Ab-a-licious: Refreshing Your Take on Abdominal Work

September is typically the second busiest time of year for a gym. Runner up to the post-holiday season, autumn sees gym bunnies ready to pounce back into action after a summer of reaping the benefits of their hard work (ie

One course of action every client wants to pursue is the attack on a six pack: SIX PACK ATTACK!

So, take a seat and pay attention to some simple adjustments you can make in your quest for a perfectly sculpted midsection...a refresher course in ab-bersizes is about to begin:

(And remember, just because you can do 200 crunches doesn't mean that you deserve ripples - haven't you been doing the same exercise for, like, forever? You body IS a machine and will quickly put to muscle memory the regime you execute every week, with your eyes closed).

1. One of the most simple and effective ways of changing a crunch (especially if you're working out from home or a hotel room) involves this cunning trick - grab a towel, roll it up and place it under your lower back; this gently curves your back - forcing your abs to stretch a little further at the starting position and to contract to a greater degree when you crunch.

2. Get on the ball with ball crunching - keep your knees bent and your feet flat and hold that medicine ball just above your head. Now crunch up to bring your shoulder blades off the floor. Hold for a count of two and lower again for 20 reps.

3. The path to a lick-worthy stomach involves using the rest of your body, as well.. Although they are not typically related to abs-focused exercises, SQUATS and DEADLIFTS work the core muscles since your abs need to be strong to support your body when lifting heavy weights and impressing fellow gym bunnies.

4. Rest. Rest is good. Rest is necessary. Your ab muscles are like every other muscle in your body and are subject to the ill-effects of overtraining. Mind you, they can be worked with a bit more frequency than larger muscle groups, but by no means should they be made to work at hour-long intervals 3 times a week.

5. Abs are 90% diet, 10% exercise. Enough said! Just because you workout like a possessed fiend does not entitle you to eat whatever you like and still expect the results worthy of all your hard work on the gym floor.

According to my calender, there are only nine more months 'til summer. No time like the present: we had better get working.

WERQ.

Call The Zoo Keeper - The Pythons Are Out!

I want a lot out of life. It would be nice and calming to honestly say that I'm satisfied with the simple pleasures - (which I am!) - but I suffer from the bigger-better-more-more syndrome.

Two of the things included on this (expansive) precious list of bigger, better, more and more are pipe-like biceps and trunk-like calves...the perpetual quest of many gym bunnies. I'm actually sorta-kinda-almost happy with my chest and back since, a few weeks ago, a charming and drunken Provincetown gent slobbered to me that he had nicknamed me 'Slab' due to the busty nature of Pamela and Jenna (left boob, right boob, respectively). Bless the power of 7 Planter's Punches.

Anyhow, here are some tips on how to add size and strength to your arms - and remember, it doesn't necessarily mean doing arm exercises:

- do more chin-ups! I know, this is easier said than done, but try not to think about pulling yourself up when you do chinups; instead, imagine pulling your elbows down - promise: the exercise will seem easier

- work opposing arm groups groups! Training biceps/triceps back-to-back allows one muscle to work while the other is resting...better still, you won't need as much rest time between sets and you get on to the rest of your day sooner

- pretend you're home and flex! When doing standing arm curls, flex at the top of the motion and completely straighten your arms at the bottom, by flexing your triceps at the end of each repetition...this ensures that you work the muscle through its entire range of motion

- flick the wrist! Bending your wrists forces work your biceps harder - so make sure to extend them backward slightly (and hold them that way) while you do arm curls

Did You Know...

Fun fitness facts for this Wednesday morning:

- if you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated - which leads to fatigue and will impede your ability to maximize your workout

- the optimal way to gain lean mass is though anaerobic AND about 20 - 30 minutes of aerobic exercise

- it takes approximately 18 minutes of aerobic exercise to begin burning fat...so don't think that by just popping on a cardio machine for 30 minutes in the morning is going to yield the results you crave

- every extra pound you gain puts 4x the stress on your knees

- caffeine not only provides an energy boost, but also improves mental intensity and focus during your training

A nice easy way to start your hump day, feeling accomplished with the acquisition of 5 new bits of USEFUL information...

Rise and Shine! Train Earlier, Go Further

It's 8:49 on a Friday nite and I'm home writing on my blog...hmmmm.

Not that I have a problem with laying on my bed, (alone) in my boxers and on my computer - I'm actually counting the minutes to my eBay auction finale so that I can go to bed and wake up super early for a brilliant Saturday morning run.

