My wife is giving me the "hurry on".
We have to go up to the city to meet a friend and have some fun.
But, I'm determined to finish my stuff for today. Sometimes you just have to dig your heals in and put yourself first.
Never mind - I'm nearly done.
Phew! our daughter has just called in - this gives me just enough time to finish.
Triceps Workout.
Close Grip Bench Press.
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 10 reps (10)
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 9 reps (9)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 8 reps (8)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 7 reps (7)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 6 reps (6) *
45.0 kg (99.2 lb) x 5 reps (5) *
50.0 kg (110.2 lb) x 4 reps (4) *
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 15 reps (30)
Squats.
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 10 reps (20)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 10 reps (20)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 7 reps (20)
Gotta run.
Next time - biceps.
Bodybuilding, strength training, weightlifting, muscular development, exercise tips, best workouts, healthy diet tips, physical and personal development. Working out for the everyman and the everywoman.
Showing posts with label bodybuilding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bodybuilding. Show all posts
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Totally weird stuff.
Found some completely, totally weird stuff today. Some freaks have been using a product called Synthol to make their muscles grow to disproportionate sizes. Seems the biceps and triceps are a particular target.
Take a look at this YouTube
I guess it's another proof that some people just do not own mirrors.
They look totally ridiculous!!!! Seems the joke is all on them. Apparently the results of using Synthol are permanent. Can you imagine them at 70 or 80 years of age with huge funny floppy arms!
If you can't do it straight up naturally then it's time to not bother at all.
Be proud of yourself as you are. Be proud of your efforts no matter what level you are currently at by working out and eating naturally. There is no need to subject yourself to this type of horrendous stupidity.
Chest Workout 0007.
Bench Press.
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 10 reps (10)
45.0 kg (99.2 lb) x 9 reps (9)
50.0 kg (110.2 lb) x 8 reps (8)
55.0 kg (121.3 lb) x 7 reps (7)
60.0 kg (132.3 lb) x 6 reps (6)
65.0 kg (143.3 lb) x 5 reps (5)
70.0 kg (154.3 lb) x 2 reps (4)
42.5 kg (93.7 lb) x 13 reps (16)
Leg Extensions.
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 17 reps (20)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 21 reps (20) *
Next time - shoulders - yeah! real shoulders - damn proud to say - all mine by me. It's commonsense bodybuilding.
Take a look at this YouTube
I guess it's another proof that some people just do not own mirrors.
They look totally ridiculous!!!! Seems the joke is all on them. Apparently the results of using Synthol are permanent. Can you imagine them at 70 or 80 years of age with huge funny floppy arms!
If you can't do it straight up naturally then it's time to not bother at all.
Be proud of yourself as you are. Be proud of your efforts no matter what level you are currently at by working out and eating naturally. There is no need to subject yourself to this type of horrendous stupidity.
Chest Workout 0007.
Bench Press.
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 10 reps (10)
45.0 kg (99.2 lb) x 9 reps (9)
50.0 kg (110.2 lb) x 8 reps (8)
55.0 kg (121.3 lb) x 7 reps (7)
60.0 kg (132.3 lb) x 6 reps (6)
65.0 kg (143.3 lb) x 5 reps (5)
70.0 kg (154.3 lb) x 2 reps (4)
42.5 kg (93.7 lb) x 13 reps (16)
Leg Extensions.
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 17 reps (20)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 21 reps (20) *
Next time - shoulders - yeah! real shoulders - damn proud to say - all mine by me. It's commonsense bodybuilding.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Commonsense Bodybuilding Biceps Workout 0007
I have always believed it to be important to perform all my repetitions in very strict form. That is, complete and full reps with almost no cheating. When I can't perform that last rep to strict form I know that that is where I'm up to.
I know a lot of people may advocate partial reps or cheating methods but I guess I'm just old fashioned. To me, a rep performed in strict style is the indicator to me of my strength levels. Working out this way also helps to limit annoying injuries.
For example, with biceps curls, you may be tempted to arch your back to help crank out that last rep. This puts enormous strain on your back that could lead to injuries later on. To me, it's just not worth it and a bit like living a lie - if you couldn't do it properly then you really couldn't do it after all. That's commonsense bodybuilding.
Adjustable Bar Curls.
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 10 reps (10)
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 9 reps (9)
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 8 reps (8)
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 7 reps (7)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 6 reps (6)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 5 reps (5)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 1 rep (4)
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 13 reps (16)
Squats.
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 12 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 13 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 11 reps (16)
"The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph." - Swami Sivananda
I know a lot of people may advocate partial reps or cheating methods but I guess I'm just old fashioned. To me, a rep performed in strict style is the indicator to me of my strength levels. Working out this way also helps to limit annoying injuries.
For example, with biceps curls, you may be tempted to arch your back to help crank out that last rep. This puts enormous strain on your back that could lead to injuries later on. To me, it's just not worth it and a bit like living a lie - if you couldn't do it properly then you really couldn't do it after all. That's commonsense bodybuilding.
Adjustable Bar Curls.
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 10 reps (10)
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 9 reps (9)
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 8 reps (8)
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 7 reps (7)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 6 reps (6)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 5 reps (5)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 1 rep (4)
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 13 reps (16)
Squats.
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 12 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 13 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 11 reps (16)
"The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph." - Swami Sivananda
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Shoulders Workout 0006
Bodybuilding, like all forms of sport or fitness training is very much a mind game. It's about visualization, motivation and goal setting. If you have little control over your thoughts and emotions then this is not a game for you.
