Training

Your program + 2 boosters = new muscle mass!

This article will not overwhelm you with neuroscience or confusing technical terms. No, it will be very simple and easy to understand. As I've learned over the years, elementary advice is usually what helps people the most and tends to work the best.

With that knowledge in mind, I've put together a muscle growth accelerating plan for you that will do just that - greatly accelerate muscle growth. And you know what? This plan is so simple that you'd have to be quite a fool not to agree with it. There will be no esoteric exercises, no mention of a tempo and definitely no unnecessary bullshit. This training session doesn't need any of that.

I'm going to outline a training session that you should do along with your current program. In other words, you won't need to do anything more than add these two workouts to your weekly training plan - no other adjustments are necessary. Think of these workouts as a couple of "booster shots" injected into your current training program.

One of the coolest benefits of these muscle-building workouts is that they aren't dependent on the program you're currently following. Whether you're using a full body workout program, a goddamn muscle group split or some other hybrid plan - it doesn't matter.

In fact, these workouts are like a busty blonde showing up to your blind date with loose morals - you're sure to welcome this encore.

Step 1: Identify your weak points

The first thing you need to do is identify your weakest (or furthest behind in their development) muscle groups. Which muscle group needs the most work from a hypertrophy perspective? Here is a list to choose from:

• Calves
• hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Gluteus/lower back
• Abdominals
• Chest muscles
• Upper back/latissimus
• Shoulder muscles
• Triceps
• biceps
• Forearms

Once you have determined your weak points, make a list. Let's say this list includes your quadriceps, your pecs, your shoulder muscles and your biceps. Your two booster workouts will target these muscle groups.

Step 2: Choose your weapons (exercises)

Once you've made your list of lagging muscle groups, I want you to choose two different exercises for each of these muscle groups. The only criteria you need to follow is this: You must choose two different exercises for each muscle group that you have not performed during the last two months.

And just because you've been doing bench presses on the reverse incline bench for your chest doesn't mean you can't use this exercise - you just need to modify the exercise slightly. So if you're a fan of bench presses on the reverse incline bench and you've been doing a variation with a 20 degree incline of the bench and a barbell, all you need to do is use two dumbbells instead of the barbell. It would be even better if you also changed the incline of the bench to, say, 30 degrees, although it is absolutely not necessary to change the angle of the bench as well.

For lower body exercises, the answer could be as simple as using a narrower or wider foot spacing. For example, if you've been doing classic squats with a shoulder-width stance, you can switch to a narrow stance with raised heels. Or use barbell Hackenschmidt squats. Basically, you can use any variation that targets the quadriceps if you are trying to progress the development of your quadriceps.

Make a list of your weakest muscle groups (e.g. quadriceps, chest, shoulders and biceps) in conjunction with two different exercises that target these muscle groups. Here is a sample list that illustrates the first two steps. (Please keep in mind that this is just an example. Use the muscle groups and exercises that best suit your situation).

Step 3: Weight

At this point you have made a list of your weakest muscle groups and chosen two different exercises for each of these muscle groups. Now I want you to choose a weight for each of these exercises that represents the maximum weight for 40 to 50 repetitions (a weight that you can perform 40 to 50 repetitions with before you reach the point of muscle failure).

For those who prefer percentages of their maximum weight for one repetition (1RM), this would correspond to around 30 to 35% of your 1RM weight. However, this percentage can vary greatly from person to person, so don't get too hung up on these numbers. Just take a few minutes to play around with the weight for each exercise and figure out what weight puts you in the 40 to 50 reps range.

It may take a training session to determine the correct weight, but that's perfectly fine. If you choose a weight that allows you to do 35 or 60 reps or another number of reps that doesn't fall into the 40-50 reps to muscle failure range, don't worry - the session will still deliver a useful hypertrophy effect. Simply make the necessary adjustments to the weight during the next training session.

