Many people feel an hour is an optimum time because they will push themselves hard and about that time is when they start to feel tired. It is good to stop the routine when you feel you are done and at failure point but it is important not to stop too soon. Failing to push yourself as far as possible means you will not make the gains you want and the maximum of the time you a lot to a workout. Making your muscles work until failure can be beneficial but often it is better to work them hard and then let them recover bigger than before.

It has been shown in scientific studies that the testosterone levels found during a workout peak at around 45 to 60 minutes which makes an hours work out ideal for muscle gain. In addition to this catabolic hormones also increase which increases the conversion of amino acids from the skeletal muscles into glucose. This occurs when blood glucose levels drop, as is found during long work out periods and is called gluconeogenesis. The problem with this is that the process is breaking down the muscle tissue and you are losing muscle mass. To prevent this from being a negative thing it is important to limit the workout time of those muscles and one hour is the maximum before the negative will outweigh the benefit of the routine. Cortisol production also increases during this time which will increase fat storage. This science has been behind workout routines since 1905 and such bodybuilders as Reg Park, Clarence Ross and John Grimek have used this same theory to build their muscle mass up.

If you can’t seem to get your workouts under an hour each you may want to consider restructuring your schedule. For example if you are doing three long workouts a week consider splitting into 4 smaller workouts. You can split the exercise days into two distinct groups to get the maximum from your workout time. In fact creating a push-pull split in the routines can be very beneficial for your muscle building when you are in your bulking phase.

Scientifically it has been proven that working out for more than an hour at a time can have negative results on building muscle tissue. If you can’t seem to get your workouts under that time it would be better to split the time into multiple workouts on your schedule instead. Working out for an hour is about the optimum time for your body to get the workout it needs without doing damage to your muscles (more about bodybuilding diet here).

The key with your workout routine is making sure that you have enough weight to put some stress on your muscle to make it challenging but not enough to tear. In general the accepted amounts are 5-8 reps if you are trying to build up and then 8-12 if you want lean. If you can do more than 12 you need to up your weight. This is generally accepted as the industry standard but the fact is you can do 1-5 with a heavy weight and get good results, then work backwards in lower weights until failure. In fact working to failure often is a good way to gain size and strength but that requires enough weight so that it won’t take all day to do.

Light weights can work however but only in certain scenarios. If you have joint pain for example light weight will get you there eventually but the heavy weight will do it faster. In fact the lighter load and higher rep can be a good way to catch a break if you had a particularly heavy day previously. Light days however are not going to help you get bigger, they are just there to keep you going until your next muscle shredding session and those need to be bigger weights. In fact you need to work the biggest you can if you want to grow your muscles. The bigger the weight the more damage it will cause during muscle resistance and so the muscle will come back stronger than before afterward.

Gaining muscle is not a complex process, getting bigger simply requires the right balance of nutrition and weight. If you have your bulking and cutting nutrition down then you also need to understand that you have to do the same changes to your workout. When you want to bulk you need to do less repetitions with heavier weight. If you try and do more repetitions it can end up like light cardio and that defeats the purpose of a bulking phase. Aim to do between 1-5 reps at a very heavy weight once you are warmed up and you will see good results during your bulking phase. Make sure you are capable of holding the weight however as you will not be able to lift every plate on the rack the first time around, it is a gradual process to increase your weight both on the bar and on your body. Be realistic but make sure you are still pushing yourself with bigger weights if you want to get bigger muscle.

Building muscle is a delicate equation of weight, repetitions and diet. Each needs to be in the proper amount to get bigger. As far as the weight goes, during your bulking phase you need to be doing heavier weights with less repetitions so that you stress the muscle more and cause damage. The more damage you cause the stronger the muscle can come back. If you do too many repetitions you risk making the exercise more like cardio and it will got give you the results you want, even if in some circumstances it is ok to use a lower weight with more repetitions (more about bodybuilding diet here).

