Lean Bodies Consulting

I have to interrupt the bulking series for a bit of randomness today.

1. There’s a personal trainer at my gym that I would like to fire … and I don’t even work there. In fact, I’d like to fire all of them. Have you ever noticed that very few - if any - clients of the average gym PT ever look any different? Ever? How about the fact that they don’t even look like they train themselves half the time? And to the clients, why don’t they clue in … that it’s not working?

Back to the guy I want to fire. Nice guy I’m sure and he’s got a pretty good physique … from the waist up. You see, I’ve never, ever seen him train legs. Ever. So then, how can a person who doesn’t train legs, teach someone how to squat? I’ll tell you how - they can’t!

Better than that - he has them squatting on the Smith Machine, with the sissy pad. Then he makes them put their feet out in front of them, and he makes very certain that those knees don’t pass the toes - you know, to prevent her patellas from exploding and cracking the mirrors. He’d get fired for that I bet.

But you know, I can almost look past this because hey, it’s really common, sad as it is. But this one girl, she looked like she was folding in half - like a lawn chair, and a cheap one at that. I wish I could put it into words. I might have to get Laura to video tape me in the gym trying to duplicate it. On her descent, she wasn’t just going down, she was practically buckling - at the neck, the lumbar, everything. All the while the PT is watching those knees and saying how good she’s doing. Fired!!!!!

If you can’t squat properly yourself, you can’t teach someone how to squat.

2. Do you ever stop and just watch people in the gym? What the heck? Sometimes you have to wonder what muscles they’re trying to train during some of their lifts. They turn concentration curls into a full body, compound exercise.

People would have far more effective workouts if they stopped and focused on training their muscles, as opposed to just lifting weights. Most of us are not powerlifters so check your ego at the door. We’re concerned with more than just getting the weight up. We’re concerned with development. And to that end, it’s all about rep quality. Make every inch of every rep of every set count. Think of your workouts as contracting your muscles against resistance. Make your reps count.

3. Kipping Pull Ups bug me.

I was going to keep going on my next point - retarded contest prep methods but I’ll save that for the next rant. (but I’m writing it now while I’m in this mood. )

Continuing on with the answers to the following questions …

How long should I bulk?
How long do I have to bulk?

The first ‘it depends’ answer was to counter with the question of how much muscle do you want to gain?

To that we add the following:

2. How much muscle do you gain when eating in a caloric surplus and how much fat you gain when eating in a caloric surplus - or basically your muscle-to-fat-gain ratio. This basically refers to one’s partitioning ability - simply where the extra calories go. Does it wind up in muscle cells or fat cells? Ideally all of it would go to muscle, but sorry, not gonna happen. You might as well accept it now.

Now ideally at least more of the extra calories are partitioned towards muscle than they are towards fat. What affects this? First and foremost, genetics. Some people simply partition more calories towards muscle than others do. The less fortunate partition more calories towards fat cells than they do muscle. So on the one hand you might have someone gaining more muscle for a given weight gain and some gaining more fat than muscle (sucks!) for a given weight gain.

So we have things like the aforementioned genetics, higher-than-normal testosterone levels and other optimally ranged hormones (lower cortisol responses, healthy thyroid levels, etc) as well as good insulin sensitivity in the muscles.

Scientists refer to something called the p-ratio when discussing the partitioning of calories. The p-ratio is again, largely influenced by genetic factors and varies little within a person. Diet, training, etc (basically lifestyle factors) have the potential to influence it about 5-15% - not very much.

So, that tells us there’s not a lot you can do to shift your own innate muscle-to-fat-gain ratio (or even your fat-to-muscle-loss ratio when dieting) beyond the relatively small (yet hardly insignificant) effect nutrition, training (and drugs) has on it.

