How to Do Face Pulls
Set up a cable pulley machine so the pulley system is positioned slightly above your head. Use the rope attachment that features two hand-holds for this exercise.

Reach up and grasp the handles with both hands with your palms facing in. Step back until your arms are fully extended, then engage your core and lean back slightly, positioning your body at a roughly 20-degree angle.
Pull the rope toward you just enough to start lifting the weight from the stack, then engage your shoulders, rolling them back to create good posture—you don’t want your shoulders hunching or rolling forward. This is your starting position.
Pull the handles of the attachment straight toward your forehead. Keep your palms facing in as your elbows flare outward toward the sides, engaging the rear delts.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QOzw6vEIL4g/maxresdefault.jpg

Reverse the movement and slowly extend your arms without allowing your shoulders or chest to roll forward as you extend. You want to maintain good posture throughout the exercise.

Start by doing two sets of 20 reps. Go a little lighter than you think you need to and focus on slow, controlled motions.

Benefits of Face Pulls
Face pulls are an excellent exercise for the rear deltoids, trapezius, and upper back muscles.2 Robert Herbst, a 19-time World Champion powerlifter, personal trainer, and wellness coach says, “They help keep the shoulders squared and back so someone doesn’t get the pulled-forward look from doing too much chest and front delt work. They also help build a thick upper back as a base to arch into for a power bench press.”

Strong shoulders are crucial for everyday activities of lifting, pressing, pulling, and rotating your arms. The deltoids are the powerhouse muscle group of the shoulders—responsible for all overhead actions (putting items up on high shelves, lifting a child onto your shoulders, or even shooting a basketball).

Exercises like shoulder presses, lateral dumbbell raises, front dumbbell raises, and bent-over reverse dumbbell flys all target the delts from different angles. The delts have three separate heads—the anterior, lateral, and posterior. The deltoid’s anterior and lateral heads often work far more than the posterior, or “rear delts,” because they’re involved in pushing and pressing exercises.

The rear delts, by comparison, are often neglected. This type of muscular imbalance can contribute to shoulder pain and injuries, not to mention a “hunched forward” appearance and poor posture.3 As a result, it’s important to incorporate exercises into your routine that target the rear delts, and face pulls are an excellent option.

Other Variations of Face Pulls
You can do this exercise in a few ways to make it more accessible or target your muscles in new ways.

Try Resistance Bands
If you have access to heavy-duty resistance bands, you can hang them over a high attachment point, like a pull-up bar, and mimic the movement using bands. This is good for those new to training the rear delts, but the bands might not provide enough resistance to challenge advanced exercisers. Also, many exercise safety experts caution against using resistance bands on exercises near your face because they can hurt you if the bands slip or break.

Use Dumbbells
If you don’t have access to a cable machine or resistance bands, you can do dumbbell exercises designed to target the rear delts, such as the rear delt dumbbell fly. It’s not a perfect replacement for face pulls, but it does target the same muscle groups.

Adjust Your Grip
While the overhand grip is preferred, some trainers suggest using an underhand grip as a variation. When doing so, use lighter weights and go slower.

Try Seated Face Pulls
Use a seated position if your goal is building muscle and you want to lift heavier weights.4 This is important because, with heavier weights, you are more likely to use your hips and lower body, decreasing the load on your deltoids. By sitting, you can better maintain a stable torso.

Common Mistakes
Avoid these errors so you get the most from this exercise and prevent strain or injury.

Poor Form
The most common culprit when doing face pulls incorrectly is simply not understanding what you’re supposed to be working. This is a rear delt exercise, so you should feel it working the back side of your shoulders into your upper back between your shoulder blades.

If you start pulling the attachment toward your chin or neck, if your elbows start pointing down instead of out, or if you fail to keep your palms facing in, chances are you’re going to feel it more in your biceps and back. If you do, double check your form. If the arms are not at right angles to the body, you perform a pull-down rather than a face pull.

Too Much Weight
It’s also pretty common to select a weight that is too heavy. The rear delts are a smaller muscle group, and if you’re not used to working them, you will need to go lighter than you would with other shoulder exercises.

If you find you’re using momentum to pull the attachment toward your body, or if you can’t control the weight as it returns to the stack, pulling your body forward, then you should probably reduce the amount of weight you’re trying to lift. To target the rear delts effectively, you need to make sure you’re not inadvertently recruiting additional muscle groups to take over to perform the exercise.

Safety and Precautions
If you have back or shoulder problems, talk to a healthcare provider about whether this exercise is appropriate. If you feel any pain during the exercise, stop.

Some people want to try to do face pulls at home with resistance bands. As previously mentioned, this maneuver has safety concerns. 5 If the resistance bands slip or break, they can cause injury, particularly to the eye. A good rule is never to pull resistance bands toward your face.

Refrences:
Schory A, Bidinger E, Wolf J, Murray L. A systematic review of the exercises that produce optimal muscle ratios of the scapular stabilizers in normal shoulders. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2016;11(3):321-336.

