Tuesday, September 29, 2009

How To Instantly Increase Your Training Volume & Intensity

As you get more advanced in your workouts you need to look for ways to progress past basic beginner weight training and get your muscles to perform more work in the same amount of time either by upping your training volume and / or training intensity.

One remarkable technique for doing this is using "Jump Sets" which basically means pairing up 2 exercises for different muscle groups and performing sort of a "super set" by jumping back and forth between the 2 exercises.

Now technically "super sets" are 2 exercises performed for the same bodypart with little or no rest in between. So for example; you may do a set of bicep preacher curls and then immediately go to standing bicep curls. Then you would take your normal rest period before repeating the super set.

Super sets are a good way to increase your training intensity. However, what I'm about to describe to you is a simple way to increase BOTH training volume and training intensity simultaneously. And it requires no more time or effort then what you are putting into your workouts right now.

Jump sets are basically super sets between 2 different muscle groups with normal rest periods between sets. An example of this would be doing a set of bicep curls, rest a minute or so, then doing a set of tricep push downs, rest a minute, and then repeat. Jumping back and forth between the exercises until you complete the total desired number of sets.

Now at this point you may be saying to yourself "This is all fine and dandy... I've learned a new way to do my exercises, but how is this going to help me get bigger and stronger?"

Good question! I'm glad you asked...

When you are training 2 or more muscle groups in a single workout and performing your sets in the traditional fashion of doing all sets for one exercise before moving on to the next exercise, and then doing all exercises for one bodypart before moving on to the next bodypart. There is going to be a big imbalance between the level of training intensity that you can perform for each muscle group.

Obviously, you'll be able to train harder and lift more weight for the first muscle group, but as you progress through the workout your strength and energy levels will drop off. And by the time you get to the last bodypart you'll have very little energy left in the tank and you won't be able to give it 100% effort.

By using jump sets and alternating back and forth between bodyparts you are able to train both muscle groups with high intensity right from the start, and you'll also be able to keep up with higher training volume as well. Arnold Schwarzenegger was a strong believer in using jump sets like this in his training, as were many of the great old time bodybuilders.

Let me show you an example...

Let's say that you were going to train chest and back in the same workout and you were going to perform 5 sets of dips for the chest, and 5 sets of chin ups for the back.

If you were to perform them in straight sets the workout may go like this:

(Note: I'm just using these numbers as examples, your actual reps may be different based on your individual strength levels.)

Example of Straight Sets:

Dips:
Set 1 – 15 reps
Set 2 – 15 reps
Set 3 – 12 reps
Set 4 – 10 reps
Set 5 – 8 reps

Chin Ups:
Set 1 – 12 reps
Set 2 – 10 reps
Set 3 – 8 reps
Set 4 – 6 reps
Set 5 – 5 reps

By the time you get to the last couple sets of each exercise your strength will really be dropping off due to muscle fatigue, especially when done is a straight set fashion.

But if you were to do the same number of sets for both exercises done in a Jump Set fashion you would be able to get more total reps and maintain higher strength levels into the final sets.

Example of Jump Sets:

Dips: Set 1 – 15 reps
Chin Ups: Set 1 – 15 reps

Dips: Set 2 – 15 reps
Chin Ups: Set 2 – 15 reps

Dips: Set 3 – 12 reps
Chin Ups: Set 3 – 12 reps

Dips: Set 4 – 12 reps
Chin Ups: Set 4 – 12 reps

Dips: Set 5 – 10 reps
Chin Ups: Set 5 – 10 reps

*Note: you would take a full rest break in between each set before moving onto the next set.

In the above example, you'll be able to perform higher reps into the latter sets then you normally would if you performed them straight through. Thus increasing both your training volume and intensity.

And the best part is that the workout time is the same, the total number of sets performed is the same, and the rest periods are the same. But the overall workload is higher for each exercise because you are resting one bodypart when you jump to another.

Jump sets work best for agonist and antagonist muscle groups.
Examples of agonist and antagonist muscle groups are:
chest & back
biceps & triceps
quadriceps & hamstrings
abs & lower back

Another thing that I want to mention is that this technique can be used throughout your entire workout. You don't have to limit it to just one exercise for each bodypart.

