A CRAZY WORKOUT FOR A POWERFUL BACK

The back is one of the largest muscle groups in the body, composed of

 

.Sternum Chin-Ups

This variation of the chin-up involves leaning back throughout the entire movement. In this variation, the lower portion of the chest should touch the bar. As you pull yourself to the bar, have your head lean back as far away from the bar as possible and arch your spine throughout the movement.  Your hips and legs will be at about a 45-degree angle to the floor. You should keep pulling until your collarbone passes the bar and your sternum touches it.

 

 

Seated Rope Cable Rows to Neck

Most people will agree that the vast majority of trainees devote far more time to chest work than to back work. As a result, they start to look like Neanderthals. Seated cable rows to the neck will help balance the equation.

 

Set the adjustable pulley so that it’s directly in front of your pecs. Use a rope—it will reduce the stress on your forearms and wrists and allow you to concentrate on the task at hand (which is upper back work, just in case you forgot).

 

Grab the ends of the rope with a pronated grip. Start with the shoulders protracted and the forearms extended. Begin the movement by retracting the shoulder blades, and immediately bend the elbows to continue the movement until the forearms make contact with the upper arms.

 

Make sure to eliminate the lower back from the equation by keeping it perpendicular to the floor at all times. If the development of your rhomboids is lacking, you may choose to pause for a moment when the shoulder blades are retracted.

 

Narrow Parallel- Grip Chin-Ups

 

Many gyms are equipped with V-handle chin-up stations that are set six to eight inches apart, and this is just about perfect. Focus on bringing your lower sternum to the handles as you pull yourself up. In other words, lean back as you near the top of the concentric range.

 

Since the grip is narrow, the inferior fibers of the latissimus are hugely recruited. These fibers have been shown to have a higher fast-twitch makeup than the superior fibers and, therefore, they should be trained using lower reps.

 

 

LOSE THOSE FLABBY ARMS 2!!!

Chair Dips: dips are another common exercise that help develop the triceps, while also working the pectorals and major shoulder muscles. All you need to perform this exercise is an exercise bench or step, though a kitchen chair will also work just fine.

To perform a basic bench dip:

1. Sit up straight on the edge of the bench or chair, extending your legs in front of you and planting you feet firmly on the ground.
2. Firmly grip the edge of the bench or chair, with your fingers facing downwards. Slowly slide your body off the bench, without moving your legs.
3. Slowly lower your body towards the floor, keeping your back straight, until your arms from a 90 degree angle.
4. Push your body back to the original starting position. You have now completed one repetition.

Variations: To increase the difficulty of the bench dip, try propping your feet up on a second exercise bench or chair.

Old school arm circles. Arm circles are a great, easy exercise that can be performed anytime, anywhere, making them a great exercise option for beginners. Arm circles help to tone both your biceps and triceps, while also strengthening the back and shoulders.

To do arm circles:

1. Stand with your feet about a shoulder width apart and extend your arms straight out to the sides, so they’re in line with your shoulders.
2. Begin rotating your arms forward in small, circular motions, without moving your wrists or elbows.
3. After about 20 circles, change direction and begin rotating your arms backwards.

Variations: To increase the intensity of the arm circles, you can rotate your arms faster or use hand weights that are light enough to allow you to do 8-10 rotations.

Targeted bicep curls. Bicep curls are one of the most basic weight lifting exercises, which help you to build arm strength and look good in short sleeves. Bicep curls target the three bicep muscles which control the flexing of your elbow.

To do bicep curls, you will need a set of dumbbell that weigh between 5 and 15 pounds each.

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand up straight with your feet hip width apart.
2. Let your arms hang relaxed at your sides, with your palms facing forward.
3. With your elbows held at your hip bones, slowly raise both weights until your forearms touch your chest.
4. Slowly lower the weights back into the starting position, maintaining tension in your biceps. Make an effort to maintain good posture at all times, with your back straight and stomach pulled in.

Variations: If you are performing this exercise at your local gym, look for an arm-curl machine which will target the exact same muscles as the dumbbells. If you’re doing the exercises at home for the first time, you can also use a standard 15 oz can of beans or peas to perform this exercise.

