Monday, December 31, 2018
6 Tips to Help You Crush Your New Year's Resolutions in 2019
Friday, December 28, 2018
Two Delt-Building Workouts for Stage-Ready Shoulders
One of the first things you notice about IFBB Pro League athlete Eren Legend is the phrase tattooed on his chest: “Lost in the world.” For someone who has firmly established his credentials as a competitive athlete and celebrity trainer, he would seem the last person you’d expect to feel unmoored and alienated.
“I got that tattoo when I was about 22, and at that time I felt lost, obviously,” says Legend, 28. “My journey hasn’t been as challenging as other people’s, not that I haven’t had to overcome difficulties. But I had yet to find my purpose.”
Soon afterward, Legend found his purpose when he entered a fitness program. He quickly advanced and almost immediately began appearing in physique contests. Now he’s an IFBB Pro League competitor in the men’s physique division and one of the most sought after personal trainers in the Toronto area.
This “awakening,” as he calls it, has led him to become a creative and effective authority on all things fitness—somebody who can take a weak spot and transform it into a strength. His shoulder training is one such example.
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“The funny thing is that I’ve always had really strong shoulders, but they just wouldn’t grow,” he says. “I was more recognized for my chest and abs. I needed to approach delts in an innovative way in order to improve them.”
You can see the benefits of his labors in the workout that follows. Legend likes to tweak tried-and-true movements in ways that stress and stimulate the muscle to strengthen and grow in novel ways.
His goal is rounded, full delts. For men’s physique competitors, the dramatic shoulder-to-waist ratio is crucial in performing well in the category. Over his career, Legend has always put a premium on symmetry and balance, while never sacrificing functional strength and agility. It’s the type of program most guys prefer these days—comprehensive and brutally effective.
Legend’s cerebral take on muscle building has made him an in-demand trainer. In fact, he’s had to take time out from competing this year to train a few celebrities in town for a production (the details of which he can’t divulge). But he plans to come back hard next year, beginning with the Arnold Sports Festival.
“I want to make the Arnold the first of three competitions I do next year,” Legend says. “I plan on literally eating as much as I can to put on size in the next few months. I’ll be ready.”
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Lost no more, Legend knows exactly the path he wants his career to take. With a name that’s both a promise and a source of intense pressure, this rising star is well on his way to establishing his place at the top of his profession, to become a legend in more than name. “Don’t forget where you came from,” he says. “But know where you’re going.”
Creating Dramatic Caps
IFBB Pro League star and in-demand trainer Eren Legend created the following list of unique movements to help you build your best delts ever. These exercises utilize numerous angles for balance and symmetry—they are meant to complement basic moves that you may rely on for your program. As for when to use them, you can find a place for many of these movements in your routine or follow the Legend-approved splits on the following pages.
Putting It All Together
You can mix and match a variety of these exercises, but we recommend that you start with an upright-row movement to warm up the shoulder girdle. Choose from one of the two series below.
Muscle Car CrazyBulk Competition – Your Chance To Win a $40k Mustang
CrazyBulk runs a competition where you can win a $40k muscle car. Here is what you need to know to enter the competition and have a chance to win: Entering this competition could not be simpler. For each $5 you spend on CrazyBulk.com you will certainly get 1 entry. As long as you’re an US […]
See More Here: Muscle Car CrazyBulk Competition – Your Chance To Win a $40k Mustang
Via MassGainSource - Gain Muscle Mass, Burn Fat & Accelerate Your Results - Feed https://www.massgainsource.com Via Bodybuilding Feed http://www.rssmix.com/How to Actually Keep 7 Common New Year's Fitness Resolutions
Thursday, December 27, 2018
M&F Raw 2.0: The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
You've probably heard of intermittent fasting by now, but is it just a fad? Dr. Jim Stoppani talks about the research that backs the many benefits of intermittent fasting. From the more widely reported benefits like burning fat to some unique benefits like fighting jet lag, discover the reasons why intermittent fasting might be the right nutrition plan for you.
Watch more M&F Raw 2.0 >>
Raw 2.0: Master the Close-Grip Bench Press
You can target your triceps with a bench press, but it just needs a little bit of finesse. Dr. Jim Stoppani explains the right way to perform a close-grip bench press—how close your grip really needs to be, how doing it incorrectly can lead to wrist injuries, and the proper movement path—so you can target your tris safely and effectively.
Watch more M&F Raw 2.0 >>
Raw 2.0: Build Bigger Traps Hands-Free
Look ma, no hands! Did you know that training your traps hands-free is a way to target yout traps better and prevent you from inadvertently cheating? Dr. Jim Stoppani explains how to train your traps in the standing calf raise machine for a more effective shoulder workout.
Watch more M&F Raw 2.0 >>
The 4-week 'New Year, New Muscle' Workout Plan
Whether you’re a beginner, an intermediate looking to take your training to the next level, or a grizzled iron veteran with the scars to prove it, once you’ve learned the truth about strength training you’ll make faster, easier progress without any more pain or wasted time and effort. That’s the goal of the New Year, New Muscle workout plan that follows.
