Part Two
By: John Berardi
Let Us Recommence
Welcome back, ladies! Last time, in Part I of this article, we went over the basics of how to obtain a lean, sexy, and hard body. As a review, you must first recognize that the weight room is your friend. Secondly, you have to train with weights that are heavy for you, or simply loads that you can handle for 3-6 repetitions. And finally, if a hard body is what you desire, your weight training routine should be comprised of mainly multi-joint, compound movements; silly machines and "muscle-sculpting" exercises will never reward you with a tight butt!
Now onto the fun stuff: within the pages that follow, we're going to learn how to perform the exercises that we'll be using in our program, and then we'll be outlining the specifics of the routine. Once you finish reading this article, you'll have been provided with everything you need to know to finally be lean, sexy, and hard. So, without further adieu, I present you with...
The Biggies
I Cannot Overemphasize The Importance Of:
* Performing these lifts (particularly the squat and the deadlift) regularly as part of your training routine
* Learning how to conduct them properly.
I'll be the first to admit that the following aren't the easiest lifts to execute; you may have to spend a couple weeks practicing them with a small amount of weight to really get the form down. But, no matter how awkward they may seem at first, stick with them!
DO NOT, for any reason, give up! Any small sacrifice you make learning how to conduct these lifts will pay it's price in full when you look in the mirror just a short while from now. Remember, if obtaining a hard body were easy, everybody would have one! It takes hard work, dedication, and discipline to be lean, sexy, and hard. The following are the exercises that we will be using with the weight-training program provided at the end of the article.
Squat - View Exercise
Position yourself within the confines of a power rack and unrack the loaded barbell from the J-hooks; the bar should rest comfortably on your traps (not too high, not too low). Slowly walk the weight out by taking a few steps backward; your stance should about shoulder width or slightly wider. Once stabilized, tightly arch your lower back; this arch must be maintained during the entire lift.
Next, press your neck back into the bar and look straight ahead; maintain this head position throughout the entire exercise as doing so will help to keep your torso from drifting forward. Start the squat by first pushing your butt back (remember to maintain the tight arch in your lower back) and then continue to flex at both the hip and knee joints.
Breathe short and shallow on the way down and continue to descend until a point just below parallel (partial squats are unacceptable and a waste of time). Pause very briefly in the bottom position and then explosively drive the weight upward through your heels; do not allow the weight to shift to the balls of your feet. Hold your breath during the concentric. Lock out and repeat for the desired number of reps.
NOTE: Do not resort to performing this movement on the smith machine. Put the time in to learn how to free squat properly; once you do, you'll never have to worry about it again and you'll be able to enjoy the many benefits of free squatting for the remainder of your training career.
Deadlift - View Exercise
Grab hold of a loaded barbell with a staggered grip (i.e. one hand supinated and one hand pronated); your hands should be positioned about shoulder width apart and your knees should lie within your elbows. Your shoulders should be slightly rounded and directly above or behind the bar. If your shoulders start in front of the bar, you will have to pull up and out before you can pull back. Your lower back should be tightly arched, your knees and hips flexed, and you should be looking straight ahead. Before starting the lift, maximally inhale into your stomach.
If you want to know if you are breathing correctly, Powerlifting great Dave Tate of Westside Barbell recommends performing the following drill: Stand in front of a mirror and take a deep breath. Did your shoulders rise? If so, you are breathing into your chest, not your stomach. When done correctly, the shoulders should remain immobile and the gut should inflate like a balloon. Next, tightly grip the bar with your triceps contracted (this is to avoid pulling with your arms), violently contract your glutes, and drive your heals into the ground as you begin to pull the bar up and back by extending your hips forward.
Hold your breathe during the concentric. Your lower back should remain tightly arched throughout the lift. Rounding this region can make this stellar exercise a very dangerous one. Once you lock out at the top of the movement, exhale and pause for a second. Quickly lower the bar to the ground, take a few seconds to get back into the starting position, and repeat for the desired number of reps.
Supine-grip (palms facing you) Pull-ups - View Exercise
Grab hold to a chin-up bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you); your hands should be about shoulder width or slightly closer. Lift your feet off the ground and interlock your ankles behind you so that your lower legs are parallel with the floor. Maximally inhale into your stomach. Lean backward and arch your back as you begin to pull yourself up; maintain this arch throughout the entire exercise- this will really overload your lats.
Hold your breath during the concentric. Continue to pull yourself up until your forearms come in full contact with your biceps. Once they do, hold that position for a count of one as you exhale, and then slowly reverse the motion until your arms are fully extended (breathe short and shallow on the way down); you should really feel the stretch in your lats and biceps while in this position. Inhale maximally and repeat for the desired number of reps.
Dips - View Exercise
Position yourself between two parallel bars and boost yourself up so that your elbow joint is fully locked out; you should be looking straight ahead. Lift your feet off the ground and interlock your ankles behind you so that your lower legs are parallel with the floor.
Begin to lower yourself under control by flexing at the elbow joint. As you drop, breathe short and shallow; also, rotate your lower body backward (this will be pretty natural) in order to produce a forward lean; this will load the sternal head of the pecs. Do not allow your elbows to significantly flare out; however, a slight flare is okay.
Continue to lower yourself until your shoulders are below your elbows and your biceps come into full contact with your forearms; you should feel a good stretch in your triceps, anterior deltoids, and lower pecs in this position. Explosively press off the bars with the meaty part of your palm (this will send a neural signal to your triceps to contract stronger) by extending at the elbow joint and rotating your lower body forward (again, this will be natural). Lock out and repeat for the desired number or reps.
Standing Dumbbell Military Press - View Exercise
Start with your forearms parallel to the floor; they should remain this way throughout the entire lift; they will naturally want to drift inward, but don't allow this to happen; doing so will load the triceps while taking the emphasis off the shoulders. Inhale into your stomach, squeeze your glutes together hard as if trying to pinch an imaginary coin between them, and explosively press the weight overhead. Hold your breath during the concentric.
Do not allow the 'bells to touch at the top of the movement, but rather keep them roughly 6" apart; this will keep the tension on your delts. After a short pause, begin to slowly lower the weight; be sure to keep your forearms perpendicular to the floor. Breathe short and shallow during the eccentric. Continue to lower the weight until your elbows fall significantly below the plane of your shoulders. Pause briefly and repeat for the desire number of reps.
Janda Sit-ups - View Exercise
Lie back on the floor with your knees flexed to 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor; do not anchor your feet. Your arm positioning can either be straight out in front of you or crossed on your shoulders. Contract your glutes and slowly begin to curl upward- jerking movements are unacceptable and take the emphasis off the abs by recruiting the hip flexors. Once you reach the top of the curl, maximally exhale; you should feel an intense cramp in your abdominal region.
Continue to hold your breath and slowly lower yourself to the floor; move especially slow during the last six inches of the movement. It is okay to let out short bursts of air during the eccentric portion, but do not lose the tightness in your abs. Your feet are not to come off the ground at any point during the exercise. If the concentric portion of the lift is too difficult at first, do negatives only. Repeat for the desired number or reps.
30-degree Incline Dumbbell Bench Press - View Exercise
This movement is very similar to the standing dumbbell military press, only you will be performing the movement while lying on your back. Grab a pair of dumbbells and position yourself on an incline bench set to about 30 degrees; your feet should be flat on the floor. Pull your shoulder blades together, push your chest out, and tightly arch your lower back to place the pecs in a prestretched position.
Inhale into your stomach, squeeze your glutes together hard as if trying to pinch an imaginary coin between them, and explosively press the 'bells upward. Be sure to keep your forearms perpendicular to the ground at all times during the lift as we did with the military press.
Hold your breath during the concentric. Do not allow the 'bells to touch at the top of the movement, but rather keep them roughly 6" apart; this will keep the tension on your pecs. After a short pause, begin to slowly lower the weight; again, do not allow your forearms to drift inward. Breathe short and shallow during the eccentric. Continue to lower the weight until your elbows fall significantly below the plane of your shoulders. Pause briefly and repeat for the desire number of reps.
