Well if you’re willing to supply just a little bit of desire and a little bit of effort, I’ll teach you how to develop an unstoppable motivation and willpower that your friends will envy.

The key to your success is a simple five letter word… and that word is habit. This is our number one goal! Yes! Our number one goal is to create the habit of exercise and our improved fitness will be a by product of accomplishing this. How are we going to do this? We are going to break this down as far as necessary. And you will be the one who determines just how far that is. What do I mean by that? Well virtually all exercise consists of either steps or repetitions. Think of your favorite exercise. Is it walking? Then it can be broken down to steps… (or time spent) right? Is it push ups? Then it can be broken down to repetitions. Get the idea? So if we are to succeed at creating the habit of exercising, technically we only need to take “some” steps or to do “some” repetitions on a regular, consistent basis.

You might be thinking, Rick, come on now… how is taking a few steps or a few repetitions going to help me reach my fitness goals? Stay with me for a minute. Most people who fail at reaching their fitness goals fail because they lack motivation. And the reason they lack motivation is because their holding the wrong picture in their mind. You know the one… that one long grueling workout that seemed to last forever? If we’re going to hold a picture in our mind of an entire grueling workout, most of us are going to be whipped before we start.

I begin by telling myself that I am going to do “one set” of my favorite exercise (the incline bench press) and then after giving myself two or three minutes to recover from that set, I will then ask myself if I want to do more. Nine times out of ten I do! And if I don’t I can still feel good that I did that set and strengthened the habit of exercise. Surely anyone can do a “single set” of their favorite exercise and create the habit of doing so. Make the goal creating the “habit”… not the workout!!! We can always increase the steps, the reps, the number of sets, the exercises and the time spent anytime we want to! And I encourage you to do so… whenever you feel like it!

We need to keep in mind that not all workouts have to be maximal. Start each workout with just one set of your favorite exercise. Wait 2 or 3 minutes and while you’re waiting, praise yourself for accomplishing that set. You’ve just included some exercise in your day. Doesn’t that feel good? You have taken the first step to creating a habit… a very good habit. And each time that you do this you are strengthening that habit. Now, ask yourself if you feel like you want to do more. If not… stop. If so, repeat.

Many people get to the gym and turn around and go home because they just don’t feel up to working out that day. But many of us have found that if we just submit to doing a set or two of something, we begin to feel like doing more.

Habits begin like flimsy cobwebs at first and are strengthened day by day to become like unbreakable cables to shackle or strengthen our lives. What happens is once you get started, you will begin to feel the endorphins rush and most of the time you will “feel” like doing more. I kid you not! It’s amazing! It works for me virtually all the time. Try it!

Here is a poem that I read many years ago that I found to be very profound and seems appropriate for this article. I hope you enjoy it.

Who am I?

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do you might just as well
turn over to me and I will be able to do them
quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed –
You must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want
Something done and after a few lessons
I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great men;
And alas, of all failures, as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine,
Though I work with all the precision
Of a machine plus the intelligence of a man.
You may run me for a profit or run me for ruin –
It makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me,
And I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am habit!
- Anonymous

CLICK HERE and I’ll show you how you can get the results!

But did you know that the average person gains almost a pound a day while on vacation?

That’s right! Lazy vacation days usually lead to one dreaded thing: extra pounds. From missed workouts to large restaurant meals, travel days often become high calorie days.

As you embark on your next vacation adventure keep the following tips in mind, and come home fitter than when you left!

TIP #1: Be Active
If your travels keep you too busy for a workout, or if your hotel does not have an exercise room, make a conscious effort to be active everyday. Go on a brisk walk after your day’s activities. This is a great way to see a new city, and also a great way to burn off that rich dinner you just ate! Take the stairs instead of elevator in your hotel and any other buildings you visit. Go on a short jog in the mornings or evenings of your stay. If your hotel has a pool, swim a few laps each morning or evening.

TIP#2: Indulge with Control
Eating out is a must while on vacation. Whether you’re visiting 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you are faced with the same problem: large portions. While the easiest thing to do with a large portioned meal is to simply eat it all – you are on vacation after all…right? That isn’t the best for your waist!

When you order your meal ask the waiter or waitress to bring you a to-go box. Take half of your meal and place it safely into the box before you even begin to eat. This gives you no choice but to eat a healthy portion. If you would rather not carry around a to-go box then ask that your entree be made into a smaller portion. If it is dinner time ask for the lunch-sized entree.

TIP#3: Snack Healthy
Have you ever noticed how travel days create the perfect opportunity for snacking? A coffee and muffin before your flight, a snack on the plane and then before you know it…it’s lunch time! Taking a road trip? This opens up even more opportunities for regrettable snacking…rest stop vending machines, gas station quickie marts and of course the never ending string of fast food restaurants along the highway.

This summer cut unhealthy snacking off at the pass by brining along your own healthy options. Dried or fresh fruit, unsalted nuts, health bars, cut veggies and low fat crackers are a good start. By filling up on these healthy snacks between meals you will end up eating less when presented with a less-than-healthy meal.

TIP #4: Avoid Fried Foods
While fast food restaurants are definitely convenient, with their low prices and quick service, this convenience is not worth the additional pounds brought on by chips and fries. As you enjoy your vacation keep this in mind: avoid fried foods. While this is always good advice to follow, it is even more important to abide by while traveling.

While vacationing you will likely burn fewer calories each day than you would burn at home, and you are consuming more calories due to your schedule of eating out. You are walking a fine line, and eating fried foods would throw you right over the edge. A gram of fat contains 9 calories as compared to the 4 calories that proteins and carbohydrates carry – so you can see that consuming fried foods will drastically increase your caloric intake.

If I still haven’t convinced you to pass on the curly fries, keep in mind that heartburn and indigestion are never fun…especially while on vacation!

TIP#5: Team up with a Pro – Yours Truly!
Well, fitness is my specialty…and since you are serious about creating a healthy and fit physique – guarantee your results by teaming up with me.

Together we will come up with a fitness plan that is uniquely yours, one that fits your lifestyle and brings you promptly to your goals – something that you will appreciate while on vacation and at home.

And, because the back comprises the second largest group of muscles in the body, it contributes to metabolism.  Remember, that the amount of muscle you carry is directly proportional to your metabolic rate.  People that carry more muscle typically have higher metabolic rates meaning they can burn more calories; which, in turn, means they can stay in shape more easily than others who don’t carry as much muscle.

Have you ever heard the term, “back-breaking work”?  Putting this powerful set of muscles (back) to work taxes your body and can create a great deal of muscular stimulation, hence the term.  But remember that putting this hard work into your back training will pay in rich dividends in terms of strength, energy and a leaner, healthier you.

If you’re like me, you’re on a tight schedule and you don’t have a lot of time to train. So, I’m going to show you how you can invest just 20 minutes into your back training to get a fantastic payoff.

If you have access to a high lat pulley machine, then let’s begin with pull-downs. Perform a light set of pull-downs to warm up the back muscles.  Take a grip where the palms of your hands are facing you and your hands are approximately 12-18″ apart. There’s a reason that we’re going to use this narrower grip.  Placing your hands in this manner will align your arms and your back in such a way that you can maximally stretch and contract the muscles of the latissimus dorsi (the large muscles that create the V taper in the back) and other muscles at the upper back.  If you don’t have access to a lat machine, try pull-ups from a chinning bar.

At the beginning of the lat pull-down movement, allow your shoulder blades to rotate outwards, so that you can feel a stretch in your lats.  Then, contract your lats, pulling your elbows down and back towards your waist.  Keep your back arched and keep your chest high to get the best contraction possible.  It is important to keep your back arched.  Otherwise, the stress is thrown mainly onto the arms.  Be sure to pull the bar down and let it back up in a smooth, controlled manner, keeping the back muscles under tension throughout the entire range of motion.  It should take you approximately one second to bring the bar down to your chest and at least  two seconds to let the bar back up slowly under tension.

Remember that it is during the eccentric portion of the exercise (the portion of the exercise during which the muscle is lengthening under tension, which in this case means the portion of the exercise during which your are returning the bar to the starting position) that the muscle derives the greatest benefit.

Perform three sets of 8-10 repetitions per set.  If you can do more than 10 repetitions with the weight, then add more weight in order to bring the number of repetitions back down.

Once you have finished your pull-downs, immediately go to the bent-over rows.  Bent-over rows tax the muscles in the upper back and are excellent for developing thickness.

To begin, load a barbell with a moderate amount of weight (moderate, of course, will depend on your strength).  Approaching the bar, bend your knees slightly and then bend down at the waist, taking a shoulder-width grip on the barbell.

With your body at approximately a 45 degree angle, pull the barbell to the base of your chest by contracting your back muscles and bringing your elbows up and back towards the ceiling.  Keep your head up, and back arched throughout the movement, to get a maximum contraction in the upper back muscles.

