I remember the first time I ever picked up bodybuilding magazine with the intention of learning how to train and grow. I knew nothing at the time but was ready to soak up all the information that this magazine was ready to give. I found the workout of the biggest guy in the magazine (an IFBB pro who shall remain nameless). This magazine listed his favorite workout plan and his reasons why it was his favorite. One statement gave me one of the answers I was looking for, this bodybuilder stated, “When I am trying to get big, I lift heavy for low reps, but when it is time to get lean for a show I lift light weight for high reps. This is what really burns the fat.” I figured this had to be true since he was huge and lean. As I became more embedded into the bodybuilding world, I would hear this same bit of “knowledge” over and over again.

In my never ending search for knowledge it did not take me long to discover that this common mantra of, low reps for mass and high reps for cuts, was just plain wrong.

The truth about rep ranges is something that is largely unknown within the bodybuilding community.

I work with clients of all different experience levels. Some have been competing for years and have reached top levels of competition, while others are just starting out on their bodybuilding journey. It doesn’t matter the level of the trainee, I am always shocked to find that this is a rather simple topic that is largely misunderstood. Well, no more! I want to clear the air. This may not be groundbreaking new information to the bodybuilding world, but it is something that every bodybuilder should know.

Low Reps

Low reps are usually categorized as reps in the 1-5 range. It is often said that low reps will stimulate fast twitch muscle fibers while high reps stimulate the slow twitch muscle fibers. This is yet another false fact about rep ranges. The truth is that low reps will stimulate ALL muscle fibers from slow to intermediate to fast and everything in between. The body calls fibers into play on an as needed basis in order from slow to intermediate to fast. When a load is placed on a muscle, the slow twitch fibers will be recruited first. If the slow twitch fibers cannot generate enough force to lift the weight then the body will call the intermediate fibers into action. If the slow and intermediate fibers cannot handle the weight or tire out then the fast twitch fibers will finally be recruited. When fibers are recruited they are never recruited half way or partially. When a fiber contracts, it will contract maximally (Saladin, 2007), so this means when you lift a heavy load you will fully stimulate slow and intermediate muscle fibers.

Low reps are also effective for stimulating myofibrillar hypertrophy. Myofibrillar hypertrophy is an increase in the number and size of the actin and myosin filaments within muscle tissue. This type of hypertrophy is accompanied by strength gains since it involves an increase in the contractile tissue (Zatsiorsky, 2006).

This is important because progressive overload is one of the primary necessities for continued long term growth.

So you can see that very heavy weight for low reps is vitally important for maximum growth.

Moderate Reps

This rep range is typically defined as the 6-12 rep range. Moderate rep ranges have consistently been proven in study after study to lead to the greatest amount of growth. The reason that this rep range is so effective for building muscle is because it does a little bit a everything. This means that it provides many of the benefits of low rep training combined with the benefits high rep training by allowing for relatively heavy loads to be used while increasing time under tension. The heavy loads allow for myofibrillar protein synthesis to take place which, as discussed, will increase the size of the contractile proteins. The increased time under tension will stimulate sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is an increase of the sarcoplasm and other non-contractile proteins within muscle cells and is primarily induced by lifting light loads for higher reps.

This type of growth, although not typically accompanied by any strength gains, is the primary reason why bodybuilders tend to be more muscular than strength and power athletes.

Moderate rep training also induces an excellent muscle pump. While the pump is often thought of as a short-term training effect, it may possibly result in greater growth. Studies show that cellular swelling causes both an increase in protein synthesis and a decrease in protein breakdown (Grant et al., 2000; Stoll et al., 1992; Millar et al., 1997).

So while low reps with heavy weight is best at stimulating myofibrillar hypertrophy, and high reps with light weight is best at stimulating sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, moderate reps seem to strike a balance between inducing significant amounts of both myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. The proven track record of the moderate rep range makes it so that it cannot be ignored in your training routine.

High Reps

High reps are usually considered to be any set that contains 15 reps or more. There are many that argue, since low reps stimulate all the muscle fibers and moderate reps induce sarcoplasmic protein synthesis, that there is really no need to do high rep sets. At first this sounds like sound reasoning, but it leaves out one very important factor. This important factor is the effect of glycogen on protein synthesis.

Glycogen is essentially stored carbohydrate within muscle tissue. Glycogen is hydrophillic, it causes muscles to swell since every gram of glycogen stores 2.7 grams of water along with it (Chan et al. 1982) . I know many of your are thinking, “why would I want my muscles packed with water?” Besides the fact that this added water will increase the size of your muscles, it will also increase protein synthesis. Many people do not realize that cellular hydration is an extremely strong anabolic trigger. Protein synthesis is often directly related to a muscles cells state of hydration. In response to increased cellular hydration, the cell initiates a signaling cascade that causes the muscle to grow larger to protect itself.

So what does this all have to do with high rep training? High rep training will drastically deplete glycogen stores. At first this may sound counterproductive but the body will react to this depletion by increasing muscular glycogen stores. In the long run this will allow cells to stretch and lead to greater overall muscle growth and release of anabolic hormones.

In addition to all of the above benefits, greater occlusion is associated with higher rep training. This prevents blood from leaving the area being trained, which can induce growth through increases in growth factor production and possibly satellite cell fusion (Vierck et al., 2000).

Comparing the Ranges

So you now know what function each rep range serves, but that is not the whole story. To really be able to put this knowledge to good use you really need to be able to interpret this info. Let’s take a closer look.

Even knowing all of this info there are still those that say high rep training is not necessary and it is best to train only with low to moderate rep ranges and focus solely on progressive overload. A fairly recent study recently proved that this is just not true. This study took 15 young men and compared two protocols in the leg extension. The researchers compared the protein synthesis response from 4 sets with 90% (RM) taken to failure, with 4 sets with 30% (RM) taken to failure. This study found significantly higher protein synthesis rates after the high rep protocol (Burd et al. 2010) .

This means that the old saying, low reps are for size and high reps are only for fat loss is way, way off.

There is still one problem with high rep training that cannot be ignored. As stated earlier, high reps do very little for increasing strength gains. Progressive overload is essential for growth to continue and this should lead us to one conclusion.

While a high rep protocol will work well in the short term, the lack of continually increasing the resistance will eventually lead to a stall in growth.

There is actually a way around this stall though. By training with low to moderate reps and loads you can increase strength over time. These strength gains in the 1-5 rep range will have sort of a “trickle down” effect. This means that strength gains in the 1-5 rep range will transfer and lead to more strength in the other rep ranges. If a bodybuilder increases his one rep max from 250 lbs. to 350 lbs. on the deadlift, you had better believe that his 20 rep max will increase as well. This is what I mean when I say the strength will trickle down.

So using a variety of reps and loads will have a synergistic effect. Rep ranges are not independent of one another. Improvements in one area will lead to improvements in other areas. This exchange is important to understand when putting the whole picture together.

The Takeaways

There are actually two main takeaways from all of this information.

1) All rep ranges will increase muscle growth but through different pathways. Therefore all ranges should be utilized, no matter if you are gaining or cutting.

2) Do not use high reps to stimulate fat loss. All weight training will stimulate the metabolism and cause calories to be burned. No one rep range will cause significant fat loss over another. Diet and cardio should be the primary tools you use to shed fat and get lean. Let the weights build muscle, let your diet cut the fat.

