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Why you might not gain muscle mass despite hard training!

Alright,

I have been reading again, I know it is a dangerous thing. But hey you have to do it to stay on top of things. So I was reading Zatsiorsky et Kraemer’s book “Science and Practice of Strength Training” and I can tell you, it sure is not an easy Sunday afternoon read but still highly interesting. I came across an article in there that talked about carbohydrate and protein intake before and and after a strength workout.

Here is the gist of it and I am going to try to simplify it somewhat:

Taking in carbs and protein before and after your workout, may that personal training, on your own or in boot camp, etc. affects the amount of testosterone binding to androgen receptors, which at that point are more receptive to testosterone. Testosteron itself is one of the major players in increased protein synthesis in the muscle but only if bound to a receptor. ERGO: protein intake

So why the hell carbs? Well, carbohydrate intake after your workout is associated with a higher insulin level which itself is responsible not only for the transporting glucose to your muscle cells but also transporting amino acids into the muscle. Additionally growth hormones and insuline like growth factor -1 increase as well with the nutrient intake.

It seems that the food intake may play a major role in optimizing the anabolic environment surrounding a workout.

This is what is suggested: 25-50g of protein (primarily essential amino acids)  and 50g of carbs before and after the workout

 

Have a great workout,

 

Michael

Head Personal Trainer @ Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting

Source: Vladimir M Zatsiorsky et William J. Kraemer (2006) Science and Practice of Strength Training (2nd Edition). Human Kinetics

Monday Drag – How to avoid it!

Okay,

 

I am not supposed to sit here and write this post but it seems like I am relearning that lesson every Sunday. I am dragging my feet going to bed, and I LOVE my job.

So, for you out there. You cannot not just learn from what others do but also from what they don’t do. Most likely I am going to be tired tomorrow and whose fault is that? Mine!

I just made my own life more difficult for not going to bed and my personal trainers and I see that every week in personal training and boot camp. I just stepped into the same trap. I have been better lately but not today. So here is how I intend to get started tomorrow to not drag:

5 min Warm Up

Tabata Kettlebell lunges (8x20s with 10 s break)

1 min Jump Rope

Tabata Chin Ups

1 min Jumping Jacks

Tabata Push ups

2 min CD on Bike.

 

Have a great day everyone!

 

Michael

This is how you can get your weekend started

Here is a powerful workout for the weekend that really kicks some butt. Take a backpack pack it with water bottles (1 lbs/ea), make sure you don’t have any pressure spots and off you go. Start with a lighter weight (10-15 lbs) and work yourself up to even 40 lbs. Now that the backpack is packed, pick a moderate to challenging hiking trail and off you go for 30-60 min.

This kind of workout will get you out of the door but it will also make you appreciate what our armed forces have to go through in their training. Even if you think you are a great walker or runner, you will find that this is highly challenging.

Have a great weekend,

Michael

Morning Workout

Alright guys and gals, I know you have a hard time getting up in the morning and work out. I totally understand. It is not easy for me either, but here is what you can do!

  1. 40 Jumping Jacks
  2. 1 min Crunches
  3. 1  min Push ups
  4. 30s Burpees
  5. 1 min Chin ups (even with chair assist)
  6. 30s Jump Squats
The whole workout will take about 5 min . You can do it 1-4 times and increase the length if needed.
Remember you can always work out, you have always time, even if it is just for a short period of it.
Michael

18 Days into January – have you started, stopped or are you succeeding?

I was listening the other day to someone who is really successful in the fitness business and he said that one of the biggest mistakes people make is that they wait for the right something to work out. What did he mean with that?

First of all we need to understand is what he does. He helps personal trainers be successful. He is not working with clients who want to lose weight, tone up, gain muscles mass etc. He works with fitness professionals.

He elaborated on what he meant with his statement:

People always wait for something to happen in order for their goals to take shape

  1. The right time, like a Monday, the next month, week or year.
  2. The perfect setup: You have all the logistics worked out, business cards, etc.
  3. A friend to help…
As you can see you can always add to that list and looking at my clients and myself I see a similar pattern sometimes. Like I already posted in my New  Years Revolution. It is time to get away from that and move on to actually doing it. The other things will fall in place if you are committed.
Like Wayne Gretzky said: “You miss 100%of the shots you don’t take.”
Now off to doing it!
Michael

Training Success with a Little Competition

We all suffer sometimes from lack of motivation. That is the same for us trainers. Sometimes it is just in one aspect of your training, sometimes in all. I personally love martial arts and running the most. It is easy for me to push myself doing those activities. Strength training on the other hand is harder for me to motivate myself properly and push it.

Beginning of December, Jonathan and I decided to make a bet, again :). Whoever has the biggest % improvement in repetitions with push ups, chin ups & leg press wins, unless they gain weight.

  1. Do as many push up, chin ups and leg press (10 RM weight)  as you can and weigh in on Day 1
  2. Train for 4.5 weeks (over Christmas)
  3. Retest at the end of the 4.5 weeks.
At the beginning of the bet I weighed in at 166 lbs, did 42 push ups, 13 chin ups and 10 reps at 885 lbs. During the 4.5 weeks of training I noticed a considerable higher level of motivation in my strength training and soon I started to see improvements in all areas. By the time retesting came around today I did 60 push ups, 20 chin ups and 15 reps at 885 lbs and had lost 3 lbs. That is a total % improvement of 146.71%.
Jonathan started at 184.5 lbs, did 67 push ups, 21 chin ups and  10 reps at 705 lbs. His weakest part has always been his legs. He got more serious with his training. Strength training is his thing, he loves it and that is where he works the hardest. During the retest he came in with 86 push ups, 25 chin ups and 20 repetitions with 705 lbs on the leg press and weighing in at 184.5 lbs. His total improvement was 147.39 %.
Now the percentages are huge and do not reflect necessarily pure strength improvement but also motivation and the willpower to push through what we were formerly not able to. He ended up winning the bet, but really we both did because we both ended up stronger, physically and mentally.
You can see that improvement is hugely dependent on motivation. Anyone can do it!
I hope to see you in here, to help  you along with your progress.
Michael.
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