It’s Your Time To Talk

HELLO ALL

Sorry for the capitals, but I just had to emphasis today’s energy levels. I’ve just had an intense workout and I still have some energy to share. However,this is not how you should feel for the ‘majority’ of your workouts. If you do feel this way, you probably aren’t working out hard enough. Or maybe you’ve just broken your previous strength/ endurance records.

Any how, it’s not often that I stop and talk to each of you directly, but I think it’s about that time, seeing as I’ve in asking questions around some other communities (Namely Facebook – Add me if you haven’t done so already).

So… here goes. Tell me…

A workout routine or ‘proven’ fitness tip that ‘didn’t’ work for you?

What would you like me to blog more about?

Is there anything that bugs you about the site at present (excuse the pun)?

Your least favorite exercise?

Your most favorite exercise?

And of course, any other random things you might want to mention. I guess you could call this ‘bonding time’, like what teachers do with a new class of students

That’s enough talk from me.

I’ll see you in the comments.

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It’s Good To Tweak….

The workout

Just like our workouts, it’s always a good thing to switch things up and try something new. In fact, that is exactly what I’m doing now in my current workouts. You see, I can build shoulders, traps, triceps and lats (wings) with frightening ease. Yet no matter how hard I try, I struggle to build my forearms to a size that compliments those other muscle groups (That is… focusing on compound exercises).

This has been in practice since I started my new workout regime as of September 2010 (Progress pics coming soon – And hopefully to add to your own inspirational drive).

Any how, once this happens, it’s a good idea to switch things up.

If you want to build killer forearms (Hence look muscular when wearing ordinary t-shirts) then try these exercises for size.

#1 Barbell reverse curls

This was one of the first exercises that I began to include in my workouts back when I first started out. In fact, this will be the first exercise that include into my current regime.

Target: brachioradialis (Inner forearm muscle)

Execution

• Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart
• Place a barbell in front of you
• Bend downwards with your knees and grab the bar with both hands, palms down.
• Begin with your arms hanging down, fully extended.
• Similar to a biceps Hammer curl, curl the barbell up to a level that is parallel to the floor.
• Make sure you keep your elbows locked in place throughout the movement and focus on having your forearms do the work.

Tip:

It’s ok to allow your arms to go forward slightly when your arms are fully flexed. Doing so allows you to release some of the built up tension in your muscle between reps.

#2 Reverse cable curls

Target: brachioradialis (Inner forearm muscle)

This exercise is similar to the reverse barbell curl exercise except that you will be using a short bar attached to a pulley machine. Perform this exercise if you have troubles adapting to the barbell.

Execution

• Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart
• Grab a short bar attached to a pulley machine with both hands, palms down.
• Begin with your arms hanging down, fully extended.
• Curl the bar up to a level that is parallel to the floor.
• Make sure you keep your elbows locked in place throughout the movement and to focus on having your forearms do the work.

#3 Standing plate finger tip raises

These just happen to be good for improving grip strength too. In fact, read this post for the full low down on how to do that.

Unique Hand Grip Exercises

Because you will need to improve your grip strength to in order to take your gains to the next level.

Execution

• Grab a weight plate in each hand and hold them with your fingertips.
• Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and with each arm hanging by your sides, fully extended, holding the weight plates with your palms facing in toward your body.
• Using only your fingertips, simply curl the plates upward toward the inside of your forearms. Return to the start position and repeat until failure.

These exercises have worked wonders for me in the past, and I know they’ll work wonders for me again. Which means they will work wonders for you too. I’m certain of it!

That’s enough forearm action for today. Be sure to follow me on to my next post where I introduce the first official Deal of the day offer.

See you in the comments.

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Stay-Fit Bugs Best Of 2010

It’s another year gone Stay-Fit Buggers!

Has it gone quickly?

Yes… but that’s ok, as long as you have lived it to the max, made it eventful and made the best use of your time! That’s right… don’t waste it… it’s valuable and you can’t buy it back once it’s gone. So if you have any goals or intend to become the person you are meant to be, inside and outside of fitness, then do it… do it now, as guest interviewee Sara Solomon would like to say.

Any how, I like to practice what I preach here on Stay-Fit Bug and you may turn around and ask me…

Shaun… how have you lived 2010 to the max and made it eventful?

Well, since ones past actions defines who a person really is, let’s now look back at life at Stay-Fit Bug in 2010 and what events lightened up the internet world.

#1 15 Things Successful Bodybuilders And Successful Entrepreneurs Have In Common

I got the idea for this post after reading an article on an entrepreneurial website. After a few days, I had put together various sources of material. A day later and some ‘step out of the comfort zone’ brainstorming and writing, I come up with..

15 Things Successful Bodybuilders And Successful Entrepreneurs Have In Common

And it was throughout the month of March that the Internet world let me know that they enjoyed it. Receiving 2000 visits within the first 45 minutes of ‘really’ putting it out there. Nevertheless, that was a time where some new individuals caught wind of Stay-Fit Bugs existence.

