Training

Back then...

In the early days of my competitive career, I modeled my leg training after Tom Platz because he had the best legs in the world. Unsurprisingly, his philosophies served me well then and still do today.

In my back training, I tried to emulate the great Lee Haney. I performed a ton of the tried and true basic exercises: Pull-ups, barbell rows and dumbbell rows. Unfortunately, I wasn't getting the same amazing results as Lee Haney.

I tried a few other training programs from bodybuilding legends like Dorian Yates and Bertil Fox, who had monstrous back development.

That also proved to be a failure.

Then I started training with a couple of powerlifters in my gym. These were big, muscular guys with symmetry to spare - in fact, two of them were competing in a bodybuilding and a powerlifting competition on the same day!

These guys taught me that deadlifts are by far the best exercise for building a huge back. There was just one problem here: this didn't work for me either.

My powerlifting training partners and I trained with low volume, high volume, low reps, high reps, low frequency, high frequency, sumo style, conventional style, on a box in a house with a mouse - you name it, we did it.

To my frustration, ever since I found my perfect leg workout, my legs grew so fast that they began to accentuate my weak back even more. My competition coach even told me backstage "When you go on stage, if possible, don't turn around and don't let them see your back. During the compulsory poses, you have to be the last one to show your back pose and the first one to finish it."

Man did that gnaw at me.

I eventually came to terms with the fact that I simply didn't have the genetic predisposition to build mass, width or muscle density in my back. If I ever wanted to have a hope of competing with the wide guys on stage, I had to try exercises that were not standard exercises or simply accept that I would forever have below average back development.

Many exercisers never reach this point. They just keep banging their head against the wall and doing the same thing over and over again because that's how Lee Haney/Dorian/Ronnie did it.

Get over it.

Whether you like it or not, you have to realize that many of the best backs in the sport were built by guys who were at the top end of the genetic pool - genes that you can't even begin to compete with.

Instead, look at guys like Rich Gaspari, Lee Labrada or Tom Platz - guys with mediocre genetic predispositions for the back, but with huge work ethic and smart training strategies. That's the type of hard-working bodybuilder you should be studying.

Back to the present

Fast forward to 2004, I was always creative and ended up making some remarkable breakthroughs with my back training. I discovered some exercises that worked well for me and was taught some more excellent back exercises by a very creative friend. You'll see these exercises below and trust me when I tell you that these exercises are extremely effective.

Let's quickly go over the Mountain Dog core training principles that I introduced in my leg training article.

Mountain Dog training is what I would call an intensive collection of exercises, repetition schemes and techniques selected to take your body to new levels by not allowing it to adapt to the old levels.

The most important prerequisite for training progress is increased intensity, and in back training, increased intensity often requires creativity - and sometimes even madness!

Key concepts, exercises and stretching

Latissimus thickness is all about the angles

The latissimus has such a large mass of muscle that you need to use different angles for maximum size, detail and separation. Simply performing regular bent-over rowing or dumbbell rowing won't get you far - especially if you're not genetically blessed to begin with.

I've listed a few exercises below that will attack the latissimus from different angles with varying degrees of tension. These aren't just exercises I've come up with to be creative - they've been the nuts and bolts of my back training for the last 6 years. In this context, I should perhaps note that my back has improved more during these 6 years than during the previous 15 years.

Meadows Rowing (https://youtu.be/KOif0fdBbkM)

I seriously doubt that I invented this exercise, but I've never seen anyone else do it, so I'm staking my claim. I'm sure I'm the one smeared, as someone like Charles Glass probably used this exercise back in the seventies.

This exercise is a modified version of the one-arm dumbbell row using a T-bar. For this exercise, stand next to the front end of the bar where you would normally stand if you were to add another weight plate. Grab the bar by the handle with one hand and perform the rider exercise, making sure to use grip aids.

To perfect this exercise, you must learn to position your hips to maximize the stretch and engagement of the entire latissimus - and especially the lower latissimus. In a sense, you are 'kicking' your hips away from the bar, which helps to increase the stretch. (If you perform this exercise correctly, you will notice this).

This exercise, more than any other exercise, is responsible for the mass and detail I've developed in my latissimus area and is a key exercise for anyone asking me for help with a stubborn back. Aim for 4 sets of 10 reps.

Single arm barbell row (https://youtu.be/gpBmaLGeJyc)

This is another exercise that in my experience is brutal and effective for latissimus development. Stand next to a loaded barbell, reach down, grab the barbell and start rowing.

As with the Meadows Row, you should emphasize the stretch on the way down. Use 20 kilo plates to increase the range of motion and achieve the greatest possible stretch.

Dumbbell dead stop rowing (dumbbell rowing with a complete stop) (https://youtu.be/-6OWws5zaYE)

This is the way dumbbell rowing should be done! Get into the standard dumbbell rowing position and perform this exercise as usual, but set the dumbbell down at the lowest point of the movement, pause for a second and then explosively move the elbow up as fast as possible (along with the weight, of course).