Calf Press in a Leg Press Machine - View Exercise
This one is pretty easy. Position yourself within the confines of a leg press machine, push the weight upward, and then position your feet so that only the balls of your feet are on the edge of the sled. Explosively push the weight forward by moving at the ankle joint only. Pause for a second and then reverse the movement. Be sure to use a full range of motion; you should feel a great stretch in your calves when in the bottom position.
Hook A Sista Up, Already!
Sample Program
Finally, the moment you have all been waiting for, the Lean, Sexy, and Tone weight training program:
A1) + A2) are explained below along with sets & reps.
Day 1 (Chest and Abs)
A1) 30-degree incline DB Bench Press
A2) Janda Sit-ups
Day 2 (Quad Dominant Legs and Calves)
A1) Squats
A2) Calf Press in a Leg Press Machine
Day 3 (Back and Triceps)
A1) Supine-grip Pull-ups
A2) Dips
Day 4 (Hip Dominant Legs and Shoulders)
A1) Deadlift
A2) Standing DB Military Press
Day 5 Off
Casually alternate between exercises A1 and A2 until you complete the desired number of sets and reps for each exercise. For example, perform A1, rest one minute, perform A2, rest one minute, perform A1, etc. Also, for all exercises (with the exception of the deadlift and the Janda Sit-up), lower the load under control for a period of 3-4 seconds and then explode the weight upward on the concentric by lifting it as fast as you can.
Repeat the 5-day rotation back to back for the duration of program. A fundamental element of this program is that is comprised of short, frequent training sessions; this is to prevent you from overtraining. When performing overly long workouts, especially workouts that are comprised of big, compound exercises, the central nervous system can easily become overtrained.
If your motivation drops off and you start to loathe the thought of having to train, you're progress will be close to zero. It is essential that the sessions remain short and sweet; this way, you leave the gym feeling fresh and motivated, not tired and run down.
Phase 1
Phase 1 of this program will be conducted for four weeks; the set/rep scheme will be 6 sets of 5. Select a load that you can handle for 5 repetitions in good form. If you successfully perform 5 repetitions on all 6 sets, bump the weight up 5-10 lbs the next time you perform that particular exercise.
Do not perform more than 5 repetitions on any set. If you do not successfully perform 5 repetitions on all 6 sets, stick with the same load until you can do so.
Phase 2
Phase 2 of this program will also be conducted for a period of four weeks; this time, the set/rep scheme will be 10 sets of 3. Again, select a load that you can handle for 5 repetitions in good form. If you successfully perform 3 repetitions on all 10 sets, bump the weight up 5-10 lbs the next time you perform that particular exercise.
Do not perform more than 3 repetitions on any set; your first few sets will seem easy- this is exactly the way it is supposed to be. If you do not successfully perform 3 repetitions on all 10 sets, stick with the same load for the next workout. (Right: Follow this program and get a smoking body like Christina Lindley!)
And That's Essentially It
Obtaining a hard body may not be an easy task, but at least now you don't have to worry about wasting your time and effort in the gym training in an unproductive fashion. If you dedicate yourself to this program, along with a good cardiovascular routine 3-4 times weekly and smart nutrition you will obtain the physique you desire. You too can be lean, sexy, and hard!
About The Author
Joel Marion, Editor-in-Chief of Rugged Magazine (www.ruggedmag.com) and Body-for-Life 2001 Grand Champion is a NSCA Certified Personal Trainer double majoring in Exercise Science and Physical Education at The College of New Jersey. His main desire is to aid others in the building of their best bodies through sound advice in the areas of training and nutrition. He can be contacted at joel_marion@ruggedmag.com.
Thanks,
Food Shopping List
Proteins
* Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
* Tuna (water packed)
* Fish (salmon, seabass, halibut)
* Shrimp
* Extra Lean Ground Beef or Ground Round (92-96%)
* Protein Powder
* Egg Whites or Eggs
* Ribeye Steaks or Roast
* Top Round Steaks or Roast (aka Stew Meat, London Broil, Stir Fry)
* Top Sirloin (aka Sirloin Top Butt)
* Beef Tenderloin (aka Filet, Filet Mignon)
* Top Loin (NY Strip Steak)
* Flank Steak (Sir Fry, Fajita)
* Eye of Round (Cube Meat, Stew Meat, Bottom Round , 96% LeandGround Round)
* Ground turkey, Turkey Breast Slices or cutlets (fresh meat, not deli cuts)
Complex Carbs
* Oatmeal (Old Fashioned or Quick Oats)
* Sweet Potatoes (Yams)
* Beans (pinto, black, kidney)
* Oat Bran Cereal
* Brown Rice
* Farina (Cream of Wheat)
* Multigrain Hot Cereal
* Pasta
* Rice (white, jasmine, basmati, Arborio, wild)
* Potatoes (red, baking, new)
Fibrous Carbs
* Green Leafy Lettuce (Green Leaf, Red, Leaf, Romaine)
* Broccoli
* Asparagus
* String Beans
* Spinach
* Bell Peppers
* Brussels Sprouts
* Cauliflower
* Celery
Other Produce & Fruits
* Cucumber
* Green or Red Pepper
* Onions
* Garlic
* Tomatoes
* Zucchini
* Fruit (if acceptable on diet): bananas, apples, grapefruit, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
* Lemons or Limes
Healthy Fats
* Natural Style Peanut Butter
* Olive Oil or Safflower Oil
* Nuts (peanuts, almonds
* Flax seeds, Fish oil
Dairy & Eggs
* Low-fat cottage cheese, plain yogurt
* Eggs
* Low or Non-Fat Milk
Beverages
* Bottled Water
* Crystal Light
Condiments & Misc.
* Fat Free Mayonnaise
* Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
* Reduced Sodium Teriyaki Sauce
* Balsamic Vinegar
* Salsa
* Chili powder
* Mrs. Dash
* Steak Sauce
* Chili Paste
* Mustard
* Extracts (vanilla, almond, etc
* Low Sodium beef or chicken broth
* Plain or reduced sodium tomatoes sauce, puree, paste)
* Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
* Tuna (water packed)
* Fish (salmon, seabass, halibut)
* Shrimp
* Extra Lean Ground Beef or Ground Round (92-96%)
* Protein Powder
* Egg Whites or Eggs
* Ribeye Steaks or Roast
* Top Round Steaks or Roast (aka Stew Meat, London Broil, Stir Fry)
* Top Sirloin (aka Sirloin Top Butt)
* Beef Tenderloin (aka Filet, Filet Mignon)
* Top Loin (NY Strip Steak)
* Flank Steak (Sir Fry, Fajita)
* Eye of Round (Cube Meat, Stew Meat, Bottom Round , 96% LeandGround Round)
* Ground turkey, Turkey Breast Slices or cutlets (fresh meat, not deli cuts)
Complex Carbs
* Oatmeal (Old Fashioned or Quick Oats)
* Sweet Potatoes (Yams)
* Beans (pinto, black, kidney)
* Oat Bran Cereal
* Brown Rice
* Farina (Cream of Wheat)
* Multigrain Hot Cereal
* Pasta
* Rice (white, jasmine, basmati, Arborio, wild)
* Potatoes (red, baking, new)
Fibrous Carbs
* Green Leafy Lettuce (Green Leaf, Red, Leaf, Romaine)
* Broccoli
* Asparagus
* String Beans
* Spinach
* Bell Peppers
* Brussels Sprouts
* Cauliflower
* Celery
Other Produce & Fruits
* Cucumber
* Green or Red Pepper
* Onions
* Garlic
* Tomatoes
* Zucchini
* Fruit (if acceptable on diet): bananas, apples, grapefruit, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
* Lemons or Limes
Healthy Fats
* Natural Style Peanut Butter
* Olive Oil or Safflower Oil
* Nuts (peanuts, almonds
* Flax seeds, Fish oil
Dairy & Eggs
* Low-fat cottage cheese, plain yogurt
* Eggs
* Low or Non-Fat Milk
Beverages
* Bottled Water
* Crystal Light
Condiments & Misc.
