Traps are the new abs!!

You may be a big guy at the gym or a guy who is ripped to the core or you may be someone who has T-shirt tearing biceps but unless you don’t have muscular traps you will not be as visually appealing. You know just by looking at a guy who has towering traps that he is not here to kid around. Those muscles around your neck can give you that strong aesthetic look. Nobody wants a slope running through their shoulders. If you are someone who is struggling to break though the plateau I have just the perfect routine for you. Read on to know more.

Training your traps should be more than just doing shrugs at the end of your back or shoulder workout. Shrugs are a staple for training traps but after sometime it become too monotonous. Also I have seen people doing shrugs with extremely heavy weights ultimately losing both form and the point of doing the exercise.

Training tip for shrugs: keep your arms neutral, head straight. Ensure you don’t bend your elbows cause that would activate your biceps and shoulders. Go heavy but don’t do ego lifting.

I have three exercises which would blast your traps:

1. Farmers Carry

I rarely see someone doing farmers carry at the gym. Which is exactly why you should be doing them. This is a long forgotten exercise. It’s too good of an exercise to ignore. It will not only hit the traps but your entire upper back. It also improves your grip strength which will help you with your other lifts. Just grab those 45s and start walking!

Training tip: Keep your head straight, chest forward, back upright and arms neutral. Don’t be afraid to go heavy on this. The whole point is to overload those traps.

2. Face Pulls

It’s a very effective exercise for targeting your middle traps. It is done using the cables. Hold the weight in front of your face then just pull it back as simple as that. A rope extension can be used to get a good contraction.

Training tip: Hold the contraction at the peak for a second and concentrate on eccentric.

3. One Arm Kettlebell Swing

Grab those kettlebells lying at the corner of your gym and put them to use. Starting position should be feet wide apart facing outwards, chest out, back arched, one arm behind your back. Start swinging.

Training tip: Focus on the way down through a controlled movement. That would engage your traps.

Try this routine:

• One Arm Kettlebell Swing 3 sets x 15 reps each side (30 seconds break in between sets)
• 1 minute break
• Superset x 3 (1 minute break in between sets)

          a) Face Pulls 15 reps (no break)

          b) Farmers Carry 60 seconds (no break)

          c) Straight into shrugs without dropping the weight

Try out this routine and let me know. You will surely see the changes in your trap development. Don’t let your traps be your weak point. Having those mountains behind your neck is what separates men from boys.

Let me know in the comments if you found this helpful. Enjoy your weekend. Cheers

Follow my fitness journey on IG Amit.fit

How Alcohol affects your fitness

Is Alcohol coming in the way of your fitness goals? Read on to know more.

Why do people drink alcohol? Some of the most common reasons/excuses are:

• Too much stress in work/personal life
• Sports fan. You just wait for the next game to call your friends over.
• To celebrate the weekend
• To socialise

The list can go on and on. Reasons may be different but people consume alcohol which eventually becomes part of their lifestyle. If you are into fitness you’ll have to tread carefully. Alcohol has the power to destroy your fitness goals.

There is no denying the fact that alcohol is bad for you whether you are a bodybuilder or just a regular person. The fitness community has for long steered itself clear of alcohol. According to many pros there is no place for alcohol in a fit man’s life. Does that mean you have to give up on those night outs at your favourite club? Let’s find out.

1. Calories in Alcohol

1 gram of alcohol contains about 7 calories. If you compare this to other macronutrients it is quite high with only fat pipping it at 9 calories per gram. While Protein and Carbohydrates sit at 4 calories per gram. Thus alcohol is a calorie dense product. It should also be noted that calories from alcohol doesn’t contain any nutritional value. Scientists refer to this as “empty calories”. If you are a person who is on a fat loss mission enjoying your favourite drink may put you two steps back.

Let us look at calorie content of various drinks:

• 1 pint of Beer contains about 180-200 calories
• 1 glass of Wine contains about 160 calories
• 1 glass of Long island iced tea contains anywhere between 300-700 calories
• 30 ml of whiskey/vodka (neat) contains about 100 calories (If you add a mixer calorie count increases)
• 1 jagerbomb contains about 200 calories

Next time when you are out partying, make sure you choose your drink and mixer wisely.

