Category Archives: Muscle Science

TRICEPS: Train All Three Heads

The triceps muscle is composed of three heads – and these need to be trained in a very specific way.

Q: My tricep doesn’t seem to be very responsive. Can you give me some training tips?

A: First, the triceps muscle is one muscle composed of three heads. So, it’s not one head, as in ‘tricep’. All three heads work together when doing any triceps movement. If you performed a ‘tricep’ exercise you would hit only one of the three triceps heads, and that’s not possible!

Properly training 
for results
Surprising to some, the triceps muscle takes up two-thirds of your arm space, making it larger than the biceps muscle. Even though your triceps may be the larger of the two arm muscles, it may not be as developed as your biceps. This is actually common because your triceps are located on the back of your arms, sort of out of sight and a lot of people tend to not train the rear body parts as intensely, since they can’t be seen as much.

Now that you know that you have a triceps (a three-headed muscle) muscle and not just a ‘tricep’ (a non-existent one-headed muscle) you need to understand the insertion points so you can train all three heads in the best possible way for maximum development.

Here is how your triceps muscle is broken down.
1. The long head runs down the back of your arm and is the largest of the three heads. It’s also referred to as the inner head.
2. The medial head is positioned on the midline of the triceps, lying deep within the arm. This head is appropriately referred to as the middle head at times.
3. The lateral head is located on the outside of the arm, giving that familiar horseshoe shape that makes your triceps stand out. This head is often referred to as the outer head.

So, what are you supposed to do with that information? Here’s the trick. To build serious mass on your triceps, you need to train each head in a precise order. As the angle of your arms change, the intensity of stress affects the heads differently. It’s not uncommon for trainees to train their lateral head too much and not pay enough attention to the medial and long heads.

The long head 
(the belly of the muscle)
The secret is to start with the long head — train that first and work down to the smallest head, the lateral head. What does training in this fashion do? Training with the longest head and working down allows you to put the most intensity and power into the primary head that is responsible for overall size.

When you train the long head, the other two heads will be stimulated either partially or fully, depending on the exercise. Even so, you should start your weight training with an exercise that works the long head of the triceps muscle. Exercises that zone in on the long head are the ones that allow the triceps to stretch fully. When training your triceps, your arm and elbow positions are critical. Usually, any movement over the head allows the long head to be stretched completely. By developing the long head you will build well-rounded triceps with a lot of depth. Exactly what you want!

Below are some triceps exercises that zone in on the long head:
• Skulls/lying triceps extensions/
French press
• Overhead extension (reverse grip too)
• Pushdown using straight bar with a narrow grip
• Close-grip bench press
• Dips

Now, I’m going to share one good little tip on making your triceps training even more effective: it’s all in the thumb. On exercises such as skulls, overhead extensions and pushdowns, shifting your thumb to the same side of your hand where your fingers are (a false grip) will put greater emphasis on your triceps. You see, when you wrap your thumb around the bar, the brachioradialis muscle in the forearm is called upon to keep the thumb in place and this takes the emphasis off of the triceps. Using a false grip keeps the focus on your triceps.

The medial head
A lot of the weight training exercises that stimulate the long head hit the medial head as well. Thus, there’s not a lot of difference in training, as on both you want to get the full stretch with your elbows overhead or out in front of you.

Below are some triceps exercises that zone in on the medial head:
• Close-grip bench press
• Overhead extension
• Skulls
• Pushdown (v-bar or straight bar)
• Reverse grip pushdown
• Dips

The lateral head
Besides training from the long head and working down to the lateral head, there’s no exact format to follow because all three heads work as a team. It’s just that some exercises zone in on one head more than others. That said, here are some triceps exercises that zone in on the lateral head:
• Rope extensions
• Kickbacks
• Pushdowns
• Dips

Your first week do workout 1, your second week do workout 2 and so on. See how your triceps look and feel after this cycle. Below are some triceps training workouts you can try.

