Fit Women Should Look Muscular

Why has this concern of women…getting Big and Bulky from weight training…been largely ignored by trainers?

Women told…”You don’t have to worry about putting on as much muscle as a man and bulking up, because you have much less testosterone than a man.”

So why do I hear these complaints from women on a regular basis?

“I enjoy working out, but my legs tend to bulk up”.
“I like the way training makes me feel, but hate the way it makes me look”.
“I have tried training in the gym and it simply makes me look bulky.”



Perhaps Countless Women Around the World Are Simply Imagining Things!


-OR- maybe they should get used to having a little more muscle than what they want.
After all , their personal trainer tells them that fit women should look muscular.
• …But what if a she doesn’t want “ripped deltoids”?
• What if she doesn’t want a “V” shaped back?
• What if she wants to be fit, but still look stunning in a dress?
• 
  
  
  There is Nothing Wrong With Wanting to be Fit While Still Looking 100% Feminine.
  I can show you exactly how to get in tremendous shape, look and feel better than ever, without adding excess muscle. Over the past 10 years, I’ve mastered the technique of “slightly increasing muscle tone” to a body part while “decreasing the size” of that same body part.
  
  
  This is NOT your typical high-rep for muscle tone type advice.
  This is NOT “cookie cutter” fitness info.
  This is NOT mainstream!
  
  
    For more please Click Here

Mad Scientist Muscle

Review by Rahul Alvares

I used to be called a ‘Mad Scientist’ in school. You didn’t have to be mad or for that matter experiment with crazy stuff in the lab to earn at title like that though. I earned it just by being the sissy, geeky bespectacled kid who did better than the rest at studies by sitting on the first bench in class!

Nick Nilsson really deserves it though. He was probably experimenting with weight training lifting mommy’s vital organs while still inside her womb and he’ll probably be doing leg presses against his own coffin door even after it’s six feet and six months under. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he attended ‘potions class’ at Hogwarts school along with Harry Potter!
Like all of Nick Nilsson’s previous books this is a must have. Trust me just get this ‘Frankenstein Training’ program of his and dump it on your shelf (or rather in a folder on your computer titled ‘masochistic training programs’). Open it only when you’ve plateaued with all your other training programs, or when you’re feeling mildly suicidal.
One of the great things about Nick Nilsson’s programs is that they incorporate a variety of training techniqes (100s, heavy partials,

triple add sets, time volume, cluster training, it’s all in there). If you’re like me then you’re probably constantly writing new programs for yourself. You see any bodybuilder worth his salt knows that familiarity, besides breeding comtempt, will also plateau out your gains eventually. The beauty of Nick’s programs is that they change almost every other day. I still do customize his programs to my needs sometimes, but in general I’ve found you hardly need to.
To be honest though I actually haven’t yet tried ‘Mad Scientist’. Why? Because right now I’m actually on two of his earlier books. I can tell you from experience though just by looking at ‘Mad Scientist’ that it will be a brutal program. At eight weeks in total it’s also his longest program so far. The earlier two programs were between four and six weeks long. That’s another reason why its going to be a while before I get on the ‘Mad Scientist’ program (much less daunting to start on a shorter program when you know its going to be a tough one for sure!).



Mad Scientist Muscle
Second Opinion

The first thing I want to make clear when you look at "Mad Scientist Muscle" is that this actually IS a serious program and a seriously GOOD program. Don't let the name fool you :) This program by Nick Nilsson is based on good, scientific training principles and is definitely not just same random crazy sh$# thrown together. There is a method to his madness. I'm not saying there isn't some really cool and effective crazy sh$# in there...it's just not random... Controlled Overtraining... What Nick has done is put together a series of programs based on the concept of "controlled overtraining," also known as "accumulation and intensification" or "dual factor theory." To put it simply, in these programs, you'll gradually ramp up your training volume by increasing the number of sets you're doing (this is done on a weekly basis), while simulatenously DECREASING your rest periods in between sets, thus increasing the overall density of your training in a very deliberate fashion.

