Cyberpump!

Physical Culture Books

2012-01-16T19:57:00.003-06:00

Ever wanted to read the classics of the Iron Game such as Super Strength by Alan Calvert? Do you want REAL books rather than cheesy and cheap photo-copy like reproductions? Well, Physical Culture Books (http://www.physicalculturebooks.com/) is the place to go for REAL reprints of many of the classics. I recently received Super Strength and my first reaction to opening the box from Physical Culture Books was “Wow!” Talk about impressive! Staring me in the face was the Iron Game classic Super Strength by Alan Calvert in a modern super high quality book format. Everyone can now have the Iron Game classics in super high quality readable reproductions that will last on your bookshelf. Physical Culture Books has certainly hit the nail on the head with how they are reproducing the classics of the Iron Game!

(SUPER NATURAL STRENGTH by Bob Whelan) INTRODUCTION By RANDY ROACH

2011-08-16T18:11:00.002-05:00

"Physical culture is about what you do in the dark. It’s about how hard you train when there is no one to impress. It’s about what you eat, how you think, and what you do on a daily basis. It’s about doing the right thing.

The philosophy comes ahead of the end result. I don’t care if they don’t know anything and can’t bench press an Olympic bar without any plates. That’s not important. What’s important is attitude. It’s not how strong you are now, but where you are going that’s important as far as attitude is concerned… They must be interested in doing the right thing."
--Bob Whelan

And just what is “the right thing” when it comes to true conditioning? Does anyone really possess the answer to this emotionally charged, commercially-loaded question? Bob Whelan is man enough to step forward and make his case within the pages of his latest publication, “SUPER NATURAL STRENGTH.” To Bob, “the right thing” is simply the fortitude in conducting a training ethic that is natural, hard and progressive. In fact, “natural, hard, and progressive” would serve as a definitive motto for Whelan Strength Training. His T-shirts bear the words, “No Toning,” “No Chrome,” “No Bull,” “Just The Workout” which also reflect the essence of this man’s exercise constitution.

Bob has definitely built his own philosophy and sticks to it. He refers to himself as a coach over that of a personal trainer, the latter being a faction of the profession that he finds highly questionable. He feels that the vast majority of personal trainers have prostituted themselves due to lack of education, fundamentals, and a core philosophy. Whelan at heart is a pure strength coach. He does not believe in a fountain of youth, but feels that strength training is the closest thing to it. And Bob certainly has a set of strong core beliefs when it comes to strength development.

The readers are indebted to Stuart McRobert, the publisher of Hardgainer, a magazine from which the contents of this book were drawn. McRobert let a breath of fresh air enter the stuffy Iron Game hall in July of 1989 with the release of his first issue of Hardgainer. The compact, comparatively commercial-free publication steadfastly catered to the hardcore, natural men and women of iron for 15 years..

It was through the editorial craftsmanship of Stuart McRobert that Whelan was introduced to the Hardgainer audience in the September, 1994 issue. Stuart had cut and spliced a number of email exchanges between he and Bob to compile an inaugural article titled, “Maximum Bob.” From that point onward, Bob would compile his own material and be a constant contributor to Hardgainer until its finale in the spring of 2004. It was from that decade of contribution of articles and extensive Q&A columns, Maximum Bob Whelan brought a wealth of knowledge to the Hardgainer readership.

Although Bob holds a master’s degree in exercise science and health from George Mason University and a master’s degree in management from Troy University, academia alone could not give to Bob what he in turn shares with his fortunate clientele. What shines from his Iron Game soul he was born with and naturally cultivated on his own beginning as a youth. It was then that Bob mastered the heavy demands of pushups and pull-ups his father forced upon him.

Like so many die-hards of the game, he became hooked on training at a very young age. Bob continued with his pushups and chins, added cement blocks and copper tubing, dips between chairs, and everything else he could come up with until he attained his first York barbell set at the age of 13. With the York influence, he began purchasing Muscular Development and Strength and Health, followed later with Iron Man magazine. Bob captured the exuberance of so many youths that had both preceded and succeeded him through the decades:

I was a fanatic and devoured everything related to training I could get my hands on. I was sad when I'd read all the articles in a new issue. I couldn’t wait ‘til the next month so I could ride my bike to the apothecary in Sherborn, Massachusetts, and buy the next issue. I can remember the smell of the ink in the new issues. I had to hide the magazines because my father thought all the bodybuilders were “musclebound,” but I knew better. My biggest heroes were Bob Hoffman and, especially, John Grimek.

From these early publications, his fundamentals were cast. Bob was already mentally equipped to build strength and muscle with the most basic of equipment as demonstrated from 1976 to 1979 at a “small, dingy, minimally equipped gym” at Bitburg Airbase in Germany. He went on to both coach and compete for seven years as a natural powerlifter setting several military records on his way. His raw lifts are as impressive and extensive as the rest of his vast array of credentials too numerous to mention.

With such levels of education, depth of knowledge, and breadth of experience, Bob Whelan became one of our prominent modern day Physical Culturists: a hybrid of old and new. wise enough to endear the old, yet open to what the new era offered. He does not get stuck in the mud squabbling over pure traditions if common sense clearly shows that the old could benefit from the new. In his own words:

"I see myself as a tradesman with a shed full of tools... I see the various modes and methods of strength training as tools in a tool chest. A craftsman can collect and use many tools to perform his art. Only a fool would throw useful tools away and insist on using just a few tools. Different tools can be used for different people."

You will see this tradesman at work through the pages of “SUPER NATURAL STRENGTH” as Bob shares his arsenal of conditioning wisdom from the first installment of “Maximum Bob” in the fall of 1994 until the spring of 2004. For those 10 years, Bob remained loyal to the concepts of his trade with some minor evolution in areas where technology and further research had enlightened us all. However, you can’t help but respect him even more when he uses his own experience, intellect, and common sense to draw the line on some of the modern day fads, gimmicks, and crazes that constantly sweep the fitness industry.

What you will get from these pages is serious tried and true strength and muscle building techniques and advice from one of the most passionate trainer/coaches in the world. Bob’s mission is to bring the best out of everyone even if it means screaming encouragement at a young training enthusiast as he/she struggles to carry a 100 to 200 pound bag of sand around a building or simply accompanying a first time client for a gentle walk around the block. As hardcore as Bob is, that Marine-based drill ethic is still governed by intellect and a rationale. As he says:

"Deaths are not good for business! ...A good coach must be a good judge of effort. Not everyone can give the same amount of effort. There are huge differences in ability. Nonetheless, whatever they can give, I want it all. You must be smart enough to recognize the differ-ences in individuals, and be a good judge of effort…. Extracting effort is an art form…. There are some coaches who don’t think you’ve had a good workout unless you use the bucket. This is wrong. I view the bucket as getting a “purple heart” medal. You get a purple heart when you get wounded, but you don’t want to get wounded…. You can’t fake passion. You either have it, or you don’t. If you’ve got it, it makes your job a lot easier, and a lot more fun. Everything flows from passion."

And it is passion that drives Whelan Strength Training. It was that same passion that led Bob to leave a lucrative job as a government agent, sleep only feet from the barbells of his burgeoning gym, and stay the course right to the top of the field. Passion ruled over silly arguments such as which was superior, free weights or machines. As Bob notes, “strength training is similar to religion as far as strong opinions go.”

And with Bob, you will get in this book a solid philosophy on how to get the best from your body without drugs, powders, pills or any other magic potion outside of hard training and real natural foods. Much of the content of this publication is an extensive Q&A collection that spans many issues of Hardgainer from 2000 to 2004. Bob answers a myriad of questions including how to successfully build a personal coaching business plus much, much more.

I was both honoured and happy to write this introduction to Bob’s book, “SUPER NATURAL STRENGTH.” I agreed to do it out of gratitude for the years of work and effort he has put into his craft. So much of what constitutes Bob actually became manifest in his website, naturalstrength.com years before I had the privilege of meeting him. Naturalstrength.com was a godsend to me during my early years working on my own historical project. Only a man with true passion would put such effort and thousands of dollars personally into bringing so much of Physical Culture to the mainstream free of charge as Bob has done.

“SUPER NATURAL STRENGTH” is just the beginning of what will come to print from Bob Whelan’s shed of tools. His first book, “Iron Nation,” was an excellent compilation of training strategies from heavyweight players within the lifting industry. This second publication is “naturally” a compendium to his first. From what I understand and would expect, there is much more to come in the ensuing years from this super-charged, extremely positive, and highly motivating personality.

In the meantime, prepare to reap the benefits of a 10-year romp with Bob Whelan through Stuart McRobert’s successful publication, Hardgainer. Bob will definitely take your training to the “Maximum!”

Randy Roach,
Author of “Muscle, Smoke & Mirrors"

Click HERE TO Order: SUPER NATURAL STRENGTH

How to Transform Your Physique #84 - Bro Science

2011-07-04T09:34:00.004-05:00

Happy July 4th for those out there celebrating. I recently came across a video on the Internet that had me shaking my head in disbelief. I have been around for a long time in the weight game (over 30 years), and to date I have never seen something so utterly stupid.

There is one universal truth about strength training and that truth is "it is simple stuff!" In fact, nothing has really changed in 30 years since I started lifting. What has changed is there are more people doing it. It is now fully accepted for sports and we now know people of all ages can benefit from strength training. These are all obvious positives.

However, what has come along with it is more Bro Science (BS) aimed at putting a spin on every little nuance of strength training. We have all sorts of useless buzz words. We have all sorts of useless spins on exercises. We have all sorts of "special" routines that promise magical results. We have all sorts of supplements that promise magical results and at minimum some perceptible advantage for gains. The Internet has all but amplified the whole Bro Science Industry.

Back in 1995 when I started Cyberpump the mission was to provide people with common sense training information. At that time, there was wasn't much to dispel on the Net. In fact, an old feature that you can read in the archives called Muscle Mag Follies was an attempt to address some of the mainstream Bro Science directly one on one. Today, it is literally an impossible mission to dispel all the misinformation on the web. However, the mission here at Cyberpump remains the same.

