Attending the Gym Gets You Out of Your Comfort Zone.
The number one concern that you should have when you start to lift weights to build muscle mass, is to make sure you are always giving your muscles a shock to take your muscles out of their comfort zone, as that's the only way they will continue to grow. This means that you will need to focus your mindset on that.
The easiest way to begin adapting that mindset is to get yourself out of your comfort zone first. Taking yourself from one room to another in your home still means you will face distractions from activities, people or events that happen in your home. This will lead you to get side tracked at times. What usually happens then is that you are no longer 'in the zone' of your workout. Once that happens it's very hard to adapt that train insane mentality again. So the first step you need to take before taking your muscles out of their comfort zone, is to take yourself out first.
Which leads me to my next point.
Focus On One Thing Only.
You are more likely to succeed if you focus on one task at a time, instead of everything at the same time. Which is what will happen when you workout from home. Picture this...
You eat a good meal (No problem)
You relax and let that meal digest (No problem)
You prepare for your work (No problem)
You begin your workout
Possible problems
Phone rings
People within your household demanding your attention (Wife/ Husband/ Sister/ Brother/ Mother)
Those same people come to join and watch you workout
Your favorite TV program comes on
Your instant messenger starts ringing in the other room, which draws you away to have an online conversation (5 minutes will turn into 30 minutes)
You remember an important task that needs to be completed. You run off and do it.
This list could go on and on AND ON!
The point I'm making here is that there is no way you can continuously focus on taking your muscles to the next level, workout after workout, operating in an environment such as this. Actually, you can. But just know it will take you twice the time to get the same results, had you decided to go to the gym.
Which again, leads me to my next point.
The Gym Has The Tools For The Job.
Builders, Web developers, Fire men, Plumbers. It doesn't really matter which profession I talk about. If you take one of those professionals tools away, they will do a s****y job. And the same rules apply when the goal is to 'effectively' build muscle. Now let's put things into a visual perspective for one moment and make a hardcore comparison between the tools you have availble at home compared to the tools you have availble at the gym.
Home
Spare room/ Garage:
100kg Cast iron weights set, dumbbells, Barbell
A 'decent' weights bench
Chin up bar
Exercise ball, stability ball,Power blocks
The gym:
Locker room and shower (Hygiene)
Gym staff (Maintain the order of the gym, replacing weights, save you time from doing tasks that sap your energy)
Cafeteria (Relax before a workout)
Other gym goers (People to network with)
GYM BEATS HOME WORKOUTS!! i can go ALL day giving you reasons why!
Train like a beast always!
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Saturday, 18 June 2011
Train insane or remain the same!
5x5 training is a standard protocol that is also an extremely effective way to pack on size and strength. It was a favorite of Reg Park. You will find two detailed programs below that are sure to improve your goals of gaining mass!
Pick a training weight and do five sets of five reps. If and when you can complete all sets of five, increase the weight by five to ten pounds and shoot for five sets of five again. Take three-minute breaks in between each set.
Obviously incremental weight increases are not possible with kettlebell training so we have to look at other factors to manipulate. One factor to manipulate is time under tension. When you can do 5x5 with a quick tempo, increase the negative to four seconds and the positive to two seconds. When that becomes easy, try five seconds up, a pause at the bottom and five seconds down.
Another factor to manipulate is the breaks between each set. Instead of taking three-minute breaks in between each set, take two-minute breaks. When that becomes easy, decrease the breaks to ninety seconds. When that becomes easy, go to sixty seconds. When you can do 5x5 with one-minute breaks and slower tempos, I have no doubt that you will be ready for some heavier bells.
A third variable that can be manipulated are the training exercises. When you can do 5x5 on the standing Military Press, work on 5x5 on the seated press. When you can do double swings easily with 5x5, move up to double snatches. There is always something that you can do to make an exercise harder or a training regimen more effective.
option 1:
Monday:
option 2:
Day 1:
Key Points
Option one involves three full body workouts per week. This is a great program for people that have solid recovery abilities, lifestyles that are not too stressful, and solid nutrition each day.
Option two is for people that need more time between each workout. You have more days before a training day repeats itself and more time for recovery.
The workouts are split into upper body one day and lower body the next day so that you have less to focus on. Both programs work very well. One will work better for you than the other so try them both out and monitor your progress. Stick with the one that works best for you.
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Pick a training weight and do five sets of five reps. If and when you can complete all sets of five, increase the weight by five to ten pounds and shoot for five sets of five again. Take three-minute breaks in between each set.
Obviously incremental weight increases are not possible with kettlebell training so we have to look at other factors to manipulate. One factor to manipulate is time under tension. When you can do 5x5 with a quick tempo, increase the negative to four seconds and the positive to two seconds. When that becomes easy, try five seconds up, a pause at the bottom and five seconds down.