The author of Mad Scientist Muscle, Nick Nilsson

Increasing training density is extremely effective for muscle growth and strength gains. What the "Mad Scientist" programs do (and there are three of them in the book) is structure the increase in density for you, gradually building up to a point at or near overtraining.

This is the "accumulation" phase as you're gradually accumulating workload and training volume over the course of 3 weeks.

So, when you HIT this point of overtraining, that's when you back off on both the training volume AND the rest periods. You'll do fewer sets and with long rest periods in between sets. You're also going to reduce the rep ranges so that you're working with more power and strength-oriented loads.

Coming off this overtraining ramp-up, your body is desperately trying to keep up with recovery...the analogy Nick uses in his book is that of a car going up a steep hill. You have the gas pedal floored but you're still going slow.

When you come up and over the top of the hill and keep the pedal down, you pick up speed FAST...just like when your body comes off the overtraining phase. You're going to pick up speed FAST. This is the "intensification" phase, called that because you're increasing the INTENSITY of the workload, operating closer to your 1RM.

This overall training scheme is extremely effective. It makes great use of your body's predictable reactions to volume and overreaching and takes full advantage of the rebound on the other side.

All three included programs are put together in this format, utilizing different training techniques for each accumulation and intensification phase. You'll really see the "mad scientist" stuff come out to play in the training techniques themselves :)

The cool part is, this "mad scientist" stuff is actually very well thought-out and not just a collection of strange intensity techniques.

These are very effective training strategies that are implemented in a very logical fashion to achieve very specific effects on your body. This is a very accepted training-protocol that can absolutely deliver results in strength and muscle mass.

Stuctural Training

Here's where it gets interesting...

Nick's theory is that by utilizing certain specific types of training, you can make changes to the physiology of your body/muscles in order to better set the stage for future muscle growth.

His idea is that there are certain aspects of your physiology that can be "trained up" using the right techniques so that your body is better prepared for muscle growth. If you have a hard time building muscle (classic hardgainer), this could be a very attractive idea for you. Heck, even if you're NOT, the idea of turning yourself into an even EASIER gainer is not bad, too!

The question is does this idea have merit?

In a word...yes. The training styles that Nick puts forward in his "Structural Training" section DO have the potential to make very positive changes to your body's physiology that impact future muscle growth.

For example, partial training is a very widely accepted method for increasing the strength of your bones and connective tissue due to the super-maximal loads you're able to use. Using heavier weights also primes the nervous system for using heavier weights in FULL range of motion, too.

Also, one of the other changeable factors he talks about in the book is capillary density in the muscles...basically the number and density of the tiny blood vessels where oxygen and nutrient exchange take place. By using very high rep, endurance-type training, research HAS shown you can increase capilliary density. And by increasing this density, you enhance the ability of your muscles to receive nutrients and oxygen, which means more fuel and food for them to GROW.

His incorporation of Structural Training into the overall framework of the program is done in a very elegant and intuitive manner. You'll start with it before you do anything else (what better time to set the stage!) then you'll do more of it just after you hit the overtraining point.

Potential Weaknesses of the Mad Scientist Muscle Program...

Overall, this is a strong program. It'll definitely deliver great results in terms of muscle and strength.

It would be nice to see more of a focus on performance in the program. You absolutely WILL gain strength on the intensification end of the program, though. The way it's structured pretty much ensures it.

The other thing that might be something to modify would be the split training aspect of it. Being from more of a bodybuilding background, Nick has used bodypart splits. Now, these CAN be effective when done properly and with primarily compound exercises (and that's exactly how these programs are put together) but you could absolutely use the frameworks provided and change up the focus to be more on training movements rather than bodyparts.

From a bodybuilding perspective, this is absolutely effective stuff. It WILL make you bigger and stronger.

There really isn't anything in here that should stop you from picking up this program if you're interested in hypertrophy and strength. You'll definitely learn a lot from the approach Nick puts forward in this book.

CONCLUSION:

Bottom line is this a very complete program and very effective for what it proposes to deliver...muscle and strength.

