I just alluded to it, but do you notice anything special about the title of this page? Notice it doesn't say weight lifting? You may think I'm being a little nit-picky here, but if your goal in the gym is to move the weight from point A to point B, then you're better off getting some sort of a machine to do the work for you, or better yet paying someone else to do it. On the other hand, if your goal is to stimulate new muscle growth, then you have to check your ego at the door. Resistance training is about putting maximum amount of stress on your muscles in order to stimulate growth. And the best way to do this is not by loading up the bar or stacking on as many plates as you can and swinging the weight around using a lot of momentum and making a bunch of grunting sounds. I'd love to vent about all the crappy form I see being used each day with no results being had except maybe a new injury, but instead I'm going to focus on how to do it correctly. So forget everything you know about resistance training, and then read on.
Whoa, what did he say? This is the very first priority when beginning a resistance training program. It's something that takes some practice to develop, but once you find it, you'll be doing twice the work with twice the results in half the time. What I'm talking about here is basically a fancy way of telling you to concentrate on what you're doing. Here's a sample of what should be going through your brain when performing the incline bench press (dumbbells work best to feel this one). This applies to every exercise you do, but I'm just going to walk through the incline bench press for now.
1. Before you even touch a machine or pick up a weight, I want you to flex your chest. Relax every muscle in your body and just concentrate on squeezing your pecs. You might even have someone put their finger between you pecs, and then try to squeeze it with your chest muscles (guys, be careful here if you're training with a female). Another way to feel the squeeze is to pick up a 25 lb plate (or a weight you're comfortable with) and put your hands at the 9 and 3 position. Hold it straight out in front of you, relax your arms, and then use your chest muscles to squeeze the plate. Make sure to concentrate on your chest muscles only! Practice doing this until you can feel the muscles in your chest start to work. It might help to visualize your muscles fibers as a bunch of little workers inside your body, and all of them are running out of your arms and into your chest as you flex the muscle.
2. Now, lay back on the incline bench. Without picking up the dumbbells yet, do 5 reps with no weight at all. Again, concentrate on relaxing all the muscles in your body except your chest. Put both arms straight out in front of you (toward the ceiling), and then flex your chest for 3 seconds. Now, begin lowering your arms down as if gravity was the only thing bringing them down. Make sure to keep your elbows out and both arms in the same plane, perpendicular to the ground. Relax your hands and arms, and pretend that you have strings attached to your elbows and someone below you is slowly pulling them downward. Now, concentrate on using only the muscles in your chest to prevent the movement. Once you get to the bottom position, use only the muscles in your chest to lift your elbows back up. Again, pretend you don't have any arms and hands here, and concentrate on using your chest.
3. If you can't feel the muscles in your chest after doing the first two steps, don't worry about it. Just keep practicing those techniques, and as you begin to get stronger, you'll eventually feel what I'm talking about. In the meantime, add a little weight and perform the exercise, all the while going through the mental exercises described in step 2. To help stimulate the maximum amount of stress on that muscle, try to lower the weight at a slower rate than you push it up (similar to a negative).
4. Now, some people will tell you that the bench press is meant to work your triceps and shoulders also. But if your goal is to work your chest, why are you worrying about your tris and shoulders now? They'll have their day in the sun, but right now, I want you to focus only on working the muscles in your chest, and not on how much weight you can do. This is true for any exercise. In fact, for each exercise you do, I want you to make sure you know exactly what ONE muscle is going to be doing the work, and then relax all the other ones and focus on the muscle at hand. If you feel yourself using a muscle other than the one you've identified to be doing the work, you're probably not concentrating enough, or are using too much weight (it's usually a combination of the two). If this happens, adjust the weight and increase the concentration until you are doing it correctly. When you can increase the weight and still keep the focus, your workouts will become extremely intense, and you'll be getting more done in less time!! And in the words of the great guitar teacher virtuoso Alpha III, "That's heavy stuff, Mombo!".