Sakoma Y, Sano H, Shinozaki N, et al. Anatomical and functional segments of the deltoid muscle. J Anat. 2011;218(2):185-190. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7580.2010.01325.x

Kim MK, Lee JC, Yoo KT. The effects of shoulder stabilization exercises and pectoralis minor stretching on balance and maximal shoulder muscle strength of healthy young adults with round shoulder posture. J Phys Ther Sci. 2018;30(3):373-380. doi:10.1589/jpts.30.373

Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, Krieger J, et al. Resistance training volume enhances muscle hypertrophy but not strength in trained men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(1):94-103. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764

Snarr RL, Hallmark AV, Casey JC, Esco MR. Electromyographical comparison of a traditional, suspension device, and towel pull-up. J Hum Kinet. 2017;58:5-13. doi:10.1515/hukin-2017-0068

See Our Editorial Proc

The post How to Do Face Pulls: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes appeared first on .

Then reality sets in. You think about the endless hours of treadmill work that it will take to reach your goals. And your motivation begins to fade.

Is there a better way? Yes. Use weight training to not only build muscle but also burn off a layer or two of body fat. By pushing yourself to crank out more reps, your heart rate goes up, your body temperature rises, and you’ll burn more calories than you ever thought possible.

This 28-minute workout has precisely that goal in mind. It’s based on a lifting concept called AMRAPs, short for “as many reps as possible” done within a specific period of time. One reason this workout is perfect for shedding body fatis that it works most of your body. You’ve likely read about full-body workouts and the benefits they offer. Work more muscles in less time, and get a more complete workout than a standard split. Full-body workouts can help you burn more calories before and after your workout. Here, you’ll start with the big muscle groups of the lower body a

Print
1
Leg Press
1 set, AMRAP for 5 min.

2
Lying Leg Curls
1 set, AMRAP for 5 min.

3
Seated Cable Rows
1 set, AMRAP for 5 min.

4
Leverage Incline Chest Press
1 set, AMRAP for 5 min.

Performing The Workout
For each move, select a weight that you’d normally do for 20-25 reps before failure. Perform each exercise for 5 minutes straight. Once you’re ready, start the clock and begin repping. Remember, this is a timed workout, not a “for time” workout, so do not sacrifice form by letting speed take over. Once you reach failure, rest a few seconds until you feel you can go again, whether that’s in 5, 10, or even 20 seconds.

The goal is to push yourself to do as many reps as you can before the five minutes is up. Once time runs out, rest for 2 minutes and move to the next exercise. Repeat this 5-minute protocol and 2-minute rest period for all four exercises. By the end, you’ll have performed a 28-minute, full-body HIIT session.

Do this workout once or twice a week in place of whatever you would normally do for cardio. In just a few short weeks, you’ll be totally shredded and ready to go.

Exercise Selection And Technique Tips
Here’s why I chose each exercise, along with a few tips on how to perform them as effectively as possible:

Leg Press

Machines help you maintain form and minimize injury risk, both of which will be important with a heavy, high-volume workout like this. The leg press puts more emphasis on the quads, which are the bigger, more powerful muscles in the legs. Place your feet at a height on the sled that helps you best isolate your quads.

Lying Leg Curl

Whenever you train quads, balance that effort with hamstring work. Maintain constant tension on your hamstrings throughout the set.

Seated Row

Seated Row
This exercise targets your lats, rear delts, and biceps—basically every “pull” muscle in your upper body. Don’t be afraid to pull heavy; if you need straps to help with grip, go for it. If you want to work on grip strength, leave the straps in the gym bag and push through without help—or rather, pull through.

Incline Press

The incline press attacks the pecs, front delts, and triceps. An incline machine offers more control than free weights, allowing you to lift heavier and for greater volume. If you don’t have access to one, load up a Smith machine and slide an incline bench under the bar. If you don’t have access to a Smith, use dumbbells. I don’t recommend the barbell version because by now you’ll be tired and you might get stuck. Even with a spotter, don’t risk it with a workout like this.

But all of this is just advice and you can do whatever the F**k you wanna do!

Your friend and coach,

Crystal aka Barbell_Barbie.NY on IG

N.A.S.M Personal Trainer
N.A.S.M Golf Trainer
N.A.S.M Mixed Martial Arts Trainer
N.A.S.M Nutritionist Trainer

The post The 28-Minute AMRAP Workout To Build Muscle And Burn Fat (((Summer Shred)) appeared first on .

Once you’ve dialed in your nutrition, leave the kitchen and head to the gym for your workout. To help you, here are four abs workout strategies to improve your core muscles and build a scroll-stopping torso. Regardless of your current routine, these ab moves can make a big difference.

Tip 1: Use Weighted Core Exercises In Your Workout

The abdominal muscles are like everything else you train; in that sense, they’re no different from, say, your shoulder muscles. They all benefit from weighted resistance, whether from a cable, a dumbbell, etc. There’s this fear in the fitness world that using weight in your training will expand the circumference of your waist and mess with the symmetry of your torso. That’s not the case. If anything, doing weighted movements as part of your workout will make those abs pop, even more, when you cut down.

When done correctly, the weighted rope crunch is a great exercise for your abs workout. Your stomach works hard to contract, and the cable pulley applies continuous tension where you need it. Use your ab muscles, not your hip flexors, to crunch. Squeeze your abs hard when you pull in on this exercise. Feel that contraction fully on each crunch.

