Bodybuilding (Muscle Building) Questions - #2

Should I warm up?
Yes you should warm up, it is very important that you do, but just don't spend half the day doing so. A few light muscle stretches followed by a couple of light sets of the first exercise you are going to do that day. Then stretch again in between those light sets.




Should I stretch between sets?
You should stretch between sets on your first exercise only. Don't over do the stretching, the idea is to loosen up muscle for heavy lifts, not burn out muscle before you execute heavy lifts.




Should I workout at home or join a gym?
It's a matter of personal preference really. Do you like the gym atmosphere or would you rather the privacy of your own home. 3 questions to consider: Can you really concentrate at home to lift really heavy? have you someone there to help? Have you got enough weights and equipment? If you've answered yes then maybe you could train at home for a while and see how you get on, otherwise I think the gym would be a better option for you.




Do I need a fitness trainer?
You could consider a fitness trainer if you find that no matter what you try to do, you are not getting the results you desire. If you find that you cannot concentrate on your workouts then you could consider hiring a personal trainer for a time.




What supplements do I need for muscle building?
If your diet is perfect then you don't really need supplements to support muscle building, but whose diet is absolutely perfect? When it comes to supplements I find that the basics are great like Whey and casein protein powders, creatine, multivitamin/minerals, vitamin c, Vitamin e and zinc. There are "super supplements" available that you could try out for 8 to 12 weeks but I like to stick to the basics. How far you want to take supplementation depends on the individual's goals.

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Cardiovascular Exercise Basics (Vol. - 2)

Know Your Target Heart Rate Zones


Measure your resting heart rate first. You can do this now if you’ve been sitting and relaxing for some time. If not, the best time to measure your resting heart rate is first thing in the morning upon waking. To measure your resting heart rate, you need a watch with a second hand. Find your pulse. I use my right index finger and find the pulse directly under my left jaw bone. Count the number of pulses in 60 seconds. That is your resting heart rate. Write it down.


Now you need to estimate your maximum heart rate. The easiest way to do this is to subtract your age from 220. Maximum heart rate equals 220 – Your Age.


Some more calculations and you will have your target heart rate zones for medium intensity steady state cardio…
· 
Reserve = Maximum Heart Rate – Resting Heart Rate


60% of your Reserve = Lower Target
80% of your Reserve = Higher Target
Lower Range = Resting Heart Rate + Lower Target
Higher Range = Resting Heart Rate + Higher Target
Go through the calculations above and write them down as you go.


Here’s another example:


Reserve = 191 – 60 = 131
Lower Target = 131 x 0.60 = 79
Higher Target = 131 x 0.80 = 105
Lower Range = 60 + 79 = 139
Higher Range = 60 + 105 = 165


So, my target heart range zone for medium intensity cardio is 139 beats per minute to 165 beats per minute. I would use a heart rate monitor to ensure I stay within those target zones throughout my cardio session…

Heart Rate Devices In Market


A heart rate watch allows you to monitor your heart rate throughout a cardio session. A heart rate watch also tracks the number of calories which you have burned along with other important pieces of information. The best thing about a heart rate device is the fact that it gives you a common point of reference between activities. You don’t need those fancy machines telling you how many calories you have burned. Some machines will grossly overestimate while others will tell you you’ve burned next to nothing. You don’t need to use the displays on machines when you have a heart rate monitor. You can go jogging one day, swimming the next, cycling the next, and you’ll be able to compare what you’ve done between all activities with a heart rate watch. You can’t do that any other way! You need a heart rate watch to ensure you stay within your target zones throughout your cardio session. This makes it very easy for you.

Approved Activities for your Heart


Its highly recommend you alternate cardio sessions between a few different machines or a few different activities. 2 to 3 different activities should do the trick and will keep your body from adapting. If you need a good list of cardiovascular activities that keep your cardio workouts fun, challenging, and interesting, please see the list below.


Rowing Machine

Elliptical Trainers

Treadmill

Stepper Machine

Spinning Cycle

Recumbent Bike 

The machines shown are not the only activities you can do. Machines in your home are very convenient and allow you to do your cardio workouts at any time. They are very helpful! But you’ll probably want to get outside with the fresh air and sun every now and then. Outside activities keep cardio fun and interesting!


Here are some other great cardio activities :


Rowing
Climbing Stairs
Jogging
Running
Walking
Swimming
Cycling
Roller Blading
Jumping Rope
Skiing


Any of the above activities are great cardiovascular activities. Have fun with them.

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Cardiovascular Exercise Basics (Vol. - 1)

Cardiovascular exercise is one of the most important types of exercise that you can do. Yet, I see the so called “experts” tells people they don’t need to do cardio if they want to gain maximum amounts of muscle. Please do not listen to those people! You need to include at least 3 cardio sessions per week into your program for at least 30 minutes each session up to a maximum of 1 hour per session. You can increase/decrease cardio as needed to continue progress. Cardio is a requirement of the Fitness Program because it’s important foryou and your health. If you choose not to do cardio, you are making a huge mistake! Cardio keeps you healthy, helps you recover faster from workouts, increases your appetite, increases your energy throughout the day, burns extra body fat, and more! There’s just too many awesome benefits not to include cardio in your program.


3.1. Types of Cardio


I divide cardio into 4 different types. These are my definitions as others may divide cardio into other categories…
  
Low intensity, steady state
Medium intensity steady state
High intensity steady state
High intensity interval training (HIIT)




I highly recommend medium intensity steady state cardio along with some high intensity interval training when needed. In order to perform medium intensity steady state cardio, you need to know your target heart rate zones for the medium intensity range. You also need to know how to easily monitor your heart rate throughout a cardio session. 

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