Step 4: The 100 mark

The goal for each training session is to perform 100 repetitions of each exercise. Obviously, a weight that is your 40-50RM weight is not going to allow you to do 100 reps - and that's the point. I want you to perform the first 40 to 50 reps and stop one repetition before reaching muscle failure. Then pause for 10 seconds and do as many more reps as you can. Pause again for 10 seconds, followed by as many repetitions as you can, and so on. Follow this pattern until you reach 100 repetitions. That's it. Rest for 3 minutes and then move on to the next exercise.

Should you reach the point of muscle failure at the end of the set? Yes and no. If it's an isolation exercise like curls, side raises and the like, then you can reach the point of muscle failure. However, if it's a multi-joint exercise like squats, overhead presses, etc., then you should always keep one repetition in reserve to avoid excessive fatigue, which can be problematic with multi-joint exercises.

In other words, if you were to perform 100 repetitions of close stance squats to the point of muscle failure, this would cause excessive fatigue that would affect your recovery over the course of the week. However, even if you're wetting your pants from exertion during bicep curls, this won't take a huge toll on your weekly recovery.

Step 5: Progression

As a progression, I want you to squeeze out a few extra reps during the first set of each subsequent training session. I'll use dumbbell bench presses on the reverse incline bench as an example. Let's say your first booster shot for your pecs looked like this:

Workout 1

Exercise: Dumbbell bench press on the reverse incline bench

Weight: 40-50RM

• 42 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 12 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 10 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 10 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 9 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 7 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 5 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 5 repetitions

For the next booster shot chest training session you will need to use a different exercise (e.g. barbell incline bench press). After this, you will repeat the above chest training session as you alternate between two different chest exercises during your microcycle (weekly plan).

After you return to dumbbell bench presses on the reverse incline bench the following week, you should perform a few more reps on the first set. Even if all other variables remain relatively consistent, you'll be in good shape. Your next chest training session for dumbbell bench presses on the reverse incline bench could look like this

Workout 2 (for the same exercise)

• 44 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 12 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 10 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 10 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 9 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 7 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 5 repetitions
• Pause for 10 seconds
• 3 repetitions

On average, most exercisers will increase performance on the first set by 2 to 5 reps on each subsequent training session for the same exercise. Your increase could be higher or lower, but as long as you can increase the number of reps on your first set by at least one repetition, you are making progress.

Once you've reached the 50 reps mark, it's time to increase the weight. Ideally, you would increase the weight by 2 to 3%, but I know that such increases are not possible in most cases. For example, if you are using lat pulldowns for these workouts, then you may be forced to increase the weight from say 25 kilos to 30 kilos (which is a 20% increase). This is something you have to live with.

In such a situation, the weight jump may force you to perform less than 40 reps on the first set of your next training session. This is fine. Just follow the repetition progression until you reach 50 reps on the first set again. At this point, it's time to increase the weight again.

Step 6: Weekly plan (microcycle)

Most of you will follow a microcycle based on a 7 day plan. In this case, the booster workouts should be spaced 3 to 4 days apart. For example, if you do three full body workouts per week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, your plan could look like this:

Monday:

• Full-body training session

Tuesday:

• Booster Shot 1

Wednesday:

• Full body training session

Thursday:

• No training

Friday:

• Full body training session

Saturday:

• Booster Shot 2

Sunday:

• No workout

Note: I mark the Booster Shot workouts with the numbers 1 and 2 because each of these workouts uses different exercises for the same muscle group.

The same type of weekly schedule can also be used with a muscle group split. Here is an example:

Monday:

• Chest, Back

Tuesday:

• Booster Shot 1

Wednesday:

• Legs, abs, calves

Thursday:

• No training

Friday:

• Arms, shoulders

Saturday:

• Booster Shot 2

Sunday:

• No training

Or maybe you follow an upper body/lower body split. Here is another example:

Monday:

• Lower body

Tuesday:

• Booster Shot 1

Wednesday:

• Upper body

Thursday:

• No training

Friday:

• Lower body

Saturday:

• Booster Shot 2

Sunday:

• No training

Note: The following week's schedule would be arranged so that the upper body workout is done on Monday and Friday and the lower body workout is done on Wednesday.

