Replacements

1. Instead of triceps pushdowns do parallel bar dips.
Have you noticed how many dips and how much work the Olympians do on the parallel bars? And have you noticed the size of their triceps? Need I say more?

2. Instead of barbell curls do close grip chin ups. Ditto what I said about the dips. Not only do you get incredible biceps development from close grip chins but you also get the added bonus of massive lat and forearm development.

3. Instead of bench presses do chain or strap suspended pushups. While the bench press can be an effective mass building exercise it can also be one of the worst for your shoulders. If you want to be safer and build a chest and pair of shoulders like you see on the Olympic gymnasts I would highly recommend some type of chain or strap suspended pushup. This movement will call far more muscle fibers into play and challenge the smaller stabilizers muscles as well. Not only that but you will get an outstanding ab workout from this movement as well; something that can’t be said for the bench press.
4. Instead of flyes with dumbbells do them with your bodyweight. These were a favorite chest builder of the first Mr. Olympia, Larry Scott. He preferred doing them with gymnastics rings but you can also do them on the TRX Straps. Either option is great and will pack size on your chest.

5. Instead of leg presses, leg extensions or leg curls do double and single leg squats. When you sit in a fixed machine and move weight with your limbs as opposed to moving your body the level of neuromuscular activation is quite low; no matter how much weight you use. And it is very unnatural. A leg press allows you to build strength in your lower body without additional gains in lower back and core strength. This is not normal and creates an imbalance that will lead to future problems. When you do squats you incorporate nearly every muscle from head to toe and will not only build tree trunk sized legs but will stimulate growth throughout your entire body.

6. Instead of crunches and sit ups do all of the exercises listed above. Isolation abdominal exercises like crunches and sit ups are not real life type movements. In real life your abdominals contract isometrically to protect your spine; they do not contract the way they do in a crunch or sit up. Not only that, but by continually flexing your spine for hundreds of reps per week, you will surely be setting yourself up for long term back problems.If you follow a steady diet of chins, dips, suspended pushups and squats you will build an incredible set of abs. When you watch the Olympic gymnasts you immediately notice their rock solid abs popping right through their spandex and they never do crunches or sit ups. You simply can’t hide abs like that. That kind of six pack is built with full body movements like the ones listed above.But if you still want to do a little extra ab work you can add in exercises like planks and ab wheel rollouts; just skip the sit ups and crunches.

MOAR SUPERFOODS! 3

The Top 10 Healthiest Superfoods You NEED to Know About for Great Health


These are definitely some of the best foods you can eat for your health... Full of antioxidants, chock full of vitamins, minerals and good fats; they help to fix the damage we do every day with diets, environmental stressors, chemical additives and physical stress. If you can include a few servings of these foods in your weekly diet, you will be adding a lot to your good health, and preventing many diseases that could be coming your way otherwise.
The list includes some superstars you may already know about and newly discovered foods such as:
• Goji Berry
• Acai Berry
• Grass-Fed Meats and Wild-Caught Salmon
• Almonds, Walnuts and Other Nuts
• Avocados
• Garlic, Onions, Leeks and Shallots
• Tomatoes
• Sprouts
• Grass-Fed Raw Dairy Milk, Cheese, and Butter
• Fermented Foods
Superfood #1. Goji Berries - Goji or wolfberries have long played important roles in Chinese medicine where they are believed to enhance immune system function, improve eyesight, protect the liver, boost sperm production and improve circulation, among other things. They can be eaten raw, consumed as juice or wine, brewed into an herbal tea, or prepared as a tincture.
Goji polysaccharides show antioxidant activity in vitro. As a source of dietary fiber, however, polysaccharides would yield products from bacterial fermentation in the colon, such as several short-chain fatty acids, e.g., butyric acid, which may provide health benefits.
Goji berry fruits also contain zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering roles.
Several published studies, mostly from China, have also reported possible medicinal benefits of Lycium barbarum, especially due to its antioxidant properties, including potential benefits against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, vision-related diseases (such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, having neuroprotective properties, or as an anticancer and immunomodulatory agent. Without a doubt, goji berries are one of the best antioxidant rich foods you can eat.
Super-food #2. Acai Berry - The fruit is a small, round, black-purple fruit about 1 inch in diameter, similar in appearance and size to a grape, and the newest wonder food.
Acai is particularly rich in fatty acids, feeling oily to the touch. It contains high levels of the monounsaturated fatty acid oleic acid. It is also rich in palmitic acid, and the polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid. β-sitosterol (beta-sitosterol), a phytosterol that competes with dietary cholesterol for absorption and so may reduce blood cholesterol levels, is also unusually rich.
A recent study found 19 amino acids, with especially high contents of aspartic acid and glutamic acid. The dense pigmentation of acai has led to several experimental studies of its anthocyanins, a group of polyphenols that give the deep color to berries and other fruits, and are high in antioxidant value.
Twelve other flavonoid-like compounds were additionally found, including homoorientin, orientin, taxifolin deoxyhexose, isovitexin and scoparin, as well as several unknown flavonoids. Proanthocyanidins, another group of polyphenolic compounds high in antioxidant value are present, with a profile similar to that of blueberries.
A number of studies have measured the antioxidant strength of acai. A recent report using a standardized oxygen radical absorbance capacity or ORAC analysis on a freeze-dried acai powder found that this powder showed a high antioxidant effect against peroxyl radical. This is approximately 10 times more than blueberries or cranberries.
Only 10% of acai's high antioxidant effects could be explained by its anthocyanin content, indicating that other polyphenols contribute most of the antioxidant activity.
Acai was found to have a higher amount of "slow-acting" antioxidant components, suggesting a more sustained antioxidant effect compared to "fast-acting" components.
Acai containing polyphenolics could reduce proliferation of HL-60 leukemia cells in vitro. The acai berry contains similar properties as red wine in controlling fats in the blood and is a fair contributor to go up against the wine diets of the Mediterranean people. In addition, Acai contains anti-inflammatory agents that inhibit COX 1 and 2 enzymes, thereby making it effective against arthritis, allergies, and other inflammatory diseases.
Please note: Beware that recently, unscrupulous marketers are currently trying to deceive you into thinking that acai pills are some sort of "miracle weight loss cure"... They are even making up fake blogs about people supposedly losing ridiculous amounts of weight simply by popping an acai pill daily (and then they try to sell you these supplements)... These are FAKE stories, and you should realize that although acai is a very healthy antioxidant food, it is NOT a miracle weight loss cure!
You can read our article on how this flat stomach acai berry fake blog scam works

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Superfood #3. Fermented Foods - Lacto-fermented foods have been around for a very long time. Common in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and North and Central European cuisine, fermentation has been used to enhance the flavor of food, create food, and help food having a longer shelf life. Fermented foods are delicious and nutritious. These traditional foods are key to our health.
Fermentation allows the bacteria, yeasts and molds to "predigest" and therefore break down the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to create probiotics which offer friendly bacteria into the digestive tract. This helps keep our immune system strong and supports overall digestive health.
Keep your digestive flora healthy and strong by regularly eating fermented foods.
Fermented foods are enzyme rich foods that are alive with micro-organisms. These foods allow beneficial microflora to "colonize" in the intestines (and for moms-to-be, also in the birth canal). This "inner ecosystem" helps support our health and fight infection. A healthy gastrointestinal tract is critical to a strong immune system. Diets rich in fermented foods, as well as fruits and vegetables, are best for us to in order to maintain a strong healthy body.
Fermented foods aid in digestion, promote healthy flora in the digestive tract, produce beneficial enzymes, offer better nutrition and allow the body to absorb vitamins (in particular C, and B12), minerals, nutritional value and omega 3s more effectively from foods. They regulate the level of acidity in the digestive tract and act as anti-oxidants. Fermented foods contain the same isothiocyanates found in cruciferous vegetables and therefore fight and prevent cancer.
Many fermented foods on the market today are not true fermented foods because they are created to maximize profits and shelf life instead of health. They are not as beneficial. It's important that we eat foods that are fermented with "Active" or "Live" Cultures.
Pasteurization kills off the living bacteria so look for unpasteurized and fresh fermented foods (in the grocery refrigerator section). Since fermentation is a way to keep the living enzymes alive, it goes against the theory to use pasteurized (or dead) milk, for example, but you can make yogurt and kefir with pasteurized milk, it just won't be as robust and beneficial.
Fermented Foods include: Acidophilus milk, amasake, beer, bleu cheese, chocolate, cider, coffee, cultured vegetables, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, marinated artichokes, miso, olives, pickles, saurkraut, soy sauce, tea, tempeh, umeboshi plums, vinegar, yogurt.

