Jay Cutler - professional bodybuilding's true mass monster! Charging around at a ground-shaking 290 lbs. in the off-season, Jay sure knows how to pack on the mass. But what really gets him to this sun-blocking stature when he's not preparing for a show? How does he get so much muscle packed onto his 5'9" frame? Meal #1:
If you've ever heard the term "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," after reading what Jay Cutler eats every morning you've quickly realized that he's a firm believer in this rule. Jay starts off his day by throwing back enough food that would normally feed a family of four. But when you're as big as a house, you need to consume enough nutrients to ensure your muscles are constantly growing. Jay's morning carbohydrate of choice has switched from oatmeal to Ezekiel bread over the years because he believes that Ezekiel bread follows a more healthy "blood-type diet" that helps him bring his body into better shape come competition time.
What Is Ezekiel Bread?Ezekiel bread is a product inspired by Ezekiel 4:9:
"Take also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make bread of it..." There are several commercially prepared versions of this bread, but one can find many recipes available online as well.
One of the most beneficial foods for bodybuilders to consume for maximum muscle growth is beef. Beef provides essential nutrients such as creatine to help your muscles grow at optimum levels. Jay Cutler is well aware of the muscle-building benefits of this food choice and that's why he incorporates it into his nutrition plan every day. In addition, he also includes rice in his food consumption because the benefits of complex carbohydrates, such as increased strength, when hitting the weights.
This is usually Jay's last meal before he trains mid-afternoon. The combination of chicken and rice feeds his muscles with the exact amount of protein and carbohydrates he needs before his relentless workouts. In the off-season Jay opts for white rice over brown in order to keep his calories high, maximizing his muscle mass.
Over the past few years buffalo has quickly become one of the most sought-after protein choices for top athletes all over the world. The reason for this is because it's packed with vital nutrients for peak performance while still remaining one of the leanest protein sources available.
Once again, to ensure his muscles are saturated with complex carbohydrates, Jay takes in another two cups of white rice, which brings his carbohydrate count up to well over 350 grams in only four meals.
Supplements: 530 Calories, 84g Carbohydrates, 40g Protein, 3g Fat: Jay Cutler also believes in the importance of incorporating supplements into his off-season nutrition plan. Not only because of their extreme convenience but because he attests to the vital role they have played in helping him attain two Mr. Olympia crowns.The two key nutritional supplements that help him maximize muscle growth in the off-season are protein and carbohydrate supplements. Once again, the combination of these two macronutrients plays a vital role in helping Jay Cutler attain the most muscular body in the world.
Consuming all of this on a daily basis may seem like a daunting task to some, but to hardcore bodybuilders like Jay Cutler this is the necessary way to ensure you pack on as much mass in the off-season as possible. Three square meals a day is not the way a bodybuilder lives his life.
Jay Cutler is the ambassador of the supplement brand MuscleTech which he himself uses.
Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness Also Included In: Heart Disease; Men's health Article Date: 06 Oct 2011 - 0:00 PDT window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId: 'aa16a4bf93f23f07eb33109d5f1134d3', status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true, channelUrl: 'http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/scripts/facebooklike.html'}); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); email to a friend printer friendly opinions Men who do vigorous exercise three times a week were found to have a significantly lower risk of having a heart attack, compared to those of the same age who did not, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health wrote in the American College of Sports Medicine. The authors added that other important markers included hemoglobin A1c, apolipoprotein B and vitamin D.
Lead author, Andrea Chomistek, Sc.D. and team gathered data on activity levels and biomarkers from adult males from the Health Professional Follow-Up Study (HPFS). Included in the data were insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels and markers of inflammation. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire twice a year, in which they wrote about how long they spent each week on leisure-time physical activity.
Andrea Chomistek said:
"We studied vigorous exercise because of its stronger association with coronary heart disease. While we discovered that vigorous-intensity exercise decreases a man's risk of heart attack, we also were able to partially determine why. The benefits of exercise on a man's levels of HDL-C, or 'good' cholesterol, account for approximately 38 percent of that decrease. Other important markers included vitamin D, apolipoprotein B and hemoglobin A1c."