The old mindset of the dumb, muscle bound hulk has always been a great untruth perpetuated for far too long by people who were sadly afraid to go where we go.
Bodybuilding is a "mind sport". You have to "huff and puff" with your mind before you can "huff and puff" with the weights! You have to see the results in your head long before you get to see those results in the mirror.
I have found a great article by Mike Geary, author of "The Truth About Six Pack Abs".
Mike expertly explains what I mean.
The Ultimate Secret of Mind Control and Motivation to Achieve the Exact Body Shape You Want
by Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
I ask you to have an open mind and accept some ideas I'm going to throw at you today. If you can take full grasp of these ideas, take my word that this will be the most powerful secret you've ever discovered for attaining the exact body that you desire.
I'm basically going to take the concepts from the hit movie "The Secret" and show you how to apply it towards your fitness goals.
Keep in mind that this "ultimate secret" has nothing to do with our normal discussions of reps and sets. It has nothing to do with calories or fat or protein. It has nothing to do with cardio training or abs exercises. But once you discover the "Secret", you will be on your way to the body of your dreams, or any other goals that you have in your life, for that matter.
Elite athletes have practiced the "Secret". Champion bodybuilders have practiced the "Secret". Virtually all of the most influential, powerful, wealthiest, and happiest people throughout history have either knowingly or not, practiced the "Secret". Some didn't even realize that they knew the "Secret", but applying its power is the sole reason for their success. In today's discussion, I'm simply putting a little twist on this "Secret" and applying it to your fitness goals. But in reality, it works for any of your goals and desires in life.
Before I reveal the "Secret", I want to ask you a few questions today and I want you to answer the questions that are appropriate to your goals. I want you to be honest with yourself. If you discover that you have not accomplished your goals related to these questions, pay close attention, because I'm going to reveal to you how you can change this immediately and be on the path to achieving whatever it is that you want in life.
Do you currently have the body that you want?
Do you feel full of energy every single day?
Do you feel strong, confident, and proud of your body?
Do you feel that you have no physical limitation to be able to do whatever you want to do in life?
Do you want to be thinner?
Do you want more muscle?
Do you want sexy flat abs or a tighter butt?
The answers to these questions will be vastly different for everyone. Not everyone wants the same things. Not everyone has the same goals.
But the most important thing to realize, is that ANY of your goals can be achieved, no matter who you are, if you understand and APPLY the "Secret". Alright, enough of the build-up. What exactly is the "Secret"? Drum roll please.....
The "Secret" lies within your mind and revolves around the powerful Law of Attraction. What you focus on becomes your reality. To put this another way, "What you resist, persists. Whatever you are feeling and thinking is a perfect reflection of what you will become".
In other words, if all you ever focus on is how frustrated you are that you can never lose weight or get rid of that belly fat, then you are doomed to a flabby body forever, because you are actually creating that reality. On the other hand, if you focus on your successes with every ounce of your being, every single day, and continually feel in your mind what your dream body is going to be like, you will create that reality. The key point is that your thoughts and feelings must revolve around already having the body that you want. You must actually imagine daily that you are already living in your new body.
If you're closed-minded, at this point in reading this article, you will probably say something like, "what is all of this gobbly-gook crap this idiot is talking about". And then you will click away to another site, go back to your daily life, and continue to be frustrated by failing to achieve the body you want for the rest of your life.
On the other hand, if you're open minded, and truly want to succeed, you will continue to read, absorb, and start to apply the "Secret", and watch your body slowly become exactly what you want it to become.
I've discovered the "Secret" a couple years ago and how to apply this towards my other goals in life aside from fitness.
However, I also realized that the reason I've been successful with my fitness goals is that I've been unknowingly applying the "Secret" towards my fitness goals for many, many years now. I have always visualized exactly how I wanted my body to look, how energized I wanted to feel day in and day out, how strong and confident I wanted to feel. These visualizations led me on a constant mission to take massive daily ACTION towards exactly what I wanted.
So how do you get the exact body you want? Well, the first thing I want you to realize is that how you feel today and the body that you see in the mirror today is actually a combined result of how you have lived your life in the past... the habits, thoughts, and actions that you have taken throughout every single day that has preceded today. If your past has not given you the body you want today, the energy you want, the powerful feeling of health that you want, then you need to change your mindset and start taking immediate and massive action towards exactly what you want.
You need to visualize yourself living in that desired lean, strong body... feel the energy, vitality, and strength running through every inch of you. Imagine the confidence you feel. If you want it bad enough, you WILL achieve it, but it takes a BURNING DESIRE to succeed.
You need to keep running through this imagining process, and actually capture this "feeling" every single day, until the day comes that you realize that you have achieved your goals. If you practice this enough, you will attract into your life exactly what you want. Again, if all you focus on is your failures, and continue to think negatively, you will only attract more failures and negativity into your life.
Amazing things and amazing people have been coming into my life ever since I discovered the "Secret". If you have an open mind and focus your entire being on what you want, it WILL come into your life. It starts with the mindset, and your journey towards your goals continues from there with massive action taken on a daily basis toward your goals. Once you get this process right, you CAN'T fail.
I will leave you with one more powerful quote that has totally transformed the way I think about what I can achieve in life:
"Whether you THINK that you can or can't do something, either way, you are right".
Read that one again, and believe it! It is a powerful shift in mindset that will change your life.
I want you to do me a favor and read this entire article over again and really start thinking about how you can apply it towards your goals. They don't even have to be fitness goals. It can really be anything that you want to achieve.
