5 Reasons people need a framework to succeed –

1 – Most don’t know what they need to do and as such need it clearly signposted

2 – It helps people feel less pressure, basically they can blame the structure for failure rather than themselves

3 – Things such as accountability and more responsibility become easier to administer

4 – Recorded data makes for a great confidence booster to show them how far they’ve come

5 – It teaches them how to achieve success on their own

Now there are those rare people who don’t need a framework to make their own success, if you’re one of them then we’ll see each other at the top. If that’s not you it’s not a problem, just ask for help and it will be yours.

Short & simple today.

Enjoy,
Ross

What’s harder?

What’s harder, training or nutrition?

 

Now this is a common question and the answer for most is almost always the nutrition.

 

The funny thing is nutrition isn’t really that hard, you either need to be in a calorie surplus or deficit (depending on your goal), from there you will do well to keep a nutrition diary and record your foods, calories/macros too if you’re that focused.

 

Next you will do well to opt to eat mostly whole foods, however this is not a necessity although it is preferable for health and performance purposes.

 

This again isn’t hard, yet people will makes excuses, piss wings and moan that is it because of the following REAL reason; they don’t want to have to change bad habits.

 

Might sound harsh, however that doesn’t stop it being true.

 

Now as written above, you don’t HAVE to change the foods you eat, provided your calories/macros are set correctly and you hit them you can choose the foods sources, so the excuse of “Good nutrition is too restrictive and hard to stick to” gets thrown out of the window, now it’s just a case of you hitting the number you need to.

 

This is where tracking your calories etc becomes important, again though, you don’t have to, just don’t expect much in the way of progress if yo don’t know what you’re eating calorie wise.

 

Some will chuck in the barrier or “Well I don’t know who to work this out” which again is a redundant excuse considering all the calculators that are available to people, not to mention you can also speak to a respected of successful trainer/coach and have them do it for you.

 

My suggestion would be Eric Helms and his work, or look up the Harris-Benedict calorie calculation formula, boom no more barriers or confusion.

 

Everyone, I don’t mean to sound cynical or jaded, yet I am, this is because over the years I have developed less and less patience for people poor excuses and lack of drive to achieve a result.

 

You have two options really, you either want to make a change, in which case myself and many other people in this industry will bend over backwards to help you. OR, you don’t really want to change in which case we wish you all the best and we can end our conversations promptly.

 

Now as people who want to help we can give you all the tools, help you stay accountable, speak to you daily to make sure you have all the support you need, however if you don’t want to change no amount of help from us or anyone else will make you want to change, that decision has to come from you, from your heart.

 

The knowledge of knowing what will help you in getting results isn’t hard, it’s not the training or the nutrition that is hard, it’s making the conscious choice to change.

 

We, I want to help you, however the real question is do you want to help yourself?

 

Give it some thought.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

Back to the basics for us all.

What is there to write about training anymore?

 

The internet is filled with so much content, it’s almost impossible to read it all.

 

Keeping this in mind it’s probably best to keep things simple and hopefully point you in the right direction and to do that we need to circle back around to the basics and the simple sciences of training.

 

What should you look to circle back to first?

 

– Energy Systems

 

Why?

 

These are essential for understanding how the body works and what fuel is used for what training styles (aerobic – fat, anaerobic – glucose etc), here is a nice resource for that:

 

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/3-energy-systems-help-trainer.htm

 

Next it has to be muscle anatomy.

 

– Muscle Structure

 

Once you know how they work you can conclude what style of training is best for your goal. Here are a couple of links:

 

http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/muscle-structure-and-function

 

https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/10-6-exercise-and-muscle-performance/

 

One last topic that is crucial to have a basic underrating of in training is hormones.

 

– Testosterone, Cortisol and everything in-between.

 

This is a massive topic yet it’s one people ignore all the time and it really shouldn’t be. Your hormones are influenced not only by training but also your nutrition, sleep, life style and mach more, thus it is worth knowing how they work and what they do.

