comeback-male-2

There are many things that life can throw our way which may derail you from your fitness program: sickness, an injury, a life changing situation, a post contest rebound that de-motivated you, and many others. The good news is that no matter what circumstance got you away from your fitness program, you can always use your strong will to come back to it.

With that said, there are 3 mistakes that you need to avoid to make a successful comeback:

1) Don’t punish yourself for your current condition:

It is easy to feel bad and beat yourself over and over again for regressing and going back to a “Before Picture” condition. Yet, this is not productive. The best thing to do at this point is ACCEPT the fact that you are in whatever shape you are in and KNOW that with the plan you will implement the “After Picture” condition will be just around the corner.

 

2) Don’t embark into an overly ambitious program:

The worst thing you can do at this point is try to get back to the same program that you were doing before and use the same amount of weight that you used to lift. This is a rapid way to get excessively sore, and possibly injured as the joints need time to ease back into training. At the same time, you are opening yourself up to getting extremely frustrated as chances are that you cannot lift the same amount of weight that you used to do before. Remember, that at this point, the key is to not overwhelm your body with a complicated program that will send your cortisol hormone levels through the roof. Your comeback program should be one that focuses on getting you back into the swing of things, retraining your nervous system on how to activate its muscle fibers with each movement and getting your joints back into fighting condition.

3) Don’t embark into a fad diet:

Many girls who (and guys do this too) who get back after a layoff embark into a fad diet to speed-up the process. This is a sure way to fail as fad diets, like zero carb diets, cripple your thyroid levels and increase your cortisol levels. The end result is a lowered metabolic rate which means that it will be much easier for you to gain fat at a lower caloric range! And once your thyroid production is compromised it will take time to bring it back up to optimal levels.

 

How To Make a Successful Comeback

Now that we know what the 3 biggest mistakes to making a successful comeback are, here are my training and diet suggestions to making a successful comeback (please download the FREE 21 Day Program below):

21-day-program

Download Your 21-Day Bodybuilding Program for FREE << Click to Download (You also get our FREE Top Supplements That Actually Work Guide)

Successful Comeback Diet Guidelines:

Thus, ease back into a program where you are consuming a diet composed of 40% of its calories from protein, 40% from mainly complex carbs and 20% from good fats. This can be easily achieved by taking your approximate fat free mass (lean body mass = total bodyweight in pounds – approximate fat weight in pounds) and multiplying that number by 1. That gives you the total amount of carbs (in grams) that you need to consume per day. That also gives you the total amount of daily protein (in grams that you need). To calculate your good fats, simply multiply your lean body mass by 0.33.

So assuming a lean body mass of 150 lbs you are looking at 150 grams of carbs, 150 g of protein and 50 grams of good fats per day. That will give you the grams of fat that you need to consume each day. If you follow these simple formulas you will follow the perfect 40/40/20 diet plan suited to your body.

SAMPLE DIET for MEN:

• Meal 1: 1 cup of oatmeal with 1 packet of Meal Replacement Powder
• Meal 2: 3 rice cakes / Faye greek yogurt (1 cup) / 1 cup strawberries.
• Meal 3: 6 ounces (180 grams) of chicken measured cooked, 1 cup of rice (brown or white), 1/3 cup avocado, any combination of vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, onions, peppers, lettuce and tomatoes.
• Meal 4 (post workout meal): 1 packet of Meal Replacement Powder / 1 scoop of Power Carb:
• Meal 5: Wild Atlantic Salmon (130 grams), 300 grams of potatoes, any veggies (as above)

Optional Meal Before Bed: 1 cup of Greek Yogurt around 30 min before bed with 1 tablespoon of almond butter.

SAMPLE DIET for WOMEN:

• Meal 1: 3/4 cup of oatmeal with 1 packet of Meal Replacement Powder
• Meal 2: 3 rice cakes / Faye Greek yogurt (1 cup) / 1 cup strawberries.
• Meal 3: 4 ounces (120 grams) of chicken measured cooked, 1/2 cup of rice (brown or white), 1/4 cup avocado, any combination of vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, onions, peppers, lettuce and tomatoes.
• Meal 4 (post workout meal): 1 packet of Meal Replacement Powder / 1 scoop of Power Carb
• Meal 5: Wild Atlantic Salmon (85 grams), 150 grams of potatoes, any veggies (as above)
• Optional Meal Before Bed: 1 cup of Greek Yogurt around 30 min before bed with 1/2 tablespoon of almond butter

 

Additional Comeback Supplements:

One of the biggest complaints people have when they get back into a fitness program is muscle soreness and even joint soreness. However, there are some great natural supplements that can greatly help with your recovery making the process much more efficient while reducing soreness significantly. (Note: It is not essential to take these supplements in order to achieve success from this program. The key to success is the training and the diet. However, if you can add any of these supplements you will see a marked improvement in your recovery capacity and soreness levels.)

