Training
For those not using buckets of steroids, muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth) is not a localized process. It is systemic.
Given sufficient stimulus, most muscle growth occurs throughout the body rather than in one tiny spot. Therefore, work that stresses the whole body - placing a heavy weight on your spine that the whole body must support - will cause more growth in your biceps than direct bicep training.
In other words, heavy trap bar deadlifts will do more to make your arms more muscular than curls will. A popular rule of thumb in the strength training world is that if you want to build 2.5 centimeters of arm circumference, you need to build about 7 kilos of muscle - and that's pretty true. If that wasn't the case, you'd see guys walking around who have trained nothing but their biceps and as a result would look like an inverted T-Rex with huge arms and a tiny body. But you don't see that anywhere.
So curls don't work?
Of course they work. A biceps-specific training program will certainly build mass on the arms as long as you do everything else right, but the results would generally pale in comparison to what you'd achieve if you performed a program that focused more on deadlifts or another big full-body workout. Conversely, if you're already doing the big multi-joint exercises but need a range-specific catalyst, a biceps-specific program would help you.
Steroids, on the other hand, make your body ultra receptive to any kind of mechanical stress. If you use sufficient amounts of steroids, everything will work. And these muscle-group specific training programs promoted by countless bodybuilding magazines "written" by bodybuilders do us all a disservice. They have convinced many of us to focus on curls, kickbacks, shoulder lifts, front raises and leg extensions when much of that time would have been better spent performing multi-joint exercises with heavy, systemic weights instead.
Tip: Choose the right load for the leg curls
Get this part right and you'll maximize the hypertrophy of your hamstrings. Here's what you need to know
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-choose-the-right-load-for-hamstrings
The muscles that make up the leg flexors - the semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris plus a host of synergists - have two functions: bending the knee and kicking the leg backwards (like a sprinting movement). The problem is that the average exerciser only trains one of these functions, leaving out large amounts of muscle fibers.
How does this happen? By focusing primarily on the leg curl machine. The leg curl machine - standing or seated - targets only one function: bending the knee. What about the second function, the hip extension part? The best way to target this part of the leg flexor muscles is to use exercises that involve an extended leg: Deadlifts with legs semi-extended, Good Mornings, reverse hypers, etc. If 80% of your leg curl training involves leg curl machines, then you are not even beginning to utilize your full hypertrophy potential.
The choice of load is crucial
Based on the two functions of the leg curls and the fast or slow contracting nature of each, here are the rules:
Rule 1: Use heavy weights, low reps and more sets for leg curls.
Rule 2: Use lighter weights and higher reps for everything else: Deadlifts with legs half-extended, Good Mornings, reverse hypers and back extensions.
Some trainers recommend never doing more than 8 repetitions for leg curls, although experienced trainers with many years of training experience may only need 3 repetitions per set for leg curls. This of course means more sets. Try 10 X 3 for leg curls and be prepared to feel a little 'different' for a few days afterwards.
Since you're training your gluteus and back extensors when you train your hip extensors, you'll be doing more than 8 reps for deadlifts with legs half extended, good mornings, etc.
So a good rule of thumb is this: Less than 8 reps for leg curls and more than 8 for everything else.
Tip: Hit the barbell for bigger biceps
Okay, in reality your training partner is hitting the bar while you perform isometric holds
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-punch-the-barbell-for-bigger-biceps
You've probably heard the phrase "shock the muscles" in the bodybuilding world, right? Well, this method might be the most extreme version of that you've ever tried.
Step #1: Place the safety pins of a power rack so that you can only curl the barbell up about 10 centimeters before it comes into contact with the bottom of the pins. (This should be below the center of the curl movement).
Step #2: Curl the barbell bar upwards until it comes into contact with the pins and maintain an isometric contraction. In other words, you curl against the bar and try to move it further upwards. After 8 seconds, your training partner hits the bar from above while you try to keep it in contact with the pins of the rack.
This blow causes the biceps to stretch rapidly under forced contraction, which results in the "surviving" muscle fibers coming into play to protect the biceps from damage. When more muscle fibers are activated than necessary and greater muscle fiber recruitment occurs, this equates to more growth.
Step #3: Pause and then increase the weight by 2 to 5% over what you would normally use for full range of motion curls. Due to post-tenatic favoritism, you will be able to curl more weight than you normally would. Now perform a set of full range of motion curls (without pins and punch).
Step #4: Pause and repeat the set with the punch in the power rack.
Step #5: Pause and perform another set through the full range of motion, again using more weight than normal.
Warning: Make sure the safety pins on the rack only allow you to perform a movement of about 10 centimeters. You don't want someone slamming the bar down when it's in the middle position of the movement, as this can cause damage to the biceps - and not in a positive way!
Tip: Perform supersets of rack pulls and pull-ups
This challenging superset for the back combines compression and decompression exercises for maximum results.
By Dr. John Rusin
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-the-rack-pull-and-chin-up-superset
Supersets should be strategic. There should be a specific reason for combining two exercises. The more muscle groups involved in an exercise and the heavier the exercise, the more opportunities there are to make mistakes in terms of synergy between the exercises. One of the problems with many supersets is the compression that the spine is forced into during two exercises in a row with minimal rest. This doubles the compression of the spine and loads it with demanding weights over a longer period of time, increasing the risk of injury.
If you use an exercise that compresses the spine such as classic squats in a superset, then you should combine it with an exercise such as pull-ups that allows for spinal decompression. A combination of these two exercises will do a lot of good for the health of your spine.
Place the compressing exercise before the decompressing exercise. An excellent superset for back training days would be a variation of the deadlift combined with a vertical pull exercise.
Rack pull / pull-up superset
Rack pulls(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7NE34Vw81w) are a spine compressing exercise, while pull-ups are a decompressing exercise. If you train with heavy weights and generate as much tension as possible in your latissimus and back during deadlifts, the pull-ups should quickly become challenging.
Tip: Eat protein waffles
Protein waffles are easy to prepare, flour-free and rich in protein. Here's the recipe
From Chris Shugart
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/tip-eat-proffles
Training waffles? Protein waffles? Whatever you want to call them, they're delicious. Waffles don't just have to be for cheat days. Prepare them according to the following recipe and you can eat them every day.
Ingredients
- 1 whole egg
- ¼ cup egg substitute powder
- 1 large banana
- 2 scoops (60 grams) of banana-flavored protein powder
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or any other milk)
Preparation
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, you can cut the banana into slices or simply break it into pieces with your hands. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to soften the oats. Stir well again and pour the batter into your waffle iron.
