Hello fellow strength enthusiasts,
Sticking to deadlift variations for another installment in this series, I'm going to share with you the 2 finger deadlift.
As I have mentioned before, and as you will read on any good grip strength website, when you are training for bone crushing grip it's important to work on your fingers, thumbs, hands, wrists and forearms as individual areas to get huge gains. This week I want to focus on the fingers and believe me this one alone will make a huge difference in your grip strength. Sticking with a standard deadlift technique with the simple change of using only your second and middle finger to grip the bar.
For obvious reasons you will have to reduce your regular deadlift poundage but you will soon see the weights shoot up. I use the 5 sets of 5 reps for this one, it's also a great idea to do some nice heavy singles. As with some of the other variations I have showed you, a great way to test your grip strength endurance is to deadlift the bar up and hold on for dear life. Aiming for 45-60secs whilst maintaining a solid back and without resting the bar on the quads.
If you have not done these before then stick to the 5x5 with 3 minutes rest between sets (you will need it), once this feels good progress to some nice and heavy singles.
I hope by now you have brought yourself a bag of chalk, dont let sweaty hands ruine your lifts.
Give it a try and look forward to your response:
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Summer Cleanse
So this week Fitter London's Keris Marsden, Matt Whitmore and Rich Nicholas are taking part in a seven day cleanse. Each one will be blogging their personal reasons for undertaking the cleanse as well as their day to day experience and results. This will be a regular event for Fitter Londoners soon so have a read to find out why cleansing at least once a year is essential to optimal health.
What is a Nutritional Cleanse?
The 7 day cleanse was created by Dr Robert Rokowski and taught to me by strength coach Charles Poliquin as part of the BioSignature Modulation in Sweden.
A cleanse involves unlimited consumption of medical food powders and green drinks or green vegetables every day. There are optional further supplements you can take including amino acids, fibre drinks and detoxification support. The elimination of all other foods and these drinks take the body through an intense process of detoxification.
Why Not Simply Fast or Juice fast?
Short term, controlled fasting (1-2 days) has been shown to deliver some benefits in terms of improving digestive issues and rebalancing hormones. However, it is debated as to whether extended fasting may bring any additional benefit, for many people it becomes a stressful experience for the body to cope with. The lack of vitamins, minerals, fibre and essential fats are both physically and mentally challenging to the body and not everyone responds well. Furthermore, during an extended fast the body breaks down muscle to be used by the liver for fuel in the absence of food. Muscle is your metabolic tissue, it’s the precious stuff you never want to lose. The more muscle mass you have the better your insulin sensitivity and the more calories you burn at rest.
I’m not a big fan of juice fasts either, don’t get me wrong I love drinking juices but essentially you are ingesting water, vitamins and sugar. Sugar consumed in the absence of fibre, fat or protein will spike your blood sugar levels and disrupt your insulin and cortisol control which can lead to fat accumulation around your stomach and waist.
The medical foods involved in the cleanse combine vitamins, minerals and accessory nutrients which can be tailored to your needs (e.g either detoxifying, hormone rebalancing or anti-inflammatory). Each shake contains 16g of protein so you don’t go hungry and consuming extra amino acids in addition to the shake allows you to retain lean muscle mass throughout the cleanse.
Cleanse Benefit 1 – Fix the Gut
A cleanse allows the gastro-intestinal tract to rest, repair and reinoculate with healthy bacteria. The addition of probiotics and l-glutamine to the medical shakes supports and strengthen the mucosa cells of the gut wall which are often impaired by gluten/dairy heavy diets and stressful lifestyles. Anyone suffering from recurrent digestive disorders including irritable bowel, bloating or food intolerances would benefit hugely from a cleanse.
Cleanse Benefit 2 - Detox
People often dismiss or ignore the effects of toxicity, however, it has been strongly linked to symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue and joint pain. Toxic elements are everywhere in our environment; we inhale, consume and absorb toxins through our skin. The liver functions to eliminate toxins from your body, however, occasionally there can be an accumulation of toxins in our tissues effecting our neurological, immune and endocrine (hormone) systems.
Even those who consider themselves healthy may not realise toxic load is increased by things like intense training, high protein diets and lack of recovery/restoration sessions. The cleanse lessens the toxic load placed on the liver and kidneys. It supports the different phases of liver detoxification and restores levels of highly alkalising and anti-inflammatory nutrients.
Cleanse Benefit 3 – Drop Body Fat
Cleanse Benefit 3 – Drop Body Fat
Obviously one of the most exciting results of a cleanse is the overall improvement to body composition. Detoxifying the body, removing foods and any source of stimulant really allows your hormones to balance; promoting fat loss, improved blood sugar management, increased energy levels, improved mental clarity and increased strength. Following a cleanse some individuals have reported strength increases of 10%.
Training
One of the best things about a cleanse is that you can still train, Poliquin advocates a specific protocol for weight training during a cleanse to keep the lymphatic system circulating. However, what is also really enjoyable is investing more time in restorative activities like saunas, epsom salt baths, massage, long walks, yoga and mobility exercises. Your body feels amazing and will really thank you for the break from your usual routine.
Fitter London is running a group cleanse in September, contact Keris@fitterlondon.co.uk for more details.
Fitter London is running a group cleanse in September, contact Keris@fitterlondon.co.uk for more details.
My Wild Physique Unleashed: Part 2.
So, last time I shared where all my inspirations started from and how my granddad fully supported my passion to train even as a little’un. In this post I want to share how I evolved from the blue plastic 3kg second hand dumbells to an outright gym rat who developed a crazy training obsession.
I came home from school that day like a lunatic, it was the last day before the break and I was so excited. I got back to my Nan and Grandad's, went into the living room to discover a full set of weights waiting for me. It was a 30kg set from argos with a barbell and a pair of Dumbells. I'm sure you know the ones I'm talking about - made by York, gold plates, red collars and a booklet with diagrams of how to do the exercises. I can't explain the excitement I felt, I gave my Grandad the biggest hug ever and couldn't wait to have a workout. WOW, I finally had some big boy weights ;-)
I got them out of the box, set them up and opened the exercise leaflet that had about 20 different exercises in it. I decided my new routine would be to do every exercise in the leaflet in the order stated. I now know this was not the idea of the leaflet but back then I was not to know and I just went for it. Bench press, squats, rows, shoulder presses, curls, upright rows etc, 3 sets of 10 on each. It took me about an hour and a half to do and I loved every second of it. I was now experiencing crazy sensations in the muscles, I felt pumped and my arms felt like they were going to explode but again I loved the feeling. My Grandad thought it was hilarious that I couldn't get my t-shirt off after my workouts, it became such an issue I ended up going old school and training without the t-shirt.
The leaflet advices to lift weights 3 x per week, so I did. I was also playing football 3 x a week and did nothing on a Saturday. Again my Grandad gave me the incentive I needed. He told me that once I could use the full 30kg for all the exercises I could have a brand new set of weights with a bench. That was all I needed, I have always been competitive and once again I had a goal in mind and I loved it when I could lift a little heavier. I stuck to the routine over the summer holidays and at the age of 11, I had developed guns (arms) and I thought it was amazing. The weights I was lifting were increasing fast and the workouts were taking less and less time to complete as I was recovering so much quicker.
