If you are trying to pack on some extra muscle mass, but getting nowhere, then why not try copying what some of the guys have done from Promart Supplements? Some simple changes to your diet and training and you will see quicker size and strength gains than ever.

1. Increase your daily protein intake to at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day, using a quality whey protein powder such as Allmax Isoflex – Whey Isolate
2. Add a small sprinkle of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (high in protein and good fats) to your protein shakes 2-3 times per day (using blender)
3. Increase carbohydrates in your diet by eating more noodles, pasta, rice, potatoes, rice cakes, spaghetti, bread, etc.
4. For supper, have 2 slices of wholemeal toast with peanut butter and a pint of semi skimmed milk before bed
5. Go to the gym 2 or 3 times per week, no more


Lift Heavy Free Weights For Bigger Muscles

6. Lift extra heavy weights for 5 sets of 5 reps on two big exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, bench press, barbell rows, dips, pullups, etc., followed by 2 sets of 5 reps on two assistance exercises, such as triceps extensions, close grip presses, standing barbell curls, calf raise, shrugs, pulldowns, etc.
7. Use perfect form, warm up for each exercise, then lift with maximum power, using minimum effort on the negative phase of each rep. Form MUST be perfect, or you will get injured, resulting in you losing all the hard earned muscle you gained to start with.

You should be able to increase weight for about 6-8 weeks with the above power lifting style training tips. Aim for 5% extra weight per week. After 6-8 weeks, you will be more than ready to go back to slower, more emphasised reps, as it can take its toll training as above. You may gain a little bit of fat, but it’s worth it for the extra muscle size and strength. Once you go back to bodybuilding, you can cut your carbs a bit and maybe add a bit of early morning cardio to show all the new muscle.

Regards,

Martin

Whether you are a bodybuilder or a powerlifter, when you are trying to gain significant additional muscle mass, you absolutely have to consume extra calories. If you have been following the Promart Blog for a while, then you will also know for every extra 100 calories you consume per day, the calories should come from 12-13g carbs, 7-8g protein and about 2g fat (= 50/30/20 macronutrient split). Consuming about 20 calories per day for every pound of bodyweight on a 50/30/20 split, will allow your body to gain lots of muscle if you give your muscles the required stimulus for growth, i.e. heavy, multiple joint, compound lifts for low reps, with explosive power.

This is the routine I am following, as you can see on My Journey from being a Bodybuilder to becoming a Powerlifter. Whilst I am gaining muscle and strength at the fastest rate of my whole life, I have also gained fat, not much – just an inch or so over my abs, but I have more fat on my stomach than ever in my life. Being honest, I’ve had a few big mac meals with milkshakes over the past couple of weeks and whilst my diet has been good, it’s also been bad. I therefore have the issue where I am getting strong, but also getting fat – and I don’t like it!

Fat Burning Proposals

To get rid of the fat, this is what I am going to do and you could do the same…

1. Cut sugar out of my diet completely, other than a small piece of fruit (fructose in fruit is a type of sugar) on a morning and after training when a small amount of sugar isn’t a problem
2. Cut out any food that isn’t cooked from basic ingredients at home – this results in less sugar, less salt, less bad fats, more good fats, more fibre, more vitamins and minerals, more protein, etc.
3. Spread my calories out more throughout the day, to avoid allowing my body to store the additional calories as fat
4. Use an ECA stack fat burner (Universal Animal Cuts, p.s. discount code is “march3″) to raise performance and burn more calories
5. Drink much more water to increase hydration for better lifts and to increase metabolism
6. Drink green tea without sugar, instead of tea and coffee with sugar to increase metabolism
7. Do a 40 minute jog at 5:30am, four mornings per week to burn fat at the most suitable time of day and most hormonally correct time of day for fat loss

I will continue powerlifting, but the fat burning proposals above should allow me to reduce body fat a few percent in a few weeks, to bring back my definition and get rid of my gut. I won’t cut my calories though or train differently, so I should continue to progress on the weights. I am going to start using Quickmass, as it offers lots of benefits in terms of powerlifting and bodybuilding, but I will use half servings twice as often to fit in with point 3 above.

Regards,

Martin Procter
Promart Supplements

What are Sports Supplements?

Sports Supplements are products that are suitable for use by athletes and sports men and women, to enhance physical performance. Sports supplements are a subset of bodybuilding supplements, as sports supplements only make up about half of supplements available to bodybuilders. For example, whey protein supplements, creatine, energy drinks and fat burners are all types of sports supplements, but they are also bodybuilding supplements. Whereas, testosterone boosters, nitric oxide boosters and amino acids are types of bodybuilding supplements, but are not of much use as sports supplements.

