Strength and Physique

Q: "Hello my name is J. L., and I read an article with your name and your skills. I have a question: I was a police officer in PA, and I was released from the department, because I failed my 1.5 mile run. I am a stocky guy and running was never my favorite thing to do. Now I am going for another department, and of course I have to run.

“Do you have any advice on what I can do to improve my run? I’m currently running a 9 minute and 30 second mile. And I have to run a 12 minute 1.5 mile. I run every other day and do strength training, and I am getting no where to achieve my running goal.”

JL

My Answer: I’m not the running expert. My fortes lie in strength training and in bodybuilding. If you’re stocky, however, then you should really focus on losing some weight and dieting. Go on a vegetarian diet. If you have the discipline, then go on a vegan diet. Lose the weight training and just focus on running.

I know this runs counter to my usual training and diet advice, but most people ask me about how to gain muscle. Your focus should be fat loss to better your running time and vegetarianism to improve your cardiovascular health.

By the way, I think we should pay our respects to 4 recently fallen officers. I’m sure you’ve all heard about the Oakland Police Officers killed in the line of duty. This is a somber reminder that we should take of our health and maintain our skills as peace officers.

 
Q: “I am a 30 year old ectomorph trying to gain weight (muscle). Your new book (good read) contains the article on lifting for ectomorphs. I have tried every workout under the sun and have gained some muscle but not a ton. I have been lifting for about 10 years and would say I am definitely an intermediate if not advanced weight lifter. If doing the ‘lifting for ectomorphs’ routine first, when is the right time to go to the main workout in your book”>book (T-Boost, etc)? When is the right time to say the ectomorph routine is not working? Thanks for your time.”

-JS

My Answer: The right time to transition from the 10-8-6-15 program to the SPV2 program is when you are no longer making any gains in size and strength. Be warned: switching from the 10-8-6-15 program to the SPV2 program is like switching from a tricycle to a Ninja motorcycle: you better hang on, because you’re in for one hell of a ride. Most people don’t push themselves in training. The SPV2 program will push you to your limits.

Q: “I will try and make this as quick as possible. First I have a BS Degree in Nutrition and Food Science. I am now on disability due to a CNS disease, but to keep it simple is ataxia (many different symptoms and levels of progression) no cure.

“I have loved weight lifting for 20 or more years (41 now). In 2005 and 2006 I had 2separate back surgeries: L4 L-5 area herniated discs. It blew out again July 2007, then 2 more times on December 24, 2007 and then July 2008 (July seems to be a bad month).

“I do have a 3rd surgery scheduled tentatively (a fusion this time) in May. I still lift: chest 1 day, biceps 1 day and triceps 1 day. I am going back for a final visit the 15th of April with the neurosurgeon. Maybe to delay and see if I could go about 3 months longer and see a physical therapist to see what leg and abdominal exercises I could train before surgery that may help with a quicker recovery.

“I cannot lift super heavy maybe ever again, but at 6 feet I stay at 180 to 185 at most. If you were giving advice on this what might you suggest? The ataxia does limit certain lifting that requires balance, because ataxia messes with the motor skills section of the brain. Sorry for the length of the email.”

-Ryan Milton

My Answer: That’s a real tough situation to be in, Ryan. If you’re seeing a physical therapist, then go with what your PT tells you as far as exercise. When you’re training, you’re training to maintain your proprioceptive abilities and to prevent muscular atrophy. So I would avoid free weight exercises that would put you in a precarious position (squats being an obvious example). A combination of bodyweight exercises (for proprioception) and machines (for hypertrophy) would be the way I would go. Plus you may want to include some upper back work to balance out your chest and avoid postural problems, which would aggravate the effects of ataxia.

Q: “I’m Waqas. I’m 30 years old. I’ve been exercising for the last year. I need to improve my chest, so please send me details on how to improve my chest. I will be very thankful to you.”

Regards
Ammed Waqas

My Answer: Buy my first book Strength and Physique Volume One and Amazon will send you details on how to improve your chest. Once you do that, then I will be very thankful to you.

Q: “I found your workout plan for ectomorphs on Bodybuilding.com a few months ago (Hypertrophy Training for the Ectomorph- The 10-8-6-15 Program), and it has really worked wonders for me. I am not sure that I am a complete Ecto, but I am 6′4″ and have always been somewhat of a hard gainer.