Avoid “heaving” the bar up.  Lower the weight under full control to avoid injuring your lower back.  Perform three sets of at 8-10 repetitions, going to positive failure.

Next, we’ll proceed to dead-lifts.  This is an exercise that will strengthen not only the muscles of the lower back, but just about all of the muscles in the back.  It is one of the very best back exercises around for this very reason.

Starting with the barbell on the floor, place your feet about 18″ apart, bend down and take an overhand grip, just wider than your thighs.  At the bottom of the movement, drop your rear-end down by bending your knees, keeping your back straight.

Pull the bar up from the floor to bring your torso erect.  As you come up, keep your torso straight and thrust your hips forward to lock out into the final position.  This is great for building the erector muscles in the back.  Perform three sets of 10 repetitions using a moderate weight.

Keep in mind, that as you perform these back exercises, it is important to take each set to positive failure.  Unlike other kinds of failures in life, positive failure during exercise is actually a good thing.  It means you have pushed the exercise to the point where you cannot perform another unassisted repetition.  Creating this amount of fatigue in the target muscle as you exercise is important in sending your body the signal that is necessary to grow and adapt.

Rest just long enough between sets to catch your breath.  This should take approximately one to two minutes, but maybe more, depending on your physical condition.  Go for it on the last set of each exercise!  Do as many repetitions as you possibly can and do not stop before you reach positive failure.

And, there you have it! 

My 20 Minute Back Workout. 

This is a workout that you can easily perform before you go to work in the morning, at lunch, or in the evening after work.  There’s no excuse for skipping your back workout.  So, do it today!

One final thought.  As you may already know, I place a lot of emphasis on the importance of proper nutrition.  You can workout all you want, but if your nutrition doesn’t adequately support the exercise you do, and if you do not provide enough protein, calories, carbohydrates (that’s right, carbs), and other nutrients to your body, you cannot make progress.

I am often asked about steroids via e-mail, and the questions are usually related to specific drugs and dosages. “How many mg. of Sustanon should I do per week in an 8-week cycle,” or “is it better to mix Winstrol and Primo for a 12 week cycle, or should I start with Anadrol to get some size first?”

It alarms me that teenagers, non-competitive athletes, and those who are new to weight training get caught up in the language of drugs, believing they’re about to make positive changes when they’re teetering on the brink of randomly altering the hormonal system that regulates body composition, sex drive, and a sense of well being.

Because of the number of steroid questions I started receiving, and because each question answered seemed to lead to a follow-up question, I decided as of 2004 that I would no longer answer steroid questions. Despite my decision, they keep coming in. Today I received one that prompted me to write this article.

“I’m only 22 and I want to get my pro card next year. I don’t really know who to ask, but I’m having a hard time. I was hoping you could help. My training is great; my diet is clean all year. I am 100% dedicated to bodybuilding and know I’d make a great pro! I started out cycling Cypionate, 400 mg per week, and Decca 400 mg per week for 8 weeks and then switching to oral Winstrol and Primobolan depot for cutting. It worked great. For contest prep I use some thyroid hormones and it’s pretty easy for me to get stripped. Here’s my problem. I know you’re supposed to stay clean for a few months before doing another cycle, but I know guys who are “on” all year and they keep making gains. I decided I’d go back to the Cypionate right after my last show, staggering 400 mg with 600 mg. on alternate weeks.

“During my first cycle my sex drive went through the roof, but since my last contest it dropped to nothing. I keep telling my girlfriend it’s the diet, but she’s smarter than that and it’s affecting our relationship. While I’m still making gains, my testicles are tiny, which seemed to happen suddenly, which even more makes me avoid sex. I don’t know if I should stop now, go through a few months of recovery, and let things get back to normal, or if I’ll lose too much muscle. Or is it better to use some Clomid or HCG on top of the Cypionate? I get very confused by everyone’s advice. I know everyone says there are long-term risks of staying on the stuff, but right now I really don’t care what happens to me after 30. I just have to be at the top of my game right now, and I want to keep my relationship with my girlfriend. I’ll admit I haven’t been the easiest guy to live with, but she’s been solid and I don’t want to lose her. Every time I inject my test, I get this feeling I’m making a mistake, but I’m afraid it’s a bigger mistake if I stop. Any advice you can share would be appreciated.”

This is the type of email that throws me.

My first instinct is to ignore it, but I can’t. It’s someone reaching out for help.

My second instinct is to try to get this kid to get himself clean and start to readjust his priorities.

The catch there is, there’s so much psychology involved, and he’s so caught up in the importance of winning at all costs, if I urge him to abandon the anabolics, he’s likely to disregard everything I have to say.

I decided I’d write an article that I can now direct people to that will share some of my take on anabolic steroids. If readers of this article do opt to use steroids, they can at the very least be educated to make responsible decisions.

I remember the first time I eyeballed steroids. A new gym opened in Florissant, Missouri, just a few miles from the weight training dungeon at the YMCA where I was first bitten by the bodybuilding bug. Some local muscle heads were sticking flyers on cars in and around the “Y.”

Now Open! Champions Gym!

My buddy Larry and I went to check it out. It was in the basement of an apartment building. There were a couple of squat racks, some benches, and a rack of dumbbells going up to 120 pounds. There was a lat machine, a few scattered Olympic bars, and a few thousand pounds of weights. There were pictures of Sergio Oliva, Frank Zane, Arnold, Franco Columbu, and the AAU Mr. America Ron Teufel. I remember paying particular attention to Ron. He was around 180 pounds, looked incredibly muscular, and was only three years older than I was at the time. If three years of intense training could bring me to that level of physique, I’d be a happy camper.

Larry and I decided we’d pay the $15 a month and work out there for 30 days. We met a few of the locals and a few days after we’d enrolled, the guy who had the best abs in the gym asked us if we wanted some “stuff.” We knew what he meant, but we hadn’t ever used, touched, or seen steroids. A bit scared, but more curious, we asked, “whaddya got?” “D-Bol.” He took out what looked like a prescription vial and showed us our first glimpse of Dianabol. “All the guys here are on it.”

It wasn’t the glance at the vial of pills that struck me, it was the comment. I started to see things differently. Larry had the best dead-lift in the gym, and although he’d mix up some pretty bizarre things in his blender, he had never used anything that was even near the fringe of legality. I was squatting a respectable 365 for 8 reps and I could hold my own on any beach. When we heard “all the guys are on it,” rather than finding temptation, we found satisfaction in being “natural.” At the time I was naive enough to believe that if we kept training and kept eating right (which we barely understood at the time), we could develop physiques that rivaled Arnold, Franco, and the other greats of the period. We turned down the D-Bol offer.

Later that month we went to watch a friend compete in the teenage Mr. Metropolitan contest and decided right then and there we could do better . . . drug free. We started learning about competition and I was amazed how back then, in the late 1970’s, even among teenagers and twenty year olds, there was this language of “cycles,” and “needle gauges” and “milligrams” and “cc’s.” I’ll admit the curiosity resurfaced and the lure to cross that line of temptation returned with it, but within the next few months a few experiences caused me to shut out the possibility of crossing that line.

Turner’s Gym opened, and this was a real gym, owned and operated by bodybuilding legend George Turner. It had the heart and essence of the bodybuilding persona. It made Champions Gym all but obsolete. There was an entire room of leg equipment! There were two dozen benches, eight squat racks, power racks, and every type of machine I’d seen in the Muscle magazines.

My first day at Turner’s I ran into a guy I had known from the neighborhood for years. He was a skinny kid who suddenly grew traps, pecs, and quads. He told me had just gone in for surgery to have breast tissue removed.

“Breast tissue?”

“Yeah. I didn’t wanna take the stuff that’s floating around here so I went to a doctor who gives prescriptions for testosterone. I’d been going for shots and I started growing tits!”

That was the first time I’d heard of gynocomastia.

To me, at the time, it was the most bizarre thing I’d ever heard.

My buddy grew traps, quads, and tits?

There were some serious power-lifters who trained at Turner’s. Massive, solid, strong. My 365 squats were laughable compared to what these guys were doing in the power cage. The strongest of the power-lifting squad was the nicest guy in the world, but watching him dead-lift and squat was the equivalent of watching pure rage in motion. Veins popping out of his neck and forehead, his skin turning purple, teeth clenched, chalk flying from his body. It was a sight. He was in his 20’s when he died. The rumor was liver failure.

A few days after the power-lifter stopped coming to the gym, Larry and I went to another contest as spectators to cheer on a couple of the locals. One “regular” from Turner’s, whose name escapes me (it was 25 years ago), was being “counseled” by a local steroid guru for his contest prep. He showed up at the prejudging looking drawn and lifeless. His face was gaunt; his skin had a yellow pallor. The whites of his eyes were yellow. He quivered as he tried to hold the mandatory poses. We spoke to him backstage as he sucked on an ice cube and it was as if we were speaking to the walking dead. He never made it to the evening show nor did we ever see him again.

