Thursday, July 31, 2008

Swimming In Manuals River With The Pup…

One afternoon last week Patricia and I took our dog Sasha and went swimming in Manuals river. The swimming hole is only about a 25 minute walk from our place. This is the same trail that I often go mountain biking and walking on for my cardio workouts.

It was a beautiful day, the water was warm, and we had a blast and the dog loved it as well. Here are some pics that we took...









Saturday, July 26, 2008

Back and Bicep Workout...

On Thursday I was training a personal training client of mine in the gym and he was scheduled to work back and biceps and I decided to jump in and train with him as a training partner. I sometimes do this when I'm extra busy and don't have time to schedule an extra trip to the gym for myself.

This works out as a win - win situation, because I get my own workout done, and my clients can watch my form as I perform the exercises so it helps them get a better understanding of what they should be doing as well.

Note:
If you've been following along with my workouts you may notice that for the routine I'm doing now I normally only do 2 heavy work sets. But because I was training with one of my clients and his particular routine was for 3 heavy sets per exercise, that's what I did as well.


Each exercise was proceeded with as many warm ups as needed.

T-Bar Rows
3 x 6 with 4 plates

V-Bar Lat Pull Downs
3 x 6 with 175 lbs.

Seated Cable Rows With Parallel Grip
3 x 6 with 200 lbs.

Face Pulls
3 x 6 with 150 lbs.

Preacher Curl Machine
3 x 6 with 100 lbs.

Dumbbell Hammer Curls
3 x 6 with 60 lbs. dumbbells

Leg Machine Workout…

On Tuesday myself and Patricia trained legs. We used did some different machine exercises and worked the legs from all angles, including the inner and outer thigh machines (which most guys tend to ignore).

I've posted a video clip here of Patricia doing the leg workout. We both did the same exercises set for set.



These are the exercises and weights used in the video...

Leg Extensions:
2 x 10 with 90 lbs.

Seated Leg Curls:
2 x 10 with 90 lbs.

Outer Thigh Machine:
2 x 10 with 130 lbs.

Inner Thigh Machine:
2 x 10 with 130 lbs.

Glute Kick Backs:
2 x 10 with 110 lbs.

Hyper Extensions:
3 x 15 with bodyweight

Bodyweight Lunges:
2 x 10 with bodyweight

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Changes behind the scenes at LeeHayward.com

We are making some changes behind the scenes here at www.LeeHayward.com

Up until now I was pretty much a one man show running the entire website myself. But now my girlfriend Patricia Crocker will be working full time as my personal assistant. Patricia will be answering customer e-mail, handling the orders, and all the day-to-day stuff.


This will provide faster and better service to you, while allowing me more time to focus on adding new workouts, articles, videos, and other valuable content to the website. As well as spending more time doing one-on-one personal coaching and customized diet plans.

With in the next month or two once we have everything running smoothly, Patricia will be starting her own special female fitness section on the website as well. So that is something that you can keep an eye out for in the future.

Patricia is no stranger to the iron game. She been training seriously since 2000 and has competed in several bodybuilding shows. Winning the overall title in 4 provincial level competitions as well as the overall title at the 2006 Atlantic Canadian Bodybuilding Championships.

For the past 2 years she has taken a break from bodybuilding competition and has been seriously training in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu.

Back Work Out...

Back Work Out July 19, 2008 at Global Gym.

Note: each exercise is proceeded by as many warm up sets as needed.

Hammer Strength Pull Downs
2 sets with 225 lbs. x 6 reps

Bodyweight Rows:
50 total reps
This is an awesome exercise. I’ve never really focused on it before. But since my muscle tear I haven’t been able to do chin ups and pull ups with my bodyweight so I’m going to do these instead. It is almost like doing push ups for the back, you can do higher reps and get a great pump.

1 Arm Dumbbell Rows:
2 sets with 85’s x 6 reps

Hammer Strength High Row Machine:
2 sets with 200 lbs. x 6 reps

Hyper Extensions:
100 Total Reps

Cable Pull Down Ab Crunches:
2 sets with 70 lbs. x 15 reps

Chest and Shoulder Work Out...

Chest and Shoulder Work Out - July 18, 2008 at Global Gym.

Hammer Strength High Incline Bench Press
2 sets with 225 lbs. x 6 reps

Dumbbell Bench Press
2 sets with 100’s x 6 reps

Pec Dec Flyes
2 sets with 200 lbs. x 6 reps

1 Arm Rear Delt Cable Flyes
2 sets with 40 lbs. x 6 reps

1 Arm Side Lateral Cable Raises
2 sets with 45 lbs. x 6 reps

Hammer Strength Shoulder Press Machine
2 sets with 310 lbs. x 6 reps

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Muscle Building Nutrition - Part 1...

A few weeks ago I sent out an e-mail to my bodybuilding tips newsletter and asked the readers what aspects of building muscle, losing fat, and getting in shape that they wanted to learn about the most.

Well hands down the most popular topic was nutrition. There seems to be so much confusion and mis-information out there when it comes nutrition that people just don’t know what they should be eating.

