Ottawa Bodybuilding Precontest Diet Progress Report - Week 5-8

Well I was hoping to get progress reports from Greg all the way through, but Greg's been focused on more important things like his training and diet.  And trust me, he's been nailing it!

Greg's the ideal client.  He does exactly what you say.. to a T.  Can't ask for more.  When you see him onstage on Saturday, you'll see what all his hard work has produced!

Gonna be sick!

So in lieu of his reports, here's more progress pics we took each week.

Week 5

Week 5

The flash on my camera still severely washes out the definition in these pics... ahhh.. to have the right lighting!



Week 6

Week 6

Only a little bit of water left in the lower back... pretty tight otherwise!


Week 7

Week 7

No week 8 pic... sorry guys..

You'll have to come to the show to see the final result!

It's pretty freaking dramatic!

Ottawa Bodybuilding Precontest Diet Progress Report - Week 4

Here's the week 4 progress report on Greg's pre-contest diet for this Sat, Nov 6 bodybuilding show.

If you don't have tickets yet, you can get them here:

http://ottawachampionships.typepad.com/tickets/

Week 4

Hey Shane!

This week I'm starting to look really lean. I am definitely dropping the last bit of fat.  I have my eating down and training. My cardio is finally figured out. Morning cardio bike, nice and easy.  And this week I have been doing cardio post workout, treadmill.  No fat left on stomach and back fat going quick. Come Friday should be shredded, depleted but shredded.  Feeling good still. 

Week 4

I will say though, the low carb days are starting to get me a little loopy!  All good though!  I'll make it! 

Gonna hit my peak perfectly!

- Greg

** As you can see, as the weeks go on and the calories and carbs get a little lower, the comments start to get less and less as "thinking" becomes something you want to spare for the really important stuff!  LOL

Ottawa Bodybuilding Precontest Diet Progress Report - Week 3

Here's Greg Charron's report on his third week of dieting for the Ottawa Bodybuilding Contest which takes place on Sat Nov 6th.

Week 3 - Pre-Contest Diet

A bit of a different spin this week.  Since I only decided to compete 8 weeks out from the show, things have really had to move quickly.  This week has been no exception.  Because I was eating so little in the beginning, the first two weeks of high calories as Shane explained were to boost my metabolism.  I guess I knew lower calories would have to come, and this week it has.

Week 3

The low carb days definitely affect my energy, but I only do the low carb days for two or three days and even then the carbs climb, and the fats drop, keeping my calories low, but helping to stimulate leptin (the master fat burning hormone as Shane calls it!)

Week 3

Aside from what Shane is doing diet-wise, I'm finally getting the hang of taking the fluctuating numbers he gives me and organizing them into my 7 daily meals.  One thing that I've been surprised at is the variety of foods I'm allowed to eat.  I'd spoken to a few other people about contest diets and pretty much everything I heard was about chicken and broccoli, but with Shane's diet, I'm eating gourmet everything.  I'm allowed all veggies, all fruit, all meat, butter, natural peanut butter.. pretty much everything I used to eat.  The difference is how foods are combined, and when during the day I eat things.

Since I love to cook, it's great I'm eating like a King, and getting into the best shape of my life at the same time!  Still with 5 weeks to go, I'm sure some of this will change at some point.

We met again on Friday morning and took more photos of my mandatory poses.  We reviewed them, and Shane gave me his feedback. We were both impressed with the changes that have happened in just 3 weeks. My shoulders are starting to show striations my chest had grown, and my arms are showing an improved peak and detail. My right quadriceps had almost reached the left leg in size. I'll admit, I have decent genetics, but never thought my body could change like this.  Clearly, having the right coach is a huge deal when it comes to making this kind of progress!

At this point I'm starting to feel like I may actually be a true contender at the show.

- Greg

Ottawa Bodybuilding Precontest Diet Progress Report - Week 2

Here's week 2 of Greg Charron's Pre-contest diet for the Ottawa Bodybuilding Contest on Sat Nov 6th.

Second Week of Diet

The first week out of the way, I feel much more confident with how the diet works.  Not to mention the obvious of working really hard in the gym and being strict.  The way Shane has explained it to me, I know if I follow his instructions to a T, I will be in the best shape in my life come show day!

Week 2

This week I'm noticing my muscles are getting bigger, and I'm getting leaner at the same time.  I always thought that wasn't possible, but it's exactly what's happening.  My mood is also much better, but I guess that's due to the dramatic increase in calories.  Another benefit to this increased calorie intake is my energy for training is way up there now.

It's really been great, I've often got questions about how or why my diet and training are set a certain way, and Shane always has an answer that actually makes sense to me.  Even when it's pretty technical, he makes it seem simple to understand, which definitely increases my confidence with what I'm doing!

