Getting Wedding Fit

IT'S WEDDING SEASON! 
(Not literally)

After turning 30, it seems like everybody is getting MARRIED and having kids! I'm excited to hear about many of their impending marriages and have been fortunate to have been a part of a few special days.

In an ideal world you would have an unlimited budget and a year to get in the BEST shape of your life. This can be difficult with the go-go nature of our society today.

Well my friend and future Mrs., here are a few options for you to get you moving in the right direction.

Former client of mine looking extra fabulous on her special day.

What We'll Target

Shoulders and Back:
Especially if you have a dress that accentuates these areas of your body. The added benefit to training these areas of your body is improved posture! No one wants to be the slouching bride.

Legs:
Even though most dresses don't show off your stems, if your goal is to incinerate body fat as quickly as possible you're going to have to take full advantage of the metabolic impact heavy leg training will have on your physique. 

A double dip for brides who might change during the reception or wish to look exceptional in a bikini on their honeymoons.

Arms:
This one will vary for each woman depending on their preference for how defined they want their arms to be. The plan below doesn't highlight the arms too much, but if you want slightly more definition in your triceps or deltoid area I would throw in isolation work for them. 

Time Frame: 1 Year

This bride planned ahead and has the best chance at walking down that aisle exactly the way she envisions. She won't have to feel too pressured to be super strict, but you also aren't allowed to fall off the wagon every month only to panic 3 months out. 

Cardio will NOT have to be the cornerstone of your plan, and while you will have to do some not as much because you planned ahead!

Nutrition wise you have some wiggle room for error. The biggest luxury will be the ability to experiement with your dietary breakdown and find one that works for your current lifestyle.

I.E: You're a doctor and work crazy hours, eating every 3 hours isn't really feasible. For this individual I would recommend the typical 3 times a day eating style, with a snack somewhere in there. 

Time Frame: 6 Months

6 months is plenty of time to look great for your big day. Yes you should have started 6 months ago, but like the saying goes, better late than never. 

The biggest change will be the cardio and nutrition components. 

You'll have to exercise at minimum 4-5x a week, starting with moderate-heavy weights and finishing off with cardio each session. Nutrition will need to be a little more aggressive and on point (hey that's what you get for procrastinating). 

For this woman I would suggest a carb/calorie cycle (a diet where you alternate between high and low level of carbs and calories) diet like this:

125lb woman interested in RAPID fat loss (this type of dieting works for those who are already fairly lean >24% body fat)

MENU 1 Baseline: 1000cal, 150g protein, 33g carbs, 30g fat
MENU 2, Higher Carbohydrates: 1250 cal, 150g protein, 95g carbs, 30g fat
MENU 3, Higher Carb and Calorie: 1500 cal, 150g protein, 125g carbs, 45g fat
MENU 4, Higher Calorie 1500 cal, 150g protein, 33g carbs, 85g fat

With the weekly distribution of those menus

Monday: 1
Tuesday: 1
Wednesday: 4
Thursday: 2
Friday: 1
Saturday: 1
Sunday: 3

Time Frame: 3 Months

3 months is still enough time to make significant change, it will however be very dependent on your level of commitment to a plan. Nutrition and exercise will need to turn the dial to an 11.

You now have to be active 5-6x per week and every session needs to include some form of cardio, high interval or steady state cardio.

The nutritional outline described above will need to be altered to include more lower calorie menus if greater fat loss is needed. I would be sure to structure the menu so the highest intensity days correspond with the highest calorie and carbohydrate days. 

Sample 6 Week Workout plan (For Bride #1, One Year Time Frame)

Week 1

Day 1:
A1) Squat 5x8
A2) DB (Dumbbell) Row 5x8
B1) DB Split Squat 5x8 ea side
B2) Face Pulls 5x15
C1) Dead bugs 4x12
C2) Side lying clamshell 4x15

Day 2:
A1) (sumo or conventional) Deadlift 5x8
A2) Lat Pulldown, supinated (underhand) grip 5x10
B1) Cable Pullthroughs 5x12
B2) Paloff Press 5x10
C1) High-Low Farmers Walks 4x

Day 3:
A1) Hip Thrust 5x10
A2) Push Ups 5x5 (elevated if needed, never on your knees)
B1) KB Swing 5x10
B2) Farmer's Walks 5x
C1) Deadbugs 4x12

Day 4:
A1) Step up x 8 ea side
A2) Chest Supported DB Row 8x
A3) BB (Barbell) RDL (Romanian Deadlift)  8x
A4) Waiter's Walk 5x
A5) Med Ball Slams 10x
Repeat circuit 5x, rest 1-2 minutes between circuits, 15 seconds between exercises. 

