Category: 2016

Bodybuilding is an awesome sport!  I personally love all aspects of the training, eating and preparation required to compete onstage.  However, there are many aspects to bodybuilding (competitive and non-competitive) that have to be learnt and abided by if you want a long and enjoyable run in the sport.  Below are the first 5 ways to ensure you are on the right track to attain success in bodybuilding!

GOAL SETTING

Having goals gives you direction, motivation and purpose!  If you want to compete set a date for a show and stick to it. If you don’t want to compete set concrete goals like lifting more weight or losing body fat within a specified time period.  You will be amazed at how fast you will progress if you begin to do this.  A word of advice though, just don’t talk about it (It’s only a dream at this stage), write it down and plan all the steps necessary to ensure your goals are met.  See my post on Goal Setting 2009, 2012

LISTEN TO EXPERT ADVICE

I can remember the first time I went to a fully equipped gym run by some police officers in my home town of Waipukurau.  They were all old school bodybuilders/power lifters (they all looked big and muscular) and their workouts were centred on using the basics; squats, deadlifts, presses, chins and rows.  At the time I had been following programmes in muscle magazines, doing lots of workouts and unproductive exercises with too much volume and not getting anywhere.  As soon as I started listening to them on how to eat and train I started to make progress.  So what I’m trying to say is if you want to be a bodybuilder find people who actually know what they are talking about and follow their advice. Not your friends who have little experience and never competed before, but people who have achieved results naturally and consistently through years of experience.

LEARN WHAT EXERCISES SUIT YOU BEST

Although we can agree that there are a number of proven exercises which elicit muscle growth, we also have to consider our own unique body characteristics, such as leverages, muscle belly lengths, postural differences and even bone structures to name a few.  Sometimes you will need to adjust an exercise or drop it for something that works with your body. If you spend the time to find these gems you will enjoy productive injury free training and gains for years to come.   I have written a number of articles in relation to this (See archived article “Finding what works for you Part I-IV”).

TRAIN SMART & HARD

When I was in my teens it was generally accepted that training a body part/exercise once a week was plenty for natural athletes and that training more was for the more ”enhanced” trainer.  However, every article I have read lately suggests the other way around.   Training body parts 3 times per week when you are a newbie is acceptable as the weights are normally lighter and the impact on the joints and nervous system are not as great.  However when you become more advanced you will need to allow for more recovery time.  I realise recovery ability of individuals is variable and is dependent on a wide range of factors but my personal experience is if I want to get stronger and bigger, I need to train harder and rest more often to compensate for it.  So train smart for you- find your optimum volume and training frequency through trial and error while using the exercises that suit your body.  This will definitely help you reach your genetic potential and ensure success over the long term.  I currently Bench, Squat and Deadlift every second week alternating that with lighter versions of these exercises and making the best progress I have made in years.  It is actually hard for me to accept that training these exercises hard every second week is best for me because I love training but if I want to continue to make progress and remain injury free this is the smartest way for ME to do it.  (See archived articles for further training ideas).

EAT RIGHT FOR YOU

I have written a number of articles on this over the years but here are some basics to get you started.  Eat a minimum of 1.5g- 2g of protein per kilo of bodyweight a day from meat, eggs, fish, nuts and dairy.  Drink 8-16 glasses of water.  Eat small amounts of fresh fruit and plenty of vegetables while limiting or totally avoiding grain based products.   Use supplements like whey protein, multivitamin/minerals, fish oil to ensure you meet all your macro and micronutrient needs to maintain your health and to ensure you recover and grow from your workouts.  Consider looking at the blood type diet too.  For more information see previous posts.

There you have it, 5 ways to ensure you have a better chance of achieving success in bodybuilding.  So, set some goals, seek expert advice in regards to training and eating and watch your progress soar!

 

I have read and heard so many times that the big 3 (squat, bench and deadlift) are necessary if you want to get big and strong.  After training for almost 30 years I have to agree and disagree!

I have always included some form of Squat, Bench and Deadlift in my training routines over the years, but, there importance varied depending on my goals.

