How to Set Up A Program: A New Look at Weak Points.

By Jim Wendler
For EliteFTS

I don’t know how many questions we’ve gotten regarding how to train certain weak points. Of course, almost every question is in regards to a weak muscle group or a certain portion of a lift. For the past couple of months Dave Tate and I have gone over this phenomenon and have found out that lifters need to take a step back and evaluate weak points on another level. Instead of classifying weak points as muscle groups or sticking points, it needs to be approached differently. I need to point out that this is a very rudimentary design and needs to be taken to another level. But, at the very least, this will give you a better understanding of how to evaluate your training, how to periodize (plan) your training and how to set up your training schedule to best accommodate your goals, strengths and weaknesses. Remember that if you are trying to improve them all at the same time, you are never going to get anywhere. In fact this is called overtraining! Also, remember that not everything needs to be a “10” or be an ultimate priority.

First, take the 6 areas of training (listed below) and think about how important they are to being a powerlifter. Rate them on a scale of 1-10. This is going to be up to you and how you view them. For example, GPP for a powerlifter would consist of conditioning, mobility and flexibility. A powerlifter would have enough conditioning to perform enough volume during his workouts to achieve his goals. So a powerlifter would need some conditioning but not a ton. He would also need enough mobility to put his body in proper position, but he wouldn’t need to be a gymnast. So understand that all areas are important, but not everything is going to be a 10. The best example of this happened to me a couple of years ago. Like many of you, I thought conditioning was of the utmost importance in training so I did a lot of work in this area. I pulled the sled, did a ton of warm-up and cool down work. While I could do this all day, I couldn’t lift a damn thing. This is much like many writers who call themselves “strength” coaches. The only difference is when I was “weak” I still could bench over 500lbs. But, I digress. Anyway, I took my conditioning level (remember this is only a part of G.P.P. despite what others may think) to a much higher level than it needed to be. When this happened, other levels began to drop off because I was not focusing my energy in the right place. I was weak as hell, but could drag a sled forever. Great if you want to be a professional sled dragger but awful if you are a powerlifter.

Areas of Training to Evaluate (Powerlifting)
* Speed
* Strength
* Hypertrophy
* Technique
* Mental
* General Physical Preparedness

Now take the above and evaluate where you are numerically 1-10; 1 being something that would be so poor that you are embarrassed, 10 being something that you excel at and are the envy of in the strength and conditioning world. This is not the time to be hyper-critical (for example, many people will say, “I suck at everything” and while this may be somewhat true, there are things that even the weakest people are good at) but you must be honest with yourself. If you can, have a trusted training partner or partners evaluate yourself. If they are true training partners, then they will be honest.

Example
So I’m going to use myself as an example so that everyone has an idea of how to do this;
Technique - This always needs improvement and is constantly being worked on. While this is always a priority, your training will always give you the chance to improve this. This is always going to be a priority of “10” (and can never really be perfect) and will always be important.
Mental – I’m not sure how to handle this or what you need to do if you are weak at this. Maybe go read some book or take some drugs. I’m fine in this area, so I don’t focus on this.

Speed – I rate the “speed” factor for a powerlifter as being about a 7 and I think that I am at the level. I do enough speed work to maintain this level and nothing more. Why? Because if I do more work, then I can’t fully concentrate on the areas that I need to improve.
(Absolute) Strength – I sucked at this for a long time and still need work. For a powerlifter I ranked this a 9. This is something I need to work on so this is a priority in my training.

Hypertrophy – I am fine in this area and do just enough to maintain my muscle mass and have no reasons to move up a weight class.
General Physical Preparedness – I suck at my conditioning and mobility, especially when I’m 280+. Because of this, I need to focus on keeping my conditioning and mobility at an acceptable level. I do not go crazy with this, but need to always keep my eye on this as it will drop off quickly.
Evaluation

So now that you see how I’ve ranked myself, let’s look at the areas that I need to improve and what needs to be maintained. I need to do just enough maintenance work to keep my speed and hypertrophy. I can’t let them drop off, but I do just enough to maintain their level. Some people may even need to let things drop off a bit. But very few people fall into this category, so don’t worry about that.
I don’t need to see a psychologist and I’m fine under pressure, of course if you think that being under a squat bar is pressure, then you probably have lived a pretty sheltered life.

Technique always needs to be improved and is addressed no matter what my physical weaknesses are and what my training is going to look like. So while I’m always looking to improve, I let it fall naturally within my training plan.

So that leaves me with strength and my conditioning/mobility. These two areas are what I need to concentrate on and will help guide me into setting up a program. So my training plan will consist of a lot of effort on max effort work and making sure my conditioning and mobility is where it needs to be. The other parts of my training will be maintained with the least amount of work possible. Read that last sentence and internalize it.

Once you do the above, now you can better map out a plan for your own training.
For those that think you suck at everything (you probably do if you actually think like that, by the way) all you have to do is prioritize. Remember when I asked you to take each factor and rate them as how you would feel would be the most important? Take your weaknesses and see which two are the most important. Now take those two and improve on them. This is how you prioritize your training.

By the way this can be done for every sport. Simply brainstorm and think of all the characteristics (physical and mental) that your sport would need. Then rate them by importance. For example, agility in powerlifting would be a “0”; for football (depending on position) would be an 8. Once you do that, rate your athletes’ and see how they measure up and create your programs based on their needs. Let’s say you’ve got Johnny Muscles, who is an offensive lineman who bench presses 455 and squats 675. But Mr. Muscles can’t side shuffle and trips over his own feet when he sleeps. He probably doesn’t need a lot of work in the weight room, but needs to improve his footwork.

This, readers of EFS, is what weak point training is all about.
Questions to help you:
Speed: - Do my sets at ~60% of my max move explosively and effortlessly?
Strength – Do I have the ability to grind out maximal weight for 3-5 seconds?
Hypertrophy – Do I have the necessary hypertrophy to maintain leverage in my lifts and compete in the weight class that I desire?
Technique- Is my technique consistent and dead-on? No one will ever be 100% but do you feel comfortable using your technique as a guideline for other lifters?
Mental – Do I feel confident in my training and my goals? Do I have a positive attitude in regards to my abilities and my training?
General Physical Preparedness – Conditioning: Am I conditioned enough so that my training and workouts have enough volume and intensity for me to keep progressing? Mobility: Do I have enough joint mobility so that my body can perform efficiently? Is my body able to go through the correct range of motion during the lifts so that I do not get injured?

These are a few basic questions that should be asked and addressed when outlining your training program. Basically, you need to find out which of these 6 things you are weakest in and address it. Remember that abilities can be maintained through concurrent training, but not everything can be raised. There must be emphasis on one or even two areas, but anymore than that and you are asking for injuries and fatigue.

Now a plan must be mapped out for you to raise your level of training in the weak area. Remember that some things may take as little as 2 weeks (conditioning) to fix or more than 6 months (straining ability). Some things may be a life long battle (mental).

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Exercise Improves Body Image For Fit And Unfit Alike

New research shows that the simple act of exercise and not fitness itself can convince you that you look better. (Credit: iStockphoto)

ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2009) — Attention weekend warriors: the simple act of exercise and not fitness itself can convince you that you look better, a new University of Florida study finds.