Some jump set examples are:
bench press & barbell rows
cable cross overs & lat pull downs
dumbbell curls & overhead dumbbell extensions
preacher curls & push downs
leg extensions & leg curls
sit ups & hyper extensions

And the list goes on and on...
It's only limited by your imagination and what gym equipment you have available.

Note:
Big exercises like squats and deadlifts do not work well for jump sets as these are the biggest and most demanding exercises you can do. It is best to do these 2 exercises by themselves so you can focus your attention and effort 100%.


If you would like to learn more some unique and unorthodox training ideas for improving the quality of your workouts then you should check out the "Blast Your Bench" program.

This program will show you exactly how to cycle your training with over 20 weeks of organized workout routines all designed to maximize your strength and muscle gains, while minimizing the time you spend stagnating in training plateaus.

You'll start seeing big results in just 21 days and you can ride the wave of Muscle Growth Momentum and pack on size and strength like never before!

Check it out now for yourself at:

www.BlastYourBench.com

Total Fitness Bodybuilding Message Board Down...

As you may know our message board is down. I've notified the website tech guys and they are looking into it right now. I really apologize for the inconvenience that this has caused. Hopefully, we'll be back up and running ASAP.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Holy Sh!t Batman... Branch Got 2nd...

I'm so happy for Branch Warren for getting 2nd. The guy looked incredible. But with the politics, etc. of bodybuilding I didn't think he'd place so high. I've never seen a former Mr. O slip to 3rd when defending the title. And for Branch to beat all the so called "aesthetically pleasing" physiques (i.e. Dex, Phil, etc.) that's awesome for him man. Heck I slugged back a yagger bomb and dedicated it to Branch last night LOL.

Anyway, myself and Trish are off to Golds Gym in Vegas right now to train with the pros. All the big names are going to workout this morning so it should be cool and hopefully I'll get some kick ass video clips to share as well.

The Top 6 Placings Are:
6 - Victor Martinez
5 - Phil Heath
4 - Kai Greene
3 - Dexter Jackson
2 - Branch Warren
1 - Jay Cutler

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Jay Cutler 3 Time Mr. Olympia... Maybe...?

I attended the Mr. Olympia pre-judging last night and I think Jay Cutler has got this one hands down. He is in the best shape of his life, full, hard, dry, striated, the complete package. He even has a funky new jazzed up hair do which looks cool LOL.

My top 5 picks after watching pre-judging are:
1 - Jay Cutler
2 - Dexter Jackson
3 - Phil Heath
4 - Kai Greene
5 - Branch Warren

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Check out these killer new arm exercises...

Are you stuck in a training rut with your muscle gains
at a stand still?

Or are you just plain bored with your current workout
routine right now and would like to spice things up?

Well if so, then I've got some EXCELLENT news for you!

If you'd like to try out some crazy new muscle building
exercises that will not only give your muscles a growth
spurt but ELECTRIFY your motivation again...
Then you need to check this out!

I just got a copy of Nick Nilsson's new book called
"The Best Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of."

at: http://www.BestArmExercises.net

I think the name says it all :)

I have to say there is some VERY cool stuff in this book.

Nick's packed in 68 amazing exercises for the biceps,
triceps and forearms. Most of them I've never even seen
before and I've been plugging away at the "Iron Game" for
going on 19 years now. (Does that mean I'm getting old?)

Anyway, you just gotta check some of these out:

---------------------

NILSSON CURLS

A bodyweight exercise for your biceps that LOOKS like a chin-up
but uses a special "bracing" technique to put almost ALL your
bodyweight directly onto your BICEPS. Imagine the growth you'll
get with THAT much resistance going directly onto your bi's!

---------------------

REVERSE PEC DECK LOCKOUTS

A breakthrough in tricep contractions, this exercise targets the
most anatomically-possible contracted position of the muscle with
extremely heavy weights. Get ready for it because I guarantee
you've never felt a tricep contraction this hard in your entire
life.

---------------------

ONE ARM BARBELL CURLS

Doing the Barbell Curl with only one arm tests your strength,
balance, coordination and determination. It can be extremely
difficult to do but the results are totally worth it. Not only
does it increase muscle activation in the biceps, it gives your
grip a tremendous workout as well!

