WORKOUT ROUTINES

ROUTINES


Having said that here is what the mindset of a successful bodybuilder looks like:
1. The successful bodybuilder analyzes his/her time commitments and creates a bodybuilding plan that suits his/her situation.
2. He/She prepares all meals in advance along with liquid meals in order to prevent missing meals.
3. If the plan is affected for whatever reason, instead of being depressed about it and leaving it, a modification is made in order to continue execution. So for instance if a training session is missed, then it is performed on the following day. If a meal is missed, then it is consumed as soon as possible. If an unscheduled cheat meal is consumed, then the bodybuilder gets right back on the diet on the following meal instead of blowing the diet for the whole day, or week.

In a nutshell, for any challenge that the bodybuilder faces, a solution is researched and executed in order to continue with the bodybuilding lifestyle. There is no room for frustration nor thoughts of dropping the bodybuilding plan in the mindset of a successful bodybuilder. Always think damage control, never “falling off the wagon”, so to speak, as once off, you run the risk of never getting back on.

In my fifteen years involved in bodybuilding, I have noticed that this is the mindset of the most successful bodybuilders. Successful bodybuilders always look for solutions while the non-successful ones always look for excuses.

ROUTINE 0

After all is said and done, my favorite training routine is based on a seven-day week, three on, one off, two on, one off, reaching a six-week stretch with enough daily wiggle room for comfort.

DAILY
MID SECTION/TORSO
Variation of crunches, incline and weighted, leg raises, hyperextensions, hanging leg raises

MONDAY CHEST & SHOULDERS & BACK

Seated Front Press (3-5x12, 10, 8, 8, 6)
tri-setted with
Wide Grip Pulldowns (3-5x12, 10, 8, 8, 8)
and
Standing Bentover Lateral Raises (3-5x6-8)

Dumbbell Press (4-5x12, 10, 8, 8, 6)
tri-setted with
Dumbbell Pullovers (4-5x12, 10, 8, 8, 6)
and
Seated Lat Row (4-5x12, 10, 8, 8, 6)

TUESDAY
LEGS

Leg Extensions (3-5x10-12)
tri-setted with
Leg Curls (3-5x8-12)
and
Calf Raises (3-5x15-20)

Squats (5-7x15, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 6)

Deadlifts (5x10, 8, 6, 6, 6)

WEDNESDAY
ARMS

Rubber tubing rotator cuff work, 5 sets x 20-25 adductor, 5x abductor

Wrist Curls (3-5x20, 15, 15, 15, 15)
tri-setted with
Thumbs Up curl (3-5x10, 8, 8, 8, 6)
and
Pulley Pushdowns (3-5x12-15)

Bent Bar Curls (3-5x6-8)
supersetted with
Dips (3-5x12-15)

Dumbbell Alternate Curls (3-5x6-8)
supersetted with
Overhead or Lying Triceps Extensions (3-5x12, 10, 8, 8, 8)

THURSDAY
OFF

FRIDAY
UPPER BODY

Seated Front Press (4x12, 10, 8, 6)
supersetted with
Pulldowns (4x12, 10, 8, 6)

Dumbbell Inclines (4x12, 10, 8, 6)
supersetted with
Pullovers (4x12, 10, 8, 6)

Dumbbell Rows (4x8)

Dumbbell Alternate Curls (4x12, 10, 8, 6)
tri-setted with
Dips (4xMax)
and
Pulley Pushdowns (4x12)

SATURDAY
LEGS

Same as earlier leg day

Light Deadlifts (5x8)
supersetted with
Rope Tucks (5x25)

ROUTINE 1

Abbreviated Bodybuilding Split Workout Routine
Workout (A) – Chest/Back/Abs

Triset #1:
Incline Bench Press 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Wide Grip Pull-ups to Front 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Crunches 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Triset #2:
Chest Dips 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Close Grip Chins (Reverse Grip) 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Hanging Leg Raises 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Triset #3:
Incline Flyes 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Low Pulley Rows 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Bicycle Crunches 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps

Workout (B) – Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps

Triset #1:
Upright Rows 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Triceps Pushdowns 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Incline Curls 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Triset #2:
Bent Over Laterals 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Concentration Curls 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Triset #3:
Lateral Raises 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Hammer Curls 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps

Workout (C) – Thighs, Hamstrings, Calves

Triset #1:
Squats (Medium/Wide) * 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Lying Leg Curls 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Standing Calf Raises 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Triset #2:
Leg Press (Close Stance; feet and legs together) 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Standing Leg Curl 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Calf Press 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Triset #3:
Leg Extensions 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Stiff Legged Dead-lifts or Lunges (Pressing with heels) 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
Seated Calf Raises 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps

*Note: Perform squats with a medium stance and when you hit failure, then change to a wide stance and keep the reps coming until you hit failure again. If you suffer from back problems you can substitute for a leg press machine and use the same technique.

