Today is a back day and back days are my favorite because we get to deadlift and it's the one exercise that I am fascinated with and want to improve. The one problem is form and I found out how bad my form was today. On my third set, I heard multiple cracks in my spine and I was done with deadlifts for the day. Now here's the good news. My friend had told me of this guy who power lifts and said I should ask him about deadlifts if I ever had questions. It just so happens the guy was standing next to me and dead lifting 455 to get rid of excess energy. So I decided I would talk to him and try to learn. This guy was awesome, first of all he's a power lifting instructor and second, when I asked him about dead lift form, he had so much passion for power lifting that he was excited to help me out. So he explained to me that there's 3 parts to the dead lift. The initial lift, the explosion upward, and the lockout on top. Then he explained that he does a lot of secondary lifts to improve each section of the deadlift and that he actually does not deadlift that often. Then he helped me with my set up. He said your feet should be faced slightly outward, shins should be touching the bar, your arms should be tight, grip the bar tight, look up, shoulders back, and your ass should be pretty low and almost in a seated position. Then when you are ready, you take in a deep breath, tighten your abs, drive your heels to the ground, pull the bar up and when you are in the middle of your lift, drive your hips forward. Your back is supporting the whole lift, but you need your hips to take some of the load off. He was a great instructor and even watched me do a few lifts. He also said its best to practice your form on a medium weight because a light weight will allow you to get away with horrible form. You need to be able to feel what you are lifting. We did do secondary lifts, but they weren't very good because I injured myself. The next 2 days will probably be rest days... Here's a little video of Michael's dead lift.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Day 18
Today was a chest and triceps day. For chest we bench sometimes and I really like to use the bar, but it actually shapes your chest better if you use dumbbells. Just a little something my friend told me, but we prefer the bar for some reason...
Our first exercise was the incline bench press. We went fairly heavy today because I want to improve my strength. My bench is an exercise that has plateaued quite a bit since I first started lifting. It might have been because I've lost weight, but I feel like it should be better than what it is. Today I added a little more weight than what I usually do.
2 Warm up
4 Sets 5-6 reps
Jeff (115,135,135,145)
Our second exercise was dumbbell flyes. Another one of my exercises that has kind of plateaued. I do similar weights almost all the time, but the motion is a little bit harder to go heavier and still have really good form... That's why it's always good to have a spotter when you go heavy.
4 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (35,40,42.5,45)
Our third exercise is my favorite chest exercise and I always do it. The cable crossover. I like it because it gives you good stretch on your chest and I think it really digs into your muscle fibers. By far my favorite chest exercise.
4 Sets 10-12 reps
Jeff (45,50,50,60)
Our fourth exercise is dips. This is an exercise that, if you have really strong triceps or if you are really light, it might be too easy. You can add resistance by holding a weight in between your feet, like a 20 pound dumbbell. Also there are belts you can buy where you can put on 45 plates... which is ludicrous... We are not that strong yet so we just do body weight dips.
4 Sets until failure
Our fifth exercise is bench dips. These we can do with weight. You just put the weight on your lap and do the exercise like you normally would. We also did drop sets to burn ourselves out as much as possible.
2 Drop Sets until failure
Jeff (45, 45)
Now let's take a look at what I ate today.
Our first exercise was the incline bench press. We went fairly heavy today because I want to improve my strength. My bench is an exercise that has plateaued quite a bit since I first started lifting. It might have been because I've lost weight, but I feel like it should be better than what it is. Today I added a little more weight than what I usually do.
2 Warm up
4 Sets 5-6 reps
Jeff (115,135,135,145)
Our second exercise was dumbbell flyes. Another one of my exercises that has kind of plateaued. I do similar weights almost all the time, but the motion is a little bit harder to go heavier and still have really good form... That's why it's always good to have a spotter when you go heavy.
4 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (35,40,42.5,45)
Our third exercise is my favorite chest exercise and I always do it. The cable crossover. I like it because it gives you good stretch on your chest and I think it really digs into your muscle fibers. By far my favorite chest exercise.
4 Sets 10-12 reps
Jeff (45,50,50,60)
Our fourth exercise is dips. This is an exercise that, if you have really strong triceps or if you are really light, it might be too easy. You can add resistance by holding a weight in between your feet, like a 20 pound dumbbell. Also there are belts you can buy where you can put on 45 plates... which is ludicrous... We are not that strong yet so we just do body weight dips.
4 Sets until failure
Our fifth exercise is bench dips. These we can do with weight. You just put the weight on your lap and do the exercise like you normally would. We also did drop sets to burn ourselves out as much as possible.
2 Drop Sets until failure
Jeff (45, 45)
Now let's take a look at what I ate today.
Salmon and String Beans
Beef Tacos
The first meal was good, extremely healthy and leftovers from the day before. Salmon with some string beans. The second meal was not as nutritious, but it tasted great. Tacos from the taco truck probably don't use the leanest of meats, but I like to enjoy my food. So yea.... Tomorrow is a back day.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Day 17
Today was a rest day. I didn't even do cardio, but one thing that is good to do on rest days, is focus on your diet. Probably one of the most important things that people don't think about, is their nutrition. Eating the right things is really what puts you above many other people at the gym. Now lets take a look at what I ate today.
Hambuger Patties and leafy green vegetables
Salmon and green beans
Today was a rest day so I carb depleted. Energy was not a huge requirement for my day so I don;t want to eat too many carbs and have them just sit in my stomach. I ate extremely healthy today. I had great lean proteins, in the hamburger patties and salmon along with healthy greens. Also my food didn't have any sauce on it. I think sauce is one of the trickiest things out there because people just don't think of it. They just think of how it tastes and it probably adds a huge amount of bad calories to their diet. Overall a good nutrition day for me.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Day 16
Today was a leg day, but we made the workout extremely short. We only did 2 exercises with a lot of sets, but medium reps and not too much rest in between. With leg day we always do squats. Squat is one lift of mine that is really weak and I want to improve it dramatically.