In the bodybuilding sphere getting bigger is a two part process. Without it you will either end up big and fat or small and lean so you have to do both. The first part of this process is known as bulking, where you need to eat more and push yourself with more weight to gain mass. You will also gain fat but that is part of the deal. Once you have bulked up to your desired weight you can being to cut down. The cutting process keeps the bigger muscle mass you have gained but trims all of the excess fat that has also accumulated off. It is the most successful way to get bigger. The cutting process simply means adding a high intensity cardio work out to your already heavy routine, you cannot do both at the same time.

What you eat also matters, you can’t just gorge yourself on everything in sight and hope that you will get bigger. The fact is that you specifically need to eat more protein in your diet to get your muscles the fuel they need to grow. Sources that are rich in protein include meat and dairy. Some other vegan sources include soy, quinoa and beans. Protein can also been found in dark leafy greens but it is in much smaller concentrations than that found in animal products. Many bodybuilders choose to add protein supplements to their diet in addition to changing the menu. These can be mixed with milk as a post work-out milkshake treat to help rebuild and repair the muscles. There aren’t any “bad” foods when increasing your caloric intake but the protein will make growing muscle tissue easier. Many also add high fat intake to their diet simply because of the rich caloric content that fatty foods have. For example someone who is looking to bulk up may need in excess of 3000 calories a day to continue working out, when you consider how small fruit and vegetable servings are in caloric terms it means that you will need to make up the deficit elsewhere.

While eating more it is also important to keep your diet balanced. Though high fat and protein rich foods are not necessarily the healthiest meal choices your diet needs to be balanced with an adequate amount of fruit and vegetables. Your best choice is to calculate roughly how many calories you need to maintain and then increase your current weight and divide it up properly. Normally protein should be about a ¼ of your diet but with an intent to gain you should look at making it about half of your intake.

What you eat matters but at the end of the day the statement that you must eat more to get bigger is true. Eating more protein in your diet will help your muscles to grow but you have to have a caloric excess for that to happen. Calculate your caloric needs and try and match it with a rich protein diet for optimum muscle growth (read about bodybuilding diet plan here).

            To get great muscle growth supplements are simply a way of life for many. There are certain combinations that are “must haves” in many body builder’s repertoires to combine greater fat loss, greater performance, and explosive growth. If you want to be the best you have to take every advantage that is offered and supplements are an easy choice to get you ahead in the game.  Intensity and muscle stimulation can be done without supplements but they can still be beneficial, and while you may have a great routine to get you pumped there is little you can do without using some form of supplement to get the muscle recovery you need in addition to that. Supplements are the easiest way to get great muscle recovery and great muscle growth out of your work outs.

In addition to the physical benefits to be gained with your work out from supplements they can also make your life somewhat easier. We all have social demands and habits that can stifle our progress and supplements are a great way of counteracting those negative influence on our lives. Even with the advancement in nutritional understanding however we can’t cover everything needed to get the best results just by eating right. This is where supplements are an essential part of your diet as well as your routine. We can miss a training session and all that will happen is some additional muscle recovery, but if we start to neglect our nutrition then the healing process can break down and we can lose muscle which will set us back in our progress. Nutritional supplements are as important if not more important than those to help with muscle stimulation.

To get the progress you want you may think you can go it alone, but chances are you aren’t reaching your potential and may even be holding yourself back. Supplements are required if you want to reach your goals quickly and even excel past them. Nutritional and stimulant supplements work in harmony to give you the results you want, and even if you are skeptical about the more scientific supplements thing like fish oil are basic natural add ins that can benefit your body when working out (more about bodybuilding diet here).

