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How to Help Yourself Get in Shape

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How to Help Yourself

Help yourself get in shape. Sounds like a great idea, right? But how do you do it? That's probably the very next question that comes to mind when you think about helping yourself to get in shape. With the use of the internet, books and distance training, you can help yourself get in shape in no time at all.

Internet Resources to Help Yourself Get in Shape

  • Bodybuilding.com Forums. These forums cover a variety of topics from nutrition and training advice to bodybuilding competition prep. Whatever your needs, it is probably covered here.
  • Shapefit Forums. More for everyday fitness and fat loss, these forums are a great source of assistance.
  • John Stone Fitness Forums. These forums cover a huge variety of topics. Many great teachers hang out here and answer your questions, including Mark Rippetoe. You can get advice on exercise form and nutrition. If you need help, this is a great place to go.

Books to Help You Help Yourself Get in Shape

Distance Training to Help Yourself Get in Shape

Personal trainers can be quite expensive. With the internet, it is possible to utilize a trainer at a distance. The fact that the trainer does not have to leave home in order to help you and can train you from anywhere makes the service cheaper (at least it should). I am available to help anyone who is interested in getting into great shape. As you can see from my muscle building progress, I can help you achieve your goals. My fee is extremely low and the process is extremely simple. If you are interested in getting into incredible shape, get in touch with me today.

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How an Old Guy Builds Muscle

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How an Old Guy Builds Muscle

Building muscle is difficult for old guys. While I personally do not consider myself an “old guy”, based upon my current age (47) I am definitely an “old guy” by most people's standards. As such, I have many struggles that younger guys just don't experience. The picture above shows the dramatic progress I've had in just a 3 week period starting immediately after my show on April 14, 2012 and culminating this past Saturday, May 5, 2012. This article outlines how I've gotten there.

Testosterone Booster

Everyone knows that the older a man gets the lower his testosterone production is. This lowered testosterone production will result in more difficulty building muscle. Since building muscle is the goal, we must do something to counteract the problem. It can be counteracted in many ways, including diet and training along with supplementation. I spent months dropping fat from my body. This has enabled better blood flow to my muscles, which means they are getting fed better. My muscle building efforts are more successful as a result of the fat loss I have experienced. However, the testosterone is still something I have to contend with daily. As such, I have been using a natural testosterone booster called Viridex XT.

It took a few days, but I definitely began to notice a difference with the Virdex XT. My energey was better and my sex drive had increased. I have to believe that my efforts to build muscle have been helped by this product. I would strongly recommend this product for any man over the age of 40. It is made by Gaspari Nutrition and they are a very respected company in the supplement industry.

Diet

To build muscle there has to be a diet plan in place. There were three changes to my diet that happened after the show on April 14. The first thing is that I have added more carbs to my meals. The second is that I am rotating my protein sources between chicken, turkey, fish and lean beef. The third is that my overall calories are higher. To counteract some of these changes (the carbs and the calories) I am doing more cardio, but the diet seems to be working. It is essentially a slightly modified approach to the Getting to Shredded program by Chris Albert.

Training

The main modification to my muscle building training is that I am holding every lift at the top of every movement. At times the muscles will even cramp from the intense pressure. I have found that what I can lift has decreased, but the DOMs is intense the next day. I squeeze so hard that every muscle fiber comes into play. Yes, I've always squeezed on every lift, but there is just something about the squeeze and hold approach that is beating on my muscles and causing them to grow.

Cardio

An important consideration here is not gaining too much fat while trying to put on muscle. This is being controlled via a cardio regimen that has me hitting cardio twice per day. It is the timing of the cardio that is making it work. I essentially do cardio in the morning when I first awaken. I then weight train in the middle of the day. This is followed up with another final cardio session at night.

Results

As you can see from the picture above, the results have been astounding. What you see is just my shoulder area (an area that needed major improvement). It has gotten much fuller and more round. The muscles pop off my frame now. I can definitely use even more size, but this is just 3 weeks in.

Thus, you can definitely build muscle with the protocol I am using. Leave me your comments about the progress in the comment section below.

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How I Made it to the Contest Stage

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On April 14, 2012 I accomplished a goal I had been working towards for months. I stepped on stage at the NPC Amateur Grand Prix and competed in my first bodybuilding competition. Yes, I said “first” because there will be more. This is the story of how I got there and where I plan to go next.

Where I Started

This was my before picture taken on August 1, 2011. As you can see, in this picture I am a typical overweight and out of shape 46 year old man. In this picture I am at 33% body fat. I look terrible. I am not afraid to admit that. Because of how I looked and felt I embarked on a mission to fix what was broken. I enlisted the help of Chris Albert to get back into shape. This was probably the best decision I had made up to that point.

The Program

Chris took me and began fixing imbalances in my body. He did some basic testing on me and then went to work fixing things that needed to be fixed. He put me on a program he calls Getting to Shredded. This program is a multi-phase program aimed at burning the fat from your body. I trained just 3 days a week with minimal cardio (3 times a week for 20 minutes). The weight plan involved circuits or giant sets. These things pushed my heart rate to high levels. This, in turn, aided in the fat burning process.

As a compliment to the training program, I was put on a specific eating plan that involved a balanced approach to carbs, protein and fats. This helped rev up my metabolism. My metabolism was a major reason for the picture you see above. Through years of trying various diet methods I messed up my metabolism in a large way. My average body temperature (taken at night) was 94 degrees. This meant that my metabolism was running extremely slow. Chris spent time fixing this by manipulating my eating plan.

Contest Preparation

On January 1, 2012, just 15 days before my 47th birthday, I embarked on a contest preparation cycle that would prove to be interesting. My training program was changed to a more typical bodybuilding style of training, with body part splits and a higher training volume. My nutrition plan was modified to include a higher amount of protein. My cardio exercise was increased to 30 minutes, 4 times per week. There were phases to all of this as we got closer to the contest itself.