Our first exercise is squats because we don't want to do other lifts and then make our squats more difficult because we are tired. To squat properly is one of the least natural and difficult things in the gym. Most people don't go all the way down and that's how I used to squat, but you should almost be in a seated position when you are at the bottom.
2 Warm Up
5 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (135,135,135,155,155)
Our second exercise is leg press. Leg press isolates the quads, but can also workout the hamstrings if you move your feet up on the press.
4 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (2 plates, 3 plates, 3 plates, 4 plates)
Probably one of the shortest workouts ever, but this week is hectic and we don't always have a ton of time. Let's take a look at what I ate today.
Our first exercise is squats because we don't want to do other lifts and then make our squats more difficult because we are tired. To squat properly is one of the least natural and difficult things in the gym. Most people don't go all the way down and that's how I used to squat, but you should almost be in a seated position when you are at the bottom.
2 Warm Up
5 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (135,135,135,155,155)
Our second exercise is leg press. Leg press isolates the quads, but can also workout the hamstrings if you move your feet up on the press.
Jeff (2 plates, 3 plates, 3 plates, 4 plates)
Probably one of the shortest workouts ever, but this week is hectic and we don't always have a ton of time. Let's take a look at what I ate today.
Pepper Crispy Chicken
Pork spare ribs, potstickers, brown rice
Today was a pretty unhealthy day. The only good thing I can say about it was that I had good carbs in brown rice. The chicken and pork spare ribs were both fried and contain a lot of fat. I try not to eat fried foods, but it's mainly what is available at work and sometimes you just have to eat what you can, even if it's bad.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Day 15
Today was a rest day. I hate rest days, but they are necessary. I also need time to study this week so more rest days and shorter workouts. Rest days are when your muscles grow, so keep that in mind when you want to workout 6-7 days per week because it might lead to overtraining. Now lets take a look at what I ate today.
Fish, Potstickers, Egg whites
Sausage, Greens, Fish, Brown Rice, Spareribs
Since it was an off day, I tried to keep my carbs lower. Carbs are your bodies preferred energy source, but on a rest day, I try to eat less because I don't need it as much and when I do cardio, I hope to burn off my bodies stored fat rather than the carbs I'm eating. These meals aren't too bad, but the fish is fried. Other than that, I feel they are pretty healthy. Tomorrow is a leg day. See you all tomorrow!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Day 14
Today was a great workout, probably my best in awhile. It was a shoulders, biceps and triceps day. I decided to change it up by including super sets and drop sets to keep up intensity. There will be no videos until Thursday because I have to study. Super sets are when you do 2 separate exercises, but back to back. This workout contains 3 and its a great way to get through your workout quicker and increase your heart rate.
First we started with Seated Military Press. You need seat with a back and a bar to do this exercise. Hold the bar to around your chin and push up, that is the basic Military press rep.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 10-12 reps
Jeff (65,85,95)
Our second exercise was a super set. We did cable side raises and dips. Cable side raises are just like side raises except you have a cable in a lowered position and you pull it across your body. This works out your shoulders. Dips works out your triceps and if you don't know what a dip is, I'll make a video next time. If you can't dips, there's a machine you can use that helps reduce weight resistance. I used to use that because I couldn't even do 1 dip. Remember these exercises are back to back and then you rest.
3 Sets 10-12 Reps
Jeff ( 20,20,25)
3 Sets Dips Until Failure
Our next super set was Bench dips and dumbbell curls. For these exercises we also included drop sets. If you can't do bench dips with weight then, you can do regular bench dips until failure and to reduce resistance you put your feet on the ground and do as many as you can afterwards. After the bench dip drop set we went straight into dumbbell curls and this was also a drop set. Do the amount of reps you want with your curls, drop the weight, and do as many as you can.
3 Sets Until failure drop Until failure
Jeff (body weight, 45, 45)
3 Sets 6-8 reps drop Until failure
Jeff ( 20, (30,20), (30,20) )
Our final super set was rope extensions and barbell curls.
3 Sets 12-15 reps
Jeff (40,50,50)
3 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (65,65,65)
So that was our workout which was 7 exercises, but put into 4 sections. It's a pretty good way to keep yourself moving and pumped because you don't really slow down or rest too much. Now let's take a look at my diet for the day.
First we started with Seated Military Press. You need seat with a back and a bar to do this exercise. Hold the bar to around your chin and push up, that is the basic Military press rep.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 10-12 reps
Jeff (65,85,95)
Our second exercise was a super set. We did cable side raises and dips. Cable side raises are just like side raises except you have a cable in a lowered position and you pull it across your body. This works out your shoulders. Dips works out your triceps and if you don't know what a dip is, I'll make a video next time. If you can't dips, there's a machine you can use that helps reduce weight resistance. I used to use that because I couldn't even do 1 dip. Remember these exercises are back to back and then you rest.
3 Sets 10-12 Reps
Jeff ( 20,20,25)
3 Sets Dips Until Failure
Our next super set was Bench dips and dumbbell curls. For these exercises we also included drop sets. If you can't do bench dips with weight then, you can do regular bench dips until failure and to reduce resistance you put your feet on the ground and do as many as you can afterwards. After the bench dip drop set we went straight into dumbbell curls and this was also a drop set. Do the amount of reps you want with your curls, drop the weight, and do as many as you can.
3 Sets Until failure drop Until failure
Jeff (body weight, 45, 45)
3 Sets 6-8 reps drop Until failure
Jeff ( 20, (30,20), (30,20) )
Our final super set was rope extensions and barbell curls.
3 Sets 12-15 reps
Jeff (40,50,50)
3 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (65,65,65)
So that was our workout which was 7 exercises, but put into 4 sections. It's a pretty good way to keep yourself moving and pumped because you don't really slow down or rest too much. Now let's take a look at my diet for the day.
