An Awesome Work-Out

It has been raining for the past few days. Nay pouring. All normal life has been thrown out of gear. So has my gym life. At the start of this week, I made a grand plan of working out twice a day. Weight training in the morning and Cardio in the evening. Monday morning did some weight training and was all geared up for cardio in the evening before the rains set in by evening. I struggled to get home after 3 odd hours and had no energy to go for the evening session. On Tuesday morning I again woke to rain and had to miss the morning session that I had planned.

At this point I decided that come what may, I am not skipping an evening session. As fate would have it, the rains began and I got wet while getting back. Did that dampen my spirit, No Sir it didn't. I went to the gym to work out my chest.

This is what I did ,

1. Warm - Up ---- 3 x 15 sets of push - ups
2. Pec - Delt Flyes (Machine) ---- 4 x 15 sets
3. Seated Bench Press (Machine) ---- 3 sets ( 1 x 15, 1 x 12, 1 x 10 )
4. Decline Bench Press (Machine) ---- 4 sets ( 1 x 18, 1 x 15, 1 x 12, 1 x 10 )
5. Flat Bench Press (Machine) ---- 5 sets ( 1 x 15, 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 3 )
6. Incline DB Press ---- 3 x 15 sets
7. Flat Flyes ---- 4 x 15 sets

I know, I know some of you people out there will look at this and say this is "overkill", I have done way too many exercise etc etc. But I am firm believer in volume training as a philosophy and believe that volume training combined with good eating is an excellent way to keep fit. Anyway back to the work-out, so from above you guys can see that I did about 25 or 26 sets of chest exercises (which I completed in about an hour). Lifted a reasonably good amount of weight, and felt sufficiently beat by the end of the work-out.

I guess what made yesterdays work-out awesome was the face that, I have been a little irritated these paste few days, have been ill as well. The rains making matters worse. I guess I was just glad to be working out again.

Also after a long time, I felt like lifting a ton of weight. I bench pressed 360 lbs after ages and felt good. I still had it in me to lift that much. That's what I guess made the work-out truly awesome !!!!

The Glorious Decade

I just realized something the other day. Its been exactly 10 years since I have begun working out. 10 whole years. It makes me proud to say that I still have the same enthusiasm that I had towards working out that I had 10 years ago. My reasons for working out have varied over the years but the drive has not. I guess I have been fortunate to find it in me every single day to keep going to the gym and hit the weights as hard as I can.

I began like a lot of people do, I wanted to lose weight. Badly. I spent long hours working out, doing cardio and god alone knows what to lose the weight I had gained. I guess I was really lucky to have a great set of teachers who believe in the old school way to lose weight. I am not going to debate what is a better way to lose weight, but I know what works for me. I began working out in a hole in the wall kind of a gym, moved to a couple of fancy gyms before settling on my current gym where I have been working out for the past 5 years.

Over the past decade I also had a wonderful set of partners who have all become really good friends, guess what they say is true, bonds forged in steel, remains the strongest bonds of them all.

Lifting weights (sometimes a lot of it) has also taught me discipline, and how to constantly push the limits. Always trying for that 1 extra rep has helped me learn that I must keep changing, I must keep evolving, I must keep getting better. It has made me a lot calmer and has given me my own space.

I am now one with the weights and will strive to keep at it for as long as I possibly can. Thanks to all who have been a part of my journey so far !!!!

The "Project"

Its been a while since my last post. The reason is simple, I have been really busy on a very important "Project". Before all of you go thinking that I am going to rant about my work and how much heartburn it causes me, STOP. Its nothing of that sort.

My "Project" is a venture me and a very very close friend of mine have begun. Its been almost 5 months (closing in on 6 actually) that we began. The objective of this "Project" is transformation.

All of us at some level hate how we look. There is a never ending quest for perfection that all of seek at some level. Some of us keep at it and get there, while some get way-laid and give up. But there is always that latent desire to change. My friend ("The Cynic" from here on) is one such person.

The Cynic faced the same problems that all of us having a bad lifestyle face. I will not list them out here but all of us know. The other problem he faced was with goals. I have already said this we can start but few of us really go through with things purely for want of a goal, a "lakshya". There was one thing The Cynic had that set him apart from the crowd, a dogged determination almost bordering on fanaticism. That helped him lose a ton of weight and that is what is getting him through now.

