6 Important Nutritional Supplements for Bodybuilders

1. Whey Protein

Muscle growth is dependent on protein, so a quality protein supplement is important for bodybuilders. Whey protein is the most popular supplement among weight trainers. Taken with meals or after workouts, whey protein is an effective way to maintain your protein balance.
While the natural protein in food sustains your protein levels for extended periods, protein supplements enter your muscles quickly to provide anabolic effects. Consider using whey protein twice daily: in the morning upon awakening from sleep, and directly after your weight training workout.

2. Branch Chain Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Branch chain amino acids, better known as BCAAs, improve muscle density and recovery. Since your muscles metabolize these amino acids directly, they are especially beneficial for post-training muscle repair. Keep branch chain amino acids near the top of your supplements list.

3. Creatine 

For nearly two decades, creatine has been the supplement of choice for bodybuilders, weight lifters and other athletes. Not only does it support muscle size and strength, but it also hydrates your muscles and increases their energy.
Your liver, kidneys and pancreas produce creatine naturally. However, supplements can boost the amount in your body and enable you to enjoy its full benefits.

4. L-Glutamine

L-glutamine is an essential, L-series amino acid. It makes up nearly 60 percent of the free-form amino acids in your muscles, and it is critical for recovery. Supplementation is critical for bodybuilders, since your body leaches L-glutamine from your muscles when other body systems need it. Adding L-glutamine to protein shakes is a good way to get more of into your muscles.

5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in cold-water fish and fish oil supplements, are another important for your health. The benefits are well-documented. Although it is best known for supporting heart health, omega-3 fatty acids also improve blood flow to your muscles. They assist with the transport of proteins and carbohydrates, and they also lubricate your joints.

6. Multivitamins and Minerals

Be sure to supplement your diet with vitamins and minerals as well as proteins and amino acids. While multivitamins do not directly support muscle growth, they are important for your overall health and fitness. They affect muscle-building and athletic performance at the cellular level.
Vitamins A, C, E and other antioxidants are important for immune system functioning. However, the synergistic effect of multivitamins and minerals is key for overall health. A protein-rich diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables can supply many of the vitamins, minerals and proteins your body needs for maximum fitness. Supplements that support your daily diet can definitely boost your bodybuilding progress.

Conclusion
Since the 1990s, gaining a competitive edge has included healthy eating and nutritional supplementation. Eating the right nutrients in the right amounts can make a significant difference in your athletic performance. By closing your nutritional gaps with bodybuilding supplements, you can lose fat, build muscle and experience long-lasting results.

The Rock Workout And Diet

Dwayne Johnson, more popularly known as “THE ROCK” is one of the most famous wrestler and been working in Hollywood movies lately.In his movie outing Fast and Furious 5 ,he was sporting huge muscular body. Dwayne Johnson is part of professional sports for last 20 years staring with stint as footballer with university of Miami Hurricanes team and then with WWE as wrestler.lets take a look how he maintains his muscular  body.

 

The Rock Workout Routine

Day One

The Rock Shoulders workout

-Seated Military Press Machine-Sets(3)-Reps(21)-Weight(130,140,150)

-Dumbbell Lateral Raise-Sets(3)-Reps(8)-Weight(30)

compound-set with-

-Dumbbell Front Raise-Sets(3)-Reps(8)-Weight(30)

-Rear-Dealt Cable Raise-Sets(5)-Reps(12,10,8,6,4)-Weight(40-80)

-Hammer Strength Machine Shrug-Sets(5)-Reps(12,10,8,6,4)-Weight(90-450)

-Four Way Neck Machine-Sets(4)-Reps(12)-Weight(45)

He finishes with neck isolation moves on a flat bench.

