Workout of the Day: Keep It Moving

What's up super stars, how we feeling? It's been a busy month already with movies, Q&A's, brunches and planning galore but I'm still finding time to keep it moving. I'm still sticking to two-a-day workouts a couple times a week as it's easy to carve out 30-40 minutes at the start and end of a day. I've been taking it easy in the mornings with morning cardio, biking 5-6 miles on the ol' recumbent or walking on an incline or intervals on an Elliptical. Think I'll throw in some jump roping and shadow boxing this week to up the intensity. I was also seeing Creed on the big screen with Sylvester Stallone attending so I had to do my part in practicing the ways of pumpology. Feeling lazy after a long day, I mustered the energy to do a quick but pumping leg workout at the complex gym:


Deadlift/Feet Close Squat/Hip Thrusters/Goblet Squats/Step Ups/Calf Raises x 4

Inspired by some Frank Zane, Vince Gironda and Larry Scott reading it was off to the gym at 5:30 AM for Chest and Biceps the next morning:

1) Incline Push Up/Barbell Drag Curl
2) DB Pullover/Barbell Spider Curl
3) Zottman Curl/Decline DB Fly
4) Reverse Curl/Incline DB Press

Each superset repeated three times, followed up by some neck and forearm exercises I was out in 35 minutes as I moved from one exercise to another with as little rest as possible. Usually a few breaths or 10 between supersets. Since I didn't have time for cardio after weights, that night I alternated pedaling a mile with an ab and twist superset while watching Colbert six times. Might not be burning a ton of calories but it's an easy way to break a sweat while keeping your stress and tension levels low.

24 Hours: Morning Man Workout

By the time I got to the gym around 8:00 AM, I'd already been up four hours, seen nearly two movies, picked up doughnuts and hadn't eaten since 6:00PM the night before. My hands were a little shaky from low blood sugar but I figured that would be prime fat burning time in the gym. It was a bit crowded already but luckily it was all folks taking classes, not using the free weights. Shoulders and Arms were on the menu as I got in:

- Arnold Press superset with Rear Delt Raises and Dumbbell Upright Row for 3 giant sets
- Preacher Curls w/DB Triceps Extensions
- Gironda style V-Bar Dive Extensions w/Incline DB Curl
- Dip Machine w/DB Hammer Curls

To get a good pump, I tend to do 8-12 reps then add in a few half reps at the end of each set. After 3 supersets of arms I came back to Shoulders and did a few sets of Cable Raises for the medial delts then finished off with Calf Raises, Back Extensions, Abs and Forearms. No cardio today but I'll make up for it tomorrow. I weighed in a few pounds lighter than last week so the Intermittent Fasting seems to be working with no ill effects on my training.

At home cooling off I read up on Vince Gironda's Facebook kept up by former student Robert Torres. He does a great job of posting inspirational and educational stuff about Vince along with pupils and contemporaries like Frank Zane and Larry Scott. There was a great video of actor Clint Walker's home gym from the 60's which has all these great, space saving features that utilizes benches and poles to make for flat and incline as well as dips and a preacher bench. It's interesting to see something like this as the principles from back then still apply today that it's not about being a bodybuilder but simply working out to feel good, fitting it in whenever possible, eating quality food to recover, sleeping enough to recuperate and making sure you get your chins in!

Workout of the Day: Gym Guy

My new office is right across from a Spectrum Athletic Club and the resident manager cut anyone who joins in July a pretty sweet deal.  It's a little on the pricey side but it is a nice gym with an 8-lane lap pool, weights, machines, tons of cardio equipment and at least two separate rooms for classes.  There's also towel service and full shower amenities as well as a healthy restaurant that serves up breakfast, lunch and smoothie options.  I haven't been a gym member since last year so I was raring to get back into the swing of things.  Working out at home is well and good but it's nice to change it up every few months.  You can push more weight at the gym and I'll be less likely to skip over cardio.  Since it's so close to my office I have no excuse not to pop over for a pre-work or lunch time session.  When I was in college, the Rowing Machine was a dusty piece of unused equipment.  As I checked out other gyms, I'd judge them on their old school-ness if they had either a Rowing or Neck machine.  Thanks to the rise of Crossfit and MMA, Rowing is hot again but still no Neck Machine...On top of that, Spectrum has a frigging Versa Climber!  You know, what Dolph Lundgren uses in Rocky IV or Michael Biehn in K2?!  I hadn't seen one of these since my old hometown gym that I compare all others to since it was a dungeon style, no frills joint with tons of equipment yet well maintained with spray bottles and towels every few feet.

