Random-muscle workouts are a fun way to break up your exercise routines. Random-muscle workouts work different muscles in the body for short bursts, then immediately move on to something else. If you're in an exercise rut or find yourself at a...
Whether you're a competitive athlete or recreational jock looking to perform at your best, you'll want to build muscle, then train it for specific purposes. In addition to power, you'll need endurance, speed, quickness and other physical...
Building muscle has many benefits. The additional strength that comes from lifting weights can make everyday activities, such as carrying groceries, toting kids and lifting boxes, easier. Muscle helps support bone and can help you stay strong and...
Gaining muscle impacts your body in several ways. First of all, it can give you more strength to do daily activities like placing groceries into a trunk. Secondly, it can make you feel better about yourself. Lastly, it can increase your resting...
Building muscle is not as easy as simply lifting weights for three hours per day. The keys to building muscle are maximizing the time spent in the gym by focusing on effective muscle-building exercises, eating a healthy diet that is high in...
Creating your own muscle-building program takes preparation, commitment and the right information and tools to get started. You need enough space (a spare bedroom, empty garage or park) and portable, durable tools that need little maintenance. You...
The lunge is an excellent lower body workout because you use almost every muscle in your legs and buttocks when you do it. There are a number of variations on the basic lunge, which add intensity to the exercise. However, perform the basic version...
The triceps brachii, commonly referred to as the triceps muscle group, is the arm muscle primarily responsible for extending the elbow joint. Considered a companion muscle to the biceps brachii, the triceps play an integral role in your ability to...
Every time you take a breath, you witness and feel your ribs expanding and contracting. Small muscles in between the ribs called intercostals are responsible for these motions. Aside from these, several other muscles reside outside the ribs and...
Adding lean muscle mass to your body will speed up your metabolism to enhance fat loss. There are different techniques to building lean muscle. The key is to learn the basic fundamentals of creating a program that will work best for you to quickly...
Building muscle through working out started with bodybuilders and has since found its way into mainstream society. Workout routines will vary depending on the specific goal you want to achieve. Results come through commitment, knowledge, a sound...
Although your chest is just one of many muscle groups on your body, you may want to give it a higher priority than other muscles. Bodybuilder Alex Stewart points out that well-developed chest muscles are not only symbolic of strength but are also...
Building muscles benefits everyone, regardless of age or sex. Building your muscles may help you burn calories more efficiently and help prevent injuries. While aerobic workouts and many types of sports help you to stay healthy and fit, lifting...
If building muscle is your goal, the best way to get there is to lift weights, heavy enough to surpass shaping, defining and toning and pack on some lean muscle mass. With the right equipment, a complete set of dumbbells, perhaps a barbell, and a...
Build your muscles with weight training, a good eating plan and sufficient rest. Progressive resistance training will break down your current muscle tissue only to repair it and add more muscle tissue. Properly timed meals will ensure you...
Your chest muscles, or pectorals, comprise two sections: your pectoralis major in the upper half, while pectoralis minor the lower. Targeting each part is key to developing strong, shapely pecs. Doing so requires you to use different pieces of...
Shin splints are extremely uncomfortable and can hamper your workouts -- but they needn't. Rest, ice and elevate the shins and get physician approval before you start a workout plan to combat the shin splints. The results of ligament strain in the...
It is not uncommon that some men neglect to formulate a suitable workout plan for their legs and prefer to concentrate on the upper body. This can lead to an imbalance, which may sabotage your workout goals. Irrespective of what your goals may be,...
Time spent in the gym is often focused on major muscles -- the pecs, biceps and lats. These major muscles keep your body feeling and looking strong. But minor muscles -- like the forearms, lower back and inner thighs -- are no less important to...
The trapezius muscle is divided into upper, middle and lower fibers that are located on your upper back. The trapezius functions in the elevation, rotation and adduction, or backward movement, of your scapula. You can target the trapezius with...
The order of your lifts when bodybuilding has important implications for the size and strength of your muscles. You can work the largest muscles first and then progress to the smaller ones or you can start with the smallest muscles first and...
Lean muscle workouts are designed to help increase your muscle mass as well as tighten and tone your body. Combining cardiovascular exercises with weightlifting exercises in your workouts will help you decrease body fat and increase muscle mass....
The gym abounds with philosophies on how to gain muscle. Building muscle from your workout requires determination and the proper combination of nutrition and exercise routine. With the right combination, you can sculpt your body however you see fit.
Single-muscle workouts most days of the week are quite intense if you simply want to tone your muscles and improve your health. However, like bodybuilders and fitness competitors, if your goal is to build the size and definition of your muscles, a...
You call on your muscles for a variety of movements that require strength, power, endurance, flexibility and speed. You can perform different exercises to improve these muscular attributes, or the same exercises performed at different speeds and...
Whether you're preparing for a bodybuilding competition or just want to get your legs in shape for an upcoming race, your hamstrings are a great place to start. The three hamstring muscles supply much of the support for your upper body and make up...
Kickboxing is a sport that requires strength, endurance and flexibility. Simply practicing your kickboxing technique can help you perform better, but including resistance training in your routine can give you even quicker results and improve your...
Don't let the prospect of sore muscles, or delayed onset muscle soreness, prevent you from getting the exercise you need. In some cases, the muscle damage and accumulation of metabolites such as lactic acid and pyruvic acid related to exercise can...
Strenuous exercise causes muscle damage that leads to delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. DOMS is a sign of microscopic tearing and injury to the muscle tissue. The amount of damage depends on the intensity and type of exercise you do. Muscles...