Vlog U: Tips and Apps for Broadcasting Your Life Online

So you want to be a star? The Internet is the easiest place to start - just ask Justin Bieber. But you don't have to be a musician, actor, or comedian to hit it big on the Web; oftentimes, you just need the gift of gab.

You've probably watched videos from Internet celebs; people likeZe Frank, the Vlog Brothers, HappySlip, and Jenna Marbles, who made a name for themselves - and cashed in - by turning on the webcam.

With every smartphone, tablet, and PC equipped with a recording device, it's not that difficult to transmit your mug across the globe. But how exactly do you video blog (vlog) your life away?

Hardware wise, you have lots of options, from webcams to digital cameras. To start, we suggest using the camera on your smartphone—with the apps listed in the next few pages, it's a breeze to start vlogging wherever you are. Of course, any digital camera or camcorder will offer high-end video capabilities—too high-end for some since it can take forever to upload. On the other hand, the high-resolution footage at 720p or better is fun to edit and tweak with desktop software. Consider buying professional lights and a chroma-key green screen if you want to get fancy.

We can't help you get fans, make compelling content, or get rich. We can't even suggest a gimmick that helps, like blending electronics. But we can point you to the tools that will make your quest for stardom (or a way to get something off your chest) as simple as possible.

Play with the options in the next few pages to see what works for you, and let us know your favorites in the comments below, so we can say we knew you when.

Video Sites

There are a number of websites that make it easy to upload video that is shareable anywhere. Chances are you've heard of a couple of them.

YouTube
Google's YouTube is synonymous with video on the Internet, so there's a reason most Internet video celebs start there. It's a breeze to share videos to every service you can think of—Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Blogger, Tumblr, Pinterest, Reddit, LinkedIn, and more—or you can embed a video (like PCMag Live below) or email it. Uploading is just as easy. Visit the download page on your desktop browser and you can drag-and-drop files to upload, capture footage directly from your Webcam, upload via email, or do live broadcasts from a Google+ with Hangouts on Air. YouTube even offers a rudimentary online-only video editor. Tell your potential audience to subscribe to your YouTube channel; they can even get it as a podcast by subscribing tohttp://gdata.YouTube.com/feeds/api/users/xxxx/uploads, replacing the Xs with your channel name. 

Tumblr

The home of animated GIFs—for video? Yes, you can use a Tumblr blog (as you would a Blogger or WordPress blog) as a home for your on-camera pontification. But there's a limit: you can only upload a maximum of five minutes of video a day, with files that must be 100MB in size or smaller. Or, you can just embed videos stored elsewhere (like YouTube). Upload clips via your Tumblr dashboard page, or email the files to your private Tumblr upload address (which also works for photos, MP3s, and text.)

Facebook
You watch plenty of video on Facebook all the time, and a lot of it is shared from other services. But if you feel like your entire audience should be limited to just that social network, Facebok has adequate tools to let you upload video. On the desktop you click "Add Photos/Video" at the top of your newsfeed, and pick a file. Once it's done encoding, it will appear on your timeline and your friends' newsfeeds. Facebook also lets you upload video by email—you'll find the address to use under Account Settings>Mobile.

Ustream
Before Google+ Hangouts became the easy way to broadcast video and record to YouTube, there was Ustream. And it's still there, waiting to host your "show" on the Internet, though the service is business-focused these days. While anyone with a webcam can try it for 30 days, after that it costs $99 a month, minimum. That will give you HD quality, unlimited storage, no ads, broadcast recordings, and video accessible by a mobile app.

Mobile Apps

The video revolution of today is all about smartphones—they are the camcorder, video editor, uploader, and viewer, all in one package. Most of the mobile apps out there tie in to a specific service or social network.

Vine
Six seconds. That's all you get on Twitter's video service, available foriOS, Android, and Windows Phone (and for watching on any PC). These looping shorts force some serious creativity out of people. The best take full advantage of the app's ability to create cuts and even stop-motion animation, but there are plenty of people using those precious seconds to say something pithy or have some fun.

Instagram
Not to be outdone by Twitter's Vine, Facebook-owned Instagram also allows video now, and lets you slap on a filter (one of 13) to pretty it up, whether posting from iOS, Android, orWindows Phone. The biggest difference is that Instagram gives you 15 seconds of video instead of six.

MixBit
While most are expecting Vine and Instagram competitors to bite it (it's hard to fight behemoths like Twitter and Facebook), at least two guys with some video experience have decided to fight the good fight. YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen are behind MixBit for iPhone and Android. It not only ups the ante to 16 whole seconds, it allows users to stitch together clips to create full features or shows, even collaborate with other MixBit users. Videos are available on the Web as well as mobile, for linking/sharing to social networks or embedding (like below). Of course, users aren't going to get famous too soon: MixBit hides the identity of the video creators, at least for now.

Viddy
Haven't heard of Viddy? It was supposed to become the "video Instagram" before Vine came along. But still it's an excellent alternative, and earned our PCMag Editors' Choiceamong these apps (you can find it on iPhone and Android). As these things do, Viddy goes for the gold by providing up to 30 seconds of clip time, plus in-phone editing of music, contrast, and filter effects. You can share a Viddy video to the usual social networks, but also to YouTube, something not possible with Vine or Instagram. Hopefully it will stick around; re/code recently reported that video startup Fullscreen acquired Viddy developer Supernova, and while Fullscreen plans to continue supporting Viddy for the moment, it might rebrand it in the future.

Lightt
Limited to iPhone users, Lightt lets you take as long a video as you want. It even provides music clips for audio, and when you're done, you can make new edits and even add a voiceover, if applicable. What's more, you can import video you've already taken on your phone directly into a work in progress. The app will share to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube, or email a clip—or you can just keep it private. You can even slow down or speed up a clip. It's arguably just as full-featured as its competitors, but is sadly without thecachet.

