hahaha naw mebe like 1/4' of chris' aka darklight's muscles? never? lololol.

so ultimately, lifting heavy weights to provide resistance is going to be essential for gaining muscle mass whether ur guy/girl which helps a lot in burning fat? bodyweight work has its fair share of resistance too lotta of them still pwn me flat. so pair them both and get the best of both worlds?

wait but if theres not a chance a girl can get that huge naturally, thats not a lot of muscle mass on her now is there? how does that attribute to fat burning? or isit that, just cuz u dont see them bulging, does not mean the muscle mass isnt there?

1/4 of chris' muscles? caaaaan. lol. but as big as chris no lah lol.

"lifting heavy weights to provide resistance is going to be essential for gaining muscle mass whether ur guy/girl which helps a lot in burning fat" - yes, absolutely.

''wait but if theres not a chance a girl can get that huge naturally, thats not a lot of muscle mass on her now is there? how does that attribute to fat burning? or isit that, just cuz u dont see them bulging, does not mean the muscle mass isnt there? " - and im sorry.... i dont quite understand this =/ not alot of muscle mass on her? (who??)

and if u dont c muscle bulging... doesnt mean muscle r not there! hehe. everyone has muscles. just big or small only. not bulging also doesnt mean not there... sometimes (most of the time lol) its just covered in a thick layer of fats. thats y not bulging. *very VERY guilty grin*

This post has been edited by LadyVanity: Jul 10 2010, 03:07 PM

icic sorry allow me to rephrase..

since theres not a chance a girl can get that huge naturally, so how is it possible to have more muscle than fats which will help the fat burning process?

oooh. wait so how do u measure muscle mass lol

You gotta ask your gf this ;P : if there's no muscles, what is there to tone?
If it's not muscles under the skin, it's fat. Takkan she wants to tone fatty tissues and bones? LOL!

When comparing female bodybuilders to male BBers, look at the difference in size. Even after years of training, strict dieting, steroid use, fake boobs, etc... they still have less muscle mass than natural male BBers. I guess it's pretty obvious that for casual female, gaining muscle is an ordeal/challenge instead of fear.

And it's important not just for gaining muscle. It's also for stronger bones. Denser bones = lesser risk of osteoporosis.

its definitely possible. you DIET. lol

measure muscle mass by finding out ur bodyfat %

true that. but im tryin to understand the whole testosterone thing when it comes to muscle building. my main question is still.. so with proper diet and consistent lifting for hypertrophy a girl would still gain less muscle than a guy that did the exact same thing? (same thing meaning training respectively to their own standards, guy n girl's diet cater respectively to their 1g per pound of BW n require cal intake for muscle recovery n growth)

hahaha sounds like a herculean task. esp when the required cal intake is so low yet the amount of protein has to be enough for recovery/growth.

This post has been edited by cheezzzz: Jul 10 2010, 03:28 PM

yup.

alright thanks LadyV! appreciate the clarification and insight!

great stuff mate..

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/...rogression.html

Autoregulate and grow. This article show you when to add/reduce your weight depending on rep.

---

Added on October 18, 2010, 10:40 amhttp://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/interview-with-mr-olympia-frank-zane.html

For Those who admire Frank Zane

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Added on October 18, 2010, 10:53 amRep, Set, and Grow.
By Erik Fankhouser

On you marks, get set, now grow... I know that you know all the basic shit on how a workout works. You've got your reps which make up your sets which make up your workout. Well la de da... Same old shit day in and day out only gets you the same old shit. You don't have to reinvent the barbell or the bench press. All you have to do is change the way you use them. Change up your reps and sets and everything else will follow.
I am not just talking about the number of reps and sets. I am talking about how you do your reps and sets. I have been training for a long time now and I have run into many sticking points. Let's face it, we are all creatures of habit, but don't let your training techniques become habit where they repeat themselves over and over again like in that movie, "Groundhog Day". Change shit up or your training will constipate you.
There are so many different things you can do to make your workouts harder and overcome training ruts. Making your workouts harder doesn't mean that you need to do more; it just means that you need to do things differently. It could be as simple as changing your exercises, or even just one exercise. Maybe you don't need to change any exercises--you just need to change the reps and/or sets of your exercises. Try these training techniques to help shock your body into growth.
The good old rep... We've done countless numbers of them and will continue to do a shit load more. Most of us do the standard rep by just moving the weight from the starting point back to the starting point, over and over again. Here are a few techniques I use on the bench press to break up my reps from time to time, to change shit up and shock the body. These rep techniques can be used on almost every exercise.

