The Correct Technique applicable to

"Measure Muscle Size"

Every muscle building enthusiast finds it encouraging to progress and appreciates the increased feeling of looking great. For this feeling to have some recorded approval one needs to record his muscle size gains in measurements as stated below to somewhere near to accuracy:

Measuring the chest is not easy, for it is important to ensure that the tape measure is horizontal all the way round and is not twisted. There should be three measurements chest contracted (made as small as you can by completely exhaling), chest inflated (simply by inhaling all the air you can), and chest expanded (by which you lift your thorax, widen your shoulders and bring the back muscles to a full state of expansion). The measurement should be taken with the tape across the nipples at the front and level elsewhere.

The waist measurement is taken at the level of the navel, when standing normally upright with the chest normally lifted. Don't cheat on this and deliberately make the abdomen as small as possible by drawing it in.

Measure the hips across the centre of the buttocks when contracted. It is no true measurement if the buttocks are relaxed as the difference might be as much 2 to 3 inches.

Two measurements should always be recorded for the upper arm i.e. Straight and Flexed. The first is taken round the thickest part while the arm is outstretched at shoulder level, muscles relaxed. Flexed measurement is taken with the arm at shoulder level and bent at the elbow with biceps fully contracted.

The forearm size is taken with the arm outstretched, fist clenched, at the thickest part.

The calf measurement is taken at its thickest part with the muscles contracted, usually by pointing the toes or by lifting one foot off the ground and then pointing the toes, thus contracting the calf muscles.

Note: All the measurements should be taken before you start exercising. By doing so you get what in body building language are called cold measurements. If you take them during or immediately after a training session, when the muscles are engorged with blood, considerable variations will occur.

Another important fact. Gains in measurements are not always regular and progressive. Rapid gains will be made at the start of your training and then may come a period when they stop. You often reach a point called plateau in bodybuilding language at this stage and staleness may intervene. If so, stop training for a week and then return with a new boost.

Quickest gains will come to the chest and arms with increase in bodyweight. It is quite normal to put up to 2 inches on your expanded chest within the first fortnight but it won't continue at this rate.