1. What is the one exercise you don’t like doing but do anyway? Why?
2. What is your favorite motto or a quote that you try to live (and lift) by?

Here’s what they have to say:

1. bigplayray09 – Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/getresultsfitness

Answer 1: Squats are taxing but one of the only exercises that tax the whole body. All too effective not to due unless you have some type of injury that it would make worse

Answer 2: GET SWOLE! 2 words that mean everything when it comes to lifting. Make your next workout your best workout and the only thing you can do is get closer to your goals this way.

2. blazersfan7 - The T3raza Transformation is a video documentation of my 3 year natural body transformation. Tun3 in to see my 20T3 Transformation as I complete it by competing in 3 natural bodybuilding competitions. Hope you 3njoy

www.youtube.com/user/blazersfan7 | www.facebook.com/t3transformation | www.t3transformation.com

Answer 1: Standing calve raise. I still do it because I believe no body part should be left untrained.

Answer 2: The quote I live by is “do the thing and you’ll have the power.” The quote I lift by is “quit fu*king around and train.”

3. BodybuildingRev - BodybuildingRev = Natural Bodybuilding, Kraftsport, Fitness

Answer 1: Abdominal exercises because they are not fun

Answer 2: Because trunk stability is very important for the entire body

4. bradgouthrofitness - Live Lean TV is a fitness AND nutrition channel dedicated to helping my thousands of “Live Leaners” live the lean lifestyle 365 days. Regardless if it’s February or August…by living lean, you’ll have the confidence and physique to rock a bathing suit 365 days a year.

Lets Connect: Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Answer 1: There’s no exercise I don’t like doing. Just as in life, If it needs to be done, I attack it with everything I got. No regrets.

Answer 2: Live Lean 365 Days A Year. Your Body. Your Temple.

5. buffdudes - B.U.F.F.: Better Understanding of Food & Fitness. Dudes: The guys who’ll show you how to get it. Subscribe and watch us as we travel the world in order to find the best workouts and healthy foods to help you get a ‘B.U.F.F.’ body and mind.

Answer 1: We don’t like any exercises, they are our enemies. We must crush them, see them driven before us and hear the lamentations of their women.

Answer 2: Sacrifices must be made.

6. CaliforniaStrength - Home to the most popular weightlifting team in the US, the fun and intense training atmosphere at California Strength produces the best educational, motivational and entertaining weightlifting content in the country!

Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/calstrength/
Instagram - http://instagram.com/cal_strength#
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Californiastrength
Twitter - https://twitter.com/calstrength
Website - http://www.californiastrength.com/

Answer 1: the team hates overhead squats, but the worst is any type of scap or subscapp retraction work – it’s great for shoulder stability and health, but can be very tedious and time consuming.

Answer 2: our company slogan is Fighting the War on Mediocrity

7. CampbellFitness - Campbell Fitness is a channel dedicated to helping YOU. We cover everything from training, nutrition, supplements, gear reviews and more. Got a question? Ask and be answered. Whatever topic you’re looking for, we have it here at Campbell Fitness.

Answer 1: it used to be dead lifts and squats. I didn’t like them b/c they were hard and my form sucked. However, since taking the time to learn how to do them correctly, they’ve by far become my favorite exercises.

Answer 2: Stay big. I end most videos with this. Some equate it to a physical sense, but to me it’s a mental aspect more than anything. Be the bigger person, both in your skin and in your mind.

8. cashmoney503 - I’m a 24 year old natural bodybuilder from Oregon. This channel is dedicated to following my journey through competitions, diet, training, and life.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KennyGonzalesBB |

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/cashmoney503 | Instagram @KGBgraphics

Answer 1: I always hated squats because they were challenging and I couldn’t lift very much. After working on my form, depth, and mobility, I have seen great gains in my strength and leg developement which only pushes me to further my progress.

Answer 2: The biggest fear I’ve ever had in life was being average.

9. CatalystAthletics - USA Weightlifting team, gym, publisher of books, DVDs and the best free resources for Olympic weightlifting. Located in Sunnyvale, California and run by Greg Everett, author of the most popular book on Olympic Weightlifting.

Answer 1: Squats. Because they’re the foundation of almost everything worthwhile.

Answer 2: I don’t have a motto. I just want to train hard, lift heavy, and help others do the same.

10: NorCal Crossfit - At NorCal CrossFit, we have more CrossFit HQ staff (the certifying body of CrossFit trainers) and CrossFit Games competitors than any other CrossFit affiliate. We eat, sleep, and live CrossFit. Subscribe to our channel to stay up-to-date on our fun and educational videos.

Locations: NorCal CrossFit Santa Clara, NorCal CrossFit Mountain View, NorCal CrossFit Redwood City,

Answer 1: The thruster. It is very challenging. However I can’t think of a better all around movement to develop strength, mobility, and muscle stamina.

Answer 2: Absolutely no substitution for hard work

11. Dane3737 - This channel is focused on different aspects of natural bodybuilding and fitness, including: training, supplementation, nutrition advice and much more. It also focuses on my journey to becoming the best natural bodybuilder I can be, with some big lifts along the way!

Answer 1: I honestly hate doing any bicep exercise now. I used to really enjoy doing them, but now I hate that I do not feel as though I can push myself while doing them as much as I can while doing other exercises. I do still do them so that my biceps do not become a lagging body part.

Answer 2: I live by the motto tattooed on my back “Dum Spiro Spero” which means “While I Have Breath, I Hope”. It is the Dillon (my last name) family motto and really means a lot to me. Keep pushing forward and believing for as long as you live!

12. glyphmedia - Flexdem Gym Wear combines classic old skool styling with a modern street vibe and is a brand made for people who are prepared to rep beyond failure as standard.

Answer 1: What is the one exercise you don’t like doing but do it anyway? Why? I don’t enjoy squats but I do them because they are an all over builder and nobody wants spaghetti legs.

Answer 2: What is your favourite motto or a quote that you try to live (and lift) by? There’s no such thing as perfection but we all have the ability to strive for excellence.

13. gog9 - The goal is to help you guys and answer many of your questions. I will also be posting cool articles and videos.

https://www.facebook.com/kinobodyfitness | http://www.kinobody.com

Answer 1: The one exercise I absolutely hate is probably weighted dips! With most pressing movements you get to do them while lying down or sitting. With dips you need to lug a bunch of 45 lbs plates over to the dip stand, clip them onto your belt and proceed though a brutal movement. I like to work dips because they are one of the most effective pressing movements. Many people struggle to make gains on their bench but if they were to switch to dips they would make fantastic gains. WIth dips you can add an extra 2.5 lbs plate to the belt each week and continue making these strength gains. When you go from bodyweight dips for 6 reps to dips with 135-180 lbs for reps, you’re chest, shoulders and triceps will become huge and powerful.

