the squat...

If you're going to go to the gym and do one movement only. Let that movement be the Squat.

- Bar is resting on traps
- hands are gripping as close as possible
- elbows tucked back
- back is arched, butt is back, hips are NOT forward
- feet are positioned around shoulder width apart, toes pointed out slightly.
- get full range of motion and come up fast.

here's an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYddZUIzJ9g

weight on the bar = 325 #


The squat is the king of functional movement. Tight core, full body, full range of motion, etc etc.
There is NO other lower body based movement that comes close.
The leg extension, leg curl and... god forbid... the leg press are all great tools to rehab from injury and they all have a place.... in the physical therapy department.

for example, I hear all sorts of stuff like people trying to "save their back" or "not compress the spine" or whatever, what these people do not realise is that they are increasing their chances of future injury from using machines because for example, the leg press is designed so that the core does not have to remain tight in order to push up the weight (well not compared to the squat anyway) and you your legs may get stronger while your core remains weak, furthermore if you don't develop your body as a UNIT, you will never reach your athletic potential.

start squatting! with weight, without weight, with someone on your shoulders etc, your body will thank you for it.

My bulking blue print

I've been getting some questions about bulking up lately. So here's what I did earlier this year to gain some new (~15 lbs) of muscle.

- I started out eating a lot ... about 3500 calories a day. I then found that this was too much.
- my sweet spot was somewhere between 2500 and 3000 for putting on size, I did put on some fat, but not much (since I was on catalyst)
- I was doing standard bodybuilding type workouts with mostly 5x5's. I was lifting as heavy as possible on most days and ending workouts with some high rep light work to remove the lactic acid and stimulate some Growth Hormone release.
- After Every workout I took Advocare's Post workout recovery shake, I could feel a huge difference on the days that I didn't take it.
- I was eating a lot more carbs than I usually do, around 200 grams a day. For you zoners out there, all I did was make sure that I hit 25 blocks and then I'd eat more if I felt like it.
- Sleep and hydrate more than usual - your body needs more water to get really anabolic, also the extra sleep will help you make superior gains. TO soop up my sleep even more, i was taking 1000mg of Vitamin C at night to buffer cortisol release, and NightTime recovery and some GABA when I remembered.
- Take a BCAA blend. This is probably the most important part of your supplement program in addition to ensuring adequately high levels of protien intake. I shot for at least a gram per pound body weight.
- DO lots of heavy squats. If you don't you won't grow. Period. Oh and you probably want to do some max deadlifts once every 2 weeks or so.
- Every 2 - 3 days I increased my fiber intake and took a fiber drink to help move along all the extra food I was eating.
- Stay active and get in a short run every 3-5 days to ensure that all the extra food is moving smoothly through the digestive system.
- Take a good pro biotic every morning and a digestive enzyme supplement before very large meals. This will help your body actually ABSORB the nutrients you are taking in. Otherwise you could be wasting your time in the gym and in the kitchen.

that's what worked for me. stick to all the points and it will work for you too.
It's been almost a month since I finished my bulking phase, and I've lost about 4 pounds, of which I think is mostly fat. I haven't been doing much lifting in the past couple of weeks and have re-started up on more yoga, gymnastics, dance and ruby to get the new muscle functional and strong through full ranges of motion.

It was interesting, i stopped bulking when I "biceps" and chest started "coming in the way" - seriously it's funny shit when you have to put some noticable extra effort to bring your hands to yoru face and compress the bicep. Also, reaching over behind the shoulders gets a little more challenging when the pecs are larger :)

have fun and post questions if you have any!