| Strength & Fitness
With Marty Gallagher
Special to washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, April 8, 2003; Noon ET Are you trying to lose weight, build muscle, get stronger or excel in a given sport? Maybe you're just hoping to slow the aging process, which exercise and good health habits can surely help accomplish. But male or female, young or old -- where do you start and what do you do? And if you're already an experienced exerciser or athlete, how do you fight your way off a plateau or avoid going stale? Over the past 20 years, Gallagher has written more than 200 articles for such magazines as "Muscle and Fitness," "Flex" and "Powerlifting USA." He has interviewed hundreds of the world's top athletes, quizzing them on the training tactics they used to succeed. Gallagher, a World Powerlifting Champion and fitness expert, takes your questions about every fitness topic under the sun. A transcript follows. Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. Marty Gallagher: Hello everyone,
It's been a crazy week trying to get back on track and caught up. In addition to two articles I needed to deliver to two different fitness publications I needed to get through sixteen pages of Post.com questions. I answered every single question but please be aware that I was unable to spell check them and the answers were a little more abrupt and terse then I would have liked. Usually I'm able to take my time and reflect a bit when answering off-line questions but with the volume that was a luxury I could not afford. Anyway, everything seems to be back to normal and I promise I'll revert to my normal, reflective, mellow self as we round into this week.
Let us commence....
Arlington, Va.: Marty, I'm a 23-year-old female, 5'6", 130 lbs. I'm training for a marathon, so the majority of my exercising is cardio (running), but I do a lot of lifting for my upper body and have seen great results. My calves and thighs are great from the running, but I'm concerned about the "spare tire" area around my waist/buttocks/lower back. I'm not seeing results here, but I'm also not doing any resistance training b/c I'm not sure what to do. Note: I do not want to "bulk up," just tone and slim down. What do I need to do to achieve this?
Thanks! I love this chat every Tuesday -- it really motivates me to push myself! Marty Gallagher: Sounds like you've made great 'strides' and I'm glad to see that the upper body progressive resistance training has yielded results.
What's up with your eating?
If the cardio and lifting portion of your program is on track my powers of deductive reasoning would lead me to ask questions about the diet/nutrition leg of your fitness tripod.
Philadelphia, Pa.: I'm a 23-year-old, 132 lbs, maybe 8 percent body fat, male, lifting since last October, and on and off for five years. Lift about four times a week, little cardio except for tennis and basketball in the summer, which I play frequently. But since I do back, chest, legs, and sometimes shoulders, separately, it takes about eight days for a work out cycle. Putting on weight is very difficult for me. I eat pretty well, aim to have three meals in me by the time I work out before dinner. I am having the most trouble getting definition and development in my chest. I usually do about four exercises (below), and sometimes mix it up with dumbbells. Aim for 2-3 sets of 5-8 reps. flat bench
incline bench
a fly machine
underhand cable cross (like a decline) What do you recommend in terms of exercises and sets and reps? How often? More than once a week? Combine with tri's or bi's? Thanks a lot Marty, I really appreciate how you answer every question. You rock.
Marty Gallagher: 1. how do you know that you are 8% body fat? At a true 8% body fat you would be shredded: a distinct six-pack, vascularity on your forearms running up into your deltoids. In addition, every time you flexed your legs your would see every quadricep head and you would have no fat on your glutes.
Four exercises per body part is a total waste of time for anyone other than a competitive bodybuilder: one compound, multi-joint exercise followed by a single isolation exercise is more than enough.
If you were at a true 8% you'd have plenty of chest definition. The pectoral is comprised of two muscles, upper and lower pec and when flexed the split (plus plenty of striations) would be plainly visible...
Chantilly, Va: Marty, Glad you're back to your insightful, mellow self. With regard to David Bloom, the correspondent who passed away this weekend. The article said that the tight confines of his vehicle led to the blood clot. Can you expand a little on this? Marty Gallagher: I was as mystified as you and have no real insight on that particular affliction - I think we have an MD or two amongst the audience and perhaps they would like to weigh in....Ben are you out there today?
Alexandria, Va.: Are there cross-country types of running courses in the area where the running surface is mostly grass as opposed to asphalt or concrete found in most parks? I develop shin troubles if I run on hard surfaces over an extended period of time and running on soft surfaces always helped. There were plenty of courses like that where I used to live but I haven't found any in this area since I moved. Marty Gallagher: I have zero knowledge of the Alexandria area...
You'd be super-envious of the the endless 'firetrails' that criss-cross the Catoctin Mountains where I reside. A fire trail is a fifty yard wide swath carved through the mountains to keep forest fires from spreading. If you can avoid the Copperheads, hunters (in season) and armed guards around Camp David, you have endless cardio terrain. And they wonder why I can't develop any enthusiasm for indoor cardio.
Washington, D.C.: Hi there, I'm a 26-year-old female -- 5'10" and 145 lbs. I run pretty regularly and lift weights about 3 times a week. I don't have a lot of muscle definition (especially in my arms) should I be sore after using weights? How do I know when I've got the right balance of reps and weight?
Thanks for your help. Marty Gallagher: Hard to say without seeing your training routine...why not send me you weight regimen. Please include: exercises, sets, reps, frequency and poundage.
Soreness varies radically individual to individual and is not an absolute indicator.
Fairfax, Va: Marty, After many months of reading your chat, I've decided to start doing something about my fitness. First thing I did was to go out and buy a new belt. Same size, just new. I'll be marking off the reductions on it with date and weight. Thanks for getting me motivated. Marty Gallagher: That's the spirit - look - establish a reasonable goal; that's the critical first step. Then set a time frame. Devise a fitness program that has a lifting, cardio and diet component. Commit it to paper and send it to me next week. I'll look it over and we'll launch it. You can check in with me on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
Longest journey begin with single step.
Mouse Spouse, Damascus, Md.: Hey coach, Mouse and I are continuing with the power workout you gave us, doing all three powerlifting exercises the same day, moving the weight up each week. This was week seven of the nine-week cycle, first week of mini-cycle using just two rep sets. Squat and Deadlift have been progressing nicely, I did 270x3 squat and 345x3 DL this week. The problem is that I've hit the wall with bench. Two weeks ago I did 230x4. Last week was supposed to be 240x4, but I only got two reps. This week I tried 250 but only got one rep for two work sets. My question is what should I do with Bench over the last two weeks of this cycle? Marty Gallagher: Hey Ralph - I talked at length with your better half about 'recasting the cycle' - anyone can devise a periodization game plan and the smart ones can devise a realistic periodization game plan but the real key is not in the planning but in what you do when the plan falters.