            When you feel the pump after working out you know that you are doing the right thing in your routine. It is instinctive. Without it your muscles cannot grow as this pump, or hyperemia as it is scientifically known, is how your muscles will get sufficient nutrients and oxygen to grow properly. During training sessions it is estimated that muscles receive up to four times the normal amount of these essential components through the blood, the blood pools in the muscles which is why you get that tight feeling. The blood is also required to remove waste products that can build up in the muscle tissue so that the muscle can work efficiently. If the muscle is performing properly and the blood is flowing well muscle growth will result. Knowing this when you have a work out and feel the pump afterwords you can know that you have done the right thing and had a good work out.

The pump can also physically affect your body. The pump will stretch the fascial layer, found between the muscles and the skin, giving the muscle more room to grow. It can also increase the number of capillaries which will then increase the nutrient and oxygen flow to the muscle in the long term. The other benefit of the pump is that it has great psychological effect on you. This is only if you’re getting a productive pump however, if it’s just cosmetic you’re not getting the work out you should be. You can get the pump without a good work out, but it won’t feel the same. Some body builders use this cosmetic pump before going on stage to make their muscles appear fuller as it brings fluid into the tissue but it is not the same thing. A real pump can only be achieved when you have a good work out.

When you work out your muscles get pumped. It is just a fact of life and how your body works, but there are different levels of pump from the cosmetic to a really good post work out pump. Knowing the difference is important but knowing that you have a really good pump after a work out is the sign that you did some good and that your muscles are growing (more about bodybuilding diet here).

            Instinctive training is where you will go to the gym simply with a notion in mind without a preconceived work out routine. For example you may have decided today to work the chest, but you have no set reps or exercises in mind. You warm up however you feel like it and then as you begin to work the chest you do whatever exercises your instinct tells you. Perhaps you do not feel like starting with the incline press you always do today and instead go for the decline. You may decide to do a high rep work out instead of a heavy work out etc etc. Instinctive training is all about listening to your body and doing what it wants to do, while still working within your desired muscle field. Some find that continuing to repeat the same work out over and over will get them results, this is not the case for most people though they stick with it. They continue to slowly progress and, though it is progress, they could benefit so much more from training instinctively to  get results if they listened to their bodies and trained instinctively.

For those who are just beginning it is best to stick with a routine until you get the hang of it and to avoid injury from lack of skill. There is also the danger that you may skip working out muscle groups simply because you dislike them, leg work for example. Instinctive training is not an excuse to avoid exercises you don’t like, but it does mean you can decide when you do them. As an experienced body builder you know what exercises will work for the results you want so you won’t waste your time on a routine that will not give you results. Instinctive training is best for those who have more muscle maturity and age. This is mostly because at that point your muscles already have the experience and muscle memory for many of the exercises you do which can make them lazy. Changing it up with instinctive training helps to keep them guessing and give you a better pump and better results.

Instinctive training is all about listening to your body and doing what you feel is right for your routine. It is only recommended for those with prior knowledge of body building technique to avoid wasting your time on “silly” work outs and not getting the desired results. When used properly instinctive training can be greatly beneficial for getting a great pump and great results (more about bodybuilding diet here).

          We as a culture love beer. It is simply a ritual that almost everyone indulges in in some social capacity, however we are also becoming more conscious of our health. Excessive alcohol use leads to a variety of health complications as well as the dangers of addiction which many of us are all to aware of. As a culture we promote binge drinking and push alcohol sales to the limit, that it’s alright and even expected for adults to drink. There have been so many contradictory studies it’s hard to know which is true and whether or not a few beers really might not be a good thing.

 The accepted vernacular is that one or two beers on a Friday won’t do anything. Moderate alcohol consumption is the key to drinking without having side effects from your behavior. Moderate alcohol consumption has been shown to reduce the risks of heart disease, lower the risk of gall stones and several potential links between strokes and diabetes have also been discovered. Alcohol thins the blood which can be greatly beneficial for those at risk of blood clots or with high blood pressure which is why there are dietary guidelines for alcohol intake. However, these benefits have also only been found for older adults who may already be at risk for these diseases or have factors like high cholesterol.

