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Eccentric muscle contraction for fat loss
By: Helgi Gudfinnsson

When talking about fat burning exercise program the main focus has been on repetitions and sets, as well as rest periods. What has been left out of the discussion is tempo and muscle contraction. Chad Waterbury wrote an article recently about how fast concentric lifts would burn more fat. His study showed that by doing concentric lifts as fast as you can your metabolism increases more after exercising than if you use slow tempo or 2 seconds. Increasing metabolism after exercising is one of my main focus points when creating a fat burning exercise system. To reach maximum metabolism after exercising the key is to choose the correct exercises.  

What I am going to talk about in this article is muscle contraction, mainly eccentric muscle contraction. Like we all know, eccentric muscle contraction has many pros but what we don´t know as much about is how important it is in the aspect of burning fat. Two studies have shown that when using eccentric muscle concentration we can increase fat up to 48-72 hours after exercising. Before continuing, let’s look at one of the two studies I mentioned above to show you the importance of eccentric muscle contraction when burning fat.

Hackney et.al. did the research to explore eccentric muscle contraction, full body resistance training and high volume on resting energy expenditure.

Method
16 college students were chosen to participate in the study and they were divided into two groups. One group had already lifted weights for at least 6 months continuously but the other group had not done any lifting for 6 months or more. Hackney did all kinds of tests on the two groups, such as body composition and resting energy expenditure. The subjects needed to keep a dietary log for four days and comment on their muscle soreness after exercising. The exercise system the subjects followed was this:

• Rotation 1: Chest press, leg press, biceps curl
• Rotation 2: Lat pulldown, Leg curl, Triceps extension
• Rotation 3: Shoulder press and Leg extension

Each subject performed 8 sets, 6 repetitions, 30 seconds rest between sets, and 3 minutes rest between rotations. Using 1 second concentric and 3 second eccentrics.  The first 3 sets were warm up sets or familiarization phase but sets 4 to 8 were workout sets.

The results were that the resting expenditure increased up to 72 hours after exercising and on average it increased 9.2% with the group that had not lifted any weights for 6 months but 7.9% with the group that had been lifting. The main reasons given were eccentric muscle contraction and high volume.

But what causes the fact that the fat burn increases so long after exercising?

There are many factors associated with elevation of resting energy expenditure in the post exercise period.  These factors include elevated body temperature, resynthesis of glycogen from lactic acid and resynthesis of ATP and CP.  This is all happens within the rapid and slow component of EPOC which can last up to 24 hours.  But what happens after that?  What seems to be triggering the elevations of EPOC between 24 and 72 hours is associated with delayed-onset muscle soreness and the muscle repair process.  Increased protein degradation and synthesis will have an impact on REE elevations and also events associate with inflammatory process (mobilizing cytokines and neutophils).  

The workout

Since the exercise program in Hackney´s research takes about an hour I decided to make my own version of it because I like to keep my exercise programs short and effective, no longer than 45 minutes. In this exercise program I want to focus on eccentric muscle contraction so that we can increase the metabolism as long as possible afterwards, so here is the setup:    

Week 1 and 2 (intro phase)

You will alternate between workouts A and B for example Monday workout A, Wednesday workout B and Friday workout A and so on.

Workout A

Rotation 1: no rest between the exercises
Back/Front Squat
DB Chest press
Barbell bent over row
6 reps, 4 sets, 90 seconds rest at the end of the Rotation, 4 seconds eccentric and fast concentric, intensity 80% .

Rotation 2: no rest between the exercises
Lunge
Push up variations (Spiderman)
Inverted row
12 reps, 2 sets, 60 seconds rest at the end of the Rotation, 3 seconds eccentric and fast concentric.  Intensity 75%

Workout B

Rotation 1: no rest between the exercises
Deadlift
DB shoulder press
Chin up or Pull up
6 reps, 4 sets, 90 seconds rest at the end of the Rotation, 4 seconds eccentric and fast concentric, intensity 80%

Rotation 2: no rest between the exercises
Single leg romanian deadlift
Prone Jackknife push up
Lat pulldown
12 reps, 2 sets, 60 seconds rest at the end of the Rotation, 3 seconds eccentric and fast concentric.  Intensity 75%

Week 3 and 4

Everything is the same but you will increase the volume by 2 sets so now you are doing 6 sets instead of 4 sets in Rotation 1.

Week 5 and 6

Everything is the same but you will increase the volume by 2 sets so now you are doing 8 sets instead of 6 sets in the first Rotation 1.

The reason for low volume exercises in week 1 and 2 is that people are not used to eccentric muscle contraction. My experience is that people get very sore when they start the program and if I would keep the volume higher, there would be a great risk of injuries. Also since I use trisets, a lot of energy goes into each set and in my opinion 4 sets are enough at the beginning.

Conclusion

As you can see by Hackney‘s research using slow eccentric muscle contraction will increase you resting metabolic rate up to 72 hours.  To make your exercise program more effective you should put more emphasis on eccentrics if you don´t then you could shorten the metabolism after exercising instead of increasing it to the maximum.  

