Bicep Training Video

Hope that you enjoy this video.

Tom

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

www.facebook.com/FEATTraining

www.brookstonemassagetherapy.com

Make this the summer that the shirt comes off!

All you need is some focus, guts and determination.  Oh...and some wisdom.  Here are a few pearls of wisdom to help you get ready for summer:

Eat Healthy

Eat only fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and a little dairy.  No junk food.  No soft drinks.  No booze.  Eat a healthy satisfying breakfast every day. 

Bust Some Iron

Get to the gym and blast out a workout at least 4 times per week.  Be dedicated and tough on yourself.  Go to the gym when you're tired.  Get to the gym when your elbow hurts.  You want it? Pay for it.  Rep by rep.

Plan and Track

If you fail to plan: plan to fail.  Set some butch goals for yourself and establish realistic intermediate goals.  So...if you want to lose 20 pounds by July...break it down into 5 pound increments by set dates.  Weigh and measure yourself.  Reward yourself with a small (non-edible) treat if you think that will help.

See you at the beach!


Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

Tom

www.facebook.com\FEATTraining

Benefits of Massage

Brookstone Massage Therapy

 

Who doesn't love getting a good massage?  The fact that there are many tangible benefits to massage makes you feel even better about investing in this treatment.

 

 

Increased Lymphatic Return

 

Lymphatic system is sort of like the body's sewage system.  Lymph is extra-cellular fluid that would build up in your limbs and elsewhere if it didn't get re-cycled and processed.  Massage is one means of encouraging the healthy flow of lymph.



 

Combat Stress

Massage will help you to relax.  Relaxation means that you're combating stress.  Stress attacks your immune system and leaves you susceptible to illness.  Get a massage.  Relax.  Stay well.

Loosen Tight Muscles

Tight, restrictive muscles will cause painful imbalances and interfere will your everyday activities.  Those aches and pains that creep up on you may be easily remedied on a Massage Therapist's table.  One treatment can loosen a tight muscle which may be causing you a lot of pain.

Book a massage soon for all that it can do for you.

Tom

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

www.brookstonemassagetherapy.com

www.facebook.com\FEATTraining

What I Like about Personal Training

I started personal training in 2008 because I love helping people in the gym.  I grew-up with a passion for working-out and weight training.  I always read magazines like Flex and Musclemag.  I understand that most normal people don't cram their head full of exercise concepts.

I like the idea of helping people get into better shape so that they have one less thing to worry about as they do something meaningful with their lives.  Physical fitness isn't the whole package but you don't want to limp around like a casualty when you're trying to help others.

Many people stick their head into the gym and see a confusing jungle of chrome and iron and shaved heads and tattoos.  My job as a personal trainer is to guide them through the gym and make sure that they get a good, safe, effective workout

I feel good when my clients tell me that they are more confident and stronger.  I know that the hard work they put in at the gym will pay off for them.

No matter what they do with their muscles

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

Tom

www.facebook.com\FEATTraining

Lateral X

What's This?

A couple of months ago this beauty showed-up at the Base Gym in Oromocto where I train.  I'm attracted to new fitness gear like a raccoon to a dumpster, so I jumped on to give it a spin. 

I loved it.  The first time that I used the Lateral X, my quads burned like mad within minutes.  By the second or third time I used this machine I had adjusted to it and was getting a really good cardio workout.  I wish that I had one at home because time flies when I'm on this.

Here's what makes the Lateral X cool:  the foot pedals move in a sideways elliptical motion.  Sort of like a skating stride.  And...you can adjust the width on a scale of 1-10. 


Pedals Wide

Not only does adjusting the pedal width keep one amused while doing what could otherwise be boring cardio but it hits different areas of the thighs/glutes.  I like to slowly cycle the machine through all widths.

Pedals Narrow

The degree of resistance is also variable and is adds nicely to the level of exertion.  I have some clients who hate this machine but most like it.  There are the usual semi-automated programs on the machine and I've played with a few of them but like having the full control that "manual" offers.

