Editors note: this is the question as it was submitted. Including formatting, etc.
I am new to the bodybuilding aspect of training for about a year but that has been for sports i was just wondering if i can see a sample diet plan to start my dieting from i am only seventeen so all the help i can get now can lead me down the right path to my goals
Answers:
Let me give you the mel brooks ("short, short") version...I assume you want to gain muscle:
Eat 20 calories per pound of your current bodyweight spread out over 5-6 "feeds" daily
Eat according to the food selections guidelines below and shoot for 90% compliance on the "choose often" selections :
FATS
CHOOSE OFTEN
OILS&SPRAYS: canola oil/spray, enova oil, fish oil capsules, flaxseed oil, "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" spray, extra virgin olive oil/spray
The only supplements worth taking (and they are not even necessary...they are potential results ENHANCERS...not results STARTERS):
1. Protein powder
2. Fish Oil
3. Greens Supplement (like Greens +)
4. Creatine
All the other supplements out there are either worthless or dangerous.
Good luck.
PJ Striet
Hello Wagon,
I would suggest you visit Cyberpump.com and check out the excellent nutritional information there. Also I would read into books by Nancy Clark and Stuart McRobert. Good luck and check back.
The Wagon,
Since you did not specify your goals I will give the same guidelines I give my athletes. Eat plenty of good wholesome natural foods with an emphasis on complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and low to moderate amounts of fat. If your goal is to gain weight than slightly increase the total number of calories you consume, mostly from carbohydrates and proteins, try to limit fat calories. Remember wanting to gain weight is not a license to "all you can eat". If your goal is to lose body fat than decrease the amount of calories consumed on a daily basis, but make sure you eat at regular times throughout the day.
Hi... Found out about you through a site I saw on bodybuilding.com You were the link to their link, does that make sense? : ) Regarding greens... what is your opinion on the best greens to eat? I'm really into bodybuilding but this is the one area I'm failing in : ) I want to know what greens, how much and what times are the best to consume them? Thank you! JFM
Juan
Answers:
The information below is taken directly from the maual I give to all of my private training clients. To answer your question in regards to which green veggies you should be consuming, see "green vegetables" under "choose often":
CARBOHYDRATES
CHOOSE OFTEN
BREADS: 100% whole wheat, sprouted grain, bran, rye, pumpernickel, whole wheat english muffins (*we suggest Food for Life & Brownberry Brands)
As far as when to eat greens, in my opinion, you can never get enough and you should be eating them throughout the day. Most green veggies are slow digesting carbohydrates (controlling blood sugar and insulin spikes) full of fiber and micronutrients, and have a higher than normal thermic effect of feeding (TEF). I'd shoot for 5-10 servings of all veggies each day, and maybe half of those should be green veggies. If you want a real easy way to get in enough greens, eat one standard size package of organic mixed sald greens each day: you can add chicken, walnuts and bell peppers to it along with a healthy dressing to make a great salad. I'm also now really "in to" roasted aspagagus drizzled with olive oil (healthy fat) with crushed almonds over the top. I also like "broccolini" as well.
Bottom Line: unlike other forms of carbohydrates which you need to give some consideration to in terms of timing and amounts (although that's overblown too IMO), green veggies can, and should, be eaten whenever you want. To dowload my entire client training and nutrition manuals, check me out at www.cincinnatifitnesstrainer.com.
PJ Striet
Greens - eat your vegetables period .. Broccoli,
spinach, kale .. The darker the green the better..
Seriously, green vegetables are fine but vegetables in
general are good ..(try a sweet potato -or yam -one
the best vegetables you can consume)..
Good luck ....
Sunir Jossan
I just eat what my Wife brings home. Sorry
Jim Bryan
JFM,
I am not really sure of you question. With regards to greens are you referring to "lettuce like" vegetables? Also when you say " an area you are failing in", does that mean nutrition or what type of vegetables to eat? If you want to know what types to eat I would suggest looking up the nutrition content of "greens" and picking the ones that rank the highest. The ones that come to mind are spinach (it worked for Popeye), kale, chard, red leaf lettuce, and collard or mustard greens. If you question was more refined I might be of more help, sorry.
