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SOIC 8 (with socket 209mil)
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Visualize this. You were just chosen to let world famous Fitness Model, Frank Sepe, shack up in your house while he does some local photo shoots in your area. His taxi is dropping him off at your door step step in 5 minutes! And, did I mention, he'll be relying on your kitchen and food supply...
The question is this. Is your kitchen prepared for your guest? Will he look inside your fridge and be impressed with your nutritional choices or will he cancel his photo shoot and call the Extreme Makeover Kitchen Gang leaving you embarrassed and humiliated of your kitchen which resembles the same fridge of the cast from America's Next Top Model!
In this article, I am not going to tell you what and why to eat. I am assuming you already know the importance and basics of bulking and cutting and have a plan to follow. In the article, we are going to discuss how to action-steps to executing your plan effectively in 2008.
Creating a Safe House
Before the new year gets too far in, we are going to revolutionize your kitchen. The plan is start stocking your kitchen as if you have professional bodybuilders, UFC fighters and professional athletes living in your house. No point in setting the standard low. If you wish to resemble the physique of a champion - then you better start living like one. The plan is to remove all foods not conducive to your goals and replace them with foods and replace them with a variety of better choices.
Let's face it. If the food is in your possession or located anywhere in your vicinity, you will eventually eat it. Don't kid yourself otherwise.
The key is to view your home as a 'safe house.' A place where you are free from all the temptations of fast food, finger food at socials, alcoholic beverages at parties, sweets at the girlfriends house, muffins at staff meeting and salty foods on poker nights. With all this temptation potential for sabotage, you need to create a safe house you can return to each night. Here's how to do it right for 2008:
The Fridge and Pantry Makeover
Just a few days ago, I bought myself a brand new stainless steel fridge! Compared to the one I bought at a garage sale for $25, this one is beautiful. It's even more beautiful when it's stocked to the brim with muscle building ammunition. Why am I telling you this? Because, for some reason, as soon as I owned this new fridge, I felt obligated to put it to good use. When it's empty, I almost feel inadequate of being called a man's man! If you don't plan on buying a new fridge for some extra motivation, my first advice, is to empty your entire fridge and do a complete over haul. Call your mom. Call your girlfriend. Call you wife. This fridge is getting a cleaning.
Don't be surprised if you are more motivated to parallel the cleanliness of the fridge with the cleanliness of the foods inside the fridge. Little changes can go along by adjusting your personal mindset.
Here's What to Dump in the Garbage
It would be easy to write out a Top 50 list of foods that you should avoid at all costs. However the reality is that this is rarely the cause for getting fat and not achieving your goals. There are actually very few BAD FOODS. I learned from an old university professor who said, "There's no such thing as good or bad food; there is only good and bad times to each certain foods." And yes, there are some foods that you should avoid at all costs but there is not a 'David Letterman's Top 10 List.'
However, I will lay down some guidelines that will give you a better chance of seeing your six-pack sooner than later. Eating some of these foods immediately after your workout will do little harm because they will be converted right into your muscles, but you will be better off leaving them on the shelves at the grocery store.
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GET RID OF THESE FOODS
SODAS AND JUICES - excluding or including can be the difference between skinny and fat. Go ahead and read for yourself on your next 'healthy' fruit juice the amount of sugar. You have two ingredients- sugar and water.
HIGH FAT PROCESSED MEAT - sausage, pepperoni, bacon and related foods are loaded with the type of fat that will shorten your lifespan, and are also loaded with sodium. Don't confuse these for good sources of protein.
FROZEN DESSERTS AND ICE CREAM - again, more sugar to transform your six pack into a keg.. Sugar and oil-laden sauces - whether it is ketchup, barbecue or horseradish sauce, the majority of nice packaged sauces are quick injections of spiced-up high fructose corn syrup.
You're better off spicing up your meals naturally without all the sugar and extra empty calories.
MOST PROCESSED FOODS - make sure your warning sirens go off when you see anything packaged in colorful wrappers, boxes, bags or containers. These foods promote 'healthiness' but fail to admit the degree of processing it went through. Do your own experiment - next time you are unsure of a processed food just take a look at the ingredient list. If you see more than 5 ingredients that you can not pronounce then you have to wonder what the heck you are putting in your body. Most of these foods have an exhaustive list of 'fillers' that preserve the shelf life and have nothing to do with nutrient value. Avoid this stuff at all cost!
CRACKERS - refer to the above but you get to choke down a mouthful of sodium too.
WHITE FLOUR PRODUCTS like white bread and bagels - manufacturers first remove the wheat seed's bran, its six outer layers, and the germ, which results in more than 75% of the vitamins and minerals being lost and over 95% of the fiber being lost. It gets worse. What little is left gets bleached in chlorine dioxide to give the bread a shelf life. It is further whitened by adding chalk, alum, and ammonium carbonate to make it feel and look more improved for the customer. An anti-aging salt that I do not even know how to spell or pronounce is added to the final stage.
A few synthetic nutrients are then added back into the white flour and labeled 'enriched,' but in reality there has been no real 'enrichment' of the original product, only deception and destruction. Did you know that rats will die within seven to 10 days after being put a diet of white flour?
BAKING SUPPLIES - more chemicals to wreak havoc on the human body.
POTATO CHIPS - a cumulative batch of chemicals to put an enormous amount of strain on the pancreas, which is forced to protect your body from these chemicals.
MYSTERY FOOD IN ROTTING TUPPERWARE CONTAINERS - even though Aunt Wilma makes a mean turkey dinner and has supplied you with leftovers until next Christmas, there is no reason to test its life span! Do an inventory once a week and chuck any foods that have exhausted their expiration date.
Here's What to Add to the Kitchen
Since your fridge is probably looking bare like your college days it's time to stock it up so that even Chef Pasquale would be very happy.
Again, this is not the David Letterman Top 10 list but it is a very good start to being fully prepared to having the ammunition required to build massive muscle.
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ADD THESE FOODS
BEVERAGES - Get ready to start drinking a lot of water. Invest in filtered water and avoid tap water if you know your local area comes from poor sources. Also, drink 2-3 cups of green tea a day for its high antioxidant profile and more than a handful of health reasons. Chuck the killer fruit juices and soda!
BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS - If your budge permits, aim for free-range chickens (organically fed) as a the most superior choice. If you can not afford these regularly than go for the grain-fed, store-bought type because they carry minimal body fat.
COOKING SPRAY - Only buy the ones made from canola or olive oil
CHEESE - Typically the cheeses that have a stronger taste will serve more purposes. They have a better protein and fatty-acid profile and they provide more taste to your food. Cheese is higher in fat so use it in moderation and aim for a variety of cheeses, such as Feta, goat, Havarti, aged white cheddar and Parmesan.
DRIED FRUIT - This is a great source of easy calories. Just a small handful of some dried fruit has the same amount of calories as a large apple. If you're trying to gain weight, then dried fruit can work to your advantage, but if you are trying to lose weight then be very cautious.
Good sources are currants, dates, pears, mango, apples, and banana. Just don't eat the extra sweetened ones loaded with hydrogenated oils as an additive.
EGGS - Omega 3 eggs should always be chosen because they are laid by chickens that were fed a diet rich in ground flaxseed.
EGG WHITES - Egg whites can be a little pricey if you buy them in the cartons, but can save you the headache and mess of cracking and storing half your fridge with egg carton boxes.
Instead, buy a few cartons of pasteurized egg whites that are a great substitute to top off an omelet with some high quality protein. Egg whites are also great to throw into protein shakes, but don't be surprised if your significant other runs away because of wicked stink bombs.