As you can see, there are no rep ranges that are magically going to make you lose fat or get shredded more than other rep ranges. There is also no merit to the idea that high reps will not allow you to gain lean mass. If you are dieting for a show you need to maintain every ounce of muscle possible. If you are in the offseason you need to gain as much muscle as possible. To accomplish this you must use every single rep range to maximize muscle retention and growth to your fullest potential. So how do you apply this to your own workout? It depends if you are training a muscle group once or twice per week.

If training a muscle group only once per week here is one example of how to incorporate every rep range:

First 1-2 Exercises- 3-4 sets with heavy loads in the 1-5 rep range with compound movements

Next 1-2 Exercises- 3-4 sets with moderate loads in the 8-12 rep range with mostly compound movements

Last 1-2 Exercises- 3-4 sets with light loads in the 15-30 rep range usually with an isolation movement.

When training a muscle group twice per week this really allows you to specialize and focus on one type of training at a time. This is why I most often recommend more frequent training to my clients. Here is a good way to split it up just as an example:

Session 1

First 1-2 Exercises- 3-4 sets with heavy loads in the 2-4 rep range with compound movements
Next 1-2 Exercises- 3-4 sets with moderate loads in the 4-6 rep range with mostly compound movements
Last 1-2 Exercises- 3-4 sets with light loads in the 6-8 rep range usually with an isolation movement.

Session 2

First 1-2 Exercises- 3-4 sets with heavy loads in the 12-15 rep range with compound movements
Next 1-2 Exercises- 3-4 sets with moderate loads in the 15-20 rep range with mostly compound movements
Last 1-2 Exercises- 3-4 sets with light loads in the 25-30 rep range usually with an isolation movement.

The bodybuilding world is filled with misinformation. It is important to constantly question everything. The guy at the gym that is a legend in his own mind is not the only one spouting nonsense. Even top level pro bodybuilders are often misinformed themselves.

I say it all the time, for every method you use in your training and diet it is important to ask, “Why I am I doing this?” If you don’t have a good, scientifically sound answer, then it’s time to reevaluate your methods.

The outdated ideas about rep ranges are now a thing of the past. So get out there, lift brutally heavy weight, achieve skin tearing pumps, and burn it out with high reps. Do this and you’ll be good to grow!

AUTHOR

Cliff Wilson on Facebook
Team Wilsons Website

Introduction

Meal frequency is a much debated topic in the fitness and nutrition industries which started about 60 years ago and still continues to this day. Gyms worldwide echo with the sounds of trainees arguing over how many meals to eat in order to obtain maximum results! Have you ever heard that eating 6 meals a day speeds up your metabolism? Or that your body can only absorb a certain amount of protein in a single meal? Perhaps you’re more familiar with the story of how eating every 2-3 hours stops your body going into a catabolic state thus preserving all of your hard earned muscle?

There are many claims surrounding meal frequency but how does one navigate the minefield of misinformation? With FitOverFat’s help, of course! Outlined below you will find information on how many daily meals you need to achieve your fitness goals optimally.

The origins

In order to understand where you are going, you must first know where you have been. Studies and experiments into meal frequency have been going on for quite some time. Fifty to sixty years ago most studies were conducted on animals, rats especially. These studies showed that higher meal frequency was of benefit to the test subject. This was all well and good for the rats but for us humans it didn’t really give us any clear or conclusive data that increased meal frequency was of benefit. We are not rats, and our metabolisms are not the same. Years passed and more studies regarding this topic were done, with a number of them eventually being done on humans.  Before looking into recent data, there are a few more things that have to be said.

But athletes and body builders do it?

The biggest bodybuilders in the world tend to weigh in at around 250lbs and take in an enormous amount of calories, sometimes claiming to eat 6-8 meals per day! It is also not uncommon to hear of athletes having two or more training sessions per day and eating a high volume of meals to compliment their training and recovery. Considering this, you may think that it would be beneficial to eat 6 meals per day to achieve your fitness goals, be it fat loss or muscle gain. This is not entirely true.

Misinterpreting the data

Most recommendations of adopting a higher meal frequency are based on direct studies regarding the thermic effect of food. The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the amount of energy expended above the resting metabolic rate due to the cost of processing food for use and storage. A commonly used estimate of the Thermic Effect of Food is about 10% of one’s caloric intake. By eating more frequently, you stimulate TEF more often, meaning you burn more calories, right?  Wrong! Here’s what fitness guru Lyle McDonald had to say on the matter:

“Say we have two people, both eating the same 3000 calories per day from identical macronutrients. One eats 6 meals of 500 calories/meal while the other eats 3 meals of 1000 calories/meal and we’ll assume a TEF of 10%. So the first will have a TEF of 50 calories (10% of 500) 6 times a day. The second will have a TEF of 100 calories (10% of 1000 calories) 3 times a day. Well, 6×50 = 300 calories/day and 3×100 = 300 calories/day. As you can see, there is no difference.”
Looking at it correctly only proves that meal frequency does not affect one’s metabolism. Most recommendations of adopting a higher meal frequency are based on direct amount of energy expended above the resting metabolic rate due to the cost of processing food for use and storage.

Real Science

If we look at the more recent studies being done on humans there are some that must be disregarded. The parameters and designs of these studies make their conclusions inapplicable to real world scenarios. With that being said however, there are also many fit for purpose based studies done with solid design using the appropriate set ups and controlled caloric intakes.

When participants are given identical, controlled caloric intakes with the only difference being meal frequency (3 meals versus 6 meals are the most commonly used frequencies in many studies), the outcome is always the same.

Fat is equally lost whether 3 or 6 meals are consumed. The only thing that made a difference was whether the subject was in a caloric deficit or not, meaning that they ate fewer calories than they expended.

Practical advice for fat loss

The most commonly used meal frequency is 3-4 meals per day with a snack or two in between the meals. My practical recommendation regarding meal frequency for fat loss is this:

Eat as many meals as you need to eat in order to reach your caloric and macronutrient intake goals.

If eating 6 or more meals per day makes you less hungry and lets you stay in caloric deficit, you should eat that many meals. If eating 3 meals per day makes you less hungry and lets you stay in caloric deficit, you should eat those 3 meals.

Practical advice for building muscles

“What about getting bigger?!” You may ask. Meal frequency for building muscles might be the same as for fat loss or it could be a whole different ball game. Losing fat requires dealing with hunger and building muscles requires you to find a way to get your caloric intake higher than your caloric expenditure. Rule number one is; be sure to have a caloric surplus when building muscles, since muscles cannot be built out of thin air. Eating at caloric surplus means that you have a lot of food to eat on a daily basis. For a small guy who works in a sedentary job, three to four meals might be the best choice, but for someone who is highly active and weighs a lot, five, six or even more meals might be necessary to reach your adequate caloric intake for the day.

Protein absorption

I know that many of you have heard the myth that the body can only absorb 30 or so grams of protein per meal. This is a common misconception and could not be further from the truth. Recent data shows that the body utilizes as much protein as it needs (along with other macronutrients) and the digestive process will just take longer to accommodate the higher volume of food.

There is a limit to protein absorption from a single meal however and that limit is around what one needs daily, approximately 170grams of protein.

You will not go catabolic

Another common myth is that the body goes catabolic if you do not eat every two to three hours. This is also false. In reality, an average sized meal takes about five to six hours to digest and is still releasing nutrients into the bloodstream at this point. That means that you have to eat every five to six hours if you eat average sized meals; larger meals might take up to 8 hours to digest. Physiologically, you cannot possibly go catabolic if you do not eat for two to three hours.