Depending on your waffle iron, this recipe will make one large or four tiny waffles.
Options and notes
- Use 2 whole eggs instead of the egg replacer powder if you prefer. But this combination gives a nice fluffy texture that is otherwise hard to achieve in a gluten-free recipe.
- A handful of berries can replace the banana.
- Use chocolate flavored protein powder and a handful of dark chocolate chips if you're craving chocolate.
- This recipe works better with a multi-component protein than with a pure whey protein.
And what about the toppings?
Use low calorie syrup if you need to watch the calories. Sugar-free jam can be a good substitute for syrup. Or use the following:
Protein cream
- 1 scoop of vanilla flavored casein protein
- One or two shots of water or milk
- Option 2: two tablespoons of peanut butter powder
Mix the above together and gradually add liquid until you reach a syrupy consistency.
Tip: Use the Jettison technique for dips
Increase the time under tension and build your pecs with this agonizing variation of descending sets
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-use-the-jettison-technique-for-dips
Descending sets have always been one of the basic bodybuilding tools, but you don't often see them used on dips. Quite simply, it takes too long to reduce the weight on a dips belt and for many beginners (or slightly fatter exercisers) the bodyweight alone is already heavy and the reps too low to accumulate enough time under tension.
Here's a way around these problems:
- Hold a dumbbell between your feet and perform 8 to 12 repetitions of dips for the pecs. Choose a dumbbell that is heavy enough to take you to or near the point of muscle failure at the end of this repetition range.
- As soon as you can no longer perform another repetition with good form, drop the dumbbell. Perform as many more repetitions without rest until you reach the point of muscle failure (or stop one repetition earlier if you are struggling with correct form).
- Then, with as little pause as possible, your training partner will form a platform with their hands and you will place your heels or the top of your feet on their hands. He will not move your legs upwards. Instead, you will push yourself up from his hands until you can no longer perform another repetition with good form.
- Pause for a few minutes and perform two more sets of this type. Prepare to howl in pain when you drive your car the next day.
Options
If you have access to Olympic weightlifting plates, these can replace the dumbbell. Simply hold the plate between your knees and drop it at the end of the set. If you don't have a trustworthy training partner, even the first two steps will give your chest a boost.
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-train-for-systemic-growth
From TC Luoma | 04/15/16
1 - Straight sets to muscle failure
One of the most basic ways to increase intensity is to train to concentric muscle failure. In other words, you continue each set until you can no longer exert enough force to move the weight. This is harder than most people train, but I don't think it's so demanding that you'll get into a state of overtraining if you do more than one set. You can do two sets of an exercise and occasionally three sets in this way.
2 - Rest-pause
The term "rest-pause" is used in different ways in different contexts. The basic idea is that you extend a set by resting between sets, during which you allow your muscles to recover. Trainers have found different ways to use this technique.
I use triple rest-pause sets no more than once per exercise. The whole thing works as follows: You perform a set to concentric muscle failure, place the weight in the rack, pause for 20 to 30 seconds and then perform another set to muscle failure. Then put the weight down again, pause and perform a final set to muscle failure.
You can perform triple rest-pause sets for almost any exercise. The only exceptions are heavy basic exercises with an intense load on the lower back such as squats and deadlifts. Training (repeatedly) to muscle failure can lead to the use of poor exercise execution form, which can be dangerous. A three rest-pause set per exercise is plenty and should not be exceeded.
3 - Isometric hold
After completing your last repetition of a set, hold the weight in the contracted position for as long as you can. This is safe, effective and gives your sleepy motor units a loud wake-up call.
Isometric holds work best on exercises where the muscles are under tension in the contracted position. For example, it is really hard to hold the top position of a pull-up, which is also the reason why this exercise is very suitable for isometric holds. With other exercises such as presses and curls, on the other hand, you can hold the weight in the highest position for a long time. If you want to use isometric holds for these exercises, you should lower the weight slightly to increase the tension.
Use this technique with caution. If you are performing multiple sets of an exercise, use isometric holds on the last repetition of the last set.
4 - Partial repetitions
Partial repetitions are similar to isometric holds (also due to the amount of muscle trauma they induce). When you get to the end of a set and can't perform another full repetition, perform a few partial repetitions to fully exhaust your muscles.
Some of the best exercises for partial repetitions are calf raises and pull-ups on the machine. However, with a good training partner, you can perform partial reps on almost any exercise. You just need to get to the lightest part of the range of motion and avoid the heaviest part. On the bench press, for example, a training partner could help you move the weight up from the chest after you have reached concentric muscle failure. You would then perform partial repetitions at the top of the range of motion.
As with isometric holds, you should not perform more than one set of partial repetitions per exercise.
5 - Forced repetitions
I'm not a big fan of forced reps - where a training partner helps you perform the concentric portion of the last reps of a set - because they can be abused too easily and also make you dependent on someone else for the intensity of your workout.
If you want an example of how much this technique is abused, go to any gym on a Monday after 17:30 and see what's going on in the bench press area. Count how many times you hear someone say "you all by yourself", even if their training partner is actually doing 50% of the work.
But just because a few ignorant people abuse this technique doesn't mean it's not a good tool for increasing intensity...as long as it's used sparingly. A few forced repetitions on one set of an exercise per training session can make a big difference.
6 - Negative repetitions
If you slowly lower a weight that is heavier than anything you can move concentrically, you will create more microtrauma in your muscles than you can with any other training technique. This technique is like dynamite, but the risk of collateral damage is also high.
I prefer to use a less traumatic version of negative repetitions. Instead of starting with a weight that you can't move concentrically, you use a weight that you can perform multiple reps with and only perform slow negative reps once you've reached concentric muscle failure. Since the weight we use is lighter than your 1RM weight for this exercise, you avoid overloading a muscle to the point where it has trouble recovering.
Tip: Fight inflammation with these 10 tips
Reduce chronic inflammation to feel better, improve your performance in the gym and even live longer
By John Meadows, Bill Willis, PhD
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/supplements/tip-fight-inflammation-with-these-10-tips
Inflammation is the body's first response to injury or infection. Acute inflammation is a normal part of life. The benefits of the temporary discomfort and swelling are that inflammation allows a large number of immune cells to quickly reach the areas where they are needed to kill pathogens and initiate the healing process.
The inflammation that accompanies hard training is a good thing. These types of acute inflammatory responses are completely normal and are involved in everything from wound healing to muscle growth. But what happens when inflammation is chronic instead of acute?
Chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammation tends to be systemic and can lead to joint stiffness and generalized muscle pain. In serious cases, chronic inflammation can lead to heart disease and insulin resistance. Most chronic degenerative diseases and even cancer are promoted by chronic inflammation. The bottom line is that chronic inflammation can equate to reduced performance and more serious problems.
10 tips to control inflammation
- Ensure a balance of essential fatty acids. Avoid vegetable oils such as corn oil, safflower oil and other oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids.
- Eat more cold-water fish or use fish oil capsules. Wild salmon, sardines and herring are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids as they are low in mercury. If you are still afraid of mercury, eat a portion of Brazil nuts every day. The selenium contained in these nuts binds mercury and renders it harmless.
- Limit your consumption of carbohydrates. Refined sugars raise insulin levels, which in itself is not catastrophic, but a constant increase in insulin levels will result in increased inflammation.
- Lose weight if you are overweight. Fat cells produce IL-6, TNF-alpha and other pro-inflammatory cytokines. The fatter you are, the more cytokines you produce and the longer inflammation will last.
- Get a massage. Massage is an excellent way to reduce inflammation.
- Eat more spices like curcumin, ginger and oregano. Curcumin is a must. There are over 2000 studies supporting its use. It suppresses interleukin-6 and many other pro-inflammatory compounds.
- Avoid trans fats - that's all there is to say on this topic.
- Avoid or limit your alcohol consumption. Bingeing once in a while is fine, but if your idea of moderation is to limit your alcohol consumption to the days of the week that end in "g", then you probably have a problem. And slow down your caffeine intake too
- Eat more fruit and vegetables. This will improve your body's antioxidant status.
- Use vitamins and antioxidants in supplement form. If you don't eat enough healthy food or simply don't like certain foods, then use supplements. EOA/DHA and GLA supplements are top of the list, but you may also benefit from vitamins A, C, D and E. And last but not least, add some magnesium, selenium and zinc.
Tip: Increase your strength on the spot with 2 exercises
Release the brakes on your nervous system and you'll automatically be able to move more weight.
By Chad Waterbury
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-boost-strength-instantly-with-2-exercises
The nervous system is like a handbrake that is half applied to your muscles. Release that brake and you'll immediately get stronger and recruit more muscle fibers.
As any good engineer will tell you, the foundation must be able to support the house. If you have a ten-story building and you want to add 5 more stories, the foundation must be able to support that additional load. In terms of strength training, I'm talking about the added stress that comes from putting more weight on your muscles and joints.
Super Stiffness
Your support system consists of your gluteus, abdominal wall and latissimus. When these muscle groups contract together, they form a super stiff base to support any exercise you perform. This is why Dr. Stuart McGill refers to the synchronous activation of the gluteus, abdominal wall and latissimus as "super stiffness". When these muscles are strong and tight, the nervous system will send more neural input to all your muscles. This is the reason why increased squat strength will also increase your bench press performance.
Getting your body into super stiffness mode is easy. You only need two exercises. Start with two sets of three Romanian deadlifts. Make sure that at the highest point of each repetition you fully extend your hips and tighten your gluteus as hard as possible. Then perform two or three sets of ab wheel rollouts (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA2QGI0NPWU).
We don't want these two exercises to drain your energy, so there is no need to use maximum weights, which is especially true for the Romanian deadlift. The goal is simply to place tension and neural input on the right muscles to strengthen your foundation before training.
Summary:
Do the following before training to get your nervous system going:
Romanian deadlift
- Sets: 2
- Repetitions: 3
- Weight: moderately heavy / a weight you could normally perform 7 or 8 reps with
Ab wheel rollout
- Sets: 2
- Repetitions: 3
- Weight: bodyweight
Tip: Perform hammer curls prone on an incline bench
This bicep exercise will build muscle in 4 different ways. Try them out when the growth of your arms has come to a standstill.
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-reverse-incline-hammer-curls
Fact: If your upper arm development has stagnated, then hammer curls (palms facing inwards instead of upwards) can get your progress back on track by targeting the often underdeveloped brachialis. If you've already done this, then there's an exercise to take it to the next level:
Hammer curls prone on an incline bench
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPjC6i-uzmc
- Adjust the back pad of an incline bench to an incline of around 60 to 70 degrees. Take a pair of dumbbells and place your chest on the bench pad.
- Let your arms hang vertically downwards and then perform a curl movement until the dumbbells touch your shoulders. Remember to use a hammer grip - palms facing inwards throughout the exercise
The secret is to fully extend your arms at the lowest point of the movement. Since you can't recruit the front shoulder muscles and it's impossible to gain momentum, this is more of a biceps-only exercise. It will also help you to recruit the long head of the biceps - the most neglected muscle head in this muscle group.
Tip: Break through plateaus with "Big 50" sets
Have your gains come to a standstill? Try this training method and break out of your rut.
By Dennis Weis
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-smash-plateaus-with-big-50-sets
One of the most intense ways to break through plateaus is to perform 50 repetitions per set
- Choose an exercise and a weight that allows you to perform 25 solid reps in a row.
- After the 25th repetition, pause for 15 seconds and take a deep breath.
- Then perform a few more repetitions until muscle failure and pause again for 15 seconds.
- Continue in this way until you have completed 50 repetitions.
Hypothetically, your repetition pattern could look like this: 25, 8, 6, 5, 3, and 3 = 50 repetitions. If you have the guts, you can also aim for 70 to 100 repetitions and extend the rests between the mini sets to 20 seconds. If you are doing a set of 50 or 100 reps, a good goal is to try to complete these reps in 6 or fewer partial sets. Bodybuilders and anyone else with hypertrophy goals should use a weight that is 75% of their 10 RM weight and perform as many subsets as it takes to complete a 50 or 100 repetition set.
To make these sets really intense, you can reduce the rests between subsets to 6 seconds instead of 15 seconds.
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-boost-intensity-with-these-6-techniques
From Clay Hyght
You can't get better without fitness
If your conditioning is good, then you can generate a significant amount of strength during most, if not all, of your training sessions. This means more volume with more weight on the bar for the same amount of time as before.
Having good conditioning is a crucial aspect if you want to get better. The ability to do a significant amount of work during a training session will take you further in the strength and hypertrophy department. Even if you're not looking to get leaner, conditioning should still be a part of your training program.
The foundation
Let's say you've been one of those guys training in the 3 reps per set range for months. You're one of those guys who thinks that anything over 5 reps is cardio. What should you do then?
