It's common on blogs, to see blogger's achievements running marathons or dashing through the finishing line during a hot summer triathlon. I respect and applaud people who enjoy and participate in endurance sports or any form of activity for that matter. Specifically, endurance sports are difficult both mentally and physically. Immersing yourself in a sport you're passionate about is a wonderful part of life.
I hate endurance sports for a lot of reasons.
What I do is called power-bodybuilding, and I do it the old fashioned way, without steriods. I'm often asked "why do you do that to yourself?" or "what's the appeal?" I'll try to answer this question as well as outline some of what my training entails. I am not an expert or guru in any shape or form!! This is just my experience with years of training.
What is power-bodybuilding? It's an exercise philosophy that focuses on the gradual progression of strength. The general idea is that the stronger you are the bigger your muscles will become. This isn't always true but often times the biggest guys in the gym are also the strongest. Every workout I try and beat my previous poundages lifted or number of reps performed. Progress is tracked and recorded every single training session. I played no part in the foundation of this philosophy.
Why do I like power-bodybuilding? I am a very goal-oriented person. I like working towards goals and achieving a new personal record in my poundages lifted or physique changes (fat loss or new muscle) is exciting. Another reason I love to train this way is that it's one of the fastest protocols for achieving rapid physique transformation. I can be a little OCD and I hate waiting for changes to happen.
I love the peace and calm that I feel everyday as I finish a session of training. Problems are put into perspective and I feel like I reset my mind so that it's ready to face the struggles that will inevitably come the next day.
As I grow stronger or begin to look better, my confidence and self esteem are also fortified. Some may call this superficial and it very well may be. At the same time I feel like we are more likely to be happy the more we take care of and respect ourselves. We show appreciation for what we've been given. In addition, it's probably easier for couples to keep the spark alive if they invest time into keeping themselves looking their best for their respective partners.
Another reason I love training is what is known as the "pump." When muscles are working, they gradually become engorged with blood. Your muscles become bigger and harder, this sensation feels amazing. This state is temporary but it really feels exquisite, like instant results.
Another differenciating factor between power bodybuilding and regular bodybuilding is the focus on the big three exercises: squats, dead-lifts and bench press. The idea is that you will gain more muscle and strength focusing on these three exercises than any others. In addition to the focus on the "big three" I also do isolation exercises to augment weak spots in the physique. In short, I do free weights and machines but mostly free weights.
So why is it that sometimes you can't fit into your suit and other times you are fairly lean, why not just stay the same year-round? For most people losing fat and building muscle is not going to happen at the same time. Gym novices are the exception or someone who is just starting a new exercise protocol. For the rest of us the fastest way to put on muscle is to eat 1-1.5 grams of protein per lb. of bodyweight, start by eating 500 cals above maintenance. Make sure you eat plenty of carbs and fats with that. Go very heavy and keep each set intense (except warm ups). If you start putting on fat don't change your diet but workout longer or start to do a little light cardio. Getting a little soft (not a lot) but adding strength will result in the gain of muscle and strength. If you're not getting bigger or stronger add more calories. Play with it, each body is different.
After you've added some good muscle and fat, it's time to work on getting lean. You may ask yourself " why not get lean first and then add muscle?" For most people adding muscle takes a lot longer than stripping fat. For example, last year I lost about 10-12 lbs of muscle due to a severe illness. It has taken me close to 8 months of pounding the weights and food to put on the muscle I lost. After 8 months I did put on a little bit of fat as expected. I lost enough fat to see my abs in 3 weeks of dieting! Build muscle first, the fat will come off much faster.
I lose fat by creating caloric deficits. So to add muscle you need to add more calories than you are taking in and to lose fat you need to take in less calories than you are expending (not a universal rule but it's what I do). Converse relationship. The trick is to not create such a deficit that you start to loose muscle, usually, the faster the fat lose the more likely you will lose that hard earned muscle you just added. Many people like to shoot for 1-3 lbs/ of fat loss per week to avoid going catabolic (losing muscle). I actually lose anywhere from 5-8 lbs a week with minimal muscle loss. I have a few tricks for this that I'm not going to discuss right now. Not going catabolic is the key to a good cut, if not you will look like a prisoner of war, a mistake I have made more than one time.
So after you've bulked and cut, why not just maintain? You totally can but be aware that for people who aren't ectomorphs (naturally skinny people who usually have a hard time putting on size) it can be tough to maintain a sub 10% bodyfat level. It will require that you mostly eat clean (not a lot of sugar or carbs depending on how well one tolerates carbs). You will have cheat days or refeed days but mostly clean. I love food and I also love to cook and bake. I believe in working out all year but I think it's okay to add a few lbs during this season or that and live a little. I love training and living life but it's important to me to stop and smell the roses or down a plate of gravy cheese fries and a coconut cake once in a while. Depending on your social situation, it can also be awkward and annoying to always miss out because you are always dieting. It's totally you're call how you want to progress after a full cycle. I also never get in bad enough shape that I couldn't get fairly lean in 2-4 weeks time.
This cycle of adding muscle and losing fat is called "bulking or cutting" or" "off season and on season". From my experience it's the most efficient way to add muscle and lose fat, people who tell you you can do a lot of both at the same time are usually trying to sell you something.
Do you compete? No, I have not yet but it doesn't mean I won't in the future. For now, I do this for myself. Also, natural competitor's can't really compete with our drug using brethren. I would have to compete in a natural show.
Finally, I am not posting these pics because I'm trying to come off as a douche. I hope that I can inspire others to stick with their fitness goals and also to push myself to work on my flaws. I still have a lot of work to do to get to where I want to go but I'm mostly enjoying the journey. If there's anyone who wants any help or direction as it relates to fitness, do not hesitate to hit me up.