NOTES:
• Workout Frequency
This routine can be performed as little as 3 days a week and as much as 6 days. All you have to do is rotate workouts A, B, and C.
• Rest in Between Tri-sets
After each tri-set you can rest 1 minute to 90 seconds at the most. Keep up a fast pace. Also remember that there is no rest between the exercises in the tri-set. So for instance, you will go from Incline Bench Press to Wide Grip Pull-ups to Crunches and then rest 1 minute before starting again.

About The Author
Hugo Rivera, About.com's Bodybuilding Guide and ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer, is a nationally-known best-selling author of over 8 books on bodybuilding, weight loss and fitness, including "The Body Sculpting Bible for Men", "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women", "The Hardgainer's Bodybuilding Handbook", and his successful, self published e-book, "Body Re-Engineering". Hugo is also a national level NPC natural bodybuilding champion.


ROUTINE 2

This bodybuilding workout routine induces gains in lean muscle mass, size and strength through the use of periodization. Periodization is a training method that changes the workout variables of sets, repetitions, rest in between sets, and exercises used in an orderly manner that will produce the best gains in muscle mass and strength.

Through the use of periodization, not only you keep your body guessing (and thus changing), but you also maximize your training efforts by priming your body for muscle growth, then taxing the body to the point that it is on the brink of overtraining, and finally cutting back on the training volume in order to allow the body to recover and grow.

Periodized bodybuilding workouts are most useful for people who are in excellent cardiovascular shape and who have been training for at least 6 months. If you are an absolute beginner, please read my article on Getting Started. If you have been training for at least 3 months but less than 6, then please take a look at my suggested Intermediate Routine.

Bodybuilding Workout Frequency Training Options

Even though the sample periodization workout that will shortly be presented prescribes six days a week, if you need more recovery you have several options:
• Three Days a Week: After Week 1, perform Workout (A) on Monday, Workout (B) on Wednesday, and Workout (C) on Friday. After six weeks, move on to the workouts presented under Weeks 5-7 and perform Workout (A) on Monday, Workout (B) on Wednesday, and Workout (C) on Friday. You will perform those workouts also for 6 weeks and then go back to Week 1, change the exercises and start over.
• Two Days On, One Day Off, One Day On, One Day Off Cycle: After Week 1, perform Workout (A) on Monday, Workout (B) on Tuesday, and Workout (C) on Thursday. On Saurday you start again with Workout (A), Sunday perform Workout (B), and Tuesday finish off with Workout (C). Keep repeating the cycle in this manner for a total of 6 times. After the sixth cycle move on to the workouts presented under Weeks 5-7. You will perform those workouts also for 6 cycles and then go back to Week 1, change the exercises and start over.
• Three Days On, One Day Off Cycle: After Week 1, perform Workout (A) on Monday, Workout (B) on Tuesday, and Workout (C) on Wednesday. On Friday you start again with Workout (A), Saturday perform Workout (B), and Sunday finish off with Workout (C). Keep repeating the cycle in this manner for a total of 6 times. After the sixth cycle move on to the workouts presented under Weeks 5-7. You will perform those workouts also for 6 cycles and then go back to Week 1, change the exercises and start over.
• 5 Days On, Weekends Off Cycle: After Week 1, perform Workout (A) on Monday, Workout (B) on Tuesday, and Workout (C) on Wednesday. Start again with Workout (A) on Thursday and Workout (B) on Friday. Rest over the weekends and start the week with Workout (C) on Monday. After three weeks, move on to the workouts presented under Weeks 5-7.
Bodybuilding Workout Routine That Uses Periodization

