Form, Form, and Form

Well, I hurt my back again. This time it was with deadlifts. I had previously hurt it doing power cleans about two and half months ago and had been doing deadlifts since. Fortunately the back gave out during a warm up set and not during a heavy set or it could have been worse. The only thing that it could have been was improper form. Typically I really try and concentrate on form with everything I do and ESPECIALLY with deadlifts but apparently I didn't this time. My guess is since it was a lighter set I mentally relaxed on my concentration. I will probably cease to do deadlifts for quite a while if not for good since I have an injury that will need a lot of time to heal or it may never heal to the point of 100% recovery. Oh well, that is why we have choices.

Have a great weekend!

Winter Diet by Bodybuilding.com

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/winter-muscle-building-diet-tips.htm

Mixing It Up

I change my routine every 2 weeks. Most trainers will say to at least change every 6 weeks or so but I find that my body really gains with a much quicker rotation. That is why I like to go from the Tabata method to a heavy routine which I started today. The heavy routine consists of 4 sets of 3-3-3-6. This allows my body just enough break from the wear and tear of Tabata and allows me to move some serious weight. The workouts are also shorter because of the decrease in the reps and it shortens the time in the gym which is another break you need often. Tonight I did 3 sets @ 600 lbs. on the leg press which is a new personal record for me. Yeah! Now, sometimes I will throw a 3rd circuit with different exercises in the mix depending on the motivation to also change it up even further. All in all, you need to keep the body guessing so that you will not become stagnant in your gains and also keep your mental edge.

Body Types from Bodybuilding.com

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm

Chest Day - Great Day - No More Tabata

Finished the Tabata cycle today with a chest workout and will be returning to a heavy cycle for 2 weeks starting tomorrow. Looking forward to it because the Tabata method is very tasking on the body. I am going to up the calorie intake before the end of the month as I had planned. I need to move the scale sooner than later and get the weight increasing. I will also be doing rope jumping regularly this week as well to keep the cardio going. Overall I am pleased with the results that I am getting moving into the winter I just get a little impatient as most of us do. I will keep you posted on the results and update you on the weight gain as it happens.

Have a great night!

Again I Speak of Rest

I know, shut up about it right? Well, yet again, rest has proven my mind wrong. I just went through a bout with the flu and had to take a extra couple of days off and guess what? I came back stronger than the last workout of the same exercises. Actually, a lot more. Now, putting rest into practice on a regular basis is still a struggle for me and for most but taking the time off is huge for the muscles and for us ECTOMORPHS. We need it to grow more than the other body types. Especially as your weight and intensity get to levels where you are truly tasking the body and I mean 'tasking the body'! Not some pansy approach to your workouts. The problem I have with a few days of rest in between is the feeling of your muscles being 'flat' because they are not staying stimulated as often but what do you want? Big growth or sub-par growth when it comes right down to it? We should all answer that question the same. When it's spring or summer you want the pump all the time so you can show off your accomplishments often but when it's winter we want growth!

Good luck to all and have a great night.

Exercise of the Week: Barbell Squats

Exercise of the Week: Barbell Squats

Weight Gains

With a goal of 180 lbs. by spring time I have now reached a steady 174 lbs. for now. It has taken eating 3,700 calories per day consistently for the last 4-5 weeks but it worked. I am planning on maintaining the calorie intake through the end of the month before I decide to make another adjustment. With that I still have been able to keep the body fat percentage to under 15 which I am pleased with. If I can control that it should make it easy to lean in the spring which should be everyone's goal. I will update on the progress of this goal by the end of the month.

Keys to My Sucess

Intensity and working the muscles to failure. I have figured out for us ectomorphs that you really need to task the muscle for gains. The Tabata method has truly given me gains that are very noticeable. Experts say that an ectomorphs muscles are built for endurance, hence they can withstand longer periods of abuse than other body types. Even though I do not practice the Tabata method of up to 20 seconds of rest between sets I rest enough between so that I can complete 8 sets of 8 reps with the desired weight. Now that the weight of my exercises are heavy it may take me 15 - 20 minutes to complete an exercise but it really has fatigued the muscles and the gains are showing. I also stick with basic compound movements as well as suggested.