Study dispelling long lasting myths

One study worth noting was done on bodybuilders in Norway that set out to check whether a diet of 6 small meals had an advantage over a diet of 3 large meals. The conclusion:

We found no beneficial effect of eating 6 meals a day compared to 3 meals a day as long as the total energy intake and the intake of nutrients is similar and above the requirements.

On the contrary we found indications in favor of 3 meals a day on both strength and muscle mass measurements in upper body.’ This suggests to us that larger meals might even have benefits over small ones.

In Conclusion

If nothing else, what you should take away from this article is that:

Meeting your caloric and macronutrient needs each day is a far more important factor for both fat loss and muscle gain than any of the other variables.

Frequent eating does not speed up metabolism and does not directly impact fat loss. It may even have a negative impact for someone looking to build optimal amounts of muscle and strength.

Choose a meal frequency that fits your individual preferences and lifestyle because the fact is that, in regard to the frequency of the meals, the results will be the same.

Author

Written by Andrew Ben of Gym Magazine

If you ask most guys to rate their training programs they will likely tell you that it is top notch. In my years as a bodybuilding coach I find that almost all bodybuilders will want help with their nutrition, but when I try to touch their training plan they quickly assure me that there is no need to change anything.

Well, I have news for you, it doesn’t matter if you are a first time competitor or a top level pro, about 75% of the people I encounter are using ineffective training routines.

Of course, they may still grow on these plans, but this does not mean they are growing optimally.

Now this does not mean that most people are not training hard, in fact most are. There is simply a lack of understanding by most as to what actually determines the effectiveness of a program. Issues of frequency, load, and progression must all be considered and periodized.
To help clear up some confusion I am going to lay out one of my favorite training methods called Power Block Periodization (PBP). I came up with Power Block Periodization to ideally cycle load and frequency for effective and continued growth. I have used this style of training during my own prep as well as some of my top level professional clients during offseason.

PBP is a form of non-linear periodization combined with block periodization.

This program is not entirely unlike the PHAT program but there are some notable differences. This type of training focuses on progressive overload in the heavy compound movements as well as a varying rep ranges and loads to provide continued progress. Before we get into the program let’s look at the important factors that are controlled and periodized during this type of training.

Frequency

Training frequency is often overlooked as an important factor in continued strength training progress. Many bodybuilders simply train each body part once per week and think nothing of it. Big mistake! A higher frequency approach will bring about much faster and effective growth. Think about this, we have all seen guys in the gym that bench press and curl every single day. We laugh at them because they always have tiny legs, but they very often have good development in their chest and biceps. This is because of the frequency with which they train them. Now, training a body part 7 days per week is not optimal, but you will still grow.
I realize that many bodybuilders will instantly scream “overtraining” when you try to tell them to train a body part more than once per day. The idea that training a body part more than once per week will lead to overtraining is simply not true. In fact, research has proven that once a body part is trained, protein synthesis levels will increase for only 24-48 hours. Protein synthesis will typically max out at around 24 hours post training and drop off quickly from there (Duncan MacDougall, et al 1995) . Most of the time protein synthesis rates are back to baseline by about 36 hours post training. This means that most of the growth you will see from a workout will be had within the first 24 hours after training. This means if you are only training a body part once per week then there about 5.5 days in which you are having no significant growth.
With PBP training you will actually train every body part 8 times over every 3 week period. This is obviously a high frequency of training. At first this frequency of training will seem taxing but your body will adjust and after a few weeks it will not seem overwhelming at all.

Progressive Overload

Muscular growth is a complex process that is affected by many factors, but there is one factor that is king when it comes to continued long term progress. This is progressive overload. Progressive overload says that you must lift heavier weight for more reps over time. Progressive overload is not a new concept. For decades the research has suggested that increased tension development is the critical factor in initiating compensatory growth (Goldberg, et al 1975).
Muscle hypertrophy is simply an adaptive process by the human body. To induce this adaption you must give the body a REASON to adapt. The number one reason that the body will build new muscle is to handle ever increasing demands placed on it in the form of more ever increasing weight for ever increasing repetitions. Inducing an adaptation is not always easy.
Power Block Periodization is heavily focused on making continued strength gains. When an individual’s strength limit is reached, the program will then cycle a in a load reduction followed by a slow progression upward once again.

Rep Ranges

Rep ranges play a vital role in muscle growth. The rep range used in training will have different effects on muscle growth and how the body uses different energy pathways. For training program to truly maximize muscle growth it must utilize a wide variety of rep ranges. In PBP training you will work within a wide range of reputations. Let’s examine how varying rep ranges dictate muscle hypertrophy.

Low Reps

Low reps are usually categorized as reps in the 1-5 range. It is often said that low reps will stimulate fast twitch muscle fibers while high reps stimulate the slow twitch muscle fibers. This is yet another false fact about rep ranges. The truth is that low reps will stimulate ALL muscle fibers from slow to intermediate to fast and everything in between. The body calls fibers into play on an as needed basis in order from slow to intermediate to fast. When a load is placed on a muscle, the slow twitch fibers will be recruited first. If the slow twitch fibers cannot generate enough force to lift the weight then the body will call the intermediate fibers into action. If the slow and intermediate fibers cannot handle the weight or tire out then the fast twitch fibers will finally be recruited. When fibers are recruited they are never recruited half way or partially. When a fiber contracts, it will contract maximally (Saladin, 2007), so this means when you lift a heavy load you will fully stimulate slow and intermediate muscle fibers.

Low reps are also effective for stimulating myofibrillar hypertrophy. Myofibrillar hypertrophy is an increase in the number and size of the actin and myosin filaments within muscle tissue. This type of hypertrophy is accompanied by strength gains since it involves an increase in the contractile tissue (Zatsiorsky, 2006). This is important because, as discussed above, progressive overload is one of the primary necessities for continued long term growth. So you can see that very heavy weight for low reps is vitally important for maximum growth.

Moderate Reps

This rep range is typically defined as the 6-12 rep range. Moderate rep ranges have consistently been proven in study after study to lead to the greatest amount of growth. The reason that this rep range is so effective for building muscle is because it does a little bit a everything. This means that it provides many of the benefits of low rep training combined with the benefits high rep training by allowing for relatively heavy loads to be used while increasing time under tension. The heavy loads allow for myofibrillar protein synthesis to take place which, as discussed, will increase the size of the contractile proteins. The increased time under tension will stimulate sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is an increase of the sarcoplasm and other non-contractile proteins within muscle cells and is primarily induced by lifting light loads for higher reps. This type of growth, although not typically accompanied by any strength gains, is the primary reason why bodybuilders tend to be more muscular than strength and power athletes.

Moderate rep training also induces an excellent muscle pump. While the pump is often thought of as a short-term training effect, it may possibly result in greater growth. Studies show that cellular swelling causes both an increase in protein synthesis and a decrease in protein breakdown (Grant et al., 2000; Stoll et al., 1992; Millar et al., 1997).

So while low reps with heavy weight is best at stimulating myofibrillar hypertrophy, and high reps with light weight is best at stimulating sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, moderate reps seem to strike a balance between inducing significant amounts of both myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. The proven track record of the moderate rep range makes it so that it cannot be ignored in your training routine.

High Reps

High reps are usually considered to be any set that contains 15 reps or more. There are many that argue, since low reps stimulate all the muscle fibers and moderate reps induce sarcoplasmic protein synthesis, that there is really no need to do high rep sets. At first this sounds like sound reasoning, but it leaves out one very important factor. This important factor is the effect of glycogen on protein synthesis.

