Archive for the ‘Recent Posts’ Category
Q:My training partner and I are both physicians. We recently have started the New Rules of Lifting Program. We’re seeing some of the best gains of our lives — but we are used to doing more sets and reps per bodypart and are concerned that we’re not doing enough work.
A: You’re seeing “the best gains” of your life and you think you’re not doing enough? How did you get through medical school with such an understanding of logic…. :)
This reminds me of a story I’ve been meaning to tell. I went to a seminar in November a couple of years ago. Rachel and I were talking to a very smart physical therapist – and he was talking about the interaction between the shoulder, the lat and the opposite hip and saying that he treats them all whenever someone complains of shoulder pain.
The next day I went to the gym with him. As we were walking in he asked me what I was going to do. I told him and asked him. He answered “back”. And that’s what he did. For about 30 mins he pulled a weight from above his head to his collarbone (pulldowns). And for another 30 mins he pulled a weight from arm’s length in front of him to his stomach (rows). Of course he used different grips to really bomb and blitz the back from all angles…
It surprised me that this super-sharp PT knew all about anatomy trains and rehabilitation but his workouts were archaic.
Anyway – I think volume is the least important exercise variable. Intensity is number one and frequency is probably number two.
So don’t worry about the volume.
BTW- do you know that “bodypart” shows up as a spelling error in Microsoft Word? It’s a made-up word from the bodybuilding world…
Q: Why do you recommend the “as many reps as possible” workout at the end of the first phase in New Rules of Lifting for Women ?
A: Aside from just showing progress – it’s really to show women that they are strong – they can lift heavy loads and shouldn’t be afraid to do so.
I was sent a blog post from a lady who started with 95lbs in the squat for 12 reps.
At the 30 day “test” she performed 35 reps.
Now – the program is good – but there is no way that this lady improved her muscular strength/endurance from 12 reps in the squat to 35 reps with the same load in 30 days. that’s close to a 300% improvement!
(I’ve read of another lady performing 70+ reps!!!)
Looking at the rest of her post – there isn’t a single exercise that she didn’t almost double or triple the reps in the AMRAP workout.
I’d love to say that it’s because my programs got her super-strong super-fast – but in all reality it’s a sign that she didn’t pick a heavy enough weight to start with.
The “special workouts” point out how much females understimate their strength.
Sure, they improve a bit over the first 30 days – but not as much as this.
That’s why it’s such a powerful tool. When females start the second phase – they’ll pick much more appropriate loads and experience great progress.
Q: I have been faithfully following one of your fat loss training programs and feel great. But I’m not following the diet as well as I could – because – quite frankly – I get bored eating the same foods. Have you ever thought of doing a recipe book?
A: You have GOT to be kidding me. You really thought that a Scottish guy was the person to ask for a recipe book?! I suppose Gordon Ramsay’s Scottish…
Ok – it’s strange that you ask me this – but apparently you’re not alone – I get this question at least once a week. but the answer is no — I have NEVER thought of doing a recipe book.
But luckily for you (and the many others) – the Precision Nutrition team have released Gourmet Nutrition – a 288 page, 100 recipe full color cookbook — and all the meals will fit perfectly into a fat loss program. If you are interested in getting super-lean – but won’t tolerate bland foods – click HERE and check out the sample chapter.
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AC
Although the modern calendar counts a year as 365 days, a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours.
Every four years, an extra twenty-four hours have accumulated, so one extra day is added to that calendar to keep the count coordinated with the sun’s apparent position.
Today is that extra day – February 29th.
So technically – it’s an extra day to get closer to, or catch up on your goals for 2012. It’s a free day.
So what are you going to do? Take advantage of it and squeeze in an extra workout this year?
Start reading a new book? Use it as an extra recovery day?
Every four years we get an extra 24 hours. No charge!
Do something with it.
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AC
Q: What do you think of the current expert recommendation that when training for fat loss – the training itself doesn’t change – only the diet?
A: I don’t think much of it. I know the experts you are speaking of who say that and I’m afraid I just don’t agree. The underlying logic is that training for strength or muscle growth is the same regardless of your goal – and the sole reason for weight training during a diet is to maintain muscle.
At first glance that’s pretty good advice. Until we dig further.
When you ask the experts how exactly they would adjust the diet — you usually get a stock answer of keep protein the same to maintain muscle, keep fat at about the same and reduce the carbs.
Really? The only difference between a strength and mass program and a fat loss program is the amount of carbohydrate? In other words – a 24 year old rugby player trying to gain size will be on the exact same program as a 24 year old rugby player trying to drop excess fat, only the amount of bread and pasta he can eat is different?
Let me summarize – so the prescription for increased muscle mass/strength AND fat loss is for example heavy weights and lower reps. So a strength coach can simply write one program and just modify the diet without changing anything ??
Uh no.
Let’s reverse the scenario — That would mean that if a client used a program to get down to 9% bodyfat, and decided that they wanted to gain 20lbs of muscle – all we’d have to add is 3 or 4 bagels per day?
As usual this is an example of people who don’t actually train people for a living. If a client hires me to get them bigger – the ENTIRE plan is different from a client who wants to lean out or drop a weight class. Training, nutrition, cardio and supplementation all change.
Training to increase size and training for fat loss will definitely have similarities – but if the desired goal is different – the training has to be different too. I don’t believe in two people having the exact same program even if their goals are the same — so I definitely don’t agree with this “logic”.
Fat loss and hypertrophy training templates are definitely going to be different.
I think there are definite parallels between work and fitness training. Over the past few years I think as a whole, in both areas, we’ve confused working “hard” with working long.
Think about someone you know who you’d describe as working hard for a living. Now – do they really work hard – i.e. back breaking, intense physical labor — or do you mean that they work long hours – nights and maybe weekends?
Working “hard” and working “long” are not the same. And neither one means working effectively.
You could make the case that someone who is working long hours and weekends to achieve their objectives may not necessarily be working hard at all – they may be doing completely ineffective activities.
In addition, their rate of actual quality work output may be very low on a minute-by-minute basis. Or quality output may not be frequent enough — so they are trying to compensate by increasing their total volume.
But just increasing the volume of an ineffective, low-quality (i.e. intensity), infrequent activity isn’t helping whatsoever. Effective, results-producing work is not dependent upon the total volume of work primarily.
It’s the same as effective, results-producing exercise:
Effectiveness first.
Intensity second.
Frequency Third.
Volume last.
Is your training effective?
Are you focused and striving to do more work/lift more weight/do more reps in the session?
Are you training regularly? (in all studies – frequency of exposure to a stimulus is a primary key to success).
Once you have effective and technically sound exercise, performed with appropriate intensity on a regular basis – then you can think about adding volume. Doing more work can’t replace effectiveness, intensity or consistency.
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AC
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AC
My friend and colleague Dr John Berardi presented in Long Beach (at Perform Better) last summer on change psychology.
It’s not only John’s best presentation ever (and I’ve spent quite a bit of time with him), it might be one the best presentations I’ve seen period.
The cool part – it’s available online completely free of charge.
Check it out: How to Change: The Compliance Solution
It’s uploaded in four 15 minute segments on the site. That link takes you to part one.
Enjoy.
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AC
PS – for more information on change psychology, check out these resources:
