-
magazine
259
training and
nutrition tips
inside
MUSCLE
RULES OF
BUILDING
7
For beginners
and experts
Add strength
and size
Lose your
belly fat
7R
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OF
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MUSCLE
RULES OF
BUILDING
7
magazine
By Joe Warner
Art EditorRichardDavis
Design Ian Jackson, JoGurney
SubeditorJuliet Giles
PhotographyTomMiles, DuncanNicholls
ModelKirkMiller@WAthletic
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CONTENTS
GETTING STARTED
ForewordbyCharles Poliquin 8
About the book 11
Build a foundation 34
RULE ONE
Knowyour body 15
RULE TWO
RULE THREE
Use compound lifts 54
RULE FOUR
Varyyour exercises 78
RULE FIVE
Change thevariables 116
RULE SIX
Varyyourworkouts 136
RULE SEVEN
Eat to buildmuscle 156
RULETHREE
Compound lifts, such
as squats, shouldbe
the foundationof any
muscle-buildingplan
RULESEVEN
Eating the right
foodsat the right
time is critical to success
RULEFOUR
Isolationexercises, such
as thebiceps curl, can
acceleratemusclegain
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FOREWORD
The chances are that youvepickedup 7RulesOf BuildingMuscle
for oneof several reasons. Youmayhavenever set foot in a
gymbefore
butwant tomake somepositive changes to your physique.
Ormaybeyou
have trainedwithweights for awhile but
havebeendisappointedby
your progress. Or youmaybe anexperienced gym-goerwhos looking
for
newways to continue to addmuscular size and strength.
The scenariosmaybedifferent, but theultimate aim is exactly the
same.
Youwant to addhard, leanmuscle to your frame to be fitter,
stronger and to
lookbetterwith your shirt off. Lets face it whodoesnt?
Despitewhat youmay think, buildingmuscle is easy. Thats right.
There
is nomythormystery about packinghard, leanmuscle to your frame.
It
doesnt require pills and foul-tasting potions, nor does it
involve risking life
and limbonallmanner of kit andequipment that looks as though it
should
really belong in amedieval dungeon.
All thats required is that you train smart, eatwell and then
rest to allow
yourmuscles to build backbigger and stronger. Butwhat typeof
exercises
shouldyoubedoing andhowoften?Why shouldyou shakeupyour
training
to ensure yourmuscles grow?When is the right time to ring these
changes?
Andwhat are the best foods to fuelmuscle performance and
recovery?
If you are looking for the answers to these
andmanymorequestions
about building the bodyyouve alwayswanted, thenyouve come to
the
right place. In your handsyoure holding thedefinitive guide to
building
muscle,with all the information, tips and advice youneed to
build your
dreambodyeffectively andefficiently.
Theonly question I have is:what are youwaiting for?
CHARLES POLIQUIN
byCharlesPoliquin, theworld-renownedstrength
andconditioningcoach,whohas trained
Olympians in 12sports,worldrecordholders
in tensportsandprofessionalathletes in the
NBA,NFL,NHL,MLBandEnglishPremierLeague
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Mens Fitness
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Here at
Mens Fitness
magazinewe
get asked a lot of
questions, and
manyare on the
subject of howbest
to buildmuscle.With
somuch training
information flying
around either at the
gym, or onwebsites
andonline forums andoffering often
contradictory ideas onhow tomake
yourself bigger, stronger and leaner, the
simple truths canquickly becomeover-
complicated anddownright confusing.
Which iswhy this bookhas separated
the facts from the fiction and the fads
to provide youwith all the information
youneed explained in simple but
highly effective terms onhowyoucan
transformyour physique into the one
youve alwayswanted.
Simple steps
In the first chapterwehelp you identify
your body type. Onceyouknow this,
you canmake themost of your strengths
whileminimising yourweaknesses
to start addingmuscle quickly and
efficiently.Wealso detail themuscle
groups of the body, explain how they
move and the science behindhow they
grow, andweanswer themuscle-building
questionswere frequently asked.
In chapter twowegive you the tools to
assess your current level of fitness and
explainwhyyouneed to build a strong
foundation tomake injury-free progress.
We then reveal exactly howyoucando
this, alongwith a clear guide towarming
up, cooling downand stretching all of
which are vital to prevent injury and
primeyourmuscles for growth.
Chapter three focuses on compound
exercises those that involvemore than
onemuscle group which form the basis
of all successfulmuscle-building training
programmes.With our step-by-step guide
youll be able tomaster these extremely
effectivemoves in no time.
ABOUTTHISBOOK
Tobuildstrong, leanmuscle fasteryouneedto
followjustsevensimplerules
JoeWarner, editor
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ABOUTTHISBOOK
Mix it up
Thenext chapter examines the
limitations of doing the sameexercises
week in,weekout anddetails themain
variations of the key compoundmoves
andwhyyou shoulddo them to keep
yourmuscles growing.Wealso look
at howyoucan identify and fix any
muscular imbalances orweaknesses
thatmight beholding youback.
Chapter five takes amagnifying glass
to the key components of an individual
workout including exercise selection,
sets, reps and tempo andwhychanging
these regularly is crucial in the pursuit of
biggermuscle.
Chapter six then examines different
set strategies and long-term training
programmes tohelp youmeet your
goals quickly and effectively.
Food for thought
The final chapter is a comprehensive
guide to thehugely important role
nutritionplays in building and
maintainingmuscle.We give you the
basic rules youneed to follow, some
easy-to-followmeal plans andhandy
muscle snacks, alongwith an in-depth
investigation into supplements, such as
protein powder, creatine and fat-burners,
and tell you if you really need them.
So sit back and start reading. Thats
the easy bit. Thenyou canput your
newfoundknowledge into action.We
wont lie: this is thehardpart, and it
requiresmotivation, determination and
dedication. But by clearly explaining
what youneed todo,when todo it and
whyyouneed todo it, wehope tomake
yourmuscle-building journeynot only
successful, but also enjoyable.
By clearly explaining what
you need to do, when to do it
and why, we hope to make
your muscle-building journey
successful and enjoyable
h t
y
-
KNOW
YOUR
BODY
RULE ONE
16 Control your body shape
18 Endomorph
20 Mesomorph
22 Ectomorph
24 Knowyourmuscles
26 Moveyour body
28 Howmuscles grow
30 Weight training glossary
32 MuscleQ&A
CCOONNNNTTENNTSSCONTENTSCCONNNTTENTTTSS
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Control your
body shape
Whetheryoupackonmuscleeasily, struggle toshift
yourgutorstay leandespitehours liftingweights,
smart trainingwillmaximiseyourpotential
Beforewe begin its important that
you establishwhich body shape
you have been gifted by your parents.
Knowing thismeans you can train in
themost eicient way possible to reap
maximum changes inminimum time.
The idea that human body types are
genetically pre-set is nothing new. Plato
mentions it in The Republic, whichwas
written around 380BC, and the 19th-
century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche
referred to the idea in The Antichrist
years before psychologistWilliam
Herbert Sheldon popularised three
broad categories of body in the 1940s.
But its since Sheldons conclusions
were published that it has becomewidely
recognised thatmost people have a body
type thatmarks themout as either being
an endomorph (bigwith high levels
of body fat), amesomorph (muscular) or
an ectomorph (lean).
Power struggle
Over the past decade, science has
discovered a lotmore about how
your geneticmakeup determines
what your body shapewill be and,
more importantly, what you can do to
overcome your genetic shape. Read on
to learnmore about the three diferent
body shapes and discover the steps you
can take to control your natural shape
rather than let it control you to get the
body youve alwayswanted, nomatter
what hand your genes have dealt you.
RULE ONE KNOW YOUR BODY
Areyouan
endomorph,
mesomorphor
ectomorph?
Turnover to
findout.
