Today we have a guest post from David Di Cristro which contains good advice for anyone using weight workouts.

Whether your goal is gaining weight or building muscle, few activities are as effective or simple as regular resistance training. Have you been thinking about starting a muscle building program but don’t know where to start? Here are a few simple rules to ensure that you are successful.

1. Take care of your hands! The first thing that you need to do is purchase a good pair of weight lifting gloves. When you go shopping, buy a pair that fits comfortably and accommodates your hand type. If you have a tendency to get sore hands when lifting weights you really need to look at getting a pair of gloves to protect your hands and so you can still do the lift.

2. Be consistent! Get to the gym or train at home at least 3 times per week. Unless you are sick or injured, NO EXCEPTIONS! This must be a priority in your life in order to be effective. Keeping a training log helps. Going on holiday? See if there is a local gym or one in the hotel! Work 12-hour shifts? Keep your workouts short and intense and save your longer days for when you are off.

3. Begin each workout session with a warm up set and build into your pace. Finish each session at an easy pace to cool down properly. If you feel the urge to pick up the pace, do it in the middle of your workout, not at the end.

4. Don’t worry progressively increasing the weights every session. Keep it comfortable on most days of the week, especially the first 2 or 3 months.

5. If you want to increase strength gains, vary your workout by increasing training intensity at least one day per week. Typically, you can increase the training intensity by using a full range of motion with every lift, increasing the weight, or decreasing the time between each set.

6. Make sure to exercise every muscle group at least one day per week to prevent muscle imbalances. If you exercise one muscle group too frequently and neglect to exercise a related muscle, for example working the pecs and neglecting the upper back, it will eventually lead to muscle imbalance. Training all muscle groups will ensure you have good body symmetry and help prevent injury.

7. Set a performance goal. The muscle gain and other benefits are the result of achieving performance goals. You don’t have to aim too high, but you might have a difficult time motivating yourself without setting a goal. Examples of realistic goals would be to gain 1 pound of muscle per week.

8. Monitor your progress. It’s a good idea to weigh yourself before starting a muscle building program. The best time to weigh yourself is after you take a poop in the morning. If you buy body fat scales it will give you a better idea of what type of weight you are gaining more muscle or fat.

9. Know your limitations. High intensity training takes some getting used to because it’s a shock to your system. Don’t feel like there is any rush to increasing the weight. You are better off lifting lighter weights with proper form then training sloppy.

10. Most importantly don’t give up! There are going to be some bad days, and maybe even set backs. Learn to expect them and move on. As Rocky said “It’s not how hard you can hit, its about how hard you can GET hit and still stand up”. Learn how to gain weight and muscle the right way and accept the setbacks along the way.

We can work on losing weight, we can do cardio to burn calories, strengthen our legs and possible arms, help our heart and lungs. But for our Abs, we need exercises that work the ab muscles. Here is a video with a killer ab workout -- meaning you will really have to work to complete it!

Doing this once or twice won’t get it. You will need to repeat this everyday or every other day, rotating with workouts for the arms, legs, etc. And just like with the arms (The Popeye Syndrome -- Build Your Arm Muscles), we would look funny with a ‘washboard’ abs and flabby legs and arms.

Vincent Delmonte will be coming up with a ultimate package to be available soon.  If you want to be notified, please sign up in the column to the right.

I have noticed that people tend to think bodybuilding is just for men or over zealous teanage boys.  But it isn’t.  It isn’t limited to twenty year old females either.  A 60 year old woman can start out slowly and progress at her own pace.  Weight workouts build muscle which cut down on the flabby look and burns more calories.  It’s like losing weight -- or gaining weight -- while getting fit all in one swoop.  You don’t have to be trying to compete professionally or look muscle bound to benefit from weight training.  You don’t have to purchase equipment if you go to a gym, and you don’t have to go to a gym if you desire to purchase home equipment.  Either way, you don’t have to have everything to start.

By the way, Tony Little has 10% off all products in time for the holidays if you are shopping for equipment.

You can develop your legs, you can develop your arms, you can develop your shoulders, so why do you have a flabby or pot belly? What gives? How do you lose fat?

The answer is simple. Your technique, your program balance, your focus. Watch the video for some down to earth facts from Vince Delmonte. You will pick up some tips. (The sound track may be out of sync with the video, but the facts are still relevant.)

For more information about Vince’s Your Six Pack Quest click here.

So how do you develop your abs? Check out the article: Ab Exercises -- The Best Ab Exercises to give you facts about the weight workouts.

How do you find a good abs workout? Check out Ab workouts -- Finding The Best Ab Workouts for a good guide to help you choose.

The Hulk

It might be a little late to get the Hulk look by this Halloween, but it is not too late for next year.  Plus you  would have the muscle look for your summer time activities at the lake and look great playing valley ball, soccer, etc.

How do you do  that, you ask.  Get started on your bodybuilding routines and keep at it.  When you have the look you want, maintain.  There are several articles on this site about body building such as 18 Ways To Arm Yourself,Rock Hard Abs: Converting that Keg into a Six Pack, and Do You Know How to Gain Muscle Fast?

Teens:  There are special ways for you to develop your muscles.  These pointers and helps are contained in the articles Top 10 Tips To Successful Teen Bodybuilding Part 1 and Top 10 Tips To Successful Teen Bodybuilding Part 2. These pointers will direct you to the correct techniques to build  your body to every girls dream guy.

Ladies – Women – Females:  Whatever label you like.  Read the article  Weight Lifting Rules for Skinny Guys and Gals to get started on the bikini look you want for summer and look sexy in that Halloween garb next year.

The point is – don’t wait for New Years resolution time to get started.  Now is a perfect time to start.

Ladies -- here is a workout program to sculpt your body with a diet plan to go with it.  Want to get into those smaller clothes?  Six weeks of this and you are bound to be smaller and in better shape.

You have to be in some sort of shape to start this.  And it will take some equipment.  You can find the equipment at a gym, so you don’t have to purchase the equipment.  Take a deep breath and be ready to work -- then Shape that Body.

Vince DelMonte and Shannon Clark have a complete program just for females called Bodyshaping Success Kit for Women.

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Here is the second of two 4 minute routines to you can kick start your body’s Fat Burning to Lose Fat. Use Part 1 the first day, Part 2 the second day, and repeat the following days.  You will notice the difference in just a few days.

Remember, this is by a professional bodybuilder, so modify it to fit your abilities.  Use weights you are used to -- ladies, start with 2 lbs weights.  The box jump, use a low platform; you can easily build one out of wood or use an exercise mat folded up.  Be careful it is something you can jump on and off without falling or having it tip over on you.  Make other modifications as necessary.  Since you time each piece instead of counting reps, you will automatically start at your pace, then work up.

Use Part 1 one day and Part 2 the next

For more information on Vince’s Six Pack Quest click here.

We all like to ensure there is the minimum of fat in our bodies -- remembering that we need a certain percentage (based on height and weight) of fat to be healthy.  We want healthy ways to take the fat off.  After your weight workouts, your body is begging for nutrients.  Smoothies are one of the healthy choices.  Watch this video for Vince Delmonte’s smoothie snack.

These smoothies are to be used with weight workouts.  To see more about Vince’s workout programs for women, click here. Men, click here.

Also, check out the new article Protein Powder, The Skinny Guy’s Guide To Protein Powder.

I want to share this Fat Loss Workout Video with you.  In just 4 minutes, you can kick start your bodies fat burning.   This is just part 1 of 2.  I will post part 2 of 2 next week.

Remember, this is by a professional bodybuilder, so modify it to fit your abilities.  Use weights you are used to -- ladies, start with 2 lbs weights.  The box jump, use a low platform; you can easily build one out of wood or use an exercise mat folded up.  Be careful it is something you can jump on and off without falling or having it tip over on you.

I challenge you to try this everyday for a week!

For more information on Vince’s Six Pack Quest click here.

Supplements or no supplements – that is a question. And it is one that I have an opinion on. Everyone likes the ‘get it quick’ theme. In this day of drive-through everything (you can even get married in a drive-through), we want our results instantly. I am the same way. If I pass up eating a donut, then I want the scales to show I lost a pound the next day. Or, if I get out the resistance bands, I want that muscle to show by morning.

The truth of the matter is, there are no miracle methods. Sure, that drink might make you expel your body waste and drop your weight quickly. But once the body waste is gone, your weight loss is done. And if you keep on, your body gradually adjusts to the drink, so the one going results are minimized. Even those who need to gain weight fast – say wrestlers – eating bananas and whatever only gives a temporary fix.

Now, the truth about supplements: There are some good supplements out there that do help to reach the goal, but must be combined with good diet and exercise. We don’t like to think of weight workouts as exercise but it is. It is just a different method of exercising our muscles and obtaining specific results. When a valid legal supplement is discovered, it is quickly replicated into different forms, different brands, fancy names, etc.Just think about it. The ads we read – in newspapers, in magazines, online – or watch on TV or online – or hear on TV or online (isn’t online great) – are all produced to one end. TO SELL A PRODUCT. Although regulated by the government, they do not have to prove the statements made about a supplement. They are not ‘drugs’ so they do not have to pass the tests and provide the documentation that drugs do. So, they can sell any placebo they want and make any claims they want to get your money. For weight loss and body building, we have a lot of emotions to appeal to which makes this a profitable market.

As I said before, there are some good supplements out there that will help – HELP, NOT DO. The sidebar site has links for supplements for those of you who want to use them as well as exercise equipment and workout plans. Supplements can help accelerate your process. REMEMBER THIS: You still have to maintain a healthy diet which includes all the elements our body requires AND have a good exercise regimen that targets your goal. Only self-control and hard work will get the job done.

I wish I had a good Maxine comic to put here.  I can only imagine what she would have to say about this!

Look like a model?  Is that possible?  Well, first – really what is a model supposed to look like?  To really look like a model, you have to have perfect skin, perfect features, etc, etc.  And who decides what perfect is?

So, lets pretend that looking like a model only has to do with your body shape – having curves, not angles, no bulges, etc.  How do I get there?  Weight training is part of the process.  That is great for guys – isn’t the perfect guy muscle bound?  What about the women?

Vincent Delmonte – you know, the skinny guy that ‘grew’ muscles and now looks FABULOUS – has something to say about that.  In one of his articles How to Look Like a Female Model he says “Now, curves are back so long as they are created with muscle mass and have a softer appearance.”  ”Hot celebrities such as Jessica Biel and Jessica Alba are now gracing the covers showing off their new curves.”  First things first. Pink Weights” “Weights have the power to completely transform your body. They will make you a smaller, yet curvier version of your body now.”

In my words, basically it is the actual work out routine that allows a woman to make progress faster with weight training rather than cardio workout, but at a rate that curves the body rather than going ‘muscle bound’.  This allows you to develop the curves to your satisfaction, then stay at that level rather than going on to the ‘iron man’ contest (or the Women’s Figure Competition).

Vincent has teamed up with Shannon Clark to set up a fitness program just for women called Bodyshaping Success Kit for Women.