"Hello coach,
"I'm a fan of your blog, and I have the same 'thinking' about working out, etc. The Shotgun Method is one I really enjoyed, but since I'm in a fat loss mode, I did a few changes last week. It was a lot of volume, but I'm wondering what you think of that split? I mixed the shotgun with your Warrior Workout for fat loss:
Monday = Warrior Workout
Tuesday = Shotgun
Wednesday = Warrior Workout
Thursday = off
Friday = Warrior Workout
Saturday = Shotgun
Sunday = off
"Don't know if it's crazy, but on the scale I lost 3 pounds. Thanks and keep up the good work!"
Danny, the Rampage
My Answer: Well, Rampage, I'm not fond of blending 2 different training programs. The reason is that if the training programs have different goals, then your body gets confused and you do a crappy job at accomplishing those multiple goals. But if what you're doing works for you, then stay with it for no longer than 3 weeks and then back off.
Besides, the Shotgun Method is already a blending of 2 different training programs: one focused on bulking (Shotgun) and one focused on symmetry (Troubleshooting). Since the Professional Warrior workout addresses multiple training goals for law enforcement, it also is a blending of different training programs.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Online Training?
"Do you believe that overhead squats are useful for hypertrophy? I started the Shotgun Method and was wondering if you feel that this excercise is effective for that."
Thanks,
Norm
My Answer: No, I don't find it effective for hypertrophy or for a shotgun movement. Due to strength imbalances and/or flexibility issues, most people cannot do the overhead squat with enough weight to incur hypertrophy or even an anabolic response from their bodies. When it comes to methods to accomplish a goal, most of the time simplicity is best. This is especially true of exercises. I find that if a client cannot pick up a new exercise within 5 minutes of instruction, then it's best to abandon it and move on to something else that is user friendly. The overhead squat is not a corrective exercise, it is an indicative exercise. What this means is that practicing the overhead squat will not add that much to your strength and flexibility, but demonstrating it does show how lacking you are in certain areas.
"Thanks for the crosswiring program. I bought the book this second time to give to a friend, but the free program was definitely a deciding factor. Anyway, I have a million questions for you that could fill up your blog for at least a month. Since we're both busy guys I'll keep it short. I'm making good gains from following your programs, and I follow them very strictly, but what is the best way, or program, to put on mass for someone who is extremely ectomorphic? Also, what is carb cycling? Did I pass that up in the book, and would it be effective in gaining mass for me? Finally, you say that no one should ask a trainer for a program without paying for it, but do you have a Paypal account or something where I could transfer funds to? I would definitely buy programs from you. E-training could be a successful business venture.
"I check the blog daily, I follow the rest periods in your programs precisely with my iPod stopwatch, and I think your book is so good that I'm giving it to a friend. I'm like your biggest fan! Once again, keep up the good work."
Thanks,
Mike
My Answer: Glad you like my stuff, Mike. Somehow I pictured Kathy Bates when you said, "I'm like your biggest fan!" Just kidding dude. I really do appreciate the feedback that I get from you and everyone else. To answer your question, yes I have thought about online training, but I'm not venturing into it just yet. The thing that drove me to write a book was that I wanted to share bodybuilding knowledge with everybody who had serious discipline. Because I'm busy and my time is limited, I can only train so many people. A book and blog can reach anyone in the world, even when I'm at work, asleep or enjoying time with family and friends.
The problem with a book and blog is that the advice I give is limited by the medium. Learning from a book or from words or images on the internet is not the same as getting personally trained. I can visually assess your posture and form on exercises and have you make adjustments in a second. I can demonstrate new and unusual exercises in person, but when written down, there's no guarantee the reader will pick up the exercise, because I'm not there to assess and correct the lifter's form.
In other words, I don't want to venture into online training just yet, because I don't want to compromise service to you, the client. It may be something I do later on, when I have the time to devote to making it the best online training possible. I have thought about creating a DVD, because there are bodybuilding exercises that are relatively unknown. But we'll see. I'll have to devote time and effort to learning how to shoot and edit or to have someone else do it for me.
Now as far as your question for mass building for ectomorphs, I may just write up an article on that topic. I'll keep you guys posted.