 

Day Two

Th Rock Back workout

-Wide-Grip Cable Pull Down-Sets(5)-Reps(12,10,8,6,4)-Weight(120-240)

-Close-Grip Cable Pull Down-Sets(5)-Reps(12,10,8,6,4)-Weight(120-240)

-One-Arm seated Row Machine-Sets(4)-Reps(12)-Weight(270)

-Back Extension-Sets(4)-Reps(15,15,12,12)-Weight(25-45)

 

Day Three

The Rock Legs workout

-Leg Press*-Sets(4)-Reps(25,20,18,16/25)-Weight(270-450)

-Machine-Smith Lunge**-Sets(4)-Reps(8 reps per leg)-Weight(135)

-Lying Leg Curl***-Sets(4)-Reps(12,10,8,6/12)-Weight(80-110)

-Standing Calf Raise-Sets(6)-Reps(16)-Weight(220)

*Last Set is a drop from 450 to 270

**Non-Counterbalanced Machine

***Last set is a drop set from 110-80 pounds

Day Four

The Rock Arms workout

-Alternating dumbbell curl-Sets(5)-Reps(12,10,8,6,4)-Weight(30-70)

-Preacher-Machine Curl*-Sets(6)-Reps(12,10,8,6,21,21)-Weight(50-100,50)

-Cable Pressdown**-Sets(5)-Reps(12,10,8,20)-Weight(60-120)

-Overhead Cable Extension-Sets(4)-Reps(12,10,8,20)-Weight(50-90)

-One-Arm Reverse-Grip Pressdown-Sets(2)-Reps(15,15)-Weight(40)

*Last two sets are 21′s- 7 upper-half partial reps- 7 lower-half partial reps and 7 full range reps

**Straight bar or rope- last set a drop set

 

Day Five

The Rock Chest workout

-Incline Dumbbell Press-Sets(5)-Reps(12,10,8,6,4)-Weight(75-120)

-Flat Bench Dumbbell Press-Sets(5)-Reps(12,10,8,6,4)-Weight(75-120)

-Cable Crossover-Sets(2)-Reps(12)-Weight(60 per side)

compound-set with

-Push-Up-Sets(4)-Reps(15)

The Rock works his abdominals twice per week, doing Swish-ball crunches for four sets, 25 reps each, holding a weight against his chest.

 

The Rock Diet::

Sample Low Carb Day

Meal One-Meal replacement shake (40 grams protein, 25 grams carbs, 5 grams fat)

Meal Two- 6 ounces of turkey, 5 egg whites, and 2 multigrain pancakes with one tablespoon of natual peanut butter.

Meal Three-Chicken Caeser Salad, 6 ounces New York strip steak, and a half-cup of steamed broccoli.

Meal Four- 2 filet mignon steaks, and a half-cup of steamed broccoli.

Meal Five-Protein shake with peanut butter.

Meal Six-Sashimi feast (tuna, shrimp, eel yellowfish, salmon)

dwayne the rock johnson 111 The Rock Dwayne Johnson workout and diet

The Rock Daily Nutritional Priorities:

- Eat at least 270 grams of protein per day (at a body weight of 265)

- Drop daily carbohydrate intake in the late afternoon and early evening.

- Consume at leasr 2-3 gallons of water per day.

- Daily supplementation includes multivitimans, antioxidants, joint formulations, ZMA and glut amine..

4 Day Maximum Mass Workout Split

• Day 1 - Back and Biceps
• Day 2 - Chest and Triceps
• Day 3 - OFF
• Day 4 - Quads, Hamstrings and Calves
• Day 5 - Shoulders, Traps and Forearms
• Day 6 - OFF
• Day 7 - OFF

Day 1
Back and Biceps
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Deadlift	2	5
One Arm Dumbbell Row	3	8-12
Wide Grip Pull Up or Lat Pull Down	3	10-12
Barbell Row	3	8-12
Seated Cable Row or Machine Row	5 Minutes	Burn
EZ Bar Preacher Curl	3	10-12
Concentration Curl	3	10-12
Seated Dumbbell Curl	5 Minutes	Burn

Day 2
Chest and Triceps
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Bench Press	3	6-10
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press	3	8-12
Chest Dip	3	AMAP*
Cable Crossover or Pec Dec	3	12-15
Machine Press or Dumbbell Bench Press	5 Minutes	Burn
EZ Bar Skullcrusher	3	8-12
Two Arm Seated Dumbbell Extension	3	8-12
Cable Tricep Extension	5 Minutes	Burn

