In part 1 of this we covered some common shit you hear from both uneducated people and semi-educated people in regards to falsehoods about weight training.
Since there's enough of this shit to fill the New York City sewers, we shall continue........
1. You have to do cardio to get lean
I think this is a half truth. It all depends on how lean you want to get. If you want to get that "summer body" where you don't look like 10 pounds of shit stuffed into a 5 pound bag, you probably don't. If you're trying to get into bodybuilding contest shape, more than likely you'll have to do some cardio.
So it all depends on the context of that quote.
Cardio is actually a very inefficient way to get into a calorie deficit. For example, the 160 pound woman who spends an hour on the treadmill at 4MPH will burn about 338 calories. If she had been eating pretty shitty then simply making a change in diet would be far more efficient than that hour on the treadmill.
For example, one slice of stuffed crust pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut clocks in at around 380 calories. How long does it take you to eat that slice? Well, I guess it depends on how big of a gluttonous son of a bitch you are. But if you're like me, it takes about 2.9384 seconds. Compare that to an hour on the treadmill and we can see where efficiency is at.
So if your definition of "lean" is good enough to be in a bathing suit or swim trunks, then fixing your diet will suffice. In fact, fixing your diet alone will get you into single digits. But if you're trying to get into stage shape SOME cardio will be required. Either way, most people aren't going to douse salad dressing all over themselves and flex onstage. So we can bust this myth that cardio is needed to get "lean".
2. You can't build muscle with machines
I don't know of a single bodybuilder that hasn't used machines in their training. To add, I know tons of powerlifters and strongmen that have used machines to bring up weak musculature as well. Ed Coan and Jouka Ahola both enjoyed some leg presses, and Jouka even liked doing his front squats on the smith machine. He was sorta strong and jacked.
Used properly, machines have their place in every lifters arsenal. No different than free weights, they have to be used properly.
One question you should be asking yourself about each movement you do is, "am I moving weight through space, or training the muscle."
Bodybuilders called this "isolating the muscle." And while you can't truly isolate a muscle group because the body works in synergy, you can emphasize certain muscular areas depending on the movement chosen, and how you perform it.
For example, when you perform a squat, you're not trying to isolate the quadriceps. You're moving the weight from point A to point B. When you perform a leg extension however, you should be more concerned about the eccentric (negative, or lowering part of the movement) and the concentric (positive, or raising part of the movement) portions of the rep. A slow negative, and then a hard contraction of the quads in the positive are far more important than trying to move the entire weight stack in a way that looks like you're having a monkey seizure.
Machines do take the stabilizing muscles out of the movement for sure. The machine balances the weight for you, and thus fewer muscle groups are brought into play. This can be good or bad, depending on what you are using the machine for. If you're using it to emphasize a particular area, then it's a great tool. This can be used for rehabilitation, prehab, and to increase muscle mass in certain areas. If you don't think you can't build mass with machine, pick a bicep machine and go ape shit with it on volume while contracting very hard against the resistance multiple times a week, and see if your biceps don't grow. They will.
Machines can play a great role in your training program if you understand how to implement them, and why you're doing so.
3. Getting a pump doesn't increase muscle mass / You must get a pump
I've heard both sides of this. Arnold loved the pump. Other guys have said and offered up "evidence" that the pump has no correlation to muscle growth.
My own personal opinion is that there probably IS something to the pump related to growth in some way, shape, or form.
First off, getting a great pump is generally associated with having sufficient glycogen stores, being well hydrated, and that the body is in a proper state for optimal training. Yes, that's total broscience but I can tell when I walk into the gym and feel "full" and get a pump very quickly, that I generally lift better, and feel better. When I feel "flat" I also often feel lethargic and don't lift quite as well.
All of that is purely anecdotal, but I'm going with it.
In this state we generally are able to train longer and harder, and lift heavier weights much easier.
Second, we've seen from studies, and from about 60 years of anecdotal proof, that training in a higher rep range is indeed a more efficient way to stimulate hypertrophy. And more often than not, higher reps are equated with a pump.
Now you can flop down and knock out 50 push ups and get a pump, but that doesn't mean muscle growth has been stimulated. But if you did 5 sets of 50 (if you're capable of that), the pump is probably going to be much more intense, and if this challenged you from a muscular standpoint, it's possible that growth could occur over a period of time, no different than training with weights.
Plenty of people mocked my 100 rep barbell curls. But it added a significant amount of size to my biceps in a short period of time, and I was able to maintain that size afterwards by just doing some maintenance work. And Derek Poundstone does them and he's not exactly hurting on the strength and mass side of things either.
I'm not going to get into the whole "sarcoplasmic" vs "myofibrillar" hypertrophy bullshit. I'm just not.
