Training 101: Overtraining

Hey guys. Been a while since a blog.

Ok, polite notice over. OVERTRAINING!

That's right, we all know it's bulking season and we all know we want to make gains! Best way I've found these past two weeks: overtraining.

We all know that training is fun; if it wasn't, you would of quit a long time ago.  Overtraining is often frowned upon a lot due to the logical definition: training muscles and ligaments over the respective stress level.

Although this may be technically true, the interpretation is commonly mistaken.

Overtraining is more about pushing yourself to the next level. Making yourself better than that guy in the mirror! It's about pushing boundaries. Pushing your boundaries will make room for more gains.

But how do I overtrain? Do I train till I'm tired.

Theoretically yes! But fatigue is only 50%. You want to include more reps, sets and exercises to improve fatigue. You want your muscles to last longer than they usually do. It's not only going to make more gains, but improve your muscle endurance (ideal when doing high reps in cutting season).

How do I know if I'm pushing myself enough?

In the words of Ted Dibiase: 'everything has a price!' Although its a famous quote from the WWE Hall of Fame, it has some truth. And the best truth out there is simple: GET A GYM PARTNER!

I've always favoured solo training but a partner definitely helps the overtraining aspect. A partner will know things you don't, and vice versa. It's all co-operative learning. You're both in there to do the same thing, so learn from each other!

Overtraining is easy. But it's the same as when people say anything is easy: it's how you apply it. If you want maximum gains, push to your max. 

Do more sets. 

Do more reps.

Start your first set with a heavy weight.

There is no shame in adjustment either. If you start out too heavy, don't feel bad to lower. That's a sign of where you want to be.

If you can't bench 220lbs (100kg), make it your target.

If your 132lb (60kg) squat is too light to warm up, try 176lb (80kg)

Increase your weights by 9lbs (approx. 4kg) when working with dumbbells.

Do five sets instead of three.

ITS ALL OVERTRAINING!

Try it before you knock it, because it may be the gateway to maximum gains that you have been looking for since you said 'I want to look good!'

Training 101: Armed with Blood Pumped Arms!

Ever since I started lifting, I always thought: ‘The most important part has to be arms! I mean, you need big arms to be strong right?’

Give me a break, I was young. I started lifting seriously when I was 18, but being a 16 year old with limited funds, you have to start somewhere. Into the garage I went, lifting paint buckets and general weed killers and car shampoo gallons, hoping to get big arms. And I did, sort of. So from there, I’ve always had a thing for training arms.

I heard from a guy in the gym, and some others that they don’t favour arms because the burn takes over the actual gain-making. I won’t lie, it is one of my favourite days in the gym, along with leg day, but that’s another blog for another day. Here are some tips to what I do to get the blood pumping in those biceps and triceps.

Keep your elbows tucked

It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised when you see the amount of meatheads curling their asses off with improper form. Whether you’re doing a tricep extension or a bicep curl, that elbow has to be tucked in! Keep it close to your lats and you’ll an incredible difference, compared to swinging your elbows just to complete your sets.

Switch up your grips

This mainly applies for biceps but your hand placement is important if you’re isolating specific areas of your arms. Specifically when using an EZ bar, keeping your palms tucked in isolates the outer bicep head, with the palms slightly wider isolate the inner bicep head. Keeping your palms at shoulder width, should hit both, but for isolation, keep them either away from your shoulder width, or closer.

Twist!

Dumbbell curls especially; you should really curl the wrist to the point where you feel a tension in your inner bicep. What good is it if you are only training only one part of the muscle? Giving that little anticlockwise twist in the wrist when the dumbbell comes up, will help develop that inner bicep, building more quality muscle and bigger gains!

Always use protection!

That’s right. Gloves! For your hands! Dumbbells were made for gripping and keeping the dumbbell in place. But they were not designed for hand care!

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Nutrition 101: The Importance of Nutrition Maintenance

So it’s coming to the end of summer.

I know I know, it’s another 9 months of raincoats and umbrellas. But that doesn’t mean that our gains have to suffer under those long sleeves and padded jackets. How is this possible? Simple equation:

Autumn + Winter + Early Spring = BULKING SEASON!

Let’s not forget the most important thing whether bodybuilding, training or just out to keep them gains over the summer, Nutrition!

I took some time off the workouts for a bit. Unfortunately my nutrition wasn’t on point. SHAME ON ME! I thought ‘no big deal, my gains are decent enough, they surely won’t be affected that much, right?’

