gracie331’s BodyBlog

Hi David,

I’ve been dieting for about a year and a half now, I’ve lost 70lbs but over the summer I gained back 18 of those lbs due to injuries but im back on it and have lost back 12lbs of the 18lbs. I’m 6’1″ 240lbs. I was just wondering, I’m on my way to getting in much better shape, I’ve still got man titties and some love handles but I hit the gym 5 days a week and my diet is VERY good diet that works real well. The question that I had was since I do have some fat still on my body (I’m at about 24% bf). What are some good excersizes for Chest/Biceps/triceps/shoulders/back that I can do to build up some lean muscle. I’ve always felt lost in the gym b/c it never feels like I’m doing the right stuff. I’ve always gone by the saying “if it doesn’t feel like I’ve been rolling boulders for 5 hours then I haven’t worked my hardest.”

Also, when doing muscle groups, is it important to go to a stretch with the muscle then at the peak of the set contract the muscle to focus it?

Thanks man, any help would be awesome

Hi Cody,

What I would suggest you do is the following twice a week, assuming you train these body parts separate from one another in the following split. On chest/shoulders/triceps day do:

1. Chest dumbbell bench presses (with a deep stretch) supersetted with side laterals for shoulders (4 sets of 8 to 12)

2. Incline barbell presses supersetted with standing dumbbell presses (3 sets of 8 to 12)

3. Giant set: Press ups supersetted with triceps dips and close grip bench presses (3 sets of 15 to 20) - use the lighter weight and go for the burn

On back and biceps day do

1. Close grip pulldowns supersetted with alternate dumbbell biceps curls (4 sets of 8 to 12)

2. Chin ups supersetted with hammer curls (3 sets of 8 to 12)

3. Bent over dumbell rows supersetted with standing barbell curls (3 sets of 15 to 20) - use lighter weight and go for the burn.

With all exercises aim for a deep stretch while controlling the weight under tension, and squeeze the weight into a full contraction. No half reps, no cheat reps.

With all exercises aim to increase the weight from session to session and aim for the pump.

Drink plenty of water throughout each training session and be sure to consume a whey protein shake combined with some simple carbs (like dextrose) directly after training

All the very best

David

> > hi david i read a lot of your articles off bodybuiding.com and since > you are very knowledgeable in the field of fitness i am coming to you > asking advice. i am a long time powerlifter competing for team nj. > stopped roughly 4 years ago while in my third year of college and > never went back to it. started up again as of recently when pro > fighting caught my eye as a much harder sport to train for. due to > college, bad relationships, general uncertainty in what i wanted to do > in life [as im sure many people go through at that age], plus going > into the navy i can say that there was a low level amount of tension > for a long time. > > my question to you is, that’s a long time to be under tension, ~4-5 > years, did i completely tear my body apart? are my testosterone levels > shot ? will i ever be as strong as i was ? will those test / strength > levels come back now that the tension is gone ? > > thank you for you time and attention > > an avid fan of your work, > > C

 Hi C

Thanks for your comments.

I think general tension like you experienced for this long can have a major impact on motivation levels, as well as physically. The body will respond well again once it has been allowed to rest and recover. Take 2-3 weeks off and do some active recovery type activities (play social sport or just walk every second day for around 45 minutes per session).

Once you get back to your training keep it short and intense (assuming you are natural) to stimulate testosterone production. Ensure you are getting plenty of beneficial fats (flax and fish oil, and nuts, olive oil (raw) and whole eggs) along with enough protein (at least 200 grams per day if you are over 200 pounds).

Now that your tension is gone your test levels will definitely come back. But remember to continue getting enough rest including at least 8 hours sleep per night (sleep will help restore both test and growth hormone).

Good luck

Mr. Robson, how are you?

My name is David Sura and I recently made to commitment, to myself, to get in the best shape that I can. Having come across your article on the 12-Week Transformation has been, by far, the best coincidence because it gave me a boost of self-confidence that I had lacked for a long time, and for that sir, I’m deeply grateful.

Ever since I stopped playing soccer, about 7 years ago, I’ve been chubby and I would say that since then I’ve been about 20 to 30 lbs. overweight. On Monday August 17th was my first day following your 12-week transformation workouts, nutrition, supplements, mind tips, etc. I have read each of your articles, related to the 12-week program transformation, twice already and just like anything in life, this will only be beneficial as long as I implement what I learn and understand from your articles.

I got all the supplements that you recommend, and I’ve mapped out each day of the week for the next 12 weeks according to your recommendations. I’m an Accountant by profession and so since I’m in an office all day, I have no difficulties in planning my meals and supplements during the week, or weekends for that matter.

I am 5′5″ and I weigh 164 lbs, and because of my height, my goal is to have more of a lean physique, rather than having the bodybuilder physique, please excuse if I mix-up my definitions. I realize, or maybe I don’t because I have never set out to sculpt my body as I have now, but at least from what I’ve read at bodybuidling.com, that in order to get “big”, if you will, you have to train for years, and combine diet and workouts with the right supplements.

My goal, which believe me, I know I can achieve with the right tools and guidance, is to have a body like http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/images/2006/bg72.jpg OR http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/images/2008/3_action_movie_workouts_b.jpg .

I know that I’m months away from my goal, but I would like to make sure that I’m headed in the right direction. Having said all of this, the only three questions I have for you are as follows:
<dir><dir>Are the supplements you recommended at http://bodybuilding.com/fun/robson_newyearguide3.htm the right ones for me?