In fact if you are a younger adult moderate alcohol consumption may actually cause the opposite and be more harmful than beneficial. If you’re a woman for example moderate alcohol use can lead to folate deficiency and a higher risk for breast cancer. Folate is not such a well known vitamin that we know it is essential in our diet instinctively but it is still there. Consider taking a multivitamin to counter act the effects and it should not be an issue. Other situations such as pregnancy or have medications that may interact with alcohol are important to discuss with your doctor before you go ahead and indulge.

According to recommended dietary guidelines moderate alcohol consumption (if you are drinking only beer) is defined as up to one alcoholic drink a day (approximately 12oz) for women and two for men. These amounts change if you are drinking harder spirits or  wines. Generally alcohol is pretty safe however, you have to drink a lot on a regular basis to cause lasting damage to your body. This does not mean a free for all however and moderation is key with alcohol intake so that it retains the benefits without causing your body harm.

One or two beers on a Friday is certainly within moderation, as long as you are not at risk for addiction or have other factors that can be negatively affected by alcohol there should not be a reason why you can’t relax. Keep in mind the factor of moderation though, our culture promotes heavy alcohol intake and doing so is not healthy. Stick within your limits and keep to one or two beers and it may even be beneficial for you health (more about bodybuilding diet here).

You wouldn’t go to the fridge and drink out dated milk so why would use try and build muscle with outdated information? At some point we have all heard the 8 to 12 repetition range bandied about for optimum growth. In 1954 this was true, almost 60 years later hopefully science has learned a little more about musculature and in fact it has. Heavier weights at less repetitions will induce the type of muscle growth you want and better strength. Varying the repetition range can also help to stimulate all types of muscle growth and keep your muscles growing rather than stagnating.

With repetitions comes sets and in 1948 a physician decided that 3 sets was an ideal number. There isn’t anything wrong with that if you’re trying to do more reps that is. The number of sets is not determined by an outdated recommendation but a better rule would be that the more repetitions you do the less sets you need and so on. This will help keep the total number of repetitions equal regardless of how many you do per set.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger was hot on the body building circuit he claimed that doing 3 or 4 exercises per muscle group would ensure you worked all the fibers of the target muscle. That was in 1966. If you do the math at the old 8 to 12 repetitions that means up to 144 repetitions per muscle group, and frankly if you can do that many you aren’t working hard enough. The harder you work the less time you can spend sustaining the same intensity and it is unlikely you will get anywhere close to 100 repetitions. A more realistic number would be 25 to 50 total repetitions such as 5 sets of 5 or 15 repetitions of 3 exercises. If you can reach a higher number you aren’t working out smart.

Whenever we work out we are conscious of the threat of injury and keeping your knees from going past your toes is dangerous. In theory this would be true as in 1978 Duke University discovered that keeping the lower leg as vertical as possible would minimize shearing forces on the knee. However  in 2003 the University of Memphis did a much more updated study that found that it also increased hip stress over 1000% trying to keep the knees behind the toes which in turn caused more frequent back injury. Athletes that can focus on remaining as upright as possible to reduce stress on the hips trying to keep forearms perpendicular to the floor while squatting.

When you lift weights it is important to draw in your abs at the same time. This isn’t really a myth, it is in fact true but the myth is that doing so does not support your spine at all. The research, conducted in 1999, was accurate in deciding that pulling in abdominal muscles while lifting helped prevent back pain but this is not unanimously true as different exercises will require different muscles. By focusing on what may be the wrong muscles for your body to lift you often neglect the right muscles and are in fact more prone to injury. It is better to simply brace the abs but not necessarily draw them in to improve stability and performance.

Building muscle can be a confusing process if you don’t know where your information comes from. To avoid using outdated science make sure your research methods thoroughly before just going with what everyone else is doing and hoping for the best results.

