| Strength & Fitness
With Marty Gallagher
Special to washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, May 27, 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: How is everyone doing?
I interviewed Bill Pearl this week for Milo Magazine and that is always a treat. Bill won Mr. America and Mr. Universe in 1953 and now at 73 he is as vibrant, healthy and assertive as ever. He lives on a farmette in rural Oregon and gets up and trains from 4 am to 6 am, six days a week before putting in time in his mail order business or twisting wrenches on one of his thirty-plus antique autos. Bill was and is a physical role model. As I point out in my interview, Pearl is important because regardless his age he always points out the physical possibilities. He still weighs 230 at 5-10 and carries more muscle than any two average 20-year olds. Bill weight trains, does cardio and pays attention to what he eats (he is a veggie) - sound familiar? It should.
Two good cook books: Alton Brown's I'm just here for the food and Steve Raichlen's How to grill. Both books are stuffed with tips on HOW to cook and make food taste good. If you learn how to make great tasting diet-food than it isn't really dieting now is it? Brown is a cook iconoclast scientific and innovative; Steve reveals about every grill technique there is and I'm giving copies to friends.
Okay let's roll ...
Alexandria, Va.: Coach--I know you say you don't think women should do exercises to develop their trapezius muscles. But, I tend to get spasms in these muscles from time to time and wonder if it is from underuse. Are there any exercises you would recommend to alleviate this spasms, without building the traps? Marty Gallagher: Trap spasms on a woman who doesn't train traps? That's a new one, but unlike Pearl, I've only been pumping iron for 41-years and still have a lot to learn ...
If you must train traps then why not try two sets of dumbbell shoulder shrugs; I'd pick a weight I could do around 20-times and do two sets to failure. Don't do them before putting on a dress-to-impress for a social evening as the trap swell will give you a distinctly Quasimodo-like look.
Baltimore, Md.: Hi Marty, Is the form for deadlifts any different on a Smith machine than when using free weights? Also, I bought some stuff from the Barbell Barn a couple of weeks ago. Thanks for the tip -- they were great! Marty Gallagher: Got to love a place called "The Barbell Barn." That's like passing a roadhouse called, "The Dew Drop Inn."
I have never done deadlifts on a Smith Machine - why would you do that?
Washington, D.C.: If a particular routine calls for multiple sets, say 3x10,is it generally accepted that the weight used is static -- and the first set or two is easier than the third? Or does one work as hard as possible in each set and decrease weight on the second and third set as fatigue increase? I guess I don't understand how and when to use multiple sets of the same number of reps. Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: Lot's of confusion on iron nomenclature -- here is what we know:
1. Always warm a muscle up before hitting it with an all-out work set. Raise the core temperature of the target muscle before the all-out effort and reduce injuries by 60%
2. If multiple work sets are involved, it only stands to reason that strength on subsequent sets will diminish. Particularly true on multiple high-rep sets as muscle fatigue takes a cumulative toll.
3. Strength regenerates in direct proportion to the amount of rest you allow between sets. It is not a good idea to rush multiple sets with a static work set poundage. Do so and inflict an unacceptable loss in reps/strength.
Washington, D.C.: Struggling with the eating leg of the triad. I hit the weights and cardio hard and religiously. I start out the week with the best of intentions, but get sidetracked on the weekends and blow the whole thing. How do you consistently nail down this leg? Marty Gallagher: Join the club: fitness devotees tend to break down into two distinct camps: those who love the training but fall down in diet and those who are naturally thin and eat clean by nature but have a problem generating the requisite intensity in training.
Have a cheat day: from friday evening till saturday evening allow yourself what you desire - foodwise that is -- the rest of the week, eat healthy and clean. This approach will put you much closer towards your goal and relatively painlessly.
Washington, D.C.: Question from a novice -- when a given lift stops being challenging enough, how do I know whether I should do more reps, add another set, or increase the poundage (or all three)? Marty Gallagher: All are valid training tactics and should be rotated into use when progress falters. Every single fitness system, no matter how sophisticated, stops delivering results at some point. The smart athletes anticipates this and has another valid system ready to roll out and take up the slack.
What is your exact routine? It is hard to be specific without specifics.