I never gave steroids another thought until I visited Southern California for the first time years later. The “health food stores” were selling “anything you wanted.” Clenbuterol was the “hot drug” that “everyone was on,” and within minutes you could find someone ready to sell you something in any local gym in Venice. That helped me recognize how prevalent steroid use was, not only among the pros, but among even the casual lifters in search of muscle.

Over the years that followed, I came to know quite a few professional athletes, and I came to realize that the drug “program” was often more of a priority and concern than the training. They sounded like scientists, yet they were toying with science they didn’t fully comprehend, thus they were human guinea pigs. I set out to learn as much as I could about the endocrine system, the drugs being used, the potential benefits, and the potential risks, thus my steroid education began. Thankfully I’ve been sensible enough to stay away from the idea of becoming my own guinea pig. I just interviewed people. Over a thousand people. I asked questions. I learned from biochemists, physicians, bodybuilders, and the underground “gurus.” I would not by any means categorize myself as a steroid expert, but I know enough to help people make educated decisions.

The common line of thought among amateur bodybuilders breaks it down to an oversimplification.

Want size? Anadrol and/or Sustanon
Want minimal side effects? Primobolan
Want hardness? Winstrol and Clenbuterol
Want to avoid side effects? Clomid or Nolvadex

There are two primary parts of the endocrine equation that are being ignored in this oversimplified line of thought.

We are all biologically unique and the drugs and dosages that act to “compensate” for low testosterone levels in one individual might “super compensate” in another and the side effects cannot be predicted with any level of accuracy. Worse yet, many of the side effects, such as gradual stress placed upon the liver, may not make themselves known for years. Decreases in HDL production, increases in blood pressure, and alterations to the myocardium cannot be detected in the mirror.

When you mess around with a link in the hormonal chain, you are altering the activity of the glandular system as a whole, and short term increases in testosterone can lead to long-term decreases in endogenous hormonal production.

If you’ve been sent a link to this article it might be because you’ve asked me a steroid question, my first question to you is, “have you carefully examined the specifics of your training?” Most people I meet who are looking for their first cycle are simply missing some part of the formula for ongoing growth. They’re failing to cycle their training regimens, they’re sticking with the same old workout they’ve been doing for months, they’re failing to provide a greater challenge to muscle, or they’re overtraining and failing to adequately recuperate.

Even if their training regimens are well strategized, if they aren’t taking in enough protein-sparing nutrients, they’re limiting their muscular growth potential, and if they’re failing to take in sufficient calories and amino acids for growth, all the training in the world will leave them frustrated. Whenever someone comes to me for a consultation before using steroids, we’ve been able to facilitate new gains . . . naturally.

I will NEVER recommend that anyone use steroids. Will I understand if someone opts to use them? In some cases, yes. Are they as “bad” as the media reports would lead us to believe? I’d have to say many of the “shocking reports” are overblown in their severity, but that doesn’t mean “steroids are safe.” An interview conducted with former Mr. Olympia competitor Mike Christian several years ago shared some of the realities behind uncontrolled drug abuse . . . that abuse including ergogenic and anabolic training aids. When we’re dealing with professional athletes, or aspiring pros, which are thrown into arenas where superhuman drug-enhanced strength is the norm, anabolic steroids become almost an absolute, but even the pros need clear direction and education.

I’ve used the headline “People Are Dying To Get Fit” in descriptive articles and releases related to weight loss surgeries and weight loss drugs, but we’re at a point in time that the same headline might be used to describe bodybuilding.

In 1999 Sonny Schmidt, at 46 years old, placed 3rd in the Masters Olympia. On January 25, 2004, Sonny Schmidt died.

In 2003, 285-pound 30-year-old bodybuilder Scott Klein died of heart failure.

Remember that picture of Ron Teufel I told you about at Champions Gym? He died in 2002 at the age of 45.

These are just a few of the premature deaths related to users of anabolic steroids at relatively high dosages. There are also the stories of pros at the highest levels suddenly dropping out of competition . . . permanently . . . due to liver failure.

I’ll never forget retired pro bodybuilder, Steve Brisbois, telling first hand about the death of Mohammed Benaziza seven hours after winning the Dutch Grand Prix. Bill Pearl, who has been retired from competition for decades but is without question a bodybuilding legend made the following comment that probably best describes the competitive sport of bodybuilding, “The guy left standing on the stage today at the end of a bodybuilding show is probably the guy in the arena who is closest to death.”

The bodybuilding realities, or at least the dark side, have been well protected, but it’s important that those who are lured by “easy muscles, lots of chicks” understand the whole picture.

Going back to the email I wrote this article to answer, the line, “I really don’t care what happens to me after 30,” makes, at least in his eyes, most of the premature deaths I’ve mentioned meaningless, but I’d guess that any competent psychologist would identify the “win at all costs death wish” as a twisted perspective on achievement.

Because I know that many regular “juicers” who come to read this article will turn their noses at the deaths I’ve mentioned, if you’re asking me a steroid related question, I’m not going to give you the “steroids kill you” speech, nor am I going to deny that they can help to pack on lots and lots of muscle. Testosterone and hormonal products do have their place.

In aging individuals where endogenous production of testosterone has declined, hormone “replacement” can certainly add to the quality of life. I’d even suggest that those who are paid to perform at superhuman levels can find a benefit that outweighs any downside if their “prescription” is supervised and their body chemistry is monitored by the watchful eye of someone with a recognized credential and proven expertise in the workings of the endocrine system. Still, I am going to suggest that in an individual with a functional glandular network, more rewarding gains can be achieved naturally.

If you cannot find comfort with avoiding drugs just because Rick told you to, at the very least learn as much as you possibly can, be extremely careful in obtaining what are, in essence, uncontrolled controlled substances, and err on the side of caution rather than random experimentation.

If I’ve dissuaded you from the idea of using steroids, great! If you’re still hovering around the line of temptation, at the very least consider investing in credible information related to the endocrine system. Set up a consultation with a qualified medical professional who can request and assess a hormonal screening before you spend money on substances you don’t fully understand. Once the first “cycle” begins, it’s difficult to turn back.

Training and eating . . . that’s the magic . . . and if you’re willing to take the high road, the magic can lead to immense long term reward.

REMEMBER: I call anyone who walks through the door of a gym a bodybuilder… that includes you, ladies.

I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the muscles involved in shoulder pressing are so similar to those used in chest pressing that they play second fiddle. I’ve seen many bodybuilders and serious weight trainees devote an excessive amount of time and energy on their pecs, but only rush through a few quick sets for delts.

Nothing looks sillier than a guy with a big chest, decent arms and little width and thickness to his shoulders.

It’s a narrow, girlish look.

That’s right – GIRLISH!

Without wide, round shoulders it’s IMPOSSIBLE to have an exceptional physique.

The ideal basic shape of any individual is the V-taper. And the top of that V must be a set of wide, rugged shoulders along with wide lats.

So, unless you’re going to wear shoulder pads for the rest of your life, Sport, you need to pack some meat on top of those clavicles if you want to be considered a real muscle man.

It’s not tough to do. Just follow these rules.

Become Strong at Free-Weight Overhead Presses.

For big legs you must squat. A big chest comes from pressing and a huge back comes from pulling a ton of weight. And the shoulders have ONE simple movement that is the key to overall mass – the overhead press.

Trying to add size to your shoulders without doing presses is like trying to drive cross-country with you’re emergency brake on.

It will take you forever, and you’ll end up kicking yourself in the ass for being so stupid.

There are many useful machines for pressing, but I recommend that you use them only occasionally for variation. Free weights are the hardest tool to use, which translates into greater effectiveness and faster results. Machines also give you a false sense of strength. Pushing up a weight stack of 300 pounds may make you feel powerful, but it pales in comparison to the true power of pressing a 300-pound Olympic bar or a pair of 150-pound dumbbells. The former puts you in the category of pretty strong for the average gym rat; the latter sets you in a group of truly elite strong men.

My preferences are dumbbells or Smith Machine military press, but especially dumbbells… and for several reasons.

One, they are the absolute toughest to handle, requiring every last ounce of balance and coordination.

Two, I believe they do the best job of distributing the weight evenly amongst all three heads of the shoulder complex. Pressing the bar to the front tends to recruit more front delts activation. So does pressing behind the neck, but it carries a greater risk of rotator cuff damage over time. You can’t go wrong with heavy dumbbell presses in good form.

Don’t Turn Overhead Presses Into Incline Presses.