Download Your Top Supplements Guide for FREE << Click to Download

 

Additional Tips For Making a Permanent Comeback:

Be sure to track your progress properly.

Do not rely solely on the scale as the scale does not tell you how much muscle you have gained and how much fat you have lost. And remember, muscle weighs more than fat so if you gain 2 pounds of muscle and lose 2 pounds of fat in the same week, the scale will not move. However, your measurements should show an incredible amount of difference! Note: For more information on this subject, check out Cecile’s article on“Why The Scale Can Be Your Biggest Enemy.” Also, be sure to check out Hugo Rivera’s article on “Tracking Your Progress.

Be sure to lose no more than 2 pounds of fat per week.

Any more fat loss than that can compromise your ability to gain muscle. If you see that you are losing too fast and losing strength at the gym, increase your carbs and protein by 15 grams per day and the good fats by 3 grams. Remember that the goal here is to make a successful and permanent comeback. In order to do that, slow and steady wins the race. You need to convince your body that it is OK to burn off the extra fat while gaining new muscle. To do that, you must prevent the body from entering into emergency mode as when that happens, cortisol levels rise and the body begins to try and retain body fat while burning muscle. Therefore, be sure to not overt-rain and to follow the diet as I advised above.

 

Conclusion

So there you have it: all my tips on how to make a successful comeback. Just remember that like Rocky said “It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” So let’s access that inner strength ladies and make this transformation happen!

21-day-program

Download Your 21-Day Bodybuilding Program for FREE << Click to Download (You also get our FREE Top Supplements That Actually Work Guide)


About the Authors
CecileB

Cecile Bayeul is a Registered Nurse, International fitness model/author and natural female bodybuilding champion who beat anorexia by embarking into a fitness program. She believes that by embarking into a fitness program you can not only achieve any body that you want but you can take control of your life and take it anywhere you want! You can follow Cecile via her fan page: www.facebook.com/cecilebayeul, her twitter: www.twitter.com/cecilebayeul, her YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/cecilebayeul or her personal site:

www.CecileBayeul.com

 

 

 


hugoHugo Rivera is an International best selling fitness author certified in personal training and nutrition with a computer engineering degree from the University of South Florida. Hugo is owner of www.hugorivera.net, an informational, free fitness and nutrition website. He is author of over 10 fitness books (with over a million copies sold) including his best sellers: Body Re-Engineering, The Body Sculpting Bible for Men, The Body Sculpting Bible for Women, the Weight Training Diary, and the Hardgainers Handbook of Bodybuilding. Today via his website HugoRivera.net, numerous articles, book publications, TV and radio appearances Hugo continues to educate the public on how to achieve the body of their dreams via the use of weight training exercise, good nutrition and correct supplementation. You can follow Hugo via:

YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/hugoriverafitness
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hugorivera.net
Google Plus: www.google.com/+HugoriveraNetnaturalbodybuilding
Twitter: www.twitter.com/hrfit
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/hugoriverafitness
BodySpace: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/hrfit/

Disproportionate muscle growth, or having muscles on one side of the body grow more than on the other, is a normal problem in natural bodybuilding that beginners who are just getting started encounter. Listed below are my recommendations on how to deal with this problem, with sample natural bodybuilding routines on how to fix an uneven chest and shoulders.

youtube-subscribe
The first thing that I would do is check your form. When one is a beginner, the stronger side (typically the right one if one is right-handed though this is not always the case) tends to do more work than the other one resulting in disproportionate development.

My recommendations to fix this are:

1.Practice perfect form: By ensuring proper form not only you ensure that the targeted muscles are the ones doing the work but also that both sides are putting an equal amount of force as the movement is performed, thus preventing imbalances.

2.Concentrate on activating the muscles of the weak side: When performing the movement, really concentrate on using and squeezing the muscles of your weak side to move the weight. This extra concentration will ensure that your dominant side is not the one doing the work.

