Friday is For Fat Loss: Aim For Fat Loss, Not Just Weight Loss

Most people think that when they want to get rid of the stubborn spare tire in their bellies, they should devote all their diets and energy to cardio exercises and calorie reduced meals. The typical logic of "More calories burned, more weight loss" and "run to lose weight" has worked for countless people the world over for so many years, but it seems they have missed the boat on something important.

Typically, when people speak of weight loss, they really are talking about losing fat. They fail to realize that when they lose weight, it's highly possible that they are wasting away muscle as well. Notice how most "cardio + calorie reduction" people who lose pounds of body weight tend to become just smaller versions of themselves, still with sunken chests and narrow shoulders. Although their waists may have gotten smaller, they still sport that "beer-belly" look. One article I read years ago called them "skinny fat people". They fail to achieve the attractive, toned physique that what they envisioned in the first place when they took up exercising and dieting. You, as a bodybuilder, should know better. Here are some pointers to keep you focused on your goal of losing fat, not muscle.

Focus More On Weight Training

Muscle hypertrophy-focused training, one that aims to build muscle, is still the best way to lose fat and get that aesthetic body that looks good both with or without clothes. I am not saying that you should stop doing cardiovascular exercises all together, but rather, stop short of burning away the precious muscle tissue that you have worked so hard to grow. Muscles tissue is still the best fat burning engine in the body, as more muscle equates to higher fat burning even at rest. Cardio has it's place, but weight training is still better. Focus more on the basics (squats, deadlifts, presses, rows) as these not only build muscle and strength, they also use so much energy and elevates the body's resting metabolic rate for longer periods.

It's Not Just About Lessening The Calories, It's About Proportioning Them

This involves a little bit experimentation. Thousands and thousands of articles in the Internet can give you calculations and ratios that claim to be tailor-made for you. They usually take your Body Mass Index, your age, height, weight and whatever data that they will use to make you consume a certain amount of calories and/or give you ratios of carbohydrates, proteins and fats that you should eat on a daily basis. The thing is, what works for one person, even with identical  measurements and data as you, may not work for you. Their results might not be the same as yours due to different factors, such as your genetics, current lifestyle, stresses throughout the day, number of hours of sleep and so many others.

This does not mean that they are completely useless. I suggest you to pick an approach where the diet takes in consideration both calorie amounts, macronutrient ratios and two other things, calorie sources and meal frequency. One gram of carbohydrate from brown rice has a significant difference in its effect to the body as compared to 1 gram of carbs from a candy bar. After you have chosen an approach, try staying with it for at least 3 months, and write down whatever changes you have noticed to your physique, strength levels, mood and others. From there, try experimenting by modifying the diet one factor at a time, such as changing the meal frequency, or changing the calorie sources, or adding a few more grams of fats or whatever you feel would give you better results. Do not blindly follow any nutritional approach, even if it is endorsed by a so called expert. Know your own body.

Don't Be Too Obsessed With The Weighing Scale, But A Tape and a Mirror Can Be Handy

This has been written in other fat loss articles, but it bears repeating. The scale tells you how much you weigh, but it doesn't tell you how much fat you really carry. A mirror is a better marker of your current state, and a tape can quantify what you see in the mirror. Try measuring yourself and assessing your condition every 2 weeks and if possible, take a photo of yourself periodically to keep track of your progress.

Be Knowledgeable In Terms of What's New In the Nutrition Scene, But Stick With The Basics

Read more stuff about fat loss, and try to pick up those tips and tricks which by your best judgment really work. Try implementing these tips one at a time, and don't despair if you fail. Even the best bodybuilders and fitness models have done this and are still doing it.

Also, join a real bodybuilding community, where people like you and me can communicate, exchange tips and ideas, and motivate each other. Learn from their  mistakes and successes and share you own, too.

Fat Loss Supplements Are Just That, Supplements

Do not rely on supplements to fix the damage of a bad diet. Here's one thing I can say, you can be a hundred times more sure of whole foods than you are with supplements. Few supplements really work, and they are not meant to be the "answer to your prayers" for your fat woes. Clean up your eating habits first. You will be startled by how much positive change you will see once you do.

