Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Exercise Enhancement

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for premature death worldwide.
Accordingly, evidence linking better cardiorespiratory fitness to improved health and longevity is overwhelming.
In fact, maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness reduces risk of chronic diseases and death more than any pharmaceutical drug.
In addition, exercise and physical fitness training is one of the most powerful anti-aging strategies there is. Exercise powerfully activates a major longevity factor called AMPK—a key regulator of energy metabolism linked to longevity.
Emerging research now shows that targeted natural interventions such as creatinecarnitinebranched chain amino acidsglutamine, and vitamin D can help maximize the health and longevity benefits of exercise.

How Much Exercise Do I Need?

The most recent report of the United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends:
  • 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, or an equivalent combination
  • Strength or resistance training at least twice per week.
It is important to engage in more than one type of exercise. Unless physical capacity is a limiting factor, everyone should engage in aerobic exercises (eg, brisk walking or cycling), strength exercises (eg, lifting weights), flexibility training, and balance exercises.
High intensity interval training (HIIT) is an approach to training that relies on short bursts of very high intensity training. While there is compelling evidence that HIIT conveys substantial fitness and health benefits, it may be too extreme for people with pre-existing health conditions. Inexperienced exercisers should consult a trainer or healthcare provider before starting a HIIT program.

Integrative Strategies for Enhancing Exercise

  • Hormone Restoration for Men and Women: Studies in healthy older men have shown that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increases exercise capacity and muscle strength. Post-menopausal women using conventional HRT had significantly greater improvements in exercise-induced insulin sensitivity than post-menopausal women not using HRT.
  • Dietary Considerations: Consuming a carbohydrate-containing meal 4 to 6 hours before exercise ensures adequate reserves of glycogen (stored carbohydrate energy) in muscle and liver. The International Society for Sports Nutrition recommends protein and carbohydrate consumption within three hours after exercise.
  • Caffeine: Studies suggest caffeine ingested before or during exercise enhances endurance exercise performance. For example, competitively trained males who ingested 5 mg/kg body weight, equivalent to 2–4 cups of coffee for a 170-pound individual, were able to lift more total weight on the chest press and generate greater anaerobic power.
  • Creatine: In older adults, creatine supplementation, with or without resistance exercise, has enhanced muscle strength and mass, increased bone strength, and slowed the rate of loss of muscle mass and strength. Creatine doses used in studies typically ranged from 5–21 grams per day for a 150-pound individual.
  • L-carnitine: Studies have demonstrated that supplementation with 2 grams L-carnitine can improve exercise performance and recovery.
  • Branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine): In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, branched chain amino acid supplementation for three days increased resistance to fatigue and enhanced fat burning for fuel during exhaustive endurance exercise.
  • Vitamin D: Sufficient blood levels of vitamin D are important for musculoskeletal injury prevention and recovery, and are associated with reduced inflammation and pain, stronger muscles, and better athletic performance.
  • Glutamine: In a controlled two-week trial in male college-aged martial arts athletes, supplementation with 3 grams glutamine daily for two weeks reduced muscle damage and prevented decline of immune function, including during a strenuous training period.
  • https://www.pipingrock.com/?rwcode=DAS342

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Can Ginger Help with Exercise Recovery?

Can Ginger Help with Exercise Recovery?

What Science Says about Ginger as an anti-oxidant
Supplements that are supposed to help with recovery and exercise are numerous…and confusing.
You’ve probably seen all kinds of claims about herbs and supplements and how they can enhance your health, your body, and muscle recovery.
One that is often touted as great for improving recovery after working out is ginger, the spicy, tasty root that comes in forms ranging from fresh to candied to powdered, and even in tea.
The problem is that research doesn’t always back up the claims the sellers of such supplements make. They sometimes use trick wording, like:

"Ginger MAY help with exercise recovery."   

What does that really mean? Will it or will it not help?
It has long been known that ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, and people have been using fresh and prepared ginger root for centuries to treat all kinds of maladies:
  • Nausea
  • Appetite loss
  • Dizziness
  • Muscle soreness
But what does modern research say about ginger and exercise recovery?
Can ginger really relieve sore muscles after a workout? If so, how well does it work? What type of ginger works best? And in what amounts?
To answer these questions, and others, let’s take a look at what the science says about ginger.

