EXTENDED REST BETWEEN WEIGHT-LIFTING SETS COULD HELP MUSCLES GROWTH

Researchers from the University of Birmingham have found that extended rest intervals between sets of weight-lifting could help with muscle growth.

The findings, published in Experimental Physiology, go against the conventional belief that favours shorter periods of rest. The study highlights that short rest intervals may actually impair the processes that control muscle growth.

16 males completed resistance exercises interspersed by either one minute or five minutes of rest. Muscle biopsies were obtained at 0, 4, 24 and 28 hours post-exercise and analysed to determine myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) and intercellular signalling.

In the early part of recovery, the increase in MPS from resting levels was two-fold greater in those with longer rest periods. They saw a 152% increase, versus 76% increase in those with short rest intervals.

Dr Leigh Breen, from the University of Birmingham, explained, "With short rests of one minute, though the hormonal response is superior, the actual muscle response is blunted. If you're looking for maximised muscle growth with your training programme, a slightly longer interval between sets may provide a better chance of having the muscle response you're looking for."

The team recommend that novices starting out on weight training programs should take sufficient rest, of at least 2-3 minutes, between weight lifting sets.

Dr Breen added, "Over time, they may need to find ways to push beyond the plateau of muscle building that commonly occurs, and so may gradually decrease their rest periods. For experienced lifters, it's possible that they may not experience the same blunted muscle building response to short rest intervals, particularly if they have trained this way for a prolonged period and adapted to this unique metabolic stress. Nonetheless, similar recommendations of 2-3 minutes between sets should help to ensure maximal muscle growth in well trained individuals."

The research team are currently following up the investigation with a longer term study to see effects over a number of months, and further research into how individuals can maximise their training outcomes by manipulating variables, such a rest, in their training.

Journal Reference:

1. James McKendry, Alberto Pérez-López, Michael McLeod, Dan Luo, R. Dent, Benoit Smeuninx, Jinglei Yu, Angela. E. Taylor, Andrew Philp, Leigh Breen. Short inter-set rest blunts resistance exercise-induced increases in myofibrillar protein synthesis and intracellular signaling in young males. Experimental Physiology, 2016; DOI: 10.1113/EP085647

MUSCLE BUILDING: Intensity Is Everything

Building New Muscle With Intensity Techniques & Rest Periods And Failure




Part 1 - Building New Muscle With Intensity Techniques

Bodybuilder and contest coach Cliff Wilson explores the concepts of training load and volume, helping you to optimize your training and maximize results.

How varying intensity techniques can lead to new muscle.

All my life I have always wanted a cool nickname. In high school I even went so far as to try to give myself the nickname C-Dub. This was definitely not a proud moment for me. But recently, after speaking with a friend at my gym I was informed that the majority of the people at my gym already had a nickname for me.

Initially I was excited, but that changed when I found out what my nickname was. My great new nickname is now “That Crazy Guy”. As in, “Be careful not step in front of That Crazy Guy while he’s doing walking lunges.” Apparently, some people at my gym feel that I am crazy because of the level of intensity that I train with. This is not exactly the awesome nickname I had in mind, but I’ll take it.




I don’t expect the average gym goer to understand the need for ever increasing intensity, but too many bodybuilders and figure competitors fail to understand this as well. It doesn’t matter what level of training you are at. If you always do 4 sets of 10 reps on the squat with the same weight every leg day and make no effort to increase the intensity of your workout, your body will make no effort to change the amount of muscle you have.

Just because you get a pump from a workout does not mean you stimulated muscle growth. This is especially important for seasoned lifters. After someone has been training consistently for years it takes extreme measure to make significant improvements.

When it comes to training the word intensity has many different meanings. When putting together a training, program intensity in all forms need to be raised and lowered to make gains without overtraining. Knowing the reactions that the body has to varying levels of intensity will allow you to use many different methods to increase muscle growth.

Load

Load during a set can be expressed as percent of your 1RM (1 Rep Maximum). Lifting weights using both light and heavy loads will induce hypertrophy, which is the primary mechanism of increasing muscle size (1). One very common debate among lifters is whether it is better to lift with lighter loads or heavier loads.

Lifting weights that are approximately 85% 1RM to muscular failure or near muscular failure have been shown to stimulate hypertrophy best (1). Even though the greatest gains in muscle growth are seen with moderate loads, heavy and lighter loads must be used to maximize full potential. This is due to the fact that there are two different types of hypertrophy that occur with resistance training (2).

The first is called myofibrillar hypertrophy. Myofibrillar hypertrophy is an increase in the number and size of the actin and myosin filaments within muscle tissue (2). This type of hypertrophy is accompanied by strength gains since it involves an increase in the contractile tissue (2). Although you cannot completely isolate one type of hypertrophy over another, myofibrillar hypertrophy primarily occurs when lifting with heavy loads for low reps (2).

Those new to lifting should note that they will notice huge increases in strength with little increases in hypertrophy no matter what rep ranges or loads are used. These strength gains are primarily due to neural adaptations, as previously untrained individuals may have difficulty activating their motor units (1).

