I receive emails every single day from aspiring muscle-builders all over the world

I receive emails every single day from aspiring muscle-builders all over the world, and one of the most common questions I'm asked is "does drinking really affect the muscle growth process?" I'm sorry to say it, but yes, too much alcohol will almost definitely have a significant negative impact on your muscle-building results. Alcohol is far more harmful than most people think, and it's very important that you understand how this drug (yes, alcohol is a drug) is affecting your progress. This is not an anti-drug speech, but if you're serious about achieving a truly impressive physique, you should definitely be aware of the 5 main ways that alcohol is slowing down your gains...



1) It negatively affects protein synthesis.

Protein synthesis is the process where amino acids are joined together to form complete proteins. Excessive alcohol consumption slows this process down by up to 20%, and since your muscles are made up of protein, you can see how this is a problem.

2) It lowers testosterone levels and increases estrogen.

Testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body. One of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can gain is their level of free-flowing testosterone.

3) It causes dehydration.

The kidneys must filter very large amounts of water in order to break down the alcohol, and this can result in severe dehydration within the body. Water plays an absolutely crucial role in the muscle-building process, and being even slightly dehydrated is a recipe for disaster. The muscles alone are comprised of 70% water.

4) It depletes the body of vitamins and minerals.

Alcohol consumption causes vitamins A, C, the B's, calcium, zinc and phosphorus to all be drained at rapid rates. Vitamins and minerals keep every little process in your body functioning properly, and many of these processes involve muscle growth and maintenance.

5) It increases fat storage.

With 7 empty calories per gram, alcohol can actually be quite fattening. Alcohol also disrupts the Kreb's Cycle, which plays an important role in fat burning.

It's important to have fun in life, but too much fun can lead to problems. If you're serious about achieving significant muscle-building results, you definitely need to monitor your intake of alcohol and make sure that you are consuming it in moderation. A few drinks here and there shouldn't be a problem, but if you find yourself drinking every weekend you can almost certainly kiss your muscle gains goodbye.

If you do decide to go out and party, make sure to drink plenty of water and to properly nourish yourself with vitamins/minerals and a protein rich meal.

I don't recommend revolving your entire life around your muscle-building program, so don't be afraid to go out and have a good time once in a while. Just make sure to keep your drinking nights infrequent (no more than once a month) and properly nourish yourself to lessen its effects. As long as you monitor what you're doing you can achieve an impressive physique and have a social life at the same time.

Try and name a sport that you can participate in

Try and name a sport that you can participate in even if you are an old person. Chances are, you will have a hard time naming even one. But if you named bodybuilding, you are dead on right.

Bodybuilding is the art and science of developing the musculature of your body via certain kinds of physical exertion and diet whose end goal is to showcase the body for competitive exhibition. The most popular kind of bodybuilding exercise is weightlifting or weight training.

What makes bodybuilding so appealing is that it is a sport that everyone of any age can participate in. The only requirements are that one be in relatively good physical condition, has access to gym equipment, and can financially afford the lifestyle it demands.

What are the different types of bodybuilding workouts? Well, it depends first on whether your body type is that of an ectomorph, endomorph, or mesomorph.

An ectomorph is considered the slow gainer among bodybuilding types. He needs to slow down his hyper metabolism in order to gain muscle size and strength. This means his exercise routine should be severe enough to trigger muscle growth yet short enough to
avoid nervous drain.

An endomorph, on the other hand, has a sluggish metabolism. He needs some kind of stimulating exercise every session in order to rev up his metabolism. Also, an endomorph should restrict his calorie intake due to an over-efficient digestive system that makes him gain weight easily.

The luckiest among the body types (as far as bodybuilding is concerned) is the mesomorph. A true mesomorph is able to gain muscle even with little effort on his part. Mesomorphs can be said to be gifted with muscle-building abilities, the Chosen People of bodybuilding.

No one belongs solely to one body type. Most people can be said to be a mixture of the three. However, one body type usually dominates a person's build so that it is relatively easy to categorize bodybuilders.

Despite one's body type, there are common techniques to follow when bodybuilding. These are:

1. Keep a training diary so that you can monitor your
progress and determine what you should aim for in the future.

2. Pay attention when lifting any kind of weight to avoid injury. Carelessness is probably the foremost cause of injuries in bodybuilding.

