The Infonian

Cellulite is a frustrating and unsightly condition which affects up to 90 per cent of women. It can adversely affect a woman’s self-esteem making them self-conscious of their appearance and body image. Those that have the condition often go to great lengths to cover up their problem area which means they have tremendous difficulty going to the beach or wearing revealing clothing. The millions of dollars a year which is spent on trying to solve cellulite just shows how many women find this condition embarrassing and difficult.

There are literally hundreds of cellulite treatments on the market today. Often the companies that produces these treatments claim that they can reduce cellulite in a matter of a few days. What many women don’t realize is that cellulite reduction can take weeks and sometimes months, depending on the severity of the problem. This means you need to be careful when evaluating a cellulite treatment.

A common mistake is to rely on just one cellulite treatment. The best results are obtained by using two or more treatments at the same time. That way you gain the effectiveness of more than just one treatment targeting the different causes and symptoms of the cellulite. Probably the best method using this idea is to use diet and exercise in conjunction with cellulite cream and massage.

Exercise will help you burn away the fat from beneath the skin and increase your lean muscle mass. It is best that you use exercise machines that get your heart rate pumping but also work out those muscles that surround your cellulite. Make sure you change these exercises every now and then to avoid getting bored and workout for at least 30 minutes a day.

Eating better foods is great in theory but difficult in practice. Unfortunately, the reality is if you want to lose cellulite you will need change your diet. Start by cutting out all those bad foods like sweets, caffeine, sugar, fat, salt and fast food. Start eating more fresh fruit, lean meat and vegetables.

Massaging cellulite cream into the problem areas does two things. The cream will help you to burn fat and keep the skin hydrated so that it is resistant to dimpling. The massaging targets the actual fat to soften it up and smooths out the skin of all its dimples. Toxins are also released from the fat and are then removed from the system through the blood stream.

Which cream to buy? There are literally hundreds to choose from but you need to find one which has active ingredients that are known to help cellulite removal. You will need to massage the cream into the skin twice daily with most products.

Author: Robert Bell

Anabolic (an-ah-BOL-ik) This term refers to the process of building up. Steroids are called anabolic because they build up your muscles.

It is a fact that today’s bodybuilding arena is influenced by the use of anabolic steroids. The trend has become more and more apparent over the years. The use and abuse has become so wide spread that we can no longer afford to ignore the topic. Whether you feel strongly for or against the use of steroids is your own decision. However before making any decision it is your responsibility to fully educate yourself with the facts. Here is an analogy. A parent may not feel comfortable talking to their kids about sex for the first time but they can’t continue to avoid the topic. Simply because a parent talks to their children about sex doesn’t mean that they want them to go out and have sex. Instead they are hoping that with the proper information they will be able to make an educated decision.

Until you can put yourself in someone else’s position it is tough to know why they make the decisions they do. For example, if you are pro athlete and you have the opportunity to extend your career, or compete for a starting position perhaps you may be more likely to consider the alternative. You may call this an unfair advantage or cheating but where do we draw the line. People that use bodybuilding supplements have an unfair advantage over those that chose not to use them. Does that mean they are cheating as well? It is a very gray area and there doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut right or wrong answers to many of the questions we ask ourselves. In some countries it is legal to take steroids. Does that mean it’s ethically okay to use steroids in certain countries and not others? One could argue yes to that question. In the United States Steroids are illegal therefore it would be wrong to take them here. The debate could go on and on and I’m sure it will for many years to come.

One thing you can do is educate yourself about the possible dangers of steroid use. Most of the benefits are commonly known so this article will discuss the other side of the coin.

Dangers of Steroids

When prescribed and used correctly, steroids can be very beneficial for many people. Steroids are often used to control asthma or to improve the health of people with auto-immune disorders. When used without the supervision of a physician, steroids can be very dangerous substances that cause many mental and physical health problems. Understanding the risks involved with using steroids can be helpful in deciding whether or not to proceed with this dangerous habit.

There are two major types of steroids that can be taken by people looking to increase their muscle mass and enhance their athletic performance. Anabolic steroids are synthetic hormones that are very close to the real hormones produced by the body. The most powerful one is testosterone. There are also steroidal supplements that contain DHEA and androstenedione. These steroids and supplements have become popular because they can help increase muscle mass by affecting the body the way that natural testosterone affects the body.