You're going to get SIX MONTHS of detailed training schedules, covering every single set and rep and exercise along the way. If you're looking for a real "done for you" type of program, this will be right up your alley. The included "lean muscle" meal plans are a nice bonus, too.

Nick is also offering separately an add-on program for the book that he calls "Frankenstein" and I have to say, when you SEE this program, you'll know exactly why he called it that. This one is only for advanced trainers...I'll tell you that right now.

I will give you a hint, though, it starts with six-day-a-week training working your WHOLE body every day, before backing off to three days a week. After you pick up the main "Mad Scientist Muscle" program, you'll be able to grab that one, too, in a package along with ANOTHER book he's just put out "The Best Mass Exercises You've Never Heard Of" (yet another very interesting book from Nick..it's a collection of 119 of some of the most unique mass-building exercises and training techniques you've ever seen - very cool stuff).

For more information Please CLICK HERE

Kyle Leon's Muscle Building Money-machine Is Finally En Espanol!

Kyle Leon's Muscle Building Money-machine Is Finally En Espanol! Click Here!

Barcelona vs Getafe: Supercuts Getafe, Barca-Madrid Difference One

Barcelona's big win in the fight to entertain Getafe 4-0 at Camp Nou on Wednesday (4/11/2012) pm. Messi scored again and contributed two assists in this match. Now Barcelona is already played 32 times live odds a point with Real Madrid are still tops the standings. New Madrid melakoni to 32 tomorrow against Atletico Madrid. El Barca collecting 78 points, while El Real 79. The game Since the early minutes, watch this match, Barcelona would score a goal like, permasalahnya residence time alone. In minute 13, Lionel Messi pass to Shancez. Sanchez and mature feedback Messi was kicked into the goal. Barcelona 1, Getafe 0. Lionel Messi finally actually scored. Messi played a one-two with Iniesta. Messi pass and returned it to Messi Iniesta. Messi dribble the ball more and cut into the box defense. A moment later he was shot. Goal, Barcelona 2, Getafe 0. Within two minutes, Barcelona had struck two more goals against Getafe. Barcelona created two goals in 73 minutes Alexis Sanchez and Pedro in the 75th minute. Alexis Sanchez successfully crossing the ball from Isaac Cuenca. It was Sanchez's second goal in this match. Goals from Pedro is also almost the same. Lionel Messi gave a direct crossing and gored by Pedro in front of goal. The final score, Barcelona 4, Getafe 0.

Fasting vs Dieting: Lose Fat Without Lowering Testosterone Levels

This is a guest post from Brad Pilon about a topic that I think doesn't get addressed enough: getting lean without destroying your testosterone levels. Testosterone is important for women as well (so don't skip this article if you are a woman). I've messed up in the past by dieting in a way that killed my testosterone levels. "Low T" is a bad deal…so Brad is going to show you how to get lean, while easily avoiding this common problem.



Fasting, Dieting, and Testosterone
by Brad Pilon

Juice. Sauce. Crank.

When most people think testosterone, they think about the stuff that athletes inject. The truth is testosterone is an anabolic steroid, but it’s one that your body produces entirely on it’s own – no needles required.

The interesting thing about testosterone is that it’s not just a ‘muscle building hormone’. In both men and women, testosterone plays a key role in health and well-being as well as in the prevention of osteoporosis, and maintaining libido.

With testosterone being tied to muscle mass, health, bone density and libido, it’s pretty much a given that we should avoid doing things that drastically reduce our testosterone levels.

Unfortunately, one of the best ways to reduce our body fat levels can also negatively affect our testosterone levels. Long term calorie restriction CAN lower your testosterone levels, sometimes even as low as those found in eunuchs (a guy who’s been castrated…think about that for a moment).

This leads to a bit of a conundrum – Harsh dieting can lead to a reduction in testosterone levels, however, we know from examining large scale (over 1,000 subjects) longitudinal studies (following people for around 8 years) that gaining body fat is correlated with lower testosterone levels, as is just having high levels of high body. Even more confusing is that the very act of losing body fat is able to restore testosterone back to normal levels in overweight people who were low [i,ii].