1. What spectacular progress you've made: in addition to transforming your physique you've really made amazing progress in the poundage and technique department.
2. Honestly - all that has happened is your bench cycle ended itself a week or two early. Sure we would have liked to have made the target poundages in the 4's but instead you made a solid double with 240 (for two sets?) and a nice 250 single the following week.
That's it; you've finished your bench press cycle and ended with 250x1. This will serve as your new max on which to construct your next bench cycle. I would suggest we devise a new 12-week bench cycle ending at 275-280.
Continue with the squats and deadlifts as planned. Good job.
Re: Wheel of pain: Marty, Read in one of your latest chats about using the wheel. Touch your nose? I'm just getting started with it, and, believe me, it's hard just getting close to the nose. I will stick with it however. Maybe someday work myself up to doing it from the toes instead of the knees, eh? Marty Gallagher: Rex was up over the weekend for a one-on-one session and I showed him the wheel. It is excruciatingly effective. Don't bust your face; stay with it and as sure as God made little green apples you'll be nose touching within a month. I'd suggest using the wheel twice a week for two sets to failure. Rex are you out there? I showed Rex a killer ab tri-set: lying leg raises off a bench (allowing the legs to sink below torso and raising them far over the head), then the wheel and finally hanging leg raises. One set, second set, third set - bang, bang, bang - rest - do the tri-set one more time and the entire abdominal area, upper abs, lower abs, intercoastals, obliques and serratus are crispy fried.
College Park, Md.: Marty: Just a quick generic question. Is there a general guideline on how often one should be able to increase the weight one is lifting? I've gotten the message -- that you have to have progressive resistance to keep improving -- but it seems like I take way too long to be able to increase the weight to the next increment. Marty Gallagher: We try our best and keep pushing and pulling.
No, you cannot make progress every single workout but we are never ever complacent and never satisfied. This is a state-of-mind.
Remember there are different ways to goose the intensity of our progressive resistance training. You can increase the reps. In addition you could add a second set with a static poundage. The point being that there many different ways to increase intensity. The idea is to attempt to improve in some fashion.
Have you ever noticed the same faces in the gym where you train doing the same exercises using the same poundage in the same fashion - ever notice how physically they never ever change?
To build muscle we need to kiss the edge of the capacity envelope. Sameness yields sameness.
Chantilly, Va: Marty, Is using dumbbells the way to get killer guns (arms)? I wanna look good for tank top season. Marty Gallagher: Dumbbells are tools; nothing more and nothing less. Good tools but still tools; inert objects.
The way to get big arms is train hard and heavy and often and smart. Unless you add body weight you'll never significantly increase the size of your arms. If a man weighs 160 and has 15-inch arms there is no way he'll get 18-inch arms unless he bulks to say 180. Fact of life.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty Your pyramid: I have cleaned up my diet. I weight train for 40-50 minutes 3 days a week -- M: chest/tris, W:legs/shoulders, F:back/bis. I also currently do cardio for 30 min (Tues, Thurs, Sun) (interval training) on different machines (elliptical trainer, treadmill, precor). My question is this. Is this enough cardio? I read that I should do anywhere from 3-6 days a week ~40-60 minutes. But I also have heard interval training is good and should only be done maximum 30 minutes. I want to keep my heart strong and still burn calories (although I know 80 percent of that fat control comes through diet as well). How much is necessary (but I still want to make sure I have a day of rest and not spend 3 hours in the gym!) Thanks for chats! Marty Gallagher: No single cardio approach trumps all others.
Have a wide range of cardio tactics at your disposal. When one approach peters out (they all do eventually) have another valid cardio tactic ready to go. Think of them as arrows in the fitness quiver. When your current cardio approach stops delivering results switch to another. There are three main cardio progress levers: duration, intensity and frequency. Change the levers to elict different results. Do not develop a fanatical allegiance to any one system; don't make a religion out of any single cardio mode.
Re: Anti-protein powder doctor: Marty, Thought I'd chime in with an update. He's a big guy, probably 6'6" and probably close to 300 lbs. Don't know if he smokes, but he's tellin' me I should get more exercise, and I think he could take a bit of his own advice. Does a degree make one pompous ? Marty Gallagher: Body weight is related to caloric consumption. Too many calories result in the excess ending up in fat storage compartments. Once you have the correct balance between caloric intake and energy expenditure you can modify the food selections. Protein powder is a great choice because it offers high BV protein without saturated fat. Meat, chicken, turkey, fish, whole eggs and milk are excellent protein sources but contain varying amounts of fat. A piece of prime rib has a lot of protein but 55% of its gross calories are derived from saturated fat. How could you knock protein powder? It delivers the good stuff and is devoid of the bad stuff.
Marty Gallagher: Okay folks - I hate to part good company but I've so much to do that I need to blast off. Please be aware that any question left hanging will get a detailed answer and be posted at the end of next week's show. Please check out the question dump and sort through it if you've posted a question over the past two weeks. We'll talk again next week.
4-1-03 Questions
Silver Spring, Md.: OK getting in shape for summer. Me :not bad middle aged broad. Joined gym near job. Plan: work our 5 x's a week. Big area of concern. THIGHS. Suggested aerobic and weight exercises to reduce and tone those babies!
MARTY GALLAGHER: As always I suggest weight training, cardio and DIET. Squats, leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises, cardio for 30-minutes 3-5 times a week and most importantly undertake a diet that radically reduces or sugar, saturated fat, liquor and starchy carbs.
Metro Center: Hi Marty!