Thanks,
Norm
My Answer: No, I don't find it effective for hypertrophy or for a shotgun movement. Due to strength imbalances and/or flexibility issues, most people cannot do the overhead squat with enough weight to incur hypertrophy or even an anabolic response from their bodies. When it comes to methods to accomplish a goal, most of the time simplicity is best. This is especially true of exercises. I find that if a client cannot pick up a new exercise within 5 minutes of instruction, then it's best to abandon it and move on to something else that is user friendly. The overhead squat is not a corrective exercise, it is an indicative exercise. What this means is that practicing the overhead squat will not add that much to your strength and flexibility, but demonstrating it does show how lacking you are in certain areas.
"Thanks for the crosswiring program. I bought the book this second time to give to a friend, but the free program was definitely a deciding factor. Anyway, I have a million questions for you that could fill up your blog for at least a month. Since we're both busy guys I'll keep it short. I'm making good gains from following your programs, and I follow them very strictly, but what is the best way, or program, to put on mass for someone who is extremely ectomorphic? Also, what is carb cycling? Did I pass that up in the book, and would it be effective in gaining mass for me? Finally, you say that no one should ask a trainer for a program without paying for it, but do you have a Paypal account or something where I could transfer funds to? I would definitely buy programs from you. E-training could be a successful business venture.
"I check the blog daily, I follow the rest periods in your programs precisely with my iPod stopwatch, and I think your book is so good that I'm giving it to a friend. I'm like your biggest fan! Once again, keep up the good work."
Thanks,
Mike
My Answer: Glad you like my stuff, Mike. Somehow I pictured Kathy Bates when you said, "I'm like your biggest fan!" Just kidding dude. I really do appreciate the feedback that I get from you and everyone else. To answer your question, yes I have thought about online training, but I'm not venturing into it just yet. The thing that drove me to write a book was that I wanted to share bodybuilding knowledge with everybody who had serious discipline. Because I'm busy and my time is limited, I can only train so many people. A book and blog can reach anyone in the world, even when I'm at work, asleep or enjoying time with family and friends.
The problem with a book and blog is that the advice I give is limited by the medium. Learning from a book or from words or images on the internet is not the same as getting personally trained. I can visually assess your posture and form on exercises and have you make adjustments in a second. I can demonstrate new and unusual exercises in person, but when written down, there's no guarantee the reader will pick up the exercise, because I'm not there to assess and correct the lifter's form.
In other words, I don't want to venture into online training just yet, because I don't want to compromise service to you, the client. It may be something I do later on, when I have the time to devote to making it the best online training possible. I have thought about creating a DVD, because there are bodybuilding exercises that are relatively unknown. But we'll see. I'll have to devote time and effort to learning how to shoot and edit or to have someone else do it for me.
Now as far as your question for mass building for ectomorphs, I may just write up an article on that topic. I'll keep you guys posted.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Answers to Yesterday's Quiz
So which is healthier: Regular coffee or decaffeinated? Believe it or not, regular coffee is actually healthier for you than decaf. Why? Because decaffeination does 2 things: it removes a lot of the antioxidants and the decaffeination process leaves behind chemicals which have been known to cause cancer. Unless you're prone to tremors and hypertension, regular coffee has lots of health benefits: lots of antioxidants, you're less prone to kidney stones, it offers some protection against the onset of Alzheimer's and you have more sex (I'm not kidding). If you really want to maximize the health benefits and minimize the risks with regular coffee, then go for organic coffee and limit your intake to 1-2 servings early in the day.
So which is healthier: a hot dog or a hamburger? It all depends on how you make your hamburger, of course. But if we're just talking about real ground beef (not McDonald's soy/thousand cow blend), then a hamburger would be healthier than a hot dog. The hot dog is made up of all sorts of miscellaneous cow parts and preservatives. Ground beef is just beef ground up. There is less of a process involved with ground beef as opposed to hot dogs. Ground beef (without the buns) was actually a staple in bodybuilding diets in the old days when they followed low carb (before even Atkin's himself). If you can, then go for ground beef from a grass fed cow. Grass fed beef has a better omega 3 to omega 6 ratio.
So which is healthier: tofu or edmamame snaps? If you don't know, edmamame snaps are those green pea pods (soybeans) served as appetizers at Japanese restaurants. There has been a lot of controversy of the health risks of soy. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that soy not only adversely affects male hormones (converting testosterone to estrogen) but infant development (no soy formulas please) as well as cognitive function late in life. Soy does have a lot of health benefits, but it is better to have edamame snaps instead of tofu. Edamame is soybean in it's natural state. Tofu is soybean after a long and lengthy process. If you learn one thing about healthy eating, it is this: don't fuck with mother nature, or she'll pay you back in spades. Tofu is concentrated soy, so the health risks that come with soy are more pronounced with tofu and other processed soy products.