Super-food #4. Grass Fed Meats and Wild Caught Salmon - Grass-fed beef and wild caught salmon have more beta-carotene, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids than beef produced using conventional cattle-feeding strategies.
Three ounces of ground beef from cattle fed conventional diets contain about 41 micrograms of beta-carotene and a typical rib eye steak has 36 micrograms. In contrast, meat from cattle fattened predominately on ryegrass has almost double the beta-carotene, 87 micrograms in 3.5 ounces of ground beef and 64 micrograms in a steak.
Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is a critical fat-soluble vitamin that is important for normal vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division and cell differentiation.
In addition, grass fed meats are much higher in Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with powerful antioxidant activity. Grass fed cattle exhibit about 3 times as much vitamin E per serving as grain fed beef.
The primary factor in both wild caught fish and grass fed meats is the fat content and the fat ratios. Both have significantly high levels of the essential fatty acid omega 3, which has powerfully positive health effects.
Grazing animals fed an exclusive grass fed diet, as well as wild caught salmon eating their natural diet, significantly alters the fatty acid composition. Cattle fed primarily grass have 60 percent more omega-3 fatty acids and a more favorable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Likewise for salmon raised on their natural diet. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and help prevent heart disease and arthritis. The essential fatty acids are also highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be particularly important for cognitive and behavioral function.
The meat and milk from grass-fed ruminants are the richest known source of another type of good fat called "conjugated linoleic acid" or CLA. When ruminants are raised on fresh pasture alone, their milk and meat contain as much as five times more CLA than products from animals fed conventional diets.
CLA may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer. Also, natural CLA from grass-fed meat and milk has been shown in studies to help build muscle and increase fat loss.
Superfood #5. Grass Fed Raw Dairy Cheeses and Butter - Few people are aware that clean, raw milk from grass-fed cows was actually used as a medicine in the early part of the last century. That's right. Milk straight from the udder, the "stem cell" of foods, was used as medicine to treat, and frequently cure some serious chronic diseases. From the time of Hippocrates to until just after World War II, this "white blood" nourished and healed uncounted millions.
Clean raw milk, cheeses, and butter from grass-fed cows are a complete and properly balanced food. You could live on it exclusively if you had to. Raw dairy contains a wealth of healthy substances including: amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats such as CLA.
Amino acids are building blocks for protein. Depending on whom you ask, we need 20-22 of them for this task. Raw dairy products have all 20 of the standard amino acids. About 80% of the proteins in milk are caseins- reasonably heat stable but easy to digest. The remaining 20% or so fall into the class of whey proteins, many of which have important physiological effects (bioactivity). Also easy to digest, but very heat sensitive-and lost in the pasteurization process, these include key enzymes and enzyme inhibitors, immunoglobulins, metal-binding proteins, vitamin binding proteins and several growth factors.
Lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein, has numerous beneficial properties including (as you might guess) improved absorption and assimilation of iron, anti-cancer properties and anti-microbial action against several species of bacteria responsible for dental cavities. Recent studies also reveal that it has powerful antiviral properties as well.
Two other players in raw milk's antibiotic protein/enzyme arsenal are lysozyme and lactoperoxidase. Lysozyme can actually break apart cell walls of certain undesirable bacteria, while lactoperoxidase teams up with other substances to help knock out unwanted microbes too. The immunoglobulins, provide resistance to many viruses, bacteria and bacterial toxins and may help reduce the severity of asthma symptoms.
Two thirds of the fat in milk is saturated. Is saturated fat good or bad for you? Saturated fats play a number of key roles in our bodies: from construction of cell membranes and key hormones to providing energy storage and padding for delicate organs, to serving as a vehicle for important fat-soluble vitamins.
All fats cause the stomach lining to secrete a hormone (cholecystokinin or CCK), which, aside from boosting production and secretion of digestive enzymes, signals the brain that we've eaten enough. With that trigger removed, non-fat dairy products and other fat-free foods can potentially help contribute to over-eating. Full-fat raw dairy is the ONLY healthy dairy... NOT fat-free pasteurized dairy, which is basically a food with it's nutrition destroyed.
CLA, short for conjugated linoleic acid and abundant in milk from grass-fed cows, is a heavily studied, polyunsaturated Omega-6 fatty acid with promising health benefits. Among CLA's many potential benefits: it raises metabolic rate, helps remove abdominal fat, boosts muscle growth, reduces resistance to insulin, strengthens the immune system and lowers food allergy reactions. Grass-fed raw dairy has from 3-5 times the amount found in the milk from feedlot (grain fed) cows.
Discussions of minerals, or any nutrients for that matter, must deal with ranges rather than specific amounts, since individual needs vary. Raw milk contains a broad selection of completely available vitamins and minerals, ranging from the familiar calcium and phosphorus, to Vitamins A and D, and on down to trace elements. Raw grass-fed dairy also has a missing nutrient called 'K2', which is extremely valuable in helping the body absorb calcium, and therefore rebuilding bone, repairing cavities, and keeping the blood vessels clean.
The 60 plus (known) fully intact and functional enzymes in raw milk have an amazing array of tasks to perform, each one of them essential for one key task or another. The most significant health benefit derived from food enzymes is the burden they take off the body.
The amylase, bacterially-produced lactase, lipase and phosphatase in raw milk, break down starch, lactose, fat (triglycerides) and phosphate compounds respectively, making milk more digestible and freeing up key minerals. Other enzymes, like catalase, lysozyme and lactoperoxidase help to protect milk from unwanted bacterial infection, making it safer to drink.
Raw dairy contains about 3mg of cholesterol per gram - a decent amount. Our bodies make most of what we need, that amount fluctuating by what we get from our food. Cholesterol is a protective/repair substance. A waxy plant steroid (often lumped in with the fats), our body uses it as a form of waterproofing, and as a building block for a number of key hormones.
It's natural, normal, and essential to find it in our brain, liver, nerves, blood, bile, indeed, every cell membrane. Unfortunately, pasteurization allows for sloppy farm practices and unhealthy cows. You will find it hard to find raw milk in most areas, but you can find a co-op or local farm at www.realmilk.com

