Quads!
Ben Brook and I after shoulders
This past Tuesday while I was still in VA I trained quads with my friend Ben Bowles. As I'm writing this they are still tender. I woke up Wednesday morning knocked my cardio out and they wern't sore at all but I could feel that I had done them. As the day progressed so did the pain. They have stayed sore up until today and like I said they are still a little tender. Here was our routine. Give it a try!
- Bike 10 minute warm up
- Leg Ext - 2 warm up sets, 4x12 (i worked up to around 180-195)
- Squats - 4x20 (i used 185 for all 4 sets)
- Leg Press - 4x10-12 (400lb,600lb,645lb,645lb)
- FST-7 Hack Squats - 7x12 (45 second break in b/w each set) - 180lb all sets
- Barbell walking lunges - 4x15-18 steps - 95lb all sets
Desire Direction Diligence Discipline Dedication
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!
Questions – 12/31/2011
AAA
I WANT TO MAKE A BIG CHEST AND SHOULDER AND BISEP...HOW MUCH SETS I DO? AND HOW MUCH RAPS? PLZ GIVE ME INFORMATION ABOUT MASS GAINING AND STRENGTH GAINING EXERCISES
30 December 2011
Tyler - Keep your reps in the 8-12 range. 10-15 total sets for each muscle group
Craig
Your shoulders are jacked! What's a good routine to do on a day for shoulders (putting on size)?
29 December 2011
Tyler - Shoulders have been something that have always been a strong point for me. Every workout though I pick some sort of overhead press, a lateral raise, and then 2 rear delt exercises and finish it off with some sort of shrug. I'll be posting a video of my shoulder workout very soon!
Brian
Tyler, what are good examples of pre-workout carbs? My goal is to put on mass, but im eating as clean as possible. I'd like to maximize my energy and focus on the right type of carbs pre-workout (other then supplement related). I know oatmeal is great, but i typically take my pre workout meal at work and cant really run to the microwave before i do so. Thanks!
29 December 2011
Tyler - Stick with either brown rice or sweet potato.
Jake
Do you think it's okay to lift weights while you have a cold? When i say cold i mean Sinuses, runny/.stuffy nose, mucous etc.
28 December 2011
Tyler - Of coarse. If you feel like hitting the weights then do it. Only time I'll take off from being sick is if I feel very weak and lethargic.
Craig
When putting on mass, you say straight sets are best, increasing your the weight or reps you lift every workout to get stronger. If doing a body part similar to yours and lifting in the 6-10 rep range, how many overall sets (and/or exercises) per muscle group do you suggest to inflict growth?
27 December 2011
Tyler - I keep all of my reps from 8-12. As for overall sets for larger muscle groups I'll do anywhere from 16-20 and for smaller groups anywhere from 9-12.
Andrew
How are your workouts like? Do you do straight sets or super sets or circuit training to get a rip body like yours?Also, how many times do you do cardio in a week?
25 December 2011
Tyler - If you take a look back at my workout logs I used to do a lot of supersets,trisets, and giant sets. I've even done circuit training. I used to box,bike,swim,run. That being said I definitely was in shape and my cardio was the best it has ever been BUT...My passion is the "bodybuilding" lifestyle and style of training. Since I linked up with Hany I do all straight sets. Right now I'm doing cardio 6 days a week. That is something you will have to experiment to see how your body reacts to certain amounts of cardio.
Jesse
Tyler, Are you familiar with Animal Stack and Animal Test? If so, what do you think. Thanks man
24 December 2011
Tyler - I am not familiar with those products. I have taken supplements from Universal Nutrition before and they are solid products. If I were you just google reviews and see what comes up.
Christmas Trip to Roanoke
12/23/2011 - MM Pro Matt Liller - After our back workout
My trip back home to Roanoke has been anything but relaxing. I've still been grinding out my workouts trying to take myself to that next level. It has been awesome though to train with my old training partners MM Pro Matt Liller and Ben Bowles and Brook Arrit. This past Friday Matt and I trashed back and the next day my back was more sore than it has been in a while. Very intense workout. Saturday I just had to do my cardio and Sunday was a full day off. Since I've been eating clean for while some food didn't agree with me and I ended up having some stomach issues all day on Christmas.