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BODYSHAPES:ENDOMORPH
Shiftyourspare tyrebyditchingcardio forweightsand
watchingwhat youeat
If youhave trouble
shiftingweight even
whenwatching your diet,
the chances are youre an
endomorph, characterised by
having a relatively high amount
of stored fat, awidewaist and a
large bone structure. Great for
powerlifters, not so goodwhen
youre heading to the beach.
Whats going on?
Evolutionarily speaking, youre
a badass:when foodwas scarce,
natural selectionprobably
favouredhumanswith fat-
storingmetabolisms. But now
sofas andmilkshakes are readily
available, those samegenes are
scuppering you. In one study
where subjectswere overfed
for 1,000calories a dayover
a 100-dayperiod,weight gain
varied from4.3kg to 13kg, and
demonstrated that peoplemore
predisposed to store fat put on
three times asmuchweight as
others. Someexperts suggest that
heredity factorsmight account
for asmuchas 70per cent of your
bodymass index (BMI), so dont
be toohardonyourself if the
weight isnt coming off. You just
need to train smarter.
What youre doing wrong
Theres nopoint in spending
hours on a treadmill. If youre
trying to loseweight youneed
toditch long, slow, steady-state
cardiovascularwork formore
interval-based conditioning to
strip away fat. Sprints andbox
jumps are great, but if youre
heavy to thepoint of being
worried about your joints, then
moves like the sledpush are
slower but just as effective. And
dont fall into the trap of doing
hundreds of sit-ups to shift your
gut. The ideayou can spot reduce
fat is amyth. To reveal that hidden
six-packyouneed to loseweight
fromeverywhere.
What you should be doing
You should be combining
hypertrophy, ormuscle-building
work,with conditioning to
strip away that unwantedbody
fat. A four-day split could go
something like:Monday, upper-
bodyhypertrophy; Tuesday,
lower-body conditioning such
as sprints; Thursday lower-
bodyhypertrophy; and aFriday
repetition dayon theupper body,
whenyoull do lots of reps at
relatively lowweights.
What to eat
Unfortunately, youll have
towatchwhat you eatmore
strictly thanpeoplewith other
body shapes. The first thing to
keep an eyeon is the amount of
carbs youre eating. Toomany
by
mount
and a
for
when
h.
oure
scarce,
ow
eadily
s are
dy
fed
r
ain others. Someexperts suggest that six-packyouneed to
loseweight
Endomorph
The look
Rotund
Why?
High tendency to store body fat
Do
Train with intensity
Watch your carb intake
Build your shoulders
Dont
Do endless sit-ups
Jog for hours
Drink sports drinks
FIT TIP
Endomorphs need
to forget sit-ups and
swap hours of easy
exercise for short,
intense sessions in
the gym
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throughout
theday
will spike
your levels of
insulin, the fat-storing
hormone. Instead,
get your carbs from
vegetables, and
experimentwith
your diet to see
what elsemight be
holding youback.
And, of course, you
should steerwell
clear of the booze.
What else?
Theres someevidence that extra
weight around themidsection
indicates high levels of the stress
hormone cortisol and therefore low
capacity to handle stress, so try to
minimise its effects by getting plenty
of sleep andavoid overtraining. In
termsof supplements, youdoneed
to avoid sports drinks andother
high-energydrinks,which are full
of carbs in the formof sugar, andwill
sendyour blood sugar through the
roof, leading to fat storage. Protein
supplements that are low in carbs
are absolutely fine.
Money moves
If youre an endomorph, get used
tousing your body for themost
effective shape-shiftingworkouts.
Bodyweightmoves like the press-up
or chin-up are great, as aremoves
that force you touse good technique
such as thehang clean. One trick
somecoaches usewhen training
endomorphs is to focus onbuilding
up their upper bodies, especially
the shoulders and lats, to bring the
broaderwaist into proportion
moves such as shoulder presses and
pull-ups shoulddo this jobnicely.
Mens Fitness
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KN
OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
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DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
ut
of
fat-storing
nstead,
arbs from
and
ntwith
to see
might be
uback.
urse, you
erwell
booze.
e?
meevidence that extra
und themidsection
high levels of the stress
cortisol and therefore low
handle stress, so try to
ts effects by getting plenty
nd avoid overtraining. In
upplements, youdoneed
ports drinks andother
ydrinks,which are full
the formof sugar, andwill
blood sugar through the
g to fat storage. Protein
nts that are low in carbs
tely fine.
moves
endomorph, get used
our body for themost
shape-shiftingworkouts.
htmoves like the press-up
are great, as aremoves
ou touse good technique
hang clean. One trick
ches usewhen training
hs is to focus onbuilding
pper bodies, especially
ers and lats, to bring the
waist into proportion
ch as shoulder presses and
houlddo this jobnicely.
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BODYSHAPES:MESOMORPH
Youregeneticallygifted,but trainingsmarter
canstill result inevengreater gains
If you are amesomorphyoull
know it from the envious looks
you get. Thats becausemesomorphs
can look fairlywell builtwithout even
setting foot in a gym. If this sounds like
you thenyouvehit the genetic jackpot
but you can stillmake themost of your
DNAwith some tacticalworkout tricks.
Whats going on?
If you expand in sizewhenyou somuch
as look at a dumb-bell, chances are its
all to dowith satellite cell-mediated
myonuclear addition or, in non-science
terms, the amount of cells surrounding
yourmuscle fibres andyour ability to
addmore of themby training. One 2008
study showed that out of 66people put
on the sameweights programme the
top 17 responders experienced a 58per
cent gain inmuscle cross-sectional area,
while the bottom 17 gainednothing at
all. If youre a good responder youve
got a great head start, but losing fat and
training efficiently canworkwonders.
moves. Alternatively, give interval
sprints a go. Theywill pumpup
yourmetabolism for the rest of
theday and really strip away fat.
What to eat
Although the obvious caveats
apply no fizzydrinks or cakes
the goodnews is that your
bodywill respondprettywell to
whatever healthy foodyouput
into it. Unlike endomorphs you
can eat amoderate amount of
carbs, and always err on the side
ofmorewhen it comes to protein.
Twogramsper kilo of bodyweight
is theminimumyou should be
aiming for, butmore is fine.
rainingsmarterg
gains
moves. Alternatively, give interval
sprints a go Theywill pumpup
Mesomorph
The look
Well-built
Why?
High metabolism, responsive
muscle cells
Do
Train like an athlete
Time your workouts
Set personal bests
Dont
Take your body for granted
Neglect recovery sessions
Eat whatever you like
FIT TIP
Mesomorphs ind
buildingmuscle easy
butmust still stay
focused to achieve
their full potential
What youre doing wrong
Mesomorphs oftendont train
as hard as they can, and the
workouts theydomight lack
intensity. To counter this, try
performing timedworkouts so
that youhave a target to aimat
as thiswill increase your focus,
intensity and effort levels.
What you should be doing
Mesomorphs should train
athletically to capitalise on their
genetic gift, so do sprints, box
jumps andvertical jumpsor other
explosivemoves. You respond
well to low reps around the
three-to-five range andpower
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What else to think about
Factor in recoverydays. Explosive
athleticworkoutsminimise
yourmuscles exposure to the
eccentric or lowering part of
exercises,whichhelps stave off
muscle soreness. Thismeans you
will be able to dodo some light
movements onyour rest days to
get the blood flowing andkeep
you fresh for your nextworkout.
Money moves
Trypairing a strengthmovewith a
powermove thatworks the same
muscles. For example, superset
five reps on thedeadliftwith five
on the clean.
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BODYSHAPES: ECTOMORPH
Itshard foryoutobuildmuscle,butnot impossible
providedyouusebig liftsandgoodcarbs
Youve got the build of a
marathon runner lean,
but short onmuscle. And it can
bedifficult to packon size despite
hours in the gym.
Whats going on?
Research shows that some
individuals have trouble
responding to strength training.
