TOP 5 SUPPLEMENTS FOR ATHLETES

There is so much marketing and research out there on supplements – what to take, how much, who needs what – that it can be confusing to sift through and narrow down. I’ve spent a lot of time in the past couple months doing research on the web, through interviews and even by using myself as a test subject to try to figure it all out. The information I’ve compiled below should help you get a better understanding what you should be taking that you aren’t, what you are taking that you might not need to be spending money on, and of the quality of the current supplements that you are taking, how you can improve your regimen, and correct dosing and timing for your athletic goals.

Top 7 Supplements for Athletes – Primary Supplements

1. Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil) are probably one of the most commonly used supplements on the market today and for good reason. When high quality fish oil is taken in large enough amounts, it provides the biggest bang for the buck as far as supplements are concerned. Most people know about the improved cardiovascular health and function, improved lipid profiles (lower triglycerides), improved brain function and mental acuity, and its powerful anti-inflammatory properties without harmful side effects like over the counter products. But what people don’t know is that every fish oil isn’t made the same. Depending on the size, type, or natural habitat of fish used and how it was processed can determine the quality and levels of toxins present. So besides looking for the cGMP seal, look for brands that use small, cold-water (near the polar ice cap so it is more pure) fish like anchovies or sardines vs. larger fish like tuna or those harvested in warmer waters. On the label, impurities are stated – look for those measured in parts per BILLION not parts per million. Athletes and those with body composition goals should start with 3,000 mg of fish oil spread out in 2-3 servings (it only lasts in the body about 8 hours) and work toward taking up to 6,000 mg per day.

2. B-Vitamins increase energy production and are neurotransmitter cofactors so they help improve our mood, and they help us detoxify which we need after exercise (and binging). The process of building and repairing muscle (processing protein) depletes B-Vitamins so if you’re lifting heavy or damaging your muscle tissue in your workouts or job, you need to take extra B-Vitamins to help the rebuilding (strengthening) process because you are burning through them at an alarming rate. Look for Riboflavin-5’-Phosphate (B-2), methylcobalamin (B-12), Pyridoxal-5’-Phosphate (B-6), and Benfotiamine (B-1) on the label as they are the absorbable forms your body can use. Avoid any of the B Vitamins in the hydrochloride (HCL) form form as it is cheap and unabsorbable by your body. Definitely take this supplement in the morning as the B-12 will keep you awake. Don’t be afraid to take thousands of the US RDA. Your pee may be yellow, or even orange, so don’t freak out but I noticed that once I switched to non-HCL forms of the B-Vitamins, my pee was actually less yellow which means I was absorbing more!

3. Magnesium is probably one of the top three recommended supplements for athletes as it is an essential element in biological systems and most athletes are likely deficient. I’ve seen recent studies stating that 85% of Americans are deficient and we all know that most Americans most certainly lead the typical sedentary, American lifestyle so imagine the deficiencies in the trained and even arguably over-trained population. Magnesium is important to athletes because it regulates heart rhythm, allows muscles to contract and relax properly, reduces blood pressure, and is necessary to produce ATP (the main source of energy in our cells) which must be bound to a magnesium ion in order to be biologically active. Check your bottle to avoid Sudden Poop Onset (SPO) here: Supplements based on amino acid chelates, such as Mg glycinate and Mg malate are much better tolerated by the digestive system and much more absorbable by the body the other (cheap) forms of magnesium such as Mg oxide or Mg carbonate. This is best taken post-workout on an empty stomach. Sedentary individuals need 600 mg a day and larger athletes in heavy training mode could do up to 2,000 mg a day.