What is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen in 30 years? Ok, here it is. Watch for yourself. Listen to what he says in the video.

Click Here for the Video

We do appreciate the support for all our dedicated readers over the years to keep the site going. There is a HUGE amount of information that has been gathered since 1995 on this web site. And, we continue to add to it on a weekly basis to help counter all the BS out there. Thanks again for your continued support!

Goals are an End, Not the Journey

2011-06-04T08:26:00.001-05:00

I thought I would share this with readers because I really resonate with what is written here. Goals are great if you actually have a plan to obtain them. You can still have great discipline to be in the gym when you need to be or be there consistently but if you have no plan for how to get there your efforts will not be as effective as they could be. You need a PLAN for how to get there. And, it needs to be reasonable. For example, if you are student athlete and you are working 40hrs per week during the summer you better figure out when and how the workouts will be scheduled and exactly what you will be doing related to your goals.

Hard work is great but without having laser like focus with a plan you might find yourself disappointed when it comes to reaching your goals.

Goals are an End, Not the Journey

The Body is a Whole

2011-05-24T21:50:00.000-05:00

The body is connected. It is not a sum of body parts slapped together. It is a total system. So, why pray tell would you "split" the body up when performing strength training. For an athlete, splitting a strength training program by body parts makes even less sense. Does an athlete use only certain body parts in competition? Hardly. There are many athletes and trainees who are always riding the overtraining train. In my opinion, injuries are a direct consequence of overtraining. The problem with separating by body parts is that this type of training taps into the most important system that governs performance -- the central nervous system. Training the body as a whole allows the WHOLE system to recover. Not some piece meal "recovery" which is absolute bro science (BS). Now, I am not saying you cannot make gains treating the body as a bunch of separate parts. I just do not think it is efficient nor optimum.

Athletes need to spend the majority of their training on skill development not spending every day in the weight room doing certain lifts/body parts. Most trainees do not have time to spend 4-5 days in the gym for hours at a time due to having busy lives with job and family responsibilities. Well, the good news is that you CAN make gains with far less training. I have trained athletes who have made great gains performing two full body workouts a week. One of them is less intense than the other that also aids in recovery.

These full body workouts should cover all the muscle groups. One exercise for chest/shoulders, one exercise for the back, and one exercise for the legs. Throw in some ab work and you have it pretty well covered. Simple and basic. Obviously you can use more than one exercise, but in reality you could pick just one and HIT it for 1-2 sets and make sure you use proper progression. An example would be bench press, chins, and squat/leg press.

I have been able to correlate some common data with respect to nervous system burnout over my years of training myself and others Performing sets of 3 or less for a length of time greater than 3-4 weeks and most will go stale. This would be a true set of 3 or less. It would not be using a sub-max weight nor would it be multiple sets adding up to 1 or 2 higher rep sets (e.g., 10 sets of 2). This "peak" such as that used by powerlifters cannot be held by a natural athlete/lifter without going backward or the nervous system rebelling and the perceived result being "getting weaker". The lifter will feel her "snap" so to speak leave them. Or, they will get injured or leave themselves open to injury. Then, when returning to normal rep ranges what typically happens is EXTREME muscle soreness even with a moderate rep count increase. I experienced it and those I have trained experience it so a "ramp up" in rep range is needed.

The human body is not a sum of separate parts. It is a total system. Treat it like one in all respects.

A Comparison of My Diet of Today to Nearly a Decade Ago

2011-04-18T18:34:00.000-05:00

The following piece below I wrote back in 2002. It's now 9 years later. Time sure flies by, but my diet hasn't changed all that much. However, my total calorie count has. I just cannot eat as much. And, frankly, don't seem to need to. Here is today's sample diet in a day:

Breakfast:
4 egg white omelet with no fat cheese.
Oatmeal or Uncle Same Cereral
1 tablespoon of Carlson's cod liver oil

Mid-Morning
Maybe 2 hard boiled eggs

Lunch
Blackened Salmon and one cup of rice and mixed veggies.

Afternoon
Maybe a protein drink or a small serving of various nuts.

Dinner:
Turkey or chicken and one cup of rice and mixed veggies.

Nothing at night.

As you can see, lower calories overall. I have my major cheat day on Friday's and also cheat at dinner on Saturday night if we go out.

It's really interesting to look back in time and see just how little or how much things change!

In my last entry, I told you I would share with you what I exactly eat during a typical day. First, don’t bother getting out your calculators because I have no idea how many calories it is. If I did count the calories, I would probably be shocked and go gorge myself with cheesecake. Wait, no I wouldn’t. Anyway, I think that’s part of the problem with some people in losing fat. They get some number in their mind for what they feel their calories should or should not be. This number may also be arrived at after counting for a few days and then be called gospel for “maintaining weight” and it just needs to be reduced to lose fat. First, that’s too much work. Second, I don’t think it will be that accurate. I won’t go into why I think this is the case. Let’s just chalk it up to too many variables. I believe most people just plain eat too much. Regardless of whether it is junk or good food. “Hey, I only eat fruit. No junk food. I eat more than George the Zoo Gorilla, but it’s ‘no fat’ so I shouldn’t gain weight.” Really? I don’t think so. Why do we eat in the first place? The real reason is to provide fuel for the body to function. Somewhere along the many centuries this got twisted where the majority of people seem to “eating for pleasure”. No wonder we are a bunch of porky pigs running around. You laugh, but just go sit on a bench at the mall or go to the local beach and you tell me what percentage of people are fat and out of shape. Most people fall into that category.

There was some discussion on EFA’s after my last post on getting ripped. I get my EFA’s mainly from EFA oils. The two I use are Cod Liver Oil and Flax Oil. Cod Liver Oil has a bad rap for being yucky. It’s not. I don’t like fish and a tablespoon of Cod Liver Oil is less fishy than a bite of most fish you might eat. The Flax tastes and smells “wheaty” and that’s the best way I can describe it. It’s no biggy either. I’ve slammed powdered Aminos back in the old days and that was like gagging a maggot (holding my nose), and taking EFA’s doesn’t even compare to that nastiness. So, don’t let the taste or smell put you off. It is much more convenient for me to get them this way. My guess it would be for you as well.

So, let me cut to the chase. Actually,, I have to thank the Dole Company. Why? Their products have allowed me to eat fresh veggies. To have a salad used to be a pain in my arse. In fact, too much of a pain. Who has time to sit there and cut and chop? Some may say it doesn’t take much time, but with cleanup involved too I have to disagree. Thank you Dole! Here’s a typical day’s diet for me:

Breakfast:
6 egg whites, one yolk (scrambled)
Bowl of Oatmeal
Water

Mid Morning
6 egg whites, one yolk (scrambled)
Apple or other piece of fruit

Lunch
Half Pound of a lean meat. During the summer BBQ’d. Chicken, Ground Turkey Breast, Lean Red Meat
Salad (I use the Dole Products Here) with homemade Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing. Carrots, broccoli, etc are included in these veggies.
Water

Mid Afternoon
Liquid Feed ( half banana, 3 scoops Whey, tbls Flax oil, water)

Dinner
Same as lunch

Late Evening
Serving of lean meat or more scrambled egg whites
Bowl of Oatmeal or small bowl of Uncle Sam Cereal

All during the day I am drink ice water. On training days I add in more carbs through a piece of fruit or more oatmeal. On Friday nights, I have pizza. On the weekend would be where we might go out to dinner on occasion. I eat whatever I would enjoy. Note that the oatmeal serving is limited by the amount that’s in the packet. I eat the plain stuff so there is no added sugar. The reason I don’t get the big oats container is that it is convenient that the serving is already measured out and it keeps it consistent.

Remember, this is the eating lifestyle that is working for me personally.

More on Sled Pushing

2011-03-31T19:29:00.000-05:00

This week I performed another comparison test with jogging to sled pushing. Again, sled pushing came out on top due to less time involved and of course the big one for me which is less stress on the joints. Running can pound your joints. Today I did 4 trips up and back. This time I pulled out my video camera so you could see that I am literally walking behind the sled. Even though I can easily run a mile right now and not breath anywhere near this hard. Yes, run too. I upped the pace two days ago after some sled pushing to see if my body adapted such that the running would be easier. It was. Once the weather gets consistently better, I'll be able to drop the running completely in favor of pushing the sled.

Here's the video from tonight of my sled pushing:

Running versus The Root Hog - No Contest! - Part II

2011-03-18T22:30:00.000-05:00

Fred Fornicola and I had a good dialogue by e-mail regarding my first post. I think I need to make a few more points to clarify things a bit.

First off,= my goal is never to feel totally gassed after cardio. In fact, I hate the feeling. Fred mentioned the following:

"It would be interesting (and a good experiment) for you to only do the root hog for a couple month's and zero running then go back to running and see if you can bang out the same mileage and pace your first time out."

I've actually done this experiment before and found that running becomes very easy after doing the Root Hog. I keep my pace on the root hog quick and with little rest between trips. Overall, as Fred also pointed out, it hits the overall body differently than just running. What I have found though is that after running, and then going back to the root hog, it feels I have not done much cardio wise during the period of time I did the running (in this case, the winter months). Now, this again does not say you need to blast yourself doing cardio to get the benefit of cardio. That's never my goal doing the root hog either. I like the low impact nature of the root hog compared to running. So, for me, running is not very good in comparison. My right knee was injured my junior year of high school and it always "talks to me" when I go back to running after awhile. So, running is just fine and dandy. It's just not my favorite due to the impact it has versus the root hog. And, I can get more done pushing a sled in a shorter time period too. The bottom line again is due cardio and enjoy what you do!