Blood samples were collected from 18,225 adult males, of which 454 had suffered a non-fatal heart attack or had died form coronary heart disease between 1994 and 2004, the period of the study. 412 of those with coronary heart disease were compared to 827 controls and matched for smoking status, age and date of blood donation.
Chomistek said:
"As expected, traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors were more common among cases than controls. Men who suffered a nonfatal heart attack or died from coronary heart disease had less 'good' cholesterol, more 'bad' cholesterol and were more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes."
Even though they had identified some biomarkers that could explain the link between physical activity and a lower chance of developing coronary heart disease, the authors stressed that further research on other mechanisms by which physical activity impacts on cardiovascular risk are needed.
Heart disease causes more premature adult male deaths in the USA than any other illness or condition, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). From 70% to 89% of all sudden cardiac events occur in males. Almost half of all men who suffer a heart attack before they are 65 years old do not live more than eight years.
In an Abstract in the journal, the authors wrote:
"Participating in 3 h•wk-1 of vigorous-intensity activity is associated with a 22% lower risk of MI among men. This inverse association can be partially explained by the beneficial effects of physical activity on HDL-C, vitamin D, apolipoprotein B, and hemoglobin A1c. Although the inverse association attributable to these biomarkers is substantial, future research should explore benefits of exercise beyond these biomarkers of risk."
Hemoglobin A1C is monitored to assess the long-term control of diabetes mellitus.
Apolipoprotein B, also known as APOB or ApoB is the main apolipoprotein of LDL (low-density lipoproteins or "bad cholesterol").
HDL-C, also known as high-density lipoprotein is what is often termed the good cholesterol. Higher HDL-C levels are generally associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease.
Written by Christian Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
Christian Nordqvist. "Vigorous Exercise 3 Times Weekly Reduces Men's Heart Attack Risk By 22%." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 6 Oct. 2011. Web. 9 Oct. 2011. APA
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posted by Milind on 7 Oct 2011 at 10:28 am
Appreciating the arena of the sports-medicine, I feel the experts in this field can surely come out with prescription of particular sports activities as the medicine for particular illnesses. This, I think, would benefit the interested people more than the traditional ones, because of their immense effectiveness, its beauty being that there are no adverse side effects; the side effects are there, but they are only beneficial!
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Home » Weight Gain Supplements » Weight Lifting Supplements - The Best Supplements For Gaining Muscle Mass | Comments
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If you want to build muscle, one thing that you've likely considered is which weight lifting supplements you should be using to take your progress to the next level.
Before I go any further let me just cut to the chase and give you my top recommended weight lifting supplements. You can click on each of them for more information: Creatine - This basically allows you to work out harder and longer resulting in more muscle gains. It has also been shown to help with protein synthesis. Whey Protein - This is great to ensure you're getting enough protein in your diet each day. It's not so easy to get all your calories in each day. Whey protein powder gives you a quick and easy fix of protein when you need it. Glutamine - Supplementing with glutamine can help keep your immune system in check and increase growth hormone levels. Essential Fatty Acids - You can get these through products like fish oil capsules and flax seed oil. High quality fat sources like these are necessary to build quality muscle mass and produce optimum levels of testosterone in your body. Multi Vitamins - When you work out in the gym your body will most likely need more vitamins and minerals than you can get through your diet alone. Supplementing with a multi-vitamin can speed up your recovery from a workout.Now you may be wondering, "Is that it?" Isn't there some fancy supplement out there that I haven't heard of before that will produce some amazing results?
Listen, many weight lifting supplements out there aren't much more than hype and fancy marketing.
Truth be told, many companies put more money into their marketing budget than they do their research and development budget because they know hype sells. Once you've bought the product, they've accomplished their mission.
So with this said, how can you tell which products will deliver and which won't?
If you do a bit of background research on a particular product before making your purchase, you can increase the chances of choosing one that will deliver and produce the desired effects it claims to.
Let me give you a quick guide as to what to look for when selecting your weight lifting supplements.
The very first thing that you'll want to have a brief look at is the background of the company that is producing the supplement. How long have they been in the industry? Have they had other best-selling products before or does it appear as though they have very few products to speak of?
