WIDE-GRIP Pulldowns TO THE FRONT

A great tool in creating a stand out thick back is wide-grip Pulldowns to the front. The Pulldown to the front is a basic movement that is essential to creating thick lats. Remember that ALL Basic exercise movements should never be left out of your exercise routine when creating sculpted bodies.  Ok, back to Pulldowns to the Front. Hold on to a straight bar with an overhand grip, hands wider than shoulder width apart. Hang your arms straight down from the bar, then squeeze the shoulder blades together and pull down, pulling the bar close to yourself trying to get the bar to your chin or the top of your clavicle. Some individuals like taking the pull as far as the chest.  It is not proper form but if you want to do this, knock yourself out. Now, as you pull the bar closer to yourself you should keep your lower back arched. At the bottom pull, pause for a split second and then bring the bar back into the starting position under control. No fast, jerky movements.  I always tell people think that you are pulling your chest to the bar instead of trying to pull the bar to your chest.  This will help you keep form.

If you are not able to pull the bar down by yourself then you can use a spotter. Now, if you need a spotter, then have them lightly grasp the bar and guide you through the movement. For advanced lifters you can increase the load on the stack by adding extra weight too. I’ve always done my pulldowns to the front for three to five sets and my reps range from six, eight or ten.  You can also do pulldowns with an underhand grip or you can use a V-bar.  Remember; bring your chest to the handle as you pull the bar down.  Then there is also wide grip pullups if you want to get full back development.  Get this, I saw a video for a University Strength program and they showed student-athletes doing a pull up and then handclap at the top and then re-griping the bar before they went back down. Now that’s athletic!

Train hard and stay tuned for another fitness tip soon.

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Are you going to take that leap this year to get on stage?  What’s going to make this year better than all the other years past? You should have outlined some outstanding achievements that you will be determined to accomplish before the year is over.

Maybe you did not achieve all you set out to do last year?  If, so, ask yourself this, did you go all out? Did you go all out with your training and diet? What about your posing routine?  Did you practice your mandatories every day – weeks out from the show or did you do everything last minute? Well, if you didn’t do well, then it’s time to make this year, the year you put it all together.

We all have choices in life. You can admit defeat and never compete again or pick yourself up, dust yourself off, swallow your pride, do it again with a little attitude and change. This year you’ll pack-on more thick dense muscle, bring-up those lagging body parts and introduce shape into those flat arms. Change your training.  Try another style of training. Add an extra protein shake per day. Let me help you with something. Once, I had a chance to watch football players up close hitting on the practice field and now I understand why those guys view playing football like the game of life. You get knocked down, you get up and do it again, but you try harder and do it better. Get it? So, to achieve and believe, whether your goals are orientated towards bodybuilding, fitness, figure or other sports competition or maybe your personal workouts then nothing-quite works like persistence, determination, self-belief, and motivation.

PERSISTENCE

Persistence is what separates the winner from the quitter.  Being persistent will make you stronger then any iron pumping exercise could.  Stronger willed that is, or in my words ‘stubborn.’  If first you don’t succeed Try, try again!  That’s what being persistent is all about.  If it takes you three or ten tries to win the Nationals then that’s what it takes.  Have a little tenacity in your day-to-day actions.

DETERMINATION

Determination is the defining factor of being persistent.  Resolve! What do I mean by that?  Well, having determination in your bodybuilding goals only confirms a firm intention, or a firmness of purpose.  You should have resolve in your purpose to become a champion!  If you break down the word determination you come up with ‘determined’ which means having ones mind made up.  So, have a firm purpose of mind, and get into the gym with determination to over come the heavy iron pumping that you must endure.

SELF-BELIEF

No I don’t mean being self-centered or cocky.  But, belief in ones self, that you can obtain and accomplish certain things.  A belief in ones self to accomplish goals, too accomplish the things you set out to do in life.  Remember that there is always someone bigger or better, but that doesn’t mean you cannot believe in the person you are and your abilities.

MOTIVATION

You can still get everything done, and still not accomplish your goals.  But, what did you learn?  You just received a tremendous amount of knowledge for the next competition.  Defeat brings knowledge more so than victory.   So, outline your goals for the upcoming season, especially if you haven’t done that yet.  Write them down on a piece of paper in ink.  There are short-term goals and long-term goals.  Short-term goals can be as little as a week, and up to 3 months, unless you’re like some people who look at short-term goals as one year at a time.  Long-term goals are usually 6 month and up to a year.   Now, write down your goals right now before it’s too late.

We all control our own destiny. So, seize the moment and don’t forget to add persistence, determination, self-belief, and motivation to your bodybuilding mentality.

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In the average gym you will find almost everyone that will give you bad information and down right lies in regards to women’s weight training. People are full of bad ideas and advice about women and weights. So, who is out there giving this misinformation? Well, there are the many infomercials and then there is the media this is a huge one. I’ve compiled a list of myths that even now in the 21^st century are still floating around regarding women, weights, and muscle.  My hope is this gets through to a few.

Myth: Weight training will make you masculine.

This is not a myth. This is a lie. The worst lie ever. People look at women bodybuilders and say, “Oh My God, they look masculine! If I lift anything heavy I’ll look like that!” Nope.  Can’t. If it where true I’d be HUGE! Since I can do dumbbell-rows with over 140 pounds on a regular basis and biceps curl more then most men. It’s a rare woman that can become a competitive bodybuilder, and she has to combine genetics, extensive long-term training, strict diet, and supplementation (legal or otherwise). Women and men have exactly the same skeletal muscle composition. It would not be possible to tell biological sex from muscle tissue alone. And besides, muscle doesn’t make a man.  I see many men that are smaller then me and I only weight 160 pounds. So, if a man is 160 pounds or less does that make him a woman? I see HUGE over weight women that make rude comments about my look yet are bigger than my 300-pound husband who is a powerlifter and ex-football player. You’re not going to wake up after a heavy weight workout and be huge. In all actuality you will tone up and get tighter quicker then doing that 25 pounds on the leg press for 10 reps and curling those 5 pound weights that weight less then your purse or your youngest you carry around all over the place.

Myth: Men train, women tone.

To be serious about strength training, understand that lifting a tiny weight for a hundred reps is a waste of time and energy, plus it doesn’t stress your muscles enough to shape them or make them stronger. You know how they say, “More isn’t better?”  Well, more is better, when it comes to weight training, shaping, toning what ever you want to call it, it’s all the same. There is muscle mass, strength gain, and fat loss, and that’s it. What you assume to be “toned” actually means having muscles, which are not hidden by a layer of body fat. In other words, there is no reason why you should waste your time on the stupid little weights when you could be getting a hard body.

Myth: Toning and firming are different.

Did you not read what I said? There is no such thing. There is only building muscle mass and losing body fat, nothing else. Please STOP asking how you can tone or firm or whatever. Do what NIKE say’s “Just Do It!”

Myth: Women should stick to machines and stay away from free weights.

Why? If some self-proclaimed expert or wannabe wants to explain the thoughts to this thinking process I’m, all ears.

Myth: After you stop lifting your muscle turns to fat.

Sorry to burst your bubble girls, but that is physiologically impossible. What really happens is, well, let me ask, have you ever broke a bone and had to get a cast? When you took the cast off, the area looked like it shrank? It atrophied.

Myth: Men are Masculine and Women are Feminine.

Who posted these labels on us? So, if my arm is bigger then the lazy armchair quarterback I’m “masculine?”  The average arm size for a man is 14 inches and the average arm size for a woman is 12 inches.  That of course is the average.  We just did a contest where arm measurements were involved for both men and women and guess what the average size of the arm for guys who were weighing anywhere from 165 to 230 was 12 to 13.5 inches.  The average size for the women weighing anywhere from 110 to 145 was 11 to 13.5.  None of these women were fat and none were bodybuilders, however according to these numbers and the myths out there these women would be considered masculine since if you take weight and height into consideration these girls had more muscular arms than the guys.  Again, muscle does not equate to masculine or feminine.

It is quite unfortunate that there are so many miss-educated people out there, but I do hope some of you got something out of this and learned that muscle does equal toned and firm.  I hope you also learned that muscularity does not define masculinity or femininity.  So, don’t be afraid of lifting some heavier weights, putting on a bit of muscle and having that nice hard body you have always wanted.