The second type of hypertrophy is called sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is an increase of the sarcoplasm and other non-contractile proteins within muscle cells and is primarily induced by lifting light loads for higher reps (2). This type of growth, although not accompanied by any strength gains, is the primary reason why bodybuilders tend to be more muscular than strength and power athletes.

To continue making muscular gains over long periods of time progressive overload must be applied. To put it simply, if you want to keep growing you have to lift heavier weight. This holds true no matter what rep ranges and loads are used. Increasing your max weight for both high rep and low rep sets should be the ultimate goal for any training program as this is the best way to assure continued growth.

One of the reasons moderate rep ranges produce the greatest gains in muscle tissue may be because the moderate loads allow for the use of heavy weights with more time under tension. This combination seems to strike a balance between inducing large amounts of both myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.

Too many bodybuilders are still under the misconception that heavy weights for low reps should be lifted to build muscle and light weights for high reps should be lifted to burn fat. Too often I meet new clients that have been working under this assumption for years. Lifting only light weights during a contest diet is a great way to lose muscle and a lot of potential muscle growth is missed out on by never lifting lighter weights in the offseason. A solid weight training program should include heavy, moderate, and light loads to maximize total muscle hypertrophy.

When dieting for a contest this still holds true and will help you retain or even gain muscle while dieting. Weight training should build and preserve muscle tissue while on a contest diet. Let diet and cardio take care of the fat loss. Most importantly when discussing load and intensity is carrying each set to a point that is, at the very least, close to muscular failure. A light load that is only lifted for only a few reps will do no good. If your workout isn’t challenging then that is not training intensely.




Volume

Volume during training refers to the total amount of work performed within a given workout. Most often though, the term volume is used to describe the number of sets performed during training. Training volume has been a very sensitive subject to many in the bodybuilding community for years.

Many high intensity training advocates, such as Arthur Jones and Mike Mentzer, claim only 1-4 sets to failure per body part are needed to stimulate maximum muscle growth. While others, such as Arnold Swarzenegger, claim that maximum growth will occur by doing 20-25 sets per body part. With such opposite views on training volume, it can be difficult to know how much volume is appropriate.

Although both high and low volume training programs have been proven to be effective, if maximizing muscle growth is the primary goal, then high intensity, high volume training programs must be used. Although it has not been fully proven, research on humans provides indirect evidence for hyperplasia after intense, high volume strength training (3). Hyperplasia is another form of muscle growth that differs from hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of existing muscle cells, whereas hyperplasia is an increase in the actual number of muscle cells.

The endocrine system, which is responsible for hormone release within the body, is also sensitive to training volume. Varying the amount of work from workout to workout may be used to manipulate the endocrine system and create an optimal hormonal environment. Serum testosterone levels can be increased and adrenal hormones can be optimized by using high volumes with multiple sets of multiple exercises (4).

Although high volume training can be very effective it does come with the risk of overtraining. Adding extra volume to training sessions can cause an increase in anabolic hormones but if too many sets are added too often then it can have the opposite effect. Volume related overtraining will eventually lead to a decrease in lutenizing hormone and free testosterone (5).

Cortisol also becomes an issue with volume-related overtraining. Small cortisol increases during training can lead to growth hormone release and can signal to the body that repairs need to be made, but if high volume training is continued for long periods of time and not cycled it can cause cortisol levels to rise too high and stay there, leading to chronic catabolic responses to cortisol.

Besides the risk of overtraining there is another down side to high volume training. Resistance training in general has been shown to upregulate androgen receptors for 48-72 hours after the workout (5). Unfortunately, high volume workouts will initially downregulate androgen receptors prior the upregulation.

This initial downregulation can be avoided by having a protein/carb mixture pre and post-training. If you have read my past articles you already know the benefits of having a protein/carb mixture before and after training. This just adds another good reason to include these shakes in your nutrition plan.

When discussing the subject of training volume its best to keep an open mind. Too many people get locked into thinking that they must not ever go above or below a certain number of sets. Keep in mind that increasing the volume of your workouts is one of the easiest ways to overtrain, but adding volume is a great way to stimulate growth. Periods of high volume should used to maximize growth, but periods of low volume must be incorporated to ensure that your body can keep up with the demands you are placing on it.

Conclusion

When setting the intensity level for an effective training program, the volume and load used are the first two things that must be addressed. Incorporating varying levels of both the amount of weight used and the number of sets performed can be difficult, but doing so will allow you to prevent overtraining and maximize your genetic potential. These variations can also fluctuate from one body part to the next depending on your individual weak points.

Once you establish the load and volume of your training, there are still two more points that I will address in part II. For now, just make sure the next time you walk into the gym make it a point to scare someone with your intensity. If you do this regularly you can call the promoter of your next show and tell him to go ahead and engrave “That Crazy Guy” on your first place trophy.

