December 4, 2006 23:31 - Building Muscle, Burning Fat, Rest & Recovery
I'm really liking not doing any weight training at all over the weekend.
First of all, with my current split, I'm dragging a bit by the end of the week. I rarely recommend to anyone weight training multiple days without rest and here I am working out three days in a row at the beginning of the week.
However, I've adjusted my program to accomodate this fact, and will make changes and add rest as needed. And again, it's nice to have the weekend off to rest and recharge.
If you don't remember, my current weight training split goes like this:
Monday - WO 1
Tuesday - WO 2
Wednesday - WO 3
Thursday - Off
Friday - WO 1
Saturady - Off
Sunday - Off
Monday - WO 3
Tuesday - WO 2
Wednesday - WO 1
Thursday - Off
Friday Workout 3
Saturday - Off
Sunday - Off
Workout 1 is chest, shoulders and triceps.
Workout 2 is legs
Workout 3 is back, biceps and forearms
I train abs on leg day and at the end of my Friday workout.
A few of the important keys to the success of my current weight lifting routine are:
- Limited number of sets per workout
- High intensity training - going to failure
- Use of intensity techniques such as supersets, drop sets, and end of set partials
but only on every third workout for a body part. The other workouts are streight sets
- Proper nutrition: No processed foods, lots of protein, good fats and quality
carbs such as fruits, vegetbable and whole grains
- Use of bodybuilding supplements that actually work
Keep these things in mind when designing your own weight training program. Pretty soon I'll downshift to a three days per week program in order to give my body more time to rest and recover from the added stress of more muscle mass and strength. I'm obviously using a lot more weight on my exercises now than I was when I broke back into training at the end of September, after this year's MS 150 Bike Ride .
The added strength takes more of a toll on the body. When you can bench press 250, your body needs more time to recover than when you could only bench press 95 pounds. As you grow stronger, you need more time to recover from your workouts, all other things being equal (ie, volume, intensity, workout frequency, training split, nutrition, etc.).
I'll go into more detail about the routines, exercise and rep selection, etc. and why I do what I do in future posts, in my newsletters Fast Mass Tips , Fat Loss Secrets Revealed and on the Online Fitness Forum.
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December 6, 2006 01:35 - Leg Training Day - Squats, Squats, and More Squats
So what'd I do for legs today? That's right! Squats! Great guess? Why'd I do squats? Because they are the best mass building exercise around. The only other exercise that comes close (and may be better for some trainees with long legs) is the deadlift. And yet, how many people do you see in your gym that do barbell squats and deadlifts? If your gym is anything like the gyms I've been in, I'd say not many, if any at all.
I train mostly at home now, but at the last gym I belonged to I saw one person deadlift and no one else do barbell squats.
And oh yeah, that one person that did deadlifts did them with my bar inbetween my sets.
He was so impressed to see someone else (me) doing deadlifts that he came over and worked in, even though he was actually training chest at the time.
Ah, brotherly love in the bodybuilding world.
My leg training today consisted of squats and stiff legged deadlifts, performed in the following manner:
- Squats - 2 x 7-9
- Squats - 2 x 10 - 12
- Squats - 2 x 13-15
- Stiff Legged Deadlifts - 1 x 13-15, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 7-9
- One Legged Squats on the Hack Machine - 1 x 20 reps per leg
- Hack Squats (both legs) 1 x 25 (partial reps only, just above parallel with each rep being about 6 - 8 inches in length. I had to stop at 26 reps because my legs were shaking too much.
As for my supplements I took the following pre-workout:
- Kre-Alkalyn - 1.5 grams
- Glutamine Peptides - 2 grams
- Branch Chain Amino Acids - 2.4 grams
- NO-Xplode - 3 scoops in 16 ounces of water
I took these supplements about 45 minutes before my workout. After my workout, I took the same supplements again, minus the NO-Xplode and I took them with 16 ounces of orange juice and two scoops of Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey Protein.
