Category: TrainingI’ve been watching Hidetada compete for a number of years but never have I really concentrated on his training before the big Mr O’ date. Found this useful video on some good back isolation exercises. In particular I find the Cable under grip rowing really good as it can add some thickness to the lower lats.
You can never stop learning folks. Every pro or amateur has their own ways to exercise. Okay enough of me and more of Hidetada in the video ….enjoy.
Tell me which guy doesn’t right? As you walk through many gyms you will always see guys trying to pump those bi’s. Let’s face it if you are body building, working the biceps is always going to be part of your routine. The key is knowing how to hit it. For growth you got to be looking at more compound movements. Standing barbell curls will always give you a good pump and help increase size over time. You also need to have a mix of isolation exercises to give your bi’s more shape and definition. 
If there’s 4 bicep exercises you can do to increase mass and strengh it’s the
Of course there are many others but the 4 mentioned should give get your biceps to start screaming. Short intense workouts are always going to produce better results than long workouts that put no pressure on the muscles.
So next time you walk into your gym before a biceps workout, plan ahead and think how you will get your arms to grow and become more defined. It’s all about building muscle and not wasting time!
When it comes to shoulder training there are always some guys that lack shape and definition. To get your shoulder muscles into shape there are plenty of exercises you can do. I got two videos for you that may inspire you and give you some ideas as to what you can incorporate in your training. What works for you might not for me, but generally there are certain shoulder exercises you cannot go without for growth and development.
Image courtesy of bodybuilding-basics.com
Just remember shoulder injuries are common so train hard but also smart. Okay here’s the videos I promised you.
Above we have John Delarosa preparing for the New York Pro 3 weeks out. I like the background music of this video. Motivating for training!
Phil Heath ‘The Gift’ explains each workout as he does it so you will know what area of the shoulders each workout is hitting. Enjoy!
Blessed with genetics don’t mean squat, unless you put in the work and effort. I got the man himself, Jay Cutler 4 times Mr Olympia vying to go for his 5th title in 2012 with some chest workout. Jay is a true example of pushing yourself to the limits and beyond. Getting his pro card at the age of 23, yes that’s right and not a typo is just some of the things that sets this powerhouse apart.
Turning to his chest, Jay explains to MD “When I was younger, my chest was by far my worst body part, and even now I still don’t consider it to be totally up to par with everything else on me.” I hear you screaming, are you kidding me? Guys that’s the level of intensity and dedication Jay shows, never settling for anything less. What do you settle for?
As I always say, it’s all about the pump and not the weight. Can you feel your muscles working or your ego? Here’s something you should take away from reading this post.
Don’t worry about how much weight Jay uses, or even how much weight you use. Do try to become stronger, but only if your form is good, you are handling the weight on your own and not relying on a spotter to assist you, and you are feeling the muscle working. Otherwise, all the weight in the world means jack shit. There are plenty of idiots out there throwing around a lot of weight who have no physique to show for it, despite considering themselves bodybuilders. If Mr. Olympia isn’t worried about being the strongest guy around, why should you?
The following is the chest routine as promised with some pictures of in my opinion the body builder of the decade. Think about it, in the last 10 years of Mr Olympia who else has become champion 4 times and runner up the last 6 times?
Images Courtesy of Muscular Development Magazine
How much rest time do you usually have between sets? If you’re lifting heavy then you will have longer rest periods. But if you are looking to shock the muscles, you can do Continuous Partial Recovery training. CPR aims to make your rest periods minimal, meaning your muscles never recover from the previous set. You are going to fatigue fast and will notice faster muscle pump with a higher cardiovascular workout from lifting iron.
The primary goal here is to fatigue your fast-twitch (Type II) muscle fibers, the ones you’re capable of adding the most mass to through weight-training. Muscle is built this way because when your fast-twitch fibers get fatigued, they recruit more fast-twitch fibers to keep up. And when you recruit more muscle fibers, you can build more muscle mass. MuscleandFitness.com
CPR is not recommended for beginners as your muscles are getting used to the various resistance movements. This type of training is going to take it out of you. Just 40 minutes will feel like 90 and you will feel your muscles burning for mercy. This way of training will get you to fatigue your fast-twitch (Type II) muscle fibers.
Do this and you will pack on some quality muscle. Take a quality pre-workout drink that you can sip during training too. Make sure your stomach is light, the last thing you want is to get a heavy churning feeling that happens when you eat before pumping iron, especially if you are doing CPR training.
Phil Heath gives a quick overview of when he does dumbbell concentration curls during his arm workout. Er…. in a nutshell, last! He talks about the technique he uses to get the best contractions. In his words, it’s all about “Concentrating on the maximum contraction of the muscles”, not just lifting as heavy as possible. Check out the way he does this exercise and why.
