Are You a Bodybuilder or a Powerlifter?
For any person making the switch from bodybuilder to powerlifter, or are new to the whole fitnessw thing and want to learn the differences between the two sports, then this article is for you. Bodybuilding and powerlifting may sound the same, but they are actually the complete opposite. You are going to learn why they are the opposite and the differences between the two sports in training, dieting, and supplementation.
The bodybuilder`s training routine emphasizes whichever goal the bodybuilder may have. Let`s say that a bodybuilder is getting ready for a contest and is only paying attention to getting toned. His training routine would start consisting of lighter weights just with more repetitions. In powerlifting, it is completely different! In a powerlifting contest, three events (squat, bench press, and deadlift) determine the overall winner. This is why powerlifters use a periodized training program which consists of four phases. 1) Hypertrophy2) Basic Strength3) Maximum Strength 4) Transition Speed Bodybuilders must pay more attention what they eat than what powerlifters do because of the simple fact of bodybuilders keeping fat gain to a minimum. Powerlifters don`t have to go through the twelve weeks of severe dieting that bodybuilders go through, but they still have to keep their food intake high enough to stay in an anabolic state. Powerlifters get to eat more but that can actually be a bad thing for them because they simply have to eat more of the same healthy foods, which can make one feel sick after a week or so. However, bodybuilders and powerlifters diets both emphasize eating to gain muscle but powerlifters don`t have to worry about eating for fat loss. A bodybuilder`s supplement cupboard would most likely consist of a healthy fat source, multivitamin, and whatever supplements for the goal that they are emphasizing. A powerlifter`s cupboard would contain the same basic supplements but only with more of the muscle building supplements such as creatine, ZMA, protein powder, and weight gainers. You will seldom ever see a powerlifter supplementing with weight loss products unless they are at the point of having too much bodyfat that is having a negative impact on their lifts. Bodybuilding and powerlifting are both great sports to be involved with, but it is important that you know the differences between the two so that you`re not confused. If you are currently in one of the sports and would like to further educate yourself on the differences between the two, attend a contest and see which one that you like best. You never know, maybe that bodybuilding body is more suited for powerlifting, and vice-versa. You just never know until you try it. Until next time, later
http://www.powerliftingsupplements.com/
http://www.e-normous.biz/nutrition.asp
http://clubs.uqsport.uq.edu.au/uqpwc/pl_training.htm
http://cellbasics.com/power_lifting/nutrition.html
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/POWERLIFTING_NUTRITION/m_86490/tm.htm
by Zach Bashore
Are You a Bodybuilder or a Powerlifter?
Showing posts with label bodybuilder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bodybuilder. Show all posts
Sunday, 1 July 2007
Thursday, 31 May 2007
Advanced Workout: Sets & Reps
After you have figured out your form and become more than a beginner, it’s time to re-vamp your routine. The number of sets and repetitions (reps) may be considered more important than the exercises being performed. In the avenue of bodybuilding there is a variety of routines that can be effective. Effectiveness of a routine usually lies in the ability of your workout to put as much strain on a muscle without over working it. This is done much easier when keeping most of the factors in a workout constant and only making one change. This leads to the explanation on how to choose the number of sets and reps to do and how it affects your muscles. The goal of bodybuilding is to increase size and mass of a muscle. This means every set is going to be to what is called muscle failure (except the warm up). Muscle failure being the point at which you can’t move the weight anymore. Having a spotter is essential for this type of workout. For the most part the reps are going to stay consistent, meaning the variable is the number of sets. The ideal number of times your muscle needs to go to failure per exercise is four. Meaning four sets per exercise. For the purpose of this article it’s assumed that there is a proper warm up and stretching before the first four sets. The next step is to determine the number of reps per set. Each set will be to failure so technically you don’t need a number of reps to do because you are going to push the weight until you can’t anymore. This means the proper amount of weight is more important. Rather than trying to complete a certain number of reps, use an amount t of weight to hit a target range of reps. The first set’s range is 10-12. This means you want to stack enough a weight so that your muscles need to stop at 10 or 11 reps. If you can do 12 that’s ok. If you can do more than 12 you need to increase the weight. If you can’t do 10, you need to decrease the weight. The second set’s range is 8-10. The third and fourth set’s range is 6-8. The only factor left is the number of sets to do per exercise. You want to do between 12 and 20 sets per muscle. This is 3-5 exercises per muscle. In all honestly doing less than 4 exercises (16 sets) will be significantly less effective. At first glance it looks like 3 muscles would be 60 sets, which would take hours. Remember though some exercises use more than one muscle. For example 4 sets of chest press would go toward your chest sets and your triceps sets. You still want to isolate muscles when possibly. This helps track muscles so you don’t overwork them. Certain muscles can be worked as secondary muscles and primary muscles on different days. For example the biceps have a fast recovery. A lot of back exercises involve the biceps. You can work back on one day and then isolate biceps on the next day and that muscle should be able to take the extra strain. Learn your muscles to find out the right range for you. Find your body type and work with it to build massive lean muscle. Use the range suggestions for sets to fit a number of sets to each of your muscles. Because of the way your muscles are used in your body, you shouldn’t need to change the number of reps or sets you do unless your goals change. For the most part once your body adjusts to your new workout you will only need to change the actually exercises you do. This will work the muscles from different angles activating dormant muscle fiber, while still pushing them to failure so that you can gain the maximum amount of muscle.