Alexandria, Va.: Marty - I've seen you mention that you go jogging and listen to tunes on a Walkman/Discman. How do you do it? Do you hold the player in your hand or wear it on a belt? I was hand-holding for a while, but that got annoying and sweaty, so I bought one of those tune belts. (Not an actual "Tune Belt" but a similar device made by "Case Logic"). My problem is that when I wear it, my disc player skips. It's a brand new disc player and is supposed to be triple shock resistant and suitable for jogging. Is there something I'm missing? Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? If I tighten the belt anymore, I won't be able to breathe! Thanks! Marty Gallagher: I pack my Sony Jogman in a fanny pack. The reason yours is skipping is that you are impacting the ground on each step with so much body weight it is jarring the device. Try and learn how to glide as you run - pounding takes a bad cumulative toll on a runner ... The best runners glide along; don't pound, glide.
Hamilton, N.Y.: Marty, Straps or no straps for back exercises to make the grip easier? Does the use of straps make the exercise less effective? Marty Gallagher: I would not use straps.
Unless your grip is so weak you can't hold onto the poundage until the set is completed.
Straps allow you to keep going but on high rep sets this is not as big an issue as on lower rep sets when you use an extremely heavy (relatively speaking) poundage. Grip should never be allowed to give before back muscles.
Arlington, Va.: Hi Marty, Just curious. Why don't you recommend women train their traps? Also, which exercises does that rule out? Marty Gallagher: The traps are relatively east to develop and I find traps developed to distraction visually narrow the shoulders as they thicken the upper back and give a very masculine quality to the neck and shoulder area. Most woman I have trained tell me they find that look unattractive and ask that I not assign exercises that over-develop this particular body part. I would avoid shrugs, power cleans and high-pulls.
Connecticut: Hello, I asked this question last week, but I guess it was confusing. Here it is again, clarified (I hope!): Marty -- I've been adhering to your "fitness tripod" (cardio, weights, diet) for years, but really started to make gains this year -- mostly by tightening up my diet, but I also started running more seriously. As I run more races this summer running 5Ks, 10Ks, working up to a 1/2 marathon), should I cut back on weight-lifting? I want to maintain my strength level, but I expect to spend more time training to run. I currently do a 3-day split (back/bis, legs/shoulders, chest/tris). I switch the exercises in my training program regularly. Female, 34-years-old.
Thanks! Marty Gallagher: That depends on what your optimal running schedule looks like -- I would perform a weight session (or two) on days I did not run. Try whole body programs that keep the edge but don't infringe on recuperation or recovery.
Midland, Mich.: Marty, am a 53-year-old male that has been on a fitness routine for the last three years. Have dropped from 250 to 195 lbs. and reduced body fat to 11 percent per the seven point pinch test administered by my fitness specialist. How do I lose the last 20 pounds of my goal and further reduce the waist (37 in down from 48). Calorie intake is about 2500 per day and exercise is 1 hour aerobic five days a week and lift weights the other two days. Marty Gallagher: Hearty congratulations: I suppose friends and family are flipping out ...
I don't know specifically what it is you are doing so I cannot make specific recommendations on what to change -- but I can tell you this with certainty: whatever it is you are doing is no longer effective and in order to blast you out of your stagnation you will have to devise a training and eating schedule radically different from whatever it is you are currently doing. Contrast creates momentum; sameness begats sameness. Itty bitty changes and modifications will not bust you through the morass you find yourself mired in. Think Big.
Silver Spring, Md.: Is there a difference in intensity in using the hydraulic vs. fee weights. I am a 36-year-old female in fairly good shape. I would like to define and shape. I find that lifting 10 pound dumbbells are very difficult. However, using the machines at the gym are much easier, but am I getting a good workout? Marty Gallagher: Harder is better.
Machines are easier and this appeals to our 'path of least resistance' human nature -- but free weights carve a deeper muscular inroad precisely because they are so much harder -- even when performing virtually identical movements. Muscle stabilizers are forced into action when free weights are used while a machine allows you to drop the vital third dimension of exercise: up, down and side-to-side.
Is this too obtuse and opaque?