Glycogen is essentially stored carbohydrate within muscle tissue. Glycogen is hydrophillic, it causes muscles to swell since every gram of glycogen stores 2.7 grams of water along with it (Chan et al. 1982) . I know many of your are thinking, “why would I want my muscles packed with water?” Besides the fact that this added water will increase the size of your muscles, it will also increase protein synthesis. Many people do not realize that cellular hydration is an extremely strong anabolic trigger. Protein synthesis is often directly related to a muscles cells state of hydration. In response to increased cellular hydration, the cell initiates a signaling cascade that causes the muscle to grow larger to protect itself.

So what does this all have to do with high rep training? High rep training will drastically deplete glycogen stores. At first this may sound counterproductive but the body will react to this depletion by increasing muscular glycogen stores. In the long run this will allow cells to stretch and lead to greater overall muscle growth and release of anabolic hormones.

In addition to all of the above benefits, greater occlusion is associated with higher rep training. This prevents blood from leaving the area being trained, which can induce growth through increases in growth factor production and possibly satellite cell fusion (Vierck et al., 2000).

Now that we have taken a close look at some of the important factors that make up this type of training, let’s get down to it. Here is Power Block Periodization:

THE SPLIT

Here is the split:
Day 1- Whole Body Power Lifting
Day 2- Chest, Triceps, Abs (OPTIONAL OFF DAY IF IT IS NEEDED)
Day 3- Legs, Delts
Day 4- Back, Traps, Biceps
Day 5- Chest, Triceps, Abs
Day 6- Legs, Delts
Day 7- OFF
Day 8- Whole Body Power Lifting
Day 9- Back, Traps, Biceps (OPTIONAL OFF DAY IF IT IS NEEDED)
Day 10- Chest, Triceps, Abs
Day 11- Legs, Delts
Day 12- Back, Traps, Biceps
Day 13- Chest, Triceps, Abs
Day 14- OFF
Day 15- Whole Body Power Lifting
Day 16- Legs, Delts (OPTIONAL OFF DAY IF IT IS NEEDED)
Day 17- Back, Traps, Biceps
Day 18- Chest, Triceps, Abs
Day 19- Legs, Delts
Day 20- Back, Traps, Biceps
Day 21- OFF

GREEN= Powerlifting Days
BOLD= Block Training Days

I have provided a three week sample to show that you will not be training the same body parts on the same day each week. The cycle repeats after three weeks. You will also notice that I have the days marked as power days and block training days. This will determine how many reps you perform on those days. Let’s examine each type of day individually.

POWERLIFTING DAYS

When starting this plan you will want to know your 1 rep max (1RM) or at least an estimated 1RM for your squat, bench press, and deadlift. Once you determine these numbers you will want to subtract 20-25 lbs. from your 1RM and use that as your starting max for the program. This will allow you to build momentum for the first 5 weeks or so. For example, if you can squat 300lbs. then your 1RM to start this plan will be 275lbs. for your starting calculations.

Here is how you will perform your squat, bench press, and your deadlift each week.

Squat- 2×5 70% max, 2×3 80% max, 1×1 90% max, 1x as many reps as you can complete) 90% max

Bench- 2×5 70% max, 2×3 80% max, 1×1 90% max, 1x as many reps as you can complete) 90% max

Deadlift- 2×5 70% max, 2×3 80% max, 1×1 90% max, 1x as many reps as you can complete) 90% max

On your last set you will attempt to complete as many reps as possible while not hitting failure. If you are able to complete 3 reps or more on your last set, the following week you should then add 5 lbs. to your 1RM and recalculate your numbers. If you ever fail to complete 3 reps on your last set then you simply use the same numbers for the following week. If you fail to accomplish 3 reps on your last set for a 2nd time, then you are to lower your 1RM by 20 lbs. and recalculate the following week. This is a continuous cycle.

Powerlifting days will also include some assistance moves. These are only meant for assistance to add additional work to your weakest areas. You can choose 4 body parts to allow for assistance work but no more. These should be your 4 weakest areas. Here are the options along with example exercises.

Shoulders Example-DB Overhead Press or Clean and Press
Back examples-BB Row or Pull Ups
Chest examples- DB Incline Press or Barbell Decline Press
Biceps examples- BB Curl or DB Curl
Triceps examples-Dips or Skullcrushers
Quadriceps example- Leg Extension
Hamstring examples- Leg Curl or Glute Ham Raise
Abdominals examples- Weighted Sit Ups or Machine Crunch

All assistance moves should be performed for 2-4 sets in the 4-6 rep range.

BLOCK TRAINING DAYS

Block training days are done in a more “typical bodybuilding fashion”. These days your rep ranges will progress after every 9th block training workout. See below.

1st Nine Block Training Workouts – 5-7 reps on all movements
2nd Nine Block Training Workouts – 8-10 reps on all movements
3rd Nine Block Training Workouts – 10-15 reps on all movements
4th Nine Block Training Workouts – 15-30 reps on all movements

So in the 3 week example split I laid out you will perform 5-7 reps on your Block Training Days 1-12, but starting on Day 13 through Day 24 you will begin performing all of your sets in the 8-10 rep range and so on.

The amount of volume used on the block days should be set for the individual. So you will want to give more volume to areas where you are weaker and less to where you are stronger. For each block periodization workout you will want between 7-15 sets for each body part. For your weaker areas you will need more sets, and stronger areas stick with fewer sets.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

So now that we have the info of how to run each day, I will lay out a template for the first 4 days as an example. Please note that the reps ranges on block training days will be subject to which block section you are on. For the example I use the first block of 5-7 reps. Also, exercises and numbers of sets per body part should be tailored for the individual.

Day 1 (whole body power lifting)
Squat- 2×5 70% max, 2×3 80% max, 1×1 90% max, 1x as many reps as you can complete) 90% max
Bench- 2×5 70% max, 2×3 80% max, 1×1 90% max, 1x as many reps as you can complete) 90% max
Deadlift- 2×5 70% max, 2×3 80% max, 1×1 90% max, 1x as many reps as you can complete) 90% max
Assistance Back movement: Barbell Row
3 sets of 4-6 reps
Assistance Quadriceps movement: Leg Extension
3 sets of 4-6 reps
Assistance Biceps movement: Barbell Curl
2 sets of 4-6 reps
Assistance Triceps movement: Weighted Dips
2 sets of 4-6 reps

Day 2 (block training 5-7 reps- chest/triceps/abdominals)
Chest pressing movement: DB Incline Press
5 sets of 5-7 reps
Chest pressing movement: Hammer Strength Chest Press
4 sets of 5-7 reps
Chest isolation movement: Pec Dec Machine
4 sets of 5-7 reps
Triceps movement: DB Skullcrushers
4 sets of 5-7 reps
Triceps movement: Cable Pushdown
4 sets of 5-7 reps
Abdominal movement: Cable Crunch
4 sets of 5-7 reps

Day 3 (block training 5-7 reps- legs/delts)
Squatting movement: Below Parallel Box Squat or Sumo Squat
4 sets of 5-7 reps
Pressing movement (legs): Leg Press or Lunges
3 sets of 5-7 reps
Quadriceps movement: Leg Ext.
4 sets of 5-7 reps
Hamstring Curling movement: Machine Hamstring Curl or DB Romanian Deadlift
3 sets of 5-7 reps
Shoulder pressing movement: DB Overhead Press
3 sets of 5-7 reps
Medial deltoid movement: DB Lateral
5 sets of 5-7 reps
Posterior deltoid movement: Reverse Pec Dec Machine or Bend DB Lateral
3 sets of 5-7 reps

Day 4 (block training 5-7 reps- back/traps/biceps)
Back rowing movement: T-Bar Row
5 sets of 5-7 reps
Back pulling movement: Pull Ups or Pull downs
4 sets of 5-7 reps
Back pulling movement: Cable Row
4 sets of 5-7 reps
Deadlifting movement: Deadlifts or Deficit Deadlifts
3 sets of 5-7 reps
Shrugging movement: DB Shrugs
5 sets of 5-7 reps
Biceps movement: DB Curl
4 sets of 5-7 reps
Biceps movement: Preacher Curl
3 sets of 5-7 reps

There it is, Power Block Periodization. This can be used as long as you see fit. I recommend taking a deload week once every 8-14 weeks on this type training as the volume and frequency is rather high and it can be taxing.

