It’ll help lean you out, but I have a very hard time saying that it’ll build muscle in an experienced trainee. Remember that these people are probably marketing toward untrained individuals who will gain muscle regardless of what they do. Have an untrained individual open pickle jars all day and he’ll get stronger and more muscular.
[quote]bojo wrote:
Is there a neuroendocrine respnse happening here, like the Cross Fit people say? Is this response building muscle? Would this workout cause muscle loss due to high volume and running? [/quote]
On the subject of Crossfit, what do you think of it for someone wanting to improve endurance/conditioning and get into better overall shape? Those are my current goals and I’m not really into getting hyuuuuge and benching a car…yet. I mainly want to improve pullups, pushups, running, ect. Thanks for your time, and send us some more articles when you’re not so busy!
If I may try to answer this. Yes, to all questions. Push ups, pull ups, sit ups, running, endurance, all improve.
[/quote]
I would lay off direct biceps work, although you could probably get away with movements with a pronated grip (i.e. EZ bar reverse curls).
To stretch the supinator, just take your arm into pronation and hold for a count of 15.
[quote]T-Bone81 wrote:
Eric, I go to get ART from time to time, and my doc said my supinator muscle is tight but didn’t suggest any ideas for stretching it. Any thoughts on what I could do for it and also what I should lay off or at least go easy on until it loosens up?[/quote]
Thanks for the info. Got any suggestions on workouts for me to try. You know that I like the thought of general fitness and maintaining muscle or gaining a little. Thanks again for the replys.
Stats - FFB - ~ 12 > 13% BF
Ht: 5’7 1/2"
Age: 21 y/o
~ 1 yr “honest” training (I don’t count Men’s Health circuit style workouts)
Wt: ~ 140lbs
DL Max: 300lb - Last tested 9/04/05 (w00t!)
Bench Max: 200lb - Last tested 7/29/05
Squat Max: 245lb - Last tested 7/22/05
I’ve been on a perpetual, slow bulk for about a year and I’ve been noticing good gains all around. Seeing more and more weight go on the bar, and getting looks from people in the gym (I’m the only guy who deadlifts there) is inspiring.
However, I’m questioning the effects it’s having on my physique. I really look up to you and your philosophy on relative strength. In pursuit of greater power, I’ve begun to look, well, rather “oafish.” Now, most people on this site will gaffaw at such a statement. I have extremely thin arms and “small” shoulders, but have a very broad torso, chest, and shoulder area, as well as thick glutes and legs. My wrist measurement is 5 7/8" around. I believe my growth was stunted by taking steroidal allergy medication beginning when I was 13 y/o.
My question is this. My chest and torso area is absolutely huge, but my arms leave a lot to be desired. They’re short and very thin. All my weight seems to be stored centrally, and I have a real problem achieving a decent V taper despite siginificant lat development, or decent preportions between my limbs and the rest of my body. My pelvic bone violently protrudes outward, giving me an odd, angular “hourglass” shape so I think a lot of the issues I’m having in the “looking good nekkid” dept has to do with bone structure. How do you compensate for anatomy? The more I seem to bench press, the more ridiculous the arms to torso ratio becomes. Should I just say screw it and become an insane bench pressing machine? Do I start doing beach workouts to compensate for small shoulders and arms? I’ve been shooting for the “Bowflex guy” or “Men’s Health” cover model look, but I seem to be turning out more like a crazy powerlifter than anything else Must be all the Eastern European blood I’m genetically ‘gifted’ with (I’m literally 100% E. European. Both parents immigrants.)
Thanks, Eric. So palms up curls are out…any chance I could still keep a few sets of chin-ups in or should I lay off those, too? And lastly, I had been doing some work on pronation and supination with a leverage bar, should I cut that out right now, too? Thanks very much for all of your help.
Truthfully, I can’t say that I’ve ever seen anyone your height who would be happy with his physique at 140 pounds. I would try to add 20 pounds and see where you stand there; the arms are bound to come along.
[quote]zdrax wrote:
Eric -
Stats - FFB - ~ 12 > 13% BF
Ht: 5’7 1/2"
Age: 21 y/o
~ 1 yr “honest” training (I don’t count Men’s Health circuit style workouts)
Wt: ~ 140lbs
DL Max: 300lb - Last tested 9/04/05 (w00t!)