Day 4
Quads, Hamstrings and Calves
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	3	6-10
Leg Press	3	15-20
Hack Squat or Dumbbell Lunge	3	8-12
Leg Extension	5 Minutes	Burn
Stiff Leg Deadlift	3	8-12
Leg Curl	5 Minutes	Burn
Standing Calf Raise	3	10-15
Seated Calf Raise	5 Minutes	Burn

Day 5
Shoulders, Traps and Forearms
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Seated Barbell Press	3	6-10
Seated Arnold Press	3	8-12
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3	10-15
Hammer Strength Press or Smith Press	5 Minutes	Burn
Upright Row	3	8-12
Barbell Shrug or Dumbbell Shrug	5 Minutes	Burn
Seated Barbell Wrist Curl	3	12-15
Barbell Static Hold	5 Minutes	Burn

5 Of The Best: The Best Tricep Exercises

         1. Dips:

Dips are simply to perform and don't require much equipment. All you need is a dipping bar or two flat benches. Simply set yourself up on the dipping bar or in between two benches, lower yourself until your arms are at 90 degrees and drive back to lockout.


2. Close Grip Bench Presses:

This movement is identical to a bench press however; you place your hands closer together so your index fingers are just off the smooth part of the bar. You can vary this movement by performing just the top 1/3 lockout to really hit the tris.

          3. Pushdowns:

The number one tricep exercise in the world. Almost every trainee in every gym performs this movement. Grab a rope, bar or handle and extent your arms straight down until lockout. It's simple and effective. The variations for this movement are almost limitless. Different bars, hand positions, 1 hand etc the list goes on.

          4. French Presses Or Lying Tricep Extensions Or Skull Crushers:

No one movement in weight training has so many names. Whatever you want to call it, it is great for the triceps. Simply lie on a flat bench with arms fully extended to the sky. Now while keeping your upper arm perpendicular to the ground, lower a barbell or dumbbells towards you head (hence skull crusher). Once you reach you head, extend your arms back you to the starting position.

         5. Overhead Extensions:

Overhead extensions are about the only true stretch position movement for the triceps. You can perform this movement one arm or two arms at a time. For the one arm variation, start with a dumbbell in the finish position for a dumbbell press (i.e. arm straight up in the air). Then lower the weight down behind your head without moving the upper arm (so it remains vertical). Once you feel a good stretch in the triceps, reverse the movement to lockout.

Strength and Size of the muscle

Muscle hypertrophy involves an increase in size of skeletal muscle through an increase in the size of its component cells. Hypertrophy can be broken down into two types of categories: myofibril and sarcoplasmic. Each of these specific types of muscle hypertrophy will result in increasing size of cells, but not of equal effect. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is focused on increasing the actual size of the muscle, and less on increasing strength. Myofibril hypertrophy will focus more on strength increase and less on an increase in the size of the skeletal muscle. Muscle hypertrophy is not achieved within minutes or days, rather it takes months of consistent training and proper nutrition to see its visual effects on body composition.

How to Build Muscle Strength

If your main goal is muscle strength then you should create a weightlifting program with exercises that adhere to the following guidelines:

Amount of Weight Lifted	85% of 1RM or more
Number of Sets Performed	2 to 6
Repetitions Performed Per Set	6 or less
Rest Period Between Sets	2 to 5 minutes

How to Build Muscle Size (Hypertrophy)

If your main goal is muscle size, or hypertrophy, then you should create a weightlifting program with exercises that adhere to the following guidelines:

Amount of Weight Lifted	Between 67% to 85% of 1RM
Number of Sets Performed	3 to 6
Repetitions Performed Per Set	6 to 12
Rest Period Between Sets	0.5 to 1.5 minutes

How to Build Muscle Endurance

If your main goal is muscle endurance then you should create a weightlifting program with exercises that adhere to the following guidelines:

Amount of Weight Lifted	67% of 1RM or less
Number of Sets Performed	3 to 6
Repetitions Performed Per Set	12 or more
Rest Period Between Sets	Less than 0.5 minutes

