Here are the 3 keys to successful and permanent Body Sculpting.

These are the same techniques that I have personally used to lose 70-lbs of fat permanently while reshaping my physique and increasing my productivity dramatically. They are also the same techniques that I use on my clients in order to achieve similar results by exercising less & eating more!

 

Step 1-Use Subconscious Mind Re-Programming

 

The first thing that I see clients who fail do is NOT BELIEVE in their ability to achieve the body that they are looking for. As a result, they never invest themselves fully into the program. By not fully committing themselves, they start to miss workouts, they mess up their diet and in short, they self sabotage themselves.

I can’t count how many people come to me and tell me that once they got this right, they really started to commit themselves 300% to the program and as a result, when obstacles would present themselves, instead of sacrificing a meal or a workout they would find a solution that allowed them to continue with the plan.

On the other hand, those who simply did not have the right mindset would jettison the program at the first sign of trouble. This of course would re-enforce the false belief that no program would work for them and that they are not capable of achieving the body of their dreams.

So the first thing that YOU need to do is STOP any self limiting belief that you may have and KNOW that the power to achieve greatness is WITHIN YOU.

Thus, I want you to start acting as if you already have that body and realize that like with anything good in life, obstacles will come but when you have the right mindset you will find a solution! You will also disregard any negativity that comes from your own mind or surrounding people who may tell you that you are wasting your time and that you can’t do this! Again recall that “The Power To Achieve Greatness is Within You!” Just forgive the naysayers and ignore. As far as negative thoughts? Replace them with positive ones. Change feelings of I can’t with I CAN! Keep your eye on the prize which is that dream body of yours.

In summary, to have a mindset that leads to inevitable success you need to:

1) Believe in your ability to achieve the success. Know that “The Power To Achieve Greatness is Within You!”

2) Eliminate any negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.

3) Take a few minutes each day to visualize yourself with the body of your dreams. Record how you feel with that body.

4) Imagine also that you already have that body and behave accordingly: no missing workouts, no missing meals. Full commitment to the program.

5) Find a solution for every obstacle that comes. For example, if it is too hard to stick to your diet plan because you have no time in the morning to prepare your meals, then prepare your meals the night before.

6) Ignore the haters. Remember that haters will hate when you are doing something right!

7) Ignore your own negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. Change the “I cant’s” with “I CAN”.

 

Step 2-Stop Those 2 Hour Marathon Weight Training Sessions Immediately & The Long Traditional Cardio! Instead Focus on Short Highly Targeted Fast Paced Workouts

 

Shocking and counter intuitive but true. While one would think that the more one trains the more results one gets, too much training is viewed by the body as a stressful activity that may result in the death of the organism. Thus, the adrenal glands located on top of the kidneys start to secrete a stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol signals the body to burn muscle in order to use its amino acids for energy and to protect/store fat. This is a survival mechanism that the body has. Anyone who has done a Spartan diet and training program has experienced the weight regain that cortisol creates once they discontinue or even cut back on such programs.

People who focus their workouts on short 30-45 minute but fast paced and intense weight training sessions see the fat loss and muscle gains skyrocket by a factor of ten assuming that the nutrition component is in place. While short cardio sessions can be used as a supplement, most of my clients achieve extraordinary transformations with minimal to no cardio at all and only 3 sessions of weights per week! Some clients do 5 sessions of weights and some do 6, like myself, but that is because we love it. Three sessions will get you the results that you are looking for in no time.

Compare that to the poor souls who are at the gym enslaving themselves on the treadmill like a gerbil for hours to an end to only follow that with an extra hour or two of weight training…These poor people not only get nowhere fast, but eventually, stop the program as it is not sustainable. Furthermore, even for the minority that actually get some results from these programs, the minute they cut back or stop it, the weight regain immediately comes! Also note that emphasizing long traditional cardio training and doing too much weight training will increase your propensity to be fat due to a slowed thyroid, reduced calorie burning due to muscle loss and the cortisol increase we discussed above.

So What Does a Kick Ass Properly Designed Weight Training Session Look Like?

It will consist of properly executed free weight exercises that can be done even from a home gym and these exercises will stimulate the most muscle growth from every set and repetition performed.

There are ten (7-Minute) workouts I use to boost my metabolism while building muscle at home (with just a pair of dumbbells). These workouts will definitely give you a great start and set you in the right direction!

Download Your TEN 7-Minute Fat Burning / Muscle Building Home Workouts for FREE << Click to Download (You also get my FREE 1-Hour Body Sculpting Webinar Which Covers All Of These Topics In More Detail)

If you do as I advice and perform 3 bodyparts in one workout, this will allow you to perform a full workout in 21 minutes (7 minutes x 3 bodyparts = 21 minutes) and get ten times the results that you are getting now.