Another factor to manipulate is the breaks between each set. Instead of taking three-minute breaks in between each set, take two-minute breaks. When that becomes easy, decrease the breaks to ninety seconds. When that becomes easy, go to sixty seconds. When you can do 5x5 with one-minute breaks and slower tempos, I have no doubt that you will be ready for some heavier bells.
A third variable that can be manipulated are the training exercises. When you can do 5x5 on the standing Military Press, work on 5x5 on the seated press. When you can do double swings easily with 5x5, move up to double snatches. There is always something that you can do to make an exercise harder or a training regimen more effective.
option 1:
Monday:
- A-1: Double Military Press
- A-2: Alternating Renegade Row
Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do one set of A-1, wait a minute and then do a set of A-2, wait a minute and then do another set of A-1 and so forth. Keep going back and forth between A-1 and A-2 until you have completed all five sets.
- B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat
- B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing
Same directions as A-1 and A-2
- Wrap up with Double Windmill 2x5 l,r (left and right)
Take two minute breaks in between each set. One complete set equals five reps on each side.
- A-1: Double Floor Press
- A-2: Double Bent-over Row
Same directions as above
- B-1: Double Front Squat
- B-2: Double Snatch
Same Directions as above
- Wrap up with TGU 2x5 l,r (left and right)
Take two minute breaks in between each set. One complete set equals five reps on each side.
- A-1: Seated Military Press
- A-2: Renegade Row
Do A-1 and A-2 back to back. In other words, do one set of A-1, wait a minute and then do a set of A-2, wait a minute and then do another set of A-1 and so forth. Keep going back and forth between A-1 and A-2 until you have completed all five sets.
- B-1: Double Kettlebell Front Squat
- B-2: Double Kettlebell Swing
- Wrap up with Double Windmill 2x5 l,r (left and right)
Take two minute breaks in between each set. One complete set equals five reps on each side.
option 2:
Day 1:
- A-1: Double Military Press
- A-2: Double Bent-over Row
- B-1: Double Floor Press
- B-2: Double Renegade Row
- Wrap Up with TGU 5x5 l,r (left and right)
- A-1: Double Front Squat
- A-2: Double Snatch
- Wrap Up with TGU 5x5 l,r (left and right)
Key Points
Option one involves three full body workouts per week. This is a great program for people that have solid recovery abilities, lifestyles that are not too stressful, and solid nutrition each day.
Option two is for people that need more time between each workout. You have more days before a training day repeats itself and more time for recovery.
The workouts are split into upper body one day and lower body the next day so that you have less to focus on. Both programs work very well. One will work better for you than the other so try them both out and monitor your progress. Stick with the one that works best for you.
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Healthy diets
If you've tried to lose weight in the past, you'll know that it's difficult to keep the kilos down. That's why we created two eating plans with which long-term weight management is indeed possible.
Here are some simple rules on healthy eating that absolutely anyone can follow if they put their minds to it.
The ten rules:
Get down to and maintain your desirable body weight
Reduce your total fat intake, particularly your intake of saturated fats
Ensure adequate intake of mono- and certain poly-unsaturated fats
Reduce your intake of foods high in cholesterol
Reduce your intake of foods high in trans fats
Increase your fibre intake
Use sugar and foods high in simple carbohydrates in moderation
Use less salt
Eat a variety of foods
Drink alcohol only in moderation and regularly rather than in binges
Drink enough water or other fluids throughout the day (let thirst be your guide - remember that drinking too much water can actually be dangerous)
Healthy food choices include:
Fats, oils and nuts
Sunflower, canola, olive and soya oils
Soft margarines (check the label to see if it's free of trans fats)
Non-stick vegetable sprays
Almonds, pecan, hazelnuts and peanuts in moderation
Meat, fish and poultry
Lean cuts only
Portion sizes must be 90g to 120g a day – about the size of your palm
Eat chicken without the skin
Eat fish at least twice a week
Shellfish is fine, but limit your intake of prawns, shrimps and caviar
Tinned fish should be in water or brine
Lentils and dry beans
All types of lentils, peas and beans
Baked beans and other tinned beans
Eggs
Use a maximum of four egg yolks a week and cut down on other foods containing cholesterol if you do eat egg yolk
Milk and milk products
Low-fat and skim milk
Low-fat and fat-free yoghurt
Low-fat and fat-free cottage cheese
Low-fat buttermilk
Breads and cereals
Brown, wholewheat and low-GI bread
Oats, oat bran and maize meal
High-fibre, low-fat breakfast cereals
Low-fat wholewheat crackers
Rice and pasta
Fruit and vegetables
Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day
Choose fresh fruits instead of fruit juices
Use avocado and olives in moderation
Beverages
Tea and coffee without sugar, diet cold drinks, sugar-free squash
Use sweetened cold drinks in moderation
Use fruit juice in moderation
If you drink alcohol, have no more than two drinks a day (1 drink = 340ml beer or 120ml wine or 25ml spirits). Avoid alcohol if you have high blood pressure or if you are overweight.
