This guy doesn't make any. Do you?
Some people cry and complain about what they don't have or can't do. Others just knuckle up and get shit done.
Putting you ahead of the pack.
9/08/2010
9/03/2010
Q & A
Q: Every time I begin a fat loss phase, I wind up starting out too hard and I'm burnt out within a couple of weeks. In hindsight, I recognize that my I cut my calories too drastically and my workouts were too hard for what I was able to keep up with at the time. How do I avoid this and how do you know the best place to start and still reach your goals?
A: The "start fast, finish slow (if at all)" problem is directly related to motivation, and it is not an uncommon one. When you begin a fat loss phase, you're no doubt feeling disgusted with yourself, and you're supremely motivated to make some serious changes. You are emotionally motivated to begin by your feelings about yourself.
At this point, the motivation to start the phase is much greater than the motivation to continue with the status quo. So you set out to beat the world with 10 hours of scheduled exercise a week, an 800 calorie deficit in your diet, and enough enthusiasm to power Richard Simmons for a month.
As the phase wears on, you start to see some results, and feel less disgusted with yourself, so the emotional motivation to continue decreases. At the same time, you're in a calorie-deprived state, and the training sessions are probably increasing in duration and frequency. You feel hungry, tired, and probably a little irritable. So the motivation to quit increases.
At some point, your desire to quit will overcome your desire to continue. This is where compliance becomes an issue, and the phase comes to a screeching halt. This "phenomenon" can be seen every year right around the first week in January, when all the New Years Resolutioners flock to gyms like hippies to a Grateful Dead tour. By February, there aren't many of them left. In March, 95% of them are back on the couch regaining the few pounds they managed to lose, and then some.
This is why your goals need to be concrete, instead of vague and subject to emotional sway. Your approach has to be rational and realistic, instead of being based on your current motivation level. Here are some helpful tips:
A: The "start fast, finish slow (if at all)" problem is directly related to motivation, and it is not an uncommon one. When you begin a fat loss phase, you're no doubt feeling disgusted with yourself, and you're supremely motivated to make some serious changes. You are emotionally motivated to begin by your feelings about yourself.
At this point, the motivation to start the phase is much greater than the motivation to continue with the status quo. So you set out to beat the world with 10 hours of scheduled exercise a week, an 800 calorie deficit in your diet, and enough enthusiasm to power Richard Simmons for a month.
As the phase wears on, you start to see some results, and feel less disgusted with yourself, so the emotional motivation to continue decreases. At the same time, you're in a calorie-deprived state, and the training sessions are probably increasing in duration and frequency. You feel hungry, tired, and probably a little irritable. So the motivation to quit increases.
At some point, your desire to quit will overcome your desire to continue. This is where compliance becomes an issue, and the phase comes to a screeching halt. This "phenomenon" can be seen every year right around the first week in January, when all the New Years Resolutioners flock to gyms like hippies to a Grateful Dead tour. By February, there aren't many of them left. In March, 95% of them are back on the couch regaining the few pounds they managed to lose, and then some.
This is why your goals need to be concrete, instead of vague and subject to emotional sway. Your approach has to be rational and realistic, instead of being based on your current motivation level. Here are some helpful tips:
- ALWAYS start TOO EASY. If you're counting calories, aim for 300-500 calories (300 for a woman, 400 for a small or average guy, 500 for a big guy) below maintenance for the first two weeks. The calorie reduction should come exclusively in the form of reduced carbohydrates. If you're not counting calories, just cut out junk and follow the 5 rules to the letter. Add 1-2 HIMC training sessions to your weekly exercise program. You want to leave yourself room to increase the workload if and when progress slows.
- Pick 1-2 ways to track your progress. This could be your weight, a tape measurement, or a body fat reading. Get a base reading before you start, and repeat twice a week at the same time of day every time. Ladies, keep in mind that your weight can fluctuate depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle, so be aware of that.
- Know EXACTLY what kind of progress you want to make, but BE REALISTIC! A person can realistically expect to lose around 1% of their bodyweight per week unless they are living in the gym all the time. The first week is the exception, because you will lose a good deal of water weight when you first begin the diet.
- When your progress doesn't match your goal, know what adjustments to make. I prefer to add HIMC before reducing calories further, because I feel that this helps maintain muscle mass more effectively. When you have maxed out your HIMC work for the week (4 sessions), then it is time to either add low intensity cardio or reduce calories further. Start with either an hour of cardio or 300-500 calories, depending on your size.
- Leave some room for error. Allow yourself to mess up and not feel like you ruined all of your previous hard work. If you fall off the wagon and eat a dozen donuts in the morning, get right back up and start back at it immediately. Don't give up completely just because you yielded to temptation once. This is not a license to cheat, but it is a license to forgive yourself and keep going if you screw up occasionally.
- Track your compliance. Every day you follow your diet to the letter, put a slash on the calendar. Every day that you follow your training program, put a slash in the other direction. If you don't have a lot of Xs at the end of the week, don't be surprised if your results don't match up with your expectations.
- SUCK IT UP AND STAY FOCUSED ON THE GOAL! Dieting is not easy. You will be hungry, you will feel like quitting, and you will start to talk yourself into quitting. No matter how rational you think you are when this happens, you need to stay strong and realize that you're merely rationalizing an excuse for failure. Don't quit until you hit your goal.
