Exercise, diet and well-being

We have all read somewhere that your muscles will adapt to workouts if they remain constant for too long.  I decided after the Masterton show that I would try the German volume training routine of 10×10 espoused by Charles Poliquin (I have been meaning to try it for years) for a change of pace.  I chose one exercise for each body part and kept my normal split.  Rest periods were between 15-30 seconds between sets or no rest if I super-setted exercises.

Chest & Back

1. Incline Bench                        10×10
2. Cable Row                              10×10

I super-setted these two exercises.

Quads & Calves

1. Leg press                               10×10
2. Squat                                       10×10

I super-setted these two exercises.

Leg press raise                   10×10

Shoulders & Arms

1. DB Seated side row          10×10
2. High cable row                    10×10

I super-setted these two exercises.

1. Triceps shoulder press (top range to hit triceps)       10×10
2. Drag Curl                                                                                        10×10

I super-setted these two exercises.

Hams, Calves & Forearms

1. Leg curl                       10×10
2. Stiff dead-lifts         10×10

I super-setted these two exercises.

1. Leg press raise        10×10
2. BB forearm curl       10×10

I super-setted these two exercises.

This was a great way to get back into training after a competition, both physically and mentally.  I was surprised to find how hard this workout was to complete, even with the light weights I used.  The pump was amazing and it was satisfying to get the ridiculous muscle soreness the next day (that’s what happens when you put new stress on the body).  The workouts were short, lasting only 15-25 minutes long.

I realise one week is not long enough to see any noticeable results or to ascertain whether this style of training is better than my normal routine.  However, I definitely intend to incorporate some volume work in my training in the future to not only break up my normal workouts, but to take advantage of the wicked pump it provides (An important part of muscle growth). They say a change of pace is as good as a break, so if you feel a little tired or bored of your current training programme,  or just need a change of pace to get your body adapting again give this workout a go!!

Emphasising your back will definitely put you at an advantage come contest time as most bodybuilders look more impressive from the front than the back.  A well developed back will give you a thicker look from the side and back while the extra width will accentuate the x-frame look from both the front and back. Here is my current back workout. I use the basics that work for me and add techniques like P.O.F, rest pause, x’s, DXO to increase intensity and stress on the muscles.

I train chest and back together, once every 8 days.  Workouts take between 20-30 minutes.  Below are my current workouts that I alternate between:

A       Exercise                       Weight              Reps                 Technique used 

1. Weighted Chins                 25kg               10, 6, 2             rest pause
2. Incline BB Bench               90kg                8, 3                    rest pause
3. Bent row                                90kg                8, 4, 3               rest pause
4. Incline Db flye                     25kg               13, 6                    rest pause
5. Knee dead-lift                    150kg             5, 5                     rest pause
6. V-dips                                     BW                    17+7, 5+5        rest pause, x’s
7. Pullovers 30kg                9, 4                  rest pause

B       Exercise                       Weight              Reps                Technique used

1. Blitz chain Chins*             16kg                8, 4, 2              rest pause
2. Incline Db Bench                40kg                8, 3, 2               rest pause
3. Supine row*                          16kg                8, 4, 3               rest pause
4. Incline Db flye                      25kg                13, 6                   rest pause
5. Knee dead-lift                     155kg              5, 5                    rest pause
6. Bench press up                   20kg                12, 5                   rest pause, DXO
7. Straight arm pulldown  30kg                9, 4                     rest pause, DXO

Chin ups and pull ups have been a mainstay in my workout since I began training.  I alternate grips: supinated, pronated and semi-supinated as well as using a variety of grip widths.  I continue to lift as heavy as I can right up to contests so I keep as much muscle as possible.  At present I only weigh 66kg so adding weight with a vest/ belt is a necessity.  Blitz chains are an excellent tool for back training (from Get strength) and the extra work on the stabilisers provides a wicked pump and soreness every time.

