Heather Welsh, an incredibly fit mother and high-level CrossFit competitor, is on a mission. Not only does she want to be one of the best athletes in her region, she wants to be on the podium at the end of the 2014 CrossFit Games.
As a semi-professional athlete, Heather has a lot on her plate. She has to travel, train, and build relationships with sponsors. Her elite athletic endeavors might seem like enough to keep anyone busy, but Heather is also a mother, a teacher, and a coach.
Her ability to maintain a Games-worthy level of training and teach, coach, and mother is beyond extraordinary.
Heather’s fire to be one of the world’s best CrossFitters means that she has to stay ever dedicated to her training. Even on vacation, Heather has to find ways to come back a better athlete than when she left. This holds true even if there’s not a nearby gym or CrossFit box.
One of her favorite things to do when she’s taking a break in San Diego from the cold mid-western winter is high-intensity interval training. But don’t think for a second that Heather spends 20 minutes on the treadmill. Instead, she runs mountains.
Check out this intense outdoor workout and try it for yourself!
Heather’s Mountain Run Workout
Don’t think for a second that Heather spends 20 minutes on the treadmill. Instead, she runs mountains.
The Mountain
Half Way there
The Top
Sure running up a mountain would seem like enough for most of us, but Heather takes it a step further. On the trail are three spots that are steeper than others. Before each of these steep spots, Heather does 10 burpees and then sprints up.
These burpees and sprints help Heather jack up her heart rate so her run is even more challenging. Workouts like these help Heather build endurance so she can crush those brutal CrossFit WODs.
Even if you’re not a CrossFitter, you can do workouts like these to help you burn fat and increase your stamina. Mountain runs and hill sprints are a great break from the gym. Now that it’s spring and the snow is beginning to melt, take a break from the treadmill and hit the trails!
If there aren’t many hills where you live, you can still get a great interval workout. If you’re running on the road, use utility poles to measure sprint distances. You can also do burpees, jumping jacks, tuck jumps, or push-ups every 10 minutes or so to make your run more difficult.
Think strength and speed don’t belong in the same workout? Not if Ashley Conrad has anything to say about it! Turn up the pressure, don’t rest, and leave it all out on the floor in this brutal 25-minute burner!
Find out how one aspiring women’s physique competitor got to train with her idol Dana Linn Bailey! Once you’re done feeling jealous, try their intense back workout.
My parents had health problems from their weight and I never had a good example of how to eat healthy or exercise growing up. In sixth grade, I decided to change my life and not follow in their footsteps. I was 200 pounds and at that point of being morbidly obese, so I started eating healthy and lost 50 pounds in one year.
I started playing basketball in second grade and ran cross country and track from seventh grade until my sophomore year of high school. I got into cosmetology as a junior, quit basketball, and got a gym membership. I was a cardio girl initially and didn’t start lifting weights until January 2013.
After months of lifting and watching my body change, I was ready to see how far I could push myself and began my journey to the NPC stage. I had never been comfortable in a bikini, but I set a goal and achieved it. It took 21 weeks, a loss of 40 pounds, tons of dedication, and passion to get where I needed to be.
I worked hard every day and never lost sight of what I wanted. I trusted and loved the process. The body is an amazing creation and requires food to fuel it. Sticking to my meal plan was the best way to see results.
I found motivation from myself because others just let me down mostly. I always set new goals that were near unimaginable to meet at the time and gave it my all to reach them.
Bodybuilding.com honors people across all transformation categories for their hard work and dedication. Learn how our featured transformers overcame obstacles and hit their goals!
Unfortunately, due to my genetics my diet has to be 100 percent on point for my body to change. Diet is the key to see results. To cut body fat, I had to consistently eat clean foods five times per day.
To build muscles, you have to lift heavy. Girls shouldn’t be afraid of weights. I gave maximum effort and finished every rep during every workout. I enjoy working out, so it’s never a struggle to get to the gym.
I lift six days per week with one rest day. I do 30-45 minutes of cardio per day and hit core when necessary. I work shoulders and glutes twice per week because they are the most important muscles in bikini.
Leg Extensions (Single-leg) 3 sets of 15 reps (each leg)
What aspect challenged you the most
“Believe in yourself and what your body is capable of.”
I struggled mostly with dieting. Growing up and being taught to eat unhealthy is a hard trait to break. When I started to see results after sticking to my diet, it made every challenge I faced worth it.
My future fitness plans
My next show is May 3, 2014 at the Ronnie Coleman Classic. I’ll be doing figure instead of bikini because it suits my body type better and I enjoy the look more than bikini. As an added bonus, I get to lift heavy, which I couldn’t with bikini because I genetically build muscle fast.