I worked very hard, trying to meet the goal of 8% body fat by contest day. However, about 2 weeks out from the show Chris took a look at me and he didn't seem happy. He said that I was holding fat under my arm pits (on the side of my pecs) and that he thought it would take 8 weeks to get rid of it (8 weeks I did not have). I left the gym that day feeling dejected. I wrote an article, How to Make Miracles Happen, in which I discussed the situation and how it made me feel. This was a huge turning point for me as an individual and as a competitor.

I decided to push even harder and to go with my gut. It was the first time since meeting Chris that I went against his wishes and upped my cardio. I added an extra session each day and went to 7 days a week. I was doing two sessions of 50 minutes each time. I began to see more fat come off my body. To protect my muscle (the little I was able to gain during the cut) I ingested a large amount of BCAAs (every three hours). I knew I had to push hard to make it for the contest.

Competition Day

I arrived at the competition site in Culver City for check in. I knew I was in trouble because 90% of these competitors were using some sort of enhancing drug. Now, I would not simply state “they were on steroids” because enhancement drugs are much more complex than that simple designation, but it was obvious they had some help. The competitors I was up against were clearly bigger than me, but they had not accomplished what I had accomplished. They could be very proud of their physiques, but they could not say they had gone from fat to fit in such a short period of time.

The Results

Here I stand with my trophy for a 3rd place finish. Comparing this picture to the before picture, I weigh 65 lbs. less, I am at 11% body fat (22% down) and I felt great. I had accomplished a major goal–I stepped on stage and “let it all hang out”. It was an amazing and fun experience. It is one I will not soon forget.

Here are some more photos of my time at the NPC Grand Prix.

Conclusion

I learned a lot from this experience. The following summarizes what I'd like you to take away from my experience:

  • No matter what, trust your instincts. If you think you need to do more cardio, do more cardio.
  • Stick to your nutrition plan. It is responsible for 85% of your success.
  • Train hard. Push yourself as hard as you possibly can. It will pay off.
  • Believe in yourself. If you can think it, you can do it.
  • Trust the experts you choose to work with. There's no point in working with someone if you don't trust them fully.
  • Compete because you want to, not to impress anyone else

I am now trying to build size. I have pulled out all the stops to make it happen. I have changed up my training approach and have added some carbs to my diet that were not there before. So far, the results have been amazing. Keep watching this space for more on my progress.

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How to Believe and Make it Happen

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How to Believe and Make It Happen

Yesterday I discussed how I am creating my own miracle. One point I failed to make–if you don't believe, miracles cannot and will not happen. Today I want to discuss how to believe and make it happen. The power is your's to take.

In August 2011 I started a journey that is about to culminate in my first competition. When I started I weighed 255 lbs. and was at 32% body fat. Today I am 2 weeks away from my show. I am at 210 lbs. and 9% body fat. Yes, people said I could not do it. I was told that my goal was just a pipe dream. I was told it would be a miracle if I could get into shape. Well, miracles happen if you believe and I am living proof.

Just crunch the numbers I provided above. At 46 years of age I was carrying around 173.4 lbs. of lean body mass and 81.6 lbs. of fat. Through belief and hard work I am now 47 years old and I am carrying around 191 lbs. of lean body mass and 18.9 lbs. of fat. I have added 17.6 lbs. of lean body mass while reducing my fat by 62.7 lbs. I've dropped 43.8 lbs. on the scale. All of this through a pipe dream. All of this because I believe in my own abilities.

I can tell you to eat right and exercise–those are obvious things. However, the best advice I can give is as follows (and it is all about belief):

  • Dream big. You can make dreams happen, so why not dream big? You are going to achieve what you dream so make your dreams as big as you want.
  • Listen to nobody. You will have people tell you it can't be done. Do not listen! If you want it badly enough you can achieve it.
  • Never quit. No matter how hard it seems, never give up. Push on towards your goal.
  • Stay focused. Life has many distractions. Remain focused and draw your dreams towards you.
  • Always believe. No matter how hard things get, no matter how impossible things seem, always believe and it will happen.

By following the tips above you will make your dreams happen. Tell me in the comments what you do to make your dreams a reality.

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How to Make Miracles Happen

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How to Make Miracles Happen

When things get tough and it seems like a miracle is necessary, do you sit back and wait for it or do you make it happen on your own? I strongly believe that you should do everything in your power to pull off the miracle. When you face adversity and need a miracle, go after it!

I was recently put in a position where I really felt like just throwing in the towel. With 2 weeks to go until my first show, I was told that it would take at least 8 weeks to rid myself of the fat that is under my arm pits. I felt horrible hearing this. I had all kinds of negative thoughts. I left the gym thinking those negative thoughts. I drove and started to think long and hard about my situation. I had some amazing revelations as I drove. I realized that I had come such a long way. I knew that quitting was not an option. Afterall, I made this show so public for a reason.

It was during that drive home that I came up with the idea of a miracle. I knew that if I focused well enough I could pull off a miracle. Why is it that it takes major pressure for human beings to respond? I honestly have no idea, but I do know that it is true. I started to give myself some positive self-talk. I told myself that if I didn't immediately start doing every single thing my gut was telling me to do to get to a good place, I would be sorry later. If I don't hit the stage knowing that I pulled out all the stops I am going to regret it later.

Now I am in motion, making a miracle happen. I recorded a video yesterday about this very topic (see below). Have a listen and then let me know how you make miracles happen in your own life.

[pro-player width='420′ height='315′ type='video']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ylNrEDCd8c[/pro-player]

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