In this week’s blog, I thought it was appropriate to answer a question from a reader since it covers two things that will probably interest you. – CW Question: Mr. Waterbury, I bought your book, Huge in a Hurry. Holy…
Ever wonder how those rings gymnasts build such incredible biceps? One word: maltese. That exercise is, without a doubt, the most powerful biceps builder on the planet. I know plenty of guys that have been doing curls, heavy rows and…
One of the best triggers for muscle growth across your entire body is a full-body workout. When the intensity and volume are dialed in correctly, it’s a powerful stimulus to ramp up protein synthesis and strengthen your muscles and tendons.…
We all have a stubborn muscle group that won’t respond to any of the typical bodybuilding methods. Your biceps have been underdeveloped for years, even though you’ve tried everything from heavy weight training to high-rep sets to failure. But no…
In my blog last week I mentioned that I’ll be covering some of the ways HFT2 – coming June 24 – will be better than the original HFT system I created in 2012. So today I’m going to briefly describe…
On June 24, the much-anticipated follow-up to my original High Frequency Training (HFT) program will be released. So over the course of the next month, I wanted to give you all a general overview of some of the programming strategies that make HFT2 much more powerful than the original.
One exercise combination that has become particularly popular with my clients since the original HFT is the single-leg squat paired with the one-arm push-up. There are two reasons why.
1. You can do it anywhere: Since neither exercise requires additional load so you can do it anywhere: home, hotel or at the park with your kids. I didn’t include a one-arm push-up in the first HFT, and the way I recommend most people perform a single-leg squat is different in HFT2.
2. It’s an effective muscle builder: Not all body weight exercises are challenging enough to stimulate visible growth, but the one-arm push-up and certain versions of the single-leg squat definitely are. The one-arm push-up not only adds mass to your triceps, deltoids and chest, but it is also an excellent anti-rotation core strengthening exercise. The single-leg squat will build up your glutes and lateral aspect of your quads to develop that awesome outer thigh sweep.
Here are two questions I recently received that I thought would be a good fit for today’s blog:
Q: Chad, you have written that it’s possible to gain muscle on a 16-hour fast/8-hour eating phase. But to gain muscle you need enough calories, protein and carbs. Can the body make use of that much protein eaten in such a short amount of time? I heard that the body can only use 20-30 grams of protein and the rest will be stored as fat. – Andreas
CW: First off, the research that showed 20 grams of protein was sufficient to achieve peak levels of protein synthesis has caused an overreaction. While it might be true that 20 grams is no better than 40 grams for triggering protein synthesis, there are certainly other reasons to eat protein such as: increased thermogenesis, higher IGF-1, and a positive nitrogen balance, just to name a few. There’s no reputable research to support the idea that eating more than 20 grams of protein will cause fat gain.
We all know the importance of “core training,” regardless of how unclear that term has become over the years. And we know that strong, powerful glutes are essential for peak performance and aesthetic appeal. What you might not know, however, is that training the abs and glutes separately in isolation will do little to improve your performance and overall results.
“Ab training without hip strength training is useless,” says Chris Powers, Ph.D., one of the world’s foremost researchers on the complex interplay between the two. Dr. Powers also feels “the true core is the pelvis.” Indeed, the pelvis is the foundation of performance because when it’s out of line, it can have far-reaching effects from your feet to your neck.
The abs and glutes must not only be strong, but they also must be trained to work together. “Muscles that fire together, wire together” is a neuroscience mantra that I learned during my early days in grad school. That statement is also a favorite of Dr. Craig Liebenson, a guy I constantly seek out to learn better ways to improve performance and alleviate pain.
Bret Contreras talks strength, muscle, and the 2 x 4 system.
If I had to choose one upper body exercise for the rest of my training days it would definitely be the rope climb. Of course, we don’t live in a world where we’re relegated to only one exercise, but if I had to choose one that would be it. No other upper body exercise works as many muscles as intensely, from your abs to your forearms, and everything in between. However, the rope climb is an advanced exercise that might not be appropriate for many of you, at this point.
The people who run into a problem with the rope climb, whether it’s pain in the shoulder, elbow or anywhere else are usually not ready for such a challenging move. No matter how great the rope is, you must pass through the ranks before adding it into your program.