncomfortable, slightly bent. Grab your ankles and pull your head to your knees for a count of 25. That will effectively stretch your hamstrings as well as the muscles of your lower back. You do the second stretch in the deep lunge position, with your front knee well in front of your ankle and your upper body erect, not leaning forward. The rear foot cannot remain flat on the floor, so you should be balanced on the ball of your rear foot. This position stretches the quadriceps and the calf muscles as well as the Achilles tendon attachment. I perform the marching in place with the two stretches as a circuit, doing three sets of 25 for each movement or position. That said, it's time for some advice on proper exercise form for leg work as well as tips on recognizing potential problems and preventing injuries. The single best thigh exercise, without question, is the squat. It may, in fact, be the finest exercise in all of weight training. No other movement has the ability to build incredible strength and endurance not just in the obvious area, the thighs, but in the entire body. No other exercise has the ability to change your metabolism so positively that all bodyparts gain. No other exercise can take a natural Middleweight and make him a powerful natural Heavyweight. The only way to negate all the good things that squats can do for you is to do them incorrectly. First of all, don't bounce at the bottom. As with any other pressing exercise, you must perform squats under control throughout the rep. I like to stop completely for a count at the bottom. Second, don't turn your feet out too much, as it will create torque, or twisting, when you come up with a heavy weight. Third, don't stop your squat descent at parallel, as it requires the quadriceps' attachments to make a static contraction. The tendons are asked to first check and stop the weight's descent and then act as the fulcrum when the quadriceps start taking the weight back up. That's incorrect! I don't give a damn what any football coach or doctor, ignorant of kinesiology, has told you. Let the weight continue down till your thighs are below parallel, at which point the fulcrum moves back up the thigh and into the belly of the muscle, where it belongs. Finally, forget the knee wraps. Knee wraps simply usurp the work of the tendons and ligaments as you go to below parallel. Use them long enough, and you'll find you're incapable of squatting anything like the same poundage without the wraps. Do you wrap your elbows when you do presses? Do you wrap your ankles when you do calf work? Wraps are nothing more than a crutch. Now that I've covered how not to squat, let's talk about the right way to do it. Everyone's structure is different, and the variables require you to make adjustments in how you position yourself to ensure the most effective application of the workload in the exact area of the muscle you wish to work. For example, you may be long-waisted, your thighs may be disproportionately longer than your lower legs, or your ankles may be stiff. Some squatters can't remain erect as they go below parallel. They pitch forward and their lower backs become more directly involved than their thighs. If that's your problem, try a wider stance. Try to squat between your legs, rather than over them. If you still lean forward considerably in the low position, put a block under your heels. Try a one-inch board. If you're still unable to keep your back out of it, go to a two-by-four. Lifting your heels like that tilts your pelvis forward, so you must squat erect to counteract the forward tilt. I don't like leg extensions, certainly not as a first movement in a quad workout, and I don't like them for precisely the same reason I don't like French presses for the triceps. They create a disadvantaged lever, placing a great portion of the resistance on the attachments, rather than the belly of the muscle. If you feel you must do leg extensions for shape or to rehabilitate a loose knee, put them last in your quad routine, and don't do many. Leg presses, hacks and sissy squats all pose a common danger. Because of the position of your body, with your torso well back from your thighs and your knees taking an excessive amount of the workload, your knee joints open quite wide at the bottom, fully extended position. That allows the cartilage to be pinched as your quadriceps shorten and your knee joints close. The problem occurs most often with sissies and hack squats and front squats done on a block. Leg presses also open the knee joints quite wide at the bottom, but they offer excellent options for working the thigh muscles. Again, however, you must know how to use a leg press properly. You can use the 45 degree angled leg press to work three of the four areas of the thigh, the extensors (anterior), the flexors (posterior) and the adductors (medial). Which muscles you work is determined by your foot placement on the platform and the closeness of your