Jumping right in over the Holiday weekend, I did everything starting on Friday with a Chest and Back workout then Legs on Saturday.  Sunday I was a little tight and sore so I opted to go for a swim where I ran lengths to get warmed up then swam free style and breast stroke.  When my arms got tired I'd just grab a board and kick my way back and forth.  Then it was time for some Rowing, 1000 meters in around 5 minutes.  Then 2 miles on the bike.  2 minutes on the Versa Climber (seriously, gotta work my way up!) and then another 1000 meters Rowing.  Today was a Shoulders and Arms workout that included:

1) Machine Press/Straight Bar Preacher Curl/Rope Pushdown
2)  Larry Scott Raises/DB Incline Curl/Lying Tricep Extension with EZ Bar (my tennis elbow has all but subsided so it was nice to be able to push a little extra weight)
3)  Cable Upright Row w/Rope/Hammer Cable Curls w/Rope/Dip Machine

Each giant set was repeated 3 times with increasing weight and I was sweating.  Seated calf raises, neck extensions and forearms finished up my weight lifting portion then I went and pedaled 3 miles on the bike in about 10 minutes.  After a quick shower I grabbed a post workout smoothie consisting of Orange Juice, Isopure Vanilla Protein, a banana and ice.  They say fructose is not the kind of sugar you want after working out because it goes to your liver before your bloodstream while dextrose goes right into the system and helps replenish your glycogen or energy stores.  But corn sugar wasn't on the menu so I just had to make due.  Going to push it hard the next couple of weeks as I've just scheduled a one on one training session with former Mr. Olympia and lifelong inspiration, Frank Zane, at his retreat in San Diego during Comic-Con week!

Workout of the Day: Bar None

Working out at home, you gotta make things convenient for yourself or it's just too Damme easy to lay down on the couch and watch more Deadwood, Cobra, Spartacus or Wings.  When planning my training, I try to use the same equipment for multiple exercises in order to be able to move between sets with little down time, thus keeping myself in a breathless state.  This past weekend I utilized a Triple Threat Giant Set to work my Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps.

1)  Barbell Shoulder Press - Lowering the weight in front of my chin, focusing on keeping elbows back and lower back locked into position to avoid straining - if you lower behind the head, really pull those elbows back and don't go down too far to avoid shearing
2)  Bent Over Barbell Curl - Standing Barbell Curls can put pressure on your wrists and elbows, bending down takes that risk out and keeps your delts from getting involved
3)  JM Press - From Larry Scott's routine, a skullcrusher meets close grip bench press where you lower the bar towards your chin so your elbows move forward

1)  Dumbbell Upright Row
2)  Dumbbell Incline Curl - Stand with your back against a door frame then step forward so you slide down a few inches, mimicking the angle of an incline bench, start with weights at your side and curl up, turning your pinky up towards the ceiling
3)  Lying DB Tricep Extension - Lowering to the side of my head, one arm at a time

1)  DB Raises, Scott and Van Damme style - Using light DB's, bend elbows, raising weight to your waist then doing 5 raises to the side, rear and front with slow control
2)  Concentration Curl - Since DB's were already loaded with weight from previous set, the concentration curl is a perfect exercise that requires heavier poundage
3)  DB Kickback - Using heavier weight, bend at the waist and grab a bench, drawer or doorknob and pull the weight up like a row but when elbow reaches parallel to body, kickback

Followed up by some forearm and neck exercises and my weight training was complete.

Take it to the limit!  With sunglasses on:

Train In Peace: Larry Scott

Not sure how I missed this in March but bodybuilding and fitness has lost one of it's most inspirational figures, Larry Scott.  Born in Pocatello, Idaho in 1938, Scott was bodybuilding's first Mr. Olympia, the prestigious title that was later won by the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane and Franco Columbu.  Possessing a clean cut, All-American handsomeness and some of the best arms and shoulders in the game, Scott was the premiere bodybuilder of the early 1960's.  After winning the Olympia title a 2nd time in 1966 at the young age of 28, Scott abruptly retired to focus on his personal life.  A devout Mormon, Scott had set up shop in Salt Lake City, Utah where he ran gyms, spas and supplement stores.  He died at age 75 of complications from Alzheimer's disease.  He is survived by his wife of more than 40 years and their 3 remaining children.

