How to Build Muscle with High Reps

April 30, 2008

Although I am not a fan of high reps on most exercises for most lifters, there are actually times when I do recommend them. So if you want to learn how to build muscle with high reps, then read on.

When you are more advanced and have developed a respectable level of strength, high reps can actually be a great tool for stimulating new muscle growth. The reason I don’t recommend high reps to beginners is because they don’t have the strength, coordination or stabilization to maintain perfect form throughout a long duration set and are likely to get injured. Also, when you are a weak beginner, it is very difficult to use a great deal of weight for more than eight reps on any given exercise.

The heavy weights for high reps concept only works with a few muscle groups and exercises and shouldn’t be used all the time. Also, the high rep set should always follow a heavy set. Therefore you would do a set of 5-8 first and then follow it up with a set of 15-20 reps.

Compound lower body exercises such as squats and leg presses are phenomenal muscle builders when done for high reps with heavy weights. My favorite set and reps scheme that I use with myself and all my advanced clients on leg days is one or two heavy set of 4-8 reps on some kind of squat followed by a high rep death set of 12-20 reps. If your legs don’t grow from that they never will.

Deadlifts are also great when done for high reps but you need to be careful to keep your back perfectly arched throughout. I recommend keeping the reps at twelve or lower on deadlifts to be safe. Rack deadlifts are a little bit safer and easier to maintain perfect form on so you may be able to push the reps to 15 on these.

Another great exercise to do high reps with is a one arm dumbbell row done with a slight cheat. I am a big fan of this exercise and am constantly trying to set new PR’s at certain rep ranges. When you can row a 130 pound dumbbell for twenty reps you will be far bigger and stronger than just about everyone else in your gym.

Whatever compound, multi joint exercise you can use a heavy weight with for high reps will be effective; just be sure that you have been training properly for at least two or three years and are quite strong before trying this. And when I say strong, I mean that you can bench press at least 1.5 times your body weight, you can squat double body weight and can deadlift 2.5 times your body weight (or at least be in the ballpark of those numbers).

High rep contests can always be fun with training partners also. Whenever I train with a friend or old training partner that I haven’t seen in a while I always like to have a heavy weight challenge and then a high rep challenge to finish the workout. We usually pick a weight that we know we can do at least 12-15 reps with and in the heat of competition end up doing nearly twice that number. For example we may choose the heaviest dumbbells the gym has for a set of one arm dumbbell rows and do anywhere from 15-30 reps for one all out, gut busting set. It’s a blast and really brings out the best in you. Not to mention that it helps pack on insane amounts of size.

PS. For more great information about how to build muscle, check out MuscleGainingSecrets.com.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Muscle Building | 1 Comment

How to Get Flat Lower Abs

April 29, 2008

atlas How to Get Flat Lower Abs By John Alvino

I’d be a very rich man if I had a dollar for ever time that someone told me, “My upper abs are getting lean but I still have this pouch of fat on my lower abs.”

Unfortunately, this “upper then lower” fat loss progression is typical for the majority of people. This “lower ab bulge” happens for three totally different reasons. If you are going to achieve flat lower abs, all three reasons must be addressed.

The first reason the lower abs are not flat is simply due to excess body fat. Most people will lose fat on the upper portion of their abs first. Only when these individuals get very lean will they lose the abdominal fat around their belly button area. This excess belly fat problem is only lost by following a well-designed fat loss plan, such as the How To Get Ripped Abs program. This plan will include: high intensity cardio, metabolism-boosting resistance training, and proper nutrition.

The second reason the lower abs bulge out can be related to the position of the pelvis. If the pelvis is tilted too far anteriorly (forward) it will cause your lower back to “over arch” and push the lower part of your belly out. If you suffer from this pelvic position, your abs will bulge out, regardless of your body fat levels.

To fix this problem, you must perform corrective abdominal exercises and stretch your hip flexors. By incorporating this combination of exercises and stretches into your routine, you can rapidly re-set your pelvis and flatten your abs.

Below, I’ll describe an effective hip flexor stretch and several corrective ab exercises based on your current level of abdominal strength.