 

https://www.acefitness.org/blog/5593/8-hormones-involved-in-exercise

 

Above are some starting links to help you on your way, however it’s worth remembering that the body is a complex organism and if you don’t want to do the digging yourself then you’ll do well to hire a coach/trainer who can do it all for you.

 

Remember the basics, without those nothing else can be understood.

 

Enjoy,

Ross

5-3-2 or 3-2-1 or maybe 1-1-1

What do they mean would be the best question to ask first of all.

These numbers are in reference to the frequency of training a muscle group, or if you are less about the aesthetic and more about performance it will be in reference to movement patterns.

So 3-2-1 is ideal for beginners and people who are short on time yet still want to make a decent amount of progress in terms of strength, hypertrophy, performance and fat loss.

For example:

Squat 3 days per week
Press 2 days per week
Deadlift 1 day per week

I’d also add in pulling (elbow flexion) and hip extension movements (rows, pull ups, face pulls, reverse fly, swings, rope pull throughs etc) to the three day group as these patterns are often left out.

Press vertically and horizontally both days, this would also encompass all elbow extension exercises – skull crushers etc.

The reason many will do well deadlifting once per week as they can often lift more weight in this lift and as such will cause more metabolic disturbance.

Taking in to consideration what is above you can guess where 5-3-2 is going.

Yep, more frequency for people with more experience who fall in the intermediate level and need more exposure to the movements.

Depending on goal you may find you squat 3 or 5 times per week, the sam gif true for pressing/pulling it might be 3 or 5 days, you can adjust this as you need to.

Example:

Press/Pull 5 days per week
Squat 3 days per week
Deadlift 2 days per week

Over the years it has been shown that more often than not the more frequently you train something (the more exposure it has to training stimuli) the stronger it is and the more developed the muscle/area/movement looks.

Now these guidelines aren’t gospel, they’re just a guide to give people some direction.

What is 1-1-1 then?

Yep, you’ve probably worked it out.

You may even find that you’re one of the luck ones who can train things once per week and make progress, if that is the case then stick with what works because there is no sense in fixing what isn’t broken. If this is you, just make sure each session you give it your all for maximal progress, due to the low frequency you will need to hammer the muscle to hit your required volume/intensity/work capacity needs.

In terms of my own training I will tell you that higher frequency has very much helped me gain high levels of strength relative to my size (what is needed for the combative sports is partake in), however when I dropped my frequency – it was still a minimum of twice per week per muscle group – I made more hypertrophic progress, this was due to not only a different style of training but also eating in a caloric surplus*.

*You need to be in a calorie surplus to gain weight, you’ll struggle if you’re not in one, regardless of set or rep range. If you want to shift fat you can train int he same way you will just need a caloric deficit, fact.

Take a look at your training and compete the frequency of your lifts to what body parts you have developed the most, you’ll probably find the ones you train the most are the best, or as some might say “Those are you naturally strong areas” – well duh, you train them more, they’re going to be stronger than the ones you avoid.

Training is all about learning, applying and adapting until you find what work best for YOU.

Let’s get started.

Ross

Some variety is good, too much isn’t.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the classic line of “You need to change up your training to keep the body guessing” or something along those lines.

While having some changes in your training program is good for novelty and staving off the boredom, too much change too often will leave you without any real progress due to a lack of suitable adaptation.

Look at is this way; if you want to get better at a certain skill you practice that skill over and over and over again, the same is true fro lifting weights/training, you need repeated and sustained efforts to adapt and progress, chopping and changing every session won’t provide too much in the way of progress.

While you might not like that fact is it very much the case.

Take a look at people who do an ever changing amount of classes, they shift their excess fat and build some small amount of muscle (this is great btw), however past that point they end up looking no better because they don’t want to buckle down and stay with a training program for longer than a couple of weeks.

It’s a common issue that everyone falls victim to.