Eggs
2 Burger Patties and wheat bread
Salmon Curry with vegetables and white rice
My diet wasn't too bad for the day. I only ate the egg whites in the morning which is a great lean protein. I'm still trying to lean out which is why I only I ate the whites, but if you are trying to bulk, throwing in a couple of yolks doesn't hurt. I did say beef includes a lot of fat, but if it's home cooked, you can cook it a certain way to reduce the fat and make it much leaner. Also I got good carbs in my wheat bread as well. Salmon Curry wasn't the best of meals, but salmon is a great protein. The white rice isn't so great, but it was right before my workout so I needed my carbs for energy. Tomorrow will be another rest day.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Day 13
Today was a rest day, but we got some good cardio in. We played a few 5 on 5 basketball games and it was awesome. Basketball is a great for of cardio because it has intervals. Believe it or not, but intense cardio with intervals is great for burning fat and basketball is the perfect sport for that.
Today I want to talk about your nutrition if you are trying to gain mass. So for calories, you are supposed to multiply your weight by 15 and add 200-500 calories per day. Since I weigh 160, my calories per day would be around 2600-2900. It is also suggested that your diet split should be around 40% protein, 40% Carbs, and 20% fats. These should be lean proteins, good carbs, and good fats. Your lean proteins would be fish, egg whites, chicken, lean beef, protein shakes, etc. Your good carbs would be brown rice, sweet potato, wheat bread, wheat pasta, vegetables, etc. Your good fats would be like peanut butter, almonds, and avocado. Nutrition is key in any program whether you are trying to gain mass or burn fat.
Now lets see the foods I ate. I didn't have much time today, I was on the run for most of it and I just ate whatever I could find in the fridge. When I didn't even have time for that, I threw in a protein shake.
Today I want to talk about your nutrition if you are trying to gain mass. So for calories, you are supposed to multiply your weight by 15 and add 200-500 calories per day. Since I weigh 160, my calories per day would be around 2600-2900. It is also suggested that your diet split should be around 40% protein, 40% Carbs, and 20% fats. These should be lean proteins, good carbs, and good fats. Your lean proteins would be fish, egg whites, chicken, lean beef, protein shakes, etc. Your good carbs would be brown rice, sweet potato, wheat bread, wheat pasta, vegetables, etc. Your good fats would be like peanut butter, almonds, and avocado. Nutrition is key in any program whether you are trying to gain mass or burn fat.
Now lets see the foods I ate. I didn't have much time today, I was on the run for most of it and I just ate whatever I could find in the fridge. When I didn't even have time for that, I threw in a protein shake.
Pork ribs, Roast beef sandwich and fries
Hamburger Patty with white rice
Not my best of days, but could be worse. The fries and white rice are probably the worst carbs I could have eaten, but they're still carbs when nothing else is available at the moment. Protein and carbs go together and you should be eating meals like these at least 5 times a day. Even if you are not trying to gain mass. Tomorrow is a shoulder and bicep day and we'll see you at the gym.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Lift With Us Day 12
Today was just a back workout. We both had work in the morning and decided we should make it a short workout. It was the same lifts we did last time, but in slightly different order.
Of course we started with the deadlift. My legs were dead and my drive was weak today. My form looks the same as last time, but one tip that was helpful from a friend was taking in big air just before you go up. That actually helped quite a bit.
2 Warm Up
3 Sets (4-8) reps
Jeff ( 225, 275,315)
Mike(135,185)
Second lift was the Wide grip pulldown.
4 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (120,135,150,165)
Mike(120,135,150,165)
Our third lift is the Single Arm Row. You can either do this on a bench or by the weight rack. Remember to do both arms and not just one. In the video you'll notice that I'm kind of jerking the weight. It's kind of a sign that it's a little too heavy for me. I believe it should be a slower smoother motion.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (55,70,70)
So that was our short workout for the day. Tomorrow will be a rest day. Most of my body parts are killing me right now, so I might have to take 2 rest days. Let's take a look at what I ate today.
Of course we started with the deadlift. My legs were dead and my drive was weak today. My form looks the same as last time, but one tip that was helpful from a friend was taking in big air just before you go up. That actually helped quite a bit.
2 Warm Up
3 Sets (4-8) reps
Jeff ( 225, 275,315)
Mike(135,185)
Second lift was the Wide grip pulldown.
4 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (120,135,150,165)
Mike(120,135,150,165)
Our third lift is the Single Arm Row. You can either do this on a bench or by the weight rack. Remember to do both arms and not just one. In the video you'll notice that I'm kind of jerking the weight. It's kind of a sign that it's a little too heavy for me. I believe it should be a slower smoother motion.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (55,70,70)
So that was our short workout for the day. Tomorrow will be a rest day. Most of my body parts are killing me right now, so I might have to take 2 rest days. Let's take a look at what I ate today.
32 Ounce Ribeye Steak and Sweet Potato
BBQ Chicken and Broccoli
Beef is a great source of protein, but it contains a huge amount of fat so it's not necessarily ideal. It will get you big if you eat a lot of it though. Sweet potatoes are actually one of the best carbohydrates you can eat. It's up there with brown rice and I think it tastes much better. Chicken is an ideal protein because its lean and broccoli is pretty good for you too. The video is short and boring, but watch it anyways...
Friday, December 9, 2011
Day 11
Today was a chest and triceps day. It was a pretty good workout, but my intensity isn't what it used to be. I've lost most of the weight I've wanted to and burned quite a bit of fat and I'm thinking that I might want to bulk a little bit. I don't to be huge, but a little bigger than I am right now. Mike also wants to bulk a little bit because he's pretty skinny. So I might be starting a program soon where I will be posting weekly photos of our progress, posting the workouts, and showing you guys what I eat. Now onto today's workout.
