How Much Muscle Can You Gain In A Year?

There is no exact answer to this question, because there are no specific methods of training resulting in a constant linear increase of muscle mass. Also, many variables that influence metabolic growth are genetically dictated; therefore they are outside of an individual’s control (such as varying levels of the growth hormone_ testosterone amongst persons). Third, few people can train steadily without periods of interruptions. Vacations, illness, taking care of children, lack of sleep, poor eating habits, etc. can cause you to abbreviate your training, or skip working out all together.

One also needs to be realistic in their pursuit of muscle growth. If you are as skinny as string bean, you can be sure that you will never be a contender for the Mr. or Mrs. Olympia contest. But following a proper diet and training program can still significantly add size to a slender frame. Generally, stocky individuals are usually able to gain muscle mass at a faster rate compared to smaller persons, but they also tend to gain more body fat as well. So there is an up-side and a down-side to different body types.

Muscle mass has to be fed. This is one of the primary reasons why an increase in muscle mass coincides with increases in body fat. Slim Jims tend to gain less fat during over-feeding periods than bigger persons. Conversely, over-fat persons lose less muscle and more fat when under a restricted caloric diet. Not to worry, although fat increases with increased muscle size, you can still maintain a healthy body fat percentage (men – less than 17%, women – less than 23%). Usually, the increased muscle mass is greater than the amount of additional fat.

By the way, feeding muscle mass doesn’t mean you get to eat more junk food. I’m referring to eating more nutrient enriched foods to fuel high intensity workouts and build muscle.

The idea of gaining muscle mass while maintaining a very low body percentage is difficult. Drastic measures have to be taken regarding diet and exercise. The process is so restrictive that few people have the tolerance and discipline to reach that utopia. It calls for kick-ass workouts, 8-9 hours of sleep daily, minimal fat in-take, timed and balanced meals, no alcohol, zero processed foods and an indomitable spirit. How long do you think you can maintain that lifestyle?

Drum roll please…The answer to the topic is about 25lbs or 12.5kg in a year. However, the more fit you become, the harder it will be to make additional gains. Muscle growth comes in spurts. When you reach the upper limits of your fitness, you will have to fight a lot harder to get more out of your body with less return. It won’t be seemingly as easy compared to when you first started to train.

I am a black U.S. citizen living and working in Malaysia for the past 2½ years. During this time I have noticed that there seems to be an acccepted practice of broadcasting the derogatory word ‘nigger’ both in the cinemas and on regular network television in Malaysia. As a Black man I am highly offended, especially when you consider that Malaysia has a Censorship Board that supposedly protects Malaysians from offensive material.

To the best of my knowledge the Malaysian language does not contain the word nigger. So many Malaysians may be ignorant to the fact that this term is deep rooted in hatred towards people of color. The term was largely manifested by the orchestrators of the American Trans-Atlantic slave trade as a means to describe and demean Black African captives and their descendants. What better way to justify the enslavement of a race, then if you view them as being less than human.

Although the term nigger is freely and casually used by Blacks and heard in popular rap songs and movies, no Malaysian should ever think by any stretch of their imagination that the term is socially acceptable. For some Blacks referencing their own race with the term is a reflection of an ill-forged coping mechanism to minimize and deal with the historical violent attacks on Black psyche. However, the Black community is rarely, if at all accepting of Non-Blacks using the term.

I don’t consider myself a violent person.

But if any Non-Black refers to me as a nigger, I will find cause to kick their ass into oblivion.

The Ball Is Back In Mayweather's Court; Manny Says OK To 14 Day Window

Mom, you don't understand. I need this!

When I was a kid solidifying your street credibility on the block meant coveting the toys that were a ‘must have’. I don’t know one person growing up that didn’t believe at some point that if they didn’t get a particular toy on their birthday or Christmas their life would come to a screeching halt. When your friends swing by the house to ask you, “Did you get it”? You gotta be able to say, "You know it”!

Here are 5 toys that were a ‘must have’ when I was growing up:

'The Big Wheel' is an urban legend amongst inner city kids. When you get too big to sit and pedal; you take the back rest off, and then place one foot on the seat and kick-start it like a skateboard.

The 'Atari 2600' is the game console that made it possible for all others that followed. I have a permanent scar on my right thumb from working the joystick controller.

I use to relive all of 'Evel Knievel's' miscalculated bone braking stunts with this doll and cycle combo. I went as far as to gouge the doll with a thumb tack, and then color the area I dug into with a red marker to simulate the blood.

Who didn't like the idea of being Steve Austin ' The Six Million Dollar Bionic Man'. I use to think the glass eye was cool. But now it just looks like he was injured in a paper clip fight.

This is the very first handheld 'electronic football' game (American football), and the one item on this list that I never got. But later on other manufactures came up with better versions. On my 12th birthday I got Bambino Football & Boxing.

Bambion Boxing

Bambino Football

Congressman Manny Pacquiao & WBO Welterweight Champion

Great Story: Manny Wins Biggest Fight Yet — Officially the People's Champion
From FanHouse

Haye's Just Like Ali

Richard Schaefer (pictured above), CEO at US firm Golden Boy Promotions, said: "The last champ like him was Ali. Now we have someone to capture the imagination.

