#&#*@arounditis :) (nsfw)

[orangeblueorangeblue]

I'm not an IFer, but I have always found Martin's take on things refreshing in its focus on simplicity.

This article isn't new, but if you haven't read it, highly recommended. Some great tips for people who aren't gaining muscle/strength.

http://www.leangains.com/2011/09/****arounditis.html

Choice quotes:

I built my physique with these movements primarily: squats, deadlifts, bench presses, chin-ups, triceps extensions and calf raises. These have remained staples throughout the years. I have flirted with other movements, but these were brief periods.


No single factor in strength training receives so much attention, yet deliver so little in return. Don't play the fool who chases magic pills, thinking it will compensate for a lack of effort, a fundamentally flawed training routine or a poor diet.

If you're not grimacing, grunting, or experiencing some sort of discomfort, you're not training hard enough. One good set where you have to fight for the reps is better than a week of half-ass sets./quote]

[quote]If you can't see your abs, you need to unfatten yourself. Simple as that.

21. You're into "functional" training.

But you can't squat body weight and your "functional" muscle mass is non-existent. Unless you're an athlete with a very good reason, stay the hell away from anything that involves Swiss Balls, balance boards or pogo sticks.

23. You're working on your "lagging biceps", but you can't even do 8 chin-ups with good form.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Well, the board software obviously automatically censors ... :roll:

Here you go:

http://bitly.com/qw0jWT

[LeafUF]

ha, it censored the link, thats great.

I agree with your take on Martin, though I wouldnt go so far as to follow his leangains protocol I do like his take on a lot of fitness related stuff. And this was a good article of his.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

I have no issue with LG, it basically accomplishes the only known way to gain or lose weight.

That said, I just like breakfast.

[LeafUF]

Well LG is more than just skipping breakfast, in fact the part I think is more valuable is the carb/fat cycling on training and rest day. I know he goes into a lot of science on why fasting is great but I think at the end of the day its all about the calories and his system makes that work. With 4 rest days that are low cal/low carb and 3 training days that are higher cal/high carb ends up giving you a good deficit or surplus while maintaining or gaining muscle depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

There is also a guy in Japan named Andy Morgan (http://www.rippedbody.jp) who is using Leangains on his clients and breaks down the program in some ways better than Martin. His clients definitely get results.

[Dreamliner]

Well, notwithstanding certain of Berkhan's claims for fasting, there is nothing magical about IF. It works insofar as it's a convenient way of establishing a calorie deficit. And it's other practical advantage is that, as Berkhan says, it allows you to eat big when you do eat. All it really is is reduced meal frequency.

Undoubtedly, the reason why I am as lean as I have ever been is because I lopped off breakfast. There went 500-750 calories. And yes, lunch and dinner became bigger. But not enough to compensate for the calories eliminated by skipping breakfast.

Berkhan is a beast. And his testimonials are as impressive as you'll find on the internet. I think it's damning for the high-volume/high-frequency training cadre that their testimonials don't compare to those of Berkhan's. Brief, intense training is all you need. The strength and conditioning industry fairly runs after fads. The latest fad is every day training.

On the other hand, I very much doubt that you need to carb-cycle, take BCAA's and train fasted, as Berkhan recommends, to optimize your physique. And I further doubt that deadlifting is 'fantastic for hypertrophy.' I doubt that there is any such thing as a movement you 'can't do without' for hypertrophy gains.

Finally, I really favor Berkhan's emphasis on aesthetics, not on 'bigness.' Just yesterday, the feature article on T-Nation was essentially about eating big to get big. And as a matter of interest, the author's pic is posted. He's lean, not big.

[Dreamliner]

The reason none of my clients have to count calories is because, coming in, they are all eating five or more meals a day. So, all they really have to do is reduce meal frequency to reduce calories. It's a disarmingly simple concept. But it's almost like they needed someone in their life to, in effect, give them permission to eat less frequently.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

On the other hand, I very much doubt that you need to carb-cycle, take BCAA's and train fasted, as Berkhan recommends, to optimize your physique. And I further doubt that deadlifting is 'fantastic for hypertrophy.' I doubt that there is any such thing as a movement you 'can't do without' for hypertrophy gains.

To be fair, your goals are much different than his or mine or someone younger who's intent on having "big muscles," so to speak.

And he's pretty big, let's not kid ourselves.

