Off Season "Bulking" to Gain Muscle

With the end of summer rapidly approaching, many of us are finishing up our seasons of athletic endeavors.  While in some ways this is a little sad, trust me I hate the cold weather that I know isn't too far away, it is an exciting time in terms of training approach.  I always go into the fall and winter months with a goal of increasing strength and muscle mass and I set up my training programs in order to facilitate this.  Being a triathlete, I pretty much burn myself out by this time of year with swimming, biking and running, so changing things up and focusing in on weight and cross training is a breath of fresh air....albeit cold air BURRRRR! 

To be completely honest here, my approach to weight training doesn't change during the off season all that much.  I still use the heaviest weights that I can safely move and I use 4 exercises per body part for sets of 10, 8, 6, and 4, yet the exercises I choose do change up a bit.  I am a huge advocate for using machines vs. free weights during the in-season phase of my training year to reduce the risk of injury, but the off season is go time for heavy compound free weight movements.  What exactly do I mean???? Squats, dead lifts, dumbbell benches and overhead presses!  Those old-skool movements that have been the foundational lifts of every sporting champion in the last century and a half!  It is important that you learn correct form and utilize it in order to prevent injury with these exercises, yet once you master the movements and start piling the weight on, you'll see huge gains in terms of strength and mass in a realitively short period of time.

The way that I set up my workouts is that I do one body part per workout.  I then perform 2 compound exercise and 2 auxillary type movements for each body part.  Compound movements are those lifts that incorporate more than one body part into the exercise (think of how squats work multiple areas of the leg and entire lower body).  Auxilalry movements are the more isolated exercises that target only one muscle group such as leg extensions for the quadriceps.  This way by doing the compound movements, you target growth and mass building, then with the auxillary movements you're working towards shape and toning.  Those heavy compound movements trigger the body to release growth hormones.  Shape and toning is still important areas to target even in the off season.   It's also an important focus even if you are "bulking" as bodybuilders and athletes often do to increase size and strength.....which takes us into the next topic.

So what's my stance on bulking (purposely gaining weight in order to increase muscle mass and overall size)?  Honestly, I feel like it is a great way to give yourself a break from the strict in-season approach to diet and training that most athletes follow.  You have to mentally prepare yourself to put on weight, as some of the weight is naturally going to be body fat, yet by taking a methodical and modest approach to bulking, you can decrease the amount of fat gain while still putting on a nice amount of muscle.  The trick is to maintain a clean diet and allow your increase in calories to come primarily from proteins, then carbs, and finally healthy fats.  Also, don't go over board and eat whatever you want when you want because I can say from experience that the only thing you'll noticably gain is body fat!  And the more fat you put on, the harder you'll have to diet come preseason.  Don't consider the weight gainer powders, which aren't any fun and I always opt for real, whole and healthy foods over powders and supplements when it comes to nutrition.  Target upping your daily caloric intake by 200-250 calories per day and monitor your progress.  If it appears that the weight gain is primarily muscle and not body fat, then you can up the calories a little more each week (roughly 50 calories per day) and see what the result are.  On the other hand, if 250 extra calories per day makes you appear to gain primarily body fat, back down in 50 calories increments as you experiment.  It's about finding the ratio that works for you! 

So what about cardio?  Should you do it year round?  My answer is absolutely yes!!!!!  Cardio training in my opinion is the fountain of youth.  For every hour of cardio you do, you extend your life span by 2 hours!You can drop the cardio verses your in season training frequency, but still do a minimum of 4 sessions per week at a minimum of 20 minutes per session.  Make certain these sessions are at a moderate intensity.

So that's it y'all!  Once your season wraps up, consider hitting the weights and put on some muscle mass so that next season is even more of a success!  This goes for you ladies as well!  I know using the term bulk probably scares most women, but by taking my moderate approach and continually monitoring your progress, the bulking due to fat gain will be minimal and the lean muscle mass gains will be substantial! Always remember, muscle equals faster metabolism, which will really make a big difference come next spring when we work towards our "beach bodies!"

