“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

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Bodybuilders.

We’ve all seen these guys…

on the cover of magazines, TV, the Internet, or maybe even in your local gym. Some of them look ridiculously large. Almost like cartoon figures. And most of us at one point said to ourselves “Damn, I bet that guy’s really strong”. But what you don’t know is that most (certainly not all) aren’t nearly as strong as they look. In fact sometimes their appearance can be incredibly deceiving.

What you have to understand is that most bodybuilders are training to gain the maximum amount of muscle mass while still maintaining a symmetrical physique. Their goals are to have large, shredded, dry muscles, and balanced physiques when they’re on stage at bodybuilding shows. So most don’t train for strength.

Unlike Athletes…

Bodybuilders Train Body Parts Not Movements.

Which means they look at training like a sculptor looks at a sculpture. They’re trying to create aesthetically pleasant physiques that are perfectly proportionate. Wide shoulders that are as wide as the sweep of their legs, arms the size of their calves,  and a tiny waist are all traits that are favorable to a bodybuilder. So they tend to isolate muscle groups and work them individually.  This isn’t the case for all bodybuilders but it is for most.

On the other hand athletes, especially those in sports requiring power, generally train movements (at least the ones that are being coached correctly). They Squat, Clean & Jerk, Push Press, Bench Press and Snatch. And they aren’t usually worried about how aesthetically pleasing they look (although many look amazing as a result of their training). Athletes in power sports also tend to lift heavy weight because they want to be stronger and and have as much strength relative to their body weight as possible giving them a greater advantage on the field. So what determines the difference between muscle that’s built for strength and muscle that isn’t as functional?

Myofibrillar vs Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy

-Myofibrillar hypertrophy is the enlargement of a muscles myofibrills which contract and generate tension. Leading to an increase in the strength of that muscle. This type of muscle is built by lifting heavy for lower reps (1-5).

-Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is the increase in volume of the non-contractile fluid within a muscle. 25-30% of a muscle’s size typically comes from this fluid. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy does nothing to increase your strength, although it does make your muscle larger. This type of muscle is typically built doing high repetition,  isolation exercises (bodybuilder type training). Thus trying to “pump” one’s muscle up causes this kind of muscle growth.

Putting It All Together

We’ve established that athletes tend to lift heavier(or should for that matter) than bodybuilders and therefore have more of what I call “quality” muscle (myofibrillar hypertrophy). But they also tend to train functional movements that tend to transfer over to real life strength as opposed to isolating muscle groups like bodybuilders do. In real life what good does it do if you have big biceps but cant pick heavy things up from the ground or can’t push heavy objects. A cable crossover, or chest fly certainly won’t help you push a heavy rock because all you’ve trained were the pecs in isolation. When you’re pushing a rock you use your pecs, delts, triceps, quads, hamstrings, glutes, abs, and all the stabilizing muscles of the trunk in unison to move that rock. In real life you’re only as strong as your weakest link and that bicep curl or leg extension doesn’t transfer very well in to the real world. This is why most bodybuilders don’t always have as much “real” strength as one might think.

It’s not that they don’t have strength it’s just that many are not as strong as they look.

I’ve arm wrestled and sparred with many men who were larger and more muscular than I was and many times I’ve found that I was stronger. So it bears notice that sometimes looks can be deceiving.

I’d rather…

Be Strong And Look Good

And I’ll be talking a lot more about how to be as strong, fit, and athletic as possible without gaining 50 lbs of muscle in future posts.

Other Interesting Articles:

1)If a person wants to earn some money, one of the ways they can do it is to place NFL bets. Not everybody is as good at doing this as some other people are, but a person can nullify their lack of knowledge by using Coopers NFL Picks to help them pick good bets. If people take advantage of this resource, they can place winning bets, and earn a significant amount of money from the bets they place.

Making It Easy To Pick Winners

It is not very difficult for a person to place a winning bet when they have an expert NFL analyst telling them which teams are going to win. No analyst can be right all of the time, but Cooper has a good record. In order for a person to be a good analyst, they have to understand the game of football, and they have to watch it on a regular basis in order to determine which teams are good and which teams are bad. If a person does not know football, there is no way they will be able to pick winning and losing teams if they do no consult somebody who has vast football knowledge.