When you think back, Ali was able to do that - not just of sport fans but people all over the world. David has those same ingredients. "Our hopes and prayers have been answered; the heavyweight division has a new charismatic champion."

My thoughts...

Richard Schaefer, I have thought back, and I would like to say, "What the hell are you thinking"? To infer that David Haye is of the same caliber as Muhammad Ali is absurd. David Haye who is not shy about expressing his bravado doesn’t even want to back that asinine statement.

This is another example boys and girls about why you should just say 'NO' to drugs.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/boxing/2720171/Hayes-just-like-Ali.html#ixzz0ncZo7600

Happy Mother's Day

Before I Was Myself, You Made Me, Me

by Nicholas Gordon

Before I was myself you made me, me
With love and patience, discipline and tears,
Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,
Allowing me to sail upon my sea,
Though well within the headlands of your fears.
Before I was myself you made me, me

With dreams enough of what I was to be
And hopes that would be sculpted by the years,
Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Relinquishing your powers gradually
To let me shape myself among my peers.
Before I was myself you made me, me,

And being good and wise, you gracefully
As dancers when the last sweet cadence nears
Bit by bit stepped back to set me free.

For love inspires learning naturally:
The mind assents to what the heart reveres.
And so it was through love you made me, me
By slowly stepping back to set me free.

Dedicated to my Mother

Stretching Won't Make It Hurt Less

It has been my personal experience that stretching in and of itself before and after exercise does not significantly reduce the probability of injuries during physical activities. In my opinion athletic injuries are the result of one of the following: (1) poor execution and form, (2) muscle fatigue, (3) impact or stress beyond the affected body part(s) ability to sufficiently absorb the stressor, (4) or a combination of any of these reasons.

Most of the non-contact injuries I sustained during athletic events occurred while performing movements well within my normal range of motion. While injuries I incurred upon contact were obviously the result of blunt force trauma to various joints, ligaments, tendons and surrounding muscle tissue in which the integrity of the structure was compromised. In either case stretching would have provided no increased measure of protection or prevention.

Likely, muscle fatigue influences injuries to a greater extent than a muscle’s range of motion. Muscles that are exhausted through prolonged activity are unable to effectively react to external forces. Additionally, fatigue induces lapses in concentration, perceptual judgment and neuromuscular coordination. This is particularly true of less fit individuals, but even a seasoned athlete will eventually succumb to the effects of fatigue. Thus, mental and physical fatigue plays a significant role in leading to miscalculated biomechanical actions resulting in injury.

Regarding the idea that stretching reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), I have never experienced any great relief from the pain that follows a grueling workout by stretching before or after the training session. But I do elicit relief from moderate post-training activity that elicits increased blood flow. This is because blood is the vessel by which vital nutrients needed to repair damaged muscle cells are transposed, while at the same time blood transports waste materials away from the muscle cell.

Having said all this, one should not conclude that stretching serves no benefits. Rather my argument is that stretching preceding or after activities does not in all likelihood deter injuries during participation, or reduce muscle soreness following it. The main reason I include some form of stretching into my exercise regime is to help maintain the proper muscle tension/length relationships needed to execute movements in my regime as effectively as possible. The nature of these relationships changes depending on the amount of muscle flexibility needed to perform a particular activity.

Heads Up, Tails Down

Wladimir Klitschko is unique in that he is indisputably the best heavyweight boxer in the sport today, while also being by far the most boring boxer I have ever seen. Yet he and his brother, Vitali Klitschko, (who is equally as boring) hold all the major heavyweight boxing titles, except for the WBA belt held by England's David Haye.

But recently Wladimir stepped out of his Iron Man custom and showed signs of a pulse, when he posted on You Tube a formal invitation to David Haye to face him inside the ropes. Apparently, the Klitschko brothers didn’t appreciate the cartoon caricature depicting David Haye holding their decapitated heads on a T-shirt that Haye wore to a German press conference. It was a less than classy gesture, but quite frankly the heavyweight boxing division needed some shock therapy. David Haye is young, brash, arrogant, and loud talking, in addition to being undefeated as both a cruiserweight and now a heavyweight professional boxer. These are the ingredients that please fight fans, promoters and odd makers. Bad blood makes for good business.

The last time I was interested in watching a Klitschko fight, Vitali was going against the self-manufactured paper champion Lennox Lewis. Vitali put in a good showing, but the referee rightfully stopped the contest due to a nasty gash over Vitali’s left eye. However, Vitali was winning the fight on the score cards at the time that the match ended. Consequently, Lewis conveniently retired after the bout, before his fraudulent Milli Vanilli boxing career could be exposed any further. Since then there hasn’t been much to talk about in the heavyweight ranks, until the recent emergence of David Haye.

Now, I am interested in watching the Klitschko brothers settle the score with David Haye at the end of this year in a unification bout (winner take all).