So now that you know my philosophy of food (the less of a process, the healthier it is), the rest of the questions should be easy to figure out:
Roast chicken over fried chicken. Aside from the frying, fried chicken is less healthy due to the extra carbs in the batter.
T-bone steak over roast beef deli meat. A steak is just a slab of meat. Roast beef slices are cured and has preservatives.
An orange over orange juice. Eat your fruit, don't drink it. Drinking fruit juice will elevate your insulin levels and an overactive pancreas will age you.
Of all the readers who sent in their answers, one reader got the highest score: Congratulations, Kevin Lee! You got 5 out of 6. You obviously read my book!
So which is healthier: a hot dog or a hamburger? It all depends on how you make your hamburger, of course. But if we're just talking about real ground beef (not McDonald's soy/thousand cow blend), then a hamburger would be healthier than a hot dog. The hot dog is made up of all sorts of miscellaneous cow parts and preservatives. Ground beef is just beef ground up. There is less of a process involved with ground beef as opposed to hot dogs. Ground beef (without the buns) was actually a staple in bodybuilding diets in the old days when they followed low carb (before even Atkin's himself). If you can, then go for ground beef from a grass fed cow. Grass fed beef has a better omega 3 to omega 6 ratio.
So which is healthier: tofu or edmamame snaps? If you don't know, edmamame snaps are those green pea pods (soybeans) served as appetizers at Japanese restaurants. There has been a lot of controversy of the health risks of soy. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that soy not only adversely affects male hormones (converting testosterone to estrogen) but infant development (no soy formulas please) as well as cognitive function late in life. Soy does have a lot of health benefits, but it is better to have edamame snaps instead of tofu. Edamame is soybean in it's natural state. Tofu is soybean after a long and lengthy process. If you learn one thing about healthy eating, it is this: don't fuck with mother nature, or she'll pay you back in spades. Tofu is concentrated soy, so the health risks that come with soy are more pronounced with tofu and other processed soy products.
So now that you know my philosophy of food (the less of a process, the healthier it is), the rest of the questions should be easy to figure out:
Roast chicken over fried chicken. Aside from the frying, fried chicken is less healthy due to the extra carbs in the batter.
T-bone steak over roast beef deli meat. A steak is just a slab of meat. Roast beef slices are cured and has preservatives.
An orange over orange juice. Eat your fruit, don't drink it. Drinking fruit juice will elevate your insulin levels and an overactive pancreas will age you.
Of all the readers who sent in their answers, one reader got the highest score: Congratulations, Kevin Lee! You got 5 out of 6. You obviously read my book!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Pop Quiz, Hot Shot!
So here's a little game I play with my clients. It's a quiz that helps you think about good food choices. I'll provide the answers at a later date.
Which is healthier?
Regular coffee or decaffeinated coffee?
Hot dog or hamburger?
Tofu or edamame snaps?
Roast chicken or fried chicken?
Roast beef or a T-bone steak?
An orange or orange juice?
If you've read my book, then you know why certain choices are better than others. Like I said, I'll provide the answers at a later date. In the meantime readers, I just wanted to give you a heads up on the free offer: IT'S OVER. I was dead serious when I said that the free workout program was for a limited time. To those who bought my book recently from Lulu: thanks and enjoy the unique program!
Which is healthier?
Regular coffee or decaffeinated coffee?
Hot dog or hamburger?
Tofu or edamame snaps?
Roast chicken or fried chicken?
Roast beef or a T-bone steak?
An orange or orange juice?
If you've read my book, then you know why certain choices are better than others. Like I said, I'll provide the answers at a later date. In the meantime readers, I just wanted to give you a heads up on the free offer: IT'S OVER. I was dead serious when I said that the free workout program was for a limited time. To those who bought my book recently from Lulu: thanks and enjoy the unique program!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Training 3 Days A Week
"I have one short question: I work out 3 times a week in a gym. 3 times, because I just don't have more time. My days are full, so I would like to ask you for advice on how to plan workouts and workout cycles to get the most out of it? I have been working out for 2 years now, but I just can't find a good system for a 3 day workout. My goal is to get as much muscle as possible but not big mass. So I always follow my diet, and I am careful not to get too much fat. But finding a good 3 day system is always hard for me, so please if you have any advice for me, help me!"