“After a few months following the plan in the article, I have seen tremendous results. My question for you is whether or not I should switch up the workout every 12 or so weeks, or should I just stick with the plan as it is? I am sure you are quite busy, but I was hoping that you might have the time for some feedback.

“I also just wanted to thank you for the helpful program. When I first found the article, I was a bit skeptical, and it took something of a leap of faith to switch from my 5-6 day a week super intense workout regimen, to the program you suggested. I am glad that I did. Also, the 3 day a week workout cycle is a lot more practical for my life schedule. Well, thanks a lot.”

Sincerely,
Mike Brown

My Answer: I’m glad you took a leap of faith, Mike. When I wrote the Hypertrophy Training for Ectomorph article, I knew I was addressing a major need among bodybuilding enthusiasts, but even I was surprised at the reader response to the article. Of all my articles, this one is the most popular. It just goes to show you that all things being equal, the best program is often the simplest.

To answer your question, stick with the program for as long as you are making progress. Twelve weeks, however, is a very long time, so do switch to a different program at the end of that time period.

Q: "I’m just wondering which program of yours is the best for mass muscle gains. I’ve been doing your Mass/Muscularity program on Bodybuilding.com, but I was thinking maybe the Shotgun Method would be better. Which would be the best for gains in muscle mass?”

Thanks,
Craig

My Answer: They’re both good mass building programs, but how you connect the 2 programs will amplify the effects of these programs even more. You’re starting off with the Post-Exhaust program and then switching to the Shotgun Method, but it should really be the other way around: 2-3 weeks of the Shotgun Method followed by 3 weeks of the Post-Exhaust program. This sequencing of programs is much better and will take advantage of the “backcycling” strategy found in Strength and Physique Volume 2.

Q: “I’m currently training with Singapore’s national squad and am hoping to eventually wear my national colours. However I’m curious, as a weightlifter, how can I move up a weight class? Assuming off-season training is 3X a week, in your opinion can I mix in any hypertrophy work?”

Regards,
Nigel

My Answer: Yes, during your off-season you can certainly add hypertrophy work. There are a couple of ways you can do this:

1) You can use my Shotgun Method. For Shotgun Days, practice your compulsory lifts (snatch, clean and jerk) and assistance lifts (front squats, Romanian deadlifts, etc.)

On your Troubleshooting Days, do some hypertrophy work. So during the week, you’ll do 2 Olympic weightlifting workouts (one heavy, one light) and 2 bodybuilding workouts.

2) If you can only do 3 workouts a week, then do the Olympic lifts at the beginning of the workouts, and then follow up with hypertrophy work. Just make sure you don’t go beyond an hour.

Q: “Thanks for the workout on Bodybuilding.com for LEO’s. Are the first 2 weeks a 4 day workout? You listed 4 workouts: should they be rotated on a daily basis?”

Thanks,
Dan

My Answer: Yep, you rotate through all 4 workouts throughout the week. Go from Week 2 straight to Week 4. There is no Week 3.

Q: “Hi there James! My name is Henry, and I am your classic hardgainer. I’ve been following the 10-8-6-15 routine, and it is finally time for a new one. I’ve been reading on your site about the 5×5 routine with a two day split, and it looks like what I need, but can you elaborate on that training regimen, say providing a sample week? Your articles are great as always James and any help at all is appreciated, Thanks!”

My Answer: The 5×5 program is pretty straightforward, Jacob. Plug in your exercises to these parameters: 5 sets of 5 reps with 90 seconds of rest between sets. Choose one exercise per body part. Follow a 2 day split, hitting each muscle group twice a week.

Q: "Hi James! I wrote you back on November 22, 2008 about the Ectomorph Training regimen. I’ve been using it since then, and I have been seeing some great results. As of late though, my gains have been minimal, and I think it might be time to switch to a new plan unfortunately! What kind of plan can you recommend that is different [from] Vince Gironda’s?”

Thanks James,
-Jay

My Answer: Well if you’ve been doing the program since November of last year, then of course your gains will slow down. Jeez, you’ve been using it for 3 and 1/2 months! I answered this before: switch to the 5×5 program with 90 seconds of rest between sets. Choose one exercise per body part. Follow a 2 day split, hitting each muscle group twice a week.