One very common error in form that you see all the time with overhead presses is an excessive backward lean. A SLIGHT lean is permissible, but if you take it too far, you effectively turn your shoulder press into an incline bench press for the upper chest. Supposedly, you’re already doing that when you are training your chest. You want the weight to be traveling in a straight vertical line up from your shoulder joint so that the delts are doing the work. Leaning back puts the resistance over your upper chest instead. The reason for this blatant flaw in form in nearly every case is that the lifter is using way more weight than he or she can actually handle. The shoulders aren’t strong enough to move the weight with their own power, so lifters unconsciously recruit the strength of the chest to assist. Make a mental note to be aware of where your butt is. It should be touching, or almost touching, the seat back behind you. Hopefully you’re lucky enough to have a good training partner that will stay on top of you about your form. If not…reduce the amount of weight, concentrate on what you’re doing, and feel the difference.

Learn How to Perform Lateral Raises Properly

The lateral, or side, raise is an incredible movement for developing round caps on your medial deltoids, but only if you do it right. Most people don’t. Usually you see guys heaving and throwing the weights up like they’re trying to flap their wings and fly. Most times it’s because they are using dumbbells that are far too heavy for them. I have watched thousands of people train over the past 10 years, and I can count on one hand the number I’ve seen who could use perfect form with 50 pounds of weight. Yet I see men all the time trying to use that much weight with horrible form, and they’re crazy enough to think that they’re actually working their side delts hard.

The quick-fix solution is to reduce the weight. I know that bruises a lot of egos, but you should be able to raise the weight under control and pause for a second to contract the side delt before lowering slowly – slower than the speed with which you raised the dumbbells. If you’re doing a little jump or thrusting your hips to help raise the weight, your form SUCKS, and you need to correct it.

This is actually one exercise in which I prefer using a cable apparatus over free weights. When using cables instead of free weights, you can lower the weight under control instead of letting the dumbbell drop down as so many trainees do. Cables seem to provide more continuous tension on the side deltoid as opposed to dumbbells. An important trick is to stop at the bottom of the movement right before the cable gets to your leg in order to keep continuous tension on the muscle. Do not allow the cable apparatus to cross over in front of your body, thus relieving the stress placed on the side deltoid.

Perform Upright Rows

Everyone wants wide shoulders.

If you try to say differently you’re a damn liar.

The only way to get there is to effectively work the side delts. Everyone knows about side laterals, but most people do not realize the value of upright rows for adding width to your shoulder complex. Upright rows performed with dumbbells are extremely effective. So are upright rows done with a barbell and slightly wider-than-shoulders-width grip. Do them in addition to lateral raises – or in place of them – every third or fourth workout. If you haven’t been doing upright rows, you don’t know how much round, full, side-delt mass you’ve been missing out on.

Develop Your Rear Delts

The posterior, or rear, delts are without a doubt the red-headed stepchild of the shoulder complex. Many people don’t train them at all, or if they do, it’s usually a few half-hearted sets before heading out the door at the end of their workout. It’s no surprise that very few men have good development in their rear delts. The solution is simply to train them, and train them hard. Either include three or four good sets of rear, or bent-over, laterals performed with dumbbells, cables or a machine on shoulder day or at the end of back day. They will grow if you just train them regularly and properly. Another suggestion is to train your side delts first on your shoulder day and work your way around to the front delts lastly.

Allow Your Shoulders to Recover

The shoulders are involved in practically every exercise you do for your upper body, and they are VERY easy to over-train.

Think about it: the rear delts get hammered indirectly on back day, the front delts take a beating on chest day, and even biceps and triceps work needs the support of the deltoids. That’s why it’s important that you try to take 48 hours between your shoulder and chest workouts in particular and also between shoulder and back workouts (the traps are involved in most back exercises and shoulder movements too).

Training shoulders the day before or after chest is especially counterproductive to making gains. Also, be conscious of overall volume; keep your overall workout sets to no more than 12 to 16. If you can’t get the job done with that, you need to train heavier and harder.

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

1.) Pull with Your Back, Not Your Arms

When performing pulling exercises such as those for upper/middle back like rows and lat pull-downs, initiate the movement with your scapula instead of your biceps.

It’s a natural tendency to initiate these pulling movements with your arms (i.e. biceps), but this is improper form if your intention is to train your back. Start the movement by grasping the bar with your arms straight, torso vertical and upright, and your shoulder girdle (shoulder blades and shoulders) slightly rolled forward for rows or upward for lat pull-down/ pull-ups.

I prefer a thumb-over grip, which treats your hands like the hooks they are meant to be in these exercises and therefore places less effort on the forearms. In other words, your forearms won’t tire before your back does.

Now for rows, initiate the movement by retracting your scapula (shoulder blades) backward toward your spinal column as if pinching your shoulder blades together. I teach my clients to try touching their elbows together behind their back. Of course this will never happen, but if you try to do so you will ensure that you are contracting the muscles to the fullest potential.

For lat pull-downs or pull-ups it’s the same concept except the angle of pull is different so your scapula will be pulled down and backward. Once your shoulder blades have exclusively initiated the movement, begin following through with your arms until the finish where you will squeeze your back for a moment or two. Your chest should remain high throughout the movement as well as maintaining the natural arch in your lower back.

Once you master this movement it will be less awkward and will become one fluid, natural movement. You may have to drop the weight a bit at first but you will rewarded with a fantastic fatigue and pump in your back that will let you know you were not previously training effectively and the soreness in your back the following day should be unparalleled.

Using this proper lifting technique should also reduce the amount of biceps fatigue you are normally accustomed to.

2.) Use Mass Building Exercises For Mass

If you’re goal is simply to put on muscle mass then you shouldn’t be messing around with isolation exercises or exercises that are better suited for adding definition.

You’re program should revolve around exercises that work multiple muscle groups and allow for heavy weights and maximum overload.

Example: Instead of performing isolation or concentration exercises for the triceps like one-arm cable push-downs or cable rope push-downs, which are best suited for definition of a particular head of the triceps (depending upon how it’s performed), you should be performing known mass-builders for the triceps like the close-grip bench press, dips, standard push-downs, skull-crushers, etc.

Mass-building exercises stress multiple muscles, which allows for heavy weights and successfully overloads the involved muscles. Stick with the tried-and-true mass-building exercises that are proven to add mass to the particular muscle group you are training.

Spend your time and energy on the basics if mass-building is your goal.

3.) Get a Grip for a Big Chest & A Big Bench

If you’re performing the barbell bench press for a big, strong chest make sure to use the optimal grip width.

Most people grasp the bar too narrowly and force their elbows inward by their sides, or too wide and force their elbows outward. Too narrow of a grip puts too much emphasis on the triceps. Too wide of a grip shifts most of the emphasis on the shoulders, which usually results in injury. Either way you are not providing sufficient stress to your chest… and that is the muscle you are trying to work!

To correct your form, simply lie on the bench and set an empty barbell on your chest at about your nipples or a little lower (or have someone help you). With the bar on your chest, grab the bar so that your elbows are in-line with your shoulders and your forearms are perpendicular to the floor.

Make a mental note of where your hands and fingers are positioned on the bar, which is usually in relation to the rings on the barbell.

When you’re ready to perform your set, place your hands in the appropriate place and go for it! If you’ve been using the same narrow grip for years, chances are you will not be able to lift as much weight at first. If you’ve been using a wider grip, you will probably notice an increase in your poundages right away. It is not uncommon to feel the difference in your chest that this position change has after just one set.

Keep in mind that flaring your elbows out so that they are in line with your shoulders may cause discomfort in some people with shoulder problems especially if you are bringing the bar down above your nipple line. Comfort and preventing injury to your joints should be priority number one, so simply move your elbows inward into a comfortable range in order to avoid the stress on your shoulder complex.

4.) Don’t Fatigue before You Get Started

It’s a given that you should be properly warmed up before you begin working out, but some people make the mistake of warming up with too heavy of weights, or with too many sets before they even get to their “working sets”.

When done this way, warm-up sets essentially become working sets as well. The point of warm-up sets is to prepare the muscles, body, and mind for the work-load you are about to place on it and to prevent injury. The problem of doing too much before you get to your working sets is that by the time you do get to them you are beyond warmed up and your muscles have actually become fatigued, even if slightly so.

Hence, if your muscles are fatigued, you will not be able to lift as much resistance as you could if they were completely fresh and you will not be producing optimal progressive overload on the muscles. Your results will therefore not be as good as they potentially could be.

Instead, I recommend warming-up with very light weights, high reps (12-15), and using a slow and controlled pace in a comfortable, full range of motion for no more than 2 sets. Never go to failure or even close to failure on your warm-up sets – you just want to pump some blood into the involved muscles and get those ligaments and tendons ready.

However, if you’re using lower reps and real heavy weight (typical of power-lifting or mass-building) on your working sets, you may need one more warm-up set called an “acclimation set”. The acclimation set involves using relatively heavy weight and higher reps than you would for your working sets (8-10), which will force you to use some effort but will not bring you to fatigue.

The purpose the acclimation set serves is bridge to gap between the very light resistance of your warm-up sets and the very heavy and strenuous resistance used in your working sets. This will prevent total shock or injury to your body when you do perform your first heavy working set.

