I’m always amazed at the amount of ignorance that exists relative to weight training and fitness. I see guys and gals in the gym every day doing the same things and wondering why their bodies never change. Assuming you lift hard, consistently, and properly, here are three tips that will shoot your muscle gain into the stratosphere:

1. Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition! Why do people ignore this fact? You can’t run a NASCAR and pump it full of unleaded gasoline and expect to win the race. Similarly, you MUST eat right, meaning daily multivitamin supplementation, 6 meals a day with the correct portion sizes, and adequate protein combined with complex carbs. It’s amazing what happens to your body when you cut refined sugar and white flour products out of your diet! Really? Do people really think that the white poison actually has any nutrients in it over just calories? Why eat it every day. If you’re one of those frequent gym goers who hasn’t made this commitment yet, try it for a month and watch what happens to your body. If you get hungry, snack on nuts.
2. Don’t Overtrain. I often want to say, “Hey idiot, you’re working the same muscle group three times a week - no wonder it won’t grow!” For young athletes with the proper diet, this may be acceptable for a time but ultimately as we age, our bodies can’t adapt as quickly, coupled with repetitive stress injury potential. I only blast my muscle groups once a week on a specific split routine, but since shoulders and chest will always have at least one tricep movement, they get indirectly hit. Hence, I only do a shoulder routine, chest routine, back routine, leg routine, arm routine (bi’s/tri’s), but ultimately because of the overlap mentioned, I’m working each group directly once but indirectly on another day. Even shoulders sometimes involves legs with power cleans etc. Calves are always done with shoulders and chest because they can recover quickly.
3. Proper Overload, Correct Form. Strength and mass require 3 - 6 reps or less. This means you must be dying by the 6th rep and unable to do more, or several 1-3 RM sets as well, but you’ve got to lift heavy enough to be exhausted at the end of each set. Same principle applies for simple hypertrophy gains in the 8-12 rep range. In your heavy lifting, however, you should never sacrifice form. This will save you from injury and ensure you are stimulating your muscles properly. Lift hard, but lift right.

Do you have some favorite mass gain movements or tips? One of mine is the power clean and press. It stresses not just shoulders but traps, arms, the power core (hips, glutes, quads) and all stabilizers. Submit your favorite movements and what benefits you’ve seen, and we’ll publish them in an upcoming blog!

For years I’ve been the “big weightlifter” but have come to learn more about core stability and it’s effect on overall musculature and performance. I always thought that working your core involved ab work and pilates videos run by some successful woman trainer, and designed by women. Check out this excerpt from the National Council on Strength and Fitness:

Properly challenging the core musculature through resistance and stability training techniques for adaptations related to sport performance is currently a topic of debate. To ascertain what methods could be considered optimal, one must first understand muscle action inherent to the core region of the body. The core does not simply refer to the abdominal musculature as many believe, but is actually a functional group of muscles that act on the spine and pelvis. The core of the human body constitutes all of the lumbopelvic musculature and is utilized to maintain proper body alignment and protect the spine. A few of the major muscle groups and functional connective tissues that are emphasized when enhancing core function include: the rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, erector spinae which serve prime movement and phasic energy transfer and the diaphragm, thoracolumbar fascia, multifidus, transverse abdominis and pelvic floor which stabilize both static and dynamic action. These groups are further coupled with muscle actions of the hip including both flexors and extensors. When stability, range of motion, and/or balance in one (or any number) of these muscle groups becomes compromised, an individual may have reduced ability to efficiently transfer force through the trunk to the upper or lower extremities. Essentially, force capacity may be lost during movements utilizing the entire kinetic chain. Due to the need for ground reaction force transfer, energy loss along the kinetic chain presents a predominant challenge in optimizing the efficiency of the often complex movements demanded in competitive sports. For this reason core stabilization has been indicated as an important aspect of athletic conditioning.

