Catapult your Muscle Gains With Partial Reps and Isometric Contraction
Lets face it Partial range repetitions can be far more effective than full-range reps for building strength and muscle in as short a time as possible. They are basically reps done in a specific range of motion and usually involve doing only the top half or top six inches of the movement this is in your strongest range of motion.
By working only in this range of motion you can use far more weight and therefore, work your muscles harder because they can handle more resistance.
Partial range rep exercises have advantages of being safer also because the weight is prevented from entering the weakest range of motion where most injuries occur. These can be applied to almost any exercise but are more appropriate for some exercises than others.
These include the bigger compound exercises such as the Bench press, Leg press and Reverse grip lat pulldown.
Lets take the bench press for example, after performing a Full range rep warm-up, move to a smith machine or power rack (or a good spotting partner) and place the supports so the bar rests at the top half range (or six inches) from your reach so when you lie on the bench and reach up to grab the bar your arms should be about six inches from full extension.
Push the bar to the top of the movement and then back to the supports. Notice how the safety bars prevent the weight from entering the weak range of motion. Continue on to total failure.
When you lift weight in your strongest range of motion you will notice how easy it is! You will be able to use twice the amount of weight that you would use with the Full Range Reps.
Isometric Contraction is another step upwards in the intensity stakes. It is performed by holding a weight in a fixed position with the muscle fully contracted for an extended period of time. It is performed using the one set only for holds of between five and fifteen seconds.
During these holds nearly all of the muscle fibers of the target muscle are recruited, something that doesn’t happen with full range repetitions. The more muscle fibers you can recruit the more growth that can occur. I have found that by using this technique on trainees strength gains of 50% in ten weeks have often occurred.
Only one all out maximum intensity set per exercise is necessary for this type of training. If you give the first set 100% effort then there will be no more requirement for further muscle stimulation on that specific exercise.
Fortunately isometric contraction will probably be the easiest and safest way to perform strength training exercises as there are no reps and no motion of the weight, the entire set consists of holding the weight motionless for 5-15 seconds depending on what cycle you are in.
By cycling the seconds per hold, as you move into your training program from week to week the absolute intensity of the exercise increases (the weight used for the exercises increases) thus promoting more functional muscle growth. It is very important you limit the range of motion of the weight you are using.
If you do not have a strong training partner who can spot you during these lifts then you must use a power rack or a smith machine. Now lets look at a exercise and how isometric contraction works with it.
Bench Press: This exercise is best performed on a smith machine or inside a Power Rack, Position the bar within two or three inches of your extended reach. Place 50-100% more weight on the bar than you have been using for your partial reps. Push the bar up two to three inches (do not lock-out) and hold for appropriate count.
With all exercises push yourself to the limits of your capability. Most trainee’s using this method make the mistake of underestimating the weight they can lift. You can expect very significant increases in the weight used for all exercises.
So there you have it, by incorporating these two training techniques into your every day strength training programs you will be well on the way to increasing your size and strength in no time at all.
Gary Matthews
http://www.articlesbase.com/muscle-building-articles/catapult-your-muscle-gains-with-partial-reps-and-isometric-contraction-137721.html
Bodybuilding for Your Body Type
No two human beings are alike, so it should make sense that no two human beings can train the same way either. The key to successful bodybuilding, as any professional will tell you, is to know your body-know your limits and know how your body will respond to certain conditions. That said, to help optimize you bodybuilding workout, evaluate your body type. Everyone in the world falls into one of three categories: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. By determining your body category, you can help find the lifestyle that is perfect for you. As always, check with your doctor before changing your diet and workout schedule.
Ectomorphs are people who naturally have little or no fat. Usually, ectomorphs are tall and have longer limbs as well. Because of their build, most ectomorphs opt for endurance sports, like running, but if you fall into this category, you can also become a world-class bodybuilder. To start, ectomorphs need to up their calorie count and eat it more throughout the day in smaller meals. Try to increase your intake by at least 500 calories per day to help you put on the weight. Eating more does not necessarily mean eating anything, so ectomorphs need to have a high calorie but healthy diet to be successful at bodybuilding. Also, if you are an ectomorph, cut most of the cardiovascular activity from your workout and focus purely on intense weight training. Don’t overtrain, but get into the gym every 3 or 4 days for a hard full-body workout that targets all muscle groups. It is difficult for ectomorphs to gain muscle mass, but with lots of dedication, it can be done.