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1990 NPC Western Cup Heavyweight & Overall Champion

1998 NPC Southern States Heavyweight & Overall Champion

2003 IPA 165 Class Sub-Masters World Record Bench

2008 & 2009 4^th place NPC Masters Nationals Light Heavies

2009 ranked top 10 in the world bench only 148 lb class & 165 lb class

Repetitions and Endurance

Intensity is the key to gaining muscle.  Furthermore, intensity comes in various forms and levels.  But we all know that.  And just like there are many different levels of intensity there are also many methods of training; all used to increase strength and size.  Even though there are various different training methods still many people make the mistake thinking their way is the only way of training.  Tunnel vision is fine for the week minded.  I utilize several training methods.  I train using the dynamic method, which builds explosiveness and speed strength, the maximal effort method, which builds absolute strength, and strength speed, and I also use the repetition method or what some call Lactic Acid Tolerance Training.

The repetition training style promotes a high degree of growth hormone production.  But, why do some individuals still assume high rep training will get you ripped?  Who knows, other than they are still stuck in the ice ages.  And, I’m sorry to say, if high rep training did get you ripped well then my husband would be on stage at the Nationals and trust me he is FAR from that.  But, alas, this seriously old school thought.  Again, these are my opinions and knowledge based on years of experience.

During my workout cycles I combine all the above methods of training to maximize my strength and size.  After years of using the periodization methods I found that after 3 weeks of training with maximal weights in the 90% range caused a negative training effect for not only myself but for several others.  So, to help you in your battle to overcome the negative factors of training at near max percentages week after week try the repetition method to failure for a good pick me up.

Did you know that in the 1970s when Vasili Alexeyev was tops in Olympic lifting he did some really odd things in his training?  Try these out; doing power cleans non-stop for 2-3 minutes or how about throwing a 220 pound bar over your head 100 times, and lets not forget about doing snatches for a couple hours and then sit in a pool for an hour worth of leg lifting 100 times.  That’s what Alexeyev did.  I’d need a lifeguard to help me out of the pool, and an EMT to revive me after all that. Does this sound new to you?  Doing high reps isn’t new but I’m talking high reps with exercises that are not common in the gym, does that sound new?  Of course it is because everyone does cable crossovers but you don’t just see anyone doing Split Jerks or Push Presses anymore.

I’ve outlined some routines below.  Here are a few examples of the repetition method that I incorporate into my training regiment and so should you.

• Do light deadlifts for 1 minute at a slow tempo; again do not so much count the reps as you do them by time. If you have a partner then your partner can count for you. Follow the deadlifts by doing AB work for 1 minute.

• This is one of my favorites. If you can handle this, do light good mornings for a minute. If you have bands they can be used instead of a bar. Do this exercise for 3 minutes.  Follow this with “spread-leg” stiff leg dead lifts with a 25, 35, 45 or 100 pound plate for 1 minute.  Grueling!

• Pick up a 2-kg. Or 5 kg. Medicine Ball and throw it over your head behind you.  After throwing if just walk over to where it landed and do it again. Do this for 100 reps! This is only to be done if you have a large aerobic room and medicine balls are available to you. This is a great whole body workout.

• Do Clean-hang high pulls or Snatch-hang high pulls with lightweight for 1 minute. Whew!  Your Traps will hate you the next day.

• Try this. Grab a pair of light dumbbells or use about 30% of your max bench on an Olympic bar and lie on a Swiss (Stability) ball do presses for 1 minute or longer.  I’ve done 30s for 2 minutes. You think you’re strong? Or think you’re in shape? We’ll see.

• A great one for the legs is do seated leg curls for 100 reps then immediately do leg extensions for 100 reps. Killer!  Or 100 reps on the leg press and immediately do 100 reps on a seated leg curl.  I do this sometimes at the beginning of a leg day workout.

High reps with very light weight are stated as being beneficial in the rep range of 100 to 200. That’s what Thomas Kurz said in the “Science of Sports Training.” Though performing 100 reps is not easy to do and I couldn’t even think about doing 200 reps on something.  The great benefit of incorporating the repetition method into your training is an increase in endurance strength, which is always beneficial to any training method. The use of endurance or repetition type training will not only increase strength but also aid in muscle restoration.  It is a simple and effective way of training for an increased level of fitness and for adding volume to your workload.  So, give me 100. That’s 98, 99, common on, FIVE more!

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1990 NPC Western Cup Heavyweight & Overall Champion

1998 NPC Southern States Heavyweight & Overall Champion

2003 IPA 165 Class Sub-Masters World Record Bench

2008 & 2009 4^th place NPC Masters Nationals Light Heavies

2009 ranked top 10 in the world bench only 148 lb class & 165 lb class

Day of Competition:

• Get to the venue early and that doesn’t mean an hour or two before check in, unless you live around the corner – But that doesn’t always work either.  There could be a car accident or construction like my friend Ron Harris found out the day of the NPC New England in his own back yard – he ran into a detour and he was already running late.  So, get in a day early and check-in.  After all the work you put into this competition, go out there and have fun-you’ve earned it!

• Find out the schedule of events and be ready
• Again, remember the idea is to eliminate stress not create it!

That’s Bodybuilding!

Competition diet, weight training, and cardio are the most important pieces of your competition preparation.  Your workouts should be tailored for growth, size and shape development.  Since dieting will help refine your physique, make sure you prioritize your weak points during workouts.  Yes, you have weak points, everyone has one or two and you will need to work overtime on them.  Muscle proportion, separation and size should be your main priorities.  To get the best definition possible you will need to concentrate on that diet and cardio too.  Ahhh, you thought I was going to tell you to do lots of super sets, cable crossovers, and maybe 100 rep schemes?  NOT!  Who ever is still talking like that has not learned a thing and you should caution on listening to them.  Point, my husband does reps in the 100 range and has done super sets, trust me he’s far from cut.  Another thing is do not think super sets are the only workout that will get you “cut.”  This is not true.  Or do not think you are going to get weaker the closer you get to your show.  This is another fallacy.  Two weeks out from my last show I cranked-out 6 reps with 140 pounds on dumbbell rows, and was still pressing 80-pound dumbbells on Incline.  If your diet is right and your food intake is maintained all the time the above will occur.  Being FULLER and THICKER is every bodybuilder’s goal to look on stage.  If this is your first contest, you may have a ton of questions and consulting with a coach will help eliminate your fears and help you reach your goals.

So what do I do to start burning off body fat?

You want to base all you do (cardio, diet and lifting) off of how your body changes weekly in the mirror and sometimes off of what the scale says.  Weigh yourself before breakfast because this will give you your true body weight.  As you can imagine, if you weigh yourself later in the day you will be heavier due to the meals and fluids you have consumed.  Many people cut back their calories to attain the look they are striving for, however, often they cut way to many calories and often way to early.  But, this is stupid and will make them look stringy!  What is bodybuilding about?  It’s about building muscle and being ripped.  How on earth can anyone expect to keep muscle if they constantly keep cutting back on their food???  Aerobics: I do between 2-3 sessions per week of 30 minutes on the stepper to start and progress it as the weeks go by.  My body weight is stable with this and my stage is set.  I now have everything in place to work from.

Lets summarize:

Stage 1: Start off your diet with clean foods.  If you are eating a fair bit of junk, work out your calories, etc. and replace with quality foods, so it resembles the diet I mentioned previously.  Do this about 4 weeks before you start your contest run in.  If you do a 12- week diet, start the clean up phase 16 weeks out, come the 12-week stage you will have your stage set perfectly.

Stage 2: Do aerobics 30 – 40 minutes, once everyday to start, especially when most don’t do aerobics in the off-season or very little.  Obviously, you have got to lose body fat.

Stage 3: Next, when things start to slow down, increase your aerobics by 10/15 minutes per session.

Stage 4: The next step you can consider to keep things rolling is to increase aerobics by doing 2 sessions everyday.

Stage 5: When weight loss slows down again, up your cardio and start dropping your carbohydrate intake and if not taking carbohydrates start dropping your fat intake.

Stage 6: Finally, when things start to slow again reduce your carbohydrates or totally eliminate them and again if not using carbs then drop your fat intake again. Stage 6 and 7 should be the first time you reduce food across the whole of your diet, as you have exploited every other avenue.

If you still need to get that extra off, repeat stage 7.  Your goal should be that you are in contest condition, around 1-2 weeks out from the show.  This will allow you to eat up slightly into your show and at the very least level things off so you can relax knowing that the hard work has been done.

