Welcome to my bubble: Favorite Workouts

Another semi-personal article today. And boy is this one going to be lengthy.

If I were stuck in an island and had to pick specific exercises to perform and could only perform one or two exercises per bodypart, well, aside from kicking whatever genie threw me on that godforsaken islands in the balls, I’d pick me some compound ones (exercises that incorporate many muscle groups simultaneously) and a handful isolation ones (one muscle group only).

A foregone conclusion in this piece is that you have been shown how to do all of these exercises in perfect form. I’ve attached a few videos along the article to help guide you but they are never a replacement of being shown how to do them by a seasoned veteran in real life to ensure you are doing them in perfect form.

Note: Compound exercises are also notable for boosting overall metabolism and triggering increased hormonal secretion for Growth and Testosterone hormones which are crucial for promoting muscle gain and boosting fat burning.

This one will tackle my number one exercises for the major muscle groups. Once again, this is not a list of directives nor does it portray bias towards any exercise over another. This is just the list I’d pick of what works best for me and what largely contributes to improving my physique.

This post isn’t meant to tell you how to do them I’ve posted videos for that, but always have an experienced lifter show you how to execute them safely and properly. This is merely a list of my favorite workouts.

Chest

Bench Press: Ah, a classic. Just saying it brings historically brilliant chests to mind such as Arnold or Serge Nubret. This workout is arguably one of the best in the world for contributing to upper body and pectoral development. The workout can be performed by barbells or dumbbells and some machines are actually decent enough to give you your money’s worth for this workout but I personally prefer the iron pump.

As a compound exercise, it activates muscle fibers in your front deltoids (shoulders), triceps and pectorals.

Flys: Another instant classic in the world of pumped chests. This move works by increasing the density of muscle fibers laterally across your pectorals - making them wider and more flat and less muscular tits. So that’s good. We want that.

You can perform those either using dumbbells or on specialized flys machines. Between bench press and flys, there really isn’t much else your chest need to develop. Obviously changing the degree of incline from flat, incline to decline depending on which part of your pectorals you want to hit.

Back

Lat pulldowns: Easily the machine equivalent of the classic pull-ups - albeit in reverse. This move works nearly every major muscle in your back and can be made quite different and fresh by using different grips and widths which can help focus on specific areas of your back and help you achieve more overall volume.

Deadlifts: Ain’t nothing like a compound classic to work your back and legs and get that growth hormone booming all throughout your body. This move is entirely dependent on perfect execution due to the load placed on your lower back and hips which aren’t exactly structurally powerful areas of your body. It’s important to nail down the form on this workout in order to really reap its benefits and better yet have an experienced lifter show you how to do it right. Don’t go overboard with weights on this one, a little can go a long way!

Shrugs: Although most people would rather hit their trapezius muscles on shoulder day, I find that traps are more closely related and activated more commonly during back day. There is a wide variety of ways, forms and grips to perform shrugs so be sure to check out some varieties on YouTube for reference.

Shoulders

Barbell/Dumbbell/Machine Shoulder Press: Arguably the best way to get some serious mass and development on your frontal deltoids (the biggest and most prominent part of your shoulders) You can dish out this workout using a barbell, dumbbells or a machine, whatever works for you really. Machines are recommended for beginners since they help you nail down the right form with dumbbells being a favorite for helping to strengthen the stabilizer muscles used for balance.

Lateral Raises: My personal favorite on shoulder day! Nothing gives your shoulder that nice round globe shape quite like lateral raises and when it comes to me personally, I find that  drop sets work out best where I dish out 4 sets of 12 reps, dropping the weight by 20% every 4 reps.

Rear deltoid raises: It’s not really a “round” shoulder without putting some focus on the rear side of it now is it? These are best performed using specialized rear deltoid machines or dumbbells. Make sure to really squeeze at the top of your reps to gain maximum impact.

Arms

Bicep Curls: An oldie but a goldie. No brain work needed there. Some muscles need the basics and not much else. It’s what works best for me personally.

Triceps Rope push downs: Possibly my absolute favorite to isolate my triceps as it works all aspects of the muscles quite nicely and gets that lactic acid pumping faster than anything else.