-RoLe
My Answer: Jeez, don't be so needy Ro. Anyway, if you only have 3 days a week, then do full body workouts 3 days a week. Each has to be a different workout, however, with different exercises and different rep schemes. Here, give this a shot. Cycle through these rep ranges throughout the week:
Workout #1: 8-10 reps
Workout #2: 6-8 reps
Workout #3: 4-6 reps
For each workout, just do one exercise per body part. Rotate your exercises from workout to workout. You newbies want to do everything in one workout, when you should spread everything out over the course of a week. If you're really interested in program design, then buy my book. It has a couple chapters on program design, split routines and exercise selection.
-RoLe
My Answer: Jeez, don't be so needy Ro. Anyway, if you only have 3 days a week, then do full body workouts 3 days a week. Each has to be a different workout, however, with different exercises and different rep schemes. Here, give this a shot. Cycle through these rep ranges throughout the week:
Workout #1: 8-10 reps
Workout #2: 6-8 reps
Workout #3: 4-6 reps
For each workout, just do one exercise per body part. Rotate your exercises from workout to workout. You newbies want to do everything in one workout, when you should spread everything out over the course of a week. If you're really interested in program design, then buy my book. It has a couple chapters on program design, split routines and exercise selection.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Questions on Strength Training for Fat Loss and the Professional Warrior
"I checked your Build a Bigger Engine article, which is kind of perfect timing, since I'm in cutting phase right now. I have to say I've always been very happy with weightlifting sessions based on short rest periods and lactic acid when it comes to fat loss. I was just wondering if it wasn't necessary to keep a couple heavy session a week (4-6 reps) to maintain strength and muscle mass? Some coaches, such as Christian Thibaudeau for instance, recommend that. What if I did two sessions with heavy loads (with some light cardio in the end) and two sessions of your routine each week?"
-Mathieu
My Answer: You can certainly do that, Mathieu, but let me make an observation: judging from your pics, you're pretty lean and wiry already. I would actually recommend that you don't follow the Bigger Engine program and just do heavy load workouts to thicken up and get more muscular density. You can still do the cardio after. The whole thing about bodybuilding is knowing when to pull back on your strong points and when to bring up lagging points concerning your physique. It all depends on your physique goal of course.
"Mr. Chan, I just started the Law Enforcement workout from BodyBuilding.com. I am a 40 year old State Trooper. I noticed that the workout states week 1 & 2 are for density. Weeks 4 & 5 are for decompression. What do I do for week 3? Also I don't have any kettle balls at the gym I go to. What exercise could replace the gironda swing with? I appreciate any help you can give a fellow brother."
-Trooper Brent Meadows #68
My Answer: Whoops. That's a typo, Week 3 and 4 constitute the decompression phase. There is no Week 5. This is what happens when you write an article after graveyard shift. Anyway, if you don't have a kettlebell, then you can skip the kettlebell swing. Just do Gironda swings with a pair of dumbbells.
-Mathieu
My Answer: You can certainly do that, Mathieu, but let me make an observation: judging from your pics, you're pretty lean and wiry already. I would actually recommend that you don't follow the Bigger Engine program and just do heavy load workouts to thicken up and get more muscular density. You can still do the cardio after. The whole thing about bodybuilding is knowing when to pull back on your strong points and when to bring up lagging points concerning your physique. It all depends on your physique goal of course.
"Mr. Chan, I just started the Law Enforcement workout from BodyBuilding.com. I am a 40 year old State Trooper. I noticed that the workout states week 1 & 2 are for density. Weeks 4 & 5 are for decompression. What do I do for week 3? Also I don't have any kettle balls at the gym I go to. What exercise could replace the gironda swing with? I appreciate any help you can give a fellow brother."
-Trooper Brent Meadows #68
My Answer: Whoops. That's a typo, Week 3 and 4 constitute the decompression phase. There is no Week 5. This is what happens when you write an article after graveyard shift. Anyway, if you don't have a kettlebell, then you can skip the kettlebell swing. Just do Gironda swings with a pair of dumbbells.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Can You Write Me A Program?
"I'm currently on my second year in PA for criminal justice. I want to be a cop. I was on bodybuilding.com and recently tried two of your workouts for back and arms, and I really liked them. I was wondering if by any chance you would give me a workout schedule for my full body. I know you more than likely get paid to give out such advice, but I figured I'd ask anyways."
Thanks for your time,
Brandon
My Answer: Glad you like the workouts, Brandon. And you're correct, I do get paid for such advice. If you've checked out my articles at Bodybuilding.com, then you should have already seen my Training for the Professional Warrior article. Since you're looking to be a cop and looking for a freebie, give that a shot.