---------------------

SPIDERMAN RACK PUSH-UPS

Setup time is an sometimes an issue when you're training. This
great tricep exercise is a mash-up between close-grip push-ups
and bodyweight tricep extensions. The key is how you do them in a
rack to basically spring-load the tension onto your tri's. Very
quick to do but brutal!

---------------------

LEANING WRIST CURLS

This unique version of the wrist curl adds a new dimension of
tension...instead of just doing a plain old wrist curl, you'll
also be supporting your bodyweight on your forearms to increase
the tension. This position also gives you natural "occlusion
training" (which is basically limiting the blood flow out of a
muscle while training in order to increase hormonal growth
factors in the area). If you're ever had trouble building
forearms, this exercise might just hold the key for you...

---------------------

So here's the deal...

Right now, Nick's just released this brand new book and he
is only asking $29.95 for the entire system. This is a killer
bargain considering the sheer volume of innovative exercises
you'll find in it.

You'll get exercise descriptions, pictures, even an entire
VIDEO LIBRARY that you'll have full access to so you know
exactly how to perform every exercise.

If you've got access to freeweights and bodyweight and a
few basic pieces of equipment, you'll be able to use the
VAST majority of these unique exercises.

But here's the kicker... he's only keeping it at this low
price until Friday, Sept. 25th at midnight. Then he's putting
it up to the regular price of $49.95. So if you want to get
this system for the cheap price, you've gotta act fast.

Here's the cool thing... Nick has posted FIVE exercises
taken directly from the book right on his site for you
to try out RIGHT NOW.

No need to sign up for anything - just go the site
and learn 'em. Once you give them a try, you'll be hooked...

Go check it out here:

http://www.BestArmExercises.net

Monday, September 21, 2009

How To Burn More Belly Fat During Exercise...

I was chatting with my friend and fellow muscle building and fat loss coach, Jeff Anderson (author of "Combat The Body Fat" http://www.CombatBodyFat.com) the other day, and we were talking about strategies to help speed up abdominal fat loss. After all, who doesn't want a lean ripped mid-section with 6 pack abs!?

Anyway, Jeff shared a killer technique with me that works awesome for blasting away stubborn belly fat and helps to carve in those deep cuts that will reveal your 6 pack. In a nut shell it's combining your ab training with your cardio training which indirectly has a "spot reduction" kind of effect on your belly fat... (all the details of how to do this are explained below).

But the funny thing is I've been unconsciously using this technique myself in preparation for all my bodybuilding contests and it's no doubt one of the tricks that has helped me to get such deep cuts in my abs (as you can see in the pic)...

You see I have an elliptical and a stepper machine at home that I use for a lot of my early morning fat loss cardio workouts when I'm training for a bodybuilding competition. And one thing that I find often happens after a while of repetitive motion is that my toes and feet sometimes go a little numb.




So what I would do throughout my cardio workouts do to get off my feet for a minute, but still keep active is hit the floor and do some ab work (i.e. sit ups, crunches, leg raises, etc.) and then get back on the elliptical or stepper. I would do this back and forth for my entire cardio workouts, not even realizing the ab sculpting, belly fat burning benefits that I was getting from this technique.

Now while there have been numerous "experts" out there who have have claimed that there's no way to "spot reduce" where you're able to burn bodyfat. Recent studies are showing that it may in fact be possible with this kind of this simple, but effective alternating back and forth between cardio and strength training technique.

=============================

Now THIS is Really Cool...

=============================

It seems that there may be a unique connection where the fat cells in the location of the muscles being exercised may actually provide the bulk of the long term fuel for your training.

This is NOT definitive yet, but it holds promise.

It also supports my theory (and again, this is ONLY a theory!) that your MIND-MUSCLE CONNECTION plays a STRONG role in how much, and WHERE you can burn fat.

=============================

Here's how you do it...

=============================

1. First, if you have read my "Bodybuilding Competition Training Guide" or Jeff Anderson's best-selling "Combat The Body Fat" program (http://www.CombatBodyFat.com), then you know that we are both HUGE supporters of LOW intensity cardio as a fat-burner.