Have they had any negative feedback in the media or is their track record pretty clean?
Some of this may take some digging around to find, but if you can do some reading up on them and how long they've been in the supplement game for, that can really put your mind at ease as to whether their products are legitimate.
If a company is brand new on the market, this doesn't necessarily mean their products won't work, but it does mean you need to be a little more leery of them.
The second thing that you'll want to look for when assessing weight lifting supplements is whether there are good user testimonials to go with them.
Have others found good results from them? If not, again, this throws up a red flag. If the particular supplement is brand new then that could be the primary reason for the lack of testimonials, but if it has been around for a while, you should be able to find something on it if it's worth the money.
Most people who do get good results from a particular supplement will speak up about it to give others awareness about the benefits it has to offer.
Likewise, if it has a slew of negative reviews, this really should make you think twice about the results it produces - or lack thereof as the case may be.
The next thing that you should check for when considering purchasing a particular supplement is if any research studies have been cited by the company during the research and development process.
Products that are backed by positive research have really proven themselves in the lab and it's more likely that when used properly with your diet and workout, it will lead to positive effects.
Supplements that have no research done on them or don't reveal any ingredients that have been included in research studies before are highly questionable and you should steer clear of these completely. It's hard to know with certainty whether those ingredients will bring about any of the desired results you're after.
If you do come across a supplement that has gone through extensive research processes, then you also want to take this one step further and see if you can read up on the research that was performed. As you read through the research, check to see if it was a sound study that was performed.
Was the sample size utilized relatively large? Research performed on a group of 5 people won't be quite as conclusive as research that was performed on a group of 50 simply due to the small sample size that was used.
Likewise, if there seems as though there could have been other variables at play influencing the results that were achieved, that also will make the particular ingredient studied more questionable.
Proper study procedures will be planned so that they are doing everything they can to minimize this so that's what you really want to be looking for.
Moving along, the next important thing that you'll also want to think about is the validity of the claims made by that supplement company in general.
Does the company promise that you'll gain 20 pounds in a month by using their product? If so, that immediately should throw up some red flags in your mind.
Even under the best of circumstances pure muscle gain will not happen this quickly, even if you were on steroids… So if that's their claim, they're out to lunch.
The best supplements on the market often have no claims whatsoever about the rate of weight gain you'll experience as the products simply are aimed at influencing one of the factors that goes into the process of weight gain.
Good companies realize that the rate of weight and muscle gains will be highly unique to each individual and what kind of weight gain program they're on. Therefore, a quality supplement company won't make any fancy claims stating otherwise.
So once you've done your background research and have found a few products to try out, it's imperative that you make sure you're using these correctly.
This means taking them at the appropriate times during the day as well as using them in a correct dosage. Don't think that just because you want faster results, this means you can double or triple your dose.
If you do that, all you're doing is putting yourself at risk for side effects. Always start off with the lowest recommended dosage and build up from there depending on the results you see.
That is the sure-fire way to see safe and effective results.
These are a few of the important points that you should be considering when looking at weight lifting supplements to add to your muscle building protocol. If chosen properly and used correctly, they can definitely help boost your rate of muscle growth.
Whey protein is a milk protein that is the liquid by-product of cheese production. In supplement form, whey protein comes in three main forms:
1. Whey Protein Concentrate: Contains some fat and lactose and between 29% - 89% protein depending on the specific product. Whey protein concentrates often have more bioactive compounds.
2. Whey Protein Isolates: Contains minimal fat, cholesterol and lactose and 90% or more protein.
3. Whey Protein Hydrolysates: Are often used in clinical nutrition applications because they are predigested and partially broken and therefore easier to absorb.
Whey protein has the highest protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAA) - a measure of both how well a protein is digested and how well it supplies the amino acids needed by an adult. In addition, it is a complete protein meaning it contains all essential amino acids. Whey also contains more branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) than any other source of protein and more leucine than other types of protein.
Several studies indicate that whey protein is beneficial for increasing muscle protein synthesis. Consume whey pre- or post-training and you'll tip the scale in favor of muscle growth and strength gains over time. But, there are a number of other benefits associated with whey protein.
