Link-o-rama to sites about bodybuilding, Olympic weight lifting, strength training, body weight training, fitness, nutrition, lifting & muscle science, blogs and general good stuff.
Compiled this for my own reference, because I can't friggin' access my own blog without proxy. #$%^&@!!! And newbies can come here to mine the gold instead of asking noob stuff and getting flamed unnecessarily. (noobs start here: http://simplefit.org Just shuddup and do something first.)
Feel free to contribute. I'll try to update the first post as you guys post your links.
1) Nutrition, Diet, Food, Eating The most important thing for growing. [ http://www.fitday.com ] Daily food journal to help track your eating. (thanks Angrydog for reminding me.) [ http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=1113418 ] Facts about saturated fat, etc. Our own forum. Good info from 4Rings and Pizzaboy!
2) General fitness [ http://www.bodyrock.tv ] It's a TV. Workouts, exercises, food stuff. Oh, the host is quite pretty too! Woooo! (contributed by 6a6y6lue)
Everything push ups by Nick Tumminello. http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article...rything_pushups I believe everyone should do push ups, even if a little bit. Muscles involved: pecs, triceps, front delt, anterior serratus (if you do a 'push up plus' at the top), abs, rotator cuff (if you do unbalanced push ups e.g. spiderman, close grip+feet together). This is the exercise with the best bang for money! And no equipments needed!
US best 30 gyms http://www.menshealth.com/bestgyms/ Click on each gym to read the tips given by the owners. I've continued to use the warm ups suggested by Teamworks Centre.
Are you too nervous to grow? [ http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMul...cle.aspx?ID=116 ] Skinny with umbilical fat problem. Need better sleep. Phospahtidyl choline, phosphatidyl serine, Reishi mushroom extract, magnesium taurate, magnesium orotate.
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We’ve all been in situations that have demanded more from us than we originally thought possible. Even if you can handle the job alone it’s usually good to know there is a helping hand not too far away. When I was a Navy Diver, I can’t tell you how many times we assured ourselves that a project was going to be “quick and easy” only to find ourselves, 5-6 hours later, still busting our backs. What was amazing to notice after a while was that each of us would stay in the water as long as possible before you changed out with another diver. Even if your hands felt like blocks of ice, you couldn’t feel your feet anymore, you hadn’t had water in what seemed like forever, and you were damn near exhausted, you dug down and gave it all you had until the job was done. This was the unspoken rule most of us followed because you didn’t want anyone else having to take up your slack, or to be the weak link in the team, ever.
This mentality was not about ego, bragging, or trying to be labeled “hard-core” in any way. The jobs were usually cold, long, and dangerous at times. We all knew that if we didn’t give it 100% that the next guy would have to do more and that attitude was simply unacceptable. Knowing that every person on the team was giving it his absolute best motivated everyone involved. The strengths of one person would support another’s weaknesses until this mutual support created an almost unstoppable mentality that enabled us to perform well beyond our own individual limitations.
I consider this workout a combination gut check/team builder because it instills an “I’ll do more so you don’t have too” mentality. I’ve used this particular workout in my fitness classes and there have been many a participant that has run off to the sidelines to puke in the middle of it, so be ready to push yourself. You will need a partner for this workout (but you can do it on your own if your friends are too lazy to do it with you) and I call it Perpetual Motion because each person is always doing something. By doing your best to make sure your partner doesn’t do more than “his share” of exercises, you’ll be pushing yourself harder and harder as the workout progresses. There is seemingly no time for rest and any rest that is taken during the workout only insures that your partner will suffer longer. It’s easy to fall in to the “you took your time, now I’ll take mine” game and believe me it ruins the workout in quick order. Drop the ego, assure your partner that you will do more so he won’t have to, and give it 100%. Let’s play.
Perpetual Motion
Set up:
The first thing we’ll need to do is select 5 exercises for the workout. The option to select exercises that fatigue predominantly upper or lower body parts or choose exercises that are considered “full body” is yours. Just to make things interesting, I’ve selected the following 5 exercises for you: Reverse Squats Dive-Bomber Push-Ups Turkish Get-ups, Clubbell Rocket Drill, Dumbbell or Kettlebell Swings (just to show some of the versatility of the workout by using weights) Squat Thrusts (or Burpees) Flutter Kicks
Take 5 index cards, or pieces of paper, and write one exercise on each card.