If you didn’t use an acclimation set before an exercise such as a heavy barbell bench press, chances are that you might drop the weight on your chest as soon as you or your spotter un-rack it. Or worse, you could injure yourself.

There is also no need to perform warm-up sets for anything other than your first exercise for a specific muscle or muscle group. The muscles are already thoroughly warmed up from the preceding exercise and any wasteful sets would only serve to fatigue your muscles rather than produce the progressive overload needed for strength and muscle gain.

You should instead go straight into your working sets. Think of this new way of warming up as energy conservation so that you can lift bigger weights and produce better results.

5.) Perform Less Crunches for Better Results

Quality training is more important than quantity training for an impressive midsection.

I frankly don’t care how many hundreds or thousands of crunches a day somebody says they do. If done correctly one wouldn’t need to, and more importantly, couldn’t be doing so many, so often – unless wasting time and energy or “trying” to impress someone is the goal.

As with anything worth doing, you should be using the quality over quantity philosophy. Because the abdominals generally have more endurance-type fibers, they tend to respond better to higher repetitions.

If you can do more than 15 to 20 repetitions of whatever movement you are performing, then in my opinion, you are either performing the movement incorrectly or the resistance used is not sufficient. Additionally, the abdominals are best trained and fatigued by keeping constant tension on them. This means that even when you return to the beginning position, your abdominals are still tensed and contracting isometrically (contraction without movement).

The third major key to abdominal training is contracting your abdominals at the top of the movement as hard as you can for a moment or two (also an isometric contraction or what some people call a peak contraction).

This is how to effectively and efficiently train the abdominal muscles.

Once you have trained them correctly, now you need to let them rest and recuperate just as you do for other muscle groups. When the abdominals are trained and fatigued correctly, you should not need to train them more than 2-3 times a week. You should experience muscular soreness the following day just as you would for any other productive weight training session. And with this next-day soreness you wouldn’t be able to train your abdominals even if you wanted to.

Furthermore, it would be defeating the purpose because you would not be able to create progressive overload.

6.) Don’t Pace Yourself

Once you are warmed up and ready to perform your “working sets” treat each set like it’s your last.

This is something that I need to constantly remind my clients of. Don’t think about how many more sets you need to perform or how many other exercises you need to do. Pacing yourself through your workout will not produce optimal results. Intensity is the most important factor in producing results.

Example: If a program calls for 3 sets of 8 repetitions (after one or two warm-up sets, of course), individuals tend to stop themselves at 8 on the first or second set even if they can perform more than 8 because they are thinking that if they do 9 or 10 on this set they might only get 6 or 7 on the next set. Do not stop at some pre-determined number. Let your body tell you when to stop… not your mind!

Your first “working sets” are when you are fresh and strong and that is especially when you need to push yourself and leave it all on the line in order to lift the most weight you can and produce the greatest overload possible. As far as I’m concerned, everything after that is just icing on the cake.

If you need to incorporate techniques such as drop sets, rest/pause or simply drop the weight on the following set(s) in order to reach your target repetition range, then so be it.

7.) Want Bigger, Stronger Muscles? – Then Let Them Grow

It’s great to have goals and priorities in the gym, but being overzealous will get you no results.

Don’t expect to destroy your muscles in the gym and return the next day or two and train the same muscles and be able to lift more – especially if you are a drug-free lifter or your diet and sleep patterns are not up to par.

The general point of resistance training is to cause microscopic tearing of your muscle fibers, which causes your body to repair the tissue by making it stronger than before so that it can handle the increased demands being placed on the muscles. But if you are not allowing sufficient rest and repair time then you are interrupting this process and will NEVER grow or become stronger.

It is crucial to listen to your body, know how it responds to different training, and schedule your workouts accordingly in order to make continued progress on a regular basis.

Recovery time is going to differ for everyone, but generally you should wait at least 48-72 hours before training the same muscles again – you may even need as much as a week if you are using very high intensity or volume.

The more experienced you become at weight training and the more you become aware of your body, the easier it will be to know the perfect timing to train those muscles hard again in order to achieve the best results. A general personal philosophy that I have is to avoid training any muscle, or muscle group, if it is still sore from a previous workout. Once in a while won’t kill you though.

8.) Chest & Biceps Are Not Your Only Muscle Groups

Don’t be one of those guys who stick out like a sore thumb in the gym because they follow what I like call “the classic freshman workout program” where chest and biceps are trained almost exclusively.

This workout is typically composed of bench presses and flyes from every imaginable angle, as well as a multitude of biceps curls including hammer curls and is usually performed every time they come to the gym. Don’t forget that the legs and back are the largest muscle groups in the body and that they need to be trained as well.

A stronger back may even help with movements like the bench press because the back muscles work as antagonists during the movement. A wide back will help give you that coveted v-taper, making your midsection appear smaller and your appearance more aesthetically pleasing.

Training the trapezius (middle and lower fibers) and rhomboids of the back as well as the posterior deltoid will aid in improving any appearance of a forward slouch of the shoulders, thus bringing your chest up and giving you a more confident stronger appearance.

Not only will strong legs improve your power in sports (or God forbid, physical altercations) but a big, strong lower body will give you an overall strong, muscular looking physical appearance even while fully clothed.

There is nothing worse than seeing someone whose biceps are bigger than their thighs, or someone who can bench press more than they can squat. Incorporating days with other muscle groups into your weight training program will also serve to give you recovery time in between chest and biceps workouts.

So make sure you are spending as much, if not more, effort on these neglected muscle groups especially if you’ve been following the freshman workout for a while. If these muscles have been neglected, chances are that you may experience an immediate increase in strength, size, and bodyweight (muscle mass weight) once you begin training them.

9.) Use a Smaller Range Of Motion for Leg Raises

If you’re performing leg raises with your body in a vertical position and your intention is to concentrate on the lower portion of your abdominals, then your range of motion needs to be smaller than what is typically seen in a gym.

Moving your thighs from a vertical position to a horizontal one (90 degrees to your body) mainly solicits your hip flexors (iliopsoas, rectus femoris, tensor fascia lata). It is not until your thighs are at least horizontal that your rectus abdominis becomes intensely solicited and the primary mover.

So, in order to concentrate on your rectus abdominis (mainly the portion below the navel) you should start the movement with your thighs horizontal and perform small oscillations with your legs, keeping a rounded back and never lowering the knees below horizontal. The movement can be made even more difficult and effective through an isometric contraction (contraction with no movement) by keeping the knees tucked toward the chest for a moment or two.

This movement can be performed with the legs extended rather than with the knees bent in order to increase the resistance and its difficulty.

You can further increase the resistance by adding ankle weights or by having someone resist against your thighs on the concentric contraction (the way up).

Performing this movement with the legs extended requires good hamstrings flexibility so you may need to stretch your hamstrings first.

The movement can be made even more difficult and effective through an isometric contraction (contraction with no movement) by keeping the knees tucked toward the chest for a moment or two. Beginners, heavy individuals, or those that are not feeling the lower part of the abdominals working during this movement may want to try this exercise on an incline sit-up board or even a flat bench.

This will lessen the resistance of your bodyweight lifted, thereby making it easier. The lower the incline is set to, the easier it will be to perform. Make sure you are rounding your lower back in order to achieve the spinal flexion needed to target the lower abdominals.

10.) Mix It Up For Continued Progress

Sticking with the same exercises, in the same order, with the same sets and repetitions on the same days is a surefire way to achieve no results.

By the time you start to feel that your program is stale, chances are it’s been stale for longer than you think. There are many different methods for keeping your workouts fresh that involve such things as changing repetition ranges, exercise order, exercises, frequency, the pairing of various muscle groups, etc.

What I like to do sometimes when beginning with a new client who has been doing the same type of program for a while, is ask him or her what they are presently doing or what they have done recently. And then I’ll design a program that is the exact opposite, which completely shocks the body and spurs rapid results.

Complete overhaul of your exercise program sometimes means getting out of your comfort zone, but the results are worth it and you can always go back to your old routine at some point. And who knows, maybe you’ll find new exercises that you enjoy even more than the old ones.

Keep in mind that not everyone’s program needs a total makeover.

Personally, I find that changing the pairing of muscle groups for a given exercise session, changing from barbells to dumbbells and vice versa, as well as changing the repetition ranges used can have a large impact on avoiding or jumping over plateaus.

Everyone is different as far as how long it takes to hit a wall.

Generally you’ll want to change your program maybe every 4 weeks or so. But I always tell people if you are still genuinely moving up in repetitions and/or resistance for every exercise at every exercise session, don’t change a darn thing! If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Continue until you are unable to increase the resistance or repetitions for two consecutive exercise sessions. Just make sure you are not pacing yourself which will be a false indicator of if you are truly able to move up in weight or not.