Qualifying for nationals in 2014 is my main goal. I want to obtain my pro card before I turn 21 years old. I’m currently looking for sponsorships and modeling opportunities.
Suggestions for aspiring transformers
Believe in yourself and what your body is capable of. Never lose faith that you will get where you need to be and stick to your diet.
Diet and consistency are absolutely key. Do it for yourself and never let anyone persuade you to do something that isn’t your passion.
How Bodybuiding.com helped me reach my goals
Bodybuilding.com has the best prices and has made bodybuilding a more affordable sport. Competing is complicated and Bodybuilding.com simplified it. The site has several diets and workout plans that are easy to follow.
As Joe Weider and many others have noted, Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach wasn’t much too look at on the inside. By today’s standards, it was somewhere between a prison gym and a warehouse. But the work being done there was stunning to behold—particularly on heavy chest-and-back days like today, and particularly when Arnold was in the house. Here’s how author Charles Gaines recalled the scene in the book “Pumping Iron:”
“There is a quality of festiveness, a strong sense of celebration, at Gold’s that you don’t find other gyms. It has to do with pride. Many of the biggest names in bodybuilding are regulars&mdashFranco Colombu, Frank Zane, Dave Draper, Ken Waller. And hotshots from all over the world make annual pilgrimages here. More than half the winners of the big three September contests in New York will come from this one gym, and the people here know it. They know Gold’s is where it’s at. And they know why. It is mostly because of the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Austrian over there doing bench presses. He attracts the best because he states their case. They come from all over to follow his training, and also because he is the embodied articulation of what they do.
“The people standing around now watching his chest are looking at an idea made fact—a chest carried out of mind to absolute and final form. And there is another thing. Because he is a natural, cleaving as closely to this strange sport-art as a piece of Saran Wrap to a table, to watch him train is to glimpse immediately and vividly what is most real about the development of a body for exhibition. Other bodybuilders can read the true train of their commitment through him as easily as they can count the divisions of muscle beneath the skin on his chest.”
If you’ve made it this far, your commitment isn’t in doubt. Use it to power through this chest and back workout straight from bodybuilding’s golden age!
Technique: Stripping Method Immediately after your final working set, take some weight off and lift for another 5-10 reps. Then, with no rest, keep repeating this process. Reduce your weight, lift, reduce again, lift, and continue until you’re down to the bar. Once you’re down to the bar, lift for 20 reps.
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I was chubby growing up but really packed on weight during high school because I used food as an emotional support base. By age 17, my eating was out of control.
My parents were active, but their attempts to get me to exercise were useless. Then, one day, I was sick of being the funny, fat girl. I wanted to shop at stores with my girlfriends and get asked to prom.
My fitness journey started slow. I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes per day and cut back on junk food. When I saw the scale go down, I became more motivated to stick to it. My parents were thrilled and I was happy for myself.
During the next couple years, I continued to challenge myself on DVD workout programs, yoga, and spin classes. Fitness replaced food and became my new healthy addiction.
I’m much happier now and do whatever it takes to encourage others to make changes for the better. I’m a personal trainer and take great pride in transforming the lives of others.
In the beginning, I only utilized cardio for weight loss and switched between walking, jogging, and the elliptical. As I progressed, I added in circuit weight and core training and group fitness programs. I got my weight down, but lost lots of muscle from too much cardio and inadequate nutrition. I needed a new challenge and turned to lifting.
I thought lifting would make me big and bulky, but it actually gave me curves and wasn’t boring. I challenge myself by adding more weight and volume to stay continuously engaged. It made me feel strong inside and out. The confidence I gained from lifting is the biggest benefit.
Bodybuilding.com honors people across all transformation categories for their hard work and dedication. Learn how our featured transformers overcame obstacles and hit their goals!
Dieting is the most challenging aspect because I love food. It’s hard to turn down my favorites, but I’m not hard on myself anymore. I got over the fear that I will gain the weight back and let myself splurge on occasional cheat meals. Meal prep can be tedious, but it’s worth it.
“Be patient. It’s hard advice to swallow, but it’s the truth.”
My future fitness plans
I became a personal trainer in 2013 and it has been the most rewarding endeavor of my life. It allows me to challenge myself and gives me power to challenge others.
Maintaining health comes first, but I’ve become a more aesthetic-based trainer. I would never have dreamed of entering a bodybuilding competition before but am happy to say that I will enter one this year.
Suggestions for aspiring transformers
Be patient. It’s hard advice to swallow, but it’s the truth. You didn’t gain weight overnight and you can’t expect to lose it overnight. Keep your goal in mind and set small goals to stay engaged and hopeful. If you want to lose 50 pounds in six months, focus to lose 1-2 pounds per week.