Weeks 1-4

Week 1 - Active Rest
Monday/Thursday:
Modified Compound Superset:
(Rest 1 minute after the 1st set of exercise 1 and then do the first set of exercise 2. Then rest a minute and go back to exercise 1. Continue this pattern until both exercises are done for the prescribed amount of sets).
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 2 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)
One Arm Dumbbell Rows 2 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Dumbbell Bench Press 2 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)
Pulldown to Front 2 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Bent Over Lateral Raises 2 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 2 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Incline Dumbbell Curls 3 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 3 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Dumbbell Lunges 3 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)
Leg Curls 3 sets x 10 reps (1 minute rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Squats 2 sets x 10 reps (2 minute rest)
Calf Raise 3 sets x 10 reps (2 minute rest)


Weeks 2, 3, & 4 - Loading Phase
Notes: If unable to train 6 days a week, then perform Day 1 on Monday, Day 2 on Wednesday and Day 3 on Friday.

Day 1 - Bodybuilding Workout (A)

Shoulders & Arms (Monday/Thursday)
Superset:
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 4 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)
Bent Over Laterals 4 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

Superset:
Dumbbell Curls 4 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 4 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Incline Curls 4 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 4 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Wrist Curls 3 sets x 15-30 reps (No rest)
Reverse Wrist Curls 3 sets x 15-30 reps (No rest)

On Week 3, add:
Superset:
Bent Over Laterals 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Concentration Curls 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Triceps Pushdowns 3 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

On Week 4, add:
Superset:
Lateral Raises 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Hammer Curls 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Triceps Dips 3 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)


Day 2 - Bodybuilding Workout (B)

Legs (Tuesday/Friday)
Superset:
Squats 4 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Lying Leg Curls 4 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Wide Stance Squats 4 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Standing Leg Curls 4 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Adductor Machine 3 sets x12-15 reps (No rest)
Abductor Machine 3 sets x12-15 reps (No rest)

Superset:
Standing Calf Raises 4 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)
Seated Calf Raises 4 sets x 15-20 reps (30 second rest)

On Week 3, add:
Superset:
Leg Extensions 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Seated Leg Curls 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
One Legged Calf Raises with Dumbbells 3 sets x 15-20 reps (1 minute rest)

On Week 4, add:
Superset:
Leg Press 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Dumbbell Stiff Legged Dead lifts 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Calf Press (on Leg Press Machine) 3 sets x 15-20 reps (1 minute rest)

Day 3 - Bodybuilding Workout (C)

Chest & Back (Wednesday/Saturday)
Superset:
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Wide Grip Pull-up to Front (Palms facing away from you) 4 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Chest Dips 4 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Close Grip Pull-up (Palms facing you) 4 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Dumbbell Shrugs 3 sets x 10-12 reps
External Rotations (for strengthening of the rotator cuff) 3 sets x 15-20 reps

Superset:
Leg Raises 4 sets x 25 reps (30 second rest)
Crunches 4 sets x 25 reps (30 second rest)

On Week 3, add:

Superset:
One Arm Rows 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Dumbbell Bench Press 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Knee-Ins 3 sets x 25 reps (1 minute rest)

On Week 4, add:
Superset:
Stiff Arm Pulldowns 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Incline Flyes 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest) Side Crunches 3 sets x 25 reps (1 minute rest)
Weeks 5, 6, & 7 - Growth Phase

Day 1 - Bodybuilding Workout (A)

Shoulders & Arms (Monday/Thursday)

Modified Compound Superset:
Military Press 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)
Rear Delt Rows (Performed on T-Bar Row Machine, elbows and upper arms away from torso in order to primarily stimulate the Rear Delts and not the Lats) 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
E-Z Curls 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)
Lying E-Z Triceps Extensions 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
E-Z Preacher Curls 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)
Triceps Dips 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)

Superset:
Wrist Curls 2 sets x 15-30 reps (No rest)
Reverse Wrist Curls 2 sets x 15-30 reps (No rest)

Day 2 - Bodybuilding Workout (B)

Legs (Tuesday/Friday)

Modified Compound Superset:
Squats 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)
Lying Leg Curls 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Wide Stance Squats 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)
Standing Leg Curls 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)

Superset:
Adductor Machine 2 sets x 12-15 reps (No rest)
Abductor Machine 2 sets x 12-15 reps (No rest)

Superset:
Calf Press 4 sets x 8-10 reps (No rest)
Seated Calf Raises 4 sets x 15-20 reps (30 second rest)

Day 3 - Bodybuilding Workout (C)

Chest & Back (Wednesday/Saturday)