Take your 5 exercise cards and shuffle them up so they are in no particular order. With your back to the pull-up bars (with cones and cards in hand) walk about 20-30 yards directly away and place your first cone and card on the ground. Don’t worry about which exercise is first, even if it’s the easiest one in the group and you start to worry that you’ll place the difficult ones towards the end. Do not change the order of the cards from the original shuffle! It’s tempting to place the more difficult exercises at the beginning so that you can do them when you’re fresh, and save the easier ones for the end of the workout, but that’s just too bad. We’ve already discussed that life doesn’t always let you do the hard stuff when you’re fresh and that’s not the point of this workout anyway, so suck it up! Continue walking directly away from the pull-up bars and placing the cones/cards at 10-15 yard intervals. When you’ve placed all your cones down you should have a direct line, away from the pull-up bars, that’s about 75-100 yards long.
You and your partner should decide on a set number of pull-ups that you feel you can do for all 5 sets. Pick a number that is challenging but doable. Remember that you must do all the pull-ups before you can leave the pull-up bars so try to be realistic about your abilities and keep in mind that you’ll be sprinting before the pull-ups. This puts a whole new twist on this section of the workout! If you pick a number of pull-ups that is too high and you can’t do them all at once, your partner is in for a treat because you will not leave the pull-up bars until you have done all the pull-ups in your set. Keep this in mind as you’re shaking the fatigue out of your arms and he/she’s out there doing squat thrusts, waiting for your sprint back, cursing your mother for ever having such a wuss as you for a child. Sound a bit harsh? Believe me, I've seen good friends swearing at each other like drunken sailors when they feel the other guy is slacking.
Like I said, this workout builds some serious mental toughness.
Now walk back to the first cone and you and your partner are ready to begin.
The workout:
Both partners are standing at the first cone and have read the card, which might say “squat thrusts”. When you are both ready to begin, partner “A” will start performing squat thrusts while partner “B” sprints to the pull-up bars, does his set, and sprints back to the first cone. Now this point is crucial: “A” will not sprint until “B” begins doing the exercise that is designated on the card! Why? Because after sprinting, pull-ups, and sprinting again, it’s likely that “B” will stand at the cone with his hands on his knees praying for death, while “A” sprints to the bars. By the time “A” starts to sprint back from his pull-ups, “B” may have only done 5 squat thrusts as opposed to the initial 25 that “A” did. This workout isn’t about you catching your breath while your partner suffers, so your partner is not allowed to leave the cone until you begin the exercise! This might be where the term “suck it up” takes on a whole new meaning.
You might be saying to yourself; “Well, I can do one squat thrust so my partner can go and then I’ll stop to catch my breath.” Think again. If, while your partner is sprinting to the pull-up bars, you stop for more than 5 breaths then you will yell out “ADD ON”. Be ready for your partner to start cursing you (or me for that matter) because “ADD ON” means that he now has 2 sets of pull-ups to complete before he can leave the bars. This means that if the designated number of pull-ups was six he will now do twelve. Honesty is the key here so don’t be a cheater and take a break when you think no one is looking!
Once “A” has sprinted to the pull-up bars and completed his pull-ups he will sprint past the first cone to the second cone, look at what’s on the card, and begin whatever exercise is written on it. As soon as he begins the exercise he will call out “GO!” and “B” will then sprint to the pull-up bars, perform his set, and sprint back to the second cone to start the exercise. Remember what I said about the transition at each cone! This will continue for each cone all the way across the field. Whoever is “A” will always sprint to the next farthest cone after completing the pull-ups. Done in this manner, both partners will “leap frog” each other down the field and the workout is finished when both have completed the pull-ups and sprints for the very last cone.
Final notes:
One of the best things about this workout is the endless variation you can throw into it. You are only limited by your imagination and lack of knowledge of conditioning drills. Remember that this workout is not only designed to build your capacity for more work it’s also going to develop your mental toughness like you won’t believe. It’s somewhat easier during a traditional workout when you know how many reps and sets you will be doing. With Perpetual Motion, you have no idea how many reps you will perform so you really have to dig down deep and find the drive to continue.
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These workouts are easy to set up and the instructors have the option of: Breaking the class up into two groups with each group lead by an instructor Assigning a group "leader" to lead each group while the instructors monitor each group as they perform the exercises Staying out of the workout entirely and just counting the tempo out while the class just follows along
Obviously, I'm not a big fan of option #3. This method of running the class can be useful but I don't feel it's very motivating for the instructor to count out the reps and not perform the workout. I find that if you try to count the reps without actually doing them that you end up counting too fast and participants have a hard time keeping up. I usually run the workouts utilizing options #1 or #2.