Best of luck
Doug Scott
Juan,
In my opinion, it's hard to pin down the "best greens" to eat. I feel the optimal approach is to eat a variety of greens. And not only greens, but a wide variety of different colored fruits and vegetables as well. They all contain beneficial levels of phyto-nutrients and are rich in antioxidants. But since you're specifically asking about greens, some of the really good ones are the leaf lettuces such as romaine, green leaf, spinach, etc. You can also press out and ingest the juice from fresh grown wheatgrass which is another excellent source of green nutrition. If you're looking for convenience, you can take greens in the dehydrated forms such as Green Magma, Spirulina, Green Kamut and others like this. These can be purchased from online nutrition retailers or a local health food store. And then keep in mind things such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, green beans, peas, asparagus and the host of other green vegetables available in season are great sources too.
As for how much, that depends. With the dried supplemental forms, follow the suppliers' recommendations. WIth fresh greens, you can eat your fill for the most part. Green vegetables such as the lettuces are very low calorie, high in fiber and are nutrient dense. Volume isn't really an issue as in and of themselves, these are hard to overindulge on. Eat them with a variety of foods, and don't concern yourself too much with the quantity. Just make sure you eat an abundance of them. Other green vegetables can be eaten along with other parts of a meal, and tend to be best enjoyed and digested with the lunch and dinner meals.
I've been using HIT principles for just less than a year now and truly believe it to be the best method of training with weekly results to prove this.
But during my training (myself being a mix of mesomorphy and endomorphy), I've been putting on too much fat. I know that to minimise this, I need to keep lowering my calories steadily until I see the fat increments have stopped.
The questions here are:
-can one truly stop fat additions on a 'bulk phase' in the way I've described (as I hear that to put on muscle on a caloric surplus, some fat will also add on)?
-If I lower the calories steadily, and still see my strength gains go up each week (as I am currently seeing), is this an indication that my muscles are still growing (as I'd currently prefer to add muscle with fat than no muscle and no fat!)? Or conversely, if I see my strength gains have stopped (despite enough recovery time - I currently train every body part once every 8 days, and I've been training for a year altogether), does this mean my muscle growth has stopped?
-finally, on a low-calorie phase when I'm trying to LOSE fat, can I still expect strength gains (and once again, does this mean muscle gain?)
Thanks.
Abdurrahim
Answers:
I offer the following opinions:
1. One can get stronger regardless of the numbers of calories they are consuming. Even if you maintain your current strength while in a caloric deficit, you'll ultimately end up stronger in a relative sense.
2. Laying down new muscle tissue is an anabolic process requiring a caloric excess. You will put on some body fat in this process.
3. Losing body fat is a catabolic process requiring a caloric deficit. However, as long as calories are not dropped too drastically, you will not lose much, if any muscle.
4. Most people, in my opinion, would be far better off training to "look more muscular" vs. trying to put on a lot more muscle.
5. Get the word "bulking" out of your vocabulary. Gorging yourself with 5000 calories per day may allow you to add a couple pounds of muscle, but you are ultimately going to put on too much body fat, look sloppy, and put your health at increased risk. 17 year olds can get away with this in some cases, but probably not the guy 30+. You are better off gradually increasing calories, and eating nutritous foods, to minimize the amount of fat gained.
PJ Striet
Strength gains means you are getting stronger. But
added visible muscle is another thing ..Lots of guys
get very strong, but do not look extremely muscular.
Genetics plays a big part in this. That'ss why
strength should always be the focus - train fos
strength - keep calories and diet in check and let the
body take its natural shape.
Hope this helps
Sunir Jossan
Abdurrhim,
I am not a big fan of the bulking phase - "leaning out" phase stuff. I prefer to establish an eating plan that is correct for increasing strength while maintaining a healthy body fat level, and stick with this most of the time. The reason why I dislike the bulking up idea is it gives most people a license to eat. They generally make poor food choices and eat way to much empty calories, all in the name up bulking up. Besides, what I have found is that by eating more nutrient dense foods - fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean meats one is able to gain strength and keep body fat in check. This is because it is amino acids, vitamins, minerals, water, along with glucose (carbohydrates) that build the body. Not necessarily calories.