Answer 2: What gives my life meaning, purpose and fulfilment is self improvement. To better myself on a daily basis. This is not limited to health and fitness but encompasses many aspects of life including; financial/business, women/dating and random skills….. Becoming smarter, fitter, stronger and more confident. Becoming awesome would be a better way of putting it. If I’m not improving myself then what in heck am I doing here? This all probably started at the age of six when I started playing video games. Unlocking new skills and improving my characters attributes became a source of self accomplishment and deep satisfying pleasure. I took this same philosophy and applied it to myself with the goal to become the best version of myself in physique, intelligence and social skills. This of course ensures that I am well rounded and don’t put all my eggs into one basket. If I were to become obsessed with fitness many other aspects of my life would fall apart; ex: dating life, business/work…. So much of my pursuit in health and fitness is in achieving my goals without letting it consume my life. I believe I have mastered this.

14. GymMonsta81 - A Place to hangout, talk nutrition ,and bodybuilding!! We aim to help anyone that wants to help themselves. We might not know everything here @ GymMonsta Fitness but we will try our best to figure it out with you.

Answer 1: Cardio: I hate doing cardio but know that its good for the heart and lungs. I also like it because a nice run can help you clear your mind! You also get a good sweat and a sense of accomplishment afterwards.

Answer 2: Push through the pain: I feel that we all have problems and certain stresses that can stray us away from the task at hand or path we are on. If you can push through these types of issues and realize not everyone is fortunate enough to have everything given to them and work for it you can be successful in anything you do. I apply this to the gym in the sense of, I train hard and sometimes the reps hurt but if I push through it I will achieve the physique that I want.

15. jimmcd1234 - This channel from Super Training Gym contains Jim McDonald’s videos for the SuperTraining.TV website. (Mark Bell’s Power Project videos for the website are on the supertraining06 channel. Visit the website to get all the info in one place. The site features training and meet videos shot in HD, which often include voice over commentary providing insight and instruction. It also features “Power Project” videos in which Mark answers viewer question. Coming before the end of May 2013 is a new show about carb conscious cooking/eating.

Answer 1: Personally I’m not a huge fan of any of the direct triceps exercise because most of them feel terrible. I do them anyway.

Answer 2: Everything we do in the gym and for the website/YouTube channels revolves around the goal of “Making the world a better place to lift.” We even have it painted on the gym wall.

16. Jorrellfitness - What’s Good People!! It’s Time 2 Grow Bro!!! My name is Jorrell and im 29yrs old, ever since i can remember i was always into fitness and lifting weights. But i had one problem, i had no time to actually do it lol. When you have a full-time job, a wife, and a kid, things can get a little challenging. But i finally realized that its either now or never. Who wants to be that guy thats 50yrs old, out of shape, talking about how he almost got swole back in the day?…..not me lol!! Watching videos on youtube from different people gave me the motivation i needed to pursue my ultimate goal!! TO GET IN THE BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE!! so with that said, i invite you on my journey to success, because i cant fail.

Answer 1: What is the one exercise you don’t like doing but do it anyway? I would have to say “front squats”. Why?..Well it’s sort of a love and hate relationship lol, working legs takes alot out of me. But if you wanna be a natural bodybuilder you must have a balanced physique and i consider front squats as one of the best compound exercises for nice quad development..Ya gotta fuckin do’em.

Answer 2: What is your favorite motto or a quote that you try to live (and lift) by? I created a slogan “It’s Time 2 Grow Bro” and what that means is “no matter what your situation is in life (working full-time hours at work,going to school, your girlfriend dumped you lol, etc.) there is no excuses, so look at your watch and recognize that no matter what the clock says, “It’s Time 2 Get In The Gym And Grow Bro”!!

17. JungleAWayOfLife - Big, fat, bearded powerlifter training to get bigger and stronger with guest appearances from Porkchop the English Bulldog. You can laugh at Porkchop’s antics and my Powerlifter Comedy videos, check out weight training tips and demos, follow my training progress or check out my scenic vacation videos.

More Porkchop at www.porkchopthebulldog.com | More weight training articles, tips & training progress at www.powerlifter.me | More scenic photography at www.profanebeatz.com

Answer 1: Bench Press. I’ve had injuries in the past when I was starting out but I’ve since surpassed old pre-injury PR’s by doing what I don’t like.

Answer 2: SFW or “Smash Fucking Weights” by Vincent Dizenzo.

18. lllDBOlll - Natural Home Bodybuilding and Strength Training - Home Physique is an ongoing project to show my Body Transformation from a 230lb fat blob into a competing Natural Amateur Bodybuilder / Powerlifter… or “Powerbuilder”.

- Bodybuilding Motivation -  This Bodybuilding / Fitness channel is dedicated to motivating and inspiring others to achieve their goals and offers free advice, tips and information on exercises, routines and nutrition guides along with showing all of my progression sessions.

- Supplement Reviews - I review Pre Workouts, Fat Burners, Protein Bars and Powders along with various other sports supplements in my totally unbiased “on the fly” video reviews.

- Body Transformation - With hard work and dedication anyone can achieve their dream physique! Feel free to comment, like or share; I love hearing other peoples thoughts and opinions of what I am doing and how I can improve.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/homephysiqueuk | Twitter: https://twitter.com/homephysique | Website: http://www.homephysique.com/blog

Answer 1: Like many people, Squats really used to be a bit of a bitch for me. Before starting my transformation I never used to train legs. With the Squat you really have to do it over and over and over in order to get it locked down right. I actually started from scratch earlier this year to “fix” my squat as I was letting my ego get the better of me… I was adding plates but my form was suffering. I now squat full ATG and will settle for nothing less!

Answer 2: I came up with the tagline “Don’t be Obese… Be a Beast!” as I figured it was what I am trying to do myself! More common quotes I follow is simple ”Ain’t nuttin’ to it but to do it” – originally by Maya Angelou but made famous in these circles by Big Ole’ Ronnie Coleman… I like this because of its simplicity and truthfulness as honestly, there really is nothing to it but to DO IT!

19. mattyfusaro - At Fusaro Fitness I post videos on strength training, healthy eating, recipes, product reviews, nutrition advice and much more! I encourage people to share their journeys, educate, learn and teach all while becoming the strongest version of themselves. I am easily approachable and willing to help you reach your goals, whatever they may entail.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mattyfusaro | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fusaro-Fitness/209614382438104 | Twitter @ fusarofitness | Instagram @ mattyfusaro

Answer 1: I used to despise squats. Legs were always a major weak point because I neglected them do to lack of mobility, flexibility, strength, etc. Now realizing the mental strength and preparation it takes to fight through it and train past the pain, it’s all worth it.

Answer 2: My “catch phrase” is “We Are Limitless” – but I stand by many thoughts and ideas. I believe that nothing is made better by starting tomorrow. I believe that being average is bullshit. To get to where you want to be in life you have to be uncomfortable. “Don’t sit and wait for “good things to come” get off your ass MAKE shit happen!”

20. MisterAthletic - MisterAthletic is the home of various sports. We present workouts, interviews, nutrtion facts, behind the scenes and many more!