Hit your oblique muscles by crunching and dipping your shoulder to either side.

Tip 2: Lift Slowly, Lower Even More Slowly During Your Workout

You should know this by now, but it bears repeating: When training, momentum helps no one. Your six-pack is no different from every other muscle group in this respect, and if you’re trying to build, each rep counts. As you perform each rep, slow your tempo and maintain control throughout the movement. Your abs will work harder this way, leading to better results from your training.

Wake that abs workout favorite, the hanging knee raise. If all your knee raises look like the beginning of a Kipping pull-up, you’re not alone; it’s easy to generate momentum and lift those legs high by swinging. Unfortunately, this kind of momentum doesn’t do much for your abs or your ab training.

Instead, start by tucking your knees to your chin, which will force your hips to lift and contract your ab muscles. Exhale at the top of the contraction to further activate your abs. Slowly lower your knees with control. Slower means you’ll do fewer reps, but each of those reps will benefit your lower abs a lot more. Only move to straight-legged lifts once you’ve mastered the bent-leg version in your training.

Want to shift the emphasis to your oblique muscles? Raise your knees to either side. Want to add some resistance? Hold a dumbbell between your ankles.

Tip 3: Focus On Stability During Your Workout

The core isn’t just about the six-pack. It’s also responsible for helping you stay upright and maintaining stability during other tasks. If you have a weak core, it will affect your training on other exercises, like the squat or even something as simple as a dumbbell curl. You need core strength to stabilize the weight before you can lift it for an exercise.

Additionally, the transverse abdominals—the “girdle” muscle that wraps around your midsection—becomes stronger and tighter through stabilizing isometric exercises, not through crunches. This means all those flailing ab exercises you’ve included in your ab training are missing the one muscle that helps tighten everything up.

Tip 3: Focus on Stability During Your Workout

Not to worry, there’s a simple solution: an exercise called planks. I don’t just mean the traditional version of the exercise, using the standard plank position. You should be working side planks into your training, too. By doing regular planks, then a plank for each side, in your abs workout, you will soon see a noticeable improvement in the look and strength of your core.

Tip 4: Don’t Forget To Vacuum During Your Workout

Any bodybuilding fan has read about the top pros getting ripped for having distended stomachs onstage. Champions from the so-called Golden Era of bodybuilding used vacuums during a workout to keep their tummies tight. After previously falling out of favor, this classic waist-slimming exercise has made a comeback in recent years among the ab routine of today’s fitness stars.

Not only can you include vacuums in your ab training, you can also do this exercise in between sets when you’re training other muscles. It’s a simple way to double-down on your ab gains, and it can be a killer superset no matter what you’re training that workout.

Perform your normal set and follow it up by trying to do a vacuum before you start your next one. With a little practice and consistency, you’ll gain better control of your waistline and your breathing. This exercise can benefit your other training and workout routines, as well.

But all of this is just advise.

You can do whatever the f**k you wanna do.

Your friend and coach,

Crystal aka Barbell_Barbie.NY IG

N.A.S.M Personal Trainer
N.A.S.M Nutrtion Trainer
N.A.S.M Golf Trainer
N.A.S.M M.M.A.

References:

NHANES, 2008. Trends in intake of energy and macronutrients in adults from 1999-2000 through 2007-2008. NCHS Data Brief. Number 49, November 2010. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db49.htm; retrieved 09/01/12.

Ainsworth, BE, Haskell, WL, Herrmann, SD, Meckes, N, Bassett, DR, Tudor-Locke, C, Greer, JL, Vezina, J, Whitt-Glover, MC, and Leon, AS, (2011). 2011 compendium of physical activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43(3):1575-1581.

American College of Sports Medicine (2014). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (9th Edition). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.

Wansink, B, (2006). Mindless Eating – Why we eat more than we think. New York, NY: Bantam-Dell Books.
Stiegler, P, and Cunliffe, A, (2006). The role of diet and exercise for the maintenance of fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate during weight loss. Sports Medicine, 36(3): 239 – 263.

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“Can you earn jacked legs without weights?”

As you might expect, I argue that yes, you certainly can. But the answer isn’t as simple as a single word implies. Let me lay out a few caveats, then show you the best moves for building steel wheels without touching the iron.

First, Some Ground Rules

Now, before anybody flies off the handle here, let me be perfectly clear about a few things:

You still have to work. No one will get jacked—or big, strong, ripped, buff, whatever—if they are not willing to train intensely, consistently, and often. There are no “hidden secrets” or magic moves. The exercises contained within this article aren’t “hacks.” Quite the opposite—they’re tools to help you work harder and more effectively. No matter if you choose to push iron or train with just your body, you won’t get results without exerting the effort.

Diet is important for muscular growth. If you want to put on mass, it is important to consume a surplus of complete proteins, drink plenty of water, and receive your vitamins and minerals. You’ll also want to get plenty of fiber, so eat those veggies! In fact, it’s a good idea to build around protein and fiber with every single meal.

You must rest up. You don’t get big in the gym. You do it when you recover. So for muscular growth, make sure you get a good night’s sleep. Although exactly how much sleep you need varies from individual to individual, I recommend trying to get an average of at least seven hours a night, especially when training hard.

