gym guide ideas

Gym guide Ideas

Just five minutes in the outdoor gym every day can lead to improvements in mood and self esteem, as
51. Take 20 grams of whey protein
Researchers from Victoria University Australia reported that subjects who consumed a protein and creatine supplement immediately before and after workouts over a 10 week period increased muscle mass by 87%, bench press strength by 36%, squat strength by 27% and deadlift strength by 25%, and decreased bodyfat by 3%, more than a group taking the supplement before breakfast and before bed.
52. Take 200 400 mg of caffeine
Research shows that caffeine taken preworkout increases fat burning and endurance and blunts muscle pain during training, which means you can do more reps. A more recent study, from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, indicates that subjects who took a caffeine supplement before their workouts immediately increased their one rep max 1RM on the bench press by about 5 pounds. Studies show caffeine supplements work better than caffeine from coffee.
53. Take 3 5 grams of arginine
One study reported in the journal Nutrition that trained subjects who took arginine supplements for eight weeks increased their 1RMs for the bench press by almost 20 pounds more than those who took a placebo.
54. Add 2 teaspoons of cocoa extract
University of California, Davis, scientists discovered that a flavonol called epicathechin in cocoa boosts NO levels and blood vessel dilation. If you ve taken your NO and had a preworkout salad, this will keep NO levels higher longer.
55. Use forced reps on your last sets
A Finnish study found that when subjects performed a workout with forced reps a spotter helped them get through their sticking points to get a few more reps, their growth hormone GH levels were almost 4,000% higher than without using forced reps. For the last set of each exercise after reaching failure, go for 2 3 extra forced reps, but utilize these sparingly to prevent overtraining.
56. Don t train to failure on every set
Australian scientists have reported that training with one set to failure increases strength better than taking no sets to failure. However, when subjects did more than one set to failure, strength gains were lowered by almost half compared to the subjects doing just one set to failure.
57. Keep your focus on the muscle you re training
British researchers discovered that subjects who focused on their biceps while doing biceps curls had significantly more muscle activity than those who thought about other things. More muscle recruitment can result in more muscle growth in the long run. Be sure that for every rep of every set during your workout you re thinking about the muscles being trained, instead of wondering where that blonde wearing the short shorts went to do her bent over rows.
58. Vary your rep speed
In another Australian study, subjects performing fast repetitions one second each on the positive and the negative portions of the rep gained more strength than subjects using slow reps three seconds each on the positive and negative because fast twitch muscle fibers have the greatest potential for strength increases. But the slow rep subjects gained more muscle mass than the fast rep subjects, likely due to the muscular time under tension and increased microtrauma. A good mix of both is the best way to maximize strength and size. Try changing from your regular controlled rep speed to 2 3 weeks of fast reps followed by 2 3 weeks of slow reps. Or try one of our programs that utilizes different rep speeds such as Speed Bumps January 2007.
59. Train with several partners
Research shows that when trained lifters attempt a 1RM in front of a group of people, they re stronger than when they lift in front of just one.
60. Use an i Pod
A study done at the Weider Research Group found that when trained bodybuilders performed a shoulder workout while listening to music on a personal MP3 player, they were able to complete an average of 1 2 more reps per set for all sets of all exercises. So for another source of motivation, create a playlist on your MP3 player of your favorite songs that jack up your adrenaline and bring it to the gym.