This blog will inform you about all kinds of food.
It'll teach you to make the right choices, and feel great about them.
By making these choices I personally guarantee you will perform better in the gym, stay healthier throughout the year, and get stronger both physically and mentally.
I might even give you a few recipes to try.
And on top of all that, I promise it'll be fun to read =].
Well, I figured it was about time to create my own little place to write about my journey into becoming a competitive Olympic Weightlifter. My new blog is called liftm0re, and will serve as a place where I put insightful/poetic observations and thoughts related to training, PR's, failures, competitions, workouts, and basically anything related to this crazy lifting lifestyle.
It won't be quite as "factual" as The Food Guru, but hey, that might make it more fun to read in the long run anyway. I'd really appreciate if a few of you checked it out, and if you like it let me know. The more feedback, the better.
This also means I won't post Oly lifting stuff on The Food Guru anymore, so it's a win win for people who don't want to read about it....hah.
Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoy it, and thank you so much for the continued support.
Body fat seems to be the enemy of 90% of gym-goers these days. They don't lift to get strong, they don't run to get fast, and they most certainly do not pedal on that spinning machine to train for their next summer bike trip. No, they lift, run, swim, bike, squat, pull, and jump to get LEAN. They want those rippling abs, popping veins, and to fit into those size 1 jeans. It's become an obsession, and in my opinion, it has gone too far.
Sure, there are exceptions. Some people go to the gym for different reasons. But those "honest to goodness" gym-goers seem to be getting scarcer and scarcer. I have to ask, what gives? I lift because I love lifting, and love feeling strong. I eat healthy because I want my body to perform at top notch levels (a "champion" level, actually), and if I maintain a lean, muscular frame as a result of that, so much the better. So many people torture themselves to eat so cleanly they're basically grazing with the cows, and run for so long that one of these days they might forget their legs on the treadmill. All in the name of 7% body fat. Listen, I'm about to drop some knowledge on you that might surprise you:
Some body fat is actually HEALTHY! Anywhere between 7-15% is healthy for a male, and 10-20% is healthy for a female (by the way, body fat percentage means the total percentage of body mass you have that's not LEAN body mass. Lean body mass is muscle, bone, and all other essential body mass. Body fat is excess adipose tissue.) Sure, that may seem pretty low if you're an average, slightly overweight middle aged person, but the upper end of this range is extremely achievable through regular exercise and a clean, balanced diet. And the lower end is still EXTREMELY achievable if you're determined. Remember, you get out what you put in. There's no magic trick, but I've given you hundreds of tips and tricks at this point to get started. So if you're confused, scroll through my articles for workout ideas and awesome diet advice.
But you have to ask yourself. Is maintaining 7% body fat really what you want? Sure, it may be nice to look shredded for a month or two, get some good pictures in, but let me tell you something, to get as ripped as this:
takes pure, unfaltering dedication. Can you do it? OF COURSE! But if you ask Kane Sumabat (the guy in this picture, who is sponsored by Controlled Labs, a very successful supplement company), he'll tell you how crazy his workouts are every day, how incredibly strict his diet has to be, and what his life is like (FITNESS FITNESS and MORE FITNESS). This is his life. And while it's possible to get cut like him, it may not be worth it to the average individual. And that's completely, 100% OK. You can be at 15% body fat and look GREAT. Heck, you can even be a little higher than that, and look darn good. It's all about your diet, your dedication, and what you put into it. If you eat clean and work hard, you will look good, no question about it. NO...QUESTION...ABOUT IT.
But wait, am I overlooking some crucial advantages to fat loss? Listen, fat loss can be extremely important. If you are overweight, trying to lose fat is an extremely reasonable and intelligent goal. It can help you live a much longer, healthier, more enjoyable life. But don't forget about the other things the gym represents. It's a place of self trial, and new challenges.
