5 Easy Ways To Increase Your Muscle Mass

You know you want it!  More muscle that is!  Now before all the women tune out as I can already hear them crying: "But I don't want to get too big."  Trust me, you can cut back just before that happens.  Muscle is a very metabolically active tissue, so you will burn more calories at rest by carrying more muscle.  Just like a big engine burns more fuel, adding some muscle will allow you to eat more! 

 

Add in that many suffer a loss of muscle as they age (sarcopenia) which leads to a loss in function of simple daily tasks (1).   All in all, great reasons to add some lean muscle, so let's get right to it and break down 5 simple ways to get 'r done.

  

1) Protein

  

Protein is the building block for muscle, in addition to many other functions in the body.   The main area of storage for protein is in muscle tissue itself.   Consuming protein serves 2 main effects: 1) starting protein synthesis 2) supplying raw materials (3).

  

Think of this like a light switch.   It takes the act of pushing up the light switch to turn the light on.  This is similar to starting the process of protein synthesis, where the body will take proteins that are circulating and stuff them into muscle tissue. 

  

The light switch also needs to see electricity going to it, otherwise nothing happens.  The electricity is like the raw materials (amino acids) and are the actual building blocks of muscle.   No light switch or no electricity = nothing. 

 

A similar analogy is brick layers building you a house.  You need them to start working (start protein synthesis) and they need raw materials too (amino acids in this case).   Research has shown that essential amino acids and lifting weights will both stimulate human muscle protein synthesis (4).

  

How much protein?

  

The general amount that is batted around the ole interwebz is about 1 gram per pound of body weight.  If you are a 200 lb male, that is about 200 grams of protein per day.   While there is not one particular study that used this exact amount, there are data to show that this is a good starting point and probably on the high end (9). 

  

While the debate as to how much protein you need will be debated for decades, most are looking at protein intake for fat loss.  In this case, calories will be lower to selectively lose fat, but not muscle.  I'm sure you all have seen someone who goes on an extremely low caloric diet and just looks like a smaller version of their old self.  They may weigh less, but they don't LOOK any better.  We want to keep as much muscle as possible while getting rid of fat.  The amount of protein to accomplish this body recomposition is around 0.75 grams per pound of body weight at a minimum (2, 8, 10).  If you weigh 140 lbs, that is about 100 grams of protein per day.

 

 2) Overload

 

Tissue responds to load, so work to increase more overload via volume, density (volume/time) and intensity (weight on the bar).   Many people in the gym tend to only focus on the load on the bar (intensity).  While this is good, we all know that you can't add weight to the bar every session or every week forever.  If we could, people pulling double to triple bodyweight deadlifts and bench pressing 400 pounds would be as common as treadmills in every gym. 

  

The key is PROGRESSIVE overload, which has 3 main components

  

1) More volume (weight x sets x reps)

 

2) Better density (volume / time)

 

3) More intensity (weight lifted)

  

This may not happen all in the same session, but EACH one of those is a form of overload.

 

 Your body will positively respond to it by adding muscle and strength, just in case you do it again!  The typical progression that I see for an exercise is more volume, more volume, more volume, better density, and more intensity.

  

You will probably be different, but that is a rough starting point.  The key is to work to accumulate more of each over time.

  

3) Essential Fatty Acids

  

Fatty acids play many, many roles in the body.  Every cell membrane uses them as building blocks.  Newer research also indicates the essential fatty acids like omega-3 (and their downstream components, EPA and DHA, commonly known as fish oils) may be anabolic and promote muscle growth (11).  Smith, G.I et al. (11) and friends, demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids stimulate muscle protein synthesis in older adults.  Fish oil is a great source of essential fats.   Many people are deficient in these crucial fats and, as the name implies, they are essential and cannot be made in your body.   Pretty simple to do also!

  

4) Testosterone

 

 Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard about testosterone and muscle growth.  Testosterone has been shown to increase muscle hypertrophy, lean body mass, strength, improve energy, increase libido, and even reduce your risk of a heart attack (5, 6).  Sign me up! 

  

Testosterone can also increase the number of satellite cells too! (7)  Satellite cells "hang out" at the end of the muscle fibers and serve like little repairmen that spring to action when the muscle fiber is damaged from a heavy weight training session.   Research by Tamb et al. (12), showed an increase in the testosterone concentration in 320 older subjects after taking a standardized water-soluble extract of Eurycoma longifolia (Long Jack) for one month.  It also correlated to a reduction in symptoms seen in aging males.  Increasing testosterone is another way to add some more muscle.

