Seriously… can that word even be used next to “bodybuilding” without laughing hysterically?

What in bodybuilding today is truly revolutionary? Think about it for a moment. For the sake of argument, let’s just agree that Creatine was the last revolutionary thing to hit the bodybuilding market. Well documented, over 300 peer reviewed research studies. (If you didn’t count supplements, I can’t think of anything recently that would classify!)

That was some time ago.

Since then, nothing has truly been revolutionary.

Not HIIT, not high volume, not supersets, not one set to failure, not body weight exercises, not rest-pause, not instinctive training, not tri-sets, bi-sets and giant sets. Or drop sets. You get my point.. all good stuff though.

Today we have “fitness experts” that describe an exercise in vast detail and slap their names on the movements. You’d think at first glance, they invented this exercise!

In fact, many of the unusual exercises today are just from the 1950’s.

Ever heard of a “Bench Press to the Neck?”

Not new. Vince Gironda documented that one back in 1950 something.
How about in using dumbbells for the bench, you turn your palms inward?

Revolutionary?

Nope. Vince again.

Photo Credit:ryanhartsock

My intent of this blog is to point out stuff that works from the fitness experts of the past and the modified stuff we find today with more modern modifications that work from what we’ve learned to get the BEST possible combination in which to choose from.

It would be a shame to lose the history of the great bodybuilders who forged this path and gave us some really fantastic exercises and philosophies when it comes to bodybuilding.

If at all possible, I always quote or mention where I got it. I’d sure like to be revolutionary but in all honestly, I’ll just point out what works, where you can find the best information and I hope you’ll keep me honest.

After 17 years of natural bodybuilding, I know a thing or two. Experience does count for something.

Revolutionary… it still makes me giggle.

 

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Maybe you’ve heard of Tim Ferriss? Maybe not but his blog post From Geek to Freak: How I Gained 34 lbs. of Muscle in 4 Weeks gathered as many believers as skeptics.

Before you shout… this story is OLD! Move on already, I wanted to let you know that it’s human nature to forget. But I didn’t and neither should you. Let’s re-visit the post and you’ll see my point when I ask you…

Where in the world is Tim Ferriss now? (regarding muscle of course)

First off, this recent March 2008 snap shot of the Tim Ferriss website proves the point. You’ll see the before and after pictures where he’s gained 34 lbs of lean body mass (more on that in a second) but pay SPECIAL attention to the newest picture up top.

Hey… that’s Tim!

But he’s not the HUGE mass monster you see below in the after picture. If he maintained that muscle, he’d be filling out that tight t-shirt easily and his shoulders would rhyme with boulders. You might even call him “Tiny Tim” if you were mean, which I’m not.

Don’t get me wrong guys… Tim Ferriss did gain 34 lbs of LEAN MASS. He used the word muscle as most novice bodybuilders will to describe any positive weight gain. However, it’s incorrect and without doing a biopsy, Tim can’t possibly know that he’s gained 34 lbs of pure muscle. It’s lean body mass.

In fact, I did a blog post on how much muscle can you gain. Everybody wants to point out how much muscle they gained and it might not apply to you. The post it worth a read as it gives you realistic perspective and level sets your expectations. Too many bodybuilders set lofty, unrealistic expectations and end up sorely disappointed if they don’t make the gains some other hardgainer or skinny guy claims. Set REALISTIC expectations to avoid that. Fact is…

Tim Ferriss’ body transformation is IMPRESSIVE! But that’s only half the story….

Where’s Tim now? He doesn’t appear to have kept that muscle in his latest picture? He’s in shape, lean and mean but where did all that mass go?

My guess is that Tim Ferriss gained 34 lbs of lean mass in a short period of time (almost any skinny guy can do this) and then promptly went back to his lifestyle which is not bodybuilding. He lost most of it. No it didn’t turn into fat! He just burned it off. Muscle mass is highly metabolic and requires a lot of work both in the gym and out of the gym to maintain it. That my friends… is where the REAL ART begins.

