Bodybuilding Art: Amazing Changes!

Check out this amazing photo gallery and acknowledge how bodybuilding and training can change your body

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Healthy Recepies For Female Athletes (Part 3)

LUNCH:

Cauliflower and Goat’s Cheese Puree (Faux Mashed Potatoes)


Amount of calories: 75 calories per serving

Contains:
1⁄2 large head cauliflower, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces salt to taste
2 tablespoons fat-free whipping cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons freshly grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons reduced-fat goat’s cheese

Method of Preparation
Cook the cauliflower over medium heat in a large pot of lightly salted water until completely tender, 20–30 minutes. Drain the cauliflower into a colander. With a bowl or small plate, press on the cauliflower to remove all the water. Toss the cauliflower and continue pressing. This step is very important to the texture of the dish. Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Add the whipping cream and puree until completely smooth. If you like a chunkier texture, mash by hand, adding the cream after the cauliflower is mashed. Return to the pot, heat on low heat, and stir constantly. Add the butter, Parmesan, and goat’s cheese. Stir until blended and season with salt if necessary.

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7 Most Commonly Injured Body Parts

Lifting weights properly burns fat and builds muscle, but do it wrong and you'll end up having severe injuries. A 20-year study at the University of Arkansas reported more than 980,000 gym-related injuries. Here are the top seven body parts injured in the gym as a percentage of all injuries.

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BCAA: What Are They and Why Should We Take Them?

BCAA stands for branched-chain amino acids. These are often called the building blocks of protein and can only be obtained through the diet because the body cannot synthesize them. There are three BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine and valine, Put simply, BCAA supplementation protects muscles during exercise. This has benefits for both strength and endurance athletes. Recent research has shown an improvement in muscle recovery too.

It has also been shown that when consuming BCAAs in your training results in significantly less muscle breakdown. Adding just 12 grams of BCAAs per day was all that was needed to accomplish this effect. This can be incredibly important while dieting, as maintaining lean mass is vital to maximizing fat loss, as well as to achieve the body composition you began different dieting.

 

Recently it has also been shown that leucine is one of the key igniters of protein synthesis. It seems that leucine itself can stimulate insulin production, increase protein synthesis, and modulate blood sugar. This may partly explain why BCAA supplementation while dieting is so effective at maintaining muscle mass, as they stimulate the muscle building components even while in a caloric deficit.

The main recommendation of BCAA supplementation is to consume it before early morning training sessions. If you are someone who simply can’t train after eating, or prefers to train on an empty stomach, BCAA supplementation could be incredibly important for you.

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Body Weight Moves: Prevent Injury, Build Muscle and Generate Power

If you want to pack on muscular size and strength, it can be tempting to head straight for the weights and do compound lifts such as bench presses and squats rather than press-ups, lunges and other body weight exercises. There's a common assumption that body weight moves are too easy to be effective in building muscle, whereas heavy lifts break down the most fibers in your muscles, shocking them into growing back bigger and stronger. While body weight training does have its limitations - it can't effectively target your back and biceps, for instance - it offers many more benefits beyond the fact that you can do it anywhere, at any time. These moves can reduce your risk of injury, are a perfect way to warm up and can actually improve your ability to go heavier when hitting the weights.

Body weight moves are great for people who don't have a gym membership or access to kit. They are especially beneficial to beginners whose own weight is a sufficient stimulus to improve muscular size and strength. For beginners their own weight provides the right level of resistance and poses less of an injury risk: it's hard to get the form wrong, unlike lifting weights, which can be dangerous without correct form.' Body weight training can also help injury-proof more advanced trainers. Because they are compound moves that involve more than one joint movement, these exercises recruit all your small, stabilizing muscles. Press-ups are great for improving the stability of the typically delicate shoulder joints.



Ego prevents many gym-goers from doing body weight moves because they don't get you the bragging rights like a new bench press or deadlift one-rep max does. But if you are training to build muscular endurance as well as power, body weight training is ideal. That's why combat athletes are some of the biggest advocates. Although favored by fighters, body weight training has huge transferable benefits for all sports in which you need to move your body powerfully and efficiently. They are also great as a warm-up before bigger lifts, or during interval runs - sprint for 20m before doing press -ups or squats. And do them immediately after a set with weights to crank out a few more reps to really fatigue your muscles. In fact, making bodyweight training a core part of your regime could even lead to lifting heavier weights.

