Old School New Body e BK

Old School New Body
2
Old School, New Body was written to help you achieve an impressive, healthy
physique with sensible eating and workout strategies. Weight training and
dieting can be demanding activities, however, so it is highly recommended
that you consult your physician and have a physical examination prior to
beginning. Proceed with the suggested exercises, nutrition strategies and
routines at your own risk.
Cover photo of Steve and Becky Holman
by Michael Neveux
Cover models: Steve and Becky Holman
Photography by Michael Neveux
Illustrations by Larry Eklund
Copyright 2012 by Homebody Productions
All rights reserved.
Warning: The material in this document may not be reproduced
in whole or in part in any manner or form without prior written
consent from the publisher.
Homebody Productions, P.O. Box 2800, Ventura, CA 93002
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Introduction.........................................................................................................4
Preface.................................................................................................................8
Chapter 1The F4X System: Turning Fat Into Muscle...................................12
Chapter 2The F4X LEAN Workout:
Your 20-Minute Bellyfat Blowtorch..............................................16
Chapter 3Joint Rejuvenation: Pain-Free Sanity...........................................22
Chapter 4Get Motivated: Promise, Commitment, Change........................26
Chapter 5F4X Automatic Cardio and the Forgotten Key to Leanness.....30
Chapter 6Transformation Sensation:
Breaking Out of the Chub Club....................................................32
Chapter 7The F4X SHAPE Workout: Lard-to-Hard Blast-Off.....................36
Chapter 8The F4X All-Dumbbell Workout
Instant At-Home, New-Body Solution.........................................48
Chapter 9Lean-Machine Diet Facts and Fallacies......................................56
Chapter 10Eat More, Lose Fat, Build Muscle..............................................60
Chapter 11The Truth About Alcohol:
Not Too Bad After All..................................................................70
Chapter 12Your Three Key Fat-to-Muscle Supplements............................72
Chapter 13Old School, New Body Q&A.......................................................76
Chapter 14Advanced Training:
The Full-Range BUILD Workout................................................88
Contents
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When you've been at this working out thing as long as we have, you
begin to think you know it alland that's when you can get into trouble.
You should never stop learning. That lesson hit us over the head hard
a few years ago when we finally discovered key "secrets" to getting in
ultimate shape quicklybut we're getting ahead of ourselves.
Rewind even further to more than a decade
ago. One of the most famous Hollywood
trainers of the 60s, 70s and 80s used to
come into the IRON MAN offices where
we workrumor has it that he even trained
Marilyn Monroe (we never confirmed that,
but we do know that she lifted weights, as
the framed print by Philippe Halsman on
Steve's office wall confirms). Anyway, this
trainer to the stars had closed his celebrated
Hollywood gym, gone into semi-retirement in
his 80s and came by every so often to regale
us with stories, exercise techniques and his
methodswhich he said was the only right
way to produce results.
His tiradesdid we mention he was usually on the edge of berserk?
made some sense, but Steve, being somewhat of a workout authority as
IRON MAN's editor in chief, never really took the man's so-called density
method too seriously. It just didn't sound intense enough to work.
Everything at that point in serious weight training had evolved to
intensityvia heavy weights, training to failure on almost every set, etc.
INTRODUCTION
Marilyn Monroe, avid weight trainer.
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That was due to three things: 1) a few successful training gurus touting
its effectiveness, including a top bodybuilding title winner (who had to
retire due to serious injuries, by the way) 2) steroids, which make that
type of overstress and overtraining work, and 3) egoonly dweebs
didn't go superheavy at the gym to show everyone how strong they are.
As fate would have it, the legendary trainer passed away (we really
miss his visits), and his wife asked if she could store much of his
belongings at the IM warehouse. The publisher okayed it, and in came
furniture, crates of trophies the trainer had won, pictures that hung in his
gym and boxes of dusty, old documents and log books. That last item
was most intriguing because here were the exact workouts and methods
he had used to get
those incredible
results he always
talked about.
While the training
guru was alive
we never tried
his moderate-
weight, high-fatigue
methodthat's
because, as we said,
everyone "knew"
real results were all
about pushing more
weight. And we had
the chronic aches,
pains and injuries to
prove it, including
bum shoulders,
tweaked knees and backs that would go out for no reason. Funny that
the old-school trainer had none of those problems, even in his 80s. That
got Steve thinking....
He began pouring over the dusty notes and routines outlining the
trainer's transformation methods he used on Hollywood actors and star
bodybuilders alike. A light bulb went off. Steve realized that the current
science, like triggering fat-burning and muscle-building hormones via
muscular fatigue, backed up the trainer's methods. Steve began to
experiment in the gym with some of what he found in the dusty notes,
Buried treasure. The
key to rapid physical
transformation was
here, written in
manuals that were
decades old. --------->
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revise the methods somewhat, do more research and fill in the gaps with
recent science.
The eventual results were incredible. The pieces fell into place and
Steve realized exactly how and why his slightly revised version of the
trainer's methods worked so quicklyit hit the muscles completely
with cumulative stress to reach the growth threshold, and it produced a
hormonal cascade that burned fat like a blowtorch.
Steve's results were some of the best he'd ever hadstaying leaner
and getting more muscular with much shorter, less painful workouts.
Becky began using it, and she too was shocked at her quick progress. It
wasn't a fluke. We had others try it, from 20-year-old college students to
50-year-old grandmothersand each one reported stunning progress
all with no joint stressin fact any residual joint pain disappeared. And
workouts lasted 30 minutes to an hour, no longer. (The trainer insisted
those short workouts were necessary so key hormones stayed at full-
throttle and the metabolism would burn white hot.)
With our version, which we call the Focus-4 Exercise protocol, F4X
for short, our metabolisms are stoked 24/7 and joint aches and pains
are now fading memoriesplus, we're keeping lean, hard physiques all
year long. We're both over 50and loving life. Our only regret is that we
didn't discover the F4X system sooner, but now we can pass it on to
you.
Weight training is a miracle activity, as you'll see, and the F4X body-
reshaping system is the ultimate way to get all of its fat-burning, muscle-
building, anti-aging benefits in quick, safe, health-charged workouts
but we're still learning and still refining it.
We owe a debt of gratitude to Vince Gironda, that cranky trainer to the
stars, because his methods were the spark that may have saved us from
giving up on weight trainingor creating an orthopedic nightmare later
in life with cumulative damage from heavy-weight training.
Everyone should be lifting weightsthe right wayto soar through life
with a lean, healthy, muscular body. F4X is your key to fast, incredible
transformation success without joint stress.
With the
Focus-4
Exercise
protocl, F4X
for short, our
metabolisms
are stoked 24/7
and joint aches
and pains
are a fading
memoryplus,
we're keeping
lean, hard
physiques all
year long.
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F4X
The Youth-Enhancing
Bodyshaping System For
Men and Women
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Look around. Why are so many people in terrible shape? The problem
for most is time. The older we get, the faster time movesor so it seems.
There's just not enough left to improve our bodies and health with
exercise. (Don't let that word scare you; it doesn't take as much as you
thinkmost people do it wrong and it takes too long.)
We'll show you that there is timein fact, you can turn back the
clockand the time is now! You need to ditch the
misinformation and take actionusing an efficient,
on-target method. And that's what the F4X system
is; as you'll see, it doesn't require a lot of time in the
gym or complicated diets (you can often eat what you
want).
It's about getting stronger, looking gooddare we
say impressiveand staying independent throughout
your life with a simple plansome easy-to-apply diet
alterations and hitting a few quick F4X workouts each
weekat the gym or at home, take your pick. Soon
you'll be healthier and feel incredible with a body that
will turn heads and raise eyebrows. And your age
doesn't matter.
Were over 50 and usually the best-built people
in the room at social gatherings. Again, your age
doesn't matter. Our goal is to show you the simplest,
most efficient, safest way for you to do it too, whether you're in your 20s,
30s, 40s or beyond. It does not take a lot of suffering or timeand the
rewards are immense, especially in your prime. As we said, when you get
that new body, you'll not only look better but feel amazing. Life will become
an exciting joyride.
A great example is one of our favorite role models, Jack LaLanne. He
PREFACE
Steve.
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recently passed away at 96, but he was an energetic dynamo till the very
enda truly amazing guydoing commercials and making appearances.
His longevity secret? Eating right and exercisinghe was a true physical
culturistoh, and he had a passion for life thanks to his well-conditioned
body and mind. It should be obvious that your passion for life will be large
and supercharged when you look and feel absolutely fantastic. Jack would
attest to that.
A passion for life is a direct link to happiness. And you can double or
triple that happiness quotient by being healthy, fit and muscular. Muscular?
Yes! Don't let that word throw you, especially if you're
femalewomen need plenty of musclefor feminine shape
and health. (Becky is a prime example; she strives for it.)
So be you male or female, muscle will help you look
and feel younger, have fewer health issues and stay
independent for the duration. (No one wants to be a burden
to their children later in life, so start taking care of yourself
now!)
According to Henry Lodge, M.D., in Younger Next Year,
In the absence of signals to grow, your body and brain
decay, and you age. So how do we keep ourselves from
decaying? By changing the signals we send to our bodies.
The keys to overriding the decay code are daily exercise,
emotional commitment, reasonable nutrition and a real
engagement with living. But it starts with exercise.
One key growth signal is stimulation to build muscle, and, as we said,
that applies to women as well. Becky is proof that female trainees should
train in the same way as men and strive to build up to burn fat. You'll see her
story in Chapter 6.
The key is muscleno matter what your gender. The more you can build
naturally, the healthier you'll be. And you'll look fantastic; no, not like a
gigantic bodybuilderunless youre that one-in-a-million genetic anomaly.
The truth is that more than 99 percent of women simply don't have the
hormonal profile or muscle fiber density to build big, bulbous muscles
and most men are limited as well. So don't be a afraid you'll look like
Arnold. Yes, most men will be able to build big musclesand some
can take it toward being Arnold-esque, genetics willing and work ethic in
Jack LaLanne, 95, in his
home gym. (John Balik
photo)
Old School New Body
10
place (Chapter 14 is on advanced training if you're interested); however,
a woman's physique will simply get more shapely and sleekso don't be
afraid to push yourself to build a physique.
More muscle will give you a body you can be proud ofmore self-
confidence, extra drive in your daily life and business or school and never
embarrassed to strip down at the beach or pool. You'll have a feeling of "I
can conquer anything." It will also help you burn more fat, one more reason
muscle leads to a leaner, healthier you.
Muscle is live tissue and stokes
your metabolism. It has been shown
to lower insulin resistanceyou'll
need less of that sugar-controlling,
fat-storing hormone, which is a
good thing. Better insulin sensitivity
can fortify you against diabetes
and other inflammatory illnesses,
cancer included. That's because,
as Doctor Lodge would say, youre
counteracting decay, which is what
disease is.
Plus, while our F4X workout
programs build muscle, they also
enhance your cardiovascular system
at the same time. And you can make
it all happen with moderate weights
not bone-crushing, injury producing
poundageswhile working out a few
times a week. Our F4X system builds
joints rather than breaking them.
Exciting stuff!
This is not one of those inefficient "insane" jump-around-till-you-
torque-your-knees-then-flop-down-on-the-ground-and-contort-your-spine
routines. F4X is controlled, safe, targeted muscle movementsa unique,
almost miraculous system based on science and an efficient, lost training
method of a past legendary Hollywood trainer. The benefits are through the
roof, including all of the above and more growth hormone to boot. GH is a
big part of the miracle results you will achieve workout after workoutand
your joints will get stronger, not worn and torn.
Becky.
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GH is renowned as an anti-aging hormone that can boost your ability
to build lean muscle and burn ugly bodyfat, amplify the potency of other
hormones, like testosterone (it's important for women too); revitalize and
heighten your sex drive; bulletproof your tendons and ligaments to prevent
injuries, rejuvenate skin elasticity and hair thickness/sheen and fortify your
immune system. In other words, you'll look and feel unreal.
Whew! Lots of good stuff to spark your get-up-and-go to let the GH flow.
Are you ready? Let's stop the decay and start to grow with F4X.
Steve and Becky Holman
John M. Rowley is a full-time author, speaker,
television and radio personality, Wellness Director for
the International Sports Science Association and Public
Relations Director for Powerhouse Gyms International.
He also contributes to Martha Stewart Living, Fox News,
Smart Money and the Wall Street Journal. The media call
him "America's Lifestyle Strategist." His book, The Power
of Positive Fitness, is an Amazon.com best-seller. For
more info on John, visit his Web site, JohnRowley.net.
Steve and Becky Holman have been married for
27 years. Steve started weight training at 15 as a
skinny 119-pounder and has been training ever since
(more than 35 years). Becky has been working out on
and off for more than 20 years, but she lapsed in her
30s while raising her two daughters. In her 40s she
became fed up with her overweight appearance and
made a radical physical transformation in only a few
months. She is now a regular contributor of nutrition-
based items to IRON MAN magazine, and Steve has been IM's Editor
in Chief for more than 25 years. He has written more than 20 books on
bodybuilding, weight training and nutrition and has also penned hundreds
of articles on building muscle and burning fat. His blog, Built for Life,
is at IronManMagazine.com. Steve has also interviewed many legendary
physique stars, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cory Everson, Tom Platz
and Lee Labrada. His bodybuilding e-books are available at X-Rep.com and
X-traordinaryWorkouts.com.
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So let's not beat around the bush; just what is the F4X system? It's
a method of training based on one that has been lost and collecting
dust. The reason it's been "lost" is because of the emphasis on
intensity, which most trainees equate to heavy, joint-jolting workouts.
Go to any gym, and you'll see that most people
are either using very light weights and resting too
long or pounding their bodies with heavy weights,
eventually getting injured. Contrary to popular belief,
heavy bone-crushing poundages are not necessary
for fast results. In fact, they can be detrimental.
Those current heavy-training trends can overstress
your body, jar your joints and actually damage your
immune system because of excess stress hormone
release (cortisol) and free-radical proliferation.
You do need to expend effort, but it should be
cumulative. What does that mean? Here's how it
works.
Our F4X system calls for moderate poundages
for less joint stress and relies on high muscle fatigue
for intensitywhich means short rests between
sets. That results in growth hormone release. GH
triggers a veritable muscle-building, fat-burning
(and anti-aging) cascade. That hormone decreases
significantly as you get older, but this type of
training can provide a real resurgence.
CHAPTER 1
The F4X System
Turning Fat Into Muscle
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13
F4X is simple to understand: Say you're doing curls. You pick a weight
with which you can get about 15 repetitions, but you only do 10. Simple.
Rest 35 seconds, then do 10 moreand so on until you complete the
designated number of setsusually four. You go all out on the last one, until
you can't get another in good form.
Sounds easyand the first couple of sets arebut as you continue,
fatigue builds in the target muscles, in this case the biceps. On the last
few sets you are struggling, your muscles are aching from lactic acid, and
you're breathing is rapid (cardio effect). Blood rushes to your biceps for a full
muscle pumpenhanced circulationafter only the first few sets.
The number of exercises we prescribe for each muscle group varies,
depending on your experience and goals, but you'll get all the fat-to-muscle
benefits in about 10 minutes per body part with total workouts lasting 30 to
45 minutes. That will get muscle growth and GH output churning and ugly
bodyfat burningfast!
With F4X you get at the majority of muscle fibers over four sets as fatigue
accumulates. You also train both "sides" of those fibers for exceptional
muscle-building and fat-burning effectswith GH release at full-throttle.
The muscle fibers you want to target have two primary constituents, or
sides: myofibrils and sarcoplasm. The myofibrils are internal strands
that grip onto one another to shorten the fiber and produce muscular
contractionlike ropes gripping and pulling across one another.
The sarcoplasm is the fluid surrounding the myofibrils, and that "energy
juice contains mostly mitochondria, where fat is burned (your internal lean
machines), glycogen (from the sugar in carb foods) and ATP (an energy
source from creatine). Here's the difference:
1) The myofibril strands respond, grow and multiply as a result of
intense heavier-weight sets.
2) The sarcoplasm increases with extended tension times on the
musclekeeping the muscle working for almost a minuteand/or
short rests between sets. Muscle fatigue within a fast-twitch-fiber
endurance threshold causes the energy constituents in the sarcoplasm
to eventually adapt and increase, so you get a fat-to-muscle effect.
Growth
hormone
triggers a
veritable
muscle-
building, fat-
burning (and
anti-aging)
cascade.
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In simple terms, you target the myofibrils to emphasize strength and the
sarcoplasm to emphasize muscle expansion, although both do contribute
to making a muscle bigger and stronger. Also, both contribute to burning
bodyfat so you get leaner. That means targeting both is important for
fastest results.
As we mentioned above, the sarcoplasmic fluid contains the
mitochondria where fat is burnedobviously very important for getting
and staying lean. With shorter rests between sets, and each set lasting 40
seconds, you stress that "side" of the fiber and fortify those intra-cellular
fat-burning furnaces. You're revving those lean machines!