So here's what I suggest: Don't JUST run to lose that gut, run to be the fastest you can be. Don't just lift because you were told to by some stupid article online, lift to be a strong, powerful, impressive individual. Set goals for yourself. Jump higher each day, try to squat a little more, run a little faster for a little longer. Don't think so much about the fat, or being 100% shredded, just try to be the best. The weight will come off, you'll look amazing, and you'll BE amazing too. So what if you're not 2% body fat. If you can out-sprint everyone else, if you can throw more weight over your head than all those other hulking guys, if you can do more burpees in one minute than any other girl, no one will care that you're not some perfectly sculpted bodybuilder. You're strong, you're fast, you're a BEAST.
Don't go to the gym to be the thinnest. Go to the gym to be the best there is, was, or ever will be.
I've said time and time again, if you want to get stronger, faster, bigger, leaner, more powerful, and look like you actually lift weights, get under the bar and do some squats. Seriously, you can read this article later! go hit up the squat rack for a few sets of heavy triples!
And now that that's done, let's talk about why next time you run off to the gym, you should try putting that heavy bar on your shoulders instead of your traps. What the heck am I talking about? FRONT SQUATS! The ultimate total body squat exercise (save for overhead squats, though those can be a little harder to jump right into). I'm not kidding, back squats and front squats are two completely different beasts. To put it in perspective, I can easily rep 280 lbs for a set of three back squatting, then after a minute or two I'll be ready to come back and hit it again. When I approach my max in front squats (which happens to be about 80% of my max back squat), I literally need to compose myself for quite some time between sets. They absolutely drain you, and work your body to a whole new level of fatigue. Don't be scared though, because after a set of good, deep front squats, you'll walk away from that squat rack feeling like you REALLY pushed yourself, and nothing feels better than that.
So what's a front squat look like? Well, before I attempt to explain via text on a page, I'll show you a video:
This guy definitely knows how to front squat, great depth, great flexibility, and INCREDIBLE strength from the very rock bottom position. Can you do this? Absolutely, though obviously we'll start off with a little less weight.
First step in a front squat, approach and grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width. This will ensure your upper back is as tight as possible, and will fight your urge to "hunch" in the bottom of the squat. Second, bring your elbows down under the bar, and push them forward until the bar is resting on your deltoids (shoulders). Make it tight against your throat. Don't worry about breathing problems, and if you are choking just a little, LOOK UP. It will clear your airway. I'm serious here, you want that bar tight against your neck, keep it close to you.
Now, un-rack the bar with either both heels under it or in a split position (just make sure you're not using your toes to lift the weight off the rack). Step back with a couple slow, very controlled steps, and get your feet into a position that's either shoulder width or slightly wider (I go a little wider because I have very long legs).
Now this is important. You may have learned to keep your legs parallel and your toes pointing straight forward. If you do this in a front squat, you'll dump the bar. Front squats require you to remain UPRIGHT in the bottom position, and therefore they might feel a little weird at first. To accomplish this upright position, the first thing necessary is to point your toes at an angle slightly outward. When it's time to descend, lock in your lower back, and instead of pushing your butt "back" like so many personal trainers might have told you, push your knees OUT and start to descend between your hips. This may take time to get right, and you'll need to build up some hip flexibility to get it right. STAY ON YOUR HEELS. Don't go onto your toes, or your knees will punish you. Keep going as deep as you can, continually pushing your knees out, and staying on the outside of your heels. Once you're as low as you can go (hopefully at least below parallel), drive with your heels, quads, and glutes, and try to stay upright. A little forward lean is expected under heavy loads, but try to keep it minimal. Oh, and don't let your knees buckle inward! Push them out with all your might! Once you're standing again, feel free to do another.
Now I keep saying to remain upright, but I haven't told you two EXTREMELY important tips to doing so. Firstly:KEEP YOUR ELBOWS UP! Don't let them dip. Keep them parallel to the ground (I mean your upper arm here, your elbows shouldn't point toward the ground at any time in the squat.) Second: FLEX YOUR CORE!!!! Front squats are one of the greatest core exercises of all time BECAUSE they require you to keep your core extremely tight to stay upright. You have to clench your abs with everything you got, even before you start the squat. Don't even THINK about heading down until you make sure your abs are TIGHT. The requirement for a strong core is much moreso than in back squats.
