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Bodybuilding as a Thinking Man

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Bodybuilding ThinkingThinking and bodybuilding are not two things most people put together in one thought. For whatever reason, people do not think of bodybuilders as smart people. I can tell you from personal experience that they are right some of the time, but wrong most of the time. Honestly, how do you think they are able to build their bodies without being at least somewhat analytical in their approach?

I have learned that looking at training differently will help with results. Thinking plays a big part in that. I always saw certain exercises as something that wasn't for me because I was interested in bodybuilding, not strongman (for instance). However, by understanding what the exercises are used for, it is easier to adapt them to your goals and incorporate them into your routine. This creates even more variety and your muscles will respond accordingly.

When it comes to getting into the best shape you can be in, thinking plays a large role. It is important to figure out where you retain water and how to combat that issue. It is essential to know how your body is responding to the foods you are putting into it. This all requires careful tracking and analysis of the results you are receiving on a regular basis.

Bodybuilding isn't just about packing on muscle. Bodybuilding is about fine tuning your body and all the systems that run your body so that you can be as lean and muscular as you can. It involves science and logic. I think that is something important for everyone to realize. It is one reason I love the sport so much. It combines all the things I enjoy into one thing. In addition, I love the stress release of the workouts themselves.

The next time you see a bodybuilding competition in your area, attend and see what I am talking about. I think you will be amazed at how cerebral it really is. Let me know your thoughts on this!

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Getting Past Training Roadblocks

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Getting Past Training RoadblocksGetting past training roadblocks is something everybody who lifts weights is going to need to know at some point. We all encounter roadblocks on the way to our goals. Knowing the best way to overcome these roadblocks is essential to reaching our goals. It doesn't matter if the roadblock involves lack of motivation, failure to plan ahead or an injury, there are responses that will help you overcome and get past those training roadblocks.

Lack of Motivation

If you lack motivation you need to determine why. Are you over training and so your body is tired all the time, which saps you of your desire to train? Are you sick and so you have no desire to train? You have to pinpoint the issue and then fix it. My favorite way to get motivated is to read the success stories of others. There is something about seeing how others have achieved their goals that gets me up and ready to do it myself. Reading about their ups and downs and how they managed to overcome those things is very motivational.

Lack of Planning

I believe in thinking strategically about my training and nutrition. By thinking strategically I naturally wind up with a plan of attack. Having a plan of attack keeps me organized and on task. Knowing what I am doing from week to week helps me to get through the difficulties I might face.

As an example of how planning helps, I rarely ever crave different foods because I have a planned reward meal every Sunday. Having that planned reward meal gives me the mental strength to get past anything. Interestingly, there are many weeks where I'd rather forego the reward meal, but I don't because it is part of the plan I have put in place (along with my advisor).

Sustained an Injury

If your motivation is down after an injury, consider the reasons why that might be. Alot of people are afraid to lift again after an injury, especially if the injury happened in the gym. Like the old saying goes, you have to get back up on that horse. Stop being scared of the weights. As long as you execute your lifts with proper form you have very little to worry about.

Just Do It

The bottom line is that you need to get past the roadblocks you face. Most of the time it is just a matter of doing it. You shouldn't over think it, you sould go back to the basics and make sure you are doing all the things you are supposed to do. Check the ego at the door and realize that we all need to recalibrate from time to time.

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Meal Timing Debate

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Eating Multiple Meals Daily

[pro-player]http://youtube.com/watch?v=BSqEsFwfHWU[/pro-player]

Meal timing is back in the spotlight lately. I discuss this topic in today's video about nutrition.

The discussion revolves around the claim in the bodybuilding world that it is better for fat burning and metabolism boosting to eat 5 or 6 small meals a day separated by 3 hours. The idea behind this approach is that the metabolism will be revved up all day long as the body works hard to digest the food being given to it. There are still others who claim that just eating consistently 3 times a day will have the same benefits as eating 5 to 6 small meals each day. Who is right and why?