Best food for gaining weight

1. Bagels
   Bagels, and breads and cereals in general, made from whole grain, are excellent sources of carbohydrates. Breakfast is perhaps the most important meal of the day and bagels make excellent breakfast.
2. Peanut Butter
   Speaking of breakfast, peanut butter can be a delicious combination with bagels, bread and other breakfast items. It can also be used with a variety of snacks as well. High calorie snacks in between meals are a good strategy to gain those extra pounds.
3. Noodles and Pasta
   Pasta and noodles are easily-prepared and delicious calorie-dense sources of carbohydrates. They are readily available, and can be cooked in a number of ways with lots of healthy vegetables (for other vitamins and minerals) to taste and casually carried to places of work.
4. Whole eggs
   Eggs contain the Vitamins A, D, E and certain essential nutrients like sodium, magnesium and potassium. But the main highlight here is high protein content. Egg whites are even recommended for weight gain in professional body building courses.
5. Beans
   Beans are highly calorie-dense foods. We don't feel full very fast and hence tend to consume more. Beans are ideal for consumption at any time of the day – breakfast, lunch, dinner and even in the form of snacks.
6. Nuts for snacks
   Nuts are perfect to be used as snacks in between meals and on the go. Although comparatively smaller in size, they contain more calories per volume. Nuts are mainly constituted of polyunsaturated fats, which add healthy calories to your diet. Some useful nuts and seeds are almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds.
7. Healthy Fats and Oils
   
   Perhaps the easiest way to add calories to your diet is to include extra fat in your food intake, provided the fat is healthy and beneficial to the body. Omega 3 fats fall into this category and are, in fact, called essential fats as they are not produced by the body and hence need to be absorbed from food. They are found mostly in fish like bluefish, mackerel, herring, sturgeon, and also from plant sources like flax seeds , canola oil and olive oil. Using these oils for cooking would also be a good idea.
8. Potatoes
   Potatoes are naturally occurring rich sources of carbohydrates and complex sugars. Potato chips prepared in healthy oil make excellent snacks to be munched on in between meals. Grilled or baked potatoes are also effective for weight gain.
9. Fruit Juice
   A glass of well-prepared fruit juice contains sugar and fruit content which provides healthy calories and nutrients.
10. Fresh poultry products and meat, if available in healthy form and well cooked in the healthy oils mentioned here can work wonders in weight gain, as most of us already know!

Body Types

 

 

 

 

Endomorph:

An Endomorph's biggest concern should be the losing of fat and adopting a lifestyle that keeps it off. Strength training should be done to get a better muscle to fat ratio and therefore improve metabolism. Use moderate weights at a fast training pace (very little rest between sets and exercises). You should lower your calorie intake (but not try to starve yourself) and should eat frequent but small meals. Sugars, sweets and junk food should be eliminated from your diet. Engage daily in some activity like brisk walking, biking, etc., and try to increase the amount of time you spend each week.

Mesomorph:

A Mesomorph has a naturally fit body but to maintain it or improve it they should exercise and diet correctly for their type. Strength training can be done more often and for longer sessions then would be good for an Ectomorph, but you must still be careful not to overdo it. You should train with moderate to heavy weighs and at a moderate pace, not resting too long between sets. You will find you gain muscle quite easy (some women and even men might not want to get too bulky, but this won't happen suddenly. When you are happy with your muscle size simply train to maintain it). Stick to a good healthy diet to keep you lean and muscular, and watch for any slow creeping fat gains. Engage in and enjoy aerobic activities, sports, etc. but do not overdo.

Ectomorph:

Ectomorphs should concentrate on gaining weight in the form of good lean muscle tissue (some women that are too thin may also want to put on a little fat to look more feminine). Weight training should be done but not too often or for too long each session. Weight should be fairly heavy and workout pace slower (longer rest periods between sets). Diet should be high in calories (good quality food not junk) and you should eat more then you're used to and often. Aerobic and other activities (sports, dancing, etc.) should be kept to a minimum, at least until you are happy with your weight and looks.

