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Extreme dieting is where a bodybuilder tries to get in shape as fast as possible,in the shortest time frame possible.

There is no instance where I recommend extreme dieting. For maximum muscle retention, it's always best to take a patient and longer approach to dieting. It is for this reason that I advocate the 12-14 week contest prep. The longer you take to drop weight, the more body fat you will lose and the more muscle mass you will retain. However, for many reasons, bodybuilders occasionally have to get in shape in a very short period of time. For example, they realize they are "behind" in their prep or they only give themselves 8-9 weeks to diet. If you are extremely fat, absolutely nothing will help get you into great shape in just 6 or 8 weeks. If you are soft and lacking definition, you can get into incredible shape in just 8-9 weeks - if you know what steps to take. In this Rx Muscle installment, I plan to outline the type of diet I have used with clients to help get them into great shape in just 8-9 weeks.

 

TotaLee Awesome Tris: Training Tips from Lee Haney

by Lee Haney

Back when I was competing the guy with the most envied triceps in the game was Mike Christian. His triceps were very impressive--big, full and cross-striated. His were the standard by which all other triceps were measured, and I made it my goal to match or exceed even his level of development. Of course, each of us must work within our own genetic constraints. Christian happened to be blessed with great genes for triceps, and he certainly made the most of them. I figured my genes weren't too shabby, either, and that with the right amount of effort, I could draw the judges' attention away from his to my own.

Heres a great read from a Competitive Female BB and well respected member of our community.

Lots of people have very strong convictions against women using steroids. The most common misconceptions involve the strain of though that steroids will turn a woman into a muscle-bound man with a vagina. Although this may be true in some cases, the fact remains that steroids could be very beneficial to women.

Treasure Your Chest

Take a good, hard look at your pecs, then use these tips to improve them

People always seem to mention my chest when discussing my bodybuilding physique. You might say it was my best bodypart. You could also say that I’m something of an authority on the subject, considering how well-developed my pecs were.

BIGGER BICEPS, BETTER GRIP

Train your biceps from all angles – and hit your forearms while you’re at it – with this arm arsenal

THE REASON YOU'RE NOT RIPPED

Step off the treadmill a little earlier and start doing some bigger lifts – only then will you be sufficiently shredded

You almost never eat French fries or donuts or Dairy Queen Blizzards, and pizza is only for cheat days, so you’ve ruled out a crappy diet. You hit the gym five, sometimes six, days a week with a good dose of cardio and lifting, and yet you still don’t know what the problem is. Why am I still not ripped, you wonder. Why am I killing myself in the gym without a six-pack and an abundance of striated muscles to show for it?  

You’re right, diet may not be the answer. And genetics isn’t necessarily to blame either. There’s a good chance that all the work you’re doing is undermining your efforts of getting lean. The fact that you’re frequenting the gym isn’t the issue; it’s what you’re doing once you get there.

If your cardio sessions drag on forever and the dumbbells you use always seem to come from the lighter side of the rack – that could be your problem right there. We think we may have just discovered the three main training reasons why people aren’t getting shredded, and it’s time to put an end to it, once and for all.


7 Days to Ultimate Leanness

by Chris "Swolecat" Janusz

You’ve been dieting for a while now with great success. You’ve shed your layer of winter blubber and now you’re ready to show everyone the new you.

Bench press alternatives

 

Have you ever seen an optical illusion? A sketch of a young woman is actually the face of an old lady; or the outline of a bird, an old man. Look at them long enough, and all of a sudden you see the image in a new light, bringing new depth and meaning to the artwork. Well, it’s time to take a good, long look around the gym for some of the best chest exercises that you’ve looked at but never really seen. Look hard because they’re there. In fact, they’re closer than you think.
 


That’s right. We’re pointing to the bench press. Long claimed to be the single-best chest exercise to which nothing else could compare. We dare you to take another look at the bench press. We found two that are better than the standard bench press. But rather than have you run to other areas of the gym in search of that holy grail of chest equipment, we have to clarify the asterisk we placed on that previous remark. What we’re really trying to tell you is that there are some pretty incredible techniques that can make the all-powerful bench press even mightier than it already is. Techniques and methods that, when done properly, can add pounds to your bench and inches to your chest all at the same time.
 

We stand by our statement that both techniques are superior to the standard bench press. All that’s required is for you to take the time to look, learn, perfect and perform them. If you do, your chest will never be the same; if you don’t, it probably will.


Powelifting Excercises( Upper Body)

UPPER BODY

Barbell Extensions: This exercise is designed to isolate the medial and outer heads of the triceps. Begin this movement by lying with your back on a bench. Take a medium to close grip on a barbell. Unrack the weight and extend your arms directly above your upper chest. Lower the barbell toward your chin while keeping your upper arms motionless and your elbows turned inward. Reverse the direction by using your triceps to extend your arms to the starting position. Do not let your elbows flare out during the exercise. This movement is best performed keeping the bar away from the forehead. By keeping it closer to the chin we’re isolating those muscles that are more involved with pressing.

Barbell Extensions with Band: Same as above but with a band.

Barbell Extensions on Floor: Same as barbell extensions, but performed on the floor. Performing this movement on the floor takes the legs out of the movement, thus putting more stress on the pressing muscles.

Bench Press: The bench press should be performed with the shoulder blades pulled together and driven into the bench. The elbows should be in a tucked position. The bar should hit you in the lower chest area. It must be pushed in a straight line, not back over the face.

Close Grip Bench Press: Lay on the bench with your shoulder blades pulled together and pressed firmly into the bench. Grab the bar with a close grip; for this program youll want one finger on the smooth part of the bar. Begin the exercise by unracking the bar and lowering it with your elbows in a tucked position. Lower the bar to your lower chest. Keeping your elbows in a tucked position, press the bar back to the starting position.