Modified Compound Superset:
Incline Barbell Bench Press 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)
Wide Grip Pull-up to Front (Palms facing away from you) 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Chest Dips 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)
Close Grip Pull-up (Palms facing you) 4 sets x 10, 8, 6, 6 reps (90 second rest)

Superset:
Dumbbell Shrugs 2 sets x 10-12 reps (No Rest)
External Rotations (for strengthening of the rotator cuff) 2 sets x 15-20 reps (No Rest)

Superset:
Hanging Leg Raises 4 sets x 25 reps (No Rest)
Crunches (performed on Decline Bench) 4 sets x 25 reps (30 second rest)

NOTES:
1. Do cardio for twenty to thirty minutes right after the workout (or first thing in the morning on an empty stomach if you wish to train twice a day) for four times a week.
2. Regarding the issue of reaching muscle failure or not in all sets, the best advice that I can give you is to perform each set to the point where it would be impossible for you to perform an additional repetition on your own with good form. This philosophy has always kept me injury free and allowed me to train by myself for years without any accidents.
3. After finishing up the last week of the growth phase, go back to an active recovery phase for a week and re-start the loading phase with different exercises. Training in this manner will keep the body off guard and will continue to stimulate gains in muscle size.
ROUTINE 3
What Is The 10 Sets of 10 Reps Bodybuilding Training Method?

The 10 sets of 10 reps bodybuilding training method has been used in bodybuilding circles for years in order to break through plateaus and gain new lean muscle mass. Many people have claimed to its invention, but regardless of who came up with it, it has been used with great success by awesome bodybuilders from the past such as Vince Gironda, as well as Dave Draper and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Today, many athletes on the know still use this method and even elite strength coaches, such as Charles Poliquin, are great advocates of it and use it on their Olympic athletes when they are in need of increasing their lean mass quickly. I’ve used this method myself without fail since early on my bodybuilding career. It never ceases to yield great results. As a matter of fact, early on when I was less informed, I thought that I had invented it. That was until I found out that this method has been around since the early 60s!

The 10 sets of 10 reps method has proven time and time again to be fantastic at increasing muscle mass through the systematic fatigue of the muscle fibers being worked on. In order to implement a 10x10 routine, a mass building exercise is chosen and a weight that you can perform for 15 reps or so is selected. However, you will stop once you achieve 10 reps. Your rest in between sets should be limited to a minute and you need to refrain yourself from resting more as you start fatiguing since increasing the rest time would defeat the purpose of the routine, which is to cause systematic fatigue on a specific muscle. The goal of the routine is to use the same weight for all ten sets and to be able to perform all sets for 10 reps in good form. You will notice that as fatigue sets in, the sets become more and more challenging. You may not be able to perform all sets for 10 reps. If that is the case, then start lowering the weight once you do a set where less than 10 are performed. Once you can do all 10 sets for 10 reps, then it is time for you to go up in weight.

How Many Exercises Do I Need To Use In The 10 Sets of 10 Reps Program?

Is there a need for more exercises once you do the one for 10 sets of 10? I always like to include a second exercise for the larger muscle groups in order to hit a different angle but the second exercise is more of an isolation type and I just perform it for 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Now let’s take a look at my recommended 10 sets of 10 reps program.

Next Page: Mass Building 10 Sets of 10 Reps Bodybuilding Workout Routine
Mass Building 10 Sets of 10 Reps Bodybuilding Workout Routine

WORKOUT (A): THIGHS/HAMSTRINGS/CALVES

Superset:
Squats 10 sets of 10 reps (no rest)
Leg Curls 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute of rest)

Superset:
Leg Extensions 3 sets of 10-12 reps (no rest)
Stiff Legged Dead-lifts 3 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute of rest)

Calf Raises 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute of rest)

WORKOUT (B): CHEST/BACK/ABS

Superset:
Incline Bench Press 10 sets of 10 reps (no rest)
Wide Grip Pull-up to Front 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute of rest)

Superset:
Flat Bench Flyes 3 sets of 10-12 reps (no rest)
Low Pulley Rows 3 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute of rest)

Leg Raise & Crunch Combination 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute of rest)

WORKOUT (C): SHOULDERS/BICEPS/TRICEPS

Upright Rows 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute of rest)

Bent Over Lateral Raises 3 sets of 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Incline Curls 10 sets of 10 reps (no rest)
Triceps Dips 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute of rest)

Workout Frequency
I’ve benefited from doing each body part twice a week so I would perform Workout (A) on Monday/Thursday, Workout (B) on Tuesday/Friday and Workout (C) on Wednesday/Saturday. I’ve noticed however that this type of frequency works best for endomorphs like myself, which are people with a slow metabolism who as a result have faster recuperation capabilities.