Editing Only

iMovie
The iOS top pick for editing video is Apple's own $4.99 iMovie; after all, it's built on the pedigree of iMovie for MacOS. Pick a theme (including themes for creating "movie trailers") or develop your own when editing clips. When you're done, you can use the iOS features to upload to Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, even to CNN iReport if you're a budding journalist.

Andromedia Video Editor
A hit in every top list of mobile video editing, Andromedia's app for Android (it's not on iOS) is a freebie editor that handles drag-and-drop of clips for you to trim and reorder, outputting at 720p or lower. Unlike most apps, this one is just for editing on the phone or tablet—it doesn't share videos or have its own online storage platform.

Instant Music Videos

Magisto
Available on the Web (with a Chrome app), Android, and iPhone, Magisto is a free service for sharing your video creations. You pick the clips and stills to throw in, select some music (either your own MP3s or the songs provided by Magisto), and let it rip. The site does the editing. You can then share it on email, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and YouTube.

Animoto Video Maker
Utilize the apps for iOS and Android, or the online Web app, and pull in images—not video—from your photo roll, or from Picasa, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, Photobucket, and other sites. You assign a style and that assigns some music. Animoto does the rest, but you can edit it at the end by adding text captions. When done, you've got another music video made with still images doing much more than being "slides." It's not exactly video blogging since you don't get to say anything, but it might be all you want at the end of a long trip with too many images to post. The Lite version is limited to 30-second videos, but for $30 per year, you can go up to 10 minutes.

Desktop Video Editing

Most of the tools we've mentioned are all about capture and instant use of video. But if you want to truly perfect your broadcast, you should give it a quick edit. Here's a look at the tools you can try on the desktop, Web, and mobile apps.

WeVideo
You might think you have to download or install video software, but the Web app WeVideo provides a full video-editing suite, entirely online. It's free with limitations (only 480p video and 5GB of online storage max), but the base price is $4.99 a month (or $36 per year) for 720p video and 10GB. There is also an app version for Android and uploader for iOS.

Adobe Premiere Elements
This $99.99 enthusiast-level editor doesn't have the power or speed of some competitors, but it's simple. You can get it for Windows or Mac, and it's actually discounted by $30 if you buy before Feb. 7, 2014. Read our review.

Windows Movie Maker
Our Editors' Choice for free video editing, Microsoft's downloadable tool is all about simplicity. "There's really no simpler way to combine your clips into digital movies with titles, transitions, background music, and effects," according to PCMag's software analyst, Michael Muchmore. For basic user needs—even extras like voiceover and anti-shake tools—it hits the mark.

CyberLink PowerDirector 12
The desktop user's equivalent of a professional editing suite, the $74.99 PowerDirector does it all. It's so high end, it can output 4K video, which barely anyone even uses, no to mention author Blu-ray content. That's overkill for video blogging, but the price is still great and buying this software will future proof you against ever growing success and the need to be an even better editor.

http://zdbb.net/r/?http%3a%2f%2fwww.pcmag.com%2farticle2%2f0%2c2630%2c2430107%2c00.asp?mailingID=E0BAC0AD43A6F857133D4D5E14AD5DC1

What Kind of Protein Supplement is Right for You?

Flip through any exercise magazine and, judging by all the attention protein supplements get, it appears protein and fitness somehow go hand-in-hand. And it is true: Protein can help promote a healthy weight and can help muscles recover after a good workout. But what exactly is protein and, when it comes to supplements, which type of protein is best? Read on to learn about the different sources of protein powder and which ones stand apart from the rest.

Protein 101: The need-to-know

Protein is a macronutrient found in many foods such as meats, dairy products, nuts and beans, to name a few. It’s comprised of amino acids, the building blocks of lean body tissue that promote healthy skin, hair, bones, fingernails, as well as (drum roll, please) muscles. While many experts suggest getting the bulk of our protein from whole food sources, protein supplements can make it easier to get those aminos on-the-go. But not all protein supplements are created equal. Before dissecting the pros and cons of different protein sources it’s important to understand two ways protein supplements are often classified:

Protein concentrate vs. isolate: Protein is derived from various food sources and is "concentrated" by removing the non-protein parts. The result: a powder that’s 70-85 percent pure protein (with the remain 15-30 percent consisting mostly of carbohydrates and fat). Taking the concentration process a step further, "isolation" removes a much higher percentage of non-protein content. The additional processing yields a premium protein that is up to 95 percent pure.

Complete vs. incomplete protein: Amino acids that cannot be produced by the body are known as essential amino acids. "Complete proteins" contain all 10 essential amino acids, whereas "incomplete proteins" contain some, but not all, of the essential amino acids.

OK, now we are ready to dive into the fun stuff. Here is a detailed look at the most common protein powder supplements on the market, and what their pros and cons mean for you. 

What’s up with supps? A protein comparison

Whey protein

The most popular protein supplement on the market today, whey is a by-product in the process of turning milk into cheese (seriously, who knew it happened like this?). 

Pros: Whey protein has been shown to promote lean muscle growth and fat loss, as well as support cardiovascular health and a healthy metabolism. Whey is also quickly absorbed by the body, making it useful for post-workout recovery.

Bonus: This inexpensive source of complete protein comes in a variety of flavors ranging from tried-and-true vanilla to decadent chocolate-mint ice cream. (Sorry, we couldn't find a cheddar cheese flavor for those looking to stay true to whey's roots!) 

Cons: The sugar found in milk (aka lactose) is a common allergen that can make whey indigestible for some. And while those tasty flavors make whey a yummy choice, they often (depending on the brand) come with a host of less-than-desirable artificial sweeteners and chemicals.

Casein protein

Got milk? Well here's another protein powder that comes straight from the udder (figuratively speaking of course!). Casein is produced using a separation process applied to liquid milk that can concentrate or isolate the milk protein from the carbs and fats. 

Pros: Casein protein powder offers similar benefits to whey protein, but with a different release process. Because casein digests over a long period of time, research has found it’s an optimal protein choice before bed. (Yum—bedtime protein shake!)