#2 The introduction of the bodybuilding resources page

Bodybuilding Resources

It was around this time where I began to focus on quality rather than quantity, in regards to the information I was putting out throughout the site. This in turn resulted in the creation of a page that focused on ‘exactly’ the things you will need that will aid you on your bodybuilding journey. The categories included…

• Protein supplements
• Creatine Supplements
• Multivitamins
• Weight training equipment (Home and gym)
• Books and ebooks

So, a page full of the things you ‘need’, nothing more, nothing less (But with options). This seemed to be a good decision as many have requested to be featured on that page and many more have linked to it.

#3 Video interviews

Stay-Fit Bug Video Interviews

Video on the web is no longer confined to the likes of Youtube anymore. Video is going pro on the web and is being used in more ways than one. Long gone are the days of watching funny videos ‘only’.

With that being the case, I decided to take text based interviews to the big screen with those who are making dents in the world of bodybuilding and fitness. And so far the feedback has been great. I guess that’s what can happen when you step outside of your comfort zone, which is of course something that I constantly remind you to keep practicing.

Although the feedback has been good, and with the fitness world being entertained with myself as the host, improvements are still needed, and they will come. But for now, it’s a good foundation for even better things to come.

#4 The Facebook Community and Getting Connected

You become what you think about!

That statement couldn’t have been any truer this year. With my ever evolving and changing mindset, along with a few popular blog posts, it was only a matter of time before my personal Facebook profile got taken over by fitness and bodybuilding and all those individuals who embrace and live the lifestyle. As of today, my personal profile is now an official Stay-Fit Bug/Personal profile. So feel free to join the ride. Don’t worry, the bug won’t bite

#5 Popular blog posts

OK, before I list the popular posts of 2010, we have to first talk about the most popular post thus far, which was entirely unexpected. but not completely suprising.

The 20 Most Influential Fitness People On The Web

I spent about 3 days creating this post and I published it on a Monday evening, by which time I was completely shattered… so I naturally nodded off and knocked out for the night.

Little did I know, that while I was living life in the land of nod, that post was being spread all over Facebook like wild fire. I woke up to realize this, noticing that it had been viewed thousands upon thousands of times.

It was a heated few days over in several forums and popular profiles around the web, with arguments of who I should/shouldn’t have included. Nevertheless, it was a highlight in the life of Stay-Fit Bug in 2010.

And the other popular posts are…

6 Non-crunch Bodybuilding Six Pack Exercises

Shock Body Exercise Variations

The Most Important Bodybuilding Supplement… EVER!

Why Hardgainer Bodybuilders Need Tailor-made Wardrobes

The Ultimate Shock Bodybuilding Supplement

Why You Should Get Your Girl To Be A ‘Sexy’ Bodybuilder

8 Great Famous Bodybuilding Bodies From 8 of Your Favorite Sports (Unisex)

The Most Important ‘BEST’ Bodybuilding Supplement… EVER!

The Only Way To Train Is To Train Insane

How Shaun Sinclair Has Built Muscle As A Hardgainer

Hardgainers vs Easygainers | Building Muscle

11 Of The Best World Cup 2010 Footballer Bodies

The Complete Guide To Unique Outdoor Exercises (Warning! Designed For The Insane)

The ‘DONE-FOR-YOU’ Hardgainers Workout Routine Plan/ Meal Plan

The Complete Guide To Bodybuilding Injury Prevention

Natalia Muntean (Fitness Model) – A/k/a The Glute Master! Video Interview With Stayfitbug.com

The Top 8 Reasons Why You’re Scrawny And The Other Dude Is Not!

5 Reasons Why The Bodybuilding Lifestyle Will Make Your Life Better

The 4 Crucial Steps To Shred ‘Core’ Fat And Build Lean Muscle

How Fast Twitch Muscle Fibers Can Save The World!

Why You Are ‘Ripped’ And Why Your ‘Friends’ Are Not (Negative B*****ds)

Why You Need To Create The Super Hero Look (V Shape)

49 Of The Best Workout And Motivational Songs/Videos Ever!

The Caveman (No supplements) vs The 21st Century Man (Takes supplements)

The Order Of Human Fat Loss

Miryah Jade Scott Video Interview with Stayfitbug.com

7 Reasons Why Gym Workouts Beat Home Workouts (Building Muscle Mass)

How To Get The Hot Girl In The Gym (And ‘Guy’ Too)

There were some other highlights in 2010, most of which I spoke of here. But for now, lets look forward to 2011, because I’m stepping outside my comfort zone once more, and only time will tell what the end result will be.

To all our fitness and bodybuilding successes in 2011

See you in the comments.

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Bodybuilding Basics – Hard Gainers Overtaining Rules

If you are an ectomorph by nature and you happen to workout to build muscle, then you won’t need to tell me that you have struggled to build a sufficient amount of muscle on your skinny frame, I already know… I started of that way.

You’ve probably felt very envious against all of those short guys who simply sneeze and put on muscle (Bastards!). And at that point you probably tried to work harder than your short guy mesomorph counterparts. But working harder is not always the best solution. You will probably increase the amount of days that you workout. But doing so may lead to overtraining, which in turn may lead to injury and a decrease in muscle growth, which is what you don’t want.