8/26/2010
Q & A
Q: How many grams of protein should I eat per day? Should I eat more on training days?
A: The number of grams of protein one should eat depends on a number of factors. The most important of these are your bodyweight and whether you are trying to gain muscle or lose fat.
While trying to gain muscle (i.e. you are eating a surplus of calories each day), eating 1-1.25 g of protein per pound of bodyweight is ideal. A 200 lb man would need between 200-250 g of protein per day.
When trying to lose fat (caloric deficit), that number should increase to 1.5-2 g per pound of bodyweight. That same 200 lb man would now need to eat 300-400 g of protein per day.
There are 3 reasons for eating more protein on a reduced calorie diet:
So, I have to answer the question with a question: Are you following the 5 Simple Rules at least 90% of the time? Are you tracking your compliance, or just winging it? You have to crawl before you can run, so if you still don't have the basics down, worrying about advanced things like how much and when on what day is like trying to race in the Indy 500 before you pass your driver's test.
Instead of worrying about small details like how many grams to eat, just focus on the 5 Rules. Every day that you follow them to the letter for the day, put an X on the calendar. If, at the end of the next month, you see a lot of blank squares (more than 3), then you have some work to do mastering the basics. If you see a wall of Xs, then you can think about moving on to more advanced nutrition.
Master the basics. They are all that most people will ever need to see great results.
A: The number of grams of protein one should eat depends on a number of factors. The most important of these are your bodyweight and whether you are trying to gain muscle or lose fat.
While trying to gain muscle (i.e. you are eating a surplus of calories each day), eating 1-1.25 g of protein per pound of bodyweight is ideal. A 200 lb man would need between 200-250 g of protein per day.
When trying to lose fat (caloric deficit), that number should increase to 1.5-2 g per pound of bodyweight. That same 200 lb man would now need to eat 300-400 g of protein per day.
There are 3 reasons for eating more protein on a reduced calorie diet:
- Eating more protein will ensure that there are enough amino acids available to maintain muscle mass while dieting. When you are eating more calories, you don't have to worry about losing muscle mass because your caloric needs are covered.
- Protein has a higher thermic effect of feeding than either carbs or fats. This means it costs your body more energy to process and use protein. Since we are trying to burn more calories, this is a good thing.
- Most people will see better results from eating more protein and dropping carbohydrates fairly low when trying to lose bodyfat. This inhibits insulin secretion (important because insulin is a storage hormone; it makes the body want to store fat, not burn it), keeps blood sugar levels more stable (important for reducing or eliminating cravings), and reduces water retention (which is why everyone loses 5-10 lbs in the first few days of a low carb diet). To accomplish this, you have to increase protein and fat intake so that you do not decrease calories too much.
So, I have to answer the question with a question: Are you following the 5 Simple Rules at least 90% of the time? Are you tracking your compliance, or just winging it? You have to crawl before you can run, so if you still don't have the basics down, worrying about advanced things like how much and when on what day is like trying to race in the Indy 500 before you pass your driver's test.
Instead of worrying about small details like how many grams to eat, just focus on the 5 Rules. Every day that you follow them to the letter for the day, put an X on the calendar. If, at the end of the next month, you see a lot of blank squares (more than 3), then you have some work to do mastering the basics. If you see a wall of Xs, then you can think about moving on to more advanced nutrition.
Master the basics. They are all that most people will ever need to see great results.
8/13/2010
My Training Now
I'm not sure if any of you have been following my training log, but I'd like to talk about what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and what my present goal is.
This might interest you, or it could bore you to tears.
The Goal
My goal right now is to bench press 405. My all-time best is 385, but that was a year ago, before hip surgery. I have not made this goal with a deadline, because I'm horrible at being realistic with my strength goal-setting when it comes to hitting actual numbers. I usually end up pushing too hard, too fast, and either burning out or getting pissed at myself for not being where I think I need to be.
So, I'm taking this one slow. If my progress continues unimpeded, which is unlikely, I should hit this goal in November. That being said, I'm aware that I will probably have to reset at some point, so I'm not putting a strict timetable on it. If I can stick to this approach, I know I'll get there.
The Plan
To accomplish this goal, my training template is as follows:
Monday - Heavy bench or military press
A) Plank for 2 hard sets
B) Heavy pressing movement, working up to a progressively heavier last set (more on that later)
C) Supplemental pressing movement, working up to 1-2 top sets in the 6-12 rep range
D) Lighter chest movement, 1-2 sets of 10-15 reps
E) Lighter tricep movement, 1-2 sets of 10-15 reps
F) Stretch all upper body muscles
Tuesday - Back and Biceps I
A) GHR situp for 2 hard sets in the 10-15 rep range
B) Heavy rowing movement, working up to 1-2 top sets in the 6-12 rep range
C) Chins for reps, 1-2 sets to failure with bodyweight
D) Heavy movement for trapezius, 1 set in the 10-25 rep range
E) Standing curling movement, 1-2 top sets in the 6-12 range
F) Hammer curls, 1 set of 6-12 reps
G) Stretch all upper body muscles
Thursday - "Speed bench"
A) DB Side Bends, 2 sets in the 10-15 range
B) Unilateral calf raise, 1 set with bodyweight of max reps
C) "Speed bench", 5 sets of 3 with a light weight, focusing on bar speed and technique
D) Close Grip Bench - 2 sets of 6 with a moderately challenging weight
E) Lateral Raise - 1 top set of 10-12
F) Upper back/rear delt movement, 1 top set of 8-12
G) Stretch all upper body muscles
Friday - Back and Biceps II
A) GHR Situp, 2 sets of 10-15 reps
B) Weighted Chins, work up to 1 top set of 4-6 reps
C) One Arm DB Row, work up to 1 set of max reps with the 145# bell (biggest one in the gym)
D1) Face Pull, 2 sets of 12-15 superset with
D2) Band Pull Apart, 2 sets of 10-15
E) Reclined Curling Movement, 1-2 sets of 8-12 reps
F) Reverse Curl, 1 top set with 8-12 reps
G) Stretch all upper body muscles
Saturday - The "Don't turn into a fat pig" Day
Condition with either the Prowler or KBs, depending on how my ankle feels.