Tristan "Lucky"

Written by: Tristan “Lucky”

www.Ripped-Science.com

Pro Football Training Guide: 8-Week Body Transformation

One of my long-time friends, Ryan, is a pro football trainer in in the Midwest and has been working with top athletes for the past 8 years. His main job is getting athletes leaned down and ripped out as quickly as possible prior to the season starting. He focuses on building strength and endurance.

Athletes have to train with only natural products and stay away from steroids or other banned drugs. Ryan can pretty much transform a person’s physique in as little as 8 weeks. This is through a combination of diet, daily lifting, interval training, and what he calls his “1-2 punch combo.” He is also known for his “Game Time 20” workout routine (listed at the end of this post).

This is one of the lead extras from the movie 300: Rise of an Empire. (I'm not allowed to show Before and Afters of main actors - sorry).
This is a well-known wide receiver of a pro football team. (I’m not allowed to show the face of the athlete, or say his name for legal reasons).

The “1-2 punch combo”, which he says is also used by actors and bodybuilders, is using IGF-1 along with an HGH booster. These two supplements combined are actually proven to be effective alone, but when used together the impact almost triples. Basically, they multiply each other’s effects.

Obviously, over here at Ripped Science, we’re all about the science behind the muscle, so here is a quick explanation. Science has known for years the dramatic effect HGH has on muscular strength and growth; its effects proven in dozens of studies. IGF-1, which can be derived from deer antler velvet, is the chemical cousin to HGH. It also builds muscle, but not as quickly as HGH. IGF-1 is important because it lasts much longer in the body and actually stimulates the body’s natural HGH secretion too.

The secret is to stack both together so that when your IGF-1 levels are rising, so are your HGH levels. The more HGH releases, the more you can train harder and longer, while also allowing your muscles to recover and rebuild quicker. This “1-2 punch combo” allows for rapid muscle growth and huge gains in record time.

graph-muscle

There are two products Ryan uses the most; deer antler velvet and an HGH booster. He has tried countless products over the years. Some have worked, some were scams.

The best deer antler he suggested was Supreme Antler, which is the only product with a full 100 Mg of pure deer antler velvet per serving. I personally never tried deer antler before, but have had several gym buddies give it two thumbs up and confirmed it definitely benefited them.

The other product he recommended was Sytropin HGH. It has a perfect A+ rating with the BBB (which is obviously good news) and was one I was already using prior to Ryan telling me about it.

I admit, both websites look like your typical muscle-head sale sites…the kinda “in your face” look, which used to make me skeptical. Ironically, some of the best products I’ve used have come from these types of sites. It’s kinda like that dive-looking Chinese food place that looks sketchy on the outside, but the food is freaking outrageously delicious. That’s exactly my best analogy for these products.

My coworker, David, trained with Ryan for 8 weeks and used the “1-2 punch combo” he recommended. He started on July 1st, 2014 and ended his cycle on August 26th, 2014. In that time, he gained 11.7 pounds of muscle and cut his body percentage from 19% to 13.6%. Needless to say, he just got back from Los Cabos and looking at the vacation photos, he looks very happy…and so is his wife!

BA2

“It’s ALL about stacking!!! Use the BEST that is out there. I’m 35 years old and I have taken a lot of different workout supplements over the years and nothing has given me the tone and definition that Ryan’s “1-2 punch combo” has. In my opinion, this combo is the workout supplements I’ve been looking for to achieve my goals in record time.” – David L. – Ripped-Science.com’s graphic design guru

RYAN’S “GAME TIME 20” WORKOUT:

Some days, we just don’t have time to put in an hour+ at the gym, but we definitely don’t want to completely skip a day and off-set our weekly routine. Ryan says, “The super-set is a great way to workout if you have limited time. Pick any of the cycles below. Each cycle should only take you two minutes to complete, for a grand total of 20 minutes per workout.”