References:

    Chandler, T. J., Brown, L. E., Conditioning for Strength and Human Performance, 2007, 52-53p.
    Zatsiorsky, V. M., Kraemer, W. J., Science and Practice of Strength Training, 2006, 50p.
    Abernethy, B., The Biophysical Foundations of Human Movement, 2005, 151-152p.
    Baechle, T. R., Earle, R. W., Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 2008, 63p.
    Baechle, T. R., Earle, R. W., Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 2008, 114-116p.





Part 2 - Rest Periods And Failure

Natural bodybuilder Cliff Wilson explores the impact of rest periods and training to failure, helping you to train better and maximize your time in the gym.

How varying intensity techniques can lead to new muscle.

Read Part 1: Intensity Is Everything: Building New Muscle With Intensity Techniques.

“I think I’m gonna throw up!” My young training client said in a panicked voice as he was gasping for air. He had just finished a brutally hard set of squats. I couldn’t help but laugh because not more than 5 minutes ago he had bet me that he trains legs harder than anyone I’ve ever met. I could tell by the sickly look on his face that he knew had lost that bet.

We were only 4 sets into the workout but we had been working at a blistering pace. On the last set I literally had to drag him to the upright position. “I am not used to taking so little rest between sets and I’ve definitely never taken squats to failure before.” He said. We made it though one more set before he went to the bathroom to revisit his pre-workout meal.

I actually see this happen a lot. New clients always brag to me about how hard they train but once we get into the workout you’d think that it was their first day. It is not always that they do not train intensely on their own but rather they do not vary their training enough. Too many bodybuilders find a training style that they prefer and very rarely stray from it.

The human body is extremely adaptive, and if it is not challenged with new stimulus it will not continue to change. In part one, I discussed the importance of varying the volume and load of your workouts while not overtraining. To put together a plan that constantly challenges you with new forms of high intensity training there are other factors that must also be addressed and controlled.




Rest Periods

Rest periods between sets are something that most bodybuilders rarely change. As with rep ranges and the number of sets used during training, most lifters find what they like best and tend to stay within that comfort zone. Rest periods are yet another tool that can be used to raise the intensity of your training.

The amount of rest taken in between sets is directly related to how much energy will be available to your muscles when the next set begins. It takes about 3 minutes after a set for muscles to recover nearly 100% of ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) and CP (creatine phosphate), which are the two primary energy sources for a working muscle.

This will allow near maximum weights to be used for nearly every set. This is why strength and power athletes take very long rest periods between sets. Taking long rest periods with heavy loads should be incorporated into every bodybuilder’s routine as this will help with the ultimate goal of progressive overload.

Shorter rest periods between 60-90 seconds, will allow for approximately 85-90% recovery of ATP and CP (1). Short rest periods have been shown to have a greater impact on growth hormone levels than long rest periods. Keeping breaks short works great when training for hypertrophy with moderate to light loads for high reps and more volume. Studies show the most dramatic increases in growth hormone with sets that are at least 10 reps combined with rest periods between 45- 60 seconds. (2)

Shorter rest periods also have the advantage of allowing more volume in a workout with less duration. Growth hormone and testosterone levels peak 60-90 minutes into training and fall quickly thereafter. If exercise continues too far beyond this point hormone levels can fall below normal resting levels and can actually remain lower for a few days. (3, 4)

I am not an advocate of looking at the clock with a dead stare until my next set, but too often I see bodybuilders take rest periods that are all over the place. Too much talking and texting is most often the culprit. There is no need to change for Facebook status to “Blasting Bi’s and Tri’s” right in the middle of your workout.

It is not acceptable for football or basketball players to text or talk on the phone during practice, so why should bodybuilding be any different? All of these are distractions that will rob you of your focus and intensity. There is no need to break out the stop watch, but appropriate timing between your sets will require paying attention and focusing on the task at hand. Leave the distractions in the locker room and your training will skyrocket to a new level of intensity.




Failure

Although failure is a little different than the other forms of intensity discussed here, I feel it needs to be addressed. When training to the point of momentary muscular failure heavy or light loads can still be used. It is simply continuing a set to the point where another rep cannot be completed with good form without assistance from a spotter. When most people think of really intense training, the first thing that usually comes to mind is lots of sets to failure.

This is why whenever the topic of training intensity is discussed, failure training is often the point of emphasis. Just like the other forms of increasing intensity, training to failure has been a very heated topic in the bodybuilding community for decades. Many advocates of training to failure feel that a set not taken to failure is a wasted set. Detractors of failure training avoid taking any sets to failure for fear that it will lead to overtraining. Both groups have valid concerns that need to be addressed.

The rational for training to failure is that during a set, as some motor units fatigue and drop out, other motor units must be recruited for continued activity. The problem with this rational is that, by this rational, one could simply be able to exercise to failure with very light resistances and produce large gains in hypertrophy and strength.

As discussed earlier, this is not true. It is well known that heavy to moderate loads must be placed on muscles to achieve maximum hypertrophy. (5) Training to the point of failure has been shown in many studies to produce gains that are superior compared to when sets are terminated early. Although training to failure has been shown to be more effective, stopping sets just short of failure can also produce large amounts of growth.