Diet - The only thing I'm changing from my maintenance intake is adding a double chicken Chipotle burrito after every training session (except Saturday), which is a little over 1000 calories. That's an extra 4000 calories a week, or an average of ~700 a day. That's enough to see quality strength and mass gains without too much fat gain.
The Details
So that, in a rather large, rambling nutshell, is what I'm doing when I go to the gym these days. I'll be sure to keep my log updated so you can follow my progress if you want, and I'll put up a video of me hitting 405 when it happens.
Thanks for reading.
This might interest you, or it could bore you to tears.
The Goal
My goal right now is to bench press 405. My all-time best is 385, but that was a year ago, before hip surgery. I have not made this goal with a deadline, because I'm horrible at being realistic with my strength goal-setting when it comes to hitting actual numbers. I usually end up pushing too hard, too fast, and either burning out or getting pissed at myself for not being where I think I need to be.
So, I'm taking this one slow. If my progress continues unimpeded, which is unlikely, I should hit this goal in November. That being said, I'm aware that I will probably have to reset at some point, so I'm not putting a strict timetable on it. If I can stick to this approach, I know I'll get there.
The Plan
To accomplish this goal, my training template is as follows:
Monday - Heavy bench or military press
A) Plank for 2 hard sets
B) Heavy pressing movement, working up to a progressively heavier last set (more on that later)
C) Supplemental pressing movement, working up to 1-2 top sets in the 6-12 rep range
D) Lighter chest movement, 1-2 sets of 10-15 reps
E) Lighter tricep movement, 1-2 sets of 10-15 reps
F) Stretch all upper body muscles
Tuesday - Back and Biceps I
A) GHR situp for 2 hard sets in the 10-15 rep range
B) Heavy rowing movement, working up to 1-2 top sets in the 6-12 rep range
C) Chins for reps, 1-2 sets to failure with bodyweight
D) Heavy movement for trapezius, 1 set in the 10-25 rep range
E) Standing curling movement, 1-2 top sets in the 6-12 range
F) Hammer curls, 1 set of 6-12 reps
G) Stretch all upper body muscles
Thursday - "Speed bench"
A) DB Side Bends, 2 sets in the 10-15 range
B) Unilateral calf raise, 1 set with bodyweight of max reps
C) "Speed bench", 5 sets of 3 with a light weight, focusing on bar speed and technique
D) Close Grip Bench - 2 sets of 6 with a moderately challenging weight
E) Lateral Raise - 1 top set of 10-12
F) Upper back/rear delt movement, 1 top set of 8-12
G) Stretch all upper body muscles
Friday - Back and Biceps II
A) GHR Situp, 2 sets of 10-15 reps
B) Weighted Chins, work up to 1 top set of 4-6 reps
C) One Arm DB Row, work up to 1 set of max reps with the 145# bell (biggest one in the gym)
D1) Face Pull, 2 sets of 12-15 superset with
D2) Band Pull Apart, 2 sets of 10-15
E) Reclined Curling Movement, 1-2 sets of 8-12 reps
F) Reverse Curl, 1 top set with 8-12 reps
G) Stretch all upper body muscles
Saturday - The "Don't turn into a fat pig" Day
Condition with either the Prowler or KBs, depending on how my ankle feels.
Diet - The only thing I'm changing from my maintenance intake is adding a double chicken Chipotle burrito after every training session (except Saturday), which is a little over 1000 calories. That's an extra 4000 calories a week, or an average of ~700 a day. That's enough to see quality strength and mass gains without too much fat gain.
The Details
- Monday's heavy pressing movement is rotated between bench press and military press. I have found in the past that benching heavy every week tends to wreck my shoulders and give me pain in my left pec minor, which usually takes a month or more to go away To get around this I'm only benching heavy every other week, with military press done in the other week. So far it's working very well and I'm pain-free.
- The heavy pressing movement is done with only one "top" set. This set goes up by 10 lbs every week. When I started this about 5 weeks ago, I started with weights that were fairly easy to handle. I did 305x3 for bench and 185x5 for military. As the weights get heavier and heavier each week, I will drop to doubles, and then eventually singles for the bench press. If I miss a rep or feel like I'm at my limit for military, I will just reset the weight back 20 lbs and start over, because I don't want to go below 5 reps on my overhead pressing with this program. Bench press is the primary focus now.
