Today’s post is based on an experience I had at the gym today while observing a fellow fitness professional spotting their client on the bench press. The end result was an unnecessarily awkward and dangerous failed attempt. These days I train my clients in a private studio, in part because I believed it would prevent me from witnessing the kind of  gym stupidity  that is quite rampant in commercial gyms. This isn’t surprising since most people don’t have personal trainers and those that do are usually receiving a lower quality of instruction. In a private studio I don’t see things like this too often but it still occurs. The kind of stupidity I’m referring to is trainees using inappropriate exercises or loads in respect to their current needs. When someone has a trainer guiding them, their common sense goes out the window and they pretty much do what the trainer says. Unfortunately this can have dire consequences.

The example I bring you today is the all too common, failed attempt on the bench press. Too much testosterone can elicit a false sense of invulnerability and when combined with an out of control ego you have a potential problem. Add to this an instructor that shares these same traits and it’s only a matter of time before he is referring you to his physio-friend or worse, to the emergency room. Here’s a case in point.

[break 387021]

Ouch!!!! There is no doubt that the Barbell Bench Press will probably always be the go-to exercise for developing raw upper body strength and muscle size. This is for good reason. Since the 1950′s, has become the most widely-recognized resistance movement in the world the one exercise most representative in the public mind of barbell training, the exercise the vast majority of people are most likely to want to do, and the exercise most often asked about by most people if they are interested in how strong you are.

Once you’ve been lifting for a while you will undoubtedly reach a level where you’ll want to challenge near maximum loads. Or maybe your lifting confidence is not where it needs to be because the exercise is new to you just need some insurance. Whatever the reason is you’ll eventually be seeking a spotter to satisfy these needs. Most people just ask the biggest guy in the gym to come, tell them how many reps they want and try to eek out those extra forced reps that are so popular among novices ( enter sarcastic tone  here). This can usually result in the scenario illustrated in the above video. You need to find someone you can trust to spot you and communicate well with them on your intent or your probably better off skipping the lift that day.

In case I didn’t get your attention earlier here’s another example. This guy actually has 2 spotters.

[break 217828]

How To Be A Competant Bench Press Spotter

Know your role.

Spotters should be there for safety, when there is a question of safety. Spotters should not be there to help with a set. Make this your rule in the weight room. No rep counts that is touched by anybody other than the lifter. If the spotter puts his hands on the bar during the first rep, and keeps them there for the rest of the set, then who really lifted what? If you and everyone you train with follows this simple rule, all the personal records you set will be honest ones.  Spotters should stay away from any rep that the lifter might finish alone.

The Handoff.

A good handoff is one of those rare commodities — there are more bad ones than good. A bad handoff interferes with the lifter’s timing, balance, view of the ceiling, and concentration, by attempting to participate in the rep. A good handoff spotter is experienced and appropriate with the timing and amount of bar contact, respectful of the mental requirements of the lifter, and, above all, conservative about when and how much to help.

Proper positioning.

The bench press spotter stands behind the head of the lifter, in the center of the bar. This position can be adjusted a little if necessary. The primary requirement of the position is that it is close enough to grab the bar, but far enough back that after the handoff so the lifter has an unobstructed view of the celling. From this position the spotter can do whatever might be necessary at the end of the set, from just watching the lifter finish the set, to securing the rack by shadowing the bar as it meets the uprights, to taking the bar out of a sticking point ( about the midpoint of the lift for most people).

If your lifter fails in his attempt.

The bar is stuck when it reaches a point of zero upward movement. Sometimes the lifter may be able to tell you to take the bar, and sometimes they won’t. This why the set termination point should be determined by the spotter. After you decide to take the bar, the amount of help you actually provide will depend on the situation and your correct assessment of it.

Identify your lifters experience level. 

When spotting an intermediate lifter with the last rep of the fifth set of five, the situation will warrant a different amount of help than in the case of an experienced lifter being spotted on a maximum single rep, or the case of a novice trainee doing the first heavy work set of his third workout. Each instance requires a different response in terms of how fast to react, how closely the bar should be followed, the amount of weight to take off, whether or not to help maintain bar velocity, or whether to take the bar to the rack or the safety hooks.