Ginger, Exercise, and Oxidative Stress

Ginger, Exercise and Oxidative Stress.
Exercise can produce oxidative stress in the body, an imbalance between harmful free radicals and natural antioxidants. Athletes turn to natural antioxidants, like ginger, to reduce the imbalance and to correct oxidative stress.
A study from 20141 set out to discover whether ginger can really help combat post-workout oxidative stress. Researchers divided 32 obese male participants into four groups:
  1. The control group,
  2. A group that took a ginger supplement,
  3. A group that participated in progressive resistance training (PRT),
  4. And a group that did PRT and took a ginger supplement.
The results of this study showed that ten weeks of either ginger supplementation OR resistance training protects against oxidative stress in obese participants.
But what was really interesting was that the group that took ginger and did resistance training did not get a benefit. It was as if the exercise and ginger canceled each other out.
The oxidative damage was only reduced when resistance training was performed separately; not when combined with ginger supplementation. This was a small study, though, which means it has limitations.
Although this study found no benefit in combining resistance training with ginger supplementation, another study found that eating blueberries combined with training induces an increase in the antioxidant potential of the blood.2
The authors of the ginger study were unable to explain the results but speculated that some negative feedback mechanism occurred. It seemed as if natural antioxidant production was inhibited when dietary antioxidants were introduced.
As this study shows, obese men can expect reduced oxidative stress simply because of their training routine. Therefore, caution should be applied using supplementation during exercise training as a "therapeutic" nutritional. Discount Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements

Ginger: Dry, Raw, or Heated?

Ginger: Dry, Raw or Heated
Gingerol is one of the active compounds in ginger that is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Some people believe that dried ginger has concentrated amounts of gingerol and is, therefore, a better supplement than fresh or raw ginger.
There are also differing opinions on whether the ginger should be cooked or raw.3 Some sources say cooked ginger is better than raw ginger for antioxidant effects.
Whether these statements are true or not hasn't been completely answered, but one study did compare raw and cooked ginger. The study, from 2009, worked with 74 students who performed eccentric exercises every day for eleven days while also taking a ginger supplement. Discount Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements
The students were split into three groups: One group took raw ginger, another ate cooked ginger, and the third group consumed a placebo and acted as the control. The researchers found that both raw and heated ginger impacted post-workout muscle pain equally:
They both reduced muscle pain by 23 to 25 percent. 
Not a bad result, but the next question is, how long do you need to supplement with ginger to get this effect?

Is There a Ginger Time Limit?

Is there a Ginger Time Limit?
While there is some evidence that ginger can reduce post-workout muscle pain, we still need to know how long it needs to be used as a supplement to have an effect.
In one study of 28 high-level endurance runners, the researchers found that prolonged, intense training significantly elevated inflammatory cytokines in the blood plasma, which was expected. They also found that these high levels of inflammation were reversed in the group that was given ginger.
The study investigators determined that the runners needed to take ginger for six weeks before they saw positive results. Based on their findings, they recommended that high-performing athletes begin a six-week course of ginger supplementation prior to important competitions to properly prepare them for optimal performance and recovery.  

Other Food-Based Supplements

Other Food Based Supplement to reduce pain or inflammation
There are various supplements that are reputed to reduce pain or inflammation, in addition to ginger:
  • Turmeric
  • Cinnamon
  • Garlic
  • Bromelain (found in pineapple)
As with ginger, it can be hard to know if these really work, or if as some studies with ginger found, if they may actually counteract the effect of natural antioxidant production.
In fact, there is some evidence that two supplements may counteract each other.
For example, in a study of 60 female Taekwondo athletes, they were given one of four supplements:
  • Ginger
  • Cinnamon
  • Ginger and Cinnamon
  • A placebo
Results showed that while ginger or cinnamon alone offered a positive, post-workout effect as compared to the placebo group, those women taking the combination fared no better than those who received the placebo.6

Should You Try Ginger Supplementation?