Mesomorphs, or naturally muscular and lean people, fare well by performing the routine in the following manner:

Day 1-Workout (A), Day 2-Rest, Day 3-Workout (B), Day 4-Rest, Day 5-Workout (C), Day 6-Start cycle again with Workout (A). With this sequence, each body part is trained once every five days. This routine also provides good recuperation for those of you that work over 40 hours a week and cannot afford to be at the gym for 6 days.

Ectomorphs, or hardgainers, are those of you who are naturally skinny and have a super fast metabolism. If this is your case, then you are best served by training every other day, and if you cannot train over the weekends, then just Monday, Wednesday and Friday performing Workout (A) on Monday, Workout (B) on Wednesday and Workout (C) on Friday.

When To Change
After going through Workouts (A), (B), and (C) six times, change your routine to one that is heavier in weights (with around 5-6 reps mostly) and contains less sets. A good routine would be one that uses 5 sets of 5 reps with different basic exercises than the one above

Eat Lean Stay Ripped ;)

NUTRITION BASICS
A key component of the formula for bodybuilding success is nutrition. Nutrition is what gives us the raw materials for recuperation, energy, and growth. Without a good diet, your dreams of achieving your ideal body will never be reached.

We'll now discuss the characteristics of a good nutrition program and we'll also go over nutrition basics.

Characteristics of a Good Nutrition Program
1) It should favor smaller and frequent feedings throughout the day instead of large and infrequent ones. Why? Because when you feed your body several times a day, your metabolism increases. Therefore, you burn more fat. Frequent feedings are of particular importance since after three to four hours of no food your body switches to a catabolic state (a state in which you lose muscle and gain fat!). The body believes that it is starving and it starts feeding itself on lean muscle tissue and it prepares to store calories as fat. Bad scenario! Therefore, in order for your program to work, you will eat between four to six meals (depending gender and goals) a day spaced out at 2-1/2 to 3 hour intervals.

2) Every meal should have carbohydrates, protein and fat in the correct ratios. Having a meal that is not balanced (for example is all carbohydrates) won't yield the desired results. Every macronutrient has to be present in order for the body to absorb them and use them properly. Without boring you with the effect of food on the body's biochemistry, let's just say that if you only eat carbohydrates in one meal without anything else, your energy levels will crash in about 30 minutes and your body will be storing any carbohydrates that were not used into fat. Conversely, if you only eat protein, you will lack energy and your body will not be able to turn the protein into muscle because it is difficult for the body to absorb protein in the absence of carbohydrates. In addition, the ratios for each particular macronutrient have to be correct in order to get the results that you want. The ratio of our diet will look like the following:

40% Carbohydrates
40% Protein
20% Fats

Note that for every serving of carbohydrates, you get a serving of Protein. You can use Bill Phillips' Method of creating meals which is to count a portion of carbohydrates as the amount of food the size of your clenched fist and a portion of protein as the amount of food the size of your open palms.

3) The calories should be cycled. I strongly believe in caloric cycling as this will not allow the metabolism to get used to a certain caloric level; something that leads to stagnant results.

Therefore, bodybuilders in search of just muscle mass should follow 5 days of high calories (lean body mass x 15) with two days of lower caloric intake (lean body mass x12). Bodybuilders in search of losing fat while building muscle at the same time should follow 5 days of lower caloric intake (lean body mass x12) with 2 days of higher calories (lean body mass x 15). (Note: If you build muscle and lose fat at the same time you will not gain muscle as fast as you would if you just concentrated in muscle mass. However, you get to get both goals accomplished at the same time).

People interested in bodysculpting should alternate between two weeks of lower calories (around 2000 for men and 1200 for women) and two weeks of higher calories (around 2500 for men and 1500 for women). These caloric intakes assume a normal activity level that only includes Body Sculpting training. Those of you involved in activities like marathon running or heavy physical labor jobs need to adjust your calories upwards accordingly mainly in the form of carbohydrates in order to support your higher levels of activity. Nutrition Basics
There are 3 macronutrients that the human body needs in order to function properly.