The complete stop of the weight at the lowest point of the movement eliminates any momentum and the explosive movement from the lowest position is the killer. I insist I developed this exercise, so please don't ruin this for me by knowing better.

Incorporate an intense stretch into your latissimus exercises for maximum width and detail.

The latissimus and shoulder girdle can easily become hard and tight from a lot of hard training, which can result in adhesions within the muscles, preventing them from working at maximum efficiency.

Certain exercises are ideal for such extra stretching - provided you are careful. This stretch is a great way to achieve good muscle separation while loosening up the connective and soft tissues, resulting in increased flexibility in the shoulders.

Stretcher(https://youtu.be/IC2lR5okzHw)

This exercise has loosened up my shoulder girdle more than any other exercise. Stand facing a lat pulldown machine and place one foot on the seat. Using a close grip, perform a kind of rowing movement with the weight. Fully extend your arms and duck your head down during the stretched part of the movement.

This will feel a little uncomfortable in the shoulder area during the first few sets. Next, pull the bar into the mid-abdominal area and perform a hunch while contracting your latissimus powerfully. You will notice that you will become looser as you perform the exercise, which will result in an awesome pump.

Lat pulldown with forced stretch (https://youtu.be/oC7UICUkfhc)

I love this exercise for the width of the upper latissimus. However, you need to make sure you perform this exercise correctly (a good training partner is worth its weight in gold), otherwise you could injure yourself.

Perform regular lat pulldowns on a machine, but overstretch your arms while performing the negative part of the movement. Your training partner will push the weight down for added tension, increasing the pressure as your arms come close to full extension. Don't perform 3 second negative reps here - stretch your latissimus and pause for a second at the top of the movement while your partner continues to apply pressure.

Heavy partial repetitions for lat pulldowns (https://youtu.be/tQ84u02wZMY)

Use a heavy weight with which it would be impossible for you to perform an entire repetition over the full range of motion. Pull the weight only to the top of your head and let it stretch you at the highest point of the movement - relax your shoulder blades.

The weight should literally pull you out of your seat for a few centimetres. Here, too, you should proceed intelligently and not get sloppy.

Mountain Dog overlays (https://youtu.be/8GU8j25D1Cw)

Most people perform pull-ups across a bench. Try my variation instead. Lie on a bench with your head hanging down from the top of the bench. Slowly lower the weight and pull your forehead up. Your latissimus should become looser with each set and you'll reap the added benefits of a great serratus workout.

Shoulder raises with pause and shoulder blade retraction with pause for trapezius and diamond muscle development

The muscle fibers of your trapezius run in three different directions. Shoulder raises primarily train the upper part of the trapezius. Here are the types of shoulder raises that I find most effective, even if they are rarely performed.

Dumbbell shoulder raise with 3 seconds pause/flexion at the highest point of the movement

This exercise will literally destroy your trapezius. The pause and contraction will kill any momentum and force your trapezius to work much harder than the more common method of sweeping up and down movements. Grab a pair of 45 kilo dumbbells and perform 12 repetitions with 3 second rests. You'll see what I mean.

Barbell shoulder raise with 3 seconds rest/flexion

This is the same exercise as above, only now you're using a barbell.

You also have a middle and lower section of your trapezius. The middle part of your trapezius pulls your shoulder blades inwards towards your spine. This area works as a team with your rhomboid muscle. To really nail this area, the most important thing to pay attention to is the alignment of your elbows: You need to keep your elbows higher so that your latissimus doesn't take over. This will also bring your rear shoulder muscles into play.

Each type of assisted rowing allows you to focus on elbow alignment and a deliberate hard contraction and for this reason I have chosen to use a machine.

Assisted rowing with a 1 second hard contraction at the highest point of the movement

Make sure you stretch well in this exercise too! Keep your elbows high, pull the weight back and consciously contract your muscles hard. You can use machines with different angles of movement - you can sit up straight, bend forward, lie on a bench, etc.

We won't go into the lower part of the trapezius and rhomboids at this point, as this area is trained by lat pulldowns (it pulls the shoulder blades down).

Use old-school methods for the back extensions

You don't need anything trendy or fancy at this point. The following three exercises have allowed me to develop thick and dense back extensions. The most important thing here was simply to stay consistent and do them every week.

Reverse Hypers

This is Louie Simmons baby. When I trained at Westside Barbell during the nineties, this was our main lower back basic exercise. This is my absolute favorite lower back exercise and if you have one of these machines, I highly recommend you use it excessively.

