GYM MEMES

    My last few posts have all been quite serious and down to business so..I thought it would be nice to have a few laughs on the blog..
!!

           

 

                                                                              

                                                                                             

                                                                     

                                                                   

FREE WEIGHTS VS MACHINES

I am a strong advocate of free weights because they allow the body to move synergistically.

The body moves in balanced cycles. Free weights delivers resistance to the body in a more organic way that promotes both balance and symmetry as well as superior strength and mass gains.

This in turn minimizes imbalances in musculature.Which in turn will minimize injuries.

I actually have never had any injuries from lifting weights in my 6 years of experience. (7dullah)
And I would say 95 percent of my resistance training is conducted via dumbbells, barbells, cables and  bars.

 The only "machines" I  will use on a regular basis are cables (which i consider to be free weights) and once in a blue moon; the smith machine for things like very heavy squats.


 Muscles have agonist and antagonist pairs.They would generally located on opposite sides of a bone ; a joint extensor and a joint flexor.

Antagonistic pairs are necessary because muscles can only exert a pulling force and cannot push themselves back into their original positions.
 
For example; when the biceps contract,  the triceps is relaxed and returns to its original position. The opposite happens when the triceps contract.

In any exercise, or movement  there are three types of muscles being used simultaneously.

• Agonist muscles which are the prime movers,or the main muscle responsible for that particular movement.

• Antagonist muscles which contract in opposition to the agonist.

•  Stabilizer muscles which maintain  the body at an optimal position during that exercise

Machines basically fuck all that shit up.

With educated knowledge of the underlying anatomy you can position your body to achieve specific isolation of any muscle. Machines are not needed for this so don't be lazy!

The results will be superior in both, function , balance and mass.
I'm not saying never, train with machines...

Just know that there is a better and more functional alternative with free weights for whatever machine your using.

YOUSSRA´S STORY

Hello,

My name is Youssra, and I am the sister of the one named ;Yahyoush.

I'm writing a guest post  about the influence my older brother had in dramatically changing my life for the better!

Throughout my childhood years i was very overweight and this progressed to a point in which I became clinically obese.I weighed 78kg at the age of 12. I continuously felt left out from simple daily  activities, such as going shopping with my sister or cousins, because at that time i had to squeeze into  size 42 jeans, whilst other members of my family were almost half my weight. 


I started out by trying to involve myself in competitive sports, most notably basketball and tennis.Then more radical approaches such as starvation and even, for a short period; becoming bulimic.

It was at this point my brother noticed my efforts to try to loose weight.
He sat me down and created a fitness and nutritional plan for me.

My nutritional  regime involved an alteration to my now very restricted diet including eating lots of healthy fats (the notion of any fat at this point terrified me).

My exercise plan involved HIIT at first. However it was very detailed an personalized to my goals.Both for the immediate present and in the future.

 The first session was a nightmare, I was panting and dizzy from exhaustion.I was soooo out of shape.
But my bro was there and motivated me every other day for that first week.And in one week, I began feeling amazing energy wise. I had lost 4kg in one week and I was actually enjoying full , hearty meals at the same time!


This created a paradigm shift in my ideology:

Now, at the age of 15 my body fat percentage has decreased from 33% to 17.5%. 

I no longer have  any trouble finding my size in shops. Because of my change in weight i can now move so much faster than before and easily play sports without having to stop every 10 minutes for a break.

Like my brother my diet was much stricter when first starting out, but I actually got him to send me a pdf of his current diet and adopted it immediately.Its far more relaxed and I do not feel restricted in any way whatsoever.

I now incorporate HIIIT  once or twice a week as my cardiovascular conditioning  and go to the gym 5 times a week. 

I started with a more general weightlifting program as recommended by my big bro; which didn’t really focus on particular muscles,but was more focused on compound movements  (however not with monster weights like him.I am a young lady :)

 Now that I´ve attained a strength base and three years of training experience.I have begun to focus much more  on isolation work and really just shaping my body as I see fit.

My current goals are to maintain my weight and simply tighten up my physique .

Here are some be4 and after pics:

LOVE YOU  BIG BROTHER YAHYOUSH

XOXO

MY STORY

 This will be a post that I will be continually updating as time goes by.

So the story begins:

 Once upon a time. In a land that may or may not be far away. I was a fat kid...