by TOM BISHOP
by TOM BISHOP
Saturday, 12 May 2007
Friday, 11 May 2007
Monday, 23 April 2007
Monday, 16 April 2007
Triple threat: get the benefits of bodybuilding, powerlifting, and Olympic weightlifting in one super program
Think back to the first time you heard the word weightlifting. The term probably brought to mind images of curling dumbbells, bench pressing, and pumping iron until your veins popped out. But take a little time to flip through our workouts and you'll realize that there are all kinds of ways to lift weights, for any number of end goals.
The term weightlifting is very specific, and if you want to sound intelligent in a room full of athletes or strength and conditioning coaches, you should know that it technically refers to the kind of lifting done by those guys you see wearing singlets in the Olympics. Olympic-style weightlifting involves every muscle in your body to move the bar at high speeds--usually lifting it from the floor to above your head--and it's one of the best training methods there is for building sport-specific strength and power.
A more popular weight-training style, is powerlifting, in which a trainee works to lift as much weight as he possibly can on the squat, bench press, and dead-lift exercises. (Note: Eking out sets on the bench with poor form and weights that are too heavy for you does not constitute powerlifting.) Finally, there's bodybuilding, in which guys train for maximum muscle size and leanness and then step on a stage in little more than a G-string in order to be judged on their progress. Bodybuilding training involves blasting each of the body's muscle groups with ever-changing workouts to develop a muscular, aesthetic look.
While most guys lifting iron utilize just one of these methods, we don't see any reason you can't have your cake and eat it, too, combining all three for an athletic, strong, and awe-inspiring body. The following program is designed to deliver just that--the best results the whole of weight training can produce.
BODYBUILDING
Except for the G-string part, it's what most of us start doing intuitively from the moment we first pick up a weight. Well, sort of. Mindlessly repping out curls with a dumbbell can yield some decent size gains for a beginner, but to develop well-proportioned muscles, a true bodybuilder must train his whole body with a variety of exercises and intensity levels. Bodybuilding requires short to moderate rest periods between sets (no more than 90 seconds), and moderate to high rep ranges, such as eight to 12. You also need a good number of sets and a slow lifting tempo to exhaust the muscles and see that they repair themselves to become larger. It should be noted that in our program, you won't be isolating any muscles (as many bodybuilders try to do). One reason is that, despite what our forebears on Muscle Beach may have thought, you can't isolate a muscle--even raising one eyebrow requires a coordinated effort from several muscles. So why waste time trying? Another reason is that research has shown that the more muscle you work with a single exercise--and in one training session overall--the greater hormonal response you generate within the body that tells muscles to grow. That means greater gains and shorter workouts.
