No Surrender

Last Saturday morning I had breakfast at Pier Village in Long Branch, NJ. When I left the restaurant, one individual amongst the dozens on the sidewalk caught my eye from over 100 feet away. From what I could tell he looked to be in his late 50's yet was dressed like someone in their 20's. Multiple earrings, a chain wallet, camo shorts, a long sleeve t with a short sleeve t shirt over it and sunglasses and a hat pulled low. His t-shirt even fit properly, which is the signal of a cool dude. When you are young and cool you wear fairly short (3-4 inches below the belt) t-shirts and long shorts. When you are old and/or just not cool, you strangely start increase the length of your t-shirts (5-8 inches below the belt) and decrease the length of your shorts (above the knee). This is something that I never understood and have been trying recently to pinpoint exactly when this happened. Nowadays when I hang out with my dad and his friends they are all dressed like me and my friends were when we were going to a Naughty By Nature concert back in '93. Except with short shorts and loafers. But the XXXL shirts are in full effect. Think Sly Stallone in that racing movie about 5-8 years back. When I get sucked into watching golf with him, I notice that all the 40-50 year old golfers are also rocking this look. I was happy to see Tiger Woods recently wearing a shirt that fit him. Hopefully he can bring this trend to an end.

But I digress...

As this mysterious figure got closer, I thought "who the hell is this dude?". When he first caught my eye he was walking out of Gold's Gym and it was apparent that he had just worked out. For some reason I couldn't look away because I just wanted to see what this guy looked like up close. I also was hoping that I would be cool enough to still dress like that at his age.

When he got within two feet of me I still couldn't make out his face that clearly. He was about 5'9" at best and 165lbs. When he nearly brushed shoulders with me I realized it was Bruce. Now if you're from Jersey you don't need the last name; if you are not, it was Bruce Springsteen (If you're from the NY/NJ area you also know that there is only one LT and he wore number 56 not number 21). Since Born In The USA was the first tape I ever owned (as I once mentioned HERE)
and I have been a huge fan for over 20 years, I was star struck for one of the rare times in my life. We both walked into the same coffee shop and nearly plowed into each other en route to the counter. Nobody recognized him and I didn't want to draw attention so I quietly patted him on the back and thanked him for all the years of great music. He shook my hand and thanked me with the trademark gravely voice and was on his way.

Shortly afterward, I recalled how my friends dad used to tell me about stories of training in the same gym as Bruce down the shore all through the 80's when he lived in the area. Apparently he was in the gym four days per week, religiously, lifting and doing cardio. It was great to see that all these years later, The Boss is still training as hard as ever.

Unfortunately I still hear excuses from countless people that they are too old or too banged up. You're not. You're never too old to start training and no matter how old you get you should never stop.

I walked into Golds afterward to check it out since I intended to train before going to the beach. It was a little to pretty for my liking and I instead chose Jakes Gym down the street but while I was there I asked the guy at the front desk how often Bruce comes in. He told me he was there at least 4-5 days per week lifting, doing cardio (since he is "Born to Run"), stretching or a combination of all of the above.

If The Boss can do it at 57 years old, you can too. "No retreat, baby, no surrender..."

The "Athletic Look"

One of my favorite scams in the fitness industry is the idea that using tools such as kettlebells, Swiss balls, medicine balls or any other non traditional type equipment will help you build an "athletic looking physique." It's a cute little line and will definitely hook some people in. It's great marketing, actually. But here's the problem; your muscles have an origin and insertion and the way they look or will look when you make the bigger is predetermined at birth. It is impossible to shape or change a muscle. It's genetics, plain and simple. This lie is just about as bad as the old 80's idea that you can actually peak your biceps or other such nonsense. If one twin used kettlebells and the other used Hammer Strength machines for 16 weeks and they each gained ten pounds of muscle and lost ten pounds of fat, who do you think would have the more athletic looking physique? The answer is obvious to anyone who knows the first thing about anatomy. NEITHER! They would both look exactly the same. There are only two things you can do to enhance the way you look; make your muscles bigger and reduce your bodyfat. THAT'S IT! You can not shape them and make yourself look more athletic.

It's just like the lie that the yoga and pilates people tell you; they will help you build "long, lean muscles." They somehow have done what scientists could not; come up with a way to actually lengthen muscles. So if I start pilates today at six feet tall, I should be at least 6'4" by this time next year according to that theory. It's really an embarrassment for these lies to be told.

If I had to define an "athletic look" I would say that for most males it's around 200 pounds with single digit bodyfat. Huge pecs signify bodybuilder in an instant and are a terrible look. Huge arms also scream bodybuilder and make you look like an unathletic, narcissistic douche. A lean but muscular midsection, a well developed back (thickness is more important than width if you want to look athletic and avoid the bodybuilder stereotype), proportioned but not overly developed pecs and arms and most importantly, a well developed set of traps make up the ideal athletic look. This can be achieved with barbells and dumbbells, just like it has forever.

It's ridiculous to think that if you train with kettlebells you will somehow end up looking like an NFL wide receiver but if you train with barbells you will somehow end up looking like the guy pictured above. Kettlebells are just a tool, nothing more, nothing less. And to be honest, there are really only about a handful of exercises that you can do with kettlebells that you can't with dumbbells.

If you want an athletic looking physique you need to build muscle and lose bodyfat. Period. The end. To find out the most effective way to do this as quickly as possible click HERE now.

Creating the Optimal Training Environment

A colleague of mine recently emailed me to ask about how I train football players in the summer. Below is a small portion of our exchange...
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I know you will disagree with a few of the exercises used but as I said I am a realist and guys ALWAYS want to do curls so I give them a few sets a week. It makes them happy. I eliminated it for a while and guys were pissed and always asked when we could do arms. I believe in making everyone happy. Guys like to get a good pump too.

I definitely agree with you on making training as safe as possible. Alwyn and I have discussed this endlessly. The main reason I have been successful and have had every guy from 4 surrounding towns in my facility, while even having a multi million dollar TEST facility right down the street is not only because of the results I produce but because of the atmosphere in my gym. Everybody loves coming there because it's so completely different than everywhere else they ever went. The music, the attitude, the camaraderie, competition, etc.