What's the truth about strength training? Simply that most of what you’ve been led to believe is necessary to build muscle and burn fat isn’t important at all. It’s hype to confuse you and make you buy things you don’t need and do things you don’t like. Here’s a short list of stuff you don’t need to worry about anymore if you want to get big, strong, and lean: intermittent fasting, circuit training, high-intensity interval training, low-carb diets, and body-part splits.
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I go into detail about what isn’t important and why in my book, but for now I’ll tell you what you do need to make 2019 the year you achieve your goals: a simple plan to get stronger, a diet you can live with, and a workout regimen that lets you avoid injury while packing on muscle long-term. New Year, New Muscle helps you do that by building your numbers on the squat, bench press, and deadlift—the most effective strength exercises around and the ones from which the greatest muscle gains come. It also offers joint-friendly training that allows you to train hard regardless of age or injuries and helps prevent aches and pains from starting. Combine that with a sustainable, well-rounded diet (very similar to the one Arnold and other Golden Age bodybuilders followed), and you’ll reach your potential without having to waste another year experimenting with all the other inferior methods out there.
Follow the routine here for four weeks, and go to truthaboutstrengthtraining.com for a complete 12-week program.
This routine is based on my e-book, The Truth About Strength Training—a 12-week program that condenses everything I’ve learned (mostly the hard way) from all my years in the iron game. Get it here.
Workout directions
Perform each workout (Days 1-4) once per week. You can perform Days 1 and 2 back-to-back if you like, and 3 and 4 back-to-back, or rest a day between each session. Allow at least two full days between lower-body workouts (Days 1 and 3).
For example: Perform Day 1 on Monday, Day 2 on Wednesday, Day 3 on Friday, and Day 4 on Sunday.
Or, you could do Day 1 on Monday, Day 2 on Tuesday, Day 3 on Thursday, and Day 4 on Friday.
Exercises that are paired (marked A and B) are done in alternating fashion. Perform a set of A, rest as prescribed, then a set of B, rest, and repeat until all the sets are completed. Note that exercises with no rest mean to go immediately to the next exercise.
Exercises that don’t have a letter attached (are not paired) are done as straight sets. Complete one set, rest as prescribed, and repeat until all sets are complete.
Choose loads that are challenging but allow you to complete one or two more reps than are prescribed on each set (unless otherwise noted).
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How to do the main lifts
On the squat, bench press, and deadlift, you will need to “work up” to the heaviest load you can handle for the given number of reps—your rep max. However, even though we’re calling it a “max” it shouldn’t be a load that pushes you to the absolute limit. Be conservative.
Start with the empty bar and do 10 reps just to get warm. Then add some weight and do a set of 8. From there, go up in weight gradually and keep your reps low. This is very important. Do not rush through this and quickly attempt a max set. These work-up sets make you stronger. And safer. Also, none of these sets should be difficult. You should be many, many reps away from failure on all of them. They’re just serving to prepare your nervous system, joints, and muscles.
Here’s an example of how you could work up to a 275-lb squat for 3 reps:
Bar x 10
95 x 8
135 x 5
175 x 5
215 x 3
245 x 3
275 x 3
Aim for 5 to 8 work-up sets before your rep-max set.
There are also a few different options for the main lifts. You can do the conventional squat, bench press, and deadlift every week throughout the plan. Or, if you want, you can vary it up. You can do the front squat one week or the floor press in place of the bench press. But if making progress on the conventional lifts is important to you, you should stick with them more often than not.
For example, you could squat onto a box the first week, then front squat the next week, and then do a regular squat after that.
You’ll work up to a 7-rep max the first week, 5-rep max the second, and 3-rep max during the third, no matter what exercises you choose. The weight you use will vary depending on the lift.
After your main set of 7, 5, or 3 reps, you’ll do one more set with a lighter weight. Reduce the load by 10% and perform the same number of reps. So, if you squatted 275 for 3 reps, you’ll finish the exercise by doing a set of 250 for 3 reps (10% of 275, subtracted from 275, and rounded off).
In Week 4, you will deload. Perform three sets of 5 reps using 60% of the heaviest load you worked up to in Week 3. Do this for the main lifts only.
Juan Morel's Two-a-Day Leg Workouts for Huge Quads and Hamstrings
After taking second at the New York Pro and first at the Toronto Pro SuperShow in 2018, Juan Morel still wasn’t happy with his physique. “Diesel” ditched his leg routine, cutting down on the weight while increasing the reps to carve out some quality detail and better stimulate muscle gains. “I was focusing too much on lifting heavy, and it was hurting my knees,” he admits.
The result? A fresh three inches on his thighs when he took the stage at this September’s Mr. Olympia. The 36-year-old New York native credits his double-split routine, in which on Wednesdays and Saturdays he hits quads in the morning and hamstrings in the afternoon.
