Streching.

Is streching really that important?Everything you need to know about stretching.

Bruce Randall

Bruce Randall and his amazing transformation.

The Preacher Curl

One of the best exercises for the biceps.If you're having trouble with the lower parts of your biceps then this exercise is definately for you!

Overtraining.

Do you have symptoms of overtraining?Are you tired all the time?Did you hit a plateau recently?It might be overtraiing.

Caffeine

Coffee as a pre-workout supplement.Will it help you build muscle?

Showing posts with label hypertrophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hypertrophy. Show all posts

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Effective Hypertrophy Workout Routine

Are you looking for a new routine to challenge your muscles, and want to be in the gym every day?
Give this one a try.
It's a hypertrophy five day split consisting of intense back to back workouts that will tear muscle fibers and force your muscles into growth! And of course there is a two day rest period.
  • Day 1 - chest, abs
  • Day 2 - back
  • Day 3 - legs
  • Day 4 - shoulders, traps, abs
  • Day 5 - arms
  • Day 6 - rest
  • Day 7 - rest

Day One Workout

  1. Incline Bench Press - 4 sets of 8 reps
  2. Flat Barbell Bench Press - 4 sets of 8 reps
  3. Incline Dumbbell Press - 4 sets of 8
  4. Pec-deck - 4 sets of 10 reps
  5. Crunches - 3 sets of 30 reps
  6. Leg Raise - 3 sets of 30 reps

Day Two Workout

  1. Barbell Row - 4 sets of 8 reps
  2. Pull ups - 4 sets of 10 reps
  3. Dead lift - 4 sets of 8 reps
  4. Seated Cable Rows - 3 sets of 8 reps
  5. Hyper extension - 3 sets of 20 reps

Day Three Workout

  1. Squats - 4 sets of 10 reps
  2. Dumbbell Lunges - 4 sets of 10 reps
  3. Leg Extensions - 4 sets of 10 reps
  4. Hamstring Curls - 4 sets of 10 reps
  5. Calf Raises - 4 sets of 12-15 reps

Day Four Workout

  1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 4 sets of 8 reps
  2. Dumbbell Lateral Raises - 3 sets of 8 reps
  3. Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raises - 3 sets of 8 reps
  4. Shrugs - 4 sets of 10 reps
  5. Crunches - 3 sets of 30 reps
  6. Leg Raises - 3 sets of 30 reps

Day Five Workout

  1. Close Grip Bench Press - 3 sets of 8 reps
  2. Skull Crushers - 3 sets of 8 reps
  3. Cable Push downs - 3 sets of 8 reps
  4. Barbell Curls - 3 sets of 8 reps
  5. Dumbbell Curls - 3 sets of 8 reps
  6. Concentration Curls - 3 sets of 8 reps

Contraindications:

  • This workout routine is not for beginners, this is a routine for intermediate and advanced lifters.You will make much faster progress on a full body beginner routine if you're indeed a beginner, this routine is suited for more experienced individuals.
  • This routines aim is hypertrophy, it will not build as much strength as for example a 5x5 routine.
Abs are trained twice a week, since they are a weaker muscle group in most people.Try to increase the weight every week.Rest two minutes in between sets and three minutes in between exercises.
Ask any questions you might have in the comment section bellow.

Good luck!


Thursday, October 31, 2013

Decline Barbell Bench Press

The Decline Barbell Bench Press is a compound chest exercise that focuses on the lower heads of the pectoral muscles.It is a good exercise for hypertrophy as well as strength. Performing the Decline Bench carries some risks, so its use is not recommended for beginners. The movement should be performed with a spotter and clipped weights.

The decline bench press is closer to the kinesiology of a regular push up compared to the flat bench press, so the two movements are interchangeable to a certain extent .

Contraindications :


  • Avoid the movement if you have shoulder injuries.