Cons: Casein is a by-product of milk, making it allergenic to some, much like whey. Also, it’s not ideal as a post-workout supplement because it’s absorbed so slowly. After exercise the body craves nutrients to replenish and rebuild—which is best left to whey or a combination of the two. Casein also more expensive than whey, and often contains many artificial ingredients to help make it more palatable.

Egg protein

Egg protein comes from, well, eggs! It is a complete protein made by separating out the yolks and dehydrating the egg whites. 

Pros: Aside from just protein, egg protein powders are rich in vitamins and minerals that can contribute to a healthy diet. 

Cons: Allergies to eggs are common, similar to milk allergies, especially in children and young adults. Egg protein is also one of the most expensive protein supplements available, which is likely why Rocky Balboa did it this way. 

Soy protein

Soy beans are one of the few plant protein sources that offer all of the essential amino acids. The protein is concentrated or isolated after the soy beans have been hulled and dried into soy flour (which also makes for delicious pancakes!).

Pros: Protein from the soy bean may help improve the body's immune function and promote bone health. Soy may also help prevent cardiovascular disease and reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Cons: In recent years, soy has come under heavy scrutiny because it is often genetically modified to produce greater crop yields. Some research has also singled out soy due to its effects on hormone levels. Many foods are already full of soy due to its extremely low-cost protein. This has led some to question whether adding even more dietary soy (via protein supplements) is a wise choice.

Rice protein

News flash: There is protein in rice! Although often thought of as a carbohydrate only, brown rice is becoming a standard source for vegetarian protein powder. 

Pros: Protein aside, brown rice protein is considered a good source of complex carbohydrates, vitamin B and fiber. It’s also hypoallergenic, meaning it’s easily digestible and therefore almost entirely used by the body, not relieved as waste.

Cons: Unlike soy, rice protein is a plant-based option that’s deficient in some amino acids and therefore should not comprise the main source of dietary protein.

Hemp protein

Hemp protein is derived from the seeds of the cannabis plant that’s gained popularity in recent years. (And yes, we are talking strictly about hemp as a food source here!)

Pros: Often referred to as a "superfood" due to its mix of essential fatty acids, hemp has been shown to improve metabolism, brain function, and circulation, and can help treat a host of medical conditions. Hemp also includes all 21 amino acids (making it a complete protein). The vegan-friendly supplement is also extremely hypoallergenic, high in fiber (read: excellent for digestion and filling), which makes it an excellent weight-loss food.

Cons: Since hemp is only harvested in mass quantities in select countries due to its association with cannabis, it is often the most expensive protein powder available.

Pea protein

Thought you’ve seen them all? Pea protein comes from the yellow split pea, making it a popular choice for vegetarians and vegans alike.

Pros: As with most plant-based proteins, pea protein is hypoallergenic. It boasts a 98 percent digestion rate, meaning the body is able to process the vast majority of each serving. It is another highly satiating protein, which may help promote weight loss. And with few additives or artificial ingredients, this one appeals to those looking for protein sources closest to the whole-food source. Don't like peas? Don't worry, the protein version doesn’t taste like mush!

Cons: Isolated pea protein is often considered complete because it can contain the spectrum of essential amino acids. Even still, it remains deficient in certain amino acids and should not be used as a primary source of dietary protein. 

Weight gainer

Looking to bulk up? Weight gainer combines protein, often whey, with a mix of high-carbohydrate ingredients that makes it much more calorie-dense than typical protein powders. It is often used by bodybuilders who are looking to pack on the pounds, or by serious athletes who have difficulty consuming enough calories to offset the large amount they burn through intense training.

Pros: Jam-packed with calories, weight gainers allow people to consume more calories than they could through food alone. They also help keep the grocery bill in check by delivering calories at a (slightly more) economical price.

Cons: Unsurprisingly, weight gainers often contain many additives, artificial sweeteners and fillers so that they can pack the calorie and protein punch their users are looking for. It’s also worth mentioning that the huge calorie count in these products doesn’t necessarily translate to more muscle. In fact, all those extra calories will be stored as fat if not needed for recovery after intense exercise.

To the protein aisle! The takeaway

When it comes to protein powders there really is something for everyone. Just keep in mind that when it comes to buying protein, as in life, "You get what you pay for." Low-cost proteins often use inexpensive protein blends that may not be very digestible by the body. It is also worth noting that the amount of protein required by the body depends on a person’s activity level, physical size and gender. Testing various sources and quantities of protein can help determine a mix that works best. And, just because it’s easy to chug a shake after a workout doesn't mean protein powders should replace whole foods entirely. Protein powders are supplements, best used to supplement a healthy diet of nutritious whole foods.

http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/news/articles/2013/10/guide-to-protein-supplements.aspx#ixzz2rmHc3seh

Scientists Come Up With the Ultimate Workout Playlist (lol pretty commercial but interesting)

Sport Scientists at the Brunel University have teamed up with the music streamer, Spotify, to see if they can help in a small way to help keep those New Year’s resolutions going.  There were over 6.7 million workout playlists to create the absolute best soundtrack for your workout.

The tracks were analyzed by both their popularity as well as music that is scientifically proven to make you work harder because of their bpm, style, and lyrical content.  The soundtrack features Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Macklemore, and Eminiem among others.  Business Insider featured the playlist along with the BPM and what sort of exercise is proper for the song.