Every pound of muscle gained is 50 calories more that your body now burns every day in order to maintain that muscle. Thus, if you gain 10 lbs of muscle with the right weight training sessions, you can now burn 500 extra calories per day! Do you see why it is important to gain muscle? Instead of the metabolic rate being lowered as in other programs, by focusing on muscle growth as you lose fat you end up with a body that perhaps only burned 1500 calories when the program started, but when you end the program, it may be able to burn 2,500 calories! This is exactly what you want as in this manner, results are permanent!

Take for example one of my many female students who basically could hardly eat 1200 calories at first when she was overweight and at the end of her transformation can eat over 2,000 calories while being leaner than ever! Why is this the case? Because her body is not fighting her. There was never a huge accumulation of cortisol due to improper training and diet and as a result, her body is happy burning all of those calories. Most of my guys start up eating 2,000 calories and end up eating 3,000 calories or more at the end of their transformations!

And now that we have covered proper results producing training, let’s discuss, precision metabolic enhancing nutrition.

Step 3-Implement Precision Metabolic Enhancing Nutrition: Most Regular Diets Will Set You Up for Failure From The Get Go!

 

I cringe every time I hear someone tell me that they are on a diet that has them consuming 600 calories or some crazy low figure like that. In fact, an obese couple comes to mind They were so happy to tell me about a new liquid diet that their Doctor put them on. Now, I don’t know which Doctor would do this, but at any rate, they just had like a salad a day and various nutrition shakes during the day. Such a diet is not only wrong from the standpoint that the body is meant to operate on real solid food and NOT shakes but even a solid food diet that puts the client in a super calorically deprived state is asking for trouble at many levels.

Long story short they lost a ton of weight in 3 weeks (30-lbs or something but keep in mind that both of these people were over 350-lbs so just water loss alone was probably around 15-lbs and the rest was a combination of muscle loss and fat). They went to a get together after 3 weeks and lets just say that they heavily cheated on the diet. This not only caused a HUGE amount of distress in their digestive system (which by now was not used to solid food anymore and I will spare you the details) but also completely discouraged them as they stepped on the scale on the following day. Needless to say, the diet was abandoned.

Now because of time, I won’t get into all of the health issues that a crazy plan like that causes but I will focus on the main points.

A plan like this will reduce your muscle tissue as too much cortisol will be released since the body sees this as a starvation event. So for each pound you lose, you burn 50 calories less. Lose 10 lbs and now you burn 500 calories less each day. Cool stuff. And also remember that increased cortisol levels protect fat as well! Awesome sauce! Now I’m really excited! NOT!

Furthermore, a plan like this will force your thyroid level (which is the main hormone that regulates the metabolism) to dramatically go down in order to lower the energy cost of your body. Thus, with a lowered thyroid your ability to burn calories gets crippled!

So between the cortisol killing muscle and protecting fat while the thyroid gets toasted do you see how at the end of the madness you will probably gain more weight than whatever you lost?

So what is the solution? What you need is a balanced nutrition that does not deprive you and that will convince your body to lose fat as you gain muscle. As you gain muscle, the diet plan is adjusted in order to compensate for the extra calories that your body burns. So instead of doing like 99% of dieters do, which is to cut calories, you will in fact be ADDING calories since your metabolism should be going UP and NOT DOWN!

I always suggest having a Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with protein shakes in between. In that manner your blood sugar and energy levels are always stable and you encounter no cravings.

A good starting baseline metabolic nutrition plan consists of

40% carbs (sweet potato, potatoes, oatmeal, brown rice, brown rice pasta, plain rice cakes)
40% protein (chicken, turkey, lean red meats, salmon, tuna, egg whites, whole eggs)
20% good fats (extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, nuts like cashews/almonds, fish oils)

My advice is to record everything you consume.
Collect pictures, a waist measurement and your weight at the beginning of the program and at the end of every 2 weeks.

Based on results, adjust your diet. A good rate of fat loss is up to 3 lbs per week. Due to water rebalancing, on the first week some dieters lose as much as 10-lbs! Now, if after week 1 you lost more than 3-lbs, you will need to up the calories a bit. If you lost less than 1 lb then you need to reduce calories.

Every couple of weeks asses results and based on how you are progressing, then make the necessary changes. In this manner you will find EXACTLY the amount of macronutrients that your body thrives on at a specific time.

You will need to stop only using the scale to measure progress as the scale does not tell you how much fat you lost and how much muscle you gained. For example, if you gain 2-lbs of muscle and lose 2-lbs of fat the scale will show NO PROGRESS! But if you do some caliper readings (or at least use a tape measure to measure your waist) and also take digital pictures, then you will be able to see how much muscle you gained and how much fat you lost.

Remember that as muscle is gained, you will need to recalculate your proteins, carbs and fats so it is imperative that you measure body fat loss and muscle gained via the use of inexpensive calipers.