I'm a 25-year-old female, 120 lbs. I've never been much of a runner, although I use the bikes/gliders at my gym. I started a program 2 weeks ago for the novice runner and so far it's going great, except that I'm having pain in my left knee when I run, the same knee that I think I injured while I was backpacking through Europe last year (put all my weight on my left leg while climbing up a large step, felt it give and it was sore/painful throughout the trip, but seemed back to normal when I got back). I've never seen a doctor about this problem, since the problem comes and goes, (when I went skiing, etc.) and it does not impact my everyday life. Do you think this pain is just related to my body getting used to a new physical activity? Or is it indicative of another problem? I know you're not a physician, but I would appreciate you're feedback!
MARTY GALLAGHER: With so many cardio alternatives, why run if it causes pain? Swim, powerwalk – why not try some different modes?
Alexandria, Va.: Marty, I'm a seriously overweight woman, age 52. I have done some weightlifting in the past, but have been away from it for about a year. Currently have some troubles with plantar fascitis which makes it difficult to walk long distances, which had been another favorite exercise. Question: what to do to get back into the groove of working out? Realistically I can probably get to the gym 3, maybe 4, times a week. They have a weight room with a variety of machines, as well as a pool (I'm a good swimmer). Would love to work on shaping my legs, butt, and upper arms particularly.
MARTY GALLAGHER: I would swim 3-4 times a week as many laps as possible; then lift for 30-minutes using a whole body routine. Squats, leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises, bench press, seated overhead press, row, curl and tricep pushdowns would be good for starters.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty! Insofar as home weight lifting is concerned, what do you recommend? Free weights, weight balls (medicine balls), cords, wrist/ankle weights? With a video? With a CD? With pics and diagrams? I'm so confused ... I hate lifting to begin with, but I lost 55 lbs. a couple of years ago, and want to keep it off!
MARTY GALLAGHER: lift weights, do cardio, diet…can you walk? That would be a great starting point. I would try and walk 30-minutes 3-5 times a week; progressive resistance training is important particularly for us older types (I turned 53 this week) who need to be concerned about osteoporosis – how about some modified pushups, free-weight squats, calf raises, leg raises 2-3 times a week. I’d do 2-3 sets of each of these four no-equipment exercises. You need to reexamine your diet and see if you can clean up your eating habits. Stay in touch. Try this mild program for 3-4 weeks and write me back.
Cycling: Hi Marty- First timer ... I am considering participating in the AIDS ride in June (from Raleigh to D.C.). I am not an avid rider but I run, use free weights and yoga between 5-6 days a week for about an hour. I feel that I can do this but how would you train for this. Also I eat well and I am conscious of what I eat. I am 28, 5'9 and 150 lbs.
MARTY GALLAGHER: I have no clue – is this a bike ride? A run? A combination of both? I need some details.
Annapolis, Md.: Coach, I've made some great gains in strength over the last several months. (female 5'1", 41, 120 lbs. -- Bench my weight and squat 195) I'd like to start to redirect my focus to loose some fat, but not strength. In lieu of dropping weight and adding more reps, what do you think about adding more cardio routines? I've also started to cut out the starchy carbs. (bread, white potatoes, white rice)
MARTY GALLAGHER: I say go with it. Sounds like you are making progress and if you want to try to bust out of the rut by upping either the duration, intensity or frequency of your cardio (combined with slashing some starch – why not? I suspect you’ll make some nice gains.
Arlington, Va.: Hi Coach - Submitted a question to you a few weeks ago that you answered in last week's question dump. I was the guy with a disability that prevented me from using free weights, and asked you to critique my workouts (thanks for the answer, by the way, much appreciated). You asked me what my eating plan was like, so in the off chance that you remember this at all --
A typical day might be:
6 a.m.: Oatmeal w. 1 scoop protein powder (17 grams protein) and a cut-up apple
9 a.m. (post-workout): shake made from 2 scoops protein powder, 1 scoop carb powder (the brand you recommend), 1 cup grape juice.
12 Noon: some combination of a grain, a vegetable, and a protein. Might be brown rice, kale and chicken.
3 p.m.: Protein bar
6 p.m.: Similar to noon meal, slightly smaller portions.
8 p.m.: Cottage cheese mixed with shredded wheat and fruit.
I'm a 24-year old male, 5'11", 145 lbs., trying to gain mass. I shoot for around 2800 cal/day. Might try bumping that up to 3000, as I'm not gaining as much weight as I'd like. Just switched from a 10-rep top set to a 5-rep top set -- fun. Will re-evaluate in 3 weeks to see if I want to keep gaining or slim down. If I decide to stay in a bulking phase, what do you suggest rep-wise? Triples? Back up to a higher rep scheme? Stay at 5? Thanks again.
MARTY GALLAGHER: It is really hard to beat five rep sets, basic compound multi-joint movements and additional calories. You are not eating hardly anything from the time you get up till noon – I doubt if you take in 400 calories between waking and noon. I would shoot for 800-1000 calories before lunch. Why ‘slightly smaller portions’ at dinner? At 5-11 and 145 you need to fire down a hell of a lot of calories and squat until your legs ache. I don’t see you making much progress at gaining size unless you up the calories significantly.
Reston, Va.: Marty, What's your take on doing a "burnout" set to end each exercise? Lowering the weight from the previous heavy sets and doing the max. reps. I tend to do this on everything ... bench, curls, squats. Is there any benefit to be had by doing this?
MARTY GALLAGHER: I wouldn’t over do this…once or twice in a workout…every exercise of every workout? Too much. On the other hand I like your work ethic and prefer to work with guys like you (who tend to overtrain) rather than those who ‘undertrain.’ Better to err doing a little too much than a little too little.
Somewhere, USA: Hey Marty- Seem okay? These are work sets
Monday- Military Press (3x6-8), Behind Neck Press (3x6-8) Weighted Dips (3x6-8) French Curls (3x6-8), Mixed Bicep Curls (6x6-8)
Tuesday- Squats (3x6-8), Leg Press (3x6-8)
Wednesday- 45 min cardio
Thursday- Flat bench (3x6-8), Narrow Bench (3x6-8) Incline bench (3x6-8)
Friday- 45 min. to 1 hour cardio
Sat- Deadlift (1x6-8), Stiff Leg (1x10) Pull Ups (3x6-8, weight added ) Rows 3x6-8
Sunday- 45 min to 1 hour cardio.