Hip Flexor Stretch- Get into the bottom position of a lunge with the back knee resting on the floor. Push your hips forward while maintaining an upright posture. Adjust the distance between your legs so that the shin on your front leg is in a vertical position. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Repeat the entire process 3-4 times. Note: If you are not stretching on a soft surface (grass, mat, etc.), I suggest that you put a small mat underneath your knee.

Beginner Ab Exercise- Lie on your back. Bend your knees to 90 degrees and place your feet flat on the floor. With your palms down, place them under your lower back. Lift both legs off the floor until your knees are pointing directly to the ceiling. Roll your pelvis backward, thus creating slight pressure on your fingers. This is the starting position. Now lower both legs to the floor without arching your back and releasing any pressure off your hands. To progress, simply straighten your legs several degrees each workout until you are performing this exercise with straight legs.

Intermediate Ab Exercise- Lie on your back. Flex both knees and hips to 90 degree angles. Bring knees toward chest by flexing your abdominal muscles, and raising your butt from the floor while maintaining a constant knee angle. Return until hips and knees are again extended to 90 degree angles. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

Advanced Ab Exercise- Lie on a decline bench. Flex both knees and hips to 90 degree angles. Bring knees directly toward your chest by flexing the abdominal muscles. Your butt will raise up from the bench. Be sure to maintain a constant knee angle. Return until hips and knees are again extended to 90 degree angles. To increase difficulty, increase the angle of the decline bench.

The third reason for lower belly distension is abdominal bloating, which can be caused by two different problems. The first is constipation. If you are constipated, be sure to increase your water intake and check you diet to see if you are getting enough dietary fiber (25-40 grams daily). If those things are already in check, consult with your physician to achieve optimal bowel functioning.

The second cause of the distention is eating foods to which you are reactive. When you eat foods that your body is sensitive to, your immune system will respond, which causes bloating in the abdominal area. If you suspect this to be your culprit, pay close attention to how you feel after eating each meal. Eliminate any foods that may cause you bloating, cramping, diarrhea or stomach discomfort.

If you are tired of failing to achieve that flat sexy stomach you desire, try this simple yet multi-faceted approach, and flatten your abs forever!

For more information on John Alvino and his incredible How to Get Ripped Abs program click HERE now.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Fat Loss | 1 Comment

Fit To Fight Review

April 21, 2008

First off, I want to say congratulations to my buddy and fellow vegetarian Mac Danzig for his outstanding performance Saturday night at the UFC pay per view. Big things ahead for this guy.

Secondly, I wanted to thank everyone for all the positive feedback so far on Fit to Fight and to share the latest review with those of you who haven’t gotten your copy yet.

Click HERE to read it.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Strength & Conditioning | Leave a Comment

Growing Up

April 17, 2008

I spent this past weekend in LA with my buddy and fitness expert, Keith Scott, visiting friends and watching two of Eddie Vedder’s only solo shows ever. If you are a Pearl Jam fan I highly recommend that you get a hold of a bootleg of some of these solo shows. They were absolutely amazing.

Friday night I met up with my long time friends Laura and Danielle Prepon. Laura is the former star of That 70’s Show and current star of October Road on ABC. We partied ‘til the wee hours of the morning and had a great time but the thing that stood out more than anything is how little Laura has allowed success to change her. She is the exact same girl I have known since she was a little kid with the same great sense of humor and not the slightest hint of arrogance or self importance. She treats every stranger who approaches her with the utmost respect and kindness just the way she would treat a family member. When people came up to her all night, she repeatedly held up my book, Fit To Fight, and told people that they needed to get their copy ASAP. It was something she didn’t need to do but a gesture that I appreciated sincerely. It’s sad that it’s a rarity to see someone so unchanged by success, but it made me very happy to see my old friend acting just the same and treating people like she always has. Selfishly, I secretly want her to quit showbiz tomorrow so we could hang out regularly just like we did the last summer she spent at home. But I know that’s never going to happen and I am thankful for the time I still get to spend with an old friend. If anyone is deserving of such success it’s Laura and I wish her nothing but the best in the future and couldn’t be more proud of her.