Which Supplements are Suitable for which sports?

Below is table showing which sports supplements are suitable for which sports:

Why should you use Sports Supplements?

There is no reason for you to use sports supplements, other than to increase your performance. If you do not want to use them, don’t! But, be aware that your team mates, rival clubs and many other sports people are already using a combination of supplements that may be allowing them to overtake you in your chosen sport. If you want to catch up, or reach a higher level in your particular sport, then take a look at the table above and decide which sports supplements would be most useful for your particular circumstances. Make sure you leave your comments below, to show people how much sports supplements have helped you!

Note: This article is aimed at people who have never really exercised before, but want to build a bit of muscle, put some weight on and aim towards getting a 6 pack!

If you want to improve your physique, don’t be put off by all the hype, marketing and bullshit on the internet and in the magazines about having to train 6 times per week, doing 40 exercises per day, etc. Instead follow the requirements below and be consistent…

Training Routine Required By Bodybuilders?

1. Lift heavy weights for 30-40 minutes, two times per week
2. Select a weight on each exercise that allows you to complete 8-10 smooth reps
3. Take 3-4 seconds per rep and move the weight in a slow, smooth, controlled rep cadence
4. Follow a whole body routine, focusing on compound movements, as shown below

Diet Required By Bodybuilders?

1. Increase your daily protein intake – the easiest way to do this is to consume a whey protein shake with your breakfast, lunch and dinner
2. Reduce sugars and fats in your diet and replace them with slow releasing carbohydrates, i.e. brown rice, wholewheat pasta, wholemeal bread, porridge, jacket potatoes, etc.
3. Spread your meals out evenly throughout the day, aiming to eat something, with a reasonable amount of protein and slow releasing carbohydrates every 3 hours
4. Drink a pint of semi skimmed milk straight after your training sessions

Rest Required By Bodybuilders?

1. Sleep at least 8-9 hours per night, preferably at the same times
2. Avoid excessive amounts of cardio – it makes you fit, healthy and can help you lose weight, but it doesn’t improve your physique and can lead to over training
3. Rest as much as possible when not in the gym

Before starting any bodybuilding programme, you should always seek advice from your GP. I would also suggest that you buy one or two of Stuart McRobert’s books, i.e. Braun, Beyond Braun, etc. about natural drug-free bodybuilding, as they answer pretty much any question you could ask and give good advice about how to actually lift weights safely and effectively.

A typical beginner’s bodybuilding routine should be based around the following exercises:

1. Squat or Deadlift
2. Pullups
3. Dips
4. Rows
5. Bench Press
6. Shoulder Press

You should aim to include all of the above exercise in every training session, warming up thoroughly for each exercise, then performing one work set to a high intensity. The higher the intensity, the better the results, but intensity should not be substituted for good form.

You can also include other exercises at the end of the workout, i.e. curls, raises, extensions or crunches as you see fit, as long as you aren’t in the gym for more than 40 minutes and you don’t overtrain any body parts.

If you follow the above advice, consistently raising the intensity of your training and improving your diet, then you should see major changes in your physique within weeks. Continue reading this blog for further advice and when you feel you have gained plenty of muscle, consider incorporating the Top 10 Fat loss tips (last couple of weeks blogs) into your routine, to lose more fat, retain your new muscles and show off that 6 pack!

If you find this article helpful, please bookmark it!

Regards,

Gareth.

I’ll start this article off by telling you out right, IT IS NOT possible to be a bodybuilder whilst being a high level footballer. Sure, it is possible to play a bit of 5-a-side as well as being a casual bodybuilder, in fact these two forms of exercise could complement each other and help you improve your physique. But, if you want to get to a high level in bodybuilding, you have to give up football, or you will be permanently overtrained and you will pick up lots of injuries.

However, if you are a high level footballer, lifting heavy weights in a bodybuilding style could improve your overall game!

Depending upon the position you play, you may require different strengths, but as long as you can maintain or improve your existing aerobic function, then combining some natural bodybuilding principles into your training regime could lead to improved footballing performance for the following reasons:

1. Increased strength on the ball
2. Increased strength in the air
3. Increased shot power
4. Increased sprint speed
5. Improved balance

All of the above are good qualities for a footballer, but if you overdo it, you may reduce your flexibility and endurance. The idea is to find a balance between aerobic and anaerobic activities and combine them with a very good diet, incorporating plenty of fruits, nuts, seeds, lean meats, wholegrains, wholemeal pastas, brown rice, eggs and milk. To help increase your daily protein intake, you could also supplement your meals with a whey protein powder. To further increase speed and power, you could also supplement with creatine. Our article about football supplements also provides some good advice.