How Bodybuilding Supplement Whey Protein Can Help You Shed Body Fat:
Add whey and drop weight? It sounds too good to be true but it may work.
* Whey Protein Is Rich in Leucine: Leucine plays a key role in protein synthesis, a process that burns through quite a few calories. In addition, it stimulates fatty acid oxidation.
* Whey Satiates Your Appetite: Studies show that whey may satiate your appetite better than some other types of protein. Milk proteins contain glycomacropeptide - a peptide that stimulates the cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is an intestinal hormone that is released after eating a meal and it signals satiety.
* Studies Show Supplemental Whey Helps People Drop Body Fat: There are at least two studies where scientists examined whey protein supplementation and weight loss. In one study at the University of Oklahoma, scientists told both groups of participants not to change their diet. However, one group was given a nutrition supplement containing whey (300 calories, 40 grams of protein) once per day for two weeks and twice a day for the remaining eight weeks of the study. Both groups engaged in a supervised resistance and endurance-training program for 10 weeks.
After the 10-week study, both groups decreased fat mass but the exercise + food supplement group showed a significantly greater decrease in fat mass (-9.3% versus -4.6% in the exercise-only group). The supplemented group also showed significant gains from pre- to post-test in muscle mass and significant decreases in total and LDL cholesterol.
A 2006 study found that adding 60 grams of whey protein per day, in comparison to 60 grams of soy protein or 60 grams of carbohydrate, led to significant decreases in body fat and weight after 6 months.
Adding Whey Protein Led To Significant Decreases In Body Fat Compared To Soy Protein And Carbohydrate. Adding Whey Protein Led To Significant Decreases In Body Fat Compared To Soy Protein And Carbohydrate.
Additional Tips To Help Shed Body Fat:
* Use a food journal and write down everything you eat. Studies show that people who log their food intake every day are more likely to lose weight than those who do not.
* Seek the advice of a sports nutrition expert who has the education (a degree in nutrition or nutrition biochemistry) and experience in nutrition to help you.
* If you are having problems losing weight yet you feel you are doing everything right, talk to your physician. Low levels of certain hormones, hypothyroidism and other conditions can make weight loss more difficult. Additional studies have been done on animals regarding cancer-causing chemicals to see what effects whey protein concentrate would have on cancer prevention or treatment. Scientists fed rats various proteins and then subjected them to the powerful carcinogen dimethylhydrazine.
As with the previous research, the rats fed whey protein concentrate showed fewer tumors and a reduced pooled area of tumors (tumor mass index). The researchers found whey protein offered "considerable protection to the host" over that of other proteins, including soy. 1
Even more exciting, in vivo research on cancer and whey showed whey protein concentrate inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells at low concentrations (Baruchel S. and Vaiu G., Anti Cancer Research, 1996). Finally, and most importantly, a fairly recent clinical study with cancer patients showed a regression in some patient's tumors when fed whey protein concentrate at 30 grams per day. 2
Whey and Glutathione
This new research using whey protein concentrate led researchers to an amazing discovery regarding the relationship between cancerous cells, glutathione (GSH) and whey protein concentrate. It was found that whey protein concentrate selectively depletes cancer cells of their glutathione, thus making them more susceptible to cancer treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy.
It has been found that cancer cells and normal cells will respond differently to nutrients and drugs that affect glutathione status. What is most interesting to note is the fact that the concentration of glutathione in tumor cells is higher than that of the normal cells that surround it. This difference in glutathione status between normal cells and cancer cells is believed to be an important factor in cancer cells' resistance to chemotherapy.
As the researchers put it, "Tumor cell GSH concentration may be among the determinants of the cytotoxicity [poisonous to cells] of many chemotherapeutic agents and of radiation, and an increase in GSH concentration appears to be at least one of the mechanisms of acquired drug resistance to chemotherapy."
They further state, "It is well-known that rapid GSH synthesis in tumor cells is associated with high rates of cellular proliferation. Depletion of tumor GSH in vivo decreases the rate of cellular proliferation and inhibits cancer growth."