But there's a fine line between creating the perfect competitive, hardcore training environment and doing what is safest and most productive. I don't necessarily have a problem with you using front squats over back squats per se, it's just that most of my guys love to squat and the majority of them get tested on squats with their high school, college or pro teams. For that reason alone, you have to back squat. Also, most people hate doing front squats so I don't torture them. I definitely limit the use of extremely heavy deads to only the most competent guys who can do them with perfect form.

Another example is going to failure or just training too hard in general. Here's the thing with going to failure that most people haven’t figured out yet. Most guys are either on one side or the other of that fence.

If you are just training for hypertrophy/bodybuilding you can go to failure.
Not death set/nervous breakdown failure but you can go til you can’t do another rep. In fact, it may be more productive to go to failure in this case. Even then, nothing is cut and dry and there are certain exceptions but that is generally the rule.

If you are training strictly for performance and strength, you cant go to failure all the time. If you do so on week one, I can guarantee you will be fucked by week three and probably by week two.

However, and here is how this ties into training atmosphere, if no guys ever worked their asses off and pushed it to the limits in the gym I'm not sure that creates the kind of environment that competitive athletes can't wait to get to every day. If you just did jumps and Oly lifts and split squats and never busted your fucking ass (or got a biceps pump once in awhile) I honestly don't think guys would like it as much.

There is also the mental aspect to it. When guys show up at camp in August they are going to get shit on. Coaches are going to put them through hell. I think they need to be mentally ready for that and feel like they outworked everyone on that field. They need that mental edge and chip on their shoulder to be able to say “fuck you, I busted my ass this summer and outworked all you motherfuckers.”

BUT... going to failure and beyond all the time probably slows down your progress. So where do you draw the line? This is what I always try to play with and am always getting closer to what is optimal.

I know for a fact that one of the best ways of training may be to go all out for three weeks and take the fourth week completely off. You won’t lose a thing. But at the end of the year you may actually make more progress and feel better. The body actually needs way less training than most of us realize. You could probably take half the year off and still make great progress.

If you need athletes to go all out in the weight room to prepare them for what they will face on the field maybe that is the best option right there- 3 wks on, 1 wk completely off.

But how do you fit that into a business model? You would have to have them feel like they were doing something that week or they would hate it. Maybe just stretch, foam roller and whatever else you could fill up 3 hours with?

I don’t have all the answers; just lots of thoughts.

Who Comes Up With This Stuff?

I was asked recently about some of the biggest misconceptions and excuses that exist when it comes to building muscle. Read on for my answers...

Question: There is a lot of conflicting training advice out there online, in books, on TV and especially in magazines. What do you think the top myths or misconceptions regarding weight training are?

Answer: That you need a high volume of training. This is a myth that has been passed down from one generation to the next and people continue to blindly follow this protocol without thinking rationally. There is no hard evidence anywhere that you need to use high volume training to get bigger and stronger. Sure lots of guys with great genetics and/or a great pharmacist make progress on high volume training but that doesn’t mean it’s the right way to train.

That you need to hit muscles from a multitude of angles for full development.

That you need a full dynamic warm up before weight training. You don’t. Before sprinting, yes; before lifting, no.

That bodypart splits are the most effective way to train.

Another misconception is that you need a boatload of supplements to make great progress. The bottom line truth is that most supplements suck and do nothing but drain your wallet.

Another sad misconception is that you can’t make great progress without steroids. This is a self defeatist attitude and is simply not true.



Question: Other comments that I have heard coaches say are that the only way to put on any muscle size, is really going to be based on genetics. So they are saying for example that skinny kids can’t and will never be able to put on size.

Answer: That’s the biggest copout under the sun and an excuse that really makes me sick. Genetics are responsible for how far you may eventually go but the fact of the matter is most people will never truly reach their genetic potential. If you use this excuse it shows the world that you have no heart whatsoever and are destined for failure. Using the hard-gainer excuse as a crutch will guarantee you sub par results in your training from now til eternity.

I have some of the worst muscle building genetics imaginable but I never let that hold me back. I have also trained some genetic misfits who made incredible progress and eventually were getting asked what steroids they were on. This is because they had the balls to train like they needed to and had the dedication to eat and rest as much as was needed. Most people simply don’t have what it takes; so the only genetic capacity they may be missing is mental toughness.

For a coach or trainer to say or write that is even worse than just the average trainee or athlete saying that. Making a comment like that shows that you have no heart and no balls, and in that case you should never, EVER be coaching or training ANYONE!

Question: It has been said as you get older it get harder and harder to put on size and strength. Some even say that it can’t be done. What do you say to older athletes or even coaches that say this?

Answer: This is just like the hard-gainer excuse; it’s nonsense. One of my good friends is named Mark Crook (his brother Paul played guitar in Anthrax for seven years and is now lead guitarist for Meatloaf) and we first met right after his 40th birthday when he came to me to help him get bigger and stronger. He took his bench from 155 to 275 in one year and gained over 20lbs of muscle. Mark’s enthusiasm led to a friend of his coming in to my gym a year later and he experienced similar gains. I have had several guys in their 40’s and 50’s experience tremendous gains in size and strength over the years.

It may not happen as fast and as easily as it does for a 20 year old but it can be done. You just have to take into account that your recovery ability may be a bit lower and as such you need to keep your volume lower and be very smart with your training.

Also, you have to remember that most guys don’t even hit their strength peak til sometime around 30 or so. Most of the biggest and strongest guys I know are all in their mid to late 30’s. So the day you hit 40, this doesn’t just do a complete 180 and you shouldn’t be on your training deathbed at 50. Just keep training hard and if you believe you will get stronger then you will.
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For real muscle building info without the nonsense, go HERE now.

Weekend Observations

- For the second weekend in a row I trained in a public gym. As far as public gym experiences go it actually wasn't too bad. I was training with my brother and my good friend Mark Crook, both of whom I haven't trained with in over a year so the motivation and energy was high. We actually had a great workout and I was able to block out the tv's surrounding and whatever was playing on the stereo.