How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals
Bodybuilding.com provided me with great supplements to fuel my body and is an indispensable source of education. When I first started lifting weights, I learned from Bodybuilding.com videos, tutorials, and the forums. I recommend Bodybuilding.com to my clients and will be an avid user for life.
When half marathons and steady-state cardio failed to deliver results, Kylie turned to weightlifting and competitions. See how her fitness transition torched unwanted body fat!
Jen was fooled by misleading food packaging and steadily added weight for several years. At age 31, she made a stand, lost 11 percent body fat, and competed. You can too!
Melody discovered the effectiveness of heavy lifting after giving birth to her daughter. See how she torched her baby fat and dominated her first competition in a ripped body!
Name: Joshua Dakin Email:Joshua.dakin@bodybuilding.com Job Title: Customer Service Representative Date of Hire: 12/03/2012 Age: 24 Height: 6’1″ Weight: 249.8 lbs Arms: 18 in Legs: 30 in Waist: 36 in
Look at him now and it’s a hard sell to believe that Joshua Dakin was bullied as a kid. Just imagine the pills of those bullies if they tried that trash today! Now that he’s a strapping hulk, crushing massive weight in powerlifting’s core lifts, no one gives him anything but compliments.
But back in middle school Josh was overweight, and bullied for it. He avoided sports and didn’t start a regular exercise routine until he was in high school. The gym gave him an escape from the trash talk, but he also found that in the weight room, he could achieve impressive feats and take control of his body for the first time.
“I had to find out how to train properly through trial and error,” Dakin says. “As high school progressed, it became clear I was abnormally strong—especially with deadlift and squat—compared to the other athletes and football players. I leaned down as time went by and became more interested in fitness because I liked that I wasn’t looking chubby anymore. I looked better, and as a result, I felt better.”
With his new physique and strength, Josh enlisted in the Marine Corps. Everything was progressing well until boot camp, when he fell ill with a severe case of pneumonia. That’s not the sort of environment where quitting is acceptable, so he refused to stop training. “I completed a 3-mile run with a 109-degree temperature, before finally collapsing, not responding to anyone,” Josh says. “That’s the last I remember before waking up in a hospital.”
The heatstroke caused by the fever damaged his internal organs. “They pretty much all were literally boiled internally,” He says. The incident and the damage to his vital organs led to a month in the hospital, another two months in rehab, and, unfortunately a medical discharge from the corps.
“When I came home after being discharged I was incredibly weak,” Josh says. “I dropped more than 30 pounds in the month after the heatstroke occurred and could barely stand for more than 30 minutes at a time before feeling like my legs were going to give out. This was the most depressing time in my life. I had to rebuild my body from scratch.”
He did just that, and three years later, Josh tested his hard work when he competed in his first powerlifting competition in Idaho. He didn’t know what to expect, but he ended up taking first place overall. That victory, and his new passion for powerlifting, set him on a course to join Bodybuilding.com and further advance his career in and out of the weight room.
QWhat is your position at Bodybuilding.com? How long have you worked here?
I am currently a customer service representative in the call center. I have been here just over a year, and honestly I love every minute of it. We take care of our customers.
What was your fitness level before working at Bodybuilding.com? What is your competition history like?
I was pretty active. I was lifting daily and sticking to my training routines. I will admit that my nutrition wasn’t that great though. I will say that I’ve significantly improved since I’ve been working here.
“To date, I have competed in four different powerlifting events. I also utilize some strongman exercises for conditioning, and I have my eyes on doing a bodybuilding show within the next year.”
To date, I have competed in four different powerlifting events. I also utilize some strongman exercises for conditioning, and I have my eyes on doing a bodybuilding show within the next year. I don’t really like to flaunt my strength. I try to not look like I’m searching for attention when I train.
What is it like working at Bodybuilding.com? How does it create a helpful fitness environment?
Honestly, it’s awesome! I love coming to work—even on my days off, just to train. The environment here is unlike any job I’ve had. Everyone is extremely supportive of their peers—especially the people competing or who have physical goals. We keep each other motivated and offer a hand to help one another out when possible.
What do you think of the new gym in the corporate office? Is it missing anything you need?
The gym is pretty sweet. I think we need more cowbell, j/k. But we could maybe use a prowler sled that we could push in the parking lot and a tire to flip when the weather warms up. Those are great conditioning tools; I found that they actually make conditioning fun, opposed to being on a stair-stepper for 30 minutes.
How does the Bodybuilding.com environment influence your health, fitness and appearance goals?
Our environment provides the support we need when we begin to feel overwhelmed. It’s honestly very cool that we have a job that supports its employees in this field.
Do you get asked for advice in the gym often?
I get asked about how to squat or deadlift properly almost daily actually! I don’t mind coaching anyone seeking help on their form. I actually take it as a compliment that they trust my opinion.
