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M4:D35 (D335) Methods for Increasing Intensity

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What's on my mind today?

There are many ways to increase intensity while lifting weights.  I am going to be doing a 7 part series over the next 7 days on the various means for increasing the intensity of your lifting sessions.  My goal will be to educate you on the many different ways you can up the intensity of your lifting.  Over the following 7 days I will cover:

  1. Drop sets
  2. Time repetitions
  3. Super sets
  4. Giant sets
  5. Negatives
  6. Twenty-ones
  7. Pyramiding

This series will be essential reading for anyone interested in good weight workouts.  You won't want to miss a single post during the next 7 days.  Please feel free to jump into the discussion with your comments about what I am going to share.  It will make the experience better for me and everyone else involved.
 

 
Find out what I'm doing to my body!

  

This workout was the one Carlos had me create.  He wanted me to see that I could modify the existing workout with the principles that I learned about H.I.T.  What I did was replace each movement in my Monday and Friday workout with a corresponding one for my Wednesday workout.  Switching to Front Squats was strategic as those really target the front of my quads.  That along with more Quad Blaster work really blasted my legs today.  This first workout was to feel out where the weights should go, but I felt really good about several of the exercises.  This type of training has been great for me so far.  I am just about finished with the third week and things are going well.

 
Exercise the brain with the Thought of the Day!

“A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.” Benjamin Franklin 
 
Get a discussion started by answering the question!

Have you ever used any of the techniques I have previewed above and if so, which ones?  Comment this post to answer the question.
 

 
  

Mission 2, Day 35: Car-dee-oh!

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!

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M4:D34 (D334) Cutting Calories?

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What's on my mind today?

There are many approaches to losing fat and cutting calories is just one of them.  It is important to figure out what your body is doing and then come up with a plan to assist it in dropping body fat properly.

Your Body

Your body gets its energy from its tissues and stores when the total caloric intake is less than the total caloric output.  If you hit this point there will be fat loss and lean body mass loss.  Men lose fat easier than women because of the higher level of testosterone in their body. 

The woman's body resists changes in body composition as a protective mechanism to conserve energy stores.  This makes it harder for women to get down to an acceptable level of body fat, but I said harder, not impossible.

Cutting Calories Methodology

If you cut calories correctly it will assist you in losing fat.  One way is to reduce calories by about 4 calories per pound of lean body mass.  This aims to preserve as much lean body mass as possible.  You need to subtract calories from each meal.  Calories cut should come from dietary fat, saturated fats, cholesterol, sweets and sugar first.  These items are major fat causing culprits.

You should avoid reducing calories from complex carbohydrates because they help to maintain blood sugar levels and also provide a good source of energy for your body.  Fat also burns more efficiently in the presence of complex carbohydrates. 

You should never reduce calories from protein when trying to burn fat.  Processing protein in the body requires alot of energy and this aides in burning fat. 

Eating

You should be eating a minimum of 5 times a day.  This accomplishes several purposes.  You are providing your muscles with a constant source of materials to rebuild from your workout.  You also avoid the starvation response that happens when you don't eat enough. 

Just Calories?

Cutting calories will help with burning fat, but it is not the only avenue you should be traveling down.  You need to get on an intense weight training program as well.  By lifting weights and making your muscles grow you are creating a larger engine.  That larger engine will assist you in burning fat.  You will become an efficient fat burning machine.  That's the ultimate goal.

 

 
Find out what I'm doing to my body!

Today was an interval cardio day.  I did it on the bike today for variety.  This, of course, is my new interval method involving getting my heart rate up to 145 and then holding there for 2 minutes and then allowing my body to recover back down to 105.
 
Exercise the brain with the Thought of the Day!

"Your self image is your pattern!  Every thought has an activity visualized.  Every activity belongs to a pattern.  You identify with your pattern or thought.  Your patterns leads your life."  J G Gallimore
 
Get a discussion started by answering the question!

What patters are you setting that will lead your life?  Comment this post to answer the question.
 

 
  

Mission 2, Day 34: Round about

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!

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M4:D33 (D333) The Top 5 Reasons You Should Lift Weights

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What's on my mind today?

Today we discuss the top 5 reasons for lifting weights.  Let's see if any of the reasons resonates with you.

1.  Lifting Weights Decreases Your Chance of Injury

Weight training strengthens the muscles, bones and tendons in your body.  This helps reduce the effects of arthritis and other degenerative diseases.

2.  Lifting Weights Increases Your Metabolism

By training with weights you gain muscle.  This increases your metabolism.  This in turn aides in burning fat.

3.  Get More Out of Life

You will improve your quality of life by lifting weights.  You will be able to participate in many activities until much later in life.

4.  Fat Loss

Every pound of muscle you build burns an extra 50 to 100 calories a day.

5.  Life Becomes Much Easier

Being strong will help you cope better with every day activities.  When you strengthen your body you also strengthen your mind.  This aides in your future success in all your endeavors. 

 

 
Find out what I'm doing to my body!

  
 
Exercise the brain with the Thought of the Day!

“I learned that we can do anything, but we can't do everything…at least not at the same time.  So think or your priorities not in terms of what activities you do, but when you do them.  Timing is everything.”  Dan Millman
 
Get a discussion started by answering the question!

Which of the 5 reasons above most resonates with you and why?  Comment this post to answer the question.
 

 
  

Mission 2, Day 33:  Push, push, push!

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!

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M4:D32 (D332) Top 5 Reasons to Get Rest

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What's on my mind today?

Today we take a look at the Top 5 Reasons to Get Rest.  This is not an earth shattering list, but if you are not doing these 5 things on a regular basis as well as what is mentioned in the conclusion, you are selling your training short.

5.  You need a break from training

It is not a good idea to train 7 days a week.  You need one day every week where you don't do any cardio or any weight training so that your body has sufficient time to recover from what you are putting it through.  A rest day is just that–a day of complete rest.

4.  Rest aides in the rebuilding process

When you rest you are giving your body extra time to rebuild the break downs that have happened from weight training.  When you lift weights you put a bunch of micro tears in your muscles.  The rest day helps your body to rebuild all of the damage that has been inflicted upon it by the weight training.

3.  Your mind needs a break from training

When you train hard and with intensity it can be mentally difficult.  You have to will yourself to new heights continually.  Taking a rest day gives you a mental break (not just a physical one).

2.  You need time away from the gym to plan

By taking a day off you give yourself time to plan for the coming week's activities.  If you were to train 7 days a week this would not be possible.  Without this rest day you might not plan for the next week at all.

1.  You grow outside of the gym

The rest day you take is necessary to help your body grow.  Your body grows outside the gym, not in it.  The time you spend in the gym is the impetus for the growth, but the time you spend resting is when the growth occurs.  Failing to take the time means your body will fail to grow.

Conclusion

You need to take 1 day off every week from training.  In addition, you should take one full week off from training for every 12 weeks of training that you complete.  If you ever feel like your body just isn't recovering, take some extra days of rest.  Listen to your body when it comes to rest.  Rest is the one ingredient that many people simply ignore when training.  Don't be the person who ignores the need for rest.

 

 
Find out what I'm doing to my body!

Today was a rest day for me. 
 
Exercise the brain with the Thought of the Day!

"Success comes from taking the initiative and following up…persisting…eloquently expressing the depth of your love.  What simple action could you take today to produce a new momentum toward success in your life?" Anthony Robbins
 
Get a discussion started by answering the question!

How often do you take a full week off from training?  Comment this post to answer the question.
 

 
  

Mission 2, Day 32: Keeping it the same

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!

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