For more information on the subject be sure to download your Free 7-Minute Workout Report and the super informative one hour webinar on all these topics below.

Download Your TEN 7-Minute Fat Burning / Muscle Building Home Workouts for FREE << Click to Download (You also get my FREE 1-Hour Body Sculpting Webinar Which Covers All Of These Topics In More Detail)

 

Conclusion

 

So listen, here is what you need to win if you want to follow the same plan that I used to lose 70-lbs of fat permanently while reshaping my physique and increasing my productivity dramatically; and these are also the same techniques that I use on my clients in order to achieve similar results by exercising less & eating more!

1- Subconcious Mind Re-Programming: Achieve success by knowing that you can achieve greatness, visualizing success, living as if you have already achieved that success, and keeping your eye on the goal while turning self created negative thoughts of “I Can’t” into positive “I CAN” ones and disregarding the Haters.

2- Three Short and Highly Targeted Body Sculpting Sessions: Use short 20-45 minute periodized free-weights based training sessions with short cardio sessions only as an optional supplement. Traditional cardio is NOT needed for this program to work!

3- Precision Metabolic Enhancing Nutrition: Use balanced targeted and a highly personalized nutrition plan that is adjusted upwards as muscle is gained in order to accelerate the metabolism permanently. Track progress using digital pictures, the scale and calipers (or at least a tape measure to measure your waistline) in order to see how much fat you have lost and muscle you have gained.

Again, for more information on all this, be sure to access my informative 1-hour webinar and 7-minute workout report below:

Download Your TEN 7-Minute Fat Burning / Muscle Building Home Workouts for FREE << Click to Download (You also get my FREE 1-Hour Body Sculpting Webinar Which Covers All Of These Topics In More Detail)

Take care and train hard!

hugo_sign

 

 

 

About the Author

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
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/hugoriverafitness
Google Plus: www.google.com/+HugoriveraNetnaturalbodybuilding
Twitter: www.twitter.com/hrfit
BodySpace: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/hrfit/

 

HugoSurvivalGuide

The holidays are approaching with Christmas leading the way followed by New Years not too far behind. During this time of joy and happiness unfortunately most people, including some of us bodybuilders, tend to forget about their bodybuilding workouts and nutrition plans. If thoughts of dumping your fitness and bodybuilding program have crossed your mind, allow me to remind you that this road only leads to a physique that could be used as a ‘Before’ picture on the latest fat burner ads.

However, what if I told you that with some planning ahead you can have your cake and eat it too? I promise you that if you practice self discipline and follow all of the tactics discussed below, your fat gain during the Holidays will be minimized, and provided that you train hard, even if you use my bodybuilding holiday routine described below, you will come out with new muscle that you did not have before.

Bodybuilding Tips & Advice For Staying Fit During The Holidays

There are some key steps that need to be followed in order to stay fit during the Holidays. Follow the steps below and I guarantee you that come New Year, losing weight will not be on your list of resolutions:

1. Plan Ahead, Be Organized.

Plan your bodybuilding workout days one full week ahead. Because of the amounts of get-togethers and days that the gym may be closed, it is best if you decide a week ahead which days you will be attending the gym. Simply take out your calendar and schedule your workouts and even write down at what times these will be performed. In this manner, your chances of missing a workout due to parties or gym closures are eliminated.

2. Get Your Workouts In Early:

Workout as early as possible, preferably first thing in the morning. If your schedule is really hectic, I would advise waking up early and getting the training done, if possible, right before you go to work.

If this is not possible, then try doing it at lunch time or right after work so that nothing else interferes with your workout. On days off from work, definitely get the training done as early as possible.

3. Hugo’s Holiday Abbreviated Bodybuilding Routine ( See Below For Full Routine)

If you feel that you really cannot dedicate more than 3 days a week to your training, then just try out my Abbreviated Bodybuilding Holiday Routine shown below. The routine is designed for a serious natural bodybuilder that wants maximum muscle along with definition and is willing to train 3 days a week for 75 minutes. Not everybody is trying to look like a bodybuilder , if your just looking to tone up , then just cut 1 set for all the exercises listed and this will bring down your gym time by around 15-20 minutes so each workout will be around 55 minutes long or so. So less than 3 hours in total out of your entire week.

4. Planning Your Diet Cheat Days:

Plan Your Cheat Days Wisely. I have to say that I am an expert at this one. Reason for this is because Thanksgiving is on the 24th, my birthday is on December 5th, Christmas on the 25th and New Year’s on the 31.

So those are my cheat days. My advice is to attempt to space cheat days with at least 5-6 days in between, 6 being the better choice.

5. Eating Cheat Meals Wisely:

Eat your cheat meals wisely. When you have a cheat meal, start eating the protein portion first as this will get you to start getting full. Leave the carbs for the end of the meal.