Take your time. I believe consistency is probably more important than intensity. Don’t expect results without continued effort over time. Any changes we make within ourselves, whether physical, mental, or emotional are based upon our day-to-day habits, not occasional occurrences. If you want to make changes, then make these exercises a part of your life.

Got all that? OK, then let’s train.

The following exercises do not incorporate any external weights or machines. Instead, they manipulate leverage, exploit weight-per-limb distribution, and employ asymmetry in order to overload muscle groups. Try adding them to your program and see what your lower body can resist, without using any external resistance at all!

1. Bulgarian Split Squat

Difficulty Level: 6
Rep Range: 5 sets of 10 reps per leg
Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian split squat is a perfect example of how switching your body’s position can place a greater emphasis on a particular limb.

To perform a Bulgarian split squat, stand with your back toward a bench of approximately knee height. Lift a foot and place it on the bench behind you. By elevating the rear foot, your front foot is forced to bear more weight. Now, lower yourself down until your front knee bends to approximately 90 degrees, while keeping your back straight. Your rear knee will be bent to a more acute angle than the front. Return to the top position to complete your rep. Train both sides evenly.

The intensity of this exercise can be almost infinitely scaled, simply by changing the height that the rear foot is elevated. The higher up the rear foot is, the more weight goes into the front foot.

2. Single-Leg Straight Bridge

Difficulty Level: 7
Rep Range: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
Single-Leg Straight Bridge
In training the lower body, it is essential to target your rear muscular chain, particularly the hamstrings, glutes, and lower spine erectors. A common rookie mistake is to neglect these posterior muscles, while focusing solely on the ones that you can see in the mirror, such as the quadriceps. Bridging is excellent for balancing the body out from back to front. The single-leg straight bridge is particularly effective, as it works the legs unilaterally by placing the emphasis on only one limb at a time.

Begin by sitting with your legs straight in front of you and your hands on the ground by your hips. Raise one leg in the air, then drive your hips up. Straighten out your body by pressing down with your hands and the grounded heel. Drop your head back, push your chest out, and look behind you. Pause briefly in the top position, then lower back to the bottom with control to complete the rep. This exercise is harder than it looks, so take it slow and be certain to work both sides.

3. Single-Leg Squat

Difficulty Level: 8
Rep Range: 5 sets of 5 reps per leg
Single-Leg Squat
Even those among us who can barbell back squat twice our body weight often receive a lesson in humility when attempting to perform a squat on just one leg. Not only is the load greater—as are the yields—but there is also a neurological component to the single-leg squat that puts it in a category all its own.

To perform a single-leg squat, stand on a low bench with one leg, allowing the opposite leg to hang off the side. By standing on a bench, those of us who lack extensive hamstring mobility can still reap the benefits of the increased bodyweight load associated with this exercise. This is because standing on the bench allows you to let your non-squatting leg drop below surface level.

Now, reach your arms forward and squat with your standing leg until your hamstrings make contact with your calf, allowing your non-squatting leg to descend down and in front of you. Pause briefly at the bottom before standing back up to the top position. Complete your set in its entirety and then repeat on the opposite leg.

4. “Skater” Squat

Difficulty Level: 8
Rep Range: 5 sets of 5 reps per leg

The skater squat is a single-leg squat variant where the non-squatting leg is placed behind the practitioner rather than in front. This change in position greatly affects the movement pattern, making it mechanically almost like a bodyweight leg press, while also adding a unique challenge in terms of leverage and balance.

To perform a skater squat, stand on one foot with your opposite leg hovering behind you and bent at the knee. Reach your arms out, lean forward, and squat with your standing leg, lowering your opposite knee toward the ground behind you. Pause briefly with your knee approximately one inch from the ground, then return to the top position to complete your rep.

Take care to descend slowly in order to avoid any potential impact on your rear knee, and be sure to train both legs evenly.

Use The Tools You Were Born With

In the world of training, there are many paths one can take. When you train with just your body, the only limitations are the ones you impose on yourself. Give these exercises a try and let me know what you think in the comments. Your experiences may surprise you. Keep the dream alive!

But all of this is just advise.

You can do whatever the f**k you wanna do

Your Friend and coach

Crystal aka Barbell_Barbie.NY

References:

https://greatist.com/move/squat-variations-you-need-to-know

https://www.thecut.com/2015/08/4-workout-moves-for-a-tighter-butt.html

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Are Food Cravings Normal?

Usually, the more aggressive your diet and the lower your body fat, the more these food fantasies seem to pop up. Look at it this way: Your body’s main responsibility is survival, so when it’s not receiving the nutrients it needs, it will do everything in its power to fix that. By conjuring images of the tastiest kinds of foods, your brain is desperately trying to compel you to eat.

Meanwhile, your body is reacting to your dieting by “upregulating” or increasing the amount of leptin in your system. Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells to help your body monitor both new and stored calories. When you’re not consuming enough calories, leptin signals your body to consume more.[1] This signaling helps increase your appetite and boost your metabolic rate.

