Set A Goal And Don’t Let Anything Stop You!
Two powerful words I continually hear among successful people are “goal setting.” Find me a successful person who doesn’t incorporate goal setting into their everyday lives, and I’ll show you a very lucky person. The Trumps, Lacoccas and Schwarzeneggers are all avid goal-setters who will readily attest to the success it creates. They start with short-term goals that eventually lead to long-term results. Long-term goals can literally change your life. Think about how many lives have been saved or how many millions of dollars have been made by the accomplishment of long-term goals.
As I began my training program, I set a long term goal of being able to jump rope for 30 minutes within three weeks, while my short-term goal was to increase my jumping in five-minute increments every few days. The first day I struggled to do it for five minutes, and I felt good about that for the first few days. By the fourth day, five minutes was getting easier and I was pushing for 10 minutes.
Within the first 18 days, I had accomplished my goal of jumping rope for 30 minutes. I must admit on the first day when I was struggling to jump for only five minutes, I would’ve never believed that I could jump rope for 30 minutes in less than three weeks. I’m sure this feat would be considered insignificant to the likes of a pro-boxer, but to me it was a major accomplishment and gave me a great feeling of success. Short-term goals should be very simple, and something that you can accomplish quickly. They serve as stepping-stones toward accomplishing your long-term goals. Just as every journey is completed with a series of steps, every long-term goal is completed with a series of short-term goals.
Let’s start practicing right now. I want you to set a short-term goal; start with a something simple you can accomplish today. “You Are Going To Ride Your Bike For 30 Minutes Tonight.” Now write it down and begin giving yourself constant mental reminders of your commitment. You need to pressure yourself to accomplish these goals. What good are goals if you don’t have the motivation to put them into action? Write your goals down! By doing this you are programming yourself to accomplish them. See how easy that was? You’ll be surprised how powerful this can be.
Goal setting can also be very motivating, especially if you constantly reinforce your goals by repeating them to yourself throughout the day. Tell yourself you can’t wait to get to the gym, what a relief it will be to get out of the office and get in a great workout. If your long term goal is to lose 10 pounds and sculpt your body, then you must constantly remind yourself that each rep, each set, each workout, each day gets you a little closer to accomplishing your long term goal. By the end of the day, you don’t even need to think about it. You just do it because you ’ve been thinking about doing it all day. Remember, short-term goals can be very small and simple. Although you may be dreading your next set on a given exercise, take that negative energy and challenge yourself with a short-term goal. For example, if your set calls for 12 reps, set a goal of 13 or 14. These short-term goals will challenge you as you workout and lead to a more productive workout. Set your fitness goals today and don ’t let anything stop you from accomplishing these goals!
Visualization
I like to refer to visualization as the mind’s method of goal setting. This can be even more powerful than writing down your goals. Envisioning exactly what you want to look like in your mind can be very inspiring. I was first introduced to visualization as a rookie in training camp with the Seattle Seahawks. In an effort to improve a lackluster attitude in the camp, the coaching staff enlisted the services of a hypnosis and visualization expert.
Imagine 60 professional football players in one room visualizing that we were the fastest, strongest, and toughest guys on the planet. The energy in the room was unbelievable! We were all ready to go to war. We all learned how very powerful the mind could be.
Visualization works best if you can find a quiet area to allow yourself to really concentrate. Try to get at least five minutes of non-interrupted time in a comfortable position. You have to concentrate on how you want to look, how others will treat the new you, buying clothes for the new you, the new love of your life, or a new job! Go through anything and everything that you want to see yourself doing. Although a quiet place works best, you can visualize in your car, between sets, while riding a bike — wherever and whenever. The more you practice, the better you will get.
The mind is a very powerful tool, but it can also give you negative feedback. Make sure you concentrate, and even meditate, about all the positive aspects that will come as a result of the new you. I guarantee you, Michael Jordan used visualization, and I am sure in his mind, he never misses a shot. Picture exactly what you want to be, and react by executing each goal step by step. Don’t be surprised when you wake up one day and see that you have achieved exactly what you’ve been visualizing.
Aerobic Training
Aerobic training is perhaps the most overlooked portion of a solid training program. A common misconception is that you cannot build muscle mass while incorporating intense aerobic training. Nothing could be further from the truth. Some of the biggest bodybuilders in the world have done hours of aerobics. I’ve seen incredibly large men doing 1-2 hours of stationary biking per day.
