36 Pounds.com » Exercises http://www.36pounds.com From Skinny to Buff. The place for Skinny guys who want to gain muscle! Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:21:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 Super Squats http://www.36pounds.com/2009/12/02/super-squats/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/12/02/super-squats/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:45:54 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=808

ssquats

Hey guys,

to day I have a first book review on 36Pounds.com for you!The book is called Super Squats: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks
and is written by Randall J. Strossen. I read it last week and loved it. It shares my view of training in the sense that you need to train with basics-first routine, keep it simple workout hard and you will succeed. Book is a short read, about 100 pages of content only, writing style is nice and easy to understand, like a very experienced gym buddy talking to you and just giving advice.

Book starts with brief history of squats and strongest guys in the world. Squats played huge part in their training and author advocates (like I do, the use of squats for everyone!!). It gives proof that basics-first routines work, they worked when there were no supplements and less equipment, it will definitely work now. Author and I share the same view about training and routines (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) so that’s why reading it was big pleasure for me.

Later on Strossen writes about the Routine itself and how to do the main exercises. Explains them nicely and provides two routines (one for skinny guys who may find the original routine too taxing).

I do have to say that this book wont be liked by people who chase the latest trend or fashion in training. It’s old school. But the advice works!! It’s for people who want simple and uncomplicated approach to training.

The main thing in this book is the concept of Breathing Squats. And boy do I want to test them out!!!!

Breathing squats is performing a set of 20 reps with a weight on the bar that you can usually lift just for 10 reps. Imagine that! What kind of challenge that is! It doesn’t really matter how long it takes you to finish the set, but you have to complete 20! After first 10 you will have to stand still and take a few deep breaths and get another rep. Then few deep breaths again, another rep. The closer you are to 20th rep the more deep, full breaths you have to take (therefore term Breathing squats).

When asked about breathing squats Mark Rippetoe said in one of his interviews:

Rippetoe: This isn’t something I dreamed up. Strossen’s written about it. Perry Rader’s old programs from the ’40s and ’50s involved 20-rep squats. 20-rep squats are not a beginner’s thing, because beginners can’t possibly do them correctly. But for an intermediate lifter who wants to take six or eight weeks and grow some legs, 20-rep squats do a marvelous job.

It does make you tough. But most people can’t stand to do the damn thing. If you’re doing it right, you won’t go more than six or eight weeks. You just can’t. At least I couldn’t, and I’m kind of stupid about that kind of stuff.

For an actual, no shit, set of 20 squats, you’re going to pick a weight that you previously thought was your 10-rep max. And you’re going to do 10 reps with it. Then you’re going to do the 11th rep, and you’re gonna breathe a little bit. And finally, you’re gonna finish the 19th rep, and Jesus is gonna be talking to you about this time.

Then you’re gonna finish the 20th rep, and you’ll somehow get it back in the rack, and then you collapse. You’ll get tunnel vision and your hearing will change while you’re trying to catch your breath. All kinds of weird peripheral central nervous system effects will take place.

What you normally find is that you’re laying on the ground, and you think, “Oh my God, I’m so glad that’s over with.” And then after about five minutes, the realization occurs, “I gotta do this again next week with another ten pounds. Oh shit.”

Most people can’t deal with that for a long period of time. But it’s terribly useful for short periods of time.

Attention: Breathing squats are not for newbies!!! Just like Rippetoe said!

Now, to learn more about them and the routine, buy the book, which is not an expensive investment, yo can get it for about 12 bucks on Amazon here – Super Squats: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks
!

Verdict: Wonderful read. Should be in most of the trainees reading list! I strongly suggest you buy this book and read it. I am sure you wont regret it if you eat enough and do the routine with breathing squats. I, for sure, will start doing breathing squats and keep you updated on the progress!

Cheers,
Adrian

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/12/02/super-squats/feed/ 8 36Pounds.com 5×5 Workout for Beginner and Intermediate Guys (UPDATED!!!) http://www.36pounds.com/2009/09/04/36poundscom-5x5-workout-for-beginner-and-intermediate-guys/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/09/04/36poundscom-5x5-workout-for-beginner-and-intermediate-guys/#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:39:43 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=727

photo by Jason.lengstorf

Now, today I want to give you THE BEST workout I have personally done (and it’s updated), I wish I had know about it early in my training. It’s a very simple, basic-first, easy-to-keep-track-of routine that will give you strength and size gains that you want ;)

This routine should be done 3 times a week, every other day (for example Monday-Wednesday-Friday).