The problem is, it's difficult to reduce glutathione sufficiently in tumor cells without placing healthy tissue at risk and putting the cancer patient in a worse condition. What is needed is a compound that can selectively deplete the cancer cells of their glutathione, while increasing, or at least maintaining, the levels of glutathione in healthy cells.
This is exactly what whey protein appears to do. In this new research it was found that cancer cells subjected to whey proteins were depleted of their glutathione, and their growth was inhibited, while normal cells had an increase in GSH and increased cellular growth.
These effects were not seen with other proteins. Not surprisingly, the researchers concluded, "Selective depletion of tumor GSH may in fact render cancer cells more vulnerable to the action of chemotherapy and eventually protect normal tissue against the deleterious effects of chemotherapy." The exact mechanism by which whey protein achieves this is not fully understood, but it appears that it interferes with the normal feedback mechanism and regulation of glutathione in cancer cells.
It is known that glutathione production is negatively inhibited by its own synthesis. Being that baseline glutathione levels in cancer cells are higher than that of normal cells, it is probably easier to reach the level of negative-feedback inhibition in the cancer cells' glutathione levels than in the normal cells' glutathione levels.
Whey and LDL Cholesterol
The positive health benefits of whey protein concentrate does not end with its effects on immunity and cancer prevention and treatment. Whey protein concentrate also was found to be a potent inhibitor of oxidized low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Current research suggests that the conversion of LDL to oxidized LDL is the trigger that leads to atherogenesis... the formation of the plaque and lesions associated with atherosclerosis.
Therefore, any substance that prevents the oxidation of LDL is thought to be anti-atherogenic. Though animal-based proteins have traditionally been implicated as being pro-atherogenic, whey proteins appear to be an exception to the rule. whey protein is made up of several minor and major fractions, such as beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, albumin, lactoferrin and immunoglobulin. It was discovered that the minor constituent responsible for the ability of whey protein concentrate to prevent the oxidation of LDL appears to be the lactoferrin fraction of the protein. 3
Lactoferrin In Whey
When the lactoferrin was removed from the protein, the ability of the whey-protein concentrate to prevent LDL oxidation was greatly reduced, leading the researchers to speculate, "Our results suggest that LF (lactoferrin) is the main factor responsible for the inhibitory effect of whey protein (on LDL) and it may function synergistically together with other factors in the whey protein, for example, alpha-lactalbumin."
Another study using rats examined the effects of whey protein concentrate and casein on cholesterol and the risk factors of heart disease. Though casein (another milk-based protein commonly used in research) is known to raise cholesterol in humans and animals, whey protein has the opposite effect, leading the researchers to note, "At the high dietary protein level [300 gram per kilogram of feed] , whey protein significantly lowered plasma and liver cholesterol and also plasma triacylglycerols." 4
The cholesterol-lowering effects of whey protein concentrate in this study also was associated with a reduction in LDL cholesterol. Most interesting was the fact that this effect on cholesterol was not seen when the animals were fed amino acid mixtures that simulated whey protein, so it is clear that there are properties within the whey that have these effects beyond that of its amino acid profile.
Whey and Bone Growth
Finally, whey protein appears to play a direct role in bone growth. Researchers found that rats fed whey protein concentrate showed increased bone strength and bone protein such as collagen. This discovery led researches to test whether or not whey protein directly stimulated osteoblast (bone cell) growth in vitro.
Whey protein was found to stimulate, dose dependently, total protein synthesis, DNA content, and increased hydroxyproline contents of bone cells. 5
It should be noted that not all whey protein concentrates are created equal. Processing whey protein to remove the lactose and fats without losing its biological activity takes special care by the manufacturer. The protein must be processed under low temperature and low acid conditions so as not to "denature" the protein. Maintaining the natural state of the protein is essential to its biological activity.
These research findings, combined with the previous decade of study on whey protein, should convince anyone that whey protein concentrate is truly the life-extension protein.
Higher Glutathione Levels and Whey
A decade-and-a-half of findings on the benefits of whey protein are far-reaching.
Previous Studies Include The Following:
* Whey protein concentrate dramatically raises glutathione levels. Glutathione is an essential water-soluble antioxidant in the body that protects cells and serves as a primary detoxifier of harmful compounds such as peroxides, heavy metals, carcinogens and other toxins.