There are many challenges that us ectomorph body types will face during our weightlifting workouts, but to solve them all in one article would just bore you. So to begin, we’ll focus on how to deal with overtraining.

Don’t follow the leader

This is what I told you a couple of weeks back and the same rule applies here. You will meet many individuals who have built themselves an amazing body… good on them. But they have found a workout routine that works for THEM. You need to find a workout routine that works for YOU and your ectomporph body type. A workout routine that takes advantage of an over trained body or even overcomes those dreaded weightlifting plateaus. (A workout routine I may just plan out for you). So follow your own needs and no one else’s.

Let your muscles recover

It’s very easy to become a gym addict, and it is a very nice to watch your muscles get ‘pumped’ while you workout. But eliminate that short-term vision already. Your muscles will not build while you are ripping them apart, no matter how ‘pumped’ you look at the time. It might seem like a ‘no brainer’, but structure your workout days like,

Mon, Wed, Fri

And not like

Mon, Tues, Thurs

Always leaving a day in-between allowing your muscles to recover and grow properly. Unfortunately, some people still do not follow this simple rule. Don’t let that be you.

Train with less time

It amazes me how many people get this wrong. If you have an ectomorph body type, or are working out to build muscle, then you need to be training with less time in your workouts with an increased intensity. That is:

• Less than 60 minutes
• 45 minutes (35 minutes intense)

Why?

If you train for more than 45 minutes, then the response rate of your anabolic hormones will drop. This will cause you to lose energy and you’ll start burning muscle instead of building it, because your body will be looking for those energy stores and there will be nothing there.

Working out with a high intensity and shorter periods will also give you better gains, help your muscles recover much quicker and stop you from over training.

Know when to stop

I’ve faced this scenario many times. It’s actually a lot harder to do when you are ‘in the zone’ as you simply don’t want to stop and are dedicated to building your muscles up. But the fact is, there will be a point when your body will feel knackered, and it won’t be like a weightlifting plateau either. It’s that tiredness you feel when your body is simply telling you to STOP! If you don’t want to listen to the warning signs… that’s fine. Just know that doing so could literally kill you, as at this point, you would have surpassed the point of overtraining.

So do yourself a favour and STOP!

Solution

Take a whole week off from training (I’ve done this before). This will allow your body to fully recover and more importantly… allow your muscles to GROW.

• Do sub failure training. What you do here is minus 2-3 repetitions of every exercise that you do. Do this for 2-3 weeks and then go back to normal training.

• As I stated earlier, there are many more answers for how you can overcome the challenges that a hard gainer faces, but stay tuned in and I will try to solve and answer as many as I can.

Are you struggling to build muscle as a hard gainer?

Have you tried any of the above methods?

Let me know in the comments.

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Nutrition First, Supplementation After…

It’s a new week folks. It’s getting colder, darker and Christmas is right around the corner. And… I’ve always got some presents on the way to give to you all. Will you get them early? Well, you’re just going to have to wait and see.

Any how, today marks the release of the first ebook, of a series of ebooks. All of which focus on a specific aspect of the fitness lifestyle.

The Guide To Necessary supplementation

I won’t bore you with any more text blurb. Watch the video instead. British accent and all

+

119 Page Cookbook

100′s of recipes to take advantage of

Note: $9.99 for the next 72 hours ONLY!

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Test Your Might While Bodybuilding

I hope all of you muscle heads are staying true to the Stay-Fit Bug mantra and maintaining those muscle building results from your workouts. And if you are, you might just want to take a break from your workouts, and just like in the video above, you will need to ‘TEST YOUR MIGHT’.

Why?

Well, for the same reasons people conduct performance reviews in the work place.

Every few months it would be a good idea to test your strength gains to see where you have improved, where you are lacking and how you can fix that. After all… it’s all about progression… right?

There are many tests you can take, and I’ll go over most if not all of them at some point, but to begin with, I’ll start with Just Three.

Lower body, Upper body and Core strength tests

These are 3 key areas of your body that you will need to know for sure if you are improving or failing. Here are the basic tests for each.

• Lower Body – One rep max squat
• Upper body – One rep max bench press
• Core – Sit ups test (Performing the most number of sit-ups you can in 30 seconds straight)

All of these are essential if you intend to build real strength in your workouts, and if you aren’t testing your strength, you could well be training blind. But fear not, I will soon provide you with a detailed post on how to perform these, along with some other vital strength tests. And now to portray my flying strength like Raiden from Mortal Kombat.

Yelllalalalalaloooouuu…

See you in the comments

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The #1 Method For Effective Muscle Building

In The Zone ‘ Training insane’

 

 

In The Zone Training Insane = Workouts where you perform at your utmost intensity, explosive exercises, for only 25-35 minutes per workout.

Why?

Because that is when your muscles will positively react, talk back to you and REALLY grow.

Why not 1 hour + workouts?

A good muscle building program places a strong focus on the big 4 compound exercises. As it has been proven time and time again that these are the most effective exercises for overall gains in strength and size. Each workout only requires you to perform just 1 core compound exercise per workout plus assistant exercises (usually 2 or 3 extra exercises).

Why extra exercises if compound lifts work so well?

