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TROUBLE SPOT ARMS

Ask yourself this question – whose arms would you most like to have? Is it Arnolds (from back in the day) or Hugh Jackman? Or if you are a wom-an is it Madonna or Michelle Obama?

Regardless of whose arms you admire the most, there’s no arguing that arms are the ultimate barometer of buffness. A great pair of arms are easy to show off any time of the year and imme-diately lets people know you work out. This is unlike your abs which are lucky to see the light of day more than a week or two per year.

The goal of a good arm training program should be to increase muscle mass in the biceps, triceps and shoulders and not simply to lose fat

from these areas. By adding muscle and los-ing fat you will improve the visible separation between the muscle groups and this is what creates the look of a strong, sexy arm hanging out of your sleeve. In fact, a ripped 16 inch arm looks much more impressive than a soft and flabby 18 inch arm.

If you’re like most people, you probably have a short list of go-to exercises you’ve used since college to sculpt your arms and shoulders. Bi-cep curls, triceps kickbacks or push downs and maybe some shoulder presses thrown into the mix. While this will produce some results in the beginning, I can guarantee that this will not be sufficient when it comes to achieving the awe-some arms you desire. In order to get the results you are looking for you are going to have to implement a more comprehensive and scientific approach to your arm transformation protocol.

Overview

As discussed, the first and most important point to consider is that In order to lose fat from any part of your body you have to create a calo-rie deficit. This means you must take in fewer calories than you are burning. The best way to accomplish this is to follow the guidelines I pre-sented in the TST Fat Loss Manual. It is import-ant to remember that the quality of the calories you consume matters as much as the quantity of calories. Two thousand calories per day con-sisting of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates

and essential fats will produce a vastly different hormonal response than two thousand calories of refined foods, fried meats and sugar.

The connection between the foods you con-sume and where you store body fat is well doc-umented. The hormonal response that occurs whenever you eat or drink will vary according to what is being ingested and as a result can impact where you carry your body fat.

Nutritional Recommendations

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Because men and women differ in terms of hor-mones I am going to address each sex separately;

MALESResearch shows that lowering circulating tes-tosterone levels of healthy young men led to increased fat storage on the upper arms (tri-ceps area) as well as the abdomen. Conversely, when testosterone levels were increased above normal levels subjects experienced fat loss in these areas.

FEMALESWomen who have a disproportionate amount of fat in the triceps area may also be suffering from low testosterone levels as well as too much estrogen.

Increasing testosterone and decreasing estro-gen levels in the body can be accomplished using the following nutrition, supplementation and training recommendations;

The methods outlined in the TST Main Manual are designed to optimize your body’s anabolic hormone levels – including testosterone. In a nutshell these include;

1. Eating healthy fats daily. Healthy fats found in foods such as salmon, flaxseeds, nuts, coconut, avocados and cold water fish are rich in essential fatty acids that are required for tes-tosterone production.

2. Hitting your daily protein requirements. Your goal should be to consume 1 gram of protein for every lean pound of muscle on your body. This is especially important during pe-riods when your calories are low and you are training with weights. Suffice to say that whey protein is a fast way to increase your protein

intake and reap its many benefits including increased lean muscle tissue, decreased fat mass, improved immunity and increased sati-ety. BCAA’S (which are found in whey protein) are very useful for building muscle, decreasing fat, increasing insulin sensitivity and decreasing muscle soreness. Increased protein is necessary in order to avoid losing muscle during periods of reduced calories and intense training.

3. Getting enough sleep. Get a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep in complete darkness (no night lights). A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Associa-tion (JAMA) found that skipping sleep reduces a young man’s testosterone levels by the same amount as aging 10 to 15 years. A lack of sleep also disrupts other hormones like leptin, which

Strategies for raising testosterone naturally

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is responsible for telling your body when to eat. You should aim for getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night with at least two of those hours oc-curring before midnight.

4. Ensuring sufficient vitamin/mineral status. Training increases stress on the body and during this time it is imperative that all nutrient require-ments are being covered. Adequate intake of micronutrients not only ensures that current metabolic needs are met but also may reduce one’s risk for chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. Even a small deficiency in minerals such as zinc can nega-tively impact testosterone levels so be sure to supplement daily.

5. Lifting heavier weights. Your resistance training workouts should incorporate big com-pound exercises (exercises that use more than

one muscle group), such as squats and pressing movements. Compound movements subject your muscles to the maximum amount of stress and increase your body’s natural testosterone production.

6. Reducing your rest periods between sets. Stop wasting time in the gym – in a study pub-lished in the Journal of Strength and Condition-ing Research showed that a 60-second rest inter-val produced the highest testosterone response.

One testosterone booster that is not well known is caffeine. Research has shown that having caffeine prior to training can increase testoster-one levels by as much as 20 percent. However, caffeine also raises cortisol and this is why it should be used pre-exercise only.

Strategies for lowering estrogen naturally

Estrogen imbalance can lead to a variety of problems for both sexes including increased number of alpha receptors, decreased levels of cAMP and as a result, increased body fat. The following are steps that you can take to main-tain a healthy estrogen balance.

1. Digest your food properly. You are not what you eat – you are what you eat, digest and assimilate. It is important that the nutrients you ingest are being properly absorbed. Foods that are cooked or processed are often lacking in im-

portant enzymes that can impact how nutrients are being used by your body. To correct this I recommend taking digestive enzymes with all of your meals. Look for a digestive enzyme supple-ment that also contains Hydrochloric Acid (HCL). Most people have very low HCL levels and HCL is required for foods to be properly assimilated into your body.

