A Renowned Strength Expert Shared His Best Muscle-Building Tips

 

Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., is an exercise science professor at CUNY's Lehman College and a former sports nutritionist for the NHL's New Jersey Devils, yet he doesn't come across as stuffy. Instead, Schoenfeld comes across as a highly knowledgeable gym trainer, which he was once—until the appeal of researching all those "gym questions" that trainees would ask prompted him to pursue a career in exercise science.

The veteran natural bodybuilder has been able to delve into the weeds as a professor, co-authoring the main textbook on the Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy as well as his exercise manual The M.A.X. Muscle Plan (now in its second edition).

Men's Health wanted to see whether Schoenfeld could give us as many definitive answers as he could in a single interview because his list of research articles covers so many of the problems that come up in fitness circles. This is how we did it.

So you're going to settle all the major controversies, all the important fitness issues, right?

Without a doubt, no. Some of these questions have no conclusive solutions, while others could take hours and hours to fully answer... I'll do everything I can. In my previous life, I worked as a personal trainer for several years. I'm now answering the questions I wished I'd known the answers to when I was training others.

Let's start with the basics: as a trainer, where did you go wrong?

There are a lot of things to consider. For starters, I used to believe that in order to gain muscular mass, you had to lift heavy. I've always been a "go-to failure on every set" type of person. According to new research, going to failure every time can have harmful consequences in various cases. Of course, there are certain advantages to failing to succeed. So, as you can see, it's a bit difficult. While researching this, I discovered that many of the solutions are more complex than a phrase or two. A lot relies on what you're hoping to achieve as a trainee.

So, here's the million-dollar question: How do I get rippling abdominal muscles?

I have a straightforward response to this. It's the "push-away" exercise when you push the food away from you. The kitchen is where abs are made. High-intensity ab exercises won't help, there's no secret ab routine, and you don't need to attend hour-long "power ab" classes. By reducing your body fat, you'll be able to see your abs. By their very nature, abs are difficult to hypertrophy [enlarge the size of the muscle tissue]. Additionally, when muscles are hypertrophied and "sliced" to the point where they are visible, each person's muscles will appear slightly different.

So you're saying you can't use secret training methods to get your biceps to "peak" or your calves to "pop"?

No, you'll have a God-given shape, and your muscles will hypertrophy in the same way they always do.

Are there anybody types that are better suited for certain activities than others?

Yes, some exercises aren't as effective for certain body types as others. There are no exercises to be completed. Some powerlifting trainers will tell you that you must perform the squat, bench, and deadlift, however, this is only true if you are training for powerlifting. Many various exercises can be used for hypertrophy. People with long legs and short torsos have a harder time squatting.

What is the best way for a trainee to figure this out?

Learning how to conduct motions properly and then selecting routines that match your physique is all part of the training process. Yes, there are some "functional" exercises, such as the squat, but you don't squat down with a barbell on your back in real life. Getting your body strong enough to be functional is the first step. Depending on your goals, you could use machines to train and become functionally strong. This type of thing is always unique to the person. "Many roads lead to gains," I say. "My way or the highway" is ridiculous. 'There must be five sets of these three workouts.' This is not the case. Bodybuilders, for example, have won major competitions using a variety of training methods and techniques.

Even if everyone can improve their strength, not everyone improves at the same rate.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no It's intriguing to observe some people build muscle 25% faster than others, as someone who has conducted dozens of research studies. There is undoubtedly a link between genetics and lifestyle in this case, but our research can only provide a general explanation.

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How To Get Back on Track After Falling Off the Weight Loss Wagon

 

Can you believe there's a new weight-loss tool/gadget that uses magnets and bolts to be put into your teeth (picture an antique torture device) that prevents your mouth from opening more than 2 mm?? This gadget would essentially prevent you from eating solid food throughout the day, forcing you to rely on liquids as long as the fixation was attached to your teeth. At least for some people who are bored of yo-yo dieting, can't imagine working out at the gym, or don't want to give up overly processed foods — lose wagon, with little success. Indulging in a single unhealthy meal can frequently undermine the entire journey.