Steroids can cause mild or serious side effects. Some of the minor effects associated with steroid use are usually problems that can occur without the use of steroids and are associated with abnormal hormone levels. These minor side effects can include an increase in facial or body acne, hair loss, irritability, and dizziness. Steroid and supplement use can also cause very serious side effects that can be harmful in the short term and may even cause long-term side effects. Some of the side effects that can affect both men and women when taking steroids can be associated with several systems of the body. Some hormonal problems that can occur include premature balding and stunting of growth. Using steroids can cause cardiac issues such as rapid heartbeat and hypertension that causes permanent damage to the body’s blood vessels. The urinary system can also be affected by steroids and difficulty urinating can be a result.

The risk of developing heart disease, strokes, and some types of cancer is also increased when steroids are used when not needed to manage medical conditions. Digestive problems such as nausea and vomiting can start when the body is subjected to the use of steroids or steroidal supplements. Other medical problems that can result from the use of steroids are sleeplessness, trembling, achy joints, a greater risk of injury to muscles and tendons, liver damage, and skin jaundice. Some of the most startling problems associated with the use of steroids are the psychological problems that are created. Steroid use can cause paranoia, seeing things that don’t exist, severe mood swings, anger, and depression.

There are also gender-specific side effects of using steroids or steroidal supplements. Men can experience painful urination, shrinking of the testicles, impotence, sterility, and the development of breasts and other female characteristics. Women can also experience side effects from using steroids and supplements. These side effects include changes in the menstrual cycle, shrinking of the breasts, deepening of the voice, and increased facial hair growth. While taking steroids and steroidal supplements can have a positive short-term effect on muscle mass and athletic performance, the dangerous side effects make steroids a poor choice for gaining strength. A good diet and exercise program would be a much better way to increase performance and would also improve health.

In closing I’d like to share a Critical Bench Web site poll from 2003. 509 votes were tallied and the results were as followed.

We asked how you felt anabolic steroids and received the following results.

1. Best thing since sliced bread 10%

2. Worth a try 20%

3. Impartial 19%

4. They are for losers 51%

Mike Westerdal is the owner of www.criticalbench.com . Visit his site to receive two free PDF reports entitled, “31 Days To Bigger Arms” and “Boosting Testosterone Levels for Big Muscle Gains.”

Author: Mike Westerdal

This article will assume that you are trying to increase your strength. If you go to the gym to stay in shape, maintain your strength, or even worse, to avoid getting fat, than don’t waste your time reading this. However, if you set your goals for yourself, have an open mind and want to get bigger and stronger than read on.

Negatives can be applied to any exercise to help shock your muscles. They are specifically included in the Critical Bench Program to help you increase your bench press. First lets review what exactly a negative is making sure everybody is on the same page. Using the bench press as an example let’s review a negative set. You will load the bar with a weight that is about 40 lbs heavier than your one rep max. (If you don’t know your one rep max you can look it up on this chart: http://www.criticalbench.com/chart.htm) Three spotters will be needed. The most important spotter is the one that stands behind you because he will keep his hands on the bar throughout the entire lift. The two remaining spotters will stand on opposite ends of the bar. Of course you will need a lift off unless you plan on turning negatives into a positively bad idea. You will now begin to lower the weight as slowly as positive. At first you’ll do fine, but about half way down you’ll feel like you are trying to stop the weight from falling. Once the bar touches your chest all three spotters lift the weight to the lockout position where you start again. When you are lifting poundage this heavy only a few reps will be possible so don’t feel discouraged.

Okay so why in the world would you want to do this? Won’t you look like an idiot in the gym when three people have to pull the weight off your chest? People have even said that the exercise is just an ego booster and doesn’t do much for you. Some clowns might even say that you are cheating! Well don’t believe any of it. Luckily, I’m here to tell you why negatives are so important.

1. Heavy Negatives Overload the Muscles

Most of us will agree that singles help improve strength because you overload your muscles will heavy poundage that your body is not used to. Based on the same principle, if you do negative sets with even more than your max weight you will overload your muscles even further.