The "Project" is also a great learning for me, it has given me a clear picture of how much I know, and how much I don't. I have realized the fact that it is easy to experiment on your self, but when the experiment is on someone else things are well.. different. Motivating some one, pushing them, knowing their limitations and working with those. The list is endless.

I am very superstitious (like most people of my ilk are) and hence don't want to jinx something that I would say is progressing really well. Let me just say that when we are done with The Cynic everyone will take notice !!

I am Back!!!!

It’s been a long time that I have posted anything here. There are a variety of reasons for that. But honestly the reasons are irrelevant. But I can definitely say one thing I have been working out and have gotten stronger and definitely wiser than before.

Over the past year (for people paying attention my last post was in the month of June 2009) I have continues working out. I have worked really hard and have honed my technique to a point where I can safely guide others on the rights and wrongs of working out. My knowledge of nutrition and supplements has also increased many folds. I can now safely put my money where my mouth is.

Currently I am working on an important project. A very dear friend of mine had decided that he needs to make improvements in his physique and has asked me to guide him along. He has already taken advice from me regarding working out and nutrition and with the inputs I have given him and a whole lot of hard work from his part he has made stunning improvements in a short period of time.

As with any achievement he found a great deal of satisfaction in achieving g his goal. But he came to a point where he needed something to look forward to. He needed a new goal. I guess he found one.

It’s been almost 2 months that we have been working out together and there have been steady improvements in his physique and also in his lifting capacity. The diligence he has shown has also inspired another very good friend of ours to become a regular at the gym.

This project is quite a challenge for me. So far I have been my own teacher and student. Now with me advising another person, the challenges for me have increased. From my own perspective I know my limits and know how much I can push myself. But the minute another person comes into picture the complexity increases. I have to be very wary of how I chart my “projects” (hence forward I shall refer to my friend as my “project”. He knows my reasons) progress.

This is also a very interesting test of my accumulated knowledge and experience. I have been through all the typical phases one goes through while working out, the tentative beginning, the arrogant phase (where vanity takes over), the phase where reality hits you and the phase where you are at peace with yourself i.e. you work-out within yourself. I am at that phase, the phase where my workouts are for me and me alone.

I mention this purely because I am at the point where I will realize what I have gained in the 10 odd years of working out. My friend is going to be a gauge for my efforts. So dear “project” the onus is on you now to make me look good.

As has been my style, I will end this post with something really cool that I came across while surfing around,

"A total commitment is paramount to reaching the ultimate in performance."

Wheels of Glory…. Part 1

This is one blog I will love posting. The legs or wheels as commonly called in the body-builders lingo has always been one of my stronger muscles. This is born purely out of a video I chanced upon on youtube a long time ago. It involved the great Ronnie Coleman leg pressing 2250 lbs. The simple act of pushing close to a ton of weight got me hooked on to the concept of building the best set of quads and hams that I could strive for.

I have been going to the gym for a long time and in these many years, I have rarely seen anyone train their legs with the same intensity as they would train the chest or arms or any other upper body muscle for example. While a buffed up and well defined upper body no doubt looks impressive, it still needs a solid base to stand on. For all the enthusiastic “X-Frame” proponents, remember the lower half of the letter “X” symbolises the legs.

The legs are by more one of the stronger muscles in the human body. The leg muscles when fully developed are far more impressive than the upper structure. While I may not be a 100% correct there bringing my own prejudices in the discussion I still maintain well developed legs are a must for anyone aspiring to have a good physique and also a healthy lifestyle.

I shall break this article down to three small parts detailing each of the 3 muscles that make up the quadriceps.

The Quadriceps

The anatomy of the quadricep muscles is not very complicated. As with all other muscle groups, I am sure most we will find it easier to visualize the quad workouts once we understand the working of the quads.

The quads are made up of 4 muscles:

1. Vastus Medialis
2. Vastus Intermedius
3. Vastus Lateralis
4. Rectus Femoris

These 4 muscles are found on the front of the thigh. They originate at the top of the femur (largest bone in the leg) and attach down on the tibia.

The rectus femoris, however, is a little different in that it goes across the hip joint and originates on the pelvis itself. It is the combination of low body fat and massive muscle that gives you that nice cut teardrop look on stage. Without low body fat, your hard work will be distorted by fat and water.

The purpose of the quads is to straighten and extend the knee (think about a leg extension). The purpose of the rectus femoris is to extend the knee, but it is also a hip flexor.