The 40 seconds of tension time and shorter rests between sets also
produce more muscle burn, which is a key to growth hormone release.
We've already discussed the miraculous fat-burning, anti-aging effects of
GH; remember that muscle burn will get your GH to churn. (Can J Appl
Physio. 22:244-255; 1997)
Now as far as the myofibrils are concerned, a weight heavy enough
to inflict a bit of trauma on those power-generating strands is key. That
trauma is microtears (soreness), and repair of those small tears requires
energy. Your body fixes the slight "damage" over a period of days, and
while it does that, your metabolism is stoked and you're burning more
calories, even at rest. That's right, as you recover from your workouts, your
body continues to burn fat 24/7. How great is that?
It's precisely why F4X training can work so extremely well to build you a
new muscular body and burn off fat in record time. It's like turning fat into
muscle!
We've found four sets per exercise to be optimal for getting at both the
myofibrils and the sarcoplasm. What if you do more than four? The more
sets you do, the lighter the weight must be to allow the extra setsand
that's more of a sarcoplasmic stimulator, with less effect on the myofibrils.
Remember, you want a balance of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic
stimulation. Our F4X system gives you about a 50/50 mix of both
myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic stimulation, so you get the best fat-to-
muscle results....
Total muscle fiber activation, GH release and a mega fat-burning
environment that transforms your body fast!
As you
recover
from your
workouts,
your body
continues to
burn fat 24/7.
How great is
that?
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The F4X Method
Set 1: Pick a weight with which you can get 15
repetitions, but only do 10 (this set will not be taxing).
Rest 30 to 40 seconds.
Set 2: Do 10 more repetitions with the same weight.
Set 3: Do 10 more repetitions with the same weight.
Set 4: Do as many repetitions as you canuntil you can't
do another.
If you get 10 reps on your last set, slightly increase the weight
at your next workoutor go for 11 reps on each set, denoted
as 4 x 11.
Your tempo for all sets should be one second to lift and
three seconds to lower. That will make every set last
around 40 seconds, perfect for balanced stimulation of the
muscle fibers and to fortify the fat-burning mitochondria as well
as trigger a growth hormone release.
Note: Breathe in on the slower lowering phasetwo to three
in-and-out breaths is acceptable in the three secondsthen
forcefully breathe out on the lifting, the one-second exertion.
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If you've never lifted weights beforeor it's been a long while since you
have, like high schoolyou need to break in easy. Don't let impatience and
over-enthusiasm set you back. Getting too sore is no fun and has caused
many people to quit before the magic happensthey never get
that incredible buzz of spectacular body-transforming results.
We described the F4X method, but in the beginning you'll be
doing a two-set sequence instead of four setsin order to get
your muscles used to the new stress of weight resistance.
You will take a light weight and do 10 repetitions; rest for 45
to 60 secondsno longer than one minutethen do 10 more
repetitions. That's it.
Your repetition speed should be three seconds to lower the
weight and one to two seconds to lift itat least four seconds
per rep, 40 seconds per set. That's important, as we've
explained, and you need to make a conscious effort to lower
slower than you lift. That's because the lowering, or negative,
strokes have the most impact on muscle improvementand
so does the time of each set.
According to strength and muscle-building expert Jim
Stoppani, Ph.D.: The best TUT [time under tension, which is the length of
a set] for strength is about four to 20 seconds per set and about 40 to 60
seconds per set for muscle growth."
CHAPTER 2
The F4X LEAN Workout
Your 20-Minute Bellyfat Blowtorch
Old School New Body
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You want growth with strength as a secondary effect, so you need to make
your sets last around 40 seconds. The one-second-up, three-seconds-down
tempo for 10 reps will do it.
Still, none of your sets should be tough in the beginning. The 10th rep on
the second set should be mildly difficult but not a struggle. If you feel it begin
to get too difficult, stop.
With the F4X LEAN Workout you'll work out three days a week, Monday,
Wednesday and Friday, with only four basic exercises per workout. This
handful of key moves will train all of your major muscle groups:
1) Squats (dumbbells at sides of thighs)
2) Incline presses or flat-bench presses or pushups (on knees or toes)
3) Bent-over rows (two-arm version or one arm at a time)
4) Dumbbell upright rows
After two weeks at two sets, progress to three sets on each, resting 40
seconds between sets. So at week 3, go to 3x10and now push hard on
the last setto muscular failure.
After another two weeks, week five, up it again to four sets on each
exercise if you can, still with 40-second rests, last set to failure. If four feels
like too much, stick with only three for as long as you need to.
You can do all of these exercises in a commercial gym or at home with
a selectorized dumbbell set and an adjustable bench (there's another all-
dumbbell workout in Chapter 8). And if you don't have a bench, pushups
work fine for exercise 2. Even with a full four-set sequence for each exercise,
that's only five minutes per move, so you'll be done in less than 30 minutes.
You can stay with this workout for as long as you like. It's the bare
minimum we recommend for those who want to build some muscle and get
an overall health effect from lifting. Some cardio on your off days or after
your weight session is an excellent extra for fat burning, but keep in mind
that this workout has built-in cardioyou will breathe rapidly.
The F4X LEAN Workout is also an excellent alternate if you're using one of
the more extensive F4X programs in this e-book and you're short on time.
It's a perfect go-to abbreviated session that hits just about every muscle.
Becky uses it a lot so she doesn't feel guilty about missing a workout.
You'll work
out three
days a week,
with only
four basic
exercises per
workout
less than 30
minutes per
session.
Old School New Body
18
2 Incline
presses -->
or bench
presses
(barbell or
dumbbells)
3 Bent-over rows, under grippalms
facing forward (use barbell or dumbbells).
OR if you
have lower-
back issues
do one-arm
rows...
OR you can
do pushups,
on toes or
on knees.
4 Dumbbell
upright rows.
1 Squats.
OR
F4X LEAN Workout
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
The F4X Method: Pick a weight with which you can get 15 reps...
Set 1: Do 10 reps; rest 30 to 40 seconds
Set 4: Do as many reps as you can*
*If you get 10 on set 4, slightly increase the weight at your next

workout or go for four sets of 11 reps (4x11).
Old School New Body
19
F4X LEAN Workout Tips
1) Break-in progression...
Weeks 1 and 2: Do two sets of each exerciseboth sets should be
fairly easy. Rest 45 to 60 seconds between sets.
Weeks 3 and 4: Move to three sets of each exercise, 40 seconds
of rest between each, and push your last set in the sequence to
muscular failureuntil you can't get another rep in perfect form.
Week 5: You can move to four sets per exercise, with set four to
muscular failure. If four sets feels like too much, you can go back to
three sets per exercise for as long as necessary.
2) The ideal rep speed is one-second to lift the weight (positive
stroke) and three seconds to lower (negative stroke); always keep
your form strict. Also, it's best to exhale as you lift the weight, inhale
as you lower. For example, for bench presses blow out as you press
the weight off your chest, then inhale as you loweryou may take a
few short breaths during the slower lowering phase.
3) Progression: When you can get 10 reps on your last set that you
push to failure, add a small amount of weight to that exercise at your
next workoutor try to get 11 reps on all sets.

F4X LEAN Workout Q&A
Q: Can I add exercises to the F4X LEAN Workout, like ab work?
A: Yes, absolutely. Coming up in Chapter 7 we have a more extensive
workout you can graduate to, if you so desire. Or you can stick with the F4X
LEAN Workout and add to it here and there. For example, if you want to add
ab work, put kneeups and/or crunches on the end, using the F4X method.
Or you can add any of the joint-strengthening exercises in Chapter 3 to the
end of the F4X LEAN Workoutsuch as wrist curls, dumbbell rotations for
your shoulders, etc.
Q: For exercise 3 if I do the rows one arm at a time instead of
two arms at once, should I rest after I do my second arm?
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20
A: No, you should move back and forth from one arm to the other. As one
side works, the other rests; however, that may make you more breathless
than usual, but consider it extra cardiovascular benefit.
Q: I know I rest about 35 seconds between sets of an exercise,
but how long do I rest between exerciseslike after squats and
before I start bench presses?
A: You can rest one to two minutes between exercises. It's good to catch
your breath before training different muscle groups. By the way, for F4X
training, wear a watch with a second-hand so you can time your rests.
Q: Do I have to use four sets on each exercise? It feels like too
much.
A: You can do as many sets as you liketwo, three or fourbut push the
last set in the sequence to failure. Keep in mind that you should try to push
yourself slightly to make it to the next level of fitness; however, if you stay
at two sets for six monthsor forever, for that matterit is better than not
lifting at all. You will get benefits even from doing only two sets, just make
sure the weight is challenging and you push your last
set until you can't do another repetition.
Q: So people in their teens and 20s can use
this workout with great results as well? My
daughter would like to use it, and this sounds
like something she could stick to.
A: Absolutely. Our 19-year-old daughter and her
friends were planning a trip to Hawaii and wanted to get
in shape quickly. They all used the F4X LEAN Workout,
with a few additionsand it worked amazingly well.
Here's a photo of them in Hawaiithat's our daughter
in the middle, flanked by Haili and Matt Matsukawa
bodies by F4X.
Old School New Body
21
By the way, you can even work out with your daughter. The F4X system
is perfect for a tandem team because while one trainee does his or her set
of 10 reps, the other rests about 40 seconds. When one is resting the other
trainee is doing his or her set. It's back and forthno clock or timer needed.
Q: What if I don't have access to dumbbells and an adjustable
bench? Is there anything I can do at home without that
equipment?
A: If you're a rank beginner, you can do freehand squats, holding the back
of a chair for balance. Follow the F4X protocol, with 35 seconds between
sets and the three-seconds-down-one-second-up cadence. Follow that with
wall push-aways. That's essentially pushups leaning against a wall. Once
again, use the F4X method...
1) Freehand squatshold the back of a chair for balance
2) Wall push-awayspushups leaning against a wall
For push-aways you should gradually be able to move to pushups on the
floor on your knees, and then standard pushupseventually; don't rush it.
For squats you will get stronger more quickly, and we suggest you get
a couple of those small shopping bags they give out at boutiquesor at
Starbucksusually with twine handles. You can add canned good to those
bagsand now you have a set of weights. Be sure you use identical items
in each bag. Hold one in each hand at the sides of your thighs and squat.
Those makeshift weights will also work for the other two exercises in the
F4X LEAN Workout as wellbent-over rows and upright rows. Once again,
on all exercises lift in one second and lower in three seconds.
That makeshift home weight set will work for quite a while, maybe even
forever if that's as advanced as you want to get. We highly recommend you
get selectorized dumbbells and an adjustable bench eventually. More on
that, as well as a more extensive workout with that equipment, coming up.
If you only have time for one F4X sequence, choose squats. That exercise
works the largest muscles on your bodythighs and glutes, or buttso that
move will make you more breathless and create the largest glycogen deficit,
keys to fastest fat loss.
The F4X
system is
perfect for a
tandem team
because while
one trainee
does his or
her reps, the
other rests
about 40
seconds.
Old School New Body
22
You may have heardor read in one of our special reportsthat herbs,
like ginger, nutrients, including selenium and vitamin C, and foods, like
cherries, can all have positive effects on your joints and help relieve pain.
Bit did you know that food allergies can be the cause of inflammation that
leads to joint pain, a biggie being intolerance to wheat
products.
You may have heard of celiac disease, which affects
one in every 100 Americans. Its a severe aversion to
gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Anyone
who has celiac and eats anything with gluten in it,
including bread, pasta or even soups, has to run to the
restroom for another type of run (Steve's mom has it,
and it's not fun!).
Something less severe than celiac and more common is wheat intolerance.
According to Jamison Starbuck, N.D., Wheat-intolerance people have no
symptoms when they eat barley or rye, but ingesting wheat often leads
to such complaints as indigestion, bloating, canker sores, constipation,
headache, sinusitis, respiratory problems, insomnia, joint pain and fatigue.
Celiac disease stresses the immune system and drains energy; wheat
intolerance produces symptoms only when someone eats a lot of wheat-
laden food. If you experience any of those symptoms, you may want to try
eliminating wheat products from your diet. Many nutritionists believe that
wheat is a big player in numerous symptoms of ill health, including joint
pain. (The book Wheat Belly by William Davis, M.D., has more on all of the
abovea very interesting read.)
CHAPTER 3
Joint Rejuvenation:
Pain-Free Sanity
Old School New Body
23
Also realize that exercise is key for blood
flow to the joints and strengthening surrounding
muscles for better stabilization. Use it or lose it
rings especially true as you age.
For example, many older people complain
of elbow pain. According to Joseph Horrigan,
D.C., of the Soft Tissue Center in Marina del
Rey, California, most elbow pain is caused by
weakness and can be remedied by strengthening
the wrist tendons and forearm muscles.
If the pain is on the inside of the joint, it's called golfer's elbow. The
exercise to help alleviate that is wrist curls with a barbell or a dumbbell.
Place the length of your forearm along your thigh with your palm facing up.
Lower your hand holding the weight down below the plane of your forearm,
and then bend, or curl, it up.
You can work both arms at once with dumbbells or one arm at a time. You
can also use a barbell, placing the lengths of your forearms along the tops
of your thighs or on a bench. Perform a three-set or four-set F4X sequence,
striving for 12 reps per set.
Pain on the outer side of the joint is called "tennis
elbow and can be remedied with reverse wrist curls.
That's the same exercise as above, only your palm is
facing downward and you will require much less weight.
Knee pain can be caused by a variety of odd
stresses and positionings during activity. One of the
best ways to strengthen your knee joints is by cycling.
Riding a stationary bike safely strengthens the muscles
on the inside of your knees and keeps your kneecaps
centered. Weighted squats, pictured at right, also
fortify the knee joints as well as build the leg muscles.
It's included in all of our workouts in this e-book.
[Note: Becky has had knee surgery, so sometimes
accidents happen and even strong knees won't
prevent damage.]
Wrist curls and reverse wrist
curls can relieve elbow pain as
your strength improves.
The squat strengthens knees as
well as your core, including abs
and lower back. A version of it is
included in all F4X workouts.
Old School New Body
24
Back pain is the most common
problem. According to Bottom
Line Health, most of it is caused by
"prolonged sitting (get up every 45
minutes) or by lifting heavy objects
the wrong way, but other factors
contribute to back pain, including
excess body weight, stress and
depression.... Most important are exercises that strengthen the muscles
in the back, chest, abdomen, hips and sides.
Get on a weight-training program. It's the best way to strengthen your
entire body, including your core muscles. The programs in this e-book are
designed with that in mind. Key exercises include dumbbell squats, semi-
stiff-legged deadlifts (top right) and abdominal crunches (top left).
Speaking of abdominals, a bloated belly is often the cause of lower-
back aches and pains. The excess weight on the front of your torso pulls
the spine forward, putting damaging stress on your vertebrae. The best
thing you can do for your back is eat better, exercise and reduce that gut!
In the meantime
you can use a
Rumble Roller to
get some relief. It's
a knobby cylinder
on which you roll
your lower back. The
principle behind it is
myofascial release,
a type of massage
that focuses on
correcting restrictions of movement. You can use it on your legs, hips and
even torso. Just assume the correct position and roll away your pain.
Old School New Body
25
Shoulder pain is another common complaint, and it's usually a problem
with the rotator cuff, the muscles that surround and stabilize your shoulder joint.
An excellent exercise to shore up your rotator cuff is the forward rotation with
one dumbbell.
You must use very light weight on thesein fact, if you do them
at home, you could start out with a novel or some other fairly large
bookbut not too large. Simply sit on the floor next to a chair or
ottoman, prop up your elbow so your upper arm is perpendicular
to your torso and your forearm is vertical. Then rotate your forearm
forward until your arm is parallel to the floor, pause, then raise it
back to vertical. (See the photos above.)
There are other exercises you can do from various angles, as
the rotator cuff complex is a number of small muscles that support
the shoulder joint. For more information see the excellent book
7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution by Joseph Horrigan, D.C., and Jerry
Robinson.
Adding On to Your F4X LEAN Workout
You can use any of the exercises in this chapter to help remedy specific joint
pain. The best strategy is to add the ancillary exercise to the end of your F4X
LEAN Workout. For example, if youre having shoulder pain, add the forward
rotation exercise pictured above once you've completed your four F4X moves
shown on page 18.
Squats are already included, but you can add any of the other exercises
in this chapter, depending on what joint you need to strengthen. You could
add wrist curls and/or reverse wrist curls for your elbows or semi-stiff-legged
deadlifts for your lower back, etc.