Once you've got your mind in the right place, you are now ready to take massive action towards your goals starting now! Getting back to your fitness goals... If your goals revolve at all around losing body fat, tightening up your entire body, and creating an energy filled lifestyle, then a great place to get all of the information you need to achieve this and start taking action is in my Truth about Six Pack Abs book.
By the way, this book does not simply revolve around abs exercises. To be honest, the abs exercises are the LEAST important part of the book. The most important parts of the book are carrying out the nutritional program and compiling all of the training information into a full body training program to stimulate your metabolism and create the right hormonal environment in your body that removes body fat consistently.
Combining a fool-proof training and nutrition program such as this with the proper mindset and application of the "Secret", will give you a very powerful solution to the lean-body that you desire.

The solution is here - The Truth About Six Pack Abs
All that stands now between you and your goals is getting your mindset right, and taking action!
I hope this article has given you some things to think about. I urge you to have an open mind and allow yourself to attract what you want into your life.
Here's today's workout.
Aternate Barbell Press.
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 10 reps (10)
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 9 reps (9)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 8 reps (8)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 7 reps (7)
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 6 reps (6)
42.5 kg (93.7 lb) x 5 reps (5)
47.5 kg (104.7 lb) x 1 rep (4)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
Squats.
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 10 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 12 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 10 reps (16)
"The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it - as long as you really believe 100%." - Arnold Schwarzenegger
Next time - back.
The old mindset of the dumb, muscle bound hulk has always been a great untruth perpetuated for far too long by people who were sadly afraid to go where we go.
Bodybuilding is a "mind sport". You have to "huff and puff" with your mind before you can "huff and puff" with the weights! You have to see the results in your head long before you get to see those results in the mirror.
I have found a great article by Mike Geary, author of "The Truth About Six Pack Abs".
Mike expertly explains what I mean.
The Ultimate Secret of Mind Control and Motivation to Achieve the Exact Body Shape You Want
by Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
I ask you to have an open mind and accept some ideas I'm going to throw at you today. If you can take full grasp of these ideas, take my word that this will be the most powerful secret you've ever discovered for attaining the exact body that you desire.
I'm basically going to take the concepts from the hit movie "The Secret" and show you how to apply it towards your fitness goals.
Keep in mind that this "ultimate secret" has nothing to do with our normal discussions of reps and sets. It has nothing to do with calories or fat or protein. It has nothing to do with cardio training or abs exercises. But once you discover the "Secret", you will be on your way to the body of your dreams, or any other goals that you have in your life, for that matter.
Elite athletes have practiced the "Secret". Champion bodybuilders have practiced the "Secret". Virtually all of the most influential, powerful, wealthiest, and happiest people throughout history have either knowingly or not, practiced the "Secret". Some didn't even realize that they knew the "Secret", but applying its power is the sole reason for their success. In today's discussion, I'm simply putting a little twist on this "Secret" and applying it to your fitness goals. But in reality, it works for any of your goals and desires in life.
Before I reveal the "Secret", I want to ask you a few questions today and I want you to answer the questions that are appropriate to your goals. I want you to be honest with yourself. If you discover that you have not accomplished your goals related to these questions, pay close attention, because I'm going to reveal to you how you can change this immediately and be on the path to achieving whatever it is that you want in life.
Do you currently have the body that you want?
Do you feel full of energy every single day?
Do you feel strong, confident, and proud of your body?
Do you feel that you have no physical limitation to be able to do whatever you want to do in life?
Do you want to be thinner?
Do you want more muscle?
Do you want sexy flat abs or a tighter butt?
The answers to these questions will be vastly different for everyone. Not everyone wants the same things. Not everyone has the same goals.
But the most important thing to realize, is that ANY of your goals can be achieved, no matter who you are, if you understand and APPLY the "Secret". Alright, enough of the build-up. What exactly is the "Secret"? Drum roll please.....
The "Secret" lies within your mind and revolves around the powerful Law of Attraction. What you focus on becomes your reality. To put this another way, "What you resist, persists. Whatever you are feeling and thinking is a perfect reflection of what you will become".
In other words, if all you ever focus on is how frustrated you are that you can never lose weight or get rid of that belly fat, then you are doomed to a flabby body forever, because you are actually creating that reality. On the other hand, if you focus on your successes with every ounce of your being, every single day, and continually feel in your mind what your dream body is going to be like, you will create that reality. The key point is that your thoughts and feelings must revolve around already having the body that you want. You must actually imagine daily that you are already living in your new body.
If you're closed-minded, at this point in reading this article, you will probably say something like, "what is all of this gobbly-gook crap this idiot is talking about". And then you will click away to another site, go back to your daily life, and continue to be frustrated by failing to achieve the body you want for the rest of your life.
On the other hand, if you're open minded, and truly want to succeed, you will continue to read, absorb, and start to apply the "Secret", and watch your body slowly become exactly what you want it to become.
I've discovered the "Secret" a couple years ago and how to apply this towards my other goals in life aside from fitness.
However, I also realized that the reason I've been successful with my fitness goals is that I've been unknowingly applying the "Secret" towards my fitness goals for many, many years now. I have always visualized exactly how I wanted my body to look, how energized I wanted to feel day in and day out, how strong and confident I wanted to feel. These visualizations led me on a constant mission to take massive daily ACTION towards exactly what I wanted.
So how do you get the exact body you want? Well, the first thing I want you to realize is that how you feel today and the body that you see in the mirror today is actually a combined result of how you have lived your life in the past... the habits, thoughts, and actions that you have taken throughout every single day that has preceded today. If your past has not given you the body you want today, the energy you want, the powerful feeling of health that you want, then you need to change your mindset and start taking immediate and massive action towards exactly what you want.