When fighting for every bit of muscle growth, blind hard work will not cut it. Think of muscle growth as a target. When trying to shoot a target you will not just fire blindly in all directions, you must aim to hit your target. Your training program allows you to aim your hard work so that you hit your intended target. Don’t let your hard work be wasted by a failure to aim.

AUTHOR

Cliff Wilson on Facebook
Team Wilsons Website

Name: Jessica Jessie
Location:  Rockville, Maryland
Age:32
Height: 5’5″ & 1/2
Weight: 130 LBS
Occupation:  Master Personal Trainer and Certified Nutritionist;  Spokesmodel for Powerfit Nutrition
Achievements: I’ve competed in 2 Miss Bikini Olympias and the Arnold Classic

When did you get started with fitness?

I’ve been an athlete my whole life.  I played soccer almost as soon as I could walk.  Then in high school I played three sports including volleyball, basketball and soccer which ultimately earned me a scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth University.  Fast forward a few years and I became a professional cheerleader for the Washington Redskins.  During this time I developed some bad habits to make weight.  Then I had an epiphany.  Instead of taking shortcuts and doing things in an unhealthy way, I wanted to learn everything about fitness and nutrition.  Soon I began to study at the National Personal Training Institute and I became a master personal trainer and certified nutritionist.  Fitness is my passion and in 2010 I began competing on the fitness stage in the NPC.  After winning four shows in the bikini division I became an IFBB bikini pro where I went on to compete in the inaugural Miss Bikini Olympia in Las Vegas!

How do you stay so motivated? What drives you?

I am big on setting goals.  When I compete on stage, I set specific goals of how I want my physique to look like and then I work my butt off in the gym to hit those goals.  Beyond that I just love staying fit and active so it’s not too hard.  I like to mix things up and do a variety of things so I don’t get bored. Boxing and kickboxing classes is a favorite of mine and sometimes I like to run sprints.

What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome?

The hardest thing to do is to say no when you really don’t want to say no.  Sometimes I’m out with my husband or with friends and I’d love to have some dessert but I just can’t.  I’m not going to lie, that stinks.  But if I don’t have a competition I do like to enjoy myself. Eating is one of our greatest pleasures in life.  So it just takes some discipline to know when I can indulge and how much.

What does your current training schedule/program look like?

Let me first say that I am a big believer in high intensity training.  I try not to take many breaks between sets as I like to keep my heart pumping throughout a workout.  I also try to do four sets of 15 reps per exercise.  So here is a breakdown of what I do:

Monday – Quads – I do leg extensions, squats, diagonal lunges and Bulgarian squats. I also mix in some plyometrics like pop-squats and jump lunges.

Tuesday – Shoulders, Chest and Triceps – For my shoulders I like to do front raises, lateral raises, military press and rear delt raises. For chest I will do incline dumbell chest press and decline push-ups with my feet up on a bench. As for triceps I like bench dips, tricep kick-backs and rope pushdowns.

Wednesday – Back and Biceps – I like to start with wide grip lat pulldowns. Then I’ll do reverse grip pulldowns followed by reverse cable row. For my arms I like to do preacher curls, hammer curls and incline dumbell curls.

Thursday – Hamstrings – I’ll do leg curls, wide high jumps, weighted step-ups and one-leg stiff-legs.

Friday – Butt, Shoulders and Calves – I love the butt machine! This is an absolute must. Then I use the outer-thigh machine. Cable squats are good as well as stability ball butt raises. For shoulders I may do some different exercises than Tuesday including cheer presses (raises arms in “v” shape) and upright rows. As for calves, I’ll do standing and seated calf raises.

I also do cardio each and every morning.  Sometimes I simply walk up hill on an incline.  Other times I will use the Cyber Arc machine or an old fashioned step machine.  Then there are days when I will do a treadmill routine where I will do lunges, side steps and squats while the treadmill is going.  Again I believe in variety.

Give us a breakdown of your daily diet.

Meal 1
3 egg whites
1/4 cup oatmeal with 1 tsp flax seed oil and 1 packet of splenda
1/3 cup blueberries

Meal 2
5oz chicken breast
12 asparagus spears
4oz sweet potato

Meal 3
3 oz ground turkey breast
¼ cup green or red peppers
1/4 cup peas

Meal 4
1 can tuna
2 cups spinach leaves with 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 tbl of balsamic vinegar
¼ cup shaved carrots
1/3 cup mushrooms (optional)

Meal 5
5oz chicken breast
1/2 cup broccoli

Meal 6
4 oz orange roughy
2 cups romaine lettuce with 1 tsp flax and 1 tbl of balsamic vinegar
12 asparagus spears

Do you take any supplements to reach your fitness goals

The most important thing that I do is I take a multivitamin each day.  Beyond that I do take glutamine from Powerfit Nutrition (http://powerfitnutrition.eu/en/glutamine/) to help with my post-workout recovery.  I also make protein shakes with the lemon mousse HydroPro from Powerfit Nutrition!  (http://powerfitnutrition.eu/en/hydropro/)

What is your single biggest “Fitness” related accomplishment?

I’d have to say earning a soccer scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth University was a pretty big accomplishment but during my first year of competing in fitness, 2010, I won the overall bikini division at Junior Nationals which was special because that is when I earned my IFBB pro card!

Is there anyone in the fitness industry you look up to?

I’d have to say Jillian Michaels has really impacted more lives in fitness than anybody else.  Her impact through “The Biggest Loser” on television is undeniable.

Name a fitness “Myth” that just isn’t true no matter how many times you hear it?

I hear a lot of women say they don’t lift weights because they think they will get too bulky.  Ha!  Do they think it’s that easy?  Lifting weights can help you get toned and fit if you do it the right way!

Tips for our readers to achieve their fitness dreams?

My biggest tip is to believe in yourself.  No matter how hard transforming your body may seem, you can do it.  I’ve trained countless clients who are amazed by their results by simply sticking to a nutritious diet and working out regularly.  You can do it, you just need to start!

Links

Website: JessicaJessie.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/bikinipro
Twitter: Twitter.com/bikinipro or @Bikinipro

Besides working as a master personal trainer, I am a spokesmodel for Powerfit Nutrition and their new designer nutrition line for women, Sexy Freak.  I am also part of Team Lightweight.