[Dreamliner]

To be fair, your goals are much different than his or mine or someone younger who's intent on having "big muscles," so to speak.

And he's pretty big, let's not kid ourselves.

He's big primarily because he had the genetic capacity and likely not due to carb cycling, BCAA's, deadlifting, one gram of protein per pound, etc. The point is that all that is needed to coax out one's genetic potential is brief, intense training.

Further, he would be bigger than he is if he 'ate for it.' But he wouldn't LOOK as big as does now, because he's lean. Competitive bodybuilders prove that 'bigness' is, in part, an illusion. Bodyweights attributed to bodybuilders is the equivalent of the heights that are attributed to football players.

[LeafUF]

Dream have you ever seen a modern pro Bodybuilder in person? They are enormous. There is no illusion to it, they are freaking huge.

[Dreamliner]

Dream have you ever seen a modern pro Bodybuilder in person? They are enormous. There is no illusion to it, they are freaking huge.

The heavyweights are freaking huge off-season, especially when they carry a lot of fat. I'll granted you that. The smaller classes may weigh 175, competition, but they look huge in photographs.

Hell, people in those P90X after pics look huge. How much muscle do you think they added lifting light weights for high reps and getting out of breath ?

BTW, I recently read that the average elite make gymnast goes around 5-5 140.

[Dreamliner]

I seem to recall seeing where Berkhan said he was 6-2 195. That would make him too skinny to play safety in the NFL. But he looks huge to me.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Very few safeties are staying around 5% bf. :wink:

[Dreamliner]

Very few safeties are staying around 5% bf. :wink:

Probably not. But these days safeties are as big as linebackers. And they're probably under 10%.

I don't even know why I'm talking bodyfat percentage. Everybody exaggerates it. It's like college football heights.*

*ongoing rant

[orangeblueorangeblue]

probably because there are very few accurate measurements. I've seen 8% on caliper readings when there was no way on earth

[your_perfect_enemy]

I can attest to the no swiss ball argument. My friend was doing bench press or something like that on one when it blew out... he now has a rod medically inserted in his right arm while it heals

[He1sman]

Good stuff but I find it difficult doing these things without someone showing me the ropes, and I don't have the $$$ just to pay someone to do it

[LeafUF]

Good stuff but I find it difficult doing these things without someone showing me the ropes, and I don't have the $$$ just to pay someone to do it

How do you mean? A workout program or just the lifts in general?

[Itssaul]

The fact that these people still exist makes me happy, I stopped going to SW rec at UF because 80% of the people there are douche frat guys on their "abs" day or flirting with any bimbo there. Speaking of that's the other 20% dumb soroitute bimbos there to flirt, sitting on machines showing off their "skinny" selves but all I see is fat with very little muscle or bone.

I see guys wife awful form, doing awful workouts, and not even struggling.

When I go to the gym if I'm talking I'm doing something wrong, each set is a chance to improve myself and I always give it my all.

Just saying glad some people still understand working out is about making a better body, not making a better looking body.

[Dreamliner]

Actually, Berkhan (and I) preach *better looking* body and all other aspects flowing from that. I agree with his emphasis on aesthetics, rather than performance, as aesthetics is the easiest variable to control. All you have to do is shed a little fat and build a little muscle. And if you pare down the subcutaneous fat, it doesn't take a lot of muscle to look muscular.

Another strength of the aesthetics approach is that it is easier to control the way you look than it is to ensure good health. That said, when you reduce fat, your health markers generally improve, for what that's worth.

[LeafUF]

Berkhan is actually pretty damn strong. He posted a deadlift video a while back that I think was like 600 pounds. So pursuing strength actually leads to looking better. So long as you dont eat like a powerlifter.

[Dreamliner]

Berkhan is actually pretty damn strong. He posted a deadlift video a while back that I think was like 600 pounds. So pursuing strength actually leads to looking better. So long as you dont eat like a powerlifter.

Nobody's saying you're going to look better lifting pink dumbbells.

For Berkhan (and me), getting stronger in basic lifts is a means to an end, the end being looking better nekkid. Berkhan could probably care less about 'functional strength', whatever that means. But again, I disagree with Berkhan on deadlift and hypertrophy.

And as an aside, when I gotten to nearly double-bodyweight deadlift, it was STILL arduous lifting cumbersome objects. In other words, no apparent carry-over.