Option #2 allows the instructor to follow the group along and offer guidance to those that need their form worked on and remind the group leader of how a particular exercise is run if he/she doesn't remember. Option #1 can be fun for the class if there are two instructors that are "close" to each other in regards to physical conditioning. This way, it's possible to integrate a little humor based "trash talking" between the class as the instructors lead their respective groups in a "race" to see who finishes first.
To add more intensity to these races, it's fun to throw in a "prize" for the losing group. I tell everyone that the losing group must do 20 8 Count Bodybuilders (or an exercise that everyone hates), but then make the whole class follow along! I rationalize making everyone do the 8 Counts (when there is whining from the group that won) by saying that the winning group needs to motivate those that have fallen behind.
If you are running this class utilizing option #1 or #2, it's preferable to begin each group at opposite ends of the circuit. Group "A" will start at cone 1 and Group "B" will start at cone 6.
Before you begin, you'll need to set up the cones in the following manner: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
____
Pull-up Bar
The red cones represent the stations and the blue cone represents the pull-up bars. The distance between cones is approximately 20-25 steps and the distance from cone 4 to the pull-up bars is approximately 40 yards. These distances are dependent on the size of your training field!
For this initial introduction to Perpetual Motion you'll place a sheet of paper at each cone. The instructors will lead their group through the exercises that are listed on each sheet. The exercises are listed as follows: Cone 1: 5 Regular Grip Push-ups 10 Bootstrappers 15 6-Inch Crunches :30 second rest Sprint to Pull-up bars
Pull-ups: 5 Pull-ups :30 second rest Sprint to next cone
Cone 2: 5 Wide Grip Push-ups 10 Half Squats 15 Good Mornings 30 second rest Sprint to Pull-up bars
Pull-ups: 5 Pull-ups :30 second rest Sprint to next cone
Cone 3: 5 Diamond Push-ups 10 Shoulder Width Squats 15 Flutter Kicks 30 second rest Sprint to Pull-up bars
Pull-ups: 5 Pull-ups :30 second rest Sprint to next cone
Cone 4: 5 4-Count Reverse Push-ups 10 Reverse Squats 15 Alternate Toe Touches 30 second rest Sprint to Pull-up bars
Pull-ups: 5 Pull-ups :30 second rest Sprint to next cone
Cone 5: 5 Judo Push-ups 10 Lunges (each leg) 15 6-Inch Crunches 30 second rest Sprint to Pull-up bars
Pull-ups: 5 Pull-ups :30 second rest Sprint to next cone
Cone 6: 10 Reverse Push-ups (single count) 10 Squat Thrusts 15 6-Inch Crunches 30 second rest Sprint to Pull-up bars
Pull-ups: 5 Pull-ups :30 second rest Sprint to next cone
Cone 7: 5 Regular Grip Push-ups 10 Bootstrappers 15 6-Inch Crunches :30 second rest Sprint to Pull-up bars
Pull-ups: 5 Pull-ups
Water break and Final Stretches
The intensity of this workout will be dictated by the amount of rest you give the participants both before the sprints and between each exercise. The 30 second rest time is designed to let participants recover a bit from the exercises just completed so they can put forth more effort during each sprint. The instructors should strive to be at each station before their respective group so that they can jump right in to the exercises! This immediate jumping in will make each station more challenging and as the workouts progress the rest time before sprinting drops until there is none.
Upon initial viewing of this workout, it may seem like less volume/intensity than the previous workouts but, as I stated earlier, the sprint/rest times will dictate the intensity. If you find that you've finished the workout early, begin another cycle at the opposite cone you started from.
The instructors must also ensure that form isn't sacrificed for speed in these workouts! This is especially true during the pull-up station! Make sure you are spotting those that need help and that the group begins the sprints all at the same time.
This post has been edited by iamyuanwu: Jun 28 2010, 01:00 PM
Links to good articles will be appreciated too! I guess I'll just drop them in the 2nd post.
QUOTE(shanecross @ Sep 22 2009, 05:12 PM)
You just did the world a favor
Nah, I'm actually just doing myself a favour. Damn the stupid Great Firewall of China. I'll continue to post links to articles I find worth reading... that is if I remember this thread exists. =D
QUOTE(Florian @ Sep 22 2009, 10:48 PM)
I recommend this to be stickied.
He|| yeah! No need for me to browse a few pages down the forum to look for it.
I think this sticky would benefit greatly if you included some nutritional resources as well (e.g., food log tools like Fitday, etc.). Millllllllions of articles about different programs and exercises, which is fine, but there's very little about the stuff that'll actually help one grow (EATING).