Even though I rotate a heavy cycle every couple of weeks consisting of 3 sets of 3 reps I believe that the Tabata method is making the difference in my physique. I wont do without it now, I am convinced. If you haven't tried Tabata I suggest that you do so. You have not tasked the body in a way that this routine does both mentally and physically.

Rope Jumping

I have incorporated rope jumping back into my routine starting today. This technique is one of my favorite exercises for cardiovascular training. It is one that is very challenging and you quickly get a respect for the kids in the neighborhood that do it so easily. If you have never tried it I highly recommend it. The other benefit is you can do it anywhere and it is relatively cheap to buy the equipment needed. I have attached a link for some useful tips... happy jumping.

http://www.ropesport.com/proper_jump_rope_technique.php

Nutritional Goals

Over the last few years I have adopted the practice of setting short term goals in my fitness life in regards to nutrition. Yes, I am like many others want to see my physical shape change at the speed of light but it takes TIME, plenty of it. My nutritional diet today, to maintain 10 % - 12% body fat year round, has taken over 5 years to develop. I just didn't wake up one day and say I was changing everything I eat today but I took it one step at a time. I tried no fad diets because I do not believe in them. I set monthly goals early on, i.e. this month I will no longer order french fries when eating out, and gradually I added a couple items per month so that I could adjust easily to a new eating lifestyle. Yes, I could have change at a more rapid pace than on that took 5 years to accomplish but looking back it was right for me and in the end I did it.

Bottom line, this is just a small piece of taking control of your diet but you have to know what you need to eat in calories per day? What is the macronutrient ratios of what you are eating? Once you have a baseline knowing what to adjust will be more clear.

Have a great day.

Muscle Recovery

Muscle Recovery

Results

I managed to get an average of 233 grams of protein per day over the last 2 weeks towards my goal of 255. I also averaged 8 hours of sleep per night. So far I haven't seen any noticeable improvements but it may be too early to tell. I will stay on pace and check in a couple of weeks. I plan on taking body measurements tomorrow so that may give me a true perspective on my gains.

Have a great week.

Hardgainer Part 2 from Bodybuilding.com

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hardgainer-muscle-building-2-supplementation.htm

Rest Goes A Long Way

I have written about rest before but for us ectomorphs it is extremely important. Yesterday I did not have the intensity in a workout that should have been there because of it. Even though my body was telling me to stop I went to the gym anyway. How many have done that before? It was the 3rd day in a row and it is during my Tabata cycle so that in itself tasks the body to it's fullest. I make mistakes like all others but I need to get back on track and put more space between workouts. The best for me is to workout every other day and maybe take 2 days in a row off because of the weekend schedule. I may at times workout 2 days in a row but that will be a pairing of legs with another upper body part for those 2 days. This means at times you may only do a body part every 9-11 days which seems like a a lot of time to not work a body part but my experience has shown that I do not lose the muscle and strength in that period. Rest is always a hard sell for us fitness enthusiasts. We are driven to continually workout no matter what.

Have a great weekend.

Tabata Legs

Well I crushed the legs tonight using the Tabata Method, 8 sets of 8 reps:

Squat 230 lbs

Leg Press 330 lbs

Leg Ext 140 lbs

Leg Curl 130 lbs

Have to use the banister to help me get up and down the stairs tonight!

The only way to grow is with INTENSITY.

Compliments Go A Long Way

This post is going to get off the subject a bit so it wont include nutrition or work out tips. It is about compliments, both giving and receiving. Everyone desires to be noticed for their efforts. We have to be honest with ourselves because although we enjoy what we do in our fitness quests we want to be noticed for the change in our body. Not that it is the only reason we do what we do but it's probably a pretty damn big part of it.

So last week I am feeling a little blah in my appearance since I am on my bulking routine and have dirtied up the diet a bit and I had 2 great compliments from other members of the gym within 2 days on my growth and appearance. Now it didn't equate to me pushing out an extra rep or going up 10 more pounds on an exercise but it made a difference in my mental frame of mind and that counts!

Bottom line we all love compliments of any nature but we need to share the compliments with others. Don't do it because you feel that you need to but if you genuinely see results from a fellow gym member or friend compliment on what you see and give them the encouragement that you see the results of their efforts. You can give the gift back to those who deserve it.