5. Between each of your sets, flex the muscle that you are working (step 1). Doing this will help keep your mind in touch with your muscles, and it will help your definition as well.
6. Again, what I described above is for incline bench press, but you should use the same thought process on all your exercises. If you can use your mind to stimulate the muscle at hand, you should be able to get a halfway decent workout with no weight at all. The weight is only there to add some resistance to your thought process. Please read this again. The weight is only a means to an end, with the end being the stimulation of new muscle fiber.
As you do this, the first thing you'll notice is that you probably can't perform the same number of reps with the same weight that you're used to (at least for the same number of sets). And why would you? You're now doing twice the amount of work in roughly the same amount of time, so of course you're not going to be able to do the same weights/reps/sets as before because you'd be doing twice as much work.
With that being said, this would be a good place to remind you to check your ego at the door. When you start training in this manner, the amount of weight you brag to your buddies that you lifted is going to go down significantly at first. But, I promise you will be stimulating more muscle than the next guy and getting faster results (as long as you're are recovering properly).
Well, I'll give you an eye-opening example. Just this week I watched a show on TLC called "Navy Seals: Hell Week". For those who don't know, this is "the week" that all Navy Seal trainees go through to prove that they have what it takes to become a Navy Seal. It involves 7 days of training. Sounds simple enough doesn't it? I mean I've trained for 7 straight days before, so what's the big deal? NO, 7 days of non-stop training. No sleep the entire week, no more than 15 minutes to rest every couple hours, 30 minutes a couple times a day to eat, and nonstop psychological challenges such as spending hours on end in the warm 50 degree ocean temperatures at night, sand in about every crevice of your body, and on and on. To put it mildly, these guys are setting the standards of what a 10 really is. And the amazing thing was that the instructors all said that it wasn't the physically gifted that succeeded, it was the mentally gifted. The ones who would "never say die". The ones who used their minds to keep going even though their body was pleading with them to stop. That my friends is an example of a 10 to measure your own efforts against.
So, keep these guys in mind next time you get to that last rep. Chances are you got at least one more in you if you know where to look. And that's the rep that will make you stronger, both physically and mentally!!
Let me emphasize this again. Your muscles will respond at a maximum rate if you stimulate them at a maximum level. This maximum level is the point that's about 2-3 reps more than you think you can do. In other words, ABSOLUTE MUSCLE FAILURE!! And the good news is that once you hit this level, you don't need to do any more. I mean, you just reached the maximum point your body can go, so anything beyond that is less than what you want and there's no need to do it.
If you're following the routine in the BFL book, the sets that require a "10" effort are the ones you want to push to ABSOLUTE MUSCLE FAILURE. In essence, your whole workout boils down to one rep...the last one. So make sure you're getting to that point.
So what do you do about it? You have to change your workout. What happens when you workout is the following: You start a new program. Your body is totally caught by surprise, and starts to shed fat and build muscle to handle the new stress that it's being placed under. BUT, in time, your muscles will have adapted to that level of stress, and will no longer have a reason to grow. This is the point that the changes start to taper off. So, you have to change things up and find new ways to stimulate it, giving it a reason to continue changing for the better, ie. added muscle and less fat. And in my opinion just adding more weight to what you're doing is only going to take you so far. That's why the changes usually slow down, instead of coming to a complete stop. You're still giving it a reason to change a little bit, but adding a little bit of weight here and there isn't going to keep the big changes coming that we want so bad. What I recommend is totally re-vamping your workout program every 6 weeks or so. We all have a favorite routine, and that's fine, but even the greatest, most effective routine in the world will eventually become something your body adapts to and you become stagnate as a result of it.
Here's some different workouts that you can experiment with. As I've already mentioned, pick a different one about every six weeks, or when you start to feel the changes tapering off.
There really is no good or bad workout, because every type of workout has it's purpose. That's why when someone tells me "Hey, that workout isn't any good, this is how you get REAL results" I usually just smile because I know better. So, don't be afraid to change. Like Bill says, the only habit you want in life is the habit of constantly changing your habits. This is true in everything from your relationship, to your job, and especially when it comes to building that awesome physique!!