Abdominals

Plank: I’ve already spoken extensively about planking in previous posts and I will repeat myself here. There is no workout I attribute my core development to over the past years more than planks. It is a static exercise which really engages your entire core region and increases overall core strength which in turn helps you out in a wide variety of other workouts which call upon a strong and reliable core.

Hanging Raises: Keep in mind this workout is usually reserved for individuals operating at more advanced levels. Many, even experienced folk, make the mistake of utilizing momentum to drive the movement in this exercise but that’s something you should strive to avoid. This workout engages your entire core area by virtue of your abs raising your legs and lowering them (in a controlled motion) rather than a spring action in which the legs are driving the movement.

Legs

Squats: No squats? No booty! No other workout hits your entire lower body and aids in the development of your quads, glutes and hamstrings altogether at once. It’s another compound classic which pushes your body to release testosterone and growth hormone and aids in overall development of muscles and fat loss.

Leg extensions: Arguably my favorite in terms of quads isolation over any other exercise. It really helps with quad developments and more advanced individuals can even do this exercise one-legged (with a significant drop in weights!)

Leg curls: Deadlifts may hit your hamstrings hard but if some isolation is what you’re looking for, look no further than the legs curls machine to really get those hammies burning up. Once again you can do this exercise one-legged but be careful to maintain perfect form and not to place any stress on your lower back or hips.

Walking lunges: A classic from the golden age of bodybuilding back when your weights were rocks and tree logs. This workout can work your quads, hamstrings, glutes as well as your hip flexors and stabilizer muscles but be prepared for a crazy burn.

Calf Raises: Calves are type II muscles which means that you need to go hard and you need to go heavy if you want to overcome the fact that you’re not genetically predispositioned to have big diamond shaped calves.

Body weight (General)

Push ups: If you want to add some core strength and shake your workout routine up a bit when it comes to your chest, look no further than push ups. There’s a ton of variation you can input into your push ups all the way from beginner on your knees style to one handed-one legged ones. Push ups hit your chest, triceps and shoulders all at once in addition to engaging your core for stability.

Pull ups: You want a V-shaped taper type deal on your upper torso? Then you best make pull ups your new best friend. Near infinite variation in terms of forms and grips which can help target specific areas of your back.

Dips: Hands down the best thing that ever happened to both my chest and triceps. Arguably the best contribution it offers is to your lower pectorals as it helps make them more shapely. A definite must have in your chest/triceps day.

So there you have it folks. These are my favorites. Obviously there are other ones I add to the mix but these should give you a pretty general idea about the most important ones to include in your weightlifting routine to get an overall tone going.

The Worst Kept Secrets in the Fitness Industry (Part 2): Abdominals

Now that we’ve established a mode for you to start shedding off body fat in an efficient manner, it’s time we loop back to our original topic of conversation and the most desired muscle group in the field of aesthetics; abdominals.

Your abs are no magical muscle. They needn’t endure thousands of repetitions or hundreds of sets to pop out anymore than your chest, leg, back or arms require a dozen repetition over three or four sets. It is however, about understanding your abs from a scientific perspective. Many times you’ll hear people (including self-proclaimed fitness pros) refer to abs by region, i.e. upper abs, lower abs, etc. and while yes certain exercise exert more stress on specific parts of your abdominals, it’s very important to realize it’s all one big connected hunk. It does not operate separately from one another.

That being said, I wish we’d all focus on the concept of “core development” rather than abs. Yes abs are arguably the most aesthetically pleasing bit of your bootylicious physique but there’s a big difference between having popping abs and having a functional and strong core. Just take a look at skinny people. We all have that one friend who’s naturally skinny, they can crunch out two large pizzas followed by a bucket of KFC and a Double Big Tasty combo, head over to Baskin Robbins and devour a tub of peanut butter and chocolate ice cream and still look ready for a modeling shoot. We hate them. We loathe their existence. But science calls them ectomorphs and it’s not their fault, they’re just born that way. But do you notice how they always seem to have popping abs? More importantly, do you notice how they’re more often than not, completely unfit for physical exercises demanding a strong dependency on the core area of the body?