Superfood #6. Avocados - Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that may help to lower cholesterol. In one study of people with moderately high cholesterol levels, individuals who ate a diet high in avocados showed clear health improvements. After seven days on the diet that included avocados, they had significant decreases in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, along with an 11% increase in health promoting HDL cholesterol.
Avocados are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Adequate intake of potassium can help to guard against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke.
One cup of avocado has 23% of the Daily Value for folate, a nutrient important for heart health. One study showed that individuals who consume folate-rich diets have a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke than those who do not consume as much of this vital nutrient.
Not only are avocados a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids including oleic acid, which has recently been shown to offer significant protection against breast cancer, but it is also a very concentrated dietary source of the carotenoid lutein; it also contains measurable amounts of related carotenoids (zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene) plus significant quantities of tocopherols (vitamin E).
In a laboratory study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, an extract of avocado containing these carotenoids and tocopherols inhibited the growth of both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer cells.
Enjoying a few slices of avocado in your tossed salad, or mixing some chopped avocado into your favorite salsa will not only add a rich, creamy flavor, but will greatly increase your body's ability to absorb the health-promoting carotenoids that vegetables provide.
Since avocados contain a large variety of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, as well as heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, eating a little avocado along with carotenoid-rich vegetables and fruits is an excellent way to improve your body's ability to absorb carotenoids while also receiving other nutritional-and taste-benefits.
Oral cancer is even more likely to result in death than breast, skin, or cervical cancer, with a mortality rate of about 50% due to late detection. Avocados may offer a delicious dietary strategy for the prevention of oral cancer.
Phytonutrients in Hass avocados, the most readily available variety, target multiple signaling pathways, increasing the amount of free radicals (reactive oxygen species) within pre-cancerous and cancerous human oral cell lines, that leads to their death, but cause no harm to normal cells. Hass avocados may inhibit the growth of prostate cancer as well. When analyzed, Hass avocados were found to contain the highest content of lutein among commonly eaten fruits, as well as measurable amounts of related carotenoids (zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene).
Superfood #7. Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, and Other Nuts - A high-fat food that's good for your health? You betcha!
Almonds and walnuts sit at the top of the heap for nutrition, but other nuts are healthy, too, including pistachios, pecans, and cashews. Nuts are high in monounsaturated fats, the same type of health-promoting fats as are found in olive oil, which have been associated with reduced risk of heart disease. Five large human epidemiological studies, including the Nurses Health Study, the Iowa Health Study, the Adventist Health Study, and the Physicians Health Study, all found that nut consumption is linked to a lower risk for heart disease.
Researchers who studied data from the Nurses Health Study estimated that substituting nuts for an equivalent amount of carbohydrate in an average diet resulted in a 30% reduction in heart disease risk.
A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition indicates that when foods independently known to lower cholesterol, such as almonds, are combined in a healthy way of eating, the beneficial effects are additive. In this study of 12 patients with elevated LDL cholesterol levels, a diet containing almonds and other nuts, plant sterols (also found in nuts), and soluble fiber (in high amounts in beans, oats, pears) reduced blood levels of all LDL fractions including small dense LDL (the type that most increases risk for cardiovascular disease) with near maximal reductions seen after only 2 weeks.
In addition to their cholesterol-lowering effects, nuts' ability to reduce heart disease risk may also be partly due to the antioxidant action of the vitamin E found, as well as to the LDL-lowering effect of monounsaturated fats. In addition to healthy fats and vitamin E, a quarter-cup of almonds contains almost 99 mg of magnesium (that's 24.7% of the daily value for this important mineral), plus 257 mg of potassium.
Magnesium is Nature's own calcium channel blocker. When there is enough magnesium around, veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Studies show that a deficiency of magnesium is not only associated with heart attack but that immediately following a heart attack, lack of sufficient magnesium promotes free radical injury to the heart.
Potassium, an important electrolyte involved in nerve transmission and the contraction of all muscles including the heart, is another mineral that is essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Nuts promote your cardiovascular health by providing 257 mg of potassium and only 0.3 mg of sodium, making them an especially good choice to in protecting against high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.
Walnuts, pecans, and chestnuts have the highest antioxidant content of the tree nuts, with walnuts topping out the others in antioxidant content. And, peanuts (although technically, a legume) also contribute significantly to our dietary intake of antioxidants.
Even more impressive were the results of a review study of the evidence linking nuts and lower risk of coronary heart disease. Subjects consuming nuts at least 4 times a week showed a 37% reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to those who never or seldom ate nuts. Each additional serving of nuts per week was associated with an average 8.3% reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
Superfood #8. Sprouts -Sprouts are one of the most complete and nutritionally beneficial of all foods. Their nutritional value was discovered by the Chinese thousands of years ago. Recently, in the USA, numerous scientific studies suggest the importance of sprouts in a healthy diet.
As an example, a sprouted Mung Bean has the carbohydrate content of a melon, vitamin A of a lemon, thiamin of an avocado, riboflavin of a dry apple, niacin of a banana, and ascorbic acid of a loganberry. Other studies have shown sprouts to be a powerful antioxidant and may assist in preventing some types of cancer.
Sprouts are the most reliable year-round source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and many B vitamins (such as folacin). Sprouting seeds, grains, and legumes greatly increases their content of those vitamins. For example, the vitamin A content (per calorie) of sprouted Mung beans is two-and-a-half times higher than the dry bean, and some beans have more than eight times more vitamin A after being sprouted.
Sprouts preserve our body's enzymes, which is extremely important. How do they do this? Sprouted beans, grains, nuts, and seeds are extremely easy to digest. Sprouting essentially pre-digests the food for us by breaking down the concentrated starch into simpler carbohydrates and the protein into free amino acids, so our own enzymes don't have to work so hard. Sprouting also removes anti-nutrients such as enzyme inhibitors, and that makes sprouts even easier to digest, further sparing enzymes.
Another anti-nutrient is phytates, which is what stops some people from enjoying grains such as wheat. Many people who can't eat unsprouted wheat find they can eat all the sprouted wheat they want with no problem.
Almost any vegetable or grain can be consumed from sprouts. Broccoli, canola, cauliflower, and mustard greens sprouts are loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein, enzymes, and chlorophyll. In a recent study, 1 oz. of broccoli sprouts had the same cancer-fighting power as over 11⁄2 pounds of fully-grown broccoli.
Super-food #9. Tomatoes - Tomatoes are a rich source of several nutrients. They are well known for their high vitamin C content, but also contain significant amount of vitamin A, B vitamins including niacin and riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorous, and calcium. Tomatoes are also a good source of chromium, folate, and fiber.
In recent years a particular nutrient found in abundance in tomatoes, lycopene, has made many headlines for its disease fighting abilities. Lycopene is well known as a preventer of prostate cancer, which makes tomatoes high on the healthy food list for men.
Lycopene is not just important for men though. It is a powerful antioxidant and as such helps to protect the cells in our bodies from damage. Studies in humans have shown that lycopene is protective against a variety of cancers including prostate of course, but also colorectal, breast, lung, endometrial, pancreatic, bladder, cervical and skin cancers.
Lycopene has also been shown to help prevent heart disease and may slow the development of cataracts and macular degeneration, an age related vision problem that can lead to blindness.
The vitamin B6, niacin, potassium, and folate found in abundance in tomatoes are potent protectors against heart disease. Niacin can lower high cholesterol levels and potassium has been shown to lower high blood pressure and to reduce the risk of heart disease. Vitamin B6 and folate also work to convert the homocysteine in our bodies into harmless molecules. High levels of homocysteine are associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
The fiber in tomatoes also helps lower cholesterol levels, helps prevent colon cancer, and helps to keep blood sugars at a low level. Tomatoes are a source of riboflavin, which has been shown to be helpful for migraine sufferers by reducing the frequency of their headaches.
A helpful note about tomato nutrition is that lycopene is actually more available to the body when tomatoes are cooked, so cooked or canned tomatoes are just as nutritious for you as raw. The facts about tomatoes definitely point to this fruit/vegetable as a nutrient powerhouse and a super food to be enjoyed as often as possible.
Superfood #10. Garlic, onion, leeks, and shallots - In a study of centenarians (people living over 100 years of age), it was found that high garlic and onion consumption was one of the factors that surveys revealed may have partial involvement in their longevity. Garlic and onions are a couple of the best sources of uniquely powerful antioxidants.
Garlic health benefits and medicinal properties have long been known. Garlic has long been considered a herbal "wonder drug", with a reputation in folklore for preventing everything from the common cold and flu to the plague! It has been used extensively in herbal medicine. Raw garlic is used by some to treat the symptoms of acne, and the c

Fats

The Healthy Fatty Food Choices:

• Coconut fat: Coconut fat is approximately 92% saturated fat, yet surprisingly to most people, is considered a very healthy natural fat. The health benefits of coconut fat lie in its composition of approximately 65% medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Specifically, about 50% of coconut fat is a MCT called lauric acid, which has very potent anti-microbial properties helping to enhance the immune system. Also, MCTs are more easily utilized for immediate energy instead of being stored as body fat. Coconut oil is also an excellent cooking oil for stir-frying, etc. since saturated fats are much more stable and do not oxidize like polyunsaturated oils when exposed to heat and light, which creates damaging free radicals. The best sources of healthy coconut fat are organic coconut milk, virgin coconut oil (available at http://coconut-info.com), or fresh coconut.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil is approximately 71% monounsaturated, 16% saturated, and 13% polyunsaturated. Choose “extra virgin” olive oil, which comes from the first pressing of the olives and has higher quantities of antioxidants. Unlike most other oils on supermarket shelves, extra virgin olive oil is not extracted with the use of harmful industrial solvents and is one of your healthiest choices for liquid oils. Try making your own salad dressing by mixing a small amount of olive oil with vinegar. This is healthier than most store bought salad dressings, which are usually made with highly processed and refined (chemically damaged) soybean oil extracted with industrial solvents.
• Dark, bittersweet chocolate (>70% cocoa): The cocoa bean is a very concentrated source of antioxidants and responsible for part of the health benefit of dark chocolate. The fat portion of the cocoa bean (cocoa butter) is a healthy natural fat, composed of approximately 59% saturated fat (mostly healthy stearic acid), 38% monounsaturated fat, and 3% polyunsaturated fat. I’ll limit the description of healthy chocolate to ONLY dark bittersweet chocolate with >70% cocoa content. Most milk chocolates are only about 30% cocoa, and even most dark chocolates are only about 55% cocoa, leaving the remainder of those products composed of high amounts of sugar, milk fat, corn sweeteners, etc. Look for a quality dark chocolate that lists its cocoa content like Chocolove Extra Dark (77%) or Dagoba New Moon (74%), which contain mostly cocoa and very little sugar. Keep in mind that although dark chocolate can be a healthy treat, it is still calorie dense, so keeping it to just a square or two is a good idea.
• Avocados or guacamole: The fat in avocados (depending on where they’re grown) is approximately 60% monounsaturated, 25% saturated, and 15% polyunsaturated. Avocados are a very healthy natural food that provides many nutrients, fiber, and healthful fats, while adding a rich flavor to any meal. Try sliced avocado on sandwiches or in salads or use guacamole in wraps, sandwiches, or quesadillas.
• High fat fish such as wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout, etc.: Just about any fish or seafood are good sources of natural omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, but the higher fat fish listed above are the best sources of omega-3’s. Due to the radical switch to a higher proportion of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats like soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, etc. in our food supply during the middle of the 20th century, the average western diet is currently way too high in omega-6’s compared to omega-3’s, which wreaks havoc in your body. This is where good omega-3 sources like high fat fish, walnuts, and flax seeds can help bring you back to a better ratio of omega-6/omega-3.
• Nuts (any and all - walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamias, etc.): Nuts are great sources of healthy unprocessed fats as well as minerals and other trace nutrients. Macadamias, almonds, and cashews are great sources of monounsaturated fats, while walnuts are a good source of unprocessed polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3’s). Try to avoid nuts that are cooked in oil. Instead, choose raw or dry roasted nuts.
• Seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds): All of these seeds are great sources of natural unprocessed healthy fats. In particular, flax seeds have received a lot of attention lately due to their high omega-3 content. However, keep in mind that omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are highly reactive to heat and light, and prone to oxidation and free radical production. Therefore, freshly ground flax seed is the only way to go. Instead of using the store bought ground flax seed, you can buy whole flax seed and use one of those miniature coffee grinders to grind your own flax seed. Try grinding fresh flax seed into your yogurt, cereal, or even your salad. If you’re using a flax oil, make sure it’s a cold-pressed oil in a light-proof refrigerated container, and use it up within a few weeks to prevent it from going rancid. NEVER cook with flax oil!
• The fat in organically raised, free-range animals: This is where most people have been misinformed by the mass media. Animal fat is inherently good for us, that is, if it came from a healthy animal. Human beings have thrived on animal fats for thousands of years. The problem is, most mass produced animal products today do not come from healthy animals. They come from animals given loads of antibiotics and fattened up with hormones and fed un-natural feed. The solution is to choose organically raised, free-range meats, eggs, and dairy. At this time, the price is still a little higher, but as demand grows, the prices will come down. I've found an incredible website that actually offers free-range grass-fed meats delivered right to your doorstep at very reasonable prices. Believe me, it's very hard to find grass fed meats at any grocery stores, so I was pleased to find this site.