- It's nice when public gyms keep the music low. This allows you to wear your headphones without having to turn it up so loud that you blow out your eardrums and have a headache for the next five hours after training. A gym I train clients at in New York isn't so kind and on the rare occasion that I trained there I screwed up my hearing for the entire day trying to drown out whatever hideous excuse for music they had blaring through the speakers.

- As far as machines go, the Hammer Strength row and pulldown pieces are pretty damn good. I have only used these a few times in my life and forgot how much I enjoyed using them. If you have them in your gym, I recommend giving them a try on occasion. They will never replace free weights but are a nice change of pace and give you a pretty sick pump...if you're into that kind of thing.

- I've said it before and I'll say it again; the most important factor is not what program you use, what supplements you use, how you train, when you train, what you train, BUT... WHO YOU TRAIN WITH. You can do HIT, Westside, bodypart splits, whatever. It doesn't matter if you are training in the wrong environment with the wrong people. You can use the best program in the world but if you don't have a good training partner or partners, your results will never be as good as they could be. You could also do the worst program in the world with a great training partner and you will get results. The environment and atmosphere is important but let's face it, hardcore gyms are few and far between these days. As long as you can find a good training partner or two you can get the job done at the freakin Ritz. I had a great workout in Chicago last weekend with my friends and colleagues John Alvino, Keith Scott and Craig Ballantyne in a way-too-pretty gym. It didn't matter though because we all competed and made it a great workout.

- If you train hard and with good training partners, you can't do high volume training. There is no need for it and you physically won't be capable of it.

- People consume way too much artificial crap. Living on butter sprays and nutra sweet flavored drinks isn't exactly healthy.

- Rock Star and vodka is way better than Red Bull and vodka. I made this discovery in Chicago last weekend and reinforced that opinion this weekend.

- For some reason the instructions "the wetter the better" or "as sloppy as possible" don't seem to always get through. I have decided to start saying "I want you and the whole scene down there to look like a sliming from Ghostbusters just took place." Hopefully that will get the message across.

- For years I wrestled with the fact that girls in their early 20's are so irresistibly hot yet usually don't really have much to say. It's part of the torture of my existence. And then this weekend I had an epiphany while tailgating and being surrounded by them for four hours. For the first time I finally realized that... girls in their early 20's are so irresistibly hot yet usually don't really have much to say. Life is good...

Fat Loss Tips from Craig Ballantyne

I'm not a "low-carb guy" by any means, but I have found something that works wonders for fat loss. And it does involve cutting back on whole-grains.

Back in December, I substituted more fruits and vegetables for any whole-grains in my diet, and I was as lean as I've been in years with this approach. So if you're trying to lose fat and look better than ever this summer, try this approach.

Here are some easy changes to make.

a) Instead of having toast for breakfast, have an apple.

b) Usually have a side of rice at lunch? Have 1 cup of broccoli.

c) Typically have a bowl of cereal at night? Have an orange and an ounce of pecans (or walnuts or almonds), instead.

Think I'm out to lunch?

Check this study ...

(For science nerds like me, here's the reference: Amer. J. Clin.
Nutr. 85: 1465-1477, 2007.)

Woman on a low-fat diet that ate more fruits and vegetables lost
more fat than another group of woman on only the low-fat diet.

After 1-year, the low-fat, fruits and vegetables group (LF-FV) lost more weight than another group of woman on the low-fat (LF) diet only.

Why?

The LF-FV group reported being less hungry, thanks to being able to eat more food than the LF group.

So you'll eat fewer calories if you are filling up on fruits and
vegetables, while keeping un-necessary fat out of the diet.

And isn't the summer a great time to implement this program? With watermelon, berries, apples, and cherries all in great abundance, you can satisfy your sweet tooth naturally, while burning fat with the Turbulence Training fat loss workouts at home.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Nutrition Rules

Here are a few easy to follow nutrition rules that will help you build a bigger, leaner physique:

• Eat every 2-3 hours. This keeps you in an anabolic state and keeps your metabolism running along so that you don’t get fat.

• Build your meals around a base of lean protein and shoot for one gram per pound of bodyweight per day. The only time you would need more than this is when you are dieting and your carbs are extremely low.

• Eat vegetables at every meal except breakfast. Not only are they incredibly healthy and provide tons of nutrients and fiber but they slow down the absorption of your meals leading to less bodyfat accumulation.

• Eat organic whenever possible. There is so much crap in the food we eat today that it is really a smart decision to eat organic as often as you can.

• Avoid sugars, artificial sweeteners and saturated fats as much as possible. Some saturated fat in meats is ok, but really try to cut out the sugar and artificial sweeteners.

• Eat carbs at breakfast and around your workout. Cut out carbs at night.

• Drink at least a half gallon of water per day. A gallon is usually better, especially in the summer.

• Watch your sodium intake. And when I say that I mean it in the opposite way that most people and doctors would think I mean it. I mean to be sure your sodium intake is adequate. This is especially true for athletes who play in the summer time. Without adequate sodium levels your performance can suffer. Adequate sodium levels also help to maintain strength while dieting.

For more in depth nutritional info check out MuscleGainingSecrets.com

Classic...

Watch the Teeth

You have to listen to your body. Sometimes you get the gym, start warming up and realize you just don't have it in you that day. You have two options when this happens. You can listen to your body and just go home and put your workout off until tomorrow or you can try to get psyched up and plow through your workout. If you love training it's a tough decision sometimes.

It's kinda like deciding whether or not to utter those three words...

"Watch the teeth."

If you say nothing, chances are that it could get better... or it could get worse. Or maybe it just remains the same and you realize how lucky you are to be in that position in the first place so you just battle through the painful pleasure. But what if you say those three words? One of two things will happen; it will either get way better or it will immediately be over because no one likes to be told they are doing a bad job. This is a very, very, very difficult decision to make and one that I have wrestled with many times in my life. It is huge reward vs. huge risk.