thighs to your chest at the bottom of the movement. Not only can leg presses be excellent for the adductors, but when you stop at the bottom with your legs in a specific position and your toes turned out, they become a great first movement for the leg biceps, or hamstrings, far better at promoting growth when combined with leg curls than are stiff-legged deadlifts. The strength and development of the abdominal and spinal erectors are of great importance to the leg work you're doing, especially squats. When your abs and your lower back are strong, you can maintain a solid position in all of your exercises, no matter how heavy the weight, and maintaining a good position is of primary importance in avoiding all lower-body injuries. Consequently, it's a good idea to start your leg workout with very steep situps. I like to use five sets of 20, 18, 16, 14 and 12. Then at the end of your leg workout do six sets of five reps of regular deadlifts. Note that you should be stronger on the deadlift than you are on the squat. Keep in mind that if you do a lot of hard, heavy squats, your thyroid will respond to the heavy heart action and slow your metabolism, and you'll grow faster. Also, if you're presently recovering from an injury, don't let that stop you from training the areas that aren't injured. When your body is stressed because of hard exercise, your adrenals produce cortisone, a much better-quality cortisone than you can get from your doctor. The cortisone supplies your entire system, including the injured areas. It also greatly reduces recovery time. For example, if you've injured a shoulder or an elbow, don't let that keep you from working legs or at least riding an exercise bike hard for 15 minutes. It really helps.

Depilation is a general term for hair removal, which concerns the portion of the hair that is on top of the surface of the skin. Epilation is the removal of the complete hair, counting the section underneath the skin. Hair removal has been practiced for centuries in nearly every human society. Hair is usually removed for sexual and social motives connected to the function of hair in human culture. Both males and females have unwanted hair on their bodies. Hair removal on the hands, legs, arms, underarms, bikini line, face and eyebrows is regularly practiced currently. Different devices are used for hair removal in different parts of the body. Waxing and sugaring are now common methods for male body hair removal. A hair growth inhibitor is generally used after waxing to prevent or slow down regrowth. Hair Zone Best Hair Removal Method Back, shoulders and butt Wax Chest Wax or shave Arms and hands Trim Armpits Trim or shave Legs and feet Trim Crotch Trim (carefully) Eyebrows Pluck Nose and ears Trim or pluck Humans are born with about 3,000 to 4,000 hair follicles per square inch – around two million on the entire body. The quantity of hair a person has is determined by his or her genetic make-up. Evidence of depilatory use dates as far back as 4000-3000 B.C., when women used (rhusma tocorum), containing arsenic, quicklime and starch made into a paste. Hair on the skin works as defense against cold weather and skin irritants. Hair grows from follicles within the skin. Once these follicles are not destroyed, hair will keep growing from them, even if it is plucked or chemically removed. Adults have two types of hair: vellus, which is soft, fine and usually short, and terminal, which is longer, coarser and thicker. There was a time when body hair on men was sexy and thought of as a symbol of virility and manliness. The reason guys started getting rid of their body hair is simple: it makes a gym-toned body appear more muscular – you can see muscle cut and striation much more clearly without the hairy camouflage. In keeping with the present dictates of American style, hair where hair oughtn't be lifts many an eyebrow. An assortment of home-use hair removal products is available over the counter for do-it-yourselfers. Some of the issues to consider in deciding on a method and settling on whether to go to a professional are the price, safety, helpfulness, and ease of use of the different methods, as well as the area and amount of hair growth to be treated. Shaving Shaving is the practice of removing body hair using an electric or a manual razor. If a manual razor is used, some lathering instrument such as soap or a special shaving cream, gel, or foam is usually applied to the area to be shaved first, to avoid an agonizing razor burn. Manual razors are available in many different styles: disposable, disposable cartridge, straight razor and safety. Shaving can have many side effects, including cuts, grazes and irritations. Here are some shaving tips: If you find it difficult to shave your body with a sharp razor without cutting your skin, use a razor that you've already used on your face for a while. If you get a skin irritation, don't shave again until it goes away. Keep your skin