By the way… if you read the steps Tim took to gain that lean body weight, I’ll agree with him 100% they were spot on for a beginner to advanced. He used a HIT training program.

1) Fast, time efficient, intense workouts

2) Compound movements to maximize gains and natural growth hormone production

3) Malicious attention to nutritional details

4) Proper measurement and weigh-in techniques

5) Photos in the same pose

6) Accountability

7) A solid plan

If you want to learn more about HIT programs like the one Tim did, I suggest The New Bodybuilding for Old-School Results by Ellington Darden, Ph.D.

Tim did a bang up job on outlining in 6 steps how to go about getting the job done. He had a very realistic plan, a precise method of how to get there, a vision of what he wanted to accomplish, written goals and accountability. Tim didn’t just go to the gym to screw around. He did what Skip LaCour and Tom Venuto talk about all the time as the most IMPORTANT aspect of bodybuilding.

Step into the gym with a plan!

For all these reasons… it’s not a shocker that Tim slammed on 34 lbs of good looking lean body mass. While many comments accused Tim of steroid use, cheating, doctoring photos and such, I believe Tim. I know because I’ve been there, done that before. What he outlined is simple yet precisely what anybody would need to do. But I wouldn’t follow his advice and here’s why….

It is best to learn from someone who is still practicing what they are preaching.

The REAL difficult part of any bodybuilding journey isn’t the quick weight gains you experience after a long layoff or the skinny guy hardgainer gains you make in 6 months following some program.

It’s what you DO years later to keep that muscle and to build more. It’s the art of maintaining it and getting past difficult plateaus or injuries. It’s learning how to fish and not be tossed a fish. It’s taking all the FACTS and then applying them to your specific situation.

I’d take advice from Tim on how to make my business more successful, my blog more SEO friendly or even design options (his blog looks great).. and I’d even take his advice on how to shorten my work week.

But I wouldn’t take how to gain weight, bodybuilding or muscle building advice from somebody who isn’t able to get past the real difficult parts of bodybuilding. What the heck to I do now that I have this mass? How do I maintain it? Where do I go from here?

“Facts are facts - but people are individuals, and their problems are usually individual in nature. The perfect solution to one case may be (and frequently will be) the worst possible approach to the situation in another case; in effect, while the same methods will work in ALL cases - the application of those methods MUST BE on an individual basis.” - Author Jones

Train hard and expect success,

Marc David
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

P.S. - Tim Ferriss did a great job on how to gain weight with his body transformation. Remember that while anybody can make amazing progress quickly (refer to weight loss before and after pictures) it’s what you do with that later that matters. Losing weight is easy… keeping it off is not. Gaining weight quickly is simple… maintaining a muscular physique is not.

P.P.S. - If you are in this bodybuilding game for the long-haul, I invite you to check out my own bodybuilding lessons where I’ll teach you how to fish. You can make gains just like Tim did and I’ll even tell you how to keep them!

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Photo Credit: danorbit

I got an email recently from a big shot that claimed that he could help me build muscle, tone my body, and all of the other body building related practices. This is not the bad part…Read on.

Here is what really gets to me about people like this.

The thing is, I happen to know that the person claiming the above has no experience in the subject at hand. He has never successfully created or developed the body of his dreams. There is a rumor floating around that the book he is selling was ghostwritten, in other words he did not even write it himself. Which would explain why you could never find any pictures of him on his website or anywhere else.

It really makes me sick Unfortunately we live in a world where people like the one mentioned above could make millions of dollars on selling a product that may not even work. It may be true that there are some “REAL” people out there selling real products, that is not hard to do. They may even be selling the real products online that are not hard to do either. Then again, how much do they really practice what they teach? How much muscle have their gained or how much fat have they lost? Are they working extremely hard and have truly created a great life for themselves?

