This will probably be the last day of our body part concentration routine. I know I've had fun. It's a unique and good way to train sometimes provided you have 5 days per week to devote to weights. Plus you can really make strides in a body part you feel is lacking.
Shoulders. Not only do they cap off a chiseled, proportioned physique. They support our upper body and help protect our neck. They also act as a bridge between our neck, back and arms. Much of the heavy lifting in daily life is done in part by our shoulder muscles.
Get a load of this workout and see increased strength, flexibility, and shape to your boulders, er shoulders!
Smith Machine Military Press
1. Sit on an upright bench in the Smith Machine with the bar level with your shoulders. Grip the bar with an overhand grip.
2. Press the bar up until your arm are extended. Don't shrug your shoulders. Lower the weight with control to the starting position.
I like the Smith machine here until you're comfortable balancing the weight, just like squats. Here you will have a smooth range of motion and can use a little more weight.
3 sets x 10 reps
Upright EZ Bar Row
1. Stand upright holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
2. Maintaining an upright posture, lift the bar upward along your body, leading with your elbows to bring the bar toward your chin. At the top, your elbows should be pointing toward the ceiling. Flex your shoulders for a moment, then straighten your arms to lower the bar back to the start.
These are great for traps and even the lats to a certain extent.
3 sets x 10 reps
Seated Dumbell Lateral Raise
1. Sit with your abs contracted and feet shoulder-width apart. Hold dumbbells in to each side of your thighs with your palms facing each other.
2. Leading with your elbows, raise your arms up and out to your sides in an arc, stopping when they're parallel to the floor. Lower under control. Throughout the exercise, your elbows will remain straight, but not locked -- the movement should be generated in your shoulders, not your arms.
Perfect over-all shoulder move really sculpts and tones the shoulders.
3 sets x 10 reps
Market Musings.....
Where do the wealthy park their assets? After all, many, if not all of these families can afford a managed account where their financial advisor can run a private portfolio for them. Do they need indexed securities like the pedestrian mutual fund or its trendy cousin the ETF?
http://allaboutalpha.com/blog/2007/06/06/study-suggests-wealthy-avoiding-mutual-funds-in-favor-of-indexing/
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Leg Work
Part three of our single body part workout extravaganza brings us to legs. Grooaaaannn! I actually like leg day. It can be rough and make cardio the following day a little uncomforable, but I love the way just one workout a week really improves the glutes, quads, calves and hamstrings in a very noticeable way. I've always been a soccer player and thought leg training was unnecessary. Result? Decent but not spectacular legs. Now that I know the truth about weight training.....? Well, sadly I still have a long way to go but I notice a big difference in power production and some definition.
This routine will have you getting out of bed pretty slowly the next day.
Alternating Dumbell Lunge
1. Stand with your feet pointing straight ahead, between hip- and shoulder-width apart. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward.
2. Step forward with one leg, using a long stride. As your front foot lands, bend both knees to lower your body. With your forward leg bearing most of the weight, bend it to a 90-degree angle, making sure that it doesn't move past your toes. Don't allow your back knee to touch the floor.
To rise back up, press through your front foot to return to a standing position, bringing both legs together.
Do 3 sets x 10 reps. You can either do them in place or "walk" around the gym using this technique.
Smith Machine Squat
Squats are arguable the best leg exercise for the legs. You are hitting the quads, glutes, and even calling your core and abs into play. Using the Smith Machine is great for beginners because it allows you to concentrate on form without having to balance the weight on your shoulders. Master this first and then move to free weight.
This routine will have you getting out of bed pretty slowly the next day.
Alternating Dumbell Lunge
1. Stand with your feet pointing straight ahead, between hip- and shoulder-width apart. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward.
2. Step forward with one leg, using a long stride. As your front foot lands, bend both knees to lower your body. With your forward leg bearing most of the weight, bend it to a 90-degree angle, making sure that it doesn't move past your toes. Don't allow your back knee to touch the floor.