Week 2

I met with Shane on Friday morning and he took progress pics again.  I was so happy with my quick results and so was Shane... It's a good thing when your coach is pleased!


Shane's eye for shape and symmetry must come in part from his 17 years of judging bodybuilding shows.  I was shocked to learn that.. but to be honest, it was also one of the reasons I hired him.  On top of knowing his stuff when it comes to training and diet, he's got an almost unfair advantage by knowing exactly what the judges are looking for.  So when we work on posing, he's got amazing tips on how to present my body in the best possible way!


I also bug Shane quite a bit on ideas for areas that I don't find respond well to my training, and he's always got tips that not only sound good, but seem to really work!  I think you'll see what I mean come the day of the show!  


Shane and I have a really good working relationship. It's like a race car driver. He's not much good to the pit crew manager if he does not know how to talk about his car and the issues at hand. He gives me new instructions for the next week, and I follow them verbatim, and presto.. results!




Can't wait for each week!




- Greg

Ottawa Bodybuilding Precontest Diet Progress Report

We're back today with Greg Charron's Ottawa bodybuilding precontest diet progress report.  Here's his week 1 comments and progress pics.

Front - Week 1

Back - Week 1

Monday Sept 13th, 2010

Week 1

I received my diet instructions Monday evening.  At first it was overwhelming, but at the same time exciting.  I studied the pages printed over and over and anything I was unsure of, I responded with a list of questions.  Shane was always prompt and detailed with his responses.

Because I had been eating like a bird (around 2000 calories per day), by the second day of eating well over 3,000 calories, I could already see significant changes.  I had more energy, my muscles appeared more full, and they certainly felt harder.  I was also sweating like crazy!  My internal furnace was revving up!

With all this extra energy, my workouts also really improved. I was happy, and only after 2 days!  I looked forward to how things would shape up in the days and weeks to come.

On Friday when we met for the second assessment, I was really impressed with the changes, and more importantly, so was Shane!  I could tell I was on the right track with plenty of time to go until the show.

- Greg

I'll be back tomorrow with Greg's week 2 progress report.

Please post your comments below.

Ottawa Bodybuilding Coach and Trainer Discusses Pre- Contest Diet Methods

Recently, an old old friend contacted me about getting my help in preparation for the upcoming Ottawa Bodybuilding Championships on November 6th.

I wanted to document his transformation so you can see what I do, and I asked Greg if he would give me a brief week by week synopsis of his experience working with me from the initial assessment we did right up to how he feels after he won.  Ooops.. I mean right up until after the show.  (hehehe)

Here's Greg's email to me with his feelings on the initial assessment.

Initial assessment Sept 8th 2010

Initial assessment Sept 8th 2010

Sept 9th, 2010

Initial Assessment

I decided to do a Bodybuilding show for the first time in my life this fall with only 8 weeks to the show date.

I was referred to Shane Miller from a good friend that had consulted with Shane in his hay day of bodybuilding competitions, Jake Guay.  I had admired Jake and his commitment to the sport due to his level of conditioning that he came into every show with.  He credits much of his success to Shane Miller.

This was enough for me, I was now confident with my decision to go with Shane.

In my initial meeting with Shane he assessed my physique and where I was at 8 weeks out. There was some issues that he had addressed. And these needed to be heard if I wanted to improve. 

First, I lacked in certain body parts such as Chest and Biceps/Triceps. Beyond merely which bodyparts needed improvement, he went on to address issues with posture as well, which is very important when it comes to presenting your body on stage. 

For starters my right shoulder dropped and both rolled forward. Second, my left Quad was noticeably bigger than my right.  Shane took photos and showed me so I could see for myself what needed to be worked on.

I couldn't believe it!  But I knew right then and there that Shane was a guy that was all about detail -- an obviously important thing in bodybuilding.

I also provided him with a breakdown of my current diet.  And although I pride myself in learning as much as I can about nutrition, clearly, I still had so much to learn. I wasn't eating nearly enough for 200 lb guy.  I was eating like a bird!

After assessing my body we had discussions about what to expect and what not to. He provided me with a set of instructions to follow until he came up with his game plan that would be give me 5 days later. I was to be assessed and pictures to be taken every Friday. 

- Greg

I'll be back tomorrow with week 1 of Greg's progress report, as well as some pics documenting his progress.

If you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

Aylmer Personal Trainer Reveals How to Build Muscle Build an Awesome Back

Awesome Muscle Building for Your Back!

Undoubtedly, a well developed back is the hallmark differentiator between those who train the "show" muscles, and those who train the "go" muscles.

Arnold's flawless back development!