People who don't achieve workout milestones such as losing fat, gaining strength or boosting cardiovascular fitness feel just as good about their bodies as their more athletic counterparts, said Heather Hausenblas, a UF exercise psychologist. Her study is published in the September issue of the Journal of Health Psychology.

"You would think that if you become more fit that you would experience greater improvements in terms of body image, but that's not what we found," she said. "It may be that the requirements to receive the psychological benefits of exercise, including those relating to body image, differ substantially from the physical benefits."

The study by Hausenblas and graduate student Anna Campbell is the first to systematically analyze the wide-ranging effects of exercise on body image by examining all intervention studies on the subject until June 2008. From the 57 publications, the researchers found conclusively that exercise buffed up the way people see their bodies regardless of the actual benefits, but the results varied.

Negative body image has grown to almost epidemic proportions in the past 20 years, with as many as 60 percent of adults in national studies saying they don't like the way their bodies look, Hausenblas said.

Americans spend billions of dollars a year for products designed to change their body size and shape, including diet pills and various cosmetic procedures, she said.

"Body dissatisfaction is a huge problem in our society and is related to all sorts of negative behavior including yo-yo dieting, smoking, taking steroids and undergoing cosmetic surgery," she said. "It affects men and women and all ages, starting with kids who are as young as five years old saying they don't like how their bodies look."

The psychological advantages of exercise have been less explored, including the reduction of depression or confidence in body image, compared with the well-researched and understood physical benefits, she said.

The study found no difference in body image improvement between people who met the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines by exercising at least 30 minutes a day five days a week and those who did not, Hausenblas said. The guidelines are considered the minimum amount of exercise needed to receive the health related benefits of physical activity, she said.

"We would have thought that people exercising this amount would have felt better about their bodies than those who did not work out as much," she said.

In other results, the study showed slightly larger benefits from exercise in terms of improving body image for women than men, Hausenblas said.

"We believed the gap would be much bigger, but what could be coming into play is the rise of body image issues among men," she said. "We're seeing more media portrayals of the ideal physique for men rather than the overriding emphasis on women we did in the past."

Age presented another difference, with older people most likely to report enhanced body images from exercise, Hausenblas said. The gap may be explained by the older generation having more concerns about their body image than young people, who tend to exercise more, she said.

While the frequency of exercise mattered for boosting body perceptions, there were no differences for the duration, intensity, length or type of exercise, the study found.

"People who say they have high body dissatisfaction tend to exercise the least, so we wanted to take it a step further and see whether exercise causes people's body image to improve," she said.

Kathleen Martin Ginis, a kinesiology professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and exercise expert, praised the research. "This is an important study because it shows that doing virtually any type of exercise, on a regular basis, can help people feel better about their bodies," she said. "With such a large segment of the population dissatisfied with their physiques, it's encouraging to know that even short, frequent bouts of lower intensity exercise can improve body image."

Supervised Strength Training Is More Effective, Swedish Study Finds

 

ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2009) — Half of all Swedish elite volleyball players suffer at least one injury per season. One important reason may be that most players perform injury-preventing strength training unsupervised. This is shown in a new thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

All Swedish elite-level teams were invited to participate in the study, and 158 players returned the questionnaire that had been mailed out near the end of the volleyball season. The responses show that about half of the players had been injured at least once during the season. Almost everybody performed some kind of injury-prevention activity, but a majority did it without supervision. "This is surprising since it is well-known that the training is much more effective if a coach or a physiotherapist develops an individualized program and is present during the training sessions," says physiotherapist Sofia Augustsson, the author of the study.

The thesis also shows that supervised strength training makes the athletes perform much better than when exercising alone. Two groups of female volleyball players were given different exercise program. One group received personalized programs that were performed under the supervision of a physiotherapist, while the members of the other group were given a standard program that was performed unsupervised. The former group improved their performance 50 percent more that the latter group. In addition, the proportion of injured players was smaller in the supervised group.

"I have a feeling that more athletes really stick to the program and focus on the task if there is a coach present. Many players may feel that the strength and conditioning training is the boring part of their sport, which makes it tempting to "cheat" when nobody is watching," says Augustsson.

High Protein to Battle Alzheimer's

The best bet seems to be a low-calorie, low-fat diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits and fish. Now a new study suggests that high protein diets may present an Alzheimer's threat. To find out for sure whether a high protein/low carb diet influences Alzheimer's risk in humans we would need a large, randomized, double-blind trial. That isn't on the drawing boards. The mouse diet study was published online on October 21, 2009 in the open access journal Molecular Neurodegeneration.

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Denzel Washington is a Man on a Mission in The Book of Eli

Christa Banister

Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

Apparently, the fascination with all things apocalyptic will continue in 2010, thanks to The Book of Eli, the third end-of-the-world flick released in the past four months.
But even if the subject matter and the accompanying images (namely, the utter desolation of everything on the planet) are starting to feel familiar, the approach, not to mention the storyline, is unique in The Book of Eli. 
Definitely not as campy as Roland Emmerich's 2012 or nearly as bleak as the recent big-screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's famed novel The Road, The Book of Eli is the story of a solitary man's journey across what used to be America as we know it. 

Driven by God's voice and armed with His protection (namely, some killer survival skills whether he's using a samurai sword, guns or a bow and arrow), Eli's mission is simple. Since all the other copies have been burned, he's supposed to keep the last Bible on the planet safe—and take it west.  The reasons for heading in that direction haven't been revealed yet, but Eli (Denzel Washington) is committed to seeing the plan through because he knows, somehow, it's the only hope for the future.

Of course, Eli's nearly 30-year journey hasn't exactly been an easy one. Not only is water virtually scarce, and survival depends on whatever he can find to eat (a hairless sphinx is dinner in one particular scene), but the world has become increasingly savage. There's nothing resembling civilization, no law, and gangs of violent hooligans who wouldn't think twice about killing a man for the things people used to take for granted—shoes, a drink of water, a nice warm blanket.

But in this kill-or-be-killed world, Eli is decidedly a peacemaker. Well, unless someone challenges him, naturally. As many attackers discover before meeting a grisly end, Eli doesn't mess around when it comes to the task at hand. Guided by his beliefs and fiercely protective of the Bible he's been charged to protect, he does whatever it takes to get from one day to the next.

Aside from the requisite man vs. nature struggle, another conflict becomes increasingly more threatening to Eli's endgame, thanks to an opportunistic man named Carnegie (Gary Oldman) who understands the power that Eli holds with him, even if his life hardly reflects its principles. The self-proclaimed leader of the thieves and gunmen in a makeshift city in the middle of the desert, Carnegie wants nothing more than to get his hands on the Bible Eli is carrying. Meanwhile, Carnegie's adopted daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) is simply intrigued because she knows there's something different, something hopeful about Eli and his mission.

Stepping into Eli's Well-Worn Shoes
For Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington, the son of a Pentecostal minister of 50 years, the opportunity to play a faith-filled character like Eli was something close to his heart, especially since one of the film's prevalent themes is that "God is love." 

During his daily Bible reading recently, Washington had an a-ha moment of sorts, a moment of reflection on what's really important in life (and guess what, it's not those aforementioned golden statues, the crowning achievement in the acting biz).

