Protein For Muscle and Strength Gains

By Earl Homeward

Earl Homeward
Level: Basic

Hi I have been in the fitness industury for twenty seven years and have always wanted to contribute to fitness and nutrition in the writing ...

Notice how we are concerned more about how much weight we can lift for prolonged periods of time, sets and reps, on and off days, split training, drop sets, rest pause, pyramid sets and lest we forget that protein is one of the most important supplements we need to build muscle mass. Though every molecule of muscle is made from protein we eat, we never worry or give it a first thought. We have to worry about protein quality because it is very important to our goal of putting on as much permanent muscle mass as possible. So you must eat the right amount of protein the right way at the right time every day.
The best workout with teeth clenching effort will produce only some muscle and strength. The amount of protein you need for muscle building depends on the amount of muscle you naturally carry now. These amounts vary widely, depending on the individual body composition yet most recommendations do not come from a wide range of studies. Most figures are inaccurate for optimum muscle growth.
A precise guide to protein needs are derived from basic physiological needs. Most bodybuilders and sports enthusiasts use body weight as a criterion for how much protein they need when bodybuilders with the same body weight differ widely because of their muscle to body fat ratio. The protein you need is that which will maintain your lean weight and the extra amount required to grow new muscle. You need to know your muscle weight to find this amount. It is a myth that your lean body weight is a measure of your muscle only.
This is so not true! Your lean weight includes your bones, tendons, ligaments, skin, and all other organs. Athletes have the highest range of muscle to lean weight than the average person, if you don't know your lean weight, doing a body composition is a must. There are many systems out there to do this, these are a few of them:
Skinfold measurement
Body mass Index (BMI)
Waist to hip Ratio
Ponderal Index
Hydrostatic weight
(also known as Hydro densitometry or underwater weighing)
Near Infrared Interactance
Total Body Potassium (TBK)
Whole-Body Air-Displacement Plethysmography (BodPod)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Total Body Electrical Conductivity (TOBEC)
Computed Tomography (CT)
Total Body Protein (TBP)
Just to name a few, your body replaces your lean body weight at various intervals. Depending on your body type we replace protein in our body every six months. Our muscle has the highest content of protein of our lean tissue mass. Your muscle also requires more protein than our other tissues for metabolism. Generally you will need as much as (1.40 g - 2.40 g) a lot of the replacement of protein comes from recycling amino acids.
So by multiplying 1.40 x 190 for that extra protein for metabolism the amount of protein you need to maintain lean muscle would be 266 grams per lean body weight. Even the couch potato needs more protein to keep his or her lean muscle mass from getting fat. Your body will deposit unused carbohydrates in muscle and liver cells, but there is no storage of protein, so for optimum muscle growth we have to eat the right amount of protein every day.
If you start missing this for just one week your body will start catabolizing your lean body mass to make up, if you eat the right amount of protein every day and train correctly you see new muscle gain on a regular basis.
It will take a lot of protein for your body to make new muscle than it takes for it to maintain the muscle that is already there. Most trainee doing weights can expect to gain between 10 - 20 lbs per year of lean muscle mass.
Diet and exercise are not the only cause that influences muscle gain, genetics also play a big role in your mass gains, how many years you have been training and your age also.
The genetic types are divided onto three types, Ectomorphs- these are thin hard gainers
Mesomorphs - these are muscular easy gainers
Endomorphs - these are fat easy gainers
Most men are ectomorphs mesomorphs mix, but can be mistaken for endomorphs because of the excess of body fat, and will only get a moderate muscle gain that is most of us.
266 grams of first class protein is needed per day for someone that is 190 lbs to get optimum muscle growth. You can get away with eating bad fats and carbs but they are only temporary energy supplies. Every time you eat bad protein it goes into your body to build bad structure, fat and sedentary bodies.
The only measure of protein is biological value (BV) which measures the amount of protein retained in the body per gram absorbed, so a score 150-200 has twice the (BV) as a score of 80 so if you want to excel, eat the high range of (BV) protein every day. Vegetable protein cannot be relied upon because it's (BV) is below the range.
You will have to eat a mountain of beans to get the same protein retention as a first class protein. No wonder gorillas forage so much. Our bodies do not digest them well, they ferment in our gut that cause odorous results. You can stop gas by using a product called Beano that has the sugar digestive enzyme alpha-galactosidase which work well for broccoli, wheat and other whole grains.
We are constantly told to eat a balanced meal to get our protein but meats do not have a very high (BVs) despite their use. In other words meats are not the muscle food we think they are.
Your best bet is Whey proteins which contain a lot of alanine and lots of the branched chain aminos leucine, isoleucine and valine which are used to make alanine and glutamine, so you can take supplementary branched chain aminos to provide your much need Alanine and Glutamine, branched chain supplements are anti-catabolic.
The best is whey protein which has a high (BV), di-peptide and tri-peptide bonds are keys to optimum protein metabolism and allows the body to retain twice the amount of protein Peptide protein formulas that preserve these bonds are those that use ion-exchange or Cross-Flow membrane extraction methods.
Ion-exchange whey has an increase in glutathione, a very important antioxidant, so if you want muscle, strength and a strong immune system then ion-exchange and cross-flow membrane whey protein is the best choice.
Good Whey protein brands that will give you bang for your buck are
Designer Protein (Next Nutrition)
Perfect Protein (Unipro)
Whey Fuel (Twinlabs)
Most bodybuilders make the mistake when using whey protein because they think that you do not need to use carbs when taking protein because excess carbs will turn into fat. After exercise the body needs protein and carbs to change it hormone balance. A mixed carbohydrate and protein drink has a greater long lasting insulin release which has the greatest increase in growth hormone and testosterone.
Protein and carbohydrates immediately after your workout reduces post exercise cortisol levels. High cortisol levels break down muscle mass protein and carb give your muscles glycogen to help keep cortisol levels to a minimum. This is the best anabolic way to go after a workout. You should take at least 40-50 g of protein after a workout mixed with carbs and essential fats within one hour of training to get maximum absorption.
Total amount of carbs depends on your total daily calories. For those who want to gain weight, if you are 160- 190 lbs your carb/protein/fat ratio should be anywhere between 40:30; 30 or 53:26:21 but you should look up you daily protein, carb and fat intake for your body weight to workout your meal plan, then it is easier to plan your whole day food intake.
Most of the amino in your muscles is made up of glutamine. It is used to transport to dispose of nitrogen waste. Alanine is another big component in your muscles. During exercise you lose more glutamine and alanine than your body can store. The ion-exchange and cross-flow membrane whey protein contains high levels of glutamine, alanine and branch chain amino acids. This is The reason they have superior (BV) than the other protein and they also spare muscle amino acids, inhibiting catabolism.