Our first exercise was the Bench Press. In the video you see he has a spotter which is good. It might seem like Mike didn't do too well, but this was Mike's last set and he was burned out.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 135,155,155)
Mike (135,135,145)
Our second exercise is Incline Flyes. On the way down its good to get that stretch and tear down your muscle fibers. That's what makes them grow.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (35,40,45)
Mike ( 35,40,45)
The third exercise is the Decline Bench Press. According to bodybuilder Dorian Yates this is the best for your chest out of all the benches. I'm not too fond of it because it feels quite unnatural, but we do it anyways.
3 Sets 10-15 reps
Jeff ( 95,135,135)
Mike (95,115,135)
The fourth exercise is the V-handle bar tricep extensions. It's good to change the handle just to get a different feel. Usually we do the ropes, but today we changed it up. Just like ropes except you don't have to pull your hands apart at the bottom.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (50,70,80)
Mike (50,60,60)
The fifth exercise is probably one of Mike's better exercises. The Bench Dips and its great for him because this is a mass building exercise and we're trying to bulk Mike a little. So it's great that he's good at this exercise. You can even throw some weight between your knees and crotch area to get that extra resistance.
3 Sets until you fail
Jeff (Body, 25, 35)
Mike(Body,25,35)
The sixth exercise is Machine Dips. We do machine dips because its easier than regular dips with similar effect. Since its the end of the workout our triceps are too burned out to do any dips, so we adjust by using the machine.
3 Sets 10-12 reps
Jeff (210,225,240)
Mike (195,210,210)
Now, I'm not very good at dieting because my discipline is nonexistent when it comes to food. I don't super healthy like the real bodybuilders, but I also don't eat unhealthy like your average American. I eat out quite a bit, but I have still been able to maintain and even drop my weight still. I ate out a couple of times today and I will show you guys what I ate.
Today the video I made is pretty fantastic and I suggest you watch it! Enjoy!
Day 11
Our first exercise was the Bench Press. In the video you see he has a spotter which is good. It might seem like Mike didn't do too well, but this was Mike's last set and he was burned out.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 135,155,155)
Mike (135,135,145)
Our second exercise is Incline Flyes. On the way down its good to get that stretch and tear down your muscle fibers. That's what makes them grow.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (35,40,45)
Mike ( 35,40,45)
The third exercise is the Decline Bench Press. According to bodybuilder Dorian Yates this is the best for your chest out of all the benches. I'm not too fond of it because it feels quite unnatural, but we do it anyways.
3 Sets 10-15 reps
Jeff ( 95,135,135)
Mike (95,115,135)
The fourth exercise is the V-handle bar tricep extensions. It's good to change the handle just to get a different feel. Usually we do the ropes, but today we changed it up. Just like ropes except you don't have to pull your hands apart at the bottom.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (50,70,80)
Mike (50,60,60)
The fifth exercise is probably one of Mike's better exercises. The Bench Dips and its great for him because this is a mass building exercise and we're trying to bulk Mike a little. So it's great that he's good at this exercise. You can even throw some weight between your knees and crotch area to get that extra resistance.
3 Sets until you fail
Jeff (Body, 25, 35)
Mike(Body,25,35)
The sixth exercise is Machine Dips. We do machine dips because its easier than regular dips with similar effect. Since its the end of the workout our triceps are too burned out to do any dips, so we adjust by using the machine.
3 Sets 10-12 reps
Jeff (210,225,240)
Mike (195,210,210)
Now, I'm not very good at dieting because my discipline is nonexistent when it comes to food. I don't super healthy like the real bodybuilders, but I also don't eat unhealthy like your average American. I eat out quite a bit, but I have still been able to maintain and even drop my weight still. I ate out a couple of times today and I will show you guys what I ate.
Salmon Curry Noodles
Roast Beef, Turkey, Avocado, Jalapeno Sandwich
Today the video I made is pretty fantastic and I suggest you watch it! Enjoy!
Day 11
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Lift With Us Day 10
Today was a legs day, but Mike did shoulders with Wise so there will be no video. Although I did mess up my leg workout pretty badly. Someone was using the squat rack so I did Leg Press first which was a pretty huge mistake. My legs were pretty beat and the squats felt terrible. Even on the warm up sets I struggled. I did do a lot of sets on leg press though, but I felt today's workout was just bad in general. Since my legs were beat so early I decided to work on my deadlift. I wanted to find out my max weight. One tip that helped me a lot and possibly kept my back straighter was taking in a ton of air right before lifting. I wasn't sure because no one was watching me, but it felt good. I did 2 reps of 365 which is the most weight I've ever done. It's still not my 1 rep max, but it is my new personal best.
Mike's diet
7 am: Greek Yogurt and Yogurt smoothie
12 pm : Tuscan Chicken sandwich and a Rockstar
7pm : White rice, 3 eggs and a banana
11pm : Cytogainer protein shake 2 scoops
1 am: Won Ton Noodle Soup
Wow a day without something horrific. This is actually a pretty good day. With the exception of the rockstar, which is loaded with sugar, I am fairly impressed. A good idea would be to throw in a meal between 7 am and noon and a meal between noon and 7 pm. Most people don't have time for that, but it is ideal. Especially since Mike is trying to bulk up a little. Kudos to him for a decent nutritional day!
Mike's diet
7 am: Greek Yogurt and Yogurt smoothie
12 pm : Tuscan Chicken sandwich and a Rockstar
7pm : White rice, 3 eggs and a banana
11pm : Cytogainer protein shake 2 scoops
1 am: Won Ton Noodle Soup
Wow a day without something horrific. This is actually a pretty good day. With the exception of the rockstar, which is loaded with sugar, I am fairly impressed. A good idea would be to throw in a meal between 7 am and noon and a meal between noon and 7 pm. Most people don't have time for that, but it is ideal. Especially since Mike is trying to bulk up a little. Kudos to him for a decent nutritional day!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Lift With Us Day 9
Hello everyone, today was a rest day. Like I said before there will be extra rest days this week because Mike has to study and I am sick. Since we didn't today, lets talk about goals. You should generally have an idea of what your trying to do with yourself. If you don't then your lifts might not be as good for you. You could either want to be gaining muscle, burning fat, or getting strong (possibly all 3). Earlier this year I did Kris Gethin's dramatic transformation and well it's purpose was to do all 3 of these. My main goal was to lose weight though. His program was 12 weeks, but it required a lot of dedication. It had 2 separate sessions of cardio, a strict diet, and a ton of weight lifting. I'm pretty sure most of you don't have that kind of time so I'm just going to tell you the little weightlifting tricks he did to improve himself.