Websites:
PowerFitNutrition
Sexy Freak
Light Weight Athletics

Facebook
PowerfitNutrition
Sexy Freak
Light Weight Athletics

In the final moments before you step out from backstage and into the lights it dawns on you that you are finally here. All the years of weight training, the months of dieting and cardio, the days of planning your posing routine, color and who to thank are all done. Now there is nothing left to do but step out under the hot stage lights and wait for the judges to call out the poses you have worked so hard to perfect.

These are the final moments before you will share the brotherhood with the rare breed of competitive bodybuilders.

Often times the journey to the competitive stage is paved with questions of why you are doing it. Many people you call friends and family will question your desire to get to levels of body fat that they can’t comprehend. Not only do you have to battle the diet, cardio and weights on a daily basis, you will also have to deal with a staggering amount of resistance. So why do you want to be a competitive bodybuilder? How do you take the steps from becoming a member of a gym to a member of the elite club of physique athletes?

Why Do You Want To Be A Bodybuilder

Pictures in magazines, videos on YouTube and stories from friends can’t describe what a bodybuilding contest is. To truly know if competitive bodybuilding is for you attendance at a show is mandatory. Only when you see the athletes on stage in their full glory can you know for sure if this journey is for you. Once you see the lean, athletic and muscular bodies posing and battling each other on stage you can then begin to picture yourself in their place. This motivation will serve you well during your impending journey. When you see the difference that a few pounds or even ounces of fat can have on a physique it will drive home the work ahead. While in attendance also be sure to notice the nuances of a bodybuilding show. Why is everyone wearing black? Why is everyone orange? Why do some people look so lean while others appear pedestrian? Bodybuilding contests are a strange environment when first discovered. This small group of people all has an obsession and these contests are the outlet for that madness. If bodybuilding or figure is an adventure you intend to take then these people will become your family.

No other place will you find people who share your drive, motivation and passion for attaining the physique that only you can see in your mind.

After attending a contest you will know if competing is for you, if so then it’s time to take the next step.

From The Gym To The Stage

How do you take your physique from gym patron to stage legend? There are many ways to reach the next level. They all involve one thing, work! Many people have pre conceived notions about competitive bodybuilding that stem from rumors, magazines and the Bro’s in the gyms who like to talk the talk but have never actually done the walk. So how do you separate fact from fiction? Do you need to eat fish and broccoli 7 times a day and do 2 hours of cardio? How about not drinking water for 2 days before a contest, how does that work? Is it true that back stage all the contestants are trying to psyche each other out? There is one way to avoid all of this uncertainty and that is through research and finding a coach. Entering your first contest without a coach is absolutely possible. There is however far more positives to having a coach, at minimum for your first contest. When researching a coach make sure you speak to a past client and don’t be afraid to work with someone because they are based on the internet. With technology allowing for instant emails, text, video chatting and more the nearest option may not be the best. A coach will be your one stop location for all answers and insecurities. You will be working with someone who has guided many athletes to the stage and is familiar with the fragile psyche of a competitive athlete. In most cases the coach will also be a competitor as well.

Working with a seasoned competition coach is like taking a Master’s Class in Bodybuilding. All of the information and strategies you learn over the course of your preparation are lessons you will take with you forever.

Don’t hire someone who can’t explain the process or reasoning behind what they are doing. Because everyone does it is not an answer any quality coach should give. If you do decide to go into the contest with no coach by using the tools available to you, more power to you. Either way you will have a plan and be ready to being the journey to the bodybuilding stage. So when does that journey begin?

Stay tuned for part two where the discussion will shift into choosing a contest and deciding when to begin the preparation diet.

Author

Competition:
2013- IFBB Australasian Open Bikini Tall, 2nd
2013- IFBB All Female Classic Open Bikini Tall, 2nd
2013- FitX IFBB Open Bikini Tall, 2nd
2012- IFBB QLD State Championships, Open Bikini 2nd
2012- IFBB Australasian -Open Bikini 4th
2012 – FitX Melbourne IFBB – Open Bikini 4th
2011- IFBB QLD championships, Open Bikini 2nd

Media:
2013- Shared cover IFBB Australia Magazine, Muscle & Fitness 1st edition.
2013- MuscleMag magazine FEB/MARCH 4page feature “Girls of MISS nutrition”
2013- Oxygen Magazine “Future of Fitness”
2012- Cover girl and feature for Australian Swimsuit Edition (May 2012)
2012 – HotChickWithAbs.com cover girl and Logo for company
2012 – Inside Fitness (Australia, Singapore, NZ) March issue “Female Form” feature.
2012 – Dana Carmont swimwear and competition wear website and advertising
2012- Zoo Weekly magazine, “Best New Bodies for 2012″ Issue 308
2011 – Australian Swimsuit Calendar 2012 (released in October 2011)

When did you get started with fitness?

I first started weight training when I wanted to tone up a bit for the Australian Swimsuit Calendar shoot I had coming up so I started going to the gym with my partner. Since I had no other females to work out with I would work out with Chris just doing what he did with a fraction of the weight. It was addictive! The biggest adjustment though was my diet. After seeing the massive difference a clean and calorie/carb controlled diet made to my body as well as cutting out all alcohol and soft drinks. I don’t think I could ever go back to eating the way I used to.
I started watching Olympia and the Arnolds on YouTube and saw that they had a bikini section.
“These girls are amazing!” I thought to myself.
I now had my new goal!

How do you stay so motivated? What drives you?

I often watch clips and DVDs from Olympia and other pro comps that upload their competitions online. I love getting that excitement of being on stage on showing off what you’ve been working on. Watching the pros makes me keep my eye on what I am working towards. All the early mornings, dieting, cardio and weights sessions will pay off in the end and I will be on stage too showing my physique at the best condition I can have it in.
I also look at my previous competition pictures and look at what I want to work on and “grow”.
This makes sure I get on stage every time looking better than the last time.

What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome?

The psychological part of dieting and training and realising every little bit matters. Sometimes it’s easy to plan out how you are going to train and prep your meals each day and in a perfect world it would all happen like it’s writing on paper. But there are all the things you didn’t account for like getting sick, changing work, relationship issues, sick children, school duties/commitments. Through life I guess it’s about tackling each obstacle as best we can to get to our goal.

What does your current training schedule/program look like?

Monday: Shoulders
Shoulder press – 10-12 x 4
Rear raises – 10-12 x 4
Side raises – 10-12 x 4
Front raise with cable – 10-12 x 4
Tuesday: Legs
Leg press – 10-12 x 4
Squats – 10-12 x 4
Deadlift – 10-12 x 4
Walking lunges – 10-12 x 4
Sumo squats –10-12 x 4
Wednesday: Back & Chest
Wide grip pull down – 10-12 x 4
Narrow grip pull down – 10-12 x 4
Wide grip row – 10-12 x 4
Narrow under hand row – 10-12 x 4
Incline bench flys – 10-12 x 4
Thursday: Abs, Cardio
Intervals on stepper or treadmill 45 mins
20 of each, repeat 4 times.
Basic crunches
Superset
Leg raises
Superset
Plank 1-2 mins
Friday: Legs – High rep
Leg press wide – 20×5
Superset
Leg press narrow – 20×5
Leg curl – 20×5
Superset
Leg extension – 20×5
Step ups- 20×5
Superset
Walking lunges- 20×5
Saturday: Back and Arms
Rear delts – 20×5
Wide grip row – 20×5
Triceps dips – 20×5
Bicep curls – 20×5
Sunday: Rest

Give us a breakdown of your daily diet.

