Questions and Answers

Question

hey my 6 pacs like messed up its like there not in line with eachother. ones like there then the next ones to the side and down and so on. is there any way to solve this? maybe differnt exercises

steven

Answer

Hi Steven,

That is just the shape of your abs. There is nothing you can do about that except develop you abs more. Don't let this discourage you because there are a lot of top bodybuilders whose abs are naturally shaped the way yours are. Your abs will still look great when you develop them more and tighten the skin around your waist.

Just to show you what I mean, I have included an old pic of Frank Zane and in the pic you can see his left abs are higher then his right abs. But they still look awesome!

Question

Hi lee,

I have a problem with my body I have small legs and Calves I workout my calves every time I go to the gym which is 3-4 times a week. I see that they are a little cut but they are not getting bigger. My leg workout is at least 2 times a week. Do you have any tips to help my lower body get bigger..
Alex

Answer

Hi Alex,

You should try working your calfs every second day after your weight workouts. I suggest that you do one day with heavy weights and the next with light weights. This will help to work both the fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. Here is the routine that you should follow.

(Note: always stretch and warm up your calfs with some light sets before doing heavy sets)

Workout 1:

Standing calf raises
4 sets of 5-10 reps with heavy weights

Seated calf raises
4 sets of 5-10 reps with heavy weights

Bodyweight calf raises
(just stand up and do calf raises with no weight, you may want to place you hands against a wall for balance)
2 sets of 100 reps (these will burn like crazy)

Workout 2:

Standing calf raises
4 sets of 20+ reps with light weights

Seated calf raises
4 sets of 20+ reps with light weights

Bodyweight calf raises
2 sets of 100 reps

Try this workout for a month and let me know how it works for you.

Question

hello Lee,

i found your site by chance while surfin around lookin for good reliable info regarding weight training, and i found it on your site, may i congratulate you on this good infomation, keep up the good work!

i started weight training a couple of months ago and have never felt and looked better in all my life, and it was your site that provided me with the knowledge of training correctly, eating the right food and using good form, thank you.

what are your thoughts on a product called 'body building blocks', they are amino acid tablets from Weider, i purchased them a few weeks ago and have been using a good whey protein powder aswell and also multi vits. its hard to tell if they are workin, i have noticed a difference but it could be because i'm traing right and eating right, i dont know. currently i do a four day split routine (i used to do three times a week whole body routine), i train chest, shoulders and back on monday, legs and arms on a tuesday, wednesday rest and repeat monday and tuesday on thursday and friday and rest again on weekends. i train abs everytime i train, ie. mon,tue,thurs,fri.

do you consider this to be a good routine?

i also would like to burn a lot more body fat especially around the waist and lower back, any tips?

any ideas would be fantastic, again keep up the good work!

thanks,

danny
(northwest England, uk).

Answer

Hi Danny,

Thanks for the complements on my website!

You can use amino acid tablets if you wish, but I personally don't use them because I take a lot of whey protein which is a much cheaper way to get my amino acids. 2 scoops of whey protein is as good as a hand full of amino acid tablets. Keep taking your multi-vitamins because they will help to keep you healthy.

Your workout routine looks good. You will make good progress just as long as you stay consistent with your training and proper eating.

To lose excess bodyfat try doing 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (i.e. walking, cycling, treadmill, etc.) first thing in the morning when you get up. Doing your cardio at this time will help you burn more bodyfat, your body will resort to burning fat because there is no food in your system to be used as fuel. It is a good idea to buy a stationary bike, treadmill, or some other type of cardio equipment for doing your early morning exercise (that is if you don't already have some cardio equipment at home).

Question

Hi,

i was searching over your site and you are very massive! I take you as an example of what I would like to become when I'm older. Right, now i'm currently 13, I started working out since 12 (seriously all the way!) I just joined a new gym today and I need a new routine... So if its not that much trouble to you, can you design one for me? I want to get as big as my body will let me. I know it will take time. So if you could just help me on this, it will be extremely appreciated!

thanks for your time,

brian bruman

Answer

Hi Brian,

No problem, here is a good workout routine that you can follow.