The Deadly Fatty Foods:

• Hydrogenated oils (trans fats): These are industrially produced chemically altered oils subjected to extremely high pressure and temperature, with added industrial solvents such as hexane for extraction, and have a metal catalyst added to promote the artificial hydrogenation, followed by bleaching and deodorizing agents…..and somehow the FDA still allows this crap to pass as food. These oils aren’t even worthy of your lawnmower, much less your body! They’ve been linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more. Even small quantities have been shown in studies to be dangerous. If you care about your health, check the ingredients of everything you buy, and if you see partially hydrogenated oils of any kind, margarine, or shortening, protect yourself and your family by choosing something else.
• Refined oils: Even if the oils are not hydrogenated, most oils on your supermarket shelves are refined, even most of the so called “healthy” canola oils. Most refined oils still undergo the high temperature, high pressure, solvent extraction, bleaching, and deodorizing processes. Anything labeled vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, and even many canola oils have been damaged by this refining process (unless they say "virgin" or "cold expeller pressed"). This damages the natural structure of the fats, destroys natural antioxidants, creates free radicals, and produces a generally unhealthy product. Take note that the explosion of heart disease in the middle of the 20th century coincides quite nicely with the rapid increase in the use of hydrogenated and refined oils in the food supply.
• Anything deep fried: including tortilla chips, potato chips, French fries, donuts, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, etc. All of this crap shouldn't even pass as real food in my opinion!
• Homogenized milk fat - Milk fat is a very healthy fat in its natural raw state. Milk and beef from grass fed organically raised cows is known to have higher quantities of healthy fats like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acids compared with grain fed cows. Traditional populations around the world have thrived in perfect health while consuming huge quantities of raw, non-pasteurized, non-homogenized, full fat dairy products. Once again, food processing ruins a good thing by pasteurizing and homogenizing milk fat, rendering it potentially dangerous inside the human body. Unfortunately, you will find it almost impossible to find raw milk in the US unless you personally know a farmer. Check out http://www.realmilk.com for more info on the benefits of raw milk and to find out if it’s available near you. As an alternative, cultured dairy products like yogurt have at least had beneficial microorganisms added back to them making them better for you. Realistically, since you probably won’t find raw milk, sticking to skim milk is the best option to avoid the homogeni

Myths

10. Women will get bulky from lifting weights
Let me be more specific – women are afraid that lifting HEAVY weights will make them bulky. Crappy fitness videos abound with women performing biceps curls and triceps kickbacks with dumbbells that should only be used as paper weights.
Women can not get big and bulky for one very good reason…their bodies don’t produce enough testosterone to build the large bulky muscles you’re likely to see in bodybuilding ads. Testosterone is a key ingredient to putting on muscle mass, and the only way women can get this type of big bulky look is by taking steroids and hormone injections. This is why you see bulky female body builders.
So don’t be afraid to lift heavy weights if you’re a woman. Lifting heavy will make a woman strong, not manly. And personally, I find a strong woman sexy as hell.
9. Yoga will make you long and lean
I’ve been to a few yoga classes in my day. And yes, I’ll admit my attendance was at least “partly” motivated by the target rich environment of fit young ladies (there was only one other dude in the class). But the flexibility and breath training of yoga appealed to the martial artist in me, so I took the class seriously.
My take on yoga? After over 25 years of martial arts training, yoga was the best flexibility training that I ever experienced. I also found yoga to be outstanding for balance, static strength, and breath work. But hearing someone say that yoga will make your muscles long and lean makes me cringe. Maybe we’re dealing with semantics here, but I’m thinking the “length” of a muscle is not going to change anymore than the skeletal structure it’s attached to. Perhaps the increase in flexibility from yoga training causes people to use the term “long” to describe their muscles. Whether it’s poor terminology or marketing hype, yoga will not make your muscles long.
As far as lean, yoga will contribute no more to being “lean” than any other activity using equivalent caloric expenditure. I’m saying that if your yoga class causes you to burn 150 calories and mopping the floor causes you to burn 150 calories, mopping the floor will make you just as lean as doing yoga. But then you’re unlikely to see the hot blonde chic doing the downward dog in yoga pants while mopping your floor.
8. Deadlifts and Squats are dangerous.
Have you picked a bag of groceries off of the floor recently? Then you’ve done the deadlift. Have you stood up from a seated position? Then you’ve done the squat. Danger in these movements is a factor of load and technique. Proper technique will ensure proper skeletal alignment, reducing the chance of injury. Using a load appropriate for your current fitness level will also reduce the chance of injury. Notice I did not say eliminate injury. All movement involves the risk of injury to some extent, whether it’s rocking a 400 pound squat or crossing the street.

We don’t cross the street before learning the proper technique (look both ways, Johnny) and the same applies to the deadlift and the squat.
7. Three sets of ten repetitions is the best program for building muscle.
Let me make this clear from the start: There is no “best program” for building muscle. There are too many factors that change from person to person to call anything “best”. That being said, three sets of ten reps is a good program for building muscle – for the beginner.
But damn near any resistance training someone does if they have no prior training is going to garner a muscle building response. Beware the lofty promises of the glossy fitness mags. Three sets of ten reps is not a cure-all for the muscularly challenged. The Gym Junkies muscle buiding program would be a better starting point for people with prior training experience.
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6. Machines are safer than free weights
Damn near every exercise machine lulls you into a false sense of security. The machine makes you think you are strong, when you are much weaker than you would be if you spent the same time and effort with free weights. The machine forces you into a plane of motion that is not natural and almost always robs you of the opportunity to develop stabilizing muscles, posture, and balance.

So when the real world strikes – and the real world always strikes – and you have to lift a couch or push a car or pull your dog off of the mailman, you’ll find that all of your machine work doesn’t quite transfer to the task at hand. Skeletal and muscular injuries are a risk in ANY exercise program. A deadlift isn’t bungee jumping. Grab the bar and move some damn weight!
5. Looking fit = being fit.
Oh how I love it when the former high school football star walks into my gym for the first time. He’s five or ten years removed from his varsity jacket, but he still appears to be in pretty good shape. Hell, he still goes to the gym three days a week and he IS in better shape than the average Joe.
But his fitness mag workout built muscles lie to him. They give him an arrogance that I smell and I can’t help but satisfy the urge to serve him some humble pie. So I feed him a simple 4 minute workout of Tabata squats. No added weight – just his body. His face reddens, his legs quiver, but he makes it to the end. And then curls into the fetal position in the corner.
Being “fit” should give a person relative high performance across a broad spectrum of physical attributes including strength, endurance, balance, flexibility, and coordination. You can look like an underwear model and still get humbled by having to move the refrigerator.
4. Targeting specific muscle groups is the best way to lift.
How many times have you heard “Today I’m doing bi’s and tri’s” or “Monday is my chest day”? How you plan a resistance training program depends on several factors, but the one factor we’ll concern ourselves with here is the goal in mind.

Why are you doing resistance training? I prefer to design programs around movements instead of muscles. The real world is never going to give you a task that focuses only on your “bi’s”. The body moves as one piece so it is important that you treat it accordingly. Full body movements like deadlifts, power cleans, and presses should be the staples of any resistance program.
At least any program that wants to get you fit and not just ready for your beach vacation.
3. You need supplements to get in good shape
Supplements should be used only for what they’re name implies: to “supplement” an already nutritious diet. Pills, powders, potions, and magic elixirs are not the Holy Grail they are purported to be.
Most supplements are useless, and the few that are beneficial should only be applied after solid nutrition is in place. What supplements do I consider alright? A good multi-vitamin is never going to get bad mouthed by me. An omega-3 supplement if you are unable to get it from your diet (and few of us can) is alright. And maybe, and I said maybe, a protein powder if you are unable to acquire the required amount of protein from your diet. Keep the Horny Goat Weed to yourself.
2. Long slow running is the best way to lose weight
I so wish this one would go the way of the dinosaur. But I still hear people saying how they’re running 5 miles a day in their efforts to lose weight. I tell them that if they want to run to lose weight they should sprint their ass off until they see stars and then walk until the stars go away. Then repeat this cycle until they feel like it is impossible to continue.
The reality is that long slow cardio training of any kind – whether pounding the pavement or watching the wheels go ’round on the eliptical is inefficient to put it nicely and a waste of time to put it bluntly. And for all of you wannabe-gerbils rocking the treadmills, don’t get me started on the pretty lights and the “fat burning zone” of the digital read out. Just like your prom date saying it’s her first time, those things lie – don’t believe the hype.
Cranking your metabolism into a fat burning furnace takes pushing yourself to an exertion level that is “uncomfortable”.
1. Crunches will get rid of belly fat
Oh man, this one is right up there with long slow cardio as far as pervasive myths that get my blood boiling go. In a very broad sense, getting rid of fat is a simple factor of expending more calories that you take in.
And doing a crunch, which moves the body through a minuscule range of motion, is not going to expend many calories. Cranking the metabolism with some solid muscle building resistance training is going to go a hell of a lot farther in reducing your spare tire than racking up your crunch total.
I’ll even go as far as to say you can get the abs of a Greek god without doing a single crunch.

