Ab-bersize 4

You need not be afraid of the Swiss ball, nor should you disregard its ability to give you a killer ab workout. 

It is your frienemy, whom you will love and hate in equal measures!

A simple plank is made satisfactorily more difficult (read: result inducing) by performing it on a Swiss ball. Assume a traditional plank position, but with your forearms on the ball - make sure your shoulders still remain above your elbows. The instability of the ball will further engage your core, as well as your shoulders, which must stabilize the ball into a fixed position. Of course, the alignment between your heals and your shoulders MUST remain straight, your shoulder blades MUST be kept back and down and your abs MUST be super, super, super tight - I like to think of my belly button being drawn in toward my spine, just for extra effort.

Now, hold for as long as possible...if you make it past 60 seconds, start raising one foot off the floor and holding it for 6...7...8...9...10 seconds and then switch, eventually alternating for 6 sets of 10 second intervals. 

The fun with which you can have on a Swiss ball are limitless...so stay tuned for more ab-tastic times.

Cardio Sex

Many thanks to my friend, Greg, for this tid bid of info!

For sex to be considered a cardiovascular exercise, it must - as with any other form of cardio - meet a certain criteria; namely, an increased heart rate and rhythmic motion of large muscle groups that require oxygen. Easy enough, yes?

So giddy up, rev your horse power and aim for 20-minute sessions, 3 - 5 times a week: lucky you!

If we were all so fortunate, I doubt there would be a need for training...and I would be out of a job.

On second thoughts, go celibate.

Sweat It Out

Dear Trainer Mark,

I hate cardio - how necessary is it to my workouts?

Hater

Dear Hater,

Please don't hate!

And please, do your cardio. Hate (haha) to break it to you, but cardio is a crucial...so suck it up and sweat it out!

Studies show that just two cardio sessions a week can improve heart health; and, fortunately, if you're like most of my readers and are looking to gain size and strength, two is all you will need. The good news doesn't stop there...

You should say farewell to your tedious 60-minute bouts of aimless wandering on the cross-trainer...ever notice how it's the people who are a slave to these stewpid machines that seem like they need the gym the most?  It's because they're approaching cardio in the wrong way.

Instead, do it right and see the results you want, in half the time:

http://markarmstrongfitness.blogspot.com/2009/04/onintervals.html

Rock on, 

Trainer Mark

Sweaty Betty and Drippy Trippy

A tell-tale sign of a brilliant workout is your post-workout sweat factor...unfortunately, it really sucks ass when you go immediately to the office after your session and you find yourself equally as wet, or perhaps even more so, than you were whilst lifting...do you really want to be known at the water cooler as the person with hyperhidrosis?

To help prevent unwanted, yet entirely well deserved, underarm stains and Rorschach-like back splotches, you should take a cold shower. Of course, the first few minutes should be warm and soapy to kill of odor causing bacteria, but continually lower the water temperature until you feel your body's heat dwindle to a comfortable level...unless, you think your office mates are into that sorta thing.

If you continue to have excessive post-workout sweat, take a bit more time to cool down before your shower: a few extra minutes on a bike or a stretch mat is a great idea, though a luxury not many can afford...in which case, I suggest getting a head start on your emails and send off a few from your crackberry, drinking your protein shake before instead of after, etc

On...Pre-bed Meals

On the calender, summer is quickly approaching - though to look at the thermostat, one might think we are still in the early, temperamental throws of a New York City spring. This doesn't pose problems just for those with vitamin D deficiencies, but also for those who associate colder weather with cuddling up to a pint of Moose Prints by Ben n Jerry's. With the equinox mere days away, this is the time to chose wisely the foods we consume at bed time...for my old adage is true: once on the lips, a summer-time on the hips!

If you are one of the lucky few who are able to ignore late night cravings, then go carve yourself another abdominal muscle...for those, like myself, who can easily chow down on a whole box of cereal, read on:

Any combination of fruit, nuts, nut butter or diary is perfect. Remember, however, that not all fruits are created equal; yes, they pack healthier carbs than cookies, but bananas, pears and most of the dried variety offer relatively few nutrients compared to the carb factor in each. Instead, reach for berries and papaya, which are brimming with fiber and other powerful goodness, whilst containing fewer carbs per serving.

If these suggestions don't quite cut the cake and your low-blood-sugar is a nagging, incessant bitch, opt for appetite curbing oatmeal or a thin turkey sandwich. Try to keep the portions small, as large quantities does disrupt sleep...

Speaking of biological tendencies, keep in mind that your body is not on a 24-hour clock, so what ultimately matters is whether you burn more calories than you injest...to that end, keep a food diary and notice the subtle changes you can make in your diet to create the subtle changes you want to see in your body: every little bit helps.

Another BIG Reason to Hit the Gym

Let's face it: our primary rationale behind going to the gym is to look better naked (ie to get laid).