Thursday is For Refining Techniques: Correct Your Barbell Curl to Get Maximum Muscle

From the get go, even the most inexperienced dude who will set foot in the gym will most likely do the bicep curl as the very first exercise they will ever do. Big biceps are one of the things that even non-bodybuilding people seem to gravitate to. The barbell curl is the most basic exercise for the biceps, but it is also been frowned upon by some as they complain of "not feeling" the movement in their biceps. They always say they feel pain in their wrists or elbows or front shoulders or, for some, even their lower back.

Follow these simple tips to make sure you get the most out of the barbell curl:

1. Make sure you have the proper grip on the barbell.

Every person has a unique bone structure, and this is also true about our individual  wrist structure. The grip width for me might not work for you. There is a way to determine this. Before you pick up the barbell, relax your arms and let them hang loose. Now make your palms face forward. Notice how your forearms moved a few inches away from your body? Now use that exact grip and grab that barbell. That is your ideal grip width on the bar. This simple move has saved hundreds of wrists from being injured.

2. Stabilize the elbows and your shoulders by bracing your body.

Here we go again with the body bracing. It's becoming a trite but I just cannot overemphasize this. Most people can't seem to keep their elbows in place because they don't practice tightening up their lats, abs, and butt during the curl. Start by contracting your abs as if it will receive a blow. Then clench your butt cheeks as if you are about to have a bowel movement (well, uh, it sounds gross but it is effective). Then contract your back muscles by pulling your shoulders down to keep your shoulders from too much movement.

By the way, moving the elbows a little is fine, as long as you don't use momentum and the swing doesn't absorb the load which is meant for the bicep.

3. Keep your wrist straight as you curl.

This is a tip that according to Ironman Magazine was given by Arnold Schwarzenegger to Frank Zane in the 1970's when Frank told Arnold he was having problems feeling the curl in his biceps. Arnold's tip paid big time for Frank. The reason is that most people curl their wrists as they flex their biceps up. The goal is to work your biceps, not your forearms, so keep you wrist straight and rigid.

4. Imagine that you are driving yourself towards the ground.

This tip is one I got from Pavel Tsatsouline's Beyond Bodybuilding. In simple terms, visualize that you are trying to sink yourself to the ground, this will help focus your effort towards your biceps and increase the poundage.

5. Use a faster pace for the positive (lifting) phase and a slightly slower for the negatives

This one is from Charles Poliquin taken from one of his articles in Ironman. According to him, one study showed that the biceps brachii (the main belly of the biceps) gets more of the brunt if the lifting phase is a tad faster than the lowering phase.

Try these on your next workout and drop me a response.

Wednesday Winning Strategy: A Little Known Gem from Vince Gironda

It's Wednesday again, and our winning strategy today comes from the one and only- Vince Gironda. He's been credited by some of the biggest names in early bodybuilding as the reason for their success, including the very first Mr. Olympia, Larry Scott. His innovative and unique approach to weight training and fat loss. He is known for his great conditioning, which was achieved before the age of commercial fat burners and bodybuilding drugs. This technique is taken from Alan Palmieri's book Vince Gironda: Legend and Myth.

This training style involves the use of 15 sets of 4 reps. Most are familiar with Vince's 10x10, 8x8 and 6x6 system but even I was surprised to read about 15x4. Here's a part of that article:

This program is for the advanced or those preparing for a contest. It is a maximum workout program, and in order to keep from running out of nervous energy, work fast. This minimizes nervous energy depletion and allows maximum muscular energy output. This is a split routine. Two workouts per week for each body part. Conjunctive or assisting muscles only are used each workout. For instance, pulling muscles one day; lats biceps and abdominals. The next day pushing muscles; pecs, triceps, and delts. The third day thighs and calves. This workout takes 72 hours of recuperation so do not work a muscle group more than twice a week. Adequate recuperation is a must in every type of workout! Select your movements and perform 15 set of 4 reps for each movement

I would like to re-iterate the part where this is for advanced trainers. 15 sets of any exercise will shock your muscles but it does carry a bit too much of a burden for the beginner's nervous and muscular system to recover. If 15 sets is not enough, try intensifying the routine more by shortening the rest interval. Try keeping your workouts under 45 minutes as it has been proven by studies that after 45 minutes, the body starts to create Cortisol, as stress hormone that can cause muscle breakdown.

