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I’m starting a series today on how you should eat in order to gain more muscle mass. This will be a 3-parter that I’ll finish throughout the month. Here’s the outline:
- Why your eating habits are more important than your lifting habits if you want to get bigger (naturally)
- Why skinny guys stay skinny – plus, the fastest way to gain muscle from your diet
- How to eat more to gain more muscle and actually lose fat at the same time – plus, I’ll also include some sample menus ( keep in mind that entire books are written on menus so I’m only offering some examples!)
Today let’s tackle the importance of eating habits compared to lifting habits. Next week we’ll dive into #2 and the week after that we’ll conclude with the third topic.
Why Eating Is More Important Than Lifting
- pic: Good eating, with good weight lifting, equals bigger and better physique
You want to get bigger, huh? Join the crowd.
You might just be thinking “a little” bigger. Or maybe you are thinking “a lot bigger”. And maybe you just want bigger shoulders, or pecs, or glutes, or whatever.
The point is, we’re talking physique here and we all have different ideal images of what our target physique should be. If you are reading this, then chances are high that part of your desired physique means bigger muscles.
So weightlifting is the most important part of getting bigger muscles, right?
Wrong.
Now before you start writing me hate mail, I’m saying “most important”. That’s a relative term. Meaning, that of course lifting matters! If you want to get bigger muscles, instead of just a bigger gut, then you’ve gotta lift.
But I’m saying that a great eating plan with a mediocre lifting routine will do more for your physique than a great lifting routine and a mediocre eating plan.
(I’d like to write that previous sentence in all caps, but that would just annoy you, right?)
A Simple Example
Let’s walk through a very simplified analysis of 5 cases…
Muscles need stimulation, nutrients, and rest. That combination triggers growth. How much growth depends on the quality and quantity of the stimulation, nutrients, and rest.
No stimulation, no growth. Ditto for rest. And of course, no nutrients (food), no growth.
Since this article series is about how eating impacts muscle growth, let’s assume for now that you are on a pretty good lifting routine. It’s not the best, but it’s not the worst. (So, you can extrapolate from this and assume that results will be better/worse in relation to your lifting routine.)
Case 1: Let’s say you are doing your “adequate” lifting routine, but not eating at all. What would happen? Your body would go into starvation mode, burning muscle first, then fat, and then you’d die. Obviously, no muscle growth in this scenario.
Case 2: Now, instead of eating nothing, imagine you eat a small quantity of junk food. Let’s assume total calories are just enough to prevent starvation. But your muscles need protein (in the form of amino acids) to heal after you’ve stimulated them with your adequate workout. And so just junk food doesn’t give the muscles what they need to grow. Result: no muscle growth.
Case 3: Read the rest of this entry »
Just starting out with weightlifting? Want to get bigger muscles this winter?
Get my full-body lifting routine here: FullBodyAttack!
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A couple months ago I did a full article on how to improve your pull-ups/chin-ups. Here’s one more technique I think you’ll love.
It’s just a simple ladder. This is for people who can do a few pullups/chinups – say 4 or 5 max, though it might work for people who are already doing 10 to 20 who (for some reason) want to increase further…
First decide if you are doing chin-ups or pull-ups (click here for the difference). I’m going to assume chin-ups for this explanation.
- Do 1 chinup
- Rest 30 seconds
- Do 2 chinups
- Rest 30 seconds
- Do 3 chinups
- Rest 30 seconds
- Continue in this pattern until you can’t move up any more. It will certainly be at a number less than your max, because you will have pre-exhausted the muscles.
- Now that you’ve tapped out, reverse the pattern, going back down the ladder.
That’s it! After a few weeks of doing this once or twice a week, you’ll see your max increase for sure. Have fun!
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- Are free-weights always better than machines? pic from cybexintl.com
This is the first article in a 4-part series on using lifting machines. This is part one and next week I’ll share part 2, then part 3. And then in part 4, I’ll share what the science says about all this.
You’ve heard me, and many other online fitness guys, really blast the use of fixed-path machines. And for good reason – I stand solidly behind the premise that free-weights are better than fixed-path machines in almost every case. That’s why I use free weights for the majority of my muscle building programs.