Answer 1: Knee bounds. The weights are always so heavy!

Answer 2: Train hard and eat clean!

21. OliverCherekFitness - This channel is dedicated to me sharing my journey as an aspiring natural bodybuilder/fitness athlete in hopes of being able to help and motivate others.

Answer 1: There really is no exercise that I do and that I dislike. I only do exercises that I like. However there have been a lot of exercises that I didn’t like at first which I had to learn to like, the bench press for example.

Answer 2: I try to think that the only thing we really have is this very present moment. The only thing we can fully control is what’s happening right now. If you make sure to set a good plan and do your best every single second, you’ll eventually see the results you want to see.

22. PeteRubish1 – 242 raw powerlifter; Meet PRs: 661 Pound Squat (no knee wraps), 777 Pound Deadlift; 815×2 deadlift in training

Answer 1: I hate doing barbell rows but I know they’re necessary to improving my deadlift. They challenge my grip, especially when doing high reps and are in general, a very taxing lift. They build up the lats and traps a ton, so I stick with them.

Answer 2: My favorite quote would be “Wolves don’t lose sleep over the opinions of sheep.”

23. PhysiquesOfGreatness - This channel is dedicated to “NATURAL BODYBUIDING & FITNESS” But most importantly the lifestyle that comes along with it. But most of all having some fucking FUN. subscribe!!!!

Answer 1: barbell rows because it very taxing on my core muscles have to keep that posterior chain tight or youll hurt yourself in the long run..i still do them because “rows for the back will get hoes in the sack” lol

Answer 2: train like a bitch and youll look like a bitch. go hard or go home

24. Rev198 - This is my journey.

Answer 1: Bench is my least favorite lift because it is pretty pointless in life to lay down, set something heavy on your chest and then push it off again without trying to use the rest of your body. But I do it because it is a competitive lift in powerlifting and that is the sport I love. If they had squat/deadlift only meets I might never bench again

Answer 2: my personal mantra is “Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man given. Be grateful. Conceit is self given. Be careful.”

25. Sam Bergstein - My channel is related to all aspects of fitness and strength.Physical and emotional.I share my experience from 20+years of bodybuilding(former drug-free pro) and fitness.As well as my perspective from over 35 years of life

Answer 1: Believe it or not I don’t enjoy training biceps.The pump can be cool..Having/maintaining well developed biceps are part of the deal in regards to being deemed muscularly credible(for better of worse).Well developed bi’s can undeniably though look impressive,and can assist and protect with pressing movents.I find bi training uncomfortable and somewhat boring. There are other movements that I could include to the list but I would say bi’s are almost at the top of the list.

Answer 2: Better is VASTLY underrated!

26. scondore - My Channel is the one channel simply on sharing the LIFE STYLE of a Competitive, Natural Bodybuilder. Everything you need to know on training, nutrition and competing for FREE! I will never charge you for a program you could learn for free. You get to see inside my personal life as a sponsored, competitive athlete. Subscribe Now! www.youtube.com/Scondore

Answer 1: This is the hardest question for me, because I love every single exercise! If there’s one I don’t like, I don’t do it!

My least favorite exercise that I do perform, would have to be Stiff Leg Deadlifts. I’m a major fan of the actual deadlift, so to me, stiff legs for hamstrings are just a tease!

I also prefer the feeling of isolation movements like leg curls for hamstring training, but KNOW that SLDs are one of the absolute best movements for building amazing hamstrings; not to mention the other supporting muscles they work, being a compound movement! So, though they don’t satisfy my powerlifting cravings, nor do they give me that satisfying isolated burn, they ARE among the most beneficial for their purpose! I must do them!

Answer 2: Confidence Is Everything. It’s what allows you to live for yourself and nobody else! It’s what allows you to achieve your goals in life! It’s even what separates failing from nailing a PR Lift in the gym! And it’s my own quote. I don’t like gimmicky, marketable sayings. I just live by what makes sense! “Confidence is everything”.

27. strengthcamp - Yo! I’m Elliott Hulse, pro strongman and strength coach. If you’ve got questions about becoming stronger… I’ve got the right answer for you! **SEND ME A QUESTION… AND I’LL MAKE YOU A VIDEO ANSWER**

Answer 1: I don’t like doing abdominal exercises, especially isolation exercises for abdominal region  But, my experience shows me that it is beneficial, it adds to my strength in many ways. I just don’t like doing it. That’s part of why I rant against it.

Answer 2: Become the strongest version of yourself and inspire others. It is my mission in my life, and my calling and invitation for everyone else.

28. VinceDelMonte - *Full-Blown Workout Programs *Personal Reply in Comments Section *Personal Video Responses *Get Notified First When New Vids Are Added *Don’t Miss A Single Video

SUBSCRIBE NOW! http://www.youtube.com/user/VinceDelMonte

Answer 1: There is not really any one exercise that I don’t particularly care for, but training legs is not always the most fun thing to do! Training legs commonly causes symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and nausea Even though leg training hurts, it causes overall body growth by producing tons of anabolic muscle-building hormones! That is why I always train my legs… The pain is short-lived, while the reward is well worth it and long-lasting!

Answer 2: I always try to live and lift by the phrase, “Live Large” which means getting out of your comfort zone, and challenging your self to be the person you were meant to be. The term “Live Large” can be used in and out of the gym, and should be applied to all areas of life. In short, if you never Live Large by getting out of your comfort zone, you will never reach your full potential as a man or woman and experience life that way it was meant to be!

Do you like this article? Don’t forget to like and share – spread the word!

Do you have a YouTube fitness channel? Would you like to have your answers featured on this page? Just contact me at admin[at]EctomorphBodybuilder[dot]com, or message me on EctomorphBodybuilder’s Facebook page.

The 5/3/1 program worked well, but I just started to be a bit bored with it.

So how’s my new program?

Day 1.

Bench Press – 5×5

Paused Bench Press – 3×5

Hanging Cleans – 3×5

Dips – 3×10

Rows – 5 sets

Shrugs – 3 sets

Abs

Day 2.

Squats – 5×5

Paused Squats – 3×5

Front Squats – 3×5

Reversed Hypers – 4 sets

Optional exercise for hams

Abs

Day 3.

Military Press – 5×5

Close Grip Bench Press – 3×5

Pull Ups – 5 sets

Biceps – 5 sets

Triceps – 3 sets

Abs

Day 4.

Deadlift (sumo) – 5×3

Good Morning – 3×5

Hamstring Exercise – 4 sets

Abs

Notes:

Workouts are every other day, so one cycle lasts 8 days.

I will most likely be making changes on the go, by switching exercises and adjusting reps. However, the big 3 (bench, squat, military press) remain the same and will be 5×5.

Sumo Deadlift will be 5×3. I find doing more reps too taxing and too risky now (remember, I am 40 years old!). It’s not so much the weight and it is not the pull itself, it is the negative phase that I feel is hurting me. So I rather do less reps per set, and use heavier weights.