Now it is worth noting that some people do indeed need change every 2 weeks in there training, however those people are usually genetically gifted and 9/10 times you’re not that person, you’re the one who needs to stay consistent to a program for at least 12-16 weeks, sorry, that’s how it is.

When all that is said and done these words are only simple bits of advice, you can do what ever the hell you want, in the end it makes no different to me personally. If you’re happy with your training and your results then fill your boots, however if you’re not then you’d do well to take this on board.

You will often find the most successful training programs are often the most boring.

Enjoy,
Ross

Short on time? Better back off.

The introduction and more frequent use of ‘back off sets’ has become quite popular of late.

You’ll find you can use them to determine suitable loading for your next session, increase total TUT and even help you maintain your progress if you find your gym training time has been chopped down due to life getting in the way.

In the past this has happened several times and as such a way and to be found to get in some quality work, here is an option for you, it will take anywhere from 20-30min tops, try not to spend longer than 30min (especially if your time is limited), just focus on hard work.

This protocol will:

– Provide suitable mechanical tension for strength
– Generate metabolic stress for adaptation
– Create muscle damage for new growth

All you need to do is follow the guidelines and put in all your effort, eat the calories required for your goal (I’ve written about this previously), sleep and stay focused.

Let’s get down o the details.

– Use compound movements (Squat, DL, Press, Chin, Row, etc)

– 1 or 2 per workout (A1/A2 pairing)

– Ramp up your weights each set, start off with 5’s and work to one heavy set, then add a little more weight for a 3, then finally a little more for 1 single. The triple/single aren’t all out efforts, only the 5, they’re just for extra neural stimulation.

– Take 70% of the top 5 and perform 1 back off set of 10-20 reps unbroken

– Rest is minimal between sets, go as soon as you feel ready

– 3 sessions per week is a good minimum to cover the full body

You will be in and out in no time at all.

This short style of workout will allow heavy enough loads to trigger a host of positive things and the back of set will further potentiate this.

If you find you’re doing all of this in 20min then use the extra 10 for some accessory movements (arms, calves etc).

The protocol above is nothing fancy, it’s devised to get maximum results out of minimum time and as such leaves no room for dilly-dallying.

Enjoy,
Ross

The secret that all fat loss diets don’t want you to know

Diets, there’s certainly a lot of them, especially of the weight loss variety.

 

Keto

Paleo

Carb Cycling

IIFYM

Mediterranean

Zone

Atkins

The Blood of Your Enemies

5:2

Intermittent Fasting

And many many more

 

You’ll find a lot of them actually work to some degree and the reason for that is typically one that all have in common.

 

A calorie deficit.

 

The main factor in shifting weight downwards on the scales is being in a calorie deficit, or negative energy balance, you’ll find this can be achieved via a purely nutritional deficit or a combination of nutrition and training.

 

If you do aim to mix training (weight lifting) and nutrition to create a good deficit you’ll find that you get a better result, this is because your body will now have an inherent need to maintain muscle and strength while shifting fat, meaning you’ll achieve that ‘toned’ look that is wanted.

If you’re in a deficit you will become lighter, that’s just how the body works, even if you’re eating ‘bad foods’, while food choice is important for health reasons, a deficit is a deficit, you can technically each jelly beans and toast and shift weight, provide you’re in a deficit, however I’d advise eating more whole foods, unless you don’t care for your heath, your choice.

 

Nothing fancy today, just a few words on how to shift the excess and those words are, caloric deficit (or negative energy balance for the science nerds).

 

Enjoy,

Ross

You don’t need to squat heavy…

Do you need to squat heavy?

It pains me to say this, however there is technically no need to squat heavy weights…

That said, there is a basic necessity for the squatting movement pattern as it will ensure healthy ankles, knees, hips and loads more.

The squat is a fundamental human movement pattern, you need it, fact.

I am personally bias towards heavy squats, I love them, however they are not for everyone, some people may have injuries that prevent them going heavy, this is fair enough, they can adapt and do things such as goblet or front squats as substitutes, so long as they are performing the movement pattern all is good.