What I am going to say is this. I think the pump is a good indicator of the state your body is in for training. So whether or not the pump is directly related to muscle growth isn't as relevant to me. What it does speak to me is that I've probably eaten well, hydrated well, and and in a good position to stimulate growth and put together a productive training session. Is this the case 100% of the time? No. However I've paid lots more attention to it because when I've taken carbs out of my diet, I've noticed a huge drop off in training ability. When I add them back in, of course, training productivity increases.
So while no one can definitely say the pump is or is not related to muscle growth, we can use it as an indicator of being in a position to better stimulate strength and muscle growth. That's my opinion.
Let me close on this one by also adding this. I have often found that if a certain movement produces a huge pump in a particular bodypart, then I often tend to grow very quickly when using that movement. Just something to think about.
4. You gotta eat tons of protein to gain muscle, bro
Ok, I'm not going to even link all of the studies I sat and read through this morning on the amount of protein needed to gain muscle. You know why? Because I found the same thing over and over and over and over and over again.
I'm going to cut right to the chase.
Even if you're training your nuts off 4-5 times a week, 1 GRAM OF PROTEIN PER POUND OF BODYWEIGHT IS ENOUGH. If you're dieting REALLY hard, it may need to be slightly higher, but not much. In fact, over and over again it was found that 0.8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight was found to be sufficient for people involved in intense training.
I know this, in the past I've eaten upwards of 400 grams of protein a day, and saw virtually no different in strength and muscle growth.
Nothing. Zip. Nada. Anyone telling you that force feeding yourself tons of protein is the missing link in your training problem, is missing a link.
Managing your body composition really comes back to adjusting your carbohydrate and fat intake once the protein is dialed in. And the fact is, it doesn't take a TON of protein to do that. Yes, between 0.8 and 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. That's it. After that, simply massage your carbs and fats to meet your training goals and needs.
5. You must workout everyday to look like that / You have to workout everyday
This is often one of the first questions I get asked when approached by strangers.
"You workout all the time, don't you?"
I think they think I'm lying when I tell them "generally 3 times a week. Sometimes just twice, depending on how I feel."
If you're a sedentary individual, meaning you just grind your ass groove into the couch every evening after work and do little else, doing something in the gym two to three times a week is better than what you've been doing.
If you're a novice lifter, and you're really after the big gains, I always recommend to get into the gym very often. Five or six times a week. That's because noobs aren't very strong, and they can recover very quickly from workouts because there's not a lot of demands imposed on recovery.
As a lifter becomes more advanced and strength levels rise, recovery becomes a bigger factor. So the guy squatting 650 for reps more often than not, needs more time between training sessions than the guy squatting 250 for reps. This should seem obvious.
If you want a more immediate version of this scenario, put a novice guy beside an advanced guy doing curls. The novice guy may curl a 65 pound barbell for 10 reps as a max. Meaning, he couldn't do 11.
The advanced guy might do 165 for 10 reps. In a minute or so the novice guy is fine, and ready to go again. But the advanced guy may need more time before he's ready to do another set. Lifting heavier and heavier loads also means more recovery. Both on a set to set basis, day to day basis, and week to week basis.
So a very jacked and advanced guy might not to be able to get into the gym 5 or 6 days a week and be adequately recovered. Not only that, but advanced guys are more efficient in their movements, and can often get more from less. Where the rank beginner is still developing the technical skills just to be able to perform the movements properly.
All of these things are very individualistic, but more often than not a very advanced and hard training guy can usually get it done with 3-4 times a week in the gym. If an advanced guy is in the gym 6, 8, 10, 12 times a week I'm not sure what the fuck he's doing. Does he have a wrist curl day? An anterior tibialis day? I'm not sure what's going on there when I read that from someone who has been under the bar for a long time.
I'm getting sideways here, so back to the topic.
Fact is, if your diet is dialed in, almost anyone can make major changes in their body and continue to do so by training 3-4 times a week. For the people that are in the gym everyday, I personally think that either they just really enjoy training more than most, or don't have a life outside of that atmosphere.
Strength Life Legacy
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Training - Fronts and Deficit Stiffs
Bodyweight - 265
Front Squats -
135 x 10,10,10
225 x 5,5
315 x 8 sets of 5, 90 seconds between sets
Deficit Stiff Legs -
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 3
500 x 3
585 x 4 PR
Notes - Still after 585 x 5 on deficit stiff legs, but I'll take the PR today. Absolutely wasn't taking "no" for answer in regards to getting that 4th rep.
Front Squats -
135 x 10,10,10
225 x 5,5
315 x 8 sets of 5, 90 seconds between sets
Deficit Stiff Legs -
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 3
500 x 3
585 x 4 PR
Notes - Still after 585 x 5 on deficit stiff legs, but I'll take the PR today. Absolutely wasn't taking "no" for answer in regards to getting that 4th rep.
