1. Gregg Valentino: World’s Biggest Biceps

Gregg Valentino is one of the most controversial yet popular bodybuilding icons, considered by some as the biggest bodybuilder ever. He started bodybuilding at the age of 13. After over 23 years of training naturally Gregg decided to experiment with steroids. During this time his arms grew from an impressive 100% natural 21″ to an in-human 28″. But after years of steroids injections, his body finally fought back: his bicep “exploded,” as the video below explains:

NOTE: our reader Joe explained: “Gregg Valentino did not abuse steroids to get those freakish arms, he literally injected oil, or synthol into his muscle, filled it with liquid. That is why they are disproportionate.” –thanks Joe!

2. Markus Rühl: some of the biggest shoulders in history

Well known for his freakish size, german Markus Rühl is a former IFBB professional bodybuilder. He possesses some of the biggest shoulders in bodybuilding history, and is one of the strongest bodybuilders alive along with Johnnie O. Jackson and Ronnie Coleman.

3. Ronnie Coleman: eight straight wins as Mr. Olympia

Born May 13, 1964 in Bastrop, Louisiana, Coleman is a retired American professional bodybuilder who shares the record of eight straight wins as Mr. Olympia. He also holds the record for most wins as an IFBB professional with 26 wins. Coleman graduated Cum Laude from Grambling State University with a degree in accounting.

4. Arnold Schwarzenegger: youngest Mr. Universe at age 20, then won Mr. Olympia seven times

Before becoming a famous actor and a controversial politician, Schwarzenegger was considered to be one of the greatest and most influential names in the field of body building to this day. Schwarzenegger began weight-training at 15 and became the youngest Mr. Universe at age 20 and going on to win Mr. Olympia a total of seven times. Schwarzenegger has remained a prominent face in the bodybuilding sport long after his retirement, and has written several books and numerous articles on the sport.

5. Lou Ferrigno: the Incredible Hulk

Known for being long time bodybuilding rival of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the original Hulk on the TV show, Lou Ferrigno was also a deputy sheriff. After graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1969, Ferrigno won his first major titles, IFBB Mr. America and Mr. Universe, four years later. In 1974, he came in second on his first attempt at the Mr. Olympia competition. He then came third the following year, and his attempt to beat Arnold Schwarzenegger was the subject of the 1975 documentary Pumping Iron. Following this, Ferrigno left the competition circuit for many years, and went for his acting career.

6. Johnnie O. Jackson: notable powerlifter

As you can see, Johnnie O. Jackson may not be the biggest bodybuilder around, but the thickness and density of his muscles are mind blowing. They pop out and he isn’t even flexing them. Just sitting relaxed. He won the 2006 Montreal Pro, 2001 NPC USA Championships, among others.

Credit to Oddee for the article. Visit their site for more information.

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Avoid overshooting.

Know your limits, and be practical about how much you can and should exercise. It’s better to start conservatively and progress to more strenuous workouts than to start by overdoing it and risk getting burnt out or injured. If you currently exercise one or two days a week, bump it up to three. Eventually work up to five or six, and always include a day to rest.

Set a goal.

Sign up for a race or competition, map out a new route, or join a class you’ve always wanted to try. Working toward attainable goals will help keep you motivated and dedicated. Decide on a way to reward your accomplishments that’s not food-related, and then work toward a new goal.

Asses hydration.

According to a new study released by the , many Americans actually are drinking enough water — but are you one of them? The report also found that as physical activity increased, so did water intake. But because folks who exercise regularly are at greater risk for falling short on fluids, it’s worth counting up the ounces you drink for a couple of days to see where you stand.

Eat for performance.

Keeping fit means eating right. Fuel your workouts by eating properly beforehand and making smart choices during the rest of the day. It’s fine to indulge occasionally, but try not to undo all that hard work by eating too many high-calorie foods.

Remember to recover, recover, recover.

This buzzy sports nutrition term actually means something. Get in a meal or snack of some healthy carbs and protein directly after exercise to help replenish energy stores and build muscle. Get into the routine of doing this after any strenuous exercise session, and see our list of recovery food suggestions.