4. Vitamin D is more like a hormone than a drug. It is produced by the body when exposed to sunlight and most of us don’t produce enough (25,000 iu/day) even if we frequently are out in the sun. It would take you prancing around, practically naked for a couple hours a day to produce those levels of Vitamin D and most Americans are deficient. Vitamin D level is measured by hydroxyvitamin D – the chemical form – in the blood and “normal” levels are stated to be 35 but that is considered by many to be a “maintenance” level and that levels upwards of 70-90 are ideal, especially for athletes (mine was at 35 when I was tested last Octber). Besides working with calcium to improve bone density, Vitamin D helps reduce inflammation, risk of colon and breast cancer, improves mood and upper respiratory health by aiding the fight against infections from viruses and other pathogens, and allows the brain to release melatonin so we can fall asleep easier – like when you’ve been out in the sun all day and are tired as soon as night falls. This is why Vitamin D is most effective when taken at night, about an hour before bedtime and liquid drops taken sublingually are the best form especially if you can hold the liquid under your tongue for 30 seconds before swallowing so it can really soak in and start to work before it has to be digested. According to Dr. Robert Seik at Triton Nutrition, Vitamin D supplementation up to 30,000 units to be safe and there are European studies that show 150,000 units for three days to treat upper respiratory tract infections that may be viral in nature.

5. Protein, if taken within 10 minutes of training, will reduce the amount of stress hormones (mainly cortisol) released! This has a huge implication on belly fat (no pun intended). But don’t overdo it – 20-30 grams per hour is the maximum a body can digest and you only need .8-1.4 grams of protein per 1 kg of lean mass each day. Too much protein leads to body acidity which leads to many other problems. But the right amount of protein – besides providing energy – repairs tissues and reduces muscle soreness. Protein should be eaten – from primarily animal sources – throughout the day and most certainly within 10 minutes of training. It can also help how to build muscle. Whey protein is a highly marketed protein and is fairly inexpensive so it is frequently used by athletes. Many, however, have an intolerance to whey such as gas, bloating and postnasal drip. Soy protein is not a good option because 100% of soy is genetically modified and it is very low in branch chain amino acids which are necessary to build muscle. It increases estrogen levels in the body – the opposite of what someone trying to build strength wants – and many also have a food intolerance to soy. Casein is dairy derived so if you have an intolerance to whey, you may have an intolerance to Casein as well. Vegan protein that combines a wide variety of sources can be good options because they are less likely to produce allergies. Remember, only 20-30 grams maximum at a time!

CrossFit Pre-Workout: Want Leaner Muscle Mass? Do this.

Eating for Mass

If you love doing CrossFit Pre-Workout, you might also think that more working out is equal to more muscle. Wrong. If you want to gain muscle fast, then you should follow a lifestyle in which proper nutrition, timing, and recovery are some of its essential parts. Continuity is also important.
Favor Diet Over Exercise
Wise move to do is to keep a diet plan or a training program that you intend to follow. But you need to strike the right balance between the two. Following a proper and healthy diet plan without working is not a good idea too. Balance is everything.

Proper nutrition = Energy Up

To keep you energy levels up and your muscles nourished each workout, you need to follow a proper nutrition. This has always been a given fact. Snacking on sugary snacks and empty calories will put mass in the wrong areas.

Once you get to follow a diet plan, timing may be an issue. Strictly follow a schedule on which to consume at the time of the day or night. Example of this is eating protein first thing in the morning before doing your workout routine or supply the body with the needed nutrients from CrossFit supplements.

Eat Carbs.

Say yes to carbohydrates since it is critical for providing the energy you need in your routine. But consume carbs sparingly at night. You do not want to fill up a car before going in a long drive later that day.
There are many tips on how to gain muscle fast, and most of them emphasizes the importance of having a healthy and proper diet, a variation on workout routines that you do, and following a positive and active lifestyle. For more information on CrossFit pre-workout supplements and gaining muscle fast, visit our site at 10xGains.com.

How To Gain Muscle Fast: How To Step It Up and Change The Game!

How to gain muscle fast? Having fast metabolism has its pros, but what most people don’t notice is that it has some hidden cons that are only visible to the one who possesses this ability. How many hours and efforts have you actually had to go through to obtain a muscular figure after being a walking skeleton for so long?

Without further ado, here are enumerations that will help enlighten you to be aware of the things you need to do

1. Work out in less than sixty minutes: Surely, you’ve heard of a myth that says, quote “spending hours at the gym in a day would do one a favor”, when in real life, it won’t, it would disrupt your recovery period between workouts. Increase your frequency, it triggers muscles to grow. On a side note, doing too much cardio in your training program won’t get you what you’re after if your goal is size and strength; get weight training on a three to four days’ basis. Beginners can get much more done in a course of a forty-five minute or less than sixty-minute duration when genuine breaks are taken between sets.

