Yeah, it's getting old, right? There's another bodybuilding program that recently launched that is touting "The Holy Grail" — you know, building muscle and burning body fat simultaneously.

Is it true? Can it be done?

Of course, anything is possible.

But let's weed out those of you (and it will be many of you) who don't need a program like this. I write a lot about "hardgainers." Guys who can't gain weight, in any form whatsoever, no matter what they do.

There isn't an ounce of fat on 'em. That could be you. You don't need this program. Seriously.

Then there are those of you who might be carrying an extra 25, 50, or even more pounds. You could use  this program and make great gains.

But you'll make better progress if you just concentrate on dropping the body fat. You'll lose body fat a lot faster with other types of programs.

Think "high intensity interval training" coupled with frequent jaunts to the weight room. Also, a lot of calorie counting and cutting.

So you're out.

This program really is custom-designed for those of you who can build muscle and who might just have a tad too much body fat. Like you're at 15 percent and want to be 12. Or you're at 10 and want to be at 7. You get the picture.

You're most likely a mesomorph who has been a little loose with your eating program and may not hit the gym as hard as you should. But you're an athlete. Maybe out of shape, but still better than 98 percent of the population (look around — you're better than those standing around you).

If you're one of these guys or gals, and you're not a little wuss (this program will kick your ass), you will love this program. There really is nothing better — who doesn't want to build muscle and drop body fat at the same time?

It's totally possible with this program. In fact, if you follow the program to the "T" you cannot do anything but make boatloads of progress with this program.

The Holy Grail was designed by a colleague of mine, Tom Venuto. He's a champion bodybuilder and he trains a ton of really bad-ass looking people: Models and other fitness athletes. He knows what he's talking about. And he's applied this system to countless stars.

It works.

As part of his new program release promotion, Tom is giving away 4 limited-time bonuses worth $114.80, but the offer ends tonight at midnight.

==> http://blog.muscle-build.com/go/holy-grail/

• BONUS #1:  Extreme And Controversial Fat Loss Techniques (ebook $19.95 value)
• BONUS #2:  Super Lean Seminar – Secrets Of Achieving Very Low Body Fat (Audio MP3 and ebook Transcripts $49.95 value)
• BONUS #3:  The Science Of Goal Achievement – 10 Secrets of Subconscious Mind Power and 7 Secrets of Scientific Goal Setting (ebook, 55 pages, $29.95 value)
• BONUS #4:  How To Measure Your Body Fat In The Privacy Of Your Own Home (ebook $19.95 value)

When you get the Holy Grail program today, you get all 4 of these bonuses, (seriously good info, valued at $114.80) for free.

==> http://blog.muscle-build.com/go/holy-grail/

I suggest you take a long, hard look at this program. It's killer. But it's not for everybody or every body!

Here's how I answered the question on Yahoo! Answers:

Question:
Hey.. I'm a 5'11 approx 190lb guy.. I wanna pack on some weight really badly because I'm thin and approaching feminine looking. Problem is that I have a very fast metabolism and nothing I do seems to add weight. I even found a term for it. Hardgainer. So, how do I overcome this? I work a full time job and have school.. so I really don't have time to just pig out all day long. I'm single.. no gf to cook tons of meas for me.. I can cookfor myself, but I don't know what's best for gaining weight. I know to stay away from junk food.. I never touch fast food. Any suggestions for me? Oh, I've tried those weight gain shakes from the health stores.. spent a fortune on that stuff and never gained a pound. This is really frustrating because i wanna start working out hardcore, but without anything to build off of what's the point?

Answer:
Your last line tells me you don't understand how to build muscle. It's all about synergy – if you lift heavy but don't eat right, then you will gain nothing. Same if you eat a lot and don't work out (well, except with this "method" you will get fat and turn into "skinny fat guy" or "fat skinny guy").

You need to approach gaining weight (i.e., building muscle) from 3 angles:

• Eat right
  
• Train right
  
• Recover right
  

Attitude is the glue that sticks it all together.

Eat 6 to 8 times a day, concentrating on protein-rich sources like eggs, beef, milk, fish, pork, and chicken. Also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Don't forget water!

Weight gain powders don't work well. Some people make gains, but these are the exceptions. They would have gained even without the supplementation.

Try a meal replacement powder mixed with whole milk like MetRx. Don't replace a meal, though, add it in.