* Fat Free Mayonnaise
* Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
* Reduced Sodium Teriyaki Sauce
* Balsamic Vinegar
* Salsa
* Chili powder
* Mrs. Dash
* Steak Sauce
* Chili Paste
* Mustard
* Extracts (vanilla, almond, etc
* Low Sodium beef or chicken broth
* Plain or reduced sodium tomatoes sauce, puree, paste)
Weight Training Benefits
More lean muscle tissues you have, you will burn more body fat. And the best way to build lean muscles is to go with weight training.
Let's talk about weight training benefits:
1. Weight training tones your muscles which looks great and raises your basal metabolism... which causes you to burn more calories 24 hours-a-day. You'll even burn more calories while you're sleeping.
2. Weight training can *reverse* the natural decline in your metabolism which begins around age 30.
3. Weight training energizes you.
4. Weight training has a positive affect on almost all of your 650+ muscles.
5. Weight training strengthens your bones reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis.
6. Weight training improves your muscular endurance.
7. Weight training will NOT develop big muscles on women....just toned muscles!
8. Weight training makes you strong. Strength gives you confidence and makes daily activities easier.
9. Weight training makes you less prone to low-back injuries.
10. Weight training decreases your resting blood pressure.
11. Weight training decreases your risk of developing adult onset diabetes.
12. Weight training decreases your gastrointestinal transit time, reducing your risk for developing colon cancer.
13. Weight training increases your blood level of HDL cholesterol (the good type).
14. Weight training improves your posture.
15. Weight training improves the functioning of your immune system.
16. Weight training lowers your resting heart rate, a sign of a more efficient heart.
17. Weight training improves your balance and coordination.
18. Weight training elevates your mood.
Elevate your metabolism with weight training
So many crazy diets out there, so many new diet commercials on TV, diet books, fat burning pills. But do they really work? What is a science behind it? Any scientific background to back it up? Usually when they do not have any science behind it, they hire a celebrity (movie star, rock star, model) to promote their products. Very sad. But it is true.
But let's talk about science and what scientists say about how you can burn body fat and not what Hollywood diets want you to believe.
Researchers from Wisconsin University found out that training with weights at fairly high intensities (70% of your max) can boost your metabolism for up to two days after a workout.
What happens with your body is following:
- your muscle temperature will increase
- energy production will be increased within your body
- Uncoupling proteins are stimulated. These proteins cause cells to metabolize and you will burn body fat (release excess energy).
Uncoupling proteins are a unique group of closely related proteins that are known to be involved in thermogenesis and play important roles in obesity, diabetes, fatty acid metabolism, suppression of oxygen radicals and nuerodegeneration.
Weight training will demage your muscle cells and that requires energy (calories) to repair your muscle fibers. This burns calories also.
Now you know if you want to burn body fat, you have to do weight training in combination with science based nutrition.
Become lean and mean fat burning machine
More muscle you have, you will burn more fat. I am sure you heard that 100X. But why is that? I will give you some reasons:
Muscle is an active tissue. A pound of muscle burns 30 to 50 calories per day just to maintain itself. Add three pounds of muscle and burn 630 to 1,050 extra calories per week. A pound of fat only burns 3 calories per day. So you can see by lifting weights and gaining muscle you will burn more calories every day. Imagine if you gain 9 lbs of lean muscle, you will become fat burning machine and you will
be burning around 3150 extra calories per week.
That's why you should exercise if you are serious about burning body fat. Diet alone will not do the trick even if it comes from Hollywood.
Let's talk about weight training benefits:
1. Weight training tones your muscles which looks great and raises your basal metabolism... which causes you to burn more calories 24 hours-a-day. You'll even burn more calories while you're sleeping.
2. Weight training can *reverse* the natural decline in your metabolism which begins around age 30.
3. Weight training energizes you.
4. Weight training has a positive affect on almost all of your 650+ muscles.
5. Weight training strengthens your bones reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis.
6. Weight training improves your muscular endurance.
7. Weight training will NOT develop big muscles on women....just toned muscles!
8. Weight training makes you strong. Strength gives you confidence and makes daily activities easier.
9. Weight training makes you less prone to low-back injuries.
10. Weight training decreases your resting blood pressure.
11. Weight training decreases your risk of developing adult onset diabetes.
12. Weight training decreases your gastrointestinal transit time, reducing your risk for developing colon cancer.
13. Weight training increases your blood level of HDL cholesterol (the good type).
14. Weight training improves your posture.
15. Weight training improves the functioning of your immune system.
16. Weight training lowers your resting heart rate, a sign of a more efficient heart.
17. Weight training improves your balance and coordination.
18. Weight training elevates your mood.
Elevate your metabolism with weight training
So many crazy diets out there, so many new diet commercials on TV, diet books, fat burning pills. But do they really work? What is a science behind it? Any scientific background to back it up? Usually when they do not have any science behind it, they hire a celebrity (movie star, rock star, model) to promote their products. Very sad. But it is true.
But let's talk about science and what scientists say about how you can burn body fat and not what Hollywood diets want you to believe.
Researchers from Wisconsin University found out that training with weights at fairly high intensities (70% of your max) can boost your metabolism for up to two days after a workout.
What happens with your body is following:
- your muscle temperature will increase
- energy production will be increased within your body
- Uncoupling proteins are stimulated. These proteins cause cells to metabolize and you will burn body fat (release excess energy).
Uncoupling proteins are a unique group of closely related proteins that are known to be involved in thermogenesis and play important roles in obesity, diabetes, fatty acid metabolism, suppression of oxygen radicals and nuerodegeneration.
Weight training will demage your muscle cells and that requires energy (calories) to repair your muscle fibers. This burns calories also.
Now you know if you want to burn body fat, you have to do weight training in combination with science based nutrition.
Become lean and mean fat burning machine
More muscle you have, you will burn more fat. I am sure you heard that 100X. But why is that? I will give you some reasons:
Muscle is an active tissue. A pound of muscle burns 30 to 50 calories per day just to maintain itself. Add three pounds of muscle and burn 630 to 1,050 extra calories per week. A pound of fat only burns 3 calories per day. So you can see by lifting weights and gaining muscle you will burn more calories every day. Imagine if you gain 9 lbs of lean muscle, you will become fat burning machine and you will
be burning around 3150 extra calories per week.
That's why you should exercise if you are serious about burning body fat. Diet alone will not do the trick even if it comes from Hollywood.
TRAINING FOR YOUR BODY-TYPE
TOPIC: How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type?
Hate it or love it, specific body types are a reality that has a serious impact on your training regimen. They can be a useful tool, but for many people, it can actually be a tough barrier to overcome.
Take for example the proverbial "Skinny Sticks and Bones" guy who can't even gain an ounce of muscle no matter what training routine he is attempting. In this case, it takes serious dedication and hard work to overcome this obstacle.
Then, there are the people who seem to just be gifted, adding on muscle with greater ease despite eating burgers n fries everyday, and seemingly not to gain much fat. Yes there are body types that are empowering, allowing you to train with greater intensity, frequency, and all the while adding on muscle and strength easier.
As you might know the three main body types are the Ectomorph, Endomorph, and Mesomorph. However you should note that not everyone is JUST one body type. There are mixes of a few body types. For example you can be in-between an Ectomorph and Mesomorph, or an Endomorph and a Mesomorph. You have to look in the mirror and see what kind of body type you are, and this will help:
1. The Ectomorph:
This is a common body type which is characterized by a thin build with relatively little muscle and fat as well. Persons with this body type have a very tough time gaining any kind of weight, muscle or fat. Also, for most cases this body type is not able to take a high amount of athletic/training stress (i.e. Heavy amounts of weight training, cardio etc.).