Further tests on the group
mentionedonpage 20 showed
that theworst responders saw
no change in their regulation
ofmyogenin a key gene
responsible formuscle growth
while other subjects on the same
workout programme saw their
levels spike by asmuchas 65per
cent. But dont be put off by this.
Different people respondbetter to
different training regimes andby
tweaking the volume, intensity or
frequencyof theirworkouts the
poor respondersmaywell have
seenbetter results.
ig liftsandgoodcarbs
te
me
to
r
Ectomorph
The look
Lean and long
Why?
Difficulty building muscle.
Do
Train with compound moves
Eat enough protein
Use isolation moves as inishers
Dont
Overemphasise isolation moves
Train too often
Do too much cardio
FIT TIP
Compound lifts, such
as the deadlift, should
form the basis of
every ectomorphs
training plan
What youre doing wrong
First, ditch the treadmill: youre
lean enough. Long, slowdistance
work, is theworst thing you
cando. Second, dont packyour
weights sessionwith classic
isolationmoves like the biceps
curl. Youneed to build your
training programmearoundbig,
compoundmovements like the
squat, deadlift andbenchpress.
These involvemoremuscles and
give you thehormonal boost that
helps buildmuscle. You can still
use isolationmoves, but they
need to supplement yourmain
workout: around80per cent of
yourworkout should be basedon
hitting yourmajormuscle groups.
What you should be doing
Compoundmovements, four sets,
in the eight to 12 rep range. But you
dont have to live in the gym toput
onmuscle quite the contrary.
If youreworking out four or five
days aweek thenyouremaking
things inefficient because youll
be speedingupyourmetabolism
toomuchandmaking it difficult
to put on size. Stick to three
quality sessions perweek and
keep the training time, after a
warm-up, to 45minutes or less.
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What to eat
Goodnews: youdont have
to steer clear of carbs. In fact,
youneed them. Thats because
youwant a spike in your blood
sugar to drive protein to your
muscles. Stick to the complex
kind, like brown rice, and stick
to aminimum2gper kilo of
bodyweight rule for protein.
Unlikemesomorphs, however,
you shouldnt exceed this
because toomuchprotein,
like training, can speedup
yourmetabolismandmake
it harder to growmuscle.
What else?
For ectomorphs
quality nutrition
is almost as
important as
smart training
in adding lean
muscle.More
than anyother
body typeyou
need touse
supplements
properly. Have a carb/protein
shake before andduring your
workout, and then have another
one or a goodmeal afterwards.
Money moves
Thedeadlift is your best friend:
peoplewith long arms should
find it relatively easy, and it
uses the entire body so itll pack
onmass. Infuriatingly, though
squatswill also dowonders for
your physique, if youre a tall
ectomorphyoumight find them
difficult because your longer
limbsmake it harder to get below
parallel in the squat. If so, its fine
to use the leg press.
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KNOWYOURMUSCLES
Thereareover600muscles
in thehumanbody.Theseare
themajor onesyoullbe targeting
duringyourworkouts
Deltoids
1
Medial deltoid (middle)
2
Anterior deltoid (front)
Pectorals
3
Pectoralis major
4
Pectoralis minor (beneath
the pectoralis major)
Biceps
5
Biceps brachii
6
Brachialis
7
Brachioradialis
Forearms
8
Flexor carpi radialis
Abdominals
9
Serratus anterior
10
Rectus abdominis
11
External obliques
12
Internal obliques
(beneath external obliques)
13
Transverse abdominis
(beneath internal obliques)
Quadriceps
14
Vastus lateralis
15
Rectus femoris
16
Vastus intermedius
(beneath rectus femoris)
17
Vastus medialis
1
5
10
14
3
11
15
7
4
12
16
8
9
13
17
2
6
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Traps
1
Trapezius
Back
2
Teres major
3
Rhomboid
(beneath
trapezius)
Deltoids
4
Rotator cuff (beneath deltoids)
5
Posterior deltoid (back)
Lats
6
Latissimus dorsi
Triceps
7
Triceps brachii long head
8
Triceps brachii lateral head
9
Triceps brachii medial head
Lowerback
10
Erector spinae
Glutes
11
Gluteus maximus
Hamstrings
12
Biceps femoris
13
Semitendinosus
14
Semimembranosus
Calves
15
Gastrocnemius
16
Soleus
3
5
13
14
1
15
8
6
11
16
7
4
12
9
2
10
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MOVEYOURBODY
Howyourmusclescontroleverymoveyoumake
Every timeyou take awalk, burst into
a sprint or lift a barbell off the ground,
a hugenumber of intricately connected and
co-ordinatedmuscle actions takeplace. It feels
so natural that younever even think about it,
but every singlemoveyoumake is changing
your bodys position ononeof several planes
and axes. Hereswhat youneed to know.
THEPLANESAND
AXISOFHUMAN
MOVEMENT
The three planes
1Sagittalplane
This passes from front to rear, dividing
the body into right and left sections.
2Frontalplane
Also knownas the lateral plane, this
passes from left to right at right angles
to the sagittal plane, dividing the body
into front andback sections.
3Transverseplane
Also knownas thehorizontal plane,
this divides the body into upper and
lower sections.
The three axes
1 Frontalaxis
This passes through the body from right
to left at right angles to the sagittal plan.
2Sagittalaxis
Also knownas the transverse axis, this
passes horizontally from front to rear
at right angles to the frontal plane.
3Verticalaxis
Also knownas the longitudinal axis, this
passes fromhead to feet at right angles to
the sagittal plane.
Transverse
plane
Sagittal
plane
Frontal
plane
Longitudinal
axis
Sagittal
axis
Frontal
axis
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Concentric
During concentric contractions themuscle shortens
while generating force. In general, concentricmuscle
actions are responsible for the lifting part of an exercise,
such as the biceps shortening as you lift a dumb-bell to
shoulder height during a biceps curl.
MUSCLEACTIONS
Allmovementbeginswithamusclecontraction,which pulls
ona joint tomoveyourskeleton.Thesemuscle contractionscanbe
categorised intooneof threedistinct types
Eccentric
During eccentric contractions usually the lowering
part of an exercise themuscle lengthens and is around
tenper cent stronger than it is during concentric
contractions. It is these heavy eccentric loads that cause
themaximumamount of damage to yourmuscles. Its
for this reasonyou should always lower aweight slowly
andunder control: not only does thisminimise the risk
of injury it alsomakes each repmore effective.
Isometric
During isometric contractions amuscle generates
forcewithout changing length. Examples
includeyour entire abdominal regionduring
a plank, or themuscles of thehandandwrist
whenyou grip anobject. Although researchby
NASA into preventingmusclemass breakdown
found isometric contractions arent as effective
for building andmaintainingmusclemass as
concentric and eccentric contractions, they
should still formpart of yourworkout, especially
for abs and corework. But, isometric contractions
can cause a rapid rise in bloodpressure so should
be avoided if youhave aheart condition.
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HOWMUSCLESGROW
Thesimplesciencebehindaddingmusclemass
Muscle growth is essentially
your body responding to
the stress ofweight training by
thinking, thatwashard, Id better
do something about it so its not as
difficult next time.
This is becausewhenyouperform
weight-training exercises you
createmicroscopic tears in your
muscles, andyour bodys response
to this microtrauma of themuscle
cells is to overcompensate bynot
just repairing thedamaged tissue
but addingmore. In thiswayyour
muscles becomebigger and stronger
and so the risk of future damage is
minimised. It alsomeans you should
progressively increase theweight
you lift, because yourmuscles
quickly adapt to dealwith the stress
towhich theyhavebeen exposed.
Its also thought that this damage
to yourmuscle fibres is the reason
for the soreness and stiffness you
feel in yourmuscles in thedays after
a toughworkout, knownasdelayed
onsetmuscle soreness, orDOMS.
And itswhyyou should leave at
least 48hours between sessions that
target the samemuscle group.