My Top 10 Favorite Foods For Fat Loss

My Top 10 Favorite Foods For Fat Loss


Notice the title reads “favorite” foods and not “best” foods.
We can debate what is best and go around in circles all day. Here are my ten favorites in no particular order. . . take ‘em or leave ‘em. But try to eat a lot of them…
1. Spinach: When I’m trying to get lean I eat a spinach salad at least once per day. Often times twice per day, for both lunch and dinner. And yes, for convenience sake I buy the bagged kind. You have to eat your green leafy vegetables for fat loss. And really for overall good health . . . you can’t beat spinach in my book.

2. Broccoli: If I’m not eating spinach for lunch or dinner, then I’m probably eating broccoli. I’m not a fan of the taste of raw broccoli. Instead I stir fry, blanch, or microwave for two minutes before eating. How ever I cook it, I only cook it a little bit. Nothing is worse than over cooked wilted broccoli. Yuk!

3. Almonds: Yes, almonds are calorically dense. But they are also convenient to pack, easy to store, and a snap to count. If I go into a carb craving state while I’m trying to get lean, the first thing I do is eat a few almonds. How few? I find that 6 – 10 is about right for fat loss. And I love the fact that they count out easily for food journaling purposes!
4. Apples: If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, it’s no wonder I can’t pay attention to the health care issue going on these days.
I eat at least two apples every day. Often I eat three or four per day. And five is not out of the question. Like almonds, apples are easy to pack and store and I personally find them quite filling when hunger attacks. And the variety is awesome! Red Delicious, Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, and my personal favorite of late. . . Pink Lady.

5. Tuna: And I mean canned tuna. Don’t get me wrong, tuna steaks on the grill are great. But if you haven’t caught the common thread here, I like my food to be easy to pack and store. I’m a busy guy, often working from 5:30am – 9:00pm. So convenience is a huge factor when it comes to eating for fat loss for me.
6. Celery: I’ve read that celery actually has a negative caloric impact in that the digestive process burns more calories than was present in the celery. I have no idea if this is true or not. And I really don’t care. What I do care is that celery has a great crunch when i want to munch on something and goes great with some almond butter if I feel the need for a few more calories.
7. Eggs: Although they still get a bad rap occasionally for cholesterol, I’m a big fan of the incredible edible egg. Yolks and all. I like mine scrambled with some green pepper and onion. A great source of protein and low on the calorie count. . .

8. Chicken: The bird is the word! I don’t even know what that means, but it seemed a fine way to open up the chicken description. I prefer mine to be skinless white meat and I like it grilled or stir fried. Baking is fine too, but my oven has been broken for like two years. . . . .
9. Blue Berries: If you are stuck on the fact that you need a “shake” for protein or other purposes, throw some blue berries in there for sure. Me, I just eat them out of the carton with some almonds or pecans and maybe a little bit of pineapple.

10. Olive Oil: Whether I use it for stir fry or as the base ingredient for salad dressing, I’m always draining my bottle of olive oil. I prefer the extra virgin olive oil for both taste and nutrient content. . . .
Honorable Mention: Dark Chocolate. Oh yeah, I eat me some dark chocolate. Damn near every day, whether I’m trying to get lean or pack on muscle.
Eating a small piece satisfies any sugar craving I might be having and the caloric content of the size piece I’m talking about is too small to make any detrimental impact. And they say (who ever “they” may be) that dark chocolate is packed with anti-oxidants. Well if there are anti-oxidants in there, whoopee! I’m eating it for the taste and the pleasure. Anti-oxidants are bonus.