2. Invite more calories into your system: Consuming like a bird albeit you want that Schwarzenegger surface? Combat that fast metabolism; there are no other cheat codes than to increase your three-day meal in to a five to seven heavy calorie meal. It’s alright to continue the salads and it is essential to avoid junk foods (sugary, processed, with preservatives), but understand that it’s about what you add to contribute to all the energy being spent on physical activity and internal processes. Eat meals with HDLs; nuts and seeds, avocados, fish oil, and vegetable oil. If you are planning to incorporate best pre workout supplements during your training consider taking a research that will give you the energy to go the extra mile.

3. Take it easy on yourself: Results don’t come in a few weeks, don’t be impatient. As a beginner, it’s normal to want to add more to your plan each day; being random in a day’s exercises may make you strong but it is subordinate when compared to a planned and period ground training program. To top it off, your body’s chemistry and overall health is directly related to your workout goals. Negative stress can hinder your body’s full potential to grow, so learn to meditate, get undisturbed eight hours of sleep, and stay hydrated at all times. Better recovery equals to better progress.

4. Focus on your progress: In planning to maximize your muscle growth, it’s just as important to keep track of everything you do week after week as eating. How would you know what’s working and what went wrong with last week’s training when you don’t have a record of all the workouts? List down what exercises you’ve done, the number of sets or repetition performed, the weights you’ve used, and the breaks you took between each sets. Plus, a record book could come in handy when you want to revisit the time you got injured or when you over did your workout.
If you need help on learning how to gain muscle fast, there are a lot of help and tips you can find
online. Gather the data and be consistent with implementing it in your lifestyle.

CrossFit Exercises: We all have different levels, but CrossFit is for everyone!

CrossFit is a fitness program with an amalgamation of various functional movements into a timed or scored workout; composed of pull-ups, squats, push-ups, weightlifting, gymnastics, running, rowing, among others. If you want to know how to gain muscle fast and would like to apply CrossFit workout on this goal then this article is for you. Their workouts are always varied, always changing, always producing results. Never forget to begin with some dynamic warm up mobility exercises, as it is the foundation of a good performance before getting to every main exercises even for the standards of CrossFit; your strength, mobility and speed might suffer.

Here are the lists recurrent (and essential) workouts you will come across. If you are among those who take or drink workout supplements, formula, or shake you have to remember : go big or go home:

Air Squats- This targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, improving flexibility and circulatory system. This type of exercise is cardio and strength. It could be done without equipment. To further modify this as a beginner, check out CrossFit’s WOD “Cindy”.

Burpees- Targeting the triceps, pectoralis major, and quadriceps. The type of exercise this is under are cardio, strength and plyometrics, making you work your full body. Want to kick it up a notch? Search CrossFit’s “Wall Ball, Burpees”.
Pushups- This targets the pectoralis major but pushups are known to strengthen the wrists, forearms, elbows, upper arms and shoulders. They will also help reduce bone loss and promote stronger, denser bones. Not to mention it increases metabolic rates. To further scale your workout, use either the “Barbell in Rack Pushups”, “Knee Pushups” or “Box Pushups”.

Pullups- This can be tough to start especially when your upper body does not have enough strength, like pullups. The beginner friendly WOD to modify this workout is the “Helen”; 12 pullups, a four-hundred-meter run, and 21 American KB Swings.

Deadlifts- An exercise that must be executed with barbells and weights, mainly targeted at the lower back, hamstrings, and glutes. This exercise helps with strengthening the lower back and core, it helps in both physical and mental health.

Wall balls- What’s a CrossFit exercise without wall balls, right? Loathed by a lot but it provides the most advantages in one’s daily movements that’s not just confined within the walls of the gym! It works the upper and lower body simultaneously. It targets a total of eleven muscles. The only equipment needed is a medicine/slam/wall ball.

Toes to bar- A great way to help strengthen the core, the only equipment needed for this is as it says, a bar. This tests the strength of your grip, arm and abdomen. Though, it is advised that one must develop a strong midline to fully make this exercise work.