From this research we can see that having extra body fat can reduce testosterone levels, lowering your body fat can increase your testosterone levels, but dieting can also decrease your testosterone levels. Like I said…Conundrum.

If we just left to story right here it would seem that there is almost no way of dieting or getting in shape without somehow messing up your testosterone levels. Lets take a closer look and see if there is a way to get lean without affecting testosterone in a negative way.

For starters this research shows us it seems that your diet must be fairly extreme in order to decrease your testosterone levels. There is consistent evidence that mild caloric restriction (about a 15% calorie restriction) does not lead to reductions in testosterone or free testosterone in otherwise healthy men [iii]. We can see that mild dieting doesn’t seem to have a negative affect on testosterone levels, but what about people who diet hard, while training hard at the same time?

We can find some very convincing answers to this question in military research. After 8 weeks of extreme multi-stressor environments (very-low-calorie diet, super high energy expenditure, high temperatures and extreme lack of sleep – military training) testosterone levels can drop to almost castration levels…not cool.



This military research shows pretty clearly that extreme dieting combined with hard training and lack of sleep can significantly alter your testosterone levels. Most of us aren’t training like we’re navy seals, however let’s be honest- the fanatical way some people approach their diet and exercise can become a little military-ish. And if hard dieting can in fact lower testosterone levels, then maybe we should start paying attention to how hard we workout when we’re also follow a strict diet. Or there might be another solution. In fact it may not be as simple as avoiding decreases in testosterone levels at all costs.

Case in point: Not only does a slight re-feed rapidly restore testosterone levels after long periods of hard-training and hard-dieting, but your testosterone levels may actually end up higher within 5 weeks after an 8 week period of stressful dieting and training.

These findings lead to another interesting conundrum – Extreme conditions can reduce testosterone, but also may cause a nice rebound afterwards. Could it be that short bouts of low testosterone from hard dieting and training are worth it for the big increase from the rebound afterwards?

Similar to what we find with Insulin and Leptin, dieting seems to be capable of increasing testosterone sensitivity. It wouldn’t be illogical to suggest that this may contribute to the increases in muscle mass and feelings of well being that people get after they finish dieting and training for a bodybuilding or fitness contest.

Luckily, there may be a way to get the same increases in sensitivity WITHOUT having to go through prolonged periods of chronically depressed testosterone levels.

While longer fasts (56 hours and beyond) will cause notable decreases in testosterone, Short-term fasting does not negatively affect testosterone levels, but do allow for short periods of caloric restriction [v,vi,vii,viii]. Fasting intermittently allows for an overall calorie deficit, while also allowing for periods of calorie maintenance.

Note from Rusty: Brad Pilon uses intermittent fasting to stay lean without lowering his testosterone levels.



These findings all point to the fact that short-term fasting would not cause serum testosterone levels to ever drop below normal, but still allow for a decrease in body fat and possibly even a deficit-induced increased testosterone sensitivity [ix,x].

This might just be the one way to burn fat and get the testosterone boosting advantage of short term calorie deficits, it’s the best of both worlds.

One Exercise Per Muscle Group?

Today, I'd like to look at the idea of focusing on just one exercise per muscle group, compared to using a variety of exercises. If you have never tried a workout where you do 8-10 sets of the same exercise, you will probably be in for a shock. This is a tough workout! It looks basic in nature, but is simply another tweak you can add to your routine if you are at a sticking point. I'll discuss how limiting your exercises down to one per muscle group can help with both increasing strength as well as muscle size.

Read more

The 30-30 HIIT Cardio Workout. A Great "Go-to" HIIT Workout.

I roughly remember my first HIIT cardio workout. I had read an article in Muscle Media 2000, written by Shawn Phillips (in 1993 I think) describing a way to do cardio to burn fat like crazy. When I went to my gym and performed HIIT on the treadmill, people gave me some crazy looks. I've been experimenting and studying up on HIIT cardio ever since…and after close to 20 years, I'm still in learning mode. In this post I'm going to break apart a study that compares short 30 seconds intervals with longer 3 minute intervals. This study found that the 30 second intervals could be more effective than 3 minute intervals. I'd like to give you some practical ways on how to use the findings in this study.