I perform a variation of a row every workout, with Db rows, supine rows and BB rows being my preferred choices.  The supine row (using the blitz chains) is an excellent contracted exercise that hits my upper back like no other.  I set the chains up so the handles hang about bench height.  Lying on the ground holding the handles I place my feet on a bench and pull up as high as possible.  I perform both standard and reverse BB rows for variety and to emphasise different muscle fibres.  I utilise a pronated, semi-supinated and supinated grip when performing DB rows and pull towards my hip.

Knee/ Rack deadlifts give me the benefits that regular dead-lifts do without too much stress on my nervous system (and allowing my legs to recover properly).  I also try to flare my lats on the concentric movement giving me a good pump throughout my back.

Db pullovers are awesome for the stretch position and also provide a great workout for the long head of the triceps too.  You can emphasise the lats better by flaring your elbows out more.  Straight arm pull-downs are a great contracted exercise and allow you to focus on the lats with minimal arm involvement (I use DXO predominately when performing this exercise).

If your back training is going no where give these basic back exercises a try and watch your back get bigger and better!!

Are your delts needing something extra to get them growing? Do you want to look more impressive and wider from the front?  Below are some ideas I have implemented into my delt (shoulder) routine to accentuate the ‘x frame’ ideal of a classic physique.

Assess your current deltoid development.

Look at yourself from the front; side and back (get someone to photograph your back).  What deltoid appears to be the dominant deltoid?  Is it the front (anterior), side (medial) or rear (posterior)?  If your front delts dominate (which is usually the case for most people) you will need to focus on the side and rear delts to balance out your shoulder development.   For some people you may just need to get more overall mass on all 3 heads- either way assess where you are at and then put a plan in to place to improve your proportions and size.

Find exercises that you feel strong in and can feel properly when training.

Once you have ascertained which deltoid/s to prioritise you will need to experiment until you find exercises that you feel strong in and can feel properly while training.  For me it is exercises like DB omni-side rows (with torso bent forward at different angles to hit different delt fibres), DB bent rows, leaning side raises, lying omni-side raise and high elbow cable rows.

Side delt dilemma.

 If you are like me I struggled to get the width I wanted from the normal shoulder exercises that are effective for others like shoulder pressing and lateral raises.  I experimented with side rows with success; it allowed me to use more weight, have better muscle synergy (like a compound exercise) and I got far better pumps in the side delts.  I also perform them at different angles to hit the side and rear aspects of my delts.  I found that leaning side raises were effective because they removed the weaker supraspinatus (rotator cuff muscle that initiates abduction of the shoulder joint) out of the movement and allowed me to use more weight to hit the side delt hard. (I also lean slightly forward on this exercise so the side delts are better isolated).  I also incorporated a stretch position side delt exercise as some research has indicated that stretch position exercises have the potential to amp up muscle growth.  The lying side raise fits the bill for this and has definitely helped my side delts grow!

Use different techniques to hit the deltoids hard.

Intensity techniques like x-reps, DXO, drop sets, supersets and rest-pause training work nicely for the delts.  Also P.O.F training allows you to hit the delts hard.  Here is an example of how it may look.

1. (Mid range) DB side row (rest-pause) for 3 sets rep range 11-20.
2. (Contracted) Leaning side raise for 2 sets (drop set) rep range 11-20.
3. (Stretch) Lying omni-side raise for 2 sets (x-reps & superset) same rep range.

Aim to increase the weights and repetitions you use on a regular basis.

 The basic principles of overload and progression must be applied to all your training if you want to improve.  Also if your goal is to increase muscle mass you must train in a rep range that allows this to happen.  Again this involves experimentation, but anywhere between 6 and12 reps per set suits most people.  For example; if you can perform 80 kgs for 11 reps in the Barbell military press and your selected rep range was 10, you should add a small amount of weight next time.  (Just imagine if you added 1 kg a week for 10 weeks- that’s a 10 kg increase in less than 3 months!)  (Smaller increments are better for continuous gains compared to trying to add larger amounts like 5-10kg).  To keep track of this you will need to keep a training log!