So over the past few days I’ve put together a presentation covering the basics of a good eating plan that will support you in your achieving muscle building and fat loss goals.

I have to admit I’m not the most technically savvy when it comes to all this multimedia stuff. So the presentation transitions, etc. may not be perfect, but the information that is covered is solid stuff and that’s all that really matters.

Please watch over the first part of the Muscle Building Nutrition presentation and leave me a comment about it. This is my first time putting together this type of presentation so any feedback is welcomed (good or bad).

Make sure to turn up your speakers so you can hear the audio.


Muscle Building Nutrition Presentation - Part 1 A




Muscle Building Nutrition Presentation - Part 1 B

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Leg Workout…

Right now I'm weight training every second day and then on my off days from weight training I'll do some cardio. I try to do my cardio outside when ever possible, especially now that it is summer time and we are getting some beautiful weather; Sunny, warm, girls wearing short shorts... ahhh... you just gotta love summer :-)

My cardio workouts usually consists of walking my dog or mountain biking. But today my cardio workout happened to be mowing the grass, it normally takes me about an hour to mow, unless I get lazy and let it grow too much then it takes longer...

Last evening I trained legs and abs in the gym. I brought my digital camera to get some video clips because I never posted any leg workout videos here before.

This is the leg workout that I did...
(Note: each exercise is proceeded by as many warm up sets as I feel I need).

Leg Press:
2 sets of 6 reps with 9 plates per side.

Stiff Leg Deadlifts:
2 sets of 6 reps with 245 lbs.
(Note: used 25 pound plates to get a better stretch and range of motion)

Leg Extensions:
2 sets of 6 reps with 200 lbs.

Standing Calf Raise:
2 sets of 6 reps with full stack 300 lbs.
(Note: even though the weight stack is fairly light for a standing calf raise, the way this particular machine is set up it feels a lot heavier then most calf raise machines with weight stacks of 500+ lbs. This is quite common with different brands of workout machines, cable pulleys, etc. the resistance will vary greatly from one machine to another.)

Decline Bench Sit Ups:
4 sets of 25 reps just using bodyweight.

Here is a youtube video of my leg workout...

Back Workout…

On Saturday July 13 I trained back. I still have to be extra careful with my back workouts because where I tore the muscles under my arm pit back in January.

It still gives me some problems so I train my back with slow and controlled movements and avoid any heaving or jerking the weights at all as this could just re-tear the muscles again. There is still a small gap under my right arm pit where the muscles tore. I don’t think that they will ever heal back 100%.

I started my back workout with pull downs. The particular machine I used was the Life Fitness Twin Weight Stack Pull Down Machine. This has 2 weight stacks, one for each side, so that both the left and right arms have to handle an equal workload. These types of machines are becoming more and more popular and they are awesome, the really take the quality of your workouts to the next level. I worked up to 2 sets of 6 reps with 160 lbs.

Then I did Hammer Strength High Row Machine. Again this is a newer hammer strength machine with 2 weight stacks. I worked up to 2 sets of 6 reps with 200 lbs.

Next was the Hammer Strength Seated Row Machine. I worked up to 2 sets of 6 reps with 315 lbs. (i.e. 3 plates per side). With all plate loaded machine exercises I add up the weights the same as if they were on a 45 lb. barbell just to keep the math simple, but in reality the machine handles don’t weigh 45 lbs.

Then I moved on to 1 Arm Dumbbell Rows. This was a favorite “heavy” exercise of mine before my muscle tear, but now I have to do them a lot lighter. I did 2 sets of 6 reps with an 80 lbs. dumbbell.

I finished off with assisted pull ups. I haven’t even attempted a regular pull up with my entire bodyweight since January. But I did a couple sets of the assisted pull up machine and it went well, I could feel the stretch in my lats, etc. but it wasn’t painful.

Friday, July 11, 2008

The Ultimate Dirty Bulk Weight Gainer…

A member on the Total Fitness Bodybuilding Forum posted this and I got a good laugh out it so I just had to re-post it here...

Are you sick of being skinny and scrawny?
Tired of counting your ribs when you take your shirt off?
Do you want to get your Blood Pressure numbers up higher than your Max Squat?


Well if so you need to watch this video below… LOL

Chest and shoulders workout…

Last night I trained chest and shoulders. I normally start with compound exercises first and then finish up with isolation stuff, but last night I decided to change it up and do the isolation exercises first to pre-exhaust the muscles.

I started with pec deck flyes (to pre-exhaust the chest)
working up to 2 sets of 6 reps with 150 lbs.

Then I did the side lateral machine (to pre-exhaust the shoulders)
working up to 2 sets of 6 reps with 120 lbs.

After that I did the Hammer Strength Incline Bench press for 2 sets of 6 with 275 lbs.

And the Hammer Strength Shoulder Press for 2 sets of 6 with 225 lbs.

I finished off doing a jump set working back and forth between face pulls with 150 lbs. for sets of 6 reps and push ups. And kept going until I had pumped out 100 total push ups.

Leg Workout - hack squat, leg press, calf raises...

