Strength and Physique

Q:  Silly question, I know: Are you the guy we used to (flatteringly) call "Mr. Dips?" If so, you look very different now.  Please describe your training methodology! What kind of lifts do your workouts consist of? -Robert My Answer: I don't recall anybody calling me "Mr. Dips" to my face, but I did do a lot of dips when I used to workout at the gym in my early years.  And I have lost a lot of muscle mass since I've stopped eating like a bodybuilder, because I just don't have the appetite anymore.  I prefer to maintain a trim and tone physique built on wiry strength.  What gym did you train with this "Mr. Dips" anyway? I was always a skinny dude, so I started weight training to get some size.  I ended up getting a thick chest, back, thighs and shoulders, but my arms were lagging behind.  So I added dips to gain some triceps size.  I worked on dips at least once a week. Eventually I got to a point where I could strap a 100 dum...

Hi James! I found your Hypertrophy Program for Ectomorphs article in Bodybulding.com. What abdominal and cardio workout would you recommend for this program. Thanks! Edgar My Answer: Both ab exercises and cardio are very taxing for the ectomorph, and they are taxing for very different reasons. Ab exercises work your nervous system pretty hard, since there are a huge bundle of nerves in the abdominal area. So you're likely to overtrain if you include too much ab work. The ectomorph has to avoid overtraining, so that he doesn't compromise his growth. Besides, if you're an ectomorph, then you should have a thin waist anyway that's going to be worked indirectly by squats. But if you must do an ab exercise, then do some hanging leg raises: As far as cardio, it will overtrain you metabolically. If you're an ectomorph and already skinny, then why waste your recuperative abilities doing cardio? Your goal isn't fat loss, it's muscle building. But if you ...