This is because overload is the primary determinant for muscle growth, not failure. Continually lifting heavier resistances for all different rep ranges will overload muscles and force adaptations. This is easier said than done as anyone that has lifted weights for many years knows. Increases in strength are not always steadily moving up at a constant pace rather increases seem to ebb and flow. This is one of the reason why taking sets to failure is effective.

At some point in training, optimal gains are produced by taking sets to the point of momentary muscular failure. (6) Failure also may be the best way to increase the intensity of a workout. Once a training session begins, testosterone and growth hormone (GH) levels will increase within the first few minutes.




How high levels of both hormones go is directly related to the intensity of training. Intensity of exercise is the primary determinant for how much GH your body will secrete, while duration and volume have little to do with GH secretion (7). For this reason, training to failure can be a great way to increase the intensity your training and to take advantage of the increased anabolic hormone release.

One disadvantage of training to failure is that it is very taxing on the central nervous system. The nervous system is responsible for activating motor units during exercise. Although muscle tissue may be able to recover from taking many sets to failure, the nervous system will not. Some programs that call for all working sets to be taken to failure will definitely lead to overtraining.

Workouts must contain both sets to failure and sets close to failure along with periods of time where no sets are taken to failure. Many of the benefits of failure training can be had by taking a set very close the point of failure. Stopping a set 1-2 reps just short of failure will allow for sufficient fiber stimulation while sparing a lot of stress on the nervous system.

One thing to note is that high intensity overtraining has a much different affect than high volume resistance overtraining. The main difference between the two causes of overtraining is the effect it has on the endocrine system. With high intensity overtraining, catecholamines, which are the fight or flight hormones, actually show an increased response to training. Also, while volume related overtraining will cause a decrease in testosterone levels, intensity related overtraining will leave testosterone levels unaffected. (8)

The ultimate goal of any training program is to push as hard as possible while not overtraining. Bodybuilders are always tip toeing on the brink of overtraining and it seems that if that line is crossed the effects will be less detrimental if more intensity and less volume is used.

Putting It All Together

These intensity boosting techniques are different from those such as drop sets and supersets. Although those are great intensity boosting techniques and should definitely be used from time to time, principles of load, volume, rest periods, and failure must be adjusted in your weight training to ensure constant and steady growth for years.

These aspects of training are not independent of each other, and if one is adjusted all other must be adjusted accordingly. There is a reason nobody sprints a marathon. Appropriate levels of intensity will vary greatly from person to person depending on genetics, diet, and whether or not steroids are involved. Those who have made the choice to be natural bodybuilders have chosen a difficult road.

Natural bodybuilders must be more conscious of every single one of these points since drugs will not make up for the flaws within their training.  Be sure to take a hard look at the intensity level of your own training. In my experience, most lifters convince themselves that they are training more intensely than they actually are.

Many people have no problem going from set to set with very little rest periods. Many people have no problem lifting heavy weights or doing a lot of sets. You’ll find though, that very few people have the determination to strive to be great in every aspect of the word intensity. Doing so takes a level of planning and pain that most are not willing to go through.

My young training client returned from the restroom looking pale as a ghost. Sweat was still dripping off of him. I expected him to say that he was going to head on home. Instead he looked at me with a smile and said, “Man, what a great workout. I need to do this every week. So what’s next?” I knew then that this kid was going to do just fine at his show.

References

    National Academy of Sports Medicine, Optimum Performance Training for the Health and Fitness Professional: Course Manuel, 2008, 332p.
    Baechle, T. R., Earle, R. W., Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 2008, 58p.
    Garret, W. E., Kirkendall, D. T., Exercise and Sport Science, 2000, 152p.
    Kreider, R. B., Fry, A. C., O’Toole, M. L., Overtraining in Sport, 1998, 153p.
    Frohlich, M., Pruess, P., Current Results of Strength Training Research: An Empirical and Theoretical Approach, 2005, 80p.
    Fleck, S., Kraemer, W., Designing Resistance Training Programs, 1997, 20p.
    McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., Katch, V. L., Essentials of Exercise Physiology, 2006, 410-411p.
    Chandler, T. J., Brown, L. E., Conditioning For Strength and Human Performance, 2007, 119p.

By Cliff Wilson - muscleandstrength

Get Big, Not Fat: A Better Approach To Bulk And Build Muscle

It's time to stop packing on extra fat while bulking! Learn how to dial in your nutritional plan and make amazing gains without adding unneeded pounds of fat.

Every bodybuilder wants to get big. Unfortunately, in their zeal to get big many bodybuilders overeat and end up big alright, big and fat. Some bodybuilders seem to go from training for a bodybuilding contest to training for an eating contest once their season is over. Obviously, this is not a recipe for success. If you really want to win your next show, the time to do it is in the offseason.