See if your gym has a Lateral X.  If not, let them know that you want one.  Maybe you'll get a set of Hammies like these:

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

Tom

www.facebook.com\FEATTraining

Training for Your First Bench Press Competition

Bench Press is one of the timeless tests of shear brute strength.  Entering a Bench Press competition in a Powerlifting competition is a great motivator to train and test yourself.

Rules

Check the local association's handbook for specific technical rules but here is a list of the more common basic rules that you should know.  Following these rules in your training will prevent bad surprises on the big day of the competition:

1.  Head and buttocks must stay the bench throughout the lift;

2.  Feet must stay flat on the floor throughout the lift;

3.  Spotters can help you get the bar off the rack;

4.  Referee will say "Start" when the bar is off the rack and steady at arms' length;

5.  When bar is still on chest/abdomen the Referee will say "Press";

6.  When you get it to full extension the Referee will say "Rack";

7.  Thumbs must be hooked around bar;

8.  There are specific technical rules for clothing and wraps (do your research);

9.  You can't lower the bar in the middle of your press;

10.  Typically, you will get 3 lifts several minutes apart.  Best one counts.


Training

Starting about 2 months out, really start to focus on your bench work.  You will do two Bench Press workouts per week, with at least 3 days in between to recover.  Day 1 is pure, technically-correct Bench Pressing with heavy weight.  Day 2 features lighter chest work with the exercises described below:

Floor Press

Set up the lower safety bars on the squat rack so that your arms are at approximately 90 degrees when you grasp the bar.  From there, press the bar to full extension.  Because this is not a full range of motion, it can help you work on your lockout. 

Chains

If you're lucky enough to find a pair of these chains in your gym you can use them to work on your bench press.  They just slip right onto the ends of the bar.

Benching with the chains is really cool.  When the bar is down low on your chest, there are lots of individual links resting on the floor.  As you raise the bar, with every inch or so, another link comes up off the floor, increasing the load you have to push.  The higher your bar goes, the heavier it gets.  Noisy fun.

Bands

Bands work sort of the same way as chains.  Rig up bands to some heavy dumbbells on the floor.  Loop the other end to the racked barbell.  You might have to play with different configurations to get the tension you need.

Bands will apply minimal tension when the bar is down on your chest but the higher you press, the more tension will be applied.  The dumbbells should be heavy enough that they don't move.  Band bench press is good for your lockout. 

Heavy Strict Bench Day (Day 1)

This is your heavy day when you use proper competition technique.
Get your training partners to spot you on this day if you can. 

Work on the fundamentals: 

1.  Pull shoulder blades together;

2.  Feet back tight but flat;

3.  Settle the bar for a couple of seconds on your chest;

4.  Wicked arch in your back;

5.  Pull elbows in as tight as you can;

6.  Visualize "bending the bar" toward your head;

7.  Press it up to full extension.

Nutrition

Keep your diet clean but generous.  Eat lots of complex carbs (ie oatmeal, veggies) alongside lean protein (ie chicken breast, beef).  Healthy fats also (ie nuts and seeds and cold water fish). Eat modest portions frequently through the day.  This isn't an excuse to get fat though.  There will be a weigh-in at the competition and generally the higher the weight category; the stronger your competition will be.  Protein and creatine supplements, as directed, will be fine during this program also.  Step on the scales every couple of days and wrap a measuring tape around your waist once a week to make sure that your gains are in  muscle, not fat.

Friends Don't Let Friends Skip Leg Day

Keep up with training the rest of your body while ramping-up for the bench press competition.  You may need to go a little lighter on non-bench days in order to focus your energy and recovery on your bench press progress.