To rise back up, press through your front foot to return to a standing position, bringing both legs together.
Do 3 sets x 10 reps. You can either do them in place or "walk" around the gym using this technique.
Smith Machine Squat
Squats are arguable the best leg exercise for the legs. You are hitting the quads, glutes, and even calling your core and abs into play. Using the Smith Machine is great for beginners because it allows you to concentrate on form without having to balance the weight on your shoulders. Master this first and then move to free weight.
Start: Position yourself in the Smith Machine, resting the bar relatively high on your traps and placing your feet about shoulder-width apart, 12-15 inches in front of your hips. Your hips should be directly under your shoulders.
Movement: Bend your knees, lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pressing your heels into the floor, return to the start position.
3 sets x 10 reps
Standing Calf Raise
1. Stand holding a barbell balanced over your traps, or use a standing calf raise machine. With the balls of your feet on a raised surface, such as a step, and keeping your knee straight, lower your heels to stretch your calves.
2. Then press upward on the balls of your feet as high as you can
3x10
Lying Leg Curl
1. Lie facedown on curl machine and place your heels under the rollers. Grasp the handles, retract your shoulder blades slightly and raise your chest off the pad.
2. Without letting your hips come off the pad, contract your hamstrings to raise the ankle rollers, bringing them as close to your glutes as possible. Lower the pads to the start position and repeat.
Market Musings: Boy oh boy! The CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade) must feel like the Belle of the Ball these days. While she has coyly entertained the Chicago Merc's (CME) merger overtures now Intercontinental Exchange has become a serious suitor....
Monday, June 11, 2007
Best of the Chest
We're going to continue with our body part isolation routine today with almost everybody's favorite, chest. For some reason chest day tends to be the favorite of most gym rats, especially the men. The bench press, for better or worse, is used as a universal measure of overall strength. A strong chest that is well developed is asthetically pleasing because it adds symmetry to the body. More importantly, a powerful set of pecs will protect your skeleton from impact, add stability to your torso, and assist in the heavy lifting of daily life. Again, I am a proponant of total body workouts in most cases. You burn more calories that way and you won't get stuck obsessing or overtraining one body part. But if you are in need of improvement on a specific bodypart, focusing on one area per workout is not at all bad from time to time.
Here is a a good routine to use when trying to improve your overall pectoral power and get that beach bod look. Incorporate these three exercises with a standard 3-4 sets on the flat bench. Do 3 sets x 10 reps for each exercise. As always, eat asap after you're done. A whey protein shake or a PBJ should do the trick.
Incline Dumbell Press: I like this the best because it allows you to use a greater range of motion than simple bench presses with a barbell. Plus it forces the stabilizers in your shoulders to get into the act.
1. Grab two dumbbells and rest them on your quads. Carefully and one at a time, use your legs to assist you in lifting the dumbbells to the starting position as you lie back on the incline bench, which should be set at a fairly low angle (< 45 degrees).
2. Flex through your pecs and triceps to press the dumbbells up toward the ceiling, stopping just short of elbow lockout. Pause, then slowly lower the weights until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
Decline Barbell Press: This move is great because it really concentrates a lot of effort to the pecs without demanding too much from the triceps or shoulders. I suggest using a Smith Machine until you are comfortable using free-weights.
1. Set the angle on the decline bench between 30 and 45 degrees below horizontal.
Lie face up on the bench, securing your feet under the rollers. Your head, shoulders and glutes should touch the bench, with no arching or rounding of your back.
Grasp a barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip so that your hands are spaced a bit wider than shoulder width.
Lift the bar out of the rack and start the exercise with your arms fully extended but not locked out at your elbows.
2. Inhale and hold your breath as you lower the barbell at a moderate pace to your lower chest (at or just below the nipple line). At the bottom of the movement, your elbows should point out to your sides.
Before the barbell touches your chest, reverse the movement and push the weight up until your arms are fully extended.
Exhale forcefully at the top of the movement or just after you pass the most difficult portion of the up phase.
