How To LOVE Training Your Legs!

By Jeff Anderson. 

Hate training legs?

Don’t worry – you’re not alone.

Training legs is tough – the most grueling of all specialized muscle training – and let’s face it…who the hell stands in front of the bathroom mirror flexing their quadriceps?

Look, we’d all LOVE to work on those muscles we know will show off the best on the beach this summer.

And that’s EXACTLY why you should be putting a renewed interest in your leg development.

Let me explain…While you may think you can build your chest and arms up so big no one will ever notice the toothpicks you’re carrying them around on, what people are REALLY thinking is “Man, big upper body but look how skinny his legs look!”.

It’s unfortunate that the bigger you get in one area of your body, the smaller it can make other areas look, and that’s where people will focus their attention.

Therefore, building your legs will actually draw MORE attention to your bulging biceps!

Ok, so now that I’ve appealed to your “ego” on the benefit of training your legs, how about a few pointers on making the most of this “necessary evil”?

How To LOVE Training Your Legs!

Whether you like or dislike something…ANYTHING…is really all in your head.

And since we look forward to doing things we enjoy, it’s worth it to reevaluate your “attitude” on exercising your legs.

As soon as you get out of bed in the morning, instead of saying to yourself “Damn…I don’t feel like working my legs today.”, replace it with “YES! It’s leg day!”.

You may not mean it when you first say it, but I promise you that repeated affirmation of your leg exercises as being something you long for, will “program” your brain to actually look forward to this day!

It’s NOT “Leg Day”…It’s “TESTOSTERONE Day”!

Remember, since your legs are such a large muscle group, training them has a MUCH larger effect on anabolic (muscle-building) hormones.

In fact, the Barbell Squat, while being one of the “hardest” and most excruciating exercises, is actually the best overall exercise for skyrocketing testosterone levels in the body.

This is one of the reason why I had my “Hardgainer Lab Rats” train with squats every other workout…

…the hormone boost they got helped skyrocket their mass gains to build muscle when all other training programs had FAILED!

(BTW…you can see their amazing “before & after” pictures atwww.HardgainerProjectX.com)

Bottom line…

DON’T think about the pain of doing squats or other leg exercises…think of the PLEASURE of what all that testosterone gushing through your body is going to bring in the way of overall muscle growth, fat loss, and sexual desire!

Politically Incorrect (But EFFECTIVE) Tactics For Working Out In A Busy Gym!

By Jeff Anderson. 

I’ll admit that I’m NOT the most “politically correct” member at my local gym.

No, I don’t spit in the water fountain or hang out in the doorway of the ladies’ yoga class drooling. I don’t sweat all over the bench and leave behind a puddle of toxic waste for the next member to swim in. I bathe regularly, use deodorant, brush my teeth before heading to the gym and don’t reek of stale beer while I’m on the treadmill.

But when it comes to waiting in line for a piece of equipment…I’m a barracuda!

In fact, I HATE to wait for people to get off of “MY” equipment.

So when you’re on a “schedule” you don’t want to have to be held up by the other knuckleheads who probably don’t have ANY plan, right?

Well, you wanna know how do I claim ownership of my workout zone without urinating around the equipment to “mark” my territory?

Here are 5 ways (with a few “not-so-politically-correct” strategies) that I manage my time and space on the gym floor…

Ok, this first one is a simple one…

Workout When The Gym ISN’T So Busy!

I know, I know….DUUUUUUHH, right?

Hey, you know I had to throw that in there, right?

Obvious yes, but if you’re especially challenged at your gym, then perhaps you should re-examine your schedule and see if you’re able to go at lunch when things are a little quieter.

Throw On Your Headphones And Crank Up The Music!

This works great for managing your time in the gym since you won’t get lured into those long “between set” discourses on the meaning of life with “that guy” who seems to flap his gums with everyone in earshot of him.

But the other advantage of wearing your headphones is that people are less likely to interrupt you and ask if they can “work in” with you.

(If someone DOES ask…let them! I’m teaching you how to do the best you can to “own” the equipment, but don’t be a COMPLETE jerk!).

Which brings us to…

If someone is using a piece of equipment you also want to use…

Ask If You Can “Work In”!

Most guys aren’t “Alpha’s” in the gym so when you simply ask “Do you mind if I work in with you?”, saying “No” makes THEM the jerk.

And let’s face it, not many people care to be thought of as the “jerk of the gym”.

You’ll get compliance 99.9% of the time and they’ll likely even cut their own sets short and move on to another exercise.

“Mark” Your Territory!