Some of my tricks

Here is a short run down of one of my contest preps, I hope it helps some of you and maybe even gives you some ideas on what to do for your next show.

I like loosing my weight slowly, which is why I start so far out, and doing this helps you from getting that depleted look, loose skin or stringy look.  I start with my calories just under 2,800, which is pretty high for me.  I do not watch my sodium intake as the quantities of water I consume take care of that.  But, I do care about carb and fat intakes.  My carb intake is very low and progresses to 0.  My fat intake is higher and rotates to having fats on some days and not on others.  My protein intake is pretty high and I maintain a high protein intake all the way up to the show, I totally eliminate my carbohydrate intake and adjust fat intake as needed up to the show.  This keeps the muscle on me and helps me to add more muscle the closer I get to the show.  Also, other then an eat day on Sunday’s, my diet and food stays the same all the way through.  But, about 12 weeks out I do stop the eat day.  My contest diet looks something like this:

Meal One: 6 egg whites & 2 whole eggs

Meal Two: 1 protein shake + 1 tbsp peanutbutter

Meal Three: 6 oz Chicken breasts and 1 oz nuts

Meal Four: 6 oz salmon or steak and 1 tbsp olive oil

Meal Five: 1 protein shake + 1 tbsp peanutbutter

As you can see, fat and protein are a major part of my dieting.  I utilize fats instead of carbs for energy and to burn off my body fat.  This is what works best for me and for many other female bodybuilders that are dieting for a show.  I also do 40-50 minuets of cardio on a treadmill in the morning and another 30 minuets after my evening iron pumping session.  I am very lucky to have a very fast metabolism, but year after year your body changes and something that worked a year ago will not necessarily work the next year.

Regarding pumping the iron, I do not lift weights like most other bodybuilders.  I do not do more sets, reps or supersets the closer I get to a show.  But, rather, one body part a day, and I do 4-5 exercise and 3-4 sets per exercise for each body part, and my reps do not drop below six or go over 20.  The closer I get to show time I get stronger, instead of weaker.  My husband made a bet with me that if I got to the 150’s by contest he’d be my maid for a week.  I lost, but I tried very hard to get those 150’s.  I did 140 pound dumbbell Rows for six reps each arm three weeks prior to the NPC Southern States.

Everyone’s body is different and peaking is often hit or miss.  Your water and electrolyte intake is a big thing the day before and the morning of the show and if done improperly or in mix with the wrong foods you may head for a disaster the morning of the show.  I always see other female competitors drinking water and eating carbs prior to getting on stage and the night before, then they wonder why they smoothed out.  Or they ask why their legs were not as cut.  Well, my contest peaking is all due to the exact timing of when I stop drinking water, which is between noon and 6 p.m. Friday afternoon.

I also up my dosage of vitamins to help with any cramping that may occur on stage.  I stop doing all leg work about 10 days before the show this gets rid of all the excess lactic acid, enabling my legs to get the sharpness needed to compete on the National level.  I go through my compulsorily poses every day and hold each pose for about one minute each.  It’s a workout.  Try it.  It will prep you for on stage and you’ll feel like a veteran and not a rookie posing.

The most important part is to realize that nothing matters except how you look.  It doesn’t matter what your body-fat percentage is or how strong you are or even how much you weigh.  You have to have good skin tone, a good hair cut, and for you girls out there make sure the make-up is just right too, do not go out with “Ghost” face, know how to pose like a veteran, and be cut and muscular.  Here is what an IFBB Pro has to say about what it takes to become a competitive bodybuilder.  Lisa Bavington “Competitive bodybuilders must come to realize and accept that they will be judged based not only on how they look when standing alone, but how they look in comparison to the other athletes on stage that day and at that particular time.  The higher up you go, the more this becomes evident.  It doesn’t matter what you looked like in the gym 2 weeks out, whether this is the best condition you’ve ever been in or if all your supporters think that the show was yours to win or lose.  It only matters how you measure up to the rest of the field…Bodybuilding is about creating the illusion of reality and convincing the judges that your physique is far above the other competitors with regards to symmetry, conditioning, muscularity and stage presence.  In other words, those individuals that have the least amount of weaknesses will be the ones, most likely, that come out victorious.”

LEARNING from your mistakes

In bodybuilding learning from ones experiences is very helpful. It is a good idea to attend shows.  This is a must.  Talk to the competitors and ask the judges questions.  However, the latter is something I readily tell people not to do, especially after the show they’ve competed in.  If you ask more then one judge at the competition you’ll get two different answers.  I learned quickly to not ask them the day of the show or around others.  I asked the head judge of a National show, years ago, why I got placed where I did?  The answer was: “Your legs where smooth!”  In astonishment I replied by picking up my skirt and flexing my striated cut thighs and then went on to say that they where full of it.  I later wrote this person a letter to the fact again.  Only to receive a call late one evening from this judge explaining to me why what was said.  This individual read my letter of disharmony, and then explained that I received what I got because I was “too big” and though this person said I looked “great” at the time the NPC was “toning it down,” and to “never ask in front of others.”  I said thank you and never again asked a judge why again.

First and foremost, again get a support crew or a competition prep trainer.  This can be a group of individuals or one person.  A support crew should help you achieve your bodybuilding goals.  They serve as advisors telling you what strengths and weaknesses you have.  You can get me www.anitaramsey.com of course, but there are many other great people out there as well. If you would like a recommendation please do not hesitate to ask.  Again, contest prep requires you to devote your day’s making your meals, going to the gym, doing cardio sometimes twice a day, working on your mandatory poses, and your evening routine.  All these elements will determine the outcome of your efforts.

Competition is a part of life, we compete against one another every day, but the most difficult thing to do is to compete with yourself, to push the boundaries of your own physique and your own psyche.  Stepping on stage can be one of the most frightening and difficult experiences that you may ever go through.  But, it is also something that you can walk away from with a great deal of personal satisfaction, knowing that you have accomplished something that few of your peers will ever have the guts to do.  Remember, if it were easy everyone would be doing it.  If bodybuilding competition is something you’ve been thinking about, my advice is, use the directions provided in this article and make your competition goals a reality.  Even though competing for bodybuilding may be tough, if you maintain your focus and put in the hard work everything will pay off and soon you’ll be holding that overall trophy high over your head. Good luck, have fun, and compete!

JUDGING PHYSIQUES

We are not all created equally, physically speaking.  Second, no matter how hard you train, there are no guarantees you will ever become the level of champion you set your sites on.  Every athlete, with a desire to compete, must brace himself or herself for the reality of bodybuilding.  Bodybuilding at any level and in all organizations is a subjective sport that is ruled and based upon opinions of several different people.  Though there are guidelines and rules, and judges are supposed to be impartial, they still bring their opinions and feelings to the panel.  Remember it is how they, the judges, perceive you on that day and how they feel their ideal physique should look.

The madness in this muscle business, to a certain degree, is controlled and regulated by what seems to be a handful of individuals we title as judges.  Judges play an integral part on how we soar as a competitor up the ladder of Bodybuilding supremacy.  These individuals hold your dreams in their hands.  They are the all-important amateur and professional judges in every organization.  These judges also have a certain amount of control over what look takes us into each new-year!  Therefore, no matter how hard you trained and dieted or what you may think of your opposition, the final outcome is totally out of your control.  So, be professional.  You must accept the judge’s decision as final.  I don’t mean “professional” as Pro status, no, what I mean is be professional and understand that you cannot control those decisions, you are in a human Dog Show, the West Minster Human Kennel Club Nationals.

At the end of the day, if you do your best you will reap the rewards of your hard work in other areas of life that may come in different forms.  The real reward comes in the journey to your desired look.  Finish what you started and step up to the plate to see what you’re made of.  Stay the course, understand Bodybuilding is subjective and you’ll at least win in the most important game.  The game of Life!  Always remember to compete to have fun and to win!  Be happy for all your hard work and the accomplishment of making it through 20 weeks of diet, training, posing, and everything else you put into that one day on stage.

