What are your top five high protein, but low-fat, low-carb foods? —Simon "Birdman" Bird
When thinking of the best high protein foods, you should categorize them in two different ways: • High Protein, Low-Fat, Low-Carb Sources • High Protein, Healthy-Fat, Low-Carb Sources
Many protein sources have great essential fatty acids in them that are critical for muscle growth and recovery. Below are my top five high protein, low-carb/fat sources, and high protein, low-carb/healthy fat sources
High Protein/Low-fat/Low-carb • Skinless Chicken Breast • Skinless Turkey Breast • Egg Whites • Whey Protein Power • Orange Roughy and other white fish
AGING AND TRAINING As you age, in particular from your 30’s to your 40’s, how should workouts evolve to meet the new challenges? —Edwin Adams
Unfortunately, all of us will come to a point where we won't be able to train as we once did and your joints never forget what you've put them through all those years.
As you reach your 40's it might be a good idea to back off heavy compound moves like squats, flat barbell bench presses and deadlifts, to save your lower back and shoulders. No matter what your age though, you can always train with intensity. You may just need to focus that intensity. As they say, with age comes wisdom.
For example, instead of back squats, try single-leg (Bulgarian) squats. Instead of flat barbell bench presses try weighted push-ups or neutral grip dumbbell bench presses. Instead of traditional deadlifts give 1-legged deadlifts or trap bar deadlifts a try. With these exercises you can still build mass while protecting your joints.
Beyond modifying your routine you can also start apologizing to your body for all the stress you've subjected it to all these years, by doing things like getting deep tissue massages, to break up muscular adhesions and improve bloodflow. You can also pay more attention to your warmups and stretching. You might even consider alternate, but complimentary, forms of exercise, such as yoga or pilates. By making these adjuncts to your bodybuilding training you'll be adding a new element of functionality to your routine, while helping to keep your muscles limber, not to mention working smaller, supporting muscles that don't often get worked from blunt force training.
Of course, pay ever-closer attention to your diet, to staying hydrated and to getting a good night's sleep each and every night. Until you reach your 70's or even 80's you won't have to change to much in how you approach your training. Most importantly, consider that with each passing decade you're more susceptible to injury and your body needs more time to recuperate. Other than that, enjoy your training! OLYMPIC LIFTING Can a routine mainly based on Olympic Lifts and calisthenics build mass and size as well? —Dominec Becker
Having Olympic Lifts and calisthenics in your workout regimen is very beneficial for improving athletic performance and conditioning. Heavy Olympic lifting can elicit some good muscle growth, but it just won’t be enough to put on the size you are looking for.
Muscle hypertrophy happens with higher volume (6-15 sets), higher reps with heavy weight (6-15), for each muscle group. Calisthenics are great for a warm-up, but will produce no increase in muscle mass.
If you are trying to build muscle while implementing Olympic lifts such as the Snatch, Clean, and Jerk in your workouts, try working on each lift on separate days with bodybuilding exercises. Below is a split that matches up Olympic lifts with certain muscle groups that will help you improve your calisthenics and Olympic Lifts, while adding mass and size.
Perform 10 minutes of calisthenics as a warm-up before each workout.
Jerks/Split Jerks/Push Press: Shoulders (lateral raises, front raises, rear delts) Power Clean: Legs (squats, leg press, stiff-leg deadlifts, leg curls) Snatch: Back and Biceps (chins, rows, curls) Chest and Triceps (Incline Bench, flat bench, cable crossovers, flyes)
Unfortunately, all of us will come to a point where we won't be able to train as we once did and your joints never forget what you've put them through all those years.
Can a routine mainly based on Olympic Lifts and calisthenics build mass and size as well? —Dominec Becker