clean and wear non-irritating clothes (like cotton). Gel shaving cream works better on the body than foam shaving cream. Don't shave if you're in a hurry. Laser Technology Laser hair removal uses the energy delivered by a laser to obliterate the hair follicle. When the laser is focused on an unwanted hair, the energy is absorbed by the water and blood in the hair follicle, causing heating and eventual destruction of the follicle. Anybody with unwanted facial or body hair can be a candidate for laser hair removal, which is a comparatively easy process. The laser (an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) is basically a tool that creates a beam of light. Those with light skin and dark hair often see the finest results, because the laser light is attracted to dark colors. Dark skinned people don't do well with this method of hair removal because the pigment in the skin soaks up too much of the laser energy. The laser equipment field is continually changing, and there are several kinds of lasers used for hair removal, so be sure you're current before you make a decision on whether this process is right for you. You can have unwanted hair removed from any part of your body, except the eye area. While these treatments can be pricey, people love the idea of getting rid of hair permanently with no more shaving or waxing. Remember that laser hair removal is a medical procedure, and this means that there can be risk involved. Select a laser hair removal clinic carefully. Discount centers can be found, but you will often end up with a less experienced practitioner. Hair Removal Time Periods The majority of consumers believe "permanent" means lasting forever. Others figure that after a certain amount of time, it's unlikely that a hair will ever return. Here's what an aesthetician means when he says: Permanent hair removal – you're able to go a year after your final hair removal treatment without having to use another method of hair removal. Long-term hair removal – you can go six months after your final treatment without having to use another method of hair removal. Semi-permanent hair removal – these methods last for a few weeks.

Hey that would be awesome if you did that im logging my progress on members login on how my DNP cycle is going day 2 so far....

Thankyou and yes i know what you mean i also train at like 2am its super quiet in the gym at that time so its great to get my workout done at that time...

I Have used a variety of different pre workout drinks in the past and used to think they were amazing until I actually went to the gym with a clear mind without using a pre-workout and had a much better workout then using a pre-workout so I no longer use pre workouts anymore.

Welcome Kronis good to have you on board...

This is a good and we all have seen these type of men at the gym.... This doesn't go for ALL men, but MANY fit into stereotypes that you can see at any time, at any gym, anywhere. I’ve put together a list of types of men to avoid at the gym. Enjoy! A popular question among women that workout is “what gym do you go to?” To men this question literally means what is the NAME and LOCATION of your gym, not - why did you join, how do you like it, does your ex go there, does your ex go there with his new girlfriend, is she ugly, can the Zumba teacher really dance and is her butt real or any other such additional details we women would deem a natural part of the conversation. "Putting all the stories together and we began to see a pattern among the men...Stereotypes" Once we move past what is superficial chit chat to us, but would probably make a man’s head explode, we get into the stories. Yes, the stories. Juicy, hilarious, I-had-to-change-gyms-stories. I call these Sex, Lies, and Rock Tape. If you are too young to get that reference, I feel sorry you because it is a damn good one. Every woman has a gym story. Of course some have more than others and well some are more scandalous than others. As stories were exchanged amid a lot of laughs and eye rolling, we noticed a pattern. Putting all the stories together and we began to see a pattern among the men. Stereotypes, if you will. Not all but many fit into stereotypes that you can see at any time, at any gym, anywhere. And now for benefit, I’ve put together a list of types of men to avoid at the gym, how to recognize them and how to avoid them in order to preserve your gym going experience as long as possible. Because let’s face it, it sucks to juggle your schedule or cancel your membership over some clown. Below I give you the Three Types of Guys to Avoid at the Gym 1. The Gym Diva This guy is the peacock of the weight room. There is not a reflective surface he does not like. He primps. He struts. He stares…a lot…mostly at himself. He is in relative good shape but probably not as good as he thinks he is. As the name implies, it is all about him and his pageantry. The world is his runway. Between his indifference