Deadlift

Deadlifts didn't help me get a huge, wide latissimus, but this exercise definitely helped me develop my lower back. You can do this exercise from the floor or from a rack - the important thing is that you do it. You'll probably have noticed that I put lower back exercises at the end of all my back training programs - it's brutal to do deadlifts after all the other back training you've done up to that point, but it works.

Hyperextensions

Last but not least, an exercise I love: hyperextensions. This exercise will leave you in no doubt as to whether it works or not. Do 30 reps of hyperextensions and then stand up and try to walk around with that insane pump in the back extensor area and you'll see what I mean. I do this exercise every week. This exercise is also a great rehab exercise and there is certainly nothing wrong with a healthy lower back.

Exercise sequence

Just as with leg training, the order of exercises is very important on back day, although it's not quite as critical as on leg day. However, there are a few general rules that I like to follow.

Rowing first

Train your latissimus with rowing first if you still have your full strength and can rush through your sets like a rabid animal. The modified rowing described above is a perfect start to your training session.

Stretching exercises follow rowing

Once you've pumped a lot of blood into your latissimus, it's ready to be stretched. Use the stretching exercises described above and always remember not to do them first. I believe that these exercises can actually be harmful if you place them in the wrong place in your training session. Even though I can't prove this scientifically, my experience tells me that they work best after rowing.

Trapezius and rhomboids can be inserted anywhere in your training session

Don't be afraid to do them first if they need more attention.

The back extensors come last

You simply cannot perform and feel rowing for the latissimus when your lower back is pumped full of blood. Always save these exercises for last! However, there is one exception. If you can perform deadlifts without a burn or an extreme pump, you can also place the back extension exercises anywhere in your training session. And what about performing hyperextensions before Meadow's rows? Bad idea, young padawan.

Intense stretching

You may remember from the Mountain Dog leg training article that I love intense stretching of the legs - the same goes for the back, but should only be done when the latissimus is fully pumped. Make sure that the stretch is intense and that you hold it for at least 30 to 60 seconds.

Pump Up The Volume

My 12 week program looks like this in terms of volume:

Phase 1 - Week 1 to 3

Use a medium volume approach. The total number of sets ranges from 11 to 14 sets. You won't need a lot of sets as the training angles and intensity will work well with a moderate volume approach.

Phase 2 - Week 4 to 9

Use a high volume approach. From now on we will start to increase the volume each week. Your body will adapt to the intensity you used during Phase 1, so we will continue to push it out of balance by slowly increasing the volume over the next 3 weeks.

The number of sets will typically go up to 16-20, with more high-intensity sets added each week. You will need to push yourself hard during the 6 weeks of this phase.

Phase 3 - Week 10 to 12

Use a low to medium volume approach, with almost all sets being high intensity sets (following an adequate warm up). The number of sets will be 8 to 10, which means that the overall volume will now drop - but these sets will be the hardest you've ever done in your life.

Unloading phase - 2 weeks

As with any hard program, there is an unloading phase that you will benefit from in the long run, not least because of the rebound effect of cumulative neuronal fatigue that accompanies such high-intensity training. Two weeks of light training is my general recommendation after a brutal 12 weeks of training, although of course everyone is different.

How do you know when you need those 2 weeks? You will have one or more of the following:

• Increased heart rate at rest
• Sleep disturbances
• Bad mood
• Difficulty developing much strength during heavier multi-joint exercises

Intensity techniques

If you've read my leg training article, you'll have noticed that I use things like 3 second negative reps, descending sets, etc. Some of these techniques are also used in back training, but many are not.

For the back, I like the following intensity techniques:

• Rest/pause - This technique works well with dumbbell dead stop rows and bent-over rows on the multi press (with the stoppers at mid-shin height)
• Continuous tension - You should focus on consciously contracting the target area hard in almost all back exercises. Sometimes it's hard to build a proper mind-muscle connection with the back muscles, and this technique is the best way to overcome this.
• Partial repetitions - I like these with certain back exercises. You can use these on any lat pulldown or pull-up variations in the stretched portion of the movement. For all cable or machine rowing variations, you can use this technique in the contracted phase of the movement.

Intensity techniques that I don't like in back training include:

• Descending sets - I find that the arms are overused during the execution of descending sets - even when using grip aids - so they won't add much in the way of back strain. Descending sets are great for the legs, but not for the back.
• 3 second negative repetitions - these are also great for the legs, but not for the back. Doing cable rows or lat pulldowns with a 3 second negative repetition just doesn't work well - the arms and shoulders seem to take too much work from the latissimus.

Example workouts

Now that you've learned the background to my training approach for back training, let's take a look at a sample training session. Here is a typical phase 2 training session (19 sets in total).

A) Meadows Rowing - 2 warm-up sets followed by 3 sets of 8 repetitions.

Get used to the correct form of the exercise and then don't be afraid to work your way up to a heavier weight. Remember to pay attention to the correct hip position - play around with this until you find the right point that allows you to feel your ENTIRE latissimus working.