I mentioned in another post about the body just loves to "stay the same". What if I told you that you could work your upper body 4-5 times a week (yeah, I know who has time!?) but with a couple caveat? And, that you just might find you can use the body's alarm response to jolt some new gains or it might be used coming back from a layoff. Yes, it is tricky. And, yes it takes more time. Think about how new people to lifting make fast gains. Think about it and I'll explain more in my next post.

Running versus The Root Hog - No Contest!

2011-03-16T17:32:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in another post, during the winter I am forced to jog/run for my cardio. Especially now since I purchased a new Sorinex Root Hog last summer. I did not want to wreck it in the winter weather. Plus, the ice and snow make sled pulling/pushing an adventure. My right knew of course finally started to rebel due to the running. I've had this knee soreness off and on. It stems from an injury my junior year of high school when I had a scope done on it. Too many scopes were performed back in the 80's based on what I read. Anyway, the weather finally broke this week and I pulled the Root Hog out from under the sheet. Of course since it is early spring all the sand and salt on our street is still there from the winters. That increases the friction considerably making the Root Hog much harder. I used one plate (25lbs) and on the first trip down I could tell it was going to be an adventure. The bottom was sticking like glue of course due to the sand and salt. I made the trip back and I could already feel my lungs start on fire. My legs were indicating "Not good Bill!". The next trip up and back and I was smoked and breathing like a chimney. I had increased the pace quite a bit. I had to remove the plate to make the last up and back. I was blown out. Only 3 trips up and back. I was gassed. Now, the Root Hog has LESS impact than running because I am basically fast walking. Keep in mind I could run a mile at a pretty fast clip and yet it was like I had done NO cardio for months. Needless to say, running yet again sucks for cardio. Let's see if my knee starts to feel better in the next month as well. Man, I hate feeling gassed!

The Alarm Response - Manipulating it for Quick and Significant Gain

2011-03-01T21:03:00.000-06:00

The body likes to stay in equilibrium. There is no doubt about it. The body will adapt only when forced to adapt. The body reacts to stimulus which is why we get stronger and bigger muscles when we use resistance training. Yeah, Bill, no a brainer. Duh! Well, I have been experimenting with "alarming" the body to adapt quickly and make quick gains using the body's alarm response. In fact, my KTA grip program hinges on this very concept of manipulating the body's alarm response. It is very tricky and you tend to have to ignore the more normal signs related to physical training response (soreness, etc). My theory is that most people can stand what would be the equivalent of training like a steroid user for a very short period or cycle of time. And, then wait for the body to react. I've experimented both with some cardio and lifting (besides grip programs where I have proven it works and works very well for a lot of people: The KTA Program). The muscles for grip are a bit more tolerant to what would be considered radical training for a short period of time.

I'll talk about my first observations with respect to cardio and one of my experiments with myself as the guinea pig in my next post.

Not Enough Mayo

2011-02-24T19:25:00.000-06:00

"You can't make chicken salad out of chicken s#!t."

The above statement is definitely words of wisdom by P.J. Striet. Another oldie but goodie is "you are what you eat", and a favorite of mine from Dan Martin is, "garbage in, garbage out". Hey, there are probably dozens of these you can refer to but the truth of the matter is you need to eat nutritiously to reach your true physique/strength potential. Of course, there will be some exceptions to the rule, but for the most part these statements will hold true. Obviously, there are some genetic freaks that can eat Taco Bell and “have their cake and eat it too” and still obtain a ripped physique. However, everyone has an Achilles heel and these people have their own genetic weaknesses to deal with. Although their physiques are not negatively altered, that does not mean that they aren’t being detrimental to their health.

I knew a guy in college who was shredded and could eat crap and responded well to any training program. His name was Peter Helton. Peter was also naturally super strong. He was 175 pounds and 5'7" of solid rock. Within a few months of powerlifting, he was doing over 400lbs easily in the high bar squat with just a belt. Peter knew only one way to squat. And, that was as low as possible. In fact, I had to tell him to not go so low because we had planned on him competing in a contest. Peter could eat anything and not gain an ounce of bodyfat. He had defined abs at all times no matter what he ate in the dorm cafeteria. Peter ended up just missing a 600 pound squat and deadlifted 585 in his very first powerlifting contest. I believe that was his first and last contest. Peter had his weaknesses though. His arms were hard to develop. His calves were non existent. Both were glaring weaknesses of a body most would point to and cry "genetic freak." Discipline for working out consistently was a glaring weakness. This will be the downfall of ANYONE regardless of their genetic potential. I touched base with Peter recently (I found him through the magic of Google) and sure enough he never reached his potential in the Iron Game. He was not even lifting anymore. He had his weaknesses, just like everyone else - regardless of genetics. He had a key weakness that would sabotage anyone's game plan in the Iron Game regardless of genetics. He never stuck with it and persisted and stayed dedicated.

You must have discipline in your eating and training to maximize YOUR potential. Some people THINK they have it when they really don't.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

When was the last time you missed a training session?

Could you go for 2 months straight without eating sweets or junk food?

Could you go a week without eating junk food?

Are you constantly changing your routine to "make gains"?

Do you go on a "diet" at various times?

Do you come off a "diet" at various times?

Do you make excuses for your lack of gains (to yourself and others)?

Do you constantly compare yourself to others?

Do you consider what others are doing in their training more than assessing what you are doing wrong in your training?

Do you need to be "motivated" at times to train?

Do you think you can make chicken salad out of chicken s#!t?

Here's a challenge until next time. Cut out all sugar and processed sugar for ONE week. Make sure you read the labels because processed food is notorious for sugars galore.

How To Transform Your Physique #90

2011-02-13T13:37:00.004-06:00

Once again, I made a prediction and it came true. There is a thread on the GripBoard under the Strength and Power sub-forum on one-arm dumbbell rowing. Various videos are posted there of people performing the exercise. Some of them have literally huge weights with the weights often exceeding 200lbs. I watched the videos and just had to comment. I tried to be diplomatic about it because I figured I would be accused of being....drum roll...an exercise cop. I even mentioned it myself so people would not get all up in arms. Remember, the EGO plays a big part in strength training. And, some tend to be very fragile. I got over this a long time ago both as an individual and realizing people aren't going to react in a positive manner in general when providing any feedback. Here is the video that prompted me to give some feedback:

As you can see, there range-of-motion (ROM) is pretty small. It's more of a shoulder hump than a row. You should strive for a proper range of motion on every exercise and not just rows. Shortening the range of motion is another method of what I call "false gains". I have used this term in the past as long time Cyberpump! readers know. People cut the ROM as they add weight. Squats is one of the most abused for false gains. A common abused term in macho land is Ass to the Grass (ATG). In reality, most are FAR from ATG squats. In fact, I've seen a LOT of lifters not even half squat a weight and they take credit for "parallel".

Here is a video with what I would consider ATG squat depth. Keep in mind, the bouncing, etc. is not something I would recommend to anyone. I am just showing you the video for the depth of the squat:

Rows is another. In the bench press, it's harder to do because everyone knows you "must" touch the chest. What happens in the bench press is the bounce or hump up with the hips off the bench. These are two techniques for "false gains" in the bench. In curls some common technique of "false gains" are cutting the range of motion at the bottom, leaning back with the body and rocking (for machines), or just plain power cleaning the curls (dumbbell or barbell curls) instead of actually curling the weight in strict form.

I posted this video in response:

Just ignore that the guys have no shirts, etc. :) Watch the one guy do one-arm rows in the video. I would consider this using much better form than the previous video. :) Your back should be straight and neutral by the way. Arching it per say is not necessary as the guy states. I also do not agree with the use of a belt or going for any big "stretch" in the bottom.

When all is said and done, people are more likely to go for the lack of form and "false gains". That is just a fact and I realize it. But, that doesn't mean all is loss and I am going to stop providing the feedback such as what I did on the forum and writing this article!

The Role of Genetics

2011-02-02T18:22:00.000-06:00

I haven't really talked much about the role that genetics play in strength training. A big reason is because a lot of people think I am being negative when I talk about genetics and that I am somehow putting a damper on their goals. That could not be further from the truth. I am going to be honest though and not blow smoke up anyone's behind about what I believe are realistic goals. First, it is great to have goals. Yes, you can have what are called stretch goals too. But, I do not believe your stretch goals should not be your only goals. I have posted on message forums many times in the past about unrealistic goals and again the response is that I am being "negative". So, here's my take on genetics using the bench press as an example.

A person states that they want to bench 400 pounds as a goal. I then ask them their stats. The first items I look at is their body size. Are they 6'6" and 200lbs? Are they 5'6" and 150lbs? My first thought on these two would be skepticism right out the gate, but I need more data. The next item I would ask is how long have they been training and what is their current bench press max. The first guy has super long levers and is obviously thin. The second guy might have good levers, but a double bodyweight bench is 300lbs. And, that would be a very good lift (we are of course talking RAW here). So, 400 might be a stretch when 450 is triple bodyweight! The next item I would ask is how long have they been training and what is their current max. So, there is the deal....to reach the 400 level, you better reach the 300 level fairly quickly without any special routines, etc. If both of these lifters tell me they have been training for 3 years and they are yet to hit 300, then my take is 400 is a pipe dream. It is just not realistic. I am assuming in these examples both are natural lifters and over 21 by the way. So, my statement that the goal is unrealistic would get a response that I was being negative.

I have watched a lot of lifters on YouTube. Recently, I saw a lifter bench 655 raw with a very strict pause. So, I decided to give my theory a little test. I hypothesized (you'll have to take my word for it!), that he had hit the 400 level of the bench with great ease. Probably the 500 level as well. So, I decided to message him via the YouTube Message system. First, here is his 655 lift. His name is Ben Brand by the way.

I asked him what role genetics had played in his benching ability. Here is what he wrote below in response. Note how easy he made it to 400 and when! He was only a high school senior and did it in 2 months! At 14, he punched up a 315 with what appeared to be little to no training!