I have no special diet. I will be using some supplements, but pretty much on I-will-see-what-I-can-afford basis.

Each week I will be increasing weights by 5lbs for bench and military press, and 10lbs for squats and deads. Once I cannot do the prescribed number of sets and reps with certain weight, I will decrease the number of reps by one. In other words, the whole system will start as 5×5, then 5×4, then 4×3 and 4×2. (except deadlift, which will be 5×3, 4×3, 3×3 and 3×2). After that, I will either try a new max (definitely do so for bench press and probably a deadlift too), or estimate a new max for the next cycle.

The length of this program will depend, I estimate 12-15 weeks (3-4 weeks per each number of reps).

Week 1

Day 1 – 4/13

Bench Press – 5×5 – 210lbs

Paused Bench Press – 3×5 – 175lbs

Hanging Cleans – 3×5 – 105lbs

Dips – 3×10 (bodyweight)

Rows (one hand on the machine) – 5×10 – 60lbs

Abs pull downs – 5×20

NOTE: No special diet. The whole workout felt easy.

Day 2 – 4/15

Squats – 5×5 – 245lbs (belt, no wraps)

Paused Squats – 3×5 – 185lbs

Front Squats – 3×5 – 135lbs

Reversed Hypers – 4 sets

NOTE: Squats were s-l-o-w and deep. I concentrated on the depth and overall form.

NOTE2: Had a big muscle pain 2 days later.

Day 3 – 4/17

Military Press – 5×5 – 130lbs

Close Grip Bench Press – 3×5 – 205lbs

Pull Ups – 5 sets (with bands)

Biceps Dumpbell Curls – 5 sets – 35lbs

Triceps Pull Down – 3 sets

Abs

NOTE: No problems.

Day 4 – 4/19

Deadlift (sumo) – 5×3 – 270lbs – no belt

Good Morning – 3×5 – 135lbs

Hamstring on Ball – 4×10

NOTE: I was very careful with the deadlifts as I still felt a bit of back pain (I hurt my back 2 weeks ago). I made sure I positioned myself really good before each pull. Surprisingly, the deads were VERY EASY.

———————————————————————————————————-

Week 2

Day 1 – 4/21

Bench Press – 5×5 – 215lbs

Paused Bench Press – 3×5 – 185lbs

Hanging Cleans – 3×5 – 115lbs

Dips – 3×10 (bodyweight)

Rows (one hand on the machine) – 5×10 – 60lbs

Dumpbell Shrugs – 5×10 – 75lbs

Abs pull downs – 5×20 – 150lbs

NOTE: No major problems. Felt a bit tired for paused benches but the weight went up fairly easily.

Day 2 – 4/23

Squats – 5×5 – 255lbs (belt, blue wraps)

Paused Squats – 3×5 – 185lbs

Front Squats – 3×5 – 135lbs

Reversed Hypers – 4 sets

Seated Calves – 5×20

NOTE: The workout felt much easier than last time.

Day 3 – 4/25

Military Press – 5×5 – 135lbs

Close Grip Bench Press – 3×5 – 205lbs

Pull Ups – 5 x8 (with bands)

Biceps Curls (machine) – 5 sets – 35lbs

Triceps (machine) – 3 sets

Abs (planks for 4 minutes)

NOTE: Military press felt great, I felt strong and the weights were going up easy throughout the whole workout.

Day 4 – 4/28

Deadlift (sumo) – 5×3 – 285lbs – no belt

Good Morning – 3×5 – 135lbs

Hamstring on Ball – 4×10

Originally I was supposed to do this workout yesterday (4/26) but had some errands to run.

NOTE: I was still very careful with the deadlifts and I made sure I positioned myself really good before each pull. Still, felt some pressure in my lower back, specifically in my “ass bone”. The weight felt quite easy.

———————————————————————————————————-

Week 3

Day 1 – 4/29

Bench Press – 5×5 – 225lbs

Paused Bench Press – 3×5 – 185lbs

Rows (one hand on the machine) – 5×10 – 60lbs

Dips – 3×10 (bodyweight)

Dumpbell Shrugs – 5×10 – 75lbs

Abs pull downs – 5×20 – 150lbs

NOTE: No major problems. To make up for the lost day from previous week, I did not have a rest day between previous (deadlift) workout and now, so I am back on schedule. Felt a little pressure in my lower back, just like I did yesterday, so I did not do cleans.

Day 2 – 5/1

Squats – 5×5 – 265lbs (belt, blue wraps)

Leg press – 3×10; 1×9; 1×8; 1×7 (from 6 plates to up to 15 plates total)

NOTE: The squats went well, but my lower back still feels “pressured”. Therefore I did not do my regular workout (front and pause squats) and decided to do leg press instead. Felt pretty good. Had very crappy diet today. Used the box for the last 2 sets of squats to make sure I go deep enough (and I did).

Day 3 – 5/3

Military Press – 5×5 – 140lbs

Close Grip Bench Press – 3×5 – 205lbs

Pull Ups – 5 x8 (with bands)

Biceps Curls – parallel grip – 5×10 – 35lbs

Triceps – with rope – 3×10 120lbs

Abs pull downs – 5×20 – 150lbs

NOTE: Military press felt great. The first set I felt bit “cold”, but overall, all 5 sets were easy (in that I had more in me). Close grip bench was the same way. I felt “pull” in my right shoulder, on the front. It’s like my bone hurts, rather than muscle. But it did not limit me.

Day 4 – 5/5

Deadlift (sumo) – 5×3 – 295lbs – no belt

Good Morning – 3×5 – 135lbs

Hamstring on Ball – 4×10

Abs – ab roller – 5×10

NOTE: I was still very careful with the deadlifts and I made sure I positioned myself really good before each pull. Still, felt some pressure in my lower back, specifically in my “ass bone”. The weight felt quite easy, in that I could lift a bit heavier and do more reps, but I decided to follow the plan.

EDIT: My abs were REALLY sore next day.

———————————————————————————————————-

Week 4

Day 1 – 5/7

Bench Press – 5×5 – 230lbs

Paused Bench Press – 3×5 – 185lbs

Hanging Cleans – 3×5 – 115lbs – straps

Barbell Rows – 5×8 – 225lbs

Dips – 3×10 (bodyweight)

Standing Calf Raises – 4×20 90lbs

NOTE: No major problems with benching. Cleans felt fairly heavy, but made all the sets and reps (used straps). Felt sharp pain under my left “lopatka” bone and it affected the left side of the chest too (felt like having a heart attack or something). Didn’t do abs as I felt strong soreness in my abs from last workout.

Day 2 – 5/10

Squats – 5×5 – 275lbs (belt, blue wraps) – high bar

Pause Squats – 3×5 – 205lbs (belt)

Front Squat – 3×5 – 135lbs

My diet sucked today, I was not sure how the workout would go. Surprisingly, the workout felt great! No major problems, no joint pain. I had an extra day off before this workout, because my calves were sooo much in pain from last workout (I guess I need to work my calves more often to avoid this level of soreness).