Since I don't believe in doing anything half assed and would rather not do it at all then do it wrong, I always opt to utter those three risky words. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. But I think it's a risk you have to take.

Just like when you are feeling shitty and know that your workout is going to suck that day. Simply pack up and leave. It's just not worth having teeth marks, I mean a crappy workout that really does nothing but impede your progress. It doesn't make you tougher to fight through so don't bother doing it.

I should note that this should only happen on a very rare occasion (like once a month) where you feel so bad that you can't train effectively and make progress. Don't use this as an excuse to skip every other workout; just remember that everyone has a bad day on occasion and you have to listen to your body. Especially when there is biting involved...

CNS Fatigue- Real or Just Another Excuse For The Weak?

I have been getting a lot of questions about CNS fatigue lately so I thought I would take this time to address the issue once and for all.

The CNS controls everything; if it’s fried your performance is going to suck. So you have to be careful about CNS intensive methods and allowing for proper recovery of the CNS. CNS intensive training methods are the max effort method in which you are lifting extremely heavy weights for a max or near max attempt and the dynamic effort method in which you are lifting light weights very fast. Sprinting and all types of plyos are also CNS intensive activities.

Ideally, you never want to perform two CNS intensive workouts on back to back days. The nervous system needs adequate recovery and although you may not be sore the next day after a CNS intensive workout, that doesn’t mean that you are ready to train.

So if you do a 1 rep max squat on Monday you need to do something like repetition upper body work and/or some light running drills or cardio or whatever on Tuesday. What you don’t want to do is sprint, jump or lift heavy again. You should ideally separate CNS intensive days by 48 hours. Therefore if you have to incorporate sprints into the weekly schedule it is usually best to do them as a double session on your max effort days. So on Monday morning you would run your sprints and then on Monday night you would do your max effort squats. If you are really pressed for time you could do a short sprint workout outside and then walk into the gym for your max squats.

If you are simply training for bodybuilding this is not as important but if you are training for strength/performance this rule needs to be taken under strict consideration.

While CNS recovery is important to consider I should also point out that it has gotten to be a very hot topic recently and I think some people may be taking it too far. Actually, I know they are taking it too far. It’s good to constantly make advances and stay up to date on the latest scientific discoveries and apply them to our training but we never want to get too caught up in this either. If your schedule doesn’t work out perfectly with the structure of CNS intensive days and non CNS intensive days, don’t freak out about it. When we were growing up we didn’t know anything about this and we were all ok. I used to jump, trying to touch the rim at least fifty times per day in high school. And when I finally got there, I continued to jump fifty times per day trying to dunk for the next few years. That was high intensity plyos being done 365 days per year and you know what happened? My vertical went up.

Walter Payton was probably the greatest running back of all time and he famously did hill sprints every single day of every off season. Would he have been better if he skipped a day between? Who knows? But the point I am trying to make is that you have to always be aware of and take into consideration the science, but never be afraid of hard work and breaking the rules when you have to; we don’t live in a perfect world. The guy who works harder than anyone else will always have an advantage over the science geek who worries about and plans his training to the T. It’s like Rocky versus Ivan Drago…

Years ago nobody ever discussed or heard of CNS fatigue or adrenal fatigue and now everybody and their mother is worried about it and is p*ssy footing around like a bunch of school girls. Get over it. If you drink too much coffee and don’t always get ten hours of sleep and get stressed out on occasion and train harder than everyone you know, it aint gonna kill ya. You’ll be fine. I don’t know who is writing this stuff but I keep getting questions about it and now I feel bad that I ever mentioned it in the first place. It just gives the weak another excuse to remain weak.

Yes, CNS and adrenal fatigue are real issues and you should be concerned about avoiding both of them by trying to adhere to the rules I listed above. But the reality is most people just need to learn how to train harder and smarter and stop making excuses.

Besides, rules are made to be broken. Right?

JF
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MuscleGainingSecrets.com

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Muscle Gaining Secrets- An Unbiased Review

I received this email today and wanted to share it with everyone. When I write I always try to abide by what the sign says; no sucking allowed. Thankfully it seems that I somehow managed to abide by that rule according to all the great feedback we have been getting recently. Thanks to everyone who has emailed and please keep them coming.
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“I have read Jason's new e-book and I must say that every hardcore trainee, beginner through advanced, and trainers should do the same. It can save the beginner or intermediate trainee years of frustration and even may give the advanced trainee and fitness professional some new ideas or insights in training. In regards to training, Jason goes through it all, from how to structure your training split depending on your training age and fitness and athletic goals, to selecting repetitions and sets, to manipulating volume, frequency, and intensity, and even to weekly, monthly, and yearly planning. One of the great things about this book is that all of the information you need is given to you so that you can design your OWN programs for the rest of your life. Every accomplished lifter and athlete knows this is the path to success: knowing how to train yourself, knowing what to do at the right time.

Most of you will also enjoy the fact that Jason does not only use academic references from the field of exercise physiology, but also uses references from the "real world", athletes and lifers who have succeeded in their respective fields. We live in a world of information overload and too many people, in my opinion, are busy overloading on scientific information rather than taking some of this information and combining it with information what they know works in the real world and getting down to business. In his writings, Jason does just that.

With this book, you also get the bonuses mentioned. And let me tell you, these alone should be worth a fair price. You will get an interview with one truly experienced, strong powerlifter, Jim Wendler. Having met Jim and hearing him lecture and instruct for two days at a live seminar and workshop two years ago, I can assure you that this man knows what he is doing and talking about. They say one should never go to an athlete with great genetics for advice. Well, here is a man who had average to good genetics, intelligence, and a lion's heart and made himself into an elite powerlifter and Division 1 college athlete. Listen to what he has to say!

And then there are the nutrition e-book bonuses that are loaded with different recipes for protein/meal replacement shakes and different menu plans for your body composition goals (maintenance/lifestyle, gaining, losing).