NOTE: if your primary goal is to lose fat, then this email won't effect you as much as somebody whose primary goal is to gain muscle. If your primary goal is, in fact, to gain muscle, and you're following the BFL program, then read up.
Here it is:
Nice Web-site! Good Pics! I can't believe the size you packed on your biceps and shoulders! That is exciting to see!!!
I have to say your "sprint" workout looks GRUELING to say the least! I never had a workout like that when I was a 200 meter runner in HS! Did you get that out of Michael Johnson's Book of Bad Ass-Running workouts? You are different from me though... you thrive on that "endurance" stuff. Even when I was in swimming - I was ONLY a sprinter!
I have an opinion on somethings based on my past experience. Since I don't train hard anymore though.. I can't prove it out on myself (unless Tom Eller and I get off our butts this summer like we are promising!) And my only other proof is my brother's and my past results and the results of my brother's HS track team and the kids he has trained over the years which is hard to judge because at that age they are walking hormones and respond to any kind of intensity.
I wrote you about this either last year or 2 years ago. I am going to give you a lot more detail to try and be as clear as possible. You can take it or leave it - I am not by any means saying this is truth inspired of God. However, it is based on my many years of intense training, research that I did in College and High School on the subject, AND it may just click something in your head since you have just recently completed a training PLAN with goals. And now you can measure your results against the Plan.
HERE GOES:
Aerobic conditioning or lower-intensity Anaerobic conditioning (like hard swimming, long sprinting, hard biking, basketball, etc.) counteracts Muscle Hypertrophy (the enlarging of the muscles.) Because of our Bodies complex and constantly adjusting survival system - when you train aerobically or perform low-intensity anaerobic training the result is a leaner and smaller muscle. A more efficient muscle in converting Oxygen to energy and holding off the Lactic acid buildup, but a smaller one none the less. (I specify low-level anaerobic activity. I can explain more about why in another email if you like..)
Why leaner and smaller? Because your body knows it takes a lot more energy to move around a bigger, heavier object. Your body is concerned with efficiency, and being a marathon runner but looking like Arnold - is contrary to that goal of maximum efficiency. It just is not worth if for your body to carry around a lot of extra mass that does not contribute possitively in dealing with the specialized stress (training) you are putting it under.
As you know I completed 3 years of competitive college swimming. I was by FAR the strongest, most muscular, most powerful land animal on our swim team. I was very proud of that fact and I weight-lifted very hard the first 2 years to keep that in front of everyone's mind, and the result? an injured and overtrained body for the most grueling part of the season which limited my performance in the pool for meets and for practices. So, when the time came that I was preparing my body to make significant gains for the end of the season - I lost that time dealing with injuries and fatigue.
After 2 seasons of the same thing - I asked myself - why am I not making the gains when I am working my BUTT off? I feel now that it was because I was telling my body to serve two masters. I was trying to continue to train hard in the weight room to keep up my size and power (which I couldn't because of continual muscular fatigue), and I was telling my body to train hard in the pool (which I couldn't because of the muscular size, extra weight, and fatigue from training so dang hard.) All the time in the weightroom, all the years of track and explosive running and jumping did not help me in the pool. The weight and muscle that made me a nightmare at Free Safety - gave me nightmares when I had to compete against lighter and leaner athletes.
My third year - I aligned all of my goals. My goal was to swim fast; conform to the sport, get lean and quick, become a torpedo instead of a tank. I quit the heavy lifting and just basically lifted to supplement my swimming. I cut out exercises that didn't help for swimming ( heavy squats, heavy arm curls, calf raises, etc.) And I adjusted my reps and weight, so that my weight workouts were not as intense on breaking down the muscle. I added more things like 3x100 push-ups, medicine ball training, 3x40 dips, etc. stuff I wouldn't do if I were trying to get strong or pack on mass.