Monday
- push ups 3 sets of as many reps as you can do
- bench press 3 sets of 15 reps
- pull downs 3 sets of 15 reps
- bent over barbell row 3 sets of 15 reps
- barbell curls 3 sets of 15 reps
- tricep push downs 3 sets of 15 reps

Tuesday
- squats 3 sets of 15 reps
- leg extensions 3 sets of 15 reps
- leg curls 3 sets of 15 reps
- standing calf raises 3 sets of 15 reps
- crunches 3 sets of 50 reps
- reverse crunches 3 sets of 50 reps

Wednesday
REST

Thursday
- push ups 3 sets of as many reps as you can do
- bench press 3 sets of 15 reps
- pull downs 3 sets of 15 reps
- bent over barbell row 3 sets of 15 reps
- barbell curls 3 sets of 15 reps
- tricep push downs 3 sets of 15 reps

Friday
- squats 3 sets of 15 reps
- leg extensions 3 sets of 15 reps
- leg curls 3 sets of 15 reps
- standing calf raises 3 sets of 15 reps
- crunches 3 sets of 50 reps
- reverse crunches 3 sets of 50 reps

Saturday
REST

Sunday
REST

Repeat the routine...

Warm up before each workout with some light cardio exercise (i.e. 5 minutes on the treadmill) this will get the blood flowing and help to prevent injury. Use good exercise form and lift weights that you can control with out swinging them up.

Make sure you eat lots of good food to help build up your muscles. For protein eat foods such as: beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein shakes, etc. For carbs eat foods such as: bread, rice, cereals, potatoes, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc. You should also eat a moderate amount of fats from foods such as: peanut butter, cheese, regular milk, butter, salad dressings, etc. Don't go overboard with it but a little extra fat will help give you more calories and energy to help you add bodyweight and build muscle. Eat a small meal every 2-3 hours. You also need to drink a lot of water each day to help keep your body hydrated, help with digestion, rid your body of toxins, etc.

Question

Hi Lee,

I"ve been following your mass building program How to Get Big, but only doing it twice a week because I'm a builder and get tired and over train easily. I really injoy the workout and am surprised how I am gaining strength steadily. BUT! I have a major lagging behind problem....CALVES. I have none! I'm 6ft 5in in hight 110kg and have the calves of an eight year old. I've been training for 8 years and have tried a million calf workouts and they are still the same size as when I started..... what's wrong with me?

Please give me some advise on building these sticks, I can't continue wasting my time on them any longer.

Thanks,
Andrew Hughes

Answer

Hi Andrew,

You should work your calfs after each workout. I recommend that you do 1 leg calf raises. How you do this exercise is to first find a good sturdy block or step (like those used for step aerobics) and place this next to a wall. The place your hands against the wall for balance, and do calf raises with one leg at a time. Do 10 reps with one leg then do 10 reps with the next. Continue alternating back and fourth with no rest between sets. You should do this for at least 3-5 minutes after each workout. This will really pump your calfs. I do this personally and I find it works great.

Give this a try for a month and let me know how it works for you.

Question

hello,

First I'd like to ask you what you think of muscle tech products. And what is a good stack, cell tech ,nitro tech,nortesten, etc how long of a cycle etc..... Also heard of deca-bolin, somatropin6x,hgh6x thyroid adreal, justwant to know if they are any good suppose to stack them.

thanks very much

Jim

Answer

Hi Jim,

Muscle Tech is a good company with quality supplements. You should use a serving of cell tech after each workout to help with recovery and muscle growth. You should use 2-3 servings of nitro tech each day to provide your body with high quality whey protein. Of course you should also take a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. As for the pro hormones (i.e. andro, nortesten, etc.) you can try them if you wish, but they are not essential supplements like protein and vitamins. If you choose to use pro hormone supplements you'll have to cycle them (i.e. one month on, one month off) this is to allow your bodies own natural hormone production to return to normal.

As for the deca-bolin, hgh6x, etc... I have heard of these, but I never tried any of them. My advice is to do your research before trying any new supplement. I also recommend buying your supplements from well know companies such as Muscle Tech, EAS, Met Rx, Twin Lab, Pro Lab, etc...

You can get wholesale prices on brand name supplements at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com you should check it out!