Having bought several of Jason's products, receiving a phone consultation from him, and casually conversing with him from time to time, I can say he is a truly generous sincere, knowledgeable person who loves spreading his wealth of information with others. So put down that newsstand bodybuilding magazine filled with ghost written stories of juiced to the gills lifters doing a 100 sets per bodypart and consuming 10,000 kcal per day. Pick up a copy of this book and start learning how to "really" train and eat for the fitness goals you always wanted to achieve!”
Bradley, Queens, NY

MuscleGainingSecrets.com

Less Time Equals Better Results?

Why is it that almost everyone you see working out in the gym does high volume bodypart splits? Today is Monday and in just about every gym in America that means it’s chest day. Tomorrow is back, Thursday is legs and Friday is arms…or something like that, I guess.

Why the lack of variety or rational thought? What is the need for all that training volume?

You need to understand that most forms of training have just been passed down for decades from one generation to the next, without the inclusion of rational thought. Sometime in the 60’s, sensible training programs started becoming less and less prevalent with the rapidly growing usage of anabolic steroids.

In the days of old, men like Steve Reeves and Paul Anderson trained with far more sensible, lower volume programs but these started to disappear during the 60’s. By the time Arnold got to Gold’s Gym in Venice for the first time, high volume, bodypart splits were the widely accepted way for everyone to train for size and strength.

This type of training is not based on deductive reasoning but just on the fact that “it’s what everyone else is doing.” The proponents of these training methods will always blindly tell you that “higher volume training is needed for hypertrophy gains.” Says who? I can tell you for a fact that the University of Chicago isn’t wasting time examining the effects of Jay Cutler’s marathon workouts. There are no studies saying that you need 8-12 sets per bodypart to grow. In fact there are studies that show the opposite; that one set is just as effective as three.

The proponents of this type of training will also tell you that higher volume training is associated with higher levels of growth hormone secretion. What they don’t tell you is that the level of GH increase is not enough to make any difference at all. In fact, almost anything you do elevates GH. Extreme temperatures elevate GH but my biceps don’t get bigger every time I take a shower. The increased GH secretion from training is so minimal that it is not enough to make the slightest difference whatsoever.

For the drug free lifter who does not possess muscle building genetics quite up to par with the Austrian Oak, training this way is a huge mistake. Not only does it drain your amino acid pool and glycogen stores but it dramatically enhances your recovery time between workouts. If you do 8-12 sets for chest on Monday you can not recover from that workout and be able to train again for seven days. So you are only getting one growth stimulus per week or fifty two per year. Now if you reduce your volume to the point where you can recover faster and more efficiently without draining your amino acid pool and glycogen stores so greatly, you can train bodyparts twice per week instead of once. Now instead of 52 growth stimulating workouts per year for each bodypart, you can now do 104. In fact, if your volume is kept low you can even get away with training bodyparts three times a week in certain situations. Now, which do you think will be more effective; 156 growth stimulating workouts per year or 52?

To train more often you absolutely have to lower your training volume. The total sets per workout should be kept low and the total sets per exercise should be even lower. There is no need to hit four sets of incline presses, flat bench presses and decline presses for your chest workout. Doing that is a form of neuroses; you think that you need to hit every angle and do and endless amount of sets to stimulate every last muscle fiber, but this is simply not the case.

The reason these training programs remain popular is because nobody wants to be told that they are wrong. Admitting your mistakes is something many people can’t do. It is why when something radically different is proposed, the high volume proponents get upset and offended. Nobody likes to have their ego bruised so they keep on doing and promoting the same old high volume workouts that they always have.

That’s fine, let them continue to do what they choose; personally I have way more important things to do than spend all of my waking hours in the gym. If I can get better results in a fraction of the time I will choose that option every time.

Cut your volume down, up your weights and intensity and get ready for the “what are you on” questions to start rolling in.


For fast muscle building workouts ==> MuscleGainingSecrets.com.

A Sad Loss

The strength and conditioning community lost one of it's brightest stars yesterday. Jesse Marunde, the runner up in 2005's World's Strongest Man Contest and a perennial top contender, died yesterday at the age of 27 years old.

A very sad loss...

Q&A Time

Question: Jay, I figured you would have some good advice on these questions. First of all, my buddy does the eliptical machine for cardio. Isn't that a little gay for a man to be doing? I mean, isn't any kind of cardio in the gym a little gay? Is it ever acceptable to wear old school sweat pants to train in? What about wind pants? Just wanted to get your thoughts on these subjects. Thanks buddy.
Marty T

Answer: Marty, the eliptical machine is unacceptable for a man to ever be seen on. In fact, I would tend to agree with you that any in the gym cardio work is highly questionable for those who whish to keep their manhood status. You and I both know that men drag sleds and push The Prowler or their car for cardio. Sprints are also acceptable. Using the Stair Climber while watching Rikki Lake, or whatever people watch these days, is not.

Old school sweat pants? I wouldn't recommend it. Wind pants? Absolutely never.

I like the way you think, stay in touch, my friend.
JF
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Question: Jason, I train three days a week and compete in a serious baseball summer league. I also surf and play a lot of recreational sports on a regular basis. What would be the optimal way to set up my workouts for this schedule?
Kent Waters

Answer: Kent, I would stick with just one lower body day in the summer if you are doing that much other physical activity. Do upper body on Mondays and Fridays and one lower body day on Wednesday. Since you are running and jumping and doing other sporting activities so frequently I wouldn't worry about including any speed/ Dynamic Effort work in your program right now. Just hit a heavy lower body lift once a week and fill in the rest of that day with some glute hams, reverse hypers, back extensions, trap work, abs, calves or grip. Something along those lines would work. On the upper body days hit a few sets of pushing and pulling and maybe some arms at the end. After all it's summer and everyone wants bigger arms.

Glad to see you are not letting training limit the amount of playing you do. That is a huge mistake that way too many people make.
Enjoy the rest of your summer.
JF
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Question: I recently purchased the Muscle Gaining Secrets package and must say that it is great. Thanks for putting together so much useful information into one great package.

I have been lifting for about 1 year and am about to start the phases laid out in Maximum Mass. Before I start eating like crazy I was wanting to lean out a little bit first by losing some fat. (Currently about 12-13% bodyfat.)