Have fun.

To make a long-standing commitment to exercise, it’s ideal to actually like to exercise. With so many options to choose from, you don’t need settle for something you aren’t interested in. Find a new activity you’ll be excited about with our list of hot new fitness trends.

Credit to Food Network for these tips! Visit their site for more information.

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1. Rule Out Underlying Metabolic Conditions

Before you try anything else, make sure there isn’t an underlying factor interfering with your weight loss, like a thyroid condition. Did you know that nearly 1 in 5 adults over 40 suffer from thyroid problems that can interfere with weight loss? Your thyroid is the main regulator of your body’s metabolism, so having an over or under-active thyroid gland (hyper or hypothyroidism) can truly interfere with weight loss. Talk to your doctor if you’re having trouble losing weight and also experiencing any of the following symptoms of a thyroid disorder:

• Excessive fatigue
• Thinning hair
• Dry skin and hair
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

2. Strength Train At Least Twice A Week

Remember how we said that the more muscle you have on your body, the better your metabolism works? Having more muscle increases your resting metabolic rate (RMR). This helps you burn more calories at rest—which is what you want if you’re aiming for weight loss after 40. So if you’ve been avoiding those weight machines or dumbbells, now’s the time to dedicate yourself to strength training. You can even use your own body weight to build strength through moves like push-ups, lunges and squats. Strength training for as little as 20 minutes two to three times a week can build enough muscle to increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR) over time.

3. Try HIIT Workouts

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is where you exert maximum effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise followed by short recovery periods, and it’s a great way to amp up your weight loss. If you’re currently only using doing steady state cardio workouts like jogging, for example, you could benefit from incorporating HIIT workouts to your regimen. Because the intervals get your heart rate more elevated, they help you work harder, not longer. Studies show that HIIT also burns more fat than other workouts. If you’re looking to try HIIT for the first time, check out these HIIT workouts on Get Healthy U TV!

4. Eat Clean, Protein-Rich Foods

Eating well isn’t just about skipping out on processed junk food. It’s also about filling up your plate with clean, healthy foods that can actually assist in your weight loss. Healthy fats like those found in olive oil, avocados and nut butters nourish your body while helping you feel full longer—which means you’re less likely to overeat. Incorporating healthy sources of protein like eggs and salmon will also help you feel more satiated as well as fuel the muscles you’re building through that regular strength training we mentioned above!

5. Naturally Detoxify Your Body

While some people try to fast or do week-long “cleanses” to lose weight, the truth is that your body already has natural detoxification processes in place to help mange your weight. The trick is to aid that natural detoxification by adopting consistent, healthy habits. Three easy habits to help naturally detoxify your body are:

Drinking enough water, particularly lemon water. Lemons alkalize your body and contain a soluble fiber called pectin, which helps with weight loss.

Adding fermented foods like kimchi, kombucha or Greek yogurt to your diet. Fermented foods balance your body’s gut bacteria, which helps your body’s natural elimination processes work regularly, boost your immune system, and even improve your mood.

By aiding your body’s natural detoxification processes, you’ll keep your body healthy and your weight under control.

6. Get More Sleep

While quality zzz’s can become ever-elusive as you age from busy schedules, back pain, or menopausal symptoms like hot flashes or insomnia, getting enough sleep is an essential component to weight loss. A good night’s sleep actually burns calories! Plus, studies have shown a strong link between lack of sleep and over-eating the following day. This is because the hormones ghrelin and leptin are thrown out of whack when you don’t get enough sleep, leaving you feeling more hungry but less satiated at every meal, which leads to overeating.

Visit Get Healthy U for the original article along with more health tips!

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Keep It Consistent:

If you stop running for a while, then you’ll have to build your conditioning back up. So if you want to take your workout to the next level, then make sure you’re staying consistent. Sign up for a race and start a training program (like this 5K training schedule) to track your progress; you’ll be able to see how much your hard work has paid off.

Learn Proper Form:

It may seem like the simplest way to work out, but running does take skill to make sure you don’t leave your body prone to injury. When running, keep your head stacked over your spine, relax the shoulders, and engage your abs.