I'll go into more detail about the routines, exercise and rep selection, etc. and why I do what I do in future posts, in my newsletters Fast Mass Tips , Fat Loss Secrets Revealed and on the Online Fitness Forum.
MyBodyBuildingSupplements.com - Best supplements, prices, and service on the Internet.
MyNutritionProgram.com - Customized meals from a dietician delivered straight to your door. Don't have time to eat right? You don't need it anymore!
December 6, 2006 19:20 - Avoid Weight Training Routines Like This
Your weight training routine needs to be designed properly if you want it to help you build muscle and burn fat. That may seem obvious but it's amazing how many mistakes I see made in the very first step, and that's the way body parts are split up when using a split routine.
Most peope would be better off using a two or three days per week full body routine a lot more often than they do. That's for starters. However, if you are going to split up your body parts and work them on different days, you need to put some thought into the process so you can avoid overlap that can lead to overtraining, which will kill your bodybuilding progress.
Let me give you two examples of poorly designed training splits and why they shouldn't be used. Both of these appeared in a recent issue of a popular bodybuilding magazine. This is why I talk about this topic a lot. I see these weight training routines all the time and they drive me nuts!
The first routine suggested training four times per week, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Okay, so far so good. Usually on a training split like this you would divide your body in half, working upper body on Mondays and Thursdays and lower body on Tuesdays and Fridays. But not this split. It suggested chest, back and shoulders and Mondays and Thursdays and legs and arms on Tuesdays and Fridays.
So what's wrong with this split? It's a double whammy on your poor arms, the smallest muscles you work! Your biceps and triceps not only get hit hard four days a week, they get hit hard on consecutive days.... twice!! You hit them hard on Monday when you work back and chest and then hard again the very next day when you work arms. And then this repeats itself on Thursday and Friday. This is a sure fire recipe to keep your arms from ever growing! Don't do it.
The other routine I read about was similar. It had you working hamstrings, calves and shoulders on day one, quads, chest and biceps on day two, and then traps, triceps and back on day three. This is pretty much the same as the above routine with your biceps and triceps getting hit hard on consecutive days.
Remember, if you are going to devise a weight training split routine, keep in mind that you can't truly isolate a body part and that overlap occurs. Your triceps get hit hard when working your shoulders (on pressing movements) and your triceps get hit hard on most chest exercises. Your biceps get hit hard on most back exercises.
A couple of easy rules would be to spilt your training into upper and lower body days or have more rest days, such as always following a training day with a rest day. You may also want to stick to the push/pull training split.
Next time you put together your weight training routine, take a momemt to think about exercise overlap. It could be the key to your muscle building, fat burning progress.
I'll go into more detail about the routines, exercise and rep selection, etc. and why I do what I do in future posts, in my newsletters Fast Mass Tips , Fat Loss Secrets Revealed and on the Online Fitness Forum.
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December 11, 2006 10:06 - Weight Training Free Weekend
I love Mondays! I know, that sounds nuts, doesn't it? Let me explain. My current routine does not have me lifting weights on the weekend. As you've seen in previous posts, my current training routine has me working out on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. I get to stay away from the weights all weekend, allowing my body to rest, recover and recharge. So, when Monday rolls around again, I'm pumped up to get back into the gym and attack another week of weight training. So yeah, I love Mondays!
Today I'll be attacking chest, shoulders and triceps. I'll let you know how it goes.
Trouble building muscle? Check out 5 Muscle Mass Mistakes to Avoid
I'll go into more detail about the routines, exercise and rep selection, etc. and why I do what I do in future posts, in my newsletters Fast Mass Tips , Fat Loss Secrets Revealed and on the Online Fitness Forum.
MyBodyBuildingSupplements.com - Best supplements, prices, and service on the Internet.
MyNutritionProgram.com - Customized meals from a dietician delivered straight to your door. Don't have time to eat right? You don't need it anymore!