This is a tricky question to answer, as the results of many of the studies contradict each other. There is also no clear answer on dosage or form of ginger to use. For instance, you can try capsules, eat fresh ginger root, or drink ginger tea.
The research we’ve presented for you here is interesting and may be useful in helping you decide if you want to try ginger for exercise recovery. The good news is that ginger is largely considered safe. It is a food, so there are no real risks or potential side effects, although a few individuals may find it causes stomach upset.
Knowledge is power, so we encourage all our readers to take the information and to continue their own research. Discount Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements

Monday, March 26, 2018

Weight Lifting for Building Muscle Mass

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Tuesday, March 20, 2018

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a natural amino acid stored in muscle tissue. It supports energized, peak-performing muscles, making it popular among athletes and bodybuilders.** Creatine is also known to:

What is Creatine?

Creatine is an amino acid found in muscle that works on the cellular level to aid in the transfer of energy. Discovered in the 1800s, creatine and its relationship with muscle was investigated during the early 20th century. By the mid-1990s, it had become a popular sports nutrition supplement with athletes and weightlifters, both professionals and amateurs, due to its media exposure during the 1992 Olympics. It remains one of the most popular and evidence-backed sports nutrition supplements on the market.**
Researched extensively in recent years, creatine is associated with optimal muscle mass and peak athletic performance. A 2003 scientific review found that supplementation in combination with resistance training led to an increase in muscle strength more significantly than resistance training alone. One study also revealed that creatine supplements were particularly beneficial to helping develop lean muscle mass in vegetarians, since those who don't eat meat tend to have lower amounts of the nutrient stored in their muscles.**
Studies have shown that creatine is particularly effective when used prior to high-intensity athletic endeavors that involve energy expenditure followed by periods of rest, such as weightlifting, sprinting, and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Investigations have shown that supplementation encourages creatine storage in muscle and promotes faster regeneration of energy between these intense bouts of physical activity, working on cellular and sub-cellular levels.**
Creatine works by regenerating ATP, which is the molecule that generates all energy in the body. As you work out and expend energy, phosphate molecules from ATP pop off, and ATP is degraded to ADP – which is the equivalent of a dead battery. Creatine, however, holds an extra phosphate molecule at the ready. Creatine donates its phosphate back to the spent ADP molecule, which quickly “recharges the battery” – restoring it back to ATP so it can "fire" and generate energy over and over again. This has led to creatine’s reputation of a powerful athletic energizer that enables “one more rep” in weightlifting.**
In addition to boosting muscular endurance, some research shows creatine may promote muscle growth by increasing myogenic stem cells’ activity. These are the muscle-building cells that allow for the repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue.**
Readily absorbed by the body, creatine also has other notable health benefits. Researchers have found that the nutrient may encourage cognitive function, particularly in vegetarians and those who have issues related to energy metabolism or mood imbalance. It may also support cardiovascular wellness, including optimal blood glucose and blood lipid levels.**
While creatine is found in dietary meat and fish, the elevated amounts needed for promoting muscle mass and exercise performance are often only achieved through supplementation. It is important to maintain healthy eating habits while taking the nutrient. Its benefits are best realized when combined with weight training, cardiovascular exercise, and other regular physical activity.**

Creatine Supplements

Capsules and powders are the primary forms of creatine supplement products. Many supplements are made synthetically, with some powders micronized into tiny particles for optimal bioavailability. Some creatine supplements are vegan, vegetarian and/or gluten-free.**

Creatine Directions for Use

Consult with your health care provider before beginning any type of supplementation. There is no standard creatine dosage, but the nutrient is often available in capsules that supply between 700 mg and 1,200 mg. It is often recommended that creatine supplementation include an initial “loading” phase of 20 g per day for the first five days, followed by a daily maintenance dose of at least 2 g thereafter.**