At age 11 I weighed a staggering 73 kg. To put that into perspective; that is also  what i weighed  almost a decade later at the tender age 18. I unfortunately cannot find any photos in which to showcase myself  in this ugly duckling phase of my life...(most probably a voluntary decision on my part).
 

18 is when I began my training journey. Prior to this I went for regular jogs for about a year.
I lost a whopping  17kgs that year! And I continue to be a fan of both jogging and H.i.i.t
This is me at 18 years of age; before I ever lifted a weight:
 

Although I have a natural tendency to google and research everything. I actually had no clue what I was doing in the gym for the first two years. Well, I thought I did and I definitely got results. However learning by reading an article and learning by experience are two completely different things. In my opinion life is all about the journey to get where you want to be... And this was a long journey!

I had adopted a very low carb diet in which my only sources were fruit and non starchy veggies. I adhered to it religiously during these 3 years. I also trained at least 5 times a week during this period. I did not take ANY supplements whatsoever aside from my favorite multivitamin and only the very occasional protein shake. (aspartame scares me)


This is me at 21:

 At this point I became quite serious about my training methodology. I began focusing on specific body parts much more rather than compound movements. I extensively and obsessively studied basically everything about training. From actual exercises and their variations to human nutrition,  bio-mechanics, endocrinology etc..

 I did this whenever I had spare time in order to really get a understanding of my training.
( I am a certified google freak)
I became more open with the idea of  flirting with supplements and have tried a few. Although I still am and always have been a natty freak. I also adopted my current diet which is far more relaxed and realistic to maintain 4 keeps.

My current goals are to maintain and continue to develop a  lean and balanced physique.
I do not like the bulky look. I think when anything is taken to excess it is detrimental.
I like powerful looking and highly muscled lean bodies.


This is me currently ( I am 23):

SETTING TARGETS

Setting yourself targets is an excellent way to keep your training at world class levels.

Whether its a specific body part or a specific type of activity such as explosive strength training..something is always not going to be getting the adequate focus required.
Humans are creatures of habit,and when it comes to training,we can easily get caught up in our favourite exercises and cause imbalances in musculature.

A rule of thumb when setting targets is to ask yourself..what is  lagging in your training?
What do you really NOT feel like training?

Answer these questions and scrutinize your current goals.Analyze yourself on a constant basis and identify what body parts you have neglected in the last week, or month and then prioritize it.

Constructive scrutiny is a good thing.Knowing your weaknesses sets you on the path to turn them into strengths.Don't obsess or stress about anything,the journey to your goals is half the fun!

Initialize a paradigm shift on your training routine and incorporate a new exercise methodology to shock the body part or athletic feature you are now focusing on. New methodologies could involve adding completely  new exercise routines or simply adding variables and variations to your current routine.
Or a new methodology to performing them such as Madness sets. 

There are many ways to getting out of a plateau, the key is not letting it happen in the first place!

Setting yourself very specific weekly targets along with a more general monthly target is an excellent way to get yourself organized in your training.You don't have to go neurotically apeshit and cover your house in post its. Just a mental note of your current weekly goal along with a broader idea of what you want  to accomplish this month should suffice.

IMPORTANCE OF AEROBIC EXERCISE

Quite a lot of men specifically will do lots of weightlifting  and ignore activities such as running, swimming or even walking completely.  This is unfortunate,as aerobic exercise has so many benefits.
A high percentage of people train for vanity; they want to train what you can see and quantify (Fair enough.)
However the majority of benefits from activities such as running cannot be seen so easily. Your not going to gain slabs of muscle going for a jog  as the benefits you will reap are primarily internal adaptations.
In my opinion a well proportioned physique should be as capable as it is aesthetically pleasing.
Your body is you, and you should be epic! Inside and out!


Aerobic capacity is correlated with:

•     larger brain volume  

•   better circulation 
  

•  improved metabolic function

• increased neural drive and reflex capability

• higher oxygen saturation in the blood

• lower resting blood pressure  

• improved renal function

• lower resting heart rate

• increased  liver detoxification

 Humans excel in endurance activities.We are actually one of the best long distance runners in the animal kingdom. Prior to the the implementation  of more advanced hunting methodology; such as training hunting dogs or projectile weaponry,  humans would capture their prey by simply running it down.
This method is known as persistence hunting and is an ancient technique still used around the world today in certain cultures such as in the Kalahari.
A combination of  long distance running and tracking is used  in pursuit of the prey, which is chased down to the point of exhaustion.