3. Choose the types of exercises that can contract as many muscle fibers as possible during one set. This will maximize the effectiveness of the core repetitions which make up most of one's training.

4. Warm up properly prior to doing any exercise to prevent injury.

5. Don't change the technique of doing any exercise unless you know what you are doing. Experimenting is another cause of injury.

6. Don't do those exercises which are known to cause tendon or joint damage.

7. Good exercise style prevents injury. So keep proper form while exercising.

8. Learn to distinguish between the pain caused by lactic acid build-up within the muscle, and the pain caused by a serious injury. Mistaking one for the other could cause you to keep exercising despite being injured, thereby worsening the injury. Rest if you are injured.

9. Practice stretching before working out. This also helps you ward off injuries.

Hopefully, these tips will help you enjoy participating in the sport of bodybuilding.

There are many factors to consider when you want to know how long

There are many factors to consider when you want to know how long it takes for you to gain and build muscle mass. Questions like are you eating enough and the right nutrients to accelerate muscle growth, are you exercising correctly and regularly and do you have the genes for quick muscle growth need to be addressed.


In this article, we shall discuss whether you have the genetic make up to gain and build muscles quickly. Don't despair if you don't because this is only one of the several factors that determine how long it takes for you to build muscle mass.


It is certainly helpful to know your body type when you want to build muscles. By knowing your own body type, you can then plan your nutritional and exercise program to suit your specific body type to encourage muscle growth.


We shall discuss the 3 common body types and their characteristics here.


? Endomorph: You have naturally big frame body and usually have a round face, wide hips, big bones and slow metabolism. You are the type that gain weight and body fat easily. However, you also have potential for gaining muscle mass quickly. Only problem is that your muscles may be hiding under your body fat making you look big bulky and clumsy. Your six pack abs is hidden under your tummy fat is not going to show.


So you will have to build muscles and then burn off the fats to reveal your muscle definition. That means you will take slightly longer time than the next body type to show off your muscle gain and mass because you need time to cut away body fats as well.



? Mesomorph: You are blessed with a naturally muscular body and have wide shoulders, small waist, athletic body frame structure, low body fat with a somewhat high metabolism. With your natural predisposition, you can pack on muscles real fast and are the type that can take up bodybuilding as a career if you want to. You excel naturally in sports and will always have that sexy and handsome body that is to everyone's envy.


You are the type that will not take a long time to see your muscle gaining size, mass and definition. In fact, if you train, eat and rest correctly, you will visibly see your muscles growing week after week right before your eyes until you hit a body building plateau.



? Ectomorph: You are the skinny type with small muscles, very very high metabolism, narrow shoulders, hips and waist. You find it hard to put on weight and muscles no matter how much you eat. You will need much more greater effort than others to build muscle mass on your skinny frame. People call you the hard gainer.
You will take a longer time and need extra effort to gain muscle mass. Although it can be done, it is a constant battle for you because you are fighting what nature has given you.

Most people fall in between the three types. For example, a person can be a mixture of Mesomorph and Endomorph or Mesomorph and Ectomorphs.



Now that you have identified your body type, you can then write down your goals, objectives and the methodology you wish to take to gain muscle mass. By having a specific body building program to follow, it allows you to take concrete actions each day to achieve your muscle gain goals.


How long does it take to build muscles and gain muscle mass certainly depend the body type you have but it will also depend on numerous other factors as well.

I receive emails every single day from aspiring muscle-builders

I receive emails every single day from aspiring muscle-builders all over the world, and one of the most common questions I'm asked is "does drinking really affect the muscle growth process?" I'm sorry to say it, but yes, too much alcohol will almost definitely have a significant negative impact on your muscle-building results. Alcohol is far more harmful than most people think, and it's very important that you understand how this drug (yes, alcohol is a drug) is affecting your progress. This is not an anti-drug speech, but if you're serious about achieving a truly impressive physique, you should definitely be aware of the 5 main ways that alcohol is slowing down your gains...

1) It negatively affects protein synthesis.

Protein synthesis is the process where amino acids are joined together to form complete proteins. Excessive alcohol consumption slows this process down by up to 20%, and since your muscles are made up of protein, you can see how this is a problem.