My question is whether or not you would alter the programs laid out in Maximum Mass and take a different training approach for a fat loss phase, or if you would prescribe that I should just follow the programs the same way for fat loss or muscle gain and just alter my dietary approach and/or cardio. I guess I'm just curious as to whether you weight train differently for fat loss than you do for muscle gain.

Any insight would be great. Thanks in advance.

-Ron

Answer: Ron, you are right at the cutoff point for bulking up. I think you could do the workouts in Maximum Mass and just hit three cardio sessions per week and keep the diet real clean and you'll be fine. As you gain muscle, you will get leaner.

As for real specifics on fat loss workouts, there are several changes I would make if losing a ton of fat in a very short time was your goal. But that would take an entire article or even a book to explain.

If you really want to hit the fat loss hard I recommend either Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne or AfterBurn by Alwyn Cosgrove.

Good luck and thanks for the kind words.
JF
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Question: Hi Jason and team,

hope my email finds you well. Thanks a lot for answering my last question so thoroughly! Therefore here is my next one:

Jason, from your experience training so many diverse people what do you personally consider strong, or more precise, when do you consider an athlete or a "normal gainer" as strong?

Do you have yardsticks in regard to weights used in the main basic exercises and maybe in relation to bodyweight?

I'm fully aware that every athlete is different with his own strengths and weaknesses and that he/she should mainly concentrate on personal improvements. But as a "lonesome cellar dweller" without a training partner to compete against in the weight room I find such milestone very motivating.

As I know that you are busy training athletes and do not have time to answer question individually I hope my inquiry is interesting enough for other readers that you kindly comment on it in a future blog.


Thanks a lot in advance!

Thomas

Answer: Thomas, I still think the old school measuring stick of the 3/4/5 club that they used to use back in the old days is a good initial goal for most beginners to shoot for during their first few years of training. This means a 300lb bench press, 400lb squat and 500lb deadlift. Writers in the 70's such as John McCallum used to talk about achieving this goal as your first big milestone in training. Within five years of training, just about everyone, if they train and eat properly, can reach these numbers. 99% of the people you see training in public gyms will never come close to these numbers, in fact it's rare to see someone squat 315, never mind 405.

Aside from the 3/4/5 club I think you should also be able to do ten perfect, chest to the bar chin ups, at least twenty dips, standing military press at least 185 and hold a plank for at least two minutes to be considered strong; not superhumanly strong by any means, but strong. If you can do all of that you will be far stronger than at least 90% of the people in the world who lift weights on a regular basis.

If you add 100lbs to each of those lifts and a 45lb weight to the chins and dips for the same amount of reps, then you are extremely strong.
JF
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The Hard Way

Before we get to training I have to mention the fact that I saw The White Stripes play at the worlds most famous arena, Madison Square Garden Tuesday night. I knew this going into the show but after seeing him rip the guitar for two hours straight with hardly a five minute break, I can honestly say that Jack White is one of the most talented men in music today. If you get the chance to see them in your area I highly recommend it. Seeing just two people on stage making all that noise is truly a sight to see. Amazing...
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If you are like me you have made plenty of mistakes in life and have had to learn the hard way. Training has been do different. My good buddy Craig Ballantyne asked me aboot (Canadian for about) this recently. Check it out...

CB: Jason, you’ve been studying training for many years now. What valuable lessons have you learned the hard way?

JF: Wow, great question Craig. I've learned more lessons the hard way than I care to remember. I don't even know where to begin but here are a few off the top of my head:

Low carb diets suck for gaining muscle - No matter what anyone may tell you, you need carbs to grow, there is no way around it. I took some bad advice years ago and tried desperately to gain size on a no carb diet and I got nowhere. I had even tried this approach with clients and they experienced similar results. As soon as I brought the carbs back, I started growing again as did all of my clients. Sure there are different levels of insulin sensitivity and some people tolerate carbs better than others but the bottom line is you need some carbs to grow.

This may only be 100 grams per day on non training days and 250 grams on training days or it may be 300 grams on off days and 600 grams on training days. That is highly individual and is something you need to experiment with to find out what works best for you. I will say this though, the fatter you are the less carbs you can tolerate. If you are above 15% bodyfat you need to be very careful with carb consumption and need to limit the times you eat carbs to post workout and breakfast.

Less is more - This is something else that I learned the hard way. In my late teens and early twenties I overtrained myself into the ground on a regular basis. When in doubt, always do less. 10-16 sets, three to four days per week is plenty for most people to get great results. If you can’t get results with this amount of training you are either training like a complete pansy or just not eating or sleeping enough. But more training is not the answer.

You need some kind of energy system work ("cardio") to get extremely lean - As my good friend Alwyn Cosgrove has pointed out on more than one occasion; there is often an overreaction to concepts or ideas in our industry. Several years back the anti cardio movement came to the forefront and told us all that no one needed any energy system work whatsoever to get lean. Diet and proper weight training would be enough to get the job done. Being some one who hates the word cardio and loves lifting heavy, this was all I needed to hear. I jumped on the bandwagon like so many others but later realized that it was simply impossible to get really ripped without any engergy system work whatsoever.

Cardio also has a host of health benefits which should never be avoided by anyone concerned with living past 40. On top of that doing some cardio lets you eat more while still maintaining a healthy bodyfat percentage.


You have to listen to your body - Sometimes when you are scheduled for a heavy squat day and you walk in feeling like you just got hit by a bus and then had your girlfriend dump you while you were peeling yourself off the pavement, you have to back off. Either do something else that day, go lighter or go home. Pushing yourself is a necessity to achieve optimal results but sometimes you have to know when to back off. This is not an excuse to train like a p u s s y; I’m just saying that once in a while (and this should not happen very often) you need to listen when your body tells you to back off. This is something else that I learned the hard way and have some injuries to show for it.
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To avoid making these or a host of any other mistakes in your quest for more size and strength, check out MuscleGainingSecrets.com.