SUPER SOLDIER TRAINING

I have long wondered what it would take to build yourself into a super soldier, an individual with superior mental and physical capabilities operating well beyond what is considered humanly possible. A person with immense strength and endurance, supplemented with impressive fighting skills. I have studied the training styles of warrior civilizations whose status as Super soldiers have been respected by their bitter enemies. Civilizations such as the Zulu, Spartans, the Vikings and the Ninja (arguably the best warriors of all).

I have been working on developing the super human endurance and strength of a super soldier whilst retaining superior mental alertness.

 

Stamina

The Supersoldier needs a very high level of stamina to perform at an optimal operational level, as they are constantly on the move and must have an unending supply of energy. A shoulder should be able to march for hours and still retain the strength to deliver a good fight when he confronts his enemy.

 

Stamina can be built in two ways, by rowing and by walking. Rowing exercises in addition to working your heart and lungs, require you to pull with your arms and drive with your feet, thereby building your biceps, trapezius, hip flexors, quadriceps and calves. Try rowing 10,000 meters in 20 minutes, and I can assure you that every muscle in your body and mind will scream for respite within the first 5 minutes.

 

Brisk walking helps you build the cardiovascular and muscular endurance required to build a super soldier constitution.

 

 

 

Strength

 

 

The kind of strength required by a super soldier is not built through conventional bodybuilding. He has to haul heavy equipment for miles, whilst ensuring that it does not impede his combat abilities. His physical strength does not stand alone, it walks side by side with mental toughness.

 

You will be training 4 times per week, focusing on one of the following lifts each day: squat, deadlift, bench press and overhead press (military press or seated Behind the neck press). Other important lifts include barbell rows, pullups, Romanian deadlifts, good mornings, front squats, barbell curls and the close grip bench press. Keep rest periods very short.

 

Becoming a super soldier is not a day's job, you've got to place one foot in front of the other and give 110% ON EACH REP. Within a few weeks, your hard work will manifest in a high performance body.

 

 

 

5 REASONS WHY YOU ARE NOT BUILDING MUSCLE

Here’s a question I see time and time again in online bodybuilding & fitness forums:

 

“Hi, I have been working out for X months and I have only gained Y pounds. I train hard and have been taking XYZ supplements. I can’t gain weight or get stronger! Please help!”

 

In most cases, after trying to gain weight for several months the person will quit. That’s a pity, because the only thing stopping the person from progressing is knowledge. Here are some reasons why many people do not build muscle:

 

 

 

1. You’re not getting enough calories

 

Most people are surprised at how many calories they need just for maintenance! Calorie consumption is the solution to about 90% of the complaints lifters have about not being about to get bigger and/or stronger.  Your body requires a certain number of calories to maintain your current weight. This figure is known as basal metabolic rate (BMR), and varies from person to person depending on your weight, muscle mass, activity level, age etc. If your calorie intake is lower than BMR, you will lose weight. This is known as a calorie deficit. If your daily calorie intake is higher than your BMR, you will gain weight.   You need to remain in a state of calorie surplus to retain and maintain muscle growth.

 

2. You’re not eating the right foods

 

Generally speaking, if you’re eating excess calories every day and training with a decent workout you’ll grow. But, if you’re not eating the right foods, the chances are that you’ll be limiting your potential, putting on excess body fat, and not growing enough lean muscle.

 

The best way to plan your muscle building diet is to split it up into protein/carbohydrate/fat (P/C/F) ratios. Arguably the best ratio of muscle growth is 30/50/20. This mean you’re getting 30% of your total calories from protein, 50% from carbohydrates and 20% from fats.

 

Now all you need to do is spread those amounts over 6-7 meals per day.

 

3. You’re not eating enough meals

 

When you eat is just as important as what you eat. The days of eating “3 square meals” are long gone. Research has shown that eating more smaller meals is not only great for promoting a fast metabolism, but helps maintain, lose, and gain weight. Think of your body like a log fire. If you put too much wood on at once, the fire burns slow and sluggish. But if you gradually add more wood as the fire gets bigger, it burns more efficiently and gets bigger.

 

You should be aiming for a minimum for 6 meals spread at even intervals throughout the day. You want to make these meals as even as possible, but it’s OK to eat a bit more at breakfast/lunch/dinner if you don’t have time during the other breaks.