You will need to add as much size as possible while keeping fat gain under control because trying to diet off 50lbs before a contest is not the best strategy. You will have to cut calories too low and for too long to get all that weight off, and will inevitably lose some of that hard-earned muscle. You will probably not even be able to get as lean as you could have because dieting as long and as hard as it takes to lose 50lbs. for a show spells disaster for your metabolism. Sometimes even those with the best intentions to stay lean during the offseason can’t seem to do it.  So is it possible to add maximum size while staying lean? YES!

Let’s look at the typical offseason of a very ambitious bodybuilder. As soon as his last show is over he begins laying out the perfect diet to add size without getting too heavy. Once he has laid down the perfect plan he will tell no less than three people “By next year I’m gonna be huge, bro!” He will probably gain only about 1-2 lb. per week with his plan.

Slowly he will make great gains and after about 3 weeks he’ll be about 6lbs. heavier. Everything is going well until he finds out he has to go to his cousin's wedding. At the reception he’ll have a few drinks and enjoy himself for an evening. He hasn’t cheated in 3 weeks so he thinks it is ok. The next morning his weight has jumped 2lbs. He goes right back on the diet and gains another 3lbs. over the next two weeks.



Then it is his son’s birthday and he makes a pig of himself at the party. “It’s the offseason I should enjoy it” he thinks. Because of this he puts on another 3lbs. If you are doing the math our bodybuilder is only 5 weeks into his offseason and he has put on 13lbs. Things usually continue at this rate and before he knows it he is 50-60lbs. over contest weight. The problem with the typical offseason diet is that your mistakes on your diet become compounded by the fact that the next day you go back to eating a diet that will also make you gain weight.

There is a simple answer to this problem. Cut calories. Many competitors never cut calories during the offseason for fear that it will interrupt the “awesome gains” they have been making. The mantra of “you’ve gotta eat big to get big” is more often used as an excuse to pig out than an actual effective method of putting on size. Not all of the fears about cutting calories are wrong, because if done too drastically and for too long it impedes progress. But, keeping fat under control does involve cutting calories.

I am not talking about going into a full on contest diet but systematic and well planned increases and decreases will allow you to keep making gains uninterrupted and help keep body fat to a minimum. When on a diet the first few weeks are always the easiest. You lose fat very easily and don’t lose muscle size or strength. This is because when calories and carbs are high fat burning hormones are as well.

One of these hormones is T3. T3 is a thyroid hormone that helps regulate body temperature. It helps your cells take the carbs and calories that you eat and efficiently turn them into energy and heat. This means that when T3 levels are high, calories are less likely stored as fat and are more likely going to be used as energy. When calories are restricted for prolonged periods the body will try to conserve energy by dropping T3 levels, allowing less calories to be used as energy and heat. This is one of the reasons why people on contest diets often complain about feeling cold.

Also helping to control energy expenditure is the hormone leptin. Leptin increases thermogenesis by reacting with the sympathetic nervous system. Leptin also works with the central nervous system to control eating drive. When leptin levels are high it is a signal to your body that you do not need to consume additional calories. Having high leptin levels just may help you cut down on some of those “bonus calories” that always seem to find their way into your diet. Although leptin levels tend to be primarily raised and lowered in relation to body fat, you can cause increases and decreases by overfeeding and underfeeding.



When you drop calories your body does not react immediately to adjust your metabolism. So for the first couple of weeks your metabolism is still running at full capacity with levels of T3 and leptin remaining high. This allows you to lose plenty of fat without having to lower calories to drastically low levels. After a couple of weeks your body will adjust and losing at the same rate will be difficult.

If this were a contest diet you would continue to grind it out at a slower pace or lower calories further, but this is the offseason and fat loss is not the primary goal. Your goal is only to keep body fat in check while continuing to gain size, so you will want to bring calories back up before this shift in metabolism occurs. This way you can continue right on your way getting stronger and gaining muscle while occasionally keeping body fat levels from creeping to high.

Most bodybuilders have concerns about cutting calories in the offseason for fear that it will interrupt muscle growth and they will not be as big at their next show. Now of course staying leaner in the offseason will help you be leaner on show day but it will also allow you to step on stage with more muscle as well. When you bring calories down for only short spurts your anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone remain high.

Also, as long as carbs are not lowered to far for too long 
insulin sensitivity will remain high. This means that during the periods of lower calories your body will continue to use calories for muscle growth while losing some excess adipose tissue. A drop in carbs during these low calorie periods may even lead to an increase in growth hormone levels due to the lower circulating glucose levels in your bloodstream. These lower calorie spurts must not be too long nor should the decrease in calories be too severe or you run the risk of slowing muscle growth. This risk is precisely the reason you will be more muscular on stage using this method of gaining size.

Severe and prolonged calorie restriction has been proven to lower growth hormone levels, lower testosterone levels, and cause a major increase in amino acid breakdown. Not surprisingly though, severe and prolonged calorie restriction is exactly what needs to be done in order to lose 50-60lbs. in time for a show. By keeping your body weight within 20-25lbs. of contest weight you will not have to resort to any drastic measures. Meaning everything you gain in the offseason you will keep.