  

5) Exercise Selection

  

Tissue (muscle) responds directly to overload.

 

 Want bigger shoulders?  Pick an exercise that stimulates the shoulder muscles.  Score one for the old time bodybuilders.   If you are cramped for time, I recommend you look for more "bang for your buck" compound lifts like bench press, squats, overhead press, deadlifts, pull ups, etc.   This allows you to stimulate a whole bunch of muscle in a very short period of time.  These exercises enable you to use heavier weights also in addition to being fun!  Most everyone can deadlift more than they can preacher curl!

 

 Summary

  

Now you are armed with 5 tips on how to add some more metabolically-active muscle tissue to your frame.  Muscle always looks much better than fat, so add some today!

 

 

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What Supplements Do I Need For Muscle Growth?

 

"Mad Scientist Muscle " is a powerful collections of mass-building programs that utilizes the principle of "controlled overtraining" to literally FORCE the body to build muscle mass. The program also includes specific training methodologies that are targeted to improve the physiology of the body to better support muscle growth.

You can read more about this program by

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Instructions for how to make your affiliate link can be found below. Below that, you will find information on the free brandible sample eBook you can give away from your site as a bonus, text ads, banner ads, book covers, testimonials and more.

 

 
 
 
 
Taking certain nutritional supplements for muscle building is not absolutely necessary; you can do without them, however, some of them really do have their advantages. They can give you an added physical and mental edge.
They help to enhance performance and can help in the muscle-building process. Although some are a waste of your time money and effort, there are a few that do actually perform.
Supplements help to fulfil the missing link that may occur during an intense muscle-building phase. You do need some supplements for greater muscle growth.
Here are the supplements I'd recommend for Muscle-building.
Creatine: A great supplement that always produces positive health and muscle-building benefits. Helps to fill the muscles with fluid making you stronger and able to lift heavier and recover faster. Good bodyweight gains achieved with this, which allows you to lift more for better muscle growth stimulation.
Protein Powders: Whey protein isolate is the best fast acting protein to aid in repair and growth of muscle tissue after an intense training session. Casein Protein is a slow digesting protein best taken just before bed to supply the body with a continuous flow of amino acids for repair and growth through the night while you sleep.
Weight Gainers: A high calorie supplement is a good idea if you consider yourself as being under weight. High calories are needed for muscle endurance and optimum performance and effective muscle repair.
You'll want to stay healthy while you're on a muscle-building quest so I'd also recommend:
A good multi-vitamin/mineral supplement: To offset any nutrient deficits that may occur during an intense training program. Vitmins and minerals are essential for good health and well being.
Vitamin C: A great immunity booster and free radical destroyer.
Vitamin E: Great for Cell integrity and vitality.
EFAs: Essential Fatty Acids: Great for overall health and helps promote the body's production of Testosterone - the muscle builder.
Note: You should always check with your GP or other health professional before taking any nutritional supplements.
Along with the supplements there are other elements that you need for muscle-growth:
A sound workout routine that induces muscle growth and does not over-train the muscles.
A good healthy high calorie diet. Eat six smaller meals instead of 3 large meals.
Sufficient rest and recovery time. Your muscles have to be fully recovered.
Discipline Commitment and Consistency.
A few supplements like the above.
The bodybuilding supplement industry is big business. You really don't need all those "miracle" muscle-building supplements that come onto the market, but once in a while they do actually bring about a supplement that actually does what it's reported to do.
Darren O Connell - has over 20 years experience in Muscle Growth, Health, Fitness, Fat loss and Nutrition - For more information on the Greatest Muscle-building Programs

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Working Out Too Hard? - Want to be Fit? Haste Makes Waste

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Don't let ambition ruin your training

Can you train too hard? Yes! Beginners especially may be doing too much weight training and too much aerobic exercise. So many bodybuilders desperately want to get bigger, but for many, the gains don't come, or they come at a snail's pace.

My experience (vast as the ocean that it is) suggests that many recreational bodybuilders, even those using supplements like Muscle Milk, try to do way too many sets of heavy exercise and work out too many days, without rest. In the quest for muscle, this is self-defeating. It simply leads to overtraining.

One of the biggest misconceptions going is that if you miss a day of training, or two or three in a row, your progress will be lost, or current growth will not proceed. Nothing could be further from the truth. Often, when you miss as much as a week of exercise, your lifting will be much stronger when you resume (assuming you have developed the nuances of technique and skill). That ought to tell you all about overtraining!