You need to visualize yourself living in that desired lean, strong body... feel the energy, vitality, and strength running through every inch of you. Imagine the confidence you feel. If you want it bad enough, you WILL achieve it, but it takes a BURNING DESIRE to succeed.
You need to keep running through this imagining process, and actually capture this "feeling" every single day, until the day comes that you realize that you have achieved your goals. If you practice this enough, you will attract into your life exactly what you want. Again, if all you focus on is your failures, and continue to think negatively, you will only attract more failures and negativity into your life.
Amazing things and amazing people have been coming into my life ever since I discovered the "Secret". If you have an open mind and focus your entire being on what you want, it WILL come into your life. It starts with the mindset, and your journey towards your goals continues from there with massive action taken on a daily basis toward your goals. Once you get this process right, you CAN'T fail.
I will leave you with one more powerful quote that has totally transformed the way I think about what I can achieve in life:
"Whether you THINK that you can or can't do something, either way, you are right".
Read that one again, and believe it! It is a powerful shift in mindset that will change your life.
I want you to do me a favor and read this entire article over again and really start thinking about how you can apply it towards your goals. They don't even have to be fitness goals. It can really be anything that you want to achieve.
Once you've got your mind in the right place, you are now ready to take massive action towards your goals starting now! Getting back to your fitness goals... If your goals revolve at all around losing body fat, tightening up your entire body, and creating an energy filled lifestyle, then a great place to get all of the information you need to achieve this and start taking action is in my Truth about Six Pack Abs book.
By the way, this book does not simply revolve around abs exercises. To be honest, the abs exercises are the LEAST important part of the book. The most important parts of the book are carrying out the nutritional program and compiling all of the training information into a full body training program to stimulate your metabolism and create the right hormonal environment in your body that removes body fat consistently.
Combining a fool-proof training and nutrition program such as this with the proper mindset and application of the "Secret", will give you a very powerful solution to the lean-body that you desire.

The solution is here - The Truth About Six Pack Abs
All that stands now between you and your goals is getting your mindset right, and taking action!
I hope this article has given you some things to think about. I urge you to have an open mind and allow yourself to attract what you want into your life.
Here's today's workout.
Aternate Barbell Press.
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 10 reps (10)
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 9 reps (9)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 8 reps (8)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 7 reps (7)
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 6 reps (6)
42.5 kg (93.7 lb) x 5 reps (5)
47.5 kg (104.7 lb) x 1 rep (4)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
Squats.
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 10 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 12 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 10 reps (16)
"The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it - as long as you really believe 100%." - Arnold Schwarzenegger
Next time - back.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Triceps Workout 0006
As you may notice from the dates on my last and this post I have had a week off from training. My wife and I have been helping a friend move into a new house.
If you remember, the last time I helped someone move house (my son) I copped an injury. So, I thought that this time I would take ALL caution to avoid the same this time.
This brings me to the article I'm posting today. If for some genuine reason (soreness, injury, other physical activity) you need to skip a workout or two, don't be afraid to. If your usual workouts are pretty intense you will find that your muscles will actually benefit from the short break.
The following is a great article by Shawn Nalewanyj - I highly recommend you read it in full and please do check out Shawn's Site.
You Should NEVER Skip A Workout…Or Should You?
By Sean Nalewanyj
Natural Bodybuilding Expert & Best-Selling Fitness Author (MuscleGainTruth)
If you want to be successful at anything, discipline and consistency are mandatory.
You’ve got to be willing to work hard week in and week out, and put forth the effort even on those days when you’d rather stay at home, lie on the couch and relax.
The saying says that “80% of success is showing up”, and for the most part I’d say that’s true.
Building muscle is no different.
You’ve got to stay tight to your workout schedule and get yourself into the gym even when it’s the last thing on your mind. If you want to gain muscle size and strength as quickly as possible, you should never, ever miss a workout…
Or should you?
Here’s the thing…
Yes, consistency is important. Yes, you should be sticking to your workout schedule the vast majority of the time. Yes, simply bailing on the gym out of pure laziness is not acceptable.
However, I would like to bring up a quote from the late Mike Mentzer when he said… “Rituals have nothing to do with science”.
What you need to keep in mind is that the human body is an extremely complex biological “machine”, and that not every single workout and recovery period is identical.
In other words, just because your schedule states that you must train on days X, Y and Z doesn’t necessarily mean that this will always be the optimal pattern every single week of the year.
If you wake up on a training day and your muscles still ache, you feel physically tired and your regular motivation to train just feels like it has been zapped... don’t you think your body just might be trying to tell you something?
Why would you force yourself to train in a situation where more recovery time is clearly needed, and when you know that your training performance will be less than optimal? If your body, muscles and mind are clearly still reeling from the previous session, what sense does it make to force yourself to train despite this?
After all, we know that the recovery phase is the ultimate “muscle builder” (the actual process of adding new muscle tissue occurs out of the gym on resting days) and that intense weight training is extremely demanding on the body as a whole…
So why would you deliberately interfere with the very process that transforms your physique in the first place? Why not take an extra 24 hours off and re-enter the gym once you feel physically and mentally ready to do so?
What harm could there possibly be in that?
There is no threat of losing muscle size or strength, as these decreases require 2 or more weeks of inactivity to be set into motion. Yet, there is the perfectly likely reality of a positive gain in the form of proper recovery from the previous workout and improved performance on the following workout.
The underlying key is to listen to your body.
