Muscle Building Archives - Simple & Beginner Workout Routines

Free Simple Workout Info Graphics

Here is a few free simple random workout info graphics. Simple workout routines designed to burn body fat and increase muscle mass.

These workouts include various different training methods, including, super sets and drop sets. Some of the exercises need access to a gym and resistance equipment, others are body weight only exercises.

Full Body Drop Set Muscle Building Workout

Simple Drop Set Muscle Building Workout.

Full Body Super Set Workout

Fat Burning Home Workout

Home Workout Two

Muscle Building Fat Burning Workout

Always use good technique, technique first, the weight on the bar is secondary, and always perform a warm up and train safely.

Remember that your diet and calorie intake is incredibly important when trying to reduce your body fat percentage and when attempting to gain muscle mass.

Myths About The Effects of Anabolic Steroids

What are the most common myths about the effects of taking anabolic steroids? just how much do they enhance athletic performance and muscle mass?

There is so much supposedly common knowledge about steroids, however most of it is just massive misunderstandings about the effects of them. I wanted to address and list some of the most common myths in this article.

I have never taken steroids myself however I have known and trained with others that have, plus I have over 15 years of weight training experience and I know what can be achieved naturally.

How effective are they for the average guy or beginner at building muscle?

For the average weight lifter or beginner they will give around 2 – 3 times greater results. For example if someone was to start regular weight training (naturally) they may gain 5 pounds of muscle mass in a 6 month period. While using steroids this would most likely double or triple their gains, so around 10 – 15 pounds of muscle mass gained in the same 6 month period.

This is a 100 – 200 percent increase which seems like a lot. However that percentage massively decreases when talking about professional athletes and bodybuilders where extreme training, diet and great genetics play a massive and bigger part.

Myths about the effects of anabolic steroids

The exaggerated effects of steroids in professional bodybuilding

This is the most common and my favorite myth to debunk. Despite popular belief steroids are not a magic drug, they cannot transform the average guy into a muscular ripped hulk like creature. The truth is, successful bodybuilders have the right genetics to achieve what they do. Plus lots of hard work in the gym and the right type of diet.

Experts that study the effects of performance enhancing drugs on sports professionals say that they only give around a 5% performance boost, or muscle mass increase. This can increase to 10% for heavy users of steroids, so the idea that someone can’t achieve a ripped bodybuilder like physique without steroids is nonsense. Yes they will increase muscle development, but at the very least 90% of what you see in the biggest, most ripped body builder is natural, they have the right genetics, diet and training to make it possible.

Genetics

Bodybuilders have large quantities of fast twitch muscle fibers which respond much better to weight training than slow twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch fibers also allow for more explosive bursts of power like sprinters. This is why sprinters often have well muscled upper bodies. However the disadvantage of fast twitch muscle fibers is that they fatigue and drain quicker and they’re also more prone to muscle soreness.

When you see those pictures of bodybuilders with veins popping out everywhere, keep in mind that they are doing certain things to make themselves look as muscular as possible. Dehydrating themselves is one trick that improves definition as well as oiling themselves up and applying fake tan. However the most important thing that they do is getting a pump. So before a photo shoot, competition or whatever, they will be working out just minutes before they appear on whatever it is they are doing. This pump makes a massive difference, increasing muscle size and blood flow considerably making those veins pop out.

They will build muscle without training

In this world of instant gratification, people want things quickly without working for it. Some of these companies look to take advantage of this quick results culture. Misleading advertising adds to the misconception that people have about steroids and muscle development in general.

Even with steroids, someone still needs to train hard and eat well to get good results, there is no getting around this and there is no magic pill.

Women will turn into men

Yes steroids can have undesirable effects on women such as unwanted hair growth, deepening of the voice and they can enlarge the clitoral area. However there are many different types of performance enhances and it depends greatly on how long they are used for. Under reasonable use any side effects are almost always reversible.

Personal thoughts

Do it the natural way! Work hard with good technique, eat well and in time you will get results. You don’t need steroids, their effectiveness is massively exaggerated and they could potentially harm your health, its just not worth it. Not everyone has the genetics to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jay Cutler and drugs won’t get your there, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get great results.

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How to Get Big & Build Size Naturally

This post is all about getting big and building muscle size using the best natural methods.

If you are reading this post you are likely to be on the skinny side looking to bulk up. If you’re already lean, your only goal is to build muscle mass. Getting that muscular ripped look should be straight forward.