Stay Focused and Happy Training Y'all!!!!!! 

Hunter Subaru LPC Triathlon Race Report

I had an incredible time competing in the LPC Traithlon in Hendersonville, NC today!  Although the weather was pretty miserable (rain pretty much the whole time and temps in the low 60's) this truely was one of my favorite events!  Given the fact that I start chiropractic school at the end of next month, I knowingly realize that this was more than likely my last tri for the next several years, as I will be a poor college "kid" with kids for a while. 

We started off the morning with a short and fast 200 yard swim in an indoor pool.  Of course as my luck would have it, as I jumped into the water to start, my goggles came off down around my neck and I spend the next couple of seconds struggling to get them back in place.  I swam the entire 200 yards with the right lense full of water and the left one mor than half filled!  Not my ideal way to get started, but I was happy with my time of 3 minutes and 34 seconds. 

Transition 1 took us out of the pool and up a slight hill to the transition area where I rock and rolled getting into my cycling shoes and on to the bike.  This was a challenging 17 mile course through a beautiful and quite hilly section of landscape here in Western NC.  There was one tough climb about halfway through the course that was very much a "lung buster" and made this 200 pound country boy wish he was about 50 pounds lighter at that moment (but only at that moment)!  The rain and wet roads made me a little more cautious than I would have been otherwise, so my bike time was a couple of minutes slower than I had hoped for.  Overall, not a terrible time of 52 minutes and 48 seconds (my goal was 50 minutes flat).

Transition 2 was a little slower as I came out of the cycling shoes and helmet and into my Fila Skele-toes running flats.  Check out my earlier blog post on reviewing these shoes be cause I love them and dollar-4-dollar you cannot get a better lightweight running flat for the money!  I always have to face the fact that I am not a super fast runner.  On a good day in a sprint triathlon on a flater course I am a 21 to 22 minute 5K runner.  Today, I was much slower as this was a preety tough and hilly 5K.  I finished up the run which took us a gradual climb for the first half and then out through a grassy meadow and around a running track for the finish.  My run time was a disappointing 25 minutes and 48 seconds, but all in all I was very happy with my total time of 1 hour and 24 minutes, which was good enough for 14th overall and 3rd in my age group.

Check out my 3rd Place Age Group Finisher Medal:

I absolutely love the fact that these are handmade ceramic medals, which have so much more character and creativity that the standard ol' generic medal variety!

The post race activities of this race were incredible!  Had yummy sub sandwiches (veggie subs for me even!!!) from Monte's Subs in Fletcher, NC so if you are ever in the area, you must check these guys out.  The sandwiches were incredible I swear!!!!!  They're was also yummy frozen yogurt from Strawberry Hill Frozen Yogurt in Fletcher, NC and I chose the pretzel flavor which was aamzing.  Gotta stop by here too if you're in town!  Therr were free massages and energy patches, free water bottles and other nice things.  The SWAG bag was one of the better ones I have gotten at a race and the Race tees are these awesome vintage style tees that I am sure I have a pic of me in on here sooner or later :)

So, if you are looking for a late season race next summer in NC, you must put this one on your list.  Trust me, Western NC is a great vacation spot here on the East Coast so give it some serious consideration!  You won't regret it!


Stay Focused and Happy Training Y'all!!!!

The Importance of Dairy Based Proteins

There are two different types of dairy proteins that you should consider adding into sports nutrition diet as a means to building muscle and to adequately recover from your workouts.  These dairy proteins are whey and casein.  Whey protein is the more popular of the two and is widely used in many protein powders on the market today.  Whey protein is a high quality source of complete protein and is easily digested and assimilated by the body.  Casein protein is also a high quality protein, but it is important to note that is digests and absorbs into the body and muscles at a much slower rate.  Therefore, most sports nutritionist recommend consuming a combination of whey and casein proteins particularly after workouts in order to provide the muscles an immediate source of protein, as well as a slow-releasing type protein in order to stimulate recovery and growth for several hours following an intense workout.  It is also recommended that you consume casein protein before bed each night in order to provide the muscles with a continual source of protein and amino acids as a means to prevent muscle breakdown between your last meal of the day and breakfast. 