You’re still pretty young Josh, and are years from your prime. Do you think you’re on pace to maybe go pro some day?
In powerlifting, I honestly think I may have what it takes. I have some goals I’ve set this year and they appear to be on the horizon of being met very soon. If I meet them I may be able to compete on the pro level. If this happened, it would only be more motivation to train harder and continue to improve.
“I have some goals I’ve set this year and they appear to be on the horizon of being met very soon.”
Can you point out a moment in the gym when a co-worker asked you for advice?
What is your strategy when you are contacted by a customer? Honestly, paying full attention to the customer, just showing them we are here to help them to the best of our ability. Not a lot of companies allow their employees to do this and tend to be completely policy-driven. We legitimately care about our customers and will take care of them.
What is more important to you: looking good or being strong?
I like to try to balance it out. I’m not as ripped as some of the guys here, but I’m working on it. Being strong is a priority to me because it’s what I do, but I won’t use strength training as a reason to diet poorly and neglect basic conditioning. I want to try bodybuilding out because I believe these two goals can be balanced and will benefit each other if you know what you’re doing.
“Being strong is a priority to me because it’s what I do, but I won’t use strength training as a reason to diet poorly and neglect basic conditioning.”
Have you participated in the employee transformation challenge? How did that experience affect your life?
I am actually currently participating in it at the moment. I get compliments daily that I am looking way more lean and defined than prior. It honestly keeps me going, knowing I’m making progress. I’ve never made so much progress before, and it’s because of this support. It’s awesome.
Gym Rat Josh’s Lifting Regimen
Front Squat 2 sets of 10 reps (warm up); 5 sets of 5 reps
In the gym, in the ring, and in the office, this engineer lives the fit life Bodybuilding.com supports. Shay recently won Best Physique in our annual transformation challenge. See how she did it!
If you listen to conventional bodybuilding and strength training wisdom, you probably believe that lifting for size and lifting for strength are totally separate endeavors. For decades, gurus and gym rats alike have been parroting the same old “3-5 reps for strength, 10-12 reps for size” mantra, and few people seem to question it.
Know what? I think it’s bullshit.
Have you ever seen a guy with huge legs, a broad back, and a massive chest who couldn’t put up some serious weight? On the other hand, how often do you see skinny guys lifting more than the experienced bodybuilders? Sure, you’ll see a 180-pound monster every now and again who can bench 405 or squat more than 600, but for the most part, size and strength go hand in hand.
The truth is that training for size and training for strength are basically the same. Instead of thinking about any single rep range as a “strength builder” or “size builder,” use them all to your advantage to train every fiber in your body and elicit maximal growth!
The Multiple Rep Range Program
Beyond Periodization
Periodization is the practice of transitioning from higher reps and lower weights to lower reps and higher weights (and vice versa)—over the course of a planned training cycle. It’s an effective, proven technique that’s long been used by powerlifters, weightlifters, and other strength athletes. But I think there’s a better way, at least for the more physique-oriented trainee.
Since each rep range is going to affect your strength, size, and overall look a bit differently—and because one isn’t more valuable than another—I favor a routine that includes them all in every workout. Instead of transitioning from one rep range to the next, I like to constantly improve my numbers in a variety of rep schemes, only taking steps back when my body needs a break.
“Periodization is the practice of transitioning from higher reps and lower weights to lower reps and higher weights (and vice versa)—over the course of a planned training cycle.”
Keep in mind, this may not be the optimal plan if you’re specialized or purely focused on powerlifting, but I find it yields the best results for maximum muscle size, strength, density, and tone. If you want that hard, constantly flexed look that experienced bodybuilders all seem to have, then you need to use multiple rep ranges.
Your Main Lifts
Of course, we can’t talk about rep ranges and progression schemes without actually discussing the lifts you’ll be performing. Think you’ll get away with doing nothing but leg presses for legs, machines for chest, and wimpy pull-downs for back? Think again!
I know some bodybuilders claim they get better fiber recruitment and mind-muscle connection with machines. That’s great for super-advanced guys, but if you aim to gain slabs of muscle, you need to do the big, basic lifts which tax your body and mind the most and place the greatest demand on your body to grow! These basic lifts are the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press.
“These basic lifts are the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press.”
Don’t worry, you’ll do more than just those four movements in this program, but they make up the four cornerstones of your training. You can certainly pick variations as long, as they allow you to use lots of weight and make relatively quick progress! You can’t chicken-out and substitute light dumbbell lunges for squats, for instance, but you can pick between high-bar and low-bar squats, vary your foot placement, depth, and other factors.