* Glutathione also is intimately tied to immunity, and reduced glutathione levels have been associated with disease such as AIDS, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, to name only a few. In fact, glutathione levels appear to be one way of modulating immunity. 6
* Whey protein concentrate was found to consistently raise this extremely important immune stimulating antioxidant beyond that of any protein studied (including soy) to higher than normal levels in multiple animal studies. 7
A small pilot study with HIV-positive men who were fed whey protein concentrate found dramatic increases in glutathione levels of all the study participants, with two out of three men reaching their ideal body weight. 8
In fact, there have been several U.S. and international patents granted for the treatment of AIDS and improving immunity with whey protein concentrates.
* Whey protein improves immune function and fights infections. Animals fed whey protein concentrate consistently showed dramatic enhancement of both the humoral and cellular immune response to a variety of immune challenges, such as salmonella, streptococcus pneumonia 9 and extreme cancer-causing chemicals. This effect on immunity was not seen with other proteins.
* Whey protein concentrate fights cancer. Animals fed whey protein.
Weight training increases lean body mass via several factors. One being microscopic tears in muscle fibers. Once we consume the ideal post workout meal (containing carbohydrates and protein) insulin levels rises. Once this hormone is elevated it's extremely effective at shuttling nutrients into cells, in this case nutrients will be shuttled off to repair the microscopic tears. This results in enlarging of the muscle (hypertrophy) and strengthening the fibers in order to prevent this tears from reoccurring.
Since whey protein has a fast absorption rate and a high biological value. It makes perfect sense to use whey protein post workout. Its' high amino acid content, makes it an ideal supplement to increase protein synthesis and aid in hypertrophy.Whey protein is a relatively safe supplement but no more than 30 grams of protein should be taken at one sitting as excessive single doses could overload the liver. The safety of whey protein has been well documented in many scientific studies and there is clear proof that taken consistently, coupled with regular exercise, it will result in meaningful muscle gain.
Editor's Choice Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology Also Included In: Sports Medicine / Fitness; Heart Disease Article Date: 08 Oct 2011 - 0:00 PDT window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId: 'aa16a4bf93f23f07eb33109d5f1134d3', status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true, channelUrl: 'http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/scripts/facebooklike.html'}); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); email to a friend printer friendly opinions A person's heart rate, also known as their pulse, refers to how many times their heart beats per minute. Our heart rates vary tremendously, depending on the demands we make on our bodies - a person who is sleeping will have a much lower heart rate compared to when he/she is doing exercise.
There is a technical difference between heart rate and pulse, although they both should come up with the same number: Heart rate - how many times the heart beats in a unit of time, nearly always per minute. The number of contractions of the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles).Pulse (pulse rate) - as the blood gushes through the artery from a heart beat, it creates a bulge in the artery. The rate at which the artery bulges can be measured by touching it with your fingers, as on the wrist or neck.According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary:
Heart beat is "A complete cardiac cycle, including spread of the electrical impulse and the consequent mechanical contraction."
Pulse is "Rhythmic dilation of an artery, produced by the increased volume of blood thrown into the vessel by the contraction of the heart. A pulse may also at times occur in a vein or a vascular organ, such as the liver."
Doctors and other healthcare professionals measure patients' heart rates when monitoring their health, gauging the effectiveness of certain treatments, or making a diagnosis.
Athletes and sports people usually measure their heart beats so that they can gain maximum efficiency from their training regimes.
For a human aged 18 or more years, a normal resting heart rate can be anything between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Usually the healthier or fitter you are, the lower your rate. A competitive athlete may have a resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute.
Champion cyclist, Lance Armstrong has had a resting heart rate of about 32 beats per minute (bpm). Fellow cyclist Miguel Indurain once had a resting heart rate of 29 bpm.
