Questions and Answers
|
Hello, Is there any way possible that you can that you can give me a work out plan with what i have to work with. I have a weight bench downstairs. I don't have much so. My bench has a bar obviously. it has that thing you put on the end and can do leg curls and leg extensions with. It has a pad to place your arms against and do curls with the bar. I also have something I don't have a clue what to use it for. you place it in and it comes straight out hen splits and makes a u shape with handles at the top. I have the hand weights too. is there any way you can take a little bit of time to help me organize something. i really need to get built up and in shape as quickly as possible. Also if you make a workout for me, could you explain each workout. For example, i was looking on a web site, and it told me to do a military press, well i don't know what that is. so if you could help me, i would appreciate it sooooo much. Thanks a lot. Sincerely, Brian
Hi Brian, I am in the process of getting pictures of myself doing various exercises in the gym. I will post these pictures to my web site sometime this week. This way if people are not sure of how to do a certain exercise they can go to my web site and see a couple pictures of the exercise being done and read a description of how to do the exercise. You have a bench, barbell, dumbbells, leg extension / leg curl attachment, preacher curl attachment (the pad for doing bicep curls). I am not sure what the other thing is :-) A sample workout routine that you can do is: workout 1:
workout 2:
Do workout 1 one day, do workout 2 the next day, and then take a day off. Keep repeating this cycle of working out for 2 days and then take a day off. For your nutrition you should eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. For protein eat foods such as beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein shakes, etc. Eat plenty of carbohydrates such as bread, rice, cereals, potatoes, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc. Try to limit your fat intake, you don't eliminate fat entirely just avoid eating excess fried foods and “junk-foods”. Eat a small meal every 2-3 hours. You should also drink at least 2 litters of water per day and get 8 hours of sleep each night. I hope that this helps you out, If you would like to get more information about working out and proper nutrition you should get a copy of my "Living Lean" program. all the best,
Lee Hayward
Hi Lee..... a mate just put me onto this web site.... it's great. I've looked at literally hundreds of sites over the last 6 months trying to find out as much information as I can to do with bodybuilding.... this site is right up there with the best of them. I've been lifting for about 6 months now.... sticking with the basic compound exercises mainly.... and I've seen some improvement. I'm amazed at the amount of guys in our gym that just do peck deck etc.... instead of bench and so on..... No one seems to do the hard work! My main question is on nutrition though. I've just started to up my protein intake a bit more..... I've been fairly slack, I've read this is a must if you want to gain mass. I'd appreciate if you could have a look at my following diet and comment:
7.00am Protein shake, toast, muesili or oatmeal I also do a bit of cardio three times a week..... sometimes straight after my workouts. I haven't had a high protein intake since I started, just eating every now and again. I now realize I must eat every 3 hours or so to succeed. I was mainly trying to get rid of BF when I started. I now have it down to 11% at 178 lbs. I'm 5'10" and 26 years old. Thanks in advance.... looking forward to comments or suggestions. Chris.
Hi Chris, I think you are on the right track. You have a good high protein diet plan which is great. If you stick with this diet and train hard and heavy 4-5 days per week you will make great gains in size and strength. However, I would suggest that you do your cardio first thing in the morning before eating. You will burn more bodyfat at this time because there is no food in your system and your body will have to burn fat for fuel. I do this personally and it works great. Other then that everything looks good. keep up the great work,
Lee Hayward
Hi Lee, I have been reading your q & a with great pleasure... I have learned many things. I'm from Belgium and have been bodybuilding for three years now. When I work out, every month I can hold more weights but I do not get bigger It is like my body doesn't want to be bigger.... I use protein drinks after training, drinking 2 l of low-fat milk/ 3 eggs a day. I train 4 days /week for an hour and a half, very intense. What am I doing wrong? Also when I want to line out my body do I have to work out with less weight and faster movements ?
