Archives for 2012

Dwight Howard Workout Tips You Need to Know

So you want a body like Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard. You're ready and willing to put in the time, the effort, and the blood, sweat, and tears that it takes. And you want it. You want it bad.

But you don't know where to get started. How do you train? What do you eat? What exactly is it that you're asking for? If you can't even answer these basic questions, then you might as well just give up now.

LUCKILY, I'm here to show you the way. Not the quick and easy way, mind you. But the hard, RIGHT way. In this article, I'm gonna TELL YOU exactly what you're asking to look like. Then, I'm gonna give you tips on what you should be doing inside the gym.

And perhaps most importantly, I'm gonna give you insights on what to eat in order to be able to look like your favorite NBA Superman.

What Are YOU Asking?

When you think of Dwight Howard, what do you think of? Tall (can't help you there), Black (can't help you there either), lean (now we're getting somewhere) and most importantly, muscular (luckily, my expertise).

But look closer. What exactly is it that makes Dwight Howard look so impressive? Its the shoulders, the arms, the chest, and obviously, the cuts to go with it all. So how do you get big shoulders,shredded arms, and a toned, firm chest? By lifting hard, lifting right, and going on a strict, no nonsense diet.

The Workout - Dwight Howard Style

Let's get a couple of points straight right off the bat.

1 - Dwight Howard is a genetic freak (but you don't have to be to look lean and ripped!) and an NBA star who has access to the top trainers, nutritionists, and fitness experts in the country.

You are not Dwight Howard and just because you read this article and do what you're told doesn't mean you're going to BE Dwight Howard. I'm not promising a miracle. What I AM promising you is that if you follow this article, train hard, and most importantly, are SERIOUS about your body, then you WILL be on your way.

2 - Dwight Howard is no body builder. He might be one of the biggest guys on the court but when it comes down to it, again, he's a BASKETBALL player.

That means he's fit, he's in shape, and he's lean. If you want to look like Dwight Howard, you're going to be training for strength through VOLUME. Not weight. So get rid of those ideas right now. Dwight Howard ain't winning any bench press contests any time soon.

Key principles in the workout

    1. Volume will be key for your workouts. You want more exercises, more sets per exercise, and more reps per set. You want to exhaust both your fast twitch (those muscles that are resonsible for strength and explosivesness) and slow twitch (those muscles that are responsible for endurance) muscle every single workout.

 

    1. Cardio is king. If you want to be lean, be shredded, and look bigger without having a huge body-builder-like body, the only thing you can do is lose body fat. And in order to do that, you MUST, MUST, MUST do lots of cardio. I'm not talking 3 times a week, 20 minutes per time cardio. I'm talking 6 days a week, 45 minutes per session cardio.

 

  1. While I'm not going to give you a detailed workout by workout schedule to follow here, what I will give you is a couple of very important principles and tricks and tips that will help you along your way.
      1. Strip-sets are your friend. Strip sets target fast twitch muscles, exhausting them at the start of the set, and target slow-twitch muscles towards the end of the set when you're completely exhausted.

     

      1. Reps, reps, reps. Since your aim is not necessarily to build huge, bulging muscles, you want to concentrate on getting shredded more than anything else.The way to do that is to work in the 15 to 20 rep range during each of your sets. If you're doing anything less that 12 reps per set, you're cheating your workout and yourself.

     

    1. Watch your rest time. Between set rest times should not ever be longer than 45 seconds. Your muscles recover from exhaustion and exertion extremely quickly so you want pound the iron while its hot so to speak.Don't give your muscles a chance to recover all the way. By doing so, you'll recruit more muscle fibers during each workout.

The Diet - Dwight Howard Style

1) The most important thing to keep in mind about the diet is that your diet is the most important thing.

If you want to build muscle, if you want to lose body fat, if you want to look like Dwight Howard, you need to realize that the workout is only about 25% of the process. The diet is the other 75%. Heed your diet even if you don't heed your workouts.

2) Protein: Protein is the main component that goes into building muscle. You want muscle? Eat protein. Its as simple as that. You should be consuming about 1.5g of protein per pound of body weight that you WANT TO BE.

3) Carbohydrates: Carbs are your FRIEND. Carbs are the main energy source for your body. If you don't consume carbohydrates, your body will essentially be like a car without gas. You won't have energy to do anything.

That being said, all the excess carbs that you eat beyond what you use gets stored as fat. And FAT (meaning body fat) is the enemy. You need to eat the right amount of carbs so that you have enough energy to get through your workouts and get through your day, but you don't store any excess as fat.

To that end, you should be having about .75-1g of carbs per pound of body weight THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY. Keep in mind however, that everyone's metabolism is different so that .75-1g range can stretch to roughly .5-1.25g of carbs per pound of body weight.

