23 Apr 13

Bikini Body Blitz

After over a year of macho, testosterone-charged posts and challenges, I am happy to announce New Age Hero’s first ever female blog post, courtesy of friend, med school student and fitness enthusiast, Andrea Wasilewski.

 

Bikini Body Blitz

 

Andrea

This blog is all about the New Age Hero- and what’s more new age than a heroine? I’m honoured to be the first female contributor to New Age Hero and hope to show all the girls out there that muscles aren’t just for the boys!

After years of working out I’ve come to realize that personal fitness is one area in which you can’t cheat to get ahead.  If you eat a cookie- the scale knows. If you skip a few workouts, well like Shakira said- your hips don’t lie.  Achieving results takes time, diligence and unfortunately a lot of saying NO. But fitness is one area that when you put in the effort the results are beautiful.

 

With that said ladies, bikini season is right around the corner! So it’s time to dust off those Nikes, put down the cupcakes and pick up some weights. In preparation for my trip to Ibiza (hello nude beaches!) I’ve decided to start a 30 day fitness challenge to a rock hard bikini bod.

Before I get into the specifics, let me just say that taking on a fitness challenge is sure to fail if you don’t have a well outlined plan with specific and, most importantly, realistic goals.  Girls, I know stepping on a scale can be traumatizing so here’s some good news. Throw out the scales! The numbers on a scale don’t mean much here- we’re looking for specific measurements of progress: circumferential measurements. Measure your arm, waist, hip and thigh circumference once a week- on the same day and time each week! This is by far the best way to track your progress.

 

Starting Point:

Weight: 64 kg, Height: 177 cm

BMI: 20.4 kg/m2

Biceps: 26 cm

Waist: 67 cm

Hips: 88 cm

Thighs: 52 cm

 

Workout Plan

Weight training is a MUST if you want to build muscle, increase you BMR and burn fat. The fact is that most girls are scared of weights because they think they’ll end up looking like Arnold. This is FALSE. Weight training will give you definition and toning; and because of our low testosterone levels, looking like Sylvester Stallone is virtually impossible.

 

I will be doing high intensity weight training workouts 3 times per week with 3 days of cardio in between and 1 day of rest.  My workouts are mostly Cross Fit based using a combination of kettle bells, dumbbells, weighted bags and TRX. Follow the link to videos of some of my favorite exercises:

CrossFit Exercises

To increase the effort in your workouts follow each set with a 1.5 min fast walk on an incline (incline of 5 on a treadmill at least). This walk is your break- so use this time to drink some water and prepare for the next set.

Running, swimming or any activities that get your heart rate up are acceptable for the cardio days. I prefer to run on a treadmill for 45 min to an hour and aim to cover at least 7 km each run. 

 

DIET

Putting in the hours at the gym is essential but it’s your diet that will make or break you.  I’ve had a lot of success with the Lean Gains diet in the past and I think it is the perfect counterpart to this fitness challenge. Lean Gains is all about maximizing your body’s ability to burn its own fat, You do this by altering the release of metabolic hormones, by breaking up your day into 2 zones: the fasting and feeding zones. You can check out the diet here:

Lean Gains

 

Fasting zone (16 hours)

This part is easy. Just don’t eat for 16 hours! It might take some getting used to, but I suggest including the time spent sleeping in the fasting zone. When you fast your body releases less insulin and this causes an increase in growth hormone. More growth hormone= more fat burned. You can NOT eat during this time but make sure to drink plenty of water! Coffee and tea (no milk or sugar) are also allowed.

 

Feeding zone (8 hours)

You are allotted 8 hours in the day for eating. You can eat anytime within those 8 hours and are generally encouraged to eat a pretty large amount of food. Below I’ll give an example of a typical diet I consume. It’s very important to maintain the feeding and fasting zones to maximize your body’s metabolism! Choosing the times you want to use for your zones completely depends on your lifestyle, so pick something that works for you!