Q: “I am planning to start a conditioning program, but I am uncertain on the proper approach and way to begin. I am seeking advice as to formulating a program that increases muscle mass while losing fat. What kind of diet should I be looking into, and what sort of training should I be commencing?”

Regards,
Lester Lai

My Answer: You want your cake and eat it too, huh? If you want it all, then you’re going to have to give it your all. No compromised effort in training, no half-hearted attempts at dieting. Try the Strength Training for Fat Loss program and do your homework on dieting: Getting Big Without Getting Fat

Q: “I would like to ask regarding on body workout: how many hours of sleep do I need? Is there any possible negative effect if you workout then sleep only in just 4-5 hours a day? Hope you could give me answer to this. Thank you.”

Best Regards,
Kjmalc

My Answer: Yes there are negative effects to lack of sleep. For one thing, you won’t gain as much muscle mass as you would with a full night’s rest. Your muscle growth, mental clarity and mood stability are compromised, because you’re not allowing for full recovery. If you can’t get a full 8-9 hours in one continuous block, then take another 4-5 hour nap some other time.

I find that I often wake up 5 hours into my sleep. If I can’t get back to sleep, then I’ll get up and do stuff and have something to eat if I’m hungry. Just go with the flow and with what your body is telling you.

"I’m having lots of problems losing weight. I love to exercise and do jiu-jitsu, but the problem is that I love to eat. I’ve tried as you suggested eating animal proteins and lots of greens, but I end up eating too much of that stuff and eventually lead to eating carbs. What are your suggestions for modifying my taste? I’ve tried for years to lose weight by eating less and have been succesful on few occasions, but I eventually end up gaining the weight back very quickly usually through eating things like chips and fries."

Thank you,
Mike

My Answer: How to eliminate cravings, you ask? That is always going to be a problem. Frankly, there is no clear cut solution. If there was, then we wouldn’t have so many people choosing to eat crap all the time.

The thing is that we all have these cravings for high calorie foods, because it’s part of our evolutionary biology. Our ancestors hunted and gathered their food, and because they ate wild animals, the meat was naturally lean. Being prey or predator makes you pretty lean, because you’re stressed and running around all the time.

Plus, there aren’t as many carbs in nature as there are in the modern day supermarket. Orange juice didn’t come in cartons hanging on trees. Back in ancient times, orange juice came in an orange.

So when our ancestors came across high fat, high carb sources, they went crazy by feasting. High fat/high carb is so rare in nature, that your body wants as much of it as it can get. The problem is we still have cavemen biology, but in a world with a neverending supply of high calorie/high fat/high carb/low fiber foods.

So how do you eliminate these cravings? You can’t. I just told you that these cravings are essentially the product of hundreds of thousands of years of human evolution. What makes you think you can get rid of them forever in 20 minutes?

What you can do is to "mute" these cravings and eliminate opportunities for them to arise. Here’s what I suggest:

1) Quit watching so much damn TV. It’s rotting your brain, and plus those commercials for fast food are making you crave the bad stuff.

2) Get rid of all the junk food in your house. This way if you do get a craving at home, then you won’t be digging into those chips, because they’re not there. If you’re craving them bad enough that you head out to the store, then don’t drive. Walk or bike to the store. At least you would have burned some calories for the food.

3) Pack your lunch. You’re more likely to cheat if you eat out all the time. Packing your lunch means you also control what you eat, so eat clean.

4) Drink some green tea throughout the day, especially when you have a craving. Not only does green tea suppress appetite, but it numbs your taste buds as well.

5) Take a self-hypnosis course. Visualization helps in a lot of things, including appetite suppression, but you need to practice it often. Let’s take french fries for example. I like french fries myself. But what if there was a big gloppy turd covering those fries? Would you still want to eat fries? For that moment, you didn’t want fries. And the more you envision that foul crap oozing all over those fries, the more repulsed you are by fries in general, because I just planted that image in your head, and you can’t get it out now.

There’s more to visualization than that, but it has to be a very visceral experience for your mind in order for it to work.