Boy, I've been getting a lot of these emails lately. "Can you write me a program?" Let's establish this for all readers out there: do not ask for a free individualized program unless you plan to pay for it. This is not just me, but for ALL TRAINERS. You're essentially asking them to work for free, when there is no guarantee that you are going to stick with the program. Asking questions on topics that you have done your homework on is one thing, but asking a trainer to sit down, design and write out a program based on vague and general goals (i.e. "How do I lose weight?") is not cool.
A lot of trainers have plenty of articles and books out there, chock full of information. Use the information in the articles. If you like your results, then buy their books. Show some support. By the way, did I mention that I have a book?
On a related note, I've also had countless people approach me say they want to train with me and that they want to lose weight, get buff, whatever. They say they have the discipline and drive and that they won't waste your time. But after one to three workouts and when they cheat on their diet, it becomes very apparent that they had no clue how difficult it would be. I'm a very observant person, and I never listen to what somebody says they are, or what they were, or what they do or what they will do. You either do or you don't, and that speaks volumes to me. I hate it when people are not honest with themselves, and this isn't just training, but people in general.
But rather than vent, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge people who have lent their support to this blog or bought my book or stuck with me from the beginning (and now have a hot bod to show for it). These guys not just bought my book, but took the time to promote me as well. Half of these people I know personally, and the other half I've never met. That tells you about the kindness of people all over the world.
Sandra Ponce de Leon
Dennis Toomer
Guzman Chan
Mathieu Zagrodzki
Bob Vastine
Kevin Lee
Jason Griffiths
Brandan Tang
Thanks, guys!
And of course, my wife. If I didn't meet her, then everything in my life wouldn't have happened and I'd probably be a drunk lying in the gutter right now.
Thanks for your time,
Brandon
My Answer: Glad you like the workouts, Brandon. And you're correct, I do get paid for such advice. If you've checked out my articles at Bodybuilding.com, then you should have already seen my Training for the Professional Warrior article. Since you're looking to be a cop and looking for a freebie, give that a shot.
Boy, I've been getting a lot of these emails lately. "Can you write me a program?" Let's establish this for all readers out there: do not ask for a free individualized program unless you plan to pay for it. This is not just me, but for ALL TRAINERS. You're essentially asking them to work for free, when there is no guarantee that you are going to stick with the program. Asking questions on topics that you have done your homework on is one thing, but asking a trainer to sit down, design and write out a program based on vague and general goals (i.e. "How do I lose weight?") is not cool.
A lot of trainers have plenty of articles and books out there, chock full of information. Use the information in the articles. If you like your results, then buy their books. Show some support. By the way, did I mention that I have a book?
On a related note, I've also had countless people approach me say they want to train with me and that they want to lose weight, get buff, whatever. They say they have the discipline and drive and that they won't waste your time. But after one to three workouts and when they cheat on their diet, it becomes very apparent that they had no clue how difficult it would be. I'm a very observant person, and I never listen to what somebody says they are, or what they were, or what they do or what they will do. You either do or you don't, and that speaks volumes to me. I hate it when people are not honest with themselves, and this isn't just training, but people in general.
But rather than vent, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge people who have lent their support to this blog or bought my book or stuck with me from the beginning (and now have a hot bod to show for it). These guys not just bought my book, but took the time to promote me as well. Half of these people I know personally, and the other half I've never met. That tells you about the kindness of people all over the world.
Sandra Ponce de Leon
Dennis Toomer
Guzman Chan
Mathieu Zagrodzki
Bob Vastine
Kevin Lee
Jason Griffiths
Brandan Tang
Thanks, guys!
And of course, my wife. If I didn't meet her, then everything in my life wouldn't have happened and I'd probably be a drunk lying in the gutter right now.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Increasing Your Pull-ups
"My name is Johann, and I am about 17 years old. Training for athletic ability has always been my main thing. I really just started training for muscular development. My main thing is strength, power and endurance for all parts of the body. I read your article on shocking your back, and it really helps as far as I can tell. My back and torso are of fair size for my age, but even with all of the training it has so far, your workout has made it more sore then it has been for at least a few years. To cut directly to the point: what is the best way for me to increase the total number of pull-up reps? Right now I can only do 35, but I would like to break the 100 mark by at least next year, if that is even possible. Just wondering."