2) It lowers testosterone levels and increases estrogen.

Testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body. One of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can gain is their level of free-flowing testosterone.

3) It causes dehydration.

The kidneys must filter very large amounts of water in order to break down the alcohol, and this can result in severe dehydration within the body. Water plays an absolutely crucial role in the muscle-building process, and being even slightly dehydrated is a recipe for disaster. The muscles alone are comprised of 70% water.

4) It depletes the body of vitamins and minerals.

Alcohol consumption causes vitamins A, C, the B's, calcium, zinc and phosphorus to all be drained at rapid rates. Vitamins and minerals keep every little process in your body functioning properly, and many of these processes involve muscle growth and maintenance.

5) It increases fat storage.

With 7 empty calories per gram, alcohol can actually be quite fattening. Alcohol also disrupts the Kreb's Cycle, which plays an important role in fat burning.

It's important to have fun in life, but too much fun can lead to problems. If you're serious about achieving significant muscle-building results, you definitely need to monitor your intake of alcohol and make sure that you are consuming it in moderation. A few drinks here and there shouldn't be a problem, but if you find yourself drinking every weekend you can almost certainly kiss your muscle gains goodbye.

If you do decide to go out and party, make sure to drink plenty of water and to properly nourish yourself with vitamins/minerals and a protein rich meal.

I don't recommend revolving your entire life around your muscle-building program, so don't be afraid to go out and have a good time once in a while. Just make sure to keep your drinking nights infrequent (no more than once a month) and properly nourish yourself to lessen its effects. As long as you monitor what you're doing you can achieve an impressive physique and have a social life at the same time.

If you want to start bodybuilding

If you want to start bodybuilding, there are a few things you should know before you begin training so that you optimize your workout and stay safe. The number one mistake beginners make is that they don't do their research before starting, and so they don't see results. If you don't see results, you'll probably get frustrated and stop training. Instead, learn how to efficiently tone your muscles and maintain a healthy lifestyle so that you get the results you always wanted.

First and foremost, before starting any new exercising program, consult your doctor. This is especially good advice for teens and young adults who may not be done growing yet. In any case, your doctor can recommend a good workout as well as do tests on your hormonal levels to make sure that your body is in good working condition. Ask your doctors for advice on gyms as well-since he or she is in the business of keeping people healthy, your doctor probably belongs to a gym and can give you some recommendations.

Next, learn the parts of your body. Weight training and muscle toning is most efficient when you train your entire body first and then concentrate on specific parts to get the muscles of your dreams. That means you shouldn't be in the gym every day just trying to get a six pack! Also do training with weights for your arms, legs, chest, shoulders, and back. Remember to stretch to promote healthy muscle growth and to keep your body elongated.

You won't gain lots of muscle if you don't also stick to a healthy diet. Learn the difference between good carbohydrates and fats and bad carbohydrates and fats. Drink plenty of water or sports drinks with your meals to prevent dehydration and learn the effects of sugar on the body to keep you insulin levels in check. Eating the right foods, as well as maintain an overall healthy lifestyle such as not smoking and getting enough sleep will help you achieve your weight training goals.

Lastly, seek advice from those around you. If you join a gym, they will be able to provide you with instructors who can teach you how to use the machines and give you weight training exercises to do. You can also seek advice from others who participate in body building, but remember that you are a beginner, so there is no shame in not doing as intense of a workout as seasoned trainers do. Know your body's limits and do not overtrain. By keeping your habits healthy and following the advice of professionals, you will be well on your way to cut muscles and a leaner body.

As a fitness personal trainer and weight loss consultant

As a fitness personal trainer and weight loss consultant, I am often asked this question,"Can I lose weight and build muscle size at the same time?"

Now let me ask you a question. If you are building muscle mass, then you are building body tissues and since muscles are dense body tissues, they are heavy. That being the case, when building muscles, you must be gaining and not losing weight right?

What these folks actually meant was that whether they can lose body fat and build muscle mass at the same time. Yes, it is possible to lose fat and build muscles at the same time. However, the process can be rather complicated and it takes alot of discpline and knowledge to do that. Furthermore, results may be even slower than the conventional 2 steps bulking up and cutting down phase method.

