Category: 2010

Your last week of prep before a show is a crucial time that can have a huge impact on the final package you present onstage!

Here are a few things you should consider:

 If you are new to the sport get someone with experience to guide you.

 When you first compete you definitely need someone to guide you through the whole pre-contest process from 3-4 months out, not just the last week. Be selective and make sure you choose the right person for you!  I personally think they should be:

Suitably qualified

Had competition experience

A resume of clients they have worked with in the past and present with references for you to check.

Have a genuine caring for your well-being and goals.

A motivator

Willing to give you honest feed back on progress and a realistic expectation of how you will go in the competition.

Willing to give you the knowledge to become more independent for your future shows.

Someone you trust and can rely upon to be there when needed!

Staying focused and sticking to your pre-contest nutrition plan

It has been working for you to this point so why change too much?

Remember you have just done all the hard work and dieted for the last 12-16 weeks so stick to the programme!  I change very little in relation to my diet the last week before comp day.  My main modifications are that I increase my water intake on Monday to around 5 litres and maintain this till Thursday.   Friday I drop to around 3-4 litres and drink whenever thirsty on Saturday.  I also maintain sodium levels to the same level as the off-season and reduce them slightly on Friday night.  Both these strategies allow me to remove any excess water from under my skin while keeping my muscles full.   I also use the mirror as a guide; if I look flat or need to tighten up a fraction more I adjust my carbohydrate intake with more or less vegetables like broccoli, pumpkin, green beans and carrots.

Listening to other people’s advice

It is amazing what pearls of wisdom people throw at you right at the last minute before a show.  Stay focussed on your plan, but still have an open mind, listen (Even write it down for further consideration for the next show), but try to avoid implementing anything completely new or trying too many different ideas at once as it can play havoc with the mind and the body.  (Plus you never know exactly what helped or hindered your physique on stage).

Making sure you adjust your training so you are properly rested for the contest day.

Again this is very specific to the individual and the type of diet they are following.  For the nationals I trained my legs the Saturday beforehand and gave them a whole weeks rest while I trained Chest /Back on Monday and Shoulders/Arms on Wednesday.  I have noticed that my legs consistently look harder and fuller 4-5 days after training my legs so next competition I will train legs on Monday and upper body workout on Wednesday.  I try to train as heavy and intensely as possible in these sessions but with half the workload. This allows me to mentally feel like I have done enough and physically I have recovered for Saturday so I can get stuck in during the pre-stage pump up sessions.

Keeping a log of what you do for training, dieting and how you look.

 You need to keep a diary if you want to keep making progress on a regular basis each year.  If it is written down you know exactly what’s working and what isn’t.  You can analyse the data to see what can be fine tuned to make you a better athlete.  In the past I have left it to memory and realised after the show that I hadn’t done something that had helped me look a certain way in previous shows.  Here was my last week from my diary:

Training

Saturday 3 October                Total workout = 29 minutes                Weight: 63.2kg

Legs 

Exercise                                  Weight             Reps

1. RP* Leg curl                           8p                    9, 4, 3 + x-reps
2. RP Stiff dead-lift                      90kg                10,10
3. RP Leg Press                          330kg              21, 10
4. RP Hack calf-raise (5)            180kg              15,14,12,11,11
5. RP Calf raise                           stack +40kg    16,13,10
6. RP Barbell Forearm curl         60kg                15, 11, 10 + 20 sec hold

 RP*=rest-pause / Supplements before training:  Plasmajet 5 caps (2 hours before) & 15g glutamine.  After training: 24 g whey isolate, Vitamin C, mineral supplement and 5 g glutamine.

Comment: Awesome workout good pump and personal best on leg press!

