Putting Steroids to Shame

Whatever you may think about either steroids, or the people who use them, its probably not good. Logically, steroids should scare everyone away because of their negative side effects. Not only are they illegal but they cause many hormone problems to both men and women. Most people link steroids with getting big, really big. Truth is, America recently found out this isn't necessarily true when NY Yankee Alex Rodriguez admitted to steroid use.

Athletes have fallen prey to steroids because of their ability to prolong fatigue within the body. They are in pursuit of being Bigger, Stronger, Faster. There is now a recent documentary with first-hand accounts of pro athletes who abused steroid use. Check out Bigger, Stronger, Faster which is now available in stores on DVD and on Netflix.

Build muscle, stamina, and endurance naturally.

Building Size:

1. Think major muscle groups; perform squats, deadlifts, and rows.
2. Lift faster. Lifting quickly at the beginning of the movement and ending slowly, while maintaining control, will activate the maximum muscle fibers and burn fat.
3. Take a break. Only lift every other day. Try and stay at three days a week with weight exercises. Your muscles need time to recover and your strength will grow faster with rest.

Building Stamina:

1. Be consistent. Before hitting weights or cardio too hard, focus first on schedule. Whatever you goal is, two, three, four, five days a week; take the first couple of weeks to make it a habit to hit your schedule.
2. Start slow and end BIG. Choose a length of time to reach your goal. Say two months. Know where you want to end with strength and cardio, then backtrack. What you lift, run, toss, walk, or throw the first week should only be about 1/4 of what you can do at the end.
3. Get some shut-eye. Sleep happens to be the biggest pitfall or failure to hit and maintain fitness goals. Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night and you will see your game improve.

Building Endurance:

1. Start with sprints. Interval training can be done with both weights/cardio. Turn your 45 minute run/weight training into 20 minutes by moving faster and taking short breaks in between quick bursts. Do this two or three days a week and on the third or fouth day, go back to the 45 minute workout and see how your training has improved.
2. Use lighter weights, higher reps. Many athletes don't train for size. They train to last. Ramp up your weight training to 20-25 weights with lighter reps. Move faster and take shorter breaks between exercise.
3. Focus on core. Everyday movements, including athletic activities, require core strength. With every exercise, include stabilizing or using your abs in the movement.