If you train again before your
muscles havebeen repaired and
rebuilt youwont be as strong and
you run the risk of injuring yourself.
Anatomy of a muscle
Hereswhat yourmuscles aremadeof
Muscles are constructedof bundles of fibres
contained in protective sheaths, called fascia,
which are thenbundled together. The biggest bundle is
themuscle itself. Thenext bundles in line are the fascicles,
which contain the long, single-celledmuscle fibres.Muscle
fibres are then sub-divided intomyofibrils, which are
divided again into bundles ofmyofilaments,madeup
fromchains of sarcomeres.
1
EPIMYSIUM
A layer of connective
tissue that encases the
entire muscle.
2
ENDOMYSIUM
A layer of connective tissue
that covers the muscle
ibres and also contains
capillaries (tiny blood
vessels) and nerves.
3
PERIMYSIUM
A layer of connective tissue
that bundles together
between ten to several
hundreds of individual
muscle ibres into fascicles.
4
FASCICLE
A bundle of individual
muscle ibres.
5
MYOFILAMENTS
The smallest ibre bundles
in your muscles.
6
MUSCLE FIBRE
Individual muscle ibres
come in twomain types:
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type 1 or slow-twitch,
which are best suited
to endurance because
they are slow to fatigue;
and type 2 or fast-twitch,
which are suited to fast,
explosive movements
and quickly fatigue.
7
BLOOD VESSEL
Part of the circulatory
system, blood vessels
come in three types:
arteries, which transport
oxygenated blood
away from the heart;
veins, which transport
deoxygenated blood and
back to the heart; and
capillaries, the smallest
blood vessels, which
enable the exchange
of nutrients and waste
products between the
blood and tissues.
8
TENDON
Strong, connective
tissue that connects
muscles to bone.
1
The warm-up
An increasedheart rate
pumpsblood to your
muscles,warming them
upandallowing them to extend
fully. It also suppliesmuscle
fibreswith oxygen.
2
Loading the
muscle
At the start of the rep
yourmuscles are under
load and stretched. As a result
your heart pumpsmore blood
into the protective sheaths that
surround themuscle fibres,
supplying oxygen andnutrients
to these fibres.
3
Sparking your
nervous system
Whenyouwant to lift
theweight your central
nervous system relays this fact
to thenerves contained in the
sheaths protecting themuscle
fibres. This in turn tells the
muscle fibres to contract, and so
lift theweight. If youre doing the
exercise correctly, yourmuscles
activate in a particular sequence
andyour central nervous system
adapts to this. As you repeat the
workout over time, your nerves
getmore efficient, so you cando
more reps or liftmoreweight.
4
Chemical
reactions
Adenosine
triphosphate (ATP)
is the immediate energy
source formuscle contraction.
It is brokendownwithin
the bodys cells to release
energy. The cells creatine,
phosphate and glycogen
reserves are also converted
intoATP. This process creates
lactic acid as a by-product.
5
Feeling the burn
Once glycogen stores
in the cells have been
depleted and lactic
acid has built up, themuscle
cantwork efficiently, so you
need to rest.While you rest,
aerobic (oxygen-based)muscle
respiration occurs, converting
lactic acid back into glycogen to
give youenergy for thenext set.
6
Successful failure
Asyou reach failure on
your last set, your fast-
twitchmuscle fibres
becomecompletely fatigued.
Microscopic tears (microtears)
are created in themyofilaments,
the smallest fibre bundles in
yourmuscles.
7
Repair and growth
The firstwayyour
muscles start to grow
is through thepost-
workout repair process. Your
body repairs themicrotears
by adding the amino acids
actin andmyosin to the
myofilaments,which also causes
them to grow in size. The body
is unable to growadditional
muscle cells, however, so growth
is limited by thenumber of cells
that youhave. Another effect
of intenseworkouts is that your
muscles adapt to storemore
glycogen, so that therewill be
more energyonhand for the
nextworkout. This also has the
happy side effect ofmaking the
muscles increase in size slightly.
How muscles work
Whathappens to yourmuscleswhile youworkout and rest? These are
the key
stages in theprocess of breakingdownand rebuildingmuscle
fibres
1
2
3
4
6
8
5
7
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WEIGHTLIFTINGGLOSSARY
Hereswhat thosekeyweight training termsactuallymean
Anabolic
Ametabolic phaseduringwhich
nutrients fromyour diet, specifically
protein, are synthesised byyour
bodyand turned intomuscle tissue.
Atrophy
Muscle atrophy is thewasting
awayofmuscle tissue leading to a
decrease inmusclemass, typically
due to inactivity.
Catabolic
Theopposite to anabolic, this the
process bywhich tissue is broken
downandused as energy.
Concentric
Theportion of a liftwhere the
muscle shortens under tension
for example, the raising phase of
a biceps curl.
DOMS
DelayedOnsetMuscle Soreness.
This is the dull, ache or pain in a
muscle, accompanied by soreness,
tenderness and stiffness that is
typically felt 24 to 72hours after
strenuous exercise. It is a symptom
ofmuscular damage causedby
eccentricmovements.
Dumb-bell
Oneof the best known types of free
weight, dumb-bells canbeused to
addextra resistance to almost every
exercise, typically byholding one
in eachhand.
Eccentric
Theportion of a liftwhere the
muscle lengthensunder tension
for example, the lowering phase
of a biceps curl.
EZ-bar
A typeof barbellwith a series of
kinks in themiddle designed to
put less pressure on thewrists,
forearms andelbows.
Failure
Performing a set of exercises until
youre unable to complete a single
extra rep.
Form
The techniqueusedwhen
performing an exercise.
Free weights
Any typeofweight training
equipment used to increasemuscle
size and strength.Most common
examples includedumb-bells,
barbells andkettlebells.
Hypertrophy
Muscle hypertrophy is the growth
in the size of yourmuscle and is
Fixed barbells
Dumb-bells
EZ-bar
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Supercompensation
Periodof adaptation following a
toughworkoutwhenyour body
recovers and gets stronger. Correctly
timed training, recovery then
training againwill result in increases
inmuscle size and strength.
Superset
Twoexercises performedback-to-
backwith no rest in between.
Volume
Volume is the amount of sets and
reps youdo for an exercise, amuscle
group, or aworkout. Increasing
training volume is (generally)
good for hypertrophy, but its also
a commoncause of overtraining.
or snatch. A full-length barweighs
20kg. Fixedbarbells dont spin, so
theyre better formovesusing lighter
weight.
Overtraining
Whenover exertion leads to injury,
muscle strain or fatigue.
Rep
One completemovement of a given
exercise. Abbreviation of repetition.
Resistance machines
These allowyou to target specific
muscles in a pre-determinedpath
ofmovement. Favouredbynovices
andbodybuilders,machines reduce
the risk of injury because of their set
range ofmotion, but theydontwork
your small, vital stabilisingmuscles.
Rest
Theperiodof recovery time in
between sets and exercises.
Set
Anumber of reps performed
consecutivelywithout rest. Can
vary fromone rep tomore than 20,
depending entirely on training goals.
Smith machine
Aweight-training framecomprising
a barbell that slides up anddownon
a fixedplaneofmotion. You lower
the barbell on to a series of hooks on
the frame to stop itmoving,meaning
you can lift heavyweightswithout
a squatter. Normally used for squats
andbenchpresses.
Squat rack
A frameused tohold aweighted
barbell. Unlike a Smithmachine, the
barbell isnt connected to the frame
soyou canmove it throughmore
thanoneplaneofmotion andhave
tousemoremuscles to keep it stable.
Spotter
Someonewhoassists youwith a lift,
especially towards the endof a set,
to ensure you can complete each
rep safely.
causedwhen the constituent cells
ofmuscle tissue increase in size
as a result of a stimulus, such as
weight training.