Respectfully,
Johann
P.S. Thanks again for that back article
My Answer: Well, Johann, there are a lot of different techniques proposed by various strength experts as to how to increase pull-up rep totals. I must say that 35 reps is pretty damn good, but I'm curious as to how you're doing the pull-ups. At your age with that many pull-ups, I wouldn't be surprised if you have a gymnastics background.
A lot of people think they're doing continuous full on pull-ups, when they're not. They kip, meaning they kick their legs and jerk their bodies up. They do half reps, meaning they don't dead hang and straighten out their arms at the bottom. And get this: for the Guiness Book of World Records, you're allowed to dismount as often as you'd like.
The 3 most popular methods of increasing pull-ups are:
1) Cumulative Reps- Also known as "ladders" among Pavel followers. The way it works is you do 1 pull-up, dismount, rest for 10 seconds, do 2 reps, dismount, rest for 10 seconds, do 3 reps... and so on and so forth until you don't reach the target rep. So if you were supposed to do7 reps on the 7th set, but you only did 5, then you would stop and rest for a few minutes and start over at 1 rep.
I have never found this method to be that effective. Lightweight slow-twitch freaks work well with this approach, but fast-twitch monsters (like myself) suck at this approach and do not increase their rep totals.
2) High Frequency Training- Do as many pull-ups as you can SHORT OF FAILURE, as often as you can. In other words, do one set of pull-ups every hour on the hour throughout the day. If you can't do this, because you have a life, then do one set in the morning and one set in the afternoon and do this every day. DO NOT GO TO FAILURE. If your pull-ups start to slow down, then it is time to stop. This is a good method if you have a home pull-up station.
3) Adding Weight- Because I'm designed more for power, this one is my favorite approach. It seems counterintuitive, but if you strap on weight and focus on low reps (4-6), then you'll increase your repetitions when you go back to simple bodyweight only pull-ups.
There is a 4th method which is not that popular (because it's hard) and this involves doing harder versions of the pull-up and chin-up. So when you go back to conventional pull-ups, they become quite easy. Here are a couple that I like:
Sternum Chin-ups
Mixed grip Chinups- This is a precursor to one arm chin-ups and will give you good biceps development.
Respectfully,
Johann
P.S. Thanks again for that back article
My Answer: Well, Johann, there are a lot of different techniques proposed by various strength experts as to how to increase pull-up rep totals. I must say that 35 reps is pretty damn good, but I'm curious as to how you're doing the pull-ups. At your age with that many pull-ups, I wouldn't be surprised if you have a gymnastics background.
A lot of people think they're doing continuous full on pull-ups, when they're not. They kip, meaning they kick their legs and jerk their bodies up. They do half reps, meaning they don't dead hang and straighten out their arms at the bottom. And get this: for the Guiness Book of World Records, you're allowed to dismount as often as you'd like.
The 3 most popular methods of increasing pull-ups are:
1) Cumulative Reps- Also known as "ladders" among Pavel followers. The way it works is you do 1 pull-up, dismount, rest for 10 seconds, do 2 reps, dismount, rest for 10 seconds, do 3 reps... and so on and so forth until you don't reach the target rep. So if you were supposed to do7 reps on the 7th set, but you only did 5, then you would stop and rest for a few minutes and start over at 1 rep.
I have never found this method to be that effective. Lightweight slow-twitch freaks work well with this approach, but fast-twitch monsters (like myself) suck at this approach and do not increase their rep totals.
2) High Frequency Training- Do as many pull-ups as you can SHORT OF FAILURE, as often as you can. In other words, do one set of pull-ups every hour on the hour throughout the day. If you can't do this, because you have a life, then do one set in the morning and one set in the afternoon and do this every day. DO NOT GO TO FAILURE. If your pull-ups start to slow down, then it is time to stop. This is a good method if you have a home pull-up station.
3) Adding Weight- Because I'm designed more for power, this one is my favorite approach. It seems counterintuitive, but if you strap on weight and focus on low reps (4-6), then you'll increase your repetitions when you go back to simple bodyweight only pull-ups.
There is a 4th method which is not that popular (because it's hard) and this involves doing harder versions of the pull-up and chin-up. So when you go back to conventional pull-ups, they become quite easy. Here are a couple that I like:
Sternum Chin-ups
Mixed grip Chinups- This is a precursor to one arm chin-ups and will give you good biceps development.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Back Exercises Other Than Pull-ups
"Hello, just a quick question and a bit of advice required here: I'm in the middle of the gulf on deployment with the royal navy, and our gym is fairly limited when it comes to back exercises. We only have dumbbells, a bench, and a load of different bars. Could you put a decent back workout together for me please? The rest of my training is coming on well, but I'm stuck with what to do for my back. It would be much appreciated."