So we obviously get that diet and training should be on point during a bulk. From a dietary standpoint, you obviously need to be certain you’re eating enough to sustain not only the growth of new muscle tissue but the maintenance of it as well. This is one of the biggest pitfalls of those seeking out more muscle - they don’t eat enough. You can’t build a house out of sweat people. No raw materials? No muscle. Ample caloric intake is the biggest factor to be aware of.

Training of course is important as well, but the supporting growth factors - hormones, caloric intake, etc. - determine how much you can gain and support. Training is just a stimulus. Many think that because they’re training heavy and hard, the muscle is just going to come as a result. Again, it’s just a stimulus - if the supporting growth factors are not there, it’s just not going to happen.

Ok, so this ties into the next point:

3. How much fat are you comfortable gaining? This is going to be determined by one, how much over maintenance you’re eating and two, the aforementioned muscle-to-fat-gain ratio or how well your body partitions extra calories. For those with better partitioning ability, more of their new weight is going to be muscle and less is going to be fat, so they’re probably going to have an easier time of it. For those less fortunate, it’s going to be a different story. They’re going to gain more bodyfat for a given weight gain. How much are you comfortable with gaining? Remember, you’re going to gain some. Expect not to and I guarantee you that you’re going to look exactly the same at the end of your bulk.

These three points are really the determining factors of the length of your bulk - how much muscle do you want/need to gain, how much muscle/fat do you gain when consuming calories in excess of maintenance (a requirement), and how much body fat are you comfortable gaining along the way.

More next time …

So in the previous post about bulking we touched on what determines whether or not you should consider doing a ‘bulk’ (I really dislike this word by the way), or not.

Again, let me just say to drive the point home, that bulking is not an excuse to get fat, get sloppy, etc. The point to a bulk is to simply gain muscle - obviously. However, a free-for-all caloric onslaught is a quick way to unnecessary fat gain.

An effective bulk is characterized by an attempt to maximize the muscle-to-fat-gain ratio, all the while understanding and accepting that yes, some fat is going to come.

I get asked questions like these quite often:

How long should I bulk?
How long do I have to bulk?

My previous answer was a simple, ‘it depends’, and the truth is, it does. How long a person bulks is going to be influenced by a number of things:

1. How much muscle do you want to gain? Clearly this is going to one of the big determining factors. The more muscle you need or want, the longer it’s going to take. To put that into context, the following are some generally accepted average rates of muscle gain for both males and females:

Males
Year 1 - 20-25lbs
Year 2 - 10-12lbs
Year 3 - 5-6lbs

Females
Year 1 - 10-12lbs
Year 2 - 5-6 lbs
Year 3 - 2.5-3lbs

You can see two things from the above quite clearly:

1. Males obviously have the potential to gain at a quicker and more substantial rate, all else being equal. (women averaging out to half the gains of males)

2. Muscle growth is a very slow process.

Don’t believe the hype behind those who say they’re packing on pounds and pounds of muscle - and staying lean at that - month in and month out; at least not drug free. They’re not. They may be packing on the weight, but I guarantee they’re gaining more fat than they should be. Yes, there are some who can gain at a quicker rate than others, but the above represents the average.

Now 10-12 lbs in a female is going to result in a very significantly improved physique, no question about it. Noel gained 11lbs of competition weight in one year, and the results were very obvious. So much so that it helped take her from an ‘also ran’ to a top contender.

But take a look at that - 10-12lbs of muscle sounds awesome doesn’t it? But look what it averages out to - about one pound per month. Doesn’t seem very significant anymore does it? But the reality is, it is.

More next time …

Top 5 finisher at the 2008 IFBB North Americans - I just posted the Before & Afters (14 weeks) of Lisa Peper on the main site’s Client Picture page.

Here’s one of the befores.

Check out the ‘Afters’ as well as some more pictures here.

Lisa Peper Transformation

I get asked a variety of bulking-type questions a lot – mostly from females – so I thought I’d just cut and paste a question and answer it here for reference. My opinions here would not be gender specific, applying both to males and females.