The only real advantage to this body type is the minimal fat gain that one will experience while trying to put on muscle because for most cases this body type has a very high metabolism.
2. The Endomorph:
This is the opposite of the Ectomorph, that is a body type which is more large and rounded body. Usually the fat levels are high but these people do carry quite a bit more muscle than the Ectomorphs.
The Endomorph usually has trouble losing weight, particularly fat. However they have an easier time gaining muscle as well as fat which is a downside. Most people in this type have a slow metabolism, hence their high body fat percentage.
3. The Mesomorph:
This is the best of both worlds. These people are very athletic and are characterized by a muscular frame with relatively low amounts of body fat. They don't have much trouble losing fat and at the same time they can gain muscle easily. They too like the Ectomorph have a higher metabolism that lets keep their fat levels in check.
Before I get into the workouts let me say this - It is possible to change your body type. However here's the catch: It takes tremendous amounts of work. For example an Ectomorph with consistent training and good meal planning can become a Mesomorph.
I'm sure you've seen it, the skinny freshman who leaves grade 12 as a muscle beast. Or more commonly the overweight and obese people who have achieved a fat loss resolution. So keep in mind, you're not "stuck" in your body type forever.
Workout Design
How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type? Be Specific.
When designing a workout for your body type there are a few main points that you have to consider which I will list in each category. If you don't keep these things in mind, your workout regime may be counterproductive.
Training For The Endomorph:
Let me just say, if you're an Endomorph, weight training will be a lot easier. That is, if your main goal is weight training. First of all, Endomorphs have the ability to put on muscle fast, but this also comes at the expense of fat gain.
Secondly, they are also generally more suited to the stresses of weight lifting since it is anaerobic in nature. Endomorph's are not as well suited to aerobic activity since it requires more endurance.
Since many Endomorph's are carrying around extra weight in the form of fat, they have low endurance. Therefore they don't really have too many disadvantages going for them when talking about weight training. Even so there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Endomorphs Can Start Off Weight Lifting At Higher Intensities
That's right, Endomorph's usually have decent muscle mass covered by fat, and their bodies are more suited for the strenuous weight training. Because of this, these types can usually start off at higher intensities without risking overtraining.
Just keep in mind that just because you have this advantage doesn't mean you can attempt the most grueling and advanced bodybuilding workout there is. Like everyone, you have to train your recovery systems and muscles to BETTER handle the stress weight lifting. But if your just beginning, you should start off slow. Just to get your muscles used to the weight lifting.
Once you notice your not as sore after your workouts, then increase the intensity and experiment a LITTLE bit with some techniques such as going to failure, drop sets, supersets, trisets, rest pause training etc. Just don't go overboard.
2. The Key To Achieving A Good Physique Is Dropping Fat And Preserving Muscle
Because this is a bodybuilding site, I will talk about training in terms of that. I'm assuming most people in this body type are wanting to lose fat and achieve a good physique. Well then the key is losing that fat while preserving as much muscle as possible. There are a few ways to do this
HIIT or high intensity interval training is the best way to preserve as much muscle as possible. As you might know, cardiovascular activity is catabolic, meaning it burns muscle.
The thing with HIIT is that it is relatively short and high intensity, about 15 -20 minutes max. Therefore, very little muscle is burned. Also because it is high intensity, its burns more net calories than long 30-60 minute runs which a lot of people do when trying to lose fat.
HIIT Articles:
What Is The Best HIIT Workout? - A Workout Of The Week
Spring Training - High Intensity Intervals. - By Dave Draper
High Intensity Interval Training! - By Jeremy Lapro
To do HIIT you pick an exercise such as sprints. After you warm up you start off with doing 1 sprint for 20-30 seconds. This is followed by 1 minute of medium paced running. You repeat this until you have done 12-15 intervals or about 15-20 minutes worth of cardio.
Lifting weights while doing muscle is actually a great way to burn more calories to hasten the time you are spending in weight loss. This helps in two ways. First off all it actually burns more calories than cardio, OVER a longer period of time (A couple days). This will help you get through your fat loss stage quicker.
The less time you are in the fat loss stage, the less muscle you will lose. Also it keeps your muscles working, so right when your finished you weight loss program, you can immediately begin a higher intensity weight lifting program without having to start off slowly.
Here is a way to fit in your HIIT cardio with your weight program:
Monday - Legs, lower back
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Chest, triceps - HIIT cardio after the workout or spaced a couple hours away from workout
Thursday - Back, biceps, traps - HIIT after workout or spaced a couple of hours from workout
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Shoulders, abs, wrists - HIIT after workout or spaced a couple hours after workout
Sunday - HIIT cardio
The goal here is HIIT at least 3-4 times per week as well as weight sessions. However there are a few main things you should consider:
Never do cardio before weights. This is a bad combo. The thing is cardio will use up your glycogen stores. Therefore when it comes time to workout, you will have limited energy resulting in a compromised workout. You might lose fat but your workouts will suffer a great deal.
Rather, if you have to do cardio and weights on the same day try spacing them out as far as possible. So, doing weights in the morning and cardio in the late afternoon or vice versa. Just allow for enough time to recover.
Another option is doing cardio right after weights. This has an advantage of burning more fat. The reason is because your glycogen stores are all used up, so therefore your body looks to your fat to burn as energy. Keep in mind though weights take a lot out of the body. So your cardio might suffer just a little bit.
The last thing you should never do is cardio and leg workouts on the same day. I've tried this and it does not work. You feel terribly wobbly, unbalanced, and your legs tire extremely fast. Try spacing cardio as far away from leg workouts as possible, because doing cardio on super sore legs sucks.
-------------------------
Training For The Ectomorph:
This is probably the hardest training program to design. I don't want to discourage these people but there aren't a whole lot of things going your way if this is your body type, so yes you will have to be patient and train hard. So let's look at what we have to consider for the Ectomorph:
Very hard pressed to gain weight, in this case muscle
This body type is not "Tailored" for high frequency weight training
This body type does not fare well in high intensity weight training
Excessive intensity or frequency in weight training is likely to result in overtraining. In other words, it is much easier for this body type to develop the overtraining syndrome.
Looking at those points, it paints an ugly picture. To gain muscle, it's quite obvious that you must workout with intensity and frequency. But this body type is not good at handling any of those! Therefore these are a few key points you have to keep in mind when designing a workout:
1. The Key Is Starting Off Slowly:
The key to training an Ectomorph is starting off slowly as much of a pain as this seems. Trying to increase intensity and frequency faster won't work, you'll end up either being overtrained, burned out mentally, or frustrated.
As a matter of fact overtraining might even result in reduced muscle mass and strength. Plus each time you do not succeed it lowers your confidence about being able to gain some decent muscle. Also do not add more sets than necessary for your workout. Doing so will not increase gains. Each progressive set decreases in intensity since you get more fatigued, therefore
2. When Starting Off, Keep It Simple:
If you're starting off, then keep it simple. I can remember how many times I've said this but complicated programs don't mean they are "Good". If you over complicate things then you're more likely to make mistakes and try the wrong training methods.
3. Keep Workouts Under One Hour:
This helps an Ectomorph in two ways. First of all it prevents overtraining which is a very important factor. Training over one hour increases the chances of overtraining since it taxes the recovery systems so much and adds unnecessary stress to the body.
Secondly, 30-45 minute workouts are more intensive since more is being done in less time. For example if I had 20 sets to do, and I did them in 30 minutes as oppose to one hour, that 30 minute training session will be more intensive. This will in turn help better promote muscular hypertrophy.
4. Changing The Exercises:
Changing the exercises is another key point to increase hypertrophy. If you keep the same workout for over 2 months, it is likely your body will adapt to those exercises. In this case you will hit a plateau and all your hard work will be in vain because you won't be making nearly as much progress as when you initially started.
5. Consistency:
Keep a consistent schedule. This is probably one of the best things you can do to increase your likelihood of gaining more muscle. If you keep missing workouts, then you will never train your body to handle the stress of weights.
