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Why You Need to Train Your Legs

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If you are looking for the best way to build muscle fast you have to train your legs. This is not negotiable. It is something you must do.

Do You Train Your Legs?

We have all seen the guys in the gym with the huge upper body and twigs for legs. When asked they have a multitude of excuses for not training their legs. It could be “squats hurt my knees” or “my legs get enough work through cardio training”, but the excuses are everywhere. I want you to understand why you must train your legs.

Train Your Legs for a Stronger Foundation

The stronger your legs the higher you can jump, faster you can run and more athletic you will be. Don't participate in sports? There is a functional benefit to training your legs. Things like pushing your car, lifting boxes and carrying heavy things up stairs will become much easier with strong legs.

Train Your Legs to Boost Your Metabolism

What two exercises burn the most calories? Squats and deadlifts. They are without a doubt the two highest calorie burners out there. You can bench all day long, but there is no substitute for heavy squats and deadlifts.

Train Your Legs to Increase Growth Hormone and Testosterone

Scientific studies show that doing squats and deadlifts increases the release of growth hormone into the body. They also show that testosterone levels also increase. If your goal is more muscle than this is the way you want to go–more growth hormone and more testosterone.

Train Your Legs to Build Your Upper Body

By focusing on compound leg movements you will build muscle throughout your entire body and that includes your upper body. Train your legs hard and your entire body will benefit.

Train Your Legs for Mental Toughness

Anyone can train their upper body. It is fun and takes less effort. It takes a tremendous amount of mental effort to do a good leg training. For some reason, heavy squats get inside your head and it is very easy to give up. Competing the task takes mental strength.

Do not ever skip leg day. Train your legs with intensity just like any other part of your body. Watch the results pour in.

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Saturday Sharing: My Thoughts on Accountability

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Accountability. That's a word that makes people shiver. It is a word that creates fear in so many people. Why? What does this word mean?

accountability-defined

To me, accountability is one of the most important factors when trying to reshape your body. There are many reasons I feel this, but they are mostly buried within that definition above.

Accountability Through Public Goals

One way to achieve accountability is through public goals. Set a goal and then make it very public. Social media is great for this. I used this technique to lose 80 lbs. I set a goal and then told everyone about it. My goal? To get up on stage at a bodybuilding competition–fat or skinny. This goal forced me to  lose the weight or risk the embarrassment that would ensue. At times when I felt like quitting the accountability created by the public goal really worked to keep me focused.

Accountability Through Blogging

I got my first taste of blogging because of the need to be accountable. I set up an accountability blog and began blogging daily. Over 500 days later I was still at it. The power of knowing other people were following my progress was insane. I actually made decisions on what to eat or not to eat based on the knowledge that others were reading my progress and I needed to stay on track for them.

 Accountability Through Social Media

Social media is an amazing thing when done correctly. I tend to see things as tools and social media is no different. What a great way to get accountability! You can use your social media accounts to build followers and then have your following hold you accountable. Social media accountability is simple to do as well.

Accountability Through Food Tracking Online

The biggest part of getting in shape is how you eat. It is the one part I always struggle with the most. However, using tools like My Fitness Pal will enable you to post your meals and have others see them. This will be a major accountability tool when used correctly.

Honesty — The Ultimate Key to Accountability

What good is accountability if it doesn't come with complete honesty? There is a major character flaw in many people that has them saying one thing and doing another. Why post online that you worked out so hard if you didn't step foot in the gym? Why post what you ate when it isn't really what you ate? This attitude shows you are not very serious about your plans, so why are you wasting everyone's time? Be honest. It is the only way accountability works. Don't lie to others because in the end you are also lying to the most important person in the equation–yourself. Accept your failures along with your successes. In the end you will pile up far more successes by being honest and allowing others to give you the accountability you need.

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Bad Bodybuilding Information

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Bad information is so prevalent in the bodybuilding and fitness industry. Sometimes it is quite obvious while other times it is not. The following 3 points are aimed at teaching you how to avoid bad information.

Bad Information Disguised as Expertise

Many times an expert will use their reputation to put out a money making idea. Often they don't take care to insure that it is not bad information. People flock to their site and buy because of their name. They disguise the bad information as expertise. Always take the time to compare the information you are given with previous teachings by the expert. Use your brain. Don't be duped into buying things just because someone “big” is behind it. That is simply a recipe for disaster.

Bad Information Disguised as Innovation

 

At times people present their ideas as innovative. I've seen things like the popcorn diet or the all fruit diet that make some fantastic claims. The do so based on the fact that their idea is “innovative” yet they fail to show you any scientific evidence to support what they are presenting. Just because something hasn't been presented before doesn't make it innovative. Be careful with new ideas. Bodybuilders have been doing their thing for many years and the approach really hasn't changed much.

Bad Information Disguised as Minor Modifications

Many times an old idea will get a remodel. This is one I carefully scrutinize because I know the old system well and what it can and can't do. I analyze what the new changes are and how they would help or hurt the old system. I conduct my own experiments. That's the key. Check things out to see if they really do work. Bad information will hide behind many things, but if you keep your eyes open you will be able to vet it and not be fooled.

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How to Stay Focused on Your Goals

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Do you get bored with your goals? It is important to stay focused in order to accomplish what you set out to accomplish. You have to dig deep to get through the times when boredom sets in. These simple tips will help you stay focused on your goals.

Concentrate on 1 to 3 goals at a time

Perhaps you are spreading yourself too thin? Pick 1 to 3 goals and then concentrate on those. Don't even think about your other goals until you accomplish the 1 to 3 you chose.

Maybe your goals are too large?

I've taught you how to break down your goals, but perhaps you didn't break them down small enough? Reevaluate where you are and see if maybe you can break your goals down even further.

Create a plan

To stay focused, create a plan for completing the goals you have. It is much easier to stay focused when there is a plan of action for you to follow. We enjoy checklists because they make us feel like we've accomplished something.

Track your results

It’s important for me to track the results of what I do, because otherwise it feels like my actions are not making a difference. Hence, every time I work on a goal, I will identify 1-2 performance metrics, then track those metrics daily/weekly. They are my connection to the end goal, because they let me know whether I’m on track or off track, which in turn lets me know whether to tweak my actions or not.

Start a journal to document your process

Journaling is very therapeutic. It helps you to get your inner thoughts out and that's a good thing. Keeping things bottled up will only cause you to lose focus. If you want to stay focused you have to work at it. Journaling will help with that.

Just stick to it. The goals you set were set for a reason.

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Expose Podcast Episode #2: Hot Bodybuilding Topics of the Day

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Listen to the podcast below

Hi and welcome to Episode 2 of the Expose Podcast. I am Michael Mahony and I will be your host today as we discuss some of the hot bodybuilding topics of the day.

The NPC Nationals were held on November 21 and 22 in Miami, Florida. While there was some debate about the strength of the field, it was rather exciting in the end. There were 62 men and women who earned their IFBB pro cards at this event.

The overall winner of the men's bodybuilding section was Alexis Rivera-Roton. He looked amazing. Awesome symmetry in his physique.

Logan Franklin was the overall winner of the men's physique division.

Samantha Smitchko was the overall winner of the women's figure division.

The overall winner in the bikini division was Laurin Conlin. While to me she looks a little too muscular for bikini and would be better suited to figure, she brought a complete package to the stage to pick up the win.

Marcie Simmons was the overall winner in women's physique.

Susan Marie Smith picked up the overall win in women's bodybuilding.

The NPC Nationals was very well attended.

The following weekend was the Amateur Olympia and Bikini Pro in Moscow.

The reigning Olympia Bikini Champion, Ashley Kaltwasser took the bikini division.

In the men's bodybuilding, Abdelaziz Jellali won the overall title.

Now I would like to discuss something that I think all of you can help with. We need more coverage of bodybuilding events. I know that mainstream television won't pick these contests up, but ESPN would be one place where this would work. I suggest we all write in and ask them to begin covering at least the finals of these events. This is the only way the sport as a whole is going to be popular.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. I will look forward to coming at you again next time!

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