Alexandria, Va.: I pulled a ligament in my ankle, which has put a damper on my legwork. I can hit the hamstring curls and leg extensions pretty hard, though. Any suggestions for other leg exercises? Marty Gallagher: Don't forget to work the hell out of the good leg: single leg calf raises, leg extensions, leg curls and single leg leg presses all using just the good leg. You can work around that injury so efficiently and effectively that the only muscle you'll not be able to hit is the calf muscle right above the injury.
Arlington, Va.: I'm 6 weeks through a 10-week cutting phase and was thinking of trying a ketogenic diet for the remaining 4 weeks. Do you have any experience with ketogenic diets, and if so, any advice or recommendations? Thanks. Marty Gallagher: Oh sure I've used a ketogenic approach with great results for short periods. I always follow the keto diet with a high fiber, moderate carb, low protein diet phase to counter-act any ill effects.
Arlington, Va.: I've been working out for three months in my office gym and lost 20 pounds doing cardi/light lifting. The facilities are limited though. Can you suggest a gym with good equipment, trainers that won't break my bank account? Thanks. Marty Gallagher: Well I train at home -- I outfitted a complete home gym for less than a grand. But I have good self-disipline and a lot of folks tell themselves they would train hard at home but don't or can't. Some people are psychologically suited to train harder and better and more consistently in public places.
New York, N.Y.: Coach, On several different lifts, especially chin-ups, hanging leg raises, and pec flyes, my shoulder has been the factor that determines how many reps I can do, not the targeted muscle. I have been working shoulders on my leg day to give them more recovery time, but that hasn't helped enough. Is there any way to take the shoulders out of those other exercises? I had a trainer look at me and he said that my form looks good. Marty Gallagher: Shoulder involvement in hanging leg raises? What's up with that? Just wear straps in the hanging leg raise and grip is taken out of the equation altogether. Flyes? relax at the bottom using ultra-light weight; let the bells stretch you downward before raising the bells with pec power and pec power alone. If you flye right you'll feel the pec activation in real time.
Virginia: I love to run, but I found that when I run my body becomes very lean, and not bulky like I expected it to become. How do lose weight that is unhealthy, become trim, and still "bulk up" when it comes to muscle definition. I only seem to get skinny. Marty Gallagher: You have to take in slightly more calories than you oxidize on a consistent daily basis.
Simultaneously weight train 3-4 times a week with great intensity using a smart program and plenty of elbow grease.
Do this for four straight weeks and you'll radically renovate your physique.
Silver Spring, Md.: I'm trying to get in shape for my upcoming wedding ... I weight train and do cardio 4-5 times a week. My problem is that I have a layer of skin around my mid-section (from a 20 lb. weight drop) that is keeping me from obtaining better abs. Is there anything I can do about this? Marty Gallagher: How long before the big day? Perhaps you should sync up a fitness periodization program?
Washington, D.C.: Any tricks for generating intensity? I push and pull and strain, but some days I'm just better than others! Marty Gallagher: Sure; as the Zen master said about meditating, do it like your hair is on fire. The more serious you take the performance of the actual set the better will be your results. If you approach a work set with the enthusiasm you reserve for brushing your teeth than the results will be minimal -- if you are able to generate a determined, focused, non-distracted mind-set and feel good about your performance AFTER the set, then you can do no more.
Re: Jogging with a CD player: The runner might want to try an MP3 player. They have no moving parts and are under $100 now. All you need is a computer with a CD player, and you can convert your CDs to MP3 format to download into your player. Marty Gallagher: Doesn't it have to be a MAC?
Western Fairfax, Va.: Marty, What ab muscles does the wheel of pain work on? Marty Gallagher: You do three sets each to failure, three times a week for two weeks and write back and TELL ME which muscles the wheel of pain works!
New York: Marty, Should I do a warm up set before each exercise, or just a few at the beginning of a workout? Midway through an hour long freeweight workout, aren't my muscles warmed up enough that I don't need to do a warm up set each time I move to a new exercise? Marty Gallagher: If you are experienced I think you can get away with it...I do - but a lot of beginners need those warm-ups.