**A Note To All Lifters

A good spotter is hard to find and is probably more interested in doing their own workout than supervising yours. You don’t need every bench press set to be spotted. This is inefficient, unnecessary, and bothersome to other people in the gym who are trying to train. But if your gym contains mostly people who can’t be bothered to help you when it is legitimately necessary, you need to find a better gym. Get a spot when you really need to, and know when this is.

When done correctly and responsibly the bench press is arguably the best way to develop upper-body strength and a valuable addition to your strength and conditioning program. Train Hard Train Responsibly!

• It’s not just a man’s exercise you know. . .

   

• [youtube 7Yk0LgJaqEI&hl]

The purpose of this post is not only to celebrate women but also to send out a wake up call to all the men out there that are losing a grip on their role in life. I should come as no surprise to any of us that the hallmark of being a “real man” has steadily lost its meaning and significance since it was first coined; long before I was born. In fact, this trend has led to a new generation of men that are, well, more like women.

This gender reversal has carried over to many all areas of our culture and not even the gym is exempt from its effects. There has been a major shift in the expectations I have in regard to fitness performance for men and women. I’ve used standards for years to give my clients a sense of how their results should correlate with respect to their age, gender, level of motivation etc. The issue now is that my standards have to be re-written because I have women out-performing men of equal age and ability. I have an 88 year old lady who can pull more weight than some of my 30 year old clients. I also have a 72 year old lady (with COPD) that circuit trains at a pace that actually challenges some of the males I train who are supposed to be at the prime of their life. What’s worse is that if I share this information with these guys, how do they respond? Without any care or worry at all, that’s how. Where is the pride?  The shame?

Now, if I told one of my female clients that another woman was out performing them, things are very different. These women will generally become so inspired by the competition that they not only rise to the occasion but obliterate the meagre expectations set forth by me. Gender is becoming a fleeting variable in my assumption of fitness levels.

If you look inside a gym nowadays you’ll still see some women wasting their time with uninspired routines and low effort levels, but a new breed has evolved and it’s taking over . . . I’m talking about the Super Woman! I personally know quite a few of these women and they masquerade as regular women most of the day: working and managing their families just like everyone else. But when they step into the gym they are transformed into a warrior, to be sacrificed on the fitness front lines for the greater good of their health and wellness.

 They are always on time and they ask for no mercy, for their strength and fortitude is their salvation. The only thing that trumps their power is their humility. They do not recognize their own strengths and believe it is the responsibility of all sentient beings to be as strong and as fit as they can be.

Men can only yield to this type of raw energy as they have no answer to this shifting paradigm of what it means to be a women.

You know, as  much as I love my mother, if she ever ran faster, jumped higher or lifted more weight than me, I would have a nervous breakdown. Unfortunately this IS the case for many men my age. Mothers who are fitter than their sons. Oh the shame of it all. . . .

Of course not all women are Super Women. In fact most are not immune to traditional barriers and unfounded stigma that is still perpetuated in our society today. This doesn’t mean that it cannot be changed, but how do you do it? And what about the men? How can we reclaim our position on the fitness front lines alongside our women? Well this is not an easy answer, but if we know how the Super Women are doing it maybe we can draw some inspiration.

Most Superwomen understand a few basic principles that allow them to succeed with their fitness goals. Putting them into practice is the next step.

The Superwoman Philosophy In The Gym (and out of the gym too)

 I believe weight training is important to health and sports performance.

You must believe in what you do for it to be truly productive. Most men have subscribed to this at an early age but many women still don’t grasp it.

My dietary intake will affect my performance and results. 

Many women are deficient in iron and calcium which can greatly impact your fitness goals. Low iron can affect energy metabolism and oxygen transport, leading to a perception of chronic fatigue and low energy levels. It’s a good idea to include iron-rich foods into your diet,cooking with cast iron cookware and even using a good iron supplement to keep things in check. Low levels of calcium can predispose any age to bone loss. and degeneration calcium supplementation, when combined with weight training can dramatically improve bone density.

I know when to back off training.

It may be advisable to take an “unloading  (or off) week” during your menstrual cycle since this when so much iron is lost. Although women have much lower testosterone levels than men, there is a peak period (about 12 days before ovulation) that could be used as a performance peaking period just before the unloading week.

I understand that I can’t “tone” my body. 

