Wednesday, February 28, 2018
3 Myths About High-Protein Diets—Debunked!
Chef Robert Irvine: Summer Cucumber Salad
At Age 74, Dennis Fanucchi Lifts and Lives Like He's 24!
The Workout That Builds A 3D Back
Get The Shoulder Pump Of Your Life!
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Everything Is Up For Grabs At The 2018 Arnold Classic Women's Shows
4 Tips For Staying Fit While Traveling
The 15-Minute, 3-Move Workout For Bigger Triceps
Olympic Interview: The Bodybuilder Who Became A Bobsledder!
30 Days to your Best Arms with Julian Smith
Flex Comics Volume 6
Are You Up To The Challenge Of Hannah Eden's FYR?
Start Your Weekend With Westside!
Supplement Company Of The Month: Signature
Vanilla Spice Chia Pudding!
11 Ways To Burn More Fat Every Day!
4 Ways Strength Training Can Make You An Awesome Runner
BodySpace Member Of The Month: Kentucky-Strong Family Man
Monday, February 26, 2018
The 15-Minute, 3-Move Workout For Bigger Triceps
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Friday, February 23, 2018
Olympic Interview: The Bodybuilder Who Became A Bobsledder!
Start Your Weekend With Westside!
Are You Up To The Challenge Of Hannah Eden's FYR?
30 Days to your Best Arms with Julian Smith
Flex Comics Volume 6
The 13 Men and Women to Watch at WWE Elimination Chamber
How to Train Like the World's Strongest Man
Christopher Bailey
From the moment I returned from the 2016 World’s Strongest Man to the moment I set off for the 2017 event, I gave 100%. I didn’t miss one training session, one meal, or one physical therapy or cardio session. I was obsessed.
I trained at my usual gym, Strength Asylum in Stoke, England, with my usual training partner, Luke Fulbrook. We didn’t periodize or back off at any point. We just trained heavy all year. The way I train hasn’t changed much over the years. I consistently train heavy but never one-rep max. I work at 80 to 90% of my one-rep max for up to six reps. If I can do more than six reps, I add more weight next time. I’ve followed this six-rep rule since I started training. If I feel good at a weight, I might do more than six reps, but in general, you’ll never see me do more than six.
The only thing I changed was that I cut down on assistance exercises for smaller muscles like biceps, calves, and abs. I just didn’t feel they were making any difference. I was putting too much energy and recovery into repairing those muscles when I needed to be focusing on the big, key muscles, like quads and glutes, that do the brunt of the work.
Some strongmen have separate days for gym and event training, but I find it more effective to combine the two. If you are going to train yoke, you want to thrash your legs first to get them burned out. You are not only warming up properly but also simulating a competition scenario because it’s highly unlikely you will start an event fresh.
[RELATED1]
Here’s how a typical week broke down. As you’ll see, it’s pretty basic—it’s what I did out of the gym to recover that gave me an edge over my rivals.
Something else I changed from last year, which was very expensive, was that when I trained a muscle group, I had it worked on the next morning by my physical therapist, Richard Sale, for 1½ hours. For example, after I trained legs on Monday, he’d work on my legs on Tuesday morning. I had regular therapy four or five times a week, plus additional sessions to treat any niggles.
On average I was having six physical therapy sessions a week, which easily cost over $250. Add up the cost over 52 weeks, and it’s quite pricey. But physical therapy is crucial. I even took Richard with me to the World’s Strongest Man.
I also have lots of recovery equipment at home, so after every training session, I’d do hot-cold treatments for at least an hour and then eat. If I had time afterward, I’d go into my hyperbaric chamber for 1½ hours.
That’s how I lived for a year. I didn’t have any alcohol, holidays, or nights out with my wife or days out with the kids because they would tire me out too much. My family understood it was what I needed to do to be the best and left me to it. It was 100% dedication. Looking back, I don’t know how I did it. It was a massive obsession to become the World’s Strongest Man.
[RELATED2]
Rise of the Beast
Christopher Bailey
How Eddie Hall became the World's Strongest Man
2011: Wins the first of six U.K.’s Strongest Man titles.
2012: Finishes eighth in his first appearance at Europe’s Strongest Man.
2013: Misses out on the final of World’s Strongest Man by one point.
2014: Finishes sixth at the World’s Strongest Man.
2015: Sets a deadlift world record of 462kg (1,019 lbs) in front of Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Arnold Classic Australia.
2016: Becomes first man in history to deadlift 500kg (1,102 lbs).
2017: Wins the World’s Strongest Man at age 29.
[RELATED3]
Christopher Bailey
The Routine
Monday: Legs
I just did squats, leg press, and yoke. Simple. But to do those three exercises could take four hours. That may be hard to believe, but when you’re doing stupid-heavy sets you need lots of rest.
Remember, I could be squatting 350kg-plus (772 lbs.), so I needed a good 10 to 15 minutes to recover between sets. Doing three or four sets at that weight can easily take an hour when you’re resting that much.
I did the same on leg press, working up to huge amounts of weight and having plenty of rest between sets. That could take another hour, then I’d spend an hour or so on the yoke.
Tuesday: Chest
This day was about building my pressing power. There is always a pressing event at the World’s Strongest Man. Again, I kept it simple and had long rests between sets. I’d do flat bench and incline bench, then do triceps.
