Slow and steady for greater gains

Time under tension. It’s a training method used to increase muscle mass, strength or endurance by simply timing the concentric (lifting) and eccentric (returning) portion of a repetition. By measuring the time that the muscle is held under tension while incorporating adequate resistance and proper form, growth and/or strength can be stimulated.

Generally we are taught that in order to gain strength we should lift very heavy weights, using a rep scheme of roughly 2 to 6 for only 2 to 4 sets and take long rests in between. For hypertrophy the ‘golden’ rule is to lift moderately heavy weight for a rep scheme of 8 to 12 and anywhere from 3 to 5 sets, taking half the time to rest compared to the strength training guidelines. Although sound advice and albeit effective, it only works for so long. At some point you will need to add a different stimulus in order to continue to progress. This would be a good time to try time under tension specific workouts. By switching to this format for one week out of every 6 or so, your muscles will get that much needed ‘shock’ and the stimulus will prompt more growth and/or greater strength gains.

Here’s how it’s done. First of all you’ll need a clock. You may also need to abandon that whole cookie cutter rigid rep scheme too. Let’s go with the formula for strength first. Sticking with 2 to 4 sets and a rest period of 2 to 4 minutes in between, instead of counting reps you’re going to count the seconds it takes to complete those reps. The total time under tension should be in the range of 5 to 30 seconds per set. Let’s say you’re performing Barbell Curls for 2 reps. The lifting phase of each rep could be 4 seconds with a 1 second pause and 3 seconds to lower the weight, for a total of 8 seconds. Simple math says 2 to 3 reps per set will keep those biceps under tension for a total of 16 to 24 seconds. Perfect.

Now for  hypertrophy, the time under tension should range between 30 and 60 seconds per set, with 3 to 5 sets and a rest period of 1 to 2 minutes in between. If you use the same time under tension formula as above you would perform a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 7 reps per set.

You can manipulate the time per reps as much as you’d like, for example you could use a 4-1-4, 2-2-2, 3-0-3, etc. The only thing that matters is the total time under tension per set. Of course you will have to adjust the weight you lift to accommodate the amount of time you use for both the concentric and eccentric phases. If you choose a 2-1-2 formula, you will be able to lift a heavier weight than if you use a 4-1-4. Another bonus of slow lifting…if done properly it completely eliminates the use of momentum. If you are lifting a heavy weight very slowly you simply will not be able to use momentum and therefore will place additional stress on the specific muscle you are working.

Once in a while slow it down a bit and add a week of time under tension training to your workout routines to really see some progress!

Should I work out when I’m sick?

How sick is too sick to work out? First you must ask yourself (and be honest with your answer) are you really sick or just feeling a little lethargic and less than motivated to get to the gym? Being tired and ‘not feeling into it’ is one thing…we all have those days. Illness or being over worked and over tired is another issue altogether. We’ll start with the general rules when it comes to exercise during illness. First of all there a few circumstances where exercise is an absolute no-go, the biggest of which is having a fever. If you’re struggling with a fever a workout is completely out of the question. Your body is already overheated and dehydrated and exercise will simply compound that no matter how much air conditioning you are exposed to or amount of water you consume. A fever is a sign of infection and is your bodies way of fighting that infection so let it do it’s job by resting and drinking plenty of fluids.

I’m so sore I can’t stand up

I’m going to share with you an excerpt from a email that was sent to me from a client a couple of days after she performed a rather intense lower body workout I had prescribed for her.

“Hi Shauna. So here’s a weird question…do you happen to know of another method of using the potty that doesn’t involve me actually having to sit on it?…or better yet, one that doesn’t involve any movement from the waist down whatsoever…preferably one in which I can remain in bed motionless, as I am in great discomfort from the agonizing torture of my last workout. My butt is so sore it’s like someone took a hammer to it and my legs feel as if they have been run over by a freight-liner. Thanks a lot, and by the way I hate you today.”

The most important part of your workout program

My Mom taught me this lesson many years ago when she was still reading me bedtime stories and kissing my ouchies (and no that wasn’t last week). You see, I had a bedroom that was a child’s wonderland, filled with all kinds of toys. My Mom is very organized so of course each toy had its place, but I never paid attention. Each time I grew tired of playing with a certain toy, it stayed on the floor and I got a different one. It didn’t take long before I was lost in a sea of Barbies and lego and Mom would come in and tell me to clean it all up. I’d feel overwhelmed and protest with my big brown eyes. Mom would always remind me…”Shauna, if you picked up your toys and put them away each time you were done with one, you wouldn’t be left with a big mess”. My first lesson in consistency. If I consistently put my toys away, I’ll never have a big mess!

Do’s and don’ts of a successful bodybuilding program

If you’ve decided to take on the challenge of adding some muscle to that frame of yours you will no doubt be almost immediately bombarded with “helpful advice” from anyone and everyone that’s ever touched anything heavier than a five pound dumbbell. Be very careful who you listen to, taking most advice and information with a grain of salt. Building muscle is more than just showing up at the gym, picking up a weight or two and devouring pounds of chicken breast. Just like everything else worth having in life, achieving success with muscle building workouts takes knowledge, hard work, dedication and commitment. Acknowledging the things you’re doing right as well as those you’re doing wrong will help you get to where you want to be.

3 Tips to Save Money and Stay Fit

Just look at the current news.  If we are not dealing with a Global Financial “Crisis”, we’re trying to win the war on obesity.  Its obvious these are the two questions that are on everyones mind…

“How can I save money and stay healthy?”

I’m a firm believer that you can do both…

How Often Should I Change My Workout Routine?

In order to realize optimal benefits from your bodybuilding or muscle building program, a change in your workout routines is periodically required.

Muscle growth, or hypertrophy, relies on the principle of Progressive Overload. This is the process of progressively placing greater than normal demands on the musculature. Simply put, in order to increase muscle growth and strength, you must consistently lift more and make the muscles exert more effort than what they have adapted to.

Bodybuilding Tips on How to Avoid Overtraining

Periodically I’ll be posting some bodybuilding (muscle building) tips in order to help you achieve the best possible results from your training efforts. These muscle building tips will include what to do and just as importantly what not to do.

Overtraining is one of those ‘not to do’s’ yet it’s something I see quite frequently. So many athletes adopt an ‘all out, balls to the wall’ (pardon the language) attitude towards their workouts and end up experiencing the  effects of overtraining syndrome. The theory of working harder, longer and more frequently for increased gains sounds logical enough, but without adequate rest and recovery you’ll actually end up regressing.