• Strengthen weak areas of the body that compound exercises may miss
• Help increase your performance of the 4 compound lifts e.g Barbell rows to help with bench press performance
• Balance and symmetry
• To build muscle (Dips, lateral raises being my personal favorites)

All of those performed at max ‘In the zone’ intensity will only take you max 40 minutes to perform in one workout. After that, you workout no more.

Why?

Because a lot of the growth you achieve with a good program will be a result of what you ‘don’t do in the gym.

This is where you may have previously been going wrong in your works. By doing too much. Causing you to plateau, get frustrated, become demotivated and in turn, quit your workouts. No growth. (boo hoo!).

Now, we do indeed have a ‘core’ program to follow here and as you will notice, there are exercises other than the big 4 that can benefit you. The program isn’t designed so that you train like a robot. No. The program is designed so that you do whats important (the big 4). And then do what is important to YOU. There are no right or wrong exercises.

If you feel and believe that dips is helping you build upper back strength and size, then keep on performing dips.

If you feel that bent over barbell rows are helping you increase your bench press performance, then keep on performing bent over barbell rows.

I personally like to regularly perform dips and lateral raises, because I know that I notice better trap/lats development. Which is of course a vital piece of the bodybuilding puzzle in terms of building that perfect ripped v shape physique with the bulk to match.

So don’t be afraid to experiment with the ‘after core’ exercises. Tweak and repeat.

 

Choose progression over fast bulk

 

 

Now, if you are a newbie weightlifter, it wont be an uncommon thing to pack on a ton of muscle mass within the first few weeks of this program. In fact, I’m 99% certain that you’ll gain 4-5 times more than the monthly goal of 3lbs increase in size per month.

But the common problem that arises is the dreaded plateau. You’ll hit those super gains within the first several weeks, but then it all changes.

The gains stop, you start experiencing jack shit gym days, your motivation levels drop (A natural thing… that this program will help you maintain) life happens. You just simply stop growing, which is of course the ultimate motivation killer. And is the reason why the average gym goer will look the same year in year out.

Now, the goal is of course to build a physique that makes you stand out from the crowd, so that you don’t look like the average gym goer. Shred with bulk! But the goal is also maintenance.  But we also want to be progressing all of the time.

The first part of that solution is to focus on steady progression ‘over time’.

Lets start with the goal of shred + bulk when it comes to the goal of building a shredded physique with muscle mass to match. Now, the common way to get big fast would be to follow a bulking and cutting phase. There is nothing wrong with that. But that simply is not an ideal approach when it comes to building the shred + bulk physique, while living the fitness lifestyle. That approach is an end goal approach, which of course rings true for why bodybuilders train that way. Which is of course to prepare for bodybuilding contests. The program is not a contest and it certainly isn’t an end goal. Therefore, bulking and cutting approach is void.

The approach we take in terms of the actual shred with bulk program is to increase your gains steadily over time..

Why?

• Avoid facing those dread dreads plateaus.
• Actual progress year after year

Its entirely understandable why one would want overnight success and wanting to increase their bench weight by 30-40 pounds in a matter of a several weeks. But the long term result will be disappointing to say the least.

Remember this…

The gains stop, you start experiencing jack shit gym days, your motivation levels drop (A natural thing… that this program will help you maintain) life happens. You just simply stop growing, which is of curse the ultimate motivation killer. And is the reason why the average gym goer will look the same year in year out.

That is what will happen if you take the bulk approach.

 

Strength is relative to size

 

 

Now, it is because of this why its important to focus on steady progression along with what has been mentioned above. If you grow fast with ‘In The Zone’ nutrition, you’ll bulk up yes, but with the excessive fat, and you’ll look like the average gym goer. Learn to switch your mindset to increasing your weight from 220lbs to 225lbs before you try to lift 275lbs.

1) You’ll actually make real progress over time
2) You won’t plateau
3) You’ll actually get strong this way. Focus on ‘In the zone’ intensity yes, but without sacrificing good form, (Which I know is the no.1 killer of why most people quit working out due to injury).

The second part of that solution is how to stay motivated?

The way to stay motivated is by not treating what we do here as an end goal. But to treat it as a lifestyle. (You’ll learn a lot about how to do that with the habit builder). Motivation itself is driven from an outside inspiration. Something that you have seen or heard has motivated you to walk in to that gym and get the best bang for your buck. However, motivation will eventually die, so what you have to do is focus on the things that matter to you in life, so that you create your own inspiration (Again, much of what you’ll learn about in the habit builder). This is what will separate you from everyone else. Because you will now learn how to adapt the goal of shred with bulk to your everyday life, without it feeling like a means to an end.

Rest

- Stop training after 3 months
- Get more sleep and focus less on actual workouts – working out more is actually counter productive in terms of the goal.

 

Death of the hardgainer

 

 

Introducing – The hard struggler

And naturally, you will ask. What is a hard struggler?

A hard stuggler is some one who struggles to build muscle, not because of their genes. Not because they are natural ectomorphs. No.

A hard struggler is someone who struggles to build muscle because they have struggled to stick to a process of building muscle. In most cases, not following a good program.