On Sunday morning, Keith and I had breakfast with my other two good friends, Chad Waterbury and celebrity trainer, Valerie Waters. I have a feeling that some people might be shocked that Val and Chad are two of my close friends. After all, we disagree on way too many training issues to be friends, right? A few years ago I used to be ignorant and immature enough to think that.

“He recommended four sets instead of five?! What a numbnuts!”

But then I grew up and got a little smarter and realized that it doesn’t matter in the least. Chad and I were introduced through a mutual buddy about a year and half ago. Since that time Chad has become a good friend who has always gone out of his way for me in any way he can and that means far more to me than the fact that we might disagree on certain aspects of training here or there.

The truth is we have barely even discussed training for more than an hour, at most, every time that we’ve hung out. It’s not politics. It’s not religion. It’s how to improve your deadlift for fucks sake… and that’s not really that important in the grand scheme of things. And if we disagree does that mean I should hate him or not be friends with him? It’s ridiculous to think so. But although it pains me to admit, I once thought like that.

Even though Chad and I do some things differently in how we train our clients, when you really break it down, it’s all very similar in the end. We both believe in lifting fast. We both believe in max strength work for all athletes. We both train people for performance, first and foremost. We both like full body workouts or upper/lower splits in favor of any other type of split. Etc, etc, etc…

When Val, Chad, Keith and I talked training this weekend, we all agreed far more than we disagreed and we learned a lot from each other.

Chad is currently training the greatest fighter of all time, Rickson Gracie and his son and future legend, Kron among several others. When I talk training with someone like that I am far more interested in what he is doing with his guys and what he has found to work, based on years of experience more than I am interested in how he interprets some Russian training literature. Like, Dave Tate said, “Fuck science!” Show me what you learned under the bar. That’s where it’s at.

Valerie Waters has trained more celebrities than can be seen in the current issue of People Magazine. While she may not use some of the fancy words and periodization schemes that some people are so impressed by she has trained Jessica Biel, Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Garner. So, needless to say, she definitely knows her shit. She explained to me over breakfast, how she believes that girls can get too big and how she gets around that. At first I would have disagreed with her but after hearing her out I agreed 100%. This is something you can’t always convey in an article. And something, that for some odd reason, pissed people off when she said it. But when hearing her explain it in person it all made perfect sense.

I have mentioned Keith Scott several times before but after spending this weekend with him I am once again convinced that he knows more about the human body and has more real world training experience and knowledge than most people you will ever meet.

While I truly am as dumb as I look and only graduated high school because my dad knew somebody who knew somebody; Chad, Val and Keith are three of the most intelligent people I have ever met. I know that when you are successful people will take shots at you. But the fact of the matter is that unless you are training the likes of Rickson Gracie, Jennifer Garner or working twelve hour days for 17 years straight training athletes you might want to think twice before criticizing others.

On my flight home from LA I sat next to a wonderful 90+ year old lady named Carmen. She was one of eleven children who moved here as a child from Holland. We talked for the majority of the six hour flight and I was intrigued by her stories as she walked me through one life changing experience after another. I saw the sadness in her eyes as she talked about her husband being tortured as a POW and the deaths of all of her other siblings. And then I saw the joy as she spoke of her grandchildren and how happy she is to still be here. She was flying in to see her last living sister who was sick and also taking care of her husband who just had open heart surgery. Her arrival was intended to be a surprise that she hoped would cheer everyone up.

When we arrived at Newark airport slightly after 11pm, I found out that Carmen’s arrival was a surprise to EVERYONE and that there was no one there to pick her up. I guess that important detail was overlooked in the planning. I called my girlfriend to apprise her of the situation and told her to park the car because we were probably going to be a while. For the next two and a half hours we did all we could to get Carmen to where she was going. And all the while we continued to talk and exchange stories. She offered sage advice that can only come from having lived on this planet for nearly a century. She said a lot of things that really hit home and made me think about my own existence. Life is too short to deal with petty bullshit or not to fully experience everything this world has to offer. Whether you live to be Carmen’s age or die by age thirty, there is no time to waste on things that cause you stress or unhappiness. As I said my final farewell to Carmen and hugged her goodbye I couldn’t help but tear up. She taught me a lot during the eight and half hours that I spent with her and for that I will be forever grateful. Sometimes people come in to your life for a reason and you have to take the time to stop and fully appreciate the experience.