I took it nice and easy, working up to a megaheavy weight on the presses and then just doing one set on triceps.'
Wednesday: Full-recovery Day
My idea of a recovery day is different from most others’. I had something small to eat first thing, then did an hour of cardio, which could be tire flipping, sled pushing, or boxing. Straight after that, I’d have a regular exercise session, then I’d go home and eat.
I’d have a full English breakfast, plus cereal, beef jerky, yogurt, and I’d keep eating until my personal trainer arrived at 10:30 a.m. for 1½ hours of intense exercise. Then I’d eat dinner, which would be something like a huge steak or chicken and pasta.
Then I’d visit another therapist for shock wave therapy, which helps the muscles recover by breaking them down.
Then I’d eat again, something like chicken and rice, and have another 1½-hour exercise session in the afternoon, doing full hip mobility and breaking down the glutes.
I then stretched in the pool for 1½ hours and did a good 1½ hours of hot-cold treatments, which consisted of a sauna followed by an ice bath several times.
Then I’d go home, eat, and go to bed. That was my day off! It was nonstop.
Thursday: Back
Again, I kept things simple. I did deadlifts first, followed by two assistance exercises, like lat pulldowns and a rowing exercise. With the weights I used, that could easily take three or four hours, no problem.
Friday: Shoulders
I warmed up on dumbbell presses, working up to 30 to 40 reps using 132-pound dumbbells just to get some blood into the shoulders. Then I went straight into a log press and finished with some side delts.
Two months before the World’s Strongest Man, I heard viking press would be included in the events, so I switched to that. Fortunately, it requires a similar technique to log press.
Saturday: Full-recovery Day
I followed the same routine as Wednesday. I also did personal appearances and media interviews on this day.
Sunday: Light-recovery Day
I swam for an hour in the afternoon, then stretched for 1½ hours, followed by hot-cold treatments for another 1½ hours. I didn’t do any physical therapy.
[RELATED4]
Brandon Larracuente's Chest Workout
Brandon Larracuente's charisma isn't the only thing that's gotten him his recent fame. He's lately become Netflix's go-to guy, appearing in three projects. Most recently, he's finished Bright with Will Smith. But any normal person would look scrawny by comparison when standing next to the always-fit Smith. So Larracuente makes sure to abide by the routine he's developed since he was younger.
The high-school athlete used to detest working out. That was until his dad put him on an intensive regimen that he swears by to this day. His first foray into fitness included P90X workouts and countless viewings of Pumping Iron. Now, he's earned a tremendous body to show for it. Here is his chest workout:
Tip: The last exercise can be tricky, here's a breakdown of how to execute it.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Vanilla Spice Chia Pudding!
Supplement Company Of The Month: Signature
11 Ways To Burn More Fat Every Day!
Savory Brussels Sprouts With Gremolata
Brussels sprouts seem saintly, but it’s easy to pile on the bacon and cream. Instead, use this classic Italian relish to give your holiday plate some balance without unnecessary fat and sodium. Oven roasting gives an appealing crispness with less oil than panfrying.
No-bake Pecan Butter Smash Balls
These too-simple, gut-friendly indulgences are full of pecan butter, a low-calorie baking ingredient that allows you to enjoy this dessert guilt free.
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
4 Ways Strength Training Can Make You An Awesome Runner
BodySpace Member Of The Month: Kentucky-Strong Family Man
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
1 Month To Big Arms
How To Program Your Biceps Training For Pain-Free Gains
Podcast Episode 37: Jason Poston on Global Fitness, Training, and Blood Sugar
The Spark: Chris Gromis
Monday, February 19, 2018
12-Move Upper-Body Workout For Women
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Seriously Tasty Turkey
When you’re shopping, look for a bird labeled “pasture raised” and “organic,” because a turkey that’s been raised without hormones, steroids, or antibiotics—and hasn’t been injected with flavor-faking liquids—will taste better. When you prep it, season it with simply salt and pepper, not a slathering of oil or butter—it’s important that the skin be completely dry when you put it in the oven.
The Ultimate Dumbbell-only Biceps Workout for Bigger Arms
There's certainly been no shortage of arm-enhancing workouts over the years.
And for good reason.
When someone asks you to make a muscle, chances are you don’t flex your traps or rise onto your toes to show off your calves. You're going to roll up your sleeves and flex your biceps, inviting onlookers to your own personal “gun show.”
And while those arm-focused articles can prove helpful, many seem to present the same basic information, which can only take your gains so far. In an effort to help you bust through your biceps-building plateaus, we've got a unique approach to promote new growth for those all-important show muscles.
[RELATED1]
Before hitting the weights, know that genetics play a pivotal role in regards to the shape of your biceps. If you're a fan of bodybuilding, you've seen images of Mr. Olympia champions (and the like), and how different their arms look.
With that said, you can adopt a unique lifting approach that'll help maximize your genetics by targeting every muscle fiber during the all-dumbbell biceps workout below. It's called the ESP(x)2™ Training System Approach:
E = Eccentric (focus on the negative contraction of the exercise to create both mechanical tension and muscle damage)
S = Stretch (focus on the stretch position of the exercise to create both mechanical tension and muscle damage)
P1 = Peak Contraction (focus on the “squeeze” of the exercise in order to recruit the largest motor units and increase “neural drive”)
P2 = Pump (focus on manifesting the greatest possible blood flow to the target muscle to induce metabolic stress)
The following exercises will touch on all of these muscle-building approaches.