Day 1 (The Heavy Day)

On Day 1, you'll do some decent warm-up sets like 3 sets of 8 with 40% of your max, then you will do one big nasty lift at approximately 90 - 102% of your max.  After that, you will do 5 sets of 3 with approximately 80 - 90% of your max.  You will go for a new max lift at Week 7 and then repeat the 7 Week cycle all over again with your new max if your competition is still in the future.  Here is a simple 7 week plan for build up for a competition:

Week 1  90% of max (1x1) then 80% of max (5x3)
Week 2  92% of max (1x1) then 82% of max (5x3)
Week 3  95% of max (1x1) then 85% of max (5x3)
Week 4  97% of max (1x1) then 90% of max (5x3)
Week 5  100% of max (1x1) then 85% of max (5x3)
Week 6  95% of max (1x1) then 85% of max (5x3)
Week 7 102% of max (1x1) then 80% of max (5x3)

Take 3-4 days off of bench work after this heavy Day 1.  Work on legs or back.  After 3-4 days you will be ready for Day 2 - the Light Chest Day:

Day 2 (Light Day)

On Day 2 you will do a good warm-up like you did on Day 1 but now you will do some other forms of bench pressing as follows:

Week 1  60% of max Floor Press (2x8)
Week 2  65% of max Chain or Band Bench Press (3x6)
Week 3  75% of max regular Bench Press (5x5)
Week 4  Incline Bench Press with Dumbbells (6x6)
Week 5  60% of max Floor Press (3x8)
Week 6  75% of max Chain/Band Bench Press (4x6)
Week 7  Incline Bench Press with Dumbbells (8x8)

The Taper

Give yourself about 4 days at least to rest and recover before the competition day.  You can you some really light maintenance work on legs or abs but rest your chest and delts and triceps before the competition.  Eat a good steady amount of carbs but go easy on salt since salt will make you retain water at the weigh-in.

Injuries

If you feel a muscle strain during your workout (feels like a sharp stabbing pain) stop immediately.  Ice the affected area as soon as possible (ice on for 5 mins, off for two mins for about 30 mins a couple of times a day for 2 days).  Rest that muscle completely for a week and then slowly get back into the training program.  Make sure you get thorough warm-ups.

LIFT IS GOOD!

Good luck Spencer

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

Tom

www.facebook.com\FEATTraining

Fat Grips

So, I just received my new set of Fat Grips.  I bought them at Fitworks in Fredericton.  There were two sizes to choose from.  I started with the regular size.  Available also is a larger size.

Fat Grips are sold in an attractive industrial-like black plastic wrapper that urges the new owner to log-on to the Fat Grip website for tips.  The website is pretty good.

Fat Grips smell neat and are soft and pliable.  They install quickly and easily onto the handles of most exercise equipment.

They fit well to handles that are long enough.  I found a couple of cable handles in the gym that were two short to accommodate the Fat Grips.

I blasted out a few Dumbbell Arm Curls with the Fat Grips to see how they felt.  They were OK.  They were supposed to really crank my forearms.  I honestly didn't feel anything like that after a set of arm curls.  Maybe too early to tell.

I tried the Fat Grips on the bench press next.  They made for an interesting change but didn't really seem to make for more effective presses.

Then I tried the Fat Grips on the Lat Pulldown machine.  This worked better.  The pulling nature of this exercise forced my fingers to really clench onto the Fat Grips. 

I'll keep experimenting with the Fat Grips but my first experience leads me to believe that they would be most effective on pulling-type exercises.

Tom

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

www.facebook.com\FEATTraining

Bicep Training Video

Blast your biceps with this basic workout

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to my fellow Canadians.

Tom

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

www.facebook.com\FEATTraining

Grip Training

You never know when you'll find yourself in a tough predicament where grip strength will save you.  Here are a couple of the many ways to build grip strength.

Farmer's Walk

Farmer's Walk looks easier than it is.  Grab a couple of heavy dumbbells or kettlebells or whatever you can get a good grip on.  Then, go for a walk.  Soon, you will notice an uncomfortable ache in your forearms.  This will soon be followed by burning pain.  This is a sign that your forearm flexors and all the small gripping muscles are getting a good workout.  See how far you can go without stopping to set the weights down.  Rest for a minute.  Then, pick them up and go back.