The result was a very productive swim season, and a lean, strong body all year and especially at the end of the year.
ON the football side of things - one year I decided to run more distance when training in the summer. My goal was to break 5 minutes in the mile. (I have no idea why I made this my goal when I was supposed to be training for football.) I also weightlifted very hard. That was the only summer when I trained for football that I did not make significant weight gains and strength gains by the time season rolled around.
Another summer I decided that I wanted to break 4.6 in the 40yd dash. All I did all summer was do sprints (20 yds and 40 yds) - no distance, no biking, nothing over 40 yds., nothing less than all out, balls-to-the-wall power. That was my best year for football. I put on size, added strength, and made significant power gains noticable in my quickness, jumping, and speed. It was also my best CONDITIONING year for football. I was able to play each play like it was my first.
My brother - who holds Millikin's Decatholon record, hold's different sprint records, trained for cross-country, and set some Strength records for Wide Receivers - has had the same kind of results over the years. He is probably one of the few people in the nation who has run a 4.4 40 yd dash, a 4:30 mile, and benched over 320. (That is an awesome blend of speed, strength, and endurance.) But, he could never do all 3 at the same time.
When he included anything less than all out power running - his weightlifting and muscle mass lowered. When he went for all out power and speed - he had his greatest weightlifting and mass gains. When he trained to get a lower mile time, and have better endurance for the decatholon - his strength and all out speed suffered.
I have complete a lot of research on muscular cellular mechanisms (the technical aspect of how muscle cells respond to stress, ie. training) and quite simply - the more focused your goals are - the more focused your training should be. The more general and all-inclusive your goals are, the more general and all inclusive your training should be. The body is remarkable at adjusting and is quite flexible in its abilities to respond and conform when exposed to consistent and specialized stresses (training).
That having been said: I have some suggestions for YOU. I know that fat can be lost by devoting all your energy to building muscle if your diet is strict. If you would cut out the long distance running - and concentrate on gaining muscle mass - you could still lower your body fat. Along with that - running the short POWER sprints would accomplish your goals of increasing your metabolism, increasing or staying flexible and quick, and cutting up your legs like only running can do - without having much of a negative effect on your muscle building.
But, I also am a realist. I doubt you want to JUST add muscle. I know I don't want to any more, in fact, I want to be lighter in general and don't care about how big my arms are anymore.
I was just looking at your legs and chest in your pictures and compairing them to the gains you made on your arms and shoulders. I know from experience the chest and legs are the first to shrink when you train long distance. (especially chest.)
Sorry, if you feel I have intruded. I don't mean to act like I am all-knowing especially since you look 400 times better than me. I just have a lot of background information having done a lot of research and have been actively looking over various people's results for years.
THE BENEFIT OF THIS KNOWLEDGE; RESULTS FROM APPLIED TECHNIQUES: My brother instituted these training techniques for his HS track program. This is his first year at this particular school. He took a bunch of very very very average farm boys - and in 7 months of implementing these philosophies that we been researching over 10 years - he is taking more kids to the State Meet this year than have been in the history of the school all together.
He took 3 boys specifically and they went from running mid 24's in the 200m to running mid to high 22's. That may not mean much to you but that is REALLY fast for HS farm boys who don't specialize in track and are not apart of a traditionally strong program. It is especially impressive to us, because neither of us ran that fast in High School - and neither of us thinks these kids are necessarily as physically gifted, dedicated, or mentally intense... they are just benefiting from a coach who is superior in knowledge to anything that we had, and they are following his specialized sprinting and power system to a T.
Jason has also been training some other athletes over the years including my cousins and some kids from our church. All of whom have made improvements as such.
Anyway... food for thought! I had a lot of time on my hands today as you can see.
Let me know what you think. I am really interested to hear your critique of your own training program - specifically on your legs and chest, how powerful you felt, etc. I am a "Seeker of Wisdom and Knowledge." I asked questions and assimulate information - and it adds to my conclusion process. Plus, it is just plain fun to talk about.
LATER!
mdf