Kettlebell swings- There are many ways to try this out, but for starters stick with the plain Kettlebell swings. They key is to choose the weight that’s challenging and at the same time that’ll keep you in good form at the end of the workout. Change your WOD as a CrossFit coach recommends that 'bell beginners swing the kettlebell to eye level while more advanced swingers bring the 'bell all the way overhead.

10 Spring Indoor Workout Tips You Should Try

Not sure if you can spend the next couple of weeks running on the treadmill and lifting weights while staring at the same square of wall? We can't blame you if your workout motivation is waning, but before you go stir-crazy - or give up on fitness altogether - take the opportunity to tackle one of these awesome indoor workouts.

You'll hardly miss the wind whipping through your hair when you see what these moves can do for your body.

1. Burn more calories in less time
Try a 2-in-1 workout that blasts fat and tones arms.

2. Target your whole body with dumbbells
Streamline gym time with a super efficient back-to-basics workout. You'll hit every muscle in just 20 minutes using nothing but a pair of dumbbells.

3. Get into the flow
Think some downward dogs can't help you shed pounds and build muscles? Think again. Flow your way to a better build Best Pre Workout Supplements.
Perform essential yoga moves every morning for a calmer - and fitter - start to your day.

4. Get a slimmer waist for spring
Combine ab exercises with smart eating habits to build a six-pack that's worth showing off before beach season.

5. Get fitter for the bedroom
The last few pounds are always the hardest to drop, but you'll find motivation if you think about getting fitter for the bedroom.

6. Target your fast-twitch fibers
While slow-twitch muscle fibers offer endurance, fast-twitch muscle fibers provide impressive strength and power.
Tackle an explosive workout and you'll see big gains in strength, size and speed.

7. No gym, no problem
All you need are hand towels for some at-home workouts.

8. Fight fat faster
Master a multitasking workout to get leaner while also building size and strength.

9. Leave no muscle behind
When you're crunched for time it's easy to skip the smaller muscles that you don't notice in the mirror. Target neglected areas, like calves, lats, hamstrings and rear delts, while frying fat and toning your whole body.

10. Don't forget your backside
Get ready to cringe: Bikini season will be here before we know it. Get a head start by toning your backside in March

Everything You Need to Know About CrossFit

Ever thought of a way to stay in perfect shape and have an enviable figure? The answer to your prayers could be CrossFit. In 2000, CrossFit began as an idea proposed by Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai in the US. And ever since, people across the globe have been positive about spending their time at the gym doing CrossFit training.

The need for crossfit supplements may not be an important factor to you especially when having just started in this routine, but if you love to know more about pre workout supplements and the like visit a credible site here.

What is it?

High-intensity interval training such as the Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics, gymnastics, kettle ball sport of the Girevoy from Russia, calisthenics are some of the elements included in a CrossFit training. Different workouts every day is referred to as the WOD or the workout of the day. There are different routines in CrossFit trainings, while some gym copy these originally others are creating their own style.

Pre-workout supplements and other supplemental drinks are great if you consider getting more from your CrossFit experience as it guarantees to give you more muscle power and strength.

What does it comprise?
Commonly, sessions of CrossFit routines includes the following: a 10 to 15-minute warm-up session, the WOD, and cool-down exercises. Each WOD routine will be scored to track the development and progress. Equipment such as barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, pull-up bars, jump ropes, kettlebells, medicine balls, resistance bands, rowing machines and various mats are used for the training session.

Who can do it?
If you are someone who wants to go beyond the traditional workout in the gym, then CrossFit is a good match for you. This entails heavy exercise routines though so be prepared.

What are the fitness benefits?
Among of the many benefits of CrossFit are the following: it promotes muscle growth because of the variety of the exercises, builds stamina and strength, and increases your agility and coordination, power, and flexibility.

To know more about crossfit and crossfit supplements, visit our website here.

How To Build Impressive Calves

If you happen to read Arnold’s Arnold: Education of a Bodybuilder you may have already known the important role calves play in completing the lower body ‘look’. Having said that, it was pointed out in the book that if you have underdeveloped calves, chances are you look like you have small legs even with a monstrous thighs.

So to create the illusion that the whole leg is bigger, you need to work on improving your calves. This does not only give a more balanced body look it will also improve your athleticism as well. Powerful calves and feet will allow you to jump high, sprint, or move explosively.

