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Guaranteed to attract attention and make a man stand out from the crowd is an enviable V-shaped taper. Starting from wide “boulder” shoulders extending down into “cobra” popping lats and tapering down to a sculpted mid-section and V-cut obliques!  This perception of the perfect physique is not just attractive, but is also the criteria by which most physique and bodybuilding competitions are judged upon – the shoulder to hip ratio. So how do you acquire this physique? And is it just for bodybuilders or guys with perfect genetics that can achieve it? The simple answer is “no”. Second to a wide cobra back, broad shoulders are the next most important feature of a great V-taper. While being naturally broad-shouldered is a blessing, developing a set of big, round delts will add extra size and definitely make even the narrowest shoulders look much wider! There are three target muscles that really make your shoulders look wide and big: anterior deltoid (front delts), medial deltoid (mi

Up until about 40 years ago, most athletes were told to avoid resistance training because the misperception was that strength training would actually reduce their athletic performance. Of course, we now know that a proper strength and conditioning program is essential for athletes who want to reduce their risk of injury and enhance their performance.  Athletic performance is based on a number of skills that can be developed through a sports conditioning program. This particular program focuses on improving both muscular strength and power using a technique called post-activation potentiation (PAP), also commonly referred to as complex training. Complex training combines strength exercises from the load phase of the ACE Integrated Fitness Training® (ACE IFT®) Model and power exercises from the performance phase to improve both muscle force production (strength) and the rate of force production (power). A complex training set involves performing two exercises back to back, with a brief

People tend to overcomplicate fitness. Tell your friends you want to get stronger, and you’ll quickly amass more advice than you’ll know what to do with. From bodyweight devotees to kettlebell aficionados, yogis to CrossFitters, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the variety of strength training programs out there (and give up on the idea altogether). Fortunately, we’re here to simplify strength. All you need to become stronger is one simple piece of equipment, found in practically every gym: the barbell. Why the Barbell? When it comes to strength training, a barbell is one heck of an effective tool. Sure, you could do bodyweight exercises from now until forever, but if you want to truly reach your strength potential—that is, your ability to move heavy sh*t—you’ll want to use free weights. We’re talking nothing but a steel bar and some plates. The barbell functionally challenges your muscles, joints, and balance all at once, which research has proven can lead to significant strength

Individuals who don't train fail to understand how post-workout soreness can be a good measure of a terrific workout. Can't make it up the stairs? Congrats on another good leg workout! Feel a dull pain in your shoulders when picking up the grocery bags? Yup, that was Tuesday's delt routine. But finding the right combination of exercises, sets, reps and techniques to bring you to the promised land of (good) pain can sometimes be elusive. This is especially true for those with some serious lifting experience under their belts. The more you train, after all, the harder it is to damage your muscle fibers. Not today. This month's chest workout is a monster loaded with high-intensity plateau-busters that'll obliterate your pecs, give you a massive pump and - you guessed it - leave your chest sore for days. Because of the high volume and intensity, this is definitely one workout you'll want to repeat, but make sure you do so infrequently since it could contribute to se

Protein is a crucial nutrient. There are numerous benefits to adding protein-rich foods to your diet, including weight loss and increased muscle mass. Luckily, there are many delicious choices that suit every dietary need. However, some people may find healthy protein sources to be too costly. while some sources of protein are expensive, there are also many affordable alternatives. Here is a list of 10 healthy protein sources that won’t break the bank. 1.) Canned Tuna is extremely cheap and a good source of protein; a staple in any tight-budgeted person’s diet. The tuna in water is cheapest but if you need to get more dietary fats into your diet, canned tuna packed in oil is a great alternative. A can of tuna, tablespoon of mayo, relish to flavor, salt and pepper and you have a cheap and easy tuna salad. 2.) Canned Salmon is a great alternative to tuna; it has a lower metal content and more omega 3 fats. Salmon patties are my favorite canned salmon recipe. 3.) Whole eggs have 6-8

When most people think about ‘bodyweight training’, they picture themselves doing endless reps of sit-ups and push-ups. But training like that won’t get you anywhere.  If you want to get stronger, you need to apply the principle of progressive overload (which is just like gradually increasing the weights you lift in the gym). When you apply progressive overload to bodyweight exercises, they are a fantastic way of building muscle… At least as good as using weights. It could even be argued that bodyweight exercises are better than training with weights because the movements are very natural and you’re much less likely to injure yourself. But we’re getting off topic… Below are five of the best bodyweight exercises that will help you build muscle safely at home, while traveling, or in the gym. First up: #1. PLANK The plank is one of the greatest and most underrated exercises ever. It’s practically a one-move static exercise that will help you build a core of steel, ripped abs and strong sh

These two weight training routines are designed to build muscle mass, particularly in harder gainers. Whether you want to gain size and strength for a sport such as football, or whether you simply want to gain weight, they are tried and trusted. Most weight training programs incorporate far too many exercises to develop significant size. While there are a lucky, genetically fortunate few who can train as they please, most individuals wanting to gain weight find it a struggle. If you are one these people remember “less is more”. Fewer exercises, not just fewer repetitions is key to your success… Needless to say you are probably well aware of the importance of nutrition. Assuming you are consuming adequate calories, in the right combination of protein, carbohydrates and fats, and assuming you having the timing of your meals right, then the two weight training routines below will be highly effective. This is classic bodybuilding fare. The standard bodybuilding model is to train in the 8