9 Tools to Help You Recover Smarter and Make Serious Gains
Friday, February 16, 2018
This Is Full-Body Training Done Right!
Pressure-Cooker Muscle: 6 Protein-Packed Recipes
No-Dough Paleo Chipotle Chicken Pizza
You won't even miss the crust on this delicious, spicy paleo pizza.
Hot tip on hot peppers: Smoke-dried jalapeños can lower your risk of heart disease by lowering the cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Clean Recipe: Healthy Chicken Dip
When done poorly, dips can be hazardous. In this case, we're talking about the kind of dip that you eat. So often, this favorite type of snacking food is loaded with unhealthy, gut-busting ingredients that are sure to expand your waistline.
However, this particular dip served up by bodybuilder turned chef, Carlo Filippone will keep your midsection in check with an array of healthy, low-fat ingredients you won't feel guilty about scarfing down.
The Ball & Box Workout for Serious Power
When to use it
This is more of a cardio and abs workout, so tack it on at the end of any strength training or hypertrophy workout. If you performed a high-intensity routine, you’ll probably be too tired to perform this right.
Why do it
Slamming a ball from overhead taxes your core as you extend and contract your entire body to slam the ball downward as hard as you can. It also engages muscles in your upper and lower body, like your hamstrings, shoulders, triceps, and glutes. The best part? In addition to becoming a more ripped and explosive human, you’ll relieve some serious stress.
Get it done
Perform one slam, then immediately perform 10 box jumps. Be sure to land softly, heels first, and to step down off it. Then perform two slams and nine jumps. Continue adding one slam and removing one jump until you reach 10 slams and one jump. Perform two rounds with a three-minute break between rounds.
Trainer Tip: Take your time to set up for the next rep so that when you explode, it’s a quality effort. Quality over quantity.
The 4-month Intensive Legs Workout Plan to Unlock Your Full Potential
Few myths are as persistent as those concerning the best way to train legs. No.1 goes something like this: Lifting weights will make my legs and glutes bigger, bulkier, and less flexible than they are now. Yet in reality, most women don't have enough naturally occurring testosterone in their bodies to achieve what they'd deem an "excessive" degree of hypertrophy, or muscle growth. (Even women who want to get a lot bigger, like competitive bodybuilders, really need to make a concerted effort to achieve that look.) And weight training, when performed properly, can make you more flexible, not less. In fact, competitive Olympic-style weightlifters are among the most flexible athletes in the world.
Then there's this myth: Certain "alternative" training methods will give me long, lean muscles. Actually, our parents determine the shape of our muscles. If you want the sleek body lines of a ballet dancer, you better hope you were endowed genetically with long muscle bellies and short tendons.
The most common—and damaging—myth goes like this: To reshape my body, especially my legs, my best bet is doing slow, rhythmic cardiovascular activities (stationary bike, treadmill, stair-stepper, and so forth) for 45-60 minutes at a time. Wrong again. In reality, resistance training is the key. If you doubt me, just watch a women's track and field event on TV next time you get the chance. First, check out the thin, almost emaciated legs of the long-distance runners, whose training consists of endless hours of cardio-type work. Now scope out the sprinters, with their taut cords of leg muscles underpinning a pair of sculpted glutes. In terms of body shaping, the virtues of resistance training and short, explosive movements vs. cardio exercise and longer, slower movements are readily apparent.
[RELATED1]
This four-month program doesn't guarantee to build legs capable of giving sprinter Marion Jones a run for the gold, but it will allow you to fulfill your legs' genetic potential and increase their functional capacity for sport and everyday activities in ways that most leg routines can't. What makes it different? First, it uses a periodized approach to leg training, varying factors like volume and intensity in a science-based, systematic way over time. Such variation produces better results than a static approach to training while lessening the odds of overtraining.
What's more, this program targets all of your leg musculature, not just part of it. In addition to training your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, you'll hit muscles such as the hip flexors, glutes, and adductors, the five muscles located along the inner thigh that help move the thigh toward the midline of the body. Even your anterior tibialis muscles get a workout here. (Why bother? Well, for one, weak anterior tibs are a major culprit in shinsplints.)
While this program should cover all of your leg-training needs, keep in mind that sculpting a pair of kickin' legs requires regular cardio and proper nutrition as well. If you aren't already eating healthy, nutrient-dense meals spaced throughout the day, rev up your metabolism by eating smaller meals more frequently. Don't shy away from protein, either: Women who weight-train should consume roughly 0.7-0.8g per pound of bodyweight per day, mainly from low-fat sources such as chicken breasts and nonfat dairy products. Get your training and diet working in tandem, and you'll be kicking legs—and butt—in no time.
[RELATED2]
Total Legs Program
Perform the following workouts twice weekly. Start each workout with a 10-minute warm-up and light stretching. Conclude each workout with more stretching.
Reps
The last rep you can finish with complete control and perfect form should fall within this range, so select your weights accordingly. As the rep ranges gradually decrease during the four months, your poundages should increase.
Tempo
The first number equals the seconds it should take to complete the concentric portion of the rep, during which the working muscle shortens. The second number equals the duration of the isometric contraction at the end of the range of motion. The third number equals the seconds it should take to complete the eccentric portion of the rep, during which the working muscle lengthens (the weight is lowered).