On Tuesday of this week I was supposed to meet a personal training client of mine at the gym… but he turned out to be a no show, so instead of wasting a trip I squeezed in a leg workout for myself instead. This particular gym is not the normal gym that I train at, I just have a membership there so I can go in a do some personal training with clients of mine. Anyway the gym has some different equipment then what I’m used to so it was nice for a change.

I started off with 10 minutes on the elliptical machine as a warm up.

Then started my leg workout with hack squats. Hack squats normally kill my knees, but the machine they have at this gym is old as the hills, and surprisingly quite comfortable compared to a lot of hack squat machines. Anyway I worked up to 2 sets of 225 lbs. for 6 reps, going ass to the ground with each rep and it never bothered my knees at all which was great.

Then I moved on to their leg press machine, which again was old as dirt, but none the less it was pretty solid machine. The thing could only hold 8 plates per side max, so after a few warm ups I loaded it up and did a couple sets of 10 reps.

After that I went on to the standing calf raise machine and did a few sets of 10 reps with the full stack (500 lbs.) when I do calfs I really exaggerate the stretch at the bottom and the peak contraction at the top. Holding each position for a couple seconds.

Afterwards I finished off with another 20 minutes on the elliptical machine. It was a simple leg workout, but quick and effective.

Bodybuilding Workout Videos...

I’ve uploaded a new page on my website:

http://www.leehayward.com/youtube_workout.htm

Where I’m going to be keeping a listing of all my youtube videos. This will just make it easier to find all the workout video clips rather then sorting through the blog posts or searching youtube to find them.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

12 Week "Combat The Fat" Transformation Winner…

You may recall last week when I made a post about the “Combat The Fat” body transformation challenge and asked you to vote for the man and woman who you felt made the best “before & after” transformation and who should win the $1000 grand prize.

Well, your votes have been tabulated and the winners have been choosen...

Click Here To See The "Combat The Fat" Transformation Winners.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Training Arms - Bicep Tricep Workout Routine

I haven’t worked out in a few days because I’ve just been so busy with my work. But I don’t really mind too much, especially now where I’m coming off a contest diet and basically taking some active recovery time in the gym.

The way I’m going to be doing my workouts for the next little while is stopping at 6 reps for every set. And I’ll work up to 2 heavy sets per exercise.

If the weight feels light and I can complete all 6 reps with good form I’ll up the weight by 5 lbs. for my next workout and just keep progressing in that fashion. I’m just starting off easy with it for now, but those small 5 lbs. jumps in weight will add up pretty quickly over the next several weeks.

Today I trained biceps, triceps, and then did some hand gripper training for my forearms.

I’m using a lot of machine exercises with my arm workouts because I’ve got some tendonitis in my left elbow that really hurts when I do free weight dumbbell curls, barbell curls, etc. So I’m going to try and work around it with more machine exercises, as I find them easier on the joints.

This is what I did for my arm workout…
Each exercise is proceeded with 1-2 warm up sets as needed.

Life Fitness Preacher Curl Machine
2 sets of 6 reps with 90 lbs.

Hammer Strength Tricep Extensions
2 sets of 6 reps with 120 lbs.

Standing Cable Curls
2 sets of 6 reps with 120 lbs.

Hammer Strength Dip Machine
2 sets of 6 reps with 225 lbs.

Hammer Strength Seated Bicep Curls
2 sets of 6 reps with 120 lbs.

1 Arm Overhead Dumbbell Extensions
2 sets of 6 reps with 35 lbs.

Then I finished off with some hand gripper work and push ups.

I took my digital camera with me to the gym and took some video of each exercise and made a little workout video clip below…

You'll have to ignore the friggen music in the back ground... The gym that I train at has a sponsorship deal with the local classic rock station so they keep playing all the oldies... I personally just phase out and don't even pay attention to it anymore, but it is really noticeable on the video.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

New off-season workout routine…

I’m starting to get settled into a set training routine and a semi normal daily work regime. I’m going to take some time off from competing for a while and focus my attention on improving my website and releasing some new training DVD’s.

June was a crazy month for me from having to deal with a death in the family, competing in the Newfoundland provincial bodybuilding championships, and now most recently my trip to LA… so my workouts have been all over the place.

My current workout cycle goes like this…

- Chest and Shoulders
- Back
- Legs and Abs
- Biceps and Triceps

My arms are a stubborn bodypart for me. So I’m prioritizing arms by having a day for just arm work to help bring them up in proportion to the rest of my body. Ideal body proportions would be to have your neck, arms, and calfs all the same measurement. In my case my neck and calfs are 18+ inches, but my arms are in the 17 inch range
(depending on my bodyweight)

I’ll cycle through each of the workouts, but the days of the week will vary. I’ll train either one day on, one day off… or two days on, one day off. It all depends on how I’m feeling and how busy my work schedule is.

My cardio workouts are very flexible, I don’t really have any set plan.
Today was a nice sunny day so I went mountain biking in the trails close by my home. Then in the evening I walked over to the store instead of driving, took me about 20 minutes total. I’ll be doing a lot more walking and biking now that summer is here. I’ll also have to mow the grass about once a week as well, this normally takes me just over an hour to complete… it all counts as cardio.