No one has an exclusive understanding of exactly how muscles grow or which exercise and training protocols are the most ideal for growth. Even if that were understood in concept, no one knows exactly how individual variation or genetics enters into the picture. I do know one thing: Beginning bodybuilders are usually so impatient and so unrealistic about possible changes in size, strength and definition that after a month or two, most throw up their callous hands in despair and stop training altogether.

When you read the muscle magazines and check out the bodybuilding section at the bookstore, much of the information centers around the training and nutritional routines of the champions. Of course, readers like to learn about the greats in the iron game. This is essentially motivating for beginners who wish to emulate the size and strength of these bodybuilders.

NOT FOR BEGINNERS

But as much as you want to look like a favorite champ, you don't want to train like him or her. At least, you as a beginner should not be following the champ's current routine.

Too often, beginners don't realize that the champions' current routines are far different than the training approaches they followed 10-20 years ago when they were beginners themselves. Keep in mind that the hardcore training articles aren't 100% applicable to a beginner's needs. Sometimes the featured champ will give suggested routines for beginners and intermediates. Sometimes you have to scale down the champ's workouts to fit yourself.

Ask yourself, could a beginning sprinter/long jumper profit from following Carl Lewis' current training routine? I strongly doubt it. Even the current nutritional program of a Jay Cutler or Ronnie Coleman mostly applies to competitive bodybuilders.

So go ahead and read how your favorite champs train. But don't try to match their training. If you have been trying to keep up, I bet you're disappointed with your bodybuilding progress. As I said, this is where overtraining rears its ugly head.

Recent research data suggest that many bodybuilders are overtrained and in catabolic negative nitrogen balance. As logical as it may sound, this condition is not remedied by the simple solution of eating more protein and calories or taking bodybuilding supplements, since catabolism has a lot to do with adrenal hormones occupying potential receptor sites, which is not affected by the amount of protein you consume!

TOO MUCH, TOO OFTEN, TOO HARD

Many bodybuilders are overtrained because they are attempting to do routines of the champions.

What can be done about overtraining, the situation where you feel you are currently not making the size and strength changes you feel appropriate?

First, reevaluate your expectations. Don't be tempted by steroids no matter how disappointed you might be with your progress. You don't want to risk your health and temperament on growth-enhancing drugs. Additionally, you'll have the knowledge that your muscles and strength are real and that you will always have muscles and continue to develop, assuming that you work out, whereas the steroid-user is doomed to hopeless catabolic atrophy the very moment he starts an off-cycle! No matter what the steroid-user does, he is doomed to (eventually) lose all his muscle once he stops steroid use.

So, eat right, rest and sleep well. Learn to be patient with your growth and don't compare yourself to others. Progress will come. For me, progress came steady and slow and so did size.

STARTING RIGHT

For many of you, it is still probably most advantageous to work out every other day That's right. Bodybuilders, try training your chest, back and abdominals on Monday; thighs, hamstrings and calves on Wednesday and shoulders, triceps and abdominals on Friday. Take a full two days rest and repeat, starting on Monday!

Serious beginners, do 2-3 exercises for each bodypart. Do not exceed nine exercises on any one day. Try doing four sets of each exercise, with your first set as a warm-up for 10-15 reps. Then do two sets of 6-8 reps and finish with one set of 8-15 reps. Always use full motion emphasizing steady, concentrated muscle contractions, both the positive and negative elements. Do not do forced reps yet. Do not do extended sets yet. Use as much weight as you can, but always with good form. Try to increase your weights in small increments, but if you can't, try to squeeze an extra rep here and there.

Most important, don't overtrain. Use basic exercises to build the basic body. Be patient. It will happen!

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Tracking Your Training Leads to Strength and Muscle Gain Success

Tracking Your Training Leads to Strength and Muscle Gain Success

In all, this is probably one of the simplest steps to quick muscle gains, yet it is HEAVILY overlooked. The easy step of tracking (logging or journaling) your training can amp your training, and muscle and strength gains to the next level.

You MUST track your training by writing it down if you want muscle and strength gains. Simple as that. If you don't track your training, you will not know how well it is working or how to advance it.

To make successful strength and muscle gains you have to continually improve or advance what you did the week before.