Muscles

Target

  • Pectoralis Major, Sternal

Synergists

  • Pectoralis Major, Clavicular
  • Deltoid, Anterior
  • Triceps Brachii

Dynamic Stabilizers

  • Biceps Brachii, Short Head

Variations

The different options for the Decline Barbell Bench Press can be:

  • Power lifting method - most often aiming for the shortest range of motion
  • Classic - full ROM
  • Shoulder (shoulders are forward and inward toward the ears) - Stay away from this one! If you're looking to train your shoulders consider other more reasonable exercises.

Grip

  • The decline press must only be done with a locked grip, never utilize the thumb less(suicide) grip while performing this exercise.Any attempts to do so will end badly.
  • Wide overhand grip - mostly combined with partial ROM . Completely bodybuilding oriented.
  • Shoulder width overhand grip - the most popular power option.
  • Wide underhand grip - a very dangerous variation, should not be attempted without two spotters to follow the descend of the bar.Leave this one to the pros.
  • Shoulder width underhand grip - advanced technique. For this one you'll need at least one spotter to stay with you through the movement and to rack and unrack the bar for you.

Range of motion(ROM)

  • Full ROM -the standard and preferred variation.
  • Partial upper or lower half of the range of motion.

Method of execution

preparation

  1. Select desired bench tilt and rack the bar on a proper height.
  2. Choose a grip that suits the width of your shoulders and coincides with your training goals.
  3. Arch your back and get your shoulders down and back, lock the shoulder girdle. It must remain locked in that position through the whole movement.

performance

  1. Lower bar to upper chest.
  2. Stop right before the bar touches your chest, at this point elbows should be at a 90 degree angle.
  3. Press bar until arms are extended. 
  4. Repeat.

Comments and recommendations


  • Never try to unrack a bar that's too high or too low from the working position.It will end badly.
  • If the bar is too far from hooks, leave it with your spotter.
  • Do not turn your head sideways while performing the movement.
  • Do not allow your shoulders to descend to your ears . If this happens, then the serratus and the small pectoral muscles can't take that much weight, so lower it.

Relevancy

Fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts may include the exercise in their chest workout, while utilizing a more muscle building oriented variation. And if you want strength and power you can use the Decline Barbell Bench Press to improve performance as well as stability of the chest and shoulder girdle .
(sources:exrx.net)

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Chris Jones Workout Routine For Size

Beast Mode Jones
Since my Matt Ogus workout routine post became quite popular,I though "why don't I make one for his arch nemesis Chris Jones".

A lot of people are trying to find the exact routine, the problem is that Chris changes his routine on a monthly(sometimes even weekly) basis, so it's pretty hard to pinpoint his actual routine most of the time.

But I did my best to get it all in order, keep in mind this isn't his actual current routine, it's from a few months back, I'm sure he made some changes, but the "core" should be the same.

What to expect.


  • Volume.If you've watched the POG channel, you know that they always mess with extremely high volume, so if you're afraid of work this routine isn't for you;
  • Drop sets, Pyramid sets, Super sets, Pre-Exhaust sets, Going to failure, Forced Reps, Curls for the girls this routine has it all.Chris has always been a believer in the hard work mindset and everything I've listed above "Don't complain about lack of results if you did not work for em"C.Jones;
  • And of course, last but not least, expect results;

The Routine:

Chest&Traps
Legs
Incline Bench Press 5 Pyramid Sets
Leg Extensions 3 sets 10-12 reps(knee warm-up, pump and pre-exhaust quads)
Flat Bench Press 4 Pyramid Sets, 4th Drop set
Front Squats 4 Pyramid Sets
Incline Hammer Press 3 sets 8-12 reps
Super Squats 4 sets of 8 reps
Flat Hammer Press 3 sets 8-12 reps
Leg Press 4 sets of 8-10 reps
Cable Crossover 4 sets 10-15reps
Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift 5 sets 8 reps
Cable Upright Row 4 sets 8-12 reps
Shoulders
Shrugs 4 sets 8-12 reps
Dumbbell Press 4 sets 4-8 reps
Back&Forearms
Side Laterals 3 sets 15 reps
Barbell Rows 3 sets 6-10 reps
Seated Side Laterals 3 sets 15 reps
Cable Rows 3 sets 8-12 reps
Front Raises 3 sets 6-8reps
T-bar Rows 3 sets 6-10 reps
Rear Delt Flies 3 sets 10-12 reps
Hammer Rows 3 sets 8-12 reps
Rear Dealt Machine 3 sets 10-15 reps
Weighted Pullups 3 sets of 6-10 reps
Arms:
Close Grip Pulldowns 3 sets 6-10 reps
CGBP & Barbell Curls 4 sets 8-10 reps Superset
Pullover Machine 3 sets 10-12 reps
Dips & Preacher Curls 4 sets 8-10 reps Superset
Rack Pulls/Weighted Hyper-extensions
3 sets 6-10 reps
Overhead Triceps Extensions & Hammer Curls 4 sets 10-12 reps Superset
Forearm Wrist Curls 3 sets 10-15 reps
One Arm Pressdowns & Reverse Curls 4 sets 10-12 reps Superset
Reverse Wrist Curls 3 sets 10-15 reps

Monday – Chest  

Tuesday- Back

Wednesday  
  • morning – Legs  
  • night - Shoulders
Thursday -Off

Friday-Arms

Saturday- Legs

Sunday – Off

Super sets

  • Doing two exercises back to back, without any rest in between.
Drop sets

  • Reducing weight after failure to be able to do more reps with lighter weight.
Example:A person is performing barbell curls with 50lbs, once that person can't do any more repetitions without compromising form the weight is reduced to 40lbs and the set continues.
-In this routines dropsets the weight should be reduced twice.
Pyramid sets

  • A progression from lighter high repetition sets to heavier lower rep sets.With weight being added every subsequent set.
Example:
1st set:200lbs 12 reps
2nd set:210lbs 9 reps
3rd set:220lbs 6 reps

Warm-up

Always warm-up before starting your workout.
A good warm-up would be 3-5 minutes of light stretching and 3-5 sets of 10 reps with very light weight of
your first compound exercise.

What about abs?

Do 3 sets of your two favorite ab exercises at the end of leg/shoulder day.

Do's and Don'ts


  • Do not run this routine if you're a beginner, this is an advanced routine, it's definitely not a routine for beginners.There are many routines out there that are much better suited for beginners and will provide faster and safer results.
  • Do not skip workout days, this is an obvious one, yet I'll say it again.You can't expect to get results if you skip every second workout.
  • Don't skip rest days.
  • You can add an additional exercise for a lagging muscle group.
  • Use good form on all exercises.
  • Make sure you're getting enough sleep.

Supplements:


  • Creatine Monohydrate
  • BCAAs
  • Protein Powder
  • Multivitamin

Keep in mind these aren't mandatory, if you're already getting enough protein from your diet you might not need to buy a tub of protein powder, the same goes for the multivitamin.
You can and will build muscle without them.