This article will cite on how to build muscle fast on your lower legs back portion (calf muscles) and train to the next level:

How To Build Calf Muscles
One of the basic things you need to remember when improving your calf muscle is that slow twitch fibres like calf muscles respond best to a high training volume and frequency. That means you need to do a lot of reps consistently to make your calf muscles fast.

To provide ample stimulation for the calf muscles, lifting a substantial load like your entire bodyweight regularly and frequently can do the work. In fact, you don’t necessarily need weights or machines to do this.
In addition to that, this kind of training can be performed daily and it is it’s frequency that encourages your body to adapt quickly.

The Training Plan

Other training plans may require you to go through progressions fast, but for calf muscle building you might want to take it slow. The important thing is to focus on how to build muscle through repetition and frequency. This will give you twice the development you are looking for:
Double leg calf raises off the floor (with a slight bend in the knee)
Double leg calf raises off the floor (straight legs)
Single leg calf raises off the floor (with a slight bend in the knee)
Single leg calf raises off the floor (straight leg)
Double leg calf raises off a step (with a slight bend in the knee)
Double leg calf raises off a step (straight legs)
Single leg calf raises off a step (with a slight bend in the knee)
Single leg calf raises off a step (straight leg)
Start with 4 sets of 20 reps, and don’t move on until you can perform 4 sets of at least 50 reps.

A Guy's Guide To Building Great Glutes

Here at 10X Gains we have listed five strategies to maximize your butt muscles for a stronger and much lower squats and deadlifts. If you have been working out for better athletic performance then you seriously need to work on having a more solid base. It would not hurt (literally) to take pre and post workout supplements to better aid the growth of leaner muscle mass.

This article will show you how to create a more toned and bigger glutes, while maximizing hip involvement. Remember that the your glute-specific training, foot placement, and depth of squat all matters to achieving your goals. Let’s get started:

1. Go Glutes First

Commonly, leg workouts starts with heavy squats. This is because squat is by far the best overall lower-body builder. It targets the quads, hamstrings and glutes. In fact, there is no variation that isolates the glutes, but if you are looking for an exercise to emphasize them, we suggest you try the low-bar squat. This type of exercise is done by placing a bar a little further down on your shoulders. This keeps you in a more inclined move. Also, this slightly changes the center of your mass.

2 Go Deep

Technically, the glutes and hamstrings are responsible in controlling the rate of your descent. According to research, if you are not descending with your thighs parallel with the floor or with a knee bend of about 90 degrees or less, then the glutes are not getting its maximum activation. Shallow squats predominantly target the quads and not the glutes. If you need more support in going in depth squat, you need a better workout supplement to support your strength, mobility, and recovery.

3 Go High

Some exercise hit the glutes better than other exercises do. But exercise selection is not the only thing to consider. Foot position is an entirely another important factor. Leg presses, machine squats, hack squats, and lying machine squats can be greatly improved with the right foot position. In other words, your foot position can all be adjusted to make the glutes work harder, thus achieving greater results.

4 Go Wide
According to research, a wide stance had significantly higher levels of glute activation than normal squats. This was supported by another study which concluded that a wide stance of about 140 percent of shoulder width result in greater glute activity than the normal stance.
So go ahead, go wide with a few inches if you want more glutes!

5 Let's Go Lunge

Because of the degree of hip extension involved, lunges can be a finishing move in your workout routines. There are various types of lunges from simple unweighted stationary lunge to very challenging and often more difficult weighted reverse lunges.

These five types of exercises are the best in improving your gluteus maximus or the glutes muscle compared to other type of exercises. If you need to gain lean muscle faster than the ordinary timeframe then you should consider incorporating these exercises while taking your pre workout and post workout supplements for leaner muscles, mobility, and strength.

5 Leg Workouts To Supersize Your Lower Body!

If you are looking for ways to supersize your lower body, this article is for you! These lower body exercise are sure-fire ways to achieve better glutes, best combined while taking protein supplements which support the growth of leaner muscle mass.
We have listed five of the best routines that will guarantee your glutes and lower body muscles to grow even stronger in no time!