Glutamine and Why You Need It As A Athlete

  • Helps maintain cell volume and hydration, speeding up wound and burn healing and recovery.
  • Glutamine is one of the most important nutrients for your intestines. It has the ability to ‘repair a leaky gut’ by maintaining the structural integrity of the bowels.
  • Has been linked to protein synthesis. It prevents your muscle from being catabolized (eaten up) in order to provide Glutamine for other cells in the body.
  • Replenishes declining Glutamine levels during intense workouts.
  • Research has shown Glutamine can help you produce growth hormone levels and may serve to boost your immune system. For bodybuilders, this is important since heavy workouts tend to greatly deplete Glutamine levels.
  • A nonessential amino acid that plays a major role in protein synthesis, L-glutamine is instrumental in a diverse range of bodily functions.** L-glutamine supports neurotransmitter function and helps to optimize the entire nervous system.** It plays an important role in supporting healthy immune function, and is used in the synthesis of the immune system’s white blood cells.** 
    L-glutamine is most famous, however, as a sports nutrition supplement. As the most abundant amino acid in the body, it is most concentrated in the muscles – hinting at its importance to athletes and bodybuilders.**
  • This amino acid occurs naturally in several food sources, such as cabbage, spinach, cheese, red meat, and poultry. However, because of the speed in which the human body can use L-glutamine, especially following injury or during high-intensity exercise, it can be helpful to take supplements. L-glutamine supplements are available in capsule or tablet form, but are also often found as a powder that can be taken mixed with water or another beverage.
  • Before you begin any nutritional supplement plan, make sure to consult with your Fitness Trainer or Sports Nutritionist.. When taken in a powdered form that’s dissolved in a beverage, L-glutamine dosage can be anywhere from 2 g to 5 g. Levels of 500 mg to 100 mg in tablet or capsule form are also common.
L-Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the human body, comprising more than 60% of the free amino acid pool in skeletal muscle and greater than 20% of total circulating amino acids. Prolonged high-intensity exercise has been shown to decrease L-Glutamine levels, which may result in glutamine deficiency. Supplemental L-Glutamine may help reduce muscle soreness and rebuild muscle tissue. There is also evidence that L-Glutamine may promote GI & immune health as well as support healthy nerve function.
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7 Protein Foods to Help Keep You Energized

7 Protein Foods to Help Keep You Energized 
 
Your body needs protein to build lean muscle, and you need lean muscle for burning fat.
 
Eating enough protein is one of the keys to maintaining a healthy metabolism. Meat, beans, nuts, eggs, and dairy are all well-known to be good sources of protein, but they're not the only ones.

How much protein do you need?
 
It varies from person to person. According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, we should all be getting between ten and 35 percent of our calories from lean proteins to keep us feeling healthy and energized.

Amaranth

Technically a seed, but it cooks up like a grain. 100 grams of cooked amaranth has about 14 protein grams, or about a quarter of a typical adult's daily needs. It's also higher in fiber and protein than true grains such as brown rice and wheat. The high fiber content makes amaranth an ideal choice for those trying to control blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Cottage cheese

A four-ounce serving of one percent milk fat cottage cheese has about 14 protein grams. Low-fat cottage cheese can also save you some calories if you use it as a replacement for more high-fat dairy choices like sour cream. Many recipes allow you to substitute cottage cheese for sour cream in dips.

Edamame

Delicately steamed soybeans are not only beautiful enough to snap a pic of for your social media profile but also rich in protein, with 22 grams per cup. Like mung beans, edamame also contains potassium, fiber, iron, and vitamin C, and it's also a good source of folate and magnesium.

Lentils
 
These bean-like legumes contain about 18 grams of protein per cup, or about as much protein as three eggs. Lentils are also packed with fiber, so adding them makes a lean-protein meal particularly filling. Their B vitamin content also helps your body convert food to energy. With less than one fat gram per one-cup serving, lentils make a great addition to soups, salads, and other dishes.

Mung beans

Also called green gram in Indian food recipes, these legumes pack a powerful protein punch, with more than 40 percent of the daily protein needs of a typical adult. Some legumes lose their vitamin C content when cooked, but cooked mung beans are a good source of vitamin C as well as potassium, fiber, and iron.

Peas 

If you choose green peas over snap peas and snow peas, you'll be getting about eight grams of protein per one-cup serving. Cook and chill green peas overnight for a healthy addition to salads.

Sprouted whole-grain breads

These breads are made with wholesome ingredients like lentils, millet, barley seeds, and other seeds and nut that contain protein. You'll get about 8-12 grams of protein per two slices of sprouted whole-grain breads, making these loaves a good choice if you're trying to add protein and limit carbs without giving up bread completely.