There is also the school of thought that trains like myself by training instinctively instead of sticking with a set-in-stone program for a certain period of time. Instinctive weight lifters listen to their body and their intuition and may not even know what exercises or in what order they are going to do them in until they walk in the gym. They will have a general guideline in their head though.

If their body’s telling them it’s not ready to train that muscle again, they may take an extra day off, or if they feel extra good they may move their session up a day. If I don’t feel the muscles working the way I want them to on the first couple of reps, I’ll stop immediately or finish the set and then move on to something else.

If my energy level happens to be low on a particular day, I’ll use a higher rep range and really concentrate on slow and controlled form and feeling the muscle under continuous tension instead of using real heavy weight.

Spontaneity, keeping your body guessing, and going with what feels right in the moment is the name of the game. Weight training, in my opinion, shouldn’t make you feel like an accountant crunching numbers in between sets. Above all else, you should enjoy what you are doing which will keep you interested and motivated and moving towards progress.

As always, you need to decide what works best for you – scheduled set-in-stone workouts, instinctive training or a little of both. No one method is necessarily better than the other is.

The key is to keep the intensity high and keep plugging away.

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

According to the millionaire’s interviewed for Dr. Thomas Stanley’s “The Millionaire Mind,” the number one factor in their success, when ranked by very important and important is being disciplined.

57% said being disciplined was very important and another 38% ranked it as important.

You might be wondering what millionaires have to do with your health and fitness goals.

To achieve your fitness goals, you must have a plan, and to stick to that plan you must have (or develop) the discipline necessary to do so.

Discipline is a key to success, no matter what you are looking to achieve, from adding twenty pounds of muscle, to losing twenty pounds of fat, to making millions, or climbing Mt. Everest.

Without discipline, none of these things are possible.

Anything worth achieving takes discipline.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”? It’s absolutely true. Millionaire’s are extremely disciplined. They set very high goals for themselves and then go about doing what it takes to reach those goals.

These people are not easily sidetracked. They do what needs to be done, regardless of the obstacles or roadblocks that they may stumble upon during their journey.

If you lack discipline, your chances of achieving success are very, very small. But discipline can be learned, practiced and improved.

THINK ON PAPER

Only about 3 percent of adults have clear, written goals.

These people accomplish five to ten times as much as people without written goals.

Written goals are a powerful thing.

They have an energy behind them that helps you move toward them.

Unwritten goals just don’t have that power.

Make a list of everything you can think of that you will need to do to help you achieve your goal.

Leave nothing to chance.

The more planning you do ahead of time, the more likely you will stick to the plan and achieve your goals.

The more prepared you are, the more success you will experience.

WRITE IT DOWN! Keep track of everything you do regarding your fitness goals; what you eat each day, exercises, sets, reps… EVERYTHING!

By doing this you have something tangible to refer to – documentation of what worked, or did not work, for you.

Nothing is more powerful, or irrefutable, than this evidence.

The information learned is an invaluable tool that can help you gain insight into why your current fitness and nutrition program is (or isn’t) working.

One final note. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF!

Do not “fudge” the number(s) of reps, sets, etc.

Do not inaccurately record your food consumption.

It does you no good if the information you record is not accurate.

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

Such a theory could potentially unlock all the secrets of nature and the universe itself, or as theoretical physicist Michio Katu, puts it “an equation an inch long that would allow us to read the mind of God.”

That’s how important unified theories can be. However, unified theories don’t have to deal with such heady topics as physics or the nature of the universe itself, but can be applied to far more mundane topics, in this case nutrition.

Regardless of the topic, a unified theory, as stated above, seeks to explain seemingly incompatible aspects of various theories. In this article I am attempting to unify seemingly incompatible, or opposing, views regarding nutrition… namely, what is probably the longest running debate in the nutritional sciences: calories vs. macro nutrients.

One school, I would say the ‘old school’ of nutrition, maintains weight loss or weight gain is all about calories, and “a calorie is a calorie,” no matter the source (e.g., carbs, fats, or proteins). They base their position on various lines of evidence to come to that conclusion.

The other school, I would call more the ‘new school’ of thought on the issue, would state that gaining or losing weight is really about where the calories come from (e.g., carbs, fats, and proteins), and that dictates weight loss or weight gain. Meaning, they feel, the “calorie is a calorie” mantra of the old school is wrong. They too come to this conclusion using various lines of evidence.

This has been an ongoing debate between people in the field of nutrition, biology, physiology, and many other disciplines, for decades. The result of which has led to conflicting advice and a great deal of confusion by the general public, not to mention many medical professionals and other groups.

Before I go any further, two key points that are essential to understand about any unified theory:

A good unified theory is simple, concise, and understandable even to lay people. However, underneath, or behind that theory, is often a great deal of information that can take up many volumes of books. So, for me to outline all the information I have used to come to these conclusions, would take a large book, if not several and is far beyond the scope of this article.

A unified theory is often proposed by some theorist before it can even be proven or fully supported by physical evidence. Over time, different lines of evidence, whether it be mathematical, physical, etc., supports the theory and thus solidifies that theory as being correct, or continued lines of evidence shows the theory needs to be revised or is simply incorrect. I feel there is now more than enough evidence at this point to give a unified theory of nutrition and continuing lines of evidence will continue (with some possible revisions) to solidify the theory as fact.

“A calorie is a calorie”

The old school of nutrition, which often includes most nutritionists, is that “a calorie is a calorie” when it comes to gaining or losing weight. That weight loss or weight gain is strictly a matter of “calories in, calories out.”

Translated, if you “burn” more calories than you take in, you will lose weight regardless of the calorie source and if you eat more calories than you burn off each day, you will gain weight, regardless of the calorie source.

This long held and accepted view of nutrition is based on the fact that protein and carbs contain approx 4 calories per gram and fat approximately 9 calories per gram and the source of those calories matters not. They base this on the many studies that finds if one reduces calories by X number each day, weight loss is the result and so it goes if you add X number of calories above what you use each day for gaining weight.

However, the “calories in calories out” mantra fails to take into account modern research that finds that fats, carbs, and proteins have very different effects on the metabolism via countless pathways, such as their effects on hormones (e.g., insulin, leptin, glucagon, etc), effects on hunger and appetite, thermic effects (heat production), effects on uncoupling proteins (UCPs), and 1000 other effects that could be mentioned.

Even worse, this school of thought fails to take into account the fact that even within a macro nutrient, they too can have different effects on metabolism. This school of thought ignores the ever-mounting volume of studies that have found diets with different macro nutrient ratios and with identical caloric intakes have significantly different effects on body composition, cholesterol levels, oxidative stress, etc.

Translated, not only is the mantra “a calorie us a calorie” proven to be false, “all fats are created equal” or “protein is protein” is also incorrect. For example, we now know different fats (e.g. fish oils vs. saturated fats) have vastly different effects on metabolism and health in general, as we now know different carbohydrates have their own effects (e.g. high GI vs. low GI), as we know different proteins can have unique effects.

The “calories don’t matter” school of thought

This school of thought will typically tell you that if you eat large amounts of some particular macro nutrient in their magic ratios, calories don’t matter. For example, followers of ketogenic-style diets that consist of high fat intakes and very low carbohydrate intakes (i.e., Atkins, etc.) often maintain calories don’t matter in such a diet.

Others maintain if you eat very high protein intakes with very low fat and carbohydrate intakes, calories don’t matter. Like the old school, this school fails to take into account the effects such diets have on various pathways and ignore the simple realities of human physiology, not to mention the laws of thermodynamics!

The reality is, although it’s clear different macro nutrients in different amounts and ratios have different effects on weight loss, fat loss, and other metabolic effects, calories do matter. They always have and they always will. The data, and real world experience of millions of dieters, is quite clear on that reality.

The truth behind such diets is that they are often quite good at suppressing appetite and thus the person simply ends up eating fewer calories and losing weight. Also, the weight loss from such diets is often from water vs. fat, at least in the first few weeks. That’s not to say people can’t experience meaningful weight loss with some of these diets, but the effect comes from a reduction in calories vs. any magical effects often claimed by proponents of such diets.

Weight loss vs. fat loss!

This is where we get into the crux of the true debate and why the two schools of thought are not actually as far apart from one another as they appear to the untrained eye. What has become abundantly clear from the studies performed and real world evidence is that to lose weight we need to use more calories than we take in (via reducing calorie intake and or increasing exercise), but we know different diets have different effects on the metabolism, appetite, body composition, and other physiological variables…

My Unified Theory of Nutrition

… Thus, this reality has led me to my very own Unified Theory of Nutrition which states:

“Total calories dictates how much weight a person gains or loses;
macro nutrient ratios dictates what a person gains or loses.”

This seemingly simple statement allows people to understand the differences between the two schools of thought. For example, studies often find that two groups of people put on the same caloric intakes but very different ratios of carbs, fats, and proteins will lose different amounts of body fat and or lean body mass (i.e., muscle, bone, etc.).