1. Full Squats and Partials

When performing these exercises all you get are heavy, basic, and tough. By doing five sets of full squats followed by parallel squats gives you twice the mass-gaining benefits in one. You can also add 2.5-pound plates under your heels, though this won’t be easy this can guarantee twice the benefits.

2. Single-leg deadlift

Although the lunge and single-deadlift may feel heavy, you need to prioritize proper form above all. So performing this type of exercise requires concentration since you are working on one leg at a time. This can subsequently give develop and stabilize your muscles and create a solid base. Be sure to take your best pre workout supplement before your routine, in case your muscles need greater support.

How to perform: Legs full squat 5 sets of 8-10 reps. Squat (to parallel) 5 sets of 8-10 reps.
Barbell lunge 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg. Single-leg deadlift 2 sets of 8-10 reps per leg.

3. Twice as Nice

If you think your muscles aren’t working out at its best with your daily routine, why not try some other strategies like shock treatment? If you are thinking about doing this, twice-weekly routine can force your legs into growth. Be sure to at least leave 4-5 days between workout for your muscles to recover.

4. Leg press negative

Workout 1
Squat 4 sets of 10 reps. Leg press 3 sets of 10 reps. Leg press negative 2 sets of 1 rep (lowering as slowly as possible). Leg press calf raise 4 sets of 10 reps, (4 sec. lowering, explosive concentric lift, 1 sec. concentric squeeze). Hamstring curl 4 sets of 10 reps. Leg extension 3 sets of 10 reps, (4 sec. lowering, explosive concentric lift, 1 sec. concentric squeeze)
Workout 2

Leg press 4 sets of 10 reps. Leg press calf raise 4 sets of 10 reps, (4 sec. lowering, explosive concentric lift, 1 sec. concentric squeeze). Hack squat machine 3 sets of 10 reps. Leg extension
3 sets of 10 reps, (4 sec. lowering, explosive concentric lift, 1 sec. concentric squeeze)

5. 5x5 Meets 20-rep Squats Meets Pyramid
Strong men have successfully used three methods to build stronger legs and increase mobility. These includes: 5 sets of 5 reps, 3 pyramid sets with increasing weight, 1 single 20-rep squat set. If you’d like to take the challenge then go ahead this fitness routine is best for you.

5 of The Best Bodyweight Exercises To Build Muscle Anywhere

Endless reps of pushups and sit-ups won’t get you anywhere. If you want to gain muscle fast and build it to become stronger, you need to test if the principle of progressive overload works for you. Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress/weights placed upon the body during exercise training or lifting.

When you apply progressive overload to bodyweight exercises, they are a fantastic way of building muscle. This is because doing bodyweight exercises guarantee your movements will be very natural compared to using weights.

Here are five of the best bodyweight exercises that will help you on how to gain muscle fast and build it even stronger be it on the road, at home, or in the gym:
1. Chin/Pull-Up

If you want stronger and bigger arms, adding this exercise in your routine can greatly help improve and tone your arms. Have you ever tried of doing a parallel-grip chin-ups before? There have been positive reviews on this type of exercise as it is the easiest type of exercise you can do to work on the shoulders and elbows, which actually help prevent injury as you progress with your training.
2. Push-Up

If you are just starting to work out this type of exercise help to initially engage your whole body and prepare it for the more difficult ones.
We recommend you to perform 30 repetition with good form then you can think of moving on to tougher and challenging variations. There are many type of push-ups namely Diamond, Feet-elevated, Handstand, One-armed, and Planche push-ups.

3. Pistol Squat

If you are one the many who seeks to gain muscle fast especially in the lower body, develop a great sense of balance, stabilization, and coordination then Pistol Squat is the best for you.
Effective but rather difficult to perform compared with chinups and pushups. This type of exercise will take some of your time and patience to work it up. What is needed to perform this best is to have balance, strength, and flexibility.
4. TRX Rows
These types of exercise generally help improve and build a strong upper and middle back. If you are still a beginner, start on Inverted Row.

5. The Human Flag

Rather difficult to perform, but visually it is the most impressive exercise so far. In addition to that, this exercise also trains all of the later chain muscles (which by the way is often neglected).
There you go. Continue working on perfecting these bodyweight exercises you can use for progressive training and you are on your way to meet your stronger, leaner, and healthier you.