Seriously, this concept relates to ANYTHING that you decide to put your mind to in order to achieve something greater. It could be anything from building a successful business, relationship.

If you are going around trying to blame your lack of muscle building gains on your genes, think again.  Your genes only account for approx 10% of your inability to build superior muscle building gains. The other 90% is down to what you are ‘not’ doing, for reasons why you are still puny and un-shredded.Therefore, I today have eliminated the word hardgainer from the bodybuilding dictionary and re-labeled it with the word

HARD STRUGGLER

Hardgainers are just individuals that are simply under eating and NOT because of their natural physique or bad genetics.

 

This is the Fit Bug approach to building muscle. An approach where you actually enjoy the journey. If you want to know more about it, just enter your BEST email below to stay updated about the program and all things muscle building related.

 

Email:

 

 

 

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Sleep vs 5 Workouts Per Week

Before I begin my rant, I just want to get one thing clear.

Bodybuilding is not complicated!

• Train to stimulate muscle growth
• Eat the right foods at the right time to feed that muscle growth
• Supplement when necessary
• Sleep

You do the above and you will achieve. Simple!

But the mistake that many people make (Especially new lifters) is that they become addicted to the 1 hour muscle pump. Which is, that period where your muscles inflate briefly during the period that you workout. What then happens, is that thought then becomes fixated in their minds, that they have to train more to maintain that ‘look’. It’s not a completely silly way of thinking either, because it’s like, what you see is what you get. And looking fantastic for that brief moment in time does feel nice. But it’s a flawed way of thinking that needs to be corrected. Because as most of you may know. The real growth happens in your sleep, and most of you don’t get enough of that as it is.

Now, if you are a mature muscle mass lean machine, you’ve probably trained your body over the years to handle 5 workouts per week. But for those who…

• Are still working to get shred with bulk results.
• Hold down a separate professional career

5 workouts per week will often prove to be too much.

Think about it….

A young professional or higher education student will work say 10-12 hours per day. Add 2 hours of travel back and fourth. Add workout time (2 hours with travel). Add evening leisure time (3-4 hours). And you are left with only 4-5 hours to sleep.

You need at least 8-10 hours of rest if you intend on following a good program such as the upcoming shred with bulk program, if you are serious about seeing some serious results. Especially within the first 4 weeks.

You can get the full scoop on the upcoming Stay-fit Bug strength progression program that’s coming in a few weeks below.

You can eat well and train well, but skip that one crucial part of the cycle (sleep) and you will indeed break a very necessary link in the chain in order to build necessary gains. If you feel you have been doing everything right, but sometimes feel you are unusually deflated (Most will feel it in there arms first… this post does a good job of explaining that) it’s probably because you have been depriving your body of the necessary rest that it needs.

How much rest do you need?

Well, first things first. If you train insane the ‘In The Zone’ way, as described in the upcoming shred with bulk program (Enter your details above to learn more) then getting enough sleep will be an after thought. Because the way the program teaches you to train will indeed put you to sleep.

But the amount of sleep you should aim for is about 8 hours, to be realistic in this day and age. Which of course is something that we all struggle with. Some people may need even less. But if you find that your gains are lacking compared to the amount of dedication you are putting towards your nutrition and workouts, then sleep is the link in that chain that you need to fix. Yes, I know you may like those late nights. Sitting up on Facebook, PS3 or whatever. Just save 2 hours out of those few hours of leisure time that you have to get some proper rest. You’ll make your mirror very happy.

5 day workouts vs 3 day workouts

Like I said earlier. 5 workouts per week will often prove too much for a gym goer with a separate career. Yes, it’s fine for those pro bodybuilders who do nothing but lift all the time, or for those who have built stacks of mature muscle over the years. But for Mr. I have a career, Mr. I have a Family, or Mr. ”I have a damn life”. 5 workouts per week will prove to be too much. Your body simply will not get enough rest between the days in order to develop some real muscle growth.

A break down for your perspective.

168 hours in a week

• You work 50-60 hours of those (Young professional or busy Further education student – Masters degree)
• Travel 10 hours back and fourth
• Workout 10 hours of those (Assuming 5 day workouts)
• You need 56 hours of sleep per week
• Leisure time 20 hours per week (On week days)
• Weekend of doing nothing or leisure time of 24 hours

That is your entire week ‘overly’ maxed out. And this is without leaving room for actual ‘life’. Because as most of us know. Most weeks aren’t stream lined and perfect like that. You have things like…

• Spending time with your partner/love interest
• Seeing a friend on the odd day
• Evenings out with colleagues
• And other things

Training 5 days a week for someone with life demands other than bodybuilding is not a lifestyle. You become a prisoner to the gym, when you really don’t have to. Seriously, cut back. Change 5 days a week to 3 days a week.

”Most of what you achieve from going ‘to’ the gym, will be a direct result of  what you do ‘outside’ of the gym”

Let that quote sink in. Because it’s the truth in all its simple glory.

Have ‘Jack all’ days. Focus on the other links in the bodybuilding chain other than working out. Live the lifestyle! Once you do, you’ll start getting quotes such as this…

‘Dude, what you been doing. You been juicing haven’t you?’