Good Luck
Doug Scott
Allow me to simplify. I wouldn't add fat for any reason. I would train 2 or 3 days a week Full Body. Add weight on the bar or machine when you can. Make sure you are working the large muscle groups first.
People have been doing this for as long as I have been training (50 years) Nothing comes easy. What ends up building muscle is being consistant about your training. Good luck!
Hey guys, thanks for hearing out my question. I started lifting when i was in the 8th grade im right now a junior in college. I was always a little guy, right now im only 5'6 170. Basically i always been into bench pressing and at first starting i could only do 70 lbs as i max, im proud to say i got to 260 last year. Then all the sudden it came crashing down, i had a shoulder injury and a tricep injury i believe is due to benching unevenly, my right hand would always go up faster. well to make a long story short,my bench dropped to 190lbs, i did rehab worked with light weight, stopped benching for 6 months, did shoulder work, tricep work. and now im trying to get back and beyond my limits. im currently at 245, and i notice when im trying to go heavy on my last workout, i felt a sharp pain on the negative while bench pressing. It was when i was on the negative phase with a heavy weight i felt the pain in my tricep near the elbow, IM afraid this is the same type of injury that caused me to have a setback? what am i to do, do i just not have the tendon,joint strength needed for heavy weights? i really want to hit that 300 lb barrier. what should i do?
Alex
Answers:
First off I don't consider you a little guy. 5'6" at 170 is a pretty husky guy. Why are you letting the Bench Press control your workouts? There are plenty of things you could be doing to make and keep you strong without ever doing another bench. Try dips. Machine or freeweight. Unless you are in Bench competitions it doesn't make sense to me to keep trying to make the bench "Fit." I benched 370 and no one cares. I hurt my shoulder too and haven't benched in 20 years. The only thing that suffered was my Bench Press. My shoulders are good now and I prefer that.
Jim Bryan
Hello Alex,
Did you correct your uneven benching before you picked the exercise back up? Injuries are nothing to sneeze at. Your body is trying to tell you you're doing something wrong. Without seeing you bench it's hard to diagnose. There could be a number of things happening. My guess would be with your form. Do your elbows flare out when you press or do you keep them at your sides? Are you pulling and keeping your shoulders retracted throughout the set? Are you doing low reps, trying to constantly max out? You have to get and keep your form perfect at all times. If you don't know what proper form is look at the writings of Stuart McRobert's, and articles on cyberpump.com. Don't get caught up in just trying to bench 300lbs either. Good luck and check back.
Patrick Self
Alex,
The thing you REALLY need to do, is get medical attention. If you've got some sort of latent neurological problem, or an injury brewing progressively under the surface of what you can sense now, your problem could progress to be MUCH bigger than worrying about your bench press poundage.
Having been down that road of youth, and at times pushed through injuries when medical attention should have been sought, I can honestly say, that did not pay off in my own life. Frankly, it was foolish and reckless. And so with that said, I would seriously advise you get some sort of professional diagnosis to either confirm it's okay to work through or around the damage. (Not likely) Or, be advised that you get involved with a well designed rehabilitation therapy program, under the guidance of both a medical professional and a physical therapist/sports medicine pro that can make sure you fully heal. THEN when 100% healed, you move into an area of full bore training to focus on increasing your bench press weight. Otherwise, you're pretty likely to just keep repeating the process of tissue damage, deepening the trauma and maybe eventually reaching a point of no return. I don't mean to sound alarmist, but I know of no other way to tell you this without being blunt.
On a final note, I seriously recommend too, that you seek sources on instruction related proper technique and form. You could be either using flawed form and technique, and/or overtraining. I wouldn't mess around without any sort of qualified intervention to make things physically sound and right for yourself.
Thanks for your advice guys about sleep.I think the best way to go about it is to get to bed earlier and if i have to take a nap for no longer then maybe 30 min after work , because it is harder to fall asleep at night if i sleep for longer then that.