Helgi Gudfinnsson is a personal trainer living in Grindavik, Iceland. He is the author of the book “Your Ultimate Fat Loss System”
(www.yourultimatefatlosssystem.com)

Bodybuilding.com has some special guests in town for a few days to do some informational training videos, articles and such.

Please welcome Obi Obadike and Kendall Wood to Justin TV for a live chat.

Obi and Kendall will be on Justin TV tomorrow, Friday, June 26, 2009.
Come join the chat and ask any questions you have from 12:30-2:00 p.m. MST.

For more information click here.

To join the chat click here.

Hey New Guy: Bodybuilding Advice for the Beginner in all of Us
The Rules of Attraction (–and Attracting–) At Your Gym

So there’s this girl at your gym.
Am I right?
Maybe she’s a regular at Sweat Yoga, maybe she’s a monster on the treadmill, maybe (–but hopefully not—) she routinely presses more than you.  Either way, you’ve noticed her, and you’ve noticed the shorts she wears when she’s not noticing you.
Which is pretty much everytime you work out.
You want to know what you can do about it.

Let’s face it, fellas; if you’re staring at her while she hits the elliptical, chances are every other testosterone and NO-fueled meathead in the club is too.
Chances are Dexter Jackson doesn’t work out at your gym.
Chances are somebody who looks just like Dexter Jackson does.
And if he can’t get this precious little thing’s attention, what chance do you have, right?
Wrong.

It’s all about tact; you need to have a plan; you need to stick to it.  

First and foremost, you need to be aware that there are essentially two types of girls who work out at the club.  The first type—and sorry, boys, this is the overwhelming majority—want absolutely nothing to do with you.
This is a problem, because these are the types of girls you want.

The second type—and you can spot them a mile away—may be a minority, but they make up for a lack in numbers with their overwhelming sense of…being overwhelming.
Call them gym-bunnies, call them easy, call them anything—but don’t call them.  Because no matter how Diesel you think you are, there’s always somebody a little more Vin right around the corner, and you can bet your sorry ass they’ll be on to them by the time leg day rolls around.

So how do you separate yourself from all of the other available alpha males in your concrete jungle?

You try something so foreign, so alien–so unheard of—that she can’t help but be intrigued.

You be yourself.

Not the guy you think she wants.  You have no idea what the hell she wants.  You’re a man.

Not the guy with the biggest arms in the gym.  Trust me; you’re not the guy with the biggest arms in the gym.

Not the guy who never does cardio, but hops on the stationary bike beside hers everytime she gets on.   She knows you don’t do cardio.  You look like you don’t do cardio.

No, the magic is in not being creepy; not hounding her by the smoothie bar, not trying to get her attention by lifting something you have no business lifting.  (She can tell.)

The truth is, there is no set rule on where or when to make your move (—although when she’s grunting through a set of shoulders may not be the best time–) just that if you do, for God’s sake, be respectful.
Be honest.
Be yourself.

Hey guys!!!

I’m 11 weeks out today, and feeling pretty good. I came back from the Arnold Classic a little discouraged because I’d gained weight over the weekend (I blame it on myself…not anyone else. I USED TO have 0 willpower when it came to protein bars, not anymore).

Keep in mind, I was working at the Scivation booth all weekend, and we were SUPER busy selling gym bags and Vasocharge. I will give you an approximate breakdown  of what I ate over the course of the weekend (Friday – Sunday). I kid you not. What you are about to read is EXACTLY what I ate every single day. It totaled roughly 2000 calories, which is about my maintenance level, but ~250 -500 more than I am supposed to eat according to my CHA diet.

Breakfast:

Entrée size Garden Salad at Bob Evans
2 scoops Scivation Whey protein
2 ounces mixed nuts

Lunch AND Dinner

About 5-6 protein bars (Or ~2lbs of samples from the hundreds of booths)

Midnight Snack

Entrée size Garden salad at wherever Team Scivation was eating (Red Lobster, Bob Evans, Max & Erma’s)

So there you have it. I am human. I cheat. But as a good friend once told me, “It’s not about falling, it’s about getting back up.” I got back up Monday morning, cleaned up my diet, and haven’t looked back since.

As I told you last week, there are a couple things I want to talk about in this week’s installment of my OBF transformation series. First of all, I took my “BEFORE” pictures last week. If you check out my OBF journal,  I want to let you know in advance that this is NOT what you will see 11 weeks from now. You have my word.

I’m a little embarrassed by what you will see there.  I have, what we like to call in the competition realm “Post-Contest Blues”; it’s the SLIGHT depression that competitors feel because they’re no longer in contest shape. Yes, I understand that for a woman, it’s not necessarily healthy or ideal to maintain contest shape all year round, but I don’t see why that gives me permission to have gained 15 pounds since my last contest. I will touch more on “Maintaining your condition” in a later installment.