Unfortunately, alcohol is not a feature of this plan.  Unless you’re living the dream and day drinking, alcohol and partying will probably land in your fasting zone anyways. Nobody said this was going to be easy…

 

Sample diet:

Fasting zone: 6 pm – 10 am

Feeding zone: 10 am- 6 pm

 

Non-training day (1740 kcal)

  1. 150 g turkey breast + 50g brown rice + 2 tbsp olive oil
  2. 300 mL plain yogurt + 100g cottage cheese + 100 g granola with dried fruit
  3. 4 whole eggs + 2 egg whites + 2 rice cakes
  4. 1 protein shake

 

Training day (2150 kcal)

  1. 150 g turkey breast + 50 g brown rice + 3 tbsp olive oil
  2. 300 mL plain yogurt + 100g cottage cheese + 100 g granola with dried fruit
  3. 6 whole eggs + 3 rice cakes
  4. 2 protein shakes

 

Vegetables are unlimited and can be eaten in any amounts during the feeding zone. Also make sure to stay hydrated! I aim to drink 3 L of water a day.

Well there you have it! Wish me luck and check in regularly as I’ll be posting progress updates.

See you at the beach!

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16 Apr 13

DTP: Eat Clean, Train Dirty

Check out my original post explaining the DTP program first!

After 4 intense weeks I finally finished the DTP program. It was very different from my previous routine but I loved it! I gained muscle and lost fat resulting in more definition with an increase in overall strength. I started the program at 178lbs and ended at 184lbs. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to calculate my body fat % at the beginning of the program, however, a few days after I finished (post 2 nights of drinking and binge eating!) I ended with 12.5% body fat. I did stick to every workout, and my diet was generally healthy. That being said, there were one or two nights out with alcohol and a couple cheat meals. I was impressed with my results and I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who has either hit a plateau or just wants a fresh change.

 

What I liked about the program:

  • The workouts were short but very intense
  • I could see improvements after each week (increasing weights for exercises)
  • Very simple to follow, and minimal equipment was required
  • Foam rolling significantly improved my legs, specifically calf definition which has always been a problem for me
  • Leg day was my favourite day, just because I have never pushed myself that hard even when I was doing squats
What I didn’t like about the program
There wasn’t anything truly negative about the program. Certain aspects of the program take time to adjust to; you have to be accommodating if you want to follow the program strictly.
For example:
  • The cardio sessions significantly increased my appetite, I woke up and ate 1 or 2 times in the middle of the night almost every night. This got a little annoying…
  • I don’t like going to the gym just for 20 minutes of cardio and not lifting weights, I felt like I could do so much more since I was already there but I didn’t
  • Chest and back on the same day, I did see results in the end, but I am stubborn and will return to splitting them
Soreness:
The day after each workout the specific muscle groups were very sore, the exercises really isolated each muscle group which was fantastic. My legs were constantly sore for the 4 weeks because of the cardio on rest days. No joke, it was a struggle to get out of bed a few times.
The mental aspect:
The absolute requirement for this program is a hard work ethic. This might sound cheesy but it’s true. To really gain muscle the last sets and reps count the most. DTP forces you to go to failure every set, at a specific amount of reps. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to drop a weight so badly because my muscles were sore. However, with a specific rep target, I forced myself to that number every time. I know a few years ago if I were to do this, I would have probably called it quits way before hitting that target, which would mean less gains. To be honest, your not working hard enough unless your making some weird faces or letting out a grunt when reaching failure. Why do you think you hear tennis players grunting after each swing; it’s because they are working their asses off.
More specifics for the nerd

Before DTP, I was lifting heavy, with long rest times. DTP is a mix of lifting heavy, with high reps and short rest times. The whole idea behind DTP is to put your body into shock, making it adjust and grow in response to the shock. Let me explain:

Essentially, muscles contain two types of fibers, slow-twitch (Type 1) and fast-twitch (Type 2a + 2b)

Slow-twitch fibers help to sustain your muscles over a long activity period, these provide fatigue resistance. ex. marathon runners.

Fast-twitch fibers generate a  high amount of force in a short period of time. ex. sprinters

If like me, you constantly do a high weight and low number of reps with a long break, the primary fibers strained are the fast-twitch fibers. This leaves the slow-twitched fibers unstressed. So why train the slow-twitch fibers? Well, training more muscle fibers means greater overall gains in strength and muscle mass. That is the goal of this program. By increasing the amount of reps, and decreasing the rest time, you start to strain your slow-twitched fibers. This will allow them to grow along side your fast-twitch fibers.

 

Conclusion

Overall I would give this a program a 9/10 rating, just because nothing is perfect. I will definitely be doing this again, but for now it’s time to get cutting, Ibiza in 3 weeks!

Happy hulking!