Hoping for a quick answer
Hi, It sounds like you are doing good with your workouts. If you can lift more weight and are getting stronger on a regular basis that means you are making progress. I suggest is that you really focus on your nutrition. The more you eat, the bigger you will get. I suggest that you eat at least 25 calories per pound of bodyweight in order to gain weight. For example, if you weigh 170 lbs. then you would eat 4250 calories per day. Make sure that you eat a lot of protein to provide your body with the nutrients that it needs to grow muscle. Eat at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. For protein eat foods such as: beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein supplements, etc. You will need to eat lots of carbohydrates to give your body energy for your workouts. For carbohydrates eat foods such as: bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, cereals, fruits, vegetables, etc. Eat a meal every 2-3 hours in order to give your body a steady supply of energy and nutrients. Also drink at least 3 liters of water each day. Keep doing your workouts 4 days per week. This will give your body plenty of time to recuperate and grow. If you focus on getting bigger and increase the amount of food you are eating you should be able to put on about 5 lbs. of bodyweight each month. After you have put on some bodyweight and you want to lose the bodyfat you will have to include aerobic exercise and reduce the amount of food that you are eating. With your weight workouts try and lift heavy while maintaining perfect exercise form. Don't fall into the old school of thought that to lose fat you have to train light with high reps. That is not the case, the weights are for building muscle. You do aerobics and diet for fat loss. I hope that this has helped answer your questions,
Lee Hayward
Dear Lee, I'm 14 years old and have been weight training for 6 months now. I'm 6' 2" and 208 lbs ( yes I'm a pretty big boy. ) I've got a gut (which I reluctantly admit) but I look more husky than fat. ANYWAYS, I've noticed that you started weights when you were 14 years old, when did you start seeing results? I know its possible for a 14 year old to be cut and somewhat buff ( I have a friend that is evidence of that.) So far for me I've noticed... well not that much results. A couple inches off my waist-line here and there and my biceps look more defined, but don't pop up like I would like them to ( like yours!!! ) Is there possibly anything I can do to get the results I want. I seem to be doing everything right but the results haven't come! On another note I'm going to be purchasing your "Living Lean" program shortly which will be my first step in getting on the right track. I hope. Also, what was the time periods between your before and after photo's posted on the "Living Lean" section. Thanks again for your time, Justin Morris
Hi Justin, With your training you don't just go from no results to having an awesome body. You have to focus on making a lot of little gains. You should always try to make small improvements. I suggest that you get a note book and write down all of your workouts. Write down the date of the workout, the exercises that you do, the sets, the reps, the weights used, etc. Then each workout try and beat what you did for your last workout. For example, if for your last leg workout you did squats for 2 work sets of 8 reps with 200 lbs. The next time you do squats try and get 2 sets of 9 reps with 200 lbs. Each workout try and get one more rep or add a couple pounds of weight and get the same number of reps. You won't always be able to make improvements every workout, some days you may have less energy then others. But don't let this discourage you, just try and do better next time. The same idea applies for losing bodyfat. I suggest that you weigh your self and measure your bodyfat % each week at the same time, for example, every Saturday morning. Then each week try to reduce your bodyfat % a little while maintaining your muscle mass. By keeping track of your weight and bodyfat % like this you can determine if what you are doing is working for you. If you are not losing fat then you need to increase your cardio work and reduce the amount of food that you eat. Or, if you are losing more muscle then fat you will need to increase the amount of food that you eat. This may not seem like much at first but after several months of training and monitoring your body this way you will notice big improvements. You said that you are noticing little results (i.e. a couple of inches off the waist line, biceps look more defined, etc.). That means you are making progress. The biggest factor to your success with bodybuilding is to be consistent with your training and eating. Just stick with it and the results will come. all the best, Lee Hayward
P.S. the before and after pics on my web site were taken about 4-5 months
apart.