The pelvic floor, multifidus, transverse abdominus, and many other deep muscles are often ignored because they are not the prime movers. Most people don’t even know they exist or what they do to provide balance, stability, and of course athletic performance. Simple exercises such as planks, supine marches, and prone cobras can strengthen these ignored muscles of your core. Don’t know what those exercises are? Ask a certified trainer!

Arthritis in all of its forms can present a painful if not serious mobility problem, yet it has been known for decades that exercise, prescribed and performed in the appropriate way, is helpful and can even help restore joint stability, mobility and range of motion.

For an individual with arthritis, pain may be a normal occurrence, but with a proper exercise program, symptoms can be reduced or diminished completely, leading to an enhanced quality of life. (Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource, December 2009)

My father was a physician specializing in the treatment of arthritis. He was more than just about prescribing drugs. He would have his patients on special stretching and exercise programs, most notably using exercise bikes etc. The results he would achieve, in combination with range of motion stretching and exercising, would be phenomenal. Patients who could barely get out of bed in the morning could do so on their own power and without intervention.

It’s important that we exercise in our 20s, 30s, and 40s to prevent many of the diseases of “old age”, but even more important that an appropriate exercise regimen be applied and adhered to daily after 50. For questions about this or any other exercise related items, you may contact me through fittransition.com.

Are you drinking enough water, particularly before you work out? A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology suggests that a hypohydrated state will limit your results, or the body’s adaptation to resistance training.

These findings were further supported by a very recent study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology (Jan 2010) which looked at resistance training performance in males exposed to heat but supplementing with a carbohydrate electrolyte drink (100% replenishment) and males dehydrated to the 3% level by means of pre-exercise hot bath. Male participants performed three sets to failure on the bench press, lat pulldown, overhead press, barbell curl, triceps press and leg press with 2 minutes recovery used between sets. In comparison, those men exposed to training stress but remaining hydrated using an electrolyte replenishment drink outperformed those men who exercised in a hypohydrated state. Similar to the previous article the group exercising in a hypohydrated condition experienced elevated heart rates, higher rates of perceived exertion and reduced performance common of low blood plasma and SNS detriments at the same relative intensities. -National Council on Strength and Fitness

So, how do I stay hydrated? It’s simple really. While I’m at work, I keep a full glass of water on my desk. It’s easy when you have a fridge with filtered water and an ice machine. However, a simple bottle, maintained three-four times per day from the tap will also do the trick. You just have to remember to keep the bottle handy and to take it with you to work in the morning.

It is also important to remember to drink small sips throughout your workout in between sets or groups of sets. This is particularly important if you are using energy, NO, or creatine supplements, as they not only have a dehydrating effect on the body but require water to properly process. Stay hydrated and enjoy better workouts and better results!

Have you ever watched a personal trainer take some clients (who are obviously sedentary) through stability exercises using exercise balls, bosu balls, rubber bands, and other floor exercises? Did you think, “Gee those are silly, girly-man moves. I’m a big weight lifter. I would never train like that!?

Although my background and preferences do tend to lean toward heavier lifting and “pumpitude,” I have discovered the merits and difficulties of stability training. Want to improve your squat? Try doing squats of ten reps on a bosu ball. A bosu ball looks like a half-ball with a sturdy plastic base. When you evenly place your feet shoulder width apart on the ball, squatting is difficult enough - try turning the ball over! It then becomes a sort of 360 degree see saw which requires not only your sartorial, gracilis, and all leg muscles to balance but recruits just about every muscle in your body including ankles and feet to provide stability as you try to squat down.

The reality is, stability ball and other types of stability (some call it “core”) training will stimulate your muscles in ways you never thought possible. So try a simple experiment. If you’re a big weightlifter guy or gal, next time you are doing triceps, to a stability ball pushup in the following manner:

1. Using a larger ball if you’re big, or medium or smaller ball if you are the equivalent size, bend down with the ball in front of you and evenly place your hands shoulder width in the middle of the ball with palms facing each other.
2. Lean on the ball and walk your feet back to as close to straight-leg and torso position as you can.
3. Now do a push up by lowering your chest down to the ball, holding it for 4 seconds without resting on your chest, and pressing up for two seconds. make sure you keep your elbows in to emphasize triceps. This will obviously stress your chest as well.
4. Repeat and try to do ten reps. You’ll be lucky to get to 5 the first time, especially considering the 4 second no-rest rule.