Deniro was happy to get some walks in 
I felt horrible because all of my family was over but I really couldn't be around for too long because I felt sick. I got to eat a little bit at the end of the night once I was feeling a little normal again but by Monday I was so dehydrated from being sick that I drank 3 gallons of water. Even though Sunday was not a funday Ben, Brook and I had an awesome Chest workout yesterday. Once I got my fluid levels back to normal and was back to my normal meal plan we toar it up! Last night my parents and I watched the movie the Warrior and it was really good..check it out if you have a chance. Today is quads and I just finished watching Phil Heath's quad workout from his latest DVD Becoming Number 13 to get me amped up for this workout. Afterwards I'll be heading back to Nashville and I'm ready to get back into the swing of things with my normal schedule.
As I stated in a previous post that my parents got me a new HD video camera and after researching and watching several test videos on youtube I decided to go with a Canon M41. Best Buy was having a 1 day after Christmas sale on it and it was too good to pass up. Unfortunately it's on back order and will not be receiving it until mid January. Once I get it in though I'm going to start knocking out some videos.
Now that Christmas is over and some of you might have health and fitness related new years resolutions a couple of things to keep in mind:
- Make sure you study proper form and technique and perfect it. (there is so much information available on the internet for free do your research)
- Remember lifting with your ego leads to injury. (if you get injured this will slow your progress)
- There are several different workout styles to choose from RESEARCH what best fits YOUR goals
- Don't try to rush results. Be willing to put the work in and realize that there is no magic supplements that will do the work for you.
- Give your program time to work before trying something different. Give it a minimum of 6 weeks before changing directions.
- Most importantly DON'T GIVE UP!
If you believe you shall achieve!
Questions – 12/23/2011
Shaun
What’s your cardio like? How many times do you do it? Together with your workouts or separate?
23 December 2011
Tyler - walk on an incline on the treadmill first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for 40 minutes. I weight train later in the afternoon.
Kyle
Tyler, BB Curls (straight bar) give me great pumps at the gym, and my strength increases every week almost. however recently, my forearms start to feel strained as i do the curls, possibly because the weight is getting too heavy, im not sure. Do you think this could be because my forearms are underdeveloped or not warmed up enough?
23 December 2011
Tyler - Try backing off the weight just a bit and focus on those biceps. I train my forearms once a week. Maybe incorporate some forearm work in your program.
Scott
Just read your last post about will fluctuations... keep up the intensity, im sure the hard work will pay it all off!
23 December 2011
Tyler - Thanks man! Happy Holidays!
AAA
CREATINE IS SAFE FOR BODY BUILDER OR NOT? I HAVE 2 MONTHS IN GYM..I CAN TAKE OR NOT
22 December 2011
Tyler - Creatine is safe and effective. Make sure to drink plenty of water though. RESEARCH before deciding on which creatine you choose.
Jake
Hi Tyler, I was wondering if you could tell me if theres anything you would change with my back workout. Im not sure if im over training or not. My Training goes something like this: Bodyweight Pull ups - 3x failure, BB Rows - 4x8-10, Hammer Strength High Row - 3x8-10, Cable Low Row - 3x8-10, Close Grip Pull downs - 3x8-10, T-Bar Rows - 3x6-10. I add drop 1 or 2 drop sets to half of those exercises and i've been training for 2 years now. Currently i am trying to put on mass. (Age 26, 170lbs, 5'9, workout split similar to yours). Thanks for any infomration you can provide me!
21 December 2011
Tyler - If your trying to add mass I would cut out the drop sets. Next I would Pick only 4-5 of those exercises to do each workout. Do those 4-5 exercises for 8-10 weeks before you switch the order up. Try to progressively get stronger on those exercises each workout. good luck
Jude
Hello Tyler ! thanks for pictures ! you're amazing now ! would you tell me what is your cardio training programm to loose so weight in so few time ?? thanks a lot !
19 December 2011
Tyler - I do cardio on an empty stomach as soon as I wake up. I walk on a incline on a treadmill. Right now I'm at 40 minutes.
Yaseen
How many servings of fruit have you been having recently? What are your thoughts on fruit and muscle building/losing fat?
14 December 2011
Tyler - I don't have any fruit. My thoughts are if it works for you then do it. Give it a try experiment. I would keep it to a maximum of one serving a day.
James
Tyler, how much of your physique do you believe was due to Steroids? What do you think your size and strength would be like today if you didnt take any?
14 December 2011
Tyler - Well considering I did my cycle almost 4 years ago I don't attribute anything to it. Maybe I'm ignorant by saying that but if you look at what happened shortly after my cycle when I decided to do fashion I lost EVERYTHING. Muscle does have memory but I've been natural in this whole process of getting my physique back.