POWERLIFTING
The point is to develop maximum strength, so you'll need to use very heavy weights and longer rest periods (up to five minutes). As a result of the intensity of each set, you won't be able to do many of them (you'll thank us), so three sets will suffice. You'll get plenty of work in on the squat, bench press, and deadlift, but since we know you're not likely to start competing as a powerlifter, we're not going to train you to peak in these lifts alone--we've tailored this part of the program to developing overall strength. However, notice Exercise 6 in Workout B (powerlifting day), as it will be the only exercise on that day that you won't want to load up the bar on. This move is designed to develop great strength and stability in the hips and quads, which will improve your performance in all three styles of lifting. It will be particularly effective in preparing your body for the posture and core strength you'll need to be a good Olympic-style weightlifter in Workout C. Start with an empty bar, and make sure you complete all your reps without losing your position.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
If you played high school football or basketball, you're probably already familiar with the barbell clean or one of its variations. It's among the best exercises for total-body power, and it has been used for decades to make athletes more explosive in a number of sports. It's also one of the first steps lifters take in preparing for the clean and jerk and the snatch--the two lifts contested in weightlifting competitions. The goal for the clean, as well as every other exercise in Workout C, is not to lift heavy but to lift with maximum speed, ripping the weight off the floor and/or thrusting it overhead. We're serious about lightening the weight here, as too heavy a load will reduce the power you can generate. Ideally, you would use bumper plates (rubber weight plates that bounce when you drop the bar, allowing you to abandon a missed lift and land the bar safely on the floor) for this kind of training. Nevertheless, we've modified certain weightlifting exercises so that you can still reap the benefits of all-out explosive training without risking injury to yourself, those around you, or the gym floor. (You'll make good use of a medicine ball, which you can fire into the floor without incident.) Because you're moving so fast with these exercises, you won't be able to do many reps; you should end your set when you can no longer maintain your rep speed.
THE PAYOFF
Here are the specific benefits you'll reap from working all three types of lifting into your overall fitness training
BODY BUILDING Apart from greater muscle size and leanness (we can probably stop right here, can't we?), you'll increase your capacity for maximum strength, as increased strength is partially correlated with gains in muscle size. You'll also prevent injuries and ensure muscular balance, since bodybuilding allows you to focus on weak points and the proportional relationship between muscles.
POWERLIFTING You'll develop great strength, and, if you're eating generously, appreciable gains in muscle size. Powerlifting also hardens up bones, tendons, and ligaments, making you more resistant to injury and aging. Want to be the guy in the gym who can lift the most weight on any given exercise? This is the way to get there.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTNG You'll improve speed and, ultimately, strength. You'll be able to jump higher on the basketball court, get off the line quicker in football, and hit harder when you block guys on the other team. With the exception of the heavier weight classes, weightlifters also tend to be very lean--a testament to the fat-burning properties of the training.
WORKOUT A BODYBUILDING
1A DUMBBELL OVERHEAD SQUAT
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 REST: 30 SEC. TEMP: 302
1B SWISS-BALL PISTON ALTERNATING CHEST PRESS
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
2A ALTERNATING BACKWARD LUNGE W/ ROTATION
SET: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 30 SEC. TEMPO: 302
2B SINGLE-LEG DUMBBELL DEADLIFT W/ROW
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
3A ALTERNATING FORWARD LUNGE W/ROTATION
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 30 SEC. TEMPO: 302
3B SWISS-BALL PISTON ALTERNATING ARNOLD PRESS
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
DIRECTIONS
FREQUENCY: Perform each workout once per week. resting at least a day between each session.
HOW TO DO IT: Follow the specific instructions for each workout below.
WORKOUT A (BODYBUILDING): Perform each pair of exercises (marked A and B) as alternating sets, resting 30 seconds after the first exercise in the pair and 60-90 seconds after the second one. (So you'll do one set of 1A, rest 30 seconds, then one set of 1B, rest 60-90 seconds, and so on for all the prescribed sets for that pair.) Afterward, move on to the next pair.
WORKOUTS B (POWERLIFTING) AND C (OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING): Perform each exercise as straight sets, completing all sets for one exercise before moving on to the next.
WEIGHT: For Workout A, use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions, plus one. for each set. Be careful not to go to failure. For Workout B. use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions. For Workout C, be conservative and start every exercise with a weight that you're sure allows you to complete every rep with maximum speed. You may want to start with an empty barbell, or a five- or 10-pound plate on each side.
TEMPO: The first digit is how many seconds you should take to lower the weight. The second digit is how long you should pause at the bottom (when your muscles are under the most tension). The third digit is how long you should take to lift the weight. A "O" means to move right to the next digit, and a tempo of "X" means to complete each rep as quickly as possible while controlling the weight.
WORKOUT B POWERLIFTING
1 SQUAT
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
2 DEADLIFT
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
3 DUMBBELL ALTERNATING LATERAL LUNGE
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 (EACH SIDE) REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
4 BENCH PRESS
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
5 WIDE-GRIP SEATED ROW
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
6 CROUCHING BARBELL SNATCH PRESS *
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
* For the crouching barbell snatch press, perform a squat, and then, from the bottom position, press the bar overhead for three to six reps. That's one set.
