TRAINING & NUTRITION ARTICLES

So we know the importance of proteins obviously for muscle recovery and muscle building. We know the importance of carbohydrates for energy and the insulin spike we need post workout. What about the importance of fats? When we are speaking of fats we are speaking about good quality fats and EFA’s such as Omega 3.

When looking to build size, fats add high amounts of calories as a gram of fat is 9 calories whereas a gram of carbs or protein is only 4 calories each. This helps us boost our calories when looking to pick up size. Dietary fat can also serve as a slower releasing energy source to fuel those longer exercises and cardio sessions. Fat also aids your body in absorbing certain vitamins and unsaturated fats can be good for heart health. Unsaturated fats are a better option then saturated fats for cholesterol purposes. Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT’s) are very quickly available to be used as energy and a source of fuel for training. Furthermore, fats can aid in preventing muscle and protein breakdown.

Fats can also be extremely important for the joints and for the skin. Training heavy weights excessively can dry out the joints and Omega 3 can help lubricate the joints. A good balanced diet includes a balance of good quality essential fatty acids and can boost our calories nicely to get up to where we need to be.

The ongoing debate about how to train and which is the best way to train, is a debate that will always have many different answers and opinions. There is no finite rule when it comes to training. Each person does aht works fr them according to their bodies, the amount they go to gym, their time available and their end goals. Ouraim is to look at al different training methods and break them down to see their benefits. Split training is the training method i stick to, meaning i seperate different body parts and focu on them each day individually.

So split training could be dividing your training into upper body and lower body, or it could be seperating your training into legs, back, biceps, triceps, shoulders and chest for a 5 day training week. I divide my training into individual body parts. The reason for this is that I like an intense training session for a body part where I am focussing on full concentration of a muscle group. This means breaking down the muscle group fully and then allowing sufficient rest days for the muscle to recover. This focuses on optimal growth for the muscle group pushing it to the limit and then allowing the rest that muscle group needs. I try to seperate the harder days such as back and legs so that I am not training them one after the next as i find after a hevy back session my lower back needs the rest and squats are not the right thing for me. So i will focus on a session such as back, then chest, then shoulders, then legs, then arms, then hopefully a well needed rest day.

Split training obviously has many benefits focusing on one body part as a time and then allowing rest. Some people like to train 2 body parts together which can also work very effectively. Such as chest and shoulders. However, each person is different and with the type of training i do, that would be too much to put my body through and would probably take me over two hours. Always know what is best for your body and what works or you. Try different routines and check your progress. Notice what your body responds to. Something like split training may not be right for a beginner looking to just get started and feel healthy. But for the die hard trainers, split training is ideal to push each muscle group to the limit and force growth.

So before gym we need to decide what we are wearing to get through our training session. Don't laugh we all know that we care about how we look when training. Why do you think there are so many mirrors at the gym. So some people may wake up and roll out bed, throw an old shirt on and some shorts and they are good to go. While others meticulously colour code their outfits with matching shoes and headphones to get the most out of their training. To each their own. Let us have a look at some training gear and accessories that are important and some that are not as vital.

The first thing always has to be comfort. Make sure you are comfortable to get through your session and that you are not restricted. Comfortable shoes whether they are running shoes or all-stars, whatever your preference, is massively important. I don't think we need to wear Timbalands to gym but again, that is your choice. Some serious gym lovers use the toe shoes. Seeing the shape and weights some of these guys are lifting, I will assume these shoes work well. I wouldn't recommend training in sandals however. Some people like loose fitting clothing and many of the guys like the serious tight fitting. Make sure you are comfortable either way. in case you think it is a good idea, do not train in jeans. Ever.

Accessories such as gloves and weight belts can be extremely helpful. I myself use wrist wraps to support my wrists with heavier lifting, I prefer not using gloves as I do not get the same grip and I feel its a soft way out. Straps can be brilliant when training a body part such as back. Weights belts are extremely important for heavy lifters when it comes to form and back support. Obviously headphones and ipods are very acceptable. I know I can't train without my music as the Katy Perry tunes at the gym do not quite motivate me enough.

All clothing and accessories  can be acceptable and understood and everyone has a right to do and wear what they wish. But just in case you really didn't know, some gear is better outside the gym. Do not wear massive jewellery to the gym. Massive swinging chains and huge dangling earrings are just a simple no. Men with those tight leggings. Unless you can really pull it off and I mean really pull it of, don't do it. There are about 3 guys I have seen that have the right to wear those leggings. Extremely loud headphones. We know you are in the zone but we don't all need to join you. Please gym in clean shoes, I mean who trains in muddy and dirty shoes. Tiny tight fitting string vests when you really do not have the body for them. You just look stupid. I don't know about others but I do not think you need sunglasses at the gym. Bandanas. I am not sure who even owns these anymore but yeah, no. Don't wear makeup to gym. And that goes for some guys too.

Other then that, make sure function and comfort comes first. If you really need to colour code and match everything, go for it. We can all be very judgmental at the gym. The choice is yours, but lets not push it.  