Double Reps
This is one of my favs. While holding the bar, take the weight down to your chest, then press the weight up to the mid way point of the lift, then back down to your chest, then all the way back up to the top, then back down to the mid-point, and then from the mid-point lock it back out. That is one rep. Do a few sets of ten and call your doctor in the morning. They hurt, but are a good change of pace.

Stop and Go's
This rep technique keeps the muscle under tension for a longer time than a regular rep. I like to do these reps when I am getting closer to a show because it helps bring out separation. Ok, here we go... Take the weight down to your chest, then press the weight to the mid-point and hold it for a 3 to 5 count. Now from a dead stop at the mid-point, lock it the rest of the way out and squeeze it at lockout.

Forced Reps
These are great for muscle growth. Have your craziest strongest lifting partner (not the weak ass one wearing the tight beater and lookin in the mirror) assist you at the end of your set to help you get in more reps. Make sure they only touch the bar enough to keep it moving. I like to do 3 to 5 reps past failure.

Negatives
This is a good way to add strength and size in the off-season. I don't do these in season because of the depletion of my food intake and a greater chance of injury while cutting. Load the bar up with more weight than usual. At the starting point, lower the weight as slowly as you can, for about a ten count (or whatever feels good), but it must be slow. Then, have your training partner pull the weight back up to the starting point and repeat.
Setting it up for growth. Now let's move on to sets. Here are some training techniques on sets. One nice thing about all of these methods is that you can mix the different types of reps with these different types of sets. I bet you are feeling like a kid in a candy store right about now, all these endless opportunities to grow.

Super Sets
They don't call them this for nothing--they are super. This set is done when you perform two different exercises back to back without any rest. The nice thing about this is that you can choose two exercises for one body part or pick one exercise for two different body parts. After you do the two exercises, take a break for about a minute and then go at it again.

Giant Sets
This is one big old continuous mother of a set... A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed in a row with no rest. Each exercise works the same body part. You only rest after the last exercise. The amount of time you should rest depends on how many exercises are in the giant tet.

Drop Sets
You got to drop it like it's hot on this one... A drop set is done after a heavy set. All you have to do is keep taking the weight down after you reach failure. I like to drop the weight after a heavy set and do 4 or 5 more sets to failure. It is easy to do drop sets on machines because all you have to do is move the pin.

Buddy Sets
My buddy, my buddy, my buddy and me... That was awesome. If you don't remember it you're probably just to young... When doing a buddy set you need a buddy (AKA lifting partner). First you do your set, and then your buddy does his. The only rest time is during your buddy's set. The key to this set is that you have to keep the same weight on the bar and keep dropping the reps, which means the rest time gets shorter as the reps get lower. Most buddies start at 10 reps each, then 9, then 8, and keep going all the way down to 1. If you have a good old buddy that you want to make feel it the next day, go all the way back up the ladder to 10... That sounds like a good buddy beating.

All of these sets and reps ideas are great to throw into your training arsenal. When I need a change, I'll pick a different rep or set scheme and use it for an exercise, a workout or even a week. Change is good, and it will help you get past any sticking point in your training. All you have to do is think, "Rep, Set, and Grow" and be creative when picking the flavor of the week.

---

Added on October 18, 2010, 10:57 am10-8-6-15

This is the famous Vince Gironda 10-8-6-15 workout routine. It is a highly
effective program and one that will produce results. As with any Gironda program, you
must follow it exactly as outlined.

The first set is performed 10 reps with 50% of your maximum.
The second set is performed 8 reps with 75% of your maximum.
The third set is performed 6 reps with 100% of your maximum.
The fourth set is performed 15 reps with 35% of your maximum.

Whatever weight you can handle with effort, 6 reps is considered your maximum.
Rest between sets should be no longer than 60 seconds. Also, deep breathing through the
mouth, Hyperventilation, should be employed between sets.