Eat Your Way To A Slimmer You. What?!
The best way to stop the craving? Eat up! That’s right. Indulging in some of the foods you crave tells your body to release less leptin. And that’s the purpose of refeed days: to boost those leptin levels so you no longer feel hungry. You onboard a whole lot of calories, causing your leptin levels to drop precipitously, which suppresses your appetite and reduces those images of sugar plums dancing in your head. It’s just the thing you need to get your body back on track for success.

How To Maximize Your Refeed Day

A Cheat Day Or A Refeed Day?
To realize maximum results, however, you’ll want to do a refeed rather than a cheat day. Some people may think these are the same thing, but they’re not:

Cheat day: This is a day of relaxed eating designed to help you deal with the psychological feelings of deprivation that can arise when dieting. You typically don’t count your calories on cheat days, and you eat pretty much any kind of food you want.

Refeed day: This day is for deliberately overeating a specific macronutrient: carbohydrates. The immediate effect is to reduce the leptin that’s sending signals telling your body to consume more calories in the days ahead. Eating a lot of carbs literally “refeeds” your body with energy and muscle glycogen it can dip into as you resume your diet.

While both cheat days and refeed days can help you deal with your cravings, the refeed day addresses physiological issues, rather than psychological ones. To keep your body functioning well as you diet, on refeed day you should:

Maintain your normal protein intake
Double or even triple your normal carb intake (minimum: 200 grams)
Reduce your normal fat intake, unless you are already using a low-fat approach, in which case, maintain your level of fat intake
Why Less Fat During A Refeed?

Your body will draw energy from the extra carbs you’re consuming. If you keep eating a lot of fatty foods, your body will convert those calories directly into body fat. This is the last thing you want to happen when you’re on a diet. Research shows that the body does a better job burning calories when you increase carbs instead of fats. The average person stores 75-85 percent of the calories from excess carbs, while it stores almost 100 percent of excess calories it gets from fat.[2]

In a nutshell, your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to go high carb, low fat. Here are some great ways to fulfill that mission.

Sushi

Sushi is a terrific refeed choice, although you need to be careful about the type you choose. Avoid sushi made with fatty ingredients such as salmon, avocado, or with deep fried meats, fish, or vegetables. Nigiri is sushi that includes a slice of raw or cooked fish layered on top of carb-rich rice. Nigiri with shrimp or white fish will give you the high carb/low fat meal you’re after, as will cucumber rolls, California rolls, and tuna rolls.

If you like to dip your sushi in soy sauce, you’ll be receiving an extra hit of sodium. Since sodium makes your body retain more water, don’t be alarmed if your weight increases by a few extra pounds the day after you eat sushi. It’s likely just water weight, which the body can shed much faster than weight from body fat.

Pasta
A hearty bowl of pasta is the next item on the menu. Whether you choose white, whole wheat, or spinach pasta, this dietary staple can be an excellent refeed choice.

The main thing to watch out for is your choice of sauce. Stick to tomato-based sauces instead of cream or pesto sauces, which usually pack in too many calories from fat to be considered refeed-friendly. You do want to consume some protein in with this meal, so add a side of grilled chicken breast or shrimp pan fried in a little olive oil.

Cereal

Cereal is one of the most popular refeed foods. The astounding news for cereal fans is that you can go well beyond bran flakes or granola and let your childhood imagination run wild. If you reminisce about those cereals full of marshmallows, cocoa, brownie chunks, and cookie dough, today’s the day to indulge your inner toddler and dig in!

Sugary kid cereals can be beneficial on refeed days, as the simple sugars and carbs are what you’re after, nutritionally speaking. Add milk, which provides protein along with more sugars in the form of lactose, and you have a good high-carb, low-fat option.

Bagels (With The Right Toppings!)

If you don’t have much appetite or don’t like eating bulky foods, bagels can be a terrific choice. Don’t pile on the full-fat cream cheese or peanut butter, though. Instead, top the bagels with fat-free cream cheese, jelly, or protein-filled low-fat deli meat.

Bagels are more calorie dense than bread and are a smart choice if you crave that chewy, doughy texture. They’re also a much better choice than donuts or muffins which have higher fat content. Bagels contain just a gram or two of fat, depending on the variety.

Fat-Free Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt
If you struggle to control your sweet tooth, there are plenty of great options in the frozen-foods section, including low-fat or fat-free ice cream, sherbet, or frozen yogurt.

Be sure to pair your frozen dessert with some kind of protein, eaten either right before or afterwaryourSushi and ice cream might not sound too appetizing, so maybe go for a protein shake.

Your number of refeed days will vary based on how aggressively you diet, how lean you currently are, and whether your diet is filling your mind with fancy dessert images. Most people will benefit by scheduling their refeed days anywhere from 1-4 weeks apart.

But all of this is just advise.

You can do whatever the f**k you wanna do!!

Your friend and coach,

Crystal aka Barbell_Barbie.NY on IG

N.A.S.M P.T.
N.A.S.M Nutrition
N.A.S.M M.M.A
N.A.S.M Golf

References
Jenkins, A. B., Markovic, T. P., Fleury, A., & Campbell, L. V. (1997). Carbohydrate intake and short-term regulation of leptin in humans. Diabetologia, 40(3), 348-351.
Horton, T. J., Drougas, H., Brachey, A., Reed, G. W., Peters, J. C., & Hill, J. O. (1995). Fat and carbohydrate overfeeding in humans: different effects on energy storage. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 62(1), 19-29.