(CoughahemLOSERcough!)

A study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that the best time to increase your cardio resistance is the morning. It was discovered that your core-body temperature is lowest three hours after you wake up, which improves endurance. When nine cyclists were put on stationary bikes in a hot, humid room they were able to push themselves 5.3 minutes longer at 6.45am than at 6.45pm because that cooler body temperature delays overheating.

Not only do you go further, you also jump start your metabolism for the day - another great reason to wake up shouting 'Rise and shine!'

Peppermint Power: Who Knew?!

The nose knows.

In a recent study, inhaling the scent of peppermint every couple of hours helped people eat less overall - and eat better! (This appears to be a much more attractive alternative to poppers.) By the end of the 2-week study, the people who had sniffed peppermint every couple of hours during the day had also consumed fewer calories and eaten less fat, less saturated fat, and less sugar than the nonsniffers did.

As a added feature, Mother Nature has decreed that peppermint also reduces feelings of hunger:

BONUS!

I imagine in next year's haste for a beach body, there will be an increase in the use mysterious inhalants...

Fat O'Clock

Dear Trainer Mark,

Does eating after a certain time cause weight gain? Sometimes I work late, have social obligations, etc and can't eat 'til well after 8pm.

Ate O'Clock

Dear AO,

It doesn't matter what time of day you eat; it's how much you eat during the whole day and how much exercise you do that makes you gain or lose weight...no matter when you eat your meals, your body will store extra calories as FAT! So, if you come home after 8pm, you should still eat dinner. Just choose smart: aim for a meal of protein and vegetables rather than one that is laden with carbohydrates.

...and if, like me, you crave bedtime snacks, make sure you think about what you've already eaten that day and build your snack around that. Moreover, try not to snack while doing other things like watching television, playing video games, or using the computer...being pre-occupied with watching Glee or kicking digital ass makes it too easy to overeat. For ideas on late snacking ch-ch-check out my previous entry:

http://markarmstrongfitness.blogspot.com/2009/04/midnight-monster-first-grab-then-guilt.html

Hope this helps!

Rock on,

Trainer Mark

Sometimes, It's Good to Fail

You know that feeling...

...when you're at the end of a set...

...your muscles can't possibly move another inch...

...your face is contorted beyond recognition of even the slightest appeal...

...and the burn engulfing your body is worse than your last case of syphilis?

Congratulations on achieving total muscle failure! If said-sensation is foreign to you, read on and try to mimic it in your next workout; for, in order to produce recognizable growth, the muscle must be overloaded...which creates micro-tears in the muscle, which, subsequently, are repaired, which, subsequently, grow back bigger and better than ever before!

Sometimes working to failure can seem like a scary and unattractive venture - threat of bodily harm and facial mutilation does little for motivation. However, there are certain ways to achieve failure, without risking your ego and sex life:

1. CHEAT - on occasion, be naughty and cheat...a few 'sloppy' reps are ok during the concentric phase (ie contracting the muscle), as long as you're able to maintain form during the eccentric phase (ie lengthening the muscle).

2. DROP SETS - after you've performed the last rep of a set, grab a weight 50% lighter than what you were using and burn it out with as many reps as you can.

3. REDUCE TIME BETWEEN SETS - simple enough, no?

You need not combine all three principles at the same time to your training...there is such a thing as taking failure too far - unless you're like Spicoli.

On...Water

Just an teeny-tiny entry on this post-summer Tuesday, for those who may have enjoyed the laborious days of this past weekend a wee bit too much - and I am definitely not pointing fingers, for I am as black as the kettle.

Duh: water is essential - for life and whatnot. Personally, a big part of that 'whatnot' is muscle growth..

Since muscle is composed of almost 75% water, being even slightly cotton-mouthed will affect its progress. For obvious, if not necessary, reasons, I enjoy a Smart Water...for it is also electrolyte-enhanced, which helps the body to remain hydrated.

Tabata Training: Kill Yourself in 4 Minutes

Tabata training was created by Izumi Tabata at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo...those crazy Japanese, they know more than electronics. I've been playing with timed interval training with my clients of late and was tickled pink when I later read a bit on Tabata's own developments, considering his esteem and the little Ph.D. after his name.

Basically, your sets are not broken down into defined number of repetitions, but rather into a 2:1 ration of 20 second intervals of work vs. 10 seconds of rest.