That is a compliment in all its glory right there. And your response will be something like…

”Dude, I haven’t even been training’

‘Yea… right dude, I really do believe you’ (I’ve experienced this first hand. It was a glorious day to say the least )

Once that happens, you are succeeding with the formula of obtaining more sleep, a balanced bodybuilding chain, a balanced lifestyle. And a happier fit bugger.

”Less is more”

Be consistent

The only other thing you need to focus on is consistency. Which is in fact, arguably, the most important aspect of this lifestyle. Because if you don’t stick to it, you won’t grow and progress. And even worse, you won’t develop any mature muscle mass. Which is of course muscle mass that sticks. Which allows you to decide if you want to train more or less, without there being much effect on your gains.

So when it comes to getting your optimum hours of sleep per night, whether its 6, 8 or even 10 hours. Stick to it. Try not to miss 1 -2 hours of sleep every other night. That’s 30-60 hours of rest that your body would have missed out on. And you can bet a mighty dollar that the hours missed will have an affect on your shred with bulk results.

Training tired is the same as training drunk

Lack of sleep… worse than training drunk?

I didn’t realize this in my earlier years of training. When I got my first car, I would do crazy things like, drive in a tired state of mind (And body). All I can tell you about that now, is DON’T DO IT! You will crash and die. And for a while I argued that driving tired is actually worse than being drunk, or driving drunk (Which of course is illegal. Again… don’t do it). And it wasn’t until later on that I found out that being awake for 24 hours or more has the same physical affects as being over the legal driving alcohol limit. But again, from experience, I’d say driving tired is worse.

That then means, in regards to your training, that training while you are tired is the same or worse as training as if you were drunk. Obviously something you would never do… right?

Of course not.

Therefore emphasizing the importance of getting enough sleep. Besides, lifting and dropping a 30kg dumbbell on your toe (Or on someone elses) is not a good look.

Don’t workout too late in the day

Working out too late in the evening may also be a factor in keeping you awake. Efficient sleep is directly connected to body temperature. Build up heat, you’ll stay awake. Get cold and you’ll go out for the count. Intense workouts will raise your body temperature high, therefore it’s a good idea to keep your workout periods up until the early evening hours only.

Conclusion

Don’t put sleep on the back burner just because you are ‘busy’. Set goals and structure into your life and getting enough sleep will become an after thought. Besides, what’s the point of being ripped and sexy only to look like a dead zombie half the time

Get those hours in.

See you in the comments.

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4 Ways To Cure Deadlift Pain

Lets get one thing straight…

The deadlift is arguably the king of all back exercises.

Actually ill rephrase…

The deadlift IS the undisputed king of all back exercises!

However, it is not uncommon to hear about the deadlift being trash talked about, due to the lower back pain it has known to cause individuals. This may have happened to you too, even when you swear blind that you have been following correct form and technique for weeks on end.

Could it be that you don’t have the optimum physique to perform deadlifts at max capacity/ intensity?

Possibly.

Could it be that you have actually started to sacrifice good technique as you’ve increased the weight, without realizing it?

It could be that too.

There are indeed other reasons why you could b etaking an injury beating from performing the deadlift. But the main focus point of the deadlift is that you are supposed to feel the pain in your upper back, and not your lower back. And the last thing you want to be doing is sacrificing your health just to grow big. Seriously… it’s not worth it.

However…

I’m not here to talk about quitting exercises. Especially the ones that will get you those super gains. I’m here to show you what you can do to prevent, cure and substitute those exercises with. And in this case, the deadlift.

#1 Deload week (Go light)

This is what you’ll probably need to do, if you happen to be one of those whose lower back pain has ‘suddenly ‘ appeared out of nowhere. This is because you’ve probably been going ‘at it’ for 6 weeks or more.

Note: A 12 week program is usually best in most cases. It’s always good to take a breather after that period. Say a week or two, before getting back into the swing of things.

You can get the full scoop on the upcoming Stay-fit Bug strength progression program that’s coming in a few weeks below.

Email:

If that is the case, then it’s time to deload. Take a week off and then work in again lightly over the next week or two at about 60% intensity (higher volume).

#2 Perform an alternative exercise

Deadlift on a Hammer Strength shrug machine

This machine is actually designed for performing the shrug exercise. But you can use it as a machine to perform deadlifts on.

The benefits?

1. You can concentrate on what you need to do and be more upright as it helps you take out the dangerous lower part of the deadlifting movement whilst still getting a good range of motion.
2. You can load on the uber heavy weights without getting scared. Which is understandable when performing deadlifts with a free weight barbell.

#3 Strengthen your lower back

With stiff leg deadlifts

This exercise is geared towards working your hamstrings, glutes and lower back. And unlike normal deadlifts, you should indeed feel tension lower down your back and not your upper back. If you do suffer from pain from performing ordinary deadlifts, then this is an exercise that you should include as a core part of your program.

Why?

1) Isolation
2) Less explosive than ordinary deadlifts

Focus on this (While performing correctly) early on in your progression and you should indeed find that it helps quite a bit. But please.. do it right, otherwise you’ll just be back at square one. Pain central!

