Over the next few weeks, you’ll notice some changes here at the Muscle Gain Guide.  We’re giving the website a ‘facelift’ and making it easier to navigate.  We’ll also be adding a bunch of new articles, written mainly by our own in-house fitness experts.  You’ll also notice more frequent blog updates with some great new content.  I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our regular readers and visitors - thanks for all your emails and please keep them coming!  Happy lifting.

I don’t believe in using crutches to help me build muscle. I believe that proper form, hard work, and a healthy dose of obsession are the keys to consistent training results. That being said, I’m a natural bodybuilder, not a powerlifter. If you’re training for looks and to improve your physique, not to be as strong as possible, then you damn well better be using a pair of lifting straps for all of your back exercises.

In an exercise like the deadlift, the amount of weight you can lift is often limited by your forearm strength. Your grip will give out long before your back or legs do. To help resolve this issue, and ensure that your back is getting the workout it deserves, you need lifting straps.

Lifting straps wrap around your wrists and then around the bar or dumbbell you’re lifting, effectively giving you a far greater ability to maintain your grip on the bar. If you’re not already using a pair, get some! Most sporting stores have lifting straps, but you can also find a variety of quality straps at BodyBuilding.com.

Yesterday I managed to catch up with natural bodybuilding guru Sean Nalewanyj. Sean is the author of the best-selling muscle building program “The Truth About Building Muscle” and he has a lot of great insight into training, nutrition, and more. He shared his thoughts with us in the first “expert interview”. Click here to read the full Sean Nalewanyj interview.

Welcome to the brand new “Muscle Blog”. This blog will be regularly updated with various bodybuilding and fitness related content - everything from product reviews to pro bodybuilding news and new training routines. I invite you to browse the rest of the site and enjoy all of the great articles and product reviews we have available. And of course, don’t forget to subscribe to the blog RSS feed to see the latest posts and updates!