"I'm looking around at this big house and all the stuff around me, and I remember that saying ‘You never see a U-Haul behind a hearse.' You can't take any of this with you; even the Egyptians tried it, and they were robbed," Washington shares. "I said, ‘What do you want, Denzel?' One of the words in the reading that day was wisdom. It talked about that in the fourth chapter of Proverbs. And I thought that was something to work on—wisdom and understanding.  So I started praying about that, asking God to give me a dose of that. Ultimately, I can't get any more successful, but I can get better and learn to love more. That's key."

And about those martial arts skills? Washington put in months of rigorous training and worked with a renowned martial arts practitioner who was actually a protégé of the lateBruce Lee. "It was challenging and a lot of fun to train in the dojo, and I have the utmost respect for what they do," says Washington. "Together, we worked on a fighting style for Eli that was an amalgamation of skills that he would've developed the hard way—on the road."

Redemption in the Trenches

Another theme that Washington particularly appreciated about the Book of Eli story was the all-too-important reminder than even in God's work it's important to "do for others more than you do for yourself."
"It's interesting, here's a man who like Saul/Paul is knocked off his horse. Eli has this epiphany, this moment that God spoke to him—‘take this book west." And of course, I don't know if this is said—‘and kill everybody on the way!'" Washington says. "But that's what happens. For me, that became the arc of the character, that at his most violent, this innocent girl [Solara] who can't even read and doesn't even know what the Bible is says ‘Stop!' You know sometimes we get so focused in God's name, I mean who is the better man at that moment: Carnegie or Eli when my character is chopping people to bits? There's a fork in the road, and Eli makes the choice [to travel through Carnegie's city]. Or a choice is made for him. Either way, he goes into that town, and maybe that's why, because there was a lesson for him to learn."

When portraying other violent characters in his past like a corrupt police officer in Training Day, Washington says he's "tried to bend" even the worst of roles.

"The first thing I wrote on my script for Training Day was ‘the wages of sin is death." Washington remembers. "In the original script, you find out that my character died on the television. And I said ‘No, no, no.' In order for me to justify him living in the worst way, he had to die in the worst way. I had Ethan Hawke's character pulling me out of the car, and I crawl like a snake, and the whole neighboring community turns their back on me. Then I get blown to bits."

In Malcolm X, Washington even found the proverbial silver lining in playing a man who'd seen his father murdered in "the worst way," a man "with all this hatred in him."

"Then he learned that there were Muslims of all colors, and he learned to love—or at least, change—before he was killed," Washington adds. "I try to find a way to ‘turn that' or ‘use that' in all of my characters. And thankfully with ‘Eli' that was a little easier. For me, it was very parallel to my role in Man on Fire. This very violent man meets an innocent child who teaches him to be human again—and then (SPOILER ALERT) he sacrifices his life for her. That's the story I was telling here."

Opening wide in theaters on January 15, 2010, The Book of Elistars Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals and is rated R for some brutal violence and language.  For more information, please visit the official Web site of The Book of Eli. 
Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. 

True Integrity

Being a good person is not about doing the right thing because someone else is watching you, it is about always doing the right thing because YOU are watching. You must have that litmus test within your own soul that governs your ability to operate at a level that cannot be altered by the simple thrill of any unethical enticement. Integrity cannot be persuaded or changed through peer pressure. Integrity is hard wired within your being like your heart that beats on command without any direct help or assistance on your part. Integrity cannot be subject to negotiations. Integrity weighs all the consequences of every action that can be taken before it reacts.

Sometimes it is very easy to do the right thing. Doing what is right comes quite easily when you believe you will get some kind of credit or reward. It is also not very difficult to do what is right if you are afraid that there may be negative consequences to doing something wrong.

Integrity is different. When you have a good sense of integrity, and allow it to be the leading force in your daily life, you will do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do. Instead of fearing the consequences of doing wrong, your own conscience will dictate that stronger drive of how much better the right thing feels to your spirit. You will not need rewards or praises, because how you feel about yourself is a wonderful reward in itself.

It should be easy to see how important integrity is in your life. It is also paramount to how well you will get along with other people. When you are known to others as a person of good character who can always be trusted to do the right thing, your integrity will help other people respect you. It will enhance your relationships with the people who are in your life, and lead you to have a great reputation even amongst those who do not know you well.

When you live your life with integrity, you will also be a positive example, especially for younger people. They will know that you can be counted on to do the right thing, and they will want to be the same way. By observing your behavior children can learn how to be trustworthy.

A strong sense of integrity will benefit you, also. When you let your conscience guide you to do the right thing in all situations, you will feel good about yourself. Even more important, you will have earned the pride that you feel. Instead of waiting for an opportunity to do the right thing, if you really think about it there are many such opportunities in your life every day. When your conscience is more important than fear or rewards, your integrity will be one of the best parts of your life.

Bench Pressing Tips From A Legend: George Halbert

George Halbert is a living iron game legend. He is a former world record bencher in multiple weight classes (from 198 to 242 lbs). He also was the greatest bencher ever by coefficient while in the 220 lbs class (this is particularly impressive due to the fact that the top coefficient lifters are usually in the lightest weight classes). George currently trains at the vaunted Westside Barbell.

Speed Work is a must for anyone looking to maximize their bench pressing potential. It stimulates the nervous system and helps to optimize motor unit recruitment for the bench press. Speed work for the bench press consists of 3 reps completed in a target time of 3 seconds or less. This timeframe mimics that of a 1 repetition maximum (1RM) attempt (as 1RM attempts are slower by definition) thus allowing the lifter to train their nervous system to fire explosively in less time than it takes to perform a 1RM. Resistance used for speed work should be no more than 60% of one's tested raw (no special bench shirt) 1RM, or 55% of one's tested equipped 1RM. The use of jump stretch bands and or chains is recommended (see Westside Barbell - Powerlifting Equipment - Louie Simmons - Reverse Hyper Bench - Powerlifting Articles) to provide for accommodating resistance and thus to overcome the inherent limitations of the barbell.

Exercise Variety helps to prevent injury and promote progress. The principle of conjugate variation dictates that heavy training days (ME days in the Westside vernacular) consist of 3-4 exercises per major body part (chest, back, legs etc.) rotated weekly with one main exercise being practiced each ME day. This allows for the involved body parts to be trained with maximal loads week after week while simultaneously avoiding neural stagnation and thus overtraining. My top 4 all-time favorite ME chest exercises are

Cambered bar presses using jump stretch bands to provide high tension in the hole (these will help your raw bench tremendously, but can be dangerous, so be careful)
4-board band presses to teach proper lockout technique
Floor presses with chains to strengthen the triceps
Reverse, or hanging bands benching

Consistency is the name of the game in powerlifting. The tale of the tortoise and the hare embodies the consistency of effort required to optimize your strength potential. Great strength simply takes time to develop properly. Patience and persistence will be rewarded with benching prowess!

Diet and Supplementation are keys to ultimate benching success. You cannot expect peak performance from an ineffectively fueled machine. Consume plenty of quality Protein via foods (meats, fish, and dairy products), and with supplements. My personal favorite supplements are AtLarge Nutrition's Nitrean and Fish Oil.