Week 2

Day 1:
A1) Squat 6x6
A2) DB Row 5x8 ea side
B1) DB Step Up 5x8 ea side
B2) Farmers Walk 5x
C1) Dead bugs 4x12
C2) Seated Band Abduction 4x15

Day 2:
A1) Deadlift 6x6
A2) Lat Pulldown, supinated (underhand) grip 5x10
B1) KB Swings 5x10
B2) Paloff Press 5x10
C1) Kneeling Banded hip thrust or Side lying clamshells 5x15

Day 3:
A1) Hip Thrust 5x10
A2) Push Ups 5x5 (elevated if needed, never on your knees)
B1) Squat jumps 5x3
B2) Single KB (Kettlebell) racked walk 5x
C1) Deadbugs 4x12

Day 4:
A1) BB RDL x 10x
A2) Med Ball Overhead Throws 8x
A3) Reverse Lunge 6x ea leg
A4) Med Ball Slams 10x
A5) Plank 30sec-1 min
Repeat circuit 5x, rest 1-2 minutes between circuits, 15 seconds between exercises. 

Week 3

Day 1:
A1) Squat 4x8
A2) Chest Supported DB Row 5x8
B1) DB Step Up 5x6 ea side
B2) Farmers Walk 5x
C1) Dead bugs 4x12
C2) Seated Band Abduction 4x15

Day 2:
A1) Deadlift 4x8
A2) Lat Pulldown, supinated (underhand) grip 5x10
B1) KB Swings 5x10
B2) Paloff Press 5x10
C1) Kneeling Banded hip thrust or Side lying clamshells 5x15

Day 3:
A1) Hip Thrust 5x15
A2) Push Ups 5x6 (elevated if needed, never on your knees)
B1) Waiters Walk 5x
B2) Side Plank 5x
C1) Clamshells 5x15

Day 4:
A1) Landmine Squat x 10x
A2) Landline Push Press 8x ea side
A3) Landline single leg rd. 6x ea leg
A4) Landmine Anti-rotations 10x
A5) Plank 30sec-1 min
Repeat circuit 5x, rest 1-2 minutes between circuits, 15 seconds between exercises.

Week 4

Day 1:
A1) Squat 5x5
A2) Inverted TRX Row 5x8
B1) Seated DB overhead press 5x8
B2) Farmers Walk 5x
C1) Dead bugs 4x12
C2) Seated Band Abduction 5x20

Day 2:
A1) Deadlift 5x5
A2) Lat Pulldown, supinated (underhand) grip 5x6 (go a little heavier)
B1) KB Swings 5x10
B2) Paloff Press 5x8 breaths
C1) Kneeling Banded hip thrust or Side lying clamshells 5x20

Day 3:
A1) Hip Thrust 5x12
A2) Push Ups 5x6 (elevated if needed, never on your knees)
B1) KB One Arm Racked Walk 5x
B2) Face Pulls 5x15
C1) Clamshells 5x15

Day 4:
Round 1, 3 sets
Treadmill at 8mph, 8% incline for 25 seconds. 
Goblet Squats (10 reps) and Push Ups (5 Reps)
Rest 2 minutes

Round 2, 3 sets
Treadmill at 9mph, 9% incline for 20 seconds. 
KB RDL (10 reps) and TRX Inverted Rows (10 reps)
Rest 2 minutes

Round 3, 3 sets
Treadmill at 10mph, 10% incline for 15 seconds
Deadbugs (10 reps) and Medicine Ball Slams (10 reps)
Rest 2 minutes

Week 5

Day 1:
A1) Front Squat 5x8
A2) DB chest supported Row 6x8
B1) Seated DB overhead press 5x8
B2) Farmers Walk 5x
C1) Paloff Press 4x12
C2) Seated Band Abduction 4x25

Day 2:
A1) Deadlift 6x8
A2) Seated Cable Row, 6x8
B1) KB Swings 5x10
B2) Bear Crawls, 5x
C1) Kneeling Banded hip thrust or Side lying clamshells 5x20

Day 3:
A1) Hip Thrust 6x15
A2) Push Ups 6x6 (elevated if needed, never on your knees)
B1) KB One Arm Racked Walk 5x
B2) Face Pulls 5x20
C1) Clamshells 5x20

Day 4:
A1) KB Swings 10x
A2) Inverted Row 10x
A3) Kneeling Banded hip thrust 20x
A4) Med Ball Slams 12x
A5) Lateral Raises 15x
A6) Plank, 30sec-1 min
Rest 20sec between exercises, 2 minutes between rounds. 5 rounds total. 