If you are more of the skinny and not so lean (a little body fat) type of guy, getting that ripped muscular look is going to be a little more difficult.

Why are some people skinny?

Teenagers

Teenagers are more likely to be skinny than any other age group for the main reason that their bodies are still growing. This growth increases the rate at which the body burns energy, otherwise known as having a fast metabolism. This fast metabolism decreases the chance of adding body fat and muscle mass to their frame because they are burning calories so fast.

Another factor is that your muscles are still growing, so they are not fully developed yet.

Poor diet

Eating poor quality foods, simple carbohydrates like chips, crisps, coke, white bread, pizza and all that kind of stuff. These are low nutritional foods which don’t give you body what it needs to maintain a good level of muscle, or to simply work efficiently and effectively. This can result in being under weight (skinny).

This type of diet can result in the skinny and fat type of body. High calorie intake results in body fat being stored with low muscle mass because your body is not getting the nutrients to support your muscles.

Not eating enough

A very obvious one. Not eating enough can simply result in low body fat and below average muscle mass.

Genetics

Genetics does play a part in our body fat percentage but only to a small degree, so don’t use it as an excuse.

Our muscles are made up of fast and slow twitch fibers. One of the main reasons why some guys bulk up easier than others is because they have a higher percentage of fast twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch muscles are designed for speed and explosive power like 100m sprinters. These fast twitch muscles have more potential for getting bigger.

So it may be the case that your muscles have a higher percentage of slow twitch muscle fibers, however you can still increase your muscle mass, it’s just more difficult.

Workouts

You are going to achieve your greatest gains in muscle and strength in the first 6 – 12 months of training. If you are one of those skinny and lean guys you are going to be able to see that growth difference quickly, this is often when the addiction can take hold.

If you have some body fat covering those muscles and you want that lean look, you will have to improve that diet and add a little cardio.

Performing those compound exercises should be the priority. They will give the biggest overall gains and strengthen and build those core muscles.

Primary Compound Exercises

Secondary Isolation Exercises

In the beginning these are the only exercises that you will need, apart from a few abdominal exercises.

As a beginner a good workout plan would be training 3 days a week, 3 sets per exercise and 10 reps per set.

Using the exercises above and the suggested sets and reps, you have your workout. Master the correct technique for each exercise and increase the weight per set. On your final 2 sets aim to be reaching failure or near failure on your final few reps.

Increase to 4 – 5 days training a week after the first 2 – 3 weeks to maximize your gains.

What should you eat?

If you want your body to grow you will need food to fuel it, but not just any crap food, your body requires nutrients such as Protein, Fats and Carbohydrates.

Example body building diet.

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Will Cardio Burn Muscle Mass

Will performing cardio exercises reduce your muscle mass and drain your strength?

There seems to be a belief which is a very common one. That belief is that performing cardio will prevent muscle growth and even cause the body to burn muscle to use as energy, therefore reducing muscle mass. This is known as being in a catabolic state.

It’s true that prolonged exercise whether it be weight training or cardio can trigger the body into a catabolic state where the body needs to break down muscle tissue to use as an energy source. However the key word in that sentence is “prolonged” exercise not just cardio exercise but any exercise. Cardio is generally more energy hungry than weight training so cardio is more likely to trigger the body into using your muscle as energy(going catabolic).

The actual risk of your body burning off your muscle by performing cardio is exaggerated and it has become somewhat a workout myth and misconception.

Yes it can happen if your cardio is intensive and long. Your body needs energy and it has to get it from somewhere and your body will break down your muscle if it needs to. However this will only cause an issue if your cardio or exercise is intensive and prolonged, for example running a Marathon. Running for 10 or 20 minutes on a treadmill or playing a sport will make no difference.

What you eat matters!

Exercise is not the only factor, your diet plays a major role in whether your body goes into a muscle burning catabolic state. If you don’t eat enough or give your body the nutrients it needs it will contribute to a catabolic state.

To help avoid muscle loss during exercise make sure that you eat regularly throughout the day. Provide your body with the nutrients and energy it needs and it will not need to feast upon your muscles.

Diet tips to avoid catabolic states

Eat a couple of hours before your workout, you body will use the energy it gets from your pre workout meal so it will not require breaking down your muscle mass.

Eat breakfast! while sleeping your body will go without food for around 6 – 9 hours and your body uses up energy and nutrients from your last meal while you are sleeping. So you need a fresh intake of nutrients and energy when you awake.