Mon 5 October                        Total workout = 26 minutes

Back & Chest 

Exercise                                  Weight             Reps

1. RP* Chins                               10kg                10, 4 + x-reps + BW x 8
2. RP Pull downs                        65kg                10, 6
3. SS1* DB incline Bench           35kg                16, 3
4. SS1 DB incline fly                   20kg                11, 4
5. RP Machine Row                    150pds            20, 15
6. Straight 1-arm pull down        4p                    15, 9
7. DXO Feet on bench press up 20kg                7 + drop Bodyweight for 5

RP*=rest-pause, SS1 = superset, DXO =1 1/2 reps/ Supplements before & after training:  24g Whey isolate, Vitamin C, mineral supplement  & 5 g glutamine, Plasma jet 5 caps (only 2 hours before).

Comment: Awesome workout and another good pump.

Mon 7 October                        Total workout = 24 minutes

Shoulder & Arms

Exercise                                  Weight             Reps

1. DB bent raise                          20kg                35, 16
2. DB pull back                            30kg                15
3. DB side raise                           20kg                16, 3
4. DB side row                              35kg                12
5. Dips                                             BW                    35
6. DB Curl                                      20kg                12 + XTD with 30kg for 10
7. Cable tri ext                             20kg                7 + drop Bodyweight for 5
8. Reverse Cable Curls           7p                      10 + x reps
9. RP Leg press calf raise     175kg              15, 8, 6, 5, 4

XTD= hammer grip curl x-reps / Supplements before & after training:  24g Whey isolate, Vitamin C, mineral supplement & 5 g glutamine, Plasma jet 7caps (2 hours before).

Comment: Felt good!! Good pump!

Nutrition

My diet involves under eating during the day and overeating at night (Yes this diet is not for everyone but it suits me).

Meal 1-5 and 7 are the same all last week.

They are Protein shakes, macadamia nuts and carrots + Vitamin C, fish oil, a mineral supplement, ALA, Detox formula & pro-biotic.

Main meals:

3 OCT:  175g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, beetroot, onions, 2 carrots, 2 rice cakes, 8 macadamia nuts, garlic salt, curry powder.

Comment:  Full but not as lean looking as I would like.  Cut out beetroot and rice cakes.

4 OCT:  170g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 2 carrots, 6 asparagus, 10 macadamia nuts, garlic salt, and curry powder.

Comment:  Look better for cutting beetroot and rice cakes out.

5 OCT:  170g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 2 carrots, 6 asparagus, 10 macadamia nuts, garlic salt, and curry powder.

Comment:  Look better again- keep meal the same

6 OCT:  170g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 2 carrots, 6 asparagus, 8 macadamia nuts, garlic salt, and curry powder.

Comment:  (look ripped!!-good on track will add courgette and carrot to next meal).

7 OCT:  170g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 3 carrots, 6 asparagus, 8 macadamia nuts, courgette, garlic salt, curry powder.

Comment: Leaner again this morning!

8 OCT:  170g lamb, ½ kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 3 carrots, 6, 10 macadamia nuts, courgette, garlic salt, curry powder.

Comment:  on track, cut out asparagus

9 OCT:  170g lamb, ½ kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 2 carrots, 10 macadamia nuts, curry powder.

Comment:  Cut out garlic salt, 2 carrots, and courgette.

10 OCT:

Woke up this morning looking leaner again but still full!!  Meals are based on what I look like in the mirror.  I had macadamias with rice cakes covered in ghee as well as carrots.  I start with 10 macadamias and 2 rice cakes and go from there.  It worked extremely well for the morning show – I went a bit overboard with rice cakes for the night show to see if I could look even fuller.  It didn’t work that well and I lost a bit of the crispness from the morning.  Will have to either cut back, add more protein or fat or have more vegetables during the break instead (will experiment with this during the week while I am still lean).

My pre-contest diet has changed a lot over the last 11 years and will continue to change as I learn more from reading, talking to other people, and learning about my own unique body.  I think the real secrets to success when it comes to pre-contest prep is to start from a sound knowledge base, keep in relatively good shape year round, stick to your nutrition and training plan, keep learning and make small adjustments till you find the right formula for you.  Write it all down so you remember exactly what you did and I have no doubt you will continue to improve year after year!!