Main goal with this routine is to progress as much as you can with adding weights each workout.

Now, you are gonna do 5 sets and 5 reps of each exercise (except the last one of the workout which is to be done for 3 sets and 8 reps). You need to do ALL 5 sets with the same weight. If you do 5×5 with it, next workout you must add 5lbs to the bar and seek to do 5×5 again. If you can’t, next workout you workout with the same weight. When you do 5×5 add 5lbs to the bar again!

The goal is to get you lifting big weights, which means you will gain size and strength at the same time. if a guy can deadlift 500lbs, squat 400lbs and bench press 300lbs you can bet that he is not skinny. But this doesn’t mean that you will get to these weights fast. No! It takes a lot of time to build that kind of strength but it’s possible and I think every guy should strive to reach those ;)

Here is the actual workout, it consist of two training days and must be rotated like this: A B A on the first week then B A B on the second week and etc.

Workout A

Squats 5×5
Bench Press 5×5
Overhead Press 5×5
Pull Ups 5×5
Assistance exercise 3×8 ONLY ONE EXERCISE ALLOWED! Not more! Choose muscle group you want to train here, I let you improvise a bit here ;)


Workout B

Deadlifts 3×5
Leg Press 5×5 (no squats on deadlift day)
Chin ups 5×5
Incline or Decline Dumbbell Press 5×5 ( you can rotate incline and decline presses each month for example, try to balance them out)
Assistance exercise 3×8 (Again, only one!)

Your week with this routine should look like this:
Monday: workout A
Tuesday: cardio and abs
Wednesday: workout B
Thursday: cardio and abs
Friday: workout A

Updated

1. Less sets of deadlifts (from 5×5 to 3×5). It’s a very taxing exercise and you will lift biggest weight on it so 3 sets are enough. Deadlifts are probably second best exercise and even though I love it, the amount of stress it puts on your central nervous system is great one and that might be overtraining for some folks. Going from 5 to 3 sets will help recover faster after workout. Which means you can progress better! ;)

2. Assistance exercise:

Now here, you must choose a muscle group you want to train and then choose one exercise for it. That’s it. You choose one muscle group for workout A and other group for Workout B. Let’s say you want to train your legs and chest additionally. Then in workout A you do Leg Press or Stiff-Legged deadlifts as the last exercise and on Workout B you do Dumbbell Flies.

Keep the selected muscle group there for a month and then do different muscle group. So if you did month with legs and chest training on assistance exercises, switch to back and shoulders for next month. I don’t recommend doing abs as assistance exercise though. You can train your abs on off days two times a week with cardio. (

3. Added Overhead Presses instead of Stiff-legged deadlifts. OVP is best exercise for shoulders and really great for your strength. Imagine you have to lift some heavy box onto a top shelf, well, overhead press will help you become stronger at that.

That’s it. Simple routine but very effective!!! If every skinny guy did it and ate enough, we wouldn’t have lots of them ;)

Enjoy it and if you start doing this workout, let me know! If you have any questions about it, don’t be afraid, shoot me an email at adrian@36pounds.com and ask whatever you need!

Best of luck with Your gains,

Adrian

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/09/04/36poundscom-5x5-workout-for-beginner-and-intermediate-guys/feed/ 56 How to do Pull ups http://www.36pounds.com/2009/06/01/how-to-do-pull-ups/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/06/01/how-to-do-pull-ups/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:26:02 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=424

Source: Legionfitness

A very good exercise for your back. It builds your back very well and also works out your biceps too because it’s a compound movement. At first it will be hard to pull yourself up even. But when your back gets stronger you can add weights and do weighted pull ups. You can do this exercise at home (if there is such a possibility) or at the gym.

Here is how to do it:

You goal is to pull yourself up to the bar and then lower yourself down.

1. Hang on the pull up bar. Your arms should be straight. Wider than your shoulder width and palms facing away.
2. Pull yourself up until your chin is a little higher than the pull up bar. Keep your legs in line with your upper body.
3. Then slowly lower yourself down.
Repeat.