Rituals truly do not have anything to do with science, and if it feels obvious to you that additional rest is needed, take it.
Don’t force your body into another battle with the weights if it clearly is not ready to do so. Don’t let your ego get in the way; just because some muscle building guru told you to “never skip a workout” doesn’t mean that it’s always the best approach.
You do have to use this method with caution, though...
If you develop the mindset of only training when you “feel like it”, then it’s likely that you’ll start delaying your workouts and convincing yourself that it’s correct to do so when in fact it is not.
There are plenty of times when you won’t feel like training purely for psychological reasons rather than concrete physical reasons, and that’s not what I’m talking about here.
I’m simply talking about those days where you are able to sense that from a physical standpoint, taking an extra day of rest would be the better course of action.
Just remember... there is no long-term harm in taking an extra day of rest, but there IS the very real and immediate harm of training your body without being fully recovered first.
If in doubt, take the day off!
Want more no B.S muscle-building strategies just like this one?
Check out MuscleGainTruth for more info. In a bodybuilding world full of marketing hype and exaggerations, I cut straight through the lies and give you the no-nonsense truth about what it takes to gain muscle fast.
About The Author
Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned natural bodybuilding and fat loss expert, best-selling fitness author, and creator of the wildly popular online muscle building program, "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System". Learn how to buid muscle and gain weight in just 24 minutes a day by visiting: MuscleGainTruth.
Sean is also the owner and operator of the web's premier muscle building and fat loss support community, currently accepting new members at The School Of Muscle Inner Circle.
Note to the reader: You are free to reprint and redistribute this article as long as the content is not altered in any way, the links remain live and the author resource box (including this message) is left intact.
Thank's Shawn for some great advice.
Ok, here's my workout for today:
Adjustable Bar Triceps Extension.
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 10 reps (10)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 9 reps (9)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 8 reps (8)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 7 reps (7)
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 3 reps (6)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 3 reps (5)
42.5 kg (93.7 lb) x 1 rep (4)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 6 reps (16)
Squats.
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 8 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 11 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 9 reps (16)
Next time - biceps.
If you remember, the last time I helped someone move house (my son) I copped an injury. So, I thought that this time I would take ALL caution to avoid the same this time.
This brings me to the article I'm posting today. If for some genuine reason (soreness, injury, other physical activity) you need to skip a workout or two, don't be afraid to. If your usual workouts are pretty intense you will find that your muscles will actually benefit from the short break.
The following is a great article by Shawn Nalewanyj - I highly recommend you read it in full and please do check out Shawn's Site.
You Should NEVER Skip A Workout…Or Should You?
By Sean Nalewanyj
Natural Bodybuilding Expert & Best-Selling Fitness Author (MuscleGainTruth)
If you want to be successful at anything, discipline and consistency are mandatory.
You’ve got to be willing to work hard week in and week out, and put forth the effort even on those days when you’d rather stay at home, lie on the couch and relax.
The saying says that “80% of success is showing up”, and for the most part I’d say that’s true.
Building muscle is no different.
You’ve got to stay tight to your workout schedule and get yourself into the gym even when it’s the last thing on your mind. If you want to gain muscle size and strength as quickly as possible, you should never, ever miss a workout…
Or should you?
Here’s the thing…
Yes, consistency is important. Yes, you should be sticking to your workout schedule the vast majority of the time. Yes, simply bailing on the gym out of pure laziness is not acceptable.
However, I would like to bring up a quote from the late Mike Mentzer when he said… “Rituals have nothing to do with science”.
What you need to keep in mind is that the human body is an extremely complex biological “machine”, and that not every single workout and recovery period is identical.
In other words, just because your schedule states that you must train on days X, Y and Z doesn’t necessarily mean that this will always be the optimal pattern every single week of the year.
If you wake up on a training day and your muscles still ache, you feel physically tired and your regular motivation to train just feels like it has been zapped... don’t you think your body just might be trying to tell you something?
Why would you force yourself to train in a situation where more recovery time is clearly needed, and when you know that your training performance will be less than optimal? If your body, muscles and mind are clearly still reeling from the previous session, what sense does it make to force yourself to train despite this?
After all, we know that the recovery phase is the ultimate “muscle builder” (the actual process of adding new muscle tissue occurs out of the gym on resting days) and that intense weight training is extremely demanding on the body as a whole…
So why would you deliberately interfere with the very process that transforms your physique in the first place? Why not take an extra 24 hours off and re-enter the gym once you feel physically and mentally ready to do so?
What harm could there possibly be in that?
There is no threat of losing muscle size or strength, as these decreases require 2 or more weeks of inactivity to be set into motion. Yet, there is the perfectly likely reality of a positive gain in the form of proper recovery from the previous workout and improved performance on the following workout.
The underlying key is to listen to your body.
Rituals truly do not have anything to do with science, and if it feels obvious to you that additional rest is needed, take it.
Don’t force your body into another battle with the weights if it clearly is not ready to do so. Don’t let your ego get in the way; just because some muscle building guru told you to “never skip a workout” doesn’t mean that it’s always the best approach.
You do have to use this method with caution, though...
If you develop the mindset of only training when you “feel like it”, then it’s likely that you’ll start delaying your workouts and convincing yourself that it’s correct to do so when in fact it is not.
There are plenty of times when you won’t feel like training purely for psychological reasons rather than concrete physical reasons, and that’s not what I’m talking about here.
I’m simply talking about those days where you are able to sense that from a physical standpoint, taking an extra day of rest would be the better course of action.
Just remember... there is no long-term harm in taking an extra day of rest, but there IS the very real and immediate harm of training your body without being fully recovered first.