EXTRA LEAN GROUND SIRLOIN - Always go for the leanest sources available. Your local grocery store should meet your requirements but feel free to venture down to a farmer's market and go for grass-fed beef freshly ground.
FRUIT - Always go for an assortment of colors and make sure your fridge is always stocked with fresh fruit. I typically shop for seasonal fruit from a quality perspective and cost perspective. If you can, go for local and organically grown produce.
Examples are apples, grapes, bananas, kiwi, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, mango, oranges, tangerines, and pineapple.
GREEN TEA - Go for the one with out any extra flavoring or fillers. An organic green tea without any extra herbs is the best.
GRAINS - Here is some safe ammunition on the grain side: oats (not the instant oatmeal loaded with sugar), oat bran, whole flaxseed's, quinoa, whole barley and wheat bran.
LEAN TURKEY AND CHICKEN SAUSAGE - This is great to mix things up, and while you might not want to buy this all the time there is nothing wrong with the occasional street meat!
LEGUMES - Kidney beans, split peas, chickpeas and lentils are excellent sources of fiber and a great addition to your arsenal.
MEAT, POULTRY AND FISH - There are many exotic selections to choose from and the best advice I can give is VARIETY! Eat a wide assortment and do not limit yourself to one shopping center. Rotate your shopping trips to farmers markets, the super-size grocery store and smaller grocery stores. Each will carry a different selection of meats.
MIXED NUTS - These are easy calories and a great source of good fat to balance out your meals. The best sources are walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans and peanuts.
SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS - There are many options that will enhance your taste buds while not counteracting the nutrient profile of the meal.
Here are some safe bets: pesto, salsa, curry sauce, tomato pasta sauce, balsamic vinegar, white cooking wine, red wine, raspberry vinegar and flavored flax oil.
SALMON -Genuine wild salmon is better than farmed salmon because you will benefit from its higher quality Omega-3 profile and absence of mercury and toxins.
SPICES - Here is where the fun comes in. You don't have to be a gourmet chef to know how to use certain spice combinations but it may take some experimentation. Consider this free food and customize your spices to your dish. Focusing on just some of the basics like salt, pepper, fresh garlic, basil, oregano, chili powder, and cinnamon will bring your food to life.
VEGETABLES - If you know which aisle the chips and cookies are better than where the fresh produce section is then we have some work to do. You should be able to pick your vegetables from your local food market with your eyes closed. This should be the one section in the grocery store you are more familiar with than any other. Here are your staples: spinach, broccoli, peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, cucumbers, celery and carrots. Try and aim for the colors of the rainbow - the more variety the better.
Secret Tip When Grocery Shopping
You will notice that the majority of these foods are stocked on the periphery of the grocery store. While you are at the grocery store you will notice that your trek does not wander into the 'forbidden aisle.' These are the aisles full of the present and future physique challenged. Grocery shopping does not get easier than this once you discover that the best foods are located in the produce and refrigerated section. Shop in the 'safe zone' to avoid the ambush of pre-packaged food and processed carbs, sugar and bad fats.
Don't forget to buy plenty of meal-sized Tupperware containers, plastic bags, a lunch bag, some 1L water bottles and perhaps some plastic cutlery. This will help you prepare your meals in advance.
Create a Nutritional Plan and Follow It
Have you heard of the saying, "Make your plan and than work you plan." It's quite powerful of taken seriously and applied wholeheartedly. Once you have decided on the plan, right for you, stop surfing the Internet, stop chatting on forums, stop trying to 'perfect' it and simply follow what you have.
Your biggest obstacle will be keeping a 90% adherence to the program. Commit to following the program for at least 90% of the time. That means if you are eating six times a day, you will be eating a total of 42 times per week. 90% com pliancy means you don't mess up more than four times in the entire week! Puts a new perspective on why you might have not succeeded the past few years...
One of my nutrition mentors reminded me to not judge a program until I have followed it to 90% com pliancy and for at least 4 weeks straight. Anything less, is too short to come to any conclusions of whether it was a good or bad plan. Don't play the blame game and try out a new nutrition plan for one or two weeks and then quit and say you didn't get results because 'it wasn't working!'
Replace Old Habits With New Habits
Habits are basically like automatic behaviors. I will be the first to admit that breaking bad habits and forming new habits is not easy at all. If it were, you would have no financial problems, perfect relationships, a healthy body and you would be rocking this world!
The 'sick-cycle' is the term I use to describe the continuous cycle of poor choices. When we continue to make choices that lead to the same dead end, we are in the midst of a sick cycle.
It's interesting how you have probably tried to break an old habit by doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result. Isn't is foolish? Why can't we see that trying to write a different ending to a story by mentally writing a different story in our minds just does not work and it will never work!
Creating new habits to transform your body into a Greek-God or a Greek-Goddess is not easy and will require you to assess which habits in your life need to be destroyed. But you probably already know what habits are destroying your progress. Knowing what to do is not enough. In my opinion, YOU DO NOT TRULY KNOW ANYTHING - you might have talked about it - UNTIL YOU actually EXPERIENCE AND LIVE IT!
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HERE ARE SOME PRACTICAL TIPS
TO HELP YOU CREATE NEW HABITS:
1. Post your meal plan on the fridge. If in 2006, you simple kept your nutrition plan in your 'head' then replace this with a new habit - put it in a visible place where you can see it every day and reminded EXACTLY what to eat. Obviously, the kitchen will be the most practical spot.
2. Prepare your meals in advance. Instead of waking up causally each day without enough time in the morning to take your food to work, set aside a time in the week where you create all your foods three or four days in advance. Make your life as easy as possible. I suggest coming up with a set time each week where you designate a few hours to preparing all your meals and than freezing them until you need them.
3. Buy a cooler and Tupperware containers. Having the right equipment will force you to eliminate the excuses. Buy enough Tupperware containers so that you can separate all your foods and organize them nicely. Sure this might sound extreme to the general public but I assuming you are sick and tired of looking like the general public! I don't know any professional bodybuilder or fitness model who does not travel with a cooler. I have no alternate solution to suggest anyways. How the heck are you going to eat three or four meals away from home if you do not pack them in a cooler? Hey, did I mention - get a cooler!
4. Buy your supplements in bulk. How often have you run out of supplements which results in sabotaging your diet plan for a day or two. Mentally, having a stack of supplements sitting on my counter top reminds me of my goals each day and that I have the tools to succeed. I have no excuses if I am in a rush and need to mix a protein shake. From a financial standpoint, making a commitment to buying a certain volume of supplements in advance tells yourself that you are committed and not going to waste your hard earned money by quitting.
Failing to Prepare Is Preparing To Fail
I could not agree more strongly with the late Benjamin Franklin, "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." Eating without a program is like building a house with out a blueprint. How will the final product look - if a final product is even achieved?
When I refer to meal plan, I'm referring to all the specific details of an nutrition plan. I'm referring to the overall calories, amount of carbs, amount of protein, meal frequency, food selection etc . These details must be pre-planned before you even start! Yes, this is a true plan. How much easier will it be to maintain your focus every time you wake up each morning? Having a plan to follow leads to one simple task - work it and execute it!
Decide To Be Successful and Take Responsibility.
I learned this philosophy from the Australian strength coach Ian King. It goes something like this:
"You are getting everything you deserve right now based on the person you are being and the decisions you have made. You will continue to get the same thing if you continue doing the same thing. You will not get a different result unless you become a different person by habit and action."
This philosophy has seriously impacted me - everything you have in life is exactly what you deserve to have and everything you want to have.