Q: Still tossing around the idea of doing a figure competition. Would I have to do a bulk and how long would I bulk for?

A: Ok, just to put some context to the term ‘bulk’ here, it simply means eating at a caloric intake that is above your assumed maintenance calorie requirements for an extended period of time – with the obvious goals of adding some size and strength to your physique. It is NOT an excuse to get sloppy.

To address the first question – would you have to do a bulk? This is entirely dependent on three primary things:

1. What do you look like now relative to what a figure competitor (or whichever your goal physique is) generally looks like? For some, it will be obvious that yes, you definitely need more muscle if you’re going to hope to be competitive. Competing isn’t just a fat-loss contest. Good competitors have well developed physiques with strategically emphasized muscle groups (lats, delts, etc) in addition to carrying contest-levels of body fat … and yes, the developmental aspect takes time.

2. Do YOU want more muscle? What are your own goals and preferences for your physique? Some people like the idea of being more muscular than they are now; some people don’t. It comes down to your goals first and foremost. Only you can determine if you want more muscle.

3. Are you willing to gain a least some body fat? Or, are you presently lean enough right now that you can stand to gain a little body fat and not lose your mind?

To the issue of how long, the short answer is ‘it depends’. But that’s about as helpful as well, not answering the questions at all. I’ll be back to answer that question tomorrow.

I just posted Ileen Natic’s before and after pictures on the main site’s Client Picture page.

Check it out here.

Ileen Natic Before & After/Current

Came across this a little while ago …

The Grind

The Grind is that time in your physique transformation where you just put your head down and grind it out.

It’s often the time between the initial fast “newbie” results and the final results. Changes are occurring in your body, but you may not see them from week to week.

Mentally, The Grind is also where some of that new program and new diet enthusiasm wears off and it all becomes routine, even boring. There’s nothing left to do or say really; you just work the plan, day to day to day.

But toward the end of The Grind, what’ll happen is that you’ll glance back at your “befores” and realize you’ve made some major changes. Other people will begin to notice. And that positive feedback will reignite the enthusiasm. And that will cause you to kick the training up a notch, leading to more results.

I think The Grind applies to life in general too, not just to losing fat and gaining muscle. There are simply times when we have to put aside all distractions (even the good ones), put our heads down, grit our teeth, and grind it out. At the end of The Grind lies an achievement, something great, or some reward or pay-off. But The Grind always comes first.

Thing is, most people won’t make this sacrifice; they won’t even begin The Grind, much less finish it. And that’s why most people don’t succeed. The Grind is often what separates the great from the average.

It’s as simple as that sometimes.

One of the criticisms I’ve seen mentioned of personal trainers, online trainers or anything that might fall in between is the idea of “selling fish vs teaching someone how to fish”. That’s a cliche way of saying, telling someone what to do instead of teaching them how to do it themselves, so to speak.

I personally don’t think it’s necessarily an either/or case however.

While without clients I’d be out of business, the goal is still to hopefully impart some degree of knowledge into a client over time. Enough so that should they decide to, they can take over the reigns on their own, and continue to be successful in their fitness/physique endeavors. For some, the decision to go solo comes sooner and for others, who simply like not having to do any of the thinking themselves and enjoy the specific training and nutritional guidance, accountability, etc., it comes much later. (Note: I do however think competitors more often than not should have a coach/trainer for multiple reasons) It’s something that will vary from person to person. Take accounting - how many people do their own taxes? Some do, and that’s fine. Others, they simply don’t want to learn or be bothered and just want an established expert to handle it for them. And that’s fine too.

I received a really nice email from a former client of mine which is a testament to the fact that there’s learning (provided you’re paying attention) that comes with training with a professional. And that knowledge is something they can take with them, enabling them to stay in charge of their body, even help others with less knowledge and understanding.

Hi Erik! I just wanted to write you a note to thank you.