Thanks,
ETME1 Rastall
HMS Chatham
My Answer: Good to hear from a member of the Royal Navy. Send my regards to the Queen. Anyway, Rastall, you don't have a pull-up station of some sort? When it comes to hypertrophy, the back is the one muscle group that relies mostly on pull-ups, chinups and cable machines. I differ from most strength trainers, because I don't recommend dumbbells or barbells for back development. Dumbbells and barbells for the back aren't very effective for hypertrophy when compared to pull-ups/chin-ups, cable pulldowns or seated cable rows.
There are a multitude of reasons for this. For example, barbell rows suck as a back exercise, because your nerve force is split between isometrically contracting your lower back and hamstrings and rowing the barbell. You end up working a multitude of body parts and not very well. A great overall body exercise, but not a very good back exercise.
To get around this, trainers recommend one arm dumbbell rows on the bench. But even then, the stretch that you get from dumbbell rows pales in comparison to the stretch you get from lat bar pulldowns. Stretching the lats is a key factor in back development.
You can always do dumbbell pullovers to stretch the lats, but it's just not the same as a pull-up for size and strength.
Bottom line: dumbbells and barbells are great for back thickness, but not back width. Do the above exercises for now until you have access to a pull-up station or cable machine.
Thanks,
ETME1 Rastall
HMS Chatham
My Answer: Good to hear from a member of the Royal Navy. Send my regards to the Queen. Anyway, Rastall, you don't have a pull-up station of some sort? When it comes to hypertrophy, the back is the one muscle group that relies mostly on pull-ups, chinups and cable machines. I differ from most strength trainers, because I don't recommend dumbbells or barbells for back development. Dumbbells and barbells for the back aren't very effective for hypertrophy when compared to pull-ups/chin-ups, cable pulldowns or seated cable rows.
There are a multitude of reasons for this. For example, barbell rows suck as a back exercise, because your nerve force is split between isometrically contracting your lower back and hamstrings and rowing the barbell. You end up working a multitude of body parts and not very well. A great overall body exercise, but not a very good back exercise.
To get around this, trainers recommend one arm dumbbell rows on the bench. But even then, the stretch that you get from dumbbell rows pales in comparison to the stretch you get from lat bar pulldowns. Stretching the lats is a key factor in back development.
You can always do dumbbell pullovers to stretch the lats, but it's just not the same as a pull-up for size and strength.
Bottom line: dumbbells and barbells are great for back thickness, but not back width. Do the above exercises for now until you have access to a pull-up station or cable machine.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Questions on Wingspan Workouts and the Shotgun Method
Question #1:
"Hi, I read one of your articles (Wingspan Workouts), and there were 4 techniques you mentioned. The question is am I supposed to employ all 4 techniques or just one of them? I don't think it's impossible to employ all of the 4 because of the last part. Share with me what you think and thank you for your time. :)"
-Moon
My Answer: No, Moon, you don't do all four techniques in one workout. THAT WOULD BE CRAZY! Each technique would be a separate workout. Hence the name of the article: Wingspan Workouts. A lot of bodybuilding newbies have your mentality, which is this: let's include every exercise, technique and the kitchen sink in one workout. If you put everything into one workout, then that is a surefire way to overtrain and induce clinical depression. I'm serious.
I don't blame you for having this mentality, because muscle mags show pro bodybuilders using this everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach. But I don't need to point out that those guys use steroids. They purposely traumatize their muscles, because they've got the juice to recover and build muscle quickly. Hell, look through Arnold's encyclopedia and you'll find he trained 6 days a week, twice a day, with at least 4 exercises per bodypart.
For us mere mortals, however, we need to train a lot more conservatively, but still push our muscles to the limit. But because we're training naturally (at least I am, I don't know about you, Moon) our limit is much lower than some dude on steroids. What you should do is rotate through all 4 Wingspan Workouts during a 2 week period. Do some active recovery workouts in between if you need to. This will push your body to the limit and force it to grow, but it will also give you some time for your body to recover between workouts.