B) Dumbbell Dead Stop Row - 3 sets of 8 repetitions.

Use a heavy weight that challenges you but doesn't make you sloppy in the execution of the exercise.

Perform a fascial tissue stretch for 1 minute for each side of your latissimus - do this twice

C) Stretchers - 2 sets of 12 repetitions

Remember the correct form. Stretch your arms and bend your head down

D) Heavy partial repetitions lat pulldowns - 2 sets of 8 repetitions.

Perform a fascial tissue stretch for 2 minutes for each side of your latissimus - do this twice

E) Assisted rowing - 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Remember to keep your elbows high.

F) Dumbbell shoulder lift - 3 sets of 12 repetitions.

Hold the highest point of each movement at maximum contraction for 3 seconds.

G) Hyperextensions - Perform a set with medium weight until muscle failure, then reduce the weight and perform a few more repetitions. Halve the weight on the next set and repeat. Perform the third set using only your body weight and with as many repetitions as possible.

For example, hold a 20 kilo dumbbell in front of your body and perform 15 repetitions, then drop the dumbbell and try to perform 10 more repetitions. For the second set, use a 10 kilo dumbbell and perform the same number of repetitions. Try to complete 25 reps on the third set. This is absolutely brutal

Bonus exercise

There is another exercise that I love for the lower back and trapezius. It's a modified version of the old Reeves deadlift where you grab the barbell by the plates(https://youtu.be/47tWiEAXzXE). This version is performed explosively and it's absolutely wicked - I love it.

Final thoughts

I hope you appreciate my approach. I'm not saying that barbell rowing, pull-ups and deadlifts won't help you get a massive back. I'm simply saying that they didn't work for me, so I had to get creative.

The exercises presented may seem unique, but if you take a closer look at them, they are still very basic - and I would argue that all my exercises are very basic in nature.

And it's the basic exercises, done repeatedly with intensity, that deliver results.

By John Meadows

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/monstrous-back-the-mountain-dog-way

In 1927, a dispute broke out in the world of sport: the German Swimming Association had decided to use a sun lamp on its athletes to improve their performance. Some felt that this ultraviolet radiation provided an unfair sporting advantage. In other words, it was seen as doping.

How could sitting under a sun lamp be construed as doping? Because, according to Dr. Tim Ziegenfuss, this artificial sunlight penetrates the skin and converts cutaneous 7-dehydrocholesterol into provitamin D3, which is then converted into 1.25 dihydroxy vitamin D in the kidneys.

This in itself does not constitute athletic unfairness, but if you suffer from a vitamin D deficiency (which is very common), then according to modern scientific studies, vitamin D can indeed be a performance enhancing substance.

Exposure of athletes has continued ever since.

Fast forward to May of 2009 to a headline from the Post Chronicle, "Vitamin D Could Allow American Olympic Athletes to Dominate in 2012."

This headline was in response to a paper published by the American College of Sports Medicine that examined the positive effects of adequate vitamin D supplementation on athletic performance.

Although some scientists would not classify vitamin D as a hormone, its metabolite is a secosteroid hormone - a molecule that is very similar to a steroid. In fact, many scientists classify vitamin D as a steroid hormone.

Is it really doping?

Most experts agree that it is not. The majority of athletes, just like the majority of the general population, suffer from a vitamin D deficiency.

Treating this deficiency can help athletes prevent stress fractures and maintain healthy vitality. If this also improves the athlete's reaction time, muscle strength, speed and endurance, then this is a very nice side effect of adequate vitamin D intake.

So vitamin D has been making waves in the world of sports since at least 1927, but it's also becoming a hot topic in another area: life extension. Add in some evidence that it could aid fat loss and strength gains and you could have the following...

The next big vitamin

Dr. Jonny Bowden calls vitamin D the most underrated vitamin on the planet.

Dr. Ziegenfuss, a scientist and sports nutritionist for elite athletes, regularly tests his vitamin D levels to make sure he's getting enough. He even tests his children for their vitamin D levels and supplements as needed.

Strength coach Eric Cressey says vitamin D could be the next fish oil. He makes sure that all the athletes he coaches take plenty of vitamin D.

And last but not least, medicinal chemist Bill Roberts also says that you should definitely take vitamin D.

What's up with this stuff and the often behind the times nutrition organizations? Well, the FDA has already announced that they will likely increase their recommendations regarding daily vitamin D intake in the next revision of their recommendations.

In 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled its recommendations on vitamin D intake for children (from 200 IU per day to 400 IU per day).

And the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences has recommended that sports nutritionists have their athletes' vitamin D levels tested. They say that if athletes don't get enough vitamin D, it will affect their ability to train.

