Muscle Gain Guide: Build Lean Mass and Get Ripped Fast

Building lean muscle mass effectively involves a combination of high-density training and strategic supplementation like whey protein or creatine. Discover why women should lift weights for fat loss and how to maintain muscle while getting lean.

Portrait of young businessman flexing muscle outdoors

The Effect of Acetylcholine on Muscle

Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger, a neurotransmitter, released by nerve cells in many parts of the peripheral nervous system. It controls the contraction of all skeletal or voluntary muscles, for instance. It also affects the contraction of smooth and cardiac muscle.

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Low angle view of a boy flexing his muscles on the beach

Can You Gain Muscle Before Puberty?

Physical appearance is important to adolescents, so it's natural for teens and pre-teens to want to start working out. Skinny beanpoles or pudgy babies who grew into pudgy kids may start having visions of building muscles to re-shape their bodies.

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Fit blonde doing weighted lunges on the beach

What Are the Functions of Muscle Flexors & Extensors?

The human body is made up of hundreds of muscles, each classified as either skeletal, visceral or cardiac muscle tissue. Both flexors and extensors are skeletal muscles, and both have a unique function in the body relating to joint movement.

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woman running up on mountain stairs

Does Stair Climbing Build Muscle?

Stair climbing is an excellent workout that benefits your heart and increases your leg strength. Georgia State’s Department of Kinesiology and Health notes that stair climbing works multiple muscles in your bottom half, including your calves, glutes, hips, hamstrings and quadriceps.

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House of Pain

Posture-Improving Weight-Lifting Exercises

Poor posture is a very common condition. Posture issues are generally caused by muscular imbalances, in which a muscle is either too tight or too weak Poor posture can manifest into many different conditions; the most common is back pain.

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woman fitness resistance bands exercises silhouette

Can You Get Bigger Muscles with Resistance Bands?

For good health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that all adults do strength training exercises two times a week. That exercise can take many forms, including using resistance tubing or bands.

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Fit couple lifting barbells together

Can You Gain Weight to Make Your Butt Bigger?

It is possible to make your butt bigger by participating in a muscle-building, weight-training program and following a nutritional plan that will allow you to put on weight. The largest, major muscle in your butt is the gluteus maximus, which is responsible for extending your hips.

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Top 25 Muscle-Building Drinks & Pills

Dietary supplements designed for bodybuilding or building muscle are available in thousands of brands, flavors and ingredients. As a result, it can be difficult to choose the best supplements to meet your muscle building goals.

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Beautiful muscular fit woman

Is Lifting Heavy Weights Bad for Women?

Lifting heavy weights is not inherently dangerous, as long as you are lifting an appropriate weight for your health and strength and you use correct lifting technique. Although pregnant women should generally avoid lifting heavy weights, healthy women can train over time to lift heavy weights without injury.

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Woman in gym lifting weights

Weights & Forearm Pain

Weight-related forearm pain can be frustrating and debilitating. It can make even simple tasks unbearable and it can signal serious injury that requires medical attention. It's important to understand what causes weight-related forearm pain and how it can be prevented and treated.

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Can You Build Muscle on a Calorie Deficit?

A popular misconception in fitness and nutrition circles is that it is impossible to build muscle and lose weight -- via a caloric deficit -- simultaneously. While this is not impossible to do, it can be quite difficult and requires several specific circumstances to be in place.

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Woman lifting weights

Does Muscle Mass Increase Your Weight?

If you want to keep the number on your scale low, you may feel unsure on whether to add weight training to your workout routine. Although building muscle mass may cause temporary weight gain, you may lose weight over the long-term. Before you make any changes to your exercise routine, consult your doctor.

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leg - arm exercise durng office work

How to Loosen a Tight Calf Muscle

Your calf consists of two muscles: the gastronemius and the soleus. These muscles allow for movement of your foot and ankle. Tight calf muscles are a common complaint. They occur as a result of living a sedentary lifestyle or because of strenuous exercise.

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Rusty weight lifting

How to Clean a Rusted Weight Set

Weights that have been unused and stored for a long time in an enclosed area can accumulate rust and dirt. Just because your weight sets are rusty doesn’t mean you can’t use them anymore. By employing all the methods below, you can make your weight sets look new and usable again.

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Bodybuilder working out

Weight Lifting & Fluid on Elbow

The condition commonly described as “fluid on the elbow” is medically referred to as elbow bursitis. A small sac of fluid that sits between the tip of the elbow bone and the skin, the bursa allows the skin and bone to move freely against one another.

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Group Of People In Spinning Class At Gym

Your Skeletal System's Response to Exercise

Your skeletal system has 206 bones that work with your muscles to allow movement. This system gives your body its shape and form. Physically active people generally have higher bone density than inactive people. Your skeletal system responds to exercise like your muscles.

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Woman doing crossfit barbell lifting

Military Press vs. Behind-the-Neck Press

Resistance exercise tones and strengthens muscles. Exercises for the shoulders are especially beneficial for developing good posture, releasing tension and increasing blood flow to the upper torso and head.

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Woman exercising with weights

How Much Time Should I Spend Lifting Weights?

The amount of time you dedicate to lifting weights depends on your weightlifting experience and your training goals. Experienced lifters can endure more training stress and need a greater number of sessions to see continued improvement. Beginners need to allow more time for muscle recovery and to prevent overtraining.

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