Carbs to choose from are:

• Cereals, rice, pasta, breads.
• Vegetables, potatoes.
• Salads.

Avoiding fried foods, processed and tinned foods, adding extra salt and spreads/toppings should get you into the low fat zone.


4-6 meals, spaced 2-3 hours apart. Sounds easy? Well it is! With a little bit of preparation at the beginning of the day you can package your meals into containers to be eaten during the day/night at work. A standard day may look something like this:

• 1st meal: carbs.
• 2nd meal: 1 x protein, 2 x carbs
• 3rd meal: 1 x protein, 2 x carbs
• 4th meal: (pre training) large carb serve
• 5th meal: (post training) small carb serve
• 6th meal: 2 x protein, 1 x carbs

Pre-training meals should occur approx. 30 mins. before workout. Post training approx. 10-15 mins after workout. Keeping the meals regular throughout the day will help to maintain an active metabolism.

This is dependant on what your current goals are. Weight gain/loss is regulated by a simple rule. To gain weight your intake must be greater than your expenditure. To loose weight your expenditure must be greater than your intake. Using your daily calories as a guide. Just add/subtract 500 calories daily to achieve the desired result. If you are adding calories don't just add a greasy burger or a block of chocolate. This kind of defeats the purpose of trying to gain lean muscle Most nutritional almanacs, and some diet books contain guides on how to work out your caloric intake, providing a guide of calories of each each individual item of food.

I'll go into more detail next month if however you want a more personalised dietary plan, feel free to e-mail me at this web site. Remember this easy rule.... eat to train, don't train to eat.

This month, I'm giving you two programs. One is a purely power lifting program for strength, and the other is a more traditional muscle size program. Both strength and muscle gains are linked so it is important to do both. In the power lifting program we are going to concentrate on one area each day Followed by some extra supporting work the program will look like this:

Bench press one set of 12 reps, 1 set of 8, 1 set of 4, 2 sets of 3, 1 set of 12.
Close grip press: 3 x 8.
Push downs: 3 x 8.
Shoulder press: 3 x 8.

Dead lifts: Same sets and reps as bench press. Chin ups, 3 x 8, hyper-extensions, 3 x 8, Barbell curls: 3 x 8.


Squats: Same as bench press, Leg curl or stiff legged dead lift, 3 x 8, standing calf raise or one leg d/b raise, (hold a dumb bell in one hand), 3 x 8 each leg, weighted sit ups, 3 x 12.


Bench, 1 x 8, 1 x 5, 1 x 2, 3 x 1, deadlift, same as for bench, squat, same as for bench.





Incline bench press, flat flyes, dips, barbell curls, incline dumbbell curls.

Chin ups, bent over rows, one arm dumbbell rows, barbell shrugs, tricep push downs, dumbbell kickbacks.


Shoulder press, side dumbbell raise, bent over dumbbell raise, standing calf raise, seated calf raise.

Lying leg curl, stiff leg dead lift, crunches, leg raises.


Leg extension, leg press, squats.




All sets and reps will be using a reverse pyramid system. Start with 12 reps then go to a weight that allows only 6-8 reps. Reduce the weight if you have to, each set until you have done 3 x 6-8. If you find you do not need to reduce the weight then you may have chosen a weight that is too light for you on the first set. Remember the Bodybuilding routine is not about how strong you can be, but more about how well you can perform each exercise. Good luck. If there are any exercises you are unsure of or that you do not have the equipment for don't hesitate to let me know.


There comes a time in every ones training when they ask the question, 'Why go to the gym?' This is a fundamental question and anyone who has been training for a good while will have crossed this seemingly critical time in their gym lives.

If you have never questioned why you go to the gym, then do so now. Most of you will have come up with some answers like, because I want to be fitter, I want to be stronger, I want to get bigger and more muscular like that person I saw at the beach the other day, I want to impress that guy/gal that I met at the supermarket, I need to get over an injury and training helps. Did you notice how many 'I''s were in that answer? Weight training and particularly bodybuilding are activities that focus on the individual rather than the team. This is it's greatest attraction, and also where the sport can, if allowed, let you down. The most common reason that attracts people to any sport is the constant motivation and a sense of accomplishment that they receive. Along with easily recognisable signs of success and progress.

For example, if you win, then you're doing well. If you loose, then you're failing. Then the team rallies around you, the coach gives you a few tips, and you go out next week and usually play better. In the gym there are few, if in fact, no coaches available that can give you both the training knowledge and the motivational psychology that you need to keep your performance on an upward tilt. Combine this, along with the fact that in most cases failure is the very thing that we're looking for, and the potential for disaster is quickly looming. It can take a little while to understand that by failing during a given set we can gauge our expected level of performance next time we do that set. This can be all a bit confusing.

So where is all this leading? Look back to your answer to the first question. If you answered straight away, then you know where you are going and it doesn't matter how silly the answer is. You already have a motivational advantage and probably have a good idea of how you want to look, and how you are going to get there. For those of you who were unable to come up with one definitive answer, then this is for you. What you need, is to learn to coach yourself. To this end, you need to arm yourself with a pen and a training dairy. An exercise book will do but the training dairies that have it all laid out for you can save valuable time, plus, they stop you becoming lazy. No one wants to see a box un ticked or a blank space where there should be an exercise. The next step is make yourself accountable. This means having someone to check-in with over a given time. This could be a personal trainer who is capable of gauging your progress and reassessing your training for quicker results. Of course it could just as easily be your partner, (training or otherwise), or even your siblings. This works particularly well as who wants their brother/sister giving them a hard time over missed workouts. A good personal trainer works best, as they are trained to keep you constantly on target. After you've gone this far, you need to set up your training program. This should have a weekly schedule that you can maintain with relative ease, along with a tine of day for training that fits in with your lifestyle. Next, is putting together the exercises, sets and reps that will best suit you. Most gym staff will be happy to help you in this regard, however stress to them the importance of you getting a personalised training program. Too many gym instructors give the same program out to all the people they see. What may work well for one individual may not work well for you. Again, personal trainers have more experience in working on an individual basis. It may cost a little more, but it's worth it in the end.

If you have decided to do it yourself, then start with one thought. What are my priorities? What areas do you need to work on most? What injuries do you have, if any? Whatever area is of greatest need of work, (and don't say all of me..), put this first in the workout and first in the week. For example, Say you need to work on your upper chest most, then perhaps your thighs, then calves, then triceps. The rest your are fairly happy with but these areas lag behind or need more work for recuperation, or maybe another sport entirely. You would then choose to do an upper chest exercise first thing, (after a warm up), on your Monday training session. Following this with the rest of the chosen exercises for chest, then finishing the workout with a bodypart that has a low priority. The next training day would be thighs first up then a small body part maybe forearms or abdominals. Calves come first on the next training day followed by a low priority bodypart. Then triceps on another day first thing after your warm up followed by what is left. This is a fairly simple way to make sure that your energies go into the areas that need the most work. That is all for this month I hope you have enjoyed the read and get something out of it for your continued growth.

Until next month, stay in the Growth Zone!
Regards,