Work capacity

The Booster Shot program will not only build additional muscle mass in your lagging muscle groups, but it will also dramatically increase your work capacity. Work capacity is exactly what it sounds like: your capacity to do work. This is a direct measure of your overall fitness level. If you're someone who often can't do more after just 20 minutes of exercise, then you can be damn sure that your work capacity is similar to that of an obese pensioner.

I can't repeat often enough how important it is to build up your work capacity. The more often you train, the higher your work capacity will be. And the higher your work capacity, the more muscle you will be able to build, as your ability to recover will also improve dramatically (you will be able to train more often). Even if you don't have the luxury of going to the gym more often, a higher work capacity will allow you to do significantly more work (more sets, more reps, more weight, etc.) during your training sessions.

Those of you who want to build muscle and increase your work capacity should schedule your Booster Shot workouts in the evening hours after your morning training session. Here's an example:

Monday:

• Morning: total body workout, upper body/lower body split, muscle group split, etc.
• Evening: Booster Shot 1

Tuesday:

• No training

Wednesday:

• No training

Thursday:

• Morning: total body workout, upper body/lower body split, muscle group split, etc.
• Evening: Booster Shot 2

Friday:

• No training

Saturday:

• Morning: total body workout, upper body/lower body split, muscle group split, etc.

Sunday:

• Workout-free

Many people prefer this option as it allows the most workout-free days per week. I also like this option as it forces people to find time for two daily workouts. Once they get used to this split, I slowly slip in an extra workout or two on their "off" days.

But regardless of whether you do your Booster Shot workouts on your former off days or in the evening, they will increase your work capacity. So don't think that the only way to increase your work capacity is to train twice a day (although this is my preferred option).

And this, my friend, is the transition into the realm of high frequency training (HFT).

Summary

Yes, this whole article is nothing more than a sting operation aimed at convincing you to exercise more often. No matter how hard I try to explain my HFT concepts, many people still get lost in the details. That's why I've designed the simplest workout you can incorporate into your current training program twice a week.

Here is a summary of the booster shots:

1. Pick the muscle groups you want to improve the most.
2. Choose two different exercises for each muscle group.
3. Perform one set of 100 repetitions with a 40 - 50 RM weight.
4. Use one exercise per muscle group and use different exercises for the two weekly training sessions.

A few more points

Use Booster Shots for as long as you feel they fit in with your training. After a month, however, you should choose two new exercises for each muscle group (even if you stick to your original list of muscle groups). Then start the next cycle.

I hope I've found a simplified way to make HFT a viable option in your muscle building plan.

by Chad Waterbury | 05/15/06

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/hypertrophy-booster-shots

It is difficult for many of us to fathom: Women who avoid weights because they don't want to get too bulky and muscular. With so much information available about the importance of muscle and so many female weightlifters on the internet, it's a strange thing. But you still come across comments like this from women who prefer yoga, spinning classes, long distance running or hours of walking on the treadmill to working out with weights...which would be fine if it was their personal preference, but there's a problem.

They want workouts that make them leaner, not wider. And this is where their bias against training with weights comes into play. They want to achieve a specific look - toned but not muscular. But their fear of muscle development usually stems from images of female bodybuilders using massive amounts of steroids, or female CrossFitters doing the same (yes, sometimes in massive amounts too).

And unlike the women who train with weights, these women don't see the bodies of top competitive female athletes as motivating. They don't see them as feminine. And often there is no happy medium in their minds: either you are toned or you are overly muscular. And the toned look they say they want is the one they THINK they can achieve through tons of cardio.

If they can just lose fat, then underneath will be the body of a shapely goddess just waiting to emerge.... This is the biggest myth you need to dispel.

What women who don't train with weights should know

There's a common denominator here for women who have that muscular, bulky look - and it's not training with weights, it's anabolic steroids. And you have to use a lot of them as a woman to look like that. As a woman, you have zero chance of ever looking like a man in terms of muscle development. Heck, most men struggle to build a significant amount of muscle - and they're really trying to do so. Building muscle is exceptionally hard and it takes years of hard work to build large amounts of it.