Other factors that can help delt growth.

When aiming to put on more mass you must make sure you are recovering properly. Here are some tips to help recovery and growth:

• Make sure your programme allows your delts to recover properly before the next workout. (This will depend on genetics, diet, supplementation, sleep, training intensity and volume of work).
• Make sure you consistently get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
• Aim to have at least 2-3 grams of protein per kg of lean muscle mass. This will require getting protein from both food and whey concentrate, isolate & casein protein supplements.  If you weigh 80kg at 10% body fat you have a lean body mass of 72 kg.  This will equate to 144-216 grams of protein spread out over 6-7 meals.  (Around 25-36 grams per meal).  You could have more or less protein depending on your ratio of protein, carbs and fat. (This ratio can be quite different for some individuals:  if you are sensitive to carbohydrates a higher protein intake may be required).
• Make sure you eat a well balanced diet that includes vegetables, nuts and fruits to provide all the necessary nutrients and fibre.
• Drink enough water (dehydration can have a huge impact on your mental drive and physical performance!)
• Use a pre-workout supplement to increase focus, energy and nutrient circulation. Be careful if you are caffeine sensitive as they can keep you awake.  (Some pre-workouts don’t have caffeine in them).
• Use BCAA’s before, during and after training.
• Use creatine and glutamine before and after training.
• Use whey isolate after training (Isolate is digested quicker than whey and casein).

If you have had difficulty getting your delts to grow and look wider then try these ideas.  They should help you fix your delt dilemma!

One of the areas that I have never seen anyone be too big in is the hamstrings.  Hamstrings are great muscle to focus on because:

• They will make your glutes appear smaller and help in creating that classic bodybuilding look.
• They will enhance your strength in exercises like the squat and leg press.
• There is less chance of injury because there is a better strength balance between the quads and hams.

However, hamstrings are often the poor cousins to the quadriceps because they are usually trained after the quads.  Splitting them up and giving them the main focus is the best way to bring up weak/small hamstrings.  I typically train hamstrings with calves and forearms.  My current workout looks like this:

Exercise                   Weight            Sets    Rep total        Techniques used

Hypers* (hip ext)      5-10kg             2          20                    rest pause

Leg curls**                20-40kg           2          20                    x’s, hold

Stiff deadlift***          90kg                2          20                    rest pause

Seated calf raise       70kg                2          30                    rest pause

Leg press raise         170kg              2          20                    x’s, static hold

BB forearm curl        40kg                2          20                    rest pause

Hypers*:  This is my mid range exercise.  It is basically a back extension with your knees bent with the emphasis on lifting up with your hamstrings. It works the other main function of the hamstring and that is to extend the leg at the hip.

 Leg curls**:  This is my contracted exercise and my goal is to get as many full reps (I try to think of the hamstrings as a leg bicep that I squeeze in the contracted position like a bicep curl) once I can do no more I like to extend the set with x-reps.  On my second set I try to complete as many full reps as possible, then I double the weight and complete a static hold in the stretch position for around 10-30s.  This works the other main function of the hamstrings which is flexing the knee joint.

Semi-Stiff legged dead-lift***: My stretch position exercise.  I like to use 10 kg plates for this to a greater range of motion.  I focus on keeping the weight close to my legs.  I also try to keep a very slight bend in the knees and drive my heels into the ground on the way up.

Other ideas:

 (Another mid range exercise that I incorporate every so often for variety is the Leg press with my feet high on the foot plate.) I always get muscle soreness from this- it does hit the glutes though.

• I sometimes use dumbbells or a cable (leg pull through) for stiff legged dead-lifts.
• I prefer to do stiff legged dead-lifts in bare feet (allows me to drive with my heels easier).
• I sometimes use tri-sets, different rep ranges, or complete exercises in a different order.
• DXO’s work well with leg curls.

The workout takes around 20 minutes and never fails to hammer my hamstrings –If your hamstrings workout has been going nowhere lately, give this a go, hopefully it hammers yours too!