Couple of awesome testimonials
It never gets old getting these.
hey Paul, I ran your strong 15 peaking cycle and it really was a great success. I'm 18 years young, and I had my second meet yesterday at the WNPF New Jersey States championship in the 181 raw weight class. I had a 105 lb squat meet pr from 320 to 425! Granted I put on a belt for this meet. Also, my bench went from 280 to 300 (very easy), and then a 415 deadlift to 500 lbs. My total last year was 1015, and this year went all the way up to 1225. Every lift was way higher than what I programmed in to strong 15. Your program really gave me the confidence I needed. Irrelevant to the competition, but on one of the AMAP's on strong 15, I ended up benching 240x8 to my total surprise, a great pr. I definitely peaked in the best way for this meet. Thanks a lot for your seemingly infinite amounts of knowledge, keep writing and keep lifting, running and banging. -- Anthony DeSousa
I ran strong 15 into my meet i had this weekend and went 9/9 and had only had 2 hours of sleep and went 9/9 Squat(65lbPR)
Bench(55lbPR) Deadlift(100lbPR) Total(215lbPR) 4 PRS and has ALOT left in the tank for every lift. I even wore your shirt to support LRB.
hey Paul, I ran your strong 15 peaking cycle and it really was a great success. I'm 18 years young, and I had my second meet yesterday at the WNPF New Jersey States championship in the 181 raw weight class. I had a 105 lb squat meet pr from 320 to 425! Granted I put on a belt for this meet. Also, my bench went from 280 to 300 (very easy), and then a 415 deadlift to 500 lbs. My total last year was 1015, and this year went all the way up to 1225. Every lift was way higher than what I programmed in to strong 15. Your program really gave me the confidence I needed. Irrelevant to the competition, but on one of the AMAP's on strong 15, I ended up benching 240x8 to my total surprise, a great pr. I definitely peaked in the best way for this meet. Thanks a lot for your seemingly infinite amounts of knowledge, keep writing and keep lifting, running and banging. -- Anthony DeSousa
=====================================================
Bench(55lbPR) Deadlift(100lbPR) Total(215lbPR) 4 PRS and has ALOT left in the tank for every lift. I even wore your shirt to support LRB.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Weekend with Super D - Donnie Thompson
Got to spend the day with Super D. As he mentioned, we went and trained at Gold's and of course, we get to witness the shit you only hear about in mockery.
Three guys with legs that looked like they had battled and barely won a fight with Polio were doing leg presses. With virtually every plate in the gym.
They were each spotting each other, and Donnie and I watched in amazement as each one of them lowered the weight about the length of a mosquitoes penis.
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Unfortunately, because they were spotting each other, one of the turds got buried on the second rep and the other two polio victims managed, somehow, to get it off of him.
I told Donnie "I bet you money not a single one of them could do a single rep with 405 on squats, to depth."
Luckily for us, they squatted next. And proceeded to squat higher than an Eagle's nuts with 275 and 315 for a few reps.
It's the kind of thing you hear about but don't often see. Strange that I've been at that gym for sometime now and haven't seen such shenanigans. Then Donnie comes with me and that shit is going on.
Oh well. We had a great session and Donnie was thrilled to be able to use some of the old "Flex" equipment.
It was awesome to be able to spend the day with Super D and now he owes me the favor back at his pad.
Three guys with legs that looked like they had battled and barely won a fight with Polio were doing leg presses. With virtually every plate in the gym.
They were each spotting each other, and Donnie and I watched in amazement as each one of them lowered the weight about the length of a mosquitoes penis.
Unfortunately, because they were spotting each other, one of the turds got buried on the second rep and the other two polio victims managed, somehow, to get it off of him.
I told Donnie "I bet you money not a single one of them could do a single rep with 405 on squats, to depth."
Luckily for us, they squatted next. And proceeded to squat higher than an Eagle's nuts with 275 and 315 for a few reps.
It's the kind of thing you hear about but don't often see. Strange that I've been at that gym for sometime now and haven't seen such shenanigans. Then Donnie comes with me and that shit is going on.
Oh well. We had a great session and Donnie was thrilled to be able to use some of the old "Flex" equipment.
It was awesome to be able to spend the day with Super D and now he owes me the favor back at his pad.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Staying phresh
One of the biggest factors in putting together a string of successful training sessions is the ability to feel good for each one.
I know, stop the fucking presses. I hope your house didn't get blown off the map from the energy surge created by that nuclear knowledge bomb right there.
But seriously, this is a very underrated concept. And most people don't understand how much until they change their training around in a way so that they aren't beat to shit all the time.
Think about this, if your elbows are aching your pressing ability is going to be very sub-par. If your knees hurt, your squatting is going to be shit.
If there is pain associated with a movement, then the body is going to automatically limit what it will allow you to lift. Pain is a governor by the body that let's you know that you either fucked something up, or that something is fucked up. Ignoring that signal isn't a good idea. It could mean that there is an overuse problem, that your technique is off, that you have a muscular imbalance somewhere or that some shit is about to go.
On the flip side, when everything feels good and there are no aches and pains, lifting tends to go marvelously. You press well, you squat well, you deadlift well, you do everything well. Workouts are solid, and progress is made. The longer you can stay in this zone, the more progress will be forthcoming.