Do Not Bet Without Knowledge

Some people think that all bets, no matter what kind they are, are gambles, but in truth, they are not. A bet is only a gamble if a person does not have the proper knowledge to guarantee their bet will be successful. If a person has the right knowledge, and knows one football team is better than another, and has no chance of losing, then they are not gambling when they place a bet. People do not have to worry about losing money if they go to the right source for NFL knowledge.

Good Information Leads to Winning Bets

The people, who have good information, are the people who win lots of money, and anybody can be in this position. It is simple for a person to get all of the information they need to make great bets, and once a person has the right information, they can bet without having to think about losing their money, so if a person wants to make NFL bets, they should always remember to make sure they know exactly who is going to win, and who is going to lose. If a person does this, they will never be gambling when they are placing bets.

2)Just about every business needs to have their own website in order to compete effectively and thrive, especially in an industry with a lot of competition. However, having a well designed and easy to use site is also important, and you also need potential customers to be able to find your site if they are searching for that specific service, product or item.

It is worth utilizing the expertise of a reliable SEO service, who will provide the tools that you need to ensure that your company’s website comes up at the top of the search engine rankings. You probably know yourself that if you are searching for something and a good website is listed on the first page of search results, there is little point in clicking on the next page of website listings. In fact, research suggests that most Internet users do not look further than that all important first page.

An SEO service will help to ensure that your website appears on the first screen of listings by ensuring that the content on your site contains the keywords and phrases that people routinely enter when searching for something. Although the concept is straightforward, there is a lot more to the process than simply stuffing certain words into the text on your site. Good SEO requires a lot of research and ongoing evaluation of your website and the searching habits of people, to make sure that your site stays at the top of the listings.

In addition, you also want your website to be easy to read, and easy to navigate. text that is too confusing or too dull can put people off, and nobody likes to try to navigate a website which is too confusing, or where they simply cannot find what they are looking for. The SEO company that you use can strike the right balance between having the desired keywords included in your text, and also making the site interesting and fresh. Unless you are a skilled writer, it is generally recommended to leave the content to an experienced professional.

If you still question the importance of good SEO techniques, try it yourself. Search for something and almost certainly what you are looking for will appear on the first page of results. Your time is almost certainly too valuable to spend scrolling through pages and pages of search results, as is the time of your customers, making effective SEO techniques essential for the success of any company.

3)If you have recently bought a computer but you have not yet purchased an antivirus, be sure that you are at a higher risk of experiencing a virus attack. A virus can be termed as a foreign malicious program that has a high potential of damaging your computer system. Once affected, it does not take you time to discover that your computer has been compromised. In that case, if you want to protect your hard drive and vital information, what you will need is a VIPRE antivirus coupon code. With this in your possession, you will save money and still get one of the best antivirus solutions in the market.

Get amazing discounts-

The recent price deals introduced in the market that allows shoppers to save up to 10% in discounts is expected to draw many computer owners to their store. As a shopper, you will not only save that extra penny, but you will also get to fortify the security of your computer. With an ever increasing number of harmful software, it becomes a great idea to invest in powerful antivirus that protects your computer against virus invasion.

The rising demand for antivirus software -

This antivirus coupon is only available for a short time as a result of its ever increasing demand from most computer users. If you have not yet claimed your giveaway, keep in mind that the offer is fast coming to an end. Considering that the antivirus comes with an antispyware program, there are many people who would give everything to get this amazing security solution. Similarly, do not forget it is a first come first serve basis. This means that you have to try your best to get the coupons before they are claimed by other customers. This is for the good of your PC.

Where to find these attractive deals-

The internet offers the best platform to claim as many free coupons as you want. Once you log on, you are treated to a variety of coupons for you to choose. However, before you can get a chance to enjoy your price deals, it is important that you understand how they operate. For example, you will be required to retrieve a coupon code on the respective website. Secondly, you will find a section within the site where you will need to type the coupon codes and then submit. Provided you have supplied the right coupon codes, you will be awarded the benefits that accompany the coupons including cheap shopping.

4)These days, almost everyone has at least one LED light somewhere in his or her home. They offer a great advantage over traditional lights, not only because of their long lifespan, but also because they save consumers money. LED lights are not only efficient and much brighter, but they rarely burn out. Some studies report that these lights can last up to 11 years. These powerful bulbs are also a wise choice because of the amount of light they give off. LED lights shine as bright as a 120-watt bulb, yet only use 25 watts. The LED lights that most resemble standard incandescent bulbs in size and shape can give off upwards of 600 lumens. Compared to normal household bulbs, that is a large increase.  LED bulbs vary in brightness, ranging from 50 lumens all the way up to 1200 lumens; however, the 1200 lumen bulbs are typically reserved for bright lights such as spotlights and floodlights.