CARDIO

The first point I’d like to touch on is my cardio. I started off at 14 weeks out with 30 minutes, 4 times a week (ie. On weight training days), and High Intensity Interval Training 2 times a week (ie. Tuesdays and Thursdays). For my Steady State cardio, I usually keep my heart rate between 130 – 150bpm, which corresponds to about 65% - 85% of my max heart rate. I use a heart rate monitor most of the time when I’m doing cardio so that I can track how hard I’m working. For SS, I like to use the elliptical, the treadmill or the Stepmill. ANYTHING but the bike. I find that if I spend too much time on the bike, my legs either don’t get cut and stay the same size, or lose a little muscle and end up looking flat. So I avoid that kind of cardio whenever I can. My HIIT protocol involves 15 intervals of 15 seconds work and 45 seconds rest. I then cool down for 5 – 10 minutes at the end. Sometimes, I incorporate something called “TABATA” training instead of my HIIT. That’s when you perform an exercise at MAXIMAL INTENSITY for 20 seconds, then take a 10 second break. Then go another 20 seconds on, and 10 seconds off. You repeat this 8 times for a maximum of 4 minutes total. It’s an amazing way to get a great workout in if you’re pressed for time, but still want to exercise and accelerate your metabolism. As my weight loss plateaus, or if I start to gain, my trainer will increase my cardio as he sees fit.

My Phoenix Moment

I first read about “Pheonix Moment/Theory” from someone named  Chris Sugart. I will quote part of the article here, as I think it’s important for everyone to read. And I know for a fact (and I certainly hoep) that it will resonate with some, if not ALL, of you. It begins, “The pattern of success is clear. Regardless of their primary physique goal — rapid fat loss or massive muscle gain — those who ultimately succeed always begin the same way: They get pissed off.

That’s the first stage of what I call Phoenix Theory. In mythology, the phoenix (or Bennu bird) ends its life-cycle by bursting into flame. From its own ashes, the fiery bird is reborn. I’ve discovered that those who make jaw-dropping physical changes usually follow the same basic path. Their achievement leaves a trail, and you can follow it… if you dare. You see, with all great successes comes a dark side. The Phoenix Theory of body transformation involves four key stages:

1) A traumatic event leading to a sudden realization and awakening
2) Anger and a firm decision to change
3) The physical transformation itself
4) Continued progress fueled by fear of regression”

So basically, the premise is that you need an awakening (be it a rude comment from a co-worker, an objective look at your own reflection, a blood work profile gone awry, etc.) in order to be rebord, and refreshed so that you can truly tackle and OWN the task in front of you. I had my Phoenix Moment at 12 weeks out, and never looked back.

Looking to the Future

My weigh in this week went, more or less, as planned. I lost 1lb. Which isn’t bad, but I set my sights high on losing roughly 1.5 – 2lbs per week. So I asked my trainer if we could bump the cardio up a little, and we did. I’m now on 35 minutes steady state cardio 4x/week, and 2 HIIT days (15 intervals) 2x/week. The good news though, is that my skinfolds and measurements are down; which means that I am losing fat. When doing skinfolds, mere milimetres could mean the difference in a couple %-age points of bodyfat lost. So I know my body is going in the right direction, albeit a little slower than I’d like. I don’t know what my bodyfat percentage is exactly, but at this point, I would hazard a guess that I’m in the early – mid teens (maybe somewhere between 13 – 15%). I can see my abs and my quad cuts are starting to come though. I’m guessing 13 – 15% because the legs are usually a tough and stubborn place for women to lose bodyfat, so I know I’m starting to get lower.

In the next installment of this OBF series, I will talk about how to stay motivated, why we shouldn’t use the term “Weight Loss”, and why social support (like the Forums on bodybuilding.com) could mean the difference between a first place finish and a last place finish. As always, feel free to check out my online journal for daily updates, nutrition, workouts, and information! Jaim91’s journal: Here

Here are some videos of my workouts this week:

80lb Upright rows

12 pushups with 45lbs on my back

Rear Delt pulls with 60lbs/hand

Stay tuned for Part 5!

Check out this Press Release:

City Council Grants Celebrity Trainer’s Proclamation for Annual "Health and Fitness Day" in Los Angeles

The City Council recently granted Torchia’s proclamation to make August 1st an Annual Holiday called "Health and Fitness Day" in Los Angeles. He is also proposing that Congress makes it a National Holiday to unite Americans in the battle against obesity. There will be special guest appearances from renowned Doctors, fitness experts and bodybuilding champions.

Los Angeles, CA, June 02, 2009 –(PR.com)– Michael Torchia, founder of Operation Fitness is hosting a free health and fitness event at the Westwood Park in Los Angeles on August 1, 2009 from 10:00 am - 2:00pm. This event will offer free advice, classes and products for everyone in attendance. At this monumental event, Torchia will be launching his Shape Up America Campaign designed to help adults, children and even pets get healthy for their own benefit and for the lasting benefits that will strengthen the entire nation for generations to come. Torchia will be traveling across America with his team of health experts to inspire Americans to pursue healthier lives and encourage people to end the epidemic obesity in our country.

Torchia’s organization, Operation Fitness, will provide the crucial information that will help even the most stubborn and unmotivated Americans learn how to break their bad eating habits and become more physically active. The goal is to show people how they can create simple ways of working out, along with participating in stimulating activities at home, office, in a park or even in the wilderness. In addition, pet owners will learn innovative ways to get their pets in shape and on a healthy track with proper nutrition and sensible exercise.

