By Julian Gaylor

If you are finding that you are not getting the results that you would like, maybe it's due to one (or more) of the reasons below.

1. You don't have a specific goal
We all go to the gym for a reason. Common reasons include 'To lose weight', 'To get fitter/stronger' or 'To build more muscle'. If you are serious about getting results, these goals are not specific enough. Give yourself a deadline. For example, if your aim is to change your body weight, make it specific by saying 'I want to gain/lose 5 kgs in the next 6 weeks'.

2. You don't keep a training journal
A training journal is your road map to results. If you don't keep one, you don't know where you're going or how fast you are getting there. A training journal can be a program sheet written up by a trainer or your own gym diary. You need to fill this out every session. Write down what exercises you did, how many sets, reps and the weight lifted. For cardio sessions, depending on the machine you use, write down the time, speed, distance, incline or resistance. Because you are documenting your sessions, you know exactly what you have done in each workout and therefore, can try and improve each session.

by Jimmy Smith MS, CSCS

Part of me cringes every time someone asks me how long they should rest between sets.

Rest periods are all but an extinct method of overload that most people just assume they don't need to pay attention to. These days rest periods are for checking out some chick or playing with your iPod.

Just look at how many articles have been written on rest periods. Not many. Everyone wants to know how many sets and reps they should do to build Schwarzenegger-like biceps, or which exercises are the best for six-pack abs.

If you actually pay attention to other people in the gym, you'll notice a weird sequence of events at the end of their set. The set ends, they wander around, have a posedown between their biceps, or hit the water fountain, then they start another exercise or another set of the same exercise.

by Eric Cressey

The Smith machine is the equipment parallel to High Intensity Training. On one hand, it's been called more dirty names than Madonna on a trip to the Vatican. On the other hand, there are those who vehemently adhere to it in spite of the fact that it's an inferior way to train.

I'm about as anti-machine a guy as you'll ever meet, but I'm also open-minded enough to realize that as is the case with most things in life, the answer rests somewhere in the middle.

I'll be the first to admit that if I was to outfit a training center tomorrow, I wouldn't put a Smith machine in it. Beyond the obvious injury risks associated with a fixed line of motion on the exercises people normally perform on this machine, it just makes no sense financially.

Why spend $1,200 on a coat rack when I could buy one at Wal-Mart for $19.99 and use the leftover cash to pick up a glute-ham raise, some Jump-Stretch bands, and surprise TC with that Russian mail order bride he's coveted for so long?
The World's Most Expensive Coat Rack?

Written by Peter C. Siegel, R.H.

I see it every day at Gold's, Venice - the varying degrees of commitment and mental involvement people have with their workouts.

Some there enjoy the social aspects - doing one set and then engaging prolonged non workout related conversations with friends and acquaintances. Some are there to do a "gossip workout"; their focus is more-so upon judging and giving commentary about the people they see, expressing their "enlightened" viewpoints about the others around them. Some will do a "half-assed set" workout; they'll get easily distracted by a celebrity actor or pro athlete they see -- or some chick sporting pronounced cleavage, or a "cheek enhancing" thong. (BTW - I see the latter occurring a lot!)

Then, there are the serious ones - the ones who either, training alone or with a dedicated partner, stay continually (wholly) focused and involved with their workout each rep of every set.

You see'em with their ipod earphones in place, and a look of intense drive and conviction upon their faces. You see'em barking at their training partners to do "One More Forced Rep!" - and them helping their partner do this. (Then, the partner does the same for them.)

By:Mike Parker

The fight over which lifting, free weight lifting and machine lifting, has be fought for years. I am not going to sit here and tell you which is better, they both have there benefits. Instead, I am going to tell you what each one is good for and let you decide which you prefer.

Free Weights

If you are a professional bodybuilder you should be doing free weight lifting. Free weights have be proven to be the best way to get muscle and power. The reasons that free weights are more effective in getting you more muscle is because they use much more muscle fibers than machines do. They are also better for working on your stabilizer muscles in order to keep control of the weights, something you do not have to do with machines.

When you are using a machine the focus is on an isolated muscle, so you are not working many muscle fibers at all. When you are lifting with free weights you are using many more muscle fibers, stabilizer muscles, and you are getting a much greater range of motion. All of those thing will help you to ultimately get bigger.

By: Val Segal

Feeling Tired Before Your Workout?
Here are 6 things you can do to help!

You had a very long day at work. Meeting, telephone calls, emails. The only relaxing thing was your lunch, if you ever had one. Finally you are done, and it's time for your high-intensity training workout. You know, that you will need all the energy, strength, and mental concentration to complete your routine. However, after such long day at work, your energy reserves are so low, you don't know what to do. Follow these easy energy strategies, and the next time you walk into the gym, you will lift mountains.

1. Drink Plenty of Water

Often, when you're tired, you may actually be dehydrated. The consequent reduction in blood volume affects the transport of oxygen, thus reducing energy levels. If you are properly hydrated, your urine color should be pale yellow. On average, you should be visiting the restroom about every three hours. Drink about eight glasses of water a day, a cup or two 15 to 30 minutes before your workout. Do not rely on your thirst mechanism - by the time your thirst kicks in, you are already dehydrated.