Lower Body Blast: 5 Moves for Your Butt, Hips and Thighs

A lot of people sit all day or are all in the car all the time which are not good for the glute and leg muscles. But how to build muscle fast in butt, hips, and thigh areas? It is important for you to improve and make your glutes stronger for better lower body mobility and strength.

It is important to take note while performing glute-related exercises that our bodies move in different directions, not only in one, so it’s fundamental to mimic this at cross training or workouts. In other words, the classic pattern of lunge-squat-repeat is okay, but throwing some plié squats or leg lifts can be a good mix. These are the standard exercises on how to gain weight fast (lean weight) in the lower body areas.

There are five moves (which we will show you in this article) to help ensure you of working out at your best. We recommend you to do each exercise two days per week, in three sets of 12 to 15 to achieve a stronger lower body muscles and glutes:

5 Amazing Lower Body Exercises

1. Plié Squat

Doing plié squats can greatly improve your strength and mobility. Your glutes will thank you by getting seriously low by squeezing those glute muscles.

How to perform:
Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out at 45-degree angles. Keep your back straight, knees over toes and your weight in the heels of your feet. Engage your glutes and thighs as you lower into a deep squat until thighs parallel to the ground (or as close as you can get them). Powering through your heels, push up to return to starting position. Repeat.

2. Lateral Step-Out Squat
To fire things up including your hips, glutes, and thighs, perform lateral step-out squat. You can also place a resistance band around your ankles to better achieve resistance in each set.
How to perform: Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping toes pointed straight ahead and knees over toes, lower into a standard squat. Hold that squat position as you take two steps to your right. Pause, then take two small side steps to your left. Repeat.

3. Plank Leg Lift

Plank is great for toning up your core and shoulders, as well as for your hips, legs, and butt. How to perform: Get into a high plank position on the floor, hands planted under your shoulders, butt down. Engage your abs by pulling your belly button in towards your spine. Squeeze your left glute to lift your left leg two inches off the ground, keeping your leg straight. Tap your left leg out to the side, then back to starting position. Repeat, then switch legs.

4. Fire Hydrant

A killer booty shaper and staple for a dynamic warm-up, be sure to include this in your routine. How to: Position yourself on your hands and knees, in table top position. Engage your abs engaged by pulling your belly button in towards your spine. Keeping your hips pointed towards the ground and leg bent to a 90-degree angle, raise your left knee out to the side as high as you can. Pause at the top, then return to starting position. Repeat, then switch legs.

5. Lying Leg Lift
Hitting all glute muscles in every angle, Lying Leg Lift exercise should not be missed.
How to perform: Lie flat on your stomach, with your forehead resting on your hands. Squeeze your left glute, to lift your left leg and thigh as high off the ground as you can, keeping your leg straight. Pause at the top, then lower back down. Switch legs, repeating 10 times on each leg.

Want to improve your muscles faster? Find about the how to build muscle fast and the benefits of workout supplements at 10XGains.com.

Pre-Workout Supplements For Sports / Intense Cardio

How To Choose The Best Pre-Workout For You?

Certain questions will need to be answered first. In order for you to identify the right pre workout supplement you may want to decide on which ingredient you want or not in a workout supplement. Is it caffeine that you want but not creatine? Or do you want these both? Your preference and health concerns should be taken into consideration before deciding on which item to use.

Meanwhile, we have ruled out the top three questions (below) for your assistance of deciding which is the best pre workout supplement for you:

1. Do You Want Caffeine?
Popular as it may seem, but some of our workout buddies seem to not tolerate stimulant like the rest of the group. If you are one of them, opting out of caffeine in your workout supplements is a no-brainer decision. There are stim-free versions though for people who don’t take caffeine in large portions. These versions have much lower levels of caffeine in it.

2. Do You Want Creatine?
High intensity trainings, more specifically physical trainings such as weightlifting, football, rugby and the likes where optimum performance is needed is what Creatine is regarded as very useful for.
Fewer evidence suggest that in lower intensity cardio trainings, Creatine’s benefits are a bit less well known but not entirely negative though.
A few things you may want to consider before you answer this question:
Do You Already Supplement With Creatine?