Dress The Part:

There’s no need to invest in anything fancy, but be sure to spend wisely. The perfect pair of shoes can be the difference between feeling sluggish and being light on your feet, and it can also help prevent injuries. Whether you need a full-support shoe or want in on the minimalist shoe trend.

Fuel Right:

Running on an empty stomach can keep you from having the right amount of energy, but eating too much can lead to cramping. Look for a small snack containing carbs and protein for sustained energy. Timing is everything, however; if you’re rushing out the door and haven’t eaten anything, then go for something with 15 grams of easily digestible carbs (like a slice of white bread).

Drink Water:

Drinking enough water is another way to ensure you’ll have a good run. If you don’t drink enough water before your run (as well as during), then chances are you’ll have to stop before you’d like to because of fatigue or a cramp. Make sure you drink an ounce of water for every 10 pounds of body weight about an hour or two before your workout, and watch for these signs of dehydration during your run.

Have A Plan:

It’s not all about consistency; you should also keep your body challenged. Running outside instead of just on the treadmill, for example, builds your muscle to help increase speed and endurance, as does incorporating high-intensity intervals. And techniques like negative splits will help improve your overall mile time as well. Plan on doing these types of runs for the majority of your workouts if you’re trying to increase your mileage or time, but be sure to incorporate easy runs into your weekly plan as well.

Do More Than Run:

Don’t limit yourself to improving your pace just while you’re on the road. There are many things you can do when you aren’t running that can help you, like stretching after every run, strength training regularly, and getting enough sleep.

Credit to Pop Sugar for these running tips!

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Like many women, I love me some cardio. I like to get sweaty when I work out and feel like I really accomplished something, and almost nothing makes me feel that way like a tough Spinning class or long run can.

But as a trainer (and self-proclaimed cardio lover), I’ve seen my share of mistakes in and out of the gym.

Cardio does a body good, but if you’re guilty of these common cardio crimes, you could be putting your body at risk and undermining your efforts.

Think you’re a cardio saint, innocent of any and all offenses? Read on to see if you’re guilty as charged!

10 Most Common Cardio Crimes

Leaning on the Machine

While gripping the handles or console of a cardio machine can aid in balance, leaning too much of your weight into the handles of the machine will decrease your workout intensity and burn far fewer calories. I see this all the time in Spinning class (people leaning weight into their arms while standing instead of keeping their weight in their legs), and see it at the gym with people leaning onto the treadmill handles or console. If you’re moving so fast or feel so tired that you cannot keep the pace without taking weight off of your legs by placing it into your arms, you are far better off decreasing your speed or workout intensity than by keeping the speed and leaning. Try to use the handles only temporarily, such as when you first hop on the treadmill and find your footing, or if you have to pause the machine.

Skimping on Resistance

As a Spinning instructor, I see this a lot when I monitor the students in my class. Many people fear the resistance on stationary bikes because they fear it will make them “bulk up.” (This is so not true.) Similarly, I see a lot of people using treadmills and elliptical machines with little to no incline. When it comes to getting a better, more challenging workout (that also burns more calories) resistance—or incline—is essential. This is especially true on the treadmill, which propels you forward automatically and makes both walking and running easier. By bumping up the incline, you’ll counteract that propelling motion of the belt and get a better workout.

Stretching before Your Workout

I highly discourage people from stretching before a workout. (Read my stretch-after-your-workout manifesto for more details.) Stretching is NOT the same thing as a warm up, although many people confuse the two. And stopping to stretch after you warm up completely negates the fact that you just warmed up. By the time you’re done stretching, you’re right back where you started! Your muscles are warm and your joints most lubricated at the end of your cardio session. There’s no need to stretch twice, so you might as well save your stretching time for the end when you’ll get the most benefit.

