The three keys to rapid muscle growth Although entire books have been written about the best ways to train for rapid muscle growth, the basics can be condensed down into three key points. Ignore these principles, and you'll never make the progress you deserve...
The facts about muscle recovery It's a common belief if muscle soreness has eased, you can train that muscle group again. However, researchers from the USA have shown that your muscles are still recovering from exercise even though they no longer feel sore...
An easy way to tell if you're overtraining Although there are several reasons why many people struggle to make progress in the gym, one of the most common problems is overtraining. Overtraining occurs when the amount of stress you place on your body is more than it can handle...
How to split your training goals Many people make the mistake of asking their body to adapt in more than one direction at the same time. Instead, it's far better to split your training goals, and work on them one after the other...
The right way to plan your training programme It's easy to become so obsessed with your training that you become gullible to the advice of people who don't have the faintest idea of what it takes to build a strong, healthy body...
How to get out of a training rut the easy way Have you ever found yourself in a training "rut"? You know the feeling. You've lost the enthusiasm to train. The motivation to go to the gym on a regular basis just isn't there anymore...
Do you suffer from scrawny arms, tiny calves, or weak abs? Almost everyone, at one time or another, has found that one part of their body doesn't grow as quickly as they'd like. Maybe you don't like wearing shorts because your calves are too small...
Revealed! The danger signs that let you know if you're injured No pain, no gain is a phrase you hear all the time in the gym. However, it's important to distinguish between the pain associated with genuine effort, and the pain of a joint or muscle injury...
Ego training or weight training - you decide? Why is there this obsession with knowing how much people around you are lifting? Many newcomers to the world of bodybuilding start off on the wrong foot...
How to fit training into your lifestyle Chances are that if you're anything like me, you are near enough obsessed with your training, nutritional intake and new ways of building muscle and strength...
How to cycle your training for awesome results Well, it's Monday, so it must be chest and triceps. It's a good workout and it always gets us back into the swing of things after a hard weekend...
The tao of weight training If you take your training seriously then the chances are that you've already developed some sort of workout philosophy, a series of rules or ideas that guide you and help push you through the hard times...
A back-to-basics guide to gym essentials There are several basic training items that you should possess if you are really serious about making gains in the gym. Many people overlook the most basic items, which in the long run can hinder your progress in the gym...
How irritating are you? It doesn't matter what type of gym you train at, or the cost of membership, you will always get the same type of people with the same annoying habits. Here is a list of my top gym irritations...
The natural way to boost growth hormone If you're training to lose fat and build muscle, it's vital that you do everything possible to maximise your production of growth hormone...
Five simple steps to a better deadlift The deadlift is one of the best but most underrated movements for adding muscle mass to your entire body. The exercise involves many different muscle groups, and is...
How to build a better back even if you can't do chin-ups Because you can't see it, many people devote little time to training their back properly. To build a complete, balanced physique, you need to spend time on all of the muscles in your body (including the ones you can't see)...
The top three back training mistakes to avoid A well-developed back will set you apart from almost everyone else in the gym. The back is a complex group of many muscles. To train it properly is hard work...
Power rack training - the key to upper body strength Like the Squat Rack, the Power Rack is, for many weight-trainers, a forgotten or seldom used piece of equipment. It's incredible how many gym users don't know a Power Rack from a toast rack...
The Deadlift: Back killer or mass builder? One of the best overall tests of strength is the amount of weight a person can deadlift. The deadlift is a powerful compound movement, a total body exercise that affects nearly all the muscles in the body...
The best way to keep your shoulders injury-free Your shoulder joint has a large range of motion, but is very unstable. The rotator cuff is a system of four muscles that rotate and stabilise your shoulder...
Legs...The secret to building your whole bodyWhat do you like to work on when you’re at the gym? If you’re like a lot of the guys I meet, I bet you concentrate on your upper body training. This isn’t unusual. We all like working the ‘show-off’ muscles of the chest, arms and shoulders. But (and be honest) when was the last time you gave your legs the same attention?
Are leg extensions really safer than squats? Although the leg extension is frequently recommended as a "safer" alternative to the squat, new research shows that the squat places no more stress on ligaments in the knee than the leg extension...
The correct way to perform the deadlift Anyone wanting to build muscle size and strength should include the deadlift in their training routine. The deadlift helps to build size and strength in your back, thighs, hips, and forearms...
Squats - The King of Lifts Going back a generation guys like Reg Park, Bill Pearl, Arnold and Franco all built their huge physiques with hard work on basic compound movements. Of those compound movements the squat was considered...
Two of the dumbest mistakes about training arms Most men want big biceps. When women ask you to show them your muscles, they're the easiest muscle to show off without getting undressed. Your partner loves to wrap her arms around them...
A little-known tip for building bigger triceps The triceps (the muscles on the back of your arm) are often ignored at the expense of the biceps. However, because the triceps make up the bulk of your arm, building your triceps will do more to...
Straight or EZ bar: Which one is best for building your biceps? Although the EZ bar (a shorter bar found in many gyms with "bends" where you grip it) is often used when people train their biceps, researchers from Oklahoma State University have shown that...
Quickly pack size on your biceps with this easy-to-follow routine You'll often see people in the gym training biceps for 40 minutes or more - no wonder they haven't added even a half an inch to their arms in a year! Short and and INTENSE is the best training protocol...
Abdominals
The best way to reveal your six pack Many people are confused about the best way to train their abs. Sometimes, the word being spread around the gym isn't entirely accurate. Here are three of the most common misconceptions most people have about training their abs...
Make your ab workouts twice as effective To add some real intensity to your ab workouts, try this variation of the basic abdominal curl. Lie on the floor in your regular crunch position...