Strength Training Systems and Methods

STRENGTH TRAINING System and Methods:

There are all types of strength training systems and methods. My clients will tell you all the different ways I train them – and they are all correct methods. How to choose the system or program that's right for you? The bottom line is "what works for you, works for you". The method you decide to chose might also depends on how many times a week you plan to train.

Your friend may be using a strength training system that he/she loves and highly recommends as "the way to train". He/She may be getting tremendous benefit from the program. That doesn't mean the same program will work for you in the same way. There are no strict rules about routines, sets, and reps. A system that is working for one person may not be as effective for another.

Also, at some point you may no longer get good results from a set of routines that had been producing good results. When your body gets used to a particular routine it's time to move on, time to change things around.

So, how do you determine what's a good routine for you? First, let's look at what you want to accomplish each week. In a week's worth of strength training, how many days will you train and you want to exercise each major muscle group at least once.

Personally, I train 5-6 times a week of which all are strength training and additionally cardio which varies between HIIT (high intensity interval training between 4 - 20 minutes each) or 20 minutes low intensity.

Here are the major muscle groups without getting too specific -

• Chest [pectorals]
• Back [latissimus major]
• Shoulders [deltoids]
• Arms
• Biceps
• Triceps
• Legs
• Quadriceps [front of the thigh]
• Hamstrings [back of the thigh]
• Gluteus [your buttocks]
• Calves [gastrocnemium/soleus]
• Abdominals

Some routines train every muscle group in the same session (full body movement). I personally do a split routine that breaks up the muscle groups by day. Depending what phase I am in, my split routines when bulking up (looking for increasing strength and muscle hypertrophy) looks as following (and it may changes over a period of time);

Saturday: Chest and Triceps – HIIT

Sunday: Legs (push – quads) and Calves – easy cardio 20 minutes

Monday: Back and Biceps – easy cardio 20 minutes

Tuesday: Shoulders and Traps - HIIT

Wednesday: Legs (pull – hamstrings)  – 20 minutes easy cardio

Thursday: abs - HIIT

Friday: rest

Basically I do 4 sets of each exercise (with proper warm up), and the amount of reps per set varies (more important than reps is to challenge your muscles to failure).

Sometimes a follow the pyramid principle, forced reps, “cheating” or strip-set to go past failure.

Also the rest period between sets I try to control, and won’t have rest periods more than 2 minutes (but try to keep it between 60-90 seconds between sets). Also each workout varies slightly from the previous week’s workout – so my body keeps guessing what it has to do! Furthermore, I try to keep my strength training up to an hour (if nobody distracts me with small talk :-)

Last but not least, I stretch at the end of each workout session.

When I am looking to get leaner (the goal is to drop body fat percentage and not necessary weight) my workout schedule might look as following (with most exercises performed as supersets – two to three exercises on top of each other without any rest which will elevate the heart rate).

Saturday; Chest, Shoulders and Triceps (push exercises) – HIIT running interval

Sunday; Back (width of the back) and biceps and HIIT (tabata running against treadmill belt resistance 20seconds – 10 seconds recovery X 8times)

Monday; legs (quads, gluteus and calves) and Abs – 20 minutes easy cardio

Tuesday; Chest, Shoulders and Triceps - HIIT running interval

Wednesday; Back (Thickness) and Biceps - HIIT (tabata running against treadmill belt resistance 20seconds – 10 seconds recovery X 8 times)

Thursday; Legs (hamstrings and calves) and abs - 20 minutes easy cardio

Friday; recovery day

There are many different split routines possible, and it all depends on your personal preference and frequency of training days. Strength training for your wellbeing is of huge importance and I encourage to strength train at least 3 times a week. Increasing muscle mass will increase your metabolism 24 hours a day!!! Furthermore, possibly cardio(respiratory) training a minimum of at least 3 times a week as well (preferably 5-6times). Cardio will gives your metabolism an immediate boost, but will decline rapidly after the exercise has finished. Therefore your focus should initially be on increasing your muscle mass, thus STRENGTH TRAINING!!

However, I wanted to finish this week’s “mervmail” emphasizing the overwhelming importance of a well balanced nutritional plan as well!

Most influential person

"The most influential person who will talk to you all day is you, so you should be very careful about what you say to you!"

Zig Ziglar

Compete with yourself

If you continuously compete with others, you become bitter.

But if you continuously compete with yourself you become……….. BETTER!

Unknown

The last chapter

Someday, we’ll forget the hurt, the reason we cried and who caused us pain. We will finally realize that the secret of being free is not revenge, but letting things unfold in their own way and own time. After all, what matters is not the first, but the last chapter of our life which shows how well we ran the race. So smile, laugh, forgive, believe, and love all over again.

