Chest By Request

After my last video went up, a few of my subscribers requested a chest video for my next upload.  Here it is, along with a few pointers!

Peak My Interest!

Biceps training has always been one of my favorite training sessions, but my biceps are probably one of my weakest bodyparts--why?  Improper training of course!  Here's some changes I've been making that have helped, plus selected sets from today's training at 15 weeks out.

Tri This

The triceps isn't a particularly complex muscle, but it can be a tricky one to develop properly.  A lot of people have problems in their upper body with symmetry and proportion, and the triceps is no exception (I am no exception either--left side fail!).  Most people have imbalances within the triceps as well, usually caused by chronic imbalances in the training itself, not to mention structural differences and variations in chronic postural tendencies from side to side.  That being said, here are a few pointers to help with symmetry, general development, strength, and size!

Back 2 Basics

For the last few weeks I've been trying something a little different with my training.  I've changed up my split a bit and I'm now using a five day rotation, where shoulders are trained with chest and biceps, hamstrings are trained with quadriceps, and triceps are trained with back.  This split also includes two full rest days, and the increased recovery between training sessions has really paid off.  This type of grouping in the split minimizes shoulder and elbow stress, as those bodyparts with overlapping stress zones have generally been grouped together, or on opposite ends of the rotation.  I'm also sort of going back to basics with this recent change, and really trying to perfect some of the more traditional compound movements that I've neglected in the past.  For example: decline bench, traditional squats, one-arm row, and even french press.  Time to dust off those old favorites!

Second Chance // Insanity Legs

My training partner likes to say that past-failure techniques such as dropsets, cheat reps, partial reps, and even forced reps really only work because they give you a second chance at a high intensity set.  Now this might sound like a bit of a philosophical viewpoint, but it's actually an ultra realistic one.  Ultimately, intensity is the only deciding factor in growth and rate of growth.  Yes, isolation plays a part as well, but your intensity level directly impacts how completely you exhaust each muscle, how often you train each muscle, it even determines the volume you use during your training.

As you approach failure, several factors may determine which technique, if any, you choose to use.  Here are the most common past-failure techniques, along with a few guidelines and contraindications for each.  Remember, use them one at a time!

This N' That

This song is definitely about getting huge, just listen to the lyrics!

A custom print I did just the other day...

And my new chest training video!

I never get sick of that mix I keep using ;)

See how my shoulders are a bit uneven on crossovers though?  That's why filming yourself has more than just the obvious narcissistic uses.

Arms Race

Biceps training video!

Subscribe, follow, like, share, repeat!

Going HAM

"I like the way the seam runs up the back of the stocking..."  Yeah, me too.  But what David Lee Roth should have said after that is: "especially when it has to take the long way--cuz she's got such monstrous hamstrings!" :P

Quadzilla!

Finally!  (I wrote this post like a month and a half ago...)  Here it is, my leg training how-to!

No. 9 // Baby Got Back

Thanks to a runner friend of mine who posted a link on facebook, I recently read an article describing eight ways to get out of a funk (the post was running-related but it works for pretty much everything else too).  Motivation to train hard consistently usually isn't a problem, but I did find that I was more motivated to continue my blog and video projects after skimming the article in question.  Of course there were the usual "change your playlist," and "run with a friend" tips, but also a few more nuanced perspectives that could use some remembering from time to time, such as "it's ok not to run (or not do whatever it is you do)," "less is more," and that thing about not just setting small goals but also creating a more pervasive mindset that embodies something larger than any one achievement.  This one in particular struck home with me.  I often find myself making small, short-term goals or plans as a way to stay de-funkified--especially in the off-season--and this not only stresses me out, but it also causes me to become myopic and distracted from enjoying my life.  Constantly looking forward to something, or constantly thinking about some random goal can be a very easy way to lose out on a lot of precious moments.  Creating a goal that is larger than any one thing can help off-set this; it can also help you keep a healthy perspective on how far you've come when you are in it for the long haul and have a lot of hauling left to do.

New Video!

Upperbody smackdown mashup vid:

Thanks Jordan!!!

More videos coming: posing, diet, legs (you will cry), and eventually some dedicated training videos so you guys can see what I do for each bodypart.  My channel needs subscribers, ready go!