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1990 NPC Western Cup Heavyweight & Overall Champion

1998 NPC Southern States Heavyweight & Overall Champion

2003 IPA 165 Class Sub-Masters World Record Bench

2008 & 2009 4^th place NPC Masters Nationals Light Heavys

2009 ranked top 10 in the world bench only 148 lb class & 165 lb class

In 1983 I started training with weights as a competitive alpine ski racer and continued training with weights while competing for the University of New Mexico ski team.  After a bad fall, which made me stop skiing, I began to get more and more involved in lifting weights, as my thoughts were to make a come back to the slopes.  Soon people in the gym were asking me if I was a bodybuilder.  My answer was, “What’s a bodybuilder?”  After researching what they where talking about, I picked out a show and proceeded to get ready for my first contest.  So, I did the 1988 NPC Boulder Bodybuilding Championships and I won the middleweights.  Not to bad for not knowing anything. If I remember right all I ate was large plates of pasta with cheese, butter and vegetables.  Since then I have competed steadily in over a dozen shows, and made top ten in National shows and my contest prep has evolved over the years to become a very scientific process…

So, you’ve been lifting in the gym for months, looking in those bodybuilding magazines, and you’re considering competing?  I know, all your friends say you have a great physique.  Before you begin, be realistic.  For instance look in the mirror at your own physique.  Do you have what it takes?  Bodybuilding competitions require a certain level of physical and mental discipline.  Have you been to a show?  Before you even begin the hard journey, find the nearest local show and check it out.  Look around, in the audience alone should be a level of bodybuilders with great physiques.  Watch the category you want to compete in.  Interesting Huh?

One other note that is very, very important.  I have gone to many shows since 1988 when I started, and there is always one constant, the individual who is on stage that everyone in the audience is laughing at.  I’m sorry about being straight, but “competitive” bodybuilding is NOT what most think bodybuilding is.  You should NOT get on stage just because you dieted – it is “crucial” that your physique actually be ready for stage presentation.  Bodybuilding competition is NOT for the individual who just finished their “Biggest Loser” trek and thinks that getting on stage is a good reward or the individual who has only lifted for one month and gets up there with those trying to be “real” bodybuilders.

Most importantly, you better have tuff skin to be a bodybuilder.  You need to comprehend one important thing before you step on stage.  Learn the politics of bodybuilding.  Yes, there is politics, and I’m not talking like something is sour in my mouth about bodybuilding, I love the sport.  But, there is politics and don’t let anyone tell you different.  It took me years of practice and mistakes to get my diet and prep right but I still have trouble with the politics of bodybuilding.  I was told once by a top NPC Women’s Representative and promoter, “Anita it’s just being at the right show at the right time with the type of physique they are looking for that day.”  Did she say anything about how my physique should look?  Nope, not at all, just having what ever it is they may be looking for on that particular day and time.  Though your physique quality is very important there is more involved.  And that’s reality.  Next, is do not think you are going to turn pro at your first National show.  That’s if you even make it that far.  It has happened to some, but be realistic in your assessment.  I always shot for top 5 or better, and not to get “cut” from the lineup.  All of those are realistic and positive goals for any beginner and a few that are competing right now should take note.  Just doing that will generate enthusiasm and the drive needed to keep the competition fires burning.  It’s a long haul for some to turn pro, just ask Bob Cicherillo, Annie Rivieccio, Dave Palumbo, and a few of my other fellow competitors.

Now let’s talk about genetics and the drug thing.  Some individuals have what might be deemed as perfect genetics and fast metabolisms.  Others carry more body fat than they would like.   Some are tall and some are short.  It’s hard to find the perfect body but that doesn’t mean you cannot make yours into something that is close to perfect.  And it also doesn’t mean you need to take drugs to become a top-flight bodybuilder.  However, you should lift weights seriously for a couple years, and continue to during your competitive career.  Some seem to think all they need to do is take drugs, but not train hard, remember those great bodies you see up there all train hard and diligently weather on drugs or not.  There is allot of hard work, sweat, and pain that goes into those physiques you see in MuscleMag, FLEX and even Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness magazine.

Do you have a partner?  What about a support crew?  If you do, have your partner look at you, or even another competitor may help.  Make sure they are telling you how it is, NOT what you want to hear.  That’s not good help at all.  We’ve seen too many competitors think they should have won because their support crew said they looked great.  I remember at the 1993 USA’s – it was the morning of the show and I asked my husband how I looked, “OK!” was his reply.  As soon as I heard that I knew I screwed up.  After prejudging was over I thought I was cut.  I was lucky; I made the cut.  As we went back to the hotel so I could relax for the evening show, my husband told me, without mixing words, “I would have cut you!”  Ouch!  If that isn’t telling it like it is, I don’t know what is.  But, he was right.  That is what training partners should be, direct and helpful.

Now that we have got the tuff stuff out of the way, now let’s get into the fun stuff.  Say you do possess the physique and you have a good foundation of lifting under your belt, are you ready for the dedication needed for competition diet?  Do you know what to do to get there?  I hope this guide can help you prepare properly so you can become a winner at your next show.

So, you think you are ready for the stage?  What’s your Plan?  What will it take for you to be successful on the stage?  That’s easy.  A plan!  Regardless of your level, a game plan is an absolute must and will make getting ready for that show so much easier.  Some people can be ready in less time than a year and others take longer.  The following is a basic schedule to help you prepare for your next bodybuilding show:

12 months out:

• Pick your show
• Develop your off-season training program
• Eat quality foods in the off-season, eating every two to three hours and pounding down protein, lots of protein.
• Get on a good supplement program.  Need To Build Muscle has some really great stacks.  http://www.needtobuildmuscle.net
• Do cardio two or three times a week for 20-30 minutes at a time, do more if you need to.
• Keep accurate records in your training journal (get a journal if you don’t have one)
• Find a couple different songs you like
• Think about suits and your posing routine

6 Months out:

• Start working on your mandatory poses
• Change your workout routine, with a focus on anything that might be lacking, but do not neglect the size exercises either.
• Up your cardio to 30 minutes a day.
• Continue to eat quality food and 1.5 – 2 Kg. Of protein per pound of body weight.
• Eat regular meals all week and “junk food” on Sunday’s.
• Now is really when you want to give serious thought about your posing suite and where you are going to get it.  Many places get backed up on making suites, so order early.

20 Weeks out (Competition Diet STARTS!):

Set up competition diet

This is different for many.  I was taught and truly believe that starting 20 weeks out eases you into this process and I believe in dropping body fat slowly rather than quickly allows for much less stress and loose skin.  I have helped many men and women prep for shows over the years and though you can prep in a shorter time it is much easier to take your time & pull it off slowly.  If you would like help with your contest prep feel free to contact me behind_the_iron@yahoo.com or www.anitaramsey.com.  However, many prefer to start doing things 12 to 8 weeks out from the show – TWELVE – EIGHT weeks out!  Isn’t that pretty close again we want less stress not more.  But, we all have our preferences. This is also the time you want to change some of your supplementation around for contest prep as opposed to off-season.  Again, go to www.needtobuildmuscle.net these are by far some of the best supplements I have taken to date.  Now, if possible have an experienced judge or experienced competitive bodybuilder assess your physique or someone who is close to the industry and knows what to look for.  Start working on your routine and doing mandatory poses, holding each mandatory pose for 10 seconds.  Do this after your workout.  Take pictures doing each mandatory pose.  Order posing suits the company I like best is www.ChristineMarshDesigns.com, she is stress free and great to work with.  However, there are other companies out there that are also good.

The sooner you start working on your mandatory poses the better.  I was told by Muscle Sport announcer Kenny Kassle to start doing timed mandatory poses after your workout three times a week to start and then every day the closer you get to your show.  I suggest doing each mandatory for 10-15 seconds to start.  It is critical to practice these poses over and over again to cement it into your memory.  You want to go up on stage during pre-judging and look like you did this before, like a pro.  No, better then a pro.  This alone will have you prepared and ready to show your stuff on competition day and it will definitely harden you up more!

• Every week take pictures.  This is a great monitor for your progress.
• Contact the organization to which you are going to compete in or the state chair of that organization and get a copy of the rules.  You don’t want to be unprepared.

8 weeks out:

• Register for competition and keep your receipts.  This cannot be emphasized enough-you’ve put in the hard work.  Don’t let something as simple as forgetting to register ruin your big day.
• Also, make sure you have paid your membership fees for the organization to which you will be competing.
• If you are traveling make sure you have made airline reservations, hotel reservations and rental car reservations.