The issue is, most guys don't find this "zone" very often. It's fleeting and they think about how important it is to use this as a guideline for how to adjust their training.
Lots of dudes just want to train heavy every session, go balls to the wall with reckless abandon, and have no foresight as to the ramifications these sessions will have on the next session, or the training phase they are in.
By happenstance, I noticed this "phresh" phenomenon as I was developing Base Building. I would go in, hit the planned programming for the day, do the assistance work I had planned, and leave feeling really good. The next session I would walk in feeling good, have a great session, walk out feeling the same way. I would occasionally test my EDM every few weeks or months AFTER my work sets (the development of "fatigue singles") and would be happily surprised that they moved with an incredible amount of ease.
After I released Base Building within a few months I started getting tons of messages and e-mails describing the same thing. Guys loved the fact that weren't beat to shit all the time, were able to get stronger, not have to take time off because they were drained, and saw progress on a very regular basis. So my own perception about these things were being backed up on a regular basis from people writing in to me.
I took that a step further and started taking an extra rest day rather than being a slave to the routine on a piece of paper. And sure enough, more PR's started coming. So if I had a day where I did feel a bit achy, I just didn't train. I know some guys push through that, and yes, there is a time and a place for that. But I opted instead to really listen to my body. If I needed the extra rest, I took it and didn't feel guilty about it. At 39 with most of my lifts at all time highs, I felt like the rest was warranted.
Some of the things I instituted to stay "phresh" and feeling good were the following....
I know, stop the fucking presses. I hope your house didn't get blown off the map from the energy surge created by that nuclear knowledge bomb right there.
But seriously, this is a very underrated concept. And most people don't understand how much until they change their training around in a way so that they aren't beat to shit all the time.
Think about this, if your elbows are aching your pressing ability is going to be very sub-par. If your knees hurt, your squatting is going to be shit.
If there is pain associated with a movement, then the body is going to automatically limit what it will allow you to lift. Pain is a governor by the body that let's you know that you either fucked something up, or that something is fucked up. Ignoring that signal isn't a good idea. It could mean that there is an overuse problem, that your technique is off, that you have a muscular imbalance somewhere or that some shit is about to go.
On the flip side, when everything feels good and there are no aches and pains, lifting tends to go marvelously. You press well, you squat well, you deadlift well, you do everything well. Workouts are solid, and progress is made. The longer you can stay in this zone, the more progress will be forthcoming.
The issue is, most guys don't find this "zone" very often. It's fleeting and they think about how important it is to use this as a guideline for how to adjust their training.
Lots of dudes just want to train heavy every session, go balls to the wall with reckless abandon, and have no foresight as to the ramifications these sessions will have on the next session, or the training phase they are in.
By happenstance, I noticed this "phresh" phenomenon as I was developing Base Building. I would go in, hit the planned programming for the day, do the assistance work I had planned, and leave feeling really good. The next session I would walk in feeling good, have a great session, walk out feeling the same way. I would occasionally test my EDM every few weeks or months AFTER my work sets (the development of "fatigue singles") and would be happily surprised that they moved with an incredible amount of ease.
After I released Base Building within a few months I started getting tons of messages and e-mails describing the same thing. Guys loved the fact that weren't beat to shit all the time, were able to get stronger, not have to take time off because they were drained, and saw progress on a very regular basis. So my own perception about these things were being backed up on a regular basis from people writing in to me.
I took that a step further and started taking an extra rest day rather than being a slave to the routine on a piece of paper. And sure enough, more PR's started coming. So if I had a day where I did feel a bit achy, I just didn't train. I know some guys push through that, and yes, there is a time and a place for that. But I opted instead to really listen to my body. If I needed the extra rest, I took it and didn't feel guilty about it. At 39 with most of my lifts at all time highs, I felt like the rest was warranted.
Some of the things I instituted to stay "phresh" and feeling good were the following....
- I only pushed a heavier single as a fatigue single, and rarely did it exceed my "everyday max", or EDM. I let my body tell me when it was there, rather than trying to chase a number that may not have been on the map that day.
- I rotated through "like" movements rather than sticking to the same ones workout after workout. This was key in avoiding overuse with the volume I was using. So I rotated squats, front squats, and hack squats. I rotated bench, incline press, and press behind the neck. I rotated deadlifts and deficit stiff legged deadlifts, and didn't pull heavy very often. I personally believe that heavy deadlifts tend to take more than they give back. When I stopped chasing the numbers, they eventually came right to me.
- I focused on bar speed instead of weight on the bar as the indicator that my strength had increased. So the indicator I used for feedback changed, and it worked marvelously. No longer did I have to "get up" for a weight when I may have felt like shit that day. I simply stuck to the programming and judged my bar speed for where I was. Yes, this is more ambiguous than weight on the bar, but if you know your body well enough, you will know when you're moving a weight with authority compared to the previous sessions. Obviously this is nothing more than RPE (rate of perceived exertion).