Train 3 times a week. Do "limbs" one workout and "torso" the next workout. Stick to compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses and rows. 6 to 8 reps for 1-3 sets, starting at 1 set and building to 3. Try to add weight every workout.

Get plenty of sleep, at least 7 hours a night. Try for 8 or 9; you're better off. If you cannot get 8 or 9, take a nap in the middle of the day.

Keep a positive attitude. It makes all the difference. I know it's difficult to stay positive; I used to be 120 pounds and couldn't gain an ounce. Then I figured it all out and put on 60 pounds in less than a year. Success came from simply following the program above and by staying positive about it all.

Best of luck. I know you can do this!

I get this question all the time:

What is the best time to work out?

The answer I give every single time is whenever you can!

I know that living today's fast-paced, rat-race lifestyle can put a real bind on your training schedule. What with kids, family and business obligations, etc., sometimes you don't have enough time in the today for yourself.

I am a perfect example. I bang away at the computer all day and night, hoping to bring you the information you need and want in order to improve yourself. I have 2 small kids, a loving wife, bills to pay, lawns to mow, cars to attend to, older parents to take care of.

When do I train?

When I can!

Now, I've made it my goal to work out in some fashion every single day. I get in at least 3 weight workouts a week, 6 sessions of "cardio," and a lot of play time. Fortunately, my kids take care of me on that one!

Many days, I stack my cardio on top of my weight workouts since I only want to hit the gym once a day. And I don't spend a lot of time there! Last night, for example, I pounded by back, chest, shoulders, and lower back in the span of 20 minutes. Then I went home because I had a LOT to get done.

So, getting back to the point – exercise whenever you can!

I will say that there probably are IDEAL TIMES to train. I made my best "hardgainer" gains when I worked out in the morning. My energy levels were highest, I could eat before and after my workouts (even during!), and I could spend the rest of the day in a relatively lax state.

Now, I am finding it a little difficult to work out in the late evenings (the only practical time of day for me right now) and NOT eat like a freaking horse afterwards, right before bed. Eating a lot right before sleep is okay when you're on the skinny side. But it's really not conducive to effective weight control, if you know what I mean.

It's clear that when you workout determines when, what, and how much you eat. Here are two charts – one for men, one for women – that lay out the when, what, and how much you should eat depending on when you work out.

Again, the best time to work out is when you can. Just make sure it happens. A workout today is better than none at all, if even only just for a few minutes. And use the charts as a baseline for determining what, when, and how much to eat, especially in terms of supplementation.

Timing really is everything.

Guest post by Jon Benson

We should all take a big, huge, massive sigh of relief.

Finally… the FDA did something right when it comes to bogus "magic" diet-fatburn pills.

A panel of experts reviewed Vivus Inc.'s new wonder-pill "Qnexa" today.

They gave it the thumbs-down.

Why?

Oh… pesky little reported side-effects like… (are you ready for this?)…

• Heart Attacks
• Stroke  
• Increased Risk of Suicide (yikes!)
• Memory/Concentration Loss

You know… "minor" stuff like that.

GEEZ. What the hell are these drug companies thinking?

Oh, right…

Quick-Fix = Big-Bucks

Got it.

So, I am going to believe that YOU are much smarter than the morons who tried to get this drug past the FDA.

I'm going to assume you want a solution to this obesity pandemic and your own fatloss issues (if you have them) that do NOT involve risking your life for a thinner you.

"Oh, Marge… she looks so thin in her casket…"

THIS IS NOT A GOOD EULOGY! : )

One day… perhaps even in my lifetime… someone will invent a chemical that actually works to shed bodyfat without harming the body. That will be a great day for all of us.

Even so, I can all but promise you that this chemical will have its nasty side-effects and/or be limited in duration or power.

Nothing, repeat NOTHING you can pop in your mouth will give you the JOY that managing your dietplan and bodyweight can give you.

NOTHING! 

It's one of the greatest feelings in the world.

And here's a fantastic clue for you: 

The reason we want to be thin is because of the FEELING it gives us.

Most everything we do is based on feelings.

Quick-fixes negate the most powerful thing about feelings:

Earning the right to have them.

Think of it this way: Would you feel more alive and powerful if you climbed a mountain or if you took a helicopter ride to the summit?