to women and flamboyant gym gear, you question is sexual orientation. He is neither hetero nor homo, but asexual (like a starfish). What to look out for: Likes to cut t-shirts just enough to see show his man nipples. Keep an eye out for excessive and unnecessary stretching so that others may feast their eyes on his shaved areolas. Detailed in coordinating his workout OTD. Everything matches from his weight belt to ear buds, to head band to compression tights. When asked how many sets he has, he will hesitate then answer 5, which are more like 8, if you count the minute it takes to perform the exercise and the two it takes to look at in the mirror immediately afterward. “Damn, I’d do me if I weren’t me.” Yes, he is likely to talk dirty to himself and send nude photos to himself, as well. Usually works out alone unless it’s with a partner equally as narcissistic with matching nipple peek-a-boo t-shirts. Motto: “I’m sexy and I know it. How to Avoid Him You don’t need to. He is the center of his own universe. 2. The Stalking Dead This guy is relatively harmless. He is not a creeper. He is not a serial killer, unless you count how he will kill your workout mojo. He is generally polite and friendly and likes to talk, and talk, and talk…and talk. Did I mention he likes to talk? Don’t be fooled into thinking that a smile and hello will be enough. Ha, ha, no. Just as soon as you answer one question, he has 10 more already lined up. You being the polite person that you are go along, figuring that at the some point it has to end so you can both get back to working out. But it doesn’t end. It never EVER ends. You hope it was a onetime thing but nooo. You are now BFFs and you can’t even remember his name. Within days you are hearing about his old sports injuries, kidney stones or inflamed prostate. OK, I’m exaggerating, I don’t even know if prostates get inflamed but for the first time in your life you envy Hellen Keller or some other famous deaf person. Anyway, with this guy you are the deer on a lonely road and he is the Mac truck with the paralyzing headlights. What to look out for: If you feel a set of eyes burning holes in the back of your head that is him. He will invite himself to workout with you even if he was on his way out or not even working the same body part. Asks A LOT of questions. More interrogation than conversation. Your eyes may or may not glaze over, so be careful when operating heavy machinery. How to Avoid Him Ladies you must master that peripheral vision. Know your surroundings at all times. I always forget where I parked but I know the gym traps to avoid like a ninja. Chances are you feel him make his ascent so you either make a quick getaway or resume working out but this time with an angry face with lots heavy almost animalist breathing. But whatever you do, or else your dead in the water, DO NOT take out your headphones. “I just put my headphones back in and walk away.” That works in most cases but he is a tenacious breed. You must preempt any move. Adopt a buddy system like in your club days. Have an S.O.S. signal arranged between you and a friend to be used in times of rescue. 3. The Gym Douche This alpha male wannabe is the worst of the bunch. Due to a tremendous ego, and ridiculous overcompensation for insecurity he will throw anyone under the bus that threatens him. He is the king of the iron jungle and spends hours there holding court and preying on the female sex. He stares at you and every woman. He wants you to see him staring. Why? Because he is a man! With needs, with loins and a penis, it’s all for YOU and anyone else desperate enough to fall for his game. He is easy to spot as he loves to draw attention to himself. What to look out for: Tries to be your friend and warn you about shady people, but really he is shady person he is speaking of Will offer to explain why he has so many female “friends” even though you never asked Most of his female friends are strippers or bartenders Will openly talk negatively about other people especially other alpha males in the gym He is a personal trainer … “personal trainer” Likes to give himself titles like “I am the (fill in the blank) here.” Draws attention to himself either through obnoxious laughter, ogling, weight throwing or gorilla stampede about the gym. How to Avoid Him: You will know him because his gaze will make you feel like he wants to impregnate you. He fearlessly and shamelessly hit on you within seconds of hitting the gym. He may or may not get secret weekly updates to new female members. The best and only thing to do is be cold. His ego can’t handle it. The consequence will be he might talk about you behind your back, which he will anyway. Your choice is as to how. As a chick he hates or chick he is sleeping with. I am sure there are more types that can be added to this list but I’d like some feedback and support on who you think should be added to this list to protect fit woman of all kind....??