If you're a woman training like a man, it's not going to make you look like a man if you don't have the same hormonal profile as a man - and you'd have to actively do something about that.

The other thing that can lead to what you consider bulky is a normal build-up of body fat. But if you're judging a muscular girl who's carrying around a few extra pounds, you should realize that it's not really the muscles that are causing the bulky look. It's the layer of fat over the muscles. And a woman with some extra padding and muscle underneath still looks athletic, shapely and even hot, while a woman with the same amount of fat with no muscle...well, just looks completely out of shape.

Why (only) cardio won't work

Too much cardio and not enough training with weights will work against you. Women talk about changing their bodies and they'll say they want great legs, a great butt and arms they can proudly show off in a tank top or sleeveless dress. They may even give you the name of some female celebrity whose look they want to achieve.

To get there, they turn to the treadmill and then wonder why they don't see the shape and definition of that "toned" celebrity role model. But unless you have miracle genetics, your glutes will never look more than pancakes if you don't actively build them and your arms definitely won't look defined without muscles that can be defined.

On a side note, many of these "toned" celeb girls - even Sports Illustrated and Victoria's Secret models work out with weight trainers like Ben Bruno. And what do they do? They train with weights instead of doing endless cardio workouts.

The cruel truth is that most lower body injuries associated with running usually have something to do with weak glutes. Sitting around for long periods most days of the week makes the gluteal muscles lazier and lazier. Activating these muscles therefore becomes a task they can no longer remember.

So if you start running and your inactive glutes are not doing what they are supposed to do, injury will occur because you are not using correct mechanics. You're putting disproportionate stress on your hamstrings, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, knees and cruciate ligaments. And then you are injured and have a flat bottom. At least you only had a flat bottom before.

Spinning classes? Not a bad option to get your legs in better shape. You can control the resistance and the movement on your hips and knees is more akin to squats than jogging. But you're still sitting on your butt and the body will still adapt to this.

Redefine your body

To reshape your figure you need to lose fat AND build muscle. Walking and jogging won't build a pair of great legs or a great butt, and certainly won't contribute to that coveted arm definition. But lunges, leg presses, squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, pulls, presses, side raises and tons of other different forms of exercises with weights will.

In addition to this, more muscle mass will also increase your metabolic rate. Metabolically speaking, muscles are powerful energy consumers. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn even if you do nothing. One pound of muscle burns 50 kcal per day at rest. Build 10 pounds of muscle and you will burn 500 kcal more than before - at rest. To put this into perspective, grab a calculator, type in your body weight in conjunction with your speed on the treadmill and see how long it takes you to burn 500 kcal on that thing.

And we're not just talking about muscles at rest. Even if muscles at rest wouldn't burn much energy, even the actual building of muscles - the time under tension necessary for hypertrophy - will affect your metabolism in dramatic ways.

On the other hand, if you only do tons of cardio, you'll probably lose some muscle mass along with the fat. So what will you end up with? A thinner version of yourself that is still just as out of shape. You'll be thinner, not more shapely.

Wait a minute. You think getting thinner is a good thing? Not so fast, the less of your body there is, the fewer calories you'll burn throughout the day. Simply weighing less than you used to has a downside: you have to eat fewer calories than you used to in order to stay that way. Your body will burn a lot fewer calories than it used to in its heavier state.

Building muscle is the solution to this dilemma. With more muscle, you will become leaner and more compact, but have more of the "stuff" that turns your metabolism into a blast furnace: Muscle tissue. And muscle requires a robust diet. You can't build muscle if you're starving yourself to death.

The definition of "toned"

Do you know what toned means? More muscle mass. If you build muscle and make it show through fat loss, you'll achieve a look that's much closer to your idea of "toned" than anything you'll achieve with cardio.

Some people will still tell you that you will get "long muscles" with certain forms of stretching and useless exercises with light weights. Don't fall for this. The length of your muscles was determined at the time your mother and father conceived you. There is no workout that can undo what your mom and dad did. So stop using words like "long, elongated muscles" when you're not making fun of those who take such things seriously.