Training Partners can be of great benefit. They can motivate you when needed, check your form, and for anyone with a competitive nature, training with someone of comparable strength can really take their training to the next level. Bottom line, the camaraderie and psychological benefit of training with a good partner is invaluable. If a training partner is not possible, online camaraderie is the next best thing. You can join online forums and communicate regularly with those who share your passion for strength. You can learn new training techniques and even have access to some of the best powerlifters in the world.

George's Bonus Tip!
The H-Roll is a tremendous prehab/rehab technique for anyone seeking to maximize their benching potential. To perform this exercise you need an adjustable incline bench. Set the incline to roughly 10-15 degrees. Lie face-down on the bench with your upper chest hanging off the end (i.e. the top of the bench comes to roughly your lower pec line). Hold a dumbbell in each hand and begin by using a controlled "swing" to bring the dumbbells from your hip area to above your head. Your head should remain down during the movement and your arms should form the upper part of an "H" at the top of the range of motion (thus the name). There is rotation at both the shoulders and elbows during this movement.

 

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Building Your Character by Building Your Body

By Scott Dixon, MA, CSCS
Copyright 2008, http://www.RedPointFitness.com

We live in a day and age where character is lacking. Gough, in Character is Destiny, defines character as the sum total of your habits. One of the main reasons that some trainees don't progress, and make lasting change, is that they lack character. In order to be a successful athlete, powerlifter, bodybuilder, fitness competitor, or just someone who wants a better body, good habits must be adopted and followed consistently. In short, you have to develop your character. So we might ask, what might some of those habits be that aid in character development.

1) Eating right.

There are many trainees who over analyze this aspect and fret about macronutrient ratios far beyond what they should. First and foremost, your health is what is most important. You want to adopt an eating plan that contains a fair amount of fruit and green vegetables, preferably with every meal. You also want to be sure that you are consuming healthy fats along with the one's that aren't so healthy in isolation. Second, be sure that you are consuming somewhere between 1 gram and 2 grams per pound of bodyweight, and don't consume protein from just one source. You want different amino acid profiles and eating various protein sources allows for it. Third, always make your carbohydrate intake relative to your activity level for the day, especially if you are worried about bodyfat. Fourth, enjoy your eating! Simple spices can add something to even the blandest meals.

2) Managing stress right.

There are many trainees who eat right, but cannot manage stress, thus negating some of the benefits of eating right. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote that there are things you can control--thoughts and desires, and things you cannot control--other people, situations, etc... He said that you tend to become frustrated by trying to control things that ultimately are beyond your control. For instance, I cannot control my wife's family with respect to time. They are late to almost every family function. Now, I can either let that frustrate me and in the process harm myself, or I can adopt the attitude that they will be late, expectedly so. I reduce my frustration with the proper mindset. The more you learn to adopt a simple principle like Epictetus's control/no control distinction, the more you will reduce stress and frustration in your life. Stress, by itself, can sabotage any gains. You must learn to manage it. Adopt the habit of dealing with your stress before it harms you.

3) Training right.

Training is also a stress on the body. Because it is a stress, it must also be managed. Trainees do this in various ways including planned progressions or training by instinct and how they feel. You have to learn to balance intensity, frequency, volume, and load. The easiest way to do this is to adopt long term and short term goals, and plan your training around reaching both types of goals. Be sure that you learn proper form and be consistent with that form. Gains are not gains when done with poor form. True gains are progressions when the form closely mimics, if not the same, previous maximal attempts. This is one thing that every trainee can learn from powerlifters. Form matters to both strength and proper assessment of gains. Adopt the productive habits of planning your training and using proper form.

Conclusion.

Epictetus also wrote that you should set up a pattern for yourself, whether in public or private, and follow that pattern. Eating, managing stress, and training all require this single kind of mindset. Stick with your eating program wherever you go, and when you can't, recognize what is in your power to control. Manage your stress when others are around and not. Don't let your mind become your worst enemy and get the best of you. Interestingly enough, Epictetus said that you must constantly be on guard for the enemy because you are that enemy. You harm yourself; other's don't. Maintain your training program regardless of pressures at the gym or when your mind wanders, and when you can't, recognize what is your power to control. You have to adopt the proper habits, letting them work to manifest the change and goals in your life. In short, you have to build your character, and in the process, you actually build your worth as a person. Thus, while building your body, you can also build your character with the goal of becoming a complete person.

                     

Better Protein Bars: simple, effective and worthwhile

Protein bars are a great idea, but since their conception they have been flawed. High priced, full of sugar, loaded with additives and preservatives, disguised with sugar alcohol, and more often than not they are just a candy bar with added protein. Even the protein in most protein bars on the market is sub par. For decades no one has ever addressed the problems of today’s protein bars. It’s been nothing but more of the same over priced, fancy packed, tasteless bars. Until Now!

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Each better protein bar pack comes with all you need to make 12 fresh homemade all natural protein bars. What could be better than making your very own fresh protein bars? It’s simple; we took all of the work out of it for you. With the better protein bar pack all you need to do is pour and mix, that’s it. No measuring, no thinking, and no baking. In just 2-5 minutes from start to finish and you have 12 fresh, 100% all natural protein bars.

Nutrition facts for original recipe.
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total fat 21g (95% omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids)
saturated fats 4g
trans fat 0g
cholesterol 40mg
sodium 136mg
total carbohydrates 36g
dietary fiber 4g
sugar 24g (mostly from honey)
protein 26g
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Don't forget POWER BUTTER!!!
Peanut Power Butter is the most exciting new protein product with other essential natural ingredients in the market today. Made to virtually help anyone unleash his or her potential to build a leaner, stronger, healthier body. PowerButter’s unique formula has a peanut butter base fortified with flax seed, flax oil and other proteins to provide all the protein and essential fats needed to replenish the body during and after a workout. And PowerButter is all-natural, contains no cholesterol, no trans fatty acids and is high in protein and essential Omega-3 and Omega-6 to keep the body naturally balanced and functioning at peak performance. PowerButter is the Ultimate Protein and Essential Fat Nutrient Source.

A Brief History of Peanut Butter
In 1890, a St. Louis food products company began selling peanut butter out of barrels for about 6¢ per pound as a protein supplement for people with poor teeth who couldn’t chew meat. This gave birth to peanut butter in America. The next step in peanut butter evolution was introduced in 1922 when a California entrepreneur received a patent for the first shelf-stable peanut butter that would stay fresh for a year. This created peanut butter as we know it today, until now.

Peanut PowerButter™ has taken traditional peanut butter paste and enhanced it with even more beneficial nutrients that our bodies need to stay healthier, younger, and fit. It’s what peanut butter should be.
Peanut Butter is a great source of protein and other essential nutrients. Research has found that peanut butter helps reduce the chances of heart disease. But why stop there?