December 12, 2006 13:51 - Fiber Type, Muscle Building, and Weight Training Programs
My typical build is that of an endurance athlete, not a bodybuilder. My sports were basketball and soccer growing up. I could run all day. I never showed any muscle building potential. I don't say this to complain but so you can put the following in context.
This would mean I would require more reps and possibly more sets to trigger the growth mechanism.
You would also expect that I would be able to perform as many reps on a second set of an exercise, if not more, than I could perform on a second set.
You would expect my rep range to be on the high side when using 80% of my max in an exercise.
However, none of this is true. When testing with 80% of my max, I end up in the 6 - 8 rep range for most exercises.
When performing two sets with 2 minutes rest between sets and training to failure, I am most likely to get 8 or 9 reps on the first set and only 4 or 5 reps on the first set.
What I really find amazing is my performance on multi rep rest pause sets. I never get more than 2 reps on set 2 after a 20 second rest. Most mutli rep rest pause style sets go like this: 9 reps, 2 reps, 1 rep. Sometimes I can't even get a single rep on the second set, let alone the third.
Now, I think I train hard but I'm not foolish enough to say that my numbers are skewed because I train so much
harder than anyone else on my first set. I haven't seen any scientific studies on this type of performance for someone whose genetics points toward greater muscle endurance and lower neuromuscular efficieny.
This leads us to, what are the consequences as far as a training protocol? Would drop sets be better? Longer rest periods, even on MRRP? A combo drop set/MRRP where you drop weight AND rest 20 seconds? Higher Reps? Lower reps?
I'll go into more detail about these things and why I do what I do in my newsletters Fast Mass Tips , Fat Loss Secrets Revealed and on the Online Fitness Forum.
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MyNutritionProgram.com - Customized meals from a dietician delivered straight to your door. Don't have time to eat right? You don't need it anymore!
December 13, 2006 09:00 - Understanding High Intensity Weight Training
As I've discussed previously, there is a lot of misinformation out there about what high intensity weight training is all about. Unfortunately, this causes a lot of people to spin their wheels when it comes to building muscle. They think they've tried high intensity training and it doesn't work. Or they've read a weight training article by some "expert" who says it doesn't work.
I recently came across a question in one of the bodybuilding magazines that reinforces my point. Here's the question:
"About a month ago I decided to do something very different and go on a genuine high intensity training program.
I trained every five days using one exercise per bodypart, on all out set per exercise.
My split was: day 1, chest and back; five days later, legs; five days after that, delts and arms; and so on.
I thought after years of no real gains, that's what I needed. In 3 1/2 weeks I lost three to four pounds (it was all muscle) and my arms are down a full half an inch."
His question was about what new routine he should do.
Now, there's a lot of information missing from this question, such as: what was his nutrition plan like? what was his previous workout program? how many reps was he doing per set? how much time was each rep taking, i.e., what was the time under tension for each muscle? Did he continue to push or pull agains the bar at the end of his set for about 20 seconds after he could no longer complete another rep, as Arthur Jones suggested? And so on.
But I don't need any of that information to tell you the point of this article. The guy is NOT using a genuine high intensity training program, as he puts it.
Stuff like this is very frustrating for proponents of high intensity training. One set per exercise and one exercise per bodypart is not a high intensity training program. It never has been.
Yes, one set per exercise per body part is the least amount of exercise we can do and still stimulate muscle mass and strength increases. By performing just one set, you limit the drain on your body's finite energy reserves.
And yes, every set you perform eats in to your limited recovery ability. Your workouts need to be hard, brief, and infrequent if you want to make maximum progress in a minimal amount of time. Is it possible to make progress with one set per exercise?
Sure, if everything else is correct, including the true level of intensity, the exercise selection, the time under tension for that set, the overall volume of the weight training program, the frequency of the workouts, etc. But I've yet to see a high intensity training advocate recommend one set of one exercise per bodypart as a "genuine high intensity training program.". Even Mike Mentzer recommended multiple exercises for each bodypart. This man is training under a false premise. A true high intensity training program may be exactly what he needs to start making some muscle building progress.
high intensity weight training and muscle building
I'll go into more detail about these things and why I do what I do in my newsletters Fast Mass Tips , Fat Loss Secrets Revealed and on the Online Fitness Forum.