According to the National Health Service, UK, the following are ideal normal pulse rates at rest, in bpm (beats per minute): Newborn baby - 120 to 160Baby aged from 1 to 12 months - 80 to 140Baby/toddler aged from 1 to 2 years - 80 to 130Toddler/young child aged 2 to 6 years - 75 to 120Child aged 7 to 12 years - 75 to 110Adult aged 18+ years - 60 to 100Adult athlete - 40 to 60(There is a considerable amount of overlap from 14 to 17 years of age, with younger and older ages, depending on which health authorities you use for data)
Checking your own heart rate:
Testing the pulse rate at the radial artery
An electrocardiograph, also known as an ECG or EKG is a more accurate way of checking a patient's heartbeat. ECGs are commonly used in critical care medicine, and many other fields of medicine.
Sports shops sell heart-rate watches that communicate with a device you strap around your chest. The readings on your watch tell you what your heart rate is - some can even work out heart-rate averages over set periods, such as the whole of an exercise session.
Bear in mind that your heart rate can be influenced by several factors, such as: Your level of physical activity at the timeHow fit you areThe ambient temperatureThe position of your body - standing, sitting, lying down, etc.Your mental and/or emotional state - excitement, anger, fear, anxiety, and other factors can raise your heart beatThe size of your bodySome medicationsBradycardia - a medical term that refers to a heart beat that is too slow, such as below 60 beats per minute (for a non-athlete)
Tachycardia - a medical term that refers to a resting heart beat of more than 100 beats per minute, an excessively fast heart beat for an adult
If you think you have bradycardia or tachycardia, see your doctor, especially if you are also short of breath, feel dizzy, and/or have fainting episodes.
This is the maximum number of times your heart can beat per minute. It is a useful measure for sports people, so they can gauge their training intensities.
There are two ways you can find out what your maximum heart rate is: Have it clinically tested - usually by a cardiologist or an exercise physiologist. People over 35 years of age who are overweight or have not done exercise for a long time are advised to have their maximum heart rates clinically tested by a trained health care professional. The health care professional may use a treadmill and a electrocardiograph.Predicted maximum heart rate - this involves using a mathematical formula, called the age-adjusted formula.
For adult males: 220 minus your age. For a 25 year-old man it would be 195 bpm (220 minus 25)
For adult females: 226 minus your age. For a 25 year-old woman it would be 201 bpm (226 minus 25)
It is important to remember that this formula gives a rough figure, a ballpark figure. Ideally, you should have your maximum heart beat measured clinically.
Written by Christian Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
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posted by Greg S. on 8 Oct 2011 at 6:48 pm
In my experience, as an athlete, it's best to have your max heart rate tested by a medical professional or perform a max effort while wearing a heart rate monitor. Also, there are many formula's for predicting max heart rate. They can be found by searching with your favorite search engine.
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Health and Fitness are very important for you. Look at Arnold Schwarzenegger, he is fit and healthy, you don't need that body to stay fit but you certainly need to be fit to stay healthy. Being active makes a person healthy and strong. It is not just for people who have a weight problem but for everyone who likes to stay fit. Do you want to be that person on the yellow or fit and healthy and lean. Studies show that fat people are more prone to diseases than skinny guys and they are much likelier to develop sugar problems and die earlier than their counterpart. There is a lot you can do such as jogging or walk every morning, play basketball or any other sport with friends but if you want to have muscles and look lean like him, then you can sign up and workout in a gym.
People workout for 3 reasons;
The first is that the person is overweight and the only way to lose those extra pounds will be to reduce ones calorie intake and at the same time workout in the gym.
The second is that the person is underweight and the only way to add extra pounds is to have more calories in ones diet and workout.
The third is just for fun and to keep that person in shape.
The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and gain or lose weight.
Don't neglect this - Just like taking any medicine, you should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.
Here are some benefits of exercising
1. It is the easiest way to maintain and improve ones health from a variety of diseases and premature death.
2. Studies have shown that it makes a person feels happier and increases ones self esteem preventing one from falling into depression or anxiety.
3. An active lifestyle makes a person live longer than a person who doesn’t.
Working out for someone who has not done it before should be done gradually. Endurance will not be built in a day and doing it repeatedly will surely be beneficial to the person.It is advisable to workout regularly with a reasonable diet. You can consult with a dietitian or a health professional to really help plan a good diet program. It starts by evaluating the lifestyle and the health of the patient before any program can be made.
A good diet should have food from all the food groups.
