Here is another question from a comment I received about my post earlier this week on workout time and weight loss:

Q:  Greg, you address many on this site who wish to slim down.  On the other hand, I am interested in bulking up, similar to the transformation you helped Brad Pitt make for Troy.  What are some of the keys for that?
-Dan

A:  Hi, Dan!  It's funny; I just answered a question that was the exact contrary of your question, so I'm going to post both answers one after the other for comparison.
Here is a tip most people don't consciously recognize: to build muscle mass, you first want to make sure your endurance is high.  Then, at the gym you want to compartmentalize your workouts.  You want to take one body part at a time, completely break it down, and then completely let it recover.
You break it down by going heavy. You want to get big; you've got to lift big!  If we're training the chest, for example, you would do one or two warm-up sets and then immediately go heavy, to the point of six reps on your third set, four reps on the fourth, and 4 reps again on your fifth set.  When putting on size it's great to have a training partner, someone who can push you and spot you.
When it comes to your diet, its high-quality protein and high-quality fat.   Your fiber should still stay high and you should supplement as well, Dan.  4000 milligrams of Omega 3 daily, 5000 milligrams of L-Glutamine daily.  Also, bookend your training sessions with protein powder; 40 grams before you train and 40 grams after you train.
And again, the key to muscle growth is complete muscle failure and complete muscle recovery.  You want to stimulate the deep, deep red muscle fibers.  That promotes mass.  The only way to get that is by going really heavy.
A great tip I used with Brad on Troy:  Forced reps.  He may only be able to do one or two reps, but with my help we would do a set of six, really slow, really intense.   Your muscles should be shaking but always keep perfect form, especially in these situations. 
Remember, training heavy takes serious focus so you don't get injured.  If you're out of shape and lack endurance, you literally want to do cardio like a marathon runner for at least a month, if not longer before you enter a serious weight-training protocol.
Also, you should devote one session a week to yoga or a deep stretching class.  Don't ever stretch too deep before or after training; make it a separate event.
All the best to you!

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Community Questions , Weight Lifting , Working Out
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This next Q and A comes from a comment I received about my post earlier this week on workout time and weight loss:

Q:  Greg, Hello! Quick question...most guys want to get larger.  I'm the opposite, I was into bodybuilding and want to get smaller and leaner.  I would like more of a David Beckham physique.  Is this possible? Thanks for your time.
-Chuck

A:  Hi, Chuck - Yeah, I have received a lot of these questions lately about getting lean.  I'm not sure of your age, Chuck, but since you are an experienced body builder, you probably have a lot of leftover muscle to work with, which can help to create a really nice, lean physique if that's the way you want to go.  The question you need to answer is how long ago you were body-building (if you have stopped) and how much muscle mass versus fat is on your body now. 
You should do a body composite test to check your percentage of fat.  If your body fat is still relatively low - say, below 15% - then cardio is the key.  But sustained cardio, Chuck!  Like running.  This means keeping your heart rate up for at least 45 minutes (up to an hour and 15 minutes) each time you do your cardio workout. You also want to introduce some kind of stimulation exercise to keep the lean muscle - something like boxing or swimming.
When it comes to your diet you want to go with a plan that focuses on high fiber and good-quality fats.  As for your protein levels - you should try to cut them down as compared with when you were body building.
You want your muscle mass to burn the fat, and then you actually want to burn a little bit of muscle along the way.
Really work on flexibility and most importantly: sweat, sweat, sweat! 
Hope that helps!

I'll answer another question / comment tomorrow.

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Community Questions , Weight Control , Weight Lifting
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Think of some of the sexiest celebrity shots you’ve seen recently: Jessica Biel or Beyonce on the red carpet, Josh Holloway on the “Lost” island, Matthew McConaughey pretty much anywhere. What do they all have in common besides pretty faces?

SEXY BACKS!

At the gym, it’s easy to obsess over what’s in front of us in the mirror – the arms, abs, hips or thighs.
But aside from the butt, the rest of our rear view gets little attention. In our training routines, we tend to neglect one of the sexiest areas of our bodies, and one of the largest muscle groups – our backs.

There are three basic areas to the back: upper, middle and lower. To get a sexy back, you need to hit all three regions. Here are three great exercises, one for each area:

1. Wide grip pull-downs (upper back).
   On the lat pull-down machine, grip the bar as wide as possible, making sure to sit up straight. Pull down the bar only to the top of your head, continuing to look forward and sit tall. Now carefully and slowly squeeze your back muscles for 5 seconds as you hold the bar above your head. Next, slowly let the bar come up while taking in a big breath, then exhale and squeeze all the way back down with another 5-second hold. Repeat for 5 sets of 20 repetitions.
2. Low row (mid-back).
   On the rowing machine, select a lighter weight so that you’re not straining too heavily. The key to this exercise is to bend forward from your hips and focus the activity on your mid-back, not your lower back.
   When you pull back up, keep your back perpendicular to the ground and your elbows at your sides. Hold for 5 seconds and then repeat. Do 5 sets of 20 reps.
3. Back extensions (lower back).
   Position yourself on the back extension equipment, using your stomach and butt for support. Drop down and then lift your torso up, making sure to never extend your back beyond your butt. Hold for 5 seconds, squeezing your butt and not your lower back, and then lower. Do 5 sets of 10 reps.

Do this routine twice a week, followed by a nice stretch, and YOU'LL BE BRINGING SEXY BACK in no time.

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Celebrities , Exercise , Improved Appearance , Weight Lifting , Working Out
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We all have heard the term "opposites attract". Well, in the world of fitness there is a similar term that refers to opposing muscle groups.  Both terms, in a nutshell, represent BALANCE.

It’s important when training to always incorporate a balanced routine and not over train one area while under training another.

A classic example is the infamous Ab Roller.  Every gym had one. Then one day they were gone. This is because your abs did just one repetitive movement and was stuck in flexion with no other movement to balance it out. No wonder your results were stuck as well.

Let me give you three pairings of opposing muscle groups and supportive exercises for each.

1. Push and Pull: These represent your upper body. Push is force away from your body. Exercises would include bench press or triceps cable push downs. Pull is the force towards your body. Exercises would include Lat machine pull downs and dumbbell bicep curls.

2. Flexion and Extension: These represent your mid section. Flexion is action of bending. Exercises would include sit-ups or stomach crunches. Extension is the action of straightening. Exercises would include back extensions or dead lifts.

3. Abduction and Adduction: These represent your lower body. Abduction is the movement away from your body. Exercises would include an outer thigh machine or side kicks. Adduction is to draw inward towards the body. Exercises would include an inner thigh machine and crescent kicks.

Remember "Opposites Attract". They need each other, rely on each other, and their support is vital for balance of our bodies and for life.

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Exercise , Weight Lifting
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Question: Some people say they have a pear-shaped body. I have a Clorox-bottle body. My waist is a 20 and my buttocks are a 45. I take a size 8 on top and a 14 on the bottom. What exercises do I do to minimize the size of my butt, upper and lower legs?
Beth  Bow, NH

Hey, Beth:
Your body loves to funnel everything in one place — your lower body. You need to break up this cycle through a nonimpact form of exercise. Swimming is a great exercise because it's major cardio and nonimpact. If you can, grab a kickboard and kick across the pool as well as swim some, too. You want to swim for long durations if possible, and it takes some practice to get there. Also, you might want to try acupuncture for internal balance and proper circulation.

Full entry | posted by Gregory Joujon-Roche in Community Questions , Exercise , Weight Lifting
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