A well developed back is unmistakable. Starting with the upper traps, the mid and lower traps and the rhomboids, as well as the lats and even , when bent forwards, the lumbar (erector group) musculature pops out as to thick ridges that run beside the spine.

Additionally, for athletes, strong and balanced back development helps to prevent injuries and keeps you in the game and in the gym so your training can continue uninterrupted by injuries.

Guaranteed, if you think you can forgo the important stuff, just to work on the show muscles, you'll be hit up with an injury that can keep you out of the game for years!

Don't Risk Injury... Train Serious, But Train Smart! (TSTS)

Considerations for Awesome Muscle Building Training For Your Back

1. Exercise Selection

Deadlifts

If you could only do one exercise for back, I would say Deadlifts would be your best choice, but thankfully we can do more than one exercise. Deadlifts are the exercise that will best allow you to express your strength and develop top end strength, but they take a toll on your recovery, so while you need to do them, they shouldn't be your main focus. Do them once a week, or even once every two weeks cycled in in place of a squat exercise.

Safe and effective deadlift technique:

Ensure back is in neutral arch, brace abdominals forcefully.  Begin movement by "pushing" the floor away from you.  Maintain the same upper body to floor angle until your legs are nearly straight, then using glutes and hamstrings, pull your hips inwards, squeezing your butt as your upper body pulls up into the finish position.  Be sure to lock your knees out and continue to brace your abdominals hard as you squeeze your glutes to pull you into the finish.  If you don't keep your abdominal brace and lock your knees out, and you pull your glutes in hard, you increase the risk of injury to your back!

Remember:  SAFETY ALWAYS FIRST!

Overload with chains, bands, partials

Here's a short video I put together that shows you the exact description above in action.

How to Deadlift for a Massive Back!

Pull-ups and Chin-ups

Pull-ups and chin-ups are the most important exercise for you to do on a regular basis. They are heavily reliant on the CNS, and thus contribute to significant strength gains that have massive carry-over to many other exercises.

Band-assisted Pull-ups (start)

Because of the stretch position at the bottom, they are also excellent for adding mass to your back. Repeated studies have shown that muscles grow best when loads are applied to muscles in a stretched position.

And if those reasons aren't enough, pull-ups and chin-ups will teach you to leave your ego at the door. I can't tell you how many times when I used to work at silly commercial gyms I would see big muscular guys doing partial range of motion cable pulldowns with 200+ pounds on the rack, yet they could barely do 5 chin-ups. This is just not acceptable, and if you're an athlete, you'll just plain suck if this is your situation!

Don't be that guy! (Or girl!!)

Band-assisted Pull-ups (finish)

Pull-ups and their variations are the meat and potatoes of your back
training program.

Because there are so many variations, you can get even up to three good pull-up workouts into a single week.  At that volume (3x per week), they'll all have to be different, but that's the beauty of it!  You get way more benefit.

Here's an example:

Monday: Parallel-grip pull-ups 5x8 (strength with strength capacity)
Wednesday: Weighted Chin-ups 6x3 (strength)
Friday: Wide-grip band-assisted pull-ups 3x20 (conditioning)

Overload with: bands, chains, plates, etc...

Bent-over rows/Seated rows

All forms of rows rely on lower back strength to hold your body in position (except for chest-supported varieties), which makes your ultimate strength in the movement reliant on your current low back condition. If you've already done deadlifts in your workout, chances are you wont' be setting any strength records in your rows training.

Rows are great for adding additional training volume, and to ensure you have good scapular retraction and depression strength, which is ultimately important for helping with your bench.

Warning:  Don't do deadlifts and then a bent-over variation of rows.  It's just too much for the back.  A good combination is some form of pull-up first, followed by rows.  If hitting rows is a must after deadlifts then use one of the chest-supported variety.

Keep a variety of rowing movements in your program including from the bottom up: seated rows, bent-over dumbbell or barbell rows, wide-grip elbows out barbell, dumbbell, or seated rows, rope face pulls with elbows below shoulder height, rope face pulls with elbows above shoulder height (very important to help encourage mid- and low-trap recruitment patterns - helps to overcome rhomboid dominance patterns), dumbbell or barbell shrugs, and overhead shrugs with dumbbells or barbells.  Variety helps prevent boredom too!

Overload with rest/pause, pre-fatigue, giant sets, etc...

Lower Back 
The lower back may be small compared to the upper back, but the importance of it's development in size, strength, and conditioning cannot be overstated!

Reverse Hypers (controlled movement)

You can Deadlift, Chin, and Row all day long, but if you don't develop your lower back properly, you'll pay the price with either slow progress in the rest of your back and leg development or worse become injured!