This is why core development is so much more important than worrying about the aesthetic development of abdominal muscles. If you have a strong core, the abs will undoubtedly follow. But instead of having a hollow exterior, you’ll also have the power from within.

“What the shit is the core? Isn’t that like filled with magma and lava super deep inside the Earth? What does this have to do with anything? Oh my God do I have lava inside of me? Am I a mutant?” Once again young Padwan [Boom! Star Wars reference] you worry too much about unnecessary details.

According to the much beloved Wikipedia, “the core refers, in its most general of definitions, to the body minus the legs and arms.Functional movements are highly dependent on the core, and lack of core development can result in a predisposition to injury.” Your core carries you through most workouts. Are you doing push ups? Your core is engaged. Are you doing squats? Core. Deadlifts? Core. Trying to balance yourself on one leg with a glass of beer on your nose during a party? Core.

So instead of situps and crunches (which can still be utilized) we ought to focus on more wholesome exercises that benefit your entire core. The cool thing about abdominal workouts and other body-weight type exercises is that you can perform them virtually anywhere; no gym membership necessary! Let’s begin with my personal favorite; the infamous Plank.

The above video shows how the plank is performed. Naturally, like any other exercise, it can be tweaked to increase its difficulty, whether its via a raised leg in the air, a raised arm, a combo of the two or by doing it with the legs resting on a large stability ball for increased core engagement. The more you find yourself having to squeeze your core in order to maintain balance and perfect form, all the better. Planks are static exercises, which unlike dynamic exercises (those requiring motion) rely on the strength of your core and its constant engagement for performance (i.e. you don’t move)

This exercise - like all others - relies on your ability to execute it in perfect form both to reap out its benefits and to avoid potential injury resulting from poor or improper form. Another variation which can help target your obliques (those much sought-after V-shaped curves on your waist) is the side plank. You can watch it being performed here and it can also be made more difficult by raising one leg in the air or it can be done dynamically by squeezing your obliques to lift your body up and down by its side.

A good start for you is trying to maintain the plank position for 30 seconds. If you find that you're doing so in perfect form with significant ease, prolong it till failure and set that time as your standard set time. Dish out 3 to four sets of those with 30 seconds of rest in between.

Next up on my list of favorites is the Hanging Raises.

Do keep in mind this workout is usually reserved for individuals operating at more advanced levels. Many, even experienced folk, make the mistake of utilizing momentum to drive the movement in this exercise but that’s something you should strive to avoid. This workout engages your entire core area by virtue of your abs raising your legs and lowering them (in a controlled motion) rather than a spring action in which the legs are driving the movement.

There’s a wide variety of other exercises you can throw into your abdominal workout routine in a variety of format (supersets, interval sets, pyramid sets, etc.) such as crunches, heel touches, flutter kicks, scissors, alternating elbow-to-knee bicycle kicks and many more. Just be sure to consult someone with experience in order to show you how these moves are executed in perform form to ensure benefits and avoid injury.

Sample abs workout at the end of your weight lifting/cardio routine:

• Super Set [perform both exercises after one another with no rest in between] - Plank (1 minute)/Hanging Raises (12 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Heel touches (15 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Side plank raises (12 reps per side) - 3 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Alternating elbow-to-knee bicycle kicks (15 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest

And for Christ’s sake, please stop dedicating an entire day to your abs. They’re a minor muscle group. All they need is 10-15 minutes of attention at the end of your chest or shoulder day routine or performed after cardio once or twice a week max. Don't forget to stretch out at the end of your workout.

You might fall flat on your face the first couple of times. The soreness the following morning might be a bit too much. Laughing may be a painful experience for a couple of days but trust me, it gets better, you get better. 

If you have any question on techniques or execution please comment below or reach out to me on Twitter on @Foxicakes I’ll be more than glad to assist!

Now go kiss that mat during a plank.

The Worst Kept Secrets in the Fitness Industry (Part 1): Cardio

“Oh my God! I totes read this article on OMG Insider that Britney Spears used to do like 4,000 crunches and Nelly used to blast like 1,000 crunches every hour on the hour! Well of course they do! Just look at their toned chocolate-bar style tummies!”