If you haven't done any cardio training, then build your base with walking. By this I mean fast walking at a useful speed and not what you see old people doing in the shopping mall. There should be some knee to chest action here.
A simple and easy way to approach walking is to pick a fixed distance and try to reduce the time it takes you to walk that distance. Leave your home, walk for 10 minutes, make a note of the place you have reached in 10 minutes and then walk back. From here on, simply work on reducing the amount of time it takes you to cover the same distance without sprinting at any point.
Once you've worked your way down from 20 to 15 minutes, you can add in some slow jogging at some point in the run. Take it easy. It doesn't have to be a long jog. It's just about increasing the intensity a little. After a few weeks, add another phase of jogging to your walk.
Once you're able to cover the same distance in 10 to 12 minutes, you're ready for an interval plan that will really increase your work capacity and lead to far more productive workouts in the gym.
The sprint plan
This is a very simple plan that you can incorporate into your training program. It can be done twice a week on days without a weights workout.
- Week 1 :10 sprints @ 60% of maximum speed over 40 meters
- Week 2 :10 sprints @ 70% of maximum speed over 40 meters
- Week 3 :12 sprints @ 70% of maximum speed over 40 meters
- Week 4 :15 sprints @ 75% of maximum speed over 40 meters
- Week 5 :20 sprints @ 80% of maximum speed over 40 meters
- Week 6 :20 sprints @ 85% of maximum speed over 40 meters
Your breaks simply consist of walking the 40 meters back to the starting point. Remember the purpose of the exercise. You are not trying to prepare for the 100 meters at the next Olympics. The goal is simply to improve your fitness to the point where you can recover more easily from your workout in the weight room.
You don't need to do more fitness training over time. You just need to get in good enough shape and maintain a level of conditioning that is sufficient for your weight training.
However, if you want to increase the amount of conditioning training after week 6, simply increase the amount of sprints you do or the distance you sprint. I don't recommend 100% sprints as these are a good recipe for injury. However, you can sprint uphill, which will make the sprints a little safer as the stride length will be shorter and the risk of a hamstring strain will be reduced.
Training with a weight sled or on a training bike works just as well. You can use the same concept as above with some minor adjustments for training with a weight sled. For an exercise bike, my recommendations are even simpler:
A simple conditioning workout on the training bike
- Ride as fast as possible for 15 seconds
- Follow this with 45 seconds of easy cycling
- Repeat the whole thing 12 to 15 times.
Tip: Stop drinking juice
Thinking about a juice cleanse and detox? Don't. And send this suggestion to one of the gals who follows these silly celebrity diets.
From TC Luoma
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/tip-stop-juicing
Drinking lots of juice is not healthy. Juice is high in calories, low in fiber, low in nutrients and will eventually make you fat.
There are countless juice bars with lines of yoga pants-wearing women waiting to order their supposedly healthy kale and kumquat creations. And when they're not lining up there for these drinks, they're filling their shopping carts with products with names like Renovation and Glow, which promise to fill their cells with hydration and nutrients, restore their acid-base balance and cleanse the body of toxins and waste. They are said to make hair shiny, skin soft, energize, clear the mind and make the immune and digestive systems impervious to pathogens and other threats.
Some of these bottles cost a small fortune and the taste ranges from delicious to something that tastes like it's been filtered through the sweat-soaked underpants of a sumo wrestler. The problem with these drinks is that they serve none of their purported physiological or medicinal purposes. Of course, habitual juice drinkers may lose weight depending on what their juice consists of and whether they make other improvements to their diet, but much of this will be water weight that will quickly come back when they eat normal, solid food. Much of the other weight they lose will be muscle mass - the stuff primarily responsible for giving women shape, not to mention strength and vitality.
And unfortunately, a lot of the weight that was initially lost will be put back on in the form of fat. Fruits and vegetables contain simple sugars and more complex, hard-to-digest carbohydrates. That's great, but when you put them through the blender, these normally hard-to-digest carbs are broken down into tiny little pieces that are so small that they bypass much of the digestive process.
You end up with a heavy insulin spike and insulin sends some of all that sugar to your muscles (only if the muscles need the sugar at the time, of course) and probably more of it to your liver where it is converted to fatty acids aka fat - fat that is stored on your belly, thighs, butt or other places where you have a predisposition to fat storage.
Volume also needs to be considered. When it comes to volume, it's easier to eat pulverized fruits and vegetables than to eat them in their natural form. Non-powdered plant material takes up a lot of space and tells your brain that you are full. Juices, however, don't take up as much space. You might eat a peach and two or three plums in one sitting, but you can easily consume five or six of both at once if they're in liquid form.
More fruit equals more calories and more fruit equals more sugar. More fruit equals more sugar, which is converted into fat. And it gets worse. Obsessive juice consumption doesn't provide enough nutrients to maintain good health, so you risk throwing your metabolic or electrical system off track.
In addition, juicing destroys fiber, so your gut flora doesn't get enough nourishment. Of course you can keep drinking juice, but don't attribute any health benefits to juice and enjoy it in moderation.
Tip: Train hard, train wisely
Keep these 15 things in mind and you're in for a long training career
By Bret Contreras
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-lift-hard-lift-wisely
If you know enough about anatomy, physiology and strength training, then you could make a case that any given exercise should be avoided. In turn, however, you could also find a rationale for why any given exercise should be performed.
You need to know how you want to train. Whether you play it safe or take risks, at least you're not just sitting on the couch. Pain and injury will teach you proper exercise form and program design, and it's important to have a large arsenal of exercises to avoid boredom and habituation and force further adaptations.
Here are 15 things to remember to keep learning and practicing:
- An exercise should be judged on how it should be performed, not on how some idiot messes up the execution.
- If you think training with weights is dangerous, then try being weak. Being weak is dangerous.
- There are no contraindicated exercises, only contraindicated individuals. Learn how your body works and master its mechanics.
- If you can't perform an exercise correctly, don't do it. If an exercise consistently causes pain, don't do it. If you consistently hurt yourself doing an exercise, don't do it.
- Earn the right to perform an exercise. Correct any dysfunction and learn to perform the movement pattern with your bodyweight only before increasing the weight
- There is a risk-reward continuum and some exercises are safer than others. It's up to you where you draw the line. Don't moan about your lack of progress or poor joint health as you've brought this on yourself
- Exercises that are performed poorly are dangerous, while exercises that are performed correctly are beneficial. If you use a crappy form of exercise execution, you will injure yourself - it's just a matter of time
- If you have optimal levels of joint mobility, stability and motor control, then you will be able to distribute forces much better and be able to tolerate higher volume, higher intensity and higher training frequency
- Structural balance is crucial. You need to strengthen your joints in opposite ways to ensure that your posture doesn't change. If your posture gets worse because of strength training, it means you're bad at putting together a training program.