Since you will most likely be new with this, I suggest that you do this as a means of introducing new stimulus to your muscles and use it sparingly. Too much of a good thing maybe counterproductive to your goal of building and shredding your condition.

Tuesday Exercise Tweaks: Body Weight Triceps Extensions with a Towel

Here's an exercise that is guaranteed to fry your triceps as well as your forearm, grip, even your chest, shoulders, lats and abs. This is a variation of two arm triceps overhead extensions usually performed with barbells, ez-curl bars or dumbbells, an exercise known for the stretch it provides to the triceps belly. Unlike those exercises which involves mostly just the upper body, this variation challenges the entire body in a very unique way. As most veterans will tell you, towel gripping is one great way to add grip strength.

1. On a steady railing or bar that can support your bodyweight that is raised at least 3 feet from the ground, loop a towel and hold tightly on both ends.

2. Step back about 3 feet from the bar and stiffen your entire body by tightening your abs, glutes and quads as well as isometrically contracting your lat muscles.

3. Inhale as you bend your elbows with complete control and extend back and exhale; this makes for 1 repetition.

*The higher the bar and the closer your feet are to the bar, the easier the exercise gets.

*You can do these on a power rack or a smith machine or any stable equipment or platform

Recommendation:

Perform these after your elbows are sufficiently warmed up. Best placed for the second or third exercise of your triceps routine. If you are on a full body routine, place this in the later half of your workout. Never, EVER skip the warm up sets. Stretching the triceps to this degree during the first exercise may cause tearing in the connective tissues in the elbow/triceps insertion. Try 2-3 sets for 8-12 reps.

This exercise is reserved for those without elbow joint issues. This is also best for intermediate and advanced level trainees, as most beginners don't have the strength and muscle coordination to do this safely. Beginners should practice with dumbbells and ez-curl bars first to learn how to properly stabilize the shoulders and elbows during a triceps extension.

Monday Is For Muscle Mass Building: Use The Countdown Method To Increase Power and Size

Some bodybuilders can't seem to wrap their head around using periodization techniques. In their heads, it's always about going for that final push, that final rep. The blood and guts mindset is so deeply ingrained in the bodybuilding psyche that it is so common to see taking "every set to failure" whenever someone writes down their workout routines. What most people don't realize is that this type of training actually burns most people out, both physically and mentally, thus leading to diminishing muscular gains with every workout. If you are trying to look for something new to recharge your mind and body, try the Countdown Method.

What is the Coundown Method?

The Countdown Method was first printed by John McKean in the 1960's. This is a tried and tested technique that most fitness buff have forgotten or ignored. Simply put, it is doing 5 consecutive sets where the trainer decreases the number of reps by one while increasing the weight. For example, if one were to do this on the clean and press, it might look like 170 lbs x5 reps, 180 lbs x 4reps, 190 lbs by 3 reps, 200 lbs x 2 reps and 210 lbs x 1 rep. A 10 lbs increase per set is ideal for most. This has been used with great success on  exercises like bench press, deadlift, squat, the Olympic lifts, and other compound lifts. Coupled with a smart periodization plan, this will help bust through PR plateau to most of your big time lifts.

Advantages of The Countdown Method

If you know anything about the strength and conditioning world, you can already sense that this is somewhat suited more for powerlifters and Olympic weightlifters than the do-or-die bodybuilders.