Unknown

Share your dream

In most cases, negative comments from others are their own fears or insecurity being projected onto you. If you allow them to, these doubts will seep in and throw you off your path. It is important to have positivity around you during this time. Only share your dream with people that you know will support your endeavors.

Allison Maslan

Distracted

"Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you." 
ZigZiglar

People undermine you

When people undermine your dreams, predict your doom, or criticize you, remember, they’re telling you their story, not yours.

 Cynthia Occelli

Progressive Eating Goals

I was born in Holland (in case you thought my accent is fake), and was overweight (I had an award to be the heaviest baby in the hospital at birth) until I reached my teenage years. Being overweight helped me at the time, since I was the only Jewish kid in my neighborhood, and had to defend myself many times (I guess that’s where I get my sensitivity and compassion from – lol). Anyway, being involved with soccer and tennis at a later age, I transformed my body, making healthy choices and sticking to them. Not that I knew what I was doing at the time, but I understood the benefit from switching from coke to diet coke, cutting out candy, eating plain yogurt with fruit after tennis matches, preparing my own lunch and bringing it to school, etc. Each change I made was small, but critical over the long haul.

After moving from Amsterdam to NY I became passionate about working out. Still not knowing anything about nutrition, the gains I made were very little. However I enjoyed working out from a stress relief point of view.  Learning more about nutrition over the years, I believe the ratio resistance training to nutrition is probably 30-70 percent (or even more) in favor of nutrition (guesstimate).

Even though I am passionate about training, you can make much more changes efficiently by supplementing your training with a healthy eating pattern.

You can’t out train a bad diet. Hence, abs are made in the kitchen and not in the gym! This includes supplementation as well, which will be addressed in the future!

Even these days I keep setting goals for myself; e.g. bulking up, getting lean (and I admit, I drive my wife crazy by requesting to either adding complex carbohydrates or cutting them out at meals : -)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Sorry Honey!

I continue to make small changes e.g. eating mostly whole foods and cutting out processed foods was my latest change.

These days I still have to be careful with what I eat, since I do have a tendency to gain weight easily. However, I do have a “cheat” day or meal (depending on what phase I’m in) in the week. And the people that are close to me know, how much I like my French fries!! This makes the diet (and I hate that phrase) not feel indefinite, or too overwhelming.

In any case, I do understand “the battle” with food and the importance of the “small” changes, and sticking to them. Therefore, once more I am asking you to go thru the below list, and make a resolution to make a specific change to your diet, and e-mail that to me!

Instructions: Pick one goal each week that you feel confident you can modify in your diet for years to come. Every week, record date of commitment by goal. Share your goal with those close to you and put a note of your goal on your refrigerator so you are more likely to succeed. Eat smaller meals throughout the day Eat a snack during the time you are without food the longest during your waking hours Eat small meals every 2.5 or 4 hours throughout the day Plan 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks distributed throughout the day, every 2.5 to 4 hours If eating less than 3 meals, eat an additional meal Introduce breakfast by having protein Add an additional food to breakfast Eat cereal for bedtime snack instead of a high fat snack food Prepare extra for meals so leftovers are on hand Plan time for preparing a nutritious lunch or snack for hard to get away times Slightly decrease portion sizes of your largest meals Eat more fiber Eat 100% whole wheat instead of white bread Add beans or steamed or raw vegetables to any meal Eat a green salad every day Eat fresh fruit for dessert or a snack Eat oatmeal or other higher fiber cereal for breakfast Stock up on frozen vegetables and fruits so they are always available Add raw spinach leaves to salad for more nutrients Add a vegetable to a meal: breakfast, lunch, or dinner Add vegetables to omelettes, pizza, sandwiches, stir frys, and other recipes If you find it hard to eat vegetables consider vegetable juice or gazpacho Purchase pre-cut veggies and salad mixes for convenience Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily; keep a tally of servings eaten Eat lower/healthier fat foods Substitute meat with fish high in omega-3 fatty acids Instead of spreading butter or margarine on bread, dip 100% whole wheat bread in the equivalent amount of olive oil Substitute other saturated fats for polyunsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats for monounsaturated fats   Eat ice milk, sherbet, or non-fat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream Choose lower fat salad dressings (low fat, no fat) or olive oil and lemon Substitute plain yogurt for sour cream Substitute plain yogurt for mayonnaise in your chicken or tuna salad Decrease sandwich spread or salad dressing by progressively adding plain yogurt Eat lower fat cuts of meat Choose milk with lower fat (2%, 1%, 1/2%, Skim or non-fat) Choose lower fat cheese Eat whole grain cereal with milk for bedtime snack instead of traditional snack food Plan to eat healthfully 6 days a week and only eat sweets and higher fat foods one day a week Appetite control Eat a snack before lunch or dinner to reduce the tendency to overeat Keep a food journal of the quantities of all food eaten Rate appetite after each meal or snack: 1) Very Hungry, 2) Hungry, 3) Satisfied, 4) Full, 5) Very Full Eat just until comfortable, leave food on plate if necessary Check your diet periodically using computer diet analysis software Weigh food and serve pre-determined portion before sitting down to eat Limit the number of times you eat out at restaurants Eat before being around processed snack foods (eg: party, shopping, etc.) Agree to do extra exercise if you eat more than you had planned Planning Write weekly menu with accompanying shopping list Keep shopping list (with pen or pencil) conveniently located in kitchen Prepare foods the evening before and refrigerate for the next day