Old School New Body
26
Okay, time out. Before we give you the next level of weight training,
we want to give your motivation a boost. After all, weight training can be
intimidating, but make no mistake: Lifting weights is very, very important
as you agein fact, it's crucial. Don't take our words for it. Here's a quote
from "Barbell Training is Big Medicine"
by Jonathon Sullivan, M.D., Ph.D., an
emergency physician (full article published
at StartingStrength.com) that you should
read if your drive ever begins to subside:
Aging in America and other
industrialized nations [is] a living hell of
progressive weakness, obesity, inactivity,
shrinking horizons, sexual impotence,
decreased expectations, mounting despair,
a growing list of expensive drugs, learned
helplessness, sickness, and pain. Its being
All Done At 60...or 50. Its a life of waiting
to die from a skin infection or a broken hip
or a clot, of needing a stupid little f#%ing
go-cart to get from here to there, of not
being able to reach your own ass to wipe
it, of narcotizing yourself with alcohol,
cigarettes, American Idol and Doritos so you dont have to face your own
grim existence as a slowly rotting Jabba The Hut. I see it every day. We call
CHAPTER 4
Get Motivated: Promise,
Commitment, Change
Old School New Body
27
it old-itis. A joke, I guess, but an obscene one. This gruesome avatar of
aging offends the eye, the mind, and the spirit, and it cries out for both
compassion and correction.
Strength training is a macroscopic growth factor, countersignalling all
of this evil shit. This is not my wishful extrapolation of cellular phenomena
to the human sphere. Its a medical observation, supported by study after
study. Research with elderly subjects indicates that resistance training
improves overall function and strength, enhances bone density and
balance adaptations, and improves the metabolic profiles and glycemic
control of patients with type 2 diabetes. A landmark 2008 study of
nearly 9000 men followed for an average of nearly 20 years showed that
muscular strength is inversely associated with death from all causes, even
when adjusting for fitness and cardiovascular health.
Instead of slowly getting weaker and sicker and circling the drain in a
protracted, painful descent that can take hellish years or even decades, we
can squeeze our dying into a tiny sliver of our life cycle. Instead of slowly
dwindling into an atrophic puddle of sick fat, our death can be like a failed
last rep at the end of a final set of heavy squats. We can remain strong and
vital well into our last years, before succumbing rapidly to whatever kills
us. Strong to the end.
Thank you, Dr. Sullivan! That's powerful stuff right there. Remember, you
must make training and eating right a habitit's critically important! We
have discovered that success in every area of your life becomes almost
effortless once it becomes part of your lifestyle.
That means programming your subconscious to believe you have
already attained it. As the philosopher Neville said, Make your future
dream a present fact, by assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled."
Visualize and feel your new, healthy, transformed body. That will program
your subconscious mind.
Remember, at one point in time tying your shoes was an effortthat
eventually became automatic thanks to your subconscious. Later in life,
getting to work without directions would have been impossible. At work
you had a learning curve while you were introduced to your new duties.
Once you learn these things and do them on a consistent basis, you do
them without much effort. When was the last time you had to concentrate
while tying your shoes? Have you ever driven home from work and you
were supposed to stop by the grocery store but forgot until you were in
Success in
every area
of your life
becomes
almost
effortless
once it
becomes
part of your
lifestyle.
Old School New Body
28
your driveway and had to face your spouse? Of course, we all do that. We
are on auto pilot. How about your responsibilities at work? You can do a
lot of them now without thinking, cant you?
Here's how to do that with healthful diet and exercise:
4 Simple Steps to Create a Lifestyle Habit
1) Find your why, which is your purpose.
2) Put a plan together (which is what this e-book is about).
3) Identify disempowering habits.
4) Replace disempowering habits with empowering habits on a
regular basis to close the loop.
Basically, habits are the foundry
of your success. If you need help,
there is something that can simplify
and automate the process called
Habit Foundry. You can find it here:
http://habitfoundry.com.
A foundry is a factory that
produces metal castings. Metals are
cast into shapes by melting them into
a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold,
and removing the mold material or
casting after the metal has solidified
as it cools.
Habits are the foundries that
cast your life!
Empowering habits lift your life
to incredible heights.
Disempowering habits can
destroy your life.
Rachel McLish, the first Ms. Olympia,
on the cover of IM at age 47. She is
one of Becky's inspirations.
Old School New Body
29
Many have said it takes 21 days to form a habit. That's true for smaller
habits, but to make permanent lifestyle changes that really transform your
life, it can take a bit longer21 days, 30 days, or 60 daysno one really
knows because it's an individual thing.
We do know that it takes consistencyand your imagination and
visuallization can help you maintain that consistency, cultivate that positive
habitworking toward a healthy, fit body. Neville also said these powerful
words:
A change of feeling is a change of destiny.... If this
assumption is persisted in until it becomes your dominant
feeling, the attainment of your ideal is inevitable.
Dr. Wayne Dyer, in his Wishes Fulfilled, uses I am (blank) as a mantra
to program the subconsious. Before bed you can repeat things like "I
am fit," I am healthy and happy, I am consistent in my eating and
workouts, etc.
If you've never lifted weights before, make a promise to yourself to
follow the F4X LEAN Workout in the previous chapter and eat fairly cleanly
for 30 days, no excuses (sample diets are coming up). You will start feeling
terrific, begin seeing physical changes, and we are positive that your life
will change forever! Imagine it!
Make a
promise to
yourself to
follow the F4X
LEAN Workout
and eat fairly
cleanly for
30 day, no
excuses....We
are positive
that your life
will change
forever!
Start by deciding that health, fitness and
physicality are going to be your lifestylenot your
hobby, not your eight-week deal before a vacation,
not some transient thing. Look at it logically. You
have a finite number of years on this planet, no
matter what you decide. You can decide to live them
with the greatest amount of energy and the highest
chances of survival well into your later years by
making fitness and nutrition a lifestyle rather than a
hobbyor you can dabble at it and waste your time,
perhaps even taking years from your life.
Jon Benson, author Fit Over 40
Old School New Body
30
CHAPTER 5
F4X Automatic Cardio
and the Forgotten Key to
Leanness
Most people think that lifting weights is only for building muscle;
however, it's also one of the best ways to burn fat. Let's go back to Dr.
Lodge (from Younger Next Year):
The wave of repair and regeneration goes on for hours after [muscle-
taxing] exercise, and your body runs in high gear the
whole time, burning extra fat to replenish the energy
in your muscles, to rebuild glucose stores and the
tissue.... You burn far more fat recovering from [this
type of] exercise than you ever will on the treadmill. It's
the great hidden trick to weight lossstepping out of
the gym, but still running your metabolism hard for the
rest of the day.
Thats some fantastic stuff right there. Lifting builds
your body and at the same time keeps you burning fat
for hours and/or days after your workout. Sure, some
cardio can help you get leaner, but weight training is
the big key. If you just use cardio, it's like trying to win
a football game only kicking field goals. Touchdowns
give you more than twice the pointsjust as lifting
weights can double or triple your fat-loss efforts.
If you feel you need cardio, in addition to what your F4X weight workout
gives you, it's a good idea to continue keeping your heart rate up right after
your lifting session or you can do extra cardio on your off days. Right after
a workout is when your blood is clear of sugaryou burned it all off lifting.
That means your cardio will tap into bodyfat stores almost immediately.
Steve and Becky working out together.
Weight training is a miracle muscle
builder and fat melter.
Old School New Body
31
About 20 minutes should do the trick.
If you do cardio on off days, go for 45 minutesand take it outside if you
can. Biking is bestit can actually strengthen your knees. You need to get
your heart rate up and keep it up, but not so high that you can't carry on
a conversation if you had to. Gasping for air is a good indication that
you're going too hard. Intense cardio is okay sometimes, but save
most of your intense pushing for the weights.
Cardio is especially important as you age because it keeps your
heart and circulatory system healthy and pumping long and strong.
Luckily, our F4X System, with its short rests between sets, has a
built-in cardio component. The bigger the muscle group, the more
that's true. Training your upper legs will get you sufficiently breathless.
That's a good thing for heart health and fat burning. Lifting moderate
weights is also good for your joints, as we've mentioned. Still, you
can benefit from extra cardiomaybe twice a week.
The Truth About Interval Cardio
You may have heard that interval cardio is a superior way to burn
fat as compared to steady-state cardio, like slow jogging. What is
interval cardio? A good example is on a running track: You sprint the
straightaways and walk the curves.
So with interval cardio you are alternating fairly hard anaerobic work,
sprints, with brief active recovery. If you think about it, thats exactly
what youre doing when you train with the F4X Systema burst of fairly
intense lifting followed by brief periods of recovery.
In fact, interval cardio works so well at burning fat because it creates a
glycogen deficitthe sugar you get from carbs after your workout goes
to muscle tissue instead of fat cellsand it ramps up your metabolism
after the fact, during recovery. That's due to the muscle microtears that
occurs during the sprints. All of that is also what occurs during and after
your sets of F4X weightlifting workouts.
Does interval cardio work? Absolutelybut you will get as good or
better effects with a multiple-exercise F4X workout because you target
more muscles, not just your lower body.
Old School New Body
32
There's nothing more motivating than seeing the before and after photos
of someone who made a big change. But what motivated Becky was not
someone else's pictures but seeing exactly how she looked in a bathing suit
(photo below) after slacking on her workouts for a decade to raise our two
daughters. Hear her:
"The old saying is, A picture is worth a thousand words. In my case my
before picture evoked a thousand emotionsprimarily disgust and
depression. I didnt realize I looked like that till I saw those awful
photos. Its amazing how your mind can play tricks on you when you
look in a mirror.
On top of that, clothes can help reinforce the denial. Throw on
a baggy shirt and some jeans, and, see, you dont look fat at all.
Amazing. Its so easy to hide iteven from yourself. And men do it
too. Its hard to deny the truth, however, when you see a photograph
of yourself in a bathing suit head-on. Now, thats a slap of reality
and in my case the reality was worse than anything the folks at Fear
Factor could dream up.
To make things even more gut-wrenching, our daugh ters, Chelsea
and Lindsey, kept saying, Mommy, youre fat. As her supportive
husband, Steve had been encouraging herafter all, he was the
editor in chief of IRON MAN magazine that celebrates the fitness
lifestyle. He told her that once she started and was consistent,
changes would happen fast. (It's that habit/lifestyle thing we talked
about in Chapter 4.)
CHAPTER 6
Transformation Sensation
Breaking Out of the Chub Club
Becky before.
This was her
motivating image
of herself.
Old School New Body
33
She began to work out in the fall, but it was one of many false starts. Her
first before pictures were taken in September. The problem was she just
couldnt commit completely. She went to the gym a few times in September
but didnt stick with it. She decided that Thanksgiving would be her starter
pistol; then she put it off till Christmas, New Years and, finally, her birthday
at the end of February.
Shed gone through her first few years in her 40s
in perhaps her worst shape evernot a good way to
enter the prime of life. She finally made a promise to
herself: It was time to change and prove to herself
that she could achieve her best shape ever and
be a happier, healthier person. Making that serious
commitment is one of the most important steps.
She started light, similar to the F4X LEAN Workout.
She began going to the gym three days a week and
gradually training more intensely. For extra calorie
burn she walked a couple of days a week, but that
was it for cardio the first six weeks. She introduced
slow jogging twice a week after that, doing one to
two miles a session. What about diet?
The first thing I did was stop eating junk and
fast carbs, especially after 8:00 p.m. That took
some weight off me immediately, as I often had ice
cream or other goodies latewhich is how I got in
that horrible before shape in the first place. If I got
a craving, Id have a big glass of water with lemon
squeezed in. That was refreshing and usually killed
the urge to splurge.
My next step was to add protein to every meal.
That's necessary to increase the metabolism and to
replenish and build muscle. Yes, I was trying to build
muscle because Ive learned that the more muscle
I add to my frame, the more calories I burn. Was I
afraid of getting too big? Of course not. As a woman I know my hormones
wont allow it, so I trained to build muscleand it worked! (Becky's meal-
by-meal diet is in an upcoming chapter.)
Becky
after.
Old School New Body
34
She did her after photos in mid-Julyabout four months after she
finally got serious. Getting there wasnt as difficult as she thought it would
be.
I kicked myself for all
those false starts that were
caused by my feelings
of being overwhelmed.
The thousand words
my after photos are
worth now include pride,
accomplishment and
satisfaction. Ive taped my
before and after pictures
together side by side and
placed them in my closet so I
can see them every morning
as I get dressed. That before
shot is a constant reminder to
stay the course.
Postscript: Becky recently
had knee surgery in her late
40s due to a dog-walking
mishapshe stepped in a hole
and hyperextended her knee.
After six months of downtime,
she has gotten out of shape
not to the point of her previous
before shot, but out of
shape nonetheless. She
has recommitted to get
her body back. Look for
progress reports in Steve's
blog, Built for Life, at
IronManMagazine.com.
Old School New Body
35
1) Walk. Adopt a dog from the pound and walk it every day (I have
two, and I love them dearly). If you can't get a dog get out and walk at
least a few blocks as often as possible.
2) Try a trainer. Splurge on a trainer at the gym for a session every
so often. He or she can show you new exercises and correct your
form if you're inexperienced. (There are some nutty ones out there, so
be carefulstanding on a ball while you exercise is not good!)
3) Eat vegetables every day. With microwave ovens, steamers
freezers and refrigerators, there's no excuse not to.
4) Get more fiber. Increasing your vegetable intake will help, but
also go for fibrous fruit, like apples and pears, beans and nuts.
5) Drink water constantly. Carry a bottle with you; it can help
crush cravings in a pinch, and proper hydration keeps you burning
fat, improving your kidney and liver functions.
6) Don't skip meals. You need to keep your metabolism stoked not
starving. A little protein is key.
7) Have sex multiple times a week. Hey, Steve put that one in,
but he's right. Intimacy helps improve your health and well being.
8) Brush your teeth early in the evening. That can help prevent
you from eating junk at night.
9) Lift weights at least three times a week. You want growth
signals to counteract decay. The F4X System is the perfect way.
10) Sleep at least seven straight hours every night. Rest
without interruption is important. It will keep your growth hormone
surging and bodyfat purging. (You get your biggest GH surge in the
first few hours of sleep.)
Becky's 10 Old School, New Body Transformation Tips
Old School New Body
36
We want to repeat that the F4X LEAN Workout performed three days a
week can work wonders for you the rest of your life. But if you're like Becky
when she was transforming her body, you'll want to graduate to something a
bit more extensive to speed up the process. The three-days-per-week mix in
this chapter is an excellent step up.
We remind you that if you haven't trained with weights
in a while, or ever, break in easy. Getting too sore can kill
your motivation and derail your drive. If you're starting out,
follow the same F4X LEAN Workout rules on page 19two
easy sets per exercise for two week, then increasing to
three, etc.
With the program in this chapter you still train three days
a week, but these are not full-body workoutsat least not
in the strict sense. You will train multiple muscles at every
workout, but not directly, and you'll use different exercises.
For example, your arms appear to be getting only one workout a week,
on Wednesdays when you do curls for biceps and pushdowns for triceps;
however, your arms also get hit on Monday and Friday with bench presses,
pulldowns and rows because those are compound movesmultiple
muscles working together, including your arms. This is a great program, one
that Steve has used and Becky as well, during her transformation.
This three-days-per-week program is designed to train the muscles hard,
promote growth hormone release, give you plenty of recovery time and
provide cardiovascular benefits due to the short rests between sets. It's all
about growth to prevent decay no matter what your age.
Okay, let's get to the workoutsexercise illustrations and descriptions are
at the end of this chapter...
CHAPTER 7
The F4X SHAPE Workout
Lard-to-Hard Blast-Off
Kelly
Smith.
Old School New Body
37
F4X SHAPE Workout 1
Monday Poundage
Barbell or dumbbell
squats, 4 x 10
Leg extensions, 3 x 10
Semi-stiff-legged
deadlifts, 4 x 10
Leg curls, 3 x 10
Bench presses, 4 x 10
Flat-bench flyes, 3 x 10
Pulldowns, 4 x 10
Machine rows, 3 x 10
Dumbbell upright
rows, 4 x 10
Pick a moderate weight with which you can do 15 reps, but only do 10; rest
40 seconds, then do 10 more, and so on until you complete the designated
number of sets. Get as many reps as you can on your last set, and if you get
10, add weight at your next workout.
Rep speed should be one second to lift the weight and three seconds to lower
itfour seconds per repetition.
Old School New Body
38
F4X SHAPE Workout 2
Wednesday Poundage
Barbell or dumbbell
squats, 4 x 10
Standing calf
raises, 4 x 10
Dumbbell upright
rows, 4 x 10
Concentration curls
or barbell curls, 4 x 10
Triceps
pushdowns, 4 x 10
Wrist curls, 3 x 10
Kneeups, 3 x 10
Crunches, 3 x 10
Rep speed should be one second to lift the weight and three seconds to
lower itfour seconds per repetition.