Also, try to not stuff yourself. Instead allocate six hours of cheating per cheat day and instead of having just one huge binge meal that prevents you from even being able to walk after you are done, have 3 smaller meals instead; one every 90 minutes. Take around 30 minutes to savor and make sure that after you are done with each meal you feel like you have a bit of room left. The best strategy is to eat until you are comfortably full.

After your cheat period, go back on your regular diet.

6. Workout Before Cheating:

Before a cheat period it is great to have a tough workout first in order to minimize fat gain and maximize muscle gain. Reason for this is because after a workout the body is primed to absorb nutrients in the form of proteins and carbohydrates. Thus, having a cheat meal afterwards will ensure that most nutrients are used for recovery and muscle production.

7. Supplementing Before Cheating:

Take some 200mcg of Chromium Picolinate and 300 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid at the beginning of your cheat period. These supplements help increase your cell’s ability to accept insulin and thus assimilate the extra carbohydrates better. As a matter of fact, increasing insulin sensitivity is one of the reasons why I like to have a big workout prior to the cheat period.

In addition, you can also take some Nitric Oxide Boosters and creatine as well 30 minutes prior to the first cheat meal in order to take advantage of the extra carbohydrates and insulin spike.

Finally, a good thermogenic supplement like Labrada’s Charge ASF is a good idea as well since this will ensure that your appetite is kept under control.

8. Have Essential Fatty Acids:

Have some EFA’s with your cheat meal. Research indicates that some essential fats like the ones found in flaxseed oil or fish oils have anti-lipolitic properties. In other words, they inhibit some of the enzymes responsible for fat storage. Because of this, by taking these fats with your first cheat meal of your cheat period, you can minimize some of the damage. They also serve as a good natural appetite suppressant.

One tablespoon of Carlson Fish Oils or Spectrum Flaxseed Oil should do the trick. Capsules can be used but you would need 10-14 of them to equal a tablespoon of the liquid version.

9. Have Digestive Enzymes Prior To Your Cheat Meal:

Take some digestive enzymes prior to each one of your cheat meals. This will ensure maximum nutrient assimilation and will also help you avoid feelings of excessive fullness and indigestion. The best formula is a comprehensive enzyme formula with enzymes for proper digestion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

10. Have A Walk After The Cheat Period:

Three to five hours after the cheat period has ended, have a 30-45 minute walk. I’m not talking about anything strenuous; around 3 miles per hour is a good pace. Doing some cardiovascular activity after the cheat period has ended will start burning some of the carbohydrates that may still be lingering around. The more of these you burn, the less likelihood of storing body fat. If you cannot do this walk on the same day of the cheat period then try it on the morning after on an empty stomach.

Hugo’s Abbreviated 3 Days Per Week Routine

For the purpose of continued muscle growth and fat loss over the holidays, I have used the principles of cycling (the three training phases, loading, growth and active recovery) that I always preach about in order to create a routine that will keep the muscle growth/fat loss process going during the next few months with minimum visits to the gym.

This is a 3 day a week routine but don’t let that fool you, it’s a tough routine and will do more than just maintain you. The longest routine is the one from week three. It lasts around 75 minutes.

Loading Phase

WEEK #1

Mon (13-15 reps), Wed (10-12 reps), Fri (8-10 reps)

Superset:
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 3 sets (No Rest)
Wide Grip Pull-Ups To Front 3 sets (60 seconds)

Superset:
Upright Rows 2 sets (No Rest)
Bent Over Laterals 2 sets (60 seconds)

Superset:
Seated Incline Curls 2 sets (No Rest)
Triceps Dips 2 sets (60 seconds)

Giant-set:
Leg Extensions 3 sets (No Rest)
Leg Curls 3 sets (No Rest)
Squats (Wide Stance) 3 sets (No Rest)
Calf Raises3 sets (60 seconds)

WEEK #2

Mon (13-15 reps), Wed (10-12 reps), Fri (8-10 reps)

Superset:
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 sets (No Rest)
Wide Grip Pull-Ups To Front 4sets (60 seconds)

Superset:
Upright Rows 2 sets (No Rest)
Bent Over Laterals 2 sets (60 seconds)

Superset:
Seated Incline Curls 3sets (No Rest)
Triceps Dips 3 sets (60 seconds)

Giant-set:
Leg Extensions 4 sets (No Rest)
Leg Curls 4 sets (No Rest)
Squats (Wide Stance) 4 sets (No Rest)
Calf Raises 4 sets (60 seconds)

WEEK #3

Mon (13-15 reps), Wed (10-12 reps), Fri (8-10 reps)

Superset:

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 5sets (No Rest)
Wide Grip Pull-ups To Front 5sets (60 seconds)