* Assignment

Make one change in your eating/food/behavior pattern from the above subjects, and stick to it for at least this week.

E-mail me your proposed change, and at the end of the week let me know if you were able to stick to it.

I EXPECT AN E-MAIL BACK FROM EVERYBODY !!!

No success comes without any sacrifices. Some are bigger than others, but nevertheless, they are unavoidable.

As long as you are in “personal” agreement with your goals, and YOU believe in them, it will give you the strength to ignore those “minor hurts” and “sacrifices”.

Along the way, you will come along friends and family members who will try to corrupt you and take you away from your goals. At those times, you have to stay focused and think about your goals and those “sacrifices” you need to make in order to be successful.

In the extreme, you might want to consider a new support group!

In the past, I have addressed “temporary failures”; Don’t get discouraged by them, but few them as a learning experience. Try to figure out why you temporary failed! This way, you can avoid the same mistake(s) in the future, even before you get to them or be tempted by them.

Start Giving

Whatever you think people are withholding from you - praise, appreciation, assistance, loving care, and so on - give it to them. You don’t have it? Just act as if you had it, and it will come. Then, soon after you start giving, you will start receiving. You cannot receive what you don’t give. Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you already have, but unless you allow it to flow out, you won’t even know that you have it. This includes abundance.

Eckhart Tolle

Three things you can't recover

·         "Three things you cannot recover in life: the WORD after it’s said, the MOMENT after it’s missed and the TIME after it’s gone. Be Careful!"

·         Author Unknown

Be careful

Apologies can’t take back the past.

Be careful with what you do and say to others.

Stand Up

When people undermine your dreams, predict your doom, or criticize you, remember, they’re telling you their story, not yours.

 Cynthia Occelli

your destiny

·         It's not what's happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it's your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you're going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny.”

·         Anthony Robbins

Victim

"Being a victim of an unfortunate event should not be confused with playing the victim. The former is NOT a choice, but the latter -- if you let it -- can be a way of life."

Dodinsky

Mass building

Mass building

Most of us aren't big on the kitchen. Usually, if it's not made on the BBQ or in the microwave, we probably picked it up at the drive-through.

That's about to change, though, because the most important rule in mass building is this: if you're working hard in the gym, you must work harder in the kitchen. Meal preparation and planning are essential for forging a muscular figure, so get ready for a crash-course on muscle-making nutrition.

More Calories, More Muscle:

The most important aspect of adding mass regarding nutrition is having the right amount and right type of calories each day. If you short yourself calories, you're shorting yourself on results.

To add mass, you need to be consuming more calories than you're burning. It's difficult to pack in all of those muscle-building meals, but it's definitely possible.

For your best body, toss out the traditional notion of 3 meals a day. To build maximum mass, you'll be eating every 2-3 hours, downing 5-6 quality meals throughout the day.

Constantly eating small, nutrient-rich meals will get your body primed for muscle growth and make it much easier to take in the calories you need. Eating frequently also ramps up your metabolism, which helps keep you lean while you're getting bigger.

To eat every few hours, you'll need to be prepared. A small cooler is a must have: bring one to school or work with a few meals. Stuff it with plastic containers, an ice pack, and a shaker bottle.

Control your environment-from here on out, you'll be preparing meals ahead of time. Taking time to make food for the week will separate you from the countless individuals "trying" to get bigger but always looking the same. If you don't prepare your food in advance, be prepared to fail.

Keep yourself on the right path by loading your desk or bag with portable fuel like trail mix, beef jerky, ready to drink protein shakes, protein powder, and bars. Having these accessible throughout the day will ensure that your muscles are constantly infused with mass-building nutrients.