Old School New Body
39
F4X SHAPE Workout 3
Friday Poundage
Barbell or dumbbell
squats, 4 x 10
Leg extensions, 3 x 10
Leg curls, 4 x 10
Standing calf
raises, 4 x 10
Incline dumbbell
presses, 4 x 10
Pulldowns, 4 x 10
Machine rows, 3 x 10
Dumbbell upright
rows, 4 x 10
Pick a moderate weight with which you can do 15 reps, but only do 10; rest 40
seconds, then do 10 more, and so on until you complete the designated number
of sets. Get as many reps as you can on your last set, and if you get 10, add
weight at your next workout.
Old School New Body
40
F4X SHAPE Workout Tips and Reminders
1) If you're a beginner, do two sets of each exercise for two weeks,
both sets should be fairly easy. Weeks three and four up it to three sets
of each exercise, and push your last set in the sequence to muscular
failureuntil you can't get another rep in perfect form. Week five move to
the full program as listed.
2) The ideal rep speed is one-second to lift the weight (positive
stroke) and three seconds to lower (negative stroke); always keep your
form strict. Breathe out as you lift (one second), breathe in as you lower
(three seconds)you can take one to three short breaths as you lower
on longer-stroke exercises like squats, then breathe out forcefully as you
push up the weight.
3) Rest 30 to 40 seconds between setswear a watch with a
secondhand or carry a timer (some smart phones have them built in).
4) When you can get 10 reps on your last set that you push
to failure, add a small amount of weight to that exercise at your next
workoutor try to get 11 reps on all sets.
5) Your arms get plenty of indirect stimulation on Monday and
Friday from torso exercises such as presses, rows, pulldowns, etc.
Therefore, the one direct arm workout on Wednesday is enough for
optimal growth stimulation.
6) You can stick to this program, rotating in the F4X LEAN Workout
when time is tightand get excellent results for the rest of your life. In
other words, you don't ever have to do more than this to get
amazing physique-transforming, fat-blasting, anti-aging effects
of liftingand for many the four exercises in the F4X LEAN Workout will
be sufficient. [Note: If you're interested in an advanced program, see the
BUILD Workout in the last chapter of this e-book.]
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41
F4X and First-T-Burst Training
In this program as well as the F4X LEAN Workout, you begin each session with
squats. That's not a random choicesquats are a proven testosterone booster if
you do them correctly. Here's what researcher Jacob and
Gabriel Wilson, two respected Ph.D.s, discovered:
"Researchers found large changes in testosterone
following a moderate-intensity protocol [70% 1RM,
multiple subfailure sets of squats], and no significant
increases were found after numerous sets performed at
100 percent intensity [1RM].... It appears the greater rise
in testosterone may be the result of greater metabolic
stress, such as increases in lactic acid following moderate-intensity, rather than
maximal-intensity, training. Moderate intensity, high-volume exerciseeight to
12 reps and more than four setsleads to greater increases in testosterone than
low-volume, maximal-intensity exercise." (Med Sci Sports Exerc. 36(9):1499-
1506. 2004.; J Appl Physiol. 74(2):882-887. 1993.)
That's great news because keeping testosterone levels up is good for both men
and women. It helps you burn fat, bolsters your immune system and, oh yeah,
jacks up your libido. And to get it, you don't have to lose your lunch.
It also supercharges the muscle-building process. And if you get a burst of T
first, with squats as your leadoff exercise, the muscle groups you train after get
better growth effects. Back to the Wilson brothers, who checked out a study that
had subjects train their arms after squats compared to subjects who trained arms
alone:
"As predicted, the arms trained with legs achieved an increase in the biceps
peakwhile no changes occurred in the arms trained alone. The arms trained
with legs also had greater relative improvement in biceps curl strength than the
arms trained alone as well as other favorable muscle adaptations.... Studies
suggest that training large body parts before smaller ones increases the smaller
body parts growth; however, the opposite is not trueif you train legs after
arms, you will see no benefits.
That's all very important information if you want a fast fat-to-muscle
transformationsquats first with F4X produces better muscle and fitness effects.
Old School New Body
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Squats (barbell or
dumbbells). Stand with your
feet slightly more than shoulder
width apart and your toes
pointing outward. The bar should
rest across your upper back
and rear delts. Squat until your
thighs are just below parallel to
the floorno bouncingthen
immediately drive back up to
the starting position. Keep your torso as vertical
as possible. This works all the muscles on the front of your thighs, with help
from surrounding muscle groups, including hips and back. Some
people find barbell squats awkward or uncomfortable. You can
substitute the dumbbell version, as pictured (we usually prefer it).
Leg extensions. Position yourself on
a leg extension machine and extend your
lower legs until your knees lock. Hold for
a count, then lower under control. This
isolates your front-thigh muscles, or quads.
Semi-stiff-legged deadlifts. Begin from
a standing position with a barbell or dumbbells
hanging at arms length in front of your thighs.
Bend forward, keeping your back as flat as
possible and your knees slightly bent, and lower
the weight to mid-shin level only. Reverse your
movement and pull yourself into the upright
position. This works your hamstrings with help
from your lower-back and hip muscles.
Leg curls. From a facedown position on
a leg curl machine, curl the weight up to as
close to your glutes as possible. Hold for a count, then slowly lower to
the starting position. Keep
your feet flexed toward
your shins throughout the
movement. This isolates your
hamstrings.
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Bench presses. Keep
your rear end on the bench
as you lower the bar to your
low-pec line. As soon as
the bar touches your chest,
drive it back to arms length.
Use a grip thats slightly
wider than shoulder width.
This works your chest,
or pecs, with the help of
surrounding muscle groups. Tip: Think about pushing the bar up and back
over your eyes, not straight up. Also, don't completely lock your arms at the
topkeep tension on your chest muscles.
Flat-bench flyes. Lie on a flat
bench while holding two dumbbells
over your chest, with your palms
facing each other. Keep a slight bend
in your elbows as you lower the bells
down till your arms are perpendicular
to your torso. Reverse the movement
and return to the starting position. This
is more of a pec-isolation exercise than the bench press.
Incline dumbbell presses. Lie on a 30
degree incline bench with a dumbbell in each
hand. Press the weights from your shoulders to
arms length over your face. Touch the inside
plates together just before your elbows lock, then
lower slowly. This works your upper chest with the
help of surrounding muscle groups.
Pulldowns. Grip a pulldown bar with your hands slightly
more than shoulder width apart and pull the bar straight down
to your upper chest. Try to keep your torso as upright as
possible throughout the
movement. This works your lats, the
muscles that run from your armpits to
your waist, with the help of surrounding
muscle groups.
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Machine rows. With your chest against the torso-support pad, grip
the handle with your hands slightly more than shoulder width apart.
Pull the bar up to your abdomen
with your arms angled away
from your torso. This works
your upper-middle back, or the
trapezius muscles, with the help of
surrounding muscle groups. You
can also do these bent over with a
barbell or dumbbells, torso parallel to the floor and keeping your back flat,
or do it on a weight-stack rowing machine.
Dumbbell upright rows. Stand with a dumbbell in each
hand. Pull the dumbbells up along the sides
of your torso till the inside plates are near
your armpits. Pull the dumbbells up and out
to simulate a wide grip at the top. This works
your shoulders with the help of surrounding
muscle groups.
Standing calf raises. Stand with your shoulders under the
pads and the balls of your feet on the elevated foot
plate. Keep your knees almost locked and push up
on your toes as high as possible. Hold for a count,
then lower slowly as far as possible. This isolates the
gastrocnemius, or calf, muscles.
Concentration curls. Take a dumbbell in your
right hand, bend forward until your torso is at a 90
degree angle to
the floor and let
your arm hang straight down, parallel
to your legs. Curl the dumbbell up to
your shoulder with minimal upper-
arm movement, pause for a count at
the top, then lower slowly. Repeat
with your other arm. You can also do
these seated, with your working arm
braced against your inner thigh. If
concentration curls are awkward, you
can do standing barbell or dumbbell
curls instead.
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45
Pushdowns. Connect a short bar to an overhead
pulley, take an overhand grip with your thumbs about
eight inches apart and pull the bar to your low-pec
line. From this starting position, drive the bar down
with minimal upper-arm movementkeep your arms
pinned to your sidesuntil theyre fully extended
and your triceps are contracted. Pause for a count,
then slowly release
back to the starting
position.
Wrist curls. Sit at the end of a flat
bench, with your forearms resting on
your thighs or the bench and your hands
hanging off, gripping a barbell with your
palms facing up. Curl the bar without
moving your arms. Use forearm power alone. Lower slowly and repeat. This
works your forearm flexors. This exercise can help relieve elbow pain. You
can also do it with palms facing down to train the extensors, the top of the
forearms. (See Chapter 3 for how these moves can help relieve specific
elbow afflictions.)
Kneeups. Lie on your back on a bench. Raise your legs as you bend
your knees and pull your thighs into your chest. Your hips should curl up off
the bench as your knees come into your chest. Hold for a count, then lower
and repeat. You should eventually go to a slant board, with your head at the
high end (pictured far right).
Incline
kneeups.
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CHAPTER 8
The F4X All-Dumbbell Workout
Instant At-Home, New-Body Solution
When you're first starting out, commercial gyms may intimidate you. Or
maybe you just don't have the extra time to drive there, park, work out and
drive home. Or perhaps you just like the convenience of working out in your
own house (hey, go ahead and train in your underwear; who's going to see?).
Any way you slice it, a bare-bones home gym consisting
of a selectorized dumbbell set and an adjustable bench is a
convenience whether you want to train exclusively at home
or simply like the option of doing a workout in your living
room or den every so often when you don't feel like dealing
with the gym (and other people's sweat).
With only a selectorized dumbbell set, an adjustable
bench and the F4X method, you can get a heck of a
workout, whether you're just starting out or you're a more
advanced trainee. The 3-set and 4-set sequences make
home-gym training a real, result-producing optionand you
don't need a lot of weight.
As we said, the four-move F4X LEAN Workout will work
for you for as long as you want it to, but the program on the
next few pages is a more extensive option. It's adapted from
the SHAPE program in the previous chapter, so it's three
days per week using semi-full-body workoutsbut each one
is a bit different. And, yes, they all incorporate First-T-Burst
trainingsquats up frontto supercharge your results....
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F4X All-Dumbbell Workout 1
Monday Poundage
Squats, 4 x 10
Semi-stiff-legged
deadlifts, 4 x 10
Bench presses, 4 x 10
Undergrip rows, 4 x 10
Stiff-arm kickbacks, 3 x 10
Incline rows, 3 x 10
Upright rows, 4 x 10
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48
Wednesday Poundage
Squats, 4 x 10
Lateral raises, 3 x 10
Concentration curls
or standing curls, 4 x 10
Kickbacks, 4 x 10
Wrist curls, 3 x 10
Kneeups, 4 x 10
Crunches, 4 x 10
seconds, then do 10 more, and so on until you complete the designated number of
sets. Get as many reps as you can on your last set, and if you get 10, add weight
at your next workout.
Rep speed should be one second to lift the weight and three seconds to lower it
four seconds per repetition.
Old School New Body
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Friday Poundage
Squats, 4 x 10
Semi-stiff-legged
deadlifts, 4 x 10
One-leg calf
raises, 4 x 10
Incline presses, 4 x 10
Undergrip rows, 4 x 10
Stiff-arm kickbacks, 3 x 10
Incline rows, 4 x 10
seconds, then do 10 more, and so on until you complete the designated number of
sets. Get as many reps as you can on your last set, and if you get 10, add weight
at your next workout.
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F4X All-Dumbbell Workout Exercises
Squats
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand at arm's length at the
sides of your thighs.
Look straight ahead and maintain a flat lower back
and upright torso as you squat.
Squat to a depth at which your thighs are just
below parallel to the floor.
Dont pause at bottom of the movement and don't
bounce.
Drive up to a point just before your knees lock,
then execute another repetition immediately, no
pause at the top.
Semi-stiff-legged deadlifts
Keep a slight bend in your knees and your back flat throughout
the movement.
Lower the dumbbells to midshin level, keeping
them close to your legs.
When you reach midshin level, reverse the
movement with no bounce.
Dont pause at the top or bottom.
One-leg calf raises
Place the ball of one foot on a calf block or
step, near a sturdy upright or wall.
Hold a dumbbell in the hand on the same side as
your working leg at arm's length by your outer thigh.
With your heel down below the plane of the block,
stretching your calf, keep your knee locked and rise
up on your toes.
Hold for a count in the top flexed position, then
lower your heel slowly back below the plane of the
block.
Maintain a slow, controlled cadence with no pause
at the bottom of each rep.
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Bench presses
With a dumbbell in each hand, sit on the end of
a bench and place the end of each bell on your
lower thigh.
Use the momentum of your legs to get the
dumbbells to your chest as you quickly lie back on
the bench.
Keep your chest high with a slight arch in your
lower back as you drive the dumbbells to arm's
length over your chest.
Don't allow the dumbbells to clang together or
even touch, and don't lock out your elbows. When
you reach this top position, immediately lower the
bells to your chest and begin another rep.
Flyes
Keep a slight bend in
your elbows at all times.
Lower the dumbbells out
in an arc till they are on the
same plane as your torso.
When you reach the
stretch position, reverse
the movement with no bounce (do not pause).
Pull the dumbbells back up over your chest; pause and squeeze your
chest for a count at the top of each rep.
Kickbacks
Keep your upper arms as motionless as possible
at your sides.
Hold at the top for a count to contract your
triceps.
Dont pause at the bottom.
You can do these one arm at a time or with both
arms at the same time.
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52
Upright rows
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at arm's length in front of your
thighs, palms facing your legs.
Pull the dumbbells up and out, so that when
your upper arms are parallel with the floor, the
bells are outside your outer chest.
Lower under control and repeat, no pause at
the top or bottom.
Lateral raises
Start with the dumbbells
touching in front of your thighs.
Keep a slight bend at your
elbows and lean slightly forward.
Raise your arms till the
dumbbells are almost at shoulder
level.
Hold for a brief count at the top.
Dont lean back; stay leaning slightly forward and focus on lifting
your elbows.
Undergrip rows
Take a
dumbbell in
each hand,
bend over
at the waist
and extend
the bells at
arm's length
below your
chest with
your palms
facing away from you (curl grip).
Bend your elbows as you pull the
dumbbells up to your upper abdomen;
no pause at the top or bottom.
If you have
lower-back
issues, train
one arm at a
time...
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Stiff-arm kickbacks
Take a dumbbell in each
hand, bend over at the waist
and extend the bells at arm's
length below your chest with
your palms facing each other
(hammer grip).
With our elbows locked, raise
the dumbbells in an arc till they
are at hip level; hold for a count,
flexing your back muscles, then
lower.
Incline rows
Take a dumbbell in each
hand, palms facing back, and
support your chest on a high
incline bench.
Bend your arms at the
elbows as you pull the
dumbbells up to your chest,
no pause at the top or bottom.
You can also do these without a bench, bending over at the waist and
maintaining your torso at slightly higher than 90 degrees.
Concentration curls
Keep your upper arm stationary
throughout the movement.
Dont pause at the bottom.
Pause at the top for a count and flex
your biceps.
You can also do these seated with
your working arm braced against the
inside of your thigh.
If these are awkward, do standing
dumbbell curls instead, curling the
'bells simulatneously.
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Crunches
Lie on the floor with your lower legs on a
bench, knees bent at 90 degree angles.
Keep your hands on your chest.
Curl your torso toward your thighs to contract
your abs.
Hold for a count to flex your abs, then lower
slowly till your upper back touches the floor, but
don't pause.
Don't jerk your head and/or torso forward; use
a smooth repetition cadence.
All-Dumbbell Workout DVD
For video of all of these exercises
as well as variations on this program,
see the "All-Dumbbell Workout DVD,
available from Home-Gym Warehouse.
It's motivational and informational with
loads of exercise techniques and tips.
Starring Greg Plitt, one of Hollywood's
top bodies.
Muscle Soreness Stokes Fat Burning
Whether you're new to weight training or experienced, you may get
muscle soreness after your workouts. It can be uncomfortable, but
don't let that discourage you or sap your motivation to keep at it. In fact,
mild muscle soreness is a positive because it means you worked hard
and created some microtrauma in the myofibrils, the force-generating
strands in the muscle fibers. Why is that a positive? For one thing, it
means those strands will repair slightly larger and stronger. But the
biggest reason to embrace mild muscle soreness is because it indicates
your body must ramp up your metabolism to repair it. In other words,
you're burning more bodyfat 24/7 as the rebuilding process happens. In
a way, mild muscle sorenes can help create a leaner physique.
Old School New Body
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Home-Gym Power Tool
Even if you have a commercial-gym membership, having a basic home
gym can be a godsend for consistency. You may not be in the mood to
head out of the house, or you may just want to do a quick workout, like
F4X LEAN, due to time constraints or simply the need for variation (or
maybe you feel like a workout wearing your kid's superhero costume
fantasy can be fun).
Old-style adjustable dumbbells, the kind with screw-on collars, will do in
a pinch, but you waste a lot of time changing plates. That's why we highly
recommend selectorized dumbbells, like the PowerBlock set.