The descent and ascent should be continuous, with no pausing or holding.
After you reach the top position, pause momentarily, then repeat for reps.
Cable Flyes: These are great at the end of the workout to get that last pump and burn into your muscles.
1. Start by standing between two upper pulleys and take a split stance. Lean forward slightly, arms extended to your sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
2. Using your pecs, pull the cables in a wide arc out in front of your body as if hugging a big tree, bringing the handles all the way together at the bottom.
Then, reverse the motion, allowing the weights to pull your arms back to stretch the pecs, but not too far to avoid injury to your shoulders.
Exodus- Lots of long time asset management pros are fleeing the big brokerages and banks in search of new challenges, and outsized paychecks, in the ever proliferating field of hedge funds. Will this bring a sense calm and order in the rootin' tootin' world of top shelf money management or will it cause a talent vacuum at giants like Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley....?
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601084&sid=a7Psyov65G1s&refer=stocks
Till next time, sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you!
Here is a a good routine to use when trying to improve your overall pectoral power and get that beach bod look. Incorporate these three exercises with a standard 3-4 sets on the flat bench. Do 3 sets x 10 reps for each exercise. As always, eat asap after you're done. A whey protein shake or a PBJ should do the trick.
Incline Dumbell Press: I like this the best because it allows you to use a greater range of motion than simple bench presses with a barbell. Plus it forces the stabilizers in your shoulders to get into the act.
1. Grab two dumbbells and rest them on your quads. Carefully and one at a time, use your legs to assist you in lifting the dumbbells to the starting position as you lie back on the incline bench, which should be set at a fairly low angle (< 45 degrees).
2. Flex through your pecs and triceps to press the dumbbells up toward the ceiling, stopping just short of elbow lockout. Pause, then slowly lower the weights until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
Decline Barbell Press: This move is great because it really concentrates a lot of effort to the pecs without demanding too much from the triceps or shoulders. I suggest using a Smith Machine until you are comfortable using free-weights.
1. Set the angle on the decline bench between 30 and 45 degrees below horizontal.
Lie face up on the bench, securing your feet under the rollers. Your head, shoulders and glutes should touch the bench, with no arching or rounding of your back.
Grasp a barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip so that your hands are spaced a bit wider than shoulder width.
Lift the bar out of the rack and start the exercise with your arms fully extended but not locked out at your elbows.
2. Inhale and hold your breath as you lower the barbell at a moderate pace to your lower chest (at or just below the nipple line). At the bottom of the movement, your elbows should point out to your sides.
Before the barbell touches your chest, reverse the movement and push the weight up until your arms are fully extended.
Exhale forcefully at the top of the movement or just after you pass the most difficult portion of the up phase.
The descent and ascent should be continuous, with no pausing or holding.
After you reach the top position, pause momentarily, then repeat for reps.
Cable Flyes: These are great at the end of the workout to get that last pump and burn into your muscles.
1. Start by standing between two upper pulleys and take a split stance. Lean forward slightly, arms extended to your sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
2. Using your pecs, pull the cables in a wide arc out in front of your body as if hugging a big tree, bringing the handles all the way together at the bottom.
Then, reverse the motion, allowing the weights to pull your arms back to stretch the pecs, but not too far to avoid injury to your shoulders.
Exodus- Lots of long time asset management pros are fleeing the big brokerages and banks in search of new challenges, and outsized paychecks, in the ever proliferating field of hedge funds. Will this bring a sense calm and order in the rootin' tootin' world of top shelf money management or will it cause a talent vacuum at giants like Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley....?
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601084&sid=a7Psyov65G1s&refer=stocks
Till next time, sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Back it up
During the short lifespan of this blog I have concentrated mainly on full body workouts and other variations. My target audience are busy people and training individual body parts can be time consuming. Also, I am a big believer in super setting and multiple move training whenever possible. You tend to burn more calories and gain more strength using these methods. Nevertheless, if your goal is to improve a specific weakness, concentrating on a body part for a week or two can reap big benefits.
