Today I'm going to chat about a big secret that people have been scratching their heads at. My competitors, and clients that are training to improve how they look are taught some of the "Mega Principles". Now I do NOT claim to have came up with these, but my coaching of eliciting these principles is definitely one of a kind. My goal with my competitors in the off-season is to get them eating as much food as possible, without gaining too much fat. So, how can my clients, especially my girls, be eating (to the normal person) huge quantities of food, and not overdoing cardio by ANY stretch? Well Mega Marty blog reader, let's try and shed some light!
So, what I'm hearing is, "I don't get it. I eat well, I workout following a sound program, my results are really, REALLY slow. What am I missing?"
This DOES apply to both men and women, but I'm talking mainly to women here.
Take a look at the girls who are in great shape. Okay, now watch them train. More often than not, ESPECIALLY outside of the insanely genetically gifted, they'll be borderline killing themselves. I'm talking they're giving it everything they got, in terms of execution of their sets, reps, workouts, technique, everything. Now, this DOES that a special kind of lady to be able to do this. To be able to go in on HER OWN and crush a set of 135 lbs+ squats. Not at that level yet? Work towards it.
You'll find these girls out of breath. Usually sweating profusely. Body shaking from their workouts, during and after.
They won't be spending hours in the gym. They'll go in, kick ass, the leave to go eat MORE to fuel their muscles.
THAT is the secret.
I've said it time and time again to people asking these questions, to watch a certain couple of girls (or my own clients) workout. What do you notice? The intensity.
I've touched on intensity before, but here are some general guidelines to follow:
These girls aren't using nearly enough weight...
1) Lift some damn weight.
Yes, you've heard you have to lift heavy now from me to gain muscle. This is such a huge principle. You REALLY think that the 5 lb laterals you're starting your shoulder workouts is giving enough stimulus to build a great set of shoulders? I saw today someone said "Stop lifting weights lighter than your purse!"
Exactly.
2) Stop taking years in between sets.
Watch the clock. Some people have the exact opposite and do sets too quickly. I like to have a GENERAL (extremely general and will be a client to client, program to program basis) guideline of 1.5-2 minutes for the bigger compound exercises (ie.deadlift) and 45 seconds - 1.25 minutes for the smaller exercises (ie. triceps push down) Then go again. Doing exercises faster than the prescribed time? You didn't use enough weight/perform the exercise correctly. Waiting longer than 2.5 minutes? You're taking too much time.
3) Control your weights on the negative portion, explode on the positive.
Now once again, GENERAL guideline, but things like squats? Shoulder Press? Bent over rows? CONTROL your negatives. Letting the weight drop/fall back to the starting position will have you miss out on a TON of muscle building benefits. Also, just pushing the weight back to the starting position without a controlled, explosive force usually won't yield enough for to cause muscle fiber damage. Of course, there are exercises where you want constant tension and controlled, slow positives, but in GENERAL? Try blasting the weight back up with impeccable form.
There are 3 things I would DEFINITELY implement into your current program if you aren't already, or at the very least take a look at how your workouts are, and see if these apply to you.
"Why don't I look that that Marty?"
"They destroy themselves, properly."
As always, Mr. contest prep red deer wishes you the best of luck in your goals.