POWERFUL!
Jim Rohn, one of the world's greatest personal development coaches constantly preaches passionately on this topic and has this to say.
"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. You don't have charge of the constellations, but you do have charge of whether you read, develop new skills, and take new classes."
Brad Sugars, an Australian entrepreneur and wealth/business coach, describes an excellent picture of this philosophy of taking responsibility. It is a very clear and accurate portrayal of the difference between taking responsibility (described as playing above the line), and avoiding responsibility (playing below the line). Observe the words 'victim' correlating with playing below the line, and the words 'victor' correlating with playing above the line.
Which line do you play in? It is much easier to play below the line, especially when our society reinforces this attitude.
Do you think that the best way to fulfill your potential for 2008 is by blaming someone else? Does this way of living allow you to reach your full potential? Never!
THIS IS A GUARANTEED WAY OF ALLOWING SHORT TERM RELIEF BUT THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT IT LEADS TO A LONG TERM SPIRAL DOWNWARD OF NEVER GAINING CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE AND NOT TRULY REACHING YOUR POTENTIAL.
So whatever body you are living in now - maybe it's too thin, too big, too soft, too flabby, not tight enough, not strong enough and so forth - you are responsible for transforming your body for the better, if that is truly what you desire.
Make 2008, not only the year that you master your meal plan - but the year that you stick to your resolutions and create a new body and a new life!
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If you're sick of fluffy weight loss workouts that aren't giving
you any results, then you will love this interview where Hardcore Strength Coach Zach Even-Esh grills me on advanced Turbulence Training for Fat Loss methods.
Zach Even-Esh: Craig, thanks for taking the time out of your insane schedule to talk with us. Tell us a little bit about yourself, your clientele and your overall training philosophy.
CB:
Zach, I'm a Strength & Conditioning coach in Toronto and I write for Men's Health and Oxygen magazine.
I work extensively with clients on advanced fat loss for busy
people. I'm also the training director at grrlathlete.com where we provide advanced female exercise info.
ZEE: We have a growing number of hard core men and women leading busy lives but still love to train hard. How do you train individuals like this and still get kick butt results?
CB:
I use supersets, moderately heavy weights (allowing 6-10 reps per set), limited rest interval periods, advanced bodyweight exercises, and interval training. These efficient and effective principles are the foundation of my Turbulence Training philosophy.
Turbulence Training workouts are designed to crank up the body's metabolism because of the intense demands imposed during the workouts.
After the workout, your body has to work hard (i.e. burn calories and repair muscle) to fully recover and return to a normal, resting state (that is why I compare my Turbulence Training workouts to the Turbulence encountered in an airplane - a neat little analogy that people really like and find easy to understand).
I tend to stick with traditional weight training exercises,
however, it is easy to adapt the Turbulence Training principles
when using strongman implements and advanced bodyweight exercises.
For intervals, I tend to stick with 30 seconds of work and 90
seconds of active recovery, although it will vary between workout phases and for athletes of different sports.
The great thing about heavy weights and intervals is efficiency.
You don't have to do either for more than 20 minutes to get a great response. So if you are a busy executive looking to get lean, build muscle, and lose fat, you can get a great workout and shower in less than 30 minutes per day.
Combine Turbulence Training with the right nutrition, and you are well on your way to success.
By the way, we've got a secret bonus for everyone that invests in Turbulence Training - although I guess it's not so secret anymore!
Anyways, you'll see what it is when you start your Turbulence
Training journey with the fat loss program.
ZEE: If you were limited to a 20 minute fat loss workout, what would that work out look like?
CB:
Providing the individual is injury free, we will move through a
general warm-up circuit of bodyweight exercises (3 minutes), and then into specific warm-up sets for the first superset of exercises (2 minutes).
Then we will spend 5 minutes on the first superset pair of
exercises, and then 4-5 minutes on another superset pair. We might finish with a third superset pair or some ab work, and a 2 minute cool-down if it is necessary based on the individual's fitness level.
On non-weight training days, we would do intervals. It would look like this:
5-minute warmup
12-minutes on intervals
3-minute cooldown
The point is, you can get a lot done in a short amount of time.
ZEE: What nutrition approach do you use?
CB:
I had Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., put together the Turbulence Training Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines.
I strongly agree with Dr. Mohr's common sense, easy to follow
principles. There is nothing extreme about his plan. It is very
healthy and effective for fat loss.
I don't think that people need to exclude fruit from their eating
(in fact we should aim to eat at least 3 servings, and preferably
berries, grapefruits, apples, and oranges), but instead we should
avoid white, processed carbohydrates from a bag or a box.
Foods that should be in every healthy person's nutrition plan:
Green Tea
Almonds
Broccoli
Berries
A variety of lean protein sources
Basically, for nutrition, just choose healthy, whole natural food.
ZEE: Last question Craig. What is the greatest misconception that you find people to have when it comes to performing better and looking better when they come to you. In other words, they tell you everything they have been doing in hopes of getting results but the results simply aren't there. Are there any common mistakes going on here?
CB:
Most of the time I try and get people to be honest with themselves and realize they have to change things if they want to improve.
A lot of people really just want me to approve their current
workout (when it is clearly not working). But in reality, they have to change their workouts drastically to finally get results.
And most people think they are eating better and using a better
program than they really are.
Even when most people they list out their food intake (as I have
them all do on fitday.com), some people (including some trainers
that I train) still don't see the obvious problems in their diet.
I suppose it is human nature not to see our own shortcomings, so it is helpful to have a professional review your training and
nutrition or even an honest, knowledgeable friend.
ZEE: Craig, I can't thank you enough for letting me grill you with questions.
Always happy to help,
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There are two common fitness goals - to gain muscle mass and to lose body fat. Unfortunately, for the most part, the two goals are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Building muscle mass is going to require you to take in a surplus of calories because, well, let's face it, you can't build muscle out of nothing (unless of course you have some chemical help going on).
Losing fat mass on the other hand is going to require you to be in a negative calorie balance because that is what will get your body burning off additional body fat as fuel for its tissues.
Striving to accomplish both goals at the same time is rarely a good approach because more than likely you will just end up spinning your wheels and getting nowhere.
Most weight lifters will have to accept some fat gain when they are looking to gain weight, however how much fat gain they need to add is question. It is this variable that we are hoping to influence.
Can you really gain weight without getting fat?
When adding muscle mass there are two approaches you can take.
Some take the approach of just eating as much food as they can possible cram into themselves. Their life suddenly becomes one long 24-hour buffet in their quest for muscle mass as they are under the thinking that the more food that goes in, the more muscle synthesis that will go on.
This thinking is heavily flawed. The body can only assimilate so much muscle tissue at once and after it has done so, any remaining calories are simply going to be stored as body fat. Plain and simple. You my friend, are no exception to the rule.
For those guys who are out there taking in five thousand or more calories per day, this is obviously going to be way more than they need and will result in a considerable amount of unwanted fat weight over a period of three to six months (how long most people will 'bulk' for).
The second option is to adopt a more moderate approach and only eat so many additional calories to support this muscle growth and that's it. This will allow you to hopefully get as much lean tissue gained as possible without the accumulation of a monstrous rise in body fat.
So that leads us to the next question you're probably wondering. How much muscle can you build? How many calories over maintenance should you be eating?
You've probably already heard of the guy who claims he's added 20 pounds of muscle in the short timeframe of six weeks. While this may be a very rare occurrence among an individual who is brand new to weight lifting, has insanely good genetics and utilized an excellent training and nutritional program, the fact of the matter is that most guys are simply not going to be able to come even close to adding this much muscle tissue.
