This is a back workout during my light weeks. Whatever the weight you need to use to accomplish good form for the set reps is your business. DO NOT FORFEIT YOUR FORM FOR HEAVIER WEIGHTS OR MORE REPS! If you cannot keep good form while hitting the target reps, use less weight. It is the routine I am sharing. This was my workout on Thursday, March 28, 2013 after stretching for about 15 minutes.
1 set of bent over, single arm rows using a 60 lbs. dumbbell for a warm up set.
4 sets of bent over, single arm rows using an 80 lbs. dumbbell for 10 - 12 reps. - 30 second rest period between sets, with a 120 second rest before going to next exercise
4 sets of standing, dumbbell shoulder shrugs with 100 lbs. for 10 - 12 reps. - super set with 4 sets of standing, single arm lateral raises using 25 lbs. dumbbells for 10 -12 reps. - no rest between exercises, with a 30 second rest between each super set, and a 120 second rest before proceeding to next super set exercises.
4 sets of seated and bent over, reverse fly (keeping chest on knees) with 25 lbs. dumbbells for 10 - 12 reps. - super set with 3 sets of two handed, close grip lat pull downs on a cable using 150 lbs. for 10 -12 reps. - super set with 1 set of two handed, close grip lat pull downs on a cable using 135 lbs. for 10 - 12 reps. - no rest between exercises, with a 30 second rest between super sets, and 120 second rest before proceeding to next super set exercises.
4 sets of seated, reverse fly using cables with 120 lbs. for 10 - 12 reps. - with a 30 second rest between sets.
On the exercises where I dropped the weight for the last super set, it was because I could not complete the 10 - 12 reps with good form. I would rather drop the weight than sacrifice the form, and I suggest you do the same if need be. This was an chest workout for a light week with low weight, and high reps. Give it a try!
If you like what you have read, please click on the link below and "Like" my page. Thank you! Osa McDonald (Athlete)
This is my arm workout during my light weeks. Whatever the weight you need to use to accomplish good form for the set reps is your business. DO NOT FORFEIT YOUR FORM FOR HEAVIER WEIGHTS OR MORE REPS! If you cannot keep good form while hitting the target reps, use less weight. It is the routine I am sharing. This was my workout on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 after stretching for about 10 minutes.
4 sets of crunches on a 36" medicine ball with only a 30 second rest between sets. Sets were to failure.
3 sets of standing, single arm dumbbell curls with 32.5 lbs. for 10 - 12 reps. - super set with 3 sets of double arm over the head triceps extensions with an 80 lbs. curl bar for 10 -12 reps. - no rest between exercises, with a 30 second rest between each super set. 1 set of standing, single arm dumbbell curls with 30 lbs. for 10 - 12 reps. - super set with 1 set of double arm over the head triceps extensions with a 70 lbs. curl bar for 10 - 12 reps. - no rest between exercises, with a 120 second rest before going to next super set exercises.
4 sets of single arm preacher curls with 50 lbs. dumbbells for 10 - 12 reps. - super set with 4 sets of bent over, single arm triceps extension with 22.5 lbs. dumbbell for 10 - 12 reps. - no rest between exercises, with a 30 second rest between super sets, and 120 second rest before proceeding to next super set exercises.
3 sets of standing, double arm curls with a 70 lbs. curl bar for 10 - 12 reps. - super set with 3 sets of single arm, standing cable triceps extensions with 30 lbs. for 10 - 12 reps. - no rest between exercises, with a 30 second rest between super sets. 1 set of standing, double arm curls with a 60 lbs. curl bar for 10 - 12 reps. - super set with 1 set of single arm, standing cable triceps extensions with 30 lbs. for 10 - 12 reps. - no rest between exercises, with a 30 second rest between super sets, and 120 second rest before proceeding to next super set exercises.
4 sets of seated, single arm cable curls with 45 lbs. for 10 - 12 reps. - super set with 4 sets of single arm, over the head cable triceps extensions with 80 lbs. for 10 - 12 reps. - no rest between exercises, with a 30 second rest between super sets.
4 sets of 1/2 extension, single arm preacher curls with 65 lbs. dumbbell for 10 - 12 reps. - super set with 4 sets of crunches on a 36" medicine ball. - no rest between exercises, with a 30 second rest between super sets.
On the exercises where I dropped the weight for the last super set, it was because I could not complete the 10 - 12 reps with good form. I would rather drop the weight than sacrifice the form, and I suggest you do the same if need be. This was an arm workout for a light week with low weight, and high reps. Give it a try!
If you like what you have read, please click on the link below and "Like" my page. Thank you! Osa McDonald (Athlete)
You want to constantly be shocking your muscles, keeping them guessing. If you do the same thing every time you go to the gym, your muscles are going to become conditioned for those exercises. You will be able to do them with ease, eventually, but that does nothing for muscle development. If you are wanting to increase lean muscle mass, which inevitably increases your metabolism, then you do not want anything to do with ease.