The same goes for the other moves: You might do incline or decline press instead of the regular bench press, sumo deadlifts rather than conventional, and do seated instead of standing military presses. Just make sure you stick with one choice per movement pattern for at least a couple of months at a time, otherwise you won’t be able to gauge your progress and gains.
“Here’s a good rule: No matter which rep range you use, always aim to leave one more rep in the tank.”
Choosing Your Reps
The rep ranges you utilize will vary based on experience level. Most lifters do best with three ranges: 3-5 reps, 6-8 reps, and 9-12 reps. If you’re a rank beginner who still doesn’t have great technique and a feel for each lift, you need to increase those rep numbers a bit—to 6-8, 9-12, and 13-15 reps.
I don’t like prescribing one-rep max percentages to determine how much you should lift for each rep range because some people can do a lot more reps with a given percentage than others. So here’s a good rule: No matter which rep range you use, always aim to leave one more rep in the tank. This means you should never miss a rep in training unless you’re testing your max.
In general, you should finish each set feeling like you probably could have just barely put up one more. Trust me, you’ll do enough overall work that you won’t need to blow a gasket on each and every set. You want to stay somewhat fresh and ensure progression from one workout to the next.
“Bodybuilding” Work
While those four basic lifts are by far the most important aspects of your program, you still don’t want to leave out your accessory work. Weightlifters might call this “bodybuilding work,” but in my opinion, just about any athlete who needs to get bigger and stronger should do these movements. Accessory movements are things like pull-ups, abdominal work, calf raises, biceps curls, and the like. The point of these movements is to “fill in the gaps” left by the four main movements.
Skullcrushers
There are hundreds, if not thousands of different accessory movements you can choose. So your accessory work is basically up to you. I will say, however, there are a few rules to follow:
Your upper-back work should include barbell rows, dumbbell rows, pull-ups (not pull-downs), and maybe some shrugs if the deadlifts aren’t doing enough to build your traps.
For your arms, use variations on the curl, triceps extension, and rear-delt raise—don’t do the same movements over and over.
For lower body, you’ll need heavy calves and abs exercises as well as a couple of additional moves for quads and hamstrings. As much I love the squat, you’ll probably run out of steam too soon if you try to do nothing but squats for your legs, so don’t be afraid to use the leg press or hack squat machines once your core (and mind) are too fried to do another set of squats.
The Program—Finally!
Alright, here’s the basic template. The most important things here are the basic movement patterns, the rep ranges, and the progression of weight and reps from week to week. Remember, you can sub in other exercises or exercise variations as long as they meet the same goals. Rest for a couple of minutes or as long as necessary between sets, because these sets will make you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck!
Dumbbell Curls 4 sets of 10-20 reps (all the same weight)
Skullcrushers 4 sets of 10-20 reps (all the same weight)
The Progression Scheme
Since there’s no traditional periodization here, your progression from one workout to the next is going to be simple. For your main lifts, add 5 pounds to the bar for each rep range every workout. Once you’re not able to get at least the bottom-end number of reps for any particular rep range, take 15 pounds off the bar (yes, I said 15) and start anew. You will be able to get more reps immediately and, in a few weeks, blow past your old sticking point.
For your secondary lifts—and any others for which you’ll do four sets of 10-20 reps—keep using the same weight until you’re able to get at least 15 reps for all four sets in the same workout. At that point, you can increase the weight, but not by so much that you can’t stay within the 10-20 range for all four sets.
“For your secondary lifts—and any others for which you’ll do four sets of 10-20 reps—keep using the same weight until you’re able to get at least 15 reps for all four sets in the same workout.”
Finally, for all of the upper-back work, use as much weight as you can without sacrificing form or missing reps. Ideally, you’d use the same weight for all four sets, but don’t worry if you have to lighten the load for the third or fourth set to stay within the rep range. Once you hit near the top of the range for all four sets, it’s time to go heavier!
Let’s Go To Work!
Seems almost too simple, doesn’t it? But that’s how your training should be, at least most of the time! Far too many new lifters spend hours upon hours over-thinking their programs. Smart training is essential, but your progression should rely on consistent hard work, not some overwrought, pseudo-scientific program. The greatest lifters—whether they’ve competed in powerlifting or bodybuilding—have busted their asses with simple programs to reach their level of success.
Contrary to popular belief, you can make mass gains without also putting a lot of fat on your gut. Here’s how to get the best results from your winter bulking plan!
Fit couples use the gym as a place to connect and spend time together. If you haven’t trained with your other half in a while, here’s the perfect Valentine’s Day workout that will leave you both feeling great!