If you decide that you are going to start lifting weights for the above reasons, then start with one or two weight training session per week. Consuming a good high protein diet, drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of sleep will help you avoid overtraining. A typical routine is below:

Leg Extensions
Leg Curl
Barbell Squat
Cable Crossovers
Barbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Barbell Shoulder Press
Pullups
Dumbbell Pullovers
Bent Over Barbell Rows
Barbell Shrugs
Triceps Extension
Biceps Curl
Deadlift

Warm up for each exercise with two sets, working with 50%, then 80% of your main work set weight, doing about 8 reps. Once warmed up for an exercise, perform just one actual work set of each exercise, selecting a weight that allows 12 reps per set. Ensure that you train to a high intensity, but under control, by taking 3-4 seconds per rep and moving the weight in a slow, controlled, non jerky, smooth cadence. Research each exercise, to ensure that you use perfect form, therefore avoiding potential injuries. Do not do more than one work set per exercise, or you will overtrain the muscle group involved. Remember, higher intensity leads to better results. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets, reducing rest time and increasing weight as you improve. Do not spend more than 60 minutes lifting weights, or your body will start releasing a stress hormone called Cortisol, which is associated with a reduction in muscle.
Consuming a recovery drink immediately after training (football or weights) can help your body retain existing muscle and build new muscle. A recovery drink is usually made up of simple sugars, fast releasing protein and minimal fats, so an ideal choice would be a pint of skimmed milk, or better still a dedicated recovery drink.

p.s. If there are any high level bodybuilders, who can still play a good game of football, I would really like to hear from you and I may even publish your stories on this blog.

Regards,

Martin.

If you are a bodybuilder or an athlete and you want to add muscle mass quickly, then you are going to have to live with adding a little bit of fat as well. That being said, the following typical daily diet should enable you to add much more muscle than fat, meaning that you may not notice the additional fat, due to the huge gains in muscle. Also, when you reach your target weight, you can then switch to a maintenance diet, where you cut your carbs and fat, whilst maintaining your high intake of protein, which would allow you to reduce bodyfat, whilst retaining as much muscle as possible, when combined with a suitable training programme.

Here is a typical diet for a bodybuilder weighing around 200 pounds and wanting to add more mass. Note: in general if you consume 20-22 times your bodyweight (in pounds) in calories, you should put weight on – even if you have a fast metabolism.

Meal 1 – 6AM
100g Oats, blended in 500ml milk, with 20g whey protein
1 banana, 1 apple, 1 orange
Total: 800 calories, 50g protein

Meal 2 – 9AM
Tuna or chicken sandwich (3 slice of wholemeal bread) OR Pro-Mass in shaker cup
50g cashew nuts
salad (optional)
Total: 700 calories, 50g protein

Meal 3 -12PM
Jacket Potato (large)
100g Cottage Cheese
40g Whey Protein in shaker cup
Total: 700 calories, 50g protein

Meal 4 – 3PM
Same as meal 2

Meal 5 – 6PM
Evening Meal
20g-40g whey protein if necessary
Total: 700 calories, 50g protein

Meal 6 – 9PM
2 slices of wholemeal toast with peanut butter
1 pint of semi skimmed milk (or micellar casein shake)
Total: 700 calories, 40g protein

Daily Total: 4300 calories, 290g protein

post-workout shake would be additional and could either be Pro-Recover from CNP, or simply a pint of skimmed milk (red top)

Tip: Make sure you sleep 8+ hours per night
Tip: Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water per day
Tip: Make sure you train no more than 4 days per week
Tip: Focus on improving your control and weight on the big exercises, i.e. squat, deadlift, rows, weighted chins, weighted dips, presses, etc.
Tip: Consider using Creatine Monohydrate.
Tip: Include a daily multivitamin and mineral tablet

Regards,

Martin

‘How do I get big’? This is a question that I must have been asked a thousand times over the past couple of years. I think what people mean when they ask this question, is ‘how often do I need to go to the gym, how do I need to train and what sort of diet do I need to follow to look more like a 100m sprinter, rather than a 10 stone weakling?’ It is usually 16-21 year olds who never go to the gym and know nothing about bodybuilding who ask me this question, so I will try and answer it as briefly and straight forward as possible and aimed at people in that age range…