Now it may be hard to know who to trust sometimes, some may have excellent strategies for selling their products, but are they really worth the money that is asked? How can you tell what is real and who is just trying to make a quick buck. To start, you can ask these five simple questions that you can read below.

1. Have the even ever practiced what they are teaching?

There are many people out there who are great reporters. In other words, they collect information and then share it. This is ok for those of you who just want to do a little research on the subject at hand. However, if you are the kind of person who really wants to make changes in your life or business, these people are not good for you. You want and need to learn something from someone who knows what they are talking about.

2. Do they continue to practice what they are trying to teach you?

It is obvious that anyone can make a quick buck teaching what he or she knows rather than doing what he or she knows. There are many big shots that have had success and have been enjoying the benefits of that success by teaching how they achieved that success over and over again. However, just because one person had success doing something in the gym at one point in time does not mean that that same program will work for someone today. It is best to learn from someone who is still practicing what they are preaching.

3. If they are still doing what they teach, are they doing it successfully?

This may seem like a “Duh” question but it would truly amaze you to know that many people make tons of money teaching something they do but are not very good at. You should be sure to snoop around to be positive that this person not only does what they are trying to teach by does it successfully.

4. Do they have proof that what they are teaching really works?

If the person you are looking at to be your next mentor will not share things with you then they probably are not the real deal. If they can not be open and honest then their product is probably nothing but talk. I have shared things openly because I want people to know that I AM the real deal.

For example, I have shown step by step progress pictures on the information page of my NoBull Bodybuilding Program web page. I do this because anyone who is willing to spend money on learning what I have to teach deserves to know for sure that my program works.

5. Are they practicing it in a way that would suit your and your goals?

This may not be talked about all too often but you should want to learn from someone who practices in a manner that suits you and your goals. Here is an example for you: one of my clients says that you choose me over someone else she was considering mainly because I have a relaxed and fun feel to my program.

When you find a mentor that is right for you, stick with them.

Once you have decided upon your mentor you should ignore all the others for a while.

Why?

Because the number one enemy of any bodybuilder is distraction. It can be quite easy for one to jump around from program to program depending on what is new and “in” at the current time. You need to choose one mentor and stick to them for at least 6 months. This should be plenty of time for you to see if their program is working for you or not. I can personally guarantee that you will move ahead easier and faster if you follow this advice.

If you want it, you’ll have to do what it takes,

Marc David
“The NoBull Muscle Guy”

P.S. - 6 months is a rough estimate.  Anything you try, you’ll need to be committed and give it a fair shot.  That way you’ll know if it works for you or not.  I’ve seen too many people try a new twist to their nutrition or a new training program for 7 days only to give up.  Folks, that isn’t enough time.  Give it a fair shot.  If it doesn’t work, you’ll know and never have to wait another second.

 

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Are You on Facebook yet?

This isn’t another MySpace (although it is a type of social site). In the last few months I’ve been testing it out and sharing some things that I just couldn’t do otherwise thru email or blog posts. I’ve really seen an influx of fitness experts joining the social media sites and creating profiles, pages and groups to connect with other like-minded individuals.

I’ve created my profile over at Facebook and so far, I’ve been able to upload some great videos about healthy meals, what to do if you are injured and a little tip about water that not many people know. Plus I’ve got a bodybuilding group starting over there that I intend to keep community oriented and friendly so we can all share photos, links and ideas to help each other out. If you don’t have a Facebook account yet, you can get one at no charge at www.facebook.com. Once you have an account, be sure to…

* Become an member of the NoBull Bodybuilding group on Facebook

* Add me as one of your friends — Marc David

I look forward to connecting with you there and serving you better!

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Frankly, this had me in stitches and it’s a little Friday humor. I think these guys are serious but I can’t really see the co-workers I used to work with honestly doing this and being on conference calls and the computer. Can you?

No offense if you purchased one! I just thought the commercial for this was brilliant and quite funny. It’s called the Hawaii Chair.