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Heres’s the deal…

Some people may argue the effectiveness of other supplements, but with creatine, there is no argument. It is the real deal and delivers the best results of anything you can buy over the counter without question.

To take your training to the next level, a good creatine supplement can make a world of difference. But, there are lots of different companies making creatine and many different forms of it so choosing which one is the best can be a daunting task.

In this article, we will break down what exactly creatine is, the different forms of creatine, other ingredients they add, when to take it and just about everything else you will need to know along with the best creatine supplements available today. Now let’s take a look at the facts.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a compound that is made naturally in the body and helps us supply energy to cells, particularly muscle cells. Creatine is made in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys and is secreted into the blood for transport to muscles and tissues that have the higher energy demands. The chemical name is methylguanido-acetic acid. It is formed from the amino acids glycine, L-arginine, and L-methionine. While the body produces much of its own creatine, you can also get it through eating certain foods like red meat and fish.

As a supplement creatine has become popular with athletes and anyone else looking for a way to increase strength, endurance, and overall performance. It is by far the most researched supplement on the planet and it is the one that works the best of the supplements that you can buy legally.

the Benefits of Creatine

There are many benefits of taking creatine that are not all muscle and strength related, let’s take a look at some of the main ones.

Benefits include:

Enhanced Muscle Volume – Water moves into the muscles to produce a more muscled appearance and it serves as a stimulus for protein synthesis which will increase muscle size.
Enhance Recovery – Researchers have concluded that creatine reduced muscle cell damage and inflammation following exhaustive exercises and that it was effective at doing this in both strength and endurance athletes.
Enhanced ability for high-intensity work – It aids in the release of ATP so your muscles have more energy under heavy loads.
Enhanced Brain Function – Studies have shown that creatine can improve short-term memory as well as performance under time constraints.
Helps depression – Studies show that creatine is a significant help when taken with an antidepressant to fight depression. Study found here.

Main Types of Creatine

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine Monohydrate is the by far the most studied form of creatine, one of the most popular, and it is usually the least expensive. It actually gets its name from having one molecule of water bound to each molecule of creatine. It was the German Olympic lifting teams that originally started using creatine monohydrate (among other things).

Creatine HCL

Creatine HCL has become another one of the more popular forms of creatine today. The main advantage of this one over the others is that it is more soluble than the others and uses a much smaller dose. This can help with any intestinal problems some people may have with creatine monohydrate.

Creatine Malate

Creatine Malate comes in two forms, di or tri which refers to the number of creatine molecules that are attached to the Malate. Some believe that this can boost ATP, because of how quickly it can dissolve in water. This one is another one that can be good for people who have trouble digesting creatine monohydrate. Recommended dosing is usually the same as it is with creatine monohydrate as well.

Creatine Citrate

Creatine Citrate is a creatine is that it uses citric acid instead of malic acid for the bonding. Some researchers believed that doing so would provide greater muscular energy. This was found later to not to be the case. Creatine Citrate has been shown to be only 40% creatine. Making it not the best choice for creatine delivery.

Creatine Kre Alklyn

This form of creatine is made at a higher ph and has been patented by the manufacturer. The reason for the higher ph was to make it more easily absorbed by the body. This, however, has never really been proven. This form of creatine is most likely going to be in pill form.

Creatine Anhydrous

Creatine anhydrous is creatine monohydrate with the water molecule removed. It provides slightly more creatine per gram than Creatine Monohydrate but has never really been shown to be more effective.

Liquid Creatine

This one is a creatine that is suspended in some kind of liquid. It has been shown to be ineffective because over time it will turn to creatinine which, although the name sounds similar to creatine, doesn’t work. Creatine needs to be in powder or pill form to work effectively.

Micronized Creatine

Micronizing creatine is a fancy way of saying they have made the particles smaller. By making the particles smaller it increases the surface area and can make for better absorption.

Creatine

When to take creatine?

There are a few schools of thought on when to take creatine. Either before a workout, after a workout or whenever during the day. Research shows that the “take it whenever” group is wrong. The best time is either before or after your workout with research giving a slight edge to post workout, but that isn’t 100% conclusive.

What to Mix Creatine With?

Most people mix creatine with water which is fine. However, creatine absorption is increased by a quick spike in insulin so we suggest Gatorade/Powerade mixed with water or even Kool-Aid watered down. Fruit juices don’t work as well because they mainly contain fructose, which will not cause an immediate spike in insulin which is needed. There might be a few health nuts that will come at us for suggesting such drinks, this is our opinion and what we recommend. It works.

Other Key Ingredients:

These are some of the other key ingredients the manufacturers will add to the creatine to give it an extra punch. Watch out for companies that use too many extra ingredients though. They tend to be a jack of all trades master of none.

HMB – Has been shown to increase size and strength
Bioperine – Increased bioavailability which means better absorption
Betaine Anhydrous – Has also been shown to increase strength
Taurine – Shown to boost endurance
Cinnulin – Helps with cell uptake of the creatine

Conclusion

Just don’t forget, no creatine will be as effective unless it is also paired with a good workout plan and solid diet. It isn’t a magic bullet or anything like that but if you put the work in the results will definitely come and will likely be better than you have ever had.