The term "quad" means four. Therefore the quadriceps is made up of 4 distinct muscles.

The front of the quad is made up of the rectus femoris. Directly underneath the rectus femoris is the vastus intermedius. Then on either side of both you will find muscles that run parallel. These are the vastus medialis (on the inside of the leg) and the vastus lateralis (on the outside of the leg).

The Squat

No one talking about legs will ever dream of not saying a bit about squats. Squats are the most difficult, intimidating and painful exercise you could possibly have in your arsenal. They require massive amounts of discipline and willpower to perform correctly. After you have performed a set of squats to failure, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about! They are also a challenging exercise to master from a technical standpoint. All this aside, they are also the most productive. Squats have packed more muscle onto skinny frames than any other lift out there. Because of the degree of difficulty, squats also force your body to release higher amounts of growth hormone, resulting in new muscle in all areas of your body. In addition, squats will cause a spillover effect, enabling you to gain strength in all of your other lifts. When I started squatting to failure, my bench went up at least 20 pounds! If you don't already squat, START, and be prepared for the gains of your life! Quite plainly, THEY WORK. Results guaranteed.

As usual a set of the best exercises for the quadriceps,

• Barbell Squat - Quadriceps

• Barbell Squat to A Bench - Quadriceps

• Barbell Step Ups - Quadriceps

• Front Barbell Squat - Quadriceps

• Hack Squat - Quadriceps

• Leg Extensions - Quadriceps

• Leg Press - Quadriceps

• Smith Machine Squat - Quadriceps

• Thigh Abductor - Quadriceps

• Thigh Adductor - Quadriceps

• Sissy Squat - Quadriceps

• Wide Stance Barbell Squat - Quadriceps

To end this whole discussion, I would like to quote the immortal Ronnie Coleman

“Everybody wants to be a Bodybuilder, Nobody wants to do them heavy ass Squats”

The 21 “Gun” Salute: 

Pop quiz time! How many of us have gone to the gym purely with the aim to having bigger arms? Well I know the answer to that question even before I even bother to check the results out. I would wager 8 in 10 people join a gym to have huge arms. Like the Chest, the fascination of the average gym goer is understandable. After all huge and muscular arms signify power and strength. And of course who can ignore the vanity factor. Large arms impress people and especially the girls. 

Anyway being the objective person that I am, I view arms for all that they are, “vanity muscles”. Do not get me wrong arm development is an important part of muscular development, but from a bodybuilding and musculature scheme of things they are somewhere below the hamstrings and above the calf muscles. They are really small muscles that get undue attention, unfortunately at the expense of larger and more important muscles. 

Arm Musculature: 

Large arms are often associated with the “Biceps”. This probably is the biggest faux-pass that could be committed. The biceps is just a small part of the whole arm, which has a larger muscle group in the triceps that makes up a real “large” arm.  As a test please google the “front double biceps” and I am sure the results will baffle you if not surprise you. Anyway more on that a little later. 

Let us first understand the muscle groups that make up the arm. The arms as I am sure most of us are aware comprise of three primary muscle groups, 

1. The Triceps
2. The Biceps
3. The Forearms 

The Triceps: 

The triceps or the triceps brachii has three heads, the lateral, the medial and the long heads. These muscles connect the humerus and scapula to the forearm bone called the ulna. It's important to ensure you incorporate exercises that hit all three of these heads to fully develop the back of your upper arm. 

The following is a list of all the triceps exercises that I have used to some degree of success. I shall of course tackle the triceps in more detail in a later blog. 

• Bench Dips
• Cable Incline Pushdown
• Cable Incline Triceps Extension
• Cable Lying Triceps Extension
• Cable One Arm Tricep Extension
• Cable Rope Overhead Tricep Extension
• Close-Grip Bench Press
• Decline Close Grip Bench To Skull Crusher
• Decline Dumbbell Tricep Extension
• Decline EZ Bar Tricep Extension
• Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension
• Incline Barbell Triceps Extension 

The Biceps:

The muscle that is the crowning glory for every-one who works out. I have seen a huge number of people coming to the gym purely to build huge arms. More people love working arms as compared to working the quads or their back. The arms are the crowning glory of the “muscles”.