Plate Pinch

Grab a couple of nice smooth metal plates of equal size.  Place them together so that they're inclined to slide easily.  Now grip them with your fingers and thumb.  Then, lift edgewise and hold.  It will require great effort from your grip to hold them.  Do ten on each side. 

She has a grip

Tom

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

www.facebook.com\FEATTraining

Inguinal Crease

The Money Maker

Let me introduce you to the newest "Gotta Have It" muscle...which isn't a muscle at all.  It goes by many names (Love-Line, Marky's Mark, Adonis Muscle...) but is properly called the "Inguinal Crease".  Its actually connective tissue.  It becomes visible when body fat gets low.  Genetics will ultimately determine how much it pops but you won't know until you really try.

Own the Beach

Be the reason that boyfriends suddenly yank their honeys off the beach.  "Hey - my eyes are up here sweetheart!  LOL".  The crease takes hard work and discipline.  Those are the two essential ingredients.

Hard Work

Knees to Elbows

Knees to Elbows is a great abdominal exercise.  Hang from a bar.  Pull your knees up to touch your elbows.  Very intense and very effective.  Go for your max number of reps and strive to add one more rep each week.

Low Plank Leg Raise

Adopt the Low Plank position.

Now...raise one leg.  Then lower it and raise the other leg.

Low Plank Leg Raise is an excellent core workout which will hit the lower abs.  Holding the Low Plank position is tough but then lifting a leg will freak your core out.  Go for a total of ten each side.

 

Side Plank

Side Plank is nasty; so you know its good!  Lay on your side like you're about to read a good magazine.  Now lift your whole body off the floor.  Hold it for a second.  Relax back down and then repeat.  This exercise works your obliques - the core muscles at the sides of your waist.

 

Tummy Suck

 

The girl in the photo is probably doing a yoga pose called Cat but its still a good picture for describing an exercise I call Tummy Suck.  Get on your hands and knees and then pretend that you're trying to touch your spine with your belly-button.  If you feel a little sick to the stomach - you're doing it right.  This exercise works a muscle called Transverse Abdominis.  This muscle holds your guts in place and is key to developing the "Adonis Muscle".  This exercise will evoke memories of dry-heaving during your last bout with undercooked fiddleheads.  Do ten good hard Tummy Sucks at the end of your ab workout.

 

Discipline

 

The Enemy

 

You must carefully consider everything you stuff into your gob if you hope to dazzle your wife/GF with your scintillating "Love-Line".  You have to eat super-clean.  You need to get your body fat levels down to about 7%.  Here is what you should eat:

 

Breakfast

 

Oatmeal is great for breakfast.  Slow-burning complex carbs to power you through the morning.  Its not that tasty but who cares?  It'll be worth it when you smirk into the mirror with smug satisfaction as the crease appears.

 

Morning Snack

Eat a piece of fruit for your mid-morning snack.  For example...bananas or...kiwis. 

 

Lunch

 

Re-fry a couple of small juicy pieces of steak in a cast-iron pan with some tomato and maybe sprinkle with cayenne.  Protein, iron, vitamins, flavour.

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack

 

Have a handful of blueberries.  Or raspberries etc.  But...nothing that comes in a bag that crinkles or contains ingredients that your children can't pronounce.

 

Supper

Treat yourself to a nice grilled chicken breast for supper.  If it tastes dry and boring...sprinkle lemon juice on it.  Have some spinach and kale on the side.  Drink lots of water with supper.

 

Evening Snack

 

If you absolutely must nibble in the evening...try sunflower seeds.  These little beasts contain healthy fats and fibre.  Way better than chips or cookies.

 

Tom

 

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

 

www.facebook.com\FEATTraining