Do not add weight more often than once a week. Raising weights too fast only
produces bad form.

This post has been edited by arekey: Oct 18 2010, 10:57 AM

Actually there's this one website I know of... I dont know for sure, but some people say ... or at least I've been told ... that its actually better than all the other websites put together.

www.kaseybrownfitness.blogspot.com

I'm also told if you click the "donate" button, your wildest dreams will all come true!!! Really, I'm serious. Trust me. If you don't, you'll grow a tail.

.

This post has been edited by hoxy: Jun 13 2012, 08:48 PM

If you have it, why not share =)

You Mean Like This One?

Download Hotfile.com
http://hotfile.com/dl/93005826/7146184/Ske...natomy.rar.html

.

This post has been edited by hoxy: Jun 13 2012, 08:48 PM

Kasey Brown's site is very detailed.

This post has been edited by warriorjin: Mar 18 2011, 04:58 PM

FST-7 – the key to muscle growth By Hany Rambod



What is FST-7?
FST-7 is a training system I devised after years of research and a great deal of trial and error with many clients. FST stands for Fascia Stretch Training, and the seven refers to the seven sets performed for the final exercise of a target bodypart. I have had many clients use this system for overall growth and especially to improve stubborn bodyparts that were seemingly resistant to just about anything else the person had tried. FST-7 encompasses several factors both inside and outside the gym. This month we will focus on the training aspects.

Is fascia limiting your muscle growth?
There are three types of fascia in the human body, but the type bodybuilders should be concerned about is deep fascia. This is dense fibrous connective tissue that interpenetrates and surrounds the muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels of the body. The high density of collagen fibers is what gives the deep fascia its strength and integrity. The amount of elastin fibers determines how much extensibility and resiliency it will have. In other words, some of us have fascia that is thicker and tougher than others. The most genetically blessed bodybuilders have thinner fascia, which is why their muscle bellies appear to be larger and fuller, with that round ‘bubbly’ look that all bodybuilders covet. Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath would be two prime examples of individuals blessed with thin fascia. Their muscles expand easier. Think of it in terms of it being easier to blow up a balloon as opposed to one of those water bottles that strongmen like Franco Columbu used to. Jay Cutler and Nasser El-Sonbatty are two men that clearly have thicker fascia. This didn’t prevent them from building substantial muscle mass, obviously, but neither man ever had that round ‘Marvel Comics’ appearance to their muscles. Yet the average bodybuilder has thicker fascia than either of those two champions. In an effort to expand their fascia and allow growth to occur, some have turned to Synthol and other items that are injected deep into the muscle belly. There have even been some advisors, mainly online, that make it seem as if this is the only solution and must be done. They will also try and insist that all the pro’s use Synthol and site inject, which I can assure you is not true. Synthol and related products are foreign substances, and you can never be certain how they will metabolize in the body. We are starting to see various health issues with bodybuilders that are more than likely related to site injecting. Yes, you do need to stretch the muscle fascia to experience optimal growth, but that is not the way to do it.

All stretching is not the same
I am not the first person to recognize the importance of stretching the muscle fascia. First John Parrillo, then more recently Dante Trudel of DC Training fame, incorporate aggressive stretching during workouts as part of their training programs. They had the right idea, but stretching the fascia by elongating the muscle is not the best method. FST-7 is based on stretching the muscle from the inside out by volumizing it. This is accomplished by getting the greatest pump possible while training.

Do I still train heavy, or can I just pump up with light weights?
One thing I don’t want anyone misconstruing is that FST-7 is all about pumping. That’s just one component. I also believe that a bigger muscle is a stronger muscle, and you absolutely must train with heavier weights in the 8-12 rep range. I have tried many variations of heavier and lighter training with clients over the years, and discovered that both types are needed. Heavy weights will build thickness and density, but they will not give you that round, full look. Similarly, getting incredible pumps all the time can impart some of that roundness, but you won’t ever get extreme muscle size without training with heavy straight sets. So you need to focus equally on maximizing both your strength and your pump in the same workouts to see optimal results. Here’s an example of a biceps workout, FST-7 style, that shows you how to incorporate both:

Alternate dumbbell curls 3-4 x 8-12
Machine preacher curl 3 x 8-12
EZ-bar curl 7 x 8-12 (rest 30-45 seconds between sets while sipping water – more on this next month)

I don’t typically like to use very high reps, because too often you will experience general fatigue and get short of breath before you have built the maximum pump in the muscle. I also don’t like the weight to be too heavy and limit the reps any lower than eight, because this is when you see form breaking down and ancillary muscles kicking in and robbing the target muscle of the proper stimulation. You can think of the ‘7’ set as blowing up a balloon. We keep the rest periods fairly short, because as you pump up the muscle, a little blood escapes in that time. You can think of it as blowing up a balloon with a slight leak in it – even though the balloon is being inflated, some air is escaping. The key is to build on the pump sets by set, exponentially, so that it reaches its maximum state by the final set. If the rest periods were too short, you wouldn’t have enough energy to do justice to the seven sets. Another question I often get is, should the weight be constant as the seven sets go on? It can be, but it’s perfectly fine to reduce the weight one or two times as needed to stay in the proper rep range. There may also be times when you need to increase the weight, but this happens less often.

How often can I train bodyparts this way?
Generally speaking, this type of training is too traumatic on the larger muscle groups to use more than once a week. Due to the sheer volume of muscle cells, soreness tends to linger too long to allow for more frequent workouts. For instance, Phil Heath recently completed a back workout and was sore for four days. Since he is supposed to be training back and chest twice a week in preparation for the Arnold Classic, this threw him off his schedule somewhat. The higher than normal amount of microscopic tears in the muscle caused by FST-7 training necessitates a bit more recovery time than standard training protocols. However, smaller bodyparts like arms and calves certainly can and should be trained twice a week. This gives you twice as many opportunities to stretch the fascia in what are often exceedingly stubborn bodyparts. Here’s a sample split that displays how you could arrange this:


Day one: Biceps and triceps, calves
Day two: Legs
Day three: OFF
Day four: Chest and triceps
Day five: Back and calves
Day six: Shoulders and biceps
Day seven: OFF

This is a split geared toward someone with the goal of improving stubborn arms. There are many other variations depending on what the individual’s goals might be.

Which exercises are best suited to the ‘7’ sets?
Certain exercises are more appropriate than others for the ‘7’ sets. The big compound free weight movements like squats and deadlifts usually are poor choices, for two reasons. For one thing, they involve several other muscle groups and don’t do a good job of isolating a target muscle. Also, they require technique and balancing, which tends to break down if one attempts to perform multiple sets in such a short time span. Machines are a good choice in many instances because they keep you in a fixed plane of movement and thus make it easier to isolate a given muscle. Those with selectorized stacks also make it very fast and convenient to increase or decrease the resistance as needed. Here are some suggested movements that I have found work very well:

Back width: Machine pullovers (Hammer Strength, Nautilus) or cable pullovers

Back thickness: Seated row machines with chest support

Chest: Pec deck or peck flye machine*, cable crossovers
*I find that the pec decks with the pads for the elbows usually work very well for shorter trainers, while the pec flye machines
with handles seem to be better for tall guys. Try both – you will know by the pump and range of motion you achieve which one is a better choice for you.

Shoulders: Machine lateral raises with pads – my favorite is made by Bodymasters. Hammer Strength, LifeFitness, and Cybex also produce similar models.

Quads: Leg extensions, leg presses

Hamstrings: Seated or lying leg curls

Biceps: EZ-bar curls, machine curls, cable ‘front double biceps curls’

Triceps: Cable pushdowns using rope attachment
Overhead cable extensions
Skull crushers (for advanced trainers)

Calves: Standing and seated raises, calf raises using leg press
(alternate between these three)

When should I do my ‘7’?
The best time to do your ‘7’ is as the final exercise for a muscle group. You don’t want to do it first, as this would take away from your performance on the heavy straight sets that are also a critical factor in building muscle mass. Finishing off a bodypart with a great pump is something many top bodybuilders have been doing instinctively for years, not knowing that they were expanding their fascia and maximizing growth. It may be tempting to do your pumping sets earlier on if you can’t seem to get any kind of pump going, but I would urge you instead to do something like a set or two of 21’s to get the blood flowing and then proceed with your heavy sets before capping it all off with your ‘7’ set for that bodypart. Remember, ‘7’s’ are done at the conclusion of each bodypart, so if you are working multiple bodyparts in a given workout, you will be doing two or more of these extended pumping sets.