If in doubt, take the day off!
Want more no B.S muscle-building strategies just like this one?
Check out MuscleGainTruth for more info. In a bodybuilding world full of marketing hype and exaggerations, I cut straight through the lies and give you the no-nonsense truth about what it takes to gain muscle fast.
About The Author
Once an awkward, pencil-necked "social reject", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned natural bodybuilding and fat loss expert, best-selling fitness author, and creator of the wildly popular online muscle building program, "The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System". Learn how to buid muscle and gain weight in just 24 minutes a day by visiting: MuscleGainTruth.Sean is also the owner and operator of the web's premier muscle building and fat loss support community, currently accepting new members at The School Of Muscle Inner Circle.
Note to the reader: You are free to reprint and redistribute this article as long as the content is not altered in any way, the links remain live and the author resource box (including this message) is left intact.
Thank's Shawn for some great advice.
Ok, here's my workout for today:
Adjustable Bar Triceps Extension.
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 10 reps (10)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 9 reps (9)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 8 reps (8)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 7 reps (7)
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 3 reps (6)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 3 reps (5)
42.5 kg (93.7 lb) x 1 rep (4)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 6 reps (16)
Squats.
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 8 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 11 reps (16)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 9 reps (16)
Next time - biceps.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Triceps workout 0005
Why do I like to grow in strength? To me it's all about the essence of what it is to be a man. Another way of saying it is I just don't get the puny thing. I love to be able to pick things up with little or no effort. I feel at home in my body this way.
I remember when I was young, looking at magazines in our local newsagency and marvelling at the fantastic muscular bodies of men like Bill Pearl, Dave Draper, Sergio Oliva and Larry Scott. I wanted one too. I loved their strength.
It really started I suppose when dad and I would watch professional wrestling on a Saturday night in the late 1950's on TV. Black and white TV had just been introduced into Australia then and we received the shows from Madison Square Gardens. I was hooked! I wanted to be strong just like the wrestlers.
But it wasn't until I was married and in my early 20's that I finally got my opportunity to join a gym and start - and I've never really stopped apart from some short breaks here and there along life's way. At 57 now I can't see myself ever wanting to stop training.
Don't you stop either - there are just too many benefits.
Adjustable Bar Triceps Extension.
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 10 reps (10) *
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 9 reps (9) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 8 reps (8) *
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 7 reps (7) *
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 6 reps (6) *
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 5 reps (5) *
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 4 reps (4) *
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
Leg Extensions.
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
I remember when I was young, looking at magazines in our local newsagency and marvelling at the fantastic muscular bodies of men like Bill Pearl, Dave Draper, Sergio Oliva and Larry Scott. I wanted one too. I loved their strength.
It really started I suppose when dad and I would watch professional wrestling on a Saturday night in the late 1950's on TV. Black and white TV had just been introduced into Australia then and we received the shows from Madison Square Gardens. I was hooked! I wanted to be strong just like the wrestlers.
But it wasn't until I was married and in my early 20's that I finally got my opportunity to join a gym and start - and I've never really stopped apart from some short breaks here and there along life's way. At 57 now I can't see myself ever wanting to stop training.
Don't you stop either - there are just too many benefits.
Adjustable Bar Triceps Extension.
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 10 reps (10) *
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 9 reps (9) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 8 reps (8) *
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 7 reps (7) *
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 6 reps (6) *
37.5 kg (82.7 lb) x 5 reps (5) *
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 4 reps (4) *
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
Leg Extensions.
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Chest workout 0004
Your rest periods are just as important as your weight training. When you are not training (resting) your muscles then have the opportunity to repair and grow. Too much training and no matter how fit and strong you may be, eventually your progress will slow, stop and even reverse in extreme cases.
If you train with enough intensity (working to momentary muscular failure on at least 2 or 3 sets), say for example you are working chest, you will not ordinarily need to train your chest again for up to two weeks. Anything more would just be counter productive. Don't believe me? Check the gaps between my bodypart workouts. Exactly! - and I'm making satisfying progress. Anything more would simply be overtraining.
Overtraining is one of the greatest mistakes made in any sport - not just bodybuilding.
Don't get me wrong here. Professional top level bodybuilders will work each bodypart more often - because they can. They are professionals. They eat, sleep, supplement, are managed, have trainers etc. What we talk about here is commonsense bodybuilding for the everyman and the everywoman. People who have jobs, families, friends, and a range of other time consuming commitments and responsibilities.
By spreading your training sessions out over slightly longer time periods you will give your body more time to recuperate and grow, make greater progress, lesson your chance of injuries, keep yourself from getting overtired as well as put the enjoyment back into your workouts. A case of less will get you more.
Enjoyment and progress, after all, is what it's all about.
Bench Press
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 10 reps (10)
45.0 kg (99.2 lb) x 9 reps (9)
47.5 kg (104.7 lb) x 8 reps (8)
52.5 kg (115.7 lb) x 7 reps (7)
57.5 kg (126.8 lb) x 6 reps (6) *
62.5 kg (137.8 lb) x 5 reps (5) *
67.5 kg (148.8 lb) x 3 reps (4)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 11 reps (16)
Leg Extensions
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 16 reps (20)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 17 reps (20)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 14 reps (20)
"Rest: the sweet sauce of labor." - Plutarch
"What is without periods of rest will not endure." - Ovid
"I still need more healthy rest in order to work at my best. My health is the main capital I have and I want to administer it intelligently." - Ernest Hemingway
Here's an absolute classic for you. So many great names. I think this would have been at Festival Hall in Melbourne (I think it's nickname was "The House of Blood") on a Saturday night. The commentator is Jack Little. I would go there occasionally with friends or family (or both!). What a wild place and what wild nights. Great memories! Click Here.