Mesomorphs are the people everyone envies. They’re the folks you see who eat lots of junk food, yet still have the “perfect” bodies. One trap mesomorphs easily fall into is the mindset that because they can skip workouts or eat pizza without any visible effect, it is having no effect on their bodies at all. This is not true-good genes gave you a good body, but things such as heart disease will effect you just as easily as the next person. Mesomorphs shouldn’t have to change the amount of food that they eat, but if you fall into this category, make an effort to eat healthy foods and lots of good carbohydrates. At the gym, you can choose to do a full-body training session, but it will probably be more beneficial to you to target and define muscles in specific areas.
Endomorphs also have no problem gaining muscle mass, but unlike mesomorphs, these people also have no problem gaining weight. Diet control is the key to successful bodybuilding for endomorphs-eat smaller meals spread out throughout the day and cut out the junk food. Also, drink a lot of water and try to stop eating for the day about 3 hours before your bedtime. Endomorphs shouldn’t have any problem becoming muscular, but they need to hit the gym for lots of cardiovascular workouts as well-every day if possible. This will help the fat melt from your body so that you can begin to see the muscles you are defining.
Whatever your body type, bodybuilding can be the perfect sport for you. Be sensible about your habits and be dedicated to the sport, and you will find that definition and muscle mass can be accomplished.
Tom Ambrozewicz
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/bodybuilding-for-your-body-type-59753.html
Bodybuilding News – The Latest Cutting Edge Information!
To some it’s no more than a bunch of macho men trying to flatter their already over-hyped egos. To others it’s the ultimate of sports, requiring dedication, persistence, and knowledge. Despite it’s growing popularity, bodybuilding is still considered by many to be an obscure sport offering few redeeming qualities. It’s too bad such archaic beliefs still exist as few forms of exercise offer the benefits of working out with weights.
Increasing muscle size and strength!
The most obvious benefit of bodybuilding is an increase in muscular size and strength. Working out with weights causes the muscles to grown in size and vastly increase in strength. Most forms of exercise are limited in this as there is no increase in resistance over time. Once the muscles become adapted to your bodyweight, they quickly plateau. Weight training on the other hand allows you to increase the resistance as the muscles get bigger and stronger.
Stronger bones!
Besides strengthening muscles, weight training also stimulates the body’s bones to absorb minerals, thus making them stronger. Weight training is now recommended to older people as a way to combat osteoporosis.
Fat loss too!
One of the unknown benefits of bodybuilding is its effects on metabolism and fat loss. For decades women have been told that the key to fat loss is aerobics. But it’s now known that the real key to losing fat is boosting your metabolism. Aerobics is very limited in its effects on metabolism. Working out with weights, however, produces what’s called an afterburn. This means your metabolism is revved up and will keep burning calories even after you leave the gym. How many sports can accomplish this?
And for athletes!
For those who doubt the physical benefits of weight lifting look no further than professional and college sports’ teams. Virtually all teams have strength coaches these days. By following a well-rounded bodybuilding routine, athletes not only perform better but are less susceptible to injuries.
Feeling good about yourself!
Besides its many physical benefits, bodybuilding has numerous other great qualities. As painful as strength training can sometimes feel, there is nothing more satisfying than the feeling after a good solid work-out. Bigger and stronger muscles and joints can have a dramatic impact on posture and a leaner physique tends to make everyone feel better about their appearance. The end result is improved self-esteem and increased self-confidence.
Knowledge is Power
It takes more than lifting heavy weights to build a great physique. You have to know how to lift, when to lift, and what exercises. Simply following the training routine of some professional bodybuilder is not the best approach. In fact such training may only set you back. Many such individuals are loaded up on steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. While these substances do allow bodybuilders to train harder and longer, such compounds are illegal and may cause severe side effects. Your goal in bodybuilding should be to develop a great looking physique that is also healthy. You should be thinking long-term health not short-term fix.
Besides training you also must be informed about what foods to put into your body. If you eat like crap you’ll look like crap. Sound nutrition is just as important as bench pressing or squatting. You wouldn’t put junk fuel into a high-performance racecar, so why put nutritional garbage into your body? You have to eat good to look good.
Closely related to nutrition is supplementation. All the best bodybuilders take supplements. Food supplements will help you build bigger, stronger, and leaner muscles, in a shorter period of time. But as with training and eating, there is much misinformation on supplementation floating around these days. You want to only buy the best bodybuilding supplements from reputable manufacturers. Don’t just buy the cheapest supplements. Do some research and make an intelligent choice.
Bob Howard
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/bodybuilding-news-the-latest-cutting-edge-information-19262.html
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