From official bodies to the practical experience of coaches, a clear trend is emerging: vitamin D is important. And if you think you're getting enough of this from natural foods, vitamin D-fortified foods and sunlight, think again, sunshine.

Vitamin D: Why should you worry about this?

There are three good reasons: Longevity, performance and looking good naked.

Let's look at these in detail:

1. longevity

Do you know what can get in the way of building muscle, losing fat and pushing maximum weights on the bench?

Death.

The New England Journal of Medicine recently warned that the number of diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency is on the rise. And who suffers from such a deficiency? Most people, including the otherwise nutrition-conscious athletes - at least that's what this study seems to show.

In a stunning study using population data, scientists found that mortality was 26% higher in those with the lowest vitamin D levels than those with the highest.

And a meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials concluded that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced mortality. Simply put, this means that vitamin D supplementation prolongs life.

Here are a handful of examples:

• According to the Vitamin D Council, recent research has identified vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 types of cancer.
• Vitamin D may protect against type I and II diabetes.
• Low vitamin D levels contribute to chronic fatigue, depression and winter depression.
• Lower vitamin D levels have been found in patients suffering from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
• Low vitamin D levels could contribute to "syndrome X", which is associated with high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
• Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to lower blood pressure and restore insulin sensitivity.

In short, if living a good, long life is important to you, it looks like vitamin D could help you achieve this goal.

2. efficiency

Studies on vitamin D, sunlight and performance have been conducted for decades. Russian studies from the 1930s showed that 100 meter sprint times improved by 7.4% in athletes exposed to UV radiation, while non-exposed athletes with the same training only showed a 1.4% improvement.

German studies from the 1940s showed that UV irradiation led to a 13% improvement in performance on a cycle ergometer, while no improvements were observed in the control group.

In the fifties, scientists saw a convincing effect on athletic performance after athletes were treated with vitamin D. The results were so convincing that they informed the Olympic Committee.

In 1952, even schoolchildren in Germany were irradiated and given high doses of vitamin D. Children treated accordingly showed dramatic improvements in general fitness and cardiovascular performance. A study from 1956 even showed that UV radiation could improve reaction times by 17%.

In the 1960s, a group of female college students were treated with a single UV radiation treatment. The results: Improvements in strength, speed and endurance.

Other studies showed "clear seasonal variations" in the trainability of the muscles. In late summer, athletes performed better and became stronger due to increased sun exposure and the resulting higher vitamin D production.

It has been shown that vitamin D has a direct effect on the synthesis of protein. Subjects suffering from vitamin D deficiency who were administered vitamin D showed improvements in muscle protein anabolism and an increase in muscle mass.

Improvements in neuromuscular function were also observed. People with higher vitamin D levels generally have better reaction time and balance.

3. look good naked

If vitamin D improves the effects of exercise and helps ward off disease, then it's easy to see how this can translate to an improved appearance: You'll be healthier, you'll feel better, you'll get more out of your workout, and you'll end up looking better.

But there could also be a more direct effect. Scientific research shows that adding vitamin D to a calorie-restricted diet could lead to better and faster fat loss. In one study, body fat shrank faster when there was plenty of D3 - and fat shrank faster in the abdominal area.

And the icing on the cake? The same subjects who supplemented with vitamin D were able to maintain their muscle mass while losing fat.

In other studies, subjects who received vitamin D not only lost weight, but also their sugar cravings, while normalization of blood sugar levels was observed.

Vitamin D quick and dirty

Before we get to the recommendations, let's take a look at some vitamin D basics and some lesser-known facts:

• In America, there is no official recommendation regarding vitamin D intake due to insufficient data. However, there is a recommendation regarding adequate intake. These amounts are said to be sufficient to maintain bone health and normal calcium metabolism in healthy individuals. Needless to say, these are the absolute minimums and recent research suggests that these levels are far too conservative.

o From 19 to 50 years: 200 IU

o From 51 to 70 years: 400 IU

o Over 70 years: 600 IU

• There are not many natural foods that contain high amounts of vitamin D. The best sources are halibut liver oil, followed by cod liver oil, salmon, tuna and mackerel.
  And by the way, it should be mentioned that it has been shown that farmed salmon contains 25% less vitamin D than wild salmon. And cod liver oil? A good source of vitamin D, but also very rich in vitamin A, which can be toxic if consumed in excess. For this reason, you should not use cod liver oil alone to increase your vitamin D intake.
  Beef liver, cheese and egg yolk contain small amounts of vitamin D. Foods such as milk contain vitamin D - but only because food manufacturers add it to milk, cereal products and the like. Milk was fortified with vitamin D in the 1930s to combat rickets, and it worked.
  Despite all these foods, those who want to reap the benefits of a higher vitamin D intake will not be able to get enough vitamin D from food alone.
• Most people get their vitamin D from sunlight. The basic guidelines are: 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm at least twice a week without sunscreen. But much of this depends on where you live, how old you are, the time of year, your skin's natural melatonin levels, etc.
• Another fact: although it is possible to get too much vitamin D, this is not from too much sun, but only from excessive supplementation.
• And what about sunbeds? Moderate use of commercial tanning beds, which release 2 to 6% UVB radiation, can help, but of course there's that whole skin cancer thing to consider
• Sunlight coming through glass doesn't count. Most UVB radiation cannot penetrate glass.

