Learn to train properly?How should we do it.

Before we learn to swim, we first learn how to keep ourselves on top of the water right?Before we start cycling, we need to learn how to balance our selves so we don't fall on our face.It's the same in the gym.It doesn't matter if you train for big muscles, strenght or just to stay in shape.You always start from the same spot.The "path" called training starts.

Why do we need to learn how to train properly?

As there isn't a solid house that is not initiated by a stable basis -  there isn't a stable and a quality workout that is not initiated by the absorption of the right exercise habits and skills.

Where should we start from?

Of course, we start from the correct technique of execution of the various exercises. There are several ways to learn proper the technique:

From the Internet - 

In this I'm including all the e-books, videos, websites etc. This method is the fastest, easiest, and in many cases - the most misleading.On the Internet there are many places in which you can find explanations on how to perform an exercise. There are countless clips on YouTube on exercises and workouts. Unfortunately, when we are beginners we yet lack criteria by which to judge what is right and wrong and it's hard for us to distinguish the valuable from the trash. That is, if there is no one to consult with, we are left with 50-50 chances - we're fucked or we aren't fucked. And you start to do an exercise with an improper technique - it can lead to muscle imbalances and discomfort at best and severe injuries in the worst cases (muscle imbalances given time also lead to injuries). We're all familiar with all the six pack short cuts and all the hype about all the supplements that are supposedly going to make you jacked in no time.That are total bullshit, made just for money.

From a friend - 

There is definitely a plus in that the exercises will be displayed and explained by someone who has performed them and who has some experience. Another plus is that your friend can  observe and give you feedback on how you are doing and possibly - if you're doing better. A big minus is a friend that performs exercises with incorrect form - you will do the exercises exactly the same way he does. As a beginner here again there is no way to know for sure if our friends train well, so let's hope we've got friends that have good form.

A fitness instructor - 

A fitness instructor is supposed to instruct us on how to perform the exercises safely and correctly.A Plus here is that this is a his/her job and it is assumed that man has a better technique than that of our friends, and he can show and teach it better.A minus here is that this is not always the case and often people are sent to the part of the gym where all the machines are because there the risk of error is minimized (supposedly). Do not get me wrong - I know many decent guys and girls who definitely know their work. Unfortunately in this case, however, statistics are against me. Again, it is important to find a person to who will want to help us and also - a person with knowledge to teach us how to squat properly or how to lift heavy objects off the ground (for example) rather than send us to do leg curls.

A personal trainer - 

This is how we can get the most attention and the highest quality of training and instruction.That's what's mostly assumed anyways. However, people are not the same, and personal trainers are not made in a mold - each with it's own strengths and not so strong points. Here's big plus is that the personal trainers income depends directly on the number of trainees who are training under his supervision. If the practitioners are happy - there will be more practicing, if not - you know. On the other hand, the fitness instructor is usually a flat salary and in some gyms one must pay extra for personal attention, in other - it's free.However whether he is good or not it doesn't really matter because at the end of the month he gets payed the same. A personal trainer must be good if he is to make good money. And this rule has its exceptions, of course, but it's generally valid. This service is the most expensive of all, but supposedly it's the best choice.

Who should we trust?

Let us again consider the cases depending on where we choose to draw our information or from where we choose to get help:

From Internet - 

Be sure to check the information that interests you from at least 3 places. If you encounter conflicting views (which happens in almost 100% of the time) - don't get angry because everyone is saying something different, people are different it's normal. The fact that Ronnie is huge, and won several Mr.Olympias. Do some testing (carefully and wisely!) And check what works best for you.

From a friend - 

This is also important to approach consciously. What do I mean? I mean, it's not always the most buff friend you've got (for men) the skinniest girl (for women) who is the person whom you should contact for advice and demonstration. Also, if your friend / girlfriend has a bad posture and often complaints of injuries, then the person in question is hardly the best choice.

The fitness instructor -

Look for a person that has good reputation.If you don't know nothing about the guy or you're completely new, then you have nothing left but to shoot in the dark. However, you should pay attention to two things - if he is hunched and either a large bend in the waist, then I would not trust him to show me how to perform exercises correctly and how to improve my posture. Of course, again, there are exceptions.

From personal trainer - 

It's the same as the fitness instructor - good reputation is important. It is important that the man does not look unhealthy and hunched.

How to tell if we are doing well?

There are many factors that must be taken into account, the effect of most shows after some time. However there is one rule that applies to the all time and in all cases:

"If it hurts - do not do it!"