6 weeks out:

• Choose hairstyle, accessories, and make-up.
• Start tanning.
• Purchase competition items such as lunch cooler, body lotion, tanning products, and  (nail accessories, make-up, etc. for you ladies).

3 weeks out:

• Stay focused!
• Stick to your diet; practice, practice, practice those mandatory poses and your routine!
• Tan.

Last week:

• Practice mandatory poses and go over your routine in all your costumes
• Make a competition checklist to ensure you have everything you need. For example, posing suits, tanning products, 2-copies of your music…
• More Tanning.

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Increasing numbers of people are looking to aerobics to either improve their cardio respiratory endurance or to decrease body fat, with the latter more often the reason.  Aerobic fitness has a few advantages for the bodybuilder and fitness competitor in stripping-off excess body fat.

What Is Aerobic Fitness?

Well, aerobic fitness is known by many other names, including cardio-vascular fitness, cardio respiratory endurance, aerobic endurance, and stamina.   You think you would need to be a doctor to be able to say all those scientific words.  What all these keywords are referring to is the body’s ability to maintain prolonged bouts of physical activity.  Or, how long can you go without getting out of breath, in more laymen’s terms.

The bodies own level of aerobic fitness depends upon the efficiency of the heart and lungs.  The lungs take in the oxygen, which combined with glycogen create energy, while the heart pumps the oxygen in the red blood cells into the working muscles.   Someone exhibiting good aerobic fitness will have lungs that can take in a large amount of oxygen, and a heart that can efficiently pump oxygen round the body.  So, aerobic energy production, where the oxygen is combined with glycogen to create energy, can be sustained for long periods of time.  Sometimes, this duration can range from minutes in an unconditioned athlete, up to many hours in a properly conditioned athlete. This basically describes just about anyone who is physically fit.  

What are the benefits of Aerobic Fitness Training?

We all know that aerobic conditioning is important to activities such as distance running, cycling, swimming, boxing, and even rugby.  But, aerobic conditioning is very important for bodybuilding, weightlifting, and many other fitness activities also.  Why?  Well, primarily, aerobic fitness conditioning assists in improving the efficiency of the body recovering from strenuous activities, and this is where aerobic capacity is an advantage, as oxygen is used to pump waste products away.  Therefore, an individual with superior aerobic capacity is able to use the oxygen pumped into the system more efficiently to aid them to recover faster from exercise.  Thus, you are able to train and workout with greater measure.

The aerobic energy system, used over long periods of time, begins to use fats stored around the body for energy.  So, bodybuilders use aerobic sessions in pre-contest workouts for cutting excess fat off of the frame for lean muscle mass and lower body fat.   Cardio workouts also step up the metabolic rate in individuals.   This means the body will burn off more stored fat.   So, if you are looking to obtain any of the above conditioning effects then take the following recommendations.

FREQUENCY

Aerobics exercise should be performed three times a week or more, depending on your goal, for optimal results.

DURATION

While the proper length for an aerobic session is 20 to 60 minutes, the duration also depends on your intensity in the activity.   If you want to burn body fat, then you should perform a lower intensity activity for a longer period of time.   It is best to perform this mode of aerobic training anyway.  Why?  Well, because, you will achieve a total-fitness effect quicker.  There is less of a chance for injuries too, which are associated with high-intensity aerobic training.

INTENSITY

You should perform aerobics at an intensity of 60 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate for proper fat loss and exercise benefit.  You should also note if you are trying to drop body fat and you are on a no-carb diet or very low carb diet your intensity should be very low.  When on a no-carb diet you will have no glycogen stores, therefore, if you let your heart rate get too high you will burn muscle.

EXERCISES

The possibilities are endless.  Any activity where you can maintain continuous and rhythmic use of your large muscle groups will definitely stress the aerobic system.  How about running, jogging, walking, hiking, in-line skating, swimming, rowing, spinning, cross-country- skiing, rope jumping, old-fashion aerobic dance, and lets not forget that new stuff used in-conjunction with martial arts.

WARM-UP and COOL DOWN

A good rule of thumb is to do the same mode of exercise to warm-up before going into your aerobic session.  For example, if you are walking, start slowly and then after about 10 minutes start increasing your speed slowly.  This 10-minute warm-up will prepare your body for proper performance.  Now, cooling down is just as important as warming-up.  It’s like walking the horse after you placed it through some work.  That 10 minutes you used to warm-up can also be used to cool down.  This cool down period keeps the blood circulating.  Keep your cool down going until you have stopped sweating profusely, your breathing slows, and your heart rate returns to a more normal rate.

The following tips can help you maintain motivation and aid you in getting the best results from any aerobic training program:

• Set goals.
• Keep your workouts moving at a brisk pace.
• Don’t over do it, or in another word, don’t over-train.
• Exercise in different places or different gyms for a little variety.
• Always do your cardio workout the same time of day.
• If trying to lose body fat the two best times to do your cardio are either first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or immediately after your weight training workout.
• Never do cardio right before you lift weights.
• Use a Walkman or tape player to listen to your favorite music.
• Or listen to motivational speaking tapes.

Remember, aerobic training should be enjoyable.  Use a wide range of different aerobic conditioning activities.  This will help you decrease the possibility of monotony. So, concentrate on your goals and success will occur.

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It’s the same story every day, you step on the scale and what does it say? Has anything changed? You go in the gym and you look in the mirror and it’s the same limp body looking back at you and it shows in the lightweights

you are using. Any sign of progress? No. It’s frustrating. Isn’t it time that your growth, and strength gains are a daily visual routine?

So, you’re sick and tired of seeing the same old measurements, your body composition staying the same, your body weight is the same and so are the poundage’s your lifting in the gym.  If you want to turn heads when you walk into the gym and become a muscle bound freak instead of blending in with the crowd, then this is a quick and easy guide to eating BIG. This is for individuals-male or female-who want to build bigger muscles but don’t know how. If you apply the ‘anti-conventional’ concepts I will discuss and outline here then as soon as one to two weeks you’ll see changes in the mirror.

By eating lots of quality foods, taking supplements, and working out on a regimented program, your muscles will grow to the point of bursting.  Let’s first address caloric intake. Some say to eat 15 Calories per pound of body weight. I would like to know where they came up with that number?  Must have been some simpleton who has a degree in nutrition.  Basic nutrition does not apply to bodybuilders, strength and sport athletes.  It just doesn’t.  But, let’s use that number. So, let’s create your ‘Hardcore Size Diet’.   Start by figuring out how many calories you should consume each day by using the above number multiplied by your bodyweight. Example: Begin with 15 Calories per pound of body weight and if I’m 150 pounds that translates into 2,250 calories per day. In actuality, that turns out to be NOT ENOUGH for me to build muscle. It maintains me. I pump iron 5 days a week, for about an hour or two at a time. And I do 30 minutes of cardio every morning, with Plyo’s, and some agility work.  The above amount of calories is way insufficient in the way of muscle and strength gains.  But, as a starting point I’ll let you use the 15 calories per pound of body weight. Then give yourself time and appropriately tweak your food intake upward by 50-100 calories a week.  And you will start to feel and see changes in your physique.

You’re reading this because you are one of many who are trying to get the answers. The answer to putting on weight: quality weight and size. Well, its right in front of you. EAT! I can’t tell you any simpler. You need to eat more quality foods and lots of protein. But, like most things in life, it takes hard work, dedication and intensity to eat amount of food you need to get lean, strong and add size. So if you’re looking for that quick fix answer, listen to some wannabe small personal trainer who thinks they know what it takes to get big. But, if you want to get past those tags of being a hard gainer and want the facts then keep reading.

If you want to gain weight, you have to eat with the same intensity as you train. Just how important are your meals to gain? Let me put it to you this way. If you don’t eat and pound down the protein you might as well forget about lifting all together. Eating is important to gain quality mass.  You have to grasp that body building nutrition has certain guidelines, but if you are a serious bodybuilder, you will apply them to your own needs.  Gaining weight is work, just like dieting is.  I’ve met many a bodybuilder’s that have a problem gaining weight and quality size in the off-season.  I was that way.  Why? Well, it’s hard. Just like competition dieting takes dedication and focus so does gaining off-season bulk. First, just like you should be planning your workouts and writing them down in your journal; so should you be planning out your meals.  So, sit down, grab a pad and pen, and write down a meal plan. You need to try and get at least six meals in, every single day.  Or, basically, to play it safe, you must eat every 3 hours.  Some say eat only during the time you are awake.  I say, why miss a window of opportunity to get BIG.  If you wake up in the middle of the night take a protein shake. Yes, rest is the next most important item in gaining size after training but common – how long does it really take to drink a shake especially if it is already pre-made.  Either do what I’m telling you or miss an opportunity for growth.  Stay on an eating schedule and try and never deviate from it.