 

So you’re probably thinking, “I don’t have time to eat all those meals”. If I had a dollar for every time I heard that I could retire. The truth is you can, it just requires a bit for forward planning. There are endless ways you can cook and store food for meals throughout the day. Spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon cooking up your lunches and snacks for the week. Use your imagination and devise tasty and healthy meals to build up that muscle mass.

 

The other option is weight gain shakes. There’s nothing easier than banging some water into a shaker with some powder, having a shake, and drinking. Good meal replacement shakes usually contain around 600 calories with good amounts of protein, BCAAs, glutamine and carbohydrates. It’s literally a meal in a cup. All you need is a few shaker bottles, add the powder before work, then just add water and drink on the job. However, care must be taken not to overdose on shakes as extended overdoses may have negative effects on your kidneys and liver.

 

4. You’re not getting enough water

 

Water is nature’s wonder supplement, it’s essential for a whole host of bodily functions. Many lifters underestimate the importance of being hydrated well before they step into the gym. If you feel dehydrated just before you’re about to train, it’s too late, you won’t be able to rehydrate yourself time. Keeping yourself hydrated should be a priority from the moment you get out of bed. Dehydration is a serious problem, and in extreme cases can lead to death. Here are some signs of dehydration you should look out for:

• Feeling thirsty (obviously)
• Fatigue. Feeling tired for no apparent reason.
• Dry mouth and possible sore throat
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Dark urine with strong odor

Drinking an adequate amount of water is easy, and there’s no excuse why you cannot do it. Just take a bottle wherever you go and keep sipping out of it throughout the day. however take care not to drink excessive amounts of water as it may lead to iodine deficiencies, as well as other less desirable and potentially fatal conditions.

 

Some supplements, like creatine, may lead to dehydration. If you’re using creatine monohydrate you should increase the amount of water your consuming.

5. Your workout routine sucks

Choosing the right routine to suit your body type, training experience and goal is vital. Many new lifters get their workout routines from magazines and articles written by professional bodybuilders. These workouts are not designed for beginners, and will only lead to a lot of wasted time, energy and frustration.

 

A good workout routine needs the following:

 

• Training days arranged to allow for adequate rest
 
• Muscle groups arranged so overtraining does not occur.
 
• Muscle groups arranged so that each muscle can be worked to maximum effect
 
• A good selection of compound and isolation exercises
 
• Good warm up and cool down
 
(To be continued)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEADLIFT YOUR WAY TO A FIT BODY!!!

 It has been a long time since I last posted on LegallyMuscled. I hope you are getting closer to you goal of maintaining a fit mind and a strong body - a body that is living and pulsating with the vigorous energy of aliveness through lifting weights.

Many people have a love-hate relationship with the deadlift. I rather dread the deadlift myself because of the soreness I normally feel when I use them in my training.

 

Deadlifts is one of the few exercises that truly stimulate both the lower and upper body. The same cannot be said of squats, which focus mainly on the lower body. Deadlifts work your backside, giving it a firm and rounded look.  upper thighs, hamstrings, lower back, upper middle back, traps, and gives a kind of "fullness" in the chest (take note guys). 

Do not round or flatten your back at any time! This is very important. If you round or flatten your back on the initial pull or to get that last rep you're risking a serious injury that might set you back months or totally end your weightlifting career. If you cannot do deadlifts with good form then do not do them, period. 

 Do not deadlift when you have a pinch in the lower back, it may be a warning sign of injury.

GOT YOUR BACK? Exercise to build a strong back

Stiff Legged Barbell Good Mornings:

This works your lower back, giving your spine the stability required to move heavy loads without sustaining injury
 

This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.

Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.

Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance. Keep your head up at all times as looking down will get you off balance and also maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position.

Keeping your legs stationary, move your torso forward by bending at the hips while inhaling. Lower your torso until it is parallel with the floor.

Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by elevating your torso back to the starting position.

Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
 

Caution: This is not an exercise to be taken lightly. Be cautious with the weight used; in case of doubt, use less weight rather than more. The stiff-legged barbell good morning is a very safe exercise but only if performed properly.