What do you WANT from your workout?

If you want to build strength and size, REAL strength and size that will stay, I've never found anything that build up muscle quite like a simple, brutal regimen of 4 day a week heavy lifting for no more than 20 minutes a day, like this:

Day 1: Squat.
Full squats with a rack.
Go down below parallel.
Head UP!!! I like to make a mark on the mirror in front of me right at eye-level, and then keep my eyes on that spot as I rise and fall. This will keep your back aligned.
Day 2: off
Day 3: Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Take two dumbbells off the rack, stand with them at your side, and clean them to your shoulders.
Now press straight overhead
Lower back down, and lower all the way to the floor. Repeat.
Day 4: off
Day 5: Deadlift
Straight bar on the ground or on a platform
Alternate hand grip (one hand facing forward, one backward)
Keep your eyes up and your ass low, and come straight up with it
Day 6: off
Day 7: Pull-up
Whatever type is easiest for you (overhand, side, underhand)
You don't need a full range for this. If you lower to where your arms are still slightly bent, that's OK.


Notes:
Do all sets in a pyramid with a minute or two in-between, and as a superset at the end. Use a weight for each set that feels comfortable, but challenging
1. 8 reps+ (I like to do a LOT of reps on the first set for squats)
2. 6 reps
3. 2-4 reps (this should be right at the edge of your maximum... with pull ups, use a weight belt or hold a dumbbell between your feet).
Now superset on down from your max lift, resting only to change weight.
Eat right, rest, stretch.
Stretch AFTER lifting, not before.
Warm up a little first. Don't over do it. Walking on a treadmill or elliptical for 5 minutes is enough.
Breathe deep during all lifts, and find a groove. Don't hold your breath to try to lift more. Breathing deep will give you more power, and work your core better.
Go to the gym when your energy is highest.
Don't use wraps. Lift to your maximum with perfect form and ALWAYS keep your head up and balance dead-on.
Finish each round of lifting with a Farmer's Walk to build endurance, power, and willpower.
If you have a heavy bag in your gym, do a few rounds of open-handed strikes. Don't use a closed fist, as this can fuck up your wrist. Simply strike the bag with as much force as you can with the heel of your hand. This uses all the power of your lower body and lets you hit with more force than you think you have. Nice ego boost.
Just find the heaviest dumbbells you can handle, put them on the ground at either side, and deadlift them up so they are hanging at your side. Now walk. Slow. Walk as far as you can until you have to set them down. Breathe. Shake it out. Now lift again and walk. Find a circuit where you can walk to one point and back in 3 lifts total.

Do this every week, and you will build power in your legs and core, which will stimulate growth in your whole body (when you build the largest muscle groups, the smaller muscle groups grow faster).

You will also get a huge endorphin rush, and increase your testosterone levels as you build muscle.

Whatever you do, do NOT fall into the trap of lifting to build certain body parts. It's a waste of effort and a sure way to get injured if you do not have a good base of strength first.

One Love,

Sean
(max squat, 445, max deadlift, 465. no max bench because benching is for gay douchebags.



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_QvsYLJwmI[/youtube]

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Sean Messenger
http://LVo3.com

"War is not the answer. Love is."

whats wrong with benching sean?

good workout, totally works out your core muscles, but you should add in the bench press

bench, deadlift, and squats will make create the ultimate body

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I'm addicted to facing my fears.

Good video. What are your thoughts on supplements?

I have to say great, although i am still gonna keep bench press.
Why? Because the reason squats are so effective is because it works your legs, the biggest muscles. That releases the most hormones for muscles growth. Where apart from squats can u work large amounts of muscle mass? bench. Pecks, shoulders, tricepts.

Dont you think you should just do ALL compund exercises sean?
How about the 300 workout, its very similar...

Madals

COOL. I like Dinosaur-style minimalism.

(Then again, I'm a kettlebell-using PTTP-kinda guy!)

Keep kicking ass, dude!