Week 6

A1) Squat 6x6
A2) Lat Pulldown, supinated grip 6x8
B1) Waiters Walk 5x
B2) DB Split Squat 5x8 ea side
C1) Paloff Press 4x12
C2) Seated Band Abduction 4x25

Day 2:
A1) Deadlift 6x6
A2) Chest supported DB Row, 6x8
B1) KB Swings 5x10
B2) Bear Crawls, 5x
B3) Broad Jump 3x
C1) Kneeling Banded hip thrust or Side lying clamshells 5x20

Day 3:
A1) Hip Thrust 6x15
A2) Push Ups 6x6 (elevated if needed, never on your knees)
B1) KB One Arm Racked Walk 5x
B2) Face Pulls 5x20
C1) Clamshells 5x20

Day 4:
Round 1, 3 sets
Treadmill at 8mph, 8% incline for 25 seconds. 
Goblet Squat Reverse Lunge (10 reps) and Med Ball Slam (10 Reps)
Rest 2 minutes

Round 2, 3 sets
Treadmill at 9mph, 9% incline for 20 seconds. 
KB Swing (10 reps) and DB Overhead Press (10 reps)
Rest 2 minutes

Round 3, 3 sets
Treadmill at 10mph, 10% incline for 15 seconds
Paloff Press (10 BREATHS ea side) and Squat Jump (5 reps)
Rest 2 minutes

Notes

• The first movement (A1) of every workout is meant to be the main "strength" movement of the day. Each week breaks down into less total reps with the idea that the top sets are a heavish weight. Here's an example: 

Each main movement should be ramped up to a top set.
So you would warm up on say a deadlift as such: bar 5x, 75lbs 5x, 95lbs 5x, 105lbs 3x, 135lbs 2x, 165lbs 1x. You would base your reps off of that heavy single for the day. 
Week 1: 5x8 (40 total reps) 65% of your "max" for the day placing your 5 sets @110lbs
Week 2: 6x6 (36) 70% 115lbs
Week 3: 4x8 (32) 75% 125lbs
Week 4: 5x5 (25) 80% 135lbs

• The Squat is merely the movement pattern. Depending on your skill level and what's available you can use dumbbells, kettle bells and/or barbells. 
• If you need more cardio, I would perform it AFTER the strength training. 20-30 minute of a moderate intensity should suffice. Increase as needed. 

If you have any more questions as this is simply a broad starting off point, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be more than happy to walk you through this so you can walk down that aisle with confidence. 

Technique Breakdown: Anderson Press

Today I'm going to break down the concepts for the "Anderson" Press. Also known as a pin press. This was popularized by Paul Anderson, one of the strongest men to walk the planet. He would use this style of training to perform a 1,200bs squat, 628lbs bench press and 820lbs deadlift oh and also a Gold Medal in weightlifting at the Olympic game in Melbourne. 

While often used for the squat, you can use the pins for your bench press (like board presses) and deadlift (like pulling from blocks) as well. By breaking the stretch reflex cycle you have to learn to get tight to really generate some power to get the barbell moving again; thus this helps build some true starting strength. 

1. Set pins at appropriate height and get set. 
2. Pack the shoulders, set the core down (ribs down) and plant your feet into the floor before pressing the bar to full lockout.
3. Return the bar to a complete stop before performing another rep. 

I enjoy performing the Anderson "x" style lift for various reasons, a few of them for the pin press are:

1. When pressing you don't have to worry about getting pinned by the weight and feeling embarrassed. This allows you to get close to your max without fear of decapitation.
2. You have to really get tight to move a decent weight off the pins. Sometimes when repping weights you bounce the weight off your chest. No cheating here by relying on the SSC.
3. Trains you to tear the bar apart (not literally but the tension created to "pull it apart") which helps to engage your triceps more. Big triceps = Big press. 

Technique Breakdown: Improving Front Rack Position

Why I Heart the Front Squat

1. Because the bar is positioned in the front, it gives the lifter a counterbalance which allows for better position and often results in improved depth. 

2. When you have your arms up, the lats are lengthened. The lack of lat involvement then accounts for lesser loads than the back squat due to the fact the lats are needed to create greater core stability. This means, in order for you to move some big weights on the front squat you have to really strengthen your core.

3. Piggybacking off the point above, it then allows the lifter who may have a lordotic (arched) posture to squat much deeper/cleaner with the front squat.  Of course, if they have an excessive lordosis and anterior pelvic tilt, you may not want to start them off with a barbell front or back squat. 