Silver Sping, Md.: Marty: The big day is June 28th, about a month. How would I sync up a fitness periodization program? Marty Gallagher: Take four weeks and look to lose 1-2 pounds body weight per week. Increase cardio (either frequency or duration) every week for four straight weeks. Lock down the eating, cut the sugar, fat and starch, reduce calories, hit the weights and let's get serious. You could make astounding progress given four weeks BUT YOU HAVE TO LOCK IT ALL DOWN NOW!
Annapolis, Md.: Marty -- Thank you for your response to the question we submitted of home gym vs. gym membership in Annapolis. We are making the decision to commit to building the home gym to best resume the fitness quest. We will follow-up with your reference to the Barbell Barn –- The ideal set up that we both like for safety, smoothness, and the ability to have both hubbie and wife use is the linear Smith (7 degree slant) ensemble that allows for both bar and Smith -- with lat pulldowns. We have tried the Parabody, and BodySolid -- and are also looking at the Tuff Stuff Smith Combo…What are your thoughts on these manufacturers -- and should we consider a similar set-up from New York Barbell (Elmira) as a less costly alternative? I will call as you suggested. Thanks so much. Marty Gallagher: Calling is easier on me.
Manassas, Va. : Hello Marty, do you recommend branch chain amino acid? Do you really see a benefit in taking them? Marty Gallagher: I would spend my money first on protein powder, second on sport nutrition bars and then creatine; aminos are in a far distant fourth spot.
Marty Gallagher: Hey I gotta go now -- check out the answers from last week and look for the answers to today's unanswered questions at the conclusion of next week's show. Talk with you later.
5-20-03 Questions
Herbal Supplements: I have a friend taking herbal supplements to help her lose weight. She is drinking a series of milkshakes for breakfast and lunch and taking an Herbalife pill for dinner. Is this healthy? I am concerned for her because she is losing weight, but I don't know is this is the correct approach for sustained weight loss. What do you think about this? Does it work in general? Will she keep the weight off with only modest cardio exercise?
Marty Gallagher: I am no fan of liquid diets. Or any other one-dimensional diet that flies in the face of heath and saneness.
Baltimore, Md.: Marty - How hard should cardio exercise be? I've been training on a stationary bike for the last couple of months with the goal of increasing my overall endurance and health. I get my heart rate up to 160-170 beats per minute (as measured with a heart rate monitor) for 45 minutes, 5 days a week, and it doesn't take a whole lot of effort. While I breathe heavily, I'm definitely not even out of breath. However I have seen my resting heart rate drop noticeably in the last two months. A friend of mine who is an accomplished runner tells me that if I'm not out of breath and pushing myself, I'm not going hard enough and that I must be "plateaued." What's your take? For the record, I'm a healthy 23-year-old male. Thanks very much!
Marty Gallagher: That depends on your degree of fitness. Most experts would say between 65-85% of age-related HR max. Some folks are naturally adept at cardio. How much do you weigh? Check and see how many beats-per-minute does your heart rate drop in exactly 60-seconds after peaking at 170? Write back and include the original question.
Washington, D.C.: Marty, what do you think of this sample work-out routine? Do you think it will get me (I would classify myself as a beginner) accustomed to using weights as part of the tripod?
Days 1,3,5
• 5 minute warm-up
• 5 minutes of stretching
• 40 minutes of cardiovascular activity at 65 - 75 percent of predicted maximum heart rate --
• 5 minutes cool down
2 sets of 8-12 repetitions:
• Leg extension
• Leg curl
• Chest Press
• Shoulder Press
• Seated row
• Bicep curl
• Tricep extension
Days 2,7
• 5 minute warm-up
• 5 minutes of stretching
• 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity at 65%-75% of predicted maximum heart rate --
3 sets of 8-12 repetitions:
• Abdominal crunch
Days 4,6
• Rest
Thanks for your help Marty; I truly appreciate it!
Marty Gallagher: I am no big fan of warm-up and stretching before a workout; you waste 10-15 minutes that could be used for more cardio or iron pumping. If you want to stretch, do it at night as you watch TV. I would suggest doing abs at night thereby recouping even more precious training time. The workout looks fine on paper. Try it for four weeks and see what happens.
Washington, D.C.: I would like to lose about 10 pounds. I am 140-ish and about 5'8. If I worked out about 5 hours a week, aerobics classes and some cardio, how long should I expect it to take to see the weight loss. I would prefer not to alter eating patterns and meals.