I don't like benching because it's a totally unnatural exercise and puts you at real risk for injury. Your shoulders are in a comprimised position. Plus, most gyms really over-emphasize this move (there's tons of benches, but 1 or 2 racks). If you work squats and deadlifts, you are hitting the largest muscle groups the hardest, and creating max hypertrophy.

And there's a reason olympic lifting never included any exercise with the pecs as the major muscle group. It's not a time-effective way to build strength and power.

If you take the time most people spend benching and instead focus on basic compound lifts for the body, you will get bigger and stronger faster than other people.

IME, most supplements are a waste of money. I know dudes who spend tons of money on supplements, and forget the whole idea is to put in work and get rest. If you get plenty of protein and rest, you will get big. I went from a skinny kid to build (like, from 120 lbs to 200 lbs in 3 years) with just iron, tuna fish, and as much food as I could eat.

Creatine will give you a good pump and help you work out harder... but that's risky too cos you'll want to work out LONGER instead, and then you really risk hurting yourself and overtraining.

Halve your workout time, and double the intensity, and you'll see results.

_________________
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Sean Messenger
http://LVo3.com

"War is not the answer. Love is."

Dude, where were you 12 months ago when I was destroying my shoulders on the bench!

It's all true guys, don't push for max weight on the Bench, you will most likely hurt your shoulders. Plus it's an ego thing, and that's never healthy in the gym.

Benching is a compound exercise though.

Got any preferred methods on Cutting?

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afc-challenge-to-the-masters-social-anx ... 10108.html

I've found that incline and decline benching are better than flat benching, but they're still hard on the shoulders for sure. Any excercises that you'd recommend for toning your pecs? Yours are something to behold, so you must have some secrets!

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"The 'Brick Walls' are there to allow you to prove how badly you want something!" ~ Randy Pausch

~ Rye

I'd recommend doing chest flies using dumbbells on a bench but to not overdo it with the weight. I've never had any issues with my shoulders when benching but I've found that using dumbbells for regular and incline presses, increase my strength and helps with toning.

squats not only work out your legs but all your core muscles. lower back muscles, abs, groins, the ass, and every little nook in cranny between your ass and your crotch. it's great.

for toning up on the pecs (besides bench) i do pushups inbetween sets of flies and pull ups. i also found intensive swimming to be great muscle builder, it makes your pecs all square-ish and shit. it also makes your lats huge and gives you explosive kick power.

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I'm addicted to facing my fears.

moved thread from the lounge to health & fitness

Thanks mate.

For the questions about working pecs, if you do dips, you don't really need much else. Pecs aren't supposed to be big. Chicks don't really look for that, and it's not a sign of good general strength or fitness. The more you focus effort on the core muscles, the faster you will get results.

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Sean Messenger
http://LVo3.com

"War is not the answer. Love is."

i'm pretty tall, and sometimes my knees will be bother me for squats. if that happens, i'll do weighted lunges. you guys should give those a try, they will fucking murder you.

Surely you must need to do bench in order for your body to be balanced.

I do:
Bench = pecs/shoulders/triceps
Shoulders = Shoulders/triceps
Pull ups = back lenghten/biceps/obliques
Seated rows = back thicken/biceps
Squat = Quads/hamstings
Deadlift = Hamstrings/lower back

I use very light weight and count 5 seconds during negative movement and 4 seconds during positive movement. The reason being that you build more muscle on negative movements than positve. Around 8 reps 2 sets. This way the weight remains light you can concentrate on technique reducing risk of injury.

This is high intensity training and is very effective. Google Mike Mentzer and Casey Viator.

Sounds quite easy and when you see someone struggling with tiny weights you think i could do that. Trust me it is hard as.

for bodybuilding, maybe. IME, doing chest work just gives me big man titties.

and in all my years lifting, including lifting for college sports, lifting at the same gym as the Boston Celtics, and lifting at the fancy dancy Stanford football team gym, the best athletes, the strongest and fittest and best-looking, do almost zero benching of any kind.

it's really not terribly functional strength. if you want to develop a good-looking chest, skip the bench and do a ton of punching.

_________________
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Sean Messenger
http://LVo3.com

"War is not the answer. Love is."