Are the workout routines you recommended at http://bodybuilding.com/fun/robson_newyearguide1.htm the right ones I should follow?Are the nutrition meals you recommended at http://bodybuilding.com/fun/robson_newyearguide2.htm the ones I should follow?

I want to thank you in advance for any input you can give me on these questions. In the meantime, I will continue reading the articles on the website to learn a little more about the body, nutrition, supplements etc.

I’ve just taken a couple of pictures to have a before and after comparison, so I might be sharing my story at bodybuilding.com in a few months.

Best Regards,

DA

</dir></dir>Hi D…

You are 100 percent correct. There is nothing to stop you, or anyone else, from achieving bodybuilding success. All it really takes is a complete commitment, and the right information. There will always be mistakes made along with way, but if you keep on track success will inevitably be yours.

The transformation plan you are embarking on - all components, including diet, training and supplementation - has helped many people build muscle and strip fat in line with their genetic potential. Considering you are 20-30 poujnds overweight I would recommend you include an additional one hour of cardio training (broken into three 20 minutes sessions per week) in your plan. Do this in the evening after training, or attach it to your morning sessions. Once you have shed your unwanted fat weight, reduce cardio back to what is outlined in the transformation plan. The combination of diet, weight training and cardio coupled with a consistent approach to ensuring all four are targeted in line with this transformation plan will guarantee success. All the very best to you.

Hi David,

In reading all the nutrition articles and how many carbs are needed to go along with protein, I am finding myself in a tuff spot.

I have let my body get somewhat out of sorts and after reading the 12 week transformation article on the website I have decided to give it a go and get myself back into shape. My question is this ; I am a 37 year old male, 5’ 11″ and weigh 211, I am also a diabetic. Being a diabetic I really have to watch my carb intake and all the articles I read require way to many carbs for a person in my position. How do I go about getting everything I need to help my body but not intake the number of carbs required?

Hi …

To ensure you make progress with this plan, and stay healthy, I would recommend you have your blood sugar levels measured regularly while eating sufficient carbs for energy purposes (and nothing more). To pack on pure muscle size, while losing fat, you will need to consume high protein foods as specified. In your case, cut all high sugar carbs such as fruits and emphasize high fiber, low glycemic carbs (brown rice, broccoli and whole wheat bread) in moderation (around 30-40 percent of your daily diet plan). Ensure your vitamin/mineral balance is adequate with the inclusion of supplements, as outlined in the plan. Again, continue to measure your blood glucose to determine whether you have enough carbs to train on, while staying within healthy parameters. You might also wish to increase your cardio component to burn through any excess carbs (as certain percentage of carbs will be used during cardio), while improving your circulation, which can also keep diabetes related complications at bay. Good luck.

Hi Dave,
Let me start by saying i love your articles!

I’m not a newbie, i have a pretty good knowledge about bodybuilding, however there is one question that i cant get a proper answer for.
I hear different things from different people and contradictions in articles, magazines, etc.

My question is about reps.
High reps vs. low reps
What does each do?
Does low reps make you stronger and bigger, or does high reps make you stronger and bigger?

Personally i want to get a lot bigger and stronger before i consider competing. I believe that if i’m able lift the weights that ronnie does then i should be able get that big!!(nearly!)

Its the one thing about training that bugs me.

Do you know any articles that you could link me to that would explain, or can you explain?

My friends always come to me for advise and they all have different goals.

Bigger and stronger for football
Bigger muscles for vanity purposes
bodybuilding… powerlifting!!!

Please Help…

Thank you,

Justin

Hi Justin,

There are many articles written on the various rep ranges and what they do. You are correct in saying that there are lots of different perspectives on this issue. In my experience in training many people I would say that a so-called moderate rep range of between eight and 12 is best for muscle hypertrophy (the growth of the individual muscle fibers). The key here is to maximize all of these reps through a full range of motion and contract hard at the top of each rep. The 12th rep should be almost impossible to achieve. Lower reps (less than six) in my experience do tend to build more power but don’t do a lot to fully tax the muscles to cause overall growth and full development, although they will build a degree of size. Power lifters for example tend to have certain strong body parts but in general are not complete from a body part perspective. High reps (over 15) do not really build size but can be good for intensity purposes; for example, following a heavy set of eight to 12 lower the weight and do a very light set of 15 to 25. Bottom line: to build size for bodybuilding purposes stick with a rep range of eight to 12 and use a weight that is heavy enough to cause failure on the 12th rep. Good luck! Work hard!

David

Hey David,

I was just on your site, Bodybuilding.com, reading about ab workouts. I am 16 years old and am interested in getting a strong core and a six-pack. I read on your site that its bad to workout your abs every day because it will actually make your ab muscles weaker? So how often should I work out my abs? Also, i know that the one key to perfect abs is losing body-fat. I am about 5′10, and weigh about 155 pounds. Is the best way to burn body fat cardio? And if so, what kind of cardio? I have a workout bike in my basement that i ride, but is there a better, faster way to burn body fat?

Thank you for all your information on your site, and thank you for your time.

Thanks,
Gabe

Hi Gabe,

I recommend you work your abs three times a week with three sets of swiss Ball crunches and three sets of hangin or machine leg raises. Do not overdo it. This will be to carve definition into the abs as you do not want to build them too big as they will distort the rest of the physique.

It also sounds to me that you need to build more muscle. this will definitely help you with any fat loss. I have cut way back on my cardio of late and have increased the intensity of all of my weight training workouts. Cardio is now twice a week for 25 minutes each time. Eat loads of protein and good clean calories and train hard. build your muscle and you will lose the weight as any additional muscle will also burn fat.