Let me guess, you're repulsed by the word "mass" in muscle mass. Fine. Pick any word you like. You can still use the word "tight" but you should understand what it really means. It means hypertrophy or growth of that muscle.

Still want to get leaner?

Refine your diet. Make it healthier and not unbearable. Start with the obvious. Ditch the 9 trillion calorie Starbucks brew habit, give up the 4 million calorie fast food lunch and replace both primarily with foods that are identifiable in nature and lower in calories but higher in nutrients. Stop skipping breakfast. Get up early enough to eat a breakfast that will fill you up and provide your body with the nutrients necessary to transform you into a leaner and "toned" version of yourself.

The cool thing about training with weights is that even if you're not ready to change your diet, you'll eventually feel compelled to start. You want the energy that good nutrition provides and you will crave the food that will make you feel good. 45 minutes of training with weights doesn't have the same effect on your appetite as endless hours of cardio. You may well end up with a better diet simply as a result of a change in the way you exercise.

A comprehensive list of what you need to know

• Training with weights gives you more muscle
• More muscle means a faster metabolism
• A faster metabolism means easier fat loss
• More muscle and less fat equals the sexy 'toned' look you want
• To have a toned body, you need muscles
• If you use the word 'toned', then you probably don't have enough muscle
• Getting bulky requires male hormones or a modest diet in abundance

Forget the pink plastic dumbbells and stop being afraid to pick up heavy things.

And don't think for a second that you need to lose weight before you start training with weights. That's the most counterproductive thing you could do. And most women who do this NEVER start training with weights. They do cardio, but it's never enough, so they continue to lose weight temporarily and build that weight back up later with no muscle to speak of.

Just start training with weights, build muscle, work on shape and definition and you will get leaner over time...even if you make little changes to your current diet.

Stop living by the scales

The scale is a tool and sometimes it can be a good tool. But they can also be misleading. If you lose 5 pounds of fat and gain 5 pounds of muscle, the scale will tell you that nothing has happened. Your dress size, however, will tell you a different story. You'll look fantastic and still feel like crap because you haven't lost any weight.

Would you rather look the same and weigh less or would you rather look great and weigh the same? If you'd rather weigh less, then you should admit to yourself that you have a neurotic obsession with your scale.

Sure, if you're overweight or obese, then for health reasons you'll benefit from using a scale to monitor your weight loss. But if you're just starting to exercise and the scale is your main barometer of what's working, then you're going to end up pretty frustrated. This is because people who are just starting resistance training can lose fat and build muscle at the same time - at least for a short time. And for women who celebrate every pound lost on the scale, relying on the scale in this situation is a big mistake.

Use your clothes. Use the mirror. Use a tape measure. Have your body fat percentage measured regularly, always using the same method, as the results of different measurement methods can vary. And if you have to use the scales, include these other things too. If your waist size has decreased by 10 centimeters and you've had your pants and dresses tightened, but the weight on the scale hasn't dropped significantly, should you really be upset?

Where should you start?

No one is telling you not to run or give up your favorite forms of cardio. These things still make sense as part of a balanced exercise program. But you need to let go of the fear that moving heavy weights will turn you into a man. And you need to put aside the idea that cardio training - and especially excessive cardio training - is the solution to reshaping your body.

Use cardio in conjunction with weight training and a sensible diet, because if you lose weight with cardio alone, it's only a matter of time before you put that weight back on. The body will eventually adapt to the same repetitive cardio workout, which it won't with progressive overload, increased time under tension and intensity techniques that will make you look great.

And here's another bonus: When you start training with weights, the work you do will be more effective and therefore much less time consuming.

All of these things work together synergistically to get your body into a shape that will make you a different woman. Which you will be afterwards anyway. Otherwise, you wouldn't invest all that time and money to make yourself more attractive with things that most men won't notice - like shoes and designer handbags.

But both men and women will notice a great pair of legs, strong shoulders and an athletic butt. Pancake asses are common, but they won't turn anyone's head. And you probably won't be able to escape this fact without some form of resistance training.