2. Lack of Judgement

Alcohol increases craving for junk food. When you are consuming alcohol you lose your judgement and consume all the wrong kinds of food. You’ll probably binge on pizza slices and french fries throwing your macros out of the window which can be detrimental to your fitness goals. All the excess calories will eventually show up on your belly.

3. Toxic effect

Your body recognises alcohol as a toxin which is bad. As soon as alcohol enters the body, your body shuts all the protein synthesis/fat burning process and tries to get rid of it. Your body even shuts absorption of vital nutrients. Liver plays a major role in breaking down the alcohol into acetates which is further broken down and eventually leaves the body a waste product. If you are the kind of person who keeps track of everything that goes in your mouth and treats food as a fuel source for your body, then why would you put anything in your body which may cause harm?

4. Dehydration

Alcohol causes dehydration. If you are into fitness or bodybuilding you probably know how important it is to stay hydrated throughout the day. Alcohol dehydrates muscle cells making it very difficult to build new muscle. Also the next day you’ll probably be hungover and miss your workout.

5. Alcohol lowers testosterone levels

As you probably know testosterone helps in fat loss and also contributes to building muscle mass. Alcohol tends to reduce testosterone levels which may put your fitness progress to a screeching halt. Reduction in testosterone levels may also lead to decrease in the metabolic rate.

Conclusion

There is no denying the fact that there are various negative effects of consuming alcohol. Excess consumption on a regular basis will eventually damage your liver, Kidneys and other vital organs. Long story short, alcohol is bad for you.

My View

Alcohol is bad for you. So what isn’t? Even the air which we breathe is polluted and is bad for our lungs. What about our food which is covered in pesticide. Even driving for that matter is unsafe. Does that mean we stop breathing, eating or driving? Absolutely not. Alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation. So the next time you raise your glass just calculate the hours you’ll need to spend on that treadmill just to compensate. This way you’ll automatically drink in moderation. 

Final Word

Unless you are preparing to go on stage, a few drinks won’t do too much harm. Excess of anything is harmful. You can definitely enjoy couple of cold ones on a Friday night and still have a six pack. 

Guys let me know your views in the comments section. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. 

Cheers (with H2O of course).

Follow my fitness journey on IG Amit.fit

Its all about the macros

All right so you probably know how many calories you have to intake to achieve your desired result. If not please refer my article ‘Nutrition Numbers Explained’. So suppose your number is 2500 calories a day, you must be thinking that you can eat crap all day and so long it is within the overall 2500 calories limit you’ll still achieve the desired result. Sorry but it’s not how your body works. You cant feast on donuts all day and expect fat loss to happen even though you do not cross your overall threshold calorie mark for the day. This is where macro-nutrients come in. Read on to know more.

Macro Nutrients as the name suggests are required by the body in large quantities. There are three macro-nutrients which the body requires to function optimally viz protein, carbohydrates and fats. You need to balance all the three macro-nutrients in order for them to work for you. Let us go through each one in detail.

Protein

Muscle is made out of muscle protein. Protein which you consume is broken down into amino acids which is critical to initiate muscle-protein synthesis. So to build more muscle you need more protein. Protein not only helps to build lean muscle but also at the same time helps to lose fat. Research has shown that higher the amount of protein in your diet higher will be your fat loss. Also you can never go wrong with high amounts of protein as it is very difficult for the body to convert protein into fat, so almost all of it will be used in building new muscle or will be used as an energy source.

So the next Question is how much protein? If you are training hard then you should be consuming at least two grams per Kilogram of Bodyweight per day. If you are not training then you should be aiming for at least one gram per Kilogram of Bodyweight per day. For eg if you weigh 70 Kgs you should be consuming at least 140 grams of protein in a day if you are training intensely. Each gram of protein contains about 4 calories.

