Category: 2014

Last month I entered into the Hawkes Bay Novice Powerlifting competition to see where I was in terms of strength since I had been training predominately with TORQ (involves higher rep and shorter rest protocols).  I assumed that my strength would be down considerably because of this.  Surprisingly at 65.6 kg, raw lifting, I squatted 140 kg (Did 150kg but reset legs after start so nullifying lift), benched 110 kg and deadlifted 190 kg.  The cool thing was that these lifts were very close if not equal to the personal bests I have done at this bodyweight regardless of training style.  So could I really use higher reps and lower weights to elicit strength gains?  Going by the results above I would have to say yes!

Now TORQ is supposed to be a training protocol for muscle growth; not strength gains, however, just like the title above suggests there are often many ways to achieve a single outcome.  Not all bodybuilders or power lifters train exactly the same to get bigger or stronger. The most important thing for me was that by using this style of training I was able to progressively overload my muscles over a long period of time.  For example- when I started using TORQ again after some low rep training I was only able to do 28 kg Incline DB presses for 20 reps- 30-40 sec rest then 10 reps for the second and final set.  By the time the powerlifting comp came around 8 weeks later I was using 37.5 kg for 20 and 10 reps respectively.  This obviously translated into a transferrable strength increase to my top end numbers for benching (even though I didn’t use the BB version before the competition) but without the central nervous system fatigue and niggling injuries I would get with a more traditional strength focused programme.  This worked the same for squats & has in the past for deadlifts too.  However, deadlifts are a different kettle of fish for me as they have a bigger impact on my nervous system than any other exercise- so now I only ever do one working set of 5 reps every 12-14 days (See programme below).

Anyway, here is my current routine and the one I used for most of the 8 weeks before the Powerlifting competition: (Note in the last article I did a third set of 5 reps, but I found it was unnecessary and slowed down progress.  I also went from an upper/lower split to a full body workout 2-3 times a week).

Day 1: Full body workout A (I perform 1-2 warm up sets first for each exercise-below are only the working sets)

1. Squats 20-10
2. Deadlift 1 x 5 / alternated with almost stiff-legged deadlifts every second “A” workout 20-10.
3. BB row 20-10
4. DB Incline Bench 20-10 /alternated with weighted DXO push-ups 20-10 (DXO = 1 and a half reps)
5. Seated DB Curl 20-10
6. Omni Triceps pushdowns. 20-10-10

2-3 days off

Day 2:  Full body workout B

1. Front squats 20-10
2. Calf raise 20-10
3. DB Row 20-10
4. Chins 20-10
5. Omni Side-Bent row 20-10-10
6. 1 arm leaning forward DB Shrugs 20-10

1-3 days off then repeat Full body A.

As a natural athlete with limited recovery ability, small joints and high muscle bellies, 2-3 full body workouts a week with different exercises are indeed enough for me to make progress- they are not just for beginners!  Secondly, using higher reps and lower weights can definitely be used to increase muscle size and strength if progressive resistance is applied- remember it has the added benefits of being less stressful on your nervous system and joints too.  So if you take anything away from this, hopefully it is the concept that there is definitely more than one way to reach your size and strength goals.  If traditional size or strength training has plateaued for you give TORQ a try to get you back on the road to reaching your training goals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been a goal of mine ever since I began competing to have the opportunity to judge a bodybuilding show.  Last weekend I got the chance to do just that at the NABBA-WFF Christchurch Grand prix, organised by Richard and Annette Parnham.  The show was an outstanding success and there were so many highlights throughout the show that I thought I would share them and my perspective from being on the other side of the judges table.

I know as a competitor that you can be so focused on what you are doing that you don’t notice all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes-this time I got to take it all in.  The first thing I noticed on arriving at the venue was that the backstage area was well prepped and ready with Mark De Lew (Oomps) as backstage manager.  He is the best at what he does; excellent organisational skills, professional, hilarious and being a former competitor, knows his stuff!  He takes all the stress out of the backstage area and does it effortlessly.

As I moved from backstage to the judging table I was impressed with the amount of prizes that were side stage.  Richard and Annette must spend all year organising and getting sponsorship as there were supplements, electrical devices, gym apparel, bags and 42 inch TVs and more up for grabs.  The trophies were expensive looking and then there were the overall trophies which looked like valuable pieces of art!