I love "back day". A tapered torso is sure to draw admiration and a strong back, along with a strong core, is a pillar of overall strength and total fitness. I usually do 3-4 exercises with 2-3 sets each making sure to vary how many reps I do, how much weight I lift and the order of the exercises in my routine. You want to shock your muscles by switching things up. It forces them to "think" differently and adapt to different stresses, thereby increasing strength.
Give the following workout a try and see if you don't notice a marked improvement in your training performance and physical appearance.
Pullup: This one is old school and for good reason. You are dead lifting body weight. It's just you against gravity.
Grasp a bar with an pronated (palms facing away from you) grip that is outside your shoulders. Fully extended your arms and relax your shoulders to fully stretch your lats. Pull yourself up so your chin can touch the grip.
Do this till you fail. The "Arnold" method is the best. Do these in small sets until you hit 35.
Pulldown: This allows you to concentrate all effort onto your lats, especially the outer lats to acheive a wider "V" cut in you torso.
1. Start by taking an overhand grip on the pull-down bar slightly wider than shoulder-width. Sit down and position your thighs under the pads, keeping your feet flat on the floor.
2. Keep your back slightly arched and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the bar down to your upper chest, pause for a beat and return to the start position.
3 sets x 10 reps
Power Clean: The name says it all. You will burn a ton of calories and lift a ton of weight over time. A great over all body strength workout. **MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SPOTTER FOR THIS MOVE. HAVE A PERSONAL TRAINER SHOW YOU HOW BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT THIS MONSTER MOVE!**
1. Stand holding a barbell at about knee height with an overhand shoulder-width grip.
Space your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly. Incline your trunk forward up to about 45 degrees and maintain a slight arch in your back.
Keep your arms straight and your shoulders over the bar, your vision focused downward and forward.
2.
Lift the bar with powerful extension of your legs and trunk while simultaneously pulling with your arms.
As you complete the pull, lean backward somewhat, rise up on the balls of your feet, raise your shoulders and flex your arms.
Jump up and spread your feet, turning your knees and feet out to the sides slightly.
Quickly drop down to squat under the barbell. As you do this, rotate your arms, bend your elbows and turn them so that they point forward and the barbell rests on your palms and the upper portion of your shoulders and deltoid muscles.
Straighten your legs and rise to the standing position, placing your feet back into the shoulder-width position.
Return the barbell back to the start position in a slow and controlled manner. Be sure to keep your back arched as you resist the weight back down. Repeat for reps.
3 sets x 10 reps
This is a good start. Master this routine for a week or two before moving on or adding any new moves.
In the market...
How do all you brokers feel about the 12b-1 conundrum and the repeal of the "Merrill Rule"? Lots of good info in the following link. All About Alpha is one of my favorite sites. A must read for anyone in Asset Management.
http://allaboutalpha.com/blog/2007/06/05/what-do-fiduciaries-etfs-and-12b-1-fees-have-in-common/
Till next time, don't go getting lazy till Monday. Weekend means it's the end of the week not the END of the week.
I love "back day". A tapered torso is sure to draw admiration and a strong back, along with a strong core, is a pillar of overall strength and total fitness. I usually do 3-4 exercises with 2-3 sets each making sure to vary how many reps I do, how much weight I lift and the order of the exercises in my routine. You want to shock your muscles by switching things up. It forces them to "think" differently and adapt to different stresses, thereby increasing strength.
Give the following workout a try and see if you don't notice a marked improvement in your training performance and physical appearance.
Pullup: This one is old school and for good reason. You are dead lifting body weight. It's just you against gravity.
Grasp a bar with an pronated (palms facing away from you) grip that is outside your shoulders. Fully extended your arms and relax your shoulders to fully stretch your lats. Pull yourself up so your chin can touch the grip.
Do this till you fail. The "Arnold" method is the best. Do these in small sets until you hit 35.