Gaining muscle fast is achievable with persistence and commitment. The key is to establish a diet and workout routine that are tailored toward bulking up quickly. How to Gain Muscle Fast? If you want to gain muscle as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible, then you want high muscle glycogen levels. Here’s a few effective approaches to building muscle: Muscle Growth and Glycogen Levels The primary driver of gaining muscle and its growth is progressive tension overload, which involves exposing your muscles to increasingly greater levels of tension over time. The most effective way to achieve this is to get as strong as possible on heavy compound lifts (squat, bench press, deadlift, over head press, bent over barbell rows..etc). When you keep glycogen levels high, you’re going to gain strength faster, which means gaining muscle faster, too. Having higher levels of muscle glycogen will more than likely help you build muscle faster. Maintaining high muscle glycogen levels also improve

Your lower body is the easiest and quickest place to build calorie-torching lean muscle. You have over 200 muscles below the belt, including the largest muscle in your body — your gluteus maximus. So get off your glutes and get your lower body going in everything you do. Stand on one leg for shoulder presses or squat during biceps curls. The more you work your lower half, the faster you’ll see results. Need more ideas? Try this total body routine. Follow These Simple Leg Exercises and Stay sexy: 1. START WITH WARM UP A warm-up is a basic rule which everyone should follow before starting their leg exercises. It brings the body in motion reducing the chances of injuries. If you will start the workout directly, your body will never respond positively. It will also be beneficial for your joints and prevent them from wear and tear. After the workout goes for a few stretching exercises which will let your body cool down and come back to its normal pace. 2. EAT RIGHT Eating the right food i

Doing compound barbell movements is necessary for getting strong. However, squats and deadlifts alone won’t get you signficantly bigger arms because they aren’t targeting the triceps, biceps, forearms, and shoulders. For massive strength and size gains, you’ll have to use a combination of compound and targeted assistance exercises. Regardless of how you train, you’ll feel an awesome pump and get jacked in no time with these 30 arms exercises. Here’s probably my favourite weight lifting workout for arms for anyone looking to add serious mass. It’s simple and based around heavy compounds, and won’t take you more than 40-50 minutes. Feel free to split the exercises up and work triceps with chest, biceps with back, etc, or use it as a stand-alone arm workout. If you’re training for size, you want to hit each muscle once or twice a week, so this workout once a week would be sufficient. Train for strength, and you might want to go a little heavier and a little more frequent. Triceps Close

You may have heard the saying, "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym." There is truth to this, as good nutrition is essential if you want to lose body fat. For starters, reduce your intake of processed foods. These are commonly packed with sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. Eating too much sugar can cause weight gain and increase your risk of metabolic diseases . Instead, focus on consuming higher amounts of protein. High-protein diets have been linked to greater feelings of fullness that may translate to lower calorie intake. A study of overweight and obese men showed that when protein made up 25% of their calorie intake, appetite control and feelings of fullness increased by 60%. Moreover, a protein intake of around 25–30% of your daily calories may increase your metabolism by up to 100 calories per day. Increasing your fiber intake is another good strategy for weight loss. Vegetables high in soluble fiber have been shown to help with weight loss. They may increase f

A muscle-building routine you can do on your lunch break! Sculpt your upper body in just 30 minutes with these easy exercises focusing on the Upper Body.    The Routine Start it all, with stretching out first. Push Ups: Pushups are going to be the first and foremost exercise you’re going to start your day with. Set your hands firmly on the ground slightly larger than your shoulder length with your legs extended out back. Lower your body, brace your core and set your back straight. Bend your arms downwards and then back up again with solid, proper movement. Pushups are a simple exercise, but with that, they can be effective to build up your upper body strength. They mostly work on building your triceps. Most effective way to keep your upper body pumped is to get your boxing gloves on and start your day by throwing punches. You’ll have to do 4 sets with 10 reps each. With a 30 second break between each set, you’ll complete the exercise within 5 minutes or less. Bench Press: For bench pre

I used to be like most other gym-goers; focus on training the muscles everyone CAN see and neglect the ones they can’t. We spend all our time focusing on the chest, shoulders, and biceps yet we tend to neglect the back and legs as a result.   And aside from just not taking their back workout seriously, most people end up choosing the wrong combination of back exercises. This is a huge mistake since well-developed and proportionate back muscles contribute A LOT to an aesthetic physique. Luckily, I realized this and finally started putting more thought and effort into my back workout routine. It was only once I started incorporating the evidence-based back exercises you’ll see in this article that I started noticing significant improvements. 1.Pull up Pull up is one of the most effective exercises when it comes to building up your back. Also, it is the tried and tested method. It has many variations within itself. You need to find out the right variation according to your target. • Wi