The judging panel were all friendly and down to earth people who are past or current competitors who just want to give back to a sport they are passionate about.  The head judges, Alex Simays and Maree Stubbington were transparent and clear in their instructions of how to judge each class and it was great to see Chris Gooch (one of the best athletic competitors in NZ) their being a “test judge” too.  Leanne Simays was our “lead” judge making sure that we were on task; her knowledge and direction definitely helped to make it a great learning experience.  As a competitor it is always important to be able to ask for guidance and to be told why you received a certain placing.  I have experienced just that with NABBA-WFF, in fact last year the advice I received during the very same show was instrumental in helping me win the overall!  Like last year the judges were approachable and willing to share their expertise.

Now for the show!  It started right on time with MC Kingsley Hannah, a seasoned pro when it comes to engaging the crowd, introducing “Moorehouse” to kick off the show!  Wow! Unexpected but very much appreciated by the audience.   This was a show where they had thought of everything and left no stone unturned to make it a memorable experience.  The interactive activities with the audience like the children’s pose down and the adult isometric side raise with protein bags was a hoot and the prizes for it were phenomenal.  We had the pleasure of seeing Mark Anderson guest pose and for a massive man he showed all his expertise and experience on how to move and pose gracefully onstage.   Moorehouse came back on later on to keep the momentum going too.

At half time during the one format show I went backstage to see how it was all going.  Lisa Menzies of GO Figure was there- she is a great personality who always does her best to highlight athletes and cover shows around the country.  Mark De Lew, Missy Hawkins and the team were doing their thing and the vibe was just as it should be- positive and relaxed.   It was also good to catch up with Sam Murphy, photographer extraordinaire.  Richard and Annette were busy, as they were throughout the show, making sure everything continued to run smoothly.

The athletes in all classes were of a high standard and it was a real treat to judge and see that we as a panel were in agreement to where the athletes placed on the day.  The overall winners were international standard; with Phil Kuklinski taking out the overall physique looking huge, lean and proportioned.  He must have the biggest rear delts I have ever seen!  Overall figure champ Sue Bettridge was as awesome as ever and WFF athletic champ Stephanie Blake epitomised the look that this class entails.  19 year old Alex Faulkner won the overall athletic Men’s title with one of the most shredded physiques I have seen on a NZ stage- Awesome to watch!  Also, since NABBA-WFF is affiliated with NABBA International all these athletes have now qualified to compete at their respective international NABBA competitions.  Other competitors that stood out for me on the day were Guy Priest who won class 2 Athletic with a classical physique and Elroy Shum in Class 4 Athletic who will be tough competition when I return to the posing dais.

So from the other side of the judges table I have to say in all the bodybuilding competitions I have been to over the years this was the best show for the athletes and audience alike.  The people, atmosphere and prizes were second to none and a credit to Rich, Annette and the NABBA-WFF team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TORQ stands for tension-overload-resistance-quantity and it is the latest addition to Steve Holman’s sarcoplasmic arsenal for increased muscle size.  Basically the idea is to increase the muscles’ time under tension by utilizing higher reps with shortened rest periods to induce sarcoplasmic growth within the muscle.  The rep scheme is 30-20-15 over 3 sets.  You go to failure trying to hit the rep total for each set with the same weight.  Rest periods are around 45 seconds.  Steve advocates using 4X (read earlier article on 4X training) on most exercises and utilizing TORQ on the last exercise of a body part to really finish the muscle off.

So a typical Chest workout could look like this:

1. Bench press:      80kg 4 x 10 (4X)
2. In DB fly:              25kg 4 x 10 (4X)
3. Cable Cross over:  3 plates a side 30-20-15 (TORQ)

Some of you may be thinking, why do this type of training for muscle size?  You’re using sub max weight- won’t I shrink?  Well the answer for me and countless other people is no.  Let me explain from my experience; at the start of the year I was doing only the compound exercises and using a rep range of 3-10.  I definitely got stronger- however- my muscles lost the round look I had previously had from higher rep sets.  I put on body fat – mainly because my sets were shorter and rest periods between them were longer.  I also found my central nervous system and joints were getting hammered more than my muscles so I went back to using my modified version of TORQ.   Straight away my muscles looked rounder- my joint and muscle pains disappeared- I started looking leaner again and I felt more energetic and motivated.

Another reason to consider this type of training is that some research has shown that tension times between 40-90 seconds per set can induce muscle growth better than the traditional 20-30 second set.  Doug Brignole, a successful international bodybuilder from the States takes it even further with his 50-40-30-20-10 version of TORQ with great results.