Superset
One superset equals back-to-back sets of the two paired exercises, with no rest in-between. Supersets can be identified with the letters A, B, etc.
[RELATED3]
Clean Eating: Salmon Dip
Can't get enough salmon in your diet? If so, this mouthwatering dip has your name all over it. Loaded with the muscle-building protein of salmon it's a dish you'll find yourself frequently coming back to.
The 3 Best Power Exercises to Build Upper-body Explosiveness
Braun Strowman Assaults Elias with a Double Bass on 'Raw'
WWE's Elias got a bit of an unexpected surprise on WWE Raw last night.
When "The Drifter" went out to the ring to perform on his guitar and mock his opponents as he usually does, he got a special guest in the form of Braun Strowman, who came out with the only instrument that actually fits his massive frame—a double bass.
After performing a surprisingly on-key melody to Elias, "The Monster Among Men" went back to doing what he does best: breaking things.
After attacking Elias in the ring, Strowman ended his assault the only way he could have—by slamming him with the double bass. This ended up being a bit of poetic justice, as Elias has attacked multiple superstars with his guitar on numerous occasions.
Elias and Strowman will face each other during Elimination Chamber on February 25, and we can't wait to see what happens.
[RELATED2]
[RELATED1]
5 Times 'The Game' Proved He's Arguably The Most Jacked Rapper
4 Secret Weapons For A Killer Deadlift
Never Be Bored Again: 5 Creative Brussels Sprouts Recipes
Clean Recipe: Healthy Chicken Dip
When done poorly, dips can be hazardous. In this case, we're talking about the kind of dip that you eat. So often, this favorite type of snacking food is loaded with unhealthy, gut-busting ingredients that are sure to expand your waistline.
However, this particular dip served up by bodybuilder turned chef, Carlo Filippone will keep your midsection in check with an array of healthy, low-fat ingredients you won't feel guilty about scarfing down.
The Ball & Box Workout for Serious Power
When to use it
This is more of a cardio and abs workout, so tack it on at the end of any strength training or hypertrophy workout. If you performed a high-intensity routine, you’ll probably be too tired to perform this right.
Why do it
Slamming a ball from overhead taxes your core as you extend and contract your entire body to slam the ball downward as hard as you can. It also engages muscles in your upper and lower body, like your hamstrings, shoulders, triceps, and glutes. The best part? In addition to becoming a more ripped and explosive human, you’ll relieve some serious stress.
Get it done
Perform one slam, then immediately perform 10 box jumps. Be sure to land softly, heels first, and to step down off it. Then perform two slams and nine jumps. Continue adding one slam and removing one jump until you reach 10 slams and one jump. Perform two rounds with a three-minute break between rounds.
Trainer Tip: Take your time to set up for the next rep so that when you explode, it’s a quality effort. Quality over quantity.
Clean Eating: Salmon Dip
Can't get enough salmon in your diet? If so, this mouthwatering dip has your name all over it. Loaded with the muscle-building protein of salmon it's a dish you'll find yourself frequently coming back to.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Bodybuilding.com Fit Employee Spotlight: Rob Smith
The Spark: Megghan Shroyer
The 4 Best Chest-Builders You've Been Skipping
The 4-month Intensive Legs Workout Plan to Unlock Your Full Potential
Few myths are as persistent as those concerning the best way to train legs. No.1 goes something like this: Lifting weights will make my legs and glutes bigger, bulkier, and less flexible than they are now. Yet in reality, most women don't have enough naturally occurring testosterone in their bodies to achieve what they'd deem an "excessive" degree of hypertrophy, or muscle growth. (Even women who want to get a lot bigger, like competitive bodybuilders, really need to make a concerted effort to achieve that look.) And weight training, when performed properly, can make you more flexible, not less. In fact, competitive Olympic-style weightlifters are among the most flexible athletes in the world.
Then there's this myth: Certain "alternative" training methods will give me long, lean muscles. Actually, our parents determine the shape of our muscles. If you want the sleek body lines of a ballet dancer, you better hope you were endowed genetically with long muscle bellies and short tendons.
The most common—and damaging—myth goes like this: To reshape my body, especially my legs, my best bet is doing slow, rhythmic cardiovascular activities (stationary bike, treadmill, stair-stepper, and so forth) for 45-60 minutes at a time. Wrong again. In reality, resistance training is the key. If you doubt me, just watch a women's track and field event on TV next time you get the chance. First, check out the thin, almost emaciated legs of the long-distance runners, whose training consists of endless hours of cardio-type work. Now scope out the sprinters, with their taut cords of leg muscles underpinning a pair of sculpted glutes. In terms of body shaping, the virtues of resistance training and short, explosive movements vs. cardio exercise and longer, slower movements are readily apparent.
[RELATED1]
This four-month program doesn't guarantee to build legs capable of giving sprinter Marion Jones a run for the gold, but it will allow you to fulfill your legs' genetic potential and increase their functional capacity for sport and everyday activities in ways that most leg routines can't. What makes it different? First, it uses a periodized approach to leg training, varying factors like volume and intensity in a science-based, systematic way over time. Such variation produces better results than a static approach to training while lessening the odds of overtraining.