Question

Hi Lee

I have a question I was wondering if you could answer. I am at a halt right now in my workout routine because I am not sure where to go now. I was running 3X a week on the treadmill and doing the Billy Blanks Taebo workout tape 3X a week. I have lost a lot of weight and now I feel I look to thin. I am 5'4 and weigh 110 llbs. I want to build muscle weight and tone but not too much that I look like a guy. I mostly want to work on building my shoulders and glutes. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks you!
Jen

Also does running 3X really thin you out?

Answer

Hi Jen,

You should really focus on your nutrition. What you eat is just as important as working out. You need to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. For protein eat foods such as: beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein shakes, etc. For carbs eat foods such as: bread, rice, cereals, potatoes, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc. Eat a small meal every 2-3 hours. You also need to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day to help keep your body hydrated, help with digestion, rid your body of toxins, etc.

You should cut back on your aerobic exercise because you have already lost all of the weight that you needed to lose. Now you should focus on strength training to add lean muscle tone.

Here is a sample workout routine that you can follow.

Day 1:
Bench press 3 sets of 10 reps (for the chest)
Pull downs 3 sets of 10 reps (for the back)
Military press 3 sets of 10 reps (for the shoulders)
Crunches 3 sets of 25-50 reps (for the abdominals)

Day 2:
REST

Day 3:
Squats 3 sets of 10 reps (for the quadriceps)
Leg curls 3 sets of 10 reps (for the hamstrings)
Barbell curls 3 sets of 10 reps (for the biceps)
Triceps push downs 3 sets of 10 reps (for the triceps)
Standing calve raises 3 sets of 15 reps (for the calves)

Day 4:
REST

Day 5:
Repeat Day 1 workout

Day 6:
REST

Day 7:
Repeat Day 2 workout....etc....

With this routine you workout every-other-day and alternate the two workout routines. The weight that you lift for the first couple of weeks should be light enough so you can complete the repetitions with ease. Then gradually, over time increase the amount of weight that you are lifting. For the first set of each exercise, use a light weight to warm up the muscles and prevent injury. For the other sets, increase the weight so that you have to work hard to complete the required repetitions.

Question

Dear Lee,

When I bench press my arms don't ever feel any different, not mushy, tired, full, pumped, nothing. They feel exactly the same as they did before the workout. Whats going on? Why don't I feel any different? Is that normal? Well thanks for your time and I hope you e-mail me back with your answers soon.

-Matt

Answer

Hi Matt,

Some people have trouble getting a good pump when exercising. During the first couple of years that I was training I never really got much of a pump after working out. But over time as my body started to fill out I got better pumps. You will get to develop that mind muscle link with time. But for now you should eat more carbs through out the day because they fill your muscles with glycogen and this helps with getting a good pump. You can also try flexing between sets to flush more blood into your muscles. I do this personally and it helps with pumping the muscles.

One supplement that I have use to give me awesome pumps is EAS Phosphagen HP. This is the best creatine supplement that I have ever used! When I take Phosphagen HP my muscles feel tight even when I am not working out, I love it! You can read more about it at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/7/25.htm

Question

I've heard alot of conflicting stories about useing baking soda to enhance workouts. I read in a magazine that it can nuetralize acid produced in muscle and therefore reduce fatige. I've also read that the baking soda is nuetralized by stomach acid right away. Who's right?

Answer

I have tried using baking soda during my workouts and I got sick. It tastes gross. If you want to neutralize lactic acid build up you should use creatine because it works much better then baking soda. It also helps to fill out your muscles, and give you extra energy and strength, while reducing lactic acid build up. You can get some great deals on creatine supplements at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/7/cat7.htm.

Question

Hi Lee!

Found your website recently and foung it to be extremely informative. Keep up the great work!

I just want to have some opinion of yours regarding taking soy protein shake instead of whey protein shake after my workouts. As my body have an intolerance for dairy products, I do not think it is advisable for me to take whey protein. However I read from other website that whey protein is generally preferred than soy protein for males as whey protein gets absorbed easier and encourage more muscle growth.

I'm really keen in building a good physique and try to workout at least 2-3 times a week each lasting for about 2 hrs. I would like your opinion about some of the protein shakes that I can take after my workout besides whey protein shake.