Here's a picture:
Alternate Grip: If you're having trouble with the classic Olympic grip, you can try the cross arm grip. You're still balancing the bar on your shoulders, but your grip looks more like one of those russian "hooplah" dancers, if you know what I mean. If you don't, here's a picture:
I honestly don't like this grip too much, and if you do any sort of Olympic lifting, even as an assistance exercise, DON'T USE THIS GRIP. But for those of you just starting out, or just doing front squats for the fun of it, feel free to try it out. Some people like it much better.
So there's your intro to the front squat. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend hitting this exercise ASAP! You won't be sorry. The gains possible off of front squats are enormous, and a lot of people have found that if they've plateaued on back squats, front squats can push them over that stall point and keep their numbers going up. As far as Olympic lifting is concerned, the front squat is MUCH more applicable to the lifts than back squats, because you're forced to stay upright (and every single time you clean a heavy weight, you have to front squat it up...see the relation). Hit the gym and try these bad boys out and you'll look and feel like an absolute monster!
Squat deep, squat heavy, stay tight, and GOOD LUCK!
Well, this is it. I've told you all how to set goals, how to eat right, and how to train hard, and now my friends it's time for me to follow my own advice. I'm going to try to take this weightlifting thing to the next level, and qualify for nationals in a year of serious training. I figure since this is my blog, I can record my own progress amongst all the helpful advice, right? Hey, maybe if a few people see it, I'll not only get a couple supporters, but I'll be forced to stick to my goals as strictly as possible. Not that I'm not already determined as hell.
I've gotten in with a very well renowned coach, who's name I'll leave out for now, as I don't consider myself a good enough athlete to be officially affiliated with him as of yet. When I make him proud, I'll let you know who's responsible for my (possible) success. He's the real deal though folks, a man who's trained champions, and who knows how to get people strong. Starting today I'm off my own lifting program, and onto his. Oh boy.....
I won't let you know the exact details of my routine, sorry. It's nothing personal, but sometimes things designed by the real pros are meant to be kept secret, at least a little, right? I mean come on, even today no one knows the real nitty gritty details behind the Bulgarian method of training which produced so many great champions, and that was over twenty years ago! Sometimes the greatest things aren't meant to be shared with everyone. It's like a magic show, you see the fantastic results, not the inner workings.
But let's get down to business. In the next three months, I'm going to need to squat up to 160 kg, and improve both my snatch and clean and jerk by about 10-20 kg. I'm also going to need to move up in weight to compete either as a 77 kg or 85 kg lifter. Eventually, I'll have to compete as a 94 kg lifter, due to my height. That means a diet change, starting today.
I've been eating around 2400-2700 calories per day, and I'm going to bump that up to at least 2900-3000 calories a day for the next couple weeks, and see where that gets me. How am I going to do this? Here's my plan:
1 more scoop of protein in my oatmeal, which makes two scoops total: 140 extra calories.
A glass of skim milk with lunch and dinner: 160-200 extra calories
1 full tablepoon of Naturally More peanut butter before bed (was previously eating only .5 tbsp): 50 extra calories
That'll take me to around 3000, and I figure that's a good place to start. My body weight as of yesterday was 152.5 lbs. I'm looking to break 160 lbs quite soon, as I've already been up to 164 lbs previously in my life.
I'm also starting back up on creatine after a 1 year hiatus, and am starting the loading phase today. That means 20 grams a day for a week, then 10 grams a day for 4 more weeks after that, followed by a cleansing.
Chad Vaughn, a FANTASTIC USA weightlifter
I'm also doing double sessions as many days per week as I can, and bringing back one full rest day (Mondays). I'm happy as I write this because just today I squatted 300 lbs unbelted to full depth. A good start to a heavy training cycle.