Ineffective “firming and toning” routines have no basis in physiology, and the results obtained from them demonstrate this rather conclusively. You can either make a muscle larger or smaller. That’s it.

I do not have the same level of neuromuscular efficiency as men.

For the most part, men and women train the same way and respond accordingly. It is only the degree or magnitude of change that differs: mostly from differing hormonal profiles. This is why most men can add much more muscle relative to a women’s gains. Women do however, lift weights with less efficiency and may require more overall volume (sets or reps) to achieve maximum results.

My commitment to my health and fitness makes me a role model to my friends and family. 

As with anything in life, with great ability comes great  responsibility. Superwomen understand this and inspire everyone around them to realize their own potential.

I only get out of it, what I put into it.  

Even the best programs fail if your motivation and effort is low. Just going through the motions will not cut it for optimal fitness gains. Always make sure you’re putting in 100% effort into every exercise.  The gym is a sanctuary for sweat, hard work and challenge. You still have 23 other hours to take it easy.

Just by following some of these weight training guidelines for women, you’ll be well on your way to putting your mark on this world and be remembered for being one of the Superwomen!

“Normally we do not like to think about death.

We would rather think about life.

Why reflect on death?

When you start preparing for death you soon realize

that you must look into your life now… and come to face the truth of your self.

Death is like a mirror in which the true meaning of life is reflected”

~Sogyal Rinpoche~ 

  
This week has been an interesting one as I have found myself pondering my own existance and mortality. I’m sure everyone does this on a fairly regular basis. My question is do we consider the meaning of our lives based on a fear or expectation the unknown? Certainly many of us lead our lives with the faith that when we die we may we will be rewarded for our deeds and then ushered off into the promised land when we die. Many of us also live in constant restraint out of fear of punishment and eternal banishment to the underworld.  

Is death really something to fear? As human beings we have a long history of being afraid of things that we don’t understand. Throughout history and even today many people have lost their identity, their rights and their lives because of such ignorance. Only in the wake of our callowness do we see the error of our ways and can we begin to evolve in a more productive manner. 

Will our perception of death also evolve? I personally hope so. Most of us live our lives without any regard to its quality and in the end experience great regret for words gone unsaid and deeds undone.We shouldn’t have to wait until it’s too late to lead a productive and meaningful life. In order to achieve this we need to take stock of what it means to be at peace IN our lives, not just when we are about to lose it. 

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry

 about the future,or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely

 and earnestly.” 

How to Effectively Live at Peace With Yourself 

• Don’t work so hard

Have you been living on a treadmill of existence? Have you been so consumed by making money that you’ve completely missed your children’s youth and your partner’s companionship? These days, both men and women find it a constant struggle to make wise lifestyle choices while being burdened with too much responsibility. 

Do you really need the income you so desperately seek? I bet if you simplify your lifestyle and eliminate the excess, you’ll find you need far less than you think. Try to create more open space in your life. This way you become more open to new opportunities that are more suited to a quality, healthy way of life. Most people say they don’t have time to exercise or eat well and I promptly say “no, you just haven’t made the time”. It’s funny how there’s always time for self-destructive and indulgent behavior though. We need to reorganize and make this a priority. 

• Express Your Feeling More Often

Most of us are so preoccupied with keeping peace with others that we risk losing it with ourselves.  Constantly suppressing your emotions will eventually result in you becoming a new person. One that everybody likes, but not the real you. This can be a real burden on your life and your overall sense of well being.  Many people have been estranged from loved ones and suffered illness related to being consumed with bitterness and resentment. We have the freedom to express ourselves but few of us ever do. Make an effort to change this and you’ll feel the stress being lifted off your shoulders. 

• Follow Your dreams

In North America we are so fortunate to have nearly unlimited opportunities and resources to be whatever we want to be. I feel blessed every day that I am making a living at my greatest passion but too few ever realize even one of their dreams. Nothing is more gratifying when your deepest hopes and desires are finally realized. I believe that most of us could make this a reality if we don’t let our lives get out of balance. 

We must make the effort to realize our dreams because the moment you lose your health, it’s too late. If you dream of being lean and fit then start today. Only you can make it a reality. 

• Let Yourself Be Happier

Most of us are stuck in some kind of rut of old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity carries over into our emotions, as well as our physical lives. Fear of change causes some people to pretend to be others, and to themselves, that they were content. While deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their lives again. 