4) Fiber: You know those commercials that claim that most Americans don't get enough fiber in their diet? That's true. If you're not taking a #2 at least semi-regularly it means that your body isn't digesting and processing the food that you eat to the fullest.

Its time to mix some fiber into your diet so that you get the maximum benefit out of all those calories you're consuming.

5) Calories: Speaking of calories, you WILL need to up your caloric intake if you're gonna embark on this task. You need to increase your calorie intake because if you're reading this article, it probably means you're TOO DAMN SKINNY! There's no way around it. If you want to get big, even if its big and lean, and you want to build more muscle, YOU MUST EAT MORE FOOD.

Click here if you're a skinny guy and you want to build 10 lbs of muscle or more FAST!!!

6) Keep it clean: When I say keep it clean, it means that you should stop and think about what it is you're putting into your body. Sure, you need protein, but that doesn't mean you should have fried chicken and burgers every day. Try a lean skirt steak or a steamed/grilled/baked chicken breast.

Sure, you need carbohydrates. But that doesn't mean you reach for the nearest loaf of Wonderbread. Try oatmeal, 100% whole wheat bread, or whole wheat pasta. And finally, sure you need to eat a lot more calories. But stuffing your face with junk food isn't the answer.

Listen to your mother and eat some vegetables! All the more so if they're steamed or made into a salad with some extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top.

Any Questions or Comments???

Leave a comment below and let me know if you like this tips, if you have a question or if have any tips of your own. I'd love to hear what you have to say.
Until next time,

Work hard, eat right, and don't give up!

Rich

 

Muscle Building Diet Breakdown

When it comes to building muscle what you eat is just as important as when you eat it.

Remember in order to build muscle FAST you need to consume extra calories FAST.

Since it takes 3500 EXTRA calories to gain 1lb of new muscle mass your goal should be consuming 3500 EXTRA as fast as possible.

So think about it, If you can consume 500 extra calories a day that's 3500 calories in 1 week , it's simple math.

But the real goal is to consume these extra calories without the excess fat gain. Believe it or not, but since fat gain goes hand in hand with building muscle.

Why?

it's pretty simple, In order to build muscle you need to consume excess calories, well that's the same environment fat gains thrive in.

So to help you pack on the most muscle but the least amount of fat, here's a run down of what you should eat and when you should eat it to get the best results possible.

Sample Muscle Building Diet Breakdown

Meal 1: Breakfast [7am] For Jimmy breakfast is typically his largest meal of the day and it might be your largest meal of the day as well.

So for this meal you’re going to have a high amount of protein, you’re going to really need your simply sugars to get your body going for the day, you’re also going to need to your complex sugars to keep it going. And that’s basically it for your breakfast.

Meal 2: Post Workout [9:30am] This “meal” is just going to be a workout shake. This is when you definitely want to take Whey Protein, because it hits your muscles faster than any other type of protein. (This’ll be discussed more in the supplements section)

Meal 3: 1hr after your workout [12pm] For this meal you’re going to want to load up on your complex carbs at this time, again a good amount of protein and also a good amount of fatty acids, this should be a pretty well balanced meal, this is typically my largest meal of the day.

Meal 4: Weight Gainer shake[2:30pm] This is an ideal time to be consuming your weight gainer shake (if you choose to use one) because it’s in the middle of the day while you’re still active which means less calories that turn into fat.

If you don’t want to use a weight gainer for this meal, then you should look to consume another well balanced meal high in complex carbs, protein and Essential Fatty Acids.

Meal 5: Cutting the carbs [5pm] For Meal 5, you want to start cutting your carbs a little bit.

Because even though we’re not on a cutting diet [trying to lose body fat] personally I don’t like to be ingesting a lot of carbs during the evening hours because I’m primarily just sitting around not doing much, which can lead to unnecessary fat gains if you ingest too many carbs during this time.

This is probably the last meal where you have a good amount of carbs.

Meal 6: Large snack without the carbs [7pm] This can be something like a salad, a steak, maybe some All Natural Organic Peanut butter [not the Jif’s and Skippy’s] the real stuff.

This meal should primarily consist of protein and EFA’s.

Meal 7: 45 min before bed [9pm] This meal could be something like a casein protein shake.

Why casein?

Because casein protein is kind of like soy protein, in essence it’s a slow digesting protein. And what that does, is it prevents your body from eating away at itself while you’re sleeping and without nutrients for the next 8 hours while you’re resting.

I hope this quick muscle building diet breakdown helps you because nutrition is very very very important.

And when you know how to consume massive amounts of calories without all the excess fat gains will be able to build a lot of pure lean muscle mass and ultimately change your physique that much quicker.

If you're struggling to cook muscle building meals (as in you don't really have a clue) and you want some "quick" and easy recipes for some pretty tasty meals that'll SPARK your Muscle Gains I highly recommend you checkout Anabolic Cooking

Click Here to learn how to make quick and easy muscle building meals

Train hard,

Rich

Top Food to Build Muscle And Gain Weight

One of the biggest problems guys face when it comes to building muscle and gaining weight is nutrition.