How much vitamin D?

While researching for this article, I tried to find a consensus based on what experts say. Here is what I found:

• As a general rule, Dr. Clay Hyght recommends 1,000 IU per day. This represents the low end among our experts, although it should be noted that this is still well above the official recommendations.
• One of the most renowned experts on vitamin D, Dr. Reinhold Vieth, says that intake should be in the range of 4,000 IU from all sources.
• Dr. Jonny Bowden recommends 2,000 IU per day.
• Dr. Ziegenfuss keeps his personal intake of 25-hydroxy D at 50 to 100 ng/ml. This means he uses about 4,000 IU per day. He noted that his vitamin D levels rarely reached the 40 ng/ml when taking 1,000 to 2,000 IU per day.
• Bill Roberts has noted that 4,000 IU per day can aid fat loss.
• The Vitamin D Council says that those who are rarely exposed to the sun should supplement 5,000 IU per day. This would require 50 glasses of vitamin D-fortified milk or 10 to 12 standard multivitamin tablets.
• Dr. Robert P. Heaney of Creighton University estimates that 3,000 IU per day would be necessary to ensure that 97% of the population reaches levels above 35 ng/ml.

These levels may depend on your ethnicity and the amount of sun exposure you get. Some estimates suggest that dark-skinned people may need twice as much vitamin D as people with fair skin.

Which recommendation you stick to is up to you and perhaps also your GP (if they are familiar with the subject). If you want to be on the safe side, a blood test is recommended.

General recommendations

1. If you are looking for a vitamin D supplement, you should choose the D3 form. Gel capsules are probably best. Some prefer a liquid form. Since vitamin D is fat-soluble, you should take vitamin D supplements with foods that contain some fat to optimize absorption. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids are best.
2. Try to get some sun, but avoid sunburn. Occasional use of a solarium is fine - especially in winter.
3. If in doubt, get your vitamin D levels checked. You should get tested for 25 (hydroxy) D. This is 25-hydroxyvitamin D, not 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. The Vitamin D Council says you should aim for blood levels between 50 and 80 ng/mL. The average American and Western European averages 15 to 18 ng/mL in late winter, which is considered a serious deficiency.
4. It is wise to ensure adequate calcium intake when you increase your vitamin D intake.

Can you overdose on vitamin D?

Yes, but it is unlikely to happen. Some doctors believe that critical toxicity can occur at doses of 20,000 IU per day (over many months) and that the upper safe limit should be raised to 10,000 IU instead of the current 2,000 IU.

Even if toxicity issues exist, you probably don't need to worry about this if you stay at 5,000 IU per day or less.

Good dope

The Public Health Agency of Canada says that vitamin D may offer protection against viruses like the swine flu virus.

So if you get plenty of vitamin D and catch the flu, it will be a weaker version. If you are deficient in vitamin D - which is the case for most people, especially in winter - then you are more likely to develop all the symptoms of flu.

The message is loud and clear: it's time to start 'doping' with vitamin D.

By Chris Shugart

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/supplements/d-is-for-doping

References

1. Melamed ML, Michos ED, Post W, Astor B. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D levels and the risk of mortality in the general population. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(15):1629-37
2. Autier P, Gandini S. Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(16):1730-7.
3. Athletic Performance and Vitamin D , JOHN J. CANNELL, BRUCE W. HOLLIS, MARC B. SORENSON, TIMOTHY N. TAFT, and JOHN J. B. ANDERSON

Every man would love to have a sexy, confident woman on his arm who is in good shape. If you want to help your girlfriend or wife change her body but don't know where to start, look no further.

Step one is to know what you're dealing with. Nearly every workout guide for women published in the mainstream media has women doing massive amounts of cardio with maximum weight cuffs on their joints to "tone and sculpt" their bodies.

This can lead to considerable conflict with your girlfriend, especially if you want to introduce her to the squat rack from day one and start increasing the weight. Since we are dealing with women, let's start with the "emotional" considerations.

1 - Create a plan and support her

Good support is a mixture of practical and emotional support. Initially, your friend may find it difficult to commit to weight training and make it a regular habit, so you should set her up for long-term success by helping her take care of her practical considerations.

She will need a plan that covers not only the execution of the actual workouts, but also the scheduling of her workouts into her daily routine and financial matters. Your support should be as intuitive as possible and reduce the number of possible excuses.