With a pair of PowerBlocks, you simply
move the U-shaped pin up or down the
weight stack on each bell to change the
weight. Then when you pull the Block away
from the stand, the unpinned plates stay put
and you have the weight in your hand you
selected. Ingenious.
A PowerBlock set is a lot more efficient than regular adjustable
dumbbells and it takes up very little space compared to a rack of fixed
dumbbells you see in a gym. It's like having an entire set of 'bells in the
area of two shoe boxes.
Even better, a Power-Block set and an adjustable bench is all you need
for a killer home gym! You can do the F4X LEAN Workout or the entire All-
Dumbbell Workout, and with the F4X method you don't need excessive
poundage.
We recommend the 90s set for men;
women can usually get by with the 45-pound
set (Becky has the 45-pound set and an
adjustable bench at home for quick F4X
workouts). Both sets, as well as other
variations, are available at Home-Gym.com.
And don't forget to get a sturdy, quality
adjustable bench too.
Old School New Body
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When it comes to carbs, there's a "sponge-worthiness of muscles in
relation to those sugar-containing foods. A trained muscle will suck up
carbs you eat. We think you'll agree that muscle is a much better place to
store carbs than fat cells. Thats one of the big reasons people get fat and
stay fatthey eat too many carbs and don't lift weights, so there's no place
to put the carbs except to stuff them into their fat cells.
But when you train your muscles with F4X,
you deplete glycogen in the muscle fibers.
Glycogen is the sugar in carbs, and it's stored
in the sarcoplasm of those fibers. So after your
F4X workout, you've created a glycogen deficit.
Now you have a place for the carbs you eat to be
stored without making you fat.
Most people do not train their muscles at all,
so there's never a glycogen deficit. When carbs
are not burned through intense activity and/or
stored in muscle, they convert to artery-clogging
triglycerides and get stuffed into your fat cells.
Keep in mind that you burn very little sugar during
light daily activity like walking around or even
running, so you burn off very little glycogen during the day. (Jog a mile and
you burn about 100 calories, 25 grams of carbs, the number in two slices of
breadnot much.)
Now, most of the time when we say carbs, were primarily talking about
high-glycemic carbs like candy, chips, pastries, desserts, bread, pasta and
so on. These are also known as white, processed or "fast" carbs.
CHAPTER 9
Lean-Machine Diet
Facts and Fallacies
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Note that vegetables are not on the list. Vegetables are primarily fibrous
carbs with a slow release. That means there's no insulin surge from your
pancreas when you eat them. That's a good thing because the more
insulin in your bloodstream, the more potential for fat storage. Remember
that: Insulin high, fat-storage high. When your insulin is up, your fat-
burning switch is turned off. By the way, with microwave ovens and frozen
packaging, there's no excuse not to eat vegetables every day.
Most fruits are medium-release carbs; theyre okay, but in moderation
for example, a couple of pieces of fruit each day. (We'll usually have an
apple with lunch and maybe one more serving before our workout or
midafternoon.)
Now with all this talk about carbs, you may think we're driving the
Atkins bandwagon, using bacon as a buggy whip, but not quite. Dr. Atkins
reasoning is fairly sound, but we are not no-carb or extreme-low-carb
disciples. Carbs are necessary for energy and brain functionand, if you
work out, you need even more for muscle recovery.
Unfortunately, most people rely on bagels, pasta, doughnuts, soft
drinks, sugary cereals and other processed carbs for the majority of their
daily calorie intakes. They can total up around 400 grams a day, which is
equivalent to 1,600 caloriesfour calories per gram. Top that off with a small
amounts of protein here and there and some fat, and the daily calorie total
goes to about 1,800 to 2,000. That doesn't sound like too much, but...
If all you do is sit at a desk all day, then go home, eat and watch TV, you
need less than 150 grams of carbs a day for energy. You're not training your
muscles, so you don't create a glycogen deficit. That means most of the
remaining 250 grams of carbs you eat feed your fat cells (and can clog your
arteries, as you'll see).
And even if you do work out hard, your total musculature and liver only
house about 400 grams of carbs totalthat's in your entire body. If you
deplete, say, 150 grams in any one workout, you only need around 250
grams a day, if that, to stay in a healthy balance and replenish muscle.
Remember, that's for someone who works out. Most people don't lift
anything heavier than a Coke can and are getting two to three times that
amount! No wonder obesity is out of control.
Your daily carb count is an individual matter, dependent on bodyweight,
goals, activity and sensitivity. So what's the solution? Keep your carb intake
If you're not
training your
muscles, you
don't create
a glycogen
deficit. That
means most
of the carbs
you eat feed
your fat cells.
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moderate and eat only healthy carbs most of the timeyou can splurge on
desserts or whatever every so often; we do it once or sometimes twice a
week as you'll see in the next chapter. And, of course, train your muscles a
few days a week to create a glycogen deficit.
You also want to vary your carb intake almost every daywe call it
zig-zaggingand up your protein intake so you preserve and rebuild your
muscle tissue and stoke your metabolism. Some protein at every meal
is a good rule of thumb. A bit of fat every so often is also good, primarily
essential fatty acids found in fish, nuts and olive oil, to maintain hormones
and enzyme function. (Nuts are a great snack, but you shouldn't eat more
than a handful at any one sitting.) Don't fret; sample diets are coming up.
Lower Insulin, Higher Fat Loss
Okay, back to our average high-carb eater. That person is usually only
eating, or gorging, two to three times a day. We recommend five or six
smaller meals a day. Why? To keep blood sugar stable, lower insulin, prevent
binges and keep your metabolism revved.
If you eat only two or three bigger meals a day, each one triggers insulin
release. Remember, high insulin equals high fat storageexcept right after a
workout. So at every big meal you're storing more of your calories as fat. But
there's more bad news....
In between those big meals your blood sugar dips once insulin sweeps
the sugar to your fat cells for storage. Now you get cravings and either
satisfy them with more food, usually junk to trigger more insulin and fat
storage, or you resist and don't eat. Neither choice is good.
If you don't eat, your body goes into starvation mode and burns a bit of
fat, but mostly it throws muscle into the energy furnace. Why? It believes
muscle is expendableso it's the first to go when there's a famine. And
that's what your body thinks is happeningthe start of starvation.
The Big 3 and Bigger Guts
So eating only two or even three big meals a day, along with excessive
refined-carbohydrate intake (soft drinks are one of the worst), and no
intense exercise are the reasons so many people are so freaking fat!
People dont eat often enough or the right foods to keep their blood sugar
stable throughout the day.
You want to
vary your carb
intake almost
every day
we call it zig-
zagging.
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The big threeor big two if you skip breakfast (dont do it!)can even
prevent high-level athletes from getting that really lean look. The best
example is pro basketball players.
Sure, most basketball players are thin, but you'd think they'd be
shredded with extreme muscle definition and abs for days? But almost
every player has a layer of fat and not a lot of muscle definition. The reason
is diet and meal scheduling.
Most eat the normal three meals a day, and pretty much gorge at each
of those to make up for the calorie deficit they create with all that running
around. As we've explained, gorging promotes insulin
surges and fat deposition, so they retain a layer of fat.
But even if you dont stuff yourself at each feeding, eating
three big meals a day is not conducive to getting lean. Its
the way to continually burn muscle and conserve fat. If you
dont spread out your food intake so you keep your blood
sugar level stable all day long, thats what happensyou
burn muscle and build fat. And that is not conducive to
getting an impressive, healthy new body.
What about eating only one meal a day. Yikes! That's
even worse. Your body hordes even more bodyfat because
it thinks its starving all day long, and your metabolism slows to a crawl.
Steve's father is a good example. He was skinny all his life until the
middle-age spread hit. His solution: One meal a day at lunch (and, of
course, he didn't exercise). The result: A big gut with small, weak muscles.
He wouldn't listen to reason, continued his one-meal a day plan and
retained his six-months-pregnant, or skinny-fat, look for his entire lifewhile
eating only one meal a day! (He drank too, which didn't help, but we'll have
more on alcohol and its effects laternot all are bad and you don't have to
give it up completely, unless you're an addict.)
Understand this basic fact: When the starvation mechanism kicks in, your
body will usually shovel muscle into the energy furnace. As far as your body
is concerned, muscle is expendable; its denser than fat, so off it goes. You
must do thingslike lift weights and get smaller protein-charged feedings
throughout the dayto convince your body that it needs to hold onto
muscle and jettison the fat like the true ugly excess baggage that it is.
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CHAPTER 10
Eat More, Lose Fat,
Build Muscle
Okay, so having five to six smaller protein-based meals a day is the best
way to lose fat and build muscle. Sure, youve probably heard that, and
you may believe it, but have you tried it? You have to make it a priority.
Understand that its the only way to continually provide your body with the
elements it needs for building muscle, revving your metabolism (more on
that in a moment) and keeping your blood sugar stable to prevent cravings.
If your frequent small meals are the
right percentages of carbs, protein and
fat, insulin will be held in check so theres
very little, if any, fat storage. Soon youll
have the lean body you're after faster than
you can say six-pack (were talking abs
here, not Dos Equiis).
Notice that we said every meal should
include some protein. Why? Well, it keeps
muscle-building amino acids circulating.
That will protect muscle tissue, keeping it
in a building mode instead of burning it for
energy. It also signals your body that building blocks are plentiful so muscle
is good. You probably figured that out. But did you know that it stokes your
metabolism and has a higher energy cost? That recent discovery explains
why higher-protein diets are so effective at burning fat as well as building
muscle.
A higher energy cost means that it takes more energy to digest
protein. So you burn extra calories without doing a darned thing. Therefore,
increasing your protein intake to replace some of your carbs will be like an
Old School New Body
61
instant calorie reduction. Yep, more protein in your diet means you burn
more calories. In fact, research indicates that a high-protein meal boosts
postmeal thermic activity by 100 percent over what you get with a high-carb
meal (Am Col Nutr, 21(1):55-61; 2002).
That's metabolic boost #1: With more protein youre actually stoking
your metabolism as well as building and maintaining muscle. And get
this: The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even at rest.
Metabolic boost #2: Higher-protein diets help maintain thyroid hormone,
your metabolism governor. It all adds up to more metabolic momentum that
converts bodyfat to energy. (J Nutr, 133:411-417; 2003)
Wow! That all sounds great, but dont fall into the trap of trying to eat all
protein all the time. Carbs are important too. If you eat too much protein and
not enough carbs, your body has to convert protein to glucose for energy.
As we've said, glucose helps your muscles function as well as your brain. If
you limit your carbs too much, your body must convert protein to fuel, which
is called gluconeogenesis, and that results in waste products, too much of
which can be toxic.
Bottom line: It's very important for you to eat protein-based meals
throughout the day and include some good carbs in most of them. Small
meals spread over the day allow you to eat fewer carbs at any one meal
and smaller meals with fewer carbs will limit or eliminate surges in fat-
storing insulin. (Diet examples are coming up.)
Also remember this: Eating large meals with more carbs not only
causes bodyfat accrual via insulin, it can also lead to heart disease. What?
Emerging research shows that when you eat too many simple carbs, excess
is converted to triglycerides so it can be stored as bodyfat. Triglycerides are
what scientists have determined causes blocked arteries and heart disease.
Double yikes! No wonder heart disease and obesity are rampant.
Insulin and Aging
Here's another fun fact: Frequent insulin spikes have been linked to
faster aging. That's right, insulin makes you older faster (bet that got your
attention). Cynthia Kenyon, Ph.D., of the University of California at San
Francisco, recently conducted a study on genetic triggers of lifespan. As
reported in the March/April 11 Well Being Journal, Kenyon and colleagues
experimented with roundworm C. elegans and discovered two genes that
control longevity and youthfulness.
It's very
important
for you to
eat protein-
based meals
throughout
the day and
include some
good carbs in
most of them.
Old School New Body
62
The first was dubbed Sweet Sixteen because it made older worms
behave like teenagers. The worms usually die around day 20 of their lives,
but manipulating this gene had them living six to seven times longer
equivalent in human years to 450. Wow! Kenyon said, The gene boosts
compounds that make sure the skin and muscle-building proteins are
working properly, and the immune system becomes more active.
A second gene, nicknamed the Grim Reaper, turns off the Sweet
Sixteen gene and accelerates the aging process. One of the most
interesting findings is that insulin helped activate the Grim Reaper gene
another reason you want to minimize insulin surges.
From those findings the researchers determined that there are ways we
can turn off the Grim Reaper gene without any genetic re-engineering.
Because its turned on by insulin, the first step is to avoid large meals
and simple carbs, both of which produce excess insulin. Next is exercise,
which increases the bodys sensitivity to insulinyou need less to clear
sugar from your bloodstream, which means less pancreatic stress (your
pancreas secretes insulin). Exercise also bolsters your immune system.
The low-insulin/longevity connection may be the reason diabetics often
have shorter lifespans than nondiabeticsdiabetics require frequent
insulin injections, which would turn on the Grim Reaper gene.
The one time you can use an insulin surge is right after your workout.
Studies show that at that time insulin drives postworkout carbs to muscle
tissue, not fat cells. As we've mentioned, training with weights uses up
lots of glycogen. Eating some fast carbs (sugar) immediately following
a workout causes your body to release insulin so the glycogen stores
can be replaced quickly and efficiently. It's the perfect time for carbs.
In fact, some new studies show that chocolate milk is almost a perfect
postworkout elixir because of its mix of fast carbs (sugar) and protein.
The amount of postworkout carbs you need can differ. Steve can get 60
grams without ill effects. Becky, being lighter, stays at 40 grams. The diet
we helped John create has him take in only 20 grams because he's more
carb sensitive. And we all include protein to insure that we build as much
muscle as possible after every single workout.
We're talking about what we do, so let's get more specific. Here are how
our diets look most of the time...
Researchers
determined
that there are
ways we can
turn off the
Grim Reaper
gene.... The
first step is to
avoid large
meals and
simple carbs,
both of which
produce
excess insulin.
Old School New Body
63
Meal 1
1 bowl oatmeal mixed with
one scoop of Pro-Fusion
protein powder and a quar-
ter cup of 1% milk
1 cup orange juice
1 cup coffee
Meal 2
Muscle Meals
meal replacement in water,
1 packet
Preworkout
V8 (low sodium,
5.5-ounce can)
Raisins (small handful)
Meal 3*
Postworkout shake
RecoverX (60 grams fast
carb, 40 grams fast pro-
tein) + CreaSol (water-solu-
ble creatine)
Meal 4
8 ounces cottage cheese
with pineapple
1 apple
Meal 5
Muscle Meals, 1 packet
Meal 6
Broiled chicken or tuna
or steak
Vegetables
1-2 glasses wine
Pro-Fusion, 1 scoop in water
(optional)
Calories: 2,400
Protein: 210 grams
(37 percent)
Fat: 75 grams
(26 percent)
Carbs: 210 grams
(37 percent)
Steve Holmans Daily Diet
Meal 1
High-fiber cereal or oatmeal
(with glass of 1% milk) or
two scrambled eggs
One piece fruit
1 cup coffee
Meal 2
Muscle Meals
meal replacement, 1 pack-
et, or Pro-Fusion protein
powder, 2 scoops in water
Meal 3 (postworkout)*
RecoverX, 2 scoops in water
or chocolate milk, 10 oz.
Meal 4
Vanilla lowfat Greek yogurt
with pecans stirred in
or lowfat cottage cheese
with banana
Meal 5
Pro-Fusion protein powder,
1 scoop in water or Think
Thin or Quest protein bar
Meal 6
Chicken
Broccoli or asparagus
Wild rice
Calories: 1,450
Protein: 130 grams
(36 percent)
Fat: 40 grams
(26 percent)
Carbs: 140 grams
(38 percent)
Becky Holmans Daily Diet
Old School New Body
64
Meal 1
Oatmeal with blueberries
Protein drink or 2-3 eggs
Coffee or tea
Meal 2 (Postworkout)*
Protein pudding or Muscle
Meals meal replacement, 1
packet, in water
Apple
Meal 3
Grilled chicken breast
Large salad
with half sliced avocado
with olive oil and balsamic
vinegar
Small yam
Meal 4
Muscle Meals
meal replacement, 1 pack-
et, in water
Meal 5
Grilled white fish
Steamed broccoli
Brown rice, 1/2 cup
Meal 6
1 scoop in water
or Greek yogurt
Meal 7
1 scoop in water
or Greek yogurt
Calories: 2,200
Protein: 220 grams
(38 percent)
Fat: 55 grams
(30 percent)
Carbs: 150 grams
(32 percent)
John Rowleys Daily Diet
Keep in mind that in lean shape Steve weighs around 200 pounds,
Becky weighs 135 to 140 and John weighs around 210. You'll notice a few
commonalities with each of our diets:
Many small meals spaced fairly evenly apart
Protein at every feeding
Enough fat for around 25 to 30 percent of calories
Daily protein and carb intakes that are very close to the same (John
is a bit more carb sensitive, so he strives for slightly lower carbs and
higher proteinnote that genetics plays a large role in how many carbs
you can tolerate)
To get leaner, carbs can be gradually reduced over time. For example,
when Steve is going for maximum leanness, he will delete his morning glass
of orange juice and night time wine (most of the time) or reduce the carbs
and increase protein in his postworkout drink (two scoops of Recover-X and
one scoop of straight protein). Becky and John will reduce fruit and/or rice.