According to a survey conducted by IMRB it was found that 9 out of 10 Indians lack adequate protein in their diet, which is quite shocking actually. So the next time you sit to eat your meal and you cant locate protein in it then DON’T EAT IT.

Protein Sources: Chicken Breasts, Fish, Tukery, Dairy (Milk, Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese etc), Eggs, Protein Shakes, Beans, Tofu, Soya Bean, etc.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source during workouts. Body uses muscle glycogen which fuels the workouts. Generally people tend to eat a lot of carbs mainly sugar which the body doesn’t need in that quantity. Thereby resulting in fat storage. A high protein low carb diet will go a long way in getting your fat percentages to the desired levels. Each gram of carbohydrate contains about 4 calories.

There are two types of Carbohydrates:

High Glycemic Carbohydrates:

These are basically fast digesting carbohydrates i.e they are absorbed very rapidly into the blood stream directly. Too much of these and your blood sugar level will rise which would result in insulin spikes and will accelerate fat storage. If you are looking to lose fat, these type of carbs should be avoided at all costs. The only time you can have high glycemic carbohydrates is right after your workouts.

Sources of high glycemic carbohydrates are sugar, white rice, bread, potatoes, etc.

Low Glycemic Carbohydrates:

These are the good carbs. They contain high fibre and are slow digesting type. They provide the body with a steady stream of energy. These should be your preferred carb source which can be eaten at all times during the day. Since they are slow digesting, they do not spike blood sugar or insulin levels.

Sources of high glycemic carbohydrates are pasta, oats, fruits, sweet potatoes, brown rice

Fats

Fat is the most misunderstood macronutrient. Just because you eat fat doesn’t mean you’ll get fat. Fat is absolutely essential in your diet if your goal is to build muscle. Fats also help to protect the integrity of cell membrane and various organs in the body. Fats are calorically dense hence one has to keep in mind that they donot exceed their daily caloric limit. Each gram of fat contains about 9 calories.  

There are mainly four different type of fats:

Omega 3 fats

These are essential fatty acids which your body cannot produce on its own. Thus your body has to get if from nutrition or through supplementation. Omega 3 fatty acids are critical as they support fat loss and aid muscle growth and recovery.

Sources: salmon, tuna, Omega 3 supplements, etc.

Saturated fats

Saturated fats were considered the villain back in 1980s but research has shown that they help to enhance testosterone levels in males which in turn helps to build muscle and increase your workout intensity.

Sources: egg yolks, butter, cheese, etc.

Mono-unsaturated fats

These are also the good kind of fats. They are used as an energy source throughout the day.

Sources: nuts, peanut butter, etc.

Trans fats

If you ever see the words partially hydrogenated on back of any product, then just RUN!! Yes you need to stay clear of such products. They are altered at the molecular level to help preserve the product. Once you consume it, your body doesn’t recognise it and doesn’t know what to do with it. Research has shown that it leads to heart disease and cancer.

Sources: French fries, chips, fried snacks, etc.

Macronutrient Ratios

This is what it all comes down to. The Ratio of protein, carbs and fats of total calories                                      

For Fat Loss you should be aiming for 50 (Protein) : 20 (Carbs) : 30 (Fats) of your total calorie intake.

If muscle building is your goal you should be aiming for 30 (Protein) : 50 (Carbs) : 20 (Fats) of your total calorie intake.

Conclusion

There is no one fixed ratio or one perfect diet. Try it and see how your body responds to a particular macro-nutrient composition. There are a lot of factors which need to work in sync to have that perfect body. Macro-Nutrients are just one of them. Hope this article helps you in your journey to get that stellar physique. Guys let me know your views in the comments section below.

Have a fit weekend everyone. Cheers.

Follow my fitness journey on IG Amit.fit

How to fix weak contraction in your non-dominant bicep

Not getting a solid contraction in your non dominant bicep? Don’t worry you are not alone. A lot of people face this problem and have no idea how to overcome it. If you are one of those read on.