Instead of buying both a whey and casein protein powder (which would be relatively expensive) I combine a cup of plain Greek yogurt with a scoop of whey protein and eat each night before going to sleep.  Greek yogurt is a great source of casein protein, not to mention the health boosting probiotics.  1 cup of Greek yogurt has close to 22 grams of protein and by adding a scoop of whey protein powder, this quick meal will provide close to 50 grams of quality complete protein.

The Amazing Health Benefits of Kale!

Kale is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables and has recently become a very popular food due to its considerable health benefits.  Here’s a list of just a few of the reasons why you should be adding kale into your Wellness Based Lifestyle nutrition program:

- 1 cup of Kale has 20% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of fiber.  Fiber is extremely important in digestive health and in regulating blood sugar levels (both are important in maintaining a healthy body weight)

- Kale can help to reduce the risk of stomach cancer

- Kale has a high concentration of 2 powerful antioxidants (Carotenoids and Flavinoids) that help to prevent and repair the damage of free radicals and can help reduce the risk of cancer.

- Kale is high in Vitamins A, C and K.  Vitamin K helps to reduce inflammation in the body which is linked to many diseases in the body including cancer and arthritis.  Vitamin K can also prevent atherosclerosis which is linked to cardiovascular disease and stroke.

- Kale is low in calories and fat-free, therefore making it a great food to include in weight loss program.  Being that kale is high in fiber, it also helps you stay fuller for longer periods, thereby reducing the temptations to overeat.

- Kale is high in iron.  Iron is important in liver functioning and in the production of healthy cells.

- Kale can help to lower LDL cholesterol levels (the bad type).

- Per calorie, Kale is higher in calcium than milk.

As the popular bumper sticker here in The Hub City says: “Eat More Kale!”

Stay Focused and Happy Training Y’all!!!!!!

References:

www.mindbodygreen.com and www.healthdiaries.com

Recovery Days: Why We Need Rest

Last night I struggled with making the decision whether or not I should get some sleep (I was totally beat and sore from a week's worth of hard workouts) or push through what I knew would be a slow and low-key indoor bike training session.  I have my race coming up a week from today, yet would a low-quality spin on the bike really do anything to help my chances next week?  On the other hand, am I just being lazy or will I set up a pattern of allowing myself to skip workouts when I just don;t feel like doing them?

This isn't an uncommon situation for anyone that is dedicated to their workout program and Physical Wellness.  I always promise my personal training clients that eventually, after sticking with a program for 60 to 90 days, they will actually feel worse for missing a workout than they do during an after a workout!  That's a very hard concept to grasp initially when you're just trying to make it through a workout after years of sedentary living.  From my own personal experience, I encounter every emotion from anger to sadness when I don't get a chance to exercise on a daily basis and I also battle with anxiety and depression on those days.  Let's just say I am addicted to the endorphin release that exercise brings! 

But, there is always a but........ Whenever we work out, the body needs time to recover.  That's no secret.  It's also no secret that it is actually during the recovery phase that the body's muscles grow and become stronger.  If you don't allow the body to recover guess what?  The muscles don't grow, your fitness levels don't increase and the risk of injury increases exponentially.  Without adequate recovery, there is also an increased risk of overtraining which is a pretty nasty condition that leaves you feel fatigued and all around horrible.  Overtraining is just as it sounds, you've trained too hard and too often, and the result is the body hasn't been able to recover from the physical demands you've place on it and now it is beginning to shut down in order to get you to stop putting it under the physical pressure you've been putting the body under.  Also, whenever people's training loads are too high (myself included here as I have experienced this) you'll typically see a dramatic increase in illnesses due to a weakened immune system.  If my training volume in the winter is high, like it was this year as I prepared for an Ironman distance triathlon, I can pretty much expect to battle with head colds, chest congestion and other nagging sicknesses that can sideline your fitness and training goals of you aren't careful.  Taking the conversation to the weight room, too high of a training volume with weigh lifting can lead to muscle tears and other injuries which can leave you in a world of pain, or even worse under the knife of a surgeon. 