1. Roar – Katy Perry – 92 BMP (Mental preparation)

2. Talk Dirty – Jason Derulo ft 2 Chainz – 100 BMP (Stretching)

3. Skip To The Good Bit – Rizzle Kicks – 105 BMP (Stretching)

4. Get Lucky – Daft Punk ft Pharrel Williams – 116 (Aerobic/Warm up)

5. Move – Little Mix – 120 BPM (Aerobic/Warm up)

6. Need U 100% – Duke Dumont ft A*M*E – 124 BMP (Cardio training, low intensity)

7. You Make Me – Avicii – 125 BPM (Cardio training, low intensity)

8. Feel My Rhythm – Viralites – 128 BPM (Cardio training, moderate intensity)

9. Timber – Pitbull ft Ke$ha – 130 BPM (Cardio training, moderate intensity)

10. Applause – Lady Gaga – 140 BPM (Cardio training, high intensity)

11. Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – 147 (Cardio training, very high intensity)

12. Happy – Pharrell Williams – 160 BMP (Cardio training, very high intensity)

13. The Monster – Eminem ft Rihanna – 110 (Stength training)

14. Love Me Again – John Newman – 126 (Strength training)

15. Get Down – Groove Armada ft Stush and Red Rat – 127 BPM (Strength training)

16. #thatPOWER – will.i.am ft Justin Bieber – 128 BRPM (Strength training)

There is absolutely nothing better than finding the perfect workout playlist and nothing worse than trying to skip through Pandora to find a good song to run to.  Well here you go, it’s all been done!!! Enjoy!

http://www.dailyhiit.com/hiit-blog/hiit-life/fitness/scientists-come-ultimate-workout-playlist/

10 Reasons You've STOPPED Building Muscle… And How To Reverse It. By Vince Del Monte & Drew Canole

These 10 reasons reveal the problems you MUST FIX if you want to unlock the key to massive gains... and it will only take you 5 short minutes a day to reset your digestion, stop crapping cash & start building dense & ripped muscle faster

Below, in no particular order, you'll find 10 hidden problems, and you'll also discover how easy it can be to turn your bodies internal 'muscle-building switch' back to the permanent "ON" position, which means you can grow without plateau…

1. You have poor digestive health.

The chief cause of this poor digestion is a serious lack of the vitamins, minerals and enzymes that our digestive system needs to function, which leads to poor absorption of more vitamins and minerals and enzymes. It's a nasty cycle, but it can be broken by both cleansing our digestive tracts and taking in plenty of plant-based nutrients. When your digestive system is unable to absorb the enzymes, vitamins and minerals in your food, the micronutrients you are getting (including the ones you get from expensive vitamin supplements) are literally going down the toilet... along with your time and money.

2. You're dehydrated.

Research has shown that a 1.5 percent decrease in water loss resulted in a decrease in muscle strength and muscle strength is an important trigger for boosting muscle growth. Given that such a small amount of water loss can compromise strength, staying hydrated can help you keep your strength and gain muscle over the long haul. Dehydration also accelerates muscle breakdown, slows recovery and disrupts digestion. It would be in your best interest to NEVER become dehydrated if you desire a strong and defined body up the road.

3. Your body is chronically inflamed.

Chronic inflammation must be avoided all all costs. Regardless of it's cause, chronic inflammation stops muscle growth (and can even lead to muscle loss). It has been shown that chronic inflammation negatively alters the signaling processes that are necessary in rebuilding and repairing muscles. Chronic inflammation is detrimental to every process and function in our body, particularly healing, including healing muscles. Stress plays a key role in propagating chronic inflammation. You can learn a simple strategy on the next page to keep chronic stress to a minimum.

4. You're aging faster.

Generally, muscle mass declines with age, starting around 40 and picking up speed after age 50. The major culprits are a lack of exercise, poor nutrition, hormonal changes and bodywide inflammation. All of these causes can be attacked with our simple 5-minute super nutrient uploads on the next page.

5. You can't recover from workout-to-workout.

Training alone does not build muscle. Training, in fact, breaks down muscle. Muscles need time to repair and rebuild, and working out before you're recovered can lead to further muscle breakdown instead of building. Unfortunately, many guys actually get smaller and weaker over time because they continue to train without optimal recovery. Don't believe me? Think about the majority of people in your gym. Do they really look any different than last year? On the next page you'll learn the easiest recovery ritual so that you don't remain the same…

6. Your body is too acidic.

A high-protein diet, which is an essential part of gaining muscle, actually puts your body into a more acidic state. When the amino acids in proteins are broken down, they release a great deal of phosphorus and sulfur, which are highly acidic. Your body uses alkaline foods to help balance this acid, but if you're not eating enough alkaline foods (mainly plant foods, especially greens), your body will pull resources right out of your muscle tissue, such as glutamine. Your body will actually break down existing muscle tissue to free up that glutamine, which is exactly the opposite of what you're trying to accomplish by working out and eating all that protein. Super nutrient uploads will allow you to take in an enormous amount of alkaline plant foods so that your pH is optimized for muscle growth and you can read about how we give you a head-start on the next page.

7. Your liver is taxed with toxicity.

Your liver is the brain of your body and it must work right for your metabolic and fat burning ability to be normal and healthy. Your body needs specific lipotropic nutrients which help fat flow out of your liver and other nutrients to play a supportive role in clearing out toxins from environmental stressors and processed foods that can stall the fat loss needed to strip off the fat covering your lean and defined muscles.

8. Your workouts lack intensity.

This one should be self-explanatory but maybe not… Intensity is the single most important factor for getting favorable results and it's critical your muscles are experiencing forceful muscular contractions. The higher intensity you can generate, the great stimulation for muscle growth but the key is to do this progressively and continually and this will never happen when your body is deficient in any micronutrient. Remember, your body is only as good as your weakest link.

9. Your immune system is suppressed.

Muscle building itself is an immune response. You work a muscle to fatigue, causing tiny tears or micro-fissures in the muscle tissue and your body repairs them. Do you realize that those tears are basically an injury? Which system repairs injuries? Your immune system. BUT, your immune system is a complicated one and there are a lot of factors that influence how well and how quickly your body repairs (builds) that muscle tissue. For instance, your immune system triages its resources. It is like a gun, and vitamins and minerals are the bullets it uses to wipe out anything that is harming your body. It prioritizes the use of those vitamins and minerals and the truth is that your immune system doesn't really care much about your bodybuilding goals making it all the more important to follow the advice on on the next page.