Marty Gallagher: How can I tell based on such scanty information? I don’t know if you are male or female, age or degree of fitness….plus you don’t lift weights and don’t want to change your eating habits. I wouldn’t be to optimistic about affecting any radical changes if I were you.
Philadelphia, Pa.: Before having children, I was very active and physically fit. Eight years later, I have seemed to lose that desire. I don't know whether it's lack of time, desire or just laziness. I'm approaching 40 in a couple of years and my body is falling apart. What advice can you give to someone with a demanding full-time job, two school-age children? I have a home gym that collects a lot of dust. Thank you.
Marty Gallagher: I have no magic wand to wave and infuse you with desire for radical physical change. It requires real effort to cause real change and you are throwing up reason offer reason as to why you can’t – I’m at a loss as to what you want from me? Some sort of Knute Rockne speech that will fire you up and change your life? Are you looking for external solutions to situational lifestyle conflicts?
Bench press for girls: Hi Marty, I took your suggestion and moved to the Smith machine to work on my bench press. I had been using dumbbells but couldn't lift any heavier ones without killing my wrists. My question now is how long should I do presses with the Smith machine? I'm sore today, so it does work, but I do want to work up to normal bench presses since I know Smith does ZERO for balance. Also I felt my hands were in a forced, uncomfortable position.
Marty Gallagher: I feel like Simon on American Idol. I am always raining on someone’s parade: first you have a wrist that hurts and prevents you from doing benches; fair enough we provide an alternative. Now you’re back in the bench press game but suddenly concerned about ‘balance’ – you need to start bench pressing. It seems to me that you have an awful lot of concerns about comfort. I would suggest that if you can perform Smith machine bench presses without pain maybe you should concentrate on getting as good as possible at them. Why can’t you work with Smith benches for 4-6 weeks and see what happens?
Washington, D.C.: I have a question about running and weight loss. I am a female in my mid-30s. Need to lose 10 pounds. I have never exercised seriously in my life. Two months ago I started running on the treadmill. I run virtually every day, 4-5 miles, avg. speed 7, at 1 - 1 1/2 incline. I look much better but have not lost a single pound. I know that muscle weighs more than fat, but isn't this a little extreme? How long would you guess before I begin to lose weight, if ever?
Marty Gallagher: You eat too much food. Obviously if you were anywhere near your caloric breakeven point and then layered on all this new exercise your body weight would plummet. One helping of ice cream or one piece of cheesecake contains enough calories to cancel out the calorie-burning benefit of an entire workout session. No mention of weight training and no mention of diet – if you think you can ‘run off’ the extra pounds through the treadmill alone, you are sadly mistaken.
Washington, D.C.: Hello, thanks for these chats. What does it mean to have a low/high resting heart rate? What is considered a good, low resting hr. for an f/25? I went to the doctor and they said it was 71, which seems high. Is that an indication that I am out of shape or something? Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: No clue. I have given little if any thought to resting heart rate and it’s relationship to the physical renovation process. Perhaps you should pose this type question to your physician.
Bethesda, Md.: Hi Marty, I'm a woman, age 25, 5'2'', 110 lbs. What do you recommend for the most effective ab workout? I know I need to watch my diet and do my cardio as well for well defined abs, but I get bored easily with ab exercises so I'm always looking for new ways to work them. Also, should my boyfriend, 5'9'', 175 lbs, do the same ab workout as me, or would you recommend something different for him? Thanks for the advice!
Marty Gallagher: Again, you will never develop a crisp, tight waistline through abdominal exercise alone. You have to oxidize the body fat off the top of the abdominal region. This layer of lard obscures abs and this is a diet issue. How can I recommend new ab exercises when I have no idea what ab exercise you are currently performing? Do you lift weights? Are you utilizing a nutritional game plan? These are far more important then changing around ab exercises, which is akin to shuffling deck chairs around on the cruise ship. Go to the book store and walk to the fitness section; pick up a few books (perhaps one by Bill Pearl) and skim through them for new ab exercises.
