One of the most abused and misunderstood factors that determines whether you build muscle fast, or simply join the ranks of the so-called “hard-gainers” is the manner in which you perform each and every repetition. 

It’s a plain fact that you don’t need to workout a whole lot, or for a long period of time to make serious muscle gains, but you do need to get a couple of things just right – otherwise you’ll be wasting your time. 

I’ve never been one for making things seem harder or more complicated that they really are – but in this case I’m going to make an exception. In effort to make your workouts harder, we need to keep in mind the style in which you perform each and every repetition. 

Your exercise “form” as we bodybuilding enthusiasts like to call it – is the single most important factor you need to focus on when performing any given workout. You need to make sure that you are using proper form, both with regards to the speed of movement, and the style of movement. Let’s start with the most important part first. 

Your speed of movement is critical when it comes to building muscle fast. There I said it. Now let’s examine the reason for the above statement. You see, if you perform your reps in a sloppy manner, and too quickly – you’re not actually working your muscles at all. 

What you are really doing is shifting the stress away from your muscles and onto your joints and tendons. Once you start sacrificing your form for performance improvements, you all but say goodbye to muscle growth. 

Look at it this way. Any clown can increase the weight he uses in a single set of barbell curls simply by swinging the weight and using his legs to hoist the weigh up to his shoulders. And if he does this a little more each workout, he can pretend that he is making progress. 

But muscle doesn’t lie. You either stimulate growth with each and every set, or you don’t. The results will speak for themselves. You can try and kid yourself that you are doing everything you can to build muscle, but you will have forgotten the most important thing. 

Listen. You want to stimulate muscle growth by working your muscles. And the best way to work your muscles is to perform each and every repetition in proper form. You want to perform each repetition in a strict, slow, controlled manner. 

I always recommend a simple guideline for repetition speed of movement. Perform each repetition with a 2-3 second positive (or lifting) phase, and a 4-5 second negative (or lowering) phase. Doing so will ensure that you are not using any momentum to lift the weight – and not simply dropping the weight back to the starting position. It will ensure that you are working your muscles through a full range of motion, and increasing the intensity of each and every exercise. 

Now, let’s take a look at the second part of the equation – the style of movement. Each exercise in your routine should be performed in the manner in which it was intended. For example, the barbell curl should be performed with the back straight, and the elbows help in close to the side of the torso. The movement should start with no swinging, but instead begin with a slow steady rise to the fully contracted position. Once the positive phase of the movement is complete, a brief pause in the contracted position should be followed by a slow lowering of the weight back to the starting position. 

Performing the barbell curl in this manner ensures that you are working the biceps rather than the lower back, or even the upper legs if you have a tendency to swing the weight up out of the starting position. 

You may want to hear some sort of crazy new technique that is taking the bodybuilding world by storm – but the simple fact is that this is more important than just about any other factor. You have to get it through your head that building muscle is not a complicated affair. It just requires the application of a few basic principles on a constant basis to make your physique dreams come true. 

One of those principles it how you perform each and every repetition, of each set in every workout. Plain and simple really.

Diet is one of the most important components of a good program for developing muscles. Eat right, and the muscles will grow. Some use a simple formula: eat, eat, and then eat again. That advice has some value, but it should include the caution to “eat right.” Eating right is a matter of balancing the proper amount of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. The following article describes and recommends some of the best proven foods for building muscles.

The Best Muscle Building Foods

Nearly any foods that are high in carbohydrates and protein can be categorized as good muscle building foods. In fact, high protein, high carbs, and low fat are the three most important characteristics that define a good muscle building diet.

High Quality Muscle Building Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide you with the energy that your body needs to perform the vigorous workouts that you need to develop muscle mass. Complex carbs are the best because they release their energy slowly over time. Simple carbohydrates, such as energy drinks and fruit juices should be consumed only when you need a quick energy boost during exercise. They provide quick energy without becoming stored as body fat.

The Best Complex Carbs

Some of the best complex carbohydrates for providing that needed store of energy are:

* Pasta 
* Bread 
* Brown rice 
* Bagel 
* Oatmeal 
* Cereals 
* Potatoes

The Best Simple Carbohydrates

Simple carbs that provide a quick energy boost are:

* Apples 
* Oranges 
* Mangos 
* Grapes 
* Honey 
* Raisins 
* High energy drinks

The Protein Building Blocks

Proteins build muscles. They are the fundamental building materials needed to build muscle mass. Focus upon foods that are high in protein. If you eat a vegetarian diet, combine foods that will provide complete protein. If your protein intake is insufficient, your body building efforts will certainly fail. Be sure to eat protein from the list below at every meal.

The Best Protein Foods

* Chicken breast 
* Egg whites 
* Turkey 
* Cottage cheese 
* Tuna 
* Yogurt 
* Protein Shakes

High Quality Fats

Essential fatty acids are responsible for the production of testosterone and for supporting many other of the body’s biological functions. One of the most important fatty acids, omega-3, is found in the foods listed below.

The Best Fat Foods

* Flaxseed oil 
* Udo’s choice 
* Olive oil 
* Cod-liver oil

H2O – The High quality Energy Drink

For refreshment and hydration, water is king. It has no peer. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are not a substitute. Only water can do the job effectively. Most people do not drink enough water. It is as important as diet in building up muscle.

One Last Tip

Remember – Eat, eat, and eat, but eat the proper foods. If you eat right, your exercise regimen will bear fruit.

We have all heard that weight lifting is beneficial for our bodies to maintain lean tissue, increase strength, and boost metabolism. The challenge arises when we base our weight lifting routines on certain myths. This, of course, leads to wasted time, and less than optimal muscle building results. Therefore, it is safe to say, we are not getting a great natural muscle return for the precious weight lifting workout time invested. 