I realized that taking anything other then protein and multi-v does nothing! just a waste of money.I did re-evaluate my training and my diet ,im eating about 8 times a day ,high in carbs , high in protein ,low in fat ,and my training now consist of 8-10 reps with heavy weight on a 5 day workout shedual , hitting legs first thing in the week.I give it everything i got every workout , and it has paid off.I started my new meal plan in december. I was 170 pounds with 6.5% body fat and 24BMI.Now its begining of march i'm at 195 pounds with about 9% body fat and 26BMI! I'm 6',just for the record. I'm gona keep going until i hit 210lb then im gona come up with a new plan so i can drop some weight and get shredddded.Any suggestions?
John
Answers:
My advice is too wean yourself down from 5 days a week
to 4 and then to eventually three .. If you like to
split then keep splitting - but you might see better
results training the body as one unit. I have seen my
best results with my clients training full body type
workouts with a emphasis on a specific body part ..
Brief, hard, progressive exercise....
Hope this helps ...
Sunir Jossan
Hello John,
Glad to see you are trying to put some effort into sleeping. Is your bodyfat truly 9% at 195 lbs? It's hard for me to imagine gaining 25 lbs in a few months and the majority of it not being fat. How many calories are you taking in a day through 8 meals? Unless you're training hard and into some new poundage territory, all those meals are just going to end up around your waist. Are you working out 5 days a week? If so, that's too much training. You couldn't possibly be working as hard as you can, and then come back the next day for more. My suggestion to you would be to GRADUALLY add some quality weight. When trying to add muscle, you are going to add a little fat, but that's all you want to add. There is no point in eating like a pig, and then trying to shed it off. Don't confuse just any weight gain to quality weight gain. Good luck and continue to check back.
I have just started to place my foot down ( more like tip toe ) at the bottom position of the chin up for a second or two.I find that this eliminates any bounce, allows me to inhale before each pull and gives me a slightly greater range of motion than stopping just short of a full hang and not putting my foot down.I am wondering whether i have simply made this exercise easier for myself by not having to hold my "hanging weight " at the bottom position or have been sensible by eliminating poor form and having better control of my breathing and rep speed. i currently have 12.5 kilos hanging off my belt , i weigh 96.5 kilos and am 42.I do 1x8-9 then 2 mins later ix failure- usually 6-7 reps. My grip is hands facing about 12" apart. Would you please let me know what you think. Thank you once again for previous advice.
Paul
Answers:
Paul,
It really does not matter what we think since we are not the ones performing the exercise. If you feel this technique is makes the exercise more productive than by all means stick with it.
Good Luck
Doug Scott
If it makes the exercise "harder", eliminates bounce and swing and increases ROM, more power to you. My concern would be the temptation for you to push off the floor with the foot to get a little "umph" off the bottom (similar to effect of using a band for assisted chins). As long as you don't do this, I don't see a problem.
PJ Striet
You can cheat once in a while to help your body work
a little harder, but why not decrease the weight to
where you can do the exercise with out and assist.
Weight is important, but form is more important ..
Sunir Jossan
Paul,
Do whatever you need to to keep you focused on training. Do it for you and don't worry what others think. I myself use a pushoff now and then. I don't really care if others think I'm "cheating." When they have been training for 50 years then they can bitch at me. Good luck! Don't give up and don't give in.
Jim Bryan
Hello Paul,
Glad you stopped back by. You have made it somewhat easier. Be careful with the range of motion that you use. Also keep those shoulders tight when in the bottom position. Don't let them relax. If you can't do that, then I would sugest getting some sort of "stop" to put under you to let you know when you're in your lowest, safest position. Doing chins the way you are doing them, I would emphasize the negative part much more than normal. The bottom line is how you progress. If you can do them in a safe and productive manner, and add a little weight whenever possible, then by all means keep doing them. Just watch that range of motion. Good luck and continue to check back.
I just wanted to say tahnkyou for the detailed and thoughtfull responses! thanks alot you guys! I realised thanks to you that i was chickening out of effort, and that i should build myself up instead of try and find alternatives.