Another reason to stay lean in the offseason is that testosterone and growth hormone levels are not only affected by calorie intake but also body fat levels. Chronically high body fat levels will lead to lower testosterone and growth hormone levels. This, of course, is not the best situation when trying to pack on mass. Also, extremely high levels of excess fat can even lower androgen receptors. So not only do you have fewer hormones available to promote muscle growth but the hormones that are available have fewer receptors to bind to. This doesn’t mean you won’t build muscle with an excess of body fat, but muscle growth will be far from maximum levels.

To build your own offseason diet with spurts of high and low calories you must first determine an approximate maintenance calorie level. This should be a calorie level that will allow you to maintain your current weight. Individual metabolisms can vary greatly from person to person. Two people with identical body weights can have drastically different maintenance calorie levels so finding yours may take a little trial and error. Once you have determined your maintenance calorie level you will want eat approximately 400-600 calories above that.

For example a bodybuilder with a maintenance level of 2800 calories should be eating between 3200-3400 calories. This will allow you to make steady gains without gaining too quickly. Stay on this high level of calories for 2-3 weeks. After 2-3 weeks you will want to drop calories down to 400-600 calories below you maintenance level. Using our same example, our bodybuilder who was eating between 3200-3400 calories should immediately drop his calories down to 2200-2400 calories. Keep this lower calorie level for 1-2 weeks then go immediately back up to the high calorie level for another 2-3 weeks. Keep repeating this cycle for as long as you wish to keep gaining size.



The length of time you should be on a particular calorie level is dependent on individual metabolic rates. If you tend to store body fat easily you will not want to make your gaining phase too lengthy. You will also want to make your diet phase closer to 2 weeks. One last point that should be addressed is the amount of protein, carbs, and fat that should make up your calories. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question since some people tolerate carbs very well while others get chubby just looking at a bowl of pasta.

With each of my clients I start with making sure I have enough protein and fat in their diet to support growth then I fill in the rest of the calories with carbs. I suggest you do the same. When cutting calories you should reduce calories primarily from carbs and fat while leaving protein high, which will further ensure that the weight you lose will not be muscle tissue.

Cheating on the diet should be kept to a minimum or else you will find you will be spending more time on the cutting portion than the gaining portion. It does take some willpower to be able to diet when there is no immediate need, but if you follow this gaining and cutting calorie schedule it will be worth it to those that want to win badly enough.

Champions are made in the offseason. It is those who treat the offseason with a sense of urgency that will rise to the top. You cannot change your genetics or how many years you have been training, but in bodybuilding there are only two things you can control: (1) how hard you work, and (2) how smart you work. Following this plan will give you an advantage in both categories.

By Cliff Wilson - muscleandstrength

References:

• Porte, D., Sherwin, R.S., Baron, A., Ellenberg, M., Rifkin, H., Ellenberg and Rifkins Diabetes Mellitus, 2003, 129p.
• Di Pasquale, M.G., Amino Acids and Proteins for the Athlete: The Anabolic Edge, 2008, 49p.
• Negi, C.S., Introduction to Endocrinology, 2009, 89-93p.
• Davies, T.F., A Case Based Guide to Clinical Endocrinology, 2008, 257p.
• Kraemer, W.J., Rogol, A.D., The Endocrine System in Sports and Exercise, 2005, 308-309p.
• Elkins, R., HGH: Human Growth Hormone, 1999, 13-15p.
• Kang, J., Bioenergetics Primer for Exercise Science, 2008, 155p.
• Kumar, S., O’Rahilly, S., Insulin Resistance: Insulin Action and Its Disturbances in Disease, 2005, 402-405p.

6 EASY MUSCLE BUILDING TIPS FOR HARD GAINERS

Are you the scrawny guy in the weight room who can't gain a single pound no matter what you eat? This article contains 6 strategies for the “hardgainer”/ectomorph.



Ah, good ol’ “hardgainers”; the classic case of the scrawny guy in the weight room who complains that he can’t gain an ounce of weight no matter how much food he shoves down his gullet. If you don’t fall in this category yourself you’re still likely familiar with these “metabolically gifted” (or “cursed”, depending on how you perceive things) individuals. I have no clue when the term “hardgainer” was coined, but it’s a spinoff of the more technical term “ectomorph”.

Understanding Somatotypes

An ectomorph is one of the three basic somatotypes, the others being endomorphs and mesomorphs. Ectomorphs are generally skinny, fairly lean, and have a hard time gaining muscle (or any weight at all). Endomorphs generally have a pear-shaped body structure and tend to put on fat easier than the other somatotypes. And lastly, mesomorphs are a sort of sweet-spot between ectomorphs and endomorphs; they are naturally broad-shouldered and muscular, and tend to put on a good amount of weight (mostly muscle) with diligent training and proper dieting.

These terms are all descriptors of general body morphology, but they do serve a purpose in deciphering the physiological tendencies of different individuals.  That being said, the main flaw of the somatotype system is that few individuals are purely one of the three basic templates; most people are to some degree a hybrid of two somatotypes. Moreover, we can’t discount the fact that numerous extrinsic factors can affect one’s morphology (e.g. diet, exercise, lifestyle, etc.). So again, exercise caution before you blanket certain individuals into a somatotype category.