Q: As an ectomorph who has trouble putting on muscle, it was great to find your article on Bodybuilding.com. I’m trying to follow the 10-8-6-15 program, but have a couple of questions:

1. Should you use the same weight for all four sets? Or can you start lighter, get heavier, and then go a bit lighter for the 15-rep set?

2. Will you get the same result using the Nautilus-like machines? Or should you really use free weights?

3. This might be a stupid question, but waiting even three minutes between sets feels like an eternity. Any suggestions?

I really appreciate your help.

Thanks,
Garrett Foster

My Answer- For the first 4 questions: No. Yes. No. Yes.

Now as far as rest periods, I do give some leeway. There is a reason for the three minute rest periods, but if 3 minutes is just way too long, then reduce it down to 2 minutes. That should quicken the pace of the workout without compromising too much on your nervous system recovery between sets.

Q: “Hi! I’m Rafael and I’ve read your Strength Training for Fat Loss article on Bodybuilding.com, and I must say it looks very promising. It reminds me of Bruce Lee’s strength training. Anyway I’m going to start doing the program you put up every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I was wondering what YOU reccommend for cardio on Tuesday and Thursday?

“I’m planning on doing 20-30 minutes of H.I.I.T. on the treadmill. You know, 5 minutes warm up then 20 second sprints alternated with 10 second jogs for a total of 12 minutes, followed by a 5 minute cooldown. Then followed by 15 minutes of hitting the heavy bag.

I’m just looking for some suggestions. I’m in great cardio shape, but I have stubborn belly fat that I’m trying to lose. I’ve lost over 60 pounds and still have this fkn belly fat that’s so hard to lose! That being I use to hit up a lot of keggers and what not.

“I hope to hear from you as I would greatly appreciate it! I hope you get to read this, and thanks for your time! Also I was thinking of at different times maybe putting in bench presses in the program. How many sets and reps would you recommend? Your program seems amazing that being I practice martial arts, so I don’t want to get bulky or bigger (not too much). Thanks again.”

Rafael Velazquez

My Answer: Congratulations on losing 60 pounds. That’s quite an accomplishment. With regards to cardio, high intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) followed by the heavy bag is fine. When it comes down to stubborn fat (like the abs and love handles), your diet needs to be clean and strict. That means no alcohol, no carbs except from vegetables.

Now as far as incorporating bench presses into the Bigger Engine program, simply substitute bench presses for pushups and perform 10-12 reps alternated with 10-12 reps of deadlifts.

Q: “James, thanks for your training wisdom. Yes, pullups for me is a problem. I have to do them at work hanging from a support beam. It’s tough. My fingers can’t go around the wood since it’s a beam, so I have to cup them on top, then pull myself up. It works, but it’s not easy. I still train at home, and at 57 I’m doing OK. I have to improvise a lot.

“Thanks again for your [updates].”
-Bruce

My Answer: Well Bruce, if you’re doing pull-ups on a support beam, then I say you’re doing good and kicking the asses of guys half your age. You got to work with what you got, and sometimes that’s better for you. In my starving student days, I used to workout at a playground, which had a 3 inch steel bar for kids to hang on. I did pull-ups on that. Scared a few soccer moms, made a few pint sized friends.

Even though it was initially difficult to do pull-ups because of the thickness of the bar, I kept doing it. So when I joined a gym and performed pull-ups on a pull-up tower with a regular one inch bar, it was easy. Right off the bat, I was doing three times the number of pull-ups that I had done on the thick bar.

So keep up the good work, Bruce. It’s hard work, but it’s good quality work.

Q: “How’s it going? I live in Canada, and I’ve been trying to find your new book SPV2: Neo-Classical Bodybuilding for some time now. Any ideas on where I may be able to pick it up?

“By the way, I’ve been using your program Hypertrophy Training for the Ectomorph for the past month and a half and have made some decent gains. On your blog you’ve suggested to another reader, after 3-6 weeks on the ectomorph program [that]he or she should switch it up to a 5×5 program. Would this 5×5 program be done 4 times a week instead of 3? Any suggestions or recomendations would be greatly appreciated.”

Thank you for your time,
Don

My Answer: Yep, switch to a 5×5 program with a 4 day a week routine. Be sure to hit each body part at least twice a week. Use completely different exercises from the pyramid program.

As far as my book, you can order it through Amazon.com.