If you have a bosu ball at the gym, also try the squats on both sides of the ball. Doing these two exercises alone will be an eye-opener for you. You will realize there are other ways to stimulate your muscles using body weight and different types of equipment. If you add stability training to your regimen, you may find your gains will be greater, or if you’ve hit a plateau, that it will push you over the edge!

Note: some stability exercises are great for rehabbing injuries. Check with a personal trainer and your doctor to embark on a proper program.

Have the seasonal flu? Cold? Sore throat? Are you struggling with whether or not to go to the gym? This is something many of us struggle with. It seems like many can do a light workout, get up a good sweat, sit in the sauna or steam room, “sweat it out” and after a good night’s sleep they’re fine. Well that works some times, but not always.

First, you might say, “What business does anyone have going to the gym anyway if they’re sick - I don’t wanna be infected!” Well that’s all well and good, but considering the average gestation period for these things is 7 days, and most people are infectious before they realize it, it’s fair to say that most of the nasty bugs left in the gym will always be there anyway. Here are some rules of thumb to follow.

• I know I’m a little sluggish, and my nose is a little stuffy and/or my throat a little irritated.  Go to the gym, and listen to your body. If lifting or cardio is making you feel more run down, finish your workout quickly and go home. Your body will tell you whether you’re doing any good.
• Is the illness above the neck or below it? Years of experience has shown that you can probably work through most annoying colds and flus, but if you feel mucous in your lungs you may be in trouble. Don’t aggravate it. You need rest and possibly some decongestants and/or expectorants. If the symptoms persist for more than 24 hrs. you should probably see your doctor so that a bronchitis doesn’t develop into a pneumonia. In this case, all your body energy needs to go into healing.
• Am I mildly fatigued with some mild throat or nose irritation, or do I feel lethargy and aching in my muscles? Much experience also dictates that if you’re feeling muscular aches and pains, or general fatigue in the muscles with your “cold” or “flu” symptoms, then it probably is more serious and you should use several days to recover. Again, your body will need the energy to heal.

As a general rule, it’s not a bad idea to stretch during an illness. This helps to move toxins and waste through your lymphatic system which, unlike your blood vessels, does not have its own pumping mechanism. The cardiovascular system is hooked up to millions of autonomic and controlled muscle cells, from the heart to other valves and muscles large and small. The lymph system relies on your muscles to contract and squeeze things along, so you’ll notice that as you start to feel better, a good stretch and some light pumping will actually help you to feel better as long as your body gets the rest it needs to repair itself. This also helps to circulate the white blood cells to fight disease.

In summary, is my sickness above the neck or below the neck, nose and throat or acheyness in the muscles? No lung problems, no muscle ache (beyond normal exercise soreness), then it’s probably OK to work out.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…as the song goes. I love Christmas, and wish all a very merry one. Celebrate, indulge, and enjoy the Holidays, but in the back of your mind begin planning your New Year fitness and nutrition resolves.

Want to see tremendous results in your body and in your life? Click here!

Generally, if you’re following the FitTransition Program - eating almost no sugar, working out, reducing carbs and eating veggies and vitamins daily - you’re not going to get sick very often. If you do however, here’s a general rule of thumb:

1. If you still have energy and experience merely an annoying cold above the throat, you’re probably OK to work out moderately.
2. If your throat is swollen, you feel symptoms below your throat such as chest congestion, and especially muscle weakness, aches and pains, then you’d better take a day or more off from your normal workout regimen.