WRONG!

I got back into the gym this week, and it was a big shock! My performance had really slacked, only because I let my nutrition go for a few days! I got through my workout, but really felt a bit let down.

My point: Nutrition is so important! Once you stick to it, it has to stay there. Sooner or later, you will find that it will become a lifestyle, which is great! They say one bad meal won’t make any difference in the same way that one good meal won’t make any difference. However, 3 bad meal days will make a big difference! Nutrition has to be on point, throughout your entire training program. Avoid junk, trans fats, and general things that aren’t healthy for you. You know deep down what is unhealthy. It’s OK to have a Diet Coke here and there, and the odd rack of ribs one week, but don’t make a habit out of it! It will have serious effects on your gains and can sometimes take time to get back to your full potential.

Don't get me wrong. I know how expensive it is to eat right, I'm a student!! If this is the case, wise decisions and supplementation is key. You can only do so much. Get your protein in. Get those multivitamins and fish oil capsules down you and as long as you match your macros, you're on your way to getting and staying ripped all year round.
 

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Maintain Muscle and go Forth with Fat

I’ve been cutting for the beach in September and I wanted to try something new. In honesty, I didn’t know how to cut properly. Bulking is easy! Cutting: bit more difficult. If you’re like me, you want results quickly. Cutting quickly isn’t something that is easy. Then there’s Ketosis!

From the Natural Bodybuilding Forums on Facebook, I read about Ketosis in the Christmas time. For those who aren’t aware of Ketosis, (in the words of RUN DMC) ‘it goes a lil something like this!’

Ketosis is a state that the body goes into whereby it uses amino and fatty acids for energy. It’s using the fat as energy rather than carbs. It’s when carbs are cut from the diet!

NO CARBS! YOU BE TRIPPIN’

Ketosis, or Keto Diet, involves 40% Protein, 40% Fats, 20% Carbs. This is done also with a caloric deficit as well. Sounds difficult right? Not so much. Fats make you feel fuller, for longer. Eating a high carb meal will give you an insulin spike, perfect for building muscle. This spike, however, will wear off, making you want to eat more carbs.  Fats don't give you that insulin spike unlike carbs. But when I say fats, I mean good fats (see the Phat Fats post below). With this diet, there is a carb loading day. On this day, you eat carbs as you would normally. Just for one day. Just to prevent your metabolism and body from freaking out!

The point of this is to retain the muscle that you already have, but shed the fat! Your body will use the fat as energy. Once it’s used, IT AINT COMIN’ BACK! So keep your proteins high still, keep them fats high and minimize your carbs. It doesn’t have to be extreme. This ketosis state may not work for everybody. Some people can burn fat with 250g of carbs in their diet. If it works for you, then it works. This is just another alternative to fat loss.

Keep your weights high, the protein high, the fats high (good ones), cardio high and the carbs low. That will melt the fat off your body.

HOWEVER, this is not a long term solution! Do this for a month or 6 weeks! After that, stick to your normal cutting program, involving those complex carbs wherever you can. Take this advice with a pinch of salt. I have used it and it works! But it works for me! If you feel like it’ll work for you, give it a shot!

Happy Training

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Motivation 101: Support

Summer is still on. So is cutting season. Some might have started bulking, but for some, that cut is still going strong.

We all know that the gym is more than physical strength. It’s the commitment that’s the hardest part. Keeping consistency and strong form in and out the gym is hard. We all need that motivation from somewhere that prevents us from going off the rails and eating and doing what we like

Keep up to date with your role models

I watch Monday Night RAW not only to keep up to date with John Cena and his story lines, but to keep up with his physical shape. I also read the articles, interviews and follow him on Twitter. Steve Cook is another role model of mine. I recently discovered his YouTube channel and have subscribed and been on top of his advice and videos. These people motivate me. I want to have the aesthetics of Steve Cook and the strength of John Cena. Keep up to date with your guys and girls that motivate you. They keep you focused and committed to your goals.

Tell friends and family

If your goal is important to you, you should tell the people that are important to you. Tell your friends. Tell your Mum and Dad. Your boy/girlfriend. Keep them updated with your goals and ask for their support. I’ve recently started a ketogenic diet for the past week. This weekend, my brother told me that I’ve lost weight. After that, I felt great. I now cant wait to get into the gym again and work harder towards getting that lean physique. If the people close to you see that your goal is important to you, they will help you.

Having a healthy lifestyle, we all need support and motivation. We all get motivated in different ways. These two things can get you started and set you on your way to a focused goal. Keep at it  and you’ll make your gains.