This is similar to what I do now except my current rep range is 8-12. If anything slips, it's the cardio days. I'm a male, 35 years, and can do an hour staying at 150-165 bpm. From time constraints I don't always do the full scheduled amount though. I thought I'd do this for 4 weeks and then go to 4 reps sets for 4 weeks, and then 12 rep sets. What do you think? Critique? Ideas?
MARTY GALLAGHER: So are you actually doing this or thinking about it? I think it looks like a solid program. So why not put it in play?
Washington, D.C.: I'm female, 54, I’ve been lifting for 4 years. During this time, I alternate between 3 12-rep sets using most weight I can lift (e.g., squat/leg press 70/90 lbs. respectively on hip sled -- I do other stuff too). Since I never eat to bulk up and therefore possibly will never get stronger than my usual best, how do I vary the lean-out sets (I do 3 20-rep set using half the weight)? Do I increase the number of reps and/or sets? I'd like to avoid injury. Thanks for your response.
MARTY GALLAGHER: This is a little vague – what is your goal? What is your specific weight routine? Do you do any cardio – what type, how often, mode and frequency? I need more info before I can offer concrete suggestions.
Washington, D.C.: Marty, Haven't reached in a while! Bad me cause I've gained about 12 pounds ( One year ago I was at 117-118)(most of which went straight to my legs) since I last got on line to discuss. Anyway, I'm back on a serious mission to lose the weight but differently this time. I'm by no means fat (5'2", 128 lbs, 26" waist, 38" hip). However, I need desperately to lean and strip my legs of all fat. I generally road bike but won't start training for my annual ride for another two weeks. I really want to "cut" my legs up without compromising the "butt" I've gained as a result of the weight gain. That goes for my arms as well which are somewhat muscular -- I just want to really define them. What do you recommend? I'm back up to 30 mins. cardio/daily about 5 times/weekly. And of course lifting. It's been one month since I've worked out on any level, but I started 9 days ago faithfully -- again. Would love your ideas, suggestions, honesty, etc. ...
MARTY GALLAGHER: I would zero in on the eating – do I sound like a broken record? It appears as though you are paying homage to lifting and cardio but given that the goal is to lose body fat and given that you are exercising, I would suggest we look hard at the number of calories you are eating versus the amount of activity you do on a daily basis. The idea is to create a slight but consistent caloric deficit which over time will result in stored body fat being oxidized to fuel caloric shortfall. Any idea as to how many calories you are ingesting on a daily basis.
Arlington, Va.: Marty-I have been going at the weights for over a year now, and feeling good. I also keep the cardio up. But over the last 4 months I have really plateaued in terms of building strength. As an example of my workout, I will discuss chest. I pyramid up and back down with bench, going reps of 10 - 10 - 6 - 5 - 8 - 10. I then move to decline and incline bench where do 4 sets each escalating -- no pyramid. Then I do 4 sets of flys escalating without pyramid. I have been stuck on the same weight for a while now. I want to build some strength and increase my weight, and also add some muscle to my chest. how do i need to change my workout? Thanks.
MARTY GALLAGHER: Try this: bench press, warm up then 2x15. Pause the weight on the chest before pushing upward. You’ll have to slash the poundage. Lock hard at the top of each rep. Drop declines altogether as they are redundant. On to inclines – use dumbbells and a pause, again 2x15 reps. Finally one or at most two sets of dumbbell flyes for 15-reps paused at the bottom.
Alexandria, Va.: Marty -- First, I want to thank you for answering extra questions from the previous week at the end of the current week's chat. It's a great effort on your part and a wonderful service to the rest of us. I was one of the people asking on how to get rid of the spare tire last week. You said do cardio a few times per week, (check), do weights a few times per week, (check), and eat right. The last one is the source of my question. I eat pretty well -- very little junk food, no soda, limited alcohol, fruits, veggies, and (hopefully) a decent, well-rounded diet. I'm wondering what your definition of eating well or right is? I want to eat healthy and right, but I don't want to count out peanuts or weigh my fish before cook it. Also, as the weather gets nicer, I'll want to have a beer on the porch after work, or after mowing the lawn. Is that a no-no? Obviously, the stricter the diet, the better the results, but where and what is the happy medium? Thanks!
MARTY GALLAGHER: To melt fat we have to expend more calories then we take in on a daily basis – does that mean weighing food? No; but you still have to obey the Math. I drink beer (less lately) but I figure the beer into the calorie math. After you have struck the Math balance you can play with food selection; i.e., exchange dirty foods loaded with saturated fat or sugar with ‘clean’ foods. You will still stay fat if you eat more than you burn off – even if every bite is derived from clean food. Too many calories are too many calories.
Still struggling with deadlift form: Marty, after reading your chats I realized that I've been doing deadlifts all wrong -- I've been lifting about six years but only added deadlifts a little while ago. From the terminology you've used it sounds like I was doing a sort of straight legged sumo deadlift. I didn't injure myself doing that, but I'd rather learn to do it the right way. I've tried to adjust my form to ensure my knees are bent as per your instructions and I feel I am zeroing in on correct technique. However, I am still fuzzy on how much the legs should play into the equation. I have settled on what seem like two potentially correct variants: one that feels like a "natural" lift, similar to how I'd lift something off the ground when not thinking about it -- my knees bend about 60 degrees and the lift feels pretty fluid. In the other, I squat down more (knees slightly more than 90 degrees bent) and the lift begins primarily with my legs; I can feel my back being isolated more toward the end of the lift than the beginning. Both feel like they're working the muscle pretty well. Can you offer any clarification on which is correct? How much should my knees bend in a normal deadlift? I am using a dealift platform and weight at which I can finish 4x8 comfortably (185). At this weight I'm not too worried about injury, but I'd like to start pushing myself and want to make sure I've got the form nailed down before I do so. Sorry for the drawn-out question, but I'm sure you can sympathize with how tough it is to describe the finer points of this lift through words. As always, thanks for your help!