If you train with enough intensity (working to momentary muscular failure on at least 2 or 3 sets), say for example you are working chest, you will not ordinarily need to train your chest again for up to two weeks. Anything more would just be counter productive. Don't believe me? Check the gaps between my bodypart workouts. Exactly! - and I'm making satisfying progress. Anything more would simply be overtraining.
Overtraining is one of the greatest mistakes made in any sport - not just bodybuilding.
Don't get me wrong here. Professional top level bodybuilders will work each bodypart more often - because they can. They are professionals. They eat, sleep, supplement, are managed, have trainers etc. What we talk about here is commonsense bodybuilding for the everyman and the everywoman. People who have jobs, families, friends, and a range of other time consuming commitments and responsibilities.
By spreading your training sessions out over slightly longer time periods you will give your body more time to recuperate and grow, make greater progress, lesson your chance of injuries, keep yourself from getting overtired as well as put the enjoyment back into your workouts. A case of less will get you more.
Enjoyment and progress, after all, is what it's all about.
Bench Press
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 10 reps (10)
45.0 kg (99.2 lb) x 9 reps (9)
47.5 kg (104.7 lb) x 8 reps (8)
52.5 kg (115.7 lb) x 7 reps (7)
57.5 kg (126.8 lb) x 6 reps (6) *
62.5 kg (137.8 lb) x 5 reps (5) *
67.5 kg (148.8 lb) x 3 reps (4)
40.0 kg (88.2 lb) x 11 reps (16)
Leg Extensions
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 16 reps (20)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 17 reps (20)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 14 reps (20)
"Rest: the sweet sauce of labor." - Plutarch
"What is without periods of rest will not endure." - Ovid
"I still need more healthy rest in order to work at my best. My health is the main capital I have and I want to administer it intelligently." - Ernest Hemingway
Here's an absolute classic for you. So many great names. I think this would have been at Festival Hall in Melbourne (I think it's nickname was "The House of Blood") on a Saturday night. The commentator is Jack Little. I would go there occasionally with friends or family (or both!). What a wild place and what wild nights. Great memories! Click Here.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Biceps workout 0004
Balance. Know where you want to go with this and acheive your balance. What do I mean? It's no good having "The Body" when the rest of your life is falling apart. I'm talking about an all of life picture.
If your aim is to be a world champion bodybuilder, perhaps a Mr. ........... well your bodybuilding is going to have to consume a greater part of your waking hours. It is also going to consume a greater part of your financial means. Until you are very successful, you will only have time for a part-time job at best yet the cost of your special foods and supplements will be enormous. See what I mean.
On the other hand, much like me, you may just desire to have some "more than normal" strength, not that keen on a puny body, like to look a little better in a tee shirt, and just plain like working out with your weights. Not so much time is needed - perhaps only every second day. You won't need all those supplements with strange names. Also your diet does not need to be so strict (lucky for me on that one!).
Life is a balance.
It all just depends on where you see yourself heading and what you want to do with it. Whatever you choose for you is right. There will be no wrong choice. If it's what you really desire, then that's it. Just remember to always add some balance in there. Life is not all hard work. Never forget the rest and play bit too. Have fun with it.
Adjustable Bar Curls.
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 10 reps (10)
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 9 reps (9)
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 8 reps (8)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 7 reps (7)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 4 reps (6)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 3 reps (5)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 2 reps (4)
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 12 reps (16)
Squats.
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
"Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance." - Brian Tracy
For some early years footage - click here
Next time - chest.
If your aim is to be a world champion bodybuilder, perhaps a Mr. ........... well your bodybuilding is going to have to consume a greater part of your waking hours. It is also going to consume a greater part of your financial means. Until you are very successful, you will only have time for a part-time job at best yet the cost of your special foods and supplements will be enormous. See what I mean.
On the other hand, much like me, you may just desire to have some "more than normal" strength, not that keen on a puny body, like to look a little better in a tee shirt, and just plain like working out with your weights. Not so much time is needed - perhaps only every second day. You won't need all those supplements with strange names. Also your diet does not need to be so strict (lucky for me on that one!).
Life is a balance.
It all just depends on where you see yourself heading and what you want to do with it. Whatever you choose for you is right. There will be no wrong choice. If it's what you really desire, then that's it. Just remember to always add some balance in there. Life is not all hard work. Never forget the rest and play bit too. Have fun with it.
Adjustable Bar Curls.
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 10 reps (10)
22.5 kg (49.6 lb) x 9 reps (9)
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 8 reps (8)
27.5 kg (60.6 lb) x 7 reps (7)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 4 reps (6)
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 3 reps (5)
35.0 kg (77.2 lb) x 2 reps (4)
20.0 kg (44.1 lb) x 12 reps (16)
Squats.
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
25.0 kg (55.1 lb) x 16 reps (16) *
"Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance." - Brian Tracy
For some early years footage - click here
Next time - chest.
Labels:
biceps,
biceps workout,
bodybuilding,
commonsense bodybuilding,
life balance,
reps
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Back workout 0004
To do a T Bar row at home is not too difficult. A 6 ft. barbell is really required here. Remove the collar and any weights from one end. Place an old jumper or small blanket on the floor in a corner of your workout room (to protect your walls from damage). Now place the end of the bar with no weights into the now cushioned corner. Add the required weight to the free end, tighten the collar.