In essence, you won't ever be able to handle the higher intensities of more advanced and better programs. As well, if you keep missing workouts, you won't be training your recovery systems. This is important if you're trying to increase your workout frequency without overtraining.
6. Form, Form, Form:
Ok, this requires that you let ego go. Even if it means your curling 8 points to keep good form and technique. The thing is Ectomorphs are generally weak and have little muscle mass. Therefore, if you load up the weight and start curling and arching your back like a bridge, you're WAY more likely to get injuries and muscular problems down the road. Weaker muscles have a greater chance of getting injured, you should already know that.
Sample Program:
Here's a sample program to get you all started:
So here is what the program will help you do:
Progressively increase your body's tolerance to weight training
Progressively increase your body's recovery rate (Doing this will help you increase workout frequency)
Initiate strength and muscle gains.
The program will consist of:
12 week plan which is divided into three stages
Each stage increases in intensity and frequency
Short 30-45 minute workouts. The longer the workout, the more likely overtraining will occur. Also shorter workouts promote muscular hypertrophy.
Weeks 1-4:
Between each set rest a maximum of 1 minute. Try to shoot for 30-45 seconds if you can.
The intensity in each set should be such that after each set your muscles feel quite fatigued. So on a scale of 1-10 (10 being failure) you should be at about 6-7.
Do not go to failure each and EVERY set. However it is acceptable to perform till failure on a FEW occasionally sets. Ectomorphs aren't designed for real heavy training yet. Also do not try techniques like drop sets, rest pause training, eccentrics etc. This is an easy route to overtraining if your body isn't prepared for it.
Training Split:
Monday - Legs, lower back
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday - Shoulders, abdominals
Friday
Saturday - Chest, upper back
Sunday
* Quick Note: You might be saying, where is the workout for the arms? I recently learned less than 5% of your muscle is in your arms. For the Ectomorph were trying to gain as much muscle as possible without increasing workout frequency too much.
Does it really make sense to add in another workout just for your arms, which has less than 5% of your total muscle? If you're an Ectomorph trying to gain muscle, I'm assuming you're not a professional bodybuilder, therefore workouts for the arms aren't terribly important. Beside, your arms will be worked when you do chest, back, and shoulders. I've seen people with fantastic results who don't have a separate workout for their arms.
Monday - Legs, Lower Back
Barbell squats - 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Leg press - 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Dumbbell lunges 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Single legged calf raises 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Good mornings 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Back extensions 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
Thursday - Shoulders, Abdominals
Shoulder press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Lateral raises 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Bent over lateral raises 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Weighted decline crunch 3 sets x 12 reps
Decline reverse crunch 3 sets x 12 reps
Plate/dumbbell twist 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thursday.
Saturday - Chest, Upper Back
Barbell bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Dips 2 sets x At least 6 - Get assistance if needed
Cable crossover 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Chin ups 2 sets x 6-12 reps (If you cannot do these then switch to bent over two arm long bar row 2 sets x 8-12 reps)
One arm dumbbell rows 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Seated row 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Behind the back shrugs 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Saturday.
Weeks 5-6
Like before try resting 30-45 seconds to try to keep workouts at 30-45 minutes.
Intensity should be increased from the first stage. Now your muscles should be even more fatigued after each set. On scale of 1-10 your muscles should feel 7-8 or 7-9 (10 being failure).
At this point you should be trying to go to failure on more sets than before. This will increase the intensity for more muscular hypertrophy. Just don't do it on every single set. Also if you do not feel your ready, then don't do them.
Training Split:
Monday - Legs
Tuesday
Wednesday - Shoulders, Traps
Thursday
Friday - Lower Back, Abdominals
Saturday - Chest, Upper Back
Sunday
Monday - Legs, Lower Back
Wide legged barbell squats - 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Deadlifts - 3 sets x 8-12 reps (Use lighter weight to get the motion and technique correct first)
Dumbbell lunges 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Single legged calf raises 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Seated calf raises 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
Wednesday - Shoulders, Traps
Arnold dumbbell bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Standing low pulley lateral (Deltoid) raise 3 sets x 8-12 reps
External rotation 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Dumbbell shrug 3 sets x 12 reps
Barbell upright row 2 sets x 12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.
Friday - Lower Back, Abdominals
Stiff legged dumbbell deadlift 4 sets x 12 reps
Cable crunch 3 sets x 12 reps
Flat bench lying leg raise 3 sets x 12 reps
Dumbbell side bends 3 sets x 12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.
Saturday - Chest, Upper Back
Incline dumbbell bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Dumbbell flyes 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Wide grip pushups (With plate on back if needed) 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Narrow grip chin ups 3 sets x At least 6 - Get assistance if needed
Wide grip lat pull down 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Bent over dumbbell row OR incline bench pull 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Saturday.
Weeks 9-12:
30-45 second rests are a must
30-45 minute workouts are the standard
At this point you will have been training for 2 months. Given you've been following the program CONSISTANTLY and training hard it is time to once again time to increase the intensity. Going to failure should be a regular thing 1-2 times per 3 sets. Just not every set.
You can also start experimenting with techniques such as supersets, drop sets, rest pause training to increase intensity. But use these sparingly, never on every set. Even experienced weight lifters would overtrain if they used these techniques for every set. In the following workout I have included some possible techniques to use.
Also because you've been training for 2 months and can take more weight lifting frequency and intensity, it's time to add in some arm workouts. The thing I said before about arm workouts it not being necessary is because someone with an Ectomorphic body type just starting to lift doesn't need to spend time on a separate workout for the arms which contains less than 5% of your total muscle mass.
As you get more experienced, arm workouts become more important to get muscular arms. Even so, I have met a select few who still insist they don't need to workout their arms (They just rely on back and chest workouts). If that doesn't work for you then don't do it, but if you don't include arms and get fantastic gains and you like it that way, then keep doing it.
Training Split:
Monday - Legs, Lower Back
Tuesday
Wednesday - Chest, Triceps
Thursday - Back, Biceps, Traps
Friday
Saturday - Shoulders, Abs, Wrists
Sunday
Monday - Legs, Lower Back:
Narrow stance barbell squats 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Hack squats or lunges 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Barbell deadlifts 3 sets x 8-12 reps
One legged calf raises 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Calf raises on calf raise machine or leg press machine 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Good mornings 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
Wednesday - Chest, Triceps
Wide grip bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Incline dumbbell flyes 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Cable crossover 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last 2 sets are optional)
Close grip bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Skull crushers OR parallel dips 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps
Single arm reverse grip pushdowns 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last two sets are optional)
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.
Thursday - Back, Biceps, Traps
Wide grip chin ups 3 sets x 6-12 reps
One arm dumbbell rows 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Wide grip seated row (Done with lat pull down bar) 3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last two sets are optional)
EZ bar close grip bicep curls 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Incline inner biceps curl 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Cable hammer curls with rope attachment 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last two sets are optional)
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thursday.
Saturday - Shoulders, Abs, Wrists
Triset for all heads of shoulder
Barbell military press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Lateral raises 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Lying Rear Delt Row 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Weighted sit ups 3 sets x 12 reps
Knee / Hip Raise On Parallel Bars 3 sets x 12 reps (Use weight if needed)
Russian twist 3 sets x 12 reps (Use weight if needed)
Superset For Wrists
Wrist roller 3 sets x 12 reps
Standing palms up barbell behind the back wrist curl 3 sets x 12 reps
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Training For The Mesomorph:
This is the best body type to be in. Most people in this category have been weight lifting for quite some time or are either involved in sports that require great physical exertion, not including the pure endurance sports such as marathon running.
Lets look at the advantages the Mesomorph's have:
1.Their bodies are actually designed for the stress of weight lifting.
2.They can handle high intensities very well.
3.They can handle high frequency training well because they have good recovery systems, this is most likely because of the fact that they are advanced lifters or athletes.
4.Their bodies are physically stronger and therefore less prone to injury. Because of this they can attempt advanced programs.