When I dabble with powerlifting, I have to use the traditional back squat, barbell bench and deadlift.  Not all these lifts are ideal for my leverages but I can use them intermittently (every second week or less) with some success.  However, human nature as it is- we don’t always do what’s best for us and what the heck I really do enjoy a challenge like the one powerlifting provides!

For bodybuilding, the traditional big 3 are not necessary for me to look my best at all.  I have found the reverse deadlift (barbell behind you) a far safer and effective way to target my quads than squats.  For chest, dumbbell bench variations have always been superior and Romanian deadlifts are without question a better posterior chain exercise for me.  I have also found that a lot of people I have worked with can actually progress and overload their muscles better with other exercises.

Juxtapose that with the fact I have also seen numerous people successfully use the big 3 for maximum strength and muscle gains. (Usually they are ideally built for these exercises, but not always).

So, what I am trying to say is this;

Train specifically for your goals.

The BB Squat, BB Bench and Deadlift are not magical exercises that work for everyone.

You are not a wimp for leaving them out of your workouts.

Choose exercises that feel right for you and allow you to progressively overload safely over time.

That my friends is the secret to success and longevity when training for strength and muscle!

I have just finished a 10 week powerlifting program which I think will suit a lot of hard gainers out there.  I also think it could benefit older lifters too.  But before I share that I would just like to thank the Central Districts Powerlifting Association and NZ Powerlifting for giving me and many other natural athletes the chance to compete in well organised events that provide education and motivation to do our best!  This past Saturday at the Hawkes Bay Powerlifting competition was a blast; strong competitors, professional judges and a great team of loaders and experienced powerlifters offering encouragement and their knowledge- I personally took a lot away from it.

Anyway, my 10 week powerlifting stint culminated in my highest total of 472.5 kg at a bodyweight of 68.1kg; with a 155kg squat, 112.5 kg bench and 205 kg deadlift.  A big improvement from my last outing where I totalled 440kg at 65.6 kg.  It was also more gratifying in the fact that I turned 40 at the end of last year and that with the right diet and training program I can still make muscle and strength gains!

So here is the routine I used:  It was 3 workouts a week.  Alternating between weeks 1 and 2.

Week 1

Wednesday

1. Bench- 4 x 5 reps (1-2 work sets)
2. Inclines- 2 x 5
3. Dips-2 x 5
4. Side row (heavy lateral side raise) 2 x 10, 5
5. Machine shoulder press 2 x 10, 5

Friday

1. Squat- 5 x 3 reps. (1-2 working sets)
2. Front squat- 2 x 5 reps.
3. Leg curls- 3 x 5
4. Calf raises-2 x 5

Sunday

1. DB Row- 3 x 5-8
2. Chins- 3 x 5-15
3. One arm DB Pendlay row- 2 x 10, 5
4. DB Curl- 2 x 10, 5

Week 2

Wednesday

1. DB Bench- 2 x 5
2. DB Inclines- 2 x 5
3. Side row (heavy lateral side raise) 2 x 10, 5
4. Machine shoulder press 2 x 10, 5
5. Pushdowns-2 x 10, 5

Friday

1. Sumo deadlift- 5 x 3 reps. (1-2 working sets)
2. Conventional deadlift- 3 x 3 reps. (1 work set)
3. Leg curls- 3 x 5
4. Calf raises-2 x 5

Sunday

1. Chins- 3 x 5-8
2. One arm DB Pendlay row- 2 x 10, 5
3. Machine row 2 x 5
4. DB Curl- 2 x 10, 5

As you can see I only squatted, deadlifted and barbell benched once every 14 days.  Mentally this was tough to do (just because I wanted to do them more often) but I am glad I stuck to it. This allowed me to be totally fresh and make progress every time I trained these exercises.  Last year I tried to train them once a week with hardly any progress and niggly injuries to boot.  So if you are a hard gainer who has made no progress for a while or an older lifter looking to make some PBs again give this routine a try for 10 weeks.  I think you will be surprised and extremely happy with the results!