For the last few months I have spent way more time working on a computer than I would like to. I have been preparing for my new book release and simultaneously working on other projects. I have been stressed out of my mind and that’s just not healthy. I woke up this morning the happiest I have been in months. I thought about what I learned from Carmen and what I saw in Chad this weekend and the grasp that he had on his own life and destiny and I was inspired. As much as this industry sometimes stresses me out I wasn’t thinking about that at all this morning. Instead I thought about how good this business has been to me and how many dear, lifelong friends I have met like Chad, Keith, Val, Dave Tate, Jim Wendler, Jim “Smitty” Smith, Alwyn Cosgrove, Craig Ballantyne, John Alvino, CJ Murphy and Sean Hyson. People that I could count on to be there for me no matter what. Not to mention all the clients who have become like family members to me. And as I thought about that I had to smile. Life is pretty good.

Since it’s going to be in the seventies here in Jersey over the next few days I decided to go buy a new surf board and hit the water as soon as I finish writing this. I also decided that I will probably call up the cable company and disconnect my internet connection and instead go to a wireless cafe for an hour or two a day and do my work there and never turn on the computer at any other time. Living in the real world is far more fulfilling than existing in a virtual world any day.

I don’t really know how to wrap this up or what all of this even means. But the bootleg track from Eddie’s show Saturday night in LA, which is playing on my iTunes right now probably sums it up better than anything. He did a cover of the Springsteen classic, Growing Up that was absolutely mesmerizing. I guess maybe, after 33 years, I am finally growing up and at long last realizing what’s important and what’s not.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Combat Q&A

April 16, 2008

Question: What is more important for a fighter to focus on; strength or conditioning?

Answer: Neither is more important than the other. It really depends on what the particular fighter needs to work on and what his major weakness is at the time. If he is inhumanly strong yet completely gassed after a minute, then max strength work will be a complete waste of time and he should focus most of his time on conditioning. The reverse, obviously holds true for someone who is in great conditioning yet weaker than tissue paper. Determine your weakness and what is holding you back and focus on improving that while maintaining (and not losing!) the other quality.

Question: It’s tough for me to weight train and still stay in my weight class. When I start lifting I just blow up too fast and put on too much size. For that reason I only do bodyweight stuff. Is there a way around that or is that all I should be doing?

Answer: In a case like this I think you should only focus on maximal strength/speed/power training in the weight room. This type of training, when done with low sets and reps and long rest periods shouldn’t put on too much size; especially if you keep your calories low enough. I just think the benefits of proper weight training are too great to ignore and can really improve your game. I firmly believe that most fighters could benefit dramatically from improving their max strength levels. I had this conversation with my friend and colleague, Chad Waterbury, over breakfast at The Firehouse in Venice Beach Sunday morning he was in full agreement. From what we have seen there are very few combat athletes who couldn’t benefit from some proper max strength/speed/power work.

Like I said, if you keep your volume low, rest periods high and keep the calories in check you shouldn’t gain any size from this type of training.

Question: Is sprint training of any benefit to combat athletes even though they never run in a fight?

Answer: Yes, it is. Sprint training can make you explosively fast and powerful and also help you burn off bodyfat which is incredibly important for combat athletes.

Question: What kind of supplements should I be taking after my MMA workouts?

Answer: A good post workout drink will help get some much needed calories in ASAP after a brutal conditioning style workout. I prefer waxy maize as the carb source. I was introduced to this a year or so ago by Justin Harris and Dante Trudel and was reluctant, as usual, to try it. As many of you know I think most supplements suck. My good friend Dave Tate said he was loving so it I finally bit the bullet and gave it a shot. So far, the results that most of my guys have gotten have been quite impressive and everyone seems to like it. I recommend mixing it with either pea protein isolate or rice protein. I personally don’t recommend the regular consumption of dairy products for a variety of reasons but if you choose to go that route you could always mix it with whey.

Also, be sure to drink tons of water after training to rehydrate yourself.

For more information about the training of combat athletes be sure to pick up your copy of Fit to Fight today.

Chuck Liddel has his copy.

Ultimate Fighter winner, Mac Danzig has his.

