Man Bicep training vs. the training I’m sometimes forced to do…
So when I workout, I do what I think of as Man Bicep training. It combines some Crossfit workouts with some power lifting and some high intensity interval training. I do circuits; I do tabata workouts; I do some slow lifts. But each and every workout, I push something to almost absolute failure. GO BIG OR GO HOME. I’m slightly sadistic…I know…
But I realize that not everyone wants to push themselves to quite that extreme. And I understand that. We each have different tolerance for different things. But sometimes I’m just so disappointed by how little people want to push themselves.
The mind gives up way before the body needs to. But most people can’t push their mind past the initial fatigue of their body. Which can sometimes make being a trainer difficult.
It’s been interesting trying to figure out just how hard to push some clients. Clients all tell you they want someone to push them – they want someone to design a program for them. They all say they want work hard. BUT what they are really saying is “I only want to be put through a workout I wouldn’t usually think of, but I don’t really want to be too sore. BUT I also want to see fast results.” They also usually want just really want someone to be there for them when they work out. They want a “friend” to motivate them to workout.
And while trainers are there to create new and interesting workouts and motivate and create results, they are also there to push you beyond where you think is acceptable. You won’t ever see results or improve your fitness if they don’t (unless you are a natural Man Biceper!). Don’t tell a trainer a weight is too much. They are watching your form and will know if it is too heavy. Don’t tell a trainer an exercise is too hard just because there is a slight burn in your legs. Don’t tell your trainer what your workout should be. YOU HIRED THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE THE EXPERT!!! LISTEN TO THEM!
And trainers, stop giving in to your clients. Yes, you must be flexible and deal with each client in a way that matches their personality, fitness level and work ethic but you don’t have to be play dough. You must remember that you are there to improve their health. That you are there to get results and that you must push them beyond where they think their limit is. Sometimes you have to push super gently, but still YOU HAVE TO PUSH! Show you are the expert! Show that your job is about improving someone’s fitness and not just taking their money and giving them the workout they THINK they want!!!!
And by the way…all you women who are reading this and thinking you would never lift heavy weights…let me refute all of your excuses…READ THIS!
Let’s create a Man Bicep generation!!!
Push Ups, Pull Ups and Weights
Why do all three of these things tend to be lumped together as fitness activities that women don’t want to do?
Almost every man I see at the gym does at least two of these in any given workout, but rarely do I see women ever even doing one of them! AND on the rare occasion a woman is doing weights or pull ups or push ups, it is always MODIFIED!!! Why are women so afraid to grab double-digit weights? Why won’t they attempt push ups from their toes. Why won’t most women even go near an assisted pull up machine?
It honestly baffles me that women won’t do weights, won’t do push ups, won’t do pull ups. Those are seriously three of the best things you could ever do! Below I list a few reasons why each is good.
Push Ups:
- Are a compound movement using almost all of the muscles of your body. They work your chest, shoulders, triceps, back and abs.
- AND There is NO WAY you will get bulky doing push ups
Pull Ups:
- Are a compound movement using almost all of the muscles of your body. They work your biceps, triceps and shoulders. They also work almost all the muscles in your back and your core!
- AND There is NO WAY you will get bulky doing pull ups
Pull ups and push ups compliment each other well. If you do a compound set of push ups and pull ups you will destroy your upper body and get the lean, toned look most women want! If you aren’t doing these two exercises you are missing out on two of the best ways to get the bikini body you want! Next time you are in the gym, try a push up from your toes. If you do, you will work your abs more!!! Next time you in the gym, try a pull up. You’ll be able to feel just how hard your core is working. Do these two exercises and an extra ab workout each week will be a thing of the past!!!
WEIGHTS!:
It should come as no surprise that I think weights are probably the most wonderful weight loss and fitness tool there is out there. I mean simply put, more muscle equals higher metabolic rate equals you can eat more food and I love food! And a higher metabolic rate is also very helpful if you are trying to lose weight!
Most women turn to cardio to lose weight but weight training is just as important if not more so in being able to get the weight off and KEEP it off.
Women turn to cardio because they are afraid of bulking up. But what makes women look “bulky” is actually having a high percentage of body fat . If you have a high percentage of body fat, your muscles will actually look BIGGER! Fat takes up a lot of space in the muscle making it look bigger. When you lose body fat that intramuscular fat will begin to vanish. So even if you add muscle mass — which is very difficult for women to accomplish — your overall muscle size is probably going to be smaller because the weight lifting will help you lose the fat you have stored in your muscles.
Women are much more likely to “tone up” from the process of strength training than bulk up. Research has shown that women can add 30% (or more!) lean muscle mass to their bodies and end up looking much thinner, feeling much stronger and appearing much firmer than they were before. So you could add 30% more lean muscle to your body and look even more beautiful and feminine than before! So why aren’t you lifting weights?Next time you are in the gym, steal the squat rack from the men, load on the weight to that 45lb barbell and bust out 10 deep squats. Just think about the inches you are losing!
This is where fear stems from
Women like this make women not want to lift weights. I mean who wants to have overdeveloped pecs like this!?! BUT lifting weights didn’t give this woman 6 boobs – steroids and boob implants did.
I saw this on Tosh.0 the other night and understood why everyone was laughing and making fun of her even while I cringed. Her body isn’t what most women want to look like or what most men want women to look like. BUT her body is what most Americans associate with women who lift heavy weights.
The idea that she was what women thought they would look like if they lifted weights made me cringe. YOU WON’T LOOK LIKE HER IF YOU LIFT HEAVY WEIGHTS!!!
If you are lucky, you will look as lean and muscled as Jamie Eason.
Getting more muscle than her is very unlikely. If you read any article about her or any other fitness competitor, you will realize how much they micro-manage their diet to gain even as much muscle as she has.
The idea that lifting weights will make me look like Jamie Eason is motivation enough for me!
Entering Beast Mode!
Welcome to Man Bicep!
Man Bicep!?! Beast Mode!?! You are probably thinking to yourself, “What the heck is this site about!”
This site is about taking back the weight room floor – about not fearing lifting heavy weights – about setting the facts straight!
So if you aren’t ready to listen to advice that will get you into the best and healthiest shape of your life, I would recommend you leave this site 🙂
We’ll show you that you can lift really really heavy weights without getting Man Biceps!
Man Bicep 