 

 

 

 

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9 Apr 13

Mass March 2.0: The Results

Transformation is about winning the battle against your body’s natural resistance to change.

                                      ~Ajit Johal (2013 Mass March Winner) 

For thirty days in March, four ambitious men embarked on a challenge to gain as much mass as possible.  Each contestant used different methods of dieting, training, and supplementation in order to gain maximum mass in minimum time.  At the end of the challenge, one contestant emerged victorious.  Ajit Johal was able to gain 7.4 pounds during the month of March, edging out contestant Deep Dan by 0.4 lbs to win the 2013 Mass March competition.  This is his story of transformation.

Ajit Johal, 2013 Mass March winner with 7.4lbs in 30 days

 

 

Diet- When it comes to gaining mass, your ultimate weapon is the fork.  Failure to gain is the result of not using this weapon liberally!

At the start of the competition Ajit used the Cunningham equation to calculate the daily caloric requirements needed to gain mass.  This equation takes into account resting metabolic rate (RMR), the thermogenic effect of food (TEF), and activity levels.   In a nutshell, the equation determines all the calories your body needs to sustain itself during the day.  You can adjust this number based on your desire to gain or lose weight.  For gaining mass, calories in must be greater than calories out.  The equation is as simple as a Hardy Boys novel, and the end result is just as predictable.

 

The following were Ajit’s numbers during Mass March;

Non-workout days = 4,000 calories

Workout days = 5,000 calories

 

His dietary plan to achieve these numbers was as follows;

 

5:30  AM – morning shake consisting of 1 scoop protein powder, 1 scoop Rexall-Greens powder, 2 Tbsp’s of flaxseed powder, 1 Tbsp of chia seeds ——– 300 calories

 

7:00 AM – post workout protein shake —– 120 calories

 

8:00 AM –high calorie breakfast (four eggs, three strips of turkey bacon, 1 english muffin , and a weight gain shake) —- 1000 calories

10:30 AM — weight gain shake consisting of 500 ml milk, 4 Tbsp’s almond butter, and 1 whole banana —– 780 calories

1:00 PM — Lunch (typically meat with vegetables/ small serving of carbs) – 500 calories

3:30 PM — weight gain shake —- 780 calories

5:30 PM — High Carbohydrate dinner consisting of spaghetti w/ meat sauce (whole wheat pasta of course!) — 750 calories

8:00 PM – High calorie meal, or weigh gain shake — 750 calories

Total Calories for workout days = 4980 

Non-workout days were similar, but with 1 less weight gain shake and no post workout shake.

Ajit had about a 65-70% compliance to the above dietary plan.  Periods of non-compliance were largely due to the sheer volume of calories that needed to be consumed, and that fact that his food choices were primarily clean.  “Healthy” high caloric options such as cashews, beans, and almonds were instrumental in putting on “clean weight”.  Ajit started and ended the competition with less than 15% body fat.  While gaining mass was the ultimate goal, turning yourself into a fat slob is never a good thing.

Here is a small dietary change Ajit made to his diet half-way into the competition, which lead to a dramatic spike on the weigh scales.

At the beginning of the competition –  Breakfast, which was the first meal post-workout, would look like this……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After 2 weeks and only 2.4 pounds, he changed his breakfast to this………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By consuming the majority of “carbohydrate calories” within 2 hours post workout, allows the body to push a lot of glucose into the muscles during an insulin spike. Insulin sensitivity is also highest in the morning, so flooding the body with calories during this time allows for some serious muscle growth.  This phenomenon was taken from the “carb-back loading manual” written by John Kiefer.

 

Training – When it comes to the weights, go big or go home…. Stimulate all the muscle fibers you can!

Ajit followed the phase 3 hypertrophy program designed by Mike Mejia, co-writer of the “scrawny to brawny” mass gaining series.  The program consisted of a four day per week (upper/lower body split) routine  with a mix of heavy weight, low repetition work and some moderate load training to target all the different types of muscle fibers.  Heavy weights and low repetitions stimulate the growth of fast twitch muscle fibers which contribute to strength.  Moderate load training for higher repetitions targets type 2A muscle fibers, which do not have a large role in strength but have a large aesthetic growth potential.  Basically these type 2A fibers are the “show muscles” seen on body builders but not on power lifters.

 

Supplementation – Supplements are the “extra ingredients” that make all the difference in gaining healthy mass!