Push-up/Crunch Super-set:

Repeat 10 cycles of:

– 10 regular pushups
– 10 crunches
– 10 wide pushups
– 10 crunches
– 10 tricep pushups
– 10/10 Left/Right crunches

Leg / Ab Super-set:

Repeat 5 cycles of:
– 20 squats
– 20 crunches
– 10 lunges per leg
– 10 crunches
– 20 calf raises
– 20 crunches

Running:

4 Mile Track Work:
– Jog 1 mile in 7:00-8:00
– Three sets of 1/4-mile sprints in 90-100 seconds
– Jog or walk – 1/4 mile

Or you can mix exercises together and do what Ryan calls the “Speedy Spartan.”

Speedy Spartan:

– Run 1 mile
– 100 pushups in as few sets as possible
– 100 crunches
– Run 1 mile
– 75 pushups in as few sets as possible
– 75 crunches
– Run 1 mile
– 50 pushups in as few sets as possible
– 50 crunches

This is the ultimate workout I have ever done in under 20 minutes. The challenge is to do:

– 100 pullups as few sets as possible
– 200 pushups in as few 2:00 sets as possible
– 300 situps in as few 2:00 sets as possible

Do these as quickly as possible. You can alternate exercises after each set of maximum repetitions.

BONUS: One thing we like to do over here at RS is provide you guys with free trial offers. Instead of having to pay full price, you can give these two oral supplements a try without breaking the bank.

STEP 1:

supreme-antler

Supreme Antler is not available in stores, only online. Using the following private link, you can get a risk-free trial bottle for only $4.95. Quantities for Ripped-Science readers are extremely limited, so act now before this offer ends.

try_button_over-01-muscle

STEP 2:

ripped-musclex

Sytropin is available in some stores, but they are currently offering, a 20 day free trial so Ripped Science readers can “try before they buy”. Use our special link to get your free bottle of Sytropin (a $60 value!), and use coupon code “HGHNOW” to pay just a $3.95 shipping charge to have it at your door in a few days.

try_button_over-muscle

 

Leave comments with your results!

Tristan "Lucky"

Written by: Tristan “Lucky”

 

The Ultimate Pre-Workout Supplements Guide for 2014

pre-workout supplementsThere are many guys out there who have questions about the value of taking a pre-workout supplement prior to hitting the weight rack. Some only rely on their general, daily supplementation routine to be enough. We’re here to tell you, it isn’t.

Pre-workout supplements represent one of the best-selling and fastest-growing categories in the supplement market today. It makes sense when you consider the one-hour window before training is for providing your body with the nutrients it needs to perform at its optimum level.

Are Pre-Workout Supplements Necessary?

The right pre-workout supplements can boost your strength, endurance, focus, and muscle pump. If you train hard on a depleted storage supply, your body will have no choice but to turn to your muscles as its energy source since it has nothing left to burn. Training without taking pre-workout supplements is a counter productive effort.

Another negative effect of skipping your pre-workout supplement is feeling slowed down, fatigue, a reduction in stamina and endurance. You cannot achieve peak performance if you deprive your body from the fuel it needs to give you optimum power and strength. Ignoring your pre-workout can make a huge difference in your muscle-building progress.

Do Pre-Workout Supplements Really Work?

There are endless numbers of pre-workout supplements to choose from that boast strength, endurance, focus and muscle pump. You don’t want to waste your money on products that talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk. Too many pre-workout supplements rely on stimulants and fail to deliver real nutrients to muscle fibers.

Be sure that your pre-workout supplement provides at lease a few of these ingredients, all of which are clinically suggested to increase muscle strength and power:

  • STRENGTH AND POWER BOOSTERS
  • Betaine
  • Beta-Alanine
  • Creatine
  • ENERGY BOOSTERS
  • Tyrosine
  • Taurine
  • Rhodiola Rosea
  • Schisandra Chinensis
  • B Vitamins
  • STIMULANTS
  • Caffeine
  • Yerba Mate
  • MUSCLE BUILDERS
  • Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
  • Glutamine
  • Carnitine
  • PUMP PROVIDERS
  • Citrulline
  • Arginine
  • GPLC
  • Pycnogenol
  • Nitrates
  • Glycerol
  • BRAIN BOOSTERS
  • Choline
  • DMAE
  • Huperzine A
  • FAT BURNERS
  • Green Tea Extract
  • Synephrine
  • Yohimbe

What are the Side-Effects or Dangers?