- As noted, I took days off when I did feel tired or run down. Because my sleep is hit or miss and my training always sucks when I'm in sleep debt, this paid off well for me. I have found over and over again that trying to push through a hard session on little sleep doesn't work for me.
- I upped most of my assistance movements to even higher reps. As Wendler once wrote, "don't major in the minors." I got a pump and called it a day. No one cares about how much you max on tricep pushdowns or side laterals. Use them accordingly.
Basically all of this comes back to really listening to what your body is trying to tell you, not trying to push the envelope when the body isn't ready to (again, chasing vs letting the PR come to you), and doing some "bodybuilding." with your support work.
If you can find that balance in there of training heavy enough to spur on progress without beating yourself to shit, you will find that area to be very rewarding and result producing.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Training - Squats and stiffies
Bodyweight - 264
High Bar Squats -
bar x 10,10
135x10,10
225x5,5
315 x 5 sets of 5
405 x 4 sets of 5
Pause Squats -
500 x 3,3,3
Deficit Stiff Legs -
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 5
500 x 5
545 x 2 sets of 5
Notes - Haven't put up a training post in a while because as weight has been dropping my strength has really been all over the place. Squats felt like shit today, but stiffies felt ok. The last time I did 2 sets of 545 x 5 I was about 280 so I felt this was solid.
High Bar Squats -
bar x 10,10
135x10,10
225x5,5
315 x 5 sets of 5
405 x 4 sets of 5
Pause Squats -
500 x 3,3,3
Deficit Stiff Legs -
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 5
500 x 5
545 x 2 sets of 5
Notes - Haven't put up a training post in a while because as weight has been dropping my strength has really been all over the place. Squats felt like shit today, but stiffies felt ok. The last time I did 2 sets of 545 x 5 I was about 280 so I felt this was solid.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Muscle myths, lies, and fallacies
There's nothing worse than being an educated meathead and having to listen to all of the myths and fallacies associated with weight training. There's nothing worse than listening to vacuous ramblings of people who have never picked up a weight, or have even halfheartedly educated themselves in regards to the benefits of weight training, and proper eating.
I suppose it shouldn't irritate me, but it often still does.
After all, if I were sitting in a room with an architect or surgeon I wouldn't belabor points about how certain structures weren't built properly, or go on and on about some article I read in Esquire (not sure why I would be reading that in the first place) that explained how silicone breast implants were unsafe. I'd defer to his knowledge and allow myself to be educated.
Yet most meatheads that build enough muscle to be noticed by peers or family members generally are submitted to this onslaught of superior nonsense.
But this isn't just relegated to non-lifters. I have read and partaken in numerous discussions in regards to lifting, and some of the things people cling to boggles my mind.
The next time you get any of these types of question or have to entertain these myths or fallacies, simply point them to this article and let them read for themselves.......
1. All that muscle will turn to fat when you quit lifting.
This is like saying "when that apple rots it will turn into an orange."
Muscle and fat are two different types of tissue. One cannot "turn into another." I believe this comment is based around people that used to lift often, and eat a lot, then quit lifting, but don't change their eating habits.
So now ol boy that was training 4-5 times a week and eating like a hoss, stops training, but doesn't stop eating like a hoss. Muscle atrophies, and fat piles on. To the common onlooker, it APPEARS that the muscle turned to fat. When all that really happened is, fat turned to more fat, and the muscle that was underneath it shrunk.
2. Lifting weights will make you muscle bound.
I believe this started in the 50's and 60's when football teams were on the fence about instituting weight training as part of their program.
I have no idea why people thought this other than the fact that when guys get overly muscular how they walk or their posture changes. We've all seen the guy with imaginary lat syndrome or the guy with legs so big it appears he spent the previous day riding a horse bareback.
The fact is, lifting weights for the sedentary person actually makes them more flexible if the movement is carried through a full range of motion. And there isn't a single professional sports team that doesn't have their athletes lift weights.
As far as lifting making you muscle bound, I can do deficit stiff legged deadlifts from a 4 inch block, and have no difficulties reaching the bar. I can put my hands flat on the floor with my legs completely straight and I never do any static stretching. In fact, I firmly believe that stretching is fairly overrated. Not that it's useless, just that becoming "mobile" can be done if the appropriate movements are selected in training. My own personal opinion is that most strength athletes need to be a bit "tight". I can't see in any way, shape, or form that being hyper-flexible would benefit a strength athlete. In fact, there are probably a great number of drawbacks to being hyper-flexible.
3. What exercises should I do if I want to get rid of the fat around this area right here, and tone it up?
Believe it or not, I still get these questions.
This is the myth of "spot reduction." That means, someone thinks they can do an exercise for a certain area of their body, and that it will reduce fat in that spot.
Guys ask what they can do to reduce stomach fat, and women usually ask what movement they can do to get rid of those "saddle bags" on the side of their hips.
