PUMP

posted on 12.10.09 Apologies

I wont be blogging much about weightlifting, as my life has become so busy that I cant afford to weightlift! Ive begun some rigorous martial arts training, and my instructors inform me that my muscles are too big and restrictive for martial conditioning. I need to reduce some bulk to allow my body more flexibility and agility. In a few months, when my training begins to stop kicking my ass so bad, I will return to the gym to regain my lost mass. I am quite confident that my knowledge of technique and form in the weightroom will allow me to put all of my muscle back on in just 8 weeks or so.

Stay strong.

posted on 15.09.09 What do you do in your spare time?

I love this article’s position on physical fitness as a fun hobby, not a chore. Thats the number one thing to remember when incorporating regular physical fitness into your lifestyle: fitness is a hobby, not a chore. There is always more to learn, always more to experiment with, and always more to build and strengthen! Dont view fitness as something to take time away from your day, see it as something you include in your spare hours. Everyone has time for fitness, so dont try to use your busy schedule as an excuse to avoid it (Manhattanites have no problem working out, working, and maintaining an active social life!).

Weightlifting is my most favorite hobby, and I honestly look forward to it first thing in the morning when I go to sleep at night. Active meditation is more a blessing to the psyche than the body.

posted on 02.09.09 Lower Body Hypertrophy

* mix and match diff exercises as you see fit - variety always helps.

Squats - 12x, 10x, 10x, 8x - 1 second on positive, 4 seconds on negative
note: the squat is an exercise that is often performed poorly. Bad form on an exercise like this can really reak havoc on your back and spine, not to mention risk a prolapse. Consult a trainer before attempting freeweight/olympic bar squats, or try out a Smith Machine.

Lunges - 15x, 12x, 12x, 10x - burst on positive, 3 seconds on negative

Cable Hip Adductors - 12x, 10x, 10x, 8x - 1 second on positive, 4 seconds on negative

Cable Hip Abductors - 12x, 10x, 10x, 8x - 1s on positive, 4s on negative

Seated Calf Raise - 12x, 10x, 10x, 8x - 2s on positive, 5s on negative. Make sure your ankles extend downward to the fullest extent to complete a repetition. When your foot is parallel to the floor, that is only 1/2 of a repetition. Your heel should move in a 60-90 degree arc, so begin with the heel extended downward fully, extend your heal up until it cant extend further without raising the ball of your foot off of its platform, and then slowly descend until your heel is in the downward extended starting position.

Make sure to suppliment this diet with a proper caloric intake, enough protein to repair the muscles, and plenty of rest.

posted on 24.08.09 Super Babies and Myostatin Blockers

Gaining muscle mass through myostatin blockers is a terrible idea. The effects on non-skeletal muscles are yet unknown (ie - your heart), the effects would certainly increase a demand for calories and proteins that could put a strain on food supply, and it could lead to a decrease in lifespan (a heck of a lot of extra work for your body to maintain on a daily basis). Tests on animals all show negative results on the above issues. Health > Appearance.

posted on 20.08.09 Tell Me Why I Run Again?

(via jillian):

You run so you can avoid all of this health care scare making news headlines these days! A gram of prevention = a pound of cure.

posted on 14.07.09

The Hex Bar - my preferred way of doing shoulder shrugs (when not using freeweights). Excellent position for your hands to grip, and provides better center of gravity than using the olympic bar.

posted on 08.07.09 Fit Body, Fit Mind? Your Workout Makes You Smarter

What most people don’t realize is that your brain also stays in better shape when you exercise.

So completely true. I work in a scientific field, and I get my mental training each morning with some good stretching and meditation, a hearty weight training workout, brief run, and well balanced meal. The mind hones sharply right alongside the body, and the rest of the workday falls much easier into place when the day starts with such physical activities. The benefits to healthy exercise are so great that its absurd to leave it out of your lifestyle.

posted on 24.06.09 Track your gains!

Its very important to track all your gains over time. This doesnt just include tracking your % bodyfat, bodymass, weight, or size, but more importantly, tracking increases in load bearing ability and endurance.

Start a weightlifting journal. Track exactly how much time you spend in the gym every day. How much time do you run and at what pace? How much time spent stretching? Break down the results of your workout as follows:

For each exercise:

How many sets? How many reps? How long was each rep? At what repetition, if any, did you fail?

How much weight were you doing per set?

As you progress over the months, the answer to that last question should continue increasing. The answers to the above 3-4 questions shouldnt change (since the basic principle is to select weight such that you fail on a specified rep - for example, on the 12th rep for Hypertrophy). Thus the number of reps should remain the same, and the weight you do increases. Even 2lbs counts!

This will allow you to further select areas that need improvement, and encourage total body fitness. Not only that, but its great to look back at where you were 6 months ago, and see how your body has strengthened since then.

posted on 15.06.09 How to Lose 30 Pounds in 24 Hours: The Definitive Guide to Cutting Weight

Seriously, there are no shortcuts. The goal of fitness is HEALTH. The goal is not ‘looking’ well, fitting into a specific weight class, having a particular appearance, or fitting into a particular size of jeans. The goal is having great well rounded health, and a well rounded dietary knowledge and knowledge of physical fitness. Shortcuts will harm your body, and ultimately make long-term fitness difficult to sustain. Being all-around healthy will result in long term fitness. Eat well, eat a full and complete diet, and get plenty of proper exercise, and the secondary goals (appearance, clothing sizes, weight range, body fat, etc) will fall right into place.

Short-term shortcuts will produce poor long-term results. Dont harm your body in the process of making it fit. Love your body and treat it like a well oiled machine.

posted on 09.06.09

eatsleepdraw:

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