I have always had a good bench. I do believe genetics has a lot to do with it. My father was a bodybuilder and when I was young I always remember his arms looked like bowling balls. My mom’s side of the family they were all stocky big men. Every one of my uncles on that side were all state football players and very good athletes. So I've been blessed with some good genetics. I can remember when I was around 14 my dad would take me to wrestling practice early at the high school in my town and the weight room would be open. One day he said let’s see how much you can bench. I did 315. I never really stuck with weight lifting in high school though until my senior year there was a bench meet at the school. I trained for about 2 months for it and I made 405. I didn't get into powerlifting though until I was 20 and didn't really progress in strength from when I did 405. I think I did my first 500 when I was 25 and my first 600 was when I was 29. Ever since I started powerlifting seriously I've trained really hard to get where I am but I do believe genetics have played a big part in it.

You will note he had to obviously work hard, but if I had known him back when he did the 400, and he said his goal was 500, I would have said it would almost be a lock as a goal. I would not have ruled out 600 either as a goal. Heck, he was a high school kid and reached 400 in 2 months for goodness sakes!

Be happy with your genetics. Everyone has their strengths and it might not be super strength. BUT, you can significantly improve yourself and get a lot stronger through training. Be happy with that. Be real with yourself with respect to goals. Work hard and work consistently. Slow and steady will definitely win the race when it comes to building strength to your genetic limits. Do not look for short cuts. There aren't any. And, performance enhancing drugs aren't a short cut either. They won't make up for lack of genetics.

Back Development Advice

2010-12-30T15:35:00.002-06:00

I have been lifting for over 30 years now and this has to be some of the best advice I have seen in a mainstream muscle mag.

"I am trying to bring up my back on width and thickness. What type of exercises should I be doing?"

Answer by Hany Rambod:

For back width, nothing beats pull ups. Lat pulldowns are a good exercise, but they simply don't compare to pull ups, which are far more difficult and thus more productive. For back thickness, it's all about various free weight rows. (snipped). Deadlifts can also be a valuable tool for building a thicker back, but only when done with proper form. I've seen many bodybuilders injure their lower backs because they simply didn't know how to do the exercise correctly, and made common mistakes such as rounding the back.

Everyone who wants to add deadlifts to their back program should seek out an experienced trainer who can teach them proper technique. With that done a comprehensive back routine would include pull-ups, some type of barbell or dumbbell row, lat pulldowns, perhaps cable or machine rows, and deadlifts.

My one tweak is the free weight aspect of rows should be replaced by the many excellent back supported rowing machines out there. Protect that lower back!

What he states on deadlifts is spot on. Deadlifts done improperly can wreck you big time. Rounding the back and "parachuting" the deadlift will wreck you long term as well. Well, the majority of people that is.

How To Transform Your Physique #89

2010-12-12T15:12:00.000-06:00

Winter is here. Ugggh. I have come to really hate winter. I grew up in northern Michigan and snow. I went to college in the snow belt of Michigan Tech in the Western UP of Michigan. And, now, I am still in snow and ice and cold today. Winter is a time for my cardio workaround as well. Pushing or pulling the sled just doesn't work in the snow and ice. I've tried. So, my workaround is jogging. Today there is a below zero temperature with winds up to 40 mph. No matter. I went out and did a mile. I don't jog all out per say. That is go to the max and try and be Mr. Distance. I am just trying to keep some cardio during the winter months and burn a few calories. Again, for health reasons. It wasn't bad at all and traction was good due to some Yak Trax Pro's. Plain and simple, these things work. I have recommended them in previous years and it still sticks. You can get a pair online and can see the product here. You still need to be careful for ice spots and slick areas when jogging even with these on your feet.

The Holidays are again right around the corner. My recommendation for eating still holds. One or two days of eating anything you like won't kill your physique or put a load of body fat on you. As long as you don't continue the "cheating" you'll be right back on track in about the same number of days you cheated. You'll likely gain a bunch of water so don't even worry about weight gain. You should not be relying on the scale anyway for any assessment of your current condition. It is just another data point.

I've continued doing mostly body weight exercises mainly due to convenience and I don't want to have any spine bearing exercises anymore. Once I go back to a gym I'll be using machines. I really continue to like the Hammer Strength plate loaders.

For you younger lifters, I can't emphasize enough that you need to get in control of your eating when you are young. Because as you start to age, the number of calories you can take in without gaining fat will decrease. You can see it all the time. You see it in actors. You can see it in co-workers. In family. People have the tendency to get fat over time and with age. They don't change their eating habits or really don't have them in order as they age. You can not eat like a 20 year old when you are 45!

What's also interesting right now for me is that I am holding more muscle than I would think I would hang onto. I weigh about 190lbs and most people when I ask them would think I weighed 170. I suppose that's good because of having a lower body fat. I am not really eating that much for the majority of the week calories wise. The bummer thing about it is that I haven't really been able to lose much more body fat. I think I'd have to go completely bonkers with my training and mock entering a bodybuilding competition to go lower in body fat. Hardly worth the effort given if I would have to work so hard to do it, it's not likely I could easily maintain it!

I've found a quick meal oatmeal that is really good. It's by Better Oats. I like it for a bunch of reasons. First, it has no sugar. Second, it's low in calories. Third, you get fiber. Fourth, it's portioned controlled. Fifth, it's fast at only 90 seconds. I do only the no sugar kind. You can take a look at it here.

Well, that is about all for now. Just remember what I believe is one of the most important parts of a good program and it is not about the exercises, number of days, etc. Whatever YOU do....be CONSISTENT. String together weeks and months of never missing a workout or straying too far from your diet.

How To Transform Your Physique #88

2010-11-16T21:23:00.000-06:00

I was recently reading where a guy lost weight on a junk food diet. That was no surprise. As I have said before in this column, it really is calories consumed versus calories burned. It really sucks getting old with respect to the ability to burn calories. Is it a coincidence that as people age they gain weight? It's like an epidemic. How many people actually lose bodyfat as they get older? Hardly ANY!

I've seen some pretty radical training routines over the years. Everything still will work...for awhile. And, that includes such radical programs. Any radical program in volume or intensity cannot be done for long periods. The nervous system will break down and you will feel sluggish and without "snap" during your sets. This tends to lead injury from my experience. In other words, the nervous system tends to go before injury occurs.

I was recently commenting on a YouTube video of a national level powerlifter. I made the comment he was dropping his shoulders (he was) in the bottom and he ended up back lifting his squats. Of course the first person to comment basically said "He's a top level powerlifter...who are you to tell him how to squat!" Ok, great. Just like the biggest guy in the gym is the most knowledgeable. NOT! All I was doing was trying to help the guy avoid some pain in 20 years. But, hey, who am I to talk. I don't squat as much as he does. :)

Boy, there are a lot of people around me having health issues. The majority of them are of the age 45-50 years old. Tumors on the brain. Tumors on the pancreas. Growths here and there. What the heck!? One person that is a neighbor literally has a couple days to live. Just a week ago he had months. Cancer yet again. It sure drives home the fact of not taking for granted your health. And, we all do it. Until something goes wrong.

I've visited a few college gyms recently. What was interesting is that there were very few machines. I think it was part philosophy driven but also cost and space driven. Hey, I am a barbell and dumbbell basement dweller so that was OK with me. Not that I won't be changing my tune here in about 9 months when my daughter goes away to college. :)

Winter is arriving. This means I am switching to some non-optimal jogging. I am not going to let my Sorinex Root Hog get trashed in the Iowa winter by any means. Unlike the past years. It was also very hit or miss due to the weather and what the ice and snow (and sand and salt!) was like on the roads.

The holidays are around the corner. This means a lot of temptation to stray from the normal diet. What is your strategy for the holidays with respect to diet? Shoot me an email at editor@cyberpump.com and let me know and I will share it with the other readers.

How to Transform Your Physique #87

2010-10-20T12:58:00.000-05:00

I recently visited a commercial gym to work out. My son was home on the mid-term break and since his program via the track team is somewhat different I figured we would go have some fun at a local gym. The facility itself had a lot of space which was nice. It was very wide open. They had an assortment of machines, Hammer Strength, and of course free weights. The free weight section was actually sub-par with only one squat rack. It was also in a smaller type room. The bars were typical -- the weren't very good. A good bar is the foundation of using free weights but you'll often find them to be cheap and without good knurling. At least that's been my experience over the years. When I was going to college, it was much the same when I first got there. The bars were crap. My first duty as a member was to recommend we purchase Texas Power bars. And, we did. Thank goodness! Bent bars are even worse. At least these bars were not bent. My son is actually able to use chalk in his college weight room. Amazing! That's another issue with a lot of commercial gyms due to the mess it can create. I can see their point, but when you have crappy bars with crappy knurling, holding onto the bar can be an issue in lifts like deadlifts.

There were no suprises at the gym. You can always find people doing more talking than training. You won't find an abudance of people working out intensely either. At this stage of my own training, I find myself pretty flexible. Many people and younger trainees get hung up on finding the perfect program. What split should I use? How do I build my biceps? Should I train this bodypart with that one? Heck, people even think that doing exercises like squats and deadlifts on the same day is taboo and they "won't have energy" to do both. My goodness! Won't have energy!?

Let's talk about biceps development for example. Many trainees won't believe you don't need a ton of direct work if you are doing exercises like rows and chins. I was reading an online bodybuilding forum and one of the top Mr. Olympia bodybuilders even said he never worked his biceps directly until just before a contest. And, he undoubtedly has some of the best arms in bodybuilding today! So, what to do for biceps? This curl, that curl, blah blah blah. Yes, do curls. That's good. It really doesn't matter if you are seated, use a machine, bar with weights, stand on your head, or do it in a vacuum. Use full range of motion. Pick an exercise and work them. Pretty simple eh? How's this for the best exercise...do the exercise you enjoy doing the most. What a concept eh!? How often? Who cares! Are you really going to do them 7 days a week? Of course not. No one is that stupid. Ok, that leaves...errr...ummm....a couple times a week. Great! Sounds good. :) Boy, that's complicated eh? There's so many excellent biceps machines out there why would you even need to use free weights? Unless you enjoyed using them more, right? It's up to you. Don't sweat the small stuff. Worry about being consistent if you are going to worry about anything. Worry about using TRUE proper exercise form. Worry about warranted progression. Warranted progression is true progression. It comes in SMALL increments. It's not "going up in weight" and "going down in exercise form" that you so often see!