#1 Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are your body's main source of energy. When you ingest carbohydrates your pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin is very important because:

1) It grabs the carbohydrates and either stores them in the muscle or stores them as fat.

2) It grabs the amino acids (protein) and shelters them inside the muscle cell for recovery and repair.

Most people that are overweight and are in low fat/high carbohydrate diets got into that condition because they are eating an overabundance of carbohydrates. Too many carbohydrates cause a huge release of insulin. When there is too much insulin in the body, your body turns into a fat storing machine. Therefore, it is important that we eat no more carbohydrates than necessary and that we eat the right amount of carbohydrates.

Now that we have talked about the importance of having just the right amount of carbohydrates, let's talk about which are the best sources of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are divided into complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates. The complex carbohydrates give you sustained energy ("timed release") while the simple carbohydrates gives you immediate energy. It is recommended that you eat mainly complex carbohydrates throughout the day except after the workout where your body needs simple carbohydrates in order to replenish its glycogen levels immediately, something that will aid faster recuperation and rebuild of the muscle. Below is a list of good sources of carbohydrates:

Complex Carbohydrates:

There are two types:

Complex Carbohydrates:

1)Starchy: Oatmeal (1 cup dry), sweet potatoes (8 oz baked), potatoes (8 oz baked), rice (1 cup cooked), pasta (8oz cooked), corn (1 cup canned), peas (2 cups cooked). Each serving approximately equals 40-50 grams of carbohydrates.

2)Fibrous: Broccoli (1/2 cup raw), carrots (1 cup raw), cauliflower (1/2 cup raw), green beans (1/2 cup raw), lettuce (5 cups raw), mushrooms (3/4 cups raw), pepper (1/2 cup raw), spinach (3-1/2 cups raw), zucchini (1 cup raw). Each serving approximately equals 6 grams of carbohydrates.

Simple Carbohydrates:

Apples (1 apple), bananas (1 banana), grapefruit (1 grapefruit), grapes (22 grapes), oranges (1-1/2 orange), pears (1 pear), pineapple (3/4 of a cup).
Each serving approximately equals 20-25 grams of carbohydrates.

#2. Protein

Every tissue in your body is made up from protein (i.e., muscle, hair, skin, and nails). Proteins are the building blocks of muscle tissue. Without it, building muscle and burning fat efficiently would be impossible. Its importance is paramount. Protein also helps increase your metabolism every time you eat it by 20%! It also makes the carbohydrates timed release, so you get sustained energy throughout the day.

Everybody that is involved in a weight training program should consume between 1 gram of protein to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass (meaning that if you are 100 lbs. And have 10% body fat, you should consume at least 90 g of protein since your lean body mass = 90 lbs.). Nobody should consume more than 1.5 grams per pound of lean body mass as this is unnecessary and the extra protein may get turned into fat.

Good examples of protein are eggs (I use Egg Substitute: 1-1/2 cups liquid), chicken breast (cooked, skinless and boneless: 6 oz), turkey (cooked, skinless and boneless: 6 oz), lean (90% lean) red meats (6 oz), and tuna (6 oz). Each serving size equals approximately 35-40 grams of protein.
#3. Healthy Fats
All the cells in the body have some fat in them. Hormones are manufactured from fats. Also fats lubricate your joints. So if you eliminate the fat from your diet, then your hormonal production will go down and a whole array of chemical reactions will be interrupted. Your body will then start accumulating more body fat than usual so that it has enough fat to keep on functioning. Since testosterone production is halted, so is muscle building. Therefore, in order to have an efficient metabolism we need fat.

There are three types of fats: Saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated.

a) Saturated Fats: Saturated fats are associated with heart disease and high cholesterol levels. They are found to a large extent in products of animal origin. However, some vegetable fats are altered in a way that increases the amount of saturated fats in them by a chemical process known as hydrogenation. Hydrogenated vegetable oils are generally found in packaged foods. In addition, cocunut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil, which are also frequently used in packaged foods and non-dairy creamers are also highly saturated.

b) Polyunsaturated Fats: Fats that do not have an effect in cholesterol levels. Most of the fats in vegetable oils, such as corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean, and sunflower oil are polyunsaturated.

c) Monounsaturated Fats: Fats that have a positive effect on the good cholesterol levels. These fats are usually high on the essential fatty acids and may have antioxidant properties. Sources of these fats are Fish Oils, Virgin Olive Oil, Canola Oil, and Flaxseed Oil. We like to refer to these type of fats as good fats.