Sugar is Supreme

With all the recent hype over whether Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the current pound-for-pound best boxer, I reminded myself today that neither one of them despite the pair’s impressive accomplishments in the ring is the best pound-for-pound best boxer ever. This is the point where Italian blog readers start screaming the name Rocky Marciano; you are wrong. Marciano admittedly was a beast in the ring, as well as notably the only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated. But he beat champions that were well past their prime. So quite frankly, Marciano doesn’t even make my top-ten list. Muhammad Ali is also not the best to lace the gloves up, but he is arguably the most recognized iconic sports figure in the world. The only fighter I ever thought had a chance to dethrone the best fighter ever was Mike Tyson; provided he had stayed on course. Unfortunately, personal demons and a prison stint ended what could have been a brilliant and near flawless boxing career. No man in boxing history was as feared by opposing foes as Mike Tyson was up until his first loss to Buster Douglas.

With that said, Sugar Ray Robinson pictured above with a career of 179 wins, 19 losses, 6 draws, 2 no contests, and a 109 KO’s is the best pound-for-pound boxer ever. You can take that to the bank. Neither Manny Pacquiao, nor Floyd Mayweather has accomplished enough to destroy that belief.

Whoever said sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, obviously never had a conversation with a fight fan on the internet. Fans of boxing are as brutal as the sport.

These are some of the comments that followed an article entitled Paul Williams demands a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr ‘Get into the ring with me’, by Rick Rockwell. Interestingly, Manny Pacquiao’s name is not mentioned anywhere in the article, but fans still saw fit to include it in their commentary.

Who is Paul Williams? A young gun in the welterweight division out to prove his worth. Prior to the Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosely bout, he issued a public challenge to the winner, which in this case is Mayweather.

Jimbo says:

Floyd, if Pacmanrefuse to give you a fight, then why dont you get Cotto to fight. Cotto was a hell of alot bigger than Pacman and yet Pacman distroyed him...Maybe you'll have a chance since manny soften him up for you. Come on get with the program and quit dodging the younger and better fighters.

If floyd is so sure he will defeat manny, why dont he just bypass the drug testing and get it on.... Come on floyd, lets get the fight going, or shut up and retire and take drugweather Sr. with you and uncle buba gayweather.

Floyd is a coward cherry picker says:

Mayweather will never fight Paul Williams, Floyd is the "GREATEST" cherry picker of all time. He only fought Mosley because he is actually in retiring age. If anyone thinks that age does not matter, then think again. Do not fool yourself, Mayweather is nothing but a cherry picking 41-0 fighter. If Mosley threw punches like Pacman, Mayweather is already sleeping in the canvass as early as second round. By the way, congrats to Bullsh1t Oscar Dela Hoya self-serving announcement that Floyd can now dictate the terms to Pacman. GBP should not get a single cent from Pacman's fight but they are so greedy and actually until now Oskie can't accept the fact that he was beaten badly by Pacman. Regrets Oskie the BS, Pacman will not bend even you announce a million times that Fraud Jr. can dictate terms, loser sh1T!!

Pookwang says:

Lol...do you really think gayweather will fight Paul Williams?
If he is afraid of Pacquiao which is what they call him a midget, what more for this giant Paul Williams, who throws punches like that of Pacquiao.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! get over it..Gayweather wont fight Paul and Pacquiao. Not until they are 38 or 40 yrs old..

Rony says:

Paul Williams is a punching bum who should shut the fudge up. He didn't even beat Sergio Martinez. Mayweather would kayo that punk. There is no sense and Mayweather wasting a fight on that punch-missing fool. I would not be surprise to see the bum Kermit Clintron beat Williams.

Mighty Duck says:

Paul, you have to wait for 20 years. No way Floyd will fight you because you are still in your prime. Floyd wants to fight old man like Mosley. So, better wait for 20 years....

box4life says:

Floyd came back for mega fights, he had to take a tune up mega fight, people said why Marques, hes too small...start to criticize him, thats what haters do. Other than Marques who was there for Floyd to fight? NOBODY that would make for a decent ppv...he tried fighting Pacquiao after but Pacquiao is making excuses, not Floyd..Floyd said he would fight anyone under Olympic style drug testing and thats how the sport should be, if every fighter has gotten to where they are with their hard work and dedication without putting nothing in their body they should prove it no questions asked. It's like asking Peyton Manning to take a blood test and he denies it... :I. I can't think of any opponents that would give Floyd a decent payday..Berto is not a big enough draw right now but he should fight Bradley July 12th and the winner possibly fight Floyd if Pacman ducks him. Other option would be Martinez at middle weight, who BEAT paul williams n floyd could add middleweight champ to his resume

Ol'my-T says:

Boxing4Life.... look back at your post and read what you just typed? You said Floyd was not making any excuse but then you go on and said that "He would fight anybody UNDER OLYMPIC STYLE DRUG TESTING" hahahahahaha! what a poorly educated A-hole you are! I'm sure your parents are proud to have had you.

Oh by the way OLYMPIC STYLE DRUG TESTING is not a requirement for any pro boxing fights. MORON !