It’s like this — muscle doesn’t grow during exercise. Instead, it grows when you sleep after a workout. Vigorous exercise wears and tears your muscles down, and sleep repairs them. This is why you’ll need the right kinds of nutrition — so that your body can replace and build its muscles while you’re asleep.

Good muscle building nutrition is a combination of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals, and water. This is the reason why food items like pasta and chicken seem to be popular in bodybuilding diets. You’ll need carbohydrates for energy, and proteins for muscle building.

Protein contains the amino acids that the body needs to grow muscle. The amount of protein you need depends on the amount and intensity of exercise you do, but the loose rule of thumb stands at 1.0 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That means if you weigh 65kg (143lbs), then you’ll need about 65-91 grams of protein a day.

But how much you take in is just as important as WHAT you take in. That means you’ll have to swear off junk food, sodas, and other foods that contain “empty” calories. If you’re not sure how much of what to eat, use the new food guide pyramid.

It’s true when they say that muscle building nutrition takes up about 75% of the bodybuilding process, and exercise only about 25%. But remember that more isn’t necessarily better when it comes to nutrition. The key word in “balanced diet” is BALANCED — eat only the right amounts, and your workouts will pay dividends when you hit the sack.

#1 – Steroid use can result in many different physical side effects.

Among the most common side effects of steroid use are nausea, headaches, severe acne, and hypertension. Some of these side effects can be pretty life-threatening, and continued use of steroids can put your health at serious risk. I doubt any bodybuilding competition or sports event is worth any of that.

#2 – Worse, steroid use can cause serious psychological breakdowns.

People need to take large doses of steroids to enhance muscle gain, and large amounts of steroids have been known to turn users very angry and aggressive. This is what’s popularly known as “roid rage.” There have even been documented cases of users murdering their families, then killing themselves.

What’s worse, these were good, happy people who would have never done such a thing without the influence of these substances.

#3 – It simply isn’t legal.

You can say whatever you want about steroids, but the fact of the matter is that it’s illegal. Only doctors and vets can use steroids to treat patients, but getting them elsewhere is against the law. Even if you’re taking only minute amounts of it, it can lead to your disqualification from any competition, gym, or sports event you’re part of.

You don’t really want to risk going to jail just to get bigger muscles, right? Besides, steroids don’t really work predictably — you might end up with huge back muscles but tiny chest muscles, or a huge biceps and tiny triceps… you get the picture.

So keep it real and steer clear of steroids. In the long term, you’ll be thankful you did.

#1 – Supplements are meant to be an advanced item in your muscle building regimen.

Supplements are designed to help bodybuilders who are already well into their fitness regimens, and are willing to stay that way. They’re not suited for those who are still looking for which diet, exercise routines, and lifestyle suits them best. Supplements are an advanced item in a muscle building regimen, and they won’t work for you when you haven’t grasped the basics yet.

#2 – Supplements may not work if your body is unprepared for them.

The bodies of active muscle builders are already conditioned to receive the supplements, whereas the bodies of starters aren’t. You may end up frustrated if you try supplements too early in your regimen.

#3 – Supplements may cost you an arm and a leg.

What’s worse, many of the more costly supplements out there don’t really work. Why risk it? You can put the money to better use by buying healthier food alternatives, and maybe a few pieces of exercise equipment for the home.

When you’re only starting out on your fitness regimen, you’ll have to focus most of your efforts in sticking to your workout routines and eating a balanced diet at all times, as well as getting enough rest to let your muscles recover and grow. This requires a lot of discipline, and you don’t get it overnight, either!

Once you’ve more or less gotten a good grasp of your own special fitness “blueprint,” then you can identify problem spots that supplements can address. That’s why they’re called “supplements” in the first place — they’re meant to plug the leaks in your fitness ship.

When some inexperienced bodybuilders set goals, they make the mistake of focusing too much on the desired result. Of course, starting with your eyes set on the prize is a good thing, since it motivates you to go through your routines. But focusing on the results is only half of the equation — you’ll also need to focus on your actions in getting there.