Sure, the helicopter is easy… but which is more personally rewarding?

Think of your own body transformation goals as your personal mountain to climb.

No helicopters… just really good guides (I'm sharing a "guide" with you today that I personally think is one of the best guys in the fitness industry) and solid climbing tools (like a great real-world dietplan, solid workouts that work WITH your schedule, and realistic but exciting goals.) 

Your goals will become your base camps along your summit of your personal journey to the best you possible.

Color me silly, but I think that sounds FAR more empowering and rewarding that popping pills.

As you may know I wrote one of the top books in the world on "real-world" weighttloss (spelled that way so the spambox won't eat your email… : ) called "The Every Other Day Dietplan."

I made this dietary System as easy as possible… but NO plan is "easy" and there is NO quick-fixes out there without serious pricetags.

That said, I have some "rebel tricks" to share with you today based off just a few pages in my best-seller… and they won't put you six feet under before your time.

Here's my article, "Rebel Fatloss Tricks"… go see it:

You can't sell this stuff in a bottle… but it works to get the bodyfat off and keep it off.

Jon Benson is the author of The Every Other Day Dietplan.

If you pick up Jon's dietplan (on the article page above) you'll find in the Member's Area three supplements that actually DO work to help you burn-off-fat… but they do not work like magic. They work like they're supposed to: Realistically, and without harming your body.
 

Guest Post by Tom Venuto
www.BurnTheFat.com

High intensity interval training can be done in a variety of different ways. Here’s a wickedly-effective type of interval training: it requires no machines or fancy equipment, you can do it outside in the sunshine and fresh air, it develops killer conditioning, carves out legs like a sprinter, and burns calories at an accelerated rate…

In other articles about running/aerobics and high intensity interval training, as well as in my Fat loss books, I’ve written about how you can integrate both traditional steady state cardio as well as high intensity interval training into your training program for optimal body composition improvement, health and increased fitness – you don’t have to choose one form of cardio or the other. In fact, settling into dogmatic views about cardio will only limit you.

Traditional steady state cardio is pretty much self-explanatory and intuitive. But many people are still confused about the best way to do interval training.

An Insanely Effective Way To Do Interval Cardio

I’m not sure if there is a single best way to do intervals because there are so many choices and everyone is different in their goals, interests and personal preferences, so “best” is a relative thing. But let me give you one of my personal favorites that is breathtakingly effective:

Stair sprinting!

Your typical interval workout in the gym might be on a stationary cycle, treadmill or stairclimber with short 30-60 second bursts of high speed and/or resistance, followed by a 60-120 second period of low intensity recovery. That’s usually a 1:1 or 1:2 work to recovery interval. You then rinse and repeat for the desired number of intervals, usually between 6 and 12.

I sometimes have access to a great set of university stadium steps with a straight shot right up – 52 steps.

Sprinting it takes about 10 seconds or so, walking down about 30 seconds. Those are short intervals with a 1:3 work to recovery interval ratio. That wasn’t by design, it just happens to be how long it takes to run up and walk down that particular flight of stairs, but co-incidentally, that fits within common recommendations for short sprint-style intervals.

I make sure I’m warmed up first, I usually start with a couple flights up at a slow jog then a run, before sprinting, usually 10-12 rounds.

Even if you jog/run instead of sprint, (or pause briefly at the bottom of the stairs), when you do the math, you can figure that this usually doesn’t take more than 10-12 minutes.

Why do I like stadium step sprinting?

1. Stair sprinting is a time saver. Like other forms of interval training, it’s entirely possible to get as much if not more cardiovascular conditioning in 10-15 minutes than you’d get from a much longer session of slower cardio (depending on the intensity and effort levels).

2. Stair sprinting is engaging. Many people get bored doing long slow to medium intensity cardio sessions. This is a great way to break up the monotony of traditional cardio workouts. Even though it’s tough, it’s actually kind of fun.

3. Stair sprinting is incredible for leg development. As a bodybuilder, I like to look at all types of training not only in terms of conditioning, fat loss and health, but also whether they will add or detract from the physique. I find that brief but intense stair workouts are amazing for leg development – quads, hamstrings, glutes and even your calves. In fact, I started training on the stairs more than 20 years ago, and I always considered it as much if not more of a leg workout than anything else.