Comments and recommendations


  • For this routine to be effective you should be in a caloric surplus and you need to have your protein in check.
  • Since this routine has so much volume deload weeks must be done often and taken seriously.
  • Just because you're on CJs routine doesn't mean you'll look like him, everyone is different and to be honest this routine is best suited for Chris himself. So find your weak points and take care of them, as I mentioned earlier you can add an extra exercise for a lagging muscle group. Do it.
  • If you find yourself struggling with the amount of volume, don't worry about it. After a short period of time your body will adapt.(that is of course if you're an experienced lifter, again this is not a routine for beginners).
  • With this routine you'll be hitting your muscles from so many angles that you'll be pretty much destroying as much muscle fibers as possible every workout. In other words this is a great workout routine for hypertrophy and sheer size. For that reason it is best done during the bulking season.
Good luck!
(sources:POG)
An easily printable version of the routine:
Chest&Traps
Legs
Incline Bench Press 5 Pyramid Sets
Leg Extensions 3x10-12
Flat Bench Press 4 Pyramid Sets, 4th Drop set
Front Squats 4 Pyramid Sets
Incline Hammer Press 3x8-12
Super Squats 4x8
Flat Hammer Press 3x8-12
Leg Press 4x8-10 reps
Cable Crossover 4x10-15
Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift 5x8 reps
Cable Upright Row 4x8-12
Shoulders
Shrugs 4x8-12
Dumbbell Press 4x4-8 reps
Back&Forearms
Side Laterals 3x15 reps
Barbell Rows 3x6-10
Seated Side Laterals 3x15 reps
Cable Rows 3x8-12
Front Raises 3x6-8reps
T-bar Rows 3x6-10
Rear Delt Flies 3x10-12 reps
Hammer Rows 3x8-12
Rear Dealt Machine 3x10-15 reps
Weighted Pullups 3x6-10
Arms:
Close Grip Pulldowns 3x6-10
CGBP & Barbell Curls 4x8-10 Superset
Pullover Machine 3 sets 10-12
Dips & Preacher Curls 4x8-10 Superset
Rack Pulls/Weighted Hyper-extensions 3x6-10
Overhead Extensions & Hammer Curls 4x10 Superset
Forearm Wrist Curls 3x10-15
One Arm Pressdowns & Reverse Curls 4x
10-12 Superset
Reverse Wrist Curls 3x10-15

Friday, September 14, 2012

Dips



Dips in bodybuilding and fitness are an exercise used primarily to increase muscle mass on your chest and triceps and are one of the best ways to gain muscle fast. This is an exercise that any athlete can include in his/hers training regimen , regardless of their training experience. Performed on parallel bars or other specialized "dips" devices. The distance between the two bars is the determining factor of the focus of the exercise. Upon closer parallel bars the burden shifts to the triceps, and in a wider - to the chest.In the dip exercise the most load goes to the chest muscles and the inner heads of the triceps. The deltoids (shoulders) participate the least in the dip exercise.



Variations

The width of the grip -


  • Shoulder width : (narrower grip) emphasizes the triceps. 
  • In a wider grip, the target switches to the chest.

According to the slope of the body -


  • If you bend your body forward (bend your knees, cross them at the ankles and bend your body forward slightly) accentuate the chest, when the body is upright (straight, legs are not crossed), a greater load is subjected on the triceps .

According to the position of the elbow - 


  • If you move your elbows close to your body, the more load on the triceps. If your elbows are out, the more it involves the chest.
  • With added weight - If the exercise is getting too easy for you(you can do more than needed for hypertrophy), you can try adding additional weight attached to the waist belt or with a dumbbell between your ankles.

Method of execution


  1.  Go down slowly by bending arms allowing the elbows to flare to the sides until you feel a painless stretch in your chest and triceps.
  2. Return to starting position.



  • Dips put a big load on your elbows, especially when weighted dips are performed with improper form. 
  • Warm up your elbows prior to the exercise. This will reduce the risk of injury of the joins.
  • Perform the movement in its full amplitude, rather than half. Lower your body until you feel a painless stretch in your triceps and chest (here the individual feeling is very important due to the small limit of optimum stretch and hyper extension).
  • Try not to swing your body while performing the exercise. Movement should be done only at the elbow and shoulder joints.
  • Beware of sore elbows - elbow injuries in the joints are not desirable.
  • Try to keep your head up and look forward when performing dips.
  • Do not extend your arms completely during the positive part of the exercise(do not lock out your elbows). This will unnecessarily increase the load on the elbows, and will take away from the stress on the triceps.