It was time for big boy school:
I had been training hard all summer, already with a developed mind set when it came to training and working out to get bigger and stronger. It was time for secondary school and I was crapping myself. Everyone is nervous on their first day of school and I was no different. After a week or so everyone settled in and the egos started to build. The divides were already happening, the hard kids, the geeks, the popular ones and the ones you wouldn't be seen talking to. I went to a predominantly black school and white kids were the minority, this of course was fine with me although it was somewhat intimidating and I suppose I felt I had something to prove.
After a few weeks at school other kids started to comment on how big my arms were for an 11 year old. The girls loved them and it gave me a real confidence boost.
Nowadays, being big doesn't have the same impact it used to but back at school if you were 'hench' you had respect. I had a physical presence from the first year and straight away was placed amongst the hard kids (always a good thing at my school). I can't lie, this attention I received spurred me on to get even bigger and stronger. I carried on with my gold York weights set as well as training in the school gym and before long I had every gold plate on the bar for all my lifts at home and was stacking every machine in my school gym. Straight away this was cool to other kids and added to my status and reputation ;-)
My Grandad promised a new weights set once I could stack my bar with every plate I had (30kg was a lot to an 11 year old). I reminded him of this to which he replied, "I have not forgotten, just be patient".
I couldn't wait, I wanted to join a gym. The only problem was I was too young to do so (as if that would stop me). I went to my local gym in Woolwich and lied about my age and brought enough cash to pay for 3 months up front (I had a summer job working on an ice cream trailer and saved my wages) that way I didn't need to show proof of identity or anything. I was also tall for my age so looked older than I was, but I'm sure it was the deep voice I put on that fooled them ;-)
They gave me my membership card and off I went, I was like a kid in a toy shop and was so excited by the sight of all these heavy weights around. It was a spit and saw dust gym and full of absolute animals but I didn't care, I just wanted to train. I asked one of the units that worked there if they could do me a program. It was a 3 day body split routine and this was very different to my list of 20 excercises I had to get through before.
The York barbell set was now simply a forgotten thing, I had hard nut status at school, I had access to heavy weights and an actual training program, I was buzzing and just loved going to the gym. I kept to my routine religiously, I could see and feel a huge difference and started getting plenty of encouragement from the big dudes at the gym. The following summer came and off I went to my summer job up in Stratford Upon Avon, slighty saddened at the thought of not going to my gym for 6 weeks. Although, this sadness was short lived, I got to my Nan and Grandad's caravan (they lived on a caravan park in the country for half of the year) and to my amazement on the terrace at the back of the garden was a 50kg metal barbell and Dumbell set, an exercise bike, an adjustable bench for flats and inclines and a skipping rope. I had my own little gym to train in for the summer. Again, this was my Grandad's doing and he loved how happy I was and was always supportive.
Now, bear in mind I was 12 years old turning 13, I was a typical kid that ate crap and sweets, loved running around playing football but I had a genuine passion to lift weights, I loved the way it made me feel, the burn, the pump but most importantly the reward. Diet didn't even come into it, I was too young to think about that. It was as simple as eat what and when I want and train. Sometimes I miss that lack of thought that went into things back then, when my training was just what It was. But saying that, I know I would not be where I am today without the attention to the finer details of diet, mobility, rest and supplements etc. But back then there was a sense of freedom about it, I didn't warm up, I didn't cool down nor did I stretch, I just lifted weights, simple.......BOSH
I now had my routine, I stuck to it and I was starting to see a real difference in my physique, I was getting heavier, stronger and way more confident. All this at 13. None of my mates were like me, I had no one to train with, no one that shared my passion to lifts weights. I didn't mind though, I enjoyed training on my own, coming in getting the job done and off I went to get the feast that awaited me at home.
Let's wrap this up, but as you can see I was pretty disciplined from a young a age, I have my family to thank for this, they were old school. Everything I had, I had to earn: If I wanted some new trainers I had to weed the garden.If I wanted a new computer game I had to wash the car. I had a job at the age of 11 and its this that gave me the work ethic I have, both with my job (I was an ice cream man) and the time I spent in the gym. I had no friends that supported my passion but my family did and I owe a lot to them, especially my Grandad.
So, I was always set to continue my weight training journey but in the next installment I will share how things took a very surprising and somewhat unhealthy turn once diet and nutrition came into the mix. I am sure you will be very shocked by what you read but it's all part and parcel of my journey and taught me a hell of allot.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
I stuck to the routine I had thrown together from my Jean Claude van Damme inspirations for months. Banging out my press ups, star jumps, curls and side raises like the little Ninja I was. But a year or so went by and I suddenly stopped doing my routine that I’d been fixated on doing nearly everyday. My Grandad noticed this, sat me down one morning and asked me why. I looked at my Grandad and told him I was bored, "Why? I thought you loved it.", he said. "Because it's too easy", I replied ( by this point I was doing nearly 50 reps on all the exercise and it just got repetitive and boring). I was 10 years old and it was my last day of school before the 6 week holiday (oh how I miss those), I was soon to be 11 and was staying with my grandparents. "Leave it with me", my Grandad said, "now get off to school."
I came home from school that day like a lunatic, it was the last day before the break and I was so excited. I got back to my Nan and Grandad's, went into the living room to discover a full set of weights waiting for me. It was a 30kg set from argos with a barbell and a pair of Dumbells. I'm sure you know the ones I'm talking about - made by York, gold plates, red collars and a booklet with diagrams of how to do the exercises. I can't explain the excitement I felt, I gave my Grandad the biggest hug ever and couldn't wait to have a workout. WOW, I finally had some big boy weights ;-)
I got them out of the box, set them up and opened the exercise leaflet that had about 20 different exercises in it. I decided my new routine would be to do every exercise in the leaflet in the order stated. I now know this was not the idea of the leaflet but back then I was not to know and I just went for it. Bench press, squats, rows, shoulder presses, curls, upright rows etc, 3 sets of 10 on each. It took me about an hour and a half to do and I loved every second of it. I was now experiencing crazy sensations in the muscles, I felt pumped and my arms felt like they were going to explode but again I loved the feeling. My Grandad thought it was hilarious that I couldn't get my t-shirt off after my workouts, it became such an issue I ended up going old school and training without the t-shirt.
The leaflet advices to lift weights 3 x per week, so I did. I was also playing football 3 x a week and did nothing on a Saturday. Again my Grandad gave me the incentive I needed. He told me that once I could use the full 30kg for all the exercises I could have a brand new set of weights with a bench. That was all I needed, I have always been competitive and once again I had a goal in mind and I loved it when I could lift a little heavier. I stuck to the routine over the summer holidays and at the age of 11, I had developed guns (arms) and I thought it was amazing. The weights I was lifting were increasing fast and the workouts were taking less and less time to complete as I was recovering so much quicker.
It was time for big boy school:
I had been training hard all summer, already with a developed mind set when it came to training and working out to get bigger and stronger. It was time for secondary school and I was crapping myself. Everyone is nervous on their first day of school and I was no different. After a week or so everyone settled in and the egos started to build. The divides were already happening, the hard kids, the geeks, the popular ones and the ones you wouldn't be seen talking to. I went to a predominantly black school and white kids were the minority, this of course was fine with me although it was somewhat intimidating and I suppose I felt I had something to prove.
After a few weeks at school other kids started to comment on how big my arms were for an 11 year old. The girls loved them and it gave me a real confidence boost.