- Fun fact: The technical term for adding weight to your lifts in this manner is "linear periodization."
- I am performing an abdominal movement at the beginning of every session because my core was weakened considerably over the 6 months I was on crutches. When I am able to resume squatting and deadlifting, I would like it to be as strong as possible. I do it at the beginning of the session because it doesn't take away from my upper body work, and I want to be sure I don't skip it, which is the tendency when I leave it til the end when I'm wiped out from all the other stuff.
- I'm not devoting a day to legs because my doctor wants me to stay away from heavy lower body work until 12 months post-op. I could have a day where I do light leg work, but I'm confident that my lower body strength will return quickly once I'm able to resume heavy squat and deadlift training, so I'm not doing that. The conditioning day hits my legs well enough for now.
- I'm performing a set of calf raises to help stretch and strengthen my right ankle, which is still a little gimpy. It is missing a bone though, so I can't be too upset about it.
- I don't do a lot of "top" sets because one or two is enough for me at this point. I've been seeing good strength gains this way, so why do more just for the sake of it?
- I have a "speed bench" day because I'm not benching heavy every week, and even when I am I'm not doing many sets or reps. This allows me to drill my technique on the weeks that I'm not benching, and get some extra practice on the weeks that I do. Strength on a particular lift is as much dependent on skill as it is on the strength of the muscles involved. I've always seen my best gains on the bench when I have done a lot of technique practice with lighter weights.
- Conditioning is not a priority for me during this time. One day a week is enough to maintain it at a decent level and keep me from getting fat while not compromising strength gains. It is also helping to strengthen my legs (especially the Prowler).
- I perform an extensive warmup before each session consisting of foam rolling, YTWLs, shoulder traction with a 50# DB, swiss ball pushups, and lying KB arm bars. I also roll my pecs with a lacrosse ball before and after pressing days, and sometimes also on back days. The purpose of the warmup is to prepare my body for the heavy work to come, and this accomplishes that in under 10 minutes. I don't skip it for any reason.
- I stretch after every session because it keeps my joints healthy by not letting the muscles around them get too tight. In the past, I would get wicked elbow tendinitis after a few weeks of heavy training, but stretching the muscles around the elbow (biceps, triceps, even forearms) has helped a lot. Staying healthy is as important to getting stronger as working hard and eating right are, so I've made stretching a priority.
- I will take the occasional training session or two off if I feel that my body is getting too worn out. I just did this last week and it worked wonders. I may even take a whole week off if I really need to. Only time will tell.
So that, in a rather large, rambling nutshell, is what I'm doing when I go to the gym these days. I'll be sure to keep my log updated so you can follow my progress if you want, and I'll put up a video of me hitting 405 when it happens.
Thanks for reading.
8/04/2010
Strongest Man in the World (*UNOFFICIAL*)
If I were this guy I'd be pissed because he's only 260 hp while his dad was 840 hp.
Somebody got the short end of the genetic stick....
Quick and Easy Recipes for Strength and Fat Loss - Burgers
It's summer time, and in the USA, that means it's time for grilling. Hot dogs, burgers, brats, steak, chicken, pork chops, stray cats, and even the occasional squirrell are all good eatin' when cooked over an open flame.
OK, I might be guessing a little with those last two, but nothing spells summer like enjoying some seared meat fresh off the grill with family and friends, preferably poolside with an ice-cold adult beverage in hand.
If you're tired of the ordinary hamburger, here are two simple recipes to make them a little more interesting. I've also included some tips on how to make them more calorie-friendly for those whose main goal is fat loss.
Cheesy Spinach Burgers
1 lb. 90-95% lean ground beef
4 ounces shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces spinach, chopped
½ package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and knead until mixed
2. Form into 4 patties
3. Lightly season patties with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Grill on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
Nutrition info: Each burger has 330 calories, 20 g fat, 31 g protein, 5 g carb
Fat loss diet modifications:
Stuffed Mushroom and Cheese Burgers
1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 TBSP bacon bits (or one strip of bacon, chopped)
1 can sliced mushrooms (or sauteed if you choose, but that is less "quick and easy")
1. Combine the beef and bacon bits in a large bowl and knead until mixed
2. Form into 8 thin patties
3. Lightly season patties with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Fill the center of 4 patties with cheese and mushrooms
5. Top each patty with another patty and pinch the edges together
6. Grill on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.Nutrition info: Each burger has 365 calories, 22 g fat, 34 g protein, 8 g carb
Fat loss diet modifications:Try one of these delicious burger recipes at your next family cookout. You won't be disappointed!
substitute 8 oz. 99% lean ground turkey for half of the beef
substitute 4 oz. fat free monterey jack cheese
Now each burger has 265 calories, 7 g fat, 40 g protein, 9 g carb
"I am not amused."
OK, I might be guessing a little with those last two, but nothing spells summer like enjoying some seared meat fresh off the grill with family and friends, preferably poolside with an ice-cold adult beverage in hand.
If you're tired of the ordinary hamburger, here are two simple recipes to make them a little more interesting. I've also included some tips on how to make them more calorie-friendly for those whose main goal is fat loss.