The beauty of this is that by doing this, you are making her feel that she is important to you and making her understand the positive impact taking care of her body and looking after it will have on her.

What you should do:

• Sit down with her and work with her to find a time to exercise. Schedule the workout accordingly and treat time as sacred. Time is the most common excuse - don't let her use it.
• Pay her for a gym membership, a new workout bag or a gift certificate for workout clothes. This is part of the investment - and investments strengthen bonds.
• Go to the gym with her and work out together or recommend ways for her to find a workout buddy. This is especially important in the beginning when she doesn't know what to do yet.
• You shouldn't tell her to work out but then not help her create a plan.
• Leave her alone to figure out how to do her exercises and how to structure her workouts.
• Getting impatient with what she doesn't know. Teach her everything she needs to know.

What you shouldn't do:

The goal is to make this a lifestyle change. The gym is already a part of your life - you have a gym bag, you invest time and you reap the benefits.

Make it a part of your life too. Having someone to support us in what we do gives us all a sense of warmth - and makes you look like a big, strong knight in shining armor.

2 - Give her external motivation so she can build her internal motivation

There are two types of motivation you need to consider. Controlled or external motivation comes from external sources. This type of motivation is best to start the process and get it going.

Autonomous or internal motivation comes from personal conviction - it's that "I'm doing it for me" kind of motivation. This is the kind of motivation we aim for in the long term, but it takes time to develop.

The best way is to contribute when she makes progress, to give her something to work towards by using 'reward strategies'

Rewards in this context doesn't necessarily mean something you buy her - it can also be things like telling her how great she will look or how envious her friends will be

Not everyone can be motivated in exactly the same way, but we're not that different from each other.

So what exactly motivates a woman?

• If you think she's hot and desirable.
• Avoiding the shame (regardless of whether this is actually true) of an obviously unhealthy and unattractive body.
• The drive and inner strength that comes from looking and feeling good. Everything seems easier and more "possible" when you believe you look good.
• Ego Involvement. If she sees other women like her making it and looking good, why not her?
• "I'm doing it for me." Reminders of how much you love her attitude when she looks and feels good, how hot her body can be and a little "do it for me" strategy can do wonders.

The mere fact that she works out (regardless of the amount of exercise she actually does) will have an impact on her self-confidence about her appearance and this link has been well proven by scientific research. With increased self-confidence comes a whole load of other good 'side effects'. But to reap these benefits, she needs to start exercising first.

What you should do:

• Remind her that it feels great to have successfully completed an exercise session. Praise her for following through with her workouts and doing what she set out to do.
• Help her set numerical goals like doing squats with her body weight or performing a pull-up.
• Be a partner. She's not alone, you're doing this together.

What you shouldn't do:

• Comparing her to someone else. Stay away from comparisons, which even applies to "positive comparisons.
• Constantly commenting on other women's bodies - even if you do so with good motivational intentions.
• Talking about what she used to look like. Focus on where she's going and what she's doing now.

3 - Emphasize a workout with weights

This will bring huge overall benefits, especially if she is thin but still flabby (buzzword skinny fat). Getting women to train correctly with weights while ignoring all the misinformation is a big step. So now she's set her schedule and you've convinced her not to be afraid of the weights - but what's next?

What you should do:

• Make sure your gym has the right equipment for a workout with weights or invest in equipment for home use. Women don't need anything special. Barbells and dumbbells are all that's needed.
• Teach her the correct way to perform squats, deadlifts and bench presses. Show her how to perform the supporting exercises.
• Give her a program to follow (like the programs below). Explain to her why training with weights is beneficial for her. Sculpting her body (what she would call toning) with weights will do more for her than hours of cardio.

Depending on how well you can satisfy her concerns, you may want to get her to do some research. Women who work out with weights, think about their diet and are consistent have the best body composition. Many women will be shocked to hear this.

Remember that the average woman thinks that hours of boot camp workouts, hours on the treadmill and circuit training on machines with high reps is the way to go.

What you shouldn't do:

• Leaving them standing helplessly near the dumbbells with vague instructions. Not knowing how to do something properly and the fear of looking like a beginner will dampen or completely kill their enthusiasm to start exercising.
• Confusing her with too many ideas about advanced training techniques. She needs to familiarize herself with and internalize the basics first: big multi-joint exercises, progressive overload, and consistency.
• Showing her pictures of super hot "normal" girls looking good and working out hard.

All women can start with the basic multi-joint exercises (or lighter variations of these) and work their way up from there. In the beginning, it is important to ensure enough time under tension to recruit more muscle fibers and practice the exercises to internalize the motor movement patterns.

Sticking with the big multi-joint exercises and incorporating some additional supportive training in conjunction with a few HIIT circuits or sprints into the training plan will yield the best results. Build your strength base first to get your neuromuscular system up to speed and stimulate growth before you start complicated programs or training cycles and splits.