A gazelle´s graceful speed puts us to shame in short distances. However, mankind  is designed with several features and adaptations that enable us to exert ourselves far longer than most other mammals.
Humans are relatively hairless and can use sweat very efficiently as a  thermoregulation process.
Amongst mammals, humans and horses are notable exceptions that utilize the lymphatic system with such efficacy. The gazelle or other quadrupedal prey would eventually  have to slow its pace considerably in order to pant. In the Kalahari, the bushmen chase kudu for two to five hours for a successful hunt. This would be over a distance of 16 to 25 miles in temperatures up to 43C!

This type of exercise is part of our ancestry and part of what it means to be human. To move!
While aerobic exercise is not necessary to maintain large muscles it is absolutely necessary to maintain health and vitality. Specifically the maintenance of  healthy organs.It is your life force,and aerobic movement charges this life force.

Also for you aesthetic peeps, running with a few extra layers of clothing in warm weather is an excellent way to increase internal health whilst lowering body fat and  subcutaneous water retention so you look nice and ripped  :)

I recommend always to do aerobic exercise AFTER weights and not before as it will tire you.


Here are some studies to quantify my claims on why it is necessary to do aerobic exercise at least twice a week:



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17167157
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2184945
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18049020
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15974634
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20087305

WORKOUT PLAYLIST 1

Good music is synonymous with a good work out.
If you have some sickkkk new beats to pump up to, then you are at the starting point to commence a  rampage fit for a titan.
I'm not into any specific genres per se; I just generally like what is epic.
So..... in no particular order, here are some of my current favorite tracks:

Enjoy XD:




 DJUMA SOUNDSYSTEM-  LES DJINNS (TRENTMOLLER REMIX)

 ALEX CARE- TOO CLOSE

 ALOE BLACC- I NEED A DOLLAR (KILLABITS REMIX)

   
PENDULUM- VULTURE 

MAJOR LAZER- NEVER GOOD ENOUGH (KILLABITS REMIX)

JAMIROQUAI- BLUE SKIES (FLUX PAVILLION REMIX)

NOISIA- ALPHA CENTAURI

WALK OF THE EARTH- MAN DOWN (RIHANNA COVER)

 VANESSA DE MATA - ÑAO  ME DEIXE SO (DEELICK AND RAMILSON MAIA REMIX)

BLOOM 06- BLUE (SONIC PALMS REMIX) 

YVES LA ROCK - RISE UP (SUNSTROKE PROJECT VANDALISM REMIX)

DEV- DANCE IN THE DARK (PROPER VILLAINS REMIX)

AZEALIA BANKS FT LAZY JAY- 212

MADNESS SETS

This is a fairly advanced technique that id suggest you implement if you've hit a plateau.I do not recommend this type of lifting for anyone who isn't at least intermediate at this lovely sport.
If you don't have a solid base of strength you could injure yourself doing something this intense.

MADNESS SETS 

 Looking for size?  Then this is name of the game
Performing exercises in this way are second to no method Ive tried to add mass and give blood-boiling pumps.

Its fairly simple; you start with a high weight and perform repetitions to failure.Then you remove some weights and perform again to failure.And again and again.Just like any old drop set.
Except, I do not want you to rest at all,the only rest you get is unloading the plates or lowering the weights. (less than 5 seconds between each set )

Think of this as a remix between the drop set and the rest pause technique. If your doing this correctly, when you are finished you should feel  like your brain is about to leak out of your ears...Its awesome!

Structure your set this way (this is one bad ass superset):

1st set:   90 % of 1 rep max  4-6 reps
2nd set: 70 % of 1 rep max 10-15 reps
3d set:   40 %  of 1 rep max 20-25 reps
4th set:  20 %  of 1 rep max  30-35 reps.



The great thing about drop sets performed in this way:

•  In one continuous set you will work out in several different rep ranges and target all the muscle fibres of that muscle.You will gain strength, mass and vascularity.
• Works brilliantly in both compound and isolation movements.
• You will gain slabs of new flesh.
• Will teach you a thing or two about intensity.This will fuck your shit up.

I don't want to be one of those annoying people who always has to remind others at the end of the article  about the importance of form and doing negatives in a slow and controlled motion.So...don't make me.
Peace x

CALF TRAINING

Ah, the bane of a mans pursuit towards a flawless physique..The calves!
 

It would seem that this muscle resists growth unlike any other. I want to be the first to point out that my calves are not epic, I was not blessed with these by default.Ive had to work very hard to pack on every precarious inch.