3.Perform extra sets of unilateral movements to only target the underdeveloped area: Doing a few extra sets that solely focus on your weak side will teach the body to better activate the muscle fibers of that side.

 

Sample Natural Bodybuilding Routines That Fix Disproportionate Muscle Growth
Listed below are a couple of examples of how you can set up a routine that will help you fix your imbalances.

Example #1: Chest Natural Bodybuilding Routine

Superset:

•Incline Bench Press 4 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Dumbbell Press 4 sets of 8-12 (Ensure that the dumbbell is light enough as you will need to balance yourself)

Superset:

•Chest Dips 3 sets of 8-12

•Unilateral Incline Flyes 3 sets of 8-12

Example #2: Shoulder Natural Bodybuilding Routine

Superset:

•Unilateral Lateral Raise 3 sets of 12-15

•Upright Rows 3 sets of 8-12

Superset:

•Bent Over Laterals 3 sets of 10-12

•Unilateral Shoulder Dumbbell Press 3 sets of 12-15

Routine Notes: Only rest 1 minute in between supersets and watch those lagging areas grow.

 

What If One Whole Side of the Body Is Visibly More Developed Than the Other One?

If one side of the body is visibly more developed than the other, as often happens to athletes who practice sports like bowling, where one side is used predominantly, then I would recommend dedicating whole workouts to exercising only the weak side.

The sample natural bodybuilding workouts below illustrate how to set up a unilateral bodybuilding routine that for example purposes is targeting the left side of the body (as the right side is the more developed one):

 

Workout (A) Chest/Back/Biceps/Triceps (Monday)

Workout (B) Delts/Thighs/Hamstrings/Calves (Tuesday)

Off (Wednesday)

Workout (C) Chest/Back/Biceps/Triceps (Thursday)

Workout (D) Delts/Thighs/Hamstrings/Calves (Friday)

Off (Weekend)

 

Workouts (A) and (B) train both sides of the body equally while Workouts (C) and (D) should just consist of unilateral movements for the left side only. See the sample unilateral workouts below:

 

Workout (C)

•Unilateral Incline Dumbbell Press 4 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Flat Dumbbell Press 4 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Pulldown (use a pulley) 4 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Dumbbell Row 4 sets of 8-12 reps

•Concentration Curl 3 sets of 8-12 reps

•Hammer Curl 3 sets of 8-12 reps

•Triceps Pushdown (Use Pulley; Palm of hand facing down) 3 sets of 8-12 reps

•Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension (left arm only) 3 sets of 8-12 reps

 

Workout (D)

•Unilateral Shoulder Press 3 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Rear Delt Machine 3 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Lateral Raise 2 sets of 8-12 reps

•Lunges (left side only) 4 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Leg Press (left side only) 3 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Leg Extensions 2 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Leg Curls 4 sets of 8-12 reps

•Unilateral Calf Press 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Workout Notes: Only rest 1 minute in between sets.

I hope that this gets your questions on uneven muscle growth answered!

Take care and train hard!

Until next time, take care and train hard!

hugo_sign

 

 

 

coaching-banner

.

training-at-home-small-e1342483209910In this natural bodybuilding shoulders and arms workout video I get to coach my two friends Steven and Natasha. They started their fitness journey 4 weeks ago with my wife Cecile coaching them since the beginning. This past Monday, I did not have a chance to train before they came so I decided to join in and perform the workout that Cecile prepared for them. Since Cecile has done such a stellar job with her coaching (and they have followed the instructions to the letter; including the diet) they are now ready to follow a much more advanced program. This is only because Cecile was able to accelerate their progress based on how their body responded to the various training routines of the weeks prior.

At any rate, here is the workout that Cecile filmed of us. As you will see, I coach them through this session.

If you are looking for a new shoulders/arms workout, try out this routine and let us know how it works for you!

youtube-subscribe
Shoulders

Superset:
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3×10-15 reps
Bent Over Lateral Raises 3×10-15 reps

Superset:
Lateral Raises 3×10-15 reps
Dumbbell Upright Rows 3×6-15 reps

Arms:

Superset:
Triceps Pushdowns 3×10-15 reps
Triceps Pushdowns (reverse grip) 3xfailure with same weight as above

steve-hugo-natasha2Superset:
Triceps Bench Dips 3xfailure with bodyweight (use weight if you can for 10 reps minimum and then drop the weight and keep on going)
Dumbbell Curls 3×10-15 reps

Superset:
Reverse Grip Preacher Machine Curls 3×10-15 reps
Preacher Machine Curls 3×10-15 reps

Only rest 90 seconds between supersets.