Again, if you’re following the FitTransition lifestyle you will get sick less often and with less severity when you do. One final tip in this flu season is to be sure you are getting adequate rest! Stress combined with not enough sleep will do in just about everyone. It catches up with you eventually, so organize your time such that you can get at least 7 hours of sleep, and 8 is even better!

This is a plain fact…look around you at the people who exercise every day vs. those who don’t. You will notice in the “don’t” crowd more health problems, and even mental health and stress issues. I’ve personally experienced stress in my life but have felt it melt away in a good intense exercise session!

Study after study has proven over the years that exercise is an important factor in managing stress. You will find that stress management, your level of optimism and outlook on life, are greatly enhanced with a commitment to daily exercise, and in particular, pumping iron along with cardio. If you do just one or the other, you will find it is not as effective.

Many people find that stress goes right to their shoulders and traps. As they begin to tense up, this can wreak havoc throughout the week in the next and upper back. However, in flexing, stretching and flushing those muscle groups with consistent weight training, the muscle relaxes, toxins are removed from the area, and the area is flushed with a fresh blood supply.

In summary, if you work out consistently every day, you handle stress better than your colleagues who don’t!

Years ago I was out to lunch with a friend, and made mention of my sore knees. He said, “Ya know, my chiropractor once told me to eat blueberries everyday. I tried it and noticed a difference.” Well, I thought, that’s easy enough.

After years of experimentation, I’ve discovered it’s true! Deep-colored berries as well as vegetables, have many antioxidant and nutritional properties which keep aging at bay and promote healing. This is vital if you’re trying to pack on muscle, lose weight, or improve cardio fitness.

Recently, Steven Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews, authors of SuperFoods Rx, have come out with evidence to support my empirical evidence. Here is a synopsis of the 14 superfoods they claim will help:

1. Blueberries are available year-round in both fresh and frozen varieties. I find the frozen ones inexpensive relative to fresh, yet they offer a food rich in flavonoids. Fresh berries, of course, are always preferable.
2. Tomatoes are purported to contain vitamins and elements which fight disease and even cancer as well as heart ailments.
3. Salmon has always been a great source of omega-3 fatty acids purported to protect against many diseases and heart disease. Salmon is also a tremendous source of lean protein.
4. Beans? OK they don’t digest so well with everyone and create flatulence in some, but did you know they can level your blood sugar, prevent cancer, and even improve satiety?
5. Soy products are a tremendous source of protein, but also contain omega-3s, phytonutrients, minerals, and vitamins. Can be used in Soy milk, tofu, snack bean or bean form.
6. Spinach gave Popeye big muscles and energy to wallop the bad guys. This is because it contains iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B, C, and E.
7. Tea has become very popular in recent years due to its anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been linked to heart health, cancer and stroke prevention, and lowered blood pressure. Caution: many green, white, and black teas contain caffeine which can counteract the benefits. Stick to herbal teas to be safe.
8. Yogurt is a great low-fat source of calcium, protien, and probiotics as well as prebiotics. These living organisms promote gastrointestinal health.
9. Walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Plant sterols found in walnuts will help with cholesterol levels.
10. Broccoli also has powerful phytochemicals that can protect against disease, as well as vitamin A, folate and fiber.
11. Oranges you know contain vitamin C, but for those of you that buy pulp-free orange juice, did you know that the pulp has ten times more vitamin C than the juice?
12. Turkey Breast is a great low-fat source of protein!
13. Pumpkin is not just a Thanksgiving and Halloween item, but should be used more as it contains vitamin C and E, as well as potassium, iron, and other minerals.
14. Oats are a personal favorite of mine. Since 1997, the FDA has allowed the labeling of oatmeal products as being connected to a reduced risk for coronary heart disease. It is a great source of low-level protein, lots of fiber and other nutrients. It can level blood sugar and improve satiety.

There you go! If you want more info, purchase the book, but all of these foods are endorsed as good for usage in the FitTransition Program. We mention some of them in the sample meal plans. If you follow the FitTransition 10 Commandments, these are the types of foods you’ll be eating. You may download the plan today for only $15!