A natural trained individual can hope to achieve about half a pound to one pound of muscle per week - if he's doing everything correctly. If he doesn't have the greatest genetics or isn't feeding himself optimally, this will decrease even further. So as you can see, at a measly two to four pounds of muscle growth per month, you aren't going to be needed to eat insanely high calorie intakes.
The higher your intake is, the more you risk putting on additional body fat. As a general rule, keep it to about 250 to 500 calories above maintenance in hopes of putting on mostly muscle without too much body fat. Keep track of your current body fat levels and appearance and if you see that too much of your weight gain is coming on as fat mass, reduce your calorie intake slightly.
It is always best to go by REAL WORLD results since you are in the real world after all. You can read as much as you like as to how many calories you should be eating, but this does not mean that's going to be the exact number that will produce results. Different people have different metabolisms that will respond to an increase in calories in various ways. So as you go about your bulk, adjust according to the results you are getting.
Remember that the more patient you are with your muscle gains and the slower you go, the more time you can spend adding muscle mass and the less time you have to spend dieting off the additional fat you gained - which as I'm sure many of you already know, is not a pleasant experience.
So next time you decide you are going to do a 'bulking' phase, take a slower approach. Not only are you much more likely to maintain a favourable appearance this way but your mind will thank you as well. Nothing kills confidence levels faster than seeing all muscle definition go out the window in a matter of weeks, so keep the weight gain under control so you don't have to deal with this.
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It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly misguided the vast majority of the population is in the gym. Everyone is desperate for that wide, powerful and muscular physique, yet very few understand how to properly channel their efforts to get there.
For most aspiring lifters, it's all about building a huge chest and arms. Week after week they slave away on endless sets of bench presses and barbell curls in search of the rippling muscle gains they want so badly.
Not surprisingly, those gains never appear in any significant form.
While a well developed chest and arms is clearly an important part of any complete physique, the truth is that these muscles only play a small role when compared to a much larger, much more intricate muscle group that most people severely neglect in their training programs.
I am, of course, talking about the major muscles of the back: the lats, traps, spinal erectors, rhomboids and lower back.
It's obvious why most lifters neglect these all-too-important muscles…
1) The back is not a "showy" muscle and you can't see it in the mirror.
2) Back training is far more stressful and taxing to the body than chest or arm training.
3) Most lifters are simply unaware of how important the development of these muscles really is.
Allow me to let you in on a little secret…
If you want to appear as wide, thick and powerful as you possibly can, nothing will allow you to achieve this goal faster than a well developed back.
In fact, 70% of your upper body muscle mass resides in this area!
Nothing can replace the upper body thickening effect of big, bulging lats and a set of wide, tall trapezius muscles.
Please, get up off that bench press and put down that EZ-curl bar for just a moment and let me share a simple, step-by-step workout that you can use to build the muscular back you so desperately need.
There are 4 major movements that you must perform to properly develop your back…
1) Deadlifts
I cannot possibly stress the importance of this lift enough. There is not a single exercise out there that can even come close to matching the effectiveness of a basic, bent-legged barbell deadlift.
The deadlift will work you from finger to neck to toe and is irreplaceable in developing strong, thick back muscles. The deadlift will stimulate growth throughout the entire back complex and should be the cornerstone of your routine.
2) A vertical pulling movement
These exercises mainly target the lat muscles and will help you to attain that wide, v-tapered look from behind. Examples of vertical pulling movements are chin-ups (overhand or underhand), lat pulldowns and v-bar pulldowns.
To get the most bang for your buck I recommend a basic overhand chin-up. This is the bread and butter of vertical pulling movements and will stimulate growth in the lats like no other exercise.
3) A horizontal pulling movement
Otherwise referred to as "rows", horizontal pulling movements place their emphasis on the upper/middle portion of the back and also stimulate the lats. There are a ton of different rowing movements to choose from: bent over barbell rows, dumbbell rows, seated machine rows and cable rows just to name a few.
For maximum results, stick to a basic freeweight rowing movement. I usually recommend bent over barbell rows, but bent over dumbbell rows are an acceptable choice as well.
4) A shrugging movement
While not quite as important as the above mentioned lifts, a shrugging movement should still be performed at the end of the workout to target the upper traps and develop that mountainous, diamond-shaped look from behind. A basic barbell or dumbbell shrug will do the trick.
Okay, let's put it all together…
Deadlifts – 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Overhand Chin-Ups – 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Bent Over Barbell Rows – 2 sets of 5 to 7 reps
Barbell Shrugs – 2 Sets of 10 to 12 reps
For optimal gains in back size and strength, the above routine is ideal.
It may not seem like a lot, but as long as you take every set to muscular failure and focus on quality rather than quantity, this routine provides more than enough stimulation for maximum back growth. I've used this same routine for many years and continue to see steady progress in both back size and strength.
Make sure to keep a written record of every workout that you perform, and focus each week on increasing either the weight that you lift or the number of reps that you perform within the given rep range.
Perform this workout once per week with full effort and I guarantee that your upper body will appear thicker, wider and more muscular than ever before.
...What about specific routines for the chest? What about the biceps, triceps and shoulders? How about the thighs, calves and abs?
For specific training information on each of these body parts make sure to and find out how you can finally get the rock-solid muscle gains you deserve without spending endless hours in the gym.
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Hair loss is common problem that affects many people worldwide. The fact that it can happen to anyone, makes you want to know if there is a way around it. This article will discuss how to fight hair loss without taking any prescription drugs or using formulated shampoo.
Men and women can both suffer from hair loss. However, losing hair is more natural for men especially when they age. So, if are wondering what is the best way to prevent baldness, you should start first in determining what causes your hair loss.
For some people, losing hair is hereditary while there are also those that suffer from it because of medication, stress, hormonal imbalance, poor diet, illnesses, and even lifestyle. It is important that you know what causes your problem so you can fight it right.
So, what can you do to stop hair loss if you do not want to take any medications because of possible side effects? Below are just some of the things you can do to stop hair loss, and promote hair growth.
Right Diet – Unknown to most people suffering from baldness or hair loss, their diet is also one of the reasons why they are losing hair. If you daily diet does not contain any nutrients that promotes hair growth, you will not be able to stop the problem but in fact would even make the condition worse.
Scalp Massage – It is a very effective way to prevent hair loss, because it helps circulate the blood in your scalp. Actually, if you massage flaxseed oil, apple cider vinegar or olive oil to your scalp you also bring moisture to your hair, repair the damage skin and remove the clog and bacteria that prevent hair growth.
Relax – Stress is another factor why you are losing hair, exercising daily can free your mind and even make your body healthier.
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From weddings, to reunions to beach vacations, it seems there is always something to look good for. The trouble, however, is finding the one workout program to plough through that stubborn fat loss plateau and into the sculpted look you're after.
The key to cutting away fat and shaping your best body possible is through hard work and variation. Nothing in life is free, and it's rarely easy.
But, if you're willing to put in the time and do what it takes to shed those last few pounds of fat, then you need a workout program that is going to seriously challenge every square inch of your body.
No pain, no gain, right?
Now here's the simple truth, if you want to get the most out of your workouts, then you need to be doing the right exercises, and targeting the right areas with the right intensity.
It doesn't get any easier than that.
The trouble is we often waste our time doing the wrong exercises, which just delays us from ever achieving that beautifully sculpted physique we long for.
And that's why TT Hardcore is the perfect guide – it's one of the most advanced programs I've ever put together.
So if you're a beginner, a teenager, someone who refuses to train legs, or if you take more than a week off from working out, this program is NOT for you.