Western Fairfax, Va.: Marty, First of all thanks for answering the leftover questions every week. I read 'em all. Next, a question for you that I've been pondering for a while. Say someone gets up for work, dresses, and doesn't have breakfast. Now, during the day, he doesn't have a chance for lunch. My question is, you're saying that first thing in the morning, the body uses stored body fat for energy, if there's been no food intake overnight. Where does this guy's body draw the energy from if he does the above and doesn't eat anything until dinner?
Marty Gallagher: The human body loves to cannibalize muscle tissue when it perceives starvation. The reason people who crash diet end up just as fat as before they started the starvation diet (albeit lighter in body weight) is they have lost as much (or more) muscle as fat. When subjected to prolonged catabolism (starvation) the body will spare fat and burn muscle tissue for fuel. Ain’t that grand?
Arlington, Va.: Hi coach: I'm in the last 2/3ds or so of a weight-loss phase, and my BF percent is pretty low I'm guessing around 11 percent (abs beginning to show, nice definition in shoulders and calves). Despite this, my stomach still bulges out over my belt unless I consciously suck it in. Do you know of anything I can do about this, or should I stop being so freaking vain?
Marty Gallagher: If you were an actual 11% body fat you would not have body fat on your abdominal region hanging over your belt…how do you know you are 11%? At a true 11% you should have crisp abs, tons of veins running up and down your arms and forearms (and up into the delts) and there should be hollows around the collar bone. The individual head of the quadriceps would be clearly delineated when you flex and there would be a clear cut pec line with visible serratus and intercostals. I think you should reexamine your eating and exercise habits.
Flint, Mich.: Great column. I’ve been watching my diet and exercising my abs frequently. I’m 35, male, and have been able to get a six-pack in the front and form up the muscles that line my rib cage, but can’t seem to get my obliques to a point where they nicely frame my abs. Any good exercises? Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: The answer is not exercising the obliques the answer is oxidizing the fat that obscures the external oblique region. You can do twists and side bends and all manner of oblique work from now until the cows come home and never melt off that oblique fat. Additional cardio and stricter eating are the ticket to achieving the look you seek.
Boston, Mass.: Hey Marty, I had a wedding coming up and I tried on some of my dress shirts and my suit and neither fit anymore. The dress shirts couldn't button around my neck and the suit was too tight in the upper body (arms/shoulders/back). I just bought the suit last fall and starting following your chats in January. That was real proof that my body had put on muscle. I just wanted to thank you for all your help.
Marty Gallagher: You are welcome and congratulations.
Miami, Fla.: I’m 6’3 and 170 lbs. I benchpress one or two times a week and I’ve hit a wall. I’ve been stuck at 135x10, 185x6, 205x6 and 215x2 (with assistance on the last rep). I’ve been doing this for the last 4 benchpress sessions. I want to eventually go to 135x10, 185x6 and 225x4. I’m looking to put on some mass in the chest. Any advice to get over this wall.
Marty Gallagher: You’ll never get where you want to get to using this approach; first off you are shooting all available energy on 205x6 and when you move to 215 you have nothing left. Try this for four weeks:
Week 1 135x15, 165x3, 195x8 for three sets – allow plenty of rest between sets
Week 2 135x15, 165x3, 200x7 for three sets
Week 3 135x15, 165x3, 205x6 for three sets
Week 4 135x15, 165x3, 210x5 for three sets
Week 5 135x15, 165x3, 195x1, 225x3
Sacramento, Calif.: Hey, Coach, wrote in 3 weeks back missing a weight progression on the squat during a diet cycle ... anyways, nailed the next week (265x12), but pooped out at 275 the next week (8)... figured I could force the squat up just through sheer guts -- after all, how many times do you see people in the gym really take their squat to failure? Two weeks left in the lean-down, and retooled the workout for the home stretch (mixed up exercises, split, reps -- emphasis on form and hold the poundage) -- after that I'll roll into a McCallum specialization scheme and hold the new look for two months, then I'll choose between a 20-rep breathing squat program, German Volume Training, or the workout scheme from Coan: The Man, The Myth, The Method (thank you Santa Claus) to pack on some quality lean mass and push the squats into 300-land. (Any recommendations?) The real question: I've found that including either SLDL's or good mornings help my squat out -- not just in weight increase, but low back recovery (not what I expected, but doing a set or two after squats -- not necessarily immediately, but later in the workout -- makes my lower back feel better and fresher). Is there a percentage range for these exercises relative to your squat? McCallum writes that your SLDL should be around your squat weight, and I thought I read somewhere that good mornings should be 60 percent - 75 percent of your squat -- is this close, or don't even try to correlate the exercises?