- Body tissues adapt to get stronger and withstand the load. The body is a living organism that adapts to the demands placed on it.
- Your training will be based on your needs, your goals and your preferences. Different goals require different training methods. The loftier your goal, the more risk will be required.
- There are two types of stress: positive stress, also known as eustress, and negative stress. Try to work in the area of eustress - a type of positive, motivating, exciting stress that you can handle - and you'll be on the right track.
- If you believe an exercise will injure you, it probably will.
- Injuries in the weight room have more to do with poor form and poor program design than the exercise itself. Exercises are just tools. You are the craftsman. A good craftsman never blames his tools.
- Instead of being driven by popular trends, learning how your body works will bear more fruit, allowing you to understand the pros and cons of each exercise and make smart choices when putting together your training program.
Tip: Avoid labels that make you a victim
Perceived helplessness will contribute to you staying out of shape. Here's why.
By Dani Shugart
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-avoid-labels-that-make-you-a-victim
Want to get in shape? Then develop an attitude of unwavering determination and a firm belief that you can change. Do you want to stay stuck where you are now? Then develop the belief that you are suffering from a disease and that it is out of your control. The American Medical Association (AMA) could help obese people do the latter.
The study
Researchers studied the behavior of obese people who had read an article regarding the AMA's decision to label obesity as a disease. Those who had read the article were more likely to choose high-calorie foods and less likely to restrict their food intake than those who had not read the article. According to the study, the only benefit of believing they suffered from a disease was that these subjects were more accepting of their bodies as a result.
What does this tell us
Believing that your weight problem is a disease will make you more likely to accept that you are overweight. If, on the other hand, you believe that you have a problem that is controllable, reversible and preventable and that it is within your power to change, then you are more likely to make a change and make the commitment to lose weight.
The self-esteem of the subjects in this study, may have increased as a result of the statement that improved their body image, but is this form of body love worth type 2 diabetes, a dependence on medication and a shorter life span? Obesity is not reduced by making people feel better about their excess weight and neither is a false sense of helplessness and invented victimhood.
What can you learn from this?
The AMA's chatter keeps people fat. A better message might be that even though genetic predispositions or diseases may be partly responsible for obesity, this doesn't mean you have to accept it and continue eating without restraint.
You are not helpless when it comes to your fitness level and quality of life. Accept this and you will realize that new and better behavior patterns can reduce the problem. The first step is to stop seeing yourself as a victim.
Mentioned in passing
Even if you are not obese, you may have accepted other things as unavoidable and unchangeable. You may have accepted that it is your destiny to be skinny fat, unathletic, a hardgainer, a junk food addict, a weakling, a wallflower or a person without self-discipline. If you have accepted these or other self-limiting labels, then you should realize that you will not meet high expectations.
There is a good chance that these things are within your control. You just need to shed the helpless role of the sufferer and do something about it.
References
- Hoyt, Crystal L., Jeni L. Burnette, and Lisa Auster-Gussman. "Obesity Is a Disease" Psychological Science, Jan. 24, 2014. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
- "Labeling obesity as a disease may have psychological costs - association for psychological science." Association for Psychological Science. 28 Jan. 2014.
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-use-conditioning-to-build-muscle
By Paul Carter
Wondering where to start when it comes to building muscle mass? This is the right place to start looking if you want to build some muscle mass the right way.
If we're honest, pretty much every man wants to get muscular and strong. Sure, 65 kilos with visible abs might look good on Instagram, but in real life you're not going to impress anyone with your 30 cm arms and narrow shoulders.
So the question remains - where should you start?
Well, I'm sure you've seen dozens, if not hundreds of articles like this from different authors, but the truth is that they should all revolve around the same basic points.
I think this message is repeated over and over again because people don't want to accept the facts that have been consistently proven over and over again. They are looking for the "secrets" that they have been overlooking all this time, even though many of their goals can be achieved through hard work and dedication.
Some of this might be new to some of the readers, but if you've been training hard for a few years, then you should have internalized most of this already. If not, learn it now and never forget it again.
Training: The be-all and end-all when it comes to getting muscular
You can't get muscular if you don't train, right? Of course you can build mass without training, but your physical appearance will suffer.
Building a broad back, muscular legs and an impressive chest are the result of patience and effort - they don't just magically appear when someone starts popping protein shakes and eating out of Tupperware bowls every 2 hours.
If you remember nothing else from this article, take this point to heart for the rest of your life: training should always revolve around the principle of progressive overload. If you don't do more work compared to your last training session, then you won't produce any positive physiological or neural adaptations.
However, you should keep in mind that progressive overload can be achieved by various means: increased repetitions, higher weights, more sets, more time under tension, a higher training density (more work performed within a given period of time), a larger range of motion, a higher degree of difficulty of the exercises or a different exercise sequence. If a trainee is more advanced, then the weight on the bar can't be increased as quickly, so you have to look for other variables to manipulate.
In addition to progressive overload, you also need to let specificity dictate your training. Basically, specificity and overload go hand in hand.
You need to ask yourself what qualities you want to improve. This will determine which method you should use to increase the overload stimulus. For example, if you want to increase your performance in classic squats, then you should focus your training on the squat movement pattern or variations of the movement (front squats, goblet squats, etc....).
I'm sure this may seem pretty rudimentary, but I see a lot of guys messing this up in their supportive training. No, the missing variable in your poor bench performances is not flying movements on the cable or tricep kickbacks - get better at the specific motor scheme you want to improve.
A final note worth repeating: if you want to make any long-term progress and actually achieve viable body development, then you should stick with a given training program for at least 3 to 4 months.
Personally, I've been using a modification of DUP (Daily Undulating Periodization) for the past year with only a few minor exercise variations, but if I follow the above concepts, the results will continue to improve.
Intensity or volume?
Why not both? Each has its place in a training program, but this depends entirely on their application.
A good coach understands where to prioritize each variable within an athlete's mesocycle, but if you make up your own training program without much background knowledge, this can make things quite difficult.
If someone wants to become more muscular, then you can assume that they are trying to increase their muscle cross-sectional area to achieve as muscular an appearance as possible. However, if you want to maximize all aspects of your hypertrophy program, then there are a few variables that need to be prioritized on a physiological and biomechanical level.