From here the only place to go is up, and to be honest, it would be pointless to have a sample workout schedule. First of all, there are millions of options and I don't want to limit your possibilities. The thing is you have to decide what kind of workout is best suited to you.
For example there are thousands of different kinds of workout programs you can attempt:
1.High frequency training
2.Hypertrophy specific training
3.Max-OT training
4.German Volume Training
5.Mark Riptoe Program
6.Vince Gironda 8x8
7.Mike Mentzer Heavy Duty HIT Program
8.S.A.I.S Mass Building Routine
9.3x3 Training
10.Abbreviated Training:
11.Bulgarian Training
12.Dual Factor Hypertrophy Training (DFHT)
13.Pendulum Training
These are just a few of the THOUSANDS of programs that exist out there. There are probably a few that you will just love and some that you will just hate. It's just a matter of finding the correct programs for YOU and tweaking them to suit your own needs.
Given all these kinds of workouts. There are still just a few things to keep in mind when choosing your workout program:
1. High Intensity Is A Must:
One article by Lee Labrada said if your not going to failure on every set, your not training hard enough. While I don't agree with this, it does have a point. The main thing you should get from this is, your muscles should be very tired after each set.
If you can do 2 more reps, then you're not pushing yourself. Unless otherwise specified by the training program, you should be going close, or at failure on nearly every set.
2. Weight Lifting Techniques Will Boost Your Progress:
Techniques such as drop sets, rest pause training, eccentrics, forced reps, burns, negatives, supersets, etc are very important. Most advanced trainees will use at least one or a couple of these techniques. They are great to boost intensity and overload your muscles to a greater extent. The more stress your muscles are under, the more they will become stronger and grow to respond to that extra stress.
3. Changing Workout Styles, Reps, Exercises, And Speed Of Reps Is Essential:
Firstly changing your exercises is probably the most important of all. This ensures your body doesn't adapt to the exercises. If your body does adapt, it won't get as good of a workout from that exercise, and your progress plummets.
Changing the reps is second most important in two ways. First of all it prevents your body from adapting to a certain rep range and more importantly it works different muscle fibers. If all the different muscle fibers are worked, it provides greater muscular growth, rather than if you just worked one muscle fiber.
The speed of reps isn't really essential to change, but it will help you change your workout so your body is always being challenged and making progress. For example, some repetitions you can perform fast and others you can go fast up and slow down, or just the whole rep slow.
Experiment with different speeds to see which gives you good progress. Milos Sarcev is an advocate of this kind of training.
Lastly changing the workout style is an important point you should consider. For example if you just did hypertrophy specific training, you will get bored of that kind of training. Also your body can get used to it very easy if that's all you've been doing for a year. Different workout programs challenge and exert the body in different ways that will increase your progress and make your body more physically able.
Hate it or love it, specific body types are a reality that has a serious impact on your training regimen. They can be a useful tool, but for many people, it can actually be a tough barrier to overcome.
Take for example the proverbial "Skinny Sticks and Bones" guy who can't even gain an ounce of muscle no matter what training routine he is attempting. In this case, it takes serious dedication and hard work to overcome this obstacle.
Then, there are the people who seem to just be gifted, adding on muscle with greater ease despite eating burgers n fries everyday, and seemingly not to gain much fat. Yes there are body types that are empowering, allowing you to train with greater intensity, frequency, and all the while adding on muscle and strength easier.
As you might know the three main body types are the Ectomorph, Endomorph, and Mesomorph. However you should note that not everyone is JUST one body type. There are mixes of a few body types. For example you can be in-between an Ectomorph and Mesomorph, or an Endomorph and a Mesomorph. You have to look in the mirror and see what kind of body type you are, and this will help:
1. The Ectomorph:
This is a common body type which is characterized by a thin build with relatively little muscle and fat as well. Persons with this body type have a very tough time gaining any kind of weight, muscle or fat. Also, for most cases this body type is not able to take a high amount of athletic/training stress (i.e. Heavy amounts of weight training, cardio etc.).
The only real advantage to this body type is the minimal fat gain that one will experience while trying to put on muscle because for most cases this body type has a very high metabolism.
2. The Endomorph:
This is the opposite of the Ectomorph, that is a body type which is more large and rounded body. Usually the fat levels are high but these people do carry quite a bit more muscle than the Ectomorphs.
The Endomorph usually has trouble losing weight, particularly fat. However they have an easier time gaining muscle as well as fat which is a downside. Most people in this type have a slow metabolism, hence their high body fat percentage.
3. The Mesomorph:
This is the best of both worlds. These people are very athletic and are characterized by a muscular frame with relatively low amounts of body fat. They don't have much trouble losing fat and at the same time they can gain muscle easily. They too like the Ectomorph have a higher metabolism that lets keep their fat levels in check.
Before I get into the workouts let me say this - It is possible to change your body type. However here's the catch: It takes tremendous amounts of work. For example an Ectomorph with consistent training and good meal planning can become a Mesomorph.
I'm sure you've seen it, the skinny freshman who leaves grade 12 as a muscle beast. Or more commonly the overweight and obese people who have achieved a fat loss resolution. So keep in mind, you're not "stuck" in your body type forever.
Workout Design
How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type? Be Specific.
When designing a workout for your body type there are a few main points that you have to consider which I will list in each category. If you don't keep these things in mind, your workout regime may be counterproductive.
Training For The Endomorph:
Let me just say, if you're an Endomorph, weight training will be a lot easier. That is, if your main goal is weight training. First of all, Endomorphs have the ability to put on muscle fast, but this also comes at the expense of fat gain.
Secondly, they are also generally more suited to the stresses of weight lifting since it is anaerobic in nature. Endomorph's are not as well suited to aerobic activity since it requires more endurance.
Since many Endomorph's are carrying around extra weight in the form of fat, they have low endurance. Therefore they don't really have too many disadvantages going for them when talking about weight training. Even so there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Endomorphs Can Start Off Weight Lifting At Higher Intensities
That's right, Endomorph's usually have decent muscle mass covered by fat, and their bodies are more suited for the strenuous weight training. Because of this, these types can usually start off at higher intensities without risking overtraining.
Just keep in mind that just because you have this advantage doesn't mean you can attempt the most grueling and advanced bodybuilding workout there is. Like everyone, you have to train your recovery systems and muscles to BETTER handle the stress weight lifting. But if your just beginning, you should start off slow. Just to get your muscles used to the weight lifting.
Once you notice your not as sore after your workouts, then increase the intensity and experiment a LITTLE bit with some techniques such as going to failure, drop sets, supersets, trisets, rest pause training etc. Just don't go overboard.
2. The Key To Achieving A Good Physique Is Dropping Fat And Preserving Muscle
Because this is a bodybuilding site, I will talk about training in terms of that. I'm assuming most people in this body type are wanting to lose fat and achieve a good physique. Well then the key is losing that fat while preserving as much muscle as possible. There are a few ways to do this
HIIT or high intensity interval training is the best way to preserve as much muscle as possible. As you might know, cardiovascular activity is catabolic, meaning it burns muscle.
The thing with HIIT is that it is relatively short and high intensity, about 15 -20 minutes max. Therefore, very little muscle is burned. Also because it is high intensity, its burns more net calories than long 30-60 minute runs which a lot of people do when trying to lose fat.
HIIT Articles:
What Is The Best HIIT Workout? - A Workout Of The Week
Spring Training - High Intensity Intervals. - By Dave Draper
High Intensity Interval Training! - By Jeremy Lapro
To do HIIT you pick an exercise such as sprints. After you warm up you start off with doing 1 sprint for 20-30 seconds. This is followed by 1 minute of medium paced running. You repeat this until you have done 12-15 intervals or about 15-20 minutes worth of cardio.
Lifting weights while doing muscle is actually a great way to burn more calories to hasten the time you are spending in weight loss. This helps in two ways. First off all it actually burns more calories than cardio, OVER a longer period of time (A couple days). This will help you get through your fat loss stage quicker.