Tricks to burning fat:
Super Set: Doing 2 separate exercises back to back with no rest. For example if you're working out your legs, you could do a set of squats and with no rest you do leg press right afterwards. That is 1 set and it keeps your heart rate up and burns a little more fat. Also if your short on time it's a great way to speed up your routine.
FST - 7: This is one I've done before, but didn't explain it at all. Its where we do 7 sets of 12-15 reps with only 30 seconds of rest between each set. During your 30 seconds of rest you should be stretching and flexing your muscle to get your blood pumping. It's kind of like doing a mini interval cardio session and its good to throw one into your workout if you want to be losing your fat.
Tricks to building muscle:
Drop Set: This one is simple. After you've done your set with the weight you've selected, take some of the weight off and do another set. It shocks your muscles a bit and allows them to grow. Be sure not to drop off too much weight or too little because you're either going to feel nothing or you won't be able to do any reps. The good thing about this little trick, is that you can drop the weight multiple times and it gives you crazy burn.
I'm not sure if there's anymore. but these are the main 3 that I remember. So remember to create a goal and work from there. Now let's look at the things Mike ate today.
Mike's Diet
11 am: Bag of popcorn
3pm Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Curly fries
7 pm: Banana, Eggs, 3 Buns
10 pm: Macaroni and Ham
The bag of popcorn is pretty bad, but the rest is fairly decent, assuming the grilled chicken sandwich wasn't from Jack in the Box or something, but it does say curly fries so I'm not so sure... Even then it's a step up from the BigMac Meal and McChicken he ate the other day... Mike's slowly improving his diet, but knowing him, he will regress tomorrow...
Tricks to burning fat:
Super Set: Doing 2 separate exercises back to back with no rest. For example if you're working out your legs, you could do a set of squats and with no rest you do leg press right afterwards. That is 1 set and it keeps your heart rate up and burns a little more fat. Also if your short on time it's a great way to speed up your routine.
FST - 7: This is one I've done before, but didn't explain it at all. Its where we do 7 sets of 12-15 reps with only 30 seconds of rest between each set. During your 30 seconds of rest you should be stretching and flexing your muscle to get your blood pumping. It's kind of like doing a mini interval cardio session and its good to throw one into your workout if you want to be losing your fat.
Tricks to building muscle:
Drop Set: This one is simple. After you've done your set with the weight you've selected, take some of the weight off and do another set. It shocks your muscles a bit and allows them to grow. Be sure not to drop off too much weight or too little because you're either going to feel nothing or you won't be able to do any reps. The good thing about this little trick, is that you can drop the weight multiple times and it gives you crazy burn.
I'm not sure if there's anymore. but these are the main 3 that I remember. So remember to create a goal and work from there. Now let's look at the things Mike ate today.
Mike's Diet
11 am: Bag of popcorn
3pm Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Curly fries
7 pm: Banana, Eggs, 3 Buns
10 pm: Macaroni and Ham
The bag of popcorn is pretty bad, but the rest is fairly decent, assuming the grilled chicken sandwich wasn't from Jack in the Box or something, but it does say curly fries so I'm not so sure... Even then it's a step up from the BigMac Meal and McChicken he ate the other day... Mike's slowly improving his diet, but knowing him, he will regress tomorrow...
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Lift With Us Day 8
Today was our back and biceps day. It's always good to make sure your back feels fine before lifting because deadlifts cause a ton of stress on your back. Be sure to warm up because you don't to pull anything either. You may also stretch, but I feel it's kind of unnecessary and I don't do it. When I start my back workout, I go straight for the deadlift. I want the best exercise to be my first when I'm the freshest.
Our first exercise is of course the deadlift. Last week I found out that my form was quite a bit off. This could cause injury very easily and it did for me. 2 Weeks ago I actually did pull something in my back and it hurt for quite some time. So my little changes were, smaller stance, closer grip, feet under the bar and driving more with my legs and hips. My back could be straighter, but I think my form is a little better in this video and my results were pretty good. I was able to go pretty heavy with no problems. Mike's pretty good with his deadlifts, but he gets tired pretty quickly and lazy on his finishing sets.
2 Warm Up
4 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (185,225,245,275)
Mike(135,185,185)
Our second exercise is the Single Arm Row. You can either do this on a bench or by the weight rack standing. Basically you are pulling the weight up and slowly going back down. Remember to do both arms and start with your less dominant arm first. Mike is wearing straps so he doesn't have to grip the weight and it allows him to maximize the weight hes pulling.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (65,70,70)
Mike( 50,60,60)
Our 3rd exercise is the wide grip pull down. It's kind of like a pull up, but on a machine and you get to choose your weight. After pulling down Mike could go slower on the way back up, but he's getting a little bit tired.
4 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (135,150,165,165)
Mike ( 120,135,150)
Our fourth and final back exercise is cable rows. You can either do this with a wide grip or close grip. Since we did wide grip on the last exercise, we did close grip in this one. Pull the cable to your stomach and slowly let the weight back down. Remember negatives are half of your rep as well.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 120,135,135)
Mike (120,120,120)
Our fifth exercise was barbell curls. Mike did it on the Preacher Curl seat and I did it standing. I prefer standing, but Mike wanted to change it up a little bit. You'll notice in the video Mike struggles on his last couple of reps. This is exactly what you should be doing on your last reps. Then you know you're lifting with the correct weight.
