On...Escalating Density Training

A little bump to get over the hump, that is known as Wednesday:

Escalating Density Training (from here on in referred to as EDT) is an effective, albeit odd approach, to getting stronger and leaner. Instead of the traditional push-to-vein-poppin-failure method, forgoing the standard drop-set/rest-pause manipulations you've heard time and time again, the EDT program, created by renowned strength coach Charles Staley - (YES! I KNOW! CHARLES!? WE LOVE CHARLES!) - will have you experiencing less pain than you're normally accustomed...and the best part? It will only take you 15 minutes.

NOT to say, however, that the intensity is any less - this isn't for those looking for a easy fix...this isn't for mussies. It's for those gym bunnies who are serious about shocking their body composition to new altered states.

Here's what to do:

- pick 2 opposing muscle groups (ie chest/back, shoulders/legs, biceps/triceps, calfs/traps, etc)

- select, according to your goal, your weight and number of reps you will do per set (ie strength: 4 - 6, size: 10 - 12, endurance: 40+) and half that number (for example, if your goal is size, and your normally press 2 x 45lbs plates on a bench press for a 10 rep max, half of the rep range would now be 5 - 6 reps/set, still pushing 2 x 45lbs plates)

- starting your stopwatch, perform alternating sets of selected exercises, with as much rest as needed in between, which will be quite little at the beginning; when the upper limit of the rep goal becomes to heavy (ie for size, 5 - 6), drop down (ie to 4 - 5)

- after 15 minutes, rest and take note of how many reps you did so you can compare to your results the following week

It's ok to do this several times a week - pairing up different muscle groups, of course each time you workout.

Remember, EDT is NOT about total failure - although, you'll feel a bit of it toward the end of your 15 minutes! EDT is about getting bigger, leaner and stronger via intense, if relatively brief, training sessions where you set up competition with the only person who matters: yourself.

Kick it.

On...The Muscle Confusion Principle

You've heard it before and you're going to hear it again:

Add variety to your workout - switch up the rep count! Play with the tempo! Do a full body assault!

Too often I speak to frustrated gym bunnies who are not seeing the results they think they deserve - and when I switch into trainer mode and ask them the last time they challenged their routine to something fresh and new, they inevitably moan, whine and confess:

'I knooooow...'

Clearly, they don't know (ENOUGH)...and if they do, clearly (again), they are not as interested in the results as they so desperately claim.

The Wieder Muscle Confusion Principle states that by constantly altering the acute variables of your workout (ie number of sets vs reps, exercise choice, exercise order and length of rest) you will keep your muscles constantly guessing as to what is coming next. Not only does this prevent stalling plateaus, it helps to prevent you from falling asleep on the gym floor due to complete boredom...how long have you been doing that same bench press?

In a study conducted at the Arizona State University at Tempe, researchers found that subjects following the Muscle Confusion Principle for 12-weeks increased their bench press and leg press strength by 100% more than those who followed as they were, in a boring, linear program that even allowed for a bit of change every 2 weeks.

Who knew?! You did, apparently...now do something about it.

You're Nuts - How Fat Is Good For You

Once upon a time nutritionists would cast evil warnings on the innocent nut community.

Eat nut and eat fat, Fatty McFatterton.

Today, it is no revelation that they are retracting those statements, for nuts are actually filled with healthy fats...and can even help you to lose those f**kin' love handles! Add to that an alright dosage of protein and you have yourself a very convenient salvation to the 4 o'clock munchies. However, while most nuts do contain the healthy monounsaturated fats, just one of the species contains the oh-so essential omega-3 fat, alpha-linolenic acid...

...and it's NOT the almond.

Say hello to your new snack-tastic buddy, the walnut.

Compared to the almond, which contains only a trace of alpha-blah-blah-blah, walnuts are bursting with 3 grams/ounce (approximately 14 halves) of the stuff!

A recent study by researchers at the University of Newcastle showed that omega-3 fatty acids are important for keeping body fat away. A group of 124 men and women were placed into 3 categories, based on their BMI (body mass index): healthy weight, overweight and obese. After a 10 hour fast, blood samples were taken and measured for concentration levels of omega-3.

The report concluded that the overweight and obese subjects had significantly lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood when compared to the healthy-weight subjects. Accordingly, the lower the scores in omega-3 levels correlated to higher BMI's, waist sizes and hip circumferences.

Hello, October - Please go back and be September: A Bedroom Workout for Cold Mornings

I'm listening to Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' a lot this past week...

And at 5:15 this morning, as I checked the temperature to find it was a chilling 53 degrees, I indignantly ignored my mother's concerned voice (of reason) ringing inside my head and stubbornly put on my gym shorts, instead of my cute new Adidas pants.

'...and in the winter gets cold en vogue with your skin out...'

For those mornings when the air hits you with the chill of your last lover and the gym seems to be as far away as next summer, get over it and get moving. If those words of inspiration fall as flat of Jillian MIchael's onslaught of stirring four-letter hoorays, then know you can have a pretty good workout on your bedroom floor.

(Mind. Out. Of. Gutter.)

Get down and give yourself 20...the at home push-up can work you as hard and effective as any bench press at the gym, with a few simple tweaks. Read on for a four simple chest blitzing ideas:

1. Sloooooooow down! Controlling the speed of movement during any exercise is highly beneficial when done correctly and the press up offers many opportunities. Lower yourself over a 10-second count and pause in the bottom position for three seconds before exploding upwards.

2. Arranging your hands just inside shoulder width, so that your elbows track closely to the torso throughout the movement, will focus on the triceps more intensely than typical extension exercises. Bigger arms + bigger chest = gorgeousness.

3. Positioning your hands four to five inches wider than shoulder width will switch the focus to your chest and make your pecs burn like your last bout of syphilis.

4. Lifting one foot off the ground (about 3 inches) and holding it while executing a traditional push up makes for some tit-tastic fun. This increases recruitment of abdominal muscles as your core works to make up for lost of stability. Alternate feet every 5 to 10 reps and make sure that each side gets an equal number of reps to prevent imbalance. As always, keep your hips in line with your torso and do not sag towards the floor.

Now, you may go back to bed.

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...