Weight lifting myths start when one bodybuilder tells another bodybuilder who tells another bodybuilder of this new weight lifting workout technique that really works. The only problem is the theory is backed by pure fallacy rather than sound science. It is upsetting to realize the weight lifting workout world is riddled with myths. Therefore, it is my responsibility today as an Exercise Physiologist to deliver the weight lifting truth. 

My top 5 weight lifting myths will not only empower your mind, but also stimulate your body to more natural muscle in much less time. 

Please avoid these 5 weight lifting program myths that I reveal below. Your natural muscle building results depend upon it. 

1. Use heavy weight and less reps to build muscle mass, and low weight with lots of reps to shape the muscle and increase its definition. How many times have you heard this fallacy? I have heard it thousands of times. Many women believe this is a way to “prevent them from developing big muscles.” This is definitely not the case. 

The fact is shaping muscle results from decreasing subcutaneous body fat. If you simply decrease your calories each day, you can develop greater natural muscle definition. Greater natural muscle definition is even possible without lifting weights, that is, if your body fat drops low enough. 

Don’t get caught falling for this myth. Instead decide first what your primary weight lifting program goals really are. Are you interested in building muscle mass, or increasing muscle endurance? Next you decide the number of reps, and intensity of training. If definition is your main goal then build muscle while decreasing calories in order to strip away the unwanted subcutaneous layer of adipose tissue. 

2. You can reduce fat in a specific area by working that specific muscle (spot reducing). Please note that muscle growth and body fat loss is systemic in nature. It is a fact that the central nervous system triggers the muscle growth process. Therefore, overloading the central nervous system is the most important step in natural muscle development. As far as body fat is concerned, working a specific muscle group does not mean fat will suddenly melt off in that specific area. Weight training and fat loss, once again, has a systemic, not localized effect in the body. 

3. You must train at a full range of motion to develop natural muscle. There has not been a study proving that “full range” reps stimulate more muscle fibers. The fact is limited, or partial reps stimulate muscle growth, and can be considered safer. Just think, almost all of our daily activities are performed at a partial range of motion. Let’s take sprinting for instance. Sprinters are not running at a full range of motion, and they still develop muscle tissue. Once again, there has been no study conducted to date which confirms you must perform a full range of motion in order to stimulate maximum muscle growth. 

Now I’m not suggesting in natural bodybuilding it is bad to train at a full range of motion, but possibly more effective to train at the strongest range of motion. Thus, more resistance can be applied leading to greater muscle fiber stimulation. Consider incorporating partials in your weight training workout. 

In order for hypertrophy to occur in a natural bodybuilding program there are two requirements: maximum overload, and increased work in a unit time. Range of motion is not imperative to muscle development. 

4. Must weight train 3 days each week or your muscles will suddenly get smaller. Many natural bodybuilders feel this is absolutely true. Please don’t fall into this trap. The fact is the opposite is best. Weight lifting less allows for maximum natural muscle regeneration. Without rest the body can’t overcompensate from the added stress by generating larger muscles. Once a weight lifting workout is conducted while not completely recovered from the previous session, the whole natural muscle building process will be short circuited, and compromised. Therefore, bodybuilders who train religiously 3 days per week at a high intensity level are doing more harm than good. 

Don’t be afraid of losing muscle if you miss a week of weight lifting. More than likely you are gaining muscle during rest, not losing it. 

5. You must do 3 sets per exercise, and multiple weight lifting exercises in order to see progress. False. False. False. Studies have proven all you need is one high intensity, muscle stimulating set in order to stimulate maximum muscle growth. 

There is no scientific basis, nor reasoning for performing 3 sets per exercise.

Bodybuilding or gaining muscle is not only for men but also for women. That is the reason why I have compiled 7 powerful tips that surely helps any female who wants to build muscle. It is also important to do all the exercises in proper form to avoid injuries. So it is highly advisable to learn proper form before attempting any workouts. Also warm ups are very important before starting your actual workouts. Never avoid warm up sets, these are very crucial to avoid the risk of injury.

Building muscles also helps women to burn fat easily. More muscles equals to fast metabolism and fast metabolism leads to easy fat loss. Building muscles also helps a woman later in life when she becomes more susceptible to bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

So here are 7 powerful female muscle building tips

1. Pay attention to nutrition very well. It is the fuel for muscles. Without proper nutrition it is not possible to build muscles. Two important meals to consider are pre workout and post workout meals. Pre workout meal should be taken 60 minutes before the workout and the post workout meal should be taken right after workout or it should never go beyond 90 minutes. Both pre and post workout meals should contain high quality proteins and carbohydrates.

2. Avoid over training at any cost. Over training will only lead to muscle loss, not muscle gains. Never workout for more than one hour (45 minutes is optimal). In case of bodybuilding more is not good. So your workouts should only be about 45 minutes.

3. Do not do high reps. Doing high reps will result in more of a cardio like workout and not muscle building workout. You repetition range should be between 8-12 reps for each set. Try to do an extra rep or increase weight if you feel the workout is not challenging.

4. This will also helps when you hit a plateau. If you come to a plateau, make your workout more challenging by either increasing the weight or changing the workout plans.

5. Get enough rest for your muscle recovery. Your muscles will grow at rest, not when you are working it. So it is very crucial to give enough rest to grow muscles. So only train each body part once a week.

6. When training with weights, women can change their entire figure and can become more beautiful than they could. If you cannot believe take a look at this incredible female muscle transformation.

7. The last tip I have to give is, do not shy away from weights. Women have a wrong impression that weight training will bulk them with huge muscles. This is not true because women have less amount of testosterone, which makes men bulk up. The pictures of huge muscle women you see in magazines takes high amount of steroids and that is what helps them to build incredible muscles. But a natural female bodybuilder do not have to worry about this.