2. Eat your veggies. Cruciferous vegetables such as Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and spinach can help your

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body to eliminate bad estrogens. Broccoli is my personal favorite as it contains indoles which are known to help fight cancer and improve your livers ability to rid your body of estrogen. Your broccoli should be lightly steamed and organic whenever possible.

3. Eat more Wasabi. Wasabi root contains Diidolymethane or Dim. Dim is the active form of indole 3 carbinol found in cruciferous vege-tables. Dim helps to prevent aromatase which is the conversion of testosterone to fat storing estrogens.

4. Take your supplements. Fish oil, B vita-mins, magnesium, grape seed extract, Calcium d-glucarate, Nettle root, passion flower and zinc can help your body to properly metabolize estrogens. Other supplements that can increase testosterone include DHEA, Tribulus terrestis, Maca root and Vitamin D.

5. Drink filtered water. A good quality water filtration system can help minimize the amount of estrogen you are being exposed to through the water you drink. Consider a filter for your shower as well as your skin will absorb toxins from the water you shower and bathe in.

6. Select alternate forms of birth control. Birth control pills will have an effect on female estrogen levels.

7. Drink less booze. Excessive alcohol con-sumption (especially beer) will reduce testoster-one and increase estrogen.

8. Lift more weights. Swap two (or more) days of cardio for resistance training. Lifting weights has a positive impact on your testosterone, growth hormone and estrogen levels while ex-cessive cardio will have the opposite effect.

9. Eat flax seed. According to expert trainer Charles Poliquin, when estrogen is bound to sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), it’s not avail-able to bind with cellular receptors and won’t have its estrogenic impact. Charles says that flaxseed hulls are especially effective at increas-ing SHBG (as well as inhibiting aromatase).

10. Minimize exposure to xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are environmental estrogens that can disrupt cellular metabolism and in-crease body fat. Sources include bisphenol a (found in plastic bottles and the lining of cans), phthalates (found in shower curtains, air fresh-eners, vinyl flooring and shrink wrap), PFOA or C8 – found in Teflon, pizza boxes and microwave popcorn bags, Gore-Tex found in waterproof clothing and various soy products. Xenoestro-gens are also believed to be linked to hormonal disruption resulting in sexual deformities in baby boys and reduced fertility in adult males.

I also recommend supplementing with Fenu-greek. Fenugreek is a herb that helps to lower blood sugar while also decreasing the con-version of testosterone to estrogen (a process called aromatization). Use 500 mgs daily while on a healthy diet and strength training regimen.

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The following is a 4 week arm specialization training program that will you’re your arms to the next level. Here is how your weekly training program will look like;

Monday – Shoulders/Biceps/TricepsTuesday – Quads/Hamstrings/Calves

Wednesday – Shoulders/Biceps/Triceps

Thursday – OFF

Friday – Shoulders/Biceps/Triceps

Saturday – Chest/Back

Sunday – OFF

MONDAY

A. Barbell shoulder press (in front) for 6 sets: 7/5/3/7/5/3 (Wave loading with 2 min rest between sets).

B. Barbell bicep curl for 6 sets: 7/5/3/7/5/3 Wave loading. 2 min rest between sets.

C. Parallel bar dips for 4 sets: 5/4/3/2 Partial reps – stay in top range.

D. Preacher curls for 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps.

E. Decline bench dumbbell triceps extension for 4 sets: 8/6/4/15

F. Dumbbell hammer curls for 4 sets: 8/6/4/15

TUESDAYA1. Back squats for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. Shoulder width stance with toes pointed out.

A2. Close-stance DB squat for 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps (Iso Tempo)

B1. Romanian Dead lift 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps.

B2. Lying leg curl 3 sets of 12 to 15 + 2 strip sets

WEDNESDAYA1. Close grip bench press or push up for 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps (2 second pause at top)

A2. Lying triceps extension w/ dumbbells for4 sets of 6 to 8

A3. Overhead rope extension for 4 sets of 12-15 reps

B1. EZ- bar standing reverse curl for 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps (Iso-tension)

B2. Seated Zottman curls 4 sets 6 to 8

B3. Incline Hammer curls 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps

C1. Seated dumbbell shoulder press for 4 sets of 6-8 reps (Continuous Tension)

C2. Seated lateral raise for 4 sets of 10-12 reps PLUS 2 drop sets

THURSDAYOFF

How to Prioritize Arms Within a Training Program

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FRIDAYStanding dumbbell curls for 4 sets of 21 (7 full reps, 7 top reps, 7 bottom reps)

B1. Barbell biceps curl for 4 sets of 4-6 reps (continuous tension)

B2. Incline dumbbell hammer curl for 4 sets of 8-10 reps

C. Decline lying triceps extension for 4 sets of 4-6 reps

D1. Straight bar triceps pushdown for 4 sets of 6-8 reps (stop 1-2” short of lockout)

D2. Prone dumbbell kickback for 4 sets of 10-12 reps (hold for 2 seconds at lockout)

E. Standing barbell push press for 4 sets of 10-12 reps

F1. Standing lateral raise for 4 sets of 10-12 reps (static hold on last rep of each set OR Jettison technique)

F2. Dumbbell upright rows for 4 sets of 15-20 reps

SATURDAY

A1. Pull ups in front for 3 sets of 4-6 reps (Iso tension technique)

A2. Straight arm push down for 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps

B1. Incline DB press for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps

B2. Incline dumbbell flies for 3 sets of 12 to 15 + 2 drop sets (palms facing forward)

C1. Standing barbell shoulder press 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps

C2. Standing lateral raise 3 sets of 12 to 15 + 2 drop sets

SUNDAYOFF