2. Conditioning Your Body

Let me give you a few examples of this. A basketball player who is shooting jump shots while he is wearing ankle weights. A swimmer who does laps wearing pants and a t-shirt. A football player preparing for camp by running in the middle of the afternoon during a 90-degree summer day. A sprinter that runs with a parachute tied to his back. How about a powerlifter that does negatives with a weight that is much heavier than his one rep max. Are you beginning to see the correlation? When you run in 90-degree weather, practice in 80-degree heat doesn’t seem so bad. When you shot jump shots with ankle weights, you feel pretty light and explosive when you take them off. When it is time to unload in each situation the body can perform better because it has been strengthened by the overload. You get the point. Let’s say your goal is to bench 400 lbs. If you’ve never tried it, the initial shock might surprise you. If you’ve felt the weight of 450 lbs and done negative sets with it, your mind and your muscles will be preconditioned to handle the 400 you were aiming for. You’ve felt heavier weight, making this weight seem lighter. Your muscles need to feel the shock of heavy weight to prepare for a max. So why not take it to the extreme?

3. The Challenge

If your training lacks intensity I’d like to see you have the courage to take this exercise lightly. Actually I wouldn’t, but don’t worry about it because it’s not possible anyhow. Your heart will begin racing, and you will be pumped with adrenaline. Not to mention the fact that you have three people watching you. You’ll be ready to perform, because there is no other choice. This is more weight than you’ve ever lifted in your life, so you will get psyched up for the big challenge. As mentioned earlier, some people call negatives ego boosters. They are partially correct. It does feel good to load the bar with the heavy poundage. Whipping out a few reps will definitely give you confidence when it’s time to max out for real. The only difference will be you’ve felt heavier.

4. Letting It Down Slow

Still not convinced? Let me pull out the textbook for you. The eccentric phase is the opposite of the contraction. For the bench press it is the lowering of the weight. Many bodybuilders treat this phase as an after thought, which they shouldn’t because it is very important. Research confirms that the eccentric component of a lift may be more important than the concentric phase for promoting muscle growth. One study showed that, when compared to normal weight training, concentric-only training required twice as many repetitions to produce similar results. With normal weight training, during an eccentric contraction (negative) you lower the same weight with fewer muscle fibers, and that means that each fiber involved has to sustain greater force.

5. Get The Last Laugh

We all know variety is important as well. If you haven’t done heavy negatives before than give them a try. It may be just what your muscles are screaming for. If you get funny looks at the gym, don’t worry about it. You’re not there to impress anybody; you’re there to get stronger. The only person you have to look at in the mirror is yourself. The weights will always weigh the same so you can’t compete with them. You may want to practice negatives with lighter weight before you jump right into this. Round up a couple buddies and show them why heavy negatives are positively a good idea.

Mike Westerdal is the owner of www.criticalbench.com . Visit his site to receive two free PDF reports entitled, “31 Days To Bigger Arms” and “Boosting Testosterone Levels for Big Muscle Gains.”

Author: Mike Westerdal

Then you’re probably determined to get one. It’s that same determination that will be your struggle. The more you want it, the harder you want to work and the longer you want to stay in the gym. This is going to lead to overtraining which will stunt any strength gains you’ve made and delay any dreams of an even bigger bench.

How do you know if you’re at risk of overtraining? If you feel run down after a workout, notice that you aren’t making any gains, you always do forced reps, you’re not getting enough rest, your diet stinks, you have a bad attitude or you aren’t motivated you’re probably overtraining. Insomnia is another big sign. Put it this way, if a weight continually feels heavier than normal, chances are you haven’t gotten weaker, you just haven’t recovered from previous workouts.

There are three distinct stages of metabolism. The first is a state of equilibrium easily described as the fully recovered state where energy is neither being depleted and tissue is not being damaged or repaired. The second stage is catabolism. Catabolism is the stage you are in during a workout. Energy is being depleted and muscle tissue is being damaged. Your goals should be to keep catabolism in the gym, but many people that overtrain keep this stage going long after their workouts end and lose hard-earned muscle tissue to help the recovery. Finally the stage that usually doesn’t get much of a chance to kick in before we’re back in the gym for another session. The third stage is anabolism where energy is restored and tissue damage is being repaired. So after you lift you want to heal and reach a state of homeostasis, but instead many of us are back in the gym tearing our muscles and using energy when we haven’t even let the muscle fully recover from the previous workout. Never lift a muscle group that is still sore. I know it’s difficult but sometimes more isn’t better.