Power Progression

Teaching Progression for the Power Clean, Jerk, and Power Snatch
This section is intended for coaches. The following is the order in which I teach new athletes to the program here at UCR how to perform the “power” versions of the Olympic lifts. It’s not the only way to teach the lifts, it may not be the best way for everybody but it has worked very well for me. I first learned this system of teaching from Ethan Reeve and I’ve made a few small adjustments along the way to fit my specific needs. I’ve also added some things and gotten a ton of coaching tips and cue’s from Mike Burgener.
My main advice when following this outline is to be patient and allow the athletes to master each lift before moving on to the next. Each exercise in this progression creates a foundation on which the following lifts build on. Working one on one I’ve had athletes make it through the progression in as little as 2 one-hour sessions. I’ve also had groups take as many as 15+ sessions to properly learn everything on the list. It pays off in the long run to take your time teaching; you’ll get better results. One argument I’ve heard against this progression is that it takes too much time and they need to get their athletes into “heavy” workouts quicker. My response to this is 1. The time invested pays off in the long run. I’m thinking of their long term development 6 months or more down the road not 6 days down the road. 2. Athletes with a limited background in weight training will be sore and tired going through this with just the bar. It’s allot of reps and sets. Athletes that have lifted before will still find the new movements and positions challenging and indeed a workout. 3. If you’re still concerned reserve the last 15 minutes of your time with them each session to work them hard.
One plus of this system is that while the main focus of the progression is for the athlete to learn the Olympic lifts, when finished they have quite a large arsenal of lifts under their belt.
I like to start by teaching cleans first. I do this because in my programs I emphasize the power clean over snatches and some teams I don’t have snatch at all. I’ve found that if a team has learned cleans well they can learn to snatch in less than 10 minutes. So here is the plan…
1. Free Standing Squat:
I teach the Olympic lifts from the top down. I believe you must know where the bar is going before you try to get it there. The front squat position is the finish position of a clean so it is what I teach first, but before I get to front squats I teach them correct squatting form with no weights. For a free standing squat have the athletes place their feet slightly wider than shoulder width (landing position), slightly turn their toes at an outward angle and have them split their knees also. The kneecap should always follow the direction of the toes. For balance I have them stick their arms out in front of them then I simply tell them to sit their butt down between their ankles. Key points to emphasize are keeping the feet flat on the ground and the shin as close to perpendicular to the ground as possible. They also learn to go down slow and controlled then accelerate on the way up making sure they do not bounce out of the deep squat position for that transition. Flexibility issues will pop up right away in a few athletes. For those having problems performing this squat have them do the squats while holding onto a pole or rack, this will allow them to keep their weight back on their heels and correctly perform the squats until their flexibility/strength improves enough to do squats correctly without holding on. It can take awhile for some to get there.
2. Front Squats:
Before I begin teaching this one I emphasize to the athletes it’s importance and relationship to the clean. I tell them that this is essentially their finish position and I tell them to think about that and get a good feel for it as they are doing this exercise. For this lift I have the athletes use just a 2-finger grip on the bar. I only allow them to grip the bar with their index and middle fingers. I do this to de-emphasize the gripping of the bar with the hands and to emphasize the need to have the bar resting on the shoulders, the hands are there for balance and nothing else. This is important because when cleaning with heavy weights attempting to catch the weight by holding it up with the hands can result in serious injury to the wrists and or elbows. So I have then take their two finger grip then rotate their elbows up under the bar until their triceps are parallel to the ground and the bar is resting on the shoulders. A key cue I use is they should be able to always see their elbows pointing at them in the mirror, if they can’t they need to get their elbows up. One problem some athletes will have in this position is they will have the bar resting on their throat chocking themselves. To alleviate this all they need to do is slightly shrug the shoulders, this will raise the bar off of their throat. Then they simply step back from the squat stands and perform the exact same squat they did freestanding. The chest should be up and full of air. The leg action is the same, now they need to be told to keep their back arched (“athletic” position, chest out, butt out, shoulders back) through the whole squat and to keep their upper body upright and their elbows up. Their triceps must be parallel to the ground at all times. Having the elbows up will help keep their back in proper position and it prevents the barbell from rolling off their shoulders. A good coaching point is to tell them to lead with the elbows out of the bottom position, to drive the elbows up first out of the bottom. It is mostly a mental tip but it seems to help keep the elbows up, back flat and prevent that elbow dip and back rounding as they come out. Athletes need to be very comfortable with and have had practiced allot of front squats before they attempt to clean.
3. Back Squats:
The exact same squat as the last two exercises only now the bar is placed on the shoulders/traps/upper back.
4. Lunges:
Lunges get the athlete ready to perform the split as used in the jerk as it is a similar position. Sometimes I teach it with the bar on the back like back squats sometimes with no weight, the action is the same regardless. Have the athletes step out or lunge forward with one leg taking a nice long stride. The lunge foot should strike the ground with the heel then immediately go flat-footed and as soon as that foot lands the hips need to stop moving forward and begin dropping straight down. This action of going straight down will help prevent the athlete from getting the knee in front of the toe which is potentially harmful to the knee. Also as a carryover to the upcoming jerk they should step out to the side slightly not directly straight ahead. This widens their base of support for better balance.
5. Military Press:
The military press begins the overhead area and prepares the athlete for the jerk. The athlete begins by standing with their feet hip width apart (jumping position) and have the bar resting on the front portion of the shoulders similar to the front squat position. It is different from the front squat position though in that the elbows are rotated up just enough to let the bar rest on the shoulders, they aren’t all the way up to parallel and the bar is held with the whole hand rather than just two fingers. From here the athlete will simply press the bar overhead till the arms lock out. The finish position is critical here. The athlete must get to what is termed the “head through the hole” position. The “hole” or window as some call it is the imaginary window that is outlined by the shoulders on the bottom, the bar across the top, and the arms on the side. The head must poke through this window. The finish should have the bar directly above the shoulders and even with the back of the ears. This is a must once we advance to the push jerk and jerk because the athletes will eventually be able to drive much more weight over their head by using their legs than their arms can hold. They will need to have that bar in the slot or head through the hole position in order to balance the weight on their joints. At the finish the coach should be able to stand to the side of the athlete and be able to draw a straight line from the bar down to the elbow to the shoulder to the hip to the knee to the ankle to the ground.
6. Push Press:
A very similar movement to the military press only now the athlete will initiate the movement of the bar with the legs. I tell them that basically it is a cheating military press, your going to cheat by letting your legs get the bar started moving. In this lift it is crucial that the athlete learn how to dip correctly (evoking the stretch reflex) and that they learn to use the legs to get the bar off their shoulders rather than using their arms. First I teach them how to dip. They set up just like a military press with the bar resting on their shoulders and their elbows up just enough to allow the bar to rest on their shoulders. When making the dip the torso must remain completely upright, it stays upright and ridged, the feet stay flat on the ground and the knees come forward. You must emphasize that the weight should be on the heels before and during the dip. It is a short quick dip just like one would do to jump up for a rebound, and then they violently explode upwards. To show them that the legs get the bar started off the shoulders I’ll roll the bar onto my finger tips opening up my hands, take my dip and drive and let the bar pop off my shoulders and fly up past my face. This gives them a good idea of what I mean when I tell them to let their legs jump the bar off of their shoulders. So then I have them take that quick dip and drive the bar up to the head through the whole position, catching the bar with a slight bend in the hips and knees.
7. Push Jerk:
The Push Jerk is a huge step in the learning progression. Here the athlete will learn to actually jump with weight (which is essentially what the Olympic lifts are all about). They will also learn the timing of the catch which will carry over to the jerk, clean, & snatch. The push jerk is exactly like the push press only now the athlete will actually jump and leave the feet. I start by teaching them how to land. I teach the athletes to stomp their feet when landing. The sound of the feet stomping tells me a few things 1. They are being aggressive 2. They are being fast in pulling or pushing themselves under the bar 3. And maybe most important they are landing flat-footed. Landing flat footed puts them in a stable position, (think squatting), it is a less stressful landing as far as shearing forces on the knee go (again think squatting), and with heavy loads if you catch on the balls of your feet or on the toes that weight is going to pull you forward and you’ll miss the lift. I begin teaching the stomp by having the athlete take one foot and drive the heel into the ground a few times (resembles a horse counting) then I have them jump and do it with both feet together. Now I tell them they are going to simply add that jump and stomp to the push press they just did.
So now they get set up just like a military press, then take the quick dip & drive, Reaching full extension with the hips, and knees then as soon as that extension is complete and their feet leave the ground they push them selves under the bar into the landing (squat width w/feet) position with the bar locked out in the head through the hole position. The difficult aspect of this lift will be the timing of the catch. The bar must lock out at the exact same time the feet stomp. A few will get this on the first try but most will need to practice quite a bit to learn the timing. Once they have mastered the timing on the push jerk it will carry over to the timing needed on the jerk, clean, snatch.
8. Jerk:
Everything about the jerk is the exact same as the push jerk except the athlete will split the feet in a semi-lunge position for the catch rather than catching with the feet in a squat position. The first thing I teach is the landing position without the bar. I have them dip and drive just as they have on the last two lifts but now they split the feet. The front foot lands flatfooted with a slight pigeon-toe and a slight bend in the knee. The back foot lands on the ball of the foot slightly pigeon-toed with a slight bend in the knee. Upon landing the feet should not be in a line (like on a balance beam) Their feet need to be hip width apart or maybe even slightly wider. A common mistake will be that the athletes will want to lunge or jump forward. Their hips must only move vertically. Only the legs move forward or backwards. The hips moving forward will cause the bar to move forward, the athlete wants all energy imparted on the bar to send it straight up. Once they demonstrate the ability to get to the finish position I teach them the recovery.
Recovery: Slide the front foot back half ways, step up with the back foot to an even stance, then the last thing the athlete does is lower the bar. It is important that the athlete follow this sequence because with a heavy load stepping forward first will result in the bar drifting forward out of the head through the hole position and the weight will be dropped forward, stepping back first keeps the bar back into the slot.
When they can do all of that I then have them grab the bar and perform a jerk. If they have done everything right preceding this moment all should go well. They take a quick dip (feet flat, torso stays totally upright…leaning forward at the waist will lead to either the bar being driven forward and not making to the slot or the bar will go straight up and into the chin that has been placed there for it to hit) jump the bar off of the shoulders (a flat footed jump) driving to the head through the hole position and hitting that position at precisely the same time as the feet stomp and land in the _ lunge position.
9. RDL (Romanian Dead Lift):
This is another lift with tremendous carry over to the clean. With this lift athletes learn the grip for the clean, how to set the back for the clean and how to hinge at the hips.
Grip: I teach them the hook grip. Begin by placing the hands about a thumbs length out from where the smooth part of the bar turns to knurling. From there grab the bar then proceed to tuck your thumb under your fingers. This position is exactly the opposite of how you were taught to make a fist for punching. Essentially your thumb is being used as a strap to hold onto the bar. Explain to the athletes that this may be uncomfortable or even just be plain painful but your thumb will adjust in a week or so and your grip on the bar will be solid. With the hook grip the grip will never be a limiting factor for your cleans or snatches. The hook grip is the best way to go.
Setting the back: This is critical that the athletes get this part down, this set back or athletic stance position is used on nearly every lift and is a must to keep the back healthy. When your low back is arched all the muscles in that region are activated and bearing the brunt of the support, when you round your back out the ligaments and discs support the region, we want to use the muscles back there to protect the ligaments and discs. To do this I have them stand straight then stick their butt out like they’re trying to show it off, stick their chest out, again like they’re trying to show off their chest and pull the shoulders back.
Hinging the hips: It is very important that the athletes learn the difference between bending over by bending at the waist and bending over by hinging at the hip joint. Often times or if someone is struggling with the RDL I’ll have them find their hip joint, that ball and socket joint about 4” below the waist, I’ll then have them raise their knees or march in place so they can feel that joint work then tell them that is where the bend must come from. Again hinging at the hip will keep their back safe but also it allows you to train the movement/muscles involved in jumping, running, and cleaning. Someone who doesn’t understand how to hinge at the hip is someone who will use mostly low back to move the weight on cleans and snatches.