Let’s say you set a goal of gaining 10 pounds of muscle over the next three months. Focusing on the end results — having a body with 10 extra pounds of lean muscle — is a great motivation. But remember that there are certain biological reactions in your body that control muscle growth, such as genetics, in play. You can’t control these things, and they may hamper your progress.

When some bodybuilders realize they’re not making as much progress as they hoped, they get discouraged and may even quit the regimen altogether. Don’t make the same mistake — this is why it’s important to focus on your actions as well.

While you can’t control things like genetics, you CAN control most other things, such as your diet and your exercise routine. Remember that what you can control can just be the game-breaker in your muscle building plans. They’re your best chance of achieving your goals.

So if you’re worried about the variables in your muscle building regimen, stop — there’s no use worrying about things you can’t control. It’s best to focus your attention on the things you DO have control over, and use them to your advantage.

Tired of wasting your money on the latest supplement fad?

If you’ve been eager to learn how to gain muscle weight, you may have found yourself flipping through a popular bodybuilding magazine. Did you know that many of these magazines either own supplement companies or have a close business relationship with them?  Their job is to sell you supplements, not to help you build muscle.  If you’re serious about beginning a weight training program, you need to learn the fundamentals before you even consider wasting your money on what you see in magazine advertisements.  You can gain massive amounts of muscle without turning to dangerous or expensive pills.  Learn how to gain muscle naturally now.

Less is More

Strength training is one of the fundamental components of bodybuilding.  If you want to gain muscle, you have to stimulate muscle growth by lifting progressively heavier weights.  However, did you know that you may be sabotaging your own workouts if you spend too much time in the gym? Did you know that recovery is a crucial aspect of strength training?  If you don’t get adequate rest in between workouts, your muscles cannot get bigger. Discover the best strength training programs to maximize your progress.

You can gain incredible amounts of muscle

If you’re a skinny guy or hardgainer, gaining weight may seem like an impossible task at times.  It may seem like genetics has gotten the better of you, but don’t let this discourage you in your quest to become stronger.  Gaining weight, specifically muscle mass, is really about two simple concepts: strength training and increasing calories. Of course, eating chips and cookies all day won’t do much to build muscle.  You need to follow a solid program that includes a healthy diet with plenty of protein and the right kind of strength exercises. Learn how to gain weight naturally without wasting your money on needless supplements.

With all the controversy over professional athletes taking steroids, you would think the debate would be over by now. However, the truth is that many bodybuilders, both beginners and experienced trainees alike, often face a temptation of using illegal substances to enhance their performance.

In case you haven’t made up your mind one way or the other, here are a few reasons to consider sticking with natural bodybuilding routines.   Health risks According to the U.S. Department of Justice web site, the side effects of steroid use can include all kinds of conditions from cancer and high blood pressure to baldness and infertility. Emotional problems can include depression, mood swings, and rage. Sounds pretty appealing, huh?   They are Illegal In the United States, the possession of steroids without a medical prescription is a federal crime punishable by up to seven years in prison. Other countries such as Canada and Australia have similar laws, and steroids have been banned by all major sport competitions throughout the world.   Reputation Once you decide to cross the line and into the world of steroid use, you will likely be labeled as a cheater by your colleagues who have stayed natural. Sooner or later the word will spread, and your reputation will be tarnished. What’s the point of having a strong muscular physique if you don’t feel proud of having accomplished it with natural bodybuilding workouts?

At this point you may be wondering what about supplements like creatine?

Expert trainer Vince Delmonte tells us that nutritional supplements make very little difference in a muscle building program.

“Assuming your training, nutrition, lifestyle, and sleep habits are operating on the optimal end of the spectrum, introducing supplements will make a 10% difference at best. And generally I would say they make the 1 to 2% difference because they only work in synergy when you’re training, nutrition and lifestyle are dialed in – and for most guys taking supplements, this is not the case. So what’s the solution? A natural bodybuilding diet and weightlifting program.”