Increasing Volume

You know, finding that "niche", that "thing", that special "something" that gives you chills up and down your spine is a feeling that people can spend their entire life looking for.

It could be watching car racing on TV. Maybe its having a prize show dog. Shooting a powerful rifle. It could be anything. Something that gives you the feeling of  power, purpose and accomplishment. Something that makes you proud of your hard work.

I have found mine, there is no question about it , and lately, I have felt like I am in overdrive. 

It comes from breaking out of the feeling of being complacent. 

Comfortable.

Set.

OK.

Doing Just Fine.

When we start to feel that "everything is going just fine and smoothly", that's when it can all break down and things can get......messy. 

The body loves to be comfortable and will make sure that it has just what it needs to feel relaxed, well fed and not stressed. 

it's called Homeostasis. Our bodies work very, very hard to remain the same, to adapt to the environment, to chug along without making any waves.  Our minds work with the body to convince us that we don't need to do anything extra.

So if you don't change your training, if you don't challenge your body, it will adapt and it will not grow, it will not improve. It will do only what it needs to stay the same.

It's so easy to keep going to the gym doing the same thing, thinking that we are doing our bodies good. 

Doing the same thing over and over is what your body wants to be cozy. Does "cozy" evoke thoughts of sexy? Of ripped? Of lean and hard? Nooooo

Cozy is the opposite word of what I strive for.

I have known for years that I must change my training to grow. I do change it, but I also fall into the same trap that we all do, repeating the same workout or the same weights over and over again.

It should change every week, really. You should not go in this Monday and do the same weights and reps you did last Monday, where is the improvement in that? 

I have made a personal challenge to increase my pull ups and chin ups every week, and it has been so successful I  am shaking my head that I didn't do this earlier.

I train my Back on Sundays, and when I get close to a competition I also add in Wednesday mornings. 

Three weeks ago this was my chin up set:

With a weight belt and a total of 9 1/2 pounds added:

4, 5, 6, 6, 6 ,6 for a total of 27 chin ups

Two weeks ago:

With a weight belt and a total of 9 1/2 pounds added:

5, 6, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 for a total of 36 chin ups (11 more)

Last week:

With a weight belt and a total of 9 1/2 pounds added:

5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 for a total of 46 chin ups (10 more than the previous week and 21 more than two weeks ago!)

This Sunday my goal is to try to hit 7 on each set. I have a mental block about getting past that #6 mark, and Roy said that a lot of people stop right there, I have no idea why!

Remember that even adding just a couple more each session is improvement, it doesn't have to be drastic, but just a bit more. It will not only improve your physique, but give your mind that mental boost of accomplishment to keep you going for yet a another session!

Back Training

Sunday, Back day! Love it! For some odd reason I am holding my shoulders crooked in this picture, But I think you can still see the wideness of my back, which is what I wanted to show.


I think it is imperative to have a written plan every single time you walk into the gym. Now, that doesn't mean you need to adhere to the plan, and Sunday I didn't.


I decided I wanted to do lots and lots of chin ups. So after stretching I wandered down to my favorite power rack, I wanted to use that instead of the dual cable in the main room. The dual cable has an area in the middle with several different hand positions for chin ups and pull ups, but I wanted to listen to some really good Latin reggae and hip hop and just crank out chin up after chin up, watching in the mirror. I actually watch my abs, it helps to see them in the mirror, to maintain a tight core, make sure I don't use any swinging or momentum, and concentrate on the eccentric move. 


I listened to Orishas, I love them! 


Want to hear one of the songs that let's me do chin up after chin up? Here ya go! (Email subscribers will need to navigate directly to the blog to see the video below)








I did set after set after set. Then I did some back extensions in between. And more chin ups, over and over. The music kept me going.


I then did 4 sets of bent over barbell rows, in the same power rack. The off to the T-Bar row, with lots of weight. I came back for more chin ups. 


Up to the Low Cable Row.


Then I did barbell curls with the e-z bar. A male, much bigger than me was doing the same thing, with the same weight. He should have been using more.


Then triceps extensions with the same e-z bar.


I was done, my back was toast.

Arm training

I probably receive the most comments about my arms. Now, I realize that my arms are also the most visible part of my body, but when you walk around the gym like this, just about everything is showing anyway right?