Just as LED lights make good household fixtures, they also work extremely well when it comes to advertising your business. Using bright LED signs as a way to advertise your company is not only affordable but is also extremely effective. Long gone are the days of neon lights. In addition to using almost 10 times less electricity than neon signs, LED signs are easy to install and require little maintenance. Another advantage to using bright LED signs is that these fixtures also work as outdoor displays and show no degradation when exposed to the elements.

There are varieties of bright LED signs from which business owners can choose. Some signs, such as a traditional “Open” sign, are static. You can also choose LED signs with scrolling letters, something that is sure to catch potential customer’s eyes. Some business owners might think that the bright light and scrolling displays are too much; however, studies have shown that this kind of signage is the cheapest and most effective form of advertisement that a business can secure. If a regular sign can draw in customers, just imagine what an eye-catching bright LED sign will do. Putting such a bright sign above your shop is guaranteed to catch people’s attention, whether it be day or night. Bright LED signs also come in a variety of different styles. Business owners who want to emphasize the text on their signs should choose a monochrome display; for others who would rather show some character while advertising their business, colored, bright LED signs are the way to go.

5)Payment Protection Insurance, or PPI, is a controversial topic. Numerous customers are claiming they were given inadequate or inaccurate information when they bought their policies, or that they were pressured to sign, and today they are making claims for compensation. There are both good and bad points to these policies, depending on who sold you one and the quality of the policy. This document, however, explores miss-sold products and how consumers can make PPI claims.

PPI helps a person to pay bills if he is unavoidably prevented from earning money. Say he has an accident: PPI will make loan repayments. If his policy does not help him in a situation like this, he might have been miss-sold the product. It is worth exploring this topic before an accident occurs, by which time it would be too late.

One sign that your policy was miss-sold is that the agent who sold it was too pushy. This should always be a warning sign, no matter what you are buying. It is important for consumers to read their own product information before signing anything, and this takes some time. The agent should at least have mentioned an age limit. Retirees cannot make PPI claims. If you are over 65 and are the owner of a policy, then you can make a claim to have your policy payments refunded.

Consumers should be told all of the terms of a policy. If they were not informed of these, then they might have a case for claiming compensation. Most of the miss-sold policies are sold by brokers who work for banking companies, not the banks themselves. Brokers see a chance to make some extra money, and they aggressively sell these products without giving their clients a chance to think about what they are signing or read information.

When you decide to make a claim, begin by reading the contract you signed. Take a look at the details. Speak directly to the person who sold you the policy and tell him your situation. Banks will not usually admit that they miss-sold you a product, so it is a good idea to speak to an adviser about your case. A number of businesses have emerged to help people deal with this issue. Solicitors who specialize in this area of law have also achieved substantial refunds for consumers with strong cases. The best thing you can do if you are thinking of buying PPI is to check the company’s credentials ahead of time to avoid being sold a worthless policy.

6)With the current harsh economic situation in the world, most people are not able to meet their needs conveniently. A good number of people are normally unable to meet urgent needs that arise at a given time. One of the ways through which one can acquire huge cash for particular purpose is by taking a loan from the bank. Bank loans do not always provide a good alternative when money is needed for an urgent bill since they take quite a long to be processed, and some of them have towering rates of interest on their loans. The discovery of pay day loans has made things easier for a majority of people since they are quite easy to acquire, and they also have reasonable rates.

Payday loans mainly refer to short term unsecured loans that one can borrow from a company dealing in these loans. They are also known as cash advances, and their date of payment is regardless of a person’s salary payment date. Through these loans, many people have been able to pay for sudden illnesses in the family, buy urgently needed goods, start businesses, pay for schools fees amongst other needs. There are many companies that offer these loans, and it takes a couple of considerations in order for one to select a lending company that best suits him/her. Below are some of the aspects that one should strictly look at before deciding to borrow money from a particular company that offers cash advances.

Interest rates
Different payday loan lenders charge different interests for the loans that they give to borrowers. One should always ensure that he/she chooses a company that has considerable rates i.e. the company should not be the type that charges extremely high rates that may make one to delay or default paying back the loan.