Most people generally have a strong dominant side. When they do a particular exercise, the dominant side takes over and does most of the work. Thus the non-dominant side lags behind and remains under developed as compared to the dominant side. I have faced this problem myself while training my left bicep. I wasn’t getting the same contraction, the same pump as compared to my right bicep when performing the curls. It became quite apparent as the days progressed. Visually my right bicep was well defined with all the nerves sticking out but my left side just wasn’t the same.

If you continue to train the same way, eventually the dominant side will keep getting bigger and stronger as compared to your non dominant side. After a lot of effort I now feel that my left bicep has covered up the deficit. Here are a few tips which I incorporated in my workouts which might be helpful:

1. Ditch the Barbell curl

Yes, you heard that right. Ditch the barbell curls!! Don’t get me wrong traditionally the barbell curl is the most iconic exercise to train biceps for size and strength and I love the exercise but there is one inherit limitation in using the barbell. While curling the barbell both your biceps work together in a synchronized manner. The problem with this is when you load up the weights, your non dominant side eventually gives in. This slack is then compensated by your dominant side without you even realizing it, which over a period of time would create a rift between your right and the left bicep.

Try to isolate each bicep. I would advise you to use dumbbells so that each bicep is allowed to do its own work. Dumbbell concentration curls and dumbbell preacher curls should be in your arsenal.

2. Start with the left bicep (Non dominant)

It is a well-known fact that the intensity of the workout diminishes towards the end. Thus the exercises performed towards the end don’t usually bring in the same results as compared to the muscles you train first. A classic example is the calf. Usually it is trained at the end of the leg work out and people just go through the motions and just want to get the legs day over with. This the main reason you see so many people with under developed calves.

The same logic applies here, while training biceps always start with the non-dominant side.

3. Hold at peak contraction

While performing the curls press and hold at least for two seconds at the peak contraction. The peak contraction would be at the top of your curl motion. This would help in establishing the mind-muscle connection which is weak in case of your non dominant side.

4. Focus on eccentric motion

Most people do only half reps. For eg while doing bicep curls they only concentrate on the upward motion and let gravity take over on the way down. If you want to get the most out of your biceps, controlled eccentric motion is absolutely essential. While focusing and slowly getting the weights down you can build much greater strength and size in your biceps.

5. Train your non dominant bicep beyond failure

Biceps are the easiest and safest muscles to train beyond failure. Failure is reached when you cannot perform an additional rep with proper form. When it comes to training your non dominant bicep you have to take it beyond failure. Usually if you want to take your reps beyond failure in any other exercise you’d probably need a spot or a training partner. Imagine you doing squats and taking the reps beyond failure it become quite dangerous and you are then completely at the mercy of your spotter. This way training your bicep beyond failure is as safe as it can get. Once failure is reached on your non dominant left side, you can take the help of your right hand and perform forced reps while concentrating on eccentrics.

Final Word

You need to give your weak side reason to grow and develop. Change the way you train. If you strive for aesthetics then you know very well the importance of developing both sides to its full potential. Just incorporate these tips the next time you train your biceps. If you found this article helpful let me know in the comments section.

Cheers. Have a fit weekend everyone.

Follow my fitness journey on IG Amit.fit

Nutrition Numbers Explained

I don’t know why but people usually don’t bring the same intensity as they show in training when it comes to nutrition. People plan their workout schedule so articulately ending up going to the gym 5-6 days a week, hitting those deltoids from all possible angles but are uncertain what they put in their mouth. Nutrition as I said in my previous article is very important to see those results which you so desperately crave. If you don’t take it seriously you my friend are walking a very thin line.

In this article I will try to guide you on how to plan your nutrition numbers which would fulfill your goals.

Step 1. Calculate your BMR

BMR refers to Basal Metabolic Rate, it shows the number of calories your body will burn in a neutral state. There are a number of calculators available online which you can use to calculate your number. For eg. If you get 1800 calories, that means your body will burn 1800 calories in a day if you do absolutely nothing.