Individual protein needs vary, but you can add more lean protein to your diet with these delicious, unexpected sources. Please note that if you have liver or kidney disease, you'll want to consult your dietitian or health care provider before making major changes to your protein intake. 

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

NATURAL & SAFE SUPPLEMENTS FOR YOUTH & MATURE ATHLETES

If you are looking to get serious about fitness and bodybuilding and you want to get the most out of your workouts you will need to get some bodybuilding supplements. These are normally found in the form of protein, amino acids and creatine. If you aren't sure what those are or where to get them and you don't want to spend too much money starting out, here is a list of some basic bodybuilding supplements for beginners.

Protein
Whey Protein is a good starting base for protein. These run around $40 to $50 per 5lb package. Your muscles need protein to build mass and whey protein is an outstanding source. Proteins are the building blocks of muscles and may very well be the most important of all supplements. BEST FOR LE$$   Discount Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements

Creatine
Creatine Monohydrate is an excellent source of creatine. Creatine is well known as a way to provide more energy to the muscles during a workout session. This has been found to be very safe to use and it can help boost a workout routine rather dramatically. This particular supplement normally costs between $25 and $35 depending on where you shop. SUPPLEMENTS FOR LE$$ 

Amino Acids 
L-Glutamine is something that helps your body replace something it already makes, amino acids. Heavy workouts and sometimes stress can deplete the muscles and the body of amino acids. Taking additional supplements has shown to help muscles retain mass and hold on to strength, stamina and boost recovery times after workouts. This will normally cost around $50 or so. LE$$  Discount Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements

Beef Liver
Desiccated beef liver is a perfect source for the development of your muscle. This is because desiccated beef liver contains a lot of iron, Vitamin B12, and protein which is very essential to improve the development of the muscle. In fact, desiccated beef liver contains 70% protein by weight and 16 essential amino acids, which make desiccated beef liver a perfect source of steroids and low-calorie protein powder. So, for everyone of you who want to grow your muscles need to consume this product  for LE$$  Discount Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements

When taken properly, these are excellent bodybuilding supplements for beginners as well as more experienced weightlifters and bodybuilders. Remember to always follow the dosage suggestions as listed on the packaging and to give your body the proper resting time between workouts. Supplements are a great way to help get the most out of your workout as long as you follow the instructions on the package as well as your trainer.
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Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Muscle Development Methods and Traditions