And so does former Olympic gold medal winner and WWF world heavyweight champion, Kurt Angle.

Get yours HERE!

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Strength & Conditioning | Leave a Comment

You… The Next Ultimate Fighting Champion?

April 10, 2008

“Hey, what’s up buddy? You lost a bunch of weight, huh? You look… good.”

That’s what my friend Ron said to me yesterday when I saw him for the first time in a few months. Good meant skinny. He just didn’t know what else to say.

Later, I walked into a restaurant I hadn’t been to in a couple months to meet a friend for lunch. The owner came up to me as soon as we got there and gave me his take on the situation. “Trimming down, huh buddy? You look good!”

Again, good was code for skinny.

Since it has finally started warming up here in Jersey, I put on a t-shirt last night before heading to the gym. It’s one of my favorite t-shirts but one I hadn’t worn in a few months.

I was swimming it… and drowning in sadness. Anyone who was once a painfully skinny hardgainer and then went on to put on a significant amount of muscle knows how distressing it can be to lose it.

When I arrived at the gym, my friend and often time training partner, John Alvino, told me, “Bro, I hate to say this to you and have been holding it back for the last couple weeks but I can’t take the sight of you at that size anymore. It’s actually making me sick. You’re done with that scam. You gotta slap at least 15 pounds back on immediately.”

After I stopped laughing I told him he was right and that I had already made that decision on the way to the gym and was committed to gaining all my size and strength back over the course of the next six weeks.

As I lay in bed last night with my girlfriend, I started to tell her about all of the comments that people had made about my weight loss throughout the course of the day but before I couldn’t even get a word out her hands wandered to my biceps and a second later she jokingly quipped, “Where’d they go?”

Ok, I get it. I vow to gain it all back within six weeks.

Now, leave me alone

The upside of this story is that today makes it all worth it. The hard work, the stress and the weight loss were all worth it this morning when I walked into Barnes & Noble and saw my new book sitting right on the table at the front of the store.

As many of you know, I have made my living training athletes for the last 15 years. I am particularly fond of working with combat athletes, in particular, and the training methods used to transform them into unstoppable warriors. I have compiled all of those years of knowledge and experience into a brand new book from Penguin Publishing called Fit to Fight: An Insanely Effective Strength & Conditioning Program for the Ultimate MMA Warrior.

Within the books 200 pages you will discover:

• The secrets of developing never ending stamina and relentless energy that will allow you to outlast every adversary in your path.

• Proven training methods guaranteed to build animal-on-the-attack speed and quickness.

• A fully detailed, 16 week combat training program with over 100 exercise pictures and descriptions

• How to incinerate body-fat and radically boost your conditioning levels with my top 7 high intensity, sprint workouts.

• Logs, sandbags, kegs, tires and more. Learn how “dinosaur training” can turn you into a dominant warrior who wreaks havoc on all who stand in your way.

• The top 30 bodyweight-only conditioning exercises proven to develop the strength and endurance of a champion…even if you don’t have access to a gym or any equipment at all.

And much, much more.

If you compete in MMA or just take classes recreationally; this is the book for you. If you don’t do either but are looking for an incredible program to get in unbelievable shape and bring up your strength, speed and endurance, while developing a head turning physique; this is the program for you.

Click HERE now to order your copy today!

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Hardcore Conditioning

April 9, 2008

If you want to really bring up your conditioning and lose body-fat you need to get your ass off the stair stepper and treadmill and start moving. Sprints, Prowler pushes, jumping rope, sled drags, sandbag work, sledgehammer swings and bodyweight exercises are far more effective than any “cardio” machine could ever be.

A great exercise to really bring up your conditioning rapidly is the burpee/chin up combo. You perform a burpee and then at the top of each rep you jump up into a chin up. The higher the chin up bar, the better. Try performing a few sets of this at the end of your strength workout or as part of a conditioning circuit mixed in with some mountain climbers, grasshoppers, slalom jumps and jump rope sprints.

One note to be aware of when performing a regular burpee or burpee/chin up combo is that you don’t want your hips to sag when you are in the bottom with your legs fully extended. This puts undue stress on your lower back and can lead to injury.