Flaxseed
Flaxseed contains lignans that have anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-cancer properties. Flaxseeds have the richest source of lignans, 100 times more than the next best source, wheat bran. The majority of lignans is found in the seed. Flaxseed also contains lecithin, which emulsifies fat and cholesterol. These little seeds improve digestion, help stabilize blood glucose levels, fight tumor formation and enhance cardiovascular health. *Source: Freedomyou.com, Excerpts from God’s Banquet Table

Egg Whites
With all the media attention on cholesterol, consumers often lose sight of the fact that eggs are a nutrient-rich, affordable contributor to a healthy diet. Not only do eggs contain the highest quality source of protein available but they also contain almost every essential vitamin and mineral needed by humans. In fact, egg protein is of such high quality that it is used as the standard by which other proteins are compared. Eggs have a biological value (efficacy with which protein is used for growth) of 93.7%. Comparable values are 84.5% for milk, 76% for fish, and 74.3% for beef. Eggs really are the best protein money can buy. One of the major protein ingredients in PowerButter™ is egg white, which contains no cholesterol. *Source: American Egg Board

Flax Oil
Flax oil is one of the most beneficial products in the nutrition field today. Research is continuing to uncover the benefits of flax oil on the human body. It is shown to have major positive effects on the musculoskeletal, metabolism, cardiovascular, immune, nervous, and respiratory systems. Tests have shown that flax oil has improved eyesight and color perception, as well as helping to fight dry skin conditions, such as dandruff. Flax oil is one of Nature’s wonders that harnesses more healing power than many of the wonder pills being marketed today. *Source: Hyperhealth Natural Health & Nutrition

Omega-3 & Omega-6
Like all fats, Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) provide energy. Their calorific value is similar to other fats and oils but, unlike saturated fats, they have important health roles. In fact, as their names suggest, they are essential and must be consumed regularly, as the body has limited storage for them. Both of the important EFA families — Omega-3 and Omega-6 — are components of nerve cells and cellular membranes. They are converted by the body into eicosanoids, leukotrienes and prostaglandins, all of which are needed on a second-by-second basis by most tissue activities in the body. Since the end products (e.g., prostaglandin and leukotriene) differ slightly between Omega-3 and Omega-6, both EFAs must be present to ensure optimum health. *Source:COD

SO EASY EVEN A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT!

Frequency of Training

By Charles Poliquin

Frequency of training is measured as the number of training sessions for a given muscle group or lift per unit of time. A certain level frequency must be given in the administration of a training stimulus in order to maintain or build upon a previous training stimulus. Optimal recovery time between training sessions is important in maximizing adaptive processes. As a rule of thumb, one would think that as the intensity of the training stimulus increases, there would be a decrease in need for training frequency.

However, in the practice of strength training in the sporting world, especially with elite athletes, there are conflicting schools of thought on training frequency. For example, Rich Weil, World Record holder in the bench press, recommended one session per week per muscle group (Weil, 1985) while at the other end of the spectrum 9 to 12 weekly sessions are common on leading successful weightlifting teams. For example, Tara Nott, America's first Olympic Gold Medalist in weightlifting has regularly squatted 9 times a week to achieve her sporting standard. Some weightlifting National Teams have done as much as 4 to 5 training sessions for the hip and knee extensors on a daily basis. And to rely on the scientific literature for an answer is rather useless, as the data is coming from untrained, unmotivated university subjects.

There are three main schools of thought on frequency:
School 1: Train three times a week. Bompa espouses that concept so did Chuck Sipes a very strong bodybuilder from the sixties. It is the most used system in the World.
School 2: Train at least 6 days a week the lift or its variations that you want to improve. Again, some very successful individuals like Mel Hennessey and Bulgarian lifters have endorsed this training concept.
School 3: Train hard, come back once you can lift more. In other words, wait for supercompensation to take place. So training frequency per muscle group is once every 3 to 10 days per lifts. Fred Hatfield is a strong proponent of this system. So was Mike MacDonald, one of the most successful bench pressers of all time. Terry Todd related to me that he would test how he felt in the bench press muscles with just using a broomstick for resistance. If it felt odd he would take an extra day off, or whatever how many offs he felt it would take.

Here are my own observations on training frequency:
1. Of all the loading parameters, I think training frequency is the one that is most influenced by individual genetic differences, regardless of drug use or not. I believe that it is the loading parameter that one must experiment with most to find out what works out best for them. I have seen very strong individuals get strong on once every 10 days to 10 times a week. In both extremes there where individuals using recovery agents and some not.
2. Frequency of training will vary the person's level of qualification. In the immediate start of strength training is definitely a must. As the person gets stronger, genetic differences become more important.
3. The principle of training economy has to be considered: how much time can you actually devote to training?
4. Provided that the training intensity and volume are challenging, a frequency of once every 5 days works for most individuals, most of the time. This is how I train 70% of my clients with appreciable results. Of course, you will here arguments like my uncle Bob bench pressed once only every equinox, and he can bench 600 lbs, or on the other side, you will not make gains unless you train at a frequency per week that represents the last 4 digits of you social security number.
5. The choice of training method influences recovery. For example, the more eccentric overload, the more need for recovery. Squatting 4 sets of 6 with chains is more demanding that squatting 8 sets of 3 explosively, even though the total reps are the same.
6. All factors being equal, for strength development, frequency is more important than it is for hypertrophy development.
7. If you can afford dedicating it the time, I believe that training twice a day for the same body part ( if you can afford the training time) is the system that works best. The morning workout facilitates the evening workout. Then again, I make the individual train that body part 5 days later. The trainee will train 3 days out of five twice a day for 10 days, then go on to once a day for 5 days.
8. You have to consider the entire training system. For example, Louie Simmons has an extremely successful system with variations of loads throughout the week. His system works well when you do it in its entirety. So you can't mix a Louie Simmons bench press cycle with a Finnish deadlifting routine and a Russian squatting system. Always give a training system a fair try only in its original design. Combining training systems can lead to failure.
9. Training more than 3 times a week for a improving a lift is excellent to go through a plateau. In this area, there is scientific literature to back up this concept. But there is also a need to lower training volume once every three weeks for males and every three weeks for females.
10. Multiple sessions a week is for individuals who want to achieve Olympic standards. In personal communications with Chinese, Bulgarian and former East German weightlifting coaches, all of them stipulated that it takes about 3 years of incremental training to develop the work tolerance for such workloads.
In summary, training frequency will be determined by your training goals, your gender, the choice of training methods, magnitude and intensity of training load and most important your genetic make-up. In other words, you have to find out what works best for you. Take for example my assistant Chad Ikei, he bench pressed a World Record of 316 lbs at a bodyweight of 112.5 lbs at age 19. At that time he was bench pressing twice a week. Later on, when he was on the US weightlifting team, he trained the hip and knee extensors at a frequency of 8 to 12 times a week and yet his best performance was 13th in the World, and was National Record holder in the snatch, clean and jerk and total.

The Trinity

Ok, not THAT Trinity. Actually the trinity refers to 3 parts. No, there will be no theological discussion today. Trinity for this article refers to just refers to the number 3.

Look at any of the well established lifting schemes and you will notice a common factor. Most train only three days a week. Doggcrapp training (dc training), 5x5, Wendler's 5/3/1, Westside Barbell, German Volume Training generally all train three days a week. Certainly there are other training styles but I am thinking of the well known and established methods of working out that really I do believe have stood the test of time for effectiveness. Heck, even that football coach from high school who pulled his coaching shorts up WAYYYYY too high would have you lift Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Remember?

Doggcrapp Training uses its base template in 2 sessions plugged into three days.