Ajit supplemented with creatine , L-glutamine , and magnesium glycinate.   For detailed information on how these supplements helped him pack on lean muscle mass check out www.exuberancelife.com.

 

Final thoughts

Although Ajit fell short of his initial (albeit extremely optimistic) goal of 15 lbs, he was able to put on a respectable seven pounds of “clean” muscle.  If gaining mass is your goal, Ajit recommends a high caloric intake coupled with high intensity training and proper supplementation.  Remember that eating is your priority, treat it like it’s your job, and you will be watching the scales move in no time!

 

Ajit Johal is a registered pharmacist, and co-founder of a new health/wellness website created by healthcare professionals called www.exuberancelife.com.

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11 Mar 13

Dramatic Transformation Principle

Ok boys and girls, this is my first post so I hope you like it. After months of going back and forth, sharing progress reports, photos, and ridiculous conversations, Bear has convinced me to make a blog post. Time to put aside the med school text books and hit the world of blogging.

This is only about half of them.

Anyway, over the past couple of years I have never followed a strict routine at the gym. I added in exercises here and there, made some adjustments and did what I thought worked best for my body. My diet has been relatively healthy and stable even with the limited time I have in school. Until recently, this satisfied me, but after time everyone hits a plateau, I have reached mine. So I figured it was time to try something I read about during the summer, the Dramatic Transformation Principle. In short, this 4 week program is a combination of high reps and high weights. There are 4 days of weight lifting each week, with a cardio day separating each of those days. You have to leave your ego at the door, no more maxing your bench press, sorry dudes.

  • Day 1: Legs, Upper Abs
  • Day 2: Cardio
  • Day 3: Chest, Back
  • Day 4: Cardio
  • Day 5: Arms, Lower Abs
  • Day 6: Cardio
  • Day 7: Shoulders, Upper Traps

 

I wont describe that many more details of the actual program because the link I provided has everything you need to know about it.

As of right now, I weigh approximately 178lbs, max bench press (with the bar): 245lbs, incline bench (dumbbell total): 220lbs, squat: 265lbs. Deadlift: Not sure sure since I have never gone for a max.

Day 2- Ill try and get a back picture uploaded

Currently, I just finished day 2/28. Day 1 was a total of 360 reps of leg press, 220 reps of calf press, and decline crunches

It’s pretty tough to pick a good weight to start with because of the amount of reps you are doing, and the superset with calf press, but you get the hang of it quickly. The point is to end each set to failure with 45sec to 1.5 min breaks. The work out takes about 45 minutes to complete.

  • Leg Press 10 sets of 50,40,30,20,10,10,20,30,40,50 reps
Today was day 2/28. It was weird going to the gym and not lifting a weight but I want to follow this program as closely as possible. The program suggests different forms to complete the cardio and I chose the treadmill.
3 minutes jogging, then 1 minute of running for a total of 20 minutes.
I started my 3 minute jog at 10km/h, and my 1 minute sprint at 14 km/h. I worked myself up to a 14km/h jog and 18km/h run for the last 2 cycles. I always put the treadmill on an incline of 1 just to make it a little more realistic to running on flat ground.
As of now, my legs are still sore, but I can’t wait for tomorrow, chest and back day!

 

In terms of diet, I am trying to eat as healthy as possible. Of course there are going to be some slip ups for those nights out, or going to restaurants; but for the most part it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
For this 4 week program I will be on whey protein powder, creatine, BCAA’s and using 1MR for my pre-workout.

Supplements

Well, it’s time to finish cooking up this week’s meals and then get back to the books. Stay tuned, results of the DTP challenge will be posted in 4 weeks time! Happy Hulking!

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1 Mar 13

Mass March 2.0

Well, it’s that time of year again.

Mass March 2013

New Age Hero’s most popular segment is returning for its second annual installment, as I, Bear Johal, will try and defend my weightgaining title in the gluttonous battle of 30 day bulking. I welcome anyone to join in the festive occasion of Mass March.

 Why We Do It?

I get asked this question quite often; it’s expensive, uncomfortable, and doesn’t exactly produce the most aesthetically pleasing result. The reason is transformation. There’s something strangely rewarding about being able to change your physique at will. Although the more conventional way is to get skinny, that road is just too played out–plus there’s nothing fun about eating salads all day. Mass March is a first hand investigation of human transformation and, for the contestants, a chance at fighting their ectomorphic genetics to pack on as many pounds of muscle (and fat) as possible. The fact of the matter is, the body needs fuel to build muscle and get stronger–we can worry about getting rid of the excess fat later.