Pulldown: This allows you to concentrate all effort onto your lats, especially the outer lats to acheive a wider "V" cut in you torso.
1. Start by taking an overhand grip on the pull-down bar slightly wider than shoulder-width. Sit down and position your thighs under the pads, keeping your feet flat on the floor.
2. Keep your back slightly arched and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull the bar down to your upper chest, pause for a beat and return to the start position.
3 sets x 10 reps
Power Clean: The name says it all. You will burn a ton of calories and lift a ton of weight over time. A great over all body strength workout. **MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SPOTTER FOR THIS MOVE. HAVE A PERSONAL TRAINER SHOW YOU HOW BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT THIS MONSTER MOVE!**
1. Stand holding a barbell at about knee height with an overhand shoulder-width grip.
Space your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly. Incline your trunk forward up to about 45 degrees and maintain a slight arch in your back.
Keep your arms straight and your shoulders over the bar, your vision focused downward and forward.
2.
Lift the bar with powerful extension of your legs and trunk while simultaneously pulling with your arms.
As you complete the pull, lean backward somewhat, rise up on the balls of your feet, raise your shoulders and flex your arms.
Jump up and spread your feet, turning your knees and feet out to the sides slightly.
Quickly drop down to squat under the barbell. As you do this, rotate your arms, bend your elbows and turn them so that they point forward and the barbell rests on your palms and the upper portion of your shoulders and deltoid muscles.
Straighten your legs and rise to the standing position, placing your feet back into the shoulder-width position.
Return the barbell back to the start position in a slow and controlled manner. Be sure to keep your back arched as you resist the weight back down. Repeat for reps.
3 sets x 10 reps
This is a good start. Master this routine for a week or two before moving on or adding any new moves.
In the market...
How do all you brokers feel about the 12b-1 conundrum and the repeal of the "Merrill Rule"? Lots of good info in the following link. All About Alpha is one of my favorite sites. A must read for anyone in Asset Management.
http://allaboutalpha.com/blog/2007/06/05/what-do-fiduciaries-etfs-and-12b-1-fees-have-in-common/
Till next time, don't go getting lazy till Monday. Weekend means it's the end of the week not the END of the week.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Comforting Thoughts
Wow, all this concentration on cleaner eating has left me lusting after a heaping plate of comfort food. I haven't plowed through a buffet line in ages. I'm not one of those "carb starve" idiots and if I feel like a brownie I usually don't hold back. But the thought of eating comfy foods like meatloaf and mashed potatoes only once or twice a year made me a little sad. After all, they call it comfort food because a lot of the ingredients we put in those recipes tend to boost seratonin and other "happy" chemicals in the brain. In the spirit of eating yummy meals without busting a gut and ruining our training diet, I have constructed a protein and vitamin packed dinner that will satisfy the soul and provide the power tools your body needs for intense training and a great physique.
Meatloaf:
2 lbs ground low fat turkey breast
1 cup chopped onions
2 eggs, 2 egg whites
1 cup super chunky medium salsa
1/2 cup uncooked Irish oatmeal
a couple dashes of low sodium Worchestershire sauce
1 ts of Cayenne pepper
1/2 ts of garlic powder
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, Mix everything but the BBQ sauce in a bowl. Place in a meat loaf pan and cover with BBQ. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Potatoes:
8-10 redskin potatoes (cut into fourths/boiled but not skinned)
1/4 cup lowfat sour cream
1/2 skim milk
1 ts garlic powder
2 ts Extra Virgin olive oil
Instructions: Add all ingredients except milk into bowl and mash until contents are soft like dough. Add milk and return to low heat while using mixer to fluff potatoes to desired texture.
Green Beans:
1 lb fresh green beans
1 ts olive oil
1/2 cup of slivered almonds
1/2 ts black pepper
Instructions: Add contents into bowl and mix.
Enjoy!