photo source here.

3 Great Cardio Strength Training Drills For Optimal Fitness!

By Brandon Richey Brandon Richey Level: Platinum Brandon Richey is the owner of EFPS and is a strength and conditioning specialist certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association ( the NSCA), ...

If you are looking for a way to drastically improve your level of fitness then you have got to engage both your muscular and cardiovascular systems to make it happen. You see contrary to common belief cardio and strength can work hand in hand with exercise. This is why it is possible to achieve both a superior strength and cardiovascular workout at the same time, as long as, you know what type of training is most effective in helping you to accomplish this goal. This is why I have included 3 tremendous exercises here below in order to help you achieve a tremendous cardio strength training workout!
1. Kettlebell Swings: Kettlebell swings are terrific for helping you to acquire a very high level of both cardiovascular and muscular fitness. You see the beauty of this exercise is that it is performed by engaging a movement which involves swinging a kettlebell from between your legs up to at least chest height. This exercise is very effective and works many muscles throughout your body in order to pull it off. By initiating the swinging of the bell you effectively work the muscles of your posterior chain which consist of your glutes, hips, hamstrings, back, and shoulders. This exercise also does wonders for your heart and if you don't believe me then feel free to swing a moderately heavy bell for a bout of about 20 to 30 reps!
2. The Squat Thrust Calisthenic: This is a calisthenic exercise which means that it is a total body exercise that is performed in a rhythmic and systematic manner in order to promote both cardiovascular fitness and total muscular strength. This particular drill requires you to start out standing with your feet at shoulder width and crouching to place your hands on the ground in front of you. The next step involves you kicking your feet back behind you in order to extend your body into an upright push up position. Finally, it is finished by you kicking your feet back up underneath you in order to stand back up. You can intensify the drill further by going into a vertical jump upon standing. This is one butt kicking cardio strength drill my friend.
3. Squat Jumps: The squat jump is an exercise that doesn't require any additional resistance other than your own body weight. However, the drill can be intensified by you holding dumbells, kettlebells, or by wearing a weighted vest. The squat jump is a plyometric drill which means it involves a continuous intense effort of short burst muscular contraction which initiates the stretch shortening response (SSR) of your muscles and connective tissues. This is great for helping you to develop cardiovascular fitness, strength, and also improve your joint integrity. The squat jump is executed by you standing with your feet at shoulder width and squatting down by bending at your hips. As you descend at the squat you will want to swing your arms back as you squat downward and then immediately swing your arms forward at the same time as you explosively extend at your hips, knees, and ankles. You should extend your body with enough force to elevate yourself up off of the ground. From here make sure to land and repeat the same process for every following repetition. Every rep should be done in continuous succession.
If you haven't already started to implement these 3 mentioned cardio strength training drills into your workouts for optimal fitness then you are missing out. Take the time to learn more by accessing more of my articles on the subject for free. Remember that most anyone can train hard, but only the best train smart!