Sport drinks are generally not that good but they provide instant energy for your body which can prevent that catabolic state during your workouts.

Anabolic State

This is the state that most weight trainers are trying to achieve. An anabolic state is when your muscles are repairing themselves in a way that makes them bigger and stronger. When you train it’s like a tug of war between the anabolic and catabolic states. To stay in that anabolic state you need to train hard to break down those muscle fibres and then provide your body with the nutrients and energy it needs to repair and grow, or in other words eat well before and after your workouts.

Cardio can benefit muscle building

Cardiovascular fitness can actually aid muscle growth. Cardio fitness aids with heart and lung capacity, blood circulation and general fitness, all of these benefits will aid with muscle development.

The bottom line

As long as you eat well and don’t overdo it with the cardio, cardio will actually improve your anabolic muscle building ability.

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Do you need to lift heavy to build muscle?

Do you need to lift heavy to build muscle mass? I will try and answer this very common question.

I can answer this question immediately as both Yes and No! this may seem a little bit of a confusing answer but it’s true. While it may be true it’s not a very satisfying answer, so I will go into it with more depth.

No you don’t need to lift heavy

It’s possible to gain muscle without doing any kind of weight training. We can gain muscle and strength from cardio exercises such and running, rowing and from various other cardio and aerobic exercising.

We can also build muscle from doing light resistance training, weight training with low weight, high reps. So this is where the answer No comes from, simply put we can build muscle and strength without lifting heavy.

Here is why you should lift heavy

It’s well understood that lifting heavy is the best and fastest way to gain strength, and if you are gaining strength that means that you must be building muscle, one equals the other. However sometimes due to genetics somebody can gain strength without adding much noticeable muscle. On the flip side of this someone can gain muscle mass without gaining that much strength, but these are only exceptions. Usually one equals the other.

We have fast twitch muscle fibres and slow twitch muscle fibres. Fast twitch fibres are larger so those are the ones that we need to really target. You guessed it, lifting heavy targets those fast twitch fibres. These fast twitch fibres can also store more water, which will give the appearance of larger muscles.

Sometimes we reach a sticking point, a point that we can’t just get past, when we seem to stop getting stronger and developing muscle. Lifting a weight that our muscles are not accustomed too is a good way to break past that sticking point. For example let’s take the bench press, say you have been stuck at benching 100kg for 6 – 10 reps and you just don’t seem to be able to improve. You could up the weight to 110kg for fewer reps, this will force your muscles to deal with a weight that they are not accustomed too and this will hopefully trigger gains in strength so you can build up the reps on that weight. This is a good and effective shock tactic which is proven to work, if you try this yourself just make sure you have a good spotter!

So again the question is, Do you need to lift heavy to build muscle? no, but if you are serious about strength and muscle size then yes you will get the best results from lifting heavy.

If you are going to go heavy then make sure you lift well (Good Technique) and have someone to spot you.

Cardio and Muscle Building

So this is a common question, will performing cardio exercises hinder your muscle building ambitions? the answer to that question is, possibly! it all depends on your diet and if you are consuming enough calories to support muscle growth. It also depends on the amount of cardio and weight training you actually do.

If you are consuming enough calories to support muscle growth, then performing cardio shouldn’t necessarily affect your muscle gains in any noticeable way. However if your cardio training is very intense then yes it could affect your muscle gains and recovery times, after all the body can only cope with so much. Depending on what your goal is, there has to be a balance between cardio and resistance training to attain your desired outcome.

Could cardio actually improve muscle development?

This maybe a question that most beginners may never even ask or think, but the answer is probably yes! cardio and good cardiovascular fitness could actually help you to increase your muscle gains. Our muscles require blood and oxygen to work efficiently, to repair and to grow.

Cardio training increases your lung and heart capacity therefore increasing your ability to build muscle, good blood flow also helps to remove waste from the muscles such as lactic acid, as well as increasing the ability of the muscles to store glycogen or carbohydrates which gives them energy. The more energy you have, the heavier you can lift and the harder you can work those muscles, and for longer. This could make a big difference over time.

Cardio for reducing body fat

When aerobic/cardio exercising is used in conjunction with weight training it can be very effective for reducing that body fat percentage. Some bodybuilders will increase their aerobic exercising shortly before a competition to reduce their body fat percentage, therefore improving tone and definition. However be careful because some studies do show that when cardio training is implemented into weight training workouts there is a reduction in muscle gains, some studies suggest that there is a significant reduction.