Of course these effects are not found universally in all studies that examine the issue, but the bulk of the data is clear: diets containing different macro nutrient ratios do have different effects on human physiology even when caloric intakes are identical.

Or, as the authors of one recent study that looked at the issue concluded:

“Diets with identical energy contents can have different effects on leptin concentrations, energy expenditure, voluntary food intake, and nitrogen balance, suggesting that the physiologic adaptations to energy restriction can be modified by dietary composition.”

The point being, there are many studies confirming that the actual ratio of carbs, fats, and proteins in a given diet can effect what is actually lost (i.e., fat, muscle, bone, and water) and that total calories has the greatest effect on how much total weight is lost. Are you starting to see how my unified theory of nutrition combines the “calorie is a calorie” school with the “calories don’t matter” school to help people make decisions about nutrition?

Knowing this, it becomes much easier for people to understand the seemingly conflicting diet and nutrition advice out there (of course this does not account for the down right unscientific and dangerous nutrition advice people are subjected to via bad books, TV, the “net,” and well-intended friends, but that’s another article altogether).

Knowing the above information and keeping the Unified Theory of Nutrition in mind, leads us to some important and potentially useful conclusions:

• An optimal diet designed to make a person lose fat and retain as much lean body mass (LBM) as possible is not the same as a diet simply designed to lose weight.
• A nutrition program designed to create fat loss is not simply a reduced calorie version of a nutrition program designed to gain weight, and visa versa.
• Diets need to be designed with fat loss, NOT just weight loss, as the goal, but total calories cannot be ignored.
• This is why the diets I design for people (whether for gaining or losing weight) are not simply higher or lower calorie versions of the same diet. READ THESE NEXT SENTENCES CAREFULLY. In short: diets plans I design for gaining LBM start with total calories and build macro nutrient ratios into the number of calories required. However, diets designed for fat loss (vs. weight loss!) start with the correct macro nutrient ratios that depend on variables such as amount of LBM the person carries vs. body fat percent , activity levels, etc., and figure out calories based on the proper macro nutrient ratios to achieve fat loss with a minimum loss of LBM. The actual ratio of macro nutrients can be quite different for both diets and even for individuals.

             Did you get that?

             If not, read it over and over until you do.

• Diets that give the same macro nutrient ratio to all people (e.g., 40/30/30, or 70,30,10, etc.) regardless of total calories, goals, activity levels, etc., will always be less than optimal. Optimal macro nutrient ratios can change with total calories and other variables.
• Perhaps most important, the unified theory explains why the focus on weight loss vs. fat loss by the vast majority of people, including most medical professionals, and the media, will always fail in the long run to deliver the results people want.
• Finally, the Universal Theory makes it clear that the optimal diet for losing fat, or gaining muscle, or what ever the goal, must account not only for total calories, but macro nutrient ratios that optimize metabolic effects and answer the questions:
  1. What effects will this diet have on appetite?
  2. What effects will this diet have on metabolic rate?
  3. What effects will this diet have on my lean body mass (LBM)?
  4. What effects will this diet have on hormones; both hormones that may improve or impede my goals?
  5. What effects will this diet have on (fill in the blank)?

Simply asking, “how much weight will I lose?” is the wrong question which will lead to the wrong answer. To get the optimal effects from your next diet, whether looking to gain weight or lose it, you must ask the right questions to get meaningful answers.

Asking the right questions will also help you avoid the pitfalls of unscientific poorly thought out diets which make promises they can’t keep and go against what we know about human physiology and the very laws of physics!

There are of course many additional questions that can be asked and points that can be raised as it applies to the above, but those are some of the key issues that come to mind. Probably the most glaring question that you are asking right now is, “How does one determine the total calories needed, or correct macronutrient ratios?” Well, if I told you that you would have no more need for me, now would you? Sorry. Besides, it’s not that simple.

Bottom line here is:

If the diet you are following to either gain or loss weight does not address those issues and/or questions, then you can count on being among the millions of disappointed people who don’t receive the optimal results they had hoped for and have made yet another nutrition “guru” laugh all the way to the bank at your expense.

Any diet that claims calories don’t matter, forget it.

Any diet that tells you they have a magic ratio of foods, ignore it.

Any diet that tells you any one food source is evil, it’s a scam.

Any diet that tells you it will work for all people all the time no matter the circumstances, throw it out or give it to someone you don’t like!

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

Haven’t these people heard of weight training?

With fitness and muscle development trends today, women can readily, and easily, achieve a tightly tones rear-end without having to consider surgical alternatives. When you think about it, who would want to get cut with a scalpel when you can get the results you want with weight training? Most of you are already incorporating weight training into your fitness and body-shaping regimens, so it’s just a matter of focusing more on what’s behind you.

You really have to make an extra effort to train the glute muscles. They do come into play when doing other muscle-building exercises, but to truly shape your posterior you must add a few specific butt-shaping exercises. The good news is the three muscles making up the glute region – the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus – respond very well to direct training. Like the abdominals, the glutes can withstand a lot of punishment, so think of it in terms of incorporating a dedicated glute-training program twice a week to lift and tone.

Choose two glute exercises per workout session, 4 or 5 sets of each exercise, 12 to 15 repetitions per set to totally work the muscles. Not sure if you are doing the exercise correctly? Reach around behind and touch your muscles during the exercise. You should be able to feel them contracting.

The Exercises

Prone Hip Raises – A good exercise to lead off with, prone hip raises can be done with or without weights. Lie on the floor on your back with knees drawn up, feet planted shoulder-width apart. Raise your hips off the floor so that your bodyweight is supported by your shoulders and feet. Squeeze the glutes as you raise your hips so that you feel a good contraction. DO NOT let the buttocks rest on the floor between repetitions. Try to complete 4-5 sets of 12-15 reps.

If you want to increase the degree of difficulty, incorporate “burns” into your hip raises: Raise your hips, contract the glutes and do pulses or mini hip raises, at the top of the movement. Do 12-15 burns after doing the full-ranges hip raise. You will soon discover why I call the “burns.”

Putting a weight on your abdomen creates an even greater challenge. Hold the plate securely on your midsection so that it won’t slip down and hit you in the face. Really feel those glutes working. Squeeze the muscles. You will eventually be able to use two 45-pound plates.

Lunges – As far as I’m concerned this is the grand-mommy of all glute exercises. When performed properly NOTHING adds shape to the tush faster than the lunge. The problem is that most people do not do lunges correctly and never receive the benefits from such a tremendous movement. Lunges can be performed with or without weights, walking, with one leg up on a bench, reverse lunges on a Smith Machine, etc., etc. The variations are limitless.

Most often when you see someone attempting to do lunges they kneel down and touch their knee to the floor, come back up and repeat the same motion with the other leg. The exercise is called lunges, not “kneel downs!” If you were supposed to simply kneel down the exercise would be named accordingly.

Proper execution of the exercise requires you to lunge out (hence, the name) as far as possible, keeping your upper body perpendicular to the floor (erect). As you move forward from this position you must squeeze the glutes tightly to completely activate all the fibers of the glute region. This squeeze, or contracting of the muscles, is what makes the exercise so effective. This contraction cannot be achieved by simply kneeling down.

Squats – That’s right… Squats. “But Rick, squats are hard.” That’s right, they are. And your butt will be hard too… if you do them. Plain and simple.

I prefer for women to perform squats on a Smith Machine. Position yourself under the bar and place you feet out in front of you (anywhere from 1-2 feet). The reason for this is simple. If your feet are directly beneath you and you perform the exercise, your knees will pass forward of the position of your feet. This places a lot of undue stress on the knee joint, and is a recipe for disaster. The knee is not made to handle the amount of weight that your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and hips can handle combined. But when you attempt to squat with your feet directly under you in the Smith Machine this is exactly what you are asking your knees to do. This is a recipe for injury. So, with your feet out in front of you to avoid injury, begin your descent to the floor slowly and deliberately. Descend all the way to the floor. That’s right… take your bootie all the way down to the floor. The glute muscles are activated during the lower part of the exercise. As you begin your rise back to the top, push with the heels of your feet and squeeze your rear-end tightly. This little tip will create more activation of the glute muscles than you can imagine. As you reach the finish point of the repetition, do not lock out at the top. Instead, stop just short of locking your knees out, pause for a moment and begin the next repetition. Four to five sets of 10-12 repetitions will be plenty of this exercise.

REMEMBER: Take your butt all the way to the floor, push with the heels of your feet, and squeeze the hell out of your butt to get the most out of this exercise.

Kneeling Cable Kickbacks – Want to hit all three glute muscles with a bang? Nothing does it better than the kneeling cable kickback. A variation of the standing cable kickback, kneeling demands more effort from the glutes because the range of motion is greater. It also works against gravity.