Thanx!

regards
Gary

Answer

Hi Gary,

Soy protein isolate is a good protein supplement. Soy protein is high in a natural type of hormone called isoflavones. Isoflavones have exhibited healthful benefits for both men and women. Soy also helps to increase your natural thyroid hormone levels (this is great when trying to lose excess bodyfat). I take both soy and whey protein supplements. Whey is a very high quality protein that is digested easily by the body.

I would suggest that you try using a good whey protein supplement as well as a soy protein supplement. EAS Whey protein (http://totfit.safeshopper.com/6/14.htm) has virtually no lactose. My father is lactose intolerant and he uses EAS Whey protein daily with no problem. You should also use Prolab Pure Soy protein http://totfit.safeshopper.com/6/17.htm) which is also low in lactose.

Question

Hi Lee,

I am a regular reader of your most valuable information on the Internet. I am 24 and i have decided to start working out to look good. I have read about protien drinks on your site, but when I enquired the rates it comes to be very expensive for me. I am very much interested in building my body and I am very inspired by your site. I cannot afford to buy both the supplements ie. Creatine monohydrate and whey protein which is very necessary for building the body. I would be very greatful if you could give me the receipe on how to make protein drink at home. Would this home made receipe be effective?. Please reply back soon so that I do not delay in starting my new workout schedule.Looking for your speedy reply. Thanks a ton and keep up the good work.

Thanking you,
Shelton.

Answer

Hi Shelton,

Congratulations on you decision to start working out and eating healthy. As for protein and creatine they are not necessary, but they do help with building lean muscle. I don't have a protein recipe other then eating lots of high protein foods such as beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, etc. Protein powders are made in labs where they separate the protein isolate from protein foods. They aren't something that you can cook up at home.

Protein powders are good because they are convenient and easily digested by the body. This is important after a workout because you need to get easily digested protein in your body after working out. And when you calculate the price, gram for gram protein powders are actually cheaper then buying protein foods (i.e. meat, poultry, fish, etc.). For example, to get 30 grams of protein from canned tuna fish this would cost about $1.00 To get 30 grams of protein from whey protein powder it costs $0.49 (Optimum Nutrition 5 lb. Whey Protein for $26.79 at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/6/15.htm).

The same thing goes for Meal Replacement Powders, with these you can have a very nutritious high protein meal for only $1.59 (Champion Nutrition Ultramet - 20 packets for $31.85 at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/10/49.htm). If you went to McDonald's or the cafeteria at school or work you wouldn't get much of a meal for $1.59.

When you include your protein supplements in your grocery budget you'll notice that it works out to about the same price or cheaper then regular food. Like I mentioned before, supplements such as creatine are not vital to muscle growth. So if you can't afford it, don't buy it. But protein is the main building block in muscle growth so it only makes sense to have a diet that is high in protein.

Question

Hi Lee,

Im 16 years old and very interested in your programs. I haven't done any serious weight training in some time and really want to get back into it. However I do play football and baseball and am concerned about flexibility. I was wondering if your program could effect this and what should I do to maintain my flexibility while still gaining strength and losing body fat. I was also wondering about abdominal and leg exercises. Thanks.

-Jay Brand

Answer

Hi Jay,

Weight training will not hinder your flexibility. If you work on your stretching along with weight training you will build muscle, strength, and flexibility. A lot of people think that if you workout that you will become "muscle bound" and be slow and clumsy. However, the opposite is true. If you workout you will become stronger and faster.

As for abdominal and leg exercises. I find that crunches, reverse crunches, leg raises, etc. are great for working the abs. And squats, leg presses, leg extensions, leg curls, dead lifts, etc. are great for working the legs.

If you are interested in learning how to weight train and eat to build muscle and burn bodyfat you should get copy of my "Living Lean" program. This program is geared towards losing bodyfat and building lean muscle. The "Living Lean" program has a lot of great information about training and nutrition it also has workout routines for beginners to advanced, sample meals plans, low fat recipes, and it also has nutritional charts that tell the calorie, protein, carbohydrate and fat content of hundreds of different foods. It is a great source of information; you will really benefit from reading it.

Question

Hi,

I'm a 21 year old male and I've just started working out again. I used to be a roofer so I'm not afraid of really pushing myself. One problem I've always had with working out is getting sick feeling after some intense reps. Have you ever had this problem? What did you do to fix it?