To keep your lower back strong and well conditioned include back extensions, 45 degree back extensions, and reverse hypers in your training.  For all three, brace the abdominals, maintain a neutral arch, and move from your hips.  These exercises also target the hams and glutes but with much lower loads than main lifts like deadlifts.

Overload with dumbbells / kettlebells / plates / bands / medballs / barbell

2. Exercise Intensity

Yes you need volume for adding mass, but you're not going to add any mass or get any stronger if you're always lifting puny weights.  Don't be gun-shy here!

Exercise intensity is inversely related to how many reps you can manage per set.  Depending on whether your goal for the training phase is more strength or hypertrophy, each exercise group has a repetition range you can choose from.

Main lifts (like deadlifts) 1-5 reps
Pull-ups and chins 3-20 reps
Bent-over/seated rows 6-15
1-arm rows 6-12
Back extensions/45 degree back xt/reverse hypers  10-20 reps

Point is, even if you are going for size, make sure you've got blocks of training where you go heavy, choosing weights that put you in the low end repetition ranges.  Without some heavy training, you just aren't going to get bigger or stronger PERIOD!



3. Training Volume

The body's limited ability to recover from intense training necessitates a lower overall training volume as training intensity increases.

If you've been doing a higher volume (3-4 exercises, 3-4 sets, 8-15 reps) to build some size, and you're moving into a strength phase, your volume might look more like 3-4 exercises, 1-5 sets, 3-8 reps.

Getting stronger is not a function of trying to beat your max every time you hit the gym, and continually adding more exercises to your program.  Getting stronger relies on recovery.  So train with 70-85% of your max on a regular basis, staying away from failure on most of your sets.  Periodically you can push out some RM (repetition max) sets (where you train to failure) or push up into the 90-93% range for just a few sets of just a few reps, and finally every so often (4 weeks to 4 months) you can go for a new max.

If you've been training longer than 6 months, a deload week every 3-5 weeks will help tremendously with managing your overall volume.

A Deload week is not a NO-LOAD week.. it's NOT a week where you don't go to the gym.  It's not a vacation from training although it should feel like one in the sense that your body gets a rest.  But a proper deload week involves going in and hitting your lifts with significantly lighter weights (60-65% 1RM) for a much reduced volume (50%).

The goal for your deload week is to practice your technique, work on weak points (i.e. rotator cuff strength, hip strength, flexibility, mobility, soft-tissue work, etc...).  At the end of your deload week your body should feel rested and your mind should feel ready to hit the gym with ferocity come Monday!



4. Balanced Training

The worst cause for lack of progress is injuries.  Other than using safe exercise technique and using deload weeks to help with recovery, the best way to prevent injuries and ensure continued training progress is to use a balanced training program.

The only saving grace when you see meatheads at the gym who walk around like they're king shit, only training their chest and arms, is that they're likely just a short time away from suffering a good injury that'll keep them out of the gym and out of your way so you can get your training done and not have to see them!

Here's a few balance pointers:
1. Horizontal press vs. horizontal pull (row)
2. Vertical presses vs vertical pull
3. Anterior shoulder vs. posterior shoulder
4. Horizontal row with elbows down (seated row) vs. horizontal row with elbows up (face pulls)
5. Always hitting some external rotator cuff work at least once a week.

Band pull-aparts to chest

Finally, make sure you do the small stuff... external rotator cuff, band pull-aparts, face pulls... and do your soft tissue with the roller and/or lacrosse ball... this is the stuff that keeps the shoulders able to handle the heavy stuff.

Soft-tissue work removes adhesions and scar tissue, helps mobilize tissue around the joints, and helps mobilize the thoracic spinal segments and ribs too!


Here's a couple sample back workouts for massive size and strength:

Workout 1
Deadlifts 5x5
Pull-ups 7x3 (weighted)
Face Pulls 3x15

Workout 2
Deadlifts  3x3
Chin-ups 5x10
Chest-supported rows 4x12
DB Shrugs 3x15
Band external rotator cuff 3x20

Give these a try and let me know how it goes!

Top Five Reasons You Aren't Losing Weight and How To Fix It

Top Five Reasons You Aren't Losing Weight, How To Fix It

I'll Give You A Hint!

Losing weight, or more importantly, losing body fat is an obsession in North America. Doesn't matter where you turn, weight loss and fat loss ads are everywhere. Today, almost everyone is more educated about nutrition and health than ever before, yet our population continues to punch yet another hole in their belt to encompass their growing bellies. Kind of ironic... like the more we try to learn about it, the worse the problem becomes... strange... or is it?

Selling You The Solution

So yes, there's a problem that in my opinion was partly created by the food industry, but now, as if selling you 2L Super Big Gulps with over a thousand calories of pure sugar wasn't bad enough, the same people who got you fat (the food industry) are trying to sell you the solution.