So the long-and-short of it is this: if you're somewhat tired and feeling a little lazy it's one thing.  In this case, push through it, dig deep and find the motivation to get in your workouts.  On the other hand, if you're having a hard time staying awake, you feel sick or you're experiencing a lot of soreness in the joints and muscles from earlier workouts (a big indicator that you've not recovered from those previous workouts) take a rest day and allow your body to catch up.  You'll actually get more benefit from resting than you will from pushing through a sub-par effort.  Think quality over quantity!  Also to avoid overtraining, make sure that your nutrition is just as well thought out and you put as much effort into it as you do your training.  This is where most people miss the mark and 4 time Mr. Olympia Champion Jay Cutler once said that it is impossible to overtrain if you're eating enough food to support the level of training you're doing.  I don't know if I can literally buy into that statement, but I do agree with where he is coming from.  Nutrition plays a pivotal role in our ability to train at a high level.  Simple things like taking a multi-vitamin on a daily basis and making certain you're consuming close to a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight are good places to start.  Adding in varieties of fresh fruits and veggies each day will flood the body with micronutrients needed and antioxidants that can help reduce environmental damage to our bodies and muscles.  Also, drink at least 2 liters of water per day, as dehydration can increase the likelihood of overtraining!  In addition to that, LISTEN to your body!  If it's telling you to back off, then maybe it's time to do so.  Whether because you rest up willingly, or due to an injury or sickness, you're going to have to rest up if you're training volume gets to high and you aren't adequately recovering from your workouts!

Stay Focused and Happy Training Y'all!!!!! 

Should You Exercise When You're Sick????

Making the decision whether or not to continue with your exercise program when you're under the weather is something that most of us will be faced with at one time or another.  This month in my column on My Fitness Tunes, I answer this question and even share with you some simple guidelines to consider to make the decision a much simpler process.  Please check out the below link for the full article:

http://www.myfitnesstunes.com/should-i-exercise-when-ill

How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?

As a fitness trainer, this is one of the most common questions that I get.  In order to accurately answer this question, you first have to understand the nature of your fitness goals.  The minimum amount of exercise that I recommend is the guideline used by the American Heart Association.  They suggest that in order to improve health, a person should exercise and average of 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week.  This means engaging in an exercise-focused activity that elevates your heart rate during the entire duration of the workout.  My philosophy of exercise is that in order to live a Wellness Based Lifestyle, and exercise program has to incoporate 3 areas of fitness: Strenght and Resistance, Flexibility, and Cardiovascular training.  The most simple way to ensure that you are hitting all 3 of these areas is to set up individually targeted workouts such as on Sundays do a 30 minute bike ride, Mondays do a weight training or resistance training session, take Wednesday off, then on Thursdays engage in a yoga routine, Saturdays you can do a workout at home that hits on cardio, resistance and stretching, and finally use Sunday as your 2nd rest day of the week.

If your fitness goals are more specific than general health improvement, then obviously you'll need a more targeted and detailed workout program.  I can help you with setting up a program that will produce the results that you're looking for whether it's weight loss, athletic improvement, muscle building, or simply to get more in shape.  Contact me today at the link on my website www.issacertifiedtrainer.com/christopherweaver and let's discuss how I can help you! I do both one-on-one and web-based training programs at affordable rates!

Please Like Me on Facebook!!!!!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to ask you, if you haven't already, to take a second and like my personal training page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherWeaverBS.MA.CFT?ref=hl  Out of the next 10 likes that I receive on the page, I'll randomly select one person to give a free copy of my book to! Thanks for the love y'all!