HIIT Cardio Workout

[Rugby is an example of the effect that sprint intervals have on the body. Obviously these guys train in a number of ways, but the tempo of the game contributes to low body fat levels displayed by all of the players.]

Greater Calorie Burning With Less Pain?

How to Build Muscle If Your Joints Hurt

When I was first training back in the late 80's I assumed that to build bigger muscles I would have to constantly lift heavier and heavier weights. To a certain extent that is true, but there are ways to make a lighter weight "work" your muscles much harder than normal. The guy with the most impressive chest I have ever seen in person never benched more than 205 pounds. He told me that anything heavier "made his joints hurt"…so he used lighter weight to get the job done. This past summer I got stronger than ever at chin ups and shoulder pressing, but my elbows began to hurt and I decided to mix in a 3-4 month period of light lifting to give my joints a much-needed break. I'll outline what I'm doing.



[Lifting weights should be a healthy long-term deal. If you are feeling any joint pain, then you might want to give your joints a rest and go light for a few months.]

High Reps to Fatigue = One Way to Build Muscle Mass

This isn't news to anyone who has read my Visual Impact courses, but high reps are actually a great way to build muscle mass. Lifting in the 8-15 rep range increases fluid within the muscle cells (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy) and this causes quick muscle growth. I do recommend lower rep ranges as well to increase strength, density and definition…but lifting lighter works well for increasing the size of a muscle.

Right Now I'm Lifting As Light As Possible for 8-15 Reps

I should probably rephrase that: I'm using as light of weight as I can while still fatiguing my muscles to the max in the 8-15 rep range. This is not quite the same as phase I of Visual Impact Muscle Building. I'm purposely going lighter than would be ideal for that phase. I'll give you an outline of a routine, but first an interesting study…

A Study About Low Resistance Exercise and Muscle Growth

Christian Finn, has a great article on his blog about gaining muscle with oxygen restriction. This post talked about how low oxygen levels in the muscles stimulates fatigue and increased muscle gain. He sites a study which talks about reducing oxygen levels in the muscle by using higher reps:

"Even just using a light weight (50% 1-RM), slowing down your reps (3 seconds for eccentric and concentric actions, 1-second pause, and no relaxing phase) and trying to maintain "constant tension" on the muscles has been shown to lower muscle oxygen levels, as well as building muscle just as well as heavier weights (80% 1-RM) and faster lifting speeds (1 second for concentric and eccentric actions, 1 second for relaxing)"

The Main Variable Here Is Constant Tension

What they found was that more explosive movement didn't create constant tension…the muscles got "a breather" (literally) and wouldn't get the desired low oxygen fatigued state. I have been performing the reps at a slightly higher tempo, but not resting at the top or bottom of the movements at all. It has been working well, but I may switch it up and try the "3 seconds up and 3 seconds down" method my next workout. Thanks for the tip Christian!

My Quick Outline of This Type of Training

I don't want to mess with your workout split. Keep doing the routine you are doing, but use this set and rep scheme.

Chose a Weight That is About 50% of Your 1 Rep Max: I can bench press around 265-275 at this time, so for bench press I use 135 pounds.
Aim for 15-20 Reps on Set #1: Lift REALLY close to failure. If you can do more than 20 reps the weight is too light. If you can do less than 15 it is too heavy.
No Pausing at the Top or Bottom During the Reps: Do your best to avoid pausing. You want the muscle to fatigue with each rep "building upon" the previous rep.
Rest Only 45-60 Seconds Between Sets: Again…the idea is that you want to hit that muscle before it recovers from the previous set.
Do 5 Sets Close to Failure: Typically you will be able to do less and less reps each set. Do your best to make sure that you don't dip under 8 reps on that final set.
Do 2-3 Exercises Per Muscle Group: When you are feeling a surge of energy and have more time, pick 3 exercises per muscle group (15 total sets). On days where time is limited or you feel worn down, then chose 2 exercises per muscle group (10 total sets).