Don't be average. Train like a man to look like a woman. It may be hard to accept, but that's just the way things work. The results will speak for themselves.

By Paul Carter | 07/26/16

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/get-your-girl-to-lif

IFBB professional Johnnie Jackson is considered one of the strongest bodybuilders in the world. For example, he bench presses over 250kg, deadlifts over 370kg and squats around 360kg. These are of course impressive strength values when you consider that Johnnie is actually a full-time professional bodybuilder and not a powerlifter. From time to time you can also see Johnnie away from the bodybuilding stage! And that's on the "powerlifting stage"!

Johnnie says: "If someone wants to find out how strong a person is, they usually ask about their bench press performance."

If someone bench presses a lot or is the best "bench presser" in the gym, they usually command the most respect. Johnnie recommends that anyone who wants to build a massive chest should do heavy bench presses. In his opinion, heavy bench presses stretch and contract the entire pectoralis (chest muscle) extremely hard. And Johnnie proves that a heavy bench press helps to achieve a world-class chest whenever he is on the bodybuilding stage. In the following article, we'll tell you how he managed to build his world-class chest and what tips and tricks he recommends to improve your bench press performance.

1st tip: Pay attention to your foot position

Before you want to perform a bench press set, you should make sure that both feet are firmly planted on the floor. The best position is when your heels are in line with your hips. Many people think that you can develop the most strength when bench pressing if only your toes are on the floor.

This is a misconception!

Your feet should always rest firmly on the floor! This creates a kinetic chain (= you use your legs when you press!). This means you can use much heavier weights than if you only press with your chest. When bench pressing, Johnnie recommends a grip that is at least shoulder-width (or wider). During the press itself, you should form a slight hollow back. This stretches the chest muscles even further and therefore trains them even better!

2nd tip: consciously use the negative phase

As previously mentioned, Johnnie recommends heavy bench presses for maximum chest muscle mass. However, Johnnie also believes that you should consciously use the negative phase of each repetition when bench pressing. To explain: during the bench press, a large number of muscle fibers in the chest are already activated during the upward movement. However, studies have shown that even more muscle fibers are activated during the downward phase (negative phase). As a result, the chest muscles naturally have to adapt even more to the load. And this inevitably means more muscle growth!

Johnnie recommends a simple trick for those who lack the feeling for the negative repetition:

• The downward movement should always be twice as long as the upward movement. This means that if you need 1 second for the upward movement, the downward movement should take at least 2 seconds (or longer).

3rd tip: chest press on the floor

Johnnie recommends this old-school method to anyone who wants to handle more weight on the bench. You can't perform a complete movement with floor chest presses, but the part that most people consider to be the heaviest (the upper third) is trained effectively! Floor chest presses only allow you to perform about 2/3 of the regular bench press movement. This can help you to improve the "dead spot" in the bench press (= pushing through the arms).

4th tip: Pre workout supplements

The pre-workout meal can go a long way to improving your training performance. Johnnie says he never goes into a workout without the following supplements:

• Arginine
• creatine
• caffeine

Johnnie is of the opinion that arginine improves the removal of ammonia (which is produced during training) due to the improved blood circulation. Creatine provides more energy reserves during training and caffeine makes you mentally and physically more alert.

5th tip: Post workout supplements

It's no secret that the body has the most anabolic window of the whole day after training. This is when muscle cells are particularly receptive to nutrients. Johnnie recommends fast proteins and carbohydrates after training. You can also (according to Johnnie) add amino acids. Those who strictly adhere to drinking their shake after training will experience the best results in terms of muscle building.

Johnnie never leaves the gym without his post-workout shake!

Second helpings?

Ok, here's Johnnie Jackson's recommended workout plan for a massive chest:

• 5 sets of bench presses (2 of which should be warm-up sets) with heavy weight
• 2 sets of floor chest presses with medium weight
• 3 sets of dumbbell incline bench presses with heavy weight
• 3 sets of dumbbell flyes with heavy weight

Source: Bodybuilding.com