Until next time...don't sweat the small stuff. This is simple stuff. Don't make it complicated.

How To Transform Your Physique #86

2010-10-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

So I was watching some videos on YouTube and happened across a back workout of Branch Warren who is one of the top bodybuilders right now. The first thing I noticed was how sloppy he was in some of his exercises. Take his back for example. In the video below you'll see pulldowns that would get most of us eventually injured. Heck, it may injure him too at some point. There is no where near the amount of routine, supplements, exercises to use, when to workout, etc. information as compared to "HOW" to perform the movements effectively. To this day, I am at a loss as to why this is the case. Check this out:

I was watching Fred Fornicola do a high intensity back workout on YouTube. Yes, he demonstrated it. But there was no description as to what he was doing at the time with his body. Was he trying to keep his elbows in? Contracting his lats? Wondering what he was going to have for lunch? HAH! He went thumbless? Why? What about breathing? How about overall body position during the movements? You'll see him observing his body at the start of the chins. What was he looking at? What was he checking? How did he know how to stop. Now, I am not busting Fred's chops (ok, just a bit!), but this is actually better than most for what you see with respect to really focusing on how to perform the movement in detail.

Proper form is at the foundation of the successful strength training routine.

How To Transform Your Physique #85

2010-09-07T19:54:00.000-05:00

The last 3 days I did a little experiment. I pushed the sled 3 days in a row. And, I seemed to get in better shape each day believe it or not. Yes, I had to be VERY careful but the sled allows me to be very deliberate and high intensity without worrying about tweaking something. Pushing the sled is like doing sprints...but I am basically walking! I didn't expect to adapt as fast cardio wise. My recovery time was reduced each day. I obviously cannot keep this up, but this again points to the ability to do short bursts of higher frequency to get the body to make some gains. I am trying an experiment in the bench press for the next month. Keep in mind that my mind is pretty open about workout routines as anyone who has seen my KTA program can attest to this. KTA is really a shocker program based on the Blacksmith theory as I call it. Old time Blacksmiths didn't have the option of resting a day in between sessions. They were right back at it. And, they adapted. I do believe the hands and forearms are somewhat unique though. After all, we use our hands and forearm muscles constantly during the time we are awake. Even in the shower, shaving, and brushing your teeth...you use your hands.

The "rebound effect" is something that can be manipulated but it can be very much hit or miss unless you have a very well thought out and disciplined program. Train too much into overtraining territory and you might get injured or be too far into the hole to recover and rebound. There are also a lot of other variables that can put a monkey wrench into this tricky tactic for gains. So, I am experimenting with short and radical routines a bit and using myself as the lab rat. :)

I forgot to mention I even added weight to the sled in the course of the 3 back to back days. My body obviously got the message it needed to adapt and adapt NOW. I don't expect it to continue and won't be stupid and continue to pull sled again tomorrow or the next day.

How to Transform Your Physique #84

2010-08-23T21:15:00.000-05:00

Boy, time sure is flying by. Pretty soon snow will be here. I am already thinking about ways to jog/run the hill in the winter time. There is no way my root hog will be left out in the garage during the winter. Or, if it is it will be covered up and not used with all the sand and salt. We continue to really like the lawn mower push with the Root Hog. It really blasts your upper body as well as lower body.

I have really noticed that it's getting harder to drop that last portion of bodyfat compared to 5 years ago. Ah, it sucks getting old. ;) I have been working very hard with hill running and the root hog. And, of course mostly bodyweight strength training. I again notice I don't need to eat very much to sustain myself. It also reminds me of how much I used to eat when I was younger. I would blow up like a blimp if I ate that much today!

My son is going off to college this week. I've trained him since he was 12 down the basement in our home gym. I will miss our Saturday workouts. I told him he is going to have to scope out someone to spot him he can train to spot and work out with as well (maybe). I had something like 4 different training partners when I was in college. Typically they had no set routine and were game to train the way I was. The result was always good gains for them because it was consistent hard training with the basics. No magic formula needed. I told him he could just add sets to get his work in if necessary as it becomes very dangerous to go hard to the end of a set with someone who doesn't know how you lift let alone with NO spotter whatseover. Not smart. He'll be better equipped though overall as I have seen the weight room. My son has recently learned the role of proper nutrition in overall body composition. He's learned it at a much younger age than me. Much younger. As a teenager, forget it. I ate everything and anything. ;)

How To Transform Your Physique #83

2010-08-08T20:56:00.000-05:00

My training and diet are still on target. I am now down below in bodyweight before my vacation. But, I am sure my muscle is up a bit as well. My son tried the oatmeal that I make and liked it. He needed a good food item for breakfast when he goes away to school. A tub of oatmeal lasts longer and is better than a breakfast cereal. It's just plain Quaker Oats cooked in the microwave. I add cinnamon and a few raisins. I go exactly by the serving of 1/2 cup. It's long burning stuff and it fills you up nicely. And, of course, lots of fiber.

Fred Fornicola is a trainer. Wait, you say. You knew that. No, Fred Fornicola IS a REAL trainer. Fred is constantly thinking about how to make workouts effective given constraints thrown at him that might come with each individual. He's one trainer I would trust to train my kids. And, for me, that's a big deal. Safety while being effective is always part of his equation. As I have said plenty of times, you can not train if you are injured! Fred's latest article on running is spot on. In fact, I took his advice and went to a local neighborhood BIG hill (grass!) and talk about a good cardio workout without the joint stress. I loved it. He's also been firing suggestions my way to help with my lower back. It's been much appreciated Fred, thanks! Frankly, Fred knows his stuff and long time Cyberpump readers are probably aware of this already. Fred tells me he's going to start up an online training service. If you are looking for some help in your training even for a short period of time to get back on track, contact Fred. I give him the highest recommendation. You can visit his site at http://www.premierepersonalfitness.com/

The hill running was a great change of pace as well. I did 7 trips up and down the hill. I think it was somewhere around 75-100 yards up the hill. Yeah, it's a pretty big hill. It's not a nice grade to it as well. It's only 5-7 minutes from my house. I walked the first one and then had about a 50% speed up and not an all out gut busting full speed sprint. I focused on having good running form. It was an excellent workout and I was done in about 15 minutes.

How to Transform Your Physique #82

2010-08-03T20:20:00.000-05:00

Fred just posted a video on YouTube of a drop sets example. Check it out:

Last post I mentioned I would share a video example of squatting. I wasn't saying to not squat. What I was saying is that very heavy squats done improperly for low reps will kill most people if they do it for awhile. If not now, later they will pay the price. Again, some people can get away with murder lifting with bad form. Most cannot.

Here is an example of how squats can mess you up long term. This guy is a nationally ranked powerlifter. Watch how he back lifts this heavy squat and gets hip tuck in the bottom.

Fred sent me a good quote:

"Use exercise as a means of improving your health and functionality. When certain types of exercise become counterproductive to these means, it's time for you to reevaluate and consider." - Fred Fornicola

I live by this quote!

Heavy Squatting

2010-07-27T21:11:00.000-05:00

" I would not have anyone squat long term and I know that sounds cut and dried but there are plenty of ways to work your legs without spinal compression and exposure."
I should have been more clear. Squatting with a heavy weight such that they become back lifts more than working the legs is definitely not recommended for the long haul if you ask me.

I will post a good video example in my next entry.

How to Transform Your Physique #81

2010-07-26T20:26:00.001-05:00

We went out to eat yesterday (Sunday). I was able to stay the course and not cheat. I was only slightly tempted. I had a plain grilled chicken breast sandwich. The side was two small pieces of melon. Saturday I pulled the sled and this time I wasn't as wiped out after which is good.

My low back is still not feeling the greatest. I am still at a loss for how to get it so it doesn't feel inflamed all the time. It doesn't matter what I do these days. No getting worse but lately no getting better either. I won't give up though. I will remind everyone why I am dealing with this today (again). Deadlifts and squats are not only effective but they can be total body destroyers as well especially if done improperly for a long period of time and with heavy weights. I would not have anyone squat long term and I know that sounds cut and dried but there are plenty of ways to work your legs without spinal compression and exposure. Note I said long term. And, I mean the majority of mere mortals like myself out there. Not the genetic freaks who can get away with things like round back deadlifting without effect.

If you want to know what I had for breakfast today, simply look at other entries. Yup, boring and exactly the same! Lunch and dinner as well. I did have smoked salmon for lunch though. Grilled chicken for dinner was on the menu as well. Spinach salads (raw) was eaten at both. I had a protein bar as a snack about 2ish.

Yesterday I did some free squats alternated with push ups and crunches. I did 3 cycles of 25 for each. Then, did a fast walk for about a mile to get some more activity in to burn some calories.

How to Transform Your Physique #80

2010-07-23T06:13:00.000-05:00

The sled kicked my butt again yesterday. But, not before I added another trip! My speed on my pushing of the sled has increased but part of it is due to technique to keep the sled moving better. The result is I have to complete the trips faster. It was hotter than hades too so that made it harder. But, I can tell I am getting in better condition. I can tell I have dropped some of the vacation eating weight gain. I never use the scale as the absolute measure and frankly no one should. It does not differentiate between muscle and fat loss. Or, fat gain versus muscle gain.

My diet remains constant. My breakfasts are exactly the same. My Carlson's lemon flavor Cod Liver Oil arrived so I added a tablespoon of that. I had grilled turkey breast last night for dinner with my typical spinach salad.