However, it would be a gross mistake if I didn't address a mistake I see many young exercisers make: stop abusing volume. Training is a stressor for the body. Accumulate enough stress and your body will adapt - that's how our bodies are built. But stress also adheres to the concept of minimum effective dose - once you reach a certain threshold, positive adaptations will occur, but more stress does not necessarily mean stronger adaptations will occur.
If you start with a very high-volume training program (e.g. 10 sets of 10 reps), this puts tremendous stress on the body on a physical and neurological level, but what happens when the body reaches homeostasis at that level of volume? Will you then go up to 15 or 20 sets of 10 reps? I hope not.
Stick to the minimum effective dose and increase slowly. Believe me, rhabdomyolysis has never helped anyone.
Supplementation: you're probably using more than you need
Supplementation is like the plan B for all exercisers when they are not making progress.
"Maybe I need to start taking BCAAs, double my glutamine dose and get a testo booster?"
How about learning to adapt your diet and training to your goals instead? Supplementation will probably only make a subtle difference to your training, recovery and lifestyle, but each of the following recommendations is science-based, reasonably inexpensive and a useful addition for anyone looking to take their performance to the next level.
1. creatine monohydrate
Without going into too much detail about the physiological mechanisms underlying creatine's effects, suffice it to say that creatine supports the rephosphorylation (rebuilding) of ATP to increase energy production in your phosphagen system.
Don't get too bogged down in the mechanisms, but to understand the benefits of creatine, you need to know that this is a supplement whose effects you won't feel immediately. You can't compare it to caffeine or beta-alanine, but if you know anything about physiology, you'll recognize its importance, which has been confirmed by a myriad of scientific studies. These studies show improvements in power release, glycogen loading capacity, strength and anabolic metabolism (1, 2, 3).
Yet whenever I mention creatine to an athlete, the first question they ask me is "Won't it make me gain weight?" The short answer is yes, but this newly built weight is not actual body tissue, just increased intracellular water retention, which is often misinterpreted.
When someone (aka a single guy at the gym) chases the muscle pump, this creates byproducts of different energy systems and causes changes in intracellular water concentration as cells swell. These mechanical changes send signals to anabolic pathways as your body attempts to maintain a state of homeostasis (4). The end result is an increase in muscle protein synthesis and cellular adaptations to prevent future damage.
So don't worry about any water retention from creatine monohydrate supplementation - you'll increase your hypertrophic adaptations when you combine it with glycolytic training (5).
2. fish oil
If this is the first time you've heard about fish oil in this article, then you should update your supplementation. Scientific research has shown that fish oil is quite beneficial in controlling triglyceride levels, blood pressure, blood vessel function and a variety of other factors (7, 8, 9).
The typical Western diet is very omega-6 heavy, but lacking in omega-3 fatty acids, which is where fish oil comes into play. Sure, you could eat cold-water fish like salmon two to three times a week, but some people won't have the money or the necessary preference for fish to do so, which means supplementation becomes necessary and helpful.
3. vitamin D
If you're like most people in the Western world, you spend most of your career indoors. And if you're reading this website, then it's safe to assume that at least one of your hobbies (aka a workout with weights) also takes place indoors. However, sunlight is the most important factor in determining the vitamin D levels in your body - and you're not getting enough of it?
If you are unsure about your vitamin D status, you should have a blood test done. If your levels are below 50nmol/l, then I would recommend supplementing with some vitamin D due to its impact on muscle mass, strength and body function (6).
4. a multivitamin product
I'll be honest with you. I think that if more people knew the importance of quality nutrition, I wouldn't have to include this last point on the list. However, since this is not the case, a multivitamin product certainly won't hurt.
Having said that, I would strongly suggest you do some research as some manufacturers use cheaper forms of certain vitamins and/or minerals that have poor bioavailability. The result is a weak product for the consumer, but a big profit for the manufacturer.
Nutrition: One of the most important players
At the end of the day, most exercisers realize that nutrition is the answer to their lack of gains - it's just that no one wants to admit it. I've worked with many high school athletes and even a few professional athletes who all seemed to share the same problem: they couldn't gain weight even if they wanted to.
Sure, that seems like a luxury problem, but in some circumstances it can hinder an athlete's performance or limit their eligibility to compete. The conversation usually goes like this...
Me: "How are things looking nutritionally? Is the scale moving in the right direction?"
Athlete: "I wish it was... I eat SO MUCH and I can't seem to put on a single pound. I feel like I'm eating all day long, but I'm not gaining weight."
Sound familiar? Well, the truth is that gaining weight can turn into a part-time job for some athletes. If you've ever had a very active job, played college sports or trained intensely with weights to build lean muscle mass, then you know how much food this can sometimes take.
Change your mindset
If you are someone who is full after half a burger or if your idea of a "hearty breakfast" is a couple of eggs with a slice of toast and some fruit, then you have some homework to do.
You need to understand that there will be times when you're not hungry and you don't feel like eating - that's just a fact of life. Your body has different homeostatic mechanisms that are designed to regulate your body weight, but you need to remember your goal.
However, if you are one of those people with homeostasis that moves at warp speed, then you should be eating a few calories every 3 to 4 hours.
Food must become your vocation. Every time you eat a meal, you should just shovel the calories in. If you start hearing comments from friends along the lines of "Are you really going to eat all that in one sitting?" or "Wow, you're eating for two!", then you're probably on the right track. then you're probably on the right path to an impressive muscular body.
As long as you don't change your idea of what eating a lot means, you won't gain weight. It all depends on how much you want something: If you really want success, then you will find a way to make it happen.
How can I afford this?
I know what you're thinking. "Food is expensive and it costs even more to eat healthy. There's no way I can afford that!"
That's definitely not the case. I have quite a limited budget and don't spend a lot on my diet. I spend most of my money on meat, which I buy in bulk, only use cheap sources of carbohydrates and only buy certain products when they're in season.
If your weight gain has reached a plateau, then here are a few ideas to get things back on track....
Eggs - are a cheap, highly bioavailable source of choline and are very easy to prepare. They are pretty much a bachelor's best friend, apart from his dog of course.
Oatmeal - is extremely versatile - make protein pancakes, add it to a shake, make overnight oats... the possibilities are endless.
Potatoes - Let's be honest - steak and potatoes was where it all started. Use white potatoes and sweet potatoes, both of which are full of beneficial vitamins and minerals and are one of the cheapest sources of carbohydrates around.