What's more, this program targets all of your leg musculature, not just part of it. In addition to training your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, you'll hit muscles such as the hip flexors, glutes, and adductors, the five muscles located along the inner thigh that help move the thigh toward the midline of the body. Even your anterior tibialis muscles get a workout here. (Why bother? Well, for one, weak anterior tibs are a major culprit in shinsplints.)
While this program should cover all of your leg-training needs, keep in mind that sculpting a pair of kickin' legs requires regular cardio and proper nutrition as well. If you aren't already eating healthy, nutrient-dense meals spaced throughout the day, rev up your metabolism by eating smaller meals more frequently. Don't shy away from protein, either: Women who weight-train should consume roughly 0.7-0.8g per pound of bodyweight per day, mainly from low-fat sources such as chicken breasts and nonfat dairy products. Get your training and diet working in tandem, and you'll be kicking legs—and butt—in no time.
[RELATED2]
Total Legs Program
Perform the following workouts twice weekly. Start each workout with a 10-minute warm-up and light stretching. Conclude each workout with more stretching.
Reps
The last rep you can finish with complete control and perfect form should fall within this range, so select your weights accordingly. As the rep ranges gradually decrease during the four months, your poundages should increase.
Tempo
The first number equals the seconds it should take to complete the concentric portion of the rep, during which the working muscle shortens. The second number equals the duration of the isometric contraction at the end of the range of motion. The third number equals the seconds it should take to complete the eccentric portion of the rep, during which the working muscle lengthens (the weight is lowered).
Superset
One superset equals back-to-back sets of the two paired exercises, with no rest in-between. Supersets can be identified with the letters A, B, etc.
[RELATED3]
The 3 Best Power Exercises to Build Upper-body Explosiveness
Braun Strowman Assaults Elias with a Double Bass on 'Raw'
WWE's Elias got a bit of an unexpected surprise on WWE Raw last night.
When "The Drifter" went out to the ring to perform on his guitar and mock his opponents as he usually does, he got a special guest in the form of Braun Strowman, who came out with the only instrument that actually fits his massive frame—a double bass.
After performing a surprisingly on-key melody to Elias, "The Monster Among Men" went back to doing what he does best: breaking things.
After attacking Elias in the ring, Strowman ended his assault the only way he could have—by slamming him with the double bass. This ended up being a bit of poetic justice, as Elias has attacked multiple superstars with his guitar on numerous occasions.
Elias and Strowman will face each other during Elimination Chamber on February 25, and we can't wait to see what happens.
[RELATED2]
[RELATED1]
5 Times 'The Game' Proved He's Arguably The Most Jacked Rapper
Clean Eating: Honey-ginger Salmon and Root Medley
Looking to add some healthy seafood to your diet? This recipe from bodybuilder turned chef Carlo Filippone will lure you in the right direction. Loaded with protein and nutrient-rich vegetables to boot, it's a surefire way to clean up your diet and fuel your body with the quality muscle-building ingredients.
[RELATED1]
Clean Eating: Filet Mignon Italiana
Abs season is closer than you realize. The sooner you ditch the winter comfort foods and start cleaning up your diet, the easier it’ll be to make the transition. With the assistance of bodybuilder turned chef Carlo Filippone, we've come up with this protein-packed dish that's loaded with all the essential nutrients you need to fuel your workout for maximum gains.
[RELATED1]
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
7 Game-Changing Glute Training Tips
6 Athletic Ways To Make Valentine's Day Special
30-Minute Kick-Ass Arm Workout
3 Dynamic, 30-minute Fat-burning Routines
Tom Corbett
Workout 1: The 30-Minute Med Ball Melter
Dynamic 3-min. Warmup
Complete each exercise in order two times through.
- Glute Bridges (10 reps)
- Forward Lunge With Rotation (5 per side)
- Pause at bottom of lunge and plant the hand of the back leg on the floor inside the front foot; rotate chest toward front knee while reaching to the ceiling with hand of front leg. Hold for 2 sec. and then switch.
- March in Place (30 sec.)
Workout
Do these six exercises as a circuit with five Medicine Ball Slams between each exercise. Rest 30 sec. after medicine ball slams. Complete three rounds.
- Walking Lunge With Torso Rotation Holding Medicine Ball at Chest (10 per side)
- Alternating Pushup With Med Ball Under One Hand (5 per arm)
- Forearm Plank (45 to 60 sec.)
- Single-leg RDL Holding Medicine Ball (10 per leg)
- 10 Pullups (if needed, use an elastic strap or weight-assist machine)
- Russian Twist With Medicine Ball (10 to 20 per side)
Workout by Hollis Tuttle, RRCA-certified running coach, Mile High Run Club, New York City
[RELATED1]
AJ_Watt / Getty
Workout 2: The Half-Hour Power Row
10-min. Warmup
- 4 min. @ 22 stroke rate
- 3 min. @ 24 stroke rate
- 2 min. @ 26 stroke rate
- 1 min. @ 28 stroke rate
Rest 60 sec.
12-min. Row Time
Rest 45 to 60 sec. between each piece.
- Piece 1:
- 2 min. @ 24 stroke rate
- 1 min. @ 26 stroke rate
- Piece 2:
- 2 min. @ 26 stroke rate
- 1 min. @ 28 stroke rate
- Piece 3:
- 2 min. @ 28 stroke rate
- 1 min. @ 30 stroke rate
Rest 60 sec.
