In this issue there is one of those rare, insider tips that has the opportunity to make a big impact on your muscle building goals. No, it isn't some supplement concoction and it isn't some secret exercise. It is gloves, neoprene grips to be exact. And believe it or not, these things can have a big impact on your goals. Check this month's tip here.

In This Issue...

Bodybuilding Tip of the Month

A Better Grip For Muscle Gain

When you lift with the goal of muscle gain, you know (or should know) that it is absolutely imperative that you exhaust the muscles. To do this you go to fatigue or failure, you don't leave anything in the tank at the end of a set. Maximum intensity.

It is through this type of lifting that you signal to the body that you need more muscle. The body interprets this as a threat to its survival and when provided the opportunity, it responds by increasing strength levels and muscle mass. In turn, you respond by increasing resistance, always pushing for more (progressive overload).

It isn't always that simple, but that is the basic process. That is muscle building 101.

Something, however, can sneak in and disrupt this process. As you advance in weight for each lift, the reason you reach failure/fatigue can stop being the failure/fatigue of the target muscle. Instead, it can be hand discomfort. And you probably won't even realize this is what is happening.

If you are failing to exhaust the muscles, instead stopping short due to hand pain, you are failing to inspire muscle growth. The unfortunate result will be a frustrating plateau where nothing seems to bring the desired muscle gains.

What to do? There is a product called NewGrips, glove-like grips you can use on all your lifts. They are a simple concept that can provide some amazing results.

I discovered NewGrips a couple of years back I was looking for something to protect my hands. I hate traditional weightlifting gloves. Absolutely can't stand them. I'd rather rub my hands raw than have to wear those sticky, uncomfortable things. If you have used them, you know what I mean.

I had heard good things about NewGrips and decided to give them a go. They looked a lot cooler ("cooler" as in comfortable, less hot and sticky). I read the claims about them actually helping you lift more weight for more reps but thought that was a lot of hype. I was just buying them to protect my hands.

Well, the first time I used them I was amazed. First off, they did protect my hands better than any gloves ever had. They were cool and comfortable. They took away all the hand discomfort my lifting was giving me.

And then I started noticing that I was in fact lifting more weight for more reps. I had to keep looking at my training log to make sure I wasn't imagining things.

It isn't just me, I have received several "Thank you's" from those who have seen NewGrips on the site and given them a go. At just $25, they are a cheap way to significantly improve your results. Everyone who tries them seems to become a big believer real quick. They can truly be a difference-maker.

Chances are you don't fully appreciate how much your hands are holding back your results. So, if you are looking for a way to protect your hands or a technique to help you bust through a plateau, check out Newgrips here.

Site New Stuff

• New Program Articles - Technically these aren't so new. They were there before, just all together on a very long page that was fairly difficult to find. They all deal with the muscle building programs and picking the right one for you. If you are looking for definite direction with your program, the 5-star programs can be great resources.

• Modeling Your Way To Major Muscle Gain
• How Do I Pick The Program That Is Right For Me?
• How Much Muscle Can You Really Expect To Gain?
• What Makes For A Top Mass gain Personal Trainer?
• The Value of Following A Complete And Solid Muscle Building Program
• How Do I Get The Most Out Of A Program?
• Moving Past The Bodybuilding Program Hype

• 2 new articles from Sean Nalewanyj

• Proper Deadlift Techniques For Big Muscle Gains - Sean takes you through how deadlifts have the ability to inspire muscle growth throughout your body and gives a good rundown on proper technique.
• Weightlifting Wrist Straps For Bigger Gains - To do with this month's main topic, making sure your grip strength isn't limiting your ability to build muscle. A nice read on the benefits a pair of lifting straps can have on certain lifts.

• New Weight Gain Tips - Two excellent tips submissions from Daniel W. and J.R. - Note that an awful lot of these submissions from people who have succeeded all point to the time they started emphasizing their diets as the turning point for them. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR DIET.

• Over at the Muscle Building Blog the question is posed, "What happens if I do a weight gain diet but don't do any weight training?"

Interesting Off-Site Reads

• Do You Weigh What You Watch? - Are readers of this ezine likely to be fans of The Simpsons and South Park. That would be a fair assumption based on the research discussed here.

  Why? I would theorize that it has something to do with the fact that the naturally skinny, us ectomorphs, tend to have a lot of nervous energy. We don't like to sit still. Instead we must move around (and that burns calories which contributes to the underweight state). It seems to me that the shows this study says the underweight like are shows that don't require a big investment, perfect for a nervous ninnie.

• Bodybuilding Fitness Podcast - Sick of reading? Yeah, those eyes can get tired. Marc David has a solution for you. You can get hours and hours bodybuilding training information in audio format. Download and then listen whenever you want. 3.5 hours are available free. Some good stuff on there.

Program Updates

• Want $1,000? - Need a little extra motivation to get you moving towards your muscle gain goals? Jeff Anderson is holding a contest to see just what you can do following his Optimum Anabolics program. It's a powerful program so set your goals high.

  See the contest particulars here. And for a video FAQ on the contest, go here.

  Hurry, the deadline for entry is midnight on September 29th.

• Want Meal Plans? - If you are having trouble deciding just what to eat to get to hit your total calories and macronutrient ratios each and every day, Marc David has a new bonus that may interest you. He is providing printable meal plans for just about every conceivable fitness goal. 7 full days of meals for Fat Loss, Lean Bodybuilder, Low Cholesterol Low Fat, Wheat Free, Low Fat Vegetarian and (most importantly) Mass Builder.

  These are detailed plans that include 6 meals a day at various calorie levels (3200, 3400, 3600, 3800, 4000 daily calories for the mass builder plans). Each plan includes a grocery shopping list for the week. This is dieting for dummies, a super bonus to an already great resource. Check out The Beginner's Guide to Bodybuilding Here.

From the In-Box - Q&A

Kre-Alkalyn Creatine?

...I have always just used just a basic creatine powder but I have a friend who started using Kre-Alkalyn and he is swearing that that stuff blows away regular creatine. That true? (from Casey)

Think of your body as having a creatine fuel tank. Without supplementing, your tank may be about 30% full. The goal of creatine supplementation is to fill that tank up. Going into a workout, a creatine tank full to capacity can provide great benefits.

But there isn't a "high-octane" creatine that can go into that tank, there is no "Super Creatine." Kre-Alkalyn and the many, many other creatine products that go beyond a simple monohydrate powder are focusing their efforts on providing a better creatine delivery system - they are advertising a better fuel pump not a better fuel, a better way to get the creatine to your tank.

These products can possibly provide a boost to those who are not successfully getting their tanks full. So, if this was your friend's case, he could have definitely noticed a dramatic improvement - not because he was getting better creatine but because he was getting more creatine to his tank.

However, by supplementing smartly (as discussed on the How To Take Creatine page) with a high-quality creatine monohydrate powder, you can get all the creatine you can use to your tank - You can maximize the positives of creatine supplementation at anywhere from 5-25% the cost of the fancy creatine products.

I recommend a high-quality creatine powder such as Optimum Nutrition's Creatine Powder along with intelligent supplementing practices. That combination can't be beat.

Dr. Franco-Obregón's book, Creatine: A Practical Guide is also a very valuable guide to absolutely maximizing your creatine results.

Last month I said I would start getting more program reviews up. I did have a few ready to go but then I had the hard drive go out. I lost them as well as the first draft of this very ezine issue. Now I am close to getting things back up and going and so (maybe) things will start getting done.

Until next time, keep getting a good grip on your gains.