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Bonus CLA assists in helping breakdown body fat and converting it into energy. Furthermore it increases your metabolism, and helps you maintain lean muscle. Perfect for helping tone your body. 

Pit Boss is an effective testosterone booster that increases natural testosterone levels. It boosts energy and strength and aids in burning body fat and increasing lean muscle mass. Pit Boss also increases sex drive and libido. 

Kingpin whey protein is a high quality blend of Whey Isolate and concentrate. It supplies a high level of naturally occurring BCAA’s to the muscles. Kingpin whey protein assists in optimizing lean muscle recovery post training and is quickly absorbed into the muscle cells. Kingpin whey protein prevents muscle breakdown and ensures your body stays anabolic post workout. 

The Joker is an effective thermogenic fat burner that increases your metabolism, improves your energy levels and focus, assist with cravings and most importantly aids in weight loss.

Aces-Labs Full House lean mass gainer is developed to optimize lean muscle growth and recovery. Full House supports muscle recovery and strength. Full House is a blend of high quality stage release proteins with essential amino acids, and complex carbohydrates to gain lean muscle mass.

Slot 500 promotes a healthy and natural increase in testosterone. Increasing testosterone enhances muscle performance and recovery. Slot500 furthermore increases male performance and stamina. 

Creatine helps muscle cells produce more energy and increase muscle volume. It improves muscle endurance, stamina and strength. 

Glutamine is an amino acid that assists with muscle recovery. It is an anti-catabolic that prevent the breakdown of muscle and aids in strength and stamina.

This week I would like to look at the small things that others do that drive us mad. Many occasions I have found myself leaving the gym or moving to another section due to the actions of some moron at gym. This is your guide to etiquette in the gym. Come on guys its quite simple. And yes I'm talking to guys particularly!

1. Throwing your weights. Seriously this has to be the most basic yet massive pet peeve of everyone training around you. Don't barbell press the 55's if you cant put them down softly afterwards. No one cares about how hard you can drop them afterwards. It is far from a show of strength and masculinity, you look like an idiot. If you are really struggling then get someone to spot you or go lighter. Just don't do it.

2. Hogging the weights. There is no better feeling then looking for the weights you need and realizing someone has the whole rack of dumbells for their massive giant super drop set they are doing. You politely ask how many sets they have left, and they always say they doing super sets so they have about 9 sets left. Don't steal all the weights. Sharing is caring. Even at gym. 

3. Talking on your phone. If you are going to talk on your phone while occupying the smith machine then let someone else jump in. It is bad manners to sit on the machine while chatting on your phone.  

4. Selfies. Ooooh this is my worst. I generally don't like selfies any time but on the floor at gym, just don't do it. Put the phone away you can pose at home in the mirror. We don't need to see you lifting your shirt to get a perfect shot of your abs under the wonderful lighting. If you are a serious pro bodybuilder and look like Arnold, we will forgive it. Any other occasion and just don't do it.

5. String vests. Once again there is a time and place. If you are Dexter Jackson then rock that string vest with your whole chest revealed. But if you are more of a Napoleon Dynamite maybe the string vest isn't for you. Let's leave the string vests to the few guys that really rock it with their tans and the rest of us find alternate clothing. I for one will look terrible in a string vest so I don't do it. 

6. This isn't a singles bar. Yes we all like to chat and make friends. And granted their will be many attractive ladies or men walking around. But lets not try pick everyone up in between sets. Save it for later. Chances are that person just wants to train and get away from it all. Again, I am talking to you guys! You are the predators. Stop chatting up the ladies and train harder, maybe then they will come to you.

This may not be technical gym advice. But it is important none the less. Lets all try behave at gym so that everyone can enjoy themselves.

So we are commonly told by everyone that doing weight training massively boosts your testosterone levels. Our aim is to look at some of the common beliefs and find out how true they are and what they really mean. Does training boost testosterone levels? To what degree? What type of training? How much does it boost our levels? There are many unanswered questions. So lets try take a deeper look while keeping it simple.

The first truth is that not all exercises will boost natural testosterone enough to have an effect. The exercises that will boost our natural testosterone the most will be compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench press. This is due to the fact that We are putting stress on many different muscle fibers at the same time as opposed to something isolated like bicep curls. 

Secondly the type of training will make a difference on the boosting of testosterone levels. Weight and volume will show the best results. We don't want to do 50 reps of 20kgs we want lower reps pushing the heavier weight in compound exercises in order to see a correlation between testosterone levels and muscle gain.

Always remember many factors influence natural testosterone levels. Such as sleep, age, time of the year, stress, health. So the differences we can create in testosterone levels ourselves with weight training will always be very small.

The best recommendation will always be to supplement with a natural testosterone booster before gym. That will help get the most out of your natural levels while training so that your testosterone is optimized. Pitboss from Aces-Labs is a perfect addition to increase natural testosterone effectively and safely helping you feel stronger and increasing stamina. Increase in strength and stamina will increase weight and volume of reps helping you grow muscle mass. Patience is key. Do the work and focus and results will come!