There are two ways to go from here. The first is to bend over, knees slightly bent, back slightly arched and eyes looking forward. You can use a two handed grip, one in front of the other just behind the weights, pulling up to the chest, exhaling all the way as the weight approaches the chest. Lower the weight to arms length inhaling as you lower. Repeat.
The second way and by far the best is to invest in the "T" part of the T Bar. At your local hardware shop purchase a metal pipe approximately 3 ft. (91 cm.) to 3 ft. 6 ins. (105 cm.) long and approx. 1 to 1.25 inches (2.5 to 3 cm.) in diameter. Make sure that the actual metal thickness is at least 1 to 2 mm. Find the midpoint of the bar and mark it clearly.
Find a broom handle and remove the broom bit. You can also use a piece of scrap round wood the same thickness as a broom handle. Lay it on the ground (concrete or brick). Do this near a wall. Place your T Bar over the broom handle making sure that the mid point is exactly mid point of the broom handle.
Put one foot on one end of the T Bar and then for support place both hands on the wall. Now gently put your other foot on the other end of the T Bar. You should find yourself able to balance like a see-saw. Bend your knees slightly and with all your force push downwards equally on both ends of the T Bar. With good luck on your side you should find that your T Bar has a nice ever so slight "V" shape. In other words it should have bent in the middle.
You can now slide your T Bar under your barbell (as close to the plates as possible) until it reaches the middle of your slightly "V"ed T Bar. The barbell should now naturally stay in place during use. Grip your T Bar with knuckles facing forward. For comfortable width apart and stability I have my hands just touching the plates. Experiment to find your best grip spot. Perform the movement as described above for the first way, only difference is you now have a proper T Bar.
For weights above 200 lb (90 kg) you may consider a solid bar. For a solid bar obviously my bending technique will no longer work. Purchase a solid bar from a steel works and they will bend it for you.
Now for the workout. I've changed it a bit. The first four sets are warmup sets - perform only up to the required number of reps. The next three sets are to failure with the last set as a flushing set. Easy peasy.
T Bar Row.
50.0 kg (110 lb) x 10 reps (10)
55.0 kg (121 lb) x 9 reps (9)
60.0 kg (132 lb) x 8 reps (8)
65.0 kg (143 lb) x 7 reps (7)
70.0 kg (154 lb) x 4 reps (6)
75.0 kg (165 lb) x 3 reps (5)
80.0 kg (176 lb) x 2 reps (4)
50.0 kg (110 lb) x 10 reps (16)
Leg Extensions.
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 15 reps (20)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 11 reps (20)
"Necessity is the mother of invention, it is true - but it's father is creativity, and knowledge is the midwife." - Jonathan Schattke
There are two ways to go from here. The first is to bend over, knees slightly bent, back slightly arched and eyes looking forward. You can use a two handed grip, one in front of the other just behind the weights, pulling up to the chest, exhaling all the way as the weight approaches the chest. Lower the weight to arms length inhaling as you lower. Repeat.
The second way and by far the best is to invest in the "T" part of the T Bar. At your local hardware shop purchase a metal pipe approximately 3 ft. (91 cm.) to 3 ft. 6 ins. (105 cm.) long and approx. 1 to 1.25 inches (2.5 to 3 cm.) in diameter. Make sure that the actual metal thickness is at least 1 to 2 mm. Find the midpoint of the bar and mark it clearly.
Find a broom handle and remove the broom bit. You can also use a piece of scrap round wood the same thickness as a broom handle. Lay it on the ground (concrete or brick). Do this near a wall. Place your T Bar over the broom handle making sure that the mid point is exactly mid point of the broom handle.
Put one foot on one end of the T Bar and then for support place both hands on the wall. Now gently put your other foot on the other end of the T Bar. You should find yourself able to balance like a see-saw. Bend your knees slightly and with all your force push downwards equally on both ends of the T Bar. With good luck on your side you should find that your T Bar has a nice ever so slight "V" shape. In other words it should have bent in the middle.
You can now slide your T Bar under your barbell (as close to the plates as possible) until it reaches the middle of your slightly "V"ed T Bar. The barbell should now naturally stay in place during use. Grip your T Bar with knuckles facing forward. For comfortable width apart and stability I have my hands just touching the plates. Experiment to find your best grip spot. Perform the movement as described above for the first way, only difference is you now have a proper T Bar.
For weights above 200 lb (90 kg) you may consider a solid bar. For a solid bar obviously my bending technique will no longer work. Purchase a solid bar from a steel works and they will bend it for you.
Now for the workout. I've changed it a bit. The first four sets are warmup sets - perform only up to the required number of reps. The next three sets are to failure with the last set as a flushing set. Easy peasy.
T Bar Row.
50.0 kg (110 lb) x 10 reps (10)
55.0 kg (121 lb) x 9 reps (9)
60.0 kg (132 lb) x 8 reps (8)
65.0 kg (143 lb) x 7 reps (7)
70.0 kg (154 lb) x 4 reps (6)
75.0 kg (165 lb) x 3 reps (5)
80.0 kg (176 lb) x 2 reps (4)
50.0 kg (110 lb) x 10 reps (16)
Leg Extensions.
32.5 kg (71.7 lb) x 20 reps (20) *
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 15 reps (20)
30.0 kg (66.1 lb) x 11 reps (20)
"Necessity is the mother of invention, it is true - but it's father is creativity, and knowledge is the midwife." - Jonathan Schattke
Labels:
back,
back workout,
bodybuilding,
commonsense bodybuilding,
reps,
T Bar row
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