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Anatomy of the Thighs, and Calves:

The front portion of the legs consist of 4 powerful quadriceps muscles: the rectos femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis and vastus laterals. The main function of the quadricep muscles is to extend and straighten the legs. The back portion of the legs is known as the hamstrings, or leg biceps. The main function of the hamstrings is to curl the leg back.

Basic Exercises:

There are three basic types of thigh exercises:

Presses: In which the legs are pushed and straightened in a straight line
Extensions: In which the legs are extended in an arc away from the body
Curls: In which the legs are drawn in an arc towards the back. Presses and extensions primarily stress the quadriceps and curls stress the hamstrings.

Complete Thigh Development:

In order to achieve well balanced thighs, you must perform all of the exercises explained above to make sure the legs are hit from all necessary angles. Here are some of the best mass building exercises for the thighs:

Squats
Leg presses
Leg extensions
Leg Curls

I recommend performing at the least 15 sets for the legs since they are the most powerful muscles on the body, and can certainly handle the stress because they are designed to support your body to walk all day. You will find that the legs have a better muscular endurance than your upper body muscle groups, this is why I find it necessary to stress complete development. My personal thigh routine looks like this:

Leg extensions - 4×6-12-20
Lunges � walking
Hack Squat - 4×6-12
Leg curls - 4×6-12

Anatomy of the Calves:

The 2 headed muscle of the lower leg is known as the calve. It consists of the soleus muscle and gastrocnemius muscle. The main function of the calve is to flex the foot. Think of it is standing on the tips of your toes.

Basic Exercises:

The basic exercises for the calves are known as:

Raises - In which the foot is flexed onto the tips of the toes.

Raises completely isolate the calves.

Complete Calf Development:

In order to completely develop the calves, you must perform 2 or more raise type exercises, I recommend standing and sitting raises. Some of the best mass builders for the calves are:

Seated calf raises
Standing calf raises w/ hack squat machine

My personal calf routine looks like this:

Seated calf raises - 4×6-12-15
Standing calf raises - 4×6-12

Combine all of that with some intensity principles and you have yourself a killer leg workout.

Thanks,

FROM THE DESK OF THE AZI FILES

The Secrets To Being Cut

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TONING AND STRENGTHENING A MUSCLE?

ANSWER: Physiologically there is no difference between toning and strengthening a muscle. Many individuals are confused regarding the relationship between muscle strength, muscle tone or definition, and muscle size. As muscle strength improves, muscle tone improves due to a greater density of the muscle fibers. Everyone has the ability to increase muscle strength and muscle tone to some degree. Relatively few adults (male or female), however, possess the genetic capability to develop large muscles or the� cut physique of the models seen in many of the popular fitness magazines. To achieve the� buffed look, you must develop reasonably significant levels of muscle mass while simultaneously reducing the amount of fat under the skin. When this effect is achieved, the well-developed muscles can be seen under the skin. In fact, this is the case with the majority of individuals who have� washboard abdominal regions. Unfortunately for most of us, a layer of body fat covers our� six packs. Participating in a balanced exercise program (aerobic conditioning and strength training) and eating sensibly is the best approach to achieving a well-toned, firm body.