This short post is just to remind you that it’s okay not to squat heavy, you just need to be performing the movement in some way, shape or form to stay healthy.

Here is a simple workout structure for those who need some guidance, you can pick which ever :

W/U – Squatting pattern – Example: Goblet Squat 50 reps
A1 – Hinging movement 15-25 rep goal
B1 – Pressing movement
B2 – Pulling movement 25-50 rep goal for both
C1 – Core movement or Loaded Carry 30 rep goal or Distance for Time (e.g., 10min)

Easy, all you need do for exercise ideas is simply find a list of movements and pick ones that you feel like doing on the day.

Actually, hold on…

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

^^ A great resource, they’ve got some fantasist bits on there to read, enjoy it.

Ross

Fitness, Drugs & Lies, Oh My…

Everyone has something to sell and like a true patron you buy without question because you lack basic conceptual understanding.

Sorry to be the one to say it.

Actually, I’m not sorry. If anything I’m tired of seeing people fall for the same bullshit day in day out and not only that, the worst part is people are happy to do it because it fits in with societal norm and their inherent biases, along with the fact it give people excuses to fall back on.

You know the Instagram model you follow?

The one with ‘dat ass’ who competes in Bikini comps, yea her. Did you know that the Booty Plan she is selling won’t get you one like hers for several reasons:

1 – It doesn’t work due to violation of basic training principles, overload, etc

2 – Her ass is largely down to genetics and good posing (don’t you ever wonder why she only takes ass selfies from one angle all the time….)

3 – She tells you what you want to hear and you lap it up, because you’re desperate

Then we have that guy, he’s huge, ripped and all around godly, well guess what, he’s on steroids, lots and lots of steroids and has a body that you will never achieve without the same or potentially greater amounts of them and the programs/diets he sells are terrible, dangerous in fact because they are based on his workouts. So unless you’re also on the juice you’ll find yourself broken in the end.

The term ‘Fitsipration’ is meant to be a positive one however the people that now use it the most are nothing more than narcissistic salespeople who need your gratification and will sell you a false dream and like a true sheep you will follow.

It’s rare people want to help you, most only want to help themselves, sadly.

I’ve been in the industry a long time and seen a great many things that most will disbelieve instantly because they’d rather be naive than learn the truth and see their perception shattered.

The real world of fitness is filled with lies to keep up appearances and as a result it is causing people great mental distress.

I will leave you with some things to consider, you can choose to look in to their validity or ignore them, it doesn’t really matter to me, the choice is yours.

– High level athletes/competitors use drugs

– Social media is a highlight reel where people strive to one up each other to massage their ego

– Your heroes lie to you all the time to sell products and please sponsors

– You don’t know what you think you know because what you know is mostly lies

– If you want the truth you need to start looking for it, be warned though, once you find it you’ll find yourself a grumpy old person like me

Apart form those small nuances, fitness is great 🙂

Enjoy,

Ross

How to make progress: Part 7 – Individual Difference.

 

The final part, the one many have been waiting for, time to hail the snowflake and make things ultra specific to each person.

 

Well… Not quite.

 

Individual difference doesn’t quite mean super specific exercises for all, although some changes will need to be made if there is past injury etc. What is means is the way people may set up to an exercise due to lever length, bio-mechanics and so on.

 

This is where hiring a good coach comes in to play because they will help you find the correct form for YOU, they can also help add in some extra alternatives and maybe even a little spice to keep your workouts interesting (with the base exercises as staples that is).

 

The reason this is the last thing int he progression ladder is simple, most people don’t need massive amounts of variation because they’re not ready for it yet, they need consistency, hard graft and time under the bar, the fancy stuff is reserved for people who are close to or at their natural genetic limit – often someone who’s trained for 10+ years and mastered the basics, if this ins’t you, stick to the simple stuff for now.

 

Work hard, pay your dues, stay consistent and results will be yours.

 

Enjoy,

Ross