Carrying Weights While You Walk

Although the American Council on Exercise recently published a story saying that walking with weights in your hands isn’t as risky as we all once thought, I wouldn’t rush to add them to your walks. It’s generally safe if you’re holding weights less than 3 pounds, but at that weight, there might not be a huge challenge or benefit for you. Hold much more and your injury risk skyrockets. Experts do agree that ankle weights are a no-no. When it comes to cardio, I’d much rather see a person work on increasing speed, incline or resistance to increase the cardio challenge of a workout than simply add weights to a workout.

Only Doing Cardio

Cardio exercise has tons of amazing benefits for your health and weight loss. So if you’re doing any cardio at all, kudos to you! But if cardio is the only form of exercise in which you partake, you are really missing out. You may even be at risk for what many people fear: becoming “skinny fat.” Many people think of cardio as the key to fat-burning, and it is important. But strength training is, too. More muscle helps boost your metabolism so you burn more calories all day—and during every cardio session. Further, on a weight-loss program, you will lose muscle mass as you lose weight (not a good thing), but regular strength training will help you minimize that muscle loss. In my expert opinion, regular strength training is just as important in a fitness and weight-loss program as cardio. Pick up the weights and watch the scale go down.

Not Drinking Water

When you’re doing cardio right, you’re going to sweat. And when you sweat, you need to replace those fluids. Waiting until the end of your workout to drink up can be a risky practice. You’re much better off keeping a water bottle with you during your workout and sipping every few minutes. Definitely don’t wait until you’re already thirsty to start drinking. Learn more about how much water you need to drink during workouts.

Doing the Same Cardio Workout

Most of us have a go-to workout that we love to do as often as possible. Whether it’s walking, Zumba, running or the elliptical, we tend to have a mainstay cardio workout. It is important to enjoy your workouts (you’re more likely to stick with them that way), but you’ll get far better results by mixing up your routine as often as possible. At the very least, add 1-2 days of cross-training to your existing cardio program (if you tend to do the same thing all the time). Mixing it up prevents overtraining and its related injuries and keeps your body guessing so that you don’t plateau.

Zoning Out

I know it’s the only way a lot of us can get through the monotony of the gym, but zoning out (think reading, watching or listening to media) during cardio can really hurt your results. When we’re not focusing on the task at hand, two things happen; first, we start to slack off because bouncing around too much makes it harder to read or we’re simply forgetting what we’re really at the gym to do (work hard). Second, because we’re not paying attention, our form tends to go by the wayside. Your posture slouches, your arms and legs aren’t moving through the idea range of motion, and you’re not striking with your feet or engaging your core properly. It’s fine to entertain yourself with TV, an audio book, or music during cardio. Just make sure to check back in every couple minutes to pay attention to your intensity and your form.

Lifting Weights Really Fast

We’re all strapped for time and many of us are lucky if we get to the gym a few times a week. We all want to make the most of our workout time. However, lifting weights really quickly (as in lifting the actual weight up and down at rapid speed) in order to try to ink out a little extra “cardio” benefit is a super bad idea. Slow, controlled form is essential for weight training. Speeding up your exercises is majorly risky. If you really want to try to turn your strength training routine into something more aerobic, don’t go faster. Instead, use full-body (compound) moves that work your upper and lower body simultaneously and/or get rid of the resting periods between sets in favor of circuit training. Both are safe ways to train that can amp up the cardio component of your toning program. Never sacrifice form or safety for speed.

Confusing “Activity” with Cardio

This is probably the most common mistake I see. We know how important it is to be active, and so we try to count every activity we do as “exercise” or cardio. That can be a big mistake for several reasons. While any activity is better than no activity, only those activities that meet the requirements for cardio activity really give us the health and fitness benefits we exercise in order to reap. Plus, tracking calories burned from every little thing you do is only misleading. You’re only really burning “extra” calories when you’re working pretty darn hard—not when you’re simply walking leisurely through the mall or doing some light cleaning. Learn more about the differences between activity and exercise.

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The body is reluctant to make a dramatic change to its current state. You must feed it so it has no choice. Convince your body there’s an abundance of food and nutrition by eating all day, every day. A highly effective diet for putting on lean muscle mass is a whole food, plant-based diet.

The reason I decided to write the gender-specific “How to Build Muscle for Women” is that there are physiological differences that need to be considered.