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Do Not Quit is the best advice for 2008!

Look…  you think that’s bogus I know.  Everybody else is giving you a 10 point check list for what to do in terms of motivation.  After 16 years of struggling myself, the ONE thing that made this all worth it and the ONLY reason I made it this far was that I didn’t give up.

So let me ask you… if you are frustrated today with your lack of progress, how will giving up make it any better?

On the other hand, if you stick with it and keep pushing forward, I can guarantee you’ll get a break, you’ll see the light, your golden moment and make progress.  Nothing worth it is ever easy.  Changing your body is a long progress that can be fun but you need to give it time.

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I gotta tell you… I NEVER give a second glance to most of the junk mail I receive at home but this time something caught my eye!

"Don't Miss Out on the Weight Loss Gold Rush!"

My blood started to boil and I was pissed.

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Looking back, 5+ years ago, how time flies when you are having fun. When I first started my fitness sites, I remember coding the sites myself, trying to learn HTML and not really knowing a think about eZines and subscribers. To the people who read this blog, subscribe to my writings and ramblings, I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am for your support. I truly am thankful to you, the readers, for all that you do for me. I feel like I have thousands of friends and my life is richer for it.

Baby News! My sister had a beautiful baby girl (no name yet) at 7:21am. So this has been quite a wild Thanksgiving for me and my immediate family.

What are you thankful for?

In the ’super busy’ world of Health and Fitness - there’s always something that needs

to be done YESTERDAY …

But today, I would like you to pause for a moment - and ask yourself …

This post was inspired by this video created by Sherman Hu:

Watch it here –> Are you Thankful?

It’s a Breath of FRESH AIR!

Warmly,

Marc C. David

ps: A side note - My readers shared their insights in 2006 with many very valuable fitness tips and tricks. I asked as many people as I knew to shared their insights. Not the gurus, not the guys who want to sell you something, but readers, with lives who have jobs and kids. These are some of their tips. Please accept it as my thank you to you. Some may have this already, some don’t, and maybe you lost it along the way.

Here are the direct links:

Download Fitness Wisdom:
http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com/fitnesswisdom2006.html

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 I received this little gem of advice today.

“Remember, good nutrition is all about making good choices in all situations - even on Halloween!”

Thanks for that. (eyes rolling)

Somebody needs to GET a DAMN life.  Why is it that every fitness guru’s newsletter I subscribe to gives out this bogus, unrealistic advice?  Not all of us want to eat, sleep and breath a plain chicken breast lifestyle?  For god’s sake, give out some REAL tips on this day not just “avoid the candy and beer.”

How awful it must be to just workout, eat healthy, and never drink a beer, eat a piece of candy and miss out on life becuase you might miss a workout.

You’ll be the healthiest dead person I know.

Here’s to that advice and anything else like that I receive today on Halloween.

My One Finger Salute to Piss Poor Fitness Advice

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“Who really wants to be the Scrooge who ruins the holiday for kids by handing out nutritionally smart treats?” - Clark Howard

I’ve always been impressed with those who could turn down Halloween candy. It never came easy to me and I have marveled any times when others seem to say ‘no thanks’ so effortlessly. Then, I figured out their secret…

For starters, it seems like this is the beginning of the season when every fitness personality, myself included, starts to give you all sorts of advice about the holiday season. Motivation
tips, ways to avoid overeating, secret cardio tricks or tells you flat out…

The SECRET to avoiding the candy rush is simply to say “no.”

Frankly, that’s fine for somebody who doesn’t drink, always thinks about bodybuilding, eats plain chicken day after day and is Mr/Ms. Fit but for the rest of us…

We need some REAL solutions and within reason.

On October 31, 2007 in the United States, it will be Halloween and I for one will have some candy!

::: The Secrets to Halloween Candy :::

1. Just Say No

How unrealistic is this but I had to start with it. Just say no. Pass it up. If you can that’s the best solution.