Since tomorrow is Friday, it's cheat day. But, not as radical as usual. I am bringing in donuts for my group at work to celebrate a member's company anniversary but I will not have one (or is it two or three!) like I have done in the past on cheat days. I got invited out for lunch so I will be eating a burrito (chicken). Of course Papa Murphy's Chicago stuff pizza is on tap for dinner with the cheesecake chaser. Have a cheat day motivates me to be strict and use it as a "reward" for my efforts and discipline. I actually look forward to it believe it or not! It's just a psychological game I play with myself. :)

I didn't get as sore pulling the sled this time which is good. Tomorrow is the bigger workout for the week. I am curious how I will feel tomorrow with the one cheat meal now that I am on a roll so to speak with tightening things up....

How to Transform Your Physique #79

2010-07-18T09:16:00.000-05:00

So Saturdays are consumed a lot with training my two teenagers. As I mentioned in #78, these days I tend just work in some exercises as I train them. Since I pulled sled on Friday, and it was the first time since the vacation, there was no way I was going to put myself in traction and do it again yesterday! During my son's workout I did some shoulder press, dumbbell rows, and curls. I can only do rows now due to the lat injury. I actually injured myself doing negative chins of all things. I also threw in some grip work as well. When he was pulling sled I did the lunge/free squat super set. That's 24 lunges and a free squat set of 25 back to back. It wasn't hard, but I knew I would be sore. Again, this was done very controlled without bouncing around. I then stretched after. I forgot I added in some reverse hypers on a stability ball. This is an experiment. This is a poor man's version of the reverse hyper. I'll keep readers posted and let's see how my low back responds.

Yesterday's breakfast was exactly the same as Friday. In fact, I won't vary that one bit. And, lunch won't vary much either. I have no problem with "boredom" and eating. The reason we really eat is to fuel the body. Not for pleasure and being satisfied with our taste buds. So, with this attitude and mindset and with the goal of lowering my bodyfat level, I have no problem staying the course. :)

Lunch was not really optimal. It was a meal replacement bar. A good one though. Basically I ate this on the fly because of lack of time. Dinner was a cheat meal at our fav local eatery. I'll look to see how I do in the next two weeks and if necessary I will cut out this second cheat meal of the week. No sweets though as a chaser like on Friday. :)

Today I'll probably pull sled light.

How to Transform Your Physique #78

2010-07-17T10:08:00.001-05:00

Yesterday has normally been a cheat day all day for what I eat. Since I am tightening things up the only cheat meal I had was dinner. Long time readers know that I encourage cheat days/meals. So here was yesteday's breakfast:

6 egg white omelet with no fat cheese
1/2 cup oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup of green tea.

For supplements I have always taken a multiple vitamin. I figure why not since they are cheap and if they do help even just a tiny bit I will be better off. I also take a fiber supplement. Colon problems run in my family so I have started this recently. I just pop a couple chewables. I also take red yeast rice. Another cheap supplement that has been tied to helping keep cholesterol in check. Another family genetic thing I inherited as I mentioned in the past to Cyberpump readers. I only eat red meat once a week and that would be only on Friday or my one cheat meal that I will start out keeping that's Saturday night dinner.

Mid morning I had a whey protein drink and this was low in carbs as well. I won't make one with over 10 grams of carbs.

For lunch I had the following:

Salad composed of the following:
Spinach
Cucumbers
A few carrots
A few hot pepper rings (to spice it up!)
A small amount of vinaigrette

Grilled turkey breast cutlets
1 cup of green tea

I worked out yesterday as well. I've had to make changes to my routine. After next year I will be more than likely moving to working out at a local gym that has a full line of very capable machines. Why next year? I have one teenager left in the house. ;) I don't do any spine bearing exercises anymore. My low back is still giving me issues due to all the nasty abuse I gave it when I was younger. So, squats and deadlifts are out. More details on how I am trying to conquer that in another entry. I also don't like to bench press anymore either. The reason is the way my joints feel. It feels well....like I am 2 quarts short of oil in my joints. When I was on vacation I got to use a bunch of different machines at a Gold's gym and loved the variety and also the ability to move quickly between exercises without setup, etc. And, without joint creakiness. But, believe it or not, the standing shoulder press doesn't feel creaky in my joints. Maybe this is because it was never a staple of my program over the decades.

Keep in mind that I have a body that has a base of over three decades of lifting so this type of routine is customized to me based on my training history.

Past injuries I am also working around besides the low back abuse and injuries are a torn right lat, a pulled left hamstring (slight), and a right knee that I injured as a junior in high school and tweaked powerlifting once as well. Yes, you will likely pay even for these types of long ago injuries. My dad just had shoulder replacement surgery at 78 years old. He dislocated it back when he was in his 30's. All of my injuries were my own fault and being stupid.

Long time readers also know that I like sled pulling for cardio. It's low impact, intense, and feels like you are running sprints. I recently upgraded my sled to a Sorinex Root Hog. It's a great piece for sled pulling variety and of course builit very well.

I did 4 trips (about 50-70 yards one way). I don't know the exactly distance but it's at least consistent. It's a certain mailbox down my street and back. I pulled for 3 trips and then pulled out the lawn mower attachment. This thing kicks your ass even more than pulling because you are using your upper body as well as lower body. Here is a video of the Root Hog so you can see how I am using it:

The temperature here was 90+ degrees so I was drenched when I was done. I normall do a few sets of pushups and crunches alternating between the two for 25 reps (currently). No, this is not to true failure. I do them very strictly as well as I don't want anymore injuries.

After the workout was another shake. I was on vacation yesterday by the way.

For dinner, my cheat meal on Friday, it was Papa Murphy's take and bake pizza. The Chicago Stuffed one. I had 3 pieces. I had two small pieces of cheesecake for dessert. I will cheat again at tonight's meal but will have no sweets. If I don't see the results I want, I will cut out this second cheat meal and will secondly tighten up on total calories of the one cheat meal.

Don't be surprised if you see some crazy type of splits in my working of my body. A lot of it is working out on the fly as I train my two teenagers. Fitting stuff in between their sets.

Today both of them train. They will do full body workouts. I am a big believer in full body workouts for athletes to save time of having to go to the gym 5-6 times a week and the body is a WHOLE after all not a sum of disconnected body parts. Do they compete by bodypart? No, they don't. They use their whole body on the court/field!

Stay Tuned!

Vacation Eating

2010-07-15T11:10:00.002-05:00

So I just splurged for the last 2 weeks eating while on vacation. As long time Cyberpump readers are aware, I've had some massive weight gains in a short period of time while on vacation. My metabolism tends to go into overdrive as well during this time which is interesting. It's probably going "Whoa Nellie!" when it sees all the food to process. My record from past years is 18 pounds. Yeah, 18 pounds. :) We also do a TON of walking as well. Keep in mind though that some of that 18 is water as I don't normally scarf up pastries, pasta, and more! This trip I gained about 8-9 pounds and I figured I would not gain as much because I didn't quite eat as much as past record trips. Normally it takes less time to strip it off and again relates back to water retention being a big part of the weight gain.

I have always encouraged Cyberpump readers not to be "freaks" when it comes to eating. That is to "freak out" when they eat something off of their normal diet like it will KILL them instantly as they stand. Or, to "freak out" because they missed a workout. If you have been putting in the hard work over a long period of time, it won't even phase you as your body takes a lot more to de-program what's "normal".

I have decided to really tighten things up for about 8 weeks and see what my results are. I won't cheat as much as I have been will be the main difference.

High Intensity Grass Cutting!

2010-06-21T22:19:00.000-05:00

Those that have visited Cyberpump know that I pull a sled for "cardio". It's walking but it's like running sprints. During the summer I cut my grass as another form of activity to burn calories. I have a new sled coming that is really cool and I'll post about that in the future. I got an idea when I was about to cut my grass this last time. My lawn mower actually is self propelled. My lawn has various grading to it. Including slightly up hill at times albeit a small grade up. For a self propelled lawn mower they are really not suited to be pushed without engaging the gear train. Unless you want to add even more resistance to the push of the mower. Hey, what a great idea! High Intensity Lawn Mowing. So, for the front part of my house I tried cutting it without engaging the gear train. Sure enough, it was like PUSHing my weight sled. My triceps were burning. My quads started to burn. I was sweating like a pig (it was in the mid 80's and humid!) and I was getting a good cardio workout as well. Given how hard it was to push through the gear train and the fact that I pulled sled the same day earlier I decided to not continue on for the rest of my lawn. I would have died for sure! Just another idea for another cardio workout...HILM!

Flexibility

2010-05-29T07:36:00.000-05:00

One component of health many neglect is trying to maintain flexibility. As you age, things will definitely go south if you don't do anything about it. Some people are naturally more flexible. However, this will degrade too with age and with no action.

I feel we are more advanced with respect to flexibility training than 20 years ago. Stretching the muscles cold? That used to be standard when I was in high school. Stupid. Never stretch a cold muscle. We also over did it as well with respect to how hard we stretched. All I can say is we were sure ignoring common sense back then.

Do you incorporate regular flexibility work into your training? If you don't, you should! There are so many resources for flexibility make sure you weed out the bad versus the good. Try not to go on information overload. Simple tends to be good. Remember that. It doesn't have to be complicated, take 2 hours a day, and cost an arm and a leg to come up to speed on a good basic flexility program.

Overtraining

2010-04-25T18:35:00.000-05:00

I am in the midst of again coaching the throws during high school track season. We have averaged (so it seems) three meets a week. Very tiring even for the coach! Both my daughter and son throw. What is interesting is the recovery aspect of their training. The fact is that if someone knew the exact recovery formula and could predict overtraining to the minute, they would be a millionaire! I do believe though that it is better to be slightly undertrained than overtrained. Especially if you are a competitive athlete. Injury will often accompany overtraining and then the athlete is forced to rest. The last thing an athlete wants to do is overtrain. Sleep is often underrated for recovery. You cannot burn the candle at both ends and expect to be able to recover.

This year I have actually tried to be more aware of total body fatigue and try and put in more rest. There are plenty of factors that cut into recovery as well. Not just the training itself. When in doubt, an extra day or two rest will never kill your progress.