Free health screenings, fitness demonstrations for children and adults, nutrition lectures, healthy cooking tips/food preparation, extreme athlete competition, obstacle course challenge, boxing classes and martial arts demonstrations, pilates and yoga classes, pet health/fitness seminars, dog obedience training, chair massages, protein bars and energy drinks will be offered by the sponsors. Attendees will learn how to become more confident, physically fit and establish life long healthy eating habits. In addition, Torchia will be offering a special lecture series and exercise demonstrations for the local law enforcement agencies and fire departments.

The event will be held at Westwood Park located at 1350 South Sepulveda Boulevard in Los Angeles.

For additional information on the Shape Up America Campaign, Operation Fitness or the event launching in Los Angeles, please call 800.933.8633 or visit www.operationfitness.com. For press opportunities, contact Rachelle Brehm/LRB Publicity 310-704-1357 or RachelleBrehm1@aol.com.

Competition Countdown Part 3!

Hey everyone!

As I write this, I’m 13 weeks out from the OBF Spring Spectacular, and one day away from my trip to the Arnold Classic. I should mention that I have all my food for the weekend packed, as I don’t want to take any chances at this point in the competition with not having the time to go grocery shopping for my diet. What IS my diet, you ask?

This is a great segue to introduce what I’m doing in terms of a nutrition plan for my competition.

I’m a Certified bonafide member of the “Carb Haters Anonymous” Club. I know I may receive some backlash for what I’m about to post, but you have to remember that I’ve been dieting for a while now (on and off), and I know what works best for my mind and my body. Yes, I’m 21, and yes, I have a fast metabolism and train hard. So in theory, carbohydrates WOULD BE an okay source of fuel for my body. However, when I’m using them to diet or bulk, I just don’t feel as lean or as energetic.  And so, the majority of my calories come from fats and proteins, with my only carb meal of the day coming from oatmeal post workout. See, carbs add up fast. We know that consuming 400grams of Fruity Pebbles cereal can be done in a heartbeat. This leads to the famous CRASH that occurs when your blood sugar drops after these carbs have come and gone out of your system. This is usually what causes people to have to nap after lunch at their desk at work.

I am one of those people.  I have read enough studies, and done enough self-experimentation to know that for me, Scivation’s CHA (Carb Haters Anonymous) diet provides the finest fuel for my body and mind. I’m about to use a cliché here, but bare with me for a second…For me, comparing carbs to fat for energy is kind of like comparing automobile gasoline. If carbs are 87 octane, then fats are racing fuel! While a racing car can probably run on 87 octane, it will not be running optimally. But on racing fuel, BOOM, pure SPEED AND POWER. The same goes for your fat burning and muscle building and preserving engine. Give it carbohydrates and it will surely run, but then it will CRASH! Give it HEALTHY fats, and you have yourself a lean, mean, fat burning and muscle building MACHINE! I want to be that lean, mean fat burning machine.

I should add, however, that I still consume an abundance of veggies (mostly broccoli, green beans and brussel sprouts) to get my vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. These veggies also help with the acid/base balance in my body, which I consider crucial for optimal health. Not to mention, they really help with satiation!

A typical day’s diet for me:

1600 Calorie Plan

Meal 1       4 Egg Whites
3 Whole DHA eggs
                35g protein, 15g fat

Meal 2 5 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef) or 1.66 Scoops Scivation Whey
               18 Almonds or 6tsp Peanut Butter or 3 oz Avocado or 3tsp Olive/Flax/Enova Oil
        ½ cup oatmeal OR 4 ounces sweet potatoe OR ½ cup brown rice
             35g protein, 15g fat, 30g carbs

Meal 3       5 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef) or 1.66 Scoops Scivation Whey
                18 Almonds or 6tsp Peanut Butter or 3 oz Avocado or 3tsp Olive/Flax/Enova Oil
             35g protein, 15g fat

Meal 4       5 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef) or 1.66 Scoops Scivation Whey
                18 Almonds or 6tsp Peanut Butter or 3 oz Avocado or 3tsp Olive/Flax/Enova Oil
             35g protein, 15g fat

Meal 5        5 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef) or 1.66 Scoops Scivation Whey
                18 Almonds or 6tsp Peanut Butter or 3 oz Avocado or 3tsp Olive/Flax/Enova Oil
             35g protein, 15g fat

Meal 6       5 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef) or 1.66 Scoops Scivation Whey
                18 Almonds or 6tsp Peanut Butter or 3 oz Avocado or 3tsp Olive/Flax/Enova Oil
             35g protein, 15g fat

***I add 3-6 servings of vegetables spread throughout as many meals as I want.

** Meal 2, where I add the carbs, is usually post workout; I  tend to work out in the morning. If I workout later in the day, then I just move the carbs around.