Welcome BlitzAlpha

A great read:: Often time’s bodybuilders underestimate the power of sleep. But if your goal is gain mass and size, a lack of sleep is detrimental for muscle growth. To achieve success in bodybuilding, there are four factors that equally contribute to success; aerobic condition (cardiovascular endurance), anaerobic muscular strength (weight training), supplementation/ nutrition (the nutrients put into your body) and sleep (ability of your body to grow). Out of these four factors, the most overlooked and overrated factor is sleep. Often time’s bodybuilders underestimate the power of sleep. But if your goal is gain mass and size, a lack of sleep is detrimental for muscle growth. This is due to the fact that while you sleep your body produces hormones that create hypertrophy(muscle growth). In short, sleep is an anabolic state that dramatically increases the size and strength of your muscles through the release of hormones! This is EXACTLY what you want! An easy way to understand the importance of sleep is to use cell-phone for an example. At night before bed, we usually plug in our cell-phones on the charger and charge the battery for the following day. This charge is like sleep, sleep is our “charge”. So, if you don’t charge your cell-phone, don’t expect to make too many calls the next day. Sleep is the same philosophy; the metaphor of charging your cell phone is parallel to the concept of sleep. If you want your muscle growth to be sufficient, all you need to do is SLEEP! Remember, we don’t grow in the gym; we create the demand for our body to grow. But we do grow outside of the gym with proper nutrition and sleep. Once you finish reading the information below, you will fully understand the importance of sleep, allowing you to get more mass and strength from your workouts! The 5 Stages of Sleep The first stage of sleep occurs within the first 5 to 10 minutes. At this time, your body is very aware of your surrounding and the slightest distraction could cause a Myloconic Jerk(a slight jerk while sleeping). At this stage your muscles aren’t in a paralysis state (muscle growth state). During the second stage of sleep, which occurs for about 20 minutes, your body temperature starts to drop. Along with your body temperature, your heart rate slowly drops in order to relax your muscles. At about 30 to 35 minutes into sleep, the third stage begins. During this stage, the effects of stage 2 (temperature and heart rate) continue to drop as your body releases into the most important stage, stage 4. This stage is the most important stage of all. At this time, HGH, Testosterone and other hormones are released. These hormones are considered anabolic hormones, which create more mass and strength. During this time, your nerve transmitters are also released. Nerve transmitters are responsible for focus, concentration, reaction time and muscle contraction. Stage 5 is the deepest form of sleep. At this time REM (rapid eye movement) exists; stage 5 is the only time REM occurs. During REM, scientists believe that your dreams are perceived at this stage. Although there are so called “stages of sleep”, they do not particularly happen in the order that they appear. The order that these stages occur, are completely random and usually depend on the person. TIPS TO GET A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP Often times, we don’t have “a good night sleep”. These following tips will help you get the best sleep of your life. With proper sleep, not only will you feel well rested, but you will gain more mass than ever before. Sleep in a dark area. Sleeping in a dark area is important because as your eyes perceive darkness, your body naturally lowers your heart rate in order to calm your body before rest. Sleep at comfortable temperature. As we sleep, our bodies naturally lower its temperature. So if you sleep in a too hot or too cold environment, your body is trying to heat itself up or cool itself down during sleep and the sleep process will be delayed. Your muscle growth and strength will also be delayed. Therefore, in order to maximize hypertrophy, sleep in a neutral temperature environment. Limit the noise level. Similar to temperature, your body has to multi-task when noise is present during sleep. Do not perform activity 2-3 hours before sleep. Although some scientist’s recommend this theory, I personally disagree. But I suggest trying it and you can be the judge. Make a sleep schedule. In order to fully achieve the benefits of proper sleep, sleep needs to be consistent every night. Try to fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day to maximize the benefits sleep provides. Not sleeping enough? A lack of sleep can cause injury, higher cortisol levels, lower testosterone, and lack of nerve transmitters in our body. If you deprive yourself of sleep, it’s like trying to run a marathon blindly; you might run in the wrong