6-min. Finisher
Hit each stroke rate for 20 sec., rest for 20 sec. after every 40-sec. mark.
- 26, 28 x 2 (90% power)
- 28, 30 x 2 (95% power)
- 30, 32 x 2 (100% power)
Workout by Jason Lee, trainer, Row House NYC
[RELATED2]
Peathegee Inc / Getty
Workout 3: 30-Minute HIIT Circuit
Warmup
Do 2 min. on treadmill.
CIRCUIT 1
Repeat 2 times.
- Run (1 min.)
- Sprint + Walk (30 sec. each)
- Run (1 min.)
- Walking Dumbbell Lunge With Biceps Curl (1 min.)
- Pushup + Pullup (1 min. alternating 5 of each, assisted or unassisted)
- Plank (1 min.)
Rest 1 min.
CIRCUIT 2
Repeat 2 times.
- Walk (1 min.; incline 12%)
- Jog (1 min.; incline 6%)
- Walk (1 min.; incline 12%)
- Goblet Squats (20 reps—use weight that is very challenging by the last few reps)
- Bentover Barbell Rows (15 reps)
- Barbell Shoulder Presses (15 reps)
Rest 1 min. after you complete 2 rounds
CIRCUIT 3
Repeat 2 times.
- Battle Rope (30 sec.)
- Ball Slam (30 sec.)
- Burpee (30 sec.)
Rest 30 sec.
Workout by Jamie George, instructor/director of training, Ripped Fitness
[RELATED1]
Valentine's Day Partner Workout: The Meal Plan
wundervisuals / Getty
As Valentine’s Day approaches, we always seem to think about doing the same thing for our sweetheart: a rose, a restaurant, maybe a movie. But this clichéd routine is sure to grow old. Instead, why not show a little initiative and creativity by creating a wonderful, physique-friendly meal that tastes great?
It’s time to think outside the box of chocolates. Here, we’ll show you how to create a steakhouse-quality protein with a side of Italian goodness that won’t negate today’s workout. And since it is Valentine’s Day, there will be dessert. It may not be as decadent as cheesecake but it also won’t be as predictable.
Main course: The perfect steak
Anyone can throw a steak on the grill, but it takes a little more time and creativity to construct a phenomenal steak. Tell yourself that they’re worth it and it’ll reflect in the quality of the meat.
Ingredients
- 12 oz beef tenderloin
- 4 pinches coarse sea salt
- 2 pinches pepper
- 2 pinches ground cinnamon
- 1-2 tsp pure honey (warmed)
- Olive oil cooking spray
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 300° with a cookie sheet and a meat rack if you have one.
- Preheat nonstick frying pan on medium-high heat, lightly coat with spray, and place the steak into the pan. Sear until nicely browned (3-5 minutes) and then flip the steak and repeat on the other side.
- Place the steak into the oven and roast until desired doneness (10-25 minutes). Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure.
- In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, cinnamon, and honey (warmed).
- Remove steak and let it rest 3-5 minutes on top of the stove, and then serve. Pour small bowl of ingredients over the steak.
Nutrition data
(Per 6-oz serving)
Calories: 260
Protein: 37.5g
Carbs: 5g
Fat: 10g
How Done is Done?
Try using a meat thermometer to achieve the ideal level of doneness.
Meat Temperature Doneness
125-130° F Rare
130-140° F Medium-Rare
140-150° F Medium
150-155° F Medium-Well
160-212° F Well
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RistoArnaudov / Getty
Side Dish: Roasted Garlic Barley Risotto
Most of us know how to nuke a few potatoes in the microwave. But if you really want to show your sweetheart that you’re committed to some culinary romance, this is the perfect side dish—no microwaves required. This risotto complements the steak with a nice balance of starch and vegetables. Also, it’s not too heavy, but very satisfying, which will leave room for dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
- 1/2 cup onion (finely diced)
- ¼ cup carrots (peeled and finely diced)
- ½ cup pearl of pot barley
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- ½ cup water
- ¼ tsp thyme (dried)
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- ½ cup roasted garlic (finely diced)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Preparation
- Preheat a medium-size pot to a medium-high heat and add the oil, onions, and carrots. Sauté for 2 minutes and then add the barley. Sauté for 2 minutes more, stirring frequently.
- Add the vegetable broth, water, thyme, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce to low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until most of the water is absorbed.
- Add the roasted garlic and cheese, and stir until cheese is melted.
Nutrition data
Calories: 281
Protein: 9.5g
Carbs: 36g
Fat: 10.9g
Mrs_2015 / Getty
Dessert: Strawberry Coconut Pudding
Don’t get me wrong, chocolate is amazing. But again, for the sake of being original, it’s time to broaden your horizons. This dessert is protein-rich, light, and tastes great. It's a perfect ending to a great meal that will leave you satisfied without putting you to sleep within minutes after your last bite.
Ingredients
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup strawberries (frozen)
- 2-3 pinches Stevia
Preparation
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. This recipe is between a pudding and a shake.