I wanted to thank you for the type of training and nutritional plan that you provided for me. I did not realize the impact it would have on my life. I think that the leanbodiesfitness.com forum also played a large role. Between your plan and your forum, I was able to educate myself regarding nutrition and training. I learned what is truly healthy nutritionally and learned that my body is more capable physically than I ever thought it was. Even though it has been a year since I worked with you, I still follow your nutritional plan and train similarly to the programs you designed for me.

Today is when I really realized how beneficial the program and learning experience was for me. I am a therapist for adolescents. Many of them have told me that they struggle with eating disorders, primarily anorexia/bulimia. Because I worked with you, I am able to give them sound nutritional advice and explain to them why they need to eat. So far, three of my clients have started eating three meals a day, which is very helpful for them considering they were starving themselves and then binging. I am able to explain in a logical way how much they need to eat and why. Sometimes clients want two different body types. I am able to help them see their genetic potential and not what society has deemed attractive.

My experience of working with you was a great one. It has allowed me to help those friends and family around me make healthier choices and just understand their bodies and nutrition in a healthier light. However, helping me help my clients is beyond anything I would have imagined. So, basically, thanks for being such a knowledgeable and supportive trainer. You have helped more than just your clients. If you read this quote, know that you too are a ripple and your effects are really helping alot of people!

“Few will have the greatness to bend history; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation … it is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is thus shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” — Robert F. Kennedy

Thanks again,

I linked to these before and after pictures of LBC client Sunny Daye in the most recent newsletter, but I thought I’d also post them on the blog.

Sunny went on to win three classes at the Pacific USA Naturals Bodybuilding and Figure Championships, taking first in Figure Short, Figure Masters Short and Figure Masters Overall.

So, the 2008 IFBB North Americans have now come and gone. We just got home from Cleveland a short while ago and we actually made good time getting home in just over 4 hours.

Many of you already know the results from the forum updates, but in short we had two girls in the top 5 in their first national shows.

Lisa Peper ended up in 5th place in a good sized D Class and Jennie Hamilton came in at a solid 4th spot in a smaller, but very competitive F class. The overall goal for each was a Top 10 placing, so a final placing inside the Top 5 is icing on the cake.

All in all it was simply a really fun weekend. We stayed with Jennie and Will with was the icing on a great trip, as there was a lot of laughs over the weekend. Will, besides being HUGE, is hilarious. (watch out for the dark horse at the 2009 NPC Junior USAs).

Did you know that in Mississippi they say ole instead of oil? As in, “I think Jennie needs more ole” Or “I heard they had to eat boled chicken breast.” That latter one comes from Jennie … A CANADIAN who’s relocated to Mississippi. Hilarious.

Or the fact that they call every pop (some of you say soda), a COKE. Sprite, Orange Crush, Pepsi, Mountain Dew - it’s all Coke.

So Will relays a story relating to the above. I can’t remember where he was but clearly not in a place where they refer to pop as coke.

Paraphrasing …

Will: Can I get three cokes? Two diet and a Sprite.
Server: So you want six drinks?
Will: Huh? Three cokes - two diet and a sprite.
Sever: Yes, I know - so six drinks.
Will: THREE COKES!!!!!
Server: That’s six drinks!!!!!

And so on - that’s not verbatim but it sums it up. You can imagine Will thinking it’s clear as day that he wants three drinks - and then is telling the server what kind of cokes he wants. The server counts six - which is what I’d do as well. We laughed so hard at that over dinner.

Speaking of which, Friday night we hit the Hard Rock as a group of 10 and Neely, Jennie and Lisa went to town on steak and french fries and then some dessert goodies back at the hotel - the Friday Night Fat Load. Lots of fun. I had chicken - dumb.

Saturday night we went out for dinner and waited an hour for food that sucked.

All in all, a great time and I’m really glad I was there to share in the experience.

Here’s a few pictures:

Here’s a shot of me and Lisa, me and Jen and then the three of us after the Finals with their trophies.