Phil recommends doing at least 12 repetitions which is good rep range to really get the muscles to work. If you are struggling to do 12 reps, lower the weight and go again. It’s all about contractions and growth…..not ego!
Enough of me….here’s the video.
If your shoulder workouts a becoming stale like the rest of your routine, maybe you can add the Arnold shoulder press. Think back to days when Arnold was ruling the roost in body building and you will have certainly found him blasting the shoulders with this exercise.
Not only will you build size and strength with this workout, the anterior or front part of the shoulder will get a greater emphasis. The exercise helps especially if you have weak shoulders and want less friction in the joints. Using a pair of dumbbells means you will need to keep your form in check and of course don’t lift weights that are too heavy. If you are a beginner or someone who has not done this exercise for a while, go with lighter weights and get the form right.
Don’t think too much about the weight, think form, think muscle, think muscle mind connection! 
If you are looking to build muscle and quality size, Jim Stoppani has just released his 12 week short cut to size program. This program focuses on building muscle and gaining overall strength. His knowledge, experience and overall background makes him someone you can listen to and get some great advice from. The 12 week program is for men and women looking to put on muscle.
Here’s what Jim says about his program….
My 12-Week “Shortcut to Size” distills everything I’ve learned about muscle growth into one program. It’s science-backed, gym-tested and Jim-approved for men and women, beginner and advanced. If you want to build muscle and strength, this program is for you.
In the program you will learn about periodization which allows you to change your training at certain times for the best results. You will also learn about micro cycles where your training rep range and weights change weekly.
You can directly view the training program as an ebook courtesy of bodybuilding.com by clicking on the image link below.
Jim gives you all that you need for a total workout plan. You get info on nutrition, supplements, and even his workout playlist. This program will help you connect all the dots. How to eat for growth to best ways to do certain exercises. For example, during phase 1, week 1 you will learn how to do cable overhead triceps extensions whilst fully stretching the triceps. The program is packed with useful advice on how to really make the muscle work during each exercise and rep.
This program is like having a personal trainer at your disposal. If you want results, maybe it’s time you looked at the 12 week short cut program. Thank you Jim!
Images Courtesy of Bodybuilding.com & MuscleandFitness.com
If you looking to gain more chest muscle mass then maybe it’s time for you to look a little more into your routine? Are you simply hitting the gym and lifting barbell bench presses and anything barbell? Ever thought about using good ol’ dumbells? If you want to stack some size, dumbell presses are awesome for pounding the chest! It’s not about leaving barbell chest movements altogether instead, mix and match. If you are going to do the flat barbell bench press, then for incline use dumbells?
Most of you guys and gal’s probably know this already, but it’s really for the newbie amongst you. Dumbbells make you work the chest harder as you need to balance the weights during movement. You can also take the dumbbells lower to get an overall stretch in the pectorals. You can incorporate dumbbell movements by doing flat, incline, decline presses. You can also do dumbbell fly’s. There are different angles you can use to work the chest using dumbbells.
Using dumbbells doesn’t mean you need to go heavy. You can do lighter weights to begin with and move onto heavier ones to get that pump! As long as you make the muscles work, think of it as consistent progression.
John Gregory in Bodybuildingblog, talks about how you can benefit with dumbbells during your chest routine. It’s all about progression folks. You need to keep the muscles guessing and growing!
Has there ever been a time when you witnessed something strange happening at your gym? Was it the guy dancing and running on a treadmill at the same time, or was it another guy knocking himself out with one of the weight machines? Any workout can go wrong especially if you are carrying a slight injury but most of the videos you will see below are from people that want to get injured!
Watch out for the guy that’s running and dancing on the treadmill. It’s hilarious!
1. Form, What Form? Never Heard of This Before….
2. Dangerous and Stupid Way To Bench
3. Get Down and Boogie! What Is This??
4. Easiest Way To Ruin Your Lower Back!
5. Even Pros Get It Wrong. One Guy Shouts Don’t Worry. Bit Hard Not To??
6. Slow Motion Video Looks Worse!
7. This Is One Sick Deadlift!
8. What Is This Guy Doing?
9. Make Sure Your Bench Is Locked??
10. No Clue What This Is, Do You?? Maybe It’s The New Form of P90X…LOL!
So there you have it. Some of the weirdest, wackiest top 10 workouts gone wrong. Muscle failure is good from time to time, but these guys show how not to train. There’s many folks in the gym trying to lift heavy weights not thinking about form and working the muscle. Ask yourself the question, what am I working out for? What do I want to achieve and learn the correct way to achieve it before you or someone else gets seriously injured.
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