Intensity by Bill PIche

2010-03-07T09:04:00.002-06:00

I guess you can probably call this cardio experiment Part II.

Fred and I have been talking back and forth or at least probing between the two of us on intensity of exercise, duration, etc. Don't let anyone tell you it's an exact science or that they know exactly the formula. The fact is, no one does. Which is why there continues to be studies coming out. I can tell you that you can wear your body out. Why wouldn't you be able to? Think about it. What I can tell you is you need to recover. And, I also believe there are different recoveries associated with the body. The nervous system is a whole animal that gets neglected because you cannot see it. But, it's the electrical system that drives the body including the muscles.

Overtrain or tax that nervous system and no matter if your muscles feel fine, you won't be firing on all cylinders. I did an experiment yesterday and until I follow through with it I won't be able to draw any sort of conclusion. I have not pulled my sled all winter. I jogged instead. I could easily jog a mile even at once a week without feeling too taxed at the end. Yesterday, I did two up and backs in my normal sled run and was sucking major gas. I was just walking fast. What gives?! The intensity of effort was much higher muscularly. No doubt. What I am going to do is drop the jogging and go to sled pulling only again. Then, go back and try and jog/run a mile. I'll give it a month. Now, if anyone cares to remember, Arthur Jones decades ago said that proper weight training done with minimal rest is the ticket.

A Little Cardio Experiment

2010-01-31T08:36:00.001-06:00

Fred Fornicola and I recently had a discussion on exercise frequency. We talked about how often one should work out and also the possibility of working out being a detriment to your body. I did a little experiment this past week. Partly because I am strapped for time anyway. I did a jog of about 1 mile a week ago. I did not do the jog again until a week later (yesterday). I wanted to see how I felt with 6 days in between. Would I suck gas? Would I feel de-trained. Would I actually feel stronger than last week?

The answer is: I basically felt the same. Maybe a hair better than a week ago. This little experiment is another data point that backs up what I said that people don't need to freak about missing a workout or two. Or, taking a week off to rest and recoup (like a vacation!).

That's not to say I am going to decrease my exercise to once a month now! It was just an experiment to again let people know that it's ok if "&##$# happens" and you miss a workout.

On to another topic.

You should not get injured strength training. Let me say this once more...you should not get injured strength training! You should not get injured PERIOD in your exercise. If you do, you are doing something WRONG! The point of exercise is to BUILD the body. Not break it down and actually BREAK it as well! Now, if you do get injured, you better take a HARD look at what you are doing. You better find ROOT CAUSE. A lot of times it's just pushing the body for too long and too hard. This gets back to the rest part and the point I made above. You also need to identify exactly what exercise caused the injury and avoid it. At least for awhile. Sometimes if you made a big enough mistake you may have to totally dump them. Don't be foolish and continue to do an exercise that might be one to cause you injury over and over.

The Body Remembers - Part 2

2010-01-11T19:58:00.000-06:00

The good news is the body remembers muscle and strength too. If you have put in the time for many years under the bar consistently, you'll reap these benefits even after you switch goals such as myself. I am more concerned about longevity and health rather than how much I can bench press. And, bodyfat levels and keeping muscle. Due to recent time constraints, I am probably averaging 1.5 workouts per week. No, I am not shrinking up. I still have my bicep peak and I do little direct arm work. Again, the body and it's memory. If I have carried extra muscle for 30 years out of 46 years of my life it makes sense. So, what's my message here? Well, don't freak out when you miss a workout. Or two. Or three. You'll gain it back and probably more!

The Body Remembers - Part 1

2010-01-10T19:43:00.001-06:00

The body is amazing. It's memory is long lasting. It resists changing. So, once you obtain that lower level of bodyfat and re-program your the body memory it can work for you just like it works against you when trying to lose fat. I've continued to be amazed at how I can cheat and not gain bodyfat or bodyweight AS LONG AS I don't do it such that the body gets reprogrammed with a new memory.

Donators Area Upgrade

2010-01-04T18:34:00.002-06:00

We are working trying to upgrade the donators area. Thanks for your patience!

Radical Reps Baseline Training

2009-12-30T16:10:00.000-06:00

My second and newest grip training program is now released! Check it out here: Radical Reps Baseline Training (RRBT)

Sled by Jim Bryan

2009-12-20T10:02:00.002-06:00

This is also posted in the Cyberpump donators area.

Using a sled for training is a topic that appears on many discussion boards. Most usually want to know where to buy one. If you look you’ll find a number of places to buy some real nice looking sleds and harnesses. The problem is that they must be made of gold or some other precious metal. I’ve never found one for less than $100.00 plus shipping. What I did was get an old garden wheel barrow, take off all the hardware, so just the tub is left. I drilled two holes in the front, put a 2X6 inside the tub up against the front and screwed two large screw eyes from the front side into the wood. This is where I hooked a plastic covered wire strand dog tie out onto. (They have metal snap hooks on each end) The handle is made of a 2 inch piece of PVC (I don’t like harnesses) But you could use a harness or tie a rope from the tub to a lifting belt. I put several 12 ½ and a couple of 25 pound Sears plastic weights in the tub. (Admit it you have some) Then I picked up some Kwik Crete (2-80 pound bags) and mixed them onto the weights already in the tub. When finished the sled weighs in at 190 plus pounds. If I pulled it on the driveway or road it would probably move pretty well. But I do it in the back yard and its soft back there and sometimes very hard to do multiple pulls. This suits me fine because I don’t want to spend a bunch of time getting in a workout (remember High Intensity Training?) For added weight I put a pipe in the wet cement so I could put extra plates on and not worry about them sliding off. In the past I’ve used the sled and 2 45’s. And sometimes had my Grand Daughter ride on it. Lately it works good just as it is. Several people have pulled it and so far all like the big handle for hand comfort. I also built another one for those that can’t possibly pull the “stone cold sled.” For that one I went to Home Depot and picked up the mid size plastic cement mixing box. If you look for them they are black plastic boxes and will be near the cement bags. I also picked up a couple of large screw eyes and screwed them through the front of the box into a 2X4. This way when you pull you won’t pull out the front of the box. I hooked a rope through a metal pipe for a handle. With this sled I can just add the desired weight into the box. This sled slides real well in the back yard and usually is pulled by female clients.

As far as technique goes, I don’t run with the sled. I just pull or drag at a steady pace for as many 50 yard trips as I can make. Great conditioning tool and the “stone cold sled” is also a damn good strength tool. In the Florida heat it becomes a test of will. Helps flatten out the bumps in your back yard too. J I don’t have any certain times I pull it. I just fit it in whenever I feel like it. Some weeks I do it daily. Some weeks I don’t pull at all. And instead do rope climbing or another outdoor activity. I saved a bunch of money on this. I only had to buy two screw eyes, two bags of cement, and a plastic mixing box. The rest I had laying around.

A Simple Workout Formula by Fred Fornicola

2009-12-12T15:21:00.000-06:00

The following is a very simple and straight forward approach that I use to develop workout programs. Depending on the individual, I vary the sets from 1-3 per exercise and I generally keep the repetition range from 12-50 (or higher if I feel there’s a real need for a challenge). If 1 set is being performed for an exercise, an all-out/high level of effort should be given. This means that the trainee doesn’t stop at a prescribed number but works until form is compromised. If multiple sets (2 or 3) are utilized, the last set should be a hard effort – using the same guidelines prescribed as for one-set training. Whatever scheme is used, the trainee should go for those extra couple uncomfortable reps and make their training purposeful!

The rest of this article can be viewed in the Cyberpump donators area. Cyberpump Donator's Area

Get it Going!

2009-12-10T06:58:00.000-06:00

Get off your Duff!

This was just sent to me by Fred Fornicola after someone sent it to him.

Incline Interval Training – Just One Approach

2009-12-06T09:52:00.000-06:00

by Fred Fornicola

Incline Interval Training – Just One Approach

Many people today are leaning more towards interval training to augment their conditioning programs – and for good reason. Interval training allows for many positive aspects when done safely, efficiently and with a high level of effort or intensity. When done properly, there’s a high output of energy which can enhance the cardiovascular system, help reduce body fat, improve athletic and recreational performance and improve anaerobic/muscular strength. Interval training is generally short in duration (lengthy sessions are impossible, actually) and does not need to be done more than one to two times per week. Interval training can be done in many ways using an assortment of modalities and as much as it is a solid means of training, it can have its pitfalls as well. Too often people abuse interval training – not realizing that such high levels of out put done for too many repetitions or too frequently can lead to overtraining or injury. Obviously, then, a person needs to approach interval training judiciously. For the sake of being somewhat concise, today I will only discuss one running approach that I have found to be beneficial in a number of ways.

The rest of this article can be viewed in the Cyberpump donators area:
Cyberpump Donators Area

It's Saturday!

2009-11-28T08:52:00.000-06:00

Are you back to your normal eating? Don't let the holidays cause you to change ANY of your good habits!

If you feel bad or feel bloated, don't worry. Just get back into that groove of exercise and good eating! The feeling will MELT away fast. If you feel you need to compensate, do some extra work in your workouts. That won't hurt and it will help offset the potential guilty feeling now that it's over.

Did you go shopping on Black Friday!? Oh my! Some craziness out there. I sure hope this holiday season shows a turnaround in spending. The news will feed people to spend more I am sure. ;)

I was recovering from my hard drive crash and found an old picture when I was in my best shape at over 40 years old. Right now, I am not in as good of shape as that, but I am confident I can get close if I chose to. That's a peak of doing everything totally strict for months. To see how many people are reading this log, please email me at editor@cyberpump.com if you are interested in seeing it. I'll then post it here if I get at least 6 inquiries. :) Yes, only 6.

Here's to the rest of the weekend off!