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Cravings - The Personal Hunger Games

As all of you in the northern hemisphere might know, its summer! Time off university or college, full of sun, sea and for most bodybuilders and meatheads out there, its cutting season. Let’s break it down.

Supplementation – Check

High intensity workouts/circuits – Check

Cardio days – Check

Nutrition plan and meals prepped for the week – Check.

10 days of this seems a breeze so far. I can definitely do this for another 20. I’m hungry though?

How many of y’all had that saying in your head, or something similar to that. I have. The temptation is to hunt down the fridge/cabinets and get anything that fills your cravings! Don’t get me wrong, we all have cravings, its normal. Its OK to have a bit of junk here and there, to shock the body and get some new tastes and flavours.

But I’ve had 4 out of 6 meals, I can’t eat whatever I like, it doesn’t work with my macros!

Water!

Water is important, we all know that. But it’s a great way to know whether you’re hungry or not. Every time you want to wolf down food, drink a glass of water. Water has no calories and it refreshes the body. After that water, wait an hour. If you’re still hungry after that hour, you need food. With small frequent meals, its common for the brain to think that you haven’t had enough food. So drink some water to really tell yourself if you’re actually hungry.

So I’ve had water and I’m still hungry. Can I have that piece of pizza now?

Hold on there! Just because you now know you’re hungry that doesn’t mean you can eat till you fill that hole! Eat wisely. Choose fruits and nuts (and I don’t mean the ones in chocolate!). Almonds are high in fats and are small. Eat a handful to fill your cravings and you should be good from there. Eat fruit. Apples and Oranges may not be the most exciting thing, but its vitamin C. Be wary of this though. They have natural sugars. Sugars are sometimes good for bodybuilders but too much stores the excess sugar as fat (the opposite of cutting season I’m sure you’ll agree).

Cravings are normal. We all have them. And its OK to have cheat days. Most people would agree. But if you’re keeping the diet and meal plan strict, these are small ways of filling that hole and not breaking your macros. If these still aren’t working, you need to look over your meals and see whats in them. Complex carbs are a must to keep the body going for longer throughout the day.Try them and comment if you have any more tips.

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Sun Rays and Suicide Days

I don’t know about y’all outside the UK, but the weather has been mint! In my area of South East England, we know officially that summer has arrived! The old school term is always mentioned: Sun’s out? Gun’s out! And why wouldn’t you. If you’ve been busting your ass in the winter and spring, show the world what you’ve done!

But its summer, I’m not feeling the whole gym thing.

Perfectly understandable. The last thing you want in the summer is to be stuck indoors. That doesn’t mean your routine should suffer. Still keep hitting the gym like you do. But your workouts don’t always have to be indoors.

How does one do such a thing?

If you’re a keen gym goer like me (Meat Head), then you should be aware that the summer is for cut, and winter is for bulk. Getting cardio in is boring! I won’t lie. I find it long and boring. That treadmill is the most demotivating thing I can think of. Take your cardio outside! The suns out! Get out there and go for runs in the sun. You’ll do your cardio and get a rocking tan to help bring out those cut muscles. My favourite cardio exercise is suicides. Never heard of them? Check the video. I walk down to the park, step on the field and make my markers, using bags, t-shirts and hats. Suicide it out! Keep the intensity up and core tight. These are a great cardio exercise and can melt the fat off your body. This exercise is used a lot in basketball. NBA stars and insane cardio! Why? Because they have been hitting suicides since middle school!

This leads to my next point: Sports! The sun is out. The grass is green. Get out there and play sports. It’s a great cardio exercise and can really show what your body can do. It’s all fun and games if you look good. But looks can be deceiving. Your big triceps may not mean that they're powerful. Your hard cut abs may not mean you have a strong cardio. My favourite summer sport: Tennis! Works all muscles of the body, works your agility, and you can play it hours on end without getting tired.

Cardio is a long process and you probably won’t see results as quickly as you would if you were building muscle. But it works. And changing it up will make it a lot more interesting for you, where you’ll start to love it. Obviously, keep diet and supplementation up to scratch, and you’ll be shredded for summer!