direction. A lack of sleep is the fastest way to deprive your muscle and destroy your health; if you miss sleep, you might as well miss your workout. During sleep, the greatest amounts of hormones are released. Sleep is anabolic state or “the growth state” and if you neglect it, there are several effects. Muscle Loss- With a lack of sleep, the anti-stress hormone; cortisol, gets released causing catabolism (muscle break down). Inflammation- Without rest, your entire body begins an inflammation process in order to slow functions down, such as nutrient absorption and muscle growth. Fat Increase- The longer you stay awake, the faster your glucose levels get impaired. This is because in order to keep your brain and body awake, glucose levels are depleted. Causing you to crave carbohydrates. Also, the buildup of cortisol levels increases the storage of fat. How much sleep should you get? In order to achieve sufficient sleep, studies show recommended amounts of sleep with varying age groups. However, sleeping more than the recommended amount, is as detrimental as sleeping to little. Here are the proven amounts of sleep necessary per age group to achieve the full benefits sleep has to offer. Infants - 16 hours Teenagers -9 hours Adults-7 to 8 hours Supplements to help ZMA(Zinc Magnesium Aspartate) - A popular supplement before bed is called ZMA’s. This supplement helps increase testosterone release during sleep and blocks the buildup of cortisol. Amino Acids - As you know, you build muscle during sleep. But where does this muscle come from? Thin air? You amino acids in order to build new muscle, a few options can be taking a direct Amino Acid supplement or taking protein powder before sleep. Protein Powder naturally carries Amino Acids. GABA - This supplement is proven to increase HGH (human growth hormone) during sleep. This is a major factor to increase muscle size and strength. GABA also helps you reach stage 4 sleep faster, which means more hormonal release during sleep. Melatonin - This popular supplement regulates sleep patterns to go in order from stage 1 to 5 more efficiently. L-Glutamine - Although this is an amino acid, L-Glutamine is very powerful. Acting is an important amino acid for recovery; L-Glutamine should be taken in a bigger dose than most other amino acids. Conclusion Obviously, sleep is very important; being the only time you actually grow muscle and get stronger. Why not get the most out of your efforts in the gym? From the small changes on your sleeping to the beneficial supplements, apply the knowledge that you learned and start unlocking your true potential!

I absolutely love fasted cardio?

One type of cardio training that gets discussed at a very high frequency rate is that of fasted cardio training. The thinking behind this set-up is that you'll get up first thing in the morning and before downing your usual breakfast meal, you'll head straight for the gym and get in a good 30-60 minutes of cardio first. By doing so, the hopes are that you'll turn directly to your body fat stores for energy rather than utilizing the current glucose in the system as you would be doing had you have had something to eat prior to doing the session. Some people are quick to shun fasted cardio however, saying that by doing it you're just going to be setting yourself up at an increased loss of lean muscle mass. Some just don't like the idea—period. Others relish the idea of tapping into that stored body fat easier than before and wake up eagerly every morning without ever skipping a beat to hop onto that treadmill in hopes that it'll mean them waking up leaner the next morning. Who's right in their beliefs? Is fasted cardio a form of cardio training that you should be doing? Let's dig a bit deeper and uncover some of the need-to-know facts about fasted cardio training. Your Overall Program Goals First things first, you need to assess what your overall program goals are. Are you looking to melt body fat? Are you looking to build lean muscle mass? Perhaps you want to boost your sports performance? Identifying what the main goals that you wish to accomplish will be important here because what might be great for one particular goal could be a horrible idea for another goal. When it comes to fat loss, since it is a fact that you can target the body fat stores easier when doing fasted cardio, this does prove to be advantageous. But, before taking that as the word that fasted cardio is all you should be performing, keep in mind that fat loss is still heavily dependant on your diet. If you go into the gym and burn off 300 calories from that fasted cardio and all those 300 calories are coming from fat stores in your glutes, but then you go and eat 300 more calories that day than what you've burned off over the entire 24-hour period, guess what? That's right, you are no further ahead. While you may burn off more fat doing fasted cardio, this