Workout: Legs

Today, I'm going to discuss the basics of leg routine that I believe that provide the best results in two different scenarios. The first case is if you want to develop size or mass. In regards to any body part that you're working out, I believe that rather than focusing on reps or sets, you should focus on range of motion. I've noticed that to thicken your muscles, it is best to execute reps with a smaller range of motion in order to ensure localized blood flow. And conversely, to obtain "leaner" looking muscles, reps with a full range of motion is necessary. So when completing these exercises, keep that concept in mind.

SQUATS Squatting is the most beneficial exercise that you can do in my opinion. It offers not only a balanced workout for your legs but also your back, glutes and abs. To engage your leg muscles to the full extent regardless of whether you're looking to tone or bulk your legs, a full range of motion is necessary for this exercise. All of the techniques to properly execute these exercises are located below.

LUNGE The lunge is, in my opinion, very looked over simply because more people do the more common exercises in the gym such as squats and machine presses. Lunges will emphasize and engage your butt more than anything. If you want to tighten and tone your butt, THIS is the exercise to focus on.

CALF RAISES Calf raises are also somewhat under emphasized. I believe that rather than using a calf raise machine, using your body weight or a barbell on the squat rack provides a better contraction. This exercise should be executed slowly because it is easy to just bust out some reps in five seconds but you'll be putting most of the stress on your ankle and toes. With slow repetitions you will be able to really feel the contraction in your calves.

Review: Syntha-6 Chocolate Cake Batter by BSN

Today, I'm going to talk about the current whey protein that I'm using in my diet. Featured here is Syntha-6 by BSN. I've tried the regular chocolate and the chocolate cake batter by BSN and both have satisfied my needs. The taste is probably the closest you're going to get to a normal shake that you buy at a restaurant. Mixing the powder in water is pretty smooth and I haven't really had a problem with clumps. Nevertheless, there is a downside to this protein. It can cost more than your average whey protein by a few dollars and you do get a little less grams of protein per serving (22g/serving) yet I strongly believe the quality of protein is what is the ultimate factor that I love about this protein. I've been taking 22g/ day of syntha-6 and I've been able to maintain quite nicely. I've just recently upped the serving size to 44g / day simply because I want to grow and I've seen dramatic results in my strength and the fullness in my muscles. You can buy the 2.91 lbs tub at amazon:

 

Review: Cellucor C4 Preworkout - Fruit Punch

Today, I'm going to talk about my all time favorite pre-workout, C4 by Cellucor. Some of you might be asking "what is the point of pre-workout", and there is a lot of debate that's going around with pre-workout. Many believe that it is more of a "placebo" which makes you believe that you are getting a better workout in and others really do stand behind the idea that pre-workout gives you that extra push in the weight room. In my experience, pre-workout has changed the way I perform while executing any type of workout, whether it is a heavy set day or a low rep day. Most pre-workouts contain caffeine and other chemicals to give you energy and focus. One chemical you should look out for is beta alanine. This chemical basically acts as a muscle booster and many times causes an effect called paresthesia which is basically a tickling sensation near the subcutaneous regions of your skin (usually around your fingers and face). Don't worry if you feel this sensation because there has been no long-term negative side effects. The C4 pre-workout comes in a powder form with a rather small sized scooper. One scoop will be sufficient for the first week or two of use but then your body will adapt to the chemical levels so you could up the concentration by another half scoop or two. If you feel very dizzy or your increased heart rate causes discomfort, you should definitely discontinue use and find other ways to better your workouts. Nevertheless, this product has improved my lifts and has given be a better pump in the gym. I recommend this anyone who feels "too tired" to workout or for those of you who don't understand the concept of "beast mode". You can buy this product on amazon HERE.

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It's almost been a year since I updated this blog. I have an entirely new workout regime so stay tuned for more content~

Hibernation-less winter.

Most people think that Summer is when you get lean and winter is when you gain weight. This theory is typically true due to one main fact; people tend to be less active in the winter because..well. it's cold. Nevertheless, all science points to the fact that humans should actually lose weight in the winter because the cold temperatures increase the rate of our metabolisms which causes us to burn more calories. This is the backbone of the concept of hibernation. Animals devour as much food as they can before the winter and become "insulated" for the cold temperatures and pack on extra calories due to the increase in metabolism. If one is able to get their butt in the gym and do their usual routine winter weight loss is possible. Remember: 1 lb=3,500 calories. Which means if you eat 500 LESS calories per day for a week you should, in theory, lose 1 lb that week. However, if you exercise daily for an hour or so at a moderate to intense level you will burn 500-800 calories; so, you will lose weight even faster. But remember that calories are energy and are necessary to function throughout the day so don't starve yourself.

What Supplements do you recommend?

I'll give you guys the supplements that I use currently:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008LE8RE8/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B008LE8RE8&linkCode=as2&tag=danpakbodybui-20

I recommend C4 by Cellucor-Fruit punch flavored

And for whey protein I recommend syntha-6 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GP3FME/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000GP3FME&linkCode=as2&tag=danpakbodybui-20

Check out those direct links to purchase them cheap on amazon!

How many days per week should I workout?

This question depends on the individual; however, generally, you should rest 1-2 days per week. Working out everyday won't do any damage but it won't give your muscles the maximum time to fully recover from the previous workout. I usually like to leave one day out of the week to rest which is wednesday or thursday, but it all depends on how I feel that week; If i feel really good I'll workout 7 days and if I feel weak or unfocused I'll reduce it to 5-6 days. But always take a break at someone point because the days you rest are the days your muscle actually grows.