Intensity
The intensity of any set youperform
is determinedby theweight youre
lifting and expressed as a percentage
of your one-repmax.
Kettlebell
Originating fromRussia, these cast-
iron balls of differentweights have
ahandle on top soyou can grip
themwith oneor twohandswhile
performingdifferent exercises.
Range of motion
The full extent or range of amuscles
movement. Performing lifts through
yourmuscles full range ofmotion is
important in muscle growth.
One-rep max
Themaximumamount ofweight
you can lift oncewith correct form.
A goodmethod formeasuring your
absolute strength.
Olympic barbell
TheOlympic barbell is used for all
manner of lifts. Theyhave thick
sleeves for theweights to slot on to,
whichmeans they can spinwhen
youre doing lifts such as the clean
Kettlebells
Squat rack
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MUSCLEQ&A
No-nonsenseanswers to the fundamental fitnessquestions
Q
Ive failed to add
muscle in the past.
Why will it work now?
A
If your efforts have
beenunsuccessful in
the past it has nothing to
dowith your bodybeing
fundamentally resistant to
exercise and everything
to dowith your approach.
In otherwords, you
havent had a focusedplan
soyouvenot set realistic,
achievable goals, andyou
havent been eating the
right foods. Anyone can
makepositive changes to
theway they look, but not
overnight. Going to the
gymonceor twice aweek
wont give youa radical
transformation, especially
if youdontworkhardor
arent eatingwell.
Q
Can I turn my body
fat into muscle?
A
Fat andmuscle are
two totally different
types of tissue so its
impossible for one to turn
into the other.Muscle is
active tissue that burns
calories,while fat tissue
stores excess energy.
Whenyou train hard
youburn away fat and
buildmuscle, giving an
appearance that onehas
turned into the other, but
this is not the case.
Q
How often do I need
to work out?
A
Less frequently than
youmight think.
And its certainly not the
case thatmore is better.
Thats because itswhen
youre recovering that
increases to yourmuscle
size and strength take
place. If youdont take
recover sufficiently you
wont see improvements.
Its not just yourmuscles
that need time to recover;
your nervous system is
workinghard to recruit
yourmuscles, something
its not used todoing, so it
also needs time to recover.
Q
How long should
each workout last?
A
Theperfectworkout
should take less
than anhour to complete,
includingwarm-up,warm-
downand stretching.
Research suggests that
levels of the growth
hormone testosterone
peak around45minutes
into aworkout and
thenquickly subside
as levels of cortisol, the
stress hormone that
breaks downmuscle
tissue anddamages cells,
rise. So keepworkouts
short and effective.
Q
Do crunches build
a six-pack?
A
Youcanperform
hundreds of crunches
everyday andhave the
strongest abs in theworld
but if theyre under a
layer of fat thenyoure not
going to see them.And if
youre trying to burn fat,
crunches are just about
theworstmoveyou could
choose. In fact, youd have
to do about 500,000of
them toburn 1kg of fat.
Thats about fourweeks
of solid crunching.
Q
Are machines better
than free weights?
A
Resistancemachines
have their place in a
gym: theyre a greatway
for beginners to learn
movement patterns
without the risk of
injury, and they allow
experienced trainers to
isolate specificmuscles
to liftmoreweight. But
because themovement
pattern is restricted, they
wontwork the stabilising
muscles that are so
important in staying
injury free. Using free
weightsmay requiremore
skill, but itwill recruit
those stabilisingmuscles
andbetter prepare your
body for other activities,
especially sports.
Q
How
quickly
will I see
results?
A
Evenwith
thehelp of
this book, dont
expect overnight
success. Youneed
to lift heavyweights
regularly to stimulate the
muscle into growing, eat
a cleandiet full of high-
quality protein and carbs
and get plenty of sleep. Its
a big commitment.
Q
Arent squats bad for
my knees?
A
Performed incorrectly,
anymove is
dangerous, but squats
have aparticularly bad
reputation. But a correct
squat inwhichyour
feet are shoulder-width
apart, andyour knees
stay in linewith your
toes places emphasis
on the quads, glutes
andhamstrings, and
not on any joints. This
can reduce the risk of
injury by strengthening
themuscles and
supporting tissues
around the knee joint.
Q
Are lighter weights
best for toning?
A
Toning is oneof the
most popularwords
in the exerciseworld. It
is also oneof themost
redundant. You cant
tone amuscle, only build
it ormaintain it, while
stripping away fat to give
it amore prominent
appearance. So
whenpeople say
theywant to
toneup they
actuallymean
that theywant
to addmuscle,
lose fat, or a bit
of both.
Q
How effective are
bodyweight moves?
A
If youre new to
resistance training,
or returning from injury,
bodyweightmoves are
the perfect preparation
for heavier lifts. They can
also beused effectively
as part of supersets or
bodyweight circuits, and
are far better at building
strength and stability in
your joints and core than
resistancemachines.
FIT TIP
Its best to have
a checkupwith
aGPbefore you
begin training.
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BUILD A
FOUNDATION
36 Whybuild a strong foundation?
38 Bodyweightmoves
42 Core strength
46 Pre-workoutwarm-up
48 Post-workout stretches
50 Assess your fitness
RULE TWO
CCOONNTTEEEENNTTSSCCOONNTTEEEENNTTSSCONTENTSCOONNTEENNTTS
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Why do you
need a strong
foundation?
Createasolidbase tomakeaddingmuscleeasy
Buildingmuscle is like building a
house. Lay the right foundations
and you can build a strong, stable
structure that will withstandwhatever
is thrown at it. But if construction begins
without a solid base then youll end up
with aweak, unbalanced frame that is
at risk of falling apart.
The good news is that getting a
solid foundation for yourmuscle-
buildingmission is easy.
This chapter explains how, through
performing bodyweight exercises
(those that rely on your ownweight
as resistance, such as press-ups), core
exercises (which target your abdominal
muscles, including your six-pack), and
properwarming-up, cooling-down
and stretching, you can lay some solid
foundations that will make putting
on hard, leanmuscle far easier.
Why? Because bodyweightmoves
target the small, but vitally important
stabilisingmuscles thatmake your
joints stable, mobile and healthy, while
a strong core supports your torso and
assists the transfer of power from
your legs to upper body crucial for
the successful completion of almost
all standing exercises especially the
shoulder press, deadlift and squat
without injury. Themore stable your
body, the heavier youll be able to lift
and the faster youll pack onmuscle. So
if youwant a body thatsmore Taj Mahal
than Leaning Tower of Pisa, read on.
RULE TWO BUILD A FOUNDATION
Tomaster the
most important
bodyweight
moves,
turn over.
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BODYWEIGHTMOVES
Masterbodyweight
moves tobuildmuscle,
prevent injuryand
generateexplosive
power
If your aim is to packonmuscular
size and strength, it can be tempting
to head straight for theweights and
start doing benchpresses and squats
rather thanpress-ups, lunges andother
bodyweight exercises. And thats because
most people assume that they are too easy
to be effective in buildingmuscle.
But bodyweightmoves are great for
building a strong and stable foundationof
muscle and the fact that you cando them
anywhere andat any time is just oneof
theirmanybenefits. Thesemoves can
reduceyour risk of injury, theyre a perfect
way towarmupand theyll improveyour
ability to goheavierwhenyoudo finally
hit theweights.
FIGHTING FIT
Takepress-ups. Theyre great at targeting
the smallmuscles of thedelicate shoulder
joint. Strengthen these stabilisingmuscles
andyoull be able to pushheavier and
harder on the benchpress.
But dont just take ourword for it.
Manyathletes in combat sportsmake
bodyweightmoves a key compoment
of their training programmes.
Any formof training donebyboxers
andMMA fighters to prime theirmuscles
for explosive speed and strength is good
enough for us. For these athletes, getting
a rippedbody is just a bonus.