HUGE RED FLAG!

It's crazy! I was renting a movie not too long ago and when I got to the cash, you know how they have chocolate bars and chips and all that set up as impulse buys, well there was this chocolate bar and when I saw it I almost lost it!

Here's this damn thing, with huge letters all across it advertising the fact that it only has 80 calories per bar. But the killer is that its price... wait for it... $3.99

Four fricken dollars for 80 calories? I can head down to McDonalds and get at least 500 calories for a measly 4 bux!

What a rip off!

Yet people buy this crap all the time. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting 500 cal at McFatties is any better... but I'm just trying to say that big industry is ripping you off and making you fatter in the process.

They can give you 1/5th of the calories and charge triple the amount. Huh? Who the hell ever agreed to that?

Well you do every time you buy this garbage.

If you're eating properly, you can eat a REGULAR old chocolate bar from time to time (remember the 90/10 rule) and it won't end up as stored fat at all.

The problem is that when you're wired to eat more calories, spending $4 on an 80 calorie chocolate bar does NOTHING to solve the problem. Want to solve the problem? Stop buying crap,eat good, natural foods, and exercise more!

Now that I've vented a little, I feel better. Here's the Top Five Reasons You Aren't Losing Weight and How to Fix it!

Starting with number 5.

5. Nutritional Knowledge - Paralysis by Analysis!

You do NOT have to know much about nutrition to lose weight. Our grandparents knew virtually nothing about nutrition and when it was necessary, they could lose weight. How? They moved more and ate less!

One of the main reasons for our society's growing obesity issue is that people who need to lose weight hide behind searching for the HOLY GRAIL diet that will guarantee them the most healthy and effective way to lose weight.

So instead of grabbing an apple and heading out for a bike ride, they get on the internet and spend hours trying to "learn" as much as they can about how to lose weight and get in shape.

Then, hours later, they're famished, and they raid their fridge and plow back a "low fat" bagel with "zero sugar added" jam... because that's what they happened to read on the latest diet-guru website. Of course they also vow to get back to the gym on Monday.

Folks.. acquiring information does NOT produce RESULTS! Only ACTION produces RESULTS!

Of course I'm not telling you to stop reading my newsletters as a trusted source of information is important to have when you really need it! ;)

4. Cooking Ability

Before I met my wife, I basically ate everything just boiled or baked with not much else than salt and pepper for flavour. I ate what I was supposed to, because I WANTED the results you get from eating the right stuff.

Of course, now, food tastes much better and I don't think I could ever go back to eating tuna straight out of the can... or worse.. mixed with my oats as I would often do.

But if you're spoiled and food has to taste good or you won't eat it, then learn how to cook nutritious meals. Prepping and cooking your foods, and then preparing meals doesn't have to take as long as you might think.

I've set up a Kitchen Bootcamp at the Urban Element, and if you haven't booked your spot yet, please email me ASAP to reserve your spot! We'll be covering meal planning, groceries, preparing, storing, and finally meal preparing along with many different spice combinations for different types of dishes.

While cooking ability isn't a MUST for losing weight, it definitely has to be in my Top 5!

3. Not Being Honest With Yourself!

As a coach, I hear excuses all the time. And the only thing worse than hearing other people's excuses is having to hear your own.

"I only drink zero-sugar juice"

"I'm starting to workout again next week so eating (whatever junk) this won't matter"

"I'm big boned"

"My metabolism is slow"

These are just a few examples of excuses people make all the time.

You can justify them all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an excuse. In this life you can either have excuses or you can have results, but understand, they're on opposite sides of a balance.

So if there's even just a tiny part of you deep inside that actually wants results... you have to STOP MAKING EXCUSES!

2. Fear of Hard Work!

This one has to trump them all... well, all except for the number one reason that is. If you head over to the recumbent bicycle at the gym, and "very carefully" set yourself at 60% of your maximum heart rate to ensure that you don't "accidentally" get out of the fat burning zone, then I'm sorry, but you'll probably always be battling your weight.

Yes, it will work for some people, and hey, good for you if you can get what you want with the bare minimum effort, and if you are able to lose weight like this, the only thing you'll lack is any real fitness and conditioning levels. But I don't imagine you'd care anyway.

If you are serious about developing a powerful, well conditioned, and LEAN MEAN FAT-LESS MACHINE, then stop worrying about whether you leave the fat burning zone, and see how hard you can work for a change.

If you look like this after you finish training, you can bet your sweet tooth that you'll get the body you want!

Nothing, and I repeat, Nothing Beats Hard Work!