Superset:
Upright Rows 3 sets (No Rest)
Bent Over Laterals 3 sets (60 seconds)

Superset:
Seated Incline Curls 3 sets (No Rest)
Triceps Dips 3 sets (60 seconds)

Giant-set:
Lunges 5 sets (No Rest)
Leg Curls 5 sets (No Rest)
Squats (Wide Stance) 5 sets (No Rest)
Calf Raises 5 sets (60 seconds)

Growth Phase

Weeks 4-6:

Mon (10-12 reps), Wed (8-10 reps), Fri (6-8 reps)

Modified Superset:
Incline Bench Press 3 sets (Rest 90 seconds)
Chin-ups (Palms facing you) 3sets (Rest 90 seconds)

Modified Giant-set:
Rear Delt Rows (performed like a reverse bench press) 2 sets (Rest 45 seconds)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 2 sets (Rest 45 seconds)
E-Z Curls 2 sets (Rest 45 seconds)
Close Grip Bench Press 2 sets (Rest 45 seconds)

Modified Giant-set:
Lunges (press with ball of foot) 3 sets (Rest 60 seconds)
Leg Curls (Toes Out) 3 sets (Rest 60 seconds)
Squats or Leg Press 3 sets (Rest 60 seconds)
Calf Raises 3 sets (Rest 60 seconds)

Active Recovery Phase

After Week 6:

Two full-body workouts a week; a routine similar to the Growth Phase (above) performed only on Mondays and Thursdays with two sets per exercise, each set consisting of 13-15 repetitions.

Also, do 20-30 minutes of cardio, first thing in the morning on the days off (Tuesdays/Thursdays/Saturdays). Sunday is the total day of rest.

Holiday Bodybuilding Supplements Recommendation Summary

Below is a summary of the bodybuilding supplements you should be taking throughout the Holiday season:

Good Supplements To Take Prior To A Cheat Meal Period

200 mcg Chromium Picolinate
300 mg Alpha Lipoic Acid
Nitric Oxide Booster/Creatine Product Such As Labrada’s Labrada ReCharge
Digestive Enzymes
Essential Fats such as Flax or Fish Oils
Thermogenic/Appetite Suppressing Supplement like Labrada Charge Ephedra Free

Additional Basic Supplements

Comprehensive Multiple Vitamins and Mineral Formula (should go without saying)
Meal Replacement Packets or Protein Supplements to be used whenever not able to consume a real meal.
1 gram of vitamin C at Meals 1, 3 and 5. Extra vitamin C not only may help lower cortisol levels but also keeps immunity high during this period where most people catch colds.

Holiday Bodybuilding Dieting For Non-Cheat Days

Please take a look at the diet below so that you have an idea of what your bodybuilding diet during your “non-cheat days” should consist of:

Sample Bodybuilding Diet For Men

Meal 1 (7 AM)
1 cup of dry oats mixed with water
1 cup of egg beaters

Meal 2 (9 AM)
Meal replacement packet like Labrada’s Lean Body mixed with water or a protein powder (with around 40 grams of protein) mixed with 40 grams of carbs from cream of rice, grits, or oatmeal.

1 Tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil (Spectrum brand is best) or Fish Oils (Carlson Brand is Best)

Meal 3 (12 Noon)
1 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
6-8 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 4 (3 PM)
Same as Meal 2 but without flaxseed oil.

Meal 5 (6 PM)
1 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
6-8 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 6 (8 PM)
2 scoops of slow released proteins like Pro V60 and 1 tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil or Fish Oils

Sample Bodybuilding Diet For Women

Meal 1 (7 AM)
1/2 cup of dry oats mixed with water
1/2 cup of egg beaters

Meal 2 (9 AM)
Meal replacement packet like Labrada’s Lean Body for Her mixed with water or a protein powder (with around 25-30 grams of protein) mixed with 25-30 grams of carbs from cream of rice, grits, or oatmeal.
1/2 Tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil (Spectrum Brand is Best) or Fish Oils (Carlson Brand Is Best)

Meal 3 (12 Noon)
1/2 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
6 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 4 (3 PM)
Same as Meal 2 but no flaxseed oil.

Meal 5 (6 PM)
1/2 cup of brown rice, or medium sized baked potato, or 1 cup of oatmeal
2 cups of green beans, broccoli or any other desired vegetable
6 ounces of chicken, turkey, or lean fish

Meal 6 (8 PM)
1 scoop of slow released proteins like Pro V60 and 1/2 tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil or Fish Oils

Conclusion

Try out the tips and workout above, and provided that you follow a good diet along with it just limiting yourself to cheat meals on Christmas day and New Years Eve, you should avoid the catastrophic effects that the holidays leave behind in moat people. As a matter of fact, you should look better!

Best of Health and Happy Holidays!