MARTY GALLAGHER: Okay – to start the lift push with the legs. The back is convex and every muscle is flexed at the start. I toe out slightly and fix my eyes on a spot five to six feet off the ground. Keep the eyes drilled on the spot through out every rep. Lower maintaining back tightness and touch the floor with the plates lightly and evenly. Push the legs ‘through the floor’ to commence the second and all subsequent reps. Never sacrifice form for poundage. I would work up to one big set – are you doing four sets of 8 with your max poundage? That’s too many sets: one big work set and then bag it.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty, I am a 28-year-old woman and I have been working hard to lose fat over the past two months and have lost 12 lbs and now weigh 120 lbs at 5 foot 8 inches. I am happy with my weight and wouldn't mind building a bit more muscle. My question is how should I change my workout/eating routine in order to maintain my weight rather than lose weight. At the moment, I do intense cardio six days a week for 45 minutes. I do weights three days a week (Day 1: back and arms, Day 2: legs and butt, Day 3: shoulders, chest, triceps). And my eating is very clean (five to six meals/day, averaging 1,600 calories per day consisting of 20 percent fat, 35 percent protein, and 45 percent carbs). Any advice about ways to change my weight, cardio or eating, or should I continue with my current routine? Thanks!
MARTY GALLAGHER: I would suggest you maintain your current caloric intake. Perhaps you could shift 5% of starchy carbs to the protein or fiber category. Here is another trick to consider: drop back in the cardio duration but increase the intensity. Go shorter, say 30-minutes per session, but go faster. Each session add one minute to the 30-minute session. After sixteen sessions you’ll be back at 45-minutes but you’ll be doing the 45-minutes at a radically increased rate of speed. This will result in increased mobilization of trans-fatty acids.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty. I'm sort of new to working out but have developed a solid schedule that involves alternating days of 35 minutes of cardio and lifting for my arms with days of 10 minutes of cardio and lifting for my legs (machines, etc). My question is, would I be better off doing an hour of cardio one day and then all my lifting the next? I want to make sure I'm getting all I can out of the limited time I have to devote to exercise. Thanks!
MARTY GALLAGHER: Doing a straight hour of cardio is not a good idea. The duration is too long to develop any real cardio intensity. I’d peg cardio at 30-minutes and use the procedure outlined in the previous question to build up duration without losing intensity. You need to do back, chest and delt work in addition to “arms and legs.” Eating?
Alexandria, Va.: Regarding weight training, I see/read in your archives that you recommend doing shoulders/legs, chest/tris, back/bis at least once a week. My question is this: Is this enough? Only because the recommendation I have seen for beginner's programs is to work the full body twice a week. Thus the muscle gets work twice v. once a week. Another question: Is there a difference between splitting the body as stated above or focusing five days on each body part; i.e., M- chest, T- back, W- legs, etc.? Is it more exercises? Sets? Reps?
MARTY GALLAGHER: Here’s the deal; the split you assign to me is one valid approach and the split you outline is another valid approach. Sometimes progress can be derived from training a muscle once a week – assuming the intensity is sufficient and other times hitting a muscle twice a week is appropriate – assuming you don’t over-train the muscle and blast it before it is recovered from the previous session. Both are valid and should be in the fitness arrow quiver of a serious trainee. We rotate methods and approaches to forestall stagnation. No single method or approach trumps all others.
Baltimore, Md. via Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty: I've lost about 13 lbs. since last summer by playing tennis at least 3x/week. Weightlifting isn't really my favorite thing but I've gotten a home gym from my brother and want to give it a shot again. It's a fairly high quality gym (pulley and cable type system with progressive resistance -- I think the manufacturer is Bio-Dyne) and you can do most exercises with it. I would like to start out with a 2x/week program and would like to know if you have any suggestions for this schedule. I'm male, 45-years-old, 5' 10" 187 lbs. and would like to lose about 10 lbs. of fat. Yes, I know I need to watch my diet as well. Thanks.
MARTY GALLAGHER: I have no knowledge of the equipment you speak off. I would try and find movements that mimic the core free-weight exercises: squat, bench press, overhead press, pulldown, squat, leg curl, row, curl, tricep pushdowns, etc. Limit session length to 30-50 minutes three times a week and seek to improve poundage or reps each week. Weight training is known as progressive resistance training for a reason: to trigger muscle growth we need to progressively add poundage or reps.
Vienna, Va.: Since January I've gone on Weight Watchers and started hitting the gym almost every day, alternating upper and lower body. I do at least 25 minutes per day on a stationary bike or an elliptical trainer. (may start running again, but I've had sore knees in the past) My results have been great. I've dropped from 250 to 223, and at 6 ft. 3., I' shooting for 200. I'd like to work on my abs a little more. I do some crunches and situps, and use an ab weight machine, but I'd like a little more variety. What to do? Where do I find a good ab routine?
MARTY GALLAGHER: Check out Pavel Tsatsouline’s “Beyond Crunches: bulletproof abs” on Dragondoor.com.
Silver Spring, Md.: Hey Marty, I'm 27, 6' 3", 230 lbs. of muscle and fat. I play basketball 2-3 times a week and am trying to increase my jump and improve my speed. I have been working on my diet to drop the fat seeing as being lighter will help. In the gym, I have been lifting heavy weight for 3 sets of 5-6 reps, with 2 minutes rests, 3 times a week. I have been pushing hard enough that each set is tough, and am avoiding working to failure. So far this has been working very well. I have seen gains in poundage. After 6 weeks of this, I plan on trying some sprinting and jumping exercises to mimic what I do on the court. How do you recommend I lift during the next phase? Should I lift during this phase? The running and jumping will help my legs, but what about my arms?I appreciate your thoughts.
MARTY GALLAGHER: Hey there – are you squatting? Are you doing repetition vertical leaps? How about calf raises and leg curls? I’d kick the reps up to 12 for six weeks (you’ll need to reduce the poundage) and concentrate on lifting technique. Since I do not know your exact workout it’s tough to make more than general suggestions. Sprints and lifting go together like bacon and whole eggs; they compliment each other: sprints will improve your lifting leg strength and lifting will improve your sprinting.
Chantilly, Va: Marty, What's the most weight you've ever lost in a week's time? Why/how did you do it?
MARTY GALLAGHER: I’ve lost ten pounds in a couple of days to make weight for a competition but the tactics used involve fluid and food deprivation and have no place in a sane fitness program.