There is no shame in admitting that longevity and healthy innards stumble in at a far second and third place...or perhaps, after reading this big nugget of information, a respectable third and forth.

According to Dr Irwin Goldstein, Urologist at Boston University School of Medicine, a workout or a brisk two-mile walk can reduce risk of impotence...therefore, leading to better erections. In his nine-year study of 600 men, those participants who maintained exercising or even took up exercising at middle age kept going in more ways than one - for longer and harder.

If this isn't enough to ignite some lackluster motivation, exercising regularly is also beneficial to your bones, memory, happiness, immune system and quality of sleep...which are all fine and dandy, but we know what really matters most.

Squats VS Lunges

Dear Trainer Mark,

If squats and lunges work the same muscles, do I really need to do both exercises?

Possibly Lazy

Dear Possibly Lazy,

Think back to the last time you performed an awesome set of squats and a gorgeous set of lunges; ok, now: think of the weights you were able to load for that awesome set of squats compared to that for that gorgeous set of lunges.

Be careful of the lightbulb above your head.

...and, in one little sentence, I think I've answered your question. 

But for a fully rounded - (rounded-like-your-butt) - rational, here is why: since both feet are planted firmly on the floor for squats, they allow you to lift heavier weights, thus bestowing you with greater strength and  - (MMMMMM) - size. Meanwhile, lunges are a more unstable exercise and require the glutes to work especially hard to decelerate your body as you sink down.

Sure, doing squats AND lunges in the SAME workout is most definitely brutal...but it also blasts enough testosterone to see you through a 2nd puberty. The best advice I can give is to do the squats first, followed by the lunges.

(Actually, I can also suggest that you start off with a 3 week training program of just squats, 3 sets of 6-8 reps, followed by another 3 week program where you do just lunges, again 3 sets of 6-8 reps. Once you've mastered this part of your muscle-verse, combine the two and feel the burn...aim high! I always love it when I require handrail assistance up a flight of stairs).

Go hard or go home,

Trainer Mark

Your Top Ten Protein List

Our creation of the perfect body sees us on a constant quest for foods that are high in protein...and low in fat and moderate in 'good' carbs. But let's face it, how many times can you eat chicken and broccoli before you start sprouting a tree out of your behind?

Fortunately, chicken ISN'T the Holy Grail of muscle building foods...there are plenty more protein-packed foods from which you can build your body of death. Below is a top-ten list, starting at the bottom and working our way to number one:

1. Pork tenderloin (32 grams/100 gram serving)

2. Chicken breast (33 grams/100 gram serving)

3. Lamb (36 grams/100 gram serving)

4. Lean beef (36 grams/100 gram serving)

5. Parmesan cheese (42 grams/100 gram serving)

6. Tofu (48 grams/100 gram serving)

7. Clams and other molluscs (48 grams/100 gram serving)

8. Cod (63 grams/100 gram serving)

9. Soya protein isolate (88 grams/100 gram serving)

and, drum rolling...

10. Whey protein (80 - 90 grams/100 gram serving)

Gym Mix 6

1. Ice Cream - New Young Pony Club

2. Getting Down - The Kills

3. Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4. From The Stars - White Lies

5. Nobody Knows Me (Live from The Reinvention Tour) - Madonna

6. Princess - Datarock

7. Push Push (Lady Lightning) - Bang Camaro

8. Jump In The Pool - Friendly Fires

9. Silent Shout - The Knife

10. Everything Is Everything - Lauryn Hill

On...Bigger Arms

My friend Dan has a saying: "The BIGGER, the BETTER!"

I'm not sure what he's always referring to, but undoubtedly, occasionally, he's referencing arms: the lovely gunnery of a massive biceps-triceps union.

According to a study published in Serious Strength Training by Olympic strength coach Dr. Tudor Bompa, the two most effective arm exercises are preacher curls with a straight bar and a decline tricep extension...thank God for electromyography, a nifty tool that measures activity in muscle.

Biceps: Preacher Curls with a Straight Bar

What to do: Grasp a straight bar with an underhand shoulder-width grip. Lean across a preacher bench and extend your arms fully. Bend your elbows to curl the weight up as far as possible. Keep your elbows firmly anchored. 

Portion of biceps used: 90%
Why? The bench stops you from leaning back to cheat and isolates your biceps.

Triceps: Decline Triceps Extension

What to do: Lie on decline bench and position a barbell above your shoulders with fully extended arms. Bend your elbows to lower the weight until it is behind your head. Keep your elbows pointed up throughout the move. Straighten your arms to go to the start of the move. 
Portion of triceps used: 92%
Why? It works all three heads of your triceps and the decline keeps the stress on the muscle for the whole lift.

Now somebody call the zoo keeper - cos, as my brother likes to say, "The pythons are gettin' out!"

Excuse My French, But F The "FAT" Burning Zone

Nothing is as depressing to me as seeing someone who, day after day, week after week, month after month...and yes, year after year, mounts their elliptical machines and hits the FAT BURNING button, only to remain stagnant in their fitness pursuits.