It must be said that for a number of people, lifting heavy and using the main lifts once a week is all that is needed to get bigger, however, I find this doesn’t always work for the ectomorph (skinny body type) who struggles to put on muscular weight.  Sometimes training with slightly lighter weights or alternating between heavy and light and training body parts twice a week can be more beneficial.

I personally modified the rep range for TORQ as I found I could make better strength gains at a lower rep range and still meet the extended tension times required to benefit from this type of training.  So my modified version of TORQ is 20-10-10 for most isolation exercises and 20-10-5 for most compound exercises.  I have 30 seconds rest between sets.  This allows me to reach the 40 seconds of tension time on the first set for each exercise and the lower rep sets cover the myofibrillar aspect too. Once I reach the targeted rep range for all sets I add weight.  The only lifts I go heavier on are the squat and deadlift every second leg workout.

Here is my current training routine;

Day 1 Upper body 1

1. DB Row or Cable Row 20-10-5
2. DB Incline Bench 20-10-5
3. DB side row 20-10-10
4. DB curl (1^st set Spider curl, 2^nd set concentration curl) 20-10 only.
5. Tri XT (1^st set Overhead triceps extension, 2^nd set Push downs, 3^rd set Push outs) 20-10-10

Day 2 Rest

Day 3 Lower Body 1

1. Bulgarian split squat 20-10-10
2. Leg press 20-10-10
3. Leg curl 20-10-10
4. Leg press calf raise 20-10-10

Day 4 rest

Day 5 Upper body 2

1. Chin up 20-10-5
2. Bench 20-10
3. DB shoulder press 20-10
4. DB curl (1^st set alternate DB curl, 2^nd set hammer curl)
5. DB Pullover extension 20-10

Day 6 rest

Day 7 Lower body 2

1. Squat 3 x 5
2. Deadlift 1 x 5
3. DB calf raise 20-10-10

Day 8 rest

Day 9 repeat cycle.

If you haven’t seen any progress in terms of muscle gains or body fat loss for a while give TORQ a try next time you go to the gym!

I have come to realise over the years that your dreams really can come true if you believe in yourself, set goals and work towards them.  I recently achieved another one of my childhood dreams in bodybuilding by featuring in the December 2013 issue of American Iron Man Magazine.  As a thirteen year old my bodybuilding goals seemed so far away but luckily and maybe a little naively I always thought they were possible.  Below are a few ideas on how you can start achieving your own goals.

The first thing you should do with any dream is to write it down because as soon as it is on paper it becomes more tangible.  After that you need to come up with a plan to go about achieving it.  The old anagram used to explain how you should set goals is a good start; Goals need to be:

SPECIFIC

MEASUREABLE

ACHIEVABLE

REALISTIC

TIME FRAMED   (see my article: goal setting for success 2009)

However I have found that other “SMART” ideas, beliefs and values are just as important in determining whether you reach your goals.

Step by Step:  Your long term goal or dream needs to be broken down into smaller more achievable parts or steps.  This is important for several reasons as it allows you to enjoy small successes along the way, keeps you on track and fuels the belief that your goals are indeed within your reach.

Motivation:  What motivates you to achieve your goals?  Is it an innate desire that drives you?  Is it external factors like competing against others, or is it receiving rewards, admiration and approval?  Whatever drives you to succeed use it to give you the energy to keep moving forward.

Aim high:  Sometimes setting realistic goals “in your eyes” may mean you are setting your sights way to low.  Your personal beliefs about yourself and the opinions and expectations of other people may be holding you back.  One of my favourite sayings is “What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?”  If you thought like this not only would set your goals a lot higher but you would definitely achieve beyond your current expectations!

Resilience: For me this word encompasses the fighting spirit, the mental toughness, the flexibility and ability to bounce back when things don’t go to plan; when life throws you a curve ball yet you are still able to make the most of a bad situation, learn from it and continue to grow and get closer to attaining your goals.  Champions all have this ability and if you want something bad enough you should learn to develop this too.

Team & Teach:  For me your team or the people around you have a huge influence in whether you attain your goals.  Do you have supportive, positive and motivated people around you?  If you don’t then your goals will be more difficult to achieve.  Find people who are like minded and willing to help you on your journey whatever it maybe.

Teaching others is another powerful tool to help you reach your goals.  Giving back, sharing and helping others reach their goals can be motivating in so many ways.  It can enhance and solidify your ideals and beliefs, motivate you to aim higher and push you to learn more to help yourself and others succeed.

So what are you waiting for? Dream big!  Set your “SMART” goals and make them become a reality!