4. Stair sprinting can be done outside. If you have access to stadium steps, as opposed to just a stairwell, you can enjoy the sun and fresh air.

How to integrate stair running into your training program

If you’re an overachiever type, you might be tempted to do these sprint workouts in addition to your current strength training and cardio workload.

However, keep in mind that intensity and duration are inversely proportional. When you do high intensity cardio or all out sprints, you are condensing more work into less time. That means the best part is, you can do a brief but intense stair workout instead of one of your long cardio sessions rather than in addition to them.

Recommendation: Start with one session per week, then progress to two if you choose. You can do traditional cardio the other days of the week if you want or need additional calorie-burning. Lower intensity cardio in between weight training and interval workouts can also serve as active recovery.

Not everyone has access to a full flight of stadium steps, as you might find at a local University. Running flights of stairs in a high rise is another effective and no-cost way to train on stairs. Although you can’t truly sprint with twists and turns on each floor, you can jog/run.

No stairs? Hills will get the job done too and they may provide you with more flexibility in the length/duration of your intervals. I’ve found some big hills at just the right grade of incline that I can do 30-45 second runs up, with about 90-120 seconds walk down. Grassy hills are nice, when available, as they spare you some of the impact from running on the concrete.

Sprinting up stairs is not for everyone. If you have a history of health problems or orthopedic issues, check with your doctor before doing any kind of high intensity training and of course, don’t train through the pain of injury. If you are significantly overweight, it may be a challenge just to walk up stairs, let alone run up, not to mention it might create undue stress on your joints. But as you get lighter and fitter, it’s a challenge you might slowly work toward.

Be sure to build up gradually and adjust the workout based on your current health and fitness level. You could start with as few as 4-6 rounds and build up from there. You can also start with jogging up the stairs, then progress to running, then move to sprints. Be sure you are fully prepared and warmed up before attempting all out sprints as sprinting when unprepared is a notorious source of hamstring pulls.

Some coaches believe that running uphill is safer than sprinting flat surfaces. Writing for Staley Training.com, Coach Steven Morris says, “Another great reason to hill sprint: even an athlete with horrendous running form will be safe running hills. This is simply because the hill does NOT allow the athlete to over-stride nor does it allow them to reach top speed, both major factors in hamstring injuries.”

Stair sprinting is a perfect complement to the cardio portion in my Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program. If you’re healthy and already fit, try this advanced interval workout and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results!

Train hard and expect success!

Tom Venuto, author of
Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program

Founder & CEO of
Burn The Fat Inner Circle

About the Author:

What's your goal for the rest of the summer?

I know quite a few people who reached their low body fat goal – some even achieved their lifelong dream of seeing six pack abs…

Now they want to gain some muscle, but they're scared of gaining back the fat along with the muscle (which is very common… so it's not an unwarranted fear).

If you want to:

• Gain muscle WITHOUT getting fat (NO "bulking up" – just lean gains)
• Lose fat without losing muscle (FORGET the "lean but bean pole" look)
• Or even gain muscle and lose fat at the same time (The "holy grail" of all fitness goals!)

then check out: The Holy Grail

Here's another answer chosen as "Best" at Yahoo Answers. The question was, 

I'm a 16 yr. old male. My body type is kind of hour-glass shaped ( My body is femenish ) I weigh 140. My body has no definition what-so-ever.

I want a nice, muscular body. The pecs, abs EVERYTHING.

My question is, how do I get there? I don't need to burn off any fat, It's just a matter of taking the right course and building those muscles.

I need a guide that will get me there. Advice from the experienced would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

ANSWER – Muscle-Building for Teens

Source(s):

I am a somewhat frequent "best answerer" on Yahoo Answers in the health- and fitness-related categories. This one comes from a newbie trainer who wanted to know how to build his body and what were the best foods to eat in order to do so.

Muscle-Building Foods and Exercise Program

The best and cheapest foods are REAL food like milk, eggs, beef, chicken, fish, and pork. Stick to high protein, calorie-dense foods if you're having trouble putting on weight. Don't worry about getting fat at this stage of the game – build up your muscle size and then cut down when you've built the size you want.

Stick to compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, bench presses, and chinups. Forget about doing curls, calf work, and ab exercises.

Start with one set of 10 reps for each exercise, done every other day. Graduate to 2 sets after a week or so; then 3 sets after 4 weeks, and finally 4 sets of each after 8 weeks.

