If you are the type of home gym owner who prefers the feel of a solid wood floor in your gym then are few important care and maintenance tips that you need to follow in order to care for your hardwood floor and get the maximum life span out of your floor. There is no denying it, hardwood is among some of the most prized types of floors to have in a gym due to the fact that is extremely hard not to mention how good it looks. When in the setting of a gym, however, issues arise where placing protective mats on the floor may end up damaging the floor by causing the floor to discolor under the mat. Its for this reason that some people choose to not put protective rubber mats on top of their hardwood floors.

The other possible reason why some people prefer not to cover their hardwood floor with a protective mat is due to pure aesthetics, they want to keep a nice clean flowing look throughout the house. If thats the case with your home gym then fear not because you are not the only one. There are a few things that you can do that will protect your floor while at the same time still get the enjoyment of an uncovered hardwood floor.

Lets first discuss the possible dangers of not having your hardwood floor covered with a protective rubber mat. First of all, there is the obvious danger of falling weights damaging your floor. Then there is the other issue of scratching your floor from dust build-up. To prevent the damage that may happen from weights falling on the floor, consider using two pieces of thick foam on either side of the bench when working out. The pieces of foam are not set in place, they will protect the floor from a falling weight, they can be removed when not in use, and therefore will not fade the floor over time.

In regard to the second issue regarding scratching the floor due to dust build-up, the best solution to that is to frequently dry mop the gym floor using a Dredge microfiber mop so as to keep and sand and grit to an absolute minimum. Remember that sand and dust on the floor act like sandpaper and when you walk on the floor with a bunch of dust on it, you will scratch it.

When you hit the gym when you are younger, and most likely more supple you can get away with a lot more. Sloppy form will not kill you, unless you try to deadlift or squat 600 lbs and you only weigh 110! Recovery is also much faster, you can hit the gym 5 days in a row with generally low consequences, except general muscle soreness.

As you age into your thirties and beyond muscle soreness can be the warning signs of injuries and too little recovery between training sessions. If you regularly experience persistent discomfort in the lower back for instance its time to back off. What you need is a new training approach and mindset. You need to open your mind to workout advice that is based on science and appropriate for your age.

No one is asking you to retire from the gym. In fact here is no reason beyond serious injury that you should not be able to work out up until senior age. I for one plan to work out right until the end of my old age, unless life has different plans for me. But the will is still there, if you know what I mean.

So why is everyone intent on pushing it to the bone each time they hit the gym. Half of it is based on ego, and the other half on getting the wrong advices as Arnold would say. Going crazy and attacking the weights or the treadmill each time you hit the gym is a recipe for disaster. Some of the smartest athletes you will find in the gym are competitive powerlifters. Not the guys who take loads of steroids and blow up to 350 lbs and go heavy, heavy, heavy all the time. They only work their max lifts once or twice per year, and rarely work close to their maximum lifts.

No one has a body that can cope with this. Just look at Ronnie Coleman now for instance. When he was 350 lb and looking absolutely massive and squatting 8-900 lb and yelling light weight baby he looked indestructible. Now there is nothing wrong with lifting heavy. Its just that you cant do it all the time. Today Coleman needs multiple hip, and knee replacements, he is also a shell of his former self.

Dorian Yates won the coveted Mr Olympia title 6 times. He trained heavy all the time. Now he does not have any life delimiting injuries like Ronnie Coleman, but he is famed for saying he wished he had of stepped back the heavy weights a touch and cycled the intensity. He means he should have trained heavy for a while then deloaded the weight to say 50% and increase the reps. Then he would build back up and go heavy for a few weeks.

Dorian was famous for being the most intense guy in the gym ever, and it shows in his incredible physique. But he would have liked to have a longer career at the top, and he feels he would have got that if he backed off the extreme training all the time. That would have increased his longevity in the sport. Sound advice.

A body builder does not only need to work out extensively they also need to eat well. There is need to concentrate on the right kinds of foods that will enable you to bulk up. The best thing to start with in the morning are egg whites. You can also enjoy some steak later on.

EGG WHITES

Show us a bodybuilder without egg whites in his diet, and we’ll show you someone who’s missing out on the best protein money can buy. Paired with oatmeal, an egg-white omelet can turn your breakfast into a power meal to fuel the rest of your day.

LONDON BROIL/TOP ROUND STEAK

Chicken breast may be the quintessential bodybuilding staple, but lean cuts of red meat are loaded with complete protein and pack the most punch when you’re trying to pack more beef on your frame.

Sourced from: http://www.flexonline.com/nutrition/7-best-bodybuilding-foods

Proteins are everything when it comes to body building and so fish and beans should be included in the diet. Fish also are a source of vital omega 3 oils

FISH

Although the recurring theme so far has been to eat foods that are low in fat, fish is one exception to this rule. Of course you want to stay away from saturated and trans fats, but your body still needs essential fatty acids such as omega-3 to help support the muscle-building process.

Cold water fish such as salmon, tuna, trout and sardines are an excellent source of protein and healthy fats. Canned fish packed in water also comes in very handy because it provides a quick source of protein when on the go.

BEANS & LEGUMES

If you are serious about building muscle, you can’t ignore the power of beans and legumes. When people typically think of bodybuilding foods, they immediately refer to various lean meats, but what they don’t realize is that the bean is a delicious and highly nutritious source of protein and fiber.

Fiber is essential to maintaining a regular and normal healthy bowel movement as well as proper insulin response – which is critical to muscle growth as both functions aid in absorption and use of various nutrients and supplements ingested by bodybuilders.

Sourced from: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/musclebuilding_essentials.htm

You might know what it is you need to eat but maybe you simply do not know how to go about it. You need to know what you should have for breakfast, lunch and supper. It is only when you get it right that your body building efforts can be effective.

BREAKFAST

150ml 35% whipping cream (60g fat, 0g protein, 0g carbs)

3-6 whole eggs – raw – (15-30g fat, 18-36g protein, 2-4g carbs)

Low-carb metabolic drive powder – 1 scoop (2g fat, 20g protein, 3g carbs)

TOTAL: 77-107g fat, 38-58g protein, 5-7g carbs

LUNCH

Lean turkey 175g (1g fat, 30g protein, 0g carbs)

Flameout 6 caps (6g fat, 0g protein, 0g carbs)

TOTAL: 7g fat, 30g protein, 0g carbs

SUPPER

Chicken 175g (6g fat, 25g protein, 0g carbs)

Flameout 6 caps (6g fat, 0g protein, 0g carbs)

TOTAL: 12g fat, 25g protein, 0g carbs

Sourced from: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/get-bodybuild-style-lean-thibaudeau