After the workout we had a wonderful Labrada Lean Pro8 shake mixed with IsoLean Pro and PowerCarb. (To find out more information and how to save up to 50% on these bodybuilding supplements: click here)

Until next time, take care and train hard!

hugo_sign

 

 

 

coaching-banner

Today I am going to share with you a natural bodybuilding back workout that you can do from the comfort of your home with some adjustable dumbbells and a bench. I got a great back pump with this routine and I know that you will too!

As usual, this workout is short but intense! Two giant sets will take you around 7 minutes.

Remember that with a giant set you will do all exercises with no rest in between sets. You will only rest 60 seconds in between sets. Two giant sets will make this routine last around 7 minutes. If you add an extra giant set, then you will be looking at around 10 minutes. This workout will consist of the following exercises:

 

7 Min Giant Set Home Natural Bodybuilding Back Workout

Giant Set:

1) One Arm Dumbbell Rows 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps (no rest)

2) Two Arm Dumbbell Rows (Pronated Grip) 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps (no rest)

3) Two Arm Dumbbell Rows (Neutral Grip) (using same weight as for the previous exercise): 2-3 sets of maximum amount of reps you can do with good form (no rest)

4) Two Arm Dumbbell Rows with a Twist: 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps (60 seconds)

 

This is 1 set. Rest 60 seconds and repeat 1-2 more times.

 

 

Back Workout Notes:

1) Train the back twice a week.

2) You can do your back with other body parts as specified on the training splits below:

 

Bodybuilding Training Split #1:

Day 1: Chest, Biceps, Triceps

Day 2: Legs

Day 3: Back, Shoulders, Abs

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Start Over

 

Bodybuilding Training Split #2:

Day 1: Chest, Back, Abs

Day 2: Legs

Day 3: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Start Over

 

Bodybuilding Training Split #3:

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Day 2: Legs

Day 3: Back, Biceps, Abs

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Start Over

 

3) If you have more time, you can add a third set. That would make the routine around 10 minutes in length.

 

Try this routine out and let me know how you liked it below!

If you liked this video blog, remember to hit the LIKE button below and also feel free to share it with your friends via GOOGLE PLUS, TWITTER and/or FACEBOOK.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HugoRiveraFitness

And if you have not done so already, sign up to my FREE Weekly Newsletter and by doing so, you get a FREE E-book that shows you How to Gain Muscle as You Get Your Abs.

Today I am going to share with you a natural bodybuilding chest workout that you can do from the comfort of your home with just a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bench. This chest routine is guaranteed to put a nice pump on your chest muscles and induce some growth!

This workout will not take too long….2 giant sets will take you around 7 minutes.

Remember that with a giant set you will do all exercises with no rest in between sets. You will only rest 60 seconds in between sets. You can do 2-3 sets of these giant sets for best results. This workout will consist of the following exercises:

7 Min Giant Set Home Natural Bodybuilding Chest Workout

7 Min Giant Set Home Natural Bodybuilding Chest Workout

Giant Set:

1) Incline Dumbbell Press 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps (no rest)

2) Incline Flyes 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps (no rest)

3) Flat Dumbbell Press (using same weight as for the incline dumbbell presses): 2-3 sets of maximum amount of reps you can do with good form (no rest)

4) Flat Dumbbell Flyes (using same weight as for the incline flyes): 2-3 sets of maximum amount of reps you can do with good form (60 seconds)

This is 1 set. Rest 60 seconds and repeat 1-2 more times.

Chest Workout Notes:

Chest Workout Notes:
1) Train the chest twice a week.

2) You can do your chest with other body parts as specified on the training splits below:

Bodybuilding Training Split #1:

Day 1: Chest, Biceps, Triceps

Day 2: Legs

Day 3: Back, Shoulders, Abs

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Start Over

Bodybuilding Training Split #2:

Day 1: Chest, Back, Abs

Day 2: Legs

Day 3: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Start Over

Bodybuilding Training Split #3:

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Day 2: Legs

Day 3: Back, Biceps, Abs

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Start Over

3) If you have more time, you can add a third set. That would make the routine around 10-15 minutes in length.