Divide and Conquer
Morel hits two body parts per day, six days per week. The first at 11 a.m. and the second at 5 p.m. He does legs on Wednesdays and Saturdays, chest and arms Mondays and Thursdays, and back and shoulders on Tuesday and Fridays. He says that this split “helps release more natural growth hormone in the body.”
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Plates Piled High
Morel goes light while training legs, but that’s a relative term. On leg presses, he’s still topping out at 1,500 pounds on his final set, while pyramiding up on hacks to 600. “For the leg press, I’m pushing for the pump in the quads, which is why I go as high as 20 reps,” he says.
Raises on Repeat
“I’ll do four sets of standing calf raises at the end of the morning and afternoon leg workouts,” he says. He’ll go as high as 20 to 30 reps per set, working through a full range of motion on each rep to prod muscle fiber recruitment throughout the thick gastrocnemius muscle that dominates the back of the lower leg.
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
5 Vintage Routines From Bodybuilding Legends to Sculpt a Body Like Breon Ansley's
Monday, December 24, 2018
6 Exercises to Strengthen Your Knees and Prevent Injury
Watch: First Official 'Hellboy' Trailer Unveiled
The Hellboy franchise is back for its third go-around on the big screen, and the official trailer for this rebooted take on the comic book hero has just landed. Stranger Things actor David Harbour will be taking the horned mantle of the massive red protagonist in this version, which is directed by Neil Marshall, of Game of Thrones fame. The trailer gives us a glimpse of the playful tone of the supporting cast and the disgruntled attitude of Hellboy himself.
In the trailer we also see the film's supporting cast featuring Milla Jovovich, Daniel Dae Kim, and Ian McShane to name a few. It's also notable how much more violent this R-rated footage is than what was seen in the previous two installments, which were both PG-13.
This is the first trailer for the film, but we're sure to see more as we near the film's April 12, 2019 release date.
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Two Medicine Ball Workouts That Take Less Than 30 Minutes
The medicine ball is not just an accessory to use when hitting abs. One simple med ball can pack a heavy punch if you know how to use it, making for an intense, physique-shredding workout that can be done virtually anywhere. It even travels well. Throw a med ball in the trunk of your car before your next business trip or vacation for a portable gym you can bust out at a hotel or campsite.
If you’re rolling your eyes right now, still thinking a medicine ball won’t do anything to help you level up your physique, it’s only because you’ve never done more than core work and maybe some wall balls with it. But take on one or both of these workouts designed by trainer Jim Ryno and you’ll be singing a different tune—that is, if you’re not gasping for air from the intensity.
“One of the major benefits to training with a medicine ball, as opposed to weights, is that you’re able to minimize unwanted stress on the body while at the same time increasing volume,” Ryno says. “Due to their dynamic nature, med balls allow you to challenge a wide range of muscle groups through multiple planes, leading to greater athleticism. Even a light medicine ball can help you build strength and increase power.”
Ryno’s med ball programming hits all body parts through a combo of full-physique exercises, focused compound movements, and isolation exercises. “The 30-minute workout is guaranteed to burn fat while building power,” Ryno says, “and the other is a short but challenging endurance and conditioning session.”
So what are you waiting for? Time to have a ball.
The following routines were designed to be performed with a medicine ball weighing 15 pounds or more. Any type of medicine ball will work (leather, rubber, with handles, without handles), but slams are best done with a nonbouncy ball.
Cydney Gillon's Total-Body Workout
For as long as she can remember, Cydney Gillon has been fast. “We had this school race called the Turkey Trot,” she recalls. “And I won it every single year until I broke my ankle one year—all the way from kindergarten through fifth grade.”
But that’s just kid stuff, right? Not exactly. Since those early days in the Atlanta suburb of Douglasville, GA, Gillon has made a habit of arriving ahead of schedule. She did her first bodybuilding show at 14, cracked the UPenn track team at 18, reached the final four of Survivor: Kaôh Rōng at 23, and in 2017 became the youngest-ever Figure Olympia champ at 25.
We’re sensing a trend here.
Just because her rise has been speedy, though, doesn’t mean it hasn’t been interesting. Take, for example, how she got into bodybuilding in the first place. When Gillon was 5, her parents were not exactly fit. Dad Skip was pushing 400 pounds, while Mom Tangelea was more than 200. “And you know how kids have no filter?” Gillon says.
“I was like, ‘Mom, y’all are fat!’” That wake-up call kicked off a spectacular turnaround that saw both her parents become competitive bodybuilders.
Then they flipped the script on their loud-mouthed daughter when the “junk food junkie” developed high cholesterol at 12. Mom corralled her diet, and Gillon started working out, discovered her genetics were figure-friendly...and never looked back.