Cheesy Spinach Burgers
1 lb. 90-95% lean ground beef
4 ounces shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces spinach, chopped
½ package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and knead until mixed
2. Form into 4 patties
3. Lightly season patties with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Grill on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
Nutrition info: Each burger has 330 calories, 20 g fat, 31 g protein, 5 g carb
Fat loss diet modifications:
- substitute 8 oz. 99% lean ground turkey for half of the beef
- substitute 4 oz. fat free cheddar cheese for the extra sharp cheddar
Stuffed Mushroom and Cheese Burgers
1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 TBSP bacon bits (or one strip of bacon, chopped)
1 can sliced mushrooms (or sauteed if you choose, but that is less "quick and easy")
1. Combine the beef and bacon bits in a large bowl and knead until mixed
2. Form into 8 thin patties
3. Lightly season patties with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Fill the center of 4 patties with cheese and mushrooms
5. Top each patty with another patty and pinch the edges together
6. Grill on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.Nutrition info: Each burger has 365 calories, 22 g fat, 34 g protein, 8 g carb
Fat loss diet modifications:Try one of these delicious burger recipes at your next family cookout. You won't be disappointed!
substitute 8 oz. 99% lean ground turkey for half of the beef
substitute 4 oz. fat free monterey jack cheese
Now each burger has 265 calories, 7 g fat, 40 g protein, 9 g carb
Hungry yet?
7/23/2010
I just couldn't let this one go....
Apparently the Shake Weight is selling like hotcakes, so the makers came out with this:
I just saw this on TV last night. Does anyone out there think the guys in this advertisement look like they do because of 6 minute workouts with the Shake Weight 4 Men?
I'm curious to know if anyone believes this BS. Scratch that, I know they do. They'll probably sell a million of these things.
"There's a sucker born every minute." - P.T. Barnum
I just saw this on TV last night. Does anyone out there think the guys in this advertisement look like they do because of 6 minute workouts with the Shake Weight 4 Men?
I'm curious to know if anyone believes this BS. Scratch that, I know they do. They'll probably sell a million of these things.
"There's a sucker born every minute." - P.T. Barnum
7/22/2010
Body Transformation Guidelines
If you're not happy with the way you look, here are 5 guidelines that are guaranteed to give you the body you've been dreaming about!
1. Diet is the most important thing.
There is a saying in the fitness world that you can't out-train a bad diet. This isn't entirely true, but if you don't have 20 hours a week to spend on exercise, then it is an absolute certainty.
To lose fat, you must have a caloric deficit. You can create this in 3 ways:
- Diet alone - This is the least time-consuming option. It's also the most difficult because most people (including myself) have a difficult time adhering to insanely strict, calorie-counting diets. This is also assuming that you will be performing strength training to maintain your muscle mass (see #2).
- Exercise alone - This is the most time-consuming option. I'm going to assume that most people don't have 15-20 hours to spend in the gym, so this one's out.
- Diet and exercise - This is the most realistic and effective method. Keep in mind that the less strict your diet, the more you have to exercise.
Let me first say that I'm not a fan of counting calories. It is tedious and time-consuming. It's also unnecessary unless your goal is to get extremely lean (like bodybuilding contest lean).
Reading nutrition information works better than sleeping pills.
The simplest way to do it is to eat less than you normally do. If you normally eat desserts after every meal or snack in between meals, that is the first thing to go. Try doing that for 2 weeks and see how your body responds.
If you lose 1-2 lbs a week, keep going until your progress slows down or stops, then make another small change. If you normally drink calorie-containing beverages, cut those out. Switch to diet pop, Crystal Light, and water. If you go out to dinner on a regular basis, start ordering from the "healthy choice" section of the menu (almost every chain restaurant has one now).
The key here is making consistent, steady progress. When that progress slows or stops, it's time to make another small change.
Also, if you "fall off the wagon" and devour the entire bakery section at Giant Eagle, don't sweat it. You didn't "ruin" your diet. Just continue it like nothing ever happened, and try to resist temptation (or avoid it altogether!) next time.
For further information on what to eat, check out this article.
2. To reshape your body, you must gain muscle, or at least maintain the muscle you already have.
This is why aerobic exercise and diet alone falls flat on its face when it comes to body transformation. When you lose the fat, you just end up looking like a smaller version of how you looked before. Not to mention the fact that you will no doubt lose a good deal of muscle in the process.
Losing muscle will lower your resting metabolic rate. So after you've lost the weight, you're much more likely to gain it all back and then some unless you continue dieting and doing cardio. Then, when you go to diet again, it will be much harder to get the weight off.
The key is to maintain your muscle mass through progressive resistance training. This way, your resting metabolic rate will be maintained. When the diet is over, you won't gain all of the weight back, and you'll be able to maintain your new body much more easily.
To maintain, or even gain, muscle and strength while dieting, you should strength train with mainly compound exercises 2-4 times per week. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, standing press, pullups (or pulldowns), and rows will give you the most bang for your buck. Split these up over the 2-4 days and try to get stronger in each of them.
Squats are awesome.
Be realistic though. Depending on your current strength level, it can be nearly impossible to gain strength on a good fat loss diet. Your muscles will be depleted of glycogen and water, and your overall energy level will be lower. Sometimes it can feel like you're losing muscle and strength, when in reality you've only lost the ability to display your strength.