Nowadays, being big doesn't have the same impact it used to but back at school if you were 'hench' you had respect. I had a physical presence from the first year and straight away was placed amongst the hard kids (always a good thing at my school). I can't lie, this attention I received spurred me on to get even bigger and stronger. I carried on with my gold York weights set as well as training in the school gym and before long I had every gold plate on the bar for all my lifts at home and was stacking every machine in my school gym. Straight away this was cool to other kids and added to my status and reputation ;-)
My Grandad promised a new weights set once I could stack my bar with every plate I had (30kg was a lot to an 11 year old). I reminded him of this to which he replied, "I have not forgotten, just be patient".
I couldn't wait, I wanted to join a gym. The only problem was I was too young to do so (as if that would stop me). I went to my local gym in Woolwich and lied about my age and brought enough cash to pay for 3 months up front (I had a summer job working on an ice cream trailer and saved my wages) that way I didn't need to show proof of identity or anything. I was also tall for my age so looked older than I was, but I'm sure it was the deep voice I put on that fooled them ;-)
They gave me my membership card and off I went, I was like a kid in a toy shop and was so excited by the sight of all these heavy weights around. It was a spit and saw dust gym and full of absolute animals but I didn't care, I just wanted to train. I asked one of the units that worked there if they could do me a program. It was a 3 day body split routine and this was very different to my list of 20 excercises I had to get through before.
The York barbell set was now simply a forgotten thing, I had hard nut status at school, I had access to heavy weights and an actual training program, I was buzzing and just loved going to the gym. I kept to my routine religiously, I could see and feel a huge difference and started getting plenty of encouragement from the big dudes at the gym. The following summer came and off I went to my summer job up in Stratford Upon Avon, slighty saddened at the thought of not going to my gym for 6 weeks. Although, this sadness was short lived, I got to my Nan and Grandad's caravan (they lived on a caravan park in the country for half of the year) and to my amazement on the terrace at the back of the garden was a 50kg metal barbell and Dumbell set, an exercise bike, an adjustable bench for flats and inclines and a skipping rope. I had my own little gym to train in for the summer. Again, this was my Grandad's doing and he loved how happy I was and was always supportive.
Now, bear in mind I was 12 years old turning 13, I was a typical kid that ate crap and sweets, loved running around playing football but I had a genuine passion to lift weights, I loved the way it made me feel, the burn, the pump but most importantly the reward. Diet didn't even come into it, I was too young to think about that. It was as simple as eat what and when I want and train. Sometimes I miss that lack of thought that went into things back then, when my training was just what It was. But saying that, I know I would not be where I am today without the attention to the finer details of diet, mobility, rest and supplements etc. But back then there was a sense of freedom about it, I didn't warm up, I didn't cool down nor did I stretch, I just lifted weights, simple.......BOSH
I now had my routine, I stuck to it and I was starting to see a real difference in my physique, I was getting heavier, stronger and way more confident. All this at 13. None of my mates were like me, I had no one to train with, no one that shared my passion to lifts weights. I didn't mind though, I enjoyed training on my own, coming in getting the job done and off I went to get the feast that awaited me at home.
Let's wrap this up, but as you can see I was pretty disciplined from a young a age, I have my family to thank for this, they were old school. Everything I had, I had to earn: If I wanted some new trainers I had to weed the garden.If I wanted a new computer game I had to wash the car. I had a job at the age of 11 and its this that gave me the work ethic I have, both with my job (I was an ice cream man) and the time I spent in the gym. I had no friends that supported my passion but my family did and I owe a lot to them, especially my Grandad.
So, I was always set to continue my weight training journey but in the next installment I will share how things took a very surprising and somewhat unhealthy turn once diet and nutrition came into the mix. I am sure you will be very shocked by what you read but it's all part and parcel of my journey and taught me a hell of allot.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
Friday, 22 July 2011
The Suitcase Deadlift and Progressions (Grip Strength Development Series Part 3: )
Hope you have enjoyed the videos so far and found them useful.
Staying in line with deadlift variations for this series, this week I want to look at the suitcase deadlift with you. I have shared the thick bar deadlift hold and the single arm deadlift, which are two very effective movements, but this is one of my personal favourites in grip strength builders. I know some of you may be thinking that the suitcase deadlift and the single arm deadlift are pretty much the same but you are very wrong.
The biggest difference here is the positioning of the bar, rather than having the more comfortable central grip of the single arm deadlift we now have the bar to the side of the body. Straight away the lift becomes more technical and also tests the grip from a whole new angle not to mention a far greater impact on the abs and obliques (awesome way to hit the midsection without a sit up in sight). We are now taking a grip with the thumb pointing forward away from the body. When developing your grip strength it is so important to hit it from all kinds of angles and continuously test it's boundaries through different thumb and forearm placements.
Our aim here is to test the grip and take our hand strength to a new level. However, do not forget this is a technical lift and we do not want to compromise our form for a heavier poundage. Start by really getting the feel for the lift, get your technique right before adding more weight to the bar. Approach this lift just as you would a regular deadlift. Get low, pack the shoulders back, engage the lats, remove slack from the bar, take a deep stomach breath in and rip the bar from the floor BOSH
I use the 5 sets of 5 reps for this one or nice and heavy singles with 3 minutes between sets.
As a progression, you can either:
- Use Fat Gripz or a thick bar.
- Add a hold at the top (30-60 secs. You may have to reduce the poundage here).
As always, straps are banned, only the use of chalk is allowed. Your grip strength will never get better with the use of straps so ditch em now,man up and get a grip.
Enjoy the video and please get in touch if you have any questions at all. Look forward to your response.
Have a great day,
Matt
Staying in line with deadlift variations for this series, this week I want to look at the suitcase deadlift with you. I have shared the thick bar deadlift hold and the single arm deadlift, which are two very effective movements, but this is one of my personal favourites in grip strength builders. I know some of you may be thinking that the suitcase deadlift and the single arm deadlift are pretty much the same but you are very wrong.
The biggest difference here is the positioning of the bar, rather than having the more comfortable central grip of the single arm deadlift we now have the bar to the side of the body. Straight away the lift becomes more technical and also tests the grip from a whole new angle not to mention a far greater impact on the abs and obliques (awesome way to hit the midsection without a sit up in sight). We are now taking a grip with the thumb pointing forward away from the body. When developing your grip strength it is so important to hit it from all kinds of angles and continuously test it's boundaries through different thumb and forearm placements.
Our aim here is to test the grip and take our hand strength to a new level. However, do not forget this is a technical lift and we do not want to compromise our form for a heavier poundage. Start by really getting the feel for the lift, get your technique right before adding more weight to the bar. Approach this lift just as you would a regular deadlift. Get low, pack the shoulders back, engage the lats, remove slack from the bar, take a deep stomach breath in and rip the bar from the floor BOSH
I use the 5 sets of 5 reps for this one or nice and heavy singles with 3 minutes between sets.
As a progression, you can either:
- Use Fat Gripz or a thick bar.
- Add a hold at the top (30-60 secs. You may have to reduce the poundage here).
As always, straps are banned, only the use of chalk is allowed. Your grip strength will never get better with the use of straps so ditch em now,man up and get a grip.
Enjoy the video and please get in touch if you have any questions at all. Look forward to your response.
Have a great day,
Matt
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
We all have the time if we choose to.
Do I have time to train, prepare meals and eat well? Not always, but only because I chose not to.