Have a great week and good luck with your Quest for BIG.

Bodybuilding.com Article for Hardgainers

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hardgainer-muscle-building-1-nutrition.htm

Man vs. Machines

Man vs. Machines
- Men's Fitness

Posted using ShareThis

Deadlifts are KING!

http://www.buildingmuscle.org/2009/10/25/deadlift-versus-leg-press/

Cheating

Not on your relationship but your diet. Even though if you truly are a fitness enthusiast the guilt could feel the same or worse. Everyone needs a day that you just let loose and not worry about your diet. Sounds good doesn't it? Well today was my day. An excess of 5,000 calories that included an Angus burger for lunch and 5 slices of cheese pizza for dinner and boy did I enjoy it.

I also find that my workouts are usually good when I eat an excess of calories since I am really giving the body plenty of nutrients. Well tomorrow is another day and I will see if I can be good or not.

Have a great weekend!

EXCERPT: 'I Can Make You Sleep' - ABC News

EXCERPT: 'I Can Make You Sleep' - ABC News

This is a great book. I suffer not from insomnia but from good quality of rest and have for may years now. Obviously I want and need quality rest but it can only help the body recover and grow for those of us who want to build a better body. Worth reading.

Protein Cycling Benefits

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/protein-cycling-benefits.htm

Changing the Dials

Think of your nutrition, work out, and supplements as individual dials on a dashboard that can be adjusted at any time. However, with any type of analysis you should never change more than one or two variables at a time so that you can truly see what affects your body, or not. I also believe that you need at least a month with any change for the body to adjust if it is going to at all. For example last month I increased my daily calorie intake from 3200 to 3700 per day and I am just now seeing a constant weight increase of 2 pounds.

This month as I have stated in earlier posts, I am concentrating on an average of 255 grams of protein and a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per day to see if it promotes any growth. Bottom line, don't get to crazy with changing too many things or you will be chasing your tail trying to find out what works.

Week 1 Recap

I have been getting and average of 8 hours sleep per night and 252 grams of protein per day. Plus I have been getting more rest days in between workouts, not intentionally, so I have myself positioned to reap the benefits of REST and PROTEIN if they exist. I will not be taking body measurements for another week and I will not be disappointed if results do not show even after 2 weeks because that still may be a little premature in expectations. My last couple of workouts have been great and my strength has not faltered at all. Also, over the last couple of weeks I have been eating an excess of calories on Saturday and Sunday to help increase my calorie average and to flood the body with excess nutrients especially carbs.

I will keep you posted on results...

Fitness Enthusiast vs. Competitive Bodybuilder

Excerpt from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/volume-intensity-adaptation.htm

The difference between an advanced fitness enthusiast and a competitive bodybuilder is that the former exercises to be fit and strong and healthy whereas the latter trains, eats, and sleeps to compete for a living. On the one hand, the competitive bodybuilder is consumed in a routine of eating, training, and sleeping 24/7.

The competitive bodybuilder will spend five hours in the gym six days per week. She will spend eight to ten hours a day sleeping. She will spend nine to eleven hours buying, preparing, and eating meals.

The remaining hours might be spent on recording what she eats in a food log, writing her workouts down in a training journal, buying synthetic performance enhancers, and perhaps strolling down to her local massage therapist to relax her muscles to aid recovery.

The competitive bodybuilder, therefore, is one who takes training to the extreme for extreme results. On the other hand, the advanced fitness enthusiast will spend one to one and a half hours in the gym three to five days per week. He will adhere to a balanced nutrient ratio meal plan that is both proper and sane for him to follow.

He will record his workouts in a training journal from the habitual practice of knowing its value. He might take supplements to increase his fitness and/or performance for reaching short-term goals quicker. The advanced fitness enthusiast, therefore, is one who pays homage to training in moderation.

These differences are not exaggerated. The advanced fitness enthusiast represents one who trains in moderation of what an unfit person is deficient in and the competitive bodybuilder represents one who trains in excess of what is moderate.

The similarity between an advanced fitness enthusiast and competitive bodybuilder is that both possess a like frame of mind: a no-holds-barred training either adhering to volume or intensity or both.