Old School New Body
65
They may also reduce portions at some meals to gradually decrease
calories over time, but the real keys are keeping protein in the bloodstream
to build muscle and prevent it from being burned for energyand no insulin
surges. Remember, insulin causes the body to store fat and ages you.
Surges in that hormone are caused by overly large meals and/or too many
fast-absorbing carbohydrates, like soft drinks, desserts, bread, pasta, etc.
Eat clean to get and stay lean.
Cheat Your Way to Victory
Speaking of carbs, notice in our diets that ours fluctuate. On nonworkout
days we eliminate our postworkout drink and eat, say, a handful of nuts
instead. That calorie/carb zig-zag keeps our metabolisms revved and
burning fat. That metabolic boost happens with cheat meals too.
When anything is too restrictive, it won't work for long because we
rebel. Eventually we crave ice cream or pizza. And that's why cheating is
mandatory, although we now call it "victorious eating"because that's a
more positive spinand it is positive.
We set aside one 24-hour period each week to loosen our diets. It's a
Victory Day to reward ourselves for a week of eating excellence. We start
on Saturday afternoon, maybe eat a burger with fries, grab some ice cream,
eat a sandwich in front of the TV, or even get some sushiheck, some of us
even down a margarita or two.
Then on Sunday morning we're free to eat some waffles with the kids or
even go to brunch with friendscomplete with dessert if we want it. But by
Sunday afternoon, we're sick of the freedom and craving a return to healthy
eating. (Sometimes we will also allow ourselves a dessert on Wednesdays
as well, but nothing excessive.)
The Victory Day is not only a mental break, but it's good for your goals as
well. Your body gets used to anything if you stick to it long enough, and that
slows your metabolism. We won't bore you with the technical reasoning
but it has to do with hormones like leptin.
Just understand that when you "shock" your system with the occasional
influx of calories at one timenot all the timeyour metabolism increases
to kick start your "furnace" into high gear again, preventing stagnation.
We set aside
one 24-hour
period each
week to loosen
our diets. It's
a Victory Day
to reward
ourselves for a
week of eating
excellence.
Old School New Body
66
Carb Zig-Zagging: Rev Your Lean Machine
One of the big reasons our diets are so effective is that the
carbohydrate count fluctuates automatically. You should do that too
in order to keep your metabolism stoked, shoveling bodyfat into the
furnace for energy.
For example, on workout days you include a postworkout
shake, which supplies 40 to 60 grams of carbs. You delete that on
nonworkout days and replace it with a high-protein, low-carb food,
like eggs or nuts (see the * on our diets). So if you work out three
days a week, the other three days your carbs are lower. It's a carb/
calorie zig-zag.
Ah, three workout days and three nonworkout days, but there's
one day leftand that's your Victory day, when you're allowed
to splurge somewhat. You'll no doubt exceed your normal carb
intake, and that's fine. A surge in calories and carbs will keep your
metabolism humming alongas long as you don't go crazy with too
much food, especially all at once. Overloading your system will cause
fat deposition, don't kid yourself. It's like trying to overfill your car's
gas tank so you can go farther. That doesn't work; it just spills over
much like excess carbs at a meal spill over into your fat cells.
Remember, big meals cause more
insulin to surge, and that means more
fat storage. Keep your meals moderate,
even on cheat, er um, Victory day, and
you'll keep the lean machine revved to
the max.
Note: For a more detailed
explanation, see Jon Benson's new
Every Other Day Diet e-book. It includes
complete diets, recipes, food analysis
and more.
Old School New Body
67
Old School, New Body Eating Tips
1) Stop eating crap. That includes fast-digesting, white carbs like
pastries, rice, bread, potatoes, pasta and desserts. Doing this alone
will make a major difference! (Some is okay on Victory Daysee #4.)
2) Eat five to six smaller meals a day, most with protein.
That will keep you burning fat and building muscle with a faster-
running metabolism.
3) Keep your carb intake between 100 grams and 250
grams a day, depending on your goals, activity and tolerance. Also
keep that number fluctuatinghigher on workout daysto keep
your metabolism stoked.
4) Have a Victory Day. Celebrate six days of consistent eating
and training with a loose-diet dayjust don't go overboard and
eat an entire pizza; keep it moderate but go ahead and splurge a
bit to keep your metabolism revved. (Note: Some may find this too
tempting to binge. In that case we recommend two Victory meals,
one on Sunday and one on Wednesday.)
5) Get some fast carbs and protein immediately following
every workout. That will replenish your muscles.
6) Try to get fewer carbs at nightvegetables and every so
often some fruitskip the fast carbs when the sun sets (see #1).
7) Lose one to two pounds of fat a weekwhen trying to
reduce. That's a realistic, healthy goal; any more could be muscle, so
keep it gradual and steady. Be patient; don't rush it. However...
8) Don't rely on the scale. Remember, youre burning fat and
building muscle. You could gain four pounds of muscle and lose four
pounds of fat, keeping your weight the same. Go by how you look in
the mirror or photos and how your clothes fitwaist getting looser.
9) Reduce carb intake or portion sizes slightlywhen trying
to lean out further. That's how to gradually decrease your daily
calorie intake if you hit a sticking point.
10) Monitor your fat loss with photos. Seeing the outline of
the abdominal muscles when under overhead lighting is a good goal
for men; women should simply strive for a flat stomach, as getting
bodyfat stores too low can cause female-hormone inefficiencies and
loss of menstruation (it may sound good, but it's not).
Old School New Body
68
Old School, New Body Diet Q&A
Q: I have a hard time eating the same things every day. Are
there any options?
A: Becky is the same way, so here are some of her alternate meals. They
will work for men too.
Option 1
High-fiber cereal
with milk (2%)
Piece of fruit
Small protein shake
Option 2
Oatmeal with
protein powder (optional)
Boiled eggs, 2
Option 3
(Quick Blender Blast)
Lowfat yogurt (any flavor), 6 oz.
Milk (2%), 8 oz.
Protein powder, 1 scoop
Ice cubes for texture (optional)
Water to thin (if necessary)
Option 4
Cottage cheese, 8 oz.
Pears (canned in own juice),
4 halves
Option 5
Greek yogurt, 6-8 oz.
Pecans or walnuts (handful
stirred into yogurt)
Option 6
Lean beef or turkey burger, 8 oz.
Banana, 1
Option 7
(On-the-Road Lunch)
Turkey or beef jerky, 4 oz.
Raisins, 1 small box
Option 8
Wolfgang Pucks Chicken and
Egg Noodle soup, 1 serv.
or other soup with less
than 15 g. carbs
Cheese, 28 g. (1 oz.)
Option 9
Chicken tacos, 2
Sliced tomato, 1
Option 10
Egg omelet
3 whole eggs,
green peppers, onions,
mushrooms
Option 11
Chicken Cesear salad with light
dressing (no croutons)
Option 12
Lean beef patty, 6 oz.
Green beans, 1 cup
Small green salad with light
dressing
Lean Meal Options
Old School New Body
69
Keep in mind that any of those meals will work in place of any other
meal; however, some are more suited for breakfast, while others are more
suited for lunch or dinner. Not many people are going to want Option 11:
lean beef patty, green beans and a salad when they first wake up.
Q: Shouldnt I cut out all milk and other dairy foods when Im
trying to get lean?
A: Only if you're allergic. New research finds that milk and other
dairy products can reduce your fat cells tendency to store calories.
Michael Zemel, chairman of the nutrition department at the University of
Tennessee in Knoxville, is one of the leading researchers delving into the
phenomenon. In one study he put 32 people who needed to lose weight
on reduced-calorie diets, but some of the diets included three to four
servings of dairy daily.
Six months later all the subjects
had lost weight, but those who
were eating dairy lost 70 percent
moreabout 19 pounds of fat
compared with only 11 pounds in
the subjects who didnt eat dairy.
Zemel says the reason is that when
theres plenty of calcium in the
blood, fat cells get the message to
quit storing fat and start burning it.
On the other hand, when calcium
levels are low, the cells hoard fat.
Other studies verify those
findings. In the mid-90s Connie
Weaver and Dorothy Teegarden
conducted a study at Purdue
University to observe the bone
health of women between the ages
of 18 and 31but they noticed something else: Women who ate a diet
that included milk, cheese or yogurt lost or maintained their weight, while
those who didnt put on pounds.
Six months
later all the
subjects had
lost weight,
but those who
were eating
dairy lost 70
percent more.
Old School New Body
70
CHAPTER 11
The Truth About Alcohol:
Not Too Bad After All
Alcohol is very misunderstood. Many people believe its just empty
calories, so if you stay under your calorie limit for fat burning, alcohol is
okay. That sounds good, but theres more to it than that.
When you drink alcohol, youre getting extra
calories, true, but youre also giving your body an
additional fuel source. Your body has to burn off the
alcohol first, so fat burning stops. Not so bad, you
say, because that happens when you eat a meal.
The problem comes when you eat while you drink
alcoholtheres no place for your body to put the
food calories except in your fat cells.
Your body uses alcohol for energy first. So if
youre drinking alcohol and eating, most of those
food calories are going right to your fat cells.
Thats why its so dangerous to drink at a bar while
snacking on pretzels and chipsprocessed carbs!
Youre feeding those fat cells big time. The solution
is to eat a healthy meal with some fat an hour or so before you start to
drink. Include some cheese or nuts because fat slows digestion.
Also understand that drinking alcohol lowers your blood sugar; it doesnt
raise it the way a meal does. So drinking alcohol with no food in your
stomach will get most people ravenously hungry. Thats the reason for all of
those bowls of chips and pretzels at your local bar. When people drink, their
body tells them to eat. A healthy meal before will help.
Old School New Body
71
Youre much more likely to binge out of control if youre buzzed and your
stomach is emptyplus, you get zonked faster. You could kill an entire
week of dieting in one crazy binge-blasting night.
One last problem to keep in mind before we get to some positives:
Alcohol can depress testosterone, the anabolic hormone that not only
contributes to your muscle growth but also helps lean you out. In other
words, lowering your T by drinking will make it more difficult to build
muscle and burn fat.
Now for the good news. Moderate alcohol consumption can be good for
you. Two five-ounce drinks a night is the limit in most cases. In fact, most
nights during the week, when we are not trying to get down to extremely
low bodyfat levels, we have a couple of drinksusually red winewith
dinner. That has the most proven health benefits and has fewer carbs than
beer. A few studies have shown red wine to have fat-burning properties as
wellwhich is kind of strange considering alcohol can lower testosterone
to a degree.
If and when you drink, do it early in the evening, as it can disrupt your
sleep if you have it too lateafter eight. If you're really trying to lean out
fast, having a few drinks on cheat day is okaybut try to keep it at one or
two days a week only.
Alcohol
lowers your
blood sugar...
so you're
much more
likely to binge
out of control
if you're
buzzed and
your stomach
is empty.
Old School New Body
72
CHAPTER 12
Your Three Key
Fat-to-Muscle Supplements
Supplements are not mandatory for success on the Old School, New
Body program, but they can speed results and make eating right more
conventient. That's especially true of protein supplements.
1) Protein. Protein intake, like carbs, is activity dependent. If you do lots
of work that breaks down muscle tissuelike lifting weights or wrestling
alligatorsyou need many more grams of protein than sedentary individuals.
We mentioned that a good rule of thumb is about one gram per pound of
bodyweight, and that should be spread
out over the course of your day. So if
you weigh 180 pounds, you should strive
for 180 grams of protein per day, give or
take.
That's a hard number to reach with
solid food, which is why you see protein
shakes in our diets in Chapter 10. We
prefer a meal replacement with a protein
array of casein, egg and wheylike
Muscle-Link's Muscle Meals. It also has an excellent balance of vitamins and
minerals as well as good fat, including omega-3s and conjugated linoleic
acid (CLA), which has been shown in clinical studies to boost fat burning.
There are many good meal replacements out there, so check around.
Labrada Nutrition's Lean Body is also excellent.
Old School New Body
73
2) Branched-chain amino acids. The essential amino acid L-leucine
has proven itself in recent studies to be the primary spark for protein
synthesis that leads to muscle growth. BCAAs have it in abundance, but
these muscle-building aminos do more than allow you to build muscle
faster. Top nutrition researcher Jerry Brainum explains why BCAAs are so
important:
Levels of testosterone, a major anabolic hormone,
were higher when men [in one study] took BCAA
supplements.
The results showed that with BCAAs, cortisol
levels and levels of an enzyme released during muscle
breakdown called creatine kinase, were both reduced
compared to when the same subjects didnt get BCAAs.
(Remember, cortisol is a stress hormone that can cause
your body to store fat and burn musclebad deal.)
Studies show a relationship between fat burning in
muscle and the subsequent oxidation of BCAAs.
It turns out that BCAAs appear to promote the fat-to-muscle activity of
growth hormone and testosterone.
Anabolic effects, fat burning, hormone boostingnow you see why
BCAAs are key for your body transformation. Weve recently discovered
a high-potency BCAA product that we really like because it not only has
the branched-chain aminosleucine, valine and isoleucinein generous
amounts but also glutamine, a key recovery and immune-boosting amino,
and vitamin B6, which helps your body use BCAAs more efficiently and
effectively. Its SANs BCAA-PRO caps. Were so convinced of BCAAs
importance that we take two to five caps before and after our weight and
cardio workouts and also before many solid-food meals.
3) Phosphatidylserine. This soy lipid has been shown in countless
research studies to decrease cortisol output. [Fahey, T., and Pearl, M.
(1998). Biol Sport. 15:135-144.]
Remember cortisol is a stress hormone that forces your body to shovel
muscle into the energy furnace. That means when your cortisol is high, the
other supplements you're using become less effective (that's like flushing
Old School New Body
74
your money down the toilet) and a lot of your effort
in the gym is wasted. High cortisol also smothers
growth hormone and testosterone, two of your
most anabolic hormones that also have fat-burning
properties, so controlling cortisol will make T and GH
more powerful.
High cortisol levels also cause extreme carb
cravings, which can boost your bodyfat stores
quickly. Plus, high cortisol stops the fat-burning
process in its tracks. Its a protective mechanism that
encourages expendable muscle to be annihilated for
energy as fat is preserved for famine, or starvation
(Gee thanks, Mother Nature).
PS is all natural, and 600 to 800 milligrams has
been shown to blunt cortisol output by more than 30
percent. Bonus: Its also been shown to boost mental acuity and focus, so
PS can help you generate more intensity and preserve brain function as
you age. Thats why we recommend two to four capsules of Cort-Bloc as
the last of our top 3 optional supplements:
Meal replacement (preferably with a whey-casein-egg-protein array)
Use between solid-food meals.
Branched-chain amino acids (2 to 5 capsules) Use before meals
and/or before and after a workout.
Phosphatidylserine (600 to 800 milligrams, usually 2 to 4 capsules)
Use before your workout.
Honorable mention goes to creatine. It's been shown to facilitate the
muscle-building process and even decrease the risk of brain degeneration
in the elderly; however, If you eat read meat fairly frequently, you don't
need a creatine supplement. If you don't, use it right after your workout,
about five grams.
Old School New Body
75
Caffeine and L-Carnitine: Fat-Burning Gasoline?
Research indicates that caffeine not only gives you an energy boost but can
also help you contract your muscles harder because it stimulates your central
nervous systemand it can help you burn more fat during exercise. Studies
show better fat metabolism during activity when a person is caffeinated.
An organic substance you can use to help bolster caffeine's fat-burning
abilities is L-carnitine, an amino acid thats directly responsible for transporting
long-chain triglycerides, or fat, into the cells for energy production. In other
words, it shuttles fat into the cell mitochondria, where its burned in a process
called beta-oxidation.
Remember that F4X training, with its short rests
between sets and 40-second tension times per
set, helps fortify the mitochondria, those fat-
burning powerhouses.
So along with your F4X workouts, a small
amount of caffeine and daily use of L-carnitine,
can enhance your blubber-busting efforts.
If you don't have an aversion to it, use a small
amount of caffeinesay a cup of coffeebefore
your workouts. As for L-carnitine, weve found that
one to three grams before bed can produce good
effects in most people.
Old School New Body
76
#1 Thing to Start Dropping Fat Now
Q: Whats the number-one thing I can do to start dropping fat
immediately, and what's the number-one fat-burning mistake?
A: The number-one thing you can do to start dropping fat is weight-
training exercisepreferably with F4X! If you mean from a dietary
standpoint, the first thing you should always do is get rid of the crap food
most of the time and start eating five to six protein-based meals a day.
