Students at Northeastern University have put an array of electrodes inside a compression shirt. The shirt is part of system called Squid. The Squid includes a smartphone app and an exercise tracking site. Squid can monitor and gauge muscle activity and count reps so you don’t have to keep track of them manually. The shirt most likely can’t tell the difference between a bench press and push up, but at least it can track reps and heart rate. Not available to the general population yet, but it looks like it has potential depending on the cost.

Via: Engadget

There is more to a physique than just the mirror muscles. Mirror muscles are those that you can easily see in the mirror; the chest, delts, biceps, etc. Many so-called serious lifters place too much emphasis on these muscles, and neglect a very important aspect of upper body training; the back. While lower body training is just as important, the focus on this article is taking a look in the rearview mirror; the back muscles.

Many people hate back training for a variety of reasons. It may be due to the fact that you can’t see it easily in the mirror, you can’t really isolate it like say a bicep or tricep muscle, and it’s boring. There may be a host of other reasons, but those seem to be the most common amongst lifters.

Why should you train your back? There are a myriad of reasons why, but here are three reasons why back training should be a focus in your routine.

1. Lower Back/Spinal health.
Many back injuries could be easily be avoided if more attention was given to the lower back muscles. A strong lower back is essential to protect the spine and discs. A lot of injuries occur on lifts such as the squat and deadlift simply due to the fact that the lower back was not properly conditioned and/or not strong enough. A good way to remedy that is to make exercises such as Good Mornings, Reverse Hypers, and other lower back exercises a staple in your routine.

2. Muscle balance.
As with the lower back, many injuries occur to the chest, shoulders, and even back muscles due to the fact that there is a muscle imbalance. Many lifters tend to worship lifts such as the bench press, shoulder press, etc. and neglect the rows, lat pull downs, pull ups, etc., resulting in a muscle imbalance. This muscle imbalance can create a host of problems such as lower back and posture issues as well as shoulder problems. A good rule of thumb is to focus on rowing movements as much as you do on pressing movements; if not more! Compare your row strength to your pressing strength. If you can bench press way more than you can row, then more than likely you need to reassess your training. In other words, make rows, lat pull downs, pull-ups, etc. a normality.

3. The illusion of a small waist.
Not only can a strong back reduce the risk of injury, but it can also benefit the aesthetics of a physique as well, by creating the illusion of a smaller waist. Wide lats create what is known as the V-taper. A nice V-taper can create a wide, pronounced appearance, and make the waist appear much smaller. A thick and developed upper, middle, and lower back help create this strong, powerful look. Nothing completes the upper physique like a strong, developed back.

As you can see, back training is a necessity in any lifting routine. Many people neglect back training, but hopefully after reading this article, they will make a habit of looking in the “rearview mirror.”

Building muscle is a great way to protect bones and can also make you look a bit sexier. Whether you want to tone your body or build a massive amount of muscle, there is a lot you need to know. For example, how often should you practice weight training? Here are just five things everyone should know about building muscle.

Growth Begins with Nutrition

Nutrition is necessary for muscle growth. Not only does this mean eating adequate amounts of protein (1-2 grams per pound of body weight), but it is essential to eat enough calories. Not eating enough calories will prevent your body from growing muscle. In fact, if your body is getting too few calories it may begin to break down muscle and start storing fat.

Stretching Before the Workout Is Necessary

In order to prevent injury, you need to stretch your muscles before you start lifting weights. Stretching works to warm the muscles so that they are more flexible. Lifting weights without stretching can damage the muscles because they don’t have enough give to handle the weight. Take 5 minutes to stretch the entire body, paying special attention to the areas you will be working that day.

Muscles Require Rest

There are two ways in which your body needs rest. The first is making sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. While sleeping, our muscles recover and continue to grow. The second way you need to rest is to alter your routine between weight lifting and cardio. Your muscles need time to recover after a weight training routine or they will not grow.

Desired Results Will Determine the Routine

If you want to bulk up, it is recommended to lift heavy weights in fewer reps. Those that want to get toned, but not bulky, should opt for lighter weights and more reps. This option is perfect for most women that simply want to tone their body for a sexier look.

Consistency Is Essential

You cannot work your body to death one day and then not have another workout for 2 weeks. You need to be consistent in your workout. Many people opt to weight train 3 days a week with a day of cardio in between for a total of 5 days. This ensures that your muscles continue to grow.

Building muscle is easier than you might think. Remember it all begins with adequate nutrition and that the workout itself needs to begin with at least 5 minutes of stretching to prevent injury. Don’t forget that your body also needs rest for the best growth and that your desired results will determine your routine. Last, but not least, be consist with your workouts.