A few years ago, I weighed over 270 pounds (at 10% body fat), and I biked 45 minutes twice a day. Biking, walking, jogging short distances (1-5 miles), treadmills, etc., will stimulate your metabolic rate without sacrificing muscle mass. Better yet, by stimulating your metabolic rate you will also process nutrients (proteins, carbs and fats) faster and more efficiently. All this leads to more effective utilization of the vital nutrients you need to build and maintain a powerful physique. Let’s not forget the fat-burning benefits of aerobic training. When aerobic training is done within a prescribed target heart rate you can dramatically increase the fat-burning process.
Below is an example of how to calculate your heart rate to determine your ideal aerobic training levels. You are born with a maximum heart rate of 220 beats per minute. For each year that you age, your heart loses one beat per minute. If you are 30 years old, calculate your maximum heart rate as follows:
| Formula: | Calculating Your Maximum Heart Rate 220 (maximum heart rate at birth) - 30 (age) = 190 (maximum present heart rate) |
It has been determined that aerobic training between 60-85% of your maximum present heart rate is the ideal range to burn fat. This is commonly referred to as the target-training zone.
To establish the lower limit for the example above, you would simply multiply your present maximum heart rate by 60%
190 (maximum present heart rate) x 0 .60 = 114 (beats per minute for the lower limit)
To establish the upper limit for this example, you would do the same as you did for the lower limit, except multiply your present maximum heart rate by 85%.
190 (maximum present heart rate) x 0.85 = 161 (beats per minute for the lower limit)
We have now established a target-training zone of 114-161 heartbeats per minute as our ideal aerobic training range. Beginners should start at the lower level of the range and gradually work into the higher range.
Double-Split Aerobic Training
The Max Muscle Double-Split Aerobic Training principle is a very simple and effective way to increase your metabolic rate, while optimizing your body’s ability to burn stored fat …FAST! I have seen incredible results from hundreds of MaxFormation competitors who have used this principle as the cornerstone of their MaxFormation program. It’s incredible to see the results as your body burns away the fat and your muscle definition shows through. Most of you will literally see your body change from day to day if you follow the program as outlined.
The key to the success of this program is to do at least 20 minutes of aerobic training twice per day, preferably 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening. Aerobic training in the morning should be done immediately upon arising, while aerobic training in the evening should be done after you eat your last meal. This will ensure that your body is in an optimal mode for burning fat.
I prefer to have 15 to 20 grams of protein before I start my morning aerobic training. By doing this, I maintain positive nitrogen levels and reduce the risk of burning lean muscle tissue. I recommend a protein drink mixed with water or amino acid capsules, to avoid unnecessary carbohydrate calories before beginning your aerobic training. Aerobic training after you have eaten your last meal will stimulate your metabolism and enable you to burn the calories you consumed at dinner, as well as to continue to burn calories even after you have gone to bed. I prefer to take some sort of protein without any carbohydrates before I go to sleep, which as I mentioned earlier, helps elevate my nitrogen levels and enables me to build and repair muscle tissue while I’m sleeping. Max Amino Acid is great for this since it is low in calories and great for elevating nitrogen levels.
Hit it hard in the beginning so that you can begin to see results ASAP. This will motivate you and enable you to accomplish your goal faster than ever. Great results can be accomplished doing aerobics only once per day, but to get results super fast, try this double-split aerobic routine. As I mentioned earlier, I have seen remarkable changes in a short period of time from people who have utilized the double-split method of aerobic training. I personally lost more than 30 pounds and lowered my body fat from 18% to 9% in less than 10 weeks, by doing aerobics in the morning and evening. If you are working full time and raising a family, this will require you to plan your day very carefully. Once you have accomplished your goal, you should be able to relax a little and
cut your aerobics back to once a day or even every other day —if you watch your diet. Chances are you will set another goal for yourself and continue to improve. Yes, exercise is very addictive.
Be creative - there are hundreds of methods for aerobic training. While most people prefer the stationary bicycle or stair-stepper, there are many different activities for training. For example, I have taken my son and daughter on walks, which has proven to be a pleasant, yet physically invigorating experience. Aerobic training can be as simple as running or jumping in place, doing squats with no weights, pushups or anything that elevates your heart rate — even while you watch TV. You really can get in 30 to 60 minutes of some type of aerobic exercise while watching Seinfeld or a movie. No excuses! We can all find the time and means to elevate our heart rate once or twice a day, if we really want to. Make no mistake; you must incorporate aerobic training to get the most from your training efforts. What good will all your new-found muscle be without the cuts and separation to set you apart from the mass monsters in the gym?