"I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO TRAIN" or "I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO PREPARE MEALS"
These are the 2 most commonly used excuses used by people these days to justify why they do not exercise and why they eat crap.
You have also heard the expression "if you don't have time, make the time". This to me is bang on point. We all have a choice to make but its all about how we prioraties our actions.
Let's use eating as an example here. I eat breakfast at 5.30am to set off at 5.45am to start my day. I have a bag full of tupaware boxes packed with my lunches and snacks for the day. Why do I have this bag full of food? Because I prepared it the night before in 10mins. I simply cooked extra dinner and saved it for the next day, once i finished my dinner I packed the extra chicken breasts, steamed veg and salad into the tupaware boxes, a pot of nuts, and some fruit and I am good to go.
Like i said, this took 10mins to prepare, if that. Remember this is left over dinner so I was cooking anyway, it required no extra effort.
HOWEVER,
Let's not assume I do this everyday, because I dont. There are days where I simply can't be bothered, so I end up buying lunch out or eating out for dinner. But the thing is, this is because I could not be bothered, I made the decision not to prepare my food that day. It was a long day, i was tired and it was late. I chose to spend that time watching tv instead. It was not because I didn't have the time, I simply chose to do something else.
I start work at 6.30am and very rarely finish any earlier than 7.30pm, it's a long day but i have my priorities. Which are to eat well and not to eat out too often.
Your priorities may be different, but if you claim your goals are to lose weight, get fit and eat better the "not having time" is simply an excuse and its clear that your goal is not the priority you claim it to be.
Im not perfect (so many people are quick to assume that personal trainers have it easy and that we dont understand what its like blah blah blah, which is a load of rubbish) I just simply priorities preparing my lunches and dinners as i want to eat well and also save money, eating out is not cheap and i cant afford that luxury unfortunately.
Lets summerise:
Eating well and preparing meals is a decision, just as not eating well and not preparing meals is also a decision. We all have a choice, let's make the right one and get our priorities in order. Like I said, yours may be different to mine, which is fine by me just remember this "fail to prepare then prepare to fail".
- Get yourself some tupaware boxes.
- Cook in bulk.
- Save money.
I have tonnes of awesome, easy to make dinner and lunch ideas that require very little effort and taste amazing. If you would like me to share these with you please get in touch matt@fitterlondon.co.uk andi will be more than happy to help.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt Whitmore
"I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO TRAIN" or "I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO PREPARE MEALS"
These are the 2 most commonly used excuses used by people these days to justify why they do not exercise and why they eat crap.
You have also heard the expression "if you don't have time, make the time". This to me is bang on point. We all have a choice to make but its all about how we prioraties our actions.
Let's use eating as an example here. I eat breakfast at 5.30am to set off at 5.45am to start my day. I have a bag full of tupaware boxes packed with my lunches and snacks for the day. Why do I have this bag full of food? Because I prepared it the night before in 10mins. I simply cooked extra dinner and saved it for the next day, once i finished my dinner I packed the extra chicken breasts, steamed veg and salad into the tupaware boxes, a pot of nuts, and some fruit and I am good to go.
Like i said, this took 10mins to prepare, if that. Remember this is left over dinner so I was cooking anyway, it required no extra effort.
HOWEVER,
Let's not assume I do this everyday, because I dont. There are days where I simply can't be bothered, so I end up buying lunch out or eating out for dinner. But the thing is, this is because I could not be bothered, I made the decision not to prepare my food that day. It was a long day, i was tired and it was late. I chose to spend that time watching tv instead. It was not because I didn't have the time, I simply chose to do something else.
I start work at 6.30am and very rarely finish any earlier than 7.30pm, it's a long day but i have my priorities. Which are to eat well and not to eat out too often.
Your priorities may be different, but if you claim your goals are to lose weight, get fit and eat better the "not having time" is simply an excuse and its clear that your goal is not the priority you claim it to be.
Im not perfect (so many people are quick to assume that personal trainers have it easy and that we dont understand what its like blah blah blah, which is a load of rubbish) I just simply priorities preparing my lunches and dinners as i want to eat well and also save money, eating out is not cheap and i cant afford that luxury unfortunately.
Lets summerise:
Eating well and preparing meals is a decision, just as not eating well and not preparing meals is also a decision. We all have a choice, let's make the right one and get our priorities in order. Like I said, yours may be different to mine, which is fine by me just remember this "fail to prepare then prepare to fail".
- Get yourself some tupaware boxes.
- Cook in bulk.
- Save money.
I have tonnes of awesome, easy to make dinner and lunch ideas that require very little effort and taste amazing. If you would like me to share these with you please get in touch matt@fitterlondon.co.uk andi will be more than happy to help.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt Whitmore
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Todays workout: 19/7/11
Today's strength session consisted of only 3 exercises as i was pushed for time and spent 30 mins on solid mobility work, which felt great.
My mobility work consisted of:
10 mins Trigger point therapy on the grid.
10 mins on various Indian club movements.
10 mins various movements (will post a basic yet effective mobility video soon)
Today's workout was based on 3 working sets of 3 reps with 2 progressively heavier warm up sets of 5 reps.3 minarets between sets.
1) Deadlift
Superset the following then rest 3 mins between supersets.
2) Bottom position squats
Weighted pull ups
Although I only done 3 movements, I had an awesome mobility session and pushed my sets to the extreme on my 3 working sets for each. I feel great and even better........I got a personal best on my 3 rep deadlift. I'm thinking some singles next week to achieve a new 1 rep max :-) BOSH
Getting set for my sprints in the rower and a run tomorrow. Then a good old rest on Thursday.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
My mobility work consisted of:
10 mins Trigger point therapy on the grid.
10 mins on various Indian club movements.
10 mins various movements (will post a basic yet effective mobility video soon)
Today's workout was based on 3 working sets of 3 reps with 2 progressively heavier warm up sets of 5 reps.3 minarets between sets.
1) Deadlift
Superset the following then rest 3 mins between supersets.
2) Bottom position squats
Weighted pull ups
Although I only done 3 movements, I had an awesome mobility session and pushed my sets to the extreme on my 3 working sets for each. I feel great and even better........I got a personal best on my 3 rep deadlift. I'm thinking some singles next week to achieve a new 1 rep max :-) BOSH
Getting set for my sprints in the rower and a run tomorrow. Then a good old rest on Thursday.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
My primal journey part 2: by Steven Costello
Progress
So I’ve been living and breathing Paleo for 6 weeks now. The first two weeks were tough … no coffee, carbs, and sugar brought unimaginable mental pain. Remember I loved coffee, carbs and sweet food. But now the Paleo principles are a way of life.
Go heavy or go home
Matt’s prescribed exercise regime was tough (see below). So tough that I nearly cried the first time I did it. It was depressing how weak I was on the pull-ups. I could only manage three! My goal is to torch my belly and build muscle, which means going heavy on the weights. But form is crucial and mine was bad. Personal trainers may be expensive but think of it as an investment rather than a cost … they’ll get you there in half the time. Matt’s plan was right for my body type and he took the time to correct my form.
Freedom to roam
Part of the plan involved becoming a Fitter London Freedom Pass holder which means that I’m now physically and mentally tortured 3 times a week. But the classes are addictive; you’re pushed to the limit in every session, the classes are packed, the music rocks and there’s a great energy in the room. This energy gets you through the pain. And as Matt once said to me, “Pain never killed anyone”.