Simple but hard to do exercise! If you don’t have the strength to do at least one pull up, then do lat pull downs on the machine at the gym! This will strengthen your back and you should be able to do pull ups later. Some gyms have machines that can assist you while doing pull ups

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/06/01/how-to-do-pull-ups/feed/ 1 Fixing Poor Posture for Skinny guys http://www.36pounds.com/2009/05/06/fixing-poor-posture-for-skinny-guys/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/05/06/fixing-poor-posture-for-skinny-guys/#comments Wed, 06 May 2009 14:02:44 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=343

I used to have a very poor posture. I’d slouch, shoulders hunched over, belly sticking out (even though I had no fat almost). And this was all because of sitting at the computer a lot and not having strong muscles that can help your posture be good. I’m not a doctor and I can only share what I know with you. And I know that bodybuilding helped me correct it. It’s still not perfect but it’s way better.

The most important thing is to strengthen those muscles that are responsible for your posture. These are your core, shoulders, back, lower back, abs, butt and hamstrings. Yes, I did mention butt… :) Look at this picture:

posture

Most of the skinny guys are probably falling into one category of poor posture of those two. The one that is in the right. At least I was looking like that.

How to fix this?

Well, work out! ;) If you do the workout I offer you here at 36Pounds.com, you will be doing exercises that fix your posture. And actually all exercises for your core, abs, back, hamstrings, will help you correct the posture and some shoulder exercise will be good for you too. Here are 4 main exercises and how they help you fix the posture:

Deadlifts – strengthens you lower back, butt, hamstrings and helps you fix that belly sticking out. It sticks out if your lower back, core, abs and butt muscles are weak.

Reverse flies – strengthens you rear deltoids (shoulders) and helps you fix rounding shoulders.

Dumbbell rows – strengthens your lats and also prevents rounding in shoulders, and sway in back.

Planks – helps you strengthen the core that is the collection of deep muscles inside your body and is very very important. Without strong core you will have hard time keeping posture straight and your overall strength won’t be 100 percent of what it could be.

You can find exercise guides on 36Pounds.com. I hope you guys will find it helpful and leave some comments in the future on how this worked for you ;)

Best of luck,

Adrian

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/05/06/fixing-poor-posture-for-skinny-guys/feed/ 3 How to do Diamond Push ups http://www.36pounds.com/2009/05/01/how-to-do-diamond-push-ups/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/05/01/how-to-do-diamond-push-ups/#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 12:15:13 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=290

Diamond push ups are very similar to regular push ups and workout you triceps mostly. Your chest still get a little workout but most of the work goes to triceps. Here is a video on how to do it:

no equipment pushup weight training
diamond pushup
(Click on image to view this exercise…)

The only difference between doing this one and the regular push ups is the placement of your arms. Instead of keeping your arms wide (regular push up) you keep them straight in front of your chest. Honestly, I don’t know what more to add on how to do it. :D It’s an easy exercise to do technique-wise.

Cheers,

Adrian

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/05/01/how-to-do-diamond-push-ups/feed/ 0 36Pounds.com Home workout for Beginners http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/30/36poundscom-home-workout-for-beginners/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/30/36poundscom-home-workout-for-beginners/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:23:24 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=263

fan2025125

One of the blog readers, Alex contacted me and asked if he can workout and gain muscle at home. Yup, you can, Alex! And so do other guys.

Working out at home is always an option but it is not as good as working out at the gym. It still is better than nothing though. Unless you have a basement or a room and can afford to buy squat rack, barbell, weights and bench then your body will not get the best workout it could.
It is also harder to motivate oneself to workout at home. I’ve done it. I have a few dumbbells at home and trained with them for about two weeks at home, trust me – the gym is hundred times better!

This workout is a 2-day Full Body workout that should be done 3 times a week. That means you will have to cycle it and one day of the workout will repeat itself. It looks like this:

Workout A (first day) and Workout B (second day)

Monday: Workout A
Wednesday: Workout B
Friday: Workout A
Next Monday: Workout B
Wednesday: Workout A
Friday: Workout B
and etc.