We cannot control the actions and opinions of others, but we need to establish relationships based on who we really are. Great relationships nurture the mind and body and allow you the freedom to be yourself. If the relationship prevents you from being yourself, then you’re probably better off without that person. This will cut down dramatically the amount of unhealthy alliances you keep. Speak your mind and flaunt your uniqueness and you will be rewarded with happiness and a network of people who really “get you”.

Typically, people write a bucket list of the things they want to do before they die. I think this is a mistake. We need to write our bucket lists as soon as we are old enough to know who we are and what we want out of life. This way we can keep on track of things throughout our lives and not start cramming when it’s already too late. Your health and fitness is the only thing that matters in the end. Every day should be set up to nurture it. Activities and relationships that prohibit the nourishment of our health need to be eliminated.

 Life is a choice. It’s your life to live as you please. Choose wisely. Choose honestly. Choose happiness.

 Most of us don’t realize it, but we all are nutrition and diet experts, at least in relation to our own nutritional needs. In a society where we are spoon fed solutions to any and all problems we have developed an unhealthy behaviour of dependency. This is not only unhealthy, but also unproductive. This point is obvious with the rising obesity rates in spite of there being more health and fitness experts than ever before. Today, there are just far too many “gurus” saturating ( and watering down) the quality of  information, products and services available in this profession. 

So how can you qualify nutrition advice from an expert?

How can you be sure that a diet will work for you? Well I can tell you it’s not because the person who sold you the information claimed his diet worked for hundreds of other clients and that it’s guaranteed to work for you too. In fact if you’d been reading my blog at all you’ll know exactly what I think about these types of claims. No, I’m talking about listening to your own body. Applying logic and common sense to everything you do. I’m amazed at how some intelligent people can remove the ability to think for themselves in favor of having someone do it for them. This to me, is the ultimate laziness. The inability to listen to and apply what your body is telling you about your current needs and sate of wellness.

So what makes you so qualified to deliver precise dietary recommendations to yourself?

 Because you have ( enter your age) years of eating experience. Experience is a major factor in determining if someone is truly an expert in something. What other credentials do you offer? Here’s just a sampling of your nutrition expert resume:

• You have years of trial and error, experimentation and feedback
• You at least have an idea what foods make you feel good and which ones don’t
• You know what foods have the most positive impact on your workouts and recovery
• You know what foods tend to make you fat
• You attended grade school and covered the basics in Health class
• You’ve tried every diet available so you know which ones work or don’t work for you
• You have a pretty good idea of what is holding you back from your goals right now.

Wow, that’s a pretty impressive list of qualifications. So why don’t we use these tools when we attempt to lose weight? It’s a real mystery. You need to take stock of the things you’ve learned in order to apply it down the road. Life is no different. Same with exercise. To keep moving forward you must learn from your successes and failures, otherwise expect to be counted in the high number of us who just don’t have a clue. The weight loss industry will be raking in the billions until we can all get our acts together and start thinking for ourselves for the betterment of our health and wellness.

I don’t just talk about this stuff. I do in fact live it. . . . everyday of my life. Taking time to observe and absorb information and my surroundings. Going through life as a passenger is not for me. Maybe, I’m a control freak. But I believe that if I’m not in control of my body then it must out of control and that is a very dangerous state to be in. I’ll share with you some of the things I’ve learned about my own diet:

• Focusing on eating  nutritious foods that taste great can greatly reduce my craving for junk food.
• I focus on eating 3 times a day and adding nutritious snacks in between meals when possible. Eating 5-6 meals a day means I’m always thinking about eating and that is not how I want to live.
• If I eat a big dinner less than 2 hours before going to bed I don’t sleep well and feel almost hungover the next day.
• I try to make unselfish food choices. Opting for foods that make a positive impact on my local community and planet. Always trying to stay lean puts me in a selfish frame of mind that I find unhealthy for prolonged periods.
• Worrying about specific nutrient ratios is largely a waste of time unless I am very lean and want to achieve a peak condition. Most of the time I just eat whole foods and just keep everything balanced.
• Calorie counting is useless unless I am very lean. If I wake up one day and feel a little thicker, I just back off my intake for a day or two, then return to normal eating . I usually can account for why I’m thicker and it usually means I’ve been to the Dairy Queen for the Blizzard of the month.
• I can’t tolerate carbohydrates well eaten by themselves as they send  me on a blood sugar roller-coaster that’s tough to recover from. Eaten as part of a balanced meal ( with protein, healthy fats and fibrous carbs  I have no problems.
• If I focus on balancing my meals and employ good food choices I can sustain even energy levels for the majority of the day.
• Playing sports helps me keep my nutrition on track. I’m very competitive and if I want to perform well, I know what foods I need to eat to be my best and recover well enough to avoid the “hangover feeling” and to play again the next day.
• If I find myself “emotionally eating” I try to uncover what my emotional issues are and correct them.