I was recently attending a class for work- I have to maintain a certification that requires constant training. There was a woman working there who came up to me and asked how I get my arms to look the way they do. She explained she has been doing lots of bicep curls and doesn't feel anything and doesn't see any results.


After talking with her a bit I realize that I don't really do a lot of bicep specific training, I feel that my biceps and triceps get trained quite a bit with my back training. I do throw some bicep and tricep moves in, but not as much as people seem to think. 


When people ask about my arms, I automatically think my shoulders, but my biceps have gotten so big that I realize now they are talking about the whole arm, shoulders, biceps, triceps.


I think that most people think that the training comes all together, "the arm' but it doesn't, not at all. The shoulders require a lot of detail and love, a lot goes into big, broad shoulders. The biceps and triceps are easier, they get trained when other body parts get trained, if you do it right that is.


It is a rare day you will find me doing a bicep concentration curl, it just isn't necessary. let me put it this way, you can develop beautiful arms while working other body parts at the same time, how's that?


So what exactly is my training? It varies, as it should. I have always been known for having great, broad shoulders (at least in the last few years competing), but they really have popped since training with Roy.


An example of what I do for shoulders:


Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dumbbell Front Raises
Dumbbell Rear Delt Raises
Barbell Press
Behind the Neck Barbell Press
Dumbbell Press
Arnold Press


But they get trained when I work back too. I always incorporate pull ups and chin ups, these are probably one of the best overall exercises you can do. They hit the back, triceps, biceps, lats, traps, abs, neck...need I say more? If you are not doing several sets of chin ups a week, you should.


Cables...


What do I do for my biceps and triceps? 


Most of it is my back training. It hits the biceps too!


The Cable Lat Pull Down, we all use that right? It hits your biceps too.
The Low Cable Row? That hits the biceps and rear delts also.
Again, the chin ups and pull ups.
Dips, they hit biceps, triceps and back.
Barbell Bent Over Row: Use a supinated grip (the palms towards your face), this targets the biceps, if you change the grip to a pronated grip, you target the triceps (I almost always use supinated).
Single Arm Bent Over Dumbbell Row, it hits the biceps too.
T-Bar Row, hits triceps, back, rear delts, biceps


There are two "arm" specific exercises I do, that is the E-Z bar curl and skullcrushers.


The other consideration is the weight- everyone wants to know "how much is the right weight?"


Well that all depends on your goal- is it strength or hypertrophy or weight loss? I am assuming it is hypertrophy. So the weight would be as heavy as you can go anywhere between 8 to 12 reps.  That means you can do 10 reps with good form, but are struggling, that's a good weight. If it is easy to knock out 10, then it is way to light. It should be difficult.


I do change it up and sometimes I will use heavy weights with low reps then lighter weight with higher reps. It must always change.


So you can see why my shoulders and arms look so good- I devote two days a week solely to shoulders, then one day to Back, so the arms are getting hit three times a week, and close to competition I add one more Back day so they get hit four times a week!


So my advice to anyone who is trying to have killer arms (but not look like Jay Cutler), concentrate on your back and shoulders, the rest will follow.

Back and Arm Training

Thursday- back and arms, here's how the morning went:

Chin ups and Pull ups: 5 wide grip pull ups, 5 neutral grip, 6 chins ups, 5 slow eccentric lowering chin ups.

Barbell bent Over Row 115 pounds 4 sets of 10 reps , 90 second rest in between sets, tempo:

40/41/42/35

Low Row (cable) 85 pounds 5 sets of 10 reps (first 3 wide handle grip, last 2 triangle handle), 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 46/49/45/48/47

Lat Pull Down 85 pounds 5 sets of 10 reps (first 3 wide handle grip, last 2 triangle handle), 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 50/47/46/44/44

E-z Bar Curl 48 pounds 3 sets of 10, 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 51/47/48

Skull Crushers 38 pounds 3 sets of 10, 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 33/40/39

Single Arm Dumbbell Row 45 pounds 4 sets of 10, 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 48/47; 40/39; 34/36

Arm Training

The other day Roy told me that I never talk about my arm training. I do train my arms but I don't have a specific arm day, they get trained quite a bit when I train back and I will add a few other arm specific exercises in too.


Arms will also get a workout when training shoulders. I am not aiming for 22 inch biceps, so my training seems sufficient for me!