The movement you need to be doing, is less of that "fork to mouth" action. In other words, "you need to eat less, i.e. diet." There is no movement/exercise you can do that will reduce bodyfat in a certain area. Everyone carries bodyfat differently, and the only way to reduce it, is to have a calorie deficit. The reason a lot of people believe in spot reduction is because of those silly ass infomercials that tell you that you can "sculpt your thighs" and other such nonsense with their cute little toy.
Everyone has "abs". It's just that some people's abs are hidden under a big layer of fat.
Your "saddle bags" don't go away by doing a certain exercise. You may build muscle under that fat, and thus the shape of your leg changes, but the fat will still be there.
As the saying goes, abs are made in the kitchen.
4. I'm following the South Beach Paleo Ketogenic Slim-Fast diet. Are you aware of it?
Yes I'm aware of it, and I'm also aware that because you're following a fad diet and not making a lifestyle change. So you'll lose weight, then after the diet is "over" you will resume your old eating habits, and then get fat again.
Don't think so? I wrote about this last week here.
Dieting is an ugly word for most people. So the key is to understand what your daily eating habits need to look like in order for you to lose weight, and keep weight off. Because of my last article about food addiction, I feel like for most people, that's going to be quite the uphill battle. However it's infinitely harder if you're using a fad diet to lose weight. Because a fad diet isn't a long term solution to your lifelong problem.
5. You can't get strong doing all those reps. If you want to lift strong, you gotta lift heavy weights.
If you want to develop strength maximally, yes, at some point you'll need to lift heavy weights. However strength can certainly be developed through rep sets. 5's and 8's were the bread and butter for elite powerlifters for decades in regards to building their strength base.
Lifting light weights, like pink dumbbells and shit, won't get you strong, no. But you can get brutally strong lifting 70-85% of your 1 rep max for lots of reps and lots of sets.
6. I don't want to get bulky. I just want to tone.
This is usually uttered by women, but I've heard guys say this shit too.
Do you know what "tone" is? Muscle hypertrophy. That means, growing or increasing the size of a muscle. For women, this is what changes the shape of their body. Makes their ass round and legs TOIGHT.
Women have told me "I don't want to lift weights like a man." What does this even mean? You mean you don't want to train hard, or actually put some weight on the bar? Listen, you're in the gym to build muscle. If you want a floppy bologna ass then by all means, take up running and never do any weight training. Become the proverbial cardio bunny that ends up with a skinny-fat body. Muscle is what gives your body SHAPE. When you avoid getting stronger, then you avoid changing the shape of your body.
That "tone" you are looking for, comes from squats, presses, chin ups, rows, and other compound movements.
If you want to look like a sexual goddess then yes, "train like a man."
There are lots of women that are "bulky" that don't lift weights, because they spend all their spare time lifting tacos and cheesecakes.
As for guys that say this crap, I don't know how to respond. If you want to look like Jeff Seid, that's your prerogative. I just don't know how to do that because I always wanted to looked jacked and manly. If you can put a t-shirt on and no one can tell that you lift weights, and that's what you want, then that is your right. I just choose another path. And it involves a significant amount of muscle and strength.
7. How much do you bench?
Whatever it is, I know you benched that for reps when you were in highschool. That or your uncles old roommate had a cousin that knew a guy that was in prison with a guy that was related to a guy that used to work at Jiffy Lube that benched 900 for 10.
8. What kinda protein you on, dawg?
I get asked this in various forms, but generally what they are asking is what kind of protein powder they can take to look like me.
I always tell them to eat food, and they look at me like I asked them to visit my uncle in prison for conjugal visits.
This is because for decades now the supplement industry has told us that to get really big or really lean we MUST have this protein powder in order to accomplish that.
I'm not saying protein powder doesn't serve as a useful tool, but if your eating isn't in order then it's not going to do a whole lot. It's no different than taking a multi-vitamin and expecting that to completely cover your daily needs when your diet isn't.
Diet first, supplements are supplements. Go look up what the word "supplement" means.
9. I want to turn all this fat into muscle.
This is the flip side of the "all that muscle will turn to fat."
This is almost always a dude that is fairly chub, or even quite fat, and believes that his 300 pounds of slop can somehow be magically transformed into 300 pounds of sex.
I have heard this from women too however. It's just phrased differently.
"Well I weigh the same but my trainer said I lost 10 pounds of fat and gained 10 pounds of muscle."
I'm glad you enjoy the bullshit sammiches your trainer serves you. I'm glad you eat that up so readily and with a full heart and open mouth.
Fat can be lost at an exponentially faster rate than muscle can be gained. Losing 10 pounds of fat might only take 6 weeks. Gaining 10 pounds of lean mass, depending on the experience level of the lifter, can take a year or five.
Outside of a sheer novice, you're not going to gain muscle and lose fat. Not at any significant degree. Generally speaking, when you're dieting to lose fat, the best you can hope for is to retain the muscle you built. More than likely, depending on the length and severity of the diet, you will lose some.