The movement: Grab the bar with a hook grip, curl the wrists in (keeps the bar close to the line of force: the hip joint) set the back, slightly bend the knees but once slightly bent they stay locked in that slightly bent position. The feet are set at a hip width or “jumping position”. Now begin the movement by pushing the butt back just like you would to close a car door with your butt, continue to push the butt back hinging at the hip lowering the bar as far as you can without letting your back round out. (depending on your hamstring flexibility it may not be very far, some athletes at first can only lower the bar to their knees, others can touch their toes) Again only bending at the hip, keep the bar close to the body it should never get outside of the toes, coming back up bring the hips forward until you are back at the starting position. The athletes need to learn to contract the hamstring from the bottom and “pull” themselves up. So basically, butt back on the way down and hips forward on the way up.
10. Goodmornings:
This exercise is performed exactly like an RDL only the bar is placed on the shoulders like a back squat instead of being held in the hands. Set up like a back squat, set the back, then begin hinging at the hips by pushing the butt back, bending down to parallel to the floor with your chest keeping the low back arched then push your hips forward until you are standing upright. Some athletes that have a hard time grasping RDL’s may find this one easier to get the concept of.
11. Upright Shrug:
Now we are ready to begin getting close to performing a clean. As I mentioned before this progression works from the top down so now we going to work from the last position before leaving the feet on the clean.
The first thing I teach before the athletes take the bar on this one is how to shrug correctly. I simply have the athletes practice a few quick shrugs by raising their shoulders to their ears, it’s just a quick pop up and it must go straight up and down, a couple of mistakes will be rolling the shoulders on the shrug or performing the shrug slowly or holding the shrug at the top. The shoulders must be relaxed at the start then pop straight up to the ears quickly.
Now they grab the bar and set up exactly like they did for the RDL: Hook grip, curl the wrists, set the back. Now they will dip and drive exactly like they did for the jerk, flatfooted, torso upright. Explode upwards and shrug keeping the back set nice and tight. Again it is a quick pop up. You want them thinking vertically a good cue is to tell them to “Shrug the hips, shrug the shoulders” I tell them to imagine their hip bones sliding up and over their love handles, that is the motion we want (of course with female athletes I tell them if you had love handles you’d want to imagine your hip bones sliding over them. If you tell them the other way they will spend 2 minutes denying they have love handles) another point to emphasize is the jumping motion is to be performed from flatfeet, rising up onto the toes is a product of powerfully driving the heels into the floor, trying to jump off the toes will put the athletes weight to far forward and lead them to being off balance and a less powerful jump. Remember the weight (barbell) is out in front of them and the athlete and the weight have a combined center of gravity, the athlete needs to push through the heels as long as possible to keep that combined center of gravity as close to his/her hip joint as possible. The athlete will naturally extend at the ankle and push off the ball of the foot when jumping on a clean but we want them to stay flatfooted as long as possible. I tell them to jump flatfooted. So it’s a quick dip and drive, shrug the hips, shrug the shoulders.
12. Upright Shrug Jump:
It’s of the utmost importance that the athletes grasp that the Olympic lifts are all about jumping with weight. So now we will jump with weight. Same set up: stand in the jumping position, hook grip, curl the wrists in, set the back. Now take the quick dip and perform a vertical jump and shrug the shoulders. I tell them to simply set up then jump as high as they can. Don’t allow them to let the chest dip at all, stay straight up and down, and emphasize keeping their weight on their heels. After a couple of sets of these I ask the athlete if they feel like that bar wants to keep rising up on them and if they are stopping it by keeping their arms straight. (99% of the time the answer is yes) I also point out how high that bar is getting in the air. I’m beginning to plant in their mind that they can get the bar up to their shoulders without pulling it up their with their arms.
13. Upright Clean:
Now for the moment of truth. This where everything comes together. Here we are basically combining 3 lifts: The front squat which is the catch position, the jump shrug which we just did, and to that jump shrug we are going to add the concepts of pulling oneself under the bar quickly like they pushed themselves under in the push jerk, and also the foot stomp and timing that stomp with the catch or rack.
The athletes assume the same starting position. Standing with feet at hip width (jumping stance) back set, hook grip, wrists curled. They will take their quick dip then jump-shrug-and catch landing in a squat stance and the bar racked in the front squat position. The feet should stomp at the exact same time the bar is racked onto the shoulders. The motion is the same as the shrug jump only instead of floating into the air they actively pull themselves under the bar and get their feet back onto the ground quickly.
Not everybody is going to be perfect on the first few tries, in fact few are. Here are some common errors and how to correct them.
Bar swings out away from the body: Usually when this happens the athlete is using their arms to “reverse curl” the weight up. You need to emphasize that the arms do very little of the work (remind them how high the bar got on the shrug jump) and that the bar needs to stay close to the body, almost touching the shirt all the way up. One drill that is effective is have the athlete take their thumbs and run them up the front of their shirt then rotate their elbows through to the front squat position without their thumbs leaving their body. This will show them that they can get to that catch position without doing the reverse curl motion and having the hands go away from the body. Have them repeat this motion with the thumbs several times slowly then gradually get faster and faster till they are whipping the elbows through like they will on the clean.
The bar could also swing out if the athlete is jumping forward or thrusting the hips forward rather than shrugging the hips vertically. Tell them to jump straight up, also it is effective to draw a line on the floor with chalk have them start with their toes just behind the line and tell them they can’t jump over the line.
If they are having a problem getting their elbows through and they were able to get them up when front squatting, usually it is because they are keeping their grip on the bar. When they rack the weight they need to release their grip and let them bar roll onto their fingertips, this will allow them to get their elbows up. Then on the way back down they roll the bar back into a hook grip.
Another common problem is timing on the catch, especially if the athlete struggled with timing on the push jerk. Many times just pointing out that they need to catch and stomp at the same time helps. Explaining that in the future when they have heavy weight on the bar they will not want that bar to come crashing down on them. They want to meet that bar at it’s highest point and rack it before it begins to fall and pick up speed. The most common reason for bad timing is pulling with the arms if the athlete is landing and then the bar is crashing them. Bad timing can also happen if the athlete doesn’t whip the elbows through in time or doesn’t pull themselves under the bar quick enough.
This step may take a while, it is very important that they master this lift before moving on. Once they can perform an upright clean the hang clean and power clean come pretty easy.
14. Hang Shrug:
Now we move to the hang above the knees position. The athlete begins with the same starting position: hook grip, wrists curled, back set, feet hip width apart. Then begins an RDL pushing the butt back hinging at the hip but instead of going all the way down the athlete stops with the bar just above the knees. Here you have the start position for the hang shrug. So the back is set the chest and shoulders are out over the bar, the knees are slightly bent and the weight is back on the heels they should be able to wiggle the toes.
The action: The athlete begins by hinging the hip then basically hits the upright position and performs an upright shrug. Violently shrugging the hips and the shoulders in a jumping motion.
15. Hang Shrug Jump:
Same set up as hang shrug: back set, hook grip, wrists curled in, hinging at the hips leaning out over the bar, weight on the mid to back of the foot. From this position begin with a hinge at the hips then simply perform a vertical jump and shrug. Encourage them to jump as high as they can. Let them get a feel of being explosive with the bar in their hands.
16. Hang Clean:
Same set up as the last two exercises. Now jump, shrug, and catch.
One thing that needs to be taught here is how to lower the bar. Many athletes will make the mistake of taking the bar from their shoulders straight down to their knees. For the safety of the back they need to take the bar down to the upright position, set the back then lower it to the knees.
17. Power Position:
Next I just have the athletes demonstrate the ability to get into the correct starting position for a power clean.
They begin in the upright position: hook grip, wrists curled in, back set, then rd down to the hang position. From the hang position they squat down to the power position maintaining the arch in their back and also maintaining the same angle of the back in relation to the ground.
Power position. Hook grip, wrists curled, back set, feet flat and they should be able to wiggle their toes, the bar is almost up against the middle of the shins, the hips are slightly higher than the knees, the shoulders are way above the hips, the chest and head is up (I tell them they should be able to read whatever is on their shirt in the mirror) and the shoulders and chest are out over the bar.
18. Power to the Hang Transition:
One very common mistake in the power clean is not pulling the bar back into the body once the bar gets past the knees. Ideally you want the bar as close to the hip joint as possible, what tends to happen is that the athlete will begin their first pull from the power position then as they hit the 2nd pull or jump phase the bar stays out past the knees or about 3-4” away from the body and continues to travel up away from the body. The athlete needs to be taught to pull that bar back into the thighs by subtly flexing the lats and get that bar to brush or scrap the thighs on the way up as the athlete shrugs the hips. So I have them perform a deadlift and once the bar gets above the knee they pull it back into the thigh. It is important that the arms stay straight and the athlete knows to pull it in with their lats and not the arms. The athlete also needs to understand that they must lift the weight off of the ground with their legs. Tell them to push their heels through the floor, or push the floor away by pushing through their heels. Letting their legs doing the work seems to get them to get their back out of it a little.
19. Power Shrug:
Here the athlete starts in the power position then basically deadlifts the bar till it gets above the knee or into the hang shrug position. The athlete then violently shrugs the hips and shoulders in a jumping motion just as they did in upright shrugs and hang shrugs earlier in the progression. The pull should be nice and smooth off of the floor then the athlete explodes as they pass the knee.
20. Power Clean:
Now they put it all together. Begin in the power position then perform the exact same motion as the power shrug except now finish with a jump-shrug-and catch. This clean will look just like the upright clean and hang clean except it starts from the power position.
After mastering the power clean I then move on to teaching the power snatch, which tends to go very quickly or at least much quicker than the clean.
21. Overhead Squat:
I also begin teaching the power snatch by starting from the top down. The finish position of a snatch is the overhead squat position. You may want to use a lighter bar or a PVC pipe for overhead squats.
Begin by having them take a wide grip on the bar then put that bar in the head through the hole position we worked on with military press. The bar should be even with the back of the ears. The grip width should be such that with the arms extended the bar is 8-12” over the head. From here have the athletes perform a squat while keeping their arms locked out and the bar at the back of the ears. Athletes with poor flexibility in the shoulders will really struggle with this one. For right now I’m not that concerned with their overhead squats, I just want them to get a feel for the bar being up there. Usually I have them do just one set then move on.
22. Behind the Neck Snatch Grip Push Jerk:
This lift is intended for them to get a feel for that timing of stomping the feet at the same time the bar locks out overhead. They begin with the bar on their back like a back squat. Their feet are hip width apart; their grip is the same width as the overhead squat. They take their quick dip then perform a push jerk. If they can get the timing on the first set I only have them do 1 set.
23. Upright Snatch Shrug:
By now these shrugs are old hat to them. The motion is the exact same as the upright shrug for cleans, the width of the grip is different. They grab the bar at the same spot they did for overhead squats then take a hook grip, curl the writs in, rotate the elbows out (the elbows should point out to the sides not back) Set the back. Then Take the quick dip and explode up driving through the heels shrugging the hips and the shoulders. It is important that they rotate the elbows out because on high pulls and snatches the elbows must bend and point straight up and not be allowed to drop backwards. Again I usually just have them do 1 set here.
24. Upright High Pulls:
Exact same set up and action as snatch shrugs only now upon full extension of the hips and knees the athletes will allow the elbows to bend and pull the bar up to their chins keeping the bar close to the body and letting their elbows lead the movement. The elbows must point high and outside the entire time they must never rotate backwards. The momentum of the bar is still made by the jump and shrug not the arms.
25. Muscle snatch:
This next exercise is designed to teach the athlete the path of the bar on a snatch and give them the motor pattern to perform it. I usually have then use a light bar for this one. I begin by telling them that for this lift they will be pulling with their arms, but it is just to show them the path the bar must take, after this lift they need to go back to using their hips and legs to do the work.
They get set up: snatch grip, hook grip, curl the wrists, rotate the elbows out, set the back, then without using the legs do 3 shrugs, 3 high pulls, then 3 high pulls with a finish of snapping the bar out into the overhead squat position. This is the path for the snatch.
26. Upright Snatch:
Now I tell them to completely clear their head of all thoughts. They will get set up: snatch grip, hook grip, wrist curled, elbows out, set the back. Then I simply tell them to jump and throw the bar to the ceiling except they are not to let go of the bar. After having done the muscle snatch the motor pattern is set and the result of them jumping and throwing the bar to the ceiling is almost always a snatch with good-looking technique.
The number one mistake I find in the snatch is letting the elbows drop, they always need to keep their elbows high and outside on that third pull.
27. Power Snatch:
Now I usually skip directly to the power snatch. The movements of the hang snatch and getting the bar back into the body from the power position are exactly the same for the snatch as the clean and they already know them so we practice power snatching now.