To prevent my metabolism from crashing, and to prevent a crash of leptin/increase in ghrelin, I incorporate a “reefed” meal once a week on Sunday nights. It consists of:

• 1. 1.5 cup steamed green beans or 12 oz asparagus = 15g carbohydrates
• 2. ½ cup oatmeal (measured dry then add water and microwave) = 30g carbohydrates
  2 tbsp raisins = 15g carbohydrates
• 12 almonds or 2 tsp Smart Balance Light butter spread - used in oatmeal = 10g fat
• 3. 8 oz yam or sweet potato = 60g carbohydrates
  2 tsp peanut butter or almond butter = 10g fat

So there you have my nutrition plan in a nutshell. Every Saturday, I sent my weight, measurement and pics to my trainer, who evaluates them, and determines what, if any, changes should be made to my training, nutrition or cardio protocols.

In the next part of the series, I’m going to talk about my cardio regimen and what motivates me inside and outside of the gym. Last night, I had something called my “Phoenix Moment”. In the next installment, I will introduce this concept to those of you who don’t know what it is, and how it could possibly change your life (OK, I may be exaggerating a little, but it will certainly be the kick in the butt you need to start being INWARDLY focused/driven, and get yourself aligned with your personal goals.)
Until then, please feel free to drop by my workout journal, and take a look at what I do, how I eat and what I train on a daily basis: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4701513

Jaime Filers Competition Countdown 4!

Competition Countdown Part 2!

Hey guys and gals!

I’m back with the second installment of my Road to the OBF Spring Spectacular competition. In the first installment, I gave you an introduction, told you a little bit about myself, where I come from, what I’m doing, and where I’m going. I also included some pictures describing my “journey” from anorexia to amateur level bodybuilder.

As of writing this piece, I’m exactly 14 weeks out and couldn’t be more pumped. The competition officially starts in 2 weeks, but I wanted to get a headstart on the dieting process because I haven’t trained or dieted “Contest Prep style” since my last show in November. So I decided to slowly start easing into it 2 weeks ago. The way I see it, is that this isn’t just a Transformation Challenge; it’s a competition. I’m not getting up in a posing suit against other competitors with Dream Tan and PAM, but I am trying to beat out at least a dozen other hardcore females who are probably working and dieting just as hard as me. So I don’t think there’s anything wrong with dieting a little longer, and trying to bring the best package I can. No one has ever been penalized for being TOO conditioned, right? Right?  *Fingers Crossed*

Training

I’m currently using the Antagonistic Training Sytem (A.T.S. for short), created by Derek Charlesbois. As I stated before, this is my second week on the plan, and I LOVE it so far. I will give you a little explanation of what A.T.S. involves. The norm when it comes to bodybuilding training is to focus on one main muscle group per workout; you know, people have chest day, back day, arm day, etc. In addition, working large muscle groups like back and chest together is often discouraged because people tend to think that you can’t stimulate one larger muscle group enough if it has to share time/volume with another. Contrary to this latter belief, Derek thinks working muscles with opposite actions (antagonists) together is a very productive way to train. What he means is not a super-set per se, but rather alternating between sets of antagonist muscle groups, resting between sets. For example, performing one set of bent over rows, resting one minute, performing one set of bench press, resting one minute, then start over, going back to bent over rows. Using this strategy of muscle pairing he created a workout program called The Antagonistic Training System (A.T.S.)

Utilizing A.T.S. not only saves you time in the gym by allowing you to work two muscle groups in the time it normally takes to work one muscle group, but studies say it may also increase your performance. While your back is working, your chest relaxes. And vice versa. So after a hard set of chest, your back will be somewhat more relaxed, and ready to lift a heavy load again.
For A.T.S. we are going to increase the number of sets per exercise each week just like on The Scivation Tri-Phase Training
Program:

Week 1 = 2 X 6-10

Week 2 = 3 X 6-10

Week 3 = 4 X 6-10

Week 4 = Start back over at 2 sets per exercise

Increasing the number of sets per exercise each week will challenge the body, leading to accelerated gains in muscle growth. In addition to increasing the number of sets per exercise each week, I will always strive to increase the weight/load you lift. This is another key factor to muscle growth. I will run the cycle for 6-9 weeks.

Monday- Back & Chest Antagonist Workout

Wednesday- Biceps & Triceps Antagonist Workout plus Forearms

Friday- Quadricep & Hamstring Antagonist Workout

Saturday- Delts & Traps/Mid-Back/Rear Delts Workout & Core

Jaime Filers Competition Countdown 3!

Introduction

What am I doing?

As of the writing of this article, I am 100 days-8 hours-58 minutes (Thank you, Facebook Countdown), from the Online Bodybuilding Federation’s Slamming Spring Spectacular Competition (www.obfbodybuilding.com). The competition officially starts March 9 – 13, and ends May 31 – June 3. There are two categories “Bulking” and “Transformation”. I will be entered into the Female Transformation category, as I’m planning a serious, 14.5 week cut. Contest prep style, ladies and gents. Just because I’m not getting up on a real stage doesn’t mean this isn’t a real competition. Quite the contrary. This is serious.

Why am I doing this?