Rather than get into a huge debate on the topic (something I could do if I so desired), I approach this from the standpoint of who has the most to lose if they are wrong. If we say that the 3 meals a day camp is Option A and the 5 to 6 meals a day camp is Option B, what happens if Option A is wrong? Well, all those who adhere to Option A will not be experiencing maximum fat loss. However, if Option B is wrong, they will still gain the same benefits as those who adhere to Option A. Thus, it appears that Option A has the most to lose in this situation. I'd rather err on the side of caution in this instance.

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Strategic Changes for Improving Progress

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Strategic ChangesMaking strategic changes along the way will improve your progress if done correctly. As I move towards my goal of stepping on stage April 14, 2011 my trainer is making small changes to my nutrition plan to maximize the training we are doing. If you are unsure what this means please read on.

Strategic Changes Based Upon Feedback

At one point, as the weight training I was doing progressed to complexes (3 or more exercises performed in a row without rest focusing on one body part), my energy levels were extremely low. In fact, they simply fell off the chart. After giving that feedback to my trainer he made  a small adjustment to my program — eat fruit with the first 3 meals of the day when it is a weight training day.

Strategic Changes Based Upon Results

As I go along on this path towards competing my goal I am producing results each week. Some weeks I have great results and others I produce results that aren't as great. However, I am always producing some kind of results. Based upon these results we make strategic adjustments to my weight training and nutrition plans. For instance, my fat loss is still progressing, but has slowed significantly over the past 2 weeks. As a result, my trainer cut all my starchy carbs by 1/3. This means that if I was taking in 1/2 cup of brown rice at a given meal it is now a little less than 1/3 of a cup. The results produced will then be analyzed again and more adjustments made depending upon those results.

Strategic Changes Improve Progress

By making continual small strategic changes each week we avoid plateaus that cause frustration and delay the ultimate goal. We take pictures weekly and adjust according to the visual results, actual tested numbers and how I feel physically. None of the changes are drastic. In fact, the entire idea of this approach is to avoid drastic changes all at one time. This improves progress, but it also helps me to stay motivated as I avoid long plateau periods.

If you want to see some great progress in your fitness program, use this approach of making small strategic adjustments.

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Fitness Goals are Achieveable With the Right Strategy

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Fitness StrategyHave you ever wondered why people do not reach their fitness goals? If you've given this topic any thought at all there's no doubt that you can come up with numerous reasons. I am going to assume that people are doing what they are supposed to–eating right, exercising hard and tracking their progress–and yet still not reaching their fitness goals.

I believe that most people mean well, but they don't have the proper strategy to reach their goals. They do research and find things to do to continually change up their training. They eat 5 to 6 small meals a day. They take their body fat and circumfernce measurements weekly. They keep track of their results over time. They log down all of their training. So what is the problem?

Imagine that a person has decided that eating low-carb is the way to go for them. They set out eating on a low-carb program. They begin to see some immediate results on the scale. This is simply more conformation that they are going in the right direction. After a few weeks the weight loss slows down. They lower the carbs even more. Over time, they just stop losing weight.

How about the situation where the person is in the weight room lifting heavy. They've read that they need 2 to 3 minutes of rest between sets, so they take that time. They work very hard week in and week out, but just don't see the pounds coming off their frame. This causes them to lift even heavier. Still the results just don't seem to be what they'd like.

So what is wrong in both of those examples? If you've missed it, read the examples again. The answer is obvious–there is just no clear strategy for getting the fat off.

When entering into a program where you have goals you'd like to achieve, you have to come up with a strategy for eating and training that will compliment the goals you have. The strategy has to consider all the various angles like gaining muscle mass while burning fat.

A sample strategy for fat loss and muscle gain would involve changes to the weight training program being followed. By tweaking the rest periods and making them shorter there is a cardio component added to the training. Growth hormone release will be increased by increasing the intensity of the training sessions. Mixing up the training and adding in explosiveness will also increase your chances of hitting your goals. Since fat loss is part of the goal, add in cardio training on the days that you are not lifting weights. Be sure to add the cardio slowly, starting with 20 minutes each session at least 3 times a week. Only increase the cardio if your results slow down.

By following a strategy that is customized for your results you are sure to achieve any goal you set for yourself. A strategy will organize your efforts into a battle plan that will be unstoppable. Everyone can achieve goals when they add strategy to their thinking process. So, what's holding you back? Try adding some strategic thinking to your plan and watch your results skyrocket!

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