While this might be true, I dare you to look at powerlifters. Most of them pack on mass that the average gym rat will never gain in his lifetime.In addition, this method offers these unique benefits:

a. It overloads the muscles and nervous system without wearing them out.This is probably due to the fact that the trainer looks forward to the lesser repetitions to perform.

b. It offers a mini-cycle of weight loading within one workout. The human body just cannot keep gaining muscle if it is often pounded to the ground and given no chance to recover. I have nothing against training to failure, it's just that mainstream bodybuilding took the whole concept too far. If you don't have drugs or genetic predisposition to back you up, most of the workout plans that involve constant sets to failures will end up failing the trainer's muscle building gains.

c. It teaches the maximum recruitment of muscle fibers for power. While power style training won't directly  help build a vein popping physique, it can help build necessary strength for sub-maximal weights for more reps. More weight for the higher rep range with good form equals more stimulation and more muscle pumps for bigger gains

Some Complaints Regarding This Technique

As you may guessed already, those who go for the pump in their weight training programs tend to shy away from low reps as they can't feel their muscles working and getting the proper stimulation. One way to combat this is by adding one back off set with higher repetition at the end of the exercise, similar to what the great Franco Columbu did during his days as both a strongman and a bodybuilder. Just make sure you don't overdo it or else you risk making the back off sets more stressful than the actual workout sets.

Sunday's Dietary Supplements: L-arginine

L- arginine is an amino acid which converts into Nitric Oxide. Bodybuilders have supplemented with it for years, as Nitric Oxide acts as a vasodilator, meaning it signals the blood vessels to open wider. This allows for more blood and nutrients to come in and feed the muscle, spelling bigger pumps, better conditioning, more strength and faster recovery. Some whey protein supplements already have Nitric Oxide in them As a serious bodybuilder, this dietary supplement is one heck of a thing to consider to be in your arsenal. Let's face it, we all love the feeling of big veins and a muscle filled with blood.

Added Benefits 

Aside from this, L-arginine has been shown to boost immunity by sweeping up the free radicals in the body, thus helping the typical bodybuilder to recover and defend himself/herself from the effects of stress induced by lifting. It has also been proven to help the kidneys and their job of regulating the salt in the body. Also, considering the vasodilating effects of Nitric Oxide, it has been used to treat certain  heart conditions, blood pressure issues and erectile dysfunctions (good news for a lot of people, I imagine).

Natural Sources:

L-arginine is found in foods such as nuts, seeds, brown rice, raisins, cereals, chicken, chocolate, corn, dairy products, meats and oatmeal. It's an amino acid so expect that nature is abundantly supplied with it.

Supplement Timing and Dosage

According to Dwayne Jackson, PhD, and Jim Stoppani, PhD, L-arginine is best taken 30 minutes to 1 hour before the workout. A good dose would be 3-5 g with a piece of fruit or water to speed up the absorption rate. Too much L-arginine can cause weakness and nausea. There are some who say L-arginine is better taken in cycles. Experiment on when to go off the cycle and back to maximize the effects without desensitizing your body.

Saturday Workout Videos Review: Pumping Iron

If you have never seen this film, Pumping Iron is not an instructional exercise video. It has some scenes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno and other top bodybuilders in the golden age of bodybuilding, but none of them got into the details about their exercises. But, you will see a treasure chest (literally, the best built chests of all time in this video) of training wisdom as we can observe how top bodybuilders perform their reps on certain exercises. Let's take a look at the two most famous bodybuilders in the film, Arnold and Lou.

Lou Ferrigno

First, we'll take at the Hulk himself, Lou Ferrigno. The guy was the most massive bodybuilder of his day, and is still freaking big by today's standards. He did incline presses in the video, and showed that he reps out from the bottom 2/3 of the rep, keeping his upper pecs under constant tension. This is has been shown to have some blood wringing effects in the muscle, increasing muscle size and strength. Is it any wonder that he has some of the biggest chests in history?

He follows the same rep range of motion during his standing overhead presses. He did not extend his arms all the way up. We can only imagine how much pump he has built up in those big shoulders as he goes and grit his teeth during the workout.