 

 

One of the questions I get asked a lot is, “how do you get your abs?”  When I tell them “nothing much” they look at me suspiciously.  The fact is we probably all have great abdominals underneath the body fat! (Especially if you train heavy on all the main compound exercises like squats, dead-lifts, rows and presses).   Here is how you can have an awesome set of abdominals this year!

Firstly, like I said in the previous paragraph body fat is the mask that hides your abs from view.  You will need to assess your diet; and ask yourself this question:

Do I know the right amounts and proportions of macronutrients I need to shed body fat?  If you answered “no”, you will need to find someone who is qualified in this area; you could hire a personal trainer, read books, look on the internet or read my previous articles on getting lean.  Use these people to help you understand and master your body.  If you have the commitment and willingness to learn you are on your way to having a more defined midsection.

Secondly, there are so many exercises and devices to choose from.  A good website for exercises and techniques is exrx.net.  Unfortunately, you can do abdominal exercises till you are blue in the face and still not be able to see your abs.  YOU WILL NEED TO GET LEANER!!   The idea of spot reduction is a myth.  Yes the muscles will be stronger and more toned but they will still have the layer of body fat covering them! (Sorry to go on but it is that simple).

Earlier I mentioned that I did not do much for my abs.  I have a good problem personally, and that is my abdominal muscles look better when I don’t train them with traditional abdominal exercises.  The exercises I do 2-3 months before a competition are:

The vacuum (where you suck your belly button in and exhale) popularised by Frank Zane and bodybuilders of that era, and practising one of the compulsories”, the front ab and thigh pose.  I will practise both these ‘exercises’ a lot leading up to competitions.  Other than that I do no extra work for my abdominals (they get hammered enough when I maintain good posture during my workouts).

Finally, I believe that supplements are vital for getting awesome abs.

Here is a list of supplements I have used that have helped me get leaner in the past:

1. Whey protein isolate
2. Fish oil
3. Nitric oxide supplement (Plasmajet is my favourite)
4. ALA
5. Glutamine
6. Lecithin
7. Thysilyn

I realise I have not put fat burners on here as they usually contain caffeine and I am sensitive to caffeine.  If you have no problems with it then they can definitely benefit you.

Getting awesome abs requires learning about your body and nutrition, finding exercises that work for you and a willingness to commit to a way of life that allows you to maintain a level of body fat that lets your abs shine through.  So give these ideas a try; what have you got to lose except inches off your waist!

 

 

 

 

Teenagers are just as serious about training and putting on muscle as their adult counterparts.  I have personally run weight training classes for my students for the last ten years as a teacher.  Here are some basic ideas for teenagers (and adults) to get the most out of their training.

Exercise selection. As a teenager I always wanted huge arms so I did countless sets of curls to get big guns and little else (It didn’t work!). The reality is your arms will grow a lot faster if you focus on compound movements like presses, pull ups, squats and rows.  I find that a split routine seems to be more beneficial initially.  Not only does it provide rapid strength improvements but I find students seem to remember and perform exercises better when it is broken into upper and lower body workouts.

Here is an example of a good basic routine:

Workouts are completed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Basically you will perform 2 upper body workouts and 1 lower body workout one week and 2 lower body workouts and 1 upper body workout the following week, and so on and so on.

Day 1 Upper body

1. Chin ups
2. DB or BB Bench press
3. DB Row
4. Db Press
5. Shrug
6. DB curl
7. Dip

Day 2 Lower body

1. Squats/ Front squats
2. Leg press
3. Leg curl
4. Calf raise
5. Seated calf raise
6. Abdominal crunches
7. Plank

*Cool down should involve stretches for muscles worked directly.