Not good. 1 year and no progress. I cycle wayyyy too much (it's my main mode of transport), sleep too late and eat terribly. But I'm ok with that. I feel a bit more athletic nowadays, and I enjoy cycling around. And I don't really enjoy stuffing myself continuously with food, eventhough that's what I need to do. Oh yeah, I think the beers did it for me too.
My favorite would be BodyRock TV Core and strength training workout. For those who use Bodylastic like myself, busy and hectic lifestyle ladies out there, this is an excellent site to get you going.
Here's an archive of videos about nutrition and training form. It taught me a lot when I was a beginner. Look through all the pages especially the last pages as the last few pages contain basic exercise and demonstrates to you the correct form of each exercise and shows you how to make sure your form is correct to hit the correct muscle.
Yes it will work, provided you keep your diet in check as well.
Any specific program you're looking at?
i was thinking either 4 complexes or big 55.. any recommendation?
how exactly am i suppose to check my diet?? as in reduce intake of junk food?? i also prefer eating only 3 meals a day not like 5 meals per day in smaller portion because it is quite difficult for me to do that.. is that ok?? i usually dont take rice for dinner and have cereal with milk for breakfast, i also go to the gym 3 times a week
BnW, Way to go, girl! Yes, Metabolic resistance training / conditioning / complexes is suitable for anyone (with no serious chronic health issues e.g. heart disease, cancer, diabetes).
4 Complexes or Big 55 are all good. Rotate them around. Maybe Big 55 on Mon, Ferruggia's complex on Wed, Cosgrove's Complex on Fri.
Minimal junk food (once every few weeks is ok). Use fruits to replace junk food, more protein, more good fats, a bit of carbs. More vege.
3 meals per day is OK. No problem with that. Maybe you can add an egg and fish oil to your breakfast too.
BnW, Way to go, girl! Yes, Metabolic resistance training / conditioning / complexes is suitable for anyone (with no serious chronic health issues e.g. heart disease, cancer, diabetes).
4 Complexes or Big 55 are all good. Rotate them around. Maybe Big 55 on Mon, Ferruggia's complex on Wed, Cosgrove's Complex on Fri.
Minimal junk food (once every few weeks is ok). Use fruits to replace junk food, more protein, more good fats, a bit of carbs. More vege.
3 meals per day is OK. No problem with that. Maybe you can add an egg and fish oil to your breakfast too.
Got it! Thanks bro. There's another one in http://stronglifts.com/madcow Thank goodness there are people who backed up the site and hosted the contents somewhere else.
My favorite would be BodyRock TV Core and strength training workout. For those who use Bodylastic like myself, busy and hectic lifestyle ladies out there, this is an excellent site to get you going.
hi, i'm now 60kg and 180cm, going to gym and taking protein(true mass), but seems nothing is working, is there any problem with my body?? by the way, i very skinny and used to late sleep, is that will effect weight gaining?? thank you
not hving enough sleep could affect ur recovery frm working out. but i think the main problem could be that merely "going to the gym" and taking protein powder is not usually enough if you want great results. shldnt rely 100% on supplements also. not that they're not good but what thats more important is how u train and what u eat on a daily basis. post up ur daily meal plan, maybe? might be able to help critique a little.
not hving enough sleep could affect ur recovery frm working out. but i think the main problem could be that merely "going to the gym" and taking protein powder is not usually enough if you want great results. shldnt rely 100% on supplements also. not that they're not good but what thats more important is how u train and what u eat on a daily basis. post up ur daily meal plan, maybe? might be able to help critique a little.
ive a question... how different is strength training/bodybuilding for guys as opposed to girls? just a thought cuz i read that muscles help to burn fat.. need to clear this mindset of mine n my gf's hahah.. girls and their skeptics with lifting weights..
ive a question... how different is strength training/bodybuilding for guys as opposed to girls? just a thought cuz i read that muscles help to burn fat.. need to clear this mindset of mine n my gf's hahah.. girls and their skeptics with lifting weights..
If I'm not mistaken, it's not the lifting part that varies, it's the actual muscle building. Women in general find it harder to gain muscle mass the way men generally can due to the fact that they have much less testosterone than men.