Anyway, now you all know what I'm up to. I'll routinely post pictures, progress, and PR's, and I hope some of you can follow my endeavors and root me on. I'd love to share this experience with weightlifting enthusiasts, and really prove how great this sport really is.
Nationals, here I come, and to the competition: Watch out, Seth's going to own that platform.
Hey, want to lose weight fast? How about pack on some serious muscle in as little time as possible? Maybe increase your metabolism and push your body into building, burning, fitness mode? Well my friends, it's about time you increased your workout intensity.
Sure sure, everyone tells you to "push it," or work harder, egging you on in the gym, while you might be perfectly content to walk on the treadmill at an average pace so you can still actually hear the TV hanging on the wall, and watch the soap opera comfortably. To you, the gym might be just an annoying routine, where you'd like to be as comfortable as possible doing uncomfortable things (like walking, jogging, biking, or lifting heavy things.) That's all fine and dandy, and it's up to you, but not only will your progress toward any sort of goal be slowed to a crawl, but you're more likely to get into the rut that so many fall into --The rut of ZERO MOTIVATION,and of course.....low intensity.
Listen, your body responds to intensity. You'll feel your heart rate shoot skyward, beads of sweat pop out everywhere, and your muscles burn. It's uncomfortable, no doubt. But by doing intense things, in any sort of workout you do, you're forcing your body to adapt, to work, and to push itself to the next level. You'll burn a fantastic number of calories. Think about it, the harder your heart is beating, the more your calorie furnace is heating up. If you just saunter along on the treadmill all day, or lift weights far below the level of any sort of real effort, your heart won't get going, your body won't strain, and you won't increase your metabolic rate a bit. No effort = no results, it's as simple as that. These days, I see far too many people who are too comfortable in the gym. Listen, you can love the place, but love it for the results it gives you, not because it's comfortable. Be comfortable with pushing yourself. Here are a few ways to get on the seriously intense workout track:
HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING: Are you a cardio lover? Do you enjoy the treadmill, the spinning machine, or the elliptical? Well then, HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training, is definitely for you. This is truly the next level of cardio. It'll take a shorter amount of time, and shoot your heart rate sky high (safely of course). The concept is pretty simple. Let's use the treadmill as an example. When starting out, warm up for about a minute with a medium walk to slow jog. Then, for the next minute or so, get up to a relatively comfortable pace, one you could keep for at least half an hour (a steady jog, I'd suggest between 5.5-7.0 mph for the average person). Hit this for another minute. Once that second hand turns over for the third minute though, the fun begins. Quickly increase to an 80-95% sprint for a good 15-30 seconds, making sure to push yourself to near maximum speed. Keep breathing deep and steady, and feel the burn in those legs. PUSH HARD. Then, when time's up, go back to your steady jog pace and cool down for about a minute. Then...you guessed it, repeat. For a beginner, I'd suggest four complete cycles (four jogs, four sprints), then every week or so get one more interval in there. Work up to a total of around 20-25 minutes of HIIT, and I guarantee you'll see some real results. Religious HIITers drop weight quickly and keep it off due to their vastly increased metabolism which is due to the irregular taxing of your heart and muscles. You'll build leg muscle too, especially if you play around with the incline. There's all sorts of HIIT workouts out there, google a few and try them out.
Oh, and HIIT works with any sort of cardio. Try some hardcore spinning intervals, or elliptical, or jump rope, or take it outside and use a hill, a bike, or just plain RUN. You can even walk and do it (have you ever tried to keep pace on a maximum speed walk? Definitely not easy). It's simple, and it produces guaranteed results. It's not easy, but it gives an amazing sense of accomplishment. And sometimes it's fun to see just how fast you can run.
