T H A I B O D Y B U I L D E R . C O M

Training

Over the years I have learned that if you want to true results, you have to pay attention to a lot of details in the gym. Showing up on training day just to go through the motions and repeat the same lifts each week won't cut it. Form, technique, managing your sets, reps, rest time and knowing a variety of exercises, all play a roll in how efficiently you build quality muscle mass. Lifting to failure is a must. That means you pick the proper weight so that on your last rep you can't lift it without breaking form. You always want to make sure you fully extend (no partials) ensuring that you develop full, round and long muscles. Utilize a combination of free weights, cables and machines hitting your target areas from all angels to keep your body guessing in each workout.

Here are some of my favorite exercises per each muscle group. Keep in mind you can do these exercises either with free weights, cables or machines. Mix it up!

Traps:

Shoulder Shrugs, seated or standing

Deltoids:

Lateral raises, military press, reverse military press

Biceps:

Preacher Curl, Barbell Curl, Seated Curl, Isolation Curls, Close grip Pullups

Triceps:

Skullcrushers, Cable Tricep pulldowns, Dips, Kickbacks, Overhead tricep raise

Pecs:

Bench Press (incline, flat, decline), Flys

Lats:

Widegrip Pullups, closegrip cable pulldown, lat pull down

Middle Back:

Bent Over Rows, seated rows, single arm dumbbell raises

Lower Back:

Reverse Crunch

Abs:

Hanging Leg Raise, Roman Chair leg raise, ball crunches, cable crunches

Hamstrings:

Straight leg deadlift, single leg dumbell deadlift, reverse leg curl machine, leg curl machine

Quadriceps:

Heavy dumbbell lunges, leg press machine, smith machine/barbell squats, leg extension machine

Calves:

Bent Over Donkey Raise

The biggest pitfall I see in the gym is that many use momentum to move the weight versus actually isolating the muscle they are trying to build. Some try to go way heavier than they should which results in unnecessary rocking, swinging, and bending joints that they shouldn't be.

Supplementation

Before anyone should consider taking supplements, you should make sure you are hitting your daily protein intake. 1g-1.5g protein per pound of lean body weight is the generally acceptable value. Once you get all of your protein shakes down (I drink 50g drinks/4x day) then you can consider taking a pre-workout N.O. (nitric oxide) drink and a creatine mono-hydrate supplement. Of course a multivitamin is a must so that your body gets all the nutrients it needs and I would say a post-workout glutamine recovery drink is optional.