Things got tricky in college—the high school track star had to give up the 300-meter hurdles event and focus on 100-meter hurdles “because it fits more of a figure body type”—but Gillon’s passion for competition only grew. Which is how, a week after her first Arnold, she found herself marooned on a Cambodian island. “The most surprising thing about Survivor is how real it is,” she confesses. “Man, when I’m sitting out there with all these bug bites, sunburned and starving, I’m like, ‘Where’s the hotel?’ I was in shock for a week.”
But in case you hadn’t noticed, Gillon—who had never camped and couldn’t even swim when taping started—adapts quickly. She lasted 37 days, becoming a fan favorite who still gets recognized in public.
And while she may not have been the “Sole Survivor,” she stands alone in figure. After top-10 Olympia finishes in 2014 and 2015, Gillon hired Damian Segovia of Pro Physiques in Arizona as her coach and really hit the gas, placing third in 2016 before winning in back-to-back years.
Oh, and would-be challengers take note: This speed queen has no plans to slow down. “I’ve never felt as if I wanted to stop or take breaks,” she says. “Each show just lights a new fire, so I’m always looking to get better. That keeps me motivated, in the moment, and ready for the next goal.”
Considering Gillon’s track record, we’re betting she’ll get there in a hurry.
TRAINING SPLIT*
- Monday: Shoulders
- Tuesday: Legs
- Wednesday: Yoga
- Thursday: Chest
- Friday: Back
- Saturday: Yoga
- Sunday: Rest
* Gillon mixes in ab work three times a week but doesn’t specifically train arms, because hers are naturally “supermuscular” and keep their shape through her other workouts.
All Access Challenge Series Presented By JYM Supplement Science | Bodybuilding.com
Friday, December 21, 2018
The Full-Body Muscle Beach Workout
Do Testosterone Boosters Help You Build Muscle?
One Tip To Transform Your Incline Bench Press
The Complete Guide To Testosterone Boosters
How Can I Make My Test Booster More Effective With Exercise?
High-Volume Biceps and Triceps Burnout with Davey Fisher
What Ingredients Are In The Best Testosterone Boosters?
What Do Testosterone Boosters Do?
Are Testosterone Boosters Safe?
The 5 Ways Ironman World-Record Holder Tim Don Recovered From a Broken Neck
Thursday, December 20, 2018
4 Mobility Drills to Save Your Shoulders
One Tip To Maximize Your Dumbbell Row
Build a Wider, Thicker Back with Osamoje Imoohi
One Tip To Transform Your Bench Press
Dominate Your Off Season With 'The Dominican Dominator' Victor Martinez
The Arnold Press Workout Finisher for Ripped Shoulders
What Is It:
The Arnold press—made famous by seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger—is a compound movement that combines a dumbbell shoulder press with a rotation at the bottom. But here, Jennifer Romanelli, a personal trainer and the co-owner of Trooper Fitness in New York City, gives it her own twist by deconstructing the lift into a pyramid set, featuring the two distinct parts of the move—the rotation and the press.
Why Do It:
“This is the triple threat of shoulder movements, hitting all three sections of the deltoid [the front, the middle, and the rear head] to ensure you end up with boulder shoulders,” Romanelli says.
When To Do It:
“The Arnold press itself can be added as a superset on chest or shoulder day,” says Romanelli. And she notes that the pyramid set employed here is a great burnout at the end of a shoulder workout.
How To Do It:
Do regular Arnold presses with light weight to loosen your shoulders. Then sit on a bench and grab two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells. Start with the weights at your shoulders, with your palms facing in. Perform one rotation, moving your arms outward so your palms face forward. Then do one shoulder press. Return to the starting position and do two rotations back-to-back, followed by two presses. Continue in this fashion until you’ve done five reps of each.
The Workout: Press Pyramid
- Arnold Press Pyramid: Sets - 3-5 / Reps - 1-5
Tip: Do 1 rotation and 1 press, followed by 2 rotations and 2 presses, continuing this pattern until you’ve completed 5 of each. That’s 1 set.
Safety Tips: This move can be taxing on the rotator cuff, so if you experience any pain, stop immediately.
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Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Build a Wider, Thicker Back with Osamoje Imoohi
6 Exercises to Strengthen Your Knees and Prevent Injury
Watch: First Official 'Hellboy' Trailer Unveiled
The Hellboy franchise is back for its third go-around on the big screen, and the official trailer for this rebooted take on the comic book hero has just landed. Stranger Things actor David Harbour will be taking the horned mantle of the massive red protagonist in this version, which is directed by Neil Marshall, of Game of Thrones fame. The trailer gives us a glimpse of the playful tone of the supporting cast and the disgruntled attitude of Hellboy himself.
In the trailer we also see the film's supporting cast featuring Milla Jovovich, Daniel Dae Kim, and Ian McShane to name a few. It's also notable how much more violent this R-rated footage is than what was seen in the previous two installments, which were both PG-13.
This is the first trailer for the film, but we're sure to see more as we near the film's April 12, 2019 release date.