Take care and train hard!

hugo_sign

 

 

 

About the Author

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/

Because the calves are a stubborn muscle for many of us, I called up my good friend IFBB Pro Ben Pakulski (who was NOT born with the best calves and yet BUILT THEM to become one of the best calves in bodybuilding history) to shed some light on the subject. See how Ben kicks my behind on this short but intense routine.

Natural Bodybuilding Calves Workout with Ben and Hugo

The routine is simple:

Here is the calves routine:
Bodyweight Calf Raises to failure
Donkey Calf Raises to failure

Keep going back and forth with no rest in between sets until you have done 2-4 sets of each exercise.

You can do this routine at home using a couple of dumbbells on each hand for resistance and a couple of 25lb plates placed next to each other as a platform to place the ball of the foot on in order to perform the exercise.

For more information on different training splits please take a look 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

Try this routine out and let me know what you think! If you have found this knowledge useful you may want to check out Ben’s MI-40 program, which is jam packed with muscle building information. And if you choose to get it, I will also give you my Body Re-Engineering program for FR E E. For details and review of the MI-40 program click here.

Today I want to share with you a 15 Min Killer Giant Set Pull-Up Back Workout that you can do at the gym or in a well equipped home gym. This is a fast paced and short routine that will set your back muscles on fire!

The routine is simple. Here is the routine:

15-Minute Killer Giant Set Pull-up Workout for Gaining Muscle Mass in the Back

Giant Set:

Wide Grip Pull-ups 1-3 sets of 8-10 reps (no rest)
Close Reverse Grip Pull-ups 1-3 sets of 6-8 reps (no rest)
Neutral Grip Pull-up (Close Grip) 1-3 sets of 6-8 reps (no rest)
Neutral Grip Pull-up (Wider Grip) 1-3 sets of 4-6 (no rest)
One Arm Cable Rows with a Twist (High Pulley) 1-3 sets 10-12 (60-90 sec rest)

For more information on different training splits please take a look below:

Notice how I do a 4 second negative on my movements. The reason for this is because I want to keep maximum muscle tension (as I have learned from my buddy and IFBB Pro Ben Pakulski while using his MI-40 system).

So check out the workout video below, try it out and let me know how it works for you!

15-Minute Killer Giant Set Pull-up Workout for Gaining Muscle Mass in the Back

By the way, if you have found this knowledge useful you may want to check out Ben’s MI-40 program, which is jam packed with muscle building information. And if you choose to get it, I will also give you my Body Re-Engineering program for FR E E. For details and of the MI-40 program click here. I wish that back when I got started I would have just spent $47 and gotten over $1300 in terms of value! (Not even counting all of the other gifts I am throwing in ($339.99) plus the $500 call from Ben).

So TAKE ACTION NOW and GET BIG! We give you the plan; all you have to do now is put your determination and effort in. There is no excuse for failure.

TAKE ACTION ==> I Am Ready To Get Big and Use The Power of MI-40 and BRE to Get HUGE!

How Many Sets to Do?
Up to you. If you want to keep your workout to be super short you can do 1-2 sets per exercise. If you can afford more time, then do 3 sets and the routine will take you around 15 minutes.

For more information on different training splits please take a look 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

Try this out and let me know what you think!

Today I want to share with you a 15-Minute Triceps Workout that you can do at the gym. This is a fast paced and short routine that will set your triceps muscles on fire!

The routine is simple: 1 triset of 2-3 sets each (I did 3 sets). If you just do 2 sets, the routine will take you around 10 minutes to finish. Here is the routine:

15-Minute Triceps Workout for Gaining Muscle Mass

Triset:

Exercise #1
Triceps Pushdowns with straight bar
(stand away from pulley)
Choose a weight that allows for 10-12 reps
Hit Failure then get closer to the pulley and go to failure again.

Exercise #2
Triceps Pushdowns with a rope
(stand away from pulley)
Choose a weight that allows for 8-10 reps
Hit Failure then get closer to the pulley and go to failure again.

Exercise #3
Triceps Dips (Use parallel bars or bench)
Choose a weight that allows for 8-10 reps
Hit Failure then take off the weight and go to failure again.

Notice how I do a 4 second negative on my movements. The reason for this is because I want to keep maximum muscle tension (as I have learned from my buddy and IFBB Pro Ben Pakulski while using his MI-40 system).

So check out the workout video below, try it out and let me know how it works for you!

15 Minute Chest Workout (Short and Intense) for Gaining Muscle Mass

By the way, if you have found this knowledge useful you may want to check out Ben’s MI-40 program, which is jam packed with muscle building information. And if you choose to get it, I will also give you my Body Re-Engineering program for FR E E. For details and of the MI-40 program click here. I wish that back when I got started I would have just spent $47 and gotten over $1300 in terms of value! (Not even counting all of the other gifts I am throwing in ($339.99) plus the $500 call from Ben).