This is made up by 2 things. The first is carbohydrates. The food that a person consumes should have vitamins, minerals and fiber. A lot of this can come from oats, rice, potatoes and cereals. The best still come from vegetables and fruits since these have phytochemicals, enzymes and micronutrients that are essential for a healthy diet.
The second is fat which can come from mono and poly saturated food sources rather than animal fats. Since fat contains more than double the number of calories in food, this should be taken in small quantities to gain or lose weight. Yet the most essential remains water, the elixir of life, this by far is the most essential thing you need for your health. It increases your metabolism, refines your systems and provides numerous benefits.
Another way to stay healthy is to give up some vices. Most people smoke and drink. Smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and other diseases as well complications for women giving birth. Excessive drinking has also shown to do the same. For people who don’t smoke, it is best to stay away from people who do since studies have shown that nonsmokers are also at risk of developing cancer due to secondary smoke inhalation. For personally me, I would like all those out there to just refrain from smoking. Its a really bad habit. Think for your own health. Stay fit and stay healthy.
You need calcium not only for strong bones and teeth, but also for normal blood clotting, and for healthy muscle and nervous system function. Most adults need around 1000 mg to 1200 mg every day (and teenagers need more). You can get enough calcium from the foods you eat.
Dairy products are one well-known as a source of calcium, but you don't need to consume dairy if you can't or don't want to, because you can get calcium from other foods too. Legumes, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and bony fish (like canned salmon) are contain calcium. And don't forget your vitamin D. If you don't get enough sun exposure (up to 30 minutes twice each week), then you might want to consider taking vitamin D supplements.
Home » Weight Gain Programs » Building Muscle In Your Sleep (Importance Of Proper Rest) By Sean Nalewanyj | Comments
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The benefits of a proper sleep for building muscle, burning fat, and gaining strength...
It doesn't sound super exciting at first, but I promise, after you understand why sleep and rest is a key component to your muscle building and weight gain program you'll be glad you know.
If you want to experience the most explosive muscle gains in the shortest time possible, then a good nights sleep really is an important factor. What makes sleep so important? Well, lets look at what happens when you don't get a good nights sleep each night.
One of the biggest problems with sleep deprivation is the effect it will have on your mental state. Studies show that even a single night of insufficient rest will have a negative effect on your mental sharpness and on your willingness to perform difficult tasks.
Putting fourth a good hard effort every time you enter the gym is very important when it comes to transforming your body so you must remain mentally sharp at all times.
Your bottom line muscle gains are ultimately determined by the small steady increases you're able to make in all of your major exercises from week to week and keeping your strength at top level is critical to achieving this as quickly as possible. As you probably already know, your muscles don't grow in the gym... They grow while you're out of the gym resting and eating. The time you spend sleeping is one of the critical periods where the repair of damaged muscle tissue takes place. If you deprive your body of sleep, you'll deprive the recovery process as well. Depriving your body of sleep actually has a negative impact on some of the most important muscle building hormones circulating through your body. Specifically, testosterone, growth hormone, and cortisol. Simply put, sleep deprivation has a negative impact on every single one of them.
It will lower testosterone levels which is going to decrease muscle growth. It will decrease growth hormone levels which is going to decrease fat loss. And it's going to increase cortisol levels which will increase fat storage and encourage muscle breakdown.
So how much sleep is enough to maximize your results? You should aim to get at least 8 hours of high-quality sleep each night. And if you need more sleep then by all means, take it!
Jay Cutler - professional bodybuilding's true mass monster! Charging around at a ground-shaking 290 lbs. in the off-season, Jay sure knows how to pack on the mass. But what really gets him to this sun-blocking stature when he's not preparing for a show? How does he get so much muscle packed onto his 5'9" frame?
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If you want to build muscle, one thing that you've likely considered is which weight lifting supplements you should be using to take your progress to the next level. 
Look at Arnold Schwarzenegger, he is fit and healthy, you don't need that body to stay fit but you certainly need to be fit to stay healthy. Being active makes a person healthy and strong. It is not just for people who have a weight problem but for everyone who likes to stay fit. 
Do you want to be that person on the yellow or fit and healthy and lean.