Why so strict? Well, if you eat everyday at 6 a.m., then right after a.m. cardio and then you miss a meal, you’re body will start to cannibalize your hard-earned muscles. Your body needs a pool of nutrients to constantly pull from, so feed it if you want to grow and change.  Again, as stated about taking large amounts of protein and eating in the middle of the night some so-called experts will tell you not to do those things, and I say, yeah that’s why you’re small. During sleep, your body is essentially starving and cannibalizing muscle. So feed it.

Now that you grasped the importance of eating every 3 hours let’s talk about protein and calories. Now the BIG PROTEIN Question. Eat more than they say you ‘need’ (1.5 – 2.0 grams per pound of body weight).  I am always reading about some sort of documented evidence suggesting that those of us who lift weights can benefit by consuming only 1 gram or less of protein per pound of body weight per day. Then, in the same sentence they say more than that it is a ‘waste’. Even some bodybuilding nutritional articles print that LOW number. No wonder everyone is wondering why they are not growing.

First of all, who suggested that for an athlete?  Must have been a small pencil-necked geek, stringy marathon runner or someone who has never lifted a weight in their lives.  I read once that Dr. Squat started a seminar by saying “No pencil neck geek is going to tell me how to grow”.   How true Doc! So, your goal should be to eat a lot more protein for muscle building mass, size, and strength.  Take 1.2-2.0 grams per pound of bodyweight or anything in between will generate muscle growth and produce fat burning. This alone will keep your muscles bursting with size, strength and energy.

Follow “Eating for Size” guidelines and adhering to the above simple principles you’ll start seeing changes in the mirror quickly. Start on your Eating for Size quest today!

Let’s talk about protein, carbs and fat. Now, that’s where your supplements come in. Your bulking diet should be high protein, moderate carbs, and moderate fat. It is best if you can maintain close to 2g protein per pound of bodyweight. I am firm believer that high protein diets are best for growth. Protein is the most important element in muscle development and getting the right amount of amino acids in the lymph is important so be sure to take in protein with every meal. Have you heard this before? That if you are eating 200g a protein a day and then go to 400g how is your body going to be able to metabolize it?  You heard that before haven’t you?  Well, again, that’s why they’re small

Now, let’s look at calories again.  Gradually increase calories a week. It is hard to eat so much food so you better take your time, and eat in small increments. Build up gradually. Everyone asks; “what should I eat?  “What kinds” of food should I eat?”  Well, let’s see. How about Pizza, Ice Cream, cookies and cakes. That should do it. Common, use your common sense. People want results but don’t do what they really need to do. They ask you questions but brush your answers off because they are not what they want to hear.  I always get asked how did you eat to put that much size on so quickly, or what did you do to get so lean for that show?  What is that exercise you are doing and what is it for?  Or, my favorite; how do I get my bench bigger? Then I tell them, they don’t do it and I ask myself: “why did you ask me if you’re not going to do what I told you?”

Now back to our food. There are a lot of good choices. My preference for protein is lean steak, chicken and ground turkey. But I also eat a ton of eggs and fish. I also happen to depend on protein powders. Get most of your protein from whole foods first and use supplements for the rest, as it is hard to slam all that food down all the time. Be very careful not to depend too much on protein shakes though – they are not going to give you the results you will get from whole foods.  As for carbs, I stick with oatmeal, brown rice, yams or regular potatos and I also eat lots of dark green vegetables.  Don’t forget the fats, they are important also.  For fats I utilize certain nuts, olive oil, all natural peanut butter, whole eggs and the fats in my red meats & fish.

SIX BIG Nutritional Tips for Mass Building

Gaining size, quality size, for most is an up hill battle. It seems that it’s not competition dieting that offer the up and coming bodybuilder hard times but the off-season bulking up.  Is it really that hard to do? Most of us are looking for that special ingredient or the perfect bulking diet when it’s so simple to accomplish that anyone can do it. Yes, I said anyone, I don’t care how much of a “hard-gainer” you want to call yourself, anyone can gain quality size just by doing these simple six during your off-season bulking period.

1. Eat small meals frequently.

Lets look at your calories. Any Mass building diet should consist of high protein, moderate carbs, and moderate fat. Don’t argue with me, do the combinations I suggested. Gradually increase those calories weekly. It is hard to eat so much food so you better take your time, and eat in small increments. Build up gradually. For the best results in terms of muscle growth you should be eating six meals per day or about every 2 ½ to 3-hours. No time to eat six times a day? Then get yourself more organized prepare your food in advance.  Precook lots of different meats and brown rice, so all you have to do is pre-pack your meals for the day – no cooking involved. Use meal replacement shakes as well, but do not make these a habit for all your meals, use for one to two meals only.  A safe fall back is always carry a supply of protein powder and meal replacements everywhere you gym, just incase you run out of food or have none to be found. Keep a stash in your car, office, and gym bag. The longer you make your body wait between meals, the less efficient it becomes at burning fat and or gaining lean tissue. Long periods without eating will greatly increase your chance of overeating when you finally allow yourself to have a meal.  A really great option to have with you is Need To Build Muscle’s Better Protein Bars.  They come as a dry mix, it takes about 10-12 minutes to make a batch of them (no cooking involved) and what is great is there is no additives or preservatives in them, they really are all natural and an awesome meal replacement.  You can find them at http://www.needtobuildmuscle.net.

2. Consume ample amounts of protein.

We’ve addressed this question already. Now that you grasped the importance of eating every 3 hours let’s talk about protein.  I am firm believer that high protein diets are best for growth and so is the science that built large individuals. Always maintain 1.5 or 2g protein per pound of bodyweight.  Protein is the most important element in muscle development and getting the right amount of amino acids in the lymph is important so be sure to take in protein with every meal. Foods such as eggs, poultry, red meat, and fish are rich sources of protein.  Dairy products can also be a form of protein, but not my favorite the others are better.  If you find it difficult to eat adequate dietary protein, I recommend supplementing with a Whey protein shake and a tablespoon of all natural peanut butter.  If you are still having trouble add a ¼ cup of Heavy Cream and 1 cup of Milk to each 2-scoop shake.

3. Eat post training.

The post training meal should have a high quality carbohydrate preferably a waxy maze carb, protein, BCAA’s, and of course Glutamine. The lower the glycemic index of a given carbohydrate, the more gradually it will be digested into its component parts and absorbed from the GI tract into the bloodstream. Less insulin is released from the pancreas over a given time in response to foods with low glycemic indices. Consequently, the body has more time to utilize the components for fuel rather than storing them as fat. One major exception to this rule is fructose, the simple sugar found in fruit, which has a low glycemic index, but don’t be using fruit as your post workout carb.

4. Eat the right fats.

Fats are important energy sources for bodybuilders. Fats contain 9 calories per gram, more than twice the amount found in carbohydrates and proteins. The key with fats is that you need to get the right fats. The hard training bodybuilder needs Omega-3.  When selecting fats look for anything high in Omega3 fatty acids like salmon, aomega 3 eggs or use an essential fat supplement like fish oil.  I also use Heavy Cream for those really hard gainers, it has a combination of good and bad but in the off-season it’s not going to hurt you that much and it tastes great in the shakes. Utilized right these fats can make your body utilize these for energy instead of fat depositing carbs.

5. Be sure to consume adequate fiber.

The human GI tract cannot digest fiber thus it does not contribute calories and is passed as waste. It is vital to good health though. Inadequate dietary fiber leads to a sluggish GI tract, water retention, bloating, and the dreaded constipation. Fruits and leafy vegetables are excellent fiber sources in addition to being rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  There are also dietary fiber products you can use instead of fruit when trying to limit your fruit intake.