3 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (40,65,65)
Mike (40,40,40)
Our final exercise is just regular Bicep Curls. Mike shows you how its done and his arms are getting bigger as you can see in the video!
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (22.5,27.5,27.5)
Mike (22.5, 22.5,27.5)
For cardio we both did 15 minutes on the elliptical. Now onto Mike's diet, hopefully there's no fast food in it...
Diet
12 pm: Grande Mocha, Bag of Chips, Vanilla Cookie
6 pm: Orange chicken and white rice
11 pm : Cytogainer protein shake 2 scoops
So this is pretty bad... Even if Mike were trying to dirty bulk, he's not eating enough. Most of these foods are high in sugar which are another reason why he doesn't have a 6 pack. I don't because I started out fat and I'm working on losing weight still. Mike is skinny and when he's working out, instead of burning fat in his body, he's burning excess sugars that he doesn't need. Enjoy the video!
Day 8
Our first exercise is of course the deadlift. Last week I found out that my form was quite a bit off. This could cause injury very easily and it did for me. 2 Weeks ago I actually did pull something in my back and it hurt for quite some time. So my little changes were, smaller stance, closer grip, feet under the bar and driving more with my legs and hips. My back could be straighter, but I think my form is a little better in this video and my results were pretty good. I was able to go pretty heavy with no problems. Mike's pretty good with his deadlifts, but he gets tired pretty quickly and lazy on his finishing sets.
2 Warm Up
4 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (185,225,245,275)
Mike(135,185,185)
Our second exercise is the Single Arm Row. You can either do this on a bench or by the weight rack standing. Basically you are pulling the weight up and slowly going back down. Remember to do both arms and start with your less dominant arm first. Mike is wearing straps so he doesn't have to grip the weight and it allows him to maximize the weight hes pulling.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (65,70,70)
Mike( 50,60,60)
Our 3rd exercise is the wide grip pull down. It's kind of like a pull up, but on a machine and you get to choose your weight. After pulling down Mike could go slower on the way back up, but he's getting a little bit tired.
4 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (135,150,165,165)
Mike ( 120,135,150)
Our fourth and final back exercise is cable rows. You can either do this with a wide grip or close grip. Since we did wide grip on the last exercise, we did close grip in this one. Pull the cable to your stomach and slowly let the weight back down. Remember negatives are half of your rep as well.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 120,135,135)
Mike (120,120,120)
Our fifth exercise was barbell curls. Mike did it on the Preacher Curl seat and I did it standing. I prefer standing, but Mike wanted to change it up a little bit. You'll notice in the video Mike struggles on his last couple of reps. This is exactly what you should be doing on your last reps. Then you know you're lifting with the correct weight.
3 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (40,65,65)
Mike (40,40,40)
Our final exercise is just regular Bicep Curls. Mike shows you how its done and his arms are getting bigger as you can see in the video!
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (22.5,27.5,27.5)
Mike (22.5, 22.5,27.5)
For cardio we both did 15 minutes on the elliptical. Now onto Mike's diet, hopefully there's no fast food in it...
Diet
12 pm: Grande Mocha, Bag of Chips, Vanilla Cookie
6 pm: Orange chicken and white rice
11 pm : Cytogainer protein shake 2 scoops
So this is pretty bad... Even if Mike were trying to dirty bulk, he's not eating enough. Most of these foods are high in sugar which are another reason why he doesn't have a 6 pack. I don't because I started out fat and I'm working on losing weight still. Mike is skinny and when he's working out, instead of burning fat in his body, he's burning excess sugars that he doesn't need. Enjoy the video!
Day 8
Monday, December 5, 2011
Lift With Us Day 7
It wasn't supposed to be an off day, but Mike has finals to study for. I still went to the gym to do cardio on the elliptical, but that was it. Since Mike has school and I'm sick there might be a few more rest days than there usually would be in the next couple of weeks. Be sure to stay hydrated during your workouts. Water is key in keeping your muscles ready for the intensity.
Mike's Diet
11am: Chow Mein
3 pm : Chicken Burrito and 2 crunchy tacos
7 pm: fried rice, Pork Chop, Orange Chicken
11pm : Slice of Cake
Mike's Diet
11am: Chow Mein
3 pm : Chicken Burrito and 2 crunchy tacos
7 pm: fried rice, Pork Chop, Orange Chicken
11pm : Slice of Cake
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Lift With Us Day 6
Today is a chest and tricep day and we get serious in our workout. Your body should be taking a beating during your chest, back, and leg days because they are they days with the biggest weights. The poundage from the weights should be making you sore for your next day. On most of these exercises there's a part where you go down and push up. On your way down don't just let the weight drop, it should be a slow controlled movement. This is called a negative and it is just as important as the push back up. Think of it as the other half of your rep.
Our first exercise is the Incline Bench Press. Much like the bench press except on a seated incline. Remember, controlled movement on the way down.
2 Warm Up
4 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (115,115,135,135)
Mike ( 95,115,115,115)
The second exercise we do is called Incline Flyes. Also done on a incline bench, but with a different motion. You should be getting a great stretch on your way down slowly and explode on your way up!
1 Warm Up
4 Sets 8-10 Reps
Jeff(40,40,45,50)
Mike (40,42.5,45,50)
Our third exercise is what we did last week with cable crossovers. Mike did both exercise positions with the same amount of sets and reps while I did one position with more sets
7 Sets 12-15 reps
Jeff( 40,45,45,45,45,50,50)
Mike(40,40,40)
The fourth exercise is called Bench Dips. Find 2 benches, put your hands on one and your feet on the other. If you want you can do just body weight or you can add plates like Mike does in the video. Be sure not to put it on your knees or your "area". Just perfectly in between the two. I have also been told this is a great mass building exercise so if you want really big triceps, this is a great exercise to do.
3 Sets until you fail
Jeff ( body weight)
Mike (body weight + 25)
The final exercise is Overhead Rope Extensions. It's like the regular rope extensions except a little more difficult from the different position. Remember to pull your hands apart when your pulling the rope down.