These workouts are intense, brutally tough, and like I said, ONLY for the advanced fitness enthusiast.
That's because I've taken the most challenging exercises from my other TT workouts and combined them with some of my favourite killer abs exercises to help take your workouts and your results to the next level.
Simply put, the 4-day Turbulence Training Hardcore Fat Loss program is one of the best workout programs for getting advanced results.
You'll probably curse my name while doing these workouts, but by the end of the program you'll have an amazing body and feel better than ever, guaranteed!
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It becomes very difficult to explain to people that you are depressed right after having a baby. People would be shocked and might even wonder what is wrong with you. You, yourself, might wonder what is happening. But every fourth new mother has reported suffering from 'baby blues' or postpartum depression. Finding support in such a situation could be difficult. But it is not that only women suffer postpartum depression. Few men too have reported to have got the 'baby blues'.
Postpartum depression strikes usually when least expected – just a few days after having the baby. On the one side parents are just so thrilled to have a new person in their family. On the other, postpartum depression makes them develop a dislike for themselves, even the baby and everything around. Feelings of inadequacy and extreme dullness during this period are normal. Patients might begin with simple feelings of depression and frustration. Dismissing these symptoms could make the feelings get worse leading to even thoughts of suicide. This is when new mothers need the most support. If untreated, the condition could worsen and last for several months or even years. It could become postpartum psychosis requiring urgent medical help.
As of now, doctors are able to support women suffering from postpartum depression only with muscle relaxants, anti-depressants and hormonal therapy. Neither of these seems to be a very good idea with the patient in the process of breastfeeding the baby.
True support and cure for patients of postpartum depression comes from natural healing options. These should be combined with a holistic approach including family support.
There are several nice support groups and blogs online too. You could connect with women from across America who have suffered from postpartum depression and even make friends. Finding solutions, help with holistic and natural cures for the symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) is all quite easy if you go online. Interacting with other new mothers in special blogs and discussion groups could be way more helpful than sitting back and wondering.
Try and involve your spouse too in the healing process. Your spouse's support is vital when it comes to postpartum depression. Do not wait for others to help you but reach out for support from family members also.
Even though you might not try the regular drugs prescribed for postpartum depression, do not forget to discuss the situation with your doctor. Also discuss with your doctor the herbal or natural cure that you want to try for your postpartum depression. If you check online groups you would also find other women who have used similar natural remedies and you would be able to discuss your fears with them also.
Doctors do recommend psychiatric therapy for postpartum depression. You might not take the drugs but if you feel comfortable about therapy sessions you could try some for support. But remember the key to handling postpartum depression is a natural remedy along with a properly designed diet and exercise routine. That's all the support you really need to beat the 'baby blues'.
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A big broad wide back is a very important muscle group that everyone wants to develop. It is a signature factor of any great physique and one that automatically demands respect.
It is a sign of hard work, dedication and attention to detail as not many people train their back muscles as much as their chest or arms let alone train their back with proper form and activation.
The V-Taper creates the illusion of a much larger than life appearance and you cannot achieve that look without developing the lat muscles.
Now there are many ways that one can work their back including machine exercises, cable exercises, compound barbell movements and of course bodyweight movements which of course include good ole fashioned chin-ups.
The Chin-Up Explained:
A chin-up is basically when you grasp a bar that is overhead. You can use a pronated (overhand) or supinated (underhand) grip when performing them.
To develop more width to your back, it is recommended that you perform the wide grip overhand chin-up.
For this exercise, you will grasp the overhead secured bar with each hand spaced about 3-5 inches outside of shoulder width.
From a hanging position you will then focus on pulling the body upwards until you fully contract your back muscles and squeeze the shoulder blades together. You want to make sure you keep your head up and chest out to keep good form.
Then at the top position, you are going to want to lower yourself with a slightly more controlled movement downwards until you are back in the starting hanging position.
The Problem with Wide Grip Chin-ups
The biggest problem people face when it comes to wide grip chin-ups is that they are hard for the majority of people.
Out of all the different variations of the chin-up, the wide grip is by far the most difficult.
It is because when you perform the wide grip chin-up, you are really primarily using the back muscles in an awkward position and most find that their bodyweight proves to be too heavy. But as you use a narrower grip or even switch to underhand, you are using more muscles to pull your body up by including your biceps and back and other supporting muscles thereby allowing you to complete an increased amount of reps.
If a person tries to improve the number of wide grip chin-ups they can perform week after week by simply trying to 'do more', they might resort to using momentum or doing partial reps and end up believing that they can do more than they actually are able to.
This is called false belief. You are changing the variables that should remain consistent and by doing so, you are automatically discrediting the outcome. It's as if you were trying to beat your 100M sprint time and each week you started to spring from a starting point closer to the finish line. Yes your time will increase, but only because you cheated to get there.
Don't worry though, I have devised a 4 week plan that you can use to see improvements in your wide grip chin-up count without having to trick or cheat yourself.
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The 4 Week Wide Grip Chin-Up Improvement Solution Plan:
Make sure you 'test' yourself by performing as many wide grip chin-ups as you can the week before starting the 4 week plan. Do this at the beginning of your normal back workout and after of course having warmed up. Just bust out as many as you can with proper form and tempo. Then record that number and keep it in a safe place you will be able to find at the end of the program to make sure you increase your overall count.
"The Test" | Target | Set 1 | Rest | Set 2 | Rest | Set 3 | Rest |
| Wide Grip Chin-ups | * |
| 60 sec |
| 60 sec |
| 60 sec |
*Perform as many reps as you can
Week 1:
You are going to continue training with the same program you are currently using but you will simply incorporate this specialized training at the beginning of each 'Back' day. You may need to adjust your total training volume since you are adding more in with this specialized plan.
In each week, you will aim to progressively increase your repetitions over each chin-up variation. Since people who struggle with wide grip chin-ups can still perform narrower grip chin-ups even after completed their wide chin-ups, we will further fatigue the back by including a drop-set type of training combined with a rest pause method.
Here is the exercise plan for this technique:
Week 1 | Target | Set 1 | Rest | Set 2 | Rest | Set 3 | Rest |
| Wide Grip Chin-Ups | * |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
| Medium Grip Chin-Ups | * |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
| Underhand Close Grip Chin-Ups | * |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
*The asterisks under target suggest you perform as many as possible to fatigue. Remember to keep good form and proper tempo.
Week 1 Explanation: You will start by performing as many wide grip chin-ups as you are able to do. Then you would let go of the bar, rest for 10 seconds, then start again but this time using a medium or shoulder width grip and perform as many of those as possible. Once you fatigue and cannot do any more, then let go, rest 10 seconds and then try and complete some underhand close grip chin-ups.
Once you are done your first drop-set of chin-ups, take a 1 minute rest before starting again.
Don't get too worried about how many you actually complete. Just make sure you record the numbers so we have a reference point for the following weeks.
Week 2:
Week 2 you are going to aim to complete at least 1 additional wide grip chin-up in your progression during the work set. So for example, if you completed 15 wide grip chin-ups in your first set in week 1, you would aim to complete 16 this time around. But if for some reason, you are not able to beat that number, and then we are going to use the 10 second rest pause method and continue with the wide grip chin-ups until you do beat your week 1 number.
Are you still with me?
The other thing to note is that since we are only trying to improve on the wide grip chin-ups, we will be reducing the target reps for the other chin-up variations. Let me give you another example:
I want you to 'aim' to match, not beat, the number of reps on the other two variations (medium and close) and focus only on increasing your wide grips in each set. Do not try and surpass your rep count for the close grip and medium grip. You can match the reps from the previous week, but you want to save your energy to try and increase on your next wide grip set.