Dangers and side-effects are based on the products themselves. Some are filled with chemicals, ranging from unsafe proportions of herbs to a slew of nasty added ingredients.

In the long-run, your body could potentially become reliant on an external source of energy. Mentally, some become addicted to and infatuated with the feeling the pre-workout has given you and you no longer feel satisfied without it. This is when some guys go overboard and the initial 1 scoop becomes 3 and 4. They create their own danger by misusing the product.

Can You Become Immune to Pre-Workout Supplements?

YES. This is why “cycling” with supplements is important. Usually, it isn’t a bad idea to go off of a pre-workout for a week and then try a new, recommended one. I use my top 3 (which I will list later in this article) and so my body never gets immune to it. This way, I’m not having to exceed 2 scoops, ever, and I keep having the same incredible results.

Which Pre-workout Supplements are Best?

There are plenty of pre-workout supplements available online and in stores, yet make sure to choose ones that are fast-acting and are quickly delivered to the bloodstream. Most importantly, choose ones that contain the best ingredients and don’t come from some sketchy company in New Guinea or another country that most likely has labs that are not FDA compliant.

MY TOP 3 PRE-WORKOUT SUPPLEMENTS

xwerks-ignite#1 My personal favorite is a newbie to the market, Xwerks Ignite. This stuff is the ultimate hulk-mode inducer without the gamma radiation. Some pre-workouts had me crashing after 20-30 minutes, but not with this stuff. It had me plowing through my 60-minute workout with more power to boost. I felt like I could pick up a tank, throw it across the room, and then jump over it! It also proved its claim to help my laser-sharp focus, which my ADHD brain needs. My buddy, a personal celebrity trainer, told me about it a month ago and I’m glad he did.

#2 Betancourt Bullnox Androrus is more than just a supplment, it’s an experience. I have to admit, not everyone can handle the bull. It can get pretty intense, but it can be the holy grail of pre-workouts if you’re looking to add some meat to your frame and feel primal at the same time. It’s a feel-your-testosterone pre-workout.

#3 Musclepharm Assault is a respected product by bodybuilders, athletes and fighters alike. This is an ideal product for anyone looking to get serious about their strength training and results. From hearing talk in the gym, this product seems to be the best back-day pre-workout you can take. It doesn’t focus on pump, but helps make you solid and strong.

So, the moral of this story? TAKE YOUR PRE-WORKOUT!

 

Tristan "Lucky"

Written by: Tristan “Lucky”
www.ripped-science.com

 

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is BS

BMI ComparisonThe body mass index (BMI), or Quetelet index, was developed between 1830 and 1850 by the Belgian polymath Adolphe Quetelet. The BMI formula is a measure of relative weight based on an individual’s mass and height.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that muscle weighs more than fat, so plenty of bodybuilders and athletes could easily be classified as “obese” according to this method. This is why trainers are more likely to measure your body fat percentage and throw the BMI out the window. According to my personal BMI, based on my height, I should weigh 135 pounds. I can assure you, I would look anorexic at that weight. I haven’t weighed that since my freshmen year of High School.

In early 2000, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study showing that body-fat percentage may be a better measure of your risk of weight-related diseases than BMI.

482544_10151275375716863_1905687069_n

The BMI Formula Breakdown:

  • Very Severely Underweight: Below 15
  • Severely Underweight: 15 to 15.9
  • Underweight: 16 to 18.4
  • Normal (healthy weight): Between 18.5 and 24.9
  • Overweight: Between 25 and 29.9
  • Obese Class I (Moderately obese): 30 to 34.9
  • Obese Class II (Severely obese): 35 to 39.9
  • Obese Class III (Very severely obese): 40 and higher

Here are 2 reasons why I call BS to the BMI:

body fat percentage measurement1. The guy who dreamed up the BMI explicitly said that it could not and should not be used to indicate the level of fatness in an invidual.