The saying "No pain, No gain" is not a cliche. You do NOT want your workout to be easy. In fact, if you are not breaking a sweat, why are you wasting your time? Go home and sit back on the couch. Time is our most priceless commodity. If you are going to make the investment of your time at the gym, make it count for something. Intensity is the greatest catalyst with proper form to change your body. GETITLIKEYOUMEANIT!
Every time you step into that gym, it should be with the full intent of destroying your muscles and tormenting your body. I realize that may not sound fun to some of you right now, but once you start to feel healthier, stronger, and more energetic... that will change. Someone who works out for 40 minutes like they want it, will get far better results than someone who works out for an hour and a half. My personal opinion is that if you have the energy to work out after the first hour, you just wasted it.
You should only work out for 45 minutes to an hour. When you are finished with your routine, you should be completely spent. If you aren't, push harder next time. You will get out of this whatever you put in. Period.
Once you learn the proper mechanics, get the correct motions down for the different exercises, then you will be able to increase your intensity. I will continue to post videos to help teach proper form soon, because it is extremely important.
If you like what you have read, please click on the link below and "Like" my page. Thank you! Osa McDonald (Athlete)
My name is Osa McDonald, and I have been weight lifting for 13 years now. I am all natural, and take only NO Explode and protein supplements. God has blessed me, and I would like to share what I have learned.
You are not there to "lift" weights. You are there to flex your muscles, tear the fibers, and make your self stronger. Here is the difference between what I do, and what is common. Whatever the amount of weight you are moving, it should ONLY be moving as a CONSEQUENCE of you flexing the muscle you are working out that day. That is my method. Most everyone else teaches, and practices, "lifting" the weight.
If you are just "lifting" the weight, then you will be inclined to use whatever muscles are required to "lift" the weight. Here is an example, look for this next time you are in the gym. A standing curl using dumbbells is the best illustration. Find the guy holding the two dumbbells, then watch how he "lifts" the weight. 19 out 20 times you will see the elbows move while the weight is being "lifted" up, and sometimes the shoulder will dip also. It is because the weight is too heavy, and he is simply "lifting" the weight. He is not able to isolate his bicep, which is what curls are supposed to target, and is using his delts and many other adjacent muscles all together to accomplish the "lifting" of the weight.
Before I get into the different scope of exercises, this is an absolute necessity to understand. None of the proceeding material I share is as important as this fact. YOUR FOCUS IS TO FLEX THE TARGET MUSCLE, NOT MOVE THE WEIGHT!! THE MOVEMENT OF THE WEIGHT IS COLLATERAL TO THE FLEXING, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!
Whatever muscle you are working out, if you fail to isolate, then you are not truly getting everything out of your effort that you could. The only part of your body that should move is the muscle you are isolating, and the part of the body that moves as a result of flexing that muscle. You will find that in order to lift in this manner, the amount of weight will be minimal to start. As you get used to the mechanics, your strength will grow fairly rapidly though. Obviously, if you have been "lifting" weights for awhile, this will really challenge your ego and pride. However, once you start to see the results from proper lifting, you will no longer care about how much weight you are lifting. If you are bigger, leaner, and more cut than the guy next to you lifting more weight, would anyone really care that he was lifting more weight than you?
Point is this... You need to change your concept of lifting weights. If someone tells me that they "put up" 325 lbs. on the incline press, this means absolutely nothing to me. Who cares? There are so many variables to making that happen... I would rather lift 225 lbs. with good form, and know that I just killed my chest. It is so easy to use back, legs, abs, and shoulders to cheat on chest. If you change the way you think about lifting weights, then I promise you will see results. You are flexing that muscle, making it as hard to flex as possible for the amount of reps you are aiming for, in an effort to tear it. The moving of the weight is ONLY collateral!!
Notice how the bicep goes white with the intense flexing of the muscle. The shoulders are back, don't move, and the elbows are locked in place. This is what a standing dumbbell curl should look like. Take your time, and don't worry about how much weight you are using. MAKE SURE YOU DO IT RIGHT!
If you like what you have read, please click on the link below and "Like" my page. Thank you! Osa McDonald (Athlete)
My name is Osa McDonald, and I have been weight lifting for 16 years now. I am all natural, and take only NO Explode and protein supplements. God has blessed me, and I would like to share what I have learned.
One of the most frequently overlooked aspects to lifting weights is the mechanics behind the motions. People go into the gym with a simple concept, which is at least a start, that they are going to "lift" weights. Not only do I see people in the gym all of the time who train with this idea, but I see so many trainers that are training beginners with the same concept. If a beginner is taught a certain method by a "professional" they are going to carry on the training indefinitely until someone better educates them. Here is that better education.