This year will feature 2 new contestants from the medical field to accompany myself and Deep Dan, making it an all out brouhaha.

Who Will Win Mass March?

Your vote matters

View Results

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The Contestants of Mass March

Contestant 1

Heyyyy mamma rock me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bear Johal
Reigning champ (11.8lbs)
City of residence: Poitiers, France
Starting weight (February 28): 73kg (160lbs)
Mass Goal: 5.5kg (12lbs)

Methods

Diet: GOMAD (Gallon of Milk a Day), 6 eggs a day, ~4,000 calories a day

Workout: 3 days a week (Push/Pull/Legs split) Dangerously heavy weight, low reps

 

Contestant 2

Why so serious?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deep Dan
Reigning 2nd Place (8lbs)
City of Residence: Victoria, Canada
Starting Weight (February 28): 84kg (185lbs)
Mass Goal: 4.6kg (10lbs)

Methods

Diet: Olive oil, red meat, and cheerios, ~4,000 calories a day

Workout: 5 days a week (Shoulders/Arms/Legs/Back/Chest) Low rep legs, high rep arms

 

Contestant 3

the 5am club

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ajit Johal
Pharmacist and co-founder of exuberancelife.com (and brother of the legendary Bear Johal)
City of residence: Vancouver, Canada
Starting weight (February 28): 77kg (170lbs)
Mass Goal: 6.8kg (15lbs)

Methods

Diet: Protein, fats, low Gi carbs, Cunningham Equation (5,000 calories on workout days, 4,000 calories on rest days), no alcohol

Workout: 4 days a week (upper/lower) low rep for fast twitch muscle fibers and moderate load for type 2a fibers

 

Contestant 4

What's a leg day?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rick Sethi
Medical Doctor and co-founder of exuberancelife.com
City of residence: Toronto, Ontario
Starting weight (February 28): 72kg (158lbs)
Mass Goal: 6.8kg (15lbs)

Methods

Diet: “WIDD (Wolf it Down Diet)” 3,000+ calories a day, Gluten-free Paleo, high protein+fat, carb-cycling, no alcohol

Workout: 6 days a week (2 phases, 2 week cycle) phase 1 – endurance/neural stimulating, phase 2 – muscle hypertrophy

 

Mass March has begun!

Friends, readers, and fellow gym goers, I welcome you to join the movement. Post your goals and methods in the comment section and happy bulking!

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24 Feb 13

The Truth About Eggs

Mass March is less than a week away and I plan on eating half a dozen eggs a day, yes yolks included. Am I putting myself on the fast-track for high cholesterol? Is a heart attack imminent? I’ve decided to shed light on the ever-controversial issue of egg yolks and cholesterol.

4 yolk omelette

Since my days of undergrad (2007), I have eaten, almost without fail, 3 hard-boiled eggs a day, yolks included. That adds up to a total of 6,570 egg yolks and a whopping 1,314,000mg of dietary cholesterol in 6 years. Upon departing to Europe for my masters program, I took the liberty of getting a thorough check-up including full blood work, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and yes, the ‘cough’ test. Everything checked out nicely, in fact the doctor complimented me on my overall health (apparently milk thistle and greens multi+ does well to combat the after-effects of alcohol, but more on that in a separate post).

So, what gives?

We’ll start with a brief background of eggs.

Since the dawn of mankind, eggs have been a powerhouse of nutrition. They have long been characterized as one of the most nutrient-dense foods available, along with quality protein they also provide an array of vitamins and lutein, choline, and iodine–to name a few of their nutrients, all found in the yolk.

From the Journal of the American College of Nutrition

Table 2.