He also uses drop sets, as shown when he was doing barbell curls. Drops sets, or continuing a set with a lesser weight after failure is a great way to intensify you training but is best left to intermediate and advanced trainers.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnie here seems to do the same tension building techniques, most evident during him doing 2/3 bottom reps on the dumbbell flyes and the top 2/3 of the concentration curl. The top pros seem to instinctively know to hit the most effective part of the rep that will produce the most muscle gains.

One odd thing I noticed is that he does his front lateral raises for his deltoids much higher than this head. He seems to do them similar to Cuban Presses. 

I say, I must recommend this video not just for what most people and critics praise about it, but also for the training insights one can gain in watching them. Be on the lookout for any fine details which may make or break your muscle gains.

Friday Fat Loss Info: L-Carnitine To Strip Off The Extra Pounds?

What is L- carnitine?

It is an amino acid classified as conditionally essential which displays vitamin-like properties. First discovered by two Russian scientists in the muscles of animals, it's name is derived from the Latin word carne, meaning flesh. It was first thought of as a part of the Vitamin B family because it has nitrogen and is water soluble. However, the body can produce it on its own by processing the amino acids lysine and methionine. A vitamin cannot be produced by the body.

What makes it unique is that L-carnitine dislodges fats from the tissue and  transports fatty acids into the cell's powerhouse (the mitochondria) to be burned off with oxygen for energy. This seems great when being viewed in theory. More L-carnitine in the body,  more fat burning potential, right? The answer might surprise you.

The Caveat

Some training and nutrition experts have voiced out their opinion that if normal people with no serious metabolic conditions in terms of breaking down fatty acids and eat a normal diet, then it would have no significant impact in terms of fat loss.

This does not mean that L-carnitine is totally useless for fat burning, this is due to the fact that some people have inadvertently altered their bodies capacity to metabolize fats by under going a very low calorie diet. Therefore, it might be necessary for those who have this condition to supplement with L-carnitine.

Other Uses

Though it might not work as an intended fat burner for people with normal metabolism, L-carnitine can still help you in your quest for fat loss because it has been shown to do the following:

- support normal blood flow

- improve muscular endurance

- decrease bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol

- reduce triglycerides

- help with healthy functioning of the heart and the rest of the cardiovascular system during stressful times and even at rest

- increase energy levels

Anyone who is on a fat loss program knows how every bit energy is precious, thus making L-carnitine a dietary supplement worth considering.

Recommended dosage

It has been proven that for L-carnitine to be effective, one should take anywhere from 1,000 milligrams to 6,000 milligrams (mg) a day. If a pill or any drink offers less than 100 mg, it is nothing more than a sales gimmick and will cost you more money. If you are set out to supplement with it, find a brand with at least 500 mg to get your money's worth, otherwise your just wasting money.

Thursday is for Refining Techniques: Build Muscle Fast In Your Chest By Doing The Bench Press Right

Here's a walkthrough of what a good repetition of bench press should be every time you hit the plates and bar on that weight bench. I hope you will learn a thing or two here to keep you from turning the most effective chest muscle builder into a shoulder and triceps exercise. Most of the time, when people complain that an exercise doesn't work for them, it usually means they don't know the proper form to begin with. So without further delay, here's how you should be doing them.

1. Lie down on the bench and position yourself where the barbell is directly anywhere between over your eyes up to your neck. Some people go too far up where the bar is over their chest from the get go, but this is too unnatural.

2. Make sure your feet are well placed. Imagine them being bolted to the floor. It's weird but even with exercises that require you to lie on a weight bench, planting your feet pays big time. So don't follow into the footsteps of those guys who lift their feet up during benching. Save that for ab work.

3. Before unracking the barbell, grip the bar tight and brace your entire body for the lift. This means that every single muscle, from the traps to your calves, must be in a state of readiness to lift the bar. Also, do not lift your head at anytime during the lift. Focus on nerve force towards the body, not in the neck.