The less time you are in the fat loss stage, the less muscle you will lose. Also it keeps your muscles working, so right when your finished you weight loss program, you can immediately begin a higher intensity weight lifting program without having to start off slowly.
Here is a way to fit in your HIIT cardio with your weight program:
Monday - Legs, lower back
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Chest, triceps - HIIT cardio after the workout or spaced a couple hours away from workout
Thursday - Back, biceps, traps - HIIT after workout or spaced a couple of hours from workout
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Shoulders, abs, wrists - HIIT after workout or spaced a couple hours after workout
Sunday - HIIT cardio
The goal here is HIIT at least 3-4 times per week as well as weight sessions. However there are a few main things you should consider:
Never do cardio before weights. This is a bad combo. The thing is cardio will use up your glycogen stores. Therefore when it comes time to workout, you will have limited energy resulting in a compromised workout. You might lose fat but your workouts will suffer a great deal.
Rather, if you have to do cardio and weights on the same day try spacing them out as far as possible. So, doing weights in the morning and cardio in the late afternoon or vice versa. Just allow for enough time to recover.
Another option is doing cardio right after weights. This has an advantage of burning more fat. The reason is because your glycogen stores are all used up, so therefore your body looks to your fat to burn as energy. Keep in mind though weights take a lot out of the body. So your cardio might suffer just a little bit.
The last thing you should never do is cardio and leg workouts on the same day. I've tried this and it does not work. You feel terribly wobbly, unbalanced, and your legs tire extremely fast. Try spacing cardio as far away from leg workouts as possible, because doing cardio on super sore legs sucks.
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Training For The Ectomorph:
This is probably the hardest training program to design. I don't want to discourage these people but there aren't a whole lot of things going your way if this is your body type, so yes you will have to be patient and train hard. So let's look at what we have to consider for the Ectomorph:
Very hard pressed to gain weight, in this case muscle
This body type is not "Tailored" for high frequency weight training
This body type does not fare well in high intensity weight training
Excessive intensity or frequency in weight training is likely to result in overtraining. In other words, it is much easier for this body type to develop the overtraining syndrome.
Looking at those points, it paints an ugly picture. To gain muscle, it's quite obvious that you must workout with intensity and frequency. But this body type is not good at handling any of those! Therefore these are a few key points you have to keep in mind when designing a workout:
1. The Key Is Starting Off Slowly:
The key to training an Ectomorph is starting off slowly as much of a pain as this seems. Trying to increase intensity and frequency faster won't work, you'll end up either being overtrained, burned out mentally, or frustrated.
As a matter of fact overtraining might even result in reduced muscle mass and strength. Plus each time you do not succeed it lowers your confidence about being able to gain some decent muscle. Also do not add more sets than necessary for your workout. Doing so will not increase gains. Each progressive set decreases in intensity since you get more fatigued, therefore
2. When Starting Off, Keep It Simple:
If you're starting off, then keep it simple. I can remember how many times I've said this but complicated programs don't mean they are "Good". If you over complicate things then you're more likely to make mistakes and try the wrong training methods.
3. Keep Workouts Under One Hour:
This helps an Ectomorph in two ways. First of all it prevents overtraining which is a very important factor. Training over one hour increases the chances of overtraining since it taxes the recovery systems so much and adds unnecessary stress to the body.
Secondly, 30-45 minute workouts are more intensive since more is being done in less time. For example if I had 20 sets to do, and I did them in 30 minutes as oppose to one hour, that 30 minute training session will be more intensive. This will in turn help better promote muscular hypertrophy.
4. Changing The Exercises:
Changing the exercises is another key point to increase hypertrophy. If you keep the same workout for over 2 months, it is likely your body will adapt to those exercises. In this case you will hit a plateau and all your hard work will be in vain because you won't be making nearly as much progress as when you initially started.
5. Consistency:
Keep a consistent schedule. This is probably one of the best things you can do to increase your likelihood of gaining more muscle. If you keep missing workouts, then you will never train your body to handle the stress of weights.
In essence, you won't ever be able to handle the higher intensities of more advanced and better programs. As well, if you keep missing workouts, you won't be training your recovery systems. This is important if you're trying to increase your workout frequency without overtraining.
6. Form, Form, Form:
Ok, this requires that you let ego go. Even if it means your curling 8 points to keep good form and technique. The thing is Ectomorphs are generally weak and have little muscle mass. Therefore, if you load up the weight and start curling and arching your back like a bridge, you're WAY more likely to get injuries and muscular problems down the road. Weaker muscles have a greater chance of getting injured, you should already know that.
Sample Program:
Here's a sample program to get you all started:
So here is what the program will help you do:
Progressively increase your body's tolerance to weight training
Progressively increase your body's recovery rate (Doing this will help you increase workout frequency)
Initiate strength and muscle gains.
The program will consist of:
12 week plan which is divided into three stages
Each stage increases in intensity and frequency
Short 30-45 minute workouts. The longer the workout, the more likely overtraining will occur. Also shorter workouts promote muscular hypertrophy.
Weeks 1-4:
Between each set rest a maximum of 1 minute. Try to shoot for 30-45 seconds if you can.
The intensity in each set should be such that after each set your muscles feel quite fatigued. So on a scale of 1-10 (10 being failure) you should be at about 6-7.
Do not go to failure each and EVERY set. However it is acceptable to perform till failure on a FEW occasionally sets. Ectomorphs aren't designed for real heavy training yet. Also do not try techniques like drop sets, rest pause training, eccentrics etc. This is an easy route to overtraining if your body isn't prepared for it.
Training Split:
Monday - Legs, lower back
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday - Shoulders, abdominals
Friday
Saturday - Chest, upper back
Sunday
* Quick Note: You might be saying, where is the workout for the arms? I recently learned less than 5% of your muscle is in your arms. For the Ectomorph were trying to gain as much muscle as possible without increasing workout frequency too much.
Does it really make sense to add in another workout just for your arms, which has less than 5% of your total muscle? If you're an Ectomorph trying to gain muscle, I'm assuming you're not a professional bodybuilder, therefore workouts for the arms aren't terribly important. Beside, your arms will be worked when you do chest, back, and shoulders. I've seen people with fantastic results who don't have a separate workout for their arms.
Monday - Legs, Lower Back
Barbell squats - 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Leg press - 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Dumbbell lunges 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Single legged calf raises 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Good mornings 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Back extensions 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
Thursday - Shoulders, Abdominals
Shoulder press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Lateral raises 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Bent over lateral raises 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Weighted decline crunch 3 sets x 12 reps
Decline reverse crunch 3 sets x 12 reps
Plate/dumbbell twist 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thursday.
Saturday - Chest, Upper Back
Barbell bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Dips 2 sets x At least 6 - Get assistance if needed
Cable crossover 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Chin ups 2 sets x 6-12 reps (If you cannot do these then switch to bent over two arm long bar row 2 sets x 8-12 reps)
One arm dumbbell rows 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Seated row 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Behind the back shrugs 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Saturday.
Weeks 5-6
Like before try resting 30-45 seconds to try to keep workouts at 30-45 minutes.
Intensity should be increased from the first stage. Now your muscles should be even more fatigued after each set. On scale of 1-10 your muscles should feel 7-8 or 7-9 (10 being failure).
At this point you should be trying to go to failure on more sets than before. This will increase the intensity for more muscular hypertrophy. Just don't do it on every single set. Also if you do not feel your ready, then don't do them.
Training Split:
Monday - Legs
Tuesday
Wednesday - Shoulders, Traps
Thursday
Friday - Lower Back, Abdominals
Saturday - Chest, Upper Back
Sunday
Monday - Legs, Lower Back
Wide legged barbell squats - 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Deadlifts - 3 sets x 8-12 reps (Use lighter weight to get the motion and technique correct first)
Dumbbell lunges 2 sets x 8-12 reps
Single legged calf raises 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Seated calf raises 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
Wednesday - Shoulders, Traps
Arnold dumbbell bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Standing low pulley lateral (Deltoid) raise 3 sets x 8-12 reps
External rotation 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Dumbbell shrug 3 sets x 12 reps
Barbell upright row 2 sets x 12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.