You Will Have to Suck Up Your Ego for This to Work

Guys who have been through phase 1 of my program have already gone through this, but it is humbling if it is your first time lifting like this. On your second exercise, there is a good chance that you won't even be able to use 50% of your one rep max. For instance, after doing my 5 sets of bench with 135 pounds my chest is smoked! I typically will use only 35-40 for my dumbbell incline press right after that. It feels light in my hands, but I can't push much past 15 reps no matter how hard I try. It's an odd feeling.

Easy on the Joints, But Not On the Muscles!

This type of training burns when you do it. Your joints will feel fine and improve week-to-week as you do this, but your muscles will feel sore on a regular basis. You should notice that your muscles look fuller than normal due to sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. The only downside is that you will feel like a wuss when you are struggling to press 8 reps with 135 pounds on your 5th set of bench presses.

:)

Note: For those of you who want to avoid adding muscle, do the polar opposite of what I talk about in this post… Lift heavy, use low reps, avoid failure, avoid fatigue, less sets, rest a decent amount in between sets, pause in between reps, etc.

Robert Downey Jr Iron Man 2 Workout

Robert Downey Jr Got Ripped as Tony Stark in Iron Man 2!


Although it wasn't his first movie, my first memories of Robert Downey Jr was in the 1985 movie "Weird Science". Back then, this movie became a cult-classic with a lot of teens. Ironically he played a drug addicted rich kid in Less Than Zero, shortly after. This movie role became his reality and ten years later Downey was a wreck. From 1996 to 2001 he was arrested several times on drug-related charges.

In 2008, Iron Man Came Out. This Was a Turning Point for Robert Downey Jr

The part required that Downey ad 20 pounds of muscle in 5 months. The director, Jon Favre, wanted Downey to have the physique to look like "he had the power to forge iron". So in a short period of time he had to accomplish quite a bit. Luckily legendary American trainer Brad Bose was hired to whip him into shape. I would say that the first Iron Man movie was Robert Downey Jr's first step toward his now amazing physique.
The Official Iron Man 2 Trailer
Robert Downey Jr looks better than ever in this role. The guy is lean, which creates those angular male model features. You can tell just by looking at a man's face at roughly what his body composition is. Downey looks like a GQ model. Pretty darn impressive for a 45 year-old.



Robert Downey Jr really started to hone is body further for "Sherlock Holmes."

So new to this workout intensity, Downey's body looked as really nice for the part. But many more months with just a small percentage of body fact is necessary to achieve the ultimate lean look. With nothing more than sticking to his "Iron Man" workout regimen, Robert Downey Jr began to start looking really toned! When someone trims down as quickly as Downey did for "Iron Man," their skin does not conform to the new muscular physique right away. It's quite noticeable from the fight scenes in the film that he is more cut in "Sherlock Holmes" than he was in "Iron Man."

And Downey really gets ripped for "Iron Man 2!"

Check out his skin, his face, and his entire body - they simply have a greater appearance. The body's skin - after a few years of maintaining such a high level of physical conditioning - will begin to fit nicely over the trim, ripped new body. Individuals rarely know just how different and fully chiseled even their face is going to appear once a certain body fat percentage is maintained. In "Iron Man 2," due primarily to his consistency and dedication to remain trim, Robert Downey Jr now has the appearance of a supermodel.

This impressive physique shown in "Iron Man 2" is actually the aftereffect of 3 years of regular and devoted exercise.

Even though this is written to highlight Robert Downey Jr's "Iron Man 2" physique, the road to peak physical fitness really started back in 2007. Starting at that time to prepare for the first "Iron Man" role, his ongoing training over the next three years was what really sculpted the Robert Downey Jr of today. Working on the Jacobs Ladder, the Vortex, and the Pineapple, under the expert tutelage of Brad Bose, gave him the sexy, muscular, and toned body he has now. Also of major significant was the importance of maintaining proper nutrition.

Click Here!