10. Your hormones are out of whack.

Part of the reason you've stopped gaining muscle is because your hormones are way out of balance, especially insulin, cortisol and testosterone. High levels of insulin in your bloodstream stimulate your body to store glucose as fat instead of converting it into glycogen and getting it into your muscles to be burned as fuel. High cortisol levels prompt your body to store more fat, especially in your abs. Low levels of testosterone prevent you from building lean muscle and keep you from gaining mass no matter how good your workout protocol is.

4 Uncommon Tips To BIGGER ARMS By Ben Pakulski

4 Uncommon Tips To BIGGER ARMS 

By Ben Pakulski 

 

1) LESS VOLUME! 

 

Small muscles require less volume, and recover faster. Basic logic says,  

a smaller muscle has less overall total volume of muscle fibres. It takes  

LESS overall stimulus to fatigue these muscles and less overall training 

volume to exhaust glycogen stores (stored muscle energy). 

 

2) HEAVY WEIGHTS (WITH PERFECT FORM) 

 

Heavy weights are going to fatigue a greater overall percentage of muscle 

fibres in a shorter amount of time (aka less sets). Heavy weights also have 

the added benefit of stimulating "high threshold motor units". These are 

the muscle fibres that require a lot more stimulus to grow and respond, 

but also the fibres that are more likely to be responsible for muscle 

hypertrophy or GROWTH! 

 

3) ARMS RECEIVE A LOT OF STIMULUS ON A REGULAR BASIS

 

Arms receive a lot of stimulus on a regular basis. For most people, this 

tends to occur in the middle of the range of motion where the muscles 

are strongest. In order to get the arms to grow and respond, it is necessary 

to subject them to  a different type of stimulus. 

 

One of the best ways to improve arm development is to subject them to
more tension and continuous tension at the extremes of the range of motion
(a.k.a, when a muscle is fully lengthened or fully shortened --where muscles
are weakest). 

 

This will allow for greater time under tension as well as targeting different
points of the strength curve to force the nervous system to adapt and
stimulate new muscle growth. 

 

4) YOU MUST ENGAGE THE TARGET MUSCLE FIRST IN ANY MOVEMENT

 

The FIRST muscle to engage in ANY movement must be the muscle you 

are trying to target. If you are working your biceps, to most effectively 

stimulate the bicep, it must be the muscle to initiate the movement. As 

mentioned, muscles are weakest at those extremes and that makes it LEAST 

likely to contract. This is where your conscious intent and control is vital! 

 

The best way to ensure this is happening is to CONTRACT its antagonist 

muscle. This will ensure a fully lengthened working muscle and make it much 

more likely that it will initiate the movement (provided you're using proper control).

 

E.g. when working your bicep, to fully stretch your bicep at the bottom of the 

range, it is necessary to contract your triceps before initiating the movement 

of contracting your bicep again.The opposite is true when training triceps. 

Contract your biceps at the top of the range when a tricep is fully stretched 

(forearm touches biceps).

10 UNIVERSAL RULES FOR BUILDING MUSCLE!!! by Ben Pakulski, IFBB Pro

10 UNIVERSAL RULES FOR BUILDING MUSCLE!!! 

by Ben Pakulski, IFBB Pro

We all know that I'm a stickler/hard ass for form. As I always do my

best to explain, YES, there is a right way to do things! That

doesn't necessarily mean the other ways are wrong....just not as

efficient and effective.

Our universal rules for muscle building:

1) A muscle is WEAKEST at its EXTREMES of the range. SO, learn to

isolate these points of the strength curve and make it stronger. As

a result you will become proportionally stronger in the mid-range

and GROWTH WILL OCCUR! 

2) Always try to work a muscle through its complete Range of

Motion(ROM), although that may not be possible within ONE exercise.

It is always possible within a given workout! 

3) Muscles DO NOT recognize weight!! Muscle recognize TENSION!

Increase tension, increase growth! 

4) TIME under TENSION=GROWTH

5) ALWAYS INITIATE with the working muscle! (if you're training your

delts, the first movement MUST come from the delt, not somewhere

else or momentum!) 

6) CONTROL through the entire range is a must. A negative(eccentric)

rep should be under such conscious control that you can change

direction at ANY point of that ROM, and start coming back

up(concentric).

7) Larger muscle require more stimulus to reach exhaustion. But also

take longer to recover between workouts. 

8) KNOW which muscle are fast twitch and which are more slow

twitch!! This will ALWAYS affect how you approach training that

muscle. 

9) Work a variety of rep ranges within each workout. Different rep

ranges allow you to vary your TUT(time under tension), and ensure

you're working all types of muscle fibers.

10) SQUEEZE IT LIKE IT OWES YOU MONEY!! (my personal favorite! ;)) 

Now, print these! Tape them to your wall, stick em to your

forehead, whatever it takes to learn them and know them!! 

Dogcrapp system: an interesting read if you want to increase muscle mass

A Load of Doggcrapp: Is Dante Trudel’s Doggcrapp Training System The Next Big Thing In Bodybuilding?

Let’s not call it a revolution yet, but if the ’70s were the era of Arnold (double splits, high volume) and the ’90s were the years of Yates (high intensity, low frequency), then this decade may be remembered as the age of Doggcrapp.

Try to ignore the name for now; instead, consider the fact that not only has DC become an Internet bodybuilding board phenomenon, but DC disciple and pro bodybuilder Dave Henry has acquired 30 lean pounds in less than three years. That’s a lot of’ Crapp. We interviewed DC mastermind Dante Trudel to learn about Doggcrapp’s rapid growth and why its adherents grow so rapidly. Trudel, 38, grew up in Massachusetts and currently lives in Southern California with his wife, Dianne. He co-owns the Internet supplement company Trueprotein.com. At 6’1″, he now weighs a muscular 280, but when Trudel began bodybuilding at age 20, as he jokes, he was a wispy 137 “after a good meal and with four rolls of quarters in my pocket.”