The fat burning zone, as dictated by cardio machines is a falsehood, a mean deception to the faithful and uneducated...for true fat burning happens when the body is at rest - notice how you don't seem to work very hard when you press THAT button...that's because you don't! Funny, isn't it? 

My philosophy? The more you sweat the more you lose.

Basically, the harder you work in the gym (ie the more you sweat), the harder and longer your body must recover afterward, and this is when real change happens. Another word for that period of recovery is...yuppers:

REST.

Remember, the human body responds best to variety, so avoid stagnant work outs and improve your fitness by playing between heart rate zones: low intensity (65 - 75%), medium intensity (80 - 85%) and high intensity (90 - 95%). To find your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220 and multiply that number by the percentage...if you're already pretty fit, you'll have to adjust your levels of comfort/non-comfort, since the 220 rule is for a more general population - be accurate in making the high intensity level a true high intensity.

Try this for starters:

1 Minute: Low Intensity

1 Minute: Medium Intensity

30 Seconds: Low Intensity

1 Minute: High Intensity

Repeat 8 - 10 times.

Of course, as you improve, you can play a bit with time: shorten the low/medium intensities, lengthen the high intensities, make your low intensity a bit higher, your medium intensity a bit higher, etc etc

Isometrics = Buildometrics

Dear Trainer Mark,

What is your opinion on isometrics?

Stuck

Dear Stuck,

First off, let me explain to those who don't know what an isometric exercise is. The concept of isometrics involves holding/pausing a weight - (which could be your own body weight) - such that the length of the contracted muscle does not change...it is neither in concentric (ie positive) motion nor eccentric (ie negative) motion. For instance, in a bicep curl, you would hold at the halfway point of your curl, with your forearm parallel to the floor and perpendicular to your bicep; in a leg extension, you would pause as your legs as extended straight in front of you.

...and so, to answer your question: I like isometrics. Incorporating them into your training IS a great, yet simple, way to help build muscle. since extending the time your muscle is under tension promotes growth. 

Try this: once you've finished your last set of bicep curls, take a lighter weight and hold in the said-position for 40-60 seconds. If you cannot maintain for 40, the weight is too heavy; if you can maintain for 60, the weight is too light.

Happy Holding,

Trainer Mark

Gym Mix 5

1. One Word - Kelly Osbourne

2. Put the Needle On It - Dannii Minogue

3. Always On My Mind - Pet Shop Boys

4. Standing In The Way Of Control - The Gossip

5. Enjoy The Silence -Depeche Mode

6. Sinnerman (FDH Heavenly House Mix) - Nina Simone and Felix Da Housecat

7. From The Stars - White Lies

8. Cryin' For The Queen - Little Jackie

9. F**k You - Lily Allen

10. Laid - James

Protein Portions: Is 30 Grams the Limit?

So many people promote as fact that 30 grams of protein is the body's upper limit for utilizing this muscle building macronutrient in one serving - any more and it becomes waste or is converted to fat. Try as I might to research this topic, I have never been able to find conclusive evidence that says yes or no to the 30 gram rule.

Therefore, I promote an individualized approach to protein consumption - because: would a 220lbs male gym bunny require the same amount muscle repairing amino acids as his 115lbs female counterpart? Probably not.

Keeping that in mind, studies have provided guidelines that remain intact through dozens of academic books. For the endurance training athlete (ie runners and such), an intake of 1.2 grams per pound of body weight is recommended; should consume 1.8 grams per pound of body weight. 

From this standard, measure yourself accordingly. For instance, at 210lbs, I am scientifically told to consume 378 grams (210 x 1.8 = 378) of protein a day; split over the course of 6 meals (63 grams/meal) and I have easily doubled the supposed 30 gram standard...

...and my excess protein consumption has NOT converted to fat - just massive surges of intestinal power.

On...Calves

Some people are ass aficionados, others are lat lovers, while more still identify themselves as pectoral partisans. 

I, however, belong to a much smaller group...the calf connoisseurs. Gimme a set of calves that match the size of your average quad and I'm a happy man. True, those massive mounds of perfectly sculpted balls of short fiber are rare, belonging, mostly, to the genetically predisposed; however, that is not to say you cannot defy your stubborn DNA and find me trailing you down the street, salivating over your lower legs: Arnold did it, why can't you?

So what did Arnold-Puny-Calf-Schwarzenegger do to pump up his sticks?

Try this little trick of the trade:

Take your normal calf-raise weight - (for a 3 sets of 12-15 exercise) - and reduce it by 30-40 percent.

Now, perform 10 sets of 10 reps...but! only resting 15 seconds between sets! 

The idea is that the muscle fibers of your calves are made up differently than those of your other muscles and, therefore, recover too quickly with the traditional approach. Since your calves boost such fast recovery time - and because the exercise only takes 10 minutes - you can perform it every day.