But, like any rule or scientific study, there are exceptions.
First off note that I’m using the phrase “fixed-path machine”. What does this mean?
Well, for one it does NOT mean the newer cable machines. The newest cable machines don’t require a fixed path – you can move however you want and the cable simply provides the connection to the resistance. (I could make the argument that cable exercises are in fact the best bang-for-the-buck possible, but that would be another article…)
I categorize fixed-path machines into two buckets:
- Selectorized Lifting Machine – pic from cybexintl.com
a) Selectorized – Machines where there is a stack of weights built into the machine and you select the weight with a pin (see picture). In these, the bars are connected to the apparatus and usually both arms or legs move together (non-independent). For example, the old-school Universal Machines, the early Nautilus machines, most of the Body Solid line, some of the Cybex line, etc. Usually all these machines are in their own section at the gym and most involve sitting.
b) Plate Loaded – Weight machines where you manually load free-weight plates onto a machine that still follows a fixed path; these are fake free weights, and just because you are loading 45 pound plates onto it doesn’t mean you are doing free weights! For example the Smith Machine, leg press machines, many of the Cybex line. One improvement these often have over the Selectorized machines is that each limb moves independently (at least for upper body exercises – see picture). These are usually integrated into the free-weight section of your gym.
- Plate-loaded Weight Machine – pic from cybexintl.com
Keep in mind though, that there are so many different “machines” out there, and every generation of machine is better than the first. It’s really hard to do a direct comparison, but I’ll try anyway since you are a LeanLifter (smile).
Why Free Weights
Let’s start with a summary on why free-weights are generally better than machines: Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: free weights, machines
Have you ever listened to the Get-It-Done-Guy’s weekly podcast?
You need to. It’s hysterical.
Oh, and actually practical too. Tips for getting things done. He gets extra points for the clever show name.
But really the reason to listen is to laugh.
Stever (no, that’s not a typo) is both insightful and funny.
Last week he had a great podcast you can listen to here: Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: diet
Admitting Defeat
You know, I recently wrote an article over at The Goal Triangle about how you have to fail in order to succeed. Well, here’s a case in point: the new email format. I tried to make things easier for you and for myself, and improve the look of the emails you get, but I “failed”. It was harder for me to manage, and the html codes ended up triggering more spam filters (meaning many of you never got some really good articles – check your spam folders over the past few weeks to make sure). So, I’m back to the old format.
Poll Results
You may have noticed the poll taking place on the right side of worldfitnessnetwork. The previous poll asked what your top fitness goals were. After hundreds of votes, the top 2 were: #1: build muscle and #2 shed fat. Probably not surprising given the content I write about! Be sure to take the current poll (which will be changed to a new poll in February).
The Fight For Your Fitness Wallet
If you are signed up for other fitness sites, you may have noticed a huge increase in sales hype and email volume.
I’m here to give you the straight story about why they are doing this, and how you should respond.
Since most of those guys are sending me information about how I should promote their products, I see their strategy. Here’s what’s going on… Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Goals
Back when I was out of shape, each January I started using a phrase to make a joke out of the junk I was eating. I’d say “I’m bulking up for the Winter Games”, a lame reference to gaining weight for the Olympics, as I chowed down my French toast.
Of course, that kind of bulking up is not acceptable!
What Is A “Bulking” Phase?
pic: Should you do a "bulking phase"?
Simply put, bulking means adjusting your exercise and your diet in order to focus exclusively on building muscle, without much care about adding fat too. It’s generally easier to add muscle if you are willing to add some fat too. For example, to add 5 pounds of muscle without adding any fat is really hard but if you are willing to gain 5 pounds of fat too (so 10 pounds total weight), then it’s pretty easy.
But what about the age-old habit of bodybuilders to do cycles of bulking and cutting? Usually, they would bulk up (gaining muscle and fat) in the off-season – when not competing. Then they’d cut (shedding fat while trying to preserve as much muscle as possible) just before a contest.
I do not recommend this, especially in the extremes that some bodybuilders do. I’m not a “bodybuilder”, but I am a “body builder” (note the space). But even if I was, the idea of swinging from 25% bodyfat to 5% bodyfat, and back again, seems crazy. Of course, your phases could be less extreme.