As we said, protein has a
higher energy cost than carbs,
so protein-based meals will help
you burn more calories and, if
you keep your meals smallin
the 300-calorie rangeyoull
limit insulin production. Thats a
good thing because insulin stops
fat burning and helps your body
store excess calories as bodyfat.
The only time insulin is good is
immediately after a workout to
help shuttle protein and carbs into
your muscles. Research shows
that even 100 grams of carbs
after a workout wont increase fat
deposits.
As for the number-one fat-burning mistake, that's over-aggressiveness.
People tend to get all gung-ho and cut calories too low right off the bat.
CHAPTER 13
Old School, New Body Q&A
With Jonathan
Lawson, in his 20s,
whom Steve trained.
Old School New Body
77
They often do the same with exercise, trying to work out every day of the
week. You have to gradually coax your body to get leaner. After all, you
wouldn't decide you're going to be stronger, go to the gym and try to
bench press 500 pounds, would you? Give it timepatience is a virtue.
Solutions for Sluggish Bowels
Q: Ive tried higher-protein, low-carb diets, and they tend
to constipate me. Is there anything I can do to alleviate that
problem?
A: That can happen on low-carb diets because most dietary fiber
comes from carbsfruits and vegetables. Our diets are medium-carb, so
you shouldnt have that problem. We often include oatmeal in the morning,
an apple at lunch and cruciferous vegetables in the evening. The balanced
calcium-magnesium mix in our meal replacement supplement also helps
if you don't use one, you can take calcium-magnesium capsules.
Nevertheless, everyones system is different, and even we run into it
now and again. For insurance we sometimes use psyllium husk powder
at night. Two tablespoons in a protein drink or in water will keep things
moving, and it will also help fill up your stomach more to decrease
appetite. So if you tend to get hungry at night, psyllium husk powder can
help keep you regular and curb cravings.
How the Scale Can Trick You
Q: I weigh around 215 right now. If I want to maintain a
fit 190-to-200-pound bodyweight, should I try to drop all 25
pounds to 190 with diet, and then train to build the muscle,
or should I just strive to drop 10 to 15 pounds and use weight
training to replace the fat with lean muscle at the same time?
A: First, you shouldnt be so hung up on weighing a certain amount. In
fact, you probably shouldnt weigh yourself too often. Go by how you look
(take photos every few weeks instead). If youre losing notches on your
belt, youre losing fat.
When you lose fat and gain muscle, you redistribute your weight. In
other words, youll look completely different if you lose 10 pounds of fat
and add 10 pounds of muscle, but youll weigh exactly the same. Think
You'll look
completely
different if
you lose 10
pounds of
fat and add
10 pounds of
muscle, but
you'll weigh
exactly the
same.
Old School New Body
78
about that, and let it sink in. Step away from the scale!
Concentrate on working out with weights, being consistent and putting
in the effort; plus, keeping your eating relatively clean. Youll be amazed at
the changes your body will make.
The Real Secret to Midsection Perfection
Q: I want abs. What exercises should I do to get a six-pack?
A: Believe it or not, getting abs is more about losing
bodyfat than exercise. Almost anyone will have abs if
they get down to below 8 percent bodyfat, and the diet
advice in this e-book will get you to that point as quickly
as possible.
You can do a lot to achieve deeper lines of delineation
in your midsection with exercise, however. Those lines
you seeor want to seeare caused by tendons
running across and down the muscle, so the more developed your rectus
abdominis, the long, flat muscle that runs from your ribcage to your pelvis,
the deeper the creases. A great ab program is one that is full-range:
kneeups (midrange) and full-range crunches (stretch and contracted).
That will give you a little more muscle in the midsection and deepen those
creasesbut the major player in getting abs is losing fat (diet).
Back Off for a Better Body
Q: What if I have a body part that responds too quicklylike I
don't want really muscular legs?
A: Use less intensity and/or fewer exercises. For example, if you do a
standard F4X sequence, make sure the weight is light enough so the fourth
set is fairly easydon't push it to failure. That will get blood to the muscle
without triggering much growth.
You can also do just one exercise, preferably the compound, or
multijoint, move. For example, squats for thighs, bench presses for chest,
pulldowns for back, etc. Do low-intensity F4X as described above on that
one exercise. If the muscle is still growing too fast, train it every other week
or even once a month.
Old School New Body
79
Less Cardio for a Leaner Look
Q: I've always heard I should
concentrate on cardio to burn fat,
using weights only secondarily. You
say the opposite. Why?
A: We've explained why throughout
this e-book, so now allow us to quote our
colleague Jon Benson, author of Fit Over 40.
He explains it well:
"Most people over the
age of 35 have it totally
backwards, especially
the ladiesits intense
cardiovascular work
(you know, for heart health?) followed by minimum-
intensity resistance training, if theres any resistance
training at all. Utterly and completely backwards.
"You absolutely must focus on brief, burst-style
resistance training three to four days per week.
Before, after, or any time you choose, hit the treadmill
or the outdoors for a brisk walk. Thats righta walk.
Leave intense cardio for post-workout training only,
and then only for 15 to 20 minutes. That is all you
need.
"What you really need is lean muscle mass to
burn off more calories, and keep insulin from driving
more fat into fat cells by granting it a diversion
in the form of anabolism [or muscle growth]. Insulin also feeds muscle
tissue glucose. This kills many birds with one kick-ass stone. Your heart
will not sufferin fact, study after study has demonstrated that nominal
cardiovascular activity, such as walking, is superior for long-term health
when accompanied by intense resistance exercise."
We couldn't have said it better ourselvesalthough we make a stab at it
throughout this e-book. Thanks, Jon.
Old School New Body
80
Macronutrient Facts and Figures
Q: You say to keep protein and carbs at around 35 to 40
percent of calories and fat at around 20 to 25 percent. How do
you figure those macronutrient percentages?
A: Say you eat a meal that contains 360 calories, 32 grams of carbs, 40
grams of protein and 8 grams of fat. What are the percentages? Heres
how to figure that out:
1) Convert grams to calories. There are four calories in every gram of
protein and carbohydrate and nine in every gram of fat.
32 g. of carbs x 4 calories = 128 calories from carbs
40 g. of protein x 4 calories = 160 calories from protein
8 g. of fat x 9 calories = 72 calories from fat
2) Now divide each of those figures by the calorie total:
128 carb calories 360 = .35 (or 35%)
160 protein calories 360 = .44 (or 44%)
72 fat calories 360 = .21 (or 21%)
Your New-Body, Supplement-Free Shake
Q: What if I can't afford supplements? Is there anything I can
eat between meals to keep my blood sugar steady so I don't go
into famine and burn muscle? How about after a workout?
A: If you don't have the funds for a meal replacement, heres a
convenient blender drink, the OSNB Power Shake. No supplements
necessary, so its inexpensive and quite effective for providing your system
with what it needs for recovery and growth.
OSNB Power Shake
6 to 8 ounces lowfat Greek yogurt (flavor optional)
1 medium banana (delete if using flavored yogurt)
1 cup milk (1 or 2 percent fat)
ice cubes for texture (optional)
water to thin (if necessary)
This drink gives you the following totals:
What you
really need is
lean muscle
mass to burn
off more
calories, and
keep insulin
from driving
more fat into
fat cells.
Jon Benson
Old School New Body
81
Calories, 488
Carbohydrates, 65 grams
Protein, 30 grams
Fat, 8 grams
You could divide it and drink half midmorning
and the other half midafternoon.
Immediately after your workout you can drink
chocolate milkmake it lowfat, as the fat slows
digestion. You want quick entry of the carbs
and protein into your bloodstream.
Natural Growth Hormone Boosters
Q: I get that growth hormone is very important as we age. What
about GH-boosting supplements?
A: These can be hit or miss, but one weve tried and do like is GH Stak.
Remember, you want to do everything you can to increase GH naturally
because it helps burn bodyfat and synergizes with anabolic hormones like
testosterone to make your muscle-building efforts more productive.
GH Stak was developed by noted pharmacologist James Jamieson, who
also invented the patch delivery system for drugs. It comes in effervescent
(like Alka-Seltzer) packets of powder, which contain a number of natural
growth hormone activators along with anterior pituitary peptides that
normalize somatostatin, a hormone that can shut down GH receptors.
Thats extremely important because if you elevate GH, you want to minimize
any substance that can smother its effects (that includes the stress
hormone cortisol as well).
Because your stomach should be fairly empty when you take it, we prefer
to use it it before bed. If you eat your last meal around 7, taking GH Stak
around 10 should be fine.
Does it work? A big proponent of GH Stak is Dave Goodin, 53-year-old
IFBB pro bodybuilder who is lifetime drug-free. Here's what he says about it:
I use GH Stak religiously, and not only has it helped me maintain my
Old School New Body
82
championship physique into my 50s, but it also dramatically decreased
the amount of time it took me to recover from surgery to repair a ruptured
hamstring tendon in 2007. My surgeon was amazed at how quickly I was
up and walking after surgeryI was about four weeks ahead of schedule.
I healed so quickly that I won the open overall at my first show back,
the 08 NPC John Sherman Classic, at age 49, just 11 months after the
reattachment. If youre over 40 and youre not taking GH Stak, youre really
missing out.
The 2 True Fat Burners
Q: What about fat burners? Do they work?
A: A meta analysis, which is a review of multiple studies on a specific
subject, performed at the University of Birmingham in Great Britain, found
that caffeine and green tea were the only supplements supported by
research. That's about it. [Obesity Reviews, 12:841-851. 2011.]
Most people don't drink a lot of green tea, although it can be a good
appetite suppressant at night. If you're not a tea-sipper, try green tea
supplements. Take with meals.
As for caffeine, 100 milligrams or so before a workout can make a
good one great because it improves muscular contraction, mobilizes fat
for energy and flat out gives you more zip. If it's coffee you choose, that
beverage has been shown to have significant health benefits due to its
numerous antioxidants.
So go for the Starbucks before trainingas long as your workout isn't
too late in the day. It takes your body about six hours to metabolize it all,
so drinking it late afternoon could affect your sleep.
Note that we have recently found L-carnitine to help the fat-burning
process via fortifying the mitochondria, as we mentioned in Chapter 12.
The Must-Use Depression-Busting, Immune-Boosting
Nutrient Combo
Q: Are there any supplements I should be taking to improve
my overall health as I get older? I seem to get depressed and
heard it may be a nutritional deficiency.
As for caffeine,
100 milligrams
or so before
a workout
can make
a good one
great because
it improves
muscular
contraction,
mobilizes fat
for energy and
flat out gives
you more zip.
Old School New Body
83
A: Often depression in men is caused by low testosterone, and simply
lifting weights with the F4X System a few times a week will remedy the
situation. If you've read this far, you know that we're obviously big fans of
that approach.
You may also want to try taking fish oil. The omega-3 fatty acids
have been shown to help skin and hair quality and can also ward off
inflammation, which is connected to multiple diseases including cancer
and cardiovascular problems. Those properties may be why omega-3s can
help relieve depression too.
According to Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D., People with depression may
have low blood levels of brain chemicals called eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These chemicals are found in fish
oil. The best dose of fish oil isn't clear, but it appears that supplements
containing 100 to 300 milligrams of either EPA or a
combination of EPA and DHA may be helpful in relieving
depression.
We take a couple of fish oil capsules in the morning with
breakfast and two more at night with dinner. Or we use
a few spoonfuls of Carlson's fish oil, which has a lemon
flavor. It's a great product.
Another important supplement as we age is vitamin D.
The latest studies have caused researchers to suggest a
much higher need for D than previously believed. Scientists
say that these days more than 70 percent of Americans
are D deficient, and because it impacts everything from
the immune system to hormone levels, low D levels appear to be linked to
rising cancer rates and depression.
According to Oliver Gillie in Sunlight Robbery, A billion or more people
in Europe obtain insufficient sunlight and vitamin D putting them at
increases risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, multiple sclerosis
and the common cancers.... This epidemic of chronic disease caused by
insufficient vitamin D is probably as large as the epidemics caused by
smoking and obesity, but the importance of vitamin D for health is still not
properly recognized by governments."
Old School New Body
84
There are no foods rich in vitamin D; people need to get it from sun
exposure. Since most of us use sunscreen and are not in the sun often
enough, D deficiency is rampant. If you're interested in your health, take at
least 2,000 I.U. of vitamin D3 a day, especially in the winter when you get
almost zero sun exposure.
If you lift weights consistently and use the above recommendations, you
should get a testosterone boostevident by a rise in libido. If not, see your
doctor about hormone replacement therapy. HRT can restore your T to
normal levels.
Menopause Malfunctions
Q: I'm an over-50 woman just reaching menopause. What can I
do about the bloat, hot flashes, back pain and general fatigue.
A: First, assuming you've talked to your doctor and he or she has done
everything possible for you, get on the OSNB program. Lifting weights a
few days a week with the F4X System will increase your growth hormone
and help balance your other key hormones like estrogen and testosterone.
Not to keep harping on it, but lifting weights is one of the best things you
can do throughout your life to keep your body lean, healthy, energetic and
firing on all cylinders. Of course, you need to eat right most of the time as
well.
Menopausal abdominal bloat will often cause back problems. As we
mentioned in Chapter 3, Joint Rejuvenation, a bloated abdomen pulls the
spine forward, bowing it and putting undue stress on the lower vertebrae.
The best thing you can do is stay trim and keep your core strong. Oops,
we're back to preaching about lifting weights again. If you need more
motivation than that to pump some iron, keep reading...
More Motivation for New-Body Results
Q: I think I'm ready to make my new body happen, but how
do I keep my motivation strong? I've felt like this before, but it
always cools before I get results. I'm in my mid-40s.
A: First, go back and read Chapter 4 on motivation. Then you may
want to reread Becky's story. You'll realize that the first step is making a
commitment and a promise to yourself to get it done with no deviation. It
Lifting weights
is one of the
best things
you can do
throughout
your life to
keep your
body lean,
healthy,
energetic and
firing on all
cylinders.
Old School New Body
85
helps to set a deadlinesuch as the first day of summer or a vacation or a
reunion. Events can help keep you in gear most of the year.
You gotta be persistent and patient. Your new body wont sprout
overnight. It takes time (but not as much as you may think). That means you
have to enjoy the ride if youre going to stick with the Old School New Body
program and reap its incredible benefits throughout your life. In other words,
you must do what it takes to keep yourself hitting the gym on a regular basis
and eating correctly most of the time.
Look within yourself and be honest. How many days a week will you
work out? How much time are you willing to spend in the gym or training
at home? If you prefer short workouts or you simply dont have time for the
more elaborate routines, use the four-exercise F4X LEAN Workout. Even
if you only do it twice a week, you will make some progress, and that may
motivate you to work out more often and/or move to a more extensive
program.
Then again, some people thrive on a daily routine. If that's you, exercise
every day. For example, if you are doing the F4X LEAN Workout, use it every
day, but every other workout do only two-set or three-set sequences with
the same weight you use for the normal four. That will make the workout
stimulating without being intenseyou'll get blood to the muscles and feel
invigorated without overtraining.
So Monday you would do the weight workout with four sets for each
exercise, last set of each sequence to muscular failure; Tuesday with two
sets, zero sets to muscular failure; Wednesday with four, last set of each
sequence to muscular failure; Thursday, two, zero sets to muscular failure,
and so on. Another option is to do weights on one day and a cardio session
on the other. Do whatever keeps you keeping on!
If your workouts ever get dull, dont hesitate to change things. And if you
feel like youre dragging, dont be afraid to take time off to recharge your
batteriesbut always return to it. Don't quit!
Here's something else to consider: Most people start an exercise program
to lose weight. That makes sense because in our nation of abundance and
eating misinformation its easy to get fatvery fat. Research out of the
University of Michigan now suggests a paradigm shift in attitude that can
help you stick with your workouts. Instead of exercising to lose weight, think
Working out
consistently
is all about
health,
longevity,
independence
for the
duration and
overall quality
of life, not just
looking better.
Old School New Body
86
of your workouts as improving your well-being. Subjects in the study
were 34 percent more likely to stick with it when they had that attitude
as opposed to doing it to just lose weight. Its about health, longevity,
independence for the duration and overall quality of life, not just looking
better.
It can also be easier to stick with it if you have a partner. Find someone
to depend on and who can depend on you to be there for the workouts.
They should have the same goals as you
and be dependableno slackers who
miss more workouts than they make. By
the way, the F4X method is perfect with
a partneryou do your set, which lasts
about 40 seconds, then your partner
does his or her set. You just go back and
forth until you complete the designated
number of sets in the F4X sequence.
And always remember: Enjoy the
journey. Otherwise, you may get a flat tire
on the road to new-body success. Keep
those tires pumped up and your body
tuned up like a Formula-One racer, and
life will be much more enjoyable for the
duration.
See you at the gym!