About the Author: Octavie Henges is a female bodybuilder who enjoys reading about how to get ripped fast and disecting the opinions of other fitness enthusiasts. She encourages everyone to see a doctor before starting any fitness routine.

Branched chain amino acids, better known as BCAA’s in the fitness world, play a pivotal role in strength and physique improvements. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and BCAA’s are essentially comprised of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These amino acids make up about 1/3 of the skeletal muscle in the body. Serious bodybuilders supplement BCAA’s religiously to either pack on mass when bulking, or preserve mass when dieting. They are a very beneficial supplement to use since they can be used by the body as a fuel source, or aid in protein synthesis.

Perhaps the most pivotal amino acid in terms of muscle is leucine. Leucine has been proven to be the main contributor in promoting protein synthesis. Consequently, BCAA’s are often formulated in a ratio that results in leucine being the most prominent amino acid. Common ratios are 2:1:1, or even 4:1:1, of leucine: isoleucine: valine. An effective dose of leucine is 2.5 grams, which is usually included in these ratios, to make up a 5 gram serving. For example, for a 2:1:1 ratio, 2.5 grams of leucine, and 1.25 grams of both isoleucine and valine make up a 5 gram serving.

A good rule of thumb is to ingest a good deal of leucine around training. A proven method is to sip on a mixture throughout your workout, as well as with your post workout shake since this is the time your muscles are most susceptible to nutrients. Some people go as far as supplementing leucine between meals in order to stimulate and keep protein synthesis at its peak throughout the day.

Other than a quality BCAA or leucine supplement, a good source of leucine can be obtained from foods such as whey protein (contains the most of any food), red meats, eggs, and other dairy products.

If you are looking for a proven and effective way to pack on or preserve muscle, then leucine supplementation is a good choice. There are no side effects from leucine supplementation, except for the great possibility of a better body!

A home gym can be one of the most costly of purchases of any piece of exercise equipment. Get the right one and you will have a friend for life: a faithful servant that will take any beating and grow and adapt to your fitness needs. Get it wrong and you’ll end up with an expensive, hulking mass of steel that takes up way too much room and fights you every step of the way.

Choosing a gym, whether it’s a Powertec, Tuff Stuff, Hoist, BodyCraft or Body Solid home gym, doesn’t have to be a difficult process if you following the following 5 tips.

Set your budget and stick to it

Mental well-being is more important than physical well-being. So, don’t put yourself under any financial stress. Buy what you can comfortably afford. If you can’t afford it then either wait until you can or make do with a bench and some weights until you can afford to buy your home gym. And never, never let a sales rep talk you into buying above your set limit, even if they’re offering some kind of ‘easy repayment plan’.

Be realistic and set your goals

This is important as defining your goals will define the kind of workouts and stations your gym should have, which ultimately determines what you’ll need to pay. Sure, we all want to have the best toned body in the State but be honest with yourself and determine what it is you realistically want to achieve. Do you require a gym for upper body workouts, leg strengthening, abs toning or general overall strength training? Make the list and search for the gym that best offers the features you need.

Think about your goals now but have an eye on the future

As your training regime, knowledge and experience grows over the months and years you’re using your gym you’ll almost certainly want to expand on the types of training you can perform. So, look at the add-ons or extensions that are on offer for each type of home gym you’re thinking of buying. If it comes ‘as is’ with no optional additions you want to be sure that you’re never going to need them. If the gym does come with extensions then ask about whether the optional extension (and home gym for that matter) will still be available to purchase in, say, five or ten years from now. Again, think about budget. Don’t feel pressured to buy optional extras if you can’t afford them. Do without for now and buy them when you are both physically and financial ready.

Don’t forget to ask about the warranty

It’s amazing how many buyers don’t know what the warranty is even after they’ve bought the product. Make knowing the warranty a top priority. Many good quality gyms now come with residential lifetime warranties on every part of the machine to the original owner: very impressive and reassuring though you usually do have to pay a high premium for such outstanding warranties.

And don’t forget about customer care either

Though this can be more problematic to know at time of purchase – after all, we only really get to know how good a company’s customer care service is only when there’s a problem – it’s definitely something you should try to get a feel for. So, ask the sales rep about the company’s customer care. Ask questions like, ‘what happens if the gym arrives damaged or parts are missing or something wears out during the warranty period?’ Also ask who actually deals with the customer support, the retailer or the manufacturer?

By following the five tips above you’ll make the buying process easier on yourself. If you have any doubts on any of these points then simply move on. Eventually you will find your perfect home gym, though you may not achieve that ‘perfect body’ you have in your mind’s eye.

Robert Mangan is the owner of www.fitnessLyceum.com an online retailer of fitness equipment were customer care is of paramount importance. The company retails America’s best brands at the lowest price possible.