Matt’s Regime
Mon: Compound
Week 1: 3 x 12 – 15 reps (60 secs rest)
Week 2: 3 x 10 – 12 reps (60 secs rest)
Week 3: 3 x 8 – 10 reps (60 secs rest)
Week 4: 3 x 6 – 8 reps (90 secs rest)
This involves 4 supersets:
1. Incline DB press / dead lift
2. Flat DB press / pull ups
3. Front DB squats / DB row
4. Lunges (DB in each hand) / barbell or DB curls
Tues: Kettlebells for Strength & Bodyweight Conditioning
Weds: Rest
Thurs: Kettlebells - Cardio and Core
Fri: Rest
Sat: Kettlebells for Strength, Size and a Six Pack
Sun: Rest
After 6 weeks of training four times per week I have noticed significant strength gains. I can comfortably do a 32kg double arm swing, shoulder press 20kg on each arm and my recovery times are improving.
Measurements
My body fat dropped from 23.7% to 21% after 3 weeks. I was hoping for more but Keris explained that 0.5-2% a week is the norm. I also dropped 10mm from my waist, which shows that the diet can work in a short amount of time.
The main stumbling block is my belly. It’s still there and doesn’t seem to want to leave my body fast. This points towards high cortisol levels from stress so I’ve been told to make a conscious effort to sleep more, get down time from work, always train early and take magnesium at lunch and in the evening.
I knew this challenge would be tough and it’s at these times that you need to dig deep. Having Matt and Keris is also invaluable in helping me overcome the stumbling blocks.
So a little patience and perseverance is going to be needed. I’m also taking weekly photos and measurements of myself i.e. waist, chest, bicep and quads. Mini results every week is the only motivation I need.
In the next next blog
I’ll explain what supplements I am taking, when and why. I’ll also go into a bit more detail about my diet.
So I’ve been living and breathing Paleo for 6 weeks now. The first two weeks were tough … no coffee, carbs, and sugar brought unimaginable mental pain. Remember I loved coffee, carbs and sweet food. But now the Paleo principles are a way of life.
Go heavy or go home
Matt’s prescribed exercise regime was tough (see below). So tough that I nearly cried the first time I did it. It was depressing how weak I was on the pull-ups. I could only manage three! My goal is to torch my belly and build muscle, which means going heavy on the weights. But form is crucial and mine was bad. Personal trainers may be expensive but think of it as an investment rather than a cost … they’ll get you there in half the time. Matt’s plan was right for my body type and he took the time to correct my form.
Freedom to roam
Part of the plan involved becoming a Fitter London Freedom Pass holder which means that I’m now physically and mentally tortured 3 times a week. But the classes are addictive; you’re pushed to the limit in every session, the classes are packed, the music rocks and there’s a great energy in the room. This energy gets you through the pain. And as Matt once said to me, “Pain never killed anyone”.
Matt’s Regime
Mon: Compound
Week 1: 3 x 12 – 15 reps (60 secs rest)
Week 2: 3 x 10 – 12 reps (60 secs rest)
Week 3: 3 x 8 – 10 reps (60 secs rest)
Week 4: 3 x 6 – 8 reps (90 secs rest)
This involves 4 supersets:
1. Incline DB press / dead lift
2. Flat DB press / pull ups
3. Front DB squats / DB row
4. Lunges (DB in each hand) / barbell or DB curls
Tues: Kettlebells for Strength & Bodyweight Conditioning
Weds: Rest
Thurs: Kettlebells - Cardio and Core
Fri: Rest
Sat: Kettlebells for Strength, Size and a Six Pack
Sun: Rest
After 6 weeks of training four times per week I have noticed significant strength gains. I can comfortably do a 32kg double arm swing, shoulder press 20kg on each arm and my recovery times are improving.
Measurements
My body fat dropped from 23.7% to 21% after 3 weeks. I was hoping for more but Keris explained that 0.5-2% a week is the norm. I also dropped 10mm from my waist, which shows that the diet can work in a short amount of time.
The main stumbling block is my belly. It’s still there and doesn’t seem to want to leave my body fast. This points towards high cortisol levels from stress so I’ve been told to make a conscious effort to sleep more, get down time from work, always train early and take magnesium at lunch and in the evening.
I knew this challenge would be tough and it’s at these times that you need to dig deep. Having Matt and Keris is also invaluable in helping me overcome the stumbling blocks.
So a little patience and perseverance is going to be needed. I’m also taking weekly photos and measurements of myself i.e. waist, chest, bicep and quads. Mini results every week is the only motivation I need.
In the next next blog
I’ll explain what supplements I am taking, when and why. I’ll also go into a bit more detail about my diet.
Monday, 18 July 2011
My Journey Towards My Wild Physique Unleashed: Part 1
How I Got Started, My Inspiration and Where I Wanted To Be.
I was always an active kid, playing every sport known to man. I was one of those annoying kids that never was able to sit still for too long and even now sitting through a film still proves difficult (even a good one).
So you get the picture, I was always active and loved running around blah blah blah.
BUT,
Where did the idea of training come about at such a young age? Rather than just doing it for fun and playing football, tennis or rugby with my pals? Well this is where the legend that is my Grandad comes in to it.
Unfortunately my Dad past away when I was just a toddler so my Grandad had always been the father figure in my life.
He did an amazing job if you ask me, I mean look how well I turned out :-)
My Grandad was a huge presence of a man, 6ft 2, broad shoulders and hands like shovels. Even into his 70's, he was incredibly strong. As a kid I was in awe of him and still am to this day. I wanted to grow up to be just like my Grandad - big, strong and to have a presence.
I was 8 years old and at this point I was a huge Jean Claude Van Damme fan. I mean, not only did this guy have an awesome physique but he could kick some a***. I remember watching one of his films where he was training for an upcoming fight, I saw him lifting weights and doing press ups, star jumps and pull ups. I turned to my grandad and asked him if I could have some weights just like that, he looked at me blankly for a bit and then said, "wait there".
He returned a minute later with 2 tins of baked beans in his hands. "When you can curl these 50 times you can have some weights", he said. I gave him a look like the little gangsta I thought I was and said "Grandad, that's easy, I could do that now". "Go on then", he replied.
So, I took my stance and proceeded to curl the baked bean tins with just the ease I expected to. 28, 29 and 30 I counted out load with a victorious look already on my face.
But wait... I got to rep 35 and all of a sudden my arms were burning like crazy and I started to slow down, my grandad then got all army like on me and told me off for not fully extending my arms at the bottom. He then said that the reps, that I didn't fully extend on, didn't count. I got to 42 and that was me done. My Grandad smirked and told me to get practicing if I wanted the dumbells I had asked for. I threw a wobbly as I hated the fact I had failed, I asked if I could have the dumbbells anyway as I tried so hard but my Grandad was having none of it.
I am, and always have been, very stubborn. I went away and I trained my little arse off, well I kept curling the baked bean tins as often as I could aiming for the 50 every time. I remember even at that age liking that pumped feeling and also the satisfaction of pushing through the muscle burn, it was quite addictive for me even then. Then a couple of weeks later, I was in the kitchen at home and I had done it, I had done the 50 reps, I was over the moon and leaping around the kitchen. BUT WAIT, no one was there to see me do it, how could I prove to my Grandad I had done it? I called him immediately and yelled down the phone, "I have done it I have done it". To my surprise, he told me I could have the dumbbells. "I didnt think you were going to believe me", I said, to which he responded "you couldn't fake that excitement, plus I know you wouldnt lie to me".