The evidence of this lack of knowledge is seen all over the place. You see men, mostly, who have been working out for years, yet have lack of definition. Their shoulders might be big, but they can't get any gains in their arms. This is probably the most common visible effect. The lack of proper mechanics permeates through every exercise, and with every muscle.
A person is still getting "exercise" because they are surely applying effort while "lifting" weights, which inevitably increases their breathing. Calories burned are directly proportionate to liters of oxygen consumed, so the effort is not totally in vain. However, it is really hard to stay motivated for a long period of time without seeing the results you are looking for. If you are going to dedicate a set amount of time in the gym, don't you want to get as much out of it as possible?
You have to have the right mindset to be able to truly grasp this. In fact, it is probably easier for women to put them self through this type of thinking than for men. Most of the men you see in the gym are swelled with pride to the brim, and each wants to lift more weight than the next guy that he might prove his superiority. It is almost like a penis comparing contest. All the time I have guys come up beside me, grab more weight than me, and then proceed to improperly do the same exercise as me. I do not mind though, because I have nothing to prove.
Who cares how much weight you can lift? Unless, of course, you are a power lifter and that is the purpose of your sport. Who cares how much anyone else can lift? This is not about the next guy or girl. This is about you, and only you. Just like with EVERYTHING else in life... You cannot compare yourself to someone else, and you cannot measure someone else by your measuring stick. This must only be about where you are at, and where you want to be. Once you remove the comparison ideas from your mind, then you will be able to accomplish something.
IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH WEIGHT YOU CAN LIFT!!! In fact, if you are lifting correctly I promise you that you will not be lifting as much as the person who is "lifting" wrong. If you have been working out for awhile now, maybe even more than 5 years, and you start to follow my advise, you will have to swallow your pride because you are going to face a dramatic decrease in the amount of weight you are able to move.
Your purpose when you walk into the gym is to GET IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT, at least if you want the results like you do. On the way into the gym, start getting your mind right. Focus on what you are there to do, and leave all of the non-sense in the car. If you like carrying that kind of luggage, it will be there, waiting for you, when you leave. You have to be focused. Whatever time you have been allotted for exercise has now begun. Some people don't mind wasting their time, but if you are reading this it because you are seeking results.
If you like what you have read, please click on the link below and "Like" my page. Thank you! Osa McDonald (Athlete)
My name is Osa McDonald, and I have been weight lifting for 13 years now. I am all natural, and take only NO Explode and protein supplements. God has blessed me, and I would like to share what I have learned.
Exercise, or lack there of, is quickly becoming a real concern in many of our lives, and everyone and their chicken has something to say on the subject. The statistics are staggering, to say the least, and finally we are reaching a point where we are willing to do something about it. In the attached link from the American Heart Association, the concern is made real in black and white. http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_319588.pdf
Whether we have a desire to begin to exercise for our health, to look better for our spouse, to set a better example for our children, for our self-esteem, for aesthetics, or out of pride, many more people than ever before are being driven to get in a gym. There are far many who like to talk about the idea, with even fewer actually doing something about it, but gym memberships are rapidly increasing as people feel the need to get into better shape.
If you are simply considering the idea of working out, have already started, or have found that you are not obtaining the results you have been hoping for, I have valuable information to share with you. There are many different variables to individual results, but there is one underlying truth to them all. You have to want it bad enough.
Before you do anything else, you need to determine the reality of your determination and commitment. If you do not plan on applying yourself entirely, then you must be honest with yourself that you will only obtain the consequential results. You are going to get out what you put in. That, my friend, is all there is to it. If you are all in, and you want the results that require that kind of commitment, then there is nothing stopping you from realizing those goals.
I am not going to get into all the different diets and ideas on the subject. This is what I know. You need to consume 1 gram of protein, per day, for every pound of body weight. You should attempt to drink nearly 1 gallon of water per day. You should be consuming about 5 meals per day, which does include your protein shakes. Then, WORKOUT LIKE YOU MEAN IT. These are simple truths and facts. Do these things, get committed, and lets see what this body can do!!
It is so easy for us to talk the talk, but it is a whole other story when it comes to walking it out. Just like with anything in life, you are going to have to fight for anything worth having. You say you want to get it better shape... PROVE IT! You say you want to start working out and exercising... PROVE IT! We say we want things in our lives, or that we love people in our lives, but we don't have the commitment to make the sacrifices to PROVE IT. As I continue this blog, it will only impact your life if you put it into practice. WE MUST BE DOERS, NOT JUST HEARERS!
Are you committed? How bad do you want to start to change the way you feel, the way you think, and the way you look? I want to walk you through different things I have learned over the last 16 years so that you might be encouraged to push your self to your limits, and begin to change your life. There are three components to our person. Physical health, mental health, and spiritual health. When these three function in harmony together, we can operate as God intended. This blog will focus on the physical and mental components.