Meal 1: Oats, 4 egg whites, handful of blueberries with some green or herbal tea.
Meal 2: Chicken, greens (mix of beans, peas and broccoli), brown rice and a bit of avocado
Meal 3: Chicken, greens (mix of beans, peas and broccoli), brown rice and bit of avocado
Meal 4: Kangaroo, greens (mix of beans, peas and broccoli), sweet potato
Meal 5: Fish & greens (Spinach)
Snack: Almonds, WPI protein shake, seasoned cucumber slices, strawberries/blueberries.
During/After workout: Gluta-tren, Amino Tren both by ProMera Sports

Do you take any supplements to reach your fitness goals

Con-cret pineapple, Gluta-tren wild berry, Amino Tren strawberry kiwi are used daily together with a WPI after workout which is Species Isolyze at the moment favourite flavours being Choc-peanut butter and Cherry vanilla.

I’m currently addicted to making my own dessert with the Belgian chocolate 100% Casein by Scitec mixed into a low calorie vanilla yogurt. Really fixes my chocolate cravings!

What is your single biggest “Fitness” related accomplishment?

5 days after competing at 3 national shows over 3 weeks in 3 different states I received a phone call to join the Australian team in Tahiti to compete in the IFBB Pacific Championships. I was over the moon! The excitement still hasn’t worn off and it is definitely the next big goal.

Name a fitness “Myth” that just isn’t true no matter how many times you hear it?

If you lift weights you’ll get bulky, or have protein shakes you’ll get bulky! Listen, I have been trying to put on muscle and it won’t just happen, it takes a long time!

Tips for our readers to achieve their fitness dreams?

You have to stick with it!
It won’t happen in a week or maybe even a month but the key to seeing the changes you want is consistency. Find ways to enjoy your workouts, put on your favourite shows while doing cardio, meet up with friends for workouts, don’t look at working out as a chore, you need to be able to enjoy what you are doing each day even if it is challenging at first.
Remember at one point in our lives we found it challenging to walk, then hard to talk, read, write etc. Everything is challenging at first.

Links

Facebook: www.facebook.com/aussarahallen
Twitter: @SarahAllenAus
Instagram: @SarahAllenAus
Sponsors: NDA supplements Australia, Miss Nutrition/Mass Nutrition Chermside and Hot Stuff Beauty

Location:  Orange County, CA

Age: 30

Height: 5’8″

Weight: 172 Lbs

Occupation:  IT Specialist and Business Owner

Achievements: IronMan Magazine 2008, Bodybuilding.com ad 2009, CutAndJacked.com Interview 2010, IronMan Magazine 2010, Natural Muscle Magazine 2011, Bodybuilding.com Interview 2012.

When did you get started with fitness?

I was around 15-16 years old when my father came home with a bench press and some weights. My interest in muscle stemmed from being bullied when I was younger and my dad knew that. He helped me put everything together right in the middle of my bedroom and we went to the local market where he bought me some muscle magazines. All I did was read and post up pages of all the bodybuilders I looked up to on my walls. I was tired of being bullied and teased for being so skinny, so I decided to do something about it. After about a year of lifting in my bedroom I joined my first gym called Super Bodies by my high school and would go every day after school. It was there where I learned so much about training and nutrition. I just listened to what everyone had to say about this and that and soaked it all in like a sponge, after all, everyone in there had so much more experience than I did, so it was great that they took the time to share their knowledge with me. To this day I still practice what I learned from the guys in that gym. It soon became more than just a hobby for me, it became a passion and a lifestyle.

How do you stay so motivated? What drives you?

What keeps me motivated is remembering what was said to me and how I felt before I started training. I didn’t want to hear those words or feel like that again. I also had a problem with drinking when I was younger and weight training kept me busy and away from that, who wants to lift when they’re drunk right? It kept me sober and on the right track. I wanted to better myself and I did. I’m proud to say that I will have 9 years of sobriety this coming May and it is all thanks to the better addiction which is weight training and the lifestyle that is Straight Edge.

What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome?

As I’ve stated in the previous question, it’s been my battle with alcoholism. As I’ve learned in the past, you can’t live a long and healthy life with such negativity surrounding it. I had to X out all negativity and one of my most major factors was alcohol. There are so many things I am ashamed of looking back at everything but realize that I cannot take those things back and the only thing I can do is to continue to live the way I’ve lived these past 9 years as a positive and healthy person who helps others reach their goals. With the help of my friends and family I was able to stay strong regardless of the temptations that came and went. I hit the gym day and night and kept myself busy, I read about bodybuilding and nutrition, I went to local competitions that were more than motivating. All in all, it’s keeping a positive mental attitude that will get you through anything.

What does your current training schedule/program look like?

Right now I am training on a 2 days on, 1 day off schedule.

Monday – Arms

Tricep Pushdowns – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Close Grip Presses – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Skullcrushers – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Machine Preacher Curls – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
DB Curls – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Rope Hammer Curls – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure

Tuesday – Legs – Abs

Leg Press – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Leg Extension – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Seated Ham Curls – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Standing Calf Raises – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Seated Calf Raises – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Cable Crunches – 4 sets\25 reps
Captains Chair Knee Ups – 4 sets\25 reps
Hanging Leg Lifts – 4 sets\25 reps

Wednesday – Off

Off

Thursday – Chest

Flat Bench Press – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Seated Cable Fly’s – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Decline Hammer Strength – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Incline Smith Barbell Machine – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Incline DB Fly’s – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure

Friday – Back – Abs

Deadlifts – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Lat Pulldowns – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Seated Iso Row Machine – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Close Grip Seated Rows – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Widegrip Pullups – 5 sets\Failure
Decline Crunches – 4 sets\25 reps
Captains Chair Knee Ups – 4 sets\25 reps
Hanging Leg Lifts – 4 sets\25 reps

Saturday – Off

Off

Sunday – Delts – Traps

DB Shoulder Presses – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Seated Lateral Raise Machine – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
DB Lateral Raises – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
DB Front Raises – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Rear Delt Machine – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
DB Shrugs – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure
Behind The Back Barbell Shrugs – 5 sets\15, 12, 10, 8, failure

Give us a breakdown of your daily diet.

7:00am – 1 cup of plain oats in water, a 1\2 tablespoon of natural peanut butter and 1 packet of Stevia along with 5 egg whites and 1 whole egg scrambled with 1 scoop of Controlled Labs PROnom 23 protein powder in 16oz’s of water with 3 Controlled Labs Orange Triad multivitamin tablets.

10:00am – 20 almonds and a cup of coffee with 1 packet of Stevia.

1:00pm – 12oz’s of boneless\skinless chicken breast, a cup of brown rice and a cup of broccoli.

4:00pm – 6oz’s of boneless\skinless chicken breast and a half cup of brown rice.

6:00pm – 1 scoop of Controlled Labs PROnom 23 in 16oz’s of water and a plain Greek yogurt with 1 packet of Stevia.

7:30pm – 10-12oz’s of lean top sirloin with a small sweet potato, half cup of broccoli and 3 Controlled Labs Orange Triad tablets.

9:30pm – 1\2 a cup of plain oats in water with 1 packet of Stevia, 2 scoops of Controlled Labs White Flood in 10oz’s of water, 5 Green Bulge capsules and a scoop of Purple Wraath in 20oz’s of water.

12:00am – 1.5 scoops of Controlled Labs Gold Feast in 16oz’s of water.