3 Sets
Jeff (30,40,40)
Mike (30,30,40)
Let's see if Mike improved his diet after we made fun of his non-existent 6-pack!
Mike's Diet
6 am: Venti Iced Coffee, Greek Yogurt, Bagel
2 pm: Coconut juice, Spring Rolls, Viet BBQ Chicken Sandwich
7pm: Chicken Wings, Chow Mein, Soup, Sushi, Pork
12 am: Cytogainer protein shake 2 scoops
So Mike's diet did improve! He ate more which is good since he's trying to gain mass and he ate healthier. I would like him to spread out his meals a little more, but this a good step. He's that much closer to getting that 6 pack he wants. Enjoy our video!
Day 6
Our first exercise is the Incline Bench Press. Much like the bench press except on a seated incline. Remember, controlled movement on the way down.
2 Warm Up
4 Sets 6-8 reps
Jeff (115,115,135,135)
Mike ( 95,115,115,115)
The second exercise we do is called Incline Flyes. Also done on a incline bench, but with a different motion. You should be getting a great stretch on your way down slowly and explode on your way up!
1 Warm Up
4 Sets 8-10 Reps
Jeff(40,40,45,50)
Mike (40,42.5,45,50)
Our third exercise is what we did last week with cable crossovers. Mike did both exercise positions with the same amount of sets and reps while I did one position with more sets
7 Sets 12-15 reps
Jeff( 40,45,45,45,45,50,50)
Mike(40,40,40)
The fourth exercise is called Bench Dips. Find 2 benches, put your hands on one and your feet on the other. If you want you can do just body weight or you can add plates like Mike does in the video. Be sure not to put it on your knees or your "area". Just perfectly in between the two. I have also been told this is a great mass building exercise so if you want really big triceps, this is a great exercise to do.
3 Sets until you fail
Jeff ( body weight)
Mike (body weight + 25)
The final exercise is Overhead Rope Extensions. It's like the regular rope extensions except a little more difficult from the different position. Remember to pull your hands apart when your pulling the rope down.
3 Sets
Jeff (30,40,40)
Mike (30,30,40)
Let's see if Mike improved his diet after we made fun of his non-existent 6-pack!
Mike's Diet
6 am: Venti Iced Coffee, Greek Yogurt, Bagel
2 pm: Coconut juice, Spring Rolls, Viet BBQ Chicken Sandwich
7pm: Chicken Wings, Chow Mein, Soup, Sushi, Pork
12 am: Cytogainer protein shake 2 scoops
So Mike's diet did improve! He ate more which is good since he's trying to gain mass and he ate healthier. I would like him to spread out his meals a little more, but this a good step. He's that much closer to getting that 6 pack he wants. Enjoy our video!
Day 6
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Lift With Us Day 5
Hello everyone, today was supposed to be a rest day, but we felt like lifting so we did some light lifts. Just shoulders and abs today. Shoulders are fairly easy to injure so make sure you warm up a lot before going into your working sets. Your shoulders don't really get bigger as they work out, but they get wider which gives the great illusion of a smaller waist!
Our first exercise is the Seated Military Press. I would suggest a spotter for this exercise because if your shoulders fail early it would be difficult to put the weight down. A fairly simple exercise where you bring the bar down to your chin and push up.
1 Warm Up
2 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 65,85)
Mike (75,85)
Our second exercise is the Upright Row. It doesn't really matter where you grip the bar because changing your grip helps shock your muscles to grow more. Today we did a narrow grip and next time maybe a wide grip. You hold the bar/barbell at your waist and pull it up to just under your chin.
1 Warm up
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff(70,70,70)
Mike (45,45,45)
Our final exercise is just like the first one except with dumbbells. When pushing the dumbbells up you should also move your hands inward to get a little more range of motion.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (35,35,40)
Mike(32.5,32.5,35)
For abs we did the ball toss again where you find a decline bench, have your partner throw you a ball on your way down and you throw it back on the way up. Also in the video I'll explain a little bit of why we don't have six packs. Enjoy!
Day 5
Our first exercise is the Seated Military Press. I would suggest a spotter for this exercise because if your shoulders fail early it would be difficult to put the weight down. A fairly simple exercise where you bring the bar down to your chin and push up.
1 Warm Up
2 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 65,85)
Mike (75,85)
Our second exercise is the Upright Row. It doesn't really matter where you grip the bar because changing your grip helps shock your muscles to grow more. Today we did a narrow grip and next time maybe a wide grip. You hold the bar/barbell at your waist and pull it up to just under your chin.
1 Warm up
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff(70,70,70)
Mike (45,45,45)
Our final exercise is just like the first one except with dumbbells. When pushing the dumbbells up you should also move your hands inward to get a little more range of motion.
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (35,35,40)
Mike(32.5,32.5,35)
For abs we did the ball toss again where you find a decline bench, have your partner throw you a ball on your way down and you throw it back on the way up. Also in the video I'll explain a little bit of why we don't have six packs. Enjoy!
Day 5
Friday, December 2, 2011
Lift With Us Day 4
So today is a rest day and it comes at a great time because I am pretty sick. Rest days are important because they allow your muscles to grow. If you are constantly lifting then you are constantly breaking down your muscle fibers which won't allow them to grow. Even though it is a rest day, I suggest you still do cardio for 2-30 minutes just to burn out a little more fat. Today I walked up and down my staircase, kind of like a manual stair master. Also rest days are a good way to focus on your nutrition.
Mike's Diet
3pm: Big Mac meal and McChicken
8pm: Clam chowder and Ham sandwich
So Mike's nutrition may look pretty awful to you and that's because it is. First off his first meal is at 3 pm.... You should try to eat early to get your metabolism started. Second, his meal is fast food, which probably has the most unnecessary fat and calories possible. I don't think he is eating enough, especially since he is trying to gain weight. He should be eating more, but healthier foods. I'll write more on that later and for now I will try to get him to improve what he eats. Tomorrow might be another rest day, I haven't decided, but I will see you all tomorrow.
