1: The "80/20" rule. With training 20% of your lifts/drills will account for about 80% of the results. I've cycled countless assistance/ fad exercises into my programming but I've only gotten stronger, more conditioned, or leaner (these are all at separate times respectively) when I based my programming around squat and dead lift variations, bench presses, over head presses, pull ups and heavy rows. Worry about the basics first.
2: When training to lose body fat, pair a compound lower body exercise (front squat, lunge) with one for the upper body (presses, pull ups, rows) and use moderately heavy weights (8-10 reps maxes) and perform multiple to a few sets with a minute or less rest between sets. The rest period is the key to fat loss. I'll have some videos of this next week.
3: If you think your technique is perfect on a lift it's not. Technique can always get better. Have someone video tape your lifts so you can pick apart any flaws. Even if you're not a power lifter or strongman, this can go a long way in preventing muscular imbalances and future injury.
4: Only wear a lifting belt for the REAAALLLY heavy shit. For myself I never put it on unless it is a squat or dead lift over 85% of my max. By adhering to this rule over a few years, I've developed a pretty strong set of spinal erectors and abdominal muscles. If you rely on a belt to create maximal tension in these areas, how are you going to get as strong as possible? When you wear a belt, wear it a notch loose and push your belly out against it (by sucking air DOWN into your belly). Push out against the belt on the concentric portion of the lift (i.e. coming up for a squat or dead lift). I believe Eric Cressey said something along the lines of "wear a belt to win a competition, not to train for the competition" (not exact words but something close).
5: Stop prioritizing on exercises that don't have a great ROI (return on investment)! Stop stressing over cable flyes and focus your efforts on bringing up your incline bench press or some other big pressing movement. (another example: focus on squatting over leg extensions if you want some tree trunks in your landscape.
Stop doing 20 minutes of crunches and "core" work if you're not: front squatting, over head squatting, good mornings, prowler pushes, glute ham raises.
6; And if you're going to do some "core work" go do some anti-rotational movements instead of crunches. I know I sound like one of those "core" haters and that some people think that you can't just train the "core" with squat variations, etc.. but I beg to differ. In the last body building show I competed in I had one of the most jacked sets of abs out there and what did I do for them? front squats, overhead squats, barbell rows, weighted chins, etc. No "core" work at all. Now for you people saying "well that's just for appearance, you have to train the "core" for performance." Well, I beg to differ again. How in the heck could I hold 555lbs on my back at a body weight of 198lbs in a power lifting contest? Had to be from extra "core work" right? Nope. Just a lot of heavy ass box squats, band resisted dead lifts, front squats, good mornings, glute ham raises. "Well you're not working anti-rotation", well yeah I am: Tell me that when Walking Out 500 plus lbs from a squat rack that there aren't any rotational forces you have to resist.
How I developed my "core strength"
-get under a bar!
-as you can tell I hate the word "core" as it's thrown around like the girls that get with Bret Michaels. But believe it or not, I do have some "core" exercises I think are pretty badass
-med ball slam (as seen in the outdoor condtioning videos)
-cable wood chops
-garhammer raise (check Chris Grayson's youtube for this)
-roll outs
7: Meats, nuts, vegetables, water. All I need and all you need.
8: Well.... I lied, this concoction is like candy to me. Try it out:
-2 cups of Fage Yogurt
-Jam a bunch of frozen blueberries in it
-Douse with cinnamon
-mix it all around
-enjoy it
9: Train FOR something, i.e.
-Athletic reasons (not to gas out in mma, be able to deliver blocks for 4 quarters)
-Fat loss goal (drop 4% body fat in 1 month)
-Muscle mass goal (gain 15 pounds of lean mass in the body building off season)
-Power lifting total (add 15 lbs to your squat and dead lift and 10 to your bench by the next meet)
-GPP (get yourself in shape for the following training cycle of whichever sport you train for)
-Health (have a plan to drag the sled for 30 minutes every other day to help bring blood pressure down)
-Many more...
10: Better quality food isn't too expensive. It's just that you spend too much money on meaningless bull shit such as: the bar, fast food, trendy clothes, an over priced car, a girl friend/boyfriend (HAH, crack myself up), trendy supplements, etc... Sit out a friday night at the bar and save yourself $50 for a purchase from tallgrassbeef.com.
That's it for now, digest this and apply it... I dare ya!
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