When Mr. Quetelet introduced the BMI in the early 19th century, the fact is, he was a mathematician, not a physician. He produced the formula as a quick and easy way to measure the degree of obesity of the general population to assist the government in allocating resources. In other words, it is a 200-year-old-hack.

2. It is scientifically nonsensical and physiologically wrong.

It ignores waist size, which is a clear indicator of obesity level. It makes no allowance for the relative proportions of bone, muscle and fat in the body. Bone is denser than muscle and twice as dense as fat, so a person with strong bones, good muscle tone and low fat will have a high BMI. Again, why athletes and fit individuals tend to be classified as overweight and obese. The BMI cannot differentiate between The Terminator and The Pillsbury Dough Boy.

My Simple Conclusion: Stick with measuring your body fat percentage and toss the BMI in the dumpster.

Tristan "Lucky"

Written by: Tristan “Lucky”

www.ripped-science.com

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Turn Baby Biceps Into Loaded Guns: 6 Killer Moves

bicepsLet’s admit it. Guys with big arm muscles look good. Women lust after them and so do we, just in a different way. We WANT them for ourselves. Instead of coveting your brother’s bulging biceps, I’m going to teach you 4 exercises to get you the guns you’ve been dreaming about.

TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE.

Biceps are muscles with two heads – hence, the “bi” part of the word. As they say, two heads are better than one. Have you ever seen a guy with biceps that look impressive from one side, but then the size vanishes when viewed from the front? Conversely, have you seen biceps that appear thick and meaty from the front, but viewed from the side, they’re flat and shapeless? This is when you know that one of the biceps heads has developed while its brother has lagged behind.

I’m taking here about the good ole’ biceps brachii. The biceps brochii has two heads running parallel to one another along your upper arm. The short head runs on the inside of the arm, closest to the chest, and adds to the thickness when viewed from the front. The long head runs along the outside of the arm and forms the peak when flexed. If you’re genetically lucky, you may have been gifted with an obvious split between the two heads.

Here’s my list of 6 biceps exercises to bulk you up:

1. Pushup-position hammer curl

pushup hammer

HOW TO DO IT:
Grab a pair of dumbbells and assume a pushup position with your palms facing each other. Without moving your upper arm, curl the weight in your right hand toward your right shoulder. Lower it, and repeat with your left arm. Continue alternating right and left curls for 30-60 seconds. Add weight in subsequent workouts, but don’t try to speed up the movement.

HOW IT WORKS:
If you’ve done rows from a pushup position, this exercise will seem familiar. But, by doing a curl instead of a row, you move the load farther from your center of gravity and base of support. Your core muscles, in turn, need to work harder to stabilize your spine, making this one of the best ab exercises you’ve probably never done.

2. Kneeling single-arm curl

kneeling curl

HOW TO DO IT:
Select a dumbbell you can curl for no more than 5 reps or 15 seconds. Hold it in your nondominant hand, palm in, and kneel. Keeping your elbow against your ribs, curl the weight, twisting your palm so it faces your shoulder at the top of the move. Do 3 reps a side as many times as you can in 5 minutes. Once you can go back and forth 10 times (30 total reps on each side), increase the weight.

HOW IT WORKS:
Your biceps have two functions: to bend your elbows and supinate your forearms. Doing both with heavy weights and low reps leads to fast results. When you do these curls from a kneeling position, with the weight on one side, your obliques work overtime to keep you upright, giving you another way to target your core and biceps simultaneously.

3. Split-jack curl

split jack

HOW TO DO IT:
Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, palms in, feet hip-width apart. Jump into a split stance—left leg forward—while curling the weights to your shoulders. Return to the starting position and repeat, landing with your right leg forward. Continue for 20 seconds or 10 reps. To make it harder, drop into a lunge as you land. For a fast, 4-minute cardio workout, rest 10 seconds after each set and do 8 sets.