Day 3 – 5/12

Military Press – 5×5 – 145lbs (strict presses, heals together, no leg drive)

Close Grip Bench Press – 3×5 – 205lbs

Pull Ups – 5 x8 (with bands)

Biceps Curls –  5×10 – 35lbs

Triceps – with rope – 3×10 120lbs

Abs pull downs – 5×20 – 150lbs

Diet was bad today. Only had a protein shake at around 10am, and then went to workout at 2:30 pm. However, I felt strong and the military press workout was great. Still have some more in me, maybe 5×5 with 155lbs (hoping…).

Day 4 – 5/14

Deadlift (sumo) – 5×3 – 305lbs – no belt

Regular Deadlifts – 3×3 – I just can’t get into right position

Good Morning – 3×5 – 135lbs

Hamstring on Ball – 4×10

NOTE: Sumo deadlifts felt OK, did not have any major problems. Still paying a lot of attention to positioning myself into correct position. Need to pull back more, so the shoulders are not in front of the bar. Also tried regular deads, it was a catastrophy. I just can’t get into right position at all.

Week 5

Day 1 – 5/16

Bench Press – 5×5 – 235lbs

Paused Bench Press – 3×5 – 185lbs

Hanging Cleans – 3×5 – 115lbs – straps

One Hand Rows (machine) – 5×10 – 70lbs

Dips – 3×10 (bodyweight)

Standing Calf Raises – 4×10 140lbs

NOTE: Benching still has some room (guessing 5-10 lbs). The hang cleans are still terrible, but I did manage to increase the dynamic element a bit.

Day 2 – 5/18

Squats – 5×5 – 295lbs (belt, blue wraps) – high bar

Pause Squats – 3×5 – 205lbs (belt)

Front Squat – 3×5 – 135lbs

I was supposed to do squats with 285lbs – my mistake. But, I was pleasantly surprised, because 295lbs went up smoothly and I had no problem doing 5×5 with that weight. The rest of the workout was fairly easy, I may need to up the weight for both front and pause squats. Diet was good today.

Day 3 – 5/20

Military Press – 5×5 – 150lbs – not as strict as last workout, but still no leg drive.

Close Grip Bench Press – 3×5 – 205lbs – this is getting easy

Pull Ups – 5 x8 (with bands)

Biceps Curls (sitting) –  5×10 – 35lbs

Triceps – with rope – 3×10 120lbs

Abs pull downs – 5×20 – 120-160lbs

Diet was ok, but nothing exceptional. Basically now I just eat regular meals, and not too many of them. The only supplement I take is pre and post workout. No protein or anything else. However, I felt strong and the military press workout was great. Still have some more in me, maybe 5×5 with 155lbs (hoping…).

Day 4 – 5/22

Deadlift (sumo) – 5×3 – 315lbs – no belt

Good Morning – 3×5 – 135lbs

Hamstring on Ball – 4×10

NOTE: Deadlifts felt fine. Starting to have little problems getting the bar off the floor, need to be more dynamic. Still, there’s some more room for 5×3 (guessing I could do 335lbs). Diet was better than usual, but nothing to brag about.

Week 6

Day 1 – 5/24

Bench Press – 5×5 – 240lbs

Paused Bench Press – 3×5 – 195lbs

Hanging Cleans – 3×5 – 105lbs – straps

One Hand Rows – 5×10 – 90lbs

Dumbell Shrugs – 5×10 – 90lbs

Dips – 3×10 (bodyweight)

Sitting Calf Raises – 4×10 70lbs

Abs Pulls – 5×20 120-160lbs

NOTE: Benching wend OK, I think I’ll be able to do 5×5 with 250lbs. Added 10lbs to my pause bench sets, last time it was too easy. It was still very much manageable weight. Had OK foods today, but nothing special and not too much of it either. Just normal.

Although it has earned a rather evil reputation because of what it does to muscle, cortisol is essential to life. Along with the catecholamines, epinephrine and norepinephrine, it’s considered a “stress hormone,” meaning that it enables the body to survive extreme stress conditions. One of the major ways that stress hormones work is their effect on fuel sources in the body.

When you’re under stress, whether it’s physical or mental, your body needs to marshal its energy sources to deal with the stress. That’s where the familiar term “fight or flight” comes into play. Stress hormones provide a rapid energy release to permit fighting or running, as the case may be.

The catecholamines are released more rapidly than cortisol under high-stress conditions. That’s because they are released from the adrenal glands through a more direct route than cortisol. In effect, epinephrine and norepinephrine are the rapid responders of stress, with cortisol being the backup. Even cortisol has a backup that might surprise you: growth hormone. Although GH is more familiar as an anabolic hormone, it also provides stress-relieving effects by promoting a breakdown of fat and stored glucose for energy, thus opposing some effects of stress, such as low blood glucose, as well as lessening the catabolic effects on muscle caused by cortisol.

Cortisol takes longer to be secreted than the catecholamines because its release is initiated in the brain rather than through direct nerve stimulation, as is the case with catecholamines. Stress is sensed by the hypothalamus in the brain, which responds by releasing corticotropin-releasing hormone. The CRP then travels to the pituitary gland, provoking the release of ACTH, which travels to the adrenal cortex, resulting in the release of cortisol. The combination of catecholamines and cortisol triggers the release of various energy sources, such as glucose from stored glycogen in the liver; amino acids from muscle, which travel to the liver and are converted into glucose; glycerol, which is produced from the breakdown of fat and can also be converted into glucose in the liver; and free fatty acids.

While cortisol is more often linked to increased bodyfat, it plays a duel role in that regard. Under certain conditions, cortisol actually encourages the release of fat for use as fuel via a pair of fat-breakdown proteins. Exercise is one of those conditions. The higher cortisol that occurs after exercise helps to release fat from fat cells, where it’s used as an energy source to power muscle protein synthesis and help replenish depleted liver and muscle glycogen stores.

Even so, the catecholamines are vastly superior to cortisol for fat breakdown, as they work directly on the fat cells, stimulating a cascade of enzymes that results in the release of fatty acids. That’s the reason that most of the so-called fat-burning supplements on the market are designed to trigger a release of catecholamines. Caffeine also promotes fat mobilization through catecholamine release.

While cortisol does contribute to fat breakdown at times, it’s more associated with an increase in bodyfat that’s most evident in cases of excessive cortisol release, such as with Cushing’s disease and when patients need greater doses of cortisol to control inflammatory diseases. Undergoing mental stress can lead to greater cortisol release and, ultimately, increased fat stores.

Excess cortisol can also produce insulin resistance, leading to type 2 diabetes, and it stimulates muscle breakdown as well as bone breakdown. Through its interactions with other hormones, particularly fat cell hormones, cortisol can influence both appetite and insulin sensitivity.