Hey, Lee! I just wanted to let you know what a great web site you have. As I was browsing it, I realized our training philosophies were identical! I began training when I was thirteen, and like you, I tried everything in my quest for muscle mass. I am now 28, and have managed to acquire about 40 pounds of muscle in my fifteen years of training. While it sounds impressive to say 40 pounds of muscle, when you do the math, that's only just over 2 1/2 pounds per year, and I sweated for every single ounce I gained! I now always have people coming to me for advice about how to train, etc., etc., and now I can just direct them to your site! I find people are usually disappointed with my advice, though, because they are expecting me to reveal those mystical exercises which will put slabs of muscle on them in weeks with minimal effort. We both know there are no such exercises, and the key is consistent, good nutrition and smart training. Anyhow, I was hoping you could send me the formulae you referred to on your site for skin fold caliper calculations. I managed to find an ancient relic from my quest for mass days; a Cybergenics skin fold caliper! (Yes, I fell victim to that hype, and I still do not look like Franco Santorelli did in those ads!) My skin fold caliper reads in millimeters, so you know. I would appreciate anything you could forward to me, and keep up the good work!
Hi John, Thanks for the complements. Here is the bodyfat % formula that I now use. It is the same one that the "EAS Body of Work contest" uses. Here it is... measure the skin fold at the:
add up the sum total of all measurements in millimeters Formula for men: BF% = 0.29288(sum of skin folds) - 0.0005(sum of skin folds * sum of skin folds) + 0.15845(age) - 5.76377 Formula for women: BF% = 0.29669(sum of skin folds) - 0.00043(sum of skin folds * sum of skin folds) + 0.02963(age) + 1.4072 Well John, there you have it. You will have to get out the calculator for this one :-) But I find that it is a very accurate formula. all the best,
Lee Hayward
I really enjoyed your page. what exactly does the blast your bench program consist of? I've been into weightlifting for a little over a year now, I've made gains, not too impressive. Another problem is that im not male and don't have the testosterone to help muscle growth, strength. Im 5'4'' about 130, my goal is to be 170 and cut. Im having trouble with my routine.... mon-chest, tues-back, wen-off, thur-arms, fri-shoulders and traps, sat off, sun-legs, sometime i take another day off. Am i over training? I've tried to combine tris w chest and bis w back, its too draining by the time i get to bis/tris. I do 3-4 sets not including warm-ups and 4-5 exercises for larger, 2-4 for smaller. I do a few sets of 8-10 reps and go to a heavy weight doing 4-6 reps. Im also vegetarian so gaining mass is much harder. I eat a lot of eggs, milk, tofu, wheat breads, cereals, veggies, fruits, and of course protein drinks. Lately i have made strength gains and starting to see more mass, i change my routine around a lot. I use to workout 6-7 days a week, didn't make any gains, etc. any suggestions ? thanks for you time
Hi Marisa, The "Blast Your Bench" program is a workout and nutrition routine that you follow for 3 weeks. I use this program myself every few months and I love it. It is a intense workout that delivers results fast. The first time I used this program (about 4 years ago) my bench press went from a 1 rep max of 225 lbs. to a 1 rep max of 276 lbs. in 3 weeks! I was blown away by the results. Each time I use the program I still add anywhere from 20-30 lbs. to my bench press. The workout program describes step by step exactly what to do and how to do it. The program works by covering all training variables (exercise, weight, reps, frequency of workouts, rest times between sets, lifting technique, etc.) in a unique workout cycle that maximizes the growth of both the fast twitch (strength) and slow twitch (endurance) muscle fibers. I now send the "Blast Your Bench" program via e-mail because this way I can keep the prices low and the delivery is instant. I used to send the program by postal mail but it could take up to 2 weeks for delivery, plus there were mailing and printing costs that had to be added. After discussing this with several people I found most people would rather get the information instantly via e-mail instead of paying extra and waiting for it to be shipped. Also, when you purchase either the "Blast Your Bench" or "Living Lean" programs you also get Free one-on-one online personal training from me. I have literally dozens of satisfied clients from all over the world whom I consult on a regular basis with regards to training, nutrition, and supplementation. (samples of my work are here in the question and answer section) As for your situation, I think that you should train 4-5 days per week at the most, anymore then that and you will just burn yourself out. I usually work each bodypart once a week. I will pick 3 exercises per bodypart and do 3-4 sets each. I almost always pick different exercises each workout to help stimulate the muscles in different ways and to keep things interesting. You have to eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. Now since you are a vegetarian this will be a little more difficult, but eat plenty of eggs, milk, tofu, and protein supplements (use either a whey protein powder or a milk and egg protein powder). I don't know if you eat poultry or fish but these are great sources of lean protein. Marisa, it sounds like you are over training, if you reduce the volume of training that you are doing and really focus on eating lots of high quality protein I think that you will make good progress. If you have any other questions regarding bodybuilding, exercise, and fitness in general, please feel free to e-mail me and I will be happy to help you out. all the best,
Lee Hayward
Hey Lee, how's it going? I was jst wondering if it is better to work out the muscles that you are putting secondary stress on, the same day as another muscle group.. For example... When you work out Chest do you not have a secondary work out on the Triceps... Further more, when you workout Triceps I believe you have secondary stress on the shoulders and abs... so on and so forth... Is this the best way to work out or do you recomend another method? Thanks for your time.. Marino A.