If I'm not mistaken, it's not the lifting part that varies, it's the actual muscle building. Women in general find it harder to gain muscle mass the way men generally can due to the fact that they have much less testosterone than men.
hence wouldnt it be more difficult for them to burn fat by relying on building muscle since they have a tougher time gaining muscle mass..?
cardio + circuits/complexes perhaps? also, will there be any difference if girls train using strength training programmes vs hypertrophy/bb programmes?
well... for me its no different if ur talking abt program. i train exactly like a guy and hv the same routine (but different poundage lah of course) as my friends who compete in middle and light-heavy categories.
i think what thats different is the diet. my friends can get away with nasi lemak and ikan bakar... i will just get fat. heh. and i gotta do a hell lot more cardio than them. girls tend to store fat more easily and its harder to burn off the fat too compared to guys. i tend to lose alot of muscle and look very small and shapeless when i lose weight... but lately im attributing this to poor dieting and hopefully i will have better results on CKD. i eat like a #%#$@%$ pig!!
and yes. putting on muscle is a real pain in the ass. i wanna get bigger also susah. get fat very easy tho lol. so for girls who just lift a few dumbells for "toning" purposes u wont see very dramatic increases in muscle size at all.
QUOTE(cheezzzz @ Jul 10 2010, 02:20 PM)
hence wouldnt it be more difficult for them to burn fat by relying on building muscle since they have a tougher time gaining muscle mass..?
cardio + circuits/complexes perhaps? also, will there be any difference if girls train using strength training programmes vs hypertrophy/bb programmes?
yea most gals would probly benefit more from circuit type workouts if the lean, long, slim look is desired. cardio is important for fat burning... but too much cardio is not good also...
i hate cardio
This post has been edited by LadyVanity: Jul 10 2010, 02:37 PM
well... for me its no different if ur talking abt program. i train exactly like a guy and hv the same routine (but different poundage lah of course) as my friends who compete in middle and light-heavy categories.
i think what thats different is the diet. my friends can get away with nasi lemak and ikan bakar... i will just get fat. heh. and i gotta do a hell lot more cardio than them. girls tend to store fat more easily and its harder to burn off the fat too compared to guys. i tend to lose alot of muscle and look very small and shapeless when i lose weight... but lately im attributing this to poor dieting and hopefully i will have better results on CKD.
and yes. putting on muscle is a real pain in the ass. i wanna get bigger also susah. get fat very easy tho lol. so for girls who just lift a few dumbells for "toning" purposes u wont see very dramatic increases in muscle size at all.
thx for ur insight ladyvanity, but i mean for guys or girls, ur gonna have to lift heavy if u wana gain muscle mass right. wich will help in the quest for fat burning. toning is nonsense for those who wana lose weight seriously no? lolol. but im sure girls can still gain enuf muscle mass to go from big girl you are beautiful to slim figures through str training/bodybuilding progs without having big bulging muscles right? (definition of big bulging muscles meaning not the skinny ripped look, but with relatively guy-like muscles)
This post has been edited by cheezzzz: Jul 10 2010, 02:42 PM
yup. for girls its all the MORE important to lift heavy for hypertrophy. ive made many mistakes in the past and overlooked this... always thinking i cld get away with "light weights hi reps" cos i wanted a "nice shape" and not sheer mass. boy was i wrong.
and i wldnt say "toning" is nonsense.. i consider bodyweight workouts, circuit training, certain functional training and classes like BodyPump as "toning" exercises and workouts. i dont do them... dont like them... but u cant deny that these are great workouts that have the potential to make u lose a ton of weight. i hv a friend who does functional training and all sorts of bodyweight work and he's got a pretty darn amazing bod.
guylike muscles? if u talking abt Ms Physique or Ms Olympia type muscles... not a chance. you can eat till u puke and train till the cows come home... not a chance that a girl can get that huge naturally.
This post has been edited by LadyVanity: Jul 10 2010, 02:51 PM
yup. for girls its all the MORE important to lift heavy for hypertrophy. ive made many mistakes in the past and overlooked this... always thinking i cld get away with "light weights hi reps" cos i wanted a "nice shape" and not sheer mass. boy was i wrong.
and i wldnt say "toning" is nonsense.. i consider bodyweight workouts, circuit training, certain functional training and classes like BodyPump as "toning" exercises and workouts. i dont do them... dont like them... but u cant deny that these are great workouts that have the potential to make u lose a ton of weight. i hv a friend who does functional training and all sorts of bodyweight work and he's got a pretty darn amazing bod.
guylike muscles? if u talking abt Ms Physique or Ms Olympia type muscles... not a chance. you can eat till u puke and train till the cows come home... not a chance that a girl can get that huge naturally.
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
''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??)
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?
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?
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.
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.
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)
QUOTE(LadyVanity @ Jul 10 2010, 03:18 PM)
its definitely possible. you DIET. lol
measure muscle mass by finding out ur bodyfat %
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
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)
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
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.
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.
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.
Sep 22 2009, 04:58 PM, updated 15y ago
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thumbs up for ya mate!
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