Desserts
Choose fresh fruit, jelly, skim-milk custard, fat-free or low-fat yoghurt, fruit ices, fruit yoghurt
Avoid the following foods:
Fats and oils:
Butter
Hard brick margarine, brick cooking fat, lard
All fried foods
Coconut and biscuits containing coconut
Mayonnaise
Meat, fish and poultry:
Fatty beef, pork and mutton
Processed meats such as salami and polony
Organ meats such as offal, liver and kidneys
Tinned meat and pies
Take-aways such as fried chicken and hamburgers
Deep-fried foods such as doughnuts and samoosas
Milk and milk products:
Full-cream milk
Condensed milk
Cream, artificial cream, coffee and tea creamers
Full-fat ice cream and yoghurt
Full-fat cheeses
Breads and cereals:
White bread and rolls
Refined breakfast cereals
Salted, high-fat savoury snacks
Biscuits, cakes, puddings, chocolates, fudge etc.
Crisps, corn crisps, other savoury snacks
Here are some simple rules on healthy eating that absolutely anyone can follow if they put their minds to it.
The ten rules:
Get down to and maintain your desirable body weight
Reduce your total fat intake, particularly your intake of saturated fats
Ensure adequate intake of mono- and certain poly-unsaturated fats
Reduce your intake of foods high in cholesterol
Reduce your intake of foods high in trans fats
Increase your fibre intake
Use sugar and foods high in simple carbohydrates in moderation
Use less salt
Eat a variety of foods
Drink alcohol only in moderation and regularly rather than in binges
Drink enough water or other fluids throughout the day (let thirst be your guide - remember that drinking too much water can actually be dangerous)
Healthy food choices include:
Fats, oils and nuts
Sunflower, canola, olive and soya oils
Soft margarines (check the label to see if it's free of trans fats)
Non-stick vegetable sprays
Almonds, pecan, hazelnuts and peanuts in moderation
Meat, fish and poultry
Lean cuts only
Portion sizes must be 90g to 120g a day – about the size of your palm
Eat chicken without the skin
Eat fish at least twice a week
Shellfish is fine, but limit your intake of prawns, shrimps and caviar
Tinned fish should be in water or brine
Lentils and dry beans
All types of lentils, peas and beans
Baked beans and other tinned beans
Eggs
Use a maximum of four egg yolks a week and cut down on other foods containing cholesterol if you do eat egg yolk
Milk and milk products
Low-fat and skim milk
Low-fat and fat-free yoghurt
Low-fat and fat-free cottage cheese
Low-fat buttermilk
Breads and cereals
Brown, wholewheat and low-GI bread
Oats, oat bran and maize meal
High-fibre, low-fat breakfast cereals
Low-fat wholewheat crackers
Rice and pasta
Fruit and vegetables
Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day
Choose fresh fruits instead of fruit juices
Use avocado and olives in moderation
Beverages
Tea and coffee without sugar, diet cold drinks, sugar-free squash
Use sweetened cold drinks in moderation
Use fruit juice in moderation
If you drink alcohol, have no more than two drinks a day (1 drink = 340ml beer or 120ml wine or 25ml spirits). Avoid alcohol if you have high blood pressure or if you are overweight.
Desserts
Choose fresh fruit, jelly, skim-milk custard, fat-free or low-fat yoghurt, fruit ices, fruit yoghurt
Avoid the following foods:
Fats and oils:
Butter
Hard brick margarine, brick cooking fat, lard
All fried foods
Coconut and biscuits containing coconut
Mayonnaise
Meat, fish and poultry:
Fatty beef, pork and mutton
Processed meats such as salami and polony
Organ meats such as offal, liver and kidneys
Tinned meat and pies
Take-aways such as fried chicken and hamburgers
Deep-fried foods such as doughnuts and samoosas
Milk and milk products:
Full-cream milk
Condensed milk
Cream, artificial cream, coffee and tea creamers
Full-fat ice cream and yoghurt
Full-fat cheeses
Breads and cereals:
White bread and rolls
Refined breakfast cereals
Salted, high-fat savoury snacks
Biscuits, cakes, puddings, chocolates, fudge etc.
Crisps, corn crisps, other savoury snacks
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