The majority of people admit that a cheat meal grows into a cheat day, then a cheat weekend, then a month, and they've fallen off the weight-loss wagon before they realize it. Resuming your weight reduction journey may feel much more difficult now, especially if you began with such zeal and passion. With all of your motivation gone, your willpower dwindling, and you resuming old eating habits combined with a sedentary lifestyle, your confidence in your ability to start over has been prematurely snuffed out; but not yet, because we'll show you how to overcome the roadblocks that caused you to fall off the weight-loss wagon and successfully lose all of your excess weight.

1. You require a non-restrictive diet and an exercise routine that does not feel like a punishment: Dieting is often associated with restricted eating or starvation, but this is not always the case. Most people lose interest halfway through diet programs because they are on a fad diet that is centered on food deprivation and requires you to consume as little food as possible. Such diets, on the other hand, are neither nutritious nor sustainable, and you will quickly lose motivation.

Rati Beauty diets, on the other hand, are completely sustainable and urge you to eat a wide variety of foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, everyday food, and even healthy fats. If you've been following the Rati Beauty diet plans, you've probably noticed how delicious your diet food tastes, and that you're losing weight while doing so! And you'd never lose interest in getting off of it. In fact, the Rati Beauty diet encourages you to eat right rather than less and advocates healthy eating as a lifelong change rather than a one-time endeavor. The meal plans are fun, filling, healthful, and simple to prepare, so it doesn't feel like you're on a diet. For additional information, download the Rati Beauty app.

2. Set Short-Term Goals: We know how many pounds we want to lose, but don't expect to drop it all in a matter of days or weeks. Break it down into short-term objectives that can be accomplished quickly and simply. Begin by setting smaller, more manageable objectives, such as losing 1 or 2 kg per week, to relieve stress and avoid feeling overwhelmed or disappointed. Short-term goals achieved will provide you with the drive and good energy to continue on to the next goal, and you will finally achieve your long-term goal (which could be losing either 15 kg or 25 kg).

3. Take Tiny Steps Backwards Rather than making big changes or turning back 360 degrees, start over with small changes. Reduce the number of times you dine out or order food from a restaurant, eat more home-cooked meals, shop for processed and ultra-processed foods, exercise portion control by measuring food at each meal, and, most importantly, reduce your sugar intake. These small adjustments build up to significant effects.

4. Keep a Food Journal: Keeping a food journal can help you track and eliminate unnecessary calories from your regular diet. Cutting calorie-dense foods from your diet will help you lose weight by creating a calorie deficit. Keep track of how many times you indulge in nibbles and snacks in your journal, and reduce your snacking frequency to lose weight.

Stress, emotional eating, and boredom can all increase appetite and lead to overeating. If you eat to relieve boredom or stress, it's time to discover alternative methods to relax, such as walking, listening to music, exercising, pursuing a hobby, or any other activity that can divert your attention away from tension or boredom.

6. Drink Plenty of Water: Drinking plenty of water can assist to reduce hunger signals. In fact, don't stop at eight glasses of water; keep your body hydrated at all times to prevent water retention, control your hunger, and enhance your metabolism.

7. Find Fun Ways to Exercise: You can't outrun a lousy diet, but since weight loss is 80 percent food and 20 percent exercise, regular physical activity is essential to boosting weight loss attempts. If sweating it out in the gym or doing any other form of exercise seems like a painful duty, especially when you're lacking in motivation, we want to assure you that there are practical ways to make exercise a regular habit and an enjoyable pastime that you'll look forward to every day.

"16 Practical Ways to Make Exercise a Daily Habit to Shed Extra Weight" is a good read. 8. Regain Weight Loss Motivation: Finding the motivation to lose weight at the start of your weight loss journey is relatively easy; it could be your birthday next month, your best friend's wedding in a few weeks, or someone body shamed you; however, once you've fallen off the weight-loss wagon, it takes some effort to reclaim motivation that has completely vanished. Don't worry, this piece has "7 Ways To Keep Yourself Motivated To Lose Weight."

 Simple Ways to Make Exercise a Daily Habit for Weight Loss