What exactly am I doing? Well I train back twice a week, and each workout is slightly different. The grip I use will affect which muscle is trained.

At each back workout I start with chins ups and pull ups. I do 5 sets of 5 to 8 depending on my energy level that day and the grip (some are a lot harder than others). Starting with pull ups gets my whole body primed and energized. They are one of the best exercises you can do. Chin ups and pull ups will target the biceps and the triceps, believe me! I will go to the dual cable where there is a 3 way grip in the center, I can do wide grip pull ups, narrow grip, chin ups and neutral grip. I will do all four each time. Often I will do isometric holds and concentrate on the eccentric, holding myself at the top position then lowering as painfully slowly as humanly possible.

The low cable row will target the biceps too, along with the rear delts. Dips hit the triceps. Don't use the assisted dip, learn to do it on your own.

Barbell bent over rows will really work the biceps if you use an underhand grip.

T-bar rows will also target the arms along with the back.

I will do some e-z bar curls with heavy weight (48 pounds for 10 reps is heavy for me) and an offset grip curl at the end.

I think I am successful at it because I train my back heavy, so the arms really get a workout too at the same time. Many women shy away from training back, they are afraid of it becoming too wide and broad. Bad mistake, a wide back is an impressive back!

Sunday on my next back day I will write down the reps and sets and update you with the details.


You want big arms? Work your back!

Sunday Back Day

Sunday morning I wake before the alarm sounds, I am anxious to get up and get to the gym. I don't know how many people feel this way, I just love quietly slipping out of bed, then into the kitchen to shake up my drink. I walk over to the computer and drink my meal, take supplements and slowly wake up as I read email, Facebook, check my blog and other sites I interact with.


I am looking and feeling a little "soft" today, and it is going to happen, my body changes every few hours according to what foods I have eaten and how much water I have been drinking. The hydration level really is the most crucial. 


I had some sweet potato (2.5 ounces) with dinner and when you consume carbohydrates, it increases the glycogen in the body, the more glycogen in your body, the more water you hold onto, weight goes up.


It's temporary.


I hit the abs first, get the stuff outta the way that I don't like. 20 Reverse crunches, slow and steady, concentrate on the abs. 10 hanging leg lifts, I can see the veins popping out running up the sides of my abdomen. I do three sets of each.


To the squat rack, time for chin ups. I do 8, then walk over to the captains chair and do 10 dips, lowering slowly, as low as possible. Rest and back to the squat rack. 3 sets of each.


My tops are tighter across the back, the fabric is stretched and I have to take it off by pulling it down over my hips, I cannot get them over my shoulders any longer. 

Now on to my favorite, bent over barbell rows. I warm up with the bar (45 pounds), 10 reps, music is thumping in my ears. Then 10 at 65 pounds, 10 at 85 pounds and then I load on 115 pounds. Three more sets at 115 pounds, I rest 60 seconds in between, I have my stopwatch on the rack.


I love these, it's difficult, not many women do these, or at least the ones I see use little dumbbells or a very tiny barbell. I am in a zone, counting, slowly down, fast up, making noise. Hit the stopwatch so I don't rest too long.


I look up, in the mirror and three men are staring at me, grinning. I take my earbuds out and turn to look at them expectantly. It's Mike, Bobbie and another guy whose name I don't know, I only see him on weekends.


"You know I cannot hear a word you guys are saying..." I tell them. Mike laughs, "oh we were just talking about a new piece of equipment in the other room", as he points to the next weight room.


No they are not, they were talking about me. All the new equipment came in a week ago, I have looked at everything, there is nothing new in that room. I don't mind, there is something amazing about watching a woman train with heavy weights, I even like to watch!


The guy whose name is unknown to me looks at me and says "It's getting close isn't it?" He gestures towards me. "Everything is all dialed and and looking sculpted." 


"Yea, I have 4 weeks" I tell him. "Still have some fat to lose".


They all three laugh, "right!" Bobbie says. "Have you seen her shoulders!? Damn those shoulders!.....


I turn to get on with my training. 


E-Z bar curls 3 sets of 10 at 58 pounds.


Low Cable Row 2 sets of 10, wide bar at 100 pounds, 3 sets of 10 triangle bar at 100 pounds.


Lat Pull Down 2 sets of 10 wide bar grip at 85 pounds, 3 sets of 10, triangle at 85 pounds.