The biceps is properly known as the biceps brachii and is a two headed muscle. This muscle has two functions: Flexion - the action of bringing the arm up to the shoulder and Supination - the action of twisting the wrist, or turning the thumbs away from the body. The brachialis is a small muscle which lies just beneath the biceps. It is not really a part of the bicep muscle but an untrained brachialis muscle can add up to an inch to arm size. 

The common bicep exercises can be listed as below, 

• Hammer Curl
• Barbell Curl
• Concentration Curls
• Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl
• Dumbbell Bicep Curl
• EZ-Bar Curl
• Incline Dumbbell Curl
• Machine Preacher Curls
• One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl
• Preacher Curl
• Preacher Hammer Dumbbell Curl
• Seated Dumbbell Curl
• Zottman Curl 

I shall, as promised earlier, also talk about the biceps in greater detail in later blogs. 

The Forearms: 

The often neglected forearm is a key muscle and is the backbone of arm development. I mean imagine huge upper arms that are preceeded by thin and weak forearms. That would be wrong wouldn’t it? Forearms, inspite of the ease of getting worked, are often neglected and hence develop slower as compared to the rest of the body. I compare forearm development to calf development purely because of the neglect. I shall detail forearm development in detail a bit later. A point worth mentioning is that proper arm and back exercises help in forearm muscle development. 

A look at the forearm musculature is worthwhile. The forearm is composed of the three major muscle groups the extensors, the flexors and brachioradialis. Below is a list of simple lifts that shall enable to target and develop all aspects of the forearm complex.

• Reverse Barbell Curls
• Hammer Curls
• Barbell “Popeye” Curls
• Wrist Curls
• Reverse Wrist Curls
• Behind the back wrist Curls  

The only way to get big guns is to train your balls off. But training your balls off doesn't mean pounding the hell out of them every day either. It means starting by asking your-self this simple question: "Do I have the discipline, dedication, and desire it takes to build massive arms?" Let me tell you something, if you don't have the three D's in you, then don't even waste your time. 

The first thing you need to know about growing huge arms is this: Doing the same thing all the time will slow your progress. Your body is an adaptive biological organism that only responds to stimulus when it comes to building muscle tissue. If you do the same routine all the time, your body will adapt, and this will not create a stimulus. In other words, your body gets used to the same old shit and stops responding. It's that simple. This stimulus is not just caused by the routine, but also by the reps performed, the weight used, the exercises you choose, and the intensity. That's right. You need to push those muscles to failure. You need to train balls-to-the-wall. 

The ability to curl your sleeve up and display rock hard, peaked and striated biceps, triceps that overflow with mass and big snake like bands of muscle lining our forearms is one of the greatest sensations of the bodybuilding lifestyle. Definitely the most noticeable of muscle groups, it's no wonder why bodybuilders and also people beginning to exercise all around the world are striving towards jacked guns. 

The arms most definitely require the least amount of focus out of all other muscle groups. Arm movements feel the most natural to many bodybuilders, and it is very easy for them to concentrate on the muscle groups working. Remember this the next time you hit the gym to train arms. 

Peace Out…

So… How much do you bench??

If I had a rupee for everytime some one asked me that question I would surely have enough money to buy a nice car.

A good number of people hitting the gym primarily go to the gym with either of the two objectives, building a good presentable chest or building impressive arms. I am sure a poll of a good numbers of gym goers both new starters and seasoned gym goers will reveal an interesting inclination to Chest building & conditioning. Somehow a barrel chest has been ingrained in our collective consciousness as a true mark of a great and phenomenal body.

Why does the Chest command the respect it does? The simple reason for that is that the chest is the most visible muscle in the human body for both the genders. A barrel chest draws a lot of attention and signifies well balanced muscular development.

I am from the school of thought that every body part is critical and deserves equal attention. There are muscles and muscles groups more impressive than the chest when fully developed but for the sake of my readers out there let me begin with the chest first.

The objective of this blog is to share my knowledge of chest development and should hopefully help you to understand the mechanics of operation and be able to develop the chest to the best of your ability

Before we get into how to build the chest, I suggest we understand the basic musculature of the chest. 

Chest Anatomy:

The human chest is made up of 2 major muscle groups, 

1.      The Pectoralis Major

2.      The Pectoralis Minor

These are collectively known as the “Pectoral Muscles”. I am sure you must have heard the term “pecs” used a lot in the gym or even in everyday common speak.

The pecs are found attached to the humerus of the arm, right near where the shoulder joint is. They then run across the front of the body and originate on the breastbone (picture a chicken breast).