If you liked this video blog, remember to hit the LIKE button below and also feel free to share it with your friends via GOOGLE PLUS, TWITTER and/or FACEBOOK.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HugoRiveraFitness

And if you have not done so already, sign up to my FREE Weekly Newsletter and by doing so, you get a FREE E-book that shows you How to Gain Muscle as You Get Your Abs.

Today I am going to share with you a natural bodybuilding abs workout that you can do from the comfort of your home with no equipment needed. This abs routine is guaranteed to put a nice burn on your abs!

This workout will not take too long….2 giant sets will take you around 7 minutes.

Remember that with a giant set you will do all exercises with no rest in between sets. You will only rest 60 seconds in between sets. You can do 2-3 sets of these giant sets for best results. This workout will consist of the following exercises:

7 Min Giant Set Home Natural Bodybuilding Abs Workout

Giant Set:

1) Modified V-Ups 2-3 sets of maximum amount of reps you can do with good form (no rest)

2) Knee-Ins 2-3 sets of maximum amount of reps you can do with good form (no rest)

3) Lying Leg Raise+Crunch: 2-3 sets of maximum amount of reps you can do with good form (no rest)

4) Bicycle Crunches 2-3 sets of maximum amount of reps you can do with good form (no rest)

5) Crunches 2-3 sets of maximum amount of reps you can do with good form (60 sec rest)

This is 1 set. Rest 60 seconds and repeat 1-2 more times.

Abs Workout Notes:
1) Train the abs twice to three times a week.

2) You can do your abs on rest days or with other body parts as specified on the training splits below:

Bodybuilding Training Split #1:

Day 1: Chest, Biceps, Triceps

Day 2: Legs

Day 3: Back, Shoulders, Abs

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Start Over

Bodybuilding Training Split #2:

Day 1: Chest, Back, Abs

Day 2: Legs

Day 3: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Start Over

Bodybuilding Training Split #3:

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Day 2: Legs

Day 3: Back, Biceps, Abs

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Start Over

3) If you have more time, you can add a third set. That would make the routine around 10-15 minutes in length.

Keep in mind that in order to be able to see your abs, you need to use a diet that will allow you to burn the extra body fat that is covering them. You can do all of the crunches in the world and you will not be able to see your abs if your abdomen is covered by a thick layer of fat. Following a good nutrition program that consists of 40-45% Carbs, 40-35% Protein, 20% Good Fats will put you on the right path to losing body fat (click here for more information on the Characteristics of a Good Diet). For a sample diet program please take a look at this one below:

Sample Natural Bodybuilding Fat Loss/Muscle Building Programs

Note: For guys that are at around 12% body fat and women at 15% you can implement a carbohydrate cycling protocol that enables you to go down to the lower body fat levels. For more information on carb cycling, take a look at this article: Get Lean with Carb Cycling.

Note 2: If you are looking for a supplement that helps to control your appetite and increases your energy, you may want to consider trying the Lean Body Fat Burner.

If you liked this video blog, remember to hit the LIKE button below and also feel free to share it with your friends via GOOGLE PLUS, TWITTER and/or FACEBOOK.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HugoRiveraFitness

And if you have not done so already, sign up to my FREE Weekly Newsletter and by doing so, you get a FREE E-book that shows you How to Gain Muscle as You Get Your Abs.

Natural Bodybuilding FAQ-How To Get Big Arms?

Next to abs, the question on how to get big arms seems to be the second most frequently natural bodybuilding question. In this FAQ, I hope to answer how to win the arms race.
[Read more…]

Today I have my friend and fellow fitness expert Belinda Benn on the line (who I am honored to say got her start by using one of my books her guides!) and she will be sharing with us some wonderful fitness tips with us as well as a load of motivation that you can use to get the year started on the right direction!

Here’s her inspiring story…and by the way, unlike me, she did not start in her teens; she started in her forties! How often have I heard 27 year old’s say that they are too old to get started! This goes to show that you can start at any age and accomplish your goals if you put your mind to it! [Read more…]

In this article I discuss how to take care of your joints in order to prevent injuries and to practice natural bodybuilding pain free for many years to come. [Read more…]

Here is a collection of my 7 Minute or Less Natural Bodybuilding Workout Routines!

If You Have Not Done So Already,

Click Here to Subscribe to My YouTube Channel

[Read more…]

Get Shape Up Now For FREE & Join my All Natural Body Building Newsletter.