Although my Golden Retriever, Wrigley, has the right idea when I walk him around the block…I’m NOT talking about whipping it out and urinating around the gym equipment you want to use.

But there IS a way you can claim some real estate…

This is especially helpful if you’re using supersets in your training like I emphasize in my “Advanced Mass Building” program (www.AdvancedMassBuilding.com) where you need to flip back and forth between 2 pieces of equipment.

Simply grab two of the gym’s floor towels (the ones you use to wipe down the equipment) and throw one over each machine or station you want to use just prior to your sets.

So for example, if I’m supersetting chest and back, I may go and throw a towel over the straight bar on the flat bench and then go and wrap another towel around the pulldown bar at a different location.

And I’m talking, I make it OBVIOUS!

I literally put the towel where someone would know that that equipment is being used…not just toss it on the ground next to the equipment.

Then at the end of each set on each piece of equipment, I put the towel back where it can be seen that I’m still using it.

Same thing goes for your other floor “equipment”. If you’re carrying a water bottle and a training notebook, keep one at one station and the other at another one to send a clear signal that the equipment is taken.

Loiter

Know why you see “no loitering” signs around businesses such as convenient stores?

Because it annoys people.

When you’re in a time crunch and someone looks as if they’ve set up temporary residence at a piece of equipment, “hang out” close by them – where it’s obvious that you are waiting for THEIR equipment – and occasionally look at your watch.

Now the secret to this is NOT to glare at them as if you expect them to just pick up and go.

No…what you want to do is kind of look around the gym as if it’s no big deal, but when they look at you, just flash a friendly smile at them.

They’ll usually respond with “Oh, are you waiting for this equipment?”

This is where you can come back with “Yeah, are you almost done?” (Again…keep the friendly tone!).

The typical reaction I see?

They will shortcut their rest period and quickly knock out one more set and leave or let you work in with them during their rest periods.

Well, like I said, I never claimed to be the “nice guy” at the gym, but hey…it’s an (iron) jungle out there and you’re either a lamb or a lion.

If you’ve ever watched “Wild Kingdom”, you know that the lions are the ones who are licking their chops as they gnaw on their leg of lamb.

Have a great workout!

4 Mental Tricks To Increase Your Bench Press By 20%

By The Muscle Nerd, Jeff Anderson. 

Been stuck at 185 on your bench press for what seems like DECADES and looking to FINALLY crack 200?

Well, no promises...

...but these 4 powerful little mental "tricks" COULD help you add an IMMEDIATE 20% more to your bench press and break a new personal record!

BENCH PRESS POWER TIP #1: Focus on your BODY...not the BAR!

When you're benching, try to actually push your BODY away from the bar...NOT the bar away from your body.

This trick works for the same reason when doing pullups, you focus on pulling your elbows down.

Your brain sees the bar as an inanimate object OUTSIDE of your control and it understands that the bar may "win".

But your brain sees your BODY as an "ally" and "WITHIN your control"...

...and is much more CONFIDENT in your strength when focusing on moving your BODY.

BENCH PRESS POWER TIP #2: "Pull" The Bar Apart!

As you're lifting the bar, try "pulling" it apart as if your hands were moving away from each other.

Your hands don't actually move...you just want to grip hard and imagine "stretching" the bar longer.

This calls into play more "stabilizer muscles" to give you extra power in your upward movement.

BENCH PRESS POWER TIP #3: Visualize The Bar Going UP!

Do you know this "spotter" trick?

Whenever you're spotting someone on the bench press and they've hit a sticking point, most of the time all you have to do is place 2 FINGERS under the bar and it MAGICALLY seems to raise again.

No...you DON'T have the world's strongest fingers!

It's simply a total mental "mind f'er" where the lifter "thinks" he's getting help with the rep...but is actually doing it all on his own.

You can do this by yourself (or with a partner) just by VISUALIZING the bar constantly moving upwards.

When you reach that sticking point, play a mental movie in your mind and vividly SEE the bar raising.

Your body will "believe" what you see and respond by making your "movie" a REALITY! 

BENCH PRESS POWER TIP #4: Look To Your Dominant Hand!

Another "sticking point" destroyer...

Once you reach the point where the bar stops its ascent and you think you've been defeated, look (WITHOUT turning your head) toward your dominant hand (the one you write with).

This is yet another mental "trigger" for your brain to associate strength and power with what it perceives as your strongest assetts in your "bench press battle".

Well, there you go!

Bring your brain to your next chest workout and load up a few extra plates because you're guaranteed t leave your wimpy old record in the dust once you try these easy tips!