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The Suspension Trainer Workout for Building Mass
Your first glance at a suspension trainer—a long nylon strap, with handles on both ends, anchored to the ceiling with a carabiner at its center—probably won’t tempt you away from the iron-forged familiarity of a heavy barbell or dumbbell in your grasp. It seems more suited to gymnasts and Peter Parker wannabes than serious bodybuilders.
Well, we’re here to set you right: A suspension workout would kick Spider-Man’s ass. It did ours, after trying the workout below, stimulating muscles in a whole new way. It includes movements for legs, back, chest, delts, and arms, with nothing more than gravity and our own body weight as resistance. We suggest you take a second look, because this training tool can make your workouts harder and more effective.
What It Is
The original suspension exercise apparatus was designed in 1997 by a Navy SEAL squadron commander, Randy Hetrick, who was seeking a way to stay fit in the field. He later brought his invention to market, calling it the TRX (short for “total-body resistance exercise”). “It reflexively activates your core in all planes of motion and connects your torso and limbs as a coordinated system—which is how it works in real life,” Frankel says. By altering your body position, you can make exercises easier or harder, meaning there is no shortage of options for beginners to more advanced athletes.
What It Does
A suspension trainer can hit every muscle in the body and leave you just as sore as any typical bodybuilding workout—yes, even leg day. But perhaps its signature benefit is that no matter what body part you’re focused on, your midsection gets plenty of attention. (And, let’s be honest, most of us could use more ab work.)
Numerous studies have proven this core benefit, including an EMG (electromyography) study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research in November 2014 that showed increased rectus abdominis, external oblique, and erector spinae activation when a plank was performed with a TRX versus on the floor. Another study— published in the same journal in 2014—measured increased abdominal muscle activity during a suspended pushup compared with the move on a stable surface.
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Pros of Suspension Exercise
- Offers a wide range of exercises.
Squats, rows, presses, curls, extensions, raises, something called the “Cossack”—a suspension-training system is versatile to the extreme. Chances are, if you can do it with a free weight, you can figure out a challenging variation with the suspension equipment. - Engages the whole body.
In addition to core activation, a suspension device “functionally integrates the entire posterior chain,” Frankel says. That means it hits the rear delts, traps, external obliques, spinal erectors, glutes, hamstrings, and calves during most exercises. - Can be used almost anywhere.
You can hook it to a door, a pole, a pullup bar, the top of a squat rack. With your own suspension system—which you can get for under $100 for a basic setup to $249 for an advanced system—you can ensure you never miss another workout, whether at home or on the road.
Cons of Suspension Exercise
- There’s a learning curve.
Even if you’ve been lifting for years, your first time trying suspension moves will probably feel awkward—like, awful-first-date awkward. That’s because you’ll be engaging a number of stabilizing muscles that may not get too much attention during a traditional weight-training workout. Know that it can get frustrating as you test out the basic movements and get acclimated. - You might need some expert help.
“As with any piece of training equipment, there are some easy-to-get-started-with moves, like rows and presses,” Frankel says. “Maintaining good posture and alignment will ensure a safe and effective experience.” But if you want to get serious, he suggests finding a trainer who’s certified specifically on suspension training techniques. (Try your own local gym.)
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How to Use It
“A beginner or deconditioned individual can get a great workout using body weight,” Frankel explains. “But at some point you’re going to need additional external resistance to continue to see gains in strength and size.” That may mean combining free-weight moves with suspension exercises in one killer session.
“With a prime mover like pecs, for instance, performing a suspended chest flye paired with dumbbell or barbell chest presses will stimulate extreme fiber recruitment due to the range of motion and integration of the core, shoulders, and back, which have to actively stabilize on the straps,” Frankel says.
Numerous types of suspension movements can be slotted into your workouts, whether as a warmup, a finisher, or anywhere within the meat of your routine. “It will be a real ‘oh, damn’ moment for anyone who thinks these straps can’t build muscle,” Frankel adds. “Adding in some instability and focused high-tension, full-body activation is no joke.”
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The 10-Week Powerlifting Program for Dense, Functional Muscle
When bodybuilders hit the stage, they are competing in a subjective judging environment where opinions on victors are seldom universal. But in the world of powerlifting—where the competition is simply a function of athlete versus iron—objectivity reigns supreme. Either the athlete has developed the physical constitution and proficiency to complete the lift or he has not.
Success in either discipline requires specialization. But when was the last time you invested an entire training cycle to simply increasing limit strength on the bench, squat, and deadlift? And what can you do with all that extra strength—not to mention muscular density and durability—at the end of that type of program? Anything you want, that’s what.
Powerlifting 101
Powerlifters have a very narrow competitive focus—bench, squat, and deadlift—and, as a result, their programming is generally free of angled, pump-focused accessory work that you see in physique-focused plans. The principle of specific adaptations to imposed demands (SAID) requires that improvements are dictated by programming. And it is in the specificity of training for extreme gains in three particular lifts that full-body strength begins to thrive.