doesn't necessarily mean you will see a net fat loss over the course of the day. That comes down to what your diet plan looks like. Some people who are looking to build lean muscle mass will also use fasted cardio because they figure by doing so they are increasing their chances of staying lean as they go about the muscle building process. Remember here that anything that compromises your recovery is going to compromise your ability to build muscle mass. Since you're likely going to be putting in extremely hard workouts during the week to reach the goal of building more muscle tissue, if you aren't recovering from those, you aren't going to move forward. Given that cardio training is still exercise and will still stress your system, especially in a fasted state, there isn't really a dire need to do fasted cardio when the goal is muscle mass building. Only on very intricate set-ups where you may be utilizing a zig-zag calorie approach where you attempt to build muscle on certain days of the week and lose fat on others will this possibly be a consideration. But that approach is best left to higher level trainees anyway. For the average person trying to build muscle, leave fasted cardio for another time. The Muscle Mass Loss-Connection In the discussion of fasted cardio, one question that often does come up is whether or not this will promote the loss of lean muscle mass. You work hard in the gym each and every day and the last thing that you want to do is see your hard-earned muscles start disappearing from your body. The key point to recognize here is that if you're keeping the cardio to a moderate intensity, there shouldn't be too much of a problem with muscle mass loss. It's only when you attempt to do higher intensity forms of cardio in a fasted state that you'll really have to worry. To add to that, fasted cardio that is more intense in nature is typically a very bad idea anyway, so you're really best just staying away. If you are ultra concerned about lean muscle mass loss while doing fasted cardio, a quick way to remedy the situation is to take 5-10 grams of branched chain amino acids beforehand or a scoop of whey protein powder. Just remember that those calories will count toward your daily calorie total so if you're on a fat loss diet they must get added in. Realizing The Benefits Of Fasted Cardio Training—It's More Than Just Calorie Burn Now, when it comes to the benefits of fasted cardio, they may be more than you originally realized. Most people think that the primary benefit of fasted cardio is that enhanced fat burning effect. While this definitely is one of the benefits that it provides, it's definitely not the only one. First, with regards to the fat that is burned during fasted cardio, more than any other form of fat burning exercise, when done in a fasted state like this you will have a greater ability to target the stubborn fat stores on your body, which include the hips and thighs for women as well as the abs and lower back for men. These areas of the body tend to be more resistant to giving up their fat stores and are why these are generally the very last places that you'll lose body fat as well. In addition to that, if you supplement with caffeine along with yohimbe before doing your moderate intensity fasted cardio, which are supplements that will help to boost the levels of catecholamines in the body, which then stimulates fat burning enzymes to make fatty acids more available to be burned off, you'll see even better results yet. After assessing the increased fat burning effects of fasted cardio, the next thing to look at is the fact that some studies suggest that fasted training actually enhances the adaptations to your workout session. Adding Fasted Cardio Training To Your Workout Plan So if you've weighed the pros and cons of fasted cardio and have decided that you do in fact want to add it into your program plan, how do you go about doing so? First you need to decide on the frequency. Since you are or should be keeping the overall intensity much lower, you can do this on a daily basis if necessary and you think it would be helpful for fat loss purposes. Just keep in mind that if you do feel the strong need to do daily fasted cardio sessions, this could be an indication that something isn't quite right with your diet plan. Make sure you have that diet under control first and then go about adding fasted cardio if necessary afterward. Second, consider supplementing with your BCAA or whey protein powder before the session. This will help to further reduce any chance of lean muscle mass loss and if using whey powder may also help to reduce any light-headedness you may otherwise experience. There's no question that fasted cardio can be a very beneficial training aid when used properly especially with regards to those few performance factors that were mentioned earlier.

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