The following week my Grandad presented me with a pair of 3kg light blue dumbbells that he had bought from a car boot sale for 50p. I was over the moon with them and could not wait to get started with them. But of course, I was 8 and if I was to do this and train just like Jean Claude Van Damme then I had to look the part. So I got a pair of jogging bottoms and cut them to the knee, I used 2 of my nans tubie grip bandages to cover my ankles and one of my grandads ties to wrap around my head. I then proceeded to replicate the moves he was doing in the film I mentioned earlier. I was sweating like mad and getting really tired but I was loving it.
So here it is. This is where it all started for me, at the age of 8 I found inspiration in my Grandad's appearance, his physical strength and his supportive influence and I had an idol in a film star who was everything I wanted to be.
The next post in the series covers how I never lost the craving to better myself and how I advanced from 3kg dumbells from the car boot sale to a far more serious and disciplined training and diet regime.
Hope you enjoyed my little insight here and look forward to sharing the rest of my journey with you.
Matt
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Friday 15/7/11 strength workout.
Had an awesome workout yesterday with my pal Rich. Both managed to pull off some PB's and we left the session buzzin. Here It is:
1) Trigger point therapy and mobility for 15 mins
5 sets of 5 reps using 2-3 progressively heavier warm up sets and 2-3 heavy work sets depending on the poundage. We went heavier on our Deadlifts this week so reduced it to 2 work sets, I will go for 3 work sets on that poundage next week. 3 minutes rest between sets and supersets. Supersetted everything except for the Deadlifts.
2) Deadlift
3) bottom position squats
Single arm Dumbell rows using fat Gripz
4) weighted pull ups
Weighted leg lowers
5) finished with a little play on muscle ups and managed our first ones ever :-) it was a proud moment.
Was a great session, give it a try.
If you have any question at all regarding strength training, nutrition or kettlebells please get in touch at matt@fitterlondon.co.uk
Have a great week.
1) Trigger point therapy and mobility for 15 mins
5 sets of 5 reps using 2-3 progressively heavier warm up sets and 2-3 heavy work sets depending on the poundage. We went heavier on our Deadlifts this week so reduced it to 2 work sets, I will go for 3 work sets on that poundage next week. 3 minutes rest between sets and supersets. Supersetted everything except for the Deadlifts.
2) Deadlift
3) bottom position squats
Single arm Dumbell rows using fat Gripz
4) weighted pull ups
Weighted leg lowers
5) finished with a little play on muscle ups and managed our first ones ever :-) it was a proud moment.
Was a great session, give it a try.
If you have any question at all regarding strength training, nutrition or kettlebells please get in touch at matt@fitterlondon.co.uk
Have a great week.
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
The Importance of Personal Bests.
Everyone loves achieving a personal best (PB). Be it shaving seconds off their 10k run, adding 5kg to their bench press or getting out an extra pull up than last week.
Personal bests make you feel good, they inject confidence and provide you with the satisfaction of knowing that the hard work your putting in is paying off.
Here's a perfect example of how a personal best changed my day...
Last Friday was just one of those days - Low on energy, busy week and just felt pretty sh*tty and unmotivated to be honest. Anyway, I had already agreed to train with a friend of mine so there was no getting out of it.
However, I dug deep and to my surprise I managed to pull off a 5 rep max personal best on my deadlift. All of a sudden my workout had a whole new meaning. I then went on to PB on my 5 rep max double arm kettlebell shoulder press. I was on fire, I was buzzing and I felt awesome.
I was now shaking with adrenaline, eager to take on the heaviest weights I could. My mood had done a 180 and I was ready to take on the busy day I had ahead of me. I suppose I was thinking that whatever happens today really won't get to me as I just shifted a sh*tload of weight off the floor. More weight than ever before. It's a great feeling.
So what's the point of this blog post?
Well firstly, to give myself a bit of a shout out, because everybody loves a shout out :-)
Secondly, because it surprises me just how many people just go through the motions with their training. They don't write anything down, they don't monitor their progress. If someone can't even remember what they were lifting last week how can they possibly expect to improve on it this week?
I write all my workouts down to a T. Reps, sets, rest, time of day. I'm not saying I improve week on week, truth is, some weeks my performance or poundages decline. Luckily though, I have a record of what I have been doing so I can see why this may be. Was I still fatigued from my last workout? Did I train at a different time? Had I got enough sleep? Sometimes just having an extra day off can be responsible for a 5-10kg increase in poundage.....seriously
In order to achieve a PB you need to know what your current one is. So as soon as you finish reading this blog, go get yourself a little notebook and a pen and write all your workouts down. Then give yourself some targets and achieve them.
I'm sure you have seen it on facebook. "I lifted 220kg on my deadlift today", "I just nailed a PB on my snatch". People shout about it because they feel good about it. And so they should.
However,
PB's don't just happen overnight, they don't come thick and fast, you have to work hard for them. This is what makes them so satisfying. Remember a PB is personal to you, it doesn't matter if your friend shifts 30kg more than you on Deadlifts. What's important is that you have lifted the heaviest weight ever in your life, you're the strongest you have ever been on that particular exercise.
Don't let other peoples PBs take anything away from yours, simply use them to fuel your next PB.
Here is another great example:
A few months ago, I was doing a photoshoot with a friend of mine CJ Swaby. I know I mention this guy quite often, but he deserves it as he's a great dude and incredibly knowledgeable. However I want to make it very clear that we are just friends and fellow strength enthusiasts. He wants it to be a deeper and more meaningful relationship at times but he really is just not my type ;-)
Just kidding.
On this particular photoshoot for an upcoming project, we were performing various lifts including kettlebells, barbells and bodyweight drills.
We finally got to the deadlift. The idea was we were only going to load the bar up with about 150kg, bang out a few reps and that was that. Anyway, the bar gradually started getting heavier and we were both feeling pretty good. At this point CJ said "f@&*# it, I'm gonna go for a PB", I then as a man with an ego replied "f@&*# it, if you are then I am". So my PB prior to this day was 200kg, I loaded the bar with 215kg. I knew thus was a big jump but I felt good and I had some great encouragement from CJ and the photographer Brian. I took my stance, took some deep breaths, after hearing the CJ yell "rip that bar off the floor" I knew that was my cue to do just that. I proceeded to rip that bar off the floor with far greater ease than I expected. I felt on top of the world, it was a great end to a great day.
Up next was CJ's set. The photoshoot had some how evolved from a light hearted shoot to a testosterone fuelled training session. CJ loaded an awesome 240kg to the bar, I believe 10kg heavier than his previous best. BOOM, he ripped that bar off the floor with ease. From where I was standing it looked like he could have done 250kg.
So, after giving each other the congratulating hand shake we were both buzzing from our feats. And rightly so, we smashed our PBs.
I want to highlight that although CJ shifted a substantial 25kg more than I did, I didn't care as I knew I was now the strongest I have ever been on my deadlifts. And of course I was happy for CJ and not bitter at all, even if he did cheat ;-), like I said I'm not bitter.
So remember, your PB is yours, don't let anyone else take that away from you. Just be sure you then aim for your next one, dont be content in your achievment. Dig deep and pull your next one out of the bag.