Over-Training
Over-training can be a very serious problem to the beginning bodybuilder. It is not uncommon to get caught up in the excitement of beginning a new training program, and over do it. By following the Max Muscle workout program, you can avoid over-training because you will learn how to isolate specific muscles during your training sessions. This is why we group your push and pull movements on the same day or subsequent training days. By training in this manner, you can maximize recuperation time for each muscle group. If you train all your push movements on Monday and Tuesday, then you will allow the muscles five full days to recuperate before you begin doing push movements again.
I have seen training programs that focus on chest on Monday, shoulders on Wednesday and triceps on Friday, causing you to be in an over-trained state because you have trained push movements three out of five days. By following this type of program, you will more than likely end up over-training, since many of the same muscles are used to push the weight from your body.
Nutrition is also a key factor in preventing over-training. It is vital to supply your body with high quality protein every three to four hours to maintain a positive nitrogen balance.
By maintaining a positive nitrogen balance during intense training, you can optimize muscle repair and growth. I drink MaxPro or MaxWhey protein or try to eat a high quality protein, such as a chicken breast or lean cut of turkey or beef. Consuming dietary protein or a protein supplement every three to four hours is important to ensure that you are allowing your body an optimal chance to repair from the ravages of your intense training sessions.
Warm Up Sets
Always perform a warm-up set of each exercise before beginning the exercise. The warm up set should be performed with a weight that allows you to perform 15-20 easy repetitions. Warm up sets should be done very smoothly and slowly with strict form, allowing you to stretch and warm the muscle before moving on to heavier weights. This should be done for all exercises to avoid injury.
Push-Pull Training
Max Muscle highly endorses the push-pull method of training. This philosophy is based on the idea that you should group your exercises by whether or not they are push or pull. Chest, triceps, shoulders and quadriceps are considered push movements. Think about it; you are always pushing the weight away from your body when you train these muscle groups. Back, biceps, and hamstrings are considered pull movements. Once again, when you train these muscle groups you are always pulling the weight toward your body. The basic theory behind training this way is to allow your body maximum recuperation.
When you train your chest, you also train your shoulders and triceps. The same is true when you train your back. You will also undoubtedly work your biceps. This is unavoidable, so it is best to do all pushing or pulling motions on the same day or on subsequent training days. If you train your chest on Monday and your shoulders and triceps on Tuesday, then you will not do any pushing movements until the following Monday. This is insurance against over-training and will allow you to train even more intensely than the old “three muscle groups per week ”routine, which usually left you over-trained and fatigued. Leg training can also be broken down into push and pull movements. To isolate your quadriceps, your movements will primarily be a pushing motion. Your hamstrings will primarily be pulling motions, although many pushing quadriceps exercises will also hit your hamstrings very effectively. For this reason, many bodybuilders train both quadriceps and hamstrings on the same workout day.
My goal is to educate you on how to develop your own push-pull routine based on exactly how intensely you want to train, and how quickly you would like to see results. If you are a true beginner, I must advise you to start slowly and learn to do the exercises correctly, as well as develop your tendon and ligament strength to avoid unnecessary injuries.
You need to make sure you read and understand the preceding nutrition information. Many top athletes and bodybuilders attribute more than 50% of their success to their diet and nutritional supplementation program.
The Max Muscle workout will serve as a guide to help you get started. Remember that each individual is different, and will respond to different circumstances and training techniques. The Max Muscle workout program I have been discussing is a compilation of my favorite exercises, as well as a few I have chosen because of their overall effectiveness.
Breathing
Do I really need to tell you how to breathe? You would assume this comes naturally, but I actually see more people breathing incorrectly while training. It’s really very simple, however, many times we forget to breathe properly as we workout.
It seems to be instinctive to hold your breath as you exert energy. However, nothing could be worse than holding your breath as you train. You need oxygen to assist in the conversion of ATP energy, which will result in increased energy levels, as well as ensure that more fat is being burned for energy.
During your repetitions it is very important to get as much oxygen as you can by training yourself to breathe properly. During the positive motion (lifting the weight), always breathe out. As you perform the negative (lowering of the weight) portion of the movement, always breathe in. If you were doing a set of bench presses, then you would breathe as follows:
Lift the bar off the rack, and as you lower the weight, take a long, deep breath in. Try to time it so that your lungs are full as the bar is touching your chest. As you begin pushing the weight off your chest, exhale the breath as you push the weight upward. Once again, try to time it so your lungs are empty as the bar reaches the top of the motion. Sounds simple, but it’s easy to start holding your breath, and gulping for air after each repetition. Start with a strict breathing pattern as you perform repetitions, and soon it will become second nature to breathe properly without thinking about it. As you are resting in-between sets, make sure you continue to concentrate on getting plenty of oxygen with long, deep breaths.In the Upcoming updates exercise video tips will be updated for the welfare of the viewers of this blog .......
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