For more interesting thoughts on the market, I've included a Blogwatch. It will cover some of the best and most useful blogs I've come across. Today's:
1) Fly on the Wall-Theflyonthewall.com, a single source provider of market-moving financial news for equity professionals, is now featured on Blogger. Designed by professional money managers, Theflyonthewall.com has been reporting unbiased market information to investors for over 6 years.
2) Cramer Watch-www.cramerwatch.org, these guys are Cramer haters at thier funniest. I happen to think the man is a talent, but this is good reading anyway. They pit a monkey randomly picking stocks against Jim. Hilarious.
3) Between the Hedges- www.hedgefundmgr.blogspot.com Run by an anonymous hedge fund manager, this blog focuses on providing market wraps, important news, and a top collection of trading links.
Till next time; Keep your ear to the grindstone!
Meatloaf:
2 lbs ground low fat turkey breast
1 cup chopped onions
2 eggs, 2 egg whites
1 cup super chunky medium salsa
1/2 cup uncooked Irish oatmeal
a couple dashes of low sodium Worchestershire sauce
1 ts of Cayenne pepper
1/2 ts of garlic powder
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, Mix everything but the BBQ sauce in a bowl. Place in a meat loaf pan and cover with BBQ. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Potatoes:
8-10 redskin potatoes (cut into fourths/boiled but not skinned)
1/4 cup lowfat sour cream
1/2 skim milk
1 ts garlic powder
2 ts Extra Virgin olive oil
Instructions: Add all ingredients except milk into bowl and mash until contents are soft like dough. Add milk and return to low heat while using mixer to fluff potatoes to desired texture.
Green Beans:
1 lb fresh green beans
1 ts olive oil
1/2 cup of slivered almonds
1/2 ts black pepper
Instructions: Add contents into bowl and mix.
Enjoy!
For more interesting thoughts on the market, I've included a Blogwatch. It will cover some of the best and most useful blogs I've come across. Today's:
1) Fly on the Wall-Theflyonthewall.com, a single source provider of market-moving financial news for equity professionals, is now featured on Blogger. Designed by professional money managers, Theflyonthewall.com has been reporting unbiased market information to investors for over 6 years.
2) Cramer Watch-www.cramerwatch.org, these guys are Cramer haters at thier funniest. I happen to think the man is a talent, but this is good reading anyway. They pit a monkey randomly picking stocks against Jim. Hilarious.
3) Between the Hedges- www.hedgefundmgr.blogspot.com Run by an anonymous hedge fund manager, this blog focuses on providing market wraps, important news, and a top collection of trading links.
Till next time; Keep your ear to the grindstone!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
This One's For the Ladies
Being a guy, most of my blogs have a guy's perspective when it comes to training. Now I feel both sexes should train in about the same manner. Meaning, the weight room does not and should not say "Gals need not enter". In fact, most guys tend to train a little harder if there are a few cuties in the weight room. But as we've discussed over and over on this blog, YOU MUST BUILD MUSCLE TO LOSE WEIGHT. PERIOD!
Most of the workouts I have posted can and should be used by females. Just adjust the weight or rep count if necessary. Maybe train 2-3 times per week instead of 3-4 times per week since some studies show weight training increases the bodies production of testosterone. We don't want our readers to resemble the Ukrainian Womens Weigtlifting Team.
Do this all round workout 3 times per week with 4-6 days of cardio and a Jenny Henderschott type physique is on the way!
Pushups
3(sets) x10(reps)
Barbell Curls
3x10
Dumbell Squats
3x10
Lateral Dumbell Raises (Do these while sitting on a Swiss Ball for added difficulty and core work)
3x10
Swiss Ball Crunches
3x10
Standing Calf Raises
3x10
Most of the workouts I have posted can and should be used by females. Just adjust the weight or rep count if necessary. Maybe train 2-3 times per week instead of 3-4 times per week since some studies show weight training increases the bodies production of testosterone. We don't want our readers to resemble the Ukrainian Womens Weigtlifting Team.
Do this all round workout 3 times per week with 4-6 days of cardio and a Jenny Henderschott type physique is on the way!