HEAVY SQUATS: My personal favorite. To be honest, I'm not the cardio type. But guess what, to keep lean, cardio ISN'T A NECESSITY. Sure it's great to get at least something aerobic in there every now and then, but you can have plenty of intensity in your workouts just from lifting heavy things. Squats are one of the best high intensity movements out there, especially heavy ones. I believe one of my biggest idols, Nick Horton (coach of PDX weightlifting) put it best in a recent email to me by saying: A hard set of squats is really similar to a sprint, actually, as far as your body is concerned.Boy is he right. Squat a heavy set of five, and not only will your heart rate increase, but you'll feel taxed pretty darn close to your limit. Keep the reps close together, push as hard as you can, and you'll use so many muscles in such an intense, powerful manner that your body can't help but go into "beast mode," and fire up that calorie burning furnace. You'll also build a ridiculous amount of muscle too, quite quickly. I squat 7 days a week (I do NOT suggest this to a beginner, start off with 1 or 2 at most, with wide spacing between days), and it hasn't even been a year and I've already put 100 lbs on my max squat. I feel stronger than ever, and despite being about 10 lbs heavier I'm also leaner than I was when I started. Amazing right? The magic of squats is fantastic.
Bottom Line: Squats make you powerful and increase your metabolism enormously. Do them. But make sure your form is good. Get flexible and lift heavy.
PLYOMETRICS: Plyos are insane. They kill you with just one set, then on each successive set continue to kick you when you're down. But they feel GREAT. They build muscle, they build explosive strength, and they shoot your metabolism through the roof. They will force your body to go through calories like water through a sieve. And like any good high intensity exercise, after you're done you'll still be in high gear, burning through every new meal you consume, packing on muscle and dropping fat. It's called the "afterburn effect," and it's basically an increased metabolic rate that lasts for a certain amount of time after your workout. The more intensely you worked out, in general, the longer and larger the afterburn effect is. Hard, explosive movements force your body to work at maximum level with each rep, and therefore your afterburn effect will be quite large. So get jumping, leaping, and lunging.
Want a good plyometric workout? Start here, but please look all over the internet, because there are thousands of different workouts that will ALL kick your butt and produce serious results. People who practice plyometrics on a regular basis are stronger, fitter, faster, more powerful, and in general on a level above those who don't. Step up. Try a few. Start small, then really go for it!
Now clearly you can't just jump into a highly intense workout and expect to be all right. Don't start squatting twice what you are now, or sprinting for 12 solid intervals right off the bat. Chances are you'll burn out, or worse, hurt yourself. Increase the intensity in levels, or steps, starting small and working up to the truly daunting. Like I've said in my previous goal setting articles (read my most recent one here: http://foodguru802.blogspot.com/2012/01/short-term-key.html ), give yourself a lofty goal that you really have to reach toward, and set smaller short term goals that will allow you to reach it. Want a 50" box jump? Start with 24" box jumps for reps this week, then maybe 26-28" next week. You'll be leaping like a frog in no time, and the body fat will start to melt right off you with every successive day.
Also, one more thing to close down this article and send you on your way to success: Be intense inwardly, not outwardly. What do I mean? Well, focus all your energy toward that next sprint, that next jump, or that ungodly heavy squat. Don't waste it screaming your head off in the gym to get psyched up, or making a ridiculous commotion. Sure, everybody's got their psyche-up routine. I've got my own, and I'm sure it looks quite strange, but it doesn't necessarily draw attention. Keep it refined, shall we? Power toward the movement, not outward into thin air. Efficiency is the name of the game.
Push hard, then harder, then do it again. All it takes is all you've got. GOOD LUCK!
Just thought a few of you might want to see what training involves, day in and day out. This was my 5th day in a row of squatting. Needless to say I was pretty tired. Tomorrow I'm resting, then back heavy again on Saturday. Yippee.
I plan on uploading a few more training videos in the near future. Let me know what you guys think, and I could possibly include a few articles about Olympic lifts in general, though I am by no means an expert.
The first three were with 240lbs. The rest were with 215lbs. Believe me, after 10 sets or more, it gets pretty heavy.