#4 Focus on good form

Last but not least (And probably should have been first). Focus on good form.

It’s a well known rule that you should be starting out with light weights. That’s with any exercise. But one reason you could be feeling pain in your lower back is due to performing the exercise with incorrect form… over a period of time. Don’t be a dumb meat head and shrug off pain, thinking your ego is all bad and that your body can ‘take it’. Taking pain for the sake of looking cool is the dumbest thing ever. Don’t do it.

Get someone to watch you perform the exercise to see if you are doing it right. Especially once you start lifting heavier weights. Or better yet, record yourself and make sure you tick all the boxes below.

Preparing for the Deadlift.

1. Position the bar first, 2-4 inches away from your shins before attempting to lift. Don’t walk with the bar. Do so and something like this could happen.
2. Hold the bar at Shoulder-width
3. Point your toes outwards and curl them upwards. (Stability)
4. On the way up, make a big chest & lift it up, and pull your shoulders backwards. Do this and your back will never ’round out’ on the way up.
5. Look forward throughout the entire lift. It’s not just a psychological thing either. It really will prevent you from arching your back.
6. Grip the bar with your fingers and not your palms. Start my allowing the bar to just sit in your fingers. Roll the bar in, close your hands and lift. Doing so will help prevent the formation of big calluses.
7. Keep your arms locked and straight through the entire lift. Bend them and risk tearing a bicep.
8. Lift with your hips and not your lower back. This is the critical part of the movement which will determine if you feel pain and cry, or continue to lift big and grow. The upper back is the target and where you should feel all of the tension.
9. Keep the bar close to your shins on the way up. Move your hips first before bending your knees and you won’t risk scraping them.
10. Squeeze you glutes. Bring your hips forward by pushing from the heels & squeezing your glutes . This too will help prevent lower back pain as it stops you from pulling with your lower back.

There’ll be a more detailed video version of this upon the launch of the new program, so make sure you enter your email address below to get the full scoop.

To conclude

After all is said and done, the deadlift is still the champion back exercise. If pain has struck you, or if you have been afraid of even performing the exercise because of all the trash talk you hear about the exercise, then follow the above. And of course, keep an eye out for the upcoming program.

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See you in the comments

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10 Reasons Why This Is The Best Post Workout Food Source Ever!

Ok… very soon you’ll be introduced to the concept of ‘In The Zone’ nutrition. I wont reveal all of the specifics just yet. But the short version is to stack your guts and deliberately spike your insulin levels around the times that you workout.

Now, if we fast forward to the post workout meal, you’ll know that its important to refuel your body full of nutrients. Nutrients that you would have used up during your workout.

You can read more here

If you have been following, you will also know that it’s important to refuel your body with the RIGHT sources of carbs and proteins… especially within 30-45 mins after working out.

There are many food sources you can choose from (Many of which you will learn about in the coming weeks).

But if there is one food source that does it all and has gained the crown to be labeled the ‘best’, it would be…

Whole milk

Why whole milk?

Let’s look at the specifics…

#1 Whole milk is highly anabolic

Anabolic…?

This is just a word used for the process of building muscle. And whole milk is very good for that (More on this below).

#2 Whole milk is highly soluble

Milk is 87% water, which means it’s largely a liquid food source. Which also means it’s a easily digested food source. Which is exactly what you want to be consuming 30-45 minutes post workout. As you want to get the right nutrients into your muscles as quick as possible.

#3 Whole milk is convenient

We all want to make the process of building muscle an easy one as well as a pleasurable one. Milk is packaged in bottle form, which means you can…

• Take it with you on your travels
• Buy it from the store and take it with you into the gym
• Drink it as you please
• No preparation time (Great for you talentless cooks out there )

#4 Whole milk is cheap

Where I’m from (UK) 568ml of milk (2 cups) costs about 45 pence/ 72 cents.

That is 72 cents per workout.

4 workouts a week x 4 weeks = 16 workouts x 72 cents

= $11.72

That is pocket change!

Your ultimate post workout nutrition source costs next to nothing. Follow a good program (Coming very soon) and you’ll look like a million dollars… at the cost of nothing!!!

Hail to whole milk…

#5 Whole milk contains a good balance of protein

Now, unless you have been living under a rock, you would be well aware of the popularity of whey protein for post workout nutrition. The reason being is that whey protein is a fast digesting protein, which makes it right for post workout nutrition in order to refuel your muscles. (You can learn more about the different types of protein/supplements in The guide to necessary supplementation ebook).

However, I do not represent any supplement companies, and I won’t force every supplement in existence down your throat. So I’ll introduce you to a case of did you know.

Did you know that whole milk consists of 80% casein 20% whey?

Well now you do. With that being the case. One swift gulp (say 250-500ml) of milk post workout will give you the best of both worlds.

1) Fast digesting protein into your muscles
2) Slow digesting protein into your muscles

This means that you can keep on guzzling milk even up until bed time, which of course means muscle repair activity even while you sleep!

Did you know that whole milk contains a strong dose of BCAA’s? (The main 3 chain BCAA’s – There are 21 in total).