Fat cells contain an enzyme called 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, type-1— 11b-HSD1 for short—that aides the conversion of inactive cortisone into active cortisol, leading to more fat deposition, particularly in visceral, or deep-lying, abdominal fat. That’s considered to be the most dangerous fat and is linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Cortisol peaks in the early-morning hours, and some have suggested that taking in a long-acting protein—such as casein—before going to bed may offset that effect. While it’s true that amino acids do temper some of the catabolic actions of cortisol, such as muscle breakdown, there is little evidence that the normal early-morning cortisol is itself catabolic. More likely, cortisol peaks at that time to provide energy, since some energy stores are depleted during the night. Even when sleeping, you still need energy to maintain body functions.

Cortisol is lower at night, which some have suggested makes training later in the day more anabolic than early-morning workouts. People with trunk fat, which is a sign of excess cortisol release, have lower waking cortisol levels but higher evening levels. They also show increased cortisol clearance but greater cortisol production.

Having more inactive cortisone predisposes you to higher cortisol. Unlike cortisol itself, cortisone travels in a free, or unbound, form in the blood. When it meets up with the enzyme 11b-HSD1, which is found in liver, brain, muscle and fat, it’s converted into active cortisol. The body does provide an antidote in the form of another enzyme produced in the kidneys, 11b-HSD2, which inactivates cortisol.

Drug companies are currently working on formulas that will boost 11b-HSD2 as a means of controlling cortisol. That would produce both anticatabolic and antifat effects. In fat tissue the presence of 11b-HSD1 amplifies the cortisol 10 to 15 times above what’s circulating in the blood.

Not surprisingly, higher levels of 11b-HSD1 in fat cells are linked to higher levels of obesity, and fat people have more of the enzyme. The controversy among scientists is the classic chicken-or-the-egg debate: Do people get fat because they have more 11b-HSD1 or do they produce more of the enzyme because they’re fat?

One thing that is established is that having higher levels of stress hormones tends to encourage excessive eating. In response to starvation or even fasting, both of which the brain perceives as stress, stress hormones go up. In fact, those who follow low-calorie diets to promote longevity always have higher cortisol. When you drastically reduce calories for fat loss, your body will respond by producing more cortisol. For that reason, it is vital to increase protein when you’re dieting for fat loss to combat the muscle catabolism that would otherwise ensue from the increased cortisol. Cortisol promotes appetite, particularly for sweet, high-sugar, high-fat foods.

Cortisol itself does not directly influence appetite but rather affects other related hormones and brain neurotransmitters, including neuropeptide Y, which promotes carbohydrate craving and fat storage. Cortisol further encourages fat accretion by stimulating lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that breaks down triglycerides into free fatty acids. The free fatty acids can be taken up and stored back into fat cells. Catecholamines oppose that by blocking the effects of lipoprotein lipase.

Other studies show that cortisol increases bodyfat by stimulating the conversion of immature fat cells into larger, full-fledged fat cells. It further promotes both larger and more numerous fat cells, making it more difficult to lose bodyfat. As if that wasn’t enough, it also promotes the conversion of carbohydrates into fat, working in concert with insulin. Interestingly, free fatty acids released from fat cells and not oxidized are simply recirculated in the blood and then reabsorbed back into the fat cells. That’s the reason there is a difference between fat mobilization (release) and oxidation (burning). Simply releasing fat from fat cells is no guarantee that you will burn the fat, unless you exercise.

From a practical point of view, you can aid fat loss by controlling cortisol—by avoiding mental stress as well as overtraining—and eating more protein when you’re dieting for fat loss. Taking supplements that help modulate cortisol, such as phosphatidylserine, may also help in that regard.

As for 11b-HSD1, the enzyme in fat cells that converts inactive cortisone to active cortisol, you can lower its activity simply by eating a high-fat diet. A substance obtained from licorice, when applied topically, appeared to lower the enzyme in fat but also lowered the beneficial 11b-HSD2, thereby nullifying the effect. Another natural substance found in plants called emodin also appears to safely block the 11b-HSD1.

Original Article: http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/stress-body-fat-and-cortisol/

Unfortunately, for those who cannot handle life’s hardships, a long and horrible road to self-destruction can be all too common. It doesn’t matter how big or beautiful you are; if you are mentally weak, you will always be vulnerable to mental collapse. Personally, I refuse to ever be that weak again. Through hard work, discipline, and dedication I have successfully changed my mindset and strengthened my mental and emotional resilience.

An Interesting Journey

I love training and building up my physique. For twenty years, I was extremely dedicated in my goal to get as massive as possible. I was never a bodybuilder…I just trained like one. However, I always felt like something was missing. I could never pinpoint what I was lacking with my lifting, but it definitely seemed as if there was a certain emptiness to it.

Then, about eight years ago, I stumbled upon a book written by Coach John Davies and experienced a deep connection to the “renegade training” philosophy that he created. His system was about more than just lifting or building muscles. The heart of renegade training was about becoming mentally tough, a whole cerebral philosophy built on seeking out challenges and overcoming adversity.

It was then that I finally found what was missing in my twenty years of training: the mental aspect. Coach Davies’ philosophy had a strong impact on me and made me question how and why I was training. I was always physically building muscle and mass, but I had never thought about the psychological aspect of my workouts. I knew my training made me physically more attractive, but other than looking good, I didn’t see how my workouts made me mentally stronger. Training was supposed to make you feel more confident, but being self-assured wasn’t always my strong point. At different stages in my life, I was mentally weak and would give into fear. In other parts of my life, however, I could be a fighter with a very strong sense of will who would stubbornly refuse to quit.

In other words, I was inconsistent in activating my will and desire. I didn’t realize at the time that mental toughness was a skill that one can learn and develop. I soon became obsessed with the work of other mental toughness teachers, such as football coach Vince Lombardi, “Miracle On Ice” coach Herb Brooks, and wrestling great Dan Gable. What I learned was that perserverance can be learned through grueling and challenging work. Mental toughness training is not for everyone, but it should be because it is woefully needed in everyday life, inside and outside of the gym. Without mental toughness you are always vulnerable to breakdown, now matter how big you are or how good you look.

New Goals

Approaching the age of 40, I was overweight and had developed hypertension, but I now had a new goal for my training: to become mentally stronger than ever. In my quest, I started reading about the effectiveness of Crossfit and reluctantly started to incorporate those classes into my workouts at least once a week.

Most of the Crossfit workouts were heavily cardio-oriented, so I struggled mightily. In all my years of bulking up, I had never done any cardio. The only aerobic exercise I got was reading the sports page while pedaling very slowly on the bike machine. For me at that time, the workouts always seemed like a competitive race and, except for when that pregnant lady was in my class, I was always the last one to finish. Yet I also found that there was something new and exciting about this weekly training adventure.