Creatine Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I take creatine if I am subject to drug testing?

A: You should be fine, but depending on how rigorous your drug-testing procedures, we recommend showing your coach or administration the supplement facts panel of whichever creatine you take.

Q: Do I need to use a loading phase with creatine?

No. When it comes to creatine studies, the results show that you get the same results without loading. That is mainly the manufacturers trying to get you to use more creatine so you will need to buy more.

Q: Is it necessary to cycle on and off Creatine?

A: Nope. There is no research showing any benefits to cycling with creatine.

Q: How long until I notice results in my training?

A: Generally within the first two weeks of taking it, you should see noticeable strength gains. HMB effects have been known to kick in within the first 3-4 weeks. After a month you will definitely notice.

Q: How should Creatine be taken to maximize its effectiveness?

We recommend taking your Creatine with 4-6 ounces of water, juice, or protein 30 minutes following your workout. On non-workout days, take one scoop in the morning for recovery.

But all of this is just advice. You can do whatever the f**k you wanna do.

Your friend and coach,

Crystal aka Barbell_Barbie.NY

N.A.S.M. CPT
N.A.S.M. Nutrition
N.A.S.M MT

References:
https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/dwayne-johnson-rock-hard-hercules-workout-and-diet-plan.html

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That’s true whether you’re a hardgainer, a guy with good genetics or a guy who carries excess body fat. Here are the basic nutritional principles you need to support your training to maximize your chances for muscle growth right out of the gate.

1. Make sure you consume adequate calories every day

The bottom line is you can’t add weight if you aren’t taking in more calories than you’re burning. If you’re trying to pack on muscle, you have to consume enough surplus calories to support that growth.

If you’re heftier to begin with, this task is a little trickier. You need to get enough calories to add muscle mass, but you also want to avoid an excessive increase in bodyfat. While you’re adding muscle mass, you should regard maintaining or just slightly increasing your bodyweight as progress.

2. Split your total calories fairly evenly over 5–6 meals per day

This recommendation is a bodybuilding standard. The more frequently you feed your body, the better the contribution you’re making to build muscle mass while at the same time avoiding the addition of bodyfat. If you consume 3,000–4,000 calories over six meals versus just three meals, your metabolism will stay elevated and you’ll gain more muscle and much less bodyfat.

Those who consume the same number of total calories, but in fewer, larger meals, however, send their bodies the signal to store bodyfat.

3. Take in at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day

When you want to build muscle tissue, you have to provide your body with the amino acids it needs. These aminos (there are 22 in total, essential, nonessential and conditionally essential) come from protein foods and protein supplements. Eating a variety of different protein sources is the best way to make sure you get a broad range of aminos.

By targeting at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, split fairly evenly over your six meals, you’ll keep a steady flow of aminos in your bloodstream to fuel growth.

4. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables

Many beginners focus too much on protein or calories at the expense of other types of foods that are dense in nutrients per calorie. Make sure you get in at least six servings of vegetables and fruit each day. They’re low in calories but rich in vitamins and minerals to support gains and overall health.

At larger meals, you should consume more than one serving (and you can do your body an even bigger favor by having a few different fruit or veggie items on your plate).

5. Emphasize workout-window nutrition

Around the time of your workouts before and after your body needs protein and fast-digesting carbs (sugar) to drive the recovery process. Consuming sugar before and after your workouts helps reload glycogen burned during exercise, and it delivers amino acids to your muscles so that they recover and grow more quickly.

Take in about 25–40 grams of protein before and after your workouts, depending on your bodyweight. Hardgainers should match their sugar intake to their protein consumption, gram per gram, pre- and post-workout. If you’re a bigger guy starting out, you can cut the sugar before workouts and just take it after.

Training for strength doesn’t mean diet goes out the window. You can absolutely maximize your results with what you eat and the supps you take.

But all of this is just advise.

You can do whatever the f**k you wanna do!

Your friend and coach,

Crystal aka Barbell_Barbie.NY IG

N.A.S.M Trainer
N.A.S.M Nutrition
N.A.S.M M.M.A
N.A.S.M Golf

References:

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/10-commandments-muscle-building-nutrition.html

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/nutrition/gain-mass/10-nutrition-rules-follow-if-you-want-build-muscle

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Aesthetics, bro! That particular proportion can be found in nature, in things like leaves and trees, and has been used to structure everything from sculptures to architecture to analyzing financial markets. It’s also a standard the golden-age bodybuilders considered as the ideal physique: the shoulders measuring around 1.6 times the waist. Diehard aesthetic-seekers can also find ways of making it apply to your biceps and quads, but honestly, it works better on the shoulders. So, let’s focus there, shall we?

The humble lateral raise has been the width-builder of choice for lifters chasing the golden ratio (whether they knew it or not) for many years. And for good reason: When the movement is done with strict technique, it very effectively targets the lateral or middle deltoid and not much else. In fact, one study concluded that the middle deltoids generates up to 65 percent of the torque generated during glenohumeral joint abduction—the term for lateral raise in the exercise physiology world.[1] (Pretty much all of the rest of the torque is generated by two tiny rotator cuff muscles, the supraspinatus and subscapularis muscles, which, if we pointed them out on your body, would be more or less visually indistinguishable from your medial delt anyway.)