Give these a try today and let me know how they work out for you.

And, for more incredible conditioning methods, don’t forget that Fit to Fight comes out tomorrow.

Unfortunately the tape ran out before he puked after rep number 21.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Strength & Conditioning, Videos | Leave a Comment

Another Muscle Building Success Story

April 7, 2008

When I first read about Jason Ferruggia, I was intrigued by his apparent blunt honesty. This is a man who says things like it is with no sugar coating nor fear of what others (even “experts) say…yet he has always remained down to earth and helpful to people who don’t have a clue but are honestly trying.

When first talking to him on his website, I was shocked at his “real” personality and his helpfulness.

And yes, I’ve talked with a few online coaches over the years, but they all had hidden agendas…selling supplements for kickbacks, or whatever. Jason has none of these things…just an honest guy doing a job that has been made dishonorable due many who came before him (and continue to fester into the weight training world even today).

Ever since changing my training methods from over-hyped-overtraining methods, I’ve been extremely pleased to note that **all** lifts are improving weekly. At first, I took some of the principles from Muscle Gaining Secrets and incorporated them into my normal training routine.

Recently, however, I’ve changed to the Maximum Mass program.

The super time-saving and intense workouts are EXACTLY what my body needs to build strength levels quickly. Life is extremely busy and I don’t have time to pussyfoot around in the gym (or life, in general)…yet I still don’t want to neglect my private strength and physique goals. And Max Mass is perfect for this.

No, I’m not what I consider strong (yet), but the daily improvements reaffirm that I’m **finally** on the right track (after 8 years of doing it wrong and basically wasting my time). No, my physique is not what I want it to be (yet), but it *is* improving weekly…my LBM is increasing while fat is actually decreasing.

And the “unheard of” thing is that I’m actually gaining strength at the same time…while gaining lean mass and losing fat.

Crazy, huh?

If you want a guy who:

—cuts through the bullcrap,

—tells it like it is,

—isn’t afraid to say the truth despite the dogma and blatant lies that are out there, and

—does not get you buying unnecessary and worthless supplements just so you can gain from training programs that are designed to overtrain you (unless, of course, you take the “magic supplements),

then Jason Ferruggia is the trainer for you.

I wish I had found out about Jason Ferruggia years ago when I started training.

Jason Haynes
Haikou, Hainan China
**********

To build more muscle and strength than you ever thought possible click HERE now.

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Back to Basics For Advanced Ab Development

April 5, 2008

As much as people tend to want to get into advanced exercises as soon as possible, I firmly believe that high levels of core stability are required before you can even attempt to do some of the more basic ab exercises. I made this mistake for years when I was younger and had the chronic back pain to show for it. Core stability is actually often more important than core strength when it comes to preventing injuries and staying healthy. I highly recommend that everyone start with the following four isometric exercises done on a 6-7 time a week basis before they move into more dynamic exercises:

1) Plank aka Abdominal Bridge

2) Side Plank aka Side Bridge

3) Prone Mountain- Lie face down with your nose a couple inches off the ground. Extend your body as much as possible. With arms at your sides and palms up pull your shoulder blades back and down toward your feet. Keep your upper chest up off the floor and your knees and feet up off the floor by contracting your glutes and lower back.

4) Supine Bridge- Lie flat on your back with your heels 6-8 inches from your butt. Keep your arms at your sides, bend them 90 degrees and lift them up off the floor. Now raise your hips up so that only your feet and shoulder blades are in contact with the ground. Contract your glutes and push your shins forward throughout the duration of the static contraction.

Do one set of each, once per day. Try to work up to three minutes on every exercise but the side plank; two minutes is sufficient there. When you can do that your core stability will be dramatically improved, your lower back pain should be gone and you can now work into some more advanced ab exercises.

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MLK

April 4, 2008

I thought this was only appropriate today. Forty years later, we should all heed Dr. King’s words.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Motivation | Leave a Comment

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How to Build Muscle with High Reps

How to Get Flat Lower Abs

Fit To Fight Review

Growing Up

Combat Q&A

You… The Next Ultimate Fighting Champion?

Hardcore Conditioning

Another Muscle Building Success Story

Back to Basics For Advanced Ab Development

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