Training

1. You need to go the gym 3 times per week, for about 50 minutes per session
2. Lift heavy weights (routine below) with good form and a smooth rep cadence, aiming for 10-12 reps per set, with each rep taking around 4-6 seconds (keep going until you cannot complete another rep – make sure you have a spotter as necessary)
3. Increase weight slightly on exercises, as soon as you can get above 12 reps on that particular exercise

Diet and Supplements

1. Multiply your bodyweight in pounds by 16-22 (depending upon your metabolism, i.e. multiply by 22 if you have a fast metabolism) and that is the number of calories you need to consume per day to gain weight. These calories need to be spread evenly over your 6 meals per day to ensure a constant stream, of nutrients are supplied to your muscles.
2. Calories come from Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats only. Carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram, Proteins are 4 calories per gram and Fats are 9 calories per gram. A macronutrient split of 40/40/20, i.e. 40% of your calories from Carbohydrates, 40% of your calories from Proteins and 20% of your calories from Fats will supply your body with the required nutrients. 6 meals per day is the minimum number you can spread your calories over to achieve good results, so from all of this you can work out what a typical meal should contain (example below)
3. You will see that a lot of protein is required every 3 hours, to gain muscle and there is only so much tuna, chicken, etc. you can eat, so this is where the protein shakes come in handy. Whey Protein is the best source of protein and can work out as cheap as 38 pence per serving for quality brands such as CNP Professional. If you are eating 6 meals per day and supplementing 4 of those 6 meals with Whey Protein, it will cost around £1.50 per day.
4. Creatine Monohydrate gives very quick results and it is possible that you could gain 10 pounds in as little as two weeks, which would make you look a lot bigger. AST produce a good Creatine Monohydrate supplement that is micronised, therefore less likely to give you stomach cramps.
5. Try and keep your diet clean, so that you don’t gain fat as well as muscle. Avoid sugary foods and drinks, fast food, etc. and try and eat plenty of fruit and veg, brown bread, wholemeal pasta, porridge, potatoes, non-sugary cereals, milk, tuna, chicken, lean meats, nuts, seeds, etc.

Example: 18 year old male, weighing 150lbs, with a farily quick metabolism.

Daily calorific requirements: 150 x 20 = 3000 calories per day
Calories Per Meal: 3000/6 = 500 calories per meal
Macronutrient Split (40/40/20):
500 x 0.4 = 200 calories from Carbohydrates per meal = 200/4 = 50g of Carbohydrates per meal
500 x 0.4 = 200 calories from Proteins per meal = 200/4 = 50g of Proteins per meal
500 x 0.2 = 100 calories Fats = 100/9 = 11g of Fats per meal

Example meals could be:
2 slices of brown bread, 50g chicken breast, lettuce, pint of semi skimmed milk; or
Jacket Potato with cheese, salad and a serving of Whey Protein

Typical Training Programme 1
Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Leg Press
Calf Raise
Lateral Raise
Shoulder Press
Dips
Pullups
Cable Rows / Hammer Strength Rows
Shrugs
Triceps Extensions
Biceps Curl
Deadlift

Warm up by doing a light set, then a medium weight set of an exercise before completing a work set for 10-12 reps. Do just one work set of each exercise, with very good form. (This type of routine was first made famous in the early 80s by Dr Ellington Darden, who studied bodybuilding and wrote many books highlighting how the average person should approach bodybuilding… he is also famous for HIT training).

Typical Training Programme 2

Full Squat or Deadlift (4 work sets)
Calf Raise (2 work sets)
Pullups (or Pulldowns if not strong enough) (3 work sets)
Dips (3 work sets)
Shoulder Press (2 work sets)
Barbell Shrugs (2 work sets)
Crunches (2 work sets)

Again, warm up before completing a work set. This routine focuses on multiple joint exercises, which are less likely to lead to overtraining and should give very good overall muscle gains. These kinds of routines are popularised by Stuart McRobert, who wrote the ‘Braun’ series of books. I would encourage anyone involved in natural, drug free bodybuilding to buy Braun, as the books answer pretty much every question you could ask with regard to bodybuilding.

Final Note: Bodybuilding is all about consistency with your training and diet. You lose muscle a lot quicker than you gain muscle, so if you really want results, you need to commit to your training and diet, without any missed meals or training sessions for several months at a time.