Exercise technique. It is important that teenagers develop good exercise technique for their unique body type. I will often get students to perform a productive compound exercise and find that it just doesn’t suit their structure.  They will need to find someone who is knowledgeable about exercise technique if they are to maximise progress and minimise the risk of injury.  A couple of key points I have for all exercises when teenagers begin are:

• Warm up properly with a light weight focusing on good form.
• Keep the rib cage high while keeping belly button sucked in (Still breathe).
• Keep head in a neutral position
• If standing do the above but have feet shoulder width apart with a slight bend at the knees.
• Take at least 2 seconds to raise the weight and 2 seconds to lower it.

Overtraining. This is one of the biggest problems with teenagers is they always want to train every day (sometimes for hours on end) on top of their other sport commitments.  I have let a few students train more than four times per week as they wouldn’t listen to my advice that their muscles grow on the days they rested.  After a lot of effort for little or no gains they soon realise that training 2-4 times per week is the best way to go as a young natural athlete.  I also encourage them to get at least 8 hours sleep every night and to take extra rest days if they feel tired.

Nutrition. This can make or break their training efforts. I treat students as individuals when they ask me about diet. If they are naturally lean and struggle to put on weight I encourage them to have good sources of protein like meat, eggs, fish, nuts, dairy as well as unlimited fruit and vegetables.  I also get these students to have a good amount of complex carbohydrates like kumara, pumpkin and whole grains.  For students who are aiming to lose body fat I encourage them to eat a very similar diet but with less carbohydrates.

Supplementation. Teenagers can benefit from taking supplements and I encourage them to take whey protein concentrate (after training and as a snack between food meals), fish or flax oil and a good multi vitamin and mineral supplement. It must be said that a good diet should be in place first before supplements are added if they wish to get the most out of them.

It is great that teenagers are choosing to follow a lifestyle that will benefit their well-being now and far into the future. If they are consistent with their training, set goals and follow the advice above, they will be well on their way to achieving their goals and more!

Have you had a muscle group that is weak and won’t grow from normal training?  Then you should definitely give partials a try!  I myself was sceptical at first- I had always believed in a full range of motion for optimum development of the musculature.  However after reading Paul T Burke’s book “A new fitness paradigm for the mature male”, Pete Cisco’s info on static contraction and Steve Holman (x-rep fame) getting great benefits from using partial reps I was convinced I needed to give it a go.

Also, there are other real life examples where partial movements show that they work – look at cyclists and their calves!  Or look at builders who use a hammer a lot and their meaty forearms.  These are two real life examples where partial movements seem to give some real muscle growth.

Another thing I have noticed in the gym is that we have different body structures.  Imagine two guys with the exact same shoulder width, muscle attachments etc, but one guy has longer forearms.  His full range of motion would be a longer movement than the other guy if he took it to down to his chest.  Would he be disadvantaged?  I think he would be, his friend would be able to use more weight because of the shorter movement. The extra range of motion he has to perform may be stretching his shoulder joint excessively which could cause injury down the track.  In this respect a partial range of motion may be more beneficial in some instances than a full range of motion. After all if your goal is to stimulate your muscles the best way you can and that means a slightly smaller range of motion to keep the tension on the right muscles then so be it.

Initially I thought I would try partials with my calves and forearms-two areas that are weaker body parts for me and feel in the joints when I use a full range of motion (this may be due to the fact that I have short muscle bellies in these areas and long tendons).  I performed dumbbell wrist curls (forearm resting on bench while kneeling) but only performed the top part of the movement (from wrist being neutral to a flexed position back to neutral-no stretch).  For calves I performed leg press calf raises, seated calf raises, hack raises and standing calf raises (from a neutral position to full plantar flexion-no stretch).  What I got was an excellent mind muscle connection, huge pumps, no joint soreness, strength increases and some actual muscle growth!

I am now experimenting and finding positive results in other areas too.  So if you have weaker body parts that haven’t grown for awhile, assess your body structure, look at your muscle bellies and tendon lengths, experiment until you find exercises that generate maximum tension on the muscles and give partial movements a try for full muscle development!