RDA of Major Nutrients from Two Large Eggs

Nutrient

% Daily Value

Nutrient

% Daily Value
Food Energy

6%

 Protein

20%
Riboflavin

30%

 Folate

12%
Vitamin B12

16%

 Vitamin K

62%
Vitamin D

12%

 Iron

8%
Vitamin A

12%

 Phosphorous

16%
Vitamin E

6%

 Selenium

34%
Vitamin B6

8%

 Zinc

8%

 

Suddenly, their image took a nosedive as studies in the 1970s revealed high levels of cholesterol in eggs, spurring trends like egg whites and egg substitutes. More recent studies in this decade, however, have shown to bring clarity to the situation. From  my research, their was one recurring theme disproving the unhealthy reputation of eggs and high cholesterol:

 

Dietary cholesterol DOES NOT have a significant impact on blood cholesterol levels or heart health.*

 

*trans fats, some saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, are proven culprits

 

So, what exactly is significant? The impact of dietary cholesterol in eggs on plasma lipid levels (including blood cholesterol) is so minimal that, especially for healthy individuals, I would go as far to call it negligent.

From a 2000 study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition:

“Research has not established a significant independent relationship between dietary cholesterol and LDL or total serum cholesterol levels, incidence of heart disease or heart disease deaths. Furthermore, data fail to show a relationship between egg consumption and either serum cholesterol levels or heart disease incidence. Recent research using an endpoint of heart disease and stroke rather than serum cholesterol levels calls into question the need to limit a high cholesterol food like eggs. In their analysis of data from prospective epidemiological studies, Hu et al. [5] found that consumption of up to one egg a day was not related to heart disease or stroke risk.”

A more recent study in 2006 in the Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care by Maria Fernandez brings further clarity to the situation. The study was conducted on a ‘healthy population,’ measuring the effects of dietary cholesterol and found 30% to be affected (hyperresponders) and 70% to be unaffected (hyporesponders). For the hyperresponder, dietary cholesterol increased the concentration of both LDL and HDL cholesterol, therefore nullifying any harmful effects*. The hyporesponders experienced little to no alterations in plasma cholesterol concentrations, even when challenged with high amounts of dietary cholesterol.

A word from Deep Dan (BSc in Human Biology):

Another key point in the Fernandez article:  ”Egg intake has been shown to promote the formation of large LDL, in addition to shifting individuals from the LDL pattern B to pattern A, which is less atherogenic.” In other words, Pattern B is small LDL which can easily pass through the endolethium and cause much more problems. Pattern A means LDL particles aren’t passing through easily and therefore posing almost no problems to an individuals cholesterol.

 

* HDL (High density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the good guy and acts to get rid of the bad guy, LDL (Low density lipoprotein)  cholesterol  by binding to it and returning it from the bloodstream to the liver.  Therefore, high HDL and low LDL is ideal. In the case of hyperresponders, both levels are increased, but LDL is prevented from inflicting harm because it is equally matched with HDL.  



The study concludes:


 ”For these reasons, dietary recommendations aimed at restricting egg consumption should not be generalized to include all individuals. We need to acknowledge that diverse healthy populations experience no risk in developing coronary heart disease by increasing their intake of cholesterol but, in contrast, they may have multiple beneficial effects by the inclusion of eggs in their regular diet.”


 


And now to a bit of an extreme case…


A study in the New England Journal of Medicine depicts an 88 year old man who has consumed a staggering 25 eggs a day for at least 15 years–soft boiled, yolks and all. The kicker? The patients plasma lipid levels* were COMPLETELY normal.


In no way am I endorsing a 25 egg-a-day diet, but it definitely provides an emphatic counter-perspective to the old 3 eggs a week guideline of the 80s.


*total cholesterol, 5.18 mmol per liter (200 mg per deciliter); LDL, 3.68 mmol per liter (142 mg per deciliter); and HDL, 1.17 mmol per liter (45 mg per deciliter). The ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol was 3.15


_____________________________________________________


Well yolks, there you have it. The tastiest and most nutrient dense part of the egg isn’t going to kill you after all.


If you’re leading a healthy, active lifestyle, like almost all readers are, then quit buying those egg white substitutes and get cracking with the real thing. Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle-building, or just plain healthy eating, best to put yolks back on the menu.


Eggs!


 


 


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			15 Jan 13
			
Strength Challenge Update

			

				
Well, things were going fine with my strength challenge. I was working out 3-4 times a week at the Foundry, improving my form, and making substantial strength gains.


Unfortunately, I got a mean bout of food poisoning in the last week before “Judgement Day”, missing my last 2 workouts, then flying home to Vancouver for a Christmas Break bender. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this challenge and will set out to achieve the original goals in the next little while. I learned to really push my boundaries and remove the limit that your own mind inflicts upon you. Just look at someone like Joe Ceklovsky, benching 600lbs despite weighing only 148lbs. I’m excited to take my improved technique, courtesy of the staff at the Foundry, and continue to increase my strength to Schwarzenegger level!