If any of you follow my training log, you'll notice that I recently finished up a fat loss phase myself. By the end of it, I could barely bench press 295 lbs for one rep! Three weeks later I pressed 305 for 3 easy reps. I hadn't lost the muscle or the strength, but my muscles were so depleted that I couldn't use my usual weights in the gym.
Remember that the next time you're in the middle of a diet and feel like you can barely deadlift a pair of wet socks!
3. High Intensity Metabolic Conditioning
HIMC is the most efficient way to lose fat from a "time spent" standpoint. Since time is a precious commodity to most of us, I'll assume that this is a desirable thing.
I have written about this in past articles, so I'll be brief here:
- Perform HIMC 1-3 times per week as standalone training sessions.
- Incorporate HIMC "finishers" after 1-3 of your weight training sessions.
- Total HIMC training should not exceed 4 total sessions per week
- Start slow, with 1 day devoted to HIMC and 1 "finisher" at the end of strength training, and build from there.
- You can see several good examples of HIMC workouts here and here.
- Don't be afraid to skip a workout if you are honestly wiped out. But, don't take this as an excuse to be a wimp.
Crybabies need not apply.
4. Aerobic exercise - THE LAST RESORT!
If you follow guidelines 1-3 to the letter, you WILL lose fat and maintain (or even, in certain cases, gain) muscle and strength. However, if you're still not satisfied with your progress, and you still have time to burn, you can add aerobic exercise into your program.
There really is no limit to how much you can do. Bodybuilders and figure models sometimes do up to 2-3 hours of aerobic work per day!
That's like climbing Mt. Rainier every day.
I suggest starting with 1-3 days at 20-30 minutes each day and working up from there until you start seeing the progress you want. Again, this is ONLY if you're already nailing #1-3 above and still not seeing satisfactory results.
It really doesn't matter what type of aerobic activity you choose, so long as it makes you breathe harder than normal. Incline treadmill walking, stairsteppers, stationary bikes, and ellipticals will all work in this case. If I had to do this, I would walk around my housing plan in a 40 lb weight vest, because at this point my neighbors couldn't think I'm any more crazy, and my weight vest bears a strong resemblance to a flak jacket.
It is a scientific fact that wearing a flak jacket will make
you awesome no matter what you wear underneath it.
5. Putting it all together.
Here is a sample beginner's body transformation training program:
Monday - strength training with HIMC finisher
Warm-up for 5-10 minutes
A) Squat - 5 sets of 4-8 reps working up to one top set
B1) Standing Military Press - 4 sets of 4-8 reps working up to one top set
B2) Pullups or pulldowns - 4 sets of 8-12 reps working up to one or two top sets
*B1 and B2 means that these exercises are to be alternated each set (press, pull, press, etc)
C) Plank - 3 sets for max time
D) Prowler push or bodyweight complex for max reps in 10 minutes
Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday - strength training
Warm-up for 5-10 minutes
A) Deadlift - 5 sets of 4-8 reps working up to one top set
B1) DB Rows - 4 sets of 8-12 reps working up to one or two top sets
B2) Bench Press - 4 sets of 4-8 reps working up to one top set
C) Hanging Leg Raises - 3 sets of max reps
Friday or Saturday - HIMC
Warm-up for 5-10 minutes
Hill running - until you're done; start off slow and add reps each time
Diet - follow the 5 Simple Rules and make adjustments when progress slows or stops
Follow these guidelines and I guarantee that in 2-3 months there will be a new you staring back at you in the mirror! You won't be able to walk outside to get your mail without someone commenting on how great you look!
Get started TODAY!
7/15/2010
Strength & Conditioning Myths Debunked! Part 3
Myth #3: Product X will make you lose weight fast and easy! Supplement Y will completely transform your body in just a few weeks!
When I was recovering from my last surgery, I was out of work for the first six weeks. In that time, I got to watch a LOT of late night TV, mainly because the pain medication had the puzzling side-effect of making me drowsy yet also unable to fall asleep.
For anyone that's ever stayed up past 1 am with the TV on, you are more than aware that during this time period, you can't go more than two channels without running into some asshole trying to sell you some "REVOLUTIONARY, NEVER BEFORE SEEN, LAB TESTED, MIRACULOUS" product.
The claims range from the ridiculous to the ludicrous (I knew that thesaurus would come in handy some day). My personal favorite, without question, is 8 Minute Abs. This one promises a washboard stomach in only 8 minutes a day.
This begs the question: Why eight minutes?
You gotta earn it.
When I was recovering from my last surgery, I was out of work for the first six weeks. In that time, I got to watch a LOT of late night TV, mainly because the pain medication had the puzzling side-effect of making me drowsy yet also unable to fall asleep.
For anyone that's ever stayed up past 1 am with the TV on, you are more than aware that during this time period, you can't go more than two channels without running into some asshole trying to sell you some "REVOLUTIONARY, NEVER BEFORE SEEN, LAB TESTED, MIRACULOUS" product.
The claims range from the ridiculous to the ludicrous (I knew that thesaurus would come in handy some day). My personal favorite, without question, is 8 Minute Abs. This one promises a washboard stomach in only 8 minutes a day.
This begs the question: Why eight minutes?
Why not seven?