What you need to track to make successful feminine muscle gains are:

• Training days
• Exercises
• Poundage used
• Sets
• Reps
• Rest time

Ok, now you got the basic line-up of what you need to journal... so what do you do with it all? Well, you need to constructively process it weekly and build on each training sessions.

What you don't want to do is start off curling 30 pounds on the EZ curl bar and STILL be curling pounds on the EZ cur bar in 6 weeks form now. They way you overcome that, build muscle and strength is by tracking and using progressive overload.

For muscle and strength gains, you need to increase your poundage each week. If you physically can't increase the poundage then increase reps as a first choice and sets as a second choice.

Sometimes all it takes is that one extra rep the next week to produce muscle gains.

You need to know where you came from to know where you are going.

Here's an example of tracking your training and actually making gains...

Week #1
Biceps curls:
Set #1 - 30 pounds for 8 reps
Set #2 - 35 pounds for 6 reps
Set #3 - 35 pounds for 6 reps

Week #2
Biceps curls
Set #1 - 35 pounds for 8 reps
Set #2 - 40 pounds for 6 reps
Set #3 - 40 pounds for 6 reps

If you don't log and track your training, how will you know how much to increase and for how many reps? You won't.

Use the information you gather each week and build on it with progressive overload to ensure muscle gains. When you challenge your muscles you FORCE them to grow.

But keep in mind it’s not the length of the workout, or even endless exercises, sets and reps that produces results… it’s the QUALITY of the workout.

Rest Consistently for More Muscle and Strenght Gains...

When training with heavy poundage, it's best to get at least 2 full minutes of rest between sets, and sometimes up to 3 or so. If you jump back into a heavy set too quickly, you will be sacrificing some strength, which will hinder muscle and strength gains.

Tracking your rest between sets is also an plus. This is why... Let's say "Buff Joe" is wearing his tight shirt in the gym sporting his big chest and biceps because those are the only developed body parts. He's hammering away on the flat bench press because that's all he knows, and he's even doing that wrong, throwing his hips off the bench with rep. He did 10 reps with 185 with bad form.

ANYWAY... After this first set he walks around and tells a few ladies howthey should be training, then he hits the water fountain for a drink of good ole' H2O. He makes his way back to the flat bench and does another set with 185 for another 10 reps. After that set immediately he puts a quarter (totaling 235) on each side and nails out 10 more reps.

This guy is lacking direction in every sense. I would be willing to be a million dollars... Yeah, a million, that I could train him for a month and add more size and strength then he could on his own in the next 2 years.

First, his form sucks... but that's not the point here... I want to address the rest time between sets. He has no idea how much rest he's getting between sets. If he did, he could easily add 2-3 pounds of muscle in a month and even increase this poundage load overall.

Just as with everything else regarding building muscle and strength, you need consistency in rest time between sets. If you rest 2 minutes after your first set your muscles will be well recovered to handled that same load or a heavier load. The less rest time between sets, the less strength you will have to see that next set through.

HOWEVER, while you do need adequate rest between sets when in muscle-building mode, you also need to ensure it's not too long of a rest to where your muscles are cooling off.

This is why it's important to log your rest time between sets because if you rested 3 minutes between sets last week and you are resting 2 minutes between sets this week... It would appear that you are not making gains... but that's not the case. You didn't give your muscles equal rest time each training session.

Follow a consistent pattern, record it, and capitalize on it. It's really that simple. Oh, and when "Buff Joe" approaches you to help you with your form, tell him to bug off! LOL

How YOU Can Start Changing YOUR Body...

You can make this kind of muscle progression because I created THE Ultimate Female Bodybuilding Training System in Iron Dolls. Included with Iron Dolls is over a years worth of printable training to help you stick to your goals. This IS the best-selling female muscle training system.

The right training program and logging is what's going to make the difference in your physique and overall transformation.

If you are really serious about weight training, building muscle, and transforming your body, the I strongly urge you to go to my website RIGHT NOW and grab a copy of "Iron Dolls - Female Bodybuilding System" before it's too late.

You WILL NOT find anything even close to it anywhere. The time is now... You need to do something for YOU... So click this link right now and download your copy while they last...

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Two Flat Stomach Secrets For Women

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Have you tried everything under the sun to get a flat stomach, only to come up disappointed? Have you fallen prey to all the gimmicks, fad diets and shameless infomercials promising you that elusive flat stomach that you desire?

Well fret no more, I'm going to let you in on the two ‘secrets' that will help you shed unwanted fat and reveal your toned, flat stomach once and for all.