WORKOUT OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
1 BARBELL CLEAN *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
2 SNATCH PULL *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
3 PUSH PRESS
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
4 ALTERNATING MEDICINE-BALL PLYO PUSHUP
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 (EACH SIDE) REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
5 MEDICINE-BALL DIAGONAL SLEDGEHAMMER *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 (EACH SIDE) REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
6 PRONE MEDICINE-BALL SOCCER THROW
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO X
By Dave Difabio
The term weightlifting is very specific, and if you want to sound intelligent in a room full of athletes or strength and conditioning coaches, you should know that it technically refers to the kind of lifting done by those guys you see wearing singlets in the Olympics. Olympic-style weightlifting involves every muscle in your body to move the bar at high speeds--usually lifting it from the floor to above your head--and it's one of the best training methods there is for building sport-specific strength and power.
A more popular weight-training style, is powerlifting, in which a trainee works to lift as much weight as he possibly can on the squat, bench press, and dead-lift exercises. (Note: Eking out sets on the bench with poor form and weights that are too heavy for you does not constitute powerlifting.) Finally, there's bodybuilding, in which guys train for maximum muscle size and leanness and then step on a stage in little more than a G-string in order to be judged on their progress. Bodybuilding training involves blasting each of the body's muscle groups with ever-changing workouts to develop a muscular, aesthetic look.
While most guys lifting iron utilize just one of these methods, we don't see any reason you can't have your cake and eat it, too, combining all three for an athletic, strong, and awe-inspiring body. The following program is designed to deliver just that--the best results the whole of weight training can produce.
BODYBUILDING
Except for the G-string part, it's what most of us start doing intuitively from the moment we first pick up a weight. Well, sort of. Mindlessly repping out curls with a dumbbell can yield some decent size gains for a beginner, but to develop well-proportioned muscles, a true bodybuilder must train his whole body with a variety of exercises and intensity levels. Bodybuilding requires short to moderate rest periods between sets (no more than 90 seconds), and moderate to high rep ranges, such as eight to 12. You also need a good number of sets and a slow lifting tempo to exhaust the muscles and see that they repair themselves to become larger. It should be noted that in our program, you won't be isolating any muscles (as many bodybuilders try to do). One reason is that, despite what our forebears on Muscle Beach may have thought, you can't isolate a muscle--even raising one eyebrow requires a coordinated effort from several muscles. So why waste time trying? Another reason is that research has shown that the more muscle you work with a single exercise--and in one training session overall--the greater hormonal response you generate within the body that tells muscles to grow. That means greater gains and shorter workouts.
POWERLIFTING
The point is to develop maximum strength, so you'll need to use very heavy weights and longer rest periods (up to five minutes). As a result of the intensity of each set, you won't be able to do many of them (you'll thank us), so three sets will suffice. You'll get plenty of work in on the squat, bench press, and deadlift, but since we know you're not likely to start competing as a powerlifter, we're not going to train you to peak in these lifts alone--we've tailored this part of the program to developing overall strength. However, notice Exercise 6 in Workout B (powerlifting day), as it will be the only exercise on that day that you won't want to load up the bar on. This move is designed to develop great strength and stability in the hips and quads, which will improve your performance in all three styles of lifting. It will be particularly effective in preparing your body for the posture and core strength you'll need to be a good Olympic-style weightlifter in Workout C. Start with an empty bar, and make sure you complete all your reps without losing your position.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
If you played high school football or basketball, you're probably already familiar with the barbell clean or one of its variations. It's among the best exercises for total-body power, and it has been used for decades to make athletes more explosive in a number of sports. It's also one of the first steps lifters take in preparing for the clean and jerk and the snatch--the two lifts contested in weightlifting competitions. The goal for the clean, as well as every other exercise in Workout C, is not to lift heavy but to lift with maximum speed, ripping the weight off the floor and/or thrusting it overhead. We're serious about lightening the weight here, as too heavy a load will reduce the power you can generate. Ideally, you would use bumper plates (rubber weight plates that bounce when you drop the bar, allowing you to abandon a missed lift and land the bar safely on the floor) for this kind of training. Nevertheless, we've modified certain weightlifting exercises so that you can still reap the benefits of all-out explosive training without risking injury to yourself, those around you, or the gym floor. (You'll make good use of a medicine ball, which you can fire into the floor without incident.) Because you're moving so fast with these exercises, you won't be able to do many reps; you should end your set when you can no longer maintain your rep speed.