Becoming The Next LT (no, not that guy from the Chargers)

Today I have an interview I did with my buddy, Craig Ballantyne sometime last year. Since many of you might have missed it, I decided to run it again here today.
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When you have a chance to ask a guy with Jason’s experience a question, you ask as many as you can. Here is Part 2 of Jason’s 3-part interview.

CB: What do athletes need to work on most?

JF: Most athletes are too weak. I don't care what sport they play or at what level they are playing at, most athletes, in general, need to get stronger.

I think that if most athletes just focused on properly getting stronger, they would improve their performance and be a lot better off. I am not downplaying the importance of running mechanics, flexibility, agility, change of direction and things of this nature but no one thing is going to help athletes any more than just getting stronger. For this reason strength training has to be the number one priority in most cases.

By improving your strength you will improve your linear and lateral speed, you will improve your vertical jump, you will hit harder and throw further, and you will help to prevent injuries.


CB: How should kids train to get fast?

JF: Well after we have them on a good strength training program, the next thing we need to teach them is basic running mechanics and basically just how to move athletically.

They need to learn how to control their bodies in space and accelerate, decelerate and change directions properly.

I think people try to get too fancy sometimes and use methods that Charlie Francis would employ with an Olympic sprinter who is going for a world record, when training ten year olds. It need not be this complicated.

Most kids do plenty of plyometrics on a daily basis both in the sports that they play and just due to the fact that they are kids and running and jumping is a big part of a kids life. For this reason I don't think you need to do tons of fancy plyos.

I think some basic running, jumping, skipping and change of direction drills coupled with a good strength and flexibility program will improve any kids speed. The problem with many kids is not that they don't do enough "speed training," it is that they don't know how to run properly.

I would spend time teaching proper mechanics and do drills that would reinforce what you teach. For change of direction and the ability to react and think on your feet, nothing beats just marking off a set area and playing tag.

One final thing I should mention is that in all the years I have worked with young kids I have rarely come across teenagers who possess great
flexibility. This may come as a shock to many readers but it's a fact.

A lot of it is due to the fact that they are going through growth spurts when they first start working with me and some of it is due to the fact that kids lead a more sedentary life now than they used to. Flexibility and mobility need to be addressed from the beginning with every young athlete.


CB: What are your top lifts for absolute beginner young athletes?

JF: Leg extensions, butt blasters, pec dec flyes and concentration curls. Thanks, I'll be here all week. Of course I'm kidding.

In all seriousness I would have to go with bodyweight squats, split squats, pushups, chin ups, bodyweight hanging rows aka inverted pullups aka fat man rows, abdominal bridges aka planks, medicine ball throws and things of that nature.

The main thing to remember with young athltetes is that whatever you do, it has to be fun.

CB: And for mature young athletes?

JF: For size and strength gains you have to stick with the basics. This would of course be squats, deadlifts, bench presses, military presses, chin ups, rows and cleans. All of those exercises have a number of different variations and can be done in many different ways.

Aside from the basics I think most people would benefit from reverse hypers and glute ham raises. Not everyone can get a hold of the proper equipment but I think every athlete should do some strongman training as well. On top of that list I would put tire flips, farmers walks, rope pulls, car pushes and sled drags.


CB: What are time wasters for young athletes?

JF: Well Craig, I see so many mistakes made in the training of young athletes I don't even know where to begin.

The old debate never ends about what age kids can start lifting weights at. The truth is they can lift weights at any age. When they are old enough to walk they try to pick up anything they can get their hands on. That box that one year old just picked up off the floor was a max effort deadlift yet I didn't hear anyone complain or freak out about it. Everyone just thought it was sooo cute.

So if we allow our kids to do MAX EFFORT DEADLIFTS at the age of one then what in the hell is the problem with them doing some dumbbell presses when they are ten?

Before anyone thinks that I am kidding, let me reiterate that when an infant squats down, with a round back no less, and strains to pick something up off the floor this is literally the equivalent of doing a max effort deadlift.

Why then is there the constant concern about kids lifting weights? It makes no sense whatsoever.

Also, anything that is too "sport specific" is a huge waste of time.
Specialization for young athletes is a huge waste of time. Kids should be concerned with becoming better overall athletes and worry about becoming better baseball or soccer players a few years down the road.

Recently I had some free time and went to observe a group training class at one of these sport specific facilities. It was the eight to ten year old group and they had the kids working on first step and sprint mechanics like they were going to be facing Michael Johnson in the Olympics this summer. I think that's definitely overkill.

You need to teach a kid how to move athletically and work on mechanics but you don't need to get that intense at that young age. It is way too much for a kid that age to think about and will probably do more harm than good. This is a gimmick that is used to sucker parents into thinking that they have found the ultimate "sport specific" training center and that this is the place where their kid will become the next Derek Jeter.


CB: Jason, awesome, no-B.S. stuff. Thanks. We’ll finish the interview next week. You can contact Jason through Relentless-Athletics.com or MuscleGainingSecrets.com.

The Top 10 Tips for Gaining Size & Strength

I'm gonna keep it short and sweet today and get your training week kicked off right. Follow the tips below and you are guaranteed to get big and strong while leaving everyone else in the gym wondering what they're doing wrong and asking you what you're on.


1. Train no more than three to four days per week. Doing so is not only not necessary but can rapidly lead to over-training, especially if you are doing other physical activities on a regular basis.

2. Train for 30-45 minutes max and do no more than twenty total sets per workout. If you can't get the job done in that time frame you are half assing it. On top of that, results are greatest when energy and mental focus are high. That is during the first 30-45 minutes of your workout.

3. Lift heavy and use big, basic compound exercises. Squats, deadlifts, military presses and chin ups should always be the bread and butter of your training programs.

4. Always keep a training journal and constantly try to get stronger and lift heavier and heavier weights. Progressive overload is the most basic principle in weight training. Ignore it and you will get nowhere. If you are benching 225 right now, you better be benching 315 by this time next year if you want to grow.

5. Utilize a multitude of rep ranges and target all fiber types and maximize the different types of hypertrophy. Reps from 1-20 should be used to target both fast twitch and slow twitch fibers.