Bench Max: 200lb - Last tested 7/29/05
Squat Max: 245lb - Last tested 7/22/05
I’ve been on a perpetual, slow bulk for about a year and I’ve been noticing good gains all around. Seeing more and more weight go on the bar, and getting looks from people in the gym (I’m the only guy who deadlifts there) is inspiring.
However, I’m questioning the effects it’s having on my physique. I really look up to you and your philosophy on relative strength. In pursuit of greater power, I’ve begun to look, well, rather “oafish.” Now, most people on this site will gaffaw at such a statement. I have extremely thin arms and “small” shoulders, but have a very broad torso, chest, and shoulder area, as well as thick glutes and legs. My wrist measurement is 5 7/8" around. I believe my growth was stunted by taking steroidal allergy medication beginning when I was 13 y/o.
My question is this. My chest and torso area is absolutely huge, but my arms leave a lot to be desired. They’re short and very thin. All my weight seems to be stored centrally, and I have a real problem achieving a decent V taper despite siginificant lat development, or decent preportions between my limbs and the rest of my body. My pelvic bone violently protrudes outward, giving me an odd, angular “hourglass” shape so I think a lot of the issues I’m having in the “looking good nekkid” dept has to do with bone structure. How do you compensate for anatomy? The more I seem to bench press, the more ridiculous the arms to torso ratio becomes. Should I just say screw it and become an insane bench pressing machine? Do I start doing beach workouts to compensate for small shoulders and arms? I’ve been shooting for the “Bowflex guy” or “Men’s Health” cover model look, but I seem to be turning out more like a crazy powerlifter than anything else Must be all the Eastern European blood I’m genetically ‘gifted’ with (I’m literally 100% E. European. Both parents immigrants.) [/quote]
I would lay off the leverage bar work for now…maybe just do some pronation work.
[quote]T-Bone81 wrote:
Thanks, Eric. So palms up curls are out…any chance I could still keep a few sets of chin-ups in or should I lay off those, too? And lastly, I had been doing some work on pronation and supination with a leverage bar, should I cut that out right now, too? Thanks very much for all of your help.[/quote]
No sweat. You just have to define your goals. Being a strong little guy is definitely admirable, but you have to realize that you probably won’t have the physique you necessarily want with that body weight. Conversely, as you gain weight, your physique will likely improve, but your relative strength won’t be as impressive. I could probably blow up to 190-195 in a matter of 2-3 months from my current ~175, but I’m more interested in relative strength. I realize that my physique takes the back seat to these goals, to some extent. I don’t have big biceps, and my quads and calves are nothing to write home about, but my build gets the job done.
[quote]zdrax wrote:
Thanks for setting me straight EC :)[/quote]
you missed a great seminar - i can’t understand if you lived in Stamford why would you not go - it was FREE - and no it was not all “functional stuff”
The second day was business related and anyone in the industry should have been there - there was some great info.
[quote]bigpump23 wrote:
yeah another note EC, I’m pretty pissed you weren’t intived to the Ryan Lee boot camp sept 24th in stamford. Alwyn Cosgrove is going to be there but other then that it’s a bunch of functional stuff, i live in stamford and I’m not going[/quote]
I wish I could have made it; unfortunately, schedule wouldn’t allow for it. I did get a chance to meet up with some of the speakers on Saturday night, forunately.
[quote]honkie wrote:
you missed a great seminar - i can’t understand if you lived in Stamford why would you not go - it was FREE - and no it was not all “functional stuff”
The second day was business related and anyone in the industry should have been there - there was some great info.
[/quote]
They are a great bunch of guys. I wish you could have made it during the day.
Saturday night I crashed at 7pm after a 20 hour flight the day before from Hong Kong.
[quote]Eric Cressey wrote:
I wish I could have made it; unfortunately, schedule wouldn’t allow for it. I did get a chance to meet up with some of the speakers on Saturday night, forunately.
honkie wrote:
you missed a great seminar - i can’t understand if you lived in Stamford why would you not go - it was FREE - and no it was not all “functional stuff”
The second day was business related and anyone in the industry should have been there - there was some great info.
Must be all the Eastern European blood I’m genetically ‘gifted’ with (I’m literally 100% E. European. Both parents immigrants.)