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IL
DA
FO
UN
DA
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N
2
TARGET
Chest
Triceps
Shoulders
TARGET
Chest
Shoulders
Triceps
TARGET
Chest
Shoulders
Triceps
Core
Theultimate
upper-body test,
press-ups requireyour
chest, shoulders and
triceps toworkhard to
lower, then lift, your torso
fromthe floor.
This twist on the
classicmove
requiresupper-bodyco-
ordinationandastrong
core to rotateupwards.
Having to clap
inbetweenpress-
upsmeansyouhave to
pushup fromthe floor
quickly, turning it into
anexplosivemuscle-
buildingmove.
HOWTODOIT
Start with your
hands shoulder-
width apart and
body straight.
Lower yourself
until your elbows
reach 90, then
press back up.
HOWTODOIT
Start in press-up
position and lower
chest to ground.
Press up powerfully
and at the top of
the move lift one
arm off the ground
while twisting your
torso until that arm
points to ceiling.
Lower back down
before repeating
on the other side.
HOWTODOIT
Start in press-up
position and lower
chest to ground,
keeping elbows
close to your side.
Press back up
powerfully so that
your hands leave
the loor. Quickly
clap them together.
Land back down
and descend into
the next rep.
PRESSUP
TPRESSUP
CLAPPRESSUP
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TARGET
Triceps
Shoulders
TARGET
Quads
Hams
Glutes
TARGET
Quads
Hams
Glutes
Calves
Mastering the
correct formof
a squatmeansyoull
makequickerprogress
whenaddingadditional
weightusingabarbell
ordumb-bells.
Jumping turns
the squat intoa
powerful plyometric
move that firesup
your fast-twitchmuscles
fibres andgetsyour
heart pumping.
Buildmasson the
backofyourarms
with this surprisingly
toughmove.
HOWTODOIT
Stand tall with feet
shoulder-width
apart and toes
pointing slightly
outwards.
Keeping your
core braced and
a natural arch in
your back, squat
down until your
thighs are parallel
to the loor before
pushing back up
through your heels.
HOWTODOIT
Stand tall with feet
shoulder-width
apart.
Squat down, then
push back up
powerfully so your
feet leave the loor.
As you land
descend straight
back into a squat
and repeat.
HOWTODOIT
Grip the edge of
a bench with
your back and
legs straight.
Slowly lower your
body straight
down, keeping
your elbows
pointing back
throughout, before
pressing back
up powerfully.
SQUAT
JUMPSQUAT
BENCHDIPS
BODYWEIGHTMOVES
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TARGET
Shoulders
Triceps
TARGET
Quads
Hamstrings
Glutes
TARGET
Adductors
(inner
thighs)
Another classic
move that requires
power, balanceand
co-ordination.
Theoften-ignored
musclesofyour
inner thighsarevital
for turningmovements,
both in thegymandon
the sportspitch.
Thebestway
toworkyour
shoulderswithout
weights, thismovealso
requires a strongcore
andgoodco-ordination.
HOWTODOIT
Stand tall with feet
apart, chin up, core
braced and natural
arch in your back.
Take a step forward
and lower your
body by bending
both knees to 90.
Ensure your front
knee doesnt go
past your foot.
Push back off your
front foot to move
back to the start.
HOWTODOIT
Stand with feet
close together, with
core braced.
Take a big step to
one side, keeping a
natural arch in your
back and torso
upright. Bend the
other knee to lower
your body, keeping
that knee in line
with your foot.
HOWTODOIT
Start with your feet
on a bench and
hands shoulder-
width apart on
loor, so your body
forms an inverted
V-shape.
Slowly lower
your body until
your face almost
touches the loor
before pushing
back up powerfully.
LUNGE
LATERALLUNGE
INVERTEDSHOULDERPRESS
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Buildasolid
midsection
andreap
therewards
Asolid core ismore
than just about
having an impressive
six-pack. In fact, having
a stomachof steel offers
farmore benefits to your
muscle-building ambitions
than just looking good.
Thats because a strong,
stable coremeans you can
more effectively transfer
power betweenyour upper
and lower body vital for
lifting heavyweights as
well as providing a solid
base for almost every
upper-body lift, especially
those that involve lifting
aweight overhead, such
as the shoulder press or
overhead squat.
Here are eight kit-free
moves that target your
abdominals, obliques and
all the other important
deep-lyingmuscles that
makeupyour core.
CORESTRENGTH
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TARGET
Obliques
TARGET
Upper abs
TARGET
Lower abs
Theclassicmove
for targetingyour
upperabs andstill
oneof thebest.
Place theemphasis
on the lowerpart of
yourabsbyhitting them
fromadifferent angle.
Hit yourabs from
the side to target
yourobliques the
muscles that frame
your six-pack.
HOWTODOIT
Lie on a mat with
your knees bent at
90 and your feet
lat on loor. Place
your ingers by
yourtemples.
Contract your abs
to curl your chest
towards your
knees, keeping
your lower back on
mat. Squeeze your
abs at the top then
return to the start.
HOWTODOIT
Lie with your arms
by your sides with
knees bent at 90
and feet lat.
Contract your abs
to lift your hips off
the mat, then curl
your knees towards
your chest, keeping
your knees at 90.
Pause then slowly
lower your legs
back to the start.
HOWTODOIT
Lie on your side
with one arm in
front of body and
the other bent so
your ingers touch
your temples.
Crunch up
sideways and hold
for a second at the
top of the move
and then lower
slowly back to the
start.
CRUNCH
REVERSECRUNCH
OBLIQUECRUNCH
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CORESTRENGTH
TARGET
Abs
TARGET
Core
TARGET
Core
Obliques
Builda strong
linkbetweenyour
upperand lowerbody.
Holdyourbody
straight tobuild
apowerful coreand
improveyourposture.
Anadvanced
move that requires
flexibility aswell as a
strongcore.
HOWTODOIT
Hold your body
in a straight line
from head to heels
with your elbows
beneath your
shoulders, feet
together and face
looking down.
Hold the position
for as long as you
can without letting
your hips sag.
HOWTODOIT
With your elbow
directly beneath
your shoulder,
hold your body in
a straight line from
head to feet.
Hold the position
for as long as you
can without letting
your hips sag,
then repeat on
the other side.
HOWTODOIT
Lie lat on your
back with your
arms behind your
head, and your feet
together.
Contract your abs
so your hands and
feet meet over your
stomach. Keep
your legs straight
and squeeze you
abs at top of move
then return to the
start.
PLANK
SIDEPLANK
JACKKNIFE
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TARGET
Lower abs
Obliques
Keep the focus
onyour lower
absandobliqueswith
this advancedmove.
Do themquickly
but inacontrolled
manner to reallyworkyour
coremuscleshard.
HOWTODOIT
Lie lat on your
back with your
arms out to the
sides and your
legs straight up in
the air. Keep your
shoulders and
upper back on the
mat throughout.
Twist over to one
side, keeping your
legs straight. Go
as far as you can
to the side without
letting your feet
hit the loor.
Reverse back to
the start and twist
the other way.
Lie lat on your back. Crunch
up and bring your right elbow
to meet your left knee. Repeat
on alternate sides.
BICYCLES
HOWTODOIT
LOWERBODYRUSSIANTWIST
TARGET
Abs
Obliques
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PREWORKOUTWARMUP
Warmupbeforeevery
workout toprepareyour
bodyandprevent injury
Aproperwarm-up is vital before
doing anyweight training. If time
is short, dont be tempted to skip the
warm-up and go straight to yourworkout,
because coldmuscles can get easily
damaged. A fewminutes spent on a
warm-up canprevent days lostwhile
recovering from injury.
Yourwarm-up should startwith some
light cardiovascular exercise, such as
running, rowing or cycling. Thiswillmake
your heart beat faster, pumping oxygen
andnutrients to yourmuscles, and elevate
your bodys core temperature.Warm
muscles aremore elastic than cold ones,
so you canwork them through awider
range ofmotionwith fewer injuries.