Next month

Now you know what you need to do in the gym, but there is more to FST-7. Next month we will look at how your nutrition should be set up to optimize your workouts and recovery as well as facilitate a better pump. I will also give you some real-life examples of clients that have used these methods to improve bodyparts that had been otherwise unresponsive for some time.


SIDEBAR

Sample FST-7 bodypart routines*


Triceps

Close-grip bench press 3-4 x 8-12
Weighted or machine dip 3 x 8-12
Overhead cable extension 7 x 8-12
(beginner and intermediate)
Skull crushers 7 x 8-12
(advanced)

Quads

Leg extensions 3-4 x 8-15
Squats 4 x 8-12
Hack squat or leg press 3 x 8-15
Leg extension or leg press 7 x 8-15

Chest

Incline dumbbell press 3-4 x 8-12
Incline dumbbell flye 3 x 8-12
Flat Hammer or dumbbell press 3 x 8-12
Pec deck or cable crossover 7 x 8-12

Shoulders

Seated dumbbell press 4 x 8-12
Barbell or dumbbell front raise 3 x 8-12
Dumbbell lateral raise 3 x 8-12
Lateral raise machine 7 x 8-12

Rule #1

You have to stretch before, after and during your workouts.

“Basic stretching is used while warming up or cooling down from exercise,” Hany explains. “This particular type of stretching targets the superficial part [surface layers] of the muscle(s) and its attachments.” While stretching is typically thought of as a way to help prevent injury, improve muscle recovery and ultimately support better growth Hany points out that “stretching the fascia is different.” As Hany explains, stretching aggressively during your workouts, particularly when a muscle is engorged with blood, loosens the sheath encapsulating that muscle. Although the scientific data on this point is extremely limited, many experts and bodybuilders believe stretching during your workout triggers greater potential for growth. Tom Platz, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Parillo and Dante Trudel are just a few who support this theory. Though Hany agrees with them to an extent, he argues that fascial stretching is best achieved by working from the inside out — through muscle volumization via gorging the target muscle with blood — not simply by elongating the muscle itself. Therefore, his training system requires you to perform basic stretching before, during and after your workout, and you must complete a higher volume of sets (pump sets) for the final exercise to ensure maximum expansion of the fascia. Try to hold each stretch for up to 30 seconds, and concentrate on feeling the pull in the muscle. Make sure you don’t bounce in and out of stretches and focus on moving slowly throughout. It’s important to note that when you stretch between sets, you do so with every exercise except for the last one. On your last move you’ll instead be applying a different technique (explained in Rule #4).

Rule #2

Do basic and heavy moves first.

“Using a higher-volume [approach] facilitates growth by filling the muscle with nutrient-rich, fascia-stretching blood,” explains Hany. “But [low-volume] heavy training is [also] important to stimulate muscle growth.” FST-7 is therefore designed with the value of both heavier and lighter training in mind. Use a low volume (three sets in the 8–10-rep range) and choose basic, compound lifts (for density and thickness) to start your workout. The barbell bench press is a good choice for chest. Keep in mind, Hany says, “The exercise you start with [will] actually depend on your physique.” For example, if you lag in the upper chest area, start your workout using movements such as incline dumbbell or barbell presses. “If you’re one of the rare individuals blessed with a totally balanced chest, you have a little more freedom in your exercise selection,” he says. You’ll then follow your compound exercises with isolation movements to focus on developing muscle fullness and roundness. Although Hany generally recommends finishing your workout with machine isolation movements as the final exercise, in some cases free weights are better suited depending on the muscle group being trained. When doing chest and biceps for instance, “An isolation exercise such as cable crossovers is best for pecs while EZbar curls seem to work better for biceps,” Hany says. The exercise you select should allow you to completely focus on that muscle and force as much blood into it as possible. “If assisting muscles [are called upon] to stabilize, you simply won’t be able to force the required blood volume into the desired muscle.” Hence, the focus for your last exercise is both on single-joint and machine movements whenever possible.