1 arm push up progression

Here's a Sample Exercise Progression to One Arm Push Ups

1) Push Ups Against a Wall: Stand 2-3 feet away from the wall and slowly push your body away from the wall. Once you can do this for 3 sets of 20 reps, you are ready to master the next progressively harder movement.
2) Push Ups on Your Knees: Get on your knees and do push ups at a slow pace. One second down, slight pause at bottom…then one second up. Master this movement for 3 sets of 20 reps before moving on to the next level of difficulty.
3) Push Ups With Feet on Floor and Hands on Bench: The higher the bench, the easier this is. A standard bench in the gym works well, or a chair at home. Master this movement for 3 sets of 20 reps before moving on to the next movement.
4) Full Regular Push Ups: This one is self explanatory. Just focus on good quality push ups, all the way down in a controlled manner. Same deal, move on to next exercise once you can get 3 sets of 20 reps.
5) Close Grip Push Ups (Hands Touching): I like to make my hands form a diamond shape, like the guy in the first picture. Some people for a triangle. Just make sure your fingers are touching and you will be good. Once you can get 3 sets of 20 reps in perfect form, then move on.
6) One Arm Assisted Push Ups With Basketball: You can use a medicine ball if you have that available as well. What you are going to do here is put as much weight as possible on the hand that is on the ground and another hand on a basketball. Use the had on the basketball to assist you on the way up and the way down. As you get stronger, place that basketball further out to the side of your body away from the center. The further out the ball gets from your body, the less you can assist that working arm. Once you can do 2 sets of 15 reps per arm with very little assistance, it is time to move on to one arm push ups unassisted.
7) One Arm Push Ups: Your goal here is to eventually have the ability to do 20 full strict one arm push ups on each arm. If you can do that, you will have triceps as hard as a rock. If you mastered the previous movement correctly, you should be able to do 3-5 reps on each arm. Over a period of months you will work your way up to 20 reps per arm.

Exercise Substitutions

Exercise Substitutions

1) To replace Squats, you can do:

1-leg hip extensions
Step-ups
Deep Step-ups
Split squats
Reverse lunges
Forward lunges
Bulgarian split squats (with back foot elevated on a bench)
Reaching lunges
1-leg deadlifts
1-leg squats (use bands or straps for assistance if necessary)
1-leg squats standing on a bench

By the way, if you are using dumbbells for squats or lunges and you
find that the weights are too heavy to hold, you can switch to a
barbell if you have access to it.

The only reason you don't see barbell exercises in the TT programs
are because most TT readers exercise at home with dumbbells.

2) To replace Deadlifts:

The only "direct replacement" is dumbbell squats.

Otherwise, just replace deadlifts with a superset pairing of any
lower body exercise paired with a row.

For example:

Barbell lunge supersetted with a DB row
Stability Ball Leg Curl supersetted with Inverted Row

3) If you have sore knees and need to replace lunges:

First, see a doctor and have them diagnose the problem. Second, see
a therapist and have them treat the issue. Third, see a trainer and
have them assess where you need to work on flexibility and how you
can include some "knee-friendly" exercises in your workout program.

These exercises include:

Lying Hip Extensions (also known as Lying Hip Bridges)
1-leg Hip Extensions
Lying Hip Extensions with your feet on the ball
Stability Ball Leg Curls

4) To replace Bench Presses or Dumbbell Chest Presses (of any kind),
you can do one of these:

Pushups
Close-grip pushups
Decline pushup
Elevated pushups
Off-set pushups
Pushups with your feet on the ball
Pushups with your hands on the ball
Pushups with your feet on the ball and hands on the bench
Suspended strap pushups
Spiderman pushups
Spiderman climb pushups
Pike pushups
Dips
Decline close-grip spiderman pushups

By the way, if you have dumbbells but no bench, you can replace flat
dumbbell bench presses by lying on the floor. And you can replace
incline dumbbell presses with standing 1-arm dumbbell shoulder presses.

5) To replace any kind of row, here are alternatives:

Dumbbell rows
Dumbbell rows with elbows out
Dumbbell chest supported rows
Barbell rows
Inverted rows
Underhand grip rows
Seated cable rows
Renegade Rows (with flat dumbbells or kettlebells)
Dumbbell rear deltoid raises
Rows with TRX or blast straps
Chin-ups (these are done with an underhand grip)
Eccentric chin-ups
Sternum chin-ups
V-grip chin-ups
Pull-ups (these are done with an overhand grip)
Eccentric pull-ups
Sternum pull-ups

And in place of pull-ups or chin-ups, you can do:

Dumbbell rows
Dumbbell pullovers
Underhand grip pulldowns (kneeling) - replaces chin-ups
Overhand grip pulldowns (kneeling) - replace pull-ups
Assisted chinups/pull-ups using machine

However, if you have absolutely no equipment (i.e. no dumbbells, no
barbell, no cables, no straps, and no bar) then unfortunately there
is no way to train your upper back. The best you can do is to add a
lot of prisoner squats, prisoner lunges, stick-ups, and WYT's to your
bodyweight program.

6) To replace dips, you can do:

Any version of close-grip pushups
Dumbbell floor presses
Dumbbell close-grip presses
Close-grip bench press

7) To replace dumbbell split squats, you can do:

1-leg lying hip extensions
Bulgarian split squats (use higher reps or the 1 & 1/4 rep method)
Split squats with your front foot elevated 4-6 inches
1-leg deadlifts
1-leg squats (holding straps or cables for assistance)
1-leg squats standing on the bench
Step-ups
Deep step-ups
Reaching lunges

(NOTE: For many exercises, including pushing and pulling too, you
can play around with the 1&1/2 rep style - lowering to the bottom
position, coming halfway back up, and then lowering again, and then
coming all the way back up.)

How to feel like a Man!

Here are the 7 best exercises that will make you look and feel like a man:

Deadlifts
What’s more manly than grabbing a bar with as much weight on it as you can possibly lift and ripping it off of the ground? The deadlift requires true max effort, demanding all of your focus and strength. Not only that, but the deadlift is the surest path to a powerful and strong appearance. This results from its emphasis on the glutes, legs, and back while being the best overall body developer in your fitness arsenal. Learn how to deadlift!

Squat
As men, we sometimes feel as if the weight of the world is on our shoulders. Well, get used to bearing some weight by stepping under the squat bar! The squat will give you legs that are pillars of strength and a torso that is rock solid. So make like Atlas and squat big! If you avoid squats because you’re an “upperbody only” type guy, then it’s time to reevaluate your workout and make a serious change. Squatting heavy and deep will make you look and feel like a warrior.

Push Press/Shoulder Press
If pulling as much weight as possible off of the ground with the deadlift is the exercise that makes you feel most manly, then pushing as much weight as you can overhead is a close second. The bench press is given far too much credit. I struggle to think of a scenario in life where we are we caught with our back braced to the floor and a heavy weight extended towards the ceiling. However, the functionality of pushing weight overhead from a standing position is undeniable. Need to put that heavy box in your attic? Or help lift your buddy over a high fence when it’s time to escape and evade? The push press will help you move heavy objects to high places and give you the round, broad shoulders that make women swoon.

Sled Drag
With a rope, chain, or nylon strap, hook yourself up to a shoulder harness or belt connected to a heavy object like a tire or weighted sled. Now lean forward, start stepping, and pull! Not only will your legs be pushed to the maximum, your heart and lungs will crank at top speed. Enjoy the heart pounding sensation and know that you are training like a real man.

Sledge Hammer Drills
Manual labor is well, manly. And in modern society’s sea of white collars and cubicles, it pays to create some physical work when your paycheck doesn’t require it. Repeatedly slam the sledge hammer with all of your might into an old tire or some soft earth. Your back, shoulders, midsection, and forearms will benefit and sledge hammer drills are great for stress relief.

Sandbag Clean
Another throw back to manual labor, the sandbag clean is a great exercise for overall physical development a well as grip strength. If your sandbag has handles, don’t use them. Just grip the bag by the cloth and work on developing some man-hands. Strong grip = Strong man.

Weighted Pull-Ups
I’d love it if the common gym question of “How much can you bench?” was replaced by “How many pull-ups can you do?” The problem is that most guys cheat the pull-up by failing to fully extend their arms at the bottom or get their chin above the bar at the top. If you can knock out 10 honest pull ups, try adding some weight. You can use a weight belt and hang some plates from it, pinch a dumbbell between your ankles, wear a weighted vest or back back, or put your wife or girlfriend on your back if you’re (and they’re) up to it. Adding weight to the pull-up will help add width to the back and give you the tapered V-shaped look.

Conclusion
If you are currently working out and not seeing the results you want, I highly suggest you focus on these compound movements and a healthy diet. Results don’t come from miracle supplements or infomercial ab machines…. They come from busting your ass, eating right, and staying consistent. If you need help putting a plan together, we have free workouts on our site such as our How to build muscle workout, and also our How to lose fat workout. And if your eating habits could use some improvement, you’ll probably like our caveman style weight loss diet.