Branch chain amino acids are what proteins in your body are made up of (They are like long strips).

I talk about these in ‘The guide to necessary supplementation too‘. But drinking whole milk actually means you won’t have to spend any extra money on supplementation. Whole milk is already very affordable as mentioned above. You’ve now saved yourself a stack load of cash!

#6 Whole milk contains a good balance of carbs

That’s right, whole milk is high in carbs too. Carbs are what you need along side protein after you workout. Yes, you will be spiking your insulin levels through the roof, but don’t worry. This is the one time of day that you are allowed to do so. Your muscle receptors will greet the flow of food into your muscles with open arms (Read this post for more on that).

Oh, and another thing. Earlier I talked about eating the right type of carbs post workout. Meaning you need to be consuming simple/ fast digesting carbs. Also known as lactose. Which is largely found in products such as… milk (Whole milk wins again). And again… this will indeed spike your insulin levels. But it’s ok. This is the one time of the day you are allowed to do so.

Cant drink milk because you are lactose intolerent?

If you’re lactose intolerant you can consume lactase pills instead. They’re just as good as taking lactaid milk, but they cost a lot less.

#7 Whole milk contains a good balance of fat

Earlier I mentioned that whole milk is highly anabolic. This is partly due to the increased levels of saturated fats contained within it.Yes, you may have understood that saturated fats are ‘bad fats’ (Which I actually state in the guide to necessary supplementation ebook). But in the scenario of post work out nutrition, they happened to be the right fats. Because they are known for sending testosterone levels through the roof. Which is of course what we all want when it comes to building muscle.

The increased fat content in whole milk is also very beneficial post workout too, because of ‘fats’ slow digesting nature.

#8 Whole milk tastes better

We all know that Stay-Fit Bug is all about living the lifestyle while us ‘meat heads’ pump our way to muscle bound oblivion. And one important part of that lifestyle is to make sure that we aren’t just eating food… bust tasting it too!

With that said, whole milk makes another winning entry for reasons why it makes for the best post workout food source.

More fat > more tasty >  digests slower> Therefore…keeps hunger at bay

#9 Milk is better than Water

Milk is about 87% water. Proper hydration improves muscle recovery and can increase strength by preventing fatigue & stalling. However, milk contains electrolytes and minerals such as potassium and sodium which improve re-hydration by retaining the fluids you consume post workout. Read killer foods for fitness for my favorite post workout milk… shake.

#10 Whole milk (Contains fast & slow digesting protein?)

That’s right. And if you have been reading The guide to necessary supplementation, you might think this article is contradicting itself a bit. Because you would have learned that whey protein is good for refueling right after a workout, and that casein is good for well… all other times of the day. Mainly before bed time though.

Now, even though I gave you the ultimate post workout cocktail in that ebook, you would have also noticed it has a mix of both whey and casein. This is because a mix of both slow and fast digesting proteins ‘together’ actually work better post workout, when your goal is look like this…

Don’t worry, you’ll be just fine once I introduce you to ‘In the zone’ nutrition. Either way, whole milk contains both, and wins again.

 

Last words

Whole milk isn’t the be all and end all of post workout nutrition. But it is hands down the best food source for refueling your body/muscles post workout. Myself, along with a few others are still testing the new workout/nutrition program, so expect to see something very different than just guzzling on bucket loads of milk daily in order to build that ripped body, with the bulk. Sign up below for the full scoop.

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Note

Since publishing this article, there has been some confusion. Whole milk is indeed great as a post workout meal. But when it comes to the post workout meal, we are usually talking about 2 meals.

1) 30 minutes right after a workout

2) 2-3 hours after a workout

The idea is to get the nutrients into your muscles as fast as possible after you workout, because they would have been radically depleted from intense activity from your workout. Hence why I state that this is the only time of day where it’s ok to spike your insulin levels. Now, whole milk is great because of it’s saturated fat content… leading to increased testosterone levels, which is of course great for muscle building. However, saturated fat increase does indeed mean slower digestion. Which means our food sources pass through a lot ‘slower’ than usual (Remember the hose vs tap concept). Therefore this means that whole milk will make for a better meal no.2 post workout nutritional boost. Which of course is where all the benefits listed above come into effect. So, whole milk is great for meal 2 yes, but not meal no 1.

Meal 1 options include…

1. Semi-skimmed milk (Or chocolate. As mentioned in killer foods for fitness, which I mentioned back in 2009). Semi-skimmed milk is in fact what I take right after the workout at this moment in time. I drink 568ml right after the workouts that are currently being tested. Nutritional values are as follows (Protein 3.6g/Carbs 4.8 grams/Fat 1.8 grams). Fat is under 2 grams per 100ml serving.
2. Hydrolyzed whey protein

A cocktail taken from the guide to necessary supplementation ebook

• Platinum Hydrowhey + iced coffee + Glycomaize + Glutamine Powder.

1. Fast-acting proteins (Whey protein)
2. Free form amino acids (Amino acids only – Glutamine) – Build/Repair muscle faster
3. Quickly digested carbohydrates (Starch – Glycomaize) Replenish muscle

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