Sure, you can get your panties in a wad while you preach about how HIGH intensity is better, and yes there are benefits to more intense cardio workouts. But the fact is most competitive bodybuilders get ripped to the bone shredded with LOW intensity cardio, and literally hundreds (if not thousands) of average men and women have used the LOW intensity cardio strategies that Jeff talks about in his "Combat The Body Fat" program to make some amazing "before & after" transformations, and the pictures don't lie!

2. For this cardio / strength training exercise session, you'll start with a quick, "low effort" warmup of about 5 minutes on a treadmill, bike, or other cardio exercise equipment.

3. Next, do a set of WEIGHTED CRUNCHES until "failure". Just one single set.

4. Now, go and do another 10 minutes of LOW INTENSITY cardio activity that uses primarily either an upper body or lower body movement (e.g. - Rowing machine/jumping rope primarily works upper body while jogging, bike, works lower).

5. When 10 minutes are up, do one set of HANGING LEG RAISES (with your legs straight), rep out to failure and then go on to your 2nd 10-minute bout of low intensity cardio using the opposite area of your body as your last set.

(i.e. - if you jumped rope in your last cardio round, switch to an exercise like jogging on the treadmill or using the stepper this time.)

6. When done, do a single set to failure of HANGING ROTATIONAL KNEE RAISES... then on to your 3rd round of cardio using the opposite half of your body.

And so it goes on, switching back and forth between doing abdominal exercises and low intensity cardio.

For your follow up abs exercises, I suggest (in order)...

=> Hanging Knee Raises

=> Either crunches or V-Ups

As you can see, you'll slowly decrease the intensity of the abs exercise choices with each set as you get closer to the end of your workout.

But in essence, by training your abs throughout your cardio session, you send a "message" to your body WHERE you want all that fat-burning cardio to do most of it's work.

So WHILE you're hitting your cardio sets, you've "activated" your abdominal area for fat destruction!

You may think I'm crazy, but give it a try and see if it doesn't make a difference in WHERE your measurements start reflecting results!

If you'd like to learn more killer fat burning techniques like this then I highly recommend that you grab yourself a copy of my friend Jeff Anderson's "Combat The Body Fat" program at: http://www.CombatBodyFat.com

This program reveals some of the "Secret Training Strategies" that Jeff used when he was a Master Military Fitness Trainer who's primary job was to take out of shape soldiers and whip them into shape as quickly as possible and turn them Lean, Mean, Fighting Machines.

In fact using these "hard-core" military style workouts these soldiers were able to blast away 2-4 pounds of ugly bodyfat every single week, while carving in ripped muscle definition at the same time!

So if you are struggling with that extra roll of flab hanging over your belt, then it would certainly be worth your while to check this program out for yourself at:

http://www.CombatBodyFat.com

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Total Fitness Bodybuilding Talk Show Replay Posted

Last Thursday night we had our live Total Fitness Bodybuilding
Video Talk Show and the replay is posted up for you
to check out at: http://www.LeeHayward.com/tv

I did have some problems with the camera mic and ended up
having to use a separate headset to capture the audio. So
there is a slight delay between the video and audio. It
looks like a cheesy Chinese movie that's been voiced over :-)












So if you want to go laugh at my out of sync chops moving go to: http://www.LeeHayward.com/tv

I won't be doing a live show this coming Thursday September 24th because I'll be down in Las Vegas checking out the Mr. Olympia (I can't wait, I'm like a little kid waiting for Christmas LOL).








I'll be taking my flip video camera with me and shooting some clips from the Olympia Expo and posting them up here on my blog. So that's something you can look forward to checking out next weekend.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Pre-Workout Warm Up Exercise Routine

One of the most neglected aspects of weight training and one of my biggest pet peeves is NOT performing a proper warm up. How often have you seen a novice lifter walk into the gym right off the street, and then go straight into a set of bench presses or bicep curls?

(Note: I hope you aren't that guy, and if you are then you really need to watch this video below :-)

This exact scenario happened not too long ago at the gym when
I was in the middle of my workout and it was down right sad...

This skinny young guy walked in by himself, I'd say he was in
his early 20's. He went over to the bench press, tossed his
jacket on the rack next to him and then put 185 on the bar.

He plopped his butt down on the bench, un-racked the bar, and
it dropped like a rock and literally stapled him to the bench!
All he could do was yell out "Help!"