6. Drink H2O!

Last but surly most important. I recommend a minimum of one gallon of water per day, especially if you are on a cycle of creatine. Water aids the liver and kidneys in the detoxification of poisons and the elimination of wastes from the body.  Without sufficient water, we become dehydrated. Our organs, including muscle, liver and kidney do not function optimally without enough water. Optimal kidney function leaves the liver free to perform fat burning. Fluid intake increases urination; it will also decrease overall water retention. Since we do not feel thirsty until we are already in a dehydrated state, it is best to drink water with sufficient frequency to prevent thirst. Gradually work up to a gallon a day, you will reap the benefits of your efforts almost immediately. In fact, drinking water below your body temperature can actually help you to lose weight. A hydrated individual will have greater endurance to complete those high intensity hardcore workouts.

Take these six big nutritional tips and your bodybuilding will take new directions in mass optimal growth.  Here is something no one tells you. It takes Bucks to get BIG! Have you ever noticed how expensive it is to eat “clean?” But if you want to eat junk, you’re food bill is allot lower. Go figure. I guess our government wants us to be lazy and fat.  In bodybuilding it takes time to be successful, to find out what works and what doesn’t. But, you have to push that time envelope into your timetable not the world’s timetable.  OK, a bodybuilder’s diet is expensive. Who cares! For hardcore freaky status we do what we have to do to achieve greatness.

When it comes to nutrition, most are uneducated.  It’s about training, how you train, and NUTRITION: how you are eating, and supplementation.  If you got the guts to make the journey into the fields of mass production then, in no time, you’ll no longer be a hard gainer.  So, if you’re looking to take your physique to the next level, this is what you do.   Analyze. And reanalyze.  But, if you want to be huge and strong then stop asking questions and take my advice. Hardcore training and eating with proper nutrition combined with good supplement regiment and you’re gains will come fast.  So eat and when you get into a good pattern with that then it is time to start adding in those supplements.  There are many products out there and this article is not about supplementation, however, I will say you want some very pure, potent and extremely high quality supplements that will help you achieve your goals once your nutrition plan is in place then go to Need To Build Muscle, Inc. www.needtobuildmuscle.net and give me one more rep!

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I Want to Tone!

At least once a day I get asked the same thing.  “How do I tone up?”  And, may I add, with the same cliché; “but I don’t want to get big and bulky!”  You would think in the 21^st Century we’ve grown up a little bit.  Well, I think not.  This is probably one of the most absurd comments I hear from women.  But, why do women say these ridiculous statements?  One major cause could be the wonderful way the media outlets have illustrated bodybuilding and weight training in general.

Comments that refer to “getting bulky,” “putting on too much muscle,” and “I want to stay feminine,” need to be eliminated from our vocabulary.  Almost everyone in every gym, now I said almost everyone, TV infomercials, and even fitness magazines give false and sometimes even bad information to women about weight training.  The mumbo-jumbo ideas and advice given to women regarding weight training are, for the most part, archaic and pretty much taken from the 18^th century.  Does this ignorance make you angry?  There are many misconceptions about female weight training and how we, as women, should weight train, eat, supplement and even go as far as how we should look!  Still, to this date we, even other women, tell women that we should be soft, weak, and “”feminine.”  So, I’m not “feminine because I lift Heavy weights and have a 15.5-inch arm?  I’m sorry but pumping Iron for women is perfect for shaping and sculpting any physique to fashion great aesthetics and definition.

We have thousands of women entering gyms and lifting those little pink and purple hand weights that weigh all of what 3-pounds.  Why?  The average woman’s purse weighs around 10 pounds.  Do you have children?  A newborn in that carry case can weigh as much as 25 plus pounds.  I see these same girls do way too much cardio and at the same time they’re gaining more fat and wonder why they are not loosing any weight or inches.  Often, women who see me in the gym immediately approach me and ask how they should eat or how do they get legs like mine.  Of course they don’t like my answer and sometimes there are even those that don’t ask me because they’re intimidated by my own style of training (I lift heavy and intense).

It doesn’t matter that I have the six-pack they want or the legs and butt they desire, they would rather continue being soft then build muscle.  To help you understand me better and where I’m coming from here is a little background.  I seriously started lifting weights for competitive bodybuilding reasons almost fifteen years ago.  I am a NPC national level competitive bodybuilder who also does sanctioned bench press meets and is ranked top ten in the world in two weight classes.  Yep, I know what you are saying – I don’t want to do that.  No kidding, Buckwheat.  This is what I do, but my training isn’t that far from what you should all be doing.  What I am going to try and relay in this article is education – plain and simple – you all need to be educated and brought up to the current century that we are living in.

I am going to talk to you as if I am training you.  OK, here we go.  My word is Almighty!  You have to trust me.  Now let’s get started.  What should be the first step into creating a more complete understanding on what style of training should be for women?  That’s easy Ladies.  Train hard and train heavy.  You have to add resistance to your muscles so they get that shape you want.  Stop doing reps of 10 on the leg press and instead do reps of 20.  But first, take those 10-pound plates off and put a pair of 45’s on that leg press.  Get your trainer to stop helping you on each and every rep.  You can do it by yourself.  When you feel like you can’t squeeze out any more reps, then do two more!  Also, the old school rep schemes that 10 is for muscle size, and higher reps of 15-20 will get you cut, and 100’s are even better for getting you that “cut” look.  Well, let me tell you, my husband is 280 pounds and can do 100 reps on the leg press with over 600 pounds, and with other exercises he’s done the 100-rep scheme.  Ladies, he’s far from being “cut.”  Sorry, but in all reality reps have nothing to do with getting  “cut.”  I’ll challenge anyone on that.  Do-not let anyone tell you different.

Now this is the next stage in training: proper dietary habits.  Diet and Nutrition or what ever you want to call it, it’s still the same; it’s about getting good eating habits.  Most of you eat less.  A very bad choice.  Starving yourself is NOT the answer or eating LARGE amounts of carbs with LOW Fat foods is not the answer either.  The latter way of eating will only make you fat, and I’m talking “Bulky” fat with an increase in your waistline, butt and hips.  Everyone should eat five to six small meals a day with at least 1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight and then add just enough cardio to trim the fat off to show those muscles.  So about 3-5 days of 30-45 minutes each.  Yes, add that much protein to your diet.  Eat throughout the day with the appropriate foods for energy as well as protein for the build up and repair of muscle tissue.  The combination of moderate cardiovascular activity with eating five to six meals a day will turn you into a fat burning machine.  Muscle increases your metabolism and that burns fat. It’s that easy.

Something more you all need to know and that is the truth about the gym.  The gym is our domain as much as it is any man’s and training in the gym is all about ATTITUDE ladies.  Do you think Rachel McLish cared what the men in the gym thought about her training next to them?  Do you think she was afraid to lift heavy?  From what she offered on each Bally’s commercial I don’t think so.  She understood what she needed to do to get that shapely hard body and that was to lift heavy, get intense and sweat.  For those who are already members of a facility or are looking to get started in a gym and you’re not getting anywhere with your current training you “must get hardcore.”  Yes, I said hardcore.  Get your butt out of that ladies only section of the gym or a women’s only facility.  Self-esteem and confidence can only be accomplished with hardcore training.  The primary goal for most big chain fitness centers is membership sales – Not fitness!  When a large fitness center has a membership of 2000 members and a staff of 15 personal trainers, how much one on one instruction do the members receive?  Very little, if any.  This is why the success rate is so low in the average fitness center.  Most people join gyms to make significant physical changes.  Fitness Centers overemphasize entertainment and fun.  Most fitness centers distract members with multiple televisions, wall to wall mirrors, and too many windows.  This type of environment directs focus outward.  Physical training requires internal focus.  You need to be aware of your inner universe.  Success is almost impossible for the majority of health club members.  This is a sad fact.

Trust me on all this, and remember, you will not become a competitive bodybuilder or get “bulky” just from lifting heavy weights.  I’ve been lifting hard and heavy for over fifteen years and when I say hard and heavy I’m talking lifting as much if not more then most men so if it were that easy, to get big and bulky like most of you think, I would be 300 pounds of rock hard muscle.

