Anatomy of Muscle Building: A Trainer's Guide to Increasing Muscle Mass

by Craig Ramsay

Overview

A professional-level guide for anyone who is serious about their physique.

This is the first muscle-building instruction book written by a professional trainer that is tailored to the general reader. Its annotated full-color anatomical illustrations are revolutionary, clearly explaining which muscles are engaged in each exercise, what the exercises are designed to accomplish, and the precise interaction of the adjacent muscles.

Anatomy of Muscle Building is organized by body area to reflect the common progression of a well-planned workout. The author also supplies easy-to-follow workout plans suited to all levels of fitness and experience.

The book explains intensity, sets and repetitions and recommends duration and frequency of exercise routines. It also covers the key fundamentals of weightlifting and the benefits of free weights and machines. It includes:

How to build muscle without gaining fat

The importance of cardiovascular exercise

Principles of diet for weightlifters, including the role of protein

The pros and cons of dietary supplements

Helpful sidebars on what to look for and what to avoid

Exercise variations to accommodate individual differences

Tips on achieving optimum form to achieve optimum results

A visual index helps readers navigate, and a checklist allows readers to track their exercises and progress. Beginners, serious weightlifters, competing athletes, trainers, coaches, physiotherapists and many others will find Anatomy of Muscle Building fascinating, instructive and practical.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554078165
Publisher:	Firefly Books, Limited
Publication date:	03/24/2011
Series:	Anatomy of
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	1,048,269
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

With over 10 years of experience, Craig Ramsay is one of the most sought-after trainers in the business. His clients include some of Hollywood's top celebrities and professional athletes. Ramsay is currently appearing on the Bravo series Thintervention.

Table of Contents

Contents

Introduction

CHOOSING THE RIGHT GYM

FULL-BODY ANATOMY

CARDIO WORKOUTS

Chest and Front Deltoid Stretch
Trapezius Stretch
Shoulder Stretch
Triceps Stretch
Forearm Stretch
Toe Touch
Spinal Stretch
Lower- and Upper-Back Stretch
Hamstring Stretch
Hamstring-Adductor Stretch
Quad Stretch
Lunge Stretch
Groin Stretch
Seated Glute Stretch
Supine Glute Stretch
Calf Stretch

CHEST and ABDOMINALS

Balance Ball Crunch
Rope Pull-down
Double-Cable Lean-over
Cable Fly
Reverse-Grip Incline Bench Press
Hammer-Grip Press
Plate Pushup
Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pull-over
Dumbbell Fly
Smith Machine Flat Bench Press
Cable Machine Decline Raise
Cable Crossover Fly
Cable Decline Fly

BACK

Incline Bench Row
Dumbbell Shrug
Plate Row
Dumbbell Row
Cable Squat
Dumbbell Deadlift
Flat Bench Hyperextensions
Good Mornings

SHOULDERS

Barbell Row
Pyramid Cable Press
Front Plate Raise
Seated Arnold Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Standing Barbell Row
Dumbbell Side Push-out
Lateral Shoulder Raise
Bent-over Cable Raise
One-Arm Dumbbell Raise
Reverse Fly

ARMS

Triceps Bench Dip
Skull Crushers
Smith Machine Close-Grip Press
One-Arm Cable Extension
Rope Overhead Extension
Rope Push-down
Rope Hammer Curl
Reclining Cable Curl
Barbell Curl
Alternating Hammer Curl
Dumbbell Curl
Plate Curl
Single-Arm Concentration Curl

LEGS

Smith Machine Squat
Smith Machine Single-Leg Lunge
Flat Bench Dumbbell Squat
Dumbbell Walking Lunge
Flat Bench Step-up
Barbell Squat
Stiff-legged Barbell Deadlift
Plié Squat
Dumbbell Shin Raise
Dumbbell Calf Raise

Glossary

Credits & Acknowledgments

Preface

excerpt from the INTRODUCTION

Whether you are a competitive bodybuilder or just someone who wants to look sculpted and fit, your focus is on toning and building key muscles. In the following pages, you will find a selection of muscle-building exercises divided into major target areas: chest and abdominals, back, shoulders, arms, and legs. Step-by-step instructions accompany the photos of the exercises, along with anatomical illustrations that show you the major active and stabilizing muscles that are being worked. Active muscles are those that contract to move a body part or structure, and stabilizing muscles either co-contract or activate to stabilize the active muscle. An understanding of which muscles are working during a given exercise will help you better craft a workout regimen to fit your goals.

Editorial Reviews

This volume is like having an X-ray of each exercise or stretch one uses in their bodybuilding program. The full-color, detailed illustrations show users how a change in position can alter the muscle emphasis or improve safety or effectiveness... The illustrations are beautifully executed and well labeled. The layout provides a lot of whitespace and lends itself to either browsing or finding specific information... Would be useful in public libraries, in academic libraries with sports medicine programs, and in the personal libraries of fitness trainers.

Shannon Graff Hyselln Reference Books Annual 2012

This volume is like having an X-ray of each exercise or stretch one uses in their bodybuilding program. The full-color, detailed illustrations show users how a change in position can alter the muscle emphasis or improve safety or effectiveness... The illustrations are beautifully executed and well labeled. The layout provides a lot of whitespace and lends itself to either browsing or finding specific information... Would be useful in public libraries, in academic libraries with sports medicine programs, and in the personal libraries of fitness trainers.

American Reference Books Annual 2012 - Shannon Graff Hysell