THE PAYOFF
Here are the specific benefits you'll reap from working all three types of lifting into your overall fitness training
BODY BUILDING Apart from greater muscle size and leanness (we can probably stop right here, can't we?), you'll increase your capacity for maximum strength, as increased strength is partially correlated with gains in muscle size. You'll also prevent injuries and ensure muscular balance, since bodybuilding allows you to focus on weak points and the proportional relationship between muscles.
POWERLIFTING You'll develop great strength, and, if you're eating generously, appreciable gains in muscle size. Powerlifting also hardens up bones, tendons, and ligaments, making you more resistant to injury and aging. Want to be the guy in the gym who can lift the most weight on any given exercise? This is the way to get there.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTNG You'll improve speed and, ultimately, strength. You'll be able to jump higher on the basketball court, get off the line quicker in football, and hit harder when you block guys on the other team. With the exception of the heavier weight classes, weightlifters also tend to be very lean--a testament to the fat-burning properties of the training.
WORKOUT A BODYBUILDING
1A DUMBBELL OVERHEAD SQUAT
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 REST: 30 SEC. TEMP: 302
1B SWISS-BALL PISTON ALTERNATING CHEST PRESS
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
2A ALTERNATING BACKWARD LUNGE W/ ROTATION
SET: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 30 SEC. TEMPO: 302
2B SINGLE-LEG DUMBBELL DEADLIFT W/ROW
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
3A ALTERNATING FORWARD LUNGE W/ROTATION
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 30 SEC. TEMPO: 302
3B SWISS-BALL PISTON ALTERNATING ARNOLD PRESS
SETS: 4 REPS: 8-12 (EACH SIDE) REST: 60-90 SEC. TEMPO: 302
DIRECTIONS
FREQUENCY: Perform each workout once per week. resting at least a day between each session.
HOW TO DO IT: Follow the specific instructions for each workout below.
WORKOUT A (BODYBUILDING): Perform each pair of exercises (marked A and B) as alternating sets, resting 30 seconds after the first exercise in the pair and 60-90 seconds after the second one. (So you'll do one set of 1A, rest 30 seconds, then one set of 1B, rest 60-90 seconds, and so on for all the prescribed sets for that pair.) Afterward, move on to the next pair.
WORKOUTS B (POWERLIFTING) AND C (OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING): Perform each exercise as straight sets, completing all sets for one exercise before moving on to the next.
WEIGHT: For Workout A, use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions, plus one. for each set. Be careful not to go to failure. For Workout B. use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions. For Workout C, be conservative and start every exercise with a weight that you're sure allows you to complete every rep with maximum speed. You may want to start with an empty barbell, or a five- or 10-pound plate on each side.
TEMPO: The first digit is how many seconds you should take to lower the weight. The second digit is how long you should pause at the bottom (when your muscles are under the most tension). The third digit is how long you should take to lift the weight. A "O" means to move right to the next digit, and a tempo of "X" means to complete each rep as quickly as possible while controlling the weight.
WORKOUT B POWERLIFTING
1 SQUAT
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
2 DEADLIFT
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
3 DUMBBELL ALTERNATING LATERAL LUNGE
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 (EACH SIDE) REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
4 BENCH PRESS
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
5 WIDE-GRIP SEATED ROW
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
6 CROUCHING BARBELL SNATCH PRESS *
SETS: 3 REPS: 3-6 REST: 3-5 MIN. TEMPO: 212
* For the crouching barbell snatch press, perform a squat, and then, from the bottom position, press the bar overhead for three to six reps. That's one set.
WORKOUT OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
1 BARBELL CLEAN *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
2 SNATCH PULL *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
3 PUSH PRESS
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
4 ALTERNATING MEDICINE-BALL PLYO PUSHUP
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 (EACH SIDE) REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
5 MEDICINE-BALL DIAGONAL SLEDGEHAMMER *
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 (EACH SIDE) REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO: X
6 PRONE MEDICINE-BALL SOCCER THROW
SETS: 2-3 REPS: 3-5 REST: 4-5 MIN. TEMPO X
By Dave Difabio
Saturday, 7 April 2007
Arms Training By Stuart Core
Arms training vdo clips by Stuart Core very truly awesome bodybuilder from UK. Lets's check it out.
Real Team Work By Fedex - Click here for more free videos
2 chinese bodybuilders in Fedex commercial Advertise. also see in Thailand too.