The first secret for a flat stomach is eating supportively. While this doesn't seem like a secret at all, most women get this wrong in spite of their best – but misguided – efforts. Women have fallen prey to low-fat, low-carb, Hollywood, grapefruit, South Beach and every other over hyped diet that marketers can dream up, all in hopes of shedding those unwanted pounds. But eating supportively is isn't about dieting or deprivation; it's about moderation and balance. While cutting carbs or fats out of your nutrition plan might give you a temporary loss of a couple of pounds, it's typically followed by a drop in metabolism and a weight gain of more than you lost in the first place once you go back to your old eating habits.

So what is eating supportively? Eating supportively is having protein and carbohydrates at every meal. It's grazing on 4-6 meals or snack each day instead of missing meals and then gorging yourself. It's enjoying a healthy breakfast and not drinking your calories. But most of all, eating supportively is enjoying the foods you love in moderation instead of in excess.

If eating supportively is the first secret to a flat stomach, then what's the second? The second flat stomach secret is resistance training. Unfortunately, just as fad diets have stood in the path of women achieving the flat stomachs they so desired, so have the myths of spot reduction and cardio being the best method for fat loss. Late night infomercials have long promoted gadgets that promised to spot reduce those trouble spots that women struggle with and sucked us in with testimonials from fitness models that undoubtedly picked up a nifty paycheck for endorsing their wares. But spot reduction is a myth. Think about it – have you ever met someone with a flat stomach and fat arms? Didn't think so. If spot reduction was possible then undoubtedly one of these happy customers would have toned and tightened their stomach, yet kept their flabby arms.

The other myth that has led women astray is the belief that cardio is the best solution for fat loss. Treadmill manufacturers have sold the virtues of the ‘fat burning zone' and led us to believe that we could plod along on a treadmill watching Oprah and before long a flat stomach would be ours. These two myths have diverted us from the path of what really does work – resistance training. Resistance training is a flat stomach's best friend because not only does an effective resistance training session burn plenty of calories while you're doing it, but it keeps you're metabolism revved long after you're done. One recent study showed that you're metabolism would stay elevated for over 36 hours after a resistance training session.

Try to get that out of an aerobics class.

And there's another benefit of resistance training when it comes to getting a flat stomach. The lean muscle that you gain will raise you're resting metabolic rate and help you burn more fat all day long, each and every day.

There you have it, two ‘secrets' that are guaranteed to boost your metabolism and give you that flat stomach you've been longing for. So ditch the diet books and the aerobics classes and start eating supportively and resistance training. Before long that flat stomach will finally be yours.
About the Author
Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to http://sabatella.fitmummy.hop.clickbank.net/ to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism."

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How To Gain Weight and Muscle

How To Gain Weight and Muscle
Gain Weight Build Muscle Fast

In order to gain weight you have to follow these 3 steps:
Step 1: Eat to gain weight
We already read that 1 pound = 3,500 and if we eat less than 3,500 per week we
lose 1 pound, but if we eat 3,500 more calories we gain 1 pound. A starting point in
gain the right kind of weight is to eat 7,000 more calories per week. That means
1,000 more calories per day on top of your maintenance calories. For example, I
weight 180 lbs and have a maintenance calories of 180 x 15 = 2,700. I would need
to eat 3,700 calories per day in order to gain 2 pounds per week
.Step 2: Eat 50% of your calories from carbs, 30% from
protein and 20% from fat
You need carbs to grow and they are very important for you to gain weight. Just like
eat for fat loss you need to eat your carbs from intact sources, protein from lean
meats, and healthy fats. If you keep your fat percentage around 20% or below it will
reduce the amount of fat you gain during this bulking phase. But remember you will
gain fat and it is impossible to avoid it. You can minimize this by choosing the right
carbs and fats that you eat. Don't think that since you are bulking that you can eat
McDonald's everyday because you will gain weight but it won't be muscle.
Step 3: Eat 6-8 meals ever 2-3 hours
You need to feed your body every 2-3 hours in order to keep it in a anabolic (growth)
state. So for me I can break down 3,700 / 7 = 528 calories per meal. Remember
that each meal should be as close as possible 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20%
fat. Eating 7 meals a day is pretty hard since you are always eating something or
preparing something, but it is worth the results you see.
Weight Lifting to get big:
When you are gain weight, your training has to change also. You should focus on
workout out your whole body not particular muscles. Do compound exercise such as
bench press, squats, clean and press, pull ups, etc. Your goal when trying to gain
weight is to gain the muscle everywhere on your body. Remember you can always
define and sharpen your muscles after you have gained the weight.
Limit your cardio to only 1-2 days per week and do not perform cardio on the day
you lift weights!
Incorporate these things for better results:

• Have a shake before you got o sleep, read Before Bedtime Shake
  

• Have a pre-workout drink for maximum growth, read Pre-Workout Shake
  

• Have a post workout shake with these nutrients, read Post-Workout Shake
  

• Look into these 3 supplements for even better results, read Top Supplements

 

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Xenadrine EFX Review

 
 

Does Xenadrine Diet Pill Work?

 

 
 
Description: Xenadrine's advanced new ephedrine-free formula is powered by a revolutionary blend of potent thermogenic compounds clinically proven to increase the body's metabolic rate and energy expenditure to help promote fast and dramatic reductions in weight and bodyfat.
Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, take two capsules before breakfast or morning exercise session, and two capsules at mid-afternoon with 8 ounces of water. Do not take in the evening. Do not exceed 4 capsules per day. Individuals weighing under 150 lbs. may wish to begin use with one-half the recommended dose for the first week (one capsule twice per day). "For best results, use as part of a reduced fat diet and exercise program."
To use as an energy booster: Take two capsules approximately 30 minutes prior to exercise. To use for weight loss: Take two capsules before breakfast or morning exercise session, and two more capsules at mid-afternoon. Begin use with one-half the recommended dose (one capsule twice per day) for the first seven days to assess your tolerance. Do Not Exceed 4 Capsules Per Day. Please note: This product contains caffeine and salicin (a precursor to aspirin), and should not be taken by individuals wishing to eliminate these ingredients from their diet. For best results, use as part of a reduced fat diet and exercise program.
Warnings: Keep out of the reach of children. Not intended for persons under 18 years of age. Do not use if you are pregnant or nursing or at risk of or being treated for high blood pressure, heart disease, renal disease, hyperthyroidism, spasms, psychiatric disease, suffer from migraines, are allergic to tyramine or chocolate, have asthma, or are taking asthma medication. Consult your physician before use if you are taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). The recommended dose of this product contains about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee and should not be taken by individuals wishing to eliminate caffeine from their diet. Limit use of caffeine-containing foods and beverages while taking this product because too much caffeine may cause nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, and occasionally, rapid heartbeat.
Warning: The FDA has determined that Bitter Orange may increase blood pressure and increase the risk of heart arrythmias, heart attack and stroke.

BSN NO Xplode Review

Author: Dominick Walsh of Performance Nutrition

This week I'll be reviewing a well known supplement, BSN's NO Xplode.  If you haven't heard of this product then you probably don't get out from under the rock you live under too often.  BSN has done an excellent job marketing this and all their products, I mean, who hasn't tried NO Xplode?  At first glance this pre-workout powder contains all the ingredients that makes up most strength building, pump enhancing, energy producing powders.  BSN uses a couple different kinds of creatine with creatine ethyl ester being the main source.  Ethyl ester creatines are supposed to reduce water retention with an increased absorbability and work well with some people but in my experience its kind of been hit and miss.  In addition to a healthy dose of caffeine, NO Xplode uses various amino acids such as L-tyrosine and taurine to enhance energy levels.  This is what the user "feels" when he takes this product.  Although caffeine and other various stimulants are great for a kick in the ass before the gym it doesn't necesserily translate to size or strength gains.  In fact studies show that high doses of stimulants can actually release cortisol into the bloodstream.  Cortisol is a stress hormone and is catabolic in nature which can hault muscle growth.  The nitric oxide component of NO Xplode is quite interesting.  In addition to a few oddball, unstudied compounds, BSN uses L-arginine AKG and two types of citrulline to increase the pump effect of working out.  Nitric oxide is sythesized from these compounds.  This combination works well if dosed correctly.  Thats where this formula gets a little hazey.  The extensive list of ingredients is labeled as a total of about 18 grams in a proprietary blend.  There are about 30 ingredients in NO Xplode which begs the question "Is anything in the right dosing?" and "Are these exotic compounds even proven?"  It's tough to tell.  I do believe that this product will give you energy due to the stimulant content and it will pump you up but I think its more from the massive amounts of sodium they add to the powder (bloat pump).  NO Xplode wouldn't be my first choice for a pre-workout powder but it definately deserves a fair chance.