Simon R
Hi Tyler!! You are really making progress in your pictures! I'm now on Christmas holidays, so I've got a lot more time to work out at home. I'm currently doing splits for shoulders and chest each week, but including cardio, dumb bell rows and barbell curls to work a few more muscle groups. I also do squats a couple of times a week. My goal is to build my chest and shoulders to help balance out my stomach!! (I'm 44, so everything I eat or drink goes to my belly!) Now I've got more time, are there any other areas I could focus on? I've got barbells, dumb bells, benches and a cross trainer in my gym. Thanks!!!!
10 December 2011
Tyler - To get rid of your abdominal fat you need to focus on nutrition and cardio. You can do all the ab training day after day but you will NEVER see your abs if you don't have your nutrition and cardio in check.
Gotta keep at it gotta stay focused
12/17/2011
Nothing much different is going on right now and I apologize for not posting much lately. Since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving I havn’t taken a full day off from training until Friday. I spoke with Hany on Thursday and he let me have Friday off. It was a slow day for training my clients so I did a lot of laying around and playing MW3. I got my ranking up to 41 on online multiplayer and I can’t wait for the new maps to be released soon because there are some that I just don’t care to play. Training has been going great even though some mornings I just don’t feel like doing my cardio I suck it up and tell myself that the hard work will pay off. On that Wednesday before Thanksgiving I weighed 217lb on an empty stomach and 3 weeks later I weigh 212lb and still have not lost any strength. My energy definitely fluctuates on a daily basis. Some days I feel great and don’t need to take any naps and others I feel like shit and take naps between clients and workouts. I’ve been watching a lot of bodybuilding dvds before I hit the gym to get me hyped up to attack the iron. I preordered the new Phil Heath – Becoming Number 13 and Hany Rambod’s – FST-7 Refined. I suggest having some visual motivation before workouts it’ll get your mind in the right place that it needs to be and that is on YOUR workout rather than having your mind on other things that might be going on in your life. Block it out for your workout and have tunnel vision.
I made a posting last week that there will be some new videos coming soon. I’m waiting until after next week since I’ll be getting a new HD camera for Xmas. Next videos will be crystal clear quality and I’ll start knocking them out again. I’m looking forward to putting videos out again to help everyone out.
This upcoming Friday I’ll be leaving for VA! I can’t wait to see my family and friends again! I’ll be training with natural bodybuilder MM Pro Matt Liller on Friday and Ben Bowles and Brook Arrit once again for the remainder of my trip.
12/16/2011
Some quick tips since we are in the holiday season and with that means lots of food and cocktails for the majority of people. When you are at parties stick with finger foods that are healthy choices. Raw veges,shrimp,nuts are all perfect choices. Drink choices should be a clear liquor mixed with diet soda if you plan on having several or if you are a light drinker a glass or two of wine will be fine. Just make sure that your getting up the next day and hitting the gym. This is not a time to get lazy. Now onto the big feast days. Try to limit it to one day either Xmas eve or Xmas. I will be enjoying food on Xmas only. Just like I said about Thanksgiving have your one day and move on. This time of year many people will put on weight because they continue to make poor choices day after day. This happened to me around this time last year because I had went to NYC first weekend of December in good shape and after Xmas and new years I let myself get out out of shape from over indulging in food and drinks. Don’t let this happen to you! Most importantly make sure you hit the gym hard after Xmas and enjoy the benefits of all the carbohyrates,fat,sugars and get a ridiculous pump….because I know I will be
12/17/2011
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Questions – 12/7/2011
Eric
hey tyler in your lastest article you mentioned that while cutting down this most recent time you were still able to maintain strength and nort go flat. Ive fallen victim to the same setbacks that youve experienced when cutting down where my strength quickly drops off and my muscles seem to go flat. So I was curious what specially you did different this past time around to ensure you hit your peak condition without suffering from strength loss or muscle atrophy effects. thanks
7 December 2011
Tyler - I havn't hit my peak condition just yet but I'm on my way. The reason for my strength and muscle fullness is that it's been a very slow process. You have to have patience and slowly bring your food down. In the past I would get too impatient and think that I needed to see results faster and in turn I lost muscle.
Demba
how is walking 5 miles briskly 3 times a week for Cardio when trying to put on mass..thanks
6 December 2011
Tyler - It all depends on your metabolism and current body fat. What you nutrition is etc. There are several variables that come into account when figuring out how much cardio to do. My suggestion is to give the 3 times a week a try and see if your getting the results you want.