The pectoralis major is a large fan-shaped muscle that covers the rib cage. It consists of two parts, upper and lower. The upper portion, which originates from the clavicle, is known as the clavicular head, and the lower portion, which originates from the sternum, is known as the sternal head. The pectoralis major's primary functions are to flex, adduct, and medially rotate the arm. 

The pectoralis minor is a small, triangular muscle, located deep under the pectoralis major. Its primary functions are to depress and rotate the scapula downward.

The pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor combine together to create that iconic movement commonly known as the “bench press”.  I shall of course in interest of my reader’s tackle the bench press is greater detail, but for now let us focus on the chest.

Different Parts of the Chest: A workout perspective

From strength training perspective the chest can be broken up into 3 major exercise areas that need to be hit hard with a series of compound motions. The areas are the upper chest, the middle chest, the lower chest. 

The Upper Chest: 

The upper chest is something that some gym rats forget about. The best exercise for hitting the upper chest is incline barbell presses. For this you want to have the bench on an incline where you can specifically feel it working your upper chest.

Different people feel the exercise at different angles (45 degrees works for most people) - but the best thing to do is try different angles to see what works for you.

If you feel the exercise more towards the middle of your chest then you have the angle too low and it will feel more like a flat bench press. On the flip side, if you feel the exercise more in your shoulders, then you have the angle too high and you need to decrease the angle. 

Personally I feel the 45 degree angle to work the best for me. But again that’s just me!! 

The Mid Chest:

The mid chest is hit with the famous exercise - the bench press. Everyone does it in the gym (unless you are injured, have a disability, or simply have no idea what you are doing in the gym). 

Too many people are in the gym trying to impress everyone with how much they can bench, yet more than half of them are doing the exercise incorrectly in which they can cause serious injury to themselves. 

The famous saying, "What do you bench?" is said around the gym more than any other saying-I cringe at the sound of it. Not because I don't care what they bench, but because I know that person is one of the many that I mentioned above that are probably executing the exercise incorrectly. 

So let me say it once and get it over with... It's not how much weight you can lift, leave your ego at the door - concentrate on feeling the weight and using the correct form.

The Lower Chest: 

This is a part that is more often than not neglected. Proper chest development cannot be achieved without developing the lower chest. Sadly, this is a fact lost on many gym rats and many gyms as well. I have visited a number of gyms and have been saddened by the absence of a “Decline” bench. 

The decline bench helps develop the lower chest which adds to the entire appeal of the chest. One look at the best of the best in bodybuilding and you will find overall development. I will let you know why I am making a case for lower chest development, If someone neglects the lower portion of their chest you will notice fullness in the upper half but below mid-chest they will be flat and without the roundness at the bottom portion.

I have out of extensive knowledge tried to compile a list of all possible chest exercises that I have used or read about or seen people use (mostly ones I have myself used). The list is as below,

 

1. Flat Barbell Bench Press
2. Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
3. Incline Barbell Bench Press
4. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
5. Decline Barbell Bench Press
6. Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
7. Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes
8. Incline Bench Dumbbell Flyes
9. Decline Bench Dumbbell Flyes
10. Smith Machine Flat Bench Press
11. Smith Machine Incline Bench Press
12. Pec Deck
13. Cable Machine Flat Bench Fly
14. Cable Machine Incline Bench Fly
15. Bodyweight Pushups (different hand positions available)
16. Weighted Pushups (different hand positions available)
17. Bodyweight Incline Pushups on the Stability Ball (different hand positions available)
18. Bodyweight Dips
19. Weighted Dips
20. Pullovers

 

To end the post, which I am sure will be followed by many more that will detail each strategy to build each and every muscle part in the Chest; I would just like to say that make sure you are hitting each part of the chest equally (unless your chest isn't balanced then you need to work on that section more). Focus on compound movements for the upper, mid, and lower chest. Then utilize shaping movements such as flyes to finish out your chest workout.

Most of all have fun with your workouts. If you aren't having fun, then what's the point?

And just as an FYI the following are my max. Bench Press stats., 

1. Flat Bench Press – 360 lbs (8 plates of 45 lbs) for 6 reps
2. Incline Bench Press – 270 lbs (6 plates of 45 lbs) for 8 reps
3. Decline Bench Press – 270 lbs (6 plates of 45 lbs) for 8 reps