I was amazed that someone could be so stupid...

First to attempt a 1 rep max with no warm up,
and second to do it with out having a spotter.

Anyway, I walked over deadlifted the bar off his chest,
racked it for him, and just shook my head in disbelief.
I didn't need to say a word, he was already embarrassed
enough as it was.

While he maybe lucky and get away with this kind of careless
training for a little while, he is eventually going to get
seriously hurt, it's just a matter of time.

The stronger you get, the more intensity you can generate
with your training, and the more important doing a proper
warm up becomes.

That's why I just posted up a YouTube video showing my personal warm up exercise ritual that I like to perform before each and every workout I do in the gym. It only takes about 10 minutes, and trust me it's time well invested.

The key here is to simply get the blood flowing, elevate your core temperature, warm up your tendons, joints, and ligaments and prepare your body both mentally and physically for the workout that's to follow.

Check out the video clip below to see my personal "Pre-Workout Warm Up Ritual"...

Friday, September 11, 2009

500+ pound bench press!

I just got this e-mail the other day and I had to share it with you!

It's from William Blackstone who bought the "Blast Your Bench" program 4 years ago. And during that time he has taken his bench press from 385 pounds to a whopping 525 pounds! At 48 years of age! And just in case you are wondering, this is a RAW lift, meaning no bench press shirt. Anyway you slice it that is one heck of an impressive lift by anyone's standards.

This is what William wrote me:

Hi Lee,

I don't know if this will reach you or not, but I have purchased your bench press work out almost 4 years ago. I still receive your e-mails and I love receiving the communications from you.

I feel that your routine is the best on the market. I took a 385 press @ 194 BW age 45. To a 525 press @ 214 BW age 48. I have used your system 3 times a year since the initial purchase. Every time through I've always set a new personal strength record gaining more on my bench.

In October 2009, I hope to be contending for the all time 220 weight class 100% clean Bench press. This I give a lot of credit to you and your system. I am constantly asked how I do it. I just tell them to get Lee Hayward's BLAST YOUR BENCH.

Do to your program I have gone up in weight class (do to muscle mass) Gone up in pressing abilities. Hold numerous World, National, State Bench press records. I lift totally drug free and only RAW.

Again thanks a quarter ton :)

William C. Blackstone
BBlackstone
"Big Arm"
B.M.F. Pro Bench Press Team


To prove these lifts William has even posted up a video page showing his training in the gym. This video below is of him doing a 465 pound bench in training.



You can see more of his lifts at:
http://s702.photobucket.com/albums/ww28/bigarm19/?action=view¤t=20090903175717.flv

And if you'd like to get your very own copy of the "Blast Your Bench" program and make strength gains like William, then you can do so right now at: http://www.BlastYourBench.com/mainpage.htm

Heck, even if you only did half as good as William you'd still be benching 260+ pounds which is a lot more then the average Joe you see in the gym.

Why not give the program a shot for yourself. You've got nothing to lose and a whole lot of strength to gain...

Let's get busy!

http://www.BlastYourBench.com/mainpage.htm

Thursday, September 10, 2009

It's Thursday... You Know What That Means...

Thursday has rolled around again and you know what that means...
The Total Fitness Bodybuilding Talk Show is tonight!

I really enjoy doing these shows and helping you along in your journey towards building a leaner more muscular physique. Since I started doing these shows I've gotten a ton of feedback from viewers like you, thankfully most of it has been positive.

However, the biggest complaint that I get is from people who live in different parts of the world who can't make our 9:00 pm EST shows and they never get a chance to have their questions answered on the show.

So what I'm going to do tonight is let you submit your questions in advance. This way even if you can't make the live show you can watch the replay the next day and have your questions answered.

So if you have a question or topic that you would like to have discussed on the talk show just post it here as a comment to this blog post below, and later tonight I'll answer your questions

Again the live show starts at 9:00 pm EST at: http://www.LeeHayward.com/tv

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Vitamin Intake For Bodybuilders

When most bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts think of proper nutrition they usually only focus on the macronutrients and caloric intake (i.e. how much protein, carbs, fat, and calories you eat).