When you go grocery shopping – buy organic. Organic milk contains about 70% more omega-3 fatty acids than regular milk without all the estrogen and other unwanted hormones. It is also 500% higher in Conjugated Linoleic Acid. Both of these will help you to drop fat so shelling out the extra for organic beef and dairy is worth the money.

Dairy products themselves are rich in calcium which helps regulate hormones in the body that can inhibit fat burning. A low calcium intake can actually suppress fat burning and increase belly fat.

Whey protein, a dairy product, is added to many people’s diets as a snack or boost, studies show those who consume a whey supplement tend to eat less at meals, citing that they are already full. Whey has also been discovered to increase levels of cholecystokinin and glucagonlike peptide-1 which lower hunger.

Choosing the right snack can also be important. Slower digesting whole grains can help prevent insulin spikes which will amp up fat storage. Studies have shown that subjects who consume only whole grains in their diet have substantially less abdominal fat.

- Grapefruit can be another great snack that lowers insulin levels. Studies have shown those who either drink grapefruit juice or eat the whole fruit as part of their diet have limited fat storage.

- Apples are also a great fruit to add into your diet since they are a slow digesting carb. Polyphenols found in apples have also been shown to directly improve the body’s own ability to burn fat.

- Eggs have really gotten a bum rap since cholesterol was discovered to be bad. The truth is these are packed with protein that promotes muscle strength. Many who eat eggs as part of their nutrition actually consume less calories because they feel sated from the higher protein intake.

- High protein intake is important in that it promotes hypertrophy and enhances fat loss. Those who eat an adequate level of protein lose more body fat as a percentage of weight loss. Protein has also been attributed to increasing levels of peptide YY  which decreases feelings of hunger.

- Fat is another thing that many shy away from when trying to lose weight but in fact certain fats like omega- 3′s actually promote weight loss. Fatty fish such as salmon is full of them and even contains plenty of protein as well.

- Fish oil supplements can also be a way to get essential omega-3 fatty acids that will promote fat loss.

- Fats can also be found in nuts and a lower calorie high fat diet has been shown to lower body fat, and specifically abdominal fat, when compared to a similar calorie diet that was lower in fat but higher in carbohydrates.

- Avocados are full of good monounsaturated fats but also contain a sugar that prevents insulin release and increases calcium absorption. Adding a quarter of an avocado to your meal, or making dressing from it is a great way to get those needed fats in your diet.

Most people won’t want to even consider this option but hot peppers contain an ingredient called Capsaicin which boosts calorie burning and can reduce the feeling of hunger. In fact researchers have shown that even adding crushed red pepper flakes to a meal can boost fat burning during exercise.

Soy over the years has transitioned from miracle food to demon and back again. IT is a proven fat burner however. In 2008 researchers found that those whose intake contained at least 20g of soy lost significant amounts of abdominal fat.

With any meal also comes drink, and though we know to stay away from soda green tea can be a welcome substitute. The main ingredient in green tea inhibits the hormones that lower metabolism rate and by doing so help you to burn more calories.

You can even have a green tea supplement added to your diet to increase these effects, as the more concentrated supplement can provide better absorption of the key ingredient found in green tea.

Black or Oolong tea has also been shown to increase metabolic rate and decrease the levels of the hormone cortisol which causes the body to store fat in the belly’s adipose cells.

Certain energy drinks have also been shown to boost fat loss by their tendency to increase heart rate and metabolism. Studies even showed that participants lose weight without changing their diet or exercise simply by adding an energy drink.

Though we might be inclined to think diet drinks would help with fat loss they can actually do the opposite. The artificial sweetness can increase the release of insulin as well as impede your brain’s ability to determine adequate calorie intake.

Regardless of what you drink in between it is always a good idea to make sure you have an adequate water intake. Cold water especially has been shown to boost metabolic rate temporarily.

Fat burning it not just about calories in – calories out, it is also to do with what you eat. There are several different dietary points you should follow to make sure what you eat is the most productive way of burning fat for you.