If you don't know what foods and nutrients you need to build muscle then good luck because you have a long and hard road ahead of you.

So to make sure you don't make the same mistakes I made, here is a down and dirty guide to what foods you need, why it's important and whens the best time to consume it.

Proper Nutrition is Just As If Not MORE Important Than Exercising

Why?

Because think of your body like a house. You can’t build that house bigger and stronger without the bricks right?

And guess what the “bricks” are when it comes building muscle, CALORIES. And if you’re a naturally skinny guy like myself, then you’re going to have to consume A LOT of extra calories in order to build muscle and build it fast.

So let me break it down for you…

It takes approximately 3500 EXTRA calories to build 1 lb of new body mass.

And I say body mass because it ultimately depends on your genetics and where those extra calories come from that decide how much of those extra calories is converted to muscle and how much is converted to fat.

For example if most of your extra calories come from fats and bad carbs “like chips and soda” you’ll gain mostly fat. But if they came from protein and good carbs “like tuna and whole wheat bread” you’ll mostly gain muscle.

It doesn’t matter how hard you train, if you cannot provide your body with these extra calories on a daily basis (with the right combination of carbs, protein and fats) your body will struggle to build muscle.

The faster you consume 3500 EXTRA calories the faster you'll see muscle gains.

So your goal should be consuming the following foods so you can consume 3500 EXTRA calories as FAST AS POSSIBLE.

Let's do some math, if you consume 500 EXTRA calories each day, in 7 days you would have consumed 3500 EXTRA calories.

So here’s a quick guide into the important food groups and nutritents you need to build muscle. I go more indepth in my 30 Day Build Muscle Challenge, but this should get you going.

Carbs - The main fuel source for your body. Your body breaks down carbs for energy

Fast Acting Carbs (Simple Sugars)

- provides almost immediate energy to your body when it need to.

Impact on muscle gains: In order to build muscle, you need to workout your muscles. but if they do not have enough energy to go through your workouts your results will suffer. That’s where these carbs come in.

Best time to consume: immediately before, during and immediately after your workouts to provide quick energy when your muscles need it most

Foods high in “Fast” Acting Carbs

  • Apples
  • Berries
  • Bananas
  • Oranges

Slow acting carbs (Complex Carbs)

- provides a constant release of energy to your body throughout the day.

Impact on muscle gains: once your muscles are depleted of its energy (due to your workouts) it needs to replenish its energy stores for the next workout.

Best time to consume -pretty much any time, you're not working out.

List of “Slow” / Complex Carb Souces”

  • Oatmeal and non-sugary cereals
  • Whole-grain breads
  • Brown Rice
  • Beans
  • Potatoes

Protein - Used to build, maintain and repair muscle.

Types Of Protein - Whey, Casein, Soy, Egg… (many)

Whey Protein

- a fast acting, easily digested protein. Provides a surge of amino acids (protein) to the muscles very quickly.

Impact on muscle gains: during your workout sessions your muscles demand for protein dramatically increases and to avoid any unnecessary muscle breakdown whey protein is needed

Best Time to consume: immediately before, during and immediately after your workouts to provide protein when your muscles need it most .

Best Whey Protein sources: Supplements

Casein, Soy, Egg, Lean beef, chicken protein

- provides a steady release of protein that your body and muscles can use throughout the day.

Impact on muscle gains: helps repair the damaged muscle tissue and helps build new muscle

Best Time to consume: any time throughout the day when you're not working out.

Foods High in Casein, Soy, Egg, type protein

  • Grilled Chicken and Turkey
  • Egg Whites
  • Tuna and other fish
  • Milk and other low-fat dairy products
  • Lean Beef

Essential Fatty Acids - Used to help increase metabolism, used in Testosterone Synthesis

Types - Mono and Poly Unsaturated Fats

Impact on muscle gains: Helps produce Testerone “Big daddy muscle building Hormone”, increases metabolism, helps decrease inflammation.

Best time to consume: During the day time (not within 2 hours of your workout)

List of Foods High in Essential Fatty Acids

  • Peanuts
  • Almonds
  • Virgin Olive
  • Sunflower Oil
  • Tuna Fish

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the foods you should eat, but it's definitely a start in the right direction of the things you should be eating in order to build muscle and gain weight with the least amount of fat.

If you need help figuring out how to prepare meals that's filled with all of these muscle building nutrients, and actually taste good and easy to create then I highly recommend you check out my 30 Day Build Muscle Challenge Training Program, that comes with one of the easiest and simplest diet plans designed to help you gain 10 lbs of muscle FAST.

Leave a comment below and let me know what is your favorite muscle building food or any simple recipes you like to make, or if you have a question about anything I just discussed in today's post.

Train hard,

Rich