2. Time the Candy

Halloween candy usually starts a day or two before the actual event, you go shopping for it or you go last minute and grab some bags depending on the neighborhood. Your best bet for these few days is to NEVER skip a meal. The more full you can get, the less desire you’ll have to fill up on sugar. If you need your candy, then make it a desert, and AFTER the meal treat and not before. This ensures you’ll be full before you start to eat any and you are not as likely to ruin a meal by indulging in candy before hand.

3. Purchase “Healthy Alternatives”

A recent Los Angeles Times article reported a growing trend in healthy Halloween candy. Some items like little pretzel snacks, Teddy Grahams and even packets of carrots are making an appearance. But first a warning…

If you go this route, I’ve been told by local teenagers that your house will be avoided as word of mouth news makes the round or worse yet, people might egg your house. A little harsh I’d say.

4. Buy the Kind You Hate

This came as a tip from my own wife. Our son was off to a Friday night local party and she bought a bag of Skittles. She didn’t like Skittles so there was no temptation for her to eat
them while they sat in the garage. If you have a lot of kids in the neighborhood and you want to hand out candy, purchase the kind you don’t like. It’s less likely you’ll want to overeat candy you hate.

5. Be Picky

Most likely you’ll have many options for a wide variety of candy. Especially if you are at a Halloween party. In this case, be picky. Only eat what you like and keep the intake
within reason.

6. Avoid Excessive Alcohol

Why? Now I’m saying you can’t have a glass of wine or a beer? Nope not at all. But excessive alcohol will lead to reduced will-power. And with quick snacks about, you are more likely to make poor choices. You’ll spike your blood sugar which will lead to increased hunger and more poor choices. It’s like a vicious circle. Keep one or the other in check. It’s deadly to do both.

Here’s my favorite little known and never discussed secret about simple sugars… This little gem came from an interview I did with Jeff+Anderson" rel="tag">Jeff Anderson.

7. The Absolute Best Time to Eat Candy

Is there really such a time? Because today alone I’ve received several newsletters telling me that going to the gym before or after isn’t the way to go. Those guys are wrong because they are WAY to professional to tell you the alternatives. Not to mention, they feel obligated to always be the role model. Anyway, I’m a real person with real needs and I slip up. They don’t.. but I do so I know what it’s like.

AFTER an intense weight workout what does everybody recommend?

Simple carbs! They do this because your muscles have been depleted of glycogen and need simple sugars to get your short term energy reserves back to normal.

Now I’m not saying to eat the bag or grab a handful of candy but I am saying…

1- Weight Training
2- Get your protein
3- Eat your candy

Marc’s Guilty Comment: Look, I want to be professional to, so I will be honest and say I’m not telling you to eat candy as a good post-workout alternative. I’m just saying that IF you need to eat candy on Halloween, you can offset some of the ‘bad’ things if you hit the gym first and use your candy carvings as a simple sugar carb replacement taking into account for the additional calories.

Weight training, not cardio, is what you want because with cardio, you’ll just burn fat. You want to burn out your short term energy stores in order for this “have your cake and eat it too” trick to work.

That tip is going to be me some hate mail but you know what? I know living a healthy lifestyle is hard. Making choices about food every single day is annoying. Everybody is giving you the golden tips and for many, they work. But those are the people who are so determined it simply doesn’t much matter.

For the rest of us who do quite well but occasionally slip up, nobody is catering to us except my friend Jeff Anderson.

Jeff Anderson, better known as the Muscle Nerd, gave me that tip in an interview I did with him. And you can listen to the whole thing, that tip and a heck of lot more. Listen on the computer or download the MP3 file and listen later.

So no matter what Halloween, Thanksgiving, or even the earliest of Christmas parties throws at you, the Optimum Anabolics workouts will help put those calories in the right place. You’ll build muscle and burn fat.

Click here to get the interview I did with Jeff Anderson

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