 In the world of bodybuilding, “science” is an anecdotal creed emanating from years of training in hard core circles. It has driven training methodologies for generations of iron disciples. Some of these methods have proven to be incredible and validated by scientific studies, while others need to be eradicated from the bodybuilder’s regimen.
Let’s take a look at a number of popular methodologies commonly used by bodybuilders.
Split System Training
For beginners, entire body training sessions are sufficient simply because they provide an ample stimulus for neural adaptation and trigger muscle growth. In fact, effective full body sessions may consist of only one set per body part.
However, the gains and long term benefit from full body sessions taper off rather quickly, necessitating more advanced protocols.
Super Sets, Giant Sets, Rest Pause Sets, Drop Sets, Pyramiding, High Volume Training and sets consisting of multiple movements, or triple sets, are some of the best kept secrets used by bodybuilders to prompt more muscle growth.
Keep in mind that using these advanced tactics while engaging in full body training sessions may be difficult, due to the immense neural, mechanical, and metabolic demands placed on the body.
So, a better idea is to shift your full body training to Split System Training, which will allow for maximal muscle stimulation, while at the same time it allows time for your body to recover. This division of training is known as the Split System.
If you try training the same exercises repeatedly throughout the week, with a goal of accelerating neural adaptations, eventually, you’ll find yourself sacrificing intensity, and worst of all, moving less weight, actually percentages well below your one-rep maximum!  That will cuts any gains in hypertrophy or strength.
One classic program used by some of the best athletes in the world is the 5 x 5, which calls for performing five sets of five repetitions of the squat, bench press, and power clean, done three days per week.
Obviously you could choose to train each lift at full tilt during each session, but that would quickly lead to physical and mental burnout. Alternatively, a better way would  be to fluctuate the training stresses throughout the week while still ingraining movement patterns, necessary to expedite neural adaptations, by alternating heavy (H), medium (M), and light (L) days for each movement.
That program would look like this:
MondayWednesdayFriday
Power Clean (H)Power Clean (M)Power Clean (L)
Squat (M)Squat (L)Squat (H)
Bench Press (L)Bench Press (H)Bench Press (M)
By training like this, neural adaptations can readily occur without running the risk of overtraining. The split may not be divided by body part; however, intensity is cycled, or waved, breaking up the training stimulus in a sensible manner. You can easily adapt this to any series of lifts on a three-day-per-week training split.
Training splits can be arranged in a seemingly infinite number of combinations. Here’s another popular split adapted from old school college football strength and conditioning programs…that is the push/pull system, broken down by training pressing and squatting movements one day and training pulling movements, which would include pull-ups, rows, and deadlifts, on the other day.
A time-efficient twist to the push/pull system is to combine the movements in the same session and perform them as supersets throughout the workout. Basically, a  pushing movement would be paired with a pulling movement.
Here’s a few examples:
  • Vertical Push Movement (Military Press) superset with Vertical Pulling Movement (Chin-up)
  • Horizontal Pushing Movement (Bench Press) superset with Horizontal Pulling Movement (T-Bar Row)
There are virtually an infinite number of combinations of training splits that can be designed. Hang with me, it’s not confusing, you just need to recognize that changing it up is important.  A common, yet very effective program includes body-part training splits, where only one or two muscle groups are targeted each workout; antagonist body-part splits, where muscles that oppose one another are trained in the same workout; and movement-based splits, in which one compound movement, such as a squat, bench, or deadlift, is performed each workout.
Another great example of the split system is training to failure, as in High Intensity Training, or emphasize the various phases of muscular contractions to induce more muscle growth. The realm of possibilities is practically endless.
Regardless of what split you choose to follow, it is imperative that you adhere to the proven training principles. You’ve got to maximize energy levels for individual workouts and realize that the results of a great training program will be the sum of your individual workouts.
When things are done right, the outcome is greater than the sum. In other words, synergy takes place and puts you on the road to building a championship physique.
Superset
Basically, a superset is when two exercises are performed consecutively without a break. Originally, supersets were defined as combing two exercises of antagonist (opposing) muscle groups. An example would be a biceps curl immediately followed by a triceps extension.
A very popular method of supersetting, is the push/pull superset system because of the emphasis on proper postural alignment and the elimination of muscle imbalances. This could be a horizontal or vertical pressing movement followed by a horizontal or vertical pull movement.
An example would be a bench press paired with bent over row or a military press paired with a chin-up. The obvious benefit is symmetrical development of opposition muscle groups is enhanced. This system is more intense than the traditional set system. Arnold Schwarzenegger popularized supersets with the idea, “More work could get done in less time.”
Here are some great examples of traditional supersets:
LegsChest, Shoulders and BackArms
Leg Extensions / Stiff Leg DeadliftsFlat Benches / T-Bar RowsClose Grip Bench Press / One-Armed Eccentric Barbell Curls
Sissy Squats / Leg CurlsMilitary Press / Chin-upsTriceps Pushdowns / Scott Curls
Front Raises / Face Pulls
In today’s world of bodybuilding, the term superset is sometimes used differently than its original intent.
Frequently, you’ll hear it used to describe a single joint (isolation) movement paired with a multi-joint (compound movement) for the same muscle group.
An example of a chest superset would be a pec deck and a bench press. Some of our more artistically inclined bodybuilding brethren perform two movements for the same muscle group with different emphasis.
An example of this would be the incline press supersetted with a weighted dip. The incline press would be for the clavicular portion of the pectoralis muscle group (upper chest) and the dips for the sternal aspect of the same muscle group (lower chest).
Examples of within group supersets:
  • Quadriceps from Different Angles
  • Leg Extensions and Hack Squats
  • Upper Back from Different Angles
  • Chin-ups and Seated Rows
  • Shoulders from Different Angles
  • Lateral Raises and Overhead Presses
A Few Last Words
To maximize muscular development, it is important to have a solid knowledge of the various bodybuilding methods. If you decide to use a new method, it is important to know why. If you avoid a certain method, you should have a reason for doing so. Take this knowledge and build strength and size and have fun doing it.