Strategies for the “hardgainer”/ectomorph

HardgainerNow don’t fret just yet, string bean, because there are still plenty of useful strategies you can employ to circumvent your body’s natural tendency to keep you skinny. Some of these tips may seem obvious, but don’t discredit them for that reason. In life (and especially the gym), more often the not the principle of Occam’s razor applies—that is, the simplest solution is often the correct one.


Tip #1 - Emphasize calorically-dense foods

At the end of the day, you will not gain weight if you aren’t taking in sufficient nutrients and calories. Intuitively then, to ease the burden of having to eat massive volumes of food just to meet your daily nutrient/calorie quotas, it’s imperative to include foods that are calorically dense.

These can include things like: nuts, spreads (butter, peanut butter, cream cheese, etc.), oils/dressings, beef, pork, cheeses, dairy cream, whole eggs, granola, coconut, chocolate and a variety of other foods. An extra 200-300 calories can be added to your current intake by simply throwing an ounce or two of these foods into your diet.


Tip #2 - Can’t eat enough? Then drink your calories

There’s a reason weight gainers are generally mixed in liquid, and it’s because liquid calories tend to be much less satiating than an equivocal amount calories from solid foods. Just look at how rapidly people in the U.S. have been gaining weight since the advent of Trenta size Frappuccinos at Starbucks.

I’m not suggesting you rush to the nearest 7-Eleven and guzzle down a Big Gulp of Mountain Dew just for the sake of trying to gain weight, but if you are struggling to ingest sufficient calories from solid food sources, than consider adding in some liquid calories like milk, fruit juices, weight-gainer smoothies, etc.




Tip #3 - Don’t overdo cardio

It’s perplexing to think someone who has ectomorphic tendencies would ever be emphasizing cardio when trying to gain weight (and specifically muscle). Nevertheless, it should be iterated that cardio (especially at low or medium intensities) serves mainly to expend calories, which is the exact opposite of what a hardgainer’s goal should be.

This is not to say that hardgainers absolutely can’t do any cardio and still gain weight/muscle, because I would actually recommend keeping some cardio in most anybody’s routine, regardless their somatotype and goals. Hardgainers just need to be sure to keep the cardio reasonable and relatively infrequent; definitely don’t prioritize it over resistance training.

NOTE: Athletes are often forced to maintain a certain amount of cardiovascular exercise in their training/practice, so if you’re faced with the conundrum of being an ectomorphic athlete and trying to gain weight/muscle, you will have to do your best to offset the caloric burn from your cardio with sufficient nutrient/calorie intake.


Tip #4 - Focus on compound/multi-joint exercises

This is not a stipulation constrained solely to hardgainers since most every trainee should base their training around multi-joint exercises. Multi-joint exercises activate a greater amount of muscle groups (and thus fibers) than single-joint exercises, and thus you get more “bang for your buck” by doing them.

Moreover, by using multiple joints and muscles you are usually able to lift a greater load of weight, allowing you to put more tension on the muscle which is conducive to muscle hypertrophy. When was the last time you saw Johnny “Skin-and-Bones” Doe squatting 500lbs ass to the grass? I assure you it’d be a rare sighting.

An example of some compound exercises include: barbell squats, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses, barbell rows, pull-ups/chin-ups, and a variety of others.




 Tip #5 - Get stronger

Not surprisingly, one of the main culprits of stagnation in the gym is simply not improving your strength/performance. When you go into the gym one of your main priorities should be trying to progress from your previous workout. You’d be amazed how many trainees nonchalantly lift the same weight for months (or even years) on end and guess what? They look the exact same now as they did all those days ago.

Getting stronger doesn’t always have to be adding weight to the bar (even though that’s still a priority), but progress can come in the form of adding more volume, longer time under tension, increasing frequency, adding various intensity techniques, etc. Just focus on progressing/improving in some capacity each week.


Tip #6 - Don’t neglect rest

Time in the gym is certainly important in order to provide stimulation for muscle growth, but you should not be living in the gym either. You grow during the hours spent out of the gym (especially during sleep), and skipping out on rest and recovery is sure to hinder your rate of progress.

Keep a sound sleeping regimen, and try to get between 6-8 hours per night. If you can, also consider taking a power nap or two throughout the day when time permits. Again, when you’re in the gym, work hard, but when it’s time to go home, go home. More isn’t always better, especially when it comes to time spent in the gym. Lift, eat, sleep, and repeat (what a tough lifestyle, eh?)


Parting Notes

So there you have it, 5 not-so-shocking, yet effective, tips for all the hardgainers out there. At the end of the day, you will gain weight/muscle if you focus on improving your performance in the gym and provide your body with sufficient nourishment.

Don’t get too caught up in magic formulas, ratios/percentages and all the other hoopla that litters the health/fitness world. Be consistent, keep eating, add more weight to the bar, get adequate rest, and you will reap plenty of muscular gains!