Hi Marino, I don't really think that there is a "best way" to workout. If you asked 2 different bodybuilders to describe their workout schedule, you would get 2 different answers. I know people who get good results from working similar muscle groups in the same workout, and I know people who try to divide their workouts among different muscle groups. It is really up to you how you split up your workouts, there is no "right" or "wrong" way to train. What I suggest that you do is try a certain workout routine for a few weeks and then try a different routine. After a while you will see which routines give you the best results. No matter what workout routine that you use you should always try to make improvements. I suggest that you get a note book and write down all of your workouts. Write down the date of the workout, the exercises that you do, the sets, the reps, the weights used, etc. Then each workout try and beat what you did for your last workout. For example, if for your last leg workout you did squats for 2 work sets of 8 reps with 200 lbs. The next time you do squats try and get 2 sets of 9 reps with 200 lbs. Each workout try and get one more rep or add a couple pounds of weight and get the same number of reps. You won't always be able to make improvements every workout, some days you may have less energy then others. But don't let this discourage you, just try and do better next time. This may not seem like much at first but after several months of training this way you will notice big improvements.
Lee Hayward
dear lee, i am 25 yrs old & in bombay, india. i have been weight training for 6 months without any results. i recently switched to training each bodypart on a separate day with around 4 exercises per body part, 5 sets each, for 8-12 reps. i am an endomorph & am constantly trying to lose weight. i train for around 1.5 hrs in the gym & walk for 1.5 hrs. will that help to lose weight? the one niggling problem is my love handles which absolutely refuse to budge.
thanks,
Hi Dipan, You are doing high volume workouts (i.e. 20 sets per bodypart). You may be over training a bit with such a high volume workload. I personally do approx. 10 - 12 sets per bodypart and I find this works great for me. You will probably get better results if you did 10 - 12 sets per bodypart, but really worked hard on those sets. For each exercise do 1 - 2 warm up sets and then really go all out and push yourself for 2 work sets. You should also vary the exercises that you do from time to time. This will prevent boredom, work the muscles in different ways, and help to stimulate new muscle growth. As for your love handles. I think your problem must be overeating, because you are certainly doing enough exercise to lose bodyfat, maybe even too much exercise. What I suggest that you do is follow a high protein, moderate carbohydrate, and low fat diet. Try to eat 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbohydrate for every pound of bodyweight. (Note: since the measurement "pound" is different in certain countries. The pound I am talking about is 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds). For protein eat foods such as: beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein supplements, etc. For carbohydrates eat foods such as: rice, potatoes, pasta, vegetables, etc. Keep your fat intake as low as possible. Do 45 minutes of cardio (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. If you would like to get more information about working out and nutrition I would suggest that you get a copy of my "Living Lean" program. It is available at http://totalfitness.hypermart.net/lean.htm. The program focuses on losing fat and building lean muscle. The workout routines and nutrition information in the "Living Lean" program will better describe to you how to workout and eat to build lean, muscular body. I hope that this has helped answer your questions.
Lee Hayward
|
This site best viewed
with the most recent versions of:
or 
Please click on one of the icons above
to download for FREE!
| Total Fitness Bodybuilding Menu | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Page | Q & A | Blast Your Bench | Living Lean |
| Pictures | Articles | Contact Me | Links |
| Classified Ads | Message Board | ||
back to the top of page
This site was created by www.media-nf.com