Many people develop mental toughness by playing a sport, but I wasn’t a very good athlete growing up and had never played much. With Crossfit, however, I experienced real physical competition for the first time and found that I loved it. Haunted by past failures on the playground and reliving the shame in Crossfit classes, I defiantly took a stand: I was tired of getting my ass kicked.

I pushed myself harder that I ever thought my body could take. As physically fatigued as I was during the workout, my mind was not tired; instead, it was stimulated. I pushed my body, striving to be aggressive and relentless in my workouts. I had no idea what the hell I was doing or where I was getting this new level of determination and strength. In retrospect, what I was learning was how to activate my will. I was making the physical connection with my thoughts and letting my mind lead my body. I started to crush my times and finish not only first, but way ahead of everyone else. No one was more shocked than I was at my sudden burst of athleticism in my early 40s. I felt a sense of confidence after the workouts that I never had before (unfortunately, my strut didn’t transfer to the singles bars).

I give Crossfit all the credit for getting me into the best shape of my life by pushing me to a level that I never knew existed. Through all of the suffering, I began to see how vital the mental aspect of training was for me. Everybody else was stronger, faster, and more athletic than I was, but now I felt that I had an advantage…I knew I was mentally stronger than everyone else in the class.

The Greatest Strength of All

The stated goal of Crossfit is to get you in badass shape; it did that job for me and more. However, as with my bodybuilding workouts, I needed something more than just a physical challenge. In my quest for more stimuli to feed my awakened mental hunger, I started to create my own workouts with the priority of first challenging my mind. I didn’t invent a new system. In fact, I went back and did traditional full-body strength workouts and said good-bye to the isolation work that had dominated my first twenty years of training. I continued to do to Crossfit (and also Krav Maga) and kept pushing myself to do things that I hated and sucked at, like running and climbing rope.

Over the past three years, my goal in the gym has been to get physically stronger, but more important, I have also gotten stronger in my personal life. I believe that having the confidence that you can overcome any adversity is the greatest strength of all.

Problems of Teaching Mental Toughness

As a result of my personal growth, I have searched obsessively for more ways to address the mental game. I read as many articles and books as possible, and one deficiency I observed is that most of the literature out there on this topic is aimed at a professional athletes. However, my main criticism of just about all the mental toughness training I’ve seen is the emphasis on lame positive affirmations. Telling yourself that you’re a fighting machine over and over again is just a waste of time and gives you a false sense of security. You can say these positive affirmations until you are blue in the face, but once you have to throw down in an octagon, it’s more than likely you will get your teeth kicked in.

Other techniques in the strange world of mental toughness training include self-hypnosis, subliminal training tapes, and for thousands of dollars, you can also try brain wave-altering machines. I’m not making this stuff up; professional athletes will pay mega dollars to try to improve their mental game.
The harsh reality is that there is no easy way and no shortcuts: mental toughness is not for sale. The only way to get mentally tougher is to earn it through sweat equity in the gym and in the school of hard knocks (a.k.a., “life”). Everyone wants to be mentally strong, but very few are prepared to pay the price for it. The second half of this bad news is that you often have to go through some pretty awful shit to earn it too: it won’t be fun and it’s going to hurt. I wish there were an easier path to toughening up your mind, but only through suffering can one truly learn character issues that cannot be taught any other way. To put it in perspective, as scores of philosophers have observed from ancient times, the wisdom gained is well worth it the pain.

Tips to Help You Incorporate Mental Toughness Training

The good news in all of this reality check is that you don’t have to give up your current bodybuilding workouts. Adding mental aspects to your training can be very easy, and training your mind and body should go hand in hand. The number one factor that will determine whether you will become psychologically stronger is your determination. For me, I didn’t want it — I needed it. If you understand this statement, then you have what it takes.

Tip #1: You Must Believe That Perseverance is a Skill

As with any skill, perseverance can be practiced, honed and strengthened. Think of perseverance as a muscle: the more you work it, the stronger it will get, and if you don’t use it, it will shrivel up. If this all sounds too elusive, think of perseverance as your will. Your will is the transfer of your desire into behavior and it is powerful. A strong will can lead you to accomplish extraordinary things or can get you out of a terrible situation. Through constant testing and practice, you can gain a better connection with your will.

One of the best ways to practice activating your will is by working out. The more determined your will, the less likely it is that you will give up. Get it involved in your workouts as much as possible. For example, if you’re doing bicep curls and struggling with the last reps, instead of feeling “the pump” of your muscles, focus on engaging your will. See how many more reps you can get by mentally willing yourself to do more. It’s a slight distinction from what you already do; however, you should give more credit to your will for doing the hard stuff than to your body parts.

Tip #2: There is a Direct Relationship Between Your Mental Toughness Training in the Gym and Your Personal Life

Too many people separate how they train or what they do in the gym from how they live. They categorize “strength” as only what they can physically do in the gym. They may be very strong in the bench press, but are pushovers in their relationships and professional lives. They may have huge arms, but are mentally fragile. They don’t see the connection with how physical strength training can improve mental power.

With mental fitness training, you should strive to nuture the connection between what you do in the gym and how you live your life. The strength you feel at the gym should carry over to your inner strength when you have a job interview or a blind date. Your confidence should rise across the board and not only after you bench press.

The reverse is true as well – how you handle getting through an awful ordeal in your personal life should bring out the animal in you the next time you have to do a brutal workout. The goal is to have no separation between the activation of your will and whatever situation you face. Your will is blind and indifferent to the circumstances at hand. It does not discriminate between how much mental strength you must draw on to set a bench press PR and what you must do to get out of a life-threatening situation.

Your will responds by doing the same thing for either situation – it will overcome the challenge with aggression and relentless action. This aggression does not mean that you must become high-strung, violent, or frantic. On the contrary, you must be centered, methodical, and able to focus with complete determination. You are on a mission with only one goal – to get out of the mess that you are in.

You need your will to be available and ready to be called upon immediately, anywhere, at any time. You need to train your will not to care who your opponent is, but only how to whip that opponent with fierce tenacity. This is the aggressive mindset you need when you walk onto the playing field and when you walk out to face the unpredictable and cruelest of these games — life.

Tip #3: You Must Learn To Do What Is Uncomfortable For You

To develop a psychological edge, you must develop extreme discipline in order to leave the comfort zone that you train and live in. Delaying immediate satisfaction is the ultimate sacrifice that all warriors must choose. The feeble mind is all about the immature joys of the now and has no regard for the long term. To develop mental hardness, you must learn to do what the weak general population has not. You must deny the temptation of immediate gratification in favor of the rewards of the long haul. To separate yourself from the pack, you must put yourself into an uncomfortable state, and you must do this often, very often.

Going to the gym is one of the best ways to practice. Challenge your tolerance to physical and mental anguish by doing a high intensity anaerobic workout once a week. The best part about high intensity anaerobic workouts is that each set should last less than two minutes. These workouts also give your testosterone levels a boost, so you’ll also build muscle. The down side of high intensity workouts is that you literally learn what it feels like to almost die.