 
I could go on and on with my own list but I want you to do the same for yourself. Make a list of what you’ve learned from your own eating habits. If  you can’t think of anything then start today. Record how food make you feel. Write it down. Use it!

Feel free to share your comments on this post!

If you have followed the first 2 weeks of the body transformation series than your probably ready to move on. Week one was all about establishing a baseline and skill acquisition (for those new to weight training) . Week two introduced the split routine and more overall exercise demands. The calories at this point were kept slightly below maintenance, with most of the caloric expenditure coming from the increased activity demands.

Weeks 3-4

During these weeks, you’ll keep the same exercise schedule but steadily increase the exercise demands until you reach a peak at the end of week 4 where you feel you are close to the limit. These initial weeks help prepare you for the more intense endurance activity during weeks 5-8.

During this time, decrease calorie consumption moderately, but not excessively, since severe reduction increases the severity of hunger pangs and introduces the possibility of loss of motivation or eating binges. In addition, and this applies to anyone wanting to lose fat, harsh dieting places the body in a state of alarm (i.e.,starvation). This added strain on the system hinders recovery as the body attempts to cope with low nutrient levels to sustain functioning and to recover from muscular trauma due to exercise.

As mentioned, your weight training should have progressed to the point you you have reached your tolerable limit. This will make it paramount to make some changes to this structure in the coming weeks.

So to recap Weeks 1-4 body transformation protocol:

• Moderate Aerobics (60-70% MaxHR) for 30-40 minutes on alternate days to the weight training.            

• Moderate Calorie reduction (250-300 below maintenance should do the trick).            

• Progressive weight training focusing initially on skill acquisition and progressing to reach a tolerance peak.            

• Leave only 1  day/week for rest and recovery.

Weeks 5-8

Cardiovascular Training and Nutrition

Ok, now it’s time to get serious. Both from an effort perspective and a program design viewpoint. For the next four weeks, divide attention equally between activity and calorie reduction. Decrease endurance activity to 1-3 sessions a week for 12-15 minutes of intense aerobics, which can consist of interval cycling,i.e., steady state, moderate intensity alternated with a high intensity bout. For example, you can perform moderate intensity aerobics for 90-120 seconds at a heart rate of about 60-70% maximum followed by 30 seconds of an all-out effort sprint, although any repeating combination of similar proportion is appropriate. Some people prefer only 20-second sprints whereas others can tolerate sprints of up to 60 seconds. The possibilities are endless.

These cycles can continue for as long as is tolerable, but most people will find 10-15 minutes total more than sufficient. Because this method is more intense than low to moderate intensity, steady state aerobics, they must be briefer in duration. And although not as many calories are burned during interval cycling, since the duration is so brief, the increase in intensity greatly promotes a high metabolic rate throughout much of the day after exercise, and this encourages more calorie-burning overall.

During these weeks, continue to reduce calories to appropriate and tolerable levels: a reduction which is easier at this point now that the stomach has shrunken somewhat from the initial four weeks of modest calorie reduction.

I should also note that how much aerobic work you do depends on how lean you are to begin with. Very thin people who desire to increase weight should avoid endurance activity and focus on bodybuilding and increasing quality calories above normal levels to support any growth potential. Those wishing to lose weight would of course, follow the guidlines laid out in this post.

Weight training Application

At this point you may find it advantageous to cycle hard and easy weeks and workouts. It is very difficult to keep pushing forward indefinitely as fatigue starts to accumulate and you will start to lose motivation to workout, or worse, end up getting sick. This is an area where you either need competent supervision ( a good trainer) or be very vigilant to your fatigue symptoms.