Step 2. Factor in your Activity Level

Multiplier	Activity Level
1.2	Very low activity (Couch potato)
1.4	Light activity
1.6	Moderate activity
1.8	High activity

Even if one has a regular desk job and goes to the gym regularly, his activity level should be at the most moderate.

Step 3. Maintenance calories

Multiply results from Step 1 & 2 to know you maintenance calories. Maintenance calories are the calories you need to maintain your body weight and fat percent at the current level of activity.

Step 4. Calculate calories as per your goal

This is the most important number. If your goal is to gain you should be aiming to consume more calories than your maintenance calories and the other way around if you want to lose weight. Half kg of fat contains around 3500 calories. So if you want to lose half kg of fat in a week you should be consuming 500 calories (3500/7) less than your maintenance calories.

For eg:

If you are planning to cut down

BMR	1,800
Light Activity	X          1.4
Maintenance Calories	2,520
Less: Deficit	(500)
Daily Calorie Intake	2,020

If you are planning to gain

BMR	1,800
Moderate Activity	X          1.6
Maintenance Calories	2,880
Add: Extra Calories	500
Daily Calorie Intake	3,380

Tracking your calorie intake can be quite intimidating at first but there are various fitness apps like myfitnesspal available to help you out. Give it a try and become more systematic in your approach to nutrition. You will feel the change if you get those number right.

To keep this article simple I am not going into details regarding macro-nutrients and their composition. I will cover that separately.

Conclusion

There’s a popular saying that you cannot out train a bad diet. If we are so dedicated in our workouts why do we ignore our nutrition? It amazes me.  If you don’t have respect for nutrition, you’ll probably give up on your goals and end up disappointed. Be scientific in your approach, be true to yourself, plan well and bring the same intensity towards nutrition. Beast Mode doesn’t end in the gym, it ends on your dining table.

bon appétit

  

Follow my fitness journey on IG Amit.fit

How to get those lower abs to pop out

People normally ask me, what is the secret in getting those clearly defined abs specially the V cut on the lower abs. They say that they can feel and see those upper abs but have no idea how to get those lower abs to appear. In this article I have compiled a few tips which may help you in your journey to shredded six pack abs.

First I would like to say if you are here looking for a shortcut or a magic pill to get that shredded core, I would advice you to look else where. I believe there are no shortcuts. The only way to get the results you want to see is through hard work and dedication. I also do not believe in the popular phrase "Abs are made in the kitchen". Sure nutrition plays an important part but to completely disregard the training part of it is laughable. 100% dedication to training and 100% dedication to nutrition is the way to do it. This article is for those who workout regularly and have a solid nutrition plan. Also until you have a low body fat percentage, you wont be able to see those abs.

Here are a few tips to get those lower abs to pop out:

1. Be Consistent
Consistency is the key. Be consistent with you training as well as nutrition.

2. Core in Everything
Activate your core for each and every exercise that you do.

3. Core Day
Keep a dedicated core day in your schedule to ensure that you hit that core from all angles and none of the muscles are overlooked.

4. HIIT
Incorporate a bit of High Intensity Interval Training in your abs workout. eg. 1 min ab work followed by 2 rounds of skipping. They both work great together.

5. Exercises
Lower abs dont work in isolation i.e if you do a particular exercise the entire core in engaged, the lower abs as well as the upper abs. However there are some exercises which target more of lower abs eg. heels to the heaven, hanging leg raises, reverse crunches.

6. Incorporate Weights
Body weight core exercises are cute. But if you want some serious definition you have to go for weighted ab work. You can use cables, resistance bands, dumbbells to overload those core muscles.

7. Train till failure
While doing ab work take the reps till failure. Its going to burn!! oh yeah mark my words if you do those abs exercises correctly its going to burn like hell. Most people leave the set as soon as it starts burning. Learn to enjoy the burn and train through it.

Final word
Its going to take time, dont worry about that. Time will pass anyway but in the end if you are consistent in your efforts it will all be worth it. May you get that complete shredded core you deserve.


follow my fitness journey on IG Amit.fit