Work out for 3 weeks, then rest a week. When I say "rest," I mean "do next to nothing." Let your body recover. Your metabolism will also slow down and be ready to hoard all the food you eat the following week.

Eat 6 times a day, minimum. Concentrate on the protein foods mentioned above and add in raw, leafy green vegetables, nuts, oats, and other whole grains. Potatoes and pasta are good, too.

Supplement each meal with a glass (8 ounces) of whole milk and one scoop of a high-quality whey-based protein powder.

Get at least 8 hours of sound, restful sleep each night, preferably during the same hours (i.e., 10 to 6 or 11 to 7). Consistency is key when it comes to all 3 facets here (training, eating, and resting).

Source(s):

Building muscle without weights is entirely possible–even preferred in some cases. It is a common misconception that you must join a fancy gym or buy expensive Olympic weights, squat racks, and other esoteric equipment in order to forge a well-developed body. But that is not true. Especially if you follow a sound, well-rounded exercise program coupled with good nutrition.

Remember when you were a kid and did all those pushups, pullups, and situps? You did calisthenics, ran, and played games in your physical education classes?

Most likely, you ate a solid diet consisting of plenty of eggs, mancakes, beef, fish, chicken, and water.

You know, the simple things. You led the simple life.

You still can.

Building Muscle Without Weights

In fact, unless you're an adult, I would suggest that you be very cautious of training with weights, especially very heavy weights. They take their toll on young joints, and while you may not feel it today, you may very well experience a lot of joint issues in your 40s and 50s. Arth Ritis is not a friendly man!

But you can certainly follow the lead of many men and women who train without weights. They do bodyweight exercises like pushups for the frontal torso muscles, chin ups for the back and biceps and rear delts, and single-leg squats for leg, glute, and lower back development.

By simply doing as many reps as possible for multiple sets per day, you can build a fantastic-looking and performing body.

Start out by doing one set of as many reps as you can do in each of these exercises:

• Chin ups
• Push ups
• Single-leg squats
• Crunch

When you can do more than 20 reps in any of the exercises, drop the reps and add a set. Start off with the first set at 12 reps and finish with as many reps as you can do.

A variation on this theme is to just pick a number of reps in a workout that you want to complete. I will talk more about that in a future post.

If you want a fully-fleshed out "how to build muscle without weights" program, check out the Bodyweight Training Program

For many people, gaining weight is quite easy. Just look at most Americans. It's losing weight that is difficult.

However, even though millions of people are chronically overweight, they're "under-muscled." The objective of this post is to change that.

To build lean muscle mass, you have to take on a serious weight training and diet regimen. Hopefully, you are starting from a point where you are relatively lean or just need to drop a few pounds of body fat. But if you're seriously overweight, you can still follow the prescription I'm about to give; just realize that it's going to take some time and a lot of effort to see lasting results.

All that said, it's pretty easy to build lean muscle mass.

How to Build Lean Muscle Mass

These are some general guidelines to follow. You can check out Building Muscle in 30 Minutes a Day for an in-depth view of how to put it all together. Note that you need to do some form of cardio in order to supercharge your calorie-burning efforts. Here's what I propose:

• Follow the Building Muscle in 30 Minutes a Day system.
• Add 30 minutes every single day of cardio. It can be fast walking, running (not jogging, too hard on the joints), cycling, or active hiking. I prefer mountain biking, but you can do anything you want as long as you do it hard for 30 minutes.
• Eat frequent, small meals. The idea here is to maintain blood sugar levels so that you don't get hungry and don't burn muscle for fuel.
• Add 4 Fat-Loss Secret Ingredients to your diet.
• If you cannot prepare 6 meals a day, buy a meal replacement supplement like MetRx. You really cannot afford to miss meals.
• Portion control is king! Don't eat a lot. Use smaller bowls, plates, and utensils.
• Eat slowly. You may feel like you're grazing all day (because you are) but it's necessary.

As you might surmise from the above list, diet is very important. In fact 80 percent of your success can be attributed to nutrition. Don't take it lightly. In order to build lean muscle mass, you have to eat lean, quality food. No fat diets DO NOT WORK but neither does "all you can eat."

Choose to eat wisely and train smart. You'll build a better-looking body that will be healthier, too!