After the cardio you thenneed to target
yourmuscles directlywith dynamic
stretches. Thesediffer fromstatic
stretches (see next page) in that you are
moving as you stretch out themuscle. The
trick is to start very gently and then slowly
increase the range ofmotionyouuse
with each repetition. This prepares your
muscles and joints for thework to come.
Finally, before youbegin any lifting
exercise, perform themovementswith
minimalweight to teachyourmuscles
how to respondwhenyoudo the exercise
with heavierweights.
Whatevermethod
of cardioyou
choose, keep thepace
gentle andconstant.
By theendof ten
minutesyou
shouldbe
sweatingand
puffingabit, but
notoutof breath.
WARMINGUP
Cardio
10minutes
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COOLING DOWN
Its important after your inal set to cool down before beginning
your post-workout stretches (see next page).
Cooling down is the process of gradually reducing your heart
rate from its elevated state during the main
part of your session and also slowly bringing down your core
body temperature. Spend ive to ten minutes
performing some very gentle cardio, gradually reducing the
intensity every minute to transition your body
back to its resting state.
DYNAMICSTRETCHES
LUNGEWITH
REVERSEFLYE
Step forward while
stretching your
arms to the sides.
Keep your body
upright.
Lunge lower with
each rep.
ALTERNATING
SPLITDEADLIFT
Step forward with
one foot and lean
forwards from the
hips.
Keep your back
straight.
Lower your hands
down your shins a
bit further each time,
before pushing back
to the start.
Repeat with other leg.
LATERAL
LUNGEWITH
TWIST
Step to the side
with both feet
pointing forward.
Twist your torso
in the direction of
your leading foot.
Bend your knee
a bit further with
each rep.
SQUATTO
OVERHEAD
REACH
Stand with feet
shoulder-width
apart and back
straight.
Squat down
and then reach
overhead as you
stand up.
Squat a bit lower
with each rep.
After your cardiowarm-up perform 10 reps of each of
thesemoves
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POSTWORKOUTSTRETCHES
Stretchyourmusclesaftereachsessionto improveflexibility
With a static stretchyou
hold a relaxedmuscle under
tension. This helps lengthen the
muscle,whichwill have contracted
afterweight training, andprovides
several benefits. First, itwill help
with flexibility, so youll be able
toworkyourmuscles across a
wider range ofmotion, leading to
biggermuscle gains. But stretching
also helps reduce injuries as your
muscles and tendons are less likely
to tearwhen they are relaxed.
Stretching also improves blood
flow toyourmuscles, helping to
flush out toxins,meaning youll be
ready for your nextworkout sooner.
And stretching can also aid posture,
because tensemuscles canpull
your spine, shoulders andhips out
of alignment, leading to a stooped
look and lower backpain.
Yourmuscles need to be fully
warmedupbefore youperform
static stretches, so never do them
at the start of aworkout. To avoid
injury, dont pull toohardwhen
you stretch, anddont
bounce themuscle
under tension.
CALVES
Push down on your rear heel.
HIPFLEXORS
Keep your body upright and push
your hips forward.
HAMSTRINGS
Lean forward at the hips with a
straight back.
ADDUCTORS
Press your knees apart gently with
your elbows.
QUADS
Pull on your ankle and push your
hips forward.
GLUTES
Gently pull on your knee.
STATICSTRETCHES
Hold each
stretch for 20
to 30 seconds
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CHEST
Interlock your ingers and raise your
hands behind you with straight arms.
ABS
Lift your shoulders high off
the loor.
TRICEPS
Point ingers of one arm down your
back and pull gently on that elbow.
UPPERBACK
Interlock your ingers and raise your
hands in front with straight arms.
LATS
Press your shoulder towards
the loor.
BICEPS
Press your arms back while twisting
your hands so your thumbs point
behind you.
LOWERBACK
Keep your shoulders
lat on the loor.
ASSESSYOURFITNESS
Now you know the main
bodyweight moves and how
to warm up and warm down,
its time to test your current
itness and strength levels.
Turn over to begin.
ESSSSSSSS
TRAPS
Pull gently on your head.
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ASSESSYOURFITNESS
Takethese
tests, thenuse
our tips to
improve
yourscores
Doing these six tests
is useful for two
reasons. First, theywill give
youa good idea of your
current level of fitness, and
they showyou inwhich
areas you areweaker and
need to improve. Thats
whyeach test has some
simple how to improve
tips included. Second,
theywill give youa set of
concrete numbers against
whichyou canmeasure
your progress. Sowhen
you revisit these tests in
amonthor twoyoull see
exactly howmuch fitter
and stronger youhave
become.
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Thehumblepress-
up is anexcellent
test ofupper-body
strengthandendurance.
THETEST
Perform as many press-ups
as you can, following the
correct form set out on p39.
The test ends as soon as
you can no longer complete
a rep with correct form.
HOWTO
IMPROVE
Aim to do three or four sets
of max reps, with around
60 seconds rest between
sets. You can also vary
the tempo: come down
slowly and explode up,
for example, and work up
to clap press-ups or even
slapping your chest as your
hands come off the loor to
build explosive power.
Themaximum
weightyoucan
lift forone rep is the
key indicatorof lower
bodystrength. Seep58
forhowtoperformthe
squat correctly.
THETEST
Warm up. Ideally, do the
test in a squat rack, not
on a Smith machine. Aim
for four attempts, with
three to ive minutes
rest in between,
increasing the weight
between 2.5kg and 10kg
each time. Your score
is the heaviest weight
you can lift with perfect
form divided by
your bodyweight.
HOWTO
IMPROVE
You need to learn to sit
back into the squat, keep
the weight distributed
over your heels and dont
let your knees drift too
far forwards. Its also
worth working on your
weak points lower back,
glutes and hamstrings.
Try good mornings or
Romanian deadlifts.
PRESSUPS
ONEREPMAXSQUAT
RESULTS
SCORE LEVEL
40+ Excellent
3040 Very good
2030 Good
1020 Average
Below 10 Poor
RESULTS
SCORE LEVEL
1.52 Excellent
1.251.49 Very good
11.24 Good
0.750.99 Average
Under 0.75 Poor
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ASSESSYOURFITNESS
This is oneof
thebestways to
evaluate core strength.
THETEST
Keep your body in a
straight line from head to
heels with your elbows
beneath your shoulders,
feet together and face
down. Hold as long as
you can without letting
your hips sag.
HOWTO
IMPROVE
Practice makes perfect
for the plank, so hold
the position for as long
as you can. Rest for 30
seconds, then hold it
again. Repeat this three
or four times a week and
see your time soar.
PLANK
Yourone-rep
maxon the
bench is akey indicator
of total upper-body
strength. Seep60 for
howtoperformthe
movecorrectly.
THETEST
With an empty bar, lie on
the bench with feet on
loor. Lower the bar until
it touches your chest
then press back up. Do
ten reps as a warm-up.
Gradually increase the
weight, performing
one or two reps at each
weight, until you reach
your one-rep max.
Divide your heaviest lift
by your bodyweight for
your score.
HOWTO
IMPROVE
Strengthen your
shoulders and triceps
with overhead presses
and dips.
ONEREPMAXBENCHPRESS
RESULTS
SCORE LEVEL
1.50+ Excellent
1.251.49 Very good
11.24 Good
0.75-.099 Average
Under 0.75 Poor
TIME LEVEL
2min+ Excellent
90119sec Very good
6089sec Good
4059sec Average
Less than 40sec Poor
RE
SU
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S
Topredict
your one-rep
max, see the
table onp61
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YourVO
2
max
represents the
maximumcapacityofyour
body to transport anduse
oxygen inagiven time.
THETEST
Without sophisticated kit,
a basic way of estimating
your VO
2
max is the Cooper
12-minute run. Set up a
treadmill with a 1 gradient
to mimic running on the
road. Warm up, then aim to
run the farthest distance
you can in 12 minutes.