Friday - Lower Back, Abdominals
Stiff legged dumbbell deadlift 4 sets x 12 reps
Cable crunch 3 sets x 12 reps
Flat bench lying leg raise 3 sets x 12 reps
Dumbbell side bends 3 sets x 12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Friday.
Saturday - Chest, Upper Back
Incline dumbbell bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Dumbbell flyes 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Wide grip pushups (With plate on back if needed) 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Narrow grip chin ups 3 sets x At least 6 - Get assistance if needed
Wide grip lat pull down 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Bent over dumbbell row OR incline bench pull 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Saturday.
Weeks 9-12:
30-45 second rests are a must
30-45 minute workouts are the standard
At this point you will have been training for 2 months. Given you've been following the program CONSISTANTLY and training hard it is time to once again time to increase the intensity. Going to failure should be a regular thing 1-2 times per 3 sets. Just not every set.
You can also start experimenting with techniques such as supersets, drop sets, rest pause training to increase intensity. But use these sparingly, never on every set. Even experienced weight lifters would overtrain if they used these techniques for every set. In the following workout I have included some possible techniques to use.
Also because you've been training for 2 months and can take more weight lifting frequency and intensity, it's time to add in some arm workouts. The thing I said before about arm workouts it not being necessary is because someone with an Ectomorphic body type just starting to lift doesn't need to spend time on a separate workout for the arms which contains less than 5% of your total muscle mass.
As you get more experienced, arm workouts become more important to get muscular arms. Even so, I have met a select few who still insist they don't need to workout their arms (They just rely on back and chest workouts). If that doesn't work for you then don't do it, but if you don't include arms and get fantastic gains and you like it that way, then keep doing it.
Training Split:
Monday - Legs, Lower Back
Tuesday
Wednesday - Chest, Triceps
Thursday - Back, Biceps, Traps
Friday
Saturday - Shoulders, Abs, Wrists
Sunday
Monday - Legs, Lower Back:
Narrow stance barbell squats 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Hack squats or lunges 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Barbell deadlifts 3 sets x 8-12 reps
One legged calf raises 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Calf raises on calf raise machine or leg press machine 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Good mornings 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Monday.
Wednesday - Chest, Triceps
Wide grip bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Incline dumbbell flyes 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Cable crossover 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last 2 sets are optional)
Close grip bench press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Skull crushers OR parallel dips 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps
Single arm reverse grip pushdowns 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last two sets are optional)
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Wednesday.
Thursday - Back, Biceps, Traps
Wide grip chin ups 3 sets x 6-12 reps
One arm dumbbell rows 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Wide grip seated row (Done with lat pull down bar) 3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last two sets are optional)
EZ bar close grip bicep curls 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Incline inner biceps curl 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Cable hammer curls with rope attachment 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps (Drop sets on the last two sets are optional)
Click Here For A Printable Log Of Thursday.
Saturday - Shoulders, Abs, Wrists
Triset for all heads of shoulder
Barbell military press 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Lateral raises 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Lying Rear Delt Row 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Weighted sit ups 3 sets x 12 reps
Knee / Hip Raise On Parallel Bars 3 sets x 12 reps (Use weight if needed)
Russian twist 3 sets x 12 reps (Use weight if needed)
Superset For Wrists
Wrist roller 3 sets x 12 reps
Standing palms up barbell behind the back wrist curl 3 sets x 12 reps
--------------------
Training For The Mesomorph:
This is the best body type to be in. Most people in this category have been weight lifting for quite some time or are either involved in sports that require great physical exertion, not including the pure endurance sports such as marathon running.
Lets look at the advantages the Mesomorph's have:
1.Their bodies are actually designed for the stress of weight lifting.
2.They can handle high intensities very well.
3.They can handle high frequency training well because they have good recovery systems, this is most likely because of the fact that they are advanced lifters or athletes.
4.Their bodies are physically stronger and therefore less prone to injury. Because of this they can attempt advanced programs.
From here the only place to go is up, and to be honest, it would be pointless to have a sample workout schedule. First of all, there are millions of options and I don't want to limit your possibilities. The thing is you have to decide what kind of workout is best suited to you.
For example there are thousands of different kinds of workout programs you can attempt:
1.High frequency training
2.Hypertrophy specific training
3.Max-OT training
4.German Volume Training
5.Mark Riptoe Program
6.Vince Gironda 8x8
7.Mike Mentzer Heavy Duty HIT Program
8.S.A.I.S Mass Building Routine
9.3x3 Training
10.Abbreviated Training:
11.Bulgarian Training
12.Dual Factor Hypertrophy Training (DFHT)
13.Pendulum Training
These are just a few of the THOUSANDS of programs that exist out there. There are probably a few that you will just love and some that you will just hate. It's just a matter of finding the correct programs for YOU and tweaking them to suit your own needs.
Given all these kinds of workouts. There are still just a few things to keep in mind when choosing your workout program:
1. High Intensity Is A Must:
One article by Lee Labrada said if your not going to failure on every set, your not training hard enough. While I don't agree with this, it does have a point. The main thing you should get from this is, your muscles should be very tired after each set.
If you can do 2 more reps, then you're not pushing yourself. Unless otherwise specified by the training program, you should be going close, or at failure on nearly every set.
2. Weight Lifting Techniques Will Boost Your Progress:
Techniques such as drop sets, rest pause training, eccentrics, forced reps, burns, negatives, supersets, etc are very important. Most advanced trainees will use at least one or a couple of these techniques. They are great to boost intensity and overload your muscles to a greater extent. The more stress your muscles are under, the more they will become stronger and grow to respond to that extra stress.
3. Changing Workout Styles, Reps, Exercises, And Speed Of Reps Is Essential:
Firstly changing your exercises is probably the most important of all. This ensures your body doesn't adapt to the exercises. If your body does adapt, it won't get as good of a workout from that exercise, and your progress plummets.
Changing the reps is second most important in two ways. First of all it prevents your body from adapting to a certain rep range and more importantly it works different muscle fibers. If all the different muscle fibers are worked, it provides greater muscular growth, rather than if you just worked one muscle fiber.
The speed of reps isn't really essential to change, but it will help you change your workout so your body is always being challenged and making progress. For example, some repetitions you can perform fast and others you can go fast up and slow down, or just the whole rep slow.
Experiment with different speeds to see which gives you good progress. Milos Sarcev is an advocate of this kind of training.
Lastly changing the workout style is an important point you should consider. For example if you just did hypertrophy specific training, you will get bored of that kind of training. Also your body can get used to it very easy if that's all you've been doing for a year. Different workout programs challenge and exert the body in different ways that will increase your progress and make your body more physically able.
Resistance Training PLUS endurance exercise = FAT LOSS
Wayne Westcott, Ph.D. conducted a study in which 72 over weight individuals participated in an eight week exercise program. The participants were placed in two groups. The first group performed 30 minutes of endurance exercise on a stationary cycle. The second group performed only 15 minutes of exercise on the stationary cycle plus an additional 15 minutes on weight resistant exercises. At the conclusion of the study, the "endurance only" group lost a total of 3.5 lbs.; 3 lbs. of which was fat and a half pound was muscle loss. On the other hand, the "endurance and weight resistive" group lost 8 lbs. with an actual fat loss of 10 lbs. and an increase of 2 lbs. of lean body weight.
(8 week program, 72 over weight individuals)
-
Endurance Training (30 min)
Endurance (15 min) & Weight Training (15 min)
Weight Change (lbs)
-3.5
-8
Fat Change (lbs)
-3
-10
Lean mass Change (lbs)
-0.5
2
Westcott, W., Fitness Management. Nov., 1991.
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Dr Celeste @ Fitness Rising