Mike's Diet
3pm: Big Mac meal and McChicken
8pm: Clam chowder and Ham sandwich
So Mike's nutrition may look pretty awful to you and that's because it is. First off his first meal is at 3 pm.... You should try to eat early to get your metabolism started. Second, his meal is fast food, which probably has the most unnecessary fat and calories possible. I don't think he is eating enough, especially since he is trying to gain weight. He should be eating more, but healthier foods. I'll write more on that later and for now I will try to get him to improve what he eats. Tomorrow might be another rest day, I haven't decided, but I will see you all tomorrow.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Lift With Us Day 3
Hello everyone, today is day 3 of our basic training and it is a Back and Bicep day. Back is your second largest muscle group behind your legs and should be taken very seriously. Also pick a weight that has you struggling on your last few reps. You should not be able to be doing your weights extremely easily. Biceps aren't so important, but it's a pretty muscle so we work on it anyways.
Our first exercise is the deadlift. It is probably the lift I am most proud of because when I started, I began with the bar(45 pounds) and that was difficult for me. It is essential that you use correct form because if you don't, you could seriously hurt your back. I've already been informed that my form is off in the video. I was told that my stance and grip should be narrower and I should be driving more with my legs and hips. This is one of the best exercises for your back, do it correctly.
2 Warm Up Sets
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (225,235,245)
Mike ( 135,155,185)
Our second exercise is close grip bent over rows. You need a bar for this and stick it in the corner of the gym. One side will have the weight and you should use a narrow pull down handle to pull the bar up. Hold your body steady and just lift the weights with your upper back.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 90,135,135)
Mike (90,90,100)
Our third exercise is a wide grip pull down. It's kind of like a pull up, but with a machine. You'll notice in the video Mike keeps complimenting my body... It' a little awkward, but I think it's good that Mike is coming out of his shell...
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 135,150,165)
Mike ( 120,120,135)
Our fourth exercise is dumbbell curls. Probably the most basic bicep lift. It's always good to have your workout partner keep you focused and motivate you. I might have failed on my part during the video, but Mike did look damn lazy during that exercise.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 6-10 reps
Jeff (30,30,30)
Mike (25,25,25)
Our 5th exercise is the preacher curl machine. You'll notice in the video, Mike picks a weight that he can lift fairly easily and his face is emotionless. He probably should have picked a heavier weight, but I guess he was feeling lazy today.
3 Sets 12-15 reps
Jeff ( 45,45,55)
Mike ( 45,45,55)
Our 6th and final exercise is the E-Z bar curl. Its basically the same lift as a dumbbell curl except with an E-Z handle barbell.
3 sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (60,60,60)
Today was fairly intense for our backs, but for biceps we didn't really have good work ethic. We didn't even do cardio today because we were so lazy. Mike was offended about me saying he had a bad diet, so from now on I will be posting his diet.
Diet
10 am : String cheese and Greek yogurt
12pm : Subway footlong meatball sub
6 pm : Doritos and Pop tarts
9:30 pm : Mushroom with white rice
Midnight : 2 scoops cytogainer protein shake
1:30 am: Won Ton Noodle soup
I suppose this is the diet of champions. Tomorrow is a rest day, but I will still post in the blog. There just won't be a video, so you can just watch today's video over and over again. Enjoy!
Day 3
Our first exercise is the deadlift. It is probably the lift I am most proud of because when I started, I began with the bar(45 pounds) and that was difficult for me. It is essential that you use correct form because if you don't, you could seriously hurt your back. I've already been informed that my form is off in the video. I was told that my stance and grip should be narrower and I should be driving more with my legs and hips. This is one of the best exercises for your back, do it correctly.
2 Warm Up Sets
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (225,235,245)
Mike ( 135,155,185)
Our second exercise is close grip bent over rows. You need a bar for this and stick it in the corner of the gym. One side will have the weight and you should use a narrow pull down handle to pull the bar up. Hold your body steady and just lift the weights with your upper back.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 90,135,135)
Mike (90,90,100)
Our third exercise is a wide grip pull down. It's kind of like a pull up, but with a machine. You'll notice in the video Mike keeps complimenting my body... It' a little awkward, but I think it's good that Mike is coming out of his shell...
3 Sets 8-10 reps
Jeff ( 135,150,165)
Mike ( 120,120,135)
Our fourth exercise is dumbbell curls. Probably the most basic bicep lift. It's always good to have your workout partner keep you focused and motivate you. I might have failed on my part during the video, but Mike did look damn lazy during that exercise.
1 Warm Up
3 Sets 6-10 reps
Jeff (30,30,30)
Mike (25,25,25)
Our 5th exercise is the preacher curl machine. You'll notice in the video, Mike picks a weight that he can lift fairly easily and his face is emotionless. He probably should have picked a heavier weight, but I guess he was feeling lazy today.
3 Sets 12-15 reps
Jeff ( 45,45,55)
Mike ( 45,45,55)
Our 6th and final exercise is the E-Z bar curl. Its basically the same lift as a dumbbell curl except with an E-Z handle barbell.
3 sets 8-10 reps
Jeff (60,60,60)
Today was fairly intense for our backs, but for biceps we didn't really have good work ethic. We didn't even do cardio today because we were so lazy. Mike was offended about me saying he had a bad diet, so from now on I will be posting his diet.
Diet
10 am : String cheese and Greek yogurt
12pm : Subway footlong meatball sub
6 pm : Doritos and Pop tarts
9:30 pm : Mushroom with white rice
Midnight : 2 scoops cytogainer protein shake
1:30 am: Won Ton Noodle soup
I suppose this is the diet of champions. Tomorrow is a rest day, but I will still post in the blog. There just won't be a video, so you can just watch today's video over and over again. Enjoy!
Day 3
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