Bill

It's That Time of Year

2009-11-26T09:05:00.000-06:00

The holidays are among us starting today for a lot of people. People eat and then eat some more. Especially Thanksgiving. Does it matter if you pig out this one day? Heck no! Even if you are the strictest of staying the course on your eating, one day will not hurt if you splurge. Heck, even a couple days. The caveat is that you go right back to your normal eating and then stay the course as ususal. Your body can't get "fat" in two days. Don't look at the scale though and freak. You'll probably gain some water weight though depending on your normal diet. It will stream away. ;) Remember, the scale lies all the time so don't use it much.

Enjoy the time with family, eat and be merry!!

Bill

A Program to Increase Your Pull-Ups PR

2009-11-22T20:49:00.000-06:00

I could not remember if I had published this and where because I am getting old I guess. After I found it, I figured I would try it again soon. Here it is....

Purely by accident, I just set a new personal record with 22 pull-ups at a bodyweight of 193lbs. My previous best was 18 reps at I believe a slightly less bodyweight (my records for bodyweight are not very good from years ago). In both cases, the pull-ups were performed in a style where the chin just comes over the bar. I had not been training to set a personal record.

For the rest of this article, visit Cyberpump.com in the Donators area.

Push But Don't Break

2009-11-16T07:03:00.003-06:00

I wrote a bit in the internal Cyberpump blog about pushing oneself. Push, but don't break!

Something Stupid

2009-11-13T19:57:00.000-06:00

Something Stupid is about me and waiting too long to do something about my computer. And, it was almost disastrous. My hard drive was fragmented and many years old. I should have replaced it. There was only 10,000 files since 1995! I almost had a disaster. Good thing I backed up my files 5 days ago. Norton Ghost is a crappy program by the way for backups. Don't use it.

The good news is no data was lost. But, I waited too long to take care of it and my hard drive went belly up. Mostly due to those stupid automatic updates by Microsoft. I am typing this on my laptop and am waiting for a new computer. This laptop is limited in space and I hate the keyboard. In fact, I hit keys and deleted my whole blog post by accident and had to type it over again! Back up your PC!

Baked Chicken Salad - Recipe Mentioned via My Tweet

2009-11-12T06:49:00.002-06:00

chicken breast tenders - clean under water, etc. so they are wet.

Put italian bread crumbs in a bag. Put chicky in bag. Shake well until covered.

Put in backing dish (pam on bottom). Take your favorite cheese and sprinkle lightly on the top.

Bake at about 350 for an hour...monitor it really for doneness really don't take this exact for time.

Let cool.

Take pieces and cut them into cubes to be throwin into your favorite salid fixings.

Raw spinach (in the pre-washed bags) is the most nutritious. Make sure it's fresh or it's icky.

I like black olives and italian peppers (yellow). Cucumbers too in season. Sprouts, etc. if you like em.

The “Nasty Nine” Full Body Workout

2009-11-10T18:26:00.002-06:00

by Fred Fornicola

As a rule of thumb, I train my clients with full body workouts and recommend a training frequency of two to three times per week on alternate days. I mainly incorporate compound movements for the hips/legs and torso to stress the major muscle groups and address the arms, lower back, abdominals, hands/forearms, cardiovascular health, etc. on an individual basis. My workouts are structured around joint safety and muscle balance which is orthopedically safe for an individual to handle such movements and plains of motion.

The rest of this article can be read in the Cyberpump Donator's area. It's still just 12 bucks a year to support all the sites on the Cyberpump network! Join and Support Cyberpump!

Radio Interview with Fred Fornicola

2009-11-07T09:53:00.002-06:00

Comments

2009-11-07T08:09:00.001-06:00

Thanks everyone for the comments. I also wanted to let readers know you can read the comments without clicking the little icon under each of my posts by scrolling to the bottom of the page. :)

The Closet Thing to Real Powerlifting Today

2009-11-06T06:23:00.000-06:00

The IPF World's are taking place this week. They are really the original powerlifting federation when we had ONE. The depth of these squats are what they should be. Check out the video:

Now check out a great example of what I don't think powerlifting is. Just one example of these org's with slack rules and equipment (suits, etc.) that have gone WAY overboard. Judging that allow for 1/2 squats at best. Non-locked out benches, and more. I mean it's not atypical for people competing in these org's to out BENCH what they SQUAT or DEADLIFT! Ridiculous!!

What's Going On In High School Weight Rooms?

2009-11-02T06:07:00.001-06:00

Jim Kielbaso MS, CSCS

At this time of year, I get to see what’s going on inside a lot of high school weight rooms, and I’ve got to tell you something – it’s downright scary. The four things I see most often are:

1. Lack of supervision

2. Poor technique

3. Poor effort

4. Incomplete routines

Lack of supervision – The problem here usually is not that there isn’t a coach around. The problem is that the coach simply isn’t doing anything. I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll repeat it again – God bless high school coaches for giving up so much of their time to the kids. It’s inspiring to me to see coaches give so much up to work with young kids. What’s uninspiring is watching a coach sit around, not paying attention to what’s going on, not correcting technique, not motivating kids to give better effort and basically not coaching.

For the rest of this article, donate to Cyberpump! and explore one of the biggest online libraries of common sense training information! http://www.cyberpump.com/preview.html

Maxing Out

2009-10-31T09:43:00.001-05:00

As a former competitive powerlifter, I used to "max out" a lot. Too much in fact. Going for a maximum single repetition is another way to put "maxing out" into words. Is it necessary for most people? No. Not even the competitive powerlifter -- until contest time. Most trainees shouldn't even think about going for a single maximum. Why would they? Most people want to build muscle, get harder, etc. Maxing out is about the most useless way to do this. You don't get stronger. You are just demonstrating your maximum strength (maybe) on that particular day and putting yourself in a potential bad situation especially if you just happen to pick the person next to you for a spot.

Here's a pretty good example of a "max out" gone ugly:

Save the maxing out for other activities. ;)

Bodyweight Exercises

2009-10-26T06:15:00.000-05:00

A decade ago if you told me I would recommend bodyweight exercises, I would have said you were crazy at the time. Your bodyweight is convenient to use! Probably the most convenient. You don't have to go to a gym. The phrase "drop down and give me 10" applies. For you younger trainees you can think of bodyweight exercises as an alternative as well. You don't have to go pump iron all the time. If you are busy college student, don't think you have to spend hours in the gym either and therefore "just don't have time" to get a workout in.

Resting Heart Rate

2009-10-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

An important aspect of health and fitness (and a good indicator of how the old ticker is doing) is to measure your resting heart rate. The best time to check your resting heart rate is when you first wake up and before you even get out of bed. Using your index and middle fingers, find your pulse via your wrist (radial pulse) or neck (carotid pulse). Have a clock or watch available that has a second hand so you can count your pulses and watch the clock. Take your pulse for 20 seconds and multiply that number it by 3 (3x20 seconds = 1 minute). For instance, if you have 22 beats in 20 seconds multiply that by 3 and your resting hear rate would be 66. Take this test for 2 or 3 consecutive days for an accurate reading.

A good pulse rate for Men ages 35-55 are as follows:

Average - 71-76

Above Average 67-71

Good 63-66

Excellent 57-63

Athlete 50-57

A good pulse rate for Women ages 35-55 are as follows:

Average - 73-78

Above Average 69-73

Good 65-69

Excellent 60-65

Athlete 54-60

Note: Keep in mind that beta blockers and other medications may alter your true reading.

Additional considerations are if your resting heart rate is really low,that could be an indication you may have issues with your adrenal system so if you have a low resting HR but feel fatigued, unrested or get lightheaded at times it may be a good idea to see a doctor or qualified nutritionist. For the most part, however, this little test will give a good indication of your current fitness.

Fred Fornicola - Fitness Professional

Today is Cheat Day!

2009-10-23T06:25:00.000-05:00

I've been strict all week as ususal and eating clean. Today is my reward! I can eat whatever I want today. Pizza of course is on the menu! The goal of eating clean the whole week is rewarded by this day today. It's great incentive to eating clean knowing you are working towards a reward at the end. Knowing I have this cheat day gives me great discipline and incentive to stay the course during the week. I know if I fall off the wagon even a LITTLE BIT it will likely snow ball.

Safe, Efficient and Effective for YOU!

2009-10-22T05:53:00.001-05:00

I have a very simple application when it comes to exercise: Make sure

it's Safe, Efficient and Effective for YOU. Do what you want, where you

want, when you want and how you want - concerning yourself with anything beyond that is a waste of time.

Fred Fornicola,
Premiere Personal Fitness
http://www.premierepersonalfitness.com/

Bad Habits? How about GOOD HABITS!

2009-10-21T12:07:00.000-05:00

We all hear about "bad habits". Eating too much for example. Drinking. Smoking. Driving too fast. How about "Good Habits"? Why not turn the concept around! Create GOOD HABITS. For example, I have now created a habit of drinking green tea while at work. Green tea is supposed to be pretty good stuff for you. How about the habit of not eating fatty foods? How about the habit of exercising on set days per week? How about the habit of getting enough sleep every night? And,the list goes on. Start creating those GOOD HABITS today!

Welcome to the Cyberpump Blog and the Superman Syndrome

2009-10-20T20:51:00.001-05:00

So I decided to do a blog for Cyberpump and it's associated sites. Fred Fornicola actually encouraged me to do this so I credit Fred. He thought it would be a good idea to "reach out" into the net and possibly reach more people who may have not even heard of Cyberpump and all the associated sites. Thanks Fred!

Everyone has at one time or another experienced a time in their training when it all goes right. You keep hitting PR's, feel great, and feel...invincible. There's nothing you can do wrong. The weights feel light. You feel like....SUPERMAN! What I have learned and continue to get reminded of is that this is the most critical time to be conservative. Yes, conservative. Don't get greedy. Greed kills your progress. The killing of the progress is typically INJURY -- when you least expect it. Yup, when you are feeling like superman! I will relay a recent story of my own training when I ignored my own advice YET AGAIN! Arrghhh. And, got injured. Stay tuned!