10. You need to do certain exercises to shape the muscle.
You can overdevelop a muscle, or it can be underdeveloped.
You cannot however, change the shape of a muscle. The shape of your muscles were determined as soon as dad bust loose inside of mom, and you beat the rest of the swimmers out.
This is a myth that goes way way back. Larry Scott played a huge part in this in my opinion because he did the shit out of some preacher curls, and basically credited that movement to giving him those full biceps.
Well Franco Columbu could have done those "Scott curls" until the cows came home, and he was never going to have long, full biceps like Larry Scott. Yet this didn't stop bodybuilders, even as recent as the 80's and 90's from basing their routines around doing a myriad of movements in order to "shape the muscle".
What eventually gives the appearance of a new shape, as I noted, is over developing certain muscles. So you can sort of present the illusion that the shape has changed, but it really hasn't.
You can't make muscles longer, nor can you "etch" a new shape out of them. You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit.
You just keep training and build on what you were born with.
I suppose it shouldn't irritate me, but it often still does.
After all, if I were sitting in a room with an architect or surgeon I wouldn't belabor points about how certain structures weren't built properly, or go on and on about some article I read in Esquire (not sure why I would be reading that in the first place) that explained how silicone breast implants were unsafe. I'd defer to his knowledge and allow myself to be educated.
Yet most meatheads that build enough muscle to be noticed by peers or family members generally are submitted to this onslaught of superior nonsense.
But this isn't just relegated to non-lifters. I have read and partaken in numerous discussions in regards to lifting, and some of the things people cling to boggles my mind.
The next time you get any of these types of question or have to entertain these myths or fallacies, simply point them to this article and let them read for themselves.......
1. All that muscle will turn to fat when you quit lifting.
This is like saying "when that apple rots it will turn into an orange."
Muscle and fat are two different types of tissue. One cannot "turn into another." I believe this comment is based around people that used to lift often, and eat a lot, then quit lifting, but don't change their eating habits.
 |
| Was built like Dorian Yates before he decided to quit liftin... |
So now ol boy that was training 4-5 times a week and eating like a hoss, stops training, but doesn't stop eating like a hoss. Muscle atrophies, and fat piles on. To the common onlooker, it APPEARS that the muscle turned to fat. When all that really happened is, fat turned to more fat, and the muscle that was underneath it shrunk.
2. Lifting weights will make you muscle bound.
I believe this started in the 50's and 60's when football teams were on the fence about instituting weight training as part of their program.
I have no idea why people thought this other than the fact that when guys get overly muscular how they walk or their posture changes. We've all seen the guy with imaginary lat syndrome or the guy with legs so big it appears he spent the previous day riding a horse bareback.
The fact is, lifting weights for the sedentary person actually makes them more flexible if the movement is carried through a full range of motion. And there isn't a single professional sports team that doesn't have their athletes lift weights.
As far as lifting making you muscle bound, I can do deficit stiff legged deadlifts from a 4 inch block, and have no difficulties reaching the bar. I can put my hands flat on the floor with my legs completely straight and I never do any static stretching. In fact, I firmly believe that stretching is fairly overrated. Not that it's useless, just that becoming "mobile" can be done if the appropriate movements are selected in training. My own personal opinion is that most strength athletes need to be a bit "tight". I can't see in any way, shape, or form that being hyper-flexible would benefit a strength athlete. In fact, there are probably a great number of drawbacks to being hyper-flexible.
3. What exercises should I do if I want to get rid of the fat around this area right here, and tone it up?
Believe it or not, I still get these questions.
This is the myth of "spot reduction." That means, someone thinks they can do an exercise for a certain area of their body, and that it will reduce fat in that spot.
Guys ask what they can do to reduce stomach fat, and women usually ask what movement they can do to get rid of those "saddle bags" on the side of their hips.
 |
| Thigh master or not, Suzanne Summers is still hawt |
The movement you need to be doing, is less of that "fork to mouth" action. In other words, "you need to eat less, i.e. diet." There is no movement/exercise you can do that will reduce bodyfat in a certain area. Everyone carries bodyfat differently, and the only way to reduce it, is to have a calorie deficit. The reason a lot of people believe in spot reduction is because of those silly ass infomercials that tell you that you can "sculpt your thighs" and other such nonsense with their cute little toy.
Everyone has "abs". It's just that some people's abs are hidden under a big layer of fat.
Your "saddle bags" don't go away by doing a certain exercise. You may build muscle under that fat, and thus the shape of your leg changes, but the fat will still be there.
As the saying goes, abs are made in the kitchen.
4. I'm following the South Beach Paleo Ketogenic Slim-Fast diet. Are you aware of it?
Yes I'm aware of it, and I'm also aware that because you're following a fad diet and not making a lifestyle change. So you'll lose weight, then after the diet is "over" you will resume your old eating habits, and then get fat again.
Don't think so? I wrote about this last week here.