- To thicken, add a scoop of protein powder (strawberry or vanilla). To thin, add a little water at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Nutrition data
Calories: 135
Protein: 11.5g (will be higher if protein is added)
Carbs: 5.6g
Fat: 8g
Chipotle Bean Dip
Bacon-cheese and other popular gameday dips are often a gut bomb. To make double-dipping much less hazardous to your six-pack, this dip features a one-two punch of protein-packed Greek yogurt and black beans, which brings dietary fiber to the party to help take the edge off hunger. And we’ve swapped out lackluster chips for a pile of DIY pita crisps that will surely award you many cheers.
Did You Know?
To keep the carb count lower, you can opt for sliced vegetables like jicama, red bell pepper, and broccoli florets instead of the pita chips.
Chili Mac n' Cheese
This one-pot wonder is the perfect make-ahead meal for keeping a rowdy crowd of football fans well fed. And by incorporating whole-grain carbs, lean beef, hearty beans, and vegetables, there is little chance your physique will be brought down.
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Did You Know?
Splurge and treat your friends to ground bison for added nutrition. Pinto beans can stand in for kidney beans, and kale is another option for some green power.
Tasty Tailgate Food: Honey-Mustard Chicken Skewers
Instead of serving a pile of sticky wings and then suffering post-game nutrition guilt, assemble a winning team of these skewers to help you score a better source of muscle-building protein.
For this recipe, you can also replace chicken with chunks of turkey breast or even peeled shrimp to mix up your protein game.
The 6-week Diet and Training Plan to Get Lean Fast
milan2099 / Getty Images
No one who benches 405 pounds for reps started at 405 pounds—it just doesn’t work that way. They had to go through hundreds of hours in the gym and dozens of other mini-milestones before hitting that bar-bending mark. They had to work up to it—five pounds more this week, 10 more the next. Building on the previous workout is what eventually amounts to four plates on each side of the bar. What if a rookie lifter tried to press 405 without that kind of calculated progression? Well, it wouldn’t be pretty.
The same approach applies to plowing through stores of unwanted body fat, which we’re sure is on your mind after your standard winter of gluttony. Take a look at your sugar-cookied, holiday-wrecked midsection. You can’t pick just one slim-quick method and hope to get rid of that doughy gut by beach time. You have to work toward it. As with weight training, consistently adding new variables into your program—especially when they build on what you’ve done previously—will not only accelerate your fat-burning but also keep your body from getting used to one particular approach.
While making a whole-hearted commitment to fitness as a lifestyle is really the only way to keep those love handles in check for good, we can help you build some serious blubber-melting momentum with our six-week program. If you incorporate one or two new fat-burning strategies each week, by the end of Week 6, you’ll be firing on ten strategic cylinders. There’s no question about it—this year, your six-pack is sure to make an unseasonably early cameo.
Six-week Fat-burn Plan
Follow these steps over the next six weeks to increase your body’s ability to burn fat.
Week Strategies
Week 1: Reduce carbs by half for four days
- Eliminate carbs from your last meal of the day
Week 2: Add two 30- to 40-minute cardio sessions per week
- Add 50 g protein and 5-8g leucine per day
Week 3: Add a fat-burner
- Cut carbs further on one of your low-carb days
Week 4: Schedule 40 minutes of medium- to high-intensity cardio postworkout or first thing in the morning
Week 5: Have a 500- to 700-calorie cheat meal on one of your regular-carb days
- Add 50% more sets to your weight workouts
Week 6: Take a three-day break from the entire plan, then start again if needed
Week 1
Strategy 1: Cut Carbs in Half
When carbohydrate intake is lowered, the body turns to fat for energy. So to start shedding some fat, cut your carbs drastically—in this case, by half—for four straight days while maintaining your regular workout plan. Not only does this reduce calories, but it also helps control insulin, the hormone released with carb consumption that can increase the appetite.
The easiest way to implement this step is to halve your carbohydrate portion size at meals. Instead of a full bagel, for example, eat half. In lieu of a medium plate of pasta, have a small plate. Eat only three-quarters of a cup of rice compared to the rounded cup you may typically consume. You’ll burn fat and your desire to eat should also subside.
Following a lower-carb diet for too long can backfire for some, decreasing leptin levels and slowing the metabolism, so return to your regular portions after four days. Introducing carbs back into your diet after this kind of drastic reduction kicks up leptin levels and, therefore, your metabolism. In addition, when the body comes out of a brief, modified lower-carb diet, it becomes more efficient at storing carbohydrate as muscle glycogen, key for pushing through your workouts with the type of intensity you need to elicit growth. Glycogen not only powers your training but acts as an anabolic stimulus, allowing the body to retain muscle even as you attempt to whittle away a few extra pounds. And because it pulls water into the muscles with it, it makes them fuller and larger.
Strategy 2: Elevate Your (GH) Status
Yes, getting lean is about calories, but it’s also about hormones, so we’ll go ahead and cover all your bases just to be safe. Happily, this will be a bedtime chore and, over the next six weeks, should become as routine as brushing yout teeth. To make it a bit simpler and to get your hormones working in your favor, drop all carbohydrates from your final meal of the day—every day—to slash calories. When you go to bed with a lower blood-sugar level as a result of avoiding carbs in your last meal, the body is more apt to increase its production of growth hormone (GH), which accelerates fat loss by mildly increasing the metabolism and boosting muscle growth.
Also, try adding arginine to your list of supplements to increase GH levels. Arginine, which converts to nitric oxide in the body and increases blood flow, has also been shown to boost the release of GH and support metabolism. In addition to supplementing with 3-6g in the morning on an empty stomach, take 3-6g of arginine before going to bed.