Marty Gallagher:
1. I don’t think taking squats to failure even on a semi-regular basis is a good idea. I cannot remember the last time I missed a squat.
2. The best way to squat 400 (forget 300) is to work hard on 5-rep pause squat sets
3. When you are able to do five pause squats with 285 you’ll be doing 400x1
4. Do you bend forward excessively when you squat? My low back never bothers me because I have an upright style; my shoulders are always over my tail bone. You should check and make sure you’re not leaning forward too much. If you are, slash the poundage, kick the reps up and relearn the technical subtleties of the lift.
Falkirk, Scotland: Marty, After going through a bulking up phase, I am currently 4 weeks into a 12-week toning up cycle. The problem I have is that the weights I am lifting now are quite a bit lighter than I was able to lift at the end of my bulking up phase. I have cut back on the amount of carbs that I eat, but have kept my protein intake quite high (about 2g - 3g per Kilogram of body weight). In addition to my lifting I also do on average 40 mins. of cv a night. I have noticed a visible drop in body fat, but the size I had gained in muscle seems to have dropped a bit. Is this normal or is there anything I can do to keep my strength/weights up? My current lifting split is:
Monday - back/triceps
Wednesday - shoulders/legs
Friday - Chest and Biceps
I tend to stick to the basic deadlift, Squat, and press movements as the main part of my regime.
Marty Gallagher: It is an unfortunate fact of life that when you slice-and-dice a body, that body will lose a certain amount of power. The trade off is a vastly reduced body fat percentile. Hold the course and don’t worry about it: the payoff comes when you end this lean-out phase and roll back into a power-mass phase. The tighter you diet and deny and discipline yourself now the more astounding your sheer muscle and power gains will be once you swing the pendulum back the other direction. I would lift in higher rep ranges when I was leaning and looked to set rep records in the higher ranges.
Palo Alto, Calif.: Marty, My 16-year-old son has been lifting for most of his two high school years. He's made very rapid progress in the last year, going from a 150 lbs. one-time bench press to 250 lbs. I've listed his current workout below. His lifting practice is "ever upward", never backtracking to higher rep/lower weight. I can't convince him (of much, but that's another story) that the net effect of cycling between lower and higher weights might be even greater progress, with less wear-and-tear on the joints. He's 6', 185, and plays football and basketball. His workouts are without adult supervision. Do you think he'd do better to vary his workouts between lower and higher weights? Do you see any unproductive or potentially harmful (to joints) exercises in his workout? Thanks for your time.
MWF
Flat bench:
warm-up 8 reps - 135, 8 reps - 135,
6 reps - 155, 6 sets of 5 reps each at
185, 185, 190, 195, 200, 205
incline: 3 set of 8 reps at 145, 145, 150
flat bench dumbbells: 3 sets of 8 reps at 70
incline bench dumbbells: 3 sets of 8 reps at 60
flys: 2 x 12 - 110 2 dropsets
tris: 2 x 12 - 110 2 dropsets
skullcrushers: 3 x 10 - 65
TTh
Legs:
Leg press occasionally
5 x 5 powercleans 135, 145, 155, 145, 135
5 x 5 - 225 squats
5 x 5 - 225 dead lifts
Other
These exercises are performed maybe once or twice a week, appended to a day's workout.
Shoulder raises with dumbbells.