White rice - "But I thought only brown rice was healthy" Okay, hear me out, this "bad boy" has only 200 kcal per cup and is one of the easiest foods to get down if you're struggling with calories. Not to mention, high fiber foods usually make you feel fuller, which makes them even harder to eat in large quantities.
Coconut oil - If you're reading about coconut oil for the first time in this article, then it's time to revamp your diet. Not only is this food extremely rich in medium-chain triglycerides and lauric acid - it's also the best choice for cooking and frying as it has a low oxidation rate even at high temperatures.
Bananas - This should be a given for any hardgainer. Why wouldn't you have at least a dozen on hand? You can easily take them anywhere, they're cheap and they're nutritious. In fact, before you finish reading this article, you should go into the kitchen and make yourself a peanut butter and banana sandwich.
"I'm always full, what should I do?"
This is nothing unusual and as I mentioned earlier, part of this is simply the way your body works. Some people have a huge, insatiable appetite, while others can barely manage to eat 2000 kcal a day without feeling full. However, there are a few simple tips and tricks that can help you out here. You may already be using some of these without even realizing it.
- Eat more often - Set an alarm clock if you need to, but every 3 to 4 hours is a good starting point.
- Limit foods that are high in fiber - Does this go against what you think? Well, I don't know if you've ever tried eating 4500 kcal in the form of sweet potatoes, chicken and broccoli, but that should be pretty uncomfortable, if not impossible. Not to mention that these excessive amounts of fiber can limit or block the absorption of certain vitamins in the digestive tract.
- Use liquid calories - It's not necessary to buy a weight gainer - make your own:
- Whole milk or coconut milk
- 2-4 tablespoons of nut butter
- 1-2 scoops of whey protein
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 1-2 bananas
- A few handfuls of spinach (I promise you won't taste it)
- 1-2 tablespoons of honey
- cinnamon
4. eat more fruit - sweet foods are very tasty and fruit is very rich in vitamins and minerals. If you are a hard training athlete, I would recommend 3 to 4 servings per day.
How much do you want it?
A large intake of food requires patience and consistency. Over time, your stomach will get used to the larger volume of food per meal and you will be able to eat for 4.
No one is forcing you to eat all those calories - it's entirely up to you whether you want to reach your goals or not. It all starts with one simple step. Put the weights down and grab a fork.
Practical applications
Building muscle isn't rocket science - it's all a question of whether you accept the hard facts and put in the work. I know this article was a bit long, but here are the important concepts to take home with you:
- Your training should revolve around the concepts of specificity and progressive overload.
- Training stressors should be based on a minimum effective dose - more volume does not equate to greater gains for everyone.
- Incorporate both intensity and volume into your program if you want to maximize all components of hypertrophy adaptations.
- Supplementation should be minimal, but there are a few supplements that may provide some benefits: Creatine monohydrate, vitamin D, fish oil, and perhaps a multivitamin.
- Your lack of growth is likely related to your poor nutritional intake or poor recovery.
- Your diet should synergistically support your training - you can't train yourself into the ground if you're eating like an anorexic teenager.
- Nobody got muscular in 12 or 16 weeks. Dedication and hard work will get you further than most if you're willing to learn the basics and apply them ruthlessly.
References
- Comparison of creatine monohydrate and carbohydrate supplementation on repeated jump height performance.(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18545204)
- Muscle glycogen supercompensation is enhanced by prior creatine supplementation.(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11445755)
- Effects of creatine on body composition and strength gains after 4 weeks of resistance training in previously nonresistance-trained humans.(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14967873)
- Modulation of glycogen synthesis in rat skeletal muscle by changes in cell volume. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1160792/)
- Scientific basis and practical aspects of creatine supplementation for athletes.(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15212742)
- Vitamin D and skeletal muscle function in athletes.(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25137505)
- Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on postprandial triglycerides and monocyte activation.(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23017356)
- Blood pressure decrease with ingestion of a soya product (kinako) or fish oil in women with the metabolic syndrome: role of adiponectin and nitric oxide.(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22313793)
- Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation improves vascular function and reduces inflammation in obese adolescents.(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20727522)
Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/complete-guide-how-to-increase-muscle-mass
In general, bicep exercises are performed so that the upper arms are roughly parallel to the torso and the resistance decreases as the hands approach the chest.
In guillotine curls(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoOkiwLvSG4), however, the upper arms form a right angle with the torso and the shoulder muscles are tensed.
In this position, the resistance increases rather than decreases as the hands approach the chest. Hold the maximum contraction for two seconds and consciously tense your biceps hard.
Tip: Perform single-leg Romanian deadlifts
Build and strengthen your hamstrings with this exercise variation
By Bret Contreras
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-the-single-leg-romanian-deadlift
This is a supportive exercise for regular deadlifts that has the added benefit of increasing stability on one leg and stretching the hamstrings while protecting the spine. The version where you support yourself with one arm allows the use of a heavier weight (and greater activation of the primary muscles) and prevents balance from becoming the limiting factor of the exercise.
Single leg Romanian deadlift
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoKjrvJi-Iw)
- Stand next to a squat rack or another stable object that you can hold onto while performing the exercise.
- Start with a dumbbell or kettlebell in your hand on the same side as the leg that will remain on the floor during the exercise. Hold on to the squat rack with the other hand and use this hand sparingly to support the execution of the exercise.
- Start the exercise by lifting the opposite leg backwards and try to touch the wall behind you (move the torso and hips as if you were performing Romanian deadlifts with both legs).
- The toes of the back foot should point down during the exercise and the leg should form a line with the torso (keep the hip extended on the side of the back leg). Maintain a neutral position of the head and spine throughout the exercise
- End the eccentric portion of the movement when the weight touches the floor or go as far down as your range of motion allows while maintaining good form.
- Make sure the dumbbell or kettlebell is close to your body and don't drift too far outwards.
- Return to the starting position by pulling with the hip of the front foot.
Common mistakes
- Using the rack for support instead of just stabilization.
- Not maintaining control throughout the movement.
- Not performing through the full range of motion.
- Standing on the toes of the front foot.
- Letting the back foot drift to the side, releasing tension in the lateral leg flexors.
Tip: Take on these four challenges on the rowing machine
Do your fitness training and have fun doing it
By Eric Cressey
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-take-these-4-rowing-challenges
The 2000 meter test
This was one of the three most terrifying experiences I've ever had while training. I would say that this test easily rivals sets of squats or deadlifts with super high reps.