After 12 minutes, use the
equation VO
2
= (metres run
- 505)/45 to calculate your
VO
2
max. So, if you ran 2.4km
your score would be (2,400-
505)/45 = 42.
HOWTOIMPROVE
Try doing continuous aerobic
training at a heart rate of
7085 per cent of your
maximum (MHR) for 30 to 60
minutes, three to ive times
a week. To take your itness
up a level, you need to get
up to 8090 per cent of MHR
for three minutes, with one
or two minutes recovery
between intervals.
VO
2
MAX
RESULTS
V0
2
MAX LEVEL
70 or over Excellent
6069 Very good
5059 Good
4049 Average
Under 40 Poor
Its a good indicator
of the flexibilityof
yourhamstringsand lower
back,withoutwhichyoull
probablypull ahamstring
sprintingorendup inpain
fromsquats.
THETEST
Warm up with some dynamic
stretching before you start.
Mark a straight line on the
loor as your baseline. Mark
another line perpendicular
to this as your measuring
line this is where your ruler
or tape measure goes. The
point where the two intersect
is 0cm. Put your feet on the
baseline, 2030cm apart.
Clasp your thumbs together
and slowly reach forwards,
keeping your ingers on the
measuring line as you lean
forward. Measure how far
past the baseline you can
reach. If you cant reach past
your feet, then youll have a
negative reading.
HOWTOIMPROVE
Its extremely important to
warm up any cardio that
increases the heart rate
for at least ten minutes
beforehand and then stretch
your muscles. However, if
youre stretching as part of
your workout, always do it
afterwards. Research has
shown that doing static
stretches before strength
work can reduce
your strength levels.
SITANDREACH
FLEXIBILITYTEST
DISTANCE LEVEL
15cm or more Excellent
1014cm Very good
09cm Good
-50cm Average
Less than -5cm Poor
RE
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USE
COMPOUND
LIFTS
56 Whyuse compound lifts?
58 Squat
60 Benchpress
62 Deadlift
64 Pull-up
66 Lunge
68 Shoulder press
70 Bent-over row
72 Triceps dip
74 Clean
76 Snatch
RULE THREE
COONNNNNNNTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEENNNTTSSCONTENTSCCOOONNTTTTTTTTENTTSSCOONNTTTTTTTTTTEENNTTSSCONTENTSCCOOONNTTTTTTENTTS
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Whats the big
deal about
compound lifts?
Master thekeycompoundmovesto
addmusclesizeandstrength fast
Lets not beat around the bush: every
single one your of workouts should be
based around compound lifts.
Well explainwhy in aminute, but irst lets
clear upwhat exactly a compound lift is. Put
simply, a compound lift is an exercisewhere
there ismovement at two ormore diferent
joints. A good examplewould be the squat
(movement at the hip and knee joints) or
the shoulder press (movement at the shoulder
and elbow joints).
The other type of lift is an isolationmove,
wheremovement is limited to one joint only.
Examples include a biceps curl (movement
at the elbow joint only) or leg extension
(movement at the knee joint only).
Compound interest
Sowhy should compound lifts form
the foundation of anymuscle-building
programme?Quite simply, because they
involvemovement atmore than one joint they
requiremultiplemuscle groups to act at the
same time. Compound lifts aremore-bang-
for-buckmoves because themoremuscles
involved, the heavier theweight you can lift,
and the bigger theweight you lift the bigger the
growth-hormone response.
This hormone response is crucial. It means
that not onlywill you put onmoremuscle in
the areas youve recently trained, but youll also
see beneits all over your body. Thats because
the hormones responsible formuscle growth
also burn fat, so youll get bigger and leaner
across the board.
Maximum fatigue
Thats why biceps curls arent actually the best
exercise for building big biceps. Its farmore
efective to perform compound exercises, such
as bent-over rows or chin-ups, to really fatigue
your biceps by exposing them to themaximum
amount of weight they canmanage.
Thats not to say isolationmoves dont have
a part to play, they do. For instance, they can be
deployed towards the end of yourworkout to
speciically isolate amuscle to cause additional
fatigue (see page 102). But the basis of each
session should be themajor compound lifts.
This chapter details the tenmost important
moves in yourmuscle-building arsenal and
how you can use them to addmuscle fast.
RULE THREE USE COMPOUND LIFTS
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SQUAT
Master thisclassicmovetopackonmusclenot justonyour
legs,butalsoonyourupperbody
Theking of the lifts, the squat targets the quads,
glutes, hamstrings, core andback,making it
oneof themost important exercises if not themost
important in yourmuscle-building arsenal. Although
your legs are the obvious target, squats create an
overall anabolic environment that triggers the release
of extra testosterone and growthhormone in the
bloodstream. This not only benefits your legmuscles
butwill also help build your upper bodyandburn fat.
Rest the bar against the back
of your shoulders not on
your neck and hold the
bar with an overhand grip
wider than shoulder width.
Your feet should be shoulder-
width apart with your toes
pointing slightly outwards.
Slowly lower yourself down
keeping your chest and chin
up while maintaining a natural
arch in your back. Keep the
weight on your heels, your
body upright and dont let your
knees roll inwards or forwards.
Bring your body down until
your thighs are at least parallel
to the loor. The deeper you
can squat, the better.
Drive back up through your
heels. At the top push forward
with your hips and squeeze
your glutes to reset into the
start position and repeat.
Howtodoit
Quads
Hamstrings
Glutes
Core
Back
Target
a
b
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US
EC
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PO
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3
FIT TIP
Dont point your
toes outwards toomuch
because this increases
the load on the knee joint,
which puts you at
risk of injury.
FIT TIP
Never hold your
breath during a heavy
lift. Instead the general rule
is to breathe in as you lower
theweight and breathe out
through pursed lips
as you lift theweight.
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BENCHPRESS
Thisbig liftwill addmuscularsizeandstrengththeyourchest,
shouldersandarms
Thebenchpress has always been an
important andpopularmovebecause it
is the best exercise for developingupper-body
muscular size, power and strength.Mainlyworking
thepectoral, or chest,muscles, this exercises also
recruits themuscles at the front of the shoulders
andbackof the arms,making it a firm favourite for
thosewanting a big, strong torso. Alwayswarmup
thoroughly firstwith somepress-ups then some
benchpresseswith an empty bar.
Lie on the bench with
your feet on the loor,
directly beneath
your knees.
Your head, upper back
and glutes should be
lat against the bench.
Brace your core and
maintain a natural arch
in your back.
Hold the bar with an
overhand grip that is
wider than shoulder-
width apart.
Slowly lower the bar
to your chest, taking
your elbows out to
90, until the bar is
almost touching the
middle of your chest or
just over your nipples.
Drive your feet
hard into the loor
and press the bar back
to the start position.
Howtodoit
Chest
Shoulders
Triceps
Target
a
b
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US
EC
OM
PO
UN
DL
IF
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3
EXAMPLE If you can lift 85kg for 5 reps,
your predicted 1RM is 85 x 1.18 = 100kg
COEFFICIENTCOEFFICIENT TABLETABLE
REPS COEFFICIENT
2 1.07
3 1.12
4 1.15
5 1.18
6 1.21
7 1.24
8 1.27
9 1.30
10 1.33
PREDICTING YOUR
ONEREP MAX
If you havent got a spotter, dont want to
risk a max lift, or have no idea what your
max should be, you can use the table
below to predict it. Just use a weight that
you can do two to ten reps with for a
max set, then multiply it by the value on
the right to get your predicted max.
FIT TIP
A too-narrow grip on the
bar places greater emphasis
on the triceps (back of your
arms). Awider grip shiftsmore
focus on to your chest, but this
positionmakes it harder to
achieve a full range
ofmotion.
FIT TIP
Maintain control