Even the recreational lifter is faced with an important question:
Should I bulk up this winter?
Here are some pros in favor of bulking up…
Yes, Bulk Up In Winter
If many of these apply to you, then maybe you should try a bulking phase now:
- I’m really trying to gain mass and I’ve tried everything else I know
- It sounds fun to me
- If you are a classic ectomorph (naturally skinny) then use this as a time to experiment with bulking
- I’m an experienced lifter, and I’m already pretty lean, but want some extra muscle
- I’m having a hard time getting in cardio this Winter because of weather, and in a bulking phase you generally eliminate or drastically reduce regular cardio
- I’m a lean woman, and I know that for my female chemistry “bulking” isn’t going to make me bulky – but I would like more muscle so I don’t look like a twig
If you are going to bulk, eating is a huge part of it. You need a lot more calories. In terms of adjusting your workout, I have just released Hypertrofreak which you might be interested in.
Hypertrofreak is two programs in one – they both are split routines, where you focus on specific muscles on specific days, rather than full body routines. You can read more here, including some comments from other people who have used it. [http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/more/hypertrofreak.html]
Note: Hypertrofreak is NOT for beginners. If you haven’t been lifting regularly for at least a year, please do not order it.
Now, here are some opposite points – why you should NOT do a “bulking” phase:
Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: bulking, hypertrofreak
It all started one day at a new training center I was visiting. This was an intense place, designed for football teams to do strength training. Far more advanced than my home gym (especially back then) and it made my regular fitness center look like a badminton club.
- Some exercises are simply better with a hex bar/trap bar
I saw these absolutely huge guys doing shrugs with these odd-shaped bars. They were hexagon shaped so the lifter stood in the middle of a hexagon hole. (See picture to the right.)
I asked one of them what it was called. “A hex bar,” he answered.
Ok, nobody won any creativity awards for that name.
But what amazed me was the range of motion it allowed for the shrug. I waited until he was done and sidled over to try for myself. Holy cow – I was in love!
See, I’ve always loved working my traps, and I love the way big traps look. But doing shrugs with a barbell had range of motion issues. Doing them in front hit my “jewels” and doing them in back hit my butt.
And shrugs with dumbbells are a real challenge because of grip issues. Once you start shrugging heavy, it’s really hard to hold on to those 150 lb dumbbells. (And forget about using straps with dumbbells. Not only is it awkward. You’ll also get made fun of like a 5th grader picking his nose. And someone might even give you a wedgie.)
Using the hex bar for shrugs was perfect – I could lift heavy, get a full range of motion, and grip issues were negligible.
Next Up: Trap Bar Deads
Feeling stoked, I moved on that same day to try an exercise I had vaguely heard about, but then saw a football guy doing: hex bar deadlifts (a/k/a trap bar deads). Read the rest of this entry »
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![Buddy McKee squatting 810 Lbs. at age 53 at the APF Louisiana Open in Sept. 09 [pic taken by Teresa Frank]](http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/buddy-powerlifting-la-09-small-300x200.jpg "buddy powerlifting la 09-small")
- Buddy McKee squatting 810 Lbs. at age 53 at the APF Louisiana Open in Sept. 09 [pic taken by Teresa Frank]
Buddy McKee hasn’t followed a typical path. It’s been an exceptional path, covering multiple sports, various powerlifting records, NFL free-agent, competitive bodybuilder, full-contact karate (before MMA was in vogue), teacher, and coach. And if that weren’t even, he even recorded a hit song he wrote and sang (#80 on the national charts many years ago). [For a more complete bio, scroll to the bottom of this article.]
Buddy is STRONG. His in-meet records are Squat – 810 lbs. Bench Press – 600 lbs. Deadlift – 622 lbs. And of course, in the gym he’s lifted even more.
He’s held various titles and records recently in the over 50 class. And, at the prime age of 54, he’s still competing and 2010 may hold a couple of new records for Buddy.
I talked with Buddy a couple weeks ago, and he was kind enough to let me record the call and share it with you!
The tool below lets you listen to streaming audio of the interview. LeanLifters will get the full MP3 download via email. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: bodybuilding, Buddy McKee, powerlifting
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