Rule #3

Increase the volume and decrease your rest periods on your final exercise.

After years of experimenting in the gym using trial-and-error methods, Hany determined that seven sets on the last move in your workout is ideal. (He does confess that “The number isn’t absolute and depends on [the bodybuilder’s] recovery ability.”) More important than the number of sets is stretching the fascia of the targetmuscle at the right times: at the end of eachset on your final exercise. This is when the muscle is the most filled with blood and at its maximal size. “Normal rest periods vary anywhere from 1–2½ minutes depending on the bodypart,” says Hany. “This allows the body sufficient time to recover in order to handle maximum weight on the next set.” However, the goal of the seven sets is to maximize your pump by forcing as much blood into the muscle as possible, not to allow you to move the most weight. “The length [of normal rest periods] is too long and would allow some of [this] blood to flush out,” he says. “Think of it as filling up a balloon that has a small leak: Your muscles slowly lose the blood being pumped into them.” The goal here is not to move the most weight, but rather to achieve the best pump possible. Therefore, on your final exercise reduce the rest periods to a maximum of 30–45 seconds between sets. You’ll still be partially fatigued from your previous set, which means you’ll sacrifice some of the weight you can normally lift, but the pump and burn will increase exponentially.

Rule #4

Flex! Utilize isometrics during your between-sets rest intervals.

While you may not be predisposed to standing in front of a crowded gym and flexing your muscles after a set, that doesn’t mean this technique is without value — you just need to find a place to do it when no one’s looking! By performing short isometric holds (timed flexing of the target muscle) during your betweensets rest periods, you can further increase the amount of pressure on the fascia. The key here is to build exponentially on your pump sets so the muscle fascia reaches its maximum state of expansion by the final set. Start by holding the muscle in the flexed position for 10 seconds at a time, and then slowly work your way up to 30 seconds.

Rule #5

Drinking water between sets is essential.

Interestingly, drinking water during your rest intervals is critical on your final seven sets. “Water makes up the majority of your blood volume,” says Hany. “More volume in the muscle requires more water — it’s important to drink water throughout the entire workout, but it’s especially important during the sevens.” Hany instructs his clients to sip about 2 ounces of water during each rest period, before and after the isometric holds. Not only is water important because it helps to increase muscle volume, but it also acts as a vehicle for absorption of muscle- building vitamins, minerals, amino acids and oxygen into the muscle. Simply drinking water, of course, doesn’t automatically lead to more muscle growth. You still need to increase calories using key macronutrients such as protein. “I’m currently developing an FST-7- specific nutrition program,” Hany says. “I’ve tested many different foods and supplements to see what items maximize recovery from these workouts.” When he does, expect to read about it here!



FST-7
CHEAT SHEET
Here’s a summary of the rules to follow for the FST-7 program:

1.STRETCH BEFORE, AFTER & DURING YOUR WORKOUTS.

2.DO BASIC AND HEAVY MOVES FIRST.



3.INCREASE THE VOLUME AND DECREASE YOUR REST PERIODS ON YOUR FINAL EXERCISE.

4.FLEX! UTILIZE ISOMETRICS DURING YOUR BETWEEN-SETS REST INTERVALS.

5.DRINKING WATER BETWEEN SETS IS ESSENTIAL.


More reading
http://www.simplyshredded.com/fst-7-fascia...tion-guide.html


Featuring Jay Cutler, Phil Health, Tamer El-Guindy & Hany Rambod!
107MB
http://hotfile.com/dl/49914904/e23a2d3/FST....part1.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/49915077/1bd8015/FST....part2.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/49915206/a91ebb2/FST....part3.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/49915314/f498d46/FST....part4.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/49915429/c204b7c/FST....part5.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/49915954/80c3a7b/FST....part6.rar.html
55 MB
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password:muscle

This post has been edited by arekey: May 10 2011, 08:13 AM

Nice post Arekey!

Already add the DVD. You can see how hard Jay push to the limit until his face turn red at the couple last reps.

Best thread evar !!! Thumbs up