 But, I would rather take advice from someone who has worked hard to get something than someone who always had it and took it for granted. Thus having no knowledge of how to attain it from scratch. And believe me,once upon a time..I had scratch!

 I have learned   that the major issue with calves is a lack of understanding of the underlying anatomy.
Similarly to the forearm, the calves are composed of various relatively small muscles that must be trained individually in order for the calf to flourish as a whole. It is important to target the calves from every single angle!

I will be focusing this article on the major muscles you should train for mass in the lower leg.
Furthermore muscle fibre types need to be accounted for and therefore training repetitions should be adjusted accordingly.

Now I'm going to outline a training program that will F*** your shit up unlike any other.

ANATOMY:

(In case you are a bit retarded: )

 Type I: slow twitch, predominantly fueled aerobically .(high reps)
 Type IIa: Can utilize both anaerobic and aerobic pathways (med reps)
 Type IIb: Anaerobic metabolism is primary fuel source (low reps)


STRATEGY:

The muscles of the lower leg are composed to a great extent of Type I fibres. You also must not neglect  fast twitch fibres who also have room for growth. It is a must to train in the different rep ranges according to fibre typing of the target muscle.In this case the lower leg is mostly slow twitch, thus requires a different strategy than upper body training.


Some of the best results Ive gotten with calves is training at ridiculously high volume. (seriously 2000 reps-with breaks at failure :/ )

Train your calves with your feet pointed out at different angles spaced in different stances.
With calf training id like you to emphasize deep stretching at the negative phase of the rep. Utilize full range of motion for all the exercises. Go through the entire motion slowly and do not bounce whatsoever, contract at the end of the rep.



 ANTERIOR CALVES:

The largest muscle of the anterior calf is the tibialis. Training this muscle will really make a difference in the look of your front lower leg. It is composed approximately of 73%  type I fibres.

Shin curl
Reverse calf raises

The peroneus longus is synergistic with the tibialis posterior, that extends the foot. The peroneus longus is used extensively in foot placement as it helps to stabilize the leg.

The principal function of the peroneus brevis is to aid with plantar flexion and assist with evertion of the foot and ankle.

A great exercise for this,especially for those equipment challenged, is to place a towel around the ball of your foot and use the resistance from your arms to extend the foot. Cross your legs so your knee is bent to maximize the isolation of this exercise.



POSTERIOR CALVES:

Gastrocnemius:

The gastroc is the largest muscle of the lower leg.It is what gives that classic diamond shape.Interestingly this muscle has a very equal ratio of slow and fast twitch fibres: the lateral and medial head contain 50.5% and 43.5% slow twitch fibres respectively. I hypothesize that this muscle varies more in fibre composition than others,but i digress..
The gastroc is arguably the only muscle in the lower leg to which high weights and low reps will offer some benefit.
I would advise  trying unilateral (one legged) calf raises. The second you reach failure you should superset with bilateral  raises immediately.
This is fantastic because not only does it make you almost pass out if done correctly;
it also induces awesome growth.

Standing calf raises
Donkey calf raises
Barbell/ dumbbell calf raises
Glute hamstring raise

Soleus:
The soleus is the second largest calf muscle and adds tremendous mass! The soleus if trained properly will add a great thickness to the lower leg. It is located below the gastrocnemius.The soleus functions as a  plantar flexor of the foot and ankle. It moves the toes and top of the foot away from the body. It is the primary dorsi flexor when there is flexion in the knee joint (knees bent) It is composed of 87.7% slow twitch type I fibres!
Thus it goes without saying high reps are its bread and butter peeps.
 

Seated calf raise (and any other variation dumbbells, barbells etc)
Standing calf raises with kness bent

The key to activating the soleus is raising the heel with the knees bent.

On a final note,id like to address a final problem with the calves.
Prioritization! If a body part is lagging behind in its development it is important that you to train these more often and with more passion than other body parts.

Sucks, but that's just life.Man up,bitch. :)

CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS

Should one do cardio when the main goal is to add as much muscle as possible?
Is cardio even necessary to maintain a toned physique?
Will cardio eat up my muscle?

etc.....

Every exercise and every action utilizes the cardiovascular system, thus everything is technically cardio. The correct terms would actually be:


AEROBIC EXERCISE- Utilizing primarily aerobic pathways,this constitutes low to moderate activity. Walking and jogging would be in this category. Fatty acids generally  fuel this type of action.