First, you select your method of torture...stick to compound exercises such as bench press, deadlift or squat. Next up, you do a 5-minute warm on a bike to make sure your blood is properly flowing and your muscles are loose...now comes the fun part:

- do the first 'set' of your exercise for 20 seconds; forget about counting and just bang out as many reps as you can without sacrificing good form

- rest for 10 seconds

- repeat the above two steps for four minutes and, if performed properly, you won't want/need to do any more

Remember, since you'll be fatiguing quickly, you will need to pick a lighter weight than what you normally lift...put your bruised ego aside, because after this set the only sore spot will be your muscles.

Extract Fat with Green Tea Extract?

We've all heard miraculous of fat-burning remedies that are merely an over-the-counter purchase away...and, in recent weeks, you've maybe even heard of FDA recalls on such-said products - (yes, I'm talking to you Hydroxycut) - with claims of horrific liver damage.

With that in mind, there is no short-cut...the formula for losing weight is the same as it always will be: burn more calories than you take in. There is, however, a NATURAL and HEALTHY product that consistently proves itself to be a worthwhile aid in spiking metabolism and burning fat. Green tea extract, whether in powder or liquid form does what many of it competitors claim to, but without harmful consequences or flat-out lies...just, don't expect miracles, as hard work and diet are your ultimate weapons of choice - remember, these products are exactly as they are branded: aids, aiding you to reach your goals that you are already accomplishing on your own.

So forget about Alli, fuck Hoodia and don't even bother trying to pronounce pyruvate.

On...Creatine

I'm chilling out to Brandi Carlile on the train shuttling me back to New York after an extraordinarily blessed Labor Day Weekend in Provincetown, Massachusetts. One might say I had too many Planter's Punches...and Midori Coladas...and Mark-a-ritas...and Patron shots...but I say it resurrects faltering vigor, pushing me to hit the gym and take on my new training regime for the new fall season.

Since it is the start of something new, I thought it might be fun to try something else new-ish. It's been about 6 years since I've used creatine as an intrinsic part of my supplement plan...it's a product surrounded by bullet points of truths and fallacies. Here are the most common:

Fact:

- your body produces its own creatine

- creatine makes your muscles bigger and stronger

- creatine can increase endurance

- 2 - 5 grams/day is plenty; avoid bloating by paying attention to your body's reaction and adjust amount accordingly

Fiction:

- taking creatine jeopardizes your health

- creatine produces identical results in everyone

- creatine works all by itself (ie you still have to kill it in the gym)

According to Shawn Talbott, director of research at www.supplementwatch.com, it's best to take creatine before a workout and, preferably, have it mixed with a carb/protein shake. The sugar in the carbs will ensure speedy delivery of the creatine and amino acids (ie protein) to the muscles, thereby increasing muscle protein synthesis by 800 percent...

WERQ!

You Don't Know Squat!

Of all the gym cliches that are worthy of repeating, the chicken-leg stereotype truly stands the test of time. I've been in the gym environment for 22 years...and for 22 years I have seen the same perplexing craftsmanship: a stunningly, beautifully, chiseled upper body being supported by little wooden pegs, looking as though they belong to my grandmother.

Gym bunnies, beware! Few things are as unappealing to the discriminating eye as an unbalanced body - my clients often joke with me that I am far too harsh on those whose calfs are not viewable from front-on...oops: my weakness revealed. Lower-leg aside, the best way, the most effective way, to an impeccably sculpted quad-ham-rump is with the squat. There is no escape route, no magical potion, no gift to the gym god, that will allow you to have what you want without the squat.

To that end, here are some points on taking that squat to the next squa-tastic level:

1. Pause for growth - as you lower yourself down as usual, stop at the bottom and hold for 1-2 seconds, then explode up to the standing position. Watch

2. Lift more weight - by placing the bar lower on your back, where the posterior delts create a shelf on your back, you will be able to handle more poundage. Make sure to take a wider stance and watch your squats graduate from regular to POWER.

3. Fast, faster, faster - move the weight back to standing position as fast as possible requires more muscle fiber recruitment.

4. Rep it up - don't be afraid that more reps, less weight will leave you with under developed rump. Sometimes, pushing a lighter weight for a count of 20 reps will help you to break thru plateaus by tapping into new muscle fibers. Try picking a weight that you can easily squat for 12 reps and then dig into your inner sanctum of strength and will to push out another 8 - it's perfectly fine to pause at the top of the motion and rest for a few moments before going back down.

Now, go deep or go home - for big legs are the new black.