So TAKE ACTION NOW and GET BIG! We give you the plan; all you have to do now is put your determination and effort in. There is no excuse for failure.

TAKE ACTION ==> I Am Ready To Get Big and Use The Power of MI-40 and BRE to Get HUGE!

How Many Sets to Do?
Up to you. If you want to keep your workout short (10 minutes), you can do 2 sets per exercise. If you can afford more time, then do 3 sets and the routine will take you around 15 minutes.

Triceps Workout Notes:

1) Train the triceps twice a week.

2) You can do triceps conjunction with your chest and shoulders, or your chest and biceps, or your shoulders and biceps. For more information on different training splits please take a look 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

Try this out and let me know what you think!

.

Today I want to share with you a 15-Minute Chest Workout that you can do at the gym (or at home as long as you have an adjustable bench and are willing to make some exercise substitutions. This is a fast paced and short routine that will set your chest muscles on fire!

The routine is simple: 2 supersets of 2-3 sets each (I did 3 sets). Here is the routine:

15-Minute Chest Workout for Gaining Muscle Mass

Superset #1: Cable Crossovers (3 sets of 10-12 reps) & Flat Dumbbell Bench Press (3 sets of 8-10 reps). Rest 1 min after the bench press.

Superset #2: Incline Bench Press (3 sets of 6-8 reps) & Chest Dips (3 sets of 8-12 reps). Rest 1 min after the dips.

Home Training Version:

Superset #1: Flat Flyes (3 sets of 10-12 reps) & Flat Dumbbell Bench Press (3 sets of 8-10 reps). Rest 1 min after the bench press.

Superset #2: Incline Dumbbell Bench Press (3 sets of 6-8 reps) & Push-ups (3 sets of 8-12 reps). Rest 1 min after the push-ups.

Notice how I do a 4 second negative on my movements. The reason for this is because I want to keep maximum muscle tension (as I have learned from my buddy and IFBB Pro Ben Pakulski while using his MI-40 system).

So check out the workout video below, try it out and let me know how it works for you!

15 Minute Chest Workout (Short and Intense) for Gaining Muscle Mass

By the way, if you have found this knowledge useful you may want to check out Ben’s MI-40 program, which is jam packed with muscle building information. And if you choose to get it, I will also give you my Body Re-Engineering program for FR E E. For details and of the MI-40 program click here. I wish that back when I got started I would have just spent $47 and gotten over $1300 in terms of value! (Not even counting all of the other gifts I am throwing in ($339.99) plus the $500 call from Ben).

So TAKE ACTION NOW and GET BIG! We give you the plan; all you have to do now is put your determination and effort in. There is no excuse for failure.

TAKE ACTION ==> I Am Ready To Get Big and Use The Power of MI-40 and BRE to Get HUGE!

How Many Sets to Do?
Up to you. If you want to keep your workout short (10 minutes), you can do 2 sets per exercise of anywhere from 8-15 reps. If you can afford more time, then do 3 sets and the routine will take you around 15 minutes.

Chest Workout Notes:

1) Train the chest twice a week.

2) You can do chest conjunction with your shoulders and triceps, or your back, or your biceps and triceps. For more information on different training splits please take a look 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

Try this out and let me know what you think!

.

If you think that you know all there is to know about natural bodybuilding biceps training, think again. I was honored to have my good friend and IFBB Pro Ben Pakulski take some time out of his busy schedule (and Mr. Olympia preparation) to come with me at the PowerHouse gym in Downtown Tampa to share with me some solid biceps training tips. These tips, when applied to the letter, and in conjunction with the proper diet, will add an extra inch to your arms in no time!

Because when Ben talks I listen, instead of writing an article about what he showed me, I took the camera with me to the gym and filmed live! So make sure that you check out the three videos below in which Ben takes me through a serious biceps workout that made my arms completely explode! As you will see, there is not a lot of weight used. The magic is in the proper exercise execution and the application of tension in the biceps! And of course, you will see how Ben will talk about certain things you can do to make regular exercises like dumbbell curls, cable curls and incline curls be 10 times more effective!

So check out the workout videos below, try the principles out, and let me know how they work for you!

Natural Bodybuilding Biceps Workout with Ben and Hugo, Pt. 1: Dumbbell Curls with a Twist

Natural Bodybuilding Biceps Workout with Ben and Hugo, Pt. 2: Cable Curls (Ben Pakulski Style)

Natural Bodybuilding Biceps Workout with Ben and Hugo, Pt. 3: Incline Curls (with a nice little trick from Ben)

By the way, if you have found this knowledge useful you may want to check out Ben’s MI-40 program, which is jam packed with muscle building information. And if you choose to get it, I will also give you my Body Re-Engineering program for FR E E. For details and review of the MI-40 program click here.