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Nutrition 101: Phat Fats

Whether you like it or not, you have to eat to lose weight! It doesn't take a nutritionist to tell you that you have to eat healthily for your body to do the right things. Like myself, young guys and girls have a fast metabolism. We can break down food so effectively it's crazy! No wonder some of us can eat large portions and still have room for dessert. That's not to say that you have to eat like a pig to lose weight. What you eat and when you eat it plays a huge role in your overall training goal and general health. With the right amounts, food can help you mentally as well as physically.
Basic Principles: If you're trying to bulk up, cut some fat, or just improve your overall lifestyle, you need three things, carbohydrates, protein and fat.

'OMG did you say fat?!'

Yes, I said fat. So you're thinking, 'I need to lose fat, why should I eat more of it?'. Fat should only be 20% of your calorie intake, with carbohydrates and protein equally shared at 40%.
Fat is a form of energy. The right fats are quite filling, which can prevent you from over-eating.
Fats like olive oil, avocado, oily fish like mackerel and tofu are examples of mono/polyunsaturated fat (fancy words for Good Fats!).
Then there's the bad fats. These are the saturated and trans fats that we get in pretty much all junk food, from fast food burgers to pop tarts! Avoid this at all costs, these are not good for your goal what so ever! 
Adding these good fats to your meals will help you break down the food more smoothly and give your body that extra spike of energy.
Fats are just as important than your carbs and proteins. Don't ignore them! Take it with a pinch of salt though (not literally!). Small amounts of them are fine, and can provide great benefits for you in your fitness goal. Don't neglect it! Nutrition is the most important thing when working out. If you want good nutrition, at least do it properly. Avoid those trans and saturated fats whenever you can. If your in the gym to cut fat, don't counter-act it and put it back into your body!
You're the one who puts the food in your mouth, no one else. Get them Phat Fats down and eat clean!

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Supplement Review: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey

Basic Ingredients

• Protein blend (whey protein isolates, whey protein concentrate, whey peptides), 
• Sweeteners (acesulfame potassium, sucralose),
• Enzyme complex (amylase, protease, cellulase)

Definition of Standard. Noun: A level of quality or attainment. Adjective: Accepted as normal or average. When talking about Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey, the word 'Standard' is definitely a noun. Why not an adjective? Because Optimum Nutrition is certainly not average! Gold Standard Whey, in my opinion, is one of the best whey proteins I've used and tasted throughout my training lifestyle. When Optimum Nutrition (ON) put a Gold before the word Standard, they definitely lived up to it!

According to Bodybuilding.com and many other suppliers, ON Gold Standard is the best selling whey protein formula on the market, particularly in the USA. From my experience, I can definitely see why. It's light. It tastes pretty good. It even says that it can be mixed in a glass without a shaker cup. How many proteins can do that! With 24g of protein per serving and a very large range of flavours, it's definitely something I would recommend in trying. It works like a charm as well. I noticed some great results after a month of trying this protein, which one tub will cover you for. It's not that bad on the price either. So you can definitely re-invest in another tub. It's low calorie as well, so it won't have an effect on your diet.

Here comes the catch. Oh no wait! There isn't one! I can't think of a flaw with this protein! It's that damn good! You might think that other ON products are not on point. Well your wrong again. Their casein formula and Hydro-Whey products are just as good as the Gold Standard Whey. Strongly recommend this product. It tastes great. It works like a charm. It doesn't give a funny after taste and it doesn't do anything you don't want it to.

Don't believe me? Try it and post in the comments below.