It took me 7:40 minutes for my first 2000 meter test. The world record for men is currently 5:36 minutes (and 6:25 minutes for women). See how long it takes you and try to be a few seconds faster next time.
The countdown challenge
This is a low volume, short duration protocol that is a little easier to get through as each subsequent set is shorter than the previous one.
- Row 500 meters
- Rest for 1 minute
- Row 400 meters
- Rest for 1 minute
- Row 300 meters
- Pause for 1 minute
- Row 200 meters
- Pause for 1 minute
- Row 100 meters
Your favorite song for distance
If you have a favorite song that keeps you going, turn up the music and see how far you get during that song.
Music is a great motivator but can also be a great timer for intense training efforts as most songs are no longer than 5 minutes. Just as you have personal bests for bench press, squats and deadlifts, you can also have a personal best for distance with a few different songs.
30/30 for 10 minutes
It's simple: 30 seconds of intense rowing, 30 seconds of rest, alternating for 10 minutes. This is another good option as the time passes quickly and none of the efforts are so long that you'll be bored to death if you're someone who hates cardio. The only downside is that the rest intervals are so short that you barely have time to get up before you have to sit down again to continue rowing.
Tip: Perform front squats first
Do you want more muscular thighs? Then do this quick front squat ramp before you do anything else on leg day.
By Dean Graddon
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-front-squats-first
Many larger exercisers and those with a background of running-based sports (especially athletics), tend to have a posterior chain dominance during squats, meaning that their gluteus and hamstrings are more easily activated than their quadriceps during squats.
If you struggle to feel the workout in your quadriceps when performing classic squats and feel it more in your hips and lower back, try this simple tip: Train front squats first. For those who focus primarily on heavy weights, this may sound like heresy, but for exercisers looking for hypertrophy in the quadriceps, this can be pure magic.
Front squats shift the focus to the quadriceps and allow most exercisers to perform deep squats more safely than traditional back squats. By starting your leg workout with front squats, you will pre-fatigue your quadriceps and get into the right groove for the squat movement pattern. Yes, you will be forced to use slightly less weight in your subsequent classic squats, but in the long run the benefits in terms of quadriceps strength will more than make up for this.
Here's how it works
After your normal warm-up, perform a set of front squats with 12 to 15 repetitions using only the empty bar. After this, the weight will depend on your strength in front squats. If you are not sure what your 12 RM, 10 RM and 8 RM weights are, try to estimate them as best you can and adjust the weights accordingly in the following training sessions. The aim is for the weight to be challenging, but not to the point of muscle failure.
Over four sets, you should increase the weight as follows:
- Set 1: 8 reps with a weight you could perform 12 to 15 reps of front squats with no problem.
- Set 2: 8 repetitions with your 12 RM
- Set 3: 5 repetitions with your 10 RM
- Set 4: 5 reps with your 8 RM
You are then ready to perform your workout with classic squats as planned.
Tip: Prepare yourself healthy weight gainer cookies
Protein researchers give these cookies to their test subjects to ensure that they consume plenty of high-quality protein. Now you can make them too.
By Chris Shugart | 04/08/16
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/tip-make-healthy-weight-gainer-cookies
Dr. Peter Lemon, a respected protein researcher, had a problem. His subjects were not adhering to the higher protein, higher calorie diets required for his studies. Some of these studies ran for several months and Dr. Lemon needed to make it as convenient as possible for his subjects to consume the right nutrients.
He therefore came up with the idea of using cookies that didn't need to be baked. Simply mix protein powder with raw oatmeal and natural nut butter, train hard and get muscular. It worked and the test subjects achieved the expected gains.
Here's my own recipe, which is close to the original but tastes much better:
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned raw rolled oats
- 3/4 cup (171 grams) natural peanut butter or nut butter of choice
- 3 scoops (90 grams) chocolate flavored protein powder
- 1 cup organic coconut flakes
- 3/4 cup warm water
Preparation
- Place the oats, protein powder and coconut flakes in a bowl and mix the dry ingredients well.
- Add the nut butter and water. Mix everything well with your hands until you have a uniform dough.
- Roll the dough into balls the size of a golf ball and then press them flat to make cookies. Optionally, you can sprinkle the cookies with coconut flakes.
- Place the cookies in the fridge.
Makes about 13 cookies.
Do you have some time? Then try out the following idea
- Toast the rolled oats. To do this, put the oats in a dry Teflon pan. Heat the oats over a medium heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown.
- Toast your coconut flakes. Spread the coconut flakes on a baking tray and bake for 8 minutes at 180 degrees until golden brown. Turn the coconut flakes halfway through for even browning.
Tip: Test your unilateral strength
These four challenges will test your lower body strength and give you one hell of a workout.
By Ben Bruno
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-test-your-unilateral-leg-strength
There are two types of people who think unilateral training is for wimps:
- Those who don't do it.
- Those who aren't good at it.
Neither of them has the right to express an opinion on the subject - at least not a credible one.
Before you jump to conclusions about the effectiveness of single-leg training, I would urge you to give this type of training a real chance so that you're not just making a gut decision. Make it your goal to improve your single-leg performance and work your way up to those goals:
- Bulgarian split squats(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Ee3M6SDgQ&list=RDQM0kMqIe_XD18&index=25) with a total weight equal to your body weight (whether it's a barbell, dumbbells, a weight vest or a combination) for 6 to 8 reps per leg through the full range of motion so that the back knee touches the floor.
- Walking lunges with a total weight equal to your body weight for 16 steps in a row (that's 8 per leg) with good form.
- Skater squats(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2XuCMqmWKI) using half your bodyweight for 6 reps per leg.
- Single leg Romanian deadlift using 75% of your bodyweight for 6 to 8 reps per leg.
Some people who already have very strong legs will achieve these goals quite quickly once they get used to these exercises, while for others it may take significantly longer. I've had numerous high school athletes reach and exceed these numbers, which means they are far from unrealistic.
Tip: Most push-back push-ups
Build up your shoulders with this unique shoulder-dominant push-up variation.
By Nick Tumminello
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-master-the-push-back-push-up 6/16
Think of this exercise as push-ups that are primarily for your shoulders instead of your chest. It forces your shoulders to work hard to powerfully move your body backward using a natural arch and pressure angle.
Push-Back Push-ups
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04p4MWfhpAI)
- Step 1: Move down, explode backwards, straighten your back and return to the push-up position.
- Step 2: Use the same basic movement but place your feet on a bench. Your abs will be begging for mercy.
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-the-guillotine-curl
By Michael Warren