Different types of cardio

Not all aerobic or cardio exercises are created equal. Running for example puts a lot of impact stress on the muscles of the legs, including your knee joints. This stress puts a toll on the body, therefore it will require more energy and resources to repair the muscles. This will require calories and time to recover and this will have an obvious affect on any other form of training that you do. Cycling, rowing or swimming maybe a good alternative to running as some studies report that these exercises have less negative impact on overall full body muscle growth.

Body Weight Exercises to Build Muscle

These are some of the best body weight exercises for building muscle, these exercises have no need for heavy weights, your body provides all the resistance needed in these exercises.

You can use these exercises solely to just create a workout, or you can include them in your normal weight training workouts.

Many body weight exercises use a very natural movement which can be easier on the joints than many weight training exercises, especially resistance machines.

Rope climbing

If you can find some place to do this, then rope climbing is a fantastic body weight exercise, it primarily builds and strengthens your upper back, shoulders and arms. Try climbing to a target height and slowly lower yourself back down, increase the height you climb the easier it gets.

Press ups

No muscle building body weight workout should exclude push ups, I may have said this a few times now but press ups are great for working those shoulders, chest and triceps.

Dips

Excellent for the triceps and chest, they can be performed just on the floor, however your technique will improve if you can lower yourself down from a higher position, for example using a bench or chair you can lower yourself from.

Pull ups

One of the best exercises you can do for developing and strengthening your upper back muscles, it also targets your shoulders and biceps. Pull ups is a very difficult exercise to perform, the easiest way to perform the pull up is with a narrow grip and your palms facing towards you, also known as the chin up.

Leg raises

They can be performed while lying flat on a bench or mat, or you can perform leg raises while hanging from a pull up bar or a special arm rest which is attached to a wall. Whichever way you perform them they offer a lot of resistance to the abdominals and it’s one of the most difficult abdominal exercises to perform.

Lunges

Lunges are a fantastic exercises for targeting those thighs and buttocks, lunges are often performed while holding a pair of dumbbells, however they still offer a good amount of resistance just using your own body weight.

Handstand push ups

This certainly is not for everyone and please don’t attempt this if you are not comfortable doing so, it requires a great deal of strength and balance to perform properly and safely. Before attempting a hand stand push up, simply try and hold your body weight with your arms straight and your feet up against a wall.

Top 5 Workout Mistakes Men Make

This is the top 5 workout mistakes that men make when it comes to weight lifting and building muscle.

Lifting too much weight

Guys lifting too much weight is very common and it’s a huge mistake for a few good reasons.

If you’re lifting beyond your ability your technique is going to suffer and if your technique suffers you are not going to be working those muscles effectively. If you don’t train your muscles effectively you are not going to see any improvements, or very little improvement anyway.

Another good reason to lift within your ability is to prevent injuries. Injuries will only set you back and they can set you back permanently with a serious injury. I have trained with guys that still haven’t recovered fully, even several years after the injury which was caused by lifting too heavy with poor technique.

Working out everyday

I did this during my first 6 months of weight training before I was educated by some more experienced lifters. Something that I learned was that our muscles actually grow while we are resting, you should be getting at least two days rest a week to allow those muscles to recover and grow. Working out every day could result in over training which could prevent muscle growth and increase the chance of injury and muscle tears. Training everyday could also be mentally draining and harm your motivation for the long term.

Unbalanced muscle targeting

Often people will focus on certain muscles and neglect others, a few examples of this would be training the abdominals and neglecting the lower back. Performing lots of pressing exercises for the chest and forgetting about the upper back and pulling exercises. Working the thighs and neglecting the hamstrings.

Not only will this lead to an uneven looking physique, it has the potential to cause injury. You should work at increasing the strength of all your muscles equally, this will result in a healthier, stronger and better looking physique.

Talking too much

It’s good to have someone to train with, having a spotter can be very helpful when weight training, they can help you push past failure during your final reps which helps to trigger muscle growth. However for obvious reasons if you spend most of your time socializing you’re not going to be training and if you’re not training you will not gain anything.

Performing the wrong exercises

If you’re just starting out there is a good chance you have been performing a lot of isolation exercises like bicep curls, tricep extensions and leg curls to build up those arms and legs. These exercises are great, however you should instead be performing compound exercises like the bench press, lat rows, pull ups, squats and deadlifts. These exercises will be far more effective when it comes to building muscle, including the muscles in the arms and legs, they will also burn off more calories, therefore potentially burning off more body fat.