Avi
Answer:
[editor's note: another response came in later Avi]
Hello Avi,
Yes there are plenty of exercises you can do for your legs instead of squats. The squats,or the fact that you are tall have nothing to do with your lungs giving out. That has to do with the fact that your cardiovascular system is not in the shape it needs to be to handle the squats. When doing squats there are plenty parts of your body that will "give out" if they are not strong or in shape before your legs, such as your upper back or shoulder girdle. There is nothing that will challenge your legs more than squats, if you are suited to do them. You need to continue to do squats and adapt to them slowly. Work in a day or two a week of some form of cardio work that you like and can do safely. You can also do some interval training where you pick up the pace in the given exercise and then back off for a little bit, and repeat. For example you could ride a stationary bike at a high level for 20-30 seconds, then pedal at a lower intensity for a minute or so and then repeat for say, ten times. Work at it slowly and let your body adapt and you will be fine. Let us know how everyhting works for you. Good luck.
Glad to help out. Check back as often as you need to. Good luck and continue to train hard.
I'm training for a new rugby season in September so I have plenty of time. I have a designed cardio, skill and speed workout, but my weight lifting and gym workouts are lacking in clarity. I was wondering what would be more ideal out of full-body workouts, targetting certain muscles on certain days or something else? This was the routine I was following previously from Men's Health:
-Bicep Curl
-Stiff Leg Deadlift
-Leg Extensions
-Squat
-Pull-over
-Bar-Bell Bench Press
-Bar-bell bent row over
-Shoulder Press
-Triceps Extension
-Lat Raise
-Standing Calf Raise
-Sit Ups
(All 8-12 reps to muscle failre)
I would do this twice a week inbetween cardio workouts and sprints.
Chris
Answers:
Taking this routine:
Do in this order.
Start your workout with one or two of these and rotate when needed saving the squats or deadlifts for alternate workouts.
-Stiff Leg Deadlift
-Leg Extensions
-Squat
Then Calf raises
Then one or both of these:
Pullover or Lat Raise (lat Pulldowns?)
Or chins
or Barbell Bent Over Rows (carefull--can be a low back attack)
Then Bench Press
Or Inclines
Then Shoulder Press
You can add Curls and Tricep Extensions (I like Dips Better) in here but you don't have to every workout.
Then Situps
or general Ab work.
One thing I wouldn't do is try to adopt an over kill, overly complicated workout. Keep it simple and keep it safe and avoid workouts that need mental masturbation. Anyone can make up these, they fly all over the Internet.
If you're doing this to get stronger for Rugby then spend time getting better at Rugby and don't try to put in any marathon Body Builder workouts. Very best of luck and Health!
Jim Bryan
Chris
It can all work - there is no such thing as the
perfect workout. The key is progession and the ability
to get stronger over time. For some, full -body
workouts work great. They help decrease the risk of
overtraining and make most sense from a recovery
standpoint. But for others, Fullbody workouts just
don't seem to cut it...maybe its more mental for them
..but they dont seem to like it or seem to stick with
it .. For those, a split routine could be the answer.
Splits are tougher trying to balance the intensity
versus volume issue and making sure you allow for
proper rest between workouts .. But for those who like
to split - it can work and be a very productive
program ..
Personally I train most of my clients on full body
programs ..During the workouts we may hi-light or
emphasize a body part within the framework of a full
body routine .. Clients say they find the full body
workouts more challenging and more productive ...As a
trainer it is easier to chart progress and keep ensure
total body stimulation as well as total body recovery
...
Just keep in mind what ever you do - it all can work,
as long as you work hard !
Hope this helps ..
Sunir Jossan
Chris,
When training for athletics attention must be improving physical abilities (strength, agility, conditioning etc) as well as skill practice. With that said it would make sense to make each training segment as efficient as possible so it doesn’t detract for the others. This lends itself to a full body training approach 2-3 times each week rather than a 4-6 day per week split routine. My suggestion is to choose around a dozen or so exercises that work the major muscles of the body and work hard at them. Increase reps and weight when possible but above all else work hard.
Good Luck
Doug Scott
Hello Chris,
The changes I would make would be to drop the tricep extensions,leg extensions,lateral raise, and I wouls substitute one arm dumbbell rows for the barbell rows. Also if the pullovers that you are doing are a machine version, then keep them, for it's a safer and more productive version than the dumbbell/barbell version. If not, drop them and look for an alternative, such as maybe a pulldown or chin.Take the remaining exercises and break them up over two days. For example do the squats at one workout and the deadlifts at another. Lastly, the best way to improve your cardio will be to practice rugby. Good luck.