Twenty-rep squats, extended drops sets, and breathing squats are all classic old-school, brutal, anaerobic workouts that many of today’s lazy gym rats avoid. However, if they want something more hip to kick their asses, Crossfit is the newest trend. One of my favorite Crossfit workouts is called Fran. I like the simplicity of this workout because it combines two compound movements into one metabolic session. You load 95 pounds on a barbell and superset barbell squat to an overhead press with pull-ups, completing three sets of 21-, 15-, and 9-rep schemes in the quickest time possible, which means if you want to be an elite bad ass, you won’t have much time to rest. You can get big and ripped by doing this workout, if you survive the extreme breathlessness. If you want to test your perception of being a bad ass, Fran is good place to start.

Another simple but brutal anaerobic workout is the Litvonvi workout, created by Dan John based on the methods of a Russian hammer thrower. I highly suggest the Litvonvi for those who fear that cardio work will make them lose muscle. Like Fran, with the Litvonvi, you can gain muscle, increase testosterone and HGH production, and earn mental toughness points if you finish. In this workout, you do six reps of heavy front squats followed by a 400-meter run or 100-yard dash. Three sets and that’s it! It sounds easy, but this workout is extremely vicious. My reaction to the first time I did the Litvinov workout was, “God, help me.” It was by far the hardest workout I’ve ever done.
Now if this all sounds too intimidating, six sets of hill sprints is a fine substitute. As long as the anaerobic workout can wreak havoc on you mentally and physically, it has done its job. The good news is that the effect that you’ll feel isn’t all bad. Physically, you should feel spent, but finishing the gruesome workouts should be emotionally fulfilling. You should feel a great sense of accomplishment after reaching the finish, and mental toughness training is accumulative in that each victory builds upon the others.

A strong will is crucial to getting you through these challenging workouts. If you have no connection with your will, you will falter and fail. The fatigue that your body will feel will be excruciating, but remember, just because your body is fatigued does not mean that your mind is tired. Use your mind to will your body to be aggressive and relentless in the face of exhaustion. Learning to be mentally energetic even when your body is weak is a sign of an indomitable will.

Tip #4: Your Own Worst Enemy

As you begin the journey to empower your mind, you will be constantly tested. Your worst enemy will not be your competition; unfortunately, you will be most often be low-balled by your very own self. Your body will look for an escape route for what seems like the unnecessary pain it has to go through. For me, the actual physical pain wasn’t the most daunting part of the training, but the anticipation of it. Hours before the workout, I would be mentally drained from dreading what was to come.
To relieve myself of this self-imposed psychological torture, my mind would begin to procrastinate and look for excuses. I would always come up with logical reasons or rationalizations as to why I should ditch the workout. This process represents a mental chess game between you and yourself, and it is your job to distinguish between truth and lies. What IS true is that mental toughness training is not easy. You are preparing yourself for the worst-case scenario, and the pain you are feeling in the gym is nothing like the cruelties that life offers us. Feel shitty now so you can be stronger tomorrow; this is the stark logic of those in the mentally tough club.

You will need to learn how to identify and defuse many negative thought patterns during your trial of cerebral improvement. Challenge yourself to change the negative thought patterns into positive self-talk. Instead of saying, “I’ve got three more sets to go. I can’t do this,” say “I’m getting mentally stronger. I did five sets so three more will be easy for me.” Learn to reformulate the negativism to something reachable, specific, and with a possible solution. Instead of saying something cynical like “I’ll never find a job again,” change it to something positive like “If I spend two hours on monster.com, I know I should fill out at least five job applications.” Mental toughness is all about your thought process. Your thoughts can make you do what most would consider unconceivable, and this is what this training is all about.

Mental conditioning and discipline in the gym is only half of the process. Just as you need to face down discomfort in your physical tests, you also have to confront emotional stress and fear in your personal life. Make a list of things you have been avoiding or problems that you have a difficult time dealing with. We avoid confronting these issues because of the pain they cause us. However, the more we deny these negative issues, the more they have the potential to destroy us. We sit back and wish they go away, but they don’t. We become passive due to the fear that we overwhelmingly feel. Fear is an emotional response, sometimes irrational and often blown out of proportion, and life is full of disappointments and letdowns. It’s not easy to get over any shattering experience, but with guts and determination, you can get over any painful ordeal. When we don’t get what we want, the consolation is that we gain experience. This doesn’t seem like a worthwhile prize, but the adversity can enlighten you. It may not be obvious, but take a hard look at any negative experience as an opportunity for personal growth. Take in the life lesson and move on.

Facing your fear is a necessary quality to developing mental strength. By facing fear, you will learn courage. Absence of fear is a misconception; fearlessness is not realistic nor does it provide any benefit to becoming a mentally tough beast. Being threatened by fear is the catalyst for you to change, and confronting fear with brave actions is how you get tough. In summary, whether in the gym or in your personal situation, a tough mental stance will pay off in both places. Your goal is to be mentally invincible regardless of where you are.

Your Journey to Mental Toughness

In conclusion, you work hard in the gym to build a better body and become as physically strong as possible. Becoming mentally tough as well can help to sustain all of the work you put into improving your body and your strength, but more importantly, being mentally tough can improve your quality of life as a whole. It is a very challenging adventure but a worthwhile one. Good luck with your journey.

Original article: http://www.wannabebig.com/training/the-psychology-of-strength-incorporating-mental-toughness-training/

A: Jonathan Lawson and I discuss stage sets as one of our favorite X-hybrid techniques in Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building. We first tried them after reading about them in one of Ellington Darden’s books on high-intensity training back in the ’80s. So what the heck is a stage set?

You break the exercise stroke into three sections, and you do the hardest third first. For example, on lateral raises the top end of the stroke is the hardest. That goes from where the dumbbells are at a point even with your lower pecs up to where they are just above shoulder level.

So you do that top section for about six to eight “third” reps. After that you lower the dumbbells to about waist height and raise them to a point even with your lower pecs. That section of the stroke is the second hardest. Do eight “third” reps there.

Last you lower the dumbbells all the way—to where they are in front of your thighs. Now raise them out to waist level. Do eight “third” reps there at the bottom of the stroke. Your side-delt heads should be on fire.

If you’re using the 4X mass method, rest 35 seconds, then hit another stage set—and so on for four sets.

Obviously, the weight you use for a stage set will be considerably lighter than what you use for a normal set. If you’re using 4X, the first two rounds should be fairly easy—you won’t be struggling, but your delt pump will blowing up big time.

By round three you should be struggling to get eight in each stage. You’ll get a long tension time and unique fiber stress on every stage set. Your sarcoplasmic size should explode with new growth.

Another way to use stage sets is to do just one on the last round of a 4X sequence. You do three rounds, and go all out on your third—that is, get as many reps as you can on set three. Now reduce the poundage, rest 35 seconds, and do a fourth set, stage style. It’s a great finisher for just about any exercise because of the extended tension time.