And here is a program I suggest you do:

Workout A:

1. Dumbbell squat
dumbbell squat weight training

(Click on image to view this exercise…)

2. Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
dumbbell shoulder press weight training

(Click on image to view this exercise…)

3. Dumbbell lunges
dumbbell lunge weight training

(Click on image to view this exercise…)

4. Push ups
no equipment pushup weight training

(Click on image to view this exercise…)

5. Plank
no equipment plank isometric

(Click on image to view this exercise…)

Workout B:

1. Dumbbell deadlift
dumbbell deadlift weight training

(Click on image to view this exercise…)

2. Dumbbell rows with neutral grip
dumbbell row weight training

(Click on image to view this exercise…)

3. Stiff leg deadlift
dumbbell deadlift weight training

(Click on image to view this exercise…)

4. Pull ups
If you can’t do pull ups at home then do dumbbell rows again, but this time don’t let your elbows touch your body (keep your arms in line with shoulders) and hold Dumbbells with overhand grip.

5. Plank

Do each exercise for 3 sets and 8-10 repetitions. Stick with this workout for a month or two and in the mean time get the money to join a real gym!!

It took me almost 2 hours to put it together and post it so I really hope you guys will like it and use it (if you can’t go to gym).

Best of luck,
Adrian

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/30/36poundscom-home-workout-for-beginners/feed/ 8 How to perform Dumbbell Flies http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-perform-dumbbell-flies/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-perform-dumbbell-flies/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:45:49 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=250

Dumbbell flies are a great exercise for your inner chest. This part for me is probably the hardest to grow. So now I concentrate on doing Dumbbell Flies more often. Some people do cable flies instead of these but I prefer free weights.

A video on how to do them:

dbfly

Here is how to do them:

1. Take dumbbells and lie down on a bench.
2. Hold dumbbells in front of your chest with your arms almost straight (slightly bend the elbows)
3. Start lowering them down to your sides while still keeping your elbows slightly bent
4. Stop when you feel your chest muscles stretched (your elbows should still be higher then the bench though)
5. Keeping your elbows bent get the dumbbells back up. At the top they can slightly touch each other
6. This is one repetition. Repeat it

Hope this helps,

Adrian

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-perform-dumbbell-flies/feed/ 2 How to French press http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-french-press/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-french-press/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:31:10 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=239

French presses are my favorite exercise to do for triceps. No other compares to these and I am a huge believer in this exercise. They are also being called Skull Crushers.

Here is how to do them:

1. Lie down on a bench with the EZ bar in your hands
2. Use narrow overhand grip
3. Position the bar over your shoulders (your arms are extended)
4. Slowly lower the bar to your forehead (bend your elbows), don’t touch your forehead with the bar
5. Extend your arms again. This is one repetition

A video of it :

bblyingtricepsextensionsc8

Hope this helps,

Adrian

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-french-press/feed/ 2 How to Bench Press http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-bench-press/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-bench-press/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:39:03 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=223

bench presses

One of probably most famous and most used exercises. While a rare person Squats and deadlifts, most of the guys do bench press. It’s also like a business card for a bodybuilder because it’s common to get a question like “How much do you Bench?”. And if you bench press a lot you are a strong and cool guy. But that’s just a stereotype – deadlifts, squats are better indicators of strength.

Bench presses train your chest (outer part of your chest mostly). Triceps also gets some work.

Here is how to do them:

Lie down on a bench.
Use wide (about 60-65cm) overhand grip. Dismount barbell from rack over the upper chest.
Slowly lower the bar to your chest. Don’t let the bar touch your chest at the lowest point.
Press the bar up until your arms are extended fully. Keep your feet on the ground and don’t let your back rise off of the bench.

Video of it:

bbbenchpress
A very good exercise. One of my favorites also.

More exercise guides coming,
Adrian

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-bench-press/feed/ 4 How to Barbell Row http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-barbell-row/ http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-barbell-row/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:12:21 +0000 Adrian http://www.36pounds.com/?p=213

This is another compound exercise. It’s a great back builder and trains your upper back. It’s a bit hard exercise to do. A lot of people don’t do it correctly.

Here is a good foto of it:

powerbooster3

Here is how to do it:

1. Bend knees slightly and bend over bar with back straight. Grasp bar with a wide overhand grip.
2. Keep your back straight.
3. Pull bar to upper waist.
4. Then lower the bar until arms are extended and shoulders are stretched forward.

A good video of it:

bbbentoverrow

P.S. If you want to focus more on your lats then you can change your grip to underhand grip.

]]> http://www.36pounds.com/2009/04/29/how-to-barbell-row/feed/ 0