Lately I have been getting many questions about diminished progress or a halt in progress entirely. Those questions lately are from bodybuilders who are looking to put on additional muscular bodyweight but have an ectomorph body type and/or have an extremely fast metabolism. In answering these questions for my column readers and coaching clients I find that a clearer understanding on how the body lays down muscle is required. Although I have covered this in many a place in the past, I am going to focus here on those with a fast metabolism.

Today, I received a question in a Q&A forum I write for… from an athlete that is an ectomorph bodybuilder. The work he is doing is much too much, especially while using the theory of HIT. HIT is high intensity training which is a very effective. Due to the intensity of the workout it must be brief and infrequent and not your garden variety more is better.

In his workout he performs 8 sets to failure up to 3 times a week. His diet is comprised mainly of egg whites, a protein bar, a protein serving like chicken turkey or steak accompanied by pasta or rice. Sometimes he would blend lunch into dinner and dinner was usually very late. His progress was minimal and thus he wrote me asking if I could help.

This is what I wrote just this morning in answer to his question…

“My approach to training and eating is very simple. Stimulate growth in the least amount of time possible using minimal resources, stay out of the gym long enough to allow the body to not only compensate for the exhaustive effects of the workout, but to overcompensate in laying down additional muscle for the next assault… and last but not least… feed your body based on your metabolic requirements…

What does that all mean to you?

First off, (training) 2 -3 X a week is way too much for anyone! Every 4-5 days is reasonable to allow the process to occur (muscle growth) in most cases… at least at first.

8 Exercises! Way… too much! Why are you doing 8? Why not 10 or 7… see? There is a lot of cross over that is unnecessary… 3 – 4 exercises is enough with about 5 being the limit if they are selected properly…to go into the entire mix! Obviously deadlifts will pull more resources than concentration curls.

Eating … it all depends on your metabolic rate. I just had a phone client in town that trained and ate with me for a couple of days. His dimensions are close to yours. He has in the past had the hardest time putting on muscle (muscular bodyweight) although his strength has increased 400% and his bodyweight 20 pounds (very good progress). … This is what he learned…

1-The first revelation was training! I redefined failure to him and due to that… in two workouts with me (yes just by the second workout) he increased his leg press by 60 pounds and his pulldown went from 7 reps to 16 reps! He could not believe how strong he was and the increase by the next workout!

2- The second revelation was what and the amount he ate! This is a guy with a super fast metabolism. The body needs cement… FOOD. I am a big fan of eating and not supplements or shakes. Whole foods that are great quality like the organic variety. Whole eggs, beef, a bit of pork sometimes, fish, turkey, chicken, tuna and fresh vegetables and good fats. I don’t like processed foods.

For breakfast he would have a 3 whole egg omelet with vegetables including garlic and onion, whole cheese … home fries ala Bill sautéed in olive oil and bacon (yes either turkey or pork is fine).

For lunch it would be a triple Decker solid white tuna salad sandwich with tomato, whole cheese on it, regular mayonnaise (I like Hellman’s) in the salad, wheat bread (sprouted wheat is best) on the triple Decker… 먹튀검증사이트

Some imported cheese as a snack or some assorted nuts in the afternoon is a plus and by

dinner it would be beef kabobs or salmon… a baked potato with the kabobs as they had a great variety of zucchini, onion, peppers, tomatoes, garlic already on them. I would marinate them in olive oil and spices.

At night there would be a variety of cheeses, nuts… healthy snacks etc and always wine with dinner.

Within a day ( the first day he said he felt stuffed), although he was not used to eating in this way, his energy levels were high (although he needed an additional nap), his workouts were strong and he told me he has never eaten like this and had a hard time getting just 2000 calories in him. Well I assured him that he was much over that level.

So this is what I suggest! I suggest you take at least a two week layoff or maybe three and allow your body to recuperate and recover. After that go to a workout that includes some basic exercises. My High Intensity Powerbuilding (see my site) will work very well for you with just 3 exercises per workout covered in variations of 2 basic workouts resting 4 – 7 days in between or if you choose to set up your own (workout)… this is what to do.

I suggest picking two workouts from the following exercises (I have given an example of a 4 set workout) and perform them once every 4 – 5 days. i.e. Monday and Friday one week, Wednesday the next, then on the third Monday and Friday and on the forth… just Wednesday. This works into most schedules and is enough time to recover at least initially.