Do You Have "Gym Abs"? Why These Aren't the Kind of Abs You Want

By Daniel Stowers Daniel Stowers Level: Platinum Daniel has a variety of interests. He enjoys writing about finances, weight loss as well as a bunch of other things as you'll see from ...

Toned and Chiseled Abs are on every gym-goers to-do list, yet very few actually achieve them. Instead, many who workout consistently end-up with the conversely unattractive "gym abs". While they may see definition in many other body areas, such as arms and thighs, the abs never seem to firm up, despite heavy-training with exercises like crunches or weighted ab machines. So, what are "gym abs" exactly?
The term "gym abs" refers to the look of a person who is otherwise fit and toned, but has a mid-section that is extended significantly forward, often past the pectoral muscles, and has very little definition. This condition is caused by building the abdominal muscles through heavy ab workouts, while not reducing the fat that sits on top of them by the same rate. In essence, as you build ab muscle, the muscle pushes the fat outward causing the belly to look distended, which is the opposite of the flat, chiseled ab look you are likely looking for. If the fat around the waist is not being reduced by the same amount as the muscle being built, your waist-size will actually expand rather than shrink. People with "gym abs" have a nicely-toned set of abdominal muscles covered by a thick layer of fat.

To determine if you have the "gym abs" we are referring to, stand erect but do not suck in your belly. Look down, and take note of whether your belly extends significantly beyond your chest. Next, take two fingers and press into the skin covering your abdominal area. Do you feel rock hard muscle an inch or so underneath your skin? Does your belly extend beyond your chest? If so, you may have "gym abs", but there is hope.
It is commonly accepted that definition in the abdominal region will not begin to show until the individual drops below 15% body fat. Thus, the best method to counter-act "gym abs" and get the six-pack you want, is to focus on fat loss. Determine how many calories you need to eat to maintain your body weight, and then cut them by 20%. Also, immediately stop doing targeted abdominal exercises, such as crunches, and use that time on the treadmill or running intervals. Core work, such as yoga, is still needed for stability and overall conditioning, but ab-specific exercises without fat loss will give you the opposite of the look you crave. You can still build ab definition with compound-body exercises, such as push-ups and squats. Remember, six-packs are found in the kitchen, not in the gym.

photos taken from here and here.

3 Different Stages of Muscle Building

3 Different Stages of Muscle Building You Need to Know By George Christodoulou George Christodoulou Level: Platinum George Christodoulou has published over 1200 articles about various topics through research and experience.

Before you jump head long into any muscle building training program you must know the three basic principles of what it takes to garner those big rippling biceps! After you have begun to understand the process of how the body goes through different stages of building muscle only then will you be able to initiate into a long-term muscle building training regiment.

Muscle Stimulation

The first phase is referred to as muscle stimulation. It is within this phase that you will learn how the audio treats its muscles when it comes to adding on lean muscle mass to compensate for previous failures. This may sound a bit contradictory but this is how the body works on a muscle to improve its maximum of elegy to either left or move something of massive weight. The body breaks down the muscle in order to compensate for the over strenuous activities of the weightlifting exercise only days before.

Learn about Nutrition

The second phase is to learn all you can about nutrition and what your body needs to grow big giant muscles. When you have a diet that's full of fruits and vegetables and good wholesome grains and wheat and vitamins you'll develop a body that is fit for 'Schwarzenegger School of Bodybuilding Studs' in California. If you do not treat your body like a temple that it is and you are trying to work out and negate the nutritional-aspect then the workout will be left unaffected and you will not gain muscles that all the girls at the beach want you to do. As long as you know that you need to eat a healthy, nutritious diet then your workout regimen will be just fine and your body will reward you with muscles upon muscles.