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Week 2
Strategy 3: Casual Cardio
Many cut-up plans use the shock-and-awe method: They require not only drastic diet alterations but long, heavy bouts of cardio. Truth is, you don’t need a lot of cardio to trim the fat if your diet is solid. Losing fat is the cumulative result of what you eat, how you eat and how much you eat, coupled with hardcore weight training. Yet cardio certainly has its place as a stimulus.
Used in moderation, cardio allows you to get over fat-loss plateaus without altering your diet too much. This week, do two moderate sessions (yes, just two) of 30-40 minutes apiece. That’s enough to facilitate fat loss. Remember, the body isn’t a machine. If you try to force fat off, it can backfire, with the body downgrading its metabolism and the amount of calories it burns in response to exercise and diet.
Strategy 4: Get Lean With Protein & Leucine
By the second week, after you’ve cut carbs and increased your cardio, the body will start to look for alternatives to body fat for fuel. Unfortunately, muscle tissue is often its first source. You can reduce that effect by increasing your regular protein intake by 50g per day. Either add a protein shake or two or increase your protein intake at the meals you eat before and after training—another 25g preworkout and postworkout should do the trick. That’s a second scoop of whey protein or about 3-4 ounces of chicken, fish or lean meat.
You can also add a leucine supplement before and after training. Leucine can halt muscle breakdown, aka catabolism. The unfortunate part of attempting to get leaner is that the body often tears down protein, including muscle tissue, at a far greater clip than when calories and carbs are much higher. So to prevent the loss of protein and muscle tissue and the dropoff in metabolism that comes with it, add 5-8g of leucine preworkout and postworkout.
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Week 3
Strategy 5: Burn, Baby, Burn
Unfortunately, most folks stumble out of the gate by pinning their hopes to a fat-burning supplement without ever getting their diets in order.
But if you’ve done your homework and gotten your body into a fat-burning mode with the previous steps, a decent fat-burner can go a long way. Look for something that includes ingredients such as green tea, caffeine and evodiamine, which boost fat-burning and make the body less efficient at storing calories as body fat. The biggest advantage to putting off the fat-burners until Week 3 is that you’ve already moved your body in the right direction with your diet. Adding some help should result in more noticeable progress.
Strategy 6: Get Low . . . Really Low
Getting lean is about calorie reduction, hormonal manipulation and exercise. But it’s also about perception. When you make a drastic drop in calories, the body perceives this as a threat and begins to tap into other fuel sources, fat being chief among them.
So for one of your four low-carb days during the week, slash carbs even further—to nearly a quarter of your normal intake—to increase fat-burning. Anyone can diet really hard for a day in the name of getting shredded, right?
Week 4
Strategy 7: Crazy Cardio
You’re already working up a small sweat twice a week. Now it’s time to trick your body by taking your cardio into another universe. Starting this week, add 40 minutes of moderate- to high-intensity cardio to the end of your regular weight workouts or first thing in the morning, before you eat. Because your body is carb-depleted at both of these times, an aggressive cardio session will help you tap into your fat stores more quickly. Plus, the duration and intensity of the sessions will challenge your body and spur your metabolism. Do this for only the final weeks of your program. Too much high-intensity cardio can kill testosterone levels, which could halt muscle growth and slow metabolism.
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Week 5
Strategy 8: Be A Cheater
Eating foods that are way outside of the dieting realm, or cheating, has gained a lot of attention in the fitness mainstream in recent years. One notion holds that eating whatever you want for an entire day each week keeps the metabolism humming. Sorry, folks, but it’s not that easy. Cramming down Krispy Kremes and buffalo wings all day Sunday isn’t the best way to go.
Cheating definitely has its place any time you’re trying to get lean, but the type of cheating we’re referring to won’t wreck your momentum. This week, on your first higher-carb day, have a burger, a couple of slices of pizza or a single slice of cake. In the grand scheme of things, the extra 500-700 calories won’t put a dent in your progress. By this time you’ll have already peeled away 5-9 pounds of body fat and your metabolism will be working at a roadrunner’s pace.
Strategy 9: Volumize Your Training
Volume training, or using more sets than usual in your typical training regimen, can accelerate fat loss, especially if your body is already in a strong fat-burning mode. It does this by putting additional stress on glycogen stores, depleting muscles of this valuable asset. When glycogen temporarily runs lower—as it would during a volume-training phase—fat-burning is given a healthy boost. This week, simply add 50% more sets to your typical training plan. Doing 12 sets per bodypart? Go up to 18. You can add sets to your current exercises or tack an additional 1-2 exercises onto your plan. Keep reps higher, in the 10-15 range. But make this just a one-week fix in your leaning-out cycle. Sticking to a greater-volume mind-set could eventually erode training intensity by lowering glycogen stores.
Week 6
Strategy 10: Take A Break
Ever take a break from training for 3-4 days, only to swear you look bigger and leaner? You’re not imagining things. That’s the beauty of rest. When you push the body all the time, it gets stubborn and does the exact opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish. Take a break for three full days this week, then get right back on the plan listed above—your body will respond with even greater progress and gains.
Order Chris Aceto’s training and nutrition books Championship Bodybuilding and Everything You Need to Know About Fat Loss.
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