4. Flex your shoulder blades together and down towards your butt. Sure, this will produce a slight arch in your lower back, but it should not be so pronounced that it will make your butt leave the weight bench. Over arching is not necessary. Weld your ass and scapulae to the weight bench. This will be their position through out the rep.

5. As you unrack the weight, breath in deep, hold it and flex your chest muscles. Lower the weight under full control, but do not exaggerate the downward (otherwise known negative) phase too much. 2-3 seconds on the negative is ok. Grip the bar tight, as  this will send a message to your brain to fire more nerves into contracting the muscles for more strength. As you lower, actively pull the bar via your back muscles to stabilize your shoulder joints to avoid injury. Once you reach bottom, do not relax, keep your self tight and take a shallow breath to power you through the lifting (or positive pace)

The reason why you should hold your breath is to keep the intra-abdominal pressure in your torso to stabilize it as pounds of metal is coming down on you.

*One more thing, position your arms so that the humerus (or the upper arms) should form an arrow with your torso, not a T. Saves you a lot of rotator cuff issues in the future.

6. As you lift the weight up, power them up with your chest muscles. If at anytime you will feel you hit a sticking point, squeeze on the bar as if it would crumple in your palm. Simultaneously contract your abs and glutes and also, dig your back into the weight bench. You will find the bar moving again. Once you reach the top, allow yourself to breath and re-energize your torso.

Try this out on your next session on the weight bench. Tell me your opinion after.

Wednesday Winning Muscle Strategy: Beginner, Master The Free Weights First!

This is not an article that will dis out the gym machines. In fact, I'm very fond of some machines, such as the Hammer Strength bench press and others. I am,  however, opposed to the notion that beginners and those who took a long lay-off from the gym should start by doing machine work, piling up the poundage there, and then move on to a program of free weights with a variant of that exercise and attempt to move the same weights on a barbell or a pair of dumbbells. Though logical to some, this is actually a lot less prudent.

The Prevailing Logic

I noticed that some of the best selling muscle magazines have always advised the novice lifters to start with exercise programs loaded with moves on machines instead of free weights. From what I have picked up, it serves two major purposes. One, these magazines are advertising the fitness equipment of whatever company is sponsoring them. And two, some argue that it is safer for the beginner to lift with machines, since there is no need to balance the load as it is being lifted, and move on to something harder as the trainee progresses. Though it is safe to say that I can't do anything to persuade the muscle magazines from doing this, I want to be able to reason with you, and if you or anyone you know is still a beginner or someone from a long layoff, to master first the free weights (body weight, dumbbells and barbells).

From A Safety Viewpoint

This is the main point of the entire post. The novice is better off started with a free weights because of the difficulty  of the movement. In fact, dumbbells should be the first exercise equipment used by any beginner because it will teach the trainee to coordinate both limbs. It can be likened to the way a baby first learning to get up on its two feet and walk. The infant will definitely be wobbly and goofy at first, but once it "gets in the groove", the standing and walking process will become way easier as the legs and the entire body has learned how to move  in one accord. Same logic applies to learning to coordinate the arms/legs to deal with an unstable load such as free weights to an adult. Imagine someone who is used to lifting 200 lbs on the  machine overhead press trying to clean and press the same weight with a plate loaded barbell. The trainer would be lucky if he/she didn't injure himself/herself on the first try. One more thing to consider is that dumbbells and barbells are more common in gyms and health clubs all over the world. Therefore, there would be not much adjustment for you if you entered a gym during your vacation that only had dumbbells and barbells.

From A Size and Strength Viewpoint

The most important stimulus for muscle growth is muscular stress, as it forces the muscle to adapt to the imposing load. Also, the most potent muscle building hormones, human growth hormone and testosterone, are released in to the body at elevated levels after a brief  bout of intense lifting. Anyone who is in the know can attest that free weights are far superior in stressing the body to stimulate growth as more muscles are required to perform them. A beginner will reap the benefits of free weights training earlier on instead of dabbling with a "more comfortable" exercise.