Relevancy

The main function of the dip exercise in bodybuilding and fitness is increasing the mass of the chest and triceps. It is therefore advisable to include them in your workout, regardless of you're a beginner or an advanced fitness enthusiast.It's a great way to gain muscle without weights. If you are a beginner, include dips as your second exercise on chest/triceps day. If you are more advanced, it is best to perform dips at the end of your chest/triceps workout.If your goal is mass gain try to stay into the 6-12 rep. range.If you are able to do more than 15 then i suggest adding additional weight so you stay in the hypertrophy rep. range.



Monday, September 10, 2012

Preacher curl.

 The preacher curl is a pulling, isolated exercise that is supporting the development of the folders of the elbow joints.The movement is especially suitable for intermediate and advanced fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts.

Contraindications

People that have shoulder injuries or an injured, shoulder girdle, elbow and wrist joints should perform the preacher curl with caution.

Involved muscles.

Target

  • Brachialis


Synergists


  • Biceps Brachii
  • Brachioradialis


Stabilizers


  • Wrist Flexors


Variations

According to the instrument used:
  • With the EZ bar, Scott bench or stand - power variation
  • With straight bar, Scott bench or stand - insulation variation
  • With a dumbbell (one sided), Scott bench, stand or a folding bench seat - insulation variation enables one sided focus on muscle development imbalances (visual / functional) left and right.




Range of motion:



  • Full range of motion - the movement begins almost fully extended elbow while the forearm is in a vertical stand.
  • Partial range of motion without rest - the movement is only about peak flexion without rest in lower and upper point.
  • Partial range of motion with peace - short movement in upper or lower curve of motion.



Grip variations:



  • The width at which the elbows are placed does not change for different grips, it's always shoulder.



  • The different grips hit the two different heads in your bicep.
  • The narrow grip works the outside head (long head) and the wider grip works the inside head (short head).


Methods of execution


Preparation


  • Adjust the height and angle of the Scott bench, so that it is appropriate for your height and the length of your arms.
  • Select a bar that allows you to do a shoulder width grip.


Performance


  • Slowly bend your arms without moving your elbows, keeping arms parallel.
  • Go slowly at the bottom point.
  • Prepare for the next repetition.


Comments and recommendations


  • The preacher curl with a barbell is easily accomplished, but may be a bit of a burden for your elbows. A common mistake is the moving of the elbows during this exercise. So be careful with the weight, and form.
  • No separation of the elbows, keep them close to each other and try to keep your arms parallel. Divergence of the elbow is a sign of too much weight.
  • Do not straighten arms fully on the bottom position. You will put unnecessary strain on the elbow, and let the biceps rest. Expand hands almost, but not entirely.
  • Keep your wrists tight.
  • Before exercise warm up wrists, shoulders and elbows.


Bodybuilding and Fitness

The main use of the preacher curl is increasing the mass of the arm by stimulating the brachialis and biceps to growth. Variations with one hand are suitable for smoothing visual and functional imbalances.

Do not perform the preacher curl if you are a beginner, except under the supervision of a coach.

Intermediate fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts may include exercise as a second or third exercise on biceps day.

\




Thursday, August 23, 2012

How to achieve muscle hypertrophy to build muscle fast.

First i'd like to talk about the term hypertrophy.It is the excessive development of an organ/part.more precisely the increase in size by thickening of muscle fibers.
To achieve hypertrophy you must be staying within 8-12 rep.range for upper body and 15-25 rep range for the lower body.

Lower rep ranges are for building strength.If  you are staying within 3-5reps you will be gaining a lot of strength fast, but not as much mass.
This is the 4 time champion of the World's Strongest Man as you can see he doesn't have massive muscles and an amazing looking physique.









And this is a bodybuilder having much more massive muscles and being bigger at a much lower body fat %.










Lower reps fail to stimulate your muscles in the way that brings out hypertrophy.You must be using a weight that allows you to do a minimum of 8 reps and a maximum of 12.The only muscle in the upper body that needs a 15-25 rep range are the abdominal muscles.Lower body muscles require 15-25 rep range as well because your legs and abs are endurance muscles.