Before we get to the programs, you should give her some basic knowledge. This may sound like information that everyone knows, but many women are complete novices when it comes to the rules and norms of the weight room.

Teach her the following:

• How much the different bars weigh, and how to calculate the weight (i.e. you include the weight of the bar in the total weight)
• What sets and repetitions mean.
• How to load barbells and machines correctly and easily with weights.
• What the different bars are called (e.g. barbell, SZ bar, trap bar, etc.)
• What basic terminology such as incline bench, reverse incline bench, overhand grip and underhand grip, etc. means.
• That strength goals are used as a way to determine progress rather than next day muscle soreness and how much you sweat during the workout.

The programs

Below you will find three programs to try out. You should make a choice with her that takes into account how many days a week she can train and how advanced her knowledge of training is.

Stick to the higher repetition ranges at the beginning, which also applies to the larger multi-joint exercises. She won't be training heavy enough in the beginning to benefit from anything that falls into a sub-5 repetition range anyway. The key is to train the execution of the exercises, and to perform enough repetitions to stimulate her neuromuscular system and induce growth.

The focus should be on strength in the beginning. Only after she has built up a certain strength base can the training be manipulated to fit more specific personal goals. You can't sculpt muscles if there is nothing to sculpt yet.

Therefore, the focus should be on increasing strength through progressive overload to develop a base that is beneficial for whatever type of training style she ultimately prefers and whatever muscle group she wants to modify more later.

Round it all off with short metabolic training sessions like Tabata, HIIT or intervals 1 to 2 times a week to get her sweating and make her feel like she's "worked harder" (one of the reasons women love spinning classes and cardio bootcamps).

2 or 3 days per week - Super basic full body workout

• 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps with as challenging a weight as possible. Start with 8 repetitions.
• The number of repetitions can be higher if she needs more time to get to grips with the exercises and internalize the movements.
• Keep the length of the breaks to 1 to 2 minutes.

Training session 1

Training session 2

Training session 3

Program Monday/Wednesday/Friday - Starting Strength Style

• 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps using the same weight for all working sets of an exercise (3 warm-up sets, 5 working sets), except for deadlifts where you progressively increase the weight so that the last set is the heaviest set.
• If she can't do pull-ups, start with inverted rows or assisted pull-ups on a machine or with a resistance band.

Monday

Wednesday

Friday

Upper body/lower body split program - PHAT (Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training) style

• On power days 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 repetitions. On hypertrophy days 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions.
• The abdominal muscle training includes 15 to 20 repetitions or 30 to 90 seconds of planks.
• Start with the highest rep/set range on the four big exercises (which will require a lower weight). To achieve progression in the supporting exercises, she should start with the lower repetition range and work her way up to the upper repetition range with the same weight. When she reaches the highest reps, the weight is increased and the reps decreased and the whole thing starts again.

Monday - Upper body power

Tuesday - Lower Body Power

Thursday - Upper body hypertrophy

Friday - Lower body hypertrophy

Other considerations

• Have them do the same program for at least 8 to 12 weeks before you change it too much. Give the program enough time to work.
• Start at the higher end of reps/sets and gradually move to the lower end as her strength increases and the weight gets heavy enough for her to benefit from lower reps. Make sure she has enough time under tension. Eight reps is a good starting point for the big exercises.
• Keep her away from cardio - especially on days when she is training with weights. If you want to wean her off excessive cardio, have her end each training session with a short, intense circuit and ab workout.
• This intense circuit can include sprints on the treadmill, sprints up the stairs, 100 repetitions of kettlebell swings for time, tire flips for time, sled pulls for time and bodyweight-only circuits for repetitions.
• Something short, hard and fast will encourage weight loss and muscle building and give her the "high" of hard work without compromising progress too much. Or have her do her own cardio workout at a low, consistent intensity on rest days. Keep the intensity low and the duration under an hour. Walking is great for this.
• Give her a notebook or app to log her training sessions. This is very important for setting goals.
• Don't increase the weight for each training session until she has internalized correct exercise form. Instead, increase the weight every week. If she is having a hard time learning correct form, keep the weight low and increase the reps to 10 to 12 and let her practice.
• Connect her to resources that will help her learn more and continue her journey. Don't refer her to women's magazines to learn how to exercise.
• Providing her with solid information is important to build the internal motivation mentioned earlier. Have them read and follow the same trainers and authors that you follow.
• There is a variety of good information out there that she can benefit from just like you. Encourage her to become a part of this "culture". Women who train with weights are still in the minority, but they do exist.

Final words

As her interest and progress increases, she will no longer need so much support from you. She will have her own reasons for sticking with it and her passion will be awakened.

She'll build a great body - and you'll get to enjoy it!

By Joy Victoria

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/steps-to-getting-your-girl-to-train