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Fighting Injury

There are two things that the gym will not to teach you: one is how to deal with the gym being closed and the other is how to deal with injury!
As much as I hate when my gym closes for maintenance, I hate getting injured even more! You start to realise how limited you are in the gym and outside. This past week, I've had tissue inflammation in my right hand. You guessed it! Put on a hand support and ice that thing! 
Those with injury, either recovering or experienced a recent encounter, probably had the thought 'no gym for me!'
I would agree with you on that point. And it's obvious. Your not going to bench 200 pounds with a wrist strain, or beat your PB on the squat rack with a dodgy knee. But that's no excuse for you to sit on your ass, feeling sorry for yourself, watching the hands turn and waiting for that strain and injury to heal.
Some argue this ratio, but I feel that the gym takes up 35% of the fitness lifestyle. 45-50% is your diet and 20-25% sleep/rest. Having an injury shouldn't affect your diet or sleeping pattern. You might say you get restless because of the injury or your medication/painkillers are keeping you up at night. But there's no harm in trying. Get your rest whenever you can. Make sure your sleeping decent hours and keeping your body relaxed. I've had an ongoing foot problem over the past year and I've found that my foot heals up better after sleeping rather than keeping it elevated. 
Lets take the big chunk now: the diet! Your body needs nutrients and vitamins to heal; and medication won't heal you 100%. You need food! Keep your meals frequent and consistent. Lean cuts, 5-7 fruit and veg a day, balanced carbs. All the things you eat during training, do the same when injured. If your injury involves a healing scar or wound, keep your protein count high. Protein is for building cells! Get some chicken down there! 
Your body uses what's in it when you're working out. Eating clean will help boost your performance. If you keep up that healthy eating, you will have an energy source in that gym the size of CostCo!
Injury occurs. Its a part of learning. Its about learning how you've injured yourself, why you've injured yourself and how to avoid it happening again. Injury can be a real set back psychologically. It can make you doubt yourself and really make you feel like you have nothing to give. Anyone can sit down after a setback. It takes real passion and drive to push through that setback. If this is really what you want, you will stop at nothing to get it. And if a limp or pain is stopping you, recover strong by eating strong and maintaining that machine that is your body!
If you want to keep flexible, do some stretches. They can be done at home and don't take up too much time. Stretching increases strength as well, believe it or not. Increased range of motion during exercise allows better power output per rep. Better power means bigger strength. 
But don't do these to help you fight your injury. Do them  when your in the gym before any workout. Stretching helps prevent injury next time.
Stay safe, eat clean, rest up and show yourself that no injury can stop you.
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Going through the motions....

So if your here, you must train or go to the gym or do some sort of physical activity. If (like me) your following a training program, you must realize that your training, nutrition and supplementation has to be in top shape, right?
So its Monday, your feeling great, getting pumped because its the start of a new you! Your first week goes great!
Your muscles are sore (that's a good thing!) and you can't wait for the next week. The weeks go by, you probably hit week 6 and thinking 'this is becoming more work than what its worth'.
Have no fear! We've all been there! That feeling where you feel like its a routine, rather than a challenge. So what to do?
Don't get me wrong, some of this is pretty straight forward to think about. The common phrases come out:
Remember what the end result is

Don't give up

Just a few more weeks and you'll see results.

I'VE HEARD IT! BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN!!!

Its all good in saying so, but how do you do so?

1) Find your Motivation

Your in the gym for a reason. Something or someone has inspired you to be in there, busting your ass every day. Something is driving you to cook your meals everyday. To take your vitamins and fish oil everyday. Find that motivation and use it whenever you can. If its a person, read something that inspired you. Watch something that features them. Have pictures of their physique and have a flick through and realise every time, WHY you want it! If its a person like that, the reason why you bust your gut and ass in that gym is because you want to look, or become the new version of this person.
I'm still a child inside so i watch the WWE religiously. I'm inspired by all wrestlers, whether the power of Triple H, the strength of Brock Lesnar or the physique of The Rock. Overall, my inspiration is John Cena, with his physique and the way he carries himself. I'm also inspired how his life is based around what he does: train and entertain! Everything about John Cena inspires me to do great in everything.
2) Beat your personal best
Up the work load. The more work in, the more results out. Whether your a marathon runner, bodybuilder, physique competitor or in the gym just to get your fitness and strength up, you have personal bests. Distance, strength, rep number, weight, take your pick. Its a record that's personal to you. Work hard for 2 weeks. Then on that third week, beat every single thing you do. Whether your doing 8 different exercises, beat those 8 records. And beat it every time you can. If you don't beat it then that's a good thing! That means you have to work harder the next 2 weeks, to beat the record you failed at before.
Work hard! Beat your bests! You will be amazed to see what your body can do, if it is really pushed.
3) Change it up
Nothing wrong with changing things up a bit, its what the gym is for, trying different things and seeing if they work for you. Instead of doing a fly movement for chest with dumbbells, try cables. If you cant do curls with a bar, use dumbbells. If it seems easier, do more. If its too hard, either your form is not on point or the weight is too heavy. Keep the fundamentals on point, but change the way in which you do it. You might even integrate that into your plan permanently. 

If your following a 12-week plan, that is pretty intense. The trainers that make these say 'your gonna be following a 12-week intense program'. It will be intense, no doubt, for the first 4-5 weeks. The intense factor also relates to how committed you are to the 12 weeks and how motivated you are.
Yeah there will be your week which will feel 'why am I here'. From that moment you should decide whether it is right for you. If it is, then you'll be in there next week. If not, your giving up too easily. Keep going! Find that thing that drives you and you'll remember why you started this in the first place!
If you have any more advice, feel free to post it in the comments bar

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