There is always the urge to overtrain thinking that if we just work harder the gains will come. How do we resist the urge? First off lets think, quality not quantity. If you lift each muscle group only once a week and spend less than 1 hr in the gym you’re on the right path. Although you don’t have to spend a lot of time in the gym the time spent must be intense. Every single exercise and rep should be performed with a passion and you will accomplish more in 45 minutes than most people do in two hours. If you are truly pushing yourself you should be exhausted at the end of the workout. After tearing your body apart, do you think it’s going to be ready to do it again in two to three days? I think not, try at least a week.

So all you benchers out there if you’re lifting heavy, workout after workout make sure that the reason you hit a plateau is not that you are trying too often. Let your body recover, heal, and grow before you start ripping it up again. When you hit each body part several times a week you don’t really try as hard because you know you’ll get another shot at it in a week. When you only lift each body part once per week you develop a sense of urgency. You know you better lift hard because you won’t get another chance to train it again for a week. Then as the week passes by you find yourself looking forward to your next chest day. Anyone that thinks they might be overtraining take a couple of days off and go back to the gym revived and motivated with the determination to train smarter and harder.

Author: Mike Westerdal

For some bodybuilders, achieving the perfect state of pump can best be described as being what nirvana is to a Buddhist. It’s everything they strive for when working out. So it’s no wonder that some of the world’s most famous bodybuilders-including Arnold Schwarzenegger-have described the pump as, “the greatest feeling you can get in the gym.”

Depending on who you talk to, you’re likely to get different opinions about the importance of the pump. For some guys, it’s kind of the “holy grail” of bodybuilding, but there are plenty of other bodybuilders who don’t pay much attention to it at all.

The guys on the “pro pump” side say that a good pump is what all bodybuilders should strive to achieve when they train. From their point of view, the pump signifies that you’re training with sufficient intensity.

They also say that achieving a good pump during a workout means that the systems are functioning properly and that you are delivering lots of nutrient-rich blood to the muscles, which in turn indicates that they are primed for growth. Furthermore, they say that when a bodybuilder is able to achieve a good pump quickly, it is a clear signal that his body is in an anabolic state, ready to grow.

Without getting too deep into the whole science of things, the pump is the result of both sarcoplasmic and mitochondrial hypertrophy, both of which generally occur at the highest levels through workouts that focus on medium or high rep sets. These types of hypertrophy result in an increase in the volume of the muscle, which gives the appearance of the pump. The downside to this is that this type of growth is temporary-it only lasts a short while and there is also no real increase in strength gains here either. This type of training is sometimes referred to as “form over function,” because while they may look good, the muscles are not nearly as strong as they appear.

Real muscle growth occurs through myofibrillar hypertrophy, which is the result of heavy training (heavy weight, lower reps). Myofibrillar hypertrophy is also the type of growth that brings about the big strength gains. The guys who focus on this type of hypertrophy are not only big, but they’re strong too. This is where you really get the explosive strength, but this type of hypertrophy does not result in much of a “pump.”

Which brings me to point of view of the guys who say that the pump isn’t all that it’s made out up to be. These are the guys who tend to focus not just on size but on strength as well. In other words, they don’t want to just look powerful, they want to be powerful too. When training, these guys focus on progressive overload and intensity, doing fewer reps with maximum weight.

In the gym, you’ll see them doing compound exercises like squats and deadlifts with heavy weight, not doing rep after rep of leg extensions with a light weight.

What you do is going to depend on what you want to achieve. One point of view isn’t right and the other wrong-they each just lead to different results. The decision is going to come down to a personal preference on your part. I will give you a tip though-you can have the best of both worlds. One way is to mix up your workouts, initially focus on high weight/low reps to get the myofibrillar hypertrophy going, and then afterwards move on to lower weight/higher rep sets to give you the pump. This will ensure that not only are your muscles primed for growth but they’ll get bigger and st

ronger too.

Author: Mike Westerdal