Place a flat bench in front of a weight stack. Attach a cuff to one of your ankles and attach that to the weight stack. Kneel on the bench with the free leg. Bring the cuffed leg far forward, then slowly back and as high as possible. Like with the squats, try to push backwards with your heel to generate more contraction to the glute region. Contract the glutes tightly as you work. Place a hand on the working glute periodically to feel the muscles working. This helps to keep your effort honest. Perform 4-5 sets of 12 repetitions for each leg. Begin with a moderate weight like 30 to 40 pounds to perfect your technique and build a strength base. Progress to more weight in two to three weeks once you feel you can handle it.

A machine that is found in many gyms these days is called the “Butt Blaster.” This machine simulates the motion of the Kneeling Cable Kickbacks since it is designed to place you in the proper position for the exercise.

Other effective glute-training exercises to consider adding for variety are stiff-legged dead-lifts and good mornings.

Cardio – If you want a rear-end that stops people dead in their tracks you must do your share of cardio training. Let’s face it… you can have the greatest ass in the world, but if it’s covered by layers of fat nobody will ever be able to admire it, much less want to admire it. Stair-climbing and elliptical trainers are both effective modes of cardio exercise that target the glutes, but as far as yielding the highest results, nothing works better than walking on a treadmill at a high-grade incline. The higher the incline, the more the glutes are activated. Forty to sixty minutes per session, 4-5 times per week.

Nutrition – This one is pretty obvious, isn’t it? If you don’t want junk in the trunk, then you can’t eat junk. This should be a no-brainer. If you’re not sure what to eat CLICK HERE.

Eat properly most of the time, perform direct butt-shaping exercises and put in your time on the treadmill, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how quickly your butt becomes an object of affection. Trust me… in today’s society, with breast implants being as commonplace as make-up, any woman can have a pleasing upper body. But, a tight, toned, jaw-dropping backside is truly something to behold… a REAL show-stopper. So, what are you waiting for… get your ass in gear!

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…

My answers are always the same. There is no magic pill or powder or even secret that trainers, professional athletes or fitness models are keeping from the general public. It all comes down to hard work, being conscious of your diet and, most importantly, being consistent.

If it were easy everyone would be in perfect shape all of the time. To quote Bill Cosby,

“In order to succeed, the desire for success
must be greater than the fear of failure.”

The fear of failure is something I encounter 90% of the time when discussing fitness goals with women.

Whether they realize it or not, many women prevent themselves from achieving their fitness goals because of an inherent fear of failure. Unless you determine that you are going to make sacrifices and make fitness a lifestyle it becomes all too easy to ‘give up’ because ‘it’s not going to happen – I have bad genetics.’

Stop blaming your parents, your husband, or your kids for your own fear of committing to yourself and your fitness goals. While it is true that some are genetically predisposed to developing lean muscle it is completely possible to train hard and diet to create the best body you can have for you.

You will never know until you put all of your doubts aside and make it happen. Now, combine this fear of failure with the many myths that surround women and weight training and you have a recipe for disaster.

I am breaking down the six most common myths many women believe and thus hinder their progress or potential gains. Hopefully this will help educate more women to the truth behind what makes the body effectively transform.

Six Common Myths

Myth 1: Lifting Weight Will Make/Build/Develop Muscle Like A Man.
We have all heard this one from some woman at one time or another. Ladies… NO … Lifting weight will not make you develop muscle like a man. Quick lesson in anatomy:

Both men and women have hormones coursing through their bodies. These hormones are testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and DHEA. For those of you who are not aware, men and women share all of these; however men have a much higher number of testosterone and DHEA than women do and women have a much higher concentration of estrogen and progesterone.

Testosterone is a very powerful hormone, this is one (if not the) primary factor that enables men to build muscle the way they do. Are there women in this world who lift weights and look like men? Yes. Why? They take testosterone or other androgens to help them achieve that look. Does the average woman who wants to get in shape and attain a ‘sexy’ body have to supplement this way to achieve her goals? NO.

And, in all honesty, most women that attend the gym to get in shape or look good at the beach do not lift weights that are nearly heavy enough to develop in this manner.

Myth 2: Eating A Lot Will Make Me Fat.
Eating a lot of cake and candy and cookies will absolutely make you fat. So can eating a lot of pasta or chicken or bananas. There isn’t any one type of food that can be blamed for unwanted fat gain in the body. What needs to be understood is that every morsel of food that is ingested has calories (many also contain vital nutrients). However, if you overeat anything at any point during the day the excess that your body does not need will be stored as fat.

Food                              Calories       Protein      Carbs         Fat

Chocolate Cake                          428                  5.9g                73g              15.6g

Candies, Reese’s Pieces          497                12.5g             59.9g             24.8g

Cookies, Chocolate Chip       497                   4.6g             66.1g             25.2g

Pasta                                              131                   5.2g             24.9g                1.1g

Chicken, Roasted                     190                 28.9g                   0g               7.4g

Bananas                                          92                        1g             23.4g               0.5g

When a bodybuilder or fitness model, professional athlete or personal trainer stresses they eat frequently throughout the day they are not saying they eat “too much.” Eating small meals 6 – 7 times a day will increase your metabolism so your body is constantly burning calories and is constantly receiving the adequate nutrition it needs to maintain all bodily functions including building and maintaining muscle.

It is important to get an understanding of what proper nutrition consists of and what you need to feed your body to not only maintain it but ‘evolve’ it into the figure of your dreams.

Myth 3: Carbs Are The Enemy!
Ladies, forget Dr. Atkins… Please! In fact, try to stay away from all the fad diets on the shelves at Barnes & Nobles that promise to give you a bikini-perfect body if you do ridiculous things like stand on your head and eat nothing but Oreos.

There is no secret trick and no magic in a bottle. Cutting carbs and eating nothing but steak and bacon are not going to get you closer to having a firm butt and thighs. Sorry, but that’s the truth. The Atkins diet and calorie restriction diets are excellent starting points for obese individuals that need to lose weight quickly for health reasons. They are not conducive to building muscle.

The macronutrients needed for a well rounded nutritional program are carbs, protein and fat. All three of these are necessary and have important functions within the body. I am not going to go into complete detail here as a complete breakdown of macronutrients and their function is extremely lengthy and would be better suited in an article on nutrition which I will write at another time.

The basic reasons are carbohydrates are necessary in rebuilding muscle. They are also an excellent source of energy within the body. This is not just energy to run five miles, this also means energy required to keep your heart beating, maintain the digestive process and even ensure cellular respiration can occur.

(Fancy terminology that means your body does much more than what you make it or ask it to do.)

Myth 4: Working Out Turns Fat Into Muscle.
No, working out does not turn fat into muscle. Nor can you change apples into oranges by juggling. Think about it, muscle and fat are two completely different things. Fat is made up of triglycerides and muscle is made up of amino acids. How can one turn into the other?

The reality is that building muscle will in turn help you burn fat. The more muscle developed the more calories the body will burn even while at rest. The transformation will not occur over night – it can take months or even years.

Likewise the theory that 1 lb. of muscle weighs more than a 1 lb. of fat holds absolutely no water. 1 lb equals 1 lb no matter what that pound is made up of. However, muscle takes up less space within the body than fat does. Because of this someone who is extremely muscular but the same height and appears to have the same amount of body mass as an individual that has a softer physique can weigh more.

Myth 5: Drinking Too Much Water Will Make Me Bloat.
Actually the opposite is true. Not drinking enough water can make you bloat. Women are especially vulnerable to this. If an adequate amount of water is not consumed during the day the body will actually hold onto whatever water it has stored in the muscles in an effort to maintain necessary hydration for metabolism and other bodily functions. This can give you a bloated appearance. I say women are especially vulnerable to this because of the high fluctuations we experience with hormonal levels (and yes, that ‘time of the month’).

These factors make your bodies more sensitive to maintaining adequate hydration so it is necessary to drink at least a gallon of water a day. (The exact amount of water necessary for an individual will vary depending upon the sport / activity she is involved with as well as her weight etc. This is another performance nutrition factor that will be addressed another time.)

Myth 6: I Don’t Want To Train At The Gym Because People Will Look At Me.
Many women have said this during the years that I’ve been weight training. There is a common misconception that you must be blonde, busty, and extremely fit before you can walk in a gym and weight train. This is not the case. To be honest, most people are not looking around the gym gawking at other people while they are working out. They are too focused on their own form, staring at themselves in the countless mirrors scrutinizing their own bodies and what needs to be improved.

People Really Aren’t Going To Be Gawking At You.

Nobody is going to notice you in your sweats pushing through your personal workout. They are too focused on themselves. Don’t get me wrong, there are some people at the gym who are social butterflies and like to walk around and talk to everyone, but nobody is judging you.

Conclusion

I hope you have found this article helpful and it has helped to clear up any misunderstandings you might have had regarding common workout myths. You can find out more information, or even contact me directly for advice or other fitness tips at www.fitphysiqueonline.com.

Have thoughts about this post? Let us hear your comments…