Question #2: "Hello,I wanted to give the Shotgun Method a try, but I was wondering how would this look for my two shotgun days:
Day 1
SNATCH
PULLUPS
DEADLIFTS
Day 2
CLEAN AND JERK or PRESS
INCLINE PRESS
SQUAT or OVERHEAD SQUAT
I was also wondering due to my work schedule, children, etc. if this could work having Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday as my training days."
Thanks,
Norm
My Answer: Exercises look fine. Schedule looks fine.
"Hi, I read one of your articles (Wingspan Workouts), and there were 4 techniques you mentioned. The question is am I supposed to employ all 4 techniques or just one of them? I don't think it's impossible to employ all of the 4 because of the last part. Share with me what you think and thank you for your time. :)"
-Moon
My Answer: No, Moon, you don't do all four techniques in one workout. THAT WOULD BE CRAZY! Each technique would be a separate workout. Hence the name of the article: Wingspan Workouts. A lot of bodybuilding newbies have your mentality, which is this: let's include every exercise, technique and the kitchen sink in one workout. If you put everything into one workout, then that is a surefire way to overtrain and induce clinical depression. I'm serious.
I don't blame you for having this mentality, because muscle mags show pro bodybuilders using this everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach. But I don't need to point out that those guys use steroids. They purposely traumatize their muscles, because they've got the juice to recover and build muscle quickly. Hell, look through Arnold's encyclopedia and you'll find he trained 6 days a week, twice a day, with at least 4 exercises per bodypart.
For us mere mortals, however, we need to train a lot more conservatively, but still push our muscles to the limit. But because we're training naturally (at least I am, I don't know about you, Moon) our limit is much lower than some dude on steroids. What you should do is rotate through all 4 Wingspan Workouts during a 2 week period. Do some active recovery workouts in between if you need to. This will push your body to the limit and force it to grow, but it will also give you some time for your body to recover between workouts.
Question #2: "Hello,I wanted to give the Shotgun Method a try, but I was wondering how would this look for my two shotgun days:
Day 1
SNATCH
PULLUPS
DEADLIFTS
Day 2
CLEAN AND JERK or PRESS
INCLINE PRESS
SQUAT or OVERHEAD SQUAT
I was also wondering due to my work schedule, children, etc. if this could work having Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday as my training days."
Thanks,
Norm
My Answer: Exercises look fine. Schedule looks fine.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
New Article: Strength Training for Fat Loss
A quick note: check out my latest article at Mind and Muscle. It goes over strength training for fat loss. Take a look: Building a Bigger Engine
Also, another reminder: if you have an Amazon.com account, then post a review of my book. Much obliged!
In the meantime, check out these bicep exercises that I used (back in my day as a recreational bodybuilder) to obtain biceps peak:
Lying Cable Curls
Here's one where you can practice your double biceps pose and get a good workout: High Cable Curls
Also, another reminder: if you have an Amazon.com account, then post a review of my book. Much obliged!
In the meantime, check out these bicep exercises that I used (back in my day as a recreational bodybuilder) to obtain biceps peak:
Lying Cable Curls
Here's one where you can practice your double biceps pose and get a good workout: High Cable Curls
Sunday, June 1, 2008
V-taper, Cardio, Size and Strength
"First of all, I would like to compliment you on the Shotgun Method article! I plan to apply for the position of a police officer, and I'm having trouble finding a training regimen that incorporates: v-taper, cardio, size, and strength. If you could find time out of your day to email me your take or a training regimen, that would be awesome."
Thanks,
Shawn H.
My Answer: Glad you like the article, Shawn. The Shotgun Method is an excellent template on which you can design a strength program to address all your issues: size and strength exercises on shotgun days, v-taper exercises on troubleshooting days. Do some sprint intervals for cardio. But if you haven't checked it out already, then read my Strength Training for the Professional Warrior article. It addresses all of the issues you mentioned. Keep in mind, though, that police academies don't give a rat's ass about your V-taper or your size and strength.
By the way, Shawn, don't ask a trainer to give you a program unless you plan to pay for it.
Thanks,
Shawn H.
My Answer: Glad you like the article, Shawn. The Shotgun Method is an excellent template on which you can design a strength program to address all your issues: size and strength exercises on shotgun days, v-taper exercises on troubleshooting days. Do some sprint intervals for cardio. But if you haven't checked it out already, then read my Strength Training for the Professional Warrior article. It addresses all of the issues you mentioned. Keep in mind, though, that police academies don't give a rat's ass about your V-taper or your size and strength.
By the way, Shawn, don't ask a trainer to give you a program unless you plan to pay for it.
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