Alexandria, Va.: The food part of my tripod is the hardest for me (as I suspected it is for many people). I have a wicked sweet tooth, and have decided that I'm going to eat those peanut M&Ms or a Snickers every day. I've lost 50 pounds so far, and getting my chocolate fix every day keeps me from eating an entire pint of Ben & Jerry's (although I still do that from time to time).
MARTY GALLAGHER: Calories are calories in that as long as you burn more calories than you take in you’ll lose body weight. At some point you’ll hit the wall with this approach and when that happens then the next logical step will be to exchange sugar calories for protein or fiber calories. How is the blood sugar?
Arlington, Va.: (Follow-up) Flag football player here again. The results are pretty good, actually - I am really seeing the poundage go up on the dumbbell work and can see some visual results as well. I'd say I am at least meeting, and maybe exceeding expectations, especially given that I was dropping weight by a pound a week until last week. My only concern is that I'll get back under the bar and find my flat bench strength level has dropped. On diet, I am planning to begin stripping some carb calories out this week (week 5) -- probably about 50-60 per meal over six meals for a total reduction of 300 calories --from 3000 per day (6x500) to 26-2700 (6x425-450). (I plateaued at week 4 and didn't lose the expected pound) Does this sound right?
MARTY GALLAGHER: Don’t worry about flat bench poundage – dumbbell bench strength converts readily to regular benching. Other than that it sounds like the ‘dumbbell diet’ has busted you through to the next level. How much body weight have you lost?
Wassau, Wisc: I am currently doing a 3-day split (legs/shoulders, chest/tris, back/bis). A couple of times recently I have combined legs and chest because I couldn't make it to the gym one day. The thing is I have my best bench presses when I do them immediately after squats. Each time I have toasted my legs squatting, done one light warm-up on bench, and then made a weight/rep jump beyond what I could have figured otherwise. I feel great -- heart pounding, ready to lift hard, etc. My question? I am thinking of making legs/chest one day of a three-day split for awhile. This seems counter-intuitive, and after working to major groups, I really lose steam for shoulders, triceps and other secondary exercises. Go with it? Would you suggest a 3-day muscle group split with legs and chest on the same day? Thanks. Love the chats.
MARTY GALLAGHER: This is a valid strategy. When I was seriously powerlifting we would start the session with squats then roll right into bench presses. We would then finish the session by doing ‘mop up’ and at the end of the enduro session doing some leg and chest assistance exercises. This would take a full two hours. You are suggesting a toned-down version of this old PL training tactic and I say go with it. Remember that all strategies run dry after a while. Don’t stay to long at the fair and don’t turn any particular approach into a religion.
Plateau City: I have lost approximately 17 lbs. in the last two months by dieting (Atkins "style," but not religiously carb-free) and really stepping up my exercise (run or work out 5-6 times a week). However, I am feeling like I'm beginning to plateau. I still have 10-12 more pounds to go to reach my goal. What can I do to start the pounds burning again?
MARTY GALLAGHER:
1. Make sure that you include fiber carbs
2. Change your lifting program; look to devise a new routine that fires you up
3. Change the cardio approach; the levers are duration, intensity, frequency
4. Switch up the eating – don’t take in fewer calories; play with the food selection
Fort Collins, Colo.: Hi. I'm 23, 6'1", 165 lbs. I have very little body fat but unfortunately, very little muscle also. I've developed a good exercise program that includes weight training 3 days a week and boxing as the aerobic component. My question is, what foods should I focus on to build muscle quickly? Do I need a protein supplement? Thanks for your time.
MARTY GALLAGHER: Protein can be derived from egg whites, lean beef, fowl or fish. I love protein supplements on account of the ease, portability and potency. The downside is cost but keep in mind that a jug of protein powder reduces the grocery bill. Folks often bitch about the cost of protein powder but forget to subtract the cost from the savings on the grocery bill. Sure a dozen eggs only cost a buck but you have to separate and toss the yolks and cook them. Fish or beef, at 5-8 bucks a pound make protein powder seem downright economical.
Port St. Lucie, Fla.: Hello, Coach -- I've got a question on workout timing. I've read that early morning (pre-breakfast) is the best time to do cardio for fat burning. My question is, due to family and work demands, I must fit in the weight training either very late (9:30 or 10 p.m.), or early in the morning on non-cardio days. If the goal is bigger, stronger muscles, which work-out time is preferable?
MARTY GALLAGHER: I’ve known champion athletes who’ve trained early in the morning and I’ve known champions who’ve trained late at night. The main point is to train hard and consistent. Training late can be deadly effective. Early AM cardio is optimal but optimal.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty, I am trying to lose weight and, in an effort to do this, am counting my calories (fat/carbs/protein). I've found that I really enjoy keeping track of my food intake -- it helps me to stick to my diet. But I am not sure if the goals I have set for myself are realistic or if they will help me lose weight? I am a 30-year-old woman, 5'7" and weigh 135 lbs. What is the best way to determine how many calories I should consume in a day if I am trying to lose weight? And what percentage of my total calories should be fat, carbs, protein? Thanks!!
MARTY GALLAGHER: Most savvy nutritionalists will start weight loss clients allowing 15-calories per pound of body weight and whittling that down in a systematic fashion over a protracted period of time. I would not worry too much about protein-carb-fat percentiles at this juncture: save this for down the road. Clean up the food selection by tossing sugar and keeping saturated fat to a minimum. Also try not to eat too many starchy carbs.
Chantilly, Va: Coach, On one of your earlier chats you mentioned something about competing in a heavy class in the morning and a lighter class in the afternoon. How did you do that? And, is there any natural way to get rid of water weight ... not drinking too much water, etc?
MARTY GALLAGHER: No that’s not quite correct: in competitive lifting you have a weigh in the morning and compete later that day. I’ve entered competitions where I’ve worked for a month to get down to the class limit and then by reintroducing food and drink I’ve denied myself immediately after the weigh-in competed at a far heavier body weight later that day.
Las Vegas, Nev.: Hey Coach! Male, 43, with lots of weight to lose. I’ve moved my cardio to mornings and it’s working out great –- thanks. Do I need to take some protein immediately afterwards? Will it maximize fat burning if I wait a couple of hours?During a mass reduction phase is it OK to do cardio twice a day and drop the weights altogether for maybe eight weeks?Also, I’ve been told I shouldn’t mix my protein shakes up more than an hour in advance –- any advice on mixing them the night before? Grand daughter was in town and gave me a handful of M&Ms –- I recoiled like a snake, wondering –- What would coach think! Thanks for helping me be more disciplined.
