Is there a time that is better than others to perform your bodybuilding workouts for best results?  If you ask ten bodybuilders, more than likely, you will get ten different answers.  However, if you ask me, I'll tell you that it depends on what you are looking to accomplish. 

For fat loss with muscle gain, I feel working out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is the way to go.  Since your glycogen (stored carbohydrate) levels are low, it will be easier for your body to use the fat stores for energy. As long as you are not a hardgainer who has a raging metabolism and can easily burn muscle, or a bodybuilder with diabetes who needs to watch his/her blood sugar, this is a good strategy.  And if you are concerned with cortisol levels and being catabolic due to training in the morning before eating, drinking water and taking 5 grams of glutamine, 5 grams of creatine, 5-10 grams of branched chained amino acids, and 1 gram of Vitamin C prior to the workout will more than protect your muscle mass.  Working out in the morning on an empty stomach takes some getting used to but I promise you that after two weeks your body will be adapted to it. 

When muscle gain is your main bodybuilding goal, training in the afternoon offers the advantage of a higher glycogen level created by the multiple meals consumed, and thus, this results in more energy to push yourself harder.  Hardgainers should definitely stick to training at any time other than in the morning on an empty stomach.

With all of these being said, at the end of the day, in bodybuilding consistency of execution is what wins the game.  So even if fat loss with muscle gain is your goal, and you cannot train in the morning, then the best time to train is whenever you can allocate the time to perform your bodybuilding workouts.

Since training time is often a subject of controversy, I not only wanted to give you my opinion on the subject, but also the opinion of top bodybuilding legend (IFBB Pro Bodybuilding Hall of Famer) and fitness expert Lee Labrada on what is the best time to perform your bodybuilding workouts.

Please feel free to comment and let us know what bodybuilding workout times have worked best for you and why.

Bodybuilding training is composed mostly of weight training exercises.  For the best results possible, your bodybuilding training should be composed of mostly free weight exercises that use dumbbells and barbells for resistance.  However, I often get asked the questions: "What about bodyweight exercises?  Are these useful for bodybuilding?"

Truth of the matter is, that bodyweight exercises are the best exercises for the fastest bodybuilding results!  Examples of such exercises are the pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, dips, squats, lunges and calf raises.  Any exercise where you have to move your torso through space and that can be done just by using your body as the resistance is a bodyweight exercise. 

These exercises provide the best bodybuilding results because you have to activate the most amount of muscle fibers (since they provide the most neural stimulation) and use several stabilizer muscles (in addition to the main muscles being targeted) to accomplish the task of moving your body through space.  In addition, these exercises are excellent for creating functional strength; in other words, strength that can be used to any task in your daily life. 

As you get stronger, resistance can be added by using a weight belt for exercises like the pull-ups, chin-ups and dips, while barbells and dumbbells can be used for the squats, lunges, and calf raises.  For push-ups, you can have a partner provide you with the resistance.

So be sure to incorporate plenty of bodyweight exercises in your bodybuilding routine and watch your bodybuilding results soar!

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Yesterday I was reading an article that my dad gave me to take a look at regarding Quercetin and the debate over its effectiveness.   The article was from the October 11, 2009 edition of the New York Times Magazine and was written by Gretchen Reynolds.

Quercetin is a flavanoid found in vegetables, wine, and the skin of apples (amongst many other foods) that seems to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.  In addition Quercetin has been shown in lab rats to increase mitochondria in the cell, and as a result, the rats are able to run for significantly longer periods of time.  However, it turns out that while lab results show great promise in terms of performance enhancement, real life data in humans seems to show otherwise.  While this does not take away from the fact that Quercetin may provide several benefits to one's health, maybe in the gym there is not much that it can do for you. 

The reason I point this out is because if you browse through a muscle magazine there are countless ads for products that have been "proven" to work.  However, the fact that a product may turn a mouse into Mighty Mouse does not mean that the product will have the same effect on you.  This is something I learned early on from the writings of one of my good friends Will Brink (as he always points out what the lab says vs. what the real world shows) and also from my own Research and Development background of my engineering days.  What applies in the lab does not always apply in the same manner to the real world.      

So before you buy another bodybuilding supplement to enhance your performance in the gym, do your research on the products carefully and make sure that it has been tested in humans as well.  To be honest, only every so often there comes a new product that can really impact your performance in the gym, so my advice to you is to save your money and stick to the basics.  Also, always remember that as the author of the article I mentioned above rightfully said, you "can't expect improved performance to be delivered, without effort, in pill or liquid form." 

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For some reason in our society these days, a lot of people think that they are too old to do bodybuilding and get results.  Sometimes I have even talked to 30 year old guys who feel like they are way past their prime.  Personally speaking, I must say that at almost 35, I feel better (and I am in way better shape) than I was when I was 14 years old.  As a matter of fact, the Valeo weight belt that my mom got me for my 14th birthday fits my waistline better than ever these days.  However, it can be argued quite successfully that 35 years old is still a young age. What if you are 70 years old?  Can you get great results from a bodybuilding program?  While studies and my own personal experience with clients shows me that this is the case, I was astonished when I came across some news from Japan the other day.

A bodybuilder named Tsutomu Tosuka won the 21st Japan Masters Bodybuilding Championships at 74 years old!  And when you look at this guy, he looks better than most 20 year olds!  And on top of that, the guys he was competing against were in unbelievable shape as well.

Granted, Mr. Tosuka has been training for around 50 years, but this case goes to show you how the bodybuilding lifestyle is really the fountain of youth.

Here is a video of Mr. Tosuka and his competition: 74 Year Old Bodybuilding Champion.

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