Yes, I'm familiar with the popular "No pain, no gain!" or "Bodybuilders do it till it hurts". Here, however, it's not about bodybuilders it's about beginners that are trying to learn something right. As the benefits (gains), we are talking about in this case are neither muscles nor strenght, nor relief. Those benefits are knowledge and skill.

Let me say it once again: "If there is pain - do not do it!" This of course can mean several things:

• The exercise we are doing is silly;
• The form is bad;
• The exercise is not suitable for our skeletal structure (eg. people with long femurs and short torsos have problems with the rear squat to the horizontal);
• We are lacking sufficient mobility in a joint, causing another to compensate.

A brief explanation of the last point - if our shoulders are tight, we can't do a military press with a barbell without hunching our lower back when we are raising the barbell.

Exceptions

Exception is a strong word in this case.There are some people whose muscles have atrophied so much that even with the lightest weight after a few reps they feel "pain".Well this is not actually pain it's your muscles experiencing something new and you're perceiving it as pain.Take a brake and then continue.

If you are in that category - best get a coach. At least at the beginning.

Again The Internet

Because the majority of readers here (and not only) are taught from videos and explanations read on the Internet - I will repeat - be highly critical of new information. As a final run two videos of implementing dead lift.

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Three Month Circuit Training Workout Program

One of the first options when you are a beginner are the circuit workouts. It is so popular within the beginner fitness enthusiasts that in some amateur fitness communities every beginner workout program is incorrectly called a circuit workout program. In this post I'll be introducing two workout programs fit for amateurs and for people that have just joined the gym.

Objectives and Context

• The training schedule for the first few months of training of amateur athletes, but can be used by former athletes and fitness enthusiasts, returning after a long period without strength training.
• The program is designed so that it covers all the major muscle groups.
• It is divided into two different workouts to avoid monotony and provides opportunity to learn more than the basic fitness exercises.
• Quite a few of them are on machines, which is an advantage for beginners who lack physical development.

Workout A

1.  Dead lilt with dumbbells
2.  Seated Barbell Military Press
3.  Shoulder width grip pull-downs
4.  Machine Bench Press
5.  Bodyweight Rows
6.  Close Grip Bench Press
7.  Barbell Curls
8.  Leg Press
9.  Calf Raises
10.  Hyper extensions(Back Extension) 
11.  Vertical Legs-Hip Raise

Replace 3 exercises with their shoulder width variations if you can complete the required number of repetitions.

Rest:

• A minute and a half after exercises 1 and 2;
• 2-7 minutes after an exercise;
• Half a minute after exercises 7-10;
• 2 minutes after exercise 11 (before the circuit round).

Workout B

1.  Dumbbell Squats
2.  Barbell Bench Press
3.  Wide Grip Pull Downs
4.  Hybrid:one repetition of a Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise, and one repetition of a Dumbbell Front  Raise
5.  Cable Seated Row
6.  Triceps Bench Dips
7.  Dumbbell Biceps Curls
8.  Leg Curls
9.  Calf Raises
10.  Hyper extensions 
11.  Crunches

Replace exercise 3 with wide grip pull ups and exercise 6 with triceps dips if you can the required number of repetitions.

Rest:

• A minute and a half after exercises 1 and 2;
• 2-7 minutes after an exercise;
• Half a minute after exercises 7-10;
• 2 minutes after exercise 11 (before the next circuit).

Recommendations

• Repetition range should be from 8-10. Choose a weight that will allow you do perform an additional  11th repetition with good form.
• Remember that one of your main goals of this stage is safety and proper form of the exercises.
• Alternate Workout A Workout B with three times a week.
• Be on the workout plan for three months, in the first two perform two full circuits, and the last month - three circuits.
• It is recommended that athlete is under the guidance of a qualified fitness instructor or personal trainer to help learn proper technique and safe performance.
• The first exercise - Squats and Dead Lift are the most difficult to master form-wise, but basic and mandatory for your continued preoccupation with weight training.
• Pay special attention to them, start off with light weight so you can learn the proper movement and after you feel confident in your form proceed with heavier weights.It takes 500 repetitions to learn a new movement but it takes 5000 to unlearn a wrong one.

(sources:bb-team.bg)
(picture:twitter.com)

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How much protein per day to gain muscle and be healthy.

Eating enough protein every day plays a big role in being healthy.If your goals are to gain muscle fast while losing fat,become leaner and get stronger your daily protein intake becomes even more important.
Proteins are a "macro nutrient" just like carbohydrates and fats.However protein is not stored in the body like carbohydrates and fats.It is extremely difficult for your body to convert protein into fat, so that almost never happens.Protein either gets:

•  Used as energy(If it's not used to maintain, build muscle or any other tissues)

•  Turned into glucose

•  Peed out(that's rare however.Your kidneys prevent it most of the time)

How Much Protein Should You Eat Per Day To Gain Muscle?