It’s better to perform exercises like bicep and leg curls when you have already developed some mass in those areas as they will help to develop shape and definition.

Best 5 Exercises for Building Muscle

So what are the best 5 exercises for building muscle? some people will find some exercises more effective than others. The below list contains those that I have personally found to be the most effective.

The list is also influenced by my research in the weight lifting and body building community, these exercises are also widely considered to be the best muscle and strength building exercises.

Bench Press

The bench press works the pectorals (chest), deltoids (shoulders) and triceps, it’s one of the best exercises for developing the upper body. The bench press should be a foundation exercise which should always be a priority exercise when looking to build muscle in the upper body. The bench press has many variations which can be used to target and develop every inch of your chest.

Squats

If you want big legs, you shouldn’t neglect this exercise. Squats is the single best exercise for building muscle in your legs, specifically your quadriceps (thighs) it’s also a great exercise for your glutes (buttocks) hamstrings and lower back. Squats is a fantastic exercise for developing leg and lower back strength and power.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts is the best exercise you can perform for strengthening your core, developing core strength should be a priority for anybody wanting to develop muscle and strength. Having a strong core will allow you to lift heavier, get stronger and ultimately get bigger, the deadlift is the ultimate foundation exercise. The deadlift targets the middle and lower back, also the glutes (buttocks) thighs (quadriceps) and hamstrings.

Pull ups/weighted pull ups

Pull ups target your latissimus dorsi (upper back) deltoids (shoulders) and biceps, pull ups may be an old school exercise but it’s still one of the best exercises that there is. If your own body weight is not enough you can add more weight using a specially designed weighted belt. Different hand placements can be used to shift the focus on the muscles that are being targeted. If you can’t yet manage to perform pull ups with your body weight, some gyms have pull up assist machines, also the lat pull down machines offer a similar benefit to performing pull ups.

Shoulder Press

The shoulder press or sometimes known as the military press specifically builds muscle and strength in the shoulders, the secondary focus is on the triceps. If you want that broad look with well rounded shoulders then there is no better exercise. My personal favorite way to perform this exercise is seated with dumbbells, it feels better on my shoulders, however others prefer using a barbell. It’s good to try out different techniques and variations to see which works best for you.

Other Exercises to Consider

Lat rows/T-bar rows – Upper back.
Stiff/Straight leg deadlifts – Lower back, Hamstrings.
Leg press – Glutes, Thighs, Hamstrings.

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Muscle Building & Workout Tips

Train your lower back and abdominals together

Most people train their abdominals in the pursuit of getting a good looking stomach, and in doing so they neglect training their lower back. However both should be trained equally to develop a strong balanced core, which could also prevent lower back problems in the future. The lower back is a very important area and it should be trained just as often as you train your abdominals.

Perform Compound Exercises

Focus more on compound exercises and less on isolation exercises. Compound exercises is where you should focus most of your efforts as they will result in the best gains in strength and muscle development. Compound exercises target multiple muscles including the larger muscle groups which is what you should be focusing on, especially if you’re a beginner.

Warm up

Warming up before your workout will increase blood circulation which will allow you to perform better during your workout, and of course it will reduce the chance of injury during your workout. If you’re about to undertake a weight training workout you are better off performing a few sets with light weights which targets the muscles that you will be training in your main workout, rather than performing just cardiovascular exercises.

Protein after workout

Immediately after your workout your muscles are craving nutrients especially protein. One of the quickest ways of getting protein into those muscles is consuming protein in liquid form. Protein shakes have a high level of protein which is quickly absorbed by the body making it an ideal after workout supplement. If you don’t have a protein supplement then a glass of milk would be a nice alternative, in fact some studies actually suggest that drinking milk after a workout is superior and more effective than consuming a whey protein supplement.

Don’t lift too much

It’s easy sometimes to become obsessed with the actual weight that is on the bar, however when people focus too much on the actual weight they are lifting their technique normally suffers. Performing exercises with poor technique will hurt your gains which are likely to suffer greatly. Performing with good technique is what will get you the results you are looking for. Plus lifting too heavy will more than likely result in injury at some point which will further slow your progress.

Focus on yourself

So many people in the gym are focusing on other people, what they are lifting, how big there are, what sort of shape they’re in and so on. Focus on yourself and set goals, achieving those goals is all that matters. I had a friend that avoided going to the gym because he was afraid of what people would think if he wasn’t lifting heavy, which is crazy!