Friday, 6 April 2007
Bodybuilding on the Go: Tips for Travelers
Face it-not everyone has the opportunity to devote 100% of his or her life to bodybuilding. Most people also have a career and family in their lives, which leads to lots of travel between business trips and family vacations. Even if you are in that small percentage of people who can be a full-time bodybuilder, you may want to travel for competition reasons. It's hard to stick to your diet and train during travel, but with a little extra work, you can continue to stay toned even if you travel of a regular basis.
Before you leave, hit the gym. Chances are that wherever you are staying, they do not have a weight room, or they will have limited equipment and irregular operating hours. Cardiovascular exercise is easy to do in most travel situations, but make sure you do an intense weight training session the day before or day that you leave. That way, some of your vacation time will be over your normal resting days anyway. When you get to your destination, check out the gym availability at your hotel.
Eating right during travel is probably going to be your biggest concern. If you're on vacation, its OK to splurge a little, but try to avoid eating excessive junk food and stick to your diet plan as much as possible. When going on long flights, remember that the little package of pretzels or peanuts they give you on the airplane is probably not going to be enough to hold you over until you land, especially since you should be used to eating small meals every few hours. Eat a slightly larger meal than normal right before you leave, and take some snacks with you. Good carry-ons include granola bars, dried fruit, and protein bars or shakes. Also bring your own water-you're likely to get one small glass of juice or water on the plane, but after that, you'll have to pay for whatever you need. Once you arrive, plan enough time to eat another slightly larger meal if necessary.
While on vacation, be smart. Scope out the nearest grocery market and stock up on healthy food options, especially if your hotel room has a microwave and refrigerator. When you go out to eat, remember to do everything in moderation. Cheating a little is fine, but try to stick to baked foods instead of fried foods. You're a bodybuilder, so you know what foods are good for you-stick to the plan and counteract any poor eating habits with extra cardiovascular workouts, such as running in the mornings before you begin your day's activities. By doing this, you can travel without sacrificing the months of hard work you've put in at the gym.
By : Tom Ambrozewicz
Before you leave, hit the gym. Chances are that wherever you are staying, they do not have a weight room, or they will have limited equipment and irregular operating hours. Cardiovascular exercise is easy to do in most travel situations, but make sure you do an intense weight training session the day before or day that you leave. That way, some of your vacation time will be over your normal resting days anyway. When you get to your destination, check out the gym availability at your hotel.
Eating right during travel is probably going to be your biggest concern. If you're on vacation, its OK to splurge a little, but try to avoid eating excessive junk food and stick to your diet plan as much as possible. When going on long flights, remember that the little package of pretzels or peanuts they give you on the airplane is probably not going to be enough to hold you over until you land, especially since you should be used to eating small meals every few hours. Eat a slightly larger meal than normal right before you leave, and take some snacks with you. Good carry-ons include granola bars, dried fruit, and protein bars or shakes. Also bring your own water-you're likely to get one small glass of juice or water on the plane, but after that, you'll have to pay for whatever you need. Once you arrive, plan enough time to eat another slightly larger meal if necessary.
While on vacation, be smart. Scope out the nearest grocery market and stock up on healthy food options, especially if your hotel room has a microwave and refrigerator. When you go out to eat, remember to do everything in moderation. Cheating a little is fine, but try to stick to baked foods instead of fried foods. You're a bodybuilder, so you know what foods are good for you-stick to the plan and counteract any poor eating habits with extra cardiovascular workouts, such as running in the mornings before you begin your day's activities. By doing this, you can travel without sacrificing the months of hard work you've put in at the gym.
By : Tom Ambrozewicz
Wednesday, 4 April 2007
To Gain Muscle, All Pros Do Only 1 Set
Every pro bodybuilder does only 1 set per exercise to failure to gain muscle mass.....whether they say so or not.
I'm going to answer one of the most asked, most contradicted questions about how to train to gain weight around:
"How many sets does it take to gain muscular size and development?"
Now, I'm referring to sets per exercise.
When you perform a set in a "certain" manner, with the correct amount of weight and for a very "specific" rep range, you will have induced the maximum growth in that muscle.
Anything above and beyond that is just a waste.
The problem today is that when you pick up any bodybuilding or weight gain magazine / book, they all recommend several sets per exercise.
Not only is this very misleading to us average, skinny "hardgainers", but when you see every top pro doing set after set after set, it's no wonder that 99.9% of the average weight training population feels that it takes many sets to get the job done.