Offset Grip Curl 4 sets of 10 at 22.5 pounds


Posing for a while, then 30 minutes on the stairmill


I went to roll my legs, they have been quite sore lately, especially the vastus medialis  Well I figured out why, both of them have big dark bruises on them! How on earth do you bruise both of your VM's??? I did squats, leg extensions and lunges a couple days prior, maybe that did it. Now I know why just touching them with the roller caused intense pain.  


Home for egg whites and steel cut oats. No ketchup, no sweetener, no nada. Time to cut all condiments out for the next 4 weeks.

German Volume Training

What a back huh? I think it shall be a bit sore tomorrow too...Today was day two with Roy, my new trainer, owner of BodyComp Personal Training Gym

I had so much fun. I love weight training, I love new things, I love adventures.  I told Roy I wanted to gain mass, I want muscles. I know a lot of people look at me and think I already have them, but I want bigger, more defined muscles.  Not "bodybuilder" type, I don't care for that look, nor do I want to take the drugs that so many of them do.

I want to lift and lift heavy. I want to be better than ever, and to me, "better than ever" means strong, lean, ripped. 

I can do it and I WILL do it, there is no doubt in my mind.

I have Charles Poliquin's Book called German Body Comp Program and that's what it's all about. High volume, lots of Time Under Tension. Look at all my tabs on the side marking important spots!

I see so many people in the gym, mainly men who swing weights around, or their bodies, they really aren't doing much as far as altering the composition of their bodies.

You really need to ensure the muscle is under tension, that's why the eccentric is so important. The lowering part of the "lift". It takes effort to lift but more effort to lower that same weight (even your body weight) in a slow, controlled manner. I was taught this a long, long time ago.

Swinging is fine for sledgehammers, Indian Clubs and ......well, you know.

Fridays are even more spectacular because I get off work at 11:30 so I can get to Roy's by 12:00 and change.

Today he was still testing, getting to learn what I can and cannot do. I am not sure if he is impressed or not, but that's not the point as long as I am impressed with my own accomplishments.

We (and I use the term quite loosely) did dips and chin ups, super set them. That's almost all of it. Set after set after set. Then more, I lost count.

Followed by something he came up with and it is going to kill my quads I know, I can feel it already. These I would not have done on my own, at least not after the first set, that's how brutal they were (don't you love it!?)

Foam wedges under my feet to elevate the heels and I did half squats, lowered all the way down, very slowly, "ass to ground" would be the most polite way to say it, then up, but only half way, then back down. For a minute which doesn't seem like much, but just try it.

Oh and make sure you are clutching a 15 pound med ball to your chest and staying upright and do at least 4 sets, maybe 5.

Let me know how it all works out will you?

Just when I thought we were finished we decided we would pull the Sled Dawg Elite by the big 20 foot long, 3" diameter rope and then push the sled back. Just to start all over again.

I have no idea how much the thing weighs, but it had a 45 pound plate on it, I was pulling it towards me by the huge, white thick rope and once it got to me, I bent over like this guy and pushed it back, Roy said my rest was walking back to the end of the rope. After the first set I heard him sneak a plate on it and I called him on it. "It's only 5 pounds he said", and it made a big difference, he didn't even try to sneak on the next plate, he just plopped it on and smiled.

At one point he had a grin on his face and said "I need to get a video of you doing this on my website! Your arms have veins popped out all over them as you pull the rope!"

I am totally into it, film away I say! 

Did I tell you he has a huge truck tire in the corner too? Can't wait to do something with that!

We talked a bit about our plan for next week, deadlifts! I showed him my straps from IronMind, he liked them, everyone does.

I walked out to my car to load up on some simple carbs and a little protein; BCAA's, Vanadyl Sulfate, Kre-Alkalyn (my usual after training supplements).

I felt like I had ingested drugs (and I don't mean the supps I just took, I mean mind altering psychotics) I felt wonderful, alive, healthy, strong, accomplished.

And then went grocery shopping, what a woman!

Chin Ups and Pull Ups

My 16 year old son wants to get big and ripped- so who does he turn to?

Mom!  

First step? I bought this and I love it!  The very first "as seen on TV" product I have ever purchased, although I do not watch TV so I have never seen it, I only saw it in the stores.