Maybe you’ve thought about competing before. Maybe you’ve thought about taking your physique to the next level. Maybe you want to join the ranks for that 1% of people who take their weight training, dieting and cardio so seriously, that they want to show it off to the public by means of a competition. Or maybe you’re already a competitor, and you’re bitten by “The Bug.” I fall into the last category. I can’t get enough of the stage.

A Little History: Who Am I?

It’s ironic that the pastime that brought me to bodybuilding is the same past-time that
almost killed me 8 years ago.

In the year 2000, when I was 13, I was going through the same thing that most girls were
going through; body image issues, self-esteem issues, boy problems, puberty and all that
fun stuff. My problem was that the body image issues hit me harder than it did most girls. It went from counting calories, to restricting calories, to purging calories through exercise. It was an unhealthy lifestyle that consumed every iota of my being from the time I was 13 until I was 15.

For those 3 years, I was getting progressively smaller and smaller, but no one would say anything because I was still so young and the subject was
taboo. My mother and father begged me to eat, but I was genuinely scared of gaining an ounce. I weighed myself compulsively, and couldn’t walk past a mirror without checking myself out from the side to make sure I was smaller than the last time I looked.

At 15, it got to the point where I was hospitalized for 40 days in an inpatient unit and spent an additional two months at an outpatient clinic. I decided that 3 years of the illness was enough; I thought my demons were banished. Once I got out of hospital, I decided to take up weightlifting. I wanted to turn my new mass into muscle. Unfortunately, I had no
one to mentor me or teach me the rules of lifting. So I did what most women at my gym were doing…cardio.

Every morning at 5am, and every night at 7pm, I would sneak off to
the gym around the corner from my house because my parents didn’t want me burning any additional calories. I also exercised during my lunch hour at school.

Needless to say, it wasn’t the most constructive way to get through grade 11 and start off grade 12. It was in January that I started poking around on bodybuilding.com. I also had to start thinking about what I wanted to major in when I went to university in September. I found kinesiology. It was a match made in heaven. I could learn all day about physiology, anatomy, nutrition, Fitness Assessment and then graduate with a degree that made me a “Professional” Personal trainer. It was around the same time that my friends, who were now worrying about my health, started telling me how lean and small I was getting. Rather than taking this to heart and doing some productive about it, I took it as a compliment, and used it as fuel for my raging fire.

I decided to compete in a bodybuilding show in June of 2005, my graduating year. I was hard as rock and as lean as a twig. The mirror, which was NOT my friend at this point, had convinced me that I looked more like Jay Cutler than Kate Moss, and that it was my
destiny to shine on-stage. I was 5”7, 104 lbs and 5% bodyfat. I won that show, and unfortunately, was bitten by the competitive bug. I wanted more. So I went on to do 7 more shows in the course of 2 years.

It wasn’t until my last show in October of 2006 that I realized something was wrong; one of the highly respected judges, who had taken the effort to get my cell phone number from the contest promoter, called me to ask if I was O.K., and if I was eating. He told me I had amazing potential for this sport, but people couldn’t see past the frail looking girl
onstage. I just sat in my car with tears streaming down my face, because what I was doing finally hit me. My friends had abandoned me, my parents were scared that they were going to lose me and the sport that I loved didn’t have a place for me anymore. It was time to make a change, for real this time. I promised myself that I would not compete for as long as it took to get myself healthy.

I started on a long and arduous journey, otherwise known as, a bulk. From October of 2006 to July of 2008 I ate an average of 3000 calories a day, mostly coming from clean carbs like oatmeal and sweet-potatoes, and complete protein sources like ground beef and
chicken. I subsequently went from my lowest weight of 96 pounds, with 4% bodyfat, to 65 pounds with 16% bodyfat. I was still relatively lean, but nowhere near where I wanted to be for a competition. It was time to enlist the help of professionals who knew that they were doing.

The Derek Charlesbois section in the bodybuilding.com forums always struck me as something like an Elite club of friends. Everyone was so helpful, encouraging and
dedicated, I was almost scared to approach them, but I did, because I knew that Team Scivation was the best, and I needed the best. Within weeks of my working with Derek, my physique was undergoing changes that I’d never have expected. I couldn’t stop talking about how happy I was to be working with such a solid, genuine Team. I competed in my first show in 2 years at a LEAN 138lbs with 8 – 10% bodyfat.

Jaime Filers Competition Countdown 2!

JNL’s 8 F’s That Equal and A+ In Weight Training
By: Jennifer Nicole Lee,
Fitness Expert & Author
Miss Bikini America 2005, Miss Muscle and Fitness
http://www.FitnessModelProgram.com

Welcome to my 8 F’s that equal an A in weight training! Here are the tips and the tools to build sleek and sexy mind blowing muscle! Let’s first start off with the type of program that I follow, and that I highly suggest you to follow too. I prefer the “2 days on, 1 day off, 2 days on, 2 days off” weekly split.