1. You CANNOT Out-Train A Bad Diet!

The 90/10 rule is a beautiful thing. It allows us to eat anything we want in reasonable quantities and still lose weight. Gone are the days when you must be ultra strict to ever lose any weight.

The truth is, there never was a time when you actually had to be ultra strict to lose any weight. We know now more than anything the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT part of losing weight is consistency of your actions.

That said, if you are consistently eating badly, or you're actually following the 70/30 rule, or worse yet the 60/40 or any other combination... YOU WONT GET WHAT YOU WANT!

It is IMPOSSIBLE to train enough to make up for a bad diet. So if you've been having dessert every night, or eating crap cafeteria food every day at lunch, or eating well Monday-Thursday, then binging from Friday-Sunday... you just won't get the results you're after!

Time to be brutally honest with yourself. Use a food journal and keep track of what you eat for a while and it will stare you back in the face, as plain as day. Once you can admit that you're eating the wrong stuff too much, the 90/10 rule is just NOT that hard to switch to. You still get some goods on a regular basis, and you'll get the body you want!

Is that too much to ask?

BONUS REASON

Of course no top 5 list of why you aren't losing weight would be complete without mention of exercise. The type of exercise you do can make a huge difference in whether you lose weight or not.

If you're using the latest fitness equipment gimmick, you'll likely fall off as fast as you hopped on. And while treadmills, lifecycles, and elliptical machines can help you burn off stored body fat, you'll spend more than twice as much time on them to burn just half the body fat you would if you performed high-intensity intervals with full body exercises.

If you've been hearing about this high-intensity interval training stuff for a while now but aren't really sure what the fuss is all about, I run a bootcamp that is easily the toughest thing you'll ever do, but NOTHING and I mean NOTHING will strip the fat off you as quickly!

Don't believe me? I'll give you three completely free sessions to try it and see for yourself. Even after that, once you join, I'll give you a full 30 days in case you change your mind.

If you want to try it, head over to www.YourBeachBodyBootCamp.com and sign-up for your free trial. If you've already entered your name and email at the bootcamp website but have not activated your trial, go to www.shanmillerfitness.com/bootcamp/trial.php and get started today!

Massive Arms Crazy Biceps Part 1

Massive Arms, Crazy Biceps Part 1

BUILD HUGE ARMS BY TRAINING SMARTER

Developing a crazy set of arms requires intelligent development of both the biceps and the triceps. This article is devoted to the biceps, and we'll discuss building the triceps in part 2 next week.

In general the lack of well developed biceps is usually not for lack of effort, but rather for lack of intelligent training principles.

Here's the typical gym rat's biceps routine:

Barbell biceps curls 3x8

Seated dumbbell curls 3x10

Concentration curls 3x12

This routine isn't without merit as it does train through three different repetition ranges from lower to higher. This increases glycogen depletion and overall muscle fatigue--both of which are indicators for increased muscle growth, but the angles of arm flexion and therefore range of motion of the first two exercises are the same. Only the third exercise gives us some additional benefit by training into a position of peak contraction. But this routine misses a huge part of overall biceps development... the brachialis.

To understand how to make biceps training more effective, a little anatomy lesson is required.

As you can see the Brachialis is a thick muscle that lies in behind the Biceps Brachii. When most people train their biceps, they focus on the biceps brachii and completely neglect the Brachialis.

As you can see in the above diagram, the Brachialis is quite thick, and its development often makes all the difference between a good arm and a great arm.

Because of it's position in behind the Biceps Brachii, developing it not only physically adds bulk to the arm, but if you organize the training properly, you can elicit even greater growth of the Biceps Brachii by first training the Brachialis.

If you'll recall, the MOST important thing you can ever do to create muscle growth is to apply tension to a muscle while it is in a stretched position. Nothing else creates the same level of stimulus for growth.

So how might we optimize biceps training to achieve this?

Here's how:

Exercise 1: Barbell Curls 3x6

This exercise is heavy, to produce overload to all the structures.

Exercise 2: Prone Incline DB Hammer Curls 3x12

Because of the line of pull, this exercise really hammers the Brachialis without significantly fatiguing the Biceps Brachii. This exercise will also help with development of the Brachioradialis of the forearm. We keep the reps higher on this one to ensure the Brachialis is heavily pumped by the end of all your sets.

Exercise 3: Incline Dumbbell Curls 3x10

Due to the attachment of the long head of the Biceps Brachii at the back of the shoulder, the incline bench position puts the Biceps Brachii is in a very stretched position as the elbow reaches full extension.

Inclined Dumbbell Curls

Arnold Knew The Secrets

Compound the already stretched muscle with a heavily pumped Brachialis, which if you'll recall lies directly beneath the Biceps Brachii, and you've got an unmatched situation for loading the Biceps Brachii in a stretched position.