Although body weight moves have plenty of benefits, for bigger and stronger muscles you need to lift weights. Once your muscles can lift your own weight comfortably, you will stop making strength gain. Once you can do 20 controlled press-ups, you need to increase the load for increased strength. That's not to say that a session doing bodyweight moves is an easy session. You can make most kit-free moves harder. For example, putting your feet on a chair increases the amount of weight your upper chest and shoulders must move during a press-up. You can also work your shoulders incredibly hard by doing handstand press-ups, while single-leg pistols are far harder than standard squats. But they are still no substitute to heavy weights if you want to add size.

The big problem with bodyweight training is that it is impossible to effectively target your back and biceps. This, and the limitation on how much you can ever lift, makes kit-free moves unpopular with gym-goers who want to pack on size by isolating each muscle and developing it to its maximum potential. To develop a muscle fully you need to target your muscles from many different angles and through their full range of motion .which is only possible with free weights, machines and other special kits.

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Health Tips: How To Use Oils

Olive Oil (best used for dressings and sautéing)
Rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, extra virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olive and is processed without chemicals so is the highest-quality olive oil. Studies show it can protect the heart and reduce the risk of heart disease when eaten instead of saturated fats, such as butter. Extra virgin oil bums when heated above 350 F (177 C) so don't use it for high temperature frying.

Rice Bran Oil (best used for frying)
This oil from the germ and inner husk of rice has a very high smoke point of 490'F (254 C) and a mild, nutty flavor, which makes it a good choice for stir-fries and other frying. Rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, it's 47 per cent monounsaturated fat, 33 per cent polyunsaturated, and 20 per cent saturated.

Rapeseed Oil (best used for roasting, frying and baking)
With half the saturated fat of olive oil and high in monounsaturated fatty acids, cold-pressed rapeseed oil is rich in omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, has a slightly grassy flavor, and is a good choice if you're watching your cholesterol. It has a high smoke point-490 F-so is a good choice for roasting and frying. Use it as a butter replacement in mashed potato and even in crumbles.

Sesame Oil (best used for Asian dishes, dressings)
Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), vitamin E and natural antioxidants, this flavorsome oil is widely used in Asia, not only for cooking but also for beauty and massage treatments. Light sesame oil has a high smoke point, making it suitable for frying; dark sesame oil from the roasted seeds is better for quick cooking at lower heats. Studies have shown its high PUFA content means it may help lower blood pressure.

Flaxseed Oil (best used for dressings, dips)
Rich in good PUFAs, flaxseed, also called linseed oil, is an excellent plant source of the omega-3 fatty acid alpha linolenic acid, so it is a good choice for those who don't eat fish. Store the oil in a dark bottle in the fridge; exposure to light causes it to lose some of its fatty acids. It also suffers when heated, so drizzle on your morning porridge or muesli, salads and cooked meals.

Pumpkin Seed Oil (best used for dressings, dips)
This dark-green oil, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, has anti-inflammatory properties and is even said to help reduce cholesterol levels and ease IBS symptoms. Heating destroys its essential fatty acids, so use this tasty oil for dips and dressings.

Sunflower Oil (best used for cooking, dressings)
Several types of sunflower oil are available. High in PUFAs at 66 per cent, linoleic sunflower oil has a mild taste and a high smoke point, at 475'F, so is widely used for cooking. However, studies show polyunsaturated oils can become toxic at high temperatures, so limit your use of high-PUFA oils in cooking

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Bodybuilding: The Art of Strength (Part 6)

Check out this motivational Video with famous Arnold Schwarzenegger Working Out !

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4 Tips To Ignite Your Workout

Fire up your engine
Feeling sluggish affects how hard you can push your muscles because your central nervous system needs to be firing at full speed. So before you grab a dumb-bell, skip for 30 seconds, then do half a dozen body weight squat jumps and press-ups to get your body primed for the work ahead.

Create some space
Never stay seated on the equipment or machine you're using during your rest period, Stand up and walk away. If you create a mental and physical space between exercise and rest when you return to the bench or seat you'll be fully focused on what you are about to do.

Visualize the lift
Before the first set of each exercise. rehearse the moves in your mind. Think about the correct initial position and where you go from there until you reach the top of the move, then return to the start Not only will this mentally prepare you, it will also channel some aggression so you can hit the set hard.