Twenty percent of your calories should come from good fats. Any less than 20% and your hormonal production goes down. Any more than 20% and you start accumulating plenty of fat. The way that I get my fats is by taking 1 teaspoon of Flaxseed Oil three times a day (I put them in my protein shakes).

Good sources of fat are canola oil (1 tablespoon), natural peanut butter (2 tablespoons), olive oil (1 tablespoon), flaxseed oil (1 tablespoon), and fish oils (1 tablespoon). Each serving size contains approximately 14 grams of fat.

D) Water
Water is by far the most abundant substance in our body. Without water, an organism would not survive very long. Most people that come to me for advice on how to get in shape, almost always underestimate the value of water.

Water is good for the following reasons:

1) Over 65% of your body is composed of water (most of the muscle cell is water).

2) Water cleanses your body from toxins and pollutants that would get you sick.

3) Water is needed for all of the complex chemical reactions that your body needs to perform on a daily basis. Processes such as energy production, muscle building, and fat burning require water. A lack of water would interrupt all of these processes.

4) Water helps lubricate the joints.

5) When the outside temperature is up, water serves as a coolant to bring the body temperature down to where it is supposed to be.

6) Water helps control your appetite. Sometimes when you feel hungry after a good meal this sensation indicates a lack of water. Drinking water at that time would take the craving away.

7) Cold water increases your metabolism.

In order to know how much water your body needs a day, just multiply your lean body weight by .66. This would indicate how many ounces of water you need in a day.

References

Articles from Hugo Rivera and findings from my own workout and nutrition intake results.

Glycemic Index

Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index (or GI for short) is a measure of how quickly your blood sugar rises after ingesting a carbohydrate. Basically, once you consume a carbohydrate and it gets digested it gets turned to glucose (blood sugar). Blood sugar is used by the body to manufacture ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate), which is the molecule that the body uses to power up all of its functions. You can think of ATP as your body’s fuel, as without ATP, your organism would not be able to function.

The way that GI works is that each food is assigned a value, typically from 0-100, based on how fast blood sugar increases in the next two hours after consuming a carbohydrate. A value of 100 would represent a food that increases blood sugar very rapidly, such as a straight glucose drink. A value of 59, like the one from brown rice, means that the blood sugar response is way more moderate. Therefore, for the purposes of blood sugar control and fat loss, brown rice is a much better choice than a glucose drink. Now, why is that?

How quickly a carbohydrate is turned into glucose and released in the bloodstream affects the amount of insulin that the pancreas will release to control blood sugar levels. Too quickly of a conversion and your insulin levels skyrocket, a bad situation if you are trying to lose body fat since fat loss cannot occur in the presence of high insulin levels. Such a hormonal environment triggers fat storage. Therefore, it stands to reason that if a carbohydrate is released slowly into the blood stream, then less insulin is released and thus fat loss is maximized.

So is controlling GI the main key to losing body fat? Yes and no. Understanding the effect of foods on your blood sugar is important as several studies have shown that eating low GI carbohydrates throughout the day suppresses the person’s appetite and provides more stable energy levels as blood sugar is better controlled (Note: sudden drops in blood sugar make you feel hungry and lethargic). In addition, eating low GI foods allows for more consumption of food without body fat storage and for a leaner you due to body fat loss. However, there are other factors that affect body fat storage not taken into account by the GI as we will discuss on the next page. What’s a Low GI Food?

While there are many opinions out there on what a low GI food is, typically a food under 55 is considered low, a food under 70 is medium and anything over 70 is high. However, we must understand that what you eat in conjunction with your carbohydrates will affect your GI. Every time you eat a protein with a carbohydrate the total GI of the meal will go down since protein is a very complex molecule and thus slows down the digestion of the carb. Fats also have this effect. Since you will not be eating just a carbohydrate in your bodybuilding nutrition plan, then the raw GI number should only be used as a guideline. Besides, GI does not provide us with the whole answer as to which carbohydrate is best for us in order to lose fat.