How Many Calories:

To find out how many calories you need to gain muscle mass, you must first calculate your maintenance calories. Your maintenance calorie level is how many calories you need to consume to stay the same weight.

This is calculated by taking your current weight and multiplying it by fifteen. (Ex. 150lbsX15 = 2250 Calories). From this you want to add 500 extra calories per day. This will allow you to add muscle but minimize fat gain. (some other easy formulas are; multiplying x 20 for weight gain; multiplying x 15 for maintenance; and multiplying x 13 for weight loss)

Your macronutrient ratio is simply the amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fats that you have in your diet. The ratio specifically pertains to the goal you want to achieve. Since you want to be a lean-mass monster, your ripped ratio is going to be 40/40/20, which means that 40% of your calories will be from protein, 40% from carbohydrates, and 20% from fat.

Protein:

Protein is responsible for tissue growth and repair, and guess what: muscle is tissue. Start eating a fist-sized serving of protein with every meal. Lean cuts of meat like grilled chicken or turkey, eggs, tuna fish or salmon, and protein shakes are perfect. For optimal muscle-making, eat at least 1 gram of protein per body pound every day.

Carbohydrates:

Also include a fist-sized serving of carbohydrates with each meal. Carbs are your body's preferred source of energy-you need them to stay energized throughout the day, and for intense training sessions. Complex carbs like whole grains, wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, oats, vegetables, and sweet potatoes are all good choices. Avoid simple sugars or refined carbs like sweets, candy, and other junk food. All carbs are not created equal.

Fats:

Healthy fats like fish oil can promote cognitive function, support cardiovascular health, and support normal, healthy hormone production. Healthy fats are an integral part of building new mass on your frame, so add a small amount of olive oil, fish oil, peanut butter, or almonds to each meal.

Timing, Timing, Timing:

You know what ratio to eat, which is one piece of the puzzle. The next is when. Adding muscle mass is about consuming more calories than you're burning off, then using those calories to their maximum benefit. Add an extra 200-300 calories on training days to fuel your growth, and your gains will be just around the corner.

Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair, which makes it especially important pre- and post-workout. Eat a meal with lean protein and complex carbs-like steak and a potato, or a protein shake with oats-about an hour to an hour and a half before you train. This will fuel your body to hit the iron with maximum intensity.

After you're done destroying your workout, recovery is of the utmost importance. You've just broken down muscle fibers and depleted your glycogen levels. To get back to muscle-building status, you need a fast digesting carb like maltodextrin, white bread, or any simple sugar to recover your energy.

To get your muscles up and running, a quick-absorbing whey protein shake is essential. Make sure you get at least 20-35 grams of protein immediately after you lift, preferably from whey isolate or hydrolyzed whey.

Mass Gaining Adjustment:

Keeping your routine up to par is essential, but be aware that you will always have to make minor adjustments when trying to pack on mass. That's why constantly tracking your progress will ensure that you're moving in the right direction.

Quite simply, if you aren't gaining weight, then eat more food. Instead of adding an additional meal, try adding a little to each meal throughout the day. Extra protein, olive oil, or almonds with a few meals will bump up your calories and push that scale in the right direction.

On the same note, if you're adding weight in the wrong spot, that means you need to adjust where you're getting your calories from. If you start to see a little pudge in the stomach, then reduce your carbs and bump up protein as a replacement. Protein is extremely hard to convert to fat, so it will be a great adjustment.

Water:

Our bodies are made of primarily made of water, so hydration should always be a daily goal. The staple "couple glasses of water a day" doesn't pertain to the active individual.

Since you will be eating properly, training like a freak, and constantly losing fluids, you will need to drink between a half-gallon to a gallon of water per day. Water is a crucial component of nutrient delivery, cooling regulation in the body, and it helps activate muscle fiber. For peak performance and best results, don't forget it!

Going Out:

Don't throw the game plan out the window on weekends. You can still hit a night on the town with the significant other, or take the family out for dinner, without dismantling your diet.

If you go out to eat, order a chicken breast or steak and make sure they don't cover your dish with greasy cheeses or toppings. Just ask your waiter to prepare your food without the mayo or cheese, and skip out on the soda or cocktail. Stick with water. Make sure the bulk of your calories from quality sources, not the toppings and liquids that come with your meal.

Though these tips don't have to be followed perfectly, here are some guidelines for adjusting your diet:

• Eat every 2-3 hours.
• Include a lean protein source in every meal.
• Make breakfast your largest meal.
• Make sure to include carbs in your pre and post workout meals.
• Avoid skipping meals.
• Always stay properly hydrated (shoot for a gallon of water per day).
• If you're not gaining weight, eat more food.