Session A: chest, shoulders, triceps, back width, back thickness

Session B: biceps, forearms, calves, hamstrings, quads

Monday A

Tuesday off

Wednesday B

Thursday off

Friday A

Saturday off

Sunday off

Monday B

Tuesday off

Wednesday A

Thursday off

Friday B

Saturday off

Sunday off

So during this time you are working each session for 3 times in the 2 week span. Eventually Doggcrapp trainees will have to take some time off. Why? Even though the training days are limited they are training to failure every session. The goal is always to increase the weight or the reps. Your body can only take so much with intensity levels before you start to over-train.

The micro-trauma caused by training leads to an inflammatory response. If the body is not allowed adequate recovery time between workouts, chronic inflammation results, and cytokines involved in inflammation start to act on the CNS causing the various symptoms associated with over-training. These cytokines can also affect the hypothalamus, causing increased cortisol levels. So training programs must be intense enough to improve fitness and skill, yet provide enough rest to ensure adequate recovery.

Wendler's 5/3/1 scheme is 4 sessions plugged into 3 training days. It is a % based scheme that does not generally warrant training to failure. Wendler suggests that you underestimate your loading percentages by subtracting 10% from your 1RM when calculating weights. He also suggests that on the last set you can do an “all out rep max” lifting that weight as many times as possible. The goal is to get at least the specified number of reps with that weight and anything beyond that can be considered the dividends that your efforts have payed out. Only attempt extra reps on the final heavy set.

One mesocycle lasts 16 workouts, or a little over 5 weeks.

Each mesocycle has 4 microcycles or “waves”.
Wave 1. Warmup, 75%x5, 80%x5, 85%x5
Wave 2. Warmup, 80%x3, 85%x3, 90%x3
Wave 3. Warmup, 75%x5, 85%x3, 95%x1
Wave 4. (deload) – 60%x5, 65%x5, 70%x5

Each wave has 4 workouts:
A. Squat + assistance
B. Bench press + assistance
C. Deadlift + assistance
D. Military press + assistance

Wendler recommends 3 workouts per week.

Example:
Week 1: A1, B1, C1
Week 2: D1, A2, B2
Week 3: C2, D2, A3
Week 4: B3, C3, D3
Week 5: A4, B4, C4
Week 6: D4, etc. …

Optionally there is a second, less intensive, loading parameter:
Wave 1. Warmup, 65%x5, 75%x5, 85%x5
Wave 2. Warmup, 70%x3, 80%x3, 90%x3
Wave 3. Warmup, 75%x5, 85%x3, 95%x1
Wave 4 (Deload) – 60%x5, 65%x5, 70%x5

The main lifts can be substituted with variations (typically in subsequent mesocycles):
Squat – box squat, squat with bands, front squat, etc.
Bench press – board press, floor press, incline, etc.
Deadlift – rack pulls, deficit DL, etc.
Military press – push press, incline press, etc.

Westside Barbell is a scheme that can easily over-train someone because it happens very subtly. The idea is to make the lifter ready for a meet at all times using maximum effort training days along with practicing in lifting gear although not essential for being successful.

As you might guess, Westside Barbell uses 4 sessions but for many in 4 training days. I recommend using the idea like Wendler's 5/3/1 where you use 4 sessions in 3 training days. This will help the joints in particular which can get very inflamed and sore while limiting over-training.

A. Max Effort Squat + assistance
B. Max Bench press + assistance
C. Speed Day Squat + assistance
D. Speed Day Bench Press + assistance

Example:
Week 1: A1, B1, C1
Week 2: D1, A2, B2
Week 3: C2, D2, A3
Week 4: B3, C3, D3
Week 5: A4, B4, C4
Week 6: D4, etc.

Max effort bench press includes a variety of exercises, but the most are the floor press, 2 board press, 3 board  press, incline press and close grip bench press. On max effort bench press day, you pick one of these exercises and work to a 1RM. Most will switch to a different exercise every 1-2 weeks and simply try to break their record. On this day, based on your 1RM for THAT day, you will try to do 3 lifts at or above 90%. You can take as much rest as you want, but I would probably say around 3-5 minutes between your heaviest sets.

Max Effort Squat and Deadlift is similar to the max effort bench press, one exercise is used per week and worked up to a 1RM.

Dynamic bench press is performed in 8 sets of 3 repetitions; all sets done are done with 55% of raw 1RM. Rest periods are approximately 60 seconds, but have never really seen the purpose of this, personally. The whole goal of speed day is to move the bar quickly on the concentric. If you need to take an extra minute to accomplish the goal of the day, then by all means, do so. Also, don't get too hung up on changing your grips. The only reason why I changed my grip on this day was to keep track of the number of sets I was doing. Again, remember why you are doing what you are doing.

Dynamic Squat are all sets done on a parallel box. A three week wave is used using the following sets and reps. Once the 3 weeks cycle is finished, start over.
Week 1 – 10x2 @ 50%
Week 2 – 10x2 @ 55%
Week 3 – 10x2 @ 60%

5x5 training has become very popular over the past few years. Weight training is a quirky thing as many of the popular methods have actually been around for a long time. Originally developed by Reg Park, the 5x5 method involves doing 5 sets of 5 reps, using the same resistance. That's the goal. However, if you've chosen the proper weight, you won't be able to do 5 sets of 5, at least not right away. Now the problem though is you will over-train very quickly like this if you are doing too many sets of assistance exercises.

Your training sessions again can be a Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. 

Session 1: Squat

Session 2: Bench Press

Session 3: Deadlift

Note: You may use other exercises for similar movements. Instead of squats, front squats could be substituted.

Typically, if you've chosen the correct weight, the workout might look like this:

Set 1: 5x100

Set 2: 4x100

Set 3: 3x100

Set 4: 3x100

Set 5: 2x100

Remember, the goal of doing 5 sets of 5 reps is a hypothetical goal. If you can do 5 sets of 5 right off the bat, the weight you've chosen is too light. The important thing is to be focusing on progression while using 5x5 training. Most likely you can hit the first and possible second set for 5 reps. Also feel free to rest 3 minutes between sets.

This 5 x 5 variation is built for lifters that have good, or above average recovery and can be disciplined with their weight progression and know how to pick weights without going too high and inadvertently training to failure. They also need to be precise when calculating their weight increases that are based off percentages. This 5 x 5 succeeds where other fail.

Note, all these routines are written as “non failure routines” in other words none of the sets are to be taken to positive failure. For the repetition accessory work here is how performance is to be done. I will use an example of triceps push downs for 3 x 10.

After your warm-ups you're going to pick a weight, and use that same way for all three sets. If it is done perfect here is how it will occur. It would do a set of 10 repetitions. Then rest. Rest periods between sets can be 90 seconds, 2, 3 or 4 minutes. For strength based routines use at least 2 minutes rest on smaller lifts and 3-4 on the big lifts.

You MUST use a stop watch and be consistent with your rest periods. After your rest, using the same weight, you will do another set, this set will be harder then the first but NOT to failure, if you can do more than 10 reps with it DO NOT, we are looking to do the first two sets to add volume, the last set is the only one that will be taken close to failure. Let's say that on the last set, you get to exactly rep 10 and you know that if you tried another rep you would fail or your form would break down to get the rep, if that is the case it was done perfectly.

Let's look at what happens if the weight is too heavy. Let's say you get 10 reps for the first set, 10 for the second. And only 8 for the third. That means the weight was a bit too heavy, no problem you will have still stimulated growth. Do not make your form breakdown or get a spot from your buddy, to make the 10 reps, we are looking to take the last set to one rep short of failure. You should never miss a rep.