Dieting is an ugly word for most people. So the key is to understand what your daily eating habits need to look like in order for you to lose weight, and keep weight off. Because of my last article about food addiction, I feel like for most people, that's going to be quite the uphill battle. However it's infinitely harder if you're using a fad diet to lose weight. Because a fad diet isn't a long term solution to your lifelong problem.
5. You can't get strong doing all those reps. If you want to lift strong, you gotta lift heavy weights.
If you want to develop strength maximally, yes, at some point you'll need to lift heavy weights. However strength can certainly be developed through rep sets. 5's and 8's were the bread and butter for elite powerlifters for decades in regards to building their strength base.
Lifting light weights, like pink dumbbells and shit, won't get you strong, no. But you can get brutally strong lifting 70-85% of your 1 rep max for lots of reps and lots of sets.
6. I don't want to get bulky. I just want to tone.
This is usually uttered by women, but I've heard guys say this shit too.
Do you know what "tone" is? Muscle hypertrophy. That means, growing or increasing the size of a muscle. For women, this is what changes the shape of their body. Makes their ass round and legs TOIGHT.
Women have told me "I don't want to lift weights like a man." What does this even mean? You mean you don't want to train hard, or actually put some weight on the bar? Listen, you're in the gym to build muscle. If you want a floppy bologna ass then by all means, take up running and never do any weight training. Become the proverbial cardio bunny that ends up with a skinny-fat body. Muscle is what gives your body SHAPE. When you avoid getting stronger, then you avoid changing the shape of your body.
That "tone" you are looking for, comes from squats, presses, chin ups, rows, and other compound movements.
If you want to look like a sexual goddess then yes, "train like a man."
There are lots of women that are "bulky" that don't lift weights, because they spend all their spare time lifting tacos and cheesecakes.
As for guys that say this crap, I don't know how to respond. If you want to look like Jeff Seid, that's your prerogative. I just don't know how to do that because I always wanted to looked jacked and manly. If you can put a t-shirt on and no one can tell that you lift weights, and that's what you want, then that is your right. I just choose another path. And it involves a significant amount of muscle and strength.
7. How much do you bench?
Whatever it is, I know you benched that for reps when you were in highschool. That or your uncles old roommate had a cousin that knew a guy that was in prison with a guy that was related to a guy that used to work at Jiffy Lube that benched 900 for 10.
8. What kinda protein you on, dawg?
I get asked this in various forms, but generally what they are asking is what kind of protein powder they can take to look like me.
I always tell them to eat food, and they look at me like I asked them to visit my uncle in prison for conjugal visits.
This is because for decades now the supplement industry has told us that to get really big or really lean we MUST have this protein powder in order to accomplish that.
I'm not saying protein powder doesn't serve as a useful tool, but if your eating isn't in order then it's not going to do a whole lot. It's no different than taking a multi-vitamin and expecting that to completely cover your daily needs when your diet isn't.
Diet first, supplements are supplements. Go look up what the word "supplement" means.
9. I want to turn all this fat into muscle.
This is the flip side of the "all that muscle will turn to fat."
This is almost always a dude that is fairly chub, or even quite fat, and believes that his 300 pounds of slop can somehow be magically transformed into 300 pounds of sex.
I have heard this from women too however. It's just phrased differently.
"Well I weigh the same but my trainer said I lost 10 pounds of fat and gained 10 pounds of muscle."
I'm glad you enjoy the bullshit sammiches your trainer serves you. I'm glad you eat that up so readily and with a full heart and open mouth.
Fat can be lost at an exponentially faster rate than muscle can be gained. Losing 10 pounds of fat might only take 6 weeks. Gaining 10 pounds of lean mass, depending on the experience level of the lifter, can take a year or five.
Outside of a sheer novice, you're not going to gain muscle and lose fat. Not at any significant degree. Generally speaking, when you're dieting to lose fat, the best you can hope for is to retain the muscle you built. More than likely, depending on the length and severity of the diet, you will lose some.
10. You need to do certain exercises to shape the muscle.
You can overdevelop a muscle, or it can be underdeveloped.
You cannot however, change the shape of a muscle. The shape of your muscles were determined as soon as dad bust loose inside of mom, and you beat the rest of the swimmers out.
This is a myth that goes way way back. Larry Scott played a huge part in this in my opinion because he did the shit out of some preacher curls, and basically credited that movement to giving him those full biceps.
 |
| Short biceps or not, Franco was jacked |
Well Franco Columbu could have done those "Scott curls" until the cows came home, and he was never going to have long, full biceps like Larry Scott. Yet this didn't stop bodybuilders, even as recent as the 80's and 90's from basing their routines around doing a myriad of movements in order to "shape the muscle".
What eventually gives the appearance of a new shape, as I noted, is over developing certain muscles. So you can sort of present the illusion that the shape has changed, but it really hasn't.
You can't make muscles longer, nor can you "etch" a new shape out of them. You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit.
You just keep training and build on what you were born with.
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