Now if you are going to ask a “certified” personal trainer about training and if they reference the above bogus stuff we just talked about then walk away from them fast – they cannot and will not help you.  If you do not have someone to help you in your gym, then do what I did when I started lifting.  I bought Arnolds Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding and another great book is SuperVixen by Negreta Jayde.  There are also some very good online sites where you can get advice and even training.  Personally I have clients that I train online all over the world, so this may be another avenue you may want to check into.  Ladies understand this, its all bodybuilding, however you look at it – it’s building muscle!  Still don’t believe me?  Then you will never get what you want because bodybuilding is fundamentally building and shaping the body, which is just what you all want.  To get those curves and the hard body you want, first you need to lift weights, weights that will stress your muscles, diet right, and then add some cardio.  And take it from me, the bodybuilder; your legs, arms and mid section are only going to get tight by hitting the weights hard and heavy with an intense hard core attitude.  The bottom line is this, physical change can only occur in focused environments with like minded individuals with similar goals.  To quote a very wise person, “Go hard or go home!”

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Anita Ramsey CSCS, CFT, CSN

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Curtis Schultz CSCS

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Barbell Incline Bench Press

This develops mass and strength of the pectoral muscles (upper and middle regions) and front Deltoids.  The incline angle of this press hits the upper pecs really hard.  The main benefit in doing incline presses is to develop the upper portion of the pectoral muscles.

Target muscle group: Upper chest (clavicular portion of the pectoralis major). Other muscles affected are the deltoids (shoulders) and the triceps (back of the arms).

Everyone wants a huge chest, plain and simple. It is all too common to see inexperienced lifters slaving away on endless sets of cable crossovers in search of full, thick pecs.  If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard someone ask that question we’ve all heard a million times, “how much do you bench?” I’d be rich.  Don’t get me wrong, bench press is very important to thickness as well, but, the point is doing Incline bar presses is very important if you want to have upper chest thickness.

I have always used Incline presses as a staple in my chest training.  As a bodybuilder, the incline should definitely be the emphasized in chest training.  Utilizing incline bar, Smith machine incline bar, and incline dumbbell presses should be used for bodybuilding prep.  These exercises are key to upper pec thickness. Incline presses are a very popular exercise in bodybuilding circles.  It is common to hear that bodybuilders are inclining 4 or 5 plates for reps. Seven-time Mr. Olympia Ron Coleman, Chris Comier, and many top bodybuilders are doing reps with 500 pounds on the incline and their chest development shows their efforts.

The possession of a deep, thickly muscled chest is one of the hallmarks of a championship bodybuilding physique.  Bodybuilders, in particular beginners, pay a great deal of attention to this region of the body not only because it responds rather quickly to regular training but also, when fully developed, imparts the look of power and muscular impressiveness to the whole physique.  What I’d like to do is to point out how you can perform these moves more efficiently and suggest some alternatives.

Analyzing Wrong Technique

First, watch individuals performing these exercises, it is one of the best ways to analyze technique.  Now, while watching these individuals do incline presses with a bar or with dumbbells, do their elbows go back towards their head away from their bodies?  Of course they do, and that’s the wrong technique.  That way of doing inclines putts undue stress on the entire shoulder area.  Keep doing that type of technique and you’ll find yourself with serious shoulder problems.  The trouble is many lifters extend the elbows way too far out to the sides when performing inclines.  Another flaw many lifters practice when they incline is they raise their butt off the bench, in essence, making the incline press a flat press.  This is an excerpt from an unknown CPT.  “Keep elbows well out to the sides and back, and lower bar to the line of the nipples.  If dumbbells are used, use the same elbow position but also lower them as much as you can manage in order to get the fullest extension of the arms…” This is incorrect bar and Dumbbell positioning.

For proper technique

To get the max drive out of pressing in the incline position it is the same as if you were flat bench pressing, your arms should be in a 45-degree tucked angle to the sides of your body.  This technique places more emphasis on the pec and triceps muscles rather then the shoulder joint.  Place your arms in the same manner when doing dumbbell incline presses too.  At first, your strength will be a little down and that’s only because you changed your technique and you are not used to the proper movement yet.  Keep working at this technique.

Execution:

Lean back on a 30 to 45 degree incline bench.  Your feet should be flat on the floor giving yourself a good sturdy base.  Lower back is slightly arched with your shoulders and traps flat against the bench.  Take hold of the bar with a medium-wide grip.  When you have the bar off the rack, do not start down immediately with it.  Raise the bar off the rack and hold it right above your head with arms locked.  Like with the bench press, hold it at the top for just a second and get oriented take a deep breath, hold then start.

Now, slowly, touch the muscles directly underneath the point that the clavicles meet, basically the upper chest or top of the chin.  Don’t bounce the weight off your chest, but press it back up to the top position, exhaling on the way up.  Do not touch the nipple area, this is way too low.  Bar placement should be as stated, either touch your chin, or just below your clavicle. Even going an inch too low takes the emphasis off the upper chest muscles.

Also, keep your wrists straight and your elbows beneath your wrists with your arms tucked at a 45-degree angle.  Do not keep your elbows back towards your head because this puts maximum stretch on the pecs and serious stress on the shoulder joint.

Safety Note: If you are new to this movement you should always use the bar at first for 10 15 reps and gradually go up in weight.  Also, at all times, as with all exercises you should have a spotter while you’re trying to get a flow for this exercise.

Basic Incline Bench Press Routine:

Any routine can take up to 6 weeks or longer sometimes 12 to 14 weeks.  Very Important, do not have your partner holing the bar on every rep you do screaming “It’s all you!”  Because trust me if his/her hands are on the bar – it’s NOT all you!  Got it?!  Do it on your own each and every rep.  Your spotter should only touch the bar when you are stuck.

Let’s say you can incline bench 225 on your own for a 1 rep max.  Try this out.  When beginning any routine, No matter what your 1 RM, always do the bar first for 1 set of 12-15 reps then do the following warm up: 135 for 10 reps; 175 for 5 reps, 185 for 5 reps, then do 205 for three sets of 6 reps.

When you can do 225 for three sets of 6  – ALL on our own then:

Use the same warm up but then do 225 for 3, and three sets of 235 for 6 reps.

Keep doing this routine until you’ve done your 250 + for a 1RM.

Here are some sample chest routines that are highly effective: All sets should stay within the 4-6 rep range and be taken to complete muscular failure. The trick for getting the most out of Incline presses is keeping your rep range fewer than 8 and above 3.

Incline barbell or dumbbell presses 4 x 8

Hammer Strength machine presses 4 x 6-12

Flat dumbbell flyes 4 x 15

Flat Bench Press: Work Sets 3 x 5
Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 x 6
Dips: 2 x 10 weighted

Incline Bench Press: 2 x 4-6
Dips: 2 x 4-6

Flat Dumbbell Press: 2 x 4-6

Incline Dumbbell Press: 2 x 4-6
Dips: 2 x 4-6

Flat Dumbbell Press: 1 x 4-6
Incline Dumbbell Flyes: 1 x 15

Incline Bench Press Variations

This exercise has a few variations.  Smith machine incline bar, close grip incline bar (more for triceps), Incline dumbbell flies, and incline dumbbell presses.  I get a lot out of dumbbell incline presses rather then bar but that’s preference.  I do them every other week working my way up to a heavy set of 5 or sets with reps of 20.  I substitute heavy incline bar sometimes on my light bench press day, and also do incline close grip bar every other heavy bench press day.  Smith machine incline works well too, try them like Markus Ruhl does, very wide grip.  So does the Hammer Strength™ incline chest machine.

General Tips
To keep the deltoids (shoulders) from doing too much work, don’t allow the rear deltoids to come off the bench, especially the last few inches when pushing the weight up.  They should remain in the same position flat on the bench throughout the movement.  If you are having trouble balancing the weight make sure that your arms remain relatively vertical throughout the left.  The more vertical your arms are, the better your balance will be.  The more narrow the grip, the more you involve your triceps.  The wider the grip the more the outer area of the chest is worked.

In Conclusion:

Remember, if you want that upper chest thickness, then incline work is necessary.  Train heavy and hard so your chest thickness will rival that of Ronnie Coleman.  Incline into 30-45-degrees and give me one more rep!

Curtis Schultz is a contributor for Ironman magazine, MuscleMag International, Martial Arts Illustrated, Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness, and many other publications.   He has been a Head or an Assistant Strength Coordinator as well as a football coach for 13 years with several colleges and high schools.  Some of the places he has worked are the Univ. of Colorado, Univ. of the Pacific, St. Peter’s College, and Quincy Univ.   Curtis is also an accomplished powerlifter and bench only competitor.  He is also a certified Specialist in Sports Conditioning and certified Fitness Trainer, a USWF level 1 Olympic “Club” Coach, and has memberships with the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association, IFPA, and NSCA.

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