Now let's look at what happens if the weight is too light. Let's say you got 1 x 10, 1 x 10, and then on the last set you get to rep 10 and it is obvious you can do more reps, go ahead and get the additional reps. But once again take the last repetition only to the point where you get all the reps in good form. DO NOT ATTEMPT A REP THAT YOU WILL NOT GET BY EITHER FAILING ON THE REP, OR HAVING FORM BREAK DOWN TO GET IT.

Again, on these routines you will fail if you take all your work sets to failure. On multiple set lifts you should use the same weight for all sets. As an example if you are doing rows for three sets of eight, the first should be relatively easy, the second should be a pretty hard set and a third should be almost a failure but not quite. When you know you going to fail on the last rap don’t attempt it.

Day 1:

Chin-Ups - 10 x 3

Incline Dumbbell Curl - 3 x 8

Deadlift - 5 x 5 (After warmups start at 75,80,85,95,100%)

Lat-Pulley Ab Crunch - 3 x 10

Leg Press Calf Raise - 3 x 20

Day 2:

Rest Day

Day 3:

Bench Press - 5 x 5 (After warmups start at 75,80,85,95,100%)

Board Bench Press - 2 x 3

Dumbbell Skull Crushers - 3 x 10

Lateral Raise - 5 x 10

Day 4:

Rest Day

Day 5:

Bent Row - 5 x 5 (using a static weight, Use 85% of a weight you could get ALL 5 sets of 5 with, and add 5% a week until you are going all out)

Squat - 5 x 5 (using a static weight, Use 85% of a weight you could get ALL 5 sets of 5 with, and add 5% a week until you are going all out)

Weighted Abs - 3 x 10

Standing Calf Raise - 4 x 15

Day 6:

Rest Day

Day 7:

Bench Press - 5 x 5 (using a static weight, Use 85% of a weight you could get ALL 5 sets of 5 with, and add 5% a week until you are going all out)

Dips - 4 x 5

Military Press - 5 x 10

Lateral Raise - 2 x 10

Day 8:

Rest Day

Day 9:

Rest Day

Day 10:

REPEAT CYCLE

Finally we look at German Volume Training or the infamous 10x10 training. If ALL you want is 10 lbs of muscle this routine will work, but the size will be transient and likely lost when you discontinue the training. Also indicated for advanced and intermediates.  This is a classic routine that was used by weightlifters to bring their body weight up to the next class during the off-season.  Charles Poliquin brought it to the bodybuilding world where it has been an unqualified success.  This routine is done picking a weight that you can do 20 reps with for 10 reps, using 60-90 second rest periods between antagonistic body parts. Again, this routine is performed 3 days a week.

Day 1:

Hammer Strength Bench Press - 10 x 10

Assisted Pull-Up machine - 10 x 10

Incline Dumbbell Fly - 3 x 10

Hammer ISO Row - 3 x 8

Day 2:

Rest Day

Day 3:

Squat - 10 x 10

Glute/Ham Raise - 3 x 10

Standing Calf Raise - 3 x 15

Day 4:

Rest Day

Day 5:

Dips - 10 x 10

Hammer Curls - 10 x 10

Upright Row - 10 x 10

Hanging Leg Raises - 3 x 10

Day 6:

Rest Day

Day 7:

Rest Day

Day 8:

REPEAT CYCLE

Doggcrapp training (dc training), 5x5, Wendler's 5/3/1, Westside Barbell, German Volume Training generally all train three days a week. Hopefully, you can accept that more is not better. You really don't have to live in the gym. Many of the creators also encourage taking time off as needed as well. Clearly even 3 days a week over time can be too much. Next time we will go over what overtraining is from the diet and mental side of things.

 

Train hard and be blessed!

Shawn Bellon

 

 

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Your Muscles: An In Depth Perspective

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Low Fat Diets=Fat People

Healthy fat is needed for our bodies to be well and it doesn’t make you fat! The “fat makes you fat” theory is appealing because it’s simple. Eat less fat and you’ll become less fat (also known as the “less in, less on” theory). The low-fat diet is seductive… and yet, research shows it’s not exactly true.

When you try to eliminate fat intake, the body will try valiantly to find fats, either by binging, or by increasing the volume of food eaten in an effort to get what little fat is in the meal. Some people wake up at night, unknowingly in search of fats. People have been misled by the food pyramid, which offers a misguided carte blanche to all carbs, and vilifies all fats, healthy and unhealthy. When you consider how many people have been following the “experts’” instruction to cut fat and increase carbohydrate intake, while becoming fatter and enduring the misery of cravings as a result, you realize what a colossal mistake this has been.

The assumption, that you will consume fewer calories when carbohydrates are substituted for fat is incorrect. Fat tends to reduce cravings while carbohydrate tends to stimulate cravings by generating hormonal hunger. In fact, although fat contains more than twice the calories per gram of carbohydrate, fat keeps away hunger for about three times as long. Diets high in carbohydrates serve to spike the dieter's insulin level, resulting in the food being stored as fat on the body rather than burned as fuel.

• The obesity rates for Americans have doubled in the last 20 years, coinciding with the advent of the low-fat revolution.
• In the 1960s, Americans ate 45% of their calories from fat – and only 13% of us were obese. Now, while most of us get only about 33% of our calories from fat, 34% of us qualify as obese!

Misconceptions of low fat dieters:
• Fats make you fat
• Whatever I do to lose weight, I can lose it even faster if I reduce the fat
• All fats are bad
• Pretzels are good
• The right amount of fat in your food is the smallest amount you can tolerate
• Full flavored foods are not an option if I want to control my weight
• Low-fat ice cream is good. Full-fat ice cream is bad

Benefits of fat:
The human body uses fatty acids to do everything from building cell membranes to performing key functions in the brain, eyes, and lungs. The functions of fats include:

• Brain – Fats compose 60% of the brain and are essential to brain function, including learning abilities, memory retention and moods. Fats are especially important for pregnant women, since they are integral to fetal brain development.
• Cells – Fatty acids help your cells stay moveable and flexible, as well as being responsible for building cell membranes.
• Heart – 60% of our heart’s energy comes from burning fats. Specific fats are also used to help keep the heart beating in a regular rhythm.
• Nerves – Fats compose the material that insulates and protects the nerves, isolating electrical impulses and speeding their transmission.
• Lungs – Lung surfactant, which requires a high concentration of saturated fats, enables the lungs to work and keeps them from collapsing.
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Epidemiologic and clinical trials have shown that omega-3 fatty acids reduce CVD incidence (American Heart Association), by:
• decreasing risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death
• decreasing triglyceride levels
• decreasing growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque
• lowering blood pressure (slightly)
• Liver cancer: omega-3 fatty acids may be an effective therapy for both the treatment and prevention of human liver cancers. (University of Pittsburg study)
• Depression: Omega-3 fatty acid DHA reduces symptoms of depression probably because it increases gray matter in the brain. (University of Pittsburg study)
• Dementia - Eating fatty fish, high in omega 3, lowers the likelihood of developing “silent” brain lesions that can cause memory loss and dementia (University of Kuopio in Finland)

More benefits of fat:
• healthy skin
• vitamin-absorption
• omega-3s, are anti-inflammatory by nature
The key is to choose higher-fat foods carefully and keep an eye on portion sizes. Remember, any diet should allow enough wiggle room for a "fattening" treat now and again. * that would be your cheat meal/day *
Foods with a higher fat content truly are more satisfying that their low-fat counterparts. When you're physically hungry, and you eat only low-fat foods, that gnawing hunger never really goes away.
When you eat just enough fat, the sense of satisfaction will obliterate that ever-present hunger pang. As with all-things, moderation is truly the key.