Learn the Golden Rule of Working Out then Resting

Many of the most-novices of muscle builders understand that you have to rest the body. Especially any of the targeted-muscles that you have just worked out the day before in order for them to grow into 'anything' bigger. Time and time again well-intentioned sincere young men who want to add muscle mass onto a relatively lean-body structure will forget this golden rule and work out every day religiously.

They do not give their muscles the time needed and required to produce more muscle tissue to make up for the failure of the past. The bottom line is that you should rest every day in between the weekly workout days and a good schedule beyond would look like this: Monday Wednesday Friday workout Tuesday Thursday rest, Saturday and Sunday cardiovascular workout or spend some time with the family. The most dependable factor you will need to learn of these three factors and three different stages of muscle growing experiences will be to be committed to your cause. Those guys and gals that one add-on muscle fiber to their body learn and follow these three phases of any workout regimen and are rewarded with fine tuned and muscular bodies.

photos taken from here, here, and here.

Muscle Meals: Saucy Salmon

Remember, the best way to that healthy and trimmed body is 80% DIET and 20% Exercise. Bodybuilding Tips and Tricks brings you the Saucy Salmon recipe by Ellie Krieger.

Saucy Salmon

by Ellie Krieger from The Food Network

Prep Time:

25 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

31 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium diced tomatoes, juice included
• 1 (12-ounce) can low-sodium tomato sauce
• 1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed and thinly sliced
• 2 dried whole red chile peppers
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard, washed well and dried, tough center stems removed, coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until soft and golden, about 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, red peppers, chili peppers, cumin, coriander and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat, and remove chile peppers.

Place Swiss chard on the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Season fish fillets with remaining salt and pepper and place in on top of chard. Cover with sauce and bake, covered, until fish is just cooked and chard is wilted, about 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Per Serving:

(1 serving equals 1 fillet, 3/4 cup chard and sauce)

Calories 370; Total Fat 15 g; (Sat Fat 2 g, Mono Fat 6 g, Poly Fat 5 g) ; Protein 38 g; Carb 20 g; Fiber 4 g; Cholesterol 94 mg; Sodium 700 mg

Excellent source of: Protein, Vitamin A, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Pantothenic Acid, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium

Good source of: Fiber, Folate, Manganese

Nutrition, Diet for Bodybuilders

Nutrition, Diet For Bodybuilders
By Paul L Williams


Increase your protein intake (30 to 50 grams with every meal every 3 hours) - this prevents the body burning muscle tissue whilst you are dieting. Good protein sources include lean red meat, chicken, turkey fish and whey protein. For those protein shakes - always try to consume high quality whey protein - not cheaper milk or casein proteins! Research shows that whey protein leads to over a 100% greater increase in protein synthesis (the fancy term for muscle growth) than the cheap milk protein found in many protein powders. In addition, whey protein halts the muscle-wasting hormone 'cortisol'. Whey protein heads straight into the bloodstream - ready for delivery to your protein-starved muscles. And always try to consume a protein shake immediately after a workout - this is when your muscles need it most!

Drink lots of water - around 3 litres a day if you can manage it! My advice here is to start early in the day! Drinking large amounts of water is very important if you are taking a course of steroids. You need to flush out those internal organs and supply the water your muscles need to grow. Cut down on your salt as it reduces the ability of your stomach to digest protein. Added to this, salt may lead to water retention, heart disease and high blood pressure. Reduce your intake of fats from dairy and animal products - but 'high fat' cold water fish such as salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel are good for your system and should be on your shopping list. Make sure you eat nutrient rich foods (tuna, chicken, salads, pasta, beans, and pulses) and try to cut down on your sugars, salts and fats! Empty calories (sweets, chocolates, fried food) won't provide the fuel you need but they may make you fat.

Go for complex carbohydrates (bananas, brown rice, green vegetables) and cut down on simple carbohydrates (chocolate, cakes, chips, and white bread - even carrots!). Basically, complex carbs are harder to break down and they keep your insulin levels on a more even plateau. Simple carbs will give you a short term boost but make you feel more lethargic when the boost disappears! Intense workouts require much higher doses of vitamins. If you're new to steroids, we always recommend that you seek expert professional advice before taking them, as what's right for one person is not necessary right for you. It's also worth remembering that steroids are not magic! They don't work on there own, a good healthy diet and exercise regimen are essential to achieving your goals.

IFBB Pro Bodybuilder and personal trainer. Interested in sports/sports injuries and correct diet and proper nutrition. Sports massage and injury recovery programs. http://www.anabolictoday.com