One key pointer of advice: Make your lifts count. The majority of a Foundry workout consisted of dynamic stretching, and lengthy warm-ups. When it came to the actual lifting you were warm, limber, and prepared–no excuse not to put up NPBs! (New Personal Bests)


 


The Gains


The following gains were made in 2 weeks (7 workouts)


Squat: 80kg (175lbs) –> 85kg (190lbs)


Bench Press: 70kg (155lbs) –> 70kg (155lbs)*


Deadlift: 100kg (220lbs) –> 110kg (245lbs)


*Bench press was not practiced as often as the other two, as it is less sports-specific to rugby and the workouts were primarily for training purposes.


 


 




 


 


 


 


 


 




 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 




 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 










 


 


 


 


 


“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger




 


 




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			17 Nov 12
			
The Schwarzenegger Strength Challenge

			

				
Okay, so this is a New Age Hero first, but I will be abandoning the previous body transformation challenge early, due to implicit orders by the Governator’s biography. If you need motivation for the gym (and life for that matter), seriously consider reading Arnie’s new biography Total Recall, it is unbelievably inspiring.




 


 


So, why the challenge change?


Although Arnie got his recognition from body building, his foundation was purely from power lifting. Starting at the age of 16, he was throwing up monstrous weight in his teenage years and credits his massive frame to the power lifting. The science is rather simple; power lifting consists of full body exercises, fully exerting the body and thus, causing all parts to develop. Because it engages the whole body and maximal weight is pushed, it produces far more growth hormone and testosterone, which in turn, results in maximum gains.


Naturally, after reading this, I found it rather pointless that I was doing body building exercises for the past week. Weighing in at 160lbs (72kg) soaking wet, I am clearly in need of some power lifting (not to mention, the depressing fact that all of Arnie’s top lifts at 16 exceed myself at age 24).


 


THE CHALLENGE


As a rather unexperienced lifter, I will be steering away from the complex Olympic lifts and focusing on three power moves*:


    

  1. The Deadlift
    2. 

  2. The Squat
    3. 

  3. The Benchpress
    4. 



*the moves are executed in a power sequence; 2 sets of 4-2-2 with a 20s break and 3min break between sets


The Deadlift engages the legs and lower back; with power coming from the hips (it’s all in the hips, baby). It allows you to lift the most weight and thus the potential for the most gains.


Current (Nov 14th): 220lbs (100kg)


Target (Dec 15th): 300lbs (136kg)


 


The Squat is a real barnburner, but nobody likes chicken legs! Glutes, quads, and hamstrings; this one hits the legs and hits them hard.


Current (Nov 14th): 176lbs (80kg)


Target (Dec 15th): 220lbs (100kg)


 


The Benchpress is all about the push and although it’s the least weight of the 3, it is still a full body move (yes, when done properly), and really hits the upper body; primarily chest, triceps and shoulders.


Current (Nov 14th): 155lbs (70kg)


Target (Dec 15th): 180lbs (80kg)


 


Well, there they are, the goals–lofty as they may be. Schwarzenegger emphasizes in his bio to always write your goals down. From weight lifting to hollywood movies, he would write his goals down on flash cards and review them daily. Visualize, believe, achieve.


 


The Regimen


I will be doing my training for the month at The Foundry, an awesome gym located in East London. I was stoked to stumble on its website, it’s a state-of-the-art facility, solely designed for athletes and powerlifters. It’s probably the first place in London I’ve found which isn’t ridiculously overpriced, it is, in fact, very affordable for a student.


The trainers are all very qualified and effective and the atmosphere is very conducive to optimal performance.


The program made for strength gains is as follows:


Monday: Fitter, Faster, Stronger

Sport-focused, using olympic lifts to gain strength and increase performance. 4 exercises done in a power sequence. 1 hour.


Wednesday: Fitter, Faster, Stronger


Thursday: Crucible Training

Power sets of Squats and Benchpress, followed by plyometrics and stretching. 1 hour


Saturday: Crucible Training or Modified Athletic Strongman Training (what it sounds like)


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			7 Nov 12
			
The Movember Moustache Challenge

			

				
First off, apologies for the neglect of New Age Hero. Since the Olympic Challenge, things have been hectic and school abroad has, until now, kept me distanced from my (usually) healthy lifestyle.


