Posts Tagged ‘Resistance Training’

Question:  How much protein do you need and how much protein can your body efficiently handle in each meal?

Answer:  Well it really depends on a lot of variables.  However, as a general rule of thumb, for the regular exerciser who is active and working out (with both resistance training and cardio) 3-6 days a week and wants to build a muscular, ripped physique, I have always used the formula that I have read and researched throughout the years that states to go for 1 gram or protein for every pound of body weight!

So if you are 180 pounds you would consume 180 grams of protein per day and even up to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight if you want to build and add muscle to your frame.  I have used this formula for years and the results are obvious and it will work for you as well.

Now you may be thinking well that makes sense but if I am eating 5-6 small balance meals a day, how many grams of protein can my body handle most efficiently in each meal so that the protein goes toward building lean muscle and is not getting stored as body fat?

Well, the body cannot use more than about ¼ gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per meal to build lean quality muscle tissue.  In other words, a 180 pound male does not need to exceed 45 grams of protein per meal, and a 120 pound woman does not need to exceed 30 grams of protein per meal to maximize their muscle-building potential.  Keep in mind that consuming more than this per meal will not hurt your muscle building potential; it just won’t improve it.

So if you are 180 pounds and are consuming 5-6 small balanced meals per day, nicely balanced between protein and complex carbohydrates, as stated in my  nutrition and exercise e-book, Rapidly Ripped – The Ultimate Fat Burning System for Life,  your protein requirement for each meal should be around 30 grams but not more than 45 grams.  This will place you in an anabolic state and keep you in a positive nitrogen balance, allowing you to optimally utilize the protein in each meal most efficiently, so that it works on building and maintaining lean ripped muscle and not getting stored as body fat!

By Charles Damiano
Nutrition and Fitness Expert
Bestselling author of “Rapidly Ripped”
The Ultimate Fat Burning System for Life!
Body-for-Life 2004 Grand Master Champion Winner

Do you want to sculpt a tapered, razor-sharp set of six pack abs?

Well I can tell you this much; hundreds of sit-up, leg lifts and crunches done a few times a week, are not going to do it!  If you want a ripped six pack of abs, that tapered v-shape and a strong core you are after, you are going to have to learn a few things.

Before jumping right into abdominal training which I cover on the Rapidly Ripped DVD, understand this: you can crunch, twist and flex your stomach muscles all day long, but if you are not following a proper eating strategy and are not eating the right foods, you will not see great results!

As I explain in detail in Rapidly Ripped, Ultimate Fat Burning System for Life, you will never see the fruit of your efforts, your six pack abs, unless you’re eating the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right times and keeping your calorie intake below your calorie expenditure so that you place you metabolism in a fat burning mode.

This will help get you body fat percentage down to 10% or under and only then, will you truly see those razor sharp abs!

With that said, also keep in mind that the right resistance training, cardio training and choosing the best abdominal exercises that work synergistically also play a significant role in achieving those shredded six pack abs!

It takes mental toughness as well as physical exertion to develop incredibly ripped abdominal muscles, a tapered waist and tight obliques. Below are a few points that go above and beyond exercising.

10 Keys to Ripped Six Pack Abs:

1. Discipline Yourself

The midsection is one area that must be trained hard on a regular basis and can be done anywhere at any time. You can do sitting isometrics at your desk by squeezing and tensing your abs, leg lifts in bed, pull in your stomach like a vacuum when ever you get a chance etc.

Since you can work them with or without weights, at home or in the gym, there is no excuse not working your abs.

2. Break a Sweat!

Building and maintaining muscle mass through full body resistance training workouts is only part of the formula for a wash board stomach!

You must sweat and burn away the excess fat through performing HIIT cardio training workouts on an elliptical trainer, doing running drills, jumping rope, biking etc.

3. Have Patience

Unlike arms, shoulders, chest and other major muscle groups, the abs take a lot of continual effort before you start to see results.  You will strengthen your stomach with exercises from the first rep, but to see the deep cuts takes time.

Keep in mind that all men and women have abs but those that show them don’t have any fat covering them.  It can very well take a few months to see that ripped six pack, but do not get discouraged easily.

It is worth the time and effort!

4. Focus on your Posture

Maintaining proper posture is crucial for good ab development and do lots of upper and lower back exercises for good muscular balance.

5. Little Things Add Up

The abdominal exercises and routine you will be performing on the Rapidly Ripped DVD are not all there is.

Aside from the basic abdominal exercises, hold your waistline tight whenever you think about it. Take deep breaths, hold the air in momentarily and when you exhale contract the abs, when getting off a coach or chair do not use your arms to push off but instead get up using your abs.

Think and work abs anywhere at anytime and remember every little bit helps in getting great abs!

6. Be Realistic

Unless you are in your 20’s, have great genetics, and eat perfectly all the time you are not going to match the abs seen on fitness models and bodybuilders.  Strive to get the best abs you can within your limits.

7. Feel the Burn

Do not rush through repetitions simply to complete a set quickly. It is not how many reps you do but how you do each rep that is important.

Each repetition should be slow, exhaling on the exertion and you should concentrate on your abs as you feel your abdominal and/or obliques tighten.  Focus on maintaining perfect form thought out each movement.

8. Do Supersets

Abs are the best muscle to work this way because you have so many exercising options to choose from.  Whenever you train the rest of your body, simply add an abdominal set between each exercise.  This way you’ll be hitting your abs all the time.

9. Eat Right

When looking at your plate make sure it is equally divided into thirds with a quality protein, complex carbohydrate and the third part some salad with oil and vinegar or some vegetables.

Always think protein first in each meal, such as chicken, fish or lean beef with the amount no larger than you palm, and a complex carb, such as brown rice, sweet potato or yams, no larger than your fist.

Also try to keep fats not more than 25-30 percent of your total calories. To see those ripped six pack abs you will have to lose excess body fat and get your body fat percentage to 10% or under!

10. Have Some Fun

Sculpting, etching and maintaining abs is hard work, but don’t make it a chore.  You should be excited when you lose your first inch off your waist even before you start to see or feel your stomach muscles.

Take your time and as you continue to reduce your body fat you will begin to see your stomach muscles more and more. Keep in mind that you want your best six pack abs and the flattest midsection ever for LIFE, and not just for 8 weeks!

By Charles Damiano
Nutrition and Fitness Expert
Bestselling author of “Rapidly Ripped”
The Ultimate Fat Burning System for Life!
Body-for-Life 2004 Grand Master Champion Winner