While this is a good start and certainly better than nothing, there is a whole other level of nutrition which gets less attention, but is equally, if not more important... Micronutrients (i.e. vitamins and minerals) are critical, not only for your overall health and well being, but for building muscle as well.

Now the easy way out is to simply pop a multi-vitamin and "fuhgeddaboudit" (forget about it). But this simple "Band-Aid" approach is not the best way to deal with your muscle building nutrition.

In fact if you have a micronutrient deficiency you could short change the entire muscle building process and bring your gains in the gym to a screeching halt... Even if you are eating a high calorie diet!

Thanks to the modern invention of processed food, we now live in a society where it is possible to overeat to the extent that one becomes obese (i.e. big as a friggen whale), yet can still be malnourished from a nutrient perspective.

How can this be?

Because most processed foods today are stripped of their healthy vitamins and minerals and then loaded with preservatives, so they are nothing more then empty calories.











(The Evolution Of Fat...)


Not only that, but if you are in the gym working out on a regular basis (which you most likely are if you are here reading this) then you are placing even more demand and stress on your body and you need more micronutrients then the average Joe.

So what I've posted below is a listing of the top 25 most critical vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes. Along with the recommended daily intake for bodybuilders and the best food sources where you can get these micronutrients.

===========================

Vitamins


Vitamin A (carotene) - recommended intake 5000 IU/day

Is used for the formation and maintenance of skin, hair, and mucous membranes. Vitamin A helps with bone and tooth growth. It helps you see in dim light.

Best sources of vitamin A are: yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, green leafy vegetables, fortified oatmeal, liver, and dairy products.


Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - recommended intake 50 mg/day

Helps the body release energy from carbohydrates. Helps with growth and muscle tone.

Best sources of vitamin B1 are: fortified cereals and oatmeal, meats, rice, pasta, whole grains, and liver.


Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - recommended intake 15 mg/day

Helps the body release energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

Best sources of vitamin B2 are: whole grains, green leafy vegetables, organ meats, milk, and eggs.


Vitamin B3 (niacin) - recommended intake 25 mg/day

Involved in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism

Best sources of vitamin B3 are: meat, poultry, fish, enriched cereals, peanuts, potatoes, dairy products, and eggs.


Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) - recommended intake 10 mg/day

Helps in release of energy from fats and carbohydrates.

Best sources of vitamin B5 are: meats, whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.


Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - recommended intake 15 mg/day

Helps build body tissue and aids in metabolism of protein.

Best sources of vitamin B6 are: fish, poultry, lean meats, bananas, prunes, beans, whole grains, and avocados.


Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) - recommended intake 6 mcg/day

Aids cell development, functioning of the nervous system, and the metabolism of protein and fat.

Best sources of vitamin B12 are: meats, dairy products, and seafood.


Biotin - recommended intake 500 mcg/day

Involved in metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates.

Best sources of biotin are: grain products, yeast, legumes, and liver.


Folic acid - recommended intake 1 mg/day

Aids in genetic material development and involved in red blood cell production.

Best sources of folic acid are: green leafy vegetables, organ meats, peas, beans, and lentils.


Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - recommended intake 3000 mg/day

Essential for structure of bones, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels. Helps maintain capillaries and gums, aids in the absorption of iron. Helps boost the immune system and is good for reducing muscle soreness after a workout.

Best sources of vitamin C are: citrus fruits, berries, and vegetables


Vitamin D - recommended intake 600 IU/day

Aids in bone and tooth formation, helps maintain heart action and nervous system.

Best sources of vitamin D are: fortified milk, sunlight, fish, eggs, butter, and fortified margarine.


Vitamin E - recommended intake 1200 IU/day

Protects body cells, body tissue, and essential fatty acids from harmful destruction in the body. Helps boost the immune system and is good for reducing preventing some of the side effects from overtraining such as infection and sickness.

Best sources of vitamin E are: multigrain cereals, nuts, wheat germ, vegetable oils, and green leafy vegetables.


Vitamin K - recommended intake 125 mcg/day

Essential for blood clotting functions and helps strengthen bones.

Best sources of vitamin K are: green leafy vegetables, fruit, dairy products, and grain products.


===========================


Minerals


Calcium - recommended intake 1000 mg/day

Calcium helps strengthen bones, teeth, and muscle tissue. It regulates heartbeat, muscle action, nervous function, and blood clotting.