You see, losing fat and gaining muscles are at odds with each other. This is because to lose body fat weight, you have to eat less calories than the energy your body used up in your daily activities. On the other hand, to gain muscles you have to eat more calories than your body used as its energy source. So they are contradictoins.So how to achieve the desired result simultaneously?

Well, as I said, it can be done but is quite complicated. This is the reason why most professional bodybuilders train in 2 phases. The bulking up phase and the cutting down phase.

The bulking up phase is when the bodybuilders train to put on muscle mass and don't even think of losing fat. In this process, they will actually be putting on alot of weight. They will put on muscle weight as as well as some weight from body fat because they have to eat alot to put on huge muscle mass.

When these bodybuilders put on enough muscles, they will then begin the cutting phase. It will also be alot easier to lose fat now because all the muscles they put on will help them to burn calories fast. Yes, muscles burn more calories because they need calories to sustain them.So these body builders become natural fat burner with their high metabolism at this stage.

The cutting phase is when the bodybuilders cut fat from all over their body to get that ripped definition. For ordinary people in this phase, they will get to see their body toned up nicely, their six pack abs will also begin to show. So if you want to have a well sculpted toned body, then take this 2 step approach to build muscles size first and then cut the body fat when you achieve the muscle size you wanted.

Today there are quite a lot of people who are into body building

Today there are quite a lot of people who are into body building or working out. Considering the appearance-conscious society that we live in today, many people are now going to the gym in order to have a great looking and healthy body. So, if you searching for a way to get that just right body that you can proudly show off at the beach, you should consider enrolling in fitness programs that is usually found in the gym.

The hard part about getting a great well toned muscular body like you might have seen some of the professional bodybuilder have in the gym is it takes a lot of work and discipline. You will have to stick to a very structured set of guidlines probably developed by your trainer. This can be difficult and trying at times. However one way to maximize your results and see the results of your efforts in the gym much more quickly is through the use of supplements. You have probably seen the big professional body builders in the gym right? Most of them are taking a wide variety of supplements to help them gain rock hard muscle quickly. There is no magic pill you will still have to workout regularly and stick to your diet but a supplement can improve your results.

These supplements can be used even by beginner body builders. If you want to see fast results, you should consider taking body building supplements that can help you see results at the quickest time possible.

Important Supplement Facts
Unfortunately there is no body building supplement currently on the market or in stores anywhere that will build muscle for you while you sit back on the couch and enjoy eating ice cream. Supplements are natural nutritional supplements that will help you in working out harder and recovering faster. However no supplement will do the work for you.

Be Careful About
There are many different types of supplements on the market and a wide range of possible effects that they might have. You therefore have to be careful and think about what you are putting in your body instead of just popping them in your mouth. You will want to stay away from any illegal body building drugs like anabolic steroids. These can have serious side effects and even do long term permanent damage to your body. It is best to stay with all natural legal supplements like you can purchase at GNC.

Most Effective Supplements
One of the effective supplements to start off with is Creatine. This is a natural supplement that you body already creates. Creatine is naturally created in your liver, pancreas, and kidney area and then it is transported to your muscles through your blood. Creaine is used by the body to restore any damaged muscles. Therefore following a really hard session at the gym you have broken down your muscles and basically torn or damaged them. There is some creatine in your muscles already and that is how the body naturally heals itself. However, by taking extra creatine in supplement form your body has more available and therefore the muscles can rebuild more quickly. Many people also report that they are able to workout harder then without the supplement. It is great at giving short boosts of energy and power while lifting.

Additionally you might want to consider taking a whey protein supplement. Obviously you naturally get some protein by just eating regular food on a daily basis. However, the body is only able to absorb so much of the protein when you are eating. By taking a supplement you can add to and enhance the amount of protein available in your body. As we all know protein is one of the major building blocks of the body. So after a strenuous workout when your muscles have been broken down by taking whey protein you provide everything your body needs to repair itself quickly.

There are many different effective body building supplements and as you spend more time working out talk with others in the gym and see what they use. Also if you have a personal trainer then talk to them about a supplementation program. As long as you are taking all natural supplements there is very little bad or harm your body. Just make sure you keep your supplements to a reasonable amount a little each day will do wonders but don't over do it.