MARTY GALLAGHER:
1. I think taking a protein/carb shake immediately after hard training is a splendid idea.
2. There is a ‘window of opportunity’ that closes an hour after the workout
3. Take your protein within an hour of the WO to take advantage of the window
4. It only takes 10-seconds to mix a protein shake with cold tap water – why are you mixing it up the night before?
5. I’d eat a few MM’s – I’m not a food Nazi so don’t you become one or your family will disown you – coach would say, “hey kids, if she doesn’t want those MM’s give them to me.”
Vienna, Va.: I am a 49-year-old female, 5'1" and weigh 118 lbs. I would like to lose 15 lbs., most of it on my hips and waist. Currently I do Body Pump three times a week and "rpm" (spinning) four times a week. I used to Body Pump twice and cardio twice a week and lost some weight but have gained it all back and some despite the extra workouts. I suspect it is my diet. What do you advise? FYI, the cardio workout is a hour long and very intense.
MARTY GALLAGHER: Classic example of why diet and exercise must be coordinated and complimentary. Your instincts are correct: zero in on the eating.
Damascus, Md.: How come after a good workout my muscles don't feel sore until almost 24 hours later?
MARTY GALLAGHER: Do you know what the official term for muscle soreness is? DOS, Delayed Onset Soreness, which kind of sums it up, don’t you think? Everyone experiences their soreness to different degrees and it descends at different times.
Rivercity Ironbug: What are the leanest cuts of beef? If one is playing a strength heavy sport every Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday, what day should squats/legs be done? There never seems to be any recovery time! Thanks, coach!
MARTY GALLAGHER:
1. Fillet is lean and tender and expensive; flank steak is lean and tough and less expensive.
2. Sunday morning would give you max recovery time until Tuesday.
Washington, D.C.: I usually eat the following during a day: 8 a.m. -- slice of wheat toast w/honey, soy protein sausage, 10 a.m.-- balance bar, 1 p.m. -- salad or fruit and brown rice and a cookie, 3 p.m. -- piece of fruit. And I workout at 6. Problem is that I am starving right before I work out. Is there a good thing to eat right before a workout (workout is usually 45 minutes walk/run on the treadmill and 45 min. medium lifting) that will give me some energy and hold me through to dinner? (usually dinner is around 9 p.m and is fish or chicken, steamed veggies, frozen yogurt). Thank you!
MARTY GALLAGHER: A protein shake, a protein/carb shake or perhaps a sport nutrition bar.
Arlington, Va.: Hello What is the difference between an shoulder press and a overhead press? Thanks
MARTY GALLAGHER: Same thing.
New York, N.Y.: Hi, I'm a 27-year-old female who's just getting back into a regular exercise routine. I've added three 30-minute cardio sessions a week into my yoga routine and I'd like to strengthen my legs/core a little more with squats. How many should I start with and how often? I don't want to be limping afterwards, but I want to feel it.
MARTY GALLAGHER: I would try doing some high rep/free-hand squats. With no equipment whatsoever do 2-3 sets of 25-reps. Make sure you go deep, stay flat footed and each rep should have a consistency in technique. After you can do 3-25 reps switch to 2x50. Write back when you can do 2x50.
Washington, D.C.: Marty, Do you have any recommendations on training after abdominal surgery? I had a labroscopic appendectomy a few months ago and now I want to get back into lifting. My doc says I can lift, but not too heavy for now and careful on the ab work. I like to do the basics like squats, deads, chins, and presses and mid-section work. Any ideas on how to rebuild strength, but not too fast? Sets? Reps?
MARTY GALLAGHER: I can’t and won’t recommend post-traumatic injury exercise routines. You need to talk to your doctor and rehab specialist. It would be cavalier and flippant for me to casually toss off a routine; you are so tender and susceptible to re-injury that the only people you should take rehabilitative advice from are medical professionals with direct knowledge of your particular situation.
Washington, D.C.: Hey Coach - Thanks for all of the advise you’ve been dishing out -- long time lurker, first time poster. Heading to the beach in about 10 weeks and thought of trying the “leaning out”phase you’ve mentioned in the past. I’m a 41-year-old male, 5'7, 150 lbs.; lift 3 -- 4 times a week and cardio about 3 -- 4 times a week. I know the key is food intake -- so will try to get a handle on that but would like your advice on weight training and cardio. Current schedule is:
Day 1 Abs - Chest - Tri - with 3 -4 sets of 10 reps per body part
- DB press - 50 - 60 lbs.
- incline DB press - 35 - 45 lbs.
- DB Flys - 25- 35 lbs.
- Cable flys - 40 - 50 lbs.
- Assisted Dips (gravitron)
- Cable tricep press - 75 - 90 lbs.
- DB kickback - 25 lbs.
Day 2 - abs and cardio - 45 minutes of spinning or elliptical trainer
Day 3 - Abs - Back - Biceps
- Pullups - unassisted and assisted (Gravitron)
- Lat pulldown - 90 - 110 lbs.
- Seated cable pulls - 100 - 120 lbs.
- DB Bent over rows - 50 - 60 lbs.
- DB Conc curls - 20 - 25 lbs.
- BB Preacher curls - 20 - 30 lbs.
- DB incline curls - 20 - 25 lbs.
Day 4 - abs and cardio - 45 minutes of spinning or elliptical trainer
Day 5 - Legs - shoulder
- Full Squat - 90 - 110 lbs.
- 45 degree leg press - 270 - 330 lbs
- Calf Raises - 60 - 80 lbs.
- Seated Leg Curl - 70 - 90 lbs.
- Seated leg extension - 60 - 80 lbs.
- DB press - 40 - 50 lbs.
- Front Raises - 20 lbs.
- Lateral Raises - 15lbs.
- Seated rear lat raise - 50 lbs.