Name: James Grage BodySpace:JamesGrage Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 175 lbs Occupation: Co-Founder and Vice President of BPI Sports
Life isn’t always fair. Losing 50 pounds of hard-earned muscle and living with chronic pain isn’t fair, but fair is just another four-letter word that starts with “f.” I didn’t choose to be critically injured, but I don’t use my injury as an excuse. Your life and your body are what you make of them. Today, we’re going to make a pair of badass arms.
This workout, like any other, is more mental than physical. Training is about your ability to tune in to your body, focus on each and every single rep, and make every one count. That’s where growth occurs. When you’re uncomfortable, and it hurts, you force your body to adapt. Believe me, this workout will force your biceps and triceps to adapt.
Strong Arms Workout: Overview Watch The Video – 12:17
Strong Arms Tactics
This workout is built on two supersets and one giant set. Each superset begins with a biceps curl and finishes with a triceps extension. The final combo is a giant set finishing with back-to-back triceps exercises.
I don’t really like to rest; I like momentum. When I do these supersets, the intensity is high and my heart rate is elevated. I want to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. Too many times I see people go to the gym and just check sets off their lists. Make sure you train with focus and intensity. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. If you hit a wall, rest-pause, shake it out, and get right in your head again.
This workout starts with a short cardio warm-up. It lasts just long enough to get some blood flowing and get you mentally ready for the work ahead. I take this time to visualize the upcoming exercises.
“Each superset begins with a biceps curl and finishes with a triceps extension.”
I then warm up with chin-ups to prime my biceps and push-ups to prepare my triceps. I don’t do them to fatigue—just enough to stimulate the muscle. In between the push-ups and pull-ups, I do some light stretching.
Don’t take your warm-up lightly. Injury is no joke, unless you want to take a couple months off from training. There’s no need to jump in too fast, because trust me, we’re going to kill the workout.
He asked for a Jack LaLanne weight set at age 15, stepped on stage at 25, and built himself back up after a devastating car accident that very same year. At age 39, James Grage refuses to slow down.
All too often, life partners don’t commit to being gym buddies. It doesn’t have to be that way. Learn how to motivate your spouse to spot you in life and in the gym.
People don’t typically think of throwing high-intensity cardio right in the middle of their weight training, but in my experience, it’s a great way to work multiple athletic skills at the same time. In this rapid-fire no-rest workout, your cardiovascular endurance will be tested, expanded, and you will work on your strength, too.
Each exercise, from pull-ups to planks, is meant to be all-out, no holds-barred. There’s no rest between exercises and none between sets. Just keep moving. You can make it in 25 minutes!
Ashley Conrad Home Circuit Watch The Video – 12:01
FOUR ROUNDS, NONSTOP
If you know me at all, you know I’m not lying when I say this is going to be a tough workout. But that’s excuse to half-ass your warm-up. Since there is no rest in this workout, you’ll need to have your blood pumping before you dive into the four rounds I’ve outlined below. I prefer to jump rope as a warm-up, because there’s pretty much no better way to engage your entire body quickly and efficiently.
Workouts like this are really about throwing your body a curveball. When you come off the cardio round and you go right into the shoulder-triceps-biceps round, your body is still trying to recover from the cardio. It’ll be asking “what the hell?”—and don’t be surprised if those words come out of your mouth, too.
Go as hard as you can—in fact, harder than you think you can on the cardio rounds. It’s just six exercises, 20 seconds each. You should be extremely winded when you’re done with those rounds, but you’ll get more out of those two minutes than anything you can do on a treadmill or Stepmill for 40 minutes or longer.
Workouts like this are really about throwing your body a curveball.
For the strength rounds, you will be tired, so check the weight you use. I want the body to be tired so it has to work harder on the dips and curls, recruiting more muscle and building real strength. Going to a high rep range—up to 30 reps in the first strength sets—pushes your muscles past where they’re comfortable and floods them with blood, encouraging that full look everybody wants.
When you get to the last round, your body is going to want to rest, stop, and sit down. That’s not what you’re going to do. If you don’t have that same intensity, if you can’t explode off the ground like you were in Round 2, that’s OK. The most important thing is that you give it all you can for those 20 seconds, and then immediately move on.
When you finish this workout, that power that you found in yourself can be applied to every other area of your life.
I’ve trained celebrities like Bradley Cooper, Kate Hudson, and P. Diddy. My plan will help you get lean, mean, and cut beyond belief in only three weeks. Now that’s clutch.
Name: James Grage BodySpace:JamesGrage Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 175 lbs Occupation: Co-Founder and Vice President of BPI Sports
Hardgainers around the world! Unite and listen up: Putting on muscle and getting stronger isn’t as elusive or impossible as you might think. It’s not something you have to overanalyze. With a little diligence and consistency, anyone can pack on excellent size. Trust me, I’ve been there. The key is to have a well-laid foundation before you jump into the gym.