First of all, Britney got fat. Like, way fat. She’s fat with a Ph. And no, I won’t leave her alone.

Second of all, I need to demystify this odd belief regarding abdominals being some sort of magical muscle that can take on this kind of punishment. Do you whip out 4,000 bench presses on chest day? Do you normally find yourself or others in the gym dishing out 1,500 barbell squats? No? Did you never stop and wonder why you usually got between 6-20 repetitions for your other muscles but for some reason forego this type of exercise when it comes to your abs?

Frankly, it isn’t your fault.

Mainstream media is largely to blame for this false belief that the surest route to a six-pack is quadruple digit crunches and situps. After all, those fancy abdominal curl gimmicks you’ll find on the shopping channel had to have a sponsor. But before we delve into what is largely accepted by the mainstream fitness community as the #1 exercise for helping your abs get popping, let’s try and explain how the concept of a six-pack even works.

It’s about a simple muscle/body fat balance. And this first part of our “Worst Kept Fitness Industry Secrets” series will tackle the concept of cardiovascular training.

In the most basic terms, if you have too much body fat, you will not be able to see your abs. It’s that simple. You could have a glorified eight-pack brewing under that layer of blubber but you’d be shit out of luck to see it during your next beach visit if your body fat % exceeds a certain amount. What does that mean oh wise one? Cardio. Specifically, a decent mix between HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio.

What the fuck are you talking about? What do these acronyms mean? Why is there nacho dipping sauce in my navel? You ask, sweating while grasping your computer screen in doubt of life, yourself and everything you once held dear. Let me explain.

HIIT

HIIT labors under a fairly simple premise; intervals. After a nice 5-minute warm up brisk walk to get your muscles ready for what’s to come, alternate walking/sprinting speeds in set periods of time. Example: Sprint for 30-60 seconds followed by 2 minutes of brisk walking/jogging and repeat these intervals for 15-20 minutes followed by 5 minutes of brisk walking for cool down. You can apply that same basic premise to virtually any cardio activity, be it running, cycling, swimming, rowing the EFX machine, the treadmill, stairmaster or otherwise.

HIIT has the benefit of triggering a hormonal response which sheds body fat as well as adds on muscle. It’s preferable not to perform HIIT exercises more than three times a week (and always AFTER your weight lifting routine) with rest days in between as it has an impact on your muscles. You should avoid performing HIIT workouts on an empty stomach as it depletes your carbohydrates stores rather quickly.

LISS

LISS on the other hand labors under an even simpler premise; steadiness. Basically, to get a specific rate going and hold on to it for prolonged periods of time. Example: Perform 5-minutes of brisk walking to get your muscles warmed up and ready for what’s to come. Then, finding a suitable jogging speed (usually between 6-9 km/hr for most people) maintain this for a period of 30-45 minutes followed by 5 minutes of brisk walking for cool down.

My personal experience with LISS worked out best when doing it first thing in the morning before breakfast. All I would have was one mug of unsweetened dark coffee (no milk) or a single caffeine pill in order to add the benefits of metabolism-boosting caffeine to my run. You can also take a single serving of BCAAs before your run if you want to ensure no muscle loss. You should have a hearty breakfast following that long run!

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. What does that mean in the real world? When can we eat?” Calm your titties. Remember when I said you should have a combo of both HIIT and LISS in your workout routine? That wasn’t out of thin air, performing one or the other alone will result in you more or less adopting the morphology of either a sprinter or a marathoner.

“Well DUH I want to be a sprinter just look how healthy she looks in comparison to that marathon runner!” You say, ecstatic at this revelation and giggling to yourself about all those fools on the treadmills like hamsters on wheels doing nothing but LISS and heading towards a bleak future. 

Not so fast. While yes, sprinters have more muscles and appear to be “healthier” there are many benefits to LISS that HIIT cannot match; namely stamina. Marathoners are infamous for their amazing stamina and endurance while sprinters are renowned for their short-burst high-intensity performances. This is why I implore you to incorporate a combo of both techniques when it comes to cardio so that you can get both benefits and help your body adapt to both conditions.

Now get that ass moving.