Let’s look at a weekly calendar. I usually start my weight training split program on Monday, since I have already designated Sunday off as a rest day for me. Monday is most likely my “Lower Body/Leg Day” (Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Inner and Outer thigh, and Calves). I have coined this day as “Puke Day” as it’s usually a pretty intense day, as I go in to my workout with tons of dedication, passion, and a lot of energy. My Monday Lower Body Workout is very challenging, yet I am able to complete it since I have made the wise strategic choice of relaxing on Sunday giving my body and mind a recharging rest. Plus I love challenging workouts. I perform my weight routine for about 45 minutes, and then I tag on about 20 minutes of cardio after my workout. Its been scientifically proven that if you perform your cardio after your weight routine, rather than before, you will be working out smarter not harder. If your motivation is to gain strength and size, you will perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps. but if you have mature muscle mass, and have the goals of building endurance, then aim at higher reps, such as 3 sets of 17 to 21 reps. now let’s looks at Tuesday is another weight training day. Tuesday will be your upper body day (Shoulders and biceps), again a 45 minute circuit, with 20 minutes of cardio afterwards. Wednesday will be your Abs and then”Fun Cardio Day, where you choose your cardio of choice (ideas can be Stair Master, any cardio of your preference, elliptical machine, spinning class, cardio kickboxing class). Make sure you perform abs first and then cardio, as this will help trigger your core even while you do cardio. The objective with your “Fun Cardio Day” is to get your heart in its target heart rate zone. Moving onto Thursday, you will be working your Chest and Tris. Friday is a very tasking workout, since it is back. Saturday is another Abs and “Fun Cardio Day”, and Sunday is my weekly rest day.

(You can graphically Insert weight training calendar here, as shown below)

Monday-Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Inner and Outer thigh, and Calves
Tuesday-Shoulders and biceps
Wednesday-Abs & then “Fun Cardio Day”
Thursday-Chest and Tris
Friday-Back
Saturday-Abs and “Fun Cardio Day”
Sunday-Active Rest Day (Fun active day such as swimming, or going to the mall to walk around or take my sons to the park or beach).

JNL’S 8 F’S THAT EQUAL AN A+ IN WEIGHT TRAINING

Now lets take a closer look at my 8 F’s that equal an A in weight training below, and will also give you that Fitness Model body that you have always wanted!

1.FAITH- Faith is a powerful word! Remember the saying that “Faith without works is Dead”? It’s so true! Before you even start working, you MUST have faith! It’s the seed that is planted in your brain, telling that you can do it, even if you have never weight trained before. I urge everyone who has a transformation before them, to take their BEFORE photo, to use this as fuel to their faith! This before photo will be used as a catalyst to move you forward, as this is your soon to be past! Then take a photo of someone that you want to look like, and then use this as a “faith” tool to show you that they did it, and you can too! You must have this unwavering faith in yourself to create the mind blowing muscle that you deserve! And I have always said that “success leaves clues”, so if you see someone who has the body that you want, reach out to them and get their success clues!

2.FOCUS-You must use your power of focus when you are training, and always focusing on your goals and objectives! This mental tool must be used when you start your program. Focuses means so many things, but most importantly focus on the movement. Understand that nothing else exists at this moment when you are training, except for the movement itself. Put all issues and ideas on hold while you are training, and focus on your muscle being uses, your on your deep breathing, and focus on you! Forget about your bills; forget about the mellow drama that comes into your life every day! The power of razor sharp focus will give you results! Visually focus while you train also. Find a visual spot to “mark” your eyes with it. Find a visual, core spot to lock your eyes onto. If you doing lunges and you got a lot of weight on your body, you must keep your eyes up on one spot to keep you in balance and strong in your move. When the weight is challenging, use your power of focus to “pull it out of a hat” just like a magician pulls a rabbit out of thin air! When you focus, you are able to conjure up strength that is inside of you!

There is nothing but dirt on the floor, so never look on the ground! Rather keep your focus on a spot to “draw” you to your end goal. Ballerinas call it “spotting”. Her body spins first and then she whips her head around lastly, allowing her to perform 20 plus spins in a row, without getting dizzy. This is just not coincidence, but a science! There is a science to weight training, and one must respect weight training to get you the results that you want and deserve. And remember, when you train at home, or at the gym, it’s not “Happy Hour”, gossip time with your friend, but rather an allotted time to give yourself the best gift ever, the gift of exercise.

3.FORM-Proper form is essential when training. It will deter and prevent any injury, and you can use your “Super Woman” or “Super Man” walk. This is the proper form of standing-Keep your chest up, abs in tight, slight curve in your lower back, chin up and head held high. Then picture an imaginary cape off of your back flying in the wind! This proper form is critical in making sure you don’t injure yourself. It’s also vital in making sure you execute the exercise correctly. Form is also so important because it won’t allow you to cheat! Don’t use your momentum, but rather your muscles. There should never be yanking of the weights, moving fast and jerky movements. Make sure you use this success principle of form.

4.FULL RANGE OF MOTION-This means that you will go from Point A to Point B all the way through the motion of the move without cheating yourself. When you use your full range of motion, your muscles will positively respond and grow, and get rock hard and strong! To get a fitness model body, you must execute full range of motion in all workouts. All fitnes s models know how to work out the right way, and now, so do you!