Company’s terms and conditions
Before deciding to choose a particular company, one should always ensure that he/she has read the application requirements of a particular company. In case he/she concurs with them, then he/she can decide to borrow a loan from the company.

These loans have many advantages compared to other loans such as bank loans. Some of the few advantages of these loans include:
• Easy application process, mostly through the internet
• Most lending companies have low interest rates
• These loans are normally processed quickly, in order to enable one to cater for urgent bills

7)Diamonds are said to be a girl’s best friend; however, there has to be something else about these bits of carbon which ignite the imagination and make men willing to buy them.  Their rarity and beauty have significantly contributed to making diamonds them a desired gem in the jewelry box of a woman.

Loose diamonds have become increasingly popular, given that jewelry makers are more enthusiastic to design for the specific tastes of individuals.  As the name suggests, loose diamonds are the diamonds that are yet to be set into any piece of jewelry.  A number of advantages are there to having loose diamonds.  These precious gems can be placed in a setting that the person chooses and in the piece of jewelry with the type of design that is desired.

When purchasing loose diamonds, the buyer should think about the four Cs: color, cut, carat and clarity.  Those four aspects of diamond grading enable the buyer to verify its quality and those 4 Cs determine the cost of loose diamonds.  However, the buyer must determine which of them will take precedence when choosing a diamond.

Color establishes the amount of yellow tinge that the diamond has.  There is a scale from D to Z that covers diamonds which are colorless to ones that have a slight yellow tinge.  A number of the diamonds in the range of H to J may look almost colorless but are a lot “warmer” than the diamonds that have less color.  Typically, they are less expensive.

Cut is concerned with how the facets that are cut into the diamond refract and reflect light.  The cut has a lot to do with how it sparkles or the way it appears to the naked eye.  Individuals should go for cuts with at least a “good” rating.

Carat is frequently thought to be about size; however in reality it is used in reference to weight.  A heavier diamond is, of course, typically a larger one; however, carat does strictly refer to weight.

Clarity is used in reference to “inclusions” or flaws in the diamond; the grades range from “slightly included” to the extremely rare flawless.   Typically, the S1 or S2 diamonds have inclusions which are not noticeable by the naked eye; however, they show up under strong magnification.

Whiteflash.com loose diamonds are available for purchase online; however, it is always better option to view the actual stone prior to buying.

8)As a pizza lover, you are probably thinking of possible ways to save cash on your favorite meal. The best way to do this is to grab your self some Pizza Hut coupon codes. This will let you buy different flavors of pizza at a discounted price. You can even use it for simple events like family lunch out and date with your special someone.

Pizza Hut Coupon Codes can benefit you in various ways:

Huge discounts on purchases-

It is so easy to obtain Pizza Hut coupon codes. Just visit legit websites and online stores where these printable coupons are being offered. Make sure to grab your coupon code as early and as fast as possible to ensure that you will be able to reserve some for yourself. Print your Pizza Hut coupon codes and use them in Pizza Hut bistros and restaurants where they are accepted. Avail special discounts when you buy not only pizzas but pasta, bread, and beverages as well. There are plenty of delicious options at Pizza Hut stores. Your family will surely enjoy the wide variety of scrumptious menus for up to 40% off.

Free pizza delivery-

Try also to check newspapers and magazines for Pizza Hut Coupon Codes. These coupons usually come with free home delivery services. Without the coupon, Pizza Hut stores normally charge expensive amounts for delivering the meal at the customers’ doorstep. The total cost includes fees for manpower, motor gasoline and effort. However, if you have Pizza Hut coupon codes, the store will deliver your favorite pizza absolutely for free. It means saving loads of cash and avoiding unnecessary hassles. If you can have your pizza delivered right at your doorstep that means that you will not be forced to drive to the mall just to have a taste of your favorite pizza.

Enjoy tasty toppings-

Another exciting benefit of  coupon codes for Pizza Hut is that these allow you to indulge on the most delicious flavors of pizza without having to worry about your budget. Most of the time, we choose to buy pizzas that are less tasty simply because they are less expensive. If you have Pizza Hut Coupon Codes, you can forget about the price and treat yourself to the tastiest pizza available. Just present your coupons to the manager or waiter and order all your desired toppings — cheese, vegetables, salamis, herbs and other spices — for free. This offer is applicable whether you are requesting for a free delivery or you are dining in a Pizza Hut bistro with your entire family.