HOW IT WORKS:
With lighter weights, it’s a good cardio drill that works your biceps. With heavier weights, it’s a killer power-training exercise. The deeper you sink into a lunge and the faster you jump out of it, the more you target your fast-twitch muscle fibers. They’re the biggest and strongest, and they have the greatest potential for growth.

4. Resistance band jumping-jack hammer curl

resistance band

HOW TO DO IT:
Stand with your feet together and centered on a looped resistance band, holding the top of the band with your palms facing each other. Curl the band toward your shoulders and jump out with both feet. Reverse the move to return to the starting position. Repeat for 20 seconds or 10 total reps. Do 8 sets, resting for 10 seconds between them. You can mix it up by alternating sets of curls and overhead presses (4 sets of each).

HOW IT WORKS:
Jumping out against the band targets the hip muscles that provide stability during lunges and squats but that are rarely worked directly. Strengthening these muscles can improve the appearance of your lower body while also protecting your knees. Oh, and your biceps will get some work as well.

5. Squat concentration curl

concentration curl

HOW TO DO IT:
Hold a pair of light dumbbells (10 to 15 pounds) and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed out slightly. Push your hips back and squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keeping your weight on your heels, your elbows pressed against your inner thighs, and your palms facing each other, curl and lower the weights for 30 to 60 seconds. Do it one arm at a time to add an element of instability and increase the challenge to your core.

HOW IT WORKS:
Sitting at a desk most of the day closes your hips, which can strain muscles in your thighs and lower back. This move forces your thighs out and opens up your hips. Pressing your upper arms against your thighs keeps the movement at your elbows, preventing other muscles from assisting.

6. Eccentric curl

eccentric curl

HOW TO DO IT:
Select a pair of dumbbells that are 5 to 10 pounds heavier than what you’d typically use for 5-rep sets. Hold them at your sides and assume an athletic stance, your feet hip-width apart and your ankles, knees, and hips slightly bent. “Cheat” the dumbbells to the top position with a dumbbell clean: Explosively stand up straight while bending your elbows to draw the weights to your shoulders. Take 5 seconds to lower the weights. Do 3 sets of 5 reps, resting 90 seconds between sets.

HOW IT WORKS:
Your muscles can lower more weight than they can lift. That’s why eccentric (or negative) reps, which lengthen muscles, can spark new growth. Plus, the dumbbell clean improves total-body power. Of all the exercises in this article, this one may be the best all-around biceps builder.

 

Tristan "Lucky"

Written by: Tristan “Lucky”
www.ripped-science.com

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Top 5 Forgotten Muscles You Can’t Ignore

Forgotten Muscle Groups

Okay, admit it. If you’re the typical guy, you’re probably guilty of editing your workouts to include only those muscle groups that get judged most. You know, the ones that actually turn heads.

You’ve been caught. We see you spending 30 minutes hitting the same muscles as always and 15 minutes hitting on the toned brunette on the leg press. The last 15 minutes are spent hitting on yourself in the mirror and possibly sneaking a “selfie” to post on Instagram #gymfreak4life.

If this is you, then it’s time to stop using the pretty-boy training method and instead spend a little time developing some of those other areas that we often forget.

Here are the five most often neglected muscle groups, and a set of simple fixes to get them up to speed.