Well, to get straight to my point, look very closely at how the pros train, not what they say.
An excellent example is Jay Cutler.
If you ever read his articles, Muscle-Tech ads, or watch his training dvds, you see he follows a very high volume, high set training routine.
He does anywhere from 15-25 sets per muscle!
So, anyone looking at that might say, "Jay's a beast. If he does a ton of sets, then so will I!".
Well, I want you to go and read for yourself an ad that's running in some of the mags, the one titled "A Legacy In The Making".
In there he discusses his training routine.
In there he says, quote, ".....Obviously, you can't train to failure on every set.
I try to put in 100% effort on the last set of each exercise.
For example, if I'm doing chest, I usually do a weight I can handle for 8 to 10 repetitions for 3 sets and maybe a forth set where I go all out........the fourth set is the only set where I go to failure."
So, if he is doing 4 sets for an exercise, the first 3 are pretty much a bunch of warm-ups.
Only the fourth and last set is the one where he goes all-out, 100%, to failure.
As a matter of fact, I remember reading in Muscular Development that he calls these first sets "feeler" sets.
Well, "feeler" sets have got nothing to do with gaining muscle mass, it just serves as a warm-up.
This is the same case with every other pro.
They may say they do 3, 4, 5 sets per exercise, but they only go all-out, to failure on the last set.
In other words...............1 set per exercise to failure.......the one and only set that puts the muscle weight gain wheels into motion.
Observe, my friend, real closely what people do, not what they say, because it can be very misleading.
You may read in an article in a mag and see an individual's training routine, usually inside of a box, containing the name of the exercise, the number of sets and reps.
Well, if you didn't know any better, you would assume that these guys are going all-out, to the max on each and every one of these sets.
That only leads to over-exhaustion, over-fatigue, and overtraining for you and I.
By Jonathan Perez
I'm going to answer one of the most asked, most contradicted questions about how to train to gain weight around:
"How many sets does it take to gain muscular size and development?"
Now, I'm referring to sets per exercise.
When you perform a set in a "certain" manner, with the correct amount of weight and for a very "specific" rep range, you will have induced the maximum growth in that muscle.
Anything above and beyond that is just a waste.
The problem today is that when you pick up any bodybuilding or weight gain magazine / book, they all recommend several sets per exercise.
Not only is this very misleading to us average, skinny "hardgainers", but when you see every top pro doing set after set after set, it's no wonder that 99.9% of the average weight training population feels that it takes many sets to get the job done.
Well, to get straight to my point, look very closely at how the pros train, not what they say.
An excellent example is Jay Cutler.
If you ever read his articles, Muscle-Tech ads, or watch his training dvds, you see he follows a very high volume, high set training routine.
He does anywhere from 15-25 sets per muscle!
So, anyone looking at that might say, "Jay's a beast. If he does a ton of sets, then so will I!".
Well, I want you to go and read for yourself an ad that's running in some of the mags, the one titled "A Legacy In The Making".
In there he discusses his training routine.
In there he says, quote, ".....Obviously, you can't train to failure on every set.
I try to put in 100% effort on the last set of each exercise.
For example, if I'm doing chest, I usually do a weight I can handle for 8 to 10 repetitions for 3 sets and maybe a forth set where I go all out........the fourth set is the only set where I go to failure."
So, if he is doing 4 sets for an exercise, the first 3 are pretty much a bunch of warm-ups.
Only the fourth and last set is the one where he goes all-out, 100%, to failure.
As a matter of fact, I remember reading in Muscular Development that he calls these first sets "feeler" sets.
Well, "feeler" sets have got nothing to do with gaining muscle mass, it just serves as a warm-up.
This is the same case with every other pro.
They may say they do 3, 4, 5 sets per exercise, but they only go all-out, to failure on the last set.
In other words...............1 set per exercise to failure.......the one and only set that puts the muscle weight gain wheels into motion.
Observe, my friend, real closely what people do, not what they say, because it can be very misleading.
You may read in an article in a mag and see an individual's training routine, usually inside of a box, containing the name of the exercise, the number of sets and reps.
Well, if you didn't know any better, you would assume that these guys are going all-out, to the max on each and every one of these sets.
That only leads to over-exhaustion, over-fatigue, and overtraining for you and I.
By Jonathan Perez
Wednesday, 13 December 2006
Thursday, 7 December 2006
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