Best sources of calcium are: dairy products


Chromium - recommended intake 300 mcg/day

Chromium helps with glucose metabolism and it increases the effectiveness of insulin.

Best sources of chromium are: corn oil, clams, whole grains, and brewers yeast.


Copper - recommended intake 3 mg/day

Helps with the formation of red blood cells, bone growth and health. Works with vitamin C to form elasin.

Best sources of copper are: grain products and white potatoes.


Iodine - recommended intake 150 mcg/day

Iodine is a component of hormone thyroxine; it helps in the production of thyroid hormones, which control metabolism.

Best sources of iodine are: seafood and iodized salt.


Iron - recommended intake 30 mg/day

Iron helps with haemoglobin formation. Improves blood quality. Increases resistance to stress and disease.

Best sources of iron are: meats, organ meats, and legumes.


Magnesium - recommended intake 500 mg/day

Helps with acid / alkaline balance. Important in metabolism of carbohydrates and minerals. Can improve strength by increasing protein synthesis.

Best sources of magnesium are: nuts, green vegetables, and whole grains.


Manganese - recommended intake 5 mg/day

Helps with enzyme activation; carbohydrate and fat production; sex hormone production; skeletal development.

Best sources of manganese are: nuts, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.


Phosphorous - recommended intake 1000 mg/day

Helps with one development and is important in protein, carbohydrate, and fat utilization.

Best sources of phosphorous are: fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and grains.


Selenium - recommended intake 150 mcg/day

Protects body tissues against oxidative damage from radiation, pollution, and normal metabolic processing.

Best sources of selenium are: seafood, organ meats, meats, and grains.


Zinc - recommended intake 25 mg/day

Involved in digestion and metabolism. Important in the development of the reproductive system. Aids in healing.

Best sources of zinc are: meats, liver, eggs, seafood, and whole grains.


===========================


Electrolytes


Potassium - recommended intake 4000 mg/day

Helps with fluid balance. Controls activity of heart muscle, nervous system, and kidneys.

Best sources of potassium are: fruits and vegetables.


Sodium - recommended intake 2000 mg/day

Helps regulate fluid balance. Helps regulate acid/base balance in the bloodstream and facilitates active cellular transport across cellular membranes.

Best sources of sodium are: salt


===========================


Eating a well balanced diet that includes lean meats, poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and grain products will cover most of your vitamin and mineral needs. It would be a good idea to include a multivitamin and mineral supplement as well. To help ensure that you are getting ample amounts of vitamins and minerals in your daily diet. If you sweat a lot during the day (i.e. during your workouts) than you should also use salt on your food to help replace lost sodium and prevent muscle cramps.

If you would like some personalized help with creating your own healthy muscle building nutrition eating and workout plan then check out my Customized Diet & Training Plans and One-On-One Coaching Programs at:

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Awesome Abdominal Exercise Decline Barbell Sit Ups

This is an great weighted ab exercise that will work the entire mid-section. Decline bench sit ups are one of my favourite abdominal movements and this is an advanced variation of the decline bench sit up.



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Thursday, September 3, 2009

If You Got Questions... I Got Answers...

If you have any questions about your workouts, nutrition, building muscle, getting ripped, or any other bodybuilding and fitness related topic then you are in luck because...

Tonight at 9:00 pm EST I'm hosting a live bodybuilding Q and A style coaching session at: http://www.LeeHayward.com/tv

And the best thing is the price... It's 100% FREE!

That's right, I don't charge a cent for this service, not a red raw copper. I'm doing this simply because I want to help you maximize the results you get from your workouts. So be sure to tune in tonight at:

http://www.LeeHayward.com/tv

I look forward to chatting with you then!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

20 Minute Bodyweight Circuit Workout Routine

There are always going to be times when you are running
a bit late and have to get things done in a hurry...

Grab a quick protein shake...
Send off a quick e-mail...
Have a "quickie" in the morning... LOL
And of course get in a quick workout.

I just posted up a bodyweight upper body circuit
routine on YouTube that will give you a kick A$$
workout in just 20 minutes.



P.S.
To get early notification of all my latest workout videos
make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel at:
http://www.youtube.com/leemhayward