Do you take any supplements to reach your fitness goals

Controlled Labs White Flood – An NO pre-workout supplement that I take 30 minutes before training.
Controlled Labs Orange Triad – A multi-vitamin that I take daily.
Controlled Labs PROnom 23 – A protein powder that provides me with 23 grams of protein per serving.
Controlled Labs Purple Wraath – An amino acid powder that I drink intra-workout.
Controlled Labs Green Bulge – Creatine capsules that I take 30 minutes before I train.
Controlled Labs Gold Feast – A protein\carbohydrate recovery powder that I take immediately after training.

What is your single biggest “Fitness” related accomplishment?

I would have to say making it into my first magazine. That was such a huge deal for me as it was something I dreamed about when I was younger. The magazines and supplemental sponsorships were things I always dreamed about and never thought would actually happen but it was something I aimed for and in time these incredible opportunities came my way.

Name a fitness “Myth” that just isn’t true no matter how many times you hear it?

I was always told that carbs were the devil, stay away from carbs, carbs will make you fat.. etc. Yes, carbs can effect certain people in different ways but aren’t something you should hinder from taking in. We are all genetically different and some people require more carbs than others on a daily basis in order to maintain or gain depending on their goals. Carbs are not the devil, they are your friend, you just need to get to know how your body works and reacts to the amount you’re taking in.. it’s all about monitoring your body very closely.

Tips for our readers to achieve their fitness dreams?

1. Eat clean, nutrition is everything.
2. Form over weight.
3. Stay consistent inside and outside of the gym.
4. Listen to others who have experience.
5. Never give up.

Favorite Quote

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn

Links

https://twitter.com/xnickedgex
http://instagram.com/xnickedgex
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/XNickEdgeX/
http://instagram.com/sacrificeandhonor
https://twitter.com/SH_Athletics
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sacrifice-Honor-Apparel/367417696057?ref=ts
http://www.sacrificeandhonor.com/
http://controlledlabs.com/

I would like to take a minute to sincerely thank everyone who has supported me over the years, it’s been an amazing journey. A special thanks goes out to Bodybuilding.com, Controlled Labs, Ian L. Sitren and my beautiful girlfriend Veronica Olvera.

Location:  Guam

Age: 29

Height: 5’4″

Weight: 128 Lbs

Occupation:  Fitness Model, Master Trainer

Achievements: Ironman athlete, WBFF Pro, Bodybuilding.com Elite Team member

When did you get started with fitness?

It actually began in high school. My body wasn’t made to be super thin, I had soccer player legs, nice and muscular but I hated my arms because they were not defined. My mom got me a gym membership and I was introduced to weight lifting. Then I though by lifting 5-10 pounds would get me somewhere, but I was wrong. I began lifting for my strength and I started to love and see the definition in my arms.

How do you stay so motivated? What drives you?

How I stay motivated always changes. I am constantly entering into new contest or competitions like IRONMANS, or Fitness competitions training for ½ marathons and other activities that require me to keep my fitness level at the top of its game.

What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome?

Getting turned down from things that I really wanted. At one time I was so narrow minded and thought I ONLY wanted supplement sponsorships but there is SOOO much more than just being sponsored by a supplement company. Once I became open to all sorts of opportunities I realized I had so much more to go after.

What does your current training schedule/program look like?

Monday – Back
Lat Pull down 4×10
Seated row 4×10
One arm dumbbell row 4×10
Cable High pully rope row 4×10
Low back extension 4×20 (weighted)

Tuesday – Chest
All dumbbell work
Incline dumbbell chest press 4×10
Flat bench dumbbell chest press 4×10
25 push ups (decline)
Dumbbell pullovers 4×15
Cable flys 4×10
Low pully cable flys 4×10
Flat bench barbell press, close grip 4×10

Wednesday – Off

Thursday – Legs
(leg day is always for volume, meaning high reps, lower weight)
50 walking lunges x3
Barbell squats 4×20
Deadlifts 4×15
Plie’ squats 4×20
Leg extensions 4×20
Hamstring curls 4×20
Box jumps 4×10

Friday – Shoulders & Arms
Seated Shoulder Press 4×10
Standing Lateral raise 4×10
Barbell Skull crushers 4×10
Seated Dumbbell Bicep curls 4×10
Tricpe kick backs 4×15
e-z bar bicep curls 4×12
Barbell front raises 4×15
Single arm Triceps press downs 4×10 (each side)

Give us a breakdown of your daily diet.

Breakfast
2 whole eggs, spinach & tomatoes. Coconut bread

Snack
Organic Raw chocolate protein poweder with almond milk

Lunch
Chicken breast & sweet potato with Honey
A side of veggies (usually spinach)

Snack
Nuts N More almond butter and celery
1-2 hard boiled eggs (just the whites)

Dinner
Usually Miracle noodles with a protein like fish and veggies (again fresh spinach)
With honey on my veggies

Snack
Protein shake (the raw organic protein)

Do you take any supplements to reach your fitness goals

Amino Energy from ON/ABB pre workout
FITMISS (muscle pharm supplement designed specifically for girls)
Multi vitamin, Cleanse & CLA
Raw Garden of Life protein powder Chocolate

What is your single biggest “Fitness” related accomplishment?

Signing with the biggest company in the fitness industry… Bodybuilding.com of course ☺

Name a fitness “Myth” that just isn’t true no matter how many times you hear it?

Girls will look like HULK if they lift heavy. DRIVES ME CRAZY! Girls, you will not get huge muscles just by lifting heavy. This is the number one most common fear of all girls new to dumbbells and barbells

Tips for our readers to achieve their fitness dreams?

Keep it fun, and never stop chasing after your dreams. If you set your mind to it, you can become and do anything you wish.

Favorite Quote

You can plan for a perfect picnic but you have no control of the weather.

Links

For my 12 week training programs please visit my site
www.ashleyhorner.co BECOMING EXTRAORDINARY SERIES
www.facebook.com/ashleyhornerfitness
www.facebook.com/ashleyhorneronline
www.facebook.com/ashleyhornersSustenance
instagram @ashley_horner
Sponsors
www.bodybuilding.com
www.nuts-n-more.com

Ingredients (4 Servings – 4 Rolls)
- 500 g chicken or turkey breast (or chicken)
- 250 g spinach (I used fresh young spinach)
- 2 eggs
- Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or brown bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- Fresh black pepper and salt
- Nutmeg

Directions
- Cut 4 thin slices of chicken or turkey breast.
- Put the slices between two pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap/foil and gently pound with a mallet until very thin.
- Trim the pounded breast until it is roughly a rectangle.
- Put the rest of the turkey breast in the blender, add the spinach, 1 egg, nutmeg, fresh black pepper and salt and blend.
- Distribute the turkey mixture over the slices of Turkey.
- Roll them tightly and wrap in a plastic foil (like a bonbon)
- Put the turkey rolls in the freezer for 1 hour
- Mix the panko or brown bread crumbs with the paprika powder
- Beat one egg with fresh black pepper and salt
- Remove the plastic foil from the rolls.
- Coat with egg (first) and brown bread crumb (second)
- Put the coated turkey rolls in a pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes on 180°C
- You can serve these warm or cold

Nutritional Facts (1 Serving – 1 Roll)
Energy: 223 cal
Protein: 33.1 g
Carbohydrates: 11.2 g (sugar 0.7 g)
Fat: 5.2 g (saturated 1.1 g)
Fiber: 3 g

Author

On The Web @ www.thefitnessrecipes.com
On Facebook @ www.facebook.com/FitnessRecipes