It’s easy to want to lift first and learn later, but if you want to avoid common mistakes and train to gain, you need to understand certain lifting logistics before flinging dumbbells around like your life depends on it. Follow these five simple steps and you’ll be on the path to big gains!
Step 1
No matter how great your genetics, gaining new muscle mass requires a lot of hard work and discipline. If you’re a hardgainer, it’s an even more formidable task. Putting on weight may start to feel like an uphill battle that you just can’t win, but that’s because you’re probably trying to sprint the hill when you should be jogging. If you want to get big, you need to have the patience and tenacity to tackle your goals.
Sticking to the right nutrition, training, and supplement regimen for an extended period of time requires intense focus. It’s easy to fall off the plan when one of life’s many distractions hits—and they always hit. Your level of motivation is the only thing that can keep you on track. A meaningful goal and clear focus is the drive used to fuel that motivation.
Find a goal that gets you excited. Maybe you’re looking to put on three pounds of lean mass over the next few months, maybe you’re eager to grow your quads to fill out your newest pair of jeans, or maybe you’re looking to gain the majority of your new muscle in your upper body. Whatever your personal vision is, you’ve got to set a goal and stick to it.
Step 2
Looking at the numbers might seem scary, but it’s a necessary step in the right direction. In order to see how far you’ve come, you need to know where you started. Break your goal into smaller mini-goals that are measurable and achievable.
Here are three easy ways to measure and track your progress:
Strength Goals
Strength goals are measurable and simple to track. Write down or track online the weights you use for each workout and each exercise. Do this for weeks, months, and even years. On days when you aren’t seeing progress in the mirror, seeing your back squat, power cleans, or Arnold press numbers climb will remind you that you’re making headway and will keep you motivated.
Tape Measurements
Do circumference measurements for your chest, arms, shoulders, quads, and calves. Set a realistic goal for growth. Don’t listen to the ridiculous cover lines on some of the magazines. You aren’t always going to gain three inches on your arms. If that were the case, everyone would have 21-inch arms. Just set small, doable goals.
Body Fat Analysis
Lean muscle mass is a great indicator of growth. It’s an easy number to track and a number that, if you train and eat right, will go up. Have your weight and body fat measured so you can track every pound of lean mass gained.
Step 3
Before I even talk about training, we need to address nutrition. This is the biggest stumbling block for most people and it’s going to separate you from other guys struggling to gain size. Believe me when I say that food is the most anabolic substance you can ever take. There’s nothing else you can put in your body that’s going to help you put on more muscle than proper food intake.
Let’s eliminate all the fancy nutrition jargon and dissect it into the basic nuts and bolts. It’s crucial to ingest adequate calories to grow, but counting calories can become tiresome. I prefer the backward approach: I track my protein and carbohydrates each day and let the calories fall into place from there.
My good friend—and four-time Mr. Olympia—Jay Cutler follows the same method. Jay may be huge but, if you ask him, he still describes himself as a hardgainer. His fast metabolism is great for staying lean, but it also requires him to consume a lot of food to maintain muscle. Each day Jay consumes about 1.25 grams of protein and 2 grams of carbohydrates for every pound of total bodyweight. This split leaves him with roughly 55 percent of his calories from carbohydrates, 35 percent of his calories from protein, and the remaining 10 percent from fats.
Jay Knows Best
If you want to gain size, you have to make sure you get enough carbs at the right times. The three most calorie-dense, carbohydrate-rich meals should be your breakfast, pre-workout, and post-workout meals. Here’s an example of what Jay Cutler eats at these times. Breakfast: 3 cups of oatmeal 2 slices of Ezekiel bread 20 egg whites + 2 whole eggs 1 scoop of protein mixed with ice and water 1 avocado sliced 120+ grams of carbohydrates 68 grams of protein
Pre-Workout: 2 heaping cups of White Basmati Rice 2 large Chicken Breasts (about 10 oz total) Handful of walnuts 1 scoop of protein mixed with ice and water 80+ grams of carbs 85 grams of protein
Post-workout: 50 grams of whey protein immediately after workout 70+ grams of simple carbs from Gatorade (roughly 40 oz) 15 minutes later
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t protein the most important building block for muscle growth? Yes, protein is necessary but, at 35 percent of your total daily calories, you’re getting more than enough. My macronutrient breakdown is slightly higher in carbs than your average “gaining program,” but, as Jay will tell you, correctly timed carbs are the key to growth for a hardgainer.
Your three most carbohydrate-rich meals should be your breakfast, pre-training meal, and post-workout meal. Post workout, your glycogen levels are depleted, making it the perfect time to reload. This is also the point at which I take my creatine and load up on simple sugars. I typically drink Gatorade, not the reduced-calorie G2. I actually want the sugars.
