Strength and Physique

Q: What kind of regimen would you recommend for daily 20 minute workout sessions?   Thanks, Larry My Answer: Depends on what you want to achieve with your workouts.  Fat loss or muscle building?  How about both?  If so, then do a 20 minute circuit: Pull-ups Front squats Military press Romanian deadlifts Inverted rows Hanging leg raises Push-ups The above circuit can be done inside a power rack.  Cycle through the circuit as many times as you can within a 20 minute period.

Q:  "Hello my name is J. L., and I read an  article  with your name and your skills. I have a question: I was a police officer in PA, and I was released from the department, because I failed my 1.5 mile run. I am a stocky guy and running was never my favorite thing to do. Now I am going for another department, and of course I have to run. "Do you have any advice on what I can do to improve my run? I'm currently running a 9 minute and 30 second mile. And I have to run a 12 minute 1.5 mile. I run every other day and do strength training, and I am getting no where to achieve my running goal." JL My Answer:  I'm not the running expert. My fortes lie in strength training and in bodybuilding. If you're stocky, however, then you should really focus on losing some weight and dieting. Go on a vegetarian diet. If you have the discipline, then go on a vegan diet. Lose the weight training and just focus on running. I know this runs counter to my usual training and...

Q:   "I have been doing the pyramid workout for a bit now. I haven't been doing the  10-8-6-15  the whole time. I have been doing it for a month or so now, but I have been changing it up from 10-8-6-8 to 10-8-6-6, which I am currently doing. "I have been trying to go for about 3200 calories a day. I have gained some weight but not a lot. I look a bit more defined, but not a lot also. Also I have been switching up the exercises every two weeks or so but keep some core ones. "My question is should I continue to do this till I put on some more weight? I went from 132 to 137, till I get to about 140 or so. Or should I change it now? I'm not sure about the 5x5, because I can't find anything about it or what exercises to do. Should I try something like: Monday - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Biceps, Abs Wednesday - Legs, Back, Abs Friday- Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Biceps, Abs Next Monday - Legs, Backs, Abs -N. Ponte My Answer:  Yes, change the program. ...

Q: I’m going to be applying for our department’s SWAT team.  Part of the physical test is a 2 mile run and pull-up test.  You got to do at least 2 pull-ups with 50 extra pounds.  Problem is I can’t even do a pull-up with just my body weight.  Sad, I know.   Any way I can train to do a pull-up? My Answer: If you are having problems doing pull-ups, then here’s how you should progress: Do you need to lose weight?  Obviously if you are overweight, then that makes it harder for you to do pull-ups.  So if you’re overweight, then embark on a fat loss program. If you can’t do any pull-ups, then you will need to do negative pull-ups to build up your strength:  Once you are able to do a pull-up,  then you’ll need to do high frequency training to increase your pull-up endurance.  Set up a pull-up bar at home and one at the office.  Every time you pass by the bar you do a pull-up or two.  Don’t go beyond 5 reps, just do a few ...

Q: What’s the best way to build muscle when you have the least amount of time? My Answer: It depends on what kind of schedule you have.  In Strength and Physique: Training the Busy Bodybuilder I show you how to workout on a busy and unpredictable schedule.  This book will show you how to train on a low frequency program to maximize muscle growth.  So if you can get to the gym only 2-3 times per week, then this book is for you. Now you can also go in the other direction and train frequently, multiple times throughout the day. I know what you’re saying, “James, I just told you I have very little time to workout.  How can I train multiple times throughout the day?” You have to audit your schedule and squeeze out time to train any which way you can.  Instead of doing an hour long workout which would block out a portion of your day, you can fracture the workout into mini workouts and inject them in between other activities. For example, Peary Rade...

Q: Hi James, 2 questions for you:  Several of your exercises, like the heavy squatting routine, requires up to 4 minutes of rest periods. James, I have ADD. I can’t wait around 4 minutes when I want to get in a solid effective heavy-based workout regimen. How do you recommend spending those minutes of rest instead of being stressed out just pacing around and my mind wandering and feeling like I’m wasting time?   As for deadlifts, the weight I can lift is severely limited by my grip strength. Using wrist supporters allows me to deadlift up to 225 lbs instead of 95 lbs without them. However, one of my most important strength training goals is to improve my grip strength. Grip strength is VERY important to me. What would you recommend I do? Use other equipment like thick bar kettlebells for grip strength training and use the grip wraps for the deadlift? And are those grip wraps safe anyways?   Thanks for your help as always. Love your blogs.  ...

Nothing beats the convenience of a good home gym! You never have to battle traffic on your way to a crowded facility where you then have to wait forever for equipment. Plus, the music is always your style and the post-workout smoothies are so much more affordable. Speaking of cheaper, just think of all the money you’ll save in memberships, fees, and gas! No matter your budget, when you invest in a home gym, you’ll start seeing a positive return on that investment almost immediately. But what equipment should you have in order to still maintain your ideal physique? Here are 10 must-have items for your home gym that will keep you healthy and looking good! Dumbbells Nothing says strength training like a long line of dumbbells, but sets like that can run you thousands of dollars and eat up valuable floor space. If your home gym’s square footage or budget won’t allow for that, then opt for adjustable-weight dumbbells which give you virtually the same versatility at a frac...