WARNING:

Due to the incredible stretch at the bottom of the incline dumbbell curl (especially after hammering the Brachialis), the biceps tendon attachments are more susceptible to injury from abuse.

For this reason, be sure to start with a weight that is light enough that you could do 20 reps with it normally, and just do your 10. Trust me your arms will be destroyed after this. And if not, go a little heavier on the next set. The point is, it's always better to be on the safe side than injure yourself.

And as always, please leave any egos at the door.

Give this routine a try and let me know what you think!

:)

Build Freakish Leg Size And Strength

How to Build Freakish Leg Size And Strength, Exercise Selection

Building freakish leg size and strength more than anything else requires a lot of suffering. Even the most genetically elite (and assisted) strength athletes and bodybuilders like Tom Platz (shown below alongside Lou Ferrigno aka The Incredible Hulk), put themselves through absolute torture to build their insane legs.

Tom Platz & Lou Ferrigno aka The Incredible Hulk

But take note of the difference in the leg size between Tom Platz a popular bodybuilder back in the 1980's and Lou Ferrigno who is best known for his non-speaking role in The 1980's TV series The Incredible Hulk.

What makes legs grow so differently? Genetics definitely play a role, but the willingness to suffer is the number one requirement for big freaky legs. (Apparently the Incredible Hulk wasn't very masochistic). After that, exercise selection is the next most important thing for developing freakish leg size and strength.

Deconstruction of The Squat

It has been proven repeatedly that muscles undergo the most growth and increases in strength when the load is applied to a muscle in a stretched position.

And while the Back Squat is hailed as the king of all leg exercises, squats are not the best

exercise for placing a stretch on the quads and glutes. However, in defense of squats, as this article isn't here to bash them, rarely do you see a set of incredibly strong and huge legs where full, deep squats were not part of the equation.

But ultimately when you squat, your legs generally aren't the weak link. The lower back usually gives out before the legs do, which is usually why most people move on to do another leg exercise after squats.

Exercise Selection

Most people follow up their squats with leg extensions, and while they may be the icing on the cake for the elite level bodybuilder, 99% of you need far more hamstring and glute development before you worry about whatever little extra leg extensions might give you.

The Split-Leg Squat is in my opinion the best leg exercise ever.

Types of Split-Leg Squats

Usually we refer to split-leg squats just as split squats.

1. Barbell or dumbbell split squats

2. Barbell held in racked (front squat) position

3. Front foot elevated split squats

4. Rear foot elevated split squats aka Bulgarian split squats (shown in video below)

5. Front and rear foot elevated split squats

6. Lateral split squats

7. Jumping split squats

8. Feet switching jumping split squats

Good Exercise Selection Here

He's doing it right!

Ways to increase overload

1. Increase the load

2. Increase the time-under-tension (TUT)

3. Increase the range of motion (with foot-elevated variations)

4. Increase the speed of the concentric action

5. Decrease the speed of the eccentric action

6. Include isometric segments

7. Include ballistic or plyometric components (jumping)

8. Use of chains with barbell

9. Use of asymmetric loads (with dumbbells)

Darwin's Theory of Evolution Hard at Work!

NOPE!

If your coach or trainer has you doing this... fire them fast!

Benefits of Bulgarian Split Squats

1. Extra stretch in rectus femoris of trailing leg

2. Greater range of motion for front-leg glute

3. Increased recruitment of hip stabilizers

4. Increased recruitment of core musculature

5. Builds muscles faster because of stretch

6. Can train muscles more deeply into fatigue

7. Producing higher growth hormone elevation

8. Which reduces body fat

One of the beautiful things about Bulgarian split squats is that muscle growth occurs more quickly than with any other leg exercise.

Think about this for a minute. If you're currently squatting 300 lbs for 3 reps. And your legs measure 26 inches around, how much will you need to be squatting and how long will it take before your legs are 30 inches?

If you're squatting 300 lbs for 3 reps, and you aren't doing Bulgarian or other types of split squats, you may find you get brutally sore when you first start, so go easy until you're used to them.

But I'd guess you might be able to do 3-4 sets of 15 reps with 35-40 lb dumbbells within a few weeks of starting. But you'll quickly be able to move up in weight and volume and you'll notice a huge difference in the size of your legs.

If you only keep doing squats it might take you 2 more years to be doing 400 lbs for 3 reps, but in that two years if you make your way up to 4-5 sets of 15 reps with 65-85 lb dumbbells, your quads will have exploded much more than if you just focused on squats and leg extensions for example.

Watch this video to learn proper form:

Notes:

- erect torso (no forward lean)

- deep descent (knee to floor)

- front leg weight even across foot

- knee does not extend significantly past toe

So how would you include Bugarian split squats in a training program?