    1. The Forgotten: Rear Delts. You’ve seen those guys—heck, maybe you are one of them. They show up at the gym to work their chest and their abs (quite intensely, in fact) and then head out the door. You think you’re getting great pecs and a six-pack with time left over to go to lunch. But what you actually end up with is a rounded back and tightened and shortened chest muscles. Bad posture isn’t pretty, and in the long term it also isn’t very safe. It’s time to fix that and get yourself standing up straight again.
      The Fix: Add some rear delt work by doing bent-over reverse flys. Another consideration is to sacrifice some of that weight you’ve been lifting on your narrow-grip cable row and choose a wider grip while raising your elbows. This will recruit more of your rear delts, or the back of the shoulder, into your back-work and help correct your some of that poor posture.
    1. The Forgotten: Forearms. So, do you remember the last time you worked your forearms? Have you ever even worked them? If not, or if you’ve ever given a weak handshake, then you likely need to get on those forearms. Don’t worry—with a little consistency, great forearms and a firm grip can be in your future. Shockingly enough, my girlfriend goes crazy over my forearms. You’d be surprised what muscles the ladies drool over that you’re neglecting.
      The Fix:
      One of the first things you can do is get a grip, literally. Forego those lifting straps for awhile. Sure, they’re great for doing those heavy pulls, but leaving them at home for a while will force your forearms to work that grip and increase your strength. Another thing to add is wrist extension and flexion exercises. When you do this, remember that you want to keep the weight heavy enough to rep out in a set of around 10. That’s the hypertrophy (muscle-growth) zone. My favorite little trick I do is hold dumbbells out at 90 degrees and and rotate my wrists inward and outward.
    1. The Forgotten: Hamstrings. Are you ever worried about knee injuries? Or, maybe your knees have been “talking” to you a bit. One of the sure-fire ways to help protect your knees is to strengthen those hamstrings. Sure, you do your squats and leg extensions, but you need to add some extra work for hamstrings.
      The Fix:
      Try two of my favorite exercises—RDL’s (a.k.a. Romanian Dead Lifts) and physio ball curls. Both of these exercises require your glutes and lower and middle back to engage as you perform the work. They also require to you work your hamstrings in a somewhat unstable environment, which is a great thing for those who like to be active and want to ensure knee health. Most injuries occur when there is a muscular imbalance, an unstable environment, and an applied force—and the knees are no exception. The bonus: nicely developed hamstrings complete a great set of legs.
    1. The Forgotten: Calves. You know those little bird legs you have below the knee? Well, it’s time to stop contemplating implants or stuffing your socks. Instead, put in some good gym time to get them stronger and increase the size of your lower legs. To develop some good strength and size you’ll need to be a bit aggressive with the heavy weights during your calf workout. You don’t want to be that guy with the muscular top that doesn’t match the bottom. Awkward.
      The Fix:
      To get you started, you’ll want to at least add a couple sets of standing calf raises to your workout. The standing calf exercise will allow you to hit your triceps surae (that is, the medial and lateral heads of the gastrocnemius and the soleus, which are the two major muscles in the lower leg). This is basically the entire calf muscle group. To focus your development on the medial (or inner) head, turn your toes out slightly; to develop the lateral (or outer) head, turn your toes inward slightly. If you want to go one step further, add a seated calf raise as well. In the seated position, your gastrocnemius will relax, allowing your soleus (the muscle that lies under the gastroc) to do the majority of the work. Creating size underneath will make that gastroc pop just a bit more, and doing both exercises will give you size, strength and a great looking calf.
  1. The Forgotten: Cardio. Ok, this isn’t about a specific muscle group, but I put it on the list because I believe that most guys generally don’t do enough cardio work (if any). The only time cardio comes to mind is during a lean-out phase or in a nightmare. Truth be told, a strong cardiovascular system will help keep you healthier. It’s that simple. And, of course, it’s also a great base for any training that you do, including strength training.
    The Fix:
    It’s time to bump up that cardio output and get yourself breathing seriously heavy. You can do this in any number of ways: running, swimming, cycling, cardio weight circuits, or group exercise classes like bootcamp or crossfit. The key is to remember F.I.T.T.:

    Frequency: Ideally, you want to be doing some cardio 3-5 days a week. This is best to do after weight training so you don’t deplete your endurance and strength up front.

    Intensity: Your cardio session needs to be hard enough to get you to breathe vigorously. At some point during the workout, you should be able to hear yourself breathing.

    Time: It is estimated that it takes 15 minutes for the body to properly respond to cardio. Anything prior to that is like scratching the surface. You want to push for 30 minute sessions, even if not all at once.

    Type: To help keep your body constantly guessing and prevent it from acclimating to workload (and to keep yourself sane), you want to change up what type of cardio you are doing. In fact, you can do various types in one day. Just make sure you get it in.