Anyway, I'm waffling now but you get the picture.
Create goals, log your progress, achieve PBs and repeat the cycle. It won't always be a smooth ride but as long you write things down at least you will have an explanation as to why this may be.
Anyway, I'm about to go eat a 50oz steak, that's 20oz more than my previous best. Wish me luck.
Have a great day and look forward to your response.
Matt
Personal bests make you feel good, they inject confidence and provide you with the satisfaction of knowing that the hard work your putting in is paying off.
Here's a perfect example of how a personal best changed my day...
Last Friday was just one of those days - Low on energy, busy week and just felt pretty sh*tty and unmotivated to be honest. Anyway, I had already agreed to train with a friend of mine so there was no getting out of it.
However, I dug deep and to my surprise I managed to pull off a 5 rep max personal best on my deadlift. All of a sudden my workout had a whole new meaning. I then went on to PB on my 5 rep max double arm kettlebell shoulder press. I was on fire, I was buzzing and I felt awesome.
I was now shaking with adrenaline, eager to take on the heaviest weights I could. My mood had done a 180 and I was ready to take on the busy day I had ahead of me. I suppose I was thinking that whatever happens today really won't get to me as I just shifted a sh*tload of weight off the floor. More weight than ever before. It's a great feeling.
So what's the point of this blog post?
Well firstly, to give myself a bit of a shout out, because everybody loves a shout out :-)
Secondly, because it surprises me just how many people just go through the motions with their training. They don't write anything down, they don't monitor their progress. If someone can't even remember what they were lifting last week how can they possibly expect to improve on it this week?
I write all my workouts down to a T. Reps, sets, rest, time of day. I'm not saying I improve week on week, truth is, some weeks my performance or poundages decline. Luckily though, I have a record of what I have been doing so I can see why this may be. Was I still fatigued from my last workout? Did I train at a different time? Had I got enough sleep? Sometimes just having an extra day off can be responsible for a 5-10kg increase in poundage.....seriously
In order to achieve a PB you need to know what your current one is. So as soon as you finish reading this blog, go get yourself a little notebook and a pen and write all your workouts down. Then give yourself some targets and achieve them.
I'm sure you have seen it on facebook. "I lifted 220kg on my deadlift today", "I just nailed a PB on my snatch". People shout about it because they feel good about it. And so they should.
However,
PB's don't just happen overnight, they don't come thick and fast, you have to work hard for them. This is what makes them so satisfying. Remember a PB is personal to you, it doesn't matter if your friend shifts 30kg more than you on Deadlifts. What's important is that you have lifted the heaviest weight ever in your life, you're the strongest you have ever been on that particular exercise.
Don't let other peoples PBs take anything away from yours, simply use them to fuel your next PB.
Here is another great example:
A few months ago, I was doing a photoshoot with a friend of mine CJ Swaby. I know I mention this guy quite often, but he deserves it as he's a great dude and incredibly knowledgeable. However I want to make it very clear that we are just friends and fellow strength enthusiasts. He wants it to be a deeper and more meaningful relationship at times but he really is just not my type ;-)
Just kidding.
On this particular photoshoot for an upcoming project, we were performing various lifts including kettlebells, barbells and bodyweight drills.
We finally got to the deadlift. The idea was we were only going to load the bar up with about 150kg, bang out a few reps and that was that. Anyway, the bar gradually started getting heavier and we were both feeling pretty good. At this point CJ said "f@&*# it, I'm gonna go for a PB", I then as a man with an ego replied "f@&*# it, if you are then I am". So my PB prior to this day was 200kg, I loaded the bar with 215kg. I knew thus was a big jump but I felt good and I had some great encouragement from CJ and the photographer Brian. I took my stance, took some deep breaths, after hearing the CJ yell "rip that bar off the floor" I knew that was my cue to do just that. I proceeded to rip that bar off the floor with far greater ease than I expected. I felt on top of the world, it was a great end to a great day.
Up next was CJ's set. The photoshoot had some how evolved from a light hearted shoot to a testosterone fuelled training session. CJ loaded an awesome 240kg to the bar, I believe 10kg heavier than his previous best. BOOM, he ripped that bar off the floor with ease. From where I was standing it looked like he could have done 250kg.
So, after giving each other the congratulating hand shake we were both buzzing from our feats. And rightly so, we smashed our PBs.
I want to highlight that although CJ shifted a substantial 25kg more than I did, I didn't care as I knew I was now the strongest I have ever been on my deadlifts. And of course I was happy for CJ and not bitter at all, even if he did cheat ;-), like I said I'm not bitter.
So remember, your PB is yours, don't let anyone else take that away from you. Just be sure you then aim for your next one, dont be content in your achievment. Dig deep and pull your next one out of the bag.
Anyway, I'm waffling now but you get the picture.
Create goals, log your progress, achieve PBs and repeat the cycle. It won't always be a smooth ride but as long you write things down at least you will have an explanation as to why this may be.
Anyway, I'm about to go eat a 50oz steak, that's 20oz more than my previous best. Wish me luck.
Have a great day and look forward to your response.
Matt
Monday, 11 July 2011
Thick Grip Deadlift Hold
Hey guys,
Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy my second instalment of my grip development series. Today we will be looking at the thick grip deadlift hold.
As you will see in the video I am using Fat Gripz which you can purchase on eBay or amazon. I don't have a thick bar but if you do please use it.
Taking an overhand grip (palms facing towards you), deadlift the bar up and simply hold on for dear life.
Do not lean back allowing the bar to rest on the quads, this makes it easier. Squeeze your glutes, pack the shoulders back and crush that bar.
Select a weight that allows you to perform 3 sets of 1min holds. Once this feels comfortable, increase the weight and aim for 2 sets progressing to 3 and repeat that cycle.
Using the thick bar or fat Gripz will really test your grip, much more so than a standard bar. Your fingers, hands, ligaments and tendons will see great improvements if you perform this exercise at least nice a week at the end of your workout.
Give it a try and let me know how you get on.
P.s make sure you always have both hands in an overhand grip, having a cross grip makes it too easy and will not test the grip enough.
Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy my second instalment of my grip development series. Today we will be looking at the thick grip deadlift hold.
As you will see in the video I am using Fat Gripz which you can purchase on eBay or amazon. I don't have a thick bar but if you do please use it.
Taking an overhand grip (palms facing towards you), deadlift the bar up and simply hold on for dear life.
Do not lean back allowing the bar to rest on the quads, this makes it easier. Squeeze your glutes, pack the shoulders back and crush that bar.
Select a weight that allows you to perform 3 sets of 1min holds. Once this feels comfortable, increase the weight and aim for 2 sets progressing to 3 and repeat that cycle.
Using the thick bar or fat Gripz will really test your grip, much more so than a standard bar. Your fingers, hands, ligaments and tendons will see great improvements if you perform this exercise at least nice a week at the end of your workout.
Give it a try and let me know how you get on.
P.s make sure you always have both hands in an overhand grip, having a cross grip makes it too easy and will not test the grip enough.
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Strength Workout: Friday 8th July
Superset the following for 5 sets of 5 reps, with 3 minutes rest between supersets.
2 progressively heavier warm up sets with 3 heavy working sets. Push those barriers. Once 3 working sets feels good, increase the weight and aim for 2 working sets. Once you have progressed to 3 working sets on this poundage repeat the process.