After developing his low-volume rest-pause training style and experiencing his greatest growth, Trudel tutored his friends, who saw similar rapid results. From 1993 to 1995, he published a cutting-edge bodybuilding newsletter called Hardcore Muscle.

However, it wasn’t until Trudel posted his theories on an Internet discussion board six years ago that his ideas began to spread. Unfortunately, he used the screen name “Doggcrapp” for what he thought would be his only post. Much to his surprise, he was deluged with questions, his original post grew to 118 pages and his writings were copied and pasted all over the Internet.

“Sad to say, I’m stuck with the moniker ‘Doggcrapp,’” Trudel laments with a laugh. “If I could do it all over again, trust me, I would’ve gone with a much cooler screen name.”

What was your early training like?

I did the “good ol’ boys” programs I saw in the magazines, jumping back and forth according to the latest article. It took me two years of six meals a day and training hard just to look normal at 190. It kind of sucked that I had to gain 50 pounds to look normal, but I had a never-say-die attitude. I went three-and-a-half years barely missing a meal, and if I did miss one, I’d get up at 2 AM and cook it. I really believe that bullheaded consistency in eating put the 50 pounds on me more than any type of training I did.

How did you first develop DC?

After three-and-a-half years of obsessive-compulsive volume training, I started to read everything I could get my hands on concerning nutrition, supplements and training even abstracts and lab studies. I got to the point where I thought, Jeez, there is no rhyme or reason for what people are doing bodybuildingwise. It seemed to me that everything was done with an “I must do inclines, declines, flat bench, flyes, cable crossovers and pec deck or I won’t grow” mentality. I thought about what makes a muscle grow, what would make it grow faster, and to absolutely stop thinking in this “I want to be big so bad I’ll overthink and overdo everything” concept. Why do people think in terms of “annihilating myself into rigor mortis in today’s workout” instead of progression and recovery over weeks, months and years? I started stringing together workouts with a game plan instead of winging it and hoping I was doing the right thing. I was 23 when I scrapped everything and reverse-engineered it. I broke it down, took out all the things I felt were just fluff, and there for ego and obsessive-compulsive satisfaction, and created a planned “powerbuilding” attack.

How fast did you grow when you first started DC training?

As soon as I got down to the brass tacks of what I felt worked and what didn’t, I started gaining again. I had been stuck at about 204, and then after I got my head out of my ass and attacked this like a chess game, I consistently gained. I’ve been over 300, but currently I’m 280. I told my wife I will slowly take it down to about 260 and stay there. I reached my goals, proving to myself that with my extreme ectomorphic qualities I could attain a certain level through incredibly hard work and consistency. Now, I want to learn to tap dance just kidding.

What are the basic principles of DC?

• Heavy progressive weights
• Lower workout volume but higher workout frequency
• Multirep rest-pause training
• Extreme stretching
• Carb cutoffs later in the day
• Morning cardio
• Higher protein intake
• Blasting and cruising phases

Explain why continuously gaining strength is the essence of DC training.

I believe he who makes the greatest strength gains [in a controlled fashion] makes the greatest muscle gains. Note that I said strength gains. Everybody knows someone naturally strong who can bench 405 yet isn’t that big. Going from a 375 bench to 405 isn’t an incredible strength gain and won’t result in much of a muscle mass gain. If someone goes from 150 to 405 for reps, that incredible strength gain will equate to an incredible muscle mass gain. Ninety-nine percent of bodybuilders are brainwashed that they must go for a blood pump, and those same 99% stay the same year after year. It’s because they have no plan. They go in, get a pump and leave. They give the body no reason to change. A power-bodybuilding game plan stresses continually getting stronger on key movements, and the body protects itself by getting muscularly larger. If you never get anywhere close to your ultimate strength levels, you will never get close to your utmost level of potential size.

How does the three-exercise rotation work?

Pick the three best exercises per bodypart you can rest-pause generally those in which you can safely make maximum strength increases.

For example, close-grip bench presses are better for triceps than kickbacks because you should be able to make more incremental improvements over a longer period. The three exercises will be rotated, using only one of them each time you train that bodypart. If someone only does one exercise over and over, he plateaus on it very quickly. I’ve experimented with this multiple ways, and the three-exercise rotation can keep you from plateauing for a long time.

How important is a journal?

It’s crucial. You must always write down your weights used and reps done, excluding warm-ups, in a logbook. Every time you go to the gym, you have to continually beat your previous weight, reps or both even if it’s just by five pounds or one rep. If you don’t beat it, you lose that exercise from your three-exercise rotation. This adds grave seriousness to a workout. I have exercises I love to do, and knowing I’ll lose them if I don’t beat the previous stats sucks!

If you get to a strength sticking point, you must turn to a different exercise for that bodypart and get brutally strong on that new one. Looking at that piece of paper and knowing what you have to do to beat your best will bring out the best in you.

What training split do you recommend?

My usual recommendation is workout A chest, shoulders, triceps, back width and back thickness and workout B biceps, forearms, calves, hams and quads. I recommend this bodypart order because it puts the hardest bodyparts you have to train back and quads last in your workouts. This is contrary to conventional wisdom, but after doing deadlifts or a “widowmaker” for quads, you’re not going to have the same energy for training anything else. The two-workout rotation is done three times over two weeks on a Monday (A), Wednesday (B), Friday (A), Monday (B), Wednesday (A), Friday (B) schedule. This creates more growth phases. The guy next to you is training chest on Monday and then waiting a week before training chest again two growth phases over 14 days. You, on the other hand, train chest three times in 14 days. He trains chest 52 times a year and grows 52 times, while you train chest 78 times a year and grow 78 times.

You’re doing only one exercise, out of your three rotated exercises, per bodypart each workout while Joe Gymguy over there is doing incline barbell presses, flat dumbbell presses and Hammer Strength decline presses in his chest workout today. You’re doing the same exercises he’s doing over two weeks, but you’re growing at a much faster rate.