In addition to the miracle exercise tapes, there are also countless ads for exercise gizmos and widgets that will transform your body without all of that senseless exercise and diet. Like the latest one, the Shake Weight:
If this is a joke, it's not funny.
Bob is smiling because he's stealing your money!
I bet that smug bastard Bob isn't grinning now.
The Shake Weight is the most recent in a long line of exercise gadgets that are presented with a lot of sizzle but little steak, like the Ab Lounger, the Ab Slide, and the Ab Vortex (OK, I made that last one up).
They almost always offer a money-back guarantee, but they are betting that you won't want to have to go through the hassle of boxing up and returning the useless piece of crap that's now lying in your closet for the measly $40 or $50 you spent on it.
The advertisers seduce you into thinking you can get in great shape by being lazy, and then, when you don't see results and end up using the thing as a clothesline, keep your money by capitalizing on said laziness. It's a brilliant, albeit shameless and borderline unethical, business strategy.
The supplement industry is just as, if not more, culpable (chalk up one more to Mr. Thesaurus).
The sleaziest of the sleazy, supplement companies are willing to tell you that you can lose weight, get stronger, improve your heart health, think more clearly, perform better, reverse aging, and yes, even grow a larger member:
Bob is smiling because he's stealing your money!
The great thing about being in the supplement business is that your products don't actually have to do a damn thing. Unlike pharmaceuticals, the FDA doesn't regulate supplement companies, so they are, for the most part, operating outside the law.
Notice I said, for the most part:
I bet that smug bastard Bob isn't grinning now.
I guess you could point to this as a win for the consumer, but there are so many other outlandish claims being made that it's hard to feel too enthused about one snake oil salesman ending up in the clink.
Everything from fat loss pills to simple protein powder is touted as something you'd be an absolute fool to go without. They'll tell you their pill will help you burn 43202% more fat (than what?), their powder will make you gain 14.89021 lbs of muscle in 2 weeks, and their fish oil will turn you into a Power Ranger.
This is just marketing. The fact is, 99% of supplements either don't do anything useful at all, or they seriously fail to achieve the standards set forth in their advertising. But the bigger the claim, the more likely you are to pay top dollar for something that can be purchased from another company for a lot less money.
What's so HARDCORE about protein powder?
Despite this, there are some useful supplements out there.
Fish oil is good for many things, including improving blood lipid levels and slightly easing joint soreness. The effects are very slight though. Damn stuff doesn't do a thing for my hip.
Protein powder and meal replacements can be useful if you have little time to prepare meals or have a hard time getting enough protein in your diet. It's just food though, not a wunderkind powder that will turn you into the Hulk.
Plain old creatine will help improve strength to a slight degree as long as you take it religiously. It also causes you to retain water, so women generally don't like it.
Fat loss/energy pills can help ease some of the discomfort that comes with low calorie diets, like hunger pangs and lack of energy. They are also useful for getting an extra bit of energy before your workouts.
Folks, there is no easy way to get the body of your dreams if your idea of easy is just swallowing a pill in between handfuls of pretzels. There is no easy way to work out if your idea of working out is to lay on some contraption for 5 minutes and call it a day.
The advertisers are *GASP* LYING TO YOU! They don't give a crap if you get results, as long as they get paid.
Unless you were born with awesome genes, your path to a great body will be paved with a lot of hard work and discipline.
In our fast food, "I want results YESTERDAY" culture, that's a pretty unpopular notion. "Work hard and eat right" just doesn't sell. It's too simple, and it's too freaking hard.
To summarize and close -
This works:
It's also fun when you see the results.
This doesn't:
There no words for my amusement. Not even Mr. Thesaurus can help.
You gotta earn it.
7/07/2010
High Intensity Metabolic Conditioning: The Finisher
In my last article debunking common exercise myths, I introduced you to a form of fat-loss training called High Intensity Metabolic Conditioning (HIMC). If you missed it, you can check it out here.
I also talked about hill sprints - the simplest form of HIMC, and one of the best fat loss workouts that you can do just about anywhere, with no special equipment needed.
This time, I'm going to introduce you to yet another form of HIMC - The Finisher. It's called The Finisher because you do it at the end of your regular strength training session, and also because after you complete it, you'll be finished.
I also talked about hill sprints - the simplest form of HIMC, and one of the best fat loss workouts that you can do just about anywhere, with no special equipment needed.
This time, I'm going to introduce you to yet another form of HIMC - The Finisher. It's called The Finisher because you do it at the end of your regular strength training session, and also because after you complete it, you'll be finished.
Gassed...
If you're looking to burn off some extra chub, here are three types of finishers that you can add to your training immediately:
Bodyweight Circuits
Bodyweight circuits are great because you don't need any equipment to do them, and you can do them anywhere.
A bodyweight circuit will generally consist of 3 or more exercises done in rapid succession with little to no rest between exercises. When you get through all of the exercises, that is one circuit, or round.
A goal for a bodyweight circuit could involve doing as many rounds as possible in a certain time frame, or doing a certain number of rounds as fast as possible. I prefer the first option, because then you'll know exactly how long your workout will be. 10 minutes is usually enough time to finish off even the most conditioned athlete.
Pushups are a great bodyweight exercise.