Here is the exercise plan for this technique:
Week 2 | Target | Set 1 | Rest | Set 2 | Rest | Set 3 | Rest |
| Wide Grip Chin-Ups | *+1 |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
| Medium Grip Chin-Ups | *match* |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
| Underhand Close Grip Chin-Ups | *match* |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
*The asterisks under target for wide grip chin-ups suggest that you try and beat your week 1 rep count by 1 additional rep at least. Use the 10 second rest pause method if you fall short of your goal. Be sure to beat the wide grip rep count before resting again for 10 seconds then moving on to the medium and close grip chin-ups.
*match* means aim to match, but not beat, your week 1 rep count. If you fall short, that is ok. Do not attempt the rest-pause to match week 1. Remember, you are increasing on wide grip chin-ups which will more than likely decrease the other exercise repetitions.
Week 3:
Week 3 you will do the same as week 2 where you will aim to beat your last rep count on each wide grip chin-up set only this time you will aim to beat your rep count from week 2.
Use the same rest-pause method in week 3 as discussed in week 2 to beat your previous week's personal best.
The only difference this time is that you will use a time under tension extension technique on the final set of your wide grip chin-up exercise.
Here is the exercise plan for this technique:
Week 3 | Target | Set 1 | Rest | Set 2 | Rest | *Set 3 | Rest |
| Wide Grip Chin-Ups | *+1 |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
| Medium Grip Chin-Ups | *match* |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
| Underhand Close Grip Chin-Ups | *match* |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
*The asterisks under target for wide grip chin-ups suggest that you try and beat your week 2 rep count by 1 additional rep at least.
Use the 10 second rest pause method if you fall short of your goal. Be sure to beat the wide grip rep count before resting again for 10 seconds then moving on to the medium and close grip chin-ups.
*Set 3: On set 3 of your wide grip chin-ups, I want you once again beat your week 2 total reps by 1 using the rest pause method, but once you beat that count, during the final eccentric action (lowering your body back down), you are going to use a tempo count of 5 which basically means you will take about 5 seconds to lower yourself to the starting point again. This will place a new stress stimulus on your back muscles and force them to adapt
*match* means aim to match, but not beat, your week 1 rep count.
If you fall short, that is ok. Do not attempt the rest-pause to match week 1. Remember, you are increasing on wide grip chin-ups which will more than likely decrease the other exercise repetitions.
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Week 4:
Week 4 you will be once again progressing on your wide grip-chin-ups but by now, you will more than likely be starting to reach your maximum and progressions will become more difficult.
Therefore, we are going to introduce a de-loading technique for the medium and underhand grip chin-ups.
By de-loading on those specific sets, you will insure you have more energy to progress on the wide grip chin-up sets.
De-loading is pretty simple.
Basically, whatever your average was during the past three weeks for your medium and close grip chin-ups, I want you to decrease the number of total reps by 2-3 for those particular exercises.
Basically, you do not want to go to failure on those two exercises. We want to conserve energy for the primary exercise (wide grip).
This will allow you to beat your personal best rep count from week 3 on all you wide grip chin-up sets.
Week 4 | Target | Set 1 | Rest | Set 2 | Rest | Set 3 | Rest |
| Wide Grip Chin-Ups | *+1 |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
| Medium Grip Chin-Ups | de-load |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
| Underhand Close Grip Chin-Ups | de-load |
| 10 sec |
| 10 sec |
| 60 sec |
*The asterisks under target for wide grip chin-ups suggest that you try and beat your week 3 rep count by 1 additional rep at least.
Use the 10 second rest pause method if you fall short of your goal. Be sure to beat the wide grip rep count before resting again for 10 seconds then moving on to the medium and close grip chin-ups.
*de-load* means you are not going to go to failure on these sets. Instead you will purposefully stop short of your average rep count from previous weeks by about 2-3. This will be personal to each individual and the number can vary.
Week 5:
Its time! Week 5 is your test week. All your hard work will soon be rewarded with additional reps being magically added you your personal best records from week 1.
Essentially, you are going to test yourself again just as you did in week 1. Make sure all the factors are the same such as completing the test on the same day, same time of day, beginning of workout and after properly warming up.
Because of the previous 4 weeks of specialized training, your back muscles have made adaptations that it did not posses before and it will now be able to handle more total wide grip chin-ups.
So what are you waiting for? Go test it out. You should be able to see an increase of about 4-5 reps on each set.
"The Test" | Target | Set 1 | Rest | Set 2 | Rest | Set 3 | Rest |
| Week 1 records | * | ___ | 60 sec | ___ | 60 sec | ___ | 60 sec |
| Wide Grip Chinups | * |
| 60 sec |
| 60 sec |
| 60 sec |
*Perform as many reps as you can
Here for you,
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It is normal for new mothers to feel overwhelmed by the amount of work they have to get done in a day. Looking after the baby is a full-time job. Add to that household duties, commitment to relationships, looking after the self, managing your aspirations, etc. and anyone could get frustrated. However, postpartum depression is a medical condition brought on by the hormonal changes that accompany childbirth.
Postpartum depression is also referred to as 'baby blues'. It includes feelings of acute depression, irritation, dullness, anger and even thoughts about suicide. New mothers suffering from postpartum depression might also feel a complete lethargy and disinterest in the baby as well. These symptoms are accompanied by disturbances in sleep and diet patterns.
Postpartum depression usually begins within a week of childbirth. It could last for several days, months or – in extreme cases – several years. It could develop into depression psychosis if left untreated.
Most doctors go for medicinal cures. Doctors would tell you that they can suggest muscle-relaxants, anti-depressants, hormonal therapy and sessions with a psychiatrist. But do you have the time, energy and finances for all these medicinal cures? Actually, taking these drugs could do more harm to you and your baby. As a breastfeeding mother you should steer clear of all kinds of drugs as much as possible.
The answer lies in holistic remedies instead of medicinal cures. You can outgrow your postpartum depression in a completely safe and natural way with herbal formulations combined with proper diet and exercise routines. Holistic cures could also include herbs, vitamins and food supplements to handle your problems.
Some common items suggested for postpartum depression include St. John's Wort, Omega-3 fatty acids, Folic Acid, vitamin supplements, etc. New mothers are advised to cut down on sweets, coffee and alcohol. All these things might give a temporary high but you would relapse into depression once the effect wears off. It is always beneficial for new mothers to explore holistic remedies rather than medicinal cures.
Some women tend to have a greater tendency towards depression because of family history of depression, relationship problems, lack of family support particularly from the spouse, financial problems, etc. In such cases drugs might be prescribed because no other alternative would work. But drugs should be taken only as a last resort. Usually postpartum depression is mild but if untreated it could develop into psychosis and a medical emergency.
Several doctors recommend psychiatric therapy sessions whether the patient is trying a holistic cure or drug-based one. Usually, you might not need these sessions if you manage to get family support. Tell yourself that reaching out to family members and friends just to have light conversations is quite okay. You're already stressed out with the physical and mental responsibility of new motherhood and guilt is the last thing you owe to yourself. Do not hesitate to ask your spouse and other family members for help and emotional support. Some men too suffer from postpartum depression though their number is very less. In such cases also, holistic cures are the best as compared to medicinal cures.
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When most people think about their fat loss efforts, they tend to focus on the negative. And it's pretty easy to do that.
You know, they worry that they didn't lose more than a pound this week. Or they focus on the meals where they slipped up. Or they stress about the holiday dinners that put them off track. All this stress and negative thinking can hurt your fat loss program.