Start super setting
Performing back-to-back exercises that works opposing muscle groups is a great way to push your muscles. For example, do a set of bench presses {chest) followed without rest by a set of one-arm rows (back). Testosterone levels start declining after 40 minutes of lifting, so work out within this time for the best muscle e-growing response

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What to Eat: Before, During and After Training

Before training
Cardio
To get the most out of the session, your fuel tank needs to be fully stocked. If you've eaten a main meal within three hours of starting to train you're likely to have enough energy. If not, have a simple high-carb snack such as a bagel with cream cheese or a muffin within one hour of the start of the session and that should see you through.
Weights
You need some carbs if you are to have the energy to lift weights, but you also need some protein - especially sources containing the amino acid leucine, such as lentils or beef - in your system because this will help prevent too much muscle breakdown and mean your body can start repairing damaged tissue straight away. A good example would be wholegrain toast with cottage cheese about an hour before the session.

During training
Cardio
If the session is shorter than an hour all you need to do is take on water to stay hydrated. If you train for longer then begin to consume some simple carbs in the form of energy gels or drinks, but only if you have tried them before - you don't want to upset your stomach.
Weights
All you need is water to keep you hydrated. A carb and protein shake towards the end of the session may help promote muscle repair and growth, but you won't need this if you can have a balanced meal soon after your shower.

After training
Cardio and weights
As soon as you have finished training you need to take on some carbs and protein, typically in a ratio of four to one. After a hard session your muscles' energy stores are depleted: the carbs will replenish them while the protein will help rebuild the muscles to make them stronger ahead of the next session. Because your muscles are like a sponge after training, the sooner you can eat, the more of the nutrition they will soak up.

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Basic Exercises: Leg Curl

Usually this exercise is done on the leg curl machine. No exercise works more directly on the backs of the thighs, the leg biceps. Lie on your stomach on the bench of the machine, hook your heels under the lever bar, then, holding the sides of the bench, pull the weight toward your buttocks. Bring your heels as far forward as you can, then lower the weight slowly. Let it go all the way down to give your muscles a long stretch. Be sure that your legs move only from the knees down. While training your legs do not allow your hips to help lift the weight. If you do, the curls will be far less effective. It is important to let the legs go straight, then to curl the weight up as far as possible. If a leg curl machine is not available, you can improvise by placing a dumbbell between your feet as you lie prone on a flat bench, and then curl the weight up. Naturally the curl machine is best because of its constant leverage and resistance.

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Female Bodybuilding: Beauty and Strength (Part 3)

Check out this sexy and appealing photo gallery with women involved in bodybuilding!

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Spicy Food: Fat Loss And Other Health Benefits

Chillies and other spicy foods work in a number of ways to assist fat loss. The simplest but most effective way they do so is by promoting satiety, which means you eat less during the meal and don't reach for snacks a couple of hours later. Another factor is that you are likely to drink more water, and so feel fuller sooner and eat less. Spices can also cause small increases in your metabolic rate, so you burn the fat faster. So there are benefits, but you certainly shouldn't rely on chilli alone to shift your spare tyre - a recent study found that the amount of spicy food typically eaten in a diet was not enough to have any effect on weight loss alone.


According to several researches these are the ten advantages of spicy food:

1 Aid Weight Loss
2 Lower the “bad” Cholesterol levels.
3 Improve Digestion
4 Improve Circulation
5 Prevent Cancer
6 Improve Heart Health
7 Improve Sleep Pattern
8 Improve Healing Rate
9 Improve Mood
10 Promote Better Breathing.

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Flexibiliy: An Important Element Of Training

While most exercises do not require anything other than an average flexibility, a few exercises call for more than average level of  flexibility. Perhaps the most conclusive examples are the squat and deadlift. If you have tight Achilles tendons, hamstrings, thigh adductor muscles, and glutes, for you it will be impossible to squat or deadlift in good form.

In the squat, a person is inflexible in hamstrings, thigh adductors, and glutes, and in this case you will round your lower back as you descend, lean forward excessively, and be in risk of toppling over. Back injuries will be inevitable as soon as you squat with a more serious effort. If your Achilles tendons are tight, your heels will not stay flat on the floor. And if you are inflexible in your shoulders and pectorals you might have trouble holding the bar over your shoulders with clenched hands. Regardless how good or bad your leverages are for squatting, a flexible body will go a long way to make better your squatting form.

Stretching are also of high importance in the matter of flexibility. Developing and then maintaining a flexible body is of great importance. It should become a habit for life. As you become older the stretching are becoming more important becomes. If currently you are tight and inflexible, especially in your lower body, a careful, progressive and systematic stretching routine on alternate days for 4–6 weeks is needed. Only then will you be able to adopt the necessary form in those exercises that demand a higher degree of flexibility.