Answer

Hi,

I have had similar problems. What I did to overcome it was to take longer rest periods between sets, and slightly reduce the intensity of your workouts. You can still train hard but just ease off on the intensity a little and focus more on using perfect exercise form and really feeling the muscle that you are working. You should also increase the amount of carbohydrates that you are eating through out the day. Sometimes that sick feeling is caused by not having carbs in your system.

Question

HI LEE,

GREAT PAGE! I AM 42 I AM CURLING SINGLE ARM 35 KILOS 8 REPS I AM STUCK ON 17 3/4 IN ARMS ANY TIPS WOULD BE GREAT.

THANKS
KEV

Answer

Hi Kev,

I have a good arm workout that you should try. I got it out of an old bodybuilding magazine but it is an awesome routine. Take a light barbell, say 80 lbs. (approx. 36 kilos). And do barbell curls with this weight this is how the workout goes...

Set 1 do 8 reps then rest for 15 seconds
Set 2 do 8 reps then rest for 15 seconds
Set 3 do 8 reps then rest for 15 seconds
Set 4 do 8 reps then rest for 15 seconds
Set 5 do 8 reps then rest for 15 seconds
Set 6 do 8 reps then rest for 15 seconds

The key is to only rest 15 seconds between sets. You will be surprised at how hard this workout actually is, chances are that you will not be able to do all 6 sets for 8 reps for the first few workouts. This workout will pump your arms like crazy. As soon as you can complete all 6 sets with 8 reps, you need to add weight to the barbell.

Try this arm (bicep) workout for a month or two and let me know how it works for you.

Question

Hey Lee.

I am 17, weigh 275 and I am 6'0". I started bodybuilding the summer of '99 and went off and on during my football season. My lifting stopped after knee surgery and I haven't been able to get back on a good program since then. I am now attending college and am really pressed for time. I've always wanted a big, ripped physique and now I don't know when to work out and what exercises to do. Can you send me some kind of regimine and a list of good supplements asap? I would deeply appreciate it.

aspiring bodybuilder,

Jon

Answer

Hi Jon,

That is too bad that you had to have knee surgery. But that won't stop you from building a great physique. I would assume that you will not have too much trouble working your upper body, but you will have to be very cautious when working your legs and choose exercises that do not cause you much discomfort. When working your legs you should do higher reps and less weight this will still work the muscles without putting too much stress on your knee joints.

A sample leg workout would be:

- Leg press 3 sets of 15-20 reps
- Leg extensions 3 sets of 15-20 reps
- Leg curls 3 sets of 15-20 reps
- Calf raises 3 sets of 15-20 reps

It would probably be best to start off with machine exercises to strengthen your legs before moving on to free weight exercises such as squats.

For your upper body you can do the following exercises:

(Chest)
- Bench press 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Dips 3 sets of as many reps as you can do

(Back)
- Bent barbell rows 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Chin ups 3 sets of as many reps as you can do

(Shoulders)
- Military press 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Side dumbbell raises 3 sets of 12 reps

(Triceps)
- Push downs 3 sets of 10 reps
- Lying EZ bar extensions 3 sets of 10 reps

(Biceps)
- Barbell curls 3 sets of 10 reps
- Dumbbell curls 3 sets of 10 reps

(Abs)
- Crunches 3 sets of 50 reps
- Reverse crunches 3 sets of 25 reps

As for a workout schedule you could do:

Day 1:
Legs and Abs

Day 2:
Rest

Day 3:
Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps

Day 4:
Rest

Day 5:
Back and Biceps

Day 6:
Rest

Repeat the cycle.

With this schedule you only workout every second day and the workouts should only take you 1 hour to complete. This means you will only be working out 3-4 hours a week. So you will have plenty of time for school and study.

For your nutrition you should eat 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. For protein eat foods such as: beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein shakes, etc. For carbs eat foods such as: bread, rice, cereals, potatoes, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc. Eat a small meal every 2-3 hours. You also need to drink at least 1 gallon of water each day to help keep your body hydrated, help with digestion, rid your body of toxins, etc.

For supplements I recommend that you get some whey protein, (http://totfit.safeshopper.com/6/14.htm).
A good multivitamin supplement (http://totfit.safeshopper.com/14/88.htm).
And Creatine Monohydrate (http://totfit.safeshopper.com/7/20.htm).