ANAEROBIC EXERCISE-Utilizing primarily anaerobic pathways,these are generally high intensity activities such as sprinting and weight lifting.Stored glycogen (like sugar but cooler)  from the liver and muscles are the fuel of choice.

Looking good and fitness are two separate entities.There are people who say stick to weights or cardio,you can't do both....both is bad! You will never excel at both!
 Based on personal experience, I can honestly say this is some straight up bullshit. Any serious fighter will train cardio and weights like a madman to stay in killer shape.

Fitness is defined in the eyes of men by how fast;  agile; and strong you are. A slow and stiff bodybuilder might appear rather vascular and pretty on the beach, but  could be annihilated by a guy half his size who trains more wisely. He might be strong in a safe controlled environment such as a smith machine,but that doesn't translate into the necessary variables of a true fit and powerful individual.

 Explosive cardio (aka anaerobic high intensity) is a must if you want to be at the peak of your human potential. Turn those pistols into Gatling guns!
Just like you would train your muscles in different rep ranges it is important to train your heart at different maximal outputs.
A smart man or woman will train and master several forms of both aerobic and anaerobic exercise.Unless aesthetics is on your only interest.In which case your @ the wrong place broo.Looking good is important to me, but being fit always takes precedence!

I admit,training makes you look great,and looking great is epic and all that. However, the feeling of being in total control of ones body and knowing that nobody can outrun, outgun or outfuckwithyou is priceless.

I like to do weights.I heart heavy lifting, but I also jog and sprint at least twice a week depending on my current goals. I think activities such as jogging and sprinting are essential. If they're not your cup of tea try swimming.

Note that the chlorine in  pools make this practice quite unhealthy and lets face it, you aren't a fucking sardine.You are a human and humans are designed to run very frequently.

I would recommend jogging and sprinting or if you must; swimming at both moderate and high intensities at least once a week regardless of your goals.If your cutting then- go for broke.

ISOLATION VS HEAVY LIFTS

There seems to be some confusion on the issue,especially amongst beginners.
Is it better to train specific muscles or to concentrate on the more synergistic heavy lifts that build strength and bulk?

Well...It depends where you are in your training journey peeps:
If your just starting out with your fitness routine, its common sense to master the aces in the deck of the lifting arsenal in all their colours and variations.These exercises add slabs of muscle and increase your strength like no other.

They are Namely (And in no particular order of importance) :
SQUATS  DEADLIFT  BENCH PRESS  CHIN UPS 

If you do not know what these are..Shame on you.. bro.These are compound movements that target a broad range of musculature.They should be your bread and butter if you are a new trainee.

I remember what these were like when I first started out. Horrible!  After a while and not so shortly after that while...They become rather delicious.You cant live without them!

Once you've got a year or two of training on mostly compound movements then it will be time to incorporate more and more isolation work.Targeting specific muslces to remove imbalances or just give newfound proportion to your new mass.

Once you have advanced to an adequate degree,and trust me...you will advance. Then and only then should you begin shifting your focus onto primarily isolation exercises.And by adequate degree I say 3 years minimum before these become your main focus on a workout.

Isolation exercises will add some strength and bulk to your physique, however it should be noted that they are used to correct imbalances and predominantly  aesthetic.

For example lets say your awesome enough to wrestle a lion   (which i am and usually do).I can assure you,you wont be bicep curling it.    

Yet these exercises all have a time and a place.You want to look epic on the beach?!
Well, once you've packed your titties full of muscle and your beginning to emulate a meteor in size...
 Then it is time. Incorporate isolation exercises into your arsenal.Focus on specific muscles to give proportion and balance to your physique.

 Personally,I like to always have the heavy lifting as the main course of my routine and add some isolation work towards the end of my workout.Rather logically I will incorporate more heavy lifting when bulking and more isolation exercises when cutting.It really does depend on your current goals once you reach a more advanced stage.

So to Summarize:

1.Heavy lifting should always constitute a sizable chunk of your workout.Specifically the exercises I mentioned or their variations.The more amateur you are,the more sizable the chunk should be.

2.Add less isolation work if your bulking and more if your getting ready to take your kit off in public areas.

3.Isolation exercises are good to target specific imbalances in the physique.

4.I enjoy wrestling Lions.

Hello www,

This blog is dedicated to my take on fitness and health.This is just an introductory post to get things rolling and .................


LOTS OF LOVE AND ALL THAT GOOD SHIT. Your new bro,

YAHYOUSH