MyBodyBuildingSupplements.com - Best supplements, prices, and service on the Internet.
MyNutritionProgram.com - Customized meals from a dietician delivered straight to your door. Don't have time to eat right? You don't need it anymore!
December 14, 2006 16:37 - Burn Fat and Build Muscle with Audio!
Hey Everyone,
Whether your goal is to burn fat, build muscle, or just lead a healthier lifestyle, almost all of us have one obstacle in common... finding the time! This is true of anything we enjoy, not just health and fitness, right?
So, here's something new I wanted to share with you. My company, K2 Success Solutions, LLC recently launched what I like to call the Amazon of digital audio books. You can download these audio books directly to your computer (yes, instant access..no shipping!), burn them to CD, transfer them to your iPod or favorite mp3 player and you can listen to your favorite books. If you read my blog, sites and newsletters, you have an interest in health and fitness and most likely general self improvement.
There are currently 183 titles in the Health and Recreation section and another 214 titles listed under Self Help
K2AudioBooks.com currently has over 5,000 titles from the top publishers, with more being added daily.
If you're looking to build muscle, burn fat, and create a healthy, fit lifestyle, check out the health and fitness section. Or if you just love to read but can't find the time, check out the other titles. Or maybe you've been putting off that Christmas shopping. You get instant access. Download it, burn it to CD, put your own special graphic on the cd, and instant (and personalized) Christmas present!
I'll be back tomorrow with more muscle building, fat burning tips for you.
No BS, No Excuses
Gregg
December 18, 2006 09:16 - Achieving Your Fitness Goals Now
If you want to build muscle, burn fat, or just improve your health and fitness, you need to set goals to give yourself the best chance of success.
Since we're quickly moving to the end of the year, I am going to talk about goal setting and motivational issues.
After all, isn' that on everyone's mind right now - starting off a new year the right way?
We don't want another year to rush by and end up in the same position next December - wondering what happened to the year and our goals.
And to do that, we need to start off the new year correctly and keep the momentum going.
Speaking of the end of the year, I want to thank you for making 2006 such a success and I look forward to doing the same for you in 2007.
1 - 7 Steps To Success
Let's take a look at seven simple steps you can take right now to move you rapidly along toward your fitness goals.
Think on paper: Only about 3 percent of adults have clear, written goals. These people accomplish five and ten times as much as people without written goals.
Step 1: Decide Exactly What You Want. This will allow you to prioritize your tasks to that you are spending the most time on high value tasks that move you closer to your goals. If your goal is to add 20 pounds of muscle,
there isn't much point in using up a lot of you training time by jogging 5 miles a day.
Step 2: Write It Down. Again, think on paper. Written goals are a powerful thing. They have an energy behind them that helps you move toward them that unwritten goals just don't have.
Step 3: Set A Deadline On Your Goal. Create a sense of urgency and positive pressure. Without a deadline you will procrastinate and do the little things that may damage your short term goals. If you are having "after" pictures taken in three weeks then you are much less likely to swallow that bag of popcorn, than if you are just getting in shape...eventually.
Step 4: Make a list of everything you can think of that you will need to do to help you achieve your goal. Leave nothing to chance. The more planning you do ahead of time, the more likely you will stick to the plan and achieve
your goals. The more prepared you are, the more success you will experience.
Step 5: Organize the list into a plan. Organize your list by priority and sequence.
Step 6: Take action on your plan immediately. Do something. Get started. Start building positive reinforcement and momentum RIGHT NOW.
Step 7: Resolve to do something every single day that moves you toward your major goal. And with fitness, you have to, don't you? Whether it is your workout, eating six high protein meals, etc. you should always be doing
something that moves your forward toward your goals.
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