Well that is no more. Movember (the month formerly known as November) is characterized by men growing moustaches to promote awareness for men’s health. In honour of this sacred month, not only will I be growing  a moustache, but I will also be finishing off the last 3 weeks with a health pledge of my own: no alcohol, gym 5-days a week, and rugby twice a week.


The essentials: protein powder and Arnie's new biography


The first thing was to choose a workout regimen–something intense enough to make a difference in 3 weeks, but also balanced enough to undertake 5-days a week. Hollywood celebrities are notorious for rapid transformations, so I knew exactly where to look. Inspired by Skyfall last night, I threw out some google searches and was able to find Daniel Craig’s workout regimen, which I will be following:


 


Monday

Power Circuit

Reps: 10

Circuits: 3

Clean + Press

Weighted Knee Raise

Weighted Side Step-Ups


James Bond


Pull-Ups

Press-Ups

Jump Squats


Tuesday

Chest and Back

Reps: 8

Sets: 4

Incline Bench

Pull-ups (50)

Incline Pec Flies

Drag curls


Wednesday

Legs

Reps: 10

Sets: 4

Squats

One Legged Deadlifts

Weighted Lunge

ABS (leg raises, roll-outs, side raises)


Thursday

Rest


Friday

Shoulders and Arms


Day 1 of 21


Reps: 10

Sets: 4

Incline Bicep Curls

Dips

Lateral Raises

Shoulder Press


Saturday

Power Circuit


Sunday

Rugby


 


Body. Mind. Moustache.


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			7 Nov 12
			
Usain Bolt’s Speed Workout

			

				


Let’s be honest, we all want to be faster. It doesn’t matter what sport you play, speed is going to improve your game. And if you don’t play a sport? Well, running fast increases your chance of survival when the zombie-pocalypse hits–just make sure you’re not in Jamaica when it does.


I’ve been trying to lock down an interview with Usain Bolt for a while, but no luck yet. Men’s Health, however, managed to get some 1on1 words with the world’s fastest man; here is his workout:




Men’s Health


Usain Bolt’s speed workout


Adopt the Jamaican Olympic and world record holder’s training routine to supercharge your sprint














usain bolt
















Bolt on exercises


Usain Bolt is faster than every one of the billions of Homo sapiens to have roamed the Earth in the past 200,000 years. The reigning world recorder holder in the 100m (9.58 secs) and 200m (19.19 secs) boasts a staggering top speed of 27.79mph. But Bolt believes anyone – you included – can accelerate to greatness. “There are no secrets,” he says. “You just have to develop strength, power, acceleration and technique.”


To get speed like Usain, read on for the Lightning Bolt Workout, which consists of five exercises in two separate phases…


Phase A: Electrify your sprint


These three moves enable your muscles to reach maximum force in the shortest possible time to boost your explosive power and turbo-charge your sprint. “I [perform them] once a week during the winter to develop power and increase explosiveness,” says Bolt.


1. Bunny hops


5 sets of 20 reps


With your feet shoulder-width apart, squat down and bring both arms back. Drive your arms forward and jump as far ahead as you can ahead. Land and quickly repeat the jump.


2. Box jumps


4 sets of 8 reps


Adopt a squat position, with hands on your hips. Jump onto a 60cm high box, landing on your feet. Jump back down into a squat position and spring quickly back up.


3. Bounding


3 of sets 10 reps


Leap forward, landing on the front of your right foot. On landing, immediately leap forward onto your left foot. Use your arms to power your body through the air.


Phase B: Stretch your stride


“Flexibility helps with stride length, as does core stability to hold the hips in a good position,” says Bolt. “Usually when the hips drop the stride gets shorter.” These two moves target your hip flexors, which drive your knees skyward for a faster, longer stride. A Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research study proved sprinters were 9% faster after an eight-week hip flexion resistance-training programme. You’ll never miss the bus again.


4. Cable Knee Drives


3 sets of 10 reps


Using a low cable pulley and an ankle cuff attachment, stand so that the cable is taut and drive your knee explosively up to your chest. Keep the movement controlled as you lower.


5. Hanging leg raises


3 sets of 10 reps


While hanging from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, bend your knees and raise your hips until your thighs are near your chest. Pause, lower and repeat.






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