Blog Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Uncommon Sense Physique

YOU must take responsibility for YOU

Inspired by the prolific writing schedule of James Clear–who posts every Monday and every Thursday without fail–I just wanted to share an insight that’s been nagging at me for a while now.

I’ve been in the iron game long enough now to have seen just about everything. From bodybuilding in the Golden Era right up to the latest science-based protocols of today’s bodybuilders and athletes.

In the last couple of years, I’ve also managed to find myself a fantastic circle of trusted friends, advisors and industry leaders to guide me in my pursuit of bodybuilding, people like Adam Bornstein, Bryan Krahn, Sean Hyson, Jim Smith and Dave Dellanave to name but a few. And if that were not enough, the extended network around these individuals is rich in information — so much so, you can never really keep up.

Full cutting program

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been posting individual workouts I’ve been testing as part of a new cutting program.

Today, as promised, here’s a write-up of the entire program, largely for your convenience.

Before I’d finished the last bulk, I was already thinking ahead to this next phase and how I’d approach it. I shared my thoughts in a post as the tenets of my cutting program. So far, I’ve held true to those tenets.

The reason you’re not making progress

There’s a reason you’re not making the progress you want in the gym. In fact, there’s likely many reasons. For example, you could be following the wrong program, perhaps working too low in the rep-range. Or maybe it’s that all body, routine you switched to recently. Perhaps you’re doing a little too much cardio; not enough cardio. Ah, you don’t have macros? That’ll be it. Oh, you do have macros, but you’re not tracking? Yeah, track your foods and hit the macros, that will help. Your rest intervals could be too long, or too short, of course, and what’s your tempo like? Exclusively machines? Dope, switch to free weights… but not barbells, just dumbbells. Did you say you are or aren’t benching? Well whichever it is, do the other…

Confused?

Top tips to help you reach your physique goals

by Paul Thiel

As those of you who follow me know, I am VERY passionate about health, fitness and in particular, bodybuilding. You’ll also be quick to note that I am no expert, and I am certainly not yoked (at least not by my own high standard).

However, I have learned a lot from working with and following some of the industry’s leading authorities (like Adam Bornstein and Bryan Krahn), and perhaps, most of all, through wide experimentation.

Measuring your progress and how to drive improvement

I was commenting on a post from a blog I follow this morning–getting all carried away and verbose as I do–when James Clear’s words jumped into my head:

Every keystroke you type is one stroke closer to your last. And because every keystroke counts the same, why spend so many of those keystrokes answering emails that 1 person will read and then never look at again, when you could be using those same keystrokes to write an article that will help a thousand people?

Now I know for a fact that there are not “thousands” of people reading my blogging efforts up here, but still, the message from James was sound. If you have something to say, especially something that you consider helpful, why not share it in the widest way possible?

Are you balancing your fitness books?

I was inspired recently having read a great article by Bryan Krahn on having to earn the right to moderation. Gritty and well written, the article asserts that before you back-off on your next visit to the gym and simply go through the motions, be sure that you’ve earned the right to moderate your efforts.

Most interestingly, to help actualize the concept, Bryan uses the analogy of a bank account, with deposits and withdrawals. This mental model is useful, because it helps people understand the notion that just as with money, your fitness books need careful balancing. In his specific example, moderation–a withdrawal–can only be made if you have the funds in your fitness account. That is, you’ve been making regular deposits–hard workouts–to build a surplus.

How to approach a heavy bag workout

I often Tweet about my heavy bag workouts, but I thought it would be worth clarifying exactly what I do out there. Why? Because my heavy bag workouts are often my one of my hardest and most grueling workouts of the week. But they haven’t always been, and it took time, practice and lots of experimentation to turn these workouts into 45 minutes of core-crunching, fat-burning wonderment.

Early workouts were basic. Hit the bag hard. A lot. For a long time. All that got me was bruised and bloodied knuckles, deep cramping in my hands, and soreness in my joints, especially the wrists, elbows and shoulders. Frankly, when I look back now, it’s a miracle I haven’t broken a hand or something — it’s certainly easier than you think!

Later, once I realized that simply pounding the bag was not the path, I switched to a sparring style workout with snappier punches and a lot more movement. And it was better, much better; but still a long way short of a grueling workout.

The secret to your success?

Over the last six months, I’ve read more articles on diet and fitness than I can count. Unfortunately, most aren’t worth the pixels they’re painted on.

Why?

Because they are largely all written in such a way as to be absolute.

Do this in exactly this way to achieve this outcome. The one way, the specific thing, the exact protocol.

And it doesn’t seemingly matter if you want to be bigger, leaner, faster, smarter, better in bed, better at life… there’s always a secret, a shortcut, an easy path to whatever outcome you seek.

Simple rules for improving your grip strength

Grip strength is important; in the gym, in life. I mean, you never know when you might find yourself having to race out on a zip wire to clutch the hand of a friend who would otherwise plummet to their death.

Okay, so THAT is unlikely to happen… but in all other respects, increased grip strength is practically useful, like when you try to carry ALL of the shopping bags from the car to the house in one go. And yes, that includes opening the front door. And no, I don’t know why we feel compelled to do this versus make two or more short, yet comfortable, trips.

But I digress…

This is how change happens

There’s an old adage that says you are what you eat, and in spite of the great many diet fads that come along each year, this simple advice has largely withstood the test of time. Of course, you are free to interpret this simple statement however you like, but for me it boils down to this: all things being equal, your quality of dietary health is largely the sum of what you let pass your lips.

Increasingly of late, I’ve discovered the same is true in other areas of our lives too, such as the friends we surround ourselves with or the people from whom we are taking our advice.

Anyone can meditate; it’s as easy as breathing!

If you’re anything like I once was, you don’t quite get meditation. Sure, the thought of wistfully zoning out into some trance-like state where the weight of the world is lifted from your shoulders sounds absolutely awesome; and yet, it also sounds daunting and thoroughly unrealistic!

However, over the last year of so, I’ve dug a little deeper into the subject and have come to realize that meditation is somewhat of a loaded term, and one that I suspect is stopping many people from reaping the benefits of this simple practice.

Like you, I’ve read about the benefits of meditation on more than one occasion. Just pick-up your favorite lifestyle magazine and there it is, another article on how meditation can change your life. And you know what, perhaps it can. But first you have to try!