Orazio
Basically when you said "I can see changes happening very quickly now in my condition and I can't wait to be more shredded than I ever have been!" you mean that you had to get a lot more mass to get shredded? So if I want to get ripped/shredded I need to get mass and lose what abs I have now and then shred the excess body fat?
5 December 2011
Tyler - No that's not what I meant. I'm not sure what your goals are. When I started working with Hany the game plan was to fill out my physique first. I had not tried to add mass since the first 3 years of lifting.
Yaseen
Hey Tyler I am right around 13 percent bodyfat and am starting to see a little abs. however no matter how hard i diet they aren't coming out as soon as I expected them too. I eat clean (sweet potatoes, chicken, veggies, Greek yogurt) yet Im having trouble getting my bf down to 9-10%. tips and thoughts?
5 December 2011
Tyler - make sure your doing enough cardio since your diet is already on point.
Mike
tyler, looking large in your most recent pic good work, Im wondering though when bulking how much poundage gain would you aim for per week?
3 December 2011
Tyler - Thank you! I really didn't set a number and neither did Hany. When I did start his program I weighed 215lb and my heaviest was 229lb.
George
Hi Tyler, great web site. Really appreciate all that you put on here! I was wondering what are some good exercises to work on the rear/inside tricep? I have made good progress on the outer tricep but feel it is lacking as a whole. Any tips? Many thanks!
3 December 2011
Tyler - Stick with heavy close grip presses,skull crushers, and DB or BB overhead ext.
Jesse
Tyler-If you can't afford a supplement for post workout, what would be the ideal food to take right after your workout with your whey protein? Fruit? Juice? Thanks man.
2 December 2011
Tyler - There was a time when I couldn't afford supplements at all and was drinking eggwhites with splenda post workout so I know where your coming from. If you have whey protein though what I would do is mix it with some gatorade powder post workout and 30-45 minutes after that have a solid whole food meal.
Oz
Why is it that the healthier you route makes you lose hair. It almost makes you want to stop working it out. Are you experiencing the same thing if yes how do you deal with it?
2 December 2011
Tyler - That is not the healthier route. Your doing something wrong with your nutrition. The only time I experienced hair loss was when I went very low to no carbs all the time and was basically starving myself.
A note on sodium by Hany Rambod
Many bodybuilders have it in their heads that sodium is bad for them and should be avoided. They intentionally remain on very low-sodium diets year-round when the fact of the matter is, you only need to be concerned about sodium intake in the final few days before a contest when you are attempting to shed subcutaneous water. Without proper amounts of dietary sodium, you simply won’t be able to get a pump. Some of you may have experienced this when competing. If you are trying to pump up and haven’t had more than trace amounts of sodium for a couple days, your muscles will be totally flat and unresponsive, even if you are eating carbs and drinking some water. Then, if you go out and have a burger and fries after the judging, your muscles seem to magically inflate, and you are able to generate an excellent pump for the night show! Sodium helps transport carbs into the muscles, so by all means don’t be afraid to put a bit of salt on your food. I actually encourage my clients to get their sodium from condiments like ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce in the off-season. It should be noted that for any of you with medical conditions such as hypertension or diabetes that require you to adhere to strict low-sodium diets, always observe the guidelines set forth by your physician or your dietician. - Hany Rambod
Dig Deep
"No one said this would be easy, just know that nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment." - Unknown
12/3/2011
My first full week back in Nashville was tough. The traveling really wore me on that Sunday after Thanksgiving. That day started out with morning cardio then right after I got cleaned up I had what was supposed to be a 6hr road trip turned into 9hrs due to the traffic and horrible weather conditions. When I got in town I was completely exhausted but I had another cardio session to do. For the remainder of the week I was still feeling very fatigued from the increase in cardio but despite all of this all of my weight training sessions were great. My strength is still where it was when I was weighing 229 (heaviest I got during this process working with Hany) Now that I'm down to 216lb. I even was stronger on a couple of lifts during my chest session. That is a HUGE change for me because anytime in the past when I've tried to get into top shape my strength would always drop quickly and I would fill flat all the time. This is definitely the hardest I've ever worked for ANYTHING in my life. In between my workouts and training my clients I've been averaging two 20-30 minute naps daily. Right now my metabolism is crazy fast. I'll eat my meal and about 45 minutes afterward I'm hungry again. I can see changes happening very quickly now in my condition and I can't wait to be more shredded than I ever have been!