 

The New Year is here! So now is the time to get in shape!  Below is a simple step by step way to make sure you are ready to unveil a lean mean body in 12 weeks.  Now when I say simple I don’t necessarily mean easy– for some people this will be a real physical and mental challenge.

7 days before you begin- Keep a food and exercise diary for 7 days to see what foods you eat and any exercise you complete so you have a clear picture of what needs to be changed after you have considered the information below.  If your health has not been good schedule a medical check up to see what condition your body is in before you embark on any new eating plan or exercise regime.

Day 1, week 1:

Measure yourself so you know where you are at.

There are different ways to measure yourself- you can get photos taken, skin caliper test or a BMI device to determine muscle and body fat levels, take body measurements or weigh yourself.  Other measures that can be just as important and motivating are health related ones like cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and an improved ability to do everyday tasks or even general perceptions of well-being like how you feel.

From here determine specific goals based on the measurement method you intend to use- if you use waist, hip and chest measurements as your measuring stick then set how many centimetres you want to lose.  If it is using the scales set a realistic goal –Depending on the individual’s goals and starting points I have helped clients lose 6-15 kilos in this time with simple changes to their lifestyles.

Make a commitment for the next 12 weeks to make these dietary changes:

Cut out all junk and fast food.

Reduce or eliminate processed carbs like bread, pasta and breakfast cereal products.

Replace higher carb dairy products like normal milk and yoghurt for whey protein & cottage cheese

Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day.

Increase fruit and vegetables to make up for the reduction in grain based products. (For fibre /vitamins/minerals & calories).

Get some good fats in your diet from nuts, fish or fish/krill oil supplements.

If you are low in iron make sure you either: include some red meat in your diet a few times a week, take a supplement or make sure you have some foods that contain both iron and vitamin C as vitamin C improves the absorption of iron.

Ensure you get around 1.5-2 g of protein per kilo of bodyweight.  Of all the research I have looked at and from personal experience this seems to be the amount that ensures you keep your appetite in check and meets your body’s needs for growth, recovery and repair from the exercise you will undertake.

Make a commitment for the next 12 weeks to do some form of resistance training:

Exercise, like diet can be a real challenge for some people, however, exercise is an integral part to the 12 week challenge.

There are many forms of exercise that can burn energy/calories – traditional aerobic conditioning like jogging, cycling and swimming (to name a few) can be a valuable way to improve your health.  However, I personally think that weight training/resistance training is the best form of exercise to; lose fat, gain muscle, improve your posture, optimise flexibility, and improve overall health and conditioning.

So make sure you complete some form of resistance training at least 3 times per week.

If you are a newbie you could easily do 3 full body workouts like this;

Monday:  Squat, Calf raise, Chin, Dip

Wednesday: Leg press, leg curl, Bench press, Db Row

Friday:  Deadlift, Db press, Db Curl, Plank

Or an upper/lower split like this (my current routine- good for beginners through to advanced trainers): 3 sets of each exercise (Set 1 is 50% of work set 5-10 reps, Set 2 is 70% work set 5-10 reps and set 3 can be anywhere from 5-15 reps)

Upper A: Incline Bench, DB Row, and Omni DB shoulder row.

Day off

Lower A:  Squat, Leg press, Leg press calf raise

2 days off

Upper B:  Db shoulder press, Chins, Dips.

Day off

Lower B:  Deadlift, leg curl, Plank

2 days off- then repeat

For more ideas on resistance training you can look at previous archived articles.  If you want to do more training on top of the weights you can include interval training, flexibility workouts like yoga and pilates or low intensity cardio on 2 other days for 20-40 minutes to further augment the dietary changes mentioned above (As long as it doesn’t interfere with your ability to add weight or reps on a consistent basis in the resistance training regime).

So there you have it, your 12 week challenge begins now! Decide you want it – measure where you are at – set goals – change your eating habits- use resistance training and stay committed for 12 weeks and I promise you, not only will you look awesome, you will feel great and be the envy of your friends in 2016!