Women tend to be at a disadvantage when it comes to fat loss and muscle building because the majority of the advice offered is based on research done on men.

Many of the same fundamentals apply across the board, but women have different hormonal composition and metabolism. This carries over into exercise response.

A common belief is that women can’t build as much muscle as men because they don’t have as much testosterone. This is true, but also a little misleading.

Recent studies show that protein synthesis and gene signaling that lead to muscle gains, which are the primary factors for building muscle, are nearly equal between young men and women.

The exception is older women who have a reduced muscle building response to resistance exercise.

They possess lower protein synthesis than men of the same age in response to training, which appears to be maintained even when they take supplemental protein.

More research needs to be done in regards to dosing, but It’sit’s possible older women require a larger dose of protein or more of the amino acid leucine (which has been found to equalize protein synthesis in older and younger men).

Lift Heavy Weights Using Compound Exercises

According to strength expert Pavel Tsatsouline, a shorter number of repetitions with a heavier weight and using compound exercises (squats, deadlifts, bench press, etc.) is the optimal method for building size and strength.

He also speaks out against going failure. If you look at the strongest people on the planet, most of them do not train until failure. In his words, “Andy Bolton does not train to failure. Brad Gillingham does not train to failure. Konstantin Konstantinov does not train to failure. Case closed.”

Pavel is a former physical-training instructor for Spetnaz, the elite Soviet Special Forces, and is currently a consultant to the US Marine Corps, Secret Service, and Navy SEALs. He is a rare source I trust completely on the subject of strength training.

I have synthesized my own twenty years of applied knowledge in the gym and Pavel’s general methodology to get you started on a solid foundation.

Muscle and Strength Protocol:

• First, test your one-rep-max (the heaviest weight you can lift one time) to gauge your strength at the beginning of this protocol. Be sure you warm up thoroughly beforehand and have someone spotting you.
• Each exercise will consist of five sets.
• Each set will consist of five repetitions.
• The first sets are to warm up your body and get it used to progressively heavier weight until you reach your “working set” (the last set that is also the heaviest).
• Determine your working set by finding the maximum amount of weight that you can do for seven or eight repetitions.
• For each repetition, count three seconds up and three seconds down (or vice versa). This slower movement eliminates momentum, creates maximum stress on the muscle, and helps prevents injury.
• Take three minutes between sets. During your “rest,” always keep moving. Either perform a different exercise that trains another part of your body or casually walk on a treadmill or ride a bike.
• Test your one-rep-max again in five weeks to determine your progress with this protocol.
• Generalized strength skills that fortify all displays of strength and will help your efforts in the gym:
• Work on flexibility and posture with yoga or Pilates. This will make you stronger in the weight room.
• Build your breath with breathing exercises.
• Build your hand grip strength and strong abs.
• Daily meditation is a form of mental training that will strengthen your ability to focus. The world’s top bodybuilders, powerlifters, and athletes know how important this is, and all of them are exceptional at focus.

Protocol that will build muscle and strength for women.

You will also want to alternate this with a different strength training protocol every five to six weeks to continually shock your body, since it will adapt, and progress will slow to a halt. To reiterate, make sure to use heavy weights—one of the most common reasons women don’t get results from training is that they use weights that are too light because they fear that they will bulk up like a man. This misunderstood myth has no scientific validity to it.

Get Enough Rest

Your workouts make up the primary way to build muscle, but rest and diet also contribute. Rest gives your body time to repair, get stronger, and build muscles. Experts generally recommend at least 72 hours between training the same muscle group again.

Get Enough Protein

This is a topic of vast debate. Some experts say we are getting too much protein, while others say we aren’t getting enough. Because new science has debunked the myth that high protein consumption is harmful to the kidneys, I lean on the side of having too much than not enough.