2 progressively heavier warm up sets with 3 heavy working sets. Push those barriers. Once 3 working sets feels good, increase the weight and aim for 2 working sets. Once you have progressed to 3 working sets on this poundage repeat the process.
- Bench Press using Fat Gripz
Dumbell Rows using Fat Gripz - Bottom Position Squats (set the rack in the bottom position at parallel or just above and start your reps from a dead pause using no Momentum)
Reverse grip barbell rows - Incline Dumbell Presses using Fat Gripz (set bench at about 30 degree angle)
Stiff Leg Deadlifts
Thursday, 7 July 2011
My journey towards unleashing my inner beast: Intro
This is an introduction to a new series - "My Journey Towards My Wild Physique Unleashed"
I'm sure some of you have seen CJ Swaby's recent blog posts discussing his training methods, dietary changes and mindset disciplines in his journey towards obtaining his wild physique. CJ is not only a good pal of mine, he was also a huge inspiration to me from the moment I met him at a kettlebell course 18 months ago. After reading his awesome blog entries I decided I wanted to share my training journey with you too.
Over the next few weeks I will be posting blogs explaining:
- How I discovered a passion for training from a very young age.
- How I remained disciplined and worked around barriers.
- The mistakes I made along the way.
- How changing my eating habits added kilos to the bar and my own lean mass.
- The key to restoration and recovery for awesome gains.
- And much much more
In my journey towards achieving my forever evolving goals I have tried, I have tested, I have failed and I have also succeeded, but most importantly of all I have learned from my mistakes.
My reason for sharing this journey with you is simply because I want to help you, inspire you and add some great value to your current training, diet regime and lifestyle. I want to share with you the mistakes I made and the fads I followed to prevent you making them yourself. It won't be rocket science, it won't be technical, it's just a South East Londoner's journey towards unleashing his inner beast :-)
Enjoy
Matt
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Single Arm Deadlift
Hey folks,
Welcome to the first edition in my grip strength development series. Over the coming weeks I will be demonstrating some very simple yet incredibly effective exercises on developing crushing grip strength and endurance. Today's clip focuses on the single arm deadlift.
The Single arm deadlift is a great way of advancing your grip strength simply because you are reliant on the strength of 1 hand to perform the movement, this is much harder for obvious reasons. Not only that but the fact your using a single arm grip in this intance with an Olympic bar, it requires greater control. This is a great combination to gain awesome strength in your hands, wrists and forearms.
Grip strength is beyond having bulky forearms. A combination of strong fingers, hands, ligaments and tendons is vital to get superior gains.
I really hope you find these videos helpful and I'm sure they will add some great value to your training regime.
Try performing the shown exercise for 5 sets of 5 reps (2 progressively heavier warm up sets and 3 working sets) once a week. Once the 3 working sets feel good, add some weight and start with 2 working sets. Again progress to 3 and continue the pattern.
Enjoy
Welcome to the first edition in my grip strength development series. Over the coming weeks I will be demonstrating some very simple yet incredibly effective exercises on developing crushing grip strength and endurance. Today's clip focuses on the single arm deadlift.
The Single arm deadlift is a great way of advancing your grip strength simply because you are reliant on the strength of 1 hand to perform the movement, this is much harder for obvious reasons. Not only that but the fact your using a single arm grip in this intance with an Olympic bar, it requires greater control. This is a great combination to gain awesome strength in your hands, wrists and forearms.
Grip strength is beyond having bulky forearms. A combination of strong fingers, hands, ligaments and tendons is vital to get superior gains.
I really hope you find these videos helpful and I'm sure they will add some great value to your training regime.
Try performing the shown exercise for 5 sets of 5 reps (2 progressively heavier warm up sets and 3 working sets) once a week. Once the 3 working sets feel good, add some weight and start with 2 working sets. Again progress to 3 and continue the pattern.
Enjoy
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Today's strength workout
Todays strength workout is based on 5 sets of 5 reps with 3 mins rest in-between (any less and you will see you poundages drop which is not the plan).
Aim for 2 progressivly heavier warm up sets and 3 to the max working sets and I mean TO THE MAX.
1) Bench press using Fat Gripz
2) Weighted pull ups using Fat Gripz
3) Deadlifts
4) Barbell curls using Fat Gripz
5) Dumbell farmers walks using Fat Gripz (25 meters)
6) 10 x 200m sprints on the rower with 1 min rest.
Once you hit 3 working sets on a weight, aim for 3 progressively heavier warm up sets and 2 working sets on a heavier poundage next time round.
Aim for 2 progressivly heavier warm up sets and 3 to the max working sets and I mean TO THE MAX.
1) Bench press using Fat Gripz
2) Weighted pull ups using Fat Gripz
3) Deadlifts
4) Barbell curls using Fat Gripz
5) Dumbell farmers walks using Fat Gripz (25 meters)
6) 10 x 200m sprints on the rower with 1 min rest.
Once you hit 3 working sets on a weight, aim for 3 progressively heavier warm up sets and 2 working sets on a heavier poundage next time round.
Monday, 4 July 2011
GET A GRIP
Get a grip:
As important as it is to do so, I'm not talking about keeping your your cool, staying calm or remaining composed. I'm talking hand strength and developing a bone crushing grip.
In my experience as a personal trainer, rugby player and strength enthusiast, it has become very clear to me that having a strong grip is a huge advantage. Whether your performing deadlifst or pull ups, tackling a 20 stone oooooffffff on the pitch or just trying to squeeze out a couple of extra curls. If your grip is weak, you will be at a disadvantage in all of the above situations.
Dont get me wrong, I'm not implying that I have a crazy strong grip, however, I once relied upon straps to perform my Deadlifts, pull ups and heavy rows. This was great from a poundage point of view but before long my natural grip strength was fast fading. This was most apparent to me on the rugby pitch, I could not hold on to people without them breaking through my grip. I felt pathetc.
So after some reading I ditched the straps and went back to raw lifts. The only disappointing thing was, I had to drastically reduce my poundages to prevent my grip failing me before my muscles had even started to get warm. Let's just say this was not great for my ego and now felt even more pathetic. But I was determined to obtain the bone crushing grip I longed for.
Within just a few weeks and with the introduction of magnesium chalk (my lifesaver) my poundages went through the roof and my grip felt solid. What a relief. Now, if I get a hold of a shirt on the rugby pitch it's like a pit bulls lock jaw. There was no way I was letting go.
Again, my grip strength has a very very long way to go. However I am now safe in the knowledge that my grip is never the first to fail me on any exercise. Don't let your grip get in the way of your lifting potential. It really is a crucial part of what will get you to the next level.
Over then next couple of weeks I will be posting various grip developing videos. I will be using kettlebells, barbells, dumbbells and weight plates, all of which are great to work with and I wanted to give as many options for people as possible.
I hear so often the famous saying "it's annoying because my muscles could keep going but my grip fails me". Remember having a strong grip is as much about having strong ligaments and tendons as it is strong muscles. They all work together to create a devastating grip.
The videos will show you how to develop the strength in your fingers, hands and forearms to improve both pure grip strength (1 rep max deadlift) and endurance (high rep kettlebell swings or snatches). I will show you ways to develop strength and condition your ligaments and tendons to back up your muscular strength.
Whatever your goal I am sure you will find the videos helpful for both yourself or that of your clients.
Enjoy,
Matt Whitmore
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