5. FIGHT-I like to say “If it isn’t worth fighting for, then it isn’t worth it at all!” You may be tired, intimidated, or suffering from some personal strife; however, you must fight for your workouts and never give up! Fight for your right to be fit! You will have to even at times fight for that last rep! You all are weight training warriors and that you must fight for what you want in life, and fight for that last rep in! Fight for those last couple of reps, this is actually when you are doing your muscles the greatest good! Don’t give in, but rather fight for them, and bring them home! And all of you are fighters, or you would not be reading this! So fight and earn your muscle by never giving up in your workouts. Some of the most invaluable, priceless things in life you have to fight for them, including the priceless gift of building mind blowing muscle! I believe us warriors in life, resonate on the same “membrane” in this life, so if you are reading this, you are a fighter!

6. FORCEFUL-In order to hold your own in the weight room and in a challenging weight training workout, you MUST be forceful! You have to have a bold attitude when you workout, or you wont be able to take your physique to the next level. Be forceful in your energy, focus, and personality, and demand the respect that you need and deserve! When you walk into that weight room, you must walk in with vengeance! Name it and claim it! Have “balls”, as some will call it, yet be cordial. If someone is hogging the equipment, be forceful and ask to “work in” with them. Be almost a maniac on a mission and don’t be afraid to be aggressive and forceful, making sure you get what YOU need to be accomplished in your workout. You have to also be ambitious with integrity. Especially if you are a woman, and you are most likely one of a few in the weight room, while all the other women are hooked on the “mind-less, non-thinking” workout of cardio. “Cardio Queens” who do an hour on the bike and then an hour on the stair master are skinny fat people. You don’t have to have a big personality or a big “I can do it” attitude to do cardio, because they don’t know what to do in the weight room, as they are intimidated and play it safe on the cardio machines. Lose and burn off the muscle tone, kill your metabolism, and over train only to get upset not to see results. Be forceful and tell yourselves that you deserve that sleek and sexy feminine muscle tone. And if you need help, ask for it! I can tell you that the men in the weight room will be more than happy to help you rerack your weights and spot you.

And we all have seen “Star Wars”. Remember when Yoda was training Luke to “have the force” and to learn how to use it? Well, he said “Luke, you are TRYING! There is NO TRYING! Trying doesn’t exist! Either you do or you don’t!” So I urge you to DO it, and don’t try to do it! And being forceful is one way to make sure that YOU DO IT! And just like Yoda said “May the force be with you!” Be forceful and you will make your muscle happen.

7. FREEDOM-A lot of you might say that weight training is so difficult and I don’t know where to start or what to do? However once you get the information that you need, and you unlock the mysterious world of weight training, either by a coach, trainer or a consult with me at www.clubjnl.com, you will enjoy working with a top success turn around coach and also a life coach, giving you MORE freedom! It’s actually about working out smarter, not harder, and doing less to achieve more! My 45 minute weight training workouts are FAR better than 2 hours of cardio. Don’t confuse a lot of activity to equal results! When you train with weights, you will actually have more free time to spend with your friends and family, because you will be working out less and getting more results! Freedom comes from utilizing efficient and effective workouts to build muscle! I burn more fat and build more sleek and sexy feminine muscle tone in 45 minutes with weights than even doing any type of cardio. Plus you will not only be LOSING weight, but will be GAINING energy, stamina and endurance! I can even move my own furniture without calling my husband to help me. And guess what! Weight training is FREE! You don’t need an expensive gym membership, or a “glorified counter” who calls himself a trainier! All you need to do is lean on your own understanding, as I am sure you know a lot more than you think you do!

And now last and the most important F of all time that equals in an in weight training…

8.FINISH!-You must make sure that you never give up, and finish your program! Finishing is the most important F of the entire program is so vital because you must finish and “cross over that finish line!” I love the old saying that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, because it tells me that this masterpiece didn’t happen over night, but it was built! It’s not about being perfect, but more about being persistent! Don’t give up or give in too early. Fitness and weight training is not a one time event. You don’t go to the gym once and then are fit for the rest of your life. Rather, weight training is a journey, a journey to be enjoyed! Weight training has so many benefits! You will be building mind blowing muscle, increasing your bone density, look great, feel terrific, and it’s excellent for boosting your metabolism and increasing your confidence! So remember, FINISH AND FINISH STRONG! And aim to follow the BSN motto of “FINISH FIRST”!

I know that all of you enjoyed my article on my “JNL’s 8 F’s that Equal an A in Weight Training!” I appreciate all of you! And remember we all have one life to live. But if we live it right, one time is enough! So go and amaze yourself!

One Love-World Wide,

Jennifer Nicole Lee
International Fitness Celebrity
www.JenniferNicoleLee.com

I know what your probably thinking but before you write it off as a joke check out the article by Marie Spano from Bodybuilding.com.

It goes without saying that plenty of people are looking for a job right now. But, there are also many places looking for good people to hire. If you don’t believe that then that’s the first hurdle you must overcome. Your second step is landing that job of your dreams. Bodybuilding will help take you there.

[ Read the whole article here ]