In healthy people, normal protein intake doesn’t create a health risk. Even a fairly high protein intake (up 1.2 g/lb) doesn’t impair kidney and renal function in people with healthy kidneys. [1] In particular, plant proteins appear to be especially safe. [2]

For those who don’t train, the recommendation for healthy adults is 0.36 g per pound of body mass. For example, a 140 lb woman would need approximately 50.5 grams a day to prevent protein deficiency. This isn’t optimal for us vegetarian bodybuilders and athletes who train hard in the gym, however; for our tribe, we need to ramp things up to 1.0 g/lb of body mass. So the 140 lb woman would need approximately 140 g of protein per day.

Important Note: If you are 100 lb and want to build up to 110 lb, you will want to consume as much protein as a 110 lb person to get there (e.g. 110 g of protein).

Be sure to check out the protein-rich meal plans found in the interviews we post with vegetarian bodybuilders.

If you’re not into lifting weights, here’s a bodyweight exercise protocol that we feature in our bodybuilding system that many bikini competitors use for building lean muscle.

Article taken from Vegetarian Bodybuilding. Check their site for more tips!

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Exercise doesn’t just help you tone up and slim down—it can also make sex so much hotter. Try any (or all!) of these moves from the Women’s Health Big Book of Sex during your next workout for a more intense … you know… – no kegels necessary!

1. LOW SIDE-TO-SIDE LUNGE

Lunges boost flexibility, so he’ll be able to find your G-spot in almost any position.

Do the move: Stand with your feet spread wide, about twice shoulder-width apart, your feet facing straight ahead. Bend slightly at the waist, and clasp your hands in front of your chest. Shift your weight over to your right leg as you push your hips backward and lower your body by dropping your hips and bending your right knee. Your lower right leg should remain nearly perpendicular to the floor. Your left foot should remain flat on the floor (A). Without pausing, reverse the movement and raise yourself back to a standing position. Next, repeat with the left side (B). Do 10 to 20 reps on each side, alternating back and forth.

2. STANDING HIP THRUST

The name says it all—stronger thrusts, better orgasms.

Do the move: Step forward with one foot so that your feet are a couple of feet apart. Keep your toes facing forward and your knees slightly bent (A). Gently push your pelvis forward until you feel a very mild stretch in your hips. Although this may seem too subtle, don’t overdo it: The hip flexors are attached inside the legs in such a way that it takes very little effort to stretch them (B). Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then reverse leg positions and repeat.

3. HINGE

Learning how to angle your back in just the right way will make it much easier for your partner to stimulate your clitoris.

Do the move: Kneel on the floor with your hands at your sides. Resist the urge to sit back and rest your weight on your heels. Your back should be straight and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle (A). Keeping your head and spine in line with your thighs, slowly lean back a few inches (B). Hold for 3 seconds, then return to the starting position. Do 5 to 10 reps.

4. GLUTEAL BRIDGE

This hip raise targets your pelvic muscles for an even bigger O.

Do the move: Lie on the floor, arms at your sides, knees bent, and heels on the floor (A). Lift your hips off the floor until your knees, hips, and shoulders form a straight line (B). Do 20 reps.

5. LOWER-BACK LIE-DOWN

Your lower-back muscles are full of sensitive nerve endings—which can seriously increase your pleasure if you work to make them stronger.

Do the move: Lie flat on your back with your legs bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms at your sides (A). Draw your knees up to your chest and gently grab your legs just below the knees. Slowly pull both knees toward your chest as far as you can comfortably go, keeping your back flat on the floor at all times (B). Hold the stretch for 2 to 3 seconds, then slowly lower your legs. Repeat the stretch for 10 reps.

6. INCHWORM

This’ll loosen up your entire body, so you’ll feel all of those oh-so-good tingling sensations everywhere.

Do the move: Stand with your legs straight, feet hip-width apart (A). Bend at the waist and place your hands on the floor (B). Keeping your legs straight, walk your hands forward while keeping your abs and lower back braced. Then take tiny steps to walk your feet back to your hands (C). Do six reps.

7. PLIÉ

Strong vaginal muscles up your odds for an orgasm—and luckily, that’s what this move is all about.

Do the move: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out and hands on your hips (A). Slowly bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor (B). Press up through your heels to stand. Do 12 to 15 reps.

Credit to Women’s Health for these tips!

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