By Elliot Reimers - muscleandstrength

7 Reasons You're Not Getting Stronger

Still stuck moving the same amount of weight? Any of these strength killers could be to blame.



Exercise is supposed to be a stress release, not something that creates more tension in your life. Yet that’s exactly what ends up happening when gains in strength and size begin to sputter. And without utilizing trial and error and critical thinking in your training, the road back to continual success can be long and frustrating.

If obvious causes for stalled progress have already been considered — namely, you’re inconsistent with how your train, eat, and rest — perhaps one of these seven reasons have been overlooked. 


 #1. Your Mechanics Are Off

When you’ve hit a wall there’s no better time to take a step back and rethink the way in which your body is moving compared to how it should be moving during specific exercises.

“The brain is a sophisticated thing that — if you allow it — will try to find the most efficient way to move through space while using the least amount of resistance,” says Dr. Paul Juris, Executive Director of the Cybex Research Institute. “So in many cases what people do is find solutions that limit the loading of the joints and therefore the muscle, and that’s not necessarily creating the best opportunity to make the system work harder. Take an overhead press with a cable as an example. If the cable is aligned straight through the center of the shoulder joint, biomechanically that’s not placing the load on the shoulder. So those muscles around the shoulder aren’t going to work very hard despite the fact that you’re moving in a way that it looks like you’re doing the exercise properly. Finding the right source to help you iron out kinks isn’t always an easy task. Unfortunately biomechanics isn’t something that’s taught very much in the fitness industry, but finding someone who knows it would be very helpful to you.”


 #2. You’re Switching Things Up Too Often

Yes, your body is an adaptive organism that’ll stop responding if you fail to increase demands. But changing every aspect of every workout on a daily basis isn’t necessary, according to Dr. Juris. “Repeated stimulus over a 30-day period can help you get comfortable, confident, and learn the task more effectively,” he says. “However, there is value to changing the loading schemes. So, on some days work with higher loads and fewer reps, or lighter loads and more reps. I also like to throw in a speed day with lighter loads and fast reps.”



 #3. You Might Have Hit Your Strength Ceiling

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is going to come a point where you simply can’t get any stronger. If that weren’t the case, gyms would be overcrowded with Incredible Hulks curling Smart cars.

“As human beings we all have our own genetic ceiling,” says Dr. Juris. “So there’s only so much we can do without getting into some unsavory things.”


 #4. You Only Do What You Enjoy

Often, instead of embracing what pushes our bodies to grow — maybe it’s performing Olympic lifts or running the rack — we find something less demanding, intense, or time consuming takes its place.

“I believe people have a tendency to do what they’re good at or enjoy,” says NASM-certified personal trainer Mike Giliotti. “So when I train my clients, I do the exact opposite. You don’t like squats? Well we start them. You don’t like deadlifts? Now we will do extra sets. When I see a weakness, I go right at it. Face your fear and break your wall. I really find this to be effective both mentally and physically.”

 #5. Your Ego Is In The Way

Weightlifting can be an amorphous term. It’s your responsibility to figure out the necessary principals and methods needed to achieve your specific objective. So if you have not defined an end game, there’s no way you can accomplish your goal.

“’Powerlifting’ is lifting the most weight possible and has no concern with body composition, conditioning or the way the physique looks,” explains John Rowley, certified personal trainer and author of The Power of Positive Fitness. “So when you look at it from this perspective you can see why people don’t make gains in the gym. They avoid the bench press or other movements because they think they should be doing these big lifts. So if they can’t do 325 lbs. they skip the exercise when they should really be focusing on what the weight can do for their muscle — not the weight on the bar.” 


 #6. You Have No Idea What ‘Supramaximal Training’ Is

Supramaximal effort, defined as something that exceeds what is considered maximal, can make the body adapt by exposing it to a higher set of demands.

“While time under tension (TUT) is important for both strength and hypertrophy goals, it is the relationship of TUT to the resistance used that is truly important,” explains NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Brian Durbin, owner of Fitness Together of Mt. Pleasant, S.C. “An important note for those looking to increase muscle strength and hypertrophy is the TUT as a result from supramaximal training using eccentric (when the muscles lengthen) loading. The TUT component of eccentric loading days can be an excellent plateau-breaking tool and can also be invaluable for pushing the muscles and the nervous system to a new level of performance.”

Durbin suggests incorporating two days of eccentric supramaximal training for a two-week cycle. “It can completely revolutionize a training program and catapult results forward,” he adds.


 #7. You’re Putting In Too Much O.T.

This especially applies to newcomers, but can be also become an issue when gym vets’ see their lifts flatline; they begin to overcompensate by adding more sets or reps.

“Putting muscle on requires you to lift weight correctly and with efficiency,” explains Rowley. “The key is get in, get the job done and get out. Newbies can confuse gains with time in the gym because it makes sense to them; however, I like to use the common analogy of the marathon runner versus the sprinter. You can train easy and long or hard and short. Hard and short adds muscle, but a long and hard session doesn’t do much for muscle gains.” 



From: Zack Zeigler - M&F