It's called an Iron Gym and the website has them two for one! buy two and split the cost with a friend. I just bought this at Bed, Bath and Beyond for more...rats!

Pull ups and chin ups are one of the best exercises you can do for the entire body! For muscle growth (Hypertrophy), don't "kip" them (AKA Crossfitters), but concentrate on a slow eccentric move, that's the lowering portion. The eccentric move is what counts, the concentric (pulling up) really doesn't mean much to you.

Pull ups are more difficult, they work the back more; chin ups are easier, they work the biceps more. Whats the difference? Chin ups are done with a supinated hand. That means your hand (the open part) is facing up at you, like if you were to try to eat soup with your hand!

I have a hard time doing many pull ups, but I am very good at chin ups, I do them quite a bit, with body weight and with weight around my waist.

If you are just starting, and cannot do one yet, don't fret!  I had to learn, when I first started training with SC I couldn't do any (I may be slightly exaggerating to make you feel better- I think I could do 2 or 3), and he would help me up (hands around waist) and then I had to lower myself as slowly as possible, about the count of 10. 

You can use a resistance band, I have a short video here where I demonstrate one. (Email readers will need to navigate to the blog to view the video).

If you don't have an SC, or a resistance band, use a chair to stand on -It won't be as buff or good looking as SC, but it will do what is needed. Stand on the chair, then pull your knees up kind of hop up and off the chair and the slowly lower. Do this as many times as possible.

Once you no longer need a chair, or band the goal is to bring your chin up and past the bar, then lower yourself all the way down. straight arms, those half way down arms are not complete reps!

Maintain a tight core, feel your back and lats pulling you up and controlling the movement down. Some find it best to bend at the knees, bringing the heels up towards the glutes, keep those abs tight, tight, tight!

Soon, you can strap a kettlebell around your waist and pull yourself up, then lower yourself.

Pull ups will develop your back, your lats, biceps, triceps, abs (yes, keep the core tight and it will). This is one of the basics, everyone should have these in their repertoire!

The 16 year old - got his driver license today...eeek! At least I am still needed to cook and train him! We are doing chin ups every night before bed now too.

Big Enough?

I have been on a "Get Big" plan since October 10, that's six weeks now. I am wondering if I should stop or keep going?

 

I have to gain weight to gain lean mass, and I have been doing a good job keeping the fat at bay, but when you gain, it's not 100% muscle, there is always some fat in the mix.

Don't get me wrong, no one would say I am fat in any way, shape or form, but I am not the mean, lean machine I used to be and it's hard to get used to it.

My stomach certainly isn't tight and flat any longer, in fact it looks similar to many mid sections I see on bikini competitors- and that's not a look I particularly care for, soft and smooth.

I was grocery shopping on Wednesday and the clerk said "your arms are really getting big!"....hmm, that's the plan but when do I stop?

My back is looking fairly wide too, and with a good taper.

I guess I am a bit afraid that I will just get so big, that it will be hard to drop down again when I want to, although I have actually plateaued at 127 pounds, which is only 7 pounds over competition weight, so I really could gain a bit more and be OK.

I am eating more, incorporating fruit, beef, some low fat cheese and bread on occasion, even some pasta now and again.

You see,  to gain weight, you must have a caloric surplus (eat more calories than you expend in a day), and to lose weight, you must have a caloric deficit (eat less calories than you expend in a day).

It's not as simple as either eating more or eating less though, that is where the novice fails. When gaining, most people don't want to gain fat, they want to gain lean mass. This means that you increase calories a slight amount, it can be as little as 300 calories more a day, or in the case of a very large male, it could be a couple thousand. Those calories cannot be any calories, if you ingest a bunch of saturated fats and alcohol and empty calories (junk), it will be fat you gain and not lean muscle mass.

So I have been eating more of the same foods I regularly eat, but I have also been enjoying life and eating some regular foods, foods I will probably have to start cutting back soon.

To make sure I am gaining, I have increased  my carbohydrate immediately after lifting, and the two meals following. I have incorporated more healthy fats, and then relaxed on the proteins (meaning I am eating more beef and not so much fish).

I am lifting really heavy, and sticking to the basics like squats, lunges, pull ups, chin ups, t-bar rows and some kettlebells. I am still running those 300 stairs everyday at work too, rain or shine.

I guess a few more weeks won't hurt, then I can pull back a bit and see how things are looking.