EVERYONE KEEP PUSHING HARD AND TRAINING YOUR ASS OFF. MENTALLY GO INTO EACH TRAINING SESSION WITH THE MINDSET THAT THIS SESSION IS ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS YOUR GOALS SO MAKE THE MOST OF IT AND LEAVE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IN THE GYM!
"You will never know your limits until you push yourself to them." - Unknown
Questions – 12/1/2011
11/30/2011
Jason
If you could only choose one of the supplements you're currently taking, which one would you recommend? EVP?
1 December 2011
Tyler - If I could only take one it would be Cell K.E.M. just because it has everything you need for proper recovery and muscle growth.
Kent
Hey Tyler, I'm a huge fan of your blog and you inspire me to achieve any fitness goals I want. That said, I started body building since 2009 when I was 18. My stats back then were 5'8 and 140lbs. Now in 2011, I'm 5'10 and 200lbs. My arms have grown to 17 inches when not pumped. They seem to be on a growing stump. I've tried superset, negatives, drop sets, etc. They're becoming more defined but I would like to add a few more inches. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do to keep them growing?
1 December 2011
Tyler - congrats on your muscle gain. that's awesome you have gained that much. as for your arm training maybe try backing off the volume a bit. train them only once a week and do all straight sets keeping the reps from 10-12. you could be possibly over training them with all of the drop sets negatives etc. just go back to the basics and 3-4 exercises for bi and same for tri and see if that works. give it at least 4 weeks.
Jesse
Tyler, Do you or have you taken weight gainer shakes? What is your take on those? Thanks man.
30 November 2011
Tyler - I have taken weight gainers in the past in my first few years of lifting. they will put weight on there is no doubt about that but it's not quality weight. a lot of it is water and as soon as you stop taking the shake the weight will come back off. whole food is the best way to go. if your going to take a shake get a high quality whey protein and just incorporate 1-2 shakes a day.
Reed
Do you have any plans to do personal training in NYC? If not can you recommend any trainers here?
30 November 2011
Tyler - I don't live in NYC. I don't know any trainers there sorry.
Adam
Tyler, due to the amount that I am working right now, I get about 2 hours of sleep between jobs, then I get about 4 hours iof sleep before I go back in. This schedule will last for about 3 weeks, do u think I should sacrifice an hour of sleep and continue to go to the gym daily, or just take 3 weeks off and then start up again when work slows down? If I take the 3 weeks off do you think I will lose the strength and results I've gained? I'm currently 5'10 and have been working to add lean muscle. I sit a 175 on an empty stomach and about 8-10% body fat.
30 November 2011
Tyler - What I would do in this situation is at least get in 30-40 minutes of weight training 4-5 days a week. you can still get a lot done in 30 minutes. 3 weeks is a long time to be out of the gym completely.
doug
tyler - i am 6ft 180 and pretty ripped. as a goal for cy 2012 i want to shift bulk, power and speed to my legs. currently i do legs, chest, bi, tri, back and shoulder all for 1 hour. (abs every other day or so). i was thiinking of shortening back to 30mins and adding 40 extra mins of legs. so legs would be twice a week. what do you think? thank you.
29 November 2011
Tyler - Instead of shortening your leg workout just split them up into 2 days. training quads one day and hams the other day.
Categories
Shoutbox
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- Kevin
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Glad to see that you are back and training again. Looking forward to the youtube videos and website updates.
- 13 June 2012
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- will
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looking forward to your new members section. sorry some miss what you are doing for your readers
- 11 June 2012
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- w george
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if parked, car cover helps protect the paint, know how it feels to be away, return only to find it covered
- 8 June 2012
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- w george
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sorry to have that happen
- 8 June 2012
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- Sidhu Rengaraj
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i'm 90 KG with 175 cm tall..i would like to reduce 10 kg.please do suggest me to do in effective way tyler
- 5 June 2012
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- will
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wonder if a three day rotation works in exercising giving muscles more time to recover
- 2 June 2012
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- Jack
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What is your cutting ratio like? Protein:Carb:Fat?
- 1 June 2012
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- Mike
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Any suggestions on how I can get my chest to really pop? Thanks Tyler! Huge inspiration!!!
- 31 May 2012
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- Ash
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hey bro, quick question, if i decide to do an empty stomach cardio in the morning for bout 35-40min, would i need a post workout meal after that or would breakfast count as the "post workout meal"? i know you also recommended taking BCAA's before morning cardio, which i will be doing, your advice would be great
- 29 May 2012
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- Andrew
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What kind of cardio do you recommend? HIIT or low intensity?
- 28 May 2012
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