Strength and Physique

Hello, I’m a 34 (soon to be 35) year old looking to gain muscle and weight. Although I eat a lot, (at least I think I do) I’ve been at 145-150 lbs for as long as I can remember. I saw your article on Bodybuilding.com and would like to give it a try. My only question with the pyramid program is: Do I change the weight for each rep? In other words, do I lift the weight 10 times with a certain weight and then 8 times with another weight, and so on and so forth? Or, do I find a weight that I can lift 15 times and do all sets with that weight? Any help would be appreciated. - M. Palacios My Answer: Yes, adjust the weight according to the repetitions. Adjust the weight so that you come close to failure at each target rep.

Charles Poliquin talks about why you store fat in certain places and how it is an indicator of your hormonal profile.

The other day my one year old daughter and I were at Border's bookstore. We were in the children's section, and I was, like a lot of parents with toddlers, looking for something to entertain my precocious baby girl. She crawled around the store floor for a bit and then crawled right up to a young woman sitting on one of the tiny kids' chairs. My daughter propped herself up beside this young woman and then babbled something to get her attention. "Oh hello!" she said. The woman had a pile of books by her side, and she was skimming through a book titled something to the effect of "the big book of exercises for women." I asked her, "You looking to work a particular muscle group?" She related that she was simply looking for something different, something new to learn. She told me she was a fitness competitor with a classic case of exercise A.D.D. She said that she gets bored easily and is always looking for new exercises or training ...

Q: I saw one of your articles on Bodybuilding.com. I am also a police officer. My department currently has an opening for Wellness Coordinator. I hope to fill the position. I would like to bring something new to our department. Right now, I feel the physical training is below par. I am looking for ways to best train recruits. I have researched a lot of programs online, but I feel the same way you do, that the past and present training regimens are not beneficial to new officers. Can you recommend any books and/or websites? Your help is much appreciated. My Answer: Books... books... oh, I don't know... MY books might be good. Seriously though, my books are good for recreational bodybuilders: guys just looking to get bigger, stronger and ripped. So the info in these books is not geared specifically for law enforcement, but more for men in general. Now when you conduct the strength training of academy classes, you're always going to be limited by the equipment and...

Q: I have been doing the Ectomorph Pyramid training for 4 weeks now. Your advice is to switch to the 5x5 workout. Will switching to different rep ranges hinder my muscle with respect to muscle fibers? What I mean is, do these two workouts work different types of muscle fiber? On a side note, to hit your Type 2B fibers, do you have to do explosive movements? I am assuming that the pyramid and 5x5 training work the same fibers, 2A. Thanks for your work, Joe My Answer: The programs will work two different sets of muscle fiber. The Hypertrophy Training for the Ectomorph program will work the 2A fibers, while the 5x5 program will work the 2B fibers. I wouldn't worry about working 2 different fiber types. It will not hinder your muscle gains. Regardless of the fiber type and rep range, always perform the reps explosively (unless a program specifically states otherwise). Fast repetitions recruit more muscle fiber than slow repetitions.

Q:  My name is Ian, and I am definitely an ectomorph. It is ruining my life! I am very fit and defined but lack mass. Something as easy as wearing a T-shirt is depressing for me cuz I can never fill them. I’m notorious for wearing button down shirts in the summer all because I can’t show people how skinny I am. I just can’t find the right routine, and I see all different types. Yours seems very basic and simple. Others have me working out more than 3 times a day or doing multiple exercises on one body part. That’s like 11 different exercises per workout! I don’t know what's preventing me from gaining weight. My question is why do everyone and internet sites tell me to do these multiple workouts and yours says do 5 exercises and pyramid them? Your program would be so easy for me. I just want to make sure it will work, and I don’t waste my time. My diet is good I eat 6-7 meals a day. No snacks, full meals. Dude help me! I’m 26 and weigh 130. WTF! I need a better quality o...

Q: I am an officer in Missouri, and I have had some major physical set backs in the last several years. In 2004, I tore my ACL in a training accident and had reconstructive surgery. Before injuring the knee I was 5"9 and 230 lbs. I ran 3 to 4 times a week and about 5 miles each day. In 9 months and after rehab I was up to 300 lbs! Since then I have not been able to get the weight off. I was able to get up to running 3 miles 3 days a week, but in 2009 I tore my miniscus in the same knee. So it just seems that I keep getting set back after set back. I am now a reserve officer, and I work full time at a hospital doing security. I am still an active reserve officer, and I get out about 2 to 3 times a month and involved in the Street Crimes Unit at my department. I am now down to about 270 lbs., but as you can imagine I am no where near wher I once was in my conditioning. I have had blood work and all kinds of tests to see what I could do about the weight loss, but my doctor sa...