The message for you? First, don’t skip lateral raises. And second, have many, many variations in your arsenal to keep your shoulders growing for years.

How To Lateral Raise Correctly

Since the deltoids are a relatively small muscle, strict adherence to proper technique is important to optimally target the middle deltoid, and not have other muscles, like the traps, take over the movement. The natural tendency of a lifter is to cheat their way through a heavy set of lateral raises, which may overload the shoulder muscles, but isn’t very safe.

Here’s your step-by-step guide to properly perform a lateral raise:

Stand tall with a weight in each hand and your arms by your side. Your hands should be roughly 4 inches off your hips.
Keeping your elbow straight, bring the dumbbells up to the side until your arms are 90 degrees to your torso. At the top of the movement, purposely squeeze the deltoids to accentuate the contraction.
Under control, slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat.
Not too hard, right? Now, let’s spice up this bodybuilding classic to bring your delts up to golden-age status.

Variation 1: Alternating Reps And Holds
This is a great variation on the lateral raise that will have your delts screaming at you.

Grab two dumbbells and start by holding your left arm out at 90 degrees to your torso. Now, perform 10 repetitions as described above with you right arm. Next, switch arms and hold your right arm out and do 10 repetitions with your left arm. Switch arms again and complete 8 repetitions with the right, and so on. Continue this pattern for 6, 4, and 2 repetitions. As a finisher, try this for 2-3 sets to feel an unreal delt pump.

Alternating Reps and Holds
Variation 2: Combine It With Arnold Presses
Arnold loved his lateral raises. Of course, he also loved Arnold presses. So why not combine the two in his honor?

This is a simple enough protocol: Perform 10 lateral raises, then with the same weight, perform 10 Arnold presses. The weight will feel light for the presses, but that’s the idea. Next, immediately perform 9 raises, then 9 presses. Continue this sequence, dropping a single rep at a time until you reach 1 rep. At JKC conditioning, we normally only perform one descending ladder set to cap off our shoulder workout, pun intended.

Combine it With Arnold Presses

For those new to Arnold presses, start with a dumbbell held in each hand in front of your chest, as if you just finished a supinated (underhand grip) biceps curl. Press the weights overhead as you rotate your arms. Finish with the dumbbells overhead with your palms now facing forward. Return the weights to your chest by rotating your arms in the opposite direction.

Variation 3: Change The Angle
As noted above, the lateral raise is generally performed in the standing position with the arms raising from the sides of the body to the 90-degree position. So how do you get a greater range of motion? By leaning, of course.

To do this, find a sturdy post that can support your weight. This could be the post on a power rack or cable tower. Grab the post with one hand. Move your feet into the base of the post and stack them together. Now, hang from the pole with your hand so your body sits at about 45 degrees from the post.

With the other hand, using a dumbbell, perform a lateral raise, being sure to control both the up (concentric) and down (eccentric) phases of the movement. This technique is great to keep constant tension on your delts throughout the set. For a great delt finisher, try alternating left to right with no rest for 3 sets of 16-20 repetitions.

Change the angle

That’s a version you may have seen before. If so, try this one instead. Lie on your side on a bench that is set to a low incline. Hold a dumbbell in your top arm. Perform a lateral raise while moving through the full range of motion slowly. At this angle, the side lying lateral raise also keeps your delts under constant tension throughout the movement. Similarly to the leaning lateral raise, try alternating between sides with no rest for 3 sets of 16-20 repetitions.

Variation 4: Change The Resistance

Typically, the lateral raise is done with dumbbells. While dumbbells are a great tool for muscle-building, they do not provide uniform resistance—that is, there are points in the movement where it is harder/easier.

For uniform resistance, try using a cable or band, or if you want to look hardcore, a chain in each hand. The best part about these implements is they provide a smooth resistance throughout the range of motion and force you to remove any jerking that you may have a tendency to introduce into the lateral raise.

Variation 5: Hold Kettlebells

To increase the lever and to challenge your grip strength, try holding light kettlebells while performing the lateral raise. We suggest holding very light bells, like between 5-15 pounds, since the goal of this variation is to keep the kettlebells parallel to your arm as you raise them up to the side.

This will challenge your grip strength as you’re preventing the kettlebell from turning in your hand. Your delts will also feel a bigger challenge as the center of the weight you’re holding will be farther from the shoulder joint.

How To Program The Variations
If you feel like your delts look more like pinballs than cannonballs, try introducing some of the above variations into your regular program. We suggest trying each variation for a three-week cycle, then moving to the next variation, so that you have some consistency in your routine, and then a fresh stimulus when you need it.

But all of this is just advise.

You can do whateve the f**k you wanna do!

Your friend and coach,

Crystal aka Barbell_Barbie.NY on IG

N.A.S.M. C.P.T.
N.A.S.M. F.N.S.
N.A.S.M. M.M.A

References
Escamilla, R.F., Yamashiro, K., Paulos, L., Andrews, J.R. (2009). Shoulder muscle activity and function in common shoulder rehabilitation exercises. Sports Medicine, 39(8), 663-685.

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