How Many Sets to Do?
Up to you. If you want to keep your workout short, you can do 2 sets per exercise of anywhere from 8-15 reps. If you can afford more time you can do as many as 4.

Biceps Workout Notes:

1) Train the biceps twice a week.

2) You can do them in conjunction with your chest and triceps, or your back, or your chest and shoulders. For more information on different training splits please take a look 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

Try this out and let me know what you think!

.

Here is a natural bodybuilding question that I got from one of my readers the other day. This question is asked more often than what you would think by both men and women so I figured that posting it will help many of you out there.

Natural Bodybuilding Question: I want to compete one day so I want to get really big as quickly as possible. Should I train twice a day for 2-1/2 hours at a time for faster bodybuilding gains? I hear that is how the guys back in the 70’s used to do it. Please help me.

Answer: Absolutely not. It is a big misconception that the more you train, the more you gain. Back in the 70’s high volume, twice a day training was popular amongst the top level professional bodybuilders. However, these guys were genetically gifted and their nervous systems could take a beating of this magnitude and still recover. And even then, they typically only did this 12 weeks prior to a competition. In addition, due to years of training, each advanced bodybuilder knows how much they can take before overtraining is reached.

I would say that the best way to stimulate gains for most people is by training 1 hour, once a day, with 45 minutes being better for most. Depending on the unique recovery capabilities of the person, 4-6 days a week of weight training will do the job. Remember that muscle growth occurs as you rest and not while you are training.

Also, after 60 minutes of training the levels of the catabolic hormone cortisol increases and testosterone decreases, a hormonal situation that will prevent you from making any gains. My philosophy when it comes to time spent at the gym is get in, do your job well, and get out. These days even most of the top pro bodybuilders refrain from spending much more than 1 hour at the gym.

Like former 8-Time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney used to say: “Stimulate, don’t annihilate”.

Below you will find some programs that will give you the kind of gains that you are looking for.

21-day-program

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

More Programs Can Be Used During a Bulking or Fat Loss Cycle

  • Beginner’s Bodybuilding Workout (3 Days a week) – Excellent for those people with no bodybuilding training experience.
  • Intermediate Bodybuilding Workout (3-4 Days a week as desired) – Excellent for those with 12 weeks of training experience.
  • Advanced Bodybuilding Workout Using Periodization (3-6 days a week) – This is for the trainee with at least 24 weeks of training experience who is really serious about getting huge muscles. The periodization, or manipulation of sets, rest and repetition parameters will ensure the fastest gains in muscle mass.
  • Advanced Bodybuilding Workout Using The 10 Sets of 10 Reps Training Method (3-6 days a week) – This is for the trainee with at least 24 weeks of training experience who is ready for another high volume phase and who needs to get past a plateau. The 10 sets of 10 reps bodybuilding training method has been used in bodybuilding circles for years in order to break through plateaus and gain new lean muscle mass. Many people have claimed to its invention, but regardless of who came up with it, it has been used with great success by awesome bodybuilders from the past such as Vince Gironda, as well as Dave Draper and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Today, many athletes on the know still use this method and even elite strength coaches, such as Charles Poliquin, are great advocates of it and use it on their Olympic athletes when they are in need of increasing their lean mass quickly. I’ve used this method myself without fail since early on my bodybuilding career. It never ceases to yield great results.
  • Advanced Bodybuilding Workout Using The 5 Sets of 5 Reps Training Method (3-6 days a week) – This is for the trainee with at least 24 weeks of training experience who is ready for another heavy weight phase and who needs to get past a plateau. This method has also been used in bodybuilding circles for years for the purposes of breaking through plateaus and accumulating new lean muscle mass. The inventor of this method, according to what I have read from various sources, was no other than former Mr. Universe Reg Park who was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bodybuilding idol and inspiration. Reg used this method quite successfully back in the fifties and sixties. This routine is best used after a high volume training phase, such as the one provided by the 10 sets of 10 reps method described above.
  • Hardgainer’s Bodybuilding Training – Periodized workout for people with an ectomorphic bodytype.
  • Advanced Bodybuilding Workout for the Busy Bodybuilder (3-6 days a week) – This is a non periodized workout that makes the most out of the time that you have to train. You can incorporate periodization by changing the repetition ranges periodically as shown on the Advanced Bodybuilding Workout above. You can also change your exercise selections as well.

Take care and train hard!

hugo_sign

 

 

 

About the Author

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/

I’ve been getting tons of emails with super positive feedback
on the content I have sent from Nick. Again, since this is the
time when a lot of you are looking for fast fat loss, I asked
Nick to please share something with me on that subject.

Here is the article that he put together on this which shares
some extremely interesting ideas that when applied simply
provide BIG RESULTS…

[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…]

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