Say Bye Bye to Bodybuilding

Growing up in a home with a weightlifter and former bodybuilder (my father was Mr. Teenage Lehigh Valley and also registered a 410 pound bench press in his thirties weighing 185 pounds), I was exposed to only one type of training: bodybuilding. I remember hammering out the bench press in my parents basement and working in some "curls for the girls" before calling it a day. Luckily, I have learned quite a bit since those days but it seems that I may be in the minority. Every time I walk into a commercial gym I see the same things that I always imagined Muscle Beach looked like in the 1980's. I see guys in tank tops performing the bench press, chest flys, about 20 different varieties of biceps curls and working their triceps like there is no tomorrow. And on top of that, I see what appears to be an unlimited amount of rest periods between sets and tons of chit-chatting among the gym regulars. The more I think about it, the more I realize that you can't really blame them. It is probably all they know or sadly, all they care to know.

I create programs for a wide variety of clientele and the main objective is fat loss. If we all take a photo of ourselves, I think every one of us (myself included) could afford to shed some fat and improve their overall well-being. I am going to share with you some of the biggest mistakes being made in gyms and then offer a sample workout program that I often use with clients and one that I do personally.

The purpose of this piece is not to disrespect the bodybuilding community, as previously said, my father spent years of life training and competing and I have a great deal of respect for the discipline needed to succeed. I just do not think that it is for everybody. When the goal is fat loss, following a bodybuilding plan of training 5-6 days per week, splitting up the body parts trained each day, and isolating muscle groups is not the most productive way to train. The body is an integrated unit and it should be trained that way. The exercises that you choose to do should train movements, not individual muscles. Some examples of these types of exercises include squats, deadlifts, bench press, military press, pull-ups/chin-ups, and rows. These exercises train much greater amounts of muscle which will lead to more calories burned during and after your workout. Plus, who really has the time to train like a professional bodybuilder? Total-body training maximizes your time and maximizes the amount of work you can accomplish over a given time period.

Another issue I have with the average gym goers is that it seems "leg day" is often neglected. Too many people (mostly guys) only care to know how much you can bench and nothing else. The problem with this is that 70% of your muscle mass is in your back, hips and legs. Neglecting this part of your training will severely limit your results. Performing exercises like squats and deadlifts are full body exercises that involve just about every muscle in your body. Your shoulders, upper back, and core have to stay "locked in" to perform the exercise and this can't be replicated anywhere else. Running, playing hoops, or performing leg extensions are not enough. Find a squat rack and get after it!

So if your current bodybuilding plan is not the most productive way to spend your time, what are you to do? Before I get into the program design, I want to speak about the key ingredient: kettlebells (KB). If you have access to them, I would highly recommend building your training routine around using them. If your exercise selection uses bells 50% of the time, you are doing something right. I credit Dan John with the following template for building an exercise program:

1. Hinge (Hip Hinge): These exercises include maximal hip bend and minimal knee bend. The KB Swing is a fat burning machine and would include them in every program. No bells: try the box or broad jumps. Need something more advanced: KB clean or snatch, power clean and power snatch.
2. Squat: This is the progression I use- Goblet Squats, 2 KB Front Squat, Barbell Front Squat. I also mix in some unilateral exercises like split squats and pistol squats.
3. Push: Bench Press, Military Press, Single Arm KB Bench, Single Arm KB Military Press
4. Pull: Bodyweight exercises include pull-ups, chin-ups, and horizontal row. I also perform an exercise referred to as 'Bat-Wings' that include KB's.
5. Loaded Carry: This is an often neglected portion of training programs but it is a game changer. Lift, push, drag, carry or roll heavy objects over a prescribed distance. What muscle group does this work? EVERYTHING!
6. Sixth Movement: This portion of the template includes all the other things you'd like to include. If you want to do biceps curls, go right ahead. Do not build your entire fitness program around the 'sixth movement' (i.e. an entire workout comprising of biceps exercises or rope waves).

This template involves training the large muscle groups and necessary recovery is needed. Never compromise quality for quantity and remember more is not always better. It is comparable to taking medicine, take the prescribed dose and you have no worries. Take more than the prescribed dose and more harm than good can occur.

The final issue that needs to be addressed is rest periods. Shooting the breeze for 5-10 minutes between sets isn't going to get it done. Shorter rest periods increase the metabolic demands on your body which leads to more calories burned during and after you workout. You will also be able to complete greater amounts of work over shorter periods of time and that should be the focus each workout (just remember it is quality, not quantity). How do you do it without totally fatiguing yourself? Pair up non-competing exercises with 30-60 second rests between sets. An example would be to perform a set of goblet squats followed by pull-ups. That way your lower body works as your upper body "recovers" and vice versa. Or if you feel like cranking it up, perform KB Swings between each set of each exercise and watch the sweat drip off your body.

I hope this piece was insightful and if you have any questions or in need of more information, please feel free to contact me!

Chris Fluck