“Powerlifters know you get stronger when you get bigger and you get bigger when you eat more and rest more,” says IFBB pro bodybuilder Stan Efferding, who has moonlighted as a competitive powerlifter and posted an 800-pound deadlift. “They exert themselves only when they’re lifting heavy weights and avoid wasting energy elsewhere.”
While muscle breakdown and repair is the name of the game for aesthetics-first lifting, powerlifters champion recovery and progression above all else—because they have to. Powerlifters are taking the slow lane to Strength City because there is no need to keep the heart rate elevated to maximize fat burning, nor is there a need to pack in high amounts of volume each week.
“Powerlifters simply get under heavier and heavier weights, week after week, month after month, year after year,” Efferding says. While bodybuilders focus on getting as big and lean as possible, those gains are competitively subjective. Powerlifters live and die by pound (or kilogram) totals, making each week’s training goals more quantifiable.
While it is not uncommon for lifters from all walks to add weight to the bar, powerlifters exercise careful strategies to exact specific strength responses within the low-volume (five reps or fewer), high-intensity (90% of your one-rep max) construct of their sport. And all that intensity drastically changes another workout variable: rest.
“For strength, I would rest a minimum of five minutes when I was going my heaviest,” Efferding says. “Powerlifters typically don’t lift over five reps in a given set. You don’t want a pump when powerlifting—you want maximum recovery in order to produce a maximum effort on each rep of each set.”
Novice or intermediate lifters hoisting sub-800-pound loads can aim for three to five minutes between sets and exercises.
Keep reading for the split and weights you'll be going for throughout the program.
THE SUPERSTRENGTH SPLIT
Two heavy days plus lots of rest allow for powerlifter-type poundages.
| Day | Activity |
| 1 | Bench |
| 2 | Rest |
| 3 | Mobility Work |
| 4 | Rest |
| 5 | Rest |
| 6 | Squat or Deadlift |
| 7 | Rest |
*Efferding does not advocate performing the squat and deadlift in the same week, which can hamper recovery and lead to overtraining.
MUSCLE MATH
No need to load up the bar to find out where your starting strength is. Use this calculation to determine your weight loads for the next 10 weeks.
Thanks to researchers from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, you can determine your max on the squat and deadlift with relative accuracy without using a risky, bro-max approach. If you know your 5RM (to failure), you just need to math out:
(5RM weight x 1.09703) +14.2546
So if you can handle 225 for five reps on the deadlift, you would find your 1RM like this:
(225 X 1.09703) + 14.2546 = 261 pounds
You would then use 261 pounds as your anchor point for the percentages listed. Don't want to bother with the math? Try one of many online calculators, such as those found at exrx.net.
THE WEIGHTS
| Week | Sets/Reps | %1RM |
| 1 | 5 x 5 | 80% |
| 2 | 4 x 4 | 70% |
| 3 | 3 x 3 | 80% |
| 4 | 4 x 4 |
50% (deload week) |
| 5 | 5 x 5 | 70% |
| 6 | 4 x 4 | 80% |
| 7 | 3 x 3 | 90% |
| 8 | 3 x 3 | 50% |
| 9 | 3 x 3 | 80% |
| 10 | 2 x 2 | 90% |
Competitors would use Week 11 for rest and Week 12 for competition, Efferding says.
Each week, the loads become heavier but total volume goes down in order to account for central nervous system fatigue. You will not feel the same type of muscular soreness in between workouts as you might from a high-volume, hypertrophy-driven program. “You are training your body to move more weight—period,” Efferding says. “This isn’t about a pump.” But the truth remains: A stronger muscle is generally a bigger muscle.
And if getting bigger is your main concern, you’re 10 weeks away from significantly higher starting weights for your next, higher-volume, physique-first program.
PLATEAU WOES
Can’t quite manage your target number of reps? No worries. Use these tips to continue making gains.
Use a spotter.
The use of a judicious, like-minded spotter is one of the best tools you can have in the gym, especially when you’re handling heavier-than-usual weight loads. On lifts that allow it (e.g., the deadlift does not), have your spotter aid you through each set as needed.
Be less exact.
If you can’t complete a lift with the target weight load, reduce the weight on the next set. Remember, the percentages listed are only targets—if you end up completing a set at 65% 1RM instead of 70%, don’t beat yourself up. Simply note it in your training log and aim higher on your next sesh.
POWERLIFTING WISDOM
Efferding offers the following quick tips for maximizing results over the next 10 weeks.
Recovery is paramount.
“Sleeping and eating are where all the growth and repair occur. I get at least eight quality hours of sleep nightly. Use a dark, quiet room and keep the temp under 70 degrees.”
Go vertical.