Whether you employ these tactics depend on many factors like your level of motivation, focus, and confidence during the transformation. Something I have noticed over the years is that even though many people have the same goal ( weight loss or muscle building) , they don’t all possess the same levels of motivation. Those who are highly motivated always get more out of the program but are also the first to reach a plateau or reach a state of premature exhaustion.

To use this system, you could implement easy and hard training protocols on an “every-two-weeks” basis; exercising easy for two weeks, then hard for two weeks before repeating. Or, perhaps, two very hard weeks followed by only one easy week. Or if workouts for the body are divided into 2-3 sessions, pushing only some body parts to the maximum and taking it easy on the other body parts then reversing muscle priority the following week.

In this example, you could exercise chest, biceps and thighs very hard one week, then the following week exercise back, shoulders, and triceps very hard then repeat. You may also want to use some advanced techniques like drop sets, rest pause reps, pre/ post fatigue methods among other set and rep variables. There are several possible combinations that must take into consideration, such as your personality, preferences, job/school requirements, tolerance, etc. What will be most evident is that regardless of the initial design plan, events in one’s life will always result in deviation and change.

To summarize this point you may structure your workouts as follows . . .

Even Numbered Weeks (6-12): Easy weeks consisting of fairly hard exercise, but not 100% mentally or physically demanding

Odd numbered Weeks (5-11): More effort placed on muscle building and optimal system disruption. Workouts consisting of all-out effort, including set variables.

So I hope this will keep some of you busy for a while. Be persistent but listen to your body. If you do this there should be little room for failure during your body transformation.

If this series is helpful to you, I’d love to hear your comments . . . .

To expand on the use of supplements in a physique transformation, I’d like to focus on one of the most popular performance enhancing supplements of the last 20 years; creatine monohydrate. So why would you use creatine supplements? Lets first look at what it is and what it does:

Creatine monohydrate has always been known as a “bodybuilding supplement” because many users of creatine claim a 6-10 pound gain over a few weeks of creatine use. It is also widely reported to improve muscle strength and help weight lifters improve performance during resistance training. This occurs mainly when taken prior to exercise where creatine tops off CP (creatine phosphate) stores to better regenerate ATP. This enables the muscles to sustain more work at higher intensities with an increase in lactate threshold, i.e., less muscle burn and fatigue. Creatine consumed after exercise replenishes lost stores more quickly, and this enhances recovery ability.

I’ve used many forms of creatine in the past but I only want to focus on how it fits in to your own workout regimen. It is generally recommended that athletes take 20-25 grams per day for five days to load the system, then to maintain with 5 grams per day. The consumption of 5-10 grams per day starting two weeks out from a  physique transformation ( or any program peak period) will produce similar results. The latter method is less stressful to the stomach, with less gas and bloat. If you find that 10 grams per day causes stomach distress, reduce the dosage to 7 grams, then 5 grams then finally 3 grams until symptoms are no longer experienced. Many individuals can sustain optimum levels after a load-phase with as little as 2g per day.

A common side effect to creatine intake (particularly a high load period) is cramps. This is most likely due to the increased muscle water content that has diluted electrolyte levels. If cramps occurs, reduce creatine intake slightly, avoid drinking excessive water, and make certain to obtain plenty of electrolytes through the diet (and supplementation, if necessary). Often a reduction in creatine will do the trick.

Creatine does not need to be part of an advanced trainee’s off-season diet regimen since this class of athlete usually trains with less frequency ( but more intensely). Infrequent exercise provides sufficient time to build and replenish muscle creatine stores. Creatine consumption should also terminate after a physique transformation since the effects of increased stamina and muscle water retention are soon lost after 12 weeks, and this reduces any benefits of further creatine usage until the next transformation. Creatine stores also tend to remain high two weeks after discontinued use.

I should point out that the muscular results may not be noticeable for everyone. It has been shown that 20 to 30 percent of creatine users are actually non-responders and will see no benefit.  I would caution men from believing that creatine is a magic bullet that will  build muscles or make you a better athlete. Creatine supplements do not take the place of a well organized exercise program and diet.

Remember that supplements are just that; a supplement to meet your current needs that cannot be satisfied with conventional means.

If this post was useful leave a comment. . . .