Healthy fats:
coldwater fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and herring
nuts, including natural nut butters
seeds
Olive oil
Olives
Avocado
Flax Oil

REFERENCES:
Dietary Fat - The Benefits of Dietary Fat
Does Fat Make You Fat?
How to Eat for Joint Health | eHow.com
How to Choose Good Fats and Avoid the Bad
Healthy and Fat? 5 High-Fat Foods You Should Not Avoid | The Diet Channel

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Goals and You

I’ve seen it time and time again... bodybuilders who lost their way over the holidays trying to make up for it with bold New Year’s fitness goals.  They swear this will be the year when they train harder than ever before while experiencing unbelievable muscle gains.  This will be the year when they stick to a strict diet and avoid any lapses in their workout plan.  This will be the year when everything finally comes together, and they become more ripped than ever before!  This will be the year...

Unfortunately, very few people actually ever stick to their fitness goals, and most of them end up falling off before the spring.  Their grand illusions of staying with an intense 12 month training program eventually end in defeat due to their unrealistic expectations.

And the reason why so many bodybuilders never make it through a whole year with their fitness goals is because they don’t know how to set smart fitness goals.  With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top 12 fitness goals which will help keep you motivated and packing on muscle.

Top Fitness Goal #1. I resolve to keep realistic expectations.

The number one problem with anybody who can’t stick to their fitness goals is that they set the bar too high.  You want to work hard and try to become the best you possibly can, but you also need to keep your previous history in mind too.  For instance, if your biceps are only 13’’, it’s a little unrealistic to be shooting for 20’’ arms within a year.  Plus, it’s defeating mentally when you aren’t even coming close to what you were hoping for.  So keep your fitness goals realistic while working for optimal gains.

Top Fitness Goal #2. I resolve to change my fitness goals if need be.
In addition to keeping your fitness goals realistic, you should also be willing to change them if an unforeseen event such as an injury occurs.  We’d all like to avoid the injury bug while working towards muscular growth, however, sometimes things happen that are out of our control.  If something does come up in the middle of your plan, you can’t just give up or start slacking; you need to be able to adapt, change your goals accordingly, and keep moving forward.

Top Fitness Goal #3. I resolve to workout at a certain time of the day

Nothing gets people out of a routine more than inconsistent workout times.  After all, it’s pretty difficult to stay focused and wanting to work hard when you’re going to the gym early in the morning one day, and late at night the next day.  So it is very important that you pick a workout time and stick to it – whether that be morning or night.  Keep in mind though that there will certainly be times when you can’t make it into the gym on schedule.  However, you should stick to your schedule as closely as possible.

Top Fitness Goal #4. I resolve to break my fitness goals into smaller parts.

Another huge reason why many people can’t stick with a New Year’s resolution is because a year is too long for a single goal.  Think about it….people have trouble sticking with 90-day goals, so how are they supposed to stick to a 365-day plan?  In fact, it’s almost impossible to stay with a resolution if you’re approaching it as a year-long task.  So, to avoid making it a task, you need to break your resolution down into segments and take things one step at a time.  A good idea is to break your resolution into 6 two month sections and work from there.

Top Fitness Goal #5. I resolve to improve upon one item in each meal.

Everybody who wants to cut fat and improve their image makes declarations to change their diet.  Unfortunately, most of these declarations are too vague which makes it pretty tough to keep up with the improvements.  That’s why you should resolve to improve upon one item within each meal.  For instance, if you normally eat applesauce with a meal, ditch the applesauce and go with an apple instead.  Now simply swapping out an apple for applesauce may not sound like a whole lot, but these kinds of changes will pay big dividends if you do them over the course of every meal.

Top Fitness Goal #6. I resolve to create several workout plans for myself.

After you’ve resolved to break your goals into smaller parts, you’ll also want to create several workout plans to accommodate these goals.  Anybody who has been a bodybuilder for a while knows that you need to switch up your workout routine every so often.  And you should be creating a new workout plan for every section of your New Year’s resolution.  Now you don’t have to create them all at the beginning of the year, but just be sure to make up new plans at different points.

Top Fitness Goal #7. I resolve to keep a workout journal.

Creating a workout plan (or several different workout plans) is an excellent way to get the New Year started off right.  However, these plans means little if you’re not keeping track of your results!  So it’s extremely important that you resolve to keep some sort of workout journal.  Many bodybuilders are used to charting their results already so this might be a mute resolution.  But for those who go through lapses within their workout charting, having a goal of making more detailed journals is extremely helpful.

Top Fitness Goal #8. I resolve to share my goals with at least one other person… if not more!

Setting fitness goals in regards to your training is an excellent thing to do.  However, it’s pretty hard to stick to your fitness goals when you’re the only person who knows about them.  That’s because people will slack off when their goal is a secret since there will be no one else to push them.  So it is important to tell at least one other person who you know about your goals.  When choosing people to tell about your fitness goals, make sure they are the type who will want you to succeed in your goals rather than the type that want you to stay the same. 
 
Top Fitness Goal #9. I resolve to get a personal trainer and find out where my fitness level stands.

Say what you will about personal trainers, but it never hurts to get a second opinion on your level of fitness.  Having someone critique your workout plan and dieting can be monumental in reaching the next level.  This being said, you don’t have to keep visiting the personal trainer or be relying on them for everything; it’s just a measure to find out where you’re at.  If you really don’t want to visit a personal trainer, you could opt to go with a personal consultation over the phone instead.

Top Fitness Goal #10. I resolve to stick to my goal deadlines.

It’s so easy to resolve to do something by a certain time, and then push your deadline back further and further as you start slacking off.  Before you know it, you’re back into the old routines that you vowed to snap out of.  That’s why sticking to goal deadlines is very important because you don’t want to be falling back into the same old rut.  When setting your deadlines, be sure to keep them realistic just like your original goals.  And once you’ve set a realistic deadline, stick with it!

Top Fitness Goal #11. I resolve to find a workout partner.

Some bodybuilders prefer solitude while they work out, and choose to go without a workout partner.  However, it is very tough to go all-out without a spotter, and it’s even tougher to keep yourself fully motivated without someone to train with.  If you don’t already have a workout partner, you should strongly consider finding one – at least on the intense days.  Going even further, you should try to find a training partner who is around the same fitness level as you so you’ll both on similar training paths.

Top Fitness Goal #12. I resolve to reward myself for a job well done.

Setting rigid fitness goals and deadlines are great and all, but there should definitely be a reward at the end of the tunnel when you accomplish goals.  For instance, if you meet certain fat loss goals, you should reward yourself with some kind of dessert (trust me; it won’t kill your physique).  Likewise, if you add a specific amount of weight to your bench press, you can reward yourself with a video game (or whatever makes you happy).