“For nutrition, I use the ‘vertical diet,’ with these top priorities: red meat for proteins, salt all my meals, potatoes and spinach daily for potassium and magnesium, egg yolks daily, Greek yogurt, bone broth, and vitamin D3 daily, white rice to drive carbs as needed.”
Boost your T.
“You should consider adding a testosterone booster into your supp regimen. It can aid in strength production by increasing free testosterone while suppressing estrogen, resulting in higher aggression and greater anabolism. Look for a product that contains scientifically backed, herbal T boosters such as fenugreek seed extract and ashwagandha root extract.”
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
One Tip To Transform Your Bench Press
Tofu Avocado Scramble Wrap
Seasoned with anti-inflammatory turmeric and metabolism-boosting cayenne, this tofu avocado scramble is a flavor-packed way to start a busy day. You can even use the extra spice mixture as a rub for chicken, fish, pork, or tofu, or add to rice or quinoa dishes.
Bikini Competitor Darah Diaz's Routine for Sexy, Sculpted Shoulders
IFBB bikini pro Darah Diaz is a rising star in the fitness community and across social media, with more than 31,000 followers on Instagram. She even established her own bikini competition consulting company, Clearly Confident, and works closely with DieselDolled makeup artists. She's on the rise and is primed to be a constant presence on the stage for years to come. Check out what she had to say about her career (and her love of chocolate-covered bacon on her cheeseburgers) in the interview below:
In your first year as a pro, you’ve finished second in two big shows. Are you surprised how fast you’ve succeeded?
Yeah, but I was ready. I knew I brought my best, so I just hoped to be rewarded for it. It was more like excitement, not shock—every- thing I’ve worked hard for finally is being shown.
Who inspired you to compete?
My boyfriend was competing, and once I started going to the gym with him, people were saying, “You should compete, you look like you have the body to do it.” And I was just like, “OK!” I started in 2015, and I just loved it from the first time I stepped onstage.
What do you love about it?
I love to perform. I was a dancer my entire life, so I’m used to being onstage in front of a crowd, showing what I’ve worked on. It’s the same exact thing with bikini—I’m just wearing a different outfit and doing something different onstage.
What’s your favorite body part to train?
I go through phases. Back will be my favorite thing to work out, and then I’ll love arms out of nowhere. But I will always love doing shoulders and glutes. You want round shoulders and bigger glutes for bikini, so those are my focus areas.
What’s your go-to cheat food?
The LI Pulse CCB Burger—a chocolate candied bacon burger layered with crispy onions, white cheddar, and maple dipping sauce—at Dirty Burger in Plainview, NY. That place is a hidden gem.
How do you pump yourself up when you’re feeling unmotivated?
I listen to songs like “Don’t Give Up” by Morgan Page, “I Wanna Know” by RL Grime, and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” No matter what feeling I’m going through, I’ll listen to them, and I’m like 10 times better.
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You’re from Massapequa, NY, where Jerry Seinfeld grew up. How’s your own sense of humor?
People have told me I’m funny, and then sometimes I just laugh at myself, so I can’t really tell. But, I mean, if you’re not laughing, I am, so at least one person’s happy!
Anything we haven’t covered that you wanna say to the world?
I never knew what I wanted to do. I changed my major multiple times because I was going for a more career-based job like a nurse, a lawyer, a police officer, a psychologist. And now I’m into fitness, where a lot of great things are happening to me. So I would say follow what you actually want to do, not something you think you need a title for.
You’d make a pretty badass cop, though, right?
Ha ha, I always wanted to. I took the state exam. Everyone’s like, “Are you gonna be the nice cop or the bad cop?” I’m like, “I don’t know—depends if you catch me on a good day.”
4 Get-Ripped Tips from Trainer and Bodybuilder Joe McNelis
Monday, December 17, 2018
The 10 Most Freakishly Impressive Mass Monster Bodybuilders
11 Expert Trainers Share the Best Moves for Every Muscle
9 Times Chris Hemsworth Gave Us Physique Goals on Instagram
Matt and Denise Tucker Lost a Combined 270+ Pounds and Became Nutrition Pros
5 Strength and Mass Strategies from IFBB Pro League Competitor Akim Williams
Fitness Olympia Runner-Up Ryall Graber's HIIT Workout
Finishing second at this year’s Fitness Olympia contest—after a year away from the stage due to a foot injury—was the pinnacle of Ryall Graber’s highly successful decade-plus run in the IFBB Pro League.
Yet, ask her for her most memorable performance, and she’ll point to her first pro win at the 2013 Arnold Classic Fitness Brazil. “I was in the middle of a painful divorce,” she says. “The outcome was the culmination of learning from a lot of failures, perseverance, following my heart, working hard, and staying disciplined. Winning made me realize the only limits we do have are the ones we set on ourselves. It lit a fire inside of me.”
Over the course of an impressive 41 IFBB Pro League shows since turning pro in just her second-ever fitness contest in 2007, 40-year-old Graber has learned a lot about her body “through multiple diets and routines, hormone imbalances, even massive weight rebounds post-show,” as she explains. That experience has helped her develop a sensible approach—including a healthy, year-round diet plan and specific show-to-show trainingplans—which she credits with her longevity in the sport.