For DC, does it matter if someone is a beginner or advanced?

DC isn’t for anyone who hasn’t been lifting hardcore for at least three years. You have to know your body well and your way around a gym before shifting to something this intense.

Why do you stress low workout volume?

On this schedule, you cannot do 12 to 16 sets per bodypart. Lower volume is the only way you can recover to quickly train that bodypart again. Besides, once a growth response is met during a workout, anything you do past that point is pretty much delving into your recovery and catabolizing muscle mass, so I don’t want to take one step forward and half a step back. There are many ways to build muscle. In simple terms, I’m using extreme high-intensity [rest-pause] techniques, which I believe increase a person’s strength as quickly as possible. Along with that is lower volume, for quicker recovery and as many growth phases as possible in a year’s time.

Explain how a DC rest-pause set is performed.

Most of the sets are in the 11- to 15-rep range, although sometimes it’s higher or lower, depending on the bodypart, exercise, safety and health of joints. Every rest-pause set is done with three failure points. A hypothetical incline bench 11- to 15-rep set would start with eight reps to failure, rack the weight, take 15 deep breaths, unrack, two to four reps to failure, rack the weight, 15 deep breaths, unrack, and a final one or two reps to failure.

Should every bodypart be rest-paused?

Most quad exercises and back-thickness exercises are not rest-paused due to safety reasons. These usually involve incredibly large poundages and, as you grow fatigued during a rest-pause set, it’s easy to lose form. I don’t want someone T-bar rowing 250 and pulling from a bent rest-pause dead stop and getting a serious injury. For quads, I usually recommend a brutally heavy set of four to eight reps followed, after a rest, by a 20-rep set with less weight, but still heavy. I call that 20-rep set a “widowmaker.” Once you do it, you’ll have no question why.

For back thickness, I recommend a brutally heavy set of six to eight reps followed, after a rest, by a slightly lighter set of 10 to 12, going to failure both times.

How many warm-up sets?

Whether it’s one warm-up or five, take as many as you need to get ready for your all-out working sets. This all depends on the person and how advanced he is. For example, if someone was going to rest-pause 405 for incline presses, then his warm-ups might go something like this: 135 for 12 to 20 reps, 225 for 10 to 12,275 for 6 to 8,335 for 4 to 6, then 405 for an all-out rest-pause set of 11 to 15 reps. A bodybuilder using a lot less weight may need only two warm-ups before his rest-pause set.

What is extreme stretching, and what are you trying to accomplish with it?

Extreme stretching can have myriad benefits if done correctly: recovery, fascia size and potential hyperplasia, which is still only theory. It can change your physique in pretty dramatic ways [especially your chest, triceps and quads]. It should be done only after the bodypart has been worked. I recommend extreme stretching for every bodypart except calves, and that’s only because the way I have people train calves already has an extreme stretch built into it. Basically, you want to get into a deep stretch and hold it for 60 to 90 seconds. These are very painful. I’ll walk you through a quad stretch. You just got done quad training, so take an overhand grip on a barbell fastened in a power rack about hip high and simultaneously sink all the way down. Push your knees forward and under the barbell until you’re on your toes basically a sissy squat. Now straighten your arms and lean as far back as you can, and hold that stretch for 60 to 90 seconds. It’s going to be excruciating for most people.

Do this one faithfully, and in four weeks your quads will look a lot different than they used to.

How important are static contractions?

I like to get people confident in the ability to handle big poundages, instilling the mentality that they are in control of the weights and not vice versa. For this reason and for “time under tension” purposes, some trainers should do a static contraction or static reps short two-inch range of motion reps at the end of their rest-pause set.

How should trainers use cardio?

In the offseason, if you train three days a week, then do cardio on the four off days. If more people took that approach, you would have fewer offseason bodybuilders looking like sumo wrestlers. Cardio is a very individualistic thing, so it’s hard for me to say “do this” in an article without knowing a great deal about who’s reading it. I’ve found that if people who have a difficult time gaining weight do cardio walking on a treadmill or around the neighborhood first thing in the morning, appetite and muscular weight gains become nonissues. I’d have them get up, take in either branched-chain amino acids or a scoop of protein powder, do their cardio and then eat the day’s first meal. The old wives tale that you can’t gain muscle mass if you do cardio is the biggest bunch of crap.

If done right, cardio is a huge weapon in a bodybuilder’s arsenal.

What are the basics of the DC nutritional philosophy?

• Use a higher protein intake 1.5 grams to upward of 2 grams per pound of bodyweight.
• Drink at least a gallon of water daily in direct relation to your protein times bodyweight ratio. For example, if you take in 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, drink at least one-and-a-half gallons of water daily.
• Except for postworkout carbs, most people should take in no carbohydrates after 6 PM, primarily so morning cardio is done with lower glycogen levels.
• Eat either protein and carbs or protein and fats, but don’t mix up those components greatly. You don’t have to be absolutely meticulous with this, but it’s a generalized way to keep most people from creating insulin spikes and driving fats toward adipose tissue.
• Meals that are protein and carbs are usually eaten in this sequence: protein first, fiber and veggies second, carbs last. This is simply because about half the time you’re so full after the steak, salad and broccoli that you don’t eat all the carbs, and for bodyfat control, that’s a good thing.
• There are some individuals who should eat mainly protein and fats because they are so carb-sensitive, and other people who should take in carbs only pre- and postworkout. It’s one of those things where I have to ask a lot of questions of the person, and I come up with a game plan.

Basically, I try to trick the human body into getting larger by becoming a muscle-building fat-burning machine. In the simplest of terms, if you’re 180 and want to weigh 200, you’d better eat like a 220-pounder to get there. I say eat and train like a 300-pounder, cardio like a guy who is 8% [bodyfat] and shore up all excesses with carb cutoffs, food combinations and key supplements green tea, etc.