Days of Rest

Rest days are typically very important in the life of an ectomorph as the previous post suggested. I, like probably most others, struggle with getting enough. The guilt of not working out or the thought that muscles will be to degrade if not pushed often. However, as I battle those thoughts after resting I never lose the strength that I had when I return to the gym. In earlier years of lifting I ignored the signs my body was giving me for needing rest but now I know when it's time to chill.

For me the most prominent sign is the results of the last workout performed. Your not quite focused, the intensity is not there, and you just don't have the up tempo mentally to give it your all or you struggle to meet the reps expected. Time to take a break. On top of it all, if my carbs have not been at a level they should be it is even more of a struggle.

Bottom line, listen to the body and REST whenever possible. The physique doesn't disappear over night or even if you take a week off.

Ectomorph Fundamentals

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/matt15.htm

Body Weight or Strength Goal?

Over the last couple of years I have always placed a body weight goal on myself through the winter months when "bulking". Who hasn't right? Well this year I had done the same until now.

For me that is somewhat a foolish way to go about gains. I end up reaching the goal but I have to dirty my diet more than I am comfortable with and when that happens fat versus muscle gain increases dramatically. Then your stuck with an extra week or more trying to cut the excess off during the lean cycle.

This year I am not going to focus on body weight but weight goals in the gym because if I am adding weight in the gym the muscles need to grow, hence more body weight, right? However you can improve strength without adding muscle gains which is something that I have been encountering currently.

Bottom line, there is too many factors that influence bodyweight for it too be a good metric of choice. If adding weight is your goal then EAT! The weights at the gym don't lie so keep a journal on your progress and the personal achievements in the gym will keep you stoked and motivated to change your body.

Weight Loss Tips Part II

Weight Loss Tips Part II

More On Protein

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/protein-types-best-for-you.htm

Focus on Protein

Even though I have been conscious of my protein intake I am going to completely focus on the amount of intake on a daily basis. If I am to expect BIG results by spring I need to ensure the protein is more than adequate. My goal will be to consume 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight, 255 grams. I have always focused more on the calorie intake instead of the macronutrients so I am changing it up a bit. Not that I will ignore the calorie intake or types of food I ingest but will only focus on making sure that I eat enough to not lean down through my bulking phase.

Results to follow...

Sleep

Fitness experts say 8-10 hours of sleep is needed for optimum recovery and muscle gains. Who the hell gets that? This has to be somewhat of a challenge for most. You may snag one of those good nights every once in a while but on a consistent basis, NO WAY.

However on my Quest for Bigness, I am now unemployed and I am going to test the principle. My body will probably go in shock adjusting to it. It will be probably hard to judge since my gains in the gym steadily improve but hey, who knows, I may be a giant before I know it.

Keep you posted...

GNC Pro Performance® AMP Amplified Creatine 189™

By far the best creatine that I have taken!

GNC Pro Performance® Zinc Magnesium Asparate

I am trying this as a nighttime supplement as suggested. I have been taking the product for almost 2 weeks with no side affects.

GNC Pro Performance® AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60™ - Chocolate

By far the best choice in protein powders from the taste to the mix-ability of the product. Ranks up there with Nitro-Tech.

Tabata Method

Tabata Method

Shared via AddThis

I have adopted this method into my routine and it works. I change it up slightly by doing only 8 reps per set so I do not approach it by doing all you can within the time frame the article illustrates. I also try and do 4 exercises per body part. I can tell you that when you are done you have not experienced anything like it before. The pump that you get is absolutely off the chain.

I rotate this workout every couple of weeks with my heavy routine which you will need to do because you cannot practice this concept for a long duration of time. It really activates the slow twitch fibers and greatly improves your strength gains during your heavy workouts. It has really enhanced my explosiveness when engaging the weight.

Try it... Commit to it.

House of Steel

There is no better place.

Through all my hardships in life I can still walk into my gym and the problems go away for the moment. No other place can do that. Emotional relief begins the moment I walk in. The therapy session last as long I as desire and the results are worth every penny.

You are among others that want a better body and are attacking personal goals. Though you may not speak you are a part of a community of people that are willing to push themselves beyond complacency and create a better presence in life.

I suggest to all that you take the chance and face the challenge and attend the House of Steel.