It doesn’t hurt, either, that this 5'4", 125-pound athlete and personal trainer spends her days in paradise. Cancun, Mexico, to be exact, where she launched her online coaching business in 2010 and, in 2014, RyallFitnessGetaway, where she provides a fitness-oriented destination experience to clients.
Now, with 10 top-10 finishes at the Fitness International and Fitness Olympia contests to her credit, Graber has reached a state few athletes ever reach: contentment. “I’m very fulfilled with my personal achievements,” she says. “But my passion for this sport will keep me on this stage a little longer. Why stop if I’m feeling healthy and I love to compete with my fellow fitness sisters? I trust in my journey and that I’ll know when the time is right for me to stop, but now isn’t that time.”
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Ryan Graber
- Birth Date: Oct. 11, 1978
- Height: 5'4"
- Contest Weight: 125 lbs
- Residence: Cancun, Mexico
- Website: ryallfitness.com
- Instagram: @ryallfitness;@ryallfitnessgetaway
The Workout
Pro Tip: Graber recommends warming up with dynamic and static stretches beforehand, along with a two-minute jog or similar cardio activity. She does HIIT-style workouts like this three times per week on average.
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Sunday, December 16, 2018
The Heavy-Lifting Workout Routine to Grow Your Calves
You may hate training them, but thick, meaty calves help bring any physique together from the waist down. Also, powerful calves can help you to sprint harder and jump higher, which are useful traits to possess when the zombie apocalypse eventually hits us. (OK, call us crazy, but better safe than sorry...right?)
In the past, a light-weight, high-volume barrage has been considered the right formula to increase the mass of your calves. And considering that the calves—made up of the gastrocnemius and soleus—are worked every time you take a step, climb the stairs, or stand on your tiptoes, it makes sense that they would need a lot of volume for them to respond and grow.
It’s good to change things up, though, especially when the exercise menu doesn’t consist of much more than different variations of calf raises. So, to mix it up, we have you lifting heavy weight, a stimulus your calves probably aren’t used to, in the six-to-10-rep range. If you’ve been following the high-reps-on-calves dogma for years, this heavier, lower-rep workout should serve as some nice shock treatment for an often neglected muscle.
Friday, December 14, 2018
The 3-Move Workout For Balanced Shoulders
Dominate Your Off Season With 'The Dominican Dominator' Victor Martinez
Lee Haney Shares Leg-Training Methods in a 1988 Video
Lee Haney cemented himself as one of the best bodybuilders of all time over the course of his eight-year reign as Mr. Olympia, and he didn't do it without serious dedication and hard work. From head to toe, Haney sculpted every muscle with precision and gained a wealth of knowledge along the way.
In 1988, a little over halfway through his Olympia dynasty, Haney gave some seminars on lifting that were produced on VHS tapes, and it's advice that you should still use today. His tips may not be what you'd expect from the then-gargantuan Olympia champ—there's no outrageously heavy weight in this back-to-basics tutorial, for starters—but he does emphasize the importance of stretching between leg curl sets and warming up thoroughly. Check out the video below for Haney's strategies for bigger, stronger legs.
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Thursday, December 13, 2018
Supplements For Soldiers: Why Whey Beats Carbs
One Trick to Transform Your Lateral Raise
Raw 2.0: Protein Blends vs. Isolates
Fitness buffs love whey protein for its fast-digesting properties, but it's not enough. Dr. Jim Stoppani explains why you need more than whey isolate in your post-workout shake and tells you what to add to your protein blend to to make sure you're getting the complete nutrition you need to feed your gains.
Watch more M&F Raw 2.0 >>
Raw 2.0: Learn to Do Pullups
Can't do pullups? You're not alone. They are a fundamental bodyweight exercise, but many people still can't do a single pullup. If you've always wanted to be able to do pullups Dr. Jim Stoppani has the simple tip that will have you knocking out reps in just a few short weeks. Watch as he explains how negative pullups will lead to positive gains, and achieve your New Years resolution to do your first strict pullup.
Watch more M&F Raw 2.0 >>
The 10 Most Freakishly Impressive Mass Monster Bodybuilders
11 Expert Trainers Share the Best Moves for Every Muscle
4 Secrets For Titanic Triceps
M&F Raw 2.0: Pro Athlete Connor Davis on Supplementation
When you're an athlete, every tweak you make to your training and nutrition counts. Alliance of American Football tight end Connor Davis talks to Dr. Jim Stoppani about how one supplement in particular—CarnoSyn beta-alanine—helped him make huge changes to his strength and endurance. From losing 16 pounds of fat and gaining 10 pounds of muscle to being able to push his running further than he could before, Davis shares the ways his performance has improved on the field and off thanks to CarnoSyn.