As for fats, go for essential, healthy sources like fish, avocados, and almonds. Proper good fats are essential for testosterone production, which is critical to getting bigger and stronger. Remember that you have to be just as structured and diligent with your eating as you are your training. I can’t emphasize this enough. Eat to grow.
Step 4
People aren’t exactly the same, and we don’t all respond to resistance training the same way. What makes one guy big might leave another with a torn tendon or ligament. Some guys can practically walk into the weight room, smell the weights, and gain size. There’s no one-size-fits-all plan, but the approach I follow is broad enough that it will work for all types of hardgainers. It all boils down to a variety of rep ranges.
Generally speaking, the ideal rep range for hypertrophy is 6-12 reps. For strength, the perfect range is roughly 1-6 reps, and more than 12 reps per set typically trains muscular endurance. Most people looking to build muscle train only in the 6-12 rep range, hoping for maximum muscle hypertrophy, but they miss out on the benefit other rep ranges offer.
If you can move heavier weights with proper form, it makes it easier to get bigger. For this reason, I like to focus on building strength with 4-6 reps per set one week out every the month. The following week, I switch to 8-12 reps. Then, on the third week, I lift in the 12-18 rep range using strict form and going for maximum muscle pump.
“Generally speaking, the ideal rep range for hypertrophy is 6-12 reps.”
When I train with slightly lighter weights and high reps, I get the best pumps—the kind that make your muscles and skin feel like they’re going to rip. This “muscle pump” or swelling of the muscle cells, can result in greater protein synthesis and overall greater muscle size. I also believe a big pump helps you grow because it can stretch your muscle fascia. The fascia is a thin layer of tissue that holds your muscle together. The more you stretch that layer, the more room there is for your muscle to expand and grow.
Think of a balloon. If you blow it up and let the air out, it’s easier to blow up the second time because you’ve already stretched it. Just like a lot of air in a balloon, a big muscle pump stretches the fascia and makes room for future growth.
I think stretching is grossly underestimated because, in addition to helping prevent injury, it can also help you grow! I used to train with an old hardcore bodybuilder who would use a rubber mallet and a wood rolling pin to massage his muscles between sets. Try this yourself with a rolling pin or foam roll. You can’t even imagine the insane pumps you’ll get training this way!
Sample 3-Week Rep Rotation For Biceps
Warm up, stretch, and focus on form. Don’t lift with your ego!
Barbell Curl 1 warm-up set of 12-15 reps; 3 sets of 4-5 reps
“Think of your supplement regimen as the icing on your gains cake.”
Step 5
Think of your supplement regimen as the icing on your gains cake. It will help you increase and accelerate your results. Notice that I listed supplements last. While they’re an extremely important part of the equation, they don’t belong at the forefront of your weight-gain strategy. Supplements exist to support your diet and help you take things to the next level. There’s no magic bullet for getting big.
3 Basic Mass-Building Blocks:
Protein Powder
I drink at least two protein shakes every day, each with 30 grams of whey protein. This helps me get 60 grams out of the 218 grams that I need on a daily basis. There’s always a debate as to what type of protein builds muscle better—whey isolate, whey blends, casein, egg, etc. I prefer a high-quality whey blend which tastes great. Since you’ll be drinking it every day, taste is an important factor—you want something that you enjoy drinking, otherwise you won’t do it consistently.
Creatine
Creatine is the most studied and scientifically sound muscle builder in the world of sports supplementation. In simple terms, it helps improve volume, strength, and recovery. I’ve tried various types of creatine through the years, but the one I prefer is a capsule of creatine monohydrate and creatine hydrochloride. I get the benefits of creatine mono, the king of all creatines, plus the absorption benefits of the HCL. The capsules make for a convenient and easily dosed delivery system.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
BCAAs support muscle protein synthesis and decreased protein catabolism. In short, they are great for recovery after a hard workout and help build lean tissue. The version I take utilizes peptide-linked aminos, or oligopeptides, as well as agmatine.
BIG FINISH
When it comes to getting big, one of the most important things to remember is that you have to make every workout count. Each and every time you step foot in the gym, you have to get your head in the game. You need the proper mindset to push past your comfort zone and do battle. I like to take a pre-workout before my workouts for that very reason. A pre-workout product delivers the extra energy and intensity I need to get the absolute best results from my training.
Remember that, when it comes to getting bigger, it’s the sum of the parts. Nutrition, training, and supplementation all play a role, but a successful plan requires the discipline and fortitude to execute it. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither are the best physiques in the world.
He asked for a Jack LaLanne weight set at age 15, stepped on stage at 25, and built himself back up after a devastating car accident that very same year. At age 39, James Grage refuses to slow down.
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