Shrugs 3 x 20 - 70
Military press 3 x 10/8/6 - 110
Lat pulldowns or rows 3 x 10
Misc: various curls, trap exercises, lawnmower
Marty Gallagher: My wife says I was raised by wolves and I see a lot of my adolescent self in this one. If you lived closer I’d have him in for a weekend and set him straight. Tell you the truth he is doing most things correct. Staleness and lack of progress will cause him to alter his approach at some point. When I was his age (you’ll find hard to believe) I too was a one-way hard-head with opinions and attitude and lots of sullen demeanor. Tell him his squat is too low in relation to his bench press and I love that he is doing power cleans. He needs to learn how to deadlift correctly. I could clean and then press 200x10 weighing 195 at age 18 and pressed a national teenage record (at the time) of 260 (along with a 225 snatch) – I could squat and deadlift 500 and power clean 295x3 with straps so tell him he better get busy if he wants to catch me. I like the “lawn mower” exercise. Wax on, Wax off…
Alexandria, Va.: Marty, I'm dropping my club membership for $ reasons and want to continue at home. I've got dumbbells up to 75 pounds. My upper body work out :
Day 1
Bench
Fly or Incline
Dips
Triceps
Day 2
Deadlift
Chinups/Pullups
Curl #1
Curl #2
The only one I'm not sure about doing at home is the deadlift with dumbbells. Should I purchase I barbell? Also what would you suggest to get a rigorous quad, hamstring and calf workout on the legs? Thanks.
Marty Gallagher: You have the hard part out of the way in that you have a great set of dumbbells up to 75-pounds: there are dozens of exercises you can do but you need to open up your mind.
1. flat, incline and decline bench press
2. seated overhead press
3. seated and standing lateral raises, bent over reverse laterals
4. deadlifts, rows, power cleans, hi-pulls
5. stiff leg deadlift, SLDL of a box, Romanian DL
6. seated and standing curls, spider curls, incline curls, preacher curls
7. seated and standing tricep extensions, lying French press
8. straight arm pullover on a bench, bent arm pullover
9. standing calf raise on a stair-step holding a dumbbell
10. squats while holding two dumbbells
I’m sure there are dozens of other exercises I’m sure I’ve forgotten.
Newport News, Va.: Hi Marty. I have a question about my leg workout. I am a 47-year- old male, 6’ 2”, 255 lbs. I have been working out consistently 3 days a week for about 18 months. I have not been that consistent since I was in my mid 20s. Back then I didn’t do much in the way of leg training except for running. Since I started back I have been doing legs one day a week and upper body the other two. For my leg workout I have been doing Leg Press, Leg Curls, Standing Calf Raises, leg extensions. I was very cautious about doing squats, although I know that you and others recommend them, because of concern for my knees. I have noticed that doing certain things like running on hard surfaces, climbing up and down ladders or stairs a lot seems to irritate or bother my knees. However, I have also started taking a glucosamine supplement and have made good progress on doing the leg press without any problems. I would like your recommendations on what to do or how to change my workout as I am stuck in a rut in big way. Here is my current work out:
30 minutes warm up cardio
Leg Press on a Plate loaded Cybex machine -- pyramid using 45 lb. plates starting with 10x180, 10x360, 10x540, 10x720, 10x450, 10x270, 10x90
A few times I have tried going up to 20 plates but have only been able to do 4 or 5 reps.
Standing Calf Raise 3 X 10 X 150
Standing Leg Curl 3 x 8 x 60
Leg Extension 3 x 10 x 90
I also do ab work all 3 days. Any suggestions?
Marty Gallagher: I would suggest a entirely new approach to leg training. I doubt that you are going very deep on 10-reps with 720 in the leg press. Going deep can actually cause problems if you allow the lower back to come up off the bench as you lower and than push. Why not learn to squat using zero poundage? How about learning how to do a flat-footed, deep, free-weight pause squat? Pausing the weight in the bottom-most position makes squatting twice as hard and 50-reps with ZERO poundage, squatting down below parallel and holding the bottom position for a full beat before arising is a lot tougher than it sounds….do 100-pause squat reps and you’re thighs will explode with growth. Use the same procedure on your leg presses: slash the poundage and make sure your lower the sled until it can go no lower without your back coming off the pad. Pause a beat before pushing to lockout. Try holding the locked position of the leg extension for five full seconds before lowering the poundage. Hold the top position of the calf raise for 5-seconds before lowering. I hope this is food for thought – I suggest reducing the poundage and relearning the basic movements. Then build the poundage back up over time but with new and improved technical ability. I periodically ‘break down’ and rebuild my exercise techniques using this approach.
washingtonpost.com: That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.
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