As far as I understand the leaning out phase, I know I should increase the cardio and decrease the weight lifted but increase the number of reps. Question: Is it better to change around the routine to focus on one body part per day and increase the cardio each day -- or keep the body part split but just reduce the weight and in crease the reps. Once I get a handle on the food intake -- what can I expect to lose -- 1 lb. of body fat per week (I don’t want to lose the muscle mass I’ve gained -- it’s taken awhile to get it). Plus any advice on food would be appreciated. Thanks.
MARTY GALLAGHER: You are using four exercises per body part and I would most definitely cut this back to two chest and shoulder exercises. Legs and arms look fine. For three weeks concentrate on 8-reps sets, second 3-weeks up the reps to 12, third 4-weeks bump the reps to 15. Gradually increase the cardio (either intensity or frequency) and clean up the food selection. Write back after the first three weeks have been concluded with a progress report.
Midwest: Marty: First, let me prove that I read regularly by stating that I know that there is no such thing as spot reducing and that diet is as important as exercise in losing weight. That said, I hope you'll be patient enough to address a question that could be posed by someone who is not armed with chat wisdom. I have been working with weights 3x/wk and jogging 2x/wk since Jan. 1. (I do all Nautilus machines, using the system you have described of adding weight when I am no longer exerting myself, plus I do crunches, push-ups, and lunges. The jogging is a bit more of a feeble effort, but I'm up to about 2 miles at a not-as-emabrassing-as it-was pace.) On top of this, I am eating sensibly. I don't know my caloric intake, but I'm skipping the office cookies, nightly ice cream, etc. (For the record, I am a 32-yr old woman, 5' 6", 140 pounds.)
Here's my dilemma: I've lost no weight (although I do feel better.) I started all this because I was sad about how flabby my arms were, and I really wanted to get them to the point where they looked a little leaner. I have friends who told me that their arms were the first thing to show progress when they started to get back into shape, and I was kind of hoping the same would happen for me. So my question is: how patient do I need to be about weight loss and noticeable results, particularly in the arm area? Is it time for something to have happened, or am I doing something wrong? Thank you!
MARTY GALLAGHER: Tough for me to be very definitive based on the scant info provided – no training, eating or cardio specifics make it difficult for me to be specific. One thing we know – what your doing is not producing the results you are seeking. Can you kick up the intensity in each of the three fitness components? Can you lift a little heavier, squeeze out a few additional reps? Perhaps you can go a little faster in the cardio sessions. How about eating a few bites less at each meal, maybe you could substitute lean protein or fiber carbs for some other less productive foods? Just brainstorming a bit. Stay in touch and let’s see if we can’t bust you out of the rut.
Boston, Mass.: Marty, I have a question about dietary supplements. I know that ephedra and other weight loss oriented stuff is dangerous and I have no interest in it. Safety is more important than anything. But what about some of the amino acid concoctions and that kind of thing, for before and after a workout that are out there (GNC, for instance)? I ask because I've been hitting the weights pretty hard for several years and while I'm definitely stronger, I still want better results. I believe the first step is to work out even harder, and stay consistent. Still, I'm wondering if these products are a., safe, and b., effective, and if I should try them or just stay away. Thanks.
MARTY GALLAGHER: I used protein powder, sport nutrition bars, C&E and not a whole lot else. I would suggest a multiple meal eating schedule that has you eating small balanced meals. The supplements I suggest fill in the nutritional gaps and cracks. Working out hard and consistent – along with some precision eating – are the classical way to trigger improvement.
Washington, D.C.: I am just getting back into strength training after a several month break. So after my first weight lifting workout I am really sore. Would it help or hurt to do an easy cardio workout the next day?
MARTY GALLAGHER: Ease into everything (including diet) exercise related: fitness is a process, not an event.
Washington, D.C.: Marty, what do you consider the best exercises/practices (other than racquetball)to improve coordination and rhythm? Also, what kind of routine would you advise for an athlete who recently purchased an ab wheel. knees/standing? sets/reps? days per week? variations? THANKS!
MARTY GALLAGHER: Coordination and rhythm for what? Start the ab wheel on the knees. 2-3 sets each to failure, twice a week.
Somewhere, USA: I am writing to you in hopes that I will be able to show my friend your response, because she won't listen to me! She is having trouble meeting her weight loss goals and I'm positive I know why. She has a great lifting regimen that she adheres to 4-5 times a week, but NO CARDIO -- ever. Plus, she assumes that because she doesn't overload on carbs, that her steady diet of salami, pepperoni, cheese, and the like won't add extra pounds. She is adamant that she doesn't need cardio, but she's also frustrated that she's got some excess poundage. Could you please outline for her a good balance between weights and cardio (and carbs, for that matter) for someone trying to shave off 5-10 pounds of fat? Thanks.
MARTY GALLAGHER: “A man convinced against his will is off the same opinion still” I’m not inclined to waste a lot of time trying to convince dubious folks; too many folks already convinced of the truth I dispense need my help and I’m not actively seeking converts. After years of zero progress perhaps she’ll come round and perhaps not. I don’t have the time or inclination to write a lengthy treatise for someone who’ll likely ignore it anyway.
Arlington, Va. Re: Deadlifting from a careful reader: Marty,
I was wondering if you could clarify an issue regarding proper form for deadlifting. A while ago you said that when you deadlift you wear/wore thick athletic socks to protect your shins -- unless I misunderstood answer was in response to a comment about people's reaction to a writer getting blood on the bar during a deadlift set. Two weeks ago you recommended that someone not continue deadlifting after he mentioned he used the squat shoulder pad to protect his shins. So finally, my question: Is the proper deadlift form to bring the bar up along/close to the shins? Occasionally, I have nicked my shins on the deadlift. I will admit, it had occurred to me to use the pad, but I did not want to risk bracing any weight against my shins. Sorry for the long question. Thanks.
MARTY GALLAGHER: Several pairs of socks will cut down (not eliminate) shin nicks. In a proper deadlift take-off, shins are vertical, the back is flat and flexed and the head is up. Push downward with the legs to break the bar form the floor.
Gaithersburg, Md.: Marty, Are you familiar with the 5BX (XBX for women) exercise system? It's described in a small paperback called the "Royal Canadian Air Force Exercise Plan for Physical Fitness," takes as little as 11 minutes a day and doesn't require any equipment. What do you think of it as a general fitness regimen?
MARTY GALLAGHER: I really don’t know anything about it.
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