Bodyweight circuit #1 - Maximum rounds in 10 minutes of:
Pullups x 5 (jumping pullups if you aren't proficient at pullups)
Pushups x 10 (on your knees if you can't do pushups)
Squats x 15
A good goal for this one is 10 rounds in 10 minutes.
Bodyweight circuit #2 - Maximum rounds in 10 minutes of:
Burpees x 5 (advanced: with a pushup at the bottom)
Box Jumps x 10 (onto a stable bench or up 2-3 stairs if you don't have a box)
Mountain Climbers x 20 (I call these Chasing Rabbits, but that doesn't show up on google!)
8 rounds of this one in 10 minutes is a killer!
Bodyweight circuit #3 - Maximum rounds in 10 minutes of:
Squat Jump x 10
Walking Lunge x 20 steps
Squat x 20
This one will smoke your legs. 5 rounds is a tough benchmark here.
DB Complexes
Dumbbell complexes are another great finishing method that can be used anywhere. All you need is one set of dumbbells, which are fairly cheap, don't take up much space, and can be found at any Dick's Sporting Goods.
A complex is similar to a circuit, in that you perform 3 or more exercises with the same set of dumbbells back to back with no rest in between. With complexes it is usually better to do a set number of reps with each exercise, and simply reduce your rest period in between sets as a means of progression.
DB Complex #1 - The "Shoulder Deal" (credit to Scott Abel for coming up with this one)
This complex is performed with one DB, and is done one arm at a time.
Clean and Press
Front Swing
Side Swing
Bent Over Lateral Raise
Start off with 3 sets of 6 with each arm and 60 seconds of rest between sets
DB Complex #2 - 3 sets of 6 reps each; start with 60 second rest b/w sets
Press
Front Squat
Bent Row
Romanian Deadlift
Upright Row
DB Complex #3 - 3 sets of 6 reps each; 60 seconds rest b/w sets
Renegade Row
Pushup
Clean and Press
Sumo Deadlift
Progression - The key to any successful fat loss program is progression. For these complexes you start with 3 sets of 6 reps for each exercise and 60 seconds between each set. You should first strive to add reps until you reach 3 sets of 10 reps. Then add a set and go back to 4 sets of 6 reps. Continue progressing like this until you get to 5 sets of 10 reps, then you can start decreasing the rest interval.
After you get to 5 sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds of rest, it's time to get bigger dumbbells and start all over!
Track Intervals
Track intervals combine sprinting on a 400m track with bodyweight or simple DB exercises. There are several ways to perform them, and the main difference is the distance that you sprint.
The first involves sprinting around the track and stopping every 100m to perform an exercise. For example:
Sprint 100m
10 pushups
Sprint 100m
10 situps
Sprint 100m
10 squats
Sprint 100m
10 burpees
You would repeat this sequence 3 times as fast as possible, and try to beat your previous time each workout.
As I'm sure you can guess, you can perform this same workout two other ways, by simply changing the distance you sprint:
Sprint 200m
10 pushups
10 situps
Sprint 200m
10 squats
10 burpees
-OR-
Sprint 400m
10 pushups
10 situps
10 squats
10 burpees
It really doesn't matter which one you choose. In my experience, the 100m version is the least challenging, and the 400m is the toughest. The difference is mostly mental though, because a full lap around a track seems pretty daunting at first.
You can also substitute any DB exercise into the mix as well, such as thrusters, DB rows, DB front squats, DB snatches, military press, etc. The variations are really endless.
A quick note about exercise performance: If you are unsure how to perform any of the exercises I've listed here, simply search on youtube and you will find a video that shows you exactly how to perform them.
Also, while I use these workouts primarily as finishers to be used after a strength training session, they can also be done separately as a stand-alone fat loss workout.
Now you have more tools to melt fat and reshape your body, but they aren't worth anything if you don't use them. So get off the couch and get it done!
Track Intervals
Track intervals combine sprinting on a 400m track with bodyweight or simple DB exercises. There are several ways to perform them, and the main difference is the distance that you sprint.
Your high school PE coach would be proud.
The first involves sprinting around the track and stopping every 100m to perform an exercise. For example:
Sprint 100m
10 pushups
Sprint 100m
10 situps
Sprint 100m
10 squats
Sprint 100m
10 burpees
You would repeat this sequence 3 times as fast as possible, and try to beat your previous time each workout.
As I'm sure you can guess, you can perform this same workout two other ways, by simply changing the distance you sprint:
Sprint 200m
10 pushups
10 situps
Sprint 200m
10 squats
10 burpees
-OR-
Sprint 400m
10 pushups
10 situps
10 squats
10 burpees
It really doesn't matter which one you choose. In my experience, the 100m version is the least challenging, and the 400m is the toughest. The difference is mostly mental though, because a full lap around a track seems pretty daunting at first.
You can also substitute any DB exercise into the mix as well, such as thrusters, DB rows, DB front squats, DB snatches, military press, etc. The variations are really endless.
A quick note about exercise performance: If you are unsure how to perform any of the exercises I've listed here, simply search on youtube and you will find a video that shows you exactly how to perform them.
Also, while I use these workouts primarily as finishers to be used after a strength training session, they can also be done separately as a stand-alone fat loss workout.
Now you have more tools to melt fat and reshape your body, but they aren't worth anything if you don't use them. So get off the couch and get it done!
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