Just like this:

Sample Workout 1

Foam Rolling

T-Spine

Quads

Lats

Hams

Dynamic Stretching

Quads

Hip Flexors

Hamstrings

Glutes

Static Stretching

Pecs

Lats

Activation

Glute bridges

Clams

Mobility

Squat to stand

Cossack squats

Striders

Strength Work

Exercise / Purpose

Squats 5x3 / For overall strength

Bulgarian split squat* 3x12 / Glute and quad activation and hypertrophy

*(with front foot elevated)

Romanian deadlifts 5x8 / Hamstring hypertrophy

Side-lying hip abduction 3x20 / Hip strength

Side-lying shoulder external rotations / External rotation strength

Sample Workout 2

Foam Rolling

Quads

T-Spine

IT Bands

Pecs

Lacrosse Ball

Glutes

Rectus Femoris (top)

Piriformis

Calves

Dynamic Stretching

Quads

Hams

Hip Flexors

Pecs

Static Stretching

Lats

Activation

Glute bridges

Band X-walking

Band pull-aparts to chest

Scarecrows

Mobility

Squat to stand

Band dislocates

Strength Work

Exercise / Purpose

Front Squats 4x5 / For quad strength

Rack Pull Partial Deadlifts 5x6 / For hip extension strength

Suspended Pushups / Shoulder conditioning

Bulgarian Split Squats 5x15 / Quad, glute, and ham hypertrophy

Bent-over barbell rows 4x12 / Upper back strength and size

Farmer's walk 3x50 steps / Core strength / conditioning

There you have it!

Now get to the gym right away and do one of these workouts and let me know how you liked them Bulgarian split squats.

I'll bet they kill your legs more than everything else!

:)

Kitchen Boot Camp Fat-Loss Friendly Food Preparation and Cooking Class

If you've been reading my newsletters for any time you already know that nutrition is the number one thing you have to nail for fat loss to occur.

So what's the big deal and why isn't everyone losing weight?

Most people will say they are too busy to plan, purchase groceries, prepare foods in advance, and cook.

But in reality, nobody is too busy to do it, most people just don't know exactly what they need to do, and HOW to do it efficiently, so they end up grabbing whatever is fast and easy (= processed junk) and their health and body is ruined in the process.

So to help you guys really figure this stuff out once and for all, I've teamed up with Carley Schelck, owner of The Urban Element, to to provide a 3 hour hands on food preparation and cooking class.

We're going to call it Kitchen Boot Camp!

The Urban Element (on Parkdale)

Carley is going to provide us with her Master Chef who is also a registered dietician to teach us the most efficient ways to prepare our foods in bulk, and will show us how to prepare 5 and 15 minute meals based on the nutrition principles I teach in my 7 Day Fat Loss Guide.

The course will cover:

1. How to plan your meals for the week in advance

2. How to 'safely' navigate the grocery store

3. How to prepare your foods in advance

4. Food storage and safety.

5. How to combine your prepared foods to create quick 5 minute and 15 minute meals.

6. How to spice foods for fat-loss friendly flavour.

You will leave with printed copies of all the recipes we cook in the class as well as a few extras.

The reason that this class is going to be so effective at helping you with your fat-loss goals is that it is not just a course where you sit and watch. Yes, you will sit and watch at first, but then you will DO!

And true learning only occurs when you DO things!

You will actually clean, cut, and prepare all your veggies and meats, put them into storage containers as though you were going to stock your own fridge. Then you'll actually choose from your containers and put together quick and easy yet nutritious meals. You'll make some meals that take only 5 minutes for when you're really under the gun, and you'll also make some others that take 15 minutes for when you still need quick, but not mad quick! ;)

The class will be 3 hours long, and will be on either a Thursday or Sunday evening from 6pm-9pm.

Included will also be two glasses of wine expertly paired to the meals we cook and eat.

If you aren't familiar with the Urban Element, it is that gorgeous new place in the old fire station on Parkdale Avenue.

Please visit their website to check it out: www.theurbanelement.ca

Spaces are limited to between 20-30 and will fill up very fast. Availability is on a first come first serve basis.

The cost for the entire event is $100 plus tax. Spots can be reserved with a deposit of $50.

I don't try to sell you guys on very much, because I don't buy into most of the B.S. that is out there, but this is different. This is huge value! The skills you will learn in this class are essential to keeping fat-loss friendly eating habits for the rest of your life.

So now I AM trying to sell you on this! And I'm not making a penny on it! I just really believe in this and I want you to do it!

For more information or to reserve your spot, please contact:

Carley or Oliver at 613.722.0885 x101/102

carley@theurbanelement.ca or oliver@theurbanelement.ca