Pushups
3(sets) x10(reps)
Barbell Curls
3x10
Dumbell Squats
3x10
Lateral Dumbell Raises (Do these while sitting on a Swiss Ball for added difficulty and core work)
3x10
Swiss Ball Crunches
3x10
Standing Calf Raises
3x10
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Oh, The Brutality
We've taken it easy so far when it comes to weight training. Well no more! No matter what some fitness gurus tell you, if you want to add real muscle mass as well as increase strength you must engage in some form of weight training. Now I don't believe you should waste too much time on the so called "beach muscle" lifting moves (isolated biceps curls, for example). I'm a big proponant of training for strength more than looks. If you do lots of pull ups and rows, you don't need to devote a ton of attention to preacher curls to acheive a nice set of pipes. But there are a few exercises that are the core of real strength training and any regimine that lacks these is, well....lacking.
Bench press (or push ups), Squats, Dead Lifts, Straight bar curls, and Rows. The following is a workout that was passed on to me by my good buddy Adam. He gave fair warning that at first it would wreck ya. Correct! But I've noticed a steady increase in the amount of weight I can lift and in my overall physique. I've made some modifications to fit my taste. At first, just lift what you are comfortable with lifting. Don't worry about how much, just so you're doing them correctly.
Now get your Icy Hot out of the medicine cabinet, have your protein shake ready, and prepare for brutal punishment and brutal gains.
Day 1- Legs/Back/Chest (e.g. Monday)
Squats Dead Lifts Seated Hamstring Curl
4(sets) x10(sets) 4x10 4x10
Seated Cable Row DB Flat Bench
4x10 5x10
Day 2- Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders (e.g. Wednesday)
Straight Bar Curl DB Hammer Curl (hold DB vertical) Dips
4x10 4x10 4x10
Triceps Cable Push-down DB Shoulder Press (seated) DB Lateral Raise
4x10 4x10 4x10
Day 3- Legs/Chest/Back (e.g. Friday)
Dead Lifts Squats Seated Hamstring Curl
3x10 3x10 3x10
DB Incline Press Flat Press Seated Rows
3x10 3x10 3x10
Free Motion High Row
3x10
**Make sure you take two days off after Day 3. Maybe some nice cardio, but that's it. (You won't have much juice available anyway)
***Do core training (ab work) on each lifting day. 3-5 sets x 15 reps of your favorite.
Follow each workout with 20 minutes moderate cardio, followed by a whey protein shake or a PB&J and glass of milk within an hour to help repair the muscle tissue you just trashed!
Bench press (or push ups), Squats, Dead Lifts, Straight bar curls, and Rows. The following is a workout that was passed on to me by my good buddy Adam. He gave fair warning that at first it would wreck ya. Correct! But I've noticed a steady increase in the amount of weight I can lift and in my overall physique. I've made some modifications to fit my taste. At first, just lift what you are comfortable with lifting. Don't worry about how much, just so you're doing them correctly.
Now get your Icy Hot out of the medicine cabinet, have your protein shake ready, and prepare for brutal punishment and brutal gains.
Day 1- Legs/Back/Chest (e.g. Monday)
Squats Dead Lifts Seated Hamstring Curl
4(sets) x10(sets) 4x10 4x10
Seated Cable Row DB Flat Bench
4x10 5x10
Day 2- Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders (e.g. Wednesday)
Straight Bar Curl DB Hammer Curl (hold DB vertical) Dips
4x10 4x10 4x10
Triceps Cable Push-down DB Shoulder Press (seated) DB Lateral Raise
4x10 4x10 4x10
Day 3- Legs/Chest/Back (e.g. Friday)
Dead Lifts Squats Seated Hamstring Curl
3x10 3x10 3x10
DB Incline Press Flat Press Seated Rows
3x10 3x10 3x10
Free Motion High Row
3x10
**Make sure you take two days off after Day 3. Maybe some nice cardio, but that's it. (You won't have much juice available anyway)
***Do core training (ab work) on each lifting day. 3-5 sets x 15 reps of your favorite.
Follow each workout with 20 minutes moderate cardio, followed by a whey protein shake or a PB&J and glass of milk within an hour to help repair the muscle tissue you just trashed!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Shake It Up
I've said quite a bit about diet, even putting together a couple of menus to power up your metabolism and burn fat. Lots of protein, veggies and good carbs abound. Then I got to thinking; "Most of my readers are very busy people." By and large, even if you prepare most of the meals I've laid out in advance, many times you might not be able to leave your desk/trading pit/kids soccer game etc. to even microwave your chicken breast with broccoli salad. While I still say it's vital to eat this way as much as possible, in cases when it's not feasible, you need to turn to shakes. They're quick, easy, affordable and will fill you up with the good stuff you need to cruise through your day and keep that evil snack machine out of your life. If you've got a blender, all the better! Just toss in some skim milk, melon, strawberries, bananas, spinach, it doesn't matter. Just hit BLEND and enjoy.
Lots of studies have shown that if you're trying to lose a few pounds, a meal replacement shake will work even better than a low cal meal. Think about it. Instead of hitting Chipotle (burrito with a large soda comes to 600-800 calories, not to mention the post-lunch sleepies), most shakes contain 200-400 calories plus a lot less time and money.
I've tried a few and here's what I think;
Myoplex: Probably the best I've ever tasted. Vanilla tastes just like it should. Chocolate is not bad either. A four pack at the grocery store is about $8 but you can get great deals at supplementwarehouse.com. That comes to $2 for a meal. You might want to throw in some Triscuits and an apple, still a great deal. That crushes any dollar menu anywhere. From EAS
Calories: 270 Calories from Fat: 25Total Fat: 3g Saturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 350mgPotassium: 650mgTotal Carbohydrates: 23g Dietary Fiber: 3g Sugars: 3gProtein: 42 grams
Muscle Milk: Kinda has a saccharine aftertaste but is a very good base if you blend it with your favorite fruit and skim milk. It's also a little higher in saturated fat than I'd like. Banana creme is the best flavor. A 20 pack is $45 on VitaXL.com From Cytosport.
Calories: Calories from Fat: 18 total: 3g, Saturated Fat 8g, Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 200 mg, Potassium: 600 mg, Total Carbohydrate: 12g, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 6g, Protein: 32 g
Slim Fast Optima or High Protein: Very yummy. A bit of a grainy finish. Not extremely filling. Only 180 calories per can. No other info available.
Lots of studies have shown that if you're trying to lose a few pounds, a meal replacement shake will work even better than a low cal meal. Think about it. Instead of hitting Chipotle (burrito with a large soda comes to 600-800 calories, not to mention the post-lunch sleepies), most shakes contain 200-400 calories plus a lot less time and money.
I've tried a few and here's what I think;
Myoplex: Probably the best I've ever tasted. Vanilla tastes just like it should. Chocolate is not bad either. A four pack at the grocery store is about $8 but you can get great deals at supplementwarehouse.com. That comes to $2 for a meal. You might want to throw in some Triscuits and an apple, still a great deal. That crushes any dollar menu anywhere. From EAS
Calories: 270 Calories from Fat: 25Total Fat: 3g Saturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 350mgPotassium: 650mgTotal Carbohydrates: 23g Dietary Fiber: 3g Sugars: 3gProtein: 42 grams
Muscle Milk: Kinda has a saccharine aftertaste but is a very good base if you blend it with your favorite fruit and skim milk. It's also a little higher in saturated fat than I'd like. Banana creme is the best flavor. A 20 pack is $45 on VitaXL.com From Cytosport.
Calories: Calories from Fat: 18 total: 3g, Saturated Fat 8g, Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 200 mg, Potassium: 600 mg, Total Carbohydrate: 12g, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 6g, Protein: 32 g
Slim Fast Optima or High Protein: Very yummy. A bit of a grainy finish. Not extremely filling. Only 180 calories per can. No other info available.
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