YES — just be careful not to go over your recommended daily dosage (usually 3-5 grams/day).
NO — then you pretty have wide choices, though you may want to choose one higher in Creatine (3-5 grams).

3. Do You Mind The Tingly/Itchy Feeling?

There are many cases in which a couple of ingredients found in preworkout supplements produce a tingling sensation on your skin. This, however, depends on the kind and brand of supplement you are taking and it affects person differently.

For some people, it is okay to actually feel these sensation but there are others that don’t. This is because some people feel it straight up itchy, and uncomfortable that really affects concentration at trainings. The best thing you can do is to try and find the right brand for you. See the labels and check the ingredients as safe precaution.

Things to Remember When Eating for Leaner Muscle Mass

Eating for Mass

Oftentimes, people think that more working out is equal to more muscle. Wrong. If you want to gain muscle fast, then you should follow a lifestyle in which proper nutrition, timing, and recovery are some of its essential parts. Continuity is also important.

Favor Diet Over Exercise
Wise move to do is to keep a diet plan or a training program that you intend to follow. But you need to strike the right balance between the two. Following a proper and healthy diet plan without working is not a good idea too. Balance is everything.

Proper nutrition = Energy Up
To keep you energy levels up and your muscles nourished each workout, you need to follow a proper nutrition. This has always been a given fact. Snacking on sugary snacks and empty calories will put mass in the wrong areas.

Once you get to follow a diet plan, timing may be an issue. Strictly follow a schedule on which to consume at the time of the day or night. Example of this is eating protein first thing in the morning before doing your workout routine.

Eat Carbs.

Say yes to carbohydrates since it is critical for providing the energy you need in your routine. But consume carbs sparingly at night. You do not want to fill up a car before going in a long drive later that day.
There are many tips on how to gain muscle fast, and most of them emphasizes the importance of having a healthy and proper diet, a variation on workout routines that you do, and following a positive and active lifestyle. For more tips on gaining muscle fast, visit our site at 10xGains.com.

5 Quick Tips For Building Muscle!

If you are looking for some quick tips to build and gain muscle fast, get your body in an anabolic state. Learn how with these five quick tips to gaining lean muscle mass. Let’s start with 1.

1. HIGH CALORIES = ANABOLIC STATE
You may already know that consuming enough protein is needed in gaining muscle fast. But did you also know that your body needs the right calories per day as well to achieve this goal? Thus, adequate protein is not enough to entail maximum growth potential. You need to consume adequate calories too.

In fact, if you have not been consuming enough calories, then you probably are not growing that much. A good tip for those who want to gain muscle fast, is to take your bodyweight and multiply it by 10 or 12, then add on 1000-1500 calories per day.

2. EAT A GOOD PREWORKOUT MEAL
Slow burning carbohydrates such as pasta and rice, are two of the best food to consume before a workout. This is because the slow burning carbs take longer to convert into glucose, thus help in keeping the blood sugar levels relatively consistent.

3. CONSUME A HIGH QUALITY POSTWORKOUT MEAL
It is important to differentiate the pre workout meal and the post workout meal and its benefits. The post workout meal, or the meal taken right after you train, should be high in fast burning carbs and protein. The ideal food for this are high protein shakes with some form of sugar.
For post workout supplements and shakes refer to this page.
When you train, you put your body in a catabolic state. After workout your body goes back to its normal state, and this is the time you need to build and restore nutrients. You need to supply the raw building blocks, so your body efficiently repairs itself.

4. USE SUPPLEMENTS
If think you can afford using workout supplements, then by all means use it. Why? Because these supplements work and help you achieve your goals of gaining muscle fast.

Basics of workout supplements such as protein powders, creatine, glutamine, joint formulas, and multivitamins are some of the things you can consider taking. However, you need to know that taking these supplements doesn’t guarantee results if you don’t workout. So be in your best shape and take supplements to support your body’s needs.

5. REST
Did you know that your body needs eight to nine hours of rest and sleep to recover from workout and trainings? Rest should take no effort as this is needed by your body to function well and gain strength back.
Having said that, your body needs the proper nutrients and recovery time for its growth and strength. Anyway, there will be more time to train for tomorrow, if you can rest well today.