Old School New Body
87
Warning: Advanced Training Section
This last section of OSNB is for those interested in a more serious
bodybuilding program. It's based on the training of one of the greatest short
physique competitors of all time, Danny Padilla, who competed in the 70s and
80s. He was notorious for getting in ripped contest condition quicklyplenty
of muscle with very low bodyfatthanks to his version of density training
that's similar to F4X. Here's how one of his workout partners, David Young,
describes it:
Danny would use the same weight on all his sets and do five sets of 12
reps. That meant the first two sets were not-to-failure sets, but by set three
he was close, and sets four and five were a fight to get the 12 reps if at all. He
rested 45 to 60 seconds between those sets. Once he could get 12 reps on
all five sets, he would increase the weight at the next workout. Danny thrived
on [this density training], and he equated the sets to knocking off the soldiers
[fast-twitch muscle fibers] one by one with each rep of each set.
Danny usually did five sets, not four, per exercise and he used more
exercises for each muscle group than what is prescribed in the next chapter;
however, you should use the advanced program outlined as a starting point
after you have had at least six months of consistent, basic weight training.
It's one of the most efficient, productive bodybuilding-style workouts around
based on sound science, as you'll see...
Old School New Body
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Most trainees will do fine with either the F4X LEAN Workout or the F4X
SHAPE Workout; however, some may want a more advanced program
even if it's just for a few weeks. Positions of Flexion is a very thorough
program Steve developed with the help of college researchers and other
experts when he was in his 20s that took his physique to new heightsand
he still uses it today in his 50s.
POF works each muscle
through its full range of motion
with two to three exercises.
Full range means you get more
complete development and
fiber activation. It's evolved over
the years and is why Steve's
physique evolvedhe was able
to retrain his crappy genetics
his parents each weighed
around 100 pounds when they
were marriedto where he now
looks like a bodybuilder. He's
no Arnold, but considering his
spaghetti-armed distance-runner
structure early on, his results are fairly spectacular. Becky will also use a
POF program similar to the one on the following pages for a few weeks if
she's looking for that extra muscular boost, but she mostly relies on the F4X
SHAPE Workout and the F4X LEAN Workout most of the time.
CHAPTER 14
Advanced Training
The Full-Range BUILD Workout
Steve
in his
40s.
Steve
in his
teens.
Old School New Body
89
POF trains a muscle from three distinct angles, or positions, and it
works for a number of reasonsnamely synergy, maximum muscle fiber
recruitment, peak contraction and range of motion.
Synergy. This is muscle teamwork, and its the reason the big, basic
exercises like squats are so effective at building muscle quickly. A number of
muscles work together so you can drive up heavy poundages. For example,
during the bench press the pectorals (chest), triceps and deltoids work as
a team to generate the most power possible. The human body is designed
to function in this manner, which means that compound, or multi-joint,
exercises are the best movements to start with.
Fiber recruitment. By incorporating an exercise that puts the target
bodypart in an slightly overextended, or stretched, state, like flyes for chest,
you can better activate what's known as the myotatic reflex. When the
muscle is stretched, the nervous system sends an emergency response
signal to the brain and a maximum number of muscle fibers are recruited.
Using this prestretch reflex can help you get to fibers you couldnt recruit
with other exercises. For example, after you do bench presses, you move
to dumbbell flyes, a stretch-position exercise for your pecs, to jolt reserve
fibers into action. Stretch has also been shown to improve and multiply
anabolic receptors on muscle.
Peak contraction. Now that you have the majority of the fibers
attention, you use an exercise that puts the target bodypart in a position
to contract against resistance, with resistance occurring through the
entire stroke for tension and occlusion, or blood-flow blockage. That puts
an exclamation point on your size-building routine. If you remember the
discussion about the muscle fibers' sarcoplasm, that energy fluid gets
major expansion with these exercisesonce the set is finished, a tidal wave
of blood rushes in for a tremendous skin-stretching pump. For example,
after bench presses (midrange) and flyes (stretch), you end your chest
routine with cable crossovers or machine flyescontinuous muscle tension
throughout.
Range of motion. By training the three positionsmidrange (synergy),
stretch (myotatic reflex) and contracted (tension/occlusion)you work
the target muscle through its full range of motionno stretching sessions
necessaryand you get better overall muscle and strength gains along with
flexibility and stronger joints.
You work the

target muscle
through its
full range of
motionno
stretching
sessions
necessary
and you get
better overall
muscle and
strength
gains.
Old School New Body
90
For example, you train the biceps middle range with barbell curls. Note
that while this movement doesnt fully stretch or completely contract the
bi's, it does work them with some synergy, or muscle teamwork. To train
your biceps at the point of full stretch, you must perform an exercise in
which your arms are back behind your torsoincline dumbbell curls (see
the middle photo below). For the biceps' contracted position, your arm
should be up by your headtough to do that with standard equipment,
but concentration curls get you very close to that maximum-contracted
position. [Note: That's our colleague Dave Goodin, 53-year-old drug-free
pro bodybuilder, demonstrating the POF biceps exercises.]
In some cases one exercise hits two of the three positions. For example,
you could consider machine flyes as both a stretch- and contracted-
position chest move. Do those after bench presses and you have a very
efficient and effective full-range pec program with only two moves. Youll
see other examples in the upcoming program, but we usually prefer three
exercises to get more volume for each muscle.
Combine the full-range muscle-training effects of POF with the overall
fiber-expanding stimulation of F4X, and you've got a seriously effective
muscle-building protocol. That's what we've done with the BUILD
program. What you see on the next few pages is almost an exact replica of
how Steve and John train most of the time.
Note: For one-arm exercises, such as concentration curls, do a set for
one arm, then immediately do a set for the other. Move back and forth with
no rest for the designated number of sets. One side rests while the other
side works.
Midrange Stretch Contracted
Old School New Body
91
Advanced F4X BUILD Workout
Monday, Workout 1: Chest, Back, Abs
Exercise Poundage
M: Incline dumbbell
presses, 4 x 10
S: Flat-bench flyes, 3 x 10
C: Cable crossovers, 4 x 10
M: Pulldowns, 3 x 10
S: Dumbbell pullovers, 3 x 10
C: Stiff-arm
pulldowns, 4 x 10
M: Machine rows, 3 x 10
C: Bent-arm bent-over
laterals, 3 x 12
M: Cable upright rows, 4 x 10
M: Incline kneeups, 4 x 10
S&C: Full-range crunches, 4 x 10
number of sets. Get as many reps as you can on your last set, and if you get 10,
add weight at your next workout.
M = midrange, S = stretch, C = contracted
Old School New Body
92
Tuesday, Workout 2: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
Exercise Poundage
M: Barbell squats or
dumbbell squats, 4 x 10
S: Sissy squats, 3 x 10
C: Leg extensions, 4 x 10
M: Feet-forward Smith
machine squats, 4 x 10
S: Semi-stiff-legged deadlifts
or hyperextensions
(flat back), 4 x 10
C: Leg curls, 4 x 10
M: Leg press
calf raises, 4 x 12
S: Machine donkey
calf raises, 3 x 12
C: Machine calf raises, 4 x 10
Rep speed should be one second to lift the weight and three seconds to
lower itfour seconds per repetition.
Old School New Body
93
Wednesday, Workout 3: Delts, Arms
Exercise Poundage
M: Dumbbell upright rows, 4 x 10
S: Incline one-arm laterals
or one-arm cable laterals, 3 x 10
C: Seated laterals, 4 x 10
M: Dumbbell presses, 3 x 10
M: Close-grip bench
presses, 4 x 10
S: Overhead extensions, 3 x 10
C: Pushdowns, 4 x 10
M: Undergrip
pulldowns, 3 x 10
S: Incline curls, 3 x 10
C: Concentration curls, 4 x 10
M: Incline hammer curls, 3 x 10
S&C: Wrist curls, 3 x 12
S&C: Reverse wrist curls, 3 x 12
Old School New Body
94
Friday, Workout 4: Legs, Chest, Back
Exercise Poundage
M: Deadlifts or
dumbbell squats, 4 x 10
M: Dumbbell decline
presses, 4 x 10
S: Incline flyes, 3 x 10
C: Cable crossovers, 4 x 10
M: Pulldowns, 3 x 10
S: Dumbbell pullovers, 3 x 10
M: Wide-grip
cable rows, 3 x 10
S&C: Bent-arm bent-over
laterals, 3 x 12
M: Dumbbell upright rows, 4 x 10
M: Knee-extension leg press
calf raises, 4 x 12
Old School New Body
95
In case you're not familiar with some of the moves in the Advanced F4X
BUILD program, here are descriptions.
Sissy squats. To do this exercise, you basically
squat while keeping your torso and thighs on the
same planeno bend at the waisttill your butt
gets very close to your heels. Youll have to hold
onto a stationary object. Also, you want to be on
your toes the entire time. When you reach the
stretch position, dont pause. Just reverse the
movement without bouncing. Drive to about two-
thirds of the way updo not lock your kneesthen
begin another rep. This exercise hits your quads in
the stretch position. Tip: When your bodyweight
is no longer enough resistance, hold a barbell
plate on your chestgrab the towel with the other
handor do them on a Smith machine, the bar
resting across your upper chest.
Cable crossovers. Stand between the high
pulleys of a crossover machine with a handle
in each hand and lean slightly forward. Pull the
handles from out away from your torso to down,
touching your hands at belly-button level to
contract your lower/middle chest. Pause for a
one count, then return to the starting position
up until you feel a stretch in your pecs. Reverse the
movement at the point of stretch without pausing. Tip:
At the bottom of each rep, try to straighten your arms to
heighten the pec contraction.
Overhead extensions. Take a close grip on a
barbell or EZ-curl barthumbs about eight inches
apartand press the bar overhead. From this
starting position lower the bar as far as possible
behind your neck without moving your upper arms
keep them close to your head. When you reach the
point of stretch, reverse the movement and extend
back to lockout. You can also do these with a
dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other and
extending simulataneously.
Old School New Body
96
Bent-over bent-arm laterals. Sit on the
end of a bench, take a dumbbell in each hand
and bend forward until your torso is parallel to
the floor. Keeping your elbows bent, raise the
dumbbells up and out until theyre out even
with your pecs. Squeeze your scapulae for a
count, then lower and repeat. Try to feel your
midback contracting at the top of each rep.
This exercise should look like a combination of a bent-over dumbbell row
and a bent-over lateral raise, palms facing back or palms facing down.
Incline dumbbell curls. Recline
on a 45-degree incline bench with
a dumbbell in each hand and your
palms facing forward. Curl the
bells, keeping your upper arms as
motionless as possible, then lower
slowly to full stretch. Quickly reverse
the movement at the bottom to begin
the next rep. Tip: Keep your palms
facing forward at the bottom of each
rep to enhance the stretch on your biceps.
One-arm incline lateral raises (pictured) one-arm cable
laterals. Lean your nonworking
arm against an incline bench.
Grab a dumbbell in the hand of
your outer, working arm. With
your arm almost straight, raise
the dumbbell in an arc from
down in front of your torso to
up to parallel to the ground.
These can be awkward for some
people, so you can do one-arm
cable laterals instead. Stand with
one side your your body facing a
low pulley. Grab the handle in the hand of your outer, working arm. Stand
erect. Now pull the handle up and across your body until your arm is up
and out parallel to the floor. Tip: Maintain control of the weight throughout
the upward and downward movement. Move slower if in doubt, not faster;
you want to feel your shoulder working.
Old School New Body
97
Dumbbell pullovers. Lie on a flat bench
or across it as shown in the illustration with one
dumbbell in both hands or a dumbbell in each
hand. With a slight bend in your elbows, lower
the weight in an arc from over your face back
until your arms are on the same plane
as your torso. Tip: Stop the upward
movement right before you lose
tension in your back musclesabout
when it is over your forehead, then
begin the next rep.
Full-range crunches. These are best performed
on a machine with an arch back pad. That allows your
upper torso to move back and get a slight stretch in
your rectus abdominis muscle before each repetition.
If you don't have a machine like and Ab Bench,
position yourself on a bench press bench, head at the
reverse end, shoulders and upper back hanging off so
you can achieve a prestretch in the rectus abdominis.
Simply do crunches, allowing your shoulders to
descend below the bench on each rep for full-range
ab action. Tip: This is a very short range of motion.
Move slowly to feel your abs working; do not jerk and
do not pull on your head or you could injure your neck.
Lateral raises. Touch the dumbbells in front of
your thighs, then raise them out to your sides in an
arc, keeping a very slight bend at your elbows. Stop the movement when
the bells are at shoulder level. Hold for a count and repeat. Tip: Use
dumbbells that are light enough for you to contol slowly on the way down.
That will give your shoulder muscles optimal stimulation.
Ab Bench
Old School New Body
98
Machine pullovers. Note that this exercise
acts as both a stretch- and contracted-position
movement for your lats, the large fan-shaped
muscle under each arm. Drive the elbow pads
forward and down in an arc from next to your head
to your sides. Try not to pull with your hands, but
instead pull through with lat power alone. Pause at
the bottom for a count before moving back to the
starting position with control. If you don't have a
pullover machine, use stiff-arm pulldowns instead
(pictured right) as the contracted-
position
move and
dumbbell
pullovers as
the stretch-
position
exercise.
Old-school
Nautilus
pullover
machine.
(John Balik
photo)
A Note on Overhead Presses
We include overhead dumbbell presses in this program; however, it's
optional. Many people can't do it because of shoulder pain and/or lower-
back issues. In our opinion, it is one of the more dangerous moves.
Dumbbell upright rows will provide your shoulders and upper back with
plenty of work.
Some trainees can do dumbbell presses without any problems and
get good results. If
you choose to do it,
as we do, put them
at the end of your
shoulder routine. That
will insure that you
use lighter weights to
minimize joint trauma
and/or lower-back
stress.
Old School New Body
99
This advanced program is similar to the one Jonathan Lawson used when
he was in his 20s to gain 20 pounds of muscle in only 10 weeks. Actually, he
was regaining some of that mass, so it was easier. Muscle memory makes
it less difficult the second time
around. Nevertheless, he did
pack on additional new muscle,
so the program works.
Most of those reading this
e-book will not want to take
their training to this level, but
for those who do, POF is a
proven muscle-size-building
program for advanced trainees.
Note: For more on advanced
training, visit Steve's Web site,
www.X-Rep.com.
Jonathan
was in his
20s and
regaining
muscle,
which is
easier, but
he's proof
that the full-
range POF
program is
powerful.
Testing Full-Range F4X
As mentioned in the Introduction, I was very skeptical
of the density method, which is moderate-weight, high-
fatigue workouts. It took me many years after hearing
about it to actually try itand even then, I did it only along
with heavy training. I made some progress, but then...
I decided to go all the way and test it exclusively. Why
not? I thought I would give it a month or two, using the
full-range Positions-of-Flexion approach with either four-
set or three-set sequences on each exercise as outlined in
the F4X System (the program I usedand still use today
is similar to the one in this chaptereach workout takes
about an hour).
After a few months, I was ecstatic with my progress, so
I continued experimenting for an entire year. That's when
the photo here was takenat age 52, no special lighting
and no tan.
I will no doubt use F4X-style training for the rest of my life. It's that good!
Steve in
the gym
at age
52.
Old School New Body
100
F4X Intensity Tactics
When standard F4X sequences no longer feel like enough or you just need a
shock weekmore intensity to jolt extra muscle-size gainstry one of these
intensity tactics.
Rest/Pause: When you reach failure at around
10 on set 4, set down the weight, count to only 10,
then rep out again. You'll get an additional 3-plus
reps, pumping up the volume of that exerciseand
the target muscle.
Plus-One: When you reach failure at around 10
on set 4, rest the normal 30 to 40 seconds, then
do a different exercise for that same muscle to
failure. For example, go from your F4X undergrip
pulldowns, midrange for biceps, to standing
dumbbell curls as your last set. Or go from your
F4X squats to one last set of leg presses.
Tri-X method: This makes each set a different tempo, usually in a three-set
sequencestill using 30 to 40 seconds between sets, your same F4X weight on
all sets:
Set 1: X-centric, lift in one second, lower in sixgo for eight to nine reps.
Set 2: X-plosive, which is standard tempo, lift in one second, lower in three.
Set 3: X-celeration, which is 1.5 seconds per rep (speed)go until failure.
Warning: Stay in complete control of the last fast set, as it's the most
dangerous; do not throw or heave the weight. Keep your tempo quick but
smooth. Those "speed" reps have been shown to bring in dormant muscle
fibersthey are like a wakeup call for new growth. Keep in mind, however, that
it's a very advanced way to train to trigger new muscle gains. Good luck!
Old School New Body
101
Recommended
E-Books
Fit Over 40 by Jon
Benson and Tom Venuto.
Includes over 50 true
stories of motivation and
inspirationincluding the
author Benson's fat-to-fit
transformation.
Burn the Fat, Feed the
Muscle by Tom Venuto. A
treasure trove of tips, tricks
and insights on how to
incinerate bodyfat once and
for all.

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