Scott had one of the great physiques of all time as he was massive yet not lumbering with huge cannonball delts and a narrow waist.  His arms were always center of attention with their dense, football shape but his thick, V-shaped back, wide, slab like chest, statuesque thighs and calves were always up to snuff.  Working with Vince Gironda and Rheo H. Blair, Scott became one of the first bodybuilders known for attributing as much success to nutrition as training.  Scott is said to have taken in 2 cups of Blair's special protein a day with heavy cream and a gallon of milk a day, that's 16 cups of milk!  Back then a breakfast would consist of hamburger patties, whole eggs and cottage cheese.  High protein and fat with low carbs and few vegetables were the norm.

Larry Scott loved preacher curls, so much that people started to dub them "Scott" curls.  Using the angled bench or the reverse flat "spider" side helps take the deltoids out of the equation and helps pump up the brachialis, the rope like muscle between the biceps and triceps on the side of your arm.  Preacher curls also help tie in the lower bicep near the interior elbow joint to give your arms a fuller, thicker appearance.  Remember, some of us have a low tie in while others have a high tie in.  A low tie in usually means longer, thicker biceps with less peak while a high tie in has more space between the bicep and inner elbow for a bigger peak.

Some training routines from The Legend:

Fry your Deltoids:  Sit on a bench with dumbbells in hand, raise them laterally until they are over your head and nearly touch.  Do 4 reps here.  Without resting, raise the DB's out to the side but stop at ear level then bring them together in front, return them to the side and lower.  4 reps here.  Still without setting them down, burn out and do regular side raises until you feel like your shoulders are ready to fall off.  That's the Larry Scott way!

Build a better Bicep:  2 Arm Preacher Curl w/Dumbbells, with your shoulders wide and your elbows on the bench tight, lower the DB's all the way to the bottom then curl up, flexing at the top.  After 6-8 reps, Scott would perform 3-4 half reps or "burns" to really tear the fibers.  Regular Preacher Curls were next with full reps and more burns.  Reverse curls, either standing or on the Preacher bench were next to fry the forearms and brachialis. 

Scott would usually select 4 exercises per body part and complete 5 sets which is a bit much for us non-competitive types.  I usually aim for 3 sets of 3 different exercises per body part, working at least 2 a day like Chest/Biceps, Back/Triceps, Shoulders/Legs, etc.

My condolences to the Scott family and much respect to one of the early prototypes.  Train In Peace.

Workout of the Day: Bicep Trauma

I love training in gyms but in Los Angeles, they're a bit of a pain.  However, there's nothing like a warehouse full of equipment filled with naturally and un-naturally buffed out persons to get you motivated and change up your workout.  Thus was the case this weekend when I hit up Gold's Gym in Hollywood while my car was getting some routine maintenance nearby.  I trained at Gold's last year with a Groupon deal and would frequently see Will Ferrell dripping a sweat at 6:00AM while rocking tee shirts of his own films and a hella nice mustache, must have been getting ready for Anchorman:  Da Sequel.  If you're wondering, he did a lot of circuit training.  There's also lots and lots of people in short shorts, which would be nice if some of those people were women...

Today was a shoulders and arm session that included:

1)  Arnold Press/Preacher Curl/Dumbbell Extension
2)  Rope Pushdown/Preacher Cable Curl/Side Delt Machine Raises
3)  Rear Dumbbell Raises/Low Incline Dumbbell Curl/Lying Dumbbell Extension

Followed by Forearms and 15 minutes on the bike.

Gold's of course has a smoothie bar which serves you protein dranks in brightly colored cups reminiscent of Panda Express.  I felt pretty good afterwards but that night and the following day, my arms would be SCREAMING in dull aching pain.  Pretty sure that's a sign I overdid it.  Damn you Van Damme and Larry Scott!

In case you didn't know, Preacher Curls are a great way to add thickness to your biceps and really help fill in the space between your muscle and elbow, giving you that nice, football shaped muscle.  Some people have short, naturally high peaking biceps so they're better off doing exercises to accentuate said peak like concentration curls.  I myself do not have that so go the Scott and VD route using Preacher and Spider curls to work the brachialis (muscle between bi's and tri's) that can make your arms look wider.  Scott also advocated doing half reps at the end of each set so really induce a burn which is probably whey I'm in pain today...