• For the majority of people the ideal protein intake is:

0.8-1.5g. per pound of body weight or 1.8-3.3g. per kilogram of body weight

More precisely:

• An average male/female aiming for a healthy lifestyle that does not work out or have any fitness goals should consume at least 0.5g of protein per pound of body weight or 1 gram per kilogram of body weight.

• A male/female performing any type of exercise, aiming to build muscle, lose fat, maintain muscle and/or improve performance should consume a minimum of 0.8g of protein per pound of body weight or 1.7g of protein per kilogram of body weight.A general rule of thumb is that 1g of protein per pound of body weight is completely enough.

This may be a little confusing to you so I'm going to make it simple your weight in pounds(1kg=2.2lbs) is the amount of protein you need per day if you're aiming to build muscle and lose fat.

NOTE:

Extremely obese people need to use their target weight instead of their current weight.If you are 150kg(330lbs) and you want to be 100kg(225lbs) use your goal weight to estimate your daily protein intake needs.

How To Include Your Protein Intake Into Your Daily Macros.

Each gram of protein contains 4 calories.So lets say you weight 200lbs, you need 200 grams of protein per day which is 800 calories.

Different foods have different qualities of protein.

The value of the protein is estimated by it's Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS)A PDCAAS value of 1 is the highest, and 0 the lowest. The table shows the ratings of selected foods.

1.00	casein (milk protein)
1.00	egg white
1.00	soy protein
1.00	whey (milk protein)
0.99	mycoprotein
0.92	beef
0.91	soybeans
0.78	chickpeas
0.76	fruits
0.75	black beans
0.73	vegetables
0.70	Other legumes
0.59	cereals and derivatives
0.52	peanuts
0.42	whole wheat

(source:wikipedia)

Getting 20grams of protein from eggs and getting 20grams of protein from pop tarts is NOT the same thing.You might say whatever it's still protein right?Well a BMW M6 is a car so is a Lada Samara is a car too yet it's not the same thing.Both have an engine and a gearbox yet there's not even room for comparison.
Aim for the good quality protein foods.

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What you should do when you are a complete beginner in fitness and bodybuilding.

How to gain muscle without weights:

In this post I'd like to talk about people that are complete beginners in the fitness industry or for people that just can't seem to find motivation to go to the gym, people have had little or no experience in the gym. You see many people telling you to start with a gym membership right off the bat, and I'm sure that some of you just can't find the motivation to go to the gym and see it like a "chore".Well guys in my opinion that's not the way to go.I did not start that way, and more than 10 people so far are trying to come to the gym right off the bat with me but it seems like their motivation lasts for a day.

Well what if I told you that all you need is a playground to get in shape and build muscle.

A place to do pull ups, dips and push ups.I'm 100% sure that every one of you has a playground near by or if not that just a pull up bar. Even if you can't do a single push up and/or pull up it doesn't matter.Do you know how I started?I was able to do 3 push ups barely and not a single pull up.And then i came by a video about "street fitness" and i decided eh i can do this let's try.And in a couple of months i was able to do 20 dips, 30+ push ups, 15 pull ups starting from 3 bad form push ups. Each and everyone of you can do it.It wasn't a chore for me it was fun and it still is.

By starting out with caliestetic exercises you will eliminate almost all of the excuses.

Almost every person that is starting out and asking me for advice starts slacking and making excuses.Well if you work out at home or in the playground 2 minutes from your house you won't have many excuses would you? An example plan for a complete beginner who isn't able to do any pull ups and a few push ups is:

Monday:

• Knee push ups 5 sets of 10-12 reps 2 sec. going up 2 sec going down.(If you are able to do normal push ups i suggest doing as many as you can and then switching to knee push ups)
• Followed by bench dips with legs on the ground 5 sets of 10-15 reps.

Crunches 3 sets of as many as you can followed by 3 sets of leg raises again as many as you can. Tuesday:

• Negative chin ups 3 sets of as many as you can.
• Negative pull ups wide grip 3 sets of as many as you can.
• Biceps hammer curls with a light dumbbell(If you do not have one i suggest buying maximum 5 kg they're very cheap).

Repeat for the rest of the week.
Sunday is rest day.

In comparison to the fitness programs you see on the Internet this may seem not enough but trust me it is.
I suggest walking/jogging after your workouts.

By the end of the first week you will start seeing results.

Note that this is a for complete beginners.Tomorrow I will post more advanced exercise programs that you can do without gym membership after which I will start posting gym workout programs.I suggest using YouTube for tutorials on any of the exercises listed in this post.

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