Monday, July 26, 2004

For anybody who ever works out and really want's to exercise properly, just
use these few tips!

-Find 4 to 6 really good exercises for any larger muscle groups, or 2-5 for even smaller muscle groups.
-Pick exercises that are mostly dumbbell and bar related, use very little machines!
-To find a good weight will take a little practice, but the best way to really work out hard is sets to absolute failure by increases weight and lowered repititions. First set should be about 12-14 reps giving every thing that you have using proper technique! 2nd set increases wight by 5 or ten pounds 9-12 reps, again trying Hard as phsically possible to complete a set to failure! and 3rd set of the weight which is most challenging but can complete 6-9 reps and Have nothing left in you to lift once more! If you are more experienced lifter you may want to add another set, or superset the
last exercise with about 67% the weight to failure.
-It doesn't matter what or how many exercises you do as long as you work to failure and use 90% proper form and technique, with very little momentum!
-Do a warm up before you exercise where you are sweating but not exausted, your heart should not be beating wildly, and as for rest between sets you should wait for however long you feel it takes for your heart to stop beating at a frantic pace, but not at resting pace either, only until you know you can once more give everything you got, these rests can take up to a whole 4 minutes!
-Always stretch after workouts, and do light to moderate stretch of the
muscle being worked out so you can give everything that you got!
-Always Support your back!
-Never risk injury, if you know you can not finish a set without cheating it's probably because you've given everthing you got, so don't Swing, or Bounce!
-For each rep push the weight as hard as you can under control but don't let momentum do any work, eg, when you are doing Dumbell Flat bench Lift then as hard as you can until the last set is so hard that you have to squeeze your muscles to finish it, but NEVER push one side of your body off the bench to elevate the dumbbell!
- Drink, Drink, Drink, Water only, none of the Gatorade junk! Water is the only drink that properly feeds your muscles Oxygen and re-hydrates you bod of liquids!
-Use a partner to workout, but don't have them spot you every set just let them be there for 1st rep lifts, or last rep absolute failures.
-Breaks: If you do a muscle group a certain day in the week only do that muscle group again when that muscle is not feeling sore, and that you know you can lift just like the other day, Eg. If you do chest it usually feels sore for days after, well don't work it out again until it is not sore, or else you'll just help yourself get weaker, because your muscles are too torn up to repair themselves in time.
-Get enough sleep that your body feels fine enough to work out!
-Eat a very well balanced diet, and get lot's of protein! Eat protein enriched meals an hour before workouts, and right after a workout, also include carbs, and don't eat extra fat, the amount of fat in a well balanced diet with meat is enough to get you ewnough energy and keep you slim while increasing metabolism!
- Exercise After Lunch when your body usually feels best!
- Go jogging every morning!
- Workout whenever you feel like it, Just don't work the same muscle group everyday, sometimes similar muscles get workout for different muscle groups eg, Triceps are worked out when you do Shoulder and Chest as well As traps, so keep longer breaks between those days, and do ohter muscle groups, like Legs!
- When you really know you can't workout, pick the muscle that you rarely work on and do a little 20-30 minute exercise, and then do a lot of cardio, but don't change your diet! Eat Lots! But Eat Healthy!
- Focus on a mind set that will help you lift best, don't feel angry, sad, and don't laugh while lifting.
- Record or remember your results to make sure you're improving!
-Some times, Just rest!
-Wear proper workout gear.

Here is an example of my chest routine:
Decline BarBench 3 sets: 12r x 135lb, 9r x 155lb, 7r x 165lb (ss)6rx135lb Flat Bench Dumbbells 3 sets: 12 x 55, 9 x 60, 7 x 65 super set> 5 x 45 Incline Dumbell bench 3 sets: 12 x 50, 9 x 55, 6 x 60> (ss) 6 x 40 Pec Deck 3 sets: 12 x 160, 10 x 170, 8 x 180
Incline Dumbell Flies 3 sets: 12 x 25, 9 x 30, 8 x 30 (ss) 5 x 25
Dips: To Burnout (All sets are done to burnout currently the weight and reps shown are how much it takes until I can't do more, and each time I do the erecise I see improvement!

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Friday, July 02, 2004

STATIC REPS

Static reps are done by holding a weight in a fixed position, usually fully contracted, for an extended period of time. They are typically done for 1 or 2 reps only and the weight should be held for 15-25 seconds although the actual optimal time is still up for debate.

Statics are easier to do on certain exercises and more difficult on others. For example, flies, leg extentions, and side raises are greatexercises to use statics on, but deadlifts or squats would be more difficult. On the compund exercises you would have to use substantially more weight than you use for regular reps. Statics also work great on pulldowns.

There are a few ways I use them. First, you can do a set to positive failure and once you cannot complete any more, have someone help you get the weight to a fully-contracted position and hold it up as long as you can. Then lower it under strict control until you have finished the rep.

You could also just pick a weight 20-40% heavier than your normal weight for that exercise and either use a cheat rep or have someone help you to get the weight in the fully contracted position. Then hold it as long as you can and lower it under control until the rep is completed. If you do them alone and not after a set of positive reps, you may want to so 2 static holds instead if one.

This is a great technique to use to blast through plateaus, but don't use it too often.

Mike Mentzer once told a story of a guy who was stuck at the same weight on his leg extensions for 2 complete cycles. Mentzer then had him perform static holds only for 2 or 3 workouts. When he went back to positive reps, his strength had increased and he was able to break through his plateau.

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