You just can't focus on the negative if you are going to get positive results out of your Turbulence Training lifestyle.
You need to stay focused on doing things right the best that you can...and don't stress about the mistakes that you make.
This is very important over the holidays, where you could easily lose yourself in a downward spiral of negativity and situations that are not conducive to fat loss.
Focus on the meals that you can control, and the workouts that you can make.
Think about the progress you can make over the holidays, not the average holiday fat gain suffered by most people living the Western Lifestyle.
So even if you have 3 bad meals in a week, you still have almost 40 meals that you can control this week. Stick to lean proteins, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, appetite-controlling almonds, health promoting fish oils, and healthy beverages like Green Tea and water.
Now I'd like to say that a TT workout will allow you to eat everything you want but I can't...you have to do your best to avoid junk. And don't feel guilty for tossing junk food - that's better than leaving it lying around and stressing about giving in to it.
If you get some holiday chocolates...eat one, if you want, and then give the rest away or trash them.
Don't turn your body into a trash compactor because of holiday guilt.
And remember, short workouts, when done consistently, can still have an amazing muscle-building, fat-loss power.
With Turbulence Training, I'll show you how to use only a couple of exercises, done at a high-intensity to train your entire upper body. And the short interval workouts and bodyweight circuits will increase your energy, boost metabolism and keep you fit and healthy during this stressful time of year.
So stay positive...and realize that you don't have to start from square 1 each time you make a mistake. Stay committed to your long term goals and you'll have your beach body ready earlier this year.
We're going to make it your best year ever in the gym.
Sincerely,
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Newcomers to the Internet are initially overwhelmed at the cornucopia of wonderful opportunities that seem to be offered to them on every hand. Miraculous cures, the chance to make tens of thousands of dollars every day with twenty-two seconds of work, free computers and free refrigerators, and countless other amazing deals seem to beckon from every side.
After attempting to take advantage of several of these offers, and ending up with subscriptions to three different magazines and a bill for an expensive commemorative plate that they did not order (besides not getting the free car, million dollar annual income, or permanent cure for acne that they wanted), most people come to recognize these offers for what they are: dodges at best, and lies, ripoffs, and scams at worst. Unfortunately, the protective armor of Internet cynicism that we soon develop often blinds us to the real opportunities that come along as well.
The Hair Loss Blueprint is a hair restoration plan that you might dismiss as yet another of the tens of thousands of overpriced hair regrowth scams that separate you from your money while leaving your scalp as innocent of hair as when you began. The Blueprint, on the other hand, is genuine – a low cost, high effect technique that uses readily available items to coax a fresh growth of hair from your pate.
The Hair Loss Blueprint doesn't rely on an endless stream of bottles, creams, or procedures to return "foliage" to your head. In fact, the author isn't selling anything except the Blueprint itself. After finding out, largely by accident, that a few grocery items mixed into a concoction, and a regular program of scalp massages, will regrow your hair far more effectively than the dangerous cures most restoration plans provide, the Blueprint's author decided to go public with his information in the name of restoring hair and self-image worldwide with his sensational discovery.
You will tackle life with new zest and greet each day with fresh confidence after the Hair Loss Blueprint has helped you regain the hair that you have been missing for so long. This opportunity may not last long – especially at the remarkable one-time price of $37 – so get your copy today and discover how genuine and beneficial the Blueprint really is!
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QUESTION: Dear David, I am 1.57m, 53kgs, Asian, 45 years old, 2 kids both Caesarian (and I am wondering if this has anything to do with my abdominal problem). My diet is fairly healthy, but I am not that strict because I love food, both healthy and sinful. I don't binge and have a pretty good control over my cravings. I stir fry and eat a lot of veggies, rice, meat, fish, an enormous amount of fruit, not a lot of bread but when I do it's whole grain. Not a lot of junk food either because I hate greasy food - maybe twice a year if at all.
My food consumption is well within my daily quota of 2,200 calories per day, if not less. I hate breakfast, so I drink one serving of whey protein, a cappuccino and one banana.
For my workouts, I run, use an elliptical trainer because of my knees. Sometimes I run sprints to get some aggression out of my system. My cardio ranges from 40 to 60 minutes, burning an average of 500 cals if I can believe the digital output, and I do an average of 3 hours cardio per week.
Then I do various strength training, mostly upper and mid body since I do a lot of running. I alternate so that I spend about 1.5 hours in the gym depending on the rest intervals. In conclusion, I think I have a sufficient deficit of 1500 calories per week at least.
The big question is: Why on earth can't I seem to lose that bit of roll on my tummy or get my stomach looking flat? I am highly motivated. I like what I am doing and often come home feeling better than when I left.
Should I resign myself to the fact that two caesarian childbirths make it impossible to get a nice flat (not even thinking of ripped) abdomen again?
ANSWER:
I read through your e-mail, and noticed quite a few potential issues that might be contributing to your frustration with your abdominal area. If you address these issues properly, you may be pleasantly surprised with the change in your body fat level and especially the muscle development in your waistline.
I thought that these were such important issues, that I am going to answer question in detail for the benefit of all our readers.
Obviously, two C-sections does not help and can make things more challenging. One question I have is how much time was there between childbirths? If it was less than two years, the physical structures which contributed to childbirth may not have been repaired completely before they were asked to do it again.
After pregnancy, the body needs to normalize and it takes 9 months or more to get back into physiological balance. This balance is not just hormonally-related but also related to body weight, proper posture and normal muscle tension. If all of these things are not in balance, you will tend to have inflammation that inhibits the inner (muscular) unit and you will have a higher incidence of abdominal wall and inner unit dysfunction.
When you have a C-section, the abdominal wall is cut and the muscles are sewn back together. This creates scarring through all levels of your abdominal wall. This scarring contributes to the muscle's inability to glide over the top of each other during muscle contraction. The net result is weakness and that contributes to the lack of stabilization.
This also could happen to the muscles of the pelvic floor after childbirth. When your inner unit and abdominal wall become dysfunctional, then your outer unit muscles which are used for movement (such as your gluteus maximus), become overused and will try to stabilize your pelvis and lower back. Also, when the pelvic floor is inhibited, the Transverse abdominis muscle (TVA) is lengthened and lordosis (lower back curve) begins to increase. This creates a short Psoas muscle and this can and does inhibit the gluteus muscles.
If this sounds complicated, let me simplify everything I just mentioned by saying that an exercise program needs to balance muscles that may have become unbalanced. One way to do that is to include a lot of body movement on unstable surfaces such as a swiss ball. Another way is with special exercises for the inner unit.
Although this may seem like complicated or boring details to you, if you really want that flat and lean lower abdominal area and you can bear with me through some anatomy and physiology, I promise it will be worth the effort.
To get a stomach area that is flat, strong, stable and hard as a rock, you really need to understand what these "inner unit" muscles are all about.
The inner unit is a group of deep muscles that provide the necessary joint stabilization for the spine. If the inner unit doesn't activate your spine properly, your spine, pelvis and joint structures are placed under a lot of stress and this can lead to orthopedic injuries (and other dysfunctions like your lower abs "pooching" out, regardless of body fat levels).
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The inner unit consists of the transverse abdominis, multifidus, the pelvic floor and the diaphragm. Research has shown that the inner unit muscles operate on a different neurological loop than other core muscles.