What are blasting and cruising phases?

I recommend people train all out for six to eight weeks [blasting] and then take a 10- to 14-day period [cruising] in which they remove one meal per day and do only maintenance training. During the cruise, only go to the gym two or three times, go through the motions with straight sets and try out some new exercises you might switch to if you’re close to strength plateaus on any current ones. Guys come off that 10- to 14-day cruise like rabid dogs chomping at the bit to get blasting again. Blasting and cruising must be done. You cannot train all-out all the time without overtraining. Blast and cruise back and forth all year long.

Let me play devil’s advocate.

Our muscles can’t see the weight or count the reps; they only react to stress. As long as I keep stressing them enough, why do I need to get another rep or use another five pounds? Why can’t I stress my muscles as much as a DC adherent with, say, supersets or drop sets or new exercises?

I think I can answer that best by asking the readers a question. Would Ronnie Coleman, or any top pro, be the size he is today if he stayed lifting the same light weights he started with when he was a beginner?

What its all about…

Bodybuilding is all about creating continual adaptation. The number of exercises you can do per bodypart is finite. How many good quad-building exercises are there? Six, maybe? The number of sets volume you can do is finite or infinite if you want to spend the next 3,200 hours straight in the gym. As for supersets or drop sets or whatever, after you do them this time, what are you going to do next time to make sure you went above and beyond the supersets and drop sets you did this time? Anyone reading this can giant set squats, leg presses, hack squats and lunges, and they will be blown out and sore as hell for the next few days. They could do that exact same workout with the same exercises and weights every leg workout for the next year and they’d be blown out and sore for days each time.

Are they really going to gain any leg mass after the second or third time? No, because nothing has changed in the parameters to cause an increase in muscle size.

What is pretty much infinite in training? Poundage.

You take a key exercise up to an extreme strength plateau, and at that very point, switch to a new key exercise and get brutally strong on the new one; you do that continually. That repetitive progression that you’re held accountable for in your logbook is the key game plan to get to point B where you want to be from point A where you are at the absolutely quickest rate possible.

We’ve covered a lot of ground. What one thing would you most want people to take away from this article?

A lot of what bodybuilding is about for many people is obsession-compulsion instead of deductive reasoning. I would like people to start thinking of how to get to point B from point A in the shortest route possible. I am not claiming to have built a better mousetrap, but I think I’m showing how to catch the mouse quicker.

“Dante’s teachings have taken me to the next level. Most people hit plateaus, but this style of training is all about progress. If there’s a plateau, you move around it and keep going. It’s all about getting progressively stronger.” — David Henry

“I’ve been doing Doggcrapp since shortly after the 2006 Ironman. I’m not sure I’m going to stick with it precisely. I’m still into more of Dorian Yates’ style, but there are things I’ll take from Doggcrapp. I really like the rest-pause sets, and the ‘widowmakers’ for legs have been brutal. I do think the Doggcrapp philosophy that gaining strength is the key to gaining mass is 100% correct.” — Mark Dugdale

Example Of A Doggcrapp Cycle

• The exercise numbers (in orange) correspond to individual workouts. In our example, only the five number-one exercises are done in the first workout, only the five number-two exercises are done in the second workout, etc.
• Each working set is preceded by one to five warm-up sets.
• The additional set of 10-12 reps for rack and regular deadlifts, as well as the 20-rep additional “widowmakers” for quads, is performed after a rest and with lighter (but still heavy) weights.
• Abs can be trained on any day, typically with one warm-up set and one working set to failure of both a crunching movement and a leg-raise movement. Working sets can be either rest-pause sets for 20-30 reps or straight sets for 15-20 reps.

Exercise & Reps Per Working Set

“A” Workouts

Chest

• 1 Incline Smith machine presses 11-15 rest-pause
• 3 Flat-bench barbell presses 11-15 rest-pause
• 5 Hammer Strength chest presses 11-15 rest-pause

Shoulders

• 1 Military presses 11-20 rest-pause
• 3 Medium-grip upright rows 11-15 rest-pause
• 5 Smith machine shoulder presses 11-20 rest-pause

Triceps

• 1 Close-grip bench presses 11-20 rest-pause
• 3 Lying triceps extensions 15-30 rest-pause
• 5 Machine dips 11-20 rest-pause

Back (Width)

• 1 Hammer Strength 11-15 rest-pause underhand pulldowns
• 3 Front wide-grip pulldowns 11-15 rest-pause
• 5 Close-grip pulldowns 11-15 rest-pause

Back (Thickness)

• 1 Deadlifts 6-9 9-12
• 3 Rack deadlifts 6-9 9-12
• 5 T-bar rows 10-12

“B” Workouts

Biceps

• 2 Barbell drag curls 11-20 rest-pause
• 4 Seated dumbbell curls 11-20 rest-pause
• 6 Machine curls 11-20 rest-pause

Forearms

• 2 Hammer curls 10-20
• 4 Barbell wrist curls 10-20
• 6 Cable reverse curls 10-20

Calves

• 2 Leg-press toe presses 10-12
• 4 Machine donkey calf raises 10-12
• 6 Seated calf raises 10-12

Hamstrings

• 2 Lying leg curls 15-30 rest-pause
  4 Sumo leg presses (feet high and wide, press with heels) 15-25
• 6 Seated leg curls 15-30 rest-pause

Quadriceps

• 2 Squats 4-8 20
• 4 Hack squats 4-8 20
• 6 Leg presses 4-8 20

All calf exercises are done with an enhanced negative portion of the rep. Each rep consists of five seconds of lowering down to a full stretch, a 10- to 15-second hold in the stretched position, then rising onto the toes.

Workout Schedule

Notes:

The numbers 1 through 6 correspond to the exercise numbers in the Doggcrapp cycle chart. Follow a pattern of A and B workouts for the bodypart split. Beginning with week 3, this pattern repeats, starting with the #1 exercises.

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