Build muscle mass fast

1. Pursue Progressive Overload.

The law of progressive overload simply says that you must increase the amount of reps or the weight lifted every single workout (or as close to this as humanly possible) in order to ignite muscle growth.
The body adapts to stimuli, so how do we use this to our advantage? Well the key is to place ever increasing demand on the body, thereby forcing it to continually adapt. Training with weights is undoubtedly the best way to achieve this. You can know precisely how much weight you can handle and can also make incremental increases over time to spark muscle growth.
If you workout with the exact same weight every session and perform the same number of repetitions, how can you expect your body to grow? So, if you want bigger biceps, you must increase the weight you are lifting every session or the amount of repetitions. Remember:
Progressive Overload = Muscle Growth.

2. Perform 8-12 reps.

8-12 reps on any given exercise will stimulate most muscle growth. Lower rep ranges of say 3-6 work well for building strength but not necessarily muscle hypertrophy (growth). Higher reps e.g. 15 – 20 can indeed stimulate muscle growth but it is far from optimal. You should be lifting a weight so heavy that you can’t get more than 12 reps but light enough to allow you to get at least 8 reps.

3. Perform 6-9 sets.

Yes just 6-9 sets per body part. If you are working out with good form this is all you need to stimulate muscle growth. You want to keep your workouts under 45 minutes to avoid the release of hormones that actually break your muscle tissue down (catabolic hormones). Luckily, you can easily accomplish this by performing a maximum of 9 sets per body part.

4. Eat Eat Eat.

Working a muscle tears the tissue, it then repairs and grows. Muscles need fed in order to allow them to grow. Basically you need to eat big to get big. A good bodybuilding diet will allow you to grow without adding fat at the same time.

5. Increase the Amount of Protein in your Diet.

Muscle = protein. In order for muscle tissue to repair itself after your weight-training sessions it needs an abundance of protein. Some beginners don’t take enough protein and some more experienced guys take ridiculously extreme amounts of protein. So how much protein is enough to supply those hungry muscles? Use the following formula for the most accurate daily protein requirements.
Lean Mass Weight (Kg) x 2.75 = Daily Protein Requirement
Your lean weight is your total body weight minus the amount of fat you are carrying. You will need to know your body fat percentage for this. If you are unsure about this, you can get a good estimate by using the ‘Body Fat Calculator’ in the sidebar at MuscleHack.com site. Another good rule of thumb is to take 1 gram of protein for every pound of total body weight. So a 160 lb man would take around 160 grams of protein per day. My favorite sources of protein include
* Chicken
* Steak
* Pork
* Eggs
* Cheese
* Whey Protein Powder Shakes
* Seafood – tuna, prawns, salmon…
* Nuts
* Seeds

Here’s a good post showing great vegetarian sources of protein.

6. Eat Fat.

A Low-Fat diet is not desirable in bodybuilding. Eating fat increases the amount of anabolic (muscle building) hormones in your body. These are:
1. Testosterone
2. Growth Hormone
3. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)
Some people resort to taking anabolic steroids in order to accelerate muscle growth but you can get great results by implementing the ultimate bodybuilding diet.

7. Make Sure you Drink Enough Water.

Getting enough water is crucial for peak strength and energy levels. You should shoot for around 12 x 8 ounce glasses of water per day. Remember you can include your protein shakes towards your daily water intake.

8. Avoid Too Much Cardio.

Cardiovascular work will rob you of muscle gains. Yes if your goal is to lose fat you should do cardio but make sure it is:
(a) Performed immediately after your weight training
(b) ‘High Intensity Interval Training’ form of cardio for a maximum of 20 minutes.
The reason that too much cardio isn’t desirable when your goal is to build muscle is that too much cardio releases catabolic hormones in the body, breaking down your muscle tissue; obviously this is counter-productive.

9. Sleep.

Sleep is so important for building muscle. We know that muscle tissue repairs itself and grows during rest periods but sleep is more important than waking rest periods.
Here’s why:
1. The release of growth hormone reaches its peak during deep sleep
2. Your metabolic rate slows which is perfect for muscle tissue repair and growth
3. Increased blood flow to the muscles

10. Relax.

Being stressed out results in a catabolic (muscle breakdown) environment in the body. One such hormone is cortisol. Remember that a calm, relaxed person builds more muscle than the hot-head (assuming all other factors are equal).

Keep it positive and stay motivated!