The Transverse abdominis (TVA) is the deepest, innermost layer of all abdominal muscles. Think of the TVA muscle as your body's natural weight- lifting belt. When the TVA contracts, it causes hoop tension around your mid section like a girdle or corset. If the TVA muscle does not tighten up and work properly, acting as a girdle around your waist to stabilize your spine and pelvis, you are at much higher risk of injury (or dysfunction as in a protruding abdominal wall).
For example: you bend over to pick up the laundry basket and your TVA does not activate properly. The stress to the spine that follows eventually leads to overload of the segmental (one-joint) stabilizers and POW! You back low back goes out and you're in pain.
This happens because the segments of your spine tighten down but the gross stabilizer (the TVA) does not, leaving the spinal segments to work on their own. They cannot provide enough muscular strength at the segmental level to withstand such a movement. Now can you imagine lifting weights, a full suitcase off a conveyor belt or reaching overhead to pull down a heavy box of books?
When the TVA does not work properly, the joints will begin early degeneration leading to many other types of orthopedic problems as well.
To activate the TVA, draw your belly button up and in towards your spine. This activation should be done before any bending over or reaching overhead, especially with heavy loads. A little trick is to get a string and tie it around your waste at the bellybutton level. Draw your abdomen up and in toward your spine as far you can, then let it out about three-quarters of the way and tie the string at that point. It should be tight but really not noticeable. If your TVA relaxes and extends your abdominal wall, the string will tighten up and you will immediately get feedback.
The next inner unit muscle you have to consider is the multifidus. This muscle lies deep in the spine spanning three joint segments. The multifidus provides joint stabilization at each segmental level. Each vertebra needs stiffness and stability to work effectively to reduce degeneration of joint structures.
The third set of inner unit muscles are the pelvic floor muscles. It's important for the pelvic floor and the inner unit to work properly. In many cases, due to operations such as hernias, hysterectomies and C-section childbirth, the inner unit muscles have been cut, reducing communication to these muscles. By doing some very simple, but very important exercises, you can re-establish communication between the nervous system and the muscles, tighten and tone the muscles, and prevent or reduce incontinence, leakage and pelvic dysfunction.
You mentioned that you were doing "mid body exercises," however, if you're not specifically working each of these three inner unit muscles, plus the diaphragm, your lower abdominal area will not achieve the strength or muscular look that you're after. You might be surprised to see that the primary exercises used to improve inner unit muscle activation are NOT the usual abdominal exercises you see in the magazines like crunches and sit ups. My Firm And Flatten Your Abs ebook is based on strengthening and developing not just the outer unit "six pack" muscles, but also these important inner unit muscles.
Let me share a few of these inner unit exercises with you:
- Four point transverse abdominis tuck - Horse stance series - Heel slides - Pelvic Tilt
In your situation, where you're eating well, you're training and you're highly motivated, another condition could be a contributing factor in your abdominal area not looking like you want it to: It's called visceroptosis.
Visceroptosis is a condition in which the internal organs have been compressed and displaced by poor posture and the enlarging womb from pregnancy, and this has a direct effect on inner unit dysfunction.
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The displacement of internal organs can stretch the attachments which hold the stomach, liver, and kidneys in their proper place in the upper abdomen. As a result, they are left suspended in a lower position. This produces a tendency for the inhibition of the inner unit. It also influences other structures such as blocking or squeezing of tubular structures, ducts, blood vessels, and nerves. This can lead to all kinds of problems such as indigestion, kidney problems and constipation.
The long and short of all this is that your insides have to be in shape for your outside to be in shape and that requires exercises that most people are not doing.
You could also look into other aspects of your workout schedule, especially your cardio training. At up to 60 minutes per session, you might be doing more cardio than you need. When cardio is overdone, muscle imbalances or injuries such as knee problems can occur. I would suggest alternating days of resistance and cardio exercise. It looks like you are doing some alternating, but you shouldn't consider running as a replacement for lower body strength exercise.
Keep in mind, your body can adapt very quickly to an exercise program as you get in better and better condition. When I was training Greg Haugen, the 4 X world champion boxer, I would have to adjust his exercise regimen every 21 days. If I didn't, he would adapt and stop making progress.
It's especially easy for your body to adapt to aerobics. When you do too much aerobic exercise, your body becomes more energetically efficient. As you run on the treadmill, it says you burned X amount of calories, but you're really expending less energy at a given workload because you're in better condition than you used to be.
So the question is, what is the alternative? One solution is to begin alternating some of your conventional steady state cardio with higher intensity interval training. Interval training is very challenging but very effective, not to mention time efficient and it's a good way to break a plateau if your body has adapted to conventional long duration, steady state cardio.
For example: run hard for one minute, reduce speed for two minutes, run hard for one minute, reduce speed two minutes, and so on. A great interval program I learned from Ori Hofmekler, author of the Warrior Diet is as follows:
Start jogging on the treadmill at the 7th level for one minute, increase it to the 8th level for one minute, increase again to the 9th level for one minute, place it to the 10th level for one minute, reduce it back to the 9th level for one minute, reduce it again today to the 8th level for one minute again, reduce it to the 7th level for another minute. Go up the pyramid and down the pyramid for 10 to 12 minutes. This burns a lot of body fat and stimulates metabolism.
After your interval program, then go on to do your regular resistance training for the entire body or do a simple circuit weight training program, depending on your goals and amount of time you have. Resistance training builds muscle and more muscle means you burn more calories and more body fat. Resistance training also elevates your metabolism for many hours after a training session.
Your diet may also be contributing to your abdominal frustration. Your diet seems very clean, but if you have food intolerance to certain foods it will tend to bloat your lower intestines and contribute to the "pooch belly" syndrome. When gluten is one very common intolerance and tends to interfere with good digestion thus causing inflammation and bloating.
When someone has food sensitivities, it's important not to eat foods from the same source until your immune system has had time to deal with the problem food. This keeps it from being overburdened and leads to a nicer looking body. Try rotating your foods. Do not eat the same foods within a given 72 hour period.
The simplest test for food intolerance is to eat your normal diet and ask yourself two hours after a meal, how do you feel. If you feel sluggish, mentally-clouded and lethargic, then the last foods you consumed may not match your body type. Each individual has a specific body type and metabolic type. As we have always heard, one woman's fruit is another woman's poison.
Also on the subject of diet, you mentioned you figure you have a 1500 calorie per week deficit. Over seven days that's only a 214 calorie per day or just under 10% deficit. If you have a 2200 calorie per day maintenance level that would put you at 1986 calories per day. Although its not a good idea to cut calories too low, fat loss does boil down to calories in versus calories out and you might need to reduce your calories further. I'd recommend you journal your food intake to be sure or your caloric intake and then test the results of another 200-250 calorie per day decrease.
Last but not least: What is your stress level like? When your body is constantly stressed, losing body fat is extremely difficult. By reducing your stress level with such things as yoga, tai chi, and qi gong, you will dramatically improve your mental and physical wellness. Make sure that you're getting a good amount of sleep, drink plenty of water, and eat as organic as possible
Wow. I think this was the longest Q & A column I have ever written, but your question raised so many important issues and I know that so many people with similar situations will be reading this that I wanted to be thorough and cover as many bases as possible.
You now have a lot of ideas and suggestions to work with and some new exercises to incorporate into your abdominal/core routine. Still, having a flat, strong, functional and lean abdominal area is such a huge subject that it can't be tackled in one column. If you want more information including many more exercises that work both the outer "six pack" muscles as well as the important, deep "inner unit" core muscles, then take a look at my e-book, Firm And Flatten Your abs
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Today's Quote: "There is something I want to remind you of. Our best friend, Doug, is probably face down in a ditch right now with a meth head butt f*cking his corpse."