6. Change your program every 3-4 weeks. If you have been lifting for several years, this may need to be done every two weeks because you will adapt more rapidly to the same stimulus.

7. Eat like your life depends on it. Force feed yourself if you have to and be sure to time your carbs correctly, meaning around training and at breakfast, while cutting them out at night.

8. Sleep 8-10 hours per day and take naps if at all possible. Sleep is when you recover and grow, without it you're in trouble.

9. Take contrast showers or baths after training, stretch, ice, use foam rollers and whatever else you can think of to help you recover faster.

10. And lastly, but maybe most importantly, find a good training partner and a good environment to train in; it will make all the difference in the world in your progress.

For more easy to use mass building tips click HERE now.

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"Raw and uncut. That is how Jay Ferruggia brings it. If you're looking for another '3 sets of 10, eat chicken breasts and yams, how-to-be-a-fitness-model' program, then forget about getting it from Jay. From his politically-incorrect no-BS eating program, to his workout routines that he's used with hundreds of athletes, powerlifters, and strongmen, Ferruggia truly is relentless when it comes to putting together the ultimate muscle building program. And I'm no armchair quarterback when it comes to Jay's workout advice. Jay is the coach that finally got me to smarten up and train right. As a result, I'm stronger, less tired, less beat up between workouts, and my workouts are of the highest quality. This is the only muscle-building program out there that will give you the results you've been after forever, while making you laugh, and firing you up like never before, all at once. Get it, or get left behind again, just like you were last summer."
-Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Strength Coach, Toronto, Canada
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By the way, Craig Ballantyne just completed his first three weeks of Phase 1 of Maximum Mass from Muscle Gaining Secrets and gained 12 pounds of muscle!!! This is a guy who is a world famous fitness expert and has trained for well over a decade! To experience similar results get on over to MuscleGainingSecrets.com now.

JF

Zimbabwe

I know you visit this site to read about training and I apologize if anyone is offended by me posting this video here. Enough said...


Vignette

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Pre Workout Energy Boosters

In the midst of a three day bender, I woke up Sunday morning with an insatiable desire to lift some heavy weights. I looked across the hotel room at my friend Chris who was still in the upright position I saw him in seven hours earlier when I fell asleep. He was somehow still holding the bottle of Heineken in his hand although some of it had spilled on his shorts.

"We gotta go train, bro."

"What? Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack. Let's go to breakfast with the bride and groom, eat and drink some coffee and then head to the gym."

"Sounds good."

We cleaned up our room and by the lack of any womens underwear on the floor or the smell of latex in the air, we were once again reminded that coming to the wedding without a date and taking a shot with the two single girls there might have been a huge mistake.

Ah well, a good workout will ease the pain of that bad decision.

At breakfast I had a cup of coffee but many times when you are either full or hungover or just not in the mood for it coffee can wreak havoc on your stomach. I had one small cup but knew I needed something extra to get me through this workout and drinking more coffee was only going to make me sick. Luckily I had some Biotest Spike in my car.

Now, as most of you know, I am not a huge fan of supplements but I actually found that I liked Spike. I initially tried it one night at the Jersey shore while going out drinking with Dave Tate, Jim Wendler and Alwyn Cosgrove. After Jim and I finished a pitcher or two of vodka lemonade Dave suggested that I needed some Spike to keep me up all night. Instead of the recommended one tablet, Dave gave me four. Shortly after that Cosgrove bought Jim and I four Red Bull & vodkas. Needless to say I threw up later that night and slept on the couch while Cosgrove snored away comfortably in my bed. I swore I would never touch Spike again.

Several months later I had breakfast with Biotest's TC Luoma and relayed this story to him. He suggested that maybe next time I should only use ONE instead of FOUR. I took his advice and was pleasantly surprised. When you need a boost Spike is actually a great pre workout supplement and thanks to its help I actually went up ten pounds on floor presses Sunday Morning and had a great workout.

I don't like to consume caffeine too frequently or develop a reliance on any kind of pre workout supplement but I do use Spike on occasion when I need a boost and would recommend it to anyone looking for the same effect. You can learn more about Spike HERE.

Another great pre workout boost is Joe DeFranco's "DeFranco Energy Bar." This is an unbelievably delicious protein bar that contains the potent energy boosting combination of caffeine and tyrosine. When I can't get to real food and need to train I try to make sure to always have one of these on hand. These are very easily digested and give you a great boost right before a workout. Click HERE to learn more and order yours today.

When you don't feel like drinking coffee or just want something new, give Spike or the DeFranco Bars a try and let me know what you think. For more info on supplements click HERE now.

Home Gym Setup

Question: Coach,

I'm anxious to start your 'Home Gym Warrior' program that you have outlined in your Muscle Gaining Secrets package (which is awesome btw). Anyway, since I prefer the home-gym programs due to my schedule, as you might have guessed, I was looking for the most cost-effective solution to having a set of dumbbells on hand.

Currently I have some light dumbbells for warm ups and such (sets of 10s and 15s) and some heavier ones(sets of 30s through 40's) based on where I'm at in my progression. But, I want to also have some heaver weights as I further progress. But it's starting to get expensive.

So, I was wondering if I should keep equipping my home-gym this way. Or, get one of those all-in-one adjustable dumbbells. The all-in-one sets seem expensive but I haven't done the math on whether they are more cost-effective than having a set. Also, are there any drawbacks or inconveniences to using them?

Anyway, any help is greatly appreciated. Your site is awesome and keep keeping it real.

Thanks,
Joe S.

Answer: Joe, first of all, always try to buy dumbbells somewhere locally. The shipping costs will kill you. If you search hard enough you can usually find good deals. Check out ebay and other auction or discount sites. Another option is to be on the lookout for gym auctions. When gyms close down they usually auction off their equipment at very reasonable prices. You can always find used equipment for cheap if you look hard enough.

For your purposes the all in one dumbbell sets (Powerblocks or other like sets) might be your best option. Yes, they are expensive but they save room and the overall cost is probably cheaper. There are really no problems or drawbacks associated with using Powerblocks for any exercises.