On the opposite end of the postural spectrum, we have kyphotic posture, or a rounded back like a scared cat. Which I believe would be one of the worst positions a lifter can be in for front squatting. When your office desk worker gets to the gym and wants to front squat, they may have some issues due to the mobility demands of the front squat. 

You need to get the arms into a combination of shoulder flexion and external rotation. A lot of times we think we have immobile wrists or some wacky self diagnosis. Often times it's just some soft tissue restrictions and mobilizations needed prior to lifting. 

Step 1: Soft Tissue Work

The rhomboids also have to contract isometrically and can fatigue to the point to where these muscles can no longer maintain proper position as well. This influences bar position as well. I would roll out the entire trap/rhomboid area. 

Releasing the pecs and subclavius area goes a long way in helping to achieve a better rack position as well. Video courtesy of Eric Cressey. 

Important to keep these loose, even if you're not front squatting, your hands will thank you. 

The triceps, in particular the long head is often responsible for being short and not allowing the lats to get to full lengthening. 

Step 2: Mobilization

With a moderately heavy band around your elbow, drive it forward and down while simultaneously exhaling to maintain proper rib position. You'll want to perform this in a contract and relax manner. 

I would externally rotate (palm facing the ceiling) and then lean back and get a good pull on the lats. You can also do this internally (back of your hand facing you) too. 

A few final notes:

Elbows up is a cue that you'll hear very often. This also reinforces the most important position of the movement where the bar will want to roll down at the bottom. The goal should be to keep the elbows pointing as far upwards as possible. think a parallel line between your upper arm and the floor.

Another issue is the california style or cross armed grip which I'm not a big fan of. Under substantial load one elbow stays higher than the other and can be detrimental to proper structural alignment of the shoulders and can potentially create a chain of imbalances through your hip and knee. 

This question came over instagram, if you should have any questions use the hashtag #askghfitness and I'll create a piece of content to hopefully solve your problem!

Technique Breakdown: Inverted Rows

Learning the inverted row is the first step to performing a chin up/pull up. It teaches you how to properly engage the lats, pack the shoulders and allows you to adjust on the fly. 

The EASIEST way to teach this movement is from the finishing position first, then moving out.

1. Pull the handles back with your elbows slightly past your body with your shoulder blades pack and your lats engaged. Making sure that your shoulders don't roll forward.
2. From there walk yourself forward until you find a position that you're able to hold onto but is only a slight challenge to maintain. That's where you should stand to begin. 
3. Keeping the core tight, ribs down, extending the arms and then pull yourself back up. 

As you progress, you can slowly work your way towards having the starting point underneath the anchor point of the TRX or suspension trainer. Eventually the final bodyweight progression is to elevate the feet, at that point you should be able to start performing chin ups!

If it's Free, You Can't Complain

This is not a new article on T-Nation but they do periodically repost old popular articles that are relevant to the topic of the day. I recall reading this when it was published but they have long since moved their comments section to their Facebook fan page. And of course...

When I got to their fan page, to my amazement this was the sentiment from a majority of the comments there. 

Seriously? I made this comparison to a colleague of mine who thought it wasn't completely ridiculous that SO MANY idiot guys thought this way. If you go to restaurant X and they decide that cheeseburgers should be made from ground tilapia and blue cheese, are you going to be pissed that they want to sell burgers like that? 

No of course you wouldn't, you would just think that's disgusting and move on with your life. You wouldn't spend any money there nor would you even give it a second thought. It's their restaurant, they can technically serve whatever they want to serve. You wouldn't get high and mighty about how they're ruining burgers.

Whereas if you PAID for a burger and instead of ground beef you got that weird ground fish burger; THEN you can get pissed off. 

T-nation is a free webpage. Therefore allowed to post whatever they want. You don't have to read it or even agree with all the opinions posted.  If T-nation started charging you a fee to read their EXERCISE and NUTRITION articles but sent you the article above then I agree, get mad.

Until then shut up and enjoy all the FREE information they're giving you, if you stop liking it just go elsewhere! If you don't like it, how hard is it to simply NOT CLICK ON IT! This applies to social media as well, if you don't like something, just don't follow...what a novel idea.
(Sorry guys, the sarcasm is a bit heavy there)

Okay...deep breath before continuing

On a completely separate note, it makes me quite sad to read many of the comments on this post, sad but not surprised. Being a better person needs to supersede improving your lifts or gainz; get it together lifting community. Lifting teaches you so much about life, it's about time you start utilizing those life lessons.