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Fibers: Another Element of Strength in Your Food

Fiber is important for bodybuilders and athletes mainly because it assists in adding bulk to ones diet. It is a known fact that fruits and vegetables are valuable in providing fiber. Fiber represents that portion of the food which is not digested but helps the intestines to move the waste along. A certain amount of fiber is necessary in the diet of every human being.

Constipation is many times caused by lack of sufficient fiber and you have to make sure that your diet is varied enough to provide the needed dietary fiber for the intestinal wastes. Therefore, unless your doctor finds extra fiber to be necessary in your case, don’t go out of your way it is not required to increase greatly the quantity of fiber in your diet.

In this case take care not to overeat or stuff yourself with too much fruit pulp or bran. Remember, moderation is all the things, including your diet is essential for a man’s health. Bran and other foods like raw fruits, coarse vegetables containing a great deal of fiber and it may clog the intestines or even cause irritation and abnormal contractions or spasms of the intestinal musculature. It is appropriate to find out the most healthful diet for your particular type of digestive system and use it according to your own experience.

There are two types of fibers: The first type is soluble fiber. It feeds intestinal bacteria, which then convert it to short chain fatty acids. These than have very positive effects on the body such as inhibiting the growth of yeast and disease causing bacteria and help decreasing the risk of cancer of the large intestine. This kind of fibers also help lower blood cholesterol levels by reducing the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver This type of fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel like substance and helps to regulate blood sugar levels. The second type is insoluble fiber. This type does not dissolve in water, but instead acts on intestinal toxins and plays an crucial role in the prevention of colon and breast cancer.

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Healthy Recepies For Female Athletes (Part 2)

BREAKFAST:

Asparagus Frittata


Amount of calories: 100 calories per serving

Contains:
1⁄2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1⁄2 cup thinly sliced onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 12 cooked asparagus stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces 1⁄2 medium tomato, seeded and diced 11⁄2 cups liquid egg whites 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper 1⁄2 cup freshly grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese nonstick cooking spray
Method of Preparation
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a nonstick, ovenproof frying pan. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme. Saute until the onion is soft but not brown. Add the asparagus and cook for a minute longer. Add half of the tomato and stir a few times. Remove the vegetables and wipe out the pan. Turn on the broiler. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites, salt, pepper, and cheese together. Spray the same frying pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat on medium. Pour in the eggs and scatter the vegetables on top of the eggs. Turn the heat to low and cook 5–8 minutes until the frittata is golden brown on the bottom. Place the frittata under the broiler and cook until firm, about 5 minutes. Slide onto a plate and garnish with the remaining chopped tomato.

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The Importance of Spotting in Your Training

Spotting means help from one or more assistants and can come from a training partner or from anyone who is in the gym at the time and who is willing and able to spot you. While trainees working out solo at home are not going to have a spotter, everyone training at a public gym can usually get a spotter when needed. Good spotting helps your training in three important ways:

-To assist you with lifting the weight when you can lift it no further, e.g., when the bar stalls during a bench press ascent.
-To provide the minimum assistance to ensure that the last rep of a set is done in good form. In this case, you probably could get the rep out under your own power but your form would break down. Consider the last rep of a set of bench presses when one hand gets slightly above the other, and you feel like increasing the arch in your back in order to get that rep out. This is a dangerous situation. A spotter can make the difference between safety and injury.
-During a set you may forget a key point of form. A spotter can alert you to key form pointers while ensuring that you put forth maximum effort. You need excellent exercise form and intensity of effort.

The spotter must have an alert eye and be ready at all times of a set. He should spot with an arched lower back, not a rounded back—the spotter must be safety conscious and use good lifting form himself. He should be particularly alert when the lifter begins to struggle and good form starts to break down. An alert, serious and strong spotter should especially be present for squatting, bench pressing, and pressing, including all dumbbell pressing.

For effective spotting, the help must be applied with two hands in a balanced way. For example, spotting the bench press by putting one hand under the center of the bar will lead to the bar tipping, as will using two hands but not applying them to the bar symmetrically.

After an assisted rep, the trainee is going to be very fatigued. The spotter must help the lifter to return the bar to the weight saddles at the end of a set. If two spotters are involved, there must be excellent communication. Take the squat as an example. If there is not excellent communication, one spotter could take one end before the other spotter grabs his end of the bar. If one spotter shouts “Take it!” then the other must respond even if he thinks the assistance could have been delayed a little.

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