Training

Let me start by saying I am not a licensed or certified trainer. I am just a guy who has spent the better of the last 24 years in a gym, training with weights, and who has developed a way of training that works for me. This will only be a general explaination of my theory of training. I think the biggest problem people face in the gym is over training. This is a strange concept for people to grasp. More people are of the more is better philosophy. Over training is a result of people not knowing how to train. Unfortunately most workout advice comes from muscle magazines, and famous body builders. This is a problem because, with very few exceptions, all of these people are on steroids. Steroids enable your body to recover quicker from training, thus enable you to train harder and more frequent. If you train this way and aren't on steroids, your body will fatigue from over training, and you won't get your best results. Sometimes less is more.

Contrary to popular belief, I am not on steroids, nor have I ever been. The angle I did with Candito, and Dreamer, when I claimed to be the best built professional athlete, this side of a negative drug test was a shoot, as least as far as the negative drug test part. If you plan on using steroids my way of training won't be for you, for everyone else let me say avoiding steroids is a wise decision, steroids only provide very short term results, and they come with a very high price, not the least of which being inevitable injuries.

I believe best results are achieved when you train your body once to twice a week, and you must provide it with lots of rest, so it can grow. I divided my body into three training days; chest & biceps, shoulders & legs, back & triceps.

I try to get to the gym about 3 maybe 4 times a week (I wish it were more but unfortunately that isn't the case). So I train my body 1 to maybe 1 1/2 times per week. After training those muscle groups, which takes about 1 hour, I alternate abs and cardio. 1 day abs the next cardio. If I'm really pressed for time or feeling lazy I skip the abs and cardio. This isn't really a good idea but hey, no ones perfect, least of all me. This with wrestling 4 days a week is about all my body can handle.

The key to my training; is very strict form, I don't worry about lifting heavy weights, I worry about lifting them properly, and always use a full range of motion, with a slower stricter form. You need to avoid the urge of using too heavy of weight. Many people take long rest periods between sets so they can lift heavier. This is a waste of time, in my opinion. The muscle doesn't know the difference between 50 and 10 lbs, it only knows how hard it is working. If you train the muscle to failure, that's training heavy. What is too heavy and too light? I'm a firm believer in reps between 6 - 12. Choose a weight, then with strict form do as many reps as you can. If you can do more than 12, it's too light, go heavier with your next set. Your first set should be 10 - 12 reps. If you can't get 10 reps, it's too heavy to start. As long as you can get a strict 8 - 10 go a bit heavier next set. If you can only get 6 on your last 2 sets, that's cool, stay with that weight. If you can't get 6 reps, lower the weight. That's pretty much it, pretty basic really. This should give you a general idea as to the way I train. Please if you decide to try my training method, be sure to stretch and warm up the muscles before training. Always consult with a licensed trainer or doctor if you have any pain or discomfort while training. Muscle pain during training can be good, but any joint pain should be looked at seriously. The theory of "no pain, no gain" is often misunderstood.

I always train the biggest muscle first. Large muscles, such as Chest and Back, I do four exercises with 4 sets of each. Smaller muscles like Biceps and Triceps only 3 exercises with again 4 sets of each. Legs I train different from most people, I train legs with high reps and ligher weights. This isn't favourable for most people, but when I train legs heavy I lose my vertical leap, not to mention the fact that with 4 bulging discs in my lower back heavy squatting is not advised. My speed and mobility is too important too me, so I train light legs and only do 3 or 4 exercises for them. Shoulders are important and something very easy to injure in the gym. Overhead presses of some kind are a must for big shoulders, but they are very hard on you as well. My keys to taking care of the shoulders are; stretching, rotator cuff strengthening, and doing presses late in the workout. Most people do presses first, so they are fresh and can lift heavier. I disagree. I do lateral raises for the three deltoid heads first. This strengthens and tightens the muscles first, and helps stabilize the shoulder joint for the presses. You won't be able to press as heavy, but remember this doesn't matter. The muscle will still be working hard.

Supplements

I don't use any supplements anymore but I did use a couple of supplements when I was working full time, Creatine Monohydrate, and Vanadyl pH. I still use protein shakes and bars on occasions, but I consider them a diet supplement not a training supplement. For people who are just starting to train, I don't recommend supplements. I think it is important to get as much out of your body, on its own, before trying anything. I was training about 12 - 15 years before taking my first supplement. This is of course excessive but if you get everything out of your body that you can first, you will then be better able to judge what the supplements are actually doing for you. It is also along this same vain, why I suggest only taking 1 supplement at a time. If you take more than one, who is to say which is working for you, all bodies react differently.

Both of the supplements, I took, were recommended to me. Rob Rooksby is a friend and local gym owner, and I get all of my diet and supplement advice from him. It's important to find someone you trust when buying supplements, as there is a lot of crap out there.

Diet

I don't have a very complex diet. A diet to me isn't something you are on, or off, it's simply your eating habits. I don't keep track of the amount of fat, protein, or carbohydrates that I eat. My only rule of thumb is, avoid processed foods and eat as many whole natural foods as I can. I don't eat anything that is low fat, low carb, etc. because they replace the fat with sugar and calories with other artificial chemicals I don't want to consume. I try to eat things that are grown or raised. Fruits, vegetables, meats/fish, and grains. Grains being the smallest portion of those if I can. I keep my deserts and junk food to a minimum, but believe that now that I'm off the road, treats are fine as long as kept in moderation.

I always try to consume most of my carbohydrates earlier in the day. Avoid huge carb intake right before bed. Try to eat as many times a day as you can. Frequent meals increase your metabolism. Some people have a binge day, where they can eat things they usually don't. I disagree with this. I feel this only keeps your cravings alive. I find if you go long enough without something you quit craving it, and for the most part, no longer want it. Many people view eating as a source of enjoyment. I don't eat for enjoyment. I eat to fuel my body.

That's it in a nut shell, the world of Diet and Training as seen through the eyes of a guy who has been training for almost 3/4s of his life. WOW I feel old!