What GI Does Not Take Into Account

An important reason why we cannot take GI as the only measure of whether a carbohydrate that we choose will help us lose fat or not is because GI does not take into account the different ways in which the body handles complex carbohydrates from starches like brown rice (or grains like oatmeal) vs. a simple carbohydrate like an apple. This leads us to the following topic which is Complex Carbohydrates vs. Simple Carbohydrates.

Complex and Simple Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are divided into two categories: complex carbohydrates and simple ones.

The complex carbohydrates are hundreds of sugar units linked together in single molecules (reason they are called complex) and typically give you more sustained energy (provided they have a medium to low GI) as they take more time to be broken down by the body. Note: Complex carbohydrates with a high GI behave more like a simple sugar, which is digested quickly.

There are two types:

Once again, you should be eating these complex carbs in small portions, but more frequently throughout the day.

1. Starchy: Provide you with actual raw energy that the body can use. Good sources are Oatmeal, Grits, Brown Rice, Lentils, Sweet Potatoes, and cream of wheat.

2. Fibrous: The body cannot absorb these but they are rich in vitamins and minerals. In addition, fiber cleans up your intestines, which allows for better absorption of the nutrients that you get from digestible foods. On top of that, mixing fibrous sources with starchy sources lowers the rate of digestion of the starchy carbs thus lowering their GI. Good sources are: Asparagus, Squash, Broccoli, Green Beans, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Mushrooms, Lettuce, Red or Green Peppers, Tomato, Spinach, and Zucchini.

Simple carbohydrates are made up of one, two, or three units of sugar (at the most) linked together in single molecules, and thus, give you immediate energy as they are released more readily in the body. Good sources are: apples, pears, cantaloupes, oranges, cherries, strawberries, grapefruit, lemon, nectarines, peaches. Higher sugar fruits like grapes or bananas are best for after a workoSimple Carbohydrates And Their Effect on Body Fat

Though the glycemic index categorizes most fruits as low GI, as you will see, the simple sugar found in fruits called fructose is metabolized differently than the sugars from starches. To understand how the process differs, first let’s see how the body uses glucose.

If blood glucose levels are low, the body uses the glucose it gets from foods and burns it immediately for energy. This is one of the reasons why after a workout, the body utilizes carbohydrates so efficiently. Now, assuming that there is no immediate need for energy, glucose is then into glycogen and stored in the liver or the muscles. The liver can hold roughly 100 grams of glycogen but the muscles, depending on how muscular you are, may store between 200-400 grams. The key point to remember here however is the following: The glycogen from muscles can only supply energy to the muscles when they are contracting (so muscle glycogen gets depleted badly during a weight training workout). Liver glycogen however can supply energy to the entire body. It is key to remember this in order to understand how fructose does not help with fat loss.

The way that the body gets fat with an excess of carbohydrates is that if all of the glycogen stores in the body are full, then the extra glucose is converted to fat by the liver and stored as adipose tissue (bodyfat), probably in your buns and thighs or around your waist.

Now that you understand how glucose is used and how fat can be stored in situations where all glycogen levels are full, lets go back to the fruits. What happens with fructose is that the muscles do not have the enzyme required to turn fructose into glycogen. The liver does so fructose replenishes the liver. It does not take much to replenish a liver of glycogen as it can hold around 100 grams only. Therefore, if you overdo the fruits, you will fill up your liver glycogen and this causes the body to release an enzyme called phosphofructokinase signaling the body that glycogen stores are full. Since the liver has to supply energy for the whole body, the body uses its glycogen stores as the fuel gauge. When the tank is full, so to speak, that is when any extra fuel gets stored away. Because of this, we suggest that fruits are limited and even eliminated if on an aggressive fat loss diet. By the way, if you are wondering why most fruits can be so low GI and still cause so much damage is because fructose leaves the liver as fat and fat does not raise insulin levels. Bummer!

Carbohydrate Consumption Recommendations

It is recommended that you eat mainly medium to low (55 or less GI) to medium (65 or less GI) glycemic complex carbs throughout the day, as they are responsible for creating consistent energy levels for peak performance and daily functions.

If you must eat fruits, minimize your consumption to two servings per day at times where some of your liver glycogen has been depleted. The best times are the morning with breakfast and right after a workout. This will help to speed up the recuperation time and aid in the production of lean muscle tissue. Ingesting simple carbs throughout the day is not recommended as if your liver glycogen is full, then you will risk storing body fat. ut if desired.