NUTRIENT PROFILE: PROTEIN

THE ROLE OF PROTEIN
Protein, when broken down in your body to form amino acids,
is your body’s primary material for tissue building.
Other than helping build bigger bi-ceps, amino acids are key to such bodily
functions as the production of cells and hormones, fighting infection and aiding neurotransmitter activity.
1 GRAM OF PROTEIN CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 4 CALORIES Example:One ounce of skinless chicken breast contains
approximately 9 grams of protein; that’s equal to about 36
calories from protein (9×4=36).
DAILY PROTEIN REQUIREMENT
Bodybuilder’s Recommended Daily Intake=0.68-1.09 gram
per pound of bodyweight, or about 20%-30% of total daily claories.
TYPES OF AMINO ACIDS
The body uses about 20 amino acids for growth and repair.
they’re classified as:
ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS:Your body can’t make them on it’s
own, or does so in insufficient amounts, so they must be
consumed in the diet.
CONDITIONALLY ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS:Some amino acids may be either
essential on not, depending on the circumstances. For example, if the supply of
essential amino’s in your diet is limited, other amino’s can become essential.
NONESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS:Your body has the ability to
synthesize these amino acids from other amino acids, fat or
carbohydrate. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about consuming protein
rich foods high in these amino’s.
TYPES OF PROTEINS
COMPLETE PROTEIN:Contains all these essential amino acids.
A diet high in animal foods typically has plenty of complete proteins.
INCOMPLETE PROTEIN:Deficient in one or more of the
essential amino acids. You can create a complete
protein by combining complementary incomplete proteins. Plant foods are typically
incomplete.
BEST SOURCES OF PROTEIN
Skinless chicken or turkey breast, lean cuts of beef, egg whites, fish
fat-free dairy products, protein supplements.

The Master

The Master

To one’s self, you must be….true to the one inside, express yourself
thru movement and expansion.
But to expand one’s self, you must be true to one’s self.
And my friend, for some is very hard to do.
To move an "unmovable object", to shape,reshape,change re arrange you have to know yourself.

ability Thru yourself,you will be able to do all things you want,� and that of what you are capable of.

The more videos I put up, everybody will be able to see the mental ability that I use to move heavy weight and reshape my outer body,…they, you will see the difference from themselves and me…as I would you.

Empty your mind, become what you want, desire…..
When you want something from somebody, do you not ask?
When you desire an object, do you not pursue it?
If you want to reshape your body, do you not try to reshape it?

Become what you want, what you wish. When you push heavy weights in the gym, moving a heavy couch, carrying heavy bags of food…does it not come towards you or away from you?
You expand and contract, or contract and expand…..you become the movement, and the movement becomes you like flowing water.

When you workout, you do not become tensed, you become the workout, you then control what has no control…you then become
THE MASTER

The Body And You

The Body and You


Expansion and contracting…what does that mean?
Contracting and expansion…..does this mean what?
A play on words here, but bare with me on this…you have to put on your thinking caps for this one.

When one has a will, he or she will have or find a way…..
Without determination and the drive to succeed, you will falter.� When you first walk into a new gym, do you not notice that all eyes are upon you? Do you try not to make eye contact with anybody, or get distracted by their curious eyes?
Do you try to walk with confidence? That question was for all the men. Women do you feel uneasy when this happens to you?

Well my friend, this is what’s called the mind over the body…well at least to me.

Ok, when you want to workout, what do you do before……? You plan ahead, you think things thru, what you want to, how you want to do it……and for all those new to this…..You ask questions…..you try to pick the one person who looks like they know what they are doing.

This is one way of calling the expansion and contracting…..you start by expanding your mind…thinking, wondering….you mind works well when this feeling hits……you get the ideas you want to have, you read the magazines, ask people questions! Yes that’s it…..you start expanding your well being, because you know when you hit the gym, you’re all ready to do battle with your IRON ENEMY!

Then it hits……..can I lift the weights, am I dressed right? Will everybody look at me I fail the lift, if I don’t� start the treadmill right without looking like a goof ball?

Don’t feel this way….now your mind is contracting…..first you were thinking about what you want to do, now you are actually doing it!
You’ve made that first step! Now you’re wondering who knows the most, who’s the biggest guy there, the sexiest woman…..if I need help will there be anybody there for me?

Again, expanding the mind!
You start your workout….guess what else you’re doing? You’re expanding the body’s natural progression!
When